The Indian Space Research Organisation is all set to launch its 40th communication satellite GSAT-31 on Wednesday from the spaceport in French Guiana. The satellite with a mission life of 15 years will provide continuity to operational services on some of the in-orbit satellites and augment the Ku-band transponder capacity in Geostationary Orbit, the space agency said.
In a statement, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said the satellite, weighing about 2,535 kg, is scheduled for launch onboard the Ariane-5 (VA247) from Kourou in French Guiana.
“The satellite GSAT-31 is configured on ISRO’s enhanced I-2K Bus, utilising the maximum bus capabilities of this type. The satellite derives its heritage from ISROs earlier INSAT/GSAT satellite series. The satellite provides Indian mainland and island coverage,” the agency said.
ISRO also said that the GSAT-31 will be used for supporting VSAT networks, television uplinks, digital satellite news gathering, DTH television services, cellular back haul connectivity and many such applications.
The satellite will also provide wide beam coverage to facilitate communication over large oceanic region comprising large part of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean using wide band transponder, ISRO said.
The agency added that two Ku-band beacon downlink signals are transmitted for ground tracking purpose.
Nowadays encircled in the news clip is Ayodhya land dispute, as the matter saw a new twist when Param Dharan Sansad, a 3-day conclave of Hindu seers, declared that they will lay the foundation stone of Ram Mandir on February 21. It also announced that a massive congregation of Sadhus will leave Prayagraj and duly march towards Ayodhya, upping the ante for the laying of stone. However, in the view of this claim to start Ram Temple construction, all eyes are on the outcome of this harsh step, because there is a strong possibility of communal violence after this move. So the government must put some strong measures in place to prevent such steps as long as the matter is going on in the Supreme Court.
M.F.U.Tandvi
India’s communal harmony in danger
It is a matter of great concern not only for the BJP led-government but also for the entire nation of India that our country is on the brink of communal violence before the Lok Sabha polls this year as the US intelligence community’s assessment of worldwide threats. Now the Modi government is once again in the storm of questions after Dan Coats, Director of National Intelligence, made his statement that BJP policies during Modi’s first term have deepened communal tensions in some BJP-governed states, and Hindu nationalist state leaders might view a Hindu-nationalist campaign as a signal to incite low-level violence to animate their supporters. So, it is now the government’s responsibility to protect the country from communal clashes and to save the communal harmony.
Mohd Usmani
Rationalisation of postal-tariffs not done in Union Budget
Presently mail-tariff for post-cards and registered newspapers is decades old and is in paise where coins below Re 1 are now totally out of circulation. It is senseless to have mail-tariffs in paise. Sale of post-cards has sharply declined, and mostly extra-ordinary heavy subsidy on post-cards is largely misused by chit-fund companies and other business houses. Listeners of Akashvani also misuse extra-ordinarily subsidised post-cards to listen to their names on the radio by sending post-cards indicating any song as their choice. Production-cost of newspapers has increased multi-fold in the last several decades; therefore, it is senseless to continue with mail-tariff in paise in name of benefitting small newspapers.
Minimum postal-tariff should be Re 1 for postal-articles requiring subsidies like ordinary post-cards and registered newspapers. Additional revenue can be earned to partially offset the big loss by providing the remaining half of side bearing address column like on ordinary post-cards in case of post-cards in Meghdoot category. It is also high time to discontinue totally outdated and unpopular Inland-Letter-Cards also bearing heavy subsidy with this subsidised postal-article largely misused for commercial purposes.
Mail-tariffs for rest of postal-articles should be in multiples of Rs 10 ordinary-mail tariff revised from Rs 5 for every 20 gms or part to Rs 10 for every 50 gms and part. Either GST should be abolished from postal-services like Speed Post, or their tariffs should be so fixed that net payable price by users may be in multiples of Rs 10 inclusive of GST. Speed Post tariffs require complete rationalisation for equal tariff-rise for every 50 gms slab-weight. Presently at various slabs, the unreliable ordinary post is costlier than reliable and fast Speed-Post.
Extra earning can be done by introducing sponsored postal-stamps with some minimum print-order and some minimum purchase of such stamps by the sponsors. It will be an extension of the system where advertisements by sponsors are printed on postal-stationery. It will popularise postal-services in competition to private courier-companies where sponsoring companies will prefer using their sponsored postal-stamps, rather than using private courier-services.
Madhu Agrawal
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Women have played an instrumental role in the nation-building process of India since ancient times and post-independence era; they have matched men in every step and made a mark for themselves.
In the run-up to the big 2019 elections, three women leaders could play an important role in the formation of the next government if neither the Congress nor the BJP wins an outright majority. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President Mayawati and Congress’s Priyanka Gandhi are seen as a big threat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aspiration to continue his second inning.
The firebrand Mamata Banerjee, BSP supremo Mayawati, and the most recent grand entry of Priyanka Gandhi in national politics could play a big role to change the entire course of National Politics. While 2019 Lok Sabha election is very crucial for Priyanka Gandhi and Mayawati to revitalise their parties, the common agenda which these three ladies share is to keep BJP away from the central power in the upcoming elections. Mayawati and Mamata are a big threat to Modi’s grip on power; both the seasoned leaders are far more experienced than Priyanka and both are considered strong and potential prime ministerial candidates if a coalition government forms for the next five years.
BSP chief Mayawati has served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for four times carving a history being the first-ever Dalit woman in India to serve as the Chief Minister. Due to the low percentage of votes in the last Lok Sabha election, the BSP had ended its national party status in 2014. Mayawati-led BSP supported Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan in recent elections; eyeing the 2019 elections, the party has also formed a historic alliance with the Samajwadi Party. Fearing that all the Dalits votes would go in favour of the Congress, BSP is not ready to give much space to Congress as it runs on the votes of the Muslims and the Dalits. However, even after an alliance with SP, it has displayed a soft corner for Congress keeping the possibility of joining hands with the country’s oldest political party alive.
BSP Maharashtra Secretary Dwarka Piraji Kamble asserted, “Mayawati, Mamata, and Priyanka are very powerful leaders of this country who have got the attention of the whole nation now. With kingmaker Mayawati’s strategy to join hands with Akhilesh, Uttar Pradesh is going to be the decision maker in the 2019 general election. We will make sure that Modi will never return to power again. We are hopeful that Mayawati will become the next Prime Minister of India.”
Priyanka Gandhi’s sudden appointment as the All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh, soon after the SP-BSP alliance, has sent cold shivers among both party leaders. Priyanka is seen as the sure ace for Congress. The eastern part of Uttar Pradesh includes all VIP parliamentary constituencies including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s home turf Gorakhpur, besides Congress stronghold Rae Bareli and Lucknow. Priyanka Gandhi is also presumed to contest Lok Sabha elections from UP. Priyanka will be focusing to woo upper caste voters in the state who typically vote for BJP and also the Muslims which have been a traditional vote bank of Congress.
In West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress of Mamata Banerjee holds a majority; although, BJP president Amit Shah claims that they’re going to win in big numbers in the next elections. Whereas, political observers don’t see Mamata Banerjee’s popularity diminishing; Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) had on January 19 organised a mega opposition rally which was attended by leaders of 24 parties from across the country, including the Congress; Banerjee projected herself as the primary challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
TMC leader Dr. Ratna De stated, “The recently held grand Opposition rally by Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal clearly showed that the 2019 election is not going to be a cakewalk for BJP. TMC and other party members want Mamata to become the next Prime Minister of India. All female members who are into opposition have decided to dethrone Narendra Modi.”
Mamata Banerjee has been very vocal against the demonetisation, hurried implementation of GST, and National Register of Citizenship (NRC) in Assam. These are the issues which she will project against the BJP. TMC gears up for ‘2019 BJP will finish’ agenda.
Narendra Modi on the other hand would target women welfare to ensure his victory. Modi will probably be campaigning to revive the Women’s Reservation Bill, which has been pending for close to two decades due to lack of consensus among political parties. Moreover, BJP will be running a month-long exercise titled Bharat Ke Mann Ki Baat, Modi Ke Saath. The BJP launched a special website and phone number to seek suggestions. The party will also set up 7,500 boxes to collect ideas. BJP has decided to seek suggestions under 12 special categories like good governance, women empowerment, youth and sports, inclusive growth, farmers, economy, foreign policy, and infrastructure.
BJP MP from Gujarat Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt spoke to AV and said, “All these three ladies have totally different backgrounds. Countless crimes happened and are happening in West Bengal under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. Priyanka Gandhi belongs to dynastic politics and she has done nothing for the nation and she is not a competitor to BJP in any manner.”
“As far as Mayawati is concerned, she has been the CM of UP but she did nothing for the state and its people; she joined hands with Akhilesh to manage the survival of her political career,” she added.
Mamata, Mayawati, Priyanka — all the three women leaders have faced male sexist digs so far. Currently, sexist attacks targeting Mayawati and Priyanka have been in trend on social media. BSP supremo Mayawati has been the target of some extremely distasteful comments. She was heavily mocked for her looks and shoddy lifestyle whereas Priyanka Gandhi is targeted on social media as Surpanakha while also being targeted for her good looks. Mamata too was targeted in her own state as ‘a prostitute’. Subramanian Swamy said, “Priyanka Gandhi had bipolar disorder and a violent character” while BJP MLA Sadhana called Mayawati “worse than a transgender”.
AIMC General Secretary Shamina Shafiq expressed, “Not only powerful women like Mayawati, Mamata, and Priyanka, but even ordinary women can challenge Modi, his policies, and his leadership. Youth are hurt being jobless; all castes, religions and every single woman of this country are unhappy, disturbed, and angry under the leadership of PM Modi.
Modi has endorsed people who humiliate and misbehave with women and have a rigid perspective towards women, be it the BJP MLA from Kanpur who raped a girl or be it Priyanka Gandhi, who was humiliated by the BJP leaders when she entered into active politics, just because she is a woman!”
“I think no one can save this government from being thrown out of the power. BJP has damaged the whole nation in some or the other way,” she concluded.
Mamata, Maya, and Priyanka Gandhi — three strong women are going to make it little tough for BJP in the 2019 elections. Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee always challenges Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She has already given a hard time to BJP in her own bastion. Mayawati might have lost in 2014, but one cannot ignore her political experience and journey; now she is playing it well to show doors to the BJP in UP which is Modi’s constituency. Her party Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) joined hands with Samajwadi Party (SP) and the strategy is well-crafted to counter BJP and Modi. The impact of the BSP-SP alliance and why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken recent decisions — from bringing in a significant constitutional amendment, introducing reservations for economically weaker sections to announcing a cow cess and promising cow shelters for strays — is visible in Uttar Pradesh.
Banerjee is a seasoned politician; she began her political career in the Congress party and as a young woman in the 1970s, she quickly rose in the ranks of the local Congress group and remained the general secretary of Mahila Congress (I). In the 1984 general election, Banerjee became one of India’s youngest parliamentarians ever defeating veteran Communist politician Somnath Chatterjee. She also became the General Secretary of the Indian Youth Congress. Losing her seat in the 1989 general elections in an anti-Congress wave, she was re-elected in the 1991 general elections, having settled into the Calcutta South constituency. She retained the Kolkata South seat in the 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, and 2009 general elections. In the Rao government formed in 1991, Banerjee was made the Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development, Youth Affairs, and Sports, and Women and Child Development. As the Sports Minister, she announced that she would resign and protested in a rally at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata against the government’s indifference towards her proposal to improve sports in the country. She was discharged of her portfolios in 1993. In 1997, Banerjee left the Congress Party in West Bengal and established the All India Trinamool Congress which quickly became the primary opposition party to the long-standing Communist government in the State. Since then, she just ruled Bengal; her personal life is very average and down to earth.
Referring to the upcoming general elections, she claimed that the BJP should expire politically as it was edging closer to its “expiry date”. Refuting Shah’s claims that a certain community in Bengal was obstructing Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja, Banerjee claimed that there were no impediments in holding religious festivities in the state. She also challenged Shah and the BJP to prove their charges or else leave politics.
A new entry of 47-year-old Priyanka Gandhi has been another challenge to BJP; she is been appointed as the Indian National Congress’s General Secretary of the eastern side of the crucial bellwether state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) in northern India. The fifth generation politician joins her elder brother Rahul Gandhi, President of the Congress party, as he seeks to mount a challenge against the Hindutva nationalist government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national elections barely three months away. With almost 80 key seats coming from the state, UP almost always plays the most important role in the national government formation exercise.
The Congress cadre has long demanded Gandhi’s entry into the electoral fray. Priyanka is sharper than RaGa and her look resembles Mrs. Gandhi; however, she doesn’t have the political acumen like her grandmother so far. Probably she was not exposed like her grandmother as even her father Rajiv was suddenly pushed into politics. The biggest hindrance is her husband Vadra who is embroiled into various nepotism issues, which will be a deterrence to her political career. However, she is one of the strongest Gandhi children who has countered all the allegations of BJP and gave a befitting reply to PM Modi. The baton of leadership has been handed over to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. Now they have to prove themselves in 2019 although INC has already bounced back in various states. Rahul Gandhi has matured with time. BJP may tag him as ‘Pappu’ but many a times, he has proved all his opponents a Pappu (naive). INC is the oldest political party in India at the national level having its routes in the Indian independence movement. Moreover, it is the party which has ruled India for the maximum period since 1947. At state level also, INC has its presence in few states. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is a sign that the grand old party has finally got its leader.
She comes across as a more mature politician than Rahul Gandhi. The manner in which she talks to the people, she is able to establish connections with the citizens and that is missing in Rahul. Congress has found the new Indira Gandhi; her face is disturbing all political parties. Congress is going to benefit from her arrival in the political stage. Even though the appointment comes at a time when the Congress under Rahul Gandhi is on an unprecedented high after vanquishing the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, the popularity of Priyanka and curiosity among the voters are growing and that’s even before she holds a public meeting in Uttar Pradesh.
The first public meeting of Priyanka is expected to be in Lucknow on February 10 when she will launch Congress’s Uttar Pradesh campaign along with her brother Rahul Gandhi. Priyanka Gandhi is the saviour of Congress, people believe that she can inspire because she resembles her grandmother and has the political acumen and personality to take on Modi. Not only Congress (supporters), Priyanka comes as a beacon of hope for all those voters who are not with the BJP. She is the saviour, the one youthful leader who can fight against the BJP nationally.
(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)
Chennai’s P Michelle Catherina defeated Chandreyee Hajra in the tenth round to take the sole lead in the Velammal-AICF Women International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess tournament on Sunday.
Divya Deshmukh, the overnight leader, remained in second spot despite going down to compatriot Aakanksha Hagawane. Catherina had won her maiden Women Grand Master norm on Saturday.
In other games, top seed International Master Munguntuul Batkhuyag of Mongolia went down to her countrywoman Uuriintuya Uurtsaikh while Colombia’s Franco Valencia Angela stunned higher rated Osmak Iulija of Ukraine.
Results: Round 10 (Indians unless specified): Osmak Iulija (Ukr) 6.5 lost to Franco Valencia Angela (Col) 3, Nakhbayeva Guliskhan (Kaz) 4.5 drew with V Varshini (3), Uuriintuya Uurtsaikh (Mgl) 4.5 beat Munguntuul Batkhuyag (Mgl) 6.
Olga Babiy (Ukr) 6 beat Saloni Sapale (4), Aakanksha Hagawane (6) beat Divya Deshmukh (7), Chandreyee Hajra (2) lost to Michelle Catherina (7.5).
The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has issued a six-month non-cooperation directive to actor Alok Nath, who has been accused of rape by writer-director Vinta Nanda.
Ashoke Pandit, President of The Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA), said the decision was taken after Nath “refused to participate” in the POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) inquiry.
“We have seriously taken the sexual harassment of our member director Vinta Nanda and shared it with the POSH committee, which investigated the complaint in the spirit of POSH Act and in compliance of principles of natural justice, equity and fair play,” Pandit said in a statement.
“The committee in exercise of its power under POSH to summon a person for investigation had called Alok Nath. However, he refused to participate in the POSH inquiry despite three opportunities,” he added.
The organisation said the actor has “blatantly challenged the ICC (Internal Complaints Committee) and defied the summons to attend before the ICC”.
“Therefore, he has refused to cooperate with the mandate of IFTDA to provide secure work place for women. On recommendations of IFTDA’s POSH Committee to mother body, FWICE has issued six months non-cooperation directive to the actor.”
Last year, Nanda, best known for the hit ’90s TV show “Tara”, had accused Nath of raping her more than once 19 years ago. Besides Nanda, actor Sandhya Mridul also accused Nath of sexual harassment at an outdoor shoot years ago.
Nath, who has repeatedly denied the claims, has also filed defamation case against Nanda.
Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan and senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil Sunday met social activist Anna Hazare who is on a hunger strike in his native Ralegan Siddhi village in Ahmednagar, over 240 kilometres from Mumbai.
Hazare, the face of the Lokpal movement, has been demanding the appointment of anti-corruption watchdogs at the Centre and in Maharashtra and resolution of farmers’ issue.
Mahajan, who came with a letter from Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, told reporters the CM had asked Hazare to withdraw his hunger strike as most of his demands had already been announced in the Union budget and considered by the Maharashtra government.
Mahajan, the state’s Water Resources minister and Jamner MLA, told PTI that he would be visiting Ralegan Siddhi again on Monday to hold talks with the anti-graft crusader.
Shyam Asawa, a spokesperson for Hazare, said the latter had refused to give up his fast unless concrete steps were taken to implement his demands.
Vikhe Patil, meanwhile, accused the ruling BJP of “forgetting” Hazare after “taking political mileage” out of the latter’s anti-graft Lokpal movement.
In a statement issued Sunday, Vikhe Patil said he met Hazare at Ralegan Siddhi in the afternoon and urged him to call off the fast on account of his ill-health.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly said the BJP, when it was in the opposition, took political mileage out of Hazare’s Lokpal stir but had now forgotten him.
He told reporters after meeting Hazare that it was the Congress which had passed the Lokpal Bill in 2013.
Vikhe Patil said the BJP stood exposed as it had done nothing on the issue, which in turn had forced Hazare to sit on a hunger strike.
He also hit out at the Shiv Sena and alleged that its concern for Hazare was not genuine.
“The Sena should have pulled out of the government if it supported the issues raised by Hazare,” Vikhe Patil asserted.
Earlier in the day, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had pledged support to Hazare’s fight against corruption.
Thackeray, however, had asked Hazare to take to the streets in this fight to create an awakening among people, instead of giving up his life by fasting.
“Anna should give up his fast and lead an agitation over his demands, and I assure Shiv Sena’s support wherever possible,” the Sena chief had said.
A sessions court in Mumbai has issued non-bailable warrants against two Pakistan Army officials – Major Abdul Rehman Pasha and Major Iqbal – in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case.
While Major Pasha has retired, the prosecution believes Major Iqbal is still serving as an ISI official in Pakistan, as disclosed by US born Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist David Coleman Headley, an approver in the case here.
Both Major Iqbal and Major Pasha are shown as wanted accused in the charge sheet filed by the city police’s crime branch in the case.
Additional Sessions Judge S V Yarlagadda on January 21 allowed an application filed by special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.
The application was filed before the court which is presently conducting trial against alleged LeT operative Sayyed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case.
Nikam said in the application that the role of the two Pakistani Army officials was revealed further during the testimony of Headley on the conspiracy hatched in the case.
Headley, who is presently lodged in a US jail, turned approver in the case and his testimony was recorded via video conference in 2016.
“David Headley’s testimony has vindicated the stand of India that the terror attacks of November 26, 2008 were not only sponsored by militant groups of Pakistan but were, in fact, actively supported by Pakistan Army officials,” Nikam told agencies.
Judge Yarlagadda, after perusing the application, supplementary charge sheet filed by the crime branch and hearing brief arguments from Nikam, said he was allowing the application.
Headley in his testimony before the court had claimed that during the conspiracy to commit the terror attacks in Mumbai, Major Iqbal and Major Pasha were present in the meetings during which targets were selected.
LeT operatives Sajeed Mir, Abu Kaahfa and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi were also present in the meetings, Headley had said.
Nikam said Headley’s oral testimony is not the only evidence against these two persons (Pasha and Iqbal) and that the prosecution also has in its possession corroborative documentary evidence.
Headley had visited Mumbai in September 2006 and informed Major Iqbal about his surveillance of Hotel Taj in south Mumbai and on his return to Pakistan, he had handed over photographs and videos of the same.
He also said that Major Iqbal gave him $25,000 to do intelligence work in India.
Headley further claimed that Major Iqbal had asked him to also get classified information about Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) here and of political party Shiv Sena’s office, ‘Sena Bhawan’, located in central Mumbai.
On November 26, 2008, 10 Pakistani terrorists arrived by sea route and opened fire indiscriminately, killing 166 people, including 18 security personnel, and injuring several others, besides damaging property worth crores.
The attacks lasted three days. The places that were attacked included south Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway station, the Taj Hotel, the Trident Hotel, Cafe Leopold and Chabad House.
While nine of the terrorists were killed during the siege, Ajmal Kasab was caught alive by Mumbai Police and later awarded death sentence.
Former Pakistan women’s cricket team skipper Sana Mir on Sunday became the first Asian woman cricketer to play hundred T20 international matches.
The 33-year-old reached the milestone when she walked into the field for the ongoing third and final T20I against West Indies in Karachi.
Sana expressed delight over achieving the feat and said that she is privileged to have gotten so many opportunities to represent Pakistan.
“Every match for Pakistan is a wonderful opportunity and a big responsibility. All I can say that I have been privileged to represent Pakistan for so long and have given my best in every match for my country with best of my ability,” Geo TV quoted Sana, as saying.
The right-arm bowler was part of Pakistan inaugural T20I team which played against Ireland in 2009. Since then, she has missed just two matches for Pakistan and that too because of an injury.
Overall, Sana is the sixth woman cricketer to complete a century of T20 Internationals. Daendra Dottin of West Indies tops the list with a total of 109 T20Is to her name.
In the Asian list, Sana is followed by fellow Pakistan cricketer Bismah Maroo (94 T20Is) and India’s Harmanpreet Kaur on third position (93 T20Is).
Indian squash player Ramit Tandon defeated Egyptian Mohamed El Sherbini in the finals to win the Seattle Open, a PSA challenger squash Tour event in Seattle.
The top-seeded Indian, who rose to his career high ranking of 58 in the latest February list, won 11-4, 11-7, 2-11, 11-2 on Saturday for his first PSA title in the new year and fourth title overall in his career.
Tandon was fluent right through till the final and his only moment of hesitation came in the third game.
Superior choice of strokes held the Indian in good stead besides the flourish in the finishes upfront.
The Egyptian clawed one back before Tandon sealed the issue with another superlative effort in the last game.
