Uttar Pradesh Minister and BJP leader Swatantra Singh Dev on Friday claimed that his party would win all the 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh, where the saffron outfit lost power last year after a 15-year rule.
He also accused that the Congress of putting hurdles in the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya.
“The BJP is going to win all 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh,” Dev, the BJP in-charge for general elections in the state, told reporters.
The BJP had won 26 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 polls and the remaining three went to the Congress.
Asked about the Ayodhya issue, the UP minister said, “Only Congressmen are putting hurdles in the construction of Ram temple.”
He said that Congress leaders were raising objections in the Supreme Court in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case, thus delaying its hearing.
Dev is here to finalise the party’s strategy for the general elections in Madhya Pradesh.
He said that development of all will be the main poll plank of the BJP in the upcoming general elections.
We are now witnessing dictatorship in the form of BJP, and autocracy in Narendra Modi. So, we launched a dharma poratam (just war) against them. Referring to the anti-BJP parties’ rally in Kolkata scheduled for Saturday, the chief minister claimed that the Telangana Rashtra Samiti and the YSR Congress were in the pro-Modi front as they were not attending it. There are only two fronts in the country now. One is pro-Modi and the other is anti-Modi. Since they are not attending the Kolkata rally (being organised by Trinamool Congress), it is clear that where the TRS and the YSRC stand.
The Telugu Desam Party is fighting a ‘just war’ against the BJP; he said and asked the party cadre to gear up for the ensuing general elections that were 100 days away. Addressing a teleconference of the TDP rank and file on the occasion of party founder N T Rama Rao’s 23rd death anniversary, Naidu said that NTR taught them how to fight dictatorship and autocracy.
Paying tributes to the TDP founder, Naidu exhorted that the party’s rank and file to re-dedicate themselves to the service of the society. He said that winning over poverty would be a true tribute to NTR as the doyen always strove for elimination of poverty and removal of economic inequalities in society. Noting that elections to the state assembly and Lok Sabha were just 100 days away, Chandrababu asked the cadre to strive for the party’s victory so that it could play a key role in national politics.
He further added that we all should work with team spirit and work to fulfill the state’s interests.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal will flag off the railways’ latest Rajdhani on the Mumbai-Delhi route from Saturday.
With the introduction of the Mumbai-Hazrat Nizamuddin bi-weekly Rajdhani Express, there will now be three Rajdhanis serving the route between the two cities, the railways said Friday.
However, this will be the first such train passing through the Central zone, covering Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Kalyan, Nasik, Jalgaon, Khandwa, Bhopal, Jhansi, Agra, and Hazrat Nizamuddin and passing through two significant Hindi heartland states — Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, it said.
The train will leave Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai on every Wednesday and Saturday at 14.50 hrs with effect from January 19 and arrive Hazarat Nizamuddin at 10.20 hrs next day.
On its return journey, the train will leave Hazarat Nizamuddin on every Thursday and Sunday at 16.15 hrs with effect from January 20 and arrive at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Mumbai at 11.55 hrs next day, the railways said.
It will have one first AC, three AC 2-tier, 8 AC 3-tier and a pantry car.
The current fleet size of Rajdhani trains on the railway network is 23, with two catering to Mumbai.
Currently, two Rajdhani trains — one from Mumbai Central and the other from Bandra Terminus — run on the Western Railway.
This will be the first Rajdhani in the state which will take a detour via Madhya Pradesh, instead of Gujarat.
The Maharashtra government Friday asked for streamlining the process of fixing sugarcane prices as per the Revenue Sharing Formula (RSF) for sugar factories which have completed cane crushing.
The directives were given by Chief Secretary D K Jain during a meeting of the Cane Price Regulatory Board with representatives of farmers and sugar cooperatives here, an official release stated on Friday.
The meeting approved cane prices for 2017-18 fixed as per the RSF, it added.
Out of 181 sugar units, prices of 157 were fixed as per RSF, and out of these, 17 factories have given higher RSF money than FRP (Fair and Remunerative Price) to farmers.
The board meeting also gave approval to rates of 140 sugar factories whose RSF rate was less than the FRP, it said.
Jain asked for streamlining the process of fixing the prices as per RSF, the release informed.
Farmers’ representatives said some factories show more expenditure for cane crushing and transportation.
In reply, Jain asked the Sugar Commissionerate to check the rates.
Farmer representatives also demanded that the minimum sale price of sugar be increased to Rs 34 per kilogram.
This year 185 sugar factories took up crushing of 426.84 lakh metric tonne sugarcane.
The total FRP amount for crushing of sugarcane is Rs 10,487 crore.
Out of this, Rs 5,166 crore has been given while arrears of Rs 5,320 crore are pending on the part of 174 sugar factories.
Eleven sugar factories have given farmers 100 per cent prices as per FRP.
Four armed robbers allegedly held an elderly cotton trader, his relative and two others hostage at gunpoint inside his bungalow here for three hours, before decamping with cash and valuables worth Rs 5.7 lakh, police said on Friday.
The incident took place on Wednesday morning at the trader’s bungalow located on Apte Road in upmarket Deccan area of the city, police added.
According to police, the robbers held cotton trader Hanskumar Khimji (79), his sister-in-law Hemaji Chheda (63), his domestic aide and caretaker of the bungalow were held hostage.
The robbers barged into the bungalow around 9.30 am on Wednesday and threatened them to hand over cash and valuables by brandishing a gun and sharp weapons, they said.
“When Khimji told them that he did not have enough cash, one of the intruders left for Mumbai with Khimji’s driver to collect Rs 1 crore from the trader’s office,” senior police inspector Bhaskar Jadhav of Deccan Gymkhana police station said.
The remaining three robbers then tied the domestic help and caretaker of the bungalow with a rope.
“They also put Khimji and his sister-in-law into a room on the upper floor of the bungalow with one of the accused keeping a watch on them inside the room,” he said.
It is an old bungalow and Khimjis occasionally come there as they want to sell off the property, he added.
“Around 1.30 pm, one of the robbers, who was keeping a watch on Khimji and Chheda, went out of the room to talk to his accomplice. Seizing the opportunity, Chheda immediately locked the door from inside and raised an alarm and shouted for help from the window,” Jadhav said.
As Chheda started shouting for help, the robbers developed cold feet and fled the house after taking away cash and valuables worth Rs 5.70 lakh, the officer said.
“The three robbers then might have called their fourth accomplice and asked him to run away. The fourth robber, who along with the driver, was about to reach to Kurla, then got down from the car and escaped,” Jadhav said.
“A case has been registered and multiple teams have been formed to trace the robbers. We are also checking the CCTV cameras installed on Apte road,” he said.
The robbers might have conducted a recce of the house before executing their plan, Jadhav said adding that further investigation into the case is on.
Standing by its decision to grant 16 per cent reservation to the Maratha community in education and government jobs, the Maharashtra government has told the Bombay High Court that it was meant to alleviate the community from its social and economic backwardness.
The government filed its affidavit in the high court on Wednesday in response to a bunch of petitions challenging the reservation granted to the community.
In the affidavit, the government also asserted that the ceiling of 50 per cent reservation imposed by the Supreme Court cannot be made applicable to all the states.
On November 30, 2018, the Maharashtra legislature passed a bill proposing 16 per cent reservation in education and government jobs for the Marathas, declared as socially and educationally backward class by the government.
The affidavit claimed that the creation of Socially and Educationally Backward Class and the inclusion of Maratha community in the said class and provision of 16 per cent reservation for the community cannot be said to be “excessive or disproportionate”.
The affidavit was filed by Shivaji Daund, Secretary General Administration Department of the Maharashtra government.
“The impugned Act of 2018 is passed within parameters and four corners of the Constitution of India and that there is no violation of any provision of the Constitution of India,” the affidavit said.
“The state government has passed the impugned Act based on data, surveys, facts and figures, statistics, records, analysis, investigations, research and so on,” it said.
The government sought for the petitions to be dismissed at the outset itself.
“The said Act providing for reservation only seeks to fulfil the constitutional duty of ensuring adequate representation to a Socially and Educationally Backward Class of citizens in educational institutions and public services, in order to alleviate the community from its social and economic backwardness,” the affidavit said.
It added that the Act was enacted following recommendations submitted by the Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes.
“The commission has taken into consideration each and every aspect of the matter and collected requisite and reliable data concerning the social, educational and economic backwardness of the Maratha community,” the state said.
“…the commission has then come to the conclusion that the Maratha community is socially, educationally and economically backward,” the affidavit said.
It further claimed that the government was the custodian and regulator of social justice and enacted the Act after recognising the plight of the community.
“Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the government to maintain equality and social justice by giving reservation to the socially and educationally backward class,” the affidavit said.
The Supreme Court has imposed an overall cap of 50 per cent on reservations. However, the affidavit said the ceiling of 50 per cent reservation cannot be made applicable to all the states.
“To balance the inequalities and to achieve the adequacy of representation, extra weightage needs to be given to the backward classes by increasing the limit of 50 per cent,” it said.
The government denied the allegations that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis enacted the Act to appease the Maratha voters.
A division bench headed by Justice Ranjit More will take up the petitions for hearing on January 23.
The Maharashtra government will issue an ordinance to shut down dance bars in the state if needed, state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said on Friday.
This came a day after the Supreme Court paved the way for reopening of dance bars in the state by relaxing conditions imposed by the government on their licensing and functioning.
In this regard, Mungantiwar said: “After analysing the Supreme Court order and holding discussions on it with the law and justice department, we have decided that if needed, we will issue an ordinance to stop dance bars in Mumbai.”
The apex court on January 17 allowed dance bars to re-open in Mumbai, stating that there cannot be “a total prohibition” on them.
The apex court also relaxed the stringent conditions set by the state government for obtaining a license for running dance bars, but upheld the five-and-a-half hour limit for dance performances.
In its verdict, the apex court also set aside the “vague” conditions of the state government for “putting up CCTV cameras in bars and giving licenses to the people of good character.”
Allowing for an orchestra and tips, the apex court, however, stated that showering performers with cash is not allowed inside the bars.
Quashing the rule that segregates the dancing stage from the bar area where drinks are served, the Supreme Court in its verdict also struck down a condition by which dance bars were supposed to be one kilometre away from educational and religious places.
The Supreme Court, however, upheld a rule of the Maharashtra government according to which working women should have a contract so that she could not be exploited but quashed the rule of a monthly salary for bar dancers.
The Dance Bar Regulation Bill unanimously passed by the Assembly on April 13, 2017, prohibits, among other things, serving liquor in performance areas and mandates that the premises must shut by 11.30 pm.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said he does not want a single seat in the proposed alliance for Maharashtra if his “elder brother” Prakash Ambedkar is given seats according to his stature.
The statement comes after the Congress, who has allied with the NCP for the Lok Sabha polls, reportedly said they would approach Ambedkar in order to stitch a pre-poll alliance, rather than the AIMIM, an ally of Ambedkar’s Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM).
While addressing a gathering, Owaisi remarked, “You say that you can talk to Prakash Ambedkar but not with MIM, with all seriousness and responsibility I want to tell Congress, NCP’s Sharad Pawar that you talk to my elder brother Balasaheb Ambedkar and you give him seat as per his stature. If you do so then I don’t want a single seat. Tell me Ashok Rao do you take this offer?”
Last month, talks had been reportedly initiated by the Congress with smaller parties in Maharashtra, including the BBM, on forging an alliance.
However, Ambedkar reportedly stated that he would only ally with the Congress if it was ready to accommodate AIMIM.
There are 48 Lok Sabha seats at stake in Maharashtra out of a total of 543 seats.
Ace striker Rani Rampal will captain an 18-strong Indian women’s team, while experienced goalkeeper Savita will be her deputy for the season opener in Spain starting Jan 26, Hockey India announced Friday.
The Indian Hockey team is set to play four matches with the Spain and two matches against the Women’s World Cup runners-up, Ireland.
The team will leave on January 24 for the Spain tour from Bengaluru, where they have been based for the past two weeks for the National Camp.
The team includes goalkeepers Savita and Rajani Etimarpu. The Indian team for Spain Tour will feature defender Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam who makes a comeback after missing out on the World Cup and the Asian Games Jakarta-Palembang last year due to injury.
Defender Salima Tete, who led the India U-18 team to a silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, has also been named in the team along with experienced Deep Grace Ekka, Reena Khokhar, Nikki Pradhan and drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur who will add strength to India’s defence.
While the midfield features Lilima Minz, Karishma Yadav, Sonika and Neha Goyal, the forward-line will have the experience of Rani, Vandana Katariya, Navneet Kaur, Lalremsiami, Udita and Navjot Kaur.
Ravi Shastri has seen Sachin Tendulkar get “angry at times” but not Mahendra Singh Dhoni, “a once in 40 years player” who will be very difficult to replace once he bids adieu to the game, according to India’s head coach.
The 37-year-old Dhoni, who was panned by critics for 51 off 96 balls in the first ODI against Australia, showed glimpses of his golden days by anchoring India to a series win with scores of unbeaten knocks of 55 and 87 in the next two.
“He is a legend. He will go down as one of our great cricketers. I have never seen an individual so sound. I have seen Sachin at times get angry. Not this man,” Shastri told the ‘Daily Telegraph’.
Shastri made it clear that a player of Dhoni’s calibre can’t be replaced.
“You can’t. Such players only come once in 30 or 40 years. That is what I tell Indians. Enjoy while it lasts. When he goes you will see a void that will be very hard to fill,” he said.
The coach is hopeful that Rishabh Pant would live up to the hype surrounding him but insisted that Dhoni is something else.
It’s not just Dhoni’s role as a batsman that defines him but the master strategist in him that takes a lot of load off skipper Kohli’s shoulders.
An introvert in real sense, Dhoni has not given any proper cricketing interview since 2011, says Shastri.
