Congress’ Street Play on Rafale Scam to soon hit Mumbai streets

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January 13, 2019

Mumbai Congress, under the leadership of Sanjay Nirupam, has tied up with a professional theater group to launch a street play based on the Rafale Scam under the same title. Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam states that this play will bring out the truth of the biggest scam of the Narendra Modi-led central government.

Sanjay Nirupam said, “We have roped in a professional theater group to inform the masses about the Rafale scam in an interesting manner. The script of the play is almost ready. The play will hit the streets of Mumbai soon”.

“As the Mumbai Congress President, I’m executing this street play in the city. We have shared the template of the street play with All India Congress Committee (AICC). Apart from Mumbai, if other States want to execute the idea, they can do it. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has already created awareness in the country about the Rafale scam”, added Nirupam.

Nirupam further added that the play will be performed all over the city and will feature theater actors who will portray roles of PM Narendra Modi, Anil Ambani, former President François Hollande, French President Emmanuel Macron, and others who have been involved in the scam.

Letters to the Editor: 13 January, 2019

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January 13, 2019

Kalyan Dombivli in unsafe hands

Every day we hear violence, robbery, abusing/harassing of girls! Will there be any justice for this city is the question that is arising in every mind. This chaos is happening every day and even the Police are not taking any action. Recently, we came across an incident where a man enters into a building and puts the bike on fire and vanished. When a complaint was given against it the answer received from the police was to install a CCTV camera for the future reference of the society. Instead of helping and resolving the problem the police are giving advice. If the society has to install CCTV and catch the culprit then why do we need the Police? The police should not forget their responsibility instead take necessary action against the incident happening in Dombivli-Kalyan city. Else the city will no more be under any rules and regulations.

Nilesh Surve

BEST not the best

BEST is not the best bus in the world or in India as the name suggests. Their drivers and conductors are sometimes rowdy and use filthy abusive languages even to the women commuters travelling by it. The bus drivers never halt the buses at the actual bus stops, in spite of them being empty at times. Most drivers also never leave their buses in time from the starting point (depot); they are always late. Sometimes, one has to wait for more than an hour to board a bus and when they do arrive, they are overcrowded. This is the reason why most people prefer to travel by metro or rely on share-a-cab or auto-rickshaw services. Some bus conductors also never return the change in spite of having lots of coins with them. The BEST fares have also increased tremendously making it difficult for the common man to travel by them.

Jubel D’Cruz

Cong- NCP pre-poll alliance on cards

Calling shots, Congress party is trying to woo NCP to join the mega alliance to upset the applecart. Both the parties are not doing well at the state level and the Municipal elections gave a clear indication with BJP and Sena taking lion’s share of holding power in the municipalities. Even the Mayor post is not going their way as BJP is well prepared to assume their supremacy in the state. Further meet may decide consensus over 40 seats and try their best to resolve the rest in an attempt to come back to power. Smaller parties may get only left out seats in the bargain. This time around, NCP is seeking parity and it is an encouraging development. Even lawyer like Ujjwal Nikam is likely to contest for NCP and the fight will be tough in two corner contests. The key parties NCP and Congress are also in the process of a coalition with smaller parties and make sure about a collaboration they have agreed to allocate more Lok Sabha seats to smaller parties to woo them. The alliance is on the cards but how far it will succeed in BJP’s heartland, is an open question.

Calicut Krishnan Subramaniam

Nirmala Sitharaman is right?

The Defence Minister Nirmala Seetharaman came out in open to answer the questions raised by the Opposition on Rafale controversy. She also asserted that the Rafale deal cannot be equated with the Bofors issue at all as was being attempted by the Opposition. Sitharaman said that the weapon systems, avionics, and other key add-ons to the Rafale aircraft will be much superior in comparison to what was negotiated by the UPA.

The charges of Congress appear as though the pot is calling the kettle black. The age-old party was involved in many scams and now trying to point out the fingers even for no scam.

Anandambal Subbu

Standardise paper-sizes

Presently A-4 size paper (29.5 cms x 21 cms) is the most commonly used size of paper-sheets. All photocopiers used in homes and offices are mostly equipped to handle this size of paper-sheets only. But there is a distinct size of legal paper-sheets for filing and use in courts which are 5 cms longer at 34.5 cms x 21 cms. Courts should do away with British-era practice, and allow only A-4 size paper-sheets till the Union government works out for a newly standardised paper-size based on metric units. Rather concept of legal-size paper should be altogether abolished. The system will be user-friendly and people will not have to rush outside for photo-copying bigger sized legal-papers presently used and allowed in courts. However, colour-code of paper to be used in courts can be different like green is used in Madras High Court. It is for Supreme Court or Chief Justice of India to do away with such anti-public colonial practice of having exclusive legal-size paper for courts.

The Union government should take up the matter with concerned international authorities to have standard usable paper-sheets in square form like 25 cms x 25 cms instead of present practice of having rectangular paper-sheets. Such square-sheets were quite common for bank-ledgers before computerisation. However, if rectangular paper-sheets are to be continued, then their size should be modified according to true metric-units say 30 cms x 20 cms. Even computer-stationary used at dot-matrix printers should also have usable size (without perforation) as that of standard paper-sheets.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Ranveer Singh to play “Kapil Dev” in Kabir Khan’s next film

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January 13, 2019

After the grand success of ‘Simmba’ Ranveer Singh has now started preparing for the sports drama “83”. The actor took to Instagram to share a glimpse of himself practising at the nets for the film which is to be directed by Kabir Khan.

“And the glorious journey begins… #83 #kapildev @83thefilm #balwindersinghsandhu @kabirkhankk,” Singh posted the photo on Saturday.

“83” will chronicle India’s win under Dev’s captainship, when the Men in Blue defeated West Indies in the final to clinch their first-ever World Cup trophy in 1983.

The actor will play former Indian cricket skipper Kapil Dev in the film. Former Indian Test cricketer Balwinder Singh Sandhu is training Ranveer for the role.

“Training begins… #83 #kapildev @ranveersingh @83thefilm #balwindersinghsandhu,” Khan wrote on social media.

Touted as the “biggest sports film” of the country, the film slated to be released on April 10, 2020.

Ranveer, who is currently basking in the success of “Simmba”, has another release ready as “Gully Boy”, which is to hit the screens on February 14.

Kangana wins over Hrithik, ‘Super 30’ pushed to release on July 26

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January 13, 2019

Hrithik Roshan-starrer “Super 30” will now hit the theatres on July 26. The actor made the announcement on Twitter Saturday. “Happy to announce that #Super30 is headed for release on July 26, 2019. Bahut jald samay badalne wala hai (The times are going to change soon),” Roshan wrote.

“Super 30″ is based on the life of the Patna-based scholar Anand Kumar, who trains 30 deserving, economically backward students for IIT-JEE entrance exams every year with commendable success rate.

Produced by Reliance Entertainment and Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, the film also stars Mrunal Thakur, Amit Sadh and Nandish Sandhu. The film has been directed by Vikas Bahl, who has been accused of sexual harassment by a former employee of the now dissolved production company, Phantom Films, of which the director was a founding member. Phantom was also attached as co-producer

After several changes in release date, “Super 30” was earlier set to hit the theatres on January 25 and clash with “Thackeray” and “Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi”.

Last October, Roshan had broken his silence on allegations against Bahl, saying that it is “impossible” for him to work with any person “guilty of such grave misconduct”.

“It is impossible for me to work with any person if he/she is guilty of such grave misconduct. I am away and have access to only sporadic information. I have requested the producers of ‘Super 30’ to take stock of the apparent facts and take a harsh stands if needed.

This is not to be hushed or brushed under the carpet. All proven offenders must be punished and all exploited people must be empowered and given strength to speak up, Roshan had said in the statement shared on Twitter.

Instant triple talaq is illegal, can lead to three years jail to husband: Govt

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January 13, 2019

Under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2019, issued on Saturday, divorcing through instant triple talaq will be illegal void and would attract a jail term of three years to the husband.

A Bill to convert the earlier ordinance was issued in September, 2018 which was cleared by Lok Sabha in December but was pending in Rajya Sabha. Since the Bill could not get the parliamentary approval, the fresh ordinance was issued. The Union Cabinet had last week approved reissuance of the ordinance.

Seeking to allay fears that the proposed law could be misused, the government has included certain safeguards in it such as adding a provision of bail for the accused before trial.

These amendments were cleared by the Cabinet on August 29, 2018. While the ordinance makes it a “non-bailable” offence, an accused can approach a magistrate even before trial to seek bail.

In a non-bailable offence, bail cannot be granted by police at the police station itself. A provision has been added to allow the magistrate to grant bail “after hearing the wife”, the government had said.

The magistrate would ensure that the bail is granted only after the husband agrees to grant compensation to the wife as provided in the bill. The police would lodge an FIR only if approached by the victim (wife), her blood relations or people who become her relatives by virtue of her marriage. Neighbours and others cannot lodge a complaint under the ordinance. The offence of instant triple talaq will be “compoundable”.

A magistrate can use his powers to settle the dispute between a husband and his wife. This will happen only when the wife approaches the court. Under a compoundable offence, both parties have the liberty of withdrawing the case. The proposed law would only be applicable on instant triple talaq or ‘talaq-e-biddat’ and it would give power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking “subsistence allowance” for her and minor children.

A woman can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate who will take a final call on the issue.

GST revenue shortfall in Maharashtra, Sushil Modi to head the new committee

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January 13, 2019

The GST Council, headed by the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley which comprises state ministers was held on December 22, 2018, had decided to set up a group of ministers (GoM) to analyse the reasons for the shortfall in revenue collections by the states since July 2017.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi will head the seven-member committee to look into the revenue shortfall being faced by the states after the GST roll-out, and suggest steps for augmenting collections, a GST Council notification said.

Several states including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Goa, Bihar, Gujarat and Delhi are facing revenue shortfall following the implementation of goods and services tax (GST). These states are facing revenue shortfall in the range of 14-37 per cent in the April-November period.

Among the union territories, Puducherry is facing maximum shortfall of 43 per cent. As per terms of reference (ToR) of the GoM, the Modi-led committee will undertake data analysis using econometric and statistical tools and suggest “suitable measures/policy intervention” for the course correction for revenue augmentation, particularly for the states suffering high revenue shortfall.

Among other things, the committee would also take into the account trends of revenue collection before and after implementation of goods and services tax (GST). It would also look into structural patterns of major sectors of the economy impacting revenue collection which includes the services sector.

The GoM, as per the ToR, would identify reasons for deviation in revenue collection trends; comparing it with the original assumptions worked out at the time of design and implementation of GST.

The other members of the GoM include Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, Karnataka Rural Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, Odisha Finance Minister Shashi Bhushan Behera, Haryana Taxation Minister Capt Abhimanyu and Goa Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho. Out of 31 states, only Andhra Pradesh and five north eastern states — Mizoram, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Sikkim and Nagaland have recorded revenue increase post the GST roll out.

The central government has released Rs 48,202 crore as GST compensation to the states during April-November 2018, higher than the Rs 48,178 crore paid in the previous financial year. GST was rolled out on July 1, 2017. As per the GST law, the centre compensates states to ensure that their revenue is protected at the level of 14 per cent over the base year tax collection in 2015-16.

Film made on Maulana Abul Kalam Azad set to hit theatres on January 18

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January 13, 2019

Scholar and freedom fighter Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s firm belief in Hindu-Muslim unity and his opposition to partition in the pre-Independence days will be the highlight of a new feature film that is set to hit the theatres on January 18.

Rajendra Sanjay, who penned the story and co-directed the film ‘Woh Jo Tha Ek Massiah-Maulana Azad’, said that the younger generation should get to know what the freedom fighter stood for, in this very time of crisis.

The film talks about Azad’s principles, his belief in communal harmony and secularist views which was not coloured by any religion and faith in humanity, Sanjay, who visited the city along with the lead actor Linesh Fanse and co-director Sanjay Singh Negi, said at a press meet on Saturday.

The film will show the events that shaped Azad’s life, turning him into a “true mass leader. As someone who believed in united India and Hindu- Muslim unity, he had fervently hoped that the partition can be avoided. But that wasn’t the case, the director-script writer, he said.

‘Woh Jo Tha Ek Massiah-Maulana Azad’ will also dwell on the phase Azad came into contact with Mahatma Gandhi in the 1920s in Delhi, his arrest from his house for the publication of two magazines which propagated nationalist ideas in Kolkata and the other defining moments. The film will also have references to the post- Independence period, following Gandhiji’s assassination, he added.

Very few people remember that Azad as an education minister had introduced science and technology as subjects in our education system. The censor board has passed the two-hour-long Hindi film, mostly shot in Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi, without a single cut, Co-director Negi said.

Sharing his experience, Fanse, who plays the titular role, said that he had auditioned for Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s role but the directors insisted him to play Azad. The directors suggested that I would be suitable for the role of Azad. I had to learn Hindu and Urdu for the role.

Kulgam encounter: Top Al-Badr commander Zeenat-ul-Islam among two militants killed

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January 13, 2019

Top Al-Badr commander Zeenat-ul-Islam was among the two militants killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Sunday.

“The two militants killed in the Katpora encounter have been identified as Zeenat-ul-Islam and Shakeel Ahmad Dar. Both were involved in several terror crimes,” a police official said.

Islam, a category A++ militant, was a top commander who had switched over to Al-Badr from Hizbul Mujahideen in November last year following consensus between the two outfits to strengthen the Al-Badr, he said.

The official said security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Katpora area of Yaripora in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district Saturday evening after receiving specific information about the presence of militants there.

He said as the forces were conducting the searches, the militants fired upon them.

As per policy, the militants were given an opportunity to surrender, but they continued to fire upon the forces, the official said.

The forces retaliated, ensuing an encounter in which two the militants were killed, he said.

Meanwhile, a police spokesman said both the killed militants were affiliated with Al-Badr and were wanted by the law for “their complicity in a series of terror crimes including the attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities”.

“Islam, according to police records had a long history of terror crime records since 2006 when he got affiliated with Al-Badr and was later arrested,” he said.

The spokesman said after Islam was released, he again got recycled in 2016 and subsequently affiliated with HM and then recently joined the Al-Badr outfit in Shopian District.

“Consequently, he became the chief of the said outfit. Several terror crime cases were registered against him. He was also involved in a weapon snatching case at Tukroo Shopian. Similarly, Shakeel Ahmad Dar was also involved in terror-related crimes as well,” the spokesman said.

He said incriminating material such as arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter and all these materials have been taken in the case records for the purpose of investigation.

The spokesman said no collateral damage took place during the encounter.

Bodies of the killed militants were handed over to their families after completion of medico-legal formalities, he said.

Steve Smith to undergo elbow surgery, ruled out of Pakistan Super Leagues

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January 13, 2019

Former Australian skipper Steve Smith will undergo a surgery to fix an elbow injury which he sustained during the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

The 29-year-old is expected to be out of action more than six weeks following the surgery, Cricket.com.au reported.

Consequently, the right-hand batsman has been ruled of the upcoming Pakistan Super Leagues (PSL). He expressed disappointment over the same saying that he was looking forward to playing the tournament and help his team Multan Sultans lift the trophy.

“I am disappointed I won’t be able to play in PSL but I wish Multan Sultans all the best for this year’s tournament. I was looking forward to playing the tournament and helping the team try to win the trophy. We have a talented team and I am confident that they will do very well,” the Express Tribune quoted Smith as saying.

The injury came as a major blow to Smith who is eying an international return as his 12 months suspension for his role in the massive ball-tampering scandal in a Test series against South Africa will come to an end on March 28.

With less than six months to go for the World Cup, Smith’s injury could prove to be a major setback for the Australian team, as well.

Smith, who has played just two matches in the BPL, returned to Australia after the injury for further medical treatment. In the two games so far, he has scored just 16 runs, including a duck in the last match.

Delhi gasps for breath: Air quality dips to ‘very poor’ at 392, may worsen to ‘severe’

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January 13, 2019

After a few days of respite, the overall air quality index (AQI) again deteriorated to ‘very poor’ category on Sunday in the national capital after the level of harmful pollutants shot up.

According to Centre-run SAFAR, Delhi’s AQI was docking at 382 in the morning. At Dhirpur, the AQI was 423 at 9:30 am, while in Mathura Road area it dipped to ‘hazardous’ category at 416.

Furthermore, the AQI near Pitampura, Airport Terminal 3 and Delhi University stood at 429, 452 and 454 respectively.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted that the weather in Delhi will mostly be foggy, with highs and lows reaching 23 Degree Celsius and 9 Degrees Celsius with haze and mist in the air.

Due to the foggy weather, at least 9 trains were rescheduled after getting delayed by at least 2 hours.

The trains — Guwahati Express, Bhagalpur Express, Bhagalpur- Anand Vihar Garib Rath were delayed by 3 hours each.

Owing to low visibility, the railways delayed Puri-New Delhi Purushottam Express, Jay Nagar-New Delhi Swatantra Senani express, New Jalpaiguri-New Delhi Express by 5 hours, 4 hours and 2 hours 30 minutes respectively.

People residing in Delhi have been advised to restrict outdoor activities, especially those having breathing issues. While light showers early this week brought brief respite, the situation still remains bleak.

Apart from vehicular and industrial pollution, practices like residue crop burning and use of bio-mass, such as cow-dung, wood and coal also aided to air pollution. With a large population relying on these practices, efforts to curb the menace of pollution need stringent measures.

On the contrary, India’s neighbour, China is making progress in this regard and has seen significant improvement. In 2013, the Chinese government identified the major pollution regions such as Hebei, Tianjin, and Beijing and set up specific pollution reduction targets and rolled out ten measures for the proper implementations of the regional action plans. Moreover, the government also fixed the quota of a total number of vehicles in its state to 6 million in 2017. From the past couple of years, as much as 4022 hectares of land has been transformed into green spaces. It also has a target of reducing coal consumption by 80 per cent by 2020.