Former Congress leader and Chief Minister of UP and Uttarakhand ND Tiwari passed away at the Max Hospital in Saket on Thursday. He was 93.
He was ailing for a long time.
The politician was admitted to Max Hospital in Saket on September 20 last year after suffering a brain stroke.
ND Tiwari was one of the most prominent leaders of congress holding many important portfolios throughout his career. He remains the only Chief Minister of Uttarakhand to have completed his five-year-tenure in office.
ND Tiwari was a freedom fighter before joining the Congress and became the Minister of External Affairs in the Rajiv Gandhi cabinet. He remains the only politician to be elected Chief Minister in two Indian states. He served as the CM of UP three times.
Chitrangada Singh, who claimed Nawazuddin Siddiqui did not take a stand against her alleged harassment, has said that she is not pointing a finger at the actor.
While recalling her harassment story, Singh had reportedly said that Nawazuddin did not come out in support when she was allegedly harassed on the sets of ‘Babumoshai Bandookbaaz’. She was cast alongside the ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ star in the Kushan Nandy-directorial, but was later replaced.
However, while talking to the media at an event on Wednesday, the 42-year-old said, “I don’t want to blame Nawaz entirely because I think he didn’t know how I was feeling. I am sure he must have had his reasons. So I am not pointing a finger at him.”
When asked if she is planning to file a complaint with regards to the matter, the ‘Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi’ actor said, “I don’t intend to take a legal action. The producers had told an altogether different story, that’s why I had to come forward and share all that.”
Chitrangada further explained how she felt the need to talk about the alleged incident in the wake of the ongoing #MeToo movement. “Since the #MeToo movement has started, the issue came up again and that’s the reason I explained it again but there are cases which are worse than this,” she stated.
She further stated that there are cases worse than hers and they need to be dealt with responsibly while adding that people cannot be forced to share their #MeToo stories. The ‘Soorma’ actor also said that it is important for big names of the industry to support the movement.
On the work front, Chitrangda will next be seen in ‘Baazaar’ alongside Saif Ali Khan and Radhika Apte. The flick will hit the big screens on October 26.
The Sabarimala Protection Committee has called for a 12-hour statewide strike on Thursday in Kerala.
The Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, which opened to devotees on Wednesday, witnessed incidents of violence and protests in Pamba, Nilakkal, Sannidhanam, and Elavungal.
A bus carrying journalists and other passengers was allegedly vandalised by protesters at Laka near Nilakkal base camp. The protesters were lathi-charged as they gathered at the Nilakkal base camp of Pathanamthitta district. Stones were also pelted.
Amid intensifying protest in the region against the entry of women in the menstrual age group in the Sabarimala temple, the state administration has imposed Section 144 in four places – Sannidhanam, Pamba, Nilakkal, and Elavungal- prohibiting the assembly of more than four people in an area.
Meanwhile, women above 50 years of age were seen entering the Lord Ayyappa temple on Wednesday evening. Women between 10 to 50 years of age did not arrive due to security concerns.
The shrine of Lord Ayyappa, located on the mountain range of the Western Ghats, opened for the first time today after the Supreme Court verdict allowed women of all ages to enter the temple. The temple will close on October 22.
Scores of protesters, including women, have been up in arms since the verdict was pronounced. Traditionally, women of menstruating age were barred from entering the temple.
As a mark of protest against the verdict, the devotees stopped vehicles and prevented women belonging to the ‘prohibited’ age group from moving towards the holy hill.
Calling actor Nana Patekar “indecent”, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has said the ‘Me Too’ movement is a serious matter, and should not be debated on social media.
Speaking at an event here, the MNS chief said, “I know Nana Patekar; he is indecent. He does crazy things but I don’t think he can do such a thing. Court will look into it. What is the media to do with it? #MeToo is a serious matter, the debate over it on Twitter isn’t right.”
Discussing the ‘Me Too’ movement, which sparked off following allegations of misconduct levelled against Patekar, Thackeray claimed that the movement might have been fuelled in a bid to divert attention from skyrocketing petrol prices, dip in rupee value against dollar and unemployment in the country.
He further said that if any woman faces something unwarranted, she can approach the MNS for help. Thackeray also stated that women should raise their voice as and when they face oppression, and not after 10 years.
“It seems it is being done to divert attention from petrol price, rupee value, and unemployment. If anything like #MeToo happens, women can come to MNS. We will teach a lesson to accused. Women must raise the voice when they face oppression, not after 10 years,” the MNS Chief said.
The ‘Me Too’ movement gained momentum in India after Bollywood actor Tanushree Dutta accused Patekar of allegedly misbehaving with her during a film shoot in 2008.
Since then, scores of women have come out to speak about their ordeals on social media, including actors, musicians, journalists, and politicos.
The ‘Dhol’ actor had also claimed that MNS party workers were involved in the attack on her car after she opted out of the 2008 film ‘Horn OK Pleassss’ after allegedly being harassed by Patekar.
Air quality in the national capital continued to remain in the poor category owing to constant stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana.
As per the latest Air Quality Index (AQI) data, the air quality of Delhi’s Lodhi Road area on Thursday morning showed levels of prominent pollutants PM (particulate matter) 2.5 and PM 10 at 224 and 272 respectively.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.
The figure remained constant since last night, which was recorded at 9:52 pm. The air quality in other north Indian cities, Gurugram (252), Lucknow (247), Kanpur (247), Agra (236), and Patna (209) was also in the poor category.
However, despite being prohibited from burning the farm residue, the farmers continue to do so, owing to the lack of feasible alternatives and blamed the industries and vehicles for being the primary reason for pollution.
The National Green Tribunal has implemented strict norms on stubble burning. In order to curb the situation and find a better alternative, the Centre has approved a large sum of money for modern tools and technology.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday stated that the recent Supreme Court verdict, allowing women of all ages to enter Kerala’s Sabarimala Temple, did not account for traditions accepted and followed by the people for years.
In his Vijayadashami speech here, Bhagwat said that “decisions taken without considering all aspects and patiently creating the mindset of the society, will neither be adopted in actual practice nor will they help in creating a new social order in tune with changing times and positions.”
“The situation arising out of the recent verdict on Sabarimala Temple shows similar predicament. The nature and premise of the tradition that has been accepted by society and continuously followed for years together were not taken into consideration,” Bhagawat added.
His comments come in the wake of the 12-hour statewide strike called by the Sabarimala Protection Committee earlier today over the incidents of violence and protests across Kerala in opposition to the September 28 SC verdict, rescinding the ban on the entry of women aged 10 to 50 in the Lord Ayappa shrine.
Bhagwat said that in order for the country to progress, a ‘Swa’ (self) – based system will have to be adopted, which will include rejuvenating all precincts of national life.
The RSS chief further stated that in the context of honouring the ‘Swa’ of the nation, the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya “is necessary from the self-esteem point of view,” adding that “it will also pave the way for an atmosphere of goodwill and oneness in the country.”
“This matter of national interest is being obstructed by some fundamentalist elements and forces that play communal politics for selfish gains,” Bhagwat said.
“The place of Janmabhoomi is yet to be allocated for the construction of the temple although all kinds of evidence have affirmed that there was a temple at that place. There is an obvious game-plan of a few elements to stall the judgment by presenting various newer interventions in the judicial process. It is in nobody’s interest to test the patience of the society without any reason,” the ‘Sarsanghchalak’ said.
Bhagwat further underscored that the initiatives being taken to enhance the armed forces and their morale is one of the factors for the country’s rise in prominence in the world.
“Border Security and internal security of the country are the issues of foremost consideration for prosperity and development. In this regard efforts are being initiated and accelerated to enhance the morale of our armed and security forces, making them well-equipped and to provide them with the latest technologies. Along with this, it is essential to be more attentive in enhancing the basic amenities of armed and security forces and their families. There have been some laudable efforts in this regard by the government. This is one of the reasons that the prestige of Bharat is rising in the world.”
As India’s #MeToo movement grips the country, Cine and TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) secretary Sushant Singh said that a special committee consisting of actor Raveena Tandon, Renuka Shahane, director Amole Gupte and others will handle the cases relating to the matter.
Speaking to ANI, Singh said, “We will form a special committee to handle the cases. Raveena Tandon, Renuka Shahane, Amole Gupte, journalist Bharati Dubey, three members of POSH at Workplace (Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the workplace) has agreed to be a member of the special committee. We have sent emails to a few others t join the committee.”
Singh further stated that it was necessary to send a show cause notice to actor Alok Nath in connection with the sexual misconduct allegation levelled by producer Vinta Nanda. “Every case is different. Allegations on Alok Nath by Vinta Nanda are very serious. She had given us a formal complaint. It was necessary to send him a show cause notice.”
Nanda had accused Alok Nath of rape and narrated her horrifying ordeal in a Facebook post. She was the writer and producer of the teleserial ‘Tara’ in the 90s, in which Nath played the lead role.
The ‘Satya’ actor went on to say “No one ever asked Nana Patekar to present his case. It was sexual harassment, misconduct at borderline. We sent him a letter and he replied. The investigation is underway. We can’t take action against anyone without knowing what the police investigation says.”
Echoing similar sentiments, actor Chitrangada Singh said that it is inspiring to see the change in the society. “We need to handle Me Too movement with a lot of responsibility and honesty. I am so happy that corrective measures are being taken. It is very inspiring to see the change in the society where truth is being supported. But people should not be forced to join it,” she added.
The ‘Me Too’ movement gained momentum in India after Bollywood actor Tanushree Dutta accused Nata Patekar of allegedly misbehaving with her during a film shoot in 2008.
Since then, scores of women have come out to speak about their ordeals on social media, including actors, musicians, journalists, and politicos.
Over the last week, women have levelled allegations of sexual misconduct against Subhash Ghai, Alok Nath, Kailash Kher, Chetan Bhagat, Sajid Khan, and Varun Grover, among others.
The All-Kerala Brahmins Association has approached the Supreme Court seeking review of the verdict that allowed entry of women of all ages into Sabarimala Temple. The association is also known as Kerala Brahmana Sabha.
The petition said that the judgement of the Constitution bench passed on September 28, suffers from several errors that have resulted in a “grave miscarriage of justice” in so far as the actual devotees of Lord Ayyappa are concerned.
The petition, filed through advocate Sanand Ramakrishnan, stated that overwhelmingly large section of women worshippers including the review petitioners are supporting the custom of prohibiting the entry of women between the age group of 10 and 50 years at the temple.
The association stated in the review petition that the court ought not to have taken a broad-brush approach in a matter which impacts millions of devotees of Lord Ayyappa.
“In applying the broad-brush approach, the court has completely ignored the diverse practices, traditions and schools which exist within the Hindu faith,” read the review plea.
The petition in which the judgement had come was filed on the basis of news article which lacked historical basis and displayed a poor understanding of the temple practices in so far as it sought to link the restriction on entry of women belonging to a certain age group with the issue of gender discrimination, stated the review plea.
“The discrimination allegedly practised by the Sabarimala Temple is unrelated to any common sense meaning of the term, as women can always worship Swami Ayyappa in their homes or in hundreds of other temples across India. To claim one wants to worship Swami Ayyappa and not have respect for what he stands for is the worst form of hypocrisy. More so, when Hinduism does not restrict your choices of god in any manner, whatsoever,” it added.
The review petition further stated: “The practice of not permitting females between the age group of 10 to 50 is held to be exclusionary without any discussion, especially in the milieu of the argument to the contrary advanced. It is respectfully submitted that it is merely a restriction and not a ban. The reason for the restriction lies in the form of the deity which is that of a permanent celibate. Thus, the restriction of worship tantamounting to a total of 40 years of the life of a female does not amount to exclusion from worship. As such, the restriction based on age of a female is not a restriction which amounts to discrimination on the ground only of ‘sex’. In other words, the restriction is not solely based on the ground of gender but is more importantly based on the form of the Lord manifested in the Idol, which is that of a ‘Naishtika Brahmachari’.”
On September 28, the Constitution bench of the apex court had allowed entry of women between 10 and 50 (in their reproductive phase) years of age to enter into the temple. Before the judgement, women aged 10 to 50 years of age were not allowed to visit the temple as per ‘traditions’.
The court had held that not allowing women of all age to enter into the temple was “irrational and arbitrary”. Many review petitions have been filed against the Sabarimala judgement.
Former BSP MP’s son Ashish Pandey, accused of brandishing a gun at guests and threatening them at a five-star hotel, said in a video message he was being subjected to media trial and alleged only one side of the story is being shown, portraying him as a “terrorist”.
A Delhi court had on Wednesday issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Pandey. He surrendered before the Patiala House Court on Thursday.
“I have been subjected to a media trial. I am being portrayed as a terrorist. I am not denying that the incident happened but it is being shown from one side,” he said in a video message he released before he surrendered.
Pandey said the CCTV footage should be properly checked to ascertain whose fault it was.
“They should check CCTV footage and see who entered the ladies’ washroom and after exiting from it, who threatened whom. When I came out, I took the licensed gun from my vehicle. I did not aim the gun towards him and the weapon was pointed downwards.
“Everyone is saying I threatened a woman with a gun but I did not even address the woman, who was with him. She pushed me and even made obscene gestures at me using her hands. Her male friend said things to me,” he said.
He said he will tell his side of the story to the police and has full faith in the judicial system.
After a video of the incident that occurred early on Sunday went viral on social media resulting in public outrage, Pandey had requested his friends on WhhatsApp to not circulate the video and had even apologised for what he did.
The video of the incident at Hyatt Regency Hotel here prompted the police to step in and launch a hunt for the accused who had gone missing after the incident.
Pandey’s father Rakesh Pandey is a former BSP MP an his brother Ritesh Pandey is a sitting MLA from UP.
One of the most confused women Hasin Jahan was inducted to the Congress by the party’s Mumbai President Sanjay Nirupam, who himself is another confused politician. He has yearned for opportunities and finally settled with Congress. Hasin Jahan had made headlines earlier in the year when she alleged that her husband, Mohammed Shami, had abused her physically and mentally and was involved in several extramarital affairs. On April 10, Jahan had filed a domestic violence case against Shami and others in Kolkata’s Alipore Court and also sought maintenance from her husband. Shami, however, has denied all the accusations made by his estranged wife. Before marriage, she used to work as a model. She always wanted to become a successful model. She even wanted to work in the entertainment industry, but due to family commitments, she left modeling.
She belongs to a Muslim Bengali family. Her father Mohammed Hassan is a Kolkata-based businessman and runs a transportation business. Her mother is a homemaker. She first married Sheikh Saifuddin of her native locality in 2002 and was blessed with two daughters. After having kids, she wanted to continue with her studies, but her husband’s family was against it, which later became the core reason for their divorce in 2010. On June 6, 2014, she got married for the second time to her boyfriend-cum-Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami. In December 2016, her husband Shami posted a pic of himself with her, which was criticised by fanatic Muslims as she was wearing a sleeveless dress. Those days Shami stood for her against all odds and no one remotely imagined that they have any differences; soon after this incidence, she alleged that her husband and his family tortured her for more than two years and also tried to kill her several times. She even previously informed the Jadavpur Police Station in January 2018 about him and his family verbally but at that time, she didn’t take any legal action. She also alleged that her husband has extramarital affair. She posted his chat screenshots with other women on different social media platforms. According to her, her husband has also married a girl from Pakistan.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) withheld Shami from their national contracts list as a result of the allegations. On March 22, 2018, the BCCI cleared Shami’s central contract after its Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) cleared him of corruption charges. One fine day, all of sudden, his career got trashed and shattered. Jahan spread her winds in open and resumed the headlines by doing workouts, making rounds in Bollywood and finally joined politics. She has appeared on national television for various debates but still, she is not very seasoned with political updates. Meanwhile, Shami has reportedly asked for a gunner for his security as the dispute between him and Hasin Jahan continues. It all started in March 2018 when Jahan took to Facebook to post screenshots of Shami’s alleged chats with other women.
Over the next few weeks, both Hasin and Shami took potshots at each other and issued strong statements in the media. Both parties accused the other of lying and Shami questioned Hasin’s mental health. Hasin had also mentioned Shami’s involvement in match-fixing, which forced the BCCI to withhold his central contract. But, after a thorough investigation from BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit, he was cleared of any such thing and BCCI offered him a fresh central contract, which it had withheld following his wife’s police complaint. The latest news that’s coming from the quarters is that Shami has submitted an application to the District Magistrate of Amroha for a gunner while the District Magistrate Hemant Kumar has asked him to complete the formalities on the application. Shami recently played for India in their 4-1 loss to England in the five-match Test series but his individual performance with the ball was widely appreciated. Shami was the fourth highest wicket-taker in the series with 16 wickets in five matches. Among Indians, only Ishant Sharma topped him with 18 wickets in as many matches. Bowlers were praised for their performance in England where they continuously put India in positions to win the matches and Shami was a crucial part of the bowling unit and one who Captain Virat Kohli brought in to pick wickets. According to media reports, Shami stays with his family in his village Sahaspur Ali Nagar whenever he is not playing with India and had also kept a personal security guard in the past. However, the guard was later removed. Last month, it was also reported that Jahan lost the maintenance case against Shami after the Alipore court turned down her demand of Rs 10 lakh per month. However, the judge approved the maintenance claim for their daughter Aairah Shami, according to which Shami will be paying Rs 80,000 per month. Recent reports have also suggested that last month Jahan sent Shami’s cricket teacher Suman Chakravarty to ask for money for the admission of their daughter in a school in Kolkata. However, angry by the fact that she used a third person to ask for money for Aairah, Shami refused.
After the entire above saga, she joined the party that is almost sunk and there are many women takers who are fighting in between due to the distribution of powers; only time will tell how Jahan and Congress get mutually benefitted.
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The All-Kerala Brahmins Association has approached the Supreme Court seeking review of the verdict that allowed entry of women of all ages into Sabarimala Temple. The association is also known as Kerala Brahmana Sabha.
Former BSP MP’s son Ashish Pandey, accused of brandishing a gun at guests and threatening them at a five-star hotel, said in a video message he was being subjected to media trial and alleged only one side of the story is being shown, portraying him as a “terrorist”.