State government justifies its decision to ban beef

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December 16, 2015

Maharashtra government justified in the Bombay High Court its decision to impose the ban on beef contending that the state was empowered to take such a step under the directive principles of the Constitution.

The Advocate General Srihari Aney argued that ‘right to eat a particular kind of food’ is not part of ‘right to privacy’ enshrined under article 21 of the Constitution which guarantees right to life. There is no fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution to have a choice of food, Aney said and added that the state was empowered to impose the ban on beef.

The division bench of Justices A S Oka and S C Gupte is hearing a clutch of public interest litigations challenging Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act.

While the original Act of 1976 bans slaughter of cows, the recent amendment prohibits slaughter of bulls and bullocks too, making it an offence punishable with five-year jail term and Rs. 10,000 fine. Mere possession and consumption of bovine meat too can attract one year in jail and Rs. 2,000 fine.

The petitioners argued that there has to be compelling public interest to justify the ban on beef. However, the state contended that it did not need to have compelling public interest to defend its decision on banning beef.

“It is part of fundamental duty of the state under the Constitution to take such a step (of imposing ban on beef),” said Aney.

The Advocate General also supported the arguments of Advocate Anil Anturkar on behalf of an intervenor that “right to food” is a part and parcel of Article 21 but not the right to “choice of food”. Senior counsel Aspi Chinoy, appearing for one of the petitioners, had argued last time that by criminalising even possession and consumption of beef the state government had violated the fundamental rights of the citizens. He had said that the right to choice of food fell under Article 21 of the Constitution. The hearing would continue tomorrow.

Metro Fare Fixation committee ignores suggestions of MMRDA and citizens

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Afternoon Voice

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December 16, 2015

The Fare Fixation committee constituted by the Central Govt for the Mumbai Metro One, the 1st PPP project implemented in the city for the Versova- Andheri -Ghatkopar corridor has given a royal ignore to the views of the Public who had represented before the committee on the issue of fare increase by the Mumbai Metro One. The worst scenario is that, the views of MMRDA, an partner in the project and headed by the Chief Minister have also not been found worth of a mention in the report of the Fare Fixation Committee, this has come to light due to the copy of report accessed by RTI Activist Anil Galgali. The text of the report gives credence to the rumour mills that the Fare Fixation committee itself is fixed.

Anil Galgali had sought a copy of the report submitted by the Fare Fixation committee from the MMRDA, which was provided to him by the institution. The 308 paged report was handed over to the CEO of the Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd by the Chairman of the Fare Fixation committee Justice E Padmanabhan on 8th July 2015. The Fare fixation Committee came into existence on 7th April 2015 after it was constituted by the central government. The committee met for the first time on 17th April 2015. On 24th April 2015 Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd submitted its application for fare increase to the FFC. After issuance of due notices on the 23rd and 24th April 2015, the 2nd meeting of the FFC was held on 30th April 2015 to finalize on appointments of the various technical advisers to assist on the proposal for fare hike.

Time up to 11th May was given to the FFC by Central Government. On 10th and 11th June hearing time was given to MMRDA, Public and other stakeholders to put up its suggestions and objections before the FFC. The various Technical advisers placed their report before the FFC from 30th May 2015 to 19th June 2015. The FFC wrapped up its Final meeting on 2nd and 3rd July 2015. On 8th July 2015 the FFC handed over its report to MMOPL. With the exception of Former Chief Secretary Jayant Banthia, the FFC Chairman Justice E Padmanabhan and Dr T K Vishwanathan supported the fare increase, discarding the views of the public, the FFC gave due cognizance to the views in support of fare increase by the L N Welingkar Institute, Price WaterHouse Coopers Pvt Ltd, IRSE and Sanjeev Kumar.

Galgali, in his views expressed that, as the FFC was fixed, the Mumbaikars who took out valuable time from their schedules to represent their views before the FFC during the hearing for opposing the fare hike, were not even found worth of having a mention in the final report. Further the report has no reference even to the say of MMRDA headed by the CM, which had entered into the PPP along with the MMOPL on the fare increase, also whether the MMRDA had represented itself before the FFC or not also does not have any mention. Galgali in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has demanded that the FFC be dissolved and a fresh committee be constituted to rethink the fare hike issue.

Sonia, Rahul Gandhi may not seek bail in National Herald case, willing to go to jail

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Afternoon Voice

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December 16, 2015

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi may not apply for bail in the National Herald case on Wednesday.

The Congress leaders, who are due to appear in the trial court on Saturday, were willing to go to jail to prove their innocence.

Top sources in the Congress said that the Gandhis “are not inclined to seek bail and are ready to go to jail if required.” Their legal defence in the case will be a close-guarded secret till the appearance in court, they said.

The Congress is also preparing to stage a show of strength in the capital on that day, sources said. It has summoned its chief ministers and other state leaders for a meeting at the party headquarters, 24 Akbar Road, in New Delhi and all its lawmakers from both Houses of Parliament have also been asked to be present. They are likely to stage a march.

The case, filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, accuses the Gandhis and four others of forming a company with the intention of acquiring property belonging to the now defunct newspaper National Herald that was founded by Jawaharlal Nehru. The seventh entity summoned in the case is Young Indian, the company formed by them, in which the Gandhis own 76 per cent shares.

Congress workers are expected to be present in large numbers at the Patiala House Court.

Congress has been protesting in Parliament on the National Herald issue alleging political vendetta after the Delhi High Court refused to quash summonses to its leaders including Sonia and Rahul.

Congress president and vice president suffered a big jolt on December 07 when the Delhi High Court rejected their pleas for quashing the summons against them in the case.

Making scathing observations on the “questionable conduct” regarding how they took control of the publication, Justice Sunil Gaur also turned down the plea of Gandhis and five others for exemption from personal appearance in the case in the trial court where it was listed for December 09.

Along with the Gandhis, five other accused – Suman Dubey, Moti Lal Vohra, Oscar Fernandez, Sam Pitroda and Young India Ltd – had challenged the summons issued to them by a trial court on a complaint by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy against them for alleged cheating and misappropriation of funds in taking control of the now-defunct Daily.

Nirbhaya’s mother revealed her name, said she was Jyoti Singh and I’m not ashamed of her

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Afternoon Voice

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December 16, 2015

Nirbhaya’s mother

On the third anniversary of Nirbhaya gang-rape case on Wednesday, the mother of the victim revealed the name of her daughter and said that there was no shame in doing so.

‘My daughter’s name is Jyoti Singh’, Nirbhaya’s mother said at a public event, pointing out that those who commit heinous crimes like rape should be ashamed and not the victims or their families.

Nirbhaya’s mother also said that she did not understand as to what the point was in hiding name of victims.

The parents of the December 16 victim, in collaboration with women’s and citizens groups, are marking the day as ‘Nirbhaya Chetna Divas’ at Jantar Mantar.

Six persons, including a juvenile, had assaulted and raped the 23-year-old girl in a moving bus in south Delhi on this day three years back.

Nirbhaya, who was flown to a Singapore hospital, passed away 13 days later on December 29 2012.

50-year old father of the victim had said that they had failed to secure justice for her.

According to the father, it had been three years and yet the four culprits had not been hanged.

The juvenile convict, allegedly the most ‘brutal’ of the six accused, is scheduled to be released on December 20 after his term at the observation home ends.

The father of the girl said the youth, who was a juvenile at the time of the incident, should not be released as he is a “threat” to the society.

Four Indians on list as Switzerland makes public 2,600 dormant a/c

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Afternoon Voice

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December 16, 2015

Four Indians

At least four individuals from India figured among the list of 2,600 dormant accounts which were made public by Switzerland for the first time on Wednesday.

The four Indian have been identified as Pierre Vachek, whose residence is mentioned as ‘Bombay’, Bahadur Chandra Singh from Dehradun, Dr. Mohan Lal from Paris and Kishore Lall, whose residence was not disclosed.

Of the four Indian, place of residence of two has been mentioned as India, while it is Paris (France) for one. The place of residence for the fourth person was not disclosed.

The relatives and heirs of these persons will have 1-5 years to submit their claims for these accounts, the Swiss Banking Ombudsman and the Swiss Bankers Association (SBA) said.

On Wednesday, Switzerland made public for the first time the list of unclaimed bank accounts which contains over 2,600 accounts and 80 safe deposit boxes.

The total holding in these accounts is estimated at about 44 million Swiss franc (about Rs 300 crore), but the specific figure for the accounts of people from India was not disclosed.

This is the first time that Switzerland has published such a list that is aimed at giving their owners’ heirs a chance to claim the funds in these accounts. Only those accounts form part of this list which have got at least 500 Swiss francs and have remained unclaimed at least 60 years.

PM Modi’s name among world’s top ten criminals: Azam Khan

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Afternoon Voice

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December 16, 2015

Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan made a shocking allegation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi figures in the list of top 10 criminals of the world.

“If Modi ji can be the Prime Minister, then why can’t I? Have you seen in Google whose name is there in world’s ten top criminals? I have not said this. It is the Prime Minister’s name,” Khan said.

Khan has said that he aspires to become the Prime Minister, since he is the fittest person for the post. He even claimed that Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh would suggest his name for the post at the right time.

“I am the fittest person to become the Prime Minister of the country and I aspire to be the Prime Minister. If Narendra Modi resigns and all MPs elect me the Prime Minister, it will send a good message across the country and India will progress each passing day. When the time comes, Mulayam Singh will propose my name,” Khan said.

When reporters asked Azam about posters being put up in Lucknow demanding his elevation to the post of deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, he said, “You are insulting me. I want to be become the Prime Minister and I deserve to hold the post. That’s why I have removed posters of me becoming deputy chief minister.”

On the CBI raids at the office of Rajender Kumar, the Principal Secretary of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he said that the Central Government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have shown disrespect to political beliefs.

“Everyone knows that it’s a biased action. I think there should not be raids at office of any chief minister of the country without prior permission,” he added.

India ready to carry out operation against Islamic State, indicates Manohar Parrikar

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Afternoon Voice

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December 16, 2015

India on Wednesday said it can undertake operations against the ISIS terror group under a UN flag if the global body adopts a resolution in this regard.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who has returned after a crucial meeting with his US counterpart Ashton Carter in Washington, also said that India has been sharing intelligence on the ISIS and it will be enhanced.

“We have made it clear that if there is a UN resolution and if there is UN flag and a UN mission, then as per India’s policy to operate under UN flag, we will participate,” Parrikar told reporters here at India Gate after laying wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti on Vijay Diwas.

He was replying to questions on the possibility of India’s participation in operations against the ISIS.

Asked specifically if India will operate against the ISIS under the UN flag, he said, “that depends on whether UN takes a resolution”.

India had earlier this month, along with major world economies, participated in the first-ever global meeting held in Paris to discuss and evolve mechanisms to combat the clandestine and largely undetected terrorist financing network of the Islamic State terror group.

Indian security establishment suggests that around 20 Indians are currently fighting for ISIS in Iraq-Syria. They include two youths from Kalyan in the outskirts of Mumbai, an Australia-based Kashmiri, one youth from Telangana, one from Karnataka, one Oman-based Indian and another Singapore-based Indian.

Last year, a youth from Kalyan had returned home after spending about six-months with ISIS. He was arrested upon arrival in Mumbai.

Lindsay Lohan fires back against Jennifer Lawrence’s ‘Late Show’ comments

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Afternoon Voice

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December 16, 2015

Lindsay Lohan speaks up over comments that Jennifer Lawrence made during her interview on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert on Monday, Dec. 14.

The “Hunger Games” star has been known to be candid during interviews, however, Jennifer’s recent comments at “The Late Show” was criticized by Lindsay and her family, Entertainment Tonight reported. She jokingly told host Stephen during her interview that she was a “puker” who “[doesn’t] stop working because [she’s] a show pony.”

“I don’t have a choice,” she added. “So I just keep going until my body is like, ‘If we don’t make her barf or pass out, she won’t stop.’ I get like, Lindsay Lohan-grade exhaustion, but without any drugs or alcohol. I’m always in bed early. I’m still tired.”

This had Lindsay, as well as her sister Aliana, posting their response on Twitter over Jennifer’s dig at the “Mean Girls” actress, according to Entertainment Tonight. Aliana wrote, “I never breathe life into negativity but I stand by my family. Disappointed in Jennifer Lawrence. You lost a fan.”

The former Disney star soon followed with her own poetic Twitter response. Lindsay used a quote from Maya Angelou to fire back against the “Joy” actress. After she thanked her sister Aliana for her Twitter message, Lindsay stated, “Maybe who you’re referring to should learn to support others like #mayaangelou.”

Lindsay accompanied her Twitter post with a picture of an orange sky which contained a message that read, “You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise.”

The Lohan sisters’ mother, Dina, also expressed her disappointment over Jennifer’s “The Late Show” comments. In a statement sent to Entertainment Tonight, Dina stated that they have always been a fan of the “Hunger Games” actress, however, using Lindsay “as a reference of not showing up to set and that whole bit” was “unfortunate.”

Justin Bieber loves dating an older woman who’s ‘Dominant’: Kourtney Kardashian

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Afternoon Voice

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December 16, 2015

Justin Bieber, 21, is clearly a ladies’ man, with an emphasis on “ladies” over “girls!” While he may be more famous for his relationships with pretty young things his own age, a source tells that Justin actually “loves older women” — especially when said woman is Kourtney Kardashian, 36! There may be 15 years between them, but Justin is totally digging the mother-of-three and it has to do with a lot more than just their steamy hookup sessions. Get the scoop below!

“Justin has a real genuine interest in Kourtney,” an insider told, “She’s seasoned and mature and her energy compliments Justin’s. Not to mention, he loves older women. He loves how most of them are dominant and know exactly what they want. Kourt doesn’t play childish games like women his age, and he loves that. His respect level for Kourt is through the roof because of it.”

Justin and Kourtney first started hooking up back in October after getting flirty at The Nice Guy in West Hollywood. Though Kourtney continues to deny their steamy rendezvous to her family, multiple sources tell TMZ that they are in fact more than just friends.

Will Smith’s confidence goes quiet in the workmanlike Concussion

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Afternoon Voice

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December 16, 2015

Concussion takes two things that America has consistently loved—Will Smith and investigative medical procedurals—and pits them against an even bigger cultural touchstone: the NFL. Smith plays Dr. Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian doctor working in Pittsburgh who examines the body and brain of deceased local hero Mike Webster (David Morse). In investigating how and why a 50-year-old man could die mysteriously after experiencing symptoms of dementia, forensic pathologist Omalu uncovers the NFL concussion crisis—the brain damage that can result after football players experience repeated concussions. The organization, depressingly but unsurprisingly, is not interested in his results beyond what it can do to discredit them.

Initially, Concussion follows Omalu and Webster in parallel, until they meet, such as it is, during Webster’s autopsy. It’s a procedure many in Pittsburgh would prefer not be conducted at all, out of a misguided form of respect. Because he doesn’t follow American football (and in fact only owns a television set in deference to American cultural norms), Omalu doesn’t recognize Webster, and one of the most interesting aspects of the film is the way it operates at least in part from an outsider’s view of the game’s brutality. “God did not intend for us to play football,” he says at one point, and the movie does not regard this view as absurd.

To the extent that Concussion can make its material—heavy on shots of people looking at microscopes and lots of talk about the ramifications of Omalu’s discovery—more cinematic, it does so by framing itself as an immigrant story.