Daisy Shah: I am not a showpiece in Hate Story 3

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November 20, 2015

Daisy Shah, who will be seen in bold character in Hate Story 3, said that she was not just an attraction in the movie.

“I think my character is not just for entertainment. I am not just a showpiece in the movie. It is worth to play such a role. If my role wasn’t that much important I could have not been featured prominently in the poster.” The actress claimed in an interview.

Daisy, the actress exhibits her sensuous side in the song “TuIsaq Mera” in the trailer went on saying “there are two songs picturised on me. Earlier it was decided there would be one song then Vishal (Pandya) added one more”.

Daisy who appeared opposite Salman Khan in “Jai Ho” talked about her role, “I am playing a character of Kaya Sharma, a strong headed business woman. And she can go to any extent to protect her business.” She added further.

“I am happy that the trailer has been appreciated by audience and also liked the music of the film. So it is kind of boost for the movie,” she said.

Legacy of Kathak: From Acharya Ganesh Hiralal Hasal to Gangaur and

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Afternoon Voice

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November 20, 2015

Acharya Ganesh Hiralal Hasal has spent a lifetime in the quest of art and is among the few teachers who have sincerely taught and simplified Kathak by making it interesting through performance, a form of Classical dances in India. He belongs to a family of renowned dancers of which he belongs to the 7th Generation. Acharyaji received his training from his own father Guru Hiralalji together with his late brother Shri Nritraj Hiralal who was also a famous dancer and teacher in Calcutta. While his father spent many decades of schooling this art form in Delhi, Acharya Ganesh Hiralal Hasal after spending a few years both at Calcutta and Delhi settled in Bombay, the gateway to the culture of India. Here every art form has its own existence and yet challenges for survival in modern world.

He has taught Kathak to many students, he is here to spread the legacy of Kathak Gharana. Amongst his many well-known learners he is a very proud Grandfather teaching his 9th generation, granddaughter Gangaur and Shubhada (Mumbai) Vinodini Hasal. Acharya Ganesh Hiralal Hasal has spent his lifetime in the quest of art and is among the few teachers who has sincerely taught and popularized Kathak. Gangaur and Shubhada are siblings have taken lots of efforts to reach people, underprivileged students by teaching Kathak voluntary without any aids or donations. Their selfless service to Kathak has made them unique in this era. These sisters belong to the 9th generation of dancers and are the granddaughters and disciples of the veteran mentor, Acharya Ganesh Hiralal Hasal, who is the torchbearer of the Jaipur Gharana. Gangaur and Shubhada are sisters, who look alike and have a remarkable stage presence.

The Sharma sisters have performed for some of the most prestigious festivals and with their devotion and commitment will soon be there among the main rank of dancers. On the whole it was an unusual and unique programme. They will be performing Kathak ballet on women empowerment at Bhaidas Auditorium, Vile Parle (W) on 21^st November, 2015.

Akshay Redij

Art attack

Shaheed Mahadik carried a storm in his heart

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Afternoon Voice

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November 19, 2015

He was accorded a funeral with full military honours including a 21 gun salute in his home town Satara.

Thousands of people paid tributes to Colonel Santosh Mahadik whose body was brought to Pogarwadi village in Satara where his last rites were performed. Mahadik sacrificed his life battling militants in Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar visited the family members in the village and paid his last respects to the martyr. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had paid homage to Col Mahadik in Pune when the Army officer’s mortal remains were brought there en route to his native Satara district.

Mahadik’s close friends said that he was courageous and always spoke about laying down his life for the sake of the nation. “Though calm by nature and gentle in demeanour, he carried a storm in his heart,” one of his classmates, who is also in the Army, said.
An ace football goalkeeper, a skilled horse-rider and a passionate boxer, he was an all-rounder, his friends recall. A commanding officer of anti-terror force 41 Rashtriya Rifles, his colleagues remember Mahadik as the brave heart who always led from the front.

Colonel Mahadik succumbed to bullet injury while fearlessly leading a search party in an operation against militants in a dense forested area of Haji Naka in Kupwara district. He was accorded a funeral with full military honours in an open ground in the village.

With teary eyes, the mourning villagers bid adieu to their son who made them proud and shouted slogans like “Col Mahadik Amar Rahe” as his mortal remains were consigned to flames.

Mahadik, who hailed from Maharashtra and was commissioned in the Army in 1998, originally joined the Special Forces, and had received Sena Medal for exhibiting gallantry and leadership in counter-terrorist operations, Defence spokesman said.

Colonel Mahadik belonged to a small farmer’s family and later joined the Satara Military School, before joining the army in 1998. His father was a tailor and brother a milkman.

Colonel Mahadik is survived by wife and two children, who were present during the cremation.

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command Lt Gen DS Hooda has expressed deep condolences on the loss of the Colonel.

“We owe a deep debt of gratitude to officers like Santosh who lead from the front and are willing to pay the ultimate price in the fight against terrorism,” Lt Gen Hooda said.

Colonel Mahadik is the second martyr Pogarwadi village has given to the country.

“I cannot imagine the loss of the family, I can simply pray for them. But I understand how big a loss it is for the unit, when a brave commanding is killed. Losses of such brave and talented officer are beyond any description.” said a senior Army officer.

Will BJP take action against its scamsters?

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Vaidehi Taman

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November 19, 2015

The Devendra Fadnavis-led state government, which is facing various allegations against its ministers, is staring at one more problem — parliamentary affairs minister Girish Bapat being accused by NCP of indulging in fraud of Rs. 2000 Cr in Tur Dal. Earlier also, the state government had to face embarrassment because both the Houses of the state assembly had to be adjourned time and again during the winter session in Nagpur as well as the budget session in Mumbai for want of ministers. Being the parliamentary affairs minister, Bapat was held responsible. He had derived ways to ensure presence of ministers concerned in the House during discussion on the issues of their departments, but in vain. He was planning to use a state-of the-art system in every minister’s cabin such that a beep sound and a light, put up inside, would alert the minister that s/he is expected to rush to the House. Bapat was set to introduce this system during the monsoon session. The Fadnavis government is facing problems due to alleged scams against its ministers being unearthed every other day, not to mention the plane delay issue involving his PS, which hit the headlines.

Retail tur dal prices shot up to Rs. 200 per kg despite the government’s steps to boost supply and check prices, aggravating consumers’ woes. Till last week, tur was available at Rs 185 per kg in the retail market. The prices of pulses have increased unabated in the last few months due to a fall in domestic output by about 2 million tonnes (mt) to 17.20 mt in 2014-15 crop year (July-June) owing to deficient monsoon and unseasonal rains. As per the data maintained by the Consumer Affairs Ministry, the maximum retail price of tur, also known as arhar dal, soared to Rs. 200 per kg today, as against Rs. 85 per kg in the year-ago period. In the last five years, retail tur prices were ruling in the range of Rs. 74-85 per kg, the data showed. Urad too is retailing high at Rs. 170 per kg today though it declined from Rs. 187 per kg last week, but rates are still way higher than Rs. 98 per kg that prevailed a year earlier. Despite the government taking several measures, including imports and curbs on hoarding, to improve domestic supply, the prices of these two pulses have not fallen. The Centre has asked all state governments to take the subsidised imported pulses from MMTC and supply in their states to bring down prices.

Despite the Maharashtra government directing retailers to sell tur dal at Rs. 100, provision stores and grocery shops continued to carry out business at their own rates, charging the same Rs. 200 and thereabouts per kilo. While Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered retail outlets across the state to adhere to the price-limit set by his government, tur dal was chalked beyond the 100-rupee mark across South and South Central regions of Mumbai. Shopkeepers, store owners and retail grocers claimed they were unaware of such a directive and had not received surplus supply of pulses. The CM had also asked the Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies to release seized tur dal to the open market. This excess supply would then bring down the cost.

Meanwhile, Girish Bapat reiterated that Maharashtra has no shortage of tur dal. He declared that the seized dal will be given to merchants who will comply with the rate. The government’s order has been given to all shops, stores and associations. However, all these while he himself was providing raided stocks to the stockers and did fraud in crores. He always refused to comment on any questions pertaining to the quality of seized dal, the price tagged by retailers and probable action on this by his department. BJP tried giving impression that their government is clean but time and again was caught in scams.

Girish Bapat is the Cabinet Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection, Food and Drugs Administration, Parliamentary Affairs in Government of Maharashtra & Member of 13th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and one of the senior Bhartiya Janata Party leaders in Vidhan Sabha. Initially, he started working with Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh. In 1978, during emergency he was arrested and sent to jail. He was appointed as Secretary of BJP at Pune City in 1980. He was elected in Pune Municipal Corporation by-election in 1983 and won 3 terms. He was also appointed as Standing Committee Chairman of Pune Municipal Corporation in 1986-87. First time, he is elected as Member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1995. I hope, BJP which is promising to give clean government may take action against these scamsters.

Peter Mukerjea arrested by CBI in Sheena Bora murder case

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Afternoon Voice

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November 19, 2015

Media tycoon Peter Mukerjea was arrested in connection with the sensational Sheena Bora murder case on Thursday night.

He was picked up by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special Crime Division for his connection in the crime. Peter is the husband of Indrani Mukerjea, who is one of the accused in the Sheena Bora murder case. Sources said, probe team are not convinced with his statement that he was not aware of the whole crime.

Earlier in the day CBI has filed a charge sheet against Indrani, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and driver Shyamvar Rai in a Mumbai court, for abducting and killing her 23-year-old daughter Sheena Bora in 2012.

The latest development came after the forensic report prepared by the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) confirms that the remains found in Raigad forest near Mumbai belongs to Sheena Bora. It also claimed that she was strangled to death.

All the accused were booked on the charges of abduction, murder, destruction of evidence, cheating and forgery. The sleuths also charged Indrani with some provisions of the Information Technology Act for creating a fake social networking ID in her daughter’s name to prove that she is alive and studying abroad.

Sena, BJP struck a ‘deal’ over Thackeray memorial: Rane

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Afternoon Voice

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November 19, 2015

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s decision to install Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s memorial at the Mayor’s bungalow here was “politically motivated” and not out of love for the leader, Congress leader Narayan Rane alleged on Thursday.

He also accused Uddhav Thackeray, son of the Sena patriarch, of trying to grab the bungalow in Central Mumbai which is a heritage site, and that the BJP and Sena have struck a “deal” over the memorial.

“While Fadnavis is eager to save his chair, Sena president Uddhav Thackeray wants to grab the Mayor’s bungalow which is a heritage site. It’s selfish motive from both sides and not out of love and respect for Bal Thackeray,” Rane told reporters here.

Rane, former CM and once a blue-eyed boy of Thackeray senior before he joined the Congress, questioned the rationale behind Fadnavis’ announcement saying since the bungalow is a heritage site it cannot be demolished.

“Similarly, due to the CRZ (Coastal Regulatory Zone) rules, no new structure can come up. There has been no proposal for such a memorial from the Mumbai civic body’s improvement committee. Also, the state cabinet did not deliberate on the matter. What was the hurry?” Rane asked.

He said the CM’s conduct was not befitting the post he held.

“In the Kalyan-Dombivali municipal corporation polls, he (Fadnavis) said he knew how to put his hand in the tiger’s jaws and count its teeth (in reference to Sena). Fadnavis also called opposition parties ‘beimaan’ (dishonest). Such language has never been used by a chief minister,” Rane said.

Taking a dig at Uddhav, Rane said the former had threatened to “extern” the BJP from KDMC during the campaigning for the civic polls, “but Uddhav cannot threaten but only compromise”.

“However, Sena decided to join hands with the BJP again in Kalyan-Dombivali civic body despite party leaders saying that Sena can get its Mayor elected without the support of BJP. MNS was ready to vote for the Sena candidate,” Rane said.

He said such a “deal” between the BJP and Sena over Balasaheb’s memorial was not good.

“A befitting memorial is not possible in the existing Mayor’s bungalow. Fadnavis announced the decision even before a public trust was formed. How can Fadnavis name who will head the trust,” Rane asked.
Rane said Thackeray’s memorial should be in Dadar area in

the vicinity of Shivaji Park and should be modelled on the lines of the upcoming memorial of B R Ambedkar on the Indu mills land.

He said the CM and Uddhav were indulged in petty politics and turning a blind eye to drought conditions.

“I visited Solapur district last week. There is a severe water shortage. There are no Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) works, cattle camps and the district has not been included in the list of drought-hit areas. Marathwada has highest number of farmer suicides (nearly 1,000), most of them in Beed,” Rane said.

To a question on whether he has been approached to contest the Legislative Council elections scheduled next month and later next year, the Congress leader said, “I have not been asked yet”.

EOW complaint for naming Pawar as director in UK company

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Afternoon Voice

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November 19, 2015

The Nationalist Congress Party has filed a complaint with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) after Sharad Pawar’s name figured as a director in a London-based company SGFX Financials, with which he claims to have no connection.

NCP spokesman Nawab Malik said Pawar had nothing to do with the company and does not know the individuals involved in the firm.

“Pawar’s name has been used fraudulently with malafide intentions and we want the police to find out the truth. So, a complaint with the EOW has been filed yesterday after taking legal opinion,” Malik said today.

In his complaint, the former Union Minister has said that he did not authorise anyone in the UK firm to name him as director.

Reportedly, Pawar has named two directors of the company–Sarvesh Narendra Bharde and Shahnaz Ashraf Bharde– as the two individuals who ‘falsely and fraudulently’ submitted his name without his knowledge and incorporated the dubious firm.

The value of the company shares is said to have shot up from Rs. 70 crores in January 2011 to Rs. 7 lakh crores in June 2011.

According to SGFX, Pawar was made director of the company on December 13, 2010 till his resignation on January 5, 2011.

Taxi union seek level-playing field with Ola, Uber; put off stir

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Afternoon Voice

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November 19, 2015

Days after the office of taxi aggregator Ola was vandalised by some unidentified persons, one of the leading taxi unions that had threatened to go on strike today, has demanded a “level-playing” field with these ride-hailing platforms.

One of the many taxi unions in the city, ‘Swabhiman Sanghatna’, which claims over 17,000 membership from both cabs and autorickshaws, also announced that it was putting off its strike plan to an unscheduled date. The union is protesting against deep discounts being offered by taxi aggregators like Uber and Ola among others, which have started hurting their income.

“We had met the transport department last week seeking uniform rules for all the operators including us. However, our demands have not been addressed. We will meet them again demanding a level-playing field,” Swabhiman chief Nitesh Rane said.

“We’ve deferred our strike in the meantime,” he added.

On Tuesday, the Ola office in suburban Andheri was ransacked by unidentified assailants, and has since been not operational. Though the police are yet to confirm the identity of the people behind the act, rival unions have reportedly accused the Swabhiman of carrying out the attack as it had earlier given a notice to Ola. Ola refused to offer any comments on the incident.

In October, the transport department had launched a draft City Taxi Scheme which proposed that taxi aggregators such as Uber and Ola should be regulated under the Motor Vehicles Act. Rane stressed that the government has not yet taken any action regarding this.

“The Swabhiman Sanghatna has over 17,000 registered members plying autos and taxis in the city who have been affected by the deep discounts offered by taxi aggregators in the city,” said Nitesh, son of former Congress minister Narayan Rane.

IS recruit case: HC asks NIA to respond on Majeed’s bail plea

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Afternoon Voice

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November 19, 2015

The Bombay High Court asked National Investigation Agency (NIA) to respond to a petition filed by alleged IS recruit Areeb Majeed seeking bail on technical grounds.

A division bench of Justices R V More and V L Achliya asked NIA to respond to Majeed’s plea and posted it for hearing on November 23.

Advocate Mubin Solkar, appearing for Majeed, told the HC that the petition was filed in June and since then NIA has not responded despite time given to it.

Majeed, a resident of Kalyan near Mumbai, along with three other youths — Shaheen Tanki, Fahad Shaikh and Aman Tandel, was part of a pilgrim group from India to Iraq in May 2014, when they went missing. Majeed and the three others were suspected to have joined the Syria-based terrorist group ISIS.

Majeed, initially believed to have died, was later deported to India and subsequently arrested by NIA on November 28, 2014.

In May 2015, NIA filed a 8000-page charge sheet against Majeed under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Indian Penal Code for waging a war against a country friendly to India.

Majeed has sought his release on bail on technical grounds.

In his application, he has claimed that a sessions court, in violation of rules, extended the time for filing the charge sheet by the investigating agency, when it should have been done by a special NIA court.

The sessions court had exceeded its jurisdiction and its order was illegal, the petition claimed.

A special court had rejected his bail plea on similar grounds in May 2015 following which he approached the HC.

HC to hear petitions challenging beef ban in Maha from Dec 5

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Afternoon Voice

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November 19, 2015

The Bombay High Court today said it would start hearing from December 5 all the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the beef ban legislation in Maharashtra.

A division bench of justices A S Oka and S C Gupte said it will hear the petitions on December 5, 9 and 11 and then assign more dates, if required.

The bench had to be specially constituted by Acting Chief Justice V K Tahilramani after Justice Gautam Patel, who was presiding with Justice A S Oka, recused from hearing the petitions as he had written an article in a newspaper 2012 after the Karnataka government proposed a similar beef ban.

In February 2015, President Pranab Mukherjee had granted sanction to the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act. While the Act had banned slaughter of cows way back in 1976, the recent amendments prohibited slaughter of bulls and bullocks.

According to the amended Act, the sale of bulls and bullocks in the state is an offence punishable with five-year jail term and Rs 10,000 fine. Besides, possession of meat of a cow, meat of bull or bullock is also an offence for which the punishment prescribed is one-year jail and Rs 2,000 fine.

While hearing the petitions, the High Court had in April refused to grant an interim stay on the law on the issue of possession of beef.

Arif Kapadia, a city resident and noted lawyer Harish Jagtiani, challenged this provision of law which says mere possession of beef in any place in the state is a crime.

According to Jagtiani, the provision is arbitrary and hits upon the cosmopolitan nature of the city which houses people from all religions and communities.

Kapadia, on the other hand, described as “draconian” Section 5(D) of the Act, which makes possession of meat of any cow, bull or bullock slaughtered outside the state a cognisable and non-bailable offence with punishment up to one year in jail and Rs 2,000 fine.

The other petitions were filed by Vishal Sheth, a lawyer, and Shaina Sen, a student.

The duo had said, “We are Hindus who are consumers of beef, which is now part of our diet and nutrition sources. The ban on beef and criminalising its sale and possession violates fundamental rights of citizens.”

On September 21, the High Court had rejected the plea in a bunch of petitions seeking relaxation of beef ban in Maharashtra during a three-day period for Eid festival, also known as Bakri-Eid.

The court was of the view that it cannot temporarily suspend the beef ban as it was hearing petitions challenging the Act.