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Growing intolerance in our society

These days we are witnessing episodes depicting lack of tolerance among citizens and politicians. This is not a good sign and it will hamper our economic and social development. Today youth have easy access to facebook and twitter but its misuse proves to be counterproductive for them. The government must take initiative to prevent provocative and pornographic posts on social media which is responsible for spreading unrest in the society. It’s the duty of the government to ensure that the state and the nation marches ahead on correct and desirable path which will pave way for peace and mutual goodwill. It is our aim to create a welfare state. The government must ensure that wealth is equally distributed among people. Steps must be taken to bridge the gap between the rich and poor.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is as important as the District magistrate. District magistrate is as important as district education officer or medical superintendent. A decision in this regard must be taken by the PM and his cabinet. The government must focus on providing good governance. The Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party is considering taking China’s help in fighting mosquitoes. The AAP government is mulling to send a team of experts to a small island in southern China where Genetically Modified (GM) mosquitoes are being used to reduce the population of dengue-causing ‘Aedes aegypti’ mosquitoes. The number of dengue cases in Delhi has mounted to a staggering 10,683, making it the worst outbreak of the vector-borne disease in the national capital since 1996. The deadly virus, however, had claimed over 420 lives, nearly 20 years ago, while the casualty count for this year stands at 41. The Health Department of Delhi government also says the current year is facing the worst dengue crisis after the 1996 outbreak.

India is taking most of its ships to China for Dry docking and repairs but not has failed to increase its indigenous capacity. We do not have a decent passenger ship under the Indian flag. Who will take responsibility for this?

Youth must agitate but for a good cause. The government must seek the assistance of foreign companies to impart skill training to youth. Even though youth are educated but they lack employable skills.

Khadi and Village industries commission is offering various practical courses. Youth must join them and later on set up their own enterprises. The government must take steps to curtail the rising population which has become a huge cause of concern. Steps must be taken to dissuade people from owning private vehicles. The number of parking lots must be increased in the city. Hefty parking fees must be imposed on vehicle owners and the money generated through it can be used to augment the public transport system. Television channels must highlight these issues instead of airing irrelevant shows.

I once thought of quitting modelling: Gigi Hadid

gigi-hadidGigi Hadid has admitted she considered quitting as a model because she let her critics get to her.

The 20-year-old beauty said she struggles with the negative things said about her online but has learned to use her “voice” to speak out and help others in similar situations, reported a leading daily.

“I am human and try not to read it all the time – but it does get to me, I think that when you go through something like that, and you’re really almost letting it affect what you think of yourself – it was getting to a place where I was almost like, ‘Should I be here?’ And I was like, ‘I shouldn’t be questioning doing my job because people are being mean on the Internet.

“So I just felt like I wasn’t scared to have a voice. Some people might think that it was maybe aggressive, but I just think that I was doing it because I want to stand up for myself. I think that I have the right to have a say because we all do on social media,” she said.

Emilia Clarke is ‘sexiest woman alive’

Emilia-Clarke“Game of Thrones” actress Emilia Clarke has bagged the title of the sexiest woman alive in a poll by a men’s magazine.

Esquire made the announcement after teasing readers with a clip featuring shots of the 28-year-old actress, reports said.

In an accompanying article about Clarke, who plays Daenerys Targaryen aka Khaleesi on the HBO series “Game of Thrones”, the magazine described the “gorgeous balance of Emilia Clarke.”

“She manages to bring together a number of opposites, to make them natural: sweetness and toughness, emotionalism with a kind of cold-blooded determination.

“Something in these contrasts explains her sex appeal, too. She can play queen and kid sister, dominatrix and pal,” writes the magazine.

Alia Bhatt reveals her Secret behind her Bikini body!

AliaAlia Bhatt’s latest movie, Shaandaar co-starring Shahid Kapoor is all set to release on 22nd October. The film has already created quite a buzz in the market for its music and yes, the pink bikini worn by Alia Bhatt.

This is the first time ever that her fans would get to see her in a two-piece bikini and hence Alia was initially quite skeptical about it. She had earlier denied doing any scenes in a bikini since she believed that her body was not perfect for it.

“The location was so beautiful that I used to do a lot of cycling around the place. And as I had to shoot in a bikini, it helped me a lot. Whether we had a shoot or not, I, Shahid and Ishaan (Shahid’s brother) didn’t miss a chance to work out in the fresh air,” Alia said at a promotional event in Mumbai.

Speaking about the place Shaandaar was shot, Alia said, “The scenic beauty of the location made me jog and exercise more in fresh air. So it eased me a lot for the bikini shoot. In Mumbai, we hardly get so much open place and fresh air to exercise. It was a really wonderful experience for me.”

Alia also said that British people are “very warm” and “friendly”.

“The people of Britain are very warm and friendly, just as we think about our visitors who come to India,” she said.

Deepika is Ranbir’s muse in ‘Tamasha’: Imtiaz Ali

Imtiaz-AliFilmmaker Imtiaz Ali, who is gearing up for the release of “Tamasha”, says actor Deepika Padukone is Ranbir Kapoor’s “muse” in the film.

“Ranbir is a story teller in the film. The character of Ranbir in the film is stuck with his routine and monotonous life, and what he wanted to, he could not do until he finds his muse Deepika. Deepika is his muse, inspiration in the film,” Imtiaz said.

Imtiaz also said that Deepika, who is “shy” in real life, has overcome her shyness on screen.

“Deepika in real life is very shy person and it was inhibiting the actor in her but now she has overcome her shyness on screen though she is same shy person in real life,” he shared.

About Ranbir, Imtiaz said he has the ability to get into the skin of his characters.

“Ranbir is someone to whom if you give any character, he will turn into it and when the character is sucked out he is nothing. So during the shooting of ‘Tamasha’, I did not feel that he is the same actor of ‘Rockstar’,” Imtiaz said.

“Tamasha” will release on November 27.

Alliance with BJP weakening Sena?

Many Shiv Sena ministers are unhappy with the BJP taking credit for the work performed by them.

modi-udhdhavThe ties between Shiv Sena and BJP have hit an all-time low as both the parties are heading towards a split. The relationship between both the parties has been strained after the Sena had protested against Pakistani artist Ghulam Ali concert in Mumbai. The show was cancelled despite the Fadnavis government assuring security for it due to pressure imposed by Sena. Later, Sena also attempted to disrupt Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s book launch function in Mumbai after party activist threw ink on the show organiser Sudeendra Kulkarni. However, the organisers went ahead with the book launch event despite protests from Sena. Thus a battle for supremacy is being fought by Sena and BJP. Both the parties have decided to fight the Kalyan-Dombivali civic elections solo. Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray is closely following the Bihar election and has asked his ministers to be ready to quit. Sena leadership holds the view that BJP’s popularity is falling in Maharashtra and the Sena will have to pay the price for it electorally. Sena is unhappy with the functioning of the Fadnavis government.

According to sources, “Many Shiv Sena ministers are unhappy with the BJP taking credit for the work performed by them. Many of them feel that it is better to sit in the opposition for four years instead of being part of the government.”

Shiv Sena had broken the alliance with BJP ahead of the assembly election last year. After the BJP fell short of majority Sena offered support to the Fadnavis government. The BJP also ‘reluctantly’ accepted the support and offered Shiv Sena MLAs minor portfolios in Maharashtra Cabinet. But the BJP-Shiv Sena relationship has been strained beyond repair in the last one year.

Sena has been criticising the policies of the Fadnavis government through its editorial mouthpiece Saamna. The party has ruled the city’s rich civic body for over 25 years and wants to continue to do so. To ensure that, it will have to part ways with the BJP sooner or later because the longer it stays with the BJP, the more the chances of a joint fight.

Both Sena and BJP unwillingly fought the 2014 Lok Sabha elections together. After Modi became the Prime Minister, he treated Shiv Sena with some kind of ‘contempt’. It was also offered just one Cabinet berth at the Centre. There have been talks of Shiv Sena pulling out of the Modi government for the past one year.

Shiv Sena also had protested against the BJP’s decision to implement a four day meat ban in the city on the occasion of Jain festival of Parshuyana.

Defiant Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray ‘felicitates’ Sudheendra Kulkarni attackers

ShivsenaPaying no heed to the all round criticism over the attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Tuesday, reportedly felicitated the six party workers who smeared Kulkarni’s face with black ink.

Thackeray met the six men at his residence ‘Matoshree’ in Dadar.

Justifying the move, Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said, “They have done a job for the country.”

“Sudheendra Kulkarni is helping Pakistan,” she said, adding that Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri was an advisor to Pervez Musharraf when Pakistan army made the Kargil move.

Defending the attack on Kulkarni, Kayande argued that blackening of his face was a “civil protest.”

“Mr. Ghulam Ali was understanding enough and he took the right decision by stopping the show…Sudheendra Kulkarni could have also taken the same decision,” she said.

The Sena spokesperson also claimed that the entire country, including the people of Mumbai and Maharashtra, are happy, about what Shiv Sena has done.

“We have got lot of praises from all over the country…somebody who talks about patriotism is labelled in a different manner, it is very sad for the country,” Kayande said.

“Everybody who fights against Pakistan is a soldier, Shiv Sena workers are also soldiers” said Sanjay Raut, spokesperson, at a press conference in Mumbai.

On the felicitation of Shiv Sainiks by Uddhav Thackrey for the act, Raut said,”If we give Param veer chakra , veer chakra to warriors who fight with Pakistan , what’s wrong if we felicitated people who did this”.

Commending his party, Raut said that the Shiv Sena like a “lion” was not planning to quit the BJP led coalition governement in Maharashtra but those who had problems with them could quit.

“We are not planning to quit the government, those who have a problem with us can quit” he said. “Let people say whatever they want, Shiv Sena is a lion and will work like a lion”.

I am certainly an agent, not of Pakistan, but of peace: Sudheendra Kulkarni

KulkarniReplying to Shiv Sena’s allegation that he was a Pakistani agent, Sudheendra Kulkarni, Tuesday, said that he was an ‘agent’ but that of peace.

“I am certainly an agent, but not of Pakistan, but of peace between India and Pakistan and in South Asia,” Kulkarni said.

“I respect the freedom of speech of Saamna and Shiv Sena, I hope they respect other’s freedom of speech too,” he added.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invite to SAARC leaders for his swearing-in ceremony last year, Kulkarni said, “It was our PM’s effort from day one to improve relations with our South Asian neighbours.”

In a hard-hitting editorial, Sena mouthpiece Saamna has called Sudheendra Kulkarni a Pakistani agent , saying that with people like Kulkarni present in India, Pakistan need not send those like Ahmal Kasab.

The Saamna went on to attack the BJP and termed Kulkarni as the man behind the cash-for-votes sting.

Kulkarni, who was a top aide of LK Advani, was also blamed for the former deputy PM’s Mohammad Ali Jinnah fiasco.

Shiv Sena is upset with Kulkarni over his support for Pakistan’s former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri​’s book launch in Mumbai.

FTII row: Gajendra Chauhan urges students to strike chord with government

Gajendra-ChauhanFilm and Television Institute of India (FTII) chairman Gajendra Chauhan on Tuesday appealed to the protesting students to arrive at an agreement in the upcoming meeting with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry so that the situation can return to normal at the institute.

“I appeal to the FTII students to arrive at a consensus in their upcoming meeting with the ministry so that the strike ends and we work together in fulfilling our dreams to enable the institute to reach new heights,” said Chauhan.

The students of the premier institute have been on strike for over 100 days, with four meetings between them and officials of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry being inconclusive.

The students are expected to meet Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.

Malegaon blast case: SPP alleges NIA SP asked her to go slow 

Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian has named a Superintendent of Police of NIA, alleging that he had told her on behalf of “higher ups” to go slow against the Malegaon bomb blast accused, months after she stoked a row by claiming she was pressurised in the case.

Salian gave a written affidavit in Bombay High Court in response to a Criminal Writ Petition filed by Sanjay Likhe Patil naming SP Suhas Warke.
In her affidavit, which forms a part of a PIL filed by Patil in the Supreme court, Salian had alleged “…I am disclosing the name of the NIA officer who had tried to interfere with the delivery of administration of justice, as a messenger. His name is Shri Subas Warke, SP NIA, Mumbai Branch.”

Reiterating her allegations, she claimed in the affidavit that the same officer came and had said that there are instructions from “higher ups, that someone else will appear instead of me and in the said case (Malegaon 2008)”.

Salian had to give an affidavit as Bombay High Court was hearing a criminal petition filed by Patil against NIA. However, as no hearing took place in last three months, Patil moved a PIL in the Supreme Court requesting that the petition be clubbed with earlier petition filed by Harsh Mandar.

Suhas Mushukar Warke is an IPS officer of 2000 batch from Maharashtra cadre and has been on central deputation with NIA since December 2012.

NIA Director General Sharad Kumar said a counter-affidavit had already been filed in the Supreme Court. “We will not like to comment any further as the matter is sub-judice,” he said.