Any threat to secular fabric of country would not be tolerated, says Rajnath Singh

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October 6, 2015

In the backdrop of political sparring being played out after the lynching of a man for allegedly eating beef in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asked everyone to maintain secularism in the nation.

He also said that any threat to the secular fabric of the country would not be tolerated, as per media reports.

On the Dadri lynching the Home Minister assured that said his ministry would look into the state government’s report.

Rajnath was responding to questions asked by reporters on the sidelines of a function to mark the 80th birth anniversary of late farmer leader Mahendra Singh Tikait.

On the other hand, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also condemned the lynching and said such incidents hurt the country’s image.

“India is a mature society. We need to rise above these kinds of incidents because they certainly don’t give a good name as far as the country is concerned,” he told reporters in New York after a lecture at Columbia University.

He was responding when asked to comment on the lynching incident in Dadri which has happened at a time when the government was wooing foreign investors.

“I have also said they can amount to policy diversions in that context so it is the responsibility of every Indian in his actions or comments to stay clear of unfortunate and condemnable instances like this,” the senior BJP leader said.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government has submitted a report to the Centre on the lynching but made no categorical mention of “beef consumption or cow slaughter” having triggered the killing of Mohammad Iqlakh.

The report sent to the Home Ministry said Iqlakh and his son Danish were attacked by some unidentified people over unconfirmed allegations of having consumed “pratibandhit pashu ka maans” (meat of an animal banned from slaughter).

The report incorporated a factual account of the incident as recorded in the FIR registered by the local police in Dadri in Gautam Budh Nagar district, a Home Ministry official said.

The state government’s report made no mention of the circumstances that may have provoked mob to lynch Iqlakh.

On the action taken following the incident, the report said some suspects have been picked up following preliminary investigation. Without going into details of the possible motive behind the killing, the report said further probe is on.

Couple commit suicide after poisoning children in Hyderabad

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Afternoon Voice

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October 6, 2015

A couple allegedly committed suicide after poisoning their two minor children to death in Chintal area apparently over financial problems, police said.

Keshava Rao (40), who was into finance business and his wife Vanaja (36) were found hanging at their house. Their two children Deepak (11) and Nandini (4) were also found dead besides their bodies, they said.

“The couple allegedly hanged themselves last night before giving some poisonous substance to their children resulting in their deaths,” Jeedimetla Police Station Inspector A Chandra Shekar said.

“As per preliminary investigation, financial problems seem to be reason behind Keshava Rao taking the extreme step,” he said, adding that it seems he suffered heavy losses in his business.

A case has been lodged and further investigations were on.

Indo-Pak border: Bright and calm from space…guns on the ground

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Afternoon Voice

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October 6, 2015

The US space agency NASA has released a stunning image of the international border between India and Pakistan as seen from outer space.

The image of the dazzling nighttime panorama was captured by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) while looking north across Pakistan’s Indus River valley.

The photo shows hundreds of yellow clusters of lights – the largest are the capital cities of Islamabad in Pakistan and New Delhi, India. The lines of major highways connecting the cities also can be seen in the photo.

The image, posted on NASA’s official Facebook page Sunday, was taken on September 23 with a 16 mm lens, which provides the wide field of view.

Despite the rivalry on ground, the picture taken from up above depicts the beauty of the two countries existing side by side.

Three TDP leaders held captive by Naxals in Andhra Pradesh

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Afternoon Voice

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October 6, 2015

Three local Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders have been held captive allegedly by Naxals in Visakhapatnam district, police said.

Naxals through their network had asked the three TDP leaders to meet them at Dharkonda in the district yesterday afternoon and accordingly they went, Visakhapatnam district Superintendent of Police K Praveen said.

“Only on the assurance by the Naxals that the leaders won’t be harmed, TDP’s G K Veedhi Mandal President M Balaiah and two other local leaders — M Mahesh and V Balaiah — went to meet them. Now, they have been held captive,” the SP said.

Police received information regarding it.

“We have verified (the information). The only possibility is the Maoists will take them in the deep interior forest area towards the border of East Godavari district…We are waiting for Maoists to put forth their demands (for release of TDP leaders),” Praveen added.

It is suspected that the Naxals resorted to hold them hostage to protest the mining of Bauxite in the area.

Bengaluru shocker! Call centre employee gang-raped at knife-point, three detained

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Afternoon Voice

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October 6, 2015

A 23-year-old call centre employee was allegedly gang-raped at knife-point by two men in South-East Bengaluru on October 3, said on Tuesday.

“A woman in her twenties, an employee with a call centre here, was gang-raped on the night of October 3 by two persons in South-East Bengaluru,” said City Police Commissioner N S Megharikh.

The victim was returning to her PG accomodation in HSR Layout after work at her BPO in Bommanahalli, he added.

The woman, who is from Madhya Pradesh, was waiting for transport to return home at around 10 pm when the duo stopped their vehicle and offered to drop her to her destination, police said.

They took her to a deserted spot, raped her and then dropped her back in Madiwala area in South East Bengaluru, police said.

The woman called up her sister and friends, who arrived at the spot and immediately took her to nearby St John’s Hospital, where doctors called police, the official said, adding that they have recorded her statement.

The woman was discharged yesterday, they said, adding that a special team has been formed under Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-East) Rohini Katoch Sepat to trace the duo.

CCTV footage at major traffic junctions in the locality was also examined to find out the vehicle, police said.

Dadri lynching case: Police register cases against Mahesh Sharma, Sangeet Som, Naseemuddin Siddiqui

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Afternoon Voice

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October 6, 2015

Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday registered cases against Union Minister Mahesh Sharma, BJP leader Sangeet Som and and BSP leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui for their inflammatory remarks over the recent lynching case in Dadri’s Bishada village where a Muslim was bludgeoned to death over rumours of eating beef.

Sanjay Singh, Dadri SP, said, “Case registered under section 153 A against Hindu Rakshak Dal for inflammatory speech.”

On Thursday, Mahesh Sharma had described the lynching of 50-year-old Mohammad Iqlakh as an “accident” and said that no “communal colour” should be given to it, even as the family of the victim is planning to move out of the village fearing that it may happen again.

Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Tourism and BJP MP from Noida, had said: “This (incident) should be considered as an accident without giving any communal colour to it.”

Furthermore, controversial BJP MLA Sangeet Som on Sunday visited Dadri and had attacked the state government, alleging it was appeasing the minority community and innocent people were being framed for lynching of a man over beef eating rumour.

Som, who was accused of making inflammatory speeches during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots, alleged that state government was acting in a biased manner like it did during violence in western Uttar Pradesh two years ago and was shielding those who had “slaughtered cow”.

“Like they had taken the accused in Muzaffarnagar riots in a plane, they have taken those who have slaughtered cow in a plane. Even when a person is killed, they have different set of rules. Sanjay Rahul Yadav was shot in the incident, but is anyone aware. Did the government help him,” Som told reporters as the victim Ikhlaq’s family met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow on Sunday.

The UP lawmaker’s remarks came even as BJP leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the incident should not be given communal colour or politicised. Som questioned why the state government had allowed AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi to visit the village and spread “communal frenzy”.

Reservation should be based on economic criteria

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Afternoon Voice

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October 6, 2015

India celebrated 68 years of Independence recently and entered its 69^th year. India Inc. was poised to take a leap forward. Our military and Naval might seems to have grown. With the induction of INS KOCHI we are a proud nation because we know our forces give us the feeling of security. Bangalore and Hyderabad are IT hubs and America outsources much software developed by our nation. By the same token in one of the villages a man was murdered for eating beef. Although one does not promote cow slaughter states in India have not imposed a ban on buffalo meat (which is also beef).Various channels were airing this shocking story that a human being is less important than a cow due to some diktat issued by some extreme organisations which is really shameful.

In Gujarat English was not taught in several schools before and after Narendra Modi’s reign as Chief Minister. This parochial state has students who find it difficult to appear for board and college exams. When candidates appear for major interviews they are rejected due to poor communication skills. So you have one Hardik Patel getting up and stating he wants reservations for the Patels including those belonging from wealthy and the middle class families from the same community. Thousands had joined the agitation. Now he is demanding reservation for Rajasthan Gujjars too. So why didn’t they send their wards to English schools instead of studying in vernacular medium?

“Gujjar leaders want the state government to create a Special Backward Class (SBC) category within the OBC quota. It will reduce the OBC quota which accommodates 91 castes in Rajasthan. Their demand is unfair as the president of Rajasthan Gujjars have been demanding reservation since 2007. They were granted 5 per cent reservation under a separate quota. Since it exceeded the 50 per cent quota mandated by the Supreme Court, the matter is now caught in a legal tangle and is being heard in the Rajasthan High Court.

Amid the ongoing agitation by Patels for quota, an organisation of Brahmins in Gujarat has demanded reservation for community members in Government jobs and educational institutes in the State. All Gujarat Brahmin Samaj also wants the Government to pay monthly salary to Brahmin priests serving in temples across the State. According to one spokesperson” the BJP Government in Gujarat should follow the example of the Tamil Nadu Government and give monthly salary to all the temple priests in the State.”

He said the government should set up a Brahmin Vikas Board to look after 55 lakh economically weaker Brahmins, whose population in Gujarat he put at 62 lakhs. The only sensible thing the President of the Brahmins said was that the Samaj wants the State to grant reservations solely on the basis of economic criterion. “We want the Government to change this (current) system of reservation and introduce a system which is based on economic condition, not on castes. We believe anyone who is financially weak should get reservation, including Brahmins. Children are denied good education or jobs because of the current reservation system.”

The convener announced the formation of local level committees for launching a statewide agitation based on Gandhian principles. Therein lies the solution. It is difficult to identify communities. It is difficult to classify within these communities but if this task succeeds then reservation can be granted to the deserving people.

Allka V Aswani

Intimate scene is an opportunity to be fearless: Lady Gaga

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Afternoon Voice

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October 6, 2015

Pop sensation Lady Gaga enjoys watching her intimate scenes.

The “Poker Face” hitmaker, 29, who is engaged to actor Taylor Kinney, said she doesn’t mind getting intimate on camera as the moments capture her at her most “honest” and authentic.

“They don’t scare me, those scenes. It’s an opportunity to be fearless. In a strange way, I think I almost prefer to watch myself in a love scene, because I know that I have to be completely honest in order to achieve something that looks authentic and feels real.

“I’m trying to see that authenticity in myself all the time on film,” she said.

But the “American Horror Story: Hotel” star tries not to think too much about her performance on camera as she worries that would make her “robotic”.

“Sometimes, when you’re thinking too much about things you plan them out and you’re more robotic in your performance.”

Tom Cruise not invited to daughter Isabella’s wedding

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Afternoon Voice

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October 6, 2015

Hollywood actor Tom Cruise didn’t attend his adopted daughter Isabella Cruise’s secret wedding last month because he didn’t get any invitation, sources have said.

According to sources, Tom covered the bill for the couple’s nuptials and party, which took place at the fancy schmancy Dorchester hotel, reports said.

Multiple sources said that Isabella and her now-husband Max Parker wanted a low-key wedding with a small circle of friends only.

Hence, both of them didn’t invite their parents. It explained why her mother Nicole Kidman, who was in London at the time the wedding took place, didn’t attend the wedding either.

Though Nicole wasn’t invited, she was “overjoyed” at her daughter’s new union.

Regarding the couple’s decision to limit their guest list, the ‘Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation’ actor was reportedly cool with it.

Don’t like to be tagged as glamorous: Aishwarya

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Afternoon Voice

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October 6, 2015

The former Miss World, 41, who is making a comeback to the big screen after five years with Jazbaa, said there was a perception in people’s mind that she will opt for glamorous role but she preferred otherwise. “When I chose to start my career with Iruvar, I genuinely believed I was liberating myself as an actor. I came to the industry after Miss World, modelling… There was obvious perception that ‘Aishwarya Rai means glamour’.

“So when I chose to work with Mani Ratnam in a south Indian film like Iruvar, which had Mohanlal, Revathi, Tabu, I wanted to be free as an artist. I didn’t want to be in the mould of perception… I wanted to be free from this perception,” she told reporters during the promotion of the film in the capital. In the Sanjay Gupta-directed film, which releases this Friday, Aishwarya plays a doting mother of a girl child.

The mother of one took insights from her real life to portray the character of Anuradha Verma. “There was no apprehension of playing a mother. I would have chosen this film five years ago too but the difference is today I am a mother. So, I am playing Anuradha Verma in a given situation, I do know what a mother is experiencing. I have brought the truth towards acting through this film.”

Asked whether it was a challenge to strike a balance between motherhood and professional commitments, the Guzaarish actress said, “Every working woman, every mother has her own challenge to multitask. It brings a certain joy which is difficult to put to words but if you think I am looking content, it means I have found my balance.”

However, the actress does not like to label the film as her comeback project. “Honestly, I don’t feel like I was gone anywhere. I became a mother and during that time, through advertisements, endorsements and social work, I was always in touch with fans. “Though I wasn’t working in cinema but I really didn’t feel that I was away. So, I didn’t realise the time that has gone by.