‘Drishyam’ a rare combination of Box Office profit, respect: Ajay Devgn

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August 4, 2015

Actor Ajay Devgn is beaming with joy that his latest thriller-drama “Drishyam” has not only done well at the box office but also earned him praise for his performance.

“Drishyam”, also starring Tabu and Shriya Saran and directed by Nishikant Kamat, released this Friday.

It raked in a total of Rs. 34.08 crore in four days and the collections are expected to pick up this week owing to good word of mouth.

“Very satisfied with the response that ‘Drishyam’ is getting, one of the rare films that gets you collections as well as respect as an actor,” Ajay tweeted.

It is a remake of a 2013 Malayalam film of the same name, which starred Mohanlal and Meena.

Politically selected smart cities

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Afternoon Voice

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August 3, 2015

Opposition alleges that Fadnavis has included those cities in the smart city project that are going for municipal election in 2017.

The Maharashtra government has taken a decision to develop cities like Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Solapur, Nashik, Amravati and Nagpur into smart cities with an eye on the municipal elections scheduled to be held in these cities in 2017. The Kalyan-Dombivali civic elections are just round the corner. The opposition have already alleged that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has played a tactical game by including these cities in the smart city project. Thus the Fadnavis government is leaving no stone unturned to grab political mileage out of this project.

The Union Cabinet has given its nod to NDA government’s flagship 100 smart cities project and the new urban renewal mission with a total outlay of about Rs one lakh crore. While Rs 48,000 crore has been earmarked for 100 smart cities, Rs 50,000 crore are marked for the AMRUT scheme for 500 cities. The state government will send the list of cities to be included in the smart city project and the centre will take a final decision in this regard.

“A high-power committee has selected Navi Mumbai, Pune-Pimpri Chinchwad, Nashik, Thane, Mumbai, Amravati, Solapur, Nagpur, Kalyan-Dombivli and Aurangabad,” said CM Devendra Fadnavis in the legislative assembly.

The erstwhile UPA government had tried to consolidate its foothold in the state by implementing Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Thane. Thus the BJP too is following the footsteps of its predecessor by announcing the smart city project. After the strong performance in the assembly election the saffron is aiming to improve its position across the municipal corporations of the state. The Shiv Sena dominates the Mumbai and Thane municipal corporations while Nashik is controlled by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad are NCP’s bastions while Congress has a sizeable presence in Solapur and Amravati.

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan hit out at the BJP-led state government for not including Nanded, Latur and Parbhani in the ‘smart city’ project. It smacked of political bias because the civic bodies in these cities were controlled by Congress and NCP, he alleged.

“It was expected that Nanded, Latur or Parbhani will be included in the list from Marathwada region. However, due to the political bias these cities were overlooked for smart cities,” he said.

According to Chavan, “Aurangabad is the only city which has made it to smart cities project from Marathwada. The government should have included one more city from Marathwada.” He added, “In Marathwada, we have Latur, Parbhani and Nanded. Atleast one city from these three should have been considered.”

Smart City is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project aimed at recasting the urban landscape of the country by making cities more liveable and inclusive besides driving the economic growth. Under smart cities initiative, focus will be on core infrastructure services like adequate and clean water supply, sanitation and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transportation, affordable housing for poor, power supply and robust IT connectivity. The funds received by the central government will be used for the development of these smart cities. Each selected city under the ambitious scheme would get central assistance of Rs 100 crore per year for five years.

Porn sites ban ‘Talibanisation’ of India: Deora

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Afternoon Voice

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August 3, 2015

The government directing internet providers to block 857 porn sites is akin to “Talibanisation” of the country, former Union Minister Milind Deora said.

“And the government takes one more step towards the Talibanization of India,” Deora, former Union Minister of State for IT and Communications, tweeted.

“The latest ban is not about liking or disliking porn.

It’s about govt hijacking personal liberties. What’ll they ban next – phones and TVs?” the Congress leader asked.

“Privacy is my inalienable, constitutional right,” Deora, a former MP from South Mumbai, added.

The Union government has ordered blocking of as many as 857 porn websites, sparking off a debate on social media over censorship and freedom of speech.

Statements of Abu Salem and other accused recorded in 1993 Mumbai blasts case

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Afternoon Voice

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August 3, 2015

The special TADA court in Mumbai which is conducting the trial in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case against eight accused completed recording of their statements. Under section 313 of Criminal Procedure Code, an accused is given an opportunity to personally explain the circumstances appearing in the evidence against him or her.

Abu Salem, Riyaz Siddiqui, Karimullah Khan, Feroze Abdul Rashid, Tahir Merchant, Mustafa Dossa, Riyaz Siddiqui and Abdul Quayyum are facing trial in the case. Salem in his statement claimed that he was innocent and had been falsely implicated. Witnesses deposed against him at the instance of CBI and he wanted to call four or five of them again for examination in the court, he said. All the accused told the special judge G A Sanap that they will also submit written statements.

Thirteen powerful blasts had ripped through Mumbai on March 12, 1993 killing 257 people and injuring 713. The TADA court in 2006 convicted 100 accused, including Yakub Memon who was executed on July 30. The trial of Salem and others was separated because they were arrested later.

Implement Srikrishna panel report on 1992-93 Mumbai riots: Abu Azmi

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Afternoon Voice

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August 3, 2015

In the wake of the execution of 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts convict Yakub Memon last week, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi has written a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding “swift action” on the findings of the Srikrishna Commission.

“The decision to hang Yakub for his involvement in the Mumbai bomb blasts was taken by the Supreme Court and we respect its decision,” Azmi, Maharashtra unit chief of SP, said in the letter.

“Just as the Maharashtra government was swift in implementing the SC’s decision, it should act fast in giving justice to the victims of the Mumbai communal riots (between December 1992 and January 1993) as well. We expect the government to take swift action on the findings of Justice B N Srikrishna in his report,” he added.

Quoting the Srikrishna panel report, Azmi said that around 900 people had lost their lives in the communal clashes and most of them were from the minority community.

“Page number 47 of the report of Justice Srikrishna commission clearly states that a senior IPS officer had then admitted that the communal riots of 1992-93 were a result of the demolition of the Babri masjid in Ayodhya.

“Thus, if the perpetrator of the 1993 bomb blasts is given a death sentence, and those responsible for the communal riots are not punished, people whose families have lost their lives in the communal riots and whose properties were destroyed, feel that the government is doing injustice to them,” the letter stated.

He further stated that the “publicity” and the “marketing gimmicks” of the Centre and the state government in the hanging of Memon has reopened old wounds of those affected by communal riots, as thousands were killed and property worth crores (of rupees) was destroyed.

“The Samajwadi Party believes that the previous Congress-NCP government is responsible for not implementing the findings of the Srikrishna report. But even your government has not taken any steps towards the implementation of the findings,” Azmi stated.

The Srikrishna Commission was set up by the state government to probe incidents of widespread rioting between December 1992 and January 1993 and damage and loss to the city during that period. One of the terms of reference for the Commission was to see if the riots and the blasts were linked.

MU VC moots proposal for appointment of four pro-VCs

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Afternoon Voice

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August 3, 2015

Mumbai University (MU) Vice Chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh has requested state government to appoint four pro-VCs for streamlining of the administration.

Deshmukh said he had proposed appointment of the pro-VCs so the university can perform better and administration performs fast.

The proposal is at the initial stage now and nothing can be said as of now, he said, adding a suitable announcement will be made if the proposal is considered by authorities.

The university currently has one pro-VC.

To a query, Deshmukh said he was against the formation of separate universities for Ratnagiri and Raigad as demanded by some sections.

“Mumbai University is highly reputed and its students command respect wherever they go. If other universities are formed, the students will loose their identity from the Mumbai University which will adversely affect their future,” he said.

Congress defends Gurudas Kamat over his comment about Irani

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Afternoon Voice

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August 3, 2015

The women and youth wings of Mumbai Congress defended party general secretary Gurudas Kamat over his comment about Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani and decried the demonstration by BJP workers outside his house here yesterday.

The party also asked why these BJP workers were not similarly agitated when Kamat and other Congressmen demanded criminal action against Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje.

A statement by Mahila and Youth Congress units said the poor turn-out for the demonstration showed “lack of support and credibility on the issue.”

“Kamat has clearly stated that his comments did not degrade Irani and he had only questioned her educational qualifications to hold the important portfolio of HRD and made a passing reference to her working at McDonald’s as a waitress which is as per Irani’s own admission,” it said.

The women’s wing chief of Mumbai BJP, Shalaka Salvi, had allegedly threatened to disrupt Kamat’s meetings, and “we challenge the BJP Mahila and youth wings to disrupt a single meeting of Kamat’s,” it said.

“None of their prominent leaders will be able to move around Mumbai as the Mahila, youth and student wings of Congress across Mumbai will gherao them,” it warned.

Kamat was known for his high regard for women and had always supported (party president) Sonia Gandhi in her commitment to the women’s cause, it said.

Kamat, while referring to Irani’s stint at McDonald’s, had also asserted that there was nothing wrong with it, but this part was suppressed by the BJP, it alleged.

It further said that when Kamat had demanded criminal action against the External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje over their links with Lalit Modi, “none of these BJP activists shed any tears for them, though they were much more senior than Irani.”

Shah Rukh thanks MCA for revoking ban

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Afternoon Voice

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August 3, 2015

Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan today thanked the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) for showing “graciousness” in lifting the five-year ban imposed on him from entering the Wankhede Stadium.

The Bollywood superstar was banned from entering MCA premises, including the Wankhede Stadium, for engaging in a scuffle with the officials of the cricketing body and the security staff on May 16, 2012 following KKR’s victory over Mumbai Indians.

“My gentle father-in-law made me realise how lil it matters who was rite or who was wrong. Wot matters is grace.

Thnx MCA for ur graciousness,” Shah Rukh said in a tweet.

KKR CEO Venky Mysore had also tweeted his pleasure at Shah Rukh’s ban being revoked by the MCA.

“Pleased to note MCA has lifted the ban on @iamsrk.

@KKRiders will be happy to see him cheering in person next time we play at Wankhede!,” he said.

The Bollywood superstar was banned for five years from entering MCA premises, including the Wankhede Stadium, by the Association’s Managing Committee, headed by the late Vilasrao Deshmukh, on May 18, 2012 after he was involved in an altercation with the security staff and officials of the cricket body following Kolkata Knight Riders’ victory over Mumbai Indians two nights earlier.

Khan, however, denied he had misbehaved and maintained that he reacted only after children, including his kids, were “manhandled” by the security staff at the stadium.

7 Indians currently with ISIS; 6 others dead

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Afternoon Voice

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August 3, 2015

Only seven Indians are currently with ISIS in Iraq and Syria, just one in a combat role, while six from the country who had joined the dreaded terror network have gone down fighting.

Official sources said of the seven Indians with ISIS — two are from Mumbai’s outskirts Kalyan, and an Australia-based Kashmiri.

Four others joined the Jihadist group from Telangana, Karnataka capital Bengaluru, Oman and Singapore.

Among the six Indians, who fought alongside the ISIS and got killed were three Indian Mujahideen terrorists, including Sultan Ajmer Shah and Bada Sajid, who had joined its ranks after being in Pakistan, two from Maharashtra and one from Telangana.

Quoting intelligence inputs, sources said, except for one, none of the six other Indians currently with ISIS are allowed to go for combat duty and mostly assist the fighters, serving as cooks, drivers and helpers.

The only Indian, who has been given an assault rifle and is deployed for combat, hails from Mumbai outskirts Kalyan, they said.

So far, 17 young men, mostly from Telangana, have been prevented from travelling to Syria, ostensibly to join ISIS.

The issue of radicalised Indian youths joining ISIS had figured prominently during a meeting of top security experts on Saturday.

BEST facing Rs. 2.26 cr deficit daily on bus services: RTI

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Afternoon Voice

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August 3, 2015

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply Transport (BEST), which runs the bus fleet in Mumbai, is facing a revenue gap of Rs. 2.26 crore everyday despite over 28 lakh Mumbaikars using the services on a daily basis, an RTI query has found.

The MCGM’s Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport, popularly known as BEST buses, is apparently in a tight spot with a revenue deficit of nearly Rs. 2.26 crore per day, according to RTI activist Anil Galgali based on a response to a query filed by him.

Galgali had sought information with regard to the working of BEST buses, considered one of the important lifelines of Mumbai city.

The RTI query had demanded expenses per kilometre incurred by the BEST, along with the income generated by the BEST per day and number of people using the services.

In reply to the query, BEST’s Assistant Manager Abhay Shelar informed that as per the figures available with them of May 2015, the expense mounts to rupees Rs. 6.16 crore per day.

As per June 2015, the total income through fares for BEST is Rs. 3.90 crore per day and per kilometre expenditure is Rs. 97.75. Also, on an average 28.39 lakh people use the services, the reply mentioned.

Therefore, BEST losses Rs. 2.26 crore everyday to provide services to Mumbaikars, Galgali said.

As of today, Rs. eight is charged as base fare for regular services, Rs. eight (base fare) for limited buses of BEST, Rs. 10 for express buses and Rs. 30 for AC bus services.