Lucknow-based Taravati was taken aback when she received her voter ID card that listed her age as 118 years, thereby making her the oldest citizen from Lucknow district to cast a vote in 2014 general elections.
Taravati is an 18-year-old girl. She was excited about casting her vote for the first-time on April 30, however, the major discrepancy in the voter ID card came as a huge setback for her as she thought she wouldn’t be able to vote.
“Every now and then, my friends and brothers joke about my false age. This goof up by the authorities seems funny to them but it inflames my anger,” the young woman said.
What’s appalling is when she approached the authorities asking them to rectify the mistake, they told her that if she wanted to vote, she would have to be treated as an 118-year-old on records as any changes in the card would be possible only after elections.
“I registered a complaint with the block level officer (BLO) on the day of receiving the voter ID card but he asked me to come after the elections, as rectification is not possible at present,” she said.
“Yes I’m aware of the discrepancy in her voter ID card. I sent her details for rectification but haven’t received the revised card yet,” said Dharmesh BLO from Mohanlalganj constituency. The BLO added that Taravati will be able to vote but will be treated as a 118-year-old voter in this elections.
Unfortunately Taravati is not the only one in the club of voters with a false age – that too above hundred years old. At least ten such voters were traced in the records of chief electoral office. It was also found out that names of at least three voters — Mithana, Parma and Thakur Prasad Tivari from Mohanlalganj and Sarojini Nagar constituency – were in the voter’s list even as they had already deceased several years back.
118-year-old’ Taravati becomes a first-time voter
Bhilai’s ‘four idiots’ use bulls to produce power!
In a rare innovation, four engineers are using bulls to generate electricity in a village in Bhilai district.
They have named their project ‘Animal powered mechanical device for home lighting, home cooking and irrigation’.
All four who belong to farmer families, came up with this interesting concept to make the lives of other villagers easy.
This animal powered device works with the use of turbines. Turbines are attached to the bulls after which the animals are made to walk in circles. It helps the turbine move which in turn generates electricity.
For every one hour that the bulls work, houses will get five hours of electricity.
The innovators are three students from Shankaracharya Engineering College and the fourth is a Professor in the Mechanical branch of the institute.
The project costed them money equal to that of a farmer’s one years’ electricity bill.
They had been working on the project for the last three years during which they tasted defeat innumerable times. However, they made breakthrough only last month.
Modi is the right candidate for PM’s post
You may say that Narendra Modi is a successful Chief Minister of Gujarat and has performed a lot of work in the state and possess good experience. All this is true and applicable, but I judge things differently. A person who is not afraid of losing everything and a person who is not afraid of death is the right candidate to rule India. Modi went to the Himalayas perhaps seeking “ gyanayog” but he must have realized that “ karma yoga” is superior ( action is superior to inaction) and so he took this initiative. In our day to day life, being ordinary human beings, we come across a lot of anguish relating to domestic issues involving sons and daughters, son in laws and daughter in laws etc. In such a situation, our elders have prescribed “ karma yoga” ( engaging in action without caring for the fruits) as a remedy. So, “karma yoga” is a medicine.
Whenever you are troubled, deeply anguished, take a few deep breaths, drink some water, pick up your bag and proceed to work ( small or big). There is no need to head to Himalayas because the path of “gyan yoga” is very arduous and will give you much less satisfaction than what you will derive from action, free from attachment. If you are free from attachments, you will develop the capacity to tolerate insults.
All of us have to remember that India will not become a developed nation in five or ten years but it is necessary to make a right beginning. Plenty of foul words are being spoken by all political party functionaries as they don’t have control over their language. People are talking that Robert Vadra’s wealth grew from 50 lakh to 300 crores but some people have amassed larger amount than it. We witness this incidents in the field of Maritime education. Modi might ask businessmen to keep ten crores for themselves and invest the remaining amount in projects which will bring power to electric bulbs in the hamlets, water in taps, primary health care in villages etc. You earn money but also utilize it for the welfare of people. BJP leader Giriraj Singh says has threatened voters that if they don’t vote for BJP then he will send them to Pakistan which is unjustified.
We should ask eminent personalities like Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Hema Malini etc to donate the money earned by them through advertisements for charitable causes and ensure that the money is spent properly. On the occasion of Diwali festival we visited Fiji and our taxi stopped at a pump for refueling. People residing there must have noticed that Indian faces are commuting in the taxi. Later, they performed aarti, welcomed us and offered sweets. In Surinam you can listen to very good Hindi songs and “bhajans”, some of which we can’t even hear even in India regularly.
Women deserve to be respected
Ghar Ki Lakshmi’ is that what they call her? Lakshmi refers to the Goddess of Wealth. A woman is regarded as the Goddess of wealth in her home according to the Hindu mythology. Which religion teaches us to disrespect God? None, right? Then why such inhumanity is shown to women these days? Where has all the respect gone? Why don’t those rapists realise that it is because of a woman that they are living in this world today. It is their mother, a woman, who carried her child in her womb undergone all the pain in those nine months and yet never complained.
Even though we live in the 21st century, a girl child is still considered a curse in some parts of this country! Our culture and tradition teach us to respect women, their care and the love they shower on their family and dear one’s. Where have all those values disappeared? The one’s which were fed into those men when they were kids.
With the increasing number of rape cases, every girl or woman fears getting out of the house. But why should we? Don’t we have the right to enjoy our lives? A woman sacrifices so much for her family and this is what society gives her in return.
Selling girls to brothels, killing her before she even steps into this world, discouraging her to move ahead with the world? They say they want this nation to be ‘developed’. But if it continues this way, we won’t even be termed as a developing nation.
I feel strongly for these women and their families. These rape victims. What must be her state? Her family’s state? Whoever they are, whether rich, poor, middle-class or the backward! At the end of it they are all ‘women’
Why have people become so disrespectful? Humans tend to be turning into animals. The Nirbhaya case for example. Imagining the pain and suffering that she went through makes me want to cry. Recently a three year old was raped. That innocent soul who must have just learnt to say the word ‘mamma’ doesn’t understand the good and bad of this society. She must be just smiling at every random person who comes her way.
Just the thought of it makes me feel disgusted. It makes me want to tear apart those men who did it to her.
But what does all this lead to? I alone cannot fight against it. Unity is what we need. Rallies and protests stay in the news for a while and later on it all vanishes. People forget as time passes but do those victims forget? Will they ever be able to forget even if they want to?
I know you must be now thinking that it is very easy for me to sit here and write all of this even I have the same question, “What more can I do?”
I may not be a great writer. I may not be able to put all of this in high vocab words but I feel bad for these girls who suffer. We girls too want to wear westernized clothes and live our lives. But even if we take the least efforts to dress up and look good we are stared at by thousands of eyes while walking on the streets.
Dear men, who keep staring at us that way, just so you know we do not dress up for you all. Neither for someone to stare at us in a wrong way.
We dress up for ourselves. There is a lot more you can admire around in this beautiful world. This is just a humble request from a common girl like me, R E S P E C T the women around you. Live and let live. Let us too explore what this gift which God has given us called ‘L I F E’ has for us. Thank you. Peace.
Jonita Colaco
Ramdev, a pervert
The Dalit community is miffed with the statements made by Baba Ramdev about Rahul Gandhi that he visits Dalit homes for honeymoon and picnic. They have protested against Baba Ramdev and have demanded stringent action to be taken against him. Prakash Ambedkar grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar had expressed his outrage against Ramdev and also addressed him as pervert.
Talking to AV, Prakash Ambedkar said, “Baba Ramdev is a pervert leader. He is issuing irresponsible statements for making Narendra Modi the Prime Minister. He needs to be arrested for issuing such remarks and insulting the Dalit community. Stern action must be taken against him for making such derogatory statements.”
On the other hand, RPI chief Ramdas Athawle too demanded strict action against Baba Ramdev for his remarks against the Dalits. He condemned a controversial statement made by Baba Ramdev.
Athawale said that Ramdev had hurted the sentiments of Dalits across the country by his remark. It was all right for Ramdev to criticise Gandhi’s visits to Dalit homes as tourism, but the yoga guru should have avoided making inappropriate remarks about the community. Athawale also said political leaders should not make personal attacks against each other and that they should address the issues of the people in their campaign speeches.
The RPI (A) leader sought legal action against the yoga guru for the remark, notwithstanding that he had apologised and even asked forgiveness.
NCP’s women’s cell chief Vidya Chavan led a protest of the party’s women workers at Azad Maidan and condemned Ramdev’s remarks that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi visits Dalit homes for “honeymoon” and said the yoga preacher should be booked under atrocities act and arrested.
NCP Woman wing also slapped the effigy of Baba Ramdev by using sandals and demanded to take strict action against him. NSUI wing too protested against him. Mumbai Youth Congress held a dharna against Ramdev at Azad Maidan. Ganesh Kumar Yadav, the youth wing chief demanded that Maharashtra government should ban Ramdev’s entry into the state, otherwise it would create law and order problem. “We also challenge Ramdev to enter Mumbai and conduct his programmes,” Yadav said.
Maharashtra EGS Minister Nitin Raut demanded immediate arrest of Yoga guru Ramdev for his alleged “anti-dalit” and “anti-women” remarks and wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee, seeking his intervention.
“Spontaneous protests were taking place in various parts of the country as dalit sentiments have been hurt. Police cases have been filed against Ramdev in Nagpur as well,” said Raut, a dalit leader from Nagpur.
Condemning the remarks, Raut said it showed the anti-dalit and anti-women mindset of the RSS and BJP.
“What Narendra Modi cannot talk, BJP is getting Ramdev to say in public,” he alleged.
He said that Ramdev, who has worked in the field of yoga to heal ailments of people, should not talk politics in such a manner.
Ramdev subsequently said that he had no intention to insult Dalits and that his remark had been misinterpreted.
Drastic changes in Mumbai polling figures reported
A drastic change in polling figures and percentages announced on polling day and those announced has baffled not only citizens but also candidates who had concluded their fates based on these figures.
On April 24, the election department had stated that the total percentage of polling was 49.48 per cent for all constituencies put together.
The percentage reported on April 24 was Palghar (60 per cent), Bhiwandi (45 per cent), Kalyan (41 per cent) and Thane (53 per cent). Total votes polled were 3,59,6237 while the total number of voters were 7,26,8061, the election department had said.
However, today the election department released a fresh figure which stated that the voting percentage was 51.71 per cent.
While Palghar showed a rise in voting percentage, which has been reported as 63.49 per cent, Bhiwandi has shown a spectacular rise with the figure reaching 51.62 per cent, while the figure for Kalyan has also risen, showing a 43.06 percentage voting percentage.
On the other hand, the voting percentage in Thane has dropped drastically to 50.84 per cent, the election department figures revealed.
Political observers said that a marginal upward revision in voting percentages is understandable but the percentage dropping is something ‘serious’.
In Thane alone there is a drop of 44,757 votes which has caused concern among candidates.
The total number of votes polled in Thane has been reported as 37,58,302, which is a rise of 1,62,065 in all four segments.
The increase in votes reported in Palghar is 55,006, in Bhiwandi it is 1,12,266 and Kalyan it has risen by 39,550 votes, election department figures said.
Re-trial in Salman Khan’s hit-and-run case begins
Eleven years after Bollywood actor Salman Khan allegedly rammed his car into a shop killing one person and injuring four, the re-trial in this case began on Monday with a witness deposing before a sessions court.
Samba Gowda, who was the first witness to depose in the court, said he had drawn panchnama of the articles seized by police on the day of the incident on September 28, 2002.
The witness told prosecutor Jagannath Kenjalkar that it was a big car involved in the accident and said police had reached the spot along with him. He further said the car had rammed into a laundry and its bumper had hit the shutter of the shop.
The witness said he saw glass pieces, number plate of the car and bumper parts lying on the spot. These articles were seized by police and a panchnama was drawn by him.
“I can identify the articles collected by police from the place of accident,” said Gowda, who hails from Karnataka.
Two more witnesses were discharged as they had admitted the panchnamas drawn by them.
Although the prosecution has submitted a list of 64 witnesses, it would not examine all of them, according to the public prosecutor.
Salman is facing the charge of running over his Toyota Land Cruiser on a group of persons sleeping on a footpath outside a bakery in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002, killing one and injuring four others.
On December 5 last year, the court had ordered a fresh trial on the ground that the witnesses had not been examined in the context of aggravated charge of culpable homicide, which was invoked against the actor midway through the case.
The charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder attracts a 10-year sentence. The actor had earlier been tried by a magistrate for a lesser offence of causing death by negligence, which entailed an imprisonment of two years.
The case, dragging on for over a decade, had taken a twist earlier this year when the magistrate, after examining 17 witnesses, held that the charge of culpable homicide was made out against Salman and referred the matter to a sessions court, as cases under this offence are tried by a higher court.
Air India to launch scheme to fill up vacant business class seats
Aiming at filling up vacant business class seats, Air India launched a scheme where a domestic economy passenger can upgrade to Executive Class after paying Rs 5,000 or Rs 7,000 over and above the original ticket price.
The upgrade scheme, open to domestic passengers holding revenue tickets in economy class including the cheap advance purchase fares, would be available only at the airport before check-in, subject to executive class seat availability and on first-come, first-serve basis.
The scheme, called ‘Get Up Front’, which is valid till October 31, would be available for travel to 43 cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, an Air India spokesperson said.
While a passenger travelling a distance of up to 750 kms would have to pay Rs. 5,000 for the upgrade, while those flying over 750 kms, the fixed charge would be Rs. 7,000, he said.
If a passenger books an economy Delhi-Mumbai ticket well in advance paying about Rs 5,000, he or she can upgrade to Executive Class by paying another Rs 7,000, taking the total fare to Rs 12,000, which turns out to be much cheaper than an original Executive Class ticket worth over Rs 25,000.
Filled-up business class seats are a key revenue earner for an airline’s business.
A similar upgrade scheme is already available on Air India’s international sectors till June 31, the rates for which depends on the sector and the distance of travel.
In some domestic sectors where the airline operates a full-economy aircraft, Air India would reserve the first three rows and offer premium service to the upgraded passengers.
The national carrier also offers an advance purchase fare scheme in various slabs on the 237 holiday packages to 125 domestic tourist and religious destinations to attract leisure and holiday travellers.
Records of poll code violation cases gutted in Mantralaya fire
All records pertaining to cases of poll code violation registered against candidates in the last three Lok Sabha elections and action taken against them by the state election commission got destroyed in a 2012 fire mishap at Mantralaya, an RTI query has revealed.
“Public Information Officer Shirish Mohod in the office of the Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer has informed us that all files and records pertaining to our query got destroyed in the massive fire incident at Mantralaya on June 21, 2012.
“Hence he CEO’s office has no records to provide information to our queries,” said activist Anil Galgali who had sought the information through a query on April 7, 2014.
Galgali had also sought to know the exact number of MPs disqualified for violating the poll code and also details of re-polls conducted on seats represented by them.
In its reply, the General Administration Department (GAD) informed Galgali that CEO’s office has no records to give information regarding the query.
Galgali demanded strong action against those candidates who have violated the model code of conduct which he said should act as a “deterrent” for future violations.
“It is very sad and unfortunate that, despite the orders of the chief minister and the chief secretary of Maharashtra to reconstruct all files destroyed in the blaze, the GAD looking into the election work has ignored the restoration work,” he said.
Five persons were killed and several others injured, besides loss of many files, in the fire accident at the state secretariat.
Offices of chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar were gutted in the blaze.
NCP seeks repoll at a Thane booth
NCP has demanded repoll at a booth in Majiwada locality in the city alleging that only five persons could cast their votes there on April 24 when polling was held in Thane constituency.
“As against the total number of voters at 1300, only five voters were allowed to exercise their right to franchise at the booth as names of others were found missing from voters’ list,” said Ashok Pohekar, the polling agent for NCP nominee and sitting MP Sanjeev Naik.
He said the deletion of names was the result of merging of two polling booths–338 (A) and 341 (A) –into one and shifting the newly-formed booth to Gramin Sikhshan Sansta at Majiwada.
The polling had been held at these two polling booths, situated at Chandresh Lodha school before their merger, during last two elections, Pohekar said in a memorandum today.
“I had brought the change of location of booths to the notice of poll officials but they refused to consider,” he said, adding, “this is deliberate and needs a thorough probe and by that happens, a repoll must be ordered at the booth”.
Pohekar said he had forwarded his request to hold the repoll at the booth to the chief election commissioner and state election officer.