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Send this Laxmi to Parliament, Hema Malini urges voters

By
Afternoon Voice
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Laxmi (goddess of wealth) doesn’t come on a cycle (Samajwadi party’s election symbol), or on an elephant (BSP’s election symbol), she comes on a lotus. Send this Laxmi to Parliament.

Thats how actor-politician Hema Malini, BJP candidate from Mathura, is introduced to a hall full of eager people, some already taking pictures on their phones.

On the last day of campaigning in Braj bhoomi or the land of Krishna, which votes on Thursday, the mythological reference draws an applause from the crowd.

Hema Malini, 65, is running for parliament. She was member of the Rajya Sabha between 2003 and 2009 but this is her debut Lok Sabha election.

“I am not an outsider,” she says, somewhat tired of answering the question she has faced repeatedly since she started her campaign over three weeks ago. “I chose Mathura since I have a long association with braj bhoomi,” she said.

“I have always wanted to buy a house here, now that’s finally happening,” she says in response to criticism that after the election ends, she will return to Mumbai, rarely to return.

Not far from where Hema Malini is speaking, at the Ramlila Ground in Mathura, crowds are waiting for Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to arrive. This is the first joint rally Rahul Gandhi will hold with Jayant Choudhary, son of Union Minister Ajit Singh and grandson of India’s former Prime Minister Choudhary Charan Singh, whose name still holds sway over the majority Jat voters in Western UP.

The young MP says, “People have seen her (Hema Malini) in their homes growing up. I did too. But you can’t connect with people in the same way during elections. Her campaign has actually helped my campaign because she doesn’t connect. There is a distance.”

Ghulam Nabi Azad cancels rally after Sarpanch killing in Jammu and Kashmir

By
Afternoon Voice
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Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has cancelled his campaign rally in a town in Jammu and Kashmir where a sarpanch, or village head, was killed on Monday night.

Ghulam Nabi Mir, a Sarpanch from the Congress party, was killed when militants barged into his home and opened fire. His son was critically injured and later died.

Sources say Mir was among the main organisers of Mr. Azad’s rally in the Tral town of south Kashmir. The region goes to polls in the sixth phase of the national election on Thursday.

This is the second Sarpanch to be killed in three days. Militants and separatist groups have given a call to boycott polling in the state, which has six parliamentary seats.

A sarpanch affiliated to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party was shot dead by suspected militants in Pulwama district on Thursday.

Alleged militants knocked on Mohammad Amin Pandith’s door late at night and asked him to come out to “discuss poll-related issues”. They shot him dead as soon as he reached the main gate of his home.

108 twins born in Umri village in the last 80 years

By
Afternoon Voice
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An unusually high birth rate of twin children in a village called Umri in Allahabad has left researchers and doctors in a fix. Out of every 1,000 children born here, 45 are twins, the reasons for which is yet to be established.

Umri is believed to be 250 years old. There are 108 twins in this village as of now, aged between 6 years to 80 years. The spurt in the birth rate of twins here began 80 years ago.

Mohammad Rehan’s family, one of the 250 families residing in Umri, has two pair of twins. He has a twin brother and he is father to twin daughters.

Umri villagers believe that it is god’s miracle that parents in Umri bear not one but two children at a time.
To figure out how so many twins are being born here, government took blood samples of villagers, however, the report of the findings still remains a mystery.

On being asked, Allahabad ADM RN Gupta said he had no knowledge of such a village. “If this is true, the village deserves to be in the Guiness Book of World Record. We will work towards it,” he said.

Meanwhile, as election season has drawn in, polling staff are also facing problems in identifying when twins come to the booths to cast their vote. There is no scientific way of distinguishing them from each other. In such cases, voter ID cards have proven to be of great help.

Husband identifies wife’s body after seeing her picture on Facebook

By
Afternoon Voice
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In a shocking story a husband identified his wife’s dead body after seeing her picture on Facebook.

Dead body of a girl was found in Meerut. The body of the girl was recovered on Thursday night near Gymkhana. Girl was allegedly shot from point blank range and succumbed to her wounds, police said.

When the police failed to identify the body, they put up her picture on Facebook. The picture was then spotted by her husband, Vipin who came to the police station and confirmed that the body was indeed that of his wife, Neha, hailing from Nodia.

What Neha was doing so far away from home, in Meerut, and why she was murdered, still remains a mystery.

Confirmed: Rani Mukerji, Aditya Chopra have tied the knot!

By
Afternoon Voice
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Rani-AdityaRani Mukerji’s relationship status was often in speculation. But Yash Raj film’s official statement has put all rumours to rest.

The statement read, “We are happy to announce that Mr Aditya Chopra and Ms Rani Mukerji got married last night on 21st April in Italy. The wedding was a small intimate affair with very close family and friends.”

Rani and Aditya’s relationship often made headlines but the couple maintained stoic silence and never confirmed being a couple.

Aditya was earlier married to Payal Khanna, from whom he separated in 2009. Since then Aditya was believed to have been in love with Rani.

Rani too shared her happiness with her fans and well-wishers through a press statement. It read, “I would like to share the happiest day of my life with all my fans all over the world whose love and blessings have been part of my journey all these years. I know that all my well-wishers who have waited for this day will be really happy for me. It was a beautiful wedding in the Italian countryside with just a few of our close family and friends with us. The one person I missed terribly was Yash Uncle, but I know he was there with us in spirit and his love and blessings will always be with Adi and me. I have always believed in fairytales and with God’s grace, my life has been exactly like one, and now as I enter the most important chapter of my life – the fairytale continues.”

Here’s wishing Rani and Aditya a very happy married life.

It is time to start work

By
Mahendra Singh
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NDA is likely to get more than 272 seats due to aggressive as well as deceptive campaigning by the BJP. Modiji has worked hard to project his development agenda, whereas RSS successfully influenced the gullible,“Uma bharti dikh rahi hai, mandir banayegi”. This two pronged strategy was effective to win numbers but the real action starts now. Modiji is competent enough to realise that the time to deliver has commenced, otherwise the public will soon get disillusioned with him as well.

The first job is to reduce this public in numbers by an effective program (like polio eradication) and simultaneously work to impart skills to the youth. In this matter the co-operation of existing industries has to be sought. In our marine field, Russians are more skilled because during communist time, they were imparted very good practical training. Many of our books on technology were translations from Russian books and they had hugely practical content. The next were the British paperbacks.

We shudder to think how poor our governance was. A few young persons (not having any consistent work experience) could upset the government so easily by their “dharna” at “ jantar mantar”. Such was the massive disconnect between the “sarkar” and the “junta” and that is why massive disillusionment with the government.
May God not show us such days again.

But now another sinister thing is developing. Azam Khan is angry with the EC and bent upon creating an impression that every body (at least the government) is against the Muslims. Mulayam Singh is supporting him for narrow political gain. Another gentleman (who coughs persistently) is attempting to be a new messiah of Muslims, having failed to be the messiah of the disgruntled masses. That is why Modi talks about confidence building, “come to me, have faith in me and I will deliver”.

Let us all see to it that such a faith is sustained because otherwise such potentially productive manpower may go astray into the path of negativity and destruction.
“gusse me aakar, frustrate hokar hi to ham chijon ko tod dete hain”.

Therefore, ministry of Social Welfare assumes importance. When Rahul Gandhi talks of 25% women police force and mobilising women power for self help activities, he is talking of this. Modiji also should lay emphasis on this important aspect because if society is healthy, the nation will prosper automatically. A lot of work has been done in this regard in Jagdishpur, Amethi, Musafirkhana areas; earlier the women folk were confined to domestic work but now they are more skilled and more confident. Congress must avoid Mulayam Singh and SP, better to sit in opposition, it is not the end of the world, rebuild yourself and may be you bounce back next time in the next elections.

RSS considers every Indian equal: Ram Madhav

By
Afternoon Voice
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togdia-ramRashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh and BJP come forward to defend Togadia whereas Congress, NCP and AAP leaders lashes him out for anti-Muslims rant.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has come to the rescue of VHP president Pravin Togadia over his reported anti-Muslim rant in Gujarat on Saturday. The RSS said the news has been fabricated for some gain and said VHP president never issued such kind of anti-Muslim comments.

Ram Madhav, RSS spokesperson talking to AV over the phone from Nagpur said, “Pravin Togadia has not said anything against Muslims and he has already given his clarification. RSS considers every Indian an equal. Media has fabricated the statement given by Pravin bhai as they have nothing else to show. We expect media to play a very sensible role by respecting the sentiments of people.”

When further asked about Giriraj Singh’s ‘Pakistan’ statement in a public rally, Madhav said, “Every political party and their leaders are issuing statements seeking some political mileage in the ongoing general election. Here media acts as a basher and twists the statements according to their viewers’ interest. BJP has already condemned Giriraj’s statement and they will take appropriate action against him. RSS is an organisation which works for human welfare and upliftment of the society.”

Madhav Bhandari, state BJP spokesperson wants to be away from the issue. He said, “What Pravin Togadia and Giriraj Singh are talking about are their states’ land and issues. Maharashtra is altogether a different state and I had not heard any such statement yet. BJP will do well in Maharashtra.”

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has asked for the footage. Mr. Togadia denied any hate remarks and said, “Some people gathered and told me that Muslims are forcibly throwing us out; I asked them to take help of the police. The story is not about Muslims getting thrown out; it is about Muslims forcing Hindus out of their houses. My statement has been fabricated for TRP. I have published my clarification at several places, one can go through it.”
When AV contacted another Right-wing organisation, Sanathan Sanstha for comment on Togadia’s statement, its spokesperson AbhayVartak said that when (Asaduddin and Akbaruddin) Owaisi brothers are making extreme statements then nobody objects that and even media hardly reacts on it. However, when any right–wing organszation’s representative speaks anything good also, they misinterpret it and controversies emerge out of it.

Togadia reportedly told people in Bhavnagar to target Muslims for buying properties in Hindu majority areas.
“Bring pressure on the government to enact laws where Muslims cannot purchase property in Hindu areas. If such a thing happens, take possession of the property forcibly and pout up a ‘Bajrang Dal’ board on top of the property. We’ll fight it out in court,” Togadia was saying in a video. “When Rajiv Gandhi’s killers have not been given punishment yet, the case will go on,” he reportedly said.

Muslims leaders have strongly reacted on Pravin Togadia’s statements. Husain Dalwai, Senior Congress leader and MP in Rajya Sabha said, “Their job is to spread hatred among the Indians. This is not the first time Togadia is using such words. He is a doctor who is injecting hatred. Pravin Togadia must be hospitalised. This is against our Constitution. If you allow this to happen, where will this country head to?”
Nawab Malik, spokesperson of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said, “People like Pravin Togadia, Giriraj Singh and their bosses are ‘threat to the unity’ of this country. People can imagine how fanatic they are to form a government. They know people will reject them this time also that’s why the whole organisation started spreading hatred among united Indians.

When asked about Ram Madhav’s statement about their organisation considering every Indian equal, Malik replied, “If RSS considers every Indian equal then why all its lieutenants are giving these ‘divisive’ statements including Giriraj Singh, Pravin Togadia and Modi?

Even the Catholic community strongly condemned the statement given by Pravin Togadia. Dolphy D’souza, Former President and Spokesperson of the Bombay Catholic Sabha said, “We condemn the intimadatory tactics of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) President Pravin Togadia against Muslims in Bhavnagar. BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate should be answerable for this. Is this what lies in their store for minorities if they are elected to the highest office in this country?”

The Aam Aadmi Party, meanwhile, has condemned the statement and demanded that the Election Commission ask for the registration of an FIR against Togadia.

The Election Commission on Monday sought a report on VHP leader. “They (EC officials) are in the process of acquiring the recording of the statements made by Togadia and after listening to it, they will decide the future course of action,” Bhavnagar District Collector and Returning Officer P K Solanki said in Rajkot on Monday.

Vaidehi Sachin/Najmul Hasan Rizvi

Rahul V/s Modi at Congress bastion

By
Vaidehi Taman
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Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Narendra Modi accused him of considering the country his “mother’s land” instead of his “motherland”. Modi was addressing a 3D show in the backdrop of the shuttered down cinema hall Bimal Palace in Amethi. Frequently, Modi is attacking Gandhi family, Congress and criticising them. Meanwhile, both shifted their focus and personal attacking started which is ripping apart their self-respect. Modi is accusing Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra of being a “jaadugar” who had managed to turn Rs. 1 lakh into Rs. 300 crore within three years. The remark was met with appreciative laughter and applause from a 500-strong predominantly male audience. “For us, Bharat is matribhoomi, for you (Rahul) Bharat is ‘matr’ (merely) land. For us, it is motherland, for you it is ‘mother’s land’,” he said, going on to make a dig at Rahul’s earlier comment that poverty was a state of mind. Modi then turned his attention to Rahul’s brother-in-law Vadra. Quoting a Wall Street Journal report, Modi said Vadra was a “jaadugar” who had started out with a mere Rs. 1 lakh in his pocket and had barely passed Class X. “Within three years, it has become Rs. 300 crore. Modi also questioned the Congress’s silence on the issue. The remark invited chuckles of “jijaji” (brother-in-law) from the audience.

There is no doubt who is a “Jaadugar” with words. While Amethi may be a Gandhi bastion for years, and rightly termed as mother’s land, large tracts of Gujarat have become “Adani Land’, under the BJP regime. It would, therefore, serve no purpose in taking a dig at one party, when your own hands are not clean. It would certainly be more appropriate if some element of positivity is inducted into the coarse debate that has been going on since September 2013.

Rahul Gandhi came down heavily on the Gujarat model of development touted by the BJP and its prime ministerial aspirant Narendra Modi. Gandhi said it is more of a “toffee model” that has benefitted only some industrialists in the western state while ignoring the interests of farmers and the poor. The Gandhi scion was addressing an election rally in Rajasthan’s Karauli town, over 200 km from the state capital Jaipur. Gandhi alleged that 45,000 acres of land has been given to an industrialist for a mere Rs.300 crore. “The land of the poor and the farmers was sold at Re.1 per metre … For Re.1, you get a toffee here. There, land was sold at Re.1 per metre.” He also attacked Modi and accused him for sidelining his gurus. “(L.K.) Advani and Jaswant Singh have been sidelined and if (Atal Bihari) Vajpayeeji would have been in public life, he would also be facing similar situation.” He also accused the BJP of copying the Congress manifesto. He added most of the promises made in the BJP’s manifesto have already been fulfilled by the Congress.

The Congress is a party for the weak, poor and the farmers. Taking a dig at Narendra Modi’s comment that “I (Modi) don’t want to become prime minister, want to be a chowkidar”, Gandhi, without naming anyone, said: “BJP talks about chowkidar (watchman) of tijori (safe). But I have heard that chowkidars also steal. We (the Congress) want to empower all Indians.”
With Amethi going to polls on May 7, Modi used this opportunity to seek votes for a strong government. “Dilli mein dheeli-dhali sarkar nahi honi chahiye (the mandate to govern should not be fractured),” he said, exhorting people to ensure 300 seats for BJP. The nod of approval to Modi’s mocking tone reflected the frustration of the Amethi voters. Many in the audience felt the “VIP” constituency did not receive the attention it deserved. The constituency is a family bastion and even though Rahul is a frontrunner in the electoral challenge, the fight this time promises to be tougher. UPA’s incumbency and the entry of Kumar Vishwas and Smriti Irani have livened up the campaign. Congress appeared to be cognizant of the challenge, an assessment which was reflected in Sonia’s rally after nearly a decade.

All Fellow Indians, intellectuals, learned people should use their valuable ballot and throw out such politicians and political parties supporting such malicious people who are bent to break this great country on the basis of religion for their own vicious goals. Please for heaven’s sake cast your ballot and teach them a lesson. Never allow them to ruin the real social fabric of our nation. BJP is a party that is constantly struggling to disguise its sectarian and narrow view of India’s history and future and make it acceptable to the voters. Once in a while, someone ‘slips up’ and gives us a glimpse of the true nature of ideology that strikes at the heart of the democratic ideas that underpin the nation.

I was expecting much more from Modi, but whatever is happening these days is really disappointing me.

Raj Thackeray rakes up sons-of-soil issue in Kalyan LS seat

By
Afternoon Voice
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Raj-ThackerayRaising his pitch against “outsiders”, MNS chief Raj Thackeray has said that Thane district is witnessing a mass influx of people who indulge in “illegal” activities.
“No one knows what is going on in Maharashtra and especially here. This district is witnessing a mass influx of people who are engaged in all kinds of illegal activities… Issues like land grabbing too are unattended,” Raj said while addressing a rally in support of party nominee Pramod (Raju) Patil from the Kalyan Lok Sabha seat.

Raking up the sons-of-the-soil issue, the MNS chief said, “The government did not take any action on a former chief minister of Goa who had said that the coastal state did not want trains loaded with beggars from Bihar coming there. However, when it comes to Raj Thackeray, the government has filed as many as 94 criminal cases…Why this discrimination?”

Raj accused national media of being “biased” towards him and said, “It has conveniently ignored the instances of atrocities committed on Biharis in Assam while singling me out”.

The MNS chief said that no MP from the state ever tried to protect the “swabhiman (self respect)” of Maharashtrians.

“I have declared my support for BJP’s PM nominee Narendra Modi with this intention only…What is wrong to raise voice in the interest of people and get their issues redressed,” he said.

“My hands are clean, my mind is clean and my thoughts are clean. I do not want to live in a house of glass,” Raj said.

On his recent TV interview, he said, “I shouted at the journalist concerned because he was not maintaining decorum…I am under nobody’s obligation and can never be cowed down”.

Kalyan Lok Sabha seat, which comprises fringe townships of Ambernath, Kalyan-east, Ulhasnagar, Dombivali, Mumbra-Kalwa and Kalyan Rural, is currently represented by Shiv Sena rebel and now the NCP nominee Anand Paranjape.

Sena has fielded Shrikant Shinde from this seat.

Not averse to joining Third Front government if UPA falls short of majority: Sharad Pawar

By
Afternoon Voice
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Sharad-PawarAmid growing speculation that all is not well between the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), latter’s chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said that he is not averse to joining a Third Front government at the Centre if the UPA fails to get majority after the General Elections.

Pawar, however, expressed confidence that the Congress-led UPA will retain power after the Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to reporters, the NCP chief hinted that he is not averse to the idea of cobbling together a government with the Third Front should the ruling alliance fall short of a majority.

“There is no Third Front as on today. These type of situations develop after the elections and then some viable alternative does emerge,” Pawar said.

Asked if he saw such an alternative emerging this time also, he said, “Not yet. Let me tell you frankly, as of today, I have not gone to other states. I will be able to go after April 24 (when polling for last phase in Maharashtra ends).”

“That is why, I have not properly assessed (the situation)…I could not get the opportunity to interact with leaders of other parties because of my own responsibility,” Pawar said in an interview.

He, however, said a decision on a Third Front will be taken after due consultation with the Congress.

“Definitely. You see, these types of decisions are not taken by any individual, for a national level situation. We will discuss with Congress and take a collective decision. The effort (to form Third Front) should also be collective, if required,” the 74-year-old NCP leader, said to be harbouring prime ministerial ambitions since long, said.

To a query if such an effort will be before the polls, Pawar said, “No, no. There is ample time after polling and before counting. From April 24 to May 16, there is ample time available.”

Asked if he had broached the subject with Congress, Pawar replied in the negative. Prodded if he proposed to, he said, “(it) depends on situation.”

“I do believe that we should try to keep an excellent rapport with others also,” he said.
Notwithstanding the media hype surrounding BJP’s prime ministerial contender Narendra Modi, Pawar, known to have his ear close to the ground, said numbers would not add up for the NDA and voiced confidence that UPA will not be short of allies in the event of failing to secure a majority.

“If you have to provide a credible alternative, there has to be the numbers. That number (272 seats) they (BJP) will never reach. I can understand one or two seats here and there but beyond that, I don’t think that type of situation will be there,” Pawar said.

“I cannot say that Congress or UPA will get a clear cut majority. But we will get a respectable number,” Pawar said.

“Also, those who are regional forces, there are very few who will prefer to support Modi. I don’t think Mamata Banerjee will associate with BJP. It is true that she was part of NDA but then she was part of UPA also,” he said.

Pawar said Mamata was quite happy to work in West Bengal as chief minister and her going with BJP or NDA will “disturb sizeable sections” supporting her now.

“It is a sizeable section, almost 20 per cent votes. In that situation, she will never think of supporting NDA,” Pawar said.

“She may not be happy in supporting Congress but she will definitely keep away from BJP. In that situation, with some discussion, there is every possibility that she will prefer a Congress-led government,” the NCP chief said.

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