Union Agriculture Minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar sent his clarification to the Election Commission (EC) of India on his “double voting” remarks which had created furore.
In its notice, the EC said Mr. Pawar prima facie violated the model code of conduct by his “ink” remarks and asked him to explain by 5 pm on Thursday, failing which it will take a decision without further reference to him.
Addressing Mathadi workers (head loaders) in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, Mr. Pawar asked them to take advantage of the multi-phase polling in the state by voting twice, first at their hometowns and then at places of work and also asked them to “erase the indelible ink applied to the forefinger”.
NCP spokesman Nawab Malik told that EC had sent a notice to Mr. Pawar based on complaints of a few opposition parties regarding the comments.
“The clarification has been sent and we are confident that appropriate decision will be taken,” he said.
After his statement kicked up a controversy, Mr. Pawar sought to tone it down, saying his remarks were made in a “lighter vein and had a tinge of satire”.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) sought to distance itself from remarks made by former chief minister and senior leader A R Antulay on the party’s decision to swap Raigad parliamentary seat with the NCP.
“He (Antulay) is a senior leader and his public comments have been conveyed to the central leadership,” MPCC spokesman Sachin Sawant said, adding the remarks were “personal view” of Antulay.
Antulay had disapproved of the party’s decision to swap the constituency nurtured by him.
“In the evening of my life, I have to see my home being given away to someone else. After delimitation, Raigad district was divided into Mawal and Raigad parliamentary constituencies and the Congress has given away both to the NCP,” he had said.
MPCC president Manikrao Thakre said efforts will be made to placate Antulay. Meanwhile, Sawant criticised Gujarat government for sending a notice of recovery of Rs. 22.50 crore to Mahananda dairy through Mehsana, a cattle feed production unit.
“This shows the Gujarat government’s narrow minded attitude towards helping a neighbouring (state) battling with natural calamity. In 2013, when Maharashtra was facing drought, it sought help of Mehsana to send cattle feed. “The Gujarat government filed an FIR against Mehsana for providing help to Mahananda and Mehsana in turn sent a notice to Mahananda to recover the amount,” Sawant said.
He said Maharashtra government should intervene in the matter and reimburse the amount to Mehsana.
The trial in the 2002 hit-and-run case involving actor Salman Khan did not begin as the witnesses did not appear in the sessions court.
The first three witnesses were slated to be examined today by the prosecution. One of them is the owner of a laundry in suburban Bandra, where the actor had run over his vehicle on people sleeping on the footpath, while the other two are panch witnesses.
Prosecutor Jagannath Kenjalkar told the court that the laundry owner could not appear as he had been paralysed. One of the five witnesses was not traceable, while the other had gone to Bangalore.
The judge D W Deshpande adjourned the matter to April 8 when the prosecution would examine another set of witnesses, who were injured in the mishap.
Salman also did not come to the court as he has secured permanent exemption from appearance. His lawyer Srikant Shivade was, however, present.
Sessions judge D W Deshpande had ordered a fresh trial in this case.
Although the prosecution has given a list of 64 witnesses, it would not examine all of them, according to the public prosecutor.
The prosecution had earlier submitted documents such as death certificate (of the person who was killed in the mishap) and injury certificates (of those who were injured in this case.
The court had admitted these documents after Salman’s lawyer submitted his say on admissibility of the documents.
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 proceedings.
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.
The Maharashtra Government informed the Bombay High Court that nothing incriminating had been found against the then Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Ashok Sharma or any other officer in regard to their alleged nexus with the accused in the murder of builder Sunil Loharia.
This was revealed in a letter written by the Director General of Police (DGP) to Sandeep Loharia, son of the builder, on February 24.
A copy of this letter was submitted by pleader Aruna Pai to a bench headed by Justice P V Hardas which was hearing a PIL filed by activist Ketan Tirodkar for handing over the probe to CBI alleging that accused were shielded by police.
The letter said that Sandeep’s complaint against police officers, alleging their nexus with accused, had been forwarded to Mumbai Crime branch which is investigating the case and nothing incriminating had been found against police.
Sandeep had written a letter to DGP nearly a year ago alleging dubious role of Navi Mumbai police officers in the crime. He alleged that accused were protected by the police.
After the Government pleader produced this letter in the Court, the judges posted the matter for further hearing in their Chamber.
The Mumbai Crime branch, which is probing the case, had earlier handed over the case diaries in a sealed cover to the court. Police had also produced the call data records of purported telephonic talks between former Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner A K Sharma and absconding accused Anurag Garg.
The petitioner alleged that there was evidence with the authorities to show that Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner and a senior police inspector were in touch with the accused before and after Loharia’s murder in February 2013.
The petitioner alleged that rival builder Suresh Bijlani and architect Anurag Garg, both accused in the case, were spotted by Loharia’s son in the police station, where he had gone to lodge a complaint. Bijlani was later arrested and granted bail, while Garg is still absconding.
The probe was earlier being done by Navi Mumbai police, but later the case was transferred to Mumbai Crime Branch. Loharia was shot dead outside his Navi Mumbai office on February 16 last year.
Tirodkar said no efforts were being made to conduct a sincere probe as senior police officers were allegedly involved. On the contrary, he alleged, efforts were being made to shield the guilty. Hence, he was asking a CBI probe.
Former Miss World Yukta Mookhey and her estranged husband Prince Tuli have decided to separate amicably in a matrimonial dispute, with the Bombay High Court accepting their consent terms mutally agreed between the two.
The consent terms were contained in a confidential report filed by the Court-appointed mediator Advocate Rajiv Patil.
Justice Mridula Bhatkar accepted the report today while granting anticipatory bail to Tuli in a domestic violence case filed by Yukta against him.
The court had appointed senior advocate Rajiv Patil as a mediator so that the parties could arrive at an amicable settlement.
The mediator had several rounds of meetings with both the sides in the last three months and helped them to bring about an amicable settlement relating to divorce by mutual consent.
However, the consent terms have been kept confidential by the Court.
Tuli will now file a petition in the High Court seeking to quash the complaint filed by Yukta in the domestic violence case filed by her against him, his lawyer Filji Fedrick told PTI.
As per consent terms, Yukta will grant a No-objection certificate to Tuli’s plea for quashing the case against him, the lawyer said.
The divorce petition filed by Tuli in a Nagpur Court would be transferred to a Mumbai Court on request by both the sides.
Yukta married Tuli in November 2008. Four years later, she moved back to Mumbai into her parents’ house and filed a case of domestic violence against Tuli and his family on July 4, 2012. Tuli filed a petition for divorce on May 16, 2013.
In a complaint to police in July last year, Yukta accused her husband and in-laws of subjecting her to domestic violence and harassment. She accused Tuli of unnatural sex.
Tuli and his family approached the sessions court seeking anticipatory bail. The court granted others bail while Tuli was given interim protection from arrest.
Yukta then approached the High Court, challenging the sessions court order.
Narendra Modi’s grand rally in Jammu & Kashmir was as usual overcrowded; he addressed three rallies in one day. Addressing a rally at Hiranagar near Jammu, Modi attacked Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) opponent for “spawning” a party which has already handed over Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan. In Varanasi on Tuesday, Arvind Kejriwal declared himself as a challenger to Narendra Modi’s quest to enter the Lok Sabha from the holy city. For the sake of change, this time Modi has not attacked Sonia Gandhi or her family but Arvind Kejriwal. The ‘so called’ Modi wave is always challenged by Kejriwal. Kejriwal also shifted his ‘bow and arrow’ from Congress’ side and aiming now towards Modi.
Modi grouped Kejriwal among the “3 AKs” in Pakistan’s possession, the other two being AK-47 and Defence Minister AK Antony. Modi attacked former CM of Delhi by saying, “The third AK is AK 49 – he has just spawned a party and on his party’s official website – he had given away Jammu & Kashmir to Pakistan. And one of his associates says, there should be a referendum in Kashmir. They are speaking Pakistan’s language. This is the first time Modi openly attacked Aam Aadmi Party chief. In November last year, in a public meeting held in Seemapuri, Modi had launched an oblique criticism of Kejriwal, cautioning the voters against those who had “backstabbed” Anna Hazare. I am not agreeing with Narendra Modi because he alleges Kejriwal of backstabbing Anna Hazare. After seeing the condition, and the way Anna brought embarrassment to Mamata Banerjee, one should realise how Hazare and his credential is? He is an opportunist and a very unpredictable old man. Rather, it is good to see that AK has come out from the clutches of those people. Kejriwal’s party has, since then, come a long way. It stunned everyone by pulling off a spectacular performance in Delhi, where it emerged as the second largest party and formed a short-lived government. It has now scaled-up its ambition, and has decided to put up 400-450 candidates for next month’s Lok Sabha polls. Speaking in Hiranagar, Modi invoked the legacy of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for improving the situation in the northern state.
Modi’s speech was very well researched and well written too. One must appreciate the way he connected the gathering on their local issues with national importance which shows that his oratory skills and preparedness before delivering it. Everyone thinks Modi will do magic the way his camp sidelined party antiques and only fielded winnable candidates. It shows his authoritarianism and surely it will impact his growth oriented governance if he becomes PM. End of the day, every common citizen wants growth oriented government with controlled inflation and guaranteed generation of employment along with ensured security to the nation through solid leadership. It is better if you give people a road map for progress then denouncing others. We have diversity in everything. No single man offers a solution for India’s developmental issues. What we need is a vision driven; tolerant and wise leader who can accommodate all cultures and views.
At this moment, politics has become negative publicity and propaganda; there are no merits or ethics. Let it be Modi, Rahul Gandhi or Kejriwal, they are blown big by media or promotions. Amongst three, one is highly experienced, one has seen politics in his family since he was born and third one has just barged into monotonous way of politics, and proved his mettle in just 13 months, single handedly on his own. Now India needs leadership. This country has always gone through leadership crises. Manmohan Singh was a very good economist but failed to be good prime minister of this country.
Now, the biggest threat to democracy is political propagators, they don’t believe in any faith, caste and creed. A Sangh is against all minorities irrespective of their religion. It’s their anxiety to get back in power to hold the supreme office of a country which makes them to pat everyone’s back. But nevertheless, everyone has to taste their own medicine just like Advani is going through these days. Even after 67 years of Independence, caste system is still prevailing in India. This trend is a result of divisive politics played by colonialists as well as secular parties having leaders with colonial mentality. Rigidity of the caste system got amplified and reached barbaric levels under Islamic and British rule. One reason could be the introduction of the zamindari system and the culture of sycophancy propagated by the Islamic kings and later the British. There have been continuous attempts to break the Hindu society by creating imaginary faultiness and Hindu revivalist and reformist movements have rightly identified these fissiparous forces and come up with innovative solutions to deal with them. Muslims are willing to concede even to support BJP, if their basic needs are met. Muslims want what they owe like Indian citizens’ access to schools, jobs, housing and fair & equal opportunities, freedom from discrimination, due investigative and unbiased legal process. Muslim grievances and welfare reduces it to a mere political talking point for political parties as election approaches. Nothing has been done concrete for all these years for education upliftment & welfare of them. Muslims ask for educational boost, that’s all they require. However, most of the parties shower mere tokenism and stereotyped gestures to win the Muslim votes and not do their actual betterment. Some Muslims still hate Modi and they are yet not in a mood to accept him as a Prime Minister of this country. Some like MG Akbar joined BJP brigade to show their support to Modi. At this moment, BJP equally needs Muslim support as Congress. Aam Aadmi Party is sending a little different message. So far, they have not taken any appeasement methods, but everyone is likely to support them. People say Congress is weak this time but there is strong chance of it to emerge again to power by any means.
From Modi to Gandhi and Kejriwal, all are busy in attacking each other. Let’s see who remains till last.
Sahara chief Subrata Roy was granted bail after 22 days in jail, but the Supreme Court has ruled that he has to first deposit Rs. 10,000 crore with market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India, half of it in cash.
The ruling comes a day after Sahara submitted a fresh proposal to return crores that owes to around three crore small investors. On Tuesday, the company had said that it would pay Rs. 20,000 crore by March 15, 2015, in five instalments. The new proposal adds up to Rs. 3,000 crore more than what the company proposed earlier.
Sahara lawyers had sought bail for Mr Roy and two other directors, assuring the court that they “won’t run away”. The lawyers also argued it was an illegal order that sent them to jail and they can challenge it on the grounds of violation of fundamental rights.
Mr Roy, 65, was arrested on February 28 after failing to appear at a contempt hearing in a long-running legal battle between the group and Sebi over refund of crores of rupees to investors. He has been held in a Delhi’s Tihar Jail since March 4.
Two other directors have been sent to jail as the group failed to convince judges that it’s serious about repaying nearly Rs. 20,000 crore raised through schemes declared illegal in 2012.
Sebi had brought contempt proceedings against Mr Roy and Sahara for failure to comply with the 2012 Supreme Court order to repay crores to investors. Sahara has said it repaid most investors and its remaining liability is less than the Rs. 5,000 crore it has deposited with Sebi.
Narendra Modi acknowledged Arvind Kejriwal’s challenge to him in Varanasi by attacking him at an election rally in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Three AKs help Pakistan. AK-47 is used by terrorists who shed Indian blood…then there is AK Antony, the defence minister who says Indian soldiers were beheaded by persons wearing uniforms of Pakistan army, when the Army said clearly the soldiers were beheaded by Pakistan armymen,” said Mr. Modi, also alleging, “The third is AK 49 – he has just spawned a party and on his party’s official website he has given away Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan. One of his associates says there should be a referendum in Kashmir. They are speaking Pakistan’s language.”
AK 49 was a reference to Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party chief who was Delhi’s chief minister for 49 days and announced yesterday that he will contest the general elections from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh against Mr. Modi, the BJP’s candidate for Prime Minister.
Mr. Kejriwal tweeted, “Did Modi ji call me an agent of Pakistan and AK 49? Kya PM ke daawedar ko ye bhasha use karna shobha deta hai? (It does not behove a man who aspires to be PM to talk this way).”
This is the first time that Mr Modi has openly targeted Mr Kejriwal, a seeming re-assessment of the challenge posed by the taxman-turned-politician. This morning his Gujarat government issued a point by point rebuttal of allegations that the AAP chief made in Varanasi yesterday, accusing Mr. Modi of exaggerating reports of development in his state.
In Hiranagar, from where he kicked off a marathon series of 185 election rallies, Mr. Modi also invoked the legacy of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today.
“Vajpayeeji had shown us a three-pronged way of taking Kashmir forward – insaniyat (humanity), jamhooriyat (democracy), and Kashmiriyat. We must follow that path,” Mr. Modi said.
Perhaps for the last time Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi addressed a joint press conference from the Congress headquarters on Akbar Road. It is a well known fact that even if the Congress led UPA returns to power, Manmohan Singh will not be the Prime Minister. The PM himself has declared that he will not seek a third term. Even if the UPA loses this election, the trio won’t be sitting together. It’s all over for Manmohan Singh and because of that it was a rare occasion.
The brain behind the Congress manifesto Rahul Gandhi took on the main opposition BJP, attacked Narendra Modi and predicted that the BJP will lose the election.
Talking about the manifesto, he said, “It is a public manifesto based on the views and opinions gathered from the people from all walks of life across India. It was not prepared in a room behind closed doors. We want to keep both business community and common people together. Have taken and considered the views and demands of coolies at New Delhi Railway station, fishermen of Mumbai, tribals, middle class, educated and all. 90 per cent of the promises we made in 2009 have been delivered.”
The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh also defended his 10 year long rule. He said, “Congress model is a real model. It has long term solutions. Congress record is visible to everyone who cares to look at it.”
The brain behind the Congress manifesto, Rahul Gandhi, took on the BJP, attacked Narendra Modi and predicted that BJP will lose the election.
He said that between 1999-2004, the BJP-led NDA government delivered just 6 per cent growth rate, the UPA-1 delivered 8.4 per cent record growth rate and the UPA-2 delivered 7.3 per cent growth rate. He hit back at Narendra Modi saying that we delivered more growth than our opponents.
Sonia Gandhi said, “We have done some great work. Harmony is must, not divisive politics. We will fight for the unity of India. This election for the Congress is importnant to keep constitutional fabric of the country intact. We will fight for unity. We will fight for the ideology which doesn’t divide.”
Talking about the manifesto she said, “For our opponents, manifesto is a vote getting weapon. For us it is a holy document.”
The manifesto has Rahul Gandhi touch. Most of his favourite ideas have been incorporated. He also took the centre stage at the manifesto release function. He once again stressed on making the country an inclusive society.
– The manifesto proves that the Congress is caught between its core ideology and the daily demands of real politics. Rahul Gandhi promised a huge investment in the infrastructure and job creation. He said that the party will also keep the interests of common people in mind before giving impetus to economy.
– Reservation for SC/ST and OBCs in private sector has been a very contentious issue and the party has promised it in the manifesto. It is likely to attract widespread criticism from the corporate sector. But, the BJP can’t oppose it openly as it can damage its vote base.
– The manifesto talks about anti-corruption bills. But, the massive corruption charges the government is facing make it look like a ‘one more poll promise’ without any real commitment.
– Right to health, right to pension, right to social security etc have always been parts of its core ideology.
Expressing confidence that UPA will form the government again, Rahul Gandhi today asserted that BJP’s campaign “balloon” will burst like ‘India Shining’ in 2004 as he warned that Narendra Modi’s coming to power would be damaging for the country.
Rahul, along with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, cautioned that Mr Modi’s ideology was against the idea of India and the Congress will fight in a determined manner to ensure that this ideology is defeated.
Releasing the party’s manifesto in Delhi, they debunked the opinion polls which are predicting a dismal show by the UPA in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and said everybody will be “surprised” when the election results come in.
On the upbeat campaign of NDA, Rahul said, “Just like the ‘India Shining’ balloon exploded… I can say certainly the balloon will explode.”
He said this will be particularly true in Uttar Pradesh where 80 seats are at stake.
He said BJP has the ability of carrying out campaigns like ‘India Shining’ but all should keep in mind that that campaign “evaporated” when the results came in 2004.
Attacking BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, Rahul said he had nothing against him as an individual but was opposed to his ideology which is against the idea of India.
“Modi represents an ideology which is exclusive,” he said.
Rahul was asked whether he agrees with the statement of the Prime Minister about two months back that Mr. Modi’s coming to power will be “disastrous” for the country.
Replying, the Congress vice president said, “The PM is a wise man and on most of the issues I bow to him. I tend to agree with his wisdom.”
Sahara chief Subrata Roy was granted bail after 22 days in jail, but the Supreme Court has ruled that he has to first deposit Rs. 10,000 crore with market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India, half of it in cash.