Shazia Ilmi slams media over Shiva temple controversy, tells supporters ‘don’t believe their lies’

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March 25, 2014

Aam Aadmi Party Lok Sabha candidate from Ghaziabad Shazia Ilmi has run into yet another controversy after she reportedly visited a temple in Ghaziabad to offer prayers to Shiva.

Shazia Ilmi is busy meeting residents and conducting road shows in Ghaziabad to garner support of the voters, but found the time to visit Dudeshwar temple in the district. She offered water to the Shiva idol in the temple, pictures of which were captured by journalists and are available in the public domain.
On Monday, while she was conducting a road show in Pilkhuwa area, a resident Ikram stopped her at Abdul Hamid Chowk in Saddikpura area and pointing at a newspaper report, he asked her why she had visited the temple and violated the laws of her religion.

Infuriated by the question but cautious of not hurting sentiments of the Muslims as it could have adverse effects during polls, Shazia put the entire blam on media. She defamed many journalists and asked people to not believe such reports blindly.

“A report showed Arvind Kejriwal touching Narendra Modi’s feet. Does that mean he would have done that,” she said.

On being questioned by the media, she later clarified that an Urdu speaking man had asked her why she had visited a temple when she is a Muslim.

“I told him I respect all religions. I go to different places of worship. Some journalists show my photos visiting temples to Muslims and others show me visiting mosques to Hindus. I just cautioned people to not believe them as it might be done with wrong intentions,” she told.

How to Look Stylish in a Backless Dress

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Afternoon Voice

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March 25, 2014

Remember how Deepika Padukone stunned everybody in her dangerously low-back dress a couple of years back at an awards show? With her amazingly toned body and never-ending legs, it was as if the dress was perfectly moulded for her. But, besides her good looks she also knew how to do it in style with right colour, cuts and accessories. If you have taken cue from the her and other divas, and decided to flaunt a stunning backless dress for your engagement or cocktail party, do remember that merely a toned body is not enough. You have got to be careful about the way you carry it. After all, what is the joy of wearing an open back outfit if not to stand out in a crowd? Here is how you can become a showstopper in your dream backless dress.

Master the colours

You can easily make colours work for you. Just pick an ensemble that goes with your skin tone and personal style. You must definitely have a fair idea of what colour suits you the best, so choose a dress in that colour. After all, you would not want to wear something that does not suit you on a special day! Blocks of colours are fine too, but a lot of design and print can kill the charm of the dress. Go easy with the motifs as it should not get too much for the eyes. Make sure that your dress does not look like a burst of patterns.

Do not go overboard with accessories

Bold necklaces and bags promise to be colourful and trendy, but they may go wrong with backless dresses as a sensual back is a highlight enough. So, we advise you to use your accessories for the right effect. Stay with simpler and smaller ones in neutral tones. If you do love accessories, you can choose one statement piece to enhance the whole look.

Use cuts and styles effectively

All cuts can be harnessed to your advantage if they are as per your structure and personality. Areas like the collarbone, hips, lower back and shoulders can be emphasised with the perfect silhouettes. Exposing the collarbone with a cut also looks very stylish. Apart from that, a deep V-neck or a very low scooped back can show off your feminine side well. Just pick the right cut and you are all set to show it off. Covering the bare back with a see-through fabric or cutwork is also a stylish fashion trick.

Wear the most stunning pair of heels

Drool-worthy footwear can give you the perfect look, and a confidence to pull off that sexy backless number. A short cocktail dress teamed with stilettos or wedges in a contrasting colour can instantly make you look like a diva. A colourful dress can look balanced and even more stunning with nude pair of heels. Remember, the right pair of shoes will instantly turn your outfit into something magnificent.

Well-fitting lingerie is an absolute must to pull-off a backless dress. A well-structured and supportive bra will help you to look in great shape. The wrong fit or kind of bra on the other hand can end up ruining your entire look, even if your dress is very well-made. You can choose an adaptable or a multiway bra that allows you to adjust the straps to the style of your dress.

Indians gripped by election fever

By

Mahendra Singh

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March 25, 2014

All of us are gripped by the election fever. Several parties like BJP, Congress, SP, NCP, Shiv Sena, MNS, RLD, RJD and many others are in fray for contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha election. Mr Vaiko had said that we should be rechristened as the United States of India. Some one rightly said that if BJP wins about 220 seats, it will become secular and many parties will have no qualms in aligning with it. Jaswant Singh is weeping, he feels that the BJP has betrayed him by denying him a ticket. He will be contesting the election as an independent candidate from Barmer. What will he do by winning the polls? Will he escort another group of terrorists?

Amar Singh is rightly venting his anger at Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan. It is true that Amar Singh had helped Amitabh while he was undergoing financial crisis. Whatever you may call him, he is certainly a colourful personality. Though, his wit has dimmed a bit due to health reasons and he is not quoting as many film songs as he used to do earlier. Amitabh ditched politics by needlessly contesting from Allahabad and dislodging HN Bahuguna who was a good Chief Minister and UP would have made good progress under him. It is difficult to fathom why BJP issued ticket to Hema Malini. She will not be of much use in the Lok Sabha except for providing some glamour quotient. The case of Satpal Maharaj is really disturbing.

Arvind Kejriwal will pose a challenge for BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi by contesting election against him from Varanasi. It is hoped that vigilant public of this religious city (both Hindus and Muslims) will not pay much attention to him because the nation needs stability and development. The induction of MJ Akbar is good for BJP and they must swiftly dispatch him to Varanasi so that Kejriwal may not be able to misguide the Muslim voters there.

The talk of Arun Shourie and Arun Jaitley for finance ministry is encouraging. If these leaders shed their ego problems, they can jointly manage this ministry for the national cause. One can become a union cabinet minister and the other as Minister of State. We must start listening about mobilizing as many industrialists as possible. Since production has to be increased and technology has to be strengthened, merely rhetoric will not deliver the goods. “Dal badlu bhaiyon, shahidon ki kurbani bhi yaad rakho”.

Double voting
I was joking

By

Afternoon Voice

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March 25, 2014

Sharad Pawar retracts on the bogus voting statement issued by him. Opposition parties file complaint against him.

Politicians always issue some controversial statement and later retract them. This time Union Minister for Agriculture and NCP president Sharad Pawar took a U turn over the bogus voting remark made by him. Pawar had asked the Mathadi workers to vote on April 17 in their hometown Satara and excercise their franchise in Mumbai on April 20. The Maratha strong man said that the statements were made by him in lighter vein. He also added that his comments were misinterpreted. The Election Commission has already sought the tapes of Pawar’s speech delivered at Mumbai and will take decision after examining it.
“I wasn’t addressing any public or election meeting. My statement was misinterpreted,” said Pawar.

Later, Pawar hurriedly called a press conference to say that the controversy should now be put to rest. “Firstly, I was not addressing any public or election meeting. It was a meeting on the occasion of the 32nd death anniversary of the late Annasaheb Patil, where mathadi workers had assembled to pay homage to the departed leader,” he said

“Secondly, my statement was simply a joke and not at all suggested commission of any act violative of the election laws or rules,” Pawar said.

“Aam Aadmi Party will write to the Election Commission and ask them to take strict action against Pawar and his party NCP,” a statement issued by Maharashtra unit of AAP said.
“Such brazen calls to indulge in corrupting our democratic processes must not go unpunished,” said the statement signed by Preety Menon-Sharma, state unit secretary.
The statement further said AAP volunteers will keep a vigil this time in every single polling booth across Maharashtra to prevent “bogus voting” and will report to EC if it detects any such cases.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya submitted a letter to State Chief Electoral Officer, seeking action against Pawar under the Act, He said, “Pawar should be removed from the Union ministry and ban must be imposed on NCP”

Somaiya also met senior IPS officer Deven Bharti (Special Inspector General of Police, DGP Office), seeking action against Pawar.

Leader of opposition in the state legislative council Vinod Tawde and AAP immediately approached the police and the Election Commission. They have demanded action against Pawar for “violations” of the code of conduct, The Representation of the People Act and the IPC.

Denouncing Pawar, Tawde said, “We have a CD of Pawar’s speech. We will submit it to the chief electoral officer and the EC. It’s a blatant contravention of the code of conduct. The EC should initiate criminal proceedings.”

Three convicted for photojournalist’s gang-rape could face death for ‘repeat offence’

By

Afternoon Voice

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March 24, 2014

A Mumbai court ordered for fresh charges to be framed against three men convicted for two gang-rapes at the defunct Shakti Mills in the heart of the city last year that could invite the death penalty. The court was due to pronounce the quantum of punishment today for the trio in one of the cases related to the gang-rape of a 23-year-old photojournalist.

The three, Mohammed Salim Ansari, Vijay Mohan Jadhav and Mohammad Qasim Hafiz Shaikh alias Kasim Bengali, had already been sentenced to life in prison on Friday after being found guilty of gang-raping an 18-year-old telephone operator at the deserted mill in the heart of the city.

The court accepted the prosecution’s application of charging the men under Section 376(E) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) that provides for enhanced punishment for “repeat offenders”.

“This special provision has been made to impose punishment of life imprisonment or death… The convicted are not convicted under section 376 (E) and, therefore they are still accused under this section,” the judge ruled.

The gang-rape of the young photojournalist had sparked massive outrage across the country, highlighting yet again the continuing lack of safety for women.

The young photographer was on assignment at the mill with a male colleague when a gang of five men tied him up and took turns to assault her. The judge found three of the rapists guilty of offences that included showing pornography to her and forcing her to perform similar acts, stripping her, and destroying evidence.

The court is yet to decide on the fate of the fourth accused, Siraj Rehmat Khan. The fifth, a minor, is being tried separately by the Mumbai Juvenile Justice Board which will begin hearing the case next month.

Police had described the photographer’s attackers as unemployed school drop-outs, while neighbours say they were a gang of youths known for petty theft and drinking in the area.

The teen phone operator came forward after reading about the photographer’s ordeal.

Sharad Pawar ‘sailing in two boats’, alleges Abu Azmi

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Afternoon Voice

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March 24, 2014

Targeting the Union Agriculture Minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi on Monday accused him of “sailing in two boats simultaneously”.

He also said that minority communities should keep it in mind that voting for NCP was tantamount to voting for the BJP-NDA.

Azmi said while on one hand Pawar admitted to having met Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in the official capacity, on the other hand he (Pawar) said that Modi should be held accountable for the 2002 riots.

Pawar thus sailed in two boats, so that if one of them sank he could jump to the other, Azmi alleged.

Admin decisions cannot be stopped because of poll code: HC

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Afternoon Voice

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March 24, 2014

Administrative decisions of the state government cannot come to a standstill because of election code of conduct, the Bombay High Court on Monday said.

The remark was made by a division bench of Justices NH Patil and Mridula Bhatkar while hearing a petition filed by Farooq Motorwala, convict in the 1993 serial train blasts case, challenging refusal of the Minister of State for Home and Prisons to pass an order in his parole extension plea on the ground of code of conduct.

“Motorwala, who was sentenced to life imprisonment, was released on parole in February this year. On March 6, he applied for extension of parole. However, when no order was passed till March 18, Motorwala made enquiry with the concerned ministry and was informed that no orders on parole applications or on extension applications would be passed until the Lok Sabha elections as the Code of Conduct is in progress,” Motorwala’s advocate NN Gavankar said.

Irked with this response of the state government, Justice Patil said, “Code of Conduct does not mean that the government will not take any administrative decisions. Normal and routine functions of the government cannot come to a standstill and be suspended. Has the Election Commission passed any rule that parole or extension applications cannot be decided during code of conduct?” The court further observed that the rights of prisoners cannot be affected. “Does this mean that the government will not arrest anyone during code of conduct,” the court remarked.

The bench directed assistant public prosecutor KV Saste to take instructions and posted the petition for hearing on Tuesday.

HC lets Dabholkar’s daughter intervene in PIL for CBI probe

By

Afternoon Voice

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March 24, 2014

The Bombay High Court on Monday allowed Mukta Dabholkar, daughter of the slain rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, to intervene in a public interest litigation seeking CBI probe into the murder.

Mukta is seeking investigation by a Special Investigating Team, drawn from various probe agencies, claiming the probe was not making headway for the past six months.

Dabholkar, a well-known anti-superstition activist, was shot dead by unknown assailants in Pune on August 20 last year. No arrest has been made in the case so far by police.

The bench headed by Justice P V Hardas allowed the petition on Monday. To the court’s question about the status of the investigation, the government lawyer only said that Pune police were still probing the case.

Former journalist Ketan Tirodkar has filed the PIL seeking a CBI inquiry.

The crime was not against an individual but the ideology of the secular state. A fresh perspective was needed into the probe as it was not making headway for the past six months, Mukta’s application said.

Dabholkar spent his life combating superstition and irrationality. His violent death was a reminder of the depths to which discourses around culture had fallen in the state, the application said.

Mukta’s application said that her family felt that some precaution against political interference in the investigation was necessary due to the nature of the crime and in view of the coming elections.

Tirodkar had earlier sought a probe by the National Investigation Agency, but later he amended the petition and demanded a CBI probe.

Pune police had informed the court that there was no evidence suggesting involvement of right-wing extremists in the killing, contrary to Tirodkar’s contention.

ACP Rajendra Bhamare of Pune police had also denied in his submission that his team was under pressure from any political party or group, and said the case did not fall in the purview of NIA.

NIA took the same stand in the HC, saying that it cannot probe the murder as the crime fell under the Indian Penal Code and was not covered by NIA Act.

17 farmers from Vidarbha ended life in last 5 days, claims NGO

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Afternoon Voice

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March 24, 2014

As many as 17 farmers have allegedly committed suicide in the agrarian crisis hit Vidarbha region of Maharashtra in the last five days, a NGO working for their cause claimed on Monday.

“Vidarbha alone has seen 36 suicides since unseasonal rain and hailstorm that lashed the region since February 25. We have visited the families of 17 farmers who have killed themselves in last five days and the names of the farmers who committed suicide have been collected,” Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishor Tiwari said in a statement here.

Among those farmers took the extreme step are– Shankar Gadmale of village Warud Ijara; Krishnna Wankhede of village Sakhara; Sudharkar Potey of village Navargoan; Damadu Rathod of village Dattpur, all from Yavatmal district.

Besides, Vijay Kasture of village Bothali; Pantyya Regudwar of village Ambe-Dhanora; Subhash Bhogekar of village Shanapur; Abhiman Kale of village Borgoan, all from Chandrapur district ended their lives.

Vasudeo Khule of village Padsad; Suresh Bhusari of village Gangapur; Vijay Dhore of village Boregoan, all from Nagpur district and Santosh Lichade of village Kasahkheda; Yogeshhwar Ladhi of village Hiwara; Raju Ghotekar of village Wadner; Bhagvant Mahajan of village Dhanora, all from Wardha district are among those who took the extreme step.

Yashavant Muley of village Panchalafrom Wahim district and Madhav Lanje war of village Nilagodhi from Bhandara district also took the extreme step due to hailstorm, he claimed.

Tiwari further claimed, “We have seen the pathetic condition of distressed farmers where even officers have not reached.”

RR Patil’s visit to court causes a stir

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Afternoon Voice

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March 24, 2014

Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil’s visit to the court hearing the Shakti Mills gangrape case has led to a controversy.

The defence on Monday moved an application pleading the court to include his visit in the court record.

The prosecution, however, stated that the court is open to everyone and that everyone is equal before the court.