Actress Juhi Chawla’s brother Bobby, who had been in coma since quite some time, passed away on Sunday.
Bobby Chawla had been in coma since April 2010. He breathed his last at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai, sources said.
“This is the perfect screenplay… Look at how my brother timed it… He gave me the biggest gift of my lifetime… Saw its release… And went away…,” Juhi posted on Twitter.
Juhi starrer Gulaab Gang hit theatres two days ago.
He went into coma after suffering a massive stroke in April 2010.
Bobby was the former CEO of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment.
Relatives of five Indian passengers, travelling by the missing Malaysia Airlines plane, are anxiously waiting for any information about the fate of the aircraft and their loved ones.
Samved Kolekar, whose father, mother and brother were travelling by the Flight MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing is waiting patiently along with his wife at a hotel here along with relatives of 154 Chinese passengers.
It is a testing time for the young researcher in Astrophysics as he is waiting to know about his parents and brother who were coming here to visit him.
“They are coming to visit me here,” said Samved, who hails from Mumbai. Considering the tough time he is going through, he was reluctant to interact with the media and provide more details. His father, Vinod Kolekar (59), mother Chetana (55) and their younger brother Swanand (23) were in the plane along with two other Indians Chandrika Sharma (51) and Kranti Pralhad Shirshath, whose husband is based in Pyongyang in North Korea.
Both Samved and Pralhad are put up in a hotel here by the Malaysian airline as search continued to locate the plane carrying 239 passengers and crew amid reports that it may have been crashed off Vietnamese coast on Saturday.
Indian Ambassador to China Ashok K Kantha spoke to both Samved and Pralhad over phone and offered all assistance, while Counsellor Shrila Dutta Kumar met them. M H Pastakia, Head of the Indian Community in Beijing, also called on Samved and offered all support and assistance.
As the search operation made little progress, the Malaysia Airlines meanwhile offered to fly both the families to Kuala Lumpur along with the relatives of 154 Chinese passengers in order to provide them better assistance at the headquarters. They have not yet decided and preferred to wait for the news about the fate of the plane. Family members of Chennai-based Chandrika Sharma, an Executive Secretary in the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) who was also travelling in the same plane on way to Mongolia on official work, were expected to reach here or Kuala Lumpur after an official announcement about the fate of the plane.
Thane police would conduct sessions in schools and colleges to educate the students and their parents about the benefits and hazards of the social media.
Along with the children, their parents need to be educated and warned of the ill-effects of the misuse or excessive use of social networking sites, Thane Joint Commissioner of Police V V Laxminarayana said here yesterday while addressing the police commissionerate staff on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
“I was in the CBI as the Joint Director in Hyderabad for eight years during which I interacted with more than 4 lakh students. My experience there was the youngsters made use of the social networking sites excessively,” he said.
Excessive use of anything and being addict to it is hazardous and brings in ill-effects, the official said.
Citing an example, he said one student there had a record 1,000 friends on the Facebook.
One should use such social network the way one drinks water in small quantities. “If you go deep into the water, you get drowned, in the same manner if you use the social network excessively and become addict to it you are sure to be doomed,” he warned.
For training the parents and students, the police will take assistance from social organisations and NGOs, Laxminarayana said, adding that he has also asked police officers to give proper advice and solve the problems of people who come to them with their grievances.
On the occasion, he felicitated female employees of the police force who excelled in sports and those from the counselling organisations.
A chawl owner from Samrat Ashok Nagar of Kalwa has been arrested by the Kalwa police for allegedly killing a 15-year-old boy and dumping his body in a heap of sand, the police said.
Senior police inspector R D Malekar of the Kalwa police station told PTI that the police spotted the body of the teenager, Bharat Suresh Rathod.
As luck would have it, there was a CCTV camera installed at the location and the police spotted chawl owner Suresh Anandrav Mankawde (47) near the body between 1.20 and 2.30 am in the CCTV footage.
The police has charged him under Section 302 and Section 201 of the Indian Penal Code. Further investigations are in progress, the police said.
The motive behind the killing is yet to be known, the police said.
The Nashik Lok Sabha constituency will witness a multi-cornered contest in the upcoming polls where NCP stalwart and Maharashtra PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal is pitted against AAP’s Vijay Pandhare and Shiv Sena, BSP, MNS and CPM nominees.
Aam Aadmi party nominee Pandhare, a retired chief engineer of Nashik’s Maharashtra Engineering training Academy (META), was the whistleblower of alleged irregularities in various irrigation projects.
Pandhare, who is contesting Lok Sabha elections from Nashik for the first time, is hopeful of a win on the back of issues like corruption, development, his party’s impact in Delhi elections and several corruption charges levelled against Chhagan Bhujbal by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and others.
Shiv Sena’s candidate Hemant Godse had contested the last Lok Sabha elections on MNS ticket against NCP’s sitting MP Sameer Bhujbal, the nephew of Chhagan Bhujbal.
Godse is the son of Sena’s former MP Rajabhau Godse and a sitting municipal corporator and zilla parishad member too.
Also in the fray is sitting CPM corporator Tanaji Jaibhave.
Congress party’s rebel corporator from Nashik Dinkar Patil recently announced his candidature on Bahujan Samaj Party’s ticket.
Congress had on Friday issued a show cause notice to him for anti-party activities. As per the notice issued by Nashik city Congress observer Bhai Jagtap, Patil is supposed to explain why he held a press conference and declared that he would be contesting the Lok Sabha election on the BSP ticket.
Meanwhile, MNS declared Pradeep Pawar as its nominee from the Nashik seat.
The Nashik parliamentary constituency has a total electorate of 15,45,564, including 07,20,601 women voters, spread in six Assembly segments of Sinnar, Nashik-east, Nashik-central, Nashik-west, Devlali and Igatpuri.
Today, #RSSKilledGandhi was trending on Twitter. Why? Arre Baba! Congress supporting group was irked by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS because they filed a complaint with the Karnataka Election Commission against Rahul Gandhi for his comments blaming it for Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. The complaint was filed by RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav. Rahul Gandhi has criticised the BJP at Bhiwandi rally, when he referred to the Opposition party’s ideological mentor, the RSS. Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead on January 30, 1948, by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu activist. Sardar Patel, India’s first home minister, had then banned the RSS but revoked it within eight months, stating that the organisation had nothing to do with the killing. Rahul Gandhi had last month said Modi believed in an organisation like the RSS, whose “poisonous mentality” killed Gandhi.
The question is that, what is wrong if somebody is a RSS member? What is wrong in Modi following RSS ideology? RSS is not a terror outfit; they are patriots and volunteers to protect the nation. Most of the time, RSS is engaged in doing social work. Their members are the best contributors who volunteer to help during calamities within the nation. Let it be manmade disaster or natural calamity, they have always rendered their helping hand in serving people. BJP is their political wing and is one of the largest national parties in India. I bet, no one can give a single case where any allegation has been proven against RSS or any terror link established with this organisation. I know, you will cite only one example and that is Nathuram Godse. Nathuram Ghodse is often a misunderstood personality. He is referred to as a Hindu fanatic. It is often hard to understand Godse because the Government of India had suppressed information about him. His court statements, letters etc. were all banned from the public until recently. If you judge him from his writings, one thing becomes very clear that he was not a fanatic. His court statements are very well read out and indicate a calm and collected mental disposition. Godse had been working with the Hindu refugees fleeing from Pakistan. He had seen the horrible atrocities committed on them. Many women had their hands cut off; nose cut off, even little girls had been raped mercilessly. Despite this, Godse did not harm even a single Muslim in India which he could easily have. So, it would be a grave mistake to call him a Hindu fanatic. He very well knew that he would be hanged and his name would be disgraced as Gandhi was considered a saint. And again Godse could have ran away and escaped punishment. But he did the reverse. He called a police officer and courted arrest. Before we proceed, it would be wise to understand the backdrop of the assassination. Unfortunately, there are many allegations against RSS, without any evidences or proof, perhaps that is the reason, frustrated secular parties and their supporters just expand their vocal chords and misguide people about Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. If Government really has any concrete evidence of RSS indulging in terror activities or antinational activities, they should make those evidences public and have guts to ban RSS or prove who killed Mahatma Gandhi and why? If you want then organise a debate on this topic. Unnecessarily, commenting on the issue and creating chaos should not be done.
If you delve into history, you will know that the then RSS chief, M.S. Golwalkar, was arrested after Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. On February 4, 1948, the government banned the RSS alleging that, contrary to its professed ideals, the RSS members had carried on violent activities, collected illicit weapons and exhorted people to violence. Rejecting the allegations but respecting the law, Golwalkar suspended the work of the RSS. Six months later, he was released but interned in Nagpur. On August 11, he wrote to Pandit Nehru that despite the “hasty and unbalanced action” against the RSS by those in highest authority, he offered to cooperate with them as the times were critical. Nehru, cleverly or properly, sent Golwalkar’s letter to Patel for response because just before Gandhiji’s assassination; speaking in Lucknow, Patel had warned “those in power in the Congress” against efforts “to crush” the patriotic RSS. Patel replied to Golwalkar recalling his positive views on the RSS and lauding the young RSS workers who served the Hindu society and protected women and children. But he also charged them with targeting “Mussalmans” in “burning revenge” to avenge “for the sufferings of the innocent” Hindus, and accused them of spreading “communal poison” that cost Gandhiji’s life. Still, Patel advised the RSS to “carry on” its “patriotic endeavour by joining and not opposing the Congress.”
Surprisingly, this letter did not reach Golwalkar. On September 24, Golwalkar again wrote to Patel — also Nehru — demanding that the allegations and the ban be withdrawn because countrywide searches and investigation had yielded no proof against the RSS. He also wrote to Patel trashing the allegations. On Patel’s suggestion that the RSS join the Congress, Golwalkar replied that the Congress in the political field and the RSS in the cultural domain could compliment and converge. And despite Golwalkar’s open challenge, no evidence was forthcoming. Nehru’s letter to Golwalkar (November 10) again asserted that the government had a “mass of information against the RSS.” Accusing Nehru of a closed mind, Golwalkar responded that to talk of “mass of evidence” without disclosing it amounted to convicting a person without evidence — like in the “Dark Ages.” His strong words obviously put off the government. On November 13, the Home Secretary refused to lift the ban and asked Golwalkar to go back to Nagpur. Golwalkar exploded and replied that such “arbitrary acts fit with autocratic rule” in “barbaric ages,” not “a civilised state.” Either prove or drop the charges, he challenged Patel. Refusing to leave Delhi, he asked the RSS workers to restart the suspended Shakas. In one month, some 80,000 RSS workers were arrested. However, Congress government has not proven against RSS. Later the ban was lifted unconditionally. Here is the proof. In a written statement to the Bombay Legislative Assembly on September 14, 1949 (Proceedings p2126), the Home Minister Morarji Desai admitted that the ban on RSS was no longer considered necessary; it was lifted unconditionally; and the RSS gave no undertaking. If no undertaking was indeed given in 1949, where is the question of reneging on it in 2014?
This edit is with reference to the sedition charges slapped on sixty seven Kashmiri students from Meerut. Since the allegations against them are pretty serious, one has to scrutinise what this law actually states and whether these students be held guilty for breaching this law. Article 124A.1 of the constitution describes this law stating (“ Sedition.– Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, 2[ the Government established by law in 3[ India], a 4[ shall be punished with 5[ imprisonment for life], to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine. “).
Now one might say that their act hurt the sentiments of many and they triggered the hatred or excited the disaffection of people. However, what was the cause or action which can be comprehended as anti-national? Did they insult the Indian Flag? Did they betray their country?
Did they do anything to trigger the wrath of the people to such an extent that sedation charges be slapped on them? They merely cheered the Pakistani team during the Asia cup. One needs to look at the issue from a bird’s eye view for unbiased introspection.
Since decades, India and Pakistan have been proving their mettle in the field of cricket. Everytime there is an India-Pakistan match, it looks like as if a war has broken out. The crowds cheer with passion; if their side scores, they get a rapturous applaud. Similarly, when their side gets dismissed, the spectators often resort to violence.
Besides, Kashmiris have to encounter huge discrimination. Law and order is deteriorating in the state. People live in constant fear and insecurity. There is lack of development in that region. So living in such harsh conditions one is bound to feel a sense of betrayal and alienation. Also due to cultural roots, Kashmiri Muslims can feel a sense of favour towards Pakistan. Is it right for Indians born and brought up in other countries to stop supporting their motherland in sports or during times of war?
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah intervened and expressed his discontent on this issue. He stated that such an action could jeopardise their career and “further alienate them.” Akhilesh Yadav lent him a ear and the sedition charges against them were dropped.
People talk about the mistreatment of Hindus in Pakistan. Hafiz Saeed has invited the boys to complete their studies from Pakistan. Such moves further triggers India’s wrath. However, lets not shift from the focus. What was the problem? Young guys cheering for Pakistan? Why so much hue and cry over such a trivial issue? Let us not make mountain out of molehill.
Accusing Rahul Gandhi and Congress of flouting the Model Code of Conduct, BJP on Sunday complained to the Election Commission over his remarks linking RSS to Mahatma Gandhi’s killing and sought action against the Congress Vice President and derecognition of the party.
In a memorandum to Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath, BJP charged Gandhi and his party with being “habitual offenders” of the poll code and flaring up communal tension ahead of elections.
“It is prayed that appropriate action may kindly be taken against the Indian National Congress as well as Rahul Gandhi, MP and Vice President, Indian National Congress for violating the Model Code of Conduct and the recognition of Indian National Congress as a National Party may kindly be withdrawn immediately for repeated violations of the Model Code of Conduct,” it said.
BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the entire tone and tenor of Gandhi’s speech was to incite the feelings of the people and create hatred towards BJP as well as RSS.
He said his statement makes it clear the aim is to put across absolutely false and baseless notions in the minds of the people that BJP creates confrontation and enmity between Hindus and Muslims as well as amongst other communities and regions.
“The intention of Rahul Gandhi was to incite the feelings of the people by falsely portraying the RSS to be responsible for his (Mahatma Gandhi’s) death and further create a sense of fear amongst the Hindus, Muslims and other communities that the BJP will create tensions between them,” Naqvi said in the memorandum.
He said the statements of Gandhi “are not only false, disgraceful, condemnable, baseless but also an utter violation of the Model Code of Conduct as well as established democratic practices”.
“It is an attempt to mislead the people of the country by character assassination of the BJP, RSS and its members, based on completely false and baseless allegations and propaganda,” he said.
Protesting over not getting a ticket for 2014 General Elections, Aam Aadmi Party’s legal cell president Ashwini Upadhyay on Sunday called Arvind Kejriwal a ‘liar’ and a ‘CIA agent’.
The founder member of AAP, Aswini blocked Kejriwal’s way outside his residence when the latter was heading for his rally in Mathura.
While engaging in a verbal scuffle with Kejriwal, Ashwini said that the AAP chief is diverting from the real issues he had raised initially. “This man is a liar. He tells lies,” shouted Ashwini.
Besides this, he also said that corruption, communalism, high command culture, dynastic rule and caste-based politics were main issues of AAP, but now compromises were being regarding these issues.
On the other hand, Kejriwal in front of the media refused to give ticket to Upadhyay. “We will not give you ticket,” he told Ashwini.
Ashwini has asked 11 questions to Kejriwal. Moreover, he has also said that he will sit on fast unto death till he gets the answers to his questions.
He had earlier questioned AAP for entertaining people funded by American organisations like the Ford Foundation by including them in the various committees to formulate policies.
Ex-bankers, retired government officials and journalists have been roped in by the EC to hold ‘charcha’ or dialogue sessions with voters as part of its drive to crack down on black money instances in ‘expenditure- sensitive’ pockets.
For the first time, the EC has directed the Chief Electoral Officers of all states and Union Territories to create Village Level Awareness Groups (VAGs) and Ward Level Awareness Groups (WAGs) in all municipal areas of a district, especially in those constituencies which are sensitive from the point of view of illegal money power coming into play in the run up to the polls.
Such groups, comprising retired government officials, bank officers, corporates, eminent journalists and educationists and civil society representatives of the area, will be formed at all such marked polling booths and they will indulge in group discussions, chats and talks with the local voters with an aim to urge them to shun electoral malpractices and also report their occurrence.
The group, the EC directive issued said, will also organise ‘nukkad’ meetings and dialogue sessions against the practice of accepting and doling out cash bribe, liquor or any other inducements during polls.
“These groups will hold talk sessions with local voters and even take out a door-to-door campaign. Talking is doing is the belief behind this initiative,” a senior official involved in the exercise said.
The expenditure sensitive seats are being currently determined by the EC based on “past experiences, the level of development and literacy profile and sensitivity of the area for distribution of cash, liquor or items of bribe.”
The 5-10 member team, according to EC directives, will “spread the message of ethical voting among voters and to abstain from any inducement like cash, gift, liquor or community feat organised for campaign purpose, during election process” and also hold meetings and group discussions with the voters against the evil effects of bribe during elections, which shall also be attended by the local sector officers appointed by the poll panel in view of the election process.
The group will also have the mandate to report “malpractises” noticed in this regard to the EC.
Accusing Rahul Gandhi and Congress of flouting the Model Code of Conduct, BJP on Sunday complained to the Election Commission over his remarks linking RSS to Mahatma Gandhi’s killing and sought action against the Congress Vice President and derecognition of the party.