The Jammu and Kashmir government and the opposition came together on Thursday to decry the action taken against some Kashmiri students in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, for reportedly cheering Pakistan during a cricket match.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reacted strongly, tweeting, “Sedition charge against Kashmiri students is an unacceptably harsh punishment that will ruin there futures and will further alienate them. I believe the University did what it had to control the situation but this action by the UP Govt is uncalled for and should be reversed.”
Omar was joined in the attack by Naeem Akhtar of opposition PDP, who said, “When Rahul or (Uttar Pradesh CM) Akhilesh (Yadav) cheer Pakistani team from stands, it’s a fashion statement. When Kashmiri students do it, it’s sedition.”
Akhilesh had defended action against the students who were suspended from the Swami Vivekanand Subharti University after they reportedly cheered for Pakistan during the India-Pakistan Asia Cup match on Sunday. They were also asked to leave Meerut.
However, Omar spoke to Akhilesh on Thursday and said that the UP CM had assured him that he will “personally look into the matter”.
Kashmiri students who cheered for Pak booked for sedition, Omar upset
Asaram launches book named ‘Wonders of Asaram Bapu’ inside police vehicle
Asaram launched a book named ‘Wonders of Asaram Bapu’ inside police vehicle on Thursday.
Asaram was being taken for hearing to Jodhpur’s sessions court in a sexual assault case.
He was booked by the Jodhpur Police for alleged sexual assault on a 16-year-old girl at his Manai ashram near Jodhpur on August 15 last year.
He has been in judicial custody since September 2, as the high court has rejected his bail plea twice since then.
Setback for Left as alliance with AIADMK collapses
In a major setback for the Left ahead of the crucial general elections, the AIADMK has decided to break its alliance with it.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa decided to part ways after the two Left parties, which contested three seats each in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, refused to compromise on numbers. The AIADMK never went beyond offering them more than one seat each.
However, Jayalalithaa has said that AIADMK won’t enter in a pre-poll alliance with any political party.
The Left leaders are though still looking forward to contest elections together and are scheduled to hold a meeting today.
Meanwhile, according to the poll tracker findings, Tamil Nadu is unlikely to throw up any surprises this time where Chief Minister Jayalalithaa-led ruling AIADMK looks stronger and is expected to maintain its lead in the general elections.
While the AIADMK is expected to win 15-23, the DMK 7-13, Congress 1-5 and others may bag 4-10 seats according to the projections provided by Chennai Mathematical Institute’s Director Professor Rajeeva Karandikar.
Anarchism must be curbed
We are witnessing a very disturbing trend of anarchist behaviour of the Aam Aadmi Party. AAP is creating law and order problems by protesting against the detention of their leader Arvind Kejriwal at a time when the election dates have been announced by the Election Commission. Party workers want to create chaos and bring disrepute to the nation by holding demonstrations. Strict action must be taken by the Election Commission against such unruly elements for violating the model code of conduct. If you ask any psychologist about Prashant Bhushan, they will say that he is an embodiment of negativity.
The Delhi Police registered a case of rioting and destruction of public property against Ashutosh, party leader Shazia Ilmi and arrested 14 AAP members for the clashes. Later, it told the Delhi Election Commission that the party had not taken permission to outside the BJP HQs. Police have termed the AAP protest as completely illegal as no prior permission was sought in this connection by the party.
In Lucknow, workers of Aam Aadmi Party, armed with brooms, had clashed with lathi-wielding activists of BJP and fought pitched street battles outside BJP office on Vidhan Sabha Marg in protest against detention of Mr. Kejriwal.
Arvind Kejriwal says that Narendra Modi is favouring Adani and Ambani, but someone must ask him, when he had planned to set up an industry and when did Modi reject it? Everybody is aware that industrialists cannot progress without the support of government. More and more industrialists should be encouraged to promote industrialisation and the support must not be restricted to only a selected few. The Chinese government assists it’s entrepreneurs to win contracts overseas and an act which should be emulated by our country too.
After images of AAP-BJP clashes were beamed on TV channels, Kejriwal’s car was damaged near Kharoi village, some six km from Bhachau in Kutch. He was there for a meeting in Kharoi but a villager hurled a stone at his car, smashing its windscreen.
BJP must remain extra vigilant and expose anti-nationalist conduct of the AAP. They must participate in the electoral process in an orderly manner otherwise the Election Commission must penalise or disqualify unruly candidates. The BJP must provide a platform for personalities like Subramanian Swamy, Arun Jaitley, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Baba Ramdev, General V K Singh and others to expose and nullify the AAP. AAP is not indulging in any constructive activity and the common man must take a note of it.
No formidable candidate to challenge Priya Dutt
The Bharatiya Janata Party had approached Bollywood celebrities like Hema Malini, Raveena Tandon, Nana Patekar, Vinod Khanna, Preity Zinta to contest election against Congress MP from Mumbai North Central constituency Priya Dutt. But all these personalities have turned down BJP’s offer. Thus a question which arises here is which candidate should the saffron party field against her? According to sources, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar and Fashion Designer Shaina NC are likely to be fielded against Priya Dutt. The MNS is yet to declare their candidate from this constituency. Even the Aam Aadmi Party is finding it difficult to nominate a better candidate against her.
The North-West Lok Sabha constituency was a bastion of Congress. A North Mumbai Central constituency was formed after the delimitation exercise conducted in the year 2009. The following areas exist in the Mumbai North West constituency viz Andheri (W), Andheri (E), Versova and Jogeshwari. Congress MP Sunil Dutt was having strong hold in this constituency.
He had defeated the Shiv Sena candidate Madukar Sarpotdar by a margin of 85,539 votes in the 1999 Lok Sabha election. In the 2004 Lok Sabha election, Shiv Sena fielded Sanjay Nirupam against Sunil Dutt as the former was defeated by 87,000 votes. After Sunil Dutt’s demise his daughter Priya Dutt succeeded him. She contested election against Shiv Sena candidate Sarpotdar and defeated him by 1,72,000. In the year 2009 Priya Dutt managed to win this seat by securing 3,19,352 votes whereas Ram Jethmalani’s son Mahesh Jethmalani secured 1,44,059 and MNS candidate Shilpa Sarpotdar won 1,32,555 votes. There are six assembly seats in this area including four Congress seats and one each for Shiv Sena and NCP.
Hindi speaking people, Muslim’s and Catholic community form a majority of the population in this constituency. Since slum voters vote for Congress hence there is a possibility of Priya Dutt’s victory.
In the last Lok Sabha election Ex-BJP MP Ram Jethmalani’s son Mahesh Jethmahalani had contested election against Priya Dutt. This time around Shaina NC is likely to be issued tickets for contesting election. Last time MNS fielded Shilpa Sarpotdar and this time they are planning to nominate a strong candidate.
Even though the Congress is yet to disclose the list of its candidates but Priya Dutt is likely to be issued tickets from this constituency. In this constituency, the Congress has won four assembly seats while Shiv Sena and NCP have won one assembly seat. The sitting legislatures of this constituency include Krishna Hegde Congress, MLA from Vile Parle, Arif Naseem Khan Congress, MLA from Chandivali, Milind Kamble, NCP, MLA from Kurla, Kripashankar Congress MLA from Kalina, Prakash Sawant, Shiv Sena, MLA from Bandra (E), Baba Siddique, Congress MLA from Bandra (W). The Congress have a good stronghold in this constituency hence there is a possibility that the party will emerge victorious.
2009 Lok Sabha election statistics:
Priya Dutt (Congress) – 3,19,352
Mahesh Jethmalani (BJP) – 1,44,079
Shilpa Sarpotdar (MNS) – 1,32,555
Parvez Khan
Not a role ‘model’ Code of conduct
With the announcement of Lok Sabha election date, the model code of conduct came into force across India including Maharashtra. Political parties have already started violating the model code of conduct. A letter has been forwarded by Malad corporator Vinod Shelar to the Election Commission and returning officer of North Mumbai Constituency against Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam for violating the model code of conduct. From now onwards, political parties can’t make any announcements to induce voters and cannot inaugurate any project. Shelar has alleged that Nirupam had laid out the foundation of the BMC Road at many places like Manshu Road, Govind Nagar Road, Rani Sati Marg and Pushpa Park Road number 1 and 2 in the Malad constituency. It was an attempt by Nirupam to garner political mileage ahead of the Lok Sabha election.
Talking to AV, Vinod Shelar, BJP corporator said, “The model code of conduct came into force at 10.30 am. At around 11.00 am, Sanjay Nirupam started laying the foundation stone of various roads to be constructed in the suburbs. We have already taken this matter with the Election Commission to take appropriate action against him for violating the mode of code of conduct.”
Shelar alleged that that the money for the project was allocated through his party funds. His party worker had laid a foundation stone of the project three days ago.
Shelar alleged that Sanjay Nirupam assaulted him and broke his mobile when urged him to skip the event as BJP had performed the development work. He said, “As Nirupam arrived, I approached him and requested him to refrain from participating in the foundation. Later a heated argument erupted between us. In a fit of rage, Nirupam pushed me and smashed my mobile.”
Afternoon Voice possess a copy of the letter forwarded by Vinod Shelar to the Election Commission against Sanjay Nirupam. A police complaint has been registered against Sanjay Nirupam at Dindoshi Police station.
DCP Pravin Patil, Zone XII said, “We have received a complaint filed by corporator Vinod Shelar against MP Sanjay Nirupam for breaking his mobile. We have registered a case under section 427 and 504 of the Indian Penal code. As of now we are investigating this matter.”
On the other hand, Sanjay Nirupam defended all the allegations made against him for violating the model code of conduct and said, “I was merely present at the spot and my party workers and supporters had participated in the event. Shelar has lodged a false complaint against me as I did not break the mobile.”
Use of social media to be monitored: State election commissioner
Maharashtra Election Commission on Wednesday said that among other things, the use of social media platforms by the candidates for the Lok Sabha elections would be closely monitored.
The Election Commission of India announced the schedule of the Lok Sabha elections.
“It would be mandatory to provide details of the use of social media (for campaigning),” chief election officer of the state Nitin Gadre said here.
Maharashtra has 7.89 crore registered voters, he said. Elections in the state would be held in three phases, beginning April 10.
“People can register as voters till March 9. There are 450 registration centres in the state,” he informed.
There are 6,000 sensitive and 650 highly sensitive polling centres in the state. “A helpline number has been launched where people can register complaints. IAS-level officers would act as observers at these centres,” he added.
Youth gets four years in jail in death case
A 21-year-old youth, who had accidentally fatally shot his friend at Kashimira in the district in 2011, was sentenced to four years rigorous imprisonment by a district court.
Thane ad-hoc District Judge M M Wali Mohammed awarded the sentence to Kiran More, but acquitted five other youths in the case.
Police had arrested all the six friends and booked them under various sections of the IPC including 302 (punishment for murder).
The court, after hearing both the sides, convicted More under section 304 (Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and sentenced him to four years rigorous imprisonment.
According to Additional public prosecutor Ashok Khamkar, Nitesh Dandekar, 22, who was married and worked with a private company, had gone to the jungle on September 19, 2011 along with his half a dozen friends to catch crabs.
While his friends returned the next morning, they could not give any satisfactory reply about Nitesh’s whereabouts, Khamkar said.
When Nitesh’s family got to know that he had gone missing, they launched a search, but in vain. His mother then lodged a missing person report with the police.
Police then detained his friends and after a thorough interrogation, they told that More had accidentally fired from his country-made gun, in which Nitesh had died. His friends then hid his body in Kashi village and covered it with huge stones.
No realignment after Lok Sabha polls: NCP
NCP leader Tariq Anwar on Wednesday dismissed suggestion of a realignment of political forces after the Lok Sabha polls and insisted that his party chief Sharad Pawar never had any political meeting with Narendra Modi.
“There will not be realignment after elections. Pawar had made it clear that meeting between the central ministers and the state chief ministers keep happening on various issues. There was never a political meeting with Modi,” he told.
“As far as I know, our party’s ideology does not allow giving or taking support from BJP,” Anwar said on the sidelines of industry body Assocham event soon after the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll schedule.
Anwar, whose party is the second largest constituent of the Congress-led UPA, said that more than corruption, communalism is the main election issue as this affects the country’s unity and peace.
“We can take steps to curb corruption,” he said.
“The biggest challenge that we face today is that there is a need to make people understand the importance of stopping communal forces. If such forces come to power, the country’s unity and peace will suffer. This is a major issue,” he said.
Anwar, Minister of State for Agriculture, disputed that there was a strong anti-incumbency factor against the UPA government.
“If we are able to convey achievements of the UPA government among people successfully, this will go in our favour rather than against us,” he said.
Holding that the main fight would be between Congress- led alliance and BJP-led NDA, he said, “In Bihar, we will fight with all strength. We know that BJP will not get support as Bihar has remained a liberal state.”
NCP will be contesting a total of 32 seats, including 22 in Maharashtra. “We do not have huge claim,” he added.
Asked about the Election Commission move to go in for a nine-phase poll for the first time, Anwar said, “After a lot of thinking, EC has taken this decision keeping in mind the challenges of weather and Naxal issues. Election can be managed better in nine phases.”
Maharashtra polls in three phases, Mumbai will cast votes on April 24
Maharashtra will elect 48 Lok Sabha members over three days in April.
The first lot of votes will be cast in 10 constituencies in eastern Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region on April 10.
These constituencies are Akola, Amravati, Buldana, Bhandara-Gondiya, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli-Chimur, Nagpur, Ramtek, Wardha and Yavatmal-Washim.
The next to follow will be 19 constituencies covering Marathwada and coastal Konkan regions which will go to polls on April 17.
These are: Ahmednagar, Baramati, Beed, Hatkanangle, Hingoli, Kolhapur, Latur, Maval, Madha, Nanded, Osmanabad, Parbhani, Pune, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Shirur, Shirdi, Solapur, Sangli and Satara (19 seats).
The remaining 19 constituencies in Mumbai region, parts of Vidarbha and northern Maharashtra will go to polls on April 24.
These include: Aurangabad, Bhiwandi, Dhule, Dindori, Jalna, Jalgaon, Kalyan, Mumbai North, Mumbai North-East, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-Central, Mumbai South-Central, Mumbai South, Nandurbar, Nashik, Palghar, Raver, Raigad and Thane.
The main parties in Maharashtra are the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Aam Aadmi Party besides other smaller groups.