Composer Nadeem Saifi wants to come back to India to see parents

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February 20, 2014

Bollywood composer Nadeem Saifi, living in self-exile in Britain since he was accused of involvement in music tycoon Gulshan Kumar’s murder in 2000, wants to return to India to see his parents.

One half of the successful Nadeem-Shravan duo, Saifi was implicated 16 years ago in the killing of Kumar, the boss of his record label T-Series, but has claimed his innocence ever since.

In 2002, a British judge ruled the case against him had not been proved but his arrest warrant has never been withdrawn in India. “I don’t want to die without getting justice,” said Saifi.

The musician broke down in tears as he spoke to the radio station, saying: “I don’t want my parents to die without hearing that I was innocent. “My parents are lying ill in their beds, I so much want to see them. I deserve this justice, it’s high time now.” Saifi was on holiday in the UK in 1997 when Kumar was shot dead by assailants outside a temple in suburban Mumbai. He soon became a prime suspect in the murder.

At the request of Mumbai police, the Indian government sought Saifi’s extradition but the musician’s legal team maintained the police’s evidence was flawed. After an extended legal battle, he successfully avoided extradition. A British High Court ruled that “the accusation of murder and conspiracy made against this applicant is not made in good faith and in the interests of justice”.

The verdict was later upheld by the House of Lords when the Indian government appealed.

Saifi must appear in an Indian court for his warrant to be cancelled but fears he will not get a fair hearing. He has suggested his implication in the murder case was part of a larger conspiracy. “It was just an act of jealousy from certain people who thought, ‘Let’s nail this good-looking hunk of a guy,'” he told BBC.

Saifi is now planning a musical comeback and reportedly working in Dubai on some projects but is yet to confirm a release date for his new material.

DGCA processing public feedback to AirAsia flying permit plea

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Afternoon Voice

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February 20, 2014

Aviation regulator DGCA has started collating feedback from the general public as well as affected parties on providing an air operator permit (AOP) to the Indian subsidiary of Malaysian no-frills airline AirAsia, sources said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation had invited objections/suggestions on the issue on January 20, with a 20-day submission window.

“We have received a number of suggestions and objections, which are being collated now. We will consider their application (for AOP) once this exercise is completed,” DGCA sources said.

The sources, though, did not give any specific time line for the grant of a flying license to the new airline, saying only that “it is expected shortly.”

This is the first time the DGCA has invoked the rule seeking objections from the public before granting a flying license.

AirAsia India, a joint venture of AirAsia, Tata Sons and Telestra Trade Place, had planned to commence domestic operations by January, and now expects to start from April.

In April last year, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board approved the USD 30 million deal. It received a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Civil Aviation Ministry last year.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Civil Aviation K C Venugopal said in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha that the government received seven proposals last year for initial no-objection certificates to start scheduled flight operations, including from AirAsia India and Tata-SIA Airlines Ltd.

Of these, AirAsia India was granted an initial NOC. Besides, in-principle approval for the import of 10 Airbus A-320-200 aircraft was given to this company in December.

Apart from Tata-SIA and AirAsia India, other firms that applied for an NOC are Airone Aviation Services, Zexus Air Services, Freedom Aviation, Air Carnival and Turbo Megha Airways, Venugopal said.

HC asks if satellite imaging must be monitored

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Afternoon Voice

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February 20, 2014

The Bombay High Court suggested the Maharashtra government to consider making it mandatory for all civic bodies and district councils to use satellite imaging for keeping track of illegal constructions mushrooming under their respective jurisdiction.

This was proposed by a division bench of Justices N H Patil and V L Achiliya while hearing a public interest litigation alleging rampant corruption in sanctioning of 110 building proposals by Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation in 2010.

Interim protection extended to Lahane from arrest till February 25

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Afternoon Voice

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February 20, 2014

The sessions court on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest till February 25 to Dr T P Lahane, the Dean of the government-run JJ Hospital, who is accused of making a casteist remark against an employee.

The hearing on his anticipatory bail plea was adjourned to February 25.

“The court has granted Dr. Lahane interim protection till February 25 and also directed him not to enter the premises of JJ Hospital,” said his lawyer, advocate Swapana Kode.

Kode said Dr. Lahane would not be able even to go to his quarters within the hospital premises.

Dr. Lahane, a noted ophthalmologist and a Padma Shri awardee, is facing a case under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act after sweeper Narayan Waghela, working with the hospital, accused him of hurling casteist abuse earlier this month.

Lahane denied the allegation and filed anticipatory bail application two days ago.

According to the complaint, Lahane got into an argument with Waghela when the latter asked another sweeper to stop working as all the temporary class-IV employees were on strike.

Dr. Lahane had earlier moved the Bombay High Court, seeking quashing of FIR. However the high court asked him to approach the Sessions Court first.

Why is Anna Hazare dabbling in politics?

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Vaidehi Taman

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February 20, 2014

Anna Hazare went very cheap while issuing media statements, he seriously needs to rest for a long time. He is endorsing Mamata Banerjee and snubbing Arvind Kejriwal which is bizarre and humorous. Does he want to say that Banerjee is honest and Kejriwal is not? Nevertheless, if any survey is conducted, Kejriwal will get higher admiration rating than Anna and that’s why Anna is afraid to campaign for AAP.

Old man never realised that Arvind can make it to power, since the inception of Aam Aadmi party. Hazare went on attacking Kejriwal without any concrete base or proofs. I thought, Hazare would show some maturity by silently observing everything by not making irrelevant attacks but he acted like a nut. Anna has been exposed completely. If he has decided to part away with Kejriwal, on various issues, why is he jumping into another bandwagon? If he was against politics and formation of political party then he should keep himself away from politics.

Ego did not leave even simple ‘so called’ social worker. Anna Hazare and Kiran Bedi both are envious of Kejriwal’s success as a politician. They couldn’t digest someone who was around them in graft struggle, rose above all expectations and formed a Government in an unprecedented fashion. Anna is nowhere close to any Gandhian except for his outfit and appearance, but more of an uncivilised person with his unnecessary personal outbursts on others. He should stop wasting his energy on Kejriwal, but rather focus on his original style of protest as an assumed Gandhian. That Hazare is supporting Banerjee is a big shock. Women have been raped and murdered in West Bengal; Mamata either calls that ‘an arrangement gone bad’ or blames CPM. The crime rate, murders, frauds in WB are on rise. Can’t he see that or no one is guiding him to make him aware about that?

Anna slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and said that after tendering his resignation, Kejriwal should have vacated the official bungalow, but he hasn’t done that. Why so much pain if Kejriwal is residing in Government bungalow? Let government act against him, this objection should come from Congress or BJP. Why Anna is interfering in Kejriwal’s matter? What is the problem if he is aiming to be PM of this country?

What about Mamata Banerjee? Is she not willing to be PM of this country? She is ready to take support from Mulayam Singh Yadav, Jayalalithaa, Mayawati to become PM. She can even be a part of third front, for her own political benefits. Hazare always need a person for his piggyback. First, Arvind Kejriwal then Kiran Bedi and VK Singh and now Mamata. Please develop backbone for yourself. Every person have their own path. He wants that person should forget his own path and follow him all his life. Anna’s anger against Mr. Kejriwal is beyond understanding. Kejriwal may have different approach on Jan Lokpal and he did not hide it either. Anna wanted a non-political movement to achieve the Jan Lokpal. On the contrary, Kejriwal took the battle to the corrupt politicians’ camp and succeeded handsomely. I feel this might have hurt Anna and his company. Suddenly, they started raising their voice against AAP. In their bid to undercut AAP’s success, Anna forgot his basic principle of non political movement and started hobnobbing with political parties. First, he praised Congress then BJP and now he is praising TMC chief Mamata Banerjee.

Arvind Kejriwal may have some shortcomings but his mission is worth praising and supporting. Why Anna desperately want Kejriwal to be out of politics? It is his decision. If Anna’s decision is to stay out of politics, Kejriwal’s decision is to stay in politics and make some changes. Don’t know why it is bothering him so much. It might be because Anna lost public appeal once Arvind Kejriwal created his party. Now, he is searching for someone who can support him blindly. Anna doesn’t know what he is doing. He wants publicity for himself. He doesn’t care for common people. His drama has been fully exposed. Kejriwal and Anna, who together launched the anti-corruption movement, parted ways after the former launched a political outfit. Hazare also said that he won’t support Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi or Kejriwal. Who needs Hazare, the lost identity for their political campaign? Why he is voluntarily passing statements? I don’t think Modi ever needs this man for political campaigns.

Moreover, if Hazare feels that there is no other leader like Mamata Banerjee, she should be PM, then she should also seek out answers for why did the TMC stall the Lok Pal bill in the Rajya Sabha last year when it was already passed in the Lok Sabha. Why did she call the Park Street rape victim a slut? Why does she oppose the river water sharing agreement with Bangladesh when it will bring prosperity to both countries? Why she refused various development projects? Why there is so much crime and law and order problems in WB?

AAP’s blame game started in Maharashtra

By

Prakash Jha

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February 20, 2014

Since the Lok Sabha election is just round the corner political parties have started indulging in blame game activities to gain an upper hand over each other. Instead of concentrating on developmental work parties are more interested maligning the reputation of their rivals. The NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik had accused AAP of holding secret meeting with builders from Singapore and is planning to cheat citizens. On the other hand, the Aam Aadmi Party state Convenor Anjali Damania gave a fitting reply by conducting press conference and spoke about Ajit Pawar’s involvement in the electricity scam.

Nawab Malik made has alleged that AAP has held a meeting with builders from Singapore to discuss about the 10 crore project deal which is against the interest of the people. Malik also added that AAP Maharashtra President Mayank Gandhi and other leader Yogendra Yadav too was present in the meeting.

When AV contacted Anjali Damania and inquired her about the allegations made by Nawab Malik against her, she claimed that it was baseless. She said, “Conduct a probe into this matter. If it is proved that we have taken even a single penny then I, Mayank Gandhi and other AAP leaders are ready to face imprisonment. It’s a ploy of Malik to tarnish the image of AAP.”

Anjali asked for CBI inquiry against her and other leaders of AAP pertaining to this matter. Defending herself Anjali said that business themselves approached Yogendra Yadav and Mayank Gandhi.

AAP spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon said, “In past too, Nawab Malik has made several allegations against our party and its members. However, he doesn’t have any concrete evidence to back his claim. The NCP is feeling insecure after our party made a foray into politics hence they are making false allegations against us. They will never succeed in this attempt. We will give a fitting reply to NCP by defeating them in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.”

Anjali also wanted Nawab Malik to do a self introspection before making allegations against others. She said, “Nawab Malik himself has been involved in the land scam but he has failed to give an explanation about it. Instead of criticising other Malik should first needs to clear his name from the scam.”

Supreme Court stops Tamil Nadu from releasing Rajiv Gandhi’s killers

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Afternoon Voice

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February 20, 2014

The Supreme Court stopped Tamil Nadu from releasing convicts in the 1991 assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, which was seen as a populist and politically-loaded decision ahead of the national election due by May.

Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam said, “We are concerned with procedural lapses and we will examine it.”

The Centre had challenged the Jayalalithaa government’s right to grant freedom to three of the convicts, Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan, who had been spared execution by the Supreme Court on Tuesday because of an exceptional delay in a decision on their mercy plea.

The three men can’t be released for now, says the Supreme Court, which will take up the case next on March 6. Four others are serving life term, including Murugan’s wife Nalini Sriharan, who was granted mercy on Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s intervention.

The Tamil Nadu government interpreted the court’s order to claim that these four can technically be released anytime. All the convicts have spent 23 years in jail.

Less than 24 hours after the Supreme Court commuted the death sentence of the three men to life term on Tuesday, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced that all seven convicts in the case would be freed. She asked the Centre to give its views “within three days”, after which, she said, she would go ahead.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said letting them off would be contrary to all principles of justice as Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination was “an attack on the soul of India.”

The BJP’s came out with a surprisingly sharp condemnation after being accused of keeping silent because of its plans for a poll tie-up with Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. “Why is Narendra Modi silent?” union minister Kapil Sibal had asked.

Describing the decision to free the convicts as unconscionable, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said in a blog, “After assassinating a former Prime Minister how there can be institutional compassion for such persons is difficult to comprehend. Those who commit such heinous crimes cannot be made symbols of identity politics.”

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a woman operative of the Lankan Tamil separatist outfit LTTE, who greeted him with a bomb strapped to her chest during a rally in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. For years, the case has been linked to Tamil sentiment and all regional parties have campaigned for the convicts’ release.

DMK chief Karunanidhi said the government had acted hastily by not following due process.

Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party moves Supreme Court against President Rule in Delhi

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Afternoon Voice

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February 20, 2014

Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party, or the AAP, has moved the Supreme Court against the Centre’s decision to impose President’s Rule in Delhi and place the assembly under suspended animation.

Mr Kejriwal, while resigning from the Delhi Chief Minister’s post on February 14, had recommended the dissolution of the assembly. The Centre, however, refused to pay heed to his advice and, instead, placed it under a spell of suspended animation.

The AAP, in its petition filed before the Supreme Court, has described the Centre’s action as “malafide” and “unconstitutional,” and alleged that President’s Rule was clamped to enable the Centre to rule Delhi by proxy and delay fresh assembly polls.

The capital came under a spell of President’s Rule on Monday, some 60 hours after Mr Kejriwal stepped down from Chief Minister’s post after the BJP and the Congress foiled his plans to introduce the anti-graft Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi Assembly.

In an assembly with a strength of 70, the AAP has 27 members. The BJP and its ally Shiromani Akali Dal together have strength of 32, but they have declared that they would stay away from the government-formation exercise, and have favoured a fresh round of polls.

The BJP, as part of the exercise to refurbish its image in the capital ahead of the Lok Sabha and assembly polls, had yesterday named Harsh Vardhan as the president of Delhi unit. He replaces Vijay Goel, who was made a member of the Rajya Sabha, reportedly as part of a deal worked out by the party’s top leadership.

The Congress, which suffered a shock defeat in the assembly polls held in December, plummeted to its lowest-ever tally of 8.

Police register one more gang-rape case during Muzaffarnagar riots

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Afternoon Voice

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February 20, 2014

A case has been registered against three persons at Lank village here for allegedly gang-raping a woman during the Muzaffarnagar riots, police said on Thursday.

The case was registered against three accused — Kuldeep, Maheshvir and Sikandar — at Phugana police station yesterday on the direction of the state government.

The victim approached the government after police refused to file a complaint on her request.

This is the seventh gang-rape case which has been registered by the police. Earlier, six cases against 27 people were registered separately and 22 accused in five cases were found involved by the Special Investigation Team.

The court has initiated attachment proceedings against 21 absconding accused, police said, adding, one accused out of 22 has been arrested so far.

With no laws to protect them, India’s maids are “invisible”: ILO

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Afternoon Voice

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February 20, 2014

Millions of maids working in middle class Indian homes are part of up an informal and “invisible” workforce where they are abused and exploited due to a lack of legislation to protect them, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Wednesday.

Economic reforms that began in the early 1990s have transformed the lifestyles of many Indian families, and as people get wealthier and more women go to work, there has been a voracious demand for domestic workers in urban households.

The number of maids has surged by close to 70 percent from 2001 to 2010, says the ILO, adding that there are now an estimated 10 million maids and nannies in the country.

“They are such a big informal sector in India, but they are invisible and unprotected,” Tine Staermose, the ILO’s director for South Asia, told a news conference.

“Social justice is about basic fundamental rights of all workers. We need to turn around the mindset and look at domestic workers as human beings with dignity, with a life like our own, with the same problems and challenges.”

Activists and trade unionists say despite the surge in women migrating from impoverished villages in states such as Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh to take up jobs in cities like Delhi and Mumbai, there are few laws in place recognising their rights.

Unlike other workers, maid and nannies often do not have mutually agreed contracts which provide a minimum wage, working hours or holidays. They are also deprived of social benefits such as access to healthcare and pensions.

The lack of legislation and regulation of the domestic labour sector has led to exploitation, not just by employers but also by traffickers working for placement agencies that have mushroomed to service the demand for household help.

The media is full of reports of minors and women lured from their villages by traffickers who promise of a good life as maids in cities. However, in the urban homes where they are taken to work, they often face mental, physical and sexual abuse.