Abolish to save the perk

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February 11, 2014

Even though the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill-2012 is meant for protecting the rights of hawkers but vendors are unhappy with it as there is no representation of representatives of vendors in the ‘Town Vending Committee’. Civic bodies and police officials have been included in the committee who would look into the issues pertaining to the hawkers’ rehabilitation and resettlement. The hawkers union has alleged that the committee members are not working for the interests of vendors and are biased. The Town Vending Committee will only issue limited hawking licence to hawkers. They don’t want to legalise the business of hawkers as they won’t be able to demand bribes and harass hawkers.

General Secretary of Mumbai Hawker Union, Shashank Rao accused that police official and BMC employees who are included in the Town Vending Committee are harassing the hawkers and demanding bribes from them. As a result of this, hawkers are unable to run their business efficiently. They are always worried about their safety as many times BMC officials seize the commodities sold by them. The hawkers union are demanding the dissolution of the ward committee.
Talking to AV, Shashank Rao, General Secretary of Mumbai Hawkers Union said, “The committee needs to conduct the survey of hawkers eligible for receiving hawking licence in an amicable manner and follow the necessary guidelines. They should work for protecting the interests of hawkers.”

Suresh Thackeray, Assistant Secretary of Mumbai Hawkers Union said, “The committee is asking hawkers to visit their office for registration. However, they should visit the place from where we run our business in order to ascertain the whether the licence applicants are genuine. The town vending committee needs to be dissolved.”

Hawkers protested against the committee under the leadership of Mumbai Hawkers union outside the Kandivali BMC Office.

Asthaka Khan, who owns a snacks stall from past 25 years at Gokuldham Market, Goregoan said, “I run my business and many times cops and BMC official arrives and start demanding bribe from me.”

Jaya Chaudhary, a tea stall owner running his business near Oberoi Mall said, “I am a widow. Most of the time, cops and BMC officials demand bribe from me. How can I afford to pay money to them? The BMC should issue me a hawking licence so that I will get some relief.”

Sheela Jawraj, a vegetable vendor from Goregaon said, “If the committee is unable to resolve the issue faced by the hawkers then it should be dissolved. We are already fed up of paying bribes to officials.”

J. D Gupta, a vendor from Evershine Nagar, Malad (W) said, “It’s my right to obtain a hawking license and I am not begging for it. The Town Vending Committee must work for the welfare of hawkers.”

Growth in juvenile crimes raises concern in city

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Afternoon Voice

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February 10, 2014

Juvenile crimes in Mumbai registered a 15 per cent increase in 2013 compared to 2012, with an average of two cases lodged daily, an activist said on Monday.

Right to Information (RTI) activist Anil Galgali said that in the first 10 months of 2013, 802 juveniles were booked for various serious and minor offences ranging from rape, sexual harassment, molestation, burglary, thefts and grievous hurt.

The details were provided by Mumbai Police Assistant Commissioner (Crime Branch) Bhagwan Chate in an RTI query filed by Galgali concerning juvenile (aged under 18) crimes.

While juvenile crimes numbered 700 in 2012 and 766 in 2011, the figure shot up sharply by 15 percent between January and October in 2013, he said.

Police said that in 2013, there were cases of 28 rapes, 45 molestations, 15 kidnappings and abductions, 10 sexual harassment, 239 grievous hurt, 179 thefts and 81 burglaries involving juveniles.

Galgali said police had no records on the number of juvenile criminals convicted by courts.

“It is a matter of concern and could be one of the reasons why juvenile crimes are on the rise daily with the law-enforcers unable to control it,” Galgali said.

Galgali feels that if the data on juvenile convictions was also available, it would be easy for police to keep a watch on such criminals and gradually control crimes involving juveniles.

SC Panel raps Mumbai Police for not probing Dawood angle in IPL Scam

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Afternoon Voice

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February 10, 2014

A Supreme Court panel, inquiring into the IPL spot fixing scam, has come down heavily on Mumbai police for “not willing” to investigate involvement of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in it and for protecting “lots of persons” involved in the betting syndicate. Probe by Mumbai Police in the scandal was sharply cricised by a three-member apex court panel headed by former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and raised questions on why police allowed a Pakistani umpire to leave the country when it knew about his involvement in the scam.

“Mumbai police admitted that protection by the underworld is essential to run the organised betting syndicate in Mumbai. The police failed to inform the panel as to which gang give this protection to the betting operation. “There is therefore cause for a distinct impression that for reasons not satisfactorily explained, the Mumbai police was not willing to investigate the involvement of Dawood Ibrahim in the betting racket,” the report of Nilay Dutta, one of the member of the panel, said.

He said that Mumbai police was aware of proposed fixing between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians three days before the match was played on May 15 last year through intercepted calls of Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf but it did not take any action against him.

“Rauf was never detained by Mumbai Police and was allowed to leave the country on May 19 after completing his assignments. Even a discreet look out notice was not issued in the name of Rauf. “The extreme reluctance to address the issue of involvement of Dawood Ibrahim and the curious failure of Mumbai Police to detain Rauf, a Pakistani umpire, indicates possibilities which require further investigation, keeping in mind the recent disclosure by the Union Home Minister that Dawood is presently based in Pakistan,” the report, submitted to the Supreme Court today, said.

The report said that police named only one person who laid bets has been charged as an accused.

“Evidently Mumbai police is protecting lots of persons who are participants of betting activities through this syndicate,” the report said, adding that Mumbai police has either been extremely naive in pursuing its investigation or has “deliberately not investigated” the entire betting operation.

“Curiously, the Mumbai Police has not charged anyone else except Meiyappan for laying bets in IPL matches through Ramesh Vyas, Vindu Dara Singh and others. It is absolutely unbelievable that Mumbai Police has failed to locate all such other players who were involved in this betting racket. It is unconceivable such a large betting syndicate would function for the benefit of only one person, Meiyappan,” the report said.

It also noted lack of coordination between Mumbai and Delhi Police in handling the case.

“The fact that Mumbai police did not accept the role of Dawood Ibrahim in the betting racket in Mumbai evinces that the Delhi and Mumbai Police are working at cross purposes insofar as link to Dawood Ibrahim is concerned,” it said.
“In such a grave matter of national security pertaining to involvement of a terrorist gang in running illegal hawala operations in the lucrative betting market in cricket, the two top police organisations cannot be permitted to work at cross purposes,” the report said.

Operations hit as Public sector bank staff goes on two-day strike

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Afternoon Voice

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February 10, 2014

Cheque clearances, cash withdrawals, and deposits in public sector bank branches across the country were hit as employees started a two-day strike on Monday to press for a revision in wages.

However, private sector banks such as ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank were functioning normally.

Employees were compelled to take this route as the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) did not come up with an improved wage offer, United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) convener M.V. Murali said. The IBA represents bank managements.

Banks, including the State Bank of India, the country’s largest, had informed customers in advance about the likely inconvenience they would face during the strike.

The unions had rejected the IBA’s offer of a 10 per cent wage hike during a conciliation meeting held on February 6 with the Chief Labour Commissioner.

The offer made by bank managements was not in line with rising inflation, General Secretary of National Organisation of Bank Workers Ashwini Rana said.

The staff of public sector banks had gone on a nationwide strike for a day on December 18 after discussions with the IBA on wages on December 14 failed. The wage revision of public sector bank employees has been due since November 2012.

UFBU is an umbrella organisation of nine bank employee and officer unions.

There are 27 public sector banks in the country with a combined employee strength of about 8 lakh. There are about 50,000 branches of these banks across the country.

Narendra Modi’s campaign based on lies and tall claims, says Narayan Rane

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Afternoon Voice

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February 10, 2014

Maharashtra Industries Minister Narayan Rane on Monday termed as a “marketing gimmick” the claims of development and growth made by BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi, saying Gujarat is a laggard on many fronts compared to the Congress-ruled state.

“All claims of development and growth made by Modi are false and misleading. BJP is concealing all its failures in Gujarat to woo voters ahead of elections,” Rane said, addressing a gathering of Congress Seva Dal in Thane. Listing out various public welfare programmes launched by his party, Rane said Modi’s claims of Gujarat model of development are merely a “marketing gimmick”.

He said Gujarat was lagging on may parameters compared to Maharashtra, contrary to the claims of BJP’s PM nominee. During his interaction with reporters later, Rane took a dig at alliance partner NCP on party MP Supriya Sule’s reported statement asking those protesting against collection of toll, to target cars of ministers instead of state transport buses.

“I have not seen the footage of her statement. I will see it and then comment. However, it is not proper for her to make such remarks. If that is what she has said, then her statement should first apply to ministers of her party,” Rane said.

Without taking the name of MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Rane, a former Shiv Sainik, said violent agitation was not the solution to resolve the simmering toll issue. Rane said the agitation against the road tax was “politically motivated”.

HC directs for criminal PIL to be listed as civil petition

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Afternoon Voice

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February 10, 2014

The Bombay High Court directed that a criminal PIL seeking appointment of Mumbai Police Commissioner be listed as a civil petition before an appropriate bench.

Stating that it was a civil matter and wrongly listed as criminal PIL, the High Court bench, headed by Justice P V Hardas, said that this argument should be heard on merit and ordered that the PIL be listed as a civil petition before an appropriate bench.

The criminal PIL, filed by one Ketan Tirodkar, said that the police morale was down as the Police Commissioner’s post in Mumbai was lying vacant since February 1 after Satyapal Singh took voluntary retirement. It prayed for appointment of police chief immediately.

The petitioner made a grievance before the High Court, alleging that the Maharashtra Government had not set up a Police Establishment Board to deal with postings and transfers of police officers in keeping with a 2006 Supreme Court directive.

The petitioner cited the 2006 Supreme Court judgement in the case of Prakash Singh versus Union Government which ruled that every state should set up a Police Establishment Board to decide on transfers, postings and promotions of police officers below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.

The Supreme Court judgement had also asked the state governments not to interfere with the decision of the Board unless in exceptional cases and that too after recording reasons for doing so, the petitioner pointed out.

Satyapal Singh had resigned recently to join politics and his post has been lying vacant so far.

Congress, NCP finalise seat sharing; to contest 26, 22 seats respectively

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Afternoon Voice

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February 10, 2014

Months ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress talks on Monday to discuss the seat sharing strategy ends.

NCP leaders Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel and Congress leaders AK Antony and Ahmed Patel are expected to hold the talks.

Both the parties are reportedly divided over seat sharing with a faction in Congress keen to contest 29 out of total of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, whereas NCP is firm on the 2009 formula of 26:22 in which Congress had contested 26 seats and NCP 22 in 2009 polls.

The meeting comes a day after media reports stated that Pawar met Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

However, Pawar slammed the reports as “baseless” and said that as a Union Agriculture Minister, he keeps meeting chief ministers of different states and there is nothing wrong in it.

“As the Union Agriculture Minister, I have the responsibility of increasing the country’s food production and the implementation of the Food Security Act and for that purpose, I have to visit various states. I visit West Bengal and meet chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Similarly, I meet Naveen Patnaik in Odisha; Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Madhya Pradesh and Narendra Modi when I go to Ahmedabad,” the NCP chief said.

Pawar reportedly took to Twitter to clear his stand and wrote, “News of my meeting with Narendra Modi in New Delhi on January 17 appeared in a newspaper. (It) is completely mischievous, baseless & false.”

Opposition warns stir over murder charge against Shetty

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Afternoon Voice

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February 10, 2014

After a prominent opposition leader was booked by police in connection with the death of a police officer injured in a farmers’ agitation in 2012, the NDA leaders warned government of dire consequences.

“The Congress-NCP government has taken this (action) against Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetty only because he has joined the opposition alliance,” the leaders said.

“If the government indulges in politics of vengeance, the “mahayuti” (grand opposition alliance) will take to streets,” Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, BJP leader Gopinath Munde and RPI leader Ramdas Athawale said.

Their statement came after Shetty, a Lok Sabha MP from western Maharashtra, was booked by Kolhapur police in connection with the death of assistant sub-inspector of police Mohan Dinkar Pawar yesterday.

Pawar was injured in the farmers’ agitation in 2012 and died after being in a coma for the last six months.

Kolhapur police have applied murder charges against Shetty and other farmers under the supplementary charge of section 302 (murder) of IPC.

Pawar sustained injuries when the farmers’ stir called by the SSS for higher sugarcane purchase price turned violent. Pawar, who was posted at the Shiroli toll plaza in the city, had suffered head injuries during the agitation on November 11, 2012.

“The policeman who was injured in the stir had later resumed duty after getting well. Farmers had even collected and handed over Rs 20,000 to help him,” the opposition leaders said.

“Congress-NCP is disturbed as Shetty’s outfit has joined the opposition alliance and that is why the government is hatching a conspiracy to arrest him,” they said.

Ulhasnagar police inspector arrested for alleged graft

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Afternoon Voice

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February 10, 2014

A police inspector who allegedly demanded and accepted a bribe from a citizen in Ulhasnagar has been caught red-hand by the Thane unit of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), late this evening, an official release said.

Superintendent of Police (ACB) Thane Sandeep Karnik, said that police inspector Mahendra A Chavan, posted to the Ulhasnagar police allegedly demanded Rs. 15,000 and accepted it from a complainant.

The police also arrested one more person called Asan Ramesh Ramchandani, in connection with graft, where a police officer allegedly demand a bribe for not registering a case of extortion against him.

ACB officials allegedly laid a trap and arrested the two while accepting bribes, the ACB release said.

An offence under Prevention of Corruption Act (1988) has been registered with the Ulhasnagar police station, where the officer served.

Further investigations are on, ACB officials said.

File FIR in parking allotment “scam”: Activist tells ACB

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Afternoon Voice

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February 10, 2014

A social activist has written to Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) alleging corruption in clearing public parking lot proposals by Urban Development Department (UDD) and demanded filing of an FIR in this regard.

Pravin Wategaonkar, in his letter to the ACB, cited a Supreme Court judgement which says if there is information which discloses a cognisable offence, an FIR or preliminary enquiry (PE) should be filed.