Asaram pleads not guilty of charges in rape case

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February 13, 2014

Self-style godman Asaram Bapu and four others, accused in sexual exploitation of a minor girl, pleaded not guilty of the charges after these were read out to them by the Jodhpur District and Sessions Court judge on Thursday.

Asaram and the four co-accused denied the charges against them and opted for trial, upon which judge Manoj Kumar Vyas adjourned the matter till 17 February.

The self-styled godman appeared pale and broken in the court after hearing the charges, but while boarding a bus back to jail he said that “everything will be fine”. Asaram and the four co-accused, including Shiva and Shilpi who had been granted bail, appeared in the court today.

The court framed charges against Asaram for rape, criminal conspiracy and other offences on Friday.

Charges have been framed under sections 342 (for wrongful confinement), 354A (sexual harassment), 370(4) (trafficking), 376(2)f (rape on a woman when she is under twelve years of age), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509/34 and 120 (B) (Criminal conspiracy).

He has also been charged under section 23 and 26 of Juvenile Justice Act and section 5(f)/6, 5(g)/6 and 7/8 of POCSO Act.

Two other accused Shiva and Prakash have been framed under the same sections except section 109/120(B) instead of plain 120(B) and section 7/8 read with section 17 of POCSO Act instead of plain section 7/8 of POCSO Act. They have not been charged under J J Act.

Meanwhile, Asaram’s counsel has moved an application in the court praying to make available the statements of the victim recorded by Delhi Police.

Amarinder making false claims on Operation Bluestar: Badal

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Afternoon Voice

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February 13, 2014

The war of words between Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Congress leader Amarinder Singh intensified as the 86-year-old Akali stalwart on Thursday accused the latter of vitiating the political atmosphere of the state with his “false” claims on Operation Bluestar.

“Amarinder Singh was divested of the office of Chief Minister and the president-ship of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee due to his die-hard habit of vendetta, making false claims and beating about the bush,” Badal told.

“I have not ever seen such a big liar like Captain Amarinder Singh in my life who has not only eroded the credibility of Congress but also vitiated the political atmosphere of the state,” he added.

Yesterday, Amarinder had alleged that Badal had asked the Union Government to go for military action at the Golden Temple at a secret meeting with the then Home Minister P V Narasimha Rao on March 28, 1984.

On being asked to react on Amarinder’s allegations, Badal said the curfew was clamped across the state during Operation Bluestar and he had been arrested two days after he entered Haryana from his village.

“Amarinder Singh was not imprisoned even for a day… while the entire world knows that I was put in jail for several years,” Badal claimed.

He further said that Amarinder over the years had enjoyed important positions including president of the state unit of Congress, a party “which was responsible for Operation Bluestar”.

“Why didn’t he issue such statement when he was holding the chair of the Chief Minister?” Badal asked.

Amarinder was Punjab’s Chief Minister between 2002-07.

Lok Sabha incidents a fallout of Centre’s inept handling of AP division: Kiran

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Afternoon Voice

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February 13, 2014

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Thursday said the ugly incidents in the Lok Sabha is the fallout of the Centre’s “bungling” in handling the sensitive state bifurcation issue.

“The Centre bungled up the state bifurcation issue from the start and at every stage. The current situation is a result of that (bungling). It should understand that,” Kiran said while terming the incidents as “very unfortunate”.

“The Prime Minister says his heart bleeds over such incidents. But he should understand that hearts of crores of Telugu people are bleeding because of the undemocratic acts of the Centre,” the Chief Minister told reporters this afternoon.

Kiran is on a collision course with the Centre over division of Andhra Pradesh to create Telangana.

The chief minister termed as the “most undemocratic act” the tabling of the AP Reorganisation Bill in Lok Sabha today.

“It is not the way to introduce a Bill. There are rules, procedures, constitution and years of experience. It’s not enough to say we are a largest democracy…We should uphold democratic values,” Kiran said.

He also found fault with the suspension of 17 MPs belonging to Seemaandhra region from Parliament for the rest of the session.

Taking a dig at the Congress high command, Kiran said how his party could sup with BJP.

“My party calls BJP ‘communal’ but why is it having lunch with such a party?..You are spreading poison,” Kiran remarked, referring to the Prime Minister’s lunch hosted for BJP leaders yesterday to ensure smooth passage of the AP Reorganisation Bill.

“They are ready to dine with a communal party but not willing to talk to their own people,” he lashed out.

The revival of print media

By

Prakash Jha

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February 13, 2014

People might be saying that print media might be dying a slow death after the advent of television and internet. However, print media has transformed itself with changing times after the raise in FDI ceiling and also is witnessing good growth. After the liberalisation of the Indian economy there has been a tremendous change in people’s lifestyle and spending habits. Today everyone wants to look good and be in sync with the modern lifestyle. Youths are relying on print media to groom themselves and undergo a makeover.

Teenagers don’t have time to watch television hence they carry magazine along with them and read it for getting updated about the latest information. Nowadays many special theme based magazines are available in the market which only focuses on one subject. Youth mostly prefer health magazines for obtaining information about health and live a happy life. These magazines also offer vital tips to youth about how to look good, what to eat and how much to quantity of food to be consumed. Thus youth magazine has become very popular among youngsters.

Women are very conscious about every aspect right from their looks to the clothes they choose. They often subscribe to women’s magazine for getting tips about beauty, health, attire, cooking, parenting, grooming etc. Most of the shows are aired on television when women are working in the office hence they are unable to watch them. Hence they are reading women and lifestyle magazines for getting the latest knowledge. They can carry magazines along with them while commuting in buses and trains. Some of them subscribe to wedding magazines for getting information about the attire and jewellery to be worn during marriage.

Like magazine even newspapers provide in-depth analysis about various incidents happening across the country. A woman was reading a magazine while commuting in the train. I asked her from where do she get the news? She replied that she relied on print media like magazines, newspapers for getting the news. According to her, electronic media only provides the latest updates but print media provides comprehensive report of the news. Moreover, news gets repeated again and again on electronic media which can be big turn off for viewers. According to me, print media is not dying and has revived itself with changing times.

Modi has an eye for detail

By

Mahendra Singh

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February 13, 2014

Narendra Modi has done a good job by asking questions to the public and laying emphasis about the need to introduce fast trains and improve rail connectivity with ports. It is exactly what needs to be done. If you travel from Chennai to Ennore port by road you will notice that the condition of roads is in poor condition.

Once I was joining a ship ( not signing off, when you may have some items with you) at Mundra and had to wait for two hours because customs officials were present on the ship. The condition of ports is in dire straits. Cranes are not functioning properly in most of the ports (Kandla is much better) and port trust crew are inefficient and not healthy.

On the other hand, ports in China are big and they have clean jetties, massive and efficient cranes and possess skilled man power. If you notice a gang of crew handling a ship’s line while berthing in the Mumbai port you can immediately find how inefficiently they function and compare it with foreign ports. Look at their health and also see what kind of personal protective gear they wear.

Infiltration of illegal Bangladeshi migrants is another major concern which will affect the security of our country as pointed out by General Bikram Singh. I am hoping that Modi will look into this matter in the interest of national security. Large number of Bangladeshi citizens is employed on ships whose manning agents have offices in India. Disciplined citizens, controlling rising population and reduction in the number of motor vehicles on roads should also be a part of the agenda of new government. Inspite of all the turmoil that we witnessed our MPs have refused to improve their behaviour.

Political parties must refrain from issuing tickets to such unruly elements. The Election Commission must ban the distribution of free laptops, television sets and other freebies by the political parties during the election. Such kind of activities will only divert the attention of voters as they might even vote for the wrong candidate which is not good for the democracy. The warning issued by General Bikram Singh must be taken seriously. Political parties must not use illegal immigrants as vote banks by fraudulently getting them registered as bonafide voters. BJP must keep a watch on such kind of malpractices which occur during election.

It’s just a publicity stunt

By

Prakash Jha

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February 12, 2014

Even though CM Prithviraj Chavan had assured Raj Thackeray of resolving the toll tax issue but he decided to go ahead with the stir for garnering political mileage.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena might be claiming that the agitation against toll tax levy was held peacefully in the state but there were incidents of violence in some parts of the state. Even though the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had invited Raj Thackeray for discussing about the toll tax issue but he refused to meet him and instead tried to derive political mileage by asking his party workers to go ahead with the stir against toll plazas. The MNS was only trying to gain its lost foothold in the state in an attempt to prepare for the forthcoming Lok Sabha election.

MNS supporters since gathered at toll plazas across the state to protest against the toll tax levy. The agitation turned violent as party activists burned tyres of vehicles in Thane and deflated tyres of vehicles in Pune. They also had blocked the highways and forcefully asked shopkeepers to down shutters in suburbs like Kandivali, Borivali, Goregaon, Malad etc.

Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said that the tension could have been avoided if Raj had met the chief minister, “Chief Minister had invited Raj for a meeting to discuss about the toll issue but he refused to meet him. He instead opted for a rasta rokho abhyiaan across the state. There was no need to go ahead with the agitation as we had already invited him for a dialogue.”

MNS MLA Bala Nandgaonkar said, “The MNS had decided to protest against the toll issue as Chavan failed to give a time frame for eliminating toll.”

Raj himself participated in the ‘Rasta Roko Andolan’. He was arrested by the RCP police at around 11.00 am and was released within two hours. He said, “The CM called me some time back while I had been detained and told me that we could meet for a discussion tomorrow morning. Accordingly, I will meet him tomorrow at Sahyadri (the state guest house at Malabar Hill) at 9 am tomorrow.”

After his release, Raj asked him supporters to halt the protest however they carried on with the stir. Several vehicles were held up at Chembur even as police tried to round up protesting party workers. Party workers protested at Monorail stations thereby causing inconvenience to commuters.
Mumbai police arrested and detained more than thousand party supporters including MNS leaders like Pravin Darekar, Shirish Shinde, Shalini Thackeray, Bala Nandgoakar, Nitin Sardesai and many others. Later on they were released on bail.

MNS leader Bala Nandgoakar threatened to intensify the agitation if the state government fails to address the toll tax issue. He said, “The further course of the agitation will be decided after the meeting. If this issue remains unresolved after tomorrow’s meeting then we will organise a morcha to Mantralaya on February, 21. Don’t blame us if the agitation turns violent in the future.”

Maharashtra to set up new counter-terrorism force

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Afternoon Voice

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February 12, 2014

Maharashtra plans to set up an Urban Counter-Terrorism Training Centre (UCTTC) for commandos who would act as a quick response team to any terror strike, the government said on Wednesday.

The UCTTC will come up in over 98 acres at the Aarey Milk Colony in Goregaon suburb of northwest Mumbai, according to a government notification.

In view of the rise in terrorist strikes, the government decided to set up the centre which would impart training, in-service training to commandos and also offer refresher courses.
“The move to set up the UCTTC is part of the government’s exercise to strengthen the police force and make it more advanced,” the notification said.

The move comes in the wake of increasing terror activities in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur and other major urban centres of the state.

The UCTTC will train commandos in the existing Force One and Quick Response Teams in Mumbai.

Force One, designed on the lines of the National Security Guards, was formed after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

The UCTTC would be headed by an officer of the rank of additional superintendent of police working under a special inspector general of police. The overall command would vest with the director general of police, who will make appointments and other working systems there.

The UCTTC will recruit officers having knowledge of advanced weapons and handling explosives while NSG commandos, Para commandos, army and state police officials would be taken on deputation.

International airport T2, Sahar elevated road open for public

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Afternoon Voice

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February 12, 2014

The much-awaited Terminal 2 of the Mumbai international airport and the Sahar elevated road corridor was opened for the public on Wednesday.

The 2.2 km Sahar elevated road that connects Western Express Highway (WEH) with the new Terminal 2 of the International Airport was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

“We recently inaugurated the Eastern Freeway, Terminal 2 of the international airport and now the Sahar elevated road. Through these projects we are trying to solve traffic problems of this city, which is the financial capital of our country,” Chavan said.

The Rs. 400 crore project which missed several deadlines earlier, offers seamless and signal-free connectivity from Western Express Highway, cutting the travel time by around 30 minutes.

The government and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) are working towards commencing some of the delayed transport projects that are aimed at solving traffic woes, Chavan said.

“The first phase of Metro Rail project- Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar- is likely to commence operations next month. Similarly, the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road will also be open for vehicles in the next 2-3 weeks. The work on the third metro-Colaba-SEEPZ, is also likely to start soon,” he said.

The state government has sought Rs. 12,500 crore from the 14th Finance Commission for development of infrastructure projects in Mumbai.

“We want to provide all the necessary amenities to the public to make Mumbai an international city,” Chavan added.

Suraj Pancholi appears before court

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Afternoon Voice

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February 12, 2014

A month after Mumbai police filed a chargesheet against him for abetting the suicide of Bollywood actress Jiah Khan, Suraj Pancholi appeared before the trial court.

“Suraj, son of actor couple Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab, appeared before the court today and the court adjourned the case till next month,” said advocate Dinesh Tiwari who is appearing in the case on behalf of Jiah’s mother Rabiya.

The pre-trial formalities in the case are yet to be over.

Suburban Juhu police had on January 16 filed a 447-page charge sheet in metropolitan magistrate’s court in suburban Andheri, following which the magistrate transferred the case to the sessions court for trial.

Jiah, an American citizen, was found dead at her Juhu home on June 3 last year. The police arrested Suraj on June 10 on the basis of a six-page letter which was found in the house, purportedly written by Jiah.

Police booked him on the charge of abetement of suicide. According to the police, Jiah was in a relationship with Pancholi.

Suraj was granted bail by the Bombay High Court on July 1, 2013. In his bail plea, he said they were in a consensual relationship and the letter was being misused by Jiah’s mother Rabiya.

Rabiya moved the Bombay High Court in October 2013 alleging her daughter had been murdered and sought a CBI probe. Following this, the court asked the police to record her statement, collect material given by her, and probe the murder angle.

Last month, Rabiya had met the officials in the Consulate of United States of America in Mumbai where she was assured that they (consulate) had written to Indian authorities offering help in probing Jiah’s death.

Divided BJP strives to put up united show in Maharashtra

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Afternoon Voice

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February 12, 2014

Bharatiya Janata Party may be in a hurry to see Narendra Modi to take over as the next prime minister but it is a divided house in Maharashtra.

Party’s former president Nitin Gadkari and BJP deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde have taken quite contrary stand on a number of issues in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls.

BJP, which had won nine seats in 2009 general elections, hopes to improve its tally in the coming elections. However, the party insiders admit that widening gap between the two leaders in particular and their utterances pose serious challenge for state unit to put up a united show.

Gadkari, who resigned as the national party president last year in the wake of income tax searches on the Purti Group founded by him, argued that the NDA’s doors were “open” to NCP chief Sharad Pawar and couple of other party leaders like Mamata Banerjee, J Jayalalitha, Navin Patnaik and Chandrababu Naidu.

However, Munde, who is party’s in charge in Maharashtra for Lok Sabha polls, revealed that it was he who opposed Pawar’s entry into the NDA after the latter had desired to do so. Incidentally, Pawar has strongly denied his plans to join NDA.

Gadkari and Munde did not stop here but took quite opposite stand on the politically sensitive issue of toll collection in Maharashtra. Munde announced that BJP with its electoral allies Shiv Sena, Republican Party of India and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana have already announced that Maharashtra will be made toll free after dislodging the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra. Munde blamed NCP in particular for the rampant corruption in the entire toll collection system and the contracts awarded for the same.

However, Gadkari, who takes credit for the construction of Mumbai Pune Express way and 55 flyovers in Mumbai during his tenure as Maharashtra minister for public works during 1995-99, has categorcially ruled out possibility of toll free Maharashtra.

He said the toll was inevitable and if the government wants to do away with it the government will have to bear burden of over Rs. 1,00,000 crore towards compensation to various contractors. He indicated that it was not viable for any government of the day.
State BJP spokesman Madhav Bhandari told Business Standard ”It is a wishful thinking. There may be differences but it will not rake our boat.”

Meanwhile, the party is also divided over stake its claim on the south Mumbai Lok Sabha seat which is currently in the BJP’s electoral ally Shiv Sena’s quota. The south Mumbai is represented by Congress leader and the union minister of state for ports Milind Deora.

A section of party is of the view that BJP should nominate party legislator from the Malabar Hill constituency and a leading builder Mangal Prabhat Lodha or his son from the south Mumbai against Deora to exploit anti incumbency.

Party leaders suggest that BJP can allot the North West Lok Sabha seat from its quota to Shiv Sena as it was finding it difficult to select candidates who can defeat the present LS member Priya Dutt who is actor Sanjay Dutt’s sister.