Face of Congress’ ad faces Twitter fire

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January 31, 2014

The face that has now become synonymous with Congress’ advertisement pitching for Rahul Gandhi as the future leader has started to come under attack.

Hasiba B Amin, who projects herself as a young face of the Congress party in the Hindi TV ad, is being attacked on the social media.

The reason: her credentials are under doubt.

Hasiba, who is the Goa president of Congress’ students wing NSUI, had in February 2012 reportedly asked for the removal of state NSUI vice-president Sunil Kawthankar after he claimed that some Congress ministers were protecting the drug mafia.

Following the campaign against her on the social media, Hasiba reacted on Thursday saying she is “disgusted with the campaign against me”.

“Disgusted with the campaign against me. Not a bit of it is true. Think of the girls in ur family before u falsely spoil the image of a girl! (sic)” she wrote on Twitter.

The ad – Kattar Soch Nahi, Yuva Josh – in which Hasiba is seen pitching for Rahul Gandhi aims at an image makeover for the Congress scion.

However, with Hasiba herself under attack it remains to be seen how the ad will benefit Rahul in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections.

Rahul Gandhi’s effigies burnt across Punjab

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Afternoon Voice

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January 31, 2014

Massive protests continue across Punjab as members of the Shiromani Akali Dal burn effigies of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Demanding an apology from Rahul for once again recalling the horrific carnage and making careless remarks on it, the protestors have demanded the revelation of names of the Congress leaders who were involved in the riots.

Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal too slammed Rahul. Demanding strong action, he attacked Rahul Gandhi’s “admission” that some Congress leaders were involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Badal asked the Congress vice-president what deterred his party and government from acting against those Congress men who were involved in the riots.

“Instead of taking any action against these tainted leaders, Congress has not only been protecting them but they were being rewarded by the party with pivotal posts,” the Chief Minister alleged.

The Delhi unit of SAD also held demonstrations at Congress headquarters on Thursday against him.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Thursday demanded a probe into the anti-Sikh riots by Special Investigation Team (SIT). Welcoming the move, SAD protestors said that the incident should not just be confined to enquiry commissions but that the Sikh community needed to have a closure on the carnage.

Delhi gurudwara committee and SAD on Friday gave Rahul Gandhi 72 hours to reveal the names of Congress leaders who were involved in the 1984 riots, otherwise they’ll protest again outside his residence and the AICC head quarters.

Rahul had earlier in the week, accepted in an interview to a private news channel that some Congress men were involved in the 1984 riots. He, however, had refused to apologise for the massacre saying that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had already done so.

Supreme Court’s verdict on section 377 a backward step

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Afternoon Voice

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January 31, 2014

The issue is not only about recriminalizing gay sex or violation of individuals’ freedom it’s all about how they going to survive further. First let us think about those lesbians whose family are yet to know about their sexuality. No matter how modernized our Indian society has become or people who are broadminded yet there are many girls who have buried their feelings and emotions for the sake of maintaining their families self-esteem who are likely to be taunted by the society. Such girls are living an insecure life and are unable to disclose their true identity. A question which arises in my mind is are we actually living our so called lives or just surviving as we don’t have any other options to do what we actually want.

Will these lesbians live a normal life and what about their future? Due to family pressure tomorrow these girls will have to get married to some men and get royally raped by their so called husbands, post marriage. No art of natural sex would make them “straight” (people who claim to be straight are exactly opposite of gay). Why is the Supreme Court overlooking the problems which these girls will have to undergo on account of this verdict? It will only pave way for marital rapes and divorce. Tomorrow we might find heartbroken people and rising suicide case instead of aids.

This verdict has not only created havoc and but will only add to the woes of the gay community. For instance, if I have a gay friend and I decide to seek revenge against him then I would click his photo and report it to the police station as he might be charged under section 377.

Our nation’s image has already taken a severe beating internationally and this verdict will only ruin it further. Frankly speaking people who run India are nothing but curse to the masses. Let it be our lame justice panel or baseless law enforcement or corrupt politicians. It seems that restoration of India would only begin with self-destruction.

If they think that homosexuality is unholy then do straight people perform sex in every temple or roads to prove how holy they are? Holiness is present inside our hearts and thoughts that we possess for others.

The Supreme Court had an opportunity to decriminalize gay sex which would have taken India a step forward. In relegating the responsibility of amending the law the, SC has not just shrugged off its responsibility but also pushed the nation back to the year 1860 when the section 377 IPC was passed by the then legislative council.

Let competent people join politics

By

Mahendra Singh

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January 31, 2014

Dr Satypal Singh has resigned from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner and is likely to begin a new innings in politics. He has opted for a VRS and is likely to join the BJP. The 1980 batch IPS officer belongs to Meerut in Uttar Pradesh and there is speculation that he could contest from there. Many competent police officers like Prakash Singh, MN Singh and Kiran Bedi should have been in politics. It is unfortunate that the Congress has appointed a person like Najeeb Jung as Lieutenant Governor who lacks good administrative experience. One of the three mentioned above (and some officials from other states too) should have been appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi to chastise Kejriwal. Kejrwal must focus on providing good governance in Delhi and should not demand a SIT probe into the 1984 Sikh riots as it is not going to serve any purpose now.

Many policemen are good hearted like the one depicted in Shree 420 who displays politeness while following Nargis and Raj Kapoor to the former’s home. Later he accidentally meets Raj Kapoor to ask, “Ab tumhari istri garam nahin hoti”. The best job available these days is to become an MP as you will be entitled to special privileges even in private airlines. You don’t have to worry if you fare badly in the next election as you will be entitled to receive lifetime pension. Whatever statements you issue whether it is logical or illogical will be aired on television where you will be trying to justify or deny what you said.

One experienced politician had praised Charan Singh on television and said, “Desh ka neta kaisa ho, Charan Singh jaisa ho. Charan Singh was a learned person and good politician and Congress should have backed him instead of Kejriwal. The British must be praised for the manner in which they treated Gandhiji. His associate Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan was very tall and well built. Why do you think he had become a follower of Gandhi who was half his weight? It is the moral strength and simplicity of Gandhi which drew people towards him. Morals have gone down and simplicity has ended, “Ab to jitna pao, jaise bhi pao, loot lo”.

A question which arises in my mind is whether we are really free? However, I quickly shun negative thoughts and hope that our honest Civil Servants (including those in DGCA) and the saner politicians will pull us through with the help of our simple “ kisans”. Sucheta Kripalani once described them, “Woh ashikshit ho sakte hain par agyan nahin”.

Shy Congress lost its one member

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Prakash Jha

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January 31, 2014

With the Lok Sabha election barely few months away politicians are busy shifting loyalties and joining rival parties. Former Mumbai Regional Congress Committee general secretary Ajit Sawant has quit Congress to join Aam Aadmi Party. Sawant was unhappy with the functioning of the Congress party and had rebelled against the party. In the past, Sawant had written a letter to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan alleging that some ministers have been misguiding the party. Later, Sawant was suspended by Maharashtra Congress Pradesh Committee president Manikrao Thakre. He also has been held responsible for the Congress party’s mediocre performance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election held in February, 2012. Sawant is expecting that many other leaders will emulate him and join AAP as they too are not happy with the party’s working style. He rebelled against the party after Congress denied ticket to a candidate backed by him.

Prior to joining AAP Sawant remained in contact with Congress for rejoining the party. Many leaders from the party were keen to reinstate him. However, Congress was reluctant to reinstate him as they worried that media and opposition might question the decision taken by the party to bring back such a leader who had turned rebellious.

Hussain Dalwai, Member of Parliament from Rajya Sabha spoke to AV and said, “The party had plans to reinstate Sawant but later they had second thoughts about the decision to bring back such a leader who had turned rebel. Since Ajit Sawant had limited options hence he finally decided to join AAP. He had taken this decision in a haste and could have waited for some more time. Sawant has not taken a right decision to join AAP.”

Talking to AV Ajit Sawant said, “I have joined AAP not as politician but as a common man. AAP is the only party in India which is connected with the common man at grassroots level. I will work for the development of the party and welfare of the common man.”

Congress party leaders are not pleased with Sawant’s decision to join AAP and criticised him.
Sanjay Nirupam, Congress MP said, “I am not bothered about Ajit Sawant’s decision to join AAP. I don’t want to comment about this issue.”

Sachin Sawant, state Congress spokesperson said, “AAP party has a long way to go. Ajit Sawant’ s decision to join AAP won’t affect the functioning of Congress party.”

Nation’s first monorail to roll out in Mumbai on February 1

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Afternoon Voice

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January 30, 2014

The country’s first Monorail service will commence operations next month on the 8.9 km Wadala-Chembur section in the central-eastern suburbs of the metropolis after a delay of over two years.

The Monorail service will be inaugurated on February 1 by Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and the commercial operations will begin from the next day, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) chief UPS Madan said.

The Rs. 3,000 crore, Mono rail project is being implemented in two phases. The first phase comprises the 8.9 km long Wadala-Chembur section, which will be thrown open to the public on Saturday while in the second phase the services will be extended to Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk.

The Authority has fixed fares between Rs. 5-11 for the first phase of operations, he said adding that MMRDA will operate six trains in the first phase, and another 10 will be added in the second.

To begin with the services will operate with four coaches having a combined carrying capacity of 2,300 passengers at every 15 minutes, Madan said.

“We aim to provide a service at every four minutes going forward,” he said.

The monorail project has been executed by a consortium of engineering major Larsen and Toubro LtdBSE -1.30 per cent (L&T) and Malaysian firm Scomi Engineering and owned and operated by MMRDA.

The monorail is expected to reduce the travel time between Wadala and Chembur by almost half, from 40 minutes at present to nearly 21 minutes.

MMRDA has already spent Rs. 1,900 crore of the Rs. 3,000 crore allocated for the project, Madan said adding, “The civil work on the second phase of the project has been completed.”

HC dismisses witnesses’ plea of Pune German Bakery blast against ATS

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Afternoon Voice

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January 30, 2014

The Bombay High Court on Thursday dismissed an application filed by two witnesses in the February 2010 Pune German Bakery bomb blast case seeking protection from officers of state Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS).

A division bench of Justices V K Tahilramani and P N Deshmukh dismissed the application. The witnesses had alleged that they were coerced into giving false statements against lone convict Himayat Baig before a trial court.

The two witnesses had filed the application soon after Himayat Baig filed an appeal in the High Court challenging his conviction and the death penalty awarded to him by the sessions court for carrying out the blast.

The witnesses claimed that they were tutored and coerced into making deliberate false statements before the court with a malafide intention of securing Baig’s conviction. The witnesses also alleged that before they were to depose before the trial court, they were all kept separately for several days and tutored by the ATS personnel as to the nature of the recoveries and statements that were relied on to convict the accused during the trial.

The ATS had opposed the witnesses’ claim. On February 13, 2010, a bomb had exploded inside the German Bakery in Pune’s upmarket Koregaon Park area killing 17 people, including five foreigners, and injuring 58 others. On April 19 last year, the Pune sessions court had awarded death penalty to Baig.

HC quashes NBW against Preity Zinta in cheque bounce case

By

Afternoon Voice

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January 30, 2014

In a relief for actress Preity Zinta, Bombay High Court today quashed a non-bailable warrant issued against her by a magistrate court for failing to appear before it to record statement in a cheque bounce case.

Justice Sadhana Jadhav, while quashing the warrant, observed, “The approach of the magistrate in issuing the warrant was pedantic.” The Andheri metropolitan magistrate had on January 27 issued a warrant against Zinta after she failed to appear before it to record her statement in the cheque bounce case, filed by scriptwriter Abbas Tyrewala.

The actor then approached the High Court challenging the warrant. Zinta’s counsel Hitesh Jain pointed out to the High Court that she had filed an application before the magistrate requesting it to record her statement through her lawyers.

As per a Supreme Court judgement, recording of statement through advocate in cheque bounce cases is permissible. However, the magistrate refused to hear the application and issued a non-bailable warrant against Zinta and posted the matter for February 10.

Jain pointed out to the High Court that in other similar cases, the magistrate had taken two years to record statement of the accused. “In this case the magistrate adjourns the matter for three or four weeks and insists on Zinta’s presence. Whereas other matters are adjourned for three to six months,” Jain said.

Justice Jadhav rapped the magistrate for treating this case as a special case only because a celebrity was involved. “You (magistrate) are giving the matter a celebrity status and treating it as an exceptional case,” the judge said.

The High Court also did not approve the magistrate’s approach of not deciding Zinta’s application. It has now directed the magistrate to hear and decide the application.Tyrewala, who had written the script for Zinta’s film ‘Ishkq in Paris’, had filed the case after a cheque of Rs 18.9 lakh issued by Zinta bounced.

NIA Court Gives Life Term to 6 Accused in Fake Currency Case

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Afternoon Voice

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January 30, 2014

In a first, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here today sentenced six accused in a 2009 fake currency case to life imprisonment, terming the possession and circulation of Indian counterfeit notes as an “act of terrorism”.

Special NIA judge Prithiviraj Chavan pronounced the sentence after he convicted all the six arrested accused — Abdul Shaikh, Mohammed Aizul, Ravi Dhiren Gosh Nooruddin Bari, Mohammed Samad and Aizul Shaikh — yesterday under relevant sections of IPC and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs. 1000 on each of the accused.

“This is the first time that the fake currency has been covered under the ambit of a terrorist act,” Special Public Prosecutor RohiniSalian said, adding that terrorist acts does not always be a blood crime.

The notes were printed in Pakistan, she said.

This case happens to be the first case investigated by the NIA here after it was set up post 26/11 attacks to probe and prosecute pan-India crimes, terror related cases and offences affecting the ‘sovereignty, security and integrity of India’.

According to NIA, during investigation it was revealed that Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) of denomination of Rs 1000 of 2AQ series seized in this case were also recovered at the Kochi currency chest of Reserve Bank of India.

“The similar nature of series of notes found at two different places indicated that there was a wide network operating in circulation of FICN and also the source of both these FICN (seized in Kochi and Mumbai) was the same,” said NIA in a release.

The expert report of RBI obtained by NIA stated that many covert features of genuine Indian currency were successfully imitated and could have been achieved only through highly sophisticated machinery only available with sovereign governments

Fearing Raj Thackeray, Toll plazas stop its operation as he travels to Pune by road

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Afternoon Voice

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January 30, 2014

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday arrived in Pune by road, but did not pay toll tax in line with his tough stand on the issue.

The three toll plazas at Vashi, Urse and Talegaon en route to Pune from Mumbai stopped operations for a few minutes when Thackeray’s convoy passed through them.

According to the norms, public representatives are allowed to travel without paying toll tax. Thackeray is neither a legislator nor a parliamentarian.

Amid speculations of Thackeray’s arrest over MNS workers ransacking toll booths across Maharashtra, the police said they would wait and watch as a hasty action may pose a threat to law and order.

Senior officials of the Pune rural police added action against Thackeray, who has ordered MNS workers not to pay toll tax and attack anyone who ask for money, would be taken only after considering all the legal aspects.

The Pune rural police have booked Thackeray for inciting violence, taking the total number of cases registered against him to 133, said Rajendra Shirodkar, Thackeray’s lawyer.

The MNS chief, who is on a four-day Pune tour, will address party functionaries from across the state on Friday.

“We will review the situation and decide (about Thackeray’s arrest) after his speech,” an official said.

Earlier this week, the Maharashtra Police had arrested several MNS workers, including party legislator Pravin Darekar, for vandalising toll booths in at least eight cities.

Thackeray had asked party workers on last Sunday not to pay toll tax and demolish toll plazas if they were not allowed to pass through them.

Speculations are rife that Thackeray is likely to play the hardball on the issue since it has brought him to the centre stage of the state politics after almost a year.

The anti-toll agitation started by the MNS comes at a time when there has been an outcry against it across Maharashtra in the run-up to the assembly polls as well as the 2014 general elections.

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan had assured last week the toll collection issue would be reviewed and a new policy would be announced soon.

Thackeray — who had parted ways with his uncle late Bal Thackeray’s party, the Shiv Sena, in 2006 — is no stranger to controversy.

He had formed the MNS a year later. His inflammatory speeches against north Indians residing in Maharashtra have brought him at the centre of raging controversies on several occasions.

Of the 133 cases registered against him, 112 are in Maharashtra. The others are in states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Delhi.