Congress-NC coalition on verge of split, Omar Abdullah may resign

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January 28, 2014

The ruling coalition between the Congress and the National Conference (NC) in Jammu and Kashmir may split amid indications that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was considering resigning following sharp differences between the two parties.

The state leadership of the Congress is stonewalling Omar’s cherished scheme of creating some 700 new administrative units in the state ahead of the April-May Lok Sabha polls and the scheduled Assembly elections in October- November this year.

This has set the two parties on a collision course and efforts to resolve the stand-off have failed despite a meeting attended by AICC General Secretary in-charge of the state Ambika Soni, State PCC Chief Saifuddin Soz, Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Omar here yesterday.

NC sources said an upset Chief Minister was thinking of stepping down because the state Congress appeared determined to “sabotage” the scheme that it feels will benefit NC in the upcoming elections.

If Omar, who has headed the coalition that has ruled for the last five years, resigns, the NC may push for advancing the Assembly polls and holding them along with the Lok Sabha elections. His resignation may pave the way for a spell of Governor’s rule in the state.

Omar had met Congress President Sonia Gandhi last week over the issue and Congress sources said later that she was in favour of the issue getting resolved soon. But no progress had been made thereafter.

A senior leader of the state Congress said that the party was opposed to the creation of administrative units without thinking of financial implications of the proposal. Moreover, it had to be ensured that there was equitable distribution of the units in various regions of the state.

This is countered by the NC which points out that the last Congress Chief Minister of the state Azad had created eight new districts. An administrative unit was much smaller than a district.

In new controversy, Tarun Tejpal denies harassing police officer

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Afternoon Voice

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January 28, 2014

A new controversy has scaled up around former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal, arrested in November for allegedly raping a younger co-worker.

Mr. Tejpal, who is imprisoned in Goa on charges of raping a younger co-worker there, says that the investigating officer handling his case has wrongly accused him of intimidation, and that influenced a judge to deny him bail earlier this month.

Mr. Tejpal, 50, has written a letter to police officer Sunita Sawant, which has been released to the media by his family.

He writes that after reviewing the court order that outlined the reasons for refusing him bail, “I am shocked and distressed by the observation that suggests you have complained of being intimidated and harassed by me. This is so far from the truth as to be outrageous.”

Mr. Tejpal writes that he has cooperated with medical and psychological exams, “answering over a thousand questions over several hours.”

Mr. Tejpal and his lawyers have claimed that the BJP, which governs Goa, is using the case against him as revenge for earlier exposes on some of the party’s top leaders that were published in Tehelka, an investigative news-magazine. The party has denied the charges.
In his letter to the officer handling his case, Mr. Tejpal refers repeatedly to “fishing expeditions” taken by the police which put him through irrelevant questions. He says the charges of intimidation and harassment are “merely a ploy to sabotage my chances for grant of my bail.”

The woman journalist who was allegedly raped by Mr. Tejpal at a Tehelka conference in Goa last year has quit the magazine. She did not file the case against him; the Goa police acted on the orders of the state government after emails between Mr. Tejpal and the woman were leaked. After that, the young woman has testified against Mr. Tejpal in the Goa court handling his trial.

Congress responsible for 1984, 1989 riots; BJP for 2002 riot: Nitish Kumar

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Afternoon Voice

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January 28, 2014

Congress governments at the Centre and in Bihar were responsible for the anti-Sikh riots in 1984 and Bhagalpur riots in 1989 while BJP government in Gujarat was accountable for the 2002 riots in that state, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Tuesday.

All these riots were blots on the country for which all Indians were ashamed, Kumar said and asked those responsible for the carnage to own up responsibility.

Nobody could escape accountability for these incidents, the chief minister told reporters here.

Kumar slammed the RJD-led government headed then by Lalu Prasad for closing the investigation in the Bhagalpur riots case after assuming power in 1990, despite the facts that there were material evidences available to bring the culprits to book.

It was his government that pursued the Bhagalpur riots case and brought the culprits to justice, besides providing assistance and relief to the victims and pension to those displaced in the incident, Kumar said.

Kumari Selja quits Union Ministry, to work for Congress ahead of polls

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Afternoon Voice

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January 28, 2014

Kumari Selja, who has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha, has quit the Union Council of Ministers to work in the party.

Selja, who held Social Justice and Empowerment portfolio since October 2012, submitted her resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last night, sources close to her said.

The resignation of 51-year-old Selja, a known detractor of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, comes at a time when the Congress high command is undertaking a rejig in the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

The fourth-time Lok Sabha member put in her papers soon after being nominated to the Rajya Sabha from her home state Haryana. Assembly elections in Haryana are scheduled by the year-end.

Congress sources said that the Union Minister is being drafted for party work for the next Lok Sabha polls.

The party high command is in search of a PCC chief for the state to replace Phulchand Mulana. Earlier the name of young party Ashok Tanwar, also a Dalit was doing rounds for the PCC post.

She has been active politics since 1990 and was first elected in 1991. She is a four term Lok Sabha MP. A section in the party believes that she could be accommodated in AICC.

Selja is Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment.

She is the daughter of former Union Minister Chaudhary Dalbir Singh. She was a Lok Sabha member from Ambala and had earlier represented Sirsa. A prominent Dalit face of the party in Haryana, she had been more active in the politics of Centre.

Selja is second woman minister to have quit the Union Council of Ministers in the recent past after Jayanthi Natarajan.

A number of Union Ministers are likely to put in their papers in coming days to involve them in party work ahead of the Lok Sabha polls scheduled in April.

Recently four senior ministers P Chidambaram, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Salman Khurshid and Anand Sharma were made senior spokespersons of the party while Shashi Tharoor and Jyotiraditya Scindia were made spokespersons.

Beauty Rituals for a Sexy Back

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Afternoon Voice

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January 28, 2014

With backless cholis and low-back dresses ruling the current fashion scene, a flawless back is just as trendy as the outfits revealing it. But let’s face it; a flawless back is something not many of us are blessed with. Thankfully, with a little effort, achieving a toned and sexy back is very much possible. If you are simply fascinated by the idea of wearing a sexy choli to your friend’s wedding, then we suggest you to get cracking now. Follow these beauty rituals to flaunt a gorgeous back and trendy backless outfits with confidence.

Go for skin treatments: Acne, blackheads and dark spots are not just limited to your face. Even your back is prone to these skin problems due to the secretion of sebum oil. However, most of these can be treated with the help of microdermabrasion, which is nothing but a skin exfoliating treatment. Having said that, make sure that you consult a dermatologist before you go ahead with such skin treatments.

Have a spa-cial time: You don’t need an excuse to pamper yourself, do you? Your beauty ritual for a flawless back is almost incomplete without a visit to the spa. However, when we say pampering we don’t just mean your face, hands and legs. Go for a back-enhancing facial as well if you fancy those dresses with cross back straps and backless cholis.

Trust a back polish: Flaunting a sexy back is a huge trend these days. So how about showing some TLC to your back by indulging in a hydrating back polish? A back polishing service once in a while is therefore a good investment. Treat your back with the goodness of nourishing oils such as almond and olive oil and see your skin glow.

Follow home remedies: If you don’t have the time and energy to visit a spa or a salon every month, then we suggest you try some home remedies for that sexy back. Massage your back with fresh aloe vera gel or a paste made out of oatmeal and honey at least once a week. These natural ingredients work as excellent exfoliators and leave your skin feeling smooth and supple.

Dab some make up: Yes, that’s why we think make up is the most wonderful gift to womankind! If you want to wear that gorgeous backless dress to the next party, all you have to do is dab a body foundation following a compact powder to give your back that smooth creamy look. But make sure to use a water-free foundation ‘coz you wouldn’t want to stain your clothes.

Stick to routine skincare: By now you will know that stepping out of the house without moisturising your skin is a complete no-no. And if you are one of those who neglects the back, then you are far away from achieving the desired results. Include your back while moisturising your body after a bath, and also get it waxed once in a while to avoid any skin breakouts. Also, make sure to massage your back with a mixture of lemon and glycerin right after the procedure to sooth your skin.

Weight training is the key: Last but not the least, if you have not paid too much attention to your back while you spent endless hours on the treadmill; it’s not too late for you to start working out for a well-sculpted back. But cardio is not the key to achieve a ‘wow’ back; work on shaping, toning and sculpting your back by introducing weight training at least two to three times a week in your workout regimen.

Rahul favours decentralization of power

By

Mahendra Singh

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January 28, 2014

Rahul Gandhi in an interview with a reputed editor, looked very much like Shammi Kapoor. Some imaginative film maker should take a note of this and offer him a role in remake of the film China Town, Junglee or Rajkumar. People wrongly accuse him of playing dynastic politics forgetting that he did not chose to be born in Gandhi family. This is done only to derive sadistic pleasure. Opposition is criticizing him and wants to oppose him in elections because they know that he is a gentleman. They will not dare to speak against Raj Thackeray because they will be demolished like the toll nakas. The method is wrong but the cause is right. Early this month, I had visited Loni Kalbhor and had to shell out almost 500 rupees as toll. Tolls at some renowned “ nakas” on this route has been levied for many years without any one bothering about reviewing it. Is it intelligence? (what the public feels about it) gathering, is it governance?

We are talking of dynasty and targeting Ashok Chavan when his wife said on TV that, my father-in-law was a CM, my husband is a CM and my son also will be a CM. You must know your cadres and not appoint any one as CM if you are aware of the tendencies of close family members. It’s your job as a party head. Decentralisation of power and giving it in the hands of the common man is not easy. There is no guarantee that this common man may not turn quickly into a “power man”. Can you forget Kamarajji, Chandra Shekhar and Deve Gowda? In the modern world look at Azam Khan, Mulayam Singh, Akhilesh Yadav, Behn Mayawati ( her own MP cannot easily meet her), Karunanidhi, his warring family members and Laluji etc.

See how Kejriwal is turning into a high command, unwilling to make Binny a minister. Though he was elected on his own as corporator in Delhi and was keen to adopt the “mohala” model. This is because he found “ Bharti” more loyal than Binny. Thus you can notice unethical practices followed by even educated men like Kejriwal. The question again rolls back to not empowering the common man but reforming him. It is expected that the common man will be more responsible, thoughtful, educated, skilled and aware of his/her social responsibilities but who will transform him? Who transforms a common man into a fighting fit General? The first “Aadhar” card I noticed few months ago when it popped out from the bag of our domestic help, a girl looking more like a foreigner instead of Bengali. The women of Amethi will seek assistance from Rahul during his next visit. However it is not right when everybody begins to dole out favours to compete with each other, trying to be one up.

Proposal to impose fee on ATM usage unjustified

By

Suraj Chandran

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January 28, 2014

It is said that there are no free lunch in the economy. The banks are likely to limit the number of free transactions a person can make at his own branch’s ATM to five. Beyond this he will have to pay a fee for transacting at ATM. Recently, banks were asked to beef up security at ATMs after a woman was attacked in Bangalore inside the ATM premises. The Karnataka government had then asked banks to deploy guards at ATMs or else close those kiosks which are unmanned. The banks association then decided to go for a partial closure of ATMs at night. They also planned to deploy security at ATMs and install CCTV camera outside the entrance of the kiosks.

Since banks will have to spend around 40,000 per month per ATM hence they decided to charge a fee on customers using these machines. Many of them were saying that increasing security will increase input costs and hence customers will have to pay for using ATMs beyond five transactions limit. The Indian Banks Association has supported an increase in charges that banks pay each other when their customers use third-party ATMs from Rs 15 to Rs 18. At present, most banks do not charge account holders if they use the bank’s own ATMs. The ATM network of banks is currently around 1.4 lakh and is expected to increase to around 2 lakh in six months. The banking industry is split on charging customers for ATM usage as some banks feel that the move may prove counterproductive.

The RBI is examining this issue but it is not in favour of charging customers for using ATMs at home branches. Many other institutions too are saying that this will only move customers to the branches and thereby increasing banking costs. Since branch banking is costly hence financial experts have been saying that more customers will start crowding at bank branches thereby increasing the workload of bank officials and increasing costs. The Finance ministry too is not in favour of banks charging their own customers for ATM usage. On the other hand, the proposed fee will create a huge inconvenience to customers as they will have to use ATM networks very carefully. They may have to withdraw more money and keep it at home which is risky.

Students residing in hostels will suffer the most as they will have to keep more money with them as there is a possibility of theft. It will also create huge problems for businessmen who need to withdraw lumpsum money on a day to day basis. ATMs were set up for providing more facilities to customers and reduce the rush at bank branches. It is the banks’ responsibility to provide security at ATM kiosks and it should not be passed on to customers. Instead of capping the ATM transactions, banks could levy a onetime fee annually which would be more feasible.

Shiv Sena and MNS politics over toll

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Afternoon Voice

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January 27, 2014

Both Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena are trying to outdo each other by vandalising toll plazas in the state before Lok Sabha election. Few days back, Shiv Sena activists had gone on a rampage by damaging toll booths in Kolhapur. Sena was trying to project its aggressive side attacking toll plazas. Later, MNS too jumped into the foray and started vandalising toll boths and also urged people to stop paying toll charges. Thus both parties are trying to gain political mileage out of the toll issue.

Shiv Sena’s assault on toll plaza had taken a violent turn as party activists had vandalised four toll booths in Kolhapur. Protesters vandalised the office of IRB Infrastructure Developers, a private company, which manages the toll booths on nine roads leading to the city. The Shiv Sena anti-toll action committee had launched a hunger strike saying that they would not call off the agitation unless the state government halts toll collection. Not to be left behind, MNS too began vandalising toll plazas in the state. At least half a dozen toll plazas were vandalised by suspected MNS activists after party chief Raj Thackeray asked workers not to pay toll tariff.

Since last two days, MNS workers have rampaged through toll booths in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Kalyan, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Nashik, in a repeat of the party’s agitation last year. Additional security has been provided at all such booths and the police are on special alert for trouble. A toll booth at Dahisar check post was raided by a group of MNS activists on Sunday night and damaged, according to Thane rural police.

In Kalyan, several toll booths were raided by suspected MNS men led by local MLA Prakash Bhoir, police sources said, adding complaints have been registered against miscreants under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

By Monday morning, violence by MNS workers had been reported in Mumbai’s entry points of Thane and Airoli, as well as on toll booths of the busy Mumbai-Pune expressway, which also reportedly disrupted traffic on the highway.

Over all 78 MNS supporters including MLAs were arrested by police for vandalizing the toll plaza. Opposition remarked this stunt of Raj Thackrey as a loss to the state exchequer and demanded strict action against the offenders.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said, “The MNS party’s assault on toll plaza is unjustified as nobody has rights to vandalise toll booths. They are only wasting the taxpayers hard earned money.”
MPCC president Manikrao Thakre said, “Strict action will be taken against the accused. Such type of act needs to stopped.”

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said, “The MNS party has been asking people to refrain from paying toll charges which is unjustified. We won’t tolerate such type of anti-social activities and strict action will be taken against the accused.”

Vinod Tawade leader of opposition in the Maharashtra legislative Council, BJP said, “Such kind of incidents has occurred earlier too. The MNS and Sena had attacked toll plazas but the government merely put the signboards near toll plazas but they continue to levy toll charges.”

Murli Deora, Hussain Dalwai file nomination for RS elections

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Afternoon Voice

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January 27, 2014

Former Union minister Murli Deora and ex-Maharashtra minister Hussain Dalwai filed their nomination papers for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for February 7.

The Congress party, on Sunday, renominated Deora and Dalwai for third and second term respectively.

The two filed their nominations in presence of Chief Minister Prithivraj Chavan and state Congress president Manikrao Thakre among others. Tuesday is the last day for filing of nominations.

So far, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, eminent lawyer Majid Memon (both NCP), Rajkumar Dhoot (Shiv Sena) and Sanjay Kakade (Independent) have filed their nomination papers.

The elections are being held for seven seats from Maharashtra and 287 elected members of the Legislative Assembly form the Electoral College.

Former French First Lady visited Sion hospital

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Afternoon Voice

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January 27, 2014

Former partner of French President Francois Hollande, Valerie Trierweiler, who arrived in Mumbai on Saturday night on a charity mission, visited the Nutrition Rehabilitation and Research Centre of the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General hospital.

Fight Hunger Foundation, which is being promoted by Trieweiller, will be collaborating with the Centre which is a part of Division of Clinical Nutrition set up three years ago at the hospital, locally known as the Sion Hospital, said Dr. Alka Jadhav of the paediatrics department.

The Foundation plans to work within the community and train aanganwadi workers.

The Centre, with funds from the government and municipal corporation, provides state-of-the-art medical nutrition therapy, Jadhav said.

“In the last three years, we have treated 400 malnourished children in the hospital and 1,200 in the community,” she said.

Trieweiller interacted with the patients and their parents to understand their needs and problems of malnutrition.