Remembering our freedom fighters

By

-

January 24, 2014

Today, most of the politicians in India make tall claims before the onset of elections but forget to deliver them after coming to power. This only goes on to show that they are least bothered about the welfare of the common man who takes time from his/her busy schedule to exercise his/her franchisee. Prices of all commodities, including that of food grains, petroleum and LPG have been sky-rocketing in the past few years after the Congress came into power. As a result of this, the common man has to bear the brunt of the price rise, as his salary doesn’t increase in tandem with the surging inflation.

It seems that the Gandhian ideals that inspired India’s independence struggles are no longer followed by citizens today. Every one of us in India respects Mahatma Gandhi, and proudly addresses him as the ‘Father of the Nation’, but no one is prepared to tread the path adopted by him. Although India has achieved Independence, it is one of the most corrupted and polluted nations in the world. Unemployment is at an all-time high.

Majority of the states today are fighting among themselves and people, irrespective of caste, creed and religion are being persecuted for no fault of theirs, while the ministers and the politicians are misusing their power and the common man’s hard-earned money as they contribute to the nation by paying Professional Tax, Income Tax, etc. People have lost faith in their leaders. India has a great potential ahead, but unless and until we rise above our differences and petty squabbles, it will not become a prosperous nation.
Republic Day is a day for us to celebrate with the hoisting of our national flag, recitation of our national anthem, singing patriotic songs and organising social and cultural events. On this day, we should also remember the sacrifices made by our various freedom fighters who bravely fought for the country’s Independence and pay our due respect to them. But it’s a pity that after every Independence Day and
Republic Day celebrations, the country’s national flag is strewn on the streets and people irrespective of caste, creed, colour or religion blithely walk over them.

Even when the national anthem is played on the radio or telecast on television, people don’t respect it by standing to attention and singing it. They are busy talking on their mobile phones or chatting with their friends. As Indians, we should show due respect for our country’s national flag, national song and national anthem. It is only through the sacrifices made by our freedom fighters that we have managed to gain independence and republic; otherwise we would still have been living under the British dominion.

Jubel D’Cruz

DMK chief Karunanidhi cracks the whip, suspends Alagiri from party

By

Afternoon Voice

-

January 24, 2014

Tamil Nadu politics is set for a major shake up after DMK chief M Karunanidhi, Friday, suspended his son MK Alagiri from the party for his continued opposition to efforts to stitch an alliance with Vijaykanth’s DMDK.

Karunanidhi’s strong action against his own son also indicates that the DMK patriarch has finally decided to end the bitter leadership tussle in the family. By suspending Alagiri, the DMK chief has made it clear that he favours his younger son MK Stalin to take over the reins of the party.

Alagiri had recently asserted that, for him, Karunandhi was the only leader of the DMK and he will not accept anyone else.

Alagiri always had an uncomfortable relationship with Stalin. Over the years, both brothers had divided territories – Stalin controlled party affairs in northern parts of the state including Chennai while Alagiri was the party’s undisputed boss in southern region, especially Madurai.

Karunanidhi had also been particular to keep the scales balanced – Stalin was the Deputy CM in last DMK government while Alagiri was sent to Delhi as a union minister.

But Karunanidhi had time and again expressed his fondness for Stalin, to which Alagiri once said that DMK is not a “mutt” that the throne can be handed down.

However, with DMK facing the prospect of a washout in the Lok Sabha polls and also in view of the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls, Karunanidhi seems to have decided to get the house in order.

The tie up with ‘Captain’ Vijaykanth was part of the plan as DMK could not have taken on J Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK on its own. After the washout in the last assembly elections, DMK was replaced by Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) as the principle opposition party in the assembly and Vijaykanth became the Leader of the Opposition.

Karunanidhi, Wednesday, reiterated there have been no talks with the DMDK on forging an alliance for the general elections but an invite has been sent to the party.

While majority in the party leadership were keen to go with the DMDK, Alagiri had opposed the plan and said that he did not consider Vijaykanth – a movie superstar – a politician hence the party should not tie-up with him.

But the real reason behind Alagiri’s aversion to Vijayakant was because both hailed from Madurai and he feared that ‘Captain’ will encroach on his fiefdom.

Shinde asks Maha HM to take action in techie murder case

By

Afternoon Voice

-

January 24, 2014

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Friday asked the Maharashtra government to take “swift action” and nab those involved in the murder of a woman software engineer in Mumbai after her father met him seeking justice.

In a letter to Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil, Shinde said father of 23-year-old Esther Anuhya, whose burnt body was found on the outskirts of Mumbai, met him and requested for a thorough enquiry into the matter and stringent action against the guilty.

“I shall be grateful if swift action is taken in the matter and persons involved in this heinous crime are brought to book at the earliest,” Shinde said in his letter to Patil.

After meeting the Home Minister, Anuhya’s father Jonathan Surendra Prasad said no parent should have to face the trauma he faced while searching for his daughter.

“I have apprised the Home Minister about the unfortunate incident. Police did not help us at all. We ourselves looked for my daughter after she went missing. And finally, after ten days, her body was recovered. No parent should face the kind of trauma that I have faced,” he told reporters here.

The software engineer, who was working for a reputed IT firm in Mumbai, went missing after her arrival at Lokmanya Tilak terminus in the city from her native home of Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh on January 5.

Her mutilated, burnt and decomposed body was found off the Mumbai-Thane highway on January 16.

“The Home Minister gave us a patient hearing. He told us that he will help us. He will talk to the Maharashtra government,” Prasad said.

Anuhya had boarded the Vishakapatnam-LTT Express train from Vijayawada on January 4 for Mumbai. She was returning to Mumbai after her Christmas holidays but she did not reach her hostel in suburban Andheri.

Mahavitaran says viability at stake if tariffs not hiked

By

Afternoon Voice

-

January 24, 2014

Close on the heels of Maharashtra government announcing a 20 per cent cut in power tariffs across the state but Mumbai, state utility Mahavitaran has said it will push its applications seeking hike in charges, which are pending with the regulator, citing its worsening financials.

Mahavitaran warned that it will not be able to meet its expenses from next fiscal if MREC does not clear its pending 10 per cent tariff hike proposal.

“We need a tariff hike to meet our capital and operational expenses. If the tariff revision proposals are not cleared, it will adversely impact our operations,” a Mahavitran official said.

The utility, which is yet to hear from the MERC on its tariff proposals submitted seeking 10 per cent hike each in FY14 and FY15, today warned it may have to resubmit proposals. Mahavitaran has over 21 lakh consumers.

The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (Merc) had allowed the utility a 20 per cent increase in tariff for six months, from September 1 last, with a view to recover Rs. 5,500 crore from consumers in monthly tranches so that it could pay the generation and transmission companies.

The official said that Monday’s cabinet decision has lowered the tariff to the rate which was prevalent prior to September last year.

Following the move, the government will have to pay a subsidy of Rs. 606 crore a month and another Rs. 100 crore will have to be contributed by Mahatransco and Mahagenco.

Currently, Mahavitaran’s average power purchase cost is Rs. 3.62 per unit against the supply cost of Rs. 6.21 per unit.

According to the Merc’s order, from March 1 this year, the tariffs will come to the levels of pre-September rate.

Therefore, in case the tariff petition is not cleared, the state utility will not require the subsidy as the purpose of providing the subsidy was to lower the burden on Mahavitaran to pay its dues, the official explained.

If MERC allows the 20 per cent reduction, the tariffs for residential consumers using up to 100 units and 300 units will come down to Rs. 3.36 per unit from the existing Rs. 4.16 per unit and to Rs. 6.05 from Rs. 7.42, respectively.

According to the government’s decision, the 20 per cent tariff cut relief would not be applicable to residential consumers using energy above 300 units.

For the high tension industrial consumers (express feeders) the tariff has been lowered to Rs. 7.01 per unit from Rs. 8.61 per unit and for high tension (non-express feeders) it will come down to Rs. 6.33 from Rs. 7.83 per unit.

Two get life imprisonment for raping minor girl, making MMS

By

Afternoon Voice

-

January 24, 2014

A sessions court on Thursday convicted two youths for raping a 16-year-old girl in 2011 and making video clip of the incident, and sentenced them to life imprisonment.

Out of the five accused in the case, three are minors who are facing the separate trial before a juvenile court.

The accused Rajesh Jaiswal and Suraj Nepali- both 21–were convicted under section 376 of IPC for rape.

According to prosecution, the incident happened on May 10, 2011 when the girl was returning home from the famous Siddhivinayak temple along with her five friends (the accused).

Police said the group decided to spend some time in the hillocks of Kurar village in Mumbai before returning home.

The prosecution said the accused drugged the girl after reaching the spot and took turns to sexually assault her.

The accused filmed the act and made an MMS clip to threaten the girl against disclosing the matter. However, the incident came to light in July 2011 after the clipping was leaked.

The prosecution examined seven witnesses in the case, however, what nailed the accused was the testimony given by the survivor.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Majid Memon, Rajkumar Dhoot files RS poll papers

By

Afternoon Voice

-

January 24, 2014

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who has ruled himself out of electoral politics, has filed his nomination for the biennial Rajya Sabha election from Madha constituency on Friday.

The Election Commission has recently announced the election schedule for the Upper House of Parliament. There are seven seats of Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra whose term expires on April 2.

NCP has two retiring members YP Trivedi and Janardhan Waghmare.

NCP sources said the two members may be replaced by new faces, which includes Sharad Pawar himself.

Early this month, Pawar declared that he will not seek re-election to the Lok Sabha from Maadha constituency and instead would be in the Rajya Sabha as biennial elections are scheduled soon.

The notification for the polls were issued on January 21. Last date of filing of nomination is January 28. The scrutiny of papers will be done on January 29 and the last date of withdrawal of papers is January 31. The date of poll and counting is scheduled for February 7.

Congress has yet to decide on whether it would renominate sitting MPs Hussain Dalwai and Murli Deora. The other retiring members include BJP spokesman Prakash Javdekar and Shiv Sena’s Bharat Kumar Raut and Rajkumar Dhoot.

RPI’s Ramdas Athavale, who is an ally of the Sena-BJP, has claimed that he has been assured a Rajya Sabha seat from the saffron quota. Shiv Sena is yet to take a decision on the issue.
Meanwhile, Pawar has declared assets worth Rs. 32.13 crore. The 73-year old NCP chief has Rs. 5.06 crore movable assets while his wife Pratibha has Rs. 13.37 crore in her name.
Similarly, they have Rs. 2.03 crore as part of the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF). Pawar has a 958 sq.ft flat at Sansad Vihar in New Delhi. He does not own a vehicle. He purchased the Delhi flat in April 2004.
The cost at the time of purchase was Rs. 16.29 lakh and the current market value is approximately Rs. 1.34 crore. His self accquired immovable assets are valued at Rs. 4.22 crore. Pratibha Pawar’s inherited assets are valued at Rs. 92 lakh. While immovable assets under HUF are Rs. 4.77 crore.
The second NCP candidate Memon has declared assets worth Rs. 13.98 crore. While Shiv Sena candidate Rajkumar Shoot has assets worth Rs. 18.27 crore.

Defence arsenal to be highlight of Republic Day

By

Afternoon Voice

-

January 24, 2014

The armed forces will showcase their talent and treasure of the arsenal while participating along with the Indian Coast Guard in the 64th Republic Day Parade at Marine Drive in south Mumbai on Sunday.

The Army would be represented by troops under Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa Area Headquarters. A marching contingent from the Dogra Regiment will lead the parade along with the band playing the marching tune.

“Army will also showcase different types of artillery guns, a multi-barrel rocket launcher, air defence weapon system, mortars and armoured fighting vehicles in its inventory,” said a defence release.

The Indian Navy will be represented by two armed marching contingents comprising 77 personnel followed by the Naval Band, it said.

“In addition to personnel on ground, the Indian Navy will display a model of Delhi Class ship, Mobile Missile Coastal Batteries (MMCB) and Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC),” it said.

The Indian Air Force Chetak helicopter will also participate in the ceremony and fly past during the unfurling of the national flag.

In addition, there will be a marching contingent of Indian Coast Guard during the event.

Customs seize gold worth over Rs. 48 lakh at airport

By

Afternoon Voice

-

January 24, 2014

Three passengers were today held by customs officials at the international airport in Mumbai for trying to smuggle in gold worth over Rs. 48 lakhs.

“We intercepted three passengers, all Indian nationals coming from Dubai, and recovered 1905 grams of gold valued at Rs. 48,22,583,” said an Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) source.

In the first case, Ubaid Nelliyadukkam was intercepted with six gold bars weighing 700 grams and valued at around Rs. 17 lakhs. The bars were concealed in three boxes containing carbon powder.

The other two passengers – Assai Usman and Mohammad Jameer – had concealed gold wires in their trolley bags.

Customs officials seized gold wires worth over Rs. 30 lakh from the duo.

Rahul meets Panchayat members for manifesto suggestions

By

Afternoon Voice

-

January 24, 2014

Days after meeting women to take suggestions on preparing the Congress manifesto, party Vice President Rahul Gandhi met Panchayat members in Wardha in Maharashtra on Friday. Rahul took suggestions from Panchayat members on what needs to be included in the manifesto with respect to rural areas.
Addressing people ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Rahul referred to democracy as the most powerful and important weapon. He also said that the Congress will decide its candidates for the 15 Lok Sabha seats in the state based on the inputs from leaders of local bodies.
The villagers offered various suggestions to Rahul for Congress’s poll manifesto. While some asked for more power to Panchayat chair persons to reduce corruption, the others stressed on the need to centralise all Panchayat related work at one office.
Education, eradication of corruption and more power for women were the three important issues raised by most of the people at the meet.
The meet saw people coming in from various walks of life and various parts of India. A Congress worker from North East praised the party but blamed the government officials for not implementing many of its welfare schemes. A young woman Panchayat member from a village near Pakistan border in Rajasthan also suggested that educated people should run Panchayats.
Rahul is touring India to seek suggestions from people from all walks of life for the party manifesto. Earlier this week, he took part in a meeting of women’s representatives from various sections to be organised by All-India Mahila Congress in Bhopal. The meeting took place as a part of preparation of party’s manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
A number of prominent women and representatives of self-help groups also took part in the meeting. Rahul took the issue of gender inequality and promised to take up womens reservation. He said, “If women are empowered, she can bring the change. Every women is an asset in this country. We do not want to be a super power if we are not able to empower our women.”
Rahul said that the manifesto of the Congress party will have the suggestions of people. He said, “We will ask all sections of the society to give their suggestions for Congress manifesto. The sensible suggestions shall be incorporated and will be implemented when we form the government.”

Senior officer’s hand in Daya’s transfer?

By

Afternoon Voice

-

January 24, 2014

Eminent former encounter specialist police sub-inspectorDayaNayak who was reinstated in year 2012 after serving six year suspension for corruption charges was transferred to Nagpur. Nayak was transferred due to pressure imposed by senior officials as his relationship was strained with them.

A letter was sent in the month of December, 2013 from the Police Commissioner’s officeurging the higher officials and government to transfer DayaNayak out of the city along with the reason citedfor his transfer.Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh confirmed the news about Nayak’s transfer.

A senior level IPS officer on the condition of anonymity said,“Many cases wereregistered againstDayaNayak and several inquires are pending against him. Senior officials of Mumbai police had sent a letter to DGP and government for transferring Nayak out of Mumbai and they also had provided the reasons for the same.Later he was transferred to Nagpur.”

“The alleged nexus between Cable Mafia and other corruption charges were framed against him.Since Nayak’s relationship with his seniors was strained hence he has been transferred to Nagpur”theofficial added further.

The state Home Department issued transfer orders on Thursday, moving Nayak to the Nagpur under whose jurisdiction fall the Naxal-affected districts of Bhandara and Gondia. Hailing fromYennehole village in Udupi district of Karnataka, Nayak relocated to Mumbai in 1979.

He worked for some time at an Udupi restaurant, and was encouraged to complete his education by its owner. Nayakjoined the police force in 1995 at Juhu Police Station, and, while he was posted at the Crime Intelligence Unit.

Nayak has to his credit the elimination of around 80 gangsters of the Mumbai Underworld, such as VinodMatkar, RafikDabba, SadikKalia and three Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives, as a member of the encounter specialist squad.He joined the Mumbai crime branch early in his career after completing his training in 1995. Nayakremained in the limelight for the crime branch’s activities until he was booked by the Anti- Corruption Bureau in a corruption case.

Allegations of graft disproportionate income waslevelled against Nayak and he was others who allegedly helped his two friends who lent their names to the transfer of his wealth were also arrested by the anti-corruption bureau of Maharashtra.