Four toll plaza booths were vandalised in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur on Sunday after a dispute over collection of toll tariff.
The hooligans in large number vandalised the booths and burnt down the toll plaza property.
While Shiv Sena workers are being blamed for the attack, agitators claim that since roads are poorly constructed, there is no question of paying the toll. Shiv Sena, on the other hand, has called for a bandh in Kolhapur tomorrow.
Police claim to have detained some protesters vandalising the booths.
Although there are no reports on anyone getting injured in the protest, Maharashtra Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has appealed to maintain peace.
Six days ago, several members of anti-toll action committee had launched a hunger strike against toll collection. Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Satej Patil and Labour Minister Hasan Mushrif had met the activists and assured them that government would ask the company to stop toll collection. However, collection continued till today’s morning. This led to protest today.
An engineering company IRB infrastructure had established the toll plaze in October 2013. IRB Kolhapur Integrated Road Development Co Pvt Ltd, wholly-owned SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) of the company and had commenced the collection of toll at the Kolhapur highway.
The Bombay High Court has upheld the life sentence awarded by the lower court to a 26-year-old man who murdered his friend following a row over a wristwatch.
Trial court had convicted Imtiyaz Shoukat Sayed of murder under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code in September 2003.
According to the prosecution, on March 19, 2000, Sayed had a row with his friend Imtiyaz Javed. Javed had borrowed a wristwatch from him, and had refused to return it.
Sayed slapped him, and there was a fight. Then Javed handed him the watch and started walking away.
However, Sayed called him back, and stabbed him with a knife.
Advocate Prakash Wagh, Sayed’s lawyer, argued in the High Court that his client could not have been convicted for murder as he had no intention to cause the death. At the most he could have been charged for ‘culpable homicide’, a lesser offence, as he had assaulted his friend in a fit of rage.
But the division bench of Justices P V Hardas and A S Gadkari noted that “the stab wound was not delivered by the appellant in the heat of the moment during the fight”.
“The deceased had returned the watch and was walking away when the accused called him and intentionally stabbed him. The ferocity and the force of the blow was such that practically all the vital organs had been damaged,” the bench said, upholding the trial court’s verdict.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan was non-committal on implementing his party high command’s decision to let farmers sell fruits and vegetables outside their designated APMC markets by January 15.
He said the government is still in talks with different stakeholders to allay their fears.
“We are talking to all the stakeholders on the issue (delisting fruits and vegetables from the APMC purview). The motive behind this is that farmers will get a choice to take his produce wherever he wants to sell it,” Chavan said when asked about whether his government will be able to implement the recent decision in this regard.
He was addressing the media after a meeting on launching the country’s largest farmers’ mela, Krishi Vasant, dubbed as the Maha-Kumbh of agriculture, to be held from February 9-13 in Nagpur. The meeting was organised by the industry body CII here today.
“By this we have given a choice to farmers whether they want to join the APMC or provide fruits and vegetables on their own,” he said, adding “it does not mean that we are forcing it down the farmers’ throat and that a farmer is free to go back to the APMC mandis to sell his produce.”
Supporting the reforms move which would eventually benefit farmers, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said the government believes that farmers should get the freedom to sell their produce wherever they want.
“Farmers should get the freedom of selling their produce wherever they want. We have been working on this issue since the past five years,” Pawar said.
On December 27 last year, addressing the 12 Congress chief ministers, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi had said on January 15, all the party-controlled states will partially abolish the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act and delist fruits and vegetables from the purview of the Act.
A couple has been arrested for allegedly abducting and trying to sell a 32-year-old local woman to a family in Gujarat, the police said on Saturday. Thane district rural police arrested the duo — Ajay Kumar Gupta (28) and Priya Vinod Bansode (30) — both residents of Palghar on Saturday.
According to API Walmik Patil of the Palghar police station, the couple forcibly took the victim from Palghar to Navsari on the pretext of getting her some domestic work, but handed her over to some persons and returned. They promised her that she would earn wages between `10,000-12,000 per month for domestic work. However, the woman learnt that she was sold off to the family in Narora for `1.30 lakh and they were planning to get her married to some person in the locality. Following this, she managed to escape and filed a police complaint after which, offences under various sections of the IPC were registered against the duo, who were subsequently arrested.
Since the complainant was not in a position to give specific details or names of persons to whom she was sold, a police team is likely to visit Gujarat where she was taken to probe as to who all were party to the crime, the officer said. The arrested were produced in a local court, which remanded them into police custody till Friday. The police will now probe if the arrested were engaged in trafficking of women.
A Kerala resident, coming from Dubai, has been arrested by Customs Department at the city’s international airport for allegedly trying to smuggle in one kg of gold worth Rs 24.44 lakh, an official said today.
Passenger Mahamood Mohammed Irshad, a resident of Kerala and holding Indian passport, was today intercepted at the international terminal of CSI airport and two gold rods, weighing a kilogram, and concealed in the cavity of handle of trolley bag were recovered, the officer with Air Intelligence Unit of the Customs told PTI.
“The gold rods, which collectively weighed one kg, are valued at Rs 24.44 lakh. The yellow metal was confiscated from the passenger, who arrived here on an Emirates flight from Dubai,” the officer added.
The accused was arrested under relevant sections of the Customs Act, the officer said.
One more person wanted in connection with the alleged gangrape of a 26-year-old woman dancer from Mumbai was arrested by the police here today.
Hari Krishna, surrendered before the Bowenpally police, who handed him over to the Central Crime Station (CCS), after which he was arrested, a senior police officer told PTI.
The city police cracked the case yesterday by arresting P Venkat Raju, a trader and ‘Happy’ alias Nitin Yadav, an event manger, who were remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody today, the officer said, adding that two others involved in the case were still at large and a manhunt was on to nab them.
The incident took place on the intervening night of December 31, 2013 and January 1 this year, after which the victim registered a case with the Mumbai police.
The victim, who had been offered Rs 1 lakh by ‘Happy’ to perform at an event here on New Year’s eve, was given a soft drink spiked with a sedative after she arrived here from Mumbai.
Later, she was taken to a house in Nizampet area and allegedly gangraped. They also stole her ATM card and withdrew Rs 57,000, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma had told reporters earlier.
Aam Aadmi Party member Kumar Vishwas stated about Congress that the party has failed the people of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, and that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi never raised the problems of his constituency in parliament even once. Vishwas gave very interesting speech and delivered his concern very articulately. Though I am not a supporter of Congress or AAP, I would be happy if Vishwas loses the election. Firstly, Kumar Vishwas is neither a progressive intellectual nor a seasoned politician. He is just an educated version of other comedians. A light comedian-poet, who can entertain people and make them laugh, this skill gathered him votes but when it comes to run the country, I really doubt his credentials. I would love to hear his jokes, but running the country is not a “joke”. Secondly, Rahul is not such a bad politician. He seems to be more honest than most politicians. So, in this particular case, I will side with Rahul. He is born in such a family whose members are ruling this nation for years, and people are voting for their party. I am conclusive about these “celebrity” politicians, because they are bad representatives. Take all the actor politicians; most of them do nothing for the nation or its people. And this one will also be no different. AAP should change the decision to place Dr Kumar Vishwas. I am not a supporter of Congress. Understand that the weight of a large organisation such as Congress is heavy for Rahul Gandhi; He was largely responsible for the recent debacles. When most people complain about the dynastic rule, the defence from Congress is very weak. We don’t want Congress to disappear. We need healthy opposition for a healthy democracy.
Looking at adverse situations and anti-congress waves, Priyanka Vadra is the face behind the successful Congress election campaigns. Her popularity among the masses can be a boon in the upcoming election for Congress party. She resembles Indira, and Indira Gandhi supporters till date are very much loyal, they vote for hand irrespective of who so ever is the candidate. When Priyanka goes for campaigning, she brings those nostalgic moments to the forefront. Priyanka Gandhi has been managing Congress campaigns for a long time now. She is an active member of Congress party .Wherein her support might not be on the full frontal level, it certainly is a major force behind the electoral campaigns. Like Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi belongs a fully Political family; her grandmother, father were in politics and mother also too. She knows well about politics. She has visited Raebareli and Amethi often; she knows to speak in Hindi, she knows how to connect to people.
If we were to compare Nehru or his father Motilal with the current crop of politicians, how many of them have disposed off their ancestral property for the national cause? Coming to the present generation of Rahul and Priyanka, how many other current politicians have lost their dear father for the nation? Remember, Rajiv was killed for a decision he took as the PM. How many will sacrifice their fathers even if they were offered all the power or fame Rahul or Priyanka has? And, remember Sonia had kept away from politics after her husband’s assassination. We say we should honour our security personnel and their families, who lose their lives in action. Can’t we at least stop abusing the Nehru family which has suffered such tragedies repeatedly? Every tom and harry stands up and attacks the family with utmost filthy language. Who gave them the authority? Let people of this country take a call and decide whom they want in power. Irony is that today politics has become negative, we all want party to win on negative agenda but not on merits.
Congress has to win the election on the basis of past performance and its plan for future growth.Being a member of an important political family does not entail all the members of the family to rule the country. Who is the important family member should be decided by the people. The induction of Priyanka is a desperate bid of the Congress to somehow win the elections, as Rahul has proved to be a weaker politician, he needs some more time to mature. At one time, it was a popular opinion that induction of Priyanka would have done wonders for Congress if she had taken to active politics like her grandmother. India’s rural population had a mind change over these past 20 years, especially over the golden decade 2000-10 for middle and upper classes, on account of mobile phones, internet and cable TV. They now see how the rest of the world, India’s upper classes and the nation’s privileged politicians live. They see the difference between speech and action. Congress Party unfortunately is long on promise and short on delivery in every area. BJP also failed badly as the Congress Party. Congress Party, which has been ruling India virtually since independence, turned into a family business many decades ago. It is now election time and the outcome may not be smooth sailing, so all family hands are on deck, as one might expect. Voters must decide whether they want the country to remain as it is or will ensure it becomes a democratic republic. It is the apt time for Priyanka to enter the electoral battle field. She is charismatic and much adorned by the rural women and youth. Carrying fully the legacy of Indira, she is the cynosure of all eyes. India being diverse in all respects, presence of a unifying leader is vital to keep the country united and to fight out forces around. Let’s come to the point; there is lot of difference between Kumar Vishvas and Nehru Gandhi family. Power and position are two things which are to be grabbed and cannot be expected to be offered.
Can Sunita Murekar a maid who sold her kid to the employer for twenty thousand rupees really become a good parent in future. As per reports, Sunita is a single parent and was struggling to take care of her child due to financial problems. Sunita’s employer Sonubai Hate asked her to give away her child to one of her daughter who is childless.
According to Sunita, Hate had promised that she could see her child every day during working hours and also can spend quality time with the kid daily. After doing all the paper work done by both the parties Sunita couldn’t just let her child go away as she was craving to see her child everyday but she was unable to do so.
If Sunita is a caring mother what is the guarantee that after getting the possession of her child back she wouldn’t sell him to other family in return for lumpsum money? Moreover, the initiative taken by the child welfare committee is completely one-sided. Why support Sunita just because she is the biological mother. Why aren’t committee willing to think that Sunita herself being a mother has sold her kid to the family.
If Sunita Murekar really wanted a bright future for her kid then where has this money come from? And what is wrong if the child was given to some childless mother? It is obvious that the parents would have taken great care of the child as they have already undergone the trauma of being childless which doesn’t augur well for their family too.
The child welfare committee should support parents who are willing to take children from single parent and also motivate them to give away their children only if they are not financially stable. In the future, Sunita’s child might study in municipality school and will receive substandard education. Later, he would find employment in some factory and will earn paltry salary and will find it difficult to support his family. On the other hand, if the child stays with Hate family then he would atleast get a decent education to atleast find employment in a call centre. Being a single parent it has become a difficult taks to care of the child nowadays. It has become difficult to satisfy an individual’s needs on account of rising inflation. On the other hand, it is all about the emotional attachment between the child and mother.
The police has taken action only against Sunita Murekar and not against the Hate family which a right move as their daughter has been childless. Sunita was willing to part with her child as she was being paid money. Maybe both Sunita and Hate family had followed the adoption formalities properly. Till date have the CWC taken any awareness initiative that would educate people about the adoption methods? Even today several adoption centers exist which don’t give away child that easily despite couple’s sound financial background to take care of the child. These organisations demand lumpsum money under the table. Where was the CWC when many adoption scams were busted? Even today many orphaned boys and girls are being exploited and pushed into human trafficking activities. There so many centers who are involved in phidophily activities.
It’s high time the CWC should take serious measures to curb crime against children. This can only happen if the officials pull up their socks and solve the issues faced by thousands of children instead of garnering publicity. Sunita Murekar’s child was not physically exploited and instead two mothers were fighting, one to prove her motherhood and other to provide motherhood.
Terming the proposal to abolish income tax “bizarre”, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh on Saturday took a dig at Narendra Modi, saying that the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate’s knowledge of “economics, history and geography were weak”.
“So far, Modi has shown that his knowledge of geography and history is weak. By embracing this completely lunatic idea of abolishing income tax and listening to Baba Ramdev on this, he is showing that his economics is also very weak,” he told reporters.
At an event organised recently by yoga guru Ramdev here, Modi had said, “The present taxation system is a burden on the common man. There is a need to reform it and and introduce a new system.”
Ramdev has demanded abolition of all kinds of taxes and called for a single tax in the form of ‘Banking Transaction Tax’ if Modi were to succeed in becoming prime minister.
Meanwhile, Ramesh also questioned Modi’s commitment to clean governance in the light of BS Yeddyurappa being welcomed back into the BJP. Yeddyurappa, the former Karnataka chief minister, had been indicted by the Lokayukta in a mining scam case.
“Modi is going to take lessons on economics from Baba Ramdev and lessons on integrity and clean governance from Yeddyurappa. What sort of double standards is this?” he asked.
The return of Yeddyurappa to BJP shows the complete hypocrisy of the party vis-a-vis its campaign against corruption, Ramesh alleged.
Asked about his assessment for the 2014 general elections, Ramesh noted that it was almost certain that a coalition government would be formed at the Centre.
“All I can say is that, in 2014, you will see a coalition government… (it is) inevitable,” Ramesh averred.
A day after Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said that he would be happy to see NCP chief Sharad Pawar become the Prime Minister, the NCP on Sunday denied that he was in the race for the PM’s post.
“Pawar is not running for the Prime Minister’s post,” NCP general secretary and Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Tariq Anwar told reporters here in reply to a question.
“At the same time, the NCP chief has all the credentials required for the PM’s post and his experience in public life is second to none among all political leaders in the country,” he said.
Anwar, a close aide of Pawar, said “It is the number game that decides who becomes the Prime Minister and in the NCP chief’s case, he does not have the numbers with him.”
If Pawar had got the numbers in terms of MPs, he would have definitely become the Prime Minister, he said.
On Shinde’s praise for Pawar whom he had described as his “political guru”, Anwar said that the Union Home Minister’s remarks were made in his personal capacity.
Shinde had worked as a state minister during Pawar’s tenure as Maharashtra Chief Minister and so his remarks praising the NCP should be seen as his respect towards the latter and nothing more, Anwar said.
On the NCP’s strategy for the general elections to be held this year, the Union Minister said that his party was seized with the issue and the same would be finalized by March next.
In Bihar’s case, Anwar said that his party was part of the UPA and it will go with whichever alliance the Congress decides to work out in the state.
Four toll plaza booths were vandalised in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur on Sunday after a dispute over collection of toll tariff. 
The Bombay High Court has upheld the life sentence awarded by the lower court to a 26-year-old man who murdered his friend following a row over a wristwatch. 
Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan was non-committal on implementing his party high command’s decision to let farmers sell fruits and vegetables outside their designated APMC markets by January 15. 
A couple has been arrested for allegedly abducting and trying to sell a 32-year-old local woman to a family in Gujarat, the police said on Saturday. Thane district rural police arrested the duo — Ajay Kumar Gupta (28) and Priya Vinod Bansode (30) — both residents of Palghar on Saturday.
A Kerala resident, coming from Dubai, has been arrested by Customs Department at the city’s international airport for allegedly trying to smuggle in one kg of gold worth Rs 24.44 lakh, an official said today. 
One more person wanted in connection with the alleged gangrape of a 26-year-old woman dancer from Mumbai was arrested by the police here today. 
A day after Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said that he would be happy to see NCP chief Sharad Pawar become the Prime Minister, the NCP on Sunday denied that he was in the race for the PM’s post.