Arvind Kejriwal again refuses security cover

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January 10, 2014

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday again rejected the security cover that was offered to him by the Uttar Pradesh police, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member said.

“He (Kejriwal) has refused to take any kind of security. His stand is clear,” an AAP member said.

According to Ghaziabad Senior Superintendent of Police Dharmendra Singh, the UP police had Thursday formally offered security cover to Kejriwal.

“On Thursday, we had offered security cover to the chief minister by sending him a formal letter. But we are still waiting for his final decision,” Singh said.

Singh added that two Gypsys, along with 28 police personnel, were to be deployed for his personal security.

On Wednesday, a few members of the Hindu Raksha Dal attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) office at Kaushambi which is located not far from Kejriwal’s residence.

Maid breaks silence, claims Devyani Khobragade exploited her

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Afternoon Voice

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January 10, 2014

As Devyani Khobragade heads back to India, her domestic worker Sangeeta Richard Friday broke her silence and claimed that she suffered while working for the Indian diplomat and asked other domestic workers not to let anyone “exploit” them.

In her first public statement, Sangeeta said she had decided to come to the US hoping to work for a few years to support her family and had planned to later return to India.

“I never thought that things would get so bad here, that I would work so much that I did not have time to sleep or eat or have time to myself,” she said in a statement released by the anti-trafficking group Safe Horizon, which is representing her in the case against Khobragade.

She said she had tried to return to India because of the treatment meted out to her while she was working for Khobragade.

“Because of this treatment, I requested that I return to India but that request was denied.”

“I would like to tell other domestic workers who are suffering as I did – you have rights and do not let anyone exploit you,” Sangeeta said.

Safe Horizon welcomed the indictment, saying it “demonstrates the seriousness with which the US government treats labor exploitation.”

“I hope that this case sends a clear message to diplomats and consular officials that the US will not tolerate the exploitation of workers and marks the beginning of an increase in prosecution of these cases,” said Avaloy Lanning, senior director of the organisation’s anti-trafficking programme.

Pipeline war of Congress and BJP

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Prakash Jha

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January 10, 2014

Often it has been observed that politicians lag behind when it comes to performing developmental work but they always are in the forefront to take credit for the tasks completed. They even go to extent of taking credit for the work done by the opposition parties. A pipeline work has been completed near Durga Mandir, Kandivali (e) which comes under jurisdiction of the BMC’s ward number 24. Congress Corporator Yogesh Bhoir had overseen the construction of pipeline under the leadership of Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam but he alleged that Gopal Shetty, MLA from Borivali had inaugurated it and took credit for the work done. He had spent five lakh sixty three thousand one hundred rupees for the work from the local area development fund. Bhoir also had undertaken the gutter cleaning work in the area.

The Congress party workers then prepared banners and erected those on highways mentioning that BJP is a party of burglars and is only trying to gain mileage out of the work performed by the Congress.

In an election year, political parties are showing a sense of urgency to announce welfare schemes and even inaugurating new projects. Both the Congress and BJP are trying to outdo each other by taking credit for the work done.

Talking to AV, Congress Corporator Yogesh Bhoir from ward number 24 said, “I had constructed the pipeline under the leadership of Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam for the welfare of people residing in my ward. Why did Gopal Shetty arrive in Kandivali for inaugurating the pipeline when he was aware that the work was done by our party workers? This only goes to show that the BJP is simply trying to take credit for our work and are misleading residents of Kandivali that they are performing a good job.”

Yogesh Bhoir had commissioned the connection cost of the pipeline and other rest Construction amount was paid by MP Sanjay Nirupam.

“Gopal Shetty is a strong contender for the upcoming Lok Sabha election from BJP North West seat hence he had visited the area to inaugurate the pipeline work. The inauguration of the pipleline undertaken by him was only a ploy of the BJP to woo voters” alleged Congress Corporater Yogesh Bhoir.

Talking to our newspaper, BJP MLA and former Mumbai President Gopal Shetty said, “The construction of pipeline was on hold for the last two years. I had arrived in Kandivali for inaugurating the pipeline and also to make people aware about the poor governance of the Congress party.”

Modi should have quit as CM, MNS is ‘baap’ of AAP: Raj Thackeray

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Afternoon Voice

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January 9, 2014

MNS leader Raj Thackeray, once considered close to Narendra Modi, on Thursday said the Gujarat Chief Minister should have resigned the day he was nominated BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, a suggestion immediately rejected by the saffron party.

Thackeray also criticised Modi for his ‘excessive’ focus on Gujarat and said instead of talking about his achievements there he should think about the whole country.

“The day Narendra Modi was nominated BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, he should have quit as chief minister. The prime minister is of the entire country and not of a state,” he told reporters at Nashik.
The MNS leader said though he appreciated Modi’s work in his state, BJP’s prime ministerial contender was always thinking about Gujarati people.

“Even when he is in Mumbai, he thinks about Gujarati people, talks about honouring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, but is not seen talking about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who was also great,” he said.

Thackeray said he has not yet decided about supporting Modi in his bid to become prime minister.

Thackeray’s remark drew a sharp response from BJP, an ally of his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, with its Maharashtra unit chief Devendra Fadnavis saying Modi is competent enough to decide when to quit.

“Modi is performing his duties as chief minister with efficiency. So there is no question of his resigning from his post,” he said in Mumbai.

“Modi doesn’t speak about Gujarat…he speaks about development, growth, inclusivity, social sector, demographic advantage, jobs…he speaks about India. If Mr Thackeray had listened to Mr Modi’s speeches, he would never give such a reaction,” Fadnavis said.

He said since Modi had dwarfed his rivals, they were repeatedly attacking him.

Asked about the prospects of Aam Aadmi Party, which made a stunning debut in Delhi assembly polls, in Maharashtra, the MNS leader said his party was still its ‘Baap’ in the state.

“There is no need of AAP, we the Baap are here. Today, you are all talking about AAP, but I have been saying for the last many years that vote me to power in Maharashtra because things cannot change otherwise. I would fix Maharashtra’s problems,” he said.

Anjali Damania, Maharashtra convenor of the fledgling AAP, while reacting to Thackeray’s comment on her party said, “Who is the Baap, only elections will decide. I think everyone should mind his own business, look at how to grow your party rather than commenting on others.”

TMT chairman polls: BJP appoints fact-finding panel

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Afternoon Voice

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January 9, 2014

Maharashtra BJP has appointed a committee to look into various ‘unsavoury’ incidents involving its local leaders in recent past.

“The one-man panel of former BJP MP Ram Naik will go into details of the incidents including the one involving district chief Milind Patankar and will submit its report within next fortnight,” state unit BJP president Devendra Fadnavis said here last night on the sidelines of an event.

Deputy Mayor Milind Patankar was manhandled on December 23 allegedly by members of BJP and Shiv Sena who also ransacked his cabin in the Municipal Corporation headquarters.

Patankar later resigned after being held captive by an irate mob of Shiv Sena and BJP workers for more than four hours in his office.

The high pitched drama in the civic headquarters was the fallout of transport committee member Ajay Joshi defecting from the BJP to the NCP-Congress camp who voted the rebel Sena nominee Shailesh Bhagat to the office of the Chairman of the TMT Committee.

Patankar was targeted by the Sena and BJP since Joshi is considered close to him and it was alleged that Patankar had deceived his partymen even in past elections.

After Patankar stepped down, BJP leader Mukesh Mokashi was elected as the deputy mayor unopposed.

However, police registered an FIR against Mokashi and several others in connection with ransacking of Patankar’s cabin.

BJP has already suspended its member in Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) Committee Ajay Joshi for six years for cross-voting in favour of a rebel Shiv Sena nominee to get him elected as the chairman in recently held elections.

Feuds between political workers keeping police busy: RR Patil

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Afternoon Voice

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January 9, 2014

Political violence was putting more burden on the police machinery in Maharashtra, state Home Minister R R Patil said here on Wednesday evening.

Feuds and clashes between workers of political parties were becoming common of late, he observed.

Police were overburdened, he said, adding that political parties should ensure that wranglings do not lead to law and order problems.

Patil inaugurated the new administrative building of the Thane Police Commissioner’s office here.

Festivals and birth anniversaries of national leaders should be celebrated in such a way that very little policing would be required, he said.

Patil conceded that police in Thane district, with its burgeoning population, were understaffed. Eight more police station in Thane city limits and five in other parts of the district would be set up, he announced on this occasion.

The state government had decided to recruit 61,000 police personnel in five stages, and the announcement of 18,000 posts will be made within the next eight to ten days, he said.

Maha govt may have to mop up Rs 300 cr towards subsidy for 50% tariff cut in Mumbai

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Afternoon Voice

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January 9, 2014

Mumbai electricity consumers with monthly consumption up to 500 units may have to wait 50% cut in their tariff alike their counterparts in Delhi. However, preliminary estimates made internally by power distribution companies Tata Power and Reliance Infrastructure, the BrihanMumbai ElectricSupply and Transport (BEST) and the state energy department show that tariff reduction for the consumer categories of 0-100 units, 101-300 units and 301-500 unit will cost the distribution companies worth nearly Rs 300 crore.

These companies will be entitled to get the government subsidy to make up the possible loss in their revenue as per the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003. The reduction will be possible only in variable charge component of the per unit tariff. The other option is that the regulators can take a call to approve tariff rise in other categories especially industrial and commercial to cross subsidize the lower tariff to residential consumers with monthly consumers up to 500 unit.

A senior minister, who did not want to be identified, told Business Standard ”The issue will be discussed threadbare at the cabinet before taking any formal decision on tariff cut.”

Tata Power and Reliance Infrastructure are tight lipped on the politically sensitive issue of tariff cut in Mumbai. However, officials of both the companies cite the sections 65 and 108 of the Electricity Act. As per the section 65, the state government can grant subsidy to any consumer or class of consumers in the tariff determined by the power regulator. On the other hand, under section 108 the state government has give direction to the state power regulator in the matters of policy involving public interest. BEST official argued that it will have to make up loss incurred by its transport wing with its revenues from power distribution.

However, the ruling NCP, which also holds the energy portfolio, has publicly opposed any move to provide subsidy to private distribution companies in Mumbai including Tata Power and Reliance Infrastructure.

Tata Power has a consumer base of 4,25,000 of which nearly 2,50,000 are residential consumers of which about 1,00,000 are with monthly consumption up to 500 units. As far as Reliance Infrastructure is concerned, of the total consumers of 2.8 million, 2.3 million are residential of which 1.7 million consume up to 500 units per month. In case of BEST, which is a part of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, it has a consumer base of 1 million of which 7,65,000 are residential and nearly 6,60,000 consumers have monthly consumption up to 300 units.

Mumbai safest city to drive: Survey

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Afternoon Voice

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January 9, 2014

Mumbai has emerged as the safest city to drive and is also voted as the city with most disciplined traffic, says a road safety survey on drivers conducted in key cities.

The survey conducted by an insurance company with a sample size of 987 has been conducted in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkata among others.

“Mumbai has been voted as the safest city to drive and also emerged as one with the most disciplined traffic,” Sanjay Datta, chief of underwriting and claims at ICICI Lombard, which conducted the survey told reporters today.

While Delhi has the best roads, Bangalore has been voted as having the best driving facilities in terms of roadside assistance.

As per the survey, 19 per cent of respondents believe that increase in the penalty amount will help curb violation of traffic rules.

Interestingly, pedestrians are perceived as the major violators of traffic rules by both car and bike drivers.

As far as accidents are concerned, the survey revealed that autorickshaw drivers top the list of worst offenders leading to accidents in Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad.

The survey also pointed out that around 75 per cent of the women respondents feel that they drive safer than men.

The private general insurance firm also said that Bangalore has recorded highest accident claims for private cars, while Ahmedabad leads for two-wheeler claims as per its claim data.

AAP students wing protests against Mumbai Univ professor’s suspension

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Afternoon Voice

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January 9, 2014

Aam Aadmi Party students wing on Thursday held protest outside the Maharashtra Raj Bhavan to protest the suspension of Mumbai University professor Neeraj Hatekar. The AAP protestors were detained up by police and prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been imposed in the area.

Professor Hatekar was suspended by Mumbai University Vice Chancellor Rajan Welukar on Saturday after he publicly spoke out against what he said were irregularities in the university.

He had accused the Vice Chancellor of mismanagement. Many people including eminent historian Ramachandra Guha too have tweeted in Professor Hatekar’s support.

HC seeks report on vacant police jobs; steps to fill them

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Afternoon Voice

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January 9, 2014

The Court Bombay High Court today asked Maharashtra Government to file a report by February 6 on the existing vacancies in the police force as on December 31 last year and inform what steps were taken by the state to fill up the posts in the past two years.

The direction was given by a bench headed by Chief Justice Mohit Shah on a suo motu (on its own) PIL seeking improper probe into the murder of a Pune builder Nikhil Rane.

During the hearing of this PIL earlier, the court had transferred the probe to CBI saying that the State CID had drawn a blank in the investigations. This was done on the plea made by Ashwini Rane, wife of the slain builder.

While this aspect of the PIL had been disposed of, certain issues such as shortage of staff and vacancies in police force came up before the court which adjourned the hearing from time to time.

The High Court also asked the State today to file an affidavit on what steps it would take on its proposal to segregate the police force on the basis of two categories — law and order and investigating crimes.

The bench has fixed the matter for hearing on February 20 and asked the State to give the information on segregation of police force and filling up of vacant posts by February 6.

During the pendency of this PIL, the High Court had come across an affidavit filed by the State in the Supreme Court in another matter on a proposal to segregate the police force two-fold viz investigation of crimes and law and order.

The State had then informed the court that vacancies in the range of 20 per cent to 42 per cent existed in lower categories of police force at the level of sub-inspectors, inspectors, Superintendents of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police.

However, today, Anil Anturkar, the lawyer for builder’s widow Ashwini Rane, alleged that vacancies still existed in the police force and no steps had been taken to fill them up.

The least that was expected of the Government was to fill up the vacancies, if not improve the investigation machinery, he said.

Nikhil Rane was fatally injured on November 23, 2009, when gangsters fired at him from close range. His widow filed a petition in 2010 seeking transfer of probe to CBI.