Sanjay Raut says, the image of MVA govt has tainted after Param Bir Singh's letter, Vaze case; asks allies to introspect 2
Shiv Sena leader and MP Sanjay Raut admitted that the allegations made by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh against Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, and the Sachin Vaze case have tainted the image of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state, and said all allies need to introspect if their feet are on the ground.
Talking to reporters, he also said that ”something needs to be rectified” and the ruling allies should come together to discuss how these stains can be washed off.
His statements come in the wake of Param Bir Singh’s letter sent on Saturday to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, in which he has alleged that Home Minister Anil Deshmukh wanted police officers to collect at least Rs 100 crore from city bars and hotels every month, a charge denied by the minister.
“Such allegations against the government or ministers are unfortunate and shocking. The contents (of Singh’s letter) are sensational,” he said.
“The veracity of the letter’s contents will be done by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and (NCP president) Sharad Pawar. The MVA government has completed a year-and-a-half now and all allies need to introspect if their feet are on the ground,” he said.
Raut said the police administration is the backbone of any government.
The backbone is symbol of pride and self-respect and the government should always strengthen it, he added.
“This government is doing well. But now something needs to be rectified and the MVA allies should get together to discuss how the stain can be washed off,” he said.
“I have to accept that these allegations and the Vaze case have tainted the image of the government… Uddhav Thackeray has always tried to keep the government’s image clean. What happens because government officials need to control at the right time,” the Shiv Sena MP added.
Raut said that Deshmukh himself has called for an investigation into the allegations against him.
“Even as the state investigative agencies are under Deshmukh, he has asked the chief minister to order a probe,” he said.
The Sena leader said he would try to meet Sharad Pawar in Delhi on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, Raut tweeted a two-line Hindi poem, of which one line says, “We are only in search of new paths”. When asked about what he meant by it, he only said, “You will know the meaning soon.”
Maharashtra Tourism and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray | Image Courtesy: Aaditya Thackeray/Instagram
In a scathing attack, the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday said they strongly condemned the Maharashtra government’s inaction and indifference, towards the string of successive fires at the Aarey forests. The fires seem conspicuous and raise several unanswered questions, such that sabotage, through arson cannot be ruled out.
Questioning the Maharashtra Tourism and Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray, AAP asked, “What he is doing? This is a gross dereliction of duty. What happened to all the tall claims to save Aarey? Is this a back door attempt to cheat Mumbaikars, and grab Aarey for the builders?”
Preeti Sharma Menon, AAP Mumbai leader said, “We demand a report from the Fire Department as to the number of fires in the last two months, how far the fires were from each other, whether the land on which the fires took place is part of any proposals submitted by builders, and why the Fire Department is not investigating any foul play.”
“This is a pattern. We first saw this in the case of Mumbai’s mangroves, where the mangroves were burnt down, the land was reclaimed, and then occupied. Post this, an attempt was made to pass off this occupied land as a non-forested area. Now this is happening with Aarey”, claimed AAP.
The Aam Aadmi Party has always been at the forefront of the fight to save Aarey. We will not tolerate the indifference of the Maharashtra government, as well as the BMC, which has been turning a blind eye to these fires. As per reports on the ground from locals, vested interests are involved in these fires – with a clear attempt of destroying the forest and encroaching the land, added Menon.
This comes following after several fire incidents were reported in Aarey earlier in this month. On March 6, there was a big fire in Aarey near Modern Bakery, which was put out by Mumbai Fire Brigade. Then in the same week, at least three major fires were reported from the area.
List of total fires which have been compiled by activists and residents on the ground
1. 18th March – Royal Palms, Imperial Palace Hotel slope
2. 18th March – Unit No. 32
3. 17th March – between aarey dairy and unit 16 school
4. 16th March – Unit No. 3
5. 15th March – Daytime fire Vihar Lake road
6. 14th March – Huge fire unit no.16 near Aarey Dairy.
7. 14th March – Smoke from unknown second sight
8. 13th March – Night big fire near Aarey Dairy CEO Bungalow. No attempt by CEO to contact fire brigade
9. 11th March – Unit 22, opposite metro shed in front of police camera
10. 7th March – Jambori Maidan and in front of Khadakpada
11. 6th March – Modern bakery, daytime
12. 5th March – Modern bakery, night
13. 5th March – Unit no. 1 Oshiwara river
14. 3rd March – Tapeshwar temple – in front of temple
15. 2nd March Night – In front of Khadakpada
16. 25th February – Bangoda /Filter Pada/Jambori Maidan
17. 21st February – Aarey Guest house Dongar. 2 fires; First in evening, Second at night.
18. 15th February – Royal Palms fire
19. 8th February – Tapeshwar temple at MMRCL transplantation plot by Hari Infra
20. 7th February – Tapeshwar temple at MMRCL transplantation plot by Hari Infra
21. Post fire, JCB work ongoing at the Raheja fire plot at Dindoshi hill
COVID-19: No Lockdown for Mumbai; Strict rules are implemented 5
Maharashtra government has imposed new rules to curb COVID-19 transmission as cases continue to soar in the state. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra issued new guidelines, and urged people to follow COVID-19 protocols. Establishments have been asked to ensure social distancing and provide hand sanitizers at multiple locations. Auditoriums and theatres in Maharashtra are allowed to operate at 50 per cent capacity. Concerned establishments must ensure the presence of enough manpower to enforce wearing of masks and maintaining social distances by all visitors all the time. Drama halls and auditoriums are not allowed to be used for any religious, social, political or cultural gatherings.
BMC additional commissioner Suresh Kakani also preferred the state government’s imposed rules over lockdown like situation. Kishori Pednekar, Mumbai mayor asked people not to violate imposed rules. She appealed to people to obey the government and BMC’s instructions and maintain safety.
State Minister Nawab Malik told Afternoon Voice, “So far no decision is taken regarding lockdown in Mumbai, but people must cooperate by following the rules and norms imposed by the state government, Or else, stern action would be taken against violators”.
Whereas Mumbai Guardian Minister Aslam Shaikh said, “Since COVID-19 cases are on the rise, the situation in Mumbai is not that bad, we are able to control the situation. I am personally visiting various medical centres to ensure the progress in vaccination drive”.
State health minister Rajesh Tope asserted that the lockdown is not a solution but the people need to be more responsible towards their acts. Every individual is asked to take responsibility for his/her family.
PM Modi also urged the nation on the need to take quick decisive steps. He told in his virtual speech, “We need to soon stop the emerging second peak of corona”. He also strongly emphasized on wearing a mask.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to conduct rapid antigen tests at all crowded public places such as malls, markets, shopping complexes, bus stations, and railway stations. A person will be allowed entry into such premises only if they test negative for COVID-19.
In the case of government/semi-government offices, the head of the office is given choice to take a decision regarding the staff attendance ensuring adherence to all COVID-19 protocols.
According to the order, the manufacturing sector can function at full capacity. However, it is advised that the workforce be reduced to ensure adequate social distancing on the production floor, the state government said. -For the purpose of maintaining social distancing, manufacturing units may be allowed to increase the working shifts as approved by the local authorities.
If any manufacturing firm is found to be violating the norms, apart from being penalized it shall also be asked to remain closed till the pandemic ends.
Maharashtra reported a single-day spike of 25,833 COVID-19 cases taking the tally to 2,396,340. The toll from the viral disease has gone up to 53,138. In light of the spurt in COVID-19 cases in Mumbai.
Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, not seen, in Prague, Czech Republic, on June 3, 2019. | Image Courtesy: CTK Photo
On 1 February 2021, Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested and deposed by the Myanmar military, along with other leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party, after the military declared the November 2020 general election results fraudulent. This time her arrest was very filmy, in the early hours of Monday, the army’s TV station said power had been handed over to Commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing. Ms Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and other leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD) was arrested in a series of raids. It is not clear where they are being held. No major violence has been reported.
Soldiers blocked roads in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, and the main city, Yangon. International and domestic TV channels, including the state broadcaster, went off air. Internet and phone services were disrupted. Banks said they had been forced to close. Later, the military announced that 24 ministers and deputies had been removed, and 11 replacements had been named, including in finance, health, the interior and foreign affairs. The grievances which have been driving tension between the military and the government are well enough known.
The military-backed party, the USDP, performed poorly in last November’s general election, whereas the NLD did even better than in 2015. The timing of this coup is also easily explained. This week the first session of parliament since the election was due to start, which would have enshrined the election result by approving the next government. That will no longer happen. But the military’s longer game plan is hard to fathom. What do they plan to do in the year they have given themselves to run the country? There will be public anger over a coup so soon after an election in which 70 percent of voters defied the Covid-19 pandemic to vote so overwhelmingly for Aung San Suu Kyi.
When she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, the Norwegian Nobel Committee dubbed her struggle against the country’s military junta “one of the most extraordinary examples of civil courage in Asia in recent decades. Even now, after her reputation has been tarnished by allegations that as Myanmar’s leader she turned a blind eye to ethnic cleansing and genocide, there are few who doubt Suu Kyi’s bravery. Many, however, would question her wisdom. This is not the first time that she has been arrested. In 1988, Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest shortly after returning to Myanmar. Rather than relent or retreat, she stood her ground. She suffered 15 years of house arrest, becoming a global symbol for democracy. Suu Kyi, who had been Myanmar’s top civilian leader since 2016, was arrested on March 15 as part of a military coup. But almost three decades after her Nobel Peace Prize win, there is little global support for her after her journey from political prisoner to pariah politician. Some former allies suggested that Suu Kyi, now 75 years old, bore some responsibility for Myanmar’s failed democratic experience and recent violence against the Rohingya, a largely Muslim ethnic minority that lives in western Myanmar.
Suu Kyi was born on June 19, 1945, at the tail end of World War II. Her father, Aung San, was a political leader who helped Myanmar, also known as Burma, chart its independence from Britain. Aung San was assassinated in 1947, less than a year before the country’s independence. Myanmar’s powerful military, known as Tatmadaw, dominated the initial attempts at democracy in the country. And, after a coup in 1962, a military junta was installed that would last for decades. Suu Kyi’s mother was a diplomat, and the family spent much of her childhood outside the country. Suu Kyi was educated in India and in England, where she studied at Oxford University and met her future husband, British historian Michael Aris.
In 1988, when she was 43 years old, she returned to Myanmar to care for her ailing mother and became a political force in the country, which was in the midst of the bloody pro-democracy Uprising. Suu Kyi formed the National League for Democracy and won a landslide election in 1990, but the military refused to cede power. Instead, she was kept under house arrest at a huge personal cost. She last saw her husband in 1995. He was subsequently refused permission to visit and died of cancer in 1999. The couple’s two sons were only able to resume regular visits after she was released. She was placed under house arrest for a total of 15 years over a 21-year period, on numerous occasions. Since she began her political career, during which time she was prevented from meeting her party supporters and international visitors. In an interview, she said that while under house arrest she spent her time reading philosophy, politics and biographies that her husband had sent her. She also passed the time playing the piano and was occasionally allowed visits from foreign diplomats as well as from her personal physician.
Although under house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi was granted permission to leave Burma under the condition that she never return, which she refused. The media were also prevented from visiting Aung San Suu Kyi, as occurred in 1998 when journalist Maurizio Giuliano, after photographing her, was stopped by customs officials who then confiscated all his films, tapes and some notes. In contrast, Aung San Suu Kyi did have visits from government representatives, such as during her autumn 1994 house arrest when she met the leader of Burma, General Than Shwe and General Khin Nyunt on 20 September in the first meeting since she had been placed in detention. On several occasions during her house arrest, she had periods of poor health and as a result was hospitalized.
The Burmese government detained and kept Aung San Suu Kyi imprisoned because it viewed her as someone “likely to undermine the community peace and stability” of the country, and used both Article 10(a) and 10(b) of the 1975 State Protection Act (granting the government the power to imprison people for up to five years without a trial), and Section 22 of the “Law to Safeguard the State Against the Dangers of Those Desiring to Cause Subversive Acts” as legal tools against her. She continuously appealed her detention and many nations and figures continued to call for her release and that of 2,100 other political prisoners in the country. On 12 November 2010, days after the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won elections conducted after a gap of 20 years, the junta finally agreed to sign orders allowing Aung San Suu Kyi’s release and house arrest term came to an end on 13 November 2010. But her international reputation suffered severely following an army crackdown on the mostly Muslim Rohingya minority. Former supporters accused her of refusing to condemn the military or acknowledge accounts of atrocities.
Lights, Camera, and Action… this is what comes to our mind when we think about a director, right? But let me tell you all there are some really talented directors that have served the audiences with phenomenal movies and proven their mettle in the film fraternity by their excellent work. From them, one director whose recently released web series has created quite a buzz on the OTT platform.
Filmmaker Sajit Warrier directed “Chakravyuh – an Inspector Virkar Crime thriller” produced by Applause entertainment in association with Mayavid, is being extremely well received by audiences.
Read on as he engages in a freewheeling chat with Hema Singh about the concept, choices, working with Prateik Babbar, his plans as a filmmaker, and more…
How did you think of the concept for the film (Chakravyuh)?
The whole idea of Chakravyuh is developed from the famous crime novel by Piyush Jha and is written beautifully by Karan Shah, Chaitanya Chopra, and Kailash Surendranath. We worked to make sure the screenplay is intense with lots of twists and turns. What I wanted to create was an edge-of-the-seat thriller, which connects with the youth. This is their world and the treatment was very important. The story needed to connect with a mass audience who can understand the grit and grime of this world.
Chakravyuh has created quite a buzz. Can you tell us something about it and the reaction you’ve garnered for the film?
I always believe if we create something with conviction then it will truly connect with its core audience. We got a great team to work together on this project. Applause believed in this story and we had a wonderful cast and crew. It was an overall team effort and I am so happy I could work with all of them. The overall theme and the world of the series is very unique and we had to work hard to make it palatable to a wide audience without losing its intensity. I am so happy that it has been accepted and loved by a large audience.
Who has been your inspiration throughout your journey?
I come from a background where my dad is an accountant, my mother is a housewife, my brother is an IT professional and my wife’s a graphic designer. However, all of us just love watching movies in theatres. I just enjoy the emotion on people’s faces when they are engrossed in the story viewing process and that’s what inspires me. The social experience of being engaged in a dark theatre is what pushes me to keep doing my work at ease.
Were Prateik Babbar and Ruhi Singh first choice?
Prateik Babbar was always our first choice. He has an intensity, which is rarely tapped and it was such a pleasure to work with him. From physically transforming himself for this role to creating a character with a lot of pent-up fury this was a very challenging part for him and he just rocked it totally. While talking about Ruhi Singh, she was great when we auditioned her. She really got the desperation of the young girl who was mistreated in the digital world. She brought loneliness and anger into her part which plays the most important thread in Chakravyuh.
How was it working with the entire star cast (Gopal Datt, Shiv Pandit, Simran Kaur Mundi, Ashish Vidyarthi, Ruhi Dilip Singh)? Any anecdote or incident during the shoots that was memorable?
Simran Kaur Mundi and Shiv Panditt were totally amazing. They were always present and engaged with each other’s characters. They would improvise a lot. Gopal Datt is a character, which was truly dense brought in a lot of levity. He was fun all the way. The young actors like Rohan Joshi and Anjali Sivaraman were enjoyable to work with. Ashish Vidyarthi sir is a legend and his presence really brought in the intensity we wanted for the show. Asif Basra who was such an amiable person will truly be missed. It was a pleasure to work with the whole cast and crew of Chakravyuh.
So how was your journey up till now?
I started as a fine arts student in Vadodara and excelled in animation and visual effects then I tried to delve deeply into Screenwriting and directing at UCLA, Los Angeles and worked with some really talented team of filmmakers in Hollywood. After professionally working in Mumbai for 15 years or so, I enjoy experimenting a lot in the visual medium. For me storytelling as a visual experience is an endless ride. This is just the beginning!
Who is the director you admire most?
I was born in Calcutta and was raised watching Bengali and Malayalam films, so the list is endless. Even as an adult I was drawn to lot of “subtitle movies” as we called them. However, if I were held at gunpoint and had to choose, I would say Stanley Kubrick.
What it luck or hard work that made you a successful person today?
Passion and hard work goes a long way I must say. However, one has to be extremely stubborn to survive. Get used to hearing NO a million times yet keep at it.
How much does reviews by critics or the audience matter to you?
Anyone who spends their hard-earned money to watch something you create has all the right to express their opinion. I love to hear their perspective always. But the truth is one cannot make everyone happy.
What type of research do you do for that movie?
Research is important but instincts are what make a movie unique. You take the research material and spin them into the world of experience you have gathered. Hopefully your instincts and approach will then create a unique visual experience.
If you were to make a high-budget film what will the plan cast be like?
Is there a limit to one’s demands? (Wink) I would love to have all the wonderful actors in my film. However, I truly think we need to invest in the art of storytelling. The writing of the screenplay, the visual magic, the craft of editing and an amazing musical score, this is what I would truly want in my film.
What is your favorite genre, when it comes to direct a movie?
Horror and comedy are two genres that make me satisfied. In a theatre, these two genres will give you an instant feedback. When a scare plays well you get the shudder in a theatre and when your punch line hits in a comedy you get an instant guffaw. I feel there are no other genres which give you such satisfaction.
Where do you see yourself 5-years down the line?
Hopefully, in a houseful theatre watching movies with everyone (Smiles).
What is your biggest strength and weakness?
I am extremely patient with people and with situations. My weakness is I have a sweet tooth.
What according to you is the best and worst part of your journey?
Well, that’s tricky… but here I go. The best part of my journey is I am involved in something I absolutely enjoy. Making movies was always a dream and to think I can keep doing this for the rest of my life. Sometimes one is too obsessed with this journey that you miss out on all the beautiful family moments which never come back.
Lastly, what are your future plans?
I am an artist and a visual effects creator. I believe we can make a visual effects spectacle that the world will marvel at. I am working towards that! (Gratitude).
MLA and Mumbai’s Guardian Minister at Thunga Hospital, Malad to see vaccination arrangements. | Image Courtesy: Aslam Shaikh
Aslam Shaikh who is Cabinet Minister for Textile, Ports, Fisheries came specially to Thunga Hospital in Malad West to see the arrangements for vaccination and all safety measures. Rajesh Shetty thanked Aslam Shaikh for visiting the hospital .
Thunga Hospital is a private ,multi speciality healthcare center located in Mumbai. Established in the year 2001,the Hospital today stands to be one of the best healthcare centers in Mumbai with State-of-the-art diagnostic,therapeutic and intensive care facilities.
The Thunga Medical Trust organizes a number of socio-medical camps and other social initiatives on a regular basis to benefit the poor and needy. They have treated four thousand plus Covid cases at their center with sheer dedication and patient care.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar, while speaking to the media said the Maha Vikas Aghadi is stable and there are no differences. When Afternoon Voice spoke to him regarding the rumors of turmoil in the coalition government, he said, “The Uddhav Thackeray government is performing well.”
While Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said, “There is a well-known strategy in Maharashtra by the opposition to create unrest – each time the Maha Vikas Aghadi government is seen gaining stability in the state, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party introduces fresh pranks to disrupt it. Everyone has the right to dream, and they shall but how can a mistake or conduct of API create a fissure in the government?”
Let it be a bizarre case of a terror scare outside ‘Antilia’, the south Mumbai residence of Mukesh Ambani or the Elgar Parishad investigation in 2019, then with Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in 2020, Central investigating agencies are used to take over politically combative cases.
BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis has heatedly attacked the state government over the links between Sachin Vaze and Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the SUV, who was found dead in Thane. He was very active in alleging state police negligence in Rajput’s suicide case investigation. Another BJP leader, Kirit Somaiya makes creepy attacks almost every day. But that will not affect the equations within the ruling alliance.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has recovered impeaching evidence from the office of Vaze. The agency has questioned seven police officials in connection with the case so far.
“The Maharashtra government led by Uddhav Thackeray is working perfectly”, Pawar said.
“There is a need for a third front in the country but it has not been given a shape yet. We have been talking to different political parties,” Pawar added.
Meanwhile, Sitaram Yechury told Afternoon Voice, “The country is in political turmoil and the ruling party has gone arrogant due to lack of aggressive opposition. There has to be a third front that can change the present equations. We are working on this hope to see some change during the 2024 elections.”
A massive controversy has erupted in Maharashtra, over the arrest and suspension of Vaze, a former police officer and Shiv Sena leader, but transferring Mumbai Police Commissioner and getting another able police officer in a new role may give some respite and restoration to the image of the state police department and the government.
Newly-appointed Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale addresses a press conference at Police Headquarters, in Mumbai, Wednesday, March 17, 2021. | Image Courtesy: PTI Photo
IPS Hemant Nagrale, who replaced Param Bir Singh as the police commissioner of Mumbai has lot of challenges ahead. Obviously, he needs to restore the lost glory of the Mumbai Police and earn people’s faith in the department. We need to understand that the police department is not government; they are part of the administration. They have to abide by the orders and instructions thrown at them by the people in power. Sometimes the repercussions are irreparable, and this is what happened in the case of Param Bir Singh.
The entire department’s integrity was at stake when an utmost biased and loudmouth TV anchor made various attacks on Mumbai Police, and state government because his masters could not make it to the power in spite of playing all foul. The opposition was licking its wounds by letting lose the rabble-rousers on his so-called prime time. The paid IT cell was laced with fake news and propaganda.
And the other so-called sold-out news channels created certain narratives and perceptions about the Mumbai Police which was really dangerous. Most surprisingly the keyboard samurai and Former CM’s wife, who enjoyed police security 24/7 at her bungalow, one fine morning tweeted that she is not feeling safe in Mumbai. When the same thing was uttered by Aamir Khan these right-wing trolls including present CM Uddhav Thackeray asked him to go to Pakistan. See Karma needs no address, he is facing the same fate. The CM and his son were accused of many nasty things by mouthpiece Media.
To counter these noises, the then CP Param Bir Singh and his officers were assigned to take on (BJP inclined) news anchors and TV channels, leaving all other core duties that the police were supposed to do. They were just directed in fulfilling the egos of the state government and its CM. Finally, in this dirty political mud shilling, many police officers’ solemnity was compromised. Isn’t it a tragedy that they were compared to Bihar police and not only that, they were also projected inferior to them?
The position of police officers got difficult during these times especially after BJP losing to power. Soon after that the spread of COVID-19 and the sudden announcement of lockdown, police were battling with law and order, bandobast keeping their own health at risk. With all these adversities, the Mumbai police which was considered as one of the best in the world after Scotland Yard paid for a political foul.
During the lockdown, some mentally depressed actor committed suicide and his death became a national subject (keeping Bihar election in mind), for your kind information during that period of time many film actors and celebrities committed suicide by hanging themselves but there was no blare. Those deaths’ had no utility for BJP’s political vendettas. With one Sushant they wanted to shant (silence) the ruling alliance. CM’s Son, CP Mumbai, and the entire film industry were put on fire. The tragic saga was unstoppable.
Now Hemant Nagrale took charge in the middle of tremendous exposure on a police officer’s arrest in a case linked to the Mukesh Ambani security scare. Param Bir Singh moved to Home Guard but now sent on long vacation by Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh. If you think, Param Bir Singh’s exit will satisfy the thirst of opponents, then you are wrong.
By now BJP must be working on different strategies to trap the new CP, they are laced with their boot-licking media houses and troll army on social sites to scuff Nagrale. There would be more watchdogs, fake-news pedlars, WhatsApp groups, and much more for him.
The Sachin Vaze investigation has become a huge embarrassment for the Maharashtra government and police departments. Regrettably, all talented police officers and equally corrupt, be it Ravindra Angry, Pradeep Sharma, Sunil More, Sachin Vaze, Pawar are Shiv Sena workers, and this is the reason they got cornered.
It is their fault too, as they flaunted being there in the name of so-called political parties and connected with top brass leaders. What happened? They were used by their political masters for washing dirty linen, who is at stake? It’s the department.
Today Shiv Sena and BJP might be locking horns, but you never know what will happen tomorrow. They can shake hands for power, politics is the business of scoundrels. Politicians of India have no morality or ethics. In politics no one is an enemy or friend, it’s all about convenience. But the cops should know what their limits are, and how to guard themselves against getting sacrificed for political motives.
I wish Nagrale deals with these powerhouses smartly without getting bullied by them, a 1987-batch IPS officer, has handled cases such as the Ketan Parekh scam and the Harshad Mehta scam. Nagrale’s first posting was at Naxal-affected Chandrapur district as additional superintendent of police, Rajura during 1989-1992. During his tenure as deputy commissioner of police (1992-94), he successfully controlled post-Babri Masjid communal riots in Solapur.
Thereafter, as Superintendent of Police (SP), Ratnagiri (1994-1996), handled the land acquisition problem related to ENRON or Dabhol Power Corporation. As SP, criminal investigation department (CID) (crime) during 1996-1998, he investigated MPSC paper leak case, the infamous multiple children kidnapping, and murder cases involving Anjanabai Gavit and her daughters.
Nagrale then proceeded on deputation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in March 1998 and served till September 2002. Initially, he was posted as SP, BSFC, CBI, and Mumbai later as DIG, CBI at New Delhi.
For a brief period in 2014, Nagrale held an additional charge as commissioner of police. From May 2016 to July 2018, Nagrale was posted as commissioner of police, Navi Mumbai as part of which he handled the Maratha reservation agitation whose focal point was Navi Mumbai.
He was then promoted to DG rank in October 2018 and was entrusted with the responsibility of looking after the forensic science laboratories in the state. He is a very well-groomed and experienced police Officer; let’s see how he handles all the odds.
Ankit Pahadiya in Search of Truth: “Classical dance world is filled with politics” 13
It is said that for a dancer to become a true artist he or she should experience various phases of a dancer’s life, from an initial motivation to start to learn the art of dance to mentorship and blessing of the guru, ups and downs of the world of dance, politics, setbacks, awards, creative differences to new creations, fears, tears, smiles, and laughs, when all become a part of a dancer’s life that is when the real performer starts to blossom.
Today, I want you all to meet Ankit Pahadiya, a highly talented Mayurbhanj Chhau dancer who at a very young age has experienced many highs and lows of life making him an extra ordinary performer. I recently met this extremely hard-working 28 years old young man and I was happy he poured his feeling out and spoke right from his heart about his humble family background, his struggles and achievements.
Tell me about your background and your initial days of learning dance?
Before I started my career in dance, I was preparing for a government job as my uncle worked in the Parliament, as security in-charge and my family wanted me to follow his footsteps. However, since my childhood dance always fascinated me, I often tried to learn by watching Saroj Khan ji on television, I even joined a local dance school but, my family was strongly against dance as a profession. Despite these challenges, as a teenager, I joined Shaimak Davar’s Institution in Delhi and alongside practiced yoga and participated in several yoga & dance competitions.
My family came to know about this and totally banned me from dancing and said that if I was to choose dance as profession, they would certainly not help me financially, they even stopped giving me pocket money to punish me. Fortunately, my grandmother secretly paid the fees of Rs. 500 without letting my family know. She could not do it for long so I, started working at night at a call center in order to pay for my dance lessons. In 2008, I joined the Imperial Fernando Ballet Company and for 3 years trained in ballet under Maestro Fernando Aguilera.
How did Mayurbhanj Chhau become your love?
While learning Ballet I joined the Natya Ballet Centre too, where I was exposed to Chhau. That workshop blew my mind, I was fascinated by Chhau and my curiosity led me to learn more about this amazing and unique dance form. In 2009, I met Guru Janmey Joy Sai Babu ji, a Sangeet Natak awardee, under whose guidance I started my training for Chhau Dance. He taught me that the Chhau Dance form demands meditation and austerity and that this classic form of dance is even deeper than the depth of the Ocean.
Every day I trained under my guru and gradually he polished my skills by teaching me the deep intricacies. Slowly I started to travel with him for choreographies, conducting workshops and performances. During my training, I joined Bhoomika Creative Dance Centre, run by my Mentor guru Bharat Sharma Ji from 2013 to 2017. This gave me the opportunity to train in Indian contemporary dance under international artists, which allowed me to improve my theoretical knowledge of dance styles. This helped me tremendously to enter the professional dance arena.
From 2016 to 2020, I started my training in Sarikela Chhau Dance under the guidance of Guru Padam Shri Shashidhar Acharya and Sapan Acharya at Triveni Kala Sangam.
Tell me about some of your memorable shows?
As a soloist I have danced at many festivals and events. But some performances are very close to my heart. Chaitra Praba – in Orissa, where I danced with live musicians, Shilpgram Mahaotsav – where I was personally invited by Padma Vibhushan Dr. Sonal Mansingh ji. Kala Ghoda Festival – where my performance was highly appreciated. Voice of Krishna – a dance drama choreographed by Deepak Mazumdar ji and directed by Koyel Tripathi where I played the sutradhar, also my choreography for Hema Malini ji’s Durga and Mahishasur is something I cherish a lot.
I often conduct workshops to promote Chhau all over India, but my best workshops have been with students of Terence Lewis Dance Company and also for core dance members of Hema Malini ji’s dance group Natyavihar Kalakendra.
What hardships did you face to reach to this level?
I began as a group dancer but because my jumps were higher and body language, expressions, movements and extensions much sharper than others, I was told that I am trying to over shadow others. It was very tough; I did not know whether to take such comments negatively or positively. Finally, I decided to leave the group and be a soloist.
That was the most difficult phase, I went into depression with no work and no income. Obviously, I could not complain or share my feelings with my family because I had made the choice of dance as my profession against their wishes, I stopped attending family functions and meeting with relatives.
Dance practices saved my life, I practiced for 16 hours, there were days I could not sleep because during my sleep my body was moving and my mind was obsessed with the thoughts and future goals, making me extremely restless. I would wake up in the middle of the night and would start practice, eagerly waiting for morning to start my lessons with my guru. A time came when I slept without food and did not even have money to travel – but my guru’s words ‘keep patience and things will sort out’ kept me going.
What has been you biggest heartbreak in the world of dance?
The classical dance field is filled with politics, young artists do not get a chance to perform at prestigious festivals. Organisers give opportunities to artists not on merit but only with approach and influence. Many organisers have asked me to perform for free or even worse asked for money to perform. However, I stood strong against such unfair practices and refused. Sadly, it has become a tradition in the classical world to pay and perform. Today, Ankit is on his difficult but individual path, far from politics, and continues to focus on gaining knowledge and exploring art. We are proud of his work and achievements despite all the challenges, let us look positively to the future of this talent box who is a unique performer in search of truth for his beloved Chhau Dance form.
Cyberbullying and fraudsters are now forced to get more creative, particularly in focusing on all forms of social engineering. To convince their prey they started giving visual delights to music effects. They have tie-ups with various data centers for stronger numbers, creating a plot to cheat from Paytm to phone pay and recently the lottery, they are using more sophisticated methods of bypassing filters and signature-based scans and using all forms of emotional cues to wobble in a victim.
Poverty, joblessness, greed and survival challenge prompt the victims to fall into such traps. There is a lack of awareness in those who are at the receiving end of the scams. A phishing email is outdated these days, their new medium to reach their targets are WhatsApp. Human error in cybersecurity is still a leading cause of many if not most data breaches.
Sophisticated e-crime activity continues to outpace state-sponsored activity, e-crime accounted for over 80 per cent of all interactive intrusion. This can be attributed to successful targeted attacks by threat actors using ransom ware and ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) models. Apart from such ransomware attacks, hands-on keyboard intrusions have also increased in the first half of 2020. Two-thirds of businessmen say cyber crime could occur more during Covid-19 than before.
Cybercrime is not new, but increased levels of connectivity, remote working, dependence on technology, and mechanization means the risk of attack is rising rapidly. All criminals target vulnerabilities, and this is no different online. Gaps in your defences can be targeted both at a human and system level.
Pandemic aside, the last five years have seen several significant data security breaches at high-profile organisations. Businesses must be better prepared and equipped to identify and respond to digital threats. Even larger corporate organisations that invest significantly in IT security must stay constantly up to date with the evolving cyber threat landscape.
With the Centre scrambling to fortify India’s cyber operations amid growing warnings of malware attacks on personal and organizational devices, intelligence and cyber law experts have said much like crimes against women, India suffers from dismal under-reporting of cybercrimes. India recorded 9,622, 11,592 and 12,317 cases of cybercrime in 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively. The data for 2017 comes after a two-year delay, with the Centre blaming states for the delay in providing statistics for compilation.
With the Centre setting up the NIC-CERT–National Informatics Centre-Computer Emergency Response Team–to combat cybercrimes and the home ministry proposing to set up the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the government is hoping to beef up India’s cybersecurity network.
The advancement of technology has made man dependent on the Internet for all his needs. The Internet has given men easy access to everything while sitting in one place. Social networking, online shopping, storing data, gaming, online studying, online jobs, every possible thing that man can think of can be done through the medium of the internet. The Internet is used in almost every sphere. With the development of the Internet and its related benefits also developed the concept of cyber crimes.
Cyber crimes are committed in different forms. A few years back, there was lack of awareness about the crimes that could be committed through the Internet. In matters of cyber crimes, India is also not far behind the other countries where the rate of incidence of cyber crimes is also increasing day by day. There are millions of websites; all hosted on servers abroad, that offer online gambling. In fact, it is believed that many of these websites are actually fronts for money laundering. Cases of hawala transactions and money laundering over the Internet have been reported. Whether these sites have any relationship with drug trafficking is yet to be explored. The recent Indian case about cyber Lotto was very interesting.
In May 2000, the economic offences wing, IPR section crime branch of Delhi police registered its first case involving theft of Internet hours. In this case, the accused, Mukesh Gupta an engineer with Nicom System (p) Ltd. was sent to the residence of the complainant to activate his Internet connection. However, the accused used Col. Bajwa’s login name and password from various places causing wrongful loss of 100 hours to Col.
Delhi police arrested the accused for theft of Internet time. On further inquiry in the case, it was found that Krishan Kumar, son of an ex-army officer, working as a senior executive in M/s Highpoint Tours & Travels had used Col Bajwa’s login and passwords as many as 207 times from his residence and twice from his office.
He confessed that Shashi Nagpal, from whom he had purchased a computer, gave the login and password to him. The police could not believe that time could be stolen. They were not aware of the concept of time-theft at all. The Commissioner of Police, Delhi then took the case into his own hands and the police under his directions raided and arrested Krishan Kumar under sections 379, 411, 34 of IPC and section 25 of the Indian Telegraph Act.
In another case, the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police arrested a computer engineer who got hold of the password of an Internet user, accessed the computer and stole 107 hours of Internet time from the other person’s account. He was booked for the crime by a Delhi court in May 2000. Cops are solving the cases which are local and have some clues but from unknown attacks, one needs patience and cops need a lot of time and legwork. The only thing that can prevent you is being smart while sharing your details online. Since then by the time 2021 arrived the cyber crime cases have gone classic. But there is no catch to pull them.
