Ex-Dawood Ibrahim aide arrested from Nalasopara

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February 27, 2020

Akhtar Merchant an aide of Dawood Ibrahim was arrested from Nalasopara by the Palghar Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) this morning. Merchant was hiding in Bangladesh since 2018 after his role in the abduction of a Mira Road based businessman was established. He was planning to flee to Nairobi. Merchant who worked for Dawood later set up his own gang and was active in the Vasai-Virar and Thane belts.

In 2018, the Naya Nagar police had registered a case of abduction and extortion against Merchant for kidnapping and demanding a Rs 50 lakh ransom from a businessman. He had then fled to Nepal and later moved base to Bangladesh. Merchant who was into the business of extortion and abduction had returned to Mumbai recently after he failed to obtain a passport in Bangladesh. Acting on a tip-off that Merchant would be visiting his wife in Nalasopara, cops on Tuesday laid a trap.

Police said that Merchant was in plans to flee to Nairobi where he is believed to have a second wife.

Merchant has been handed over to the Naya Nagar police.

Husband kills wife over suspicion of extra-marital affair in Malad

By

Hema Singh

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February 27, 2020

Kurar police on Thursday arrested a security guard named Dinesh More for allegedly killing his wife on suspicion of her affair with one of his friend in Malad. The alleged incident took place in the early hours of Thursday at Siddheshwar Chawl in Kurar village.

According to the police, the 38 year-old accused and his wife Maya More (35) would frequently fight over this issue. “Since the last 8 to 10 months, Dinesh had been suspecting Maya of having an affair with one of his friends,” said an official.

Police said that on Wednesday night, the two fought again over the same issue. Soon after hearing the noise from the More house at around 1:15 am, neighbours started knocking the door. However, when no one responded, people got suspicious. This was followed by a sudden tranquility. After that, the neighbours informed the police about the same. When the police reached the spot and opened the door, they found Maya lying in a pool of blood.

Police said the victim had multiple injuries on her face and neck ostensibly caused due to attack by a koyta (dagger) which was found near her body. After that, the police took her to a hospital but she was declared dead on arrival.

Subsequently, the police arrested More and booked him under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the relevant provisions of the Arms Act.

Stop donating money; donate your eyes

By

Afternoon Voice

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February 27, 2020

Was just wondering as to how would it be to live without eyesight for a day? I guess most of us don’t even want to think about that scenario. Would you be happy if somebody locks us in a completely dark room for a long time? I will not. So we can only imagine how it would be to live without eyesight.

Our world consists of things big or small but colourful. We see shapes and we recognise people or anything else because of our eyesight. The colourful things distinguish one from the other therefore they have their own identities.

However not all of us are lucky to have this asset. We will understand and realise only if we somehow are forced to live a life of a blind for few days. Getting sucked into an abysmal darkness, we will understand how precious these are.

Of all charities, eye donation is the noblest because it opens up new vistas of light for the visually impaired. No wonder someone rightly said:
If you want to see Facebook or WhatsApp even after your death
-Donate your eyes
-See when you are alive
-Also see when you are gone.

All we need to do is bequeath our eyes by taking a pledge when we are alive, to donate our eyes after we die. This permission can be given by the closest relative of the deceased too.

The cornea is the most important part of the eye which can become opaque due to infection, injuries, lack of proper post-operative care, malnutrition and also due to congenital or hereditary reasons. A corneal implantation is done through surgery by which opaque cornea is replaced with a clear one obtained from an eye donor. Within six hours of death, a call for eye donation is to be made to the nearest eye-bank of a hospital and this sets in motion the eye bank after which the team reaches the house of the deceased in no time. At the actual site, eyes of the deceased are removed without causing any disfigurement within 10-15 minutes.

There are many tertiary hospitals with whom one can get in touch with and express their will to donate ones eyes. Global ophthalmic community is now poised up to set up widespread across to corneal transplantation through eye donation. Though in India, number of such calls willing to donate eyes has increased. But still, it is very low as compared to the demand. And people unwilling or unaware about donating eyes adds to it. However many health organisations are engaging themselves in the task of creating awareness and counseling about this. And this way some improvement have been seen. But still a lot more is to be done.

Common people must be educated about ‘Eye Donation’ and they must be convinced about leaving their grief and myths. Only if eye donation becomes a tradition, the corneal blindness incidents can be reduced.
Mind you, a person dying of diseases such as rabies, syphilis, aids, hepatitis, etc. cannot donate eyes.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Aakriti Art Foundation’s art exhibition at Simroza Art Gallery

By

Web Team

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February 27, 2020

Aakriti Art Foundation is going to hold its ‘Colors of springs 14^th art exhibition’ at Mumbai’s Simroza Art Gallery. The exhibition will hold paintings of 24 famous Indian artists. Gradually it will be seen that there will be more than 100 painting art exhibits. in which famous artists from different parts of India will participate in which Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kolkata, Bangalore and others.

Aakriti Art Foundation has been organising such events continuously for the last 10 years in which artists who have mastered painting for the last many years have demonstrated their art on this platform.
This art exhibition will be open from 27 February to 1 March 2020 from 11 am to 7 pm.

Earlier, those of whom who participated in the exhibition were veteran artists like MF Hussain, Ramesh Gorjala, Sameer Mondal, Thota Vaikuntham, Manoj Das, Ramesh Gojar, Kumud Das, Sunil Tambe, Dr. Shash Benurwar, Qureshi Besrai, Mrinal Dutt, Neela Vidwan, Jai Ranjith, Ravindra Kamble, Rajalakshmi Sonawane, Parimal Vaghela, Swapan Roy, Kanchan Mahante, Poonam Anand, Anjali Wuduta, Sharad Malakar, Deepak Garud, Prabuddh S. Sawant and Mamta Bora.

Incidentally, Aakriti is attending this the Art Foundation’s event as an honored guest in which Manju Lodha, Leela Gajra, Ganpat Kothari, Manisha Shah, Parvez Damania, SP Ahuja, Rajeev Chopra, Piyush Gupta, Anand Kumar Shukla, Dinesh Tiwari, Simran Ahuja, Khemchand Bhagnani, Mickey Mehta, Ketan Shah, Dinesh Kochhar, Ajaykant Ruia, Dilip Shukla and Deepak Sawant are participating.

This art performance has been organised by Manmohan Jaiswal, founder and organiser of Akriti Art Foundation.

Letters to the Editor: 27 February, 2020

By

Web Team

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February 27, 2020

Lions at home but paper tigers abroad

Winning and losing is part and parcel of sports but being thrashed ruthlessly by 10 wickets is cause for concern for Team India in New Zealand. Men In Blue were all at sea at Wellington as the Kiwis were not even made to sweat on their home turf. Rare to see Captain Kohli fail twice in a Test Match and there was hardly any resistance from other members of the side. Our bowling was mediocre as Kohli and his boys proved yet again that they are Lion’s playing at home but paper tigers abroad.

India began well on Kiwi tour winning every T-20 game but has lost all games since then including being blanked out in the ODI series. New Zealand is a tough side to beat in their own backyard and Team India will have to put up an exceptional show in the next Test to level the series. Over dependence on Kohli is the key reason for our failure as the boys panic once the captain is dismissed cheaply.

S.N.Kabra

Sleeping drivers cause accidents

The Road Transportation Authority and the police doubt that it’s because of carelessness and drowsiness that led to the major bus and truck collision near Tirupur in Tamil Nadu resulting in the death of so many passengers and many seriously injured. The report says that the driver might have slept and lost control of the truck that resulted in the container it was carrying to hit the passenger bus on the Avinashi highway. The driver has come out with an excuse saying that the broken tyres amounted to accident but police and transportation authority after an examination at the site say that there are marks on the tyres that prove that the tyres have crushed upon the divider and this is a sign of the careless driving which would have been caused as a result of sleepiness.

Drowsy driving is a major problem and heavy disasters occur when those at the wheels who got to have their eyes wide open, wink for a second out of drowsiness. Many tragic incidents have occurred because of drowsy driving. Drowsiness occur when drivers do not have proper rest and sleep. Transportation department, the police authority and other stake holders will have to wake up and act immediately so that such terrible accidents due to carelessness can be avoided.

Night patrolling, checking and lessening the speed of heavy vehicles, shift work scrutiny, anti sleep devices in drivers cabins, cautioning and alerting drivers to avoid medication and strict prohibition of consuming alcohol while driving have to be implemented. Resting places or zones for heavy vehicle drivers must be provided.

M Pradyu

Judges should avoid making comments on political rulers

It refers to media-reports about one of the judges of Supreme Court praising Prime Minister while speaking at International Judicial Conference. But persons seated as judges should avoid making comments on political rulers. Rather such praise puts praised politicians in an embarrassing position when they are blamed by opponents to have influenced judiciary. Situation becomes still more difficult if such praising judges get some post-retirement appointment by the praised political rulers. Restatement of Values in Judicial Life (Conduct-code for judges of higher courts) should incorporate provision that judges may avoid commenting on individual politicians publicly.

It is also time that present BJP-ruled central government may implement its own policy while it was in opposition to impose a two-year bar on post-retirement appointment of judges of higher courts. Even post of chairperson of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) should be for any retired Supreme Court judge instead of retired Chief Justice of India to practically adhere to policy of not providing post-retirement appointment for two years after retirement. It will auto-care situation of post of NHRC-chairperson being vacant for long like happened when one retired Chief Justice of India was not considered fit to chair NHRC and the only other retired Chief Justice of India at that time declined to accept the posting.

Madhu Agrawal

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Versova resident held with 1.5 Kg ganja at Ghatkopar Metro Station

By

Hema Singh

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February 27, 2020

A 29-year-old Versova resident identified as Shailesh Pansare was arrested by the Mumbai zone10 police on Wednesday late night after he was found carrying 1.5 kg of ganja at Ghatkopar Metro Railway station.

Talking of it, Ankit Goyal Deputy Commissioner of Police said, “Pansare stays in Versova in Mumbai. After he got down at the Ghatkopar metro railway station, he was found carrying 1.5 kg ganja during a security check. We are trying to find out the source from where he got the ganja and to whom it was planned to be supplied,” Goyal added.

Police have booked the accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the officer said.

An intelligence failure is the Home Ministry’s failure: Rajnikanth

By

Afternoon Voice

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February 27, 2020

Giving his views on the incidents of violence that have shaken the national capital in the last three days, Tamil film superstar Rajinikanth said that it was ‘an intelligence failure. This means that it is the Home Ministry’s failure.

At least 25 persons including a police head constable have died while around 200 people have sustained serious injuries in the violence that erupted in north-east Delhi last Sunday that lead to widespread vandalism and arson.

“The protests that are happening in Delhi are because of intelligence failure. I condemn it. When a leader like Trump (US President) is in the country, the intelligence department should have been more vigilant. They didn’t do their job properly. At least now I expect them to be vigilant. The violence should be dealt with an iron fist,” Rajinikanth observed.

The actor further added that he will oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) if it affects Muslims. “I said if Muslims are affected by the CAA, I will stand for them. The Central government has clarified that they have not implemented NRC, there is no point in creating confusion over it. Protests should not turn violent,” said Rajinikanth.

Turn MBA into your forte by including these questions in your checklist

By

Web Team

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February 26, 2020

Have you been thinking about turning your MBA into your forte? The roles and responsibilities of an MBA career involve digging deep and bringing out the best in your personality. Your role also prepares you to face challenges and get over the harshest times.

Apart from expanding your network circles, it is also essential to list down your long-term goals. One of the most important things is to attend informational interviews; this will help you to not only make MBA your strength but also your forte. MBA indeed is a key to a bright and successful career if one evaluates their strengths and weakness and works towards achieving excellence.

Here are the questions you can ask yourself before getting into the Top Management Colleges in India which will help you to evaluate whether you are making most of your MBA degree or not:

While focusing on your career, are you experimenting with your job?

It is advisable to go beyond the career exploration offered through recruiting. With access to top companies, get the gist of what different fields and functions you will have for your career option. Learning about roles and industries will give you a chance to use and experiment with skills required in a variety of roles and land you in a job that will let you effortlessly use your strengths.

Are you making the most of your MBA “card”?

Pursuing an MBA provides you with an ability to get access to various sources. You can obtain data, get access to informational interviews and attend conferences. Thus you can open more doors based on your position and company. It is essential to use your freedom to meet new leaders and explore new opportunities.

Will attending informational interviews get you ahead on the top of your list?

If not, it should. To build a network of contacts which will actively help you and narrow down your research’s scope by searching and gathering information, you must attend informational interviews regularly. Visit information with an intent of learning as much as possible about your target industry, role or company.

Are you talking to the professionals?

This one thing should be on your check list ¾expanding not only your network circles but also leveraging your traditional network ¾ you will have to step out of your comfort zone.

Talking to professionals who you meet during conferences or who come to your institute to speak or even first contacts of your target field on LinkedIn or Facebook. You can also connect to various alumni of your target field.

Are you focusing on your goal to turn your MBA into your forte?

Write down your goal, revisit it time ann again and make it your mantra. To achieve success, you can narrow down your target companies and study the role you wish to play. Planning towards your goals will not only help you achieve them, but also lead to turning them into your forte. Remember, thoughts become things¾Plan, Act, Achieve!

Have you established a long-term career goal for yourself?

If you haven’t established a career goal for yourself, now is the time and it is never too late.

Once you have a long-term career goal, it will be easier for you to determine a plan to achieve success in making your MBA degree your biggest plus point or strength. You can start by identifying your aspirations, focusing on your efforts for short-term career opportunities and increasing your chances to secure a position that will put your forte to the best use.

Are you complacent after getting into an MBA program or obtaining the degree?

If you want to turn your MBA degree into your strength, you mustn’t become complacent after you get into the course or even obtain your degree, for that matter. Take the opportunity to attend networking events, volunteer, partner in your targeted research or even take on an independent study. Get experience as much as possible to open new doors to the same old ambition. Gaining experience will help you not only to cultivate your professional identity but also spark new ambitions and passions in your career.

Are you impacting your fellow MBA mates positively?

You can develop your speaking skills as well as your thinking capability; this will help you to analyse your weaknesses as well as your skills and help you to form minor goals that will shape your specific goals. You can gain critical management skills when you choose to interact and work with like-minded people who impact and in turn, be impacted by others. Most of all, it is extremely crucial to keep a broad approach towards evaluating your MBA experience without small-minded consideration of only your future compensation ¾ collective achievement; in fact, will lead to greater achievements.

Are you willing to pursue your interests simultaneously?

If you spend your course duration on developing and shaping your skills and strength and at the same time, work on your weaknesses, you will carry these habits for a longer period.

There will be too much on your plate right from developing yourself to building a community/network that will help you in making your MBA degree your forte. You should also maintain your hobbies and interests to relieve stress and strengthen your mental capabilities. Not only will you get a realistic view of the challenges and your weaknesses, due to pursuing your interest while aiming to make your MBA your forte, but also refresh your mind and provide you with a clear perspective on various ideas.

Are you willing to maintain your old ties and relationships?

Making an MBA your forte will require you to form network circles as well as a collaborative community. While you make new connections and acquaintances, you are required to maintain old connections too. Doing so will lead to career/personal support to fulfill your ambitions.

Ask yourself all these questions; this will help you to analyse your skills and weakness ¾ work on bettering yourself ¾ that will eventually help you to make an MBA as your biggest strength.

Powers should remain in hands of people

By

Vaidehi Taman

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February 26, 2020

Anna Hazare, who is mute on burning issues of India, found slamming Thackeray govt seeking ‘Indirect Sarpanch Polls’ by calling it autocratic. Criticizing the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Hazare stated that the indirect sarpanch polls were threat to democracy. The government is set to table the indirect sarpanch polls bill during the budget session of the Maharashtra Assembly to reverse an earlier decision under which people directly elected the village sarpanch (headman). The rule for direct election of sarpanch was brought in by the previous BJP-led Devendra Fadnavis government amending respective clauses of Maharashtra Gram Panchayat Act of 1958 to facilitate the election of a sarpanch (gram panchayat heads) directly from among the people of the village. But the Uddhav Thackeray-led government seeks its reversal which has been stalled by Governor BS Koshyari, who refused to sign the promulgation of an ordinance on this. Highlighting the importance of Gram Sabha polls, Hazare invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts on electoral democracy. Stating that once a person turns 18, he becomes a part of the Gram Sabha, Hazare said that it was a natural and organic body. Moreover, he reminded that the Gram Sabha voters who elect the Legislative Assembly MLAs and Lok Sabha MPs. He added that while the above-mentioned legislative assemblies changed every five years, the Gram Sabha was permanent. Elaborating on the various Gram Sabhas, he said each voter of the Gram Sabha change the MLAs and the members of the district, thus changing the village Gram Panchayat. He concluded that as the Gram Sabha was supreme, the sarpanch must be elected by the voters and not the political party representatives, as proposed in the bill.

Hazare believes that the current government did not believe in transparency and therefore, wanted sarpanches to be elected by councilors. He added that not only sarpanches but also the Chief Minister should be directly elected by the people. The former Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP government had scrapped the procedure of electing sarpanches from among the elected gram panchayat committee members, and had started a new process whereby sarpanches would be elected by the people through an election. Recently, however, the MVA government reinstated the old process but did not get the governor’s nod on the decision which is why its implementation was pending. Hazare is backing the direct election of sarpanches. He expressed his apprehension saying, “If the direct process is scrapped, there will be a direct threat to democracy and there are chances of increasing dictatorship in the state. It is not decentralization in the true sense. Powers should be in the hands of the people otherwise the importance of political parties will increase and it will affect democracy.”

The Gram Sabha is the fulcrum of the Panchayati Raj and village development. People use the forum of the Gram Sabha to discuss local governance and development, and make need- based plans for the village. The Panchayat implements development programs under the overarching mandate, supervision and monitoring of the Gram Sabha. All decisions of the Panchayat are taken through the Gram Sabha and no decision is official and valid without the consent of the Gram Sabha. The Panchayat Secretary after obtaining approval of the Sarpanch should organize the Gram Sabha. Gram Panchayat Sarpanch has to convene a Gram Sabha meeting when either 10 per cent members of Gram Sabha or 50 persons of Gram Sabha (whichever is more) submits their requisition for holding a Gram Sabha. However, those members have to inform the purpose for the meeting. A written request for the meeting must be handed over to the Sarpanch during office hours 5 days before the date of meeting. If the Sarpanch fails to hold the meeting on the requested date, the members who requested the meeting can then organize the Gram Sabha meeting. Gram Sabha has its own protocol and functionary, in such circumstances ‘indirect Sarpanch Polls’ is not vice idea. The term Gram Sabha is defined in the Constitution of India under Article 243(b). Gram Sabha is the primary body of the Panchayati Raj system and by far the largest. It is a permanent body. Gram Sabha is the Sabha of the electorate. All other institutions of the Panchayati Raj like the Gram Panchayat, Block Panchayat and Zila Parishad are constituted by elected representatives. The decisions taken by the Gram Sabha cannot be annulled by any other body.

The power to annul a decision of the Gram Sabha rests with the Gram Sabha only. Anna Hazare always had a brutal struggle against one or the other unreasonable arrogance of government. Indians keep oscillating between total apathy to mass hysteria when it comes to serious issues. While corruption is a serious issue, the mass hysteria often ignores the root causes of corruption. Causes for Indian corruption are too deep and it cannot be fought without fixing other basic issues. The struggle has to be a holistic one that tries to fix the problem in a more practical manner. All he asked us to do was open our eyes to reality. To stop living under the illusion that things will magically change without us doing anything. He brought us together in a fight against corruption in a way that no one has since the Gandhian era. He is the most peaceful protester ever. His methods may not be working in today’s times. But he is NOT undermining democracy or thrusting anything upon us. If anything he is doing us a favour. He’s asking us to question the authenticity of so many executive actions that affect US. That is our money which is lost in every scam that comes out. Political parties take the advantage of their power when they rule, they make amendments in rules or they integrate things that are suites to their survival. Hope Anna Hazare can restore democracy by making politicians accountable.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)

Hazare backs direct election of sarpanch

By

Suraj Chandran

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February 26, 2020

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has raised objections against the Uddhav Thackeray led Maha Vikas Aghadi government’s decision to cancel direct election for the post of sarpanch. As per the new rule, elected gram panchayat members will pick the sarpanch from among themselves. Hazare added that for restoration of democracy sarpanch should be elected by people. He said that while the legislative assemblies changed five years Gram Sabha was permanent.

Hazare said, “The government doesn’t believe in democracy and therefore wanted sarpanch to be elected by councilors. If direct election process is scrapped then there will be a direct threat to democracy. There is a possibility of increasing dictatorship in the state. Powers should remain in the hands of people otherwise significance of political parties will increase and it will affect democracy.”

The erstwhile BJP government had taken a decision of electing a village sarpanch directly from among the people. On the other hand, the MVA government had decided that a sarpanch will be elected by members of gram panchayat who belong to political parties. Thackeray also reversed another decision about direct election in local-self government bodies like municipal councils. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari has refused to sign an ordinance to reverse the former BJP government’s decision of direct election of sarpanch. The government is all set to table indirect sarpanch poll bill during the budget session of Maharashtra assembly.

“Not only sarpanch of the village but chief minister of the state should get selected through election process. Then only we can say that democracy means for the people and by the people,” added Hazare.

BJP leader Vikas Matkari has supported Anna’s stand of direct election of sarpanch. Already 9,000 gram panchayats have passed a resolution opposing the state government’s decision to allow members to elect a sarpanch from among themselves. It also suspended 600 expert directors appointed in the 302 agriculture produce marketing committee (APMC).