Nagpur: Man sets woman on fire after not getting response to his proposal, held

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February 3, 2020

A man named Vicky Nagrale who must be in his 30s has been arrested by the Nagpur police for allegedly trying to kill a woman by setting her on fire on Monday in Nagpur. The incident took place at Nandori Chowk in Hinganghat around 9:30 am.

According to the police report, the accused poured petrol on the woman’s face and set her on fire. However, a passerby doused the fire and rushed the woman to a nearby hospital.

Police said that Nagrale was after the woman who is a teacher by profession. After not getting any response from her, Nagrale committed the crime in a fit of rage. Reportedly, the woman who sustained 30 per cent burns is said to be in a critical condition.

Shaheen Bagh Movement: A Symbol of Unity

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Web Team

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February 3, 2020

Shaheen Bagh has become a symbol of resistance, a pan-India template which has been replicated in other parts of the country. It has emerged as a platform of freedom of expression for dissenting voices to air their grievances and express solidarity.

The locality came into prominence due to the presence of a large number of women protesters of various age groups. In fact, the movement is led by Muslim women, who are being supported by women from other communities as well.

The protest at Shaheen Bagh began with the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in December last year, and the ensuing police intervention against students at Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University on December 15. Growing in size by the day, it has now become the longest ongoing protest against CAA-NRC-NPR, triggering similar movements in different parts of the country,

Initially some courageous women have come out in droves to challenge the might of the government and protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Camping under open skies and braving the capital’s coldest winter in a century, these protestors, mostly women from neighbouring areas, have turned what was a student’s movement into national movement.

The movement started with few Muslim men and women, the protest is no longer limited to Muslims. Every day, hundreds of people of different religions come and join protesters in what they call a movement to “save the country and its constitution. The women wave anti-CAA placards but the one that is the most powerful is a copy of the Constitution and the frequent readings of the preamble by volunteers. This is a unique moment and a unique movement. The women seated, many holding hands, are inside a protective circle of young men.

The new citizenship law violates the Fundamental Rights of Equality, Life and Liberty, as mentioned in the Constitution. The law will grant Indian citizenship to “persecuted minorities: Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parisians and Christians, from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, but it blocks the naturalization of Muslims.

The protesters believe in that making religion a condition to grant anyone citizenship. Also, we strongly condemn the violence that has been unleashed on students.

The people at the “peaceful protest” against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) held posters, placards and the tricolour in their hands. The slogans like ‘azaadi’ and ‘reject CAA-NPR-NRC’ are visible on one side; on the other there are posters displaying the Sanskrit phrase ‘vasudhaiva kutumbakam’ (The world is one family).

Except National Flag, no other flag of any hue or any political party is visible. “We the people of India” has become an anthem for protesters, who read aloud the Preamble to the Constitution every day.

It is interesting to note that there were no politicians and that this was a spontaneous movement without any leader. It was also entirely and spontaneously peaceful. One month long protest will continue to fight against new citizenship law that discriminates against Muslims.

Now, Shaheen Bagh became a symbolic home of the movement, with a prominent role in the country’s history of change and tumult. The protest won’t end unless the government gives us in writing that no harm would be done to us after the CAA-NPR-NRC process. The basic agenda of this movement led by the women is clearly to pressurise the government to rollback the black law of citizen ship.

-By Dr. Meraj Ahmad Meraj

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

Letters to the Editor: 03 February, 2020

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Web Team

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February 3, 2020

1FM Sitharaman’s visionary budget

Around a 1000 point fall on the Sensex was a knee-jerk reaction on budget day by market participants. FM Nirmala Sitharaman’s hands were tied amidst the economic slowdown, rising fiscal deficit and the dwindling resources which makes a balancing act to budget nation’s assets and liabilities all the more difficult. The tax liabilities of most citizens would rise in the coming days but that is small sacrifice one should readily accept to see our country grow and progress for future. Indian citizens enjoying tax holidays abroad comes under the tax net but is it not their duty to contribute for nation building if they prefer to keep their Indian citizenship status intact?

Bold divestment programmes incuding LIC going public as well as government selling some stake would generate unbelievable revenue for it to undertake enormous infrastructure development that would generate lot of jobs apart from aiding business and industry. Sitharaman’s budget seems visionary but a lot depends on the execution part which is difficult as politicians make promises which are seldom fulfilled. PM Modi and FM Sitharaman should form an top level committee of India’s top economists which should guide the nation so that whatever promised in the budget can be executed in future. It is difficult to please all in the budget and citizens should stand united when it comes to nation building even if some sacrifices are required.

S.N. Kabra

2Mumbai 24×7 gets a tepid response

Aaditya Thackeray’s grandiose plan to keep Mumbai open 24 x 7 has got a tepid response from all quarters. The idea hasn’t yet got into the system of shopkeepers around the city because they are wary of the future outcome; cinema hall owners too are wary whether they would get enough audience for the late night and the early morning shows.

Coming to the malls, while they are ready to implement the idea, but the shopkeepers inside are not yet ready as they feel that they would not be able to get enough resources to keep them going. Now, the last and vital point, both the BEST and the railways have not made up their mind whether to keep their services going all night.

Then what happens to the plan to keep Mumbai open 24×7? It is up to the government to make necessary arrangements to keep the city going all night to the fulfillment of all.

Ashish Mitra

3Allocate funds for MNREGA

It is bad to hear that the Centre is on the verge of running out of funds for the crucial Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. In fact, the situation on the ground may be worse as States do not always enter pending payments into the information system. While there is a high demand for work this year as the rural economy is in distress and informal employment has also collapsed.

M Qasmi Nadwi

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

Shoot Out: For Hindutva Says Shooters

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Afternoon Voice

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February 2, 2020

Shaheen Bagh has been in the limelight since some time now. The protests at Shaheen Bagh is an ongoing 24/7 sit-in peaceful protest led by women that began after the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in both houses of Parliament on December 11, last year and the ensuing police intervention against students at Jamia Millia Islamia who were opposing the Amendment.

The protestors mainly consisting of Muslim women have blocked a major highway in New Delhi using non-violent resistance for 48 days now. As of February 1, it has now become the longest ongoing continuous protest against CAA-NRC-NPR.

The leaderless protest is not only against CAA and brutality of the police, but is also against the BJP government in general. The protesters have also supported unions opposing the government’s ‘anti-labour policies’ and have protested against recent happenings such as the 2020 JNU attack as well as shown solidarity with Kashmiri Pandits.

The protest took a violent turn when a man named Kapil Gujjar opened fire near the anti-CAA protest at Shaheen Bagh on Saturday February 1. According to eyewitnesses, Kapil shouted “Hindu Rashtra Zindabad” and fired two rounds. Kapil had threatened Shaheen Bagh warning them to vacate the premises from where they have been protesting against CAA and NRC. The shooter has since been taken into custody. The firing took place near Jasola red light. No one was injured in the incident which occurred at around 4:53 pm. Among the slogans the gunman shouted before pulling the trigger was “Dilli Police zindabad”(Long Live the Delhi Police).

While the cops claimed they overpowered the man while he was shooting, the agency said that he was overpowered by locals and handed over to the police. Kapil is a Class 12 dropout and has denied being associated with any group. The accused informed the police that he was miffed with the continous protest and wanted to frighten protestors. He used country made pistol for shooting. He has been sent to police remand for two days by Delhi Court.

Similarly, on Thursday January 30, a gunman named Rambhakt Gopal opened fire at a protest rally near Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi in front of at least 20 police personnel. A student sustained injuries in this incident. Video footage shows a phalanx of policeman looking on as the gunman waves his weapon and then opens fire. The inaction of the police seemed quite in contrast to the vigilance they have displayed towards other demonstrations in the Capital over the past six weeks, as peaceful protestors have been beaten and detained.

The protesters at Jamia were holding demonstrations against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that seeks to amend the definition of illegal immigrant for Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Buddhist and Christian immigrants’ from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who have live in India sans documentation. They will be granted fast track Indian citizenship in six years. On Thursday evening, the Delhi police defended their seeming inaction. Explanations have ranged from being blind sighted to claiming that the incident “happened too quickly” for the shooting to have been prevented.

Slab of seven storey building collapses in Andheri, 4 injured including a minor

By

Hema Singh

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February 2, 2020

At least four people including a 4-year-old boy have been injured on Sunday after a seven storey building collapsed in Andheri. The incident took place on Sunday afternoon at Vishal housing society near Dongri area, Andheri West.

After the incident the neighbours have taken the four injured people to the civic-run Cooper hospital. An officer of the hospital said three people are treated while the minor boy who has been identified as Arzan Kalesha is undergoing treatment.

The reason behind the collapsed is still to ascertain. More details are awaited.

Badhai Ho Mantriji

By

Afternoon Voice

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February 2, 2020

I am a retired 60+ man. I come under the senior citizen group who is surviving with his wife on a ‘limited’ income that comes through interest from fixed deposit saving in a bank. But the dwindling interest rates has made it difficult for me to make both ends meet. Since a long time, I have voiced my grievances in several fora but with no result. This year too, since I came to know that the budget was to be presented on February 1, I expressed my anxiety about the kind of budget that would be presented and also my wish as to the kind of financial plan I was expecting. On the day of the budget, I was glued to my TV waiting for the Finance Minster Nirmala Sitharaman to come and present her budget 2020-21.
Finally, FM came in and started her long speech while presenting the budget. Initially she proposed a new tax regime slashing income tax rates and rejigging income tax slabs to reduce total tax payable by individuals. As announced in the new tax regime, 70 tax exemptions will be removed but the income between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 7.5 lakh will be taxed at 10 per cent down from current 20 per cent, income between Rs 7.5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh will be taxed at 15 per cent down from current 20 per cent, and income between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 12.5 lakh will be taxed at 20% down from current 30 per cent. Income between Rs 12.5 lakh and Rs 15 lakh will be taxed at 25 per cent down from current 30 per cent. Incomes above Rs 15 lakh in a financial year will continue to be taxed at 30 per cent.

Budget 2020 has offered taxpayers the option to choose between the existing income tax regime (which allows availing (income tax exemptions and deductions) and a new tax regime with slashed income tax rates and new income tax slabs but no tax exemptions and deductions. The new tax regime offers lower tax rates and new tax slabs and simultaneously removes tax exemptions and will result in lower tax outgo for the tax payer, according to the finance minister.

After some time the FM came up with the topic of relief to senior citizens. She announced new income tax slabs for senior citizens. She also announced a package of Rs. 9,000 crore which would be used for the welfare of senior citizens along with the differently-abled citizens.

As per the new tax slabs, the senior citizens aged 60 years and above but below 80 years, with an income up to Rs 3 lakh is exempted from tax. Similarly, the super senior citizens, aged 80 years and above, with an income up to Rs 5 lakh are exempted from tax.
However, senior citizens are not much impressed by these announcements. Most senior citizens, who usually survive on a ‘limited’ income such as a pension and interest were expecting some more announcements so that they could cope with the price hikes on almost every essential service. But they were bereft of any happy announcement. Here I want to say that the government must understand that we have limited income and we are the ones who suffer from some or the other ailment. To get ourselves treated, we go to hospitals and end up paying lakhs for treatment. There is no hike in the interest rates of fixed deposits. “The government has ignored us,” I cried. When I spoke to one of my friend Deepak Gagwani, he said, “I appreciate the government for the new tax slabs but at the same time, something more was expected for senior citizens. Like for medical expenditure, we are allowed to deduct Rs. 50,000 from out income tax now. The government could have enhanced this amount given the ever-increasing medical expenses.”

On the other hand, my neighbour Vinay said, “I am satisfied with whatever has been allocated for senior citizens. I can say that the greed to have more would never go and thus we should accept whatever we are given. The government obviously has other expenses too.”

Lastly, I want to congratulate the FM for dishing out a comprehensive budget.

Letters to the Editor: 02 February, 2020

By

Web Team

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February 2, 2020

1Collision corner

In a major collision between a bus and an auto 21 people died and 32 hurt as the vehicle fell into well in Nashik. The bus dragged the auto long and made the accident more fatal. It is one more serious mishap involving state transport bus and there is need for more caution on roads. Rash and negligent driving and overloading in vehicles is the major reason for the fatal accident. More and more heavy vehicles are getting involved in road accidents and the RTO and license issuing authorities should be very vigilant for issuing license. Serious accidents of this nature is crippling the travelling public and passenger safety is challenged due to more and more accidents. It is an eye opener for travelling public as well as transport authorities to make sure of safe travel in long distance journeys.

C.K. Subramaniam

2Welcome opening of SPMCIL counter for sale of commemorative silver-coins

Much-needed and long-awaited first-ever sale-counter for commemorative silver-alloy coins is opened on January 20 at office of Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL) at Jawahar Vyapar Bhawan (Janpath – New Delhi) with nineteen such coins put on direct sale without any advance-booking. Sale should be through credit and debit cards also.

But just one sale-counter in a big country with population of 135 crores is not at all enough. Sale of commemorative coins and coin-sets should be facilitated at counters of select branches of private and public sector banks by giving them sale-commission right from date of issue of commemorative coins abolishing age-old practice of advance-booking of coin-sets by sending demand-drafts for getting coin-sets several months after issue of coins.

Furthermore faulty practice of having nominal face-value of silver-coins like rupees 100 or so for coins having metal value multiple times higher must be changed so that silver-alloy coins may be available on face-value like was system on first-time issue of silver-alloy coin in free India on 02.10.1969 on occasion of Gandhi birth-centenary. Face-value can be kept about twice the prevailing metal-value in the coin. These coins, never-to-come in actual circulation, then should be sold in serial-numbered sealed plastic-cover to prevent chances of fake coins. Sale of silver in round-shaped coin-design by private manufacturers then should be banned. All such steps will be a boon for coin-collectors, and provide huge net revenue-earning to government because such higher-value coins never come in actual circulation. Coin-sets should be sold in only one highest-priced category with issued coins in all denominations for affording coin-collectors.

Madhu Agrawal

3Save country’s esteem

It is disconcerting that close on the heels of a number of critical international statements and parliamentary resolutions, the government is bracing for six scathing resolutions on both Jammu and Kashmir and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, that have been filed by an overwhelming majority of members in the European Parliament. It brings disgrace to the country. That’s why Union government should find a strong resolution.

Mahmudul Hasan

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

#HonkResponsibly: Honk more, wait more!

By

Hema Singh

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January 31, 2020

Mumbai which is known as the financial capital is slowly turning into the honking capital. However, to tackle the honking menace, the Mumbai police has introduced #HonkResponsibly the first step towards its goal of no honking. Yesterday the Mumbai police started a great initiative called #HonkResponsibly in order to reduce constant honking by motorists at traffic signals in various parts of the city. The Mumbai police hopped on to its Twitter handle and shared a video and wrote, “Horn not okay, please! Find out how the @MumbaiPolice hit the mute button on #Mumbai’s reckless honkers. #HonkResponsibly.”

Horn not okay, please!
Find out how the @MumbaiPolice hit the mute button on #Mumbai’s reckless honkers. #HonkResponsibly pic.twitter.com/BAGL4iXiPH

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) January 31, 2020

Siddhant Mohite, Road Safety Activist said, “#HonkResponsibly is a really ingenious initiative taken by the Mumbai Police. We are often unaware about the noise pollution created just with just a few honks. People don’t need to honk continuously in order to move ahead. I must say this is a great initiative by the Mumbai police!”

The Mumbai police shared the news of this in a video format. As per the video, the Mumbai police set a decibel (device used to assess noise or sound levels by measuring sound pressure) which has been connected to few signal poles around the city where more traffic took place like CSMT, Marine Drive, Peddar Road, Hindmata and Bandra. And according to decibel if the sound level went over 85 db then the signal would reset and the signal would stay red for longer time. Before introducing this initiative the Mumbai police did an experiment for a day and were not so surprised by the results. As expected, the decibel level went up to more than 85 dB, which put the motorists to inconvenience.

Editor Sumita Chakraborty said, “I love all the initiatives taken by the Mumbai traffic police. You may call our government bodies antiquated, but Mumbai police has strode on par with times. Whether it’s their funky videos on pillion driving, or taking a scene from 3 idiots as inspiration and now their anti-honking scheme, they’ve always come out with novel measures. Kudos, Mumbai police. Way to go!”

The #HonkResponsibly is an excellent step to discipline the people especially who honks without any reason. And the step taken by the Mumbai Police to reduce noise pollution in city is commendable. As Mumbai is known as the city which does not wait for anyone and Mumbaikars are always in hurry but they should understand the honking is not the way for move and not a solution. And by this initiative the people will understand if they honk they have to stop long time. Also, the Mumbai police mentioned in their video that “Feel free to honk, if don’t mind waiting.”

Dr Gurjot Marwah said, “It’s time we came up with a solution to the reckless honking at traffic signals. This in turn leads to auditory damage, speech interference, sleep interference, general annoyance that reduces our working efficiency, increases our blood pressure & fatigue. So, I’m totally in support of the #HonkResponsibly campaign by the Mumbai Police and I think we all should abide by and follow this rule and contribute in reducing the noise in our city!”

Sanjay Barve Commissioner of police took to Twitter and wrote, “To change your tomorrow, we must change our habits today! We have taken the 1st step to end the menace of excessive honking in #Mumbai. Watch it and #HonkResponsibly.”

To change your tomorrow, we must change our habits today!
We have taken the 1st step to end the menace of excessive honking in #Mumbai. Watch it and #HonkResponsibly. pic.twitter.com/aGP6SlQdUl

— CP Mumbai Police (@CPMumbaiPolice) January 31, 2020

LLP accountant Neelu Gupte said, “Noise pollution is a serious problem faced by all. This initiative taken by the Mumbai Police is an unique one. I believe that it will help create discipline in the unruly drivers.”

In Bangkok (capital of Thailand), honking is an offence and if a person who deliberately or mistakenly honks is subjected to a heavy fine that runs through his nose.

Honking has always been a major issue in Mumbai and people honk even when the signal is red. Needless to say, this noise pollution is making the people unhealthy. And by this initiative it seems that Mumbai soon will be honk free.

Shaheen Bagh to Mumbai Bagh: Agitation against CAA, NRC continues

By

Afternoon Voice

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January 31, 2020

Close to 72 hours after it started, the sit-in on Mordell Road at Mumbai Central is still going strong with women managing their family and the protest. The agitation has gained popularity as Mumbai Bagh since it is similar to the month-long protest being held at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi. The road has been closed to motorists for the past two months, a freshly concretised under-construction road in the bylanes of Mumbai Central became the new protest spot for hundreds of Muslim women from adjoining neighbourhoods, who assembled to oppose the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and “create Mumbai’s Shaheen Bagh”.

Among themselves, they arranged for chairs for the elderly, and flasks of tea with paper cups were passed around throughout the day. Bamboo shoots bearing the Tricolour, which was earlier seen in the hands of the protesters, became permanent fixtures by evening. The agitation against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) started around 11 p.m. on Sunday with women gathering outside Arabia Hotel near Nagpada. The gathering soon took the form of a relay protest, with women relieving each other and men providing support. The protestors want the government to pass resolution in the assembly against CAA and NRC.

By Tuesday afternoon, at least 500 women had turned up, and the road was filled with women and children holding placards and the Tricolour. One such protester, Asma Khan, said she had been coming from the first day after tending to the needs of her family, which includes her five children. Senior citizens too have been participating. Several people were seen cheering the protesters and educating them about various problems the people would face on account of the CAA and the NRC.

A teen armed with a country-made pistol opened fire near Jamia Nagar and shouted, “Azadi Chahiye, yeh Loh azadi.” The attacker was identified as a resident of Jewar in Greater Noida. One person was injured in the shooting incident. According to eyewitnesses, the person who had opened fire had chanted pro-Delhi Police and anti-Jamia slogans. He also shouted “Main Deta Hoon Azaadi” (I will give you freedom) as he opened fire. The injured person in the incident was shot in the hand and was identified as Shadab Farooq and was seen being taken away, as he walked with his left hand in blood. He has been taken to the trauma centre of the All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The locality has been heavily barricaded after the firing and traffic has been diverted from all the roads near the area.

Delhi Court postpones execution of Nirbhaya Convicts till further orders

By

Web Team

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January 31, 2020

Delhi Court postponed the execution of death warrants of all four convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape murder case. AP Singh convicts advocate informed reporters that death warrant of all the four accuseds Akshay, Pavan, Vinay and Mukesh has been rejected on Friday.

“The death warrant has been cancelled and no new date has been given,” said the lawyer of one of the convicts, AP Singh.

The order was passed by Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana on the petition filed by convicts seeking a stay on their execution on February 1.

Earlier the Supreme Court had dismissed the review petition of convict Pavan Gupta claiming that he was juvenile when the offence had taken place. The review plea filed earlier in the day was taken up for consideration in-chamber by a bench comprising Justices R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan and A S Bopanna.