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Suspense over seat sharing BJP-Sena release candidates’ list

October 1, 2019

The ruling alliance partners BJP and Shiv Sena released their first list of candidates for the state assembly polls on Tuesday. Both parties have declared their candidates without official announcement. This indicates that both parties are trapped in the tug of war over seat allotment between two alliance partners. Although BJP and Shiv Sena have decided to forge coalition in assembly elections but they could not decide on seat distribution. It is learnt that Sena is bargaining for two more assembly seats. Suspense still hovers over seat sharing. That is why both BJP and Shiv Sena have released their lists without announcing seat sharing.

It is remarkable that BJP has released a list of 125 candidates for assembly polls while Shiv Sena has released its list of 70 candidates. Just after BJP’s first list, Sena also released a list of 124 assembly constituencies but only 70 candidates. The BJP also announced its candidate for Satara Lok Sabha bypoll. Udayanraje Bhosale will be party’s candidate for this bypoll. He has recently joined the BJP after resigning from NCP. On Monday, Maharashtra BJP President Chandrakant Patil told media that BJP-Sena have decided to forge alliance. He said that CM Devendra Fadnavis and Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray will soon jointly announce details of seat sharing. But there is no announcement by them until now and they have released their lists of candidates. Maharashtra will go to polls on October 21 and results will be declared on October 24. BJP surrenders 15 seats to Sena.

On the other hand, many Shiv Sena workers and leaders of Navi Mumbai have allegedly resigned from the party in protest of seat sharing. It is very difficult for a Shiv Sainik to support and campaign for their arch rival Ganesh Naik and his family in Navi Mumbai who joined the BJP just ahead of declaration of Maharashtra assembly polls. The ruling party has fielded Sandip Naik, who is son of Ganesh Naik from Airoli. Therefore, Navi Mumbai Shiv Sena’s city chief and district vice president and over 200 workers have submitted their resignation in protest of party’s decision to offer this seat to the BJP. Former Congress minister Abdul Sattar had joined Shiv Sena and was nominated from Sillod constituency of Aurangabad. Since BJP used to contest from Sillod constituency and vacated it for Shiv Sena, BJP party workers became angry and they tendered their resignation.

BJP and Shiv Sena have decided to go in alliance this time in Maharashtra. In the 2014 elections both parties had fought elections separately. Under seat sharing agreement, Airoli assembly seat of Navi Mumbai falls in court of the BJP. Traditionally, Shiv Sena used to fight with NCP’s former strongman Ganesh Naik here. Now, it is very difficult for them to digest this grim reality. On Monday, BJP and Shiv Sena finalised seat-sharing deal for Maharashtra assembly elections. But the BJP has not agreed on deputy Chief Minister’s post for Shiv Sena. They will take decision on this after assembly elections.

India remembers Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastriji

Vaidehi Taman

October 1, 2019

Gandhi Bapu, a peaceful freedom fighter who believed in non-violence lead the successful movement for India’s independence from British Rule was born on October 2, 1869. Fondly remembered as the Father of the Nation, he is known to have inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Mahatma Gandhi‘s birthday, October 2, is not only commemorated in India as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday, but is celebrated worldwide as the International Day of Nonviolence and cleanliness. October 2 also happens to be the birth anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri, who was instrumental in India’s freedom struggle. Both Mahatma Gandhi, and Lal Bahadur Shastri’s lives are exemplary and a source of motivation for students. Both these men are known to exhibit simplicity and serenity even in situations that created panic. Their clarity of thoughts and resolve to act is something students can learn from.

Lal Bahadur Shastri is known for his calm demeanor and composure even in the most critical situations. He also believed in self-reliance and putting nation first before self. Lal Bahadur Shastri was a simple man who believed in action. While his simplicity is something that one should definitely learn from, another thing to learn is his composure even in extreme situations.

Lal Bahadur Shastri’s contribution to India’s growth is unparalleled. Shastri shares the birthday with the father of the nation and many also call it his ill fate that his birthday doesn’t get celebrated because Gandhi’s legacy overshadows it.

On October 2, the nation celebrates Gandhi Jayanti on account of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday but somehow we forget to mention the man who contributed towards the growth of India.

But the man who resurrected a nation’s broken self-confidence after the defeat against China in 1962 and led it to victory in 1965 war against Pakistan deserves to be remembered with respect. Another thing to learn from his life is to act instead of procrastinate.

Former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Steve Biko, and Aung San Suu Kyi all are believed to have been influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. In fact, in his early years, Mandela was a follower of Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent résistance. European author Romain Rolland too discussed Gandhi in his 1924 book Mahatma Gandhi and Brazillian feminist Maria Lacerda de Moura too wrote about Gandhi in her work on pacifism. The influence of Gandhi was also seen in European physicist Albert Einstein, who called Gandhi a role model for future generations. Einstein even would go on to credit Gandhi with having created a new and humane means for the liberation war of a country that was oppressed. Gandhi’s influence was even seen in the works of Lanza del Vasto who arrived in India in 1936 intending to live with Gandhi and later returned to Europe to spread the Gandhian philosophy and start the Community of the Ark, modelled on Gandhi’s ashrams.

John Lennon too referred to Gandhi when discussing his views on non-violence and former US Vice-President and environmentalist Al Gore spoke of Gandhi’s influence on him. In fact, former US President Barack Obama too spoke about the Gandhian influence in 2009 when on reply to a question “Who was the one person, dead or alive, that you would choose to dine with?” he referred to Mahatma Gandhi. Notably, Gandhi’s best influence as a world leader can be seen in the fact that the International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.

When you open your history books, you will find India’s history to be rich and your teacher would tell you to read up all about the famous freedom fighters and politicians of the early period. Lal Bahadur Shastri was the 2nd Prime Minister of India. He was also a member of the Indian National Congress Party. When you open your history books, you would find his name along with prominent names like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Shastri was in high school when he met the influential Nishkameshwar Prasad Mishra. He offered financial help to Shastri by allowing him to teach his children. Mishra was a patriotic man and seeing his devotion and patriotism; Shastri became interested in the freedom struggle. He started reading history and works of Mahatma Gandhi, Annie Besant and Swami Vivekananda. These great leaders inspire us even today.

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

Letters to the Editor: 01 October, 2019

Web Team

October 1, 2019

International day of non–violence

Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, popularly known as Gandhi Jayanti, is observed on October 2nd every year to mark the birth anniversary of the Indian freedom fighter and activist, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. The day is also observed as the “International day of non-violence”, encouraging non-violence and harmony among the citizens of India and the world.

Jubel D’Cruz

CBI probe permitted by CJI against former Madras CJ Justice Tahilramani

It refers to TOI report dated September 30, 2019 about Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi asking Central Bureau of Investigation CBI to take action as per law against former Chief Justice of Madras High Court Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani into allegations against her including alleged irregularities in purchase of two flats at outskirts of Chennai from HDFC bank-loan of rupees 1.62 crores and rupees 1.56 crores from bank-accounts of family-members as per report of Intelligence Bureau submitted following her recent resignation from the post on September 6, 2019. TOI-report also suggests certain other alleged irregularities also against her. Rs 1.56 crores now-a-days is not such a big amount compiled through bank-accounts of various family-members, even which can be scrutinized by Income Tax authorities in normal course.

Media-reports suggest that she resigned because Supreme Court collegiums declined to accept her request for reconsideration of her transfer to Meghalaya High Court, which was considered as a sort of step-down from one of the biggest and oldest High Courts.

Big question is if a sitting Chief Justice of a big High Court faces a sort of demotion through transfer to some small High Court, are High Courts of smaller states considered as a sort of dumping-ground for judges facing allegations. If reports of allegations need probe, that should be ordered publicly through In-House procedure already existing at Supreme Court. Any transfer-posting or action may be taken only after report of In-House committee is made public.

It is high time that reports of Supreme Court collegiums are made public, and even sitting judges indicted by In-House committee of Supreme Court be probed and punished like normal citizens rather than totally impractical and cumbersome procedure through impeachment by Parliament.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

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

Won’t allow third party mediation in Kashmir: Jaishankar

Web Team

October 1, 2019

S Jaishankar External Affairs Minister,Article 370,Kashmir,Mediation, S Jaishankar,Jaishankar,External Affairs Minister — Image Courtesy: Twitter

Categorically rejecting any scope for third party mediation between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said India’s stand has been clear for decades and the two countries can discuss the issue bilaterally.

Jaishankar arrived here on Sunday night from New York after attending the annual General Assembly session of the United Nations along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, the two leaders held bilateral meetings with dozens of world leaders.

“India has been clear for 40 odd years that we would not accept mediation… and that whatever has to be discussed has to be discussed bilaterally,” Jaishankar told a group of Indian reporters on Wednesday when asked about US President Donald Trump‘s mediation remarks on Kashmir.

Trump in the recent past has offered mediation between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.

“I’m clearing in my mind as far as I’m concerned. That’s what it’s about. My point is very simple. Whose issue (is this?). Mine. Who has to take the call? Me. If it is my issue and I have to take the call; I will decide whether I want somebody’s mediation or not. You can offer anything you like, but if I decide it is not relevant to me then it does not happen,” Jaishankar said.

“I am very clear in my mind. When people speak of it has gone up and down, where has it gone up and down? India has been very clear about it,” he said when asked about the frequent offer of mediation by President Trump.

The External Affairs Minister said in half of his meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session, the issue of recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir popped up.

“In terms of (issue of) Article 370, I would find it hard to quantify, but I would say may be in about half my meetings it came up and may be in half of my meetings it didn’t come up. It wasn’t that every guy who came to me came with that burning question,” he said.

Frankly, most of them were focused on the bilateral relations, he said, adding that even those who raised it, it was not necessarily the first issue of interest to them.

“I think in the case of people who showed interest, it was more like, we have read about developments on Kashmir and it would be useful for us to hear from you,” he said.

Jaishankar said he apprised the leaders about what was happening and why it was happening in Kashmir.

The External Affairs Minister said that in many cases a lot of what he said was new to them.

“When you explain to them that Article 370 was temporary, when you tell them that it was part of the Constitution of India in which delegates from Jammu and Kashmir also took part, when you tell them that there was a provision within the Article for the modification which took place, and you explain to them that today major source of concern was the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is really not aligned with the rest of India on a whole set of issues and so therefore, how do you really run a country where one large state is misaligned with rest of the country.

“It’s a very basic governance issue which people have ducked in the past. But because they ducked in the past doesn’t mean that everybody keeps ducking in the future. I think, once you walked them (world leaders) through this, most of them understood it and got it,” he said.

When specifically asked about the position of two countries Malaysia and Turkey on Kashmir, the minister said “obviously they have been given an understanding which clearly is very different from the facts on the ground”.

Prime Minister Modi and Jaishankar’s meeting came against the backdrop of the Indian government revoking the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the state into two Union Territories on August 5.

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, evoking strong reactions from Pakistan.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was an internal matter and also advised Pakistan to accept the reality.

Finally the suspense over ‘Yuti’ (alliance) unveils

Vaidehi Taman

September 30, 2019

There can be any drama or stretch, but BJP and Sena alliance is investable. It took very long to announce that they are going in hand in hand but never mind this is not the first time that Sena and BJP overextended conjectures. Shiv Sena has its own attitude and that Uddhav is maintaining like the boss of Maharashtra, inspite of being in alliance he hauled the Congress line for almost five years. Even Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece ‘Saamna’ recited the Congress slogan ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ and also praised Rahul Gandhi on several occasions. Uddhav and Sanjay Raut left no chance in trolling BJP and Modi, they aggressively criticised their alliance on many instances. However, reality always stings. Uddhav Thackeray was well aware that SS alone would be reduced in the general election. BJP too knew that its seat numbers would be reduced without an alliance especially when there’s a Congress–NCP alliance. Thus, dire need brought BJP and Shiv Sena together.

BJP being accommodative gave a couple of more seats to Shiv Sena and they perhaps agreed to BJP’s demand to contest equal seats in the upcoming 2019 assembly election of Maharashtra. The problem started now after a BJP member claimed that although both BJP and Shiv Sena are contesting assembly election as an alliance, Devendra Fadnavis would remain as Chief Ministerial candidate. To that Shiv Sena disapproved citing that as per understanding the Chief Ministership will be shared between BJP and Shiv Sena. The issue is not so simple. Shiv Sena, although at present is trailing from BJP in both vote share and seats, is not ready to leave the big-brother status in Maharashtra polity. On the other hand, BJP is aware that it’s the emerging party in Maharashtra politics with the largest vote share. Thus, the game began on deciding who would be the CM and deputy CM of Maharashtra.

Sena has already declared some seats and their contestants are ready with B-forms, where as BJP is yet to decide and declare its seats, it took too long for them to announce the list of candidates. BJP will fight the polls under Fadnavis’ leadership; various reports about contours of the seat-sharing formula are doing rounds. In a way BJP is in dilemma, because Shiv Sena has recently picked all-powerful candidates in its camp from NCP and Congress. Surprisingly, Uddhav has matured in politics and his son also came in battlefield. Whereas BJP knows that people will give them some mandate but if Sena manages equal share of seats then there would be fight over CM post, definitely Sena will not allow Devendra as CM. BJP chief Chandrakant Patil expressed confidence that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is in fine health and they would get 220 seats in the upcoming Assembly elections. Meanwhile Shiv Sena is claiming to win 120 seats same as BJP.

As the assembly election draws closer, sections in the BJP are beginning to feel that perhaps it’s time to go solo and win Maharashtra on its own. However, there are deeper undercurrents to the saga.

However, Shiv Sena constantly demanded that it should be treated as a bigger brother in Maharashtra state polity. In 2019 general election also, BJP got 27.53 per cent vote share with 23 seats out of 25 seats whereas Shiv Sena got 23.29 per cent vote share with 18 seats out of 23 seats it contested. Shiv Sena got 2.60 per cent vote share more than that of 2014. Then it’s a fact that Shiv Sena contested in three more seats compared to 2014 and then 2019 general election win is considered a victory for Narendra Modi and not of any other.

Looking at the present scenario and Sena’s attitude, one should not be surprised if Shiv Sena demands the Chief Minister’s post at least on sharing basis (2.5 years each). On the other hand, BJP is not likely to agree with that. BJP will ask for equal seats of balance seats after allotting to smaller allies along with BJP’s CM. BJP has another benefit that Maharashtra Congress is decaying and most Congress leaders are trying to join BJP as first choice or NCP as the second choice. On the other hand, NCP is also not in a good situation especially due to the frictions among family members as well as party members. BJP will hope that it will capture spaces from Congress and NCP while Shiv Sena will harp on possible anti-incumbency of Devendra Fadnavis. Rest the voters of Maharashtra will decide. In politics, there’s always give and take.

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

Sena-BJP to go in alliance, Who will be the CM?

Rajesh Choudhary

September 30, 2019

After long speculations, the Shiv Sena and BJP have decided to go in alliance for Maharashtra assembly polls. But both are yet to take a decision on who will be the Chief Minister. Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil said in a press conference that alliance is fixed but giving deputy CM’s post to Shiv Sena is not fixed. The seat sharing process has been finalized but the number of seats are not disclosed.

A leader spoke to Afternoon Voice on the condition of anonymity, “We are yet to decide on giving deputy chief minister’s post to Shiv Sena. A decision pertaining to this will be taken at the right time.”

A BJP member claimed that although both BJP and Shiv Sena are contesting assembly election as an alliance, Devendra Fadnavis would remain as Chief Ministerial candidate. Shiv Sena disapproved citing that as per understanding the Chief Ministership will be shared between BJP and Shiv Sena. Shiv Sena, although at present is trailing from BJP in both vote share and seats, is not ready to leave the big-brother status in Maharashtra polity.

Meanwhile as per reports, the BJP has sprung a surprise by denying tickets to 22 sitting MLAs from Maharashtra including some ministers. It is said that either these MLAs have not done any significant work in their constituencies or they are tainted. They have damaged the reputation of the party.

It is worth mentioning that the BJP has adopted similar strategy during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and had cut tickets of 7 sitting MPs. The BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is focusing its attention on the Congress-NCP alliance in the state. As per a survey, the ruling alliance government will come back to power once again, its possibility is strong.

The BJP has little time left, as the last date for filing nominations is October 4. The ruling party has already delayed in finalising and announcing its candidates for assembly elections. Now, the party candidates have very little time for campaign. The state will go to polls on October 21 in single phase.

Reason behind this delay was not clear because the BJP leaders were tight lipped in whole process. No one was ready to say anything. BJP leadership kept candidate selection procedure very secret. It is being said that the BJP’s old workers are feeling betrayed as top leadership is giving more weightage to new comers from the NCP and Congress.

List of leaders denied tickets

Rajkumar Badole – Arjuni Morgaon
Dilip Kambe – Pune Cantonment
Vilasrao Jagtap-Jat
Shivaji Kardile – Rahuri
Bharti Lavekar – Versova
Captain Tamil Silvan – Sion Kolivada
Manda Mhatre – Belapur
Sanjay Kelkar – Thane City
Vishnu Sawara – Vikramgad
Sangeeta Thobre – Kej
Anil Gote – Dhule City
Devyani Farande-Nashik
Prakash Mehta – Ghatkopar East
Ram Kadam – Ghatkopar West
Sardar Tarasing – Mulund
Vidya Thakur – Goregaon
Dr. Milind Mane – Nagpur North
Govardhan Sharma – Akola West
Amrish Atram- Aheri
Narendra Mehta – Meera Bhainder
Sanjeev Ready Bodkurwar – Vani
Sanjay Dhote – Rajura

Navratri: The festival of nine nights-Part I

Vinod Dixit

September 30, 2019

India could well be called the land of festivals. The amalgamation of difference cultures, languages and religions ensures that there is a festival being celebrated in some part of India almost every week. One of the more popular festivals which is celebrated all over Gujarat is Navratri. It is one the most colourful festival of Gujarat. In Gujarat, people eagerly wait for the 9 nights (Navratri) when they worship goddess Durga/Amba Mata through the traditional dance of Garba.

Navratri (the word literally means “nine nights”) is one of the holy festivals of Hinduism. It is a festival of nine nights, during which we worship goddess of Shakti. Navratri festival is observed twice a year, once in the month of Chaitra and then in Aswayuja. It lasts for nine days in honour of the nine manifestations of Durga. During Navratri devotees of Durga observe a fast. Brahmins are fed and prayers are offered for the protection of health and property. The nine nights festival of Navratri begins on the first day of Ashwina of the bright fortnight. The festival of nine nights in October, preceding the Dussera is a special feature of Gujarat when people assemble in village squares, temple compounds and sing and dance till the wee hours in the morning.

They worship the mother goddess and her numerous manifestations during the festival. The three aspects viz. Durga, Lakshmi or Saraswati of the Divine Mother are worshipped during Devi Navratri puja, the nine nights. She is also known as in her destructive, protective, and knowledge giving roles respectively. The Navratri festival is closely followed by the Sharad Purnima, the full moon night in the Ashvina month, when under the moon light people partake of prasad rice and milk. Durga/Amba mata or the destructive aspect of the divine mother is worshipped during the first three nights. On the succeeding three nights, her protective aspect of Lakshmi and on the last three nights, her knowledge aspect or Saraswati are worshipped.

The most characteristic dances of Gujarat during Navratri are the Rasa and Garba dances which are performed at all levels of society by men and women. The leader of the group sings the first line of the song while the rest repeat it in chorus, the beat being produced clapping hands or striking sticks in unison. The origin of the Rasa is traced back to the legends connected with the life of Lord Krishna. The Rasa is performed in Gujarat on Navaratra; and other important festivals associated with harvest and crops.

The most impressive artistry of the Rasa dances of Gujarat and Saurashtra is displayed in the Dandiya Rasa by men. It is a counterpart of the Garba of the women. In Garba, at every step they gracefully bend sideways, the arms coming together in beautiful sweeping gestures, up and down, left and right, each movement ending in clap.

While in Raas, the dancers use sticks at the end of which tiny bells (ghungrus) are tied so that they give off a clear jingling sound when they strike one another. This dance has a very complicated rhythm pattern and even though the dancers begin in a slow tempo, the dance develops in such manner that each person in the circle not only performs a solo dance with his own sticks, but also has a complex multiple relationship with both his partners on either side as also partners opposite him in the circles.

UP govt prohibiting padyatra, arresting Cong leaders: Priyanka

Web Team

September 30, 2019

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday alleged that the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is stopping her party’s march in support of the law student who has accused Swami Chinmayanand of rape and arresting its leaders.

The opposition party added on its official Twitter handle that district borders in Shahjahanpur have been blocked from all sides and Congress leaders such as Jitin Prasada detained. The party said the protest march has been blocked by UP Police.

“The criminals in UP have the protection of the government so they can intimidate the rape victim,” Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

उप्र में अपराधियों को सरकार का सरंक्षण है कि वो बलात्कार से पीड़ित लड़की को डरा-धमका सकें।

लेकिन, उप्र भाजपा सरकार शाहजहांपुर की बेटी के लिए न्याय माँगने की आवाज को दबाना चाहती है। पदयात्रा रोकी जा रही है। हमारे कार्यकर्ताओं नेताओं को गिरफ़्तार किया जा रहा है। डर किस बात का है?

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 30, 2019

“The UP BJP government wants to suppress the voice seeking justice for daughter of Shahjahanpur. The padyatra is being stopped. Our workers and leaders are being arrested. What is there to be afraid of?” the Congress general secretary in-charge UP East said.

The student was on Wednesday arrested on charges of extortion and sent to 14 days judicial custody. Hours later, her bail plea was rejected.

Chinmayanand, sent to judicial custody after his arrest, has been booked under Section 376 C of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), a charge with lesser punishment than rape.

Letters to the Editor: 30 September, 2019

Web Team

September 30, 2019

RIP Viju Khote

Viju Khote who went to his heavenly abode on September 30, 2019 at the ripe age of 77 was a veteran theatre and film actor. He is best known for his roles of Kalia in ‘Sholay‘ and Robert in ‘Andaz Apna Apna’. He appeared in over 300, Hindi and Marathi films and also numerous television shows and plays. He made his screen debut with the 1964 Marathi film ‘Ya Malak’ and went on to do the most iconic characters in Bollywood. He was the younger brother of actress Shubha Khote. His father Nandu Khote was a noted stage actor and actress Durga Khote was his aunt. He was last seen in the 2018 Bollywood movie ‘Jaane Kyun De Yaaron’. He will be remembered by the Bollywood film industry for the sweet roles he played in films. May God open the gates of heaven for him.

Jubel D’Cruz

Kashmir is India’s internal matter

Why is Imran Khan talking about Kashmir when Narendra Modi is not talking about Islamabad or Lahore? Kashmir belongs to India and it is an internal matter of our country as to which section or laws we impose in that State which is none of Pakistan’s business. Terrorism in Kashmir is the brainchild of Pakistan which is the reason why they are barking like dogs at every international forum as peace in J and K means their funding stops from countries like US and their tribe on which they actually thrive.

No country can survive for long on terror funding and Pakistan PM Imran Khan should actually emulate Modijis model of development and peace to strengthen his own country that today is on the verge of bankruptcy. Peace begets peace and money saved on terror can actually feed billions of people across the globe!

S.N.Kabra

Ajit Pawar in a political tangle

The writing is on the wall and Ajit Pawar has no option but to quit to save his face. The dynastic rule has taken the country by storm and NCP MLAs quit the party in large numbers and face a crisis as of now. At the time, he had quit his Ministerial post following allegations of irregularities in his granting of project approvals totaling ₹20,000 crore over an eight-month period without the mandatory clearance of the governing council of the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) when he was Water Resources Minister between 1999 and 2009. However, after just 72 days in the political wilderness, Ajit Pawar was reinstated as Deputy Chief Minister with equal suddenness, despite the government failing to make any significant progress in its inquiry into the scam. He is total fix and finds no other way but to quit his MLA post just as a stunt and that does not give him any edge in the ensuing assembly elections.

Nikhil Krishnan

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

Aadhaar Card mandatory at Dandiya?

Vijay Panchal

September 29, 2019

Every year controversies occur during Navratri festival and this year too is no different. The Bajrang Dal has asked all Garba and Dandiya organisers to ask participants to furnish their Aadhaar cards at entry points of the events for identifying people belonging to non-Hindu communities in Hyderabad.

“We have asked the event organisers to mandate Aadhaar cards at the entry spot to identify non-Hindus entering the venue and also to avoid employing non-Hindus as bouncers for these events,” S Kailash, Media Convener Bajrang Dal said.

When our correspondent Nikhil Sagare spoke to Subhash Chander, Bajrang Dal, state co-convenor, Telangana he said, “Dandiya has become commercialised in Telangana and Muslim youth are participating in dandiya. In some areas Muslims are sponsors and you will be denied entry for dandiya. Hence, we are asking participants to furnish their aadhaar card or else put tilak or cow’s urine on their forehead.”

While festivals like Navratri are known for promoting communal harmony. By making aadhaar card mandatory at entry points of Dandiya and Garba, Bajrang Dal is trying to create a rift within the society. Why has the government become a mute spectator towards these incidents? Why is the government not taking action against Bajrang Dal for dividing people on communal lines. Every year an attempt is made by religious groups to deny entry to non-Hindu communities.

NCP Mumbai President Nawab Malik said, “It’s the right of organisers to permit or deny the entry at Garba and Dandiya. Nobody can oppose the decision taken by them.”

Kailash stated that for the last couple of years it has been observed that groups of youth of non-Hindu communities are entering these events and since they have no concern and respect towards the divinity of the event, they are often seen misbehaving with the women participating in Garba and Dandiya. They also manhandle the men who come to the rescue of the victim.

“Also the event managers are hiring non-Hindu bouncers which seem to be a main cause for these miscreants to enter the events. Another major lapse is lack of monitoring and control on who enters the events,’’ said Kailash.

Kailash said that teams of Bajrang Dal karyakartas will be present at the venues and if such case is reported immediate action would be taken by Bajrang Dal to stop the miscreants from entering the venues which may lead to disruption of the entire event.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Hussain Dalwai said, “Secularism means taking everyone together. Hindu Sanskruti is all inclusive and follows the ideology of Peshwas.”

Earlier too, there were instances where Muslims were being prevented from entering Garba and Dandiya events. Few years back Usha Thakur a legislator from Indore and BJP’s state vice president had written to Garba organisers in her constituency asking them to prevent Muslim men from entering the dance venues. The decision she claimed was based on a meeting of intellectuals – including doctors, engineers and senior police officers. She asked to stop this alleged “Love Jihad“, festival organisers must check IDs at the gates.

“We have received data that four lakh girls are converted to Islam every year during the Garba. Therefore, we have started this awareness drive. It has been seen that people who have no faith or devotion to the festival put tilak and wear sacred thread and practice Garba and during that time to woo our girls,” Usha Thakur said.

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