Muslim should control population, urge Sena and BJP

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August 28, 2019

In Independence Day speech Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Family planning is true patriotism”. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena supported PM Modi’s push for population control. The party alleged in its article that “fundamentalist Muslims are not concerned about population explosion and are not ready to come out of the mindset of “hum do humare pacchis (we two, our 25 children).”

PM Modi, while addressing the nation on the 73rd Independence Day, stressed on the “need to have greater discussion and awareness on population explosion.”

“There is a vigilant section of public which stops to think before bringing a child to the world, whether they can do justice to the child, give them all that she or he wants. They deserve respect. What they are doing is an act of patriotism. Let us learn from them,” he said.

AIMIM chief Asaddudin Owaisi told Afternoon Voice, “I have a concern against the speech and said that PM Modi is coming “with discarded and intrusive ideas of governance that shrink his own responsibility.” Owaisi further stated what would you call those rural Hindus who have more than four children; targeting one particular community is pattern of Sena-BJP politics.”

Razia Hussain, a gynecologist told AV, “These responsible people from the government have no shame when it comes to their accountability, they have no answer but all the problems lie with the people. Everything is connected to patriotism. Very soon, taking loans not paying back, filing bankruptcy will also become a patriotic act? They (BJP and Sena) are just deviating and misleading the nation by saying such baseless things for their political benefits.”

When contacted regarding this issue, NCP Mumbai President Nawab Malik denied to comment saying he has no information in this context.

Adil Shirgaonkar, a resident of Ram Mandir said, “The BJP-Shiv Sena are targeting a particular community. The BJP-led government should focus on education, employment, development and other important issues. It is seen that couples of educated and developed community have less children like Parsis in India.”

Letters to the Editor: 28 August, 2019

By

Web Team

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August 28, 2019

Milking RBI to meet fiscal deficit is easy way out to cover govts inefficiency

Milking RBI to meet fiscal deficit is easy way out to cover govts inefficiency in meeting tax collection numbers & other deficiencies. Transfer of Rs 1.76 lakhs is an staggering amount as well as questionable. RBI money no doubt belongs to the govt of India which is its lone & main shareholder but it is like an adult son using his wealthy fathers money without working hard to earn his livelihood to make both ends meet. It has sent an wrong precedent for future as such transfers would empty RBI coffers in the days to come.

Previous RBI governors including Urjit Patel resigned unceremoniously probably for this very reason & having an RBI governor that follows govt orderes blindly is certainly not good for an healthy economy. The markets are enthused by the windfall money to the govt but this certainly is bad for the long term as we need strong RBI reserves to act as buffer to our economy in situations of emergency. Hope this is an one time event & govt works hard in not just meeting its fiscal targets but also taking measures that helps RBI to multiply its reserves!

S.N.kabra

Let T-shirts be without Ganaraya’s picture !

It has become a practice since last few years to wear T-shirts with names of Ganesha-festival committees printed on them. T-shirts sold for RS.200 – 400 not only fetch funds for such festival committees but festival committee’s separate identity is also maintained when processions are taken out for bringing and immersing Ganesha-idols. Many festival-committees print Shri Ganesha’s picture along with respective festival committee’s name. We find large stock of T-shirts even in markets with pictures of Shri Ganesha printed, on front side, on them. After wearing these T-shirts for processions to bring and immerse Shri Ganesha-idols, they are dumped anyhow in cupboards or elsewhere. These T-shirts are also not handled appropriately while washing. We wear these T-shirts even while going to wash-rooms or other dirty places. Energy of any Deity is active at respective place through principle, form, smell etc wherever Deity’s picture is kept as per spiritual science; therefore, by handling T-shirts with Ganaraya’s pictures in improper manner, we are in a way, insulting Shri Ganesha. On one hand, during Ganesha-festival, we worship Ganaraya with so much devotion and on the other hand, we can unknowingly insult Him through such T-shirts. Festival committees should therefore, avoid printing Ganaraya’s picture on T-shirts while getting their T-shirts printed.

Jagan Ghanekar

Sharad Pawar can bring Congress back to power

Sharad Pawar is the only person who can bring the Congress back to power. He should be made the President of the Congress Party. Only he can save the Congress from falling apart.

Jubel D’Cruz

Permanent solution for frequent complaints about mid-day meal

It refers to shocking news about school-children being given ordinary rotis (bread) and salt in name of mid-day meal at Mirzapur (UP) funded heavily by the government being largest such programme in the world feeding about 12 crore school-children. Such social schemes have in many cases become scandalous with funds or goods allotted for the purpose are swallowed by those involved in managing the scheme at school-level. There are frequent reports of sub-standard raw-material like rice and pulses with lot of foreign ingredients being used to cook mid-day meal in schools. Apart from this complaints of finding deal lizards, rats etc are also not uncommon.

System should be to provide only packaged food within expiry-date as mentioned on packs under mid-day meal programme. It will also take care of peculiar food-habits of some children like food without onion and garlic. Members of Civil-Society have expressed fear that accepting suggestion to provide packaged biscuits procured from private companies in Mid-Day meal-scheme may be on behest of influential private sector lobby. Instead government can motivate companies to provide packaged food under Corporate-Social-Responsibility (CSR) provision for corporates.

Best will be to revive government-owned Modern Bakery with its units set up at district levels where different types of delicious and nutritious baked food-items may be produced not only for Mid-Day meal scheme but also for open market sale. Initial investment on such units can be easily recovered in the very first year of their being set up with land made available free by state-governments for public-cause. It will create employment-opportunity also for people across the country. Or else scope of Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) should be increased for supplying packaged food for mid-day school-meal.

Madhu Agrawal

Remembering Gandhi on his 150th birth-anniversary

Prime Minister in his Man-ki-Baat on 25.08.2019 indicated that his government is going to celebrate 150th Gandhi birth-anniversary in a big way. It is evident that new commemorative coins are likely to be issued on 02.10.2019 along with a series of commemorative postal-stamps like were issued on Gandhi birth-centenary on 02.10.1969. But it should be ensured that commemoration of the occasion through coins should be for masses also like was on 02.10.1969 when silver-alloy coins of ten-rupee denomination were provided to general public on face-value right from date of release on 02.10.1969 like commemorative postal-stamps are sold.

It may be mentioned that later system of issue of commemorative coins on face-value was abolished and instead system of issuing only coin-sets at an exorbitant price that also through a cumbersome and unpractical system of advance-booking was introduced where also purpose of commemorating an occasion with coins was demolished with booked coin-sets reaching to aspirants after months of release of coins but only to VVIPs on the date of issue.

Silver-alloy coin-sets should have face-value about double the metal-value at time of release and must be available to general public at face-value through convenient sale-points like philatical-counters, all RBI offices and selected branches of private and public sector banks together with commemorative coins issued in other denominations right from date of release together with coin-sets to make masses part of commemoration through coins rather than only political rulers given coin-sets free-of-cost at the function organized to release commemorative coins.

Face-value of sliver-alloy coin to be issued on 02.10.2019 must not be unrealistic rupees 150, but can be realistic rupees 1000 so as to be issued on face-value. However to prevent fake and duplicate coins, these high-value silver-alloy coins can be packed in tamper-proof plastic-packs with serial-numbers. Likewise Coins with five-gms gold with face-value can also be issued at face-value of rupees 5000 in attractive tamperproof plastic-packs with serial numbers. All such steps will generate appreciable revenue-earning since such high-value coins never come in circulation. Sale of round-shaped silver or gold coins prepared in private sector should then be banned to further prevent manufacture of fake and duplicate coins.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

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

SC will examine challenges to scrapping of Article 370

By

Rajesh Choudhary

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August 28, 2019

The Supreme Court on Wednesday referred a batch of petitions challenging the changes brought in the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating Article 370 to a five-judge Constitution bench.

The apex court issued notices to the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration on a batch of pleas challenging the presidential order by which Article 370 of the Constitution was abrogated.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was not in agreement with the Centre that there was no need for issuance of notice in the matter as Attorney General K K Venugopal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta were marking their presence in the court.

“We will refer the matter to a five-judge Constitution bench,” the bench, also comprising justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer, said, while not accepting the arguments that the issuance of notice would have a “cross-border repercussion”. The attorney general said whatever was being said by the court was sent before the United Nations (UN).

As the counsel appearing for both sides were involved in arguments and counter-arguments, the bench said, “We know what to do, we have passed the order, we are not going to change.” It also said all the matters would be listed for hearing in the first week of October.

The first petition challenging the presidential order scrapping Article 370 was filed by advocate M L Sharma, who was later joined by another lawyer from Jammu and Kashmir, Shakir Shabir.

National Conference (NC), a prominent political party from Jammu and Kashmir, filed a petition on August 10, contending that the changes brought in the status of the state had taken away the rights of its citizens without their mandate.

Arguing that the legislation approved by Parliament and the orders issued by the President subsequently were “unconstitutional”, the petition prayed for those to be declared as “void and inoperative”.

The petition was filed by Mohammad AKbar Lone and Justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi, both Lok Sabha members of the NC. Lone is a former speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and Masoodi is a retired judge of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, who ruled in 2015 that Article 370 was a permanent feature of the Constitution.

There are other petitions challenging the Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370, including a plea filed by a group of former defence officers and bureaucrats, who have sought directions declaring the presidential orders of August 5 as “unconstitutional, void and inoperative”.

The plea was filed by professor Radha Kumar, a former member of the Home Ministry’s Group of Interlocutors for Jammu and Kashmir (2010-11), former IAS officer of Jammu and Kashmir cadre Hindal Haidar Tyabji, Air Vice Marshal (retd) Kapil Kak, Major General (retd) Ashok Kumar Mehta, former Punjab-cadre IAS officer Amitabha Pande and former Kerala-cadre IAS officer Gopal Pillai, who retired as the Union home secretary in 2011.

A petition has also been filed by bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal, along with his party colleague and former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) leader Shehla Rashid. There are other petitions challenging the Centre’s decision on Article 370.

What is Nationalism and who is the Nationalist?

By

Web Team

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August 28, 2019

Nationalism, according to Wikipedia, has been a recurring face of every civilisation since very ancient time though the modern sense of national political autonomy and self-determination was formulised in late 18th century.

The concept of nationalism can be defined in many ways but in short it is a sense that requires oneness, feeling the goodness of the nation and its people, unity in diversity and respect, love and pride towards the nation by its citizens. Tara Chand describes it in his book ‘History of the Freedom Movement in India’ as a state of mind in which the supreme loyalty of the individual is due to the nation-state. (Vol2 page 552)

According to JC Johari, in his book ‘Indian Politics’ (Fifth Edi. 1996, page 25) ‘The meaning of nationalism has its different connotation, if we examine the case of free versus subject people. Whereas nationalism of the free people appeared in the modern person after the decline and fall of the Papacy and the nation states of Europe took upon themselves the emerged as a reaction against the imperial system of the advanced European countries’.

As far as Indian nationalism is concerned, it developed most as a concept during the Indian independence movement fought against colonial British Raj. Indian nationalism has set an instance of territorial nationalism, inclusive of all its people, despite belonging to different ethnic and religious background.

Nationalism in India signifies a common political sense of patriotism with the purpose of attaining self-rule as in brief it can be defined as the growth and development of anti-British sentiment. It was the outcome of the movements for complete independence.

If we observe today’s situation of our country or the TV debates on nationalism, it becomes clear that concept of nationalism is no more in its original spirit rather it became forage for political parties to gain their vested interests. It is being redefined in different words to acquire votes in the elections. Many misconceptions are being hatched about nationalism.

Nationalism in India in recent scenario which was a glorious sense is used for very cheap purposes and everyone seems to give certificate of nationalist or anti-nationalist to the other one. A question strikes my mind that is it necessary to express hatred for other country to prove my love and loyalty for my country as it has became a trend today?

Today the idea of nationalism has became negative with irrational blaming and the spread of hatred among the people. I think one cannot be defined as nationalist just because of his religion, cast or community for, it’s beyond all these.

In addition to it, one cannot be identified as an anti-nationalist if he has a different political ideology because in a democratic country all the people cannot follow a particular ideology. If a person criticizes the government’s decision or its policy he is not an anti-nationalist. Even if a single person remains against the majority in any political view he cannot be identified as an anti-nationalist because it is the thing that encapsulates the beauty of our country.

We must show our love and respect towards our nation but that does not mean we should become aggressive in this matter, rather we should stand for national integration.

-Mohd Faheem

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

Raj Thackeray stands as loser?

By

Mohsin Siddiqui

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August 27, 2019

In spite of being extremely talented, very sharp, very intelligent and a great orator, he is ineffective in doing what the masses dream of. Raj Thackeray made one mistake, he became a fan of Modi in the 2014 elections and because of that he had to stick to his role model of developments. In 2019, he became sworn critic of Modi and conducted rallies against BJP and Modi instead of standing tall on all the claims that he made for people of Mumbai and Maharashtra.

In 2009 assembly elections, MNS managed to get 13 seats subsequently reduced to 12. In an assembly of 288 members, this is a reasonably good success for a new comer. However, in 2014, MNS had only one MLA in the assembly. From 2014 till date, MNS lost in Nashik Municipal Corporation and also got a washout in Pune where it was the largest party. In the municipal elections in Mumbai, MNS had 7 corporators out of which 6 left the party and joined Shiv Sena. Surprisingly, the party supremo did not even come out for canvassing because his son was hospitalised i.e. personal issues were more important for him than the 11 crore Maharashtrians.

Sandeep Deshpande, MNS General Secretary told Afternoon Voice, “The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has started preparation for the forthcoming Assembly elections. Any political party does not end after losing one or two elections. Earlier, the BJP had only two seats in the Lok Sabha. Today, it is ruling party of India. The MNS will fight on how many seats in the Assembly elections, MNS chief Raj Thackeray will decide. He will take decision on the alliance with the Congress and the NCP.”

When it became matter of survival, Raj Thackeray woke up and gave a call for making ‘Modi-Mukt Bharat’ as if all the other leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerejee, Chandra Babu Naidu, Patnaik, Lalu Prasad and above all Uddhav Thackeray have accepted his leadership.

Congress leader Bhai Jagtap said, “I am not right person to comment on alliance between the Congress, NCP and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. Congress President and MPCC chief will take decision on this. The issue of seat sharing will come later on.”

Looking at the current scenario, MNS might get a few seats in the assembly elections in 2019 that can be used for negotiation if none of the main parties could reach the magic figure of 144. However, if a single party gets 144 seats, which is improbable, MNS will become ineffective once again.

After ED episode, Raj Thackeray will gain sympathy of voters

By

Vaidehi Taman

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August 27, 2019

MNS chief Raj Thackeray was grilled by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case, he has been questioned for around eight and half hours.

Raj Thackeray, Unmesh Joshi – son of the former chief minister and senior leader Manohar Joshi and Rajan Shirodkar who is also an MNS leader founded Kohinoor CTNL. Kohinoor CTNL developed a high rise named Kohinoor Square in Dadar. The ED is probing alleged irregularities relating to loans and equity investment worth over Rs 450 crore by IL&FS in Kohinoor CTNL Infrastructure Company, which is developing Kohinoor Square tower in Mumbai’s Dadar area. The investigation agency is probing the shareholding pattern of Raj Thackeray, Rajan Shirodkar and Unmesh Joshi. The amount of the shares which were sold off is under scrutiny. Unmesh Joshi was questioned by the agency for three days while Rajan Shirodkar was questioned for two days.

Raj’s wife Sharmila Thackeray, son Amit, daughter Urvashi, daughter-in-law Mitali and a few other party supporters accompanied him. He walked in his fearless pattern and returned equally with display. The question here is that why all this has happened ahead of elections? Who will be benefitted? Why Uddhav came to his rescue and how voters will translate this episode? Among all these questions, one thing is sure that he will gain sympathy of his voters.

In March 2006 he formed MNS. He tried to show that he had rightful claim to the throne i.e. Shiv Sena Chief post as against Balasaheb’s heir apparent Uddhav Thackeray. He had decent success in 2007 Mumbai Municipal elections winning 7 seats. He continued his success in 2009 Assembly elections where he managed to win 13 seats against Shiv Sena’s 44. In Mumbai it managed to outsmart Shiv Sena too. Raj continued the momentum for few more years. He managed to win 27 seats in BMC and managed to win Mayoral post in Nasik. MNS performance in other municipal corporations like Pune and KDMC was also good. Thus, he was poised to take quantum jump in 2012. What went wrong?

Primarily, he pursued single line agenda of anti-North Indians. Mumbai and Thane have a very large North-indian population. So, he could get support from this region. But, this had no emotional connect outside Mumbai-Thane belt, as they were not faced with outsider problem. In ten years of formation no second line of leadership was developed outside Mumbai. All the decisions were taken from Mumbai and regional leaders were like puppets. Many good workers left the party and all those who left Shiv Sena for Raj, left him and rejoined Uddhav. His wife too played key role in spoiling MNS politics. Uddhav is surrounded by strong voices and Raj remained as only voice in the party. Both the Thackerays have poor people connect. But at least in Shiv Sena’s case, they have decent middle line of leaders who connect with workers. All in all MNS could not gather disgruntled Sena leaders but could not create an organisation. Balasaheb Thackeray’s death in 2012 changed lot of things. Raj Thackeray’s behaviour as well as his comments were not in good taste. Many people who felt that Raj’s betrayal caused Balasaheb’s heath to deteriorate. Many in Maharashtra wanted both brothers to come together. But when they saw him aligning with Congress–NCP they were disappointed. Further when they saw that his goal was defeating Shiv Sena at all cost rather than winning for the betterment of the state, they were let down. People were tired of Raj Thackeray’s u-turns. Before Lok Sabha elections he was talking of alliance with BJP-Sena. Then he said no. Then he put up candidates only against Shiv Sena and announced support to Narendra Modi. All this confused people and even his supporters, who in Modi wave overwhelmingly voted for BJP-Sena alliance causing MNS to loose deposit in all LS seats they contested. Meanwhile, for years he was talking about development plan, which came on the day before the last day of filing applications. There was no justification for this delay.

All in all he was seen with great hope and Uddhav was seen as unworthy who had inherited the wealth from his father. Unfortunately, Raj Thackeray was proven to be “Bol Bachchan”. Marathi media finally termed him as Aarambh Shur, which means one who starts something with great fanfare but never delivers it. Also his actions were confusing. In 2014, Raj Thackeray announced he was going to fight Vidhan Sabha then he said he won’t, at one time he was talking to Shiv Sena for alliance, which caused lot of heartburn in his supporters. People had started to loose faith in Raj. Everyone wants a decisive leader. Raj was seen as arrogant and confused and Uddhav was seen as soft-spoken, calm and one who leads from the front. Even his hardcore supporters could not justify themselves supporting him and changed the camps either to support Modi or to support Uddhav. Thus, ten years after splitting from Shiv Sena , things have come a full circle. Raj is almost where he started. Uddhav is at least part of the Government. People hate losers more than they love winners. Hope now this ED episode, might fetch him some sympathy wave, as he is still loved by many Maharashtrians.

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

Mother Teresa: A symbol of love, care and compassion

By

Jubel D'Cruz

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August 27, 2019

Mother Teresa’s selfless and untiring service to the poor of the poorest, orphaned and sick people on the streets of Kolkata will always be remembered by every Indian. It is gratifying to note that Pope Francis, the Head of the Vatican has recognized her charitable services to humanity and declared her as a saint on September 4, 2016. September 4, 2016 coincidentally also happened to be Mother Teresa’s 19th death anniversary.

With the canonisation of Mother Teresa as a saint, India now has eight saints of her own. They are — St. Gonsalo Garcia, St. Francis Xavier, St. Alphonsa, St. John de Britto, St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara, St. Euphrasia Eluvathingal, St. Joseph Vaz and St. Mother Teresa.

Mother Teresa will always be remembered for what she said and what she did during her entire lifetime. She started her work with no money, depending only on Providence to help her. She alone nursed the sick and the dying, taught street children, gave shelter to the homeless, cared for the unloved and the lonely, and proclaimed the Word of God to whomever she met. The rich and the poor alike have felt explicably drawn into the mercy of God’s tender embrace by her example as a follower of Jesus Christ.

Her selfless love is a powerful example of what it means to love others as Christ loved us and a sign that God still loves the world today.

Clad in a white khadi saree with its three blue line border, Mother Teresa along with her sisters of the Missionaries of Charity became a symbol of love, care and compassion for the entire world. She was a ray of hope for many, including the sick, the aged, the destitute, the unemployed, the diseased, the terminally ill, and those abandoned by their families.

Blessed with profound empathy, unwavering commitment and unshakable faith since young, she turned her back to the worldly pleasures and focused on serving mankind ever since she was 18 years old.

After years of service as a teacher and mentor, she experienced a call within her religious call, which changed her course of life completely, making her what she is known as today.

Founder of the Missionaries of Charity, with her fervent commitment and incredible organisational and managerial skills, she developed an international organization that aimed towards helping the impoverished.

Even though she has been declared a saint by the Catholic Church, she is still a mother to all of us. She will always be remembered for her good deeds for years to come.

Who would’ve thought that a fragile nun from Albania could make it to India and care for the naked, the disabled and the diseased? Mother Teresa has made India proud by showing and proving to the world what one person’s mission can achieve. She was born in 1910 and came to India in 1929. She founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950, which is still active today even after her death in over 136 countries. The members of her congregation run homes for people, irrespective of caste, creed, colour or religion, dying of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and leprosy. India has honoured this messenger of Christ with the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna in 1980, besides other awards prior to that. One year prior to her death, the world honoured her with the Nobel Peace Prize.

Of course, Mother Teresa had critics even within the Catholic Church and within her congregation but how she responded to such venomous criticism is very simple. There was no convincing response other than her simple and profound life lived out for the poor and the dying. Her life is an epitome of gratuitous mercy, is the only convincing response to all criticism aimed at her. Pope Francis in his homily during the canonization Mass on September 4, 2016 said, “The Albanian nun witnessed to a life of humility through her care for the dying in the Indian city of Calcutta.” He praised her as an emblematic figure of womanhood and recalled her strong stand against abortion.

Today, because of the Missionaries of Charity, many new born babies who are abandoned by their parents and left on the streets to die are seeing the light of the day.

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

Letters to the Editor: 27 August, 2019

By

Web Team

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August 27, 2019

Sadhvi Pragya develops yet other controversy on deaths of BJP leaders

Lok Sabha member Sadhvi Pragya of ruling BJP has now created yet other controversy by alleging opposition parties using Marak-Shakti to kill BJP leaders. Such remarks tend to develop unnecessary bitterness that too at a time when all political leaders cutting across party lines paid rich tributes to recently departed BJP stalwarts Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley not only through glorious words but even by visiting their homes.

Big question is what opposition leaders would have gained politically by doing so when the departed BJP leaders in August 2019 had quit politics for ever. Hypothetically if some Marak-Shakti as alleged by Sadhvi Pragya existed, then opposition would have misused it to harm some active politician or even political ruler from the ruling BJP.

Opposition has ruled the country so long. Therefore if any such Marak-Shakti would have existed, then it could be well used to target enemy countries rather than fighting wars at high cost and lives of our brave soldiers.

BJP leadership should take a class of Sadhvi Pragya about her regular controversial statements which are not only harming BJP but also are injurious to develop hatred and bitterness between opposition and ruling parties.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

Biggest biscuit-manufacturer denies job-cut, but does not rule out because of irrational GST tariffs

Biggest biscuit-manufacturing company of India denies media-reports about job-cut of 10000 persons, but does not rule out because of highly irrational GST tariffs affecting sale of its confectionary items where biscuits attract 18-percent GST while rusks are in 5-percent GST slab.

Presently GST-tariffs are highly irrational, confusing and improper where similar items are in different GST-brackets like 5, 12 and 18 percent. GST on harmful sweets is just 5-percent while namkeens prepared and sold by local confectioners attract 12-percent. Best is to remove all confusion by putting sweets, namkeens, biscuits, rusks and all such food-items in a common GST-slab of 12-percent for single rate-structure for products made by confectioners.

GST has become additional product where most local confectioners including renowned ones in unorganised sectors have taken GST as extra profit for unbranded sweets and namkeens, where mostly they do not give invoices for their items though charging from customers. They steer strangely the customers who demand cash-memos for their purchases. single-rate structure for their products. There should be strict warning displayed prominently at shops of every confectioner covered by GST which should also guide customers to insist on cash-memos. Confectioners should be warned of cancelling of licenses in case they do not resort to practice of compulsorily issuing cash-memos and invoices without even being asked by customers.

Best is to merge GST tariffs of 5, 12 and 18 in a common tariff of 12-percent including on service-sector to remove irrationality and confusion. Presently 18-percent GST in service-sector is highly excessive.

Madhu Agrawal

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

‘Grey to Black’ – Indrani gets makeover

By

Dipti Joshi

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August 26, 2019

Indrani Mukerjea, murderer who became physically fragile, her hair greyed and face become gloomy while she was kept in jail. All of sudden, now there is sparkling in eyes, the hair is dyed black again, her accent is clipped, and there’s a little smile playing on her lips. You can read on her face that this time she is in mood to play between the Congress and the BJP. She striked right code and got some life for herself. Indrani and her husband Peter Mukerjea, who owned INX Media had claimed in their statement to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that when they met P Chidambaram (then a finance minister) in his North Block office in 2006, he asked them to meet his son Karti and suggested to help him in his business.

Indrani Mukerjea’s statement is key evidence against P Chidambaram in the CBI and ED probes. CBI trusted Indrani Mukerjea charged with killing her daughter, not Chidambaram.

Senior Congress leader and former chief minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan told Afternoon Voice, “It is a subjudice matter. I would not like to comment anything. I don’t have complete information about this entire episode. Therefore, any rhetoric is not reasonable.”

Indrani had recorded in her statement on February 17, 2018, now part of court documents, that Karti had asked them (Mukerjeas) for a bribe of $1 million when they met at Hyatt hotel in Delhi. They worked out a plan according to which Mukerjeas engaged Karti’s company Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt Ltd (ASCPL). As part of the alleged quid pro quo, ASCPL and its associated companies around this time raised four invoices for $700,000 (Rs 3.10 crore) on INX Media and were reimbursed. Soon, FIPB gave its approval to fix the irregularities. According to a CBI official who did not wish to be named, in March 2007, INX Media breached the condition on which it had been allowed by FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) to raise 46 per cent equity through issue of shares. Against the permission to raise Rs 4.62 crore by issuing shares at face value, the company got in Rs 305 crore by issuing shares at a premium. In addition, it also bypassed FIPB to make 26 per cent downstream investment in INX News Private Limited. Karti was earlier arrested in the case in February 2018.

Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said, “It is clear that P Chidambaram’s name figured nowhere in INX Media case. Indrani Mukerjea has been in jail since September 2015. Has she revealed everything today? There are six secretaries in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). Any file goes to Finance Minister of India after scrutiny of these secretaries. But no one of FIPB has been questioned as of now. They directly caught the former finance minister of the country. First thing, it is a clear cut political vendetta against Chidambaram. Second thing, economy of the country is on slowdown. In order to divert the attention of the nation, they are targeting the opposition leaders. It is a filthy politics of the BJP.”

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy alleged that in 2006 a company controlled by Karti Chidambaram, the son of P Chidambaram, received a five-per cent share of Aircel to get part of Rs 40 billion paid by Maxis Communications for the 74 per cent share of Aircel. According to Swamy, Chidambaram withheld Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance of the deal until his son received the five-per cent share in Siva’s company.

Madhav Bhandari, chief spokesperson, BJP Maharashtra said, “There is no role of any political party in a murder case. Legal procedure will be carry out as per law. Ultimately, court will deliver its verdict.”

Indrani Mukerjea- media baron, murderer and money maker

By

Vaidehi Taman

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August 26, 2019

Peter and Indrani Mukerjea are currently in prison in connection with murder of Indrani’s daughter Sheena. Indrani is wife of media tycoon Peter Mukerjea. She is charged with the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora (from her first marriage) with her 2nd husband’s help. She claims she was angry at her daughter for being in a relationship with her 3rd husband’s (Peter Mukerjea) son, Rahul Mukerjea. A 2nd wife of her 3rd husband is charged along with her 2nd husband for killing her daughter from her 1st husband who was having an affair with her 3rd husband’s son from his 1st wife.

This article is for those who daily see this in the newspaper and social media but understand nothing out of it. But officials believe it was because of some money that Sheena had in her name, which she had refused to give to her mother when she asked for it.

Peter and Indrani Mukerjea have co-founded INX Media in 2007. Both directors had been charged with entering into a criminal conspiracy with P Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram to get foreign investment. In March 2018, Indrani Mukerjea told CBI under Section 164 of CrPC that a deal of $ 1 million was struck between Karti Chidambaram and Mukerjea to secure approval from FIPB in favour of INX Media. In January 2008, the financial intelligence unit of the finance ministry found an anomaly in money flow from three Mauritius-based firms into a media venture called INX Media. As it involved foreign fund, the Income Tax department in Mumbai forwarded the case to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which began probing the flow of fund to see if money was laundered. The ED investigation pointed towards corruption involving powerful people. The ED then referred the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which registered an FIR in INX Media case in May 2017. Besides this, the ED lodged a separate case of money laundering later. The case is related to divesting of shares of INX Media to fund news channels and a 2007 decision by the finance ministry, then under P Chidambaram, who was considered the most powerful minister in the Manmohan Singh government. To many observers, Chidambaram wielded more influence in the Manmohan Singh cabinet than Pranab Mukherjee who became the President in 2012. In March 2007, INX Media had approached the finance ministry for issuing 14.98 lakh equity shares and 31.22 lakh convertible non-cumulative redeemable preference shares. Each share was to be priced at Rs 10 a piece and was to be owned by three non-resident investors under the FDI route.

The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) of the finance ministry approved the request in May the same year. This meant that INX Media was allowed to receive foreign fund of Rs 4.62 crore. The FIPB, however, had rejected another request by INX Media for downstream investment of foreign fund in its subsidiary, INX News Pvt. Ltd. The company went on to receive foreign fund to the tune of Rs 305 crore from the three Mauritius-based firms – a violation of the FIPB order. It [INX Media] also invested money in INX News, another violation of the FIPB order. The CBI says the investment was manipulated as the foreign firms bought each share for Rs 862.31 i.e. at a price which was more than 86 times of their face value. After financial intelligence unit, the Income Tax department and the ED flagged the matter in early 2008, the FIPB sought clarification from INX Media about overpriced sale of shares and receiving foreign funds in violation of its conditions. In response, INX Media engaged Chess Management Service Pvt. Ltd. to settle the matter “amicably” with the finance ministry. Karti Chidambaram, son of P Chidambaram, is the founder director of Chess Management Services. The CBI says Karti used his influences in his father’s ministry in 2008 to favour INX Media, and P Chidambaram was party to the overall scheme. The CBI alleges that instead of ordering investigation into the case, the FIPB – under P Chidambaram – suggested INX Media to apply for fresh approval for the foreign fund for downstream investment already received.

The CBI backed its case with a statement from Indrani Mukerjea, who has turned approver in this matter. Indrani Mukerjea has said that INX Media got a favourable deal after she had a meeting with P Chidambaram seeking FIPB clearance in 2008. The Chidambarams are also facing charges in another case of controversial FIPB clearance. It is related to Aircel-Maxis deal. The CBI is probing a case of corruption against Chidambaram senior for FIPB approval of Rs 3,500 crore Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006. The CBI says only the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs could have given such an approval but P Chidambaram okayed it in his capacity as finance minister in a quid pro quo deal. The ED is also probing money-laundering angle in the Aircel-Maxis deal.

The master mind in murder of own daughter, serial offender and several times married woman became approver to save her soul from slaughter case of her daughter, ironically CBI too trusted her. Let’s wait for truth to prevail. Meanwhile, Indrani got breather and makeover for going against Chidambaram.

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