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Demand for merger of Belgaum with Maharashtra gains momentum

August 6, 2019

Just ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, founder of the Swabhimaan Sangathna Nitesh Rane has demanded to merge Belgaum with the state. Thus, he has tried to prepare a ground for Assembly elections. He welcomed the centre’s decision of scrapping Article 370 which extended a special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Nitesh Rane tweeted, “After the historic Kashmir decision .. why not fulfill another long standing demand of giving Belgaum to Maharashtra ! Where it truly belongs! Akhand Maharashtra!!”

After the historic Kashmir decision .. why not fulfill another long standing demand of giving Belgaun to Maharashtra !
Where it truly belongs!
Akhand Maharashtra!!

— nitesh rane (@NiteshNRane) August 6, 2019

Shiv Sena has demanded to declare Belgaum a Union Territory. At present, the BJP is adopting neutral and balance stand on this controversial issue as the party is in power in both Maharashtra and Karnataka. But Belgaum has become a poll issue for the political parties of the state. Likewise, political parties and organizations of Marathi dominated areas of Belgaum also staged bandh and demonstration for merger of the district with Maharashtra. They had to face wrath of Karnataka government.

BJP MP Harish Chandra Chavan said, “Talks are on at political level pertaining to Belgaum dispute. The Belgaum issue is far different from Kashmir issue. “

It is worth mentioning that Belgaum has been a long standing dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra. In 1956, the Belgaum district became part of newly formed Karnataka but earlier, it was in the erstwhile Bombay Presidency. The Bombay Presidency encompassed present day Gujarat, Maharashtra as well as certain areas of North Karnataka, which has minority Marathi speaking population.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Arvind Bhosale said, “The Article 370 issue is different from Belgaum issue. Article 370 is related to centre and Belgaum issue is related with state. “

The States Reorganisation Act included Belgaum in Karnataka on account of Kannada majority in the district. But it has some Marathi-speaking population. That is why leaders of Maharashtra claim Belgaum on linguistic ground. On June 23, 1957, the Maharashtra government submitted a memorandum to the central government claiming Belgaum. Three years on, the central government constituted Mahajan Committee on June 5, 1960, to look into the case. The four member Committee consisted of two representatives from the Maharashtra government, and two from the Karnataka government. But it failed to reach an agreement. According to the Mahajan Commission report, Belgaum district is an integral part of Karnataka. Around 264 villages/places including Nandagad, Nippani Khanapur to be part of Maharashtra and around 247 villages/places including Jatta, Akkalakote, Sholapur will be part of Karnataka.

As per the Belgaum Gazette published by the British, in the 1881 census, Belgaum had 8,64,014 people of which 5,56,397 were Kannada-speaking which was 64.39 per cent, while 2,25,008 were Marathi-speaking which was 26.04 per cent. Maharashtra demanded to take a decision on Belgaum on the basis of the census of 1951, as the dispute has arisen due to States Reorganisation Act of 1956.

As per 1951 census, the percentage of Marathi speakers in Belgaum city was 60 per cent, while that of Kannada speakers was 18.8 per cent. Similarly, in Shahapur Marathi speaking people were 57.0 per cent and Kannada speaking population was only 33.2 per cent. In Belgaum cantonment Marathi speaking people were 33.6 per cent while Kannada speakers were 20.6 per cent. In Belgaum suburbs Marathi speakers were 50.9 per cent and Kannada speakers were 21.8 per cent.

However, the Mahajan Commission used 1961 census. As per maps of 1961 census, Belgaum was surrounded by Kannada speaking areas on all sides. Maharashtra insisted that Mahajan Commission is not the final verdict on this dispute. The Maharashtra government rejected the Mahajan Commission’s report claiming that it was biased, illogical and against people’s wish.

On March 15, 2006, the Maharashtra government filed a petition in the Supreme Court. Maharashtra staked a claim over Belgaum saying, the feeling of insecurity among the Marathi speaking people living in Karnataka, in the recent days. On the other hand, the Karnataka government started to organise state assembly session in Belgaum to redress the dissatisfaction of people of north Karnataka. It is considering on making Belgaum the second capital of Karnataka to thwart any threat from Maharashtra.

Revocation of Article 370: Doom for Separatists

R K Sinha

August 6, 2019

Future generation of India will remember August 5, 2019 as a milestone in Indian history. Article 370 of the Indian Constitution giving special status to the state of Jammu & Kashmir has been revoked. It spells dooms day for the separatists in the Kashmir valley. The state has been bifurcated into two Union Territories- Jammu & Kashmir with a legislature and Ladakh without a legislature.

Contrary to the general opinion that the step taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to end the special status of the state was done in hurry, the government decision was well planned and executed after five years of the Centre’s study of the situation in the state. I am not privy to any information in this regard but as a political commentator I have my own views on how things might have taken shape to culminate in the decision to do away with Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.

I briefly recall some important points that led to this long awaited corrective decision. In run up to general elections to Lok Sabha in 2014, the Election Manifesto of the BJP had mentioned that the Party was committed to revoke the special status of Jammu & Kashmir as guaranteed under Article 370 of the Constitution. At the same time the manifesto also mentioned that this step would be taken after due consultations with all the stake holders in the state.

The Modi Government came to power in May 2014. After six months elections were held for the state assembly of Jammu & Kashmir in November 2014. The mandate was fractured. In good faith the BJP extended support to the People’s Democratic Party to head a coalition government. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was alive then. He became the chief minister and there was a deputy chief minister of the BJP. Mufti Mohmmad Syed died in January 2016. His daughter Mehbooba Mufti was initially reluctant to succeed her father as chief minister. It was nothing but posturing to score points from the supporting partner the BJP. After three months she became chief minister of the state with the help of the BJP.

The central leadership of the BJP was hoping that she will help restore peace in the valley and go for the Modi Government’s pledge of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’. But inwardly she was working to encourage the separatists in the valley. Her sympathy for the Hurriyat leaders and other Pro-Pakistan elements were not hidden. She was seen sympathising and supporting the stone pelters who interfered with the security forces including the Indian Army during encounter with terrorists.

The turning point in the state was elimination of local grown terrorist Buhran Wani by the security forces in July 2016. Mehbooba Mufti took a stand that not openly supported Wani but held him as a ‘hero’ of Kashmir’s freedom struggle in a way she fomented the trouble in the valley. There was sudden increase in the incidents of violence involving Pakistani and local terrorists who were being supported by Mehbooba.

It was at that point that the Centre came to the conclusion that the regional political parties in the state including the PDP and National Conference will not stop from supporting the separatists in the valley hoping to get ‘azadi’ or autonomy. The NC and the PDP leaders along with the Hurriyat Conference stalwarts were regularly getting support from Pakistan and its ISI agency.

When elections were announced in 2019, the BJP manifesto reiterated its resolve to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution and end the special status of Jammu & Kashmir. But in the manifesto it deleted the lines that talked of holding consultations with all the stake holders in the state.

The Modi government came to power for the second term in May this year. And it struck at the root of all evils by ending the special status of Jammu & Kashmir. What Next. As things will unfold in the coming days the next step that the Centre is going to take is to ensure normalcy in the valley after revocation of Article 370. Already there is adequate mobilisation of security forces in the valley to meet any eventuality.

By and large the people of the state including those in the valley would realise sooner than later that the government decision to create Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh was a good step for them. It will help rapid economic growth of the Union Territories and bring prosperity to the people.

But the leaders of political parties particularly the PDP, the National Conference and the Congress are in a state of ‘shock’. For they have lost their political clout and importance in the affairs of the state. The Hurriyat Conference leaders appear to be in moribund condition. We have to wait and see the reaction of Hurriyat leaders like Sayeed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik who were taking dictates of Pakistan.

The coming days may witness some protests in the valley. But it is to be seen what the political leaders do next. Listening to the debate in the Rajya Sabha on August 5 where I was present it was clear from the speeches of Ghulam Nabi Azad, P Chidambaram and Kapil Sibal that they may knock at the door of the Supreme Court by challenging the validity of the Presidential notification of August 5 revoking Article 370. The legal challenge will also come from the PDP and National Conference. Whatever legal understanding I have the Supreme Court is unlikely to give any stay order or restore the status quo in the state till the pendency of the petitions that are yet to be filed. The legal battle may be a long drawn affair.

I conclude this piece of writing on lighter note by quoting some jokes posted in the social media that was sent to me. One joke doing the round is about Article 35A of the Constitution that stands scrapped. Someone wrote that if anyone has to buy a house boat in Kashmir will the bank loan come under ‘housing loan’ or ‘motor vehicle loan’. Another joke says Dal Lake will be the most favoured place to offer ‘Arghya’ during the Chhat Puja.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AFTERNOON VOICE and AFTERNOON VOICE does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

No live streaming of day-to-day proceedings in Ayodhya land dispute

Web Team

August 6, 2019

Ayodhya Ram Mandir Supreme Court Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear a petition filed by former RSS idealogue KN Govindacharya who had sought live streaming or recording of the day-to-day hearing in the Ayodhya land dispute case.

Yesterday, a bench headed by SA Bobde had observed that the court does not have the equipment to facilitate the live streaming, adding that the matter will be considered on the administrative side.

The apex court said that the decision on the plea would require deliberation and institutional decision-making.

Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing on behalf of Govindacharya, had submitted that for the time being, at least the recording of proceedings can be done and at the later stage, live streaming could be considered.

Govindacharya, in his petition, asserted that the public is being denied their rights under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The live streaming of the Ayodhya case is required considering the fact that in the absence of live streaming of proceedings of this Court, the public is also being denied their right to know as per Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, the plea, filed through advocate Virag Gupta, stated.

The Supreme Court had on August 2 observed that the mediation panel on Ayodhya matter, failed to achieve any final settlement in the matter and decided to hold a day-to-day hearing in the case from August 6.

Fourteen appeals are pending before the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict, which ordered equal division of the 2.77-acre disputed land in Ayodhya among the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. The 16th-century Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992.

Scrapping of Article 370

Jayanthy Subramaniam

August 6, 2019

Separate status had virtually emboldened separatist elements to muster courage and call for a separate country, colluded with Pakistan forces and terrorists to destabilize the state and to keep the people under an eternal poverty with no growth and development agenda. The royal families have been looting all these years and it takes courage to take such a bold decision. I am very glad to see that Kashmiri’s are also supporting this decision. A great decision taken by the government and it is good for the country and its development. Thus a historical blunder is corrected after 72 years.

Democracy is thriving for 78 per cent by giving what is right for the people of J&K without even listening to concerns of those people. Democracy is based on social contract align with general will. But concern here is that the will can even be general while excluding those who are going to be impacted. No doubt it a historical decision. Kashmir is no doubt an Integral part of Union of India. But we need to understand as much as Kashmir is India the Kashmiris must feel that they are Indians. Now the task upto the government is to prove this decision a dividend for the Union of India not a disaster. Finally surgery has been attempted. J&K never was at peace during last seven decades of its special status. It is better to find a permanent solution to this issue instead of prolonging the unnecessary loss of lives.

After playing politics with the situation since Independence we are finally taking a step towards stripping this state of the artificiality injected into it. It would have been best had the stated been truncated, with Jammu being the third component. This will then confine the anti-India elements to just the valley. It is shameful that PDP and NC have been playing politics with this issue for so long. If they had the country’s interest first, they could have convinced their constituency to give up violence, to get educated, and to improve their standards of living, rather than throwing stones and shouting anti-India slogans. True a brave move and it looks like BJP is walking the extra mile to see some sensible action and the long term benefits must be realised and set in motion once administrative controls are drawn. Our Pandits are refugees in our own motherland.

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

Letters to the Editor: 6 August, 2019

Web Team

August 6, 2019

Revocation of Article 370 will pave way for J&K’s development

The revocation of Article 370 and Article 35A has bought cheers and hopes to many people in Jammu and Kashmir. The bifurcation of Ladakh region and Jammu and Kashmir as Union Territories will help ensure to strengthen administrative control and bring prosperity to the residents of the erstwhile state. It is also overwhelming that the BJP which introduced the bill in Rajya Sabha was well supported by its key allies and opposition members including BSP and AAP. The opposition’s unity and maturity demonstrated to stand with the Center’s landmark decision, with few exceptions, should be highly appreciated.

It now needs to be seen how well the road map of development will be laid for Jammu and Kashmir with revoking of Article 370 and Article 35A. The Centre should now leave no stone unturned and aim towards quick and successive development programs in these two newly formed Union Territories. With this one also expects a boost to tourism, industry and trade opportunities as it opens the flood gates of prosperity with the rest of India. Terrorism will definitely take a back seat with such a bold move and one hopes that it will cease to decline with the formation of new Union Territories which has bought in hopes of development.

Varun Dambal

Income Tax authorities clears rupees 500 crore as agricultural income

It refers to Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its report for the year ending March 2018 finding Income Tax authorities having unduly cleared about rupees 500-crore as agricultural-income (tax-free) without adequate verification. It is a common knowledge that real farmers having only income from agriculture, do not have annual income above rupees 500000 which is already exempted under Income Tax. Provision of tax-free agricultural-income is largely misused by ultra-rich persons including from film-industry and political system.

Policy should be to provide relief to actual farmers through subsidy on input-items needed for agriculture on production of affidavits about annual income. Since real farmers may not be having agricultural income above rupees five lakhs annually (for which rebate of tax is already available under section 87A of Income Tax Act), provision of tax-free agricultural income should be totally abolished. In such a scenario, extra revenue so earned can pave way for basic tax-exemption being made rupees 500000 which presently is not available if income exceeds even by a single rupee.

Madhu Agrawal

Prithvi Shaw fails dope test

Dope test for cricketers sound silly as cricket is a game of skills and steroids even if injected on purpose will hardly enhance one’s performance. Sad to learn that youngster Prithvi Shaw has failed a dope test for Terbutaline which is a drug used as a reliever inhaler in the management of Asthma. It was lack of knowledge than a criminal act for Prithvi Shaw and BCCI should have a separate medical counselling or doctors for cricketers or other sportsmen as well. Cricketers or sportsmen should only be treated by a select panel of doctors in case of any ailment which could even be a simple cold or cough. Top international sportsmen are under scanner for various infringements some of which could be so very ‘silly’ and we need to protect them professionally as sports is not just an big industry but the pride of the nation too is at stake.

S.N. Kabra

Rain, train and pain

It is notable that the Mumbai city got 97 per cent of season’s rainfall and it is a welcome news. Now that BMC should not get into the practice of water cut in the event of a good rainfall. Mumbai has got 2.254 mm of
rain and that is significant this time of the year. It is almost 97% of seasonal average rain of 2317.1 mm. People had a tough time negotiating flooded tracks after CR services stopped. Rain pounds MMR outskirts and somehow by evening the alert eased out for Mumbai. As in the past Mithi overflowed and created water logging in the airport and the neighbouring areas of the city. Six people were killed in the rain related incidents in the city. Fortunately for the office goers it was week-end or else the miseries must have been
compounded in the event of heavy to very heavy rains on Saturday.

Nikhil Subramaniam

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

Remembering Hiroshima Day

Vinod Dixit

August 6, 2019

The first nuclear weapon was used in August 1945, after World War II ended. Hiroshima Day is celebrated on August, 6 every year. Did you ever imagine how devastating the day was? This day is considered one of the darkest days in human’s life. Hiroshima Day commemorates the day of August 1945, when an atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, and a few days later, another fell on the city of Nagasaki. More than 100,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed instantly and for years afterwards, from horrible burns and radiation sickness. Although nuclear weapons were not used against people after that, the USA conducted tests in the Pacific Ocean which involved nuclear and hydrogen bombs. This Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the threat of nuclear weapons and the dangers of nuclear energy. Today the atomic bombings on the Japanese cities occupy an important place among the most controversial events in the history of humanity. As early as in 1954, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India called upon the nuclear powers to stop the testing of nuclear weapons. U.S.A., U.S.S.R. and U.K., the three nuclear powers of that time a moratorium on nuclear testing during 1958-61. The number of deaths from the direct impact of the explosion varied from 70 to 80 thousand people. By the end of 1945, due to the action of radioactive contamination and other post-explosion effects, the total number of victims ranged from 90 to 166 000 people.

Recognizing that there are enough nuclear weapons to destroy the planet, most nations signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), agreeing to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and work to eliminate them. The world continues to live in the shadow of nuclear weapons. Nine countries have approximately 24,000 nuclear weapons. According to official Japanese data at the end of March 2009, more than 235,000 people have suffered from the effects of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The number of deaths in total is more than 413,000 people (263,945 in Hiroshima and 149,226 in Nagasaki).

After more than 30 years of nuclear power plants, there is still no sure way to get rid of the contaminated nuclear materials that are produced. Thousands of nuclear weapons remain on alert, ready to be fired at any time. The world nowadays is in danger of nuclear-conflicts.

The Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbachev, and the U.S. President, George Bush, signed the historic strategic arms reduction treaty in Moscow in July 1991 in order to reduce their nuclear arsenals by about 30 per cent. The signing of the treaty has strengthened the world desire that the mad race for arms should be stopped as early as possible. It is important to forbid the manufacture and purchase of nuclear weapon or the nuclear power states must reduce and eradicate the weapon.

War Countries remain in a constant state of preparation for war. There is also a danger of nuclear device exploding and annual war erupting because of human or mechanical error. What we need today is world peace and international stability. Unless the countries will follow the policy of disarmament, nothing good can be achieved. Every country wants guarantees of safety and the means of global control for itself. In other words, countries fear that, by giving up their warheads, they will risk to become weaker. The impact caused by the nuclear explosion is frightening. The rigid manner to encourage the reduction of nuclear weapon could be done by an international ban towards nuclear power states.

Today more and more people demand a world without nuclear weapons, and voices are heard. This day has now become a focus for discussions and demonstrations against war and nuclear weapons.

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

Modi government scraps Article 370, Bifurcates J&K

Suraj Chandran

August 5, 2019

The Modi government has announced the scrapping of Article 370 which provides special status to Jammu & Kashmir. The historic decision was announced by Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. A proposal also has been made to divide Jammu & Kashmir with J&K becoming a union territory with legislature and Ladakh becoming a union territory without legislature. Shah’s announcement was immediately followed by a massive uproar in the Rajya Sabha with opposition MP’s protesting in the well of the House. Security has been tightened in Jammu & Kashmir and prominent politicians Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Sajjad Lone under house arrest. Internet and mobile services were blocked in several places and section 144 was imposed in Srinagar as all public gatherings have been banned.

NCP MP and Advocate Majeed Memon told Afternoon Voice, “The government should have revoked Article 370 by taking into confidence local administration and stakeholders. They should not have taken this decision in the absence of local government.”

Political parties BJP, YSRCP, BSP, AIADMK, Shiv Sena and BJD have supported the central government’s decision to scrap article 370. BJD MP Prasanna Acharya has said, “In the real sense today, Jammu & Kashmir has become a part of India. My party supports this resolution. We are a regional party and for us nation is first.”

Aam Aadmi Party too extended support to the centre’s decision to revoke Article 370. AAP president Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “We support the government on its decision on J & K. We hope this will bring peace and development in the state.”

We support the govt on its decisions on J & K. We hope this will bring peace and development in the state.

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 5, 2019

The Article 370 was scrapped through Constitution (Application through Jammu & Kashmir) order 2019 signed by President Ram Nath Kovind. On the other hand, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah targeted the Modi government accusing it of muzzling the voice of the people of Kashmir. Indian Army and Indian Air Force have been put on high alert after revoking Article 370 and other decisions announced by the government.

Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray stated that wish of the former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Bal Thackeray has been fulfilled. Uddhav Thackeray congratulated Narendra Modi and Amit Shah and said that other parties should think about the country instead of worrying about political gains.

On the other hand, the Congress opposed to the scrapping of article 370. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “BJP has murdered constitution.”

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram stated by bringing a resolution on Article 370 the disintegration of India has begun. He said, “The government has illegally disintegrated J &K and this has set a precedent and allow the govt to disintegrate any state as per his will and we will not stand by this.”

Yogendra Yadav tweeted, “Today’s decision violates all the principles invoked by Vajpayee insaniyat, jamhuriat, kashmiriyat. The unconstitutional move plays into the hands of separatists and Pak sponsored terrorists, besides reneging on the idea of India and promise to the people of Kashmir.”

Today’s decision violates all the principles invoked by Vajpayee: insaniyat, jamhuriat, kashmiriyat.

This unconstitutional move plays into the hands of separatists and Pak sponsored terrorists, besides reneging on the idea of India and the promise to the people of Kashmir.

— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) August 5, 2019

WHY NOW? Raj Thackeray under ED scanners

Moumita Mukherjee

August 5, 2019

Kohinoor CTNL, a company founded by Unmesh Joshi, son of former chief minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi, being under the probe of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Serious Fraud Investigation Office grabbed headlines for the last few days as the agencies are investigating IL&FS group’s loan and equity investment amounting to Rs 860 crore in Kohinoor CTNL. Along with Unmesh, the probe also includes the names of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and his business partner Rajan Shirodkar. Investigating agencies are probing the shareholding and investment in the company for which a consortium was formed by the three mentioned above to purchase Kohinoor Mills Number 3 for Rs 421 crore.

Talks around the probe on Raj Thackeray came at a time when the MNS chief was hitting the headlines with his recent drive to fight against the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Raising doubts over the credibility of EVMs, Thackeray has demanded that ballot papers should be used in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. He is also meeting political leaders across the nation in order to build a nationwide platform on the issue.

BJP spokesperson Avdhut Wagh told Afternoon Voice, “Enforcement Directorate works as an independent organisation and works without taking anybody’s side. Without evidence ED doesn’t call anyone for investigation. Sometimes more time is required to gather evidence so backdated crimes too are probed.”

While the ruling governments in both the Centre and Maharashtra denied any need to bring back ballot paper in the electoral system, a large number of opposition parties are raising questions on the trustworthiness of Electronic Voting Machines. Raj Thackeray, despite not fielding a candidate in the recently held Lok Sabha polls, overnight became a stronger voice of opposition against PM Modi in Maharashtra although he, in 2014, endorsed Narendra Modi as the PM candidate.

MNS leader Prakash Pawar said, “The Kohinoor case is old and Raj Thackeray is not related with it. The government is trying to pressurise Raj as he had raised questions about the authenticity of electronic voting machines.”

Joining hands with the Congress-NCP alliance and at the same time without sharing the stage with any of its leaders, Thackeray held multiple rallies and brutally tore into BJP, the Prime Minister, and Maharashtra government’s alliance party Shiv Sena for their unfulfilled promises. He attacked PM Modi over the suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama that killed 40 CRPF soldiers and highlighted newspaper articles and clips of PM Modi’s speeches to highlight inconsistencies in the statements on several issues like Aadhaar and handling of the Kashmir issue.

Recently, Raj Thackeray met Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on July 31 and discussed issues related to EVMs and electoral reforms. He called for the return of ballot papers in elections. Raj Thackeray said, “We want the Maharashtra Assembly elections to be conducted through the ballot papers.” The MNS chief said that he came to Kolkata to also invite CM Mamata Banerjee for a ‘Save Democracy’ programme to be held in Maharashtra on August 21.

Scrapping of Article 370-Kudos BJP for delivering promise

Vaidehi Taman

August 5, 2019

Article 370 of the Constitution, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, has been removed by union government. President Ram Nath Kovind had signed an order that would come into force “at once”. After playing politics with the situation since Independence we are finally taking a step towards stripping this state of the artificiality injected into it. Article 35A has to go too. It would have been best had the state been trifurcated, with Jammu being the third component. This will then confine the anti-India elements to just the valley. Omar and Mufti both should understand the miserable situation they have created all these years leaving their community people hopeless. Now the reform is going to come and they should accept it without any disputes. A historical blunder is corrected after 72 years. Separate status had virtually emboldened separatist elements to muster courage and call for a separate country, collide with Pakistani forces to destabilize the state and to keep the people under an eternal poverty with no growth and development agenda.

It is really disgraceful that PDP and NC have been playing politics with this issue for so long. If they had the country’s interest first, they’d have convinced their constituency to give up violence, to get educated, and to improve their standard of living, rather than throwing stones and shouting anti-India slogans. Three generation of Sheikh Abdullah, Dr. Farook Abdullah and Janab Omar Abdullah ruled J&K then came Janab Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter Miss Mehbooba. Same dynasty rule was there. Terrorists aggravated the valley and dragged younger generation to join in their group. No education, the students had to leave J&K for higher studies to neighbouring states but all cannot afford this. To restore normalcy in the valley strong step against the terrorist’s organization is must.

The announcement came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting of his cabinet at his house on Monday morning. Jammu and Kashmir also be “reorganised,” with the state’s bifurcation into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Amid massive protests by the opposition in parliament and parties in Jammu and Kashmir, the centre has moved 8,000 paramilitary troops from different parts of the country to Kashmir. The removal of Article 370 of the constitution ends special status for Kashmir, which was key to its accession to India in 1947. Article 370 made it necessary for the centre to get the state legislature’s approval for introducing any policies or constitutional powers to the state. Jammu and Kashmir will cease to be a state and become two union territories with two Lieutenant Governors. Ladakh will be a Union Territory without a legislature and Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislature.

The Union Territory (UT) for Jammu and Kashmir will have a legislature but there will be no Assembly in Ladakh. The UT of Ladakh was a long pending demand of the people of the region and the decision was aimed at fulfilling the aspiration of the local population.

Jammu and Kashmir’s special status is defined under Article 370 of Indian Constitution. When India gained independence from Britain, Jammu and Kashmir initially chose to remain independent and signed agreements with India and Pakistan, as per the provisions of India Independence act 1947. However after an invasion bid from Pakistan, the state ended up signing an Instrument of Accession with Union of India. Defence, Foreign Affairs and Communications were the only three matters governed by the original instrument of accession and at the time of drafting the Indian Constitution it was proposed that only those provisions of the Indian Constitution would apply to the State.

Article 370 was thus incorporated in the Indian Constitution to give special status to the state. This permits the state to draft its own constitution and restricted the Indian Parliament’s legislative powers on the state, related to matters outside the original Instrument of Accession.

Under Article 370 of the constitution, the state of Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed complete autonomy and the state legislature was free to draft its own laws except in the areas of communications, defence, finance, and foreign affairs.

Article 35A of India’s Constitution permits the local legislature in Indian-controlled Kashmir to define permanent residents of the region. The article came into being in 1954 by a presidential order under the constitution’s Article 370, which grants special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir state.

Article 35A forbids Indians from outside the state from permanently settling, buying land, holding local government jobs or winning education scholarships in the region. Article 35A also gave the J&K government the right to decide who qualifies as a ‘permanent resident’. The permanent resident is subject to some special rights. The article, referred to as the Permanent Residents Law, also bars female residents of Jammu and Kashmir from property rights in the event that they marry a person from outside the state. The provision also extends to such women’s children. The Article also says none of the above laws can be held as void on the ground that it takes away the rights conferred on other citizens of the country. While Article 35A has remained unchanged, some aspects of Article 370 have been diluted over the decades. If Kashmir’s special status is repealed, people from the rest of India would have the right to acquire property in Jammu and Kashmir and settle there forever. Kashmiris fear this would lead to a demographic transformation of region from majority Muslim to majority Hindu.

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

Letters to the Editor: 5 August, 2019

Web Team

August 5, 2019

BEST buses aren’t the best anymore

The BEST bus services are no longer the best as the name suggests. Bad management and rude staff hurt passengers very much. The condition of the buses are also not good. The brakes fail anytime and anywhere during the journey. The staff also does not give a proper answer to our queries whenever we ask them anything. Therefore, people do not prefer travelling by the BEST bus; and rely on share autos or share taxis. I don’t think the BEST will revive the losses that have had all these years by reducing the bus fares; they should’ve thought of it long back, not now. It’s too late.

Jubel D’Cruz

Mumbai monsoon musings

Even as rains lashed Mumbai relentlessly, a major chunk of the three main railway lines in the city were down for over five hours, resulting in commuters being stranded at railway stations. When office goers reach railway stations in the morning, many had to return home after waiting for hours for trains. There were failures on the Western Railway (WR), the Central Railway (CR) as well as the Harbour and Trans-harbour lines. Harbour line was worst affected as the train services resumed late in the night. Due to water-logging at number of stations, the CR had temporarily suspended services between CSMT-Vashi on the harbour line and between CSMT-Thane on the main line. The services were running only between Vashi and Panvel and CSMT-Bandra/ Goregaon on the harbour line. Mumbai monsoon musing continue to give too much of stress to daily commuters.

Akhilesh Krishnan

Dwindling population of tigers

The population of tigers the world over is reduced to just 3900 and miniscule when it comes to India. The forest cover itself is giving way to infrastructure development which is the main reason why tiger population may become extinct in the years to come. Forests, animals, mountains, rivers as well as oceans are natural gifts from Almighty which make ‘life’ possible and beautiful on earth. They all contribute to existence of life on earth.

Human beings have become selfish as they exploit nature for commercial gains. The balance of all living and non-living things have to be maintained in the right ratio for life on earth to exist for centuries. We need to plant more trees, breed more wildlife including tigers on a regular basis and not just crying of their diminishing number on targeted ‘International Days’. Save earth, save wildlife’ should be the motto everbody should follow for long existence of life in the universe.

S.N. Kabra

Support unification of PoK with Kashmir

An era of change in new governance with NDA-2 in power at the centre was evident from similar voice coming from Indian Army Chief and Indian Defence Minister on occasion of Kargil victory-day on talking in one tone that now India will focus mainly on Pak-occupied-Kashmir in talks if ever to be held with Pakistan. Otherwise till now talks were always limited on maintain status-quo of Kashmir.

If opposition parties including regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir have even a little bit of courage and nationalism, they should issue statements in favour of Indian government. Commitment to bring PoK back with Kashmir in India needs also to be welcomed by National Conference and PDP if they claim to be real Kashmiris because unification of Kashmir should be dream of all Kashmiris.

Madhu Agrawal

RBI shields and patronises wrong-doings of NBFCs

The Reserve Bank of India through an RTI response openly shielded wrong-doings of torturing money-lending business by Non-Banking-Finance-Companies NBFCs like an NBFC-agent rather than regulatory-authority when the central Bank provided an analytical detail on suggestions to regulate NBFCs especially in their money-recovering process from those trapped in their net through luring mobile-calls. Significantly these NBFCs dominate loan-takers through financing by public-money of public-sector banks which is also unduly justified by RBI which avoided giving data of complaints against NBFCs.

RBI justified filing of court-cases by NBFCs for recovery in cities other than of loan-takers despite NBFC-office being also in the city of loan-taker simply to unduly harass loan-taker attending courts in far-away cities. Even loan-takers in metro-cities like Delhi are dragged to far-away cities like Ahmedabad, Jaipur etc.

RBI justified formality of delivery of legal-notices by NBFCs without actual delivery in conspiracy with courier-companies denying compulsory sending legal or court notices through reliable mode of registered post. RBI justified NBFCs luring and encouraging loans through mobile-calls where such loans are even causing suicides.

RBI denied fixing any maximum-limit of interest-rate on loans by NBFCs even though funded by public-sector banks through public-money at comparatively quite low interest-rates. RBI rather should have referred the matter to National Anti Profiteering Authority in case it was in itself helpless to regulate NBFCs for money-minting at cost of funding by public-sector banks.

God alone can save the country and its people where officers of regulatory public-authorities like RBI behave like agents of regulated private players against interest of common people. Vigilance-enquiry should be initiated against RBI officers working like their agents having justified even illegal wrong-doings of NBFCs which even are contrary to Law of Contract.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

Change of attitude the need of the hour

Recently, social media was aghast to see the video of an Indian family caught stealing accessories from a hotel abroad. The viral video showed they had lifted much more than mini-toiletries; hotel authorities found ceramic liquid soap dispensers, hairdryer, towels and more in their bags. Most frequent travellers were angry and posted the video mentioning why some countries ‘do not like Indian tourists’, and others criticised the family for bringing ‘disgrace to Indian tourists’.

Seizing the opportunity, a Delhi-based e-commerce website for travel and hotel booking has shared an old video that explained what can be taken from a hotel and what shouldn’t even be attempted. While it is understood that mini- toiletries can be taken, many travelers are also known to pack bath and face towels while checking out. The 2.10-minute video serves as a tutorial for those who are in the habit of packing things that are not theirs. This attitude reveal our state of mind and such an indifferent way of stealing gave a bad signal and so in future the Indian tourists should desist from such practice and earn lost name in the days to come.

Muringatherry Ramaswamy Jayanthi

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

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