Union Home Minister Amit Shah moved proposal to remove Article 370 in the Rajya Sabha on Monday that gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir. As tensions mounted in Jammu and Kashmir, Amit Shah announced in the Rajya Sabha that Article 370 will be revoked from the day of the President’s assent. Government has proposed bifurcation of state of Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir to be one Union Territory and Ladakh will be a separate Union Territory, according to this proposal. The proposal signed by Amit Shah says, “There has been a long pending demand of the people of Ladakh to give it the status of a Union Territory to enable them to realise their aspirations.”
According to reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a crucial Cabinet meeting at his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence along with the other members of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Monday before the big announcement. The decision comes as tension continues to simmer in Jammu and Kashmir and over 35,000 additional troops were moved in the state in the days before the announcement. Tensions have escalated in the strife-torn state ever since the administration called off the Amarnath Yatra in an unprecedented move and asked all tourists to leave the state immediately. Mobile internet has been suspended in the Valley while restrictions and night curfews were imposed in several districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Several political leaders, including Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Sajad Lone, have been put under house arrest while Army personnel have taken to the streets of Kashmir. The government has imposed restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC in Srinagar district that came into effect on Sunday midnight. Schools and colleges in Jammu, Kishtwar, Resai, Doda and Udhampur districts were also ordered to remain close on Monday.
Here is the full text of government’s proposal on revoking Article 370:
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
(Legislative Department)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 5th August, 2019
G.S.R .551(E).- The following Order made by the President is published for general information:-
THE CONSTITUTION (APPLICATION TO JAMMU AND KASHMIR) ORDER, 2019
C.O. 272
In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of article 370 of the Constitution, the President, with the concurrence of the Government of State of Jammu and Kashmir, is pleased to make the following Order:-
1.(1) This Order may be called the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019.
(2) It shall come into force at once, and shall thereupon supersede the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954 as amended from time to time.
2. All the provisions of the Constitution, as amended from time to time, shall apply in relation to the State of Jammu and Kashmir and the exceptions and modifications subject to which they shall so apply shall be as follows:-
To article 367, there shall be added the following clause, namely:-
“(4) For the purposes of this Constitution as it applies in relation to the State of Jammu and Kashmir-
(a) References to this Constitution or to the provisions thereof shall be construed as references to the Constitution or the provisions thereof as applied in relation to the said State;
(b) References to the person for the time being recognized by the President on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly of the State as the Sadar-i-Riyasat of Jammu and Kashmir, acting on the advice of the Council of Ministers of the State for the time being in office, shall be construed as references to the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir;
(c) References to the Government of the said State shall be construed as including references to the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir acting on the advice of his Council of Ministers; and
(d) In proviso to clause (3) of article 370 of this Constitution, the expression “Constituent Assembly of the State referred to in clause (2)” shall read “Legislative Assembly of the State”.”
Aaditya Thackeray is the son of Uddhav Thackeray, leader of the Shiv Sena, and grandson of Bal Thackeray. He is currently the President of Yuva Sena, a youth wing of the Shiv Sena. Aaditya is trying hard to create his existence in state politics. His major achievement is that he belongs to the Thackeray family and that is his merit too as a post bearer in the party.
A few years back, when Nitish Kumar and RJD formed the government and Lalu Prasad Yadav‘s son was given the portfolio of the Deputy CM, we all trolled them to death on social media until he resigns. I think in Maharashtra too we are going to repeat the similar incidence.
The Assembly elections are due in three months from now and 29-year-old Aaditya Thackeray is being pushed by the Shiv Sena as its nominee for the Deputy CM’s chair. Speculations about this started after Aaditya’s meeting with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis. Fadnavis recently talked about its “equitable sharing power and posts” with Sena and accepted his willingness to offer Deputy CM position to Aaditya.
However, the irony is that Shiv Sena has the best of grassroot-level leaders who made this party and their experience matters the most but the son of Uddhav is getting the chance to be at the peak of the power corridors. He needs to learn a lot and also needs to work a lot for the party. Balasaheb gave a ready seat and legacy to his son Uddhav and he is now making the way for his son. Aaditya Thackeray represents the future of the party that is gripped by many crises.
The hope is held out for Marathi-speaking people when it was launched in 1966 has acquired sepia tones but has not been fulfilled. Sena-BJP alliance was in turbulence, but both are aware of the fact that if they part, they have no future in the state. To make it to power, even if they like or dislike, they have no other choice than contesting together. After 30 years of playing elder brother in an alliance with the then-fledgling Bharatiya Janata Party, the national party unbalanced off the relationship last year and established an equation in which the Sena was uncomfortably playing the second fiddle.
After Balasaheb Thackrey, Uddhav somehow maintained and sustained the ties with the alliance but he lost his credibility as an individual. In such crises, 29-year-old Aadtiya Thackeray, the fourth generation in Prabodhankar Thackeray‘s lineage, is being portrayed as the poster boy of the Shiv Sena. There is a battalion of PR agencies campaigning for him day and night.
Alike former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Aaditya also sports stubble and spectacles. After Rahul, Priyanka too has joined active politics on the national level. In Maharashtra, the third generation of the Pawar family is preparing to enter the politics with Ajit Pawar‘s son Parth likely to be given a candidature.
Young faces from the next generation are taking over the political landscape. The only difference is that neither Balasaheb nor Uddhav and Raj contested the elections ever and they always remained the remote controls of their political party but this time, for a chance, Aaditya Thackrey may come in the battleground by contesting elections. There were also talks around him being projected as future CM candidate of Maharashtra.
Thackeray scion has been active in politics for around a decade. Though he started off with Yuva Sena, he had been primarily busy with steering the affairs of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) over past two years after Shiv Sena was able to hold its bastion with a wafer-thin margin in a bitter battle against the BJP. Aaditya had also attracted controversies for his insistence for an open nightlife culture in Mumbai and foot-path gyms in the city. The imported Penguins housed in a special pavilion at Byculla Zoo were also his baby. He also focused on sectors like education, environment, and social work, where he can directly engage with the youth.
However, whether he would be able to give the necessary fillip to the party organisation making it able to gain the power in the state on its own is still a question. Moreover, the Thackeray family’s avowed stance of not contesting public elections too is likely to be a hurdle for him. Not contesting the election was kind of inevitable for Balasaheb and Uddhav. Aaditya is young. Health and age are on his side unlike that of his father and grandfather.
Shiv Sena, long known for its conservative political and social outlook while being in opposition, has always garnered headlines for ‘Sanskaari’ moral policing – like vandalising public property over Valentine’s Day celebrations for instance.
Aaditya, however, came with a fresh set of ideas, targeting the young voters, completely contradicting the general perception of the party for decades. The young Thackeray bud certainly seems to be focusing on issues of a different colour than the ones the old Shiv Sena paid much attention to. On the day of Aaditya’s elevation, party chief Uddhav Thackeray made the announcement that the party would be going national in 2019 ‘for the sake of Hindutva‘. Is this simply the Shiv Sena’s way of courting young/urban voters with a more progressive face, while holding onto the core Hindutva and Marathi vote bank?
Aaditya too has nothing to lose and everything to gain. He does not have to worry about the party’s poll prospects as it is being taken care of by his father and Sena supremo Uddhav under the guidance of his grandfather Bal Thackeray. Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray is playing his cards close to his chest when it comes to an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While a desperate BJP has surrendered to the Shiv Sena to join hands for the Hindutva cause, Thackeray has his eye on something else. Uddhav would be more interested in seeing his son in active politics and one at the peak of power in this alliance bargain.
Most of all, as Shiv Sena completes more than five decades, its leadership has not been able to offer its cadres a sustaining vision beyond a progamme of hate that has constantly created new enemies over the decades to suit the prevailing political climate. Uddhav has been caricatured for most of his political life. Some of his father’s sound political advisors are not with him, some he maneuvered out of the party, and others left calling the mild-mannered man unflattering names.
Despite this, the Shiv Sena seems a diminished party in its influence and impact; its tiger roar has perceptibly muted. However, still, what the Shiv Sena has in its favour is stupendous organisational strength, a network of cadres that rises to any emergency as swiftly as it does to every call for action and a cult-like loyalty to Bal Thackeray that Uddhav frequently taps into. In many parts of rural Maharashtra, it continues to be the main opposition to the Congress. Now, the most interesting thing would be the young cub of Thackeray’s; will he roar like Balasaheb or stay muted like father, that time has to decide.
(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)
The BJP which has always accused the Congress-NCP of adopting dynasty politics is following the same policy and is willing to offer deputy chief minister’s post to Yuva Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray. NCP chief Sharad Pawar has always been keen to offer a bigger role to his daughter Supriya Sule. Even Ajit Pawar was handed over the responsibility of deputy chief minister’s post. Now, BJP is adopting the same agenda of assigning the deputy chief minister’s post to Aaditya Thackeray. BJP took potshots at the Congress for following dynasty politics by offering plum posts to members of the Gandhi family. However, there is no difference between the BJP and the Congress as the former too is in favour of offering deputy chief ministerial post to Aaditya Thackeray.
BJP spokesperson Avdhut Wagh said, “Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that if Shiv Sena is interested then they will nominate Aaditya Thackeray’s name for the deputy chief minister’s post. BJP was formed in 1980 and Atal Behari Vajpayee was made its president. Later LK Advani succeeded him and now Amit Shah has taken over. Uttamrao Patil was the BJP Maharashtra president now Chandrakant Patil has taken over.”
“Even Nitin Gadkari, Sudhir Mungantiwar and Devendra Fadnavis were appointed as Maharashtra BJP president. These leaders are not related with each other. In the Congress, Motilal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and now Rahul Gandhi belong to the same family. CPI and CPM and BJP don’t follow dynasty politics,” he added.
Since 1999 the Congress had 36 dynastic MPs elected to the Lok Sabha, BJP is not far behind with 31. In 1999 the beginning of 13th Lok Sabha, 8 per cent of Congress members of parliament were either descended from or married to former MPs, only slightly ahead of the 6 per cent among the BJP. The most similar density of dynastic politics was in 2009 when the Congress and BJP had 11 per cent and 12 per cent dynasts elected respectively.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi whose ordinary tea seller image had a positive impact in last elections has often mocked political families. But he has not been able to get rid of the menace of family politics in his own party even though ordinary backgrounds of their leaders are routinely projected as unique selling proposition of the ruling brigade.
Congress spokesperson Hemlata Patil said, “How can they decide who will become the Chief Minister and deputy Chief Minister before election? If they are doing dynasty politics then it is ok but when we do it is termed as dynasty politics. When Pankaja Munde and Poonam Mahajan are in active politics is it not a case of dynasty politics?”
Poonam Mahajan, MP from Mumbai North Central, carries forward the legacy of her late father Pramod Mahajan, who was one of the most influential Ministers in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. Pankaja Munde, the daughter of late Gopinath Munde, is a Minister in the BJP government in Maharashtra. Anurag Thakur from Himachal Pradesh is the son of former state minister Prem Kumar Dhumal.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Arvind Bhosale refused to comment on this matter and stated that Uddhav Thackeray will speak about it.
Among the second generation leaders include Finance Minister Piyush Goyal the son of the late BJP treasurer Ved Prakash Goyal. In fact, there are many young BJP MPs who have taken over the baton from their fathers.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma’s son Parvesh Singh Verma is an MP from Delhi. Former Delhi Assembly Speaker Charthi Lal Goel’s son is current union Minister Vijay Goel. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara, herself the daughter of one of BJP’s founders Vijayaraje Scindia, has her son Dushyant in the Lok Sabha. Her sister Yashodhara Raje was a Minister in the Madhya Pradesh and continues to be an MLA there.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is the son of Gangadharpant Fadnavis, who was a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council and his aunt Shoba Fadnavis was a state Minister. Minister of State for Home Kiran Rijiju is the son of Rinchin Kharu, who was the first pro-tem speaker of Arunachal Pradesh.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh‘s son Pankaj Singh is an MLA from Noida in Uttar Pradesh as is the case with senior leader and MP Lalji Tandon whose son Asutosh is an MLA from Lucknow East.
As a South Indian, I would like to lead a simple living and high thinking life. We Indians are really happy with great value for our family life. Western people admire our culture and joint family set up still prevailing in a fast world. In the New Year, I would like to be part of a Social Organisation, which can serve the people at the time of floods, famine, earthquake, and other national calamities. A few ways to be happy at home and form a useful friendship on the friendship day — be positive and form a valuable relationship with your old and new friends.
Nothing is impossible. We can achieve something different from others. If you are a sportsman then you can take defeat and victory in the same spirit. Happiness happens to those who seek it. Winning is a habit as far as sports is concerned. Yes; you go for a winning mode, then only you can finish as a hard-fought loser.
Don’t think of today. Think about tomorrow and the day after. Stitch in time saves nine. Try to plug the loopholes and feel success in life. Saving is a very good habit and cultivates the same for rainy days. Small drops make an ocean is true. Nationalised Banks are there to keep your small savings and that sum grows and doubles to help you at the time of need.
Don’t be Selfish: Live and let others also live. Metro city Mumbai is helping so many people to start their career and become rich in record time. Thus, so many people are coming to the Business capital to make their living more comfortable.
Learn to leave bad habits- Cigarette smoking is injurious to health as per the statutory warning message. However, so many people taste smoking and spoil their health in the process. Chewing Gutka/tobacco and drinking habits can also be done away with grit and determination on this Friendship Day.
Teaching is good hobby-Inculcate the knowledge available with you to other Teachers play a very crucial role in imparting knowledge. We forget the teachers once we get a good living. Cricketers are helped by coaches, but once they become superstars they forget the role of the coaches in bringing their career to the limelight. Music teachers bring melody in the voice of the wards.
Respect Elders: Express gratitude to your parents, teachers and the patients. At one time or other we may also lie down with an ailment and we need the help of others.
Try fast methods: be a sport and try to finish your work as early as possible and accept more work and help others and the institution. If your Institution grows, then you will also grow simultaneously.
Work is Worship: Play a key role in your sphere of work. If you are in retail Banking introduce new products in the New Year.
Patient Listening; Listen to what others say. Improvise their views and make a successful suggestion. Give credit to the team members also instead of poking your nose alone.
Have Concern for others: Instead of thinking about you always give some attention towards poor, downtrodden people. After all, you live to help others and that attitude is a great virtue.
Control your anger. People may irritate you with unwanted comments, but try to maintain composure and do a world of good to your institution and give attention to family values and traditions. After all, anger will come and go but the name and fame you attained will also go with your anger.
Try to be a fitness freak- The retirement age of Government employees was increased from 58 to 60 and a recent notification says it may be again increased to 62. Hence, try to fit with healthy habits.
Develop good Character” Our life span is short. During our time trying to develop good character and try to adopt them in day to day life as well. After all, your character reflects your mind. Apply patience and perseverance to achieve your objectives and don’t take hasty decisions and never look for a short cut to success.
Compliment People: Give respect and take respect. Appreciate a good song. Compliment a good knock by a batsman and encourage him. Stop talking discouraging words.
Aim of your life: In the best interest of your family you wish to have loving parents and loving children. After all, you will become old one day and your sons will have to look after you, the same way you looked after your parents. The love and affection are passed on from forefathers to our father, father to son, etc.
If you are able to get what is required for your life with the above good thinking you can lead a peaceful living for which, you maintain robust health, work with honesty and sincerity, have faith in God and that will give you peace of mind and try to instil confidence in your children because the future of India is in the hands of present children. Develop a friendship with members of your community, make friends in a park during a morning walk, join a senior citizen Sangh and see the way older generation manage things in a better way than you and learn the art of life and let others live. This is a friendly way of my expressions on the Friendship Day.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
During July 22 meeting between President Trump and PM Imran Khan where Trump said that PM Modi asked him to mediate (which Modi himself did not deny) on Kashmir issue, it raised huge political storm and controversy in India. However, after denial by the Government of India (through its foreign and other ministers) where GOI said that Modi never asked Trump for mediation on Kashmir, India including its opposition parties (including Congress) fell silent (and stopped demanding such denial by Modi himself) and Indians thought that things have died down.
Trump will not be at rest unless solves Kashmir problem because that is the key to the USA coming out of Afghanistan, an issue which will increase electoral prospect of Trump during coming Presidential election hence on August 1 Trump again raised this controversy by saying that it is up to PM Modi to accept mediation, as reported widely in Indian media.
Trump will commit blunder if he mediates/arbitrates on Kashmir issue (on the request of India or otherwise which is bound to bring some dismemberment of India) for the simple reason that it is bound to usher constitutionally secular India into theocratic States of ‘Hindu Rashtra’. India has failed to practice secularism due to high handedness of upper-caste Hindus and cowardice of Muslims and cowardice of ‘Dalits’ (SC and ST who are demoralised due to reservation in the name of ‘Dalits’) who combined the Muslims and Dalits (if we leave Backward castes who are also demoralised due to reservation with demoralising tag of Backwards) form ~ 40 per cent population of India hence communal Hindus erroneously think that there is only one possibility of keeping India politically viable that is through ‘Hindu Rashtra’.
These misguided communal Hindus do not understand that India was made India (of such vast territory & population governed by one political authority) by Britishers. India was splintered in over-thousand of small princely states before Britishers came to India. Even just before the independence of 1947 India (in addition to British India) had 562 princely States (under suzerainty from British Crown) which controlled ~ 40 of Indian Territory and ~ 23 per cent of its population. In a nutshell, only English as the national language and political ideology of secular democracy and proper and impartial functioning of political institutions like Executive, Parliament, independent-Judiciary, and free-Press can keep India united and politically viable, which presently Hindus seem to be utterly incapable of.
The USA has been managing global political order since World War II and despite its many failings and mistakes USA has been able to avoid World War III hence no other country knows better than USA that India converting itself into ‘Hindu Rashtra’ will be serious threat to the peace and stability of not only this region but also to global political order [especially given the fact that India is surrounded by Muslim countries and ~ 60 per cent of world Muslim population (Sunni majority) lives in and around India in Asia, East of Shia Iran].
In a nutshell USA (which is losing its dominant world power gradually and finding it difficult to protect its pacific allies) is also in need of political amalgamation of USA and Indian subcontinent (SAARC + willing Pacific Countries) which may be called (say) “United States of America and South East Asia” (USASEA) with English as national language and Hindi, Tamil, etc. as regional languages of different States in secular, democratic Federal USASEA.
The road to USASEA goes through SAARC. In Pakistan other than Punjab all the provinces are not happy with Panjabi dominant politico-economic order. Moreover, SAARC (in addition to problems with and in Pakistan) will also solve the problems of tens of millions of Bangladeshi illegal immigrants in India. However, the road to SAARC goes through first the unification of India and Afghanistan (as a precursor to SAARC) which can easily be done if India takes the lead to solve Afghanistan problem.
The sanctioned State and territory was denied by world-community to even the Caliphate of ISIS/Baghdadi. However, the world-community (including UN permanent members) first time in the history of modern human-rights-friendly civilized world is (if not stopped) going to give sanctioned State and territory to militant Jihadis (the existing Taliban etc. in Afghanistan and from Pakistan and has potential of sucking in and strengthening blood-thirsty Jihadis from rest of the world) and which will be huge problem especially for border sharing (through PoJK) neighbour India also. But even then over-smart India will not take such lead (as mentioned above) to solve the problem in Afghanistan.
In such situation, there is only one way to realise the unification of India and Afghanistan that is through the solution of Kashmir problem (not through bad policy of mediation/arbitration which Trump is envisaging which will make India a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ ) but through a plebiscite.
USA should also know that Hindu majority India will never solve Kashmir problem because it cannot live with Muslims (what to talk of Muslims of PoJK it is finding difficult to even live with Muslim Kashmir) and will not allow (due to domestic political pressure) any part of J&K to go with Pakistan at-least in theory (though practically substantial part of J&K, the PoJK is with Pakistan for the last 70 years). Hence, India will keep on talking about ‘Shimla Agreement of 1972’ about Kashmir being a bilateral issue with Pakistan. Though during last 47 years India has not cared to talk to Pakistan seriously for Kashmir solution and Kashmiris continue to suffer as has been mentioned in the recent report of UN-OHCHR and as Trump also said during July 22 meeting with Imran about suffering and lack of peace in Kashmir.
It is not at all difficult for the USA (maybe through some international human rights NGOs) to:-
(i)- Mobilise some people in the Indian side of J&K (especially in Kashmir valley) to file this writ petition in J&K High Court in person (as said online writ petition does not seem to have been admitted by J&K High Court) for the plebiscite and then in Supreme Court of India in an appeal if necessary and
(ii)- Mobilise some people in PoJK to file writ petition in High Court of PoJK (and then in Supreme Court of Pakistan if necessary) by attaching the certified copy of said writ petition in J&K High Court praying from said Pakistan High Court that Government of Pakistan should be directed to be ready for this plebiscite especially by ensuring that non-citizens of unified J&K are removed from PoJK before this plebiscite.
Such unified J&K (free from outsiders for carrying out plebiscite) will be easier in the Indian side of J&K because outsiders are not there due to Article 370 and 35-A of Indian Constitution. In PoJK it will be little difficult because not only Pakistanis but Chinese are also there but then USA should be able to ensure outsiders-free PoJK through UN or otherwise through dialogue on the table with concerned parties or militarily if necessary.
As mentioned above in view of the fact that the USA also needs USASEA (USA + SAARC + SEA) as vice versa, the USA should also keep in mind that India (the largest member of SAARC) is not a pauper country rather it can recover Rs ~ 1,000 Lakh Crore ($ ~ 15 Trillion) from about one million tax evaders, which ($ ~ 15 Trillion) all the US Governments (since their existence in 1776) have not seen in one time. This huge State-capital can bring economic progress in USASEA.
It is hoped that USA shall bring desired paradigm shift, as mentioned above, in its foreign policy and shall come out of Afghanistan through the solution of Kashmir problem which will facilitate unification of India and Afghanistan as a precursor to SAARC and which will ultimately culminate into USASEA in the interest of peaceful, just and prosperous global political order.
(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.)
International Friendship Day is celebrated as per the resolution adopted by the United Nations in 2011. It was decided to forge a strong bond of friendship among people of various countries irrespective of their race, colour, gender, religion, ethnicity, and other such factors. A bond that is boundless. Perhaps, friendship could be summarized thus. The virtue of friendship has been appreciated by one and all over the world.
Friendship is a faithful and loyal relationship between two or more person living anywhere in the world. We cannot leave our whole life alone and need a faithful relationship with someone to live happily called friends. Friendship is universal and with social media so present nowadays it’s hard not to stay close and up to date with those special people, even if they don’t live in the same town anymore. Everyone needs a good and loyal friend to share bad or good life events, enjoy happy moments and share unbearable events of life.
Emphasising on the importance of friendship, the great ancient Greek Philosopher and scientist exclaimed, “Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to and therefore does not partake of society is either a beast or a god. ”
There are people to whom friendship is everything. Without a friend, life becomes unbearable for them. A saviour in troubled times, a friend in need becomes an invaluable asset. It is a nice experience to cherish memories of those occasions when a friend made a change in one’s life with a timely act. Devoting a day to such nice people in one’s life is an idea worth celebrating. And, many people have already embraced the idea. According to the great Roman Statesman, Cicero “Friendship increases happiness and diminishes misery by doubling our joy and dividing our grief”.
The main purpose of International Friendship Day is to promote the concept of friendship across different backgrounds and cultures in order to promote peace all over the world. It is also for reminding the general public of the importance of maintaining friendship and making new friends for improving the overall well-being of a person. The International Day of Friendship is an important opportunity to confront the misunderstandings and distrust that underlie so many of the tensions and conflicts in today’s world. It is a reminder that human solidarity is essential to promoting lasting peace and fostering sustainable development. Getting a best friend in life is very hard for everyone and if one gets it, he/she is really bestowed with the true love of God.
With the world becoming a global village, thanks to the transformation brought about by information technology, Indians too have joined the bandwagon of worshippers of friendship through the net and other means.
Friendship Day is all about celebrating the bond of friendship. Connections are like plants which you need to take care of. You need to constantly nourish your connections with different individuals in order to maintain the friendship or build it.
Friendship Day is all about celebrating the bond of friendship. It is an occasion to turn the pages of life and reminisce the wonderful moments that you have spent with your pals in the school, college or workplace. The friendship between different people from different countries and with different cultures can inspire peace efforts and assist in building bridges between communities. Friendship is important because it helps break down barriers and connect people with diverse cultures and backgrounds. It even plays an important role in promoting peace in different cultures.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Presently every market of wholesale or retail commodities is undergoing a heavy dose of economic recession with the quantum of business declining sharply. Even wholesale medicine-market in Bhagirath Palace (Delhi) is facing a steep fall in sales as if people do not fall sick. Fall in sales results in the direct and indirect business of others like tea-vendors etc because their sale is also dependent on the footfall of customers. All this has further generated unemployment because traders now have minimum staff and shunting out of surplus staff from employment.
Apart from other factors, one of the main reasons for the fall in business is fast-growing trend of on-line sale of commodities. No trader is able to understand how such abnormal heavy discounts are possible on on-line sale. Wholesale-traders of medicines normally giving 20 per cent discount on branded medicines have now started giving 22 per cent discount to meet big challenge of on-line sale where heavy discounts of 25-30 per cent is being given bearing the heavy cost of packing and home-delivery of medicines even though purchased in small amounts like of rupees 500. No wholesale-trader is able to understand the economy of on-line sale.
Union government should ban on-line sale at least on an experimental basis to give a breather for normal trade-activities and regenerating employment in private-sector. Otherwise also on-line sale at times results in banking-frauds.
Subhash Chandra Agrawal
East Indians should learn from the Goans
It is very disgusting that when a person dies in an East Indian Catholic family, tea, snacks (sandwiches, pattices, and cakes) and soft drinks are served to the people at the graveyard after the burial. Then the people who have attended the funeral come to the house of the deceased member where again snacks, soft drinks, alcohol, and dinner is served. This is ridiculous! We are supposed to be mourning for the deceased member of our family but instead of mourning, we are having a grand party. Goans, Mangaloreans and other Christian communities do not do all this; it is only the East Indians who do it. We East Indians should learn from the Goans, Mangaloreans, and other Christian communities and bury the dead member of our family with respect instead of having a grand party after the funeral.
Then again after the month’s mind Mass and after the 1st anniversary Mass, snacks and lunch just like that of a wedding are served to neighbours, relatives and close friends either at home or in the church hall.
With all this eating, drinking and merry-making, I don’t think the soul of the deceased member will rest in peace.
P.S.: The East Indians are a community of Roman Catholics who are the original inhabitants of Mumbai. They got their name from the East India Company of the British who had converted a large number of local Marathi-speaking people to Christianity.
Jubel D’Cruz
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar, who established the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 20 years ago and brought it in power forging coalition with the Congress in Maharashtra, is facing tough time just ahead of the state Assembly elections. The NCP leaders, who deserted the party, are being called the opportunists as they chose power rather than being loyal to Pawar.
This desertion started after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. However, after the landslide victory of the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections, this process is on its zenith with mass defection. Recently, MLAs Shivendrasinh Bhosale, Sandeep Naik, and Vaibhav Pichad and the party’s state women wing president Chitra Wagh joined the ruling BJP, whereas Mumbai NCP president Sachin Ahir and Shahapur MLA Pandurang Barora joined the Shiv Sena which is the ruling alliance partner in the state government.
Unfazed with these desertions, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has extended his best wishes to them. Although Pawar claimed that he has experiences of tackling such situation, the recent defections of NCP lawmakers and leaders will have a major impact on the upcoming Assembly elections definitely.
It is remarkable that the NCP MLAs and leaders, who switched loyalty to the BJP-Shiv Sena, pleaded that they were unable to carry out public works while being on the opposition benches. NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, who has been eyeing a bigger role at the Centre, suddenly staggered at home pitch. Sharad Pawar accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other BJP ministers of committing themselves to poaching leaders from other parties before the Assembly elections. He also accused the ruling BJP of misusing probe agencies and state-run financial bodies to compel leaders to join their fold. The ED had recently raided the house of NCP leader Hassan Mushrif at Kagal in Kolhapur in connection with alleged misappropriation of funds in the local sugar mill controlled by him.
Sharad Pawar alleged that Kagal NCP MLA Hasan Mushrif was also made an offer by the BJP, but when he refused, the income tax department carried out raids at his premises in Kolhapur. He said, “Chitra Wagh told me that there are some criminal cases against her husband. In addition to that, an ACB (anti-corruption bureau) inquiry has been initiated against their cooperative institution. That is why she asked me to give her permission to join the BJP.”
These defectors are known as the opponents of NCP’s second-in-command Ajit Pawar. They have sent a signal that all is not well in the Pawar clan. Sharad Pawar seems to be keen on pursuing the defectors to remain in the party; on the other hand, Ajit has not shown any interest in talking to them. DP Tripathi, NCP General Secretary said, “NCP leaders are leaving the party and joining BJP is a case of opportunism.”
Nawab Malik, NCP spokesperson stated, “Those who have quit the party are opportunists. Party will not come to an end if any leader quits it. If the leaders are leaving, then new leaders will replace them. BJP has lost confidence in its own party leaders, hence, they are poaching other outfits’ leaders.”
After poaching jibe, CM Devendra Fadnavis hit back at Sharad Pawar. He said, “Sharad Pawar should introspect on why his people are not ready to stay with the NCP. The stand of the BJP is very clear. A lot of leaders from the Congress and NCP are interested in joining the BJP; however, a very few will be allowed to join. Those with ED cases will not be taken. We do not need such people.”
Maharashtra BJP President Chandrakant Patil also refuted the allegation. He said, “The leaders from other parties are coming to us because they are convinced that we treat everyone equally. How is it possible for the ED to raid everyone without any concrete evidence? We are an inclusive party. We have kept our doors open for anyone who wants to join.” BJP Minister Girish Mahajan claimed that more than 50 MLAs of the Congress and the NCP are in touch with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
As per reports, NCP MLAs Sandeep Naik (Airoli, Navi Mumbai), Vaibhav Pichad (Akole, Ahmednagar) and Shivendrasingh Bhosale (Satara) and Chitra Wagh along with Congress MLA (Naigaon, Mumbai) Kalidas Kolambkar joined the BJP. Shivendra Raje Bhosale said that he would switch sides as it was not possible for him to get development works done in his constituency while remaining in the opposition. Kolambkar and Naik echoed him. However, sources said the reason behind their defections is more personal than the issue of development.
Shivendrasingh Bhosale had called on NCP chief Sharad Pawar last week to apprise him on his issues with the party. He feels that he is being neglected by the top leaders. Sharad Pawar had played a mediator in bringing him close to his estranged cousin Udayan Raje Bhosale, the MP of Satara, but that has not impressed him.
Sandeep Naik’s is a similar case. He along with his heavyweight father Ganesh Naik and brother of former MP Sanjeev Naik have been sidelined by the NCP leadership in spite of their substantial influential in Navi Mumbai. The mass defections have come as a big jolt to the NCP which barely managed to retain its tally of four in the Lok Sabha elections. With the Naiks leaving the party, the NCP will be wiped off Navi Mumbai. The party has already lost relevance in Mumbai and Thane after its Mumbai chief Sachin Ahir joined Shiv Sena last week. In Thane, the NCP has been reduced to a bunch of leaders, who are facing charges of inciting a builder Suraj Parmar for suicide.
Vijay Panchal, a resident of Andheri in a chat with Afternoon Voice about NCP’s recent defections, expressed, “Mass defections are wrong. Leaders should avoid this practice as the old party has given them name and fame. They must not forget it. Above all, joining a ruling party means they are opportunists. If defections from opposition to the ruling party continue, there will be no opposition in the country. It means, one-party rule will be established in India and it will be an autocracy. So, defections from the NCP are not good for Indian democracy.”
Suraj Chandran, a resident of Borivali said, “Many NCP leaders are quitting the party to join BJP. These party leaders have initially remained loyal to the party. Sharad Pawar should take steps to revive the party to regain the confidence of his party leaders.”
Adil Shirgaonkar, a resident of Goregaon said, “We are common men. If the leaders of one party join another party, we have nothing to do with it. Whoever will be in power, the government must function. The nation should progress. In democracy, opposition is also necessary. Without competitors, there will be no race.”
Sharad Pawar’s Political Journey so far
In 1967 he was the:
Member of Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra
Congress Legislature Party’s Secretary in Maharashtra
Pradesh Congress Committee’s General Secretary in Maharashtra
From 1972 to 1974 he was the Minister of State of Government of Maharashtra for Food, Home, Civil Supplies, Publicity, Rehabilitation, Sports and Youth Welfare.
From 1974 to 1978 he was the Cabinet Minister of Agriculture, Home, Education, Industries, Youth Welfare and Labour under the Government of Maharashtra.
From 1978 to 1980 he was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
From 1981 to 1986 he was the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra.
From 1982 to 1987 he was the President of Congress (S).
In 1984 he was elected to the 8th Lok Sabha but he resigned in March 1985.
From 1988 to 1991 he was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
In 1991 he was again elected to the 10th Lok Sabha.
From 1991 to 1993 he served as the Defence Minister.
From 1993 to 1995 he was a member of the Legislative Council of Maharashtra. He became the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
From 1995 to 1996 he was made the Leader of Opposition of the Legislative Council of Maharashtra.
In 1996 he was re-elected for the third term in the 11th Lok Sabha.
From 1996 to 1997 he held memberships in Committee on Environment and Forests and Committee on Science and Technology.
In 1998 he was elected as a member of the 12th Lok Sabha for the fourth term. He was made the Leader of Opposition.
From 1998 to 1999 he was a member of:
Committee on External Affairs and its Sub-Committee-II
General Purposes Committee
Ministry of Human Resource Development’s Consultative Committee
In 1999, he was elected for the fifth time to the 13th Lok Sabha. He became the Leader of NCP in Parliament.
From 1999 to 2000 he was the member of the General Purposes Committee and the Committee on Agriculture.
From 2000 to 2001 he was the member of the Committee on Ethics.
From 2001 to 2004 he was the Vice Chairman of the National Committee on Disaster Management. He was also the Leader of NCP in the Lok Sabha.
In 2004 he was elected for the sixth time to the 14th Lok Sabha.
From 23 May 2004, he became the Union Cabinet Minister for Consumer Affairs, Public Distribution, Agriculture and Food. He was also the Vice President of the Parliamentary Forum on Water Conservation and Management.
In 2009 he was elected for the seventh time as a member to the 15th Lok Sabha.
From 31 May 2009 to 18 January 2011 he was the Union Cabinet Minister for Consumer Affairs, Public Distribution, Agriculture and Food. He was again made the Leader of NCP in Parliament in the Lok Sabha.
From 19 January 2011, he is the Union Cabinet Minister for Food Processing Industries and Agriculture.
Positions held in by Sharad Pawar
In the field of social and cultural activities, his roles include:
President of Vasantdada Sugar Institute in Pune, Nehru Centre in Mumbai, Vidya Pratishthan, Baramati in Pune, Rayat Shikshan Sanstha in Satara, Agriculture Development Trust in Baramati, Y.B. Chavan Pratishthan in Mumbai.
In the field of Sports, he was the President of Garware Club House, Maharashtra Kustigir Parishad, Maharashtra Olympic Association, Mumbai Cricket Association, International Cricket Council (ICC). He was also the Chairman of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Head of Maharashtra Kabbadi Association and Maharashtra Kho Kho Association.
Awards won by Sharad Pawar
Outstanding Parliamentarian Award, 2003 from the then President of India Pratibha Patil.
Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, Michigan, Detroit, U.S.A bestowed him with an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Humanities.
Book Published on Sharad Pawar: Fast Forward, a book containing a collection of the speeches given by Sharad Pawar was released in 2008 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Manmohan Singh.
Controversies surrounding Sharad Pawar
Sharad Pawar’s name was referred by Abdul Karim Telgi in the six hundred billion rupees stamp paper scam in a narco analysis that was captured by different Indian news channels.
The Bharatiya Janata Party demanded Sharad Pawar’s resignation in 2007, alleging his involvement in a multi-crores scam related to wheat imports.
The Bombay High Court on 27 October 2007 served notices to the Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation and also to the organisations led by Sharad Pawar, his nephew Ajit Pawar and his son-in-law Sadanand Sule to cite reasons for providing special privileges to him and his family.
It was alleged in 2010 that Pawar and his family members hold 16 per cent stake in City Corporation, a company that had bid an amount of Rs 1176 crores for Pune franchise in the IPL. The Pawars, however, denied the allegations.
Pawar was highly criticised and accused as Cabinet Minister of Agriculture for not being able to handle the price rise of agricultural products.
Sharad Chandra Govindrao Pawar, mostly known as Sharad Pawar, is the founder and President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) since 1999, after disassociating from the Indian National Congress. In his political career, Sharad Pawar has held key positions both in state politics and at the national level. He has served as Chief Minister of Maharashtra and also as Defence Minister of India. He was the Minister of Agriculture under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by the Indian National Congress. He represented the Madha constituency of Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha and leads the Nationalist Congress Party delegation.
Sharad Pawar was born on 12 December 1940 to Govindrao Pawar and Shardabai Pawar. His father worked with Baramati Farmers’ Cooperative, also known as Sahakari Kharedi Vikri Sangh, and his mother used to take care of the family farm about 10 km away from Baramati at Katewadi. Sharad Pawar has five brothers and four sisters. He was educated in a school under the Maharashtra Education Society. He studied in Pune at the Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce under the Pune University.
Sharad Pawar married Pratibha Shinde on August 1, 1967; they have a daughter Supriya, who is married to Sadanand Sule and is presently a member of the 15th Lok Sabha, representing the constituency of Baramati in Maharashtra.
God has given a gift to the people of Mumbai and Pune to live near two hill towns Lonavla and Khandala. These places are lying in the Mumbai-Pune belt and people passing through the Expressway or the old route thoroughly enjoy the nature’s beauty in the best way possible.
The expressway is a boon to the passengers who want to visit these places and enjoy their weekend. Apart from this, there is a rail route which passes through the green mountains giving a pleasant sight to watch. It is just Heaven on the Earth. The landscape and the valleys give a green look and very pleasant to the eyes. During the cloudy rainy season, one can enjoy the scenic beauty with smoke surrounding these mountains from three sides.
Areas most prone to heavy and extremely heavy rainfall are close to Mumbai in Maharashtra. It was observed that rain on the “windward” side of cascaded mountains, the side of mountain ranges that are exposed to monsoon winds, is greater than that compared to isolated mountains. This is because of the barrier created by a cascaded mountain range that restricts the flow of clouds for a longer time, thus giving more time for rain formation. If the barrier is small, like an isolated mountain, the water droplets are carried away to the other side of the mountain and rain on the windward side is less.
Monsoon rains and Mountain ranges add colour to this enchanting route. The rainy season is the best time to enjoy the scenic beauty. The atmosphere is very clear and you can see the mountain ranges very clearly. The green vegetation and the birds flying near the mountains is a scene to cherish. The fog/smog hit the mountains near Khandala and gives you the feeling that the cloud is at your grasp.
In the rain shadow region, more rain is seen in Maharashtra than Karnataka. In addition to the length of the mountain, the width of the mountain also affected the rainfall. The mountains in Maharashtra are narrower as compared to mountains in Karnataka. India’s latest fleet Tejas is the main attraction in this busy route. With ultra-modern facilities onboard, it is a 5-day weekly train during the non-monsoon period and it gets reduced to three times a week during the peak monsoon period.
Ganpatipule is a town on the Konkan Coast of western India. It is known for its beaches such as Ganpatipule Beach and nearby Aare Ware Beach. On Ganpatipule Beach, the centuries-old Swayambhu Ganpati Temple is a pilgrimage site and houses a large orange statue of Ganesh. Prachin Konkan is an open-air museum with models depicting traditional Konkan life. Jaigad Fort and a British-built lighthouse lie to the north. Enjoy a romantic sunset or relax on the fine white sand at Ganpatipule Beach, nestled between two photogenic cliffs.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
It is welcome to know that the Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha has provided an option of online papers to be delivered to the members in lieu of physical copies from next session onwards. The decision taken during the Zero hour is a highly appreciable gesture especially towards ensuring paper free environment and encouraging seamless flow of information.
The decision to go paper free is yet made an optional but the same needs to be carried out as a mandatory measure. As most of the members have access to emails and technology, it is high time that both Lok Sabha and \ adopt paper free office environment and implement the same to ensure seamless communication. Lok Sabha Secretariat may also adopt the best practises to encourage paper free environment, from the other parliamentary bodies like the European Union, the United Nations Secretariat and the UN General Assembly which follow a robust paper free documentation system.
Further an effort should be made by the Hon’ble Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs to provide the details of private member bills, bills amended and tabled through a news website regularly. An extensive effort is highly necessary now to reach out to public to disseminate Parliamentary proceedings of regular updates through news portals and leading newspapers.
Varun Dambal
Sexual crimes on the rise in the city
The news report of a CISF constable molesting an advocate and a 10-yr-old being molested by her badminton coach in BMC sports complex comes as a shock. The cases of rapes and molestations in the city are on the rise which calls for stringent laws and punishment to curb such criminality. Sexual crimes should be made un-bailable offence and such crimes should be tried in special courts for speedier judgements.
Counselling is the need of the hour for people with perturbed mindset. Also, young kids who have faced sexual crimes too needs psychological counselling to come out of the trauma. CCTV cameras at strategic locations across the city would go a long way in reducing sexual crimes in the city.
S.N. Kabra
Triple talaq bill will provide justice to Muslim women
Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done a marvellous job in getting the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2019 known as the triple talaq passed in the Rajya Sabha and has proved that every woman has the right to protection no matter what religion or community she belongs to. It is indeed a bold and right step to protect the dignity of Muslim women who often get harassed by such instant practices by her wretched husband who marry five different women by just pronouncing the word talaq three times.
JubelD’Cruz
Legislation also necessary to defend Hindu women victim
Central Government should also pass a legislation defending legitimate rights of victim Hindu wives whose husbands go for second marriage. Even small kids deserted with first wives face unbearable torture at very small age. Irony is that such selfish second wives though themselves being women, fail to realize misery of first such wives. Law should be that it may be an offence that Hindu men may have second marriage with or without consent or objection from their first wives. Any non-Muslim adopting Islam must not be allowed to have a second marriage to prevent symbolically adopting Islam just for having second marriage by a Hindu person. Rather time has come that multi-marriage may not be allowed even by Muslims like system exists in many Islamic countries.
There are cases where husband and second to-be wife symbolically adopted Islam for a day just allowing for a second legal wife for the man. One such couple was caught on websites of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha when the husband gave name of first wife as spouse on Lok Sabha website, while the second wife gave name of the man legally in her life after symbolically adopting Islam for a short period as husband on Rajya Sabha website. Some other such second couples continue to be Muslims but only on record, but practicing Hinduism in real life. This is cheating to both religions. Even National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) should take sue-motto cognizance of the aspect in larger interest of deserted first wives. There should be social boycott of such second couples rather than pouring undesirable love and affection for such immoral and unethical second couples developed after second marriages with first wives alive.
Madhu Agrawal
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah moved proposal to remove Article 370 in the Rajya Sabha on Monday that gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir. As tensions mounted in Jammu and Kashmir, Amit Shah announced in the Rajya Sabha that Article 370 will be revoked from the day of the President’s assent. Government has proposed bifurcation of state of Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir to be one Union Territory and Ladakh will be a separate Union Territory, according to this proposal. The proposal signed by Amit Shah says, “There has been a long pending demand of the people of Ladakh to give it the status of a Union Territory to enable them to realise their aspirations.”
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As a South Indian, I would like to lead a simple living and high thinking life. We Indians are really happy with great value for our family life. Western people admire our culture and joint family set up still prevailing in a fast world. In the New Year, I would like to be part of a Social Organisation, which can serve the people at the time of floods, famine, earthquake, and other national calamities. A few ways to be happy at home and form a useful friendship on the friendship day — be positive and form a valuable relationship with your old and new friends.
During July 22 meeting between President Trump and PM 
Ban online sale on experimental basis 
Maratha strongman 
God has given a gift to the people of