Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed arrested for terrorism financing

By

-

July 17, 2019

Hafeez Saeed arrested, Hafeez Saeed,Mumbai terror attack, 26/11 mumbai attack,26/11 attack Mumbai terror attack (26/11) mastermind and Jamatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed on Wednesday was arrested in a terrorism financing case on his way from Lahore to Gujranwala. Officials of Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department confirmed it.

Pakistan government has been under pressure from Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to act against terror outfits and terrorists operating out of Pakistan. The arrest comes a day after Pakistan opened its airspace and before Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s maiden trip to the White House to help repair its relationship with the United States. Imran Khan is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump on July 22.

According to reports, Punjab chief minister’s spokesman Dr Shahbaz Gill said that Saeed was arrested near Gujranwala. Gill said, “The main charge is that he is gathering funds for banned outfits, which is illegal.” Saeed was on his way to an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Gujranwala to seek bail. He was arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Punjab in the Gujranwala jurisdiction. He has been shifted to an unknown location. A JuD spokesperson also confirmed the report of Hafiz Saeed’s arrest.

The FATF placed Pakistan on its grey list of countries over terrorism financing. In June this year, the FATF gave Pakistan a deadline of October this year to prove that it has improved its efforts to counter terror financing failing which the country would be facing sanctions. Hafiz Saeed is a UN-designated a global terrorist and is the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba. The US has announced a bounty of $10 million for providing evidence leading to his conviction.

It is notable that on July 3, top 13 leaders of the banned JuD, including Saeed, were booked in nearly two dozen cases for terror financing and money laundering under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The CTD, which registered the cases in five cities of Punjab, declared that the JuD was financing terrorism from the massive funds collected through non-profit organisations and trusts including Al-Anfaal Trust, Dawatul Irshad Trust, Muaz Bin Jabal Trust, etc. These non-profit organisations were banned in April as the CTD during detailed investigations found that they had links with the JuD and its top leadership, accused of financing terrorism by building huge assets/properties from the collected funds in Pakistan.

A Lahore High Court division bench on Monday sought replies from the Ministry of Interior, Punjab home department and CTD on a petition of JuD chief Hafiz Saeed and his seven aides challenging an FIR carrying a charge of terror financing. Advocate A.K. Dogar represented the petitioners and contended that the facts narrated in the impugned FIR registered on July 1, 2019 illegally described them as members of LeT and levelled unlawful allegations of terror financing. The counsel referred to a 2009 judgement by an LHC full bench against the then detention of Hafiz Saeed and stated that the petitioners were not members of LeT.

He said the Lahore High Court through another judgement issued in 2003 had also held that Hafiz Saeed left the leadership of LeT on Dec 24, 2001 while the organisation was banned on Jan 14, 2002. The lawyer pleaded that the claim of the government that the petitioners were members of LeT stood disapproved in light of the two judgements. Therefore, he asked the court to quash the impugned FIR lodged by the CTD for being unlawful and of no legal effect. A government law officer opposed the petition and stated that it was not maintainable at this stage of the case.

However, the bench comprising Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry and Justice Waheed Khan directed the law officer to furnish written replies on behalf of the respondents by July 30. The other petitioners are Mohammad Ayub Sheikh, Zafar Iqbal, Syed Luqman Ali Shah, Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, Abdul Salam, Abdul Ghaffar and Abdul Qudoos Shahid.

On Monday, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore had granted pre-arrest bail to the JuD chief and three others in a case pertaining to the outfit’s alleged illegal use of land for its seminary, against surety bonds of Rs 50,000 (Pakistani rupee) each.

In February, the FATF had warned Pakistan to deliver on its commitments to curb terror financing and money laundering. Risks to the global financial system had virtually put the country’s entire machinery into an aggressive mode to show tangible progress within two months of the warning. While the meetings were taking place, the government had announced a ban on JuD and Falah-e-Insanyat Foundation (FIF) to partially address the concerns raised by India that Pakistan supported these and six similar organisations, including Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) or at least considered them low-risk entities.

A major blow for Kumaraswamy government

By

Web Team

-

July 17, 2019

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said the 16 rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs could not be forced to take part in the trust vote scheduled for Thursday. The court also gave liberty to Speaker KR Ramesh to decide on the resignations of the MLAs. The court said that there was no deadline for him to take a call on the issue. The Supreme Court’s decision is seen as major blow for the Kumaraswamy government. If the resignations are accepted, the coalition would be reduced to a minority in the assembly and leave it poised on the brink of collapse in the climax of a crisis that began on July 6. But still, all is not well for the Kumaraswamy government as according to the Supreme Court’s order, the MLAs cannot be forced to participate in tomorrow’s trust vote. In the event that all the 16 MLAs remain absent from the Assembly tomorrow, the ruling Congress-JD(S) government in all likelihood will topple.

Following the Supreme Court’s judgement, debates are being waged on whether the rebel MLAs will be disqualified ahead of the trust vote. According to experts, disqualifications seem unlikely given the limited time frame. Additionally, the Speaker cannot decide to disqualify the MLAs on the singular ground of the MLAs violating the party whips. Hence, the only hope for the Congress-JD(S) is to appease the rebel MLAs.

To a question posed on the BJP‘s next course of action in case the Speaker decides to disqualify the 16 MLAs, BS Yeddyurappa says “We will wait and see.” Yeddyurappa lauded the Supreme Court verdict. He said, “All 16 MLAs who have resigned cannot be issued any whip and there is no condition to attend the Vidhan Sabha. That means Kumaraswamy will no longer have the mandate. Tomorrow he is going to go. I welcome the Supreme Court verdict, it is a victory of Constitution and democracy. It is a moral victory of MLAs.”

On the other hand, Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh welcomed the top court’s order in the matter. He said, “I will not delay, will work as per my constitutional role.” Meanwhile, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is seen offering prayers at Sri Sringeri Shankara Mutt in Shankarapuram.

Former Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar reiterating that the Supreme Court has observed that there is no time frame for the Speaker to take a call on the rebel MLAs. He said, “I hope the Speaker will decide on the resignations within a day or two.” Shettar also urged Kumaraswamy to resign as the Chief Minister. “There is anarchy in the state because of HD Kumaraswamy, he should resign immediately after this verdict and not wait for the trust vote.” BJP’s GVL Narsimha Rao also hailed SC’s verdict in the case. He said, “SC has given the relief to the MLAs they were hoping for. The many whips issued by the Congress-JD(S) will not affect the MLAs”

CJI Ranjan Gogoi read the order in the matter of the resignations of the rebel Congress-JD(S) MLAs. He said, “Speaker has been given liberty to decide on resignation by 16 MLAs within any time frame.”

Another point of contention that was raised in the hearing was the timing of the resignation and the procedure followed by the 16 MLAs. All the sides debated over whether its important if the disqualification petition came first or the resignations. Lawyer Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the Speaker, said that even if disqualification occurs months later, it has to be counted on the date when the act which resulted in disqualification occurred”. In this case, Singhvi qualified the resignation as the act which justified the disqualification petition filed by the ruling parties in Karnataka. Singhvi was replying to the rebel MLAs argument which stated that the disqualification and the resignation were filed together.

The rebel MLAs, however, contested the Speaker’s argument and said that he has not a valid reason for disqualification. “Disqualification proceedings are only an attempt to stall the resignation,” senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi who is representing the Congress-JD(S) MLAs said.

CM Kumaraswamy, the Karnataka Speaker KR Ramesh and the rebel MLAs put up a formidable fight in yesterday’s hearing arguing on the viability of disqualification and resignations in this case. The Speaker contested that the rebel MLAs should be disqualified and that resignations are not a way of escaping disqualification.

Speaker KR Ramesh in yesterday’s hearing argued that being a constitutional functionary he cannot be directed to first decide on the resignations of the MLAs over their disqualification. The Supreme Court bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi responded by saying that it was not restraining the Speaker from deciding the disqualification but was only asking him to ascertain whether the rebel MLAs voluntarily resigned.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi reserved its verdict at the conclusion of a hearing that went on for a little more than three hours on Tuesday, punctuated by sharp exchanges between the judges and counsel for speaker KR Ramesh Kumar.

The speaker asked the court to exercise self-restraint and not issue interim orders on internal matters of the assembly. The bench had questioned his reluctance to speedily dispose of the resignations.

It is remarkable that 16 MLAs, 13 from the Congress and three from JD(S), have quit since July 7, pushing the coalition government to the brink of collapse. The defections will trigger a legal clause that disqualifies these MLAs, bringing the 224-member assembly’s strength down to 208 and giving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a majority in the House.

The ruling coalition government has a strength of 100, excluding the rebels. The speaker cannot vote unless there is a tie. Also, two independent MLAs have withdrawn support to the government. The BJP has the support of 105 MLAs and is expected to be backed by the independents. One additional member in the House is nominated.

The alliance, which was hastily cobbled together in May last year to prevent the BJP from coming to power in the only southern state it has governed, has been roiled by periodic dissent and open squabbling between the partners. The Congress-JD(S) managed to win just two of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in the recent general elections. The BJP won 25 seats in the general elections.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who represented speaker Ramesh Kumar, asked the court not to give a judicial direction and asked it to vacate a July 12 status quo order to let the speaker decide finally on both the disqualification petitions and resignations. Singhvi said the constitutional scheme did not warrant judicial intervention in internal matters of the assembly.

Nelson Mandela: A sage of humanity

By

Vinod Dixit

-

July 17, 2019

Nelson Mandela, Mandela day, Nelson Mandela International Day ,Mandela’s birth anniversary,July 18 — Image Courtesy: ujimaradio.com

The world will be celebrating Nelson Mandela International Day on July 18 — Mandela’s birth anniversary. Mandela Day is a global call to action for citizens of the world to take up the challenge and follow in the formidable footsteps of Madiba, a man who transformed his life, served his country and freed his people. Its objective is to inspire individuals to take action to help change the world for the better and in so doing, to build a global movement for good. A day not only to honour the man himself but also a chance for us to join the global movement to make the world a better place. Most of us know the facts of his life: his fight against apartheid, his imprisonment for 27 years first at Robben Island, then at Pollsmoor Prison and finally at Victor Verser Prison, how he became the first Black President of South Africa, his winning the Nobel Peace Prize, etc.

Nelson Mandela of South Africa was an icon for modern democracy. Today Nelson Mandela is acclaimed as one of the greatest personalities of our times. He belongs to that category of men who have graced our civilisation with their personal charisma and noble contributions. He was a champion for the rights of all humans. He showed to the world that all souls are created equal without any string attached. He was a leader with a difference.

Mandela spent 27 consecutive years of his life in detention. For 18 years (1964 – 1982) he was held on Robben Island, in 1982 he was moved to Pollsmoor Prison, Cape Town, and in 1988 he was again moved to Victor Verster Prison, in Paarl, till 1990. A real leader, according to him, works and serves the people making them know about their strengths. He was not for ‘power’, ‘money’ or ‘greed’. This humble soul was created for benefits other souls who were suffering. He said, ‘it is an ideal which I hope to live for and to see it realised. However, if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die’.

Mandela followed three rules throughout his life, which he did at great personal sacrifice: [1] Free yourself, [2] Free others, and [3] Serve every day. Mandela’s greatest legacy is perhaps his commitment to the redemptive powers of hope and struggle. He played a major role in many political endeavors, many anti-apartheid movements such as the Program of Action, a policy-based initiative that was founded on the principles of non-violent “civil disobedience, boycott, strike, and non-co-operation” Peace was his motive.

He achieved objectives for the benefits of all mankind without ‘violence and killings’ which is a lesson to everybody in present-day world. He showed to the world how humanity can be achieved through peace without violence and killings. In 1975 he wrote a letter from prison “The cell is an ideal place to learn to know yourself,” and “Never forget that a saint is a sinner who keeps on trying.”

Mandela was a liberator of the stature of Gandhi. Both shared a common vision and passion for the breaking away of the shackles of tyranny and oppression. Both stand as stalwarts of our proximate history. Nelson Mandela was one man who was able and willing to stand up and fight back. Indeed, we can also see how this man developed his legacies through his years in prison, his activist years and his elaborate life afterward. Many people have been inspired by the South African movement, especially their decision to forgive and move on. He’s endowed with many personality traits; this makes him a natural leader and also has developed many leadership skills and strategies in his lifetime.

He was a superhuman being and the architecture of Modern South Africa and of the world. Mandela will always be remembered as a saint, a sage of humanity in line with Mahatma Gandhi. Hope our present and future generations learn from his great experiments with the struggle for oppressed and downtrodden.

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

Verdict today: ICJ to decide fate of Kulbhushan Jadhav

By

Web Team

-

July 17, 2019

In the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, the International Court of Justice is going to deliver its verdict today. It is likely to be a life-altering turn of events in the three-year-old case of this captured former Indian Naval officer. Pakistan has alleged that he is a spy and terrorist.

There are reports which suggest that while India would be happy if it is able to save Jadhav from the gallows, it is highly likely that he will end up spending the rest of his life in a Pakistani prison much like his fellow Indians who were caught in Pakistan earlier for alleged spying. It is notable that Sarabjit Singh died in a Pakistani jail after 25 years despite the valiant efforts of his family and previous Indian governments. Ravindra Kaushik even managed to breach the ranks of the Pakistan Army, but he was caught and died in a Pakistani jail after 16 years. Unfortunately for Jadhav, history doesn’t give him much hope.

It is worth mentioning that India had moved the ICJ in 2017 after a Pakistani military court awarded the death sentence to Jadhav. India had made two prayers in its petition before the ICJ. One, suspend the death sentence by way of immediate relief as Pakistan had violated provisions of the Vienna convention and two, declare the sentence of the military court as null and void as such courts are not recognised as legal entities as per international laws of jurisprudence.

This second prayer, to annul the sentence delivered by a domestic court of any one of the member countries — howsoever flawed it may have been — is tricky territory that the ICJ may want to stay out of. Territorial integrity and sovereignty of member countries goes beyond the remit of the international court and will indeed open a Pandora’s Box if the court were to tread that dangerous path.

The best case scenario that India can hope for is that the ICJ strikes down the death sentence given to Jadhav on humanitarian grounds and ensures that he lives on. But there is little chance that Jadhav will be freed from a Pakistani jail and returned to India’s custody.

India in its plea had also argued how Pakistan had violated the Vienna convention by denying consular access to one of its nationals despite close to a 100 such attempts made by India. Consular access is a basic tenet of the Vienna convention. Not only did Pakistan deny Jadhav this, but the way the Pakistan Army and other officials treated his wife and mother when they visited him in December 2017 does not show the failing state in good light.

Timeline of the case:

March 3, 2016: Kulbhushan Jadhav was arrested.

March 24, 2016: Pakistan security forces claim Jadhav, “an Indian spy” arrested from southern Balochistan.

March 25, 2016: First reports of Jadhav arrest emerge, Pakistan summons envoy on ‘spy’ arrest, India rejects claims.

March 26, 2016: India claims there is no proof that Jadhav, a retired Navy officer, who owns a cargo business in Iran, was arrested in Balochistan as claimed by Pakistan.

March 29, 2016: New Delhi seeks from Islamabad consular access to Jadhav. Over the next one year, India made 16 such requests which were denied by Pakistan.

April 10, 2017: A Pakistani Army court sentences Jadhav to death “for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan”. India warns Islamabad that it is a case of “premeditated murder”.

April 11, 2017: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj makes a statement in both the Houses of Parliament, asserting that India will go “out of way” to ensure justice to Jadhav who is an “innocent kidnapped Indian”.

April 12, 2016: According to a media report, Jadhav was charged with terrorism and sabotage in an FIR filed against him by the provincial Balochistan government.

April 14, 2017: India demands from Pakistan a certified copy of the chargesheet as well as the judgement in the death sentence of Jadhav and seeks consular access to him.

April 15, 2016: Pakistan briefs envoys of the Arab and ASEAN countries over India-Pakistan ties and the arrest of an alleged Indian spy. It had earlier made a similar briefing to envoys of the P5 (the U.S., the U.K., Russia, China and France).

April 20, 2017: India officially seeks from Pakistan details of the trial proceedings against Jadhav as well as the appeal process in the case.

April 27, 2017: Swaraj writes to Pakistan Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz requesting visa for Jadhav’s family.

May 8, 2017: India approaches the International Court of Justice at The Hague against Pakistan military courts decision.

May 9, 2017: ICJ stays Jadhav’s execution.

May 10, 2017: India approached ICJ as Jadhav is in illegal detention, says MEA.

May 15, 2017: India and Pakistan cross swords at the ICJ over Jadhav’s case with New Delhi demanding the immediate suspension of his death sentence and Islamabad accusing it of using the world body as a stage for “political theatre” through a “misconceived” plea.

May 18, 2017: ICJ tells Pakistan to put Jadhav’s execution on hold pending its final order. Noted lawyer Harish Salve represents India. Pakistan says ICJ ruling won’t change status of Jadhav case.

May 29, 2017: Pakistan claims it has fresh evidence against Jadhav. Foreign Office says Jadhav provided “active intelligence” regarding terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

June 16, 2017: ICJ asks India to make its submission in the case by September 13; Pakistan told to complete its submission by December 13. Timelines decided at the June 8 meeting ICJ President Ronny Abraham had with agents of the two countries, MEA spokesperson says. But Pakistan says ICJ rejected India’s request to delay Jadhav’s case.

June 22, 2017: Jadhav files mercy petition before Pakistani military chief; Pakistan military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said Mr. Jadhav had filed the mercy plea with a confessional statement that he was involved in subversive activities in Balochistan.

July 2, 2017: Pakistan rejects yet again India’s request for consular access to Jadhav; Pakistan has turned down at least five Indian requests for consular access to Jadhav since his arrest.

July 13, 2017: Visa application of Jadhav’s mother being studied, says Pakistan Foreign Office.

September 13, 2017: India submits written pleadings in Jadhav’s case.

September 28, 2017: Proposal made to swap Jadhav for terrorist, says Pakistan Foreign Minister.

September 29, 2017: India rubbishes Pakistan claim on swapping Jadhav for jailed terrorist.

November 10, 2017: Pakistan offers a meeting of Jadhav with his wife on humanitarian grounds.

November 23, 2017: Can Pakistan ensure safety of Jadhav kin, asks India.

December 8, 2017: Pakistan allows Jadhav’s wife, mother to meet him on December 25.

December 13, 2017: Pakistan files counter in ICJ.

December 14, 2017: Pakistan directs its High Commission in Delhi to issue visas to Jadhav’s family.

December 20, 2017: Pakistan issues visas to Jadhav’s wife and mother.

December 25, 2017: Jadhav meets his mother, wife; meeting a humanitarian gesture, says Pakistan

July 17, 2018: Pakistan files second counter-memorial in ICJ

October 3, 2018: ICJ to hold four-day public hearing in Jadhav case from February 18, 2019

February 18, 2019: ICJ begins four-day public hearing in Jadhav case

July 4, 2019: ICJ to deliver verdict in Jadhav case on July 17

Letters to the Editor: 17 July, 2019

By

Web Team

-

July 17, 2019

ISRO cautious

It was a moment the country waited with bated breath but it came into cropper as ISRO postpones second moon mission at the eleventh hour. India’s second mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan 2 on board GSLV Mk-III dubbed as Bahubali scheduled for take-off was aborted as there was a technical snag. It was a wise decision by ISRO which prevented a huge loss and total disappointment. The failed mission may cause disappointment but the measure taken as caution came at the right time. The crestfallen spectators left the scene in total disappointment after the postponement.

Nikhil Krish

Review tie breaker match rules

The recently concluded World Cup Cricket tournament’s final tie breaker game has thrown up few confusing questions. Though England were declared as the winners owing to the outcome of superior number of boundaries scored at the time of a tied super over, there seems to be some discontent regarding the basis of declaration of winners for the title in a tied game.

The overthrow controversy of six runs during super over and ICC‘s rule of 19.3 regarding overthrows needs to be rectified through a formal announcement by ICC, of late. The teams, critics and cricket fraternity are still unconvinced the way the winners were declared in the first ever world cup tie breaker post the super over match. As also the argument of joint winner declaration in case of a tie though valid will steer away the real excitement of seeing a single claimant to the world cup title.

It is high time now that the ICC sets aside clear instructions to declare a winner on the basis of performance metrics as made available than going by archaic rule of superior boundaries or on the basis of a superior over, especially in crucial matches during finals. It is now important for the ICC to amend necessary rules to declare the tie match results in favour of only a high net run rate scoring teams amongst other frameworks and clear the air of confusion to cricket fans. The archaic Duckworth Lewis method of calculating runs during a weather affected match too needs an immediate overhaul by the experts aided by ICC.

Varun Dambal

Congratulations England but New Zealand won the hearts

Kudos to England for winning the World Cup but New Zealand won the hearts of one and all. It was technical win for England as 4 gifted runs for no fault from the Kiwis helped them tie the game but New Zealand were the real heroes in a game that went to the wire where even a super over had no winners but the Englishmen were awarded the trophy due to more number of boundaries scored which one thought was a strange law and sharing the trophy would have been an fair result.

New Zealand deserved not just the trophy but also the ‘Fair Play Award‘ as they accepted their technical defeat with grace without making a fuss which truly was commendable. This was perhaps the closest World Cup final in the history of the game and full marks to both the teams for a game that was full of nerves till the last ball of the tournament. New Zealand born Ben Stokes was responsible for Kiwis defeat but even he knew that his country of birth deserved to win a game they lost by bad fortune. Kiwis captain Kane Williamson was rightly awarded the player of the tournament for his brilliant performance and captaincy.

S.N. Kabra

Measures necessary to prevent misuse of RTI Act

RTI Act should be saved by preventing it from misuse. RTI fees should be uniform for all states and competent authorities at rupees fifty that may include copying charges for first twenty copied pages of documents for saving to both public-authorities and portioners on demanding and remitting copying charges, but eliminating non-serious RTI petitioners because of a negligible fee of just rupees ten. People in BPL category are already exempted from paying RTI fees.

To prevent RTI applications being filed under fake names, ID proof should be compulsorily enclosed with RTI application in tune with para 23 of verdict dated November 2, 2012 in the matter-Fruit and Vegetable Union versus Unknown (CWP 4787 of 2011).

Repeated CIC-recommendations for issue of RTI stamps in denominations of Rs 2, 10 and 50 should be accepted to prevent heavy government-spending in handling postal-orders generally used to pay RTI fees.

Provision of auto e-mailing of RTI responses and orders of First Appellate Authority on applications filed on-line should be there apart from uploading on on-line portal.

Post-free RTI applications addressed to central public-authorities should be extended to all 160000 post-offices rather than just about 4500 post offices presently. It is not difficult because every post-office however small it may be, daily sends post-bag to Head Post Office with registered post, cash and unsold revenue-articles. This post-bag can carry post-free RTI applications received at the post-office.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

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

Corruption responsible for building collapse incidents

By

Vaidehi Taman

-

July 16, 2019

At least 10 people died, 8 got injured, and around 40 residents reportedly got trapped under the debris in south Mumbai’s Dongri area after a 100-year-old four-storey building collapsed on Tuesday. The Kesarbai building that collapsed at around 11:40 am was located in Tandel Street at Dongri. Along with the police and fire brigade officials, a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also reached the site and continued the rescue operation. The authorities called this tragedy a “level 2” incident; level 1 is the most serious under the system that measures the severity of a building collapse. CM Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday afternoon told the reporters, “The building was 100 years old. We have given permission to redevelop that area. We will know after investigation if the redevelopment initiative was delayed. Right now we are focusing on rescuing trapped people.”

Building safety is considered one of the crucial issues of the financial capital Mumbai which is one of the crowded cities of India. Moreover, in May, the civic agency BMC in the country’s financial and entertainment hub had identified 499 buildings as “dangerous”; it was 619 in the previous year.

Between 2001 and 2015, an average of seven people died per day due to the collapse of structures in the city. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) indicates that a total of 38,363 people lost their lives due to the collapse of various structures between 2001 and 2015. Most people lost their lives because of the collapse of residential houses. There are hundreds of people who are forced to live in these dangerous buildings in spite of every day building fall incidences.

The building walls have deep cracks and the paint is peeling, many portions of the building just sliced and some are standing on temporary supports. However, still, people are forced to live in danger as they cannot buy or rent a new flat in the neighbourhoods because they are very expensive.

Property prices and rent in Mumbai are among the highest in Asia. Many citizens are forced to live in old, dilapidated properties in a land-scarce city where an estimated 60 per cent of its 18 million people live in slums and purlieus. In the western suburbs, Andheri (West) or the K/West ward has 50 buildings in the C-1 category.

As a part of its pre-monsoon preparedness in 2017, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had identified 791 buildings in the C-1 category — the most dangerous. Of these, it has demolished 186 (23 per cent) buildings and evacuated 117 (14 per cent) buildings as of March-end. While C-2 buildings require major structural repairs, C-3 need minor repairs. The largest numbers of dilapidated buildings are in L ward or Kurla (113) followed by N ward or Ghatkopar, where 80 buildings are in the C-1 category. The F/North ward (which includes Matunga, Dadar, and Sion) also reportedly has 77 structures in the C-1 category.

There are more than 14,000 buildings in Mumbai that are more than 70-years-old. Due to an archaic law which limits raising rents, many tenants pay minimal rate per month, leaving the landlords with little money to invest in repairs and maintenance. No wonder then that 959 buildings have been branded as “dilapidated and dangerous” by the city’s municipality and every year, a number of these buildings collapse, leading to many deaths.

In a densely populated city where quality, affordable housing is scarce, the realtors often cut corners to make what many call sub-standard buildings, putting the buyers at risk. Though there are nearly half a million pricey apartments which lie vacant as sellers look for rich buyers, millions of middle-class residents get squeezed out to the suburbs and outskirts to live in these hazardous new buildings. The corruption in the housing sector – complex regulation leading to complicity between a section of builders and government workers – worsens matters and leads to poor quality buildings coming up in the city.

Corrupt builders build homes without taking mandatory permissions using poor construction material. In many cases, residents get a structural audit done and approach the court to get a stay delaying the demolition process further. According to the data, 145 cases are pending with the court and 21 cases are pending with an internal committee.

A structural audit is mandatory for any building, which are more than 30 years old. With limited availability of open land parcels in Mumbai, major developers are now looking at venturing into the redevelopment space. Dilapidated buildings on the verge of collapse are a grim reality for thousands of housing societies across Mumbai. Developers, as an incentive to owners of older buildings, offer additional area, money, and the promise of a new flat with a better amenity. However, the owners should keep a few things in mind before opting for redevelopment.

Housing redevelopment refers to the process of reconstruction of a residential premise by the demolition of the existing structure and construction of a new one as per approvals from the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). It ideally works best when a society is in the dire need of extensive repairs but is starved of the necessary funds for it.

Developers, on their part, are also on the lookout for properties with unused development rights where they can build a new and higher structure where the additional floors can be sold for a tidy profit. However, redevelopment can only take place if 75 per cent of the members tender their consent. Over 20,000 housing societies, 17,000 ceased buildings and over 3,000 MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) structures are waiting for redevelopment proposals.

However, while redevelopment may be the latest buzz, citizens argue that developers often tear down old colonial mansions to build luxury towers for the rich. And more often than not, it is often haphazard and done without the consent of society members. The redevelopment process also causes inconvenience to the residents, as they will have to look for alternative places to stay in while the builder demolishes the old building and constructs a new one.

Redevelopment is usually burdened with bitterness and complaints of high-handedness and corruption against the Managing Committee of the society, which is why people chose to live in whatever space they have.

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

BMC the never-ending mess

By

Rajesh Choudhary

-

July 16, 2019

At least 10 people were killed, 8 got injured, and around 40 others were feared trapped under the debris of a four- storey building that collapsed in Mumbai’s Dongri area on Tuesday morning. It is apprehended that the death toll can rise. PM Narendra Modi expressed deep condolence to the affected families.

Just a fortnight ago, a wall collapsed in suburban Malad on July 2 which claimed 27 lives and 78 others were injured in the incident. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that the BMC was ‘not responsible for the accident, blame the monsoon for this’. The city experiences such tragedies every year during monsoon. However, neither the Maharashtra government nor the BMC takes a lesson from the incidents of building collapse.

Mayor of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Vishwanath Mahadeshwar told Afternoon Voice, “Till 3 pm nine persons were rescued from the debris of Dongri building collapse. Out of these, three were dead and five people are admitted in the hospital. The rescue operation is going on. On August 7, 2017, the BMC had written a letter to MHADA stating that this building is in C-1 (very dangerous) category. Later on, MHADA too issued notices to the residents of the Kesarbai building which collapsed.”

Thus, the blame game between the authorities of the BMC and the MHADA has already begun. Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) chairman Uday Samant said that the four-storey building which collapsed in south Mumbai was supposed to have been demolished in 2012. Uday Samant is the MLA of the Ratnagiri-Sangmeshwar constituency. He said, “The building that is owned by MHADA was to be demolished by a private developer. Strict action will be taken, no one will be spared…the developer and our officials should have seen the work”.

On the other hand, CM Devendra Fadnavis said that affected building was 100 years old, but it was not included in the list of dangerous buildings. The building had been given to the developer for redevelopment. The rescue operation of those stuck under the debris is being carried out on a war-footing basis. An investigation will be carried out into the matter.

The buildings are categorised as C1, C2, and C3. A C1 category means the building is very dangerous and needs to be vacated immediately. The C2 category is further divided into C2A and C2B. In C2A building, the dangerous parts of the building need to be demolished. In C2B, major structural repairs are required. The C3 category needs minor repairs. After the survey, the civic body asks residents living in dangerous buildings to evacuate them and move to safer places.

Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said, “The BMC is responsible for this mishap. They did not take due precautions. Officials did not evacuate the old building on time. People have to evacuate the building without permission. At the same time, the administration has to manage alternate abode for the residents of the particular building. But they did nothing. It is extreme negligence and a case under Section 302 (murder) should be filed against them. The BMC and state government left people on their fate. They should send police to evacuate the endangered building. Ultimately, they did it after the building collapsed in Dongri.”

Earlier on Tuesday, the BMC said that more than 40 people or 10 to 15 families have been trapped under the debris of the building that collapsed.

The building collapse has been classified as a level-2 disaster by authorities. As the NDRF teams faced difficulties to reach the spot of the building due to narrow lanes, locals formed a human chain to help to clear the debris as search and rescue operations started. Fire brigade, Mumbai Police, and civic officials rushed to the site of the collapse despite being hindered by the narrow constructed lanes. Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force were also deployed. The locals joining in the rescue efforts formed a human chain to help remove the debris brick-by-brick and pick up slabs of concrete to locate those buried. Ambulances were unable to reach the site and had to be parked around 50 metres away. Mumbai Police asked the citizens to stay away from collapse site. Police said that a green corridor has been provided for all emergency services and rescue operations.

Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises and South Mumbai MP Arvind Sawant, who was in Delhi at the time of the incident, said, “As soon as I came to know about the incident, I left for Mumbai. I am not in position to say anything about the incident.”

The ruling BJP said that an inquiry will be conducted into the causes for the collapse. It said, “Right now, the main challenge for the government is to conduct the rescue operations success-fully.”

The BMC said, “In an extremely unfortunate incident, the Kesarbai building in Dongri collapsed at 11.40 am to preliminary information, 40 to 50 people are most likely to be trapped in the debris. Two to three teams of the NDRF, the fire brigade, our disaster management team and all senior officials of the MCGM reached the site as soon as they got the information of the accident. The BMC has opened a shelter at Imamwada Municipal Secondary Girls’ School following the building collapse.”

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MLA Waris Pathan alleged that the Maharashtra government did not provide safety and security of old buildings in the state any importance and that he had continued to raise apprehensions on the same in the state Assembly.

It is remarkable that the incident of Dongri comes after a massive accident in March when the foot-over bridge (FOB) collapsed outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway station in Mumbai claimed the lives of six people and injured over 30 others. Even then the BMC had shifted blames between government officials and civic authorities and had claimed that the structural audit of the FOB was not conducted in a proper manner.

Lion King’s Scar to Gabbar and Bhallal Dev, meet the Biggest Villains of Indian cinema!

By

Web Team

-

July 16, 2019

Villains in movies have always made watching a family entertainer, that much more exciting. The battle of good versus evil is a favourite one for viewers, and Hindi, as well as Hollywood films, have given us many villains to be afraid of!!

After having conquered hearts with ‘The Jungle Book’ in 2016, Disney is all set to present its legendary franchise and the crown jewel – ‘The Lion King’ – with ground-breaking technology that re-imagines the greatest story ever told. Directed by ‘Iron Man’ and ‘The Jungle Book’ fame director, Jon Favreau, Disney’s The Lion King is one of the most-anticipated films of recent times. The heroic coming-of-age journey will make it to the large canvas with a pioneering and game-changing photo-real technology, using cutting-edge tools to make the musical drama come alive on the big screen.

Scar is the main antagonist of Disney’s 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. As the younger brother of Mufasa and the second-born prince of the Pride Lands, Scar was next in line to assume the throne as king. His chances were lost, however, at the arrival of his nephew, Simba. This embittered Scar with jealousy and a sense of entitlement, prompting him to develop a plot to take over the kingdom, with the aid of his hyena henchmen. As one of Disney’s most infamous villains—made especially notorious for his success in murdering Mufasa—Scar is a primary member of the Disney Villains franchise. Scar continues to be revered as one of Disney’s greatest villains.

While we wait with bated breath for Scar to once again unleash his evil on Mufasa and Simba to come alive on July 19, here are some of the biggest villains in cinema history to go down in memory lane!

Gabbar Singh

This iconic character was played by Amjad Khan. And we are sure that no one could have done a better job with it. The makers had decided to cast Danny but unfortunately, he didn’t have dates for the shoot and that’s how Amjad Khan was selected. It was probably the best decision by makers ever because Sholay wouldn’t have been the same without Gabbar in it.

Mogambo

Mr. India is still stuck in our heads is because of Mogambo, played by Amrish Puri. Mogambo was completely over the top with a strange costume, a stick and a throne surrounded by his loyalists. He became the very definition of evil.

Lord Voldemort

From his serpentine face (the missing nose is a perfect touch) to the bone-chilling way he hisses his arch-nemesis’s name, Ralph Fiennes turned J.K. Rowling’s fallen wizard into the personification of that old black magic. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named doesn’t really need an introduction; he simply answers to evil.

Bhallal Dev

The second most important character of the Baahubali films is Bhallal Dev and his character comes off as more human and thus complicated, conflicted and definitely more interesting. Bhallal Dev is a fascinating character with a genuine growth arc.

Thanos

Thanos is the greatest villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He isn’t just an iconic costume or a collection of heinous acts – what makes him even more terrifying is the fact that he’s understandable, that he’s written with as much complexity as the heroes (in some cases more) and that he has layers.

The Joker

One of Batman’s many enemies but the most popular of them all, The Joker has been iconic in almost any version. He’s been played by many respectable actors – Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and Jared Leto, to name a few. No wonder the character is getting a film of his own.

Who will succeed 14th Dalai Lama: Chinese Warning

By

R K Sinha

-

July 16, 2019

Dalai Lama, Bharat Ratna, Demand for Bharat Ratna to Dalai Lama — File Photo

A news item emanating from Lhasa in Tibet is disturbing for the current thaw in Sino-Indian relation. China wants that it will be Beijing that will decide on the successor of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama who lives in exile in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh.

The immediate provocation for Chinese voice on the succession issue of Dalai Lama is failing health of the 84-year-old head of Buddhist spiritual leader. Of late Dalai Lama has not been keeping good health. It is a matter of concern for all the followers of Buddhism world over. He is highly revered not only by the followers of Buddhism but also by others. He enjoys a special status in the world including countries such as the United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and Japan. Dalai Lama was given Nobel Peace Prize in 1992.

The present Dalai Lama was crowned when he was little over 4-year-old.

This is not for the first time that China has raised the issue of a successor to Dalai Lama. Way back in 2011, China had raised the same issue saying that it is the Government of China that will appoint the next Dalai Lama and that India has to accept the decision.

According to a Buddhist scholar and writer, Dalai Lamas are ‘manifestations of the bodhisattva of compassion’. All of the Dalai Lamas are thought to be manifestations of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokitesvara. The 14 generations of Dalai Lamas, spanning six centuries, are linked through their acts of compassion.

The ultimate goal of Buddhism is to attain ‘Nirvana’- free from the cycle of birth and death. It is identical to ‘Moksha’ in Hinduism where a devout Hindu lives in this world to attain Moksha, liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

According to a Buddhist scholar, “Tibetan Buddhism has developed this idea of the bodhisattva further into identified lineages of rebirths called ‘Tulkus’. Any person, who is believed to be a rebirth of a previous teacher, master, or leader, is considered a Tulku. Tibetan Buddhism has hundreds, if not thousands of such lineages, but the most respected and well-known is the Dalai Lama”.

Normally, extensive search and research are conducted before finding a successor to Dalai Lama. There are certain signs and traits in the child who is born to become Dalai Lama.

As per a published report “In the case of the 13th Dalai Lama, after his death, his body lay facing south. However, after a few days his head had tilted to the east, and a fungus, which was viewed as unusual, appeared on the northeastern side of the shrine containing the body. This was interpreted to mean that the next Dalai Lama could have been born somewhere in the northeastern part of Tibet”.

Dalai Lama has written his memoirs in which he recounts about his early life that he remembered recognising one of the monks in the search party, even though he was dressed as a servant. The search party did not show who they were to the villagers, to prevent any manipulation of the process.

As a little boy, he remembers asking for the rosary beads the monk wore around his neck. These beads were previously owned by the 13th Dalai Lama. After this meeting, the search party came back again to test the young boy with further objects of the previous Dalai Lama. He was able to correctly choose all items including a drum used for rituals and walking stick.

It was in 1959 when the uprising in Tibet failed, Dalai Lama escaped to India. The government first accorded refugee status to Dalai Lama. Later on, he was allowed to establish Government of Tibet in exile at McLeod Ganj in Dharamshala. Today, it’s a great tourist attraction. Buddhists from all over the world visit Dharamshala Monastery of Dalai Lama. It is not clear as yet if Dharamshala Monastery will appoint a successor to 14th Dalai Lama but one thing appears certain that Dharamshala Monastery will not accept any successor to present Dalai Lama appointed by Beijing. Conflict is likely on this issue. India will have to make a tight rope walk as a new Dalai Lama will also get the status of not only Buddhist head but also heading the Government of Tibet in exile.

It is unfortunate that China has raised this issue once again. To its dismay, Washington has rejected the claim of Beijing that China has the right to appoint next Dalai Lama. The state has no role in meddling with religious affairs and that government can’t decide who will head the religious sect of Buddhism, Washington has said.

(The writer is a Member of Rajya Sabha)

(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.)

Maharashtra BJP appoints Chandrakant Patil as State chief, Mangal Prabhat Lodha as Mumbai chief

By

Web Team

-

July 16, 2019

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday appointed Mangal Prabhat Lodha as the new Mumbai BJP chief and Mangal Prabhat Lodha as the new Mumbai BJP chief.

The appointment came after Maharashtra BJP president Raosaheb Danve, who was appointed minister in the recent reshuffling of cabinet done by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, early on the day resigned from his post. As per reports, he tendered his resignation after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Accepting his resignation, Chandrakant Patil has been named as the new president of BJP in Maharashtra.

Chandrakant Patil appointed as the President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Maharashtra. pic.twitter.com/Qoa8R3VBqX

— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2019

The letter signed by BJP General Secretary Arun Singh said that Patil will take charge as Maharashtra BJP chief with immediate effect.