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On the Occasion of Mahatma Gandhi birth
anniversary celebrations at Tirupati, AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu counseled
the people to become 'Swachhagrahis' to create the nation free from poor sanitation
in the spirit of 'Satyagrahis' who had won freedom for the nation under the
leadership role of the Mahatma Gandhi. Chandra
Babu said that an amount of INR 186 Crores has been sanctioned for Andhra
Pradesh for schemes of solid waste management in urban areas. The Chief Minister has released a postal stamp
on 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' and a book on 'In the Footsteps of Mahatma: Gandhi
and Sanitation'.
A overall number of 180 Cities and
Towns in Gujarat and 110 cities and towns in Andhra Pradesh were declared free
from open defecation. So
far, 405 cities and towns are said to have become free from open defecation along with 20,000 of the 82,000 urban wards in the country. Additional 334
cities and towns were covered to end the open defecation practice by March 2017. Kerala, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Himachal
Pradesh and other North-Eastern states are on course to reveal all urban areas
as 'Open defecation Free' shortly.
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The Telangana government on asked
for the help of National Disaster Management Relief (NDRF) on Thursday for
rescue operations in Hyderabad as the city was battered by heavy rainfall in
the last 24 hours due to active south-west monsoon. The rainfall in Hyderabad is
the worst hit as normal life was struggled due to heavy rains. The city has
witnessed about 164 mm of rainfall during the last 24 hours. Telangana CM K.
Chandrashekar Rao instructed officials to take all
precautionary measures in view of the heavy rain forecast for the next 48
hours. Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in its mid-day bulletin warned for further heavy rains as south-west monsoon is strenuous over
Telangana along with Konkan region of Maharashtra and Goa.
Telangana has received 120% excess
normal rainfall so far in September. The rainfall in September stood at 217.2 mm and for the current year it was around 767.2 mm. South-west rainfall brought inspires the farmer
of south Telangana, which is swerve under severe drought situation till
August. Telangana received 42% deficit rainfall in August, and was staring at a
third consecutive year of drought, and farmers were losing hope on summer crop or Kharif. Telangana for 2015-16 received 592 mm of rainfall, which is much
below its normal forecast.
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In Mumbai earlier in this week had
reportedly facilitated the conversion of around 800 people in the country.
Police arrested Rizwan Khan and Arshid Qureshi on Saturday. Both are connected
to vexed televangelist Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), an
official sources said. Several documents and marriage certificates has been
seized from Rizwan Khan, which shows evidence that he and Arshid Qureshi had
converted over 800 Christians and Hindus to Islam, sources said. An officer stated that the organisations
involved in conversion mainly targets college students and jail inmates by
providing them legal and financial help. One of these organisations rubbished
the conversion allegations. Its representative admitted that Khan used to visit
their office, but was not associated with their organization in any official
capacity.
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Monsoon reaches several parts of
coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema region also expected to in other parts
of the state in coming one or two days, according sources of IMD. The Monsoon
hit Kerala on wednesday same will cover parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh up to
Anantapur in Rayalaseema. The remaining parts of Andhra Pradesh are expected to
be covered in coming one or two days and neighboring state Telangana is
expected to be covered in coming four or five days, according to IMD. Rains are
expected in entire Coastal Karnataka, North Interior Karnataka, southern parts
of Konkan and Goa. Clouds also hung over many parts of Andhra Pradesh and
Interior Karnataka have checked into Telangana and East Maharashtra. Today
Satellite pictures in the after-noon showed clouds covering most parts of
Kerala and southern Tamil Nadu, Dindigul, Kodaikanal, Kumbakonam, Tiruchi, in
the South Udupi, Mangaluru, Goa, Murdeshwar and Ratnagiri on the West Coast.
IMD in its daily weather report for
Andhra Pradesh said rain occurred at many places over Rayalaseema and at a few
places over coastal Andhra Pradesh. Jammalamadugu and Punganur in Rayalaseema
received 7 cm of rainfall. And daily
weather report for Telangana rain occurred at a few places over the state.
Madnur in Nizamabad district recorded 8 cm of rainfall, followed by Jukkal in
Nizamabad with 7 cm of rainfall.
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Shiv Sena asked Prime
Minister Narendra Modi to stop defame India on foreign shores with his public articulation on corruption in the
country. The Shiv Sena took strong protest to
Modi's repeated statements censure the corrupt systems in India during his
foreign trips, saying this would evince counter productive in the long run. The Prime Minister said publicly in Doha how
India was soack in graft and outlined the measures he
had commence to clean up the chaos. The muster appluad and inspire him. This
is nothing but smear the country's
fair image abroad, the Shiv Sena said in an editorial in its embouchure Saamana. It ponder who was responsible if
there was talk of corruption among the eucharist even two years after a Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) led government took charge of
the country.
Shiv Sena raises black money issue PM Modi's recent trip to
Switzerland, it berate Modi's request purse the names of Indians holding
black money in that country's banks. The Swiss economy flourish on
garner monies from all over the world and they will never divulge whose black
money is lying there. Modi had assured INR 1.5 Million to each Indian by bringing black money in foreign banks. But all this
must be done very separate. Shiv Sena pointed out that there
was enough black money within India. 'So what is being done about
it...?
The Sena said India must be the
only country in the world where it's a sin to eat mutton, chicken, beef, fish,
eggs, onions and garlic but it is no crime if public money is stolen.
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17 Indian soldiers were killed in a
massive fire at a military ammunition depot in Maharashtra state, army
officials say. The fire in the depot at Pulgaon
near Nagpur provoke a number of explosions leading to the evacuation of people
from neighbouring villages. Firefighters were tried to put out the firestorm,
in which at least 19 people have also been injured. The dead include two army
officers. The cause of the fire is still unknown. The fire broke out and spread
quickly through the depot. Sources say about 1,000 villagers had been evict as armour and sliver ripped through the area. There have been several such
incidents at army ammunition depots in recent years.
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As the country is under major water
crisis situation captivating many farmers to commit suicide, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi has called Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and
Karnataka for a detailed discussion over the matter. The meeting has been
called tomorrow. The cloudburst also
occurred at many places over Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Isolated rainfall occurred over Tamil Nadu. However dry weather prevailed over
Coastal Karnataka and Lakshadweep. In UP Moderate rains and thundershowers
occurred at isolated areas and heavy rains occurred in western UP.
PC: Zee News
According to Sudheendra Kulkarni, Observer Research Foundation (ORF) Chairman Maharashtra
needs an integrated drought relief policy and a separate department if the
state government is serious about tackling the water scarcity issue.
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The Custom officials on Sunday seized 146 tortoises from Nepal citizen at the Mumbai airport. The incident happened when the Jet Airways staff brought one left
behind baggage to officers of Air Intelligence Unit (AIU), saying that
some suspicious images had been noticed by GVK Security. This bag was said to belong to a transit passenger, who arrived from
Madagascar and flew to Kathmandu leaving this bag behind. Officers of
Air Intelligence Unit examined the bag and recovered and seized 146
tortoises. Out of the 146 tortoises, 139 were Radiated tortoises (Astrochelys
radiata) and seven were Angonoka tortoises (Astrochelys yniphora), both
critically endangered tortoise species of Madagascar. Two radiated
tortoises were found dead with broken shell. Since these were exotic species and cannot be introduced into India
and because of quarantine reasons, as informed by wild life authorities,
the airlines have been instructed to re-export the same to Madagascar
under intimation to wildlife authorities there.
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A massive fire tonight broke out during cultural event 'Make In India' held at Girgaum Chowpatty seafront here where a string of film celebrities and political leaders were present as part of the high-profile ‘Make in India’ investment meet but there were no casualties. The fire that broke out at around 8.22 pm was put under control, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters. The blaze was brought under control in quick time by 14 fire engines and 10 water tankers with swift evacuation of thousands of people. Good news was no one was injured in this massive fire. Sources says that it was organisers have played a very important role by taking quick decisions and saved the crowed.
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Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis by describing Maharashtra as the 'powerhouse' of the country said that 'Make In India' vision has led to different states adopting 'competitive federalism'. Devendra thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving the state an opportunity to host the mega event which he said showcases India's strength. 'Make In India' vision has changed the outlook of the entire country. There is a fair competitive atmosphere across states throughout the country. The states are now moving from cooperative to competitive federalism Devendra said.
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PM Modi has inaugurated the 'Make in India Week' centre at MMRDA grounds in Bandra-Kurla complex, a flagship event designed to impart greater momentum to the initiative to boost the manufacturing sector in the country. Modi will address a gathering comprising senior leaders and captains of industry from both India and abroad.
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Ahead of the 'Make In India'state government’s ambitious plans to set up India’s first international arbitration centre in Mumbai has begun. A Week to be held in the city from February 13 to 18. At a meeting, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis emphasised that Mumbai International Arbitration Centre would be a big step forward in realising the transformation of Mumbai into an international financial centre. In the absence of an international arbitration centre, the majority of global disputes land at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. Highly placed sources in the government said the overseas disputes arbitration, if pursued in Mumbai, would bring revenue worth Rs 2 billion. Unfortunately, for the last six decades, the Centre and the state never thought of an international arbitration centre in Mumbai,” said by a source. The statistics from Singapore International Arbitration Centre shows in 2013, out of total 259 new cases, Indian companies contributed to highest number of filing at 85. It indicated the number of Indian companies seeking redressal have grown tenfold between 2001 to 2012. The proposal states, Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration (MCIA) falls in the framework of Make in India. It will help in attracting higher global investments to Mumbai and Maharashtra. According to Fadnavis, The MCIA will assume great significance as global players often question us about mechanism to address legal disputes. Maharashtra, the leading industrial state, will reap greater benefit from MCIA in terms of attracting more global investments. MCIA will open up avenues to attract legal and business talent across the state. The chief minister has appealed to the law university and its students to evolve expertise in laws related to intellectual property regulations and Information and Technology which would require greater interpretation. The Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely and Fadnavis have already deliberated on Mumbai’s makeover as International Finance Services Centre (IFSC) at Bandra Kurla Complex. The committee led by Union Minister of State Jayant Sinha along with legal and financial experts are evolving the taxations for special economic zones in IFSC. A committee member said, “The MCIA has been registered as a not-for-profit charitable trust in Mumbai. The MCIA drafting committee, co-chaired by Nish Shetty, Partner, Clifford Chance, Singapore and Vyapak Desai Partner, Nishith Desai and Associates have constituted the Arbitration Rules of the MCIA.” Yet another meeting in consultation with industry practitioners is awaited. Although MCIA will evolve its own framework in accordance with international standards, Maharashtra stands to gain for housing the centre which would be on the lines of Singapore (SIAC), France (ICC) and London (LCIA). The MCIA will have a global outreach programme conducting roadshows across the world which will not just market the institution, but Mumbai and Maharashtra as well. This will be the first concrete step towards setting up of the IFSC in Mumbai.
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Dear Devendraji,
Firstly, I wish to thank you for replying to my open letter and
creating space for a public debate. This is a sign of a truly healthy
democracy and is rare for a politician in this day and age. I truly
appreciate that a big politician chooses to reply to a humble
columnist: doesn't happen too often in an age where the media is a soft
target. However, while I do not wish this to become a tu to main main, I
must reserve the right to reply.
Sir, there are four basic
issues that I raised in my original letter to which you have responded.
Firstly, the meat and beef ban in Maharashtra. On the beef ban, the fact
is that your government has imposed a statewide ban in a unilateral
manner with no attempt to engage with the stakeholders. The results are
there for all to see. Thousands of people associated with the cattle
trade have overnight been rendered unemployed. They are all citizens of
this country, many of whom voted for you in the last election. I haven't
heard a word of empathy for their plight ( a number of them belong to
the minority community but let's not go down there for now). Should I
not ask as a journalist what useful public purpose has been served by
this ban? Or does asking questions make me agenda driven?
The
issue of a meat ban has a more chequered past. Yes, previous governments
of the Congress-NCP, be it at the state or municipal level, have sought
to impose bans on meat sale during the Jain festival. Under pressure
from the Jain community, attempts have been made by your predecessors
(and I mention this in my article without citing the dates) in 1994,
2003-04 and 2014 through government resolutions, but these were never
widely enforced (the 94 order, for example, was never carried out), were
often driven by a spirit of voluntarism (an ‘’appeal” was made to close
meat shops) and nor did they initially last beyond two days (although
the August 2014 Government resolution did seek to extend it to four
days). It is only this year that the BJP dominated Mira-Bhayandar
municipal corporation imposed an unprecedented eight day ban on meat
sale and strictly enforced it. Taking a cue, a group of BJP MLAs,
councillors and Jain community persons met the municipal commissioner
and sought to extend this to Mumbai city and have a similar eight day
ban on meat sale across the city. It is only when the Shiv Sena and MNS
opposed this, that your local leaders were forced to back off because
they couldn't muster a majority.
The message is clear and this
was the point I was making: the state BJP wanted to impose, indeed was
pushing to impose, a ban much wider in scope and ambit than in the past
And if I ask questions in this regard, am I agenda-driven or
pseudo-secular or simply reflecting the concerns of a large section of
the population who do not appreciate the ban culture, be it by a BJP
government or a Congress government?
Lets turn to Rakesh Maria
and the musical chairs played with the police commissioner's office. You
claim that his sudden transfer was necessitated by the rush of
festivals: a new man was needed to oversee the festival arrangements.
Truth is, almost no senior police officer I have spoken to is willing to
buy this theory. Those who have retired have openly scoffed at this
explanation, those in service are naturally hesitant to speak out. The
conjecture is that Mr Maria's transfer has something to do with the
ongoing Sheena Bora investigation or a personal animus. You seem to
suggest that his role as commissioner in a murder case was purely
supervisory. Maybe it was, or should be. But the fact is, your
government after transferring him to DG Home Guards in the morning, the
very same evening claims that he will continue to oversee the Bora
investigation. This, even as a new police commissioner and another fine
officer Ahmed Javed takes charge. Can there be anything more confusing?
Then, to compound the confusion, your government now decides to
suddenly hand over the Bora case to the CBI. The Mumbai police claimed
in court that it had clinching evidence while seeking remand against the
accused; then why is the case being transferred out? Is the Mumbai
police incompetent, is there a cover-up, or is the case throwing up new
dimensions which perhaps might need fresh investigation? Is a journalist
not to ask such questions without his motives being questioned?
Let's turn to the issue of sedition and a government circular. You claim
that the circular is a routine translation from Marathi of an order
passed by the previous state government. Your reply seems to suggest
that the role of the present government is little more than clerical
that requires no application of mind to a serious issue. Well, all I can
say is that on Tuesday, the Mumbai high court gave a very different
spin to this issue: on a petition by cartoonist Aseem Trivedi, they have
asked your government not to implement the circular for now and asked
you to reply by the 20th of October. Since the matter is now before the
esteemed court, maybe we should wait to see how they interpret the
government circular: clearly, this round has been won by those who are
worried that the circular can be misused by the police. Also, if you are
not in agreement with the sedition circular why did your government not
withdraw it? `Sedition’ is hardly a weapon to be used in the armoury of
a democratic government which should welcome debate and disagreement.
Why did your government re-issue this circular? And if I point to this
potential for misuse, am I being agenda driven or simply doing my duty
as a journalist?
The fourth issue is one which is dear to your
and my heart: the plight of the farmers, especially in Marathwada at the
moment. As a politician from Vidarbha, I know you empathise with
farmers issues; I am aware that you took a lead role in exposing the
irrigation scam when in opposition. And I am also aware of your efforts
through the Jal Yukta Shivir Yojana to try and improve the situation on
the ground. The facts though are that 729 farmers have committed suicide
since January in Marathwada alone, more than any other part of the
country, and tanker mafias and usurious money-lenders continue to rule.
Yes, this is an inherited legacy (and I refer to the irrigation failures
and comments made by previous ministers in my original letter), but on
the ground there is hardly any evidence of the situation showing any
marked improvement. Maybe, if your micro-irrigation schemes do work,
then in the long run, there will be change. But for now, there is a
deepening crisis. Should I not be asking you, therefore, to prioritise
farm relief above all else? And should I not also ask what happened to
the election promise of ensuring that those involved in the irrigation
scam are punished? Or is asking hard questions in this age of
cheerleaders and unbridled Bhakti, no longer acceptable? My final
point sir: in your response, at various points you call me a 'leftist',
`pseudo secular’, and ‘biased’. You also rather derisively placed the
word senior, as in senior journalist, in inverted commas. Personal
attacks are now par for the course; 27 years of journalism have helped
me acquire the skin of a rhinoceros. Over the years, I have been
attacked by one and all: in 1992-93, Sharad Pawar, also a former
Maharashtra CM, threw me out of a press conference because of the
questions I asked on the Mumbai riots. Ten years later, my coverage of
the 2002 riots led to my being attacked again. I have stood up against
all forms of extremism, Hindu and Muslim, and am suspicious of all
dogmas, be it of left or right. I have exposed Congress corruption (as
editor of a news channel, I supervised the path-breaking investigative
story on the Quattorochi accounts being defrozen), and sangh parivar
hate politics, Mulayam’s goondaism (for which I was summoned to the UP
state assembly) and Mayawati’s disproportionate assets (for which our OB
van was burnt). Please do go through my columns over the last two
decades, especially on Maharashtra politics, a state whose social and
political decline I have observed with dismay.
I am happy to
introspect, be corrected, but dislike being pigeonholed in any manner,
except to say that I do believe in the spirit of a liberal, plural India
that strives to provide equal opportunities to all its citizens. Does
that make me a “Leftist?” as you appear to caricature all dissenters or
questioners? If I question any form of bigotry, does that make me
pseudo-secular? In my view, it makes me a proud, humane Indian.
Post-script: I must also thank all your followers who ensured I trended
all through Tuesday on twitter. Their constant abuse gives me strength.
Look forward to meeting soon! Jai Maharashtra, jai Hind!
