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Bhoopasandra tension: Action should be taken against communal actions of the police, say activists

by

Manohar Elavarthi

Bengaluru: Swaraj Abhiyan organized a press conference today at 1:30 PM at the Press Club of Bangalore about the Communal tensions in Bhoopasandra, Bengaluru.

Press Conference was addressed by: Manohar Elavarthi, State Coordination Committee Member, Swaraj Abhiyan-Karnataka, Kaleemulla R, Member, APCR – Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Momin Khan, Bhoopasandra resident and T. Venkatesh, Bhoopasandra resident

Mr. Manohar said “Mr. Baddi Venkatesh of RSS-Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh is spreading communal hate against Muslim community in Bhoopasandra leading to communal tensions in the area. Hindu fundamentalists like him are spreading hate against Muslims and dalits. He should be prevented from entering the area.

Sanjay Nagar Police is acting as a communal and anti-Muslim force. What we need is a secular police force that implements rule of law without discriminating against any community. Immediate action should be taken against communal actions of the police”

Mr. Momin Khan said “Muslims and Hindus are living peacefully together for more than 4 decades in Bhoopasandra. Mr. Baddi Venkatesh, a money lender exploiting poor people with very high rates of interest has got involved in the management of Hanuman temple 4 years ago. He is misleading children and regularly teaching them hatred against Muslim community. He doesn’t belong to our area. Why is he allowed to bring anti-social elements to disturb peace in Bhoopasadra?”

Mr. T. Venkatesh said “My family was taking care of the functioning of the Hanuman temple for over 30 years. The land for the temple was donated by the Muslim community. Muslims helped us in building the temple. Muslims were part of all our festival celebrations including Ganesh festival.

Mr. Baddi Venkatesh is a selfish-outsider trying to benefit by dividing people based on religion and caste. He is the primary reason for removing the Anaganwwadi centre, which was serving the poorest kids of both Hindu and Muslim families out of the temple premises. The temple management should be transferred back into the hands of people who care for people and support communal harmony”

Mr. Kaleemullah R. said “Sanjay Nagar police are supporting illegal actions of Baddi Venkatesh. They never act against offenses committed by Baddai Venkatesh and his goonda associates. They should arrest him and his associates for spreading hatred between communities”

Speakers spoke about their plans to conduct a series of communal harmony programs to strengthen bonds of friendship between different communities in Bhoopasandra.

The journey of Sadhana from Black & White to Colour era

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Sadhana

The most popular actress Sadhana breathed her last, at the ripe old age of 74, on this Christmas day (25th Sept, 2015) at 11.30 am in Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai. Her funeral procession had started from her residence in Sangeeta Bungalow, Ram Krishna Mission Road, Santacruz (W), Mumbai and she was then cremated in Mahim Creamatorium. On hearing the news of her sad demise, it was her closest friends Waheeda Rehman, Helen & Shaina N. C. who were the 1st ones to reach her residence to pay their last respects. Incidentally speaking Sadhana was not keeping well for quite sometime. And then there were also rumors doing the rounds that she had tumors too.

Its time now to take a nostalgic trip down memory lane to take a peekaboo at Sadhana’s illustrious & checkered filmic journey from black & white to color era.

Sadhana (Shivdasani) was born on 2nd Sept, 1941 in Karachi, Sindh before partition. Hailing from a Sindhi family she was named as Sadhana after her father’s favorite actress -dancer Sadhana Bose. Her father was also the brother of actor Hari Shivdasani, who also happened to be the father of actress Babita. The Shivdasani family had fled from Karachi during the post partition riots and then settled down in Mumbai. Sadhana’s mother had home schooled her until she was 8 years old after which she studied at Auxilium Convent, Wadala, Mumbai & Jai Hind College, Mumbai.

Right since Sadhana was that high she had always aspired to be an actress. In fact it was her father who had helped her to enter films. So in 1955, when she was just 15 year’s old she played a chorus girl in the song “Mur Mur Ke Na Dekh Mur Mur Ke” in Raj Kapoor’s Shree 420. And then a few years after this chorus girl phase she was approached by some producers who had also seen her act in a college play. So one of the producer had cast her in India’s 1st Sindhi film titled Abaana, this was in the year 1958, where she played the role of Sheila Ramani’s, a top actress of her time, younger sister. And at that time Sadhana was paid a token amount of just 1 rupee.

Next when a photograph of hers, publicizing the Sindhi film, appeared in a movie magazine Screen, Sashadhar Mukherjee, one of Hindi cinema’s major producers at that time, noticed her. She then also joined Sashadhar Mukherjee’s acting school along with her débutante co – star Joy Mukherjee, who was Sashadhar Mukherjee’s son. R. K. Nayyar, who had previously worked as assistant director on a few films, directed Sadhana & Joy Mukherjee’s debut film Love In Shimla. Director R. K. Nayyar had also created her trademark look, called Sadhana cut, inspired from Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn. The Filmalaya Production banner thus introduced Joy Mukherjee & Sadhana and her iconic hairstyle in their 1960’s romantic film Love In Simla. The film was declared a runaway hit at the box office turnstiles and was also listed in the top 10 films of the year 1960. In this film Sadhana had played the role of a simple, bespectacled girl who is transformed by her grandmother into a beautiful woman and encouraged her to pursue the hero. In the film, Sadhana also wins a beauty contest and is awarded a 3 year film contract with Filmalaya, which was the case in real life too. During this period she had again worked under the same banner opposite Joy Mukherjee in Ek Musafir Ek Haseena.

Alongside Love in Simla, Sadhana was signed by acclaimed director Bimal Roy for his satirical film on Indian democracy, Parakh. She portrayed a simple village girl in this multi -award winning film. In 1961 in another hit Hum Dono Sadhana had played the love interest of Dev Anand. This black & white film was colourized and re – released in 2011. Even some hardcore critics then were of the opinion that Sadhana’s eyes, were very expressive & very captivating, doing most of the work, while she balanced out her submissiveness with a firm tongue. The Mohammed Rafi – Asha Bhosle duet “Abhi Na Jaao Chodkar” still remains evergreen. In 1962, Sadhana was again paired with Dev Anand in Asli Naqli by director Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The same year saw director – screenwriter Raj Khosla cast her once again opposite Joy Mukherjee in his musical film Ek Musafir Ek Hasina. Raj Khosla worked again with Sadhana to make their famous suspense thriller trilogy.

Then in 1963, Sadhana played her 1st role in a technicolour film Mere Mehboob directed by H. S. Rawail. The film proved to be the “Blockbuster” of 1963 and ranked in the top 5 films of the 1960’s. The scene where Rajendra Kumar encounters Sadhana for the 1st time and sees her eyes through her burqa stands as one of the most remarkable scenes of the Hindi film industry. And one of the notable actor Danny Denzongpa had also described the visage of Sadhana in a burqa with just her eyes visible as “unforgettable.”

In 1964 Sadhana played her remarkable double role in the 1st of the suspense thriller trilogy, Woh Kaun Thi?. This white sari clad performance opposite Manoj Kumar earned her, her 1st Filmfare nomination as “Best Actress”. Through this role Sadhana also got to be a part of Lata Mangeshkar – Madan Mohan’s all time classic songs like “Naina Barse” & “Lag Ja Gale”. Once again the hardcore critics called her a show stopper “with an intriguing Mona Lisa – like smile”. This film was a also a box office “Hit”. So much so that Raj Khosla cast her in 2 more mystery films namely Mera Saaya (1966) & Anita (1967) thus making her famous as the “Mystery girl”. Mera Saaya, a box office “Super Hit” courtroom drama film again saw her playing a double role, now opposite Sunil Dutt. The song “Jhumka Gira Re” sung by Asha Bhosle and composed by Madan Mohan saw Sadhana perform dance steps choreographed by Saroj Khan, who was then an assistant to choreographer Sohanlal. The song became so popular that excited audiences in cinema halls used to throw coins at the screen. The film also had the classic songs “Naino Mein Badara Chhaye” and the haunting theme song “Tu Jahan Jahan Chalega, Mera Saaya Saath Hoga”, both voiced by Lata Mangeshkar.

Sadhana got her second Filmfare nomination as “Best Actress” for the role of Meena in Yash Chopra’s directorial saga Waqt (1965). She stood out in Bollywood’s 1st ever ensemble cast by bringing along the fashion of tight chudidar – kurtas, a trend followed by other actresses too. The film proved to be 1965’s “Blockbuster”.

All of a sudden Sadhana started having health issues due to her thyroid, which she got treated at a hospital in Boston. After returning from US, she starred in successful movies like Intaquam (1969), Ek Phool Do Mali (1969) & Geeta Mera Naam (1974), which she also directed. In Intaquam she played the role of a woman who allures the son of her own boss who cheated her to be put behind the bars for a crime he did not commit, for revenge.

After that, she retired from acting as she did not want to be cast as a side actress or do character roles. Later on, Sadhana and her husband R. K. Nayyar, with whom she had tied the knot earlier in her career, formed a production company. She also directed a movie starring Dimple Kapadia in 1989.

Sadhana married her Love In Simla director Ram Krishna Nayyar on 7 Mar, 1966. Their love had blossomed on a film set. But as she was very young then, her parents opposed it. They were married for nearly 30 years, until his death in 1995 from asthma. The couple had no children. Sadhana had also suffered from a disorder of her eyes due to hyperthyroidism. After her retirement, Sadhana had refused to be photographed simply because she wanted to be remembered the way she was. Since then she had lived in Santacruz, Mumbai as a tenant in an apartment building owned by singer Asha Bhosle. In 2013, she stated that she doesn’t keep in touch with her cousin Babita but does keep in touch with actresses Asha Parekh, Waheeda Rehman, Nanda (who passed away in 2014) & Helen.

By the way some of her other noteworthy films were Prem Patra 1962, Man Mauji 1962, Rajkumar 1964, Picnic 1964, Dulha Dulhan 1965, Arzoo 1966, Gaban 1966, Budtameez 1967, Stree (Her one and only one Oriya film) 1969, Sachaai 1969, Ishq Par Zor Nahin 1971, Aap Aye Bahaar Ayee 1972, Dil Daulat Duniya 1973, Hum Sab Chor Hain 1972, Chhote Sarkar 1974, Vandana 1975, Amaanat 1981, Mehfil 1994, Ulfat Ki Nayee Manzeelein et al.

All in all Sadhana, was an Indian actress who was one of the top stars in the 1960’s and the early 1970’s.

But sadly enough, as mentioned earlier, the curtains finally came down on the beautiful & remarkable actress’ life span on 25th Dec, 2015.

36 BASE students bag KVPY fellowship

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kvpy

Bangalore: Once again the students of BASE (www.base-edu.in) bring outstanding results in Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) examination, a Government of India initiative to encourage students to take up research careers in Pure Sciences. 36 students from BASE have qualified in the stage 1 examinations of KVPY program. This prestigious scholarship program is funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India and administered by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc, Bangalore). Scholarships are provided (up to the pre-Ph.D. level) to the selected students.

Congratulating the students, Mr. Vallish Herur, Director of BASE said, “We are happy that like every year, this time too many of our students have been selected in the KVPY exam. It’s a combined effort of both teachers and students’ altogether that we have such good results and will continue to strive harder.”

KVPY offers scholarships to assist these students realize their potential to the maximum and the funding is provided upto pre-PhD levels.

Dadri lynching: Akhlaq’s fridge had mutton, not beef, confirms UP govt

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Mohammad Akhlaq Beef

New Delhi: A veterinary report filed by the Uttar Pradesh government has revealed that it was mutton and not beef in the refrigerator of Mohammad Akhlaq, who was lynched to death and his son critically injured over rumours that his family had consumed a dead calf’s meat.

 

Akhlaq was dragged out of his home and beaten to death by a mob in Uttar Pradesh’s Dadri outside New Delhi on September 29 this year. As he and his son were assaulted, the family members kept shouting there was no beef, but the mob did not listen to them.

 

The attack on Akhlaq’s family followed a public announcement from the local temple that the family had slaughtered a calf and eaten its meat. Nearly a dozen people, including the son of a local BJP leader, have been booked for the killing.

According to Times Now, the Uttar Pradesh’ veterinary department has confirmed that the meat found on Akhlaq’s house was ‘mutton’ not ‘beef’. Forensic lab test results, however, are still awaited.

Akhlaq’s murder over beef had triggered massive outrage across the country, with a number of prominent writers returning their Sahitya Akademi awards in protest. A series of controversial statements and visits to Dadri by the BJP leaders kept the issue on the boil.

The chargesheet in the case filed in a magistrate court in Greater Noida last week has named 15 persons, including Vishal Rana, son of a local BJP leader.

(Agencies)

Congress left red-faced as mouthpiece targets Nehru, Sonia

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Sonia Gandhi

Mumbai: In an embarrassment to Congress, articles in its mouthpiece today criticised Jawaharlal Nehru’s policy on Kashmir issue and alleged that Sonia Gandhi’s father was a “fascist soldier”, leaving the party squirming over the controversy on its Foundation Day.

An unsigned write-up in the Mumbai unit’s journal, coinciding with the party’s 131st foundation day, blamed Nehru for “the state of affairs in Kashmir, China and Tibet” even as another write-up made controversial remarks on party chief Sonia Gandhi, forcing its editor and Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam to order inquiry even as he claimed he was unaware of the content.

 

Both these articles, which do not bear the name of the writer, have been published in this month’s issue of ‘Congress Darshan’ Hindi edition as a tribute to the country’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabbhai Patel on his death anniversary on December 15.

The article states that Nehru should have listened to Patel’s views on international affairs and that the relationship between the two leaders remained strained.

“Despite Patel getting the post of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, the relations between the two leaders remained strained, and both had threatened to resign time and again,” the article says.

If Nehru had embraced Patel’s foresight, many problems in international affairs would not have arisen, it adds.

The article cites a letter that Patel purportedly wrote in 1950 to caution Nehru against China’s policy towards Tibet and in which “Patel described China as unfaithful, and a future enemy of India.”

“Had Patel been heard (by Nehru) then, the problems of Kashmir, China, Tibet and Nepal wouldn’t have existed now. Patel opposed Nehru’s move of taking the Kashmir issue to the UNO,” stated the article, adding, “Nehru did not agree with Patel’s views on Nepal.”

Another article, which focuses on the Congress President, describes her early life in great detail, including her “ambition to become an airhostess”, as well as allegation that her father was a member of the Italian forces that lost to the Russians in the World War.

“Sonia Gandhi’s father Stephano Maino was a former fascist soldier,” it alleged.

The write-up also describes how Sonia quickly rose to the position of party president.
“Sonia Gandhi registered as a primary member of the Congress in 1997 and became the party’s president in 62 days. She also made an unsuccessful attempt to form a government,” the article says.

Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief and editor of the journal Sanjay Nirupam said he is not involved in the day-to-day functioning of the magazine and was unaware of the articles.

“I admit the mistake. Inquiry will be initiated against the editorial department which committed the mistake. We will take measures that such a mistake is not repeated,” Nirupam said.

In Delhi, Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Raj Babbar said that it should be seriously looked into.

“If something like this has come out in the Congress article, then AICC will take it up,” Khurshid said.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that it was clear that the writer was not aware of history and had no knowledge of the conditions under which Nehru had become the first Prime Minister and the challenges he faced like eradicating poverty.

Top Congress leaders had gathered to mark the Foundation Day at at AICC headquarters in the national capital.

(Agencies)

Tortured Kerala youths return home

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saudi-video

Thiruvananthapuram: Three Kerala youths, who were allegedly physically tortured by their Saudi employer, returned to their home state early today from Saudi Arabia.

The plight of the three came to light after a Whatsapp video of a Saudi employer allegedly beating them with a wooden plank surfaced. Kerala government and External Affairs Ministry had intervened to help them.

As the trio arrived at the airport here in the wee hours, their relatives and friends welcomed them.

Baiju, Abilash and Vimal Kumar had been taken to Saudi Arabia by a placement agency a couple of months back after promising them job opportunities.

21-year-old Abilash told reporters that he had taken loan to build a house and had hoped that employment abroad will help him clear his loan fast. However, that was not to be.
Their relatives said it was a relief seeing their near ones back safe.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had earlier stated in New Delhi that the three men had been given police protection and the matter was being followed up.

(PTI)

Raging Australian bushfire destroys more than 100 homes

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Firefighters battle blaze as it tracks along the coastline of the southern Australian state of Victoria.

The homes were destroyed in small holiday communities on Australia's picturesque Great Ocean Road [Reuters]

The homes were destroyed in small holiday communities on Australia’s picturesque Great Ocean Road [Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

At least 116 homes have been destroyed in a bushfire that continues to rage along the coast of Australia’s southeastern state of Victoria, but so far no deaths have been reported.

The majority of the homes were lost at Wye River and Separation Creek, small holiday communities about 160km southwest of Melbourne on the picturesque Great Ocean Road, officials said on Saturday.

Victorian state Premier Daniel Andrews said the property losses “confirmed for us just how hot, just how volatile, just how intense this fire was, burning right to the water’s edge”, the ABC reported.

Hundreds of families were evacuated from their homes and an emergency warning remained in place in Wye River and Separation Creek on Saturday afternoon local time.

Firefighters are continuing to battle the blaze.

A lightning strike is believed to have sparked the fires in Victoria about a week ago. They have since burned more than 2,000 hectares.

Authorities warned on Saturday that the fire risk in Victoria would continue over the next two months, as southern Australia bakes in summer heat.

“This fire doesn’t go away. This fire is a fire that will remain with potential to burn in January and February this year,” Victorian emergency services commissioner Craig Lapsley said.

“We will be back into hot, windy weather in January without a doubt. Everything’s available to burn.”

Southern and western Australia suffers from severe summer bushfires on a yearly basis.

In February 2009, Victoria suffered the worst bushfires in the country’s history when 173 people were killed and hundreds were injured in multiple blazes across rural areas of the state.

Mosque ransacked and copies of Quran burnt in Corsica

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Prayer hall vandalised amid heightened security as tensions rise in French island that recently voted in far-right.

Corsica recently voted for the far-right, anti-immigrant Front National in regional elections [Pierre-Antoine Fournil/AFP]

Corsica recently voted for the far-right, anti-immigrant Front National in regional elections [Pierre-Antoine Fournil/AFP]

by Al Jazeera

A crowd vandalised a Muslim prayer hall and set fire to copies of the Quran on the French island of Corsica, police said, in an attack condemned by the government.

The violence came on Friday amid heightened security measures for the Christmas holiday, and nationwide fears after the November 13 attacks in Paris killed 130 people.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls wrote on Twitter that the break-in in the city of Ajaccio was “an unacceptable desecration”.

Tensions had mounted in Ajaccio Friday after two firefighters and a police officer were injured overnight in a low-income neighbourhood of the city when they were “ambushed” by “several hooded youths”, authorities said.

On Friday afternoon around 150 people had gathered in front of the prefecture in a show of support for the police and firefighters, officials said in a statement.

But some in that crowd broke away and headed for the low-income housing estate where the violence took place the night before.

They shouted slogans in Corsican meaning “Arabs get out!” and “This is our home!”, an AFP correspondent reported.

Nearby, a small group smashed the glass door to the mosque, ransacked the prayer hall and partially burned books including copies of the Quran, said regional official Francois Lalanne.

“Fifty prayer books were thrown out on the street,” Lalanne said, adding that some of the pages were burnt.

The French Council of the Muslim Faith denounced the violence and pointed to the timing of the attack on Friday “on a day of prayer for both Muslims and Christians”.

This year Christmas falls just after the Muslim feast day commemorating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the attack showed signs of “racism and xenophobia”.

He also condemned the assault on law enforcement and safety officers in Corsica.

Corsica is a department of France which held regional elections earlier this month, which saw the far-right, anti-immigrant Front National make unprecedented gains in the first round of the vote.

On Corsica, nationalists won the regional election there taking power for the first time.

Yeddyurappa should be Karnataka BJP chief, says Sadananda Gowda

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D V Sadananda Gowda

Bengaluru: Union Law minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Friday has strongly batted for former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa to lead the State BJP.

Speaking to reporters, Gowda said that BSY is the most suitable candidate to lead the State BJP.

Recalling BSY’s tenure as the Chief Minister, Gowda said that it was Yeddyurappa who introduced several pro-people programmes and it is he who struggled to bring BJP to power.

“No doubt about his capacity and he is fit to head the party at the state-level,” he said adding that the final call is of the high command.

Backing the recommendations made by the parliamentary secretariat to double the salary and allowances of MPs he said that at present MPs get about Rs  50,000 as salary and Rs 45,000 as allowances. But while discharging his duty, MP has to cover eight assembly constituencies hence, the salary hike is much needed as it is insufficient, he said.

Gowda also expressed concern over Opposition disrupting during Assembly session and compared it to anti-national activity.

While responding on upcoming Council elections, he said that the BJP would win 15 to 20 seats and opined that Congress will be taught a lesson by the people.

(Agencies)

Tremor jolts Kashmir, causes fear and panic

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Kashmir

Jammu/Srinagar: An earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale jolted Kashmir on Saturday causing widespread fear and panic.

“An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter scale occurred at 12.44 a.m. The epicentre of the tremor was in the Hindukush region of Afghanistan,” an official of the Met department said here.

“Its coordinates were latitude 36.5 degrees north and longitude 71.2 degrees east. The depth of the quake was 186 Kilometres,” the official added.

People were jolted out of sleep after tremors were felt in Srinagar. In Jammu, residents were in the grip of fear due to the earthquake.

“I Thought some massive explosion had occurred outside our house,” a Jammu resident said.

No loss of life has been reported from anywhere in the state so far.

“It is too early to say as the earthquake occurred after midnight. We are gathering information to be absolutely certain,” said a senior officer of the state government.

More than 45,000 people were killed across divided Kashmir and properties worth billions destroyed in a 7.6 magnitude temblor that hit Jammu and Kashmir on October 8, 2005.

(IANS)

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