Nasheman

India's largest selling Urdu weekly, now also in English

You are here: Home / Archives for 2015

Archives for 2015

Violence in Punjab after ‘desecration’ of holy book, several injured

by

Police lathi charge members of Sikh groups protesting the alleged desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in Kotkapura. (Sanjeev Kumar / Hindustan Times)

Police lathi charge members of Sikh groups protesting the alleged desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib in Kotkapura. (Sanjeev Kumar / Hindustan Times)

Faridkot: Several people were injured in a clash between Sikhs, who gathered to protest the desecration of their holy book, and the police in Punjab’s Faridkot district on Wednesday, eyewitnesses said.

Sources said that police used cane charge, water cannons and even fired in the air to disperse hundreds of protestors from the spot.

The clash took place in the main square of Kotkapura town, 230 km from here, on Wednesday when police tried to arrest leaders of the protestors.

The protestors had tried to block highways towards Moga and Bathinda towns.

The injured included protestors and police officials.

The protestors had pitched their tents in Kotkapura town since Monday to protest the alleged desecration of a ‘bir’ (holy book) of Guru Granth Sahib in Bargari village, 15 km from Kotkapura.

Tension mounted in Kotkapura area on Monday after over 100 pages of the Sikh holy book were found scattered in a street near the gurdwara.

The holy book was stolen from a gurdwara in June.

Protestors clashed with police in Buttar Kalan village of Moga district on Tuesday, leaving many injured.

Police rounded up nearly 200 protestors in Kotkapura on Tuesday but released them later.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal urged people to remain calm.

(IANS)

Lynching a man to death is small issue, says cop-turned-BJP MP

by

Satyapal Singh

New Delhi: Police officer turned BJP MP Satyapal Singh today kicked up a row with his remarks calling Dadri lynching a “small incident”, evoking strong reactions from Opposition parties, which said it was a reflection of the party’s “polarisation” strategy.

“As far as a small incident like Dadri is concerned, our country’s democratic atmosphere is fully competent to handle. Our country is full competent to handle such incidents,” said Singh, who is the former Police Commissioner of Mumbai.

The BJP MP from Baghpat also said Government needs to take a view on the plight of Muslims as well as followers of other religion.

Reacting sharply to Singh’s comments on Dadri, Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar said it is a reflection of what the BJP was trying to do.

“I am absolutely dismayed at the remarks of the BJP MP, who was also a former Police Commissioner of Mumbai,” he said, alleging that such remarks reflect the “strategy” of BJP to “usurp” power by “polarising” communities.

SP leader Rajiv Rai demanded an apology from the BJP and alleged that it was aiming at “communal polarisation”, which would be seen more as Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled in 2017 comes closer.

He wondered if Dadri is a minor incident, what else is a big incident. “They should apologise. I am disgusted that this statement comes from an MP, who was a former police commissioner.”

50-year-old Iqlakh was dragged out of his home by a 200-strong mob and beaten to death after a public announcement from the local temple that the family had slaughtered a calf and eaten its meat in Uttar Pradesh’s Bishada village in Dadri.

The Uttar Pradesh government has submitted a report to the Centre on the issue.

Concerned over communal incidents in Dadri and other places, the Centre had last week asked all states to take strictest action against those who attempt to weaken the secular fabric by exploiting religious emotions.

The incident has triggered a nationwide outrage with a number of eminent authors deciding to return their awards.

(Agencies)

Dutch board says Russian-made missile downed MH17

by

Findings do not specify who launched BUK missile which brought down passenger jet over eastern Ukraine in July 2014.

Two hundred and ninety eight people - most of them Dutch and including 80 children - died in the crash on July 17, 2014 [FILE - AP]

Two hundred and ninety eight people – most of them Dutch and including 80 children – died in the crash on July 17, 2014 [FILE – AP]

by Al Jazeera

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was hit and downed by a Russian-made surface-to-air BUK missile over eastern Ukraine last year, the Dutch Safety Board said.

“Flight MH17 crashed as a result of the detonation of a warhead outside the airplane against the left-hand side of the cockpit,” the chairman of the Dutch Safety Board, Tjibbe Joustra, told a press conference on Tuesday.

“This warhead fits the kind of missile that is installed in the BUK surface-to-air missile system.”

While he insisted investigators had not pinned down the exact location of the missile’s launch site, maps shown to reporters clearly showed the area near Donetsk held by pro-Russian separatists.

Even before the highly-anticipated release of the official report on the disaster, Russian officials were disputing the findings which are sure to further degrade strained ties between Moscow and the West.

Joustra also hit out at the Ukrainian authorities for allowing civil aircraft to continue to fly above the eastern part of the country despite the raging conflict between Kiev’s forces and pro-Russian separatist insurgents.

Visibly shaken

“We have concluded as a precaution there was sufficient reason for the Ukrainian authorities to close the air space above the eastern part of their country,” he said.

Relatives earlier emerged visibly shaken after being privately briefed by Joustra in an conference centre in The Hague about the fate of the Boeing 777 which was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it went down on July 17 last year.

Relative Robby Oehlers said a wave of sadness had swept through the room.

“They showed us the fragments that were inside the plane,” Oehlers said, adding in the room “it was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop.”

Findings disputed

The findings were swiftly disputed by the missile maker Almaz-Antey, which has carried out its own tests into the crash.

The Russian company had performed a test which “disputes the version of the Dutch,” and the damage to the MH17 pointed to the use of an older type of missile.

“The results of the experiment completely dispute the conclusions of the Dutch commission about the type of the rocket and the launch site,” said Yan Novikov, director of Almaz-Antey.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk meanwhile blamed Russia’s security service.

“I personally have no doubt that this was a planned operation of the Russian special services aimed at downing a civilian aircraft,” Yatsenyuk told a televised cabinet meeting.

The long-awaited findings of the board, which was not empowered to address questions of responsibility, did not specify on Tuesday who launched the missile.

All 298 people – most of them Dutch and including 80 children – died in the crash on July 17, 2014.

Thailand bans film over depictions of Buddhist monks

by

Buddhist body says Arbat could destroy the religion with its intimate scenes and depiction of monk taking drugs.

Buddhist monks, traditionally revered in Thailand, have been rocked by a number of scandals [EPA]

Buddhist monks, traditionally revered in Thailand, have been rocked by a number of scandals [EPA]

by Al Jazeera

A Thai horror film about Buddhist monks has been banned over fears it could “destroy” the kingdom’s majority faith, authorities say.

The culture ministry on Tuesday objected to certain parts of the film Arbat, including a kissing scene and one where a monk is shown taking drugs.

The clergy have long been revered in overwhelmingly Buddhist Thailand but in recent years have been rocked by scandals, including gambling and prostitution, as well as corruption at the increasingly wealthy temples propped by donations from the faithful.

“The movie has some scenes that will destroy Buddhism. If it is shown, people’s faith in Buddhism will deteriorate,” Somchai Surachatri, spokesman for Thailand’s National Office of Buddhism, told AFP news agency.

His office sits on the censorship committee at the culture ministry.

On Tuesday the film’s producer Sahamongkol Film International said it was “preparing to adjust some parts of the movie” before resubmitting it for consideration.

“We will try to maintain the essence and plot of the story as far as we can,” it said in a Facebook post.

Arbat, which translates from Thai as “violations committed by monks”, was scheduled for nationwide release on Thursday.

Corruption scandal

Thailand’s monks have come under increasing fire for their embrace of commercialism in recent years.

In April the Dhammakaya temple, one of the richest in the kingdom, returned about $20m given by a company executive later accused of embezzling the cash.

Donations have long formed the bedrock of Thai Buddhism.

Every morning barefooted monks make alms rounds in their local neighbourhoods while many devotees “make merit” by gifting money to temples.

The case of notoriously flashy monk, Wiraphol Sukphol, taking selfies while flying in a private jet triggered particular outrage.

Other embarrassing incidents in recent months include a monk arrested for multiple sexual assaults, clergy dressed in civilian clothes drinking alcohol and crashing a car, and monks, who are expected to be celibate, having girlfriends.

Review: ‘Moteram Ka Satyagrah’ is a delightful Hindi play which entertains the audiences beyond imagination

by

Moteram Ka Satyagrah

Director: M. S. Sathyu
Writer & Adapter: Habib Tanveer & Safdar Hashmi
Assistant Director & Production-in-charge: Vikas Yadav
Music: Kuldeep Singh
Cast: Avinash Kumar, Paritosh Tiwari, Hempushpak Arora, Priya Sahdev, Anupam Kumar, Nishant Srivastava, Saumya Srivastav, Noman Khan, Vikas Yadav, Ishika Bachhan, Vaishnavi Fendor, Abhishek Srivastava, Kaamna Pathak, Rohit Chaudhary, Shankar Purohit, Sunraj Dev, Suresh Kumar, Ramesh Rajhans, Ravi Kumar, Aanjjan Srivastav, Nivedita Baunthiyal, Shakir Ali, Satyendra, Sunny Dixit et al.

The latest Hindi play ‘Moteram Ka Satyagrah’ is based on a story “Satyagraha” penned by Munshi Premchand, written & adapted by Habib Tanveer & Safdar Hashmi & above all directed by none other than extremely versatile director M. S. Sathyu.

This time around IPTA has offered tribute to Munshi Prem Chand one of the finest writers of Indian Subcontinent on his death anniversary by performing a play ‘Moteram Ka Satyagraha’ inspired from his own story on 8th & 9th Oct, 2015 at Prithvi Theatre, Juhu.

The play ‘Moteram Ka Satyagrah’ is a musical comic satire on governance directed by M. S. Sathyu, a National Award-winning director best known for his film ‘Garam Hawa or ‘Scorching Winds’.

Set in Benaras during the British rule the play ‘Moteram Ka Satyagrah’ highlighted the larger issues of relationship between Religion & Politics which are still relevant today.

The story is about a Brahmin from Benaras called Moteram who falls a prey to his greed. The story begins when the magistrate Sir William Parkinson got the news of a Viceroy visiting the town of Benaras that made him tense. He wishes to portray Benaras as a very smart & beautiful city and seek help from his 7 unintelligent Officers. The magistrate accepted all their suggestions which lead to a chaos in the city of Benaras. Angry by his decisions the people of Benaras decided to boycott the Viceroy’s visit and planned to declare Hartal. When the magistrate came to know about this he bribed Pandit Moteram to go on a hunger strike to control all the revolutionaries. Moteram blackmailed the people of Benaras on religious lines and tried convincing that the Bristish empire is for their good.

The play deals with whether or not Panditji succeeds in controlling his hunger? And to what extent the magistrate will go to save his position even at the cost of the people of Benaras.

The protagonist Pandit Moteram Shastri, a role enacted by Aanjjan Srivastav was undoubtedly the soul of the play. The audience was completely mesmerized by his performance. His dialogue delivery, facial expression, gestures and his looks set the stage on fire. On the other hand Nivedita Baunthiyal who played his wife supported the protagonist amazingly. She was completely into her character as a devoting wife. While Abhishek Srivastava who played Lord William Parkinson did complete justice to his character. He was stupendous and took the audience on a hilarious trip with his Hindi accent. Besides him all the characters of the play comprising of Avinash Kumar, Paritosh Tiwari, Hempushpak Arora, Priya Sahdev, Anupam Kumar, Nishant Srivastava, Saumya Srivastav, Noman Khan, Vikas Yadav, Ishika Bachhan, Vaishnavi Fendor, Kaamna Pathak, Rohit Chaudhary, Shankar Purohit, Sunraj Dev, Suresh Kumar, Ramesh Rajhans, Ravi Kumar, Shakir Ali, Satyendra, Sunny Dixit. et al complimented each other very well.

The team filled with enthusiasm & energy also lighted the stage. Costumes were done by director M. S. Sathyu himself. The costumes played an important part in the play and were selected very cautiously for reflecting the Benaras of the British rule. The costumes completed the look of every character helping the audience to understand the nature of each one’s role. They communicated the message accurately & realistically. Music Director Kuldeep Singh succeeded in expressing the characters emotions through live music and established a mood for the audiences watching the play. Lighting Department was also able to pull all the aspects on the stage and enhanced the beauty of each character & scenes. The stage was beautifully illuminated creating the right mood for the play. Assistant Director Vikas Yadav did a commendable job of bringing out the best both from debutantes & talented artists. Actually speaking the USP of the play was its huge cast and their coordination which was superb.

Director M. S. Sathyu’s vision was seen throughout the play. Truly M. S. Sathyu was the Captain of the Ship, a great director, art director & stage manager. Despite being a comical play it gave a very serious message of separating religion from politics.

The play ‘Moteram Ka Satyagraha’ beautifully portrays that religion & politics are 2 different worlds and when mixed together people’s rights are trampled upon leading to aggressive opposition amongst the masses. Though it is an old play but the problem of religion & politics still exists in our country and is hampering the growth of the people & the country. The play was not only entertaining but there was a message to take back home that is relevant even after so many years when Munshi Premchand wrote the story.

Review: ‘A Fairytale Of Rapunzel’ is one English play which mesmerized audiences of all age

by

A Fairytale Of Rapunzel

Writer, Producer, Director, Set Designer, Makeup: Rashmi Sharma Music: Nitin Hivarkar Lights: Abishek Srivastav Cast: Jyoti Somaya, Eshaan Sharma, Sadiq Abbas, Ruchi Sharma, Reshma Kotian et al.

‘A Fairytale of Rapunzel’ is an English musical drama in a sing song dialogue form with comedy & action. The play is written & directed by Rashmi Sharma, a veteran theatre artist & founder of Progressive Theatre group. She has been a contributor to many acclaimed shows. The show took place at Palladium Mall, Lower Parel on 3rd Oct, 2015.

The story revolves around a beautiful girl Rapunzel who is the epitome of beauty with magnificent long blond hairs. The story begins when a pregnant woman craves for rampians that grows in a splendid garden next to her house. This left her husband shocked & troubled as that garden belonged to a witch. On seeing his wife’s condition deteriorating because of those rampians he stole them from that witch’s garden and was caught red handed by the witch. The angry witch agreed to give him rampians but asked for their baby and the man out of fear consented to it. When Rapunzel was born the witch took her away from their parents and locked her in a tower without any stairs. Her mother loses her senses and her father died owing to separation from their daughter. Rapunzel grew up mesmerizingly beautiful with profound eyes & a blessed voice. She was lonely but tried to enjoy little things in life. One day a Prince falls in love with her and she too started loving him.

What will happen to Rapunzel now? Will she be able to get out of the claws of the wicked witch? Will she ever get to meet her mother? Will she be able to marry the prince?

Director Rashmi Sharma treated the play fabulously and did a good research in terms of costumes & sets. The costumes were good and helped establish connection between the characters.

The lighting department was successful in setting the mood for the play. The enthusiasm among the children was fun to see. They were completely engrossed into the play and couldn’t take their eyes off the stage.

Overall the feel was good. Music was also the highlight of the show and transported the audiences into a world of fairytale. Audiences of all the age group attended the show and the people were nostalgic remembering their days as a child. It was truly a gala affair filled with excitement.

“Ye Modi kya kya karwayega”: Haryana minister on PM Modi’s Clean India Mission

by

Krishan Kumar Bedi

Chandigarh: In an embarrassment to ruling BJP in Haryana, state Minister Krishan Kumar Bedi was caught on tape while allegedly mocking the Prime Minister’s pet ‘Swachh Bharat’ campaign, prompting the opposition to take a swipe at the state government over “lack of seriousness”.

“Don’t know what all Modi will make us do,” Bedi, who is Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, is purportedly heard saying in TV footage as he held a broom in his hand while cleaning a ground in Fatehabad.

After the Minister’s remarks, other officials present at the spot with him burst into laughter. When Bedi noticed that his comments may have been captured by media present at the spot, he asked them, “I hope you are not recording it. Don’t make me land in any trouble”.

The video has since gone viral on the social media.

Bedi along with senior officials of the Fatehabad district administration was cleaning the ground at Panchayat Bhawan in Haryana’s Fatehabad on Sunday on the conclusion of a sanitation campaign there.

When reporters later sought clarification from Bedi about his remarks, the Minister, who was attending another function in Kaithal, said: “We are committed to the Swachh Bharat campaign. We want that entire Haryana should not only be clean, but healthy too”.

“Someone had brought to my notice that some officials are not taking the campaign seriously. I was telling the officials that some people are trying to publicise the fact that they (officials) are being forced to pick up the broom because of (PM) Modi.”

“I was bringing this fact to their notice that such an impression should not go out (that officials were not willingly picking up the broom to clean). Now, if someone has done some (video) recording and linked with my comment in this manner, then it is not right. I was only apprising the officials and the whole issue was in that context only and not anything else”.

Haryana Congress president Ashok Tanwar said BJP ministers “are not keen on real service and tackling real issues, but they just believe in tokenism”.

State’s main opposition INLD’s senior leader Abhay Chautala said: “This shows how serious the government and its ministers are about campaigns launched by (PM) Modi”.

The incident has caused embarrassment to the Manohar Lal Khattar Government in Haryana, which will complete one year in office this month.

However, this is not the first time when Khattar’s Ministers have courted controversy. In January this year, Bedi was in the midst of another controversy when Kurukshetra’s Civil Surgeon Vandana Bhatia had complained that Bedi had allegedly misbehaved with her over telephone, a charge which had been trashed by the Minister then.

Congress leader Ashok Tanwar said the Minister’s remarks also show “that people feel suffocated in the BJP”.

“There is authoritarian attitude of top leadership of the BJP because of which sentiments in this manner are coming out in public,” he said.

Abhay Chautala, who is Leader of Opposition, said before polls, BJP made tall promises to the people and when they allegedly failed to deliver, their Ministers make such statements to divert the attention of the people.

Earlier this year, Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma had landed stoked a controversy by allegedly using objectionable language against Jawaharlal Nehru. Later on, the senior Minister had apologised, saying he did not mean to be disrespectful or to hurt anyone’s sentiments.

Haryana’s Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar had also drawn flak for his remarks on farmers committing suicide.

(Agencies)

Punjabi writer Dalip Kaur Tiwana returns Padma Shri

by

Dalip Kaur Tiwana

New Delhi: Punjabi writer Dalip Kaur Tiwana on Tuesday announced that she will return her Padma Shri in protest against the ‘rising communal tension’ in the country.

“In this land of Gautama Buddha and Guru Nanak Dev, the atrocities committed on the Sikhs in 1984 and on the Muslims recurrently because of communalism are an utter disgrace to our state and society.

“And to kill those who stand for truth and justice put us to shame in the eyes of the world and God. In protest, therefore, I return the Padma Shri award,” she wrote in a letter to the Central government.

“I condemn the rising communal tension in the country and what is happening with minorities,” she said.

Ms. Tiwana was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2004. She was also awarded the Sahitya Akademi in 1971.

(Agencies)

Police foil Jagan’s fast, shift him to hospital

by

Jagan-fast

Guntur: Police foiled YSR Congress party president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy’s fast early on Tuesday by shifting him to a hospital, where he was forcibly administered fluids.

The leader of opposition was on indefinite fast for six day demanding special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

As his condition deteriorated, police swooped on the hunger strike camp here around 4 a.m. He was taken to a government hospital in an ambulance and was admitted to the intensive care unit. Doctors administered him fluids intravenously.

Jagan’s mother Vijayamma, wife Bharathi and other family members and senior party leaders rushed to the hospital to meet him.

Police had to face resistance from scores of party activists, who had arrived here from various parts of the state.

The government’s action in foiling Jagan’s fast came under criticism from the party leaders. One of the senior leaders, Botsa Satyanarayana, said the party would hold a meeting to decide its next course of action.

Jagan had vowed to continue his fast till the central government accords special status to the state.

The concern was growing among the party leaders as the leader of opposition had turned weak and was barely able to speak.

Doctors had advised Jagan to call off the fast since ketones in urine had increased alarmingly and this could have an adverse impact on the functioning of his kidneys.

(IANS)

SC rejects plea of sacked IPS officer Bhatt for SIT probe

by

Sanjiv Bhatt

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today dismissed the plea of sacked Gujarat cadre IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt seeking a court-monitored SIT probe in relation to the two FIRs lodged against him for allegedly forcing his subordinate to file an affidavit in a 2002 riots case and hacking email of a law officer.

The bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice Arun Mishra also said the trial in these two cases be conducted “expeditiously.”

Bhatt, who had earlier sought a CBI inquiry into the two FIR, later changed his prayer and sought a court-monitored SIT probe on the ground that now the persons against whom he has certain grievances, are now running the government at Centre.

The former IPS officer had also sought impleadment of BJP president Amit Shah, the then MoS Home in the state government and RSS functionary S Gurumurthy as parties in his petition which was also rejected.

The IPS officer, dismissed from service on August 18 this year, had filed the petitions in the apex court in 2011 against the lodging of FIRs against him by the Gujarat Police.

On September 23, the apex court had reserved its verdict after Gujarat government had rubbished the claim of Bhatt that he was present at a meeting to discuss law and order situation during the 2002 communal violence at residence of the then Chief Minister.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising and lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Bhatt, had alleged collusion among top state government functionaries, the then Additional Advocate General, the then minister of state for home and some lawyers for the accused and sought court-monitored SIT probe into Bhatt’s claims.

Jaising had argued that a SIT probe, instead of seeking CBI investigation, was needed to inquire into the “collusion of the highest order” as the then Chief Minister is now the Prime Minister and the then AAG is now the Additional Solicitor General of India.

Senior advocate L Nageshwar Rao, appearing for then Additional Advocate General Tushar Mehta, had alleged that Bhatt was trying to revive whatever happened since 2002.

Earlier, the counsel for Bhatt had also alleged that he was victimised and targeted by the state government, whose strategy was to shoot the messenger for his bold speaking on the handling of law and order situation during the 2002 riots.

One of the Bhatt’s petitions pertains to an FIR lodged by Gujarat Police-constable K D Panth in Ahmedabad alleging that Bhatt had pressurised him to sign an affidavit testifying that the IPS officer had participated in a high-level meeting after the Godhra carnage.

In another FIR, he has been accused of allegedly hacking then state’s Additional Advocate General Tushar Mehta’s e-mail account.

The apex court had earlier stayed criminal proceedings against the officer.

Bhatt in his plea had also sought fresh investigation against him in all cases with a plea for direction to Internet service providers to preserve all data he has put in the applications.

(Agencies)

KNOW US

GET INVOLVED

PROMOTE

Archives