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Congress demands EC probe into BJP becoming top TV advertiser

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 With the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data revealing the BJP to be the number one on television in the run-up to Assembly elections, the Congress on Friday demanded that the Election Commission take cognisance of the data and asses the impact of BJP’s advertisement spending on the ongoing polls in five states.

As per the BARC data, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) topped the rankings of advertisers across all TV channels for the week ended November 16, prompting the Congress to question its electoral funding.

“These advertisement spends by the BJP reflect a clear nexus between big businesses and big politicians… This is crony capitalism personified, this is the quintessential ‘suit-boot ki sarkar’,” Congress leader Manish Tewari told the media here citing the BARC data.

Flaying the Narendra Modi government for turning electoral funding “far more opaque” through the electoral bond schemes, the Congress demanded that the EC intervene, especially in view of the Assembly polls in the five states — Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Telangana and Rajasthan — the results of which will be declared on December 11.

“The EC must summon this BARC data and need to find out how much money India’s top advertiser (BJP) has spent on these advertisements.

“We demand the EC take suo-motu cognisance of the BARC data, translate it into monetary spends and see what is the impact on electoral process. The EC must take serious cognisance of its impact on the probity transparency and integrity of the electoral process,” said the former Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

He also said the electoral bonds scheme has made political funding very opaque giving rise to crony capitalism.

“The ruling dispensation has access to source and final destination of the bonds which acts as deterrence for any company to try and fund an opposition party, especially when this government has unleashed central agencies on opposition parties and leaders, media houses or anyone who dares to oppose them,” added Tewari

Classical musician Ustad Imrat Khan passes away at 83

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 Indian classical music doyen, Ustad Imrat Khan, known for promoting the sitar and the surbahar internationally, has passed away in the United States at the age of 83, his family said on Friday.

Khan breathed his last in a hospital in St. Louis on Thursday after a stroke. He was unwell for quite some time and was hospitalised last week. He had been living in St. Louis for well over two decades.

“No words can express the loss… May Allah bless his soul,” Khan’s bereaved nephew, Hidayat Husain Khan, said confirming his death. The funeral is expected to take place on Saturday.

He belonged to the Etawa Gharana, which traces its origins through an unbroken line of celebrated musicians to the 16th Century, where training was passed down from father to son for almost 400 years.

Khan was the younger brother of sitar maestro Ustad Vilayat Khan and was born in what was then Calcutta into a family of musicians.

His father was Enayat Khan, recognised as a leading sitar and surbahar player of his time, as had been his grandfather, Imdad Khan before him. His father died when Khan was a child and he was raised by his mother, Bashiran Begum, and her father, singer Bande Hassan Khan.

In 1944, the family moved to Bombay (now Mumbai), where he learned extensively from his uncle Wahid Khan. In 1961, he performed at the Edinburgh International Festival. The year also saw his first concerts in Berlin and London and first recordings for BBC radio and television. He also performed at the Cannes Film Festival in 1970.

From then onwards, Khan had performed and recorded solo, playing both sitar and surbahar, and appeared at numerous music festivals across the globe.

The noted musician was disappointed that the Indian government never recognised his contributions, even as several of his juniors and those who trained under him were presented with Padma awards.

Khan had turned down the Padma Shri last year and expressed his disappointment publicly, saying that the recognition had come too late.

Kamal Haasan asks PM to visit cyclone-affected areas of TN

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 Back from a visit to some of the worst-affected parts of the cyclone-ravaged districts in Tamil Nadu, Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan on Friday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the state and see for himself the sufferings wrought on the people so that the Centre can come out with massive assistance to the state.

Haasan, who has entered politics recently by floating the Makkal Needhi Maiyam (MNM), went on a whistlestop tour of a few hundred kms of Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts and Vedaranyam town, which bore the brunt of Cyclone Gaja, on Thursday and described the situation there as “pitiable and abysmal”.

He accused the state government of being lax and not making a proper assessment of the destruction of homes and crops in vast swathes of land in these affected areas.

Haasan questioned the hurry with which Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy rushed to Delhi on Thursday and presented a memorandum to Modi seeking relief of Rs.15,000 crore.

“It (rushing to Delhi) was a knee-jerk reaction under criticism from political parties in the state of the state government’s inaction,” he told IANS in an interview.

The Chief Minister should have done more extensive visits to the affected areas and made a proper assessment instead of doing a half day tour before rushing to Delhi.

The actor said a visit by the prime minister would infuse new hope in the affected people and galvanise the machinery into doing relief work efficiently.

“The cyclone has been a great leveller. It has affected the rich and the poor equally without caste and religious discrimination. They are looking for succour. And the help is slow in coming. Food is being given to the affected only once a day and that too the quality is poor,” he said.

The state government gives an appearance of doing some work but it is confined mainly to highways and main roads where accessibility is relatively easy. Power is being restored mainly on the arterial roads, he said.

Haasan said the two districts he visited were a scene of total disaster with cash crops like tamarind, mango, jackfruit, cashew and palm trees laid waste by the cyclone while the state government was talking of only damage to coconut trees. The farmers have to be supported in a big way by the governments to get them back on their feet after the great losses they have suffered, he said.

He said while the local officials claim that about 2,50,000 people have been affected by the cyclone, his own estimate from various sources put the figure of those displaced and homeless at around 4,00,000.

The sea has eroded into the towns in various places and at one place 400 fibre boats have been pushed far into the woods by the tidal waves.

The damage has been huge to the fishermen and they needed urgent help to restore their lives.

He said his concern was also about the fear of epidemics spreading in these places which the government should attend to.

Haasan also said there is some kind of healthy competition among political parties to reach aid to the people. He expressed confidence that they would cut across lines and help the people and government in a difficult time.

He said activists of his own outfit have rushed 60 truck loads of food and other materials worth over Rs.1.2 crore to the needy.

IANS

Kashmir gunfight was a surgical operation: Army

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The army said on Friday that the gunfight in which six militants were killed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district was a surgical operation.

Lt. Gen. A.K. Bhatt, the Commander of the 15th corps, termed the killing of six militants, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Azad Malik as a “surgical operation”.

Talking to the media in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town, Bhatt said the operation was very prompt and precise.

He said the operation was successful as the forces did not suffer any harm.

The corps commander said whoever will resort to the gun will be eliminated.

“There are more militants in south Kashmir than in north. The militants are terrorizing the people of Kashmir,” he said.

Kumarswamy inagurated Badavara Bandhu scheme

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Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday, November 22 inaugurated Badavara Bandhu scheme, a scheme aimed at lending financial aid to the street vendors who otherwise depend on money lenders for small finance to run their businesses.

Kumaraswamy had announced the scheme while presenting the state budget in order to  free them from clutches of money lenders charging high rates of interest to these small traders. As per the initiative the loan will be given to the small traders through a transportation vehicle, informed sources.

The traders can avail loans ranging from Rs 2000 to Rs 10,000 and repay the same within three months of time. Traders who are prompt in the repayments become eligible to get 10 per cent more loan next time.

There are about 4.50 lakh street vendors in the state, with over 80,000 in the BBMP limits. The local bodies are issuing identity cards to the roadside vendors in relation to this scheme. However, 1.80 lakh vendors in various local bodies and 24,650 vendors in the BBMP limits have received the cards. Apart from the identity card issued by local bodies, the street vendors should possess Aadhar cards, BPL ration cards, the photo of the place where they conduct business and zero balance saving bank account opened with banks.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, Co-operation Minister Bandeppa Keshempura, Mayor Gangambike and others were present.

 

HDK has claimed he will never speak to the media again

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On Thursday, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy vowed not to address the media anymore. The decision comes as no surprise to journalists, who have reported on the Chief Minister and his government for the last six months. In fact, it is the latest flashpoint in his tumultuous relationship with the members of the press.

Kumaraswamy announced his decision to stop addressing press conferences at the launch of ‘Badavara Bandhu’ (an interest-free loan scheme for street vendors) in the APMC yard of Yeshwanthpur in Bengaluru. “I am scared to talk about anything these days. We are in a situation in which perhaps, a committee should be constituted to form guidelines on how a Chief Minister speaks to the media. From now on, I will speak to the media from the stage; but I will limit the interactions to just that. I have come to a decision that I won’t address the press for any reason,” he said at the event.

In his first six months as the Chief Minister of the state, Kumaraswamy has repeatedly clashed with the media over a number of issues.

In July, Kumaraswamy blamed the media for trying to divide the state by holding discussions on the demand for a separate North Karnataka state. “My media friends, you are responsible for lighting the fire for protests in North Karnataka with all the discussions on channels. I am not against farmers; I am only quoting the farmers in Koppal, who were protesting for the full farmer loan waiver,” he had told reporters in Bengaluru.

The demand raised by activists in North Karnataka was the subject of numerous articles and television discussions after a bandh was called on August 2 in connection with the issue. This appeared to have irked Kumaraswamy, who claimed that the media intensified the demand for a separate state. Eventually, the bandh was called off a day before it was scheduled to happen.

But the first signs of Kumaraswamy’s indifference towards the media, especially the television channels, had appeared barely two months into his tenure as the Chief Minister.

Around the same time, Kumaraswamy suggested that a separate room would be allocated to journalists to interact with the ministers at Vidhana Soudha. This was interpreted by sections of the media as a gag order to safeguard his ministers from being asked uncomfortable questions.

Kumaraswamy has also repeatedly complained that his statements have been misquoted and misrepresented by the media. In press conferences, he has often blamed the media of conspiring against him and portraying him in a bad light.

Another flashpoint occurred on October 25 when Kumaraswamy, while addressing reporters at the Vidhana Soudha, vented his ire against the media for reporting that the Chief Minister has ordered load-shedding in Gulbarga. Pointing towards a band-aid applied on his right hand, he said, “Look at this (band-aid). This is because of the stress your news is causing me. Without verifying the order with the department, a Kannada news channel announced that I am pushing the state towards darkness,” he said pointing his finger at a Kannada journalist, who raised a query.

He further probed the journalist to produce a government document proving that the state government had ordered load shedding and also asked media personnel to learn Kannada before trying to interpret government orders. “Instead of trying to damage my government’s work, you should learn Kannada and not publish anything that pleases you,” he added.

A week ago, Kumaraswamy’s disagreements with the media came to the fore once again, this time when he appeared to dismiss Jayashree Gurannavar, a woman farmer leader who questioned him about the protests raised by sugarcane farmers in the state earlier this week. The media highlighted Kumaraswamy’s indifference to the plight of farmers and accused him of disrespecting the woman who asked the question.

On Sunday, speaking on the issue at the University of Agriculture Sciences in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy said, “What I meant was why have you woken up to the situation now? Were you sleeping? I would never disrespect women. These are not farmers who are protesting but these are sponsored protests.” He further raised question marks over the protesting farmers and described them as ‘goondas’.

Kumaraswamy’s comment was criticised by farmer leaders and the opposition BJP. This led to Kumaraswamy softening his stance on Monday. “I was hurt when some comments were made about me during the Belagavi protest. But my reaction did not have any mala fide intention. It’s unfortunate that my words were not understood in the way I meant it,” Kumaraswamy told reporters.

Later in the week, Kumaraswamy once again expressed his disdain for the media’s coverage of the issue by claiming that he was being singled out. He also reprimanded the television media for showing visuals of a group of farmers beating an effigy of him with an axe. “I want to ask the TV media what was the meaning of repeatedly showing an effigy of mine being beaten by farmers using an axe in Mudhol? What impact did you think this would have on the people?” he asked in a tone familiar to most journalists reporting from Bengaluru over the last few months.

Kumaraswamy has made no attempts to hide his displeasure with the media, particularly television channels, in his first six months as Chief Minister. He believes that the media has been unfair to him and has distanced himself from the press on a number of occasions.

TNM

‘Special voter register campaign’ in Bengaluru

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If you just turned 18, its time to get your voter ID card from the nearest polling station in Bengaluru as part of the three-day ‘Special Voter Register campaign’ organised by the Election Commission, along with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike

Beginning today, the special campaign is aimed at increasing voter enrollment and will be held until November 25 across all polling stations in the city.

Citizens can obtain their voter ID cards through this campaign by submitting photocopies of proof of residence, age proof and also a passport size photograph. In order to get a new voter ID, the citizens have to fill up Form 6, which has to be submitted along with documentary proof.

The existing voters who want to change their address can also complete the process through this special campaign.

Young or first-time voters who are in the age group of 18 to 20 years, especially those who will be completing 18 years on January 1, 2019, can enrol themselves to avail voter ID cards through this campaign

Booth level officers at the polling station will help citizens to enrol themselves as voters. The citizens can also apply for voter ID cards through

2 killed in accident on Delhi’s Signature Bridge

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 Two medical students on a motorcycle were killed on Friday after ramming into a divider on the new Signature Bridge here and falling into the Yamuna river, police said.

The incident occurred at 8.40 a.m. on the bridge’s left turn loop.

“The deceased have been identified as Satya Vijay Shankaran, 23, and Chandershekhar,26,” Deputy Commissioner of Police A.K. Thakur said.

“They were riding a KTM duke bike at a very high speed. When they took the left turn, the bike lost its balance and hit the divider. With the impact of collision, the two fell off from the bridge. They were rushed to a nearby hospital where they were declared dead,” the DCP said.

“Being a left turn, the possibility of the victims performing stunts has been ruled out.”

Shankaran, a native of Ranchi, was interning in Hindu Rao Hospital, while Chandershekhar, from south Delhi’s Khanpur, was a second year MBBS student at the Hindu Rao Medical College.

The police found the bike on the bridge.

The bridge across the Yamuna river was opened to public on November 4.

India condemns terror attack on Chinese Consulate in Karachi

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 India on Friday strongly condemned the terror attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi that claimed the lives of at least six people.

“India strongly condemns the terrorist attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi this morning,” the External Affairs Ministry said in statement.

“We condole the loss of lives in this dastardly attack,” it said.

Stating that there can be no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism, it said: “The perpetrators of this heinous attack should be brought to justice expeditiously. Such terrorist attacks only strengthens the resolve of the international community to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”

Two policemen and three suspected militants were killed on Friday in an exchange of fire between a security guard and unidentified assailants near the Chinese Consulate in Karachi, police said.

IANS

India protests Pakistan’s denial of consular access to Sikh pilgrims  

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 India on Friday strongly protested Pakistan’s denial of consular access to Sikh pilgrims visiting two gurdwaras there on the occasion of Gurpurab – the 549th birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev.

“India has today lodged a strong protest with the government of Pakistan that despite having been granted prior travel permission by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, the consular officials of the High Commission of India in Islamabad were harassed and denied access on Thursday and Friday at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and Gurudwara Sacha Sauda to the Indian pilgrims visiting Pakistan under the Bilateral Protocol,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

“As a result of such harassment they were compelled to return to Islamabad without performing their diplomatic and consular duties vis-a-vis Indian pilgrims.

“We have shared our grave concern that this is the third consecutive visit of the Indian Sikh pilgrims when Pakistan has prevented the Indian High Commission officials from meeting the visiting Indian nationals on the pretext of security in order to deflect attention from Pakistan’s violation of the international legal instruments and conventions like the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963”.

The statement said that this breached the letter and spirit of the 1974 Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines signed by the two countries and the 1992 Code of Conduct for the treatment of diplomatic and consular personnel in India and Pakistan.

It said that Pakistan’s action was in contrast to India’s treatment to their High Commissioner and the consular officials in New Delhi who have been provided full access to meet Pakistani pilgrims who are currently in India on a pilgrimage to Kalyar Sharif.

Friday’s development comes after India on Thursday decided to build a corridor from Gurdaspur district in Punjab to Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan ahead of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

Kartarpur Sahib is where Guru Nanak died in 1539.

New Delhi urged Islamabad to build the corridor on their side of the International Border and demanded that Sikh pilgrims should be allowed access throughout the year.

According to Friday’s Ministry statement, India also “expressed grave concern at the reports of attempts being made during the ongoing visit of the Indian pilgrims to Pakistan, to incite communal disharmony and intolerance and promote secessionist tendencies with the objective of undermining India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

“Pakistan has been called upon to take all measures to not allow its territory to be used for any hostile propaganda and support for secessionist tendencies against India in keeping with the commitments made under the Simla Agreement, 1972 and endorsed in the Lahore Declaration, 1999.

“Pakistan has been reminded that such actions are not in consonance with the stated intentions of Pakistan to facilitate the visits of Indian Sikh pilgrims, especially as we commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji.”

IANS

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