Mehsana: Amid speculations of AAP planning to make a determined bid in poll-bound Gujarat, party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today sought the support of the agitating Patel community to “clean” the politics of Gujarat.

Addressing a public gathering at Patel-dominated Piludra village here, the AAP chief said the village holds special significance as the quota agitation by the community started here a year ago, even as a little known outfit staged a protest over his remarks on cross-LoC surgical strikes.

Recalling that AAP could make a clean sweep in Delhi in 2015 Assembly polls with the support of the common man, Kejriwal sought to draw a parallel with Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption campaign and the Patidar agitation.

“I salute your courage, as I came to know that Patidar agitation originated from this village. Few years back, we did Anna Andolan against rampant corruption in the country. We asked the government to enact a strict law to curb corruption, as we did not have such powers,” said Kejriwal.

“Instead of fulfilling our demand, we were asked to form a government to bring such law. We were not taken seriously. As we did not have any other option, we formed a party and acquired 67 out of 70 seats in Delhi. This is the power of the common man,” said Kejriwal to a cheering crowd, mostly from the Patel community.

“Patel agitation started from this village. Now, I request you to start another movement to clean the politics of Gujarat from this village. We all have to come together to fight against corruption and clean Gujarat’s politics,” said Kejriwal.

He also raised the slogan of “Jay Sardar – Jay Patidar” several times. Kejriwal also paid floral tributes to Sardar Patel’s statue in Mehasna.

He visited Kaamli village of Unjha taluka of this district, where he met the kin of Nagjibhai, a constable who committed suicide allegedly due to harassment from bootleggers and politicians last month.

At the village, he also met parents of Kanubhai Patel, a Patidar youth died during quota violence last year.

He then visited Unjha-based Umiya Mata temple, revered by the Patel community.
Outside the temple, members of a little-known outfit Rashtriya Patidar Sansthan, staged protests against Kejriwal over his remarks on the surgical strikes.

Patel quota stir leader Hardik Patel had yesterday issued a statement in support of Kejriwal.

“We should not oppose Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal when he is coming to meet the family members of those who died during Patidar community’s reservation agitation. He will tell the rest of the country about our plight,” Patel said in a message from Udaipur.

Later, Hardik through his organisation in Mehasna gave a memorandum to Kejriwal seeking his support to the stir.

(PTI)

New Delhi: A Delhi court would decide next week on whether to summon Union Minister Smriti Irani on a complaint filed against her for allegedly giving false information regarding her academic qualifications in affidavits to the Election Commission.

Metropolitan Magistrate Harvinder Singh today reserved its order for October 18 after the Delhi State Election Commission, in pursuance to court’s earlier direction, filed before it certain records in a sealed cover relating to Irani’s educational qualification submitted by her for contesting the 2004 general elections.

The court had on October 6 directed Election Commission officials to file the documents after noting that certian clarifications were required in the matter.

During earlier hearings of the complaint filed by freelance writer Ahmer Khan, the court was told by a poll panel official that the documents filed by Irani regarding her educational qualification while filing nominations, were not traceable. However, the information on this was available on its website, he had said.

In pursuance to the court’s direction, Delhi University had also submitted that the documents pertaining to Irani’s BA course in 1996, as purportedly mentioned by her in an affidavit filed during 2004 Lok Sabha elections, were yet to be found.

The court had on November 20 last year allowed the complainant’s plea seeking direction to the officials of EC and DU to bring the records of Irani’s qualifications after he said he was unable to place them before the court.

The complainant had alleged that Irani had deliberately given discrepant information about her educational qualifications in affidavits filed before the poll panel in 2004, 2011 and 2014 and not given any clarification despite concerns being raised on the issue.

Khan had alleged that Irani had knowingly furnished misleading information about her qualifications and that a candidate, deliberately giving incorrect details, could be punished under provisions of the IPC and under section 125A of the Representation of the People Act (RPA).

Section 125A of RPA deals with penalty for filing false affidavit and entails a jail term of up to six months or fine or both.

(PTI)

New Delhi: Ruling NDA constituent Shiv Sena today pitched for a second term for President Pranab Mukherjee even as the Congress said the party high command will take a call on it.

Sena leader Sanjay Raut said he will meet Mukherjee next week, insisting he has proved to be “best President” and that nobody can doubt his capabilities.

“In the last five years, he has shown that he is a capable and a non-controversial President, who is well-versed in national and international affairs,” Raut, Shiv Sena’s leader in the Rajya sabha, said.

“We will let you know. We don’t know what Shiv Sena has said. The party high command has to take a call on this,” Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza said when asked whether her party will back Mukherjee, a former Congressman, for a second term.

Asked whether the Shiv Sena, which is a key constituent of the BJP-led NDA and the oldest ideological ally of the saffron party, would appeal to other parties for backing Mukherjee for a second term, Raut said, it is a decision which only party chief Uddhav Thackeray can take.

“Uddhav Thackeray too has a lot of respect and affection for Pranab Mukherjee,” he said.
Raut, who is the executive editor of Shiv Sena’s mouthpeice Saamna, said, “Just like his party appreciated the surgical strikes by the armed forces and congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, similarly, we are appreciating the good work of the President.”

The comments from Raut, Shiv Sena’s most visible public face, come at a time when the party’s ties with BJP, with which it shares power both in Maharashtra and at the Centre, are under strain.

During run-up to the Presidential polls, Mukherjee had visited Matoshree, the residence of the Thackerays, to garner support for his candidature. The Sena, under Bal Thackeray’s leadership, had broken ranks with BJP to support Mukherjee’s presidential candidature in 2012.

Mukherjee’s current term ends on July 25 next year and, according to reports, the Rashtrapati Bhawan has approached the government to find a suitable accomodation for him in Lutyen’s bungalow zone.

Barring the first President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad, none of his successors has had a second term in Rashtrapati Bhawan.

(Agencies)

Mumbai: Amid growing demand for a ban on Pakistani artistes, Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India (COEAI) today decided not to release movies starring actors from Pakistan in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa.

This announcement puts an uncertainty on the release of Karan Johar’s “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil”, which sees Pakistani actor Fawad Khan in a supporting role and is slated to arrive in theatres this Diwali.

Addressing the media, COEAI’s president Nitin Datar said that the decision was not taken under any political pressure, but rather, keeping public sentiment in mind.

“Today, the meeting of Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India took place and it was decided that keeping in mind the patriotic feelings and the national interest of our country, we request all our members and exhibitors to refrain from screening movies which have involvement of any Pakistani artist, technicians, directors, music directors etc,” Datar said.

“We are also in the process of requesting other associations connected with the film industry to support the sentiments in the best interest of our nation.”

He said that while the decision to not screen certain films would cause monetary losses for the theatre owners, there might have been greater damage if their screens were vandalised.

“The association is not going to screen any movie and the decision implies from today until things don’t get normal. States included under the association are Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa,” Datar added.

In the wake of Uri attack last month, Fawad, Mahira Khan and other Pakistani actors were targeted by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which had issued an ultimatum to them to leave India within 48 hours or be forced out.

The party has also threatened to stall the releases of “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” and “Raees”, starring Mahira in the lead role.

Subsequently, the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) passed a motion to ban artistes from across the border from working in the industry till Indo-Pak relations are normalised.

It, however, had said that “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil”, “Raees” and other films starring Pakistani actors, which have completed production, would not be affected.

(Agencies)

Colombo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comment that Ravana was the new form of terrorism has drawn fire from Ravana followers in Sri Lanka.

In his Vijayadashmi address in Lucknow on October 11, Modi had linked Ravana with terrorism and said that “the first person to fight terror was neither a soldier nor a politician, but the mythological bird Jatayu who fought against Ravana to protect a helpless Sita, whom he was trying to kidnap”.

“We condemn the statement made by the Indian Prime Minister equalling King Ravana to a terrorist,” Ittapane Saddhatissa, a Buddhist monk who leads the Ravana Force, said.

He said the Ravana Force would soon hand over a petition to the Indian High Commission here, protesting against this remark.

Saddhatissa said Modi’s comment hampers the ongoing reconciliation process in Sri Lanka.

Another organisation Ravana Shakthi said Ravana had not been dubbed a terrorist in even in Ramayanaya.

(Agencies)

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam has taken charge of the portfolios earlier handled by Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, officials said on Thursday.

This was also reflected on the state government’s official website which listed the portfolio’s handled by Jayalalithaa but now put under Panneerselvam’s name. Jayalalithaa held the portfolios of Public, Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, Indian Forest Service, General Administration, District Revenue Officers, Police and Home.

Panneerselvam, who visited the state secretariat on Wednesday and Thursday, is stepping into Jayalalithaa’s shoes for the third time, but this time with a difference. In the first two instances, Jayalalithaa had stepped down as the Chief Minister due to legal troubles and Panneerselvam replaced her.

The officials said that it is just reallocation of portfolios, that is, files that were sent to Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for approval earlier will now be sent to Panneerselvam. On October 11, a Raj Bhavan statement said Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao had, under Clause (3) of the Constitution’s Article 166, allocated the subjects hitherto dealt with by Jayalalithaa to Panneerselvam on her advice. “This arrangement has been made as per the advice of Chief Minister and will continue until Jayalalithaa resumes her duties. She will continue to be the Chief Minister,” the statement said.

Jayalalithaa, 68, was admitted to a hospital here on September 22 for treatment of fever and dehydration. Doctors said she needed a longer stay at the hospital as she was suffering from infection and put her on respiratory support.

(IANS)