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Gajendra Chauhan takes charge as FTII chairman; 40 protesters held

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FTII

Pune: Amid dramatic scenes and vociferous demonstrations by the FTII students, TV actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan today took charge as Chairman of the premiere institute here, even as police detained nearly 40 protesters who were calling him a “political appointee”.

The FTII administration said Chauhan had officially taken over as chairman of the institute.

Earlier, police rounded up about 40 student protesters using force as they staged a demonstration, beating drums and displaying placards with slogans of “Gajendra Chauhan go back”. The controversial appointee at that point was confined to his hotel room in the vicinity of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).

When asked about the continuing students’ protest to his appointment, Chauhan, before reaching the campus, said, “We have come to do a job. We have an agenda and we will do our job.”

The FTII Students Association (FSA) members, who had earlier called-off their 139-day strike last year opposing Chauhan’s appointment alleging that he lacked stature to head the institute, gathered early in the morning at the main gate of the FTII, ignoring a warning issued yesterday by police to maintain peace at the time of Chauhan’s entry on the campus.

A scuffle ensued between police and the protesters as police used force to put them in vans and detain them to clear the gate before Chauhan left for FTII to take charge.

A woman student of the FTII, Shimi told PTI, “We were protesting peacefully to register our dissent because political appointees are taking charge as members of the FTII Society. We got beaten up without provocation and taken to police station. Our protest and resistance will continue.”

However, Pune’s Deputy Commissioner of Police Tushar Joshi, who was on the spot, said, “We had asked the students to demonstrate peacefully, but we had to use force because they wanted to block the way to the institute and therefore we had to detain them. We used minimum force.”

The students continued to raise anti-Chauhan slogans even as his car entered the FTII premises.

Other controversial members of the FTII society with alleged BJP affiliation — Rahul Solapurkar, Angha Ghaisas, Shailesh Gupta and Narendra Pathak — also attended the first meeting convened by Chauhan as the chairman.

Meanwhile, the FSA said that though they had withdrawn their prolonged strike on October 28 despite lack of response from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to their demand for removal of Chauhan, the students were determined to carry on their resistance to his political appointment in a peaceful manner.

(PTI)

After Delhi, Maha govt may adopt odd-even car plan

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delhi-traffic-pollution-cars

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government is examining the odd-even car plan presently underway in Delhi and may emulate the formula in Mumbai if it proves to be a success.

Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar was responding to NCP’s demand for a similar formula in Mumbai.

“We need to implement the even-odd car number formula on roads of Mumbai as is being done in Delhi to make Mumbai pollution free. If this plan is successfully implemented, plying of as many as 50 per cent vehicles per day on the roads will be reduced.

This will also help in reducing the city’s carbon footprint as 26 per cent of green house gas emissions are caused by using petroleum products. In addition to that the city is also seeing an increase in number of tankers, trucks, buses each day,” NCP Mumbai Unit President Sachin Ahir said.

In response, Mungantiwar said the results of Delhi’s experiment will take time to show and if successful, the state government will consider implementing it in Mumbai as well.

“We will do whatever it can and take in all ideas to reduce traffic and pollution levels in Mumbai. Delhi has started with this experiment. The results will take time to show. It has just been 4 days now and we can’t judge the effects in four days.

We will later know how beneficial the scheme was for Delhi,” Mungantiwar said.
“If we feel the experiment is successful, it can be applied anywhere in the country.

Accepting good things is the specialty of 21st century. We should be open to new ideas while remembering that we do not get overboard before knowing the results of new ideas,” he added.

He further said that the government is open to accepting new ideas from other state governments if it can prove beneficial for Maharashtra.

“We are examining the scheme, if it is successful, it can be applied to Mumbai as well so that traffic congestion and pollution reduces in the city. We will accept all that is necessary. We do not have to pay a royalty to Delhi government if we borrow their scheme. We can apply it whenever we want to,” Mungantiwar said.

(PTI)

‘Make in India’ happening in Karnataka, says Siddaramaiah

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siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that Make in India is happening in Karnataka, citing the investments the state has attracted.

Speaking at an event here, the chief minister said: “During the last two years, we have approved more than 450 projects bringing in investments of around Rs.1.21 lakh crore and generating 2.44 lakh employment opportunities, but much more needs to be done.”

“Shell, Tata Power SED, Bosch, Scania many others have made investments and capacity expansions. All of them will Make in Karnataka – for India and the world,” he said.

Other investments cited by the chief minister include Honda’ two wheeler manufacturing plant in Narasapura, Asian Paints paint manufacturing plant in Mysuru, GlaxoSmithKline manufacturing unit, HAL copter unit in Tumkur and Toyota’s expanding operations in Hassan.

He said 90 percent of the $500 million worth of components sourced by Air Bus for its aircraft A 330, A 350 and A 380 are supplied by Karnataka based companies.

Siddaramaiah said he entrusted Industries Minister R.V. Deshpande to personally look into the ‘ease of doing business’ initiative.

“Our focus at all times is to ensure economic growth so as to improve the lives of each and every person in the State. Through Invest Karnataka-2016, we want to convey and reiterate the same message,” he added.

(Agencies)

J&K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed dies aged 79

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mufti-sayeed1

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, a crafty politician who took on the powerful Abdullah family and rose to become the country’s first Muslim Home Minister, died today at AIIMS here after his platelets dropped dangerously.

Sayeed, 79, who took charge of the state on March 1 last year heading a PDP-BJP alliance, breathed his last this morning after remaining on ventilator for the past few days.

He was flown from Srinagar in a special plane on December 24 and admitted to the AIIMS where he was diagnosed with sepsis (life threatening complication of an infection) and pneumonia. During hospitalisation his platelets had dropped dangerously, doctors said.

He is the second J and K Chief Minister to die in office, the first one being Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah who died on September 8, 1982.

Sayeed’s daughter 56-year-old Mehbooba is expected to take over as the first woman Chief Minister of the state with PDP leaders throwing their weight behind her. But this will require the approval of BJP.

Sayeed is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son.

Jammu and Kashmir government has declared a seven-day mourning and holiday today. Flags will be flown at half mast.

The mortal remains of the Chief Minister would be flown to Srinagar where the body will be kept for people to pay homage. He is likely be buried in his ancestral village Bijbehera in South Kashmir, about 48 kms from Srinagar.

Sayeed took over as chief minister of PDP-BJP coalition on March 1 last year. In the 87-member J and K Assembly PDP won 28 seats and BJP 25 while opposition National Conference got 15 and Congress 12.

Condoling the death of Sayeed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it left a huge void in the nation and that the leader who provided a healing touch would be missed.

“What stood out about Mufti Sahab was his statesmanship. In his long political journey he won many admirers across the political spectrum,” Modi said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be flying to Srinagar to attend Sayeed’s funeral.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi also expressed grief over the demise of Mufti as she communicated her condolences to his wife and Mehbooba.

“In his death, the state of Jammu and Kashmir as indeed the entire nation has lost a great leader,” she said.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who expressed his condolences to Sayeed’s family at AIIMS, tweeted, “Just heard the terrible news of Mufti Sahib’s passing away. I’m shocked and deeply saddened. May he rest in peace”.

Former Union Minister Farooq Abdullah also condoled the death of Sayeed.

In a political career spanning nearly six decades, Sayeed carved a niche for himself in national and Jammu and Kashmir politics with the craftiness and unwavering focus of an avid bridge player he was.

He emerged as a rival power centre to the mighty Abdullahs, always playing his cards close to the chest, while making friends with parties following conflicting ideologies to suit his political agenda.

The high-points in the political journey of Sayeed, who would have turned 80 on January 12, was his being catapulted to the chair of free India’s first Muslim Home Minister in 1989 in the V P Singh government and, years later, becoming the Chief Minister of the restive state for a second time in 2015, heading a coalition with BJP, which had its first brush with power in the only Muslim-majority state.

Sayeed’s stint in the Home Ministry, at a time when militancy had begun to rear its ugly head in his home state, would, however, be most remembered for the kidnapping of his third daughter Rubaiya by JKLF. The militants demanded freeing five of their comrades in exchange for Rubaiya’s freedom and let her off only after their demand had been met.

The kidnapping and subsequent release of the militants, according to Sayeed’s rivals, projected India as a “soft state” for the first time.

Born in Baba Mohalla of Bijbehara in Anantnag district on January 12, 1936, Sayeed had his early education at a local school and graduated from S P College, Srinagar. He went on to obtain a law degree and Master’s degree in Arab History from Aligarh Muslim University.

(Agencies)

Consider limiting odd-even formula for a week: HC tells Delhi government

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New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Aam Aadmi Party government whether it can limit the restriction on the plying of even- and odd-numbered vehicles in the national capital on alternate days to “a week” instead of the planned 15 days.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath asked the government to submit the data on air pollution it has collected in a week during implementation of the odd-even scheme in the national capital.

“Is it really necessary to have it for two weeks (15 days)? Can’t it be confined to eight days? Can you end it on Friday? People are facing inconvenience. Take instructions,” the bench asked the government posting the matter for Friday.

“It was a pilot project. You must have data (air pollution) with you now. Show us how much the pollution has reduced. The people of Delhi supported you despite inconvenience. There is no adequate public transport,” the bench said.

The court also asked why diesel cabs were still plying on roads despite a ban.

The court was hearing 12 PILs challenging the Delhi government’s decision to only allow even- and odd-numbered vehicles to ply in Delhi on alternate dates from January 1 to 15.

Advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for Delhi government, defended the decision of continuing the odd-even scheme for 15 days and said the data collected till now shows decrease in the level of air pollution.

In a status report submitted to the court, the AAP government defended its decision to exempt two-wheelers from the scheme. “In case of two-wheelers, pooling would have been a limited option and it was expected that around 60-70 percent of population would have to resort to public transport. The present available public transport infrastructure is not sufficient to cater to such a huge demand,” the report said.

The status report said the reduction in number of four-wheelers helps decrease the congestion on roads “which has a positive effect on vehicular pollution control”.

(IANS)

Pathankot attack: PM Modi has links with terrorists, says TMC leader

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Idris Ali

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MP Idris Ali on Wednesday slammed Narendra Modi over the Pathankot attack by accusing the Prime Minister of having links with the terrorists.

“I feel that PM Modi has links with terrorists which is why Pathankot attack took place. Why did the Pathankot attack happen right after PM’s visit to Pakistan? This is my personal opinion,” Idris Ali told media persons.

Idris Ali is a TMC MP from Basirhat, West Bengal. Ali in the video is also seen threatening a Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPIM) leader if he dared to act against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the Saradha scam. Idris warned CPIM leader Gautam Deb that he will cut-off his limbs if he tried to touch Mamata Banerjee in the Saradha scam.

“He’ll send her to jail? Who in the world is Gautam Deb to send her to jail? I am warning him, if he tries anything again, I, Idris Ali, will break his limbs and then he will go to jail. That’s where he belongs,” Idris said.

Pulling up the Idris Ali, the TMC condemned the party leader for his controversial comments. “Seen the footage of Idris Ali’s comments. They are crass and unhealthy. The party doesn’t endorse such views. He has been asked to explain in writing,” the TMC said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called up PM Modi on Tuesday to promise a probe into the “specific and actionable” information provided and a “prompt and decisive action” against the terrorists behind it.

Sharif conveyed his “heartfelt sadness and grief” on the loss of lives in the attack and “pointed out to PM Modi that whenever a serious effort for bringing peace between the two countries was underway, terrorists try to derail the process”, said a statement issued by his office.

The telephonic conversation takes place at a time when the Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan scheduled for this month looks in serious jeopardy with strong indications that the Modi Government may call off the engagement if evidence emerges that Pakistan’s state actors were complicit in the fidayeen raid on the air base.

(Agencies)

Relief for Yeddyurappa as HC quashes 15 land cases against him

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Yeddyurappa

Bengaluru: The High Court on Tuesday quashed all the 15 FIRs filed against former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa with the Lokayukta police in connection with denotification of land in and around Bengaluru city.

Allowing the petition filed by Yeddyurappa, Justice Rathnakala in the order stated that FIRs cannot be filed based on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). However, the bench said that the other contentions of the petitioner are kept open.

A private complaint was registered with the Lokayukta police by Jayakumar Hiremath, based on which 15 FIRs were filed against Yeddyurappa. First, three FIRs were filed, saying that land was denotified at survey number 251 in Halagevaderanahalli in Bengaluru South, survey numbers 5/1 and 6/3 in Bilekahalli and survey number 117 in JB Kaval.

The same bench had granted stay on proceedings based on the FIRs. Subsequently, 12 FIRs were filed, saying land was denotified at JP Nagar, HRBR Layout, Jayanagar 8th block, Rachenahalli and surrounding areas.

The CAG report said that denotifying land had caused loss to the State’s exchequer. Questioning the basis and seeking quashing of the FIRs, Yeddyurappa had approached the High Court. Senior counsel C V Nagesh, appearing for Yeddyurappa, had contended that FIRs filed by Lokayukta were based on the CAG report and not on the PAC (Public Accounts Committee) report, which is normally placed before the House to decide on the matter.

In the CAG report, it is said that the land has been denotified, but it is not said that it is illegal. He has contended that the FIR has not been filed as per Section 12 of the Lokayukta Act, which calls for a compliance report to be placed before the competent authority, who is the governor in this case.

Additional Solicitor General Krishna S Dixit, representing CAG, contended that its report was the sole property of parliament and that the sanctity of the report must be maintained and not misused by other organs of the State. The question whether the CAG report must be allowed for publication or not has to be decided in the House.

This report cannot be used as evidence to file criminal complaints as it is used for making public policies.

(Agencies)

Pathankot attack: Sharif calls Modi, assures prompt action

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Modi-Sharif

New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday promised his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi that Islamabad will take “prompt and decisive action” against terrorists linked to the attack on the IAF base in Pathankot.

Sharif gave the assurance after New Delhi provided “specific and actionable information” to Islamabad regarding the terrorists, and Modi underlined the need for Pakistan to take “firm and immediate action” against organisations and individuals responsible for the attack.

The Sharif-Modi telephonic conversation followed the killing of all six terrorists believed to be from Pakistan after they attacked the Indian Air Force base early on Saturday, leaving seven security personnel dead.

An official statement said Modi received a call on Tuesday afternoon from Sharif “regarding the terrorist attack on the Pathankot air base”.

“Modi strongly emphasised the need for Pakistan to take firm and immediate action against the organisations and individuals responsible for and linked to the Pathankot terrorist attack,” the statement said.

It said specific and actionable information in this regard has been provided to Pakistan.

“Sharif assured Modi that his government would take prompt and decisive action against the terrorists,” it added.

Modi and Sharif met on Christmas Day when the Indian leader, while flying home from Kabul, dramatically made a two-hour halt in Lahore.

The Lahore visit came after a series of diplomatic engagements between New Delhi and Islamabad after the two leaders had a seemingly impromptu meeting on November 30 at the Paris climate summit.

Following this, on December 6, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart Naseer Khan Janjua met in Bangkok which was also attended by Foreign Secretaries S. Jaishankar and Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry.

Two days later, Sushma Swaraj landed in Islamabad to attend the Heart of Asia conference which engages “heart of Asia” countries for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

On December 9, Sushma Swaraj told the media there that Modi would visit Islamabad in 2016 to attend the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit.

Then, after a courtesy call on Sharif, she held a bilateral with his Advisor on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz.

The two then came out with a joint statement in which Pakistan assured India that all steps were being taken to expedite the early conclusion of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack trial.

“Both sides, accordingly, agreed to a comprehensive bilateral dialogue and directed the the foreign secretaries to work out the modalities and schedule of the meetings under the dialogue, including peace and security, CBMs (confidence buildins measures), Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project, economic and commercial cooperation, counter-terrorism, narcotics control, humanitarian issues, people-to-people exchanges and religious tourism,” the statement said.

Even as the stage was being set for the foreign secretary-level meeting in the middle of this month between the two sides came the Pathankot attack that is being deemed as an attack on the softening of ties between New Delhi and Islamabad.

(Agencies)

Parrikar admits ‘security lapses’ lead to terror attack

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manohar parrikar

Pathankot: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar admitted on Tuesday that “security lapses” led to the terrorist attack on the IAF base here that left seven security personnel and six terrorists dead.

Parrikar also told the media after visiting the base that combing operations were still going on but “this is only for safety purposes” and that no more terrorists were believed hidden in the huge complex.

Some gaps led to security lapses, leading to the pre-dawn terror attack on Saturday, the minister said. He did not elaborate.

“What is worrying is how they (terrorists) entered the base,” he added.

Parrikar visited the Pathankot Indian Air Force base in Punjab on Tuesday along with the chiefs of the army and air force.

The head of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the audacious terrorist strike, also visited the base separately.

“Combing operations are (still) going on,” Parrikar said. “This is only for safety purposes.”

He said the body of one of the terrorists still had a suicide vest, with a grenade sticking out.

“I am very, very clear that they (our officers) should not take any risk,” he said, recalling how a National Security Guard (NSG) officer lost his life earlier while trying to reportedly shift a similar body.

Parrikar admitted that the entire operation “is a very difficult” one.

“It is tedious. This has been done without compromising any assets… Not just the strategic assets but even a building.”

He said barring one building where the terrorists took shelter, no other building was even damaged because the security personnel managed to corner the raiders in a corner of the sprawling base.

He said the terrorists had AK-47 rifles, pistols, Swiss knives, commando knives besides 40-50 kg of bullets. They also had improvised mortars. “They had high quality explosives.”

The minister said the NIA had started investigation into the attack. He said it would find out “who sent them”.

“They have got initial leads, where they have come from, how they have come.”

(Agencies)

59 sixes, 129 fours: Mumbai teenager scores 1009 in 323 balls!

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Pranav Dhanawade

Mumbai: Mumbai teenager Pranav Dhanawade today scripted history by becoming the first batsman ever to notch up a four-figure score by smashing an unbeaten knock of 1009 in an inter-school tournament here.

The 15-year-old, playing for KC Gandhi Higher Secondary School, reached the gigantic score in just 323 deliveries with a jaw-dropping strike rate of 312.38 in the game against Arya Gurukul in the Bhandari Cup inter-school tournament organised by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).

In the course of his awe-inspiring innings, which lasted 395 minutes, Dhanawade smashed a whopping 129 fours and 59 sixes.

The epic knock ended when his school declared at 1465, which is also a world record. His school went past Victoria’s 1107 against New South Wales made way back in 1926.

Pranav now holds the record for the highest individual score in any form of cricket, bettering AEJ Collins’ 628 not out for Clark’s House against North Town in 1899 in the UK. Dhanawade was unbeaten at 652 at stumps yesterday.

(PTI)

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