Archives for January 2019

Nasheman News : Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday took a dig at Congress President Rahul Gandhi for visiting his parliamentary constituency Amethi more often and said this was because she had done a lot of work there and in the process rattled Gandhi.

On a brief halt outside the Lucknow airport on way to Amethi, from where she unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Irani said the BJP government had fulfilled all the promises made to the people of Amethi.

After seeing so much work being done in the past five years in his pocket borough, Gandhi was forced to step up his visits to Amethi.

“Earlier these visits by the Congress President were seasonal… One or two in five years but now they are many a times,” she said.

She added that while she was in Amethi to work, Gandhi would camp there for two days.

Irani is scheduled to flag off some developmental projects in Amethi, the constituency she has been nurturing since 2014, despite her defeat to Gandhi in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Nasheman News : About 30 teams of the Income Tax department conducted simultaneous searches in the premises of four Kannada film actors and three producers across the city for alleged tax evasion, said an official on Thursday.

“The searches are being conducted by our teams at 27 locations across the city in the official and residential premises of actors Shivaraj Kumar, his brother Puneeth Kumar, Sudeep and Yash and three producers Rockline Venkatesh, C.R. Manohar and B. Vijaykumar,” the official told IANS.

The searches, which began at 8 a.m., were conducted under Section 132 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, after warrants were issued to the actors and producers.

“The actors and producers are aware of the impending search on their premises as search warrants were issued to them in advance for verifying documents and papers pertaining to their income, assets and properties,” said the spokesperson on the condition of anonymity.

Super stars Shivaraj and Puneeth are the sons of Kannada matinee idol and thespian Rajkumar.

“As the exercise is on, it is premature to say what has been searched, assessed or seized. We may issue a statement later depending on the material searched and seized,” the official added.

According to sources in the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), the searches were in connection with a few recent films in which the actors and producers concerned were associated with them.

“The films were produced with mega budgets running into crores of rupees. They were sold to distributors and exhibitors at a premium. As they were a superhit at the box office, the collections were also huge. The tax sleuths are verifying accounts and transactions incurred in the films,” a KFCC source told IANS.

Some of the blockbusters are Manohar’s “Villain”, starring Shivaraj and Sudeep, and Vijaykumar’s “KGF” by Yash. Venkatesh’s “Nata Parahuman” with Puneeth as its hero is yet to hit the screens.

“I believe the searches are related to investments in the films, including their production cost, fee paid to the actors and amounts collected for selling their rights to distributors and exhibitors,” Sudeep told reporters at his house.

As Shivaraj, Puneet and Sudeep also run production houses to make movies for theatres and television channels, tax sleuths quizzed them about their operations.

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Nasheman News : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday said it has arrested an arms supplier in connection with its ongoing probe into the new Islamic State (IS) module ‘Harkat-ul-Harb-e-Islam’.

A senior NIA official in New Delhi said the agency has arrested 21-year-old Naeem in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut on Thursday night.

The official said that Naeem has been involved in the supply of weapons to the accused persons in the case, who were allegedly planning to attack some political personalities and security establishments as well as crowded places in Delhi and the National Capital Region.

On December 26, the NIA arrested 10 persons, including group leader Mufti Mohammad Suhail, after the counter-terror probe agency carried out searches at 17 places — six in east Delhi’s Jafarabad area, six in Amroha, two each in Lucknow and Hapur and one in Meerut.

The agency also seized a country-made rocket launcher, 12 pistols, 112 alarm clocks, 100 mobile phones, 135 SIM cards, several laptops and various electronic gadgets, besides 150 rounds of ammunition.

After the arrest of the 10 persons, the NIA also carried out follow-up searches in several cities of Uttar Pradesh to identify more suspects of the new IS module.

It also rounded up many people for questioning.

The NIA also seized 25 kg of explosive material, such as potassium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, sulphur, sugar material paste, mobile phone circuits, batteries, 51 pipes, remote control car triggering switch, wireless digital doorbell for remote switch, steel containers, electric wires, knife, sword, IS-related literature and Rs 7.5 lakh in cash.

All the arrested members of ‘Harkat-ul-Harb-e-Islam’ are in NIA custody.

The agency had registered a case on December 20 under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

‘NATIONAL WOMEN’SPARTY’

Feeling excluded by the male-dominated political parties, Dr Swetha Shetty, 36, will spearhead ‘NATIONAL WOMEN’SPARTY’

A Doctor& Social Activist Making Change’ in the upcoming elections.

The first-ever National level Indian political party dedicated to women, was unveiled on Tuesday in New Delhi, the hotspot of Indian political system. Heading the newly formed NATIONAL WOMEN’S PARTY (NWP) is 36 years old qualified Doctor, veteran social activist & feminist Swetha Shetty, who declared that this was a “historic” step in a mission to “guarantee equal representation in the Indian parliament “.

She said that her party’s goal was to represent “Women” particularly the underprivileged who “have suffered at the hands of system. Those who have run from office to office in expectation of some help to make their lives better and got nothing” and those who suffered from domestic abuse or are struggling against the social establishment.

The partywill be formulated with the vision to work towards creating an environment free of gender biasness where women stand equal rights at administration level be it community, society or at workplace.

Giving insight on the formulation of the NWP, Dr. Swetha said “The actual ground work for National Women Party began in 2012. The motive behind formation of National Women Party is to get 50% reservation for women candidates in Lok Sabha Election. Even in 2018 women rights are avoided easily and there is so much crime against women and no significant reformations are being considered so far hence she felt the need for women party. The party will attempt to eradicate the present challenges as there is need for women participants who understand the subject more delicately. Women empowerment will be a fair play to persistent paradoxes of our times.

While working with a Non-Government Organisation in the state of Telangana she realised an acute need to be a part of the system to change the system. She wanted to make a national movement. To serve the original purpose she needed higher commitment from the governing body. She need higher participation in the parliament to amend the laws for women welfare and progress.

NWP has the support from 1.45 Lakhs women members of Telangana Mahila Samiti and the numbers are persistently increasing across India

When asked why she did not want to enter politics as a member of any political organisation, she said that “we want to preserve our identity” and demonstrate that women can be educated, be leaders and “stay independent.” “Every woman wants adequate health care, economic stability and no women wants to be raped or sexually harassed,”

Dr Swetha’s decision to create an all women party at national level followed attempts to pressure the existing parties to include women on their lists, which would result in higher female representation in the parliament and Indian democratic system.

Addressing the media persons Dr Swetha told the existing political parties violate the principle of equality and women’s rights, when it comes to have equal number of women in parliament. At Present, women constitute just 11% out of 545 members led parliament.

At the press conference, she said the creation of a national women party came only after “we tried everything else” to have at least 33% reservation for women in the election seats, “from approaching the parties politely, to going to the courts, to grassroots pressure.”

“We won’t be quiet until we see that women are represented equally in parliament,” she said.

NWP, she said, supported the presence of women in all aspects of society, including the workplace and service in the army. We welcome each women who wish to support our cause and this party irrespective any cast creed or religion. This party even welcomes political support from men if they agree with ou

Nasheman News : Kerala Police will step up security for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan following widespread protests in the state over the entry of two women to the Sabarimala shrine, a police officer said on Friday.

T.K. Vinodkumar, chief of the police intelligence wing, said though the Chief Minister will continue to be in ‘Z Plus’ security category, some added precautions had been taken.

Accordingly, whereever the Chief Minister is or when he is travelling, roads will be sanitised, cleared of obstruction and police personnel will “be more alert”, said Vinodkumar.

On Thursday, the pilot vehicle of Vijayan hit two Congress workers waving black flags when he was returning from office to his official residence for lunch.

Vijayan, who is mostly based in the state capital, on Wednesday oversaw the arrests of 109 Sangh Parivar activists on charges of unleashing violence in various parts of the capital city district.

The last time a Kerala Chief Minister came under attack was in October 2013, at Kannur, when Oommen Chandy was targeted by stone-throwing Left supporters, injuring him in the chest and face.

Nasheman News : The Karnataka government on Thursday agreed to give its share of the Bengaluru suburban train project cost from the state budget for fiscal 2019-20, an official statement said.

“The state government will clear the city’s suburban train network’s detailed project report (DPR) by Sunday and allocate funds for it in its budget to be presented in February,” said a joint statement by the Chief Minister’s Office and the South Western Railways (SWR) here.

The 161-km project is estimated to cost the Railways and the state a whopping Rs 19,499 crore, to be shared equally through debt and equity as a special purpose vehicle.

Details of the belated project were discussed at a meeting between state Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and SWR General Manager Ajay Kumar Singh along with top officials of the state government and the railways.

The state-run engineering consultancy firm RITES prepared the DPR to expand the skeletal suburban train service across the city and connect with satellite towns around like Tumakuru, Hosur, Mandya, Rajankunte, Kolar and Whitefield in all the four (north, south, east and west) directions.

“The twin purpose of the suburban train service is to offer an efficient and economical commuting and connect the city with the satellite towns around,” said Kumaraswamy on the occasion.

The SWR will part with 650 acres of its land for the project, while the state will release 150 acres of its land and buy another 150 acres from private owners at market value or Rs 2,130 crore as RITES suggested.

The rapid transit service will require 30 rakes of mainline electric multiple units (MEMU) to ferry commuters across the city and nearby satellite towns.