Mumbai: For the second time in 10 months, Maharashtra farmers cracked the whip on the government to turn spotlight on the grave agrarian crises gripping the state by completing a long march to the Legislature, here on Monday.

More than an estimated 35,000 peasants — men, women, youth and even seniors — with lines of worry collectively writ on their weary faces, determinedly completed the 180-km long march over six days.

Organised by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), the farmers wing of Communist Party of India-Marxist, the farmers sporting red caps, red flags, beating drums and cymbals and the tribal blowing instrument –‘tarpa’, marched in disciplined unity as the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena braced itself for the political fallout of the peasant power.

In a considerate gesture, the farmers abandoned their night’s rest, to march from the Somaiya Grounds, Vidyavihar starting 2 a.m. (Monday) to reach the historic Azad Maidan at dawn, to avoid inconveniencing students appearing for the ongoing board examinations.

Wary of the potential ramifications as the farmers prepared to lay ‘seige’ on the Maharashtra Legislature on Monday afternoon, the state government hurriedly formed a high-powered six-member Ministerial Committee to discuss all issues with the peasants.

Farmers leader Ajit Nawale said that among the major demands are implementation of the farm loans waiver announced in June 2017, (after farmers in the state went on a ‘strike’), then make the farmers completely debt-free, besides other demands.

“Considering the tremendous response we have evoked from across the state, the government cannot dismiss us lightly. If it continues to dilly-dally on the farm loans waiver or try to take us for a ride, it will face the consequences,” Nawale told reporters late on Sunday.

AIKS Maharashtra President Ashok Dhavale pointed out that the crisis in the farmlands is very severe with “over 400,000 farmers committing suicides in the past 25 years”.

“Agrarian distress is linked to malnutrition… The farming community is feeling betrayed by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led governments in Maharashtra and at the Centre,” Dhavale said.

Congress leaders including state chief Ashok Chavan, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Prithviraj Chavan, and the Nationalist Congress Party’s President Sharad Pawar and Dhananjay Munde and Jitendra Awhad declared support to the marchers.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and Yuva Sena President Aditya Uddhav Thackeray turned up personally to welcome the farmers on Sunday evening.

Many of the marchers, braving the early summer heat, were seen reaching Mumbai with red and swollen eyes, broken or temporarily mended footwear, dusty, torn clothes, having barely managed a square meal or a proper bath during the past week as they started in Nashik on Wednesday.

However, they hoped that justice might be finally done to their cause.

(IANS)

Kathmandu: A US-Bangla Airlines plane carrying 67 passengers today crash landed after catching fire at Nepal’s international airport here, officials said.

It was not immediately clear if there were fatalities.

The plane carrying 67 passengers and four crew skidded off the runway while landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

At least 17 people on board had been rescued, authorities said.

The plane caught fire after it careened off the runway during landing and crashed onto a football ground near the airport, the TIA spokesperson Prem Nath Thakur was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post.

The aircraft took off from Dhaka and landed at the airport at 2:20 pm (local time).

All the flights to and from TIA have been halted after the crash.

(PTI)

All India Mahila Empowerment Party’s (MEP) today held a massive rally at Palace Ground in Bengaluru.

Dr. Nowhera Shaikh, President of the MEP said that her party is confident of winning over 150 seats, in its maiden elections.

Addressing the rally, the business women turned politician said that there are a lot of offers from big political parties seeking a poll alliance with MEP, but she has declined all such offers.

She said that “the Karnataka elections will be a warm-up. We intend to contest all the Lok Sabha seats and make a mark”.

Dr. Shaikh also said that MEP is not just a party for Muslims, but for everyone, irrespective of their caste and creed. She said the party is contesting elections to create an impact in people’s lives, and promised interest-free loans for taxi drivers and farmers of the state if they come to power.

An FIR was on Friday registered against Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami and four other members of his family on the basis of a complaint filed by the bowler’s wife Hasin Jahan, who made claims of adultery, torture and threats of being killed, reports ANI.

Hasin Jahan had on Thursday lodged a police complaint against him and his family members at a Kolkata police station. She had earlier posted screenshots of alleged conversations between Shami and multiple women. Jahan had also shared some photos of the bowler as “evidence” to support her allegations.

The Indian cricketer has been booked under sections 498A (Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 323 (Causing hurt), 307 (Attempt to murder), 376 (Punishment for rape), 506 (Criminal intimidation), 328 (Causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence.), 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC.

Meanwhile, Shami has defended himself saying, “All these accusations made against me are baseless. They have no meaning. She said that this has been happening for five years, the fact is that we have been married just for four years.”

“If this (the abuse) has been happening since five years then why did it come out now. Why did it take five years for it to come out. According to me, this is a well thought out conspiracy against me. I want to remain just as normal as you’ve always seen me. On Holi and every other festival, I’ve been with my family. Spent time with my daughter and wife. Even after my wife was trolled so much in the past I stood by her. And I would like to stand by her today as well,” he told news agency ANI.

(Agencies)

Firebrand police officer D Roopa Moudgil, who shot into the limelight with her report on alleged preferential treatment to sidelined AIADMK leader Sasikala in jail, has shown another side to her personality by releasing a music video to inspire women.

“Proud to release my music video. This should be the besttribute I could have given to women on International Women’sDay,” she told PTI in an interview here after the video was released yesterday.

The video features her singing ‘Tora Man Darpan Kehlaye’, a popular song from the 1965-Meena Kumari and Dharmendra starrer ‘Kaajal.’

“The video is a collage of still photos, news videos andvisuals featuring me. The audio recording was done in half anhour and video shooting in four hours.

This was done for a cause and free of cost,” Moudgil said.

Asked why she chose this song, the officer said it continues toinspire her, which speaks about the power of mind.

Moudgil first came into the limelight when as Dharwad SP she arrested the thenMadhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti after rushing toBhopal with her team.

Bharti was arrested in connection with a 10-year-old non-bailable criminal case in which she was accused of hoisting the national flag at Dharwad’s communally sensitive Idgah Maidan on Independence Day.

In recent months, Moudgil’s report as DIG(Prisons) laying bare alleged irregularities in the Parapana Agrahara Central Jail here, including preferential treatment to Sasikala, had stirred a hornet’s nest.

Sasikala is in jail serving her four-year-term in a disproportionate assets case.
The officer said the lyrics of the song has always inspired her and continues to do so.

“Your mind is like the mirror. It is all in the mind – happiness, sadness, success, failure. If you can think you can, you surely will … Tora Man Darpan Kehlaye,” she said.

The music composer is Alen who has done music for many Kannada films.

Replying to a query, Moudgil said she did the video at the request of Shruthi Rao, who is a musician and radio jockey.

Besides singing, she also has learnt Bharatanatyam and classical music.

All India Mahila Empowerment Party’s (MEP) President Dr. Nowhera Shaikh on Friday set aside the rumour mills about her party seeking political alliance and said that MEP does not want to go into any kind of alliance. She said the party wants to contest elections on its own.

Dr. Shaikh also said that her party is confident of winning over 150 seats, in its maiden elections.

Addressing a press conference at the city’s Leela Palace, the business women turned politician said that there are a lot of offers from big political parties seeking a poll alliance with MEP, but she has declined all such offers.

She said that “the Karnataka elections will be a warm-up. We intend to contest all the Lok Sabha seats and make a mark”.

Dr. Shaikh also said that MEP is not just a party for Muslims, but for everyone, irrespective of their caste and creed. She said the party is contesting elections to create an impact in people’s lives, and promised interest-free loans for taxi drivers and farmers of the state if they come to power.

MEP also announced that the party is holding a public rally at Palace Ground Gate No: 5 in Bengaluru on 10th March 2018 at 1 PM.