Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya has alleged there were multiple land deals between Uddhav Thackeray’s wife Rashmi and Anvay Naik who allegedly committed suicide on May 5, 2018.

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena on Friday said allegations of land deals between the families of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the late Anvay Naik were attempts to change the direction of probe into the suicide of the Alibaug-based interior designe

The ruling party’s chief spokesperson, Sanjay Raut, hit out at the BJP and singled out for criticism its former MP Kirit Somaiya, who made claims of land deals between the two families on Wednesday and sought a probe.

Further lashing out at the main opposition party, Raut said, “We will ensure that the BJP remains out of power for 25 years in Maharashtra.”

Talking to reporters, Raut lost his cool and referred to the BJP as “shethji party” and called Somaiya a “vyapari” (traders).

“Spokespersons of the shethji party/traders are not ready to speak about a Marathi woman being widowed (referring to interior designer Anvay Naik’s wife).

“She and her daughter are crying for justice and when we are trying to ensure that they get justice, these people are making allegations to divert direction of the probe into the suicide. This is a serious matter,” said Raut, hitting out at the Sena’s former ally.

A land deal between the two families was done legally in 2014, the Rajya Sabha MP claimed.

“Is he (Somaiya) having a problem that a Marathi person did the deal,” he said, adding no matter what the Sena-led MVA government will last its full term (till 2024).

“We will ensure that the BJP sits out of power for 25 years in Maharashtra.

Our stand is to give justice to the family of Anvay Naik and punish those legally who forced him to take the extreme step of ending his life,” Raut said.

“Shethji’s party wants to protect the accused,” the Sena leader said in an apparent reference to TV journalist Arnab Goswami, who along with two others, has been charged with abetting the suicide of Anvay Naik and his mother over non-payment of dues by their companies.

“What 21 deals is he (Somaiya) talking about? Show me even five. There was one transaction which was absolutely legal,” Raut aid.

Asked about the demand for a probe by the Enforcement Directorate into the alleged land deals, Raut shot back, “Why only ED let there be a probe by the CBI. Go to Interpol, FBI, KGB, Interpol and the United Nations.”

Somaiya has alleged there were multiple land deals between Uddhav Thackeray’s wife Rashmi and Anvay Naik who allegedly committed suicide on May 5, 2018.

“How are you linked to the accused. Don’t you have any concern for the mother-son duo who ended their lives?” Raut asked, targeting the former BJP Member of Parliament.

Consultancy firm ANAROCK estimates that the sector is likely to face a revenue loss of Rs 90,000 crore in 2020

Hotels, restaurantsFor representational purposesBy Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, occupancy levels for hotels in India continue to remain at rock bottom. According to JLL’s Hotel Momentum India (HMI) report, the Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) across 11 markets crashed by a whopping 70-90 per cent in the April-June 2020 period compared to the previous year.

This RevPAR value has falled 52.8 per cent year-on-year in the January to September 2020 period.

In terms of individual markets, Mumbai continues to be the RevPAR leader despite a decline of 71.7 per cent year-on-year in April-June 2020, whereas Bengaluru saw the sharpest decline in RevPAR at 88.1 per cent decline compared to the same period of the previous year. Other markets such as Pune (86.2 per cent), Kolkata (82.6 per cent) and Goa (78.8 per cent) also witnessed sharp declines in RevPAR, according to the report.

Consultancy firm ANAROCK estimates that the sector is likely to face a revenue loss of Rs 90,000 crore in 2020. Hotel occupancy, it noted, has only improved from approximately 10 per cent in April 2020 to 26 per cent in September 2020.

“Saying that COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on the hotels sector in India is putting it mildly… Occupancy and average daily rate (ADR) are expected to reach pre-COVID levels by 2022 and 2023 respectively – assuming that a vaccine is in place by early 2021 and becomes widely available before the end of the year,” said Mandeep Lamba, President (South Asia) HVS Anarock.

The consultant also added that while over 11,500 rooms were expected to be added to supplies over 2020 and 2021, only 15-20 per cent of the anticipated 2020 supply is likely to come into the market, with the rest being postponed to 2021 and beyond.

It said that some properties are likely to be repurposed to other asset classes such as hospitals, student housing and co-living.

This is third consecutive day that the Pakistan Army has targeted hamlets and posts with mortar bombs and heavy firing triggering fear and panic among the residents along the LoC in Poonch.

JAMMU: The Pakistan Army on Thursday opened heavy fire and shelled forward areas and posts in four sectors along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

The Indian Army effectively retaliated.

This is third consecutive day that the Pakistan Army has targeted hamlets and posts with mortar bombs and heavy firing triggering fear and panic among the residents along the LoC in Poonch district.

Pakistan also opened fire along the International Border (IB) targeting hamlets and Border Out Posts (BoPs) in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district overnight, they said.

“At about 0900 hours, Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms & shelling with mortars along LoC in Shahpur, Kirni and Qasba sectors in district Poonch and also in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district”, a defence spokesman said.

Pakistani troops have violated the ceasefire 24 times this month.

DEHRADUN: BJP MLA from Salt in Almora district, Surendra Singh Jeena, who was undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at a hospital in New Delhi, died early Thursday, a party leader said.

The 50-year-old Jeena was admitted to the Sir Gangaram Hospital nearly a week ago.

He breathed his last at around 4 am, Pradesh BJP vice president Devendra Bhasin said.

Pradesh BJP President Bansidhar Bhagat expressed grief at Jeena’s demise, describing it as an irreparable loss not just for the party but for the entire society.

“He was a young and energetic leader always active in public interest and organisational affairs. His death is an irreparable loss for the party and the society,” Bhagat  said.

Jeena’s wife had also passed away recently in Delhi.

Praying for strength to the bereaved family to bear the loss, the BJP leader said he and his party stand with them in this hour of grief.

The China Study Group will be going through the details and accordingly the Corps Commanders of the two sides will be meeting soon to discuss the same further, the senior officer added. 

NEW DELHI: The India-China standoff along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh seems to be heading for some resolution as a proposal was exchanged between the Corps Commanders of the two sides. The proposal is said to comprise a systematic plan for de-escalation, disengagement and de-induction of troops.https://plr.vdometer.com/preprod/c2ef711b-d5fe-4409-b243-6e500a0f7a4b?autoplay=on&adskin=true&seekbar=false&ca=5f7c1e3800e8b67d6bdab260&cr=5f7c1f3400e8b67d6bdab263&s=5f8d7e900b7f9f1ba6830777&source_type=advertisement&zoneid=5f86c03d12b57f21af2d17e8

“The Chinese side extended this proposal during the 8th Corps Commanders meeting. It is being studied at various levels,” a senior Army officer said, confirming the proposal.

The Corps Commanders of the two sides last met in Chushul, the Indian side of the LAC, on November 6.

The China Study Group will be going through the details and accordingly the Corps Commanders of the two sides will be meeting soon to discuss the same further, the senior officer added. 

The China Study Group is a grouping of foreign, home, defence secretaries, and the vice-chiefs of the three services, along with the chiefs of the Intelligence Bureau and R&AW which mulls over the issues related to China. It is involved in finding a solution for the six-month-long fierce standoff right from beginning in May.

As per the officer, India has cleared its stance that the Chinese forces will revert to status quo ante, the positions which existed before first week of May when the PLA unilaterally moved forward its troops along the LAC and moved its troops.

“Everything is in nebulous state at present as there is no fixed position from where the troops will start moving back first. Also, what number of troops will retreat to which new positions is being studied,” said the officer 

There are reports of China agreeing to move its troops back to the old position of Finger 8 from its current position of Finger 4 on the northern bank of Pangong Tso. 

China had been adamant of India withdrawing first its troops from the southern bank of Pangong Tso towards Chushul. India had reoriented its troops and positioned them in advantageous positions. 

Soon after his release from Taloja jail near Mumbai around 8.30 pm, Goswami drove to the Lower Parel studio of the channel, of which he is the Editor-in-Chief.

MUMBAI: Back in the familiar environs of the TV newsroom after a week in judicial custody, journalist Arnab Goswami on Wednesday hit out at Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for arresting him in a ‘fake’ case.https://plr.vdometer.com/preprod/c2ef711b-d5fe-4409-b243-6e500a0f7a4b?autoplay=on&adskin=true&seekbar=false&ca=5f7c1e3800e8b67d6bdab260&cr=5f7c1f3400e8b67d6bdab263&s=5f8d7e900b7f9f1ba6830777&source_type=advertisement&zoneid=5f86c03d12b57f21af2d17e8

“Uddhav Thackeray, listen to me. You lost. You have been defeated,” said Goswami (47), while being surrounded by visibly relieved colleagues from his Republic TV channel.

Soon after his release from Taloja jail near Mumbai around 8.30 pm, Goswami drove to the Lower Parel studio of the channel, of which he is the Editor-in-Chief.

Goswami also singled out Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh for his ‘illegal’ arrest on November 4 in a 2018 suicide abetment case.

Goswami said that while in Taloja jail since November 8, he was subjected to three rounds of police interrogation.

“Uddhav Thackeray, you arrested me in an old, fake case and did not even apologise to me,” said Goswami, who was seen sporting a stubble.

“The game has just begun,” he said and announced that he will launch Republic TV channel in every language and also have a presence in international media.

Saying he apprehended being arrested again, Goswami said, “I will launch (the channels) even from inside the jail and you (Thackeray) won’t be able to do anything.”

Thanking the Supreme Court for granting him interim bail, Goswami spoke a few words in Marathi, rounding off with the ‘Jai Maharashtra’ slogan.

Goswami was released on Wednesday night, hours after the Supreme Court granted interim bail observing it will be a “travesty of justice” if personal liberty is curtailed.

Kanniyakumari (TN): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Tuesday said there was no need for withdrawing the general consent given to the CBI to probe cases in the state like some others including Kerala, but said such a move may be considered if the need arises.

Speaking to reporters after a COVID-19 review meeting here, he said the situation differed from state to state.

“Every state has its own demand (on this issue).

There is no need for us to follow other states.

In case, if such a situation arises we shall consider it then,” he said when his attention was drawn to Kerala’s recent decision to withdraw the general consent accorded to the CBI to operate there.

Presently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the death of two traders in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin district following alleged police assault at Sathankulam police station.

Non-BJP ruled states including West Bengal and Maharashtra had withdrawn the general consent, with Congress headed Punjab the latest to join the list.

On the pandemic, the chief minister said though coronavirus cases declined across Tamil Nadu, he has directed the officials to continue to maintain a strict vigil in the border districts.

“As Kerala has been registering a spike in COVID-19 cases, I have instructed the officials to screen all those entering Kanyakumari district from Kerala,” he said.

To a question on reopening of schools, he said the officials have begun consulting school administration and parents seeking a general consensus on reopening and the date will be announced after the outcome of the consultation is made known.

To a question on a Sri Lankan court directing ‘destroying’ about 121 confiscated boats belonging to Indian fishermen from the state, he said the order applied to boats that had developed snags.

“Our fishermen have brought boats that are in good condition,” he said.

Meanwhile, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said efforts were made to auction the boats in Sri Lanka and a committee formed for this purpose, but the officials could not travel to the island nation due to the lockdown.

The Indian High Commission there has been requested, through the External Affairs Ministry, to oversee the auctioning and send the proceeds to the Tamil Nadu government so as to disburse the money among fishermen concerned and assist them, he said in a statement.