Mumbai: Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has an “ego of his Prime Ministership”, adding that it was the reason why Modi was not responding to his letters.

Hazare was speaking at a public rally in Atpadi tehsil in Sangli district on Sunday.

Hazare said, “I have written more than 30 letters to PM Modi in the last three years but he never replied to them. Modi has an ego of his Prime Ministership, hence he did not respond to my letters.”

Hazare had, earlier, announced that he was going to stage another round of agitations in New Delhi from March 23.

The rally at Atpadi on Sunday was the first of the three rallies Hazare will be addressing in an effort to mobilise support for the March 23 agitation.

“It will be a never-seen-before kind of massive agitation that will be a warning to the government,” he said.

“I have no intention of garnering votes through my rallies and agitations. The way there was a huge rally for Jan Lokpal, I believe there will be a similar agitation on farmers’ issues,” he said.

Hazare said that his demands included implementation of the Lokpal, appointment of a Lokayukta, a pension of Rs 5,000 to farmers and higher rates for farm produce.

(PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said the controversy surrounding the death of Special CBI court judge B.H. Loya is “serious” and it will look into the circumstances leading to his death in November 2014.

Judge Loya was holding the trial into the staged shootout deaths of Sohrabuddin Sheikh and two others.

“Matter is serious. We are examining the material on record. Our conscience should not suffer…,” the bench said as it directed all the matter relating to Loya’s death and the circumstances leading to it should be placed before it.

The top court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra transferred to itself two petitions pending before the Bombay High Court and its Nagpur bench relating to the matter.

The court directed the next hearing on February 2.

(IANS)

Davos/New Delhi: The richest 1 per cent in India cornered 73 per cent of the wealth generated in the country last year, a new survey showed on Monday, presenting a worrying picture of rising income inequality.

Besides, 67 crore Indians comprising the population’s poorest half saw their wealth rise by just 1 per cent, as per the survey released by the international rights group Oxfam hours before the start of the annual congregation of the rich and powerful from across the world in this resort town.

The situation appears even more grim globally, where 82 per cent of the wealth generated last year worldwide went to the 1 per cent, while 3.7 billion people that account for the poorest half of population saw no increase in their wealth.

The annual Oxfam survey is keenly watched and is discussed in detail at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting where rising income and gender inequality is among the key talking points for the world leaders.

Last year’s survey had showed that India’s richest 1 per cent held a huge 58 per cent of the country’s total wealth — higher than the global figure of about 50 per cent.

This year’s survey also showed that the wealth of India’s richest 1 per cent increased by over Rs 20.9 lakh crore during 2017 — an amount equivalent to total budget of the central government in 2017-18, Oxfam India said.

The report titled ‘Reward Work, Not Wealth’, Oxfam said, reveals how the global economy enables wealthy elite to accumulate vast wealth even as hundreds of millions of people struggle to survive on poverty pay.

“2017 saw an unprecedented increase in the number of billionaires, at a rate of one every two days. Billionaire wealth has risen by an average of 13 per cent a year since 2010 — six times faster than the wages of ordinary workers, which have risen by a yearly average of just 2 per cent,” it said.

In India, it will take 941 years for a minimum wage worker in rural India to earn what the top paid executive at a leading Indian garment firm earns in a year, the study found.

In the US, it takes slightly over one working day for a CEO to earn what an ordinary worker makes in a year, it added.

Citing results of the global survey of 70,000 people surveyed in 10 countries, Oxfam said it demonstrates a groundswell of support for action on inequality and nearly two-thirds of all respondents think the gap between the rich and the poor needs to be urgently addressed.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the WEF meeting in Davos, Oxfam India urged the Indian government to ensure that the country’s economy works for everyone and not just the fortunate few.

It asked the government to promote inclusive growth by encouraging labour-intensive sectors that will create more jobs; investing in agriculture; and effectively implementing the social protection schemes that exist.

Oxfam also sought sealing of the “leaking wealth bucket” by taking stringent measures against tax evasion and avoidance, imposing higher tax on super-rich and removing corporate tax breaks.

The survey respondents in countries like the US, UK and India also favoured 60 per cent pay cut for CEOs.

The key factors driving up rewards for shareholders and corporate bosses at the expense of workers’ pay and conditions, Oxfam said, include erosion of workers’ rights; excessive influence of big business over government policy-making; and the relentless corporate drive to minimise costs in order to maximise returns to shareholders.

About India, it said the country added 17 new billionaires last year, taking the total number to 101. The Indian billionaires’ wealth increased to over Rs 20.7 lakh crore — increasing during last year by Rs 4.89 lakh crore, an amount sufficient to finance 85 per cent of the all states’ budget on health and education.

It also said India’s top 10 per cent of population holds 73 per cent of the wealth and 37 per cent of India’s billionaires have inherited family wealth. They control 51 per cent of the total wealth of billionaires in the country.

Oxfam India CEO Nisha Agrawal said it is alarming that the benefits of economic growth in India continue to concentrate in fewer hands.

“The billionaire boom is not a sign of a thriving economy but a symptom of a failing economic system. Those working hard, growing food for the country, building infrastructure, working in factories are struggling to fund their child’s education, buy medicines for family members and manage two meals a day. The growing divide undermines democracy and promotes corruption and cronyism,” she said.

The survey also showed that women workers often find themselves at the bottom of the heap and nine out of 10 billionaires are men.

In India, there are only four women billionaires and three of them inherited family wealth.

“It would take around 17.5 days for the best paid executive at a top Indian garment company to earn what a minimum wage worker in rural India will earn in their lifetime (presuming 50 years at work),” Oxfam said.

(PTI)

Newly launched All India Mahila Empowerment Party’s (MEP), leader Dr. Nowhera Shaik kickstarted her party’s drive for the Assembly elections from Chikkaballapur district, challenging the political bigwigs on her campaign.

Addressing to a Public meeting, Dr. Shaik said:

1. Mahila empowerment is founded on the main principle of JUSTICE FOR HUMANITY, the party works to build such a nation where all the people works for respecting Humanity, irrespective of Religion, caste, creed, culture, region, we are humans, we shall work for the better life of every human.
2. Mahila empowerment party focus on all the issues irrespective of sects and cults, its main objective is to CHANGE THE NATION WITH A NEW DIMENSIONS.
3. Mahila empowerment party aims to bring back the cultural heritage, historicallegacy of this great BHARAT.
4. Mahila empowerment party contesting for all the 224 seats of Karnataka State legislative Assembly.
5. Many faces who have been in the service of society for decades, who are dreaming to change INDIA, who are dreaming to make INDIA where the people live with harmony are joining their hands together with MEP.
6. Mahila empowerment party wish to bring a new face to Karnataka with its own vision.
7. Karnataka even in 5th place in the country but all the places in Karnataka state are not in the development path, except few places in Karnataka majority places are still facing many problems.
8. Karnataka state facing regional disparity, many regions in Karnataka are away from the development since the formation of the state.
9. MEP focus on the special provisions to bring the development in all regions of Karnataka.
10. MEP focus on Better Employment for all the Youth, Better living standards for unorganised sectors, better irrigation methods, the best medical facilities to all the rural poor, better power supply, better transportation, better infrastructure with a new project of CONNECT KARNATAKA- CONNECT INDIA, better safety methods for all the working women, better law and order, speedy legal actions against the accuses, special courts for women cases, special women police in all the Taluk Levels….. MEP works to full the dreams of KARNATAKA people.
11. CHIKKABALLAPURA called Panchagir the people of chikkaballapura facing many problems.
12. Chikkaballapura is a rain-fed area where only 11% area is sown with the present irrigation facilities.
13. Majority of chikkaballapura farmers have meagre land holdings that are facing water scarcity…. MEP initiates a special project to bring major portion of land under water available zone.
14. Interest free loans for all the farmers who are engaged in Floriculture, Horticulture, further provide modern scientic farming methods.
15. Farmers are provided self marketing systems at each Taluk Head quarters, where farmers can directly sell their products.
16. Minimum supportive price for all crops will be enhanced to meet the needs of the farmer.
17. Special encouragement will be given to Animal Husbandry to increase the Dairy Produts.
18. One more major problem the Chikkaballapura villagers especially facing is power cut, many Villages in Chikkaballapura have no electrication even today…. MEP will launch special programmes of Alternative Energy generation schemes to provide electrication to all the people in Chikkaballapura District. 100% electrication in the entire District by the end of 2020.
19. Industrialist facing severe power cut problem….. Which brings huge losses to their productivity….? MEP promises to provide power cut free for the industrialists in Chikkaballapura District.
20. Industrialists will be encouraged with special awards who established alternate power generation units in their industrial units.
21. Un-organised workmen are more…. better legislation will be initiated to bring the better living standards of un-organised workmen. 
22. Out of 49% of women in the District, majority are working as the agricultural labourers, where perfect wage system not available, MEP will launch a special project to give equal wages to women labourers in the agricultural sectors. 
23. Encourage Women groups towards manufacturing of Alternate energy generation 
24. units, Women Groups encourage towards social forestry to utilise the products of the social forestry.
25. MEP focus on the better living standards and effective production standards of the people of Chikkaballapura who mainly linked with Dairy farming, Sericulture, Floriculture.
26. MEP provides INTEREST FREE LOANS to all the above farming sectors, provide better marketing provisions to their produce, open markets will be launched where the farmer can directly sell their produce.
27. MEP focus on alternative power generation systems linking with all farming zones to free from the power cut issues.
28. MEP invites MULTI NATIONAL COMPANIES in the District, to improve the employment and living standards of the people of Chikkaballapura.
29. MEP guarantees local reservations for the Chikkaballapura District people in the employment at Industrial City.
30. MEP aims to establish women police station in each police circle in Chikkaballapura district to reduce the crime against women.
31. MEP will implement better plans for Youth employment generation.
32. MEP will provide FREE EDUCATION FROM LKG TO PG.
33. MEP will launch MODEL Schools in the place of all existing government schools to bring the international standards in the education.
34. MEP will establish SUPER SPECIALITY HOSPITALS in Chikkaballapura District with a view to avail the super speciality medical facilities to all the people under BPL
35. Chikkaballapura District has LOKSABHA constituencies and 6 Legislative
36. Assembly seats….. MEP going to contest in all the 6 Legislative Assembly seats in the upcoming Assembly Elections 2018 to bring the new dimensions to the state of KARNATAKA.
37. MEP experiencing a fabulous love and affection from the people of all communities across the Karnataka……. People of Karnataka wants a big change in their lives by encouraging and Blessing MEP with their valuable vote in the Upcoming Assembly elections…… I appeal the people of Chikkaballapura to extend their big support by voting maximum to DIAMOND.

Hyderabad: Rahul Gandhi would lead from the front for the Congress in poll-bound Karnataka, launching the campaign with a three-day tour from February 10, a key state party leader said today.

Working President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, Dinesh Gundu Rao, also indicated that party MLAs facing anti-incumbency in their constituencies, may not get tickets in polls, due in May.

He added that joining hands with the JD(S) in case Congress fails to get majority is not being looked at as an option as his party is confident of coming to power on its own, and also that the H D Deve Gowda-led outfit is “not dependable”.

Speaking to PTI here, Gundu Rao said Gandhi is going to be a “very key” campaigner for the Congress in the state where, he noted, it also has “very powerful” state leaders like Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, M Mallikarjuna Kharge, G Parameshwara and D K Shivakumar.

“At the same time, I think Rahulji is getting resonance amongst people, and he is leading the campaign for us,” Gundu Rao, who was here to attend an event, said.

The Congress president is starting his campaign with a three-day tour of the state from February 10. He might visit again later next month and also in March.

“In the run-up to the elections, he will be spending lot more time, and he is definitely going to lead from the front for us”, he said.

“We have started our campaign from KPCC and the chief minister has also toured the state”, he said.

“Gandhi would be intensively campaigning and you can say more or less launch of the campaign for the Congress (with his February tour),” the Congress leader added.

He claimed there is no anti-incumbency on the government because out of 165 promises made in the election manifesto, it has implemented 155-156. In fact, Gundu Rao said the Congress is seeing pro-incumbency wave creeping in, adding, it would win more number of seats than the last time.

Gundu Rao, however, said that some Congress MLAs might have “built-up” anti-incumbency in their constituencies.

“That’s what we need to look out for. If they have not done well, we have to change then, that’s going to be the key thing,” he said.

Congress MLAs facing anti-incumbency will be “definitely changed”, as the party’s aim is to field “best available candidates”, he said.

On whether the Congress would look for an understanding with JD(S) in case it falls short on numbers in post-poll scenario, he said, “There is no question of us wanting an alliance because we are clearly in the race to get absolute majority.”

“But post-poll…what happens…who knows? I can’t predict right now. JD(S) is not dependable. They have been with BJP, they have formed government with us, they are not people who can be trusted because they don’t have ideology, don’t have fixed agenda, they can play anything; they are not dependable at all. So, I will not look at that option,” he added.

(PTI)

Badaun: A 32-year-old pregnant woman was allegedly raped by some unidentified men here when she had gone to relieve herself in the field in Kachula village, police said today.

The incident took place yesterday early at 5.00 am. The accused had allegedly tied her hands and feet and also stuffed a cloth in her mouth, Senior superintendent of police Chandraprakash said.

The SSP said that when the woman did not return home after a long time, her family members started searching for her.

Later, they found her from a nearby forest in an unconscious state, following which the family members informed the police and the woman was then admitted to a hospital, he said.

The woman was sent to Bareilly for treatment and her medical examination will also be conducted, the SSP said.

Her statement would be recorded today, he said, adding that the police have launched a search operation for the accused.

(PTI)

Varanasi: People wearing black clothes were not allowed to attend a public rally here to be addressed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

According to a police officer, the move was to prevent any protests from “troublesome elements”.

The police, however, did not explain why even media persons were also stopped from entering the premises.

Shah and Adityanath are in Varanasi to attend an event named ‘Yuva Udghosh’ which is an attempt by the party to connect with 17,000 first time voters.

Angry youngsters said they found the move objectionable as they were humiliated and barred from attending the event.

Over thirty students have also been detained and barred from attending the event, an official confirmed.

State BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey and State Organisational Secretary Sunil Bansal are also attending the high-profile event.

Heavy security arrangements have been made at the venue of the event as Congress workers are learnt to be preparing for a massive protest against the BJP leaders, accusing them of letting down the people of Varanasi.

Anti-BJP pamphlets were distributed by Congress workers on the Sigra square on Friday evening.

The pamphlet holds Shah responsible for Justice Loya’s death and also referred to him as a ‘tadipaar’ (Barred from entering the city).

Owing to the apprehensions of protests, massive security arrangements have already been made and 12 Assistant Superintendent rank officials, 35 Deputy Superintendents, seven SHO’s, 350 Sub Inspectors, 2,128 constables and nine companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary have been deployed for the event.

(IANS)