Where are we heading. Think

On Thursday the 22^nd May 2014, at around 10:00 PM, a woman, hailing from Nagaland was molested near the Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station When the victim resisted him and tried to catch hold of him, the accused also slapped her. Few people, who saw this incident, overpowered the molester and handed him over to the police. At the police station it was revealed that the accused is a lawyer practicing at Tis Hazari Court. The NSUD president was then informed about the incident and he assisted the victim in the police station.  An FIR was registered. The Accused was taken into police custody.

On the next day the accused was produced before the Magistrate Mrs. Mona .T. Karketta, Ld. M.M (Room No- 273). The victim was accompanied by the NSUD President with two of his executives as an expression of solidarity with her. The victim was represented by a lawyer appointed by Delhi Legal Services Authority. The accused and his group of advocates practicing at Tis Hazari Court started to taunt/intimidate/harass and passed remarks to the victim and her friends and also to the lady lawyer representing her. There was a huge pandemonium in the court room with 10/20 lawyers threatening/intimidating the victim, her lawyer and others who were with the victim. 

The NSUD President was slapped in front of the Ld Magistrate unprovoked by one of the friend of the accused lawyers while the hearing was going on. The police and the Court officials intervened but no action was taken by the Magistrate and the Police personal present at that moment against the assaulters. Fearing the safety of the victim and her own security, the DSLA lawyer called another DSLA lawyer Ms. Liyi for support in the hostile atmosphere. On her arrival, Adv. Ms Liyi was also threatened by the mob of lawyers. The victim and her lawyer were moved to another Court for safety to record the statement of the victim while the mob continued to swell in the court room.

The police personnel came to the rescue and escorted Adv Liyi and victim’s friends out of the court room. This did not deter the violent and belligerent group of lawyers who followed them by using racial abuses/derogatory remarks and life threatening  languages with the intention to physically harm them. Since, the lawyers continued to follow and threaten them, the police took them to the police chowki of Tis Hazari Court for their safety, and made them sit until the mob (Lawyers) disperse. It is important to note that those who were accompanying the victim were targeted only because they were helping a victim of molestation to get justice.

The mob tried to intimidate the police personnel to withdraw their protection.  However, after few minutes of waiting at the Police Chowki, police told Advocate Liyi and the victim’s friends that it is safe to leave the Police Chowki. As they left the Chowki there was a mob that was waiting to attack and assault them. 

All of them started to run to save their lives as the mob of advocates who are friends of the accused started chasing them saying that they will not allow Northeastern people to go alive from here today.

Even the lady Advocate Liyi accompanying them was not spared by the mob of lawyers as she was chased and slapped until two Police constables rescued her from any further harm being inflicted on her. 

Simultaneous with these happening in the premises of the court, another unfortunate incident was taking place outside the court room. The Zeliangrong Students’ Union President had also come to the court to attend the hearing of the above stated case, he along with his friends were not allowed to enter the court room and hence they were sitting outside. 

A lawyer approached him, asking if his other North Eastern friends are joining them. As soon as he answered yes, a mob of about 20/30 advocates attacked him physically. The mob or Lawyers attacked, slapped, kicked and stamped on him. His ears and nose were bleeding.  Even the policeman who dared to protect them was also beaten up. The attached photograph is a testimony to this brutal assault on him.

The molestation and the criminal intimidation and assault on the people of North East States is an attack having racial contours and calls for strict and immediate action by the judiciary and law enforcing agency to protect the  vulnerable groups. The conduct of this lawyer and the mob of lawyers supporting him have showed absolute disregard for the judicial process and contempt of the Court.

Besides the assault on fellow lady advocates for the victim to deter and intimidate victims from taking legal recourse should not be tolerated by the judiciary and law administration. If lawyers are not safe in the Courts, then it is a very poor reflection on the state of judicial administration. 

Where are we heading and what kind of society is this? There are hundreds of more brutal cases across India unreported. Think

Nirbhaya parents lashes out against SP chief

Reacting strongly on Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and his party leader Abu Azmi comment over rape victims, parents of December 16 brutal gang rape victim said that these people have lost their senses and people should reject such kind of politicians.

“It is very sad to know that elected representatives are saying so. If senior politician like him (Mulayam Singh Yadav) makes such outrageous comments then it’s worrying,” said Nirbhaya’s father.

He said that he was shocked to hear Yadav’s comment that boys commit mistakes by raping girl but they should not hang for rape.  “They should not have said so and but by saying this, they are supporting people who are committing crime against women and minor girls,” he said 

He questioned him and said that ‘what kind of society he want?’. “If he do not have respect for girls, who are almost equal in numbers compare to boys in society, how can he expect women voting for such a person,” said he adding that the safety of women is at stake because of leaders like him. 

He urged people not to vote for him or his party who is supporting crime against women.  “If people with such honor speak like this, what will happen to our nation? We appeal to the people of the nation to only vote for people who have security of women on their top priority,” he added.

Yadav during a rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad spoke on issue of three men being given death sentence in Mumbai for raping a photo journalist. He had said, “Boys and girls ....later they had differences, and the girl went and gave a statement that I have been raped. And then the poor fellows, three of them have been sentenced to death. Should rape cases lead to hanging? Boys are boys, they make mistakes. Two or three have been given the death sentence in Mumbai. We will try and change such laws. We will also ensure punishment of those who report false cases.”

Similarly, Yadav’s party men Azmi, told to a media person, “Rape is punishable by hanging in Islam. But here, nothing happens to women, only to men. Even the woman is guilty. Any woman if, whether married or unmarried, goes along with a man, with or without her consent, should be hanged. Both should be hanged.”

ENDS

People from all walks of life came out to cast their vote

Around 80 lakh people came out in the national capital to cast their vote to change the system and teach a lesson to the people who are responsible for bad governance. People aged between 18 years to 104 came to their polling booth with lots of excitement and enthusiasm. A few wants women security and a few a stable government, every one has their own reasons to vote.  

Largely in Delhi it was cleaner, more orderly and more efficient election.

Sourav Mukherjee, a retired government servant of Chittaranjan Park in the New Delhi constituency said,
“Things were much more orderly in this election compared to previous polls. I was happy to see neat and orderly polling booths as well.”

There were fewer complaints of missing names in voter lists and of bad facilities or response of poll staff and police.

In a few polling stations in East Delhi constituency, the senior citizens had to walk around 200 meters from the gate to cast their ballots as parking was not allowed near the polling booth. “I had to walk a bit to reach from the entrance gate as the traffic cops did not allow our car to enter,” A K Choudary, resident of Mayur Vihar said.

People carrying phones faced problems when they were not allowed to enter the polling booths. It was various parties polling agents who helped them out by carrying their phones outside the booths.
“We have to frisk and check the voters to ensure no one carries mobile phones to the polling booth. We know people will face problems but for security reasons we have to do so,” said a police officer outside east Delhi polling booth.

But in few upscale colonies checking was lax and a few voters managed to get in with their mobile phones.
Youngsters voted to vent out their anger against the present government. Anupama Kumari, a resident of North East Delhi Lok Sabha seat and voted for first time said, “Since last ten years, current UPA government has promised several times that inflation would be controlled in next few months but nothing has changed in last ten years. Prices of all the essential household commodities have skyrocketed and government has failed to control it,” she said.

Many came out to with sheer pride to flaunt their inked finger among his friends and others. “Most of my friends are posting their picture after casting their vote on social media. Being a first time voters I also used the opportunity to flaunt my inked finger on social media among my friends,” said Vipul Rastogi, 18 years old student of Delhi University.

Among Delhi’s voters there were many from northeastern states, who had come here to work or study, who voted with women's security on their minds. “We want to choose a stable government but also want an environment that is safer for women from our states," Debanish, 29, who hails from Manipur, said.

The voters of Jamia Nagar area of east Delhi constituency, a Muslim dominated area, exercised their franchise to remove the tag of ‘terrorists den’ and for justice in Batla House encounter case. Heavy footfall was seen at the polling booths from early morning in the area. From students to ladies in Burqa, everyone was seen standing in the queues to cast their votes.

“In logon ne humare ilake ko bewajah badnaam kar rakha hai. Hum is baar ek aise leader ke liye vote karenge to Jamia Nagar ko insaaf dilaye or iske upar lage daag mita sake. (Some people have defamed this area unnecessarily. This time we are going to vote for a leader who can bring justice to Jamia Nagar),” said Asdar Ali, a resident of the area.
ENDS

Delhi gears up for polls, EC asks voters to avoid mobile phones at booths

The city electoral office claimed on Tuesday to have completed the preparations for parliamentary elections in Delhi, slated for April 10.

The chief electoral officer Vijay Dev requested the voters to practise their right of voting and told them to leave their mobile phones outside the polling booths.

Polling will be held at 11,763 polling stations in which 327 have been declared critical and 90 have been declared hyper critical. About 50,000 security personnel have been deployed for election duty. A total of 161 flying squads have been deployed, one for each police station in Delhi.

“The time of voting has been extended for two hours and it will be held from 7 AM to 6 PM on April 10,” Dev said.

For the first time in Delhi, people who do not have an Electoral Photo Identity Card can exercise their franchise if their names are registered in the electoral list.

Besides EPIC, 11 other photo identity documents including passport, driving license, service identity card issued by Central and state governments, PAN card, Aadhar card and Smart card issued by RGI under NPR can be used by the voters. Health insurance smart card issued by Ministry of Labour, MNREGA job card, pension document with photograph and authenticated photovoter slip issued by the election can also be used to establish the identity.

 “In 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the overall voting percentage stood at 52.3 per cent, which increased to 66 per cent in the 2013 Delhi assembly election,” Dev said here in a press conference.
There are total 1.27 crore registered voters in Delhi out of which 3.37 lakh are first timers.

For the government employees on election duty, the panel has issued 43,383 election duty certificates so that they can cast their votes. About 25,897 postal ballots have been issued for police personnel 3,478 have been issued to civil servants on election duty for voting.

The poll panel has set up 88 check points at the entry and exit roads in bordering areas of Delhi.
So far 21 FIRs have been registered against BJP, 18 against AAP and 17 against the Congress party for violation of model code of conduct.

“Around 93 unlicensed firearms have been seized. Some 647 licensed firearms have been submitted to the police. More than Rs 43 lakh have been seized,” said Dev adding that the police have also seized a total of 25,776 litres of Indian and foreign made liquors.
ENDS

Kejriwal slapped during road show in Delhi

Former Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal was slapped twice by an auto-rickshaw driver while he was campaigning for Rakhi Birla in northwest Delhi’s Sultanpuri on Tuesday. The incident comes less than a week when Kejriwal was punched in south east Delhi's Dakshinpuri.

The accused approached Kejriwal with a garland and managed to slap him twice despite the AAP leader

being surrounded by Delhi Police officers in plain clothes.

Kejriwal was in an open jeep when the accused identified as 38-year-old Lali in a blue shirt reached up and first garlanded the AAP chief and then slapped him hard on his left cheek twice. The attacker was immediately pinned down to the ground by AAP supporters and after being bashed up by was handed over to police. He is undergoing treatment in the hospital.

Lali accused Kejriwal and Rakhi Birla of ‘betraying auto-drivers’. “They took Rs 10 as donation from us and they did not do any work,” Lali was shouting in police custody.

“We have registered a case of assault under respective section of Indian Penal Code against the accused for hitting the former chief minister,” said a senior police officer.

Immediately after the attack, Kejriwal said, “I forgive those who attack me. Assault me as much as you want, I won’t retaliate. I appeal to volunteers not to retaliate, otherwise there is no difference between us and them.”

Kejriwal left the venue after few minutes and went Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial Rajghat with a swollen left eye and stayed there for an hour in silence along with his around 100 of supporters. He thereafter headed for his house.

"I went to Rajghat to pray to Gandhiji and sought his blessings to follow the path of non-violence and truth. We are going through a tough time and he should give us power to bear with it," Kejriwal told reporters at his Tilak Lane residence. He said this the fifth attack on him and police has failed to do anything about it.

Citing threat to his life, Kejriwal said: "The attack was per-meditated and planned by a particular person." He, however, denied to accept security and said he has forgiven the attackers for his fight is not against any particular person but the system.

“My car was attacked in Gujarat, somebody threw ink on me in Varanasi, an attempt was made in Bhiwani and two recent attacks have happened in Delhi. If police wanted to take action they would have taken,” he said.

He appealed to the party workers and volunteers to remain calm as in coming days more such attacks will happen. 

In the meantime, the Delhi Congress and BJP termed the incident as a drama and accused him of trying to gain media’s attention even after the end of election campaign.

Congress spokesperson Mukesh Sharma said, “It seems like the entire incident was a drama to gain media attention even after the end of election campaign. If Kejriwal was really upset with the slapping incident, he could have sought medical assistance and demanded for an FIR against the accused. What is the point going to Raj Ghat after the incident?”

Reacting to the incident, BJP’s Sanjay Kaul said, “It is clear that Kejriwal is becoming the victim of the anarchist trend he himself started. This is the third or fourth such friendly attack on him. Either his supporters are angry for being let down or else these are orchestrated attacks designed to create a sensation.”

The Congress advised Kejriwal for taking security. “First he denied taking security cover. When the central government insisted he took accepted security from back door. Now, he must understand what the need of security is for politicians,” he added.

ENDS

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind appeals Muslim to support AAP in Delhi

The Congress party is likely to face a massive jolt in Delhi as the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has asked the community members to support the Aam Aadmi Party in five out of seven parliamentary constituencies.

The hardliner religious Muslim organisation of India has conducted a survey with the help of its grass-root level workers in all of the constituencies to know about the probability of strong candidates who can defeat the BJP.

“So far, the survey has been completed in five out of total seven parliamentary constituencies and we have found that the AAP candidates fit in our criteria. We have asked the community members in all these areas to support AAP,” General Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Nusrat Ali said.

The surveys have been done in West Delhi, East Delhi, North-West, North-East and Chandni Chowk constituency. The survey is still on in New Delhi and South Delhi parliamentary constituencies.

Asked about the recent statement of the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Ahmad Bukhari asking community members to support the Congress party, Jamaat leader maintained that everyone is free to make a choice.

“It is his stand and he is free to support anyone. This is our stand and we are not only making statements. Our workers are visiting the constituencies to convey the message to everyone. Every community voter in all these constituencies has been told to support the AAP,” he added.

The organisations claims its motive behind this move is to stop what they claim communal and fascist forces.

“We don’t want to communal and fascist force to come in to power. This is our primary motive. I want to make it clear that we are not supporting any particular party, the survey has been done constituency wise and we have focused on the strong candidates who can stop such forces from coming in to power,” he added.
Jamaat has set up two criteria for selection of candidates—who can defeat the “communal forces” and who is clean and honest.

The organisation has also conducted a survey in 75 other constituencies across the country to know about the perfect candidate to support.

It is understood that Jamaat’s move came following the crushing defeat of the Congress party in last Assembly elections and the rise of AAP. The organisation feels that only the AAP candidates can defeat BJP in coming elections.
ENDS

Rahul Gandhi slams Modi over 'snoopgate controversy'

Launching a direct attack on BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi alleged him on Sunday for illegally monitoring of a young woman in his state and mocked at the saffron party over not releasing its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls. He also carried out attack on AAP for running away from the responsibility of running government.

“I saw a poster of BJP which states now women will not face any trouble... They (BJP) claim but they don’t

realise how can be women safe when in Gujarat a woman is being spied and her phones are being taped by the state government head itself,” the Gandhi scion addressed to thousands of people in jam-packed New Delhi’s Ambedkar Nagar ground during a Lok Sabha rally .

He said that his party always wanted to pass the women reservation bill in the parliament and each time when matter came into the parliament, the opposition stalled it.  “We will pass the bill after when form the government after polls,” he promised to the people.

Attacking BJP over manifesto, he said that his party members consulted and conducted several meeting for last six months so that people’s voice could be included in it.  “We have spoken to about five lakh people in its bid to find out what the country wanted and then drafted its manifesto, the BJP while indulging in big talks has failed to come out with its manifesto even when the polling of the first phase was only a day away. BJP feels that whatever one man (Modi) says is enough and there is no need of party manifesto,” he mocked.

Interestingly, he termed Modi as a security guard. He stated the saffron party claims that all the problems of would be solved when single security guard will be given command to run the country. “It is not possible. I want that the country to be run by crores of security guards (people),” he said.

He said that his party accepted the people’s mandate during assembly polls and they realized that the congress leaders had closed their door for the people. “Which will now never happen,” he admitted.  But he stated that people selected a debutant AAP and he decided to give them support to from the government and do works of development. “They ran away because they made false promises of providing free electricity and water,” he quips and questioned people whether they got free water of electricity.

As most of the people gathered in the ground were from resettlement colonies and migrants, he attacked Shiv Sena Party, part of NDA, stating that they bashed men and women of Bihar brutally in Mumbai and BJP has aligned with it. “We welcome everyone in Delhi and run government with sense of brotherhood,” he said.

He also cited that Sikhs were beaten and thrown away from Gujarat saying by they are outsiders. “We take everyone along. We do not practise politics of anger but that of mutual affection,” said Rahul appealing people to realize that BJP is playing divisive politics which will damage the country.

He also said that the Congress has planned to make freight corridor connecting all the metropolitan cities and want to make Indian as a manufacturing hub so that of employment can be generated and the country no more have to buy China made products.

ENDS

Intelligence Report gives BJP four out of seven in Delhi

After various opinion polls have predicted a BJP surge all over the country including in Delhi, the intelligence agencies seem to have followed suit.

In the customary pre-election survey exercise done by the agencies in Delhi, a saffron sweep with four of the capital’s seven seats going to the BJP is predicted. The survey has given Chandni Chowk (Harsh Vardhan), East Delhi (Maheish Girri), South Delhi (Ramesh Bidhuri) and West Delhi (Parvesh Verma) to the BJP, while the Congress, which at present holds all seven seats, could win one—New Delhi—where former Union

Minister Ajay Maken is recontesting from.

The AAP, which had a remarkable debut in the Assembly polls last December, will fare badly and win only one seat—North West Delhi, where former minister Rakhi Birla is its candidate. The seventh seat, North East Delhi, will face a tough three-way fight. BJP has fielded Bhojpuri actor Manoj Tewari, the Congress has re-nominated J P Aggarwal and AAP has fielded JNU professor Anand Kumar from here.

The survey has listed price rise, lack of infrastructure and alleged arrogance of UPA leadership as put off factors for Delhi voters, who will express their lack of trust in the party. The agencies carried out the survey with a sample size of 3,500 voters in each of the constituencies. An exclusive look at the findings:

Chandni Chowk

In Chandi Chowk areas, Delhi BJP chief Harsh Vardhan is winning by large numbers of votes. There was infighting in the BJP the day his name was announced, however, the party high command interfered and shorted out differences them. And the entire party cadre at booth level is working in favour of him.  The Congress leader Kapil Sibal is facing anti-incumbency wave. The residents are unhappy with him as he rarely visited his constituencies in last five years and tried to connect with people.

Though, Janata Dal (United)’s only MLA in the Delhi Assembly Shoaib Iqbal and Jama Masjid Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari has declared their support to him, it will not be a deciding factor. But Syed Yahya Bukhari, the younger brother of Shahi Imam, opposed any decision to endorse Congress and appealed Muslim community to vote for AAP. Despite, the journalist-turned-politician Ashutosh has made several jan sabha and road shows, the people are not very enthusiastic about him.

East Delhi

In East Delhi, BJP candidate Maheish Girri has good edge over Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Rajmohan Gandhi. Girri has been working for last two years in those areas and has been able to connect himself with people. The people are supportive to Rajmohan Gandhi and are excited about him but not at large scale.  His old age has also kept him away from campaigning aggressively. Sandeep Dikshit lagging far behind from both the candidates as his own party members seems to be working against him after his mother and former chief minister of Delhi Shelia Dikshit left the city.  The party legislators are working and block level members are working against him as they want him also to be sidelined like her mother.

South Delhi

In South Delhi, there is strong presence of and strong presence Jat and Gujjar community and they have declared their support for the BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri. His winning as Gujjar leader Ramveer Singh Bidhuri, who had joined BJP last year and was against Ramesh Bidhuri for quite long time, has now been working for him. Congress Sajjan Kumar's brother Ramesh Kumar has been considered as weak candidate this time after Sajjan Kumar has been sidelined by the Gandhi family. The vote of Jat community behind Sajjan Kumar has been divided between Congress and BJP.  The AAP colonel Devendar Sehrawat has limited popularity and only Delhi Cantonment voters are excited about him.

West

In west Delhi, the BJP candidate Parvesh Verma, former Chief Minister of Delhi Sahib Singh Verma, has caught imagination of rural people. He has support of all the local villagers most of Jat community. In Sikh dominated area, Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal will be campaigning in next few days to garner support for him and to divide the votes of the AAP candidate Jarnail Singh. Congress MP and three-time MLA Mahabal Mishra is having a tough time as people there are unhappy with him. The purvanchal voters have been divided this time.

New Delhi

Congress Ajay Maken is ahead of all the candidates in New Delhi area, though BJP Meenakshi Lekhi is working out very hard day and night to connect herself with the voters. Ajay Maken is favorite among voters due his clean image and proximity with Gandhi family. Seeing the hard work of Lekhi, the BJP high command has organised Narendra Modi rally at Ram Lila Ground on three days ahead of polling to galvanize the voters of New Delhi areas.  The journalist-turned-politician and Aam Aadmi Party candidate from the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency Ashish Khetan is an unknown face for the people.

North East

At one side, the Bhojpuri actor and singer Manoj Tiwari has been successful in making the people believe that he is not outsider but a local resident but on the other side Congress J P Agarwal is also become an obvious choice for the people. ‘He has worked in his constituency and people are supporting him. There is tough fight between both of them and the winning margin would be very less, the report stated. For AAP candidate Anand Kumar, JNU students are working through day and night but they not have been able to make a mark in the constituency.  Interestingly, he has been working all alone with the support of AAP activist.

North West
 
AAP Rakhi Birla is winning from North West Delhi as BJP supporters are working against its own candidate Udit Raj. Rakhi Birla will win for sure but now with large margin, the report says. There is strong discontent among the party worker inside BJP over Udit Raj which has given clear verdict of AAP candidate who is local and have support base there.  The old horses -- Yogendra Chandoliya and Anita Arya from Northwest Delhi – are playing cards against Udit Raj. Congress leader Krishna Tirath is facing anti-incumbency factor. She was and no more a popular face there. She is losing by large numbers of votes, says reports.

Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid urgers to vote for Congress

Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid mosque announced his support to the Congress and Trinamool Congress parties on Friday stating that it will strengthen secularism in the country.

After meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi a few days ago, Syed Ahmed Bukhari during a press conference on Friday said the Congress has done a lot for the Muslims. “I met Sonia Gandhi and discussed a lot of issues related with Muslims with her,” Bukhari said.

Endorsing Congress, he appealed Muslim Community to vote for the party. “We announce support for the Congress. I support Congress on the condition that they will fulfill promises made to the Muslim community,” he said.

He also announced support to Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal, a Congress ally, in Bihar.

He, however, stated that it was not a fatwa and he just made an appeal to Muslim community to vote so that communalism considered to be a bigger threat than corruption should not be promoted. “We have to fight against communal forces. It's is not a fatwa that we have issued; it's an appeal. This is just a support and opinion that I have expressed, it is not an order,” he said.

Bukhari had supported the Samajwadi Party in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. On this, h said that Mulayam Singh Yadav's party had betrayed Muslims. “Voting for the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party will be a waste. SP had even played a role in last year's Muzaffarnagar riots,” Bukhari stated.

On BSP he clarified that the party has showed it could align with anyone to be in power.  “We can not support it,” he said.

Slightly hinting on AAP he said that the Muslim community should ensure that secular votes are not divided.
When question where raised over being a community religious head, he should not have been political.  Bukhari said, “Under the Indian Constitution there is no rule that a religious head can't have an opinion and express it.”

The Shahi Imam ruled out endorsing the Samajwadi Party and the BSP, saying the former had even played a role in last year's Muzaffarnagar riots.

Reacting to Imam Bukhari's declaration, the BJP said the Congress is desperate to get Muslim votes. “They have become is desperate; they tried to communalize the election. The Election Commission must take cognizance of this communal appeal,” said BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad.
END

Manoj Tiwari’s mom does not believe that he is contesting polls

The mother of Manoj Tiwari, the Bhojpuri star-turned-politician contesting on a BJP ticket from North East Delhi constituency, still feels that his son is campaigning for BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and his has not got any party ticket .

“My mother staying in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi believes that I am campaigning for Modi jee and I am not Jooth maat bol itna bada aadmi nahi hai tu’,” Tiwari said.

contesting election and I am telling lies to her. Whenever, I call her she replies over phone ‘
Interestingly, Tiwari during his campaigning faces unexpected questions from the people but wherever he goes he encounters a single question most of the time.  Being a film industry guy will he stay and look after the constituency or ran away?   “Tum bhagoge tho nahi. This is what I keep hearing from the people. I assure them that unlike my predecessors (people from film industry) I am not going run away and to stay for live long in this constituency,” he said.

He feels sorry for the people from where Bollywood actors contested as after winning they never returned to see their condition.  “All the people from film industry who earlier were elected will face problems in their constituencies. Being a celebrity will not make you win election this time. There is no option as you have to work for people,” he said.

He also had to explain the people about five year development for the constituency.  “I ask me what I will in next five years,” he said.

This man is busy and is working out around 17 hours to make connect with the people. He starts his day at 7: 30 and thereafter carries out pad yatras in his constituency till 12 noon.  Between 12 to 1 am he meets his party workers and interacts with them and tries to know the problems in the areas.  From 1 to 2 he keep time for himself for lunch and to rest. “Most of the time, I miss my lunch as some assignments some up in between,” he said. 

From 2: 30, he starts meeting people in jan sabhas at various places scheduled beforehand by the party workers and by 10 pm he return to his party office where he does his dinner and again meet the party workers.  “After that most of the days, I go for some special interaction with people organsied by them,” said Tiwari adding that h returns home by 2 am in early morning.

“I have to build confidence among the people and win their heart,” he added.
ENDS

Fight intensifies: AAP Sehrawat accuses Bidhuri of hiding criminal cases

Fight intensifies in South Delhi. Aam Aadmi Party’s South Delhi parliamentary candidate Devinder Sehrawat alleged that his Bharatiya Janata Party rival on the seat, Ramesh Bidhuri has not given full information about criminal cases pending against him in the election affidavit.

“In his electoral affidavit, Ramesh Bidhuri had mentioned only three FIRs, while six FIRs are registered

against him in different police stations.

“On March 9 last year, Bidhuri allegedly misbehaved with a woman employee of Delhi Secretariat. Later, the woman had registered case against him,” Sehrawat said while addressing a press conference.

He also alleged that other cases, which involve him in land grabbing and criminal intimidation, are also registered against him in different police stations.

“Between 2004 and February 2014, several cases have been registered against Bidhuri. We are searching more cases registered against him in different police stations,” he said.

Ramesh Bidhuri counter attacked AamAadmi Party and said the newly formed party indulges in sensational accusations to defame him.

The AamAadmi Party’s hopes of winning in the South Delhi constituency were dealt a severe blow as enthusiastic supporters pooled in and donated Ramesh Bidhuri from BJP Rs 5 lakh towards his campaign.

It  would have hurt all the more as the supporters were essentially from Mahipalpur, the home turf of Aam Aadmi Party’s South Delhi candidate  Devinder Sehrawat.

Staring at a resounding defeat,  Sehrawat has hit back with malicious allegations regarding Bidhuri’s pending cases.

In what can be seen as an irresponsible attitude towards the public, the party seems to have done incomplete research as it has based its allegations solely on “press reports” and no concrete evidence.

Commenting on the baseless allegations, AshishSood, Vice President, BJP Delhi and Convenor of the elections of South Delhi Parliamentary Constituency, said, “It comes as little surprise as this is not the first time something like this has been done by the AAP. They have a reputation of spreading false rumours and making baseless accusations.  Bidhuri has maintained absolute transparency and we would request the public not to be misled by such unverified claims.”

He said that Sehrawat did not come forward with legitimate proofs of his allegations when the nomination was filed or, prior to the final list being declared.

In the interest of the public, the AAP candidate should have shared substantial evidence during scrutiny by the Election Commission which would have resulted in suspension of Bidhuri’s nomination.

The information shared by Sehrawat in his press release is full of errors. He has pointed out to a case in 2006, whereas Bidhuri has actually been acquitted in the case.

Sehrawat has referred to ‘media reports’ which is a frivolous source of evidence. There is no legitimate proof shared with the people

“Bidhuri has been a dedicated worker of the party in the constituency for over the past twenty years and has already been elected MLA from Tughlakabad thrice.  Highlighting half baked cases against Bidhuri is a poor attempt at undermining his sincere work,’ said Sood.

ENDS

War begins: Harsh Vardhan accuses Sibal favouring Anil Ambani

Realpolitiks begins. BJP parliamentary candidate from Chandni Chowk Harsh Vardhan attacked Congress MP and Minister for Telecommunications and IT Kapil Sibal alleging that he ‘gifted Rs 650 crore as fine waiver to Anil Ambani’ and demanded ‘judicial enquiry’.

“He deprived the country of Rs 650 crore in penalty fees payable by Anil Ambani’s Reliance Communication Ltd in 2011,” said Harsh Vardhan during a press conference.

He said that in February 2011, Sibal overruled his ministry the senior officers and violated the telecom policy enunciated by the NDA government.

“Reliance had deliberately switched off services to 13 circles. It was liable to pay Rs 50 crore per circle as penalty for violating terms of the Universal Access Service Licenses held by it.  But Sibal waived the penalty with no valid explanation,” he alleged.

He said that the company officials tried to justify this saying it was not finding the circles viable. But it conveniently suppressed the fact that it was receiving subsidy from the government under the Universal Services Obligation Fund established under the telecom policy.

In normal circumstances, disputes between private companies and the government are referred to Telecom Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Tribunal. Sibal himself had gained the notoriety of forcing private players to first pay up their penalties by telling them to take their objection to TDSAT.  In this way, many private players had been wrongly punished.

In the Reliance case, a show cause notice was issued by the Department on December 21, 2010 asking why Reliance should not be made to pay the penalty of Rs. 50 crore per circle for clear violation of the UAS Agreement.

It was surprising because Sibal appeared to don his lawyer’s garb to argue for Anil Ambani’s lapses. The country had the misfortune of seeing a cabinet minister act as a lawyer for a corporate house which was violating rules and laughing its way to the bank.

“The company did not reply to the show cause notice. On January 5, 2011 the company wrote to the Universal Access Obligation Fund Administrator in the ministry asking for six weeks’ time to reply without mentioning whether it intended restoring the services,” he said.

When the government refused, Reliance addressed the question of restoration, the company kept writing letters reiterating its demand for six more weeks. On February 9, 2011 the telecom secretary approved the levy of Rs 650 crore and file reached to Sibal on the same day

“Instead of approving the Secretary’s note for levying penalty, Sibal waited for a whole week until a letter arrived from Reliance which claimed that it had ‘restored’ services.  It can easily be inferred that the minister, instead of acting for the interests of the government, was responding to the orders of Anil Ambani,” he added.

Two days later, Sibal overruled the Secretary saying Reliance had merely “interrupted” services and therefore should not be asked to pay a penalty.

This was not an “interruption”. Reliance had deliberately switched off the 13 circles. This was done in spite of taking advantage of the National Telecom Policy, 1999 which provides for subsidy to private sector operators in low-revenue areas through the USFO (Universal Services Obligation Fund).
ENDS

Sonia Gandhi lashes out at AAP

For the first time, Congress president Sonia Gandhi mounted an attack on Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday at a rally in New Delhi’s Ajmal Khan Park stating that a few people ‘making tall claims ran away in few days’. She also singled out BJP for preaching ‘politics of hatred and communalism’ and making big ‘false promises’.

Addressing a well attended rally, she lashed out at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. Without naming Kejriwal she said, “A few people came with tall claims and ran away in few days. They do not know that running a government is not a child’s job.” 

The Congress that lost its Delhi government to emergence of AAP is hoping not to perform as bad in the
Lok Sabha elections. Congress had won all the seven Lok Sabha seats during the 2009 elections.

Congress workers responded enthusiastically to her barbs on AAP. Slogans of Sonia Gandhi zindabad and Congress zindabad followed.   

Highlighting the achievements of Hakim Ajmal Khan, a freedom fighter, on whose honour the park has been named, the UPA chairperson said that Khan has been always symbol of unity between two communities but a few people (BJP) are teaching ‘ideology of fanaticism’. She said election is fight between two different ideologies.  “Congress ideology teaches love and equality and we always have goodwill for opposition parties but out there some are teaching fanaticism and how to create conflict between two communities,” she said.

In a veiled attack on the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Gandhi said: “I am in politics to take the tradition of the Congress party forward. For me it is more important to protect the Ganga-Jamuni Tahzeeb than going after power. But there are certain individual and organisations who want to take the country into the direction of darkness and doom. But I have faith in the judgment of people and even this time you won't make a mistake in taking the right direction and support the Congress party.”
Gandhi described the saffron party as a “divisive force” and said that they will ‘ruin the country’.

BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is contesting from the holy city of Varanasi, largely known for its Ganga-Jamuni Tahzeeb – which largely describes the sense of brotherhood between different religions.

The Congress president also slammed BJP for “raising the pitch over the issue of nationalism and patriotism”. She questioned the tall claims of BJP and AAP on nationalism.  “BJP and others (AAP) can only give speeches of nationalism and patriotism and at public rallies but the truth is patriotism flows in the veins of Congress,” she roared.

She said that if they want to learn nationalism they should learn from Congress.  “If they want to learn, they should learn from Congress people who scarified their lives. They should learn from soldiers fighting for the country of a common man working day and night to earn food,” she roared.  

She clarified the people that running a government or being in power is not an important issue for Congress but making the ‘countrymen proud of being Indian is most important’.  “I am proud that people of India raise their head across the world with great pride,” she said.

She also highlighted the Congress has made several policies of poor and needy under leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “I am proud to bring laws where street vendors don’t have to shell out money to police and sanitation workers will not be employed on contract basis anymore. Had the opposition not stalled parliament proceedings we could have brought many such laws,” she said.   

She sought the support of the Delhiites stating that people in the capital “have always made the right choice and would once again vote in favour of her party nominees”.

Interestingly, she was sharing dais with New Delhi parliamentary candidate Ajay Maken, Delhi Congress leader Arvinder Singh Lovely and Shakeel Ahmad and rest of the leaders -- Sandeep Dikshit, Kapil Sibal, Mahabal  Mishra, Ramesh Kumar and Krishna Tirath were below the dais and they only after Gandhi ended her speech.  

Gandhi arrived an hour and a half behind schedule at 5.30 p.m and during that time the party leaders Sandeep Dikshit, Ajay Maken, Shakeel Ahmad, Arvinder Singh Lovely and Ramesh Kumar had engrossed the crowd with their speeches.

The rally was the first by a top Congress leader after Indira Gandhi held a rally in 1979 at the same venue, however, there was mix response from the people. 
ENDS

Theater, politicians and the artistes...

Polls are a theater and politicians the artistes. This trueism has caught the fancy of some youth, deeply into theater and entertainment, in the national capital and they have made the elections the stage to showcase their talent.

Charlie (uses only his first name), a 42-year-old, is one of them and he had been busy reading up his dialogues for the roadside play that his troupe has been enacting this poll season.

At the DDA park on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg in the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, Charlie and his group of friends from the Chirag Theatre Group were doing their rehearsal for a show they would be putting up ahead of a poll campaign by the Bharatiya Janatar Party candidate Harsha Vardhan in Chandni Chowk later.

Charlie is deeply immersed in a bit of paper in his hand that has his dialogues on it. Staring at his fellow artiste, Adil Sheikh, Charlie tell him: "Iss Desh Ka Kya Boora Haal Ho Rakka Hai."

With a concern on his expressive face, Adil replied back: "Sab Ko Azma Kar Dekh Liya. Har Koi Desh Ko Loot Liya."

They were belting out the lines from their roadside skit. But Charlie has forgotten his line and quickly refers back to his piece of paper in an awkward manner. And that is enough from the entire group of 10 youngsters to break into a hearty laugh over Charlie's predicament.

The group has been having fun over the past month, joining the poll campaign of BJP candidates from the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital. But that alone is not the reason for their enthusiasm. Poll time only means moolah for them.

"I have been doing these acts for the last 15 years now. and our group has been active in theater circuit in the national capital. But the polls season is good time for us to both show our talent at roadside skit that carries an election message and also to earn a quick buck," says Charlie.

The Chirag Theater Group has been "hired on contract" by BJP to perform street plays across the city.

Charile, who passed out of Kirori Mal College 15 years ago, got involved in theater through the Dramatics Society of his college.

"Almost all theater artists, especially youth, consider election time as earn-while-you-learn time. On an average, we get Rs 2,000 per street play and in a single day, we manage to do seven shows,” says Adil.

In the last ten days of campaigning for the polls on April 10, the group expects to make a few laksh of rupees as earnings from political parties this time around.

Apart from BJP, its rivals -- AAP and Congress -- too have roped in hundreds of such artistes from across the country and theater colleges for campaigning. 

“We have selected around 150 such artists from across the country, including National School of Drama and various other drama colleges to perform street plays,” BJP national general secretary Vani Tripathi, who is part of a party committee for such methods of campaigning, told The Sunday Standard.

She explained that street plays, one of the traditional method of campaigning, would be used a lot in the election this time around.

 

“It will kick-start from April 1 in Delhi and six groups would perform five skits, each running for eighteen minutes,” says Tripathi.

The artists have also been asked to interact with people for ten minutes after the show.

Similarly, AAP has already started holding street plays and aggressively promoting the party and their candidates. 

“Through the street plays people are being informed about the party and its agenda and there are several groups holding such political satires at various locations,” AAP's national spokesperson Deepak Vajpayee says.

Interestingly, Asmita Theatre Group, which was associated with anti-corruption movement and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, has claimed that they have not been promoting AAP or any political parties this election season.

“From the anti-corruption movement to Nirbhaya brutal gang rape protest we have always been upfront and performed several street plays. But we generally don’t perform for any political parties,” Ashmita's director Arvind Gaur says.

This time, the Congress too is not behind. Streets plays have been scheduled for last phase of campaigning ahead of the elections. “The plays are about the various development projects carried by the Congress government,” Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit says. 

Leave aside the political parties, the election commission has also roped in various theater groups to perform street plays under voter awareness programme.

The election commission is reaching out to the people so that they can exercise their vote and play an active role in deciding the fate of the seven high-profile Parliamentary seats in the forthcoming election.

“We want voters to come in hordes and take part in the biggest electoral process. We do not want people from any region to to be left behind or feel alienated?” Delhi Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Dev informs.

He says that the EC started organising awareness programmes through 'nukkad nataks' across the city. This time, the special focus is on voters in the national capital with origins in South and North East states.

The move is aimed at increasing the voting percentage in the capital and also to ensure that the people from other regions living in the capital do not feel left out, he adds.

To that end, they have roped in Tollywood singers to send the message across in Delhi's localities inhabited by people from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

"The nukkad natak will be performed in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, and in Bengali and Northeastern states' languages. Some NGOs and various active theater groups are lending a helping hand in the awareness campaigns,” Dev notes.

People want BJP at centre but why

Undoubtedly it seems that wave of Bhartiya Janta Party has spread across the national capital in this upcoming Lok Sabha polls. People at chaupals, tea shops, cigarette shops, bus stands and at various liquor shops, where they drink is illegally, are chatting, arguing and gossiping about the party prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

There is talk on the streets and this can’t be disputed. In last 20 days, I spoke to around 1000 people irrespective of cast and class and interestingly most of them were talking of BJP or Aam Aadmi Party. There are many who have not yet decided for whom they would cast their vote -- AAP and BJP. 

But one things is clear. People in large number are going to cast their votes this election.

Why? Thanks to two small uprisings in the country in last three years.

One have appreciate that the people of all age group have started talking about election and they are keen to cast their votes. And for that, one has to give credit to AAP founder Arvind Kejriwal and his anti-corruption movement across the country and secondly the uprising after Nribhaya brutal gang rape and murder in Delhi that shook the entire nation. 

Kejriwal’s anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare left the countrymen to ponder. From Anna’s arrest to his thirteen-day fast in August 2011, it was like people from across the country were talking about corruption. To be honest, people were fed up of rising prices of essential commodities and secondly the arrogance of the ruling people and their whims and fancies. Witnessed to see the entire movement, I was surprised to watch the anger people vented out against the government.  

The government has to come to Anna’s feet to pass the Lokpal Bill. Protest across the country were witnessed and people thronged to various places to register anger against the government and its policy they felt were only meant for handful of selected VIPs. The movement gave strength to common people’s voice and people came out in lakhs.  One has to wonder, more than two lakhs people thronged to India Gate for candle march to show their angst against the lawmakers.

And finally after six months when the government fails to pass the citizen's ombudsman bill, protest continued. When the government showed it arrogance, people behind anti-corruption movement decided to take part in politics and clean the system.

Second reason was the deteriorating law and order condition and bureaucrats and police’s blind eye towards the people’s problems. 

I can’t forget those winter’s chilling days and night when Nirbhaya incident happened. The first day, I felt sorry as I thought I missed the story. But I realized, none of the news persons reported the matter.

Second day, I was in and outside Vasant Vihar police station and various other police stations in south Delhi. I was continuously calling up my all the sources to know about the investigation. The cops cracked the case in the afternoon. 

Being in Delhi, I was away from home for almost 13 days, staying on street and eating whenever and whatever and managing to steal an hour or two to return home to freshen up. Continuously covering every glimpse of the issue and uprising at Raisina Hill of Lutyens' Delhi in New Delhi, -- housing India's most important government buildings, including Rashtrapati Bhavan – that took place two years ago.

The police using baton to disperse the demonstrators after they pelted stones and within half an hour managing to get hold of Raisina Hill, it was momentous and thrilling for everyone. There were known faces from both sides – police and protestors.

Second day, the similar uprising at India Gate and thereafter police blocking all the roads leading India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan. One can imagine the anger among the people.

These incidents awaken the society and people at least in Delhi and metro cities. Incidents of rape did not stop, however, police and bureaucrats way to dealing with such cases changed in Delhi.

Laws were amended and circular and standing orders were issued, women were heard everywhere. 

These two movements gave birth to a new party AAP. People started expecting unexpected from them. AAP went for assembly polls in Delhi and people in power mocked and taunted at them. They kept quiet and were silently working. 

December 8, 2014, the results were announced and AAP grabbed 28 seats in 70 assembly seats and BJP got 32. Kejriwal formed government. On insistence of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Congress leaders gave support to Kejriwal to form a government. He became chief minister after taking oath at Ram Lila Ground.

All the political parties got scared as Kejriwal started taking bold steps and strengthening various governance mechanisms in Delhi. Started fulfilling what he made promises to people. Reduced electricity and water prices. But when his two ministers -- Somnath Bharti and Rakhi Birla -- conducted mid-night raids, it became an embarrassment situation for the party. The midnight raid turned into a major blow for AAP.

Kejriwal went against Delhi Police and sat on two-day dharna to get five cops suspended and it went against it. Criticism started. Media too started giving it views against him and his party. Inexperienced, he and his party wanted to pass Lokpal Bill in Delhi but Congress and BJP did not supported.

He and his government resigned.

People felt cheated and other political parties started taking his resignation as opportunity and began mass level campaigning against him and his party members. 

In the meantime, Election Commission of India announced Lok Sabha election dates. AAP decided to go for Lok Sabha polls across the country.

Two big parties -- Congress and BJP -- were shocked to hear. AAP which fought election for the first time in Delhi started making preparations for world largest democratic fight. 

While BJP projected Narendra Modi, allegedly accused of Gujarat riots, as prime ministerial candidate and started nationwide campaign, Congress started fighting anti-incumbency wave against under Rahul Gandhi leadership.

Interestingly both the parties started slamming AAP and terming Kejriwal as runaway politician. 

Udit Raj, BJP’s North West Delhi Parliamentary Constituency candidate said that AAP has cheated the people of Delhi.

People of Delhi were fed up with the 15-year misrule of the Congress party and had inadvertently chosen AAP as an alternative. Even though BJP won 32 seats in the recent assembly elections, yet it did not form government. 

Arvind Kejriwal swore by his children that he would not take the support of any party but finally he formed the government with the support of the Congress Party. He lost his balance of mind due to his over-ambitious and selfish nature as a result of which he quit the post of Chief Minister in the fond hope of becoming Prime Minister. 

Even though Lieutenant Governor's post is non-political yet the selection is made on political considerations.  When the Lieutenant Governor has been selected by the Congress Party, it is obvious that the administration will be run on the guidelines of the party.

The 49-day AAP Government could fulfill its promises in just 49 minutes. Abolition of contract labour in the Safai work and regularization of Safai workers, temporary drivers, conductors, nurses and doctors could all be done by an administrative order.

Kejriwal is expert in mental corruption and telling lies and now his other leaders are also deeply involved in economic corruption like the AAP candidate from the North-West Delhi Parliamentary Constituency , Rakhi Birla.

BJP shall win all the seven Delhi Parliamentary seats, get a majority of 272 seats in the Parliament and Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister.

Shout Udit Raj, Harsh Vardhan and other BJP leaders.

The congress is also not behind.

Kejriwal as a big liar as he had betrayed the people of Delhi and the Muslims, and that was the reason people have started leaving the Aam Aadmi Party.

J P Aggarwal said Kejriwal, by dividing the Muslim votes, was trying to fulfil the RSS and BJP agenda, not only in Delhi, but also in the whole country, and because of that it was necessary that Muslims, showing unity, should vote for a democratic party like the Congress.

He appealed to the Muslims of Delhi that they should not come under the trap of RSS agent Kejriwal.

Arvinder Singh and Mukesh Sharma said the reverse count of the AAP had begun in Delhi, and hoped that in the coming days, a large number of AAP workers would join the Congress Party.

He said the congress will not only put up an improved performance in the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, but will also produce exciting results. He said the poor and the middle class was now looking upto the Congress Party.

Subhash Chopra said the BJP was insulting the Muslims through its sweeping statements and it was also trying to disturb the communal amity. He said the BJP should apologize for such condemnable acts, and added that Vijay Kumar Malhotra’s statement would come under a criminal offence, and if he did not apologize, a case should be registered against him.

He condemned the BJP and said the party was rattled by an impending defeat, said congress leaders.

Now, in reality whom people want -- Immature AAP or experienced BJP? Congress is no where in scene for now.

When I asked around 1000 people, whom they are going to vote, they replied BJP or AAP and they bombarded me with volley of questions.

“I will vote for BJP,” said Rajesh, a paanwala.

When asked why? 

He replied. Why not? What Congress has done in last ten years?  Leave aside prices of electricity and water, the price of essential commodities have doubled. Public transport fares have increased, vegetable costs have increased, rent of the house has increased manifold, petrol prices have increased and what not.’

Rajesh will vote BJP because he suffering from inflation. On similar lines, many people opined that Modi will a stable government and he has proved being Gujarat chief minister. He has his own aura. 

When asked my maid Sunita she replied, ‘AAP’.

Why not BJP or Congress?

“They have been involved in various corrupt practices and scams. They have looted the tax payers’ money and filled their own pocket,” she said with excitement.  “They have become arrogant and they are feel they are only our saviours,” said

She wants to give another chance to AAP.  Like Sunita, many want to give another chance to AAP.

Like city’s assembly election last year mood was visible about a new entrant Aam Aadmi Party. But this time, there is buzz for the BJP hoping that Modi will give a stable and strong government. But AAP is also not lagging behind and hopefully, they would also manage to get good numbers. 

Patna blasts mastermind arrested

Another suspected top Indian Mujahideen operative involved in several blasts across India, including Hyderabad and Mumbai blasts, was arrested on Tuesday from West Bengal’s Naxalbari near Darjeeling. 

He is considered as the mastermind of serial bomb blasts at BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s rally in Patna in last October and Bodh Gaya blasts.

Identified as 23-year-old Tehseen Akhtar alias Monu, who is resident of Bihar’s Samastipur, was heading terror operations in India and was directly in touch with Bhatkal brothers -- Riyaz and Iqbal -- through encrypted online chat rooms on Yahoo and Nimbuzz.

Special Commissioner of Delhi Police S N Srivastava said Tehseen in coordination with Pakistani terrorist Zia-Ur-Rehman alias Waqas, who was nabbed on Sunday from Rajasthan’s Ajmer, was planning carry out terror strikes at various political rallies in upcoming Lok Sabha elections, however, they were not targeting, particularly for Modi.

Delhi Police’s Special Cell claimed that they managed to nab Tehseen after his location was disclosed by one associate Waqas, who was arrested along with three others -- Mohammad Mahruf, 21, Mohammad Waqar Azhar alias Haneef , 21, from Jaipur and Shaquib Ansari alias Khalid, 25, from Jodhpur -- on Sunday.

Contrary to this, the intelligence agencies officials stated that Tehseen was traced and detained a few days ago and was officially arrested on Monday after they manage to get other holed up suspected terrorists whereabouts, including Waqas.

Tehseen is a close aide and a protégé of arrested terrorist Ahmad Siddhibappa Zarar alais Yasin Bhatkal, is wanted for a series of terrorist strikes. He was presently handling all the India based modules of this outfit apart from being the key link between IM and Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
“Of late, he had become the prime motivator and ideologue tasked with developing new modules for the outfit,” said Srivastava.

During interrogation, police found that Tehseen was known to Gayur Ahmad Jamali, who was arrested in 2011. Jamali introduced Tehseen to Kafeel Akhtar and Yasin Bhatkal and thereafter there was no turning back for Tehseen and he became an important member of terror outfit.

Tehseen was asked by Haddi to raise Ranchi's IM module after central agencies crackdown on IM hideout in Darbhanga. Tehseen had recruited Abdullah alias Haider to carry out terror strikes at Bodh Gaya and Patna with the help of Sithiyo based local module Imtiyaz Ansari.

According to Intelligence sources Tehseen and Haider extensively travelled to Ranchi to set up IM base and said to have recruited over 10 foot soldiers. 

However, his first assignment was to act as the carrier for Pakistani-based terrorist Mohammad Adil alias Ajmal and to ensure that he safely crosses over to Nepal and then to India.

His second assignment was to receive Waqas and Haddi in Kathmandu. Soon after that, all the three along Yasin and Ajmal carried Jama Masjid attacks in 2010.

He is involved in the Varanasi's Sheetla Ghat during the evening 'aarti', a cooker bomb blast outside Jama Masjid in Delhi, serial blasts in Mumbai (2011), blasts in Pune (2012) and the twin bombings in Hyderabad in 2013.

After arrest of Yasin and Haddi in August 2013, he left Jodhpur hideout and thereafter went to Kerala’s Munnar where Waqas was hiding. After staying there for few days, he went to Bihar and executed Patna Blasts with help of led by Abdullah, a SIMI member, and Imtiyaz Ansari.

Thereafter, he went to Nepal and was hiding over there before being picked up by intelligence agencies and later was handed over to Delhi Police.
ENDS

Modi, Ramdev slam Congress over misgovernance

Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi shared a stage with yoga guru Baba Ramdev in New Delhi’s Ram Lila ground and slammed Congress-led UPA government over black money and increasing prices of essentials commodities.

In a jam-packed ground, Modi arrived around 6 pm, being late for few hours,   and hailed Ramdev first and thereafter lambasted at the Congress in a bid to seek support of the yoga guru’s followers.

Addressing at Yoga Mahotsav organised by Ram Dev, Narendra Modi said, “Ramdev was doing great work through making Yoga andolan popular in the country but the people (Congress) was creating problems for him.”

Calling Modi to sharing stage, Ramdev was showing his strength at the ground where he during Congress rule was forcefully evicted in midnight crackdown on him and his followers at Ramlila Maidan by the Delhi Police on June 4, 2011 night during his anti-corruption agitation.

In the meantime, Modi’s remarks were directed to dissolve the tension between the saffron outfit and the yoga guru’s camp, who was upset with the BJP leadership for denial of tickets to some of his associates.

Modi said that the crucial issues raised by Ramdev including corruption and misgovernance have given sleepless nights to many politicians. Lauding Ramdev, Modi said that the yoga guru has been unperturbed by deciding to go against the establishment.

Dismissing that Ramdev was affiliated to any political party, Modi effusively batted for him saying that the yoga guru has been saddened by the state in which the nation is today.

“Baba Ramdev has played a pivotal role in connecting the nations through yoga and had the government realized yoga’s potential it could have become a cultural ambassador for the country. He has mobilised the masses through yoga and transformed it into a mass movement,” said Modi.

Addressing a thick gathering of people, most of which were the members of Bharat Swabhiman Trust, the prime ministerial aspirant also praised him for organising the event in 600 districts simultaneously with the use of technology.

“He has a fire within himself as to why bad things are happening in the country, why there is black money, why this corruption, why this bad governance? There is a pain behind all this as well. His issues are such which are liked by people like me. But there are many people whose sleep vanishes when he rakes up certain issues. So they get behind him,” he remarked.

Modi lambasted the Congress government over black money and increasing prices of essential commodities in India. “He wants to stop black money, unemployment and corruption. These are his issues. They are mine as well,” Modi said.

In the meantime Ramdev speaking on the coming Lok Sabha elections said that the country is feeling a wave and the people need to vote in the right direction.

Interestingly, while Modi was late for few hours, Ramdev was doing various asanas and was asking people them to follow him in a bid to deviate the mind of the people who were almost moving out of the ground. He kept on performing various asanas for at least 40 minutes to make the people stay in the ground till Modi's arrival.

ENDS

IM terrorist Waqas, three others held

Four suspected Indian Mujahideen members were arrested from Rajasthan, including a Pakistani national who, police claims, one of the most-wanted terrorists and is expert in bomb making. The police also said that he could be plotting terror attacks across the country during Lok Sabha polls.

The police denied the suspected terrorists plans to target BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate said that they were about to target important events across India.

The Pakistan-based suspected terrorist, identified as Zia-Ur-Rahman alias Waqas, was arrested on Saturday from Rajasthan’s Ajmer and with his arrest it is the second major blow for the Indian Mujahideen after the capture of founder leader Yasin Bhatkal in Nepal last year. Waqas has direct link with Pakistan intelligence agency ISI.

The other three accused -- Mohammad Mahruf, 21, Mohammad Waqar Azhar alias Haneef , 21, from Jaipur and Shaquib Ansari alias Khalid, 25, from Jodhpur – were simultaneously arrested.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde termed the arrest of the four suspected terrorists as a ‘big success’. “His arrest will help us in providing more links. We are in process of nabbing two to three more terrorists,” he said.

Waqas was arrested from Ajmer railway station soon after he reached there by a train from Mumbai. “Mahruf and Haneef landed in police net from Jaipur while Khalid was nabbed from Jodhpur," said Special Commissioner of Delhi Police (Special Cell) S N Srivastava.

Mahruf and Azhar are pursuing engineering from Jaipur and Shaquib Ansari was running a computer DTP and design printing business in Jodhpur. “All the three were in touch with Waqas,” said the officer.

The investigators had been working on the Rajasthan module of the terror outfit following the disclosure of Bhatkal and Haddi during their interrogations.

Waqas, who after arrest was brought to Delhi, was produced before the Special Court and 10 days police custody was obtained.

“Waqas revealed that he was to coordinate with the three alleged terrorists of the Rajasthan module for carrying out a series of terror strike. At his instance, the three alleged terrorists were nabbed,” said Srivastva.

Waqas, who was born in 1989 at Mustafabad in Pakistan’s Punjab, was pursuing Diploma in Food Technology from Faislabad in 2006. During his period he got inspired of Jehad while listening audio taped lectures of Maulana Masood Azhar.

In 2009, he was employed by Jamat-Ud-Dawa, the frontal organization of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, in with the help of a local named as Taj Mohammed and was assigned to collect donation.

Waqas joined LeT and underwent training at the Naushera camp of the terror outfit.  Later, Abdur Rehman of Jaish-e-Mohammed arranged his training at a camp in Waziristan in Federally Administered Tribal Area where he learnt bomb making. 

After training, Waqas met Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal in Karachi with help of ISI agents. He was asked to leave for India through Nepal and join other IM members.

Waqas reached Kathmandu in September, 2010 and met Tehseen Akhtar alias Monu, who is still the absconding, and Haddi. From Nepal, Waqas came to Bihar where he met Yasin Bhatkal and other members of terror outfit.  He along with others carried out Jama Masjid terror strikes on September 19, 2010, thereafter blasts at Sheetla Ghat in Varanasi on December 7, 2010.

After the Varanasi bombings, Yasin asked Waqas to leave for Mumbai where he stayed at Habib Apartment in Byculla. In June 2011, Waqas, Yasin, Haddi and Monu  carrid out blasts at Opera House and Zaveri Bazar.

The next terrorist strike carried out by Waqas was the Pune serial blasts of August 1 2012. He along with Haddi and the Maharashtra IM module embers -- Asad, Imran, Irfan, Feroze and Sayed Maqbool, all arrested by Delhi Police-- carried out blast.

After carrying out the Pune blasts, which did not yield the desired results, Waqas and Haddi left for Mangalore and settled in a safe house.

In Mangalore, Waqas on instructions from Riyaz shifted to Hyderabad. Early February 2013, Waqas and Haddi and Monu carried serial blasts. After that Waqas returned to Mangalore and stayed there till the time Yasin Bhatkal and Haddi was arrested.

Waqas left the Mangalore and moved to Munnar in Kerala. He kept roaming in Orissa, West Bengal, Maharashtra while keeping in touch with Riyaz and Monu. On Monu’s directions, he came to Ajmer where he was nabbed.

ENDS

BJP candidates for parliamentary seats in Delhi

North East Delhi: Manoj Tiwari joined the BJP before Delhi Assembly polls last year. The 51-year-old has acted in 98 Bhojpuri films and hails from Bihar. In 2009, Tiwari contested elections as a candidate for the Samajwadi Party in the Gorakhpur constituency but lost. Thereafter, he had been seen with BJP leaders and had expressed admiration for Shatrughan Sinha, the BJP MP for Patna.

Chandni Chowk: Dr Harsh Vardhan has been a five-time MLA from Krishna Nagar in East Delhi and he will be venturing into parliamentary polls for the first time. He was also a leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly. He was heath minister during BJP government in Delhi. 

East Delhi: Art of Living practitioner Mahesh Giri joined BJP a year ago. Giri has been the International Director of Art of Living and very close aide of founder of the foundation and spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

North West Delhi: Dalit leader Udit Raj is a former Indian Revenue Service officer. Raj whohails from Uttar Pradesh’s Ramnagar has worked for the uplift of the Dalit community. He has joined Bharatiya Janata Party on February 23, 2014 in after disbanding his own political party Indian Justice Party. He converted to Buddhism on November 4, 2001 and changed his name from Ram Raj to Udit Raj.

West Delhi: Mehrauli MLA Parvesh Verma is the son of the former Delhi Chief Minister late Sahib Singh Verma. In last Lok Sabha election, he was denied ticket and he remained General Secretary of Delhi BJP till last Assembly election.

South Delhi: Ramesh Bidhuri will contest from South Delhi parliamentary constituency. A sitting MLA from Tughlaqabad, Bidhuri had lost the last Lok Sabha elections by 90,000 votes to Congress’ Ramesh Kumar in south Delhi. Bidhuri, who has stone crushing and transport business, joined BJP in 1993

New Delhi: Meenakshi Lekhi is party’s senior spokesperson. Lekhi is a noted Supreme Court lawyer and socio-political activist and has worked on several important cases being an active member of the BJP. It will Lekhi's first time in parliamentary elections. Lekhi is often known for her strong feminist views. She is the daughter-in-law of eminent lawyer Prem Nath Lekhi.