The Mumbai arm of the Aam Aadmi Party suffered a major blow on Tuesday after two of the party’s most prominent faces tendered resignations from their party positions. State Convener Anjali Damania, who contested the Lok Sabha election unsuccessfully against Nitin Gadkari in Nagpur, and State Secretary Preeti Sharma Menon resigned citing personal reasons.
Both had put in their papers in June and had spoken candidly of their unhappiness with developments in the party in the aftermath of the Lok Sabha elections. But soon after withdrew it.
Though AAP is not contesting the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the resignations of Damania and Menon from their leadership positions in the state executive committee indicate a churn within the party that is at present supposed to be focusing on party-building. The official reason cited for the resignations is that the duo “could not cope with the multi-tasking” that was expected of them.
Real News of India is committed to cover social issues such as health to make people and the Government of the situation, to find a solution to the problem and improve the quality of service in various Government Sectors.
In this context Real News of India received messages from the general public regarding the mismanagement, ill treatment to patients and the poor services of Bhabha Hospital. Accordingly Real News of india did a on the spot cover of Bhabha Hospital. The hospital is supposed to provide free medicines to the patients. Out of the number of medicines prescribed by the doctor only a few cheap medicines are provided by the hospital. The patients are asked to buy medicines from outside which are beyond reach from the low income groups. In the video taken by Real News of India an elderly person who has injured his hand says that he had brought Rs200 from home, out of which Rs 150 was spent on medicines. After that he was asked to do some tests from outside for which he look worried as to from where he would bring the money.
The maternity ward has very few doctors, women in labour pain are not taken care and to add the misery the ward boys misbehave with the patients in a rather barbaric manner. The proof of the misbehavior by the hospital staff is recorded by Real News of India.
When Real News of India inquired of the situation to the hospital management they justify by saying the management is trying to supply all the medicines which would take time. The management has been saying this to patients for the past two months. In response to the acute shortage of doctors the management says it is working on it. This acute shortage of medicinal staff has been there for more than six months.
BMC hospitals which is established with the sole purpose of serving the low income groups is now dithering from its objective. There is nexus of commission among the hospital staff and medical shops for a large amount of medicines that is bought from outside the hospital. The economically backward have a right to proper health care and to misbehave with patients is a heinous crime.
Therefore these irregularities and ill-treatment to patients should be immediately stopped. The hospital should refer to the guidelines of objective of such BMC hospitals and rectify its mistakes for the smooth operation and management of the hospital.
New Delhi: A set of new guidelines of the Election Commission came into effect today, making it virtually mandatory for political parties to deposit their funds in banks and not to exceed ceiling limits in financial assistance for candidates.
Under the guidelines, the treasurer of a political party is now required to ensure maintenance of accounts at all state and lower levels and consolidated accounts at the central party headquarters.
The accounts maintained by the treasurer shall conform to the guidance note on accounting and auditing of political parties issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants. The annual accounts shall be audited and certified by certified chartered accountants as required under the Income Tax Act.
Under the guidelines, a party should ensure that no payment in excess of Rs 20,000 is made to any person or company in cash, except in a village or in town not served by a bank.
Also it will not apply to payments made to any employee or party functionary towards salary, pension or reimbursement of expenses or where cash payment is required under any statute.
The Election Commission order, which came into force today, was issued on August 29 under Article 324 of the Constitution (superintendence, direction and control of elections) as part of a set of comprehensive guidelines on transparency and accountability in party funds and election expenditure.
New Delhi: Congress today targeted BJP chief Amit Shah over his sharing of the dais with mafia don-turned- politician DP Yadav during an election rally, saying birds of a feather flock together.
The party also expressed displeasure over the “mujrewala” remark which was reportedly made by Shah against Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda during campaigning for the upcoming Assembly polls in the state.
“We cannot advise the president of BJP as to what company he should keep… (But) there is an old saying, birds of a feather flock together,” party spokesperson Anand Sharma told reporters here in reaction to the matter of Yadav joining Shah during campaigning in Haryana.
Almost a decade after he was thrown out by BJP over his controversial background, Yadav was seen sharing the dais with Shah on Monday.
Yadav had accompanied Shah to three places in Haryana to canvass for votes for BJP candidates ahead of the Oct. 15 Assembly elections.
On the issue of Shah’s remarks directed at the Haryana Chief Minister, Sharma reacted sharply, saying, “I cannot respond to Shah by descending to his level and language. It is not possible for me to communicate in his language.”
Shah’s ‘mujrewala’ barb reportedly came at a rally in Hisar where he said that the Haryana chief minister has been dancing to the tune of the Congress high command in Delhi in order to save his chair.
As many as 7,666 candidates have filed their nominations for the October 15 Maharashtra Assembly polls, which is set to witness a five-cornered contest in all the 288 constituencies.
The nomination process ended yesterday with 7,666 candidates filing their papers, state electoral office said today.
The highest 91 nominations have been filed from Nanded-South constituency while the lowest nine each have been filed at Guhagar (in Ratnagiri), Mahim (Mumbai) and Kudal (Sindhudurg) seats.
Congress campaign committee chief Narayan Rane is contesting from Kudal.
On the last day of filing of nominations yesterday, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Home Minister R R Patil filed their papers.
Chavan, who resigned as Chief Minister after NCP pulled out of the government, filed nomination from Karad South amidst rousing welcome from supporters.
This will be Chavan’s first electoral battle after he lost the 1999 Lok Sabha elections from Karad, which he represented thrice.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who had declared at a rally a few months ago that he would enter the electoral battle by contesting the polls, will not contest.
The Congress has fielded candidates for all the 288 seats, while the NCP’s 286 candidates will be in the fray.
BJP has fielded candidates in 257 seats, state party spokesperson Keshav Upadhye had said yesterday.
“The remaining 31 seats have been given to our allies,” he had said.
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, whose name was being pitched by his party as the Chief Ministerial candidate, is also not contesting.
The Sena declared a list of 286 candidates. The two constituencies where the party has not fielded candidates are Parli, where Gopinath Munde’s daughter Pankaja is BJP nominee, and Byculla, where Arun Gawli’s daughter Geeta is nominee.
The scrutiny will take place on September 29 and last date of withdrawing the nominations is September 30.
Mumbai: Apparently targeting its former ally BJP, Shiv Sena on Saturday said it was its leader Bal Thackeray who stood up for Hindutva while others used it as a “shield for political gains” and warned that “those who came to conquer Maharashtra were buried in the state’s soil”.
It sought to give credit to late Bal Thackeray’s efforts for BJP coming to power at the Centre.
The battle (for 15 October Assembly polls) is one for self-respect,” an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said.
“Be it Aurangzeb or Afzal Khan, those who came with vested interests were either buried here or became extinct,” the Sena organ said.
“After Shivaji Maharaj, it was Bal Thackeray who created history. Shivaji set up the Hindavi Swarajya but it was the late Sena chief who had the determination to unfurl the Hindutva flag in the country,” it said. It expressed surprise over politicians who indulge in “moonh mein Ram bagal mein chhoori” approach.
“The late Thackeray faced several attacks for ensuring propagation of Hindutva in Maharashtra and the country. Like in the case of Aurangzeb, (Thackeray) vanquished the new Aurangzebs. Its fruits are today seen in Delhi and Maharashtra,” the editorial said.
In a veiled attack on BJP leadership, the Sena mouthpiece said, “Aurangzeb camped in Maharashtra to overthrow the Maratha regime but could not succeed.
“Aurangzeb, who came to conquer, had to bite the dust here. Maharashtra always protected national interest. It did not use the shield of Hindutva for political gains.”
The 25-year-old Sena-BJP alliance fell apart this week over the issue of seat sharing in the assembly polls.
PTI
Mumbai, Sept. 28 (ANI): The central government on Sunday imposed President’s rule in Maharashtra following the resignation of Prithviraj Chavan as state Chief Minister due to the breakup of the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance.
BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said that it was a natural outcome after the NCP withdrew support from the Congress and it became a minority Government.
“It’s a natural outcome after the NCP withdrew support from the Congress in Maharashtra, the state government became a minority government, and after that state Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan resigned, and having said that there is a constitutional provision in the state and where there is minority government, president’s rule is imposed,” said Rudy.
“The centre has taken a conscious call and recommended President’s rule in Maharashtra, it’s a constitutional process and now the state administration would be run by the Governor of Maharashtra with the advisers appointed by the central Government,” he added.
Rudy however, downplayed reports of the BJP being asked to form government in Maharashtra saying, “It’s absolutely bizarre and ridiculous that the party has been asked to form government in the state, the BJP is going to score majority in Maharashtra and form a stable government.”
BJP state unit spokesperson Madhav Bhandari added, “This decision has been taken as per the constitutional provision. Due to this, the Maharashtra administration will work freely without any pressure from the Congress or the NCP and doors are now open in the state for fair elections.”
Another BJP leader Shaina NC said that it was a clear indication to the people of Maharashtra that they must vote for a stable government in the state.
“This is a constitutional provision, it is a clear indication for the public of Maharashtra that you must vote for a stable government in order not to have these kind of scenarios of coalition politics.”
On Thursday, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) broke its alliance with the Congress ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra, blaming their erstwhile allies of not being on the same page as far as the allocation of seats in the state was concerned.
The NCP’s announcement came minutes after the BJP ended its 25-year alliance with the Shiv Sena.
Earlier on Friday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan submitted his resignation to Governor C.V. Rao, after his Congress Party snapped its ties with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Chavan served as Maharashtra Chief Minister for a little less than four years.
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Using an unusual platform of a rock concert, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked on Sunday a “can do” attitude of youth to change India and the world, while addressing a thousands-strong crowd which gathered for “Global Citizen Festival” in Central Park in New York.
After a seven-minute speech in English, Modi also read out a Sanskrit scripture calling for “peace in the world” and greeted the largely American crowd with a “Namaste” amid cheers and claps.
Amid performances by various singers, Modi was introduced to the crowd by actor Hugh Jackman as someone who started as a “tea salesman” and went on to become chief minister of Gujarat and then Prime Minister of India with a huge mandate.
Addressing the crowd, Modi also sent his “Namaste” to those watching the concert on “TVs, laptops, tablets and phones”.
Modi said he was delighted to be among the youth in an open park and not inside a closed conference room. “Because you are the future. What you do today, will decide our tomorrow. I feel a current of hope in this park. Among you, I feel confident about the future,” he said.
Hailing the Global Citizen movement to end poverty and provide education and basic sanitation to all, Modi said, “Some believe that the world changes with the wisdom of the old. I think that the idealism, innovation, energy and ‘can do’ attitude of the youth is even more powerful.”
“That is my hope for India too (for) 800 million youth joining hands to transform our nation,” he added.
Modi said he decided to come to the festival to extend his support and to express his belief that youth of India can join them in this global effort.
Security has been increased at the DMK headquarters and residences of its senior leaders here as a Special Court in Bangalore is set to deliver verdict in the 18-year-old wealth case against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today.
On a request from DMK, security had been increased at “Anna Arivalayam”, the headquarters of DMK, two residences of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M Karunanidhi and the residence of K Anbazhagan, party’s General Secretary, police said.
It was on Anbazhagan’s petition that the case had been transferred to Bangalore by the Supreme Court.
Hollywood star Al Pacino said he was “overwhelmed” after being made a fellow of the British Film Institute (BFI).
The 74-year-old star of The Godfather films received the honour at a ceremony in London from BFI chairman Greg Dyke.
“People I’ve adored have received this award,” said Pacino. “I appreciate this so much. Thank you.”
Industry legends including Orson Welles, Dame Judi Dench, Ken Loach and the late Lord Attenborough have received the fellowship in the past.
It is awarded by the BFI Board of Governors and is presented for outstanding achievement in film and television. Since 1983, a total of 78 fellowships have been awarded.
Actors Richard E Grant, Ian Holm, John Hurt and Steven Berkoff were among those attending the star-studded ceremony on Thursday, alongside directors Terry Gilliam and Terence Davies, playwright David Hare and Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.
Pacino, who won the best actor Oscar in 1993 for his role in Scent of a Woman, is best known for his performances in the Godfather trilogy, Scarface and Dog Day Afternoon.
Presenting him with the fellowship, Mr Dyke called the actor “a true icon”.
“Al Pacino is one of the greatest actors the world has ever seen, and a visionary director of stage and screen,” he said.
“His extraordinary body of work has made him one of the most recognisable and best-loved stars of the big screen, whose films enthral and delight audiences across the globe.”
Pacino stars in forthcoming dramas Manglehorn and The Humbling, which debuted last month at the Venice Film Festival.
Earlier this month he premiered a film version of the Oscar Wilde play Salome – which he directed – in London. It marked his second directorial turn, following 1996’s Looking for Richard.
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