Tag: Maharashtra

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Maximum AADHAR enrollments in Mumbai

Most enrollments have happened in 31 to 45 years age group. Enrollment peaked twice this year, was lowest in December.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Mumbai leads the state of Maharashtra in the numbers of people enrolling for the AADHAAR cards, as per data published by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) figures compiled up to December 15, 2012. Mumbai has seen 62,45,862 enrollments thus far.

Up to December 15, Mumbai has had 62,45,862 enrollments in all. This number accounts for Mumbai Suburban, Mumbai City and Navi Mumbai. However, figures for Mumbai City are low; as per UIDAI figures, there have been only 43,299 enrollments in Mumbai City.

In the Mumbai Suburban zone, Kurla has the maximum numbers of enrollments at 1,26,877, while Borivali has had only 19,626 ernollments.

The most numbers of enrollments come from the 31 to 45 years age group, with second largest numbers coming from the 16 to 30 years age group. More males than females have registered for the UID cards in Mumbai. Enrollments peaked during March and November this year.

Elsewhere, Thane follows Mumbai in the total number of enrollments, with Thane’s figure pegged at 35,50,601.

See the statistics for Mumbai and Maharashtra here.

 (Picture courtesy thehindu.com)

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Kya hua tera waada?

State Government has still not taken action against errant cops who had arrested two Palghar girls for a Facebook post.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The two-day deadline set by Maharashtra State Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for declaring the action his government would take in the matter of two Palghar-based girls arrested for a post on Facebook, has ended. And still, there is no word from Chavan or the State Home Minister RR Patil on what action they are contemplating against the alleged high-handed police action in arresting the girls, one of whom had questioned the shutdown of Mumbai following Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s death, and the other, who had ‘liked’ the comment.

In fact, the ongoing political tussle between the Congress and the NCP in the State has once again come to the fore with both sides using the Palghar arrests episode to deflect blame on the other. This could explain the NCP’s Nawab Malik exonerating RR Patil from blame with the comment, “RR Patil did not order the arrest of the two girls.” Meanwhile, the CM has declined to comment on the matter as yet.

It is now learnt that the Home Department is seeking legal counsel in the matter; RR Patil says that his department is considering making it mandatory for the police to seek legal opinion before making arrests falling under the purview of ‘hurting of sentiments’, and that he would approach the Centre to seek clarity on the IT Act, so that such arrests would be avoided in the future.

 

 

 

 

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RR Patil defends police on Palghar arrests

Congress ministers corner Home Minister RR Patil over the arrests of two Palghar-based girls over Facebook post; RR defends cops.

It was a big day for State Home Minister RR Patil – 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab had been hanged, there was appreciation all around for the secrecy that the entire operation was kept under, and personally, it was part-closure on a chapter that had previously ousted Patil from the same position he occupied in 2008. However, at a Cabinet meet held yesterday, it wasn’t Kasab but the recent arrests of two girls at Palghar that caused a dispute among Congress ministers and Patil.

For those who came in late, the arrests – of Palghar residents Shaheen Dhada and Reenu Shrinivasan – were made after a 21-year-old girl, Shaheen, protested on Facebook against the lockdown of the city after Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray’s death last Saturday. Her friend Reenu had ‘liked’ Shaheen’s post. After a police complaint against the two girls was filed by Palghar shakha pramukh Bhushan Sankhe, the two girls were questioned, then arrested, before being let off on bail.

“Officers followed the law”

At the weekly Cabinet meeting held at the Mantralaya yesterday, three Congress ministers – Dr Nitin Raut, Minister for EGS and Water Conservation, Naseem Khan, Minister for Textiles, Minorities Development and Waqf, and Varsha Gaikwad, Minister for Women and Child Development, demanded to know why the girls had been arrested for “a general opinion on Facebook”, and that strong action be taken against the police officers involved and they be suspended.

Ever since the arrests, Patil has been seen as trying to defend the police action, and trying to shift blame on to the IT Act itself, under which the girls were charged. Yesterday, however, Patil got into a war of words with Khan, again defending the officers for being trained adequately on the provisions of the IT Act. Khan had earlier said that there was no need for the government to wait for the inquiry report on the matter before taking action against the errant cops, since it was clear that the police had acted in a high-handed manner. “There was a heated argument between RR Patil and Naseem Khan over the authenticity of the police action against the girls for their comments on Facebook,” said a note issued by the Chief Minister’s office on yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister will receive the inquiry report from the Konkan IG today. In the Cabinet meet, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan is said to have noted that the incident had brought infamy to the police department.

(Picture courtesy www.hindubusinessline.com)

 

 

 

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Ajmal Kasab hanged

Lone surviving terrorist of the 10 who struck Mumbai in 2008 hanged five days before fourth 26/11 anniversary, in Pune.

Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist who the brave Tukaram Omble helped nab in 2008, was hanged this morning at 7.30 am at Pune’s Yerawada Jail. He had been shifted out of Mumbai’s Arthur Road jail two days ago – he had been at the Mumbai jail since his capture.

The hanging comes just five days before the city and the country observed the fourth anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks that took over 150 lives in three days of sustained terror operations. Kasab was shifted out of his cell in Arthur Road jail two days ago following President Pranab Mukherjee’s rejection of his mercy petition on November 8. However, Rashtrapati Bhavan had announced that the date for execution would be decided by the Maharashtra State government. On November 11, the time and date for the execution was decided by the Additional Sessions Judge; Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan gave the orders to shift Kasab on November 13. The move to Yerawada was done in complete secrecy.

Kasab had earlier appealed against his execution even in the Supreme Court of India. He was recently struck by dengue while in Arthur Road jail.

Update: Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil to address a press conference at 8.30 am.

Update #1: RR Patil starts the press conference with details of the 26/11 attacks.

Update #2: “This is a tribute to all innocent people and police officers who lost their lives during the 26/11 attacks on our nation,” says RR Patil.

Update #3: “Ajmal Kasab was hanged by the neck till dead this morning at Yerawada Jail at 7.30 am,” says RR Patil.

Update #4: Yerawada jail sources say Ajmal Kasab did not have a last wish.

Update #5: Yerawada jail sources said Ajmal Kasab did not have a will.

Update #6: Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said that Kasab’s body would be handed over if Kasab’s family demanded it, else it would be buried here.

Update #7: “We managed to keep the issue under wraps for two weeks, especially the shifting of Kasab from Arthur Road jail to Yerawada Jail two days ago,” said Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

Update #8: “I had appealed to the President Pranab Mukherjee to reject Kasab’s mercy plea. He had written back saying that he would soon take a decision that would make the entire nation happy,” said Eknath Omble, brother of slain cop Tukaram Omble, who helped nab Kasab.

Update #9: “We had to maintain a high level of secrecy because we did not want any untoward incident to take place,” said Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

Update #10: Kasab will be laid to rest in India itself.

 Update #11: Pakistan refuses to accept the letter from Indian Government informing of the death of Kasab. Pakistan has also not yet reacted to the news.

Update #12: Pakistan refuses to claim Kasab’s body. Kasab is buried at Yerawada.

Update #13: “Since there was no response to the fax we sent, we sent a courier to Kasab’s family,” said Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

(Picture courtesy www.dayandnightnews.com)

 

 

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Bombay wanted to fight China in 1962

…as did all of Maharashtra. Secret report made by then Governor to President S Radhakrishnan reveals anti-China angst and jingoism.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The Governor of Maharashtra has just brought a bit of history to you. Recently, a report filed by the Governor of the State in 1962, Justice HK Chainani, and submitted to the then President Dr S Radhakrishnan immediately after the Chinese aggression on the country’s northern borders, which resulted in the Indo-China war of 1962, was made available to the public archives of the Raj Bhavan. The report gives an insight into the unrest and nationalism brewing in Bombay and Maharashtra at the time.

As per the report, which is dated November 1, 1962, the citizens of the city and the State were fully committed to fight the Chinese in whichever way possible – whether through joining the Army, giving up a day’s wages, holding demonstrations, refusing to strike work, donating blood, signing up to knit jackets for jawans or contributing to realise the target of Rs 10 crore for the National Defence Fund.

The report writes glowingly of Maharashtra so willing to go to war against China, that thousands of people waited in queues to enlist at the Apollo Bunder Army Recruitment Centre; when the Centre was opened, the oncoming rush broke a few wooden gates and the police had to be summoned to restrain the crowd.

Apart from a strong anti-Communist feeling in Mumbai and the State, the rush to donate blood for soldiers fighting at the borders was also high, as was the desire to donate wages  and abstain from leaves at work. The report says, “Donations to the National Defence Fund are pouring in. Large number of people, including Government servants, have donated their blood for being used for the jawans fighting on the front. Various Labour Unions have resolved to abstain from strikes during the period of emergency. Some of them have directed their members to contribute one day’s wages to the National Defence Fund. All the parties, except a section of the Communists, are now united in a common determination to defend the country and its freedom.”

Further, the report adds, “At a meeting of representatives of all political parties excluding Communists, and prominent industrialists and citizens convened by the Chief Minister on October 27, it was decided to form Citizens’ Committees at the State and city levels and in every ward in Greater Bombay. These Committees will collect funds, keep up public morale and also see that no anti social elements take advantage of the existing emergency. They will also coordinate the activities of the various other organisations.”

Read the entire report below.

(Featured image courtesy www.indiadefencereview.com)

 

 

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Bal Thackeray laid to rest

Shiv Sena founder and chief, who passed away yesterday, was laid to rest with full State honours on Sunday evening.

Mumbai city came to a standstill on the day Shiv Sena chief, and the city’s original Tiger, Bal Thackeray, was laid to rest at Dadar’s Shivaji Park. He was 86, and had been ailing for a long while from a pancreatic disorder. Over 20 lakh people thronged the streets of Mumbai, accompanying the funeral procession from Thackeray’s residence Matoshree at Bandra, to Shiv Sena Bhavan and finally to Shivaji Park.

Shivaji Park witnessed a historic turnout that comprised mourners from the city and Maharashtra, State and national politicians, members of the Hindi film industry and of course, Thackeray’s own family. Uddhav, Thackeray’s youngest son and political heir, lit the funeral pyre at about 6.30 pm. Thackeray Sr was given a funeral with full State honours.

(Pictures courtesy ibnlive.com, hindu.com, indianexpress.com, manipalworld.com, intoday.in)

 

 

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