24
INDIA
www.abplgroup.com - Asian Voice 22nd November 2014
Rajinikanth hesitant to join politics
Chennai: Tamil superstar Rajinikanth who has been invited by various political parties to join them, said that he was not scared of politics, but hesitant to take the plunge. "Everybody wants me to join politics. I'm aware of its depth and danger. I'm not afraid, but just a little hesitant," he said at the audio release promotional event for his action film 'Lingaa'. "It's not in my hands. If god is willing, I will serve people," he said, reiterating his oft-quoted remark. "I think doing films with a social message is also some kind of service to society. Making films and entering
Rajinikanth
politics is easy, but emerging victorious is tough in both," he added. BJP has been wooing the cine icon openly in recent times. Prime Minister Narendra Modi while he was campaigning for BJP in Tamil Nadu had called on the star at his residence. Union min-
Jaya disqualified for 10 years from contesting elections
ister Pon Radhakrishnan and state BJP president Tamilisai Soundarrajan have expressed hope that Rajini would join the party. TNCC chief E V K S Elangovan has said the actor should not join any party as he belongs to the entire state. At the audio release event, filmmakers Ameer, Cheran, K S Ravikumar and a few others urged Rajinikanth to join politics as his fans want him to become chief minister. "Rajini sir should enter politics. His fans want him to become chief minister. We all believe he will join politics soon," Ameer said.
Ravi Kumar said that he wants to see Rajinikanth join politics, but the decision lies with the latter who shouldn't be forced. A few personalities even compared Rajini with Mahatma Gandhi and Former TN CM K Kamaraj and urged his venture into politics. Though he has been hinting about his political interest from 1995, Rajnikanth never got into direct politics. Critics point out that he gives these kind of indications whenever his movies are releasing. "He will create a hype during his movie release. But chances of his political entry are very remote," they said.
Lakshmi Mittal's niece gets Rs 100 mn in alimony
Section 8 of the Chennai: AIADMK Representation of chief and former the People Act, chief minister 1951." Jayalalithaa has The notification been disqualified also said that from contesting Srirangam assemelections for 10 bly constituency, years, the Tamil represented by Nadu government has said in a gazette J Jayalalithaa Jayalalithaa "shall be deemed to have become notification. vacant from the date of her "Consequent upon the conviction," September 27. conviction of Selvi J Although media was Jayalalithaa, member of the given to understand on legislative assembly, she November 9 that a notificastands disqualified for being tion declaring Srirangam a member of the Tamil Nadu seat as vacant was issued, Legislative Assembly from actually it was issued offithe date of conviction, i.e., cially many days later by the the 27th day of September, the state government. 2014 for the period of her Jayalalithaa was convicted sentence (four years)," the and sentenced to four years gazette notification dated in jail besides a fine of Rs 1 November 8 read. It was billion in a 18-year-old disissued by Speaker of the proportionate assets case by Tamil Nadu Assembly P a special court in Bangalore. Dhanapal. She was released from jail in It also said that she Bangalore on October 17 as "shall continue to be disper the Supreme Court qualified for a further period order granting her bail in of six years since her release the case. in terms of the existing
Bengaluru: A family court here has awarded the niece of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal Rs 100 million as alimony. Swasti Mittal (27) divorced 32-year-old Nepali businessman Nirvana Chaudhary by mutual consent. She also got 57 jewellery items worth Rs 100 million given by her parents at the time of her wedding. In mutual consent cases, the parties decide the alimony amount and approach the court with a Memorandum of Lakshmi
Chandigarh: The simmering feud between alliance partners Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP in Punjab was escalated for the first time to the PMO level with deputy chief minister and Akali leader Sukhbir Badal shooting off a letter to Narendra Modi, questioning the "confusion generated among Sikhs" over BJP's goodwill gesture to give compensation to 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims. The BJP on October 30 with an intention to hijack SAD's core Sikh issue that helped Akalis strike an emotional chord with the voters almost every election - had announced Rs 500,000 relief to families of 1984 riot victims. This move was designed to give a shot in the arm for the Punjab BJP, which had become more assertive after its historic victory in Haryana assembly polls. However, Sukhbir has now picked holes in the announcement, pointing out that the compensation is still at a proposal stage only. "There is a sense of palpable disappointment
Ashram in Chandigarh: The H a r y a n a ' s Punjab and Barwala town Haryana high said that Rampal court on Monday was medically not directed Haryana fit to appear police to bring before the high before it by Friday court. "His medcontroversial sect ical condition leader Rampal, Rampal does not permit after he again him to go out. Doctors have failed to appear before the advised him bed-rest till court. Defying non-bailable Nov 19. We will submit his arrest warrants issued medical certificate in the against him, Rampal again court," the ashram failed to appear before the spokesman said. court on Monday. Tension prevailed outThe court also rapped side the ashram complex the Haryana government since Sunday as hundreds of and the state police for failsecurity personnel suring to arrest Rampal and rounded the complex and present him before the thousands of followers of court. Citing medical reathe sect leader also provided sons through his counsel, a shield to the ashram by Rampal did not appear camping outside. before the high court again. Clashes broke out at the Hearing in the matter conashram: Meanwhile, reports cerning contempt proceedsaid that more than 100 ings against the self-styled people were injured when godman continued on clashes broke out at the Monday morning. ashram premises. The court questioned Supporters of the controverthe state government move sial godman opened fire on to withdraw security forces the police. The police also and police from near the fired tear gas shells resulting sect's ashram. A spokesman in injuries to several people. of the sect leader's Satlok
Sukhbir targets Modi on relief to anti-Sikh riot victims
Sukhbir Badal and even resentment among the Sikh community as to why the compensation award for the victims of the Congress-orchestrated 1984 anti-Sikh riots was not implemented immediately after its announcement," says Sukhbir's letter. This is for the first time the SAD has taken a dig at Modi government on the sensitive issue. With this, SAD has also taken the alliance "fight", which was restricted to Punjab leaders till now, to Delhi. Sukhbir pointed out that a lot of ground had to be covered to ensure comprehensive justice to the victims. The letter stated the compensation was treated as the first concrete and meaningful step to apply balm on the hurt Sikh psyche.
Understanding. Both parties agree to the amount before the family court judge who grants them the divorce. “It is possible to get such handsome alimony amounts only in mutual consent cases. In contested divorce cases, it is simply not possible to be granted so much money as alimony however rich the
parties might be,” said a family court lawyer. The alimony in this case is being paid in instalments. While Rs 80 million has already been paid in two equal instalments on April 4 and August 1 respectively, the remaining amount will be paid up on or before January 31, 2017 going by the terms laid out in the agreement. Swasti and Nirvana had tied the knot at Leela Hotel in Goa on April 20, 2007 and the couple had proceeded to Mittal Kathmandu post their wedding. Differences cropped up soon and the couple parted ways after four years. In July 2011 Swasti moved back to her parents’ place and has been living with them since. Under mutual consent, it is mandatory for the couple to be living separately for at least one year.
HC raps Haryana govt for not arresting sect leader
South Brief
Vasan to launch new party on Nov 28
Chennai: Former union minister G K Vasan, who split the Congress in Tamil Nadu recently, will formally launch his party and hold its first public rally in the state in Trichy on November 28. Announcing the date, Vasan said it would "draw the attention of the whole country." More than 150,000 people are expected to attend the meeting at Trichy's G Corner grounds. "The name of the party (which is being cleared with the Election Commission), will be declared after four to five days," Vasan said while addressing the women's wing of his new party in Chennai.
Karnataka minister's daughter to wed in mass marriage
Bengaluru: Karnataka social welfare minister H Anjaneya walked the talk by performing his daughter's wedding at a mass marriage on November 19. “We (politicians) regularly attend mass marriages and give speeches about simplicity and the need for avoiding ostentatious weddings. Shouldn't we do what we speak? I'm from a humble background and always prefer simplicity,'' he said. “We agreed to this happily. I'm a simple girl and don't want any hype. My father believes in simplicity and I wanted to make him feel good and proud,'' his daughter A V Anupama said.
26 Lankan prisoners on fast unto death for early release Trichy (Tamil Nadu): A total of 26 Sri Lankan refugees in the Trichy central prison are on a fast unto death. They were demanding early completion of the cases against them. Cases pending against them include illegal entry into the country and alleged association with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). All 26 prisoners have been arrested from various districts in Tamil Nadu. The pending cases and transfers from one prison to another are believed to have irked the prisoners to go on a fast unto death protest.
North Brief
Job generation could prevent drug abuse: Nikki Haley
Amritsar: South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley shared her concerns about rampant drug abuse both in Punjab and South Carolina. Her answer to fighting this menace was to generate jobs and provide a better life for the youth. "The issue of drug abuse is everywhere, and we see more and more drug adducts. When people have jobs, they feel productive and start living a better life," she said. She said they were also doing the same in South Carolina, and observed that the same was happening in India. "The economy is turning in India, jobs are coming, it is exciting to see what India is going to be," she said.
Pakistan tightens security for Sikh pilgrims
Amritsar: Sikh devotees, currently on pilgrimage to Pakistan to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, have been advised to stay in gurdwaras in view of possible threat to them from terror outfits in Pakistan, in the wake of Wagah suicide bomb blast recently. "Pak authorities have made unprecedented security arrangements for the jatha," said president of Nankana Sahib Sikh Yatree Jatha, Swaran Singh Gill. "As soon as the Sikh jatha crossed the border, a security cordon was thrown around. Security vehicles were escorting us wherever we went," he said.
Drunk man beheads two sons
Chandigarh: Haryana police on Sunday arrested a middle-aged man for allegedly beheading his two young sons in a village in the state. Police said Sheel Pal killed his two sons, Sadeek and Salim, aged 21 and 18, respectively, while they were asleep at their home in Kharati Khera village of Fatehabad district, about 225km from here, Saturday night. Police said the accused, who was drunk at the time of the crime, used a sharp-edged weapon to kill them.