Guwahati Municipal Corporation Polls: 52.80 percent voters turnout

However, after nine years, the elections to the 60 seats of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) did not generate much enthusiasm as the voter turnout was recorded at 52.80 per cent.

No untoward incident like booth capturing or similar election related violence took place and the election was conducted peacefully

Making its debut, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded 40 candidates. Political parties, both national and local, are promising a flood free, crime free and development focused city with piped water to all households, apart from availability of all other basic civic amenities.

A total of 197 candidates are in the fray in 57 wards. BJP candidates have been elected unopposed from three seats. The BJP had given seven seats to its ally Asom Gana Parishad.

A total of 7,96,829 voters including 3,99,911 women and 27 belonging to the third gender category are eligible to exercise their franchise. Electronic voting machines were used in voting. Counting of votes will take place on April 24.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who led the BJP’s election campaign and addressed several rallies across the city, while Assam Pradesh Congress President Bhupen Bora led the state’s main opposition party on his campaign trail.

Originally published at Pen 18

mevani: Assam cops arrest Jignesh Mevani from Gujarat; sent to 3-day police custody

Independent Dalit MLA from Vadgam Jignesh Mevani was arrested by the Assam Police late Wednesday night from Banaskantha district following complaints of two tweets ‘against PM Modi’. He was sent to three-day police custody on Thursday. Though the police sought 14-day custody, the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kokrajhar, took Mevani on three-day remand.

An FIR was filed against Mevani in Kokrajhar, Assam by a person named Arup Kumar Dey for two of his tweets, which he posted on April 17, ahead of Modi’s visit to Gujarat. Dey wrote in his complaint that Mevani, in his tweets, mentioned that “Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi worships ‘Godse’ and regards him as God and appealed that the PM visits Gujarat on 20th April. Make an appeal on Yatra. People for peace and harmony in areas like Himmat Nagar, Khambhat and Berawal (sic.) in Gujarat (Sic.) where communal violence (Komi Hadse) took place.”

“The spread of tweets published in Twitter has drawn widespread criticism and tends to disturb public peace in order to maintain harmony among a certain section of people. It is more likely to incite a section of the public belonging to a certain class.” community commits any crime against another community and tends to destroy the social fabric of different communities in this part of the country.”

While Mevani has been taken to Kokrajhar in Assam, his lawyer Anand Yagnik told ET that the Congress legal team has already reached the police station where he is being kept. However, his bail application was rejected. Mevani will challenge this decision in the High Court.

Originally published at Pen 18

eveready: Hope to provide fresh impetus to Eveready: Mohit Burman

Mohit Burman, Vice Chairman, Dabur, has said that the Burman family has made the move to acquire Eveready, the country’s largest dry cell manufacturer, to drive a strong consumer brand in emerging battery categories such as smart TVs and air-conditioners, remotes and flashlights. Is raised.

“As a family, we like to invest in consumer-centric businesses,” Burman told ET in an email interview. He said the purchase was a “personal investment of the Burman family”.

The Burman family, the largest shareholder with 19.85% stake in Eveready Industries, last month made an open offer to acquire an additional 26% stake in Khaitan family-owned Eveready for Rs 604.76 crore.

Since then, the family has increased its stake to 20.09%. It rallied 0.02% from the open market on Thursday, after buying 0.23% on Monday at Eveready. This is part of the family’s plan to acquire 3.8 million shares, representing 5.26% of Eveready’s voting capital, in addition to the open offer.

“How much stake we have depends on the response to the proposal,” Burman said.

Aditya Khaitan, non-executive chairman of Eveready Industries and Amritanshu Khaitan, managing director, had resigned from the company’s board following an open offer from Burman Group.

Traditional battery usage categories such as torches, transistors or walkmans are becoming obsolete as mobile phones are replacing transistors and torches in rural India as well.

“But Eveready remains a very strong brand and we believe it has great potential,” Berman said. “As the largest shareholder, we look forward to providing that new momentum and direction to the company.”

The new owners will focus on fast-growing segments like alkaline, he added. “We plan to go after that segment, apart from upgrading our range. Our strategy is to strengthen our current position in the dry sale and flashlight market and explore new business opportunities in the medium term.”

The dry sale market is around Rs 1,500 crore.

On street speculation that the deal is a matter of “compromise” between two close business families having roots in Kolkata and bailing out each other, Burman said: “There is no such understanding. It is not a structured deal. Since this is not a negotiated transaction, there is no agreement between us, the company or the existing promoters.”

On speculation that the open offer is intended to prevent a potentially hostile takeover of Eveready by a third party, he said: “We are the largest shareholder and we have offered control at a price that we deem appropriate … if any. Wanted to show the company to be acquired, they would have in the last two years when we were passive shareholders.”

According to its annual report for FY 2011, Eveready Industries, part of Williamson Magor Group, had a debt of Rs 418 crore.

Burman said availing the loan is not a challenge. “At present, the leverage in the company is around Rs 350-400 crore, ideally, we should repay it in due course, but first we would like to settle the house,” he said. “We expect our financial costs to come down as well over time.”

Originally published at Pen 18

Cong delegation finally turns up at riot-hit Jahangirpuri

In a matter of ‘better late than never’, a delegation of AICC and Delhi PCC leaders visited the people of riot-hit Jahangirpuri on Thursday. The sites the team visited included the scene of Wednesday’s demolition operation. The police stopped the Congress leaders from proceeding.

The decision to send a delegation led by AICC general secretary Ajay Maken to Jahangirpuri was announced late on Wednesday after tensions peaked last Saturday following the demolition drive of the BJP-administered corporation before being halted by a Supreme Court order. . When the demolition took place, AAP and the Left leaders had joined the public’s protest.

Maken said the demolition drive was an “assault” on the poor people and their means of livelihood besides “violating” the rule book and previous court orders. He alleged, “This demolition is illegal. I was also an urban development minister. I know how laws work. They cannot do it without any notice. BJP leaders are lying.”

AICC Delhi in-charge Shatisingh Gohil alleged that the demolition drive was part of the BJP’s attempt to divert public attention from issues including inflation. After the AICC announced its decision to send a delegation to the site, Maken had tweeted, “Sorry for not being there”.

Former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram tweeted: “We see the rule of law broken every day. Soon there will be no laws and no rules. Once arbitrary orders dominate the law, we are on the road to hell. Huh.”

Originally published at Pen 18

NITI, UNICEF tie up for development goals for children

NITI Aayog and UNICEF entered into a collaboration to jointly develop a comprehensive approach to understand multidimensional achievements and deprivations among children in India in health and nutrition, education, water and sanitation, home living standards and protective environments Is.

It aims to analyze the situation of children around the important child-related Sustainable Development Goals to establish recent trends.

“This effort will contribute to the realization of India’s commitments on the 2030 Agenda and provide a set of policy recommendations for concrete action to accelerate the progress of the SDGs and achieve their holistic development,” the commission said. ,

Originally published at Pen 18

IPL: Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by three wickets

Chennai Super Kings defeated Mumbai Indians by three wickets in their match of the Indian Premier League here on Thursday.

CSK chased down a target of 156 runs off the final ball, with MS Dhoni scoring the winning run – a four – and remained unbeaten on 28.

Ambati Rayudu scored 40 runs in 35 balls for CSK, while Robin Uthappa scored 30 runs.

For Mumbai, Daniel Sams took four wickets for 30 runs while Jaydev Unadkat took two wickets.

Earlier, Mumbai Indians scored 155 for 7 with Tilak Verma scoring an unbeaten 51 off 43 balls while Suryakumar Yadav smashed 32 off 21 balls.

For CSK, Mukesh Chaudhary took three wickets for 19 runs while Dwayne Bravo took two wickets.

This was MI’s seventh consecutive defeat.

Brief Scores:

Mumbai Indians: 155 for 7 in 20 overs (Tilak Verma 51 not out, Suryakumar Yadav 32; Mukesh Chaudhary 3/19, Dwayne Bravo 2/36).

Chennai Super Kings: 156 for 7 in 20 overs (Ambati Rayudu 40, Robin Uthappa 30, MS Dhoni 28 not out; Daniel Sams 4/30).

Originally published at Pen 18

PM Modi lauds Guru Teg Bahadur’s sacrifice, says he stood like a rock against a cruel religious fanatic like Aurangzeb

Prime Minister Narendra Modi 400. Appreciated the supreme sacrifice of Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur in
^th Prakash Parv said that the wave of religious bigotry of a cruel ruler like Aurangzeb posed a threat to the identity of India but he stood like a rock against it and protected the country.

Recalling the Mughal rule of Aurangzeb four centuries ago, Prime Minister Modi said, “At that time, a wave of religious fanaticism ran in the country. India, which considers religion to be a matter of philosophy, science and soul-searching, encountered people who crossed all limits of violence and tyranny in the name of religion.

Under those circumstances, a great hope emerged of saving India’s identity as Guru Tegh Bahadur. Modi said, “Against the brutal views of Aurangzeb at that time, Guru Tegh Bahadur stood like a rock, a “Hind ki Chadar”.

The Prime Minister said that the sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur has inspired many generations to fight, live and die to protect the cultural ethos of the country.

“Many big storms subsided and governance was lost but the nation today is eternal and moving towards progress,” Modi said.

Since the Punjab elections a few months back, the Modi-led BJP government has firmly reached out to the Sikhs. With the BJP collapsing with the Shiromani Akali Dal and the partnership with Captain Amarinder Singh to no avail, the saffron party is now aggressively wooing the Sikh community on its own. Modi had received a delegation of Sikhs a few weeks back where 400. had a plan
^th The festival of light was promoted on such a large scale.

In his speech on Thursday, Modi mentioned that his government has declared 26 December as Veer Bal Diwas to mark the sacrifice by the Sahebzade of Guru Gobind Singh, who was given a living wall by the Mughal rulers. The PM said that a pilgrimage circuit is being made for the Sikhs. Other measures include construction of a ropeway near Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand.

Modi said Sikhs trapped in Afghanistan were safely brought to India and they can get citizenship here. He also emphasized that the Guru Granth Sahib was respectfully brought to India from Afghanistan to prevent any sacrilege (after the Taliban came to power).

Modi appreciated the sacrifice of our freedom fighters including Sikhs and said that we are in this position today because of their efforts.

The Prime Minister also released a coin of Rs 400 and a commemorative postage stamp on the occasion.

Originally published at Pen 18