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SC: Consensual sex on false promise of marriage is rape
Viewers’ response surprises Italian director
with
general election 2014 only a few months away... |
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SC rejects PIL seeking Modi’s disqualification
On last day of campaigning, Ujjain to host Modi rally
To see ‘real progress’, Hooda
invites MP CM to Haryana
Punjab parties not campaigning in adjoining districts in Rajasthan
SAD submits list of star campaigners to EC
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SC: Consensual sex on false promise of marriage is rape
New Delhi, November 22 The convict, Naushad, a resident of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, “brazenly raped her for two years or more giving her the false assurance that he would marry her, and as a consequence she became pregnant...We find the accused-respondent guilty of the offence of rape as defined under Section 375 IPC,” a Bench comprising Justices SJ Mukhopadhaya and V Gopala Gowda held. The Bench noted that Naushad had taken “undue advantage” of his relation to visit her house often during 2001-03 and committed a breach of trust she had in him. “He thus invaded her person by indulging in sexual intercourse with her in order to appease his lust, all the time knowing that he would not marry her. He committed an act of brazen fraud leading her to believe that he would marry her.” The apex court further held that “a woman’s body is not a man’s plaything and he cannot take advantage of it in order to satisfy his lust and desires by fooling a woman into consenting to sexual intercourse simply because he wants to indulge in it... “The accused in this case has committed the vile act of rape and deserves to be suitably punished for it.”
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Viewers’ response surprises Italian director
No wonder Italian director Antonio Piazza and Fabio Grassadonia, whose film Salvo was screened at the festival a day before, seemed to have been completely taken in by viewers’ enthusiasm. They remarked that what made IFFI different from Cannes was that here they were dealing with genuine Indian audiences while at Cannes it’s the festival audience. No doubt, Cannes film festival where their film won two awards is a big market if not the biggest. But it’s in India that they enjoyed the feedback of the viewers to their film that deals with a blind protagonist. On the making of the film, they shared the challenges involved. Apart from raising finance, no mean task in a country like Italy, they spoke of their efforts in making their lead heroine live her part. All through the making of the film she wore blinding contact lens to lend authenticity to her part. Mexican director-producer, Eduardo Rossoff, whose film Let Me Survive deals with a woman who embarks on journey to Africa and finds herself alone, too loved the atmosphere at IFFI. Speaking on a host of issues like piracy and uploading films on websites, he remarked that when a writer turns a director the transition is not difficult for, “movies are all about story-telling and when you write a movie you are writing a visual story.” In India he observed that public has a hunger for cinema and reacts to movies in both positive and negative manner. Indian debutant director Girish Malik, whose film Jal created waves at Busan Film Festival, too, was bowled over by the response of audiences here at the IFFI, especially their reaction to lead actor Purab Kohli’s performance. In the evening Focus: North-East Cinema section featuring films from all eight states of the region was inaugurated by Mukul Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya. Also present at the occasion were Seema Biswas (Bandit Queen fame) and Adil Hussain actor of films like Life of Pi and English Vinglish, both of whom hail from Assam. Sangma stressed upon the need to harness talent from the northeast.
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with
general election 2014 only a few months away...  Chouhan may find it tough in Vidisha Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service
Chouhan this time is contesting from two seats — located in opposite directions from the state capital Bhopal.
The Chief Minister, at most times, has been missing from the constituencies. It is his wife Sadhna and son Kartikeya who are filling the gap and campaigning extensively to make up for his absence. Sadhna is in charge of Vidisha while the responsibility of Budhni has been entrusted to 20-year-old Kartikeya. The mother and son walk through streets and go door to door in their respective areas of responsibility, seeking votes for Chouhan. “Each vote matters,” explains Sadhna.
Taking full advantage of his absence in Vidisha is Congress candidate Shashank Bhargava. While the general feeling is that the “Raghavji factor” may work against the CM, Bhargava does not think so. Raghavji, former Finance Minister and BJP MLA from Vidisha, who was expelled from the BJP on sodomy charges. “Shivraj Chouhan, and not Raghavji, is the factor here,” he told The Tribune. Bhargava, who lost to Raghavji by 31,424 votes in 2008, is confident of victory this time. He is also working to bring the Dangi samaj to his side. Considered a traditional BJP votebank, the fact that the boy Raghavji allegedly abused belonged to the community may work against Chouhan. “Shivraj Chouhan will desert you if he wins, just like he had last time,” Bhargav goes on telling the people. On the seat the CM would retain if he won both, BJP sources said that he was most likely to pass on Budhni to his wife Sadhna. Vidisha is not new to Chouhan. He won the Vidisha Lok Sabha seat several times since 1991. The constituency is now represented by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj. After the Raghavji fiasco, it was the name of BJP’s Mahila Morcha leader Sukhpreet Kaur which was doing the rounds for the Vidisha Assembly constituency. Apparently, Sushma Swaraj also wanted that Sukhpreet should contest, but Raghavji’s threat made Shivraj step in. Backed by the strong Jain community in the region, Raghavji had threatened to contest as an Independent if his daughter was not nominated for the constituency. Sukhpreet, however, maintains that the decision was not taken because of any individual’s threat or “blackmail”. “It was the party’s collective decision. My name was discussed but Raghaviji is not the reason why the CM is contesting from Vidisha. Raghavji is, in fact, no issue. He has many contemporaries in the region, including my father Gulab Singh who has represented Vidisha in the Vidhan Sabha,” she said. In comparison, Budhni is being considered a cakewalk for Chouhan. The area is dominated by Chouhan’s OBC community of Kirars and the caste equation is balanced perfectly in his favour there.
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SC rejects PIL seeking Modi’s disqualification
New Delhi, November 22 Petitioner Sunil Sarawgi contended that under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Election Commission rules and SC judgments, any nomination containing incomplete information was liable to be rejected by the returning officer. Under the law, it was mandatory on part of the candidates contesting elections to provide details of their marital status and the assets of their spouses, but Modi had left these columns blank despite the fact that he was married and as such his nomination for the Maninagar seat could not have been accepted, senior counsel Colin Gonsalves argued. A Bench of Chief Justice P Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi, however, made it clear that the petitioner should have filed an election petition instead of a PIL, which could not address such issues.
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On last day of campaigning, Ujjain to host Modi rally
Ujjain, November 22 As a result of the Election Commission’s strict watch, the ruling party in Madhya Pradesh has not been able to mobilise crowds that the Modi rallies are known for elsewhere. This has resulted in less-than-expected attendance on many occasions, like for example in Bhopal, much to the delight of the Congress. But for Ujjain, the BJP has made a strategy to ensure that the Modi rally on the last day of the MP campaign ends with élan. Sources say businessmen and social leaders from neighbouring Gujarat are camping here to ensure that the significant Gujarati ‘samaj’ here adds to an impressive turnout on Saturday. Meanwhile, Narendra Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi addressed rallies in various cities in Madhya Pradesh today. The Gujarat CM visited Khandwa, Barwani, Jhabua and Indore, while Rahul campaigned in Balaghat and Mandsaur districts. Modi praised the developmental work of CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and criticised the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre while Rahul accused the BJP of indulging in the politics of the rich. The campaigning in MP will end tomorrow evening.
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To see ‘real progress’, Hooda
invites MP CM to Haryana
Bhopal, November 22 Hooda addressed three public meetings in the Bhojpur Assembly constituency from where senior Congress leader Suresh Pachauri is contesting. He was accompanied by Barnala MLA Kewal Singh
Dhillon, who is also an observer for Rajgarh and Bhopal Parliamentary constituencies for his
party. Hooda later told The Tribune that the Congress would “definitely sweep Madhya Pradesh and form the government there”. Dhillon also claimed that all the Assembly constituencies under his observation were on a winning foot. In his public meetings, Hooda drew comparisons between Haryana and Madhya Pradesh on the basis of parameters like agriculture, social schemes and crime against women. In his press conference later, he said that while Haryana had followed the Centre’s development schemes, Madhya Pradesh did not. “This is the reason that, despite being at a similar position about 10 years back, Haryana today is at number one and Madhya Pradesh is lagging behind,” he said.
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AAP to file defamation case against web portal
New Delhi, November 22 In the wake of a sting operation carried by a web portal Media Sarkar that has purportedly shown some of its candidates and members agreeing to swing land deals and resolve disputes in exchange of monetary donations, the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has appealed to the Election Commission to probe the tapes within 48 hours and even went ahead to assure that if any of those indicted are found guilty would be expelled from the party. Even as AAP has refused to withdraw its candidates until the EC’s investigation calls for it, it has removed AAP volunteer Siddharth, who had been accompanying AAP’s RK Puram candidate Shazia Ilmi at her poll campaigns, from party’s future activities, confirmed by AAP spokesperson Aswathi. Rejecting the contents of the tapes as “doctored” and a clear attempt to malign the party through “paid news”, the party has also said that it would file a defamation suit against the website and the TV channels for airing the tapes calling it a violation of clause 1(2) of the Model Code of Conduct handbook. The AAP suspects that tapes have been doctored and edited. The AAP had asked the website management to handover the raw footage of the sting operation by 11 am and then extended it to 3 pm, but the chief executive officer Anuranjan Jha has refused to give the footage to the party in question and instead submitted to the EC. The AAP has also requested the EC to stop the broadcast of the sting tapes on news channels and ascertain whether it confirms that it is “paid news”. On Thursday, the sting operation by the said news portal has shown eight AAP candidates and one member, including former journalist RK Puram candidate Shazia Ilmi and Kumar Vishwas, allegedly willing to accept cash that would not have been reflected into the party account books.
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Punjab parties not campaigning in adjoining districts in Rajasthan
The party leaders are yet to campaign for the BJP candidates in these districts. Acknowledging the strength of Sikh or basically Punjabi voters, the Congress and the BJP have fielded Sikh candidates from the Sri Karanpur and Sudal seats. The SAD wanted these two seats but the BJP did not oblige. The Akalis did not press the matter much and left the field months ago. They have focused all men and resources on four seats in the national capital. In the past, SAD has contested unsuccessfully twice. In 1999 and 2003, it fielded SGPC member Surjit Singh Kang but he lost his security deposit. Akalis could not get seats in last elections. SAD (Amritsar) led by Simranjit Singh Mann had also contested unsuccessfully in early 1990 from Sriganganagar. With Sukhbir Badal and Bikram Majithia trying to spread the wings of the party in other states, it was expected that more aggressive approach from the Akalis may be seen in the elections this time. However, the party seems to have chosen to stay away. Interestingly, the Punjab unit of the Congress too has remained away. Capt Amarinder Singh used to be the star campaigner for the party in the districts adjoining Punjab, but he too has been absent this time. Congress Legislative Party president Surinder Jakhar has campaigned once for Congress candidates in Hanumangarh district in the current elections. BJP insiders said that efforts were on to rope in Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for the last two days of campaigning. Badal is likely to be far away in Mansa district of Punjab for the dedication of the Talwandi Sabo power plant to the state.
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SAD submits list of star campaigners to EC
New Delhi, November 22 Except Parkash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal, 18 campaigners have reached Delhi and are taking part in the election campaign. The Badals will reach the national capital two days later.
Besides Parkash Singh Badal, the other star campaigners are Sukhbir Singh Badal, MPs Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Rattan Singh Ajnala,
Harsimrat Kaur Badal; senior vice-president of the party Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, Tota Singh and Jagir Kaur; general secretary Prem Singh Chandumajra; Cabinet ministers Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Bikram Singh Majithia, Sikander Singh Maluka; Delhi unit chief Manjit Singh (GK);
PAC members Sucha Singh Langah, Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Avtar Singh Makkar and party spokesman Daljit
Singh Cheema.
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Scindia on whirlwind tour Cong believes in delivering on promises, says Rahul
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Panjim, November 22
New Delhi, November 22
Vidisha, November 22
Now comes the difference — while Budhni is being considered a cakewalk, Chouhan is expected to face a few difficult moments in Vidisha.
Sriganganagar, November 22
