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campaign trail
90% voters want 'Womanifesto'
Vote for Modi to eradicate corruption, says Advani
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Two die in fire at shelter home
Two held for firing at bouncer
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Candidates speed up campaign
Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 4 Encashing political lineage
Son of, once the most powerful woman in Delhi, former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, is working 16 hours a day to save the drowning fortune that seems to be slipping out of the hands of Congress. Dikshit (49), who is also two-time MP from East Delhi is walking the poll talk in the bylanes of East Delhi with his wife, Mona Dikshit. The works done by 15-years of Congress government in Delhi run by his mother and other schemes launched by the Congress-led UPA government, is all what Dikshit is relying on in a hope to get positive result in the upcoming elections. Dithered after drubbing in the assembly polls, Dikshit faces a palpable anger among the voters as he is battling not only against an intense anti-Congress wave, but the anti-incumbency factor too. Learning 'Art of Campaigning'
Former director of ‘Art of Living' Foundation International’ is now trying his hands at art of politics by campaigning in jhuggis and slum clusters as he is contesting for the East Delhi seat from BJP. Unlike typical saffron clad monk, Maheish Girri, walks through the streets of East Delhi in white kurta payjama. A close aide of spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Girri has been working in the East Delhi constituency for last three years. With a team of BJP workers, he has created a buzz in this area out of a veiled campaign in 2010. Campaigning aggressively, Girri has been mainly focusing on slums and resettlements colonies and areas dominated by Muslims. "My campaign extends to around 15-hour a day. I wake up at 5 am. “After meditation and a light breakfast, I start my campaign by 7 am," he said. Gandhi connection
He dresses in khadi kurta and wears a Gandhi cap. Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, walks slowly through the streets of East Delhi while campaigning for the elections. People in his campaign come more for making their children meet the member of a Gandhi family, whom they have only read in text books, than to participate in his cavalcade. During his campaign walks, AAP volunteers tried to invoke interest among people by calling him the 'real Gandhi family'. Trying to come out of the shadow of his Gandhi family, the 79-year-old leader makes sure to sit down and hold small meetings with people at regular intervals, thus giving a personal touch to his campaign. He refrains from attacking any political party or sitting Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit. Gandhi is popular in the East Delhi constituency which has a large number of resettlement colonies and Muslim-dominated areas. |
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90% voters want 'Womanifesto'
New Delhi, April 4 The poll suggests that 85 per cent voters are more likely to vote for a politician who commits to specific policies to stop violence against women, as set out in a "Womanifesto" of demands created by prominent leaders of women's movements across the country. The finding of the survey include 94 per cent are in favour of the new Indian government launching a public education campaign to tackle the causes of violence against women, 99 per cent are concerned about the level of violence faced by women in India, 87 per cent are concerned about discrimination against women in India, 75 per cent think that the electoral promises made by politicians to tackle problems faced by women so far are inadequate. "India's voters demand an end to the epidemic of rape and will only cast their ballots for politicians they believe can bring the cure. The prescription is simple - the BJP and other parties should support the "Womanifesto" of six simple demands that will help women free from violence and persecution," said Ricken Patel, executive director of Avaaz. The poll asked about the "Womanifesto", a six-point plan created by a group of over 70 civil society movements, organisations and eminent individuals. It calls on political parties to commit to public powers to tackle violence against women and bring freedom, safety and equality to women and girls. Karuna Nundy, Supreme Court advocate and co-founder of the "Womanifesto", said, "It is time for politicians to stop taking voters for granted. These stats speak of the gap between party promises and the way hundreds of millions of citizens are going to cast their ballot," she said. "The AAP has committed to the "Womanifesto", the CPI (ML) has included it in their manifesto, other MPs have publicly committed and are working to bring their parties on board. Now all eyes are on the BJP and others to see how much they will truly commit to taking down patriarchy, to building a new India," she added. The agenda in "Womanifesto" includes education for equality, make laws count, put women in power, police for the people, swift, certain justice and safe spaces, support to survivors.
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Vote for Modi to eradicate corruption, says Advani
New Delhi, April 4 Out of the 14 Prime Ministers, only the era of Atal Bihari Vajpayee can claim to have given the country swaraj, self-respect and prosperity that people of the country have never seen before. Therefore, it is important that the people bring back the BJP government. Advani expressed these views at a public meeting at Bara Tuti Chowk in the Chandni Chowk constituency. Lauding the work of BJP candidate in Chandni Chowk to fight against polio, Advani said that he loves to call Dr. Harsh Vardhan - Bharat Swasthya Vardhan. He said, "I am sure that Dr. Vardhan will properly diagnose the problems of the constituency, especially of walled city, and resolve them in a time-bound manner like a good doctor." |
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Two die in fire at shelter home
New Delhi, April 4 A few of the inmates of the home are still missing. The fire broke out at the shelter home about 2.30 am today. A short-circuit is believed to be the cause of the fire. Nine fire tenders were rushed to the site of the incident and they took about five hours to douse the fire. The shelter home run by an NGO, The Earth Saviours Foundation, primarily houses mentally disabled and senior citizens. When the incident took place there were about 150 members in the 10 makeshift tents. While most of them escaped after the fire began, rescuers had trouble in removing about 30 people, who were not in a condition to walk. The two victims were unable to make it out of the shelter home were burnt alive. They have been identified as Ramesh Chand (60) and 27-year-old Poonam, a speech impaired woman who was given the name by the NGO itself. Chand was recently brought to the home, said a fire tender. The plot on which the shelter home is situated is owned by Sukhbir Singh, who had leased the property for five years. The lease had expired last year and the inmates were asked to vacate the premises. But the lease was extended after the occupants of the home stayed on the pavements outside a mall in South Delhi. The police said that they are searching for the missing persons. "Since most of the residents are not mentally fit, some of them ran when the fire broke out," said a police officer.
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Two held for firing at bouncer
New Delhi, April 4 The accused have been identified as Mohammed Tabish, alias Tarush, alias Tashu (22) and Sukhwinder, alias Sonu (22), who are residents of Delhi. The police said that the accused wanted to teach the bouncer, Pankaj, a lesson after he, along with other bouncers, at White Walker pub in Rajouri Garden allegedly beat Tabish, who was organising a party there on February 16. The police have arrested Tabish and Sukhwinder in a case of attempting to murder on April 1. |
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