YEH MERA INDIA

Talk on cash crunch but garland of new notes

Lucknow: When BSP legislator Iqbal Ahmed from Chandpur assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnore district slammed demonetization and the problems it caused to the common people while addressing a public meeting, many in the crowd were shocked.

What shocked them was not the legislator’s words but the garlands of new currency of Rs. 2000 and Rs 500 demonetization around his neck as he spoke.

According to reports, Iqbal Ahmed, also a contractor, was garlanded with new currency by his supporters at a programme organized to celebrate his acquittal in a case.

The matter came to light when photographs showing the BSP legislator’s smiling face with a garland of new currency went viral on social networking sites. The photographs showed Ahmed surrounded by his supporters with a garland of new currency.

While the Opposition parties reacted strongly and demanded action against the MLA, Ahmed said that he had done no wrong.

“My supporters had garlanded me with new currency… they had arranged the currency… I had nothing to do with it,” said legislator.

Senior BJP leader Vijay Bahadur Pathak, however, said that it proved the allegation that BSP leaders bought nominations from their party supremo Mayawati.

He also sought action in the matter.

“It must be investigated as to how did the BSP MLA got so many new currency,” Pathak added.

Election to Municipal Councils President: 25 crore patis

Mumbai: As many as 25 per cent candidates contesting the direct election for the post of Municipal Council President in 14 civic bodies in Pune and Latur districts are crorepatis. Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Maharashtra Election Watch, a non-political group aiming at electoral and governmental reforms, analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 93 candidates contesting for the post of President in second phase of elections in the two districts scheduled to be held.

Out of the 93 candidates analyzed, 23 (25 per cent) are crorepatis, a statement issued by ADR said. Direct election for the post of President are taking place at all 14 Municipal Councils — 10 councils in Pune and 4 councils in Latur.

The average assets per candidate analysed for this election, is little over Rs 1.42 crore. The candidate with highest declared total assets is Sharif Syedsikandar Syed who is contesting from Ausa Municipal Council, with assets worth over Rs 20 crore.

There are only 2 candidates who declared zero assets in the two districts.

There are 16 (excluding those declaring zero assets) candidates who declared low assets below Rs 2 lakh in these districts. Mithilesh Kendre had the highest declared total liabilities of all the candidates.

Four candidates have declared their age between 21 to 24 years, 5 are aged between 25 to 30 years, 24 candidates between 31 to 40 years, 30 candidates have declared their age between 41 to 50 years, 17 candidates are between 51 to 60 years, while, 13 candidates are aged between 61 to 70 years, the statement added.

As many as 106 candidates are in fray for the post of President in these civic bodies, while there are 1326 candidates in race for 324 seats in 14 councils.

78 companies raise 300 crores+ & vanish

New Delhi: As many as 78 companies are untraceable after having raised Rs 312 crore from investors, with Gujarat having the maximum number of 17 such entities, Parliament was informed.  These entities are, among other entities coming from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Punjab, reports PTI.

Vanishing companies are those that fail to file documents and balance sheets after raising funds through public issues and are untraceable. Cumulatively, these 78 vanishing companies have raised about Rs 312 crore.

Gujarat, at 17, has the maximum number of such firms. Other such companies include 13 in Andhra Pradesh, 10 in Tamil Nadu and 9 in Maharashtra. Besides, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi have 5 vanishing firms each. A total of 238 companies were initially identified by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs as ‘vanishing companies’, which raised money through public issues, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

Of these, 160 companies have been deleted from the list as they were subsequently traced. Presently, only 78 companies remain untraced. Besides, the ministry has ordered probe into the affairs of 185 companies through Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) in more than three financial years.

This includes 24 firms in the current fiscal. These firms were allegedly running illegal chit-fund, ponzi and multi-level marketing entities. Also, they were involved in unauthorised collection of funds from the public, Meghwal said.

*********

‘MOUNTAIN MAN’s family still without proper roof on their head

Bihar: Children of the Mountain Man – Dashrath Manjhi who constructed a road by cutting Gehlor hills for 22 years (1960-82), individually reducing the distance between two blocks of Gaya district Atri and Wazirganj from 55 kms to 15 kms – are still without a roof in Gehlor village.

Dashrath Manjhi for whom Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had vacated his chair for a brief time at his weekly Janata Darbar and asked Dashrath to occupy his chair, had visited Gehlor during the annual Gehlor festival organised by state tourism department and assured all assistance to his children, but even an Indira Gandhi Awaas unit could not be arranged, regretted Bhagirath Manjhi, Dashrath’s son and four daughters.

Bhagirath told this visiting correspondent: “The then chief minister Jeetan Ram Manjhi also came to meet us after a film – Mountain Man – directed by Ketan Mehta was released in 2015. When we asked him for a pucca house, he replied: “hut made of phoos (straw and mud) was better for you. If we give you a pucca house, no one will visit you”.

Ketan Mehta had promised 2 per cent of the earning from the film to Dashrath Manjhi’s children, but they got only Rs 1.5 lakh in two installments. Aamir Khan, who also visited them for his first show of Satyamev Jayate, had promised financial assistance and a house. He too backed out. Last week, AICC president Sonia Gandhi invited them to 10 Janpath with three family members. Gandhi handed over a cheque of Rs 5001 and a black colour shawl. She reimbursed the train journey fare and other expenses to them, but there was no word promising a house to them at Gehlor.

After the film – Mountain Man based on Dashrath Manjhi’s life was released, senior army officers too visited Manjhi’s house to take inspiration from Dashrath’s life. “Daily two to three big vehicles are parked outside my hut. They get photographed with us; offer some money, but no offer of a pucca house. There are over a dozen shawls gifted in last two years,” Bhagirath told this correspondent.

Following the release of the film – Gehlor has now a hospital, pucca road, school and even a police station as distinguished visitors need security cover, but no effort has been made to give Manjhi family a pucca house. Their only source of income is ten acres of land on which they grow paddy and rabi crops. Bhagirath said since he was physically handicapped as one of his legs were damaged in a road accident, he cannot get employment.