Brisk voting closes in Myanmar
Voting was brisk in the hotly-contested constituency of PyinOoLwin in Mandalay Region on Sunday, where opposition candidates are mounting a strong challenge to ruling party dominance in the military academy town.
National League for Democracy (NLD) candidates hope to beat the region’s powerful chief minister Ye Myint and other ruling party contenders as public discontent over issues such as land grabbing runs high.
Concerns remain, however, over whether the thousands of soldiers stationed here will be able to vote freely.
The NLD’s Dr. Khin Maung Htay, who is running against Ye Myint for a regional parliament seat, said that among approximately 150,000 registered voters in PyinOoLwin Township there are some 13,000 soldiers.
“Maybe 3,000 of them could support the NLD,” he estimated, adding that it was unclear if soldiers and their families would come under pressure from commanders to vote for the army-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).
The opposition has flagged this as an issue in many constituencies across Myanmar with military bases. In PyinOoLwin, the former colonial hill station, there are a number of bases and institutions, including the Defence Services Academy, an officers’ school that has long produced the country’s military elite.
Khin Maun Htay said the local NLD branch lacked resources to take on a senior USDP member and ex-general like Ye Myint. “To compete with him will be tough, he has power and money,” he said. “I hope if the elections are free and fair, I can win.
“Whenever we are in a village we realise the NLD is popular, but the question is how they will express their confidence through a vote.”
At the NLD’s small local office on Saturday, local party members were being given the last instructions on how to monitor voting and record any irregularities on Election Day. Staff at the USDP’s local office said candidates were not available for an interview.
A local hotel owner said PyinOoLwin residents were keen to vote and see the NLD win, but added that voter list issues had raised suspicions.
“I went to check my name on the voter list today, it was wrong and so was that of my wife. I showed my national registration card and asked them to change it. They did, but the officials were very aggressive and resisted,” said the man, who asked not be named.
There are two regional parliament seats and a Lower House seat up for grabs in PyinOoLwin, the latter was won by the NLD during the 2012 by-elections. The township is one of five constituencies in eastern Mandalay that represent one Upper House seat.
Aung Thu, an 88 Generation Peace and Open Society activist from Mogok Township, decided to run as an independent candidate for the Upper House seat after he was rejected by the NLD. His campaign manager MichealHtun said in 2012 some 53,000 votes here went to the NLD and 32,000 to the USDP.
All through the day voters emerged onto Myanmar’s streets, patiently waiting under a tropical sun in snaking queues.
Among them supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi’s pro-democracy party hope their mark on the ballot will overhaul a country cramped for decades by ulcerous junta rule.
Some smiled, others wore a more determined look as they voted in an election many have craved for a generation but almost dared not believe would happen.
Polls have closed in Myanmar’s general election – the first openly contested national election in 25 years after decades of military rule. Voting was brisk, with many people emerging smiling from polling stations. Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) is expected to win the most Parliamentary seats, although she is barred from the Presidency.
Large crowds gathered in Yangon as Ms Suu Kyi arrived to cast her vote.
Early indications, said an election official, put turnout at 80 per cent. Polls closed at 16:00 local time (09:30 GMT). About 30 million people were eligible to vote in the election in Myanmar. Clear results are not expected until tomorrow morning.
The military-backed Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) has been in power in the country since 2011.
Early indications, said an election official, put turnout at 80 per cent. Polls closed at 16:00 local time (09:30 GMT). About 30 million people were eligible to vote in the election in Myanmar. Clear results are not expected until tomorrow morning.
The military-backed Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) has been in power in the country since 2011.
Rahul Gandhi: Bihar poll outcome defeat of divisive agenda of BJP, RSS:
Bihar, Grand Alliance has so far won 177 seats . Of these, JDU has bagged 74 seats, RJD 79 and Congress 24. NDA has bagged 65 seats others have won 07.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has termed Bihar poll outcome as defeat of divisive agenda of BJP and RSS. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Mr Gandhi termed the grand alliance’s triumph ,a victory of unity over divisiveness, humility over arrogance and love over hate.Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Bihar poll verdict was a referendum against the Narendra Modi government . He expressed the hope that after today’s results, the Centre’s interference in Delhi and other states would end.Congratulating the people of Bihar on the victory of grand alliance, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the Modi wave was on the wane and the real achhe din have begun for the people of India.
BJP Parliamentary Board is likely to meet tomorrow in New Delhi to analyze the poll results in Bihar where the JD(U)-RJD combine has outshone the NDA. According to sources, the board is likely to examine all the aspects and factors leading to the party’s defeat.Bihar assembly speaker and senior JDU leader Uday Narayan Chaudhary lost election from Imamganj constituency. He was defeated by former chief minister and president of Hindustani Awam Morcha Jitan Ram Manjhi. Senior BJP leader and Deupty Speaker of assembly Amrendra Pratap Singh has also lost his Arrah seat.State RJD president and former minister Ramchandra Purve has lost from Parihar seat, defeated by BJP candidate Gayatri Devi. Hindustani Awam Morcha state president and veteran leader Shakuni Chaudhary has also lost the battle at Tarapur seat.Veteran JDU leader and transport minister Ramai Ram has also faced debacle in Bochaha seat at the hand of independent candidate Baby Kumari.Former state congress president Sadanand Singh also won from Kahalgaon. Former RJD state president Abdul Bari Siddiqui won elections from Alinagar assembly constituency in Darbhanga.
RJD president Lalu Prasad’s two sons Tejpratap and Tejashvi Yadav have established decisive margin over their seats – Mahua and Raghopur respectively.
RJD president Lalu Prasad’s two sons Tejpratap and Tejashvi Yadav have established decisive margin over their seats – Mahua and Raghopur respectively.
M6.1 – NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
| Magnitude | 6.1 |
| Date-Time |
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| Location | 0.743N 98.875E |
| Depth | 75 km |
| Distances |
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| Location Uncertainty | Horizontal: 6.4 km; Vertical 5.7 km |
Narmada Bachao Andolan
For Immediate Release 8th November, 2015
For Immediate Release 8th November, 2015
Sardar Sarovar Oustees in Gujarat on Warpath Again, Facing Unjust Eviction
Landless-Jobless Adivasis question gross injustice
Gujarat: Since the last two days a number of adivasis from original village Karda, resettled at Amroli in Naswadi Taluka in the newly carved out Chhota Udaiput District; especially women, children and the elderly, sat on a dharna and fast, along with livestock! Reason being, 23 families with more than a 100 members, were given notices to leave the vasahat(resettlement site) with no time stipulation! As the original Sardar Sarovar villages were submerged, many of these families were brought here 2 decades ago and were permitted by the State to reside in and cultivate the lands. The same oustees are now being branded as “encroachers” and are being asked to quit.
As the oustees were unrelenting a few officers came on the spot, but there was no resolution. The oustees were then told that they would be given a “solace period” of 90 days, during which they would not be evicted, but they have to get orders from the GRA within this period. This is an unworkable approach since the GRA sends back cases to the state agency SSPA, which itself takes 70 days! One 80 year old man who also insisted to sit on fast fell very ill and had to be admitted to the hospital. More than 60 of women, children and elders were taken into custody at 7:30 p.m. in the night as they remained firm on their demand that they be given a written assurance of not being evicted. Oustees from Kevadia colony also supported the struggle by these adivasis.
It may be noted that the Govt. of Gujarat has taken an unjust move to evict the SSP affected adivasi families from the resettlement sites where they were shifted from their original villages on the banks of Narmada, 15-20 years ago. A list of more than 1,000 oustees was prepared a few years ago, whose names the officials claimed were not found in the “computerized lists” and hence they should be ‘sent back’ to the original villages! Notices were issued to a few and a handful of families such as that of Natwar Sama, originally from Village Jher. This list includes even those families who were rightfully declared as PAFs and there is no reason or justification to evict them. Moreover, their farms, houses in the original villages are either submerged or have been inaccessible, over the years. Another list of 281 PAFs has now been obtained under RTI, out of the list of 1,000, who would be evicted shortly. Swords are hanging!
The people are furious not only because such a large number of families are threatened of eviction, but also because a large number of them are left landless and jobless in the age group of 30 – 45, since the cu-off date for Gujarat was as early as 1987 and those who were not 18 years old then were included in the list of PAFs. Many R&R sites have no assured source of irrigation in the command areas and the rest are outside the command. There are PAFs who have received less land or land to be affected by canals again and others have claims to benefits as PAFs, but their cases are pending before the Grievances Redressal Authorities. The GRAs are generally handing over the complaints to the SSPA, asking the oustees to wait for 70 days, for providing redressal, after which the PAF has to again approach the GRA, which is cumbersome for the poor, non-literate tribal oustees.
The anger and anguish of Gujarat’s PAFs is being reflected in a series of incidents and there have been many in the past few days when a large number of oustees literally rose in a large gathering and questioned the claims of the Shri. Saurabh Patel, Minister of Power and Shri Vijay Rupani, Minister for Transport that rehabilitation in Gujarat is “complete” and “nothing remains”. They refused to listen to the “bhashans” of the Ministers and insisted that they be heard on their everyday problems. The anger was so evident that the Ministers had to go back, leaving the programme mid-way. Is the State listening to its own people?
Devram Kanera Balubhai Jiku bhai Tadvi Ambaben
Contact: 9638617628
Cow: A wrong debate
A big mass of the country is reverie with the cow and believe it’s not only an animal but venerated it also. On the other hand cow also treated as edible like other animals in a large section of the country. It’s also sooth that every year millions of tons of beef is exported and it’s totally business slant of the people who reverie in cow. 24 million tons are exported in 2015 till now. Cow sacrifice is prevailing in the country from a very long period, and todays also it comes into operation in many parts of the country.
A big mass of the country is reverie with the cow and believe it’s not only an animal but venerated it also. On the other hand cow also treated as edible like other animals in a large section of the country. It’s also sooth that every year millions of tons of beef is exported and it’s totally business slant of the people who reverie in cow. 24 million tons are exported in 2015 till now. Cow sacrifice is prevailing in the country from a very long period, and todays also it comes into operation in many parts of the country.
But besides all, issue of land acquisition, fulfilling of WTO agenda, problem of Adivasis ( tribal), juggle of NDA government on holy Ganga (Namami ganga) of Hindus vail out and the work of strenthing the communal forces is going on. all the issues are left behind and maxim of what to eat and what not to eat and its a cabal of RSS.
India is a land of farmers and cow sept need is necessary. At many places after ply of these animal for a life time into field they kept after that also but with the introduction of the new technologies for agriculture these animals became wisp. It results, hike export of beef and now days India became at top in the world in Modi led NDA government.
Debate of eat beef or not is totally wrong and many groups disguised in term of “Beaf Party” and in repercussion “Pork Party” is organised. The principle of repercussion of action defamed from Gujrat hike in a country now a days. Which became a danger for communal harmony of the country.
This debate about cow is totally different from the realistic debate about the importance of cow in agriculture economic. The debate of cow is depending on economy and culture. In many part of eastern up (personal experience), the meat of cow is cheaper than buffalo. From a longer period schedule caste expend the meat of cow.
At one hand the cow family became unservisable in agriculture and sell out for various purpose that results availability of cows in slaughter houses. In 1921 by pricking the issue of cow tried to create a communal tension that failed by the efforts of Gandhi ji and by respecting the feeling of every one cow slaughtering was banned.
By opposing or supporting the issue of cow, is only appraising the agenda of RSS. Like two decade before Ram was portrayed as communal, and saffron became communal as it cow is also becoming communal.
In Mumbai at Devnaar Slaughter House, Vinoba bhave did a Satyagraha and everyday Satyagrahies does court arrest and its going on from decades but its not lead any communal tension because it really means to protect cow. At the time no one was there else beside these Satyagrahi. Todays all these communal groups are activated as NDA-2 in power.
The Dadri incident, the Kerela House raid prove beyond doubt that violent, political games are extremely dangerous for both minority and majority communities.
As RSS ideological government prepared to exploit the Ganga from starting to end, as in the same manner cow will also use as a poison for a community, otherwise why not these slaughter houses shut down? 80% of the slaughter houses are hold by those who are not ready to give their life for cow protection, in spite it they are ready to take life of others to protect cow.
On the banks of Narmada, cattle is bought from adivasis for as cheap as 500 or 1000 rupees illegally and carried across the river. The Madhya Pradesh government has taken no action even after numerous complaints.
It’s clear that there motive is neither to protect cow and nor keep Ganga free & clean. Their only vision is to make India a Hindutva country and that will not accept by the country which is beautifully diverse in term of language, caste, religion and culture.
Diverse social and literary eminent personalities have clearly expressed their view on rising intolerance by returning their awards. The declaration that People’;s Movements want to make goes out to all progressive and sensitive members of the society to make their own opinions through dialogue and discussions in the favor of peace, harmony and secularism.
Medha Patkar – Narmada Bachao Andolan and the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM); Prafulla Samantara – Lok Shakti Abhiyan & Lingraj Azad –Samajwadi Janparishad, NAPM, Odisha; Dr. Sunilam, Aradhna Bhargava – Kisan Sangharsh Samiti & Meera – Narmada Bachao Andolan, NAPM, MP; Suniti SR, Suhas Kolhekar, Prasad Bagwe – NAPM, Maharashtra; Gabriele Dietrich, Geetha Ramakrishnan – Unorganised Sector Workers Federation, NAPM, TN; C R Neelkandan – NAPM Kerala; P Chennaiah & Ramakrishnan Raju – NAPM Andhra Pradesh, Arundhati Dhuru & Richa Singh –Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, NAPM, UP; Sister Celia – Domestic Workers Union & Rukmini V P, Garment Labour Union, NAPM, Karnataka; Vimal Bhai – Matu Jan sangathan & Jabar Singh, NAPM, Uttarakhand; Anand Mazgaonkar, Krishnakant – Paryavaran Suraksh Samiti, NAPM Gujarat; Kamayani Swami, Ashish Ranjan – Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan & Mahendra Yadav – Kosi Navnirman Manch, NAPM Bihar; Faisal Khan, Khudai Khidmatgar, NAPM Haryana; Kailash Meena, NAPM Rajasthan; Amitava Mitra & Sujato Bhadra, NAPM West Bengal; B S Rawat – Jan Sangharsh Vahini & Rajendra Ravi, Madhuresh Kumar, Shabnam, Rishit, Amit – NAPM, Delhi
Invitation of Lecture on Turkish General Elections: Results
Invitation of Lecture on Turkish General Elections: Results and Implications on November 10, 2015 at 4:00 p.m at IOS
From: IOS World
To: ios1@vsnl.com
November 7, 2015
Dear Brother
You are cordially invited to attend a lecture on “ Turkish General Elections: Results and Implications” to be delivered by Prof. Arshi Khan, Department of Political Science ,AMU and Member of General Assembly of IOS, on Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at 4:00 p.m at Conference Hall of Institute of Objective Studies at 162-Jogabai Main Road,Jamia Nagar,New Delhi.
Prof Aftab Kamal Pasha, Centre for West Asian & African Studies, JNU will preside over this function.
A copy of invitation is enclosed for your kind perusal.
Thanking you
Yours sincerely
(Iqbal Husain)
Programme Officer, IOS
8802865923
MBTA conducts India’s first ever Ball Boys & Girls Hunt in Delhi NCR
Nine kids across Delhi NCR have been selected to be ball kids for the upcoming Coca-Cola International Premier Tennis League
New Delhi, November 8, 2015: Mahesh Bhupathi Tennis Academies (MBTA)conducted India’s first ever Ball Boys & Girls today Hunt at the Maple Town and Country Club for the upcoming Coca-Cola International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) in December, this year.
Among the kids who were selected from today’s Hunt were Durvish Handa, Jayant Varma, Archita Mahalwal, Lakshya Gupta, Neharika Ann Mann Amrita Yadav, Ananya Bhargava and Hrithik Vohra.
The winners will be trained for 3 to 4 days in Delhi before the second season of the Coca-Cola International Premier Tennis League begins on 10th December, 2015.
Speaking on her selection, Nandita Saxena said, “This is so exciting! We’ve been practising the game for over a year now and are very thrilled to be part of the biggest tennis tournament of this year. Watching our favourite international players live in action will definitely inspire us, and motivate many of our peers to engage with the game.”
Ball boys and girls play an important role in any formal tennis, and being selected for an international league is a matter of pride for any budding tennis aspirants.
Speaking on the occasion, Gaurav Natekar, CEO of MBTA said, “MBTA Coca Cola ITPL Ball Kid’s Hunt has evoked a great response from the children and parents in Delhi NCR. The kids showed terrific confidence and stamina in today’s Hunt. We, at MBTA, are excited for the kids to be part of the MBTA ITPL Ball Kids as it is a great platform for young tennis aspirants to watch an International tennis league from up-close and learn from their favourite tennis idols.”
MBTA ITPL Ball Kids Hunt was the first of its kind in the India, which was to primarily test the kids on their speed, agility, mobility, stamina as well as their knowledge of the game.
About MBTA
It was in 2006 that Mahesh Bhupathi’s vision became a reality. MBTA was founded by the 12-time Grand Slam winner with the objective of imparting professional, world-class training (both practical and theoretical) and highly specialized coaching to youngsters of all age-groups. Another objective of the MBTA was to increase the accessibility of tennis by ensuring that people across all socio-economic groups have the opportunity to experience the joy of tennis. Mr. Gaurav Natekar, former India No. 1, Arjuna Awardee and double Asian Games gold medalist is the CEO and the driving force behind MBTA.
MBTA is a pioneering effort to promote the game of tennis across different levels. By launching our ‘School Tennis Program’ in various schools across India, MBTA has established itself as a force that adopts a systematic and well-planned approach at every stage in the process of tennis coaching. It is customized to the capabilities and needs of each participant and leads to a comprehensive and highly effective graduation process.
The academy also provides consultancy services to various schools, colleges and corporate companies to structure, develop and implement a variety of tennis coaching programs based on their needs.
For more information, log on to: http://www.mbtaworld.com/
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