Mumbai: BJP MP from Mathura, has come up with a proposal because of which Maharashtra can get a financial loan of $10 billion, and that too at an interest rate of 1.8 per cent per annum.

For this, she had a meeting with Finance and Planning Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar at the state guesthouse Sahyadri, on Wednesday afternoon. The financial arm of a US-based investment company wants to invest the $10 billion for infrastructure projects.

According to sources from the Finance Ministry, the investment firm approached Hema Malini and was interested in investing in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. But since Maharashtra is a BJP-run state, Hema Malini decided to pitch Maharashtra to the firm and had an extensive meeting regarding this issue with Mungantiwar.

While the finance minister found the investment offer very lucrative, as the money is huge and interest rate low too, he has put forth a condition. “The condition from our side is that the loan amount won’t be based on the exchange rate. Instead it should be fixed and the fluctuations in the rupee vs dollar rate shouldn’t be counted.

If the firm agrees to it, we may think about it,” said Mungantiwar. The other hurdle is that the firm expects that the Central government should take the surety for the loan, which will be granted to the state. According to sources in the ministry, the Central government shouldn’t have an issue with it, because both the Central and state governments are headed by the BJP.

However, what came to many as a surprise is that the entire delegation was led by Hema Malini, who is seen as an ornamental Member of Parliament by many within the BJP too. “Many think the celebrity MPs in BJP do not work, this is an example to prove them wrong as this shows that such complex issues are also dealt with by an MP, who has no background in finance,” said a senior BJP functionary. 

Mumbai: Self-styled 'godwoman' Radhe Maa, accused in a dowry harassment case, has revealed who gave her the red mini dress which took the social media by storm.

In an interview to The Times of India, the controversial godwoman said that she was on a trip with a group of families that are her devotees and are very close to her. “They gave me those clothes and wanted me to wear them. There is nothing wrong in those clothes nor are they obscene. And who told you sadhus and sadhvis have to dress in a particular manner? I listen to my bhakts and if they are happy I am happy,” she said.

Radhe Maa, who answered the questions through her interlocutor Sanjeev Gupta as she was "deep in meditation", insisted that she dressed in whatever clothes her devotees give her. “They dress me up and they apply the makeup."

When asked how were those images leaked, Radhe Maa said some people wanted to malign her.

Saying that the images were spread in the media deliberately, the godwoman said those were her personal photos and the media had no right to publish them. “It was wrong of them (media). I am very offended by this behaviour,” she added.

She alleged that she does not have enough bank balance. “I have only Rs 8 to Rs 10 lakh with me. You can get the CBI to investigate this and I can promise you that even they won't find anything.”

She also denied even knowing Nikki Gupta, the Kanidivili woman who has accused her of dowry harassment.

The godwoman also said there was nothing wrong in her makeup. “It is not like Durga. What you see me wearing is how my bhakts dress me up.”

When asked why her devotees carry her, she said: “My son has lifted me once as I was tired. Maa thak jaati hai pravarchan karne ki baad.”

Radhe Maa also told the daily that there was no ban on her from attending Kumbh.

Mumbai: The ladies wing of Bombay Bunts Association celebrated “Aatidonji Dina” (One day in Aati) on 2.8.2015 at Nithyananda Sabhagraha, Sion, Mumbai.

President of Bombay Bunts Association Shyam N. Shetty presided over the function and in his presidential address he said  that these functions educate our youths about our cultures and heritage. He appreciated the ladies for being present in large numbers.

Chairperson of Ladies Wing Sarala Shetty thanked all those who helped and supported to celebrate this function.

Amruta Shetty gave information about the importance of Aati.

Chief Guest Sarala Shetty, Guest Dr. Surendra Shetty, CA Surendra Shetty, Hon. Treasurer of Bombay Bunts Association expressed their opinion about the Aati celebration.

Janhavi Shetty who obtained CA degree was felicitated during the occasion.

Stage program was started with a prayer by Geeta Shetty.  Aati Kalinja was the special attraction of the programme which was performed by Shanta Shetty, Dr. Pallavi and Pritvi.  In the food competition variety of foods were prepared by the lady members.

Mumbai: Self-styled godwoman Radhe Maa who got into trouble after courting a controversy by posing in a red mini-skirt arrived in Mumbai from Aurangabad on Sunday. Hundreds of her followers were present at the airport to welcome her.

The godwoman has been summoned to appear before the Mumbai Police on Monday in a dowry harassment case.

An FIR was registered against her for allegedly instigating a woman's in-laws to harass her for dowry. "A 32-year-old married woman lodged a complaint against her in-laws as well as Radhe Maa, claiming she is being harassed mentally and physically for dowry," said Mukund Pawar, Senior Inspector, Kandivali Police Station of Mumbai.

The woman said her in-laws and other family members are the followers of Radhe Maa, who has instigated them to demand dowry and harass her if the demand is not met, he said.

She became a self-styled godwoman at the age of 23 and now delivers sermons at various places across India. Her followers believe that she is blessed with supernatural powers and can help them get through any trouble.

The 50-year-old, who has three children, has often been in news for all the wrong reasons.

Her shenanigans are quite often noticed on the social media and many pictures have surfaced where she’s been found kissing and hugging her followers.

Meanwhile, a Mumbai-based lawyer has also lodged a complaint with the police, accusing her of cheating people in the name of religion, and also indulging in obscene and vulgar acts.

MUMBAI: An Indigo flight to Delhi returned and landed in Mumbai 15 minutes after departure due to a technical snag on Saturday morning.

The flight 6E 178, which was scheduled for a 9.30 am departure took off at 9.45 am. About 15 minutes after take off, the pilot announced that the flight will return to Mumbai as the aircraft had developed a technical snag. The aircraft, with about 150 passengers on board is currently in Mumbai. "We are inside the aircraft, the engineers have told us that we will depart in the next 15 minutes," said Naheed Contractor, a passenger onboard the flight. At 11.10 am the flight was still on ground.

Earlier in the day, IndiGo passengers of the same flight had to put up with some inconvenince as there were no IndiGo cabin bag tags at self check-in or at the security gates, she added. "We had to walk all the way back to main check-in counters and the airline manager acknowledged the shortage and said some of the bag tag bins are empty," Contractor said. "The CISF security personnel also knew about it and said that I wasn't the first person to go searching for baggage tags after reaching security, as no tags were available at Indigo check in gates from A1 to A8," she said.

The Indigo spokesperson was not available for comment.

A Navi Mumbai journalist who wanted to join the Islamic State was arrested by Delhi Police on Friday. Zuber Ahmed Khan was said to have left Navi Mumbai after taking to the social media to announce he was ready to “surrender” his Indian passport and join the ranks of the Islamic State.

In social media posts, Khan claimed to be the editor-in-chief of a newspaper called Journalist for International Peace. In his last Facebook post, Khan said he would be taking the Rajdhani Express to Delhi where he would arrive Tuesday (August 4).

He said he would visit the Iraq embassy and “submit my memorandum to Caliphate Bagdadi” with the “desire to join the Islamic State as a spokesperson for foreign affairs or a government journalist”, and “willingness to surrender my Indian passport”. He also said he would visit the Pakistan high commission to “expedite my visa request” that he would be in Delhi for five days.

On his blog, he wrote why he wanted to join the IS: “I am fighting for the rights of Muslims using my own money. I will be the voice of Muslims and place the true picture of Muslims before society… the IS does not betray those who help it on the basis of religion.”

5-year-old woman was arrested on Thursday for allegedly murdering her 20-year-old drug addict son at their residence in Dombivali in Thane district, police said. The incident occurred last afternoon when the accused, identified as Pyari Chowdhary, allegedly strangulated Ashok to death with a computer wire, said inspector IM Chikalghar of Vishnu Nagar police station.

He said Ashok was a drug addict and would often demand money from his parents. According to police, Ashok had demanded Rs 1,000 from his mother for repairing his vehicle, which she refused to part. "This threw Ashok in a rage who thrashed his mother with belt," the police officer said.

The woman allegedly strangulated Ashok at around 4 pm apparently when he was asleep. A complaint was lodged by the victim's elder brother.

In an example of growing crowds in Mumbai causing various problems, two passengers fell off overcrowded trains recently, and sustained severe injuries. Even the railway police have said that incidents of people falling off trains because of the crowd are happening repeatedly. - See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-overcrowded-trains-cause-two-to-fall-off/16420183#sthash.dlkLqrMu.dpuf

They said this especially happens on the stretch between Bandra and Borivli, which saw two such accidents on July 30 and 31. Both the victims fell off the trains, allegedly due to the excess crowd and sustained severe injuries. Both were rushed to Vile Parle’s Cooper Hospital immediately by Andheri Goverment Railway Police (GRP).

Doctors said both victims, Sameer Shaikh (15) and Ramchandra Gandhi (28), sustained head injuries and are critical. The first incident took place near Andheri station at around 12.55 pm when Gandhi, a resident of Goregaon, was on his way to Andheri on July 30.

According to GRP records, Gandhi, who was standing by the door, fell off the train due to the overcrowded coach and hit a pole. Passengers informed railway police, who took Gandhi to Cooper Hospital. He was admitted in the trauma ward of the hospital for a head injury that he suffered.

The second incident took place the next day, when Shaikh was returning to his Goregaon residence from Dadar. The Std X student of Ravindra Bharti school had gone shopping with three of his friends and took the Borivli slow train back home. GRP officials said the incident took place at 6.55 pm between Santacruz and Vile Parle stations.

Shaikh’s parents, while talking to mid-day, said that the boy was standing at the door and lost balance. When his friends pulled the chain and went back to search for Shaikh, he was found sitting on the tracks, bleeding due to the head injury.

“They said that they brought  him back to Vile Parle station which was near the spot and informed police officials about the incident. He was then taken to Cooper Hospital for treatment and we received a call at around
11.30 pm. The doctors in the intensive care unit were treating him for a head injury,” said his father Naeem Shaikh, a rickshaw driver from Goregaon.

Shaikh suffered from spinal and stomach injuries as well, for which the doctors operated on him on Saturday night. “Both the patients suffered from head injuries, but received timely treatment, due to which their condition didn’t worsen further. Yet Shaikh is still in the ICU and is under supervision due to his internal bleeding and injuries,” said a doctor from the hospital.

GRP speak
The GRP officials said that people need to take care while boarding overcrowded trains, since incidents of passengers falling off the train have been taking place repeatedly. “People need to act responsibly and avoid travelling dangerously.

Especially during morning and evening rush hours, when there is excess crowd, which is difficult for those standing at the door. Also, those inside the compartment should take care and keep a watch on teenagers who often hang dangerously by the doors,” said a GRP official from Andheri station.

Representational picture.