Three booked as crackers burst during election campaign trigger fire in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): A case has been registered against three Shiv Sena (UBT) workers for allegedly violating campaign conditions after they burst firecrackers at an election rally, sparking a fire in Mumbai, officials said on Sunday.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening near the Govardhan building in central Mumbai’s N M Joshi Marg area, they said.
Sena (UBT) leader and former mayor Kishor Pednekar, who is contesting from ward no. 1999, was taking out a rally at the time. Sena (UBT) worker Ramchandra Yesode had organised the rally, and it had been granted police permission with certain conditions.
As Pednekar began visiting houses as part of the campaign for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls, some of her supporters burst firecrackers on the road despite objections from policemen deployed for the rally, an official said.
The firecrackers exploded in all directions, triggering a fire in a room on the fifth floor of Irani Chawl and in three other houses, he said.
Police later identified Soham Sarwankar (21) and Omsai Pansare (20) as those who burst the firecrackers.
A case was then registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Maharashtra Police Act against organiser Yesode, Sarwankar and Pansare at the N M Joshi Marg police station, he said, adding that further probe is underway.
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SC slams freebies culture, says states should open avenues for employment
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed the freebies culture, saying it was high time to revisit such policies that hamper the country's economic development.
Taking note of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd's plea, which proposed to provide free electricity to all irrespective of financial status of consumers, the top court said it was quite understandable if states hand-hold the poor.
“Most of the states in the country are revenue deficit states and yet they are offering such freebies” overlooking development, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said.
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The bench said economic development of the nation gets hampered with this kind of largesse distribution and states should work to open avenues for employment instead of giving free food, cycles, electricity to all.
The top court, however, issued notice to Centre and others on the plea of the DMK government-led power distribution firm which proposes to provide free electricity.
The power firm has challenged a rule of the Electricity Amendment Rules, 2024.
“What kind of culture are we developing in India? It is understandable that as part of the welfare measure you want to provide to those who are incapable of pay the electricity charges,” the bench asked.
“But without drawing a distinction between those who can afford and those who cannot, you start distributing. Will it not amount to an appeasing policy,” the CJI asked.
The bench asked as to why the Tamil Nadu firm suddenly decided to loosen the purse strings after the electricity tariff was notified.
“The states should work to open avenues for employment. If you start giving free food from morning to evening then free cycle, then free electricity then who will work and then what will happen to the work culture,” the CJI said.
The bench said states, instead of spending on development projects, do two jobs - paying salaries and distributing such largesse.
