55th National Awards announced: Gandhi, My Father wins two

New Delhi, Sep.7 (ANI): The Anil Kapoor produced film ‘Gandhi, My Father’ has won two National Awards while the Shahrukh-starrer ‘Om Shanti Om’ has won in the Best Art Direction category, and Shahid Kapur-starrer ‘Jab We Met’ won the award in Best Choreography category in the 55th National Awards that were announced on Monday.

Gandhi, My Father was pitted against commercial successes like Taare Zameen Par and Chak De.

Feroz Abbas Khan, the director of the Gandhi, My Father won the National Award for Best Screenplay and Darshan Zariwala bagged theaward for the Best Supporting actor for portraying Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation who strives hard to have a normal relationship with his son in the film.

Meanwhile, actor Prakash Raj has won the Best Actor award in the 55th National Awards for his sterling performance as a silk weaver in Priyadarshan’s Tamil film Kanchivaram, which has been adjudged as the Best Film of 2007.

“It’s a very human story of pre-partition time about Kanjivaram. The film’s script was written so well that I didn’t require any homework. It is

It is Prakash Raj’s second National award. The previous one was in the Best Supporting Actor category for Mani Ratnam’s Iruvar in 1998 and a special jury award in 2003.

Directed by Priyadarshan, the film depicts the lives and times of silk-weavers of Kancheepuram in pre-Independent India.

Actor Umashree has won the Best Actress award for her performance for her lead role ‘Gulabi’ in Girish Kasaravalli’s Kannada film “Gulabi Talkies”.

The Gulabi Talkies, which was made in the coastal dialect of Kannada is based on the communal tension in Karnataka.

The best child actor award has gone to Sharad Goyekar for his role in the Marathi film “Tingya”.

Darshan Zariwala has got the best supporting actor award for his role in Feroz Abbas Khan’s film “Gandhi My Father”.

There is also a special jury award for this film, which explores the troubled relationship between Harilal Gandhi and Mahatma Gandhi.

“Chak De” has got the award in the wholesome entertainment category and “Taare Zameen Par” in the family welfare category.

Playback singer Shankar Mahadevan has won the award for the song “Meri Maa” from the film “Taare Zameen Par”.

The jury members for the National Awards headed by Sai Paranjpe included Ashok Viswanathan and Namita Gokhale. About 102 films and 106 non-feature films were considered.

The list had been finalized last week but because of the death of Andhra Pradesh chief minister YSR Reddy, the announcement was postponed. (ANI)

55th National Awards announced: Prakash Raj best actor, Kancheevaram best film

New Delhi, Sep.7 (ANI): Actor Prakash Raj has won the Best Actor award in the 55th National Awards for his sterling performance as a silk weaver in Priyadarshan’s Tamil film Kanchivaram, which has been adjudged as the Best Film of 2007.

It is Prakash Raj’s second National award. The previous one was in the Best Supporting Actor category for Mani Ratnam’s Iruvar in 1998 and a special jury award in 2003.

Directed by Priyadarshan, the film depicts the lives and times of silk-weavers of Kancheepuram in pre-Independent India.

Actor Umashree has won the Best Actress award for her performance for her lead role ‘Gulabi’ in Girish Kasaravalli’s Kannada film “Gulabi Talkies”.

The Gulabi Talkies, which was made in the coastal dialect of Kannada is based on the communal tension in Karnataka.

The best child actor award has gone to Sharad Goyekar for his role in the Marathi film “Tingya”.

Darshan Zariwala has got the best supporting actor award for his role in Feroz Abbas Khan’s film “Gandhi My Father”.

There is also a special jury award for this film, which explores the troubled relationship between Harilal Gandhi and Mahatma Gandhi.

“Chak De” has got the award in the wholesome entertainment category and “Taare Zameen Par” in the family welfare category.

Playback singer Shankar Mahadevan has won the award for the song “Meri Maa” from the film “Taare Zameen Par”.

The jury members for the National Awards headed by Sai Paranjpe included Ashok Viswanathan and Namita Gokhale. About 102 films and 106 non-feature films were considered.

The list had been finalized last week but because of the death of Andhra Pradesh chief minister YSR Reddy, the announcement was postponed. (ANI)

“Mischievous” cleric instigated Muslims to attack Christians in Pak

Lahore, July 3 (ANI): A local cleric had instigated communal tension in Bahmniwala village in Kasur District which resulted in Tuesday’s incident of loot and attack on Christians, it has been revealed.

Member of the Provincial Assembly, Ahmed Ali Dhillon said a “mischievous” cleric, Qari Latif, had prompted young men to attack Christians for alleged blasphemy.

Over six hundred Muslims attacked Christian houses in the village, looted valuables and tortured Christian men and women ruthlessly, The Daily Times reported.

At least 110 Christian families were forced on to flee the village after the attack. The families sought safety in the fields surrounding their village.

The problem started when a Christian boy, Arif Mashi, was travelling on a tractor and asked a Muslim boy, Muhammad Riaz, to allow him to pass. When Riaz refused, the two quarrelled.

Following this incident, a mob attacked houses of the area’s Christian community with petrol-bombs, destroying their electricity meters and thrashing any Christians they found.

On Wednesday, the Muslim community refused to communicate with the Christian community, boycotting their businesses. The Christians who returned to their homes found they had no electricity or drinking water the entire day.

“Despite the presence of police, the mosques continued to urge a complete Christian boycott,” said Sohail Johnson, chief coordinator of the Sharing Life Ministry.

Human Rights and Minority Affairs Minister Kamran Michael said he had asked officials of the Revenue Department to compile an estimate of the loss suffered by the Christian community. He said justice would be ensured, adding the government would investigate the people responsible for turning the incident into a religious issue.

A committee comprising Christian and Muslim elders of the area, led by Kasur District Coordination Officer (DCO) Abdul Jabbar Shaheen, was formed on Wednesday to look into the matter and negotiate a peace deal between the two groups.

The situation in the area remains tense. (ANI)

Varun Gandhi deposes before NSA board in Lucknow

Lucknow, April 28 (ANI): BJP’s firebrand leader Varun Gandhi on Tuesday deposed before the National Security Act board here following recent directions of the Supreme Court justifying imposition of the NSA against him in connection with his hate-speech.

Sources said that the deposition before the NSA board took place in camera.

Earlier, BJP supporters gave a rousing welcome to Varun on his arrival in the city by helicopter. He was escorted to the party headquarters where he reportedly addressed the gathering.

Las month, the Uttar Pradesh police booked Varun Gandhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate from Pilibhit, under the stringent National Security Act, charging him under the NSA for allegedly inciting communal tension and provoking a riot by his supporters. He was booked under Section 2 and Section 3 of the NSA.

Pilibhit’s District Magistrate Ajay Chauhan had issued the order to invoke NSA on Varun, who was already lodged in the district jail.

The NSA was invoked on the grounds of public administration and peace being disturbed by Gandhi, said Additional Cabinet Secretary Vijay Shanker Pandey to media in Lucknow at that time.

Pandey said the basis for slapping NSA were “Charges of inciting communal passion by making provocative and inflammatory speeches during meetings held on March 7 at Dalganj and on March 8 at Barkhera area of Pilibhit district have been confirmed.”

The NSA action had come on a day when Gandhi was slapped with fresh charges by the Pilibhit police including attempt to murder, a non-bailable offence, in connection with the Saturday’s violence (in March) involving his supporters around the Pilibhit district jail, following his arrest.

The maximum period of detention under the NSA is one year with no provision for bail. The government invokes the NSA on the basis of the district magistrate’s report, after which the accused is kept in preventive detention.

During the three-week period, the accused is provided with the grounds for invoking the NSA and he can challenge the detention before a three-member advisory board headed by a high court judge.

If the board holds that the grounds for detention are justified, then the applicant can only challenge it in Supreme Court.

Pandey stated that on March 18, deviating from the programme he (Varun) had sent to the superintendent of police, he changed his route and timing in a planned manner, thus affecting general administration adversely.

The additional cabinet secretary said that the government had issued an order to ensure strict enforcement of the model code of conduct. (ANI)

Punjab villagers resent Radio Pakistan allegations

Abohar, March 30 (ANI): People living on the border villages of Punjab are fed up with the malicious anti-India campaign being carried on by the Radio Pakistan at a time when the people of the country are becoming victims of Taliban terror.

They are demanding that the Government of India should tell Pakistani Government to ban the Punjabi Durbar programme if it continues broadcasting programmes aimed at spreading disharmony.

Villagers in Chanenwala in Punjab’s Ferozepur district consider Pakistan Radio’s propaganda is similar to any ‘terrorist attack’, as it always intends to divide people on caste and religious lines.

“Our village is a kilometre from border and people of all the castes and communities whether Sikhs or Jat Sikhs live happily together. The programmes under Punjabi Durbar programmes try to instigate hatred and communal tension in India,” said Amit Kumar, a resident in Chananwala Village.

Pakistan Radio has also been taking interest in spreading rumours that there is no democracy, elections are fraudulent and citizens are being forced to give votes.

Such allegations have surprised listeners on the border villages, who feel that the radio programmes attribute the events taking place in Pakistan as if they were happening in India.

Election process in both the countries show an altogether different picture, as has been witnessed by the world for decades. Villagers want Pakistan Radio to first look at the challenges of terrorism and internal conflict faced by people on its soil and then raise fingers on others.

“People across the world know that during former President General Musharraf’s rule people were forced to cast their votes,” said Amit Kumar, local, Chananwala village.

“Programs like Punjabi Darbar should not be broadcast. I am a Sikh and I am saying that we are not pressurized here in India to do anything,” said Resham Singh, local, Chananwala village. The Radio programmes try to insinuate that Muslims and Sikhs are being ill-treated in India. The truth is that the Hindus, Muslims and the Sikhs live together here and Pakistan is trying to instigate the world with its forged statements,” said Dalip Kumar, another resident in Chananwala village.

People along the international border were aghast that Pakistan is broadcasting such programmes when Taliban is attacking their own Police Training establishment hardly twelve kilometres from India. (ANI)

Varun Gandhi’s bail hearing in Pilibhit court today

Pilibhit, Mar 30 (ANI): A local court in Pilibhit will today hear a bail plea of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi.

The application was moved by his lawyers before Chief Judicial Magistrate Vipin Kumar.

On Sunday, the Mayawati Government slapped the National Security Act (NSA) on Varun late on Sunday night for inciting communal tension.

Earlier, Pilibhit police lodged an FIR against him for making inflammatory anti-Muslim remarks and creating a riot-like situation in the district.

The police have also lodged an FIR against BJP’s election-in-charge for Uttar Pradesh Kalraj Mishra for violating the model code of conduct.

The Pilibhit court, on March 28 had sent Varun to jail until today. The court took this decision shortly after the BJP candidate from Pilibhit, Varun had said he was ready to go to jail, claiming that he had not passed any hate remarks during the election rally in the district on March 6.

Varun, at an election meeting in Pilibhit had been recorded as saying, “If anyone raises a finger towards Hindus or if someone thinks that Hindus are weak and leaderless, if someone thinks that these leaders lick our boots for votes, if anyone raises a finger towards Hindus, then I swear on Gita that I will cut that hand.”

However, he maintains his innocence claiming that the CD containing his speech was tampered with. (ANI)