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Sarosh Homi Kapadia appointed as new Chief Justice of India

April 30, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Apr 30 (ANI): Supreme Court Justice Sarosh Homi Kapadia has been appointed as the new Chief Justice of India (CJI).

He will assume charge May 12.

Kapadia takes over from Justice K.G. Balakrishnan.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, President Pratibha Patil is pleased to appoint Justice Kapadia to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from May 12,” a press release from the ministry of law and justice stated.

Kapadia was appointed as Chief Justice of the Uttaranchal High Court on October 5, 2003.

Later, he was elevated to the Bench of the Supreme Court of India on December 18, 2003. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: bench, chief justice of india, constitution of india, exercise, k g balakrishnan, law and justice, Law Justice, ministry of law, new chief justice, New Chief Justice Of India, New Delhi, President Pratibha Patil, press release, supreme court justice, Supreme Court Of India

Government categorically rejects opposition’s phone-tapping allegations

April 26, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Apr 26 (ANI): The UPA Government on Monday categorically rejected reports of phone tapping of senior political leaders, including union ministers.

Making a statement in the Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said no government agency had been authorized to tap the phones of senior political leaders.

“I wish to state categorically that no telephone tapping or eavesdropping on political leaders was authorized by the previous UPA Government. Nor has the present UPA Government authorized any such activity,” he said.

Chidambaram said the government has respected and upheld the laws of the land and is committed to upholding the rights of Indian citizens.

“Both this government and the previous UPA Government have respected and upheld the laws of the land,” he said.

“We are committed to defending the rights of every Indian citizen, including the right to privacy, and will uphold the rights of the individual citizen enshrined in the Constitution of India,” Chidambaram added.

He said the Government has conducted an inquiry into the allegation after it was first published in the Outlook magazine on April 23.

“Government have seen the allegations against the NTRO contained in the story in Outlook magazine,” Chidambaram said.

“After the issue of the magazine was available late Friday, April 23, 2010, the allegations in the story were thoroughly enquired into. Nothing has been found in the records of the NTRO or elsewhere to substantiate the allegations,” he added.

The Outlook magazine alleged that the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) had indulged in the phone tapping of senior political leaders.

In April 2004, the Government set up the NTRO on the recommendation of a Group of Ministers (GoM).

Chidambaram said intelligence agencies were fully accountable to the Government, and each case of telephone monitoring, approval of the Union Home Secretary had to be sought personally.

“Our intelligence agencies function within the law. They are fully accountable to Government. Under the Telegraph Act, and the Information Technology Act, each case of monitoring of telephone or electronic communications has to be approved by the Union Home Secretary personally,” he said.

Chidambaram added that the decision of the Home Secretary is subject to review by an Oversight Committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary.

He claimed that the monitoring of telephones is necessary to contain criminal activities and to counter terrorism.

“Such monitoring as may be necessary to fight crime, for national security, or for our counter terrorism effort, is subject to multiple checks and oversight,” Chidambaram said.

He assured the House that the government is conducting a further inquiry into the magazine’s allegations.

“Further enquiries are being made into the allegations in the magazine. If any evidence is forthcoming or discovered, the matter will be thoroughly investigated by the appropriate agencies,” Chidambaram said. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: allegation, allegations, constitution of india, GOM, government agency, Home Secretary, indian citizen, indian citizens, intelligence agencies, lok sabha, National Technical Research Organisation Ntro, Outlook Magazine, P. Chidambaram, Phone Tapping, political leaders, research organisation, right to privacy, Telephone Tapping, Union Home Minister, Union Ministers

‘Odisha’ bill introduced in Lok Sabha

March 16, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New Delhi, March 15 (IANS) The government Monday introduced in the Lok Sabha a constitutional amendment bill that proposes to rename Orissa as Odisha.

A constitutional amendment bill to change the name of the state’s language from Oriya to Odia was also introduced in the Lok Sabha.

Home Minister P. Chidambaram introduced the Orissa (alteration of name) Bill 2010 and the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirteenth Amendment) Bill, 2010 in the lower house in the afternoon.

‘The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirteenth Amendment Bill), 2010 seeks to change name of the language mentioned in the eighth schedule of the constitution of India from Oriya to Odia,’ Chidambaram said while introducing the bills.

The bills were introduced after a resolution was passed in the Orissa assembly for the change in the name of the state and its official language from Oriya to Odia on Aug 28, 2008. The central government had given its nod to the proposal in September last year.

Odisha is the ancient name of the state. The name Orissa was adopted in 1950.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: alteration, amendment bill, Central Government, constitution of india, Constitutional Amendment, Eighth Schedule, Home Minister, lok sabha, New Delhi, nod, Odia, Odisha, Orissa, Oriya, P. Chidambaram, proposal, Thirteenth Amendment

Jet Airways pilots say Indian Constitution empowers them to strike

September 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Mumbai/New Delhi, Sep. 9 (ANI): Sacked Jet Airways pilots on Wednesday said that the Constitution of India empowered them with the right to strike if the management was indulging in unfair practices.

Sam Thomas, one of the sacked pilots, told a press conference here that there was no question of disbanding the union that they formed and that the airlines management has maligned the image of the pilots. He also said that the strike would continue as long as their demands were not addressed.

Thomas said the pilots union is ready to talk with the management to resolve their issues, which he said, had been forwarded more than 40 days ago. He also said that several unions across various sectors have offered their support to the strike.

He claimed that the Jet Airways management has reneged on several agreements before and added that the sacking of pilots was unjustified.

It was also claimed that his senior management has misled the chairman of Jet Airways, Naresh Goyal.

Thomas’s views came as the COO of Jet Airways, Captain Hamid Ali, said the Ministry of Civil Aviation was being kept posted about the developing situation, which was worrisome.

Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge said Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) could be invoked against striking Jet Airways pilots if the Civil Aviation ministry recommends so but hoped that matter would be resolved before that.

Senior Jet Airways officials on Wednesday said that talks with the striking pilots were still on and there was no breakthrough as yet.

A total of 186 flights — 154 domestic and 32 international — had been cancelled or affected throughout its network, the officials said, adding that 432 of the 760 pilots were on strike.

Airline chairman Naresh Goyal met Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Praful Patel and briefed him about the crisis. Goyal is likely to appeal to the Government to step in to resolve the crisis, though Patel refused to comment when asked what was being down to end the stalemate.

Reiterating that the striking pilots have caused huge inconvenience to traveling passengers, Captain Ali said Jet Airways was grateful that other airlines had stepped in with timely assistance. They also confirmed that they have set up a crisis management center to help passengers board flights to various destinations.

Their comments and apologies came as passengers were left stranded yet again for a second day in a row.

The Aviators’ Guild pilots have said they are standing firm on their demand to reinstate the sacked pilots and added that they are willing to sit across the table for talks – but will not dissolve the union.

The management is reportedly refusing to give into their demands. Sending out a strong message yesterday, Jet Airways sacked some more pilots for their coordinated sick-out following it up with 5 more sackings this morning.

However Girish Kaushik, President of Jet’s newly formed union of pilots said the management must reinstate the pilots that have been sacked.

“We have no demands. Just take the six people back – and they have now increased the number. We are helpless. This problem cannot be one sided. It takes two hands to clap. We have extended our hand. I expect the management to extend its hand and solve the problem,” he said on Wednesday.

Practically all Jet flight routes have being hurt today with cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and other metros also seeing some of the most cancellations.

Jet Airways Chief Naresh Goyal has said the airline is trying their best to make sure that passengers are put on alternative flights.

“We are willing to sit with them (pilots) and to follow certain guidelines and rules and not create inconvenience to customers and passengers,” Goyal told a private television channel.

Jet Airways yesterday suspended all its flights between the UAE and India after almost half of its pilots did not report for duties.

About 13,000 passengers were affected, the airline said. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Civil Aviation Ministry, constitution of india, COO, essential services, hamid ali, indian constitution, jet airways, Labour Minister, maintenance act, minister of state, naresh goyal, New Delhi, Pilots Union, praful patel, refu, sam thomas, Senior Management, services maintenance, Striking Pilots, unfair practices, Union Minister

Reservation for students in National Institute of Technology in Tripura

August 27, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Aug 27 (ANI): The Union Cabinet today approved the implementation of reservation for students belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes to the National Institute of Technology in Jirania in Tripura.

The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 (CEI Act, 2006) was notified on January 4, 2007. Section 3 of the CEI Act, 2006 provides for reservation of seats in Central Educational Institutions, according to which, 15 per cent seats are reserved for the SC 7.5 per cent for the ST and 27 per cent for the OBC.

Section 4 (a) of the CEI Act, 2006 provides that the provisions of Section 3 of the Act shall not apply to a Central Educational Institution established in the tribal areas referred to in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

The National Institute of Technology (NIT) located at Jirania in the Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council, Agartala was unable to extend the benefit of reservation to students belonging to OBC category in view of the non-applicability of the CEI Act, under Section 4 (a).

Several writ petitions were filed in Guwahati High Court, Agartala and High Court, New Delhi challenging applicability of reservation of the SCs and STs in NIT, Agartala while not extending the benefit of reservation to OBCs.

There was a popular demand from political parties and public representatives that the benefits of reservation for OBC should be extended to NIT Agartala in view of the substantial population of OBCs in the State.

A notification was issued with the approval of the President under Paragraph 12AA(c) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India on 13.7.2009 to the effect that provisions of Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act shall apply to Jirania in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council in respect of Central Educational Institutions situated therein namely NIT, Agartala subject to modifications of Section 3, 4 and 6 of the CEI Act, 2006.

It benefits Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other socially and educationally Backward Classes of students. (ANI)

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Maken launches SOP for police probing human trafficking

June 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, June 29 (ANI): Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Police for investigating human trafficking in India was launched by Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken today.

Speaking on the occasion, Maken said that India follows a policy of “Zero Tolerance” against human trafficking in the women and children for sexual exploitation and has adequate Constitutional safeguards and legislation against the crime of human trafficking. Article 23 of the Constitution of India prohibits trafficking in any form.

Maken said that though “Police” and “Public” are essentially State subjects and State Governments are primarily responsible for preventing and combating the crime of human trafficking, the Central Government has taken several measures for combating trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation. Some of the initiatives taken at MHA at national are:

Anti-Trafficking Nodal Cell was set up in MHA to act as a focal point for communicating various decisions and follow up on action taken by the State Governments. On the advice of MHA, all the States have nominated Anti Trafficking Nodal Officers who spearhead the Anti-Trafficking operations at the state level.

A two-year project titled “Strengthening the Law Enforcement Response to Trafficking in Persons in India through Training and Capacity Building” in 5 select States of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Bihar was launched in April, 2006 in partnership with UNODC to develop Protocols and SOPs, and to set up the Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) under the police department. The project has been extended up to July, 2009. The total sanctioned budget for this project is US$ 2.58 million. So far, about 300 training programmes have been conducted in which more than 10,500 persons have been trained.

MHA, NHRC, NCW and M/o WCD are working on updating the existing Plan of Action for Combating Trafficking (1998) and drafting an Integrated National Plan of Action to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in human beings, especially women and children.

A national level “Training for Trainers” Workshop was orgnaised in June 2008. One international level workshop for the officers of SAARC member countries was also organised in May 2009.

A comprehensive scheme on strengthening the law enforcement response to trafficking through “Training for Trainers” programmes and by establishing Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTU), has been proposed by MHA. Such a scheme will ensure will ensure sensitization of grass-root police personnel and provide basic resources for a coordinated approach to preventing and combating trafficking at the district level in all the States.

Delineating the initiatives taken by India at International level, Shri Maken said that :India is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organised Crime (UNCTOC), which has as one of its protocols on the prevention, suppression and punishment of trafficking in persons, particularly women and children. India is in the process of ratifying the convention.

India has ratified the SAARC Convention on preventing and combating trafficking in women and children for prostitution. Third meeting of SAARC Regional Task Force was held last month where the SOP for implementation of the provisions of the SAARC convention prepared by MHA, GOI has been finalized.

MHA in association with the M/o WCD and UNICEF prepared draft protocol and SOP for dealing with cross border trafficking between India and Bangladesh to address the various issues relating to victim identification and repatriation and make the process speedy and victim-friendly. Two bilateral meetings between India and Bangladesh have already been held to discuss the protocol.

The minister said that the scenario is certainly changing for the positive. In the last six years, there has been a growing momentum against the menace of human trafficking. The credit goes to NGOs, who have brought this issue into the lime-light and on the national agenda. However, we may have to evolve new strategies, bring in radical changes in our approach in dealing with victims etc. There is a need to adopt and strengthen the ‘Prevention, Protection and Prosecution” approach in a coordinated manner involving several agencies, he added.

Maken expressed the hope that all law enforcement agencies would like to make use of the SOP released today to take forward its counter-trafficking agenda for creating awareness among stakeholders about the issues that have been well-researched and presented in the manual.

The SOP was prepared by Anju Gupta, an IPS officer of UP cadre in coordination with International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Geneva based body which has membership of 125 countries. India formerly joined IOM in June 2008. (ANI)

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Dalits in India find sponsors in Pakistan Radio

May 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Abohar, May 29 (ANI): In its latest Punjabi Durbar programme the commentators have come up with the argument that Dalit leaders in India have been accepting the directives given to them from Brahmin leaders.

The programme has been attacking the integrity of Dalit leaders, who have been accused of forgetting the welfare of people of their community.

Radio Pakistan has alleged that Dalit leaders who have won elections in the past forgot to work for their community and accepting the diktats of ‘Brahmin’ leaders. Apparently the reference is directed to Mayawati, Chief Minister of U.P., who has an upper caste Advisor.

Villagers, living in the border areas, are amused.

Inderjit Singh Baserke, a Congress leader from Dalit community, however rubbishes such allegations. He points out that Dalits had reserved seats during the elections for Legislative Assembly and the Parliament. They have become MLAs and MPs. The children of Dalits have also got reservation in educational institutions and later in government jobs at all levels.

“I am proud of our Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. The first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru provided reservation to the children of Dalits and today they proudly hold posts of IAS officer, IPS, and PCS, oficers.

Many leaders of the Punjab state Congress party are Dalits. People of Dalit society are never ill-treated in Punjab. This is the land of our Gurus. Today, the Dalits enjoy an equal status with higher castes,” said Dalit leader Inderjit Singh Baserke, the general secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress, Punjab.

“Radio Pakistan wants to provoke the Dalits in India. We have to be careful,” Baserke added.

The Constitution of India offers to its all citizens six fundamental rights– Right to equality, right to freedom of speech and expression, right against exploitation, right to freedom of religion, cultural and educational rights and right to constitutional remedies.

The rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India are fundamental rights and are enforceable in a court of law.

But who can enlighten the broadcasters of the Punjabi Durbar programme of Pakistan radio, who are presently finding it difficult cover items relating to the activities of the Taliban in their programmes. They seem to think that talking about Dalits in India is the answer. (ANI)

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Tribals say they are deprived of basic facilities

May 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Siliguri, May 10 (ANI): Tribals held a rally at Siliguri in West Bengal, protesting against denial of basic facilities, contrary to the promises made in the Constitution.

The rally was organised by the Akhil Bharaiya Adivashi Bikash Parishad of the Terai Doar region.

The council’s officials said they planned to go on a nationwide stir, if their demands were not met.

“We have been cheated by the state not for one or two years, but for 62 years. We are guided by the provisions of the Constitution of India that give us special guarantee to education. We have got no school, no college and no technical institution here. If you go through the provisions of Indian Constitution, all these things are guaranteed, but we have nothing here,” said Birsha Tirkey, general secretary of the council. ver four million tribals inhabit the Terai Doar region. They have been holding talks with the State and the Central Government about their demands, which they said, have not been met so far.

The tea-rich Terai Doar region has as many as 315 tea gardens in the area. Tribals form a majority of the work force in the area.
With the closure of 14 tea gardens in the region as many as 17,000 people have been rendered jobless. (ANI)

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Is Radio Pakistan trying to influence Indian elections?

May 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Abohar, April 29 (ANI): A question that is being asked here is whether Radio Pakistan’s Punjabi Durbar programme will be questioned by the Indian Election Commission for conducting campaigns.

The Punjabi Durbar programmes have been making allegations critical of the United Progressive Alliance Government of India for ‘neglecting minorities’ in the country.

Everyone here is aware that India is known around the world for its multi-religious, secular and democratic set up.

People living in the border district have been witness to instances of clashes between Shias and Sunnis in Pakistan. They have also been watching the situation in Pakistan and are worried about the spread of terrorism in the neighbouring country.

“Pakistan is spreading rumours by broadcasting programmes to instigate the Muslims residing in India. People of all religions, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs live together in India. Pakistan is trying to create misunderstanding among them.

“In Pakistan, people of same religion fight with each other. They should take care of their country first,” said Nagina Begum, Chairperson of Baba Hazirattan Muslim Welfare Committee of Bathinda.

“They (Pakistan) are trying to divert the minds of Pakistanis. Muslims in India have job opportunities, and are owners of business enterprises,” said (Retd.) Prof. Kaushal Sharma, an analyst.

Radio Pakistan should not forget the fact that India is home to over a hundred and fifty million Muslims, more than the population of Pakistan itself. Muslims in India feel safe in the country.

In India, every citizen of the country irrespective of his or her religious faith, caste or creed is equal before law. The fundamental rights like Right to Equality and freedom to practice one’s religious faith are enshrined in the Constitution of India.

Since gaining freedom from the British rule in 1947, various Muslim individuals have occupied senior most posts and made tremendous contribution to the progress of the country.

Dr. Zakir Husain, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, have been Presidents of India.

Even the present Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is also from minority community.

Radio Pakistan will not help candidate of its choice in the Indian elections by distorting facts. It will only embarrass its ‘friends’. (ANI)

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Gorkha National Liberation Front to boycott polls

April 13, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Siliguri, Apr 13 (ANI): The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), an organisation which is demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland to be carved out of West Bengal, announced its boycott of the upcoming national polls.

“Neither NDA nor UPA can bring the demand of Gorkhaland true for us. GNLF’s decision to boycott the polls will be a decisive factor for both the Congress and the BJP in the hills in the upcoming elections with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate to be the ultimate gainer,” said Subhas Gishing, president, GNLF.

The Central Government, the State Government of West Bengal and the GNLF signed an agreement paving the way for setting up the Autonomous Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (ADGHC) in 1988.

However, in early 2008, a breakaway faction of GNLF set up the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), which over the past couple of months has been spearheading the agitation for the separate state of Gorkhaland.

On the other hand ‘Bangla o Bangla Bhasha Bachao Committee’, an organization which is opposing the separate statehood, burnt the effigies of Jaswant Singh, a candidate of the BJP from Darjeeling seat, for supporting the Gorkhaland statehood demand.

“We want to state that there should be no Gorkhaland within Bengal, and no partition of Gorkhaland is acceptable to us. Jaswant Singh and BJP have done immense harm to Bengal. As a national party, they have acted irresponsibly,” said Mukunda Majumdar, president of the committee.

GNLF, under the leadership of Subhash Gishing, initiated an agitation in 1980 demanding a separate state but dropped the demand after New Delhi agreed to confer partial autonomy in 1988 for the Nepalese-speaking people under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. (ANI)

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Radio Pakistan says Sikhs in India are forcibly converted

April 6, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Abohar, April 6 (ANI): Facing criticism both internationally as also at home over the increased number of attacks against peaceful citizens, Radio Pakistan has been trying hard to project that India too is facing similar problems.

Through the recent broadcast of the Punjabi Durbar program, the programme has been heard trying to spread misinformation that Hindus are forcing members of minority communities to convert themselves in India.

Residents living in the border areas of Punjab, where Pakistan Radio has many listeners, are surprised at such allegations.

“This is a part of Pakistan’s propaganda to create tension among people in India. The Hindus are neither forcing people of Muslim majority nor Sikhs to convert themselves. These allegations are being made to create tension and disturb the law and order situation. According to the Indian Constitution, every citizen has right to profess any religion. These allegations are not going to have any effect on the people here because everybody knows that this is Pakistan’s propaganda to disturb peace in India ” said Dr. Harbhajan Singh, a Sikh scholar.

“So far as my experiences are concerned in Punjab, people are very much concerned about each other. There is no discrimination in Punjab. I am staying in Punjab for the last sixteen years and in Abohar, for the last 13 years and I have not been forced to change my religion. Actually I am getting more support from other religions,” said Jijoi, a Christian.

Broadcasters of the Radio Pakistan need to educate themselves about the provision of the Constitution of India which ensures freedom to every citizen of this country to practice his religion. The right to equality is also a fundamental right.

Perhaps the programmers are obsessed with the situation around them, where there is hostilitity among the Shias and Sunnis, the Punjabis, Baluchs and the Sindhis.(ANI)

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Right to development most important: Muchkund Dubey

April 5, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) The right to development should subsume all other rights in this country, says former foreign secretary Muchkund Dubey, now the joint editor of a book on rights and entitlements.

Edited by Dubey and M.K. Jabbi, director of the Council for Social Development, the book, ‘A Social Charter for India: Citizens’ Perspective for Basic Rights’, was released in the capital Thursday by Magsaysay awardee Aruna Roy.

At the 10th SAARC summit in Colombo in 1998, it was agreed that an inter-governmental social charter for South Asia under the aegis of SAARC would be drawn up.

A non-governmental think-tank, the South Asian Centre for Policy Studies, prepared a citizens’ social charter for south Asian member nations listing their rights and demands.

On cue, the Council for Social Development in India envisaged a social charter on the rights and entitlements of citizens after a two-level consultation.

The result is ‘A Social Charter….’. The book is priced at Rs.625 and has been published by Pearson Longman – an imprint of Pearson Education publishing group.

Describing the making of the book, Dubey, now president of the Delhi-based Council for Social Development, said he had invited 150 NGOs from all over the country to brainstorm.

‘But nearly 40 turned up. We had two rounds of discussions during which this charter was developed. I told the NGOs that I did not require treatises or descriptions of the rights and demands from them – just written lists. It was a different kind of intellectual input. We also added a chapter on right to development – which subsumes all other rights and issues,’ Dubey said.

The volume is divided into two sections. The first section comprises 10 essays, each written by an eminent scholar.

The first two chapters probes the basic rights of Indian citizens based on the Constitution of India, Supreme Court judgements and international declarations.

The rest of the chapters surmise the current situations in India in areas like health, education, environment, women, children, the poor and suggests rights and entitlements in each of these sectors.

However, the real challenge before the civil society, Dubey felt, was to enlarge the consensus on rights and include more aspects that had not been covered like the right to information and labour rights.

The book takes off from the premise that various declarations and covenants have recognised basic fundamental rights for all citizens.

For the citizens to enjoy these rights, says K.R. Venugopal in his introductory essay, the state has an obligation to create appropriate conditions without distinction or discriminations of any kind. The state has to play a proactive role in ensuring these rights to its citizens.

Addressing the function, Sydea S. Hameed, member of the Planning Commission, said the postulations in the charter had to become a living instrument.

Recalling the contribution of citizens at the grassroots to create awareness about rights and entitlements, Hameeda said: ‘In 1997, I chanced upon Aruna Roy in Jaipur in Rajasthan. She was raising awareness about the right to information. It was an eye opener. The work that she has done 12 years ago has borne fruit now,’ Hameeda said.

Hameeda, who is sensitive to issues of women’s empowerment, has for the first time created a gender lens in the country’s national plan, a concern that resonates in the book.

‘One of the things I did in the 11th five-year plan was to create a gender lens (a gender-sensitive approach) in every sector – be it rural development, education, health, agriculture, roads, highways, Scheduled Caste and Tribes’ welfare. Everything will have to be looked through a gender lens so that women are not relegated to the margins. Some of the schemes attributed to women had men in it. We have broken new ground,’ Hameeda said.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: aegis, Aruna Roy, asian centre, asian member, Colombo, constitution of india, Eminent Scholar, health education, INDIA Supreme Court, indian citizens, level consultation, magsaysay awardee, Member Nations, ngos, pearson education publishing group, pearson longman, saarc summit, social charter, south-asia, supreme court judgements, treatises

President Patil accepts resignation of Ramadoss and R.Velu

March 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, March 29 (ANI): The President Pratibha Patil on Sunday accepted resignations of Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Minister of Health and Family Welfare and R. Velu, Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways, from the Council of Ministers, with immediate effect.

The resignations, as advised by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, have been accepted under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution of India.

Also, as advised by the PM, the President of India has directed that the work of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will be looked after by Panabaka Lakshmi as Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

On Saturday, the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) nominees in the Union Cabinet, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss and Minister of State for Railways R. Velu had resigned from their ministerial posts.

The PMK chief S. Ramadoss said that he had explained the circumstances to the Prime Minister.

“We explained to Prime Minister the problems we are facing with the DMK in Tamil Nadu. Dr. Singh assured us that he would send their resignation letters to the President Pratibha Patil with a heavy heart,” Ramadoss added.

The move came two days after the party decided to switch-over to AIADMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu for the Lok Sabha polls.

On Thursday, Ramadoss had said that he would quit the Union Cabinet in two days following decision by his party not to join the DMK-Congress-led front in Tamil Nadu for the Lok Sabha polls.

Meanwhile, in Chennai, the PMK has been allotted seven Lok Sabha seats under the new AIADMK front. (ANI)

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Bhopal lawyers form a group to prevent Valentine’s Day opposition

February 13, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Bhopal, Feb 13 (ANI): Lawyers here have formed a squad to prevent Hindu radicals from protesting against the Valentine’s Day celebrations.

“We are worshipping the law books, because according to Act 21 in these books, both the High Court and the Supreme Court have given judgments that if a husband and wife publicly display their affection, it will be considered legal. If the High Court has allowed, then who is the Bajrang Dal to go against it. It is a violation of the Constitution and the court’s orders. We will take action against it,” said Rajkumar Pandey, President, Lawyer’s Brigade.

On February 14, this brigade will spread across the city, armed with a helping hand to any lover in need. It assumes significance in view of Hindu radicals vowing to punish any couple found celebrating Valentine’s Day.

The issue appears to have divided civil society. While one section opposes Valentine’s Day, another section supports it.

The growing popularity of Valentine’s Day has sparked off countrywide protests in recent years, some of them often turning violent.

Although orthodox hardliners in India say that this vanity of celebrating Valentine’s Day is a symbol of ‘cultural corruption’, the enthusiasm of youngsters has not been dampened as evident from lovebirds patronizing Valentine’s Day gifts and cards.

According to the Constitution of India and laws, celebrating Valentine’s Day is legal. (ANI)

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Radio Pakistan finds Manmohan Singh Government enemy of Sikhism!

February 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Abohar, Feb.10 (ANI): The Punjabi Durbar programme of Radio Pakistan has been trying to propagate that the Government of India, headed by the Dr. Manmohan Singh, has an agenda to uproot Sikhism and Islam.
The allegation have surprised local residents in Abohar who cannot believe that a Sikh could have an agenda of destroying Sikhism.

“In India, there is no place for fundamentalists. Indians are totally against fundamentalism and fundamentalists People are living in peace and harmony irrespective of their castes and religions. Indian government always there to take care of national development and welfare of its people irrespective of one’s religious faith,” said Sunil Kumar Jakhad, a Member of Legislative Assembly in Abohar.

“Such anti -Indian propaganda by Pakistan is another effort by Pakistan, a failed nation, to hide its weakness. Pakistan’s political institutions, administrative machinery and economy have collapsed. And to hide all this they are spreading propaganda against India,” Jakhad added. eople here want Radio Pakistan to know that Indian citizens have been guaranteed the right to practice the religion of one’s choice and are equal before law. They are fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of India.

Besides, in India members of different religions including Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian have occupied the topmost positions.

People point out that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and former Defense Minister George Fernandes are the recent examples of how a member of any community can rise to the highest post in India’s democratic and secular set up. (ANI)

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