Category Archives: General

Fog take over the city, Delhi

25 Tuesday Dec 2012

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Since yesterday, the fog has taken over Delhi and nearby places. The thick fog has resulted in delay of trains and flights and also created traffic jam. More than 100 flights were delayed or cancelled yesterday and there was no difference today also. Many trains were unduly delayed and reached Delhi after many hours.

This kind of fog is usual for North India and specially Delhi during the winter. The temperature has come down to 7%. It is really cold. Even after wearing sufficient warm cloth, it is not comfortable. This may continue for a week or so. But this is the time for rejoicing also for real Delhites.

Today is X-Mas

25 Tuesday Dec 2012

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Today is the X-Mas Day! The festival of Joy and Prayer. Crores of people all over the world celebrates this day, even those not belonging to Christianity.
My Best Wishes to all on this x-Mas Day for a happy X-Mas and New Year 2013!

Gang Rape – Justice J.S.Verma Commission starts work

24 Monday Dec 2012

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The three-member committee of jurists, constituted to give recommendations on amending laws to provide speedier justice and enhanced punishment in sexual assault cases, began its work on Monday by issuing notice seeking public comments on the issue by January 5.

The committee headed by former Chief Justice of India J.S. Verma sought comments from the public in general, particularly eminent jurists, legal professionals, NGOs, women’s groups and civil society members on reviewing the existing laws in a bid to provide quicker justice and stringent punishment in cases of aggravated sexual assault, an official statement said.

The comments can be sent at email ID — justice.verma@nic.in or through FAX at 011-23092675.

The committee, which was constituted after public protests erupted over the Delhi gang rape case, will look into possible amendments to the criminal law for faster trial and proper punishment for criminals accused of committing sexual assault of extreme nature against women.

The other members of the committee, constituted by the government, are Justice (retd) Leila Seth, former Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court, and Gopal Subramanian, former Solicitor General of India.

The panel has been given 30 days to give its report to the government.

Under the existing law, the maximum punishment for rape is a life term but the nation-wide outrage over the gang rape of the 23-year-old physiotherapy student in a moving bus last Sunday night has sparked a demand for death penalty for rape convicts.

BJP has also favoured death for perpetrators of such crimes and demanded a special session of Parliament for amending the laws. (Courtsey : Hindu)

Attacking student protesters-Govt.seems directionless and senseless

24 Monday Dec 2012

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There is no limit to the senseless actions of the Central Government. The entire country and especially the young generation are angry and restless against what is happening in the country. The increasing unemployment, the huge corruption at high levels, the spiralling price increase etc. have already created panic and justified anger. And now, the brutal gang-rape and heinous attack on the girl and her friend. The young generation, students and all sincere people have come to the open demanding an end to this sexual assault which is increasing day by day. National capital Delhi has become the rape capital. Young people and students have come to the Delhi streets and near the state power to seek justice. They were peacefully protesting for the last few days to ensure that quick action is taken in the present sexual assault as also in other cases.
And how the government and its police have reacted? They became panicky seeing the protest and attacked the people in their usual way – by water cannon, lathi-charge and tear-gas- as if attacking an enemy. In this cold winter how the police can put the cold water on them? How they can beat mercilessly on the young girls and senior citizens who have come to express their anguish at the serious state of affairs? It is inhuman, it is cruel.

The Government should seek apology from the people. The government should also ensure that the grievance of the people is addressed. Remember, we always repeat, when necessary or not, that India is the largest democracy in the world. We have to live up to it. Is the government hearing?

Two decades without USSR

23 Sunday Dec 2012

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Union of Soviet Socialist Republics(USSR)which dominated the world political scene as an equal socialist force against the capitalist US and other countries collapsed by the end of the 1980s and extinguished itself by the resignation of Michael Gorbacheb, USSR President on 23rd December 1991.
USSR was a bulwark against capitalism. Within years of overthrow of Czar and formation of USSR in 1917 after the October Revolution, USSR grew in strength, new inventions, space journey etc. It stopped the US attack on Cuba. It defended India at the time of Bangladesh war when US was supporting pakistan. The Red Army took the dominant role in defeating the Nazi Hitler.It helped many countries to get freedom before and after the II World War. The toiling masses all over the world looked to USSR with hope.
Unfortunately, the inner controversies and other significat factors led to its collapse. USSR was divided in to many states which left Communism behind.
Though USSR has collapsed, the memory of the same still inspires many. I was thinking that if the USSR was not collapsed what would be the world position today?

CPI(M) condemns police action against gang-rape protestors

22 Saturday Dec 2012

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December 22, 2012 : The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

The Polit Bureau condemns the police action on thousands of young demonstrators outside Government offices on Rajpath today. It is a spontaneous upsurge fuelled by the outrage against the brutal gangrape and beating of a young woman and also by the common experience of young women in Delhi of sexual harassment in public places. The use of lathis, tear gas and water cannons against the protesters, highlights the utter insensitivity of the Delhi police and the Central and State Governments on the issue

The arrogant statements by the Home Secretary and the Delhi Police Commissioner refusing to accept the responsibility of the utter failure to implement earlier assurances related to the measures required to ensure security for women in Delhi is deplorable. Who is responsible for the monitoring of the security situation? Who is accountable for non-implementation of measures already decided? The multiplicity of authority particularly as far as law and order and security is concerned in Delhi has meant zero accountability on the part of various authorities for the deteriorating security of women in the capital with the state and central agencies indulging in a blame game.

The Prime Minister should answer the nation. He should intervene without delay, implement the earlier measures assured and take appropriate action against those top police officials responsible. Pious statements have little meaning.

Women’s Organisations March to Rashtrapathi Bhawan for justice

21 Friday Dec 2012

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Hundreds of young men and women gathered near Parliament House, at Rail Bhawan, to protest against the brutal rape of the young girl still battling for her life at Safdarjang Hospital. Carrying placards, “My Body My Right” the protestors shouted “We Want Justice”, “Home Minister Istifa Do” as they marched up Raisina Hill to Rashtrapati Bhawan. They were all wearing black badges, head and arm bands to register their protest.

The anger was palpable as the students led the demonstration making it clear that they would no longer tolerate the apathy of the government, the complicity of the police force and the inaction of the authorities that had made Delhi so completely unsafe for women. The demonstrators stopped at Rashtrapati Bhawan, halting briefly at both the Home Ministers office and the Prime Ministers Office to raise their demand for action.

The police, and the Government must send out a strong message of zero tolerance on cases of violence against women. The protests will continue until our demands are met.

WE DEMAND:
1. Take immediate steps to enact the Sexual Assault Bill.
2. Increase patrolling and deployment of police, including police women in public places so that such incidents can be prevented, and women’s safety assured;
3. Improve infrastructure to make cities safer for women.
4. Fast track courts to deal with rape cases, hearings to be held on a day to day basis, so that sentence can be delivered within a period of 6 months. Police investigation to be conducted in a time bound manner.
5. Standardized investigation procedures be circulated to all police stations, along with the principle of accountability to take action against police personnel who do not implement them properly;
6. Increased sensitization, effective investigation and accountability of the police in dealing with heinous crimes against women.
7. Immediate relief, legal and medical assistance, and long term rehabilitation measures to be provided to survivors of rape, without delays and hassles.

Signed by:
All India Democratic Women’s Association, Centre for Policy Analysis, National Federation of Indian Women, Guild of Service, Joint Women’s Programme, Young Women’s Christian Association, Swastik Mahila Samiti, Centre for Women’s Development Studies, Muslim Women’s Forum and Jagori.

Share of world population of major religious groups

19 Wednesday Dec 2012

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An interesting study by Pew Research Centre has assessed the % of world population to the religious groups as follows:
Christians 32%
Muslims 23%
Unaffiliated 16%
Hindus 15%
Budhists 7%
Folk Religion 6%
Others 1%
It shows that there are 16% who do not belong to any religion.
(based on a report in Economic Times)

$ 123 billion Black Money taken out of India in 2001-10

19 Wednesday Dec 2012

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A study released by Global Financial Integrity (GFI) has revealed that $123 billion has been siphoned out of india during the ten years period from 2001 to 2010. India is the eighth largest victim of the loss of black money to other countries.
There need be no doubt about the above report. Whether it is Swiss Bank Accounts or money put in other similar banks and countries, India’s money has been siphoned off in a big way. The government is not taking any action to recover the same even after some information are received about the Indian accounts is swiss banks. High profile politicians and corporates are involved.
The issue of black money need to be focussed and the government should be compelled to take stringent action to bring it back and also punish the culprits, however high he/she may be.