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Sarah Joseph returns Sahitya Akademi award, K Satchidanandan quits all posts

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Sarah Joseph

Thiruvananthapuram: Malayalam writer Sarah Joseph has announced that she will return the Sahitya Akademi award, while noted poet K Satchidanandan resigned from all Akademi posts on Saturday.

Joseph, who won the prestigious honour for her novel ‘Aalahayude Penmakkal’ (Daughters of God the Father), said she would soon send the cash prize and plaque to the Akademi via courier.

This is the first time that a Malayalam writer has decided to return the Akademi honours to protest against the “communal policies” of the BJP-led NDA government.

“An alarming situation is being created in the country in all spheres of life after Modi government came into power. The religious harmony and secularism of the country is unprecedentedly under threat,” she told PTI from Thrissur.

She said three writers had already been killed and K S Bhagwan was facing life threat from communal forces. But, the Centre had done nothing to alleviate the growing fear among writers and activists and people in other sections of the society, she said.

Sixty-eight-year-old Joseph, who spearheaded feminist writing in Malayalam, also felt what Jnanpith laureate U R Ananthamurthy had said years ago about the life of writers under the Modi government was “absolutely true”.

“The visionary writer had actually predicted about the suppressed life which writers would have to live under Modi’s rule. His words have become a reality now,” she said.

Criticising Prime Minster Narendra Modi for his “delayed reaction” over the Dadri lynching, Joseph said the BJP government was even taking away the fundamental rights of people to choose their food.

“Our Prime Minister took nine days to react to the Dadri incident. His silence was scary and highly condemnable. In the backdrop of the recent hue and cry over beef consumption, I fear that even our right to choose food would be taken away from us,” she said, adding that she hoped that other writers would also come out protesting against these policies through their creative works.

A recipient of Kerala Sahithya Akademi Award, Vayalar Award and Muttathu Varkey Award, Joseph is known for strong characterisation and socially relevant themes in her novels and short stories.

Though she was a strong supporter of Left ideologies, Joseph later joined AAP and contested unsuccessfully from Thrissur constituency in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

In a statement Satchidanandan said the Akademi had failed in its duty to stand with the writers and to uphold the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution of India.

He also stated that he was exiting from the General Council, Executive Board and the membership of its several committees.

(Agencies)

Karnataka: Two men raping woman isn’t gang-rape, says George, then apologises

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KJ George

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister KJ George on Friday stirred a controversy by making an irresponsible statement that two men raping a woman is not gangrape.

George said, “How can you call it a gangrape? A gangrape is when four-five people are involved. We should condemn the people who did such an act.”

However, Mr George chose to apologize and said that his statement should not be misunderstood by people and media.

The controversial remarks came after media sought a response from George in alleged gangrape of a 22-year-old call centre employee by two men at knife point in their moving van after they offered to ferry her home.

The woman was waiting to hail a bus to return to her PG home and boarded the van which stopped by offering her a drop, City Police NS Megharikh said.

The woman, who hails from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, was allegedly gangraped on the night of October 3 by the vehicle driver and the cleaner, Megharikh said, adding the victim was taken to a deserted spot before she was dropped in Madiwala area here.

Police said for nearly three hours, the two men drove around deserted places of the Madivala area and raped the woman.

Condemning the statement, National Commission of Women Chairperson Lalita Kumarmangalam said, “Karnataka Minister is another example of someone not understanding issue of violence against women yet commenting on the matter thoughtlessly. Leaders in public life, especially those from political parties should think before talking. We will send him a suo moto, let’s see how he replies.”

The incident has come as a grim reminder of the 2012 gangrape of a paramedical student in Delhi, who later died, triggering a massive outrage across the nation.

Earlier, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh had blamed girls for being raped. “First girls develop friendship with boys. They when differences occur, they level rape charges. Boys will be boys, they commit mistakes. Will they be hanged for rape,” he had said.

In another controversial statement, the SP chief had remarked that “four boys cannot rape a girl. It is impossible. One commits rape and then four more are named.”

(Agencies)

Kejriwal sacks food minister for ‘corruption’

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Asim Ahmed Khan

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday sacked Food Minister Asim Ahmed Khan on charges of demanding a bribe from a builder.

Announcing the sacking at a press conference where he played a recorded tape of a conversation purportedly between Khan and the builder, Kejriwal said the case was being referred to the CBI.

“We won’t tolerate any corruption, even if it is our minister or legislator,” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said.

“Till the CBI completes the investigation, he (Khan) will not be a minister,” he said. The food portfolio will go to AAP legislator Imran Hussain, he said.

(Agencies)

Indian maid’s hand chopped off by employer in Saudi Arabia

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Kashturi Munirathinam

Chennai: The family of a 55-year-old Indian woman, working as a domestic help in Saudi Arabia, has alleged her right hand was chopped off by her employer when she tried to escape harassment and torture.

Seeking help to bring Kashturi Munirathinam back from Saudi Arabia, her family has sent representations to the state and central governments. DMK MP Kanimozhi has also sent a letter to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj seeking her help.

“When she tried to escape harassment and torture, her right hand was chopped off by the woman employer. She fell down and sustained serious spinal injuries,” S Vijayakumari, sister of Munirathinam said.

She said Munirathinam had gone to Saudi Arabia to work as a domestic help only three months ago.

“Kasturi’s employer was angered after she apprised local officials about the harassment she was facing there, she was not even provided food,” she said.

Asked how the family learnt about the incident, Vijayakumari said it was “through agents who sent her to Saudi.”

The attack occurred on the intervening night of September 29-30, she said.

“She has now been hospitalised in Riyadh and is in a serious condition, our appeal is please bring her back home immediately and help in her treatment,” she said.

While Munirathinam’s sister lives in Chennai, her family is in Moongilarei village of Vellore district in Tamil Nadu.

In her letter to Swaraj, Kanimozhi said Munirathinam’s condition was deteriorating and sought help to bring her back to Tamil Nadu.

“Steps should be taken to bring home Kasturi as soon as possible, I appeal on behalf of the victim’s family,” she wrote.

(Agencies)

Dadri lynching: Meat in Akhlaq’s fridge not beef, but mutton

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Akhlaq's daughter and sister at his residence in Bisara village, in Dadri. (Photo: IE by Gajendra Yadav)

Akhlaq’s daughter and sister at his residence in Bisara village, in Dadri. (Photo: IE by Gajendra Yadav)

New Delhi: A forensic test has proved that the meat which was found in Akhlaq’s fridge was mutton, and not beef.

Police had sent a sample of the meat from Akhlaq’s fridge for forensic testing.

Initial tests had suggested that it was mutton. However, the police had further sent the sample to another lab for a conclusive report.

The conclusive tests also showed that it was mutton and not beef, official sources said.

The police, however, is being criticized for sending the meat sample for a forensic test because whether it was mutton or beef had little bearing on the crime.

On September 28, Akhlaq was allegedly beaten to death and his son left injured by a 200-strong mob following a rumour that his family was involved in cow slaughter.

(Agencies)

60-year-old man beheads wife, walks streets with her head in hand

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Ramu Chavan

Pune: Residents of Pune were shocked on Friday morning by the sight of a 60-year-old man walking the streets of the city with the severed head of his wife, whom he allegedly beheaded with an axe.

Ramu Chavan, who works as a watchman in a housing complex in Katraj area, allegedly killed his 45-year-old wife because he suspected her of infidelity, police said.

Dramatic footage aired on television channels showed Chavan, clad in a white kurta and dhoti, nonchalantly walking on the street with the severed head in one hand and the axe in the other as two policemen tried to reason with him.

The footage showed several passers-by and motorists looking on as the policemen led Chavan away.

Chavan was taken into custody by police. According to the FIR filed by police, he killed his wife Sonubai because he suspected she was having an affair with her son-in-law.

He was booked under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, which relates to murder.

(Agencies)

Love Jihad, killings don’t fit well with Modi’s emphasis on India rising: Rajan

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RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan

RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan

New Delhi: Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on India being an economy which is trying to get it right does not fit well with incidents like that of love jihad and killings.

“I think there are always issues on the fringe. I think the Finance Minister has said very clearly that these tend to distract rather than contribute. And clearly these are certainly worrisome features which have to be dealt with on the basis of law and order and so on.

“The emphasis that Prime Minister and Finance Minister have been putting on this being an economy which is trying to get it right and move forward on sustainable basis. I think that does not fit well with these kinds of incidents. And we need to figure out the way to reduce and certainly, I think, there is law and order issue there,” he told Karan Thapar on India Today channel.

He was asked whether India’s image was being impacted on incidents like love jihad, conversion, ghar vapsi and the recent killings, an apparent reference to the murder of a man in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh over rumours of eating beef.

Replying to questions on his relationship with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Rajan said it “has been of the highest order ever since he moved into the office that was when I first met him.” “It has been great. I think these reports of differences tend to exaggerate and sometime over-complicate what is essentially a very strong relationship,” he said.

He said the media tends to emphasise differences rather than the large areas of commonality under competitive pressure for news.

Asked if he was open to a second term after 11 months when his term comes to an end, he said it was a hypothetical question. “I have not been offered one. We will cross the bridge when we come to it.”

On his larger than expected 0.50% cut in interest rate last week, Rajan said it was part of the process of getting investment.

Asked if the rate cut was enough to boost growth rate, he said, “The real deficiency in our economy today is private investment is not picking up as it should at this stage of the cycle. The key concern of policy maker is how to get it started. How we get it going.”

(PTI)

BPO employees stripped, sexually assaulted in Bengaluru

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sexual-assault

Bengaluru: The incident of two male employees of a BPO firm and their driver allegedly being stripped and sexually assaulted came to light on Wednesday, October 7.

According to the police, the incident took place in the wee hours of September 30, when the BPO employees were on their way to work in a Tempo Traveller that was involved in a minor accident with a car.

The argument between the driver of the Tempo Traveller and the car driver turned violent and led to alleged sexual assault of the BPO employees when they came to the aid of their driver.

On Wednesday, Mico Layout police arrested three persons, including the car driver and seized the vehicle. The accused, Kiran, Satish and Satish Kumar, are all residents of the city and are aged between 20 and 25 years. The victims are also residents of Bengaluru.

On September 30, around 3.30 am, the Tempo Traveller belonging to a BPO, picked up the two employees from BTM Layout. While they were heading towards the office, their van was involved in a minor accident with a car. This led to a fight among the two groups.

While the accused Kiran and Satish picked up a quarrel with the driver, the BPO employees tried to intervene and defuse the situation. The accused demanded money for the damage caused to their vehicle. When the Tempo Traveller driver refused to pay up, the accused started to assault him. When the BPO employees came to his rescue, they too were also assaulted by the duo who got into the van and forced the driver to drive to Ragigudda in JP Nagar.

After reaching an isolated spot, the accused assaulted them again and robbed them after threatening to kill them. The accused took away Rs 600, mobile phones and ATM cards from the BPO employees and the driver.

After allegedly stripping them and sexually assaulting them, the accused called their friend Satish Kumar, who drove away with them. The victims lodged a complaint with the Mico Layout police.

The sexual assault came to light only after the police questioned the accused, since the victims had initially not mentioned it in their complaint fearing social stigma. However, they later confirmed this to the police.

(Agencies)

Nitish accuses Modi of brazen attempt to add communal colour to polls

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nitish kumar

New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his attack on ally Lalu Prasad over beef remarks terming it as a “brazen attempt to add communal texture” to the Assembly polls and said the “real Modi” is on display.

Minutes after Modi ended his Munger election speech in which he accused Lalu of insulting his community ‘Yaduvanshis’ and the people of the state with his ‘Hindus also eat beef’ remarks, Kumar took to Twitter slamming the PM’s “deafening silence” on the Dadri lynching incident.

“The real Modi on display — brazen attempt to add communal texture to Bihar polls, but deafening silence on deplorable incident of Dadri,” Kumar said.

A 50-year-old Muslim man was killed by a mob in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh recently after rumours that he and his family had eaten beef.

In another tweet, Kumar said it was for all to see “why Vajpayee ji was forced to remind him (Modi) to follow Raj Dharma, but wonder who will do the Vajpayee today ?”

Kumar was referring to the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s words during his visit to a relief camp after the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat when Modi was the Chief Minister.

Addressing a poll rally in Munger today, Modi latched on to RJD chief Lalu’s remarks on beef and said a “shaitan (devil) has entered a human body”.

“What all did he eat? It (the remarks) insulted the Yaduvanshis… Laluji these Yaduvanshis helped you to come to power. What all Yadavs eat…is it not an insult of Yadavs and Bihar?” he said.

The JD(U) leader came down heavily on Modi for his languge saying after terming Kumar’s DNA defective, he had called Lalu a shaitan’ (devil).

In a series of tweets, Kumar said this showed Modi’s mentality towards the people of Bihar as well as his dejection.

“First he said there is a flaw in our DNA. Then her dubbed Bihar as BIMARU and its populace unfortunate. Now he has attacked the grand alliance and Lalu ji as shaitan,” he said.

(Agencies)

Nobody should impose their personal food habits on others: Deve Gowda

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Deve Gowda

Bengaluru: JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda commenting on recent beef ban row said, “Food habit is a personal issue and hence nobody should meddle, we should not divide society on the basis of caste and religion.”

“Nobody should prevent others from consuming beef. It’s a personal choice. We should avoid unnecessary debate on atheism,” he added.

Meanwhile, he also slammed NASSCOM for not inviting the CM for the Indo-German business summit attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. “This is an insult to six crore Kannadigas”, he said.

Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha also criticised government over beef ban and said, “BJP and Modi indulged in vote bank politics over beef ban. Nobody should impose their personal food habits on others. Government should focus on development rather than raising trivial issues”.

(Agencies)

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