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Actor Mohan Babu manhandles reporter, politicos condemn assault on the media

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times-now-mohan-babu

New Delhi: Cutting across party lines, several politicians on Wednesday condemned actor Mohan Babu’s indecent gesture towards a reporter and said there can’t be any excuse for assaulting the media.

The actor pushed a journalist of a leading English channel when the scribe asked former home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to respond to the ongoing controversy surrounding the Nirbhaya documentary.

BJP leader Nalin Kohli said the media’s job is to ask questions and added that there cannot be any excuse for assaulting the media.

“Of course, people may raise or have issues related to their privacies, non-intrusion may be there. So, I would say that is condemnable. Nobody should assault the media. They are doing its job,” he added.

Congress leader Renuka Chaudhary also echoed similar sentiments and appealed for self-regulation of the media and general public.

“I am not aware what the facts are. The media, public, people have a relationship that sometimes go this way or sometimes go that way. Violence in general that we do not approve of and it would be best if we could regulate our self and see that we do not step on each others’ toes,” she said.

(ANI)

Gang-rape documentary: BBC telecasts film in UK as India calls for worldwide ban

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mukesh-singh

New Delhi: The British Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday morning (IST) telecast the controversial documentary in UK featuring one of the December 16 gang-rape convicts despite Indian government’s call to block the film worldwide.

The documentary’s broadcast was advanced by the BBC from its original March 8 scheduled date, coinciding with International Women’s Day.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police is, reportedly, likely to question Leslee Udwin, the British filmmaker who made documentary and interviewed convict Mukesh Singh in Tihar jail here.

The Home Ministry on Wednesday obtained orders from court to restrain the broadcast of the documentary and promising to investigate how permission was given to interview the rapist.

The issue was raised in both houses of parliament, as members across party lines asked the government to stop the telecast of the documentary saying it insulted women.

“Our government condemns the incident of December 16, 2012 in the strongest possible terms and will not allow any attempt by any individual, group or organisation to leverage such unfortunate incidents for commercial benefits,” Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in a statement in both houses of Parliament on Wednesday.

“In what condition this order was given I have asked for full information on that. In future, no one will be given permission to interview rapists,” the Home Minister said, as both houses saw members protest against the documentary.

Rajnath Singh said the permission for the documentary was granted in 2013, adding that the documentary maker violated the conditions on which the permission was granted.

Sushilkumar Shinde, who was the home minister in 2013, however, said he was not responsible for it.

“I had not given any permission to make a documentary on the Nirbhaya case. It was not given by me. I observed the conversation in parliament, Rajnath Singh has not mentioned my name. It must have been given by somebody, I do not know,” Shinde told reporters on Wednesday.

Making similar statements in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the home minister said orders were obtained from court Tuesday night to restrain the broadcast of the documentary.

A Delhi court on Wednesday directed continuation of the ban on the telecast of the documentary.

Rajnath Singh said he was personally hurt when he got to know about the documentary.

“I would like to make it clear. As soon as I got to know about this incident, I was personally hurt. I immediately talked to the concerned authorities and gave instructions that it should not be telecast in any condition, and (restraining) orders were taken from court last night (Tuesday) that whatever has been telecast should not be released,” he said.

As the Home Minister promised responsibility will be fixed, official sources said Tihar jail director general Alok Verma met him on Wednesday on the issue.

Parliament members across party lines condemned the interview of the December 16 gang rape convict, while some said it reflected the mentality of several other men in society.

“There is a documentary which is so derogatory. It should not be shown,” Janata Dal-United leader KC Tyagi said raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha.

Nominated member Javed Akhtar said that while members were angry about the comments made by the convict, he has heard similar comments in the house.

“The anger is why the interview was taken. Is the anger on why he said these things, or the anger is why is it being told to the world? I have heard such things in this house,” Akhtar said.

BJP Lok Sabha member Kirron Kher said: “Mentality needs to be changed. They don’t consider women as human beings.”

Several women activists also raised objections to the documentary calling it unacceptable.

“This is totally unacceptable. We have to draw an ethical boundary. I do not understand why they are doing it (airing the interview),” women’s rights activist Ranjana Kumari told reporters.

Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Barkha Singh said: “This defames the nation. How could they be given permission for interview?”

The documentary “India’s daughter” by British filmmaker Leslee Udwin has kicked up a storm over the interview of one of the six men who raped the 23-year-old trainee physiotherapist on December 16, 2012 on board a moving bus in Delhi.

(Agencies)

Separated fathers cry foul, threaten to sit on hunger strike if demands are not met

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SIFF-FRW

Bengaluru: Madhu Sundar applied for custody of his 8 year old daughter in 2011 after his wife separated from him due to a marital conflict. During the last 4 years, he has met his daughter just two times for not more than 10 minutes each and still hasn’t got any hearing from the family court in his visitation petition despite paying Rs. 7000/- per month towards maintenance diligently.

Niranjan (name changed) from Chennai filed a similar petition 1 year back, however no order has been passed till date to allow him visitation for his 5 year old daughter despite paying Rs. 15000/- per month as her maintenance.

According to, Save Indian Family Foundation – Fathers’ Rights Wing (SIFF-FRW), ‘there are numerous such stories where separated fathers are made to pay hefty maintenance amounts for their children without being able to see or meet them, thanks to the indifferent attitude of Indian judiciary towards fathers in case of matrimonial disputes.’

In order to mark protest against this ‘injustice meted out to Fathers’, the members of SIFF-FRW had sent a memorandum to the Governor of Karnataka State requesting to direct judiciary to grant immediate visitation rights to Fathers in all matrimonial cases (wherever applicable) by March 2nd 2015, failing which SIFF-FRW will call for a ‘Hunger Strike’ at Freedom Park in Bangalore on 7th & 8th Mar’15. As the deadline for the same has lapsed, members of SIFF-FRW have decided to sit in Hunger Strike for two days with the below demands:

  1. Visitation Orders: Fathers should be given Child Visitation orders in all matrimonial cases within 15 days of the petition.
  2. Maintenance: Courts must immediately deny maintenance/alimony to any woman who opposes or indirectly attempts to prevent her separated husband from accessing and parenting the children and also to working/highly educated mothers.
  3. Contempt Proceedings: Courts must initiate contempt proceedings suo-motu against those mothers who do not respect visitation orders.
  4. Child Abuse: Children must not be allowed to be used as pawns in custody disputes.
  5. Child Exploitation: Children must not be allowed to be used as money earning tools by women in custody disputes.
  6. Grandparents: Under no circumstances the grandparents of the child must be denied access to the children.
  7. Research: must allocate funds for conducting research on the adverse impacts on fatherless children.
  8. Counselling to Single Mothers: Single mothers should be given mandatory counselling to increase involvement of biological Father in children’s lives
  9. Shared Parenting: Reforms in the existing child visitation/custody laws – ‘Shared parenting’ must be the default arrangement if case of separation or divorce between spouses.
  10. Technology: Fathers’ use of technology like Skype and video conferencing to get in touch with children should not be curtailed by judiciary.

Telangana government forms panel to provide quota for Muslims

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K-CHANDRASEKHAR-RAO

Hyderabad: The Telangana government has constituted a Commission of Inquiry to prepare a comprehensive report on social, educational and economic status of Muslims in the state and give its recommendation on providing reservation to needy members of the community.

The panel has been asked to recommend steps to remove impediments in improvement of the overall social, educational and economic conditions of the Muslim community and to provide reservation in education and employment to the deserving poor among them, wherever necessary.

As per the terms of reference, the committee, chaired by retired IAS officer G Sudhir, would collate data, conduct intensive study/survey to report on the income and educational levels and percentage of Muslims in employment in government/ quasi government/private sector, according to a government order. The panel, which has been asked to submit report within six months, would also report on literacy rate, health indicators, availability of government welfare infrastructure and institutional mechanism in Muslim-dominated areas.

Meanwhile, the government has also constituted a Commission of Inquiry to study and prepare a comprehensive report on the relative increase in population of scheduled tribes in the state and their social and economic backwardness. This panel has also been tasked to examine the representations of ‘Valmiki Boya’ and ‘Khaithi Lambada’ communities for their inclusion in ST category. Chaired by retired IAS officer S Chellappa, the committee would report within six months on the social, educational and economic conditions of STs, their income, educational levels and health indicators.

(PTI)

Canada-based NRI threatens to kill Anna Hazare

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Mumbai: Veteran social crusader Anna Hazare has received a death threat from a Canada-based Indian resident, an aide said here on Wednesday.

Hazare’s office has lodged a complaint with Thane Police and also written to the Maharashtra director general of police about the death threats posted on Facebook on February 24-25.

According to the complaint with the DGP, a Canada-based NRI Gagan Vidhu made a post on Februray 24 afternoon: “Time has come to kill Anna Hazare. I will be next Nathuram Godse soon.”

Three ‘likes’ were notched for this threatening post.

Gagan Vidhu expanded his threat the following day, on February 25: “… I am not kidding. I am coming to India soon. I will arrange for gun and shoot this modern ghandi (Gandhi). I hate (Arvind) Kejriwal so much I can do anything to spoil him.”

The post continued: “I have collected all the documents – My friend Neil in New Delhi is working on it. We will expose Kejriwal soon, then I have to play role of Nathuram Godse. I am not joking. I am very serious. I can do anything for my Bharat Mata.”

Not taking the threats lightly, an aide Ashok O. Gautam has lodged a first information report (FIR) with Thane police and sought immediate action in the matter.

The death threat has come ahead of the 77-year-old Hazare’s proposed 1,100-km-long three-month march (padyatra) from Gandhi Ashram in Wardha to Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi to protest the Land Acquisition Act. The march schedule will be finalised next Monday.

(IANS)

Arvind Kejriwal offers to quit as AAP's national convenor

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Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has offered to quit as the national convenor of the AAP which he led to power in the capital barely a month ago, party sources said Wednesday.

Kejriwal’s offer comes on a day when the party’s top leadership meets amid internal squabbling.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav, one of the two leaders in the eye of the storm, however said Wednesday that he would “neither split nor quit” the party.

The differences in the party leadership have come out in the open barely a month after it made a sensational electoral comeback, sweeping 67 of the 70 seats in the Delhi assembly.

There were conflicting versions to Kejriwal’s offer to quit.

In one, Kejriwal apparently wrote a letter on February 27 to party secretary Pankaj Gupta saying he wants to quit as the AAP convenor.

In the other, Kejriwal sent a handwritten note Tuesday night saying he wants to resign from the post.

AAP leader Ashutosh said he was not aware of any other note except that of February 27.

Kejriwal, who leaves on Wednesday for Bengaluru for 10 days of naturopathy treatment to check his high sugar level, said on Tuesday that he was “deeply hurt and pained” by the wrangling within the party.

AAP sources have said the majority in the 21-member National Executive, which meets on Wednesday, favoured ousting Prashant Bhushan, a leading Supreme Court lawyer and an AAP founder, and political pundit Yadav from the nine-member, decision-making Political Affairs Committee (PAC).

Yogendra Yadav on Wednesday said: “…whatever seems to be a problem is actually an opportunity to move ahead”.

He told reporters in Hindi: “Na todenge, na chodenge. Sudherenge aur sudharenge.” (We will neither split AAP nor leave it. We will change ourselves and help change others too).”

He said that AAP was a small party and there was a lot to be learnt by everyone.

Yadav said that for the past three days there had been many messages from party volunteers on the social media asking them to stay united.

“I am sure that in the evening we will be able to tell you that we have moved a step forward and not backward.”

He refused to comment on Kejriwal’s offer to quit as party convenor.

(IANS)

NHRC issues notice to Kerala government on the arrest of human rights defenders

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Thushar Nirmal Sarathy Jaison Cooper

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that the Kerala Government was targeting human rights defenders and rights activists by labeling them as ‘Maoists sympathizers’.

Human rights defenders and advocates Tushar Nirmal Sarathy and Jaison C. Cooper had been arrested under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in Kerala and were in jail since the 30th January, 2015. While Jaison was arrested from Cochin on the 29th January, 2015, Tushar was arrested after a press conference in Kozhikode on the same day.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of human rights defenders. It has issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Kerala calling for a report within two weeks.

Reportedly, both Tushar and Jaison were actively engaged in peasants’ struggles against land acquisition, illegal rock quarrying, forcible evictions, and the violation of labour rights of migrant workers in Kerala as well as struggles against various polluting industries.

Bengaluru cop suspended for assaulting good samaritan

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Bengaluru: A traffic sub-inspector was suspended on Tuesday for assaulting an ex-serviceman who helped in getting an ambulance out of the traffic gridlock on a busy thoroughfare in the city centre.

“We have suspended the inspector (Ganganna) for physically abusing Nagappa, an ex-serviceman, who allowed an ambulance to drive out of the traffic jam by removing a rope barricade tied to block access to a free passage on Palace Road,” deputy superintendent of police (DCP) Rajendra Prasad told IANS.

Unseasonal rain during the day disrupted normal life due to water-logging and consequent traffic snarls across the city.

The police action came hours after local news channels aired footage of Ganganna accosting and hitting Nagappa, who was seen removing the rope and letting the ambulance drive away from the gridlock.

“Though Nagappa was not authorised to remove the barricade, the sub-inspector had no right to manhandle him when he was trying to help the ambulance to get out of the traffic jam,” Prasad admitted.

In defence, Ganganna said in the process of helping the ambulance to drive away, Nagappa cleared the way for other vehicles, stuck in the jam, to also follow behind it on the otherwise blocked road.

Nagappa, who was on the spot on his cycle, however, said he removed the rope after a traffic constable on duty told him to do so.

(IANS)

Akrama Sakrama scheme begins from March 23 in Karnataka

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File photo: Sampath Kumar G P, The Hindu

File photo: Sampath Kumar G P, The Hindu

Bengaluru: The state government has begun the long-pending process of ‘one-time regularisation’ of unauthorised layouts and buildings.

Property owners can approach local body offices for applications from March 23. The scheme will be open for a year, till March 23, 2016.

Called Akrama Sakrama, the scheme applies to all layouts and buildings that have come up on private property before October 19, 2013. No building or layout on encroached government or semi-government land is eligible for regularisation.

Collection: The government hopes to mobilise Rs 10,000-15,000 crore through Akrama Sakrama.

Releasing a handbook on Tuesday with the relevant rules, procedures and guidelines, Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake said the fees had been rationalised and the calculations made simple.

Funds mobilised through Akrama Sakrama will be used for the development of infrastructure and creation of parks and open spaces in the state, Sorake said.

The Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act of 1961, Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act of 1976 and Karnataka Municipalities Act of 1964 have been amended to regularise illegal layouts and buildings on private property.

Sorake said that the government would follow a court direction in case a building violated bylaws by 100 per cent.

Owners of such properties can also approach the court for relief, he said. The application has to be filed by the owner, Sorake said, promising to act against developers of unauthorised layouts and apartments.

The regularisation fee will be in addition to the regular charges levied by the competent authorities.

According to the proposal, the regularisation fee for land use violation is five times the fees prescribed.

(Agencies)

J&K: Mufti Sayeed allots portfolios to council of ministers, Sajjad Lone refuses to join cabinet

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Mufti Mohammad Sayeed

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Tuesday assigned portfolios to his council of ministers, ending the suspense over sharing of portfolios between the ruling alliance partners PDP and BJP.

Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh (BJP) has been assigned the important portfolio of power development, housing and urban development.

Abdul Rehman Veeri (PDP) got horticulture, Hajj and Auqaf while Haseeb Drabu (PDP) got finance, labour and employment.

Chander Prakash (BJP) got industries and commerce.

Javaid Mustafa Mir (PDP) got revenue while Lal Singh (BJP) got health, medical education, ARI and training.

Abdul Haq Khan (PDP) got rural development, Bali Bhagat (BJP) got social welfare, forest, ecology and environment.

Syed Basharat Bukhari (PDP) will hold the portfolio of law, justice and parliamentary affairs and Sukhnandan Kumar (BJP) will manage public health engineering.

Altaf Bukhari (PDP) got public works, floriculture and parks.

Chowdhary Zulfiqar (PDP) got consumer affairs and public distribution and tribal affairs.

Sajjad Gani Lone of the Peoples Conference got animal husbandry, science and technology.

Imran Raza Ali (PDP) got information technology, technical education, youth services and sports. Naeem Akhtar (PDP) got education.

All these ministers hold cabinet rank in the council of ministers.

The portfolio assignment order specifies that all other departments/subjects not assigned to any of the above ministers shall remain with the chief minister.

Sayeed holds the all important portfolios of home and general administration.

Among the junior ministers, Chering Dorjay (BJP) will hold independent charge of the cooperative department while Abdul Ghani Kohli (BJP) will hold independent charge of the transport department.

The two women junior ministers, Priya Sethi and Asiya Naqash, will be in charge of the information and health departments respectively.

Sajjad Lone refuses to join Mufti’s cabinet

Upset over the portfolio allocated to him, Sajjad Gani Lone of the Peoples Conference (PC) on Wednesday refused to join the council of ministers in the PDP-BJP government headed by Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

Lone was miffed over allocation of the animal husbandry department portfolio to him by Sayeed Tuesday.

He did not attend his office in winter capital Jammu on Wednesday and instead chose to fly back to the Valley.

“Yes, he has refused to join the council of ministers. He has also surrendered all entitlements including security, official vehicle and other perks given to him as a cabinet minister,” said a Peoples Conference source.

The source said Sajjad is flying back to Srinagar Wednesday.

On whether he had resigned from the council of ministers, the source said: “No, he has not resigned so far, but a decision on whether he should resign from the council of ministers or not would be taken after he meets party rank and file in the Valley.”

Sajjad, according to his party men, was unhappy over allotment of what believes to be, “an insignificant portfolio like animal husbandry”.

Peoples Conference activists argue that the former separatist leader who joined the electoral fray and won state assembly elections from north Kashmir Handwara constituency last year deserved a better deal so that he could convince his voters that joining mainstream politics would usher in better days for the people in Kashmir.

The party has two seats in the 87-member state legislative assembly.

Lone has extended support to the BJP. He was sworn in as a cabinet minister on Sunday as a BJP nominee in the council of ministers headed by Mufti Sayeed.

(IANS)

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