Nasheman News : “The Danish Girl” author David Ebershoff feels the Supreme Court’s decision to repeal Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalised homosexuality, is a huge step towards creating an equal world. He says the decision to recognise the LGBTQ community as “legitimate members of society instead of a criminal class” will help people embrace their true identity.

“This is a huge step forward and one that will have immediate ramifications — an LGBTQ (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) person or couple is no longer deemed criminal by the government,” Ebershoff told IANS.

“But, just as important, subtle changes will occur for several years to come. Younger people will no longer have to wonder why their most innate sense of themselves is deemed criminal by their government,” said the author in an email interview to IANS when asked about how the world is changing for the LGBTQ community around the world, including India.

He continued: “Parents and teachers and other figures of authority will subtly begin to look at their LGBTQ children, or young people in general, as legitimate members of society and not a criminal class. These steps will be gradual and will vary in many places and settings, and many will be slow to adopt these new attitudes. However, by taking away the charge of ‘criminal’ a lot of other legal protections can be put in place.”

Ebershoff, who was in India last November for the Tata Literature Live!, is very passionate about the issues of LGBTQ community. His 2000 debut novel, “The Danish Girl”, tells story of Lili Elbe, one of the first people who came out and went for gender reassignment surgery.

Her story found its way onto the silver screen through a similarly-titled film with stars like Alicia Vikander and Eddie Redmayne getting associated with the project. The film hit the right note with critical acclaim as well as a nod from The Academy in the form of multiple Oscar nominations.

Apart from writing a novel about the emotions one goes through in the journey to find one’s sexual identity, Ebershoff has appeared twice on Out Magazine’s top 100 list of most influential LGBTQ people.

In the US, President Donald Trump time and again makes news for working on anti-LGBTQ policies. The author says Americans have realised what they can lose and have started “resisting the policies of this administration”.

“I believe it will only energise LGBTQ Americans to fight for equality and justice, not just for themselves but for all individuals targeted by the current President,” said the author, originally from Pasadena and settled in New York.

“I also believe many younger Americans have realised that so many of their rights are at stake and they are getting involved in resisting the policies of this administration,” he added.

He feels discrimination against the community still exists.

“So much has been gained, but so many are still fighting for basic dignity, equality, justice under the law, freedom from violence, and access to health care.

“This is true in the US, and around the world. Those of us in positions of privilege, such as myself, must speak out on behalf of those who face discrimination and hatred every day of their lives. It’s one reason I wrote ‘The Danish Girl’ all those years ago. It’s one reason I continue to tell queer stories,” added Ebershoff, who is also the author of “The 19th Wife” and “Pasadena”.

What’s next for him?

“I’m finishing a new novel for Random House and developing a television series for Keshet International.”

 Nasheman News : RJD legislator Bhai Virender said on Friday that party chief Lalu Prasad was a God for him and he will abide by whatever he decides about his political career.

“Laluji is God for me. He is my icon. I will abide by what he says on who will contest from where in the Lok Sabha polls,” said Bhai Virendar, who is RID spokesperson and considered close to Lalu Prasad’s younger son Tejashwi Yadav, the Bihar opposition leader.

Bhai Virendar, a legislator from Maher Assembly seat near Patna, on Friday met former Chief Minister Rabri Devi a day after Tej Pratap Yadav, the elder son of Lalu Prasad, announced that his eldest sister Misa Bharti will contest the Lok Sabha polls from Pataliputra in Patna.

Bhai Virendra was reportedly eyeing to contest from Pataliputra on RJD ticket. Tej Prarap’s statement has surprised many.

Pataliputra seat was carved out in the 2008 delimitation. Both Lalu Prasad and Misa Bharti unsuccessfully contested from there in 2009 and 2014 respectively.

Nasheman News:  Suspended RJD legislator Raj Ballabh Yadav, sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a minor girl, was disqualified on Wednesday as an MLA of Bihar, officials said.

Five days after a special court in Patna sentenced Yadav to life imprisonment for raping a 13-year-old girl at his residence in Bihar Sharif, district headquarter of Nalanda, in February 2016, he was disqualified with effect from the date on which he was sentenced by the court.

Yadav was held guilty by the court under Section 376 of the IPC and Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act, 2012.

The Bihar Legislative Assembly issued a notification stating that Yadav (56) was disqualified.

According to the notification, Yadav, who represented Nawada constituency, has been disqualified.

Yadav is the second RJD legislator, after MLA Illyas Hussain, to lose the Bihar assembly membership. 

Hussain was disqualified last month after he was convicted in a corruption case by a CBI court in Ranchi two months ago.

Nasheman News :  A woman and her three children were found dead, hanging from an iron mesh in the ceiling at their home on Sunday afternoon, 35 kms from here.

Police said the husband, Pramod, and father-in-law, Jangjeet, were missing from their home in Nagla Gadariya in Fatehabad block here. 

The bodies of the victims were discovered by the mother-in-law and the sister-in-law, after they returned home from the fields. 

Finding the bodies, they shouted for help.

Neighbours, who suspect it to be a case of suicide, immediately informed the police.

The victims have been identified as Mamta (30), Junu (5), Ranjit (3) and six-month-old Ajit.

The bodies have been sent for post mortem. 

Police officials said a search is on to trace the husband and his father.

Nasheman News : Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) legislator Shyam Bahadur Singh on Monday resigned from the party’s primary membership here, saying his voice was not being heard by those in power while the district administration has also turned a deaf ear.

“I have resigned from JD-U as neither district administration officers in Siwan nor the top brass of the government in Patna listen to my genuine complaints.

“What pains me is that police has been acting against all those people opposing auction of the government land to land mafia,” Singh said. 

He questioned the much-hyped governance and rule of law claim made by the Nitish Kumar-led government and raised the auction of government land to alleged land mafia despite opposition from people in Siwan district. 

However, JD-U state president Vashisht Narain Singh said Shyam Bahadur Singh is a senior party leader, his concern would be genuine and party would look into it. 

Singh had earlier embarrassed the party and the government by shaking a leg with bar dancers at various marriage ceremonies. 

 (IANS) Actress Fatima Sana Shaikh’s last release “Thugs of Hindostan” bombed at the box office, leaving her heartbroken and sad.

Despite the presence of industry giants like Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan and Katrina Kaif, the “Thugs…” fizzled out and both audiences and critics wrote it off for its weak storyline and direction.

Interacting with the media at Netflix web-series ‘Selection Day’ premiere on Tuesday here, Fatima said: “Yeah.. it hasn’t done well. It is very heartbreaking. 

“It is very sad because we all tried to make a good film but unfortunately, it didn’t do well. People didn’t like it so, I am feeling very bad for it.”

Fatima is currently working on a project with Rajkummar Rao on Anurag Basu’s directorial — a sequel to “Life In A Metro”, though she said: “I don’t think it is called that.”

The “Dangal”-famed actress is looking forward to “Selection Day” which is a story of two brothers and their father who wants his sons to pursue cricket as their career.

“I am really excited and looking forward to see it because I found the trailer really interesting. I am also happy that lot of Indian shows are being made for Netflix and we (actors) are getting more opportunities. Even writers, directors and technicians.

“Now, we have lot of options in terms of viewing and performing. So, I feel it’s great that such show and series are out,” she said.

Speaking about her debut in “Dangal” which revolved around wrestling, Fatima said: “I run away from playing sports. It was the requirement for my film (Dangal) therefore, I had to do it otherwise, sports and I don’t get along really well.”

    [Nasheman news] Srinagar A day after he was expelled from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Minister Basharat Bukhari on Wednesday joined the National Conference (NC).

Bukhari was expelled for his anti-party activities.

He was here at NC chief Farooq Abdullah’s residence and joined the party in the presence of two former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers, as Omar Abdullah was also present.

Another expelled PDP leader, Peer Muhammad Hussain, was also expected to join the NC later in the day at the party headquarters here.

 [Nasheman news] New Delhi The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 p.m. on Wednesday after the opposition created ruckus over different issues including the Rafale deal.

As soon as the House met, the Congress, AIADMK and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members trooped near the Speaker’s podium and started sloganeering.

The Congress demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the 36 ready-to-fly Rafale fighter jets deal with France while the AIADMK members wanted Karnataka to take back its proposal to construct a dam across the Cauvery river at Mekadatu.

The TDP raised several issues related to their demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh.

Amid the din, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan tried to conduct the Question Hour. But her attempts failed as the disruptions continued.

She then adjourned the House till noon.

 [Nasheman news] Jaipur  The 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction on Tuesday witnessed a new list of millionaires with Varun Chakaravarthy and Jaydev Unadkat topping the charts among the Indian players with a hefty purse of Rs 8.4 crore each, while Englishman Sam Curran emerged as the highest paid overseas player with a price tag of Rs 7.2 crore.

Varun, a little known mystery bowler, was purchased by the Kings XI Punjab while Unadkat, the left-arm quick, was snapped up by his former franchise — Rajasthan Royals, who had released him after a satisfactory stint last season.

Among other Indian players to breach the five-crore club are Axar Patel (Delhi Capitals), Mohit Sharma (Chennai Super Kings) and Shivam Dubey (Royal Challengers Bangalore). 

Besides Curran, the other sought after overseas players were South African Colin Ingram, bought by the Delhi Capitals for a whopping Rs 6.4 crore, while West Indian power-hitter Carlos Brathwaite was snapped up by the Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 5 crore.

But the major highlight of the day was the emergence of lesser known Indian players earning big in the auction. The trend was initially set by the Punjab franchise, who went for leg-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, before further bolstering their bowling attack with the addition of Curran, and India’s pace spearhead Mohammed Shami for Rs 4.8 crore.

The Punjab side also bought 17-year-old wicket-keeper Prabhsimran Singh for a whopping Rs 4.8 crore while splurging Rs 4.2 crore for West Indian Nicolas Pooran and Rs 1 crore for Australian all-rounder Moises Henriques.

RCB also invested in many lesser known young faces like the uncapped Shivam, West Indian Shimron Hetmyer (Rs 4.2 crore), Akshsdeep Nath (Rs 3.6 crore) and Prayas Raj Barman (Rs 1.5 crore).

Delhi Capitals, formerly known as the Delhi Daredevils, also strengthened their middle-order batting by investing a lion’s share on Ingram besides spending Rs 2 crore each to bag the services of all-rounder Hanuma Vihari and Sherane Rutherford. It also got veteran India pacer and local boy Ishant Sharma for Rs 1.10 crore.

Coming to the Mumbai Indians, the side bolstered its bowling attack by buying Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga for Rs 2 crore while splurging Rs 3.4 crore to buy India discard Barinder Sran. 

Another India discard Yuvraj Singh finally found a buyer in the Mumbai franchise, who bought him for his base price of Rs 1 crore. Interestingly, the southpaw went unsold in the first round.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad focused on getting a wicketkeeper-batsman to balance their batting and in the process, bagged the services of Englishman Jonny Bairstow for Rs 2.2 crore and India Test stumper Wriddhiman Saha for Rs 1.2 crore. It also got New Zealander Martin Guptill for Rs 1 crore after the right-hander went unsold in the first round.

Having retained the bulk of their side, defending champions Chennai Super Kings hardly required any fresh faces after regaining Mohit Sharma for Rs 5 crore.

The Dinesh Karthik-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) also kept their focus on a number of rookies, besides splurging crores on Brathwaite (Rs 5 crore) and Lockie Ferguson (Rs 1.6 crore).

Inaugural IPL champions Rajasthan Royals got their main man back in the form of Unadkat but despite that spent big on bagging other quicks in Varun Aaron (Rs 2.4 crore) and Oshane Thomas (Rs 1.10 crore).

Meanwhile, South African pace spearhead Dale Steyn was among some of the biggest names to miss out even in the second and final round.

The other stars who went unsold are India Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara, New Zealanders Brendon McCullum, James Neesham and Corey Anderson, Englishmen Chris Woakes, Alex Hales and Chris Jordan, South Africans Hashim Amla and Morne Morkel, and Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews and Kusal Perera.

Former West Indian skipper Jason Holder and Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim also failed to find any buyer along with Australians Shaun Marsh, Usman Khawaja and stumper Ben McDermott.

Besides Pujara, the other notable Indian names to miss out in the auction include Naman Ojha, R.Vinay Kumar, Parvez Rasool, Baba Indrajith, Sheldon Jackson, Sachin Baby and Manoj Tiwary.