Page 139 - Social Issues
Beating your own people is not being patriotic, it's idiotic: Raghu Ram
"MTV Roadies" fame television producer and actor Raghu Ram says that harassing fellow Indians in the name of patriotism should be condemned and stopped.
Delhi HC refuses to give relief to Pak woman, asks her to leave India
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to give relief to a 37-year-old Pakistani woman who has been asked by the central government to leave India.Justice Vibhu Bakru told the woman, "You have not done anything to naturalise your citizenship for India. You have not established any right to stay in India."The court gave her two weeks time to make arrangements and leave India.During the proceedings, the woman submitted that she has a valid visa till 2020 to stay in India.However, the Ministry of Home Affairs contended that she did not apply for Indian citizenship.The woman, who married an Indian man, came to India in 2005. She has two children aged five and 11 years.Earlier, the woman and her husband had approached the Delhi High Court seeking quashing of the Centre's notice which asked her to leave India.
Thane collector reviews poll preparedness
The Thane district administration in Maharashtra has asked officials concerned to ensure fool proof arrangements for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Collector Rajesh Narvekar conducted a review of poll preparedness in the district on Wednesday and asked the officials to make sure the polling staff was imparted sufficient training of their election-related works. He asked them to ensure all necessary facilities at the polling booths, including ramps for the disabled, and cent per cent completion of the voter identification cards. This time, there will be 6,488 polling stations in the district as against 5,681 during the last Lok Sabha polls, an per an official statement. The district has 60,93,087 voters, including 33,21,790 males, 27,70,957 females and 340 transgenders, it said. The collector reiterated the need for increasing the poll percentage this time. The district had recorded 38.52 per cent polling in 2009 and 51.56 per cent in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Besides, ..
This Chennai man is cycling to Germany to raise awareness about human trafficking
With an aim to end human slavery, Naresh Kumar has begun a mission 'Freedom Seat' to cycle over 8500 kilometres from Chennai to Hamburg to raise awareness about human trafficking and child abuse.This Chennai-based man, who started his journey on Wednesday, also aims to raise money for survivors of human trafficking and child abuse.Speaking to ANI, Naresh said that the main reason behind this cause is to end human slavery."The reason for this cause is to end human slavery. I am very self-sustained on this journey. I will be going through 12 different borders through the Middle East and Europe. I have done similar missions in New Zealand and Australia, and all for the same cause," he said.With a plan to cover 120 kilometres every day, Naresh is travelling with minimum clothing and accessories. Once an electronics engineer in the US, he carries a GPS gadget that would help his family and friends track him on the journey. Among the items in his travel bag are a tool kit, spare tubes for ..
92% of J'khand's unorganised sector workers to benefit from
Ninety-two per cent of the workers in the unorganized sector of Jharkhand will benefit from the Pradhan Mantri Shramyogi Yojana Mandhan (PMSYM), which is set to be launched on March 5 across the country by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Raghubar Das said Wednesday. The PMSYM would provide unorganised workers with an assured monthly pension of Rs 3,000 after 60 years of age. "State-level programmes will be held in Godda and Namkum in Ranchi district when the prime minister will inaugurate the scheme across the country on March 5," Das said at a press conference here. To avail the benefits of the scheme, the workers should be in the age group of 18-40 years and not have income exceeding Rs 15,000 per month. Their monthly contribution would be between Rs 55 and Rs 200 per month and after regular payments of installments and on attaining 60 years, the beneficiaries would get Rs 3,000 pension per month, the chief minister said. In the event of death of spouse, ..
33% professionals feel tech hinders work, family commitments
Around 33 per cent of young professionals in India feel technology is a major hindrance to work and family commitments, said a Monster.com survey, here on Wednesday.
SC issues notice to Centre on plea against amended Citizenship Bill
The Supreme Court Wednesday sought response from the Centre on a plea challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The apex court had earlier decided to keep the plea pending saying that it would be taken up "only after the Citizenship Act Amendment Bill, consideration of which is now stated to be pending before the Rajya Sabha, reaches its finality". A bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, which recently considered the plea for an urgent hearing on the PIL, Wednesday ordered, "Issue notice returnable in six weeks." The bench, also comprising Justices LN Rao and Sanjiv Khanna, was hearing the petition filed by the "Nagarikatwa Aain Songsudhan Birodhi Mancha" (Forum Against Citizenship Act Amendment Bill) which has sought to declare the Passport (Entry into India) Amendment Rules, 2015 and the Foreigners (Amendment) Order as "discriminatory, arbitrary and illegal". The bill has ..
HC asks insurance cos to change attitude towards disabled
There has to be a "change in attitude" of public insurance companies that do not insure people disabled since birth on the ground that they are suffer from congenital anomalies, the Delhi High Court said Wednesday. "You have to change your attitude. You are in the public sector," a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao said to the General Insurance Council (GIC) after its lawyer told the court that insuring persons with congenital anomalies was a contractual matter between a company and the individual. The observation by the court came while hearing a PIL seeking directions to the Centre, the IRDAI and insurance companies to remove congenital anomalies, like external or internal abnormality in the womb, from the list of general exclusions in the health or life insurance policies. The petition, by Nipun Malhotra, has challenged the "arbitrary" and "illegal" mechanisms adopted by the IRDAI in denying the rights of Persons with Disabilities (PwD) to seek insurance ...
I hope he will return home soon: Rahul Gandhi on IAF pilot missing in action
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday expressed his anguish over the missing IAF pilot, who Pakistan claims to be in their custody. India is yet to confirm that the pilot is in the custody of Pakistan army, only stating that one pilot was missing in action. "I'm sorry to hear that one of our brave IAF pilots is missing. I hope he will return home soon, unharmed. We stand by our armed forces in these difficult times," tweeted Gandhi.
Amazon India partners with Kudumbashree to empower women
Amazon India Wednesday signed an MoU with Kudumbashree, a poverty eradication and women empowerment programme implemented by the State Poverty Eradication Mission of the Kerala Government for its pioneering programme- "Amazon Saheli". Through this partnership, Amazon India will support, train and empower women entrepreneurs associated with the organisation and provide a marketplace for them to showcase their products to Amazon customers across the country, a press release said. Kudumbashree is one of the largest women empowerment programmes in the world with more than 1,000 Community Development Societies and reaching more than four million women across 14 districts in Kerala. The Saheli team will train and support women entrepreneurs associated with Kudumbashree and provide them a slew of benefits to enable them start selling online at zero initial cost. They will also be provided seamless onboarding assistance,imaging and cataloging, product listing, subsidized ...
Shelter home assault case: CBI appoints 2 SPPs, arguments on framing of charges from Mar 2
The CBI informed a Delhi court on Wednesday that it has appointed two Special Public Prosecutors (SPPs) in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual assault case, after which both sides were directed to "positively commence" arguments on framing of charges from March 2. Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Kulshreshtha told the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that if the agency wanted to file a supplementary charge sheet in the matter, it has to be done within 15 days. The court was informed that advocates Amit Jindal and R N Sinha have been appointed as SPPs by the agency. Jindal told the court that he received the notification for his appointment from the agency last night and sought time to prepare his arguments on the framing of charges. The court then said, "Both the parties are directed to positively commence arguments on March 2." CBI would advance the arguments first on Saturday, the next date of hearing. On Monday, the court had rapped the CBI for the delay in notifying SPP in ..
SC issues notice to Centre, Assam govt on plea challenging Citizenship (Amendment) Bill
The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a response from Centre and Assam government on a plea challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi issued a notice to the Centre and the Assam government and asked them to file a response within two weeks.Nagarikatwa Aain Songsudhan Birodhi Mancha, a forum against Citizenship Act Amendment Bill, has sought to declare the Passport (Entry into India) Amendment Rules, 2015 and the Foreigners (Amendment) Act as "discriminatory, arbitrary and illegal".The petition opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on the ground that it had introduced religion as a new principle into the citizenship law and termed it as "communally motivated humanitarianism"."The illegal immigrants who are to be granted the benefit of this legislation are to qualify for citizenship only on the basis of religion, a requirement that
Second edition of Indian Sign Language dictionary launched
The second edition of the Indian Sign Language dictionary was released on Wednesday, providing the hearing impaired people with 6,000 words in Hindi and English along with their corresponding graphic representation. The first edition of the first-of-its-kind dictionary was launched with 3,000 words on March 23, 2018. With the second edition, the dictionary now comprises 6,000 Hindi and English words and their corresponding graphic representation which are used in daily life. The dictionary has been developed by the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD). The ISL dictionary is also available on ISLRTC's YouTube channel. Around 1,000 videos have been uploaded already and the rest are in the process of being uploaded. Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot applauded the efforts of the ISLRTC in bringing out such a useful dictionary for hearing impaired people. He said
Panel to overhaul Direct Tax law seeks 3 months extension
The task force set up to draft a new direct tax law to replace the existing Income Tax Act has sought 2-3 months extension from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to submit its report. The task force was scheduled to submit the report by February 28. The Finance Ministry in November last year appointed Akhilesh Ranjan, Member (Legislation), CBDT, as convenor of the task force after the retirement of Arbind Modi. "The task force apprised the Finance Minister on progress made by the panel so far. It sought an extension of 2-3 months for submission of report," an official said. Other members of the task force include Girish Ahuja (chartered accountant), Rajiv Memani (Chairman and Regional Managing Partner of EY), Mukesh Patel (Practicing Tax Advocate), Mansi Kedia (Consultant, ICRIER) and G C Srivastava (retired IRS and Advocate). Even with a 3-month extension, the report of the task force would come well before the final budget for 2019-20 fiscal which will be presented sometime in July ...
Shelter home assault case: CBI appoints 2 SPPs, arguments from Mar 2
The CBI informed a Delhi court on Wednesday that it has appointed two Special Public Prosecutors (SPPs) in the Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual assault case, after which both sides were directed to "positively commence" arguments from the next date of hearing, March 2. Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Kulshreshtha directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that if it wants to file an additional charge sheet in the matter, it has to be done within 15 days. Advocates Amit Jindal and R N Sinha have been appointed as SPPs by the agency, who then informed the court that they need some time to prepare the arguments as the notification from the agency was received the night before. The court then said: "Both the parties are directed to positively commence arguments on March 2." On Monday it had rapped the agency for the delay in notifying SPP in the sexual assault case and warned it that any laxity to comply with the court's order will amount to contempt and action would be taken ...
SC seeks Centre's reply on plea challenging changes in Foreigners Rules
The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the Centre's response on a petition challenging two notifications related to Passport Rules and Foreigners Rules that allow religious minorities, except Muslims, facing persecution in neighbouring countries, to stay in India even if they had entered without valid documents.
Missing Bihar shelter home girl found
The last of the seven Bihar shelter home girls, who had escaped from a short-stay home here four days ago, have been traced to Madhubani district.
Youth should question parliamentarians: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the youth should question the parliamentarians on the work done by them in their respective constituencies and their performance in Parliament.
Working long hours ups depression rick in women
Women who work more than 55 hours a week are at a higher risk of depression, according to study which found that the same is not true for men. The study of over 20,000 adults, published in the BMJ's Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, found that after taking age, income, health and job characteristics into account, women who worked extra-long hours had 7.3 per cent more depressive symptoms than women working a standard 35-40 week. Weekend working was linked to a higher risk of depression among both sexes, according to the researchers from Queen Mary University of London and University College London in the UK. Women who worked for all or most weekends had 4.6 per cent more depressive symptoms on average compared to women working only weekdays. Men who worked all or most weekends had 3.4 per cent more depressive symptoms than men working only weekdays. "This is an observational study, so although we cannot establish the exact causes, we do know many women face the ...
7th missing Muzzafarpur shelter home girl found, says police
After finding six missing girls, the police successfully also found the seventh girl, who is one of the prime witnesses in the infamous Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case from Madhubani on Tuesday night."After sincere efforts by the SIT constituted to investigate the Mokama Shelter Home case, the seventh girl was recovered last night (26-27/2/19) from Madhubani," said police in its press statement."It is to be noted that circumstances of the girl's escape are yet to be fully established. It is early to say if girls escaped on their own or received outside help," the police added."No evidence about the involvement of the NGO Nazareth Academy has surfaced so far. The SIT will soon complete the investigation and come out with all details," it further stated.Six of the minor girls were found in Gangauli village under the Sakatpur police station area on February 24.Seven girls, including five, who were abused at the Muzaffarpur shelter home last year, escaped from the Mokama shelter home ..
