Page 185 - Social Issues
Mothers of Endosulfan victims begin indefinite fast
: Mothers with their endosulfan-affected children began an indefinite fast in front of the Secretariat here, demanding speedy disbursal of compensation and implementation of the rehabilitation package. Social Activist Daya Bai, who is leading the protest with the women, said she was 'aghast' that the government had not yet completed disbursal of the compensation to the victims and their families. The families, who have come from the northernmost district of Kasaragod to the state's southern tip to make their woes heard, said they would not return without their demands being met. A protest was held in front of the secretariat here last year also by the victims' families.
Anna Hazare launches fresh hunger strike for Lokpal, Lokayuktas
Posing fresh complications for the government, veteran Gandhian activist Kisan Baburao Hazare alias Anna Hazare on Wednesday launched a fresh indefinite hunger strike at his Ralegan-Siddhi village seeking a Lokpal and Lokayuktas as promised by the Centre and the states.
Madras HC strikes down government order on minority educational institutions
The Madras High Court on Wednesday struck down the Tamil Nadu government order that said educational institutions would be granted minority status only if 50 per cent of the seats are allotted to people from such communities.
PRISM writes to Rajya Sabha chairman against citizenship bill
People's Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM) party on Wednesday urged the chairman of Rajya Sabha to ensure that the citizenship bill is not introduced in the Upper House. In a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu, PRISM said the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is against the principles of secularism and discriminates on the basis of religion. "Passage of the bill in both houses of Parliament would result in mass illegal entry of foreigners in the country, especially in the north eastern region," it said. The communication to Naidu also said that the party would vow to continue its opposition and appeal to the people of Mizoram to join the stir. The bill, which was passed by Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, after six years of residence in India even if they do not possess any documents. Protests against .
Families of slain Assam Movement agitators to return mementos
In protest over the citizenship bill, the families of those who died fighting for the cause of the Assam Movement decided on Wednesday to return the mementos conferred by the state government. The Swahid Parial Samannayrakhi Parishad (SPSP), an organisation of the families of Assam Agitation, gathered at the 'Saheed Niyas' here -- the headquarters of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) that had spearheaded the movement -- to stage a protest against the contentious bill. Holding the mementos given by the Assam government to 855 people posthumously, their families decided to return the plaques in protest against the Centre's move to implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The bill seeks to provide citizenship after six years of residence in India to non-Muslims who had fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and entered India before December 31, 2014, even if they do not possess any document. "The citizenship bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha. ..
Assam Congress MLAs wear black badges in assembly to protest removal of child's black jacket
Opposition Congress MLAs Wednesday wore black badges inside the Assam Assembly protesting against the removal of a child's black jacket allegedly on the instructions of security personnel at a function of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The Congress legislators staged a walk out after the speaker turned down an adjournment motion to discuss the matter. On Tuesday, a video of a mother removing a black jacket of her crying three-year-old child allegedly on the instructions of security personnel before entering Sonowal's function in Biswanath district drew sharp criticism from the people, prompting the chief minister to order a police inquiry. Most of the members of the Congress and the AIUDF also wore black clothes and termed Tuesday's incident as an attack on the freedom of expression. Noisy scenes were witnessed in the assembly after the matter was raised in the Question Hour, prompting Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami to adjourn the House for 10 minutes. When it reassembled, Goswami .
Manipur CM asks the people not to panic over Citizenship bill
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh appealed to the people not to panic over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 even as a 24-hour general strike has been called from Wednesday midnight demanding withdrawal of the bill. The apprehensions of the people need to be removed first and the Centre will be urged not to let the bill impact the state, he told reporters on the sidelines of a programme here. The recently formed Manipur People Against Citizenship Amendment Bill (MPACAB), with representation from 66 organisations, has called the general strike demanding the controversial bill be withdrawn. The chief minister said the government is trying to clear doubts regarding the Citizenship Bill from the minds of the people. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim nationals from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India. Biren Singh said he will be attending a .
Elderly Bihar man says records show him dead, denied benefits
A physically challenged octogenarian, residing in a remote village of the district, has alleged he has been denied benefits of social security schemes, as official records maintain that he is "dead". Mohd Darban, 83, a resident of Farsadangi village under Jokihat block, who lost his left arm and leg to polio, was in for a shock when he learnt that doles under the Indira Awas Yojana and pensions for the elderly could not be claimed by him, since official records mentioned he died long back. Darban alleged this was the result of bungling by members of the panchayat under which his village falls, and the mukhiya and his cohorts might have manipulated the records, so that the benefits he was being deprived of could go to some of their "favourites". The hapless man said he has been running from pillar to post with documents like bank passbook and identity proofs to convince officials that he was, indeed, "alive". "I am not aware of this anomaly, since I am not in receipt of ..
Stung by resignation of two members, Centre says all is well at National Statistical Commission
Stung by the recent resignation of two independent members over their alleged difference with the Centre over new GDP back series and employment-unemployment data, Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on Wednesday said that all was well at the National Statistical Commission (NSC).In a clarification issued on Wednesday, MoSPI denied that two members-PC Mohanan, who was serving as NSC chairman and Prof JV Meenakshi-had expressed any concerns over the organisation's functioning."These concerns were not expressed by the members in any of the meetings of the Commission in the last few months," said MoSPI in the official statement, adding "the ministry not only places a high regard for the Commission, but also values its advice and on which appropriate action is taken."P C Mohanan and Delhi School of Economics (DSE) Professor JV Meenakshi had sent their resignation letters to the MoSPI on Monday, citing the lack of their involvement in key decisions such as ...
Transgender gunned down in Pakistan
A transgender was killed and another critically injured when unknown armed men riding a motorbike open fired at their vehicle in northwest Pakistan, police said on Wednesday. The incident occurred in Jattak Ismail Khel area of restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa late Tuesday night when three transgenders from Peshawar were returning after attending a wedding ceremony. On their way back the unknown assailants fired at their vehicle, killing one and injuring another, police said. The deceased transgender was identified as Jahangir while the injured as Mushtaq. The injured transgender was shifted to hospital for treatment, police said. Police cordoned off the area and have started search for the assailants, it added. Attacks on transgenders in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have seen a increase in the last one year. In March 2018, gunmen shot dead a transgender woman and her friend while they were in a rickshaw. Similarly, in August another transgender was shot dead by some unidentified .
Death toll up to 28 after migrant boats sink off Djibouti: IOM
The death toll from the sinking of two migrant boats off the coast of Djibouti rose to 28 on Wednesday, the UN migration agency said. "Twenty-three bodies were recovered this morning and the coast guard continues (its) search," Lalini Veerassamy, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) chief of mission in Djibouti told AFP, a day after five people were found dead.
Chidambaram rues death of statistics body
Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday lamented the "death" of the National Statistical Commission (NSC), calling it a "venerable institution" which succumbed to the Centre's "malicious negligence".
Tribal leader quits BJP in Tripura
A tribal leader of Tripura, Rajeswar Debbarma, has resigned from the BJP for its "failure" to implement poll promises, made during 2018 Assembly election, for the development of the indigenous people of the state. Debbarma also demanded scrapping of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill-2016 as it posed a threat to the indigenous people of Tripura. He submitted his resignation to party president of the state unit, Biplab Kumar Deb, on Tuesday. Deb is also the Chief Minister of Tripura and is currently out of the state. "I am quite unhappy with the performance of the BJP- led NDA government in the state as it is ignoring the indigenous people of Tripura. Not a single poll pledge, the party had made before last year's Assembly election, has been implemented," Debbarma said. Debbarma, a former MLA of the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT), a regional tribal party, had joined the BJP before the Assembly election in Tripura last year. "The BJP gave a clear assurance in .
Centre asks CJI to set up Constitution Bench to decide issues related to Land Acquisition Act
The central government on Wednesday requested Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to set up a Constitution Bench for expeditious disposal of issues related to Section 24 of the Land Acquisition Act."We will look into the issue," the CJI replied.For the central government, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter and requested the CJI to hear it and set up the Constitution bench.The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, ensures, in "consultation with institutions of local self-government and Gram Sabhas established under the Constitution, a humane, participative, informed and transparent process for land acquisition for industrialisation, development of essential infrastructural facilities and urbanisation with the least disturbance to the owners of the land and other affected families."It further provides "fair compensation to the affected families whose land has been acquired or proposed to be ...
Woman with baby dies after falling down NYC subway stairs
A young mother has died after falling down stairs at a Manhattan subway station while holding her 1-year-old daughter. Malaysia Goodson, of Stamford, Connecticut, fell down the stairs at a midtown Manhattan station at around 8 pm Monday, police said. Goodson was unconscious when police arrived. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her child was unharmed. Police said it's unknown whether the child was in a stroller during the incident, as initially reported by authorities. "I wish I could have helped her," Goodson's 23-year-old brother, Shawn Goodson, told The New York Times . He said his sister was a protective, caring mother. It was not immediately clear whether the 22-year-old Goodson had a medical issue that precipitated her death or whether she died from impact. The city's medical examiner will determine the cause of death. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which also is investigating, called Goodson's death "a heartbreaking tragedy." Only about a ..
UP: Man gives triple talaq over phone to wife for reaching home 10 minutes late
Weeks after bill criminalising instant triple talaq was passed in the Lok Sabha, a woman in Etah was allegedly given triple talaq by her husband over the phone for not returning home on time.The victim told ANI that she promised her spouse that she will return home within 30 minutes, failing which she faced instant divorce. "I went to my mother's house to see my ailing grandmother. My husband told me to return within half an hour. I was late only by 10 minutes. He then called me on my brother's mobile number and uttered "talaq" thrice. I was completely shattered by his move," she said.The victim also accused her in-laws of beating her as she was not was not met their demands of dowry at the time of the marriage. "They beat me at times when I am home. I also had an abortion because of their moves. My family is very poor which is why they were unable to give anything to my husband's family," she added.The victim has sought government's help in the matter. "Now it is the responsibility ..
UN evacuates 130 refugees to Niger from Libya
Tunis, Jan 30 (IANS/AKI) In its first evacuations to Niger this year, the UN refugee agency has flown 130 people to Niamey from Libya, where they were held for months in detention centres in "very dire" conditions, the UN said on Tuesday.
MoU signed for using new data technologies for official statistics
The Statistics and Programme Implementation Ministry on Tuesday signed an agreement with National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) to use new data technologies, knowledge generation and knowledge sharing in the field of official statistics.
Act against those responsible for attacks on BJP supporters, Rajnath tells Mamata
Expressing serious concern over violence and arson against people who participated in the BJP President Amit Shah's rally in West Bengal's East Midnapore district on Tuesday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh called up the state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asking her to take strict action against the guilty.
5 migrants dead, over 130 missing after 2 boats capsize off Djibouti coast
At least five migrants were killed and 130 are missing after two boats overturned off the coast of Djibouti, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a statement on Tuesday."More than 130 migrants went missing on Tuesday morning off the coast of Djibouti after two boats capsized. The tragedy occurred off Godoria, a locality in the Obock region of northeast Djibouti," the statement reads.The local gendarmerie found two survivors and bodies of three people after arriving on the site upon alerts by the locals.Eyewitnesses said that the vessel capsized half an hour after the departure, according to the IOM.The search and rescue operation is underway.
