Page 210 - Social Issues
Sikkim: CM Chamling launches 'One Family One Job' scheme
Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling launched the 'One Family One Job' scheme in Gangktok that provides a government job to every family in the state.Over 12,000 unemployed youths were given appointment letters during the event.The scheme was announced by the Chief Minister last year during the winter session of the State Assembly.It entitles one government job for every family in the state.
UN experts urge Pakistan not to execute mentally ill prisoner
UN experts on Sunday urged Pakistan not to carry out the "arbitrary execution" of a former police officer who suffers from mental illness. The execution of Khizar Hayat, sentenced to death in 2003 for killing a colleague, was suspended by Pakistan's Supreme Court on Saturday, his legal team said, just three days before the 55-year-old was due to be hanged. "The imposition of capital punishment on individuals with psychosocial disabilities is a clear violation of Pakistan's international obligations," said Agnes Callamard, UN expert on extrajudicial executions and Catalina Devandas, the special rapporteur on disabled rights. Pakistan's Supreme Court will on Monday hold a hearing into whether the execution can go ahead, according to a press release from Justice Project Pakistan, an NGO handling Hayat's case. The group welcomed the "timely intervention by the highest seat of justice in the land to prevent a wrongful execution," and also gave Khayat's age as 60. Hayat, who has spent more .
Bengali poet Srijato's presence at Assam event draws protests
Bengali poet Srijato Bandyopadhyay's presence at a literary event in Assam's Silchar drew strong protests from a group of local people over one of his controversial poems, police said on Sunday.
Akhil Gogoi appeals to Cong to not back Citizenship Bill in RS
Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) Adviser Akhil Gogoi on Sunday appealed to opposition Congress to ensure defeat of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Gogoi said the KMSS will try to meet all other opposition parties to convince them to stand against the bill in the Upper House, where the controversial document is likely to be placed for passage during the Budget Session beginning January 31. He criticised the Congress for "not taking strong stand" against the bill, when it was introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8. "Congress should play its national role. The people of Assam are keenly watching them. So, I appeal them to stake a bold step and ensure that it is never passed in the Rajya Sabha," the peasant leader said in a press conference here. The Congress will become history if it wants to play the "soft Hindutva card" and directly or indirectly supports the bill for passage in the Upper House, he said. "We will try to meet the ...
Assam Accord should not be changed at any cost: BJP MLA
BJP MLA Padma Hazarika on Sunday said the March 24, 1971 deadline in the Assam Accord for detecting and deporting illegal immigrants should be respected and not changed at any cost. Addressing a party workers' meeting at his Sootea constituency in Sonitpur district, Hazarika said he would not accept the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which favoured changing the deadline to December 31, 2014 for all non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan to become Indian citizens. When contacted, Hazarika told PTI, "It was a party meeting to felicitate the winners in the panchayat election. Some people wanted to know my views on the current situation. As I was an active member of the Assam Movement, which gave the Assam Accord, I will not want that pact to be violated." He also asserted that he was not in favour of any change in the Assam Accord. "I want the deadline in the Assam Accord to be respected," Hazarika added. Asked if he was against the bill that his party
Sikhs in Pak celebrate Guru Gobind Singh's 352nd birth anniversary
The minority Sikh community in Pakistan celebrated the 352nd birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh in the country's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province amid tight security. A three-day event to celebrate Prakash Parv at Gurudwara Bhai Joga Singh here concluded Sunday. The event was organised by Department of Hajj, Auqaf, Religious and Minority Affairs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to show the signs of harmony and inclusiveness. Over 5,000 Sikh devotees took out a procession and converged at a programme to mark the occasion. Adequate security measures were put in place to ensure a smooth and hassle-free event. The major attraction of the procession was the display of 'Gatka', a famous Sikh martial art and other famous sword exercises. On the occasion, member of the provincial assembly Ravi Kumar paid tributes to Soran Singh, the provincial minister for minority affairs who was shot dead in 2016, saying his services will always be remembered. Kumar said the three-day event will build ...
Jaitley opens Hunar Haat in Delhi
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday inaugurated "Hunar Haat" organised by Minority Affairs Ministry at State Emporium Complex here.
Rashrtiya Bajrang Dal protests against Rohingya, Bangladeshi immigrants in Jammu
Activists of right-wing group, Rashtriya Bajrang Dal (RBD), on Sunday staged a demonstration here against illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants and gave Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik a week's ultimatum to deport them. The protesters, some of whom wielded tridents, placards and the national flag, assembled outside a mall along Narwal bypass, not far from where a settlement of Rohingya Muslims is located. They raised slogans in support of their demand for eviction of the illegal immigrants and later dispersed peacefully. RBD state president Rakesh Bajrangi said the protest should serve as a "warning" to the governor-led administration. He claimed the presence of Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals in the state posed a threat to national security. The RBD has given the governor a week's time to take measures for the early deportation of the Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals. If the government fails to fulfil the demand, there will be a bigger agitation involving ...
Ram Vilas Paswan's daughter stages dharna, demands apology over 'Angootha chap' jibe
Asha Paswan, daughter of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, staged a protest against her father here on Sunday for allegedly referring to former Bihar chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Rabri Devi as "Angootha Chap" or illiterate."I want him (Ram Vilas Paswan) to take back his words and apologise. He should respect all women," said Asha.On Friday, Paswan had said "any uneducated person becomes chief minister nowadays," in a veiled jibe at Rabri Devi.Disappointed with these remarks. Asha threatened to protest along with other women in front of her father's Lok Janshakti Party office.Asha is Paswan's daughter from his first wife Raj Kumari Devi, whom he divorced in 1981. Two years later, he tied the knot with Reena.It may be noted that Asha's husband Anil Sadhu is part of the RJD.
Book fair attempts to spread message of inclusivity, still has a long way to go
Walking around the theme pavilion at the New Delhi World Book Fair, one can spot a range of aides for the visually impaired -- Braille geometry sets, chess boards, a set of playing cards, but oddly enough, not many books. The visible shortage of literature for people with disability at the fair themed, "Books for Readers with Special Needs", can be attributed to the dearth of publishers working in the sector, said one of the officials from National Book Trust (NBT). "When we started working on this theme, we realised there was very little work done in this sector by publishers, and that remains our main aim -- to sensitise the publishing fraternity to address this need," Neera Jain, chief editor and joint director, NBT, said. Disappointment over the lack of books for individuals with special needs was also expressed by Narayani Kaushik, a hearing-impaired student of psychology, who had been looking forward to the fair, particularly because of its theme this year. She hoped to find ...
Pak chief justice stays execution of mentally ill policeman
Pakistan's Chief Justice Saqib Nisar has suspended the execution of a mentally ill former policeman, who was scheduled to be hanged on Monday, media reports said. Chief Justice Nisar suspended the execution of Khizar Hayat late Saturday night following appeals from the prisoner's mother and human rights advocates calling for the suspension of his capital punishment. The suspension came a day after a district and sessions judge scheduled Hayat's execution on January 15 at the Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail, the Express Tribune reported. Hayat was sentenced to death in 2003 over the shooting of a fellow officer. He has spent nearly 15 years on death row. Hayat was first diagnosed as a schizophrenic in 2008 by jail medical authorities, Dawn reported. Justice Nisar has also fixed the case for hearing on January 14, following calls from the rights organisations to review Hayat's case in the court. "Taking notice of the issue, the chief justice suspended the sentence of the prisoner till further
Boy commits suicide in Himachal's Chamba
A 12-year-old boy allegedly committed suicide Sunday by hanging himself from a ceiling fan at his home in Sihunta village of Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district, police said. The incident took place in the morning, Chamba Superintendent of Police Monika Bhutunguru said. His father was present in the house at the time of the incident, she said. The boy was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead, the SP added. Prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide, Bhutunguru said. The exact reason for his taking the extreme step is being ascertained, she said.
India being unmade with every passing day: Activist Harsh Mander
The cultural fabric and ethos of India is being unmade with every passing day, says activist Harsh Mander, fearing that "hatred and bigotry" may become "the new normal".
Don't deny students, candidates right to wear hijab, carry kirpan: Minorities body to govt depts
The Delhi Minorities Commission has asked city government departments to allow minorities to wear dresses and carry articles as per their religious beliefs when appearing in recruitment and academic tests. Acting on the commission's order, the General Administration Department (GAD) issued a circular to all principal secretaries and heads of department asking for "appropriate action" on the dress code for minority students and candidates appearing in examinations. Minority commission chairman Zafarul Islam Khan said the order was issued in view of complaints from members of minority communities that they faced difficulties when appearing in such examinations and were forced to take off their articles of faith. In its order, the Commission said, "Muslim women cannot be denied their religious right to wear Hijab (headscarf). They must also he allowed to wear full-sleeve shirts. The Sikhs are allowed to carry Kirpan (dagger) of reasonable length as per Indian Constitution's Article ...
LGBTQ community raise objections against Transgender Bill
Urging for equality and freedom of expression, members of the LGBTQ community raised their objections against the recently passed Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill.
Bill on surrogacy evokes mixed response
The Centre's bill prohibiting commercial surrogacy has evoked a mixed response, with some welcoming it while others raising doubts over its efficacy. The Lok Sabha had last month passed the bill that bars commercial surrogacy and allows the process only by close relatives for 'altruistic' reasons. Surrogacy refers to a contract whereby a woman carries a pregnancy and gives birth to a child for another person or another couple, who will ultimately be the baby's parent(s). National Commission for Women's former member Nirmala Samant Prabhawalkar said the bill has been brought to regulate the "uncontrolled" practice of surrogacy, but it still has some "grey areas". "There was massive exploitation which forced the regulation, but there is scope to improve the legislation further," she said. Another Mumbai-based advocate Siddh Vidya said she was in favour of making the laws tough, but found the term 'altruistic' a bit unrealistic. "Confrontation between the family going for ...
Hindu, Sikh refugees from Pak eagerly waiting for passage of Citizenship Bill
New Delhi [India], Jan 13 (ANI): Thousands of Hindu and Sikh refugees from Pakistan, who were eagerly awaiting the passage of a bill by Parliament that would grant them Indian citizenship, are disappointed that it could not fructify in the just-concluded Winter session but have not given up hope.These people trickled into India over the last two decades, escaping religious persecution back in Pakistan and found a new home in India.Most of them, hailing from Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions of Pakistan, are staying in places like Amritsar and Ludhiana in Punjab.Living here on the basis of temporary visa, which is extended from time to time, these migrants are in a condition of statelessness, because of which they are unable to educate their children.In 2017, 431 Pakistani Hindus were given Long Term Visa in line with the Modi government's policy to help rehabilitate minorities who fled from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.Without any provision for getting long-term visas, ...
Centenarian Pak-Hindu lady gets Indian citizenship
It is no less than a dream come true for the centenarian Jamuna Devi who has been granted Indian citizenship after a long wait of almost three years.She along with her family had moved to India in the year 2006 and had applied for an Indian citizenship in 2015.Jamuna Bai said that she is feeling very good to get the citizenship of India after applying for the same three years back."I am feeling very good to stay in India and finally become an Indian citizen after 12 years," she said.Aatmaram, son of Jamuna Bai said, "My grandfather was a resident of Rajasthan. He went to Pakistan during a famine. However, later we started facing the problem and decided to come back to India. We came here in 2006 and in 2015 we applied for the citizenship of India. Today my mother has become a citizen of India. We want that our whole family must get citizenship of India."Jamuna's citizenship has paved way for the citizenship prospects for her other family members as well.A contentious bill seeking to ..
Fleeing Saudi woman arrives in Canada
The young Saudi woman who has been granted asylum after fleeing from her reported abusive family arrived in Canada's Toronto on Saturday morning, media reported.
Hundreds of 'yellow vest' protesters rally in central London
Hundreds of demonstrators wearing yellow vests took to the streets of London on Saturday, in the largest protest yet in Britain copying the "yellow vest" protests rocking France. Protesters opposed to the government's austerity programme and demanding a general election marched through the centre of the capital before rallying in Trafalgar Square. They included two French activists involved in the demonstrations sweeping France since mid-November who were invited by the organisers of the British event. "We are here in support," said Erick Simon, 61, one of the duo. "I think that the yellow vest movement in France is the same as the one that is growing in England... people are fed up with poverty, injustice and social and financial injustice." The French protests began in mid-November over a proposed increase in fuel duties, and soon turned violent. The leaderless movement appeared to be petering out at the end of 2018 but has since regained momentum, with weekly clashes seen in Paris
