Page 38 - Social Issues
Chapter on Ambedkar in Delhi school syllabus
The Delhi government has decided to include a chapter on Dr B R Ambedkar's struggles and social movement in school syllabus, Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam said on Friday. Taking to Twitter to announce the government's decision, Pal said the new chapter will be part of the curriculum soon. "Taking initiative, the Delhi government will soon include Babasaheb Ambedkar's life struggle, the discrimination he faced and also his achievements in syllabus," Pal tweeted in Hindi.
PIL for conjugal visitation rights of prisoners: HC seeks AAP govt's reply
The Delhi High Court on Friday sought response of the AAP government and prison authorities here on a PIL seeking conjugal visitation rights for prisoners. Terming the issue raised in the plea as "very interesting", a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Brijesh Sethi issued notice to the Delhi government and the Director General of Prisons seeking their stand on the petition by a lawyer. Amit Sahni, a lawyer and a social activist, has claimed in his plea that conjugal visits in jail should be treated as a fundamental right of prisoners and their spouses. Sahni, represented by senior advocate N Hariharan, has said in his petition that presently under the state's prison rule, meeting between an inmate and his or her spouse takes place in the presence of a prison officer. He has sought setting aside of the rule. He has further said that "despite courts taking a progressive approach and various countries allowing conjugal visits considering it an important human right and ...
Private airline's employee commits suicide in Nagpur
A 19-year-old employee of private carrier GoAir here has allegedly committed suicide, police said Friday. The deceased, Manthan Chavan, was part of the Mumbai- based airline's ground staff at the Nagpur airport and ended his life Thursday afternoon at residence here after wishing his mother, a policewoman, on her birthday, they said. According to the police, Chavan hanged himself from an iron rod of a ventilator at his home in Chandramani Nagar under the Ajni police station area at around 2.45 pm. Chavan's father told the police its not clear why his son committed suicide, but he may have taken the extreme step due to work stress, police sub-inspector (Ajni) Kailash Magar said. The deceased was on leave as he was down with jaundice for the last nearly two weeks, Magar said, quoting his father. "No suicide note was found at the spot, from where a piece of paper was recovered with the message, 'Happy birthday mummy - I am sorry'. It was Manthan's mother's birthday ...
Louisiana Governor signs 'heartbeat' abortion bill into law
Louisiana Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards has signed a bill into law that will ban abortions in the US state once a heartbeat is detectable with no exceptions for rape or incest, according to his office.
Delhi HC seeks Centre's reply on Uniform Civil Code plea
The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the Central government's response on a plea seeking implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in the country to promote unity, fraternity and national integration.
Trump announces new Mexican tariffs in response to migrants
In a surprise announcement that could compromise a major trade deal, President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he is slapping a 5 per cent tariff on all Mexican imports, effective June 10, to pressure the country to do more to crack down on the surge of Central American migrants trying to cross the US border. He said the percentage will gradually increase up to 25 per cent "until the Illegal Immigration problem is remedied." The decision showed the administration going to new lengths, and looking for new levers, to pressure Mexico to take action even if those risk upending other policy priorities, like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a trade deal that is the cornerstone of Trump's legislative agenda and beneficial to his reelection effort. Trump made the announcement by tweet after telling reporters earlier Thursday that he was planning "a major statement" that would be his "biggest" so far on the border. "On June 10th, the United States will impose a 5 per cent ...
Children 'whitening faces to avoid racism' in Britain
Children as young as 10 are whitening their faces to avoid being subjected to racist abuse in Britain, a child protection group has warned, as police struggle to stem a rising tide of hate crimes against minors.
Will provide energetic response to Trump's planned tariffs: Mexico
Mexico on Thursday pledged to provide an "energetic response" to US President Donald Trump's planned tariff hikes on Mexican imports."It would be catastrophic if Trump lived up to his threat of introducing tariffs over migration. That is why Mexico will not sit on its hands until June 10. If it happens, we will have to provide an energetic response," Sputnik quoted the Mexican Deputy Foreign Minister Jesus Seade as telling reporters.The Mexican official further labelled Trump's decision as an "ice cold shower".This comes after Trump unveiled his plan to levy tariffs on the goods coming in from Mexico if the country does not step up its enforcement actions.The official US statement warned that if Mexico did not act as Trump demanded, the first round of tariffs would begin on June 10 at five per cent "on all goods imported from Mexico". Tariffs would then go up to 10 per cent by July, 15 per cent by August, 20 per cent by September and reach 25 per cent by October if the demands aren't .
US to impose 5% tariff on all Mexican imports from June
The US will impose a 5 per cent tariff on all Mexican imports from June 10 and duties of up to 25 per cent will be added in the coming months if Mexico does not take action to "reduce or eliminate the number of illegal aliens" crossing into America, the White House said.
5% US tariff on Mexican imports from June
United States President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to impose new tariffs on Mexico if the country does not step up its enforcement actions.The President, in a White House statement cited by CNN, said that the first round of tariffs would begin on June 10 at five per cent "on all goods imported from Mexico."The statement stated that Trump would carry out his threat under authority from the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and that he would lift tariffs only "if the illegal migration crisis is alleviated through effective actions taken by Mexico."It further warned that if Mexico did not act as Trump demanded, tariffs would go up to 10 per cent by July, 15 per cent by August, 20 per cent by September and reach 25 per cent by October.According to the Office of the US Trade Representative, Washington imports of Mexican goods, including cars, machinery and agricultural products, accumulated to around USD 346.5 billion in 2018.The President preceded the statement with a ..
After 30 years in Army, ex-soldier declared a 'foreigner'
The family of retired Army soldier who fought in the Kargil war two decades ago and who is currently serving as an ASI in the Border Police has approached the Gauhati High Court after he was sent to a detention centre for illegal migrants.Mohammad Sanaullah, 52, who retired as an honorary Lieutenant in the Army, was arrested soon after he was summoned by the Assam Police Border Organisation, or the Border Police, in Guwahati on Tuesday.The arrest followed the order of a Foreigners' Tribunal that adjudged him a non-citizen.Sanaullah's family said they hoped the High Court would hand them justice.Before joining Border Police, Sanaullah served in the Army for 30 years and was designated as a Captain. He was also conferred a medal by President of India for his service.As per reports, the case against the officer was going on since 2008.Sanaullah, who is a resident of Kolohi village under Boko Police Station, completed his schooling from Champu Para Government High School.His family has ..
PIL filed in Delhi HC to frame uniform civil code
A PIL has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking direction to the Union of India to frame a uniform civil code to promote fraternity, unity and national integration.The petition has been filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, who is associated with BJP.The petitioner has sought direction and instruction to government to secure citizens, Justice (social, economic, and political), liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship, equality of status and to promote among them all fraternity, assuring the dignity of the individual and unity and integrity of the nation.The petition will be heard by the Division bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Brijesh Sethi on Friday.The petitioner claims that he submitted a representation to the central government on August 28, 2017, and the Law Commission on April 4, 2018. There is no further requirement to move concerned authority for relief sought in this writ petition again.The object of Article 44 is to introduce a Uniform ..
Bangladesh picks up 58 Malaysia-bound Rohingya at sea
Bangladesh coast guards on Thursday stopped 58 Rohingya refugees from making a potentially dangerous journey to Malaysia by sea and arrested two suspected traffickers, an official said. Acting on a tip-off, a patrol ship challenged a fishing boat near Saint Martin's, a small Bangladesh island in the Bay of Bengal, and found the Rohingya on board, coast guard Lieutenant Josel Rana said. "We've found 58 refugees and detained two human traffickers on the boat," he told AFP. About 740,000 Muslim minority Rohingya have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since a brutal military crackdown in the Buddhist-majority nation began in August 2017. Thousands of refugees attempt to flee the camps each year in pursuit of better opportunities in countries such as Malaysia and Thailand. So far this year, law enforcement agencies in Bangladesh have rescued over 400 Rohingya refugees from coastal villages as they were waiting to board boats bound for Malaysia. But this is the first time in 2019 that Rohingya ...
Omar congratulates newly sworn in Union Council of ministers
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah Thursday congratulated newly sworn in Union Council of ministers led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Congratulations to all the ministers who were administered oath of office this evening. Best wishes as you begin a new term serving the citizens of our country," Abdullah wrote on his Twitter handle. The former chief minister said it was a pity that health issues had kept former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley out of the Cabinet. "It's a pity to not see people like @arunjaitley & @SushmaSwaraj among the ministers today. I wish them both well as they deal with the health issues that have kept them out of union cabinet," he said.
UN airlifts 149 refugees, asylum-seekers from Libya to Italy
Rome, May 31 (IANS/AKI) Amid violent clashes and a deteriorating security situation in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, 149 vulnerable refugees and asylum-seekers from the Horn of Africa and Sudan were on Thursday evacuated to Rome, the United Nations refugee agency said in a statement.
Vidarbha agriculturist Dhotre figures in Modi cabinet (Profile)
Hailing from a well-known political/farming family of Akola in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region, Sanjay S. Dhotre, who was sworn-in as a minister in the Narendra Modi government on Thursday, began his political career as an anti-Emergency activist.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi -- The lone Muslim face in Modi govt 2.0
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledging 'sabka saath, sabka vikas and sabka vishwas' mantra, his cabinet's lone Muslim face Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi will have the responsibility of winning the hearts of minorities and taking forward the 'development without appeasement' policy. Naqvi, who took oath as a cabinet minister on Thursday, was the Minority Affairs Minister in the previous dispensation and is credited with major reforms in the Haj policy. During his tenure, the Haj subsidy was done away with under a new policy and women were allowed to go on the pilgrimage without Mehram or a male companion. If he gets the Minority Affairs portfolio again, he would look to take forward the welfare policies and reforms while having the added responsibility of winning the hearts of minorities. Prime Minister Modi, in a speech after securing a massive mandate in the Lok Sabha polls, had said: "Our mantra should be 'sabka saath, sabka vikas and sabka vishwas' (with all, for everybody's development .
Pratap Sarangi stands out for simplicity, dedication to people
He lives in a thatched house, rides a bicycle and spends a major portion of his MLA pension to support education of poor children. For 64-year-old Pratap Sarangi, who once nurtured the desire to be a monk and lives an austere life, his hard work and dedication to people appear to have earned him a berth in the new Narendra Modi Government. The BJP leader, who has had a long associating with the Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh, made his maiden entry to Lok Sabha by winning from Odisha's Balasore constituency defeating sitting BJD MP and industrialist Rabindra Kumar Jena by 12,956 votes in the recent Lok Sabha polls. A national executive member of BJP, Sarangi was elected to Odisha Assembly twice in 2004 and 2009 from Nilagiri constituency in Balasore district. He had also contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Balasore constituency but faced defeat. However, Sarangi's association with active politics and electoral victories has not affected his lifestyle as he continues to live in a ...
AAP government has worked for the middle class as well: Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Thursday said his government has also worked for the middle class, a remark which comes amid speculations that the AAP's support base has shrinked among such voters. He said the AAP government has also worked for the middle class although some people say that his dispensation has only worked for the poor. He said people from both the poor as well as middle class have benefitted from the "hard and honest" work done by the AAP government. The assertion by Kejriwal comes in the backdrop of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) humiliating defeat in Delhi at the hands of the BJP in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. The party failed to win even a single seat in the national capital. The party was pushed to third spot on five Lok Sabha seats amid speculations that its support base has shrinked among the middle class voters. "Some ppl say- AAP works only for poor, what has it done 4 middle class? See this. Pvt schools not allowed to increase fee, those
PIL in HC seeking conjugal visitation rights of prisoners
The Delhi High Court Thursday agreed to hear on Friday a PIL seeking to hold conjugal visits in jail as a fundamental right of prisoners and their spouses. The plea sought a direction to set aside state's prison rule that mandates the presence of a prison officer when a prisoner is meeting his or her spouse. The plea was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice Rajender Menon and Justice Brijesh Sethi in which it has sought directions to the Delhi government and Director General (DG) of Tihar Prisons to make necessary arrangements in jails for conjugal visits of prisoners. The plea, filed by lawyer and social activist Amit Sahni, said conjugal visitation rights were not provided in prisons in the state though most of the prisoners fall under sexually active age group. "Despite courts taking a progressive approach and various countries allowing conjugal visits considering it an important human right and also in the light of studies backing conjugal visits as a factor to cut down ...
