Page 828 - Social Issues
UN 'shocked and appalled' at mass-execution in Iraq
The UN today harshly criticised the mass-hanging of 38 men at a prison in southern Iraq this week, urging Baghdad to immediately halt all executions. Iraq yesterday hanged 38 jihadists belonging to the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda for terrorism offences at a prison in the southern city of Nasiriyah, according to provincial authorities. It was the largest number of executions in Iraq on a single day since September 25, when 42 people were put to death in the same prison. "We are deeply shocked and appalled at the mass execution on Thursday," United Nations human rights office spokeswoman Liz Throssell told reporters in Geneva. The hangings, she warned, "once again raises huge concerns about the use of the death penalty in the country". The UN had determined that all of the 38 executed prisoners were men and had been convicted for terrorism- related crimes, but could say nothing more about their identities, she said. A prison source however told AFP that they were all ..
Imperative to provide facilities to differently-abled: SC
The Supreme Court today said it was imperative to provide proper and safe access to roads, transport, buildings and public places to differently-abled persons so that they could enjoy a meaningful life and contribute to the progress of the nation. The top court said right to dignity, which is ensured in the constitutional set up for every citizen, applies with much more vigour in cases of persons suffering from disability and it was duty of the State and public authorities to lay down proper norms in this regard. A bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan passed a slew of directions, including that all government buildings providing any services to the public be made fully accessible to differently-abled persons by June 2019 as per provision of The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016. The bench said that deadline of December this year, set by accessible India campaign (AIC), to make 20 to 50 important state government buildings in 50 cities fully ...
Taxmen launch prosecution in tax evasion cases in TN
The Income Tax Department, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry region has launched prosecution for failure to file returns in 191 cases, for tax evasion in 58 and 69 in respect of not remitting or deducting Tax Deducted at Source. "As deterrence, the Income Tax Department has launched prosecution against defaulters for failure to file return of income in 191 cases," an official release here said. The tax department said similarly, it has launched prosecution for evading tax and for failure to pay tax in 58 cases and for failure to deduct/remit taxes deducted at source properly in 69 cases. Also, many such cases of default were being pursued and the department will be taking appropriate action as per law,the release said. While pursuing recovery of outstanding tax, interest, and penalty, the department has taken strong action against defaulters by attaching properties in 98 cases. Further steps were being taken to auction such properties wherever warranted, the release said. To ...
Agri ministry seeks tech solutions for 12 agrarian issues
Aiming to double farmers' income by 2022, the Union Agriculture Ministry today launched a grand challenge for technology startups to find solutions for 12 problems, including burning of crop residue, in farm sector. The ministry will hand-hold and help startups in finding technological solutions that should be affordable and implementable, Agriculture Secretary S K Pattanayak said while launching this grand challenge. Agri-tech start-ups have been asked to find simplified soil testing methods; assaying and grading solution; development of e-marketplace; price forecasting during sowing; last mile information dissemination; yield estimation; sorting and grading of produce; adulteration testing; customer hiring centres; crop residue disposal; prevent pre- and post-harvest losses and enhancing agricultural productivity. "We are increasingly looking to science and technology for finding solutions in the farm sector. The Agriculture Grand challenge is a unique opportunity for .
Bill to make instant triple talaq punishable offence gets
A draft law which seeks to make the practice of instant triple talaq "illegal and void" and provides for a jail term for the husband was today cleared by the union cabinet. The nod paves the way for its introduction in Parliament during the Winter session which began today. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad confirmed that the 'Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill' has been approved but refused to share details as Parliament is in session. According to the draft law prepared by an inter- ministerial group headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, giving instant triple talaq will be "illegal and void" and will attract a jail term of three years for the husband. The husband could also be fined and the quantum of fine would be decided by the magistrate hearing the case. The bill is being introduced as the practice still continued despite the Supreme Court striking down 'talaq-e- biddat' (instant triple talaq). The proposed law would only be applicable on instant ...
ASCI welcomes ban on condom ads on TV channels
Advertising sector watchdog ASCI today welcomed the government decision to ban condom ads on TV channels between 6 am and 10 pm, saying such adverts focus on sensationalism to grab eyeballs rather than being educative about the benefits of condom usage. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on December 11 issued an advisory to all television channels to restrict condom advertisements to late night between 10 pm and 6 am. The ASCI said its Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) in recent times has received complaints against condom ads with explicit adult content being aired during family viewing hours, requesting the watchdog to declare a ban on them. "Some of the condom advertisements are detrimental to the children's sensibilities as they focus on sensationalising the act and play heavily on sexual content to grab eyeballs rather than being educative, informative and focused on the benefits of condom usage for audience of all age groups," ASCI said. The ministry said it .
Gen Rawat plays host to 'special children' at Army House
Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat today spent time with a group of children with special needs at his sprawling bungalow here and exhorted the society to appreciate the capabilities of the disabled people. Bathed in sunshine and human warmth, the girls and boys, aged 5-18, from an 'Asha' school run by the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) in Delhi Cantonment, were treated to a show by trained Army dogs on the expansive lawn of the Army chief's residence. "We have the five senses, and if one of these senses does not function, some other senses get pronounced. The society, should not look at them (people with disabilities) with pity, rather appreciate their special capabilities," Rawat said. Interacting with a select group of reporters at the Army House, he said trained Army dogs are sometimes sent to Asha schools to play with these children, which also helps in therapy. Gen Rawat, dressed in Army fatigue, walked around the lawn and shook hands with the children, who sat ...
HC wants TN govt to consider reservation for forward community
The Madras High Court has directed the state government to explore the possibility of extending the scope of reservation in higher education and public employment for persons from the forward community based on their economic status. The court made the observation on a plea moved by 14 students from the forward community (FC). The petition sought a direction to declare transfer of MBBS seats in government medical colleges meant for open category to BC and MBC categories as illegal, arbitrary and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. When the plea came up yesterday, Justice Kirubakaran said: "The poor, in the so-called forward communities, have been neglected, so far and no one could speak about them fearing protest voices in the name of social justice." Social justice should be extended to every section of the society, the judge said. "The necessity of having reservation for economic and social empowerment of those sections of the society, (BC, MBC, SC & ST) ..
Sr Sri Ravi Shankar supports legislation against triple talaq
With the Union government giving its nod to a draft law against triple talaq to make it a criminal offence, spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today supported it and said that India should honour gender equality to be at par with the world. Asked about proposed law on triple talaq, the founder of the Art of Living Foundation also said that men and women should enjoy equal rights and he has always supported this. "We should have gender equality. We are living in 21st century where gender equality must be honoured," Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said on the sidelines of function of a forum "We Never Lose, Either We Win Or We Learn" hosted by the Indian Chamber of Commerce. "We should be at par with what the world is doing. Everywhere in the world there is gender equality. Men and women should enjoy equal rights and I am for it," he said. The Centre today approved a draft law under which the practice of giving instant triple talaq would be made illegal and void and would attract .
China made remarkable progress in human rights under Xi:report
China has made "remarkable progress" in the protection of human rights over the past five years under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, according to an official report released here today. The official white paper titled "New Progress in the Legal Protection of Human Rights in China" said the country has opened a new era of human rights protection and has improved legislation to better protect the civil and political rights of its people. According to the white paper, China has revised the criminal law, abolishing nine death penalty charges and raising the bar on executing convicts that have received death sentence with a two-year reprieve. To implement the rule of law and promote humanitarianism, China has implemented the amnesty system stipulated in the Constitution, and granted amnesty for four types of criminals, it said. China has made "remarkable progress" in the protection of human rights over the past five years since President Xi took over power, the ...
Consider giving minimum wages to poor AIDS patients: HC to
The Delhi High Court today asked the AAP government to consider providing minimum wages to poor persons suffering from AIDS. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said that people afflicted with the disease need to take care of their families. It also asked the Delhi government to consider enhancing the financial assistance being provided to them. The court was hearing a PIL initiated by it after receiving a letter from a person, suffering from acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), seeking enhancement of the Rs 1,000 pension he received to Rs 3,000. It issued notice to the Delhi government, the National Aids Control Organization (NACO) and the Delhi State Aids Control Society (DSACS) and sought their response on the issue. The court later listed the matter for further hearing on January 9, 2018. It also appointed advocate Ajay Verma as amicus curiae to assist the bench as well as the person who sent the letter.
Bangladesh stops Rohingya preparing to board boat to Malaysia
Bangladesh police arrested an alleged human trafficker and intercepted two Rohingya refugees preparing to board a boat for Malaysia, officials said today. Police acting on a tip-off raided a home near the coastal town of Teknaf in southeastern Bangladesh, where five people had assembled ahead of a promised voyage across the Bay of Bengal. Two Rohingya Muslims, both men, were among the group. The pair had arrived from Myanmar since August, when a surge of violence in Rakhine state forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya across the border. The other three would-be passengers were Bangladeshi, another police officer said. "They were herded there as part of an effort to take them to Malaysia. They said they would be taken there by sea," Teknaf police chief Main Uddin told AFP. "Among the five, there were two Rohingya men who had already paid 10,000 taka (USD 120) each. The arrested person is being charged with human trafficking." The would-be passengers told police they had ..
Govt to design training courses for staff of one-stop centres
Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said today that her ministry was developing a training module for the staff of one-stop centres for helping women in distress. The minister inaugurated a two-day national workshop here on the role of such centres in strengthening the multi- sectoral response to violence against women. Around 400 functionaries of one-stop centres and nodal officials from women and child departments of 33 States/Union Territories are participating in the workshop. "The One Stop Centre Scheme is a highly critical intervention to protect and help women affected by violence. Keeping in view the importance of the scheme, it has to be ensured that the centres are run in a professional and efficient manner and complete empathy has to be shown for the women in distress who are visiting the centres," Gandhi said. The purpose of the scheme, the minister said, was to provide safe and pleasant environment to such women. The first one-stop centre was ..
