Page 94 - Social Issues
Nawada will see fight between two powerful castes (Constituency Profile)
The political battle in the Nawada parliamentary constituency in Bihar is a direct fight again between two powerful castes.
We will throw the "dacoit and liar " Chowkidar out power and
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday sharpened her attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him a "dacoit and liar chowkidar" who looted public money during demonetisation. She accused Modi of not looking after farmers and the middle class as he was busy touring the globe for the last four and half years and telling lies ahead of elections. Banerjee also mocked Modi for making films, television serial in his name and said "Modi thinks he is bigger public figure than Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambekdar". Hitting out at Modi for his comment at a public meet at Coochbehar district Sunday that she and TMC were suffering from fear psychosis of Modi, Banerjee warned him "not to dare to threaten her" as it will be his "biggest mistake". "In the name of demonetisation he has looted public money and now ahead of elections he is acting the chowkidar. This chowkidar is a lootera and jhoota (watchman is dacoit and liar). He is using public money in elections. ...
AgustaWestland Case: Middleman Sushen Mohan Gupta sent to judicial custody
A special CBI court on Monday sent AgustaWestland alleged middlemen Sushen Mohan Gupta to judicial custody till April 20.He was arrested on March 26 and sent to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody for four days by a special CBI court. The custody was later extended by four days before the Patiala House Court granted further remand of 3 days.Gupta filed a bail plea before a Special CBI court on Saturday in connection with money laundering case against him.In his bail plea, Gupta submitted that throughout the investigation he has fully cooperated with the investigation agencies and has complied with all directions given by them adding that he has neither been accused of evading the law nor has he interfered with the investigation in any manner.Gupta further submitted that he has in the past always cooperated with the investigation and undertakes to further cooperate in the future as well.Gupta's was the first arrest which came a day after Rajiv Saxena's, an accused in the case, who was
Second group of Rohingya arrive in Malaysia within weeks
Forty-one Rohingya were found on a Malaysian beach Monday, police said, the second group of the Muslim minority to arrive in the country within weeks, stoking fears of a looming exodus. Many Rohingya have been seeking in recent weeks to leave by sea from Bangladesh, where they live in squalid refugee camps after fleeing their mostly Buddhist homeland Myanmar, before the monsoon season starts in earnest. Security forces have prevented hundreds from departing for Malaysia with people smugglers on fishing boats. But last month 34 Rohingya arrived in the northern Malaysian state of Perlis, the first group believed to have landed in the country in almost year. The latest batch, which consisted entirely of men, were found Monday on the same beach as the previous boatload, local police chief Noor Mushar Mohamad told AFP. "This is definitely the work of human smuggling syndicates working with local syndicates," he said. "I fear there could be more Rohingya arrivals unless maritime enforcement
RJD releases manifesto, promises reservation
The RJD on Monday released its manifesto, titled 'Pratibadhta Patra', promising reservation for SCs, STs, EBC and OBCs in proportion of their population in the private sector and the higher judiciary. The ceiling - a 50 per cent cap - had been broken after giving 10 per cent quota to the weaker sections among the general category so the people belonging to these categories (SCs, STs, EBC and OBCs) should be given reservation on the basis of their population, party leader Tejashwi Yadav said while releasing the manifesto here. The apex court had fixed a cap of 50 per cent on total reservation and the Centre last month justified in Supreme Court its recent law granting 10-per cent quota for Economically Weaker Sections (EWSs), saying it was brought in to promote "social equality". Advocating extension of quota for them in higher judiciary and the private sector, the manifesto also vowed to carry out caste-based census in 2020-21. Pointing out that the RJD, also agrees with
5k wheelchairs to be procured for persons with disability in J-K: CEO
The Jammu and Kashmir election department has asked the social welfare department to procure 5,000 wheelchairs to help persons with disability to exercise their right to vote in the Lok Sabha polls. The Election Commission (EC) has taken adequate steps to help physically challenged voters, including visually-impaired, exercise their franchise by treating them as "VIP voters", Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Shailendra Kumar told PTI. "Persons with disability (PwDs) will now be considered as VIP voters. The social welfare department has been asked to procure 4,500 to 5,000 wheelchairs for PWD voters," Kumar said. "As of now, 50,000 PwD voters are registered with us, but we were expecting over 1.50 lakh such voters," he said. He said the district electoral officer of the respective areas will make arrangements for vehicle to transport differently abled persons. "These steps have been taken by the Election Commission to provide new energy to PwD voters," Kumar said. He said ...
EU urges Sri Lanka not to end moratorium on death penalty
The European Union is urging Sri Lanka not to end its four-decade moratorium on the death penalty, saying capital punishment is not an effective deterrent to counter illicit drugs and related crimes. Monday's statement from the EU comes a week after Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena announced that dates have been set for the country's first executions in 43 years amid rising alarm over drug-related crimes. Sri Lanka last executed a prisoner in 1976. Currently, 1,299 prisoners are on death row, including 48 convicted of drug offenses. Drug trafficking is a capital offense in Sri Lanka, where authorities have intensified a crackdown on narcotics to deter smugglers from using the Indian Ocean island nation as a transit point for distribution in the region. While acknowledging that combatting the proliferation of drugs is a serious challenge for countries around the world, and that action to counter the illicit drug trade is important and necessary, the EU said "the evidence does .
Minority community in Goa will vote for BJP: Sawant
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday expressed confidence that members from the minority community in the coastal state will vote for the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Sawant said the minority community voters were aware of how Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the nation ahead in the last five years through his "inclusive policies". "The minority community voters are educated, they read national newspapers, watch television and are aware about development undertaken by the Modi government. They are with the BJP," the chief minister told reporters here. The BJP has fielded its sitting MPs Shripad Naik and Narendra Sawaikar from North Goa and South Goa Lok Sabha seats, respectively, where polling will be held on April 23. "The Lok Sabha polls are for the country. Don't limit these elections to certain caste or religion," Sawant said. Of the total voters in Goa, nearly 27 per cent are Christians. Sawant said the issues related to Goa, like resumption of ...
NZealand privacy tsar accuses Facebook of failing to cooperate
New Zealand's privacy regulator on Monday accused Facebook of failing to cooperate on tackling livestreaming in the wake of the Christchurch mosques massacre, saying founder Mark Zuckerberg was "disingenuous" about its systems. The gunman livestreamed his rampage at two mosques on March 15 on Facebook, with the footage proliferating widely online despite the platform saying it "quickly" removed the footage. Privacy Commissioner John Edwards said Zuckerberg was "disingenuous" in saying bad actors were going out of their way to circumvent Facebook's systems. "They actually didn't have any systems to detect the events in Christchurch," Edwards to Radio New Zealand, adding that a delay on livestreaming would be a good interim measure. "It is a technology that is capable of causing great harm... He (Zuckerberg) can't actually tell us, or won't tell us, how many suicides are livestreamed, how many murders, how many sexual assaults. "In fact I've asked Facebook exactly that last week and ...
RJD releases party manifesto, promises reservation
Bihar's opposition Rashtiya Janata Dal (RJD) on Monday released its election manifesto for the coming Lok Sabha polls, where it has promised reservation for the Dalits, OBCs, EBCs and tribals in the private sectors
Facebook 'morally bankrupt pathological liars'
New Zealand's privacy commissioner John Edwards has labelled Facebook as "morally bankrupt pathological liars" after the social media platform's CEO Mark Zuckerberg tried to play down the Facebook livestreaming of Christchurch shooting that killed 50 people.
Pakistan minority groups hold rally at White House
Representatives from various ethnic and religious minorities of Pakistan have held a peaceful demonstration in front of the White House here against what they described as "the worst kind of genocide" they are facing in Pakistan and asked the international community to help them exercise the right to self-determination. The ruling Pakistani establishment is driving ethnic identities towards eradication, they alleged. "It is now incumbent that International Community must understand our plight, and help us achieve the Right of Self Determination," said Rehan Ibadat, central organizer, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) USA. "As a collective effort we have gathered today to represent all the oppressed ethnic groups residing in the current geographical boundaries of Pakistan. We Mohajir, Baloch, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pashtun, and other religious minorities demands separate land by exercising our right to self determination," participants of the protest said in a joint statement. Scores of ...
Several minority groups stage anti-Pakistan protests outside White House
Hundreds of people took to streets outside the White House here on Sunday to protest against decades of atrocities inflicted by Pakistan on various religious minority groups.Expressing anger over exploitation, several oppressed ethnic groups from the current geographical boundaries of Pakistan demanded absolute freedom from the clutches of the country.The Mohajirs, Balochs, Gilgit-Baltistanis, Pashtuns and other religious minorities collectively demanded a separate land by exercising their Right to Self Determination.Rehan Ibadat, the central organiser of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) USA told ANI, "The Pakistani military establishment has meted out a lot of injustice to its minorities. Every day there are reports of indefinite number of cases related to killings and disappearances of our people. So, we are here to raise our voice in front of the White House and other human rights organisations. We want them to help the minorities and others oppressed in Pakistan. We are asking for ..
Periyar statue vandalised in Tamil Nadu
A statue of Dravidian ideologue 'Periyar' EV Ramasamy, was found vandalised on Monday near Aranthangi in Tamil Nadu's Pudukkottai district.Periyar was a politician and social activist, who started the self-respect movement and Dravidar Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu. He is also known as the 'Father of Dravidian Movement'.The statue was placed near Aranthangi government hospital in 1998. It was found beheaded early morning.Police have registered a case.Further investigation is underway.
Woman, her two daughters try to commit in UP's Muzaffarnagar, 1 dead
An eight-year-old girl was killed after she jumped into a water body here along with her mother and younger sister in a bid to commit suicide, police said Monday. Due to problems in her family, a woman and her two children tried to commit suicide by jumping into Moti Jheel on Sunday, a senior police official said. As soon as they jumped, some passersby saw and rescued the woman and one of her daughters but the other daughter died, he said, adding that further investigations are underway. In another incident, a 45-year-old employee of nagar panchayat committed suicide by hanging himself, officials said. The incident happened in Budhana town of the district on Sunday, they said. A probe has been ordered.
Andhra Pradesh: 21-year-old threatens to commit suicide demanding political reforms
A 21-year-old man threatened to jump off a water tank in Arjavani Gudem village of Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district on Sunday demanding various political reforms.The man identified as Vijay Raju was later rescued by police and taken into custody."One person Vijay Raju, aged 21 years, climbed the overhead tank in the village at around 8:00 am and threatened to commit suicide by jumping off. He demanded many changes in the political system and said only after proper assurance he would get down," said a police official.A team led by Circle Inspector Ravi Kumar and Sub Inspector Srinivas carried out the rescue operation.The Police has initiated an investigation in the matter.
There was a lot of jealousy towards me: Naomie Harris on being bullied
Naomie Harris says she got bullied in school because she was an ''oddball'' but it pushed her to make it as an actor. The "Moonlight" star said bullying gave her a chance to escape into an imaginary world which polished her as a performer. "I think there was a lot of jealousy towards me. I have always been an oddball. I didn't have many friends, and the class bully turned everyone against me, so I retreated into a world of my own imagination. In hindsight that was a blessing, because acting is all about escaping to an imaginary world," Harris told The Times. "What I heard so much when I was growing up was, 'You'll never make it, you're black, you're a woman, it's really hard out there, there's so much racism in the industry, how are you going to overcome it?' I just heard the word no. But being bullied fuelled my ambition and gave me an immense desire to prove something," she added.
2 held for travelling in train on fake disability certificate
Two persons were arrested for allegedly availing train travel concessions by submitting fake disability certificate in Thane district of Maharashtra, police said on Monday. The railways provide concessional tickets to persons with disabilities. One of the accused, Ramesh Ahuja, recently booked his ticket in the Jaipur-Pune Express train by submitting copy of a certificate purportedly issued by a city-based government hospital, claiming he was handicapped, an official at Mahatma Phule police station in Kalyan town here said. During verification, the Central Railway's vigilance wing found the certificate to be fake, he said. As the train reached the Vasai station here on Sunday, the railways' inspection staff found Ahuja and his attendant, Nandlal Kasturi, travelling in a coach meant for general passengers, the official said. The two were subsequently arrested and booked under Indian Penal Code sections for cheating and forgery, he added.
'Not a world I want my children to see': Matuidi blasts racism scourge
Blaise Matuidi echoed the disillusionment of other black footballers when he said on Sunday that the events of the week suggested "this is not a world I want my children to see." Matuidi was one of the three Juventus players abused with monkey noises during a victory at Cagliari during the week. Teenage team-mate Moise Kean attracted the headlines for facing the home fans as he celebrated the winning goal, but it was the second straight year that Matuidi has suffered such abuse in Cagliari. Alex Sandro was also a target. "It's sad," the World Cup winner told Canal+ in France. "It happened to me last year in this stadium and we cannot tolerate it." "You can tell me: 'maybe it's not racist, they just want to unsettle you'," Matuidi said. "No. These are things you do not say and must be punished." The events in Cagliari brought a damning reaction. Italy coach Roberto Mancini called for tough measures in Serie A after the "unacceptable" abuse in Cagliari. "We can no longer accept this, we
US Homeland Security chief Nielsen out as border crossings surge
US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced the departure of Homeland Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, underscoring his intent to toughen immigration policy amid a surge in illegal crossings along the southern border. Nielsen's exit marks the end of a difficult relationship with her boss, who was said to be unhappy with her performance despite her unswerving loyalty and full-throated defense of the president's most controversial policies. During her 18 months at the helm of the powerful agency, the 46-year-old became synonymous with the controversial practice of separating children from their parents, making her a frequent target of progressive groups and the Democratic opposition who repeatedly called on her to resign. None of this, however, seems to have been enough for Trump. "Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen will be leaving her position, and I would like to thank her for her service," Trump tweeted Sunday. He added US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin ...