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AIADMK leader flayed CHENNAI, July 21: AICC general secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu, Ghulam Nabi Azad, today came out strongly against a senior AIADMK .......more AIDS
activists protest NEW DELHI, July 21: Gay rights and anti-AIDS activists have termed the July 7 police raids on the offices of the Naz foundation and Bharosa in......more Chandigarh
Mayor CHANDIGARH, July 21: The controversial mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation....more Sainiks
"torture" NEW DELHI, July 21: Scores of activists of Shiv Sena, and NDA ally, today vent their anger.......more |
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MUMBAI, July 20 : Warriors in 15th century Bengal used a motley combination of chemicals and indigenous technology to manufacture .....more ITANAGAR, July 21: Militants ambushed a CRPF vehicle killing six jawans and injuring as many at Pongkong in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh .....more RANCHI, July 21: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) needs more powers to achieve better results, its Chairman J S Verma said here today. ....more Water
level in BHUBANESWAR, July 21: Thousands of villages in Orissa are still under flood waters though the major rivers of the Mahanadi system have begun receding, official sources said. .......more |
AIADMK leader flayed for dragging Sonia’s name CHENNAI, July 21: AICC general secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu, Ghulam Nabi Azad, today came out strongly against a senior AIADMK leader dragging the name of Congress president Sonia Gandhi while criticising the functioning of TNCC president E V K S Elangovan. Azad, who arrived here from New Delhi to participate in a function organised by TNCC, told reporters at Chennai airport that whatever local leadership might say about AIADMK-Congress alliance in Tamil Nadu, it should not be "linked" to the name of Sonia Gandhi. "We never had any problem with AIADMK. We are in alliance with it. I am very sorry that a senior AIADMK leader, K A Sengottiyan, has dragged the name of Sonia Gandhi. Whatever local leaders say to strengthen state units, should not be linked to Sonia Gandhi", Azad said. Azad was responding to a question on recent statements by Elangovan against Dravidian parties which prompted Sengottiyan to ask AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa to ‘cut off’ its alliance with Congress as long as Elangovan continued as tncc chief. Azad termed the statement of Sengottiyan that the AIADMK had done a lot for the congress as ‘unfortunate’. (PTI) |
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AIDS activists protest police action against ‘gay club’ NEW DELHI, July 21: Gay rights and anti-AIDS activists have termed the July 7 police raids on the offices of the Naz foundation and Bharosa in Lucknow as retrogade and a blot on India’s democratic policy. Arguing that the "obscene police action" would push back AIDS prevention and control efforts in the country, they have also demanded a repeal of laws that discriminate against those who prefer same sex partners. Addressing a press conference here yesterday, Mr Anand Grover, Project Director of the HIV/AIDS unit of the lawyers’ collective, Mr Lok Prakash of the Naz Foundation International and Mr Shaleen Rakesh of the Naz Foundation India, said the police action would discourage organisations engaged in generating awareness about sexual health and safe sex practices, especially among marginalised communities like homosexuals. Four activists of the NFI and Bharosa were arrested under charges of indecency. The police claimed it was acting in society’s interest as these organisations were promoting homosexuality. The arrests were made under Sections 377, 109 and 292 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Police said they had uncovered "gay sex clubs" and that homosexuality was inimical to Indian cultural values. They also claimed to have seized pornographic material and membership list. "For police to term such material as obscene and seize mailing list thereby exposing gay people to harassment is a blot on India’s democratic policy," Mr Grover said and added that bail was denied to the activists on the ground that they were a "curse to society". He regretted that while on the one hand the Government expects NGOs to implement programmes for HIV prevention, on the other hand Section 377 of the IPC is used against them. He pointed out that the Government through the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) had adopted a targeted intervention approach in the second phase of the national AIDS control policy which included work among groups more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and outreach and peer education among them. Mr Grover called upon the NACO and State AIDS Control Societies to intervene in the matter and also urged the Uttar Pradesh and Cental Governments to educate the police about the impropriety and absurdity of their act. He also criticised the media for sensationalising the issue by mentioning about child sexual abuse and said the police had nowhere made the allegations nor was there any evidence of such activity. "Media should refrain from defaming people and organisations by unsubstantiated and unverified reports," he added. "Section 377 of the IPC was brought in during the British era, in 1870, and has since been repealed in Britain itself. Homosexual relations between mutually consenting adults are legal in all democratic societies including South Africa where the constitution specifically provides protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, while in India people are being punished for their sexual preferences. "Independent India should get rid of Section 377 of the IPC which is a vestige of colonial rule and an infringement of the democratic rights of all Indian citizens," he said. A PIL urging for the repeal of the section was pending in the Delhi High Court for the past seven to eight years, he pointed out. Mr Shaleen Rakesh of Naz Foundation (I) Trust said the Indian Government had supported inclusion of international gay and lesbian human rights commission at the recently-held United Nations General Assembly summit on HIV/AIDS. He said homosexuals in India were looked down upon by society as deviant and perverted. Section 377 of the IPC criminalises unnatural sex. "The social stigmatisation and the danger of being prosecuted drives the homosexuals underground, thus making it difficult for them to access the precious few health services that are sensitive or specific to their needs," Mr Lok Prakash of the NFI said. "In such a situation NGOs like Bharosa come forward to make such services and information accessible to them through counselling, support group and outreach while maintaining confidentiality," he said. The activists said that survey results had shown that more than 80 per cent of the gays were married men. There was thus the possibility of their wives and children also getting exposed to the risk of HIV infection. In such a situation their sexual health intervention was a must to check the spread of HIV infection, they said. India already has about 3.8 million HIV infected people, which is the second largest in the world, after South Africa, Mr Grover said and added that harassment and repression of those wroking for HIV prevention would further aggravate the situation. (UNI) |
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Chandigarh Mayor resigns amid corruption charges CHANDIGARH, July 21: The controversial mayor of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Raj Kumar Goyal of the Congress resigned today amid corruption charges from the Bharatiya Janata Party. Announcing this at a press conference here today, the party’s Lok Sabha member from Chandigarh Pawan Kumar Bansal said Mr Goyal resigned from mayorship due to non-cooperation of the Bharatiya Janata Party councillors, who were adamant on not allowing the proceedings of the house in a peaceful manner. He said Mr Goyal resigned on his own and there was no pressure from the party. Mr Goyal, who was also present in the conference, said he had wanted to work for the development of the city but the opposition BJP did not allow him to work. Releasing the resignation letter of Mr Goyal, who was elected in December last for a one-year term, Mr Bansal said the mayor had already submitted his resignation to the Municipal Corporation through its Commissioner. He later called on the Punjab Governor and Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh Lt Gen(retd.) JFR Jacob to inform him about his resignation. Mr Bansal demanded that new mayor be elected soon to fill up the vacancy caused after the resignation of Mr Goyal. He, however, said the Congress will not field its candidate in this election. The Corporation will complete its five year term on December 23 this year. Out of 20 elected members in the house, the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiromani Akali Dal combine has 15 members. Mr goyal had got elected apparently due to cross voting by the BJP members in the mayor’ election held last year. The BJP-SAD combine had levelled serious charges of corruption and misuse of his official position against Mr Goyal. For the last four months, not a single sitting of the house could be conducted due to non cooperation of the members. (UNI) |
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RANCHI, July 21: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) needs more powers to achieve better results, its Chairman J S Verma said here today. Talking to reporters at Raj Bhawan here today Verma said he had already written to the Centre in March last year recommending that more powers be delegated to the NHRC but he was yet to get a response. "I have made my recommendations and now it is the Parliament which has to act on them," he said. The NHRC Chairman, however, added that the Commission despite its limitations will continue to discharge its duties with commitment. Replying to a question Verma said both the Central Government and the state Governments had been very cooperative in their attitude to the NHRC acting on the recommendations of the latter in a positive manner so far. All that irks the NHRC from time to time is that sometime action on its recommendations is inordinately delayed by the Government concerned, but then the Government too has its constraints, he said. He said Uttar Pradesh had the dubious distinction of leading the rest of the states in the country so far as number of cases of human rights violations was concerned.(PTI) |
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Water level in Mahanadi receding BHUBANESWAR, July 21: Thousands of villages in Orissa are still under flood waters though the major rivers of the Mahanadi system have begun receding, official sources said. According to reports, most of the rivers started receding last night after playing havoc for five days in the Delta region, inaundating vast areas of coastal districts. The flood, triggered by weeklong heavy downpour, had affected over six million people in fourteen districts and claimed 42 lives so far, an official report said today. Though the Government has sought the help of Army, Navy and Airforce personnel in rescue and relief operations, several areas submerged by the surging floods had not been approached either by the authorities or the Army. The discharge of water from Hirakud reservoir and also at the Munduli head on the Delta region, has been reduced to a great extent bringing much relief. The Government, which apprehended another major flood, has now ruled out any more threat to the coastal belt of Orissa. Sources said the water level in the Hirakud Dam was at 623.23 feet this morning. There was an inflow of 3.15 lakh cusecs of water in the dam while 4.5 lakh cusecs was being released. Similarly, the water discharge at Minduli had also been reduced from 15 lakh cusecs to 10.81 lakh cusecs by this morning. All the major rivers like Mahanadi, Kathjori, Brahmuni, Budhabalang, Subarnarekha, Baitarani and Bansadhara were now flowing below the danger level. Over 60 breaches had so far been reported following the high floods in the Mahanadi river system. However, the Devi continued to flow above the danger level for the sixth day today and caused a few breaches in the delta region inundating fresh areas. Meanwhile, the authorities in Jagatsinghpur transferred all prinsoners from Aul Pingle and Kunjanga sub jails following a threat from the Devi river to the jails. The situation in Paradeep port town was also critical yesterday as flood water spilled over a vast area. The authorities, however, swung into action and prevented the flood waters from entering the port town. Lakhs of people who fled their villages in panic have taken shelter on high embakments, express and national highways and other safer places. The Government claims to have evacuated over five lakh people. The Orissa Gana Parishad has demanded that the rescue and relief operation be handed over to the Army to save thousands of people still marooned. The water at Daleighai embankment was still flowing above the danger level but showing a declining trend since last night. Sources said heavy rainfall was reported at some isolated places on the upper catchment areas of Mahanadi during the past 24 hours while heavy rainfall is likely to occur at some isolated places over north orissa during the next 24 hours. The opposition parties have demanded an all party meeting at the state level and also at the affected districts level to monitor the rescue and relief operations. As many as six airforce helicopters were engaged in dropping food packets in the marooned areas. Official sources said so far over 110 tonnes of food packets had been dropped in the affected areas. Eight Army columns, five companies of paramilitary forces and over sixty platoons of state armed police forces and 13,000 homeguards were assisting the administration in providing succour. (UNI) |
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