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Congress: from NEW DELHI, July 14: It all started off in 1885 to bolster the very existence of the national movement. More than hundred years later, the Congress .......more Children
to play brain NEW DELHI, July 14: The super-speciality All India Institute of Medical Sciences hospital is reaching out to the children.......more Buddha idols worshipped as Hindu Deities in coastal Orissa KENDRAPARA, ORRISA, July 14: It might seem to be a a case of mistaken identity for the Hindus to install Buddha idols...more Large crowds push Amarnath into disarray AMARNATH, July 14: Three days into the annual month-long Amarnath yatra, unprecedented crowds here put the pilgrimage into disarray giving security forces a tough time in controlling .....more |
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Centre to provide grant JALANDHAR, July 14: Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Kirpal Singh Badungar today said that the Union.....more 1947
invader wishes NEW DELHI, July 14: Pakistan’s 100-year-old Khan Shah Afridi, one of the Kabalis (tribesmen) who invaded Kashmir in 1947, now advocates a peaceful .....more ‘I was used as a pawn’ by BJP, claims Kalyan Singh LONDON, July 14: Claiming that he was used as a "pawn" and "deceived" by the BJP and Sangh Parivar, former UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh has .....more Arunachal would not compromise with its territorial integrity ITANAGAR, July 14: Arunachal Pradesh would never compromise with its.......more |
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PM launches insurance-linked pension scheme..... Something is wrong somewhere in Taj heritage ..... India has to wake up to women’s reproductive ....
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Congress: from A O Hume to Sonia Gandhi NEW DELHI, July 14: It all started off in 1885 to bolster the very existence of the national movement. More than hundred years later, the Congress party is still flourishing and is today working for political freedom, economic self-reliance and uplift of the weaker and downtrodden sections of the society, says a new book. The political history of Indian National Congress is a saga of struggle of millions of our countrymen for attainment of Poorna Swaraj, says the book "history of Indian National Congress (1885 - 2002)", compiled and edited by Deep Chand Bandhu, a well-known, veteran Congressman. Bandhu is currently the Minister of Industries, Environment, Forest and Wildlife, Labour, Employment and Election in Delhi Government. This book was written when he was not minister in the Congress Government in the capital. The book was released today by the Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit. The function was presided over by AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes and Natwar Singh, member, Congress Working Committee was the chief guest. Speaking at the release, Bandhu said, "the spirit of sacrifice for the Congress did not end with the end of foreign rule. It continued even after independence... The supreme sacrifices made by Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi proves it beyond doubt". This book is not just a history of the party and the country from the 19th century to the 21st century but also dwells into the objectives which the party has pursued right from 1885 till now, he added. Tthe role of Mahatma Gandhi and other national leaders has been highlighted along with numerous satyagrahis of all the regions of India. The emergence of Subhash Chandra Bose, quit India movement, all find detailed mention in the book. The book attributed the success of the Congress as a ruling party in the post-independence era, especially until 1964, to Jawaharlal Nehru - the first Prime Minister of Independent India. Indira Gandhi established herself as a frontline leader of the country and a global leader. The slogans like ‘Garibi Hatao’ won her the 1971 elections and ‘Government that works’ brought her back to the saddle of power in 1980, the book said. The Congress party organisation and its Parliamentary wing were complementary to each other. Together they shaped the socialist wing - a dream project of the Centre. Bandhu said in the book one of the features of Indira’s Prime Ministership was the commitment of the Congress in developing the Indian economy for the uplift of the condition of the masses. The trend continued during the tenure of Rajiv Gandhi. He was determined to make Congress effective in playing its role to make India vibrant, strong and dynamic in all spheres. He had the political will to bring India to the 21st century. The book quoted Rajiv Gandhi as saying, "the Congress is to Indian politics what the Ganga is to our cultural mainstream. It has attracted the allegiance of all religions and all economic classes " After Rajiv’s death, his wife Sonia kept her promise not to enter politics for five years. But the dwindling and continuously declining fortunes of Congress under successive presidents and repeated requests to her to save the party made her enter politics because "she could not see the sacrifices made by her family go in vain", the book said. Bandhu said it did not take long for Sonia to step into the "Gandhi mould". Citing one such incident, he said " with her rise to power, Congress president Sonia Gandhi stunned her partymen and those responsible for her security. She walked from her residence to the AICC headquarters next door with SPG commandos and her car in tow". "In choosing to walk down to the party office, she was only following the footsteps of her husband Rajiv Gandhi. When Rajiv was out of office between 1989 and until his assassination two years later, he used to reach the party office on foot using the wooden gate connecting 10 Janpath and 24, Akbar road." The book said Sonia also likes to conduct the affairs of the party very much like her husband did. Calling Sonia Gandhi as the inheritor of the Nehru-Gandhi legacy, Bandhu said during her tenure as president of the Congress party and leader of the Parliamentary party, she has nurtured both the wings to the extent of a mature and disciplined party once again. "The Congress party under her leadership has once again found its moorings and the day is not far when Congress will again come to power at the Centre," the book noted. (PTI) |
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Children to play brain storm with AIIMS NEW DELHI, July 14: The super-speciality All India Institute of Medical Sciences hospital is reaching out to the children. Painting and essay competitions are planned for children countrywide in the coming months. AIIMS wants the children to win, and in the process learn about brain diseases. Aiims will launch a major campaign targeting children to increase awareness about brain diseases, including strokes, epilepsy and headaches, in the country in october. Christened ‘brain storm’, the campaign would have painting and essay competitions for children to make them aware of various brain diseases. According to eminent AIIMS neurologist M V Padma, brain diseases are not taken seriously by most of the people due to lack of awareness leading to increased morbidity and mortality. "Everyone knows about heart attacks. Even small children know that if there is chest pain it should be taken seriously and the patient should be taken to a hospital. But when a person feel dizzy and there is slurring of speech, they do not take it seriously and by the time they reach hospital irreversible damage to the brain has already occurred resulting in paralysis and sometimes death," says Dr Padma. Brain stroke is the second largest killer after cancer. In most cases of brain stroke, the patient could be cured or disability minimised if reached within two-to-three hours of the first symptoms. The timely treatment of brain attack by clot dissolving medicine could prevent paralysis and other major complications, she says. According to her, the major challenge in treating the disease is sometimes even the neighbourhood practioners do not have proper knowledge about the disease and waste precious time. By the time the patient is taken to the hospital nothing substantial could be done. The doctors should recommend patients to tertiary care hospitals were proper treatment facilities are available, says dr padma. Heart patients are today airlifted by helicopters from remote areas, similar helicopter services should be introduced for brain attack patients to help them get timely treatment, she adds. "Brain stroke not only affects the patient, but the entire family as one moment the person is all right and the next he becomes paralysed. So the family not only looses its bread winner, but also has to constantly look after the needs of a paralysed person. This is the most traumatic experience as the entire family gets disturbed." The most disturbing fact, Dr Padma says, is brain strokes now occur among younger people. Earlier, people in their 60s and 70s suffered brain stroke, now even those in 30s and 40s suffer from brain attacks. This is because risk factors like hypertension and hypercholesterol are occurring in lower age group today, she says. According to Dr Padma, life style changes like the shift to junk food from traditional food are responsible for increasing risk of brain strokes. "The children need to be made aware of the benefits of healthy living and food habits. If we tell them today, after 20 years the number of people getting brain strokes will be few," she says. Epilepsy, another major brain disease, is one of the most misunderstood, misdiagonised and badly treated diseases, says Dr Padma. The stigma attached to elpilepsy patients leads to them being denied jobs and marriages being broken. "There is so much misconception about the disease people eat ‘Kabutar Ka Khoon and Bakre Ki Haddi’ (pigeon’s blood and bone of goat) to cure it," says Dr Padma. Proper diagnosis leads to control in 75 per cent of epileptic cases while 20 to 25 per cent remain untreatable needing newer management techniques to deal with it while in five per cent cases the disease continues throughout the life. In 75 per cent cases, simple drugs are enough while 20 per cent requires special cure. "Epilepsy needs to be brought out from the shadow. Epilepsy should not be hidden as a fit begets another fit, if not treated on time. Children should learn that it is a disease like any other which can be treated so they should not redicule anyone suffering from the disease." Headeaches are the most common brain ailment. About ten per cent of the population suffers from headaches. The majority of them are women and children. People do not go for treatment neglecting the disease. If the children are told that headache should be taken seriously, it needs to be prevented and treated, fewer people will suffer headaches in the future, says Dr Padma. That is the reason why the ‘brain storm’ programme of AIIMS will focus on children. (UNI) |
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Buddha idols worshipped as Hindu Deities in coastal Orissa KENDRAPARA, ORRISA, July 14: It might seem to be a a case of mistaken identity for the Hindus to install Buddha idols in the sanctum sanctorum of Hindu Temples and worship them, but per se it is not so. In Orissa’s Loknath Temple in Paradipgada and Jagannath Temple at Keredagada under Rajnagar tehsil, Buddha idols are being worshipped by villagers as ‘Hindu Gods’. Hundreds of devotees from the two coastal districts of Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur throng the temples to offer ‘Puja’ on a daily basis to the Deities, little knowing that they are Buddha sculptures. It could be a case where the priests and old-timers, despite being aware of the misnomer, have taken it in their stride, locals said. According to State Archaeological Department(SAD) Superintendent Dr B K Rath both the Temples have already been found by the Archaeologists as conclusively those belonging to Gautam Buddha. While the Loknath Temple at Paradipgada almost dates back to the 9th century, the Jagannath Temple in Keredagada presumably belongs to the 16th century. He said the Buddha idol in Loknath Temple was not only being worshipped inside the sanctum-sanctorum but the Buddhist divinities had also found a pride of place on the Temple’s exterior walls of Keredagada Jagannath Temple. Dr Rath said people in the two districts worshipped these sculptures believing them to be Hindu Gods. About a year ago the archaeologists sighted this unique mismatch but this did not deter the people. The SAD Superintendent said the trend of Buddha idols making their way to Hindu Temples amply justified the fact that the region was a prominent centre of Buddhism in the State. After the decline of buddhism during 12th century ad, hindu Kings of Kalinga kingdom reigned supreme and they had installed some of the scattered Buddha idols in the Hindu Temples. Archaeologists argued that it is difficult for a common man to distinguish the Buddha idols in the Temples as in the present form they look different with continuous application of vermilion and sandalwood paste. Besides, these idols resembled Hindu Gods and Goddesses. This apart, there are a number of house-holds in Ratnagiri area having several sculptures of the famous Buddhist Monastery. Local people also worshipped Buddha idols while installing them on the "Tulasi-Chaunra" citadel. For the Hindus it is considered auspicious to pay obeisance to "Tulasi" plant out of religious belief. (UNI) |
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‘I was used as a pawn’ by BJP, claims Kalyan Singh LONDON, July 14: Claiming that he was used as a "pawn" and "deceived" by the BJP and Sangh Parivar, former UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh has accused Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Deputy Premier L K Advani and other leaders, including RSS bigwigs Rajju Bhayya, K S Sudharshan and VHP’s Ashok Singhal of hatching a conspiracy to demolish the Babri mosque. "I am telling you the names of the conspirators. The RSS chief at that time Rajinder Singh (Rajju Bhayya), present Sarsangchalak K S Sudharshan, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishan Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, and Ashok Singhal and Giriraj Kishore of the VHP. It was the collective conspiracy of all these (people)," Singh said while participating in `Aap ki Baat, BBC ke Saath’ programme yesterday. Claiming that he had no hand directly or indirectly in the pulling down of that structure, Singh who was then Chief Minister said: "so far as the conspiracy is concerned, I was kept totally in the dark - I was deceived, it was a breach of trust by the entire Sangh Parivar, whether it be the VHP, Bajrang Dal or the BJP. "They hatched a conspiracy so secretly to the extent, that I was not told anything," he said. Singh said he was used as a "pawn" by the BJP who wanted to exploit the issue for electoral gains. "They thought they could project me as a hero so that later they could make me zero politically. But they were mistaken. They are heading for a political zero in Uttar Pradesh. Last time they had won 176 Assembly seats, this time they have 76 and in the next Assembly elections, they are not going to have more than 16-17 seats." Singh said if the Liberhan Commission currently probing into the demolition of the structure summoned him, he would depose before it. "So far as the Liberhan Commission is concerned, if it summons me, calls me - I will go." Singh, who has been expelled from the party, claimed: "the entire Sangh Parivar, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishan Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi all of them kept me in the dark. These leaders kept on talking about superficial issues with me. "The affidavit which I was asked to submit before the Supreme Court was on the basis of the letters of Chinmayananda and the late Vijairaje Scindia, which pledged protection to the structure and also that no new construction would be done in the disputed area. These letters had clearly stated there would be a token kar sewa on December 6. "I had trusted all of them, and they made me submit an affidavit before the Supreme Court, that the structure would be protected, which did not happen, even the new makeshift Hindu structure that came up was in contempt of court and I was handed a sentence of one day, and a fine of Rs.two thousand. I have complied with both of them. "But look at these Sangh and BJP leaders, they do not have the courage to stand up and face the truth. They should have the courage to come out with the truth and accept the moral responsibility and say that yes this has happened." Stating that he wants the "world to know the truth," he said: "today I am saying that BJP leaders are responsible for the demolition. At that time I was silent, it is true, but that was for the party discipline. Today I am clearly saying." When a questioner sought to know what the BJP leaders like Vajpayee and Advani told him after the demolition of the structure, Singh said: "what could they say and with what face. It was over once the structure had been pulled down. Let Advani today say whatever he wants. I ask him, why did he distribute sugar there, when the structure was pulled down? "In the Bangalore session of the BJP in 1993, how and why did Advani call December 6, 1992 as `Liberation Day’ in his presidential address? and why did Vajpayee endorse this address?, he asked.(PTI) |
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Arunachal would not compromise with its territorial integrity ITANAGAR, July 14: Arunachal Pradesh would never compromise with its territorial integrity and not an inch of its land would be parted under any circumstances, Chief Minister Mukut Mithi said here today. Speaking to reporters in Raj Bhavan after the swearing in of T L Rajkumar, Mith said there is no Naga in Arunachal Pradesh and the question of integration of State’s Tirap and Changland district with Nagaland did not arise. "We have nothing to do with the demand of Greater Nagaland and would never be a party in any kind of negotiation with factions of NSCN", he said. Mithi also maintained that the State legislative assembly had adopted a strong resolution in September last year not to compromise with territorial integrity of Arunachal Pradesh. The Chief Minister expressed surprise over the visit of Union Minister of State for Home Swami Chinmayananda to Khonsa, headquarter of Tirap district on July 11 last and his utterances in a public rally questioning the urgency of operation hurricane to flush out the NSCN militants from Tirap and Changlang districts. Taking exception of Chinmayananda’s exposition, Mithi asked whether "the Centre wanted that part of Arunachal be ruled by NSCN ultras who had been engaged in intimidation, abduction, extortion and murder of innocent people in the area and the State Government to remain a silent spectator". The operation was planned by the State security coordination committee headed by Chief Secretary and having members from the Army, Central Government and representatives from the intelligence department, he said. The committee at its meeting decided to launch the operation with full knowledge of the Centre and assurance that one battalion of CRPF would be sent to make the operation a success. But all of a sudden, the Centre took a ‘U’ turn and did not despatch the forces at the last moment, Mithi said. Since the law and order was a State Subject and Centre had to respond positively to the needs of the State, the Union Minister had no right to question the importance of the operation, he said. The Chief Minister said he had held several rounds of talks with Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Advisor about the deteriorating situation in State’s Tirap and Changlang districts. But it was unfortunate that the Union Minister of State for Home Swami Chinmayananda could not gauge the seriousness of the situation, perhaps he was misinformed by some vested interest, he said. Mithi said that he is going to write a letter to Prime Minister soon to clarify the stand of the Centre about the unlawful activities of NSCN factions in Arunachal Pradesh which has jeopardised the security of not only of this strategic border State, but the nation as a whole. Mithi ridiculed a news item circulated in a section of press that he had donated Rs seven lakh to NSCN-im to help him save his ministry. The news item was attributed to a press release issued by NSCN -IM. A surprised Mithi told reporters that he had never seen a NSCN cadre and alleged that the ultras want to misguide the people with an intention to malign him for enacting the Arunachal Pradesh Control of Organised Crime Act (APCOCA) as a deterrent against the anti-national activities. He suspected that some politicians were hobnobbing with nscn ultras to tarnish his image. Regarding reinduction of Rajkumar in his ministry, Mithi clarified that Rajkumar has been pardoned and acquited by the Court against a case under APCOCA recently. Asked about the overall flood situation in the State, Mithi said the situation in Lohit, upper Siang, east Siang, west Siang, upper and lower Debang valley districts was grim as many areas have been totally disrupted due to washing away of bridges and heavy landslides. He further said the Indian Air Force has been alerted to evacuate the stranded people as and when needed. He is also planning an aerial survey to take stock of the situation of the affected areas. (PTI) PM launches insurance-linked pension scheme for aged NEW DELHI, July 14: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today committed his Government to food and financial security for poor sections of the society and senior citizens saying every step would be taken to improve the delivery mechanism for providing grains at the cheapest possible rates. Launching the insurance-linked pension scheme for senior citizens, as announced in the Union Budget for 2003-04, Vajpayee asked Finance and Health Ministers to ensure effective implementation of the scheme, which gives the policy holders a steady stream of 9 per cent return, irrespective of the fall in interest rates in the country. Commenting on delays and lapses in the announcement and implementation of various schemes announced in the Budget by the previous Governments, Vajpayee asserted that his Government was making a special effort for effectively implementing the schemes announced by it and the launch of the pension scheme was an example of it. Vajpayee said if there were reports of any starvation deaths in the country it was not due to non-availability of foodgrains. "The defect, if any, lies with our distribution system. "Today we are able to provide food to the poor at the cheapest rate anywhere in the world," he said and added that Government’s ongoing Antyodaya scheme to provide subsidised food to the poor was meant for food security. Under the pension scheme, to be implemented by the Life Insurance Corporation of India and other national insurance companies, for which they would be compensated through budgetary support, the policy holders would have to pay only a rupee a day for getting themselves insured. Underscoring the importance of health schemes in any economy, Vajpayee said "elections are contested in many nations on the issues of health and Governments change on such sensitive matters. "In India too, health is an important issue... I am confident that officials of insurance companies and Health Ministry will discharge their duties effectively and help people," he said. Vajpayee said the NDA Government was also criticised and charged with inability to make the schemes reach the beneficiaries. He said the quick and expeditious implementation of the pension and health insurance scheme proved otherwise. The Prime Minister described life as a boon and said health and economic problems should be tackled for the aged. "There used to be one family norm where the old people were treated with honour. But due to economic problems, there is a change and that is where an effort has been made to tackle it in the current situation", Vajpayee said. On the benefits of the pension scheme, he said it remains to be seen how far it is successful and there is no harm in trying new experiments. He said the Government was committed to ensure that the schemes reach the poor. Finance Minister Jaswant Singh said the new health scheme was targeted to bring in at least 70 lakh families under its cover. Vajpayee said though international reports have mentioned about a change in the pattern of living in India, they have not accepted the fact that the economic situation in the country has improved considerably. Pointing out that this cannot be merely linked to the expenditure pattern, he said on the whole the standard of living has improved in the country.(PTI) Something is wrong somewhere in Taj heritage corridor: SC NEW DELHI, July 14: The Supreme Court today observed that there appeared to be "something wrong somewhere" in the construction of the controversial Taj heritage corridor even as Uttar Pradesh Government emphatically declared that it has not violated the Apex Court orders directing status quo in the Mega project. When the matter came up for hearing before a bench comprising Justice M B Shah and Justice A R Lakshmanan, it expressed its unhappiness over the media reports as to how so much of construction could go on despite the Apex Court asking for maintenace of status quo on May 1 while permitting only erection of sand embankments. "Something is wrong somewhere. Some action is required to be taken in this matter - against whom we do not know," the bench said while even considering entrusting the inquiry into the entire controversy to Central Bureau of Investigation. However, the State Government said it would respond in two days to the Court Commissioner Krishan Mahajan’s application accusing the State of blatantly violating the Apex Court’s order and spending over Rs 17 crore in a project which had not got any kind of santion from the authorities. Meanwhile, the Executor of the Heritage Corridor Project, National Project Construction Corporation (NPCC) through Additional Solicitor General Mukul Rohtagi said it has spent Rs 40 crore on the project under an agreement with the State Government but has been paid till date. The Court posted the matter for further hearing on July 16. Mahajan, in his application before the Court, said the State Government had betrayed the faith and trust reposed in it by the Court by going ahead with the unapproved Heritage Corridor Project when the Apex Court had directed maintenance of status quo. He said the irregularities and the unscrupulous manner in which the project work was carried on could not have been noticed except for a vigilant media which blew the lid off the illegal work. Mahajan stated that only at the initiative of Union Minister of Tourism Jagmohan that the illegal work could be stopped. "However, so far the Uttar Pradesh Government has done nothing whatsoever to undo the damage done by it to the Yamuna river bed near Taj and the Agra fort (both international heritage monuments as recognised by UNESCO)," Mahajan, who was appointed by the Court as its Commissioner for this matter, said. He requested the Court to set up a nodal authority headed by the Union Ministry of Tourism and Culture to prepare an action plan for ecological restoration of the Yamuna river bed at Agra. He also requested the Court to examine the records of the State Government pertaining to the corridor project and suggested that the State be asked to deposit the entire cost of ecological restorations of the river bed. (PTI) India has to wake up to women’s reproductive rights: Experts NEW DELHI, July 14: "Who am I, just the body without the mind, only the procreator of mankind ... Man controlled my right, I gave in without a fight..." — This disregard for the reproductive rights of women has contributed to the population problem in the country, according to experts. "It is true that population will continue to decline in India but the crucial question is — at what pace? and that is going to make a big difference. The faster the better," according to UNFPA representative Dr Francois M Farah. Dr Farah said an important challenge before any endeavour to accelerate the process of decreasing the population growth rate in India is the need to educate people about the reproductive rights of women, as reflected upon in the excerpt quoted from Ms Meera Khanna’s poem "Womanhood". Indian society and Government have to take into account the difference between sexuality as a human feature and reproduction as a social function to be able to address the issue of population effectively, he said at a recent workshop on "communication strategies for reproductive and child health: lessons for programming and research" organised by Non Governmental Organisation Population Foundation of India (PFI). Observing that the United Nations conference on population and development in Cairo almost a decade ago was a landmark in developing an understanding on the issues, he highlighted its stress on advancing gender equality, eliminating violence against women and ensuring women’s ability to control their own fertility which were acknowledged as cornerstones of population and development policies. Policies like stopping a woman from running for office because she has more than two children are faulty because they don’t take into account facts like how much say the woman had in deciding whether or not to have a baby, what birth-control facilities were available to her and so on, he said. "It is true that women conceive, but it is also true that they can do a lot more," recognising this is crucial to moving away from a mechanical notion of development to a "rights notion". The problem of population is intricately related to the gender bias prevalent in the society,Dr Sarita Sharma, a poet, scholar and radio artiste opined. Dr Sharma, who recited a poem "Janma Se Pahle Mat Maar (don’t kill me before my birth)" on female foeticide, recounted how, due to the gender bias prevailing in the society, people go on having children till they have a male child, or worse still, start killing female foetuses. PFI Executive Director A R Nanda said a decrease in the growth rate of population would be useless if the balance in sex ratio was upset and so an emphasis on the betterment of the overall condition of women in the country was a prerequisite for effective population and development policies. (UNI) |
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