Envelope
with Mahatma Gandhi motif to replace old ones
NEW
DELHI, Aug 21: The Department of Posts is issuing
the large size envelope with a new motif of
Mahatma Gandhi in two different single
colours-Dark Brown and Dark Blue replacing the
existing motif of 150 Years of India Post.
This will be
released on October 2, 2007 at all the philatelic
bureaus. There is no change in the technical data
except the motif in two different colour. (UNI)
Maharana
Pratap’s statue unveiled in Parliament
NEW
DELHI, Aug 21: A life-size equestrian statue of
Maharana Pratap, the warrior Rajput ruler of
erstwhile Mewar in Rajasthan, was today unveiled
in Parliament complex.
The statue,
donated by Leader of the Opposition in Rajya
Sabha Jaswant Singh, was unveiled by Lok Sabha
Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.
The entire top
brass of the BJP, including its chief Rajnath
Singh and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha L
K Advani, attended the function.
The statue,
sculpted by Fakir Charan Pareeda, depicts a war
scene with Maharana Pratap in battle regalia
riding his favourite horse Chetak.
He is accompanied
by his trusted lieutenents Jhala Beeda, who save
Maharana Pratap’s life during the battle of
Haldigati in 1576 AD, Rana Poonja, Bhamashah and
Hakim Khan Soor.
The function was
also attended by former Prime Minister V P Singh,
former Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat,
senior cabinet ministers Pranab Mukherjee,
Shivraj Patil and P R Dasmunsi.
Rajasthan Chief
Minister Vasundhara Raje, BJP leaders Sushma
Swaraj, V K Malhotra, Arun Shourie, Congress MP
from Rajasthan Sachin Pilot and Shiv Sena’s
Manohar Joshi also attended the ceremony. (PTI)
Court
reserves judgment in Uphaar fire tragedy case
NEW
DELHI, Aug 21: A court here today reserved its
judgment in the 10-year-old Uphaar fire tragedy
case in which 59 people lost their lives during
the screening of a Hindi film.
Additional
Sessions Judge Mamta Sehgal, who heard the final
arguments yesterday, reserved the final verdict
in the case.
The court,
however, did not fix a date for the pronouncement
of verdict.
Concluding its
final arguments yesterday, the CBI had held the
theatre owners criminally liable for the tragedy
as the emergency safety measures were not in
place.
Appearing for the
probe agency, senior advocate Harish Salve said
that the persons, who were getting financial
gains from the theatre’s operation, were
culpable for the lapses.
The theatre had
turned into a gas chamber where exit doors of the
balcony were closed, leaving no scope for the
victims who died of asphyxia, he said.
Earlier on August
eight, the accused, Sushil and Gopal Ansal, had
concluded their arguments in the case and pleaded
innocence.
The duo, owners of
the theatre, had refuted the charge that they
were at the helm of affairs of the company which
owned the Uphaar cinema.
The prosecution
had alleged that the accused were directly and
criminally negligent in the management of the
theatre.
Fiftynine people
lost their lives while watching Bollywood
blockbuster ‘Border’ in the theatre on
June 13, 1997.
Initially, 16
people were named as accused, including the
owners of the cinema hall and they were charged
with causing death by negligence, endangering
life and relevant provisions of the
Cinematography Act, 1952.
Four accused died
during the trial. (PTI)
Tribal
working women face less domestic violence: Survey
NEW
DELHI, Aug 21: Women in tribal areas are better
off than their urban counterparts when it comes
to domestic violence, says a survey.
Women in metros,
competing with men in various fields, suffer more
from domestic violence and continue to brave
unfriendly and sometimes hostile atmosphere in
their work places too, says the survey by
industry chamber, ASSOCHAM.
The survey of
1,000 working women in Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai,
Kolkata and Mumbai revealed that domestic
violence is high in cities like Delhi, Mumbai,
Bangalore, while the tribal areas have a low
percentage of domestic violence.
"Definitely
the condition of women in tribal areas is better.
Women in tribal areas are equal with men on the
work front. They have a equal structure and both
earn equally. They usually earn a living by
working as daily labourers and through fishing,
farming, collecting of forest items. It’s
all about equal participation in household and
outside work," says Ranjana Kumari of Centre
for Social Research (CSR).
"It’s
tougher for a metro woman to do the balancing
act. Its a triple burden which includes family,
community responsibility and office and with men
not ready to share the work the condition becomes
worse, she says.
In tribal areas
the main problem is poverty and lack of proper
education which leads to instances like drunk
husband beating up the wife leading to severe
injuries, adds Ranjana.
"The problem
in India stems from a cultural bias against women
who challenge their husband’s right to
control their behavior. Women who do this, even
by asking for household money or stepping out of
the house without their permission, are seen as
punishable," says Vivekanad Upadhyay, a
sociologist.
Around 80 per cent
of the households expect their daughters-in-law
to cater to their requirement, leaving the
official routine work behind.
Nearly 38 per cent
of women reported experiencing physical violence
at least once in their married life, while 72 per
cent encountered psychological abuse. Both
physical and psychological violence was higher in
rural areas compared to urban areas. The women
who have a regular job, have reduced risk of
long-term physical violence, the survey says.
Seventy per cent
of working women feel that high expectations from
in-laws and husbands is a primary cause for
igniting tensions which often lead to family
disputes and even divorces, ASSOCHAM survey said.
Kavita Sharma, an
executive, gives diffrent reasons as the possible
causes for creating family tension. "If you
are a working woman, then you may be blamed for
not taking care of children properly, not
attending to household chores or not cooking
properly, infidelity, etc.
According to
National Crime Report bureau, 1,50,000 crimes
against women are registered annually out of
which nearly 50000 are related to domestic
violence.
Mandakini
Panigrahi, a primary school teacher, wakes up at
five in the morning, cooks for the family, gets
the kids and herself ready for school by seven.
"It is very
stressful managing the house and work together as
if you are constantly on your toes. When my
mother-in-law was staying with us it was more so,
because she is a diabetic and I felt very unhappy
when I could not look after her as well as my non
working sisters-in-law. The comparisons can be
very painful at times.
The expectations
from a working mother or ‘bahu’ is no
less then that of a housewife," she says.
Had I been a man,
I would have got more salary, says Anupama
Kalara, Chief Programme Officer, Smile
Foundation.
"People have
a perception that because I am a woman and my
husband also earn, i don’t need much
money," she adds.
Raka Chakravorty,
a top level executive in hospitality industry,
has to constantly make her presence felt in
office meetings, parties and at the same time
also a balancing act at home by fulfiling the
traditional expectations of looking after
children, attending household chores, cooking
properly and so on.
"Family
expects you to be a super woman who does
everything with utmost sincerity and hard-work.
Its a common perception that women are more
dedicated towards their work compared to their
male counterparts," she says. (PTI)
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