Indian middle class leading a selfish life, says Aruna Roy

NEW DELHI, Apr 2: She felt disempowered by the ‘selfish’ and ‘worthless’ ways of India’s burgeoning urban middle class. It were the rural and urban poor, who taught her the true meaning of life.

Unlike the upwardly mobile upper middle class, the much neglected Indian backward class which struggles for a daily living knows better how to lead an enriched and harmonious life, believes Magsaysay awardee and eminent RTI activist Aruna Roy.

"India is today running on two different tracks followed by the backward class and the middle class. The former made me understood how to make your life better enriched and harmonised, while the latter only taught me how to make life worthless and selfish," Roy said.

"India’s backward class, which has always been neglected and considered as socially irrelevant has empowered me and taught me how to struggle in life, while the middle class disempowered me with its urbanised thoughts," she adds.

Roy, who is known as one of the pioneer figures to have advocated that RTI and NREGA be made a law, reiterated her view that women in India have always been subjudicated and urged the Government to immediately bring in the "Women’s Reservation Bill".

"In our country, women have always been devoid of rights. All political parties should make a consensus to pass the ‘Women’s Reservation Bill’ in the parliament so as to strengthen women power and to redefine democracy in India," she says.

She also added that society needs to change its perspective on women, which is still under the grip of gender discrimination and considers woman as a liability.

Roy has recently been conferred with National "Panna Dhai Award" by Maharana Mewar Charitable Foundation for her noted efforts as a social activist.

Roy, who left elite job of IAS in 1974 to join the Social Work and Research Center in Tilonia, Rajasthan, set up by her husband Sanjit Roy strongly, opposes Government’s policy in dealing with the Naxal violence.

"Naxal violence is not one, which we have imported from some other country but it is home made. It is all due to Government’s failure, not been able to make developments reach out to the people," she says adding that failure in enforcing law and order also added fuel to extremist violence.

Roy also lashes out on the Government’s SEZ policies, which she considers totally unacceptable.

"Our SEZ policy is totally wrong, which needs to be reviewed. Government should convene an all party meeting and reconsider evils of this act," she says.

"Corporate houses want SEZ zones, which is totally unacceptable and against democracy. Orissa, Chattisgarh and Nandigram had earlier witnessed violence on the issue and now even the people of Goa have set aside SEZs," she adds.

Roy these days is actively working in Rajasmund district of Rajasthan with the rural poors. (PTI)

Four sentenced to 4 yrs’ RI for carrying fake Rs-500 notes

NEW DELHI, Apr 2: Four persons who were arrested with 2,000 fake Rs-500 notes, with a face value of Rs 10 lakh, have been sentenced to four years’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) each by a court here.

"Fake currency notes are seriously affecting the economy of our country. These are used not only by criminals but also by terrorists. Therefore, accused persons have to be awarded substantive sentence so as to make them realise that they had committed a serious crime," ASJ Pratibha Rani said.

"It would meet the ends of justice if all the four convicts are sentenced to undergo RI for a period of four years’ each," the ASJ said.

The court also slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 each on the convicted persons, from whom 2,000 fake notes were recovered, after noting that such white collar crimes needed to be dealt with sternly.

"It will also prove to be an eye-opener for those who want to make quick bucks by indulging in such type of white collar crimes," the court said.

The court convicted Baba Seikh, Dhruv Kumar Tripathy, Sunil Sharaf and Shish Pal, all in their early 30s, after holding them guilty under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 489-B (using forged counterfeit currency as genuine) and 489-C (possessing counterfeit currency notes) of the Indian (IPC).

According to the prosecution, acting on a tip-off, the Special Cell sleuths of the Delhi Police caught red-handed Seikh at Dhala Kuan in 2003 when he allegedly tried to handed over Rs fake currency with face value of Rs nine lakh to his associates Sharaf and Shish Pal.

The fake currency notes was meant to be circulated in Delhi and its neighbouring areas, it said.

The police recovered fake currency notes with a face value of Rs 10 lakhs from their possession after their arrest. (PTI)

Woman flees with married paramour, leaves 8 children

MIRZAPUR, Apr 2: Everything is fair in love and war-the saying seems to apply well to an extra-marital incident here, in which a mother of eight has run away with her paramour, who is also married and has six children.

The lovers’ irresponsible step has created problems for their families which are now left behind.

Nagini Devi, wife of Rajendra and resident of Bhaipur village in Jamalpur area, fell in love with Tahir, who had come here for a job from Bihar.

However, when the reported affair faced objection by the locals and their respective families, the duo fled away three days back.

Meanwhile, police has launched a search for the absconding duo. (UNI)

Goa Police destroyed evidence in Scarlett case: NCW

NEW DELHI, Apr 2: Coming down heavily on the Goa police for "destroying evidence" and "hushing up" the Scarlett Keeling rape and murder case, the NCW today observed that the force was working at the behest of some influential people.

The Commission observed that the case was an "instance of deteriorating the law and order" situation in Goa.

"The shoddy investigation in itself is an indication about what is going on... Goa Police is working under the influence of some people. Evidence has been completely destroyed in the case. Police was misleading the public and the authorities," Commission Member Nirmala Venkatesh told a press conference after concluding a fact-finding tour of Goa.

"The crime scene was not cordoned off... Louis shack, where the crime took place, is completely destroyed and only two arrests have been made in the case. The police system in Goa has completely failed," she added.

She said the Goa IGP had admitted to lapses in the case.

"The investigation should have been carried out effectively to negate possible contradictions," she said.

"When the victim’s mother went to the crime scene to identify the body it had not even been covered.... A woman police official was not present on the spot. Scarlett’s body was fully brusied and police tried to pass it off as a case of drowning," she pointed out.

Earlier today, the Goa government said it is seeking a CBI probe into the murder of the 15-year-old, who was found dead on Goa’s Anjuna Beach on February 18.

Victim mother Fiona Mackeown had been demanding a CBI probe, saying she had no faith in the investigation conducted by police.

Ms Venkatesh, who was leading the team to Goa on March 29-30, did not rule out the involvement of the drug cartel in the case.

The team also met Ms Mackeown, a day before she returned to Britain with Scarlett’s body.

"The victim’s mother told us she was scared and felt insecure. She conveyed to us her total distrust in the Goa police," the Commission Member said.

While recommending measures to check crime against women tourists in Goa, the Commission said the Government should open case of other teenagers killed in similar circumstances.

"About 25 to 35 murder cases of teenagers have not been investigated in Goa and they must be probed," she said.

NCW also suggested sensitisation of police personnel in Goa and awareness campaigns at airports, particularly for women tourist.

Police have arrested two locals, Barman Samson D’Souza and drug dealer Placido Carvalho, for allegedly drugging and raping Scarlett and leaving her to die on the beach. (UNI)

Goa Govt decides to seek CBI probe into Scarlett case

PANAJI, Apr 2: Under pressure on the credibility of the police investigation, the Goa Government today formally decided to seek a CBI probe into the death of British teenager Scarlett Eden Keeling.

"The State Government has given its nod for the transfer of the case to the CBI. All the formalities in this regard will be completed in the next couple of days," a senior police officer said.

Earlier, the State Government had expressed its willingness to hand over the case to CBI, but had not taken the final stand on the issue.

"It is decided now. Previously it was just willingness to transfer," the officer said.

Scarlett, a 15-year-old British national, was found dead on Goa’s popular Anjuna beach on February 18.

The teenager’s mother, Fiona Mackeown, unsatisfied with the police probe and alleging cover up in the entire matter, had demanded that the case be investigated by Central agencies.

Several human rights and other groups had also voice doubts over the veracity of the murder probe.

After initial reluctance, Chief Minister Digamber Kamat declared his willingness last week, on the floor of the house to hand over the case to CBI.

Also, police had arrested two locals, Barman Samson D’Souza and drug dealer Placido Carvalho, for allegedly drugging and raping Scarlett and leaving her to die on the Anjuna beach. (PTI)

Mayawati following casteist agenda, alleges SP

LUCKNOW, Apr 2: The Samajwadi Party today charged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Maywati with not posting senior IAS and IPS officers belonging to the minority communities on significant posts, a charge denied by the government.

"It is the first time since independence that no no official belonging to the minorities has been posted on important posts like that of the district magistrate, district police chief, DIG range or IG zone and we have also brought this fact before the Governor T V Rajeswar through a memorandum," leader of opposition in the Vidhan Parishad, Ahmed Hasan told reporters here.

Hasan alleged that Mayawati was following casteist agenda and was giving benefits to officials belonging to a particular caste while ignoring the rest.

The SP leader also criticised the Government for removing senior IAS officer Anis Ansari from an important post on "flimsy grounds" and said it had been done to block his chances of becoming the Chief Secretary.

Ahmed said people belonging to the minority community were being "harassed in the name of countering terrorism by charging them in fake cases".

Yesterday the Government had rubbished the allegations about Muslim officers not being posted in significant posts.

Referring to the Government’s version, Ahmed said it was "misleading and bereft of truth". (PTI)

More women dying of cancer in Punjab, says study

CHANDIGARH, Apr 2: In contrast to the global cancer trends where more males die of cancer than females, more women are dying of the disease in Punjab.

A study conducted under a Europeon Commission funded project in eight districts of Malwa region, revealed that 25 per cent more females are dying of cancer than males.

This is in total contradiction of data from the WHO, which indicates that all across the globe, one third more males die of cancer than females.

Under the project, titled ‘Cancer deaths in agricultural heartland: a study in Malwa region of Indian Punjab’, conducted by a senior journalist Bajinder Pal Singh, 30 villages were selected on a random basis from among the eight districts namely Bathinda, Muktsar, Mansa, Faridkot, Firozpur, Sangrur, Barnala and Moga.

The data, regarding cancer deaths for a period of five years (2002-2006), indicated that 256 cancer deaths were reported out of which 142 were women. The number of deaths were more in Bathinda, Muktsar, Mansa, Faridkot districts compare to the other four districts.

The project, submitted at the International Institute of Geo Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), The Netherlands, noted that results were more significant since females suffered an adverse sex ratio in the state.

"Primarily, the non-smoking culture of Punjab could be the reason behind lesser cancer mortality among males as globally lung cancer was a major killer among males," Mr Singh said.

"Punjab, primarily because of the influence of Sikhism which prohibits smoking and consumption of tobacco, has the lowest smoking rate in the country. This could be a reason for lesser cancer deaths among men, which could indirectly imply that cancer mortality among females is more than men," he added.

Other possible factors could be differential literacy rates, gender bias, lack of medical facilities and difference between rates of incidence and mortality.

There is no cancer hospital in the region and also there are very few female doctors.

Besides, large number of women suffered from breast and uterus cancer and it had also been observed that they hesitated in informing their family about the problem, he said.

"This study opens a totally new dimension to cancer studies in the region. Since gender studies in cancer in India have been few in number, it is possible that the trend is not restricted to Punjab, but could be true of other states as well," Mr Singh remarked.

He said the study also reveled that cancer mortality was increasing every year, "the figure has doubled in from 2002 to 2006. "However, this could be due to increase in the reporting of the cases as people are becoming more aware," he said.

It had also been found that in the cotton belt area the cases of cancer were more compared to paddy and rice belt area. (UNI)

India getting orders for missiles: DRDO

HYDERABAD, Apr 2: Distinguished ‘Missile’ Scientist and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chief Controller of Research and Development, Dr Prahlada, today said the country received export orders for indigenously-developed missiles.

Speaking to newspersons here, Mr Prahlada said "at present, a few countries have asked for Akash, Nag and TAG Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

"We are ready to export the missiles any time. The Defence Ministry and the departments concerned have to give consent."

The scientist said it would take at least two years to start missile exports to friendly countries.

The Government was interested in starting missile exports as soon as possible, he said, adding it would be a major landmark for defence production which not only created wealth but also helped compete with other developed nations in upgrading the technology to suit the importers. (UNI)