Women seeking 24X7 security after entering Sabrimala Temple, SC to hear the plea on Friday

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January 17, 2019

The Supreme Court will hear a plea on Friday of two women seeking 24X7 securities after they recently entered the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. Senior advocate Indira Jaising listed the matter before a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices L N Rao and S K Kaul on Thursday.

In the plea, one of the women, who had been attacked by her mother-in-law following her entry into the hilltop shrine, has sought security for both the women. The plea sought directions to all authorities to allow women of all age groups to enter the temple without any hindrance and to ensure security and safe passage, including police security to women wishing to enter the temple in future. It also pointed to danger to her life and liberty.

Issue writ of mandamus directing authorities to provide full security, 24×7, to the two women who have entered the temple, and to deal with protesters indulging in acts of violence, physical and/or verbal on social media or otherwise against them in accordance with the law, the petition said.

It sought directions declaring all authorities not to conduct the rite of purification or to shut the temple on account of any woman of the age of 10-50 having entered the temple.

Issue directions to declare that the rite of purification diminishes the dignity as human beings and violates their fundamental right, it said.

It also sought directions declaring that any form of prevention of women aged between 10 to 50 years from visiting the hilltop shrine is contrary to the September 28, 2018 judgment of the apex court.

On September 28 last year, a five-judge Constitution bench, headed by then Chief Justice Dipak Misra, in a 4:1 verdict paved the way for entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala temple, saying that the ban amounted to gender discrimination. Two women of menstruating age group had stepped into the Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa, breaking a centuries-old tradition and defying dire threats from the Hindu right.

Kanakadurga, 44, and Bindu, 42, stepped into the hallowed precincts guarded by the police three months after the apex court’s historic judgment lifting the ban on entry of girls and women between 10 and 50 years of age into the shrine of Lord Ayyappa, its “eternally celibate” deity. Following the entry of the women into the shrine, the chief priest had decided to close the sanctum sanctorum of the temple to perform the ‘purification’ ceremony.

The top court has said that it may not start hearing pleas seeking a review of the Sabarimala verdict from January 22 as one of the judges was on medical leave. Earlier, the apex court decided to hear in open court the review petitions against the verdict. Besides Justice Indu Malhotra and the CJI, justices R F Nariman, A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud are part of the five-judge constitution bench.

Justice Malhotra had delivered the dissenting judgment in the case. There are around 48 petitions seeking review of the judgment and they were filed following violent protests in favour and against the verdict. Despite the Supreme Court’s historic ruling, permitting women in the 10-50 age groups, no children or young women in the ‘barred’ group were able to offer prayers at the shrine following frenzied protests by devotees and right-wing outfits.

Jumlas and tamashas can never cover the damage caused to country by the BJP: Sitaram Yechury

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January 17, 2019

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday hit out at the Centre over the new law to give 10 per cent quota to economically weaker sections from general category and alleged the move was to “win some votes.”

An ill thought and poorly planned proposal which has been pushed by Modi govt only in a desperate hope of winning some votes. Why are no funds being made available to central institutions for expansion? Why does Modi govt want to destroy these institutions?” he tweeted.

The bill was introduced by the government and passed amid criticism by the opposition in the recently concluded winter session of Parliament. He alleged that the government was damaging farmers and no amount of rhetoric can make up for the loss.

No amount of jumlas and tamashas can cover up the kind of willful damage caused to farmers by Modi government, the worst and most callous in independent India’s history, he said.

Pandya creates a crucial balance for team: Dhawan

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January 17, 2019

Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan on Thursday said that the suspended fast-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya is “crucial” for the team’s balance but rejected suggestions that the side was struggling for a fifth bowler in the ongoing ODI series against Australia.

India takes on Australia in the series-deciding third and final one-dayer here on Friday. There are bound to be changes to the team composition in the light of Khaleel Ahmed and Mohammed Siraj failing to impress in the first two matches. Dhawan came out in support of the two young pacers, but added that the presence of an all-rounder in the side is imperative for balance. India are missing Pandya owing to the provisional suspension imposed on him for sexist comments on a TV show, condemned as “inappropriate” by skipper Virat Kohli.

The balance that Hardik (Pandya) creates when he’s in the team is very crucial for our team, Dhawan acknowledged in the pre-match press conference here on Thursday. Even when Kedar (Jadhav) plays, the overs of off-spin he bowls are very beneficial for us. I would say that he is our golden arm, and he always takes wickets when he comes on. So often, he’s broken a big partnership. An all-rounder in Tests and limited-overs’ cricket is equally important, Dhawan said.

Talking about Ahmed and Siraj, Dhawan said that the youngsters will mature and get better with time. It’s not a worry (about the bowling). They just came in. They are young blokes. We will back them. That’s how they’re going to learn, when they play against a good side. If they go for runs, that’s where they have to lift themselves up and think more about their game and strategies. That’s how they’ll become more mature players. It’s good that they are getting chances over here.

Dhawan further added that the team is looking to make history by winning the first ever bilateral ODI series on Australian soil, following up on the 2-1 Test series’ win here. He felt the batting line-up, including veteran Mahendra Singh Dhoni, finding form only bodes well for their preparations ahead of the 2019 ODI World Cup. Winning the series will mean a lot to us. Winning both Tests and if we win tomorrow, it is going to be a big achievement for us. We are going to value and cherish it.

It was good to see a good team performance in the last game, especially how Dhoni performed well in both the games. We are very happy that Dhoni is getting his touch back, because a player of his stature gives so much of confidence to the batsmen at the other end. He also lauded the role played by Dinesh Karthik during the successful chase in the second ODI in Adelaide. The good thing is that we have got all fit, very mature, and very experienced players which makes us a very strong batting unit. And of course we have been performing very well and consistently over the past few years,” he said.

The left-hander is one of the three batsmen, along with Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu, to have not played active cricket while the Australia-India Test series was on.

Dhawan further added that he felt in good rhythm on account of the T20I series and chose to take the break to work on fitness and his skills. I had 5-6 weeks off and I was training hard. It was good because, looking forward to the World Cup; it was a good break for me. Now I’m happy to be back in the side, playing matches and raring to go. I think my rhythm is there, the way I was hitting the ball. It is very important to take a break and feel fresh, which we Indian cricketers don’t get much of, so we’re not used to it.

India has a set and firing opening combination along with a perennially in-form Virat Kohli at number three. In comparison, Australian skipper Aaron Finch is struggling for runs and his partnership with Alex Carey at the top hasn’t really clicked.

He also said that batting with Rohit, it’s normal, comfortable and we both know what to do and what not to. Not much discussion is needed. We play on automatic mode and keep having fun with each other. There is a sense of calmness and peace. We are hitting the right areas against him. We are not giving him singles or boundary options too easily. Once you create that pressure on a batsman, especially in limited-overs, he’s going to do something extra and take more risk to rotate the strike or score runs.

Talking about Friday’s match, Dhawan said that the Australian team is missing the likes of Steve Smith and David Warner, while the experience of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami is giving the Indian team an advantage at the start of their innings. Australia have a good all-round side, they have a good balanced side. Of course the presence of Smith and Warner is missing in this side. They are legends of their country and big players in the cricket world. At the same time, Bhuvi (Kumar) is very experienced as well as Shami. That’s why in the first 10 overs, we have been dominating the game. We would like to do it the same way. So we will be on our guard.

President, first lady participate in ‘Ganga pujan’ at Kumbh: Official

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January 17, 2019

ram nath kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind and his wife on Thursday visited Allahabad and performed ‘Ganga pujan’ in the Sangam area during the ongoing Kumbh Mela, officials said.

The President and first lady Savita Kovind reached the Bamrauli airport on a special plane of the Indian Air Force around 9:30 am. They were welcomed by Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and several cabinet ministers, the officials said.

President Kovind and his wife participated in ‘Ganga pujan’ in the Sangam area along with the governor, chief minister, his deputy Keshva Prasad Maurya and Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh among others.

Sangam refers to the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers.

Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Sanjiv Khanna to sworn in as SC judges

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January 17, 2019

(TOP STORY/ NATION)

The government on Wednesday had notified the appointment of Justices Maheshwari and Khanna as judges of the apex court. Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Sanjiv Khanna of Delhi High Court will be sworn in as judges of the Supreme Court on Friday was announced on Thursday.

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi will administer the Oath of Office to the two judges on Friday, an official circular said.

Ghosts are not there to scare or harm us: Ruskin Bond

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January 17, 2019

(NATION)

Ruskin Bond, whose supernatural stories have been made into a web series, says that he always feels that ghosts are not out to scare or harm people and one gets frightened by them because they are not like us. The 84-year-old writer says that he is not someone who dabbles in the supernatural a great deal but has grown up reading books on ghosts. Works of the early writers of ghost stories such as MR James and Algernon Blackwood have always interested him.

Bond’s stories have been adapted for films but for the first time his works are being made into a web series. The first episode of “Parchayee: Ghost Stories by Ruskin Bond” premiered on ZEE5 on January 15 and the subsequent stories will unfold till June.

In our folklore, there are various types of ghosts. There’s the ‘pret’, the ‘bhoot’ and the ‘pishach’. And they very often live in Peepul and other kinds of trees. Some years back, an old lady from a village near Agra would tell me stories about ‘pret’ and village ghosts. These stories would have elements of reincarnation. Religious beliefs too would make it into these stories. The ghosts that we otherwise read about in literature, Western ghosts or British ghosts, who the British brought to India and left behind in our hill stations and dark bungalows, they are what you’d call revenants. Someone from the dead reappearing physically, but not quite physically, Bond said.

I have always felt that the ghosts are not out to scare us or harm us. They are revisiting old haunts or places that were connected with them. Maybe, for some particular reasons or maybe simply because they are wandering around, they can pass through walls. They don’t depend on transport like we do. They are supernatural beings, so we the living feel a bit uneasy about them. But people do get frightened by them because they are not like us, Bond told PTI.

Bond also says that it is not entirely a conscious choice on his part not to make ghosts very scary. Occasionally, I have a frightening ghost because the readers demand them too. People sometimes read ghost stories to get scared. Don’t they? It’s a safe fear, in a way. At the back of your head, you know it’s not really happening. You want to be scared but you don’t want it to lead to anything disastrous. That’s why, kids like ghost stories. They like the idea of being scared but at the back of their mind it’s just a story. They don’t believe in it completely, he added.

Asked whether his place of residence provides the perfect setting for supernatural stories, he says, you could say that. Hill stations were more or less British creations. After some of them – usually the more interesting members of the community – had died or had done something, dramatic legends and stories would be heard about them reappearing. This is very much the British type of ghost. But if you go out into the villages in the hills or remote areas, the local people also have very strong supernatural beliefs, beliefs in spirits. They believe certain places are haunted. Even rocks are considered haunted. There is a belief that a certain type of individual can turn into a leopard. That again is more Indian. Whereas the obvious sort of ghost that you get in the West is again the sort you would find a colonial connection with.

Though Bond never thinks particularly about writing for the screen as nobody ever asked him, but the idea is there at the back of the mind.

I always felt that some of the stories that I had written would adapt well to the screen. I had never thought of my ghost stories being done as a series. I thought maybe the odd one might get filmed but hadn’t realised that they could make a complete series. A Kolkata-based company called Allcap Communications approached me with the idea. They discussed with me and developed 12 stories for the screen and took them to the producers of the show, Banijay Asia and Opus Communications. That’s how this series happened, he says.

Bond was born in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, and grew up in Jamnagar, Dehradun, New Delhi and Shimla. As a young man, he spent four years in the Channel Islands and London.He returned to India in 1955. He now lives in Landour, Mussoorie, with his adopted family.

Delhi’s air quality becoming worst day by day

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January 17, 2019

Delhi’s air quality deteriorated further on Thursday to severe category due to reduced wind speed that prevented the dispersion of pollutants, authorities said.

According to Central Pollution Control Board data, the overall air quality index (AQI) in the city was 434, which falls in the severe category. An AQI between 100 and 200 comes under the moderate category, 201 and 300 is considered ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, while that between 401 and 500 is ‘severe’. The air quality was severe till Sunday but with improved wind speed of 20 km/hr, it significantly improved and was recorded in the ‘poor’ category until Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the air quality again deteriorated as the wind speed dropped and was recorded in the very poor category.

On Thursday, as many as 29 areas recorded ‘severe’ air quality and three ‘very poor’ air qualities. In the National Capital Region, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Noida and Greater Noida recorded ‘severe’ air quality while Gurgaon recorded ‘ very poor’ air quality. The overall PM2.5 level fine particulate matters in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers in Delhi were 365, while the PM10 level was 540, , CPCB said.

The Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) said the overall AQI over Delhi was recorded in the severe category.

Other weather conditions remain more or less same except that wind speed decreased from 5.3kmph to 2.5kmph. Since the speed drop is substantial, it has slowed down the dispersion significantly, SAFAR said.

Shah doing well, will be discharged in a day or two: BJP

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January 17, 2019

BJP president Amit Shah, who was admitted to AIIMS on Wednesday for swine flu treatment, is doing well and will be discharged in a day or two, the party said on Thursday.

“National President of BJP, Amit Shah ji, is doing well. He will be discharged in a day or two. Thanks everyone for your good wishes!” the party’s media head and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni said.

Shah had informed people about his illness Wednesday in a tweet. He was diagnosed with swine flu.

A team of doctors are monitoring his condition under the supervision of AIIMS director Randeep Guleria, the hospital had said.

Recreation trend a shortcut to creativity: AR Rahman

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January 17, 2019

Academy Award-winner AR Rahman has said that the trend of recreating retro songs in the industry is nothing but a shortcut to creativity. The composer further said that recreating classics is a safe, reliable “plan B” for artistes.

“It (recreating songs) is shortcut to creativity. When they are doing a movie and they have a release date and don’t have something good enough they say, ‘Ok I have plan B’ and then do this. That’s what happens,” Rahman told agencies.

Rahman was speaking at the launch of Nexa Music, which aims to provide aspiring Indian musicians a platform to compose original music and lyrics.

He is one of the mentors for the participants, four of whom will get a chance to do 12 live events with the NEXA Music mentors across the country.

He said that though there no one way to make music, things work differently in the West.

“Ideally a musical, what they do in the West is, they write the songs; the actors do their workshop, they play the music, tweak the screenplay and then it is finally made. So all that stuff is done before there,” he added.

The composer said that there are a growing number of aspiring singers who put their work on the Internet but that does not promise quality.

“Because of the Internet, today there’s no wall preventing someone to express what they want and put it out. But in the sea of so many things — mediocrity and greatness — everything is jumbled up. You can’t find where the diamond is,” he said.

Rahman said that the trick is to be self-aware and accept that even one’s flaws could be original.

“Sometimes the mistakes you make is an original thing. No one else will make the same mistake. Self-realisation is most important and it is also an art. It’s important to realise that even your flaw is original.”

What helps him, Rahman said, is the self-realisation.

“I look at my music objectively. I have 20 different ideas but I pick one. So you are never in the ‘whatever I do is gold’ zone. I filter and give it to the people. Then they filter and then it comes in. If something good is left out, I keep it for myself and develop it.

We oppose Citizenship Bill if clause to protect natives not included: CM

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January 17, 2019

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has said that the BJP-led government in the state would not support the passage of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill unless there was a provision for protecting the indigenous people of the northeast. Singh also stressed that his government would want President’s assent to Manipur People’s (Protection) Bill, 2018 before passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

The Manipur People’s (Protection) Bill, passed unanimously by the Assembly last July which aims to grant the status of “natives” to Meiteis, Pangal Muslims, scheduled tribes and others who moved to the state before 1951. The rest, categorised as “non-Manipuris”, will have to register themselves within one month of the notification of the law.

Unless there is a provision for protecting the indigenous people of Manipur as well as the other northeast states, the state government would not support the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, the chief minister said after inaugurating several development projects in Chandel district on Wednesday. He had earlier sent a memorandum to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, seeking President’s nod for Manipur Peoples’ (Protection) Bill.

The stand of the Manipur government is very clear. Before the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is passed by the Rajya Sabha, the President should give his assent to the Manipur People’s Bill, he asserted.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha last week, provides for according Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 years, which is the norm currently, even if they do not possess any document.

Protests against the Citizenship Bill have rocked the entire northeast region where several indigenous organisations raising voice against the legislation, citing threat to their identity and culture.