Sushilkumar Shinde does a U-turn on ‘crushing media’ remark

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February 25, 2014

In a bid to water down the controversy over his threat to “crush” the electronic media, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde has now said he did not mean “journalism” but “social media”.

“I have recording of my speech. I was referring to social media and the violence incited against students from the Northeast in Hyderabad and Karnataka. My comments were not about journalism”, he said on Monday night.

On Sunday, Shinde was heard threatening to “crush” the electronic media, alleging a section of it was unnecessarily provoking the Congress party by indulging in “false propaganda” against it.

Meanwhile, the BJP called Shinde’s remark as condemnable. “We are proud of the media of this country. How can the Home Minister use such language,” BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “Congress is itself crushed under corruption and misrule and talks of crushing media.”

The outburst by Shinde, a Congress leader who hails from Maharashtra’s Sholapur district, came at a Youth Congress event here on Sunday evening.

Shinde, who is a Lok Sabha MP from Sholapur, alleged that since the last four months a section of the electronic media is “manipulating” news about him and his party and warned it would be “crushed” if this kind of reportage is not stopped immediately.

“What is happening in the electronic media largely I am aware of it. In the last four months, there have been efforts by the media to provoke us (Congress). We will crush such elements in the electronic media, which are indulging in false propaganda, if it did not stop” he said.

“I have the intelligence department under me. I know who is doing such things. I know what is happening. Some forces are behind this,” he added.

You can choose your LS polls candidate, Rahul Gandhi tells tribals

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, on the first day of his Assam visit, interacted with tribal leaders here on Tuesday.

Speaking during the interaction, Rahul Gandhi said that he was in favour of decentralisation of power as well as decentralisation of funding of parties.

The Congress scion further told tribal leaders that he wants to “include you all in our choice for candidates” for the Lok Sabha polls.

“Not only your MLA but you can also choose you candidate for Lok Sabha polls,” Rahul said.

Security has been tightened in the city for the Congress vice president’s visit.

Rahul is also due to have a meeting with senior journalists.

Legalising euthanasia: SC refers matter to constitution bench

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

The Supreme Court on Tuesday referred the issue of legalising euthanasia to a five-judge Constitution bench in response to a PIL on allowing a person not to continue with artificial medical support.

Based on the report of the larger Constitution bench, the apex court can decide whether a person afflicted with a terminal disease be allowed to refuse essential artificial medical support systems as he does not want to prolong his agony?

The order was passed by a bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam while hearing the PIL on allowing a person not to continue with artificial medical support. The Centre is vociferously opposing it and terming it as “suicide” which could not be allowed in the country.

The PIL, filed by NGO “Common Cause”, argues that when a medical expert opines that the person afflicted with terminal disease has reached a point of no return, then he should be given the right to refuse being put on life support system as otherwise it would only prolong his agony.

The petition was filed in 2008 when the apex court had issued notices to the Union Ministry of Health and Law and sought their response on the issue.

Opposing the plea of the petitioner, Additional Solicitor General Siddharth Luthra submitted that it cannot be permitted in Indian society and it would be against the law and medical ethics.

“There does not arise any question of allowing a physician to take away the life of a patient. Duty of a physician is to protect the life and not to take away the life,” Luthra said.

He said prayer made in the PIL is not tenable in law and it cannot be allowed through judicial exercise.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, contended that those “at the end of their natural life span and likely to go into a state of terminal illness or permanent vegetative state, are deprived of their right to refuse cruel and unwanted medical treatment, like feeding through hydration tubes, being kept on ventilator and other life supporting machines in order to artificially prolong their natural life span”.

The petitioner contended that a person whose life was ebbing out should be allowed to die as the continuance of the life with the support system was an unnatural extension of the natural life span.

Chhattisgarh cop shoots own kids, wife before killing himself

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

In a shocking incident, Devnarayan Patel, the City Superintendent of Police, shot his wife and two children before turning the service revolver on himself in the wee hours in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.

Jagdalpur City Superintendent of Police Devnarayan Patel (40) shot himself with his service weapon after gunning down his wife Pratima (35) at his official residence in Shaket Colony in Jagdalpur at 2 am.

Son Aryan (6) and daughter Puja (11), who were also shot at, have been hospitalised, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Arun Dev Gautam told a news agency.

Patel’s wife Pratima died on the spot while the children sustained severe bullet injuries and have been admitted to Ramkrishna Care Hospital in Raipur, the IG said.

No suicide note has been recovered from the spot so far and prima facie nothing could be established as a reason behind the incident, the IG said, adding further investigations are on.

Patel was suspended on Monday following a verbal spat with Additional District Judge, Bastar, A Toppo on Sunday, the IG said.

Sources in the police department said Patel was apparently disturbed over his suspension which led him to take such an extreme step.

Plea against Narayan Sai for hurting sentiments by wearing turban dismissed

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

A local court dismissed an application against self-styled godman Asaram Bapu’s son Narayan Sai charging him with hurting the sentiments of Sikh community by donning a turban to evade arrest in a sexual assault case.

President of local outfit ‘Yuva Sikh Morcha’, Gagandeep Singh Bhatia, had filed an application in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Manoj Kumar Ladia contending that by sporting a turban while he was absconding from Surat police searching for him, Sai had hurt the sentiments of Sikh community.

Gagandeep’s lawyer Indrajeet Singh Bhatia told that the court, while dismissing the plea yesterday, ruled that there is no legal basis in the complaint for trial of the case against Narayan Sai as Indian constitution permits each and every Indian citizen to wear a dress of his/her choice.

The court also observed Sai’s wearing a turban does not prove that this has hurt the sentiments of Sikh community, he said.

Bhatia also said his client had mentioned in his complaint that in a bid to save himself from being arrested in a rape case, Sai had worn a turban thereby disguising himself as a Sikh, which hurt the religious sentiments of the community and this sent a wrong message among public about Sikhs.

Following a complaint of alleged rape against Sai by a Surat-based woman, Sai had been on the run and on December 4 was apprehended by police from Haryana-Delhi border. Police had caught 40-year-old Sai reportedly in the garb of a Sikh man sporting a red turban after evading arrest for 58 days.

The father-son duo are facing cases of sexual assault.

Two Surat-based sisters had lodged complaints against Sai and his father of rape, sexual assault, illegal confinement and other charges during their stay in the Gujarat ashram.

Sai’s father guru Asaram has been lodged in the Central Jail in Jodhpur since his arrest in August 2013 on charges of sexually assaulting a minor girl in his ‘ashram’ there, besides being accused of raping a Surat-based woman.

Martyr’s family pained at Army’s apathy

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

It was a moment that the family of Major Pramod Purushottam, who sacrificed his life while fighting terrorists virtually bare handed in Kashmir to save three journalists 14 years ago, was looking forward to.

But it was not to be.

The Army recently decided to honour Maj Purushottam at the Srinagar-based 15 Corps but did not bother to call his wife Lt Col (retd) Valsa Purushottam or his daughter Pallavi in time for the event where his bust was to be unveiled.

The Major’s 94-year-old father, K M Purushottam, who is bedridden for the last four years, stares at his picture hanging on the wall, hardly able to hide his emotion.

Purushottam bitterly recalls how he had to virtually fight it out with the army authorities after his son was killed in 1999 for some honour to be given to him for his supreme valour.

The nonagenarian’s elder son Vinod chips in and pieces together the broken sentence of his father. “Daddy says it took them four years even to get a simple ‘Badge of Sacrifice’ from the Army authorities.”

“Even now, army rubs salts into our wounds. If they were so serious to ensure that the family should be at the function of unveiling the bust of my brother, all they could do was to be systematic and inform us well in advance,” says Vinod.

Vinod said that he had received a call from Lt Col N N Joshi on the evening of February 18 asking whether it was possible for them to attend the function at Srinagar on February 22. “How is it possible in such a short span of time?” he asked.

Valsa says she was not even called as a matter of courtesy. “My going or not going is not important but at least make an effort to reach to the family of the soldier who has upheld the name of the army by making such a supreme sacrifice,” she said.

“I have nothing against the army as an institution. Ever since I have taken voluntary retirement, I have kept myself off of any engagements or the army,” she said.

After ‘chai’, now a NaMo fish stall in Chennai

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

In a break from NaMo tea stalls in many states, Narendra Modi’s name will now sell fish in Chennai. The BJP launched the new initiative to market its prime ministerial candidate ahead of the national election, due by May.

BJP leader L Ganesan inaugurated the mobile NaMo fish stall at the city’s Marina beach. It operates from a van displaying what could be a morphed image of Mr. Modi holding up a fish, and promises to sell at competitive prices.

“This shows we care about the fishing community, we are not just trying to get their support for the polls,” said BJP’s Tamilisai Soundararajan.

Tamil Nadu’s fishing community comprises some 10 lakh people who can influence the electoral outcome in six Lok Sabha constituencies.

But if the NaMo stall was an overture towards the fishing community, then it seems to have backfired in some quarters.

A few hundred metres from the NaMo stall, fishermen are worried about undercutting of prices.

“If they decide to sell at cheap prices, what about our livelihood?” asked Lingam, a fisherman.

Recently, senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj had led a protest against the Sri Lankan Navy’s attacks on Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu on charges of trespass.

At a meeting in Pamban near the holy Rameswaram town, Ms. Swaraj asked the fishing community to vote for Mr. Modi, citing a fisherman he had nominated to the Rajya Sabha from his state Gujarat.

AAP’s Somnath Bharti’s name crops up in another controversy

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

Former Delhi Law minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Somnath Bharti was linked to a fresh controversy in the national capital on Monday after some people, alleged to be AAP workers, thrashed a civic official near the Deputy Commissioner (DC) office of South zone in Green Park.

According to the police, the victim was identified as Ashok Kumar, who is an executive engineer with the south municipal corporation.

“He was allegedly beaten up by some people who were protesting against the demolition of a house in Hauz Khas area in South Delhi,” said a police official.

The incident took place minutes before Mr Bharti along with some of his supporters reached the spot to protest against the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and its demolition drive.

Mr Bharti, however, claimed that those involved with the incident were not AAP workers and he had nothing to do with them.

He later met the South DC along with his supporters and questioned him as to why the MCD never takes action against the “high and mighty” and always targets the common man.

Mr Bharti also said that MCD should do a survey and make a list of people including MPs, ministers, MLAs and councillors who have broken building bye-laws and take action against them before razing the house of a commoner.

He also claimed that the authorities are specifically targeting AAP supporters.

In his complaint about the incident, the executive engineer claimed that he was beaten up by four people who were allegedly wearing AAP caps and were protesting outside the office before Mr Bharti arrived.

Death with dignity

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

Even as Belgium passed a controversial bill that extends euthanasia rights for minors the Supreme Court of India too has allowed passive euthanasia under exceptional circumstances. For introducing passive euthansia in India the law has to be framed very cautiously as the malpractices carried out by Indian doctors are already known to everyone. We do have very good doctors’ highly intellectual paving paths all around the world but when it comes to an Indian patients no doctors step back to mint money on poor or half dead patients. We have witnessed countless con activities which too must have to be encountered.

Passive euthanasia should be permitted only in highly selected cases under the supervision of a team of doctors appointed in every state of India.

India is witnessing massive poverty as people who can earn their livelihood are unable to get high-quality treatment as money plays a major role in healing. All of us are aware that people suffering from cancers can survive till the time they spend lakhs of money over the treatment.

Right to live is important but is it necessary that such a living should be agony free? He should be allowed to die with dignity.

I hope this shouldn’t be a case of “Justice delayed is justice denied”. Aruna Shanbaugh is the first person who needs passive euthanasia. She has undergone suffering and continues to suffer for the sins which was never committed by her. We don’t know what she wishes or thinks.

Just think Aruna’s rapist was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment but the former continues to suffer.

The medical report stated Aruna as fulfilling most criteria of patients in a permanently vegetative state. The report, however, did not mention whether she was being given palliative drugs mandatory for such patients. Inquiries on this issue continues to remain stonewalled.

The nurses say they love her; hence they would rather not use a catheter to catch her body’s wastes; catheters can lead to infections, these require drugs, they prefer to keep drugs to the minimal, just in case “something happens to her”. Which is why — when her gums caught rot, her teeth fell out one-by-one in that locked room — two doctors discontinued her full medical examination even though treatment is offered to her in a private hospital. Earlier, nurses stopped the physiotherapy, causing her body to atrophy, her joints to lock into angles, her nails to grow inwards to cut into her palms. Everything is done in Aruna’s best interests, only outsiders think otherwise. A permanently vegetative state does not permit patients to live a normal life, least of all enjoy, favourite foods, music, converse with people. It also doesn’t allow them to smile in response to an external influence. Aruna has mush tipped into a nasal-feed pipe going directly into the stomach to keep her alive.

Let’s hope for the best.

Home tests for hair loss

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

How do you know if you are in fact inching towards hair loss or panicking for no reason after seeing a few strands on your hairbrush? The signs will be quite apparent and with a few simple tests, you can even reverse the condition if it’s not too late. Though going to a trichologist will be helpful, many ignore the signs and visit one only after it is too late. So, here are two tests you can do at home to detect if you are indeed suffering from hair loss and follow some pointers to help beat the condition.

Though one can take these two hair fall evaluation methods at home, remember, these tests aren’t diagnostic and are only meant to give you an estimate of the amount of hair fall you have.

Daily hair count test

It’s natural to lose up to 100-150 strands of hair in a day. You can keep a check on that by literally counting your sheds for a period of seven days. This is one of the clinical evaluation methods as well. Here, the patient is asked to collect all hair they lose in the shower or sink or on the brush. It is expected to lose more strands on the days you shampoo your hair. This method will help you get a better idea of the extent of your hair fall.

60-second comb test

This is an easier one. Before shampooing your hair, sit on a white sheet, with a white pillow and a comb. Now, for 60 seconds comb your hair from the back of your scalp to the front. You need to repeat this procedure for three consecutive days.

Count all the hair fallen on the pillow and stuck in the comb. It will help understand if you are losing more than 100-150 hair every day.

In case you realise you are a victim of premature hair loss, there are several things you can do to tackle this problem. Here are some pointers to bear in mind to stop hair fall to an extent.

Oils: Oils are extremely healthy and a good way to nourish the scalp and hair. There are a variety of oils to choose from. Castor oil has been effective in preventing and stopping hair fall. Applying egg oil regularly to your scalp is another way of controlling hair loss. Egg oil is extracted from the egg yolks and is a rich source of the essential fatty acids, antioxidants and cholesterol. Here are some more oils you can apply to prevent hair loss. The massaging technique is also important.

A healthy diet: This is the most common suggestion for reducing hair loss. That’s because it’s the most important one too. Our diet should comprise all the essential nutrients required by our body and only then can our hair be healthy. Some common nutrients required are – protein (acts as the building block of every tissue in our body including the hair and scalp), vitamin C (collagen production is very important to hold the hair tissues together in place and vitamin C helps do the needful). Apart from these, you also need copper, iron, zinc and vitamin B complex. Learn why.

Avoid styling products: The heat and chemicals involved in various styling processes are nothing but harmful for your hair and scalp. Their excessive use can damage your hair beyond immediate repair. Therefore people who notice hair loss should be wise enough to avoid using them. Even regular use of hair gels and other styling tools like curlers, etc should be to a minimum.

Apart from the above pointers, avoid washing your hair with hot water, tying it up in a tight ponytail or braid all the time, drink sufficient water and massage your scalp regularly to enhance the blood flow. These are some practices that ensure reduction in hair loss.