Tuesday, July 27, 2010
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Thursday, July 1, 2010
Friday, February 13, 2009
Gandhi memorabilia to be auctioned in New York
MPs urge Gandhi sale intervention
Gandhi's simple lifestyle inspired a generation of Indians
A number of Indian MPs are calling for Mahatma Gandhi's personal possessions, due for auction in New York next month, to be returned to India.
Mahatma Gandhi's spectacles, which he once said gave him "the vision to free India", a pair of his sandals and his pocket watch are among the items.
MPs across Indian parties have said that all efforts should be made to retrieve the possessions.
Auctioneers have put an estimate of £30,000 ($42,000) on the items.
Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York will stage the sale on 4-5 March.
'Worldwide interest'
The BBC's Paddy Clark says Gandhi holds a unique status in India as the leader of the independence movement against British rule and the planned sale of his personal effects has created some concern.
One minister suggested the government should enter the auction and buy the items, which he described as part of India's heritage.
MPs say all efforts should be made to retrieve the articles
Mani Shankar Aiyer told the Times of India: "It would be a pity if these items were to pass into private hands abroad and leave India bereft of an important part of his legacy."
Former Speaker and Shiv Sena MP Manohar Joshi told the paper: "The persons who own these articles should be contacted to see if they are willing to give them to India, perhaps for a price."
The auctioneers say there has been worldwide interest in the sale, particularly as Gandhi's ascetic philosophy meant he had very few personal possessions.
They think the items could go for much more than the estimate.
In 2007, India managed to obtain another piece of Gandhi memorabilia - a manuscript of an article he wrote - after persuading the auctioneers to withdraw the document from sale.
Gandhi's modest lifestyle - epitomised by his simple white robe and few possessions - helped to inspire a generation of Indians to peaceful resistance against British rule in the 1930s.
The glasses, sandals and watch, along with a bowl and plate, are owned by an unnamed collector and all have letters of authenticity.
Gandhi presented the spectacles to Indian army colonel HA Shiri Diwan Nawabin in the 1930s, after he had asked the great leader for inspiration.
The Zenith pocket watch, made in about 1910, was given to Gandhi's grand-niece, Abha Gandhi, who was his assistant for some years.
Gandhi was pictured wearing the pocket watch and it is expected to be the highlight of the auction.
The bowl and plate were also gifts to his grand-niece.
The sandals were given to a British army officer in 1931 before talks in London about Indian self-rule.
Gandhi was assassinated in 1948, aged 78, by a Hindu radical. Source
Gandhi's simple lifestyle inspired a generation of Indians
A number of Indian MPs are calling for Mahatma Gandhi's personal possessions, due for auction in New York next month, to be returned to India.
Mahatma Gandhi's spectacles, which he once said gave him "the vision to free India", a pair of his sandals and his pocket watch are among the items.
MPs across Indian parties have said that all efforts should be made to retrieve the possessions.
Auctioneers have put an estimate of £30,000 ($42,000) on the items.
Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York will stage the sale on 4-5 March.
'Worldwide interest'
The BBC's Paddy Clark says Gandhi holds a unique status in India as the leader of the independence movement against British rule and the planned sale of his personal effects has created some concern.
One minister suggested the government should enter the auction and buy the items, which he described as part of India's heritage.
MPs say all efforts should be made to retrieve the articles
Mani Shankar Aiyer told the Times of India: "It would be a pity if these items were to pass into private hands abroad and leave India bereft of an important part of his legacy."
Former Speaker and Shiv Sena MP Manohar Joshi told the paper: "The persons who own these articles should be contacted to see if they are willing to give them to India, perhaps for a price."
The auctioneers say there has been worldwide interest in the sale, particularly as Gandhi's ascetic philosophy meant he had very few personal possessions.
They think the items could go for much more than the estimate.
In 2007, India managed to obtain another piece of Gandhi memorabilia - a manuscript of an article he wrote - after persuading the auctioneers to withdraw the document from sale.
Gandhi's modest lifestyle - epitomised by his simple white robe and few possessions - helped to inspire a generation of Indians to peaceful resistance against British rule in the 1930s.
The glasses, sandals and watch, along with a bowl and plate, are owned by an unnamed collector and all have letters of authenticity.
Gandhi presented the spectacles to Indian army colonel HA Shiri Diwan Nawabin in the 1930s, after he had asked the great leader for inspiration.
The Zenith pocket watch, made in about 1910, was given to Gandhi's grand-niece, Abha Gandhi, who was his assistant for some years.
Gandhi was pictured wearing the pocket watch and it is expected to be the highlight of the auction.
The bowl and plate were also gifts to his grand-niece.
The sandals were given to a British army officer in 1931 before talks in London about Indian self-rule.
Gandhi was assassinated in 1948, aged 78, by a Hindu radical. Source
Monday, February 2, 2009
School Principal, Thomas Malancheruvilla, arrested for disrespecting the National Anthem
ABVP activists ransack missionary school over national anthem
2 Feb 2009, 1703 hrs IST, PTI
BHOPAL: Protesting against the alleged insult to the National Anthem in a missionary school in the Govindpura area of the city, Ahkhil Bhartiya
Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers today created ruckus in the school by indulging in violence, police said.
The ABVP workers staged a demonstration before the school for allegedly insulting the National Anthem during the Republic Day function on January 26.
As the ABVP activists indulged in ransacking the school property, police cane-charged them to disperse from the spot and arrested nearly 15 of its workers, Bhopal Superintendent of Police (SP) Jaideep Prasad said.
Police also arrested the school Principal, Thomas Malancheruvilla on the issue of allegedly disrespecting the National Anthem, the SP said.
2 Feb 2009, 1703 hrs IST, PTI
BHOPAL: Protesting against the alleged insult to the National Anthem in a missionary school in the Govindpura area of the city, Ahkhil Bhartiya
Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers today created ruckus in the school by indulging in violence, police said.
The ABVP workers staged a demonstration before the school for allegedly insulting the National Anthem during the Republic Day function on January 26.
As the ABVP activists indulged in ransacking the school property, police cane-charged them to disperse from the spot and arrested nearly 15 of its workers, Bhopal Superintendent of Police (SP) Jaideep Prasad said.
Police also arrested the school Principal, Thomas Malancheruvilla on the issue of allegedly disrespecting the National Anthem, the SP said.
Two Godhra Accused Gujarat ministers declared absconders
Gujarat ministers declared absconders
3 Feb 2009, 0323 hrs IST, TNN
AHMEDABAD: Minister of state for women and child development and higher education, Maya Kodnani, and a senior VHP functionary Jaideep Patel on
Monday filed for anticipatory bail before the city sessions court after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Supreme Court to probe the 2002 riots, sought to arrest them.
Kodnani, who is also a practising ophthalmologist, has filed two bail pleas — for the Naroda Gaam and Naroda Patia cases in which all 95 persons were killed after the Godhra carnage. Patel has filed for bail only in the Naroda Gaam case. Both the leaders had been evading arrest for the last one week, said investigating officer of SIT, PL Mall.
The SIT recorded Kodnani and Patel’s statements in December but they were found to contradict statements of witnesses. Kodnani and Patel had claimed they were not present in Naroda when the riots were on and the allegations against them were politically motivated. Read it all
3 Feb 2009, 0323 hrs IST, TNN
AHMEDABAD: Minister of state for women and child development and higher education, Maya Kodnani, and a senior VHP functionary Jaideep Patel on
Monday filed for anticipatory bail before the city sessions court after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Supreme Court to probe the 2002 riots, sought to arrest them.
Kodnani, who is also a practising ophthalmologist, has filed two bail pleas — for the Naroda Gaam and Naroda Patia cases in which all 95 persons were killed after the Godhra carnage. Patel has filed for bail only in the Naroda Gaam case. Both the leaders had been evading arrest for the last one week, said investigating officer of SIT, PL Mall.
The SIT recorded Kodnani and Patel’s statements in December but they were found to contradict statements of witnesses. Kodnani and Patel had claimed they were not present in Naroda when the riots were on and the allegations against them were politically motivated. Read it all
Friday, January 23, 2009
Netaji died in Taihoku air crash in 1945: Alessandro Quaroni
Netaji died in Taihoku, no need for more research: Italy envoy
"I personally do not see the point of research because unfortunately, the person Netaji died, but his message lived on and still remains," Quaroni told newsmen.
As doubts prevail over Subhas Chandra Bose's mysterious disappearance, Italy's Ambassador in India Alessandro Quaroni, whose parents were close to Netaji, today said he saw no point in further research claiming that the leader had died in 1945 in an air crash at Taihoku.
"I personally do not see the point of research because unfortunately, the person Netaji died, but his message lived on and still remains," Quaroni told newsmen after delivering the 'Netaji Oration' at the leader's ancestral house here.
Stating that an Australian historian had conducted 'the most extensive research' in establishing the exact circumstances of Netaji's death, Quaroni said, "I think inspite of the legend that (Subhas) Chandra Bose has not died, probably his death really happened in August '45."
Following a public outcry against the government's view that Netaji died in the Taihoku air crash, it set up three enquiry commissions -- the Shah Nawaz Commission, the Khosla Commission and the Justice Manoj Kumar Mukherjee Commission -- to look into the matter.
While Shah Nawaz and Khosla agreed that Netaji was, indeed, killed in the Taihoku air crash, the Mukherjee Commission, however, concluded that Netaji was actually alive when the crash is said to have taken place.
Quaroni replied in the negative when asked whether his parents were in possession of any document indicating Netaji's death in the Taihoku crash.
More
"I personally do not see the point of research because unfortunately, the person Netaji died, but his message lived on and still remains," Quaroni told newsmen.
As doubts prevail over Subhas Chandra Bose's mysterious disappearance, Italy's Ambassador in India Alessandro Quaroni, whose parents were close to Netaji, today said he saw no point in further research claiming that the leader had died in 1945 in an air crash at Taihoku.
"I personally do not see the point of research because unfortunately, the person Netaji died, but his message lived on and still remains," Quaroni told newsmen after delivering the 'Netaji Oration' at the leader's ancestral house here.
Stating that an Australian historian had conducted 'the most extensive research' in establishing the exact circumstances of Netaji's death, Quaroni said, "I think inspite of the legend that (Subhas) Chandra Bose has not died, probably his death really happened in August '45."
Following a public outcry against the government's view that Netaji died in the Taihoku air crash, it set up three enquiry commissions -- the Shah Nawaz Commission, the Khosla Commission and the Justice Manoj Kumar Mukherjee Commission -- to look into the matter.
While Shah Nawaz and Khosla agreed that Netaji was, indeed, killed in the Taihoku air crash, the Mukherjee Commission, however, concluded that Netaji was actually alive when the crash is said to have taken place.
Quaroni replied in the negative when asked whether his parents were in possession of any document indicating Netaji's death in the Taihoku crash.
More
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Anna Hazare on Marathi-nonMarathi issue
Hazare backs Raj Thackeray's tirade against Non-Marathis
Sun, Jan 18 04:22 PM
Varanasi, Jan 18 (IANS) Veteran social activist Anna Hazare backs Maharashtra Navnirmaan Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's campaign against non-Marathi 'Dadagiri' (dominance) in Maharashtra, but opposes the violent means being used to achieve the purpose.
The 71-year-old social activist expressed support for MNS's programme, while talking to journalists Saturday night after addressing students of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) on 'Gram Swaraj and Experience in Ralegan', his native village in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra which he transformed into a model village through persistent efforts.
'Some ideas of Raj Thackeray were correct, but damaging public and national property was not right,' Hazare said.
When asked which ideas of the MNS chief were correct, Hazare noted people from many states live in Maharashtra, but 'outsiders trying to prove their dominance in the state was not at all acceptable'.
In a reference to North India-based political parties like Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal trying to show their strength in Maharashtra by holding rallies and other programmes in the state, he said such activities were not acceptable. more
Sun, Jan 18 04:22 PM
Varanasi, Jan 18 (IANS) Veteran social activist Anna Hazare backs Maharashtra Navnirmaan Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's campaign against non-Marathi 'Dadagiri' (dominance) in Maharashtra, but opposes the violent means being used to achieve the purpose.
The 71-year-old social activist expressed support for MNS's programme, while talking to journalists Saturday night after addressing students of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) on 'Gram Swaraj and Experience in Ralegan', his native village in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra which he transformed into a model village through persistent efforts.
'Some ideas of Raj Thackeray were correct, but damaging public and national property was not right,' Hazare said.
When asked which ideas of the MNS chief were correct, Hazare noted people from many states live in Maharashtra, but 'outsiders trying to prove their dominance in the state was not at all acceptable'.
In a reference to North India-based political parties like Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal trying to show their strength in Maharashtra by holding rallies and other programmes in the state, he said such activities were not acceptable. more
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Democracy and violence by Ramachandra Guha
War and Terror: Democracy and violence by Ramachandra Guha: "Vigilantism of Salwa Judum has divided and very nearly destroyed tribal society.
All sensible humans—not just Indians—agree that there is no place for violence in the settlement of political disputes. If a particular group feels victimised or discriminated against, it has all kinds of democratic means of redress open to it—the circulation of its grievances by the means of speech or print; the canvassing of politicians, political parties, and public officials; and petitions in court. If (and only if) all these means fail, the group may yet take recourse to non-violent protest or satyagraha. But they have no business to use weapons, whether they are AK-47s or trishuls." more from the Hindu
All sensible humans—not just Indians—agree that there is no place for violence in the settlement of political disputes. If a particular group feels victimised or discriminated against, it has all kinds of democratic means of redress open to it—the circulation of its grievances by the means of speech or print; the canvassing of politicians, political parties, and public officials; and petitions in court. If (and only if) all these means fail, the group may yet take recourse to non-violent protest or satyagraha. But they have no business to use weapons, whether they are AK-47s or trishuls." more from the Hindu
Monday, January 12, 2009
Cambridge announces Manmohan scholarships
The Hindu Staff Reporter Jan 13, 2009
NEW DELHI: The University of Cambridge on Monday announced a new scholarship programme for Indian students in honour of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The Manmohan Singh Under-Graduate Scholarship Programme starting from 2010 will provide full funding, covering fees and means-tested maintenance for under-graduate study in any subject at any of the colleges that are part of the university.
A £1.5 million fund has been set up to support Indian students. It will be launched with gifts from Sir Evelyn and Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild through the Eranda Foundation and from the Sunil Bharti Mittal-led company Bharti Airtel. This was announced by Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Alison Richard at a press conference here.
“The university is honoured that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is such a distinguished Cambridge alumnus, has agreed to lend his name to this important initiative. This is another great example of the breadth and depth of the Cambridge-India partnership. As the programme develops, there are expected to be up to 10 Manmohan Singh under-graduate scholars studying at the university,” said Prof. Richard.
“This scholarship will be a need-based programme. Interested students can apply to the university or any of the 28 colleges under it. Of the selected students, scholarships will be awarded on the basis of their financial aid need, which will be assessed by the Cambridge Overseas Trust,” she pointed out.
In a message released by the university, Dr. Manmohan Singh said he was humbled by the honour and expressed confidence that the programme would not only help strengthen relations between the peoples of India and the U.K. but also serve “our shared objective of creating a better world based on equity and justice”. more
NEW DELHI: The University of Cambridge on Monday announced a new scholarship programme for Indian students in honour of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The Manmohan Singh Under-Graduate Scholarship Programme starting from 2010 will provide full funding, covering fees and means-tested maintenance for under-graduate study in any subject at any of the colleges that are part of the university.
A £1.5 million fund has been set up to support Indian students. It will be launched with gifts from Sir Evelyn and Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild through the Eranda Foundation and from the Sunil Bharti Mittal-led company Bharti Airtel. This was announced by Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Alison Richard at a press conference here.
“The university is honoured that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is such a distinguished Cambridge alumnus, has agreed to lend his name to this important initiative. This is another great example of the breadth and depth of the Cambridge-India partnership. As the programme develops, there are expected to be up to 10 Manmohan Singh under-graduate scholars studying at the university,” said Prof. Richard.
“This scholarship will be a need-based programme. Interested students can apply to the university or any of the 28 colleges under it. Of the selected students, scholarships will be awarded on the basis of their financial aid need, which will be assessed by the Cambridge Overseas Trust,” she pointed out.
In a message released by the university, Dr. Manmohan Singh said he was humbled by the honour and expressed confidence that the programme would not only help strengthen relations between the peoples of India and the U.K. but also serve “our shared objective of creating a better world based on equity and justice”. more
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Vinita Kamte- Mumbai hero's wife uncovers the story behind his death
My husband died a hero’s death: Vinita Kamte
Meena Menon
It was made out that the 3 officials went into the attack without thinking
“The police should have come out with the true facts much earlier”
“Only the brave were leading from the front”
PUNE: “We are proud of you, you are our hero,” says a small board in the Kamte living room in Pune’s Rakshak Society. A garlanded picture of Ashok Kamte, Additional Commissioner of Police, Mumbai East, who was gunned down by terrorists in the November 26 attack near Cama Hospital is next to it. His ceremonial swords and caps are in front along with a collage of pictures.
In this quiet yet poignant manner, Vinita Kamte, 43, and her two sons mourn the death of a man they believe died a hero’s death that night.
Yet Ms. Kamte, a labour lawyer by training, feels that neither her husband nor the two senior police officers who were killed along with him — Hemant Karkare and Vijay Salaskar — have got their due. “The police should have come out with the true facts much earlier, on the next day, instead of waiting for me to uncover the facts,” she told The Hindu in an interview.
In fact, after the incident, she and her sister who is a practising lawyer, spent several days meeting eye-witnesses and people involved in the Cama Hospital incident and they have come up with some shocking facts. In the police force you need all kinds of people and that day, she says, only the brave were leading from the front. “My husband always carried his AK 47, handling weapons was second nature to him. Once someone asked him why he always carried a weapon and he said in Mumbai you never know what will happen,” recalls Ms. Kamte. He would even carry a weapon to a restaurant, keep one in his bedroom, and he would keep saying he would hate to go down unarmed in the event of an attack.
On that night he was called to the Oberoi Hotel by Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor, she said. At the last minute he went to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and from there to Cama Hospital where he met up with Mr. Karkare and the others at the gate of the hospital. Ms. Kamte believes he was summoned from his residence at Chembur because somewhere the police knew he would deliver the goods. “When I heard the news of his death, the first thing I asked was did he hit back. I was told he shot Kasab and he had injured him in both the hands,” she says.
However, it was made out that the three senior policemen went into the attack quite by coincidence and without any thinking. “I felt these three men along with others had given their lives, don’t make them look like amateurs,” she points out. “My husband fired towards the Cama terrace where the terrorists were firing and that deterred them.”
“That’s why they rushed down. No one else there knew how to handle a weapon like the AK 47. They then spent nearly 40 minutes planning a strategy. It was all dark there and they tried to figure out how to enter Cama and knocked on many doors there. However, there was no help and no reinforcements were sent,” she says, after her own investigations.
Worse still, there were many calls made to the control room by people near the Cama Hospital who saw the two terrorists. Yet no one told these police officers that they were there. Once the jeep carrying Mr. Karkare and the others was in the lane near Cama, they were sitting ducks. Ms Kamte says she is a very private person and was not keen on any publicity. Yet she feels those who did their duty must be projected as such. more
Meena Menon
It was made out that the 3 officials went into the attack without thinking
“The police should have come out with the true facts much earlier”
“Only the brave were leading from the front”
PUNE: “We are proud of you, you are our hero,” says a small board in the Kamte living room in Pune’s Rakshak Society. A garlanded picture of Ashok Kamte, Additional Commissioner of Police, Mumbai East, who was gunned down by terrorists in the November 26 attack near Cama Hospital is next to it. His ceremonial swords and caps are in front along with a collage of pictures.
In this quiet yet poignant manner, Vinita Kamte, 43, and her two sons mourn the death of a man they believe died a hero’s death that night.
Yet Ms. Kamte, a labour lawyer by training, feels that neither her husband nor the two senior police officers who were killed along with him — Hemant Karkare and Vijay Salaskar — have got their due. “The police should have come out with the true facts much earlier, on the next day, instead of waiting for me to uncover the facts,” she told The Hindu in an interview.
In fact, after the incident, she and her sister who is a practising lawyer, spent several days meeting eye-witnesses and people involved in the Cama Hospital incident and they have come up with some shocking facts. In the police force you need all kinds of people and that day, she says, only the brave were leading from the front. “My husband always carried his AK 47, handling weapons was second nature to him. Once someone asked him why he always carried a weapon and he said in Mumbai you never know what will happen,” recalls Ms. Kamte. He would even carry a weapon to a restaurant, keep one in his bedroom, and he would keep saying he would hate to go down unarmed in the event of an attack.
On that night he was called to the Oberoi Hotel by Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor, she said. At the last minute he went to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and from there to Cama Hospital where he met up with Mr. Karkare and the others at the gate of the hospital. Ms. Kamte believes he was summoned from his residence at Chembur because somewhere the police knew he would deliver the goods. “When I heard the news of his death, the first thing I asked was did he hit back. I was told he shot Kasab and he had injured him in both the hands,” she says.
However, it was made out that the three senior policemen went into the attack quite by coincidence and without any thinking. “I felt these three men along with others had given their lives, don’t make them look like amateurs,” she points out. “My husband fired towards the Cama terrace where the terrorists were firing and that deterred them.”
“That’s why they rushed down. No one else there knew how to handle a weapon like the AK 47. They then spent nearly 40 minutes planning a strategy. It was all dark there and they tried to figure out how to enter Cama and knocked on many doors there. However, there was no help and no reinforcements were sent,” she says, after her own investigations.
Worse still, there were many calls made to the control room by people near the Cama Hospital who saw the two terrorists. Yet no one told these police officers that they were there. Once the jeep carrying Mr. Karkare and the others was in the lane near Cama, they were sitting ducks. Ms Kamte says she is a very private person and was not keen on any publicity. Yet she feels those who did their duty must be projected as such. more
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Congress demands Patnaik's resignation over Orissa violence
Congress demands Patnaik's resignation over Orissa violence
Bhubaneswar, Jan 6 (IANS) The Congress party Tuesday demanded that Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik resign over the communal violence in Kandhamal district as the Supreme Court had held the central and state governments responsible for the security of minorities.
A Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice Markandey Katju and Justice P. Sathasivam had Monday said that the central and state governments should 'ensure the minority's safety'.
'The apex court's observation is quite clear. Chief Minister Naveen Pantaik has no right to stay in power for even a minute,' state Congress president Jayadev Jena told IANS.
He added that the state government woke up to the matter only after thousands of Christians in Kandhamal, about 200 km from here, had fled to nearby forests following the communal riots.
'He (Patnaik) should resign immediately. If he doesn't resign, the Congress will take the issue to the public,' Jena said.
The Supreme court bench was hearing a petition by Cuttack Archbishop Raphel Cheenath, seeking Christians' safety in Kandhamal, the district that was ravaged by anti-Christian violence following the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his associates Aug 23.
While police blamed Maoists for the killings, some Hindu organisations held Christians responsible for the crime and launched attacks on the community. Christian organisations have repeatedly denied their involvement in the murder.
At least 38 people were killed and thousands of Christians were forced to flee their homes after their houses were attacked by rampaging mobs. Over 6,000 people are still living in government-run relief camps.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Politics of hatred has left India bleeding
Politics of hatred has left India bleeding (Comment)
December 30th, 2008 - 4:49 pm ICT by IANS - Send to a friend:
The year 2008 can easily be marked as an unforgettable year in the annals of Indian christianity for the simple reason that the Christian community here faced its most trying and testing time in its 2,000 years of history. It is not the case that Christianity had not faced hostility and opposition earlier in India; it did right from the very start when St Thomas, an Apostle of Jesus, came to our shores in the first century to preach the good news: he was martyred by those who opposed to his presence and teachings. However, as in several other parts of the world, Christianity in India did not face an orchestrated and protracted persecution for the most part of the last two millennia. That is partly because Christianity for the first 15 centuries or so was mostly confined to the south western shores of India, the Malabar coast to be precise. It was only after the arrival of the Portuguese missionaries in the latter part of 15th century AD that Christianity began to make its presence felt in other parts of India. more
December 30th, 2008 - 4:49 pm ICT by IANS - Send to a friend:
The year 2008 can easily be marked as an unforgettable year in the annals of Indian christianity for the simple reason that the Christian community here faced its most trying and testing time in its 2,000 years of history. It is not the case that Christianity had not faced hostility and opposition earlier in India; it did right from the very start when St Thomas, an Apostle of Jesus, came to our shores in the first century to preach the good news: he was martyred by those who opposed to his presence and teachings. However, as in several other parts of the world, Christianity in India did not face an orchestrated and protracted persecution for the most part of the last two millennia. That is partly because Christianity for the first 15 centuries or so was mostly confined to the south western shores of India, the Malabar coast to be precise. It was only after the arrival of the Portuguese missionaries in the latter part of 15th century AD that Christianity began to make its presence felt in other parts of India. more
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Delhi's graduate beggars earn Rs 500 a day
Press Trust of India
Monday, December 22, 2008, (New Delhi)
At least four of Delhi's several thousand beggars are post-graduates while six of them hold graduate degrees, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.
A survey on about 3,500 beggars, conducted by Department of Social Work, University of Delhi on the directions of Delhi government, has revealed that four beggars are degree holders, six have completed college courses and many of them earn around Rs 500 a day which is higher that what several "blue and white collar" workers make.
"Out of surveyed beggars, six were found to be graduates and 4 were post-graduates. As per report, twenty two beggars earn between Rs 200 to Rs 500 per day," Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Subbulakshmi Jagadeeshan said in a written reply.
"As per figures collected from different areas at different times, the average number of beggars in Delhi is 58,570," the Minister said. more
Monday, December 22, 2008, (New Delhi)
At least four of Delhi's several thousand beggars are post-graduates while six of them hold graduate degrees, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.
A survey on about 3,500 beggars, conducted by Department of Social Work, University of Delhi on the directions of Delhi government, has revealed that four beggars are degree holders, six have completed college courses and many of them earn around Rs 500 a day which is higher that what several "blue and white collar" workers make.
"Out of surveyed beggars, six were found to be graduates and 4 were post-graduates. As per report, twenty two beggars earn between Rs 200 to Rs 500 per day," Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Subbulakshmi Jagadeeshan said in a written reply.
"As per figures collected from different areas at different times, the average number of beggars in Delhi is 58,570," the Minister said. more
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
House that! Eight bills in 17 minutes
Anil Anand
Thursday, December 25, 2008 01:42 IST
NEW DELHI: The two houses of parliament were adjourned sine die on Tuesday after an eventful fortnight-long session that led to repeated clashes between the treasury and opposition benches on a variety of issues. Despite pandemonium, the two houses were able to discharge legislative business of significance.
Certain significant bills were passed during the session that included important legislations to set up a national investigative agency to probe terror-related cases and unlawful activities (amendment) bill to give legal backing to the agency.
A record of sorts was created on the final day of the session with the introduction of eight bills in just 17 minutes in Lok Sabha. Most of these bills were passed in the din created by the NDA and the Left grouping MPs. While the BJP-led NDA was agitating over the statement issued by minority affairs minister AR Antulay, the Left MPs were agitated on the manner in which the government tried to push through the bills.
Sensing further trouble on the Antulay issue, the government saw to it that important legislative business was completed before the House was adjourned sine die. It has also become imperative for the government to complete the legislative business, as the next session, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, will be brief with the sole agenda of passing a vote-on-account. more
Thursday, December 25, 2008 01:42 IST
NEW DELHI: The two houses of parliament were adjourned sine die on Tuesday after an eventful fortnight-long session that led to repeated clashes between the treasury and opposition benches on a variety of issues. Despite pandemonium, the two houses were able to discharge legislative business of significance.
Certain significant bills were passed during the session that included important legislations to set up a national investigative agency to probe terror-related cases and unlawful activities (amendment) bill to give legal backing to the agency.
A record of sorts was created on the final day of the session with the introduction of eight bills in just 17 minutes in Lok Sabha. Most of these bills were passed in the din created by the NDA and the Left grouping MPs. While the BJP-led NDA was agitating over the statement issued by minority affairs minister AR Antulay, the Left MPs were agitated on the manner in which the government tried to push through the bills.
Sensing further trouble on the Antulay issue, the government saw to it that important legislative business was completed before the House was adjourned sine die. It has also become imperative for the government to complete the legislative business, as the next session, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, will be brief with the sole agenda of passing a vote-on-account. more
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Lok Sabha unanimously passes anti-terror bills
The Lok Sabha passed unanimously the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Bill and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment (UAPA) Bill during the night session on Wednesday, December 17, 2008.
The bill to amend the UAPA has stringent provisions, including a detention period of 180 days, instead of the present 90 days, and denial of bail altogether to a foreigner accused of acts of terrorism in India.
The amendments also provide for freezing, seizing and attaching funds and other financial assets or economic resources held by individuals or entities engaged in or suspected to be engaged in terrorism.
The NIA is proposed to be set up to probe terrorist attacks, trade in counterfeit currency and other crimes with ramifications across the country.
.............
Upping the ante further, Sibal asked Advani to apologise to the nation for the 1999 Kandahar hijacking, when the NDA government released three terrorists, and for the 2001 parliament attack by terrorists.
"I want to remind the house about the plane that was taken from Amritsar (Punjab) to Kandahar (Afghanistan)," he said.
Militants had hijacked an Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar and taken all passengers hostage. Acceding to the militants' demand, then external affairs minister Jaswant Singh escorted three terrorists, released from Indian jails, to the Afghanistan town in exchange for passengers aoard the hijacked plane.
Sibal added: "Maulana Masood Azhar after his release formed Jaish-e-Mohammed, which attacked parliament. So parliament was attacked because you (Advani) released him," he said referring to the terrorist attack on the parliament complex Dec 13, 2001.
"You (Advani) should apologise to the house as you were the home minister," Sibal added in a reference to the attack on parliament that India blamed on Pakistan. more
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Puri Seer lashes out at PM-Sonia, supports Orissa Bandh
By Anurjay Dhal
Last updated: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:04:50 GMT
Bhubaneswar ( Orissa): Shankaracharya of Puri Gobardhan Pitha, Jagadaguru Swami Nischalananda Saraswati was on Wednesday apprehended that some International forces have been working overtime to eliminate Hindus and destroy their age-old culture to register their dominancy in the country.
Gobardhan Peetha is one of the four important mutts of Hindu faith in the country founded by Adi Sankaracharya.
Speaking at a press conference here, that the Hindu Seer, who got a threat letter from the outlawed CPI (Maoists), however indirectly attacking on Church said, "I am not perturbed by the threat call issued by an outfit. I see some others behind the nexus than the CPI (Maoists)."
The outfit in a threat letter, that sent to the Gobardhan Pitha in Puri, has alleged that the Hindu Seer has been spreading communal feelings and dividing society on religious lines.
The Seer charged that Congress led UPA Government at Centre is being patronizing anti-Hindu elements in the country. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi have been making all out effort to appease the minorities, he lambasted.
read ita all here:http://www.odishatoday.com/orissa/Puri_Seer_receives_threat_call_131208-8754120213569854.html
Last updated: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:04:50 GMT
Bhubaneswar ( Orissa): Shankaracharya of Puri Gobardhan Pitha, Jagadaguru Swami Nischalananda Saraswati was on Wednesday apprehended that some International forces have been working overtime to eliminate Hindus and destroy their age-old culture to register their dominancy in the country.
Gobardhan Peetha is one of the four important mutts of Hindu faith in the country founded by Adi Sankaracharya.
Speaking at a press conference here, that the Hindu Seer, who got a threat letter from the outlawed CPI (Maoists), however indirectly attacking on Church said, "I am not perturbed by the threat call issued by an outfit. I see some others behind the nexus than the CPI (Maoists)."
The outfit in a threat letter, that sent to the Gobardhan Pitha in Puri, has alleged that the Hindu Seer has been spreading communal feelings and dividing society on religious lines.
The Seer charged that Congress led UPA Government at Centre is being patronizing anti-Hindu elements in the country. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi have been making all out effort to appease the minorities, he lambasted.
read ita all here:http://www.odishatoday.com/orissa/Puri_Seer_receives_threat_call_131208-8754120213569854.html
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Arundhati Roy rubbishes POTA-like law
Interview by Rupashree Nanda / CNN-IBN
Published on Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 12:34 in Nation section
New Delhi: Booker Prize winning author and activist Arundhati Roy has expressed a strong disapproval for the call for POTA and says following the American model on homeland security isn't a real option.
In an exclusive interview with CNN-IBN, she says the country needs to introspect and not look at the terror attacks in isolation.
Making sense of the attacks?
It’s easy to go along the path and say that there is no reason, it’s complete insanity but I just want to say that if that’s the path we are going to take, we will have to ask ourselves if it is at all possible with any amount of intelligence, and any, any amount of security. If we want to follow the American model, their Homeland Security is twice our GDP. I don't think we have that option.
We have to think about the Pakistan-America relationship. Pakistan is stuck in a war with Afghanistan, it is a war that we are stuck in, it is a part of that war and we are getting a blow back. We have half a million troops just for Kashmir. How many do you need for the whole of India?
On the call for need for stronger laws
The call for POTA seems odd to me. You are up against men who are prepared to die, they are not worried about bailable and non-bailable warrents. What did TADA achieve? Has it been efficient? It was used against trade union leaders. POTA and TADA are being used to criminalise the democratic space. more
Published on Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 12:34 in Nation section
New Delhi: Booker Prize winning author and activist Arundhati Roy has expressed a strong disapproval for the call for POTA and says following the American model on homeland security isn't a real option.
In an exclusive interview with CNN-IBN, she says the country needs to introspect and not look at the terror attacks in isolation.
Making sense of the attacks?
It’s easy to go along the path and say that there is no reason, it’s complete insanity but I just want to say that if that’s the path we are going to take, we will have to ask ourselves if it is at all possible with any amount of intelligence, and any, any amount of security. If we want to follow the American model, their Homeland Security is twice our GDP. I don't think we have that option.
We have to think about the Pakistan-America relationship. Pakistan is stuck in a war with Afghanistan, it is a war that we are stuck in, it is a part of that war and we are getting a blow back. We have half a million troops just for Kashmir. How many do you need for the whole of India?
On the call for need for stronger laws
The call for POTA seems odd to me. You are up against men who are prepared to die, they are not worried about bailable and non-bailable warrents. What did TADA achieve? Has it been efficient? It was used against trade union leaders. POTA and TADA are being used to criminalise the democratic space. more
Parivar to go ahead with Orissa bandh on Dec 25
Debabrata Mohanty
Posted: Dec 17, 2008 at 0022 hrs IST
Bhubaneswar: Unperturbed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s reiteration that he would not allow Orissa bandh by the Sangh Parivar on December 25, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Sradhanjali Samiti on Tuesday said it would go ahead with its earlier announcement as the state Government had failed to nab the killers and conspirators behind the killing of Saraswati.
On Monday, Naveen told the Orissa Assembly that the state Government would not permit the statewide shutdown on Christmas called by the Sangh Parivar. “No shutdown will be permitted on December 25. The Government will come down heavily on those who try to create any trouble,” the Chief Minister said. The police have already arrested seven persons, including four on Sunday, in connection with the killing of Saraswati.
The Samiti came down heavily on Naveen for his “pro-Church attitude” and warned him with dire consequences as the anger of tribal Kandhs was rising. “We had set a deadline of December 15. The state Government has failed to nab the killers and conspirators. So, we have decided to go ahead with the bandh call,” Samiti president Ratnakar Chaini told reporters.
“The bandh would be observed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. From 5.30 to 5.40 in the morning, people across Orissa would ring bells to wake up the state Government, which is in deep slumber.”
Chaini alleged that the state Government had so far arrested more than 800 Hindus in connection with the communal violence while it could nab only seven persons in connection with the murder case.
Meanwhile, a BJP legislator has alleged that one of the 10 accused arrested for the alleged rape of a nun in Kandhamal was blind. read it all
Posted: Dec 17, 2008 at 0022 hrs IST
Bhubaneswar: Unperturbed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s reiteration that he would not allow Orissa bandh by the Sangh Parivar on December 25, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Sradhanjali Samiti on Tuesday said it would go ahead with its earlier announcement as the state Government had failed to nab the killers and conspirators behind the killing of Saraswati.
On Monday, Naveen told the Orissa Assembly that the state Government would not permit the statewide shutdown on Christmas called by the Sangh Parivar. “No shutdown will be permitted on December 25. The Government will come down heavily on those who try to create any trouble,” the Chief Minister said. The police have already arrested seven persons, including four on Sunday, in connection with the killing of Saraswati.
The Samiti came down heavily on Naveen for his “pro-Church attitude” and warned him with dire consequences as the anger of tribal Kandhs was rising. “We had set a deadline of December 15. The state Government has failed to nab the killers and conspirators. So, we have decided to go ahead with the bandh call,” Samiti president Ratnakar Chaini told reporters.
“The bandh would be observed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. From 5.30 to 5.40 in the morning, people across Orissa would ring bells to wake up the state Government, which is in deep slumber.”
Chaini alleged that the state Government had so far arrested more than 800 Hindus in connection with the communal violence while it could nab only seven persons in connection with the murder case.
Meanwhile, a BJP legislator has alleged that one of the 10 accused arrested for the alleged rape of a nun in Kandhamal was blind. read it all
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