Arguendo

Different Test, Same Story

2018-01-24T12:42:00.001-08:00

Tough to remember the days when Indian Cricket Team last won an overseas test series excluding West Indies for obvious reasons. A lot was promised upon this time by the young Indian side led by a fiery captain Kohli. One thing which needs to be studied closely upon is despite having all resources covered, where does this No. 1 test side lacks winning overseas tests?

When Team India landed in Capetown on 28th December last year, expectations were pouring out from every corner. For the first time in the last 5 years India was considered for winning the series that too against the mighty Proteas. Coming in with a wonderful two years of home cricket have a dead runner in almost all series played the Indian team was ready for the challenge. With all the time and preparations India had, the team crumbled in the first two tests leading to another overseas series loss. In the midst of this Captain Kohli was under the cameras when he was found bulging out on reporters when questioned on his team selections.

Leading all this and India entering the field in the third test, things started on a better note when the coin finally fell on India's side. But much to the dismay of the experts Kohli decided to bat first under conditions which seemed to be a blessing for the pacers. What the day witnessed further would have been a shock to captain Kohli after his decision to bat first. India getting all out for 187 again failing to put up a fighting total.

The question which needs the answer here is despite having everything covered, what India lacks? One might say that what India lacks is the intent. But why is another question. Coming into the third test, India making the expected changes to the side where expected to do better. The problem that might surrounding the Indian players is the kind of approach they take. Virat Kohli from the very beginning has talked about playing aggressive cricket. What one needs to know is the kind of aggression required. Players like Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara have build up reputation of being the test specialists and playing that typical conventional waiting game, which is against the approach Captain Kohli takes. Thus, forcing players like Vijay and Pujara to play against the natural flow leading to their downfall. Vijay, considered to be the better leaver of cricket balls outside off has been getting out in similar fashion driving flamboyantly outside off and edging them to slips or the keeper. Pujara too has been found in the quest of getting quick runs playing those loose shots. Kohli himself has been getting out in this series in that region where he was troubled in England outside off, all playing those heavy cover drives and backfoot punches.

MS Dhoni, the former Indian captain in his last press conference as test captain stated that India from the very start is not known to play the aggressive cricket and such changes need to be brought and the local level in order to succeed at international level. The individual approach of Captain Kohli being forced onto the players looks a serious concern. On the other hand, constant failures to make the right decisions have cost India too whether it is exclusion of Rahane or this time the decision to bat first.

With the coming overseas tours in England and Australia the Indian Management has a huge task of taking steps towards what needs to be done because while it has been witnessed that the Kohlistic approach is not working what other measures India have need to be looked upon.

India's First Blind and Sighted Tandem Cycling Expedition to Himalayas by Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation

2017-07-21T05:04:00.001-07:00

Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation is an organization rooted in the belief that sport has the power to catalyze more inclusive, accepting, healthy societies. Using adventure sport as a platform to promote inclusion between Persons with Disability (PwDs) and the able-bodied community, ABBF believes that change starts at the individual level and nurturing friendships that go beyond markers of disability is the key to shattering stigma and stereotype. To this end, ABBF works in five verticals currently – tandem cycling, scuba diving, mountaineering and trekking, paragliding, and marathons – and since inception in 2014, has been able to reach out to 3500 PwDs and over 1.5 lakh people from the mainstream community. This is only the beginning.

In August 2016, our founder Divyanshu Ganatra set out with a sighted captain to pedal from Manali to Khardung La in the Himalayas, a length of 550 kilometers that the team completed in just eight days. He became the first blind tandem cyclist to accomplish the feat. Divyanshu, who lost his eyesight to glaucoma when he was nineteen years old, previously became the first blind solo paraglider in 2014. His thirst for adventure and love for adrenaline sowed the seeds of ABBF, and the community is only growing by the day. When Divyanshu and his captain successfully completed the expedition on September 4th, 2016, ABBF decided this would only be the beginning of our annual tandem cycling expedition, In Sync. Tandem cycling had so much more to offer.

Built to support a minimum of two riders, a tandem cycle is a perfect solution for accessible adventure. On the heels of last year’s success, this year’s edition of In Sync, #M2K2017 has drawn the participation of blind, sighted, as well as amputee cyclists from across India and beyond. Cyclists are as diverse as one can imagine, with professions ranging from corporate giants to language teachers, from the armed forces to motivational speaking. The age bracket ranges from around fifteen to about seventy years old. The experience on board spans seasoned cyclists to those getting on the pedal for the first time ever. With such diversity in lived experiences comes the opportunity for conversation, camaraderie, and personal growth. At ABBF, we have seen time and again that we climb the mountains as strangers and come down as friends. We are confident In Sync will be no different.

The key to the vision of ABBF is involving as many people as possible, inviting them to join us on this journey. For In Sync to be truly path-breaking, paving the road as India’s first inclusive tandem cycling expedition, we need your support and media coverage.

Check out how you can be a part of it here or contact Ms.Yashasvini Rajeshwar
(yashasvini@adventuresbeyondbarriers.com)

Real People, Real Stories- Interview with Mr. Harshad Fad, Organizer, Human Library Hyderabad

2017-07-19T02:25:00.000-07:00

Arguendo has a tete-a-tete with Mr. Harshad Fad, Organizer of Human Library Hyderabad (HLH)

Sourya (S): What inspired you to start the Human Library movement in Hyderabad? Please tell us something about the history and origins of the Human Library movement.

Harshad Dinkar Fad (H): I have always believed in and experienced the power of meaningful conversation. The positive change it can bring to an individual. When I came across this meme on Facebook talking about Human Libraries the first thing I did was frantically search for one in India as I was intrigued by the concept and its potential. This was in 2016 when we had no Human Library in India which was quite surprising to me as I thought if there's one country that needs Human Libraries most it is our plural democracy where lifestyle changes every 50 KM's you travel. So I visited the Human Library Organisation's website and applied to be an organizer. During this time, probably in November Mrs. Amrita Goel conducted the first Human Library event in India at IIM Indore. It was wonderful to see the concept finally being introduced in India and the positive reception it had there. Finally, it was in March this year that we had our first Human Library event conducted in Hyderabad with 10 wonderful human books and around 70 readers gracing the occasion.

You can read about the history of Human Library Organisation's origins and how Ronnie Abergel, the inventor of Human Library concept took the concept across the globe here: humanlibrary.org

(S): Did you expect the kind of response you have received?

(H): I expected it to be received well by everyone but certainly did not expect it to become a national phenomenon.
It all started with a really nice article by TheBetterIndia on Human Library Hyderabad's first event and the movement worldwide that went viral. I guess that gave us a very good reach and identity all over the world and not only India as there were calls from UK, Mexico, Columbia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and many other countries. What it did in effect was that many people were willing to start a Human Library in their cities and today we see the number only growing every month.

(S): Which book/author would you say has had the most impact on your life?

(H): Jim Corbett. His writings made me fall in love with nature, people, and life. Unconventional choice but it's in his writings that I found solace.

(S): Can you tell us how does a Human Library work?

(H): Human Library works like any other standard library, the only difference is that the books are replaced by humans, reading is actually a conversation and you have to return the 'books' in half n' hour. (borrowing time differs event to event)

A reader can walk in, check out the human libraries book catalog that has the titles and synopsis of the books and borrows one of those human books for a conversation session.

(S): Is there any one story in Human Library Hyderabad which you consider special for you?

(H): There are many. One of our books was a domestic violence survivor and she told me how not very long ago she wanted to end her life but today after talking to so many strangers and feeling the care and warmth from them, she was glad to have lived for that day. Her smiling face has stuck in my memory forever now.

(S): How do you think has the Human Library movement benefitted people or society so far?

(H): People after being a reader at the Human Library have been able to understand the differences in our society. When we don't understand something we fear it, we have insecurity about it on our mind, Human Libraries have helped reduce that insecurity and people have become more compassionate and as a society at large more integrated.

The Human Books at the Human Library Hyderabad
Second Edition

(S): Do you feel the HLH can help breakdown stereotypes?

(H): Yes, it is already doing that. The framework works. We have had people coming and telling us how deep the impact has been on them and they found themselves living with many misconceptions about a certain issue their entire lives until the time they actually met and spoke to someone representing that topic at the Human Library.

(S): Can anyone become a Human Book?

(H): People who have experienced prejudice due to issues such as race, sex, age, disability, sexual preference, gender identity, class, religion/belief, lifestyle choices, career choices or other aspects of who they are or represent can be a Book.

(S): How do you make sure that the “Human Books” are in a safe environment at Library?

(H): So far we have experienced that the readers who came to our library came with an open mind to listen and understand what the books wanted to say. We have been lucky to have a very disciplined and receptive crowd that way. However, on our side, we make sure the readers are informed that this framework is based on mutual respect. The books are informed to categorically deny questions that might be uncomfortable to answer. The librarians also try and talk to the books after every session to see if they are all right and need anything.

(S): Do you have plans to see that the Human Libraries spread all over India?

(H): Yes, of course, there are Human Libraries in Hyderabad, Indore, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Chennai, Surat and now Banglore as well. In the next five years, I guess we will have a Human Library in every major city and town in India.

(S): What is the story in the “Human Book” titled "Life of Harshad Dinkar Fad"?

(H): It's a story of a perseverant and a tidsoptimist. A story of the best student and a dropout. A story of sincerity and rebel. The story of a genius and an idiot. :)

I Can Flyy - An Initiative which helps Special Needs Individuals in Kolkata

2017-07-17T01:49:00.000-07:00

"Some of the most wonderful people are the ones that don’t fit into boxes."

~Tori Amos

The writer Gabriel Garcia Marques, had once woven a beautiful story called ‘I sell my Dreams’ about the prophetic Frau Freida who made a living by selling what happens to be the most innate part of one’s soul, she sold her dreams. And god, what a life she lived! Much sought after, as people flocked to know what unfolded in her last siesta. Some made a living out of dreaming, and for the rest of commoners like us, we find an antidote to the malaises within our dreams. When the reality appears too harsh to be accepted, we dream of a better future, a hopeful tomorrow. But then, what happens to the ones who haven’t learned to see a tomorrow for themselves?

They say that to rob someone of money is wrong, but to rob an individual of their dreams is probably a graver sin. In a hedonistic society, like ours, we commit such sins every day. Segregating and branding people ‘unworthy’ of an opportunity. Sometimes on class, sometimes on color, and sometimes on the way one is abled. I Can Flyy is an initiative, whose Founder refused to walk by the ways of this world challenging society’s cruel ways of branding people. We are born with our destinies, and as humans, we all deserve an equal chance to shape it.

We know that time, empathy and compassion is what we lack today. We do not stop by for the ones who might lag a step behind. Because well, we are all in a fight. Darwin led the way and we fight along to be the fittest.

Amazing goodies created by the I Can Flyy members.

However, there are places on this very planet which form a warm cradle of a comforting space and within the walls of one such warm cocoon, lies an initiative called I Can Flyy – a center for vocational training for Special Needs individuals. It aims to empower the young minds, arming them with an arsenal of know how in crafts, baking, data entry, launderette operations etc. The knowledge is not only intended to benefit them monetarily but instills in them a sense of vision in this competitive world. They are taught to create things fit for a demand in the market, the market of commoners. To say that it instills in them a sense of self-worth, may not be the best way to put it. So, we settle for saying that at I Can Flyy, we tell them of their right to dream, we remind them once again, that, while everyone may not be abled the same way, we’re all able nonetheless. And that’s the only factor that matters. Food and goodies made by Special Need Young Adults are sold and they are rightfully handed over what their creation fetched, ensuring a steady occupation on the lines of what their real calling was.

The facility's latest addition is slated to open doors in August 2017. Watch this space for more on this brand new member of the I Can Flyy Family!

The Initiative houses itself on 4B Valmikee Street, Kolkata 700026.

Find them on Facebook!

About the Author:

Esha Meher is a post graduate student of the London School of Economics and Political Science. She nurtures a keen interest in feminism and human fights and can be found painting or reading when not engaged in matters of the day.

The Tale of Bengal - By Esha Meher

2017-07-11T20:51:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, she was the glory of the crown. The majestic jewel, the lovingly spoilt one. As the days went by, tales of her valor and glory traveled far and wide, wayfarers from the distant lands sang her praises, a curious yet brave bunch amongst them reared a dream, and armed with ambitions, they crossed the 7 oceans and 13 rivers to catch a glimpse of the undeterred beauty. And then, it happened.

The land of Bengal which took great pride in her riches and fortunes gave in to a momentary lapse. A lapse of judgment induced by an exalted sense of superiority with immense faith in destiny, which apparently claimed that she was destined to rule Hindustan forever, and ages after forever. The Great Battle of Plassey proved them wrong, as Mir Jafar turned against his brother in faith, to give away Nawab Sirajuddaulah of Bengal, while Dewan Mohanlal fought swearing by the Khatriyapurana, doing his dharma of protecting his Ruler before the British army.

Bengal is the land of Goddess Durga, it is the land of many pirs and imams who pray five times a day facing the Mecca. This is their holy place, as faith resides deep in their hearts hand in hand with love and devotion to our golden land. It is often said, in the Gita and Quran alike, that God only inflicts so much suffering as what one can bear. And this land has borne, more than others. It has cried tears of humiliation at Plassey, the sons of Durga and the followers of Mohammed alike, suffered centuries of imposed servitude as the British ruled the country headquartered in this state, The Brahmins and the Maulavis standing by each other, starved by the great famines – watching mothers in their black burqas and their red and white sarees beat their chests in sorrow, in unison. When history and nature couldn’t break her spirit, policy tried its hand. The bloodsoaked partition of the state, on the nonexistent lines of religion. And behold! That worked. It created the country of Bangladesh. But it failed to divide the hearts of the dwellers of this land, who were Bengalis by birth, by the soul.

We Bengalis, are different from the rest of the country. We are ruled by our emotions and united by our love for art and culture. We Bengalis, are the most righteous of them all. We ask them questions. We stood firmly behind Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, and Surendranath Roy when they questioned Sati and a ban on widow remarriage when the Vedas were made to play the devil. We lent our ears to Kazi Nazrul Islam, when he revolted against the social ills, christening him the “bidrohi kobi” (the revolutionary poet). We were there when Binay, Badal, Dinesh challenged the British Crown for trying to divide us. We were there when Master Da Surya Sen inspired a generation of teenagers to challenge the powers and break down the Chittagong armory. The Crown divided our land, but they failed to fragment the pieces of our souls.

We are all who listened to the great poet, Tagore. He was taught by his motherland to believe in a soul which stood without traces of fear, he called upon his brothers and sisters to march alone, if no one came along. And we heard. And we believed. And we lived by it.

From housing the glorious erstwhile capital of British India to being called a city which lives in an era behind the country, we saw it all. Today in the year 2017, when the nation faces grave crises in the name of religious divisions, once again Bengal stands at the crossroads of witnessing history. The modern cynic says we won't escape. The cow politics and the skull cap fanaticism will finally tear us apart. And yet the old and wise, smile. We’ve withstood the Conspiracies of the most dreaded colonizers of the world, the sons and daughters of Bengal have refused to cower under the terror of the known devils and the unknown ones. Distortions of democracy can never shake our roots.

Yes, the old and the wise smile. They smile with the memories of yesteryears on their eyelids, the sound of the counch of an evening puja reverberates on the tall white walls of the old building, slowly diffusing into the call of azaan of the neighborhood mosque. Cause Bengal is not just a State. It is a feeling.

About the Author:

From The Heart Of Kosovo: Interview with Jamie Donoughue, Oscar nominated Director.

2017-07-11T02:14:00.007-07:00

Jamie Donoughue

Jamie Donoughue is an Oscar-nominated British film director, producer and writer. He is best known for directing short-film Shok that earned him critical appraisal and multiple international awards including Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film nomination at the 88th Academy Awards. In 2016, he directed two episodes of the critically acclaimed BBC / Netflix drama The Last Kingdom. Here is an interview with Jamie, focusing on his moving short film, Shok.

[This interview was originally published by the Red Elephant Foundation and can be read here]

Could you start by telling us a little about yourself? Your growing years, education and professional trajectory, perhaps?

Ever since I was young my true passion was actually Judo and for many years this is what I wanted to do professionally. The first bit of filming I ever did was to film a local Judo contest and I guess this is where I got the bug. After finishing school I worked for a production company in my year out and then went to University to study TV & Film. During this time I worked at a local TV station, camera operating and directing. After leaving Uni I set up a production company making music videos. We were fortunate to grow quickly and had a lot of success working with some incredible artists around the world. However, my true passion was always in drama. So after a (very early) midlife crisis, I decided to move in that direction, starting with my first short film ‘Shok’. Shok has since provided me many incredible opportunities. I have just finished directing on season 2 of the BBC/Netflix Drama ‘The Last Kingdom’ and am currently in development of my own TV show with NBC Universal.

What inspired Shok?

Back in 2010 I randomly visited Kosovo to shoot a commercial as a favor for a friend. It was planned as a three-day trip. Then the Icelandic Volcano erupted and I found myself stranded there for five weeks. I say ‘stranded’ but the truth was it was the most incredible time of my life; I didn’t want to go home. I met some amazing friends and was overwhelmed by the generosity and hospitality of the Kosovar people. Over time they began to tell me their stories and I could not believe what had happened less than ten years ago on my doorstep. It’s only when a person looks you in the eye and tells you their story that you fully understand the true meaning of the word ‘war’. What inspired me most, however, was that there was no anger, rather just a desperation for their stories to be heard. I wanted to give something back to them and tell as many people as possible about what I had learnt.

A Still from the Film "Shok"

What kind of preparation went into dealing with something so nuanced and painful?

I knew very early on that I wanted to tell a true story based around people not events and most importantly relate to an audience by exploring the lives of the children during this time. One of the biggest challenges however was choosing what story to tell. Literally ever person in Kosovo had been affected by the war and each of their stories are as painful and inspiring as the next. One key story I landed on was of my good friend Eshref Durmishi. He survived the war and became an actor and actually ended up playing the part of his aggressor in film. My main concern however was to create a film that was true to the people of Kosovo, but yet appeal to an international audience. I did not ever want to be seen as a foreigner coming over and ‘using’ the country for its stories. The only way to overcome this was to truly understand the culture and the people. I therefore spent the next four years learning and researching everything possible about the country. I stayed with many families, meeting and interviewing hundreds of people. I ate, drank and lived Kosovo, even learning the language (granted very badly). Only after all this did I feel the time was right and I could represent them in the most honest and respectful way.

A Still from the Film "Shok"

What was your experience filming like? Do you have any particular anecdotes to share?

It was an extremely difficult and logistically problematic to get us to the production stage. No one in the UK wanted to fund us and producing a coproduction between the two countries was not easy. I have to thank my amazing producers Harvey Ascott and Howard Dawson for making it possible. However, once we actually got to the stage of filming it was an incredible experience. I had a mixture of UK and Kosovo crew and everyone involved had either been directly affected by the war or had spent time in Kosovo to truly understand what we were trying to achieve. The film had many difficult scenes but the truth is we kept the shoot light hearted and most importantly for me was that we all had fun. We were attempting something that had not really been done before and most people were working for very little money. It was a passion project for everyone. However, one particular scene will stay with me for the rest of my life. When filming the raid on the house I first ran a rehearsal with just the actors in order to work out the camera movement I wanted. The entire crew plus the hundred or so onlookers were outside waiting. We rehearsed the raid of the house and removal of the family. I was in the midst of it and it was so real I was physically shaking. I walked outside to find everyone else in tears, traumatized from hearing the sounds alone. It was at that point I questioned everything I was doing and whether I was wrong to be playing with people’s emotions in this way. Then the neighbor from upstairs came over. She too was in tears. She said to me that the exact raid had happened here in that property. She then told me as and hard as it was to believe she wanted to thank us all for taking on this story and enabling others to know the truth of what had happened.

What have your biggest challenges been? How have you dealt with them?

Trying to make it in the Film & TV industry is incredibly hard. People always tell you this but you have no idea. Probably my biggest challenge was after leaving my company. I had spent years building it up and now had to start again from scratch. I risked everything on making Shok and put every last penny I had into the project. I had to take a job with a friend laboring on building sites. In fact I found out I have been long-listed for an Oscar whilst constructing a garden shed. All this was great training though. It allowed me to stay humble and realise patience, persistence and hard work is key. Also that once in a while it’s good to take a risk.

As a filmmaker, you are a storyteller who takes fact out into the world through an observer's lens. When you deal with difficult subjects, how do you retain your objectivity?

Normally with Film or TV there is an understanding of using ‘creative licence’ i.e. manipulating facts and reality in order to benefit and enhance the story. However with Shok this was not something I ever wanted to do. These were people’s lives, and indeed deaths. The film dealt with war and atrocities and by its nature could appear extremely one sided. I was therefore very conscious of keeping my objectivity. I spent time in all other areas of the Balkans including Serbia, speaking to locals and hearing their experiences. I learnt that the truth is war is complicated and dirty and there is rarely a simple answer to who is right and wrong. However this film was never about the ‘events’; it was about the people and the true victims of war, whoever they are and wherever they are from.

You've been the voice of those that are otherwise not heard, considering how information on the situation in Kosovo is relegated only to a statistic. How does that feel?

When I set out to make this film I gave myself an objective; if just one person watches this film and decides to find out more about Kosovo then it will have been worthwhile. We have been incredibly fortunate that due to the success of this film Kosovo has been put on the world map. As well as its nomination for an Oscar®, over a million people have see the film along with vast international press exposure. We have done Q&A’s across the world, presentations in schools, been discussed at the United Nations, met the Royal Family and even our two child actors were invited by the Pope to perform at the Vatican for the consecration of Mother Teressa. This is not only proof of the power of film but also the power of people. How do I feel? Honoured, humbled and extremely grateful. It’s incredible to think that although Shok highlights the negativities in this world, its success has highlighted the positives.

What goes into making your creative process what it is? What inspires you?

I spend a lot of time researching a subject and finding out as much as possible. It’s about the little details that you put into a film. Grated many of the audience may not pick up on these but overall it creates a richer and more impacting viewing experience. I have a clear idea of what I want but at the same time I realise most of the creativity is done ‘in the moment’. I like to empower the actors and crew and all work together to create something unique. For me inspiration can come from anywhere but I guess I am mostly drawn to true stories. This is especially the case if the subjects of these stories are still alive and I am able to talk with them. I think we have become desensitized to war and violence. Words such as refugees, displacement, famine, etc have become just that… words. I like to try bring meaning back to this by putting a face and personal story to these events. If an audience can relate to it then they can see in fact we are all actually not too dissimilar.

---

More on the film

www.shokshortfilm.com

www.facebook.com/shokshortfilm

Twitter - @shokshortfilm

Jammu & Kashmir State Human Rights Commission awards Compensation to man tied to the jeep.

2017-07-10T04:53:00.001-07:00

Jammu & Kashmir: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Chairman Justice Bilal Nazki on Monday, 10th July 2017, directed the Jammu and Kashmir Government to provide Rs.10 lakh as compensation to the civilian allegedly used as a human shield by the army earlier this year.

Mr. Farooq Ahmad Dar, the civilian in question, Mr. Dar was allegedly tied to the bonnet of an army jeep and paraded through several villages on April 09 in Budgam during the by-polls of the parliamentary seat of Srinagar.

The State Human Rights Commission, however rightly refused to issue any directions against the army as it observed that it does not have any jurisdiction or authority over the army.

IMP: This picture has been received via WhatsApp and its authenticity has NOT been confirmed as of yet.

The Indian Army had carried out its own internal investigation and had declared that Major Gogoi, who lead the Rajputana Rifles unit which allegedly tied up Mr. Dar to a jeep, took the best course of action in front of a huge mob of stone pelters and handled the situation without a single loss of life, and decided to award Major Leetul Gogoi with a COAS Commendation Card.

Carnival Music Festival in Hyderabad - 15th July, 2017 - Performances by Skrat, The Ragamuffins and Last Known Surroundings.

2017-07-08T05:10:00.000-07:00

Carnival typically involves a public celebration and/or parade combining some elements of a circus, masks, and a public street party. People wear masks and costumes during many such celebrations, allowing them to lose their everyday individuality and experience a heightened sense of social unity.

Neon Black Productions and Infinite Cartwheels Hyderabad are organizing Hyderabad's first ever Carnival Music Festival, called the Infinite Cartwheels, on the 15th of July, 2017.

The Line Up For the Music Performances include;

Skrat:

Having headlined stages like NH7 and CAD, Skrat is a 3 member powerhouse hailing from Chennai whose members individually play for already established acts like Jhanu, the movie score band who have scored for Rajnikanth's movies, Sapta, the drum-electronic duo, etc.
This would be Skrat's second time in Hyderabad after NH7 Hyderabad!
Listen to them here

The Ragamuffins:

Currently, the biggest band hailing from Hyderabad, the Ragamuffins will make their debut at the gig after a 4-month hiatus. They have played shows like the Red Bull Tour bus, NH7 Weekender, etc.
Listen to them here

Last Known Surroundings:
Currently based in Australia, LKS is a one man project turned into a band. They are post-rock oriented and have been the primary and sole post-rock band in Hyderabad for years.

Listen to them here

The Event shall also include multiple pre-show games including Air Guitar Competitions would goodies ranging from a free beer to an entire bottle of free Whiskey on the line! There shall also be a "BackYard Sale" where patrons can put up anything from an old guitar to an old hoodie for sale!

The Event will take place at FUBar Live Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad and is powered by Bnjara and would be covered by Arguendo!

For more details and Tickets check HERE

For an opportunity to win free entry passes email shredder.india@gmail.com

Mr. Jairam Ramesh launches book on Indira Gandhi in Hyderabad

2017-07-07T20:44:00.005-07:00

Hyderabad - The elite of the city, on the 7th of July, 2017, witnessed former Environment Minister, Mr. Jairam Ramesh discussed the launch of his book on Indira Gandhi, which showcased the former Prime Minister's lesser known traits as a conservationist.

Mr. Ramesh stated that the World had known two Indira Gandhi's. One as the "Durga", as named by Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who helped Bangladesh Independence, and brought about the Green Revolution and the other as the Indira of Emergency, who seized power and also let Sanjay Gandhi start a Maruti plant which never produced cars.

Because of the presence of the two contradictory pictures of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Mr. Ramesh stated that he had attempted to write this book after going through numerous letters Mrs. Gandhi had written during her lifetime, to determine what kind of person she actually was.

Mr. Rameshj went on to speak about how Mrs. Gandhi was essentially a reluctant politician, one who loved nature and its inhabitants and how the Green Revolution was an example of how she had converted a personal passion into public policy. Mr. Ramesh further shed some light on Mrs. Gandhi's stay in Santiniketan and her admiration for the noted Bengali poet Sri Rabindranath Tagore, which led her to convert some of his poems to English.

Noted author & columnist Mr. Sriram Karri discussed the latest book of Mr. Jairam Ramesh, 'Indira Gandhi: A Life in Nature', after its launch in Hyderabad at Park Hyatt. The event was organized by TSR Foundation Hyderabad and saw many noted celebrities like Md. Azharuddin (Ex Indian Cricket Team Captain), Mr. T Subbaramireddy among others.

Drug Wave in Hyderabad? Children as young as 13 years found buying LSD

2017-07-07T03:02:00.000-07:00

Hyderabad, India: The Telangana Excise and Prohibition department has, in a raid last week, seized substantial quantity of drugs including MDMA or methylenedioxymethamphetamine, commonly known as 'ecstasy' worth Rs 30 lakhs which has a market value of over Rs 1 crore from the drug peddlers.

The investigation has revealed shocking details and Excise department believe that the gang was mainly supplying drugs, including LSD and MDMA, to the students, as young as 13 year old, of several high profile corporate and international schools in the twin cities where the children of celebrities, politicians and police officers study.

LSD is sold in tablets or in liquid form, and is said to be one of the most potent narcotic drugs while MDMA, commonly known as 'Molly' or 'Ecstasy', is extensively used in parties and were apparently sources by the dealers from the US. The drugs were brought over the Deep Web and paid for in bitcoins. The dealers would revive orders via whatsapp and deliver the products in crowded places such as malls.

LSD is sold in small patches or dots which are to be kept under the tongue. The drug is supposed to dissolve in 30 minutes.

Representative image of a LSD Blot

The excise sleuths got information about after analysing phone details of the arrested, which revealed that hundreds of school and college students were purchasing drugs from them. The officials had seized 700 dots of LSD worth `20 lakh and 35gm of MDMA worth `1.4 lakh from the trio.

While the Excise Department has formed a two member special investigation team (SIT) it has also sent instructions to 20 Schools and 16 collage requesting them to sensitize its teacher and students about the issue of 'substance abuse'.

It has also asked to watch out 'erratic/deviant' behaviours of students and also monitor the use of cash and cards by students in school premises and nearby shops.

Police Reforms – Priority ignored [Republished from Epilogue Press]

2017-07-07T00:18:00.001-07:00

In a recent case Dr.T.P.Senkumar (IPS)VS Union of India & Ors Hon’ble Supreme on 24th April 2017 observed:

…“Before detailing the controversy before us it is necessary to refer to the decision of this Court in Prakash Singh v. Union of India and Ors. In that case, this Court dealt with the issue of police reforms in the context of the far-reaching changes that had taken place in the country after the enactment of the Indian Police Act, 1861. It was noted that no comprehensive review had been undertaken in this regard at the national level and therefore, the Government of India appointed a National Police Commission on 15th November 1977 which recommended significant police reforms. It was also noted that subsequently, there were other half a dozen reports on the same or similar subject but no substantive reforms were brought about.”

In the course of its judgment, this Court referred to a research paper titled the Police “Political and Administrative Manipulation of the Police” published in 1979 by the Bureau of Police Research and Development. The research paper contained a caution to the effect that excessive control by the political executive and its principal advisers over the police had the inherent danger of making the police a tool for subverting the process of law, promoting the growth of authoritarianism and shaking the very foundations of democracy.

We may add that one of the findings in the research paper is “The present predicament of Police is that they have been exposed to a two-pronged pressure vertically from the Administration and laterally from the politicians.” With these two pressures, the independent functioning of the police can and sometimes does get compromised at the hands of very important persons and those claiming proximity to very important persons.”

The crux of the police reform is to secure professional independence for the police to function truly and efficiently as an impartial agent of the law of the land and, at the same time, to enable the Government to oversee the police performance to ensure its conformity to the law. A supervisory mechanism without scope for illegal, irregular or mala fide interference with police functions has to be devised. The commitment, devotion, and accountability of the police has to be only to the Rule of Law. The supervision and control has to be such that it ensures that the police serves the people without any regard, whatsoever, to the status and position of any person while investigating a crime or taking preventive measures. Its approach has to be service oriented, its role has to be defined so that in appropriate cases, where on account of acts of omission and commission of police, the Rule of Law becomes a casualty, the guilty Police Officers are brought to book and appropriate action taken without any delay.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE:

In 1774 Warren Hastings introduced, for the first time under the company’s rule, several measures of police reform. These were the first of the reforms culminating in Act V of 1861, which gave the police of Bengal a modern shape and structure the need for a common pattern of police organization and properly trained and disciplined body of men exclusively devoted to the prevention and detection of crime police system on a provisional basis were employed Inspector General as the head of the provincial police administration provinces were divided into districts who were controlled by the Superintendents of Police who heads of the police administration under the control of Magistrates. Further improvements, recommendations of the Police Commission of 1902-03 enhanced their scope. Indian Police Service took time to acquire the designation 1890s and later known as the Imperial branch of the colonial police service – officers of the Imperial service wore shoulder badges of their Provinces: e.g., “P.P.” for Punjab, “B.P” for Bengal.

In the year 1907 the Secretary of State in London directed officers to wear the “I.P.” epaulettes to distinguish from the Deputy Superintendents of Police new rank, which could be stated as the starting point for Indian Police Service after a span of another 10 years they officially came to be known as the Indian Police Service. Referred for the first time based on designation in the year 1917 Islington Commission Report. Further enhanced their powers. 1932 ‘Service’ dropped from designation as demanded by the Indian Police Association and simpler designation “Indian Police” – again officially adopted – till independence. After independence Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel the first Union Home Minister stated that no democratic government effectiveness would be ensured without a proper, well-organized, well-educated, well-disciplined, well-paid and independent civil service to carry out its will and to advice it on how to give its policies concrete and practical shape – saw the importance of organizing the civil services on all-India basis. On October 10, 1949 Constituent Assembly wherein Sardar Patel emphasized the importance of having a ring of services to help the country remain intact under a Federal Constitution – “… the Union will go, you will not have a united India, if you have not a good All India Service, which has the independence to speak out its mind…” And after that the Indian Police Service had born as an All India Service, which can be stated as the successor service to the I.P.

Post Independence the Constitution of India became the fountain-head of power and the sovereign power was distributed amongst the three organs of the govt, it becomes imperative to understand the governing principle i.e.,the doctrine of separation, In Ram Jawaya v state of Punjab case Hon’ble Supreme court observed that ‘‘The limits within which the executive Government can function under the Indian Constitution can be ascertained without much difficulty by reference to the form of the executive which our Constitution has set up. Our Constitution, though federal in its structure, is modelled on the British Parliamentary system where the executive is deemed to have the primary responsibility for the formulation of governmental policy and its transmission into law though the condition precedent to the exercise of this responsibility is its retaining the confidence of the legislative branch of the State. The executive function comprises both the determination of the policy as well as carrying it into execution. This evidently includes the initiation of legislation, the maintenance of order, the promotion of social and economic welfare, the direction of foreign policy, in fact the carrying on or supervision of the general administration of the State.

In India, as in England, the executive has to act subject to the control of the legislature; but in what way is this control exercised by the legislature ? Under article 53(1) of our Constitution, the executive power of the Union is vested in the President but under article 75there is to be a Council of Minister with the Prime Minister at the head to aid advise the President in the exercise of his functions. The president has thus been made a formal or constitutional head of the executive and the real executive powers are vested in the Ministers or the Cabinet. The same provisions obtain in regard to the Government of States; the Governor or the Rajpramukh, as the case may be, occupies the position of the head of the executive in the State but it is virtually the council of Ministers in each State that carries on the executive Government. In the Indian Constitution, therefore, we have the same system of parliamentary executive as in England and the council of Ministers consisting, as it does, of the members of the legislature is, like the British Cabinet, “a hyphen which joins, a buckle which fastens the legislative part of the State to the executive part.” The Cabinet enjoying, as it does, a majority in the legislature concentrates in itself the virtual control of both legislative and executive functions; and as the Ministers constituting the Cabinet are presumably agreed on fundamentals and act on the principle of collective responsibility, the most important questions of policy are all formulated by them.’

Thus, Executive undoubtedly is the most powerful and influential organ of the Government.

Res extra commercium (“a thing outside commerce” is a doctrine originating in Roman law, holding that certain thing may not be the object of private rights, and are therefore insusceptible to being traded. ) is a doctrine introduced by Chief Justice Das of the Supreme Court of India in the 1957 case, State of Bombay v. R.M.D. Chamarbaugwala, which has the effect of constricting the scope of fundamental rights by rendering as constitutional outcasts certain purportedly “immoral” or “noxious” activities. It does this by blocking these activities from falling within the purview of the protection of fundamental rights. it was the doctrine of “police powers” (the specific conception of the doctrine advanced by Justice Harlan of the U.S. Supreme Court in Mugler v. Kansas), which lies behind Chief Justice Das’s invocation of res extra commercium. Curiously, however, the police power doctrine, now masquerading, as the doctrine of res extra commercium has come to be well ensconced in the constitutional law of India virtually unchallenged for over four decades now though it is incongruous with the scheme of the Indian Constitution.

Police power does not specifically refer to the right of state and local government to create police forces, although the police power does include that right. Police power is also used as the basis for enacting a variety of substantive laws in such areas zoning, land use, fire and building code, gambling, discrimination, parking, crime, licensing of professionals, liquor, motor vehicles, bicycles, nuisances, schooling, and sanitation.

Thus granting the Police ultimate authority and powers to lurge into every aspect of the life of the citizenry.

Obvious powers and tremendous avenues for ill-gotten money made law and order jobs hotly sought after posts. Politicians and people in power are the bestowers of these jobs on favourite few. The result is the desperate concours of police officials of all ranks to agrace politicians and people in power to corner right spots. And the situation leads to law and order functions losing the edge of fairness and objectivity in efforts to keep right people in right side. This is how law and order police become law for themselves or for their political masters against the raison d’etre of a law and order machinery. The situation breeds corruption and encourages partisan policing. Law and order duties being closely interlinked with the everyday life of the people, police on the duties come in contact with them everyday and present the image of the entire police force. The image, corruption, inefficiency, meekness before the mighty, insensitivity, arrogance and impunity to the hoi polloi, these are the cornerstones of the epinosic image, the law and order police spawned for the benefit of the Indian police.

People were forced to pursue illegal and unwholesome means in their dealings with the State and the police for survival. Laws as means of the state power became loathsome objects for the common man.

But as goes the famous quote of Willink The Police have by long tradition a duty to befriend anyone who needs help, and they may at any time be called upon to cope with major or minor emergencies.

According to a study by the Bureau of Police Research & Development, Government of India, 90% of the Police Staff currently work for more than 8 hours a day. 68% of Officers report that their staff works for more than 11 hours a day and 28% report that the staff works for more than 14 hours a day. Nearly half of them report that they are called 8-10 times a month during their off period. To move to a shift system, 68% addition to the current sanctioned strength is needed. India’s current Police to Population ratio is 145 personnel per one lakh population, much below the UN prescribed ratio of 222 personnel per one lakh population.

The study also suggested that invariably most of the functionaries, especially constable, head constable, SubInspectors and SHOs at the police stations, opined that they are asked to put in consistently 16 to 18 hours of duty on a continuous basis. They also reiterated that fatigue caused by long hours of duty is reflected in their general behaviour towards public, thus affecting their public relations. The majority of the functionaries at the police stations have pointed out that they are being denied the weekly off as well. This may, perhaps, be due to a shortage of manpower with reference to situations they have to deal with every day there is no provision of a reliever, which is a normal practice in any shift operation. Poor physical facilities in all most all the police stations are one of the major areas of concern, which is also resulting in a variety of perpetual behavioral consequences of police personnel.Even in those police stations, which are housed in pucca buildings, as some have to manage in tents as well, the facilities such as toilets and drinking water are of sub-standard. In many places, many of the functionaries at the lower level do not have any office facilities. Even the furniture is inadequate and the stationery items were not provided to the police stations.

While some of the police stations have got housing facilities, these are not available to most of the police personnel. Inadequate housing facilities coupled with low compensation and insufficient House Rent Allowance forces them to hire houses at far away places, which create a serious commutation problem. During the Workshop, especially with the Constables and Head Constables, it was pointed out that the Department also takes advantage of such a situation by continuously putting them on long hours of duty. This affects their normal family life to a great extent and results in behavioural consequences. 6.4 Inadequate Growth Opportunities Majority of the police personnel joining at the Constable level either retire as Constable or Head Constable. Very few reach the level of Sub-inspector or Inspector, this has got serious repercussions on motivation level of police personnel and works as a hindrance factor in the discharge of their normal duties.

It is a fact that most of the police personnel are expected to perform a variety of duties pertaining to maintenance of law and order in different situations. Of late, deployment of police personnel on VIP security and bandobast duties especially in Cities result in too frequent changes in the nature of duties which not only brings the constraint on them but also affect their normal discharge of duties at the police stations.

TRAINING- RELATED CONCERNS

Mismatch between Training and Job Responsibility During our interactions, time and again as well as our perception the present training approach is more militaristic in nature having less compatibility with the job responsibilities of the police personnel, particularly in the context of civic society. Also, it was pointed out that the present training especially in certain areas is far short and is unable to keep pace with the type and nature of modern crime taking place in the society. The existing curricula have not been able to effectively address these prime issues. For example, the use of the latest weapons in crime, computer related crime, financial crime and other white collared crimes are not adequately covered in the existing induction training.

The National Police Commission (NPC) was appointed by the Government of India in 1977 with wide terms of reference covering the police organisation, its role, functions, accountability, relations with the public, political interference in its work, misuse of powers, evaluation of its performance etc. This was the first Commission appointed at the national level after Independence. The Commission produced eight reports between 1979 and 1981, suggesting wide-ranging reforms in the existing police set-up.

In 1995, Prakash Singh, former DGP of Uttar Pradesh filed a PIL regarding police reforms in India.
This led to the government constituting a new committee under the chairmanship of Julio Ribeiro, and the Julio Ribeiro Committee was formed in 1998.
This was followed by further committees like Padmanabhaiah, Malimath committee, Soli Sorabjee Committee.
In 2006, since there were no movements in the direction of reforms, the Supreme Court made the police reforms a mandatory reform to be taken up by the central and state governments.

The Court put on record the deep-rooted problems of politicization, lack of accountability mechanisms and systemic weaknesses that have resulted in poor all round performance and fomented present public dissatisfaction with policing. The directives can be broadly divided into two categories: those seeking to achieve functional responsibility for the police and those seeking to enhance police accountability. The order states;

“…the following directions to the Central Government, State Governments and Union Territories for compliance till framing of the appropriate legislations : State Security Commission (1) The State Governments are directed to constitute a State Security Commission in every State to ensure that the State Government does not exercise unwarranted influence or pressure on the State police and for laying down the broad policy guidelines so that the State police always acts according to the laws of the land and the Constitution of the country. This watchdog body shall be headed by the Chief Minister or Home Minister as Chairman and have the DGP of the State as its ex-officio Secretary. The other members of the Commission shall be chosen in such a manner that it is able to function independently of Government control. For this purpose, the State may choose any of the models recommended by the National Human Rights Commission, the Ribeiro Committee or the Sorabjee Committee, which are as under:

NHRC Ribeiro Committee Sorabjee Committee

Chief Minister/HM as Chairman.
Minister i/c Police as Chairman
Minister i/c Police (ex- officio Chairperson.
Lok Ayukta or, in his absence, a retired Judge of High Court to be nominated by Chief Justice or a Member of State Human Rights Commission.
Leader of Opposition.
Leader of Opposition.
A sitting or retired Judge nominated by Chief Justice of High Court.
Judge, sitting or retired, nominated by Chief Justice of High Court.
Chief Secretary
Chief Secretary
Chief Secretary
DGP (ex-officio Secretary)
Leader of Opposition in Lower House.
Three non-political citizens of proven merit and integrity.
Five independent Members.
DGP as ex-officio Secretary.
DG Police as Secretary.

The recommendations of this Commission shall be binding on the State Government.

The functions of the State Security Commission would include laying down the broad policies and giving directions for the performance of the preventive tasks and service oriented functions of the police, evaluation of the performance of the State police and preparing a report thereon for being placed before the State legislature. Selection and Minimum Tenure of DGP:

(2) The Director General of Police of the State shall be selected by the State Government from amongst the three senior-most officers of the Department who have been empanelled for promotion to that rank by the Union Public Service Commission on the basis of their length of service, very good record and range of experience for heading the police force. And, once he has been selected for the job, he should have a minimum tenure of at least two years irrespective of his date of superannuation. The DGP may, however, be relieved of his responsibilities by the State Government acting in consultation with the State Security Commission consequent upon any action taken against him under the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules or following his conviction in a court of law in a criminal offence or in a case of corruption, or if he is otherwise incapacitated from discharging his duties.

Minimum Tenure of I.G. of Police & other officers: (3) Police Officers on operational duties in the field, like the Inspector General of Police in-charge Zone, Deputy Inspector General of Police in-charge Range, Superintendent of Police in-charge District and Station House Officer in-charge of a Police Station shall also have a prescribed minimum tenure of two years unless it is found necessary to remove them prematurely following disciplinary proceedings against them or their conviction in a criminal offence or in a case of corruption or if the incumbent is otherwise incapacitated from discharging his responsibilities. This would be subject to promotion and retirement of the officer.

Separation of Investigation:

(4) The investigating police shall be separated from the law and order police to ensure speedier investigation, better expertise and improved rapport with the people. It must, however, be ensured that there is full coordination between the two wings. The separation, to start with, may be effected in towns/urban areas which have a population of ten lakhs or more, and gradually extended to smaller towns/urban areas also. Police Establishment Board:

(5) There shall be a Police Establishment Board in each State which shall decide all transfers, postings, promotions and other service related matters of officers of and below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police. The Establishment Board shall be a departmental body comprising the Director General of Police and four other senior officers of the Department. The State Government may interfere with decision of the Board in exceptional cases only after recording its reasons for doing so. The Board shall also be authorized to make appropriate recommendations to the State Government regarding the posting and transfers of officers of and above the rank of Superintendent of Police, and the Government is expected to give due weight to these recommendations and shall normally accept it. It shall also function as a forum of appeal for disposing of representations from officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police and above regarding their promotion/transfer/disciplinary proceedings or their being subjected to illegal or irregular orders and generally reviewing the functioning of the police in the State.

Police Complaints Authority:

(6) There shall be a Police Complaints Authority at the district level to look into complaints against police officers of and up to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police. Similarly, there should be another Police Complaints Authority at the State level to look into complaints against officers of the rank of Superintendent of Police and above. The district level Authority may be headed by a retired District Judge while the State level Authority may be headed by a retired Judge of the High Court/Supreme Court. The head of the State level Complaints Authority shall be chosen by the State Government out of a panel of names proposed by the Chief Justice; the head of the district level Complaints Authority may also be chosen out of a panel of names proposed by the Chief Justice or a Judge of the High Court nominated by him. These Authorities may be assisted by three to five members depending upon the volume of complaints in different States/districts, and they shall be selected by the State Government from a panel prepared by the State Human Rights Commission/Lok Ayukta/State Public Service Commission. The panel may include members from amongst retired civil servants, police officers or officers from any other department, or from the civil society. They would work whole time for the Authority and would have to be suitably remunerated for the services rendered by them. The Authority may also need the services of regular staff to conduct field inquiries. For this purpose, they may utilize the services of retired investigators from the CID, Intelligence, Vigilance or any other organization. The State level Complaints Authority would take cognizance of only allegations of serious misconduct by the police personnel, which would include incidents involving death, grievous hurt or rape in police custody. The district level Complaints Authority would, apart from above cases, may also inquire into allegations of extortion, land/house grabbing or any incident involving serious abuse of authority. The recommendations of the Complaints Authority, both at the district and State levels, for any action, departmental or criminal, against a delinquent police officer shall be binding on the concerned authority. National Security Commission:

(7) The Central Government shall also set up a National Security Commission at the Union level to prepare a panel for being placed before the appropriate Appointing Authority, for selection and placement of Chiefs of the Central Police Organisations (CPO), who should also be given a minimum tenure of two years. The Commission would also review from time to time measures to upgrade the effectiveness of these forces, improve the service conditions of its personnel, ensure that there is proper coordination between them and that the forces are generally utilized for the purposes they were raised and make recommendations in that behalf. The National Security Commission could be headed by the Union Home Minister and comprise heads of the CPOs and a couple of security experts as members with the Union Home Secretary as its Secretary.”

As per Seventh Schedule, ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the Constitution, and as such the primary responsibility of prevention, detection, registration, investigation, and prosecution of crimes, including the reforms lies with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. But Supreme Court in its directives have already addressed that issue, which can form the baseline or the necessary skeletal but as David H. Bayley points out in “Democratizing the Police Abroad: What to Do and How to Do it” there are four general principles that ought to be used to establish a democratic police force. These four principals are (quote):

Police must give top operational priority to servicing the needs of individual citizens and private groups
Police must be accountable to the law rather than to the government
Police must protect human rights, especially those that are required for the sort of unfettered political activity that is the hallmark of democracy
Police should be transparent in their activities. This has been a problem that institutional design alone cannot deal with effectively. The Police system reflects the criminal justice system in any country and so it is essential that this agency of the State can deliver to the best of its potential so that it can fulfill the purpose of its formation. In conclusion, we contend that it is a right time for the policy makers to take any strong step for Police reforms in India.

For understanding the urgency of bringing forth the necessary reforms in Police and Policing it is imperative to understand the purposes of Policing and the relationship between Policing and Government.As Cohen and Feldberg put it: "Police work is a form of Public Science…in a modern society, providing police service is a fundamental duty of Government…the moral basis of Police work can be found in the moral basis of Government itself.”

If we analyse there are four broader dimensions of the relationship which are an essential part of any consideration of the formal mission of Policing.

POLICING AND THE SOCIAL CONTRACT:

Many authors have seen the morality of policing springing from the lockean concept of the social contract. Locke contrasted the state of nature with that of state of civil society. In the former ,whilst man was free from the constraints of Government, he was also at the mercy of others and beset by such inconveniences as would prompt any rational being to choose the latter. In the civil society ,a legislature, a judiciary and an executive supplement the law of nature. The individual consents to these three as long as they protect life, liberty and property. The executive in particular must only restrict the individual’s liberty as far as is absolutely necessary to secure those rights for all. The three key, inter related concepts that remain highly relevant are those of contract, consent and balance, particularly the balance between state power and freedom. Good policing, in this dimension ,is carefully controlled and respectful of rights.

POLICING AND THE OPEN SOCIETY:

Locke’s ideas have been crucial in liberal ideas and government. So are the ideas of Karl Poppers in underlining social democratic thinking. Popper advocated an “open society” which is pluralistic and within which incompatible views are expressed and conflicting aims pursued, in which everyone is free to propose solutions to problems and governments are open to criticism and to change in the light of criticism. From popper one can draw three significant principles: beneficial intervention; problem solving, with an implied reliance on evidence based methods; and tolerance. Good policing involves using evidence to intervene and solve problems, but doing so in a way that is tolerant and unintrusive.

POLICING AND SOCIAL CONTROL:

As Reiner puts it ,which provides a limited view of policing, as ‘an aspect of social control processes involving surveillance and sanctions intended to ensure the security of the social order’. Role of Policing is, therefore, an essentially conservative one. This view emphasizes the fact that the policing is not the exclusive province of the police, but a much broader concept embracing individual, collective, private and state policing. Good Policing is therefore, minimal policing-minimally intrusive and carefully controlled in its use of force. Policing has clear moral overtones embedded in the idea of good policing meaning balanced and diverse policing.

POLICING, DEMOCRACY AND THE CITIZEN:

The dimension which is critical for defining policing is the relationship between police and citizen. This relationship is the cornerstone of democracy. In the totalitarian states of former Soviet eastern bloc, the prime purpose of the police was to protect the government from the population. In modern democracy the police are both the symbolic of the state’s authority and responsible for protecting individual and collective freedoms and the principles of equity; appropriate service delivery; responsiveness; distributed power; openness of information; redress; participation are the guiding forces.

These four dimensions are rather like the faces of a prism. Each provides a view and the importance of the relationship of policing and the state to ensure that the rights and freedoms of citizens guaranteed by the constitution are upheld.

Would like to conclude with the words of Prakash Singh IPS (Retd.), Person who is fighting for the cause, The state and central police forces are bearing the brunt of insurgents’ onslaught. It is essential therefore that the police have the resources, the capability and the motivation to deal with these challenges. Unfortunately, however, the state police are in shambles. They are saddled with a colonial structure and are completely under the thumb of the executive. The political directions have to be carried out, right or wrong, lawful or unlawful. Transfers have become an industry. Discipline has taken a nose-dive. Morale has touched the nadir. The institution has degenerated into an instrument at the disposal of the political masters to further their agenda. As David Bayley said, “The rule of law in modern India, the frame upon which justice hangs, has been undermined by the rule of politics”.

Article originally published HERE

20 years on, revisiting the Uphaar Tragedy – How the System failed its people

2017-06-30T03:03:00.001-07:00

(Prakash Singh/ Hindustan Times File photo)

The Uphaar cinema tragedy that took place on June 13, 1997, claiming the lives of 59 people and injuring over 100 was one of the worst fire incidents in Indian history. The incident that took place in the midst of the matinee show screening of ‘Border’ has also gone down the annals of legal history in the country as being the cause behind the filing of the landmark civil compensation case by the families of the victims through their organization, AVUT (Association of Victims of Uphaar Fire Tragedy).

In this exclusive interview, Sourya speaks to the President of AVUT, Mrs. Neelam Krishnamoorthy, whose 17-year-old daughter Unnati and 13-year-old son, Ujjwal, were also among the victims of the incident.

Sourya (S): Please paint a word picture for us of the fateful day of 13th June 1997 and how tragedy broke out.

Ms. Neelam Krishnamoorthy (NK): It was the month of June 1997, vacation time for the children. On Friday the 13th June, Unnati and Ujjwal planned to go watch a movie. They were very excited about watching the much-awaited and controversial new movie “Border”. The tragic day started off normally. Unnati asked me to book tickets for the matinee show of Border on the day it hit theaters. The four of us had lunch together. Naturally, none of us knew or imagined that it would be the last meal we would have together as a family. After lunch Unnati planted a loving kiss on my cheek; I forgot to wipe off the mark her lipstick left on my skin. I had no clue that this would the last time Unnati would ever kiss me. Soon we also left for work. After work, we went to look up my brother –in - law who was admitted to the hospital. I gave a call at around 7.30 pm, to check if the kids had reached home, but there was no response.We rushed home, to check if the kids had returned, but they had, not. The house was in darkness and I quickly went to my puja room and lit a lamp and prayed to god asking for the well-being of our children. I tried calling up Uphaar Cinema but could not get through to their number. I also tried AIIMS but the number did not get through. Just then one of Unnati’s friend called us and inquired about her. When I told him about our predicament, he informed us about the fire in the Uphaar cinema. We rushed to Uphaar cinema and on the way informed all our friends about the fire. Throughout the way we were praying for the well-being of Unnati & Ujjwal. We could not enter the Uphaar cinema as the entire area was cordoned off and we were asked to check at AIIMS or Safdarjung hospital. On reaching AIIMS neither we could locate our children nor were their names in the list of injured. We were taken to the OPD where we saw the bodies of Unnati & Ujjwal lying on a stretcher. Our lives came to a dreadful standstill. This nightmarish turn of events destroyed us completely and changed our lives forever.

The fire had originated from the Delhi Vidyut Board transformer at 4.55 pm, which was located in the parking area of the cinema complex on the ground floor. The “B” phase cable detached from the bus bar and fell on the fin of the transformer as result the oil from the fins leaked and caught fire. The fire came in contact with a car parked illegally right in front of the transformer room. The fire spread to the other cars parked in the area. The smoke entered the hall due to chimney effect through the staircase and air-conditioning ducts. Soon the cinema hall turned into a gas chamber.

The 750 patrons sitting on the first floor of the auditorium escaped immediately thanks to the properly spaced exits. The staff in the basement and the tenants on the ground floor, those closest to the fire, along with those in the third and fourth floor, all escaped.

As smoke and carbon monoxide engulfed the balcony, the patrons began to suffocate and there was complete pandemonium. Despite the fact that a fire had broken out, the projector operator was not instructed to stop the film; neither were the patrons informed of the accident nor were they given instructions on how to leave the auditorium and the balcony. When the electricity failed completely it became even more difficult for those in the balcony to make their way out. 302 patrons in the balcony were trapped due to non-availability of gangway and exit.

The gangway was blocked to accommodate additional 52 seats in violation of the statutes to make extra profit. The exit gate on the right side was blocked by erecting an eight seater private viewing box for the comfort of Ansal’s family. The basic fire safety provisions such as exit light, foot lights, emergency lights and public address system were non-functional. The cinema management abandoned the patrons and ran out of the cinema hall. 59 people were asphyxiated to death due to carbon monoxide poisoning and, over 103 were grievously injured.

(S): When did you decide to, gather all other victims and their relatives and form the Association of Victims of Uphaar Fire Tragedy (AVUT)

(NK): After performing the thirteenth day rituals for our children, Shekhar and I went through each and every paper that came out on 14 June, and then every single day after that, to try and figure out what exactly happened. As per the newspaper reports the deaths occurred only in the balcony due to violations and deviations of the statutes. Additional seats in the balcony were accommodated by the management by blocking the gangway and exits. We decided to take legal recourse. We were advised by a good friend to seek a legal opinion from senior advocate K.T.S. Tulsi. Mr Tulsi had strong views on those who seemed responsible for the tragedy. He told us that since the Ansals were part of the powerful builder lobby, we should fight this legal battle collectively. He suggested that we contact other affected families and form an association.

We did not know any of them personally. We took the initiative and contacted members of the victims’ families. Some were downright dismissive of our efforts, but a few of them listened to us very patiently. Ultimately, nine families responded positively to us and we proposed a meeting. The Association was formed on 30th June 1997 . AVUT was born out of terrible rage and endless grief.

(S): There were charges against the family of the accused, of trying to cover up the matter during the initial investigation. How reliable had you found the initial investigation conducted by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police? Was the Association of Victims of Uphaar Fire Tragedy' (AVUT) relieved when the investigation was handed over to the CBI instead?

(NK): The initial investigation into the Uphaar Cinema fire was handled by the Hauz Khas Police Station. The First Information Report (FIR) was lodged on the basis of a complaint made by the security guard of the hall. The Delhi Police lodged the FIR under section 304 (II), i.e. culpable homicide not amounting to murder with a punishment of up to ten years in prison. Considering the gravity of the incident, the investigation was then transferred to the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police. Initially, the investigation conducted by the Crime Branch seemed to be reliable. After almost over a month Sushil Ansal and his son Pranav Ansal were arrested from Mumbai on 22nd July 1997, but however, Gopal Ansal was absconding. We were assured by the Crime Branch that they would file the charge Sheet by August 1997. The Association was satisfied with the progress of the investigation that was being conducted by the Crime Branch, Delhi Police. But, to our utter shock and disbelief, the Government of India took a suo moto decision to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on 23 July. AVUT never made any representation to the Government to transfer the investigation to the CBI.

It was our belief that this was done with the motive of delaying the filing of the charge sheet and, in the process, making it possible for the accused to seek and obtain bail. Our apprehensions were proved right when CBI filed the charge sheet on 15th November 1997, charging Sushil & Gopal under a lesser offense i.e 304 (A) death caused due to rash and negligent Act, contrary to what Delhi Police had charged them.

(S): The Prosecution, the Judiciary or the CBI – who among these would you blame for the unreasonable delay caused in this case despite, in your instance, the Delhi High Court rapping the lower court for the slow proceedings in the case.

(NK): I would blame the defense counsels who sought frequent adjournments and moved frivolous application which delayed the proceedings considerably. The courts too accommodated the defense counsels by giving frequent adjournments sought by the defense counsels. Since I was present in the court for each and every hearing, I ensured that the Prosecuting agency does not delay the proceedings by seeking adjournments.

AVUT had to approach the High Court thrice during the trial to expedite the proceedings. But for the intervention of the higher court the case would have been still in the session court.

(S): What was your reaction when you heard that the initially Delhi High Court had granted compensation of 18 crores? At that moment did you have hope that the Justice would ultimately be served and the accused sent to jail for a long time?

(NK): After going through the judgment pronounced by the Delhi High Court on 24 April 2003 wherein the court held that the fire had originated at the DVB transformer due to negligence in its maintenance. The fire would not have been so tragic had the cars not been parked right outside the transformer room and the exits not blocked to create a private box for the owners. The court also observed that had exits been located on both sides of the balcony, precious lives might have been saved as the patrons could have made their way outside the theater quickly. The licensee (the owners) had committed statutory violations in order to obtain illegal profits. The licensing departments of the Delhi Police, Delhi Vidyut Board and Municipal Corporation of Delhi were all found guilty of contributory negligence due to their apathy and indifference to the critical matter of public safety. After such detailed and comprehensive judgment, we were hopeful that in the criminal case Ansals would be convicted and would be incarcerated for a long time.

(S): What was your reaction when on 19th August 2015 the Supreme Court let off the Ansals directing them to pay Rs 60 crore for a trauma center and the subsequent order in the review filed by AVUT & CBI?

(NK): The Ansals were convicted on the 5th March 2014, the bench of the Hon’ble Supreme Court differed on the quantum of sentence after concurring on their guilt under Section 304A of Indian Penal Code for negligent acts.The bench referred determination of sentence to a three-judge bench.

The matter was listed after seventeen months that too after AVUT & CBI had moved applications for early hearing. The matter was finally listed on 19th August 2015.

The SC verdict of 19th August 2015 left me distraught and disappointed. The Judgement was pronounced without giving the Petitioner or the Special Public Prosecutor any chance of meaningful and effective hearing. We were appalled when the judges pronounced the operative portion of the verdict, sentencing the Ansals to the period undergone and directed them to pay Rs 60 Crore to the Delhi Government for a Trauma Centre in lieu of a sentence.

Aggrieved by the judgment a review petition was filed by both CBI &AVUT since it suffered from serious errors which were apparent on the face of the record. The review petition was heard in an open court on 14th December 2016 and the judgment was pronounced on 9th February 2017. The court sentenced Gopal Ansal to one-year imprisonment; however, Sushil Ansal was allowed to walk free. His sentence of imprisonment was reduced to the period undergone.The court also held that there is no provision under the IPC for substitution of the sentence by fine. Hence Sushil & Gopal Ansal were sentenced to a fine of Rs 30 Crore each for a Trauma Centre.

With this judgment, the message was loud and clear that the law of the land is not the same for the rich and powerful. I realized that I had made a mistake of going to the courts to seek justice for my children. I should have rather shot those responsible for the death of my children. By now I would have finished serving the sentence as well. Such a judgment will only embolden the owners of public spaces to violate safety rules and compromise on safety, with no thought of endangering human lives.

(S): What according to you, would be been Justice?

(NK): Looking at the gravity of the offense the Ansals should have been convicted u/s 304 (II) IPC (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder). But since they were convicted u/s 304 (A) (Rash and Negligent Act) the Supreme Court should have given maximum sentence of 2 years to send a strong message to the society.

(S): Despite the system failing you, do you have hope that the evidence tampering case pending against the accused might bring about some redemption?

(NK): The conviction in the evidence tampering case will bring some redemption unless the same magnanimity is shown to Ansals as in the main Uphaar Case taking their age into consideration. After all, they are growing older and not younger anymore.

(S): Throughout the last 20 years you have faced some of the worst’s sides of litigation and judiciary in the capital. You have also faced a lot of trauma, harassment, and hardships from the Counsels of the accused. In the opinion of a citizen and a victim, do you belief that lawyers have any moral right to consider themselves to be a part of a “noble profession”.

(NK): The behavior and the attitude of the defence lawyers representing the Ansals has been a cause of great pain and agony for us. While we hold no malice towards them for representing the Ansals, and we also understand their professional commitment towards their clients, we cannot forgive them for the personal attacks they made against us repeatedly.

Lawyers are expected to be the guardians of rule and law. They are the officers of the court and hence, cannot play its spoilers. It does not behoove members of the bar to glorify themselves over hapless victims and litigants who are constrained to visit the court on the dates of hearing, hoping for justice.

The entire legal fraternity cannot be painted with the same brush though. We have also come across some deeply committed lawyers who have shown immense conviction in the case and have stood by our side in this epic battle for justice.

(S): You, along with your husband, wrote a book “Trial By Fire” detailing your experiences during the trial. Did somewhere, the process of writing the book, lessen the pain and the burden?

(NK): The process of writing “ Trial By Fire” was challenging. We had to come out of our comfort zone to narrate the personal tragedy we had undergone. It neither lessened the pain nor the burden.

(S): Beyond this case has AVUT gone beyond into policy making sphere to make sure such a horrible incident never happens again. Could you please tell us about that.

(NK): We at AVUT could not comprehend how man-made disasters could be treated merely as a rash and negligent act. Hence we made a representation to the government to bring about a new law to deal with man-made disasters. AVUT presented the petition for a proposed legislation to prevent man-made tragedies in public places to the then President, Pratibha Patil, the chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance, Sonia Gandhi, and the then law minister, Veerappa Moily. In 2009, the law ministry forwarded our petition to the Law Commission, directing it to come out with a law to deal with such disasters on a priority basis. We had several meetings with the chairman of the Law Commission and gave him many inputs, illustrating how such cases were dealt with in other countries. In 2012, the Law Commission published a consultation paper dealing with man-made disasters, which we are sure is collecting dust in an obscure corner of the ministry.Maybe the Government will bring in a law when a VVIP’s kith & kin are victims of such a man-made disaster.

(S): Does AVUT have plans to file a curative petition against the discharge of one of the accused? And what action is AVUT planning to take to counter the mercy petition filed before the President for the other accused?

(NK): Yes, AVUT would be filing the curative petition at the appropriate time. As regards mercy petition filed by Gopal Ansal, the same was forwarded by the MHA to Lt. Governor and the Delhi Government for their opinion. AVUT gave representation to both Lt Governor and the Chief Minister not to consider the mercy plea filed by Gopal Ansal since using discretionary powers to provide mercy for the rich and powerful is sure to send a wrong signal to other wrongdoers who will doubtless be emboldened by any mercy shown. Hence, we requested to reject the blatantly undeserving mercy plea filed by a convicted mass murderer.

The Lieutenant Governor and the Delhi Government have given their recommendation to reject the mercy petition.

[From Arguendo: We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Advocate Kinnori Ghosh for coordinating this interview and making the same possible.]

Supreme Court Division Bench Refuses to Grant Stay On Government Notifications Mandating Aadhaar For Social Schemes

2017-06-28T07:25:00.003-07:00

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to stay the government notifications that make it mandatory to furnish Aadhaar cards from July 1 to avail social security benefits, including availing scholarships, right to food and mid-day meals.

[Read more about Aadhaar being made compulsory for TB-related welfare schemes HERE]

A vacation Bench of Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and Navin Sinha declined to pass any interim order till the Center filed its response through Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who also contended that the cut-off date for those who do not possess the Aadhaar card has been extended till September 30, by virtue of Office Memorandum dated 22nd June 2017 and hence no interim measures need be passed till the Center had filed its reply.

The Court stated that "In view of this submission and the observations found in the judgment in the case of Binoy Viswam vs. Union of India and Others [Writ Petition (C) No.247 of 2017] decided on 9th June 2017, no further observation is required."

In the case of Binoy Viswam vs the Union of India, the Hon'ble Court had held that does without Aadhaar could not be forced to get Aadhaar till the Aadhaar Act withstood the test of Constitutionality under Article 21 in the case of Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) And Anr. vs Union of India and Others [WP (c) 494 of 2012.]

The matter has been listed again for the 7th of July, 2017.

Read the Supreme Court Order dated 27/06/2017 HERE

International Patent Drafting Competition (IPDC) - 2017 - Organized by IIPRD and Khurana and Khurana Advocates and IP Attorney

2017-06-27T04:19:00.001-07:00

IIPRD, along with Khurana & Khurana, Advocates and IP Attorneys (K&K) and its foreign associate, noted the United States based Law firm, Sughrue Mion, is organizing their Third International Patent Drafting Competition (IPDC) as an earnest initiative with a sincere objective of spreading awareness of patent drafting as a skill across technology domains, and for helping practitioners, colleagues, and stakeholders understand various intricacies of patent drafting as a skill and learn from each other as to nitty-gritties involved therein.

IPDC is a new Initiative by IIPRD and its prestigious Indian and Foreign Associates to bring about greater awareness and respect for Intellectual Property (IP) Issues, particularly Patents, which have, over time, become more relevant to the Indian Ecosystem than ever.

Why IPDC?

With rising Patent Litigation in India, quality of patents and the scope provided thereby is a crucial aspect that is evaluated/scrutinised by the Courts/Appellate Boards. Furthermore, gone are the times when Indian Companies, Universities, and Individuals were only looking forward to creating Defensive Patent Portfolios in India, whereas they are now looking towards the aggressive portfolio with sustainable commercial value. More and more PCT and Convention Applications are being filed each month/year by Indian Applicants with around 30 Indian Priority Taking PCT Applications being published each week. Most of these patents are filed with an objective of either Licensing, or Enforcement, or In-House Commercialization, and hence the quality of patent drafting including claim drafting, the scope of protection accorded, a variety of embodiments presented, support in the specification, limitations provided, among other aspects are crucial to Patent Applications.

This initiative of IPDC comes with an earnest effort by IIPRD and its associates and leading sister Law Firm Khurana & Khurana, IP Attorneys (K&K) to promote development of Patent Drafting as a Skill Set and encourage more and more technical people to take up Patent Drafting as a Professional Competency, along with identifying and encouraging Top Patent Drafters.

How do you take part in IPDC?

Step 1: On 1st August 2017, IIPRD and K&K, on their websites (www.iiprd.com and www.khuranaandkhurana.com), would put forth Three Invention Disclosures (describing three Inventions), one each in the domain of Electronics/ Hi-Tech, Mechanical, and Chemistry/Pharmaceuticals. The Competition would be active till 20th August 2017, within which timeframe, participants would need to write Complete Patent Applications/Specifications (along with Drawings, if any) .

Step 2: Drafted Patent Application can be sent to Competition@iiprd.com or can be sent in Hard Copy to IIPRD’s, Greater Noida Office. In either way, drafted patent applications should be received by IIPRD on or before 20th August 2017.

Step 3: In order to enable serious participants to submit their specification, a small Participation Fees of INR 1000 (USD 50) is to be submitted by each participant, which can either be paid by means of Bank Transfer or though a DD or a Cheque in favor of “IIPRD”. The Draft should reach IIPRD’s Office by 20th August 2017.

Winners Declaration & Prize Amount:

On 1st September 2017, two winners for each technology domain would be announced on the websites of IIPRD and K&K.

On around 28th September 2017 (exact date to be confirmed later), during the 3-Days International Pharmaceutical Patent Conference being organized by IIPRD at Hotel Hilton (Andheri East) Mumbai, prize distribution of the winners would take place from 1700 hrs to 1800 hrs, wherein the first winner for technology domain would be given a price of Rupees One Lakh Only (INR 100000) or USD 2000, and the second winner for each technology domain would be given a prize of Rupees Fifty Thousand Only (INR 50000) or USD 1000.

Eligibility Criteria:

Any Practitioner having a Technical/Science Background is eligible to Participate in the Competition. For instance, the Participant could be a student, a practicing Attorney, an in-house counsel, a scientist, a faculty, or any other stakeholder having a technical qualification.

Important Dates:

Invention Disclosures on IIPRD/K&K Websites

(www.iiprd.com, www.khuranaandkhurana.com): 1st August 2017

Submission of patent drafts along with participation fees

(by Bank Transfer/DD/Cheque): 20th August 2017

Announcement of Winners: 1st September 2017

Prize/Certificate Distribution: 28th September 2017(to be confirmed soon

Contact Details:
For any query/question, please feel free to write to competition@iiprd.com, and/or call 0120-4296878/2342010 and speak with Mr. R. Srinivas.

Download Competition Brochure Here

Aadhaar Now Compulsory To Claim Benefits For TB Cure Under RNTCP Scheme

2017-06-20T06:24:00.002-07:00

Despite the fact that the question of the Constitutional validity of the Aadhaar Act, 2016 itself, is pending before a Constitutional Bench of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in the matter of Justice K.S.Puttaswamy(Retd) & Anr vs the Union Of India and Ors, and the latest the Order of the Supreme Court in Binoy Vishwam vs Union of India declaring that people without Aadhaar cannot be made to get Aadhaar and link it with PAN till the validity of Aadhaar itself is decided, the Central Government has brazenly gone ahead declared Aadhaar mandatory not only for for Financial Transactions over Rs. 50,000/- , but now also mandatory for prevailing benefits under the RNTCP Scheme.

Revised National TB Control Program (RNTCP) (sometimes known as RNTCP 1) was started in 1997. The RNTCP was then expanded across India until the entire nation was covered by the RNTCP in March 2006. At that time the RNTCP also became known as RNTCP II. RNTCP II was designed to consolidate the gains achieved in RNTCP I, and to initiate services to address TB/HIV, MDR-TB and to extend RNTCP to the private sector. RNTCP uses the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) strategy and reaches over a billion people in 632 districts/reporting units.

As per the National Strategic Plan 2012–17, the program has a vision of achieving a "TB-free India", and aims to achieve Universal Access to TB control services.The program provides, various free of cost, quality tuberculosis diagnosis, and treatment services across the country through the government health system.

The Gazette notification makes Aadhaar compulsory for benefits including compulsory cash assistance, free medical aid etc. It is important to note here that the well endowed can practically afford TB medicines, but those who are genuinely poor and suffering cannot afford the medicines and absolutely need the benefit of the scheme. As such the scheme cannot be made conditional to registration under an Act (Aadhaar) whose very locus is under challenge.

Apart from this, on the basis of flawed understanding of the Lokniti Foundation judgment, the Government has already started forcing people to link their Aadhaar with their mobile numbers.

First, they try to get people to link Aadhaar to PAN via a Money Bill and are stopped by the Supreme Court and now they go full steam ahead despite the matter being sub judice. The only explanation to this can be that the Government intends to put us in a scenario where Aadhaar has already been made 100% enforced, thus making any possible negative judgment against Aadhaar in the case of KS Puttaswamy redundant.

List of resources to read with respect to problems with Aadhaar here, here, and here

Narmada Bachao Andolan - The tale of non-existing Compensation, Rehabilitation, and lives of 40,000 Families

2017-06-19T21:14:00.003-07:00

Via a Press Release dated 17th June 2017, the Narmada Control Authority (NCA) has cleared the final raising of Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD) in Gujarat by lowering of gates and impounding of water in the reservoir upto its Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of EL 138.68 mts. The NCA which under the Chairmanship of Dr. Amarjit Singh, Secretary (WR, RD & GR) considered all aspects of environmental and Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) issues.

Fifty-six years after the foundation stone for the Sardar Sarovar dam on the River Narmada was laid the Gujarat government got permission from the Centre to shut its gates. While 30 gates of the dam have been closed, it will open the gates of misery for more than 100,000 people, whose houses and land are likely to get submerged.

Besides the statement issued by noted activist Medha Patkar (viewed above) Narmada Bachao Andolan also issued a statement on 17th June. 2017 stating that;

“The level of falsehood involved in the decision taken by NCA on the closure of Sardar Sarovar gates is unprecedented.” Even the media has been spreading such lies about resettlement of Narmada affected families, even the the government cannot claim this: “A total of 46,840 PAFs have been resettled in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.”

On the 19th June 2017, supporters of Narmada Bachao Andolan laid siege to the entrance of Ministry of Water Resources protesting against the undemocratic and unjust decision of Narmada Control Authority to close the gates of Sardar Sarovar Dam, in its June 16th meeting. The decision paved the way for imminent submergence of 192 villages and one township of Madhya Pradesh this monsoon season when the full reservoir level will be achieved.

In past two months, despite many assurances from NCA, NVDA and govt. officials, including citing the Supreme Court order of February 2017, the decision had been taken without verifying actual ground conditions in Madhya Pradesh. The Andolan supporters strongly pointed out that the claims of the almost complete disbursement of the compensation, as per SC judgment, is not at all true since a number of applications are still pending infront of the Grievance Redressal Authority in Madhya Pradesh.

In these matters, the claims of the project affected families for disbursement of the appropriate amount for the land lost hasn’t been settled yet. It also needs to be noted that those who have received cash compensation, are yet to receive their due R&R entitlements for the loss of their houses and other common facilities, simply because 88 R&R sites in Madhya Pradesh are not complete. In such a situation, it is impossible for nearly, 40,000 families to move to these sites, which lack even most of the basic facilities, including drinking water.

Graphic: Raj Kumar Singh

The Supreme Court order while bringing down curtains on the legal battle had brought relief to the 2,039 displaced families. However, those facing displacement to allow the dam to function at its full capacity say they have nowhere to go.

Down To Earth, an on the ground organization which has spoken to many locals shared a grim picture of those trapped on the ground with no place to go.

“In 2003, I was given Rs 40,000 and a plot on the floodplains of the Khooj rivulet ( a tributary of the Narmada) in compensation,” one Iqbal Reyaz from Dharampuri, who works as a daily-wage labourer, told DownToEarth. Five years ago, Reyaz decided to relocate to the rehabilitation colony, aptly named Dharampuri Basahat, literally Dharampuri resettled. He was the first one to build a house there. But it got submerged the very next year, during the floods of 2013. “No one compensated me for the loss of the new house, and I had to return to my old house,” Reyaz stated. “I was a fool to go there. Since the colony is in the floodplains, no one from my town dares to shift there,”.

But going by the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal Award guidelines, the authorities should also provide a primary school for every 100 families, a drinking water well for every 50 families, a seed store for every 500 families, before initiating the eviction process. Barely a month left to meet the apex Court's deadline, it is unlikely that the requirements would be met.

The South Asian Network on Dams, Network, and People wrote a detailed article questioning the legality of the lower of the gates of the Dam.

[Story to be updated. Last updated 20/06/17]

Interview with Team Periferry-Providers Of Equal Employment Opportunities To Transgenders

2017-06-11T04:11:00.000-07:00

PeriFerry is an equal opportunity job consultants for Trans person; that is PeriFerry provide alternative job solutions for them. Accessing the untapped talent pool, and bridging the gap between an inclusive employer and a deserving candidate is their forte.

Sourya (S): How do you generally introduce yourself? Social activists? Entrepreneurs? Crusaders?

Neelam (N): "Social Entrepreneurs"

(S): What is the story behind the name PeriFerry?

(N): The name actually comes from the word “Periphery” which means the edge. We thought that was a word we could relate to the people who are living their lives on the edge - and how we could, as facilitators, probably act as a ferry and help them get to their desired destinations.

(S): How did this idea germinate?

(N): Doing something for the Trans* community has been on my mind for a long time, ever since college days. Mainly because I'd never really hesitated talking to them whether it was in Trains or beach or anywhere else and I really understood their stories. So during my stint at Goldman Sachs, I had to come up with an idea for an initiative which would have a social impact as part of an internal competition. I came up with the idea of an inclusive workplace focusing on the transgender community. My team in Bangalore and I happened to develop this project along with Solidarity Foundation. Eventually, I realized I was passionate about this cause and so quit my job to start working on this idea.

(S): Neelam, was your family open to the idea of your quitting your job at Goldman Sachs for this?

(N): I am where I am only because of my family. My parents have taught me from a very young age to take my own decisions and also have, in the process, made me strong enough to face the brunt of bad decision making. That's the only reason I could take such a big step and never regret it. I also have two older siblings, sister, and brother who are also particularly supportive of the things I do.

(S): Do you think most workplaces can be considered safe and/or equipped for transgenders?

Nanditha (Na): It differs from one workplace to another, to be honest. Fortunately, quite a lot of companies seem to focus on diversity and inclusion these days, which means they are more welcoming towards the third gender. However, not a lot of them are equipped to have them in their offices, when it comes to having inclusive facilities. We are trying to meet these needs through our sensitization workshops.

(S): Have you ever faced trouble convincing potential employers to give transgender/transsexual citizens a fair chance of employment?

(Na): Yes, most of them think of hiring Trans* community only as a societal initiative so dismiss us thinking we are trying to sell something out of sympathy. What they don't realize is that they're equally or more skilled and sometimes possess great education qualifications as well. They can help a team become much more diverse and also bring new perspective and viewpoints in a team. We have to make them look at the business objectives when they hire them.

(S): How does PeriFerry sensitize a workspace to make sure it is easier for the employee to fit in?

(Na): We take on a two-fold approach for this. One is to ensure the employee is given personalized training for him/her to fit in a corporate environment through skills development and training. The other is to sensitize the existing employees in a workplace to ensure they know how to be inclusive through their communication, the facilities they offer and the benefits they extend to the third gender.

(S): Does PeriFerry periodically follow up with both employees and employers?

(Na): Yes, we have the policy to follow up consistently until the first six months of placement to make sure things are going smooth. Also, take feedback through the lifetime of the placement.

(S): What would you consider to be the proudest/defining moment of PeriFerry yet?

(Na): Well, naturally when we made our first placement. Our candidate had struggled for a really long time in getting a job despite having good education qualification. She had gone door-to-door at different companies all rejecting her only because she was a trans-woman. And seeing someone as deserving as her get an opportunity through PeriFerry made it worth the effort.

(S): Where do you see PeriFerry in a year?

Team: We ourselves covering all the major cities in India, in terms of employment opportunities. Also, our objective is to see a less transphobic and homophobic society through our awareness programs.

(S): Have companies been generally receptive to transgender/transsexual employees?

(Na): Definitely! In fact, the team was overwhelmed by the response we received from them after we launched. We had so many employers reaching out to us expressing interest in collaborating with us or even to just appreciate us for our initiative. It was indeed heartening.

(S): In case there is a potential employer reading this, could you briefly describe the process via which someone could employ a transgender through PeriFerry?

(Na): We would request them to fill out a form on our website www.periferry.com We would then reach out to them, understand their requirements or profile they are hiring for and put them in touch with a client who would be suitable for the role. In the meantime, the team would conduct sensitization workshops in their company. If our client gets placed in that company, we would ensure we follow up with the employee and the employer as well till the client settles down in the workplace.

MP, Gujarat Police Stop Narmada Bachao Andolan - Protesters Arrested.

2017-06-07T20:39:00.000-07:00

On the 3rd day of the ‘Rally For The Valley’, which is a campaign of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, leaders of the rally, Medha Patkar, Prafulla Samantara, Soumya Datta, Dr. Sunilam, Jasbir Singh (All India Kisan Sabha, MP), Nita Mahadev (a noted Gandhian, Gujarat) along with hundreds of protestors have been detained at Kavta check post, kavta village of Chhota Udaipur district.

Police check post at Katva Village

As per reports, the rally was going to visit the Jeevanshala (a school run by Narmada Navnirmaan Abhiyan) of Chimalkhedi, Maharashtra when police officials stopped them from crossing the Gujarat border. The police officials failed to produce any written order. Even the vehicles with Gujarat number plate and local buses were stopped from crossing the border.

The protestors, under the leadership of social activist Medha Patkar have been detained by the Gujarat Police while they were moving from Madhya Pradesh to Maharashtra via Gujarat. The protestors have been stopped at the Gujarat Border and are not allowed to cross the Gujarat border.

Activist Medha Patkar (second from the right) with an injured boy

“A group of people, who were on their way to Chhota Udepur, were detained at Kavta check-post on Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh border,” the police official from Kawant police station said to Newsd.

“They were detained as per the notification under section 144 of CrPC, which prohibits unlawful assembly or processions in the district,” district collector Vijay Kharadi said to Newsd.

According to Idrish Mohammed, a law student at Jamia Milia Islamia University took to Facebook and posted a picture of detained school kids from Kerala who joined the rally, the Gujrat Police assaulted protesters infront of the Madhya Pradesh Police.

As seen above Idrish last posted on Facebook 11 hours ago painting a bleak picture of the administration stating, "The kids who were beaten up by the police were sent to the hospital for medical examination. The medical officer is completely drunk and not in his senses. He SLAPPED the kids and harassed them badly. Another face of Justice System"

Local villagers gathered for Protest.

The Narmada Bachao Andolan has been going on since 1985.

Story to be Updated.
All Pictures are sources from the Facebook of Mr. Idrish Mohammed and are his property.

Wanna Cry? All You Need To Know About The Ransomeware

2017-06-07T05:52:00.000-07:00

A ransomware is a software which scrambles information stored on a computer system to make it inaccessible. The process of scrambling is done through known methods of encryption. The purpose is to then ask for an amount of money to decrypt valuable information.

So how does Ransomware work?

How does it get through?

Imagine you hired the best architects and got a palace built for your yourself. Little known to you or the architects, there exists a weak wall near your garage. This can be broken by application of minimal force and people can get in through that and steal your expensive car. They can also disrupt your telephone and gas lines to cause you further harm. Or worse even, plant a bomb below your bedroom. Scary isn’t it?

Something similarly keeps happening with all software companies. They hire the best developers to write the most intricate codes, and little known to them they leave out vulnerabilities which can be brute forced and broken. Now people can get in and cause all sorts of mayhem.

If these vulnerabilities are unknown and not solved, they are called ‘zero-day exploits’.

A ransomware may or may not use a zero-day exploit to leverage the attack. A ransomware might just promise you a lottery ticket, free coupons, facebook or gmail hacking, etc.

What does it do?

A ransomware is a simple software which encrypts and decrypts data based on a condition. Once the ransomware is loaded onto the computer using a vulnerability, it will instantly encrypt and make the data unusable.

It may ask for a password to decrypt. Or, It may show a message communicating the condition for decryption. It may also ask for payment, it may ask for release of a prisoner, it may ask for change in politics, anything.

Once the condition is met, a password is provided which can be used to unscramble the information and make it usable again.

What is WannaCry?

Just last month I was thinking there is not much interesting things to write about. I was not wrong but impatient.

WannaCry gets onto the system through common phishing tactics. An email containing an attachment is circulated. Upon downloading the attachment it instantly freezes the system and asks for a payment of $300 in BTC. If not paid within three days, the payment amount is doubled to $600.

However, it promises to hold events (time periods) when data can be decrypted for free by clicking the decrypt button, after expiry of six months. This is for poor people

WannaCry got first reported on Friday the 12th of this month (May, 2017), and within a day it spread over to a quarter of a million computers across the globe.

How did it start?

WannaCry reportedly used a vulnerability on older Microsoft Windows operating systems. Mostly Windows XP and 7 attacks were reported. Microsoft held that systems running updated versions of Windows 7 and above were immune to it.1 There has been no reports negating this.

Who got affected?

It started with the crippling effect on Britain’s National Health Service. Unlike in the US where people pay for healthcare in hefty bills, medical service in UK is free of cost. Therefore, outdated systems dying for lack of attention.

While Microsoft ended support for Windows XP in April 2014 many UK agencies missed that. A Freedom of Information Act request by Citrix in December, 2016, reported 90 percent of UK hospitals had computers running outdated Windows XP.2

As it was not a targeted attack, it spread on to many other parts of the globe, some reports on Middle Eastern banking systems also surfaced.

Resolution

Microsoft

To Microsoft’s credit they had already released the security updates back in March, here is a compilation of all the relevant security updates.3 If you have not updated your system you should go through them.

Code Name	Solution
“EternalBlue”	Addressed by MS17-010
“EmeraldThread”	Addressed by MS10-061
“EternalChampion”	Addressed by CVE-2017-0146 & CVE-2017-0147
“ErraticGopher”	Addressed prior to the release of Windows Vista
“EsikmoRoll”	Addressed by MS14-068
“EternalRomance”	Addressed by MS17-010
“EducatedScholar”	Addressed by MS09-050
“EternalSynergy”	Addressed by MS17-010
“EclipsedWing”	Addressed by MS08-067

Microsoft also released a malicious software removal tool specifically for WannaCry on 22nd May for a permanent resolution.

Global Politics

It would be unfair to not talk about National Security Agency of the United States, Shadow Brokers, and the lesser known philosophy behind hacking.

A lot of internet develops due to constant work by different anonymous groups. As soon as one attack is launched, and gets enough attention, the global internet fortifies against it. Much like our bodies’ immune systems. Therefore, more the attacks, better the internet gets in the long run.

Sometimes attacks are just attention-seeking in nature, and sometimes they are deadly. In my opinion, WannaCry was seeking attention towards larger societal flaws. If it meant to cause real damage it would not have been made into a ransomware virus asking for $300 to $600. Also total revenue from WannaCry is said to be around $50,000 at max. It uses technology which can be used to target core banking companies and siphon off millions of dollars never making it to global media. Or worse, target nuclear plants where a lot of devices still run on outdated Microsoft products.

Attention sought for what?

The National Security Agency of the United States has been in the offensive since its inception. It is unofficially known that 90% of NSA’s budget goes into development of offensive weapons. The NSA constantly researches and adds to it’s library weapon grade software. The EternalBlue vulnerability used in WannaCry is just one among million options that NSA has for itself. Other deadly offensive weapons released in the past include the billion dollar STUXnet virus, which was recently linked to NSA.

Especially in EternalBlue’s case, NSA had found it long back but decided not to report it to Microsoft. It was the Shadow Brokers group who stole a considerable part from NSA library and reported it to Microsoft. Enabling it to release an update in March 2017, much before the breakout of the virus.

When hacker groups like Shadow Brokers get hold of such software they either report it for money or release it on the internet. The public quickly gets immune to it, thereby spoiling the weaponry NSA spends millions to build. And the best part is that NSA does all of it legally.

Anonymous Internet groups across the globe are fighting against orchestrated surveillance, censorship and rogue government agencies. One thing that’s for sure, our immune systems may make us feel sick, but if we fight our immune systems we will be dead faster.

This article has been republished with due permission of the Author, Mr. Donnie Ashok, from his website IndianTechLaw.

Original article can be viewed here

Donnie Ashok is a freelance technology advisor, cyber security advisor and a final year law student studying B.A.LL.B at Gujarat National Law University. IndiaTechLaw is an initiative by Donnie Ashok.

Root Cause of Crime In India - Lack of Education

2017-06-07T03:51:00.002-07:00

Lack of education is a fundamental problem, it marginalizes the people, forcing them to live in depravity. The poor are desperate to move out of depravity, they don’t have much of a choice as such when they decide to walk the criminal path. This becomes evident when one takes a look at the prison statistics provided by National Crime Records Bureau of India for the year 2015, which states that nearly 27% of the convicts are illiterate and 42% of the convicts have studied up till 10th class. While According to the report by Annual Survey of Education Report, a substantial number of students' up till class 8th in government schools are devoid of skills expected of an average 2nd class child. Further, the infrastructural state and poor qualification of the school teachers is also highly worrisome. 40% of the schools were without electricity and 31% of the teachers not being graduates. All this creates a predicament for the socio-economically deprived groups, who can’t afford a private school to educate their child. While some children get involved in menial labor in order to earn a living, many of them get entrapped within the criminal world as the prison statistics show.

Despite of this the government continues to hold back on financing the education sector in the country, back in 1960s Kothari education commission had suggested that budget allocation for education should be 6%, but even now the budget allocation is just 3.8%, despite the promise made by the government to bring it up to 6%. Along with this right to education (RTE) a fundamental right as provided under Article 21-A of the Constitution of India has not been implemented effectively, presently only 9.5% of the schools being RTE compliant. RTE itself is not completely inclusive in nature, considering the fact that it provides only for children aged between 6-14 leaving the older children to fend for their own. Considering the current employment status, with forty percent of the people being unable to find a full-time job, where even post-graduates are finding it difficult to get a job it seems unfair to take away state-support when the child turns 14.

Children can be easily influenced, making it highly important for them to have positive vibes around them, but the failing education system of India pushes them into working small jobs where they come across agents of exploitation who use them for illegal purposes as depicted quite explicitly in movies like Salaam Bombay and Slumdog Millionaire. It is the responsibility of the state that its people should be provided with adequate support so that they become capable of leading a healthy life and it is the failure of the state if its people have to resort to criminal practices in order to survive. Thus, it becomes important that RTE should encompass all the children up to 18 years of age within its ambit. Although, presently this seems to be a far-fetched expectation, considering that substantial implementation has not been possible of the original program itself.

Lastly, it is important that the criminal justice system should make attempts to incorporate the nuances of the life of the downtrodden while deciding their case. Considering the fact that most of the acts are born out of a desperate push to survive, it is important that the accused should not be further tormented by being incarcerated. Attempts should be made to maintain adequate rehabilitation centers for such people so that they can get another shot at life. As stated by Prof. Upendra Baxi in his work The Crisis of Indian Legal System, it is important that law should enforce morality of survival by not penalizing the crime born out of destitution and impose a morality of duty and aspiration on the people who are resourceful to protect the underprivileged people.

Works Cited:-

1) Prison Statistics – 2015 - http://ncrb.nic.in/ .

2) TCA Sharad Raghavan, The poor state of school infrastructure

http://www.livemint.com/Politics/h7WkzI77bMtmN9FLDvyo0M/The-poor-state-of-school-infrastructure.html. (January 16, 2015)

3) Ambarish Rai, Extreme neglect of primary education in budget 2017

https://thewire.in/104976/budget-education-2017/ . (February 2, 2017)

4) Vivek Kaul, Book excerpt: The real story behind India’s low unemployment

http://www.firstpost.com/business/book-excerpt-the-real-story-behind-indias-low-unemployment-3393106.html . (April 19, 2017)

5) Rukmini S, In India, unemployment rate still high

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/in-india-unemployment-rate-still-high/article7851789.ece (November 7, 2015)

6) Roger Ebert, Salaam Bombay!

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/salaam-bombay-1988 .

7) Roger Ebert, Slumdog Millionaire

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/slumdog-millionaire-2008#disqus_thread

8) Thomas Wells, Sen’s Capability Approach

http://www.iep.utm.edu/sen-cap/ .

About the Author:

Ananye Krishna is a third-year law student at NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad. He has been engaged in teaching underprivileged students since his first year at the University, both independently and as a part of an NGO by the name of IDIA (Increasing Diversity by Increasing Awareness).

Apply As A38 Contributor - Last Date - 10th June, 2017

2017-06-01T05:30:00.002-07:00

OPEN TO LAW STUDENTS OF ANY COUNTRY

A38 is in a phase of aggressive expansion.

We are expanding our team and looking for bright young law students who have a knack and interest in Public International Law to join us as Panel Contributors!

If you think you got what it takes to traverse the legal water of International Law, email us at souryabanerjee93@gmail.com with your CV or drop us a message on Facebook!

Suicide Awareness & Help - You Are Not Alone.

2017-05-29T08:14:00.003-07:00

SUICIDE. Yes, that's a heavy word!
12th-grade results? Yes, that decides your future!

But, is it worth more than someone's life? With the increase in competition, our society has created this environment for the younger generation that marks decide your life! This continuous pressure right after your 9th grade is inevitable! Science is what intelligent people study, commerce is the average and arts is for you know who. But who even came up with this theory? Parents play a major role in a child's life but the society plays a bigger role. The continuous phone calls right after the results are declared, the struggle to find a college, let's not forget neighbors, classmates, relatives you don't even remember, the rest is all history, are things that haunt every student.

What we want to convey to you is that, instead of mocking kids and pulling them down, making them believe that one exam decides if you get to live a good life or not, engineering and medical is what they should aim for and limit their options when there's so much more to do. Trust us, be it school or college, your placements or your career, there's always another path! Your life is too precious to give up.

If you or anyone you know is depressed and needs help, please reach out.

Lastly, we at Arguendo would always be pleased to help you. We will guide you and never judge you, help you with what is to be done and make sure that we fight this together! Just send a mail (souryabanerjee93@gmail.com/fsa712@gmail.com) text or a phone call (09848281402)!

You are not alone.

Online:-

www.yourdost.com
www.cafecounsel.com
www.7cupsoftea.com
http://www.aasra.info/
http://1life.org.in/
https://www.snehaindia.org/
https://www.google.co.in/amp/www.thebetterindia.com/9108/phone-call-can-save-life/amp/

Sikkim: 221152, Police Control Room, Gangtok

Mumbai:

iCall, Mumbai – +91 22 2556 3291, e-mail – icall@tiss.edu
Vandrevala Foundation Helpline – 1 860 266 2345, e-mail – help@vandrevalafoundation.com

The Samaritans Mumbai – 022 6464 3267, 022 6565 3267, 022 6565 3247
Address – B-3, Trisandhya
Behind Ambika Sarees
Dadasaheb Phalke Road
Dadar (E) 400014
Mumbai

Aasra – 91-22-27546669
E-mail – aasrahelpline@yahoo.com
Address – 104, Sunrise Arcade
Plot No. 100
Sector 16
Koparkhairane
Navi Mumbai 400709

Kerala:

Thanal – 0495 237 1100
E-mail – thanal.calicut@gmail.com
Address – Iqra Hospital
Malamparamba
Calicut 673009
Kerala

Prathyasa – +91-480 – 2820091
Address – Vidya Jothi
Cathedral Junction
Irinjalakuda 680 685

Pratheeksha – +91 484 2448830
E-mail – rajiravi2000@hotmail.com
Address – Near Ambedkar Park
Peruvaram Road
North Paravur 683 513
Kerala

Ahmedabad:

Saath – 079 2630 5544, 079 2630 0222
Address – B12 Nilamber Complex
H.L. Commerce College Road
Navrangpura
Ahmedabad 380 006

Hyderabad:

Roshni – 040 790 4646
E-mail – help@roshnihyd.org
Address – 1-8-303/48/21 Kalavathy Nivas
Sindhi Colony
S.P. Road
Secunderabad 500003

Kolkata:

Lifeline Foundation – +91 33 24637401, +91 33 24637432
Address – 17/1A Alipore Road
Sarat Bose Road 700 027
Kolkata

New Delhi:

Sumaitri – 011-23389090
E-mail- feelingsuicidal@sumaitri.net
Address – Sumaitri
Aradhana Hostel Complex
No. 1 Bhagwan Das Lane
Bhagwan Das Road
New Delhi

Kochi:

Maithri – 91- 484 – 2540530
E-mail – maithrihelp@gmail.com
Address – ICTA Shantigram
Changampuzha Nagar (P.O.)
Kalamassery
Kochi 682 033

Pune:

Connecting India – 9922001122, 18002094353
Website – connectingngo.org
Address – Connecting Trust
Dastur Girls School
Moledina Road
Pune 411001

Nagpur Suicide Prevention Helpline – 8888817666

Chennai:

Sneha – 91-44-2464 0050, 91-44-2464 0060
E-mail – help@snehaindia.org
Address – #11, Park View Road
R.A. Puram
Chennai 600028

Befrienders India - National Association
c/o Sneha, 11 Park View Road
R.A.Puram
600 028
Chennai
Website: befriendersindia.org

Pondi:

Maitreyi – +91-413-339999
Address – 255 Thyagumudali Street
605001
Pondicherry

Centres

Lifeline Foundation
17/1A Alipore Road
Sarat Bose Road
700 027
KOLKATA
Hotline: +91 33 2474 4704
Hotline: +91 33 2474 5886
Hotline: 2474 5255
Website: education.vsnl.com/n4h/

AASRA
A-4, Tanwar View, CHS,
Plot NO - 43, Sector 7
Koparkhairane
400 701
NAVI MUMBAI
Contact by: Face to Face - Phone - Letter:
Hotline: +91 22 2754 6669
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 09:00 - 21:00

MAITREYI
255 Thyagumudali Street
605001
PONDICHERRY
Contact by: Face to Face - Phone - Letter:
Hotline: +91-413-339999
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 14:00 - 20:00

ROSHNI
1-8-303/48/21 Kalavathy Nivas,
Sindhi Colony
S.P. Road
500003 A.P.
SECUNDERABAD
Contact by: Face to Face - Phone - Letter:
Hotline: +91 40 7904646
E-mail Helpline: help@roshnihyd.org
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat: 11:00 - 21:00

Saath
B12 Nilamber Complex
H.L. Commerce College Road
Navrangpura
380 006
AHMEDABAD
Hotline: +91 79 2630 5544
Hotline: +91 79 2630 0222

SNEHA
11 Park View Road
(Near Chennai Kaliappa Hospital)
R.A. Puram
600 028
Chennai
Contact by: Face to Face - Phone - Letter:
Hotline: +91 (0) 44 2464 0050
Website: snehaindia.org
E-mail Helpline: help@snehaindia.org
24 Hour service:

The Samaritans Sahara
Sir J-J. Road
Byculla Bridge
400 008
MUMBAI
Contact by: Face to Face - Phone - Letter: - E-mail:
Hotline: +91-22-2307 3451
Website: mumbainet.com/health/samarita.htm
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri: 15:00 - 21:00
Sat, Sun: 10:00 - 21:00

Sumaitri
1 Bhagwandas Lane
Aradhana Hostel Complex
Basement
110 001
NEW DELHI
Contact by: Face to Face - Phone - Letter:
Hotline: 2338 9090
Website: sumaitri.org
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri: 14:00 - 22:00 Sat, Sun: 10:00 - 22:00

MAITHRI - Cochin
Ashirbhavan Road
Kacheripady
Ernakulam Kochi
682 018
Kochi
KERALA
Contact by: Face to Face - Phone - Letter:
Hotline: +91 239 6272
Website: maithrikochi.org
E-mail Helpline: maithrikochi@yahoo.co.in
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 10:00 - 20:00

[TO BE UPDATED. IF YOU OFFER COUNSELLING OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES PLEASE DO SHARE THE CONTACT DETAILS WITH US]

Dr. Tharoor v. Arnab Goswami & Anr. Brief Court Proceedings of 29.05.2017

2017-05-29T02:11:00.001-07:00

After intense arguments, which went on for 45 mins today, during which time Justice Manmohan, of the Delhi High Court, gave a patient hearing to both parties during this 45 minutes, Justice Manmohan clearly stated that he was reluctant to pass any gagging/restraint order against the Defendants.

Dr. Sashi Tharoor had filed a civil defamation case for the compensation of Rs. 2 Crore before the Delhi High Court. His Counsels have contended that as Dr. Tharoor resided in Delhi and the Defendants have an office in Delhi and that his show was telecasted in Delhi, the Delhi High Court does have jurisdiction.

Though Justice Manmohan took note of the fact that the media house can publish facts related to the incident as there is no charge sheet since three and a half years, the judge categorically noted that such name calling including usage of words like "masquerading criminal" by Defendant was uncalled for and that he has a right to silence. Nevertheless, the Judge stated that no one could be restrained to put out facts to the public.

Senior Advocate and Congressman Salman Khurshid appeared for Shashi Tharoor. Referring to the reporting style of Goswami, he stated that the kind of language used by the defendants is unacceptable.

As per the Counsels representing Dr. Tharoor, the 2 Crore compensation he has asked for will be completely donated to some NGO in the memory of his late wife.

“I am not asking for a gag order but they cannot continue like this. The police has not reached any conclusion. He must be protected.”

Senior Advocate Mr. Sandeep Sethi, appearing on behalf of defendant stated at the outset that he could prove every word spelled by his clients in the show and that calling Dr. Tharoor a masquerading criminal was a retaliation of Dr. Tharoor's tweet. However, Mr. Sethi offered to speak to his clients about the Lordships views.

The matter stands adjourned to 16.08.2017 with the Court issuing summons to the defendants.
Reply to the suit and rejoinder thereto is to be filed before the next date of hearing.

It is perhaps interesting to note that Justice Manmohan is not only presiding over this matter but is also presiding over the Times of India vs Republic case, with respect to the very same tapes.
Would either of the cases affect the other? Only the Delhi High Court can tell.

Sashi Tharoor files defamation suit against Arnab's Republic

2017-05-26T22:11:00.003-07:00

Congress politician Shashi Tharoor on Friday filed a defamation case in the Delhi high court against senior television journalist Arnab Goswami over the airing of alleged defamatory remarks by the latter’s Republic TV with regard to the death of Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar.

The suit, drafted by the Office of Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid, is to be heard by the court on 29 May 2017.

The first hearing for the suit, bearing no. CA (OS) 253/2017, has been posted on Monday, 29th of May, 2017. It has been listed as Item No 23 before Court Hall 24 presided by the Hon'ble Justice Manmohan, Delhi High Court. There are also 3 separate Interim Applications listed in this matter.

As per our sources, the IA's filed are;
a) Permission to file adequate Court Fee at a later date.
b) Section 65B IT Act certificate for electronic evidence of The Republic show.
c) Interim Injection restricting Republic from reporting anything more on this matter.

Check Cause List of Monday, 29th May 2017 HERE

Faculty Applications at NALSAR Hyderabad - Deadline 30th June, 2017

2017-05-25T18:39:00.000-07:00

NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, a premier institution of eminence invites applications for the following regular positions:

1) Assistant Professor (History):02 (Two)

2) Assistant Professor (Political Science):02 (Two)

3) Assistant Professor (English):03 (Three)

4) Assistant Professor (Economics): 02 (Two)

5) Assistant Professor (Sociology): 01 (One)

6) Assistant Professor (Law): 02 (Two) Unreserved; 02 (Two) SC and 01 (One) ST

Download notification and application form HERE