This is Not a Fault-Finding Mission: Sangliana

- The visit is only to help restore peace, says minorities panel chief

- ‘We'll see why the protests took a serious turn here'

- ‘Majority should be magnanimous to condone mistakes'

FOR PEACE:Vice-chairman of National Minorities Commission H.T. Sangliana receiving a memorandum in Shimoga on Monday

Shimoga, Mar 9 : Vice-Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities H.T. Sangliana said here on Monday that his visit to the city was not a fault-finding mission but meant to help restore peace among all sections of society, after the recent violence.

He said that the commission would look into why the protests took such a serious turn here, while only token protests were held in other parts of Karnataka.

The majority community should have the magnanimity to condone mistakes by the minority communities, “as parents forgive the mistakes of their children,” he said. However, he found fault with the leaders of one community who failed to discharge their responsibility and control the mob when it went on a rampage.

Grievances

Mr. Sangliana, who arrived here in the evening, received a memorandum from different communities. Representatives sought suitable compensation for victims of the violence.

Leaders of Muslim organizations alleged that it was the failure of the police to control the situation that led to an escalation of violence. They demanded that the police stop arresting students of the community in connection with the incidents.

Representatives of the majority community stressed on restraint and pointed out that Hindu organizations had protested only symbolically over reports of conversion.

BJP leaders, including the president of the City Municipal Council, N.J. Rajashekhar, State BJP vice-president M.B. Bhanu Prakash, Girish Patel and Nataraj Bhagwat, spoke.

Congress leaders, including president of the District Congress Committee, R. Prasannakumar, member of the Zilla Panchayat Kalgodu Rathnakar and former municipal president B.A. Ramesh Hegde, and

State Janata Dal (S) vice-president P.R. Srinivas and former Janata Dal (S) district president M.B. Shivanna presented memorandums.

Mr. Sangliana will visit the riot-hit areas here on Tuesday.

Assam Govt Spending Rs 74 Lakh to Feed Surrendered Militants

Guwahati, Mar 8 : The Assam government is spending Rs 75 lakh a month to feed nearly 2500 militants sheltered in designated camps as the peace process has started.

The figures were stated in the Assam Assembly today when AGP MLA Padma Hazarika asked a question. According to Forest Minister Rakibul Hussain, who was replying on behalf of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, eight outfits had come to the peace process and surrendered their weapons. They were staying in the designated camps.

Among the seven other active militant groups are Harkat Ul Mujahideen and Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam.

Mr Hussain urged the House to be patient as the entire peace process, especially with the ULFA, had reached a 'sensitive moment'.

''Let us not disturb the peace process as something special is going on,'' Mr Hussain hinted.

He also said the government might not wait for ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruas return to the mainfold.

According to official sources, the Union government might not be willing to allow the 'commander-in-chief' to 'hold the talks to hostage' for an indefinite period if the other ULFA leaders express their desire to solve the problem through discussions.

Sources told UNI that the government was keen on holding talks with the proscribed organisation and efforts would be on to bring all ULFA leaders to the negotiation table. But if Paresh Baruah continued maintaining a rigid stand, the government would not be willing to wait for an indefinite period.

They admitted that till date, not much headway had been achieved to start the talks process with the ULFA to find a political solution, but the government was still hopeful that the other leaders would realise the importance of coming forward for dialogues sooner or later.

The sources pointed out that to come for talks, the ULFA or any other militant outfit would have to abjure violence and agree to negotiate within the constitutional framework.

Women on Top Win IMC Ladies Wing Awards

By Ismat Tahseen

They’re go-getters in their own diverse fields, yet there is a common bond that runs through them.

For young politico Agatha Sangma, doctors — Indu Shahani, Swati Piramal and Shyama Chona, folk artist Rukma Bai, entrepreneurs Reeina Gupta as well as sports stars Mary Kom and Saina Nehwal all embody the drive to lash out at life’s toughest challenges and come out a winner.

Here to receive awards from the IMC Ladies Wing, they reveal what would make a more women empowered society...

Education & upbringing

Sheriff Indu Shahani has one word when it comes to the betterment of women. “Education,” she says. “That’s the only way to true empowerment. I don’t just mean that for girls, but boys too. The latter must have the right upbringing and be taught to respect women,” she asserts.

Agatha Sangma, India’s youngest parliamentarian and the first woman MP from Meghalaya, says the cradle of her success comes from her society. There is also a cause that’s after her own heart. “The economic empowerment of women; I find that crucial,” states Agatha.

Gender bender

World class shuttler Saina Nehwal is all of 19, but is as feisty as it gets when she gets onto the court. Saina also wishes more girls would be able to play competitively. “Badminton is a costly game and involves much expenditure. Many of my friends are deprived of sponsors; I would want that more sponsors shouldhelp the girls financially,” she muses.

Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom, India’s first woman boxer and four-time gold medal winner at last year’s Indoor Asian Games in Taiwan among other championships, seconds the thought.

“I wish more girls take up the sport, unfortunately the government isn’t doing much in the way of incentives,” she rues. Life has thrown the 28-year-old quite a few punches and she managed to parry them right back “It was initially very, very tough. I come from a small town and the going was very tough financially. People would look at me in disbelief when I told them I was keen to box,” admits the boxer, adding, “I hope that I can inspire other girls.”

GLASS CEILING, NO MORE

While entrepreneur Reeina Gupta feels women have found their rightful place today and says, “Women have that sixth sense to evaluate, analyze and act dispassionately. This gives them the edge in the corporate world,” business czarina Swati Piramal also enthuses that women have made it big everywhere.

“Of course there’s no glass ceiling,” she smiles. “You’ll find women in all spheres of the economy today — in fact, I’d say women are the emerging market.” And what’s her mantra to conquer the peak? “Even a small difference can start a new revolution. Be like the Mother Ganges and go over the rocks and hurdles.”

Sub-Continent's Third Longest Caves Explored in Meghalaya

Shillong, Mar 8 : Adventurers have explored 36 new caves, including the sub-continent's third longest one, and mapped 25,205 metres of new cave passage during a month long expedition in Meghalaya's Jaintia Hills district.

Initiated by the Meghalaya Adventurers Association (MAA), 41 cavers, including those from the UK, Switzerland, Austria, Iran, Belgium and a nine-member Indian Navy contingent took part in the 24-day expedition that concluded on last month.

"Over this three and half week period, a total of six partially explored caves were further explored and 36 new caves explored. Information was collection about 18 more unexplored caves," MAA secretary and noted caver Brian Kharpran Daly said in a statement on Monday.

A total of 25,205 metres of new cave passage was explored and mapped during the expedition, taking the total number of caves in Meghalaya to 1,284.

Referring to the achievements of the expedition, Kharpran said the total length of the Krem Tyngheng-Krem Diengjem system was found to be 21,103 metres, making it the third longest in the Indian subcontinent.

The longest and second longest caves of the sub-continent are also in this district - Krem Liat Prah (31 kms) and Kotsati-Um Lawan (25 kms).

Tripura University to Confer D Lit To Sheikh Hasina

Agartala, Mar 8  : The Executive Council of Tripura Central University has decided to confer honorary D Lit degree on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her leadership and initiative to improve bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Arunoday Saha said here today that the authority's decision had already been conveyed to the Bangladesh PMO and her consent was awaited. Non-officially she agreed to receive D Lit and letter of confirmation is expected to reach soon.

Prof Saha said Ms Hasina would be conferred the degree in the university convocation scheduled to come up in November this year.

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil has consented to be the chief guest in the function.

Appreciating Tripura University's decision of conferring an honorary D Lit on Sheikh Hasina, Tripura Industry Minister Jitendra Choudhury called the move as a way of further cementing the bilateral relation between India and Bangladesh.

He maintained that the versity had been facing problem of adequate number of faculty members and added, ''We do get competent and qualified teachers but they do not stay long enough to help us.'' Prof Saha pointed out that young professors joining the university from outside the state mostly come to gain limited experience to land better jobs elsewhere and leave whenever they find a job in a metropolitan city or mainstream states.

Tripura House Adjourned on Appointment Issue

Agartala, Mar 8  : Speaker RC Debnath today adjourned the Tripura Assembly after the Congress-led opposition protested on the floor of the House against delay in appointment of graduate and undergraduate teachers in government schools.

After question hour, opposition member Sudip Roy Barman raised the issue of delay in appointment and sought specific time frame from the government. School Education Minister Tapan Chakraborty expressed his inability to specify the time frame but assured that it would be started shortly.

The reply could not satisfy the opposition and they started pressuring the minister to announce the date. Finally, they came in front of the Speaker and raised slogans in support of their demand, which compelled the Speaker to adjourn the House for ten minutes.

The opposition members were also vocal on other issues, including frequent power cuts, irregular supply of LPG cylinders and alleged irregularities in employment in government sector.

Earlier, the entire opposition walked out of the House at the beginning of the day's session as part of their boycott programme to protest Chief Minister Manik Sarkar's comment on alleged nexus between outlawed terror groups and lone MLA of Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhwal during last session.

India Expresses Concern Over Indian Media’s Paid News Phenomenon

New Delhi. Mar 8 : Indian government has expressed it official anger against "paid news" on Friday when it has said the right of public to correct and unbiased information needs to be protected.

New Delhi (ABC Live): Indian government has expressed it official anger against "paid news" on Friday when it has said the right of public to correct and unbiased information needs to be protected.

"...There exists strong circumstantial evidence of the malpractices," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said in the Rajya Sabha in response to a Calling Attention Notice on the issue.

She said the phenomenon of the "paid news" is a serious matter as it influences functioning of a free press.

"When paid information is presented as news content, it could mislead the public and thereby hamper their judgement to form a correct opinion.

Thus, there is no denying the fact that there is an urgent need to protect public's right to correct and unbiased information," Soni said.

She said it was important that all sections of society should introspect on this issue as "it has wide ranging implications for our democratic structure."

Representatives of the Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) has named six newspapers, carrying numerous "paid news" stories, she said in response to the notice given by CPI-M member Sitaram Yechury.

Concerned over the trend, Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said there should be a regulator in the field which should impose "deterrent" penalties on the malpractice. He said if political parties are found to be indulging in the same, there should be action against them as well.

He asked the government whether it would take steps against the problem or leave the menace of unlawful trade and business to the Press Council of India which he called as "toothless wonder".

Giving clarifications, Soni said the government did not view the "paid news" syndrome as freedom of expression. The proposals to give more teeth to the PCI is "under the consideration" of the government, she said

She was responding to concerns expressed by Jaitley, who said the minister's statement seemed to be based on a premise that the "paid news" is freedom of expression. He wanted the government to show a will and solutions could be found.

Soni said the PCI has been writing to successive governments to enhance its powers but "for one or the other reason", it was not done.

While the government is committed to ensuring freedom of speech and expression, "all sections of society should introspect on this issue (paid news) as it has wide-ranging implications for our democratic structure."

She said the report of the Sub-Committee on the issue would come by the end of this month.

Soni said that the PCI is giving adequate attention to ensure editor's primacy in news organisations.

She welcomed a suggestion from Yechury to stop government advertisements to media houses, which are found to be indulging in such malpractices. But even if she had given a hint in this regard, she would have been charged with arm-twisting the media, Soni said.

Soni agreed to look into the issue of the Television Rating Point (TRP), which BJP leader and former Broadcasting Minister Ravishankar Prasad dubbed as the "biggest fraud.... and the biggest incentive behind paid news."

The minister said she "will be in front row to check" anything that affects "unadulterated news".

Yechury suggested a government probe into such issues and stopping state advertisements to those resorting to the practice.

P Achuthan (CPI) wanted setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee and a National Media Commission.

Naresh Gujral (SAD) said that paid news is a "criminal" activity and action should be taken accordingly.

Kalraj Mishra (BJP), P Rajeev (CPI-M), Moinul Hassan (CPI-M), Mysrura Reddy (TDP), Tarlochan Singh (Independent), Rajniti Prasad (RJD) and Parimal Nathwani (Independent) also expressed concern over the trend and sought a clearcut stand from the government.

Oscars 2010 Live Streaming Available

Los Angeles, Mar 8 : The great annual event of Oscars Academy Awards will be held tonight and we are very eager to know which awards goes to whom. The event will be aired on ABC Channel as usual on the 7th March, Sunday from 8:00 pm. From 8 pm the special Oscars red carpet event will be held and you can see your favorite star coming with his / her uniquely chosen outfit.

The actual awards ceremony will start from 8:30 PM.

If it happens to be that you don’t have any active cable TV at home or there is no other mode to watch it on TV, you can Google it for any live streaming of the Oscars event.

If you miss the live event you can still view some of the highlights of the show and there will always be some people who will post them on YouTube. Let’s watch the big show to know who will be the best of the bests.

Now to spice the things up, you can also take part in some betting activities. There are common betting such as who will win which award etc. but there are also some other betting such as ‘will the best actor cry during the speech’ etc.

You can deposit money at sportsinteraction.com to have some bet but before doing that you also need to check that they are valid sites and won’t forfeit your money.

There are 10 films in the best picture category in this year. Which do you think will win it? Share with us in the comments section.