Tamil Travails

Tamil University in Thanjavur was established in 1981 to undertake research in grammar, literature and science as seen in Tamil literary works to explore the linguistic aspects of Tamil vis-a-vis other languages. "The University has been sick for a long time," says Dr.S.Radhakrisnan, a retired Professor of the Translation Department. The university needs Rs 22 crore annually to pay salaries and for other maintenance expenses. But the Finance Department has allocated a little over five crores, says the Vice Chancellor Dr M.Thirumalai. Re-accreditation is due this year but vacancies are unlikely to be filled in soon for the purpose.


 (Hindu, November 22, 2013)
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The E.U flexes its muscles on caste.

Arvind SivaramakrishnanThe reports that European Parliament's recent resolution circumvents India's contention that caste oppression does not constitute racial discrimination. The Parliament calls on E.U bodies to monitor the effect of E.U programmes on victims of caste discrimination and to address those matters with the public and private sector as well as civil society bodies in the relevant countries. The E.U is the world's largest trading bloc. (Hindu November 5,2013) ++++++++++++++++++++++++

Standing of Mother of Parlaments!

U.K Parliament is supposed to be the mother of all parliaments in the world. Even there Lord Bew, the Chairman of the standards watchdog committee has felt the need for compulsory "honesty" training to the M.Ps after the next elections to teach them how to behave in a public office after a series of scandals have the left the public "jaundiced" and disillusioned with politics, especially while accepting gifts from outside bodies and dealing with lobbyists. +++++++++++++++++++++

Mighty FIR !

The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday, Novemeber 12, 2013 that the police must compulsorily register the First Information Report on receiving a complaint if the information discloses a cognisable offence, and no preliminary inquiry is permissible, in such a situation, If the information does not disclose a cognisable offence but indicates the necessity for an inquiry, "a preliminary inquiry may be conducted only to ascertain whether a cognisable offence is disclosed or not," said a Constitution-Bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam and Justices B.S. Chauhan, Ranjana Desai, Ranjan Gogoi and S.A. Bobde. Since conflicting judgments had been given by courts on the issue, the matter was referred to the five-judge Bench for an authoritative ruling. "In cases wherein preliminary inquiry ends in closing of the complaint, a copy of the entry of such closure must be supplied to the first informant forthwith and not later than a week. It must also disclose reasons in brief for closing the complaint..." The Bench said: "The police officer cannot avoid his duty of registering offence, if cognisable offence is disclosed. Action must be taken against officers who do not register the FIR if the information received by him/ her discloses a cognisable offence. The scope of preliminary inquiry is not to verify ... the information but to ascertain whether it reveals any cognisable offence." As the General Diary/Station Diary/Daily Diary was the record of all information received at a police station, all information on cognisable offences, whether they resulted in registration of an FIR or led to an inquiry, must be mandatorily and meticulously reflected in it, the Bench said. Compulsory registration of the FIR was to ensure transparency not only in the criminal justice delivery system but also "judicial oversight." Let us hope the police in india religiously follows this directive without fail hereafter. (Wednesday, November 13, 2013 - The Hindu) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Half of India's population still defecates in the open

The World Health Organisation and the UNICEF estimate that there are more than 620 million people - over 50 per cent of the population -- practising open defecation in the country. As World Toilet Day was being observed on Tuesday, November 19, 2013, India's sanitation and toilet statistics continue to stink at the nation's face. Census data reveals that the percentage of households having access to T.V and telephones is more than that of households with toilet facilities. What a revelation with no remedy in sight in the foreseeable future? +++++++++++++++++++++++

Lest we forget

Under the above caption Vikram Kapur is paying a tribute and saying that It will be a decade tomorrow since whistle-blower Satyendra Dubey was killed. "In an age where someone can become a hero (with million and billions of rupees) merely by knowing to swing a cricket bat or emote on screen; you were the real deal; a bonafide hero. You remain our inspiration. The generations to come will feel your influence." A very good monologue written by him in memory of that real hero from Bihar who stood up against the contractor-mafia building highways and looting the public money without any fear or conscience. Even the so-called incorruptible (in money terms) Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh couldn't come to his rescue and the whistleblower had to leave this world to quench the thirst of money-minded sharks in our society. (Hindu, November 26,2013)

Classic example of Kaliyuga

Dad, brother, uncle rape 13-yr-old girl for two years (Thalassery) The father, brother and an uncle of a 13 year-old girl from Dharmadom in north Kerala's Kannur district have been arrested for allegedly raping the minor for the past two years. The victim has told the police that her elder sister, who had committed suicide two years ago, had also been raped. The case came to the fore two days ago when the Class 8 student was seen crying and refused to go home even after school hours. When one of her teachers asked her what was wrong, the petrified girl narrated her plight. The school authorities immediately informed the police and a complaint was registered. The girl's father, her 15-year-old brother and an uncle have been arrested, Thalassery circle inspector M V Vinod Kumar who is probing the case said. The girl told the police that she was sexually assaulted by the trio since she was in Class 6. (TOI,NOV.27, 2012, Tuesday) +++++++++++++++++++++

Great men retire at forty

Alexander the Great conquered the world but died very young. Swami Vivekanand achieved greatness very early before his death at the age of 39. Great poet Subramanya Bharati also could hardly live beyond 40 years. Cricket God Sachin Tendulkar created history and became famous by the time he turned forty and took retirement after playing 200th test match on his home ground Mumbai where he started at the age of 16. +++++ Better to achieve something before one attains the age of forty?

In 18 months, 500 bogus colleges shut in Britain

London: British immigration authorities have closed down an estimated 500 bogus colleges operating in the country over the last 18 months, affecting a number of students from abroad, including from India. However, top officials in the education sector insist that for genuine and legitimate students, Britain is still a viable option and Indians still account for the second highest number of non-EU students in the Country. (Ref: TOI, OCT.25, 2012. ) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Farm Loan – waiver scheme flawed: CAG finding

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), Vinod Rai has pointed out serious flaws in the implementation of over Rs 52,000 crore farm debt-waiver scheme in a finding that can annoy the UPA government besides raising doubts whether it can continue to reap political dividends from the populist programme which turned out to be the game-changer for the ruling coalition in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. The finding is contrary to government's repeated claims in Parliament that benefits accrued only to the eligible. Debts of more than 3.7 crore farmers were written off by the government under this scheme that brought windfall gains to the Congress. ++++++++++++++++++++++