The key to the United Progressive Alliance’s return to power in 2009 lay in its promise of “inclusive growth” centred on the aam aadmi. On top of the launching of the Mahatma Ga­ndhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), this gave the UPA immeasurably greater appeal and legitimacy than its rivals. But it also entailed obligations to implement other Rights-based programmes, on food security, education and healthcare, am­ong others. The National...

Nearly a dozen Dalit families have left this village in the last 15 days as last year's violence in Mirchpur has come back to haunt them. It was here that a 70-year-old and his physically-challenged daughter were killed in an attack by the dominant Jat community. The fear of violence from Jats, who have over the past 12 days staged protests demanding the release of those arrested for the incident in...

Intervention plea in High Court opposes bail to Dr. Sen At half past four in the evening on Tuesday, Justices T.P. Sharma and R.L. Jhanwal of the Chhattisgarh High Court were preparing to adjourn for the day when they were interrupted by an energetic lawyer with tousled grey hair. “Your Honour, we would like to file an intervention application to oppose bail in this case,” began Shailesh Ahuja, marking the latest...

The Indian Association for Women's Studies (IAWS) has demanded immediate withdrawal of the First Information Report (FIR) lodged against Ilina Sen, professor and wife of human Rights activist Binayak Sen, by the Nagpur Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) at Sewagram in district Wardha on January 24. In an open letter to Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday, the IAWS protested against the FIR and alleged that the Nagpur ATS had launched a...

The ministry of labour of the Emirates will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian government soon to safeguard the Rights of Indian workers in the UAE. Indian ambassador to the UAE M K Lokesh told TOI over phone from Abu Dhabi on Wednesday: "We are awaiting a formal date of approval from the UAE side and it should happen soon." Union minister for overseas Indian affairs Vayalar Ravi, who...