-The Times of India The Supreme Court on Friday disapproved of social scientist Ashish Nandy's controversial remarks on corruption among backward sections at the Jaipur Literature Festival but gave him protection from arrest following a spate of FIRs in several states. Though the court entertained Nandy's petition and issued notices to the Union home ministry and states where police have registered FIRs — Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh — it...

-First Post Here’s the real reason why sociologist Ashis Nandy should be in the dock of public criticism. There is almost no evidence whatsoever to substantiate his observation that the backward classes and Dalits are seen as more corrupt because they are less good at hiding it than their upper class compatriots. Nandy is facing police investigations for saying at the Jaipur Literary Festival (JLF) last week that “most of the corrupt...

-The Indian Express The Supreme Court on Friday protected sociologist Ashis Nandy from arrest over his allegedly casteist remark, but also censured him for irresponsibly expressing “ideas” that could hurt people. A bench led by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir stayed Nandy’s arrest in all criminal proceedings arising out of the statement he made at the Jaipur Literature Festival on January 26. The court, however, described the remarks as “unacceptable”, and told the...

-The Hindu Sivaganga offers plenty of scope for work under MGNREGS Sivaganga: For Ramaiyu, a 62-year-old widow and Nagajothi, a young pregnant woman, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has provided economic independence and the confidence to face life amid poverty. Hailing from Thondur village, they were among more than 200 women engaged in de-silting the Singathuraipatti Oorani in Melayur Panchayat of Ilayankudi block under the MGNREGS. The aged widow enrolled...

-First Post The Jaipur literary festival is almost notorious for creating storms in a teacup. To its credit though, if offers a different flavor of literary tea every year. Last year, it was a variant of the Rushdie phenomenon, where a group of aspiring litterateurs read out passages from the Satanic Verses and then succumbed to political correctness. This year, the controversy came in a session chaired by Urvashi Butalia, publisher Zubaan, where...