-Press release by Right to Food Campaign, dated 20th June, 2019 Two more starvation deaths have occurred in Jharkhand recently: one in Jama (Dumka district) and one in Mahuadanr (Latehar district). In both cases, the victim was a pensioner but he did not receive any pension payment since January 2019. Had pensions been paid on time, Motka Manjhi and Ramachandra Munda would perhaps be alive today. Enquiries from the welfare office in...

-The Hindu Deplores public health infrastructure in the country The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday issued notices to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry (MoHFW), and all States and Union Territories, over what it termed was the “deplorable public health infrastructure in the country”, an NHRC statement said. The NHRC took suo motu cognisance of several media reports on recent deaths across the country due to “deficiencies and inadequacies in...

-The Times of India MEERUT: Just a few hours after the Supreme Court ordered the release of Prashant Kanojia, another TV journalist in west UP's Shamli was brutally assaulted by the SHO of the government railway police (GRP) on Tuesday night. SHO Rakesh Kumar and GRP constable Sanjay Pawar were booked and suspended after videos of the attack went viral on Wednesday. In the clips, the SHO could be seen attacking journalist...

-The Hindu DoPT says search committee’s deliberations are exempted under the Act The Centre has refused to reveal details of the ongoing selection process for four new Central Information Commissioners, despite a Supreme Court order directing it to do so. The only information disclosed is that 256 people have applied for the four vacant positions, which were advertised five months ago. In its reply to a Right to Information request, the Department of...

-Down to Earth Reflections on Supreme Court order to evict ‘illegitimate’ tribals from the forests There is an ominous significance to the February 13, 2019 order of the Supreme Court on “illegitimate” forest-dwellers. When we first heard of it, we felt a rising dismay and shock at this judicial legitimation of unparalleled atrocity against the tribals. The order is nothing less than the final legitimised expropriation of the tribal communities (poor landless)...