There is nothing wrong in having advisory groups. But there is a problem when groups not constituted legally cross the line of demands, advice and rights-based, democratic agitation. The 1990s saw marketing whiz kids at the largest English daily in the world steal a term then in vogue among sexually discriminated minorities: PLUs — or People Like Us. Media content would henceforth be for People Like Us. This served advertisers' needs...

Rural households having a member earning more than Rs 10,000 a month or anyone serving in a government or government-aided organisation or owning a landline phone will not be included in the below poverty line (BPL) category in the new poverty census being conducted by states. However, the new census, which also includes questions about religion and castes, will compulsory include rural households without shelter, destitutes living on alms, manual scavengers,...

-PTI   The Communist Party of India (CPI) national secretary, D Raja, today demanded that the Odisha government should shift Posco steel plant from its current location."Even hough the locals, and particularly tribals, have been agitating against the plant since last six years, the Odisha government never listened to them," Raja said, adding that the state government was mercilessly using the police to suppress the people's movement."I urge the government to...

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Thursday with a list of demands, including an increase in the allocation of wheat and rice for the public distribution system (PDS). Mr. Chauhan said though there are an estimated 67 lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in Madhya Pradesh, the Centre is allotting PDS grains for only 41 lakh families. “NDA made a mistake” He pointed out this...

As the Lokpal Bill gets mired in a tortuous birthing, the debate shifts to who exactly has the right to pass a law Why Politicians Hate Civil Society     * Unelected activists stealing Parliament’s right to make laws, undercutting role of parliamentarians     * Demands like an all-powerful Lokpal directly impact political-bureaucratic class and the status quo     * Rigid deadlines, fasts unto death to press home issues are akin to holding government...