-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Union minority affairs minister Rahman Khan wants the government to form an all-powerful taskforce to monitor and review terror cases against Muslims, arguing that it is needed to ensure justice for "innocent Muslim youth" languishing in jails after being framed in terror cases. Khan cited the example of the UK which, he said, has formed a task force under Prime Minister David Cameron to ensure there...

-The Indian Express The recent conviction of eight persons for spreading Naxalism in urban areas of Chhattisgarh again underlines a paradox in the functioning of investigation and prosecution wings of the police. Though the state has consistently topped the chart of Maoist violence across the country, it is yet to secure a single conviction in assault cases. In fact, all the accused even in a high-profile incident like the Tadmetla ambush,...

-The Business Standard The right to food is finally becoming a lively political issue in India. Aware of the forthcoming general elections, parties are competing to demonstrate - or at least proclaim - their commitment to food security. In a country where endemic undernutrition has been accepted for too long as natural, this is a breakthrough of sorts. The food security Bill is a modest initiative. It consolidates various food-related programmes and...

-The Times of India MENDHARI (GADCHIROLI): The picturesque little hamlet of Mendhari, around 90-km from Gadchiroli town, was considered by the Naxalites as a safe haven. The tranquillity here had remained undisputed until Sunday when, for the first time, the villagers witnessed a lopsided bloodbath in which six women rebels were killed in police firing. The villagers, who claimed to have been thrashed by the C-60 commandos too, told TOI that four...

-NDTV The Election Commission will call for an all-party meeting to frame guidelines for election manifestos after the Supreme Court last week directed the poll panel to regulate content of the promises made by political parties. "Freebies promised by political parties in their election manifestos shake the roots of free and fair polls," the Supreme Court had said on Friday. In a statement, the Election Commission today said a "meeting of all recognized national and...