-The Hindu   The educational and economic development of Dalits is seen by the backward castes as a challenge to the social order, as recent incidents in Tamil Nadu show On the evening of November 7, 2012, a crowd numbering over 1000 people burst into three Dalit settlements in Dharmapuri, north-western Tamil Nadu, and laid them waste. Over a period of several hours, they looted, smashed and burned. Trees had been felled on...

-The Hindu   Bill represents a shift from welfare-based approach to a rights-based one:Food Minister Amid the Opposition uproar in the Lok Sabha over allegations of corruption in the UPA government, the National Food Security Bill was taken up for consideration on Monday. When, after frequent disruptions, the House reassembled at 3 p.m., Girija Vyas, who was in the Chair, announced that the House would take up for further consideration the motion moved by...

-The Hindustan Times With key government Legislations stuck in Parliament because of disruptions, Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen urged the opposition parties to be "responsible" and discuss the issues in Parliament instead of disrupting it. Sen was speaking at a Press conference organised by civil society groups seeking passage of key Legislations such as National Food Security Bill, whistleblower Legislation and grievance redressal bill. They were aghast the second part of the budget...

-The Hindu   Nobel laureate Amartya Sen is upset that disruption of Parliament has held up passage of important Legislation including the UPA's flagship National Food Security Bill. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen is upset that disruption of Parliament has held up passage of important Legislation including the UPA's flagship National Food Security Bill. He feels that if the Bill is not passed - even if without amendments - several hundred children will go hungry...

-The Indian Express A sound whistleblowers' protection law is long awaited. It languishes in Parliament at the system's peril Nandi Singh, a resident of a remote village in Assam, was brutally attacked with axes in September 2012 as a result of a complaint filed by him regarding irregularities in the functioning of fair price shops supplying rations under the public distribution system. He succumbed to his injuries on the way to the...