The Centre is preparing to introduce its own version of the Lokpal bill following its assessment that Team Anna’s Jan Lokpal bill does not enjoy as widespread a support among experts as assumed initially. A Parliament standing committee is looking into the bill now. Not all the panel’s recommendations may be accepted but the government has taken heart from the developments during the committee’s talks with various groups. “We have interacted with...

-The Hindu   Government committed to protect minorities, says Gehlot The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has asked the Rajasthan Government to sensitise the police and the administration on the minorities and provide more representation to minority youth in the State police force. Talking in the context of the September 14 violence near Gopalgarh Masjid in Bharatpur district which resulted in ten deaths, the Commission advised the government to take steps to “improve the...

-The Hindu   As the head of the largest trade union federation, Sharan Burrow represents the face of the worker at the high-tables of the world. Ms Burrow is the general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), which represents 175 million workers in 153 countries. Ahead of this week's G20 Summit in Cannes, Ms. Burrow has, in meetings with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European leaders, warned of the...

-The Hindu   Demanding that the government engage in a dialogue with Irom Sharmila who has been on a hunger strike since 11 years demanding repealing of AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act), many civil rights groups, activists and student groups on Friday evening held a protest march at the Marine Drive here as a part of the ‘Irom Sharmila Solidarity Campaign'. “She [Irom Sharmila] is the symbol of non-violence. You [the government]...

-PTI   The Indian Journalists' Association Wednesday criticised Press Council chairman Markandey Katju for his comments on the intellectual capacity of journalists and urged the Centre to ignore such "ill-conceived" views. In a statement in Kolkata, IJA general secretary Mrinal Biswas and former Press Council member Mihir Ganguly said that Katju's recent observations on the scribes "had crossed the limit of the jurisdiction set in the Act". Demanding that Katju express regret for "casting...