The Union environment and forests ministry (MoEF) has taken a position countering the Union government's department of personnel and training (DoPT) and stuck to its demand for a CBI inquiry in the forestry scam cases in Haryana. In a letter written to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), the environment ministry has reiterated its view that severe violations of forests and wildlife laws were committed in the three cases - digging a...

Is plain milk not enough? The question has become a bone of contention between dairy major Amul and confectionery giant Cadbury, owned by Kraft Foods. Amul will be taking the legal route against Cadbury for promoting its flagship health drink Bournvita in a misguided way. Amul claims Cadbury's campaign saying milk alone is not nutritious puts the entire dairy industry in a poor LIGht and misguides consumers. "Milk is the best...

Before being a cartoonist/graphic novelist, I am a citizen first. A citizen with the freedom to have feelings — if not the freedom of free speech. Now, the former is far easier than the latter. I have the freedom to have feelings and the freedom to deal with those who hurt my feelings. And on that note, I want Sarojini Naidu arrested. Posthumously, but so be it. In an All India...

36 killed in suspicious encounters during anti-Veerappan operations: panel   It is nine years since a fact-finding commission constituted by the National Human Rights Commission and headed by a retired High Court judge found that at least 36 people were killed in suspicious encounters by the Special Task Force (STF) during the anti-Veerappan operations. Yet, the NHRC has not passed final orders on the complaints of atrocities against the STF. The commission, in...

Accessible curriculum, teacher training a must in schools, say activists Poorva Subramanium is barely 10 years old, but has learnt an important lesson in life — not to trouble her parents when they come out of the schools they have been visiting these days. “It is frustrating. No school wants to admit her. She is good at shapes, colours and can also read,” says her mother, showing her report card from...