In reply to a question about his views of “western civilisation”, Gandhi is said to have remarked: “It is a good idea!” The resurgence of “civil society” in the past two decades has led to similar ironic comments: “Are the rest then uncivil?” and the like. But there is a serious question that needs articulation and addressal to make the current debate meaningful. Just what is civil society, and how...
More »SEARCH RESULT
Total Matching Records found : 2796
NHRC retains ‘A' status by J Venkatesan
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has received a shot in the arm by retaining its “A” status in its accreditation with the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) of the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), Geneva. The Accreditation Sub-Committee of the ICC-NHRIs has recommended that the NHRC be reaccredited with “A” status. The decision, taken at the session of the ICC Sub-Committee on accreditation in Geneva from May 23 to 27 was...
More »An exercise in undercounting the poor by Brinda Karat
The impending BPL Census exercise will not help the poor; on the contrary, it will further deny them a fair share in national resources. The BPL, or Below Poverty Line, Census 2011 for the rural areas will start in select States this month. In a country such as India with vast numbers of the poor, counting the poor often becomes an exercise in undercounting and dividing them, to suit the wholly...
More »Indian court sentences 10 to hang for honour killing
-BBC A court in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has sentenced 10 people to death for killing a young couple who married against their parents' wishes. Vijaya, 18, and her husband, Udai Pal Singh, were killed by her family after they found out about the marriage, the court in Etah district heard. The groom's brother was also killed. India's Supreme Court recently said so-called honour killers should face the death penalty. It...
More »Midday meals cooked by dalits go waste by Akshaya Mukul
A dalit chief minister in Mayawati has not changed the deep-seated caste bias in schools of Uttar Pradesh. In 40% schools of Shahjehanpur, Badaun and Pilibhit districts, teachers do not taste the mid-day meal food and students refuse to eat it since the cooks belong to lower caste. The rot in MDM in these three districts is not confined to caste bias alone. It has also been found that in schools...
More »
