Victims have not forgotten the following brutal tragedies in the life of independent India, even if the State and political parties may pretend to have. 1984—Delhi: On October 31, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards in revenge for ‘Operation Bluestar’. For the next three days, as Doordarshan telecast the lying in state of her body, over 3000 Sikhs—men and boys—were burnt alive while policemen, politicians and...

-The United Nations   More than one billion people worldwide experience some form of disability, the United Nations and the World Bank said today in a report that calls for the elimination of barriers that often force the people with disabilities to “the margins of society.” The World Report on Disability, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, with contributions from over 380 experts, urges governments to “to...

The World Health Organisation says disabled people more likely to be denied healthcare and less likely to find work. The proportion of disabled people is rising and now stands at one billion, or 15 per cent of the global population, according to the first official global report on disability. An ageing population and an increase in chronic health conditions, such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, mean the proportion has grown from...

‘Till they stop murdering cows, corruption will not end,’ said Dolath Prachapati of Deshram Memorial Gau Seva Trust at Rajghat on Wednesday. While India Against Corruption and other social groups of the kind were an integral part of the mela, calling for the removal of corruption, a host of other groups descended on Rajghat with views of their own. Though united in a common grouse — the eviction of Baba Ramdev...

Women speak out fears of resisting deep-seated taboos associated with menstruation, viewed even today as polluting in much of India The status of women in India, despite all the brave talk, remains as precarious as ever. This is, after all, a culture which not just condones, but actively encourages the termination of foetuses determined to be female. Other crimes of violence against women are routine. Can things ever change? We took...