If the Manmohan Singh government has its way, India will soon adopt a law against torture that will make a mockery of our obligations as a democracy, a civilised society, and a signatory to the United Nations Convention Against Torture (CAT). India signed CAT in 1997 and is meant to pass standalone domestic Legislation outlawing this barbaric crime. Unfortunately, the Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010 falls far, far short in...
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Right to Food Legislation soon: Pranab by VS Palaniappan
The Union government, in a bid to ensure “right to food” for all people, will soon bring in a piece of Legislation and the bill is under preparation, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said. Mr. Mukherjee was addressing a public meeting here on Saturday organised by the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee to mark the 125th anniversary of the Indian National Congress and centenary celebrations of the former Minister and Congress...
More »Bill to protect whistleblowers tabled in Lok Sabha
The government on Thursday introduced a Legislation that would protect whistleblowers and provide severe punishment to those who expose the identity of, or try to victimise, such people. The Public Interest Disclosure and Protection to Persons Making the Disclosures Bill, 2010 also provides for setting up a regular mechanism to encourage disclosure of information on corruption or wilful misuse of power by public servants, which cause “demonstrable losses” to the government. The...
More »Food security — by definition by P Sainath
Maharashtra ended famine forever by passing an Act that deleted the word ‘famine' from all laws of the State. Maybe the government, the National Advisory Council and other assorted enthusiasts of the Food Security Bill can learn from Maharashtra about moving towards ending hunger altogether. In 1963, the government of Maharashtra ended famine forever in the State. It did this without adding a morsel to anyone's diet. It did so simply by...
More »Secrecy around Bill by V Venkatesan
The Union Cabinet approves a new Bill to protect whistle-blowers, but there is concern whether its provisions will amount to much. ON March 22, a special court in Patna pronounced three persons guilty in the murder of Satyendra K. Dubey, a civil engineer from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. He was shot dead on November 29, 2003, for blowing the whistle on corrupt practices in the Golden Quadrilateral Project in Bihar....
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