-The Hindu MARAKKANAM: In front of one of the burnt houses at Kattayantheru lie a number of charred CERTificates, including ration cards and other important documents that belong to the members of the Marakkanam Dalit Colony. "We have salvaged whatever we can, but most of us have lost documents including ration cards, mark sheets, birth CERTificates and death CERTificates. Many of us whose houses were burnt even lost currency notes they had...

-The Hindu Business Line There can be no denying the need for a legal framework to ensure that the likes of Saradha do not take the entire financial system for a ride. But that said, there will always be greedy investors, willing to be taken in by the tall promises of unscrupulous operators. The latter's task is made easier by loopholes in the law. Hence, Ponzi operators used the legal loopholes...

-The Times of India MUMBAI: The multi-crore chit fund scam is not just restricted to West Bengal, but is wide spread across the country, especially in Maharashtra. The state could be sitting on a time bomb with one estimate pegging the racket as high as Rs 10,000 crore. Unfortunately, vulnerable people out to make a quick buck are the first to fall for these scams. Promises made by these fly-by-night...

-Economic and Political Weekly While the Supreme Court decision in the recent Novartis case has cleared the way for production of generic drugs in India, doctors have to prescribe cheaper alternatives to costly brands if patients with limited means are to benefit. What is being hailed as a victory in the struggle for affordable medicines in the country will actually be one only when there is a pro-patient slant to the...

-The Hindu     Well-known feminist Kamla Bhasin says that Indian men will have to change, not to support women but to save themselves from being brutalised by centuries of exposure to patriarchy. "Mian, aap mein kuch kami hai" (Gentleman, there is something wrong with you)." Some months ago, when Kamla Bhasin, well-known feminist from Delhi, came up with this retort to Aamir Khan on his headline-grabbing tele-show Satyameva Jayate on saying that he...