-The Economic Times PANCHKULA: The otherwise macho image of Haryana police took a severe beating during the Panchkula violence, as the local custodians of town were the FIRst to show their back, post the conviction of Sirsa Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim on Friday. Emboldening the Dera followers to have a free show, leaving the sole lady bureaucrat present amidst the arson– 2009 batch IAS officer - Panchkula Deputy Commissioner -- Gauri...

-The Times of India Over a million Ashas and Ushas across the country are restive and angry, but nobody is listening to them. Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) and its urban counterpart known as USHA, are the business end of the gigantic public health apparatus run by the central and state governments. They are in every village, they visit every home, know every mother, every child, and they are the FIRst 'port...

-The Telegraph Cuttack: What the state government failed to do, the Justice Madan Mohan Das Commission did. The commission, which is identifying small investors duped by dubious financial companies, has on its own ensured return of the invested amount usurped by sham companies to more than 1,200 persons even as the government continues to drag its feet on the issue. Some of the investors got their money on Tuesday. Though the number of...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: Union home ministry sources today blamed the Haryana government's "wilful neglect" and "abject surrender to lumpen elements" for yesterday's mayhem by Dera Sacha Sauda followers. "Initial assessment reports from the ground suggest a complete administrative and police failure. There was no leadership and no instruction from the police brass to deal with the mob. The will was lacking," a senior ministry bureaucrat told The Telegraph . "It points to...

-Hindustan Times After Tamil Nadu’s pioneering Amma canteens, many states have started community kitchens, such as Karnataka’s Indira Canteens. This is a welcome development. The FIRst coverage of the recently inaugurated “Indira canteens” in Karnataka that I noticed were two reports on television channels. Both were poking fun (justifiably) at Rahul Gandhi’s goofy speech at the launch. Sadly though, neither commented on the rationale or importance of the Karnataka government’s initiative. This...