Petition Tag - india

Sanjay Dutt is one of India’s best and most distinguished actors. However this should in no way influence the way in which he has to face justice for a serious crime he has committed. There cannot be a system in India where the privileged can escape punishment.

He has been convicted of the offence of using his privileged position to arrange a safe venue for a cache of arms and explosives that had been received from Pakistan by the Mumbai underworld to organise the serial blasts in March 1993 that killed 257 innocent people and seriously injured another 713. Whether or not he knew what these gangsters/terrorists were going to do with the weapons and explosives has not been proven, but the undisputed fact is that he knew that he was helping illegally procured firearms and explosives be procured and distributed by criminals.
His conviction has been upheld by the Supreme Court, and he has been convicted to 5 years imprisonment.

Sanjay Dutt and his family are very privileged parts of India’s upper class elite, with very powerful friends. His late father was a successful actor turned politician, as is his mother. His sister is a Congress Member of Parliament for Mumbai North Central.

There is a powerful push underway, orchestrated by connections of Sanjay Dutt to have him pardoned by the Governor of Maharashtra, B Shankarkand, (who apparently has the power to do this). The Governor of an Indian state is essentially a political appointee of the ruling party, and therefore there will be considerable pressure on the Governor to grant pardon to Sanjay Dutt.

This petition, directed to the Governor aims to bring together the voices of persons in India and around the world who think there should be ONE RULE OF LAW for all, and that the rich, famous and well-connected should not be able to circumvent the law in any way.
For further insight into the issues at stake for India, please read:

- Pardon Cry smacks of Law for the privileged - by Swapan Dasgupta - http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/usual-suspects/pardon-cry-smacks--of-law-for-privileged.html

- Rebuttal of Markandey Katju’s arguments in favour of pardon of Sanjay Dutt - http://www.hinduperspective.com

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On Friday the 15th of March 2013, a Swiss girl was raped by several (possibly 7 or 8) Indian men, while her boyfriend was tied to a tree. This act of violence is not standing alone.

Through the past years, there have been many acts of (group) rapes in India. Rape is a direct violation against the human rights, and therefore it should be strictly prohibited.

The Indian government is not taking enough action against it. That’s why the rapes still continue. Therefore the United Nations should make sure the Indian government is going to take action.

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In light of recent incident in Pakistan .i.e. girl shot by Taliban for campaigning for girls' rights to go to school, and the incident in India where a woman was raped on a bus by 6 men, such abuse should stop now.

We the undersigned call on the British government to put pressure on Pakistan and Indian governments to legislate for equal rights or women in their countries.

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平等機會婦女聯席
終止對女性的一切暴力行為──就印度女性受性暴力事件聯署聲明

印度女性長期處於受壓迫的位置，針對女性的性暴力從未止息。十二月二十九日清晨，新德里巴士輪姦案的二十三歲女大學生因多個器官衰竭延醫不治。除此，印度接連番爆出多宗駭人的針對女性的嚴重暴力事件，包括少女受到輪姦後報警，竟受到負責調查的督察性侵犯、以及以「榮譽」之名殺害有婚外情的女性等等，印度民眾不理宵禁令上街舉行反性暴力示威，要求政府正視性暴力的問題。

根據印度官方數字，去年共有228650宗針對女性的暴力罪行，平均每二十二分鐘就有一名女性被強暴，然而有不少女性因怯於社會壓力而對暴力啞忍，更有女性在報警後受到更沉重的壓力和進一步的傷害。印度女性於社會上受到不同形式的暴力對待，除了數之不盡的性暴力事件外，她們會因嫁妝不足而受到夫家虐待、家庭地位低落屢受丈夫毆打、殉葬制度（sati）令不少寡婦被活活燒死，其嚴重及普遍程度致使每六小時就有一名印度婦女因家庭暴力而喪命。印度警方不但沒有正視這些暴力事件，反而縱然警方侵犯及傷害受害女性，更打壓關注事件及參與示威的群眾。而女性反而成為被怪責的對象，她們的行為及衣著被指責，女性的自主被限制。

聯合國《消除暴力對待婦女宣言》中指出，國家必須「施行審慎評鑑(due diligence)以防止、調查及按國家立法懲處暴力對待婦女的行為，無論是國家或私人干犯均需一視同仁」。意指國家必須確保人權法所列明的權利在現實生活中得到實踐，一旦權利受到侵犯，國家需要負起挽救及補償的責任。可惜，從諸種案例中均可見到，印度政府不旦沒有負起改變性別不平等的情況，更遲遲未肯制定有效的政策保護女性免受暴力侵犯，甚至意圖將防衛責任推諉女性，要求女性學習自衛術以減低性罪行的發生。

Hong Kong Women’s Coalition on Equal Opportunities

End all kinds of Violence Against Women---Joint Declaration on Sexual Violence Incidents Against Women In India

Women in India suffer from an extremely low social status and social oppression, and sexual violence against women has never ceased. In early morning on 29th December, the 23-year-old female university student, victim of the New Delhi bus gang rape, passed away as a result of organ exhaustion. Apart from this, a series of incidents of serious violence against women were unveiled in India: for example a teenage gang-rape victim was sexually assaulted by the superintendent who was responsible for the investigation after reporting her case to the police, and the women having extra-marital affairs were murdered in the name of “honour”, so on and so forth. The India public went on street to protest against sexual violence in spite of the curfew and demanded the government to look into the problem of sexual violence.

According to the Indian official figures, last year there were totally 228650 cases of violent crime against women, and every 22 minutes there would be one woman get raped. However many women kept silent towards violence in fear of social pressure, some of them even suffered from heavier pressure and further trauma after reporting to the police. The Indian women face different kinds of violence in society: apart from numerous sexual violence incidents, they are abused by the husband’s family due to insufficient dowry, repeatedly beaten up by the husband due to lower family status, many widows are burnt alive due to the institution of widow immolation system (sati); the level of severity and prevalence has resulted in the death of one Indian women in every six hours due to domestic violence. The Indian police does not look into these violence incidents, instead the police tolerates the assaults and harms the women, and even suppresses the public which is concerned about the incidents and protests. Women turn out to be the target to be blamed: their behavior and dressing are being blamed while the female autonomy is restricted.

The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women by the United Nations points out that states have an obligation to “exercise due diligence to prevent investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons”(Article 4c), which means that states must ensure those rights listed in the human rights’ law should be put into practice in reality; once the rights are violated, states need to take up the responsibility to remedy and compensate. Unfortunately, it is seen from various case laws that the Indian government does not only fail to change gender inequality, but also delaying in enforcing effective policies to protect women from violent assaults.

Worse still, the government even intends to shift the responsibility of defence to the women, and blames the women for being unable to protect themselves in times of sexual violent crimes.

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Shri V.S. Sampath,
Chief Election Commissioner of India
Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi

Dear Sir,

We the concerned citizens of India currently living abroad for work/study, with this letter we would like convey our modest concerns regarding the possibility of voting for Indian citizens living abroad.

Thanks to the the “Representation of the people (Amendment) Act – 2010” - which allows the eligible Non-Resident Indian (NRI) citizens to vote in India, However they have to be physically present in their respective constituency on Elections day to cast their vote.

As you are aware that there are millions of Indian citizens living abroad [out of which even if we assume about 20% would like to travel to India in day/week of general elections, The current flights/transport system would not be sufficient transport millions of passengers to India for General Elections. Also, it is a costly affair considering the travel charges and hence most of the citizens living abroad feel discouraged to utilize their vote.

Media statement in February 2011 by Honorable Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, mentioned as follows “that online voting and postal balloting would not be available now. It is up to the Election Commission to decide on these” [ref: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/article1155815.ece]

Hence, we request Election Commission to decide on the “Special Ballot Postal/Online Voting” options for the eligible Indian citizens residing in abroad at the earliest, which encourages the millions of Indian citizens to participate in the elections and also adds more value to our democratic setup.

Sir, also it is worth noting down here that the countries such as Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Philippines and the United Kingdom etc have already has “postal ballot” for their citizens abroad. Below are links for reference [which are available on public domain]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/UKgovernment/Politicalpartiesandelections/DG_073241
http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=faq&document=faqvoting&lang=e#a2

http://travel.state.gov/travel/living/overseas_voting/overseas_voting_4754.html#Registration

We are proud that ours is the largest democratic nation in the world; please extend the feasible voting option for the citizens of our great nation.

Sincerely,
Pravasi Bharat

Copy to:
The President of India
The Prime Minister of India
The Leader of Opposition, Loksabha
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs

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Varanasi is one of the few Indian cities without State supported humane dog management. Despite many requests, Varanasi Municipal Corporation VMC has yet to introduce Animal Birth Control/Anti Rabies (ABC/AR). This despite that the fact that VMC has a vehicle and dog catchers.

VMC also ignores the fact that ABC/AR has been successfully pioneered in Varanasi by two genuine organisations: ASHA (Aashray for Sick and Helpless Animals) and HOPE (Helping Organisation for People, Environt & Animal Trust).

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We are just submitting it to The President of India. But this petition is targeted to the Indian people.

It's by the people for the people to the people ...

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Dt: 30th March 2012
Smt. Sonia Gandhi,
President - Indian National Congress
10, Janpath,
New Delhi.

Dear Madam,

We are the Telanganite’s believe in the formation of Telangana State, which brings prosperity to both the people and region of Andhra and Telangana.

As you are aware more than 700 students are given up their life in requesting the formation of Telangana state. In the last couple days alone, 4 people committed suicide for formation of Telangana state.

You are also well aware the importance of Telangana formation - As it is included in the Congress Party election manifesto.

It’s not the time to think politics when the people’s livelyhood is at stake in Telangana. In true democracy it’s always people’s livelyhood and prosperity are more important than that of the politics.

Therefore we are writing you as concerned citizens of India; please fulfil the promise given to 3.5 crore people of Telangana and kindly initiate the process of formation of Telangana state at the earliest.

Sincerely,

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As members of civil society and representatives of People Living with HIV (PLHIV), Men who have Sex with Men, Sex Workers and Injecting Drug Users -

We note that the HIV/AIDS Bill, which was finalized by National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) in July 2006, continues to be pending with the government and has not been tabled in the Parliament till date.

Constant delay in bringing the Bill to Parliament is a cause of great concern.

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Asbestos is a known carcinogen. Asbestos was once widely used worldwide, but it is now banned or restricted in more than 50 countries. According to WHO estimates, more than 107 000 people die each year from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis resulting from occupational exposure. About 125 million people in the world are exposed to asbestos at the workplace.

Despite the fact that Asbestos is dangerous, the Asbestos industry has been on an expansion spree and increasing their capacity and production in India. False information is spread about the safety and controlled use of Asbestos whereas it has been cited by agencies like WHO and ILO that safe use of Asbestos is not possible and there is no safe exposure limit. The only way to prevent Asbestos related disorders is to stop using Asbestos.

Although India has banned the mining of Asbestos, it continues to import and use the deadly substance. India imported more than 350,000 metric tons of Asbestos in 2010 primarily from Russia, Canada and Kazakhstan.

No attempts have been made by the Government to identify and locate probable victims of Asbestos related disorders and there is no official statistics available. The industry is owned by Government officials who influence decision making.

• Kerala human rights Commission had ordered the removal of all Asbestos Roofing sheets from schools in Kerala.

• Hon’be Supreme Court in 1995 had ordered compensation to Asbestosis victims, maintenance of medical records and personal protective equipment to all workers.

• International agencies like International Agency for Research in Cancer (WHO), Collegium Ramazzini, InternationalLabor Organisation have categorised all forms of asbestos as human carcinogens and have called for global phase out.

• The National Institute of Occupational Health has studied the working conditions and health of miners and mill workers in asbestos mines/milling factories of Rajasthan and Cuddapah-AP and have found cases of asbestos related diseases amongst the present and ex-workers.

• ITRC had studied working conditions in the asbestos mines and mills of Rajasthan and had found cases of asbestosis amongst men, women and children.

There is a body of evidence which unquestionably proves that asbestos (and its products) cannot be mined, manufactured and used safely anywhere in the world. The developed world, for instance Japan, UK, France, are facing epidemic with thousands of deaths every year due to asbestos related diseases. 75% of occupational deaths in Quebec-Canada (world's largest chrysotile asbestos mining area) are due to asbestos.

You can view the film “India’s Asbestos Time Bomb” by visiting

http://worldasbestosreport.org/articles/iatb/iatb_film.php

India’s Asbestos Time Bomb, a monograph written by leading experts which quantifies the country’s asbestos scandal, is available online at:

http://ibasecretariat.org/india_asb_time_bomb.pdf

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We, the members of the Kolkata Chapter of the Indian GNU/Linux user group (http://www.ilug-cal.info ), Free Software Mancha of West Bengal (http://www.fsmwb.org ) and FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) activists across the country have been observing a marked shift towards the adoption of closed source proprietary software by the present Government of West Bengal. This is a retrograde trend that is bound to adversely affect earlier efforts towards adoption of FOSS in e-Governance (at least in some sectors), Education and other sectors by the previous Government and any concept of freedom that the people at large of the state may entertain from foreign interest laden proprietary closed source software.

A case in point is the happenings at WBPCB, where in-house personnel for FOSS deployment were appointed by the previous Government. The strategy permitted the best quality solutions at least TCO and with the benefits of maximum security and transparency. The recent tender at the WBPCB site (http://www.wbpcb.gov.in/cgi-bin/notice.cgi  for purchasing closed source proprietary software ) reeks of corruption, kickbacks and nepotism by the new players. Of course it is ages away from vendor neutrality or open standards. Similar actions have happened in other departments as well.

Another is the fate of West Bengal Institute of Open Technology and Applications (WBIOTA). The present Government has virtually abandoned it after assuming office. The state of tenders being issued by the new players at the different education sites of the WB Government should also be highly suggestive.

Further the present Govt has signed MOUs with Microsoft according to which the company will invest in Bengal if the Government of West Bengal vetos anything apart from the use of Microsoft's cloud platform and technology for future e-governance projects. (Source: Business Standard ). We are extremely concerned about an e-governance policy influenced by proprietary software vendor like Microsoft, Oracle etc. . It took a lot of effort by many of us to convince sections of the the previous Government about the evils of proprietary software and finally they agreed to change their pro Microsoft stand and support use of free and open source software in e-governance projects to an extent (given the restrictions imposed by the Central Government). There are several examples of sustainable e-governance implementations like EMIS.

The technical superiority of free and open source software are proven . All Internet giants Amazon, Facebook, Google , Twitter and Yahoo uses free software to run their application and infrastructure. In Microsoft's own land the Obama administration is going for Free software as the means of delivering e-governance.

Government departments are known to be the largest consumer of software and a short-sighted policy of the kind is bound to have serious adverse effects beyond the wastage of tax payers money.

It is also never too late to make amends. The recent happenings in the state of Tamil Nadu, as per this report, should be suggestive of the same.

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Purulia District in West Bengal, is one of the most impoverished districts of India. Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, the founder of Ananda MArga, had a vision to elevate the educational status and improve the standard of living in such areas through comprehensive education.

He founded Degree College at Ananda Nagar in 1956, providing education to around 60 villages that previously had little access to higher education. Ananda Marga College began as an all-boys school, but has recently expanded to include women, whose facilities are completely apart from the main campus, in a nearby village, to comply with mandates of Sarkar, of separate, not co-ed facilities for higher education.

The Ananda Marga global ruling organizational body recently had a vote to discontinue the women's branch, saying that the existing conditions are coeducational, when they are, by all means completely separate, circumstances that would force these women to give up any chance that they might have of being able to make real progress in their lives, and the lives of their families and villages.

We feel that is necessary to overturn or redo this repressive vote, and help the women continue and move forward in their education and their lives.

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On September 27 2011, The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) brought out a stringent code so as to stop the menace of tele-marketeers.

While it dealt with that issue effectively, with the strengthening of the Do Not Disturb (DND) registry, lurking in it was a troublesome clause, limiting the number of SMSs per day per subscriber to 100. In today's age, SMS has evolved to become an easy, short and quick way for communication, and passing on information at a stretch.

A limit of 100 messages per day to *individual* customers only blocks the flow of vital information, and interpersonal exchange.

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Murugan and Santhan, both 41, and Arivu alias Perarivalan, 37, were sentenced to death in January 1998 by a Special Anti-Terrorist Court in India on the grounds of their involvement in the assassination of the late Rajiv Gandhi.

Their sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court of India in May 1999. Their mercy petitions were rejected by the Indian President this month on the advice of the Government of India.

If carried out, these would be the first executions in India since 2004. The three men were amongst 26 people sentenced to death by a special court at the Poonamallee jail complex in Tamil Nadu.

On appeal, a three-judge Supreme Court bench confirmed the death sentences of Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan and a woman, Nalini, while acquitting 19 persons of the murder charges and commuting the death sentences of three others.

In April 2000, the Governor of Tamil Nadu commuted Nalini’s sentence to life imprisonment, but rejected the mercy petitions of the three men. A mercy petition for the three men was sent to the Government of India in April 2000 and eventually only decided upon at the beginning of August 2011.

Amnesty International in their statement says the eleven-year delay in announcing the verdict of the mercy petition and the resultant stay on death row may further amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment..

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Lokpal Bill. Release Anna Hazare.

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DholaVira in Kutch India is the site of ancient Harrappan Civilisation which was excavated in 1989.

This the cradle of Human Civilisation. It is estimated to be more than 5000 years old.

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On the 3rd of April 2011, 35 young people from five states in North India got together at the Pinebrook Center near Shillong to discuss the main justice issues facing North East India. Out of this small meeting came the ‘Pinebrook Manifesto’ which you have before you.
We feel strongly that the political norms in our states must change.

We cry for more accountability, more honesty, more peace and more tangible solutions to the ongoing problems that destabilize and cripple the progress of our region. We have chosen six issues that need real and lasting change. This list is not exhaustive but we believe these are some of the main areas that need to be addressed. We realize that these issues are complex and that often we, the people of the North East, perpetuate the problems. But this manifesto is directed at us as much as it is our politicians. We want to see ourselves change as well as our leaders. All of us have signed this document; we ask that you also, as a person from the North East region, sign this document and join our movement for more integrity and justice in our States.

On May 15th we will send this manifesto, along with the signatures to the Chief Minister of Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. This is just a small act but we believe even small movements of justice can situate us on a road to more peace. As Amos, the 8th century herdsman said “…let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream”. Send this link to your friends and your friends of friends from the North East. Join us in bring lasting change to our region.

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Social Activist Anna Hazare is fasting unto death and is sitting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi 24x7 - he wants the government to be serious about implementing the 'Jan Lokpal Bill' which will be a vehicle to bring accountability and fight corruption at all levels of society, politics, business, judiciary, bureacracy, etc... Many versions of this bill has been talked about and delyed for the last 42 years. It is now the second day of fasting and he said he is ready to die for this.

India against corruption needs the support of a mass scale global people's movement that the Indian government can't ignore. Would you please sign this petition and tell the prime minister Manmohan Singh that you support Anna Hazare and the fight against corruption in India.

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) needs our voice to 'BE HEARD'. With close to 1million South Asians living in Chicago and surrounding suburbs there is a great need for our community to have a 24x7 FM radio station. Our programming will include music hits, latest global news from the India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. From interactive session and academic discussion to casual talk and gossip, nostalgic old Bollywood to latest hits, we are on a mission to help better the community by providing public resources and help.
Upnageet™ will offer - free advertisement for non-profit organizations, free air time for addressing youth issues, free resources, advertisement for local business, Celeb guests, and talk shows.

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The Indian city of Chandigarh is one of the world’s greatest architectural treasures. Described by its architect Le Corbusier as “my crowning work”, it is an exceptionally ambitious and successful experiment in urban planning that has enriched the lives of the many people who have lived and worked there.

Le Corbusier worked on the design, planning and construction of Chandigarh with his cousin Pierre Jeanneret and a team of international architects from 1950 until his death in 1965. The result is the first planned city in India with beautiful green spaces and some of the 20th century’s finest buildings.

Their work at Chandigarh is now imperilled by the removal of artifacts designed by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret and their team, including public property. Many of these artifacts, such as furniture, lighting, carvings, architectural drawings and models, have subsequently been sold by international art dealers and auction houses. A manhole cover from Chandigarh sold for over $24,000 at an auction in Paris in November 2010.

If the plundering of Chandigarh continues, Le Corbusier’s vision of the city will be destroyed. This article in The Guardian newspaper explains the gravity of the situation:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/mar/07/chandigarh-le-corbusier-heritage-site?INTCMP=SRCH

A group of local architects and art historians led by Manmohan Nath Sharma, who was Le Corbusier’s first assistant and later chief architect of Chandigarh, is campaigning to preserve the city’s architectural integrity.

You can help their campaign by signing this petition to urge the Indian government to:

- lobby UNESCO to make Chandigarh a World Heritage Site
- impose tighter controls on the removal of public property from Chandigarh

Your support could help to Save Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh.

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In its fight against female genocide in India, the 50Million Missing Campaign has marked the practice of DOWRY as its STRATEGIC TARGET. You can join the “War on Dowry” movement on facebook.

What is driving the female genocide in India? What is the linking factor that is causing the systematic and targeted annihilation of women through feticide, infanticide and dowry murders. This is the question that we at the campaign have been asking.

After 3 years of observations, research, surveys, cases, discussions, and analysis, the conclusion we have reached is that none of the following is a factor in India’s female genocide : economics, education, class, caste, religion, and community. It involves the educated and wealthy, as well as the poor and uneducated, a conclusion also reached in a recent High Court verdict. In an infanticide case the Court concluded with this statement, “60 years of independence and so-called modernization has not changed the societal attitude towards the female child. Across the board; rural or urban, educated and uneducated, rich and poor, the skewed sex ratio adverse to the female child is a sad mirror image of the social thinking even in the 21st Century.”

So what is driving the female genocide in India?
The answer: A vulgar, chronic, and criminal GREED for dowry.

Dowry in India today has become the no.1 method of criminal extortion through the infliction of blackmail, torture, violence, and murder of women.

Every son born into a family is greedily viewed as the ‘golden goose’ who will bring in the fantasized wealth through the dowry they will demand when he gets married. So families want more and more sons. There is no end to the wealth demand even after marriage, and if the woman is killed, the son can marry again. For another dowry! Why kill, why not just divorce? In the case of divorce, there is always the chance that the woman or her family will demand their dowry money/ items back.

The families that are consumed with hoarding dowry, are the same ones that also do not want to pay dowry to other families. Hence, not only do they torment and kill women who marry into their families, but they destroy daughters in their own families through selective female feticide, infanticide and the killing of toddlers through starvation and deliberate neglect.

Dowry – the practice of easy wealth acquisition is spreading like wild-fire in India. Communities, regions and religions that never traditionally practiced dowry, have now jumped on the band-wagon. Along with this there is an uncontrolled increase in the murder of women and girl infants and an exponential increase in female feticide.

As of yet the system of law and order in India has shown little inclination towards bringing this situation under control. It is riddled with corruption and incompetence, and many in the government offices, police and medical establishment themselves indulge in dowry and female feticide. The possibility for change through the official channels therefore is bleak.

What then would be the most realistic and doable method at the grassroots level that would guarantee a visible impact for change in the shortest possible time. When we are talking about human lives, time is of the essence!

The 50 MM’s strategy is to target the custom of dowry, specifically addressing girls, women and the families with daughters. (Extortionists have no conscience. So we don’t think it is any use negotiating with them.)

In our ‘WAR ON DOWRY’ the following messages will be the focus of our PUBLIC projects:

* A man who needs his in-laws to fund his family incessantly is not fit for marriage.
* It is foolish to pay dowry to a family that is torturing your daughter and could ultimately kill her.
* It is wiser to spend that money on enabling your daughter to be secure and independent through education and or her own business.
* Your daughter’s life and safety is more important than her marriage. Parents must make that their prerogative.
* Treat the first dowry demand, before or after marriage as a death threat and either don’t marry your daughter into that family or get her out immediately. Don’t every send her back. In most cases that is when the girls get killed.
* A family that extorts for dowry is lowly, criminal, and perverse. Why would you want your daughter to marry into that family? Would you feel proud being related to people like that?
* In a country where there are 50 million more men than women – it is the woman’s prerogative to choose a good groom. Women and their families MUST recognize that the choice is theirs! They must choose wisely.

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Hon’ble Shri Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India
Hon’ble Shri P. Chidambaram, Minister, Home Affairs, India

Apropos, the 9th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas slated for January 7-9, 2011 in New Delhi - the Manipuris all over the world join the 24 million strong Indian diaspora to welcome the initiative to lay an elaborate platform for growth of Indians domestic and abroad. We are happy to note that India’s North East Region will be focused during this event and that the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) is an organiser.

While we acknowledge the special efforts of the government of India to boost the economic development of India’s backward NE Region, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that some of India’s archaic policies remain conflicting many of the new development initiatives in the Region defeating their purposes and objectives. One such policy potentially stopping the Manipuris from benefitting from the new programs of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) is the Protected Area Permit (PAP).

PAP restricts the visit of foreigners to Manipur. It restricts even the overseas Manipuris born in India who wish to visit their home state, Manipur. The purpose of PAP as stated by the Indian Home Ministry is “protection of culture” of the people in certain places in the country. We do not understand in what way foreigners visiting Manipur for business or tourism can harm the Manipuris while they cannot do this to other Indians. In this age of globalization, the physical segregation of the people in Manipur from the overseas Manipuris and other foreigners does not relate anything to the protection of their culture. Rather, keeping them barricaded from foreigners will diminish their competitive abilities resulting in a crippled population. Manipuris have endured two millennia long history of their own, professed rich culture and performed illustriously in many fields at any level. They need exposure to a wider arena of competition and not protection in an enclosure to sustain their heritage.

PAP obliterates the rights and privileges of Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) or Person of Indian Origin (PIO) as these apply to the Manipuris. With OCI an overseas Manipuri will not have the right to freely visit and stay in his or her homeland in India while other overseas Indians enjoy these privileges. Even obtaining PAP by an overseas Manipuri for visiting Manipur sometimes poses an insurmountable problem as its application process is incongruous with that of visa timing.

The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Ministry of DoNER, and MOIA are trying to create grounds for attracting investments from overseas Indians and foreigners in tune with India’s robust growth in all spheres. We assert that Manipuris in Manipur and elsewhere deserve a fair role in this cherished program. We fear that in the present circumstances, the progress India wants to make in the NE Region will go lopsided favouring the states without PAP in the same region while Manipur remains hamstrung by it. PAP makes India’s genuine efforts to help its diaspora an unfair play leaving Manipur deprived of the opportunity. India’s “Look East” policy envisages a large scope of interactions between India and various peoples and governments of the South East Asian countries through the North East corridor. PAP will significally fetter all steps in this initiative.

In spite of its beauty, natural resources and vivacious people Manipur had to witness a general decline in value system among its populace during the past four decades of its socio-political strife. Perhaps a paradigm shift may be required in India’s development approach in the NE Region from the subsidy dispensing mode to a capacity building one. Removal of PAP is one essential step in this line.

We are concerned that PAP opposes India’s commitment of equality of rights, privileges and opportunities to its citizens as enshrined in its democracy.

Based on the reasons described above we strongly believe that removal of PAP from Manipur is a socio-politically and economically sensible act for the Government of India.

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Labatt Brewing Company has announced today that production of Alexander Keiths India Pale Ale will be taken away from its ancestral home and birthplace since 1820.

Keiths is a Nova Scotian Tradition, deeply ingrained in our heritage so completely, that to take production away from Nova Scotia would be an affront to our culture and heritage.

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The HCI in Aldwych in London.

Where thousands of people go everyday to secure visa’s to visit India as well as renew Indian passports.
Well my plight was to secure a new passport as my wife’s Indian passport was stolen.

The BATTLE began…I was given a 6 page document. 12 photos were requested, and the form to be Notary Public. The cost soon mounted as all of this cost over £200, not to mention the Fee was £141.

I arrived at India House amongst hundreds of others; we were all outside under no shelter in a spaghetti queue (one corner stank of urine from overnight travelers/passersby’s) leading to the main doors where 2 persons were vetting the people. I was told that I could not enter but only my wife as it was her passport application. I advised the person that she has a medical disability and I am the Carer. He very rudely and blatantly refused, even making a sarcastic remark, “if you stay here any longer I will too get a medical condition”. I was very angry with this, but like many others that complained about genuine problems, no one cared. We were a herd of cattle rounded up to be taken in for our money.

The inside of the High Commission was no better, again hundreds of crammed people, no proper signs to counters…and in fact no number system…My wife had to push her way through 40/50 people all trying to reach one counter. The person behind was NO professional, being very rude, abrupt, colloquial. I was given one excuse after another to push me off, but I insisted, eventually I was told that they had NO trace of my previous passport being issued at London. I have been in the UK since 1988 and had 3 passports renewed since. After a few more battles and loud words the counter closed for lunch..

When opened again a new set of forms were given to fill….Only 4 pictures were taken and the fee of £84.
When I went to collect the passport, again hundreds of people with no direction and treated like trash. When I had collected the passport I found that only a 5 year one was issued, instead of a 10 year as my wife is resident in the UK and not a visitor from India. I tried to call the High Commission but trying to contact them was not at all possible, at one time been put through to the consulate to be “hanged up” on 6 times. I then tried e mail…..and after 5 e mails got a reply that I should visit the High Commission on any day and the same passport will be endorsed for another 5 years. No apologies.

I am appalled at the “Service”, the Staff, no system, no signs and the communication. There is no priority given to the disable, frail and elderly. We ALL pay for this service, Its NOT FREE. We are NOT in a third world country and India is supposed to be a Super Power. Where are our ethics, service standards and basic manners, even animals are treated better.

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Despite of the fact that it's the basic right of every citizen to get passport of their nationality however Pakistani secrete agencies are interfering for the issuance of new passports to the family members of United Kashmir People's National Party's chairman Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmir.

Although, the civilian and elected Home Minister Rehman Malik has ordered to the Pakistani High Commission in Switzerland to issue passports, but the agencies are forcing High Commission not to issue the passports.

Since the passports and fee is deposited seven months ago, still this family is waiting for their passports, which is a basic and fundamental right of every citizen of Kashmir.

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There is around 1,200 jobs within Orange UK being made redundant - these roles are being outsourced to India and this should not happen. A whole floor practically within Orange Darlington is being wiped out.

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President Obama should highlight oppressive and inhuman caste system-culture in India & pay homage to Indian Lincoln Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Founding father of modern India on his visit to India in November 2010

Indian Lincoln Dr. Ambedkar—father of modern India and the Indian constitution, graduate of Columbia University, Oxford-educated scholar, and the first law minister of India after its independence—was from a Dalit community and so created constitutional rights for these poor people. This Indian constitution guarantees equality, liberty, fraternity, and social justice; however, the subsequent state and federal governments have utterly failed to protect Dalits by not following the constitutional codes.
 Every hour in India, two Dalits (untouchables of South Asia) are brutally assaulted.
 Every day, three Dalit women are raped, two Dalits are murdered, and two Dalit homes are burned.
 37% of Dalits live below the poverty line in India.
 More than half (54%) of Dalit children are undernourished in India.
 85 per 1,000 children born in Dalit communities die before their first birthday.
 45% of Dalits do not know how to read or write in India.
 Dalit women bear double discrimination (gender and caste) in India.
 About one-third of Dalit households do not have basic facilities, such as toilets.
 90% of the villages do not have burial ground for the dead.
 There are more children forced into labor in India than throughout the whole world put together.
 Human trafficking and prostitution of poor people are rampant

(Source: Ministry of Welfare of the Government of India, Annual Report 1992–1993)
Crimes against Dalits increase yearly (135,771 cases were reported in 1999; 137,492 cases were reported in 2000). More than 28,000 incidents of crime against scheduled caste/scheduled tribe (SC/ST) Indians were committed in 2005, according to the National Crimes Records Bureau. There are numerous massacres, and Dalit carnages take place under the nose of state governments and law enforcement officials.

REGISTERED ATROCITIES IN INDIA, 1999–2004
Year FIRs filed & Cases Registered under SC/ST Act Poor Conviction rate in the Courts FIR Cases Regist-
ered under PCR Act Con-viction
in the Courts under PCR Total FIR Cases Registered on Atrocity Total Convic-tion in Courts % of Convictions
1999 25093 655 4450 45 29543 700 2.36
2000 23742 901 3958 81 27770 982 3.54
2002 27894 3748 526 150 28420 3898 13.71
2003 22603 2727 651 13 23254 2740 11.78
2004 23629 3259 126 34 23755 3293 13.86
Total 122961 11290 9711 323 132672 11613 8.75

* Data for 2001 are not available.
(Source: Annual Report of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of India)
The conviction rate under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act is 15.71%, and as much as 85.37% of cases are pending. The Indian government enacted the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act in 1989. Unfortunately, it has proved to be lame duck legislature. Nothing has improved, or even changed, for the Dalits. Many atrocity cases remain unreported by the casteist police, so the judicial system does not register the crimes. The caste-dominated newspapers also do not report atrocities.

A recent study of untouchability in rural India that covered 565 villages in 11 states found the following:
 Public health workers refused to visit Dalit homes in 33% of villages.
 Dalits were prevented from entering the police station in 27.6% of villages.
 Dalit children had to sit separately while eating in 37.8% of government schools.
 Dalits did not get mail delivered to their homes in 23.5% of villages.
 Dalits were denied access to water sources in 48.4% of villages.
 Half of India’s Dalit children are undernourished and 21% are severely underweight.
 Literacy rates for Dalit women are as low as 37.8% in rural India.

Untouchability in schools has contributed to drop-out and illiteracy levels for Dalit children far beyond those of the general population, with the “literacy gap” between Dalits and non-Dalits hardly changing since India’s independence. Democracy does not mean anything to Dalits, as they are treated below animals in Hindu society.

Dalit women, who alongside “tribal” women are the poorest of the poor in India, face double discrimination on the basis of caste and gender in all spheres of life. They are subjected to gross violations of their physical integrity, including sexual abuse by dominant castes, and are socially excluded and economically exploited.
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has observed substantial under allocation and under expenditure of the allocation for Dalit welfare and development under the government’s Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes. Dalits are subjected to bonded and forced labor and discriminated against in a range of markets, including the labor, housing, consumer, capital, and credit markets. They are paid lower wages and subjected to longer working hours and delayed wages. Verbal and physical abuse takes place in broad daylight in public, at times in front of the police.

Brahmin, Shatriya, and Vaishya castes make up 15% of the population, yet claim about 65% of the upper-level jobs (see the following table). This is another form of casteism and discrimination.
Caste Population Politics Employed Commerce Land Education
Brahmin 3.5 41.0 62 10 5 -----
Shatriya 5.5 15.0 12 27 80 -----
Vaishya 6.0 10.5 13 60 9 -----
Total 15 66.5 87 97 94 78
SC 15.0 11.0 4 0.1 0.5 6
ST 7.5 7.6 1 0.1 0.5 2
OBC 52.0 8.0 7 0.8 4.0 2
Minorities 10.5 3.0 1 2.0 1.0 2
Total 85.0 33.5 13 3.0 6.0 22
(Source: Mahanayak, Marathi daily newspaper from Bombay, P1, Head News, 4-30-2006)

Dr. Ambedkar, who fought for civil rights struggle for abolishing caste and untouchability, made the new India possible. Imagine an India that has no dalit/adivasi or minority participation in the administrative, bureaucratic and knowledge structures. Imagine no dalit participation in the higher echelons of the nation in this century. Dalits constitute 16.5 per cent of Indian population and President Obama, as a first black President to visit India, should ideally take note of this.

As we know about Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Americans should also know about Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. President Obama has done a lot to popularize Gandhi, and he could also do the same for Dr. Ambedkar if he visits Nagpur Deekshabhoomi or Chaityabhoomi, Mumbai. The Deekshabhoomi does not represent just Ambedkar’s idea of India but also the secular Buddhist tradition of the nation.
The Bahujan communities (85%, Schedule Castes, Schedule tribes and other backward castes (OBC) and minorities) would be happy if he also pays homage to Dr B R Ambedkar. This will make his visit a historic event. As such, they are looking forward to President Obama’s visit as he symbolizes the hope of freedom for oppressed people across the world. As President Obama emerged out of the historic struggles of the blacks in the US, his visit could also inspire the movement for the abolition of caste, the Indian variety of slavery. Dr. Ambedkar is the best historical link between the Indian oppressed communities and also the blacks of America.

Dr. Ambedkar was not only the father of the constitution of India but also the liberator of all oppressed people. The ruling classes do see the similarities between Dalit-Bahujan struggles and the black struggles the masses can make out that historical linkage. The religious minorities also look up to Dr. Ambedkar as a Buddhist. President Obama, being a Christian, shares the blood of a Muslim father. If he pays homage to a Buddhist Ambedkar, he will be respecting the multi-cultural tradition of India. This will also attract global attention to Dr. Ambedkar’s legacy, life and philosophy.

India as a nation has the Buddhist cultural & tradition as Buddha was born/grew up and built his spiritual and social Sangha system in India. No other icon than Dr. Ambedkar can represent that cultural heritage in the modern period.

Will our ruling class ensure that President Obama at least lays a garland on the statue of Ambedkar in parliament premises? Such a deviation from protocol will respond to the changing needs of the nation and will be positive and desirable.

President Obama was keen to learn about the plight of the untouchables during his student years. And interestingly, both he and Dr. Ambedkar were educated at Columbia University. It could also turn out to be an occasion for the country to come to terms with the caste and untouchability problem in the international arena. The stance of caste denial taken by the Indian government in the United Nations had done some damage.

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SINGLE WINDOW EXAMINATION FOR PG MEDICAL EXAM

1. Conduction of exam --------------

a. done by single body e.g. AIIMS for PG. Or a examination body may be formed which draws on expertise from top institutes like AIIMS, PGI etc and formulates a question bank only. The computer then randomly picks up question to set the question paper. This prevents leakage of question paper before exam.

b. Biometrics system should be used to prevent impersonation as is done in UP-PGME and JIPMER exam.

c. After the exam question paper should be given to candidate. He/she may also get copy of his/her OMR sheet on depositing a small fee (eg- rs. 50) as is done in HP-PGME exam. This ensures fairness and transparency in the exam.

2. Process of Application

i. Application form will be filled up online.
ii. Candidates will upload their digital photos on white background (so that no tampering is done), also they will carry copies of same photos at time of exam, counselling and admission in college so that no manipulation is done.
iii. All states will provide their total number of seats, reservation policies and which seats are marked according to the reservation provide to them. Eg what no. of seats/branches are in AIPGME, State quota/SC/ST/OBC/in service candidates etc. This way there is no disturbance to existing reservation policies.
iv. The candidate while filling up their form will have options displayed on the website regarding above mentioned distributions under which they are covered. Eg – When a person fills up his state of completing MBBS, next option that will be displayed to him ie whether in service or not, whether SC/ST/OBC etc. Therefore relevant options will be displayed to him according to his state which he will mark. He will also provide annexures as proof.
v. Candidate will mark his place of appearance of counselling among the choices provided.

3. Displaying of result ------------ single merit result displaying overall rank and category rank for SC/ST/OBC/UR-PH/SC-PH/ST-PH/OBC-PH will be made.

4. Counselling --------------- There will be 7 or more zonal centres from which the candidate can choose to appear. Which once marked in the application form is not allowed to change (to prevent further confusion). The ranks called for counselling day wise will be displayed as is done for AIPGME. Counselling will be done as per overall rank only. Soon after the result the time schedule to be hosted on the website/daily newspapers (English and vernacular language) and the exam conducting body website

5. Process of counselling
a. Candidate will come to his centre of choice according to his rank.
b. At his/her turn all the options will be displayed under which he/she is covered according to the various categories he/she has marked in the application form.
Eg. If a person marks that he/she – SC Done MBBS from HP Is a in service candidate for 4 yrs (so covered under this)
At his/her turn the computer will display what seats will be available to the candidate under various quotas if he opts for – AIPGME quota AIPGME – SC quota State (i.e. HP) quota State (i.e. HP) quota for SC In service candidate SC quota
c. Thus at his/her turn all options will be displayed and the candidate will choose only one seat without blocking other seats which would be available to other candidates.
d. After candidate opts for a final seat, allotment letter will be sent by 4 emails sent automatically by the computer software, 1 each to --- ADG(ME), principal concerned college, DGME of concerned state and the candidate. Also one confirmation SMS to the candidate will be sent. Therefore no scope of manipulation. 

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We want 'Google Translate' to create a Gurmukhi language.

Gurmukhi (Punjabi: ਗੁਰਮੁਖੀ, Gurmukhī) is the most common script used for writing the Punjabi language. An abugida derived from the Laṇḍā script and ultimately descended from Brahmi, Gurmukhi was standardized by the second Sikh guru, Guru Angad Dev Ji, in the 16th century. The whole of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji's 1430 pages are written in this script. The name Gurmukhi is derived from the Old Punjabi term "guramukhī", meaning "from the mouth of the Guru".

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Dill Mill Gaye was the story of Armaan and RIddhima and will be their. They are the main lead opposite each other. And no one can come between them.

If we see the previous episodes then we can be realize that they love each other very much than their own life. So we are suggesting to the CVs of DMG that please bring them together as a pair. Otherwise we will stop watching this show.

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