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india news
INDIA NEWS
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014 MIDWEST EDITION
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Transgenders ‘third’ category: SC Activists term the verdict ‘revolutionary, say social acceptance will take longer because of the stigma IANS, NEW DELHI/KOLKATA
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ransgenders should be treated as a third category and as a socially and economically backward class entitled to job reservation, the Supreme Court ruled this week. Activists termed the verdict “revolutionary” but said social acceptance will take longer because of the stigma associated with them. Recognizing transgenders as a third gender, the apex court bench of Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice A.K. Sikri directed the central and state governments to include them for reservation in jobs and education. The court also said both the union and state governments would frame welfare schemes for them. Transgenders were elated at the judgment. “The judgment is good in terms of recognizing us as the third gender, but the discrimination will continue (in society),” Shaila Jaan, a transgender, told IANS. “Things will only change if the
few countries to give this landmark judgment”, gay rights activist Leslie Steven told IANS. Filmmaker and gay activist Onir also welcomed the judgment. “This judgment also means hope to the LGBT community and we are hopeful to win that battle too,” Onir, who has directed movies like “I Am” and “My Brother Nikhil”, told IANS. In Kerala, human right activists termed the court verdict as “historic and revolutionary”. “We have seen and heard about the ill-treatment meted out to transgenders because of the convention of human beings classified as male or female. They were treated as social outcasts. They will now get a new lease of life,” said former CPI-M lawmaker Sebastian Paul, Transgenders celebrate as the Supreme Court recognized transgenders as the third gender and directed the who is also a lawyer. government to extend them reservations in other backward classes (OBC) category in jobs and education. (Photo: IANS) West Bengal’s transgender community was also elated over the mentality of people towards us Chandni, a transgender, asked The judgment also gave hope to Supreme Court ruling, saying it changes. So social awareness and how will people treat them. “Will the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans- brings the promise of social security change in the education system, they ridicule me or will they make gender (LGBT) community. and the much-needed infrastructuralong with acceptance will definitely an effort to know and be friends The verdict “is important on a al support from the state and central bring change,” she added. with me?” global level and India is one of the governments.
CBI should be under RTI Modi vows to clean Indian Act: Gopalkrishna Gandhi politics in five years IANS, NEW DELHI
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elivering his keynote lecture to mark the CBI’s 50-year celebrations, former West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who was the guest speaker, rebuked the agency for being the government’s alleged ‘department of dirty tricks’ instead of being honesty’s ally. Warning against the menace of corporate greed and black money as a parallel economy, Gandhi also described business group Reliance as an alleged parallel state. “The CBI has a very mixed image. Not all of it is flattering. It is seen as government’s hatchet, rather than honesty’s ally. It is often called DDT— meaning not dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane, the colourless, tasteless, odourless insec-
ticide it should be, but the department of dirty tricks,” Gandhi said at the 15th DP Kohli Memorial Lecture titled “Eclipse at Noon: Shadows over India’s Conscience”. “This perception, howsoever, valid it might be, must change,” said grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.
Gopalkrishna Gandhi
IANS, NEW DELHI
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owing to clean Indian politics within five years, if voted to power, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi this week said that he would put all politicians with criminal backgrounds behind bars without any discrimination. “There is a lot of discussion these days on how to stop criminals from entering politics. I have a cure and I have vowed to clean Indian politics... all I need is people’s support,” said
Modi in the second round of 3D rallies, addressing around 100 locations in 15 states. Modi said that he would set up special courts under the observation of Supreme Court and all the councilors, MLAs, MPs will go through a screening process and those with criminal backgrounds will be prosecuted in a time-bound manner. Taking on the Congress, Modi accused the party of humiliating BR Ambedkar, architect of India’s Constitution, and accused party vice president of taking all the credit for the work done by Ambedkar. Narendra Modi
Rape heinous crime but against blanket death penalty, Mulayam IANS, NEW DELHI
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mid a controversy over his remarks opposing death penalty for rape, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has told the National Commission for Women (NCW) that he holds rape to be a heinous crime deserving stern punishment
but believed that capital punishment should be used only in the rarest of rare cases. Replying to a notice sent by the NCW, Mulayam Singh said he has the highest regard for women and has actively taken a number of initiatives for their upliftment. The NCW had sent him the notice based on media reports on
his remarks. The Samajwadi Party chief said last Thursday that death penalty
in rape cases was “unfair” as boys make “mistakes”. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister had also said that if his party leads the government at the centre, he would change the law. The NCW said that in his reply to the notice, Mulayam Singh said: “The offense of rape is a serious and heinous crime and the perpetrators of such crimes deserve to be dealt with sternly and swiftly.”
Kiran Bedi to be Delhi CM candidate?
Kiran Bedi NEW DELHI: A tweet by former BJP chief and party-in-charge of Delhi Nitin Gadkari saying “Dilli chunav ke liye BJP taiyyar, Kejriwal ke mukable Kiran Bedi hongi CM candidate (BJP ready for Delhi polls, Kiran Bedi will be CM candidate against Kejriwal)” caused a flutter in party circles on April 15, with leaders and spokespersons distancing themselves from the comment. With Lok Sabha elections in full swing, and the Delhi assembly polls not too far away, Gadkari’s tweet that Bedi would be the party’s chief ministerial candidate could cause major trouble for the already factionridden state unit in Delhi. While Gadkari could not be contacted, some in BJP said his Twitter account had been hacked and there was some mischief behind the post. The Delhi BJP unit has not been able to overcome its factional fights between groups owing allegiance to Harsh Vardhan and Vijay Goel. This even led to the party naming its Delhi Lok Sabha contestants at the last moment.