ZABARWAN TIMES
FRIDAY OCTOBER | 25 | 2013
Rs 6 crore compensation to NRI doctor New Delhi/Kolkata, Oct 24: The Supreme Court on Thursday, Oct 24 asked Kolkata-based Advanced Medicare and Research Institute (AMRI) Hospital to give Rs 5.96 crore compensation to an NRI doctor who lost his wife due to medical negligence. But isn't it too little, too late for Dr Kunal Saha? After fighting for 15 long years, Dr Kunal, a noted AIDS vaccine researcher at the Children's Hospital and Ohio State university at Columbus, Ohio (US), will be given Rs 5.96 crore by the hospital authorities who earlier had rejected to accept any responsibilities when 36-year-old Anuradha Saha passed away in 1998. Dr Kunal initially lost his fight as West Bengal Medical Council and the Calcutta High Court dismissed his case against AMRI Hospital. However, he continued his fight for getting justice for his wife, he had moved the apex court which found the hospital and its doctors guilty of medical negligence. The Supreme Court also had referred the case to the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC), which had fixed the compensation amount to Rs 1.7 crore. The NCDRC asked three Kolkata doctors and the AMRI to share the compensation amount. Dr Kunal, however, claimed that the compensation amount, along with interest since 1998, should be Rs 200 crore and moved the apex court again. On Thursday, the apex court decided on his plea and enhanced the compensation to Rs. 5.96 crore. Dr Kunal also had formed People for Better Treatment (PBT) to make his crusade into a mass movement and filed cases against three doctors and the AMRI hospital. Anuradha had suffered an acute pain when the couple had come to Kolkata from US for a Holiday in 1998. She was admitted to AMRI. Instead of improving, Anuradha took a turn
for the worse after a steroid called Depomedral was given to her. Later Anuradha was moved to the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai, but it was too. Expressing his disappointment with the Kolk-
ata doctors, Dr Kunal was quoted as saying, "When a patient goes to the hospital, he gives himself in the hands of the doctor. Every day we see cases of medical negligence but no doctor is caught."
Bundelkhand a victim of BJP's India shining politics: Rahul Gandhi Slamming BJP for its "politics of India Shining," Rahul Gandhi today reached out to the poor and rural youths in Bundelkhand, hard-selling the UPA's flagship schemes of food security, land acquisition and job guarantee programme MNREGA. The Congress Vice-President stressed on the unity of his party in the faction-ridden state unit and expressed confidence that it will form the next government in Madhya Pradesh, which will "not belong to a leader" but to the poor, youths and women. "Bundelkhand has become a victim of the slogan of India shining. The politics of India Shining has ignored the screams of the people of Bundelkhand for development. Did you feel the glaze of India shining? This is politics of airconditioner (those sitting in air-conditioned rooms), the politics of industrialists, they practise," Gandhi said while addressing an election rally in the state, where Congress has been out of power for a decade. Gandhi, who has been focusing on the Bundelkhand region for quite some time and had also been instrumental in getting a financial package for the area, said farmers wanted to know where did the money sent by the Centre to dig
wells go. Interacting with the crowds gathered to hear him, Gandhi asked them whether they had felt any impact of the "India Shining politics". "Youths are not happy, farmers are not happy, women are not happy," he said. In a speech laced with anecdotes like dreams of a "sweating farmer" engaged in agricultural work that his
sons or grandsons would some day fly in aeroplanes, to that of village women and youths, Gandhi briefly mentioned Indira Gandhi and said in contrast to BJP's politics of only development, Congress politics takes into account both things -- development as well empowering people. Seeking to add a personal touch to his associating with people in Bundelkhand, Gandhi recalled that when he had first come to the region, he had suffered mosquito bites and when he had consumed water in a village, it had got his stomach upset. "But I was happy. Politicians should know the hardships faced by people," he said. BJP-led NDA had given slogan of 'India Shining' during 2004 Lok Sabha elections, which saw the UPA coming to power, bringing to an end the NDA rule at the Centre. Gandhi claimed that the UPA regime had constructed three times more roads than those laid down during the BJP-led NDA rule, which keeps speaking about development and roads. "We made three times more road than what were constructed during NDA's period. BJP did not construct as many airports as we did.
Patna: A Bihar woman health official is set to share stage with Malala Yousufzai, who was shot in the head and neck by the Taliban for advocating girls' education in her country Pakistan, in New York next month, officials on Thursday said. Martha Dodray, in her mid-40s, is an auxiliary nursing midwife posted at Kusheshwarsthan primary health centre in the state's Darbhanga district. She was selected by the United Nations Foundation (UNF) for her extraordinary work to eradicate polio. "I am happy that UNF is honouring me for my work in polio immunization campaign at a
function to be held at New York on November 6, where Malala would be also felicitated," Martha, a tribal native of Palamu district of neighbouring Jharkhand, said. She said she walked several kilometres each day to reach remote and inaccessible villages to administer polio vaccine to hundreds of children, mostly belonging to poor families. Darbhanga district magistrate Kumar Ravi said Martha has contributed in the polio vaccination drive in remote pockets of the flood-prone rural areas."Marha was recently selected as one of the
BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan today promised to bring "radical reforms" in governance if his party comes to power and accused the Congress government of "piling up miseries" on the people and putting Delhi in intensive care unit by its "misrule". A day after being named as the party's CM candidate following a bitter race for the position within Delhi BJP, Vardhan said a "clean, transparent and people's government" will be in place if voted to power and ruled out any infighting in the party fold. In a show of unity, Vardhan addressed a press conference flanked by Delhi election in-charge Nitin Gadkari, Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel, Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly V K Malhotra and former Delhi unit chief Vijender Gupta and asserted that the party will leave no stone unturned to defeat the "corrupt" Congress government. The former Health Minister promised to bring "radical changes" in governance and offered a transparent, innovative and corruption-free administration if BJP was brought to power. "All the leaders and workers will work hard to oust the corrupt and ineffective government. The government has failed in
all fronts. Poor people are living in helllike situation. The city is in ICU and it needs a healing touch," Vardhan, fondly called as 'Doctor Saab', said. Exhuding confidence of his party's
victory, Gadkari said the people of Delhi were in "exile for last 15 years" and that is going to end in December. "The people of Delhi were in exile. But now the exile will end and the (BJP) government will be formed. It will be a Ram
Rajya," he said. Vardhan attacked the government on number of issues including "backbreaking" price rise of essential commodities, fruits and vegetables, "rising" crime, "ever increasing" pollution in Yamuna, "high" power tariff, "poor" education and healthcare infrastructure and CWG scam. "Very soon the people of Delhi will be freed from the Sheila Dikshit dispensation which has adopted such a casual approach towards governance because of which the whole city is suffering," Vardhan, who was named BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate yesterday, said.Rejecting reports of infighting in the party, Goel, who lost the race for Chief Ministerial candidate, resolved to put all his effort to make the party victorious and showered praise on Vardhan. "The party will fight unitedly to oust the corrupt Congress government. The people of Delhi are fed up with the misrule of Congress. I am confident of our victory," said Goel. "I do not have to tell anything about Harsh Vardhan. He is a popular leader. His contribution towards eradication of polio was appreciated within and outside the country," he said in his brief comment.
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal has sent a formal invitation to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit inviting her for an open public debate. "I have sent a formal proposal to Sheila Dikshit for a public debate, but it must happen in public, not in any TV studio," said Kejriwal. "Why is Sheila Dikshit is scared of a debate? Harshvardhan (BJP's chief ministerial candidate), she and I can debate, not in a TV studio, but among people," Kejriwal added. Kejriwal’s official invitation to the Delhi CM came days after she told a TV news channel that she was ready for a debate with the AAP leader if he formally writes to her. She had said, “I am not shy of a political debate. I have debated with Sushma Swaraj in the past. Public debates are healthy in a democracy." Dikshit’s response came after Kejriwal dared her for a public debate with him on the issues relating to "inflated" power and water bills and women's safety among others. Well, it would be interesting to see the veteran Delhi CM getting engaged in a verbal duel with Kejriwal, the former RTI activist and now a politician. Dikshit, who is eyeing an unprecedented fourth successive term in upcoming Assembly polls, admitted recently that Kejriwal has caught the people's imagination to a certain extent. Kejriwal, 45, whose won the Magsaysay Award for emergent leadership for his campaign to get the Right to Information law passed in India, has announced his candidature from New Delhi Assembly constituency,
The next general elections would see a fight between Congress and RSS, not BJP, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said today, calling the saffron party a "wholly owned subsidiary" of the Sangh Parivar fountainhead. Ramesh also hit out at BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, saying the opposition party was only projecting Modi, whereas "we are asking people to vote for our party and its ideology"."What has happened in the last few months has given proof of the fact that 2014 is not Congress versus BJP, but the fight is between Congress and RSS, because whatever the RSS orders, BJP follows," Ramesh told reporters here. "If proof is needed that the BJP is the wholly owned subsidiary of the holding company based in Nagpur called the RSS, what has happened in the last 12 to 15 months is adequate enough," the Union Rural Development Minister said. Claiming that BJP had lost its ground due to recent developments, Ramesh said 2014 would be a battle between Congress ideology and RSS ideology. "It will be battle between ideologies of Congress and regional parties." Hitting out at BJP and its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, he said the Congress election strategy was not about projecting any one individual. "....now, one individual is saying to the country I,I and I; I, me, my-
best polio workers in India for her devotion and hard work in polio vaccination drive. Her name was recommended for the award ceremony in New York," Darbhanga civil surgeon U.K. Choudhary said. State Health Secretary Sanjay Kumar, who is also executive director of Bihar State Health Society, said the state has become a near polio-free region as it has not recorded a single case of the disease. But Bihar will have to wait till January 14, 2014, to be officially declared a polio free state, when India too will be declared a polio-free country.
Radical reforms if BJP elected to power: Harsh Vardhan
Kejriwal formally invites Sheila Dikshit for public debate which has been electing Congress Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. AAP has decided to field candidates in all 70 constituencies. The party had last week claimed it was on course to form the next government in Delhi. AAP had come out with a survey which showed the party was lead-
ing in 33 of 70 assembly seats in capital. The party has been attacking Delhi government on a number of issues including power and water tariff and alleged corruption. Delhi Asembly elections will be held in the national capital Dec 4 with over 11.5 million voters eligible to cast their ballots in 70 constituencies.
2014 polls will be fight between Congress, RSS, not BJP: Jairam Ramesh
Bihar woman to be honoured by UN for work to eradicate polio
7
self that is his message to the country, that is the stand of an individual who has been named as the prime ministerial candidate by a party." "....whereas Rahul Gandhi's style is much low key, he speaks not about I, me, myself. He instead speaks about democratising the Congress party from the grass root, he speaks about plans to address some serious issues that
is facing the country today," Ramesh said. "At the end of the day, voter has to decide...We are projecting the Congress party and BJP is projecting Modi and that is the fundamental difference between us. We are asking people to vote for our party and its ideology...whether we get votes or not is different, but this is our strategy," he said.
Asaram Bapu moves Gandhinagar court for regular bail
Asaram has moved a Gujarat court for bail on grounds of delay in filing of FIR in connection with the sexual assault case lodged by two Surat-based sisters against him and son Narayan Sai. Asaram has moved a Gujarat court for bail on grounds of delay in filing of FIR in connection with the sexual assault case lodged by two Surat-based sisters against him and son Narayan Sai. ET SPECIAL:Save precious time tracking your investments AHMEDABAD: Self-styled godman Asaram has moved a Gujarat court for bail on grounds of delay in filing of FIR in connection with the sexual assault case lodged by two Surat-based sisters against him and son Narayan Sai. “We have moved the sessions court in Gandhinagar for regular bail. The matter may come up for hearing today,” Asaram’s counsel B M Gupta said. Gupta further said the complaint against Asaram was “concocted” and the allegations levelled against him are “false”. Asaram was brought to the city last week on a transit remand from Jodhpur. Thereafter, the 72-year-old was quizzed extensively by Ahmedabad Police during the seven-day remand granted by a Magisterial Court in Gandhinagar. He was taken back to Jodhpur yesterday.
Tamil Nadu government also hunts for gold, with a difference Chennai: Even as the government searches for gold in the ruins of a centuries-old fort in Uttar Pradesh, the Tamil Nadu government is on a gold hunt of its own. It wants to buy 400 kilos of gold and has asked for bids from suppliers who are interested. What the government specifically wants is
100,000 coins of 22-carat gold, weighing four grams each. These are to be given as part of schemes that offer gold coins to help poor families make Thirumangalyam or mangalsutra for weddings. All bids need to be submitted by November 22. "It is going to be a challenging task. Availability of
gold is the major challenge. Imports of gold is allowed only against export," Jayantilal Challani, president, the Madras Jewellers and Diamond Merchants Association, told news agency IANS.Government officials say the final contract will ensure the supplier is liable if the coins turn out to be alloyed.
BJP plans big for Narendra Modi's ‘Hunkar Rally’ Patna: Patna’s Gandhi Maidan has stood witness to many historic events right from the freedom struggle to the JP movement and beyond. The historic venue is now decked up for BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s ‘Hunkar rally’ on October 27. Going by the massive preparations underway, the event is set to be one of the biggest ever political rallies that Patna has ever seen with giant hoardings and banners dotting most major intersections in the city and also elsewhere in the state. The Bihar BJP has left no stone unturned to ensure that Hunkar rally – the first big party event after the 17-yearold alliance with JD(U) ended on June 16 – makes an impact on the voters of the electorally crucial state. The state unit of the BJP has launched a massive campaign to mobilise support for the rally which will be addressed by Narendra Modi among others. Almost all senior party leaders from Bihar – the party has 12 MPs and 91 MLAs in the state - have fanned out across the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state to build momentum for the big event. They are holding road shows and meetings to solicit public support for
the rally. Also, after the huge success of ‘NaMO’ tea stalls in Patna, the party has hit upon another novel idea to push brand Modi with the party unit in Saharsa giving out free jalebis in the name of Narendra Modi.
A huge tent measuring over 2.5 lakh sq feet is being erected at Gandhi Maidan – from RBI building to Mona Cinema - for the lakhs of supporters who are expected to come to the state capital. Besides arranging food – packets of puri-sabji and chuda-gur- and shelter, BJP workers have also arranged over one
lakh ‘daatuns’ for their convenience. Party workers are setting up collection and distribution centres - to manage easy distribution of food packets at Fraser Road, near Maharaja Complex, Golamber, near Mauryalok Complex and on Exhibition Road. As many as 11 special trains and 3000 buses have been booked to transport BJP supporters from different parts of the state to the rally venue. Enthusiastic party workers in Jajha are coming to Patna on motorbikes; they have named their cavalcade ‘Hunkar Express’. To spread the ‘Hunkar’ message, the party has distributed two CDs ‘NaMo Hunkar’ and ‘Modi banenge PM’ right up to the village level. Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari – who recently joined the BJP – is also doing his bit to ensure that the Patna event turns out to be mega success. At Gandhi Maidan, a huge stage has been erected which has a 30-feet-long electronic screen as the backdrop. Also, 30 more screens are being erected all across the ground to ensure that even those sitting at a distance get a clear view of the stage. Hi-tech linear sound system and 12 cameramen stationed at vantage points are also part of the arrangements.