PhD scholar at Hyd central varsity found hanging, students protest – Hindustan times
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/hyderabad-phd-scholar-at-central-varsity-found-hanging-students-protest/story-ZqJCTsPNPCLRFOmWOUm1gK.html
Struggling to make ends meet, they ‘execute’ contracts worth crores – Nyoooz
http://www.nyoooz.com/delhi/324343/struggling-to-make-ends-meet-they-execute-contracts-worth-crores
Folk artiste Gunasekaran dies aged 60 – Nyoooz
http://www.nyoooz.com/puducherry/324302/folk-artiste-gunasekaran-dies-aged-60
QBullet: Deciding PDP’s Future, Govt to Review Farmer Policy – The quint
http://www.thequint.com/india/2016/01/18/qbullet-deciding-pdps-future-govt-to-review-farmer-policy
Ahead of U.P. polls, politics over Ambedkar’s legacy gathers pace – The hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/ahead-of-up-polls-politics-over-ambedkars-legacy-gathers-pace/article8117750.ece
16 injured in group clash – The hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/16-injured-in-group-clash/article8118142.ece
Hindustan times
PhD scholar at Hyd central varsity found hanging, students protest
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/hyderabad-phd-scholar-at-central-varsity-found-hanging-students-protest/story-ZqJCTsPNPCLRFOmWOUm1gK.html
A PhD scholar was found hanging at a central university’s hostel room located on the varsity campus on Sunday, police said.
“V Rohit (around 26) was found hanging in the hostel room. He was among the five research scholars who were suspended by Hyderabad Central University (HCU) in August last year and also one of the accused in the case of assault on a student leader,” Cyberabad police commissioner C V Anand told PTI.
The suspension of Rohit, who belonged to Dalit community, was revoked later.
Further investigation in the case is on.
Earlier, the five research scholars were suspended from the hostel for rest of their study period for allegedly attacking an ABVP leader.
Meanwhile, mild tension prevailed on the campus on Sunday after scores of students gathered and held demonstration along with Rohit’s body and raised slogans.
They demanded police to register a case under SC/ST Atrocity Act against Union minister and BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya while alleging that he had written to HRD ministry seeking action against these research scholars.
A section of students had last week laid a siege to the Administrative Building of the HCU against the suspension of the research scholars.
The students under the umbrella of a Joint Action Committee (JAC) had termed the suspension as “undemocratic” and as a “social boycott” since the five research scholars were denied access to hostels and were forced to sleep in a makeshift tent on the campus.
Based on the recommendations of a sub-committee of the executive council, the five were denied access to hostels on the campus except their classrooms and workshops related to their subject of study.
The council had recommended the punishment based on a proctorial committee inquiry. The committee was constituted after an ABVP activist was attacked on the campus, police said.
Nyoooz
Struggling to make ends meet, they ‘execute’ contracts worth crores
http://www.nyoooz.com/delhi/324343/struggling-to-make-ends-meet-they-execute-contracts-worth-crores
Summary: But for the tribal youth from the Gandabaheli village of Odisha’s Nuapada district has executed government construction contracts worth over Rs.1 crore in the past couple of years. There have been numerous examples of persons belonging to BPL tribes being used as dummies in ‘lucrative’ government construction contracts. But Majhi is a leading contractor in the government records who has completed construction worth more than Rs.8 crore in the past few years. I once asked Meher what would happen if there were any problem with the construction and I get jailed. Hasut has two bank accounts – one with the State Bank of India and another in a regional bank.
Tribal youth Hasut Sabar in front of his one-room house at Gandabaheli village in Sinapali block and Duryodhan Majhi (right) in Dabri village in Komna block of Nuapada district in Odisha. Life for 28-year-old Hasut Sabar, with a monthly salary of Rs.4,000, has been a daily struggle and a decent house a distant dream for him. But for the tribal youth from the Gandabaheli village of Odisha’s Nuapada district has executed government construction contracts worth over Rs.1 crore in the past couple of years. Hasut, who considers the ration card under the National Food Security Act as his most-valued possession, is a ‘B’ Class contractor. In neighbouring block, Komna, Duryodhan Majhi of Dabri village spends most of his time in a thatched house near an agricultural field protecting farm produce at remuneration less than Rs.3,000 per month. But Majhi is a leading contractor in the government records who has completed construction worth more than Rs.8 crore in the past few years. Hasut and Majhi are not the ‘rare’ government record-rich contractors in this poverty-stricken region.
When three check dams constructed at an estimated cost of Rs.17 lakh were washed away in Sinapali block in 2014, investigation revealed the contract was executed by Manjulata Sagaria, a Dalit woman. There have been numerous examples of persons belonging to BPL tribes being used as dummies in ‘lucrative’ government construction contracts. Rich and influential appear to be grabbing contracts in the name of poor people to evade legal actions in the event of poor and inferior execution of constructions. Besides, contractors from the tribal community, according to an official, are usually given 50 per cent concession on initial deposits such as EMD (Earnest Money Deposit). In case of additional Performance Security Deposit, the tribals get 50 per cent concession. However, the clear benefit of executing construction projects in the name of poor people is to escape legal action. Hasut has two bank accounts – one with the State Bank of India and another in a regional bank.
Nyoooz
Folk artiste Gunasekaran dies aged 60
http://www.nyoooz.com/puducherry/324302/folk-artiste-gunasekaran-dies-aged-60
Summary: PUDUCHERRY: Folk artiste and former professor and reader (drama and theatre arts) at Pondicherry University K A Gunasekaran died after a brief illness at his residence here on Sunday. He had not been keeping well after surgery.Inspired by the Left movements, Gunasekaran started penning poems and plays as early as 1980s. He had published more than two dozen books on folk arts, modern theatre history, music and other topics. He had written several plays some of which were published.His popular plays include “Sathiya Sothanai” (experiments with truth), 1988 and “Pavalakkodi Alathu Kudumba Valakku” (family dispute), 2001. He was 60.A diabetic, Gunasekaran had recently undergone a kidney transplantation.
PUDUCHERRY: Folk artiste and former professor and reader (drama and theatre arts) at Pondicherry University K A Gunasekaran died after a brief illness at his residence here on Sunday. He was 60.A diabetic, Gunasekaran had recently undergone a kidney transplantation. He had not been keeping well after surgery.Inspired by the Left movements, Gunasekaran started penning poems and plays as early as 1980s.
After the Mandal Commission submitted its report reservation, he started focusing on the dalit point of view, ideology and theatre.His first play, “Baliyaadgal,” was performed in 1981.An actor who works both in theatre and cinema, Gunasekaran had lent his voice for a number of films. He had written several plays some of which were published.His popular plays include “Sathiya Sothanai” (experiments with truth), 1988 and “Pavalakkodi Alathu Kudumba Valakku” (family dispute), 2001. He had published more than two dozen books on folk arts, modern theatre history, music and other topics.
The quint
QBullet: Deciding PDP’s Future, Govt to Review Farmer Policy
http://www.thequint.com/india/2016/01/18/qbullet-deciding-pdps-future-govt-to-review-farmer-policy
The PDP has authorised Mehbooba Mufti to take a call on forming the next government in Jammu and Kashmir, igniting hopes that the political uncertainty following the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed might finally come to an end.
The agenda of alliance is a sacred document for us, it has to be implemented. The party has authorised Mehbooba Mufti to take a final call on government formation.
Naeem Akhtar, Senior PDP leader
The party has also indicated that its alliance with the BJP is likely to continue, which could take the wind out of widespread speculation of a possible political realignment in the state that is now under Governor’s Rule, reports the Hindustan Times.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s visit to Mehbooba Mufti following the death of her father, Sayeed, had prompted conjecture that political equations in the state could be changing.
The hindu
Ahead of U.P. polls, politics over Ambedkar’s legacy gathers pace
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/ahead-of-up-polls-politics-over-ambedkars-legacy-gathers-pace/article8117750.ece
With a little more than a year before Uttar Pradesh goes to the polls, politics over the legacy of B.R Ambedkar has gathered pace. Appropriating the legacy of Babasaheb is considered a key thread of the political strategy applied by parties to secure Dalit support.
The social group together forms a major chunk — almost 22 per cent — of the State’s electorate. There are 66 Dalit sub-castes in the State.
Taking steps to honour the architect of the Indian Constitution, the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government has promised to provide land for the construction of a “grand memorial” dedicated to him.
On January 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the State capital and attend functions bearing the name of Babasaheb.
For the memorial, Mr. Yadav said he would allot land in the C.G (Chak Ganjaria) City project, an ambitious premium township on the outskirts of Lucknow.
He took the decision after a meeting with Lalji Prasad Nirmal, the president of the Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Mahasabha, an organisation that claims to propagate the vision and ideals of Babasaheb.
In what will be his first visit to the State capital after assuming the top post, Mr. Modi is scheduled to attend the convocation of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University. He will also visit the premises of the Ambedkar Mahasabha, where the ashes of Dr. Ambedkar are kept, and pay homage.
The posturing of the BJP and the SP has not gone down well with the Bahujan Samaj Party, which currently commands the largest chunk of Dalit votes in the State.
On her 60th birthday on Friday, BSP chief Mayawati attacked both the parties for “working against the interests of Dalits.”
She accused the Modi government of engaging in “cosmetic work” regarding Dalits merely to appropriate the legacy of Babasaheb ahead of the elections, even as the party plotted to wipe out reservation and other constitutional rights enjoyed by the oppressed communities.
Launching a direct attack at the Akhilesh Yadav government, Ms. Mayawati said the SP’s mindset towards Dalits was of “casteist and political hatred.”
The hindu
16 injured in group clash
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/16-injured-in-group-clash/article8118142.ece
In a caste clash, 16 Dalits, including women, were injured when a mob, attacked them following a quarrel during Pongal festival celebration at Kuruvithurai near Sholavandan on Sunday night.
The tiled roof of over a dozen houses were damaged, two huts set on fire and few vehicles damaged. The police said that while the Dalits were celebrating at Kuruvithurai, three persons, said to be under intoxication, from the nearby area picked up quarrel with the Dalit people.
Having taken the trouble mongers under their captivity, the villagers called the village leaders, who let them go. Meanwhile, the police was informed about the incident.
However, soon youths from the other side rushed to the Dalits’ hamlet with weapons and went on a rampage, Revenue Divisional Officer G. Senthilkumari, who inspected the spot, said. They also pelted stone on them.
“The Dalits, who are a minority in strength in the locality, locked up themselves in their houses. Angered by this, the mob attacked their houses with logs and other weapons,” she said. In the melee, 16 persons were injured and they were admitted to Government Hospital in Sholavandan.
Three of them were referred to Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.
Superintendent of Police Vijayendra Bidari was camping at the village. The police have were on the lookout for the perpetrators of the crime.
A large posse of police had been deployed to prevent further untoward incidents.
News monitored by AMRESH & AJEET
