Palash Speaks

Beauty Pageant

Palash Biswas

(Contact: Palash C Biswas, C/O Mrs Arati Roy, Gosto Kanan, Sodepur, Kolkata -700110, India. Phone: 91-33-25659551)
Email: alashchandrabiswas@gmail.com">palashchandrabiswas@gmail.com

Two ships of the Japanese Navy- Jds Makinami and Jds Towada, arrived here Monday on a two-day goodwill visit. Vote for Your hottest model! Napalm Expert DOWS lands in West Bengal with proposed Chemical Hub SEZ aftre Indonesian TURMINator Salim~s entry in Nandigram stalled with popular Under class resistance!India and Japan opened a four-day second round of talks on a free trade deal in Tokyo that the Asian giants aim to seal within two years, officials said. Bahujan Samaj Party(BSP) supremo Mayawati promised to extend reservation on the basis of economic status if her party comes to power in Uttar Pradesh! Addressing an election rally in Moradabad on Sunday, she said the BSP has distributed tickets to all castes, fielding 86 Brahmins and 26 Thakurs in the poll fray.Indicating that an aerospace command to give India means to ex would take shape soon, the new Air Force Chief Fali Homi Major Monday said IAF has chalked out a plan to give it a truly global combat reach. The Department of Atomic Energy proposes to set up eight 700 mw Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRS) in the 11th plan, S K Jain, Chairman and Managing Director of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) and BHAVINI, said Monday.
A volcano on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion which has been spewing out lava and ash for nearly a week appeared to be calming down on Sunday, the local government said.

PFMI '07 winners share success mantra
Monika Rawal

Pantaloons Femina Miss India World: Sarah-Jane Dias

What was the first thought/expression that came to mind when your name was announced for the Pantaloons Femina Miss India World crown?
I couldn’t feel the ground under my feet and couldn’t even breathe. I stood stiff for a while that didn’t even move ahead to collect my crown. But when I realized that I’ve won it, tears came down rolling. Don’t know where they came from but I was happy with everything. My mom was sitting right there in the front and it made me happier at that time.
http://feminamissindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1880999.cms
http://feminamissindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1854208.cms
http://feminamissindia.indiatimes.com/articlelist/1194392.cms
http://feminamissindia.indiatimes.com/articlelist/1191411.cms

Brussels, April 06: Climate experts issued their starkest warning yet about the impact of global warming, ranging from hunger in Africa to a fast thaw in the Himalayas, in a report on Friday that increased pressure on governments to act.More than 100 nations in the UN climate panel agreed a final text after all-night talks during which some scientists accused governments of watering down conclusions that climate change was already under way and damaging nature
Global warming's effects on daily life are here already, still more pesky than catastrophic. But a new authoritative scientific report says that when the earth gets a few degrees hotter, inconvenience will give way to danger, death and extinction of species.The poorest parts of the world, especially Africa and Asia, will be hit hardest, says the summary from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, issued yesterday after a long, contentious editing session.

It is a message the authors of the report pounded home Friday before unveiling the 23-page document. The summary was the first part released of the full 1,572-page document written and reviewed by 441 scientists.

"Do not be poor in a hot country, don't live in hurricane alley, watch out about being on the coasts or in the arctic, and it's a bad idea to be on high mountains with glaciers melting," Stanford University Scientist Stephen Schneider, an author of the study, told a news agency.

The Piton de la Fournaise volcano on the French island first erupted on Monday, sending lava 500 metres (more than 1,500 feet) into the air and creating spectacular clouds of steam from the sea.
The island`s prefecture said the intensity of the eruptions had decreased over the last 48 hours and continued to do so on Sunday. The lava flows cut off a road that passes the foot of the volcano and 200 families living in the village of Tremblet, 3 km (2 miles) from the lava flow, were on high alert after a brief evacuation on Friday.

PVR Cinemas is considering, setting up 50-60 screens in 7-8 locations in eastern India within the next 5 years, reports Business Standard.

The company`s first multiplex, a eight-screen-2,200-seater, will come up within the next 18 months on VIP road, Kolkata, at a shopping mall being built by Pantaloon and Diamond Group.
PVR Cinemas operates 81 screens in 21 multiplexes across Mumbai, Delhi, Indore, Aurangabad, Noida, Gurgaon, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

PVR plans to add another 250 screens in a couple of years,having earmarked Rs 3 billion for this purpose.

The shares of the company closed at Rs 175.00, down Rs 1.30, or 0.74%. The volume of shares traded at the BSE was 2,113. (Thursday)

London, April 09: British model-cum-actress Elizabeth Hurley, who recently tied the knot with NRI businessman Arun Nair, is going "ballistic" after an extraordinary outburst from her father-in-law who accused the couple of humiliating him at their wedding, and vowed never to see him again.

Liz, wife of NRI businessman Arun Nayar, is said to be furious after her father-in-law Vinod Nair criticised her of "blatant and cynical commercialism" and publicly disowned the newlywed couple this weekend.

41-year-old Hurley, who was paid 2 million pounds by Hello! magazine for her wedding pictures, has apparently responded in kind.

She has offered to reimburse the family for a cancelled 30,000 pounds post-wedding party and any other expenses they incurred, a source close to her told the Daily Mail. But she then wants nothing more to do with Vinod, 66, or his wife Joanne.

Three Chears for the Finance Minister of India!

Sivaganga (TN), April 07: A sum of Rs 12,000 cr has been allotted to the NREGP (National Rural Employment Gaurantee Programme) for providing employment for rural agricultural labourers, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram said Saturday. While monitoring the scheme's progress in Sivaganga, Kalaiyarkoil and Thirupattur blocks, he found that the people appreciated this scheme as the scheme provided Rs 80 per day, particularly in this summer days when other agricultural activities are little.

Regarding IAY scheme (Indira Avas Yojana),RC buildings were constructed at a cost of Rs 37 thousand per house, which was not sufficient according to the beneficiaries. Talking to reporters at Thirupattur, he said discussions would be conducted with bank officials to provide loans to beneficiaries under the IAY programme.

Three Cheers for Nitish kumar also!

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday ruled out the possibility of creating special economic zones (SEZs) and said the state government would not acquire land by using force for industrialisation of the state.

"I must make it very clear that there will be no use of force for acquisition of land as I do not want a repeat of Nandigram in Bihar," Kumar said.

The "government is dead against creating SEZs", he said.

Defying continuing threats exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin is writing a new book 'Narir kono desh nei' (There is no country for women) for which the manuscript will be readied soon.

In a broadside against clerics who issued a fatwa against her, Nasrin has said that perhaps these religious leaders found it convenient to target her and get mileage.
It's a mixed bag for working women in urban India. For, even as the overall unemployment rate among women declined in Class I cities during 2004-05, there was an increase in the unemployment rate in Class 2 and 3 towns over the same period, according to the 61 st Round of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) data. However, the overall unemployment rate of women in the 27 Class I cities declined by 2 percentage points during 1999-2000 and 2004-05 to 4%. Out of the 27 Class I cities (towns with population of one million and above), among the major ones where the overall (usual, current daily and current weekly) unemployment rates rose were Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Vadodara and Varanasi.

Operation Nandigram has been temporarily put on the back burner by the Left Front. It’s Operation Vote Snatch now!
Panchayat Elections Ahead, A Dangerous Bend!
And Pacify The Angry Muslim Vote Bank seems to be the Motto this time!

Buddha wants AMU campus in Murshidabad
Akshaya Mukul
[ 8 Apr, 2007 2310hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

NEW DELHI: West Bengal government has demanded a regional campus of Aligarh Muslim University in Murshidabad, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said on Sunday.

Bhattacharjee also said that his party would give one more note on SEZ to the government since changes made by the EGoM were not satisfactory. Last month, CPM had sent a final note on SEZ to Parliament's standing committee. The CM said it would be finalised after general secretary Prakash Karat returned from Manipur. "I have spoken to him," he said. This would be the third note that the party would be sending to the government.

Speaking on the sidelines of a conference of chief ministers and chief justices, Bhattacharjee said the demand for regional campus was made when he met the Prime Minister last week during CPM's central committee and politburo meeting. He expressed hope that the demand would be met.

Call it the Ambani effect. Reliance Retail has directly acquired farmlands in several parts of Bengal in the past few months without facing any protests.

The solution employed by the company to ward off farmland-related agitations has been simple. Compensation paid to the land-loser has been way above the prevalent market rate or what the state would have paid were it to handle the land acquisition process.

The company — which has been unable to start agri-retail here because of its continued inability to obtain the mandatory APMC licence — has recently acquired 250 acres, many stretches of which are agricultural plots, in different parts of the state without involving the government in any way.

Of this 250 acres, 100 acres have been bought at Siliguri for a distribution centre. Smaller parcels of 10 acres each have been acquired by the company on its own at 15 other locations, including Haldia, Burdwan and Asansol, for setting up mega hypermarkets.

With Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani keen to ensure that Bengal contribute to the group's retail foray soon, Reliance Retail officials here are pulling out all stops to ensure that land-related protests don't jeopardise its expansion plans. Efforts are on to identify more plots which can be acquired directly.

Reliance Retail, which has still not received any assurance from the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government on when it would get permission to market agricultural produce, has also indicated its willingness to bid for state-owned plots if these are put up on sale. One of the 10-acre plots it recently acquired was through a bid invited by the state government.

All Special Economic Zones including the one in Nadigram have been put on hold, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said on Friday.The announcement came in the midst of rising discontent and spreading violence in Bengal on the issue of acquisition of land for industries in the state and particularly in Nandigram.Karat said the Union group-of-ministers was discussing the modalities of the laws to govern SEZs. "When they finalise them, we will talk to the Centre. Till then all SEZs, including the one in Nandigram, have been kept in abeyance. We will discuss the issue during our next politburo meeting on February 17 and 18," Karat said.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=308dcb04-1ce6-44ca-9810-1e436523e794&ParentID=7cb5352a-b246-4a11-8cc3-057538421a6a&MatchID1=4442&TeamID1=25&TeamID2=5&MatchType1=2&SeriesID1=1104&PrimaryID=4442

Buddha begins campaign to heal Nandigram wounds

SANJAY BASAK

NEW DELHI, APR 8: The CPI(M), led by West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, has launched a “healing touch” campaign over the police firing in Nandigram. At the same time, the party is circulating booklets to “reveal the truth behind Nandigram”, a senior party leader told FE.
Under fire from a section of Left intellectuals over the Nandigram fiasco, the chief minister, in a meeting on Saturday with Left Front partners in Kolkata, reiterated: “I am interacting with intellectuals, who are upset. We have to convince them of programmes and admit mistakes.”
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=160501

Hungry Bengal: 71.6 lakh lack enough food, says survey

Economists say rapid industrialisation and job creation can cut poverty

Rohit Khanna

Kolkata, April 7: WITH a whopping 71.6 lakh people going daily without sufficient food, West Bengal tops the country’s hunger list according to the latest report of National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO). The survey says 8.8 lakh people out of these 71.6 lakh do not get two square meals a day throughout the year. The survey finds at least 10.6% of the state’s rural population, and 0.7% of its urban residents, not getting adequate food in some months of the year.

The NSSO survey, carried out in the 2004-05 fiscal year, notes that “getting enough food every day” means that a person gets, by and large, “sufficient food to eat” daily. The survey states: “This question is asked to record the subjective perception of households regarding sufficiency of food. While putting this question to the informant, it is thus presumed that the informant has a clear understanding of its meaning.”
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=230609

Investors are headed for West Bengal. The message is loud and clear on www.wbgov.com, the state government’s official website. But Nandigram, land acquisition or SEZ are not important for investors coming to West Bengal, to believe the official website of West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC).

The site, www.wbidc.com, does not mention the Nandigram debate even once. There is not a single word on land acquisition or Special Economic Zones either.

Indian industry, with an insatiable urge to increase its global footprint and armed with liberal governmental policies, is right now on a mergers and acquisition spree, says a leading industry body.
Indian companies today are much more aggressive than earlier due to a liberal and conducive environment that help them foray into the world economies with huge amount of investments, says the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in a report. With the Tatas acquiring the Anglo-Dutch company Corus, Hindalco's taking over Canada's Novelis, the trend for mega deals by Indian companies have been set. It is expected that India's investment abroad will soon surpass foreign investment in India.

While the West has learnt to live with global brands like PepsiCo and Vodafone being run by India-born executives, Indians too will soon have to accept foreign bosses as their companies gain multinational status.

But getting foreign CEOs may not mean lack of confidence in homegrown executives, for whom no challenge is too big and no detail too small.

Sowing the seeds of change was none other than Ratan Tata, the face of India Inc and head of the country's largest corporate group Tata, who believes it is quite possible that one day his huge business empire could be run by a non-Indian.

When the Tata Group chairman held out this possibility in an interview to a German magazine 'De Spiegel', he acknowledged that Indian might not be ready as yet for this eventuality. But the possibility speaks volumes about the emergence of Indian multinationals on the global arena.

SREI to set up 5000 Common Service Centres (CSCs) in partnership with West Bengal Government , understanably it will help the Left to sustain its Scientific Rigging Machinery and Gestapo cadrebase, so that any nadigarm or Singur may be crushed well!
BoA May 9 meet to consider 19 SEZ proposals

BS Reporter / New Delhi April 09, 2007
The Board of Approvals (BoA) for special economic zones, which is under the Commerce Ministry, will meet on May 9 to take up 19 proposals for consideration. This would be the first meeting of the board after the freeze on fresh proposals and notifications was lifted by an empowered group of ministers (eGoM) on April 5.

According to Commerce Ministry officials, the proposals, which would be taken up in the meeting are the ones which already have land in their possession. The developers of these zones have procured the land directly form the owners of the land. The GoM had banned acquisition of land by state governments or its agencies for private zones.
http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=11&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=22215

SREI Infrastructure Finance Ltd has announced that in a unique move to bridge the digital divide between the rural and urban areas and in the process ensuring prompt delivery of government and other services, the West Bengal government has entered into a Master Service Agreement with the Company, the leading private sector infrastructure equipment, infrastructure projects and renewable energy products financing Company to set up nearly 5,000 common service centres (CSCs) in rural Bengal. The program has been drawn up under the aegis of the increasingly popular public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

The agreement signed between the Company and the Government of West Bengal, Panchayat and Rural Development Department on April 05, 2007, encompasses 14 districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Uttar Dinajpur and Dakhin Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia and South 24 Parganas, Purba Midnapore, Bankura, Birbhum, Howrah and Hooghly in Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode. The agreement was signed by Shri. M N Roy - Hon'ble Principal Secretary, Panchayat & Rural Development Department, Govt of West Bengal and Dr. Sabahat Azim - Vice-President, Strategic Initiatives, of the Company. Mr. Hemant Kanoria, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, of the Company was also present on the occasion.

‘If you cannot shift from agriculture to industry, there will be a disaster’

He’s probably the state industries minister that has lost the most sleep in the past six months. First, after protestors attempted to thwart Tata Motors from setting up its small car factory at Singur and then following the death of at least 14 people in police firing at Nandigram, site of a proposed chemicals special economic zone (SEZ), on March 14. Caught in the pincer grip of anti-land acquisition riots and chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s drive to rapidly industrialise West Bengal, Nirupam Sen treads a fine line whose course is yet to be chalked out by the Centre’s proposed rehabilitation policy for displaced persons. FE’s Sanjay Basak spoke with Sen to gauge the fallout of the recent protests in the state on investor confidence.
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=160486

Shares of Dow Chemical Co. jumped nearly 7 percent on Monday following a newspaper report that a consortium was preparing a $50 billion bid for the companyThe Sunday Express, a UK tabloid, quoted sources close to the deal as saying an approach valuing Dow at $50 billion or more could come by the end of the week.At least half of the capital is being provided by investors from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman, with the rest contributed by a number of U.S. buyout firms, including Kohlberg Kravis Roberts , it said.

Designers flaunting their (sometimes outlandish) creations and models strutting the ramp with grace, poise and lots of pizzazz -- that about sums up the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week.
And after bringing you all the dope on the clothes, we turn our attention to the hot bods who carried off those clothes in style.

Throughout the week, we will be picking two faces that caught our eye. At the end of the week, YOU get a chance to vote for YOUR favourite from the lot.

So, get ready for some eye candy! Indra Raja writes well:
Bring ur sisters,daughter,mother and wife on ramp with latest designs! Ppl will watch these designs and India'll be promoted in the fashion world!We've to compete present fashion world.So,start with yourselves and make India proud in fashion world.All the Best!

by subhash narayan sirur on Apr 05, 2007 02:18 PM
high society or low society,sex is a purchasable commodity.Sheiks from the middle eastern countries following strict moral codes,throw their principles and morality into the dustbin once they are in India and get married to children below 15 years in Hyderabad and throw them away once they have satiated their lust.So much for the religious zealots and pompous moralists in every religion.Do not pass sweeping comments on models.

Our picks today: Tupur Chatterjee, Indrani Das Gupta
http://specials.rediff.com/getahead/2007/apr/09lfwmodel.htm

Supermarkets blamed for `sexualising` childhood

London, April 08: The National Union of Teachers has slammed supermarkets, claiming that they are turning into a hub that `sexualises` childhood, thanks to the boom in "inappropriate and sexually provocative" clothes and make-up.

The teachers claimed that the supermarkets are targeting young girls with products such as pole-dancing kits, lacy lingerie and T-shirts with slogans such as `So many boys, so little time.`

In a report, the union said that big business has infiltrated childhood to prey on insecurities about body image that put undue pressure on prepubescent children to grow up too quickly.
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=364633&ssid=204&sid=LIF

Medha Patkar criticises Indian govt's new SEZ policy
The Central Government's EGoM on SEZ has approves 83 new proposals hurriedly ignoring the nation wide SEZ related conflict and struggle of farmers, labourers, fish workers.

While the demands raised from Nandigram (West Bengal) to Raigarh (Maharashtra) of repealing SEZ Act and furthering employment generation without displacement and at the cost of agriculture still persists.

This approval is given at a time when election are happening in Delhi and UP, the internal disputes amongst UPA members including Left Front partners, the stand taken by Sonia Gandhi, questions raise by the Finance Minister under the pressure of the corporates and financial institutions who have the support of the Commerce Minister and the Deputy Chairperson of the Planning Commission (both of whom were members of the EGoM).

Under the banner of Action 2007 delegates of people's movements and organisations from across the country had met Shri. Pranab Mukherjee and Shri. Jairam Ramesh while sitting on a Dharna at Jantar Mantar from 19th March to 3rd April, raising the issues of the country's sovereignty, the attack of global capital and market forces and in support of socialist development.

We have been demanding that the UPA, following its common minimum problem, should review the SEZ Act and hold a national consultation. Without holding dialogue with the farmer-labour organisations and social groups, this decision of the Government is undemocratic and uncalled for.

While approving 83 SEZ projects beyond the already notified 63 projects, the EGoM has declared few changed and conditions. A cap of 5000 hectares, reserving 50% of the land for the approved project only, land to be purchased directly from farmers by private developers and provision of job security to at least one person of the displaced families.

It is clear that the massacre of Nandigram and the ongoing struggles, whether in Andhra Pradesh or in Punjab, have led to bowing of the corporates and the State. Still, instead of ensuring security and justice to farmers-labourers, the State is ensuring the profiteering of corporates-builders.

This is going to facilitate and push the lot of natural resources in the name of industrialization and approved construction of hotels, parks, swimming pools, parking lots, clubs, shopping malls, entertainment zones for the corporate houses and their employees. Agriculture and the agriculturists will be ruined due to corporatisation, privatization and industrialization.

The stand of Ministry of Commerce and respective State Governments regarding no disputes and conflicts to land acquisition process in the already notified and approved SEZs is blatant lie. The Kakinada SEZ of Andhra Pradesh, the freeze on which has been lifted yesterday, is testimony to this fact and is being concealed. ONGC, which is the developer in this case, has acquired only 3000 acres out of the total 10,000 acres which is to displace 1 lakh people.

The struggle of 50,000 affected fisher folk in 3 big blocks against the proposed SEZ are continuing. Out of the 3 SEZs of Vishakhapattanam district, the Brandix Apparel city is being opposed by hundreds of fisher folk. Even the Mundra SEZ of Kutch, Gujarat is being opposed by local fisher folk. The farmers of Mann village of Pune district have saved their 2000 acres of land, facing lathis and bullets, which was otherwise to be handed over to Infosys Company and thousands of acres of fertile land is proposed to be handed over to Wipro, Infosys, Mahindra etc and acquired by MIDC.

The SEZ Act has no mention of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement and how the new promise of employing at least one person per displaced family will be implemented. We have witnessed the tactics of Reliance and the approach of the West Bengal government. The debt ridden farmers, a result of misplaced economic policies, will now be forced out of their rural habitats and farm lands and their resources will be grabbed by the corporate mafia.

The proposed Rehabilitation policy is being pushed while ignoring and bypassing the Policy on Development Planning approved by the National Advisory Council which was presented by the representatives of almost all the people's organisations and movements collectively. The proposed Rehabilitation Policy merely talks of "providing employment, subject to availability of vacancies and eligibility of the affected persons for the employment." Thus the Commerce Minister has only taken the country for a ride and ignored the legitimate demands of the National Consultation on SEZ.

The SEZ Act and its implementation are going to further widen the disparity between agriculture and industry. The loss of 2 to 4 lakh crores due to the approved and notified SEZ is only acknowledged, ignoring the other incumbent losses. The Government Notification dated 27th October 2006 mentions concessions on tax duties for constructing car parking, swimming pools, hotels, clubs etc.

While the farmers/ unorganized sector workers are not given decent wages, social security benefits and subsidy, quoting the rules of WTO or availability of funds, the corporates are being given such wide ranging concessions. The authorities need to answer the deprived and marginalized people of this country.

Under Section 50(8) of the SEZ Act, the State Governments are abdicating their duty towards the labourers. More than 10 states (Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh etc) have amended their State laws and legislation from Minimum Wages Act to Industrial Disputes Act, to declare all activities undertaken by SEZs as public utility services.

While the local self government institutions will be left redundant, the SEZ-deemed foreign territory- is also against Article 243 of the constitution. As per this Article, every village has to formulate its own development schemes which are to guide the District development plan. These local bodies of self government are more constitutional than bodies like the Planning Commission which is guiding and deciding our national policies and plans.

Ironically the Deputy Chairperson of the PLANNING Commission, in the name of rural and urban units under US-India Economic partnership and US-India CEO Forum, is pushing ahead SEZs and our dear Minister Kamal Nath is associated with the corporates who are a threat to the people and resources of the country.

For Co-ordination Committee ACTION 2007
www.action2007.net

Medha Patkar
Sunilam
Shaktiman Ghosh
Gautam Bandhopadhyay

RPG Cables Ltd has announced the completion of its financial restructuring via infusion of Rs 151 crore through a combination of debt and equity by Deutsche Bank AG Hong Kong and the promoters RPG Group.

As per the restructuring package, existing lenders have agreed for a one-time settlement which would result in the reduction of Company's borrowings by over Rs 100 crore. This will also reduce the interest burden by Rs 12 crore annually.

Deutsche Bank AG has been allotted Fully Convertible Debentures aggregating Rs 28 crore which will translate to approx. 14.9% of the Company's equity capital.
No weirdness, vulgarity for TV talent show?

Beijing, April 07: China's broadcasting watchdog has issued a list of rules governing the airing of its latest take on the "American Idol" television series, urging the singing contest "Happy Boys Voice" to uphold high moral standards.

Contestants on "Happy Boys Voice" must choose songs that are "healthy and ethically inspiring" in order to create a good atmosphere for China's 17th Party Congress, the Communist Party's five-yearly leadership meeting to be held later this year.

"No weirdness, no vulgarity and no low taste," said the notice seen Friday on the Web site of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=364383&sid=LIF&ssid=204

NDTV to take on rival Star in Hindi entertainment space

Eyeing to dislodge Star from the top slot in the Hindi entertainment segment, Prannoy Roy-promoted media giant NDTV said it was in talks with major producers, including Ekta Kapoor, for serials on its to-be-launched channels.
Father disowns Arun Nayar after being "humiliated" at wedding

The Indian father-in-law of British actress Elizabeth Hurley has disowned his son Arun Nayar, an NRI businessman, saying the couple humiliated him and his relatives at the the much-talked about wedding last month.
Big FM to air special programme for Abhi-Ash wedding

With Abhishek-Aishwarya wedding not far away, Adlab's Big 92.7 FM has decided to host a special programme to greet its brand ambassador - Abhishek Bachchan - on his wedding.
Shah Rukh's Wax statue inaugurated at Madame Tussaud

After bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and beauty queen Aishwarya Rai, Shah Rukh Khan has became the third Indian bollywood celebrity to join the queue at Madame Tussaud.
Nikhil Parekh Elected 'Poet of the Year' at Canadian Federation of Poets

Internationally acclaimed Indian Poet Nikhil Parekh has bagged yet another coveted honor 'Poet of the Year' for year 2006' at the Canadian Federation of Poets (CFP).
U2's Bono conferred honorary knighthood for global aid

Rock star, campaigner Bono has been honoured with a knighthood for his invaluable contribution to the advancement of global aid and trade in poor countries especially Africa.
Rushdie, Padma heading for a split

36-year-old Padma Lakshmi more concerned about her carrier is looking for a split from her third husband and Booker-prize winner Salman Rushdie, both got married in 2004.
India bans Fashion TV for 'Midnight Hot' show

Asserting that the channel programmes are against good taste, decency and denigrated women, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has banned FTV telecast.

"We got rid of a tyrant and tyranny. But we were surprised that after one thief had left, another 40 replaced him," said Jubouri, who is a Shiite Muslim. "Now, we regret that Saddam Hussein is gone, no matter how much we hated him."

His faith in the United States has also vanished, he said. But he still has a passion for one thing uniquely American: the Harley-Davidson. On the wall of his cluttered office, next to medals he won as a champion weightlifter, hangs a tapestry emblazoned with an American flag, a bald eagle, a Harley and the words: "Born in the USA."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/08/AR2007040801058.html?nav=hcmodule

Thus with indiscrimante Industrialisation and urbanisation, annihilition of production syestem, postmodern Manusmirti, information explosion and IT, outsorcing, Sensex boom, Luxury Malls and connectons, Bl

Women's Rights in India: A Bibliography

http://www.law-lib.utoronto.ca/diana/puneannotations.htm

Education

Curriculum and Gender Question : The Indian Experience, Saroj Pandey ( Senior lecturer, DTEE, NCERT, New Delhi) , Social Action, Vol. 46, Jan-Mar.1996, p.p. 340-347

This article explores the development of the curriculum in formal educational organisations from the point of view of gender equality, tracing back the historical antecedents,. It comments on the pre-independence and post independence status of women's education. It discusses recommendations made by various committees formed for women's education after independence. While appreciating the absence of visible curriculum differentiation, it states that gender inequality still persists in a social form. The article emphasizes that there is a need for sincere and sustained efforts to improve status of women in India.

Equality

Mishra, Sweta , Women and 73 rd Constitutional Amendment Act: A Critical Appraisal , Social Action, Vol.44, 16-30, (1997)

This paper begins by briefing about the marginal position occupied by the indian woman in the society and also in the political process due to socio-economic constraints. It outlines the evolution of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) against this backdtrop. It then gives a brief account of the position of women in the PRIs before the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act. Finally, it examines the probable role of women in the context of the 73 rd Amendment Act. It examines whether women will be able to exercise political power through this system, what hurdles are there on their way, and finally how they can overcome these?

Mrs. Sweta Mishra is a Research Scholar, Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, Delhi.

Gender equality through reservation in decision-making Bodies, By Shashi. S. Narayana. Social Action 1998, Pg 147

This article discusses the need for political empowerment of women through reservation in its decision making bodies like parliament, and state legislature in the same line as at ‘Panchayat’ (village) level in India. The current economic and socio-political maladies along with increasing violence against women and children are attributed to the failure of male oriented polity. Representation of women in higher bodies of political authority has been considered a prerequisite for the success of democracy at the grass-root level. However the need for accountability and sense of commitment on the part of the elected women representatives is stressed. This requires a higher degree of awareness among women regarding health, literacy, gender and other relevant social, economic and political issues.

Law and Gender Inequality : The Politics of Women's Rights in India., Flavia Agnes, Oxford University Press, 1999,

This book explores the issue of gender and law reform with reference to the politics and history on India. It also explores the strategies, which could safeguard the of women's rights in a country like India, which has a typical social, cultural and political background. The book is divided in four parts. First part contains five chapters and speaks about Pre-colonial and colonial Legal Structures. Second part comprises of three chapters, and explores the post-independence developments. Third part of the book which consists of two chapters explains the Developments in the personal laws of non-muslim minorities. Fourt and last part of this book contains the analysis of the current trends of the debate on the Uniform Civil Code.

Off the Beaten Track: Rethinking Gender Justice for Indian Women by Madhu Kishwar OUP, New Delhi: 1999

Madhu Kishwar is an influential participant in the women's rights and human rights movements since the 1970s and is the founding editor of Manushi - a journal about women and society.

This volume is a collection of some of Madhu Kishwar's best and most controversial essays concerning topics central to women's issues in India today: the role of marriage payments and dowry, unwanted daughters, denial of inheritance and land rights to women, love, sex and marriage, sexual harassment, identities, beauty contests etc. Many of these offer a critical appraisal of Madhu Kishwar's activism and engagement. The essays are an attempt to grapple with one of the most serious challenges to women in India: Why is it that inspite of all the high profile attention on women's issues many remain unresolved? Most of the work thus far has resulted only through symbolic actions such as passing of laws, which very often are inappropriate and not implemented. In most cases where laws are misused it contributes to increasing the vulnerability of women's lives. The volume also deals with Madhu Kishwar's moving away of 'ism-driven' politics and orthodox feminist thinking. The essays reject statist interventions in social reform and appeal to people's consciences to bring about any meaningful changes in the position of women.

" Gender Justice and The Supreme Court" by Indira Jaising in Supreme but not Infallible: Essays in Honour of the Supreme Court of India B.N. Kirpal, Ashok H. Desai, Gopal Subramaniam, Rajeev Dhavan and Raju Ramachandran (eds.) OUP, New Delhi 2000 (pages 29, words 199).

Indira Jaising is a Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India. She has been a fellow of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies London and is Secretary of 'Lawyers Collective' which deals with socio legal issues of public interest.

This essay traces the evolution of gender justice in the Supreme. Before taking up judicial decisions concerning issues that involve women's rights, the author draws attention to the composition of the judiciary and its starkly unrepresentative character. Through an analysis of cases dealing with property rights to women to cases of violence against women, the essay addresses the problem of formal equality and the evolution of equality jurisprudence in the Indian Supreme Court where sameness and similarity form the criteria for classification. One of the recent cases (Vishakha vs. State of Rajasthan) where the Supreme Court has considered provisions in CEDAW to address sexual harassment in the workplace is also discussed. While some recent decisions do indicate a positive step towards gender justice the unevenness in this development is attributed to a greater emphasis on criminal law as opposed to civil law, leading to a neglect of women's economic rights. Finally, the essay points to emerging issues concerning validity of personal laws, women's representation etc. which will engage the courts and it is felt that an increasing number of women in the judiciary will be able to perceive women as autonomous decision makers and active participants in public life.

Identifying Gender Backward Districts using selected Indicators, Preet Rustagi, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. XXXV, No. 48, November 25 — December 1, 2000, pp. 4276-4286

The article identifies gender backward districts among fifteen major Indian States — Andhra Pradesh , Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal — based on 13 gender sensitive indicaters — such as demographic, educational, health related, socio-cultural and economic levels of development. The assesses the relative levels of backwardness or development, ranking based exercise on individual indicators. The study limits itself mostly on secondary data from 1991 census, 370 districts have been taken into consideration. The study indicates female to male ratio (FMR) as a demographic variable. Female literacy serves as basic indicator of educational status. The health related variable is mortality rate. The data source used for the study are : the census of India, 1991, mortality estimates from Rajan and Mohanchandran (1998) and UNFPA's calculated data on fertility and female age at marriage. The paper undertakes detailed state and district wise discussion on each of the selected indicators under separate heads. Through the study mekes no attampt to look at transition overtime and only focus on rural areas, however its significance lies on its methodology that reinforces two points — one disaggregated analysis and second significance of looking at different aspects of gender development. The findings of the study concludes that no state or district exhibits a uniform pattern of backwardness or development in terms of gender sensitive indicators.

Gender gap in Literacy in Uttar Pradesh : Questions for Decentralised Educational Planning, Lori Mcdougall, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. XXXV, No. 19, May 6-12, 2000, pp. 1649

The paper on gender differences in literacy attainment in Uttar Pradesh, 1951-91 reveals significant regional variations in female achievement and the gender gap. A case study of changing spatial patterns in the literacy gender gap within Uttar Pradesh illustrates national statistics on regional gender and caste inequities. The paper raises questions for further study about the ability of decentralized planning to promote educational equality and its threats to community cohesion. The study is mainly based on female and male literacy rates as reported by government of India census data collected in 1971, 1981, and 1991. It analyses total female literacy rates per state and district, comprising both rural and urban. Uttar Pradesh has high female literacy and gender gap and is a big state of 140 million people. The study covers status of literacy in northern and eastern parts of the state and influence of religion, urbanization and income on literacy rate and emphasis of history, social relations and politics on the female literacy level and gender gap in state. The study illustrates female literacy rate in both national and state maps and comparative study in graphs. The study is supported by relevant statistics.

Representation for women, should Feminists Support Quotas, Meena Dhanda, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. XXV, No. 33, August 12, 2000, pp. 2969-2976

The author in this paper a defence of gender quotas in legislative bodies and debates on potential political and socio-cultural consequences of the institution of a gender quotas in the Indian parliament by a constitutional amendment and provides justification for the use of a gender quota in legislative bodies. Author offers consequential argument in section I of the paper. In section II she emphasizes on concept of the public sphere and idea of acting in solidarity with women presupposed in the debate and in section III, she elaborates on her perspective on identitarian justification of gender quotas and compares her justification with support for gender quotas from the argument for ‘a politics of presence’ in section IV. In a concluding section of the paper she derives an answer to : Should feminists support the women's bill for an amendment to the Indian constitution that has provided 33% reservation for women in the Indian parliament and state legislature?

Equality of Opportunities vs Equality of Results, Improving Women's Reservation Bill, Madhu Kishwar, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. XXXV, No. 47, November 18, 2000, pp. 4151-4156

In response to Meena Dhanda's article, representation of women should Feminist support Quotas, the author expresses her view point on the same. She argues on the improvements she has proposed to the original Women's Reservation Bill and reasons out its shortcomings. She further refers to impact caste and gender has upon women politicians and their insensitivity to women's concerns. The author states the salient features of the Alternative Bill and presents its advantages. The article presents statistical data analyzing gender advantage in Lok Sabha elections since 1952 and statistic on comparative performance of men and women candidates of recognized parties in Lok Sabha elections.

Chatterji, Angana , Women in Search of Human Equality , Social Action, Vol.40, 46-56, (1990)

This paper attempts to situate women in the present context of national development, to assess their condition since the changes in their status and study the link between economic progress and the class to which the woman belongs , for studies have indicated that there is a close connection between the two. In order to analyse it, the paper first identifies the problems in the path of women's equality. After an overview of awareness of their situation among various classes of women, the paper ends with a view of the future and the possible solutions.

Angana Chatterji is Research Assistant in the Department of Research, Indian Social Institute, New Delhi.

Sarkar, Lotika, National Specialised Agencies and women's equality , Law Commission of India (CWDS), 1998

The report examines the role of the Law Commission of India (LCI), assesses its contribution to women's equality and identifies ways of improving that contribution. Specialised agencies like the LCI were recommended by the UN Commission on the Status of Women to play a multiple role in eliminating women's inequality. The first chapter of the book deals with the genesis of the LCI and the second chapter with its composition, status and functioning. The report, cextly deals with women specifi creports of the LCI which includes topics like, married wimen's property, mrape,etc. the latter part of the same chapter deals with family law related topics like Gindu Marriage Act. Finally , the report concludes with catious recommendations like as per Indian laws a mother is continued to be treated as comng onl after the father as a natural grardian of a minor child is against the recommendations of the UN Commission on

Feminist Theory

The History of Doing, An illustrated Account of Movements for Women's Rights and Feminism in India, 1800-1990, Radha Kumar, pp. 197.

The book is about the use of feminist movement in India. It notes the historical context of the movement and gives an account on the struggle of the radical thickness and social reformist, who first raised issues of women's fundamental rights. It gives an account of women's participation in freedom struggle and the emergence of the feminist movement as a process. The book reviews contemporary feminist movement and analysis the issues caused on dowry deaths, rape case and practice of sati. It present selective survey of major campaigns, organizations and figures defining issues that were raised and fright, photographs, old and new documents, excepts from letters, books and informal writings, case history of social activist makes good an interesting reading. It is a brief , interpretative account on history of women's movement in India, both pre and post independence period.

Gender and Politics in India Edited by Nivedita Menon, Delhi, Oxford University Press, 1999.

This volume presents an overview of feminist theory and politics in India. The introductory chapter provides an outline of the issues involved and the importance in explaining the politics of gender in India. The essays focus on different aspects of feminism in India, and debates on various issues like environment and gender, the impact of technological change on women work force, interpreting constitutional guarantee of ‘right’ to equality with gender perspective; different women's movement and the challenges encountered; and sexuality and gender. The section on environment and gender discusses Vandana Shiva's concept of ‘Eco-feminism’. The ‘work’ section highlights structural adjustment and its impact on women, whereas the ‘law’ section suggests ‘reconceptualization’ of equality in view of women's subordination. The problem of a contemporary theory of ‘gender’ in the perspective of present socio-cultural change in Indian society has been highlighted.

Girl child

Girl Child in Indian Society Mita Bhadra (ed.) Rawat Publications New Delhi: 1999 (words 200)

Mita Bhadra is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, University of North Bengal, Darjeeling. Her area of research includes industrial sociology, gender studies and social change.

The main focus of this collection of seven articles by a variety of authors is on the prevailing inequalities, discrimination against the girl child and her gender marginalisation. It presents information on the social status of the girl child in India including child labour and child prostitution. The volume also discusses the various laws enacted to secure the rights of the girl child in India. The first article deals with declining sex ratio, under nourishment, child marriage, female foeticide and the SAARC Plan of Action and the Government of India's initiative to improve the status of girl children. The second paper deals with gender stereo-typing, prejudices, girl child abuses etc. The third and fourth papers deal with the exploration of situations under which the girl child is living. The fifth article touches upon issues of child marriage, which is rooted in traditionality and illiteracy, and its impacts. The sixth article focuses on child labour as and its impact on health. The seventh paper deals with various laws with reference to child prostitution as well as the living conditions of victims of such exploitation. The volume promises to be valuable to social researchers as well as for planners and policy makers.

Kanya: Exploitation of Little Angels by Dr. (Mrs) V. Mohini Giri, Gyan Publishing House, New Delhi: 1999

Dr. (Mrs) V. Mohini Giri is former Chairperson of the National Commission for Women and has been spearheading the cause of sex workers and other marginalised sections groups among women.

This volume on children prostitution deals with almost all relevant issues from prevention of child prostitution, to rescue and rehabilitation, awareness and social mobilisation, health care, housing and civic amenities, economic empowerment, legal reform, law enforcement trafficking and other human rights issues. The volume also informs of relevant national and international legal provisions including the 1949 Convention on the Suppression of Traffic in Persons and the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (Trafficking Convention) and CEDAW for the protection of the girl child from prostitution. It provides valuable insights into the system of exploitation as most of the instances cited are from Dr. Giri's experience in the course of her work in the field of women's human rights. The volume also makes valuable recommendations for improving the condition of child prostitutes, many of whom come from the most disadvantaged sections of Indian society. The recommendations lay great emphasis on the active involvement of civil society groups and local level administrative authorities as it recognises the import of public support for the effective implementation of any such social legislation.

Sreenath Lalitha, Victimisation of girl- child in the home , Journal of the Indian Law Institute, Vol.38, pg-101-107, 1996

This article is a case comment on the case of Biswanath Das Vs Maya Das, which acquires significance as it highlights the deficiencies and inadequacies that exist in the present legal system, statutory laws, judiciary and Bar- and the Society. The Indian society is still plagued by victimisation of girl child through performance of child marriage despite the forthcoming Beijing Summit focussing on women's right and the affirmation in the UN Declaration of 1989 to which India is a signatory. There is an urgent need for law reform to protect the status and rights of child brides in India. The author points out that the male-chauvinist traditions of patriarchal societies still hold sway over the minds of the judges in courts.

Bhadra Mita, Girl Child in Indian Society , Rawat Publications,1999

This volume aims at analysing the situation under which Indian girl children are living and identifying the sexual inequalities within the household and society at large. Emphasis is given to the girl child who should be given her rightful share of human dignity and opportunity- a concept which has found and appropriate place in the Plan of Action for implementing the World Declaration on Survival Protection and Development of Children in 1990s . The papers that have been compiled in this volume , range from those analysing the status of girl child in India to her socialisation process, gender stereotyping, discrimination changing age at marriage, girl child labour , child prostitution, and ameliorative legislations for her status enhancement in family, society and changing trends in these areas.

Kishwar Madhu , Where Daughters are Unwanted , Manushi, no-86, Jan-Feb,1995, pg-15-22

The article emphasises the magnitude of the problem of sex determination tests (SDT) in India which has resulted in sex selective abortions of thousands of female foetuses . The state of Maharashtra passed the Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse ) Act of 1988 to ban SDT. But inspite of stringent provisions , due to lack of proper implementation, this law has failed to curb the problem. There are many advocates of SDT, and they believe it will help control the population growth. Scarcity of women does not imply that their life will get better- it is a myth. The author decries the fact that often women themselves prefer a male child as shown from various studies due to social conditioning. The real solution lies in making families realise the value of their daughters, otherwise these SDT will never end.

Health and Well Being

Na Shariram Nadhi, My Body is Mine, by Sabala and Kranti, edited by Mira Sadgopal, 2 nd Edition 1996.

The writers of the book have documented a process of self realization through self-examination of ones body. It potrays a process of self-help training experience in women's health and deals with issues that adversely affect women's health such as class caste and gender oppression in family and society, medicalisation of health, coercive and women targeting policies of the government and social stereo typing. It compiles the experience of eighteen women, in a ten months (Between February 1993 and November 1994) training on self-Help Training in Women's Health based in Hyderabad. The book contents issues related to gender sensitization and health politics of health and population, body politics and beyond fertility awareness and sexuality, gyn-ecological disorders and healing child-bearing support, the Experience documented here are those of dalit, tribal and otherwise marginalized women made out of deliberate choice. Each chapter in the book gives objectives and the mythology used in the training. It also records the successes and failures of the training processes, yet is a friendly and practical guide for seeking alternatives. The form of the book is simple and illustrative. The illustrations in book reflects the experience and insight of the participants.

Mental health from a gender perspective, Edited by Bhargavi.V.Davar, New Delhi, Sage pub, 2001, pp. 427.

This book is the compilation of a number of papers presented at a seminar on gender and mental health in 1995, and is an effort to understand the politics of the mental health discoursed from a gender perspective. The book is divided into four parts: part 1 reviews the issues involving women and mental health in India- clinical psychology; the social and cultural ambience; the contributions and the limitations of the interested parties. Part 2 deals with mental health issues related to body, reproduction and sexuality. Part 3 covers sexual violence, child abuse and mental health whereas the part four deals with inter-phase between gender and social institutions like hospital, court and media.

Labour and Employment

Women and Sexual Exploitation: Harassment at Work by Rehana Sikri, Kanishka Publishers, New Delhi: 1999 (149 words)

The work, taking cognisance of the increasing number of women in the total workforce of countries of the world and the consequent emerging patterns of social interaction views the work place as a new domain of conflict in the 'running battle of the sexes'. As the work presents a comprehensive profile of the working force in India drawing upon data from decennial Censuses, National Sample Surveys and small scale socio-economic surveys, it includes women's occupational profile as well as the social mores and family values that determine behavioral patterns specifically in the workplace. These survey results are analyzed for a further interpretation of the components of sexual harassment and male-female relationship in the workplace. Working women's search for identity is also addressed in the context of the traditional pattern of gender and sexual exploitation. The book brings out the distinctive and alarming aspects of gender confrontation and its sociological significance.

Kishwar, Madhu, Sex Harassment and Slander as weapons of subjugation , Manushi, no.62, jan-feb-92, pg-2-15

In this paper the author focuses on the more insidious and routine forms of sexual harassment women have to deal with when they step into the world to earn a livelihood or take part in social, political and educational activities. The segment of society chosen is university students and teachers from middle class. Real life experiences have been recounted which show how men use aggressive sexual encounters to maintain dominance and control and how and why women are forced to suffer such behaviour . Steps towards protecting women from sexual harassment are suggested, to bring a meaningful change in women's currently powerless and vulnerable position. Also, sexual slander is used as a weapon to keep women in a perpetual state of fear, the fear of losing izzat (honour) in a way that can affect a woman's very chance of survival and result in loss of family, job and being a social outcaste.

Exploitation of Domestic Women Workers : Case Studies from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamilnadu, Social Action, Vol.43, April-June 1993, p.p. 235-241

This paper is an offshoot of a study conducted on the problems of women in the unorganised domestic sectors in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamilnadu The purpose of the study is to portray the exploitation of domestic women workers. It emphasizes that the structure of the family affects exploitation directly as well as indirectly while stay with the employer results in direct exploitation. It suggests that economic support and skill training to the women of the non-familial structure, may enable them to be independent and self reliant.

Women Making a Meaningful Choice — Technology and New Economic Order, Nirmala Banerjee & Swasti Mitter, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. XXXIII, No. 51, December 19, 1998, pp. 3247-3256

The paper address two contemporary issues, one related to Indian working women's response to technological changes and globalisation; and second relates to the impact of these changes on women's work in India. The reference used in the article published secondary material and documents of the grassroots experiences of NGO's that are currently engaged in women workers in the formal and informal sectors. The documented material is of the selected NGO's from eight Asian countries between 1994 and 1996 that United Nations University Institute for New Technologies (UNU / INTECH, Maastricht, the Netherlands) had commissioned. The paper focuses exclusively on India with emphasis on demands, concerns and aspirations of Indian working women with respect to technological changes as reflected in those commissioned reports. The study examines women of diverse background and their co-relation with changing technologies in the past and present, in different regions and industries of the country. The paper further analyses the position of Indian Women's movement in context with women's traditional role in the society.

Employment of Women and reproductive hazards in Work Places , By Neeru Sehgal, research scholar( Delhi university), in Journal India Law Institute, Vol. 29, (1987), pp. 201-215.

Treatise examines exposure hazards of toxic substances on fertile, pregnant mothers, discriminatory, exclusionary practices against women by employers to avoid legal, moral accountability. Probes instances of transfers to low paid jobs, self inflicted sterilization, law amendments introduced in U.S, disparate treatment on women, safety measures, foetal protection, medical screening. It cites instances and court judgments. It examines Indian perspective of the problem in developing countries and also examines Indian factories act in disallowing women from doing hazardous jobs, timings prescribed for women, hazards in industries of tobacco, cotton, agro based etc. Probes studies of India council of medical research on expectant women exposed to toxic substances in world's worst industrial disaster Bhopal gas tragedy involving a multinational. Examines employers responsibilities, government role, duty to protect the interests of women under article 39(e) of the Indian constitution, need to have regulatory framework for multinational's seeking to operate industries in India.

Marginalisation of Women

Widows in India: Social Neglect and Public Action by Martha Alter Chen (ed.) Sage Publications, New Delhi: 1998

Martha Alter Chen is Development Advisor, Harvard Institute for International Development and Lecturer, Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in the USA. A specialist on gender and poverty, she has worked on South Asia and is author of A Quiet Revolution: Women in Transition in Rural Bangladesh and Coping with Seasonality and Drought.

This volume aimed at a better understanding of the status and condition of widows as a marginalised group of Indian society is a result a workshop and a conference at Bangalore in 1994. The first was an informal gathering of 25 widows and 10 activists while the conference included 65 activists, scholars and policy makers who had experience on issues relating to widows. After these events, a network of widows and activists was established and a two year action plan launched in six states to ensure rights and dignity to widows.

The papers in this volume, most of which were presented at the conference are grouped into six broad sections. Three papers explore the ideological construction of widowhood in India including patriarchal constructs, the practice of levirate and property rights under customary and modern statutory law. Two papers deal with the demographics of widowhood with reference to mortality and aging. The other four themes include property rights, social security, employment and social identity based on case studies of actual practice and individual histories. The author also provides a framework for analysis of widowhood in India, which includes concepts such as Patrilocality, Patrilineal Inheritence, Remarriage Practices, Employment Restrictions, Maintenance and Social Isolation.

Marriage and Family life

Enslaved Daughters, Sudhir Chandra, Oxford University Press, Delhi, 1998;

This monograph discusses the Rakhamabai's case, the first case filed in 1884 for restitution of conjugal rights and in detail. It also discusses the repercussions of the case on the society. Rakhamabai wedded Dadaji at an age at which she was incapable to give a wise consent. She refused to be obligated to a marriage solemnized when she was only eleven. During the eleven years of their unconsummated marriage she had grown to develop a strong dislike and argued that she was not bound to go to Dadaji. Dadaji moved the Bombay High court for the restitution of his conjugal rights, which resulted in strengthening her determination to resist the autocracy of indigenous social authority and colonial legal dispensation.

Status of Women and Social change, By B. Sivaramayya in Journal of Indian law institute, Vol. 25, 1983, pp. 270.

The author looks at ancient shastric Hindu law in matters of rights of women; sati practices, the involvement of the British in enacting laws to protect women's social status. It examines views, interpretations of courts, legislature in matters of bigamy, conjugal rights, inheritance, divorce, maintenance under Hindu marriage act and Muslim personal laws. It also looks at the Muslim community views. It examines the provisions of criminal procedure code and the Indian penal code in relation to above topics. This article cites instances, circumstances of litigation and court interpretations and views. In this article an attempt is made by the author to critically examine the social status of women by way of legislation, judicial interpretations and processes.

Chowdhary Prem ,