Urvashi Sarkar

Thoughts, stories and ideas.

rank: Archive

  • Panel to probe plane crash

    Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

    Published in The Hindu. 26 May 2011

    The Union government will appoint a committee of enquiry to probe the crash of a small air ambulance in a residential area in neighbouring Faridabad on Wednesday. Ten people, including all seven onboard, were killed in the freak tragedy.

    The committee will also make recommendations to prevent such accidents, the Union Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. A preliminary report has been received by the Ministry.

    The nine-seater aircraft of Air Charter Services India Private Limited on its way from Patna to Delhi was carrying a 20-year-old jaundice-afflicted Rahul Raj, doctors Rajesh Jain and Syed Arshad Abbas and nurse Cyril Joy employed with the Apollo Hospital, Delhi, and a cousin of the patient.

    The crash killed all seven and also three women — Sarita, Vedvanti and Rani — when the plane smashed into their house.

    A Directorate General of Civil Aviation team has inspected the site.

    According to DGCA Director of Air Safety (Delhi) Ram Nath, who was present at the site, the strong winds could have caused the small single engine turboprop to crash. “Based on our initial investigations, it appears that strong winds and stormy weather may have been responsible for the incident,” he said.

    “Such small aircraft do not have a cockpit voice recorder or black box which can help in ascertaining the cause of these kinds of incidents. The black box could have helped us gather more information about the incident,” he added.

    Delhi airport sources also said sudden bad weather could have been responsible. “On Wednesday the weather was not favourable in the areas adjoining the capital and several aircraft were deviating from their path as there were very strong winds,” said sources.

    However, a technical malfunction may also have been a contributory factor as the pilot had communicated to the Delhi Air Traffic Control that the aircraft was unable to withstand the strong winds at an altitude of 8,000 feet. Though the ATC asked the pilot to maintain the altitude, he could not do so and the aircraft began to descend.

    The last contact of the pilot with the ATC was reportedly around 10.45 p.m.

    Read the original article: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/panel-to-probe-plane-crash/article2050774.ece

  • Mixed reactions to university getting minority status

    Published in The Hindu. 23 February 2011

    Mixed reactions greeted the granting of minority institution status to Jamia Millia Islamia by the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions on Tuesday.

    While for many, this is a historic moment for the university, others are opposed to the minority status.

    Former Jamia Teachers’ Association secretary and a petitioner in the matter, Prof. Tabrez Alam said: “We are feeling reassured that the minority status of Jamia has been maintained by the Commission. We have always contended that the inherent nature of this university which was established by members of the Muslim minority community in 1920 is that of a minority status institute. The Commission has also agreed to this.”

    “Initially we had to grant 22.5 per cent reservations for the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes. We will no longer be required to do so and we will be able to provide up to 50 per cent of seats in all courses for students belonging to the underprivileged Muslim minority community,” he added.

    Since the institute cannot have more than 50 per cent reservations, the provision of 25 per cent internal quota for those who have passed their qualifying examination from Jamia now stands to question.

    Jamia Minority Status Coordination Committee convenor Mohammad Iyas Malik also welcomed the announcement.

    “The first benefit is for the Muslim community which is educationally and socially backward and needs uplifting. Muslim students will now have more access to quality education. However, a secular milieu will also prevail,” he said.

    On the other Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association has said on its website: “Jamia was envisaged as a space of higher learning and critical thinking against the insularity and isolationism of all kinds. The demand for minority status vitiates that glorious history of Jamia as a secular inclusive space and will push the university towards ghettoisation.”

    Jamia Vice-Chancellor Najeeb Jung when contacted said: “The declaration does not actually change things much for Jamia. The university already has 51 per cent Muslims. The main concern for some is that this move will change the secular ethos of the university. Jamia is a liberal and modern university. This declaration increases the onus on the university to stick to its secularist and nationalist credentials.”

    Photo: jmi.ac.in

    Read the original article: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/Mixed-reactions-to-Jamia-getting-minority-status/article15455082.ece

  • Aligarh college girls make history of sorts

    Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

    Published in The Hindu. 20 January 2011

    The Aligarh Muslim University Women’s College, established way back in 1906, was forced to come into being 5 km away from the Mohammedan Anglo Oriental College (M.A.O.C.), later renamed AMU, as M.A.O.C. Principal William Archbold felt “female education was injurious to the health of the M.A.O. college”.

    Cut to 2011, students from the undergraduate women’s college took part in the AMU students’ union (AMUSU) elections here on Wednesday for the first time in the history of the university’s student union.

    The excitement in the air was palpable as scores of girls lined up in serpentine queues to cast their vote, eagerly brandishing their voting identification slips and identity cards.

    “Women too must have a say in the election process. It is heartening that girls from our college are contesting the elections for the first time,” said Sanae Rabbi, an arts student, as her friends nodded in agreement.

    Principal Bilquis Nasim Waris said: “Five girls are contesting the elections from the [women’s] college; two each for the posts of AMUSU vice-president and cabinet member, and one for student representative to the court.”

    The elections are taking place after more than four years.

    Voting took place for the posts of union president, vice-president, honorary secretary, 10 cabinet posts and 11 varsity court positions.

    The women’s college, usually out of bounds for men, barring university authorities, faculty and staff, opened its doors partially on Wednesday to admit male Press members with some hesitation. Male students were strictly barred from entering, and for about 15 minutes security personnel shut the entrance gates as some male students tried to enter the premises.

    “We are not allowed to interact with the students. How will they know about us as candidates? We would also like to see if proper voting is taking place inside the college, but we are not being allowed to enter,” complained a male presidential candidate.

    A total of 11 girls are contesting the elections — one each for the posts of president and honorary secretary, two for vice-president, four for cabinet and three for the AMU court. Of the total 18,500 voters, 6,500 are girls.

    However, the girls did not seem very optimistic about their prospects. “The girls are not voting in a united manner,” admitted a girl voter. “Still, we cannot vote blindly for someone just because it happens to be a girl. We will vote for meritorious candidates.”

    Honorary secretary candidate Naheed Mustafa said: “The votes are being split. Girls are not voting for female candidates owing to various reasons. The boys will not vote for us as they are unwilling to accept female post-holders. There will be no point in our having contested elections if we do not win.”

    Read the original article: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/Aligarh-college-girls-make-history-of-sorts/article15525245.ece

  • Families come out in support of gay members

    Published in The Hindu. 29 November 2010

    A riot of colours descended on Janpath in the heart of the Capital on Sunday as hundreds of colourfully attired revellers waving brightly shaded flags marched to Jantar Mantar marking the third annual Delhi Queer Pride parade.

    A spirit of celebration and ebullience prevailed as the enthusiastic marchers irrespective of sexual orientation triumphantly danced to the intoxicating beat of drums. Barriers of class and caste melted away as strangers matched dance steps united by a pervasive sense of elation. There were very few posters and hoardings that the marchers carried, but these did not appear to be missed as the sheer range of colours representing sexual diversity said it all. Policemen lined the route of the march.

    The heartening aspect of the parade was the number of individuals who had come out in support of their family members. “Fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters are all here to extend their support. Compared to last year, fewer people are seen wearing masks. It’s a positive sign,” said a marcher who participated in the 2009 parade as well.

    But the literal “star of the show” was an elderly grandmother who came out in support bearing a placard stating that she was proud to have a gay grandson. “My children must have the right to lead their lives the way they want. Their happiness is the most important thing which no law should be able to dictate,” she proudly said, addressing the cheering crowds. Many came to the Capital for the specific purpose of participating in the parade. Mumbai-based Alka Sinha said: “I came here just to witness and also take part in the march. There is no need to hide any more and we can walk with our heads held high.”

    Twenty-five-year-old Mathew from the United States, who has been working in the Capital since the last two years said: “This march is really symbolic. There used to be a sense of direct and subtle marginalisation which the gay community would experience besides the attempt by society to make us invisible. However, the march has given us the space to be exactly who we are.”

    For most, the march was an occasion to celebrate the decriminalisation of sexuality after the Delhi High Court judgment last year. “We are out in the open now as Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code has been struck down by the High Court,” said a 19-year-old lifting her mask, her smile speaking volumes.

    Activist Lesley Esteves said: “While decriminalisation is a step in the right direction, there is a need for the government to introduce anti-discrimination legislation to ensure that people are not harassed on the basis of their sexual orientation in public or private spaces. The queer community has to put up with many difficulties including ostracisation by families, violence and police harassment. Many have not been able to come out still. This march is not only to celebrate but also to protest against the indignities that have been meted out to members of the queer community.” “This is the third pride parade and over 3,000 people have come out to march which is more than the expected number. This march is a community movement. Organised by the Delhi Queer Pride Committee, this movement does not consist of organisations. Rather it is an initiative of individuals and the community,” she added.

    Read the original article: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/Families-come-out-in-support-of-gay-members/article15720269.ece

  • Post-Radia, a fierce debate on media ethics

    Published in The Hindu. 4 December 2010

    A panel discussion organised here on Friday by The Editors Guild of India, the Press Association, the Press Club of India and the Indian Women Press Corps on “Radia tapes and journalistic ethics” turned into a slanging match between journalists and Editor-in Chief of CNN-IBN Rajdeep Sardesai after he pitched in strongly for Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi, saying they had been judged guilty without corroborative evidence. On the panel were Vinod Mehta, Editor-in-Chief of Outlook, which along with Open magazine brought the Niira Radia tapes into the open; Mrinal Pande, former editor of Hindustan and chairperson of the Prasar Bharati; and Sunil Jain, a business journalist with The Financial Express.

    Mr. Sardesai admitted that media groups needed to look inward and seriously examine where they had gone wrong in allowing the blurring of lines separating journalism, politics and lobbying. However, reporters did need to talk to a variety of sources, and the mere fact of talking to a lobbyist or even taking notes from one, was not an indication of professional misconduct. The CNN-IBN head questioned the journalistic standards adopted by the two magazines. A sense of scepticism was missing, assumptions had been made and those featured in the stories had not been given “the right to reply,” he said.

    Mr. Sardesai also remarked that the response in the case of Ms. Dutt and Mr. Sanghvi had been lynch-mobbish, with their being judged guilty without any reference to their journalistic track records. “The fundamental principle of jurisprudence, that you are innocent until proven guilty, has been reversed here,” he said, adding there was an element of professional jealousy in the chorus of voices raised against them. This started a near riot on the Press Club lawns, where the discussion was held. Journalists rose as one to condemn the suggestion that talking to corporate sources was an unavoidable aspect of good reporting. Many of them pointed to their own experience of getting good stories and breaking scoops without ever having to talk to a lobbyist. They made their displeasure clear at the issue being reduced to a case of jealousy and envy, and sought to know if Mr. Sardesai’s own channel referred its exclusive stories to those featured on them.

    Sensing the mood of the house, Mr. Sardesai, who is also president of the Editors Guild, quickly took back his words, promising immediate intervention by the Guild in formulating a code of ethics for journalists, including for editors. As a first step, he would declare his assets, he said.

    Mr. Mehta said journalists who were recorded on tape talking to Ms. Radia were well aware of the interests she was representing and yet allowed themselves to be used by her. “Journalists are supposed to use sources; sources cannot use journalists.”

    He said he did not think the issue was “complex” or “grey” as was being suggested by those arguing on behalf of the taped journalists. “It is a black and white issue, where the journalists knew who they were talking to and should have known where to stop a conversation and say, no, thank you.”

    Journalists have to hear many people but what they finally end up writing depends on the kind of people they are speaking with. “When journalists speak with a public relations officer or lobbyist, they must be aware of the mandate, brief and interests of the persons they are talking to,” Mr. Mehta said.

    Ms. Pande said: “The media is being expected to do a lot of what it is not meant to do. What we see in the English media is also occurring in the Hindi media except that the people involved are smaller players. It is important to question the ownership pattern in the Indian media. The boundaries between the editor and the owner are blurring and in some instances ownership is also in political hands.”

    Referring to “journalists wanting to play power brokers,” Mr. Sunil Jain said what was being currently witnessed had been going on for a long time and both the print and television media had entered into “private treaties” to serve their purposes.

    Photo: www.pressclubofindia.org

    Read the original article: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Post-Radia-a-fierce-debate-on-media-ethics/article15579190.ece

  • Gender audit gives thumbs down to Delhi University

    Photo: Wikimedia Commons

    Published in The Hindu. 16 September 2010.

    Curriculum and classroom teaching in Delhi University at the post-graduate level does not reflect adequate gender sensitivity, a gender audit conducted by the University’s Women’s Study and Development Centre has revealed.

    As per the post-graduate level gender audit report, though most of the Humanities and Social Sciences disciplines do have gender components in their syllabi, it is inadequate and teacher participation in workshops and seminars on gender issues is “rather low.”

    The data for the audit was gathered from December 2008 to February 2009. The audit was performed to “assess how far the policies and practices of the university are conducive to promoting gender equality”.

    According to the report, women in the university are not satisfied with university facilities. The most common complaint was about inadequate number of toilets for women which were also badly maintained. Demands for more common rooms for women and greater security in the campus were also cited.

    The report recommends introduction of full-fledged degree courses on gender issues, better security for girls on the campus, more and better toilets for women, hostels for girls, compulsory gender courses for students of all disciplines and workshops and seminars on gender issues. The study takes note of Delhi University’s Ordinance XV-D as an “important step”. The construction of two hostels for girls by the University, initiation of the construction of a new girls’ hostel, establishment of a crèche and the beginning of the process of registration of paying guest accommodation for girls also find mention in the report.

    Many of them

    A larger number of female students are enrolled for science, mathematics, commerce, environment biology, humanities and social sciences as per the report which says: “Male students outnumber female students only in law, management and technical courses. It may be that male students prefer joining professional and job-oriented courses after school. The study shows that there are more boys than girls in professional courses.”

    The study finds that male teachers outnumber female teachers at the level of Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors at the post-graduate level. Though the number of female teachers has risen since 2003, in many departments there are no women teachers at the level of Associate Professors and Professors or their number is negligible.

    The report notes that “since the number of women lecturers is rising, it is probable that in the coming years the number of women at senior levels will also rise. Also since more girls than boys are joining Ph.D. programmes, it is likely that more girls than boys will come forward to teach”.The representation of women office staff in the University is also very poor.

    About teaching and research output the report states that “most of the respondents felt that there is no significant difference between male and female teachers. However, some said that men are able to get research fellowships and grants more easily than women.” Female students and teachers also indicated that they were comfortable with male teachers/colleagues.

    Read the original article: https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/Gender-audit-gives-thumbs-down-to-Delhi-University/article15949737.ece

  • AMU professor a victim of clash between ‘tradition’ and privacy

    Published in The Hindu. 25 February 2010

    The suspension of 64-year-old Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras from Aligarh Muslim University, where he has been teaching for the past 22 years, has been greeted with mixed reactions here with campus authorities staunchly defending their decision to punish the professor for being a homosexual and human rights activists, online communities and a handful of students decrying this as a violation of his right to privacy.

    Dr. Siras, who was Chairman of the Department of Modern Indian Languages at AMU before his suspension, is due to retire this coming September. He was suspended soon after a video showing him having sex with another man surfaced on the campus. Contrary to some reports that several students had broken into Dr. Siras’ home and made the video, university sources say this was the handiwork of a private television channel.

    Dr. Siras was suspended under Statute 40(3)(c) of the University Statutes and ordered to vacate the house allotted by the university in Medical Colony, where he had been staying since 2002. Despite their avowed espousal of rules, however, the university authorities seem unperturbed by the ability of the TV channel to break into the home of a professor living on campus.

    Rationalising the suspension of Dr. Siras for his homosexuality, AMU public relations officer Rahat Abrar says: “The quarters where he was staying is university property. Further, a teacher has a role of responsibility and should be a figure to be looked up to. AMU has a history of culture and tradition and such things cannot be overlooked.”

    Asked whether this was not a violation of Dr. Siras’s privacy, AMU Faculty of Law associate professor Shakeel Samdani begs to differ: “Part III of the Indian Constitution dealing with Fundamental Rights guarantees certain rights subject to public order, morality and health. A teacher cannot act in such a manner that it violates public order, is a threat to tradition and such acts give rise to AIDS.” In fact, say human rights lawyers, these restrictions apply only to the Right to Freedom of Religion under Articles 25 and 26 in Part III and not to the Right to Privacy which is a part of the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

    Homosexuality, which was a criminal offence under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, was legalised last year in a landmark judgment of the Delhi High Court. Reminded about that judgment, Dr. Samdani argues: “AMU falls under the jurisdiction of the Allahabad High Court. The ruling of the Delhi High Court regarding decriminalising of homosexuality may be accepted or struck down by the Allahabad High Court … Several religious groups including those of Hindus and Christians have protested in the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court verdict and a decision is pending,” he adds.

    The Supreme Court, which is hearing the matter, has already rejected a plea to stay the Delhi High Court judgment.

    But if the AMU authorities insist their actions are legal, the manner in which the “evidence” against the suspended professor was collected leaves some observers uneasy. Jamal Ansari, an Aligarh-based freelance social commentator, told The Hindu: “The core issue is of unauthorised intrusion by some persons. Prof. Siras’ act is objectionable but the right to privacy is important, which, if allowed to be breached, would result in further complications.”

    Adil Hussain, an M.A. student of Mass Communication at AMU, said: “Dr. Siras’ actions were completely in the private domain. AMU should not take a moral stand on the issue. How can one make such a decision just by seeing a video?” Another student added: “While modern subjects are taught here and things are fairly liberal, yet AMU is not as open as Delhi University or JNU may be. Hence it becomes tough to accept such things.”

    Dr. Siras sees the AMU authorities’ action against him as a bid to oust him as Chairman of the Department of Modern Indian Languages. He also alleges that it was a ploy to distract attention from the enquiry that has been ordered by the President of India with regard to AMU Vice-Chancellor Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis.

    Dr. Siras is believed to have protested his suspension and removal from his house in a letter to the Vice-Chancellor. The letter dated February 11 states that orders were issued without taking into account “humanitarian considerations”.

    On the popular networking site Facebook, individuals have launched a community in support of Dr. Siras. Over 13 teachers from various universities have also been circulating an online petition in which the action against Dr. Siras has been condemned.

    The Naz Foundation is supporting Dr. Siras and he is also in talks with lawyer Anand Grover. A Naz Foundation representative said: “After reading media reports regarding Dr. Siras we got in touch with him and offered him support and help, including legal aid.”

    But the AMU authorities are not without support. Jasim Mohammed, who is pursuing his Ph.D., has started a “signature campaign” to sack Dr. Siras. Claiming that over 750 people had signed his memorandum, he said: “Dr. Siras’ services should be terminated for bringing disrepute to the university. This is a matter of Muslim culture and tradition. These are unnatural deeds.”

    The memorandum also demands that those who were responsible for the violation of Dr. Siras’s privacy should be brought under the purview of the university laws.

    Read the original article: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/AMU-professor-a-victim-of-clash-between-lsquotraditionrsquo-and-privacy/article16816848.ece

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