Though the National Commission for Women chairperson, Mamta Sharma, backtracked from her remarks while defining the word sexy, ruling Congress leaders found it difficult to defend her. “It caused a loss to the party,” said a party leader.
The state women’s commission chief Lad Kumari Jain expressed displeasure over the “sexy” remarks. She told mediapersons that such remarks were against the Supreme Court verdict in Vishakha case. She said it was violation of the Vishakha judgment. “Since she has withdrawn her statement and tendered apology, we are yet to decide our action,” says a women’s right activist. Sources close Ms Sharma blamed her political adversaries for twisting the issue.
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2 Lashkar militants killed in encounter
AGE CORRESPONDENT
SRINAGAR, Feb. 26
Two “recycled” militants of LeT, including a top commander, were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s eastern district of Kishtwar on Sunday.
Identified as Muhammad Rafi and Shahnawaz Khanday, alias Bilal, the officials said the slain due had surrendered before the security forces on separate occasions a few years ago, but after their release from jail returned to the militants’ fold and soon turned out to be “dreaded terrorists.”
On Sunday morning, Army’s 17 Rashtriya Rifles and the local police conducted special operations.
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Protests over book at AUROBINDO ashram
S. PRASAD
PUDUCHERRY, FEB. 26
The Sri Aurobindo Ashram here is facing an embarrassing turmoil with a section of the inmates and devotees launching a three-day protest against the trustees of the ashram for their alleged failure to take action against inmate and US author Peter Heehs for making “denigrating” remarks against Sri Aurobindo and The Mother in his book, The lives of Sri Aurobindo.
The aggrieved inmates announced a silent protest from February 26-28 to exert pressure seeking dismissal of the present group of trustees and expulsion of Mr Heehs from the ashram community.
Mr Bijan Ghosh, a devotee and Supreme Court lawyer, told this newspaper that the Orissa government had proscribed the book in 2009.
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Perversity damaging tribal culture: CM
AGE CORRESPONDENT
AGARTALA, FEB. 26
Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar expressed concern over the growing trend of embracing a kind of perversity in the name of modernity by a section of the tribals which is damaging their age-old tradition and culture. “In the name of modernity some perverse culture is being inflicted among a section of tribal youths, especially by using the electronic media,” he said.
He was addressing after inaugurating the three day tribal festival organised by the Tribal Research and Cultural Organisation with financial help from ministry of tribal affairs here. The CMstressed the need for expose to the modern technology to be familiar with the current society but urged the elders to guard against induction of any perversity in the name of modernity.