Former South African President Nelson Mandela dies

Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first elected black president and a global anti-apartheid icon has died early today aged 95, President Jacob Zuma said.

“Fellow South Africans, our beloved...the founding president of our democratic nation, has departed,” Mr. Zuma said in a nationally televised address.

He passed away peacefully at 20:50 (local time), December 5, Mr. Zuma said.

“He is now resting. He is now at peace...Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father,” he said.

Mandela will have a state funeral. Mr. Zuma ordered all flags in the nation to be flown at half-mast from Friday through the funeral, the BBC reported.

Madiba, as Mandela was fondly known, had been battling health issues in recent months, including a recurring lung infection that led to numerous hospitalisations.

Friends and relatives of the ailing statesman had gathered yesterday, at his Johannesburg home where “democratic South Africa’s founding father” was said to be on his “deathbed“.

Daughter Makaziwe Mandela, in an interview to national broadcaster SABC, had said, the 95-year-old world leader continues to fight against the ailments ravaging him.

Grandchild, Ndaba Mandela, on Thursday had also lamented Mandela’s ill state.

Mandela was admitted to the Pretoria Heart Clinic in June, where he was treated for a recurring lung infection before he was released to receive home-based care nearly three months later.

At the time there was a outpouring of love and concern for the elder statesman from around the world. However on Thursday, it was quiet outside Mandela’s Houghton home, where a slew of specialist physicians were attending to his health.

Last month, Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela said he was no longer talking “because of all the tubes that are in his mouth to clear (fluid from) the lungs”.

Mandela, who emerged from prison after 27 years to lead South Africa out of decades of apartheid before becoming the country’s first black leader, had faced several health scares.

His most recent hospital stay spanning over three months was his longest since he walked free in 1990.

Mandela is widely respected for his role in fighting racism in South Africa, and for forgiving his former white captors after his release from prison. 

 http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/former-south-african-president-nelson-mandela-dies/article5428767.ece?homepage=true

SAFER INDIA ??

www.saferindia.com

 

This is a site of an NGO started by Ms Kiran Bedi. 

 

You can go to this site an log your complaint regarding any crime if the police at your place is not accepting your complaint.  Then this NGO will mail your complaint to the DGP of your area.  You can also use this mail as the legal document in case of filing a case in the court of judgment. 

This is to be noted that this site is directly administered by Ms Kiran Bedi, so all your mails directly go to her. 

Friends, Please spread this information in your network so that any one in such need can go to this site and launch his/her complaint.

 

Eight of Dalit family attacked,by caste hindus

Eight members of the family of a Dalit woman who married a Vanniyar were injured in an attack allegedly by the Caste Hindus in Veppamarathur village near Bommidi in Dharmapuri district on Wednesday evening.

G. Suresh, husband of S. Sudha, told The Hindu over phone that about 20 men led by the panchayat president Ranganathan attacked the family members with stones and wooden logs and also abused them on caste lines.

Suresh, his wife, father Gopal, mother Palaniammal, younger brother G. Ramesh and three others were injured in the incident.

He said the attack took place immediately after the Revenue Divisional Officer, P. Menaka, the Harur Deputy Superintendent of Police, V. Sampath, visited the house to inquire about an application of Ms. Sudha for licence to possess a firearm.

Mr. Sampath said the clash erupted after the panchayat president was allegedly attacked by Ms. Sudha and her family members in the presence of two policemen.

It was also alleged that the policemen were attacked by Ms. Sudha and others when they tried to resist the assault on Mr. Ranganathan.

The panchayat president and a few others who were reportedly injured in the attack were taken to a hospital.

Meanwhile, the police picket was increased in the area and further reinforcements were being rushed, Mr. Sampath added.

Ms. Sudha had submitted a petition to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes in Chennai on November 28, seeking its help to obtain a gun licence.

In her complaint, she alleged harassment and repeated threats to her life even as the district administration had provided her police cover.

She complained of constant harassment which increased after the attack on Dalit colonies in Naikkankottai after the Ilavarasan-Divya marriage in 2012. Her family was not allowed to draw water from the common tap and even prevented from entering the temple.

Ms. Sudha lodged a complaint with the Bommidi police, who registered a case under the provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. Since no action was taken against the accused, she filed a petition in the Madras High Court, which directed the Dharmapuri distinct administration to provide adequate protection to the petitioner.

Keywords: Tamil Nadu caste clashes, Dharmapuri caste tensions, Vanniyar-Dalit conflict, social discrimination


 http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/eight-of-dalit-family-attacked/article5422383.ece?homepage=true

WANTED freelance writers

WANTED freelance writers for peace train group of blogs.
Each article will be rewarded.The decision made to give rewards is absolutely for the reason to improve writing skills,improve general knowledge about Islam,culture,life,etc..
And,I want to spread Peace through blogging not hatred one,so kindly give your fingers and get rewards.We can make the earth,a peaceful one.Insha ALLAH.

 If interested please contact
at peacetrain114@gmail.com

http://peacetrain1.blogspot.com/
http://comparativestudy.blogspot.com/
http://penaamunai.blogspot.com/
http://manithaneyaexpress.blogspot.com/

Modi talks of 'Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat'

Jammu : The BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Sunday said his party would carry forward the initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir on the principles of "Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat and Kashmiriyat" as envisioned by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally of over 50,000 people at the M.A. Stadium in Jammu, Modi said: "We will carry forward the BJP's policy of 'insaniyat' (humanity), 'jamhuriyat' (democracy) and 'Kashmiriyat' (composite secular, eclectic Kashmiri culture) as envisioned by our great leader Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji towards Jammu and Kashmir."
Modi, virtually launching the BJP's campaign for the Lok Sabha polls, said the troubles the people in the state were facing were due to wrong policies and priorities of the Congress.
"The policies of Syama Prasad Mookerjee (BJP ideologue who died in a jail in the state in 1953) towards Jammu and Kashmir were right and the policies and plans of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru were wrong," Modi said.
"If Syama Prasad Mookerjee had not agitated against Nehru's policies, we would still need a permit to enter the state," Modi said.
Modi questioned the Congress' claims of people-friendly programmes like amendments to the Panchayati Raj Act and Food Security Bill, and asked people how many of central policies and laws were benefiting them.
He also criticised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and said how could the National Conference claim to be protecting the rights of women when in their personal relationships the leaders of the party had failed to do so.
"Whether Article 370 has done anything good or bad should be discussed, but has Omar Abdullah's sister got the same right as him?" he said.
Abdullah's sister Sara Pilot is the wife of Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Sachin Pilot.
Modi praised the erstwhile Dogra maharaja of the state, Hari Singh, saying he had brought in a lot of social reforms by upholding the rights of the less privileged sections of the society.
The BJP leader compared the development in Jammu and Kashmir with that in Gujarat.
He said that despite huge natural resources, the state government has always been approaching the centre with a begging bowl.
"Corruption is rampant in Jammu and Kashmir. Should laws to prevent corruption be there in the state or not? The centre makes rules but these are not applicable in the state because of Article 370," Modi said.
Article 370 of the constitution grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP has always advocated for scrapping the article.
Modi quoted from the Ramayana, saying it were the Himalayas from where Hanuman had obtained the mythical herb while the government in Jammu and Kashmir was unable to exploit the tremendous herbal potential of the Himalayas in the state.
He also criticised the "soft attitude" of the union government towards border violations by Pakistan and incursions by China.
The M.A. Stadium with a capacity of over 40,000 was jam-packed during Modi's speech, and a large number of people also gathered on the roads around the stadium to listen to him.
This was Modi's first public rally in Jammu and Kashmir after he was declared the BJP's prime ministerial candidate.

 http://twocircles.net/2013dec01/modi_talks_insaniyat_jamhuriyat_and_kashmiriyat.html