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Wharton invites Kejriwal to address conference

New Delhi: AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal has been invited to address the Wharton India Economic Conference in the United States.

He will deliver his address through video-link on March 23, the day on which he will launch his indefinite fast.

An Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson said Kejriwal has got the invitation and will deliver his lecture through video-link.

The conference got into news in India after the organisers of conference decided to cancel Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's key note address.

Wharton took this decision in the wake of opposition to Modi -- who has drawn flak for his alleged role in allowing the 2002 post-Godhra riots -- from some of its students and university professors. Modi was to deliver his address on March 22-23 via video-conference.

Three Indian-American professors from the University of Pennsylvania had sent a petition to Wharton signed by about 135 people "furious" against the invitation to Modi. 

US announces award for Delhi braveheart

Washington: United States has selected the 23-year-old Delhi braveheart for the International Women of Courage Award. The award to the braveheart would be presented posthumously by the First Lady Michelle Obama and the Secretary of State John Kerry, on March 8, an official announcement said on Monday.

"For millions of Indian women, her personal ordeal, perseverance to fight for justice, and her family's continued bravery is helping to lift the stigma and vulnerability that drive violence against women," the State Department said about her as it announced the awards to be given to 10 women from across the world.

She bravely recorded two police statements while in the hospital, repeatedly called for justice against the six attackers, and stated her will to survive to see justice done, the State Department said.

"Like many Indians inspired by her struggle, she was born into a working class family that invested their hopes and life savings into her dream to pursue medicine. She had just graduated from a physiotherapy program when her life was cut short," said the State Department.

"In the wake of her death just two weeks after the attack, India's civil society began advocating heavily for legislation and social programs to stem gender-based violence in all its forms and to ensure higher rape conviction rates and gender-sensitive law enforcement and justice systems. Thanks to these efforts, the Indian government has begun to take action to follow through on those demands," the State Department said.

Employer can cancel employment if material 
facts suppressed: HC

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has held that if a person withholds fact from his prospective employer about his conviction in a criminal case, he cannot as a matter of right claim the job even though he may have been pardoned or released on bond of good conduct by a Court for the offence.

An employer, upon learning that the applicant for a job had suppressed information about his conviction in a criminal case involving moral turpitude, can cancel the appointment of such person to the post, observed justices B P Dharmadhikari and P B Varale in a recent order.

"Before issuing an appointment order, the employer has got more power and can control entry of any person in service.

Use of that power by employer Bank in present facts is neither arbitrary nor perverse," the judges observed.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by Amit Mohod, a resident of Amravati, challenging decision of Bank of India to cancel his candidature for a Clerk's post under the provisions of section 10(1)(b)(i) of Banking Regulations Act as he had suppressed information about his conviction in a theft case.

Mohod and his friend Rahul were found guilty of stealing a motorcycle in 2003 as they had lifted the two wheeler without the owner's consent and were riding it. However, the Court, instead of punishing them, released them under the Probation of Offenders Act on bond of good conduct.