The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

EDUCATION

‘India has 45 cr illiterates’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 8
A poster-making contest and a talk on literacy were held at the Dev Samaj College of Education, Sector 36, to mark World Literacy Day today. Students, faculty members and social workers attended the lecture, which was organised in association with the Department of Adult and Continuing Education, Panjab University.

The SDM (South), Ms Madhavi Kataria, who was the chief guest said illiteracy was the root cause of all ills in society. Stating that ignorance was the main cause for backwardness, she said poverty, illiteracy and ignorance went hand in hand. She also appreciated the work done by various organisations towards eradication of illiteracy. She encouraged the students to commit themselves to the mission of literacy and adult education and contribute towards national development.

The Deputy Director, Adult and Continuing Education, Panjab University, Dr C.L. Narang, in his keynote address said it was a matter of great concern that India had the largest number of illiterate in the world. “There are 45 crore illiterate residing in our country”, he said.

He added that the aim of teacher training colleges was not only to impart education to the prospective teachers but to train them in such a manner that they could motivate the common masses to uproot illiteracy and other social evils from the society.

While the Principal, Dr Satinder Dhillon, welcomed the chief guest, Dr Sareen Kaur of the Adult Education, Panjab University, presented the vote of thanks.

Jyoti Gulati was declared first, Saravjeet Kaur second and Sandeep third in the poster-making contest. The two consolation prizes went to Payal and Neeru.

Rally held: The NSS unit of the Government College for Girls, Sector 42, organised a rally to mark the World Literacy Day. The rally was organised at their adopted village, Kajheri. Nearly 300 volunteers participated in the rally that passed through streets and slum areas.

COURTS

Mechanism required for protection of
witnesses, says High Court
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 8
Less than two months after all the accused in the Best Bakery case were acquitted allegedly due to the backing out of witnesses because of fear, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled that it would be appropriate for both the Central and state governments to expeditiously adopt a programme for the protection of witnesses.

The ruling is significant as, according to the high court, prosecution in a large number of cases, including the BMW and the Jessica Lall murder cases, besides the ones registered under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA), had time and again failed due to the backing out of witnesses.

The Bench, comprising Mr Justice Amar Dutt and Mr Justice Virender Singh, ruled: “During the course of arguments (in a case), it was brought out that time and again the prosecution in some of the most sensitive cases had failed because the witnesses, initially responsible for setting into motion the state machinery, had changed their mind when examined in the court. This happened in a majority of the cases registered in the Punjab state under TADA.”

The Bench further ruled: “It happened again in sensational cases like the BMW case, the Jessica Lall murder case and more recently in the Best Bakery case. Unlike in the last case where the National Human Rights Commission intervened when the witnesses changed their statements in court due to lack of protection to them and their families, most of the eyewitnesses in the earlier cases did not open up to pin point the possible reason which compelled them to change their original stand.”

In their detailed order, the judges added: “To a discerning eye, the reasons are not difficult to gauge and may vary from muscle power wielded by the well-wishers of the accused in the terrorism cases, to money power in the Jessica Lall and BMW cases. This, the accused were able to do because there was and is no programme available under which, after the assessment of need for protection to a particular witness, the administration could give him the requisite security cover.”

The judges held: “It has further been brought to our notice on the basis of a research conducted by counsel for parties that in other criminal jurisdictions, including Queensland, Scotland, Canada, the USA and Australia, legislature has enacted the Witness Protection Act in which guidelines have been provided.... There is no such programme available in the states of Punjab and Haryana, besides the Union Territory of Chandigarh.”

Speaking for the Bench, Mr Justice Dutt observed: “These programmes are the need of the hour and it would be appropriate for the Centre and the states to adopt them so that in other cases, like the Best Bakery case, the prosecution does not become wiser after the event and seeks redressal for a lapse which has been occasioned by its negligence from the higher courts.”

Mr Justice Dutt concluded: “Since it is not for us to direct the administration to formulate the guidelines, rather than leaving the decision on the absolute discretion of the district authorities, who may or may not like to draw upon secret service funds, we would like to bring on record the desirability of the legislature or the administration to try and emulate the advances in this field made in other countries.

DISTRICT COURTS
High Court employees remanded
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, September 8
Two employees of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, arrested for their alleged involvement in the forgery of documents relating to a civil writ petition, were remanded in police custody for three days by a local court here today.

The accused, Rajiv and Sanjiv, were produced before the UT Judicial Magistrate (First Class), who remanded them in police custody till September 11.

Meanwhile, the bail application moved by two persons in the case was also dismissed. The Joint Registrar with the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr G.K. Khanna, had lodged a complaint against six persons with the UT police. The case was registered under Sections 463, 464, 465, 466, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC.

Case transferred

Acting on the Supreme Court directions, a case of murder, registered against Suresh Chand, Sonu and Shiv Parkash, was on Monday transferred from Sonepat to a local court here.

The court of the UT District and Sessions Judge, Mr H.S. Bhalla, has marked the case to the court of the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr J.S. Klar. The three suspects in the case were produced before the Judge in the afternoon. The suspects had also pleaded that the Jail Superintendent, Model Burail Jail, be also directed to provide adequate security to them in view of the sensitivity of the case.

CULTURE

Classical art lovers in for a bonanza
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, September 8
Doyen of classical music and dance are set to enthrall the city audience during the inauguration of a new branch of the Pracheen Kala Kendra at SAS Nagar. Giving this information at a press conference at the head office of the Pracheen Kala Kendra, Sector 35, here today, Mr M.L. Koser, said a five-day-long cultural programme would mark the inauguration ceremony scheduled for September 12.

Kuchipudi exponent Yamini Reddy, daughter of Padma Bhushan winners Raja and Radha Reddy, will share the stage with famous Sufi singers Wadali Brothers on the inaugural day. Puran Chand and Pyare Lal have been honoured by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, for their contribution towards the promotion of Sufiana kalam.

On September 13, Carnatic singer Sumitra Guha, a top grade artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan, will render “khayals” and bhajans”, while kathak exponent Rajendra Gangani will display the finer nuances of Jaipur Gharana of kathak, which he learnt over the years from his father and guru Pt Kundan Lal Gangani. Though Rajendra Gangani’s style of kathak is not new to the Chandigarh audience, his charismatic stage presence and scintillating performance has always come as a breath of fresh air.

Another kathak exponent Shovana Narayan will give a performance on September 14 along with Saroja Vaidyanathan, an outstanding Bharatnatyam dancer and researcher who has penned down several books like “The Science of Bharatnatyam”, “Bharatnatyam — an in depth study” and “An Encyclopedia of Bharatnatyam”.

September 15 will bring a Mohan Veena “jugalbandi” by Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Salil V. Bhatt and Sattvik Bhatt, bringing three generations of the Bhatt family on stage and a sitar “jugalbandi” by Manu Kumar Seen and Harbinder Kumar Sharma. The final day of the cultural bonanza will bring a Taal Vedya Kachri by Guru Lachman Singh Seen, Nayak Kumar Seen, Avirbhav Verma and Swati Verma.

“The opening of this new branch of the kendra at SAS Nagar will be a step forward towards popularising classical art forms,” said Mr M.L. Koser. The ceremonial inauguration will be done by Mr K.P. Bhaskar, president and artistic director of Nrityalaya Aesthetics Society, Kuchipuri dancer Padmabhushans Raja, Radha Reddy and Ms Manorama Mahaptra, Editor of a famous Oriya daily.