New Delhi, August 30
As the Left-backed Democratic Teachers' Front retains the top post in the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) poll, Nandita Narain becomes the second woman president, with Shaswati Mazumdar of DTF being the other.

Keeping aside Nandita's articulate expression, the thumping majority is attributed to an 'anti-establishment' sentiment among the DU faculty in the backdrop of a slew of academic reforms, including the new Four Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) and the need to resent while on the other side the setback of centrist AAD-INTEC is, sources confirmed, due to divide within INTEC with four-five of its candidates elected to the Executive body voting against Ashwini.

All the eight candidates placed by INTEC and AAD had made it to 15-member list of the DUTA Executive body while two independent candidates and BJP-supported National Democratic Teachers' Front's one out of three were lucky with its presidential candidate Pramod C Sharma in Kirori Mal College polling 868 votes.

"It was internal contradiction and some groups did not support the INTEC's presidential choice," said a faculty.

Half of the damage caused to his candidature was obviously due to the votes (561) that went to presidential candidate Dr Shiba C Panda fielded by Dr SS Rathi's AAD, a breakaway faction of erstwhile AAD. It was AAD's inclination to the DU administration and Congress's INTEC that brought about the rift a few months back.

According to Dr Panda, DTF, which has a cadre base of nearly 1,000 faculty within DUTA, it was teachers' resentment against the changes that have taken place ignoring all the concerns raised by them. In this, FYUP is a fundamental issue and it surely created an environment for a candidate opposing it a fair chance to win.

"The reason for the huge margin of winning for Left candidate was that INTEC and AAD have been hand in glove with the VC office. For us campaigning was an issue but voters saw the totality who can put a check on the highhandedness of the VC. The university body has to protect the interests of teachers," opined Dr Panda.

"We had constraints of limited time and resources yet we managed to have identity and were recognised. We would further Dr Rathi's ideologies and not compromise in future on issues of teachers with the authorities," he added.

However, when asked to respond to the result of the polls, AAD's chairperson Aditya Narayan Misra said," It depends on the candidates and support base they have. We have to understand what went wrong."

Meanwhile, DTF has urged the varsity administration to come forward for a dialogue with an open mind so that the University of Delhi fulfils its role towards excellence and equity. 

New Delhi, August 30
Four women who had been brought to Delhi more than a year ago on the pretext of getting employment, but were instead forced into prostitution, were rescued by the city police from Delhi's red light district, G B Road on Thursday night.

According to the police, the women are aged between 26 and 30 years. One woman belongs to West Bengal, two belong to Solapur in Maharashtra, while the fourth one is a native of Andhra Pradesh.

"The women belong to poor families. They were brought to Delhi from different regions on the pretext of providing them with good job about one and a half years ago. But they were sold through local pimps at brothel number 41 in GB Road," said a police officer.

The police said an NGO tipped them about the women being forced into prostitution.

A raid at G B Road was conducted by the local police with the assistance from the NGO at about 10.30 pm on Thursday night. The pimp managed to escape.

"The NGO is extending its assistance to the victims and counselling them. Their families are being contacted. We are trying to make proper arrangements for the victims to reach their native places safely," said the officer. 

New Delhi, August 30
Delhi Assembly Speaker Yoganand Shastri today asked the Education and Social Welfare Minister Kiran Walia to find out the way for continuing the old age pension which was discontinued in September last year.

He made the statement when members across the party raised this issue and demanded that the old age pension should be continued. The minister said that it needs the cabinet clearance.

Replying to a question, the minister said that there were 5.50 lakh senior citizens who got pension. To make it sure that the total pension amount should reach the beneficiary, the department concerned has put a condition of Aadhar card, MIS, door-to-door survey to find out the status of pension seekers. Through advertisements, the senior citizens who do not get pension were asked to submit the required documents.

The minister said that those who are in touch with the department in their district are getting the pension regularly. Still the department has 40,455 forms submitted for consideration for pension. The MLAs have also been informed of the steps taken by the government for pension beneficiaries.

The opposition members led by Vijay Kumar Malhotra interrupted when the minister was replying to the question on old age pension, saying that needy people meet the public representatives in this regard. In the last financial year, 50,000-60,000 senior citizens had submitted forms for pension but so far, they have not been given it. Those who submitted the forms with the recommendations of MLAs were not accepted by the officials. 

New Delhi, August 30
Member of Parliament and former Union Minister Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi today inaugurated a multi-level underground car park built by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation at Model Town-II.

"The issue of parking is likely to rise further in future, keeping in mind the pace with which the number of cars is increasing in cities. The number of vehicles is crossing its limit in big cities. Every year, five lakh people migrate to Delhi and keeping this in consideration, local body has a greater role and responsibility," he said.

Providing the technical report of the parking, engineer-in-chief of the NDMC Anil Prakash said optimum utilization of space has been done to develop this parking. Besides, the parking has energy efficient lighting system, paved area of community meeting, CCTV security system at entry and exist points of cars, way finding signage, stand-by power backup with DGs and has power requirement of 201 KVA.

"The parking has been developed on an area of 4,498 sq m. It is earth-quake resistant and will reduce congestion in the area. It also has a ventilation system with sensors and fire detection system," said Prakash.

Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel appreciated the officials of the corporation for the project. "People from all over Delhi visit Model Town market. The lack of parking space was an issue here. This parking lot will help decongest the roads," he said.

It has been developed with an approximate cost of Rs 21 crore and can accommodate 110 cars, said NDMC Mayor Azad Singh. "In the last few months, I have visited every ward under the NDMC. In this area, parking was an issue. We have tried to resolve this by developing this parking lot," Singh said.

The parking also provides facility for public convenience, drinking water, two passenger lifts and an empty space which can be utilised for organising social events.

New Delhi, August 30
The Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, today on the last day of the monsoon session and the fourth legislative assembly said that the Congress had expanded the infrastructure matching to the fast-increasing population and requirements in the city.

While giving brief description of achievements of her government during past 15 years, the Chief Minister was disrupted frequently by the Leader of the Opposition, V.K. Malhotra, and his fellow legislators who created a ruckus in the House. This resulted in expulsion of the BJP members from the House for the day.

Reacting to the noisy scenes created by the Opposition, Dikshit stated that they were not in the habit of listening to the Chief Minister's statement. They have always been running away from the House as they are not in the habit of facing truth. "We have been returned to power consecutively for the three times. Is it not enough to testify the kind of public support being enjoyed by our party and the government?" she asked.

Dikshit further stated that the results of the next assembly elections are not going to be different. "We would remain on the treasury benches whereas the BJP would occupy the opposition benches."

She said that after a disgraceful incident with a brave girl in December 2012, "Our government took swift action and set up a helpline 181 for women in distress. It has received more than two lakh calls. The Opposition used to term Delhi the rape capital at that time, why they are silent on such incidents frequently taking place in Madhya Pradesh. Why are they afraid of calling Madhya Pradesh a rape state?"

The Opposition has always been wasting precious time of the House whereas we got cleared 143 bills to facilitate their way to become law. The government has succeeded in bringing outstanding improvement in power sector. It is now time to bring improvement in water distribution system.

New Delhi, August 30
Three members of a family, including a 55-year-old woman, were critically injured when a youth allegedly stabbed them several times at their residence in outer Delhi's Mangolpuri area today.

The accused identified as Monu (22) has been arrested. Sources claimed he was in a relationship with a minor girl in the family. Monu had befriended her brother Anand when they were neighbours and later went into a relationship with the minor girl. Her family was initially not aware of the relationship and recently found out about it.

"The girl's family directed Monu to stay away from the girl, but he didn't. It is believed that he attacked the girl, her mother, Lakshmi and brother when her family objected to the relationship," sources added.

The girl's father, Jaimangal, was not present at home when the incident took place at about 2.30 pm.

According to the police, Monu arrived at the girl's house to meet Lakshmi. "They had a discussion, but their conversation turned into an argument," a police officer said.

The minor girl intervened and Monu allegedly took out a knife and attacked her in a fit of rage. "The girl sustained multiple stab wounds and a cut on her neck. Monu also attacked Lakshmi and Anand when they came to help her," the officer added.

Hearing Lakshmi's shouts for help, the locals gathered at site of the incident and overpowered Monu. They beat him before handing him to the police.

The victims were rushed to the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Mangolpuri, where they are still in a critical state. Lakshmi was referred to a private hospital in Rohini late in the evening.