Photo Feature: Rozy Ibrahim

Internationally recognized Surajkund arts and crafts fair takes place every year from 1st to 15th February at Surajkund in the Faridabad district of Haryana. It presents not only the glimpses of Indian handicrafts, but also cultural events and dance performances from across India.

This “Nritiye” performance is one of the prime attractions for the audience and it reveals the beauty of Rajasthani folk dance at Surajkund.

Rajasthani folk musicians and audience wait for the dance performance to begin

Getting Ready: A man helps the dancer to place a stack of earthen pot on her head

Perfect act of balance: The dancer writhes with the music, balancing the pots on her head

Good Moodra

In action: The dancer bends down on her knees, trying to sit

Confidence: Poised on the ground with a hundred rupee note stuck between her lips

The final act: The dancer winds up her performance

Delhi Haat, place known for its handicrafts and cusinses from different states was in a perfect mood to rock over the famous songs of Mohit Chauchan on 14th Feb. Event was organized by the Times Group. His latest song from movie Delhi-6 `Masakali Matakali' was a complete hit among the couples present there.

Strumming his guitar, Chauhan, the leading member of the band Silk route, began his performance with songs like, `Is This Love' from “Kismat Konnection”, “Khoon Chala' from Rang De Basanti and `Kuch Khas' from film Fashion. But his most appreciated song that made the crowd go into a complete frenzy was Dooba Doooba from the album Boondein.
Times Festival at Dilli Haat

Mohit chawhan with his band

E…Masakalii

Crowd having a blast

Remember you get noticed every time you shower the public places. Squalid corners on the pathways or be it a open places like bus stops, urinating in open is not only indecent but hazardous to environment too. Sometime it becomes a matter of embracement for the fairer sex and children. Under section 308(1) (a) (v) of Supreme Court it’s an offence to use public places as urinals and draws a fine of Rs. 50.

So, beware next time because some one is looking at you!
Photo Feature by Rozy Ibrahim

Already filthy….still making it nastier

Watering the wall

Pathway encroached by the urination

In the name of god

Barricades at the India Gate

Lights lit up the parade area.

Road for the parade being given its final touch

An ironsmith welds an iron railing

Arranging the chairs

By: Dipu Shaw
Photo: Rozy Ibrahim
One thing responsible for fuelling the anger of the people living in the Jamia Nagar area, after the Batla House encounter, was that they remained uninformed about the state of affairs. They did not get any detailed briefing about the incident. The case apparently lacked transparency.
The September 19, police encounter in Delhi’s Jamia Nagar killed two suspected terrorists allegedly involved in Delhi serial blasts, Atif Ameen and Mohammad Sajed, along with a police officer, Mohan Chand Sharma.

One and a half months after the case, the truth about the encounter and subsequent arrests that followed it, still remains shrouded in mystery. Even under the Right To Information Act, the various departments that were related to the case have denied to pass on the information. It leaves a suspicion that there is a deliberate attempt to camouflage the truth.
The Jaiprakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre of AIIMS has turned down the request to provide information about the post mortem reports saying that the case was related to Medico Legal Records.

They refused to provide information under Sections 8(1) b and 8(1) h of the RTI to a petitioner, Afroz Alam Sahil.

Section 8(1) b of the Right To Information Act – 2005 states that information which has been expressly forbidden to be published by any court of law or tribunal or the disclosure of which may constitute contempt of court cannot be provided to a RTI petitioner.
Section 8(1) h states that information cannot be provided about matters which would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of the offenders.


Wrong arguments

Both do not apply to the Batla House Encounter case, according to experts. “The arguments given by AIIMS is totally baseless”, says Prashant Bhushan, Supreme Court lawyer. “No orders or ruling has been passed by the court to withhold information regarding the case. And by no means it can amount to contempt of court”, he adds.
Asked if the information in any way could impede the process of investigation, the seasoned lawyer says, “What does it have to do with the investigations?”

The Delhi police

The Delhi Police has also tried to evade questions on the issue. It prefers to answer only three out of the six questions asked in a RTI petition in connection with the encounter and subsequent arrests. The answers too are only denials instead of information.
It declined to provide the post mortem report of the deceased in the case citing section 8(1)h of the RTI Act-05 as AIIMS had done. Interestingly, the Office of the Dy. Commissioner of Police, Crime, Delhi, makes no mention of the other questions asked in the petition. The petitioner had also asked to provide the number of people arrested in connection to the serial blasts in the capital on September 13 and the places from where they were arrested. In addition, it was asked if the police have evidence against those who have been arrested. The Delhi police did not feel it was necessary to answer these questions.
According to the National Human Rights Commission, so far 2560 cases of police encounter/alleged fake encounter has come up before it. The Commission has so far granted compensation in sixteen cases of police encounter/alleged fake encounter. The statistics adds to the suspicion of the people. The Delhi Police has not done anything substantial to alleviate doubts from the minds of the people of the community. Poor reporting and confusion on the part of journalists has also helped the cause of doubts and distrust.
contact Dipu Shaw at:conciousdipu@gmail.com

Entrance Display: Gu-Chu-Sum doorway where the people enter.

Source of Income: The ex political Prisoners families also earn to live