Women have human right to conceive: Madras High Court 

DECCAN CHRONICLE. | J STALIN

Published Jan 3, 2018, 1:08 am IST

The interest of justice requires only admission of the petitioner in a PG diploma course in the next academic year, the judge added.



Madras High Court

Chennai: The Madras high court came to the rescue of a lady doctor who was denied PG medical admission on the ground that she has not completed two years of minimum service by excluding the maternity leave availed by her. The court directed the authorities to admit her in Diploma in Gynecology and Obstetrics for the next academic year 2018-19 without the necessity of applying and writing the Neet examination 2018.

“This case would throw light as to how the government officials are acting contrary to the Rules, prejudicing the rights of women government servants like the petitioner. It is nothing but an incidence of woman harassment. Refusing to grant the legal benefit itself is an incidence of harassment of woman or discrimination of woman. The officials who are supposed to take decision need to be sensitised regarding the entitlement of maternity leave of women government servants”, said Justice N. Kirubakaran while allowing a petition from Dr U. Ishwarya.

The judge said no Act or clause or rule/condition would take away the fundamental and human right of a lady to conceive and give birth to a child and the consequential benefits like maternity leave, if she is an employed woman. If any such condition has been prescribed by the authorities, it has to be declared as null and void, the judge added.

Referring to the contention put forth by the special government pleader that approved probationers alone were entitled to maternity leave, Justice Kirubakaran said nature does not discriminate whether the woman was an approved probationer or unapproved probationer with regard to childbirth.

The very purpose of having maternity leave was to avoid hard labour or work at the time of pregnancy as it would be detrimental to the servant/employee and also the health of the foetus. Hence, benefits given under Rule 10 (a) of Tamil Nadu Fundamental Rules were equally applicable to the petitioner, an unapproved probationer and there cannot be any discrimination, the judge added.

Pointing out that the petitioner has scored 1097 marks in Neet PG 2017, the judge said the petitioner was already frustrated as she has been made to run from pillar to post for no fault of hers and the right of admission accrued to her should not be vitiated merely because the time limit for admission stipulated by the Supreme Court was already over. In the middle of the academic year, if the petitioner was to be admitted in the course, it would not only be against the interest of the petitioner but also society as the clinical training and study, which the petitioner would have got from October 1 to till date could not be gained by her. Hence, the petitioner could not be admitted during the present academic year.

The interest of justice requires only admission of the petitioner in a PG diploma course in the next academic year, the judge added.

Govt doctors’ protest against National Medical Commission Bill: Functioning of outpatient wards affected in TN

Pushpa Narayan and R Gokul | TNN | Jan 2, 2018, 13:58 IST

 

CHENNAI: Several doctors across Tamil Nadu on Tuesday boycotted outpatient duty and shut clinics to protest against the National Medical Commission Bill which has been introduced in the Parliament. The outpatient wards in all most all government hospitals were crowded and patients had to wait as doctors struck work for an hour from 9.30am.

Several scan centres and laboratories were closed. Most doctors wore back badges and doctors bodies called it a Black Day.

IMA state president Dr A Jayalal said most hospitals in the state were closed. "But emergency services are available and surgeries are going on," he said.

The Bill proposes to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI). It also proposes to allow practitioners of alternative medicines like homoeopathy and ayurveda to practise modern medicine after attending a short-term "bridge course."

Tamil Nadu Government Doctor Association president Dr K Senthil said, "If the government allows 'crosspathy, then it must ensure that all these doctors work exclusively in government hospitals. It should be made mandatory for all elected members of the government and bureaucrats to take treatment only in the government hospitals even during emergencies."

Top Comment

These doctors ll ultimately go to rural areas where no MBBS doctor is ready to work. Very good step by Modi Govt.Ritesh Nikhil

In Trichy district, outpatient treatment was hit in around 150 nursing homes and hospitals. As many as 2,000 doctors in Trichy city and suburbs took part in the boycott.

"We strongly condemn the National Medical Commission Bill. The MCI should be status quo. While MCI is governed by 80 elected members, the NMC is proposed to have 25 nominated members which would lead to a lot of confusion. It will lead to mushrooming of private medical colleges without any permission, and it will affect the medical education," said former IMA national president Dr MS Ashraf in Trichy.

Elderly couple commits suicide   TNN | Updated: Jan 3, 2018, 06:21 IST

CHENNAI: An elderly couple committed suicide by setting themselves ablaze, allegedly over depression, at Porur on Monday night.

The victims were identified as Manoharan, 62 and his wife Jeeva, 56. Police said the couple had a son Saravanan and a daughter Karthika, both of whom were married.

On Tuesday morning, neighbours noticed smoke coming out of a window and broke open the door. They found the elderly couple lying dead.

According to the couple's daughter, her parents were depressed as they felt lonely and did not get adequate care from their son.

Police found a suicide letter written by Manoharan in which he had mentioned that nobody was responsible for their death.

WANTED

House panel to scrutinise Medical Commission bill

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday referred the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017, to a parliamentary standing committee for scrutiny, defusing the protests over the government bid to overhaul the Medical Council of India. The apex body of doctors had called a strike on Tuesday in protest against the bill. However, the Lower House has asked the standing committee to submit its report in the budget session, raising the prospects of the bill being taken up for passage soon. The budget session will start around end-January or February 1.

Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar told LS that government had agreed to the demand of various parties across the ruling NDA and the opposition that the bill be vetted by the standing committee. The bill was introduced by health minister J P Nadda amid protests from members on Friday.

However, minister Kumar urged Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to ask the committee to give its report before the budget session. He underlined that the bill had to be taken up at the earliest in view of the Supreme Court order.

In her brief ruling, the Speaker said that the report of the standing committee be tabled before the budget session. The Indian Medical Association called off its strike in protest against the bill on Tuesday after Parliament referred it to the standing panel. TNN

Bill will affect medical aspirants: Stalin

Chennai: The Centre is denying states their rights and the latest instance of this is the National Medical Commission (MNC) Bill and changes being proposed in issue of licence to motorists, said DMK working president M K Stalin on Tuesday.

Across the country, doctors are on a warpath against the NMC which is proposed to be set up in place of Medical Council of India, said Stalin. “After the fraud committed by former MCI chief Ketan Desai, several committees were set up. Even before getting their reports, the Centre appointed another committee under a joint secretary in the Prime Minister's Office. The measures being taken are only based on the joint secretary’s report,” said Stalin in a statement.

He said the proposed NMC would hit students aspiring to do medicine. “The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) has affected students from the lower strata. Only after clearing the NEET, a student can enter any medical college. The new medical Bill proposes entrance for PG courses also. Thus at each and every stage of medical education, there is a hurdle which the students will have to cross,” said Stalin.

Stalin said the new Motor Licence Bill was another attempt to usurp the rights of states. TNN

Rajini-Kamal star war a look back at MGR-Sivaji rivalry

MT.Saju@timesgroup.com

Chennai: Four decades ago, the political landscape of Tamil Nadu witnessed intense competition between actors: MGR and Sivaji Ganesan. Both had a huge fan base, but Sivaji lost out in the political race.

Today, a similar competition is hotting up between two other superstars. A couple of months ago, Kamal Haasan decided to chart a political course, and a couple of days ago his arch-rival Rajinikanth followed suit.

The stage is set once again for the clash of two film titans intent on grabbing political space. While his charity work also helped MGR build up a loyal following, Sivaji failed to do so. His followers saw him as a great matinee idol, but were reluctant to support his political image. The entry of Rajini-Kamal into politics is working on a similar plot. Some observers feel that ‘Rajini is MGR and Kamal is Sivaji.’ “Rajini has a huge fan following across Tamil Nadu. He is accessible to public and even considered a simple, straightforward person. Kamal is brilliant and honest but it will be a tough game for him in politics,” said R Kannan, Dravidian scholar and author of “MGR: A Life” and “Anna: The Life and Times of C N Annadurai”.

MGR showed great concern for public welfare and successfully used his movies to lay the foundation for his entry to politics.

“From the beginning, unlike Sivaji Ganesan, he (MGR) cultivated and promoted artists, directors, poets, producers and technicians who suited his professional and political ends. He patronised them and their careers became inextricably linked to his. In 1971, a generous MGR gave poet Pulamaipithan money to buy back his ancestral house that had been mortgaged,” said Kannan.

Despite being a great actor, Sivaji Ganesan couldn’t transfer his cinematic image to politics. But, the MGR-Sivaji Ganesan fight was long ago, on a socially and culturally different backdrop. Today’s political landscape is different. “MGR was a success both in cinema and in politics. Actor-turned politician Vijayakanth succeeded a little bit in politics, but lost out later. Rajini has a great fan-following in the state. But, he is a very shy person. His success depends on how he is going to showcase his public life now,” said Kannan.

At a time when even seasoned politicians like DMK working president M K Stalin have still not been given a clean chit by the public, it remains to be seen how actors like Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth are going to win over the hearts of voters. “What Rajini needs is to build up interaction with the public. As an actor, he has done his job. But being a good politician is not easy and Rajini is new to it. But I believe he will put up a better show compared to Kamal Haasan in politics,” said K Murugesan, a retired professor of politics.



Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan

இறுதிச்சடங்கிற்கு ரூ.2 லட்சம் காசோலை எழுதிவைத்துவிட்டு தம்பதியினர் தற்கொலை!

By DIN | Published on : 02nd January 2018 03:36 PM

சென்னை: சென்னையை அடுத்த போரூரில் இரு கணவர்களைப் பிரிந்த மகள் மற்றும் குடிபோதைக்கு அடிமையான மகனின் நடவடிக்கைகளால், கணவன் மனைவி இருவரும் தங்களின் இறுதிச்சடங்கு செலவிற்காக ரூ.2 லட்சம் காசோலை எழுதிவைத்துவிட்டு தற்கொலை செய்துகொண்ட சம்பவம் அப்பகுதியில் பெரும் சோகத்தை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது.

போரூரை அடுத்த அய்யப்பன் தாங்கல், புஷ்பா நகர் பகுதியை சேர்ந்தவர் மனோகரன். ஓய்வு பெற்ற மத்திய அரசு ஊழியரான இவரது மனைவி ஜீவாவும், மத்திய அரசு ஊழியர் ஆவார். இவர்களுக்கு சரவணன் என்ற மகனும், கார்த்திகா என்ற மகளும் உள்ளனர். மனோகரனின் மகள் கார்த்திகா, இரண்டு திருமணங்கள் செய்த நிலையில் அவர்களை பிரிந்து தந்தை மனோகரனின் வீட்டில் வாழ்ந்து வருகிறார்.



மகன் சரவணனும் குடிப்பழக்கத்திற்கு அடிமையானதோடு, கணவரை பிரிந்து வாழ்ந்து வந்த ஒரு பெண்ணை திருமணம் செய்து கொண்டுள்ளார். அவரை பிரிந்து வந்துவிடுமாறு பெற்றோர் கூறியும் மகன் சரவணன் கேட்கவில்லை எனக் கூறப்படுகிறது. இதனால் மனமுடைந்த மனோகரனும் அவரது மனைவியுடன் தற்கொலை செய்ய முடிவெடுத்துள்ளார்.

இதையடுத்து இன்று காலை முதலில் விஷமருந்திய மனைவி ஜீவா மயங்கி விழுந்த பின்னர், கணவன் மனோகரன் தனது மீது தீ வைத்து தற்கொலை செய்துகொண்டுள்ளார். இதையடுத்து மனோகரன் வீட்டிலிருந்து புகை வந்ததைக்கண்ட அருகிலிருந்தோர், போலீஸாருக்கு தகவல் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர். இதையடுத்து அங்கு வந்த போலீஸார், இருவரது உடல்களையும் கைப்பற்றி பிரதேச பரிசோதனைக்கு அனுப்பி வைத்தனர்.



பின்னர் போலீஸார் மனோகரன் வீட்டில் நடத்திய சோதனையில், மனோகரன் கைப்பட எழுதிய கடிதம் ஒன்றை கைப்பற்றினர். கடிதத்தில், தங்களது உடலை புதைக்காமல், எரித்து விடவும் என்றும், இறுதி சடங்கிற்காக தலா ரூ.2 லட்சம் என காசோலை எழுதி வைத்து விட்டு, தற்கொலை செய்து கொள்வதாக மனோகரன் எழுதியிருந்தார்.

மேலும் தற்கொலை குறித்து உறவினர்கள் யார் யாருக்கு தகவல் தெரிவிக்க வேண்டும் எனவும் மனோகரன் அந்த கடிதத்தில் தெரிவித்திருந்தார். தற்கொலை குறித்து வழக்குப் பதிவு செய்த போலீஸார், தொடர்ந்து விசாரணை நடத்தி வருகின்றனர்.