The Observer
An IIJNM publication
Hostellers who chose junk over healthy diet now realise bad effects of unhealthy food | P 4
Vol. 21, Issue 32
Friday, May 13, 2022
https://facebook.com/ iijnmbangalore https://twitter.com/ observer_weekly Epaper: https://issu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs Website: http://www. theweeklyobserver.in
Kerala’s tomato flu scare does not overly scare Bengalureans; causes still unclear, say docs | P 5
People blinded at ’13 camp left high & dry They have not been paid any compensation
By Shristi Achar
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arakka sits outside her small house in Devagere village clutching a bamboo stick. She has cloudy vision in her right eye. “It has been like this way for so long now...I am told I should get it operated, but after the last operation I had years ago, I feel scared,” she said. Marakka (in picture), now in her seventies, lost vision in her right eye after she had it operated at an eye camp in her village in April 2013. She was prescribed an eye surgery by doctors
News Briefs SSLC results will be declared on May 19 The Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board will announce the class 10 results on May 19. Candidates who appeared for the examination can check their results on the official website: sslc.karnataka.gov.in, a board release said. About 8.7 lakh students had appeared for the examination.
NEET PG to be held on May 21 after SC ‘no’
The top court has rejected an appeal for the postponement of the NEET PG 2022 exam. The postgraduate entrance exam will be held on May 21. The bench was led by J DY Chandrachud.
Sonia attacks Modi govt at Chintan Shivir
The Congress’ three-day Nav Sankalp Chintan Shivir began in Udaipur on Friday with party president Sonia Gandhi launching an attack on PM Modi. It is clear, she said, that his government wants to polarize communities, brutalize minorities and threaten its political opponents.
in the camp. She is one of the 22 persons who got operated at the free eye camp . “My eyesight was only a little fuzzy before that, but after the operation at the camp, I lost it completely. Now I only see through my left eye,” Marakka informed The Observer. Another woman named Marakka, then 45, lost her eye sight four months after the camp was held in Devagere. In October 2014, The Observer reported that at least eight of the people operated on at the free camp, organized by the Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, in Devagere village had lost their sight. Residents of the village who lost their eyesight due to faulty surgeries at the camp say that neither have they received any compensation nor has any hospital or healthcare facility contacted them to rectify their botched eye surgeries.
The Observer had reported the blinding tragedy in October 2014 Marakka said: “No one came after the operation to check on
us or ask about us. I didn’t get any money or help so that I could go to a hospital and get a proper eye surgery done.” Pointing to a house in front of hers, she told The Observer about another such victim who had a similar experience. “Malasidaiyya lived here... even he lost his eyesight in that camp. He died a couple of years ago… and had turned completely blind.” Most of the victims mentioned in the October 2014 Observer report have either died or moved to different places with their families. Their neighbours, however, recalled the tragedy. They said that none of them received any compensation and they were either left blind or spent their own money to get their vision rectified. Dr Sowbhagya HN, a former Head of Department of Ophthalmology at KIMS and supervising doctor at the camp, was in 2014 quoted by The Observer as say-
Opposition attacks govt move to issue anti-conversion ordinance BJP stands in support of the decision By Swarali Bodas
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he Karnataka government’s decision to have an ordinance issued to ban religious conversions has drawn the ire of the opposition and received support from the BJP. Congress member and lawyer Brijesh Kalappa said: “They seem to be targeting the Christian community. As per my knowledge, the Christian community’s population has been decreased in the past few years. How are they converting then? The law doesn’t make any sense. The basis for it is skewed.” He accused the BJP of playing a communal card. “The azaan, halal and hijab issues, and now the anti-conversion Bill, are all examples of how the minority communities are targeted.” The Bill was passed by the leg-
The Bill has imprisonment up to three to five years for forced conversion | Credit: Arshreet S islative assembly during in the Belagavi session in December 2021, but the BJP did not have a majority in the legislative council at that time. N. Chidambaram, a journalist and CPI member, noted: “The BJP is not sure of 2024 and somehow wants to come to power. The communal angle will get them all Hindu votes. BJP just wants ‘Hindu Rashtra’.” Faith and religion are personal matters. “Why is the government interfering in someone’s personal matter? If two people fall in love, they don’t see religion. Now, they
have to prove their love.” About the halal and hijab issues, he said: “Who are they (government) to say what one should do, eat or wear?” About the timing of the ordinance, he said: “They want to divert the people’s attention from the actual issues like the flawed education system and healthcare system, and corruption within their own party.” The decision to have the governor promulgate an ordinance found a supporter in BJP spokesman M.G. Mahesh. “In the past decades, some elements of society are forcefully converting people. They say it is in the name of humanity, but they just want to change the demography of our country. Forced conversions should be stopped.” It is for the good of vulnerable sections of society. For its part, the Karnataka Christian Social Welfare Association will submit a memorandum against the proposed ordinance to the chief minister and other ministers. ►Continued on page 4
ing they had done their best. She had claimed the patients who lost vision were already visually impaired before the surgery was performed on them. However, she now claims to have no knowledge or memory of being involved in any such eye camp in Devagere. According to the study ‘Estimation of blindness in India from 2000 through 2020’, conducted by the International Centre for Advancement of Rural Eye Care, about 30 million people in India are estimated to be blind. Additionally, a research study in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology by Dr Neeraj Nagpal mentioned that often multiple surgeries performed in the assembly line in such free eye camps and the use of “spurious, contaminated and off the label drugs” on patients have been repeatedly found as the causes of such tragedies after eye surgeries. shristi.a@iijnm.org
No safety gear in plastic units
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ack of safety measures in the some plastic industry is dangerous for workers, reports Swarali Bodas. Workers at some plastic factories in Bengaluru have some or no safety gear when they work. Some don’t have proper uniforms, resulting in their veils or dupattas that they wear getting entangled in machines. Recently, a woman working in a plastic factory in Bengaluru died after her veil got entangled in a machine. While some factory owners neglect these safety measures by not considering them important, others say they could not provide safety gear to the workers due to the Covid pandemic. According to the Factories Act, 1948, factories should make arrangements to ensure the safety of workers, and eliminate all the risk factors. Also, there should be instructions given to the workers and training must be provided to them as well. All operations must be supervised. ►Full story on page 2
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CITY
Plastic units unsafe without safety gear
Code says they must adhere to safety measures By Swarali Bodas
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ack of safety measures in some plastic factories in Bengaluru is leading to accidents and even deaths. Rukmini G, a worker at Dipika Plastic Industries near Central College, informed The Observer: “I knew a woman who used to wear a dupatta that once got stuck in the machine. She sustained injuries on her neck.” Shruthi Subramaniam, another worker at the same factory shared: “We have uniforms but there are no helmets or other safety gear. People here are very lenient about workers’ safety. I have heard that people are getting severely injured but fortunately there are fewdeaths.” Manoj Purohit, the owner of the factory, blames the pandemic for the lack of gears. “Because of Covid-19 in the past two years, work has been a bit slow. Many people were fired, and many reappointed. In the whole process, acquiring safety gear has been a bit
Many times cloth gets caught up in the machines, causing severe injuries | Credit: Swarali Bodas of a problem. But in less than a month we’ll… get safety gear for everyone,” he said. Purohit does not recall any major accident in his factory. Fatima Khan, a worker at A-Z Plastics, a processing unit in Bengaluru, said:“There have been times when my hijab got entangled in one of the machines. It was fortunate that I was not hurt, but it is quite dangerous if one doesn’t work with safety gear like gloves and uniform.”
Currently, no safety gear is being provided to the workers at the processing unit. Devendra, the manager of the unit, said that they will soon provide safety gear to their workers as things get back to normal. According to the Factories Act, 1948, factories should make arrangements like safe use, handling, storage and transport of material to ensure the safety of workers and also eliminate all risk factors. Also, instructions and training must be provided to workers. All operations must be supervised at all stages. According to the Industrial Safety and Health Code , factories must ensure all safety measures are followed. TheDeccan Herald reported a woman worker at a plastic processing factory who had died because her veil got stuck in one of the machines in the factory. Narendra Singh Sharma, a safety engineer at a factory, talked about the repercussions of not having proper safety gear in factories and industries. “Workers should wearproper safety gear while working in a factory, be it a plastic. construction or any other factory of any kind. swarali.b@iijnm.org ►Read full story on www. the weeklyobserver.in
Bommai: Govt will extend support to leather artisans
Industry shows recovery after incurring losses By Saumyangi Yadav
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M Basavaraj Bommai on Friday promised the state government will support leather artisans. An allocation of Rs 25 crore has been made for artisans as compared to last year’s rupees 6 crore. “This year I presented the budget… which was worth Rs 2.65 lakh crores.The budget was safely kept in a leather bag produced by the artisans,” he said at a State Level Leather Artisans’ Convention in Bengaluru. The five-dayconventionhas been organized by the Social Welfare Department in association with Dr Babu Jagjivan Ram Leather Industries Development Corporation, Karnataka (Lidkar). Through the convention, the corporation aims to implement several projects for the betterment of artisans belonging to scheduled castes. Major projects include skill training, self-
employment and infrastructure development projects. Bommai talked about the need for innovation in the field. “There are new machines and innovations that will enable efficiency in this profession…. We have to innovate and inculcate technology to improve productivity and increase employment.” The leather business has faced severe losses due to the pandemic. However, the business has been taking off again in recent times. The convention, accompanied by an exhibition-cum- sale, is also helping artisanswho have come from all over Karnataka to earn extra. Atleast 5000 artisans will attendthe convention. Aditya P, owner of Aditya Footwear, Belagavi, informed The Observer: “I have been in this business for over 50 years. During the pandemic, the leather business almost closed down, but is reviving now.I hope the government announces some schemes for artisans.” Sagar, aleather artisan from Bengaluru, shared: “These exhibitions help with marketing. I have been to other B2B sales which are more profitable.” Most of the artisans in Karna-
The Observer Friday, May 13, 2022
Citizen’s Voice
Tejo Mahalaya claim is widening divide in India
The claim of rightwing groups that the Taj Mahal was built after destroying Tejo Mahalaya, a Hindu temple, has brought out the vices of the post-truth era. Theories that were once a matter of mirth are now discussed in the mainstream. Unfortunately, it is widening the divide in an already-fractured society. Sourasis Bose
Marriage doesn’t mean ownership of a woman
The Delhi HC’s recent judgment on marital rape makes us wonder whether marriage is a licence for mental and physical abuse. There have been many cases previously where the exception of marital rape has been challenged in a court, but it was never considered. Marital rape is a ground for divorce under cruelty but not a crime, implying that the consent of the wife does not matter. We cannot say that a woman has given her consent for everything to her husband. Performing a few customary rituals surely makes them married, but it does not mean that a woman becomes her husband’s property. Consent is important. A woman has every right to make decisions about herself; no man has a say in her life. Supriya Mehta
Ironic AAP, MVA govts have invoked sedition law
Recently, the governments in Punjab (Aam Aadmi Party) and Maharashtra (Maha Vikas Aghadi) charged political leaders with sedition. These political formations, which once accused the BJP government at the Centre of misusing IPC’s Section 124A, are now doing the same. They should look at the mirror before questioning others. Jinit Parmar
EV users should be taught how to charge
taka belong to SCs and STs like Chamar, Mochi and other such communities. CM said the government will establish1,000-capacity hostels for SC, ST and OBC students in Gadag, Dharwad, Mysuru, Bengaluru and Mangaluru. Kota Srinivasa Pujary, Minister for Social Welfare and Backward Class Welfare, said: “From the olden days where people sat on streets to polish people’s leather shoes to now, where 50,000 people are attending this convention, we have come a long way. The government has given provisions to enable artisans to send their products to each and every home and other opportunities in the state.” saumyangi.y@iijnm.org
Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly important as gasoline and diesel costs continue to rise. As a result, a cutthroat competition has evolved among businesses. Startup firms are allegedly substituting Chinese Nickel, Manganese, and Cobalt (NMC) for Lithium-Ion in EV batteries to cut costs, resulting in a series of explosions around the country. The government should promote technology that allows an engine to stop when it becomes too hot. Meanwhile, EV consumers must be educated on how to operate them. Electric vehicles should not be charged until the engine has cooled. Kaustubh Bagalkote
Kohli needs a break from hectic schedules
Virat Kohli’s disastrous run in the ongoing IPL is accentuating the need for him to take a break. In the era of bio-bubbles and cramped schedules, the BCCI should ensure that players are given breaks regularly. For RCB, the chink their armour is evident
— an inconsistent top order. Shubham Chohan
Latest Marvel flick has a witchy twist
The latest Marvel movie, Doctor Strange in Multiverse of Madness, has brought the concept of parallel universes into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movie is different from previous Marvel movies as it has an element of horror. It explores the full power of Scarlet Witch, one of the most powerful Avengers capable of killing Thanos alone. It also indicates Dr Strange will soon get another love interest. Utkarsha Muley
A life dedicated to telling stories
Life takes one places. It feels like yesterday when I was in my hometown reading science textbooks and preparing for CAT and other exams. I enjoyed every bit of it. I still love doing math, but it has never satisfied me. I fought with my family and convinced myself to be out in the world and tell stories. Today, I live for stories. Aditya Pandey
People need to invest prudently in stocks
India didn’t witness as huge an increase in the number of new demat accounts as it did in the past two or three years. People have become more in the field of financing. Many people have started trading and investing. People have become more aware of the finance and investing. This has been made possible by the penetration of knowledge easily available on online platforms. At such times, it’s important that people make prudent use of money which they can deploy in the stock market. Mayank Gupta
Harry’s House is here, and it is beautiful
Fans have been going crazy as pop artist Harry Styles’ new album Harry’s House is about to be released. The first song in the album As It Was is already a success, topping charts around the world. The song’s sombre theme, coupled with upbeat music and Styles’ soothing voice, seems to hit the right chords in us. I am so excited to hear his new songs as it has been two years since he released any new music. Vinaya K.
Welcome to the House of Dragon
A few days ago, HBO dropped the much-anticipated trailer for the Game of Thrones prequel: House of the Dragon. The last season came in 2019 and has left a hole in viewers’ hearts. The saving grace is that this prequel is going to tell the story of the last shows, Heroine Khaleesi and Jon Snow. HBO has a reputation of producing shows that are cinematic and have great story lines. I am excited to see how this show works out as the trailers seem to be very good. Kevin Freese
The Observer Friday, May 13, 2022
CITY
Underpaid, ASHA workers threaten protest on May 17
Say, govt not paying attention to their issues By Ayndrila Banerjee
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SHA workers, along with the All India United Trade Union (AIUTU), will stage a protest for inaccurate payment of salaries. The workers will be pressing their demands for the third time this year to the Karnataka state government. “We have a list of demands that are not being met by the state health department. We will stage a state level protest on 17th May,” said Rama TC, general secretary of Anganwadi association, Karnataka. She added that their main complaint is about the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal. “ASHA workers get payments from the central government
under the National Health Mission (NHM). Payments are paid through the RCH portal. ASHA workers manually feed their work records in this portal. But whatever work the workers do is not getting fed in the portal accurately, hence they’re not getting paid in accordance with the amount of work done” she said. The average pay of an ASHA worker is Rs 4000 per month, subject to an incentive of Rs. 2000 based on performance, according to the NHM portal. Farhana has been working as an ASHA worker for more than 7 years now. A single mother, she lives in Kamala Nagar with her children. She is supposed to receive Rs 10,000 which includes her salary and incentives since January 2022. She said: “I have not paid my house rent for two months. My children’s school fees are pending. I calculated the amount I am supposed to get according to the work I have done and fed in the portal. As of yet, I
Karnataka has 42,524 ASHA workers employed under NHM | Credit: Ayndrila Banerjee have only received Rs 6000.” D. Nagalaxmi, General Secretary of ASHA workers association said that they have made repeated attempts to meet with the government and address the issues but in vain. “The central and state governments are not even paying heed to any of our issues and demands. We are asking what’s rightfully ours, not anything extra,” she said. They further said that these
workers were forced to work during covid and the vaccination drive; their pay was based on the number of people they had vaccinated, which they feel is unfair since there are many people who are vaccine sceptic. “It is ironic that those who are in service of the public to create awareness about healthcare systems are themselves not getting enough attention on their health,” added Rama. Prabhu Gowda, Project Director of National Urban Health Mission said: “Since ASHA workers are just activists, we cannot pay them as regular full-time workers. We have increased their pay from Rs 4000 to Rs 5000 but we cannot pay anything more than we are already paying” Hemanth S, a labour lawyer, suggested that a system of minimum wages should be introduced by the government for ASHA workers to help them sustain their livelihoods better. ayndrila.b@iijnm.org
Lack of government help forces sportspersons to switch careers Except cricket, all sports suffer a lack of funding By Saumyangi Yadav
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ohan Kumar is a 72year-old former Indian football player who now works as a security guard at Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru. He played in several international tournaments in the 1970s, visiting South Korea, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. But because he had no government pension, he was forced to work as a security guard after he retired. “Several times, people from the Karnataka State Football Association have come and taken my details and made promises of pension, but I still have not received any,” he informed The Observer. Even during the pandemic, Kumar was left with little savings. College staff were the only ones to help him. Many sportspersons like Kumar are forced to change professions due to the unpredictability and lack of government policies for retired sportspersons. “It is a very hard decision to take for young and aspiring athletes in India. Cricket is the only sport that receives regular funding. For others, it is a high-risk career, and that is why people are still reluctant to consider sports as a career,” Kumar added.
Sportspersons are forced to change careers due to unpredictability and lack of government support | Courtesy: Pexels The Observer tried reaching out to the Karnataka State Football Association for a comment, but no official was available. The Union Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry had announced a lifelong monthly pension for athletes under the ‘Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons’ scheme in 2019. The ministry also announced that 627 sportspersons are getting lifelong monthly pension ranging from Rs 12,000 to Rs 20,000 under the scheme. However, this scheme only covers athletes who have won medals in international tournaments. Athletes and coaches complain that the government does
not provide adequate facilities and infrastructure required for sports training. Manoj Chopra, who holds the title of Asia’s Strongest Man, now lives in a 1 BHK apartment in Bengaluru. He gives motivational speeches in schools and prisons. Though his career in strength training is not yet over, Chopra wishes to train aspiring athletes. “I have spoken in nearly 7,000 schools and colleges around the world. I have addressed around 40 million young people. I have been to several countries as a speaker, but have not seen the kind of talent that is found in India. Youths here are filled with
talent and passion like nowhere else in the world.… Still, we get only one or two medals. If the government supports them, then we can do a lot better.” Chopra added that he wants to provide strength training to youths but he cannot do it as the equipment required is costly. “I cannot become a strength trainer without the government’s support as it requires expensive equipment and infrastructure. But there is almost no government funding for strength feats and powerlifting sports.” Uncertainty in the sports field makes parents hesitant to allow their children to join sports. Aakash Belugopal, a 23-yearold management student from Bengaluru, said: “I played many national-level school football tournaments. I wanted to join the sport professionally, but my parents were totally against it.… Later, I also realized that there are a lot of struggles, and chose to do an MBA. I still play as a hobby, but that’s it.” Except cricket, all other sports federations in India lack enough funding. A report by LiveMint mentioned that the funding of all sports federations combined would not even add up to a quarter of cricket’s funding. Recently, the Sports Authority of India released a total of Rs 7.22 crore as an out-of-pocket allowance for 2,509 Khelo India athletes during the months of January to March 2022. saumyangi.y@iijnm.org
3 Across the city
Music Festival Ft Akbar Sami, Nolimmits lounge & Club, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru, May 14 to May 15. Nataraj vibes launch event, The Leela Palace, Kodihalli, Bengaluru, May 15 to May 16. SkyDeck Music Festival, Mahatma Gandhi Rd, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru, May 15 to May 16. The Vault | Techno Showcase, Vasavi Complex, Ashok Nagar, Bengaluru, May 14 to May 15. Djembe Live Performance, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Seshadripuram, Bengaluru, May 15. Bal Utsav, Rama Nagara, May 15
Quiz
1.There have been two World Cup trophies. What was the name of the first? 2.Which country won the first ever World Cup in 1930? 3.Which country has won the most World Cups? 4.Three countries have won the World Cup twice. Name them? 5.Which country has appeared in three World Cup finals, but never won the competition? 6.The 2026 World Cup will be hosted across three different countries. Can you name them? 7.In which World Cup did Diego Maradona score his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal? 8.The record number of World Cup goals is 16, scored by who? ► Answers on page 5
Covid Tracker
Karnataka
New Cases
157
Active Cases
1,884
Total Cases
39,49,290
New Vaccinations
50,364 Total Vaccinations
10,71,41,881
India
New Cases
2,841
Active Cases
18,604
Total Cases
44,31,32,568
New Vaccinations
14,03,220 Total Vaccinations
1,90,99,44,803
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The Observer Friday, May 13, 2022
CITY
Hostellers choose junk over healthy diet
Have started to see bad effects of unhealthy diet
‘Sex without consent hampers a relationship’
By Anwesha Singh
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he everyday tussle that goes into the mind of Ditka Anand, a college student living in a hostel, is about eating healthy food and to remain fit. Staying away from her home makes it difficult for her to have a proper, balanced diet. “Living in a hostel and then taking a healthy diet is not easy. The food they provide us in the mess is not healthy. Most of the time we end up ordering from outside. And now, I have already started seeing the negative effects of it on my body,” Jitika informed The Observer. In the beginning, she used to pay careful attention to her diet, but as her course is nearing completion, she has stopped paying attention to her diet and consumes junk food. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), consuming a healthy diet helps to prevent malnutrition and non-communicable diseases like heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer. However, the rise in the production of processed foods, rapid urbanisation and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns. People are now consuming foods high in energy, fats, free sugars and salt/sodium. Many do not eat enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The WHO advises that one should have a proper balance between energy intake and energy expenditure. A healthy and balanced diet for adults should include fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains. Kadapagunta Sandhya, a final-year architecture student, has a story similar to Jitika’s. “I remember how conscious I used to be about my diet and health. I tried to incorporate everything in my diet: Fruits, green vegetables, milk products, everything.... But now, I have stopped doing that. Now my attitude is, ‘I will eat whatever I get’.” Asked why, she said: “I feel that as I am moving towards the end of my course, I have many other important things to do. I have to complete my projects, prepare for exams, and start looking for a job. My mind is in all these things and I feel that I don’t have the strength or time to think about my diet.” An article in Mint said that almost all adolescents in India have unhealthy or poor diet, leading to one or the other form of malnutrition. A UNICEF report released in association with NITI Aayog, said over 50 per cent of adolescents (63 million girls and 81 million boys) in India are
Marriage is not a licence for forced sex, say Delhiites
By Chhavi Vohra
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Nutritionists says diet should be filled with proteins, vitamins, minerals and fibre, be low in fat and should include fruits, nuts and vegetables Credit: Anwesha Singh short, thin, overweight or obese. The report also said 80 per cent of adolescents suffer from “hidden hunger”. This means they suffer from a deficiency of micronutrients like iron, folate, magnesium, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Bhargavee Inguva, another college student staying in a hostel admits her diet is not healthy. “I know my diet is not proper. I don’t eat fruits regularly, and I don’t eat green vegetables. Most of the time I eat junk food. But now, I have started feeling how this is affecting my body. I have gained a lot of weight and my haemoglobin and vitamin D levels have fallen. I have been advised to pay attention to my diet and eat healthy food.” Mehul Bhargava, a B.Com student living in a Bengaluru hostel, spoke about his intake of food. “I know it is difficult for a student living outside to consume healthy food. First, the food they cook in the hostel is not healthy most of the time. You cannot rely on that food all the time. Hence, I try to include a balanced diet in my routine; I try to eat fruits, eggs, vegetables and everything. But it is not easy.” Parents are worried for their wards’ health Satyendar Kumar, a parent whose two children stay in a hostel, is worried about their health. “I paid attention to their diet when they lived at home…. I constantly ask them to eat fruits and other healthy food, but they hardly listen to me and keep making excuses.” His son suffered food poisoning which caused him a lot of tension.”
Archana Jain, whose daughter lives away in a hostel, constantly reminds her to maintain a proper diet. “The food they provide in the mess doesn’t have a variety of options. They mostly give her one type of food. She neither gets milk and milk products on a daily basis nor fruits. I understand it’s not possible for a hostel to provide a balanced diet to so many students, but as a parent, I remain concerned for my daughter’s health.” Prerika Makkar, an MSc food and nutrition student and dietitian intern, said:“It is a common tendency among students to eat outside the hostel and have junk food to satisfy their taste buds, but they fail to understand the consequences they might face after a certain age.” “Your diet should be filled with proteins, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Eat foods which are low in fat. Your diet should include everything: Fruits; vegetables; cereals; pulses; milk; and meat products. Your fluid intake should be sufficient. One should consume fruits such as watermelon, muskmelon which contain 95% water,” he said. ANI recently quoted Olympian Arif Khan stressing upon the intake of a balanced diet. He said: “Santulit aahaar (balanced diet) doesn’t mean you stop going to the nearby café, but that anything you eat should be balanced.” WHO member states have agreed to decrease the global population’s intake of salt by 30 per cent by 2025; they have also agreed to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity in adults, adolescents and overweight children by 2025. anwesha.s@iijnm.org
hilpa Singh from Delhi has been married for 20 years. She says she has never been abused by her husband, but knows many people who have abusive husbands. “Not every marriage is based on love and consent. There should not be an exception for husbands when it comes to forced sexual intercourse with the wife,” she informed The Observer in context of the recent Delhi High Court verdict on the marital rape in our society. A two-judge bench of the High Court on May 11 delivered a split verdict on petitions seeking the criminalization of marital rape. The matter will now be transferred to the Supreme Court for further deliberations. Shivani Kaul, another Delhi resident, said: “It’s sad to see that in 2022 some of us are defending marital rape. Consent is extremely important. Just because one gets married, it doesn’t automatically provide one with a free pass to force themselves on
their partner. It paves a path towards misogyny and is unfair to women who are victims of domestic abuse in their households.” Nishit Arora, another resident, said marriage does not mean consent. “Sex without consent can be termed abuse and violence on the wife. Nobody should have to go through that.” Amit Vohra, a lawyer at the Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi, said: “One judge says forcible sexual intercourse with wife above 18 years is rape and declared exception as unconstitutional; the other says that as per exception in law, it’s not rape. “Consent is fundamental in all marital relationships. You can’t force yourself on others just because you want sex . It damages relationships . In relationships, consent is important; but on the other hand if a law comes, it shouldn’t be misused by women in the garb of strained relationship with in-laws or used as a tool to teach a lesson.” Ranjani K. Murthy, researcher and consultant in gender, poverty and development, said to The Observer: “Any rape is rape irrespective of where it happens and what the relationship is between the two people. Any kind of sexual relationship without consent of a person is rape.” chhavi.v@iijnm.org
Lawyers are in support of anti-conversion bill Bill guarantees right to freedom of religion By Swarali Bodas
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arry D’Souza, president of association, said: “The memorandum will contain modifications to the anticonversion Bill. The community will welcome any decision by the government provided they discuss it with us first.” About the allegations of Christians converting Hindus, he said: “As per government records and census reports, the Christian population in the state was 4.5 per cent which has reduced to 2.5 per cent. If the allegation were true, the number should have increased. They have no record of conversions.” Sanket Garud, a lawyer, explained to The Observer: “A Bill becomes an Act when it is passed by the state legislature. But in order to become an Act, it needs to be passed by the legislative assembly and council.” Talking about the present
situation, he said: “The BJP has brought out an ordinance through the governor. This means that the Bill becomes an Act without being passed by the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council.” Garud thinks the intent of the Act is not bad. “Conversions on the basis of only marriage is not something which the courts have encouraged at any moment.” About the punishments provided under the Bill, he said: “The punishments provided are stringent... so religious organisations that get foreign funding for getting more and more people to convert will be checked.” Ankita Nishad, an advocate, agreed with Garud. “The Bill bans forceful conversions…. Having said that, it is not totally wrong to say that the RSS has an effect on BJP and hence the laws of the nation. Keeping that aside, on merits, the anti-conversion Bill is a right move.” According to LiveLaw, the Bill provides for protection of right to freedom of religion and prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation or force.. swarali.b@iijnm.org
CITY
The Observer Friday, May 13, 2022
Bengaluru’s parents are not too worried about tomato flu
Disease can be treated with medicines: Docs By Simran Sharma
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hough the Karnataka government has alerted districts close to the Kerala of the tomato fever spreading, Bengalureans don’t seem scared. Nidhi Brian told The Observer that though she has not been in Bengaluru for the p ast two months, she has heard about the flu.“I have a small kid andget tensed when I hear such things. But it is in Kerala. Even the warning has been issued in the border districts, so I don’t think there is any emergency or panic situation.’’ But people should be careful and take precautions. A Times of India report said over 80 cases of tomato flu have been registered in Kerala. It is a rare viral disease which causes skin rashes, dehydration and
Tomato flu is a viral disease which causes skin rashes along with high fever and fatigue in kids below five years | Credit: Snehi Shah skin irritation accompanied with high fever, swelling in joints, severe bodyache and fatigue in children below five years of age. Some parents feel one should be worried for their children. Anoop Rao, who works in an MNC, said: ‘’There isn’t much to fear about it right now, but I guess kids should wear masks.’’ Neha Gupta, another parent,
said she is not scared because she is already vigilant. Anil Kumar, a parent who is on a vacation to Bengaluru from Kerala, shared thattomato flu cases are rising in his state. “Luckily, my kids have not contracted it by now.’ Doctors believe there is nothing to panic about. Dr Sanjay Swami, a Bengaluru pediatri-
cian, said he has not heard of or seen a case of the flu yet. “Tomato fever is quite similar to dengue. There will be muscle pain and fever.On the fourth or fifth day, rashes appear. These rashes are red just like tomatoes, and that’s how it was named.’’ The cause is not clear as of now. ‘’Depending on the condition of the child, they will have to be admitted or treated with just medicines,’’ he said. It is treated like any symptomatic disease and subsides in a week. “I don’t think there is anything to be tense about right now. It seems that it is just in Kerala”, he added further. Reports said Karnataka Health MinisterK. Sudhakar has issued a red alert in border districts of Karnataka. He called the flu endemic to Kerala and advised people not to panic. Veena George, Kerala Health Minister, announced that tomato fever is not deadly and more awareness needs to be spread amongst people about it. simran.s@iijnm.org
Suffering of the weak Congress keeps up its has increased due to demand for Ashwath globalisation, says CM Narayan’s resignation
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arnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said reservation is the only way forward for thebackward castes.of India. Speaking at the fourth Madiga Day celebrations, he said: “There is no ladder in the caste system. The downtrodden continue to be there. There’s no movement upwards. Globalisation, liberalisation and priva tisation have made them suffer even more.” Members of the Madiga, Matanga and other allied communities were present at the event. Talking about their cultural and historical identities, they said a conducive environment is needed for their social, educational and economic upliftment. They said welfare measures would lead to implementing the constitutional safeguards for the community. Members of the Madiga community presented a memorandum of demands to CM Bommai who said: “Economy does not mean money, but people and their activities. Education, employment and empowerment are important. The only way forward for the Madiga community is a right to reservation.” Anil Kumar, Chief Secretary of Public Works Department, said constitutional safeguards haven’t succeeded in providing equality. “The event is about giving back to society. Ambedkar’s
dream of equality among all sections of the society remains a dream. The Scheduled Castes are 25-30 percent of the population, but they don’t have resources at their disposal and have a low employment rate.” Govind Karjol, Minister of Major and Medium Irrigation, spoke about the need for representation as well, saying that the Madiga community is an important part of India’s agricultural sector. But various cases related to reservation for SCs, STs, OBCs and EWS are pending before the Supreme Court of India. Amit Vohra, a lawyer from Delhi, said: “These communities only have reservation till school, not in jobs. There is a parity in jobs. We have to give them reservations for them to be self-reliant. Intellect cannot be compromised. However, the reservation issue is still pending.” According to Kancha Ilaiah’s book ‘Post-Hindu India’, the Madigas, are an artisan community from southern India. They mainly live in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka, with a small community in Tamil Nadu. While Madigas are historically associated with the work of tannery, leatherwork and small handicrafts, most today are agricultural labourers. The Madiga community categorised as a Scheduled Caste by the government of India. chhavi.v@iijnm.org
By Simran Sharma
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ongress accused BJP of corruption in recruitment of professors in a protest at Congress Bhavan, Bengaluru today. Local congress men shouted slogans, ‘Ashwath Narayan should resign’, ‘Ashwath Narayana is polluting the Education Department’. Suraj Y.K., District General Secretary of Bengaluru North Campaigning Committee told The Observer that the Bommai government has proved itself to be inefficient. “It is disgusting to see such scams happening in the state education department. It is obvious that the government authorities have a role to play in these scams.’’ while asking for C.N. Ashwath Narayana’s resignation he said, ‘’As long as such ministers are in power, there cannot be a fair judgement.’’ Apoorva C.M., Vice President of All India Democratic Students Organizationstressed on the gravity of the scams. “All these scams are true. Earlier geography paper was leaked and now we see assistant professors bribing to pass their exams. I wonder how are these professors going to teach the future generations when they male use of such unethical means to pass their exams...Earlier also such scams happened but they were brushed under the carpet but now it is a good thing that this has come to light,” she continued.
This Day, That Year
On May 13, 1971, during the Liberation War, Pakistan army along with the local collaborators killed around 800 to 900 people in Rupshi and Bausgari villages under the Demra union of Fraidpur upazila in Pabna district in Bangladesh. It was a mass slaughter of unarmed Hindu residents. Acts like rape, robbery and torching of temples, schools and homes took place during the attack.
Quote of the day
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
Weather
Maximum Temp: 27° C Minimum Temp: 20 ° C Humidity: 87% Wind: 18 Km/hr Precipitation: 20%
Quiz Answers
1. Real Madrid (13) 2. Clarence Seedorf (Ajax, Real Madrid, AC Milan) 3. Bob Paisley, Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane 4. 1992-93 5. Celtic (1966-67) 6. Steaua Bucharest (now FCSB) 7. Nottingham Forest (1978-79 and 1979-80) 8. Cristiano Ronaldo
By Chhavi Vohra
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Apoorva added that despite of protests against these scams no concrete steps have been taken, and and have hence decided to meet CM Bommai regarding the issue. “It’s not about arresting the accused but a more severe punishment should be given to them so these people behave responsibly,’’she added. M.G.Mahesh, BJP spokesperson of Karnataka said: ”Congress’s party is not in order. There are many conflicts going on within their party. They do not have issues to talk about so they are trying to create a perception among the people that the government is not working properly.”Karnataka Examination Authority, complained in April that the exams to hire assistant professors were rigged. simran.s@iijnm.org
Team Observer
Editor: Tina Freese Reporters: Swarali Bodas, Anwesha Singh, Saumyangi Yadav, Chhavi Vohra, Ayndrila Banerjee, Srishti Achar, Simran Sharma Copy-editors: Anwesha Singh, Swarali Bodas, Arshreet Singh, Kashish Sharma Page Layout: Anwesha Singh, Arshreet Singh, Swarali Bodas, Kashish Sharma, Tina Freese Photo editors: Tina Freese, Anwesha Singh, Saumyangi Yadav, Chhavi Vohra, Simran Sharma, Ayndrila Banerjee, Kashish Sharma, Swarali Bodas Supplement: Arshreet Singh
Observer 6 The Friday, May 13, 2022
HISTORY SUPPLEMENT
Catharsis: Pain for pleasure Public executions and torture were often spectacles of entertainment for pre-modern societies , writes Arshreet Singh
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ames Baldwin, the American writer, in an interview for LIFE magazine in 1963 said:“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me the most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive.” Humans have been fascinated with pain throughout the ages, no matter how much the culture changes or how much the technology makes modern humans different from their forebears. Admittedly, most of the time, the suffering that we enjoy is fake/theatrical. Like in storytelling or in Bollywood, where no one is really getting hurt. At the same time however, the more real something seems the more intense it can be, and thus more emotionally rewarding. But what if it got too real and
the movies were performed live? With real shooting and real dead bodies. It would be a horror show, right? No one would want to watch people get killed or tortured in front of their eyes. Well, our ancestors would like to differ. It is well documented that humans, as far back as 7,000 years ago, partook in torture. Historical records show that in most ancient, medieval and early modern societies, torture was considered a morally and legally acceptable form of punishment. It was not just considered acceptable, but families (with children) would go to their town squares and watch executions live, for the purpose of entertainment. As an article in The Atlantic puts it: “For as long as there were public executions, there were crowds to see them.” In the early 19th century London, there might have been 5,000 people to watch a standard hanging, but the crowds would
swell to 100,000 to see a famous felon killed or tortured. Paul Freedman, a historian, in the preface to his book ‘Seeing Justice Done’ said: “Spectators of executions in early modern France were not terrified of them, in fact they loved attending executions. From the 16th to the middle of the 18th century, public executions in France were extraordinarily popular with spectators from all social classes. Many of them were so desperate to watch, that they rented out rooms overlooking the place of execution at exorbitant sums. or staked out prime viewing spots on nearby rooftops, often days in advance.” In 1757, hundreds of thousands of people flocked to Paris to watch the execution of Robert-François Damiens, who attempted to assassinate King Louis XV. Freedman explains the spectacle as- “Every credible primary or secondary source gives the impression that the
Quartering of Robert-François Damiens at Place de Grève, Paris in 1757 | Courtesy: Gallica
people who massed to watch the execution that day, could barely contain their excitement as the fateful hour neared. Terror could not be further away from their minds, unless of course we count the terror of missing even a minute of the spectacular show that was about to take place in Paris.” The execution itself was unusual, as they had not done one of these gruesome ones in a while. Details of what was going to happen to Damiens were
published ahead of time in notices, so people knew what they came to watch and to set an example of what happens to someone who tries to stick a knife into the ribs of the king. The prisoner was sentenced to have big chunks of flesh torn out of his chest, arms, thighs and calves. His right hand (which held the knife he had used to try to assassinate the king), was to be burned with fire and sulfur. All the places where Damiens had his flesh torn out his body, were to have “molten lead, boiling oil, burning resin and sulfur melted together and poured right into the wounds.” And then his body was to be dismembered by four horses. While modern humans may think killing/torturing people in public for entertainment is barbaric, someone from the past may say, “We both like the same thing. You just like yours to be faked.” arshreet.s@iijnm.org
The Journalist’s Diary: IIJNM students recount their experiences during Dailies Dailies are mirrors of real news rooms
something would come out of the event. At noon, we requested a guard at Vikasa Soudha to let us in to cover the “strike”. The guard looked surprised. “Which strike? We don't know anything about a strike,” he said. He didn’t let us in. We waited another 30 minutes. But with no hope left, I decided to cover the lack of water supply with help from CityCast and SoftCopy student reporters. A day which started with excitement ended with utter frustration that the protest didn’t happen. This made me realize that things don’t always work out the way we think they will. Still, we have to make the best of every situation. Chhavi Vohra
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ifteen-year-old Swarali, sitting in her living room and reading a newspaper, would be very happy to know that some years later, her dream of becoming a journalist — covering events and writing stories — has come true. Dailies were the closest one can get to experiencing an actual news room. The excitement a day before you go reporting to cover an event, the creativity you pour into making your pages, the tension when plans change at the last minute, are something worth looking forward to. I was fortunate to be an editor in both the Dailies weeks. And boy, what an experience it was. I covered protests, conferences and political events. At the start of the semester, when we were briefed about the Dailies, we were somewhat prepared for it. But how can one be prepared for any uncertainty in life? That is Dailies. I remember that my reporting days were really good. None of the events were changed last minute, and I covered most of the important ones. But being on the Desk was more exhausting than I had expected. We had to be alert 24/7 on what was happening in Bengaluru. When I was editor, I remember the front page was almost ready and then there was a fire at Commercial Street. I sent a reporter and had to change plans and pages. Honestly, it was that rush that made me realize that in the real world, this might happen every day and is quite normal. Swarali Bodas
When I first saw a dead person
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ay 11, 2022, the second day of the Dailies, changed my life. It started out like a nor-
We made mistakes, learnt from them mal day. I was assigned to cover the Mini Olympics. As we left for a Metro station, I had music blaring in my earphones, drowning out the sounds of the packed bus. Most of us could not find a seat; but, fortunately, I found one. I was looking out the window trying to energise myself for a busy day when my colleagues started calling their editors to let them know about an accident that had occurred on Mysuru Road. I took off my earphones and realised that the situation was tense. Although our bus had passed the scene, a few of us saw a body lying on the road. The ones who saw the dead man were discussing how horrible the sight was. I, along with three of my colleagues, quickly got off the bus to cover the accident. This was the first time in my life I saw a dead person. It was a sight I can never forget, not because of how graphic it was, but because of how emotional I got when I asked the po-
lice if his family had been informed. After completing my report, I couldn’t help but think of his family, and what would have happened the moment they got a call from the police. I also realised another: This is what I signed up for, and this is what journalism is all about. Later in my life, I may witness grimmer situations. But my job is to report, keeping my emotions aside. Ayndrila Banerjee
Things don’t work out the way we think
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n the third day of Dailies, I was assigned to cover a dharna at Vikasa Soudha on the issue of government college lecturers. I, along with my fellow student reporters from IIJNM, read up about possible reasons behind the strike. We reached the location at 10 am and sat under the blazing sun, hoping
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t started when we began thinking about story ideas and working on them. Reporting was easy when sources agreed to talk, but convincing them to talk about their problems was challenging. But, still, it was fun. Reporting showed me the real side of journalism. Being in the field taught me a lot of new things about people and how things work. I remember the day the first edition of The Observer came out. I was the editor, but had no idea of how things would turn out, and how our team would do in production. Every production day gave me experience and learning of how a real newsroom works. It requires dedication and cooperation by all the members which our team exhibited every time. We made hundreds of mistakes and learnt from them. Then came the Dailies. Those five days will forever remain in my mind. Going to cover an event; then a change of event; writing about the event and then coming back to col-
lege to help the production team was tiring but exciting. The Dailies taught me the importance of teamwork. A member of a small team, I feel happy that I got the chance to do both reporting and Desk job. In the real world, you can be asked to do anything and help other team members in bringing out editions. Anwesha Singh
My most cherished memory of IIJNM
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remember being told that the only constant in the world of media is change. It may be changing angles or layouts, but news never actually goes to bed. In the first week of Dailies, everyone was tense, wondering what it would turn out to be. It proved to be a great learning experience. It was the last day and we were ecstatic as the Dailies were finally coming to an end. Little did we know that it was not going to be an easy day. I was in the reporting batch. The day started at its usual pace. I went out and covered the event I was assigned. Omicron cases were on a rise and the state government had to issue new guidelines that day. Later in the day, CM Bommai announced the guidelines and one of our reporters went to cover it. It all made sense then; but when I went to the Desk, I found no page was fully ready. There were a lot of last-minute changes. At 4 pm, the production room was filled with panic as the deadline was an hour away. At that moment we — a team of 10 — came together, and changed the entire layout, edited stories and rewrote them without missing out on any last-minute details. We produced the newspaper in time. That has been the most exciting and challenging day I’ve had at IIJNM. Simran Sharma