Free expression

After many colleges in Chennai, Hydrabad and Mumbai, Magadh University is next in the line to impose a dress code for its students. The proposal came in September when during a surprise visit by MU vice chancellor B N Pandey, it was noticed that students were not dressed "appropriately". At least, so he thought. [ Link] Although, the proposal included a code for the teachers also, it has been kept out of it as of now. Black trousers and white shirts for boys and white salwar and maroon kurta for...

Many love stories have born and evolved on the sands of Marina beach and they may continue to do so as the big stick of Chennai cops has now been instructed not to play spoilsport anymore. [ Link] Chennai Police Commissioner G Nanchil Kumaran has instructed the department to leave the decent couples alone on the beach and focuses on eveteasers instead. [ Link] The police department, famous for its moral policing, now says that lovers can meet at the beach and spend time there happily and that...

The Supreme Court has restrained trial courts from issuing nonbailable warrants (NBWs) at the first instance on complaints by the “moral police” and when the accused can be presented in the court by a mere summon. Justice Bhandari, writing the judgment for the bench, issued a three-point set of guidelines to lower courts for issue of nonbailable warrants. [ Link] In many cases, including Shilpa Shetty and Richard Gere controversy, nonbailable warrants were issued on the very first hearing by the...

Orkut, which may have become a synonym for pornography and defamation online can now be undisputedly awarded the most controversial site. So it seems, for all the wrong reasons. The latest in the crackdown of defamation of historical and public figures on the site is the posting of offensive picture and derogatory remarks on Maratha warrior king Shivaji by few young men on the social networking site. A 27-year-old IT professional, Laxman Kailas was arrested along with three mothers after the...

Students at KJ Somaya College of Engineering in Mumbai were October 23 not allowed to take a test because they came dressed in T shirts, says a CNN-IBN report. The college management, however, contends that the issue has been blown out of proportion. "Some students were suspended and these reports are false," says Principal, K J Somaya College, Raj Kishore Prasad. [ Link] Some recent college-related incidents: In September 2005, Avinash Nahar, a student at a Chennai college was harassed for...

Maharashtra's deputy chief minister RR Patil is the chief moral policeman of his state. After Mumbai's bar dancers, he now wants to book cheerleaders at the recent India-Australia T20 match for flouting obscenity laws. Gyrating cheerleaders in tiny tank tops is a trademark of the new T20 format in cricket and they were at their bootylicious best at the Australia-India match at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. And they have been noticed by Patil for all the wrong reasons. ;) He wants to conduct an...

In Orissa, teachers can no longer wear what they feel they should. [ Link] The Orissa government in September asked teachers of some state-run and aided high schools to adhere to a uniform attire. This decision came after the dress code in colleges across the state had already been introduced. And the importance of such a decision according to Balmiki Pradhan, circle inspector of schools, Ganjam, is that "it's necessary to maintain discipline in schools and ensure a character." [ Link] Director...

An exhibition of paintings in Bhopal in September invited was deemed obscene by netas and babus. It is unfortunate that politicians and bureaucrats in Madhya Pradesh are the ones deciding what should constitute art. [ Link] The bone of contention was a painting put up at 'Young Call', an exhibition of paintings by artists of the Indira Gandhi Art and Music University, Khairagarh, at Bhopal's Bharat Bhawan. The state's culture minister found a painting obscene. Bharat Bhawan Secretary Rameshwar...

The Kerala High Court has dismissed a public interest petition, challenging the decision of the Guruvayur Devaswom Management Committee to permit women to enter the renowned Sree Krishna Temple in 'churidar' instead of the traditional saree. [ Link] A Division Bench, comprising Justices KS Radhakrishnan and VK Mohanan, in August-end observed that wearing churidar by a devotee could not be said to be objectionable since it was a popular dress worn by women in the country. The court said, ''We are...

The guardians and authorities of one Bakrahat Girls' School in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal have refused to allow entry to teachers. This came a day after eight teachers were locked up in the school, their only fault being that they preferred salwar kameez over saree. [ Link] What triggered off the incident was that a teacher had allegedly beaten up a student when he protested against teachers wearing salwar kameez. Eeeks! The teachers stopped attending school, and instead met the...