Tag: growth

The legal issue of Custodial Violence in India

 

The term “custodial violence” has not been defined under any law. It is a combination of two word custody and violence. The word ‘custody’ implies guardianship and protective care. Even when applied to indicate arrest or imprisonment, it does not carry any evil symptoms during custody. In a law dictionary the word ‘custody’; has been defined as charge and with regard to a person in imprisonment: judicial or penal safekeeping. As Per Chamber Dictionary, the condition of being held by the police, arrest or imprisonment is called ‘custody’. As Per Legal Glossary Dictionary, custody is imprisonment, the detaining of a person by virtue of lawful Power or authority.

Section 167 of the Code of Criminal Procedure speak about two type of custody i.e. police custody and judicial custody. As per section 167(1) of Cr. P.C., “the magistrate to whom an accused person is forwarded under this section may whether he has or not has jurisdiction to try the case, from time to time, authorize the detention of the accused in such custody as he may think fit. Provided that the magistrate may authorize the detention of the accused person, otherwise than in the custody of the police, beyond the period of 15 days if he is satisfied that adequate ground exist for doing so. So as per section 167 (1) of Cr. Pc. ‘police custody’ can be granted for a maximum period of fifteen days only’ Police custody basically means police remand for the purpose of interrogation. In law actually a police officer has two occasion to keep a person in its custody firstly, from the period when he arrest a person till he produce the said person in the court i.e. first 24 hours of the arrest of accuse. Secondly, when police gets, remand from court after producing the accuse in the court which can be extend up to a maximum period fifteen days, thereafter, a person is sent in judicial custody which in general terms means jail or prison, where an accuse remain in custody till he gets bail or if convicted and sentenced to jail till the completion of sentence. As per law, ‘custody’ of a person begins when the police arrest him.

Other type of custody as mentioned earlier is ‘judicial custody’ which means sending a person in jail or prison. As per section 3 (1) of ‘The Prison Act, 1894’, ‘Prison’ means any jail or place used permanently or temporarily under the general or special order of a State Government for the detention of prisoners and include all land and building appurtenant thereto, but does not include:-

(a) Any place for the confinement of prisoners who are exclusively in the custody of police; or
(b) Any place specially appointed by State Government under section 541 of the old Criminal Procedure Code, 1882,
(c) Any place, which has been declared by the State Government by general or special order to be subsidiary jail.

The term ‘violence’ is the state or quality of being violent, excessive unrestraint or unjustified force, outrage perforate injury. ‘Violence’ in its literal sense has been defined as the use of force by one person over another so as to cause injury to him. The injury may be physical, mental or otherwise. The simple definition of violence is behaviour designed to inflict injury on a person or damage to property. Custodial violence is a term, which is used for describing violence committed against a person by a police authority. Thus, custodial violence can be defined as “an inhuman trait that springs out of a perverse desire to cause suffering when there is no possibility of any retaliation; a senseless exhibition of superiority and physical power over the one who is overpowered.” According to Law Commission of India, crime by a public servant against the arrested or detained person who is in custody amounts to custodial violence. According to Dr. S. Subramaniam, “Any use of force threat psychological pressure is termed as custodial violence. According to Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy, “Custodial violence includes torture, death, rape and excessive beating in police custody”.

Although, overcrowding, malnutrition, unhygienic conditions and lack of medical care are some of the factors of death in police and judicial custody, but custodial violence remains the common cause of deaths in prisons and lock-ups. The custodial violence is a generic term and includes all and every type of torture, third degree, harassment, brutality, use of force not warranted by law, etc. custodial violence include illegal detention, arrest which is wrongful or on illegal or on insufficient grounds using third degree method, on the suspects, humiliating them, using filthy language, not allowing them to sleep, extorting confession under pressure, padding up of additional evidence, misuse of the power regarding handcuffing not allowing to meet counsel or family member to accuse, denial of food etc. However since the torture or third degree in the most common and prominent form of custodial violence by the police.

The police officials commit an act of violence upon the persons in their custody under the guise of investigation and interrogation. The heinousness of this crime is that it is committed upon the citizens by the very person who is considered to be the guardian of the citizens. It is committed under the shield of uniform and authority within the four walls of Police Station or lock up, the victim being totally helpless in these circumstances. The protection of an individual from torture and abuse of power by police and other law enforcing officers is a matter of deep concern in a free society.

The chances of violence committed by police on persons in its custody are much greater than any other form of violence. The basic reason behind it is that the victims of such violence are unable to protest against it. The police officers use their official position to manipulate evidences against themselves. Death in custody is generally not shown on the records of the lock-up and every effort is made by the police to dispose of the body or to make out a case that the arrested person died after he was released from jail. Any complaint against torture is not given attention because of ties of brotherhood. No direct evidence is available to substantiate the charge of torture or causing hurt resulting into death, as the police lock- up where generally torture or injury is caused is away from public gaze and the witnesses are either policemen or co-prisoners who are highly reluctant to appear as prosecution witness due to fear of retaliation by the superior officers of the police.

However, in spite of the Constitutional and Statutory provisions contained in the Criminal Procedure Code and the Indian Penal Code aimed at safeguarding personal liberty and life of a citizen, the growing incidence of torture and deaths in police custody has been disturbing. Experience shows that the worst violations of human rights take place during the course of investigation when the police, with a view to securing evidence or confessions, often resort to third-degree methods including torture and techniques of arrests by either not recording them or describing the deprivation of liberty merely as “prolonged interrogations”. A reading of the morning newspapers carrying reports of dehumanising torture, assault, rape and death in police custody or other governmental agencies almost every day is, indeed, depressing. The increasing incidence of torture and death in custody has assumed such alarming proportions that it is affecting the credibility of the rule of law and the administration of the criminal justice system. As a result the society rightly feels perturbed. The society’s cry for justice becomes louder.

Any form of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, whether it occurs during investigation, interrogation or otherwise needs the severest condemnation. If the functionaries of the Government become law-breakers, it is bound to breed contempt for the law and no civilised nation can permit that to happen. Custodial violence may be both physical and or mental. It may also consist of gross negligence or deliberate inaction. In a case, when a person was suffering from high blood pressure or similar type of disease, almost for which continuous medicine is essential, and he is not allowed to take medicines the men develop serious health problem or dies. The Apex Court held it to be a case of custodial violence and the State was made liable for damages for their gross negligence in protecting the person in custody.

Flourishing Poverty

Lost are the days when the happiness abide
The humans- not the distinction..
To witness the bare feet and the aching stomach
Is what the flourishing poverty brought to us.

The glory of India has evolved through jewels of wisdom and royale but on the other hand it has been through a lot of bleak ways which spread their way now too even after ages of the start.
The ways being talked about are the ways through which poverty, with every passing tenure widens its arms and stretches farther on all the left out communities of India. Technically, poverty refers to the lack of monetary facilities which obstruct a citizen to satisfy his needs or wants. If given a detailed look,it will be realised that this evil poverty not only lies in terms of money but has a great extension when it comes to opportunities development performance and preferences especially for the left out communities of India.
Not only the inferior community experience poverty but they witness poverty at even worse when it compelled them to scrounge their glitter of life.
They are poor for not being able to withstand the glorified people. They are even poorer for not being able to witness  the politics and policies and false promises made to each one of them from endless of mediators come true. 
Poverty in India not only describes itself as lack of money but teaches a lot too. The people of slums are not bothered at all for not having a royal living but all the pray is to ‘not have’ empty stomach. When a rich kid is witnessed excluding his tattered shoes from wearing, these tender kids find the world of happiness from the same. The poor kids are not at all in complex with them being in a state of loan desolation but they count on it as a bouquet of wonders which they encounter with every ride they take to accomplish their tasks.
Poverty vanishes the abilities, worth and consideration of people and entancled in it.
No matter how much we try to deny this fact but Poverty is eating the growth of our country. It is because of this, that a country still needs ages to grow completely, inside out.
The Government of India should take decisions and actions to safeguard and protect the future talents and shining stars of the country. All of us have to initiate spreading empathy, colours and equality instead of flourishing poverty.

The Social issue of Child Labour

 

The children should not have to work is universally accepted, but there are no universal answer why the problem of child labour persist and how it needs to be tackled. India is faced with the crucial task of eliminating the child labour which is prevalent in all spheres of life. Thousands of children are engaged in the carpet factories, glass factories and other hazardous industries all over the country.

The term child labour has generally two-fold interpretations. Firstly, it is implied to be an economic necessity of poor households and secondly, the explosive aspect in children‟s work concerned with the profit maximizing urge of commercial establishment wherein children are made to work for long hours, paid low remuneration and deprived of educational opportunities.

International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines child labour to “… include children leading permanently adult lives, working long hours for low wages under conditions damaging to their health and physical and mental development, sometime separated from their families, frequently deprived of meaningful educational and training opportunities that could be open up to them a better future”.

Reasons For Child Labour:
There are many reasons for the existence of child labour and it varies with place and place to place. In India, poverty is one of the important factors for poverty, but it‟s not the sole factor. Children provide cheap labour, the person who wants labour has to pay less to them than adult labour. The child can be commanded more than an adult. The pull factor of the child labour is the profit maximization.

The main causes to failure to control the child labour are; poverty, low wages than adult, unemployment, absence of schemes for family allowance, migration to urban areas, large family size, children being cheaply available, non existence of strict provisions for compulsory education, illiteracy, ignorance of parents and traditional attitudes.

Child Labour In India:
India accounts for the second highest number where child labour in the world is concerned. Africa accounts for the highest number of children employed and exploited. The fact is that across the length and breadth of the nation, children are in a pathetic condition.

Child labour in India is a human right issue for the whole world. It is a serious and extensive problem, with many children under the age of fourteen working in carpet making factories, glass blowing units and making fireworks with bare little hands. According to the statistics given by Indian government there are 20 million Child labours in the country, while other agencies claim that it is 50 million.

The situation of Child labours in India is desperate. Children work for eight hours at a stretch with only a small break for meals. The meals are also frugal and the children are ill nourished. Most of the migrant children, who cannot go home, sleep at their work place, which is very bad for their health and development. Seventy five percent of Indian population still resides in rural areas and are very poor. Children in rural families who are ailing with poverty perceive their children as an income generating resource to supplement the family income. Parents sacrifice their children‟s education to the growing needs of their younger siblings in such families and view them as wage earners for the entire clan.

In Northern India the exploitation of little children for labour is an accepted practice and perceived by the local population as a necessity to alleviate poverty. Carpet weaving industries pay very low wages to Child labours and make them work for long hours in unhygienic conditions. Children working in such units are mainly migrant workers from Northern India, who are shunted here by their families to earn some money and send it to them. Their families dependence on their income, forces them to endure the onerous work conditions in the carpet factories.

While experts blame the system, poverty, illiteracy, adult unemployment; yet the fact is that the entire nation is responsible for every crime against a child. Instead of nipping the problem at the bud, child labour in India was allowed to increase with each passing year. And today, young ones below the age of 14 have become an important part of various industries; at the cost of their innocence, childhood, health and for that matter their lives.

Indian Constitution And Child Labour:
Article 23 of Indian Constitution prohibits the trafficking in human beings and forced labour. And Article 24 prohibits the employment of children in factories. It says that No child below the age of fourteen years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment.

The general understanding was that right secured by Article 24 will hardly be effective in the absence of legislation prohibiting and penalising its violation. However, Supreme Court clearly stated that Article 24 “must operate proprio vigour” even if the prohibition lay down in it is not “followed up by appropriate legislation.” In Labourers, Salal Hydro Project v. State of J&K it was again held that the employment of children below 14 in construction work violates Article 24.

It was noted in M C Mehta v. State of Tamilnadu, that menace of child labour was wide spread. Therefore it issued wide ranging directions in the context of employment and exploitation of children in Sivakasi, prohibiting employment of children below the age of 14 and making arrangement for their education by creating a fund and providing employment to the parents or the able bodied adults in the family. These directions were reiterated in Bandhu Mukti Morcha v. Union of India, concerning the employment of children in carpet weaving industry in U.P.

The State shall, in particular, direct its policy towards securing the health and strength of workers, men and women, and the tender age of children are not abused and that citizens are not forced by economic necessity to enter avocations unsuited to their age or strength. Also the State shall, direct its policy towards securing the given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity and that childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment to the children.

Article 45 of Indian Constitution made provision for early childhood care and education to children below the age of six years. As per this Article the State shall endeavours to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years.

Honour Killing

 

‘Honor crimes are acts of violence, usually murder, committed by male family members against female family members, who are held to have brought dishonor upon the family. A woman can be targeted by (individuals within) her family for a variety of reasons, including refusing to enter into an arranged marriage, being the victim of a sexual assault, seeking a divorce — even from an abusive husband — or (allegedly) committing adultery. The mere perception that a woman has behaved in a way that “dishonors” her family is sufficient to trigger an attack on her life.’

‘Honor killings are not new to the rural India especially in the regions of Hariyana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. But then such cases are not just restricted to the rural areas. They are also heard of in our capital and in the southern states like Kerela, Tamil Nadu etc. The Aarushi Talwar Case and the killing of Kuldeep and Monica are speculated to be such killings.

Our country has been very selective about the kind of development she has undergone. On an international level with the nuclear deal, 8% growth rate and the recognition India is enjoying to voice its opinion, it seems that ‘India is shining’. But dig deeper into the dark secrets of this developing nation and we still find rampant killings of young couples by their own family members to save their honor because of the incest committed by the couple. Their crime: living in the same village and getting married.

According to the ‘conservative’ khap panchayat, marriage between people of the same village is considered incest as they are siblings and hence these marriages are not valid. So the panchayat orders the murder of the couple and hangs their body in the village crossing as an example to other straying couples.

In India, with its patriarchal society, women are considered as property and the vessel of family’s honor. And any act which might blot the family’s prestige renders an absolute right to the male members to murder the girl, undo her wrongs and win back the honor.

Such crimes as well as such criminals have been breeding under the political blessings of the political parties mainly interested in the vote banks of these villages and the support of the khap panchayat. 

In order to find a solution for such killings, it is necessary to analyze it from the very core. The solution to this problem mainly lies in the eradication of myths in the minds of people. They need to be educated with the provisions given in the Hindu Marriage Act and what kinds of marriages are actually considered invalid. Khap Pachayats should at last be ripped out of all its power so that it is unable to wrongly influence the naïve people and to instigate them to commit such inhuman acts.

It is time India finally developed in the real sense. Building malls and increasing the standard of living of the common man is not really development. Cases on Honour killing show that more than half of the Indians still lead lives within the strong crutches of caste system and even today youths don’t have the power to make decisions regarding their own lives. To see that even today, people blindly commit such barbaric crimes and consider it as an act of sanctifying the impure shows that India has really not modernized.   Development has to be from the very base, the core. Or else it’s just a hollow wooden structure eaten on the inside by the termites that eventually comes crashing down.

Role of science in making india

In the last few years, science has helped a lot in the development of India. Science has contributed to all the sectors. Science has improved the global economy, increased employment opportunities, saved millions of lives and has played a major role in a lot of industries. Science is very important for the growth and development of India. It even plays a key role in our daily lives. Every country should invest as much as possible in research and development for scientific technologies. In this essay on the role of science in making India we will see how science has helped India to grow in different sectors.

How Indian Scientists have Helped India Grow?

When it comes to Indian Scientists, the first name comes to my mind is CV Raman. CV Raman was the first Asian who won the Nobel Prize. His work was related to light and sound. He investigated that when light passes through a transparent material, some of the deflected light waves see the change in its amplitude and wavelength.

APJ Abdul Kalam is the second name that comes in my mind in Indian Scientists. APJ Abdul Kalam worked as an Aerospace engineer with ISRO and DRDO. He was also president of India from 2002 to 2007. Abdul Kalam contributed a lot to Aerospace. One of the contributions is deploying Rohini Satellite near Earth’s orbit. A few more names are Homi Bhabha, Visvesvaraya, V Radhakrishnan, Satyendra Nath Bose and many more… 

How has Science Increased Employment Opportunities?

Whenever any new technology is discovered it leads to new industries. For example, if any new scientific device is invented it will require eligible professionals to control the device. Such inventions help in increasing employment opportunities. This also helps in growth in many businesses which in turn develops the Indian economy.

Curing Diseases and Saving Lives

In the last few years, medical science has evolved so much and saved billions of lives. New technologies like wireless brain sensors, artificial organs, smart inhalers, robotic surgery, virtual reality are making work easier for thousands of doctors around the world. And also these technologies are saving millions of lives and curing diseases. 

Role in Agriculture Sector

Science has played a very major role in the Agriculture sector. Food is one of the basic needs of our lives. And science has now invented so many new agriculture techniques which have increased production drastically. The old mundane techniques farmers used to follow was very slow, expensive, and required too much effort. Science has made everything a lot easier for farmers. Improved facilities in irrigation, modern fertilizers, advanced equipment, and pesticides are all helping farmers to work faster, and save more money. 

Science has helped us a lot in many ways and it will keep helping. Everyone should not only invest as much as possible in science and technology but also should stay aware of all new technologies developed around the world. 

Concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

 

Corporate engagement with society, also termed corporate social responsibility (CSR), has become a commonly used term in contemporary society and refers to one process by which an organization expresses and develops its ‘corporate culture’ and social consciousness.

CSR has been receiving lots of attention from various backgrounds of researchers worldwide, it has attracted a great deal of attention over the past decade and according to some researchers, has gathered great momentum over the past number of years and is now regarded to be at its most prevalent. Therefore business leaders, government officials, and academics are focusing more and more attention on the concept of “corporate social responsibility”.

Almost all corporate websites/ policies/reports talk about their endeavors for CSR, which has become a way of ensuring that the organization is fulfilling all the obligations towards society and thus is eligible for the license to operate. It assures that the organization can grow on sustainable basis. There are also societal pressures with respect to social issues such as human rights and the environment on the corporations and CSR is widely regarded as the response of corporations to this pressure and according to Bénabou & Tirole (2009), responding to such pressure, business leaders, governments and academics are now also emphasizing the notion of CSR.

In CSR, the central issue is the appropriate role of business that overlaps, almost completely, with its reference area and now business organizations have waked up to the need for being committed towards CSR because the role of businesses in society is no longer focused on creating wealth alone but is also focused on acting responsibly towards stakeholders.

Everyone agrees that firms should obey the law. But beyond full compliance with environmental regulations do firms have additional moral or social responsibilities to voluntarily commit resources to environmental protection. To be specific, why companies do CSR? For this, it is answered that CSR is situations where the firm goes beyond compliance and engages in “actions that appear to further some social good, beyond the interests of the firm and that which is required by law” and it is also due to various reasons such as to attract new investors, part of branding strategy, an obligation from the government and the lists go on. However, CSR does not mean just taking part in charitable activities and events; it means holding the responsibility to develop the society by envisioning future plans for socio-economic justice and be conscious about their responsibility for the welfare of society around them. Therefore, according to Zu & Song (2008), a large number of companies appear increasingly engaged in a serious effort to define and integrate CSR into all aspects of their businesses.

Corporate executives have also encountered demands from multiple stakeholder groups to devote resources to CSR. This may be partially due to the pressure generated by a union of ethics-oriented campaigners including NGOs, anti-capitalism activists, labor unions, and news media; and partially due to the demand for doing so by their customers, employees, suppliers, communities, governments, and even stockholders. Ismail (2011) stated that CSR is supported by the case whereby the government alone is definitely cannot afford to have a sole responsibility in improving the lives of their people as it exceeds their capabilities. If the government is unable to fulfill the increasing demand of their people thus this is where the corporations should support the government. However, those who opposed this statement saw the situation as unfair to the business corporations, such as Friedman’s (1970) famous statement that ‘the only responsibility of a business is to maximize shareholders’ wealth’. But according to Krishnan & Balachandran, companies are beginning to realize the fact that in order to gain strategic initiative and to ensure continued existence, business practices may have to be molded from the normal practice of solely focusing on profits to factor in public goodwill and responsible business etiquettes.

An examination of some of the factors, which have led to the development of the concept of CSR, would be ideal starting ground for the conceptual development of suitable corporate business practices for emerging markets. Krishnan & Balachandran also expressed that in the last twenty years, there has been a sea change in the nature of the triangular relationship between companies, the state and the society.

No longer can firms continue to act as independent entities regardless of the interest of the general public. The evolution of the relationship between companies and society has been one of slow transformation from a philanthropic coexistence to one where the mutual interest of all the stakeholders is gaining paramount importance. Bénabou & Tirole (2009) asserted that CSR is somewhat of a “catch-all” phrase for an array of different concepts.

Right to Information Act, 2005.

 

Introduction:

The right to Information Act 2005 which came fully into effect on12th October 2005 is one of the most significant legislation enacted by the Parliament in India. It is a major step towards more accountable and transparent government. RTI has been enacted to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities in order to promote transparency and accountability. The Act will certainly lead to end the culture of governmental secrecy andfulfil its potential as a truly great democracy.

Objective of the Act:

1. To promote transparency and functioning of the government. accountability in the

2. To set up a practical regime for giving citizens access to Information that is under the control of public authorities.

3. To empower the citizens as the law will promote the participation of the citizens in official decisions that directly affect their lives.

4. The effective implementation of RTI Act will build public trust in the government functioning.

5. It will lead to effective and efficient records management technique that is needed to facilitate the provision of information in response to public interest.

What is Right to Information?

Government information is national resource. Neither the particular government of the day nor public officials create information for their own benefits. Government and officials are trustees of this information for the people. The RTI act enables the citizens to obtain access under the law to documents that may otherwise be available only at the discretion of government.

The RTI Act 2005 provides effective access to information for citizens of India, which is under the control of public authorities. This overrides the ―official Secrets Acts and similar laws and rules.

The Act primarily envisages setting out a practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority.

Right to Information means the right to information accessible under this Act which is held by or under the control of any public authority and includes the right to: –

(i)             Inspection of work, documents, records.

(ii)           Taking notes, extracts, or certified copies of documents or records.

(iii)         Taking certified samples of material.

(iv)         Obtaining information in the form of diskettes, floppies, tapes, video cassettes or in any other electronic mode or through printouts where such information is shared in a computer or in any other device.

Every information held by or under the control of a public authority is accessible to a citizen, unless information is exempt from disclosure.

What is Accessible under the Law?

Information means any material in any form, including records, documents, memos, e-mail, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, log books, contacts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any law for the time being in force.

Features of the RTI Act:

Ø The Act extends to the whole of India except Jammu & Kashmir.

Ø All citizens shall have the right to information, subject to provisions of the Act. The RTI empowers the citizens to ask any question or seek any information from government authorities be it Central, State or Local governments.

Ø It shall apply to Public Authorities which means any authority or body or institution of self-government established or constituted by or under the Constitution; by any law made by the appropriate Government or, any other body owned, controlled or substantially financed directly or indirectly by the appropriate Government, and includes non-government organisation substantially financed by the government.

Ø The Act lays down the machinery for the grant of access to information. The Public Authorities are required to designate Public Information Officer and Assistant Public Information Officer with in the hundred days of enactment to accept the request forms and provide information. The Public Information Officers/Assistant Public Information Officers will be responsible to deal with the requests for information and also to assist persons seeking information.

Ø The Act envisages creation of an independent non-judicial machinery viz, Central Information Commission, State Information Commission. Legal Framework of exercise of powers by the Commission is defined in the Act.

Ø The Act also provides the two- tier Appellate forum. First appeal is to be made to the departmental officer senior to the Public Information Officer. The second appeal is to be made to State Commission.

Ø Fee will be payable by the applicant depending on the nature of information sought.

Ø Time limit has been prescribes for the compliance of information depending upon the information requirements.

Ø Certain categories of information have been exempted from the disclosure under Section 8and 9 of the Act like conduct of International Relations, security of the State, trade and commercial secrets, intelligence agency etc.

Ø Central Information Commission and the State Information Commissions monitor the implementation of the Act and prepare an Annual report to be laid before the Parliament / State legislatures.

Republic day

India celebrates Republic Day on January 26 annually with a lot of pride and fervor. It is a day that is important to every Indian citizen. It marks the day when India became truly independent and embraced democracy. In other words, it celebrates the day on which our constitution came into effect. On 26 January 1950, almost 3 years post-independence, we became a sovereign, secular, socialist, democratic republic.

History of Republic Day

While we got independence from British rule on August 15, 1947, our country was still lacking a concrete constitution. Moreover, India also did not have any experts and political powers which would help in the functioning of the state affairs smoothly.  Up until then, the 1935 Government of India Act was basically modified in order to govern, however, that act was more bent towards the colonial rule. Therefore, there was a dire need to form an exclusive constitution that would reflect all that India stands for. Thus, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar led a constitutional drafting committee on August 28, 1947.  After drafting, it was presented to the Constituent Assembly by the same committee on November 4, 1947. This whole procedure was very elaborate and took up to 166 days to complete. Moreover, the committee organized sessions were kept open to the public. No matter the challenges and hardships, our constitutional committee left no stone unturned to include rights for all. It aimed to create the perfect balance so all citizens of the country could enjoy equal rights pertaining to their religions, culture, caste, sex, creed and more. At last, they presented the official Indian constitution to the country on January 26, 1950.

Moreover, the first session of the India Parliament was also conducted on this day. In addition to that, 26th January also witnessed the swearing-in of India’s first president, Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Thus, this day is very important as it marks the end of the British rule and birth of India as a Republic State.

Republic Day Celebrations

Indians celebrate January 26 each year with lots of enthusiasm and zeal. On this day, people forget their religion, caste, creed, sex, and more. It brings together the country as a whole. It truly shows the diversity of our country. The capital city of India, New Delhi, celebrates it with a Republic Day Parade that showcases the might of the Indian Military and the cultural diversity of our country.

These parades take place in other cities as well, where a lot of schools participate in. It is a delight to watch the children and professionals put in so much effort. The way they grace the parade makes one proud of their country.  We also do National Flag Hoisting on this day. In New Delhi, after the President of India hoists our National Flag, 21 guns salute follow it with the national anthem played by the military band.

Further, in schools, March Past takes place and it is mandatory for every student to attend the celebrations. In many schools, they distribute sweets on this day as well. While it is a very joyous day, we must not forget the struggle of freedom that our forefathers took part in. Moreover, it is a day to celebrate the spirit of freedom and make sure to help India reach greater heights in the future.

Disability Laws in India

 

Concept of Disability:
Disabilities is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations. Disability is thus not just a health problem. It is a complex phenomenon, reflecting the interaction between features of a person’s body and features of the society in which he or she lives.

Disability is a contested concept, with different meanings for different communities. It may be used to refer to physical or mental attributes that some institutions, particularly medicine, view as needing to be fixed. It may refer to limitations imposed on people by the constraints of an albeit society. Or the term may serve to refer to the identity of people with disabilities. It can be said that it is an impairment that may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or some combination of these. It substantially affects a person’s life activities and may be present from birth or occur during a person’s lifetime.

Legal Rights of The Disabled In India:

The Constitution of India applies uniformly to every legal citizen of India, whether they are healthy or disabled in any way (physically or mentally). The Constitution of India secures to the citizens including the disabled, a right of justice, liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship, equality of status and of opportunity and for the promotion of fraternity. The right to Education is available to all citizens including the disabled. The Constitution directs the State to provide free and compulsory education for all children until they attain the age of 14 years. The health laws of India have many provisions for the disabled. Some of the acts which make provision for the health of the citizens including the disabled may be seen in the Mental Act, 1987. Various laws relating to the marriage enacted by the Government for different communities apply equally to the disabled. There are certain circumstances that will disable a person from undertaking a marriage.

They are:

·       When the either party is a lunatic;

·       When the parties are unable to give a valid consent because of the unsound mind;

·       When the parties are within the degree of prohibited relationship.

Under the Succession Act, 1956 which applies to Hindus it has been specifically provided that physical disability or physical deformity would not remove a person from inheriting ancestral property. The rights of the disabled have not been spelt out so well in the labour legislations but provisions which cater to the disabled in their relationship with the employer are contained in delegated legislations such as rules, regulations and standing orders.

Constitutional aspects:-
The Constitution of India has guaranteed full protection to the rights of disabled people. The Preamble of the Constitution contains the concept of social justice and equality of status and opportunity to all the people of India. Article 14 & 16 of the Constitution which guarantee equality of opportunity to all citizen of India. Article 38 of the Constitution which subsides within Directive Principles of State Policy, requires the State to promote the welfare of the people by securing a social order in which social, economic and political justice can inform to all institutions of national life and the State is required to make efforts to eliminate inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities amongst individuals.

Various Statutory legislations In India:

1) Persons with disabilities (PWD) (equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) Act, 1995: The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 had come into enforcement on February 7, 1996. It is an important step which ensures equal opportunities for the people with disabilities and their full participation in the nation building. The Act provides for both the preventive and promotional aspects of rehabilitation like education, employment and vocational training, reservation, research and manpower development, creation of barrier- free environment, rehabilitation of persons with disability, unemployment allowance for the disabled, special insurance scheme for the disabled employees and establishment of homes for persons with severe disability etc.


2) The Mental Health Act, 1987: The Mental Health Act,1987 was enacted to regulate admissions to psychiatric hospitals and  psychiatric nursing homes of mentally ill-persons who do not have sufficient understanding to seek treatment on a voluntary basis and to protect the rights of such persons while being detained, to protect society from the presence of mentally ill persons who have become or might become a danger or nuisance to others among other provisions.

3) The Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992:
It was passed to regulate the man power development programmes in the field of education of persons with special needs. The main objectives are to regulate the training policies and programmes in the field of rehabilitation of people with disabilities, to standardize training courses for rehabilitation professionals and also for ensuring the establishment of rehabilitation centres.

4) The Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923:
If any injury or accident is caused to the workman in the course of work or employment then his employer has to pay compensation. As per Section 4 of the above Act, where permanent total disablement results from the injury, an amount equal to 60% of the monthly wages of the injured workman multiplied by the relevant factor or amount of twenty thousand rupees whichever is more.

5) Employee’s State Insurance Act, 1948:
Periodical payment shall be made to an insured person suffering from disablement as a result of an employment injury sustained as an employee under this Act and certified to be eligible for such payments by an authority specified in this behalf by the regulations. In India, the disabled citizens have the same rights as other citizens to a descent standard of living and economic security, right to work, education, employment and also right to access and communication.

Decided cases in India:
In Javed Abidi v. Union of India – The Supreme Court bearing in mind the discomfort and harassment suffering by a person of locomotors disability would face while travelling by train particularly to far off places, issued direction to the Indian Airlines to grant persons suffering from locomotors disability to the extent of 80%.

In Chandan Kumar Banik v. State of West Bengal – The Supreme Court has given the order to provide respite to mentally challenged inmates of a hospital in Hooghly district who were being kept chained by the hospital authority to control their unruly and violent behavior.

In National Federation of Blind v. Union Public Service commission – The Supreme Court held that, the UPSC may be directed to allow blind person for appearing the examinations for Indian Administrative and allied services.

In Govt. of NCT of Delhi v. Bharat Lal Meena – The Delhi High Court held that people with disabilities can be appointed as physical education teachers provided they have passed the qualifying examination and undergone the requisite training.

Conclusion:

Disability refers to the disadvantage or restriction of activity caused by the way society is organized which takes little or no account of people who have physical, sensory or mental impairments. As a result such people are excluded and prevented from participating effectively on equal terms in mainstream society. Disability is an unfortunate part of human life which can effect not only the natural way of living but also despair component strength and power.

What are Human Rights?

 

In order to live with dignity certain basic rights and freedoms are necessary, which all Human beings are entitled to, these basic rights are called Human Rights

Human rights demand recognition and respect for the inherent dignity to ensure that everyone is protected against abuses which undermine their dignity, and give the opportunities they need to realize their full potential, free from discrimination.

Human rights are the rights a person has simply because he or she is a human being. Human rights are held by all persons equally, universally, and forever. “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” Kant said that human beings have an intrinsic value absent in inanimate objects. To violate a human right would therefore be a failure to recognize the worth of human life.

Human right is a concept that has been constantly evolving throughout human history. They have been intricately tied to the laws, customs and religions throughout the ages. Most societies have had traditions similar to the “golden rule” of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The Hindu Vedas, the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi, the Bible, the Quran (Koran), and the Analects of Confucius are five of the oldest written sources which address questions of people’s duties, rights, and responsibilities.

Different counties ensure these rights in different way. In India they are contained in the Constitution as fundamental rights, i.e. they are guaranteed statutorily. In the UK they are available through precedence, various elements having been laid down by the courts through case law. In addition, international law and conventions also provide certain safeguards.

Human rights refer to the “basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled.” Examples of rights and freedoms which have come to be commonly thought of as human rights include civil and political rights, such as the right to life and liberty, freedom of expression, and equality before the law; and social, cultural and economic rights, including the right to participate in culture, the right to food, the right to work, and the right to education. “A human right is a universal moral right, something which all men, everywhere, at all times ought to have, something of which no one may be deprived without a grave affront to justice, something which is owing to every human simply because he is human.”

Human rights are inalienable: you cannot lose these rights any more than you can cease being a human being.

Human rights are indivisible: you cannot be denied a right because it is “less important” or “non-essential.”

Human rights are interdependent: all human rights are part of a complementary framework. For example, your ability to participate in your government is directly affected by your right to express yourself, to get an education, and even to obtain the necessities of life.

Another definition for human rights is those basic standards without which people cannot live in dignity. To violate someone’s human rights is to treat that person as though he or she was not a human being. To advocate human rights is to demand that the human dignity of all people be respected.

In claiming these human rights, everyone also accepts the responsibility not to infringe on the rights of others and to support those whose rights are abused or denied.

Basic Requirements for Human Rights – Any society that is to protect human rights must have the following characteristics –
1. A de-jure or free state in which the right to self-determination and rule of law exist.
2. A legal system for the protection of human rights.
3. Effective organized (existing within the framework of the state) or unorganized guarantees.

Classification – Human rights have been divided into three categories:
1. First generation rights which include civil and political rights.
2. Second generation rights such as economic, social and cultural rights.
3. Third generation rights such as the right of self-determination and the right to participate in the benefits from mankind’s common heritage.

Human rights may be either positive or negative. An example of the former is the right to a fair trial and an example of the latter is the right not to be tortured.

Human rights are fundamental to the stability and development of countries all around the world. Great emphasis has been placed on international conventions and their implementation in order to ensure adherence to a universal standard of acceptability. With the advent of globalization and the introduction of new technology, these principles gain importance not only in protecting human beings from the ill-effects of change but also in ensuring that all are allowed a share of the benefits. The impact of several changes in the world today on human rights has been both negative and positive.

The Impact of Social Media Marketing

 

What is Social Media?

Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein describe social media as “a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0 and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content”.

Social Media contains two words. The first one is “Social” which means interaction, sharing and so on. Another word is “Media” where to say that social media is a medium for publication.

Social media contains a lot of tools and applications which let the users express their opinion, publish articles, sharing videos and so on easily.

Social Media Influence:

According to Sir Andrew Likierman, London Business School Dean, “social media has completely disrupted the way businesses assess their performance”. This statement is completely true because social media is no longer an option but is a must, especially companies that dealing straightly with customers. Some business can completely avoid thinking about social media like wholesalers because they are just dealing with another business. Since social media became more powerful, organization are facing difficulties to measure their performance. They must have specific strategy for social media or even companies could have one special unit that handle feedbacks and responses from user. Any negative feedbacks should grab attention and they have to discuss on how to react with any negative comments. Any negative response from customers will be there on net forever. No way to remove that and because of that, companies that avoid think about social media will lose some customers.

Customers are now become more particular about with whom and from where they are buying products or services. They willing to make online search before making any purchase decision especially for expensive items. Since internet is now more conveniently searchable through smart phones, customer can make search in just a minute. That’s why companies must have social media presence and put some attention to manage customer response and try to convince them that the business is reputable and trusted.

Social media providing big opportunity to organization to build better relationship with clients and providing real one to one communication. They have no better advertising then “word of mouth”. Satisfied customers surely will share to their friends in their social network about their experiences with the particular company. If one person shares their experience to his 400 Facebook friends, and that friends spread that news to their friends, the information moves extremely fast. If a video uploaded in YouTube with attracting title like “Think Twice before you eat XXX”, this video surely will grab thousands or even millions of social medial users. With “Share” function available almost in any site, in just a second we can share anything to social media community.

One of the main reasons that we must use social media is because our competition is using that daily as marketing strategy. Another big reason why a business should use social media because their customers and future customers are using it. A lot of people have at least one social media account like Facebook, YouTube and so on. A business should present their brand where customers are. Traditionally we can see people open shops at crowd places like in shopping mall and so on. The same case here where a business should present in crowd place like social media. Millions of people using that every day.

Some Fail Stories of Businesses When Using Social Media:

In 2012, giant car manufacturer Toyota launched Camry Effect Campaign on Twitter to promote Camry. They had created number of Twitter account. This campaign was designed for directly communicating with users but what happen is, big number of users start to accuse Toyota for their bombarding and spamming marketing then with many unsolicited messages. As response Toyota suspended their accounts. Until now this campaign is well known as fails campaign. The main problem with this campaign is, not because Toyota Spamming but the content of the messages that they send out were not attracting. They also were sending same messages content over and over. They were only sending promotional messages which did not help to build relationship with users.

Advantage of Social Media for Business:

The advertising cost is much more cheaper then traditional advertising and promotional activities. Social media also gives full value for every penny they spend. Traditional advertising only shows the brand to the customer but with social media company can build long term relationship through “Like” function and can get their email address for sending future emails.

Future customer able to find our brand through many channels like sharing activities, news, search engine search result and so on which gives company free advertising. Social media can bring huge amount of traffic to their content especially when that content is grabbing their attention. This is what we can call free traffic or free customers.

Social media allows customers to express their experiences to others. A satisfied customer surely will bring another new customer through sharing experience activity. Companies will improve their products and services to customers.

Disadvantage of Social Media for Business:

A successful online presence especially in social media, a company needs an experienced team which can improve companies’ reputation. Social media becomes unique and able to drive a lot of sales when they engage with their customers. This mean they have to reply messages, comments and so on. Pushing sales without engaging with customers or not responding to negative feedback will damage the companies’ reputation. Organization also must produce new contents and always find out ways to overcome to any negative feedback.

Wrong online presence strategy will damage the companies’ reputation and put them at a viral social disadvantages. Any mistake they companies make in front of thousand of fans or social media members will result in big reputation impact. So, companies must be careful when performing social media campaign.

Using social media marketing and advertising campaign could be more time consuming because companies would have to watch out every activity in the social media.

Conclusion:

Social media gives deep impact to the business world. Today from small companies to big giant companies. Social media landscape is big and the system and technology are continuously growing and changing everyday. Companies who are using and present in social media are enjoying big benefits. Social media is no longer an option but is a must especially companies that dealing straightly with customers. Social media promises a lot of opportunities and challenges, so organization must prepare themselves for facing it.

Paternity Benefit Bill: The Gender We Talk About, The Benefit We Don’t

Amidst all the expectations around the male gender since his birth, there is secretly an expectation which every spouse hopes for. Time has developed since the only job of the male co-partner remained until the “sperm fertilised the egg”. The couples grow in love as they call themselves ‘pregnant’ and not just the technical one. The change in the ideologies was very well understood by the law presenters of the country. The idea to give chances to the father to be able to be completely devote to the upbringing of his junior. The benefits to be able to not lose work, not to miss deadlines but to be able to absorb the presence of a new member in the family.

‘Paternity Benefit Bill’ made rounds in the corner of the Parliament in 2017 with a view to benefit the fathers to oblige to their parental duties. It stated to give all workers, including men in the unorganised and private sector, to be benefitted with a paternity leave of fifteen days which could be extended up to three months.

The bill introduced stated for the employees to receive payment at the same rate as the average daily wage or even so, on a minimum rate of wage as revised. The same could be availed from an organisation if he had already served not less than eighty days in the last twelve months immediately preceding the delivery date of the child. However, the clauses require fathers with only less than two surviving children to opt for the same.

The gender benefits do not end here as the bill further stated to introduce proper guidelines in order to provide benefits to every man. A crucial affair that the bill brought was the Parental Scheme Benefit Fund. Under this, the government would create a fund specifically for purposes of paternity benefits where employers irrespective of genders would contribute. It was to meet the costs which would be induced through the availing of the particular benefit and the loss of work. Not to forget to mention on how the bill boldly announces that on death of the man during the following tenure, the nominee has rights of receiving payments till the end of it.

The beauty of the bill is not restricted to the birth fathers. The Bill allows the adoptive father of a child below three months of age or the legal husband of a mother in the cause, to be given the same benefits.

The objective of the bill is to ensure to the mother gets constant support in the process. It is not only through looking after the child together but when the father gets time with the child, the mother gets a chance to resume her work. Usually during the commissioning period, the mother develops a distant connection with her work until her child grows to handle himself. Such an act of love unfortunately also throws the woman out of the race of the market. Her positions degrade after she resumes and the restoration is more often than not, impossible. The option of choosing between the newborn and the profession is unjust and the bill certainly helps the attain the goal.

Through the bill, the perception of gender roles gets on hold. It creates an aura of gender equality at home. The shifts of looking after the child when divided among the two parents can lead to none of them having major deviations from their works to only allow the emotions of seeing their child grow into a form of their own reflection.  

Despite the benefits kept in front, a lot of issues persisted to not allow the bill to go further. The Maternity Benefit Act shifts the entire financial burden on the employers and through an introduction of system which would allow funds, the work place might discourage the driving force of the other objectives of women employment. Furthermore, the Paternity Bill necessitates to be extended to all sectors whereas the Maternity Act has only limited applications. It creates inequality, not only with the Maternity Benefit Act but also with the fact that the objective of the Paternity Bill is not merely paternal benefits but also equal opportunities to both the genders.

However, this creation of inequality is amendable.There can be similar benefits to both the parents and if it requires anything urgently, it is the mindset to evolve that both of it can co-exist.

Censorship of the Internet

 

Nowadays, the internet has been gaining its popularity at an amazing rate. The internet has become an important communicative tool, which brings significant convenience and efficiency for people. However, the internet also has severe weakness. Although the internet is comprehensive and the internet is not easy to limit, many countries are working on the censorship of the Internet. The issue of internet censorship is a complex and controversial one. As a matter of fact, the censorship of the internet is a double-edged sword. The censorship can work in some instances, but in others it can be detrimental to society.

The internet censorship can be a protection measure. As the internet is open and comprehensive, the quality and authenticity of internet information is questionable. There are a lot of undue materials online, such as pornography and violence, which undoubtedly exerts a negative influence on people especially children physically and psychologically. Although there are several laws which regulate the illegal information and illegal activities, the laws are not complete enough to regulate all the illegal or immoral activities. It is very hard to charge a person for internet crimes, especially if the person is from a foreign website. Thus, the illegal activities and undue information are still rampant on the internet. Thus, internet censorship is needed for internet regulation. The censorship of internet can cleanse the internet information and protect people to some extent.

The censorship of internet can filter the inappropriate information online and protect children from disturbing websites, such as, child pornography, sexual violence and detailed instructions in crime or drug use. The undue internet information may weaken children’s moral consciousness and pollute children’s soul. Thus, the undue websites can have a severely bad effect on the healthy growth of children or even cause adolescent crime. However, children are easy to contact undue internet information. Since parents can not monitor the web pages that children browse in any time and at any place, the censorship of internet can help the parents to filter undue websites for children and protect them from the misguidance and negative influence of internet.

The censorship of internet can help women. In order to get more click rate and benefits, many “adult” websites advocate violent sexual abuse of women. Many women suffer from the hell made by the internet because the internet makes them sold into slavery through the international sex trade. The censorship of internet can block access to these websites, regulate or even shut down some of these websites, and thus reduce the sexual exploitation of women in the internet. Thus, the censorship of internet can protect women to some degree.

The censorship of internet can guard people from the disturbing email spam. For many net citizens, junk email is a troublesome problem. Some junk emails may have malware, and the malware will be activated when net citizens open the email. Some junk emails may be phishing schemes that attempt to steal net citizens’ identity and threatens the economic safety and privacy. Some junk emails may be fraudulent schemes or offensive material. Besides, there are a lot of annoying unsolicited advertisements. Spam filters can block junk emails for net citizens and make their internet life more safe and simple.

The censorship of internet can protect the privacy life of people. Besides, there are some net citizens or websites that make a malafide use of internet to diffuse others privacy, like other’s private video, private pictures and so on. The censorship of internet can prevent these duly. Thus, sometimes, in order to protect the privacy of people, the censorship of internet is necessary.

The censorship of internet can protect people’s economic interest. Some internet information can threaten people’s economic interest. Internet banking frauds happens frequently. The censorship of internet can filter a great deal of fraudulent information in the internet and enhance the supervision and control of internet banking. Due to internet censorship, a great number of financial frauds, phishing, identity thefts, credits card thefts and many other illegal activities are prevented. Therefore, the economic loss of internet users are reduced or avoided.

The censorship of internet can decrease internet violence and protect people’s personal security. In India or even the whole world, internet bullying and violence has become a serious issue. There are many suicide cases caused by internet bullying. The internet users are anonymous and the information spread fast on the internet. Some users take advantages of internet to carry on internet violence. The users may slander, abuse others and expose others’ privacy, which will bring about great harm to the victims. Some websites make use of internet illegally, which will give rise to baneful influence and threaten people’s life security. Internet murders happen. Through social networking sites, internet users deceive and murder other users. There are some suicide websites that abet suicide, communicate suicide knowledge and provide suicide methods. The occurrence of all these incidents and similar incidents make the internet censorship necessary. Internet censorship can prevent unjustified defamation, limit internet violence and protect people’s life security.

The censorship of internet can help to protect social stability and national safety. Since the internet censorship can help to curb the large number of illegal activities and internet crimes, it is good to the stability of society.

The Internet and Social Connection.

 

Today, the Internet is one of the most powerful tools throughout the world. The Internet is a collection of various services and resources. The Internet or the World Wide Web is indeed a wonderful and amazing addition in our lives. The Internet can be known as a kind of global meeting place where people from all parts of the world can come together. It is a service available on the computer, through which everything under the sun is now at the fingertips of anyone who has access to the Internet. A human brain to our eyes appears approximately six inches in size only but inside this little bowl hidden an ocean of ideas and thoughts. Internet is not that little word as is generally understood but actually it is the name of whole computer world’s universe which is carrying with it sea of knowledge and information that deals with each and every topic that exists on the face of the earth.

Today, Internet is providing everyone peculiar knowledge and information that one needs. The internet has allowed our world to become a globally connected network that advances knowledge everyday.

The last few years in the society have seen incredible changes technologically and culturally. Life has become increasingly easier as machines designed to improve living standards proliferated. Computers have brought so much information home that many students do all their research from the comfort of their desktop. Socially the changes have been just as great, though perhaps not always for the better. Overall, people are feeling less connected to one another than ever before.

Many sociologists subscribe to the belief that the internet, in-home computer usage and widespread availability of virtual access, are transforming modern social and economic life. Problematic to these issues, however, is whether the changes have been beneficial or detrimental.

If people were to use the Internet primarily for entertainment and information, the Internet’s social effects might resemble those of television. However, research has shown that interpersonal communication is the dominant use of the Internet at home. That people use the Internet mainly for interpersonal communication, however, does not imply that their social interactions and relationships on the Internet are the same as their traditional social interactions and relationships, or that their social uses of the Internet will have effects comparable to traditional social means of communication

ADVANTAGES OF THE INTERNET:

In fact, the advantages out-weigh the disadvantages. The most common thing the Internet is used for is research. Children and students are among the top people who use the Internet for research. Today, it is almost required that students use the Internet for research. Thirty percent of teachers give assignments requiring research from the Internet. In the classroom, sixty-six percent of teachers use the Internet to teach. The Internet has become one of the biggest sources for research. Almost everyday, research on medical issues becomes easier to locate. Web sites have become available for people to research diseases and talk to doctors online at sites.

Another popular thing to do on the Internet is to check out the news. Almost all local news can be obtained through the Internet.  Shopping online has also become a huge success and is considered a great advantage of the Internet. No matter what people are shopping for, it can be found on the Internet. People do not even have to leave their homes. A few companies have collected millions of dollars using the Internet for selling. Clothing is probably one of the most bought items online. Almost every major clothing store has its on Web site. Just one click of the mouse on the items they want to purchase and the items are delivered to their front door.

DISADVANTAGES OF THE INTERNET:

Despite all of these advantages of the Internet, there are numerous disadvantages. Many fear the Internet because of its disadvantages. They claim to not use the Internet because they are afraid of the possible consequences or are simply not interested. People who have yet connected to the Internet claim they are not missing anything. Today technological society must realize, it is up to them to protect themselves on the Internet.

Children using the Internet have become a big concern. When children are online, they can easily be lured into something dangerous. When children talk to others online, they do not realize they could actually be talking to a harmful person. Most parents do not realize the dangers involved when their children log onto the Internet.

Another major disadvantage of the Internet is privacy. Electronic messages sent over the Internet can be easily snooped and tracked, revealing who is talking to whom and what they are talking about. People should become aware that the collection, selling, or sharing of the information they provide online increases the chances that their information will fall into the wrong hands. Consequently, they will become a victim of identity theft, one of the worst privacy violations with potentially devastating financial consequences. When giving personal information on the Internet, people should make sure the Web site is protected with a recognizable security symbol. On the other hand, this does not mean they are fully protected because anyone may obtain user information.

Today, not only are humans getting viruses, but computers are also. Computers are mainly getting these viruses from the Internet.

The Impact of 'Racism' on the society

Racism is the prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior. It is the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races. Racism may be defined as the hatred of one person by another — or the belief that another person is less than human — because of skin color, language, customs, place of birth or any factor that supposedly reveals the basic nature of that person. Anything that might be used to discriminate against a group or an individual that is not under one’s own control falls in the domain of racism. Ethnicity, race, religion, region and language are some of the few factors that people use to discriminate against other people. It has influenced wars, slavery, the formation of nations, and legal codes.

A person that believes in the idea of racism, that humans are somehow divided into exclusive biological entities and can be termed inferior or superior to each other on the basis of certain biological traits, are leaches that are depriving our societies of countless extraordinary and brilliant individuals. People are termed incapable or unqualified for something just because of their race despite after decades and decades of research, science has been unable to provide a single concrete proof that supports these claims. Racism has existed throughout human history. From the abuse of Native Indians, “The Redskins”, to the horrifying atrocities suffered by the African Americans, “The Blacks” or “The Negroes”, at the hands of the self-proclaimed superior race, are all part of the history of this vile and abusive belief. All of these victimized groups had no other fault than to not share a skin color with other people. Racism has been employed as powerful weapons repeatedly, for encouraging fear and hatred in others in times of conflict and war, and even during economic downturns. 

Racism causes harm to those who are on the receiving end. It hurts individuals, communities and our society. People are not born with racist ideas or attitudes; rather racism is something that is learned. People often associate racism with acts of abuse or harassment. However, it does not need to involve violent or intimidating behavior.

Racism can be revealed through people’s actions as well as their attitudes. It includes all the barriers that prevent people from enjoying dignity and equality because of their race. Racism has existed in all areas and at all times where different races or cultures of humans have encountered each other. Research indicates that the places where racism is exercised often include the local neighborhoods, shops, and in the workplaces. It can emerge in other spaces such as on public transport, sporting events or at schools. Expressions of racism can also be found in media. This happens when, for example, racial groups are represented in an unfair or negative light in news reports or commentary. Many regard the lack of cultural diversity represented in media as another form of racism.

In recent years, racism has even translated to a problem online. Whether it is offensive comments on social media, inflammatory memes or hateful videos, cyber-racism has had a significant impact on the growth of racist attitudes in different ethnic groups. Those spreading such racist impulses often do so under the comfortable veil of anonymity. It is an unfortunate legacy of ancient days that humans are still inclined to judge groups by surface appearances. Therefore, it must be abated and minimized at all costs, as soon as possible, lest it halt our development even further.