BJP attacks PM for Dinesh Trivedi’s removal

New Delhi, March 20: Attacking the Prime Minister over the removal of Dinesh Trivedi, the BJP on Tuesday said if the former Railways Minister was sacked due to increase in fares, the role of the Prime Minister and Finance Minister should also be questioned in the whole episode.

Taking part in the discussion on Rail Budget, Balbir Punj (BJP) said, “Is it not correct that the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister had given their blessings to the Rail Budget presented by Trivedi? Should these two not be questioned?” The BJP leader said the two had also praised Trivedi for presenting a good budget but later on he was forced to resign. Punj said Trivedi’s case is like that of a student who has performed well in exam and is praised by his school headmaster for the achievement. “The next day his headmaster pulls his ears and rusticates him for doing well. What should we make of this headmaster and his role,” he said. Punj said even before Trivedi could end his speech, discussions had started about his survival in office and the government made a “mockery” of the whole process.

Commenting on relations between Roy and Manmohan Singh, he said once he was asked by the Prime Minister to visit a rail accident site but the former refused to do so and asked the latter to himself visit the place. “How will the Prime Minister work with such a colleague,” Punj wondered. He said the resignation of Trivedi was shrouded in mystery as even before the Rail Budget was presented, people had started talking about his sacking.  Punj said the former Railway Minister should come and explain the reasons behind his resignation before both Houses.

Punj said Government should also clarify that if former Railway Ministers Lalu Prasad and Mamata Bannerjee were saying that financial condition of Railways was strong, how come in such a short span, Trivedi was saying it was in ICU. The Prime Minister should tell us if Lalu Prasad and Mamata Bannerjee were right or they were misleading the country,” he said.

Punj said Trivedi’s speech was inspired from Vidya Balan’s role in the recent movie Dirty Picture when he said that Railways means ‘safety, safety and safety’.

The BJP leader also asked the Prime Minister and the Railways Minister to appear in a television series Sach ka Saamna to reveal the truth before the country. Rama Chandra Kuntia (Cong) asked the government to provide higher and uniform compensation for accident victims, completion of old projects, improvement in passenger amenities and reduction in non-plan expenditure.

Concerned over non-completion of projects that commenced 20 years back, he said the government should find ways to complete the old projects and ensure they do not become non-performing assets.

Pointing out the gaps in the railways system, the Congress member urged new Railway Minister Mukhul Roy to look into the delay in recruitment of 1.5 lakh workers.

He also suggested that general manager-level officers should not be allowed to shift funds sanctioned for one project to the another without Parliament’s approval.

Noting that generation of internal resource by Railways has been declining over the years, Kuntia said the target for generation of internal resource set for the 2012-13 would be ‘difficult to achieve’.

The member alleged that states like Odisha and Chhattisgarh and the northeast were being neglected in terms of allocation of funds for railway infrastructure development. In view of higher investment coming into Odisha, Kuntia sought more funds for rail projects sanctioned for the state and demanded new trains and increase in frequency of Rajdhani train and construction of rail overbridges in the state. (PTI)

Manmohan reassures political consultation on NCTC

New Delhi, March 20: Reiterating his assurances in the Lok Sabha on the much-contested National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Tuesday the anti-terror intelligence hub would be set up only after consultations with the state chief ministers.

Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks on President Pratibha Patil’s March 12 address to the joint sitting of parliament, Manmohan Singh told the Rajya Sabha that federal structure will not be disturbed by NCTC - as was feared by opponents of the anti-terror unit. “Nothing will be done that will infringe upon the federal structure of the constitution,” the prime minister said.

He had made the same point in the Lok Sabha on Monday. “I think the idea of NCTC and the manner in which it will function are two separate issues. There may be differences on the functioning of NCTC. But I am confident these can be narrowed down through consultations and discussions,” he said.

The prime minister also informed the house that a meeting of chief ministers was scheduled April 16 when the states will be consulted on their views on NCTC.

A dissatisfied opposition however wanted an assurance from him that the anti-terror unit will not be established till a consensus is arrived at with all states.

They moved amendments which were defeated thanks to the support the government, which is in minority in the upper house, got from the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Trinamool Congress who were among the bitter opponents of NCTC.

The prime minister, in his speech. said the the abduction of two Italian nationals in Odisha was a “grim reminder” of the challenge posed by Maoist insurgents to India’s internal security. “The abduction of two foreign nationals recently is a grim reminder to all of us of the challenge to our internal security from leftwing extremism.”

The two Italian tourists, Bosusco Paolo and Claudio Colangelo, were abducted by Leftist rebels March 14 while they were on a trek in Odisha’s Kandhamal district.

Referring to the economic situation in the country, the prime minister warned of “pitfalls” if India did not rise to the occasion and sought a “broad-based consensus” to meet the challenges.

He also noted that the major economies of the world have made “fragile” recoveries from the economic downturn and the growth rate in 2011-12 was half that of 2010-11.

The motion of thanks on the president’s address, already adopted in the Lok Sabha, was later passed by the upper house. (IANS)

BJP faces revolt against Jharkhand Rajya Sabha nomination

New Delhi, March 20: The conflict within the Bharatiya Janata Party on the Rajya Sabha nominations came out in the open on Tuesday as senior leader Yashwant Sinha slammed the decision not to field a BJP member from Jharkhand.

BJP’s decision to support Anshuman Mishra, an NRI who has been principal secretary to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, as an independent candidate for the seat, has not gone well with several of its leaders. The issue was raised in the meeting of its parliamentary party Tuesday morning.

Expressing his dissent to the decision, Sinha said money power was taking over the Rajya Sabha polls. “A worker should have been nominated. MLAs should not be put on the auction block to the highest bidder. (L.K.) Advaniji has assured he would talk to party president when I raised the issue in parliamentary party meet. Outsiders should not be given ticket,” Sinha told reporters here. “Appeal to all parties to reject people who use money power in Jharkhand. A local leader should have been nominated. BJP MLAs have signed nomination papers of A. Mishra. I’m pained by this,” he said.

According to sources, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi are also among the key leaders who have opposed this nomination. “Mishra belongs to neither BJP nor Jharkhand,” Sinha said.

The decision surprised many as the party did not field its Deputy Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, SS Ahluwalia, who is a member from Jharkhand and is retiring on April 2.

Evading any direct comment on the issue, Ahluwalia told reporters that the issue was raised in the meeting and Advani has said he will talk to party president Nitin Gadkari on this. Asked about his nomination, he said he cannot comment as there was ‘conflict of interest’. According to sources, the choice of Mishra was backed by Gadkari. (IANS)

Opposition objects to government’s new poverty line norm

New Delhi, March 20: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday strongly objected to and termed as ‘unfortunate’ the government's new concept of people living on less than Rs.28 per day in urban areas and Rs.22.50 in rural areas being below the poverty line. The opposition vociferously raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha and asked the government come up with an an appropriate method to calculate the poverty line in India. "“If you don’t have a formula, come out with a formula to calculate poverty line,” BJP leader SS Ahluwalia asked the government. “The world hunger report says 89 percent of Indians live under poverty line, calculated according to international standards,” he said, adding the government concept was flawed. Raising the issue in Rajya Sabha, Ahluwalia said: “This is the end of poverty line and beginning of starvation line... Can the prime minister and finance minister manage in Rs.32 per day.” The Planning Commission Monday released data showing that poverty had significantly declined between 2004-05 and 2009-10. It said poor were the ones who spend less than Rs.28 per day in urban areas and Rs.22.50 in rural areas. The new poverty line is lower than the earlier Rs 32-per-day mark that had triggered an outrage when the government submitted it to the Supreme Court last year. Members of the Bahujan Samaj Party, AIADMK and the Left also joined the BJP in protesting against the new defined poverty line. (IANS)

Congress to seek explanation from absent MPs

New Delhi, March 20: Relieved after defeating in the Rajya Sabha the opposition's amendments on the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), the Congress will seek an explanation from its members who were absent on Tuesday. Sources said the seven Congress members of the upper house would be asked to explain the reasons for their absence during the crucial voting on the motion of thanks to the president’s address. A similar explanation would be sought from around 15 Lok Sabha members who were absent during the same debate on Monday, said the sources. The government won the day despite a lack of majority in the Rajya Sabha with help from the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and its mercurial ally Trinamool Congress, which stayed away from the house. (IANS)

Akhilesh so far, walks in the shadow of Mulayam

Lucknow, March 20: It may be a little too early to call it the end of the political honeymoon for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. But his choices and decisions since taking charge of India’s most populous state have left tongues wagging on how much is the Yadav junior a man of his own mind. For one who gave millions hope of fair governance and spruced up law and order, the first jolt came when he not only inducted Bhadri scion Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiyya into his cabinet but inducted three others facing serious criminal cases in his government. These include Durga Prasad Yadav (history sheeter), Parasnath Yadav (named in murder cases) and Balram Yadav (linked to Ayurveda scam during the last Mulayam Singh Yadav regime). Akhilesh Yadav defended them by saying all the cases had political overtones, but the taint is not easy to wash away.

While many admit that all developments happening in the corridors of power - be it allotment of portfolios and posting of IAS and IPS officeres - have the signature of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, close aides of the chief minister said that they found nothing wrong in interjections by seniors as ‘day to day matters were left to Akhilesh Bhaiyya’.

Also, Akhilesh Yadav has not only retained the controversial and all powerful IAS Anita Singh as his secretary (also his father’s in the last tenure) but the official has become the sole window to the 38-year-old chief minister. All files at the ‘pancham tal’ (fifth floor) would now go to the chief minister via Anita Singh.

The SP supremo has already made it clear that he was going to watch the activities of the state government headed by his son. “If need be I will intervene if I find anyone, the ministers, officials or legislators going astray,” Mulayam Singh said.

Mulayam Singh Yadav also met legislators and ministers, asking them to be “cautious of their public conduct”.

Contrary to expectations, Yadav Junior has retained a whopping 50 portfolios - Home, Finance, Power, Vigilance, Estate, Forests, Civil Aviation, Electronics-IT, Protocol and Higher education, for himself - while attaching five ministers to himself. By doing so, he seems to have bettered his predecessor Mayawati who held 47 portfolios.

Old timers feel this was harakiri for the young chief minister as he already has “bigger responsibilities” on his shoulder. With presidentship of the state SP still with him, a senior SP leader warned that the going might get tough sooner than later for Akhilesh Yadav.

Allocation of other departments like PWD and Irrigation to his uncle Shiv Pal Singh Yadav and Prison and Food and Civil Supplies to independent legislator Raghuraj Pratap Singh have done little good to Akhilesh Yadav’s image.

This is because both these men in the previous tenure of Mulayam Singh had their share of controversies. (IANS)

Adarsh scam: Three arrested, more likely

Mumbai, March 20: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested three people in connection with the Adarsh Housing Society scam, over a week after being rapped by the Bombay High Court, officials said. “Another accused Kanhaiyalal Gidwani is already in judicial custody in another matter, hence a call on him will be taken as per rules,” a CBI official said. The scam involves a prime plot in south Mumbai’s Colaba neighbourhood where a 31-storey building was constructed by the society. At least three more arrests in connection with the scam are likely soon, sources said. The Bombay High Court had on March 12 rapped CBI for not initiating action against government officials involved in the Adarsh society scam. A division bench of the Bombay High Court had on February 28 also castigated the Enforcement Directorate for ‘serious lapse’ in failing to initiate investigations against some Adarsh society members allegedly involved in money-laundering. (IANS)

Former CPI-M lawmaker, aides sent to 3 days’ CID custody

Kolkata, March 20:  A court on Tuesday sent former Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) MP Laxman Seth and two of his associates, arrested in connection with the 2007 Nandigram violence, to three days’ CID custody. “The court rejected their (Seth along with Ashok Guria and Amiya Sahu) bail plea and has ordered them to CID custody till Friday when they will again be produced before the court,” Deputy Inspector General (Operations-CID) K Jayaraman said. The prosecution had demanded 10 days’ custody, contending that the interrogation of the accused can lead to discovery of several people who went missing following the incident in 2007. The defence, however, contended that the accused were falsely charged in the case and sought their bail which was rejected by the court. (IANS)

Andhra minister appears before CBI in Jagan case

Hyderabad, March 20: Andhra Pradesh cabinet minister Mopidevi Venkatramna on Tuesday appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning in the case relating to alleged illegal assets of YSR Congress party leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy. Mopidevi, who currently holds excise portfolio, was minister for infrastructure and investment during the tenure of late chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy when several decisions were taken allegedly to favour the latter’s son Jaganmohan Reddy. The CBI officials will question him with regard to certain orders allegedly benefiting companies that in turn invested in Jaganmohan Reddy’s business. Mopidevi is the first minister to appear before CBI in the case. Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Manmohan Singh also appeared before CBI. He was secretary, infrastructure and investment, when Mopidevi was the minister. Mopidevi is one of the six ministers and Manmohan Singh one of the eight IAS officers who were issued notices by the Supreme Court on March 12, asking them why their role should not be probed with regard to the 26 government orders issued during the tenure of Rajasekhara Reddy (2004-09). The orders allegedly benefited companies in the form of lands and licenses, and they invested huge money in the businesses owned by Jagan under a quid pro quo arrangement. The CBI had booked a case against Jaganmohan Reddy and 70 others on the direction of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. (IANS)

Most Karnataka BJP rebels boycott assembly

Bangalore, March 20: A majority of Karnataka’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators supporting former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa boycotted the assembly session that began here on Tuesday. The boycott was led by Yeddyurappa who is demanding that he be made chief minister again as the high court on March 7 quashed the mining bribery case filed against him on the basis of last July’s Lokayukta report. Yeddyurappa, claiming the support of 70 of the party’s 120 members in the 225-member assembly, has set a Tuesday evening deadline for the party’s central leaders to remove his successor DV Sadananda Gowda from the post. Gowda is to present the budget on Wednesday. Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters at a resort on Bangalore's outskirts that only a few ministers and legislators supporting Yeddyurappa would attend the 10-day budget session. He said BJP national leaders were in constant touch with Yeddyurappa over his demand for reinstatement. Yeddyurappa and his supporters have been camping at the resort since Sunday night as part of the pressure tactics to achieve his demand. Sources in the Yeddyurappa camp said the former chief minister has placed several conditions to attend the session. They include announcement of the date for meeting of the party's legislature wing to elect a new leader and Gowda’s resignation a day prior to the meeting. (IANS)

Pune rape, murder convicts get death sentence

Pune, March 20: A city court on Tuesday awarded death sentences to two men convicted in the 2007 rape and murder of a BPO employee, prosecutors said. Investigating officer Rajendra Patil told journalists after the court verdict that the convicts -- driver Purushottam Borade and his friend Pradeep Kokade -- were given death sentence for raping and murdering a 25-year-old woman, Jyotikumari Choudhary, who worked for a call centre of a multi-national company in Pune. However, the verdict can be challenged in a higher court and the convicts have already decided to do so. Their counsel Atul Patil dismissed the charges against Borade and Kokadar and alleged that police had fabricated evidence against them. (IANS)

SC pulls up Centre for being casual on homosexuality issue

New Delhi, March 20: Pulling up the Centre for its ‘casual’ approach on important issue of decriminalization of homosexuality, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said it needs to be condemned.

After going through various affidavits of the government, a bench of justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhyay said the Centre has taken this case very casually. It further said it is a peculiar case in which the government is taking a neutral stand before the apex court on such an important issue after contesting the matter in the high court.

“We don’t know in how many cases they have been neutral. This is one of the peculiar cases where the Centre, which had contested the matter in the high court, is taking a neutral stand. The government comes with the stand that they are neutral. Which one is to be accepted, the affidavits filed in the high court or its stand of neutrality in the Supreme Court,” the bench observed.

The bench also expressed concern that during the last 60 years the Parliament has not considered amending Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, despite recommendations for it by the Law Commission. “The highest legislature doesn’t have time to consider these issues. How long will the people of this country wait for the legislature to find time to consider these issues,” the bench observed.

The apex court was hearing petitions by anti-gay rights activists and also by political, social and religious organisations, opposing the high court verdict.

The Delhi High Court had in 2009 decriminalized gay sex as provided in Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and had ruled that sex between two consenting adults of same sex in private would not be an offence. Section 377 (unnatural offences) of the IPC makes gay sex a criminal offence entailing punishment up to life term. Senior BJP leader B P Singhal has challenged the high court verdict in the Supreme Court saying such acts are illegal, immoral and against the ethos of Indian culture.

Religious organizations like All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Utkal Christian Council and Apostolic Churches Alliance too have challenged the judgment.

The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Right, Tamil Nadu Muslim Munn Kazhgam, astrologer Suresh Kumar Kaushal and yoga guru Ramdev have also opposed the verdict.

The Centre earlier had informed the apex court that there are an estimated 25 lakh gay population and about seven percent (1.75 lakh) of them are HIV-infected.

In its affidavit, filed by the Union health ministry, it said that it is planning to bring 4 lakh high-risk ‘men who have sex with men (MSM)’ under its AIDS control programme and it has already covered around 2 lakh of them. Earlier, Naz Foundation, an NGO, working for the welfare and rehabilitation of HIV-infected persons, contended that criminalising homosexual acts is against constitutional values and law should not interfere when consenting adults are involved. “It amounts to demeaning their worth and marginalizing them in society. They are not able to reveal their sexual expression as it has been made an offence in the society. Even incest is not an offence,” the NGO had said. (PTI)

Russian court resumes hearing on Gita ban

New Delhi, March 20: Putting to test India’s diplomatic skills to find an amicable solution to a Russian state prosecutors’ bid to get Hindus’ holy text Bhagavad Gita banned, a court in the Siberian city of Tomsk on Tuesday resumed hearing in the case ahead of the final verdict on Wednesday.

This has resulted in anxiety gripping 50,000 Hindus in Russia, as they feel there was a state-sponsored effort to proscribe Bhagavad Gita As It Is, written by AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

Prosecutors had in late January filed an appeal against a Tomsk lower court’s dismissal of their original plea on December 28, 2011 last. “The case hearing on the prosecutors’ plea to ban Bhagavad Gita resumed on Tuesday,” Mikhail Frolov, the advocate for Hindus said over the phone from Tomsk city. “The hearing on Tuesday lasted only for 15 minutes and was postponed till Wednesday,” Frolov said.

The case, originally filed in June 2011, to global notice in December when Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in Moscow for a summit meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The case attracted a great deal of attention around the world, and in India in particular with its parliament rocked for two days after members raised the issue of Russian prosecutors' attack on the Hindus' religious text and philosophical treatise.

This led to External Affairs Minister SM Krishna making a statement in parliament on the Tomsk city case that was filed in June 2011 and the Indian government mounting a diplomatic effort at the ‘highest levels’ with the Russian government to get the matter resolved.

On Monday, ahead of the Tuesday hearing, ISKCON international chief Bhakti Vijnana Goswami said over the phone that ‘anxiety is mounting’ for the Hindus in Russia over the repeated attempts by the state prosecutors to ban Bhagavad Gita. The appeal had first come up for hearing on March 6. It will now be heard on Wednesday. (IANS)

Shonali Bose focuses lens on taboo subject - again

Mumbai, March 20:  Once bitten twice shy is a proverb you cannot apply to filmmaker Shonali Bose. For the second time in her life, she is trying to make “Margarita. With a Straw”, a film on a largely untouched subject - cerebral palsy. This time, she is armed with a little experience. The film is inspired by her cousin who suffers from the disease.

Her “Amu” in 2005 was a rare feature film to be made on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Though it helped sensitize people about the issue, making it was an uphill task. She realized the hard way why even after two decades there was no film on the 1984 riots - and not another made till now - for as far as taboo subjects go, in Punjabi dominated Bollywood, this was up there.

It is 2012 and Shonali is gearing up to make Margarita. With a Straw and cerebral palsy (CP) is another no-go subject.

The disease causes multiple disabilities in a person, often distorting the body. Thus cinema, the greatest propagator of conventional beauty through the nubile bodies of actors, is not keen on having someone visibly ‘ugly’ as a lead. It even goes against the dictates of the most renegade of world cinema which has at least one thing in common with commercial cinema - good looking actors. Though there is a notable exception in My Left Foot, which won Daniel Day Lewis an Oscar for his stunning performance, there hasn’t been one in over two decades that matches its power.

This Shonali knows. Yet, she is upbeat about her script Margarita. With a Straw. The reason: it has already won accolades by winning the 2012 Sundance Institute Mahindra Global Filmmaking award along with three other global projects and being the only Indian among 500 scripts selected from the country. (IANS)

Down Syndrome patients need early intervention

New Delhi, March 20: Even though Down Syndrome (DS) remains an incurable condition, experts believe that acceptance by the family and early intervention go a long way in ensuring that a person with DS is able to live a normal life and be socially independent.

Worldwide, on March 21 is celebrated as the World Down Syndrome Day. DS is a genetic condition that affects 1 out of 800 people and is universally present across racial, gender or socio-economic lines, according to Down Syndrome International, a UK-based organization for creating awareness about DS. The people having DS often suffer from mental retardation, have a flat face, long or protruding tongue and slanted eyes.

“Down Syndrome is a genetic condition and so far, medical science has no cure for the condition. It is not something that can be prevented. The parents often blame themselves and wonder what did they do wrong,” Aarti Anand, clinical psychologist at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital,said.                                                    Anand claimed that more than the child, the family members need counseling and professional help as ‘they are often unable to accept the fact that their child has Down’s syndrome.’ Calling it a handicap, Anand said that the acceptance of the family members was very important as only after accepting the disease can family members properly take care of the patient.

Geeta Chhabra (36) has DS but her parents didn’t realise about her condition at the time of her birth. According to doctors, only 25 per cent of her brain is functional but when her family put her in a special school, she shone as a student.

While DS can be detected during pregnancy and parents can decide whether they want to continue or abort, child image consultant, Abha Kashyap claims that most children affected by DS, ‘can do very well if given proper stimulus and care.’

“In fact, DS-affected children are often much more loving than normal children. They are truly God’s children,” Kashyap said. (IANS)

Cancer patients hope for children - with fertility preservation

New Delhi, March 20: Newly married and with a great job, life had just begun for 30-year-old Anshul Sharma when it suddenly hit the pause button. He was diagnosed with leukaemia, a type of blood cancer.

“I was completely shattered when I came to know that I had cancer. It is the kind of mindset that we live in - that cancer means the end of the world. But thankfully for me, I went to the right doctor who said that my cancer was curable and that I could opt for the technique before the treatment, so that my chances of having a child did not diminish,” Sharma said. “Let me tell you, it was not an instant ‘yay’ moment. At that point, four years back, my and my wife’s sole concern was to get rid of the disease. We were given the hope to have a normal life once again, and I gave in,” he added.

Today, Sharma’s cancer is under control, and he hopes to start a family soon.

Cancer patients, mostly the young, are now often given the choice of fertility preservation by their oncologist before they start treatment, so that their chances of having a family does not end with cancer. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), there are anywhere between 2.8 to 3 million cancer patients in India.

According to Bhawna Sirohi, head of the medical oncology department in the Artemis Health Institute, while it is not necessary that a person suffering from cancer will not bear a child, and chances are high if he or she is young, the treatment procedure - which may include chemotherapy and radiation - diminishes his or her fertility.

The issue becomes even more important considering that younger people are increasingly diagnosed with cancer, said BN Das, a senior gynae-oncology consultant. “Figures show that 8 to 10 per cent of cancer patients these days are below the age of 40. Cancer in this reproductive age is a matter of great concern for both the patient and the doctor. To deal with the double whammy of cancer and then possible infertility, fertility preservation is important,” Das said.

In case of men, the procedure constitutes sperm cryopreservation - when the sperms are frozen for an indefinite period. They are advised abstinence from sexual activity three days before the procedure. “It’s much easier in men than in women. In women, when the ovary has to be stimulated to produce eggs, the process can delay the treatment by four to six weeks,” Sirohi said. “That long a delay in serious cases, like blood cancer, when even 24 hours can mean a lot, is not advisable. In that case, another procedure, which involves cutting a part of the ovary to harvest eggs, is the best option,” she added.

Asma Khan is a 33-year-old business executive who was detected with breast cancer last year. Doing well professionally, with no plans to get married as yet, cancer changed the course of her life. “But I was not one of those to give up. My life had to be planned carefully, to give myself the best chance. And that included getting married and having kids. My doctor told me about fertility preservation and after discussing it with my boyfriend, I went ahead,” Khan said.

Six weeks later, she started her chemotherapy session.

Doctors however advise not to go for a child for at least two years after the cancer has been controlled because chances of recurrence during this period is high. (IANS)

Uttaran takes 18-year leap, Tina plays double role

New Delhi, March 20: Popular show Uttaran is set to take an 18-year leap, with actress Tina Datta playing a double role as 35-plus Ichcha and her young daughter Meethi. The show will air on Colors from March 26 and Tina is excited about her double role. Actress Sreejita De has been roped in to play Mukta, daughter of Ichcha’s childhood friend Tapasya. They will be supported by Yashdeep Nain and Chaitanya Choudhury. Even as the new characters lead the way, the show’s popular characters Jogi Thakur, Ammo and Naani will continue being a part of it. The show started off with the portrayal of Ichcha and Tapasya building their friendship as kids, their squabbles as adolescents and their love-hate relationship as adults. The new leap will put focus on their children and life thereon. “While the existing characters will now move on to take on some more interesting shades, like Tina’s mother-daughter avatar, new faces will take on strong characters that take the story forward. We are sure that Meethi and Mukti will recreate the amazing chemistry that was shared by Ichcha and Tapasya when they started their journey,” Prashaant Bhatt, head of fiction, Colors, said in a press statement. Post the secon leap, the story will not only focus on the continuing trials and tribulations in Ichcha’s life, but also the new twist in the tale with Meethi and Mukta’s friendship while they have no knowledge about the reality of their past. (IANS)

I don’t have body proportions of barbie doll: Sonam Kapoor

Mumbai, March 20:  Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor feels that she does not have body proportions to be like a barbie doll. “I don’t have body proportions of barbie doll. They said if a barbie doll was given human proportions, then she would be seven feet tall with 26 inch waist, which is not possible...I don’t think I got that body”, Sonam, who has good height, beautiful features and gorgeous smile, said when she was asked whether she would like to do the barbie doll act like other Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif. Katrina had stolen several hearts, when she walked the ramp, dressed as a barbie doll at the Lakme Fashion Week for Mattel Toys in 2009. Katrina had become the new celebrity face of the barbie doll, when she had sashayed down the ramp. But even though Sonam thinks that she does not have a perfect body type, she certainly is a style icon for many girls, when it comes to fashion. “It is scary, but fun to be called a style icon. It is nice to be stylish, but I feel I am too young to be iconic,” Sonam said. (PTI)

Vidya’s Kahaani hit among online gamers

New Delhi, March 20:  After getting positive reviews from critics and audiences, Vidya Balan’s Kahaani has now become a huge hit among online gamers. It got 50,000 hits within the first 10 days of its launch. The Great Indian Parking Wars requires gamers to park Vidya’s taxi on a friend’s street to help her in the journey to find her missing husband. Gamers can play the game at ibibo.com and can get in touch with Vidya through her gaming profile on the website. “It’s amazing to see the kind of popularity Ibibo has developed about the film on social media,” said the actress about the association with ibibo.com. Gamers, who help Vidya by parking her yellow taxi inside the game, also get a chance to meet her as well as an opportunity to win movie merchandise and tickets. (IANS)

Vikram Bhatt completes two decades in filmdom

New Delhi, March 20: Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, who has movies like Ghulam and Raaz to his credit, completed two decades in the Hindi film industry on Tuesday. It’s been quite a ride, he says. “There has been a lot of pain, suffering, euphoria, annihilation and joy,” said Vikram. “20th March '92 my first day as a director. 20 years on Tuesday. Such a long journey! I survived,” Vikram wrote on Twitter. He calls Mahesh Bhatt his ‘teacher’ and thanks him for all that he has learnt in the industry. Vikram also put up a scanned picture of a note that Mahesh Bhatt wrote to him on the first day of the shoot. The note read: “Vikram, remember this is a journey of the alone to the alone. Wish you a happy journey and safe landing. Love, Mahesh.” Vikram’s last project was the stereoscopic film Haunted 3D and upcoming is Dangerous Ishq, which marks the comeback of actress Karisma Kapoor to Bollywood. The film also features Rajniesh Duggal, and is set for release in May. (IANS)

‘Don’t want my son in films’

Mumbai, March 20: Actor-producer Akshay Kumar, who spends quality time with his 10-year-old son Aarav despite his busy schedule, says that he wants to keep him away from films. “He is too young. I want my son to be away from films. I want him to enjoy childhood. I want him to go and play football. Go on the beach and enjoy life,” Akshay said. The Bollywood star also revealed that he leads a disciplined life and doesn’t bend his rules regardless of his hectic shooting schedule. “I don’t enjoy partying. I don’t understand why they play music so loud. I like to sleep early. I go off to sleep by 9 to 9.30. I get up by 4.30 in the morning,” the 44-year-old said. “Twinkle sleeps by 8.45 in the night and thank god this is the only similarity that I and Twinkle share. Life becomes very calm when your partner sleeps at the same time. We share this one thing in common,” he said. (IANS)

Parna Ghose to showcase at Vancouver Fashion Week

New Delhi, March 20: Indian-American fashion designer Parna Ghose has been invited to show her Fall-Winter collection at the Vancouver Fashion Week starting from Friday. She will showcase her collection in Vancouver on March 23. Ghose is known for creating ethnic couture and ready to wear western designs. Her new collection has been created using rich fabrics and ethnic craftsmanship. The fabrics include silk, chiffon, georgette, brocade, ghaddi, tanchoi silk and banarasi embedded with zircon and kundan work.(IANS)