6 Months After Geetika Sharma, Mother Kills Self

The fight against the system — and former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda — took another life in the Sharma family. Six months after her daughter Geetika committed suicide in August in the family’s Ashok Vihar home, Anuradha Sharma also killed herself on Friday — by hanging herself in the same room as her daughter.
For, she said in her suicide note, she could never get over the trauma of Geetika’s death. “We found a suicide note in the house. Anuradha Sharma was depressed. The note says Gopal Kanda and Aruna Chaddha were responsible for Geetika’s death,” said P Karunakaran, DCP, northwest.

According to the police, Anuradha — an accountant in the finance ministry — returned from work at 4.30pm. She was alone at home. Her husband Dinesh and sister-in-law Jyoti were the first to see the body when they entered using a spare key and informed the police.

According to the police, Anuradha — an accountant in the finance ministry — returned from work at 4.30pm. She was alone at home. Her husband Dinesh and sister-in-law Jyoti were the first to see the body when they entered using a spare key and informed the police.

Earlier, Geetika’s suicide note also alleged ‘mental harassment’ by her boss Kanda, then a Haryana minister and managing director of the MDLR group.

Geetika was an airhostess in the group’s airline venture. After the airline folded up, she tried to get away but was forced to stay back and shifted to the group’s educational institution in Gurgaon.

During the probe, it emerged that Geetika and her family were well known to Kanda and his wife and both families had gone on tours and pilgrimages.

After Geetika’s death, Kanda and HR chief of the group Aruna Chaddha were arrested for abetment to suicide. But the family feels its loss was irreparable and its honour sullied irreversibly.

A fresh case of abetment to suicide has been registered against Kanda and Chaddha at north Delhi’s Bharat Nagar police station.

HT

People Who Have Mandate To Rule Are Typical "Bullies": CAG

Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai, whose reports on various scams had raised the hackles of those in the government, says people who have the mandate to rule are typical "bullies". Rai, who is due to retire in May this year, also said on Friday that time alone will tell whether he will join politics.

The Government auditor while stating that public officials make the most oft repeated statement that law would be allowed to take its own course over detection of large number of misdemeanors regretted that this does not happen at all. Touching upon the rash of corruption case that has come to the fore, Rai said things have changed and the silent majority can no more be bullied by the minority.

Describing 2012 as a defining year, the CAG said the year debunked the myth of silent majority.

"The myth that has been debunked is that of the silent majority. The majority is always silent because the minority feel that they have a mandate and they are exercising that mandate. They are more articulate and aggressive than the silent majority...... But, the times have changed....But, the so called people who have the mandate, are typical what I would call, bullies. The majority has to be consistent in their efforts to see the changes in the system," Rai said in response to a question at a banking symposium here.

Rai said the urban middle-class, who are usually averse to the idea of politics, are now asserting themselves, and are uniting for a cause.

"Today, there is a culture of end justifying the means, which has far reaching implications," he added

Rai said compulsion of coalition politics in every democracy is leading to convenient deviations. "The dominant culture of adjustment is prevalent... With honesty and integrity becoming the casualty."

"It is unfortunate that this is exactly what doesn't happen and any number impediments are created in law taking its own course," he said of statements by the public officials over the large number of misdemeanors which have been reported that the law would be allowed to take its own course.

When asked whether he had any plans to join politics post-retirement, Rai quipped, "Is there anything wrong in it?'" However, he said , "time alone will tell. I neither affirm nor deny..."

PTI

Facebook Named ‘Best Place to Work’ by its Employees

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, center, smiles with unidentified co-workers at Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif.

Forget “like” — most Facebook employees absolutely love working for the company, a new survey found.

The social media network topped this year’s list of the 50 best places to work in jobs and careers site Glassdoor.com’s fifth annual Employees’ Choice Awards.

Facebook earned an average score of 4.7 out of a maximum of 5, with employees lauding the company for its “fun” and challenging work environment, its global impact on society — and their admiration for CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

“Facebook is really thriving as a place to work, and much of that can be attributed to Mark Zuckerberg, whose approval rating among employees is up to 99% this year,” Glassdoor spokeswoman Samantha Zupan told the Daily News.

“You see they all talk about the great culture there and certainly the perks also, but it’s a unique atmosphere when you know your work is impacting nearly a billion people.”

It was the second time in the past three years the California company was rated No. 1.

Starbucks came in last in Glassdoor’s survey, which has workers rate the pros and cons of their companies anonymously.

Among the most common Starbucks cons: low pay, bad managers — and dealing with rude customers.

12/12/12: Kashmir Govt Steps In As Online Rumour About Cosmic Rays Goes Viral

People in Kashmir on Tuesday had a sleepless night when an online message went viral that cosmic rays from Mars will enter into Earth and damage mobile phones. The government had to come up with an official statement to dispel the rumour.

Late on Wednesday evening, a message attributed to NASA and BBC news service went viral online with people sharing it on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

The message, which sparked panic, reads: “Attention please: Tonight 12:30am to 3:30am cosmos rays are entering earth from Mars. So switch off your mobile at night. Don't keep your cell with you and put it away while you are sleeping because they are too much dangerous rays.”

The message had people switching off their phones and calling each other to take precaution. “After reading the message, we immediately cut off power supply to the mobile tower in our premises,” said Naseer Ahmad, a resident of south Kashmir’s Bijbehara area.

At several places, mobile users complained that towers were shut by people who have it at private premises. Newspapers offices were flooded with queries by the mobile users.

Late on Tuesday night, the Kashmir’s divisional office issued a state to put to rest the viral rumour. “Don’t panic please. It’s just a rumour,” said Kashmir’s divisional commissioner’s office.

Amir Ali, spokesman of Kashmir divisional commissioner’s office, clarified, “People all around the world are receiving false messages attributed to NASA and BBC that cosmos rays are entering into Earth from Mars. It is clarified that neither BBC nor NASA has released any such news related to Cosmo rays and it is only a rumour.”

The state government asked cellular users “not to pat pay heed to these rumours and help educate others”.

“Spreading rumours and unsubstantiated warnings is unethical and against the law,” said the divisional commissioner’s office.

Rumours and myths around numbers are common in Asia. Many people attribute many myths to 12/12/12, which is 12, Dec of 2012. While many people are using it for memorable dates, some believe untoward incident are bound to unfold.

Amarnath's Remark On Dhoni: BCCI Insists Selectors are Independent

The BCCI on Wednesday refuted former selector Mohinder Amarnath's accusation that board president N Srinivasan had blocked a move to sack under-fire skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, insisting that the selectors are 'independent'.

Amarnath had created a flutter by openly admitting that 'certain internal reason' stopped the selection committee from replacing Mahendra Singh Dhoni as Indian captain after eight successive Test defeats in England and Australia.

But BCCI vice-president and Indian Premier League chairman Rajeev Shukla rebutted the allegations.

"I will not go into what he has said. I don't think this has ever happened. I don't think it is appropriate to give statements like this," Shukla told reporters in New Delhi.

"Whatever one has to say, one can say while participating in the (selection) meeting. Making comments about it, I think it is not appropriate as it creates some kind of perception in the minds of players and fans," he said.

"Selectors are independent. They are not under any pressure," he asserted.

Amarnath, while making the allegation, did not divulge the exact reasons for not sacking Dhoni despite India's Test humiliation which has continued at home as well in the ongoing series against England.

"Definitely, there were discussions to replace Dhoni and people were agreeing to do so but for some internal reason, it didn't happen. I will not like to divulge what were the reasons. But when the time is right, I will let the people of this country know about the reasons," Amarnath, the hero of India's 1983 World Cup victory, had said.

In a roundabout manner, Amarnath had also admitted that there were external pressures on the selection committee when the topic of Dhoni's removal was broached.

"In Indian politics and cricket, it's always the same. There are people who are controlling the game and other people are scared to take a stand," he had stated.

"I believe that Dhoni should be removed as captain from the Tests. He hasn't set the Test stage on fire. A captain's place in the team should be secure and I don't see his place secured in the side. He doesn't have the technique for Test cricket," he added.

It was widely believed that the veteran of 69 Tests and 74 ODIs, who was in line to become the chairman of selectors, was removed at the behest of BCCI president N Srinivasan as he had a fall-out on Dhoni issue.

Source : HT