Jameel Aahmed Milansaar

Dr. H. R. Keshavamurthy*            24th December is observed as “National Consumer Rights Day” in India, since on this day the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was enacted. The Consumer Protection Act provides for effective safeguards to consumers against various types of exploitations and unfair dealings, relying mainly on compensatory rather than a disciplinary or preventive approach. With a large consumer base of 1.27 billion ( 52% males and 48% females) constituting nearly 17.31% of the world’s population, the demography of Indian consumer shows an interesting pattern pointing towards a young consumer base which believes in market mechanism. 30 % of the population lives in urban areas and the rest in rural. The diversity itself is a major challenge for any consumer protection regime. The Constitution of India provides for protection of rights of an individual and also enjoins the State to adhere to the Directive Principles. The...

Dr. M. Manzoor Alam The Delhi Assembly elections results have brought total rout to Congress Party and near-victory to BJP. However, the heavy backing to Aam Aadmi Party has surprised us all, including psephologists, “scientists” of election. We welcome the change as it is the unchangeable nature of life even though all of it has not been to our liking. The most likeable part of it is the rise of AAP, which is the only party in India that has garnered so much of support without resorting to religious, casteist, sectarian or class appeal. That is a real, substantial achievement for a secular democracy: citizens contesting elections as citizens, not as members of a certain religion, caste, sect or class. Their vote support too has come without these considerations. The elections were so keenly fought that no party has emerged with even a working majority, much less absolute majority. Let us hope that whoever forms the government tries to consolidate and further build on the substanti...

Dr. Mohammad Manzoor Alam The single specialisation of RSS since 1920s has been sowing hatred and hostility in the Hindu mind against religious minorities, particularly Muslims and, to a lesser degree, Christians. One of the themes of the anti-Muslim propaganda: the Muslim birth rate is so high that by 2035, Muslims will become the absolute majority in India. The latest round of demographic propaganda began recently with the exhortation of RSS joint general secretary Dattareya Hosable to Hindus to produce more children to “maintain the demographic balance”. Upto here it was ok. But soon the RSS website came up with the following canard: “… In 2035, Muslims will become absolute majority in India (total population: 197.7 crore). Conversion, threatening, rioting, slaughtering, terrorism, intrusion, polygamy, avoiding birth control are major tools for Muslims to reach that figure within the said period”. This is nothing but hate propaganda based on falsehoods. How does threatening, rio...