Citizen 2006

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Behold, a new baby! Pushing its way through tubes blocked by national apathy. Bumping against a diseased uterus overgrown with tumours from the colonial past. And breaking free of the umbilical cord of antiquated legalism. What is the name of the Indian baby born in 2006? The baby is named Citizen 2006. And she has come to new life this past year. Her parents, satyagraha and freedom struggle, lived lives of terrible hardship. They faced the bullets and lathis of colonial rule. They marched and fasted for freedom. Citizen 2006 comes into a more comfortable country. She has been born with two more powerful older siblings, technology and news media. Her siblings hold her hand and help her toddle to her feet. Yet Citizen 2006 has also been born into a divided country. This year in Maharashtra, the Dalit poor attacked the Deccan Queen as a symbol....

A murderous society

133

After an acquittal now a conviction. Manu Sharma, son of the well connected Haryana politician Vinod Sharma, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering Jessica Lal. After Sharma's acquittal (along with all the other accused) in February, citizens came in their numbers to light a candle for Jessica Lal. Chain emails, petitions, letters to the editor and viewer comments on television channels appeared: re-open the Jessica Lal case. The Delhi High Court moved in response. The judges took suo moto cognisance of the acquittal and asked the Delhi Police to furnish details. Delhi Police chief KK Paul took action against investigating officer Surendar Sharma. An internal Delhi Police report was made public pointing to collusion between the accused and the police. This time, in the High Court in an open admission of culpability, the prosecution accepted on record that yes, the first time around, the prosecution failed to do....