Initiate criminal proceedings against erring private schools

AIPA is organizing an ‘Aam Aadmi Dharna on October 9

Photo courtesy Edu09

The All India Parents Association (AIPA) is organizing an ‘Aam Aadmi Dharna’ to highlight the need for reform in School Education System.The Dharna will be held at RAJGHAT on October 09, 2011 from 10.00 AM to 1.00 PM, to demand:
1. Removal of disparities between various Government Schools and up-gradation of All Government run schools all over the country to the minimum level of Kendriya Vidyalayas (Central Schools).

2. Enactment of a Central Law to regulate the fees and other charges in unaided private schools all over the country.

3. Resolution by the State Assemblies in support of the above issues.

4. Initiation of criminal proceedings against the erring private school managements having been indicted by the CAG in its recent report in regard to 25 unaided private
schools of Delhi.

What AIPA strives to Achieve

The AIPA and Private schools both realize that power of private schools is derived from poor conditions in the Government schools. Falling standards in government schools push people towards private schools. In this kind of scenario on one hand where Private schools know that parents have no other choice, therefore they can exploit them. On the other hand, AIPA
believes that salvation of children in all types of schools depends on improving government schools, and bringing about greater equity in quality of all categories of schools.
The objective of All India Parents Association (AIPA) is loud and clear - to work for the realization of the constitutional philosophy of equality, social justice and good quality education

About AIPA

All India Parents Association (AIPA) was formed out of the conviction that all children whether in Government schools or private schools, have a right to good education in environments where their rights are protected. If that does not happen, then parents who have entrusted their children to the system in good faith, can and should come together to support one another in ensuring a caring and responsive educational system. Wherever children’s and parents’ voices are heard, schools systems improve.

The Beginnings
In 1997, the unaided recognized private schools in Delhi on the pretext of Fifth Pay Commission recommendations increased fees from 40% to 400% which shocked the middle class whose wards were studying in these schools. For the first time in the history of India, the middle class came together and raised their voice against the arbitrary fee hike by the
private schools. Consequently, an organization namely Delhi Abhivahak Mahasangh came into existence which took forward the case of the parents against their exploitation at the hands of the private schools. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed through Advocate Ashok Agarwal (National President AIPA) in the Hon’ble Delhi High Court highlighting the
exorbitant, arbitrary and unjust fee hike by the private schools resulting in violation of the Right to Education of the children. The Hon’ble High Court in its Judgment dated 30.10.1999 rejected the arguments of the private schools and laid down parameters for determining justified fees.

During this case, it was strongly felt that one of the major cause of exploitation of the hapless parents by the private schools is that the standard of education in the Government schools has gone down tremendously and the exploitation at the hands of the private schools cannot be checked unless the standards of education in Government schools is improved to a satisfactory level.

The Achievements

Therefore in 1997 itself, another PIL highlighting the absence of basic amenities in the Government and Municipal schools in Delhi was filed in the Hon’ble Delhi High Court. This petition was not only entertained but the Orders passed therein were monitored for more than 10 years by the Hon’ble Delhi High Court. Thereafter many other PILs were filed in the
Hon’ble Delhi High Court that resulted in to Regulation of Nursery Admission process, Admissions of EWS students in to the schools which have taken land on concessional rates from Government, Admission of Disable/ differently abled Students, Appointment of special teachers schools, Infrastructural facilities for Disable/ differently abled Students and Filling of vacancies of Teachers in Government/MCD Schools.

In 2008, once again the private schools not only in Delhi but all over the country increased fees arbitrarily on the pretext of Sixth Pay Commission. This time it had given rise to an agitation by the parents not only in Delhi but all over the country. The Delhi Government issued an order allowing unaided private schools to increase fee without first scrutinizing their accounts. Again a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed through Advocate Ashok Agarwal in 2009 in the Hon’ble Delhi High Court challenging the Delhi Governments arbitrary order. The Hon’ble High Court in its order dated 12-08-2011 upheld the contentions of the Parents and constituted a committee to audit the accounts of all the unaided private
schools to see the justification of any Fee Hike. As a result of this PIL the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) for the first time exercised its statutory duty and audited the accounts of 25 unaided private schools in Delhi and in its report indicted 23 out of 25 schools for gross financial malpractices. With this rise of parents’ voices at an all India Level, the All India Parents Association came into being. Since then, the AIPA has undertaken several Dharnas, Rallies, Meetings, Seminars, etc. to highlight the issues relating to the Right to Education of all children.

How you can Help

The AIPA strongly feels that parents, students and teachers must unite together to achieve the ultimate goal of free and compulsory school education of good quality for all children. While holding the Aam Aadmi Dharna at RAJGHAT on 9th October, 2011 between 10.00 AM to 1.00 PM, The AIPA also invites people at large and parents particularly to hold
corresponding Dharnas in front of the State Assemblies on the same date and time to demand resolution from the Assemblies in support of the aforementioned issues and to send the same to the Central Government.

All India Parents Association (AIPA)
Agarwal Bhawan, G. T. Karnal Road, Tis Hazari, Delhi‐110 054
9811101923, 9810133325

Wounded Warrior Keeps Serving

By Army Spc. Crystal Hudson  U.S. Division North CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Oct. 6, 2011 - Army Sgt. Aaron Manis, a human resources specialist with 4th Infantry Division's 101st Human Resources Company, calmly walks the halls of U.S. Division North's main building here, hoping to share his positive attitude with everyone he passes. Army Sgt. Aaron Manis works at his desk at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, Sept. 7, 2011. Manis returned to active duty after being injured in Iraq in 2006. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Crystal Hudson  "He is a quiet professional with a strong work ethic who completes the mission," said Army Capt. Johnny Jun, human resources operations officer.Manis is discreet about what he has experienced during his 10-year Army career. Most soldiers would never know the noncommissioned officer helping them with their paperwork was seriously injured during his last tour in Iraq. On Aug. 7, 2006, Manis' life was changed forever. He was an infantryman then, and he and his team were on a patrol in Baghdad when they got called to another area to check out a possible threat. After finding nothing unusual there, they loaded up to head out. Manis popped into the gunner's hatch and turned to the rear of the vehicle to make sure it was clear. "There was a guy 150 feet away, and he decided he wanted to be a sniper and tried to take me out," he said. The bullet went in on the right side of Manis' face near his eye and exited there. "I never lost consciousness," he said. "It felt like a big rock being thrown at the side of [my] face." He recalls putting his hand to his face, and looking at his hand covered in blood. He then dropped down into the vehicle and let the vehicle commander know he was hit. "The medic came, and he performed first aid," Manis said. "There is not really much that you can do but put a bandage on it." He remembers trying to soothe the other soldiers in the vehicle with jokes so they would not worry about the incident. Manis was evacuated to Germany for treatment, and eventually transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., with the hope of repairing the damage to his right eye. "When the bullet entered, the force and the heat of the round forced the retina to scrunch up," he explained. Doctors at Walter Reed did all they could to help restore the vision he lost, but the damage was too extensive, and Manis is blind in his right eye. "My wife was heartbroken. I had to calm her down," he said. "It is just something that happens. It comes with the territory." Manis spent six months in recovery at Walter Reed, and admits going through a dark time there. "I accepted it," he said. "I am the one who signed up to be an infantryman. That was the only way that I could heal -- by accepting." Manis said the soldiers he encountered at Walter Reed and in his warrior transition unit are the best group of soldiers he has ever met. "I will never forget the heroes I worked with that helped me out in my time of need, and all the friends I've made since then," he said. From Walter Reed, Manis went to Fort Campbell, Ky., to begin his medical board process. He was recommended for reclassification and became a human resources specialist. "Sergeant Manis' personal experience in the Army casualty reporting process provides him a unique knowledge base, which bolsters his abilities to lead a critical mission," Jun said. He added that Manis is a living example of the Army Warrior Ethos -- he placed the mission first, he never accepted defeat, and he never quit. Manis draws from his experience in the warrior transition unit to apply that knowledge to his leadership style. "I took one thing from the WTU: every soldier is unique," he said. "Two people might have the same injury on paper, but it is not the same injury to them." One soldier may be able to handle the injury really well, he explained, while the other may struggle with it. Manis' decision to return to active duty after his injury enables him to bring combat experience to his current position. He sets a positive example for all of the soldiers he encounters, Jun said. "You don't have to be wounded or, sadly, lose your life in combat to be a hero," Manis said. "Just wear that uniform, and serve your country, and do it the right way. You will be a hero." �

Related Sites: U.S. Forces Iraq

How to Detect Hidden Camera in Trial Room?

Poetess RAJNI telling you the secret: from an important message 

Read This Message.....!!!!
In fron...t of the trial room take your mobile and make sure that mobile can
make calls........
Then enter into the trail room, take your mobile and make a call.....
If u can't make a call......!!!!
There is a hidden camera......
This is due to the interference of fiber optic cable during the signal
transfer......

Please forward this to your friends to educate this issue to the
public......To prevent our innocent ladies from HIDDEN CAMERA...........

Pinhole Cameras in Changing Rooms of Big Bazaar, Shoppers Stop?

A few days ago, I received this text message:
Please don't use Trial room of BIG BAZAAR there are pinhole cameras to make
MMS of young girls.
So, please forward to all girls. Also forward to all boys who have sisters
and girlfriends.

Don't be shy in forwarding this message. Because its about protecting the
integrity of all girls & ladies.

HOW TO DETECT A 2-WAY MIRROR?

When we visit toilets, bathrooms, hotel rooms, changing rooms, etc., How
many of you know for sure that the seemingly ordinary mirror hanging on the
wall is a real mirror, or actually a 2-way mirror I.e., they can see you,
but you can't see them. There have been many cases of people installing
2-way mirrors in female changing rooms or bathroom or bedrooms.

It is very difficult to positively identify the surface by just looking at
it. So, how do we determine with any amount of certainty what type of Mirror
we are looking at?

CONDUCT THIS SIMPLE TEST:

Place the tip of your fingernail against the reflective surface and if there
is a GAP between your fing

Poetess RAJNI

PUCL condemning house search of Kavita Srivastava

Kavita Srivastava, a respected social activist

1. People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) (National) strongly condemns the high handed police action in raiding and searching the house of Kavita Srivastava, a respected social activist who is the  National Secretary of PUCL and President of the Rajasthan State unit of the PUCL on the morning of 3rd October, 2011.

2. The police purportedly raided her house to search for a `naxalite’ whose identity is not clear. The search was led by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Rajendra Singh Shekawat. It was apparently done on the request of Chhattisgarh Police which was led by one Memon in plain clothes. The raid was calculated to intimidate and create fear as a truck load of Special Task Force Police were stationed outside her house. Police were positioned out side the PUCL office as well. Kavita was not present in the house during the raid. Despite the fact that the family members of Kavita fully co-operated with the search party, Kavita’s 80 year old father who is on a pace maker was shoved around. Her sister and a guest who had just left the house were detained outside the house for more than an hour. The family’s domestic helpers were also not spared and were harassed and intimidated. The search party obviously did not find any fugitive from law taking refuge in her house.

            3. Kavita and her family are old residents of Jaipur and are well known and respected . As an office bearer of PUCL she has been continuously interacting with the local police as well as the State authorities on several issues concerning the poor and the oppressed in Rajasthan. Thus her bonafides are well established and a search of this nature is completely un- warranted and uncalled for.  It is most disconcerting how a search warrant against her could have been so casually issued

when the Supreme Court has cautioned against it and observed that “issuance of a search warrant is a serious matter and it would not be advisable not to dispose of an application for search warrant in a mechanical way by a laconic order. Issue of search warrant being in the discretion of the Magistrate it would be reasonable to expect of the Magistrate to give reasons which swayed his discretion in favour of granting the request. A clear application of mind by the learned Magistrate must be discernible in the order granting the search warrant.”

            4. It is well known that Kavita Srivastava, in her capacity as the National Secretary of the PUCL has been active not only in the campaign for release of Dr. Binayak Sen but has also been in the fore front of raising issues of rights violation with impunity by the State of Chhattisgarh and its police force. In the recent past she has been spear- heading the campaign against the arbitrary BPL criteria set by the Planning Commission and the attempts of the Central Government to exclude vast sections of the poor from receiving any of the PDS and other services.  She had also taken up the issue of recent attacks on the minority community in Rajasthan.

            5. It is thus evident that the early morning raid in her house is nothing but an act of harassment and an attempt at intimidating not just Kavita Srivastava as a person but PUCL as an organization and all other human rights and social activists who dare to raised issues of rights violations. The PUCL states that the action of police authorities is in violation of article 12 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders which mandates that States shall protect human rights defenders from pressure and arbitrary action as a consequence of their legitimate actions to defend and protect human rights.

            6. The PUCL demands that the States of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and their respective Police Officials refrain forthwith from pursuing such intimidating tactics in future against Kavita Srivastava and other human rights activists and to carry out their obligations under the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders .

--------------

D. Nagasaila, Advocate
Dr. V. Suresh, Advocate
National Secretary, People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)
Hussaina Manzil, III Floor, 255 (Old No. 123), Angappa Naicken St., Chennai 600 001
Ph.: +91-25352459 / 42621386-87 / Mobile: +91-94442-31497