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Nipun Saxena, a fourth year student of National Law University-Delhi, has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the Delhi Gang Rape case which took place on the 16th of December 2012. For Nipun, this incident acted as a trigger for filing this PIL. Being a concerned citizen and a stakeholder of the case, he claims that it isn’t solely about women rights but about the right of every citizen of our country to feel safe, be it a boy or a girl.

This is the first time in our country that a PIL has been filed by a student where the student himself will be arguing his case.

Q) What is a PIL? And to begin with if you could provide us with a general idea about the PIL filed by you?

Ans) A PIL refers to a Public Interest Litigation which is raised before the High Court or the Supreme Court. Any public spirited citizen can approach the Supreme Court of India to ensure that certain fundamental rights of a citizen are fulfilled. In this case we are contemplating three rights:

–        Right to life with dignity

–        Right against discrimination of women

–        Freedom of movement or carrying out trade and occupation.

The third right has been included for a simple reason which can be explained with an example- living in an ‘unsafe’ environment restricts women to take up jobs that will allow them to leave before a specific hour or before it gets dark. This eventually reduces their work efficiency and hence must be taken up here. In short, public safety is what we are targeting at.

Q) When and what made you feel it was imperative to file this PIL?

Ans) It was the incident which shook the nation that got me thinking about filing this PIL. It is something very common with women, especially among students traveling by public transport. A survey report shows that such incidents take place on an hourly basis around us, let alone daily basis. 86 such incidents have been reported in the past three months, out of which 30 have taken place in moving transport. And these are only the figures that have been reported! More so, it is unacceptable for the system to have tolerated such incidents. This clearly goes to show that the safety measures that are being taken are not adequate.

I feel the protests that took place were significant as something needs to be done, and there has got to be a starting point to it. This is how I am doing my work, by filing the PIL and researching on the issue to look for possible solutions. If everyone would do their respective jobs correctly, these incidents could be avoided.

Q) Who all have filed this PIL along with you? And who all are involved in it, apart from you?

Ans) Initially it was filed by Ankita Chaudhary, a practicing advocate in the Supreme Court, along with me. Ankita, the co-petitioner and I will be arguing for this case. There are also others who have been playing a major role in providing us with all the help that we require. To name a few, Akansha Seth (NLU-D), Devanshu Sajlan (NLUD), Avni Misra (Miranda), Brinda Shroff (Law Fac), Mishika Singh (Campus Law Centre) and Divya Srinivasan (NLU-D). I have also got a lot of support from my mentors in college, and I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my gratification to NLU-D for providing us with the research facilities in the library and also the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ranbir Singh for supporting us.

Q) What are the grounds on which this PIL has been filed?

Ans) The PIL has been filed on the following grounds:

Firstly, the State Transport Authority needs to be directed that public transport should be made safer for women. This can be done by cancelling or revoking the license of drivers and conductors who have made any violations.  These include the antecedents of the driver and conductor- if they have any criminal records pending; If the passengers allowed are over the seating capacity of the buses; not adhering to the route chart, etc. All these are a part of the rules mentioned in the Motor Vehicles Act, but are hardly followed. The bus in the Delhi gang rape case was a contract carriage bus which is not allowed to carry anybody apart from whose names are provided to the driver and conductors. These are usually the buses appointed by offices for their employees or schools for their students. For this bus, the permits had also been lapsed and yet it was being driven around.

Second is regarding the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, which was a term used by the Supreme Court in 1995. Basically, there are many cases wherein victims are traumatized and no medical assistance is provided to them, and even lawyers are not ready to fight their cases. These are more in cases of unwanted pregnancies. Therefore it is very important that such cases are taken up. The issue here is that seventeen years have passed and the central government has still done nothing to establish this.

Third ground is with respect to the practice of the “two finger test” carried out on a rape survivor to ascertain the previous sexual history of the victim. By this test the lady is portrayed to be of a “loose character” and therefore the rape is not recorded as a rape, but is left out by saying it was consensual. In India, this test finds its mention in a 15th century biologists’ book and to see that it is still being practiced in the 21st century with all the medical advancements is simply appalling.

Q) How is the response so far? And what is your plan of action from here on?

Ans) The very fact that the case has been admitted answered all our prayers. The additional solicitor generals are a part of this case and are appearing from the opposite side, which goes to show that the case is being taken seriously.

This case was admitted by the SC on 11th January, which also when we had our first hearing. The second hearing was on 1st Februray when the Additional Solicitor General of india, Siddharth Luthra, was representing the ministers. The next hearing has been scheduled for 8th March.

We are also carrying out a Public Perception Survey regarding the safety of women in Delhi. This survey is being circulated in every college in Delhi/NCR and also the BPO’s and other workplaces. The idea behind this survey is to know how many women have been subjected to such instances where they have felt unsafe and have gone through such instances. This would then be presented as evidence to the SC. Therefore, we need as much response from the people on this as possible to make this step a success.

Q) Do you think the whole hype initially surrounding this case has now subsided and would eventually have no impact on the situation? Or is it just the calm before a storm?

Ans) Sadly, our memory is very short lived. I am in support of peaceful movements, but the fact remains the same. Are you doing anything about it? During the major protests we saw in the capital, there were varying notions of justice which eventually led to nothing. And the idea of ‘prevention is better than cure’ puzzles me. I feel preventive justice is better than corrective justice. Also, I don’t think we need more laws to change anything. What we need is the implementation of those laws.

 

The link to the survey is: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dG9IemR0YWFHbGZHc0JLWnVWUFhPUFE6MQ

Does the name ring a bell? Does it immediately give you the image of the shady place situated in Pahadganj, known for its dearth cheap alcohol? Well, this My Bar Café is different. Situated in one of the most preferred areas of the city- GK 1, M Block Market, this café has immediately gained popularity owing not only to the already established name, but also the plus points this outlet offers.

For starters, it isn’t as shady as its Pahadganj counterpart. A decently lit up place which is also quite spacious owing to the three floors which also incorporates a separate smoking area. The music and song selection definitely gets a thumbs up. However, this isn’t a place for you to visit if you wish to enjoy your meal in peace and quiet or even have a normal discussion over lunch, as the music won’t allow that.

Though the first eleven pages of their menu boasts of nothing but all sorts of spirits, the food is not bad either. The crispy Chilli Chicken and Honey Chilli Potatoes form a great combination with the drinks. The Veg Manchurian and Chilli Paneer is also a good option for the vegetarians; however, the spiciness of the Chilli Paneer tends to overpower its flavour. A meal for two here would cost you about a Grand, inclusive of alcohol (VAT and Service tax extra).  The location, ambience along with the good food and good music is what seems to be the pull factor of My Bar Café. Not bad for a one time visit or for simply enjoying a few drinks with friends.

On 26th and 27th of January, So Delhi and Travel Secrets held a Travel Writing workshop with Ms.Shubhra Krishan. The workshop focussed on improving writing skills and evaluating one’s aptitude for Travel Writing. Ms.Shubhra Krishan, the editor of Travel Secrets magazine, also spoke about how one can improve and make their CV more impressive in order to help them start their careeras a Travel Writer.The first day of the workshop discussed what is Travel Writing, what is the job of a Travel Writer and what are the key points one must know before getting into this field. The basics of pitching a letter to the editor were also taught,where Ms.Krishan shared a few key tips with the participants.

Shubhra Krishan, herself is a writer, editor, and a globe-trotting journalist with 20+ years of experience (Femina, Cosmopolitan and DNA), is also an author of four successful books. She also writes for Conde Nast Traveller (UK and India), Yoga Journal (USA), Asian Age, The Sunday Express, and several blogs and online magazines.

The organizer of the workshop was So Delhi- a web-based portal (www.sodelhi.com) which focuses on everything that represents Delhi. Apart from covering all restaurants and hotels and reviewing food, they also have a section dedicated to the shopping spots of Delhi, local markets, history of the city and events happening in and around.

The second day of the workshop saw the participants engage in writing exercises where each write up was read and edited by Ms.Krishan, who went on to explain the use of imagery in writing. Later some participants won books and goodies through a lucky draw. One participant even won a meal for two at the ‘Over The Top’ restaurant. The participants were contented after the workshop, having learnt a lot more about the field. One of them even called it a “paisa-wasool” exercise. After this successful endeavour by So Delhi, they plan to hold more of such activities in the near future.

 

The term Deli is an abbreviation of the term ‘Delicatessen’ which means ‘delicacies’ or ‘fine foods’. The Smoke House Deli, situated among other cafes and restaurants of Khan Market, justifies this term to an extent. Their speciality is the smoked food served here, as is evident from the name. The first thing you tend to notice once you enter the place is the ambience. No, there is no wallpaper. The walls have been sketched with what seems to be a simple marker. With the use of this black marker and a plain white background, they have created the feel of a room which has a fireplace, windows (with birds sitting on them) and even a dog playing ball. A brilliant idea, which has been very well executed. This is the first thing that leaves an impression on your mind when you’re here.

Coming to the food, which is pretty good and also well presented. Their idea of serving water is also very interesting. The water jar contains a slice of orange and some mint leaves, giving the water a refreshing feel that also cleanses your palette. Their menu consists of breakfast options, a variety of eggs and omelettes, soups, sandwiches, and their signature burgers, hot dogs and bagels. They also serve pizzas and pastas. The drinks menu here includes fresh juices, smoothies, coolers, tea and coffee.

However, the cost comes out to be approximately Rs.1500 for two which is a bit on the higher side, but it is worth it. The service is also really good and worth mentioning here. Overall, The Smoke House Deli is a good place to enjoy a satisfactory meal.

 

Photo Credits: Abhimanyu Vir Pratap

The Students’ Union and the Women’s Development Cell of Lady Shri Ram College organized a forum, “Let’s Talk” for the students on 22nd January. The idea behind this forum was to make the students aware of the violence faced by people around them, and to get them to open up and “talk” about these things without any apprehensions.

The one and a half hour event saw active participation from the 40 students that attended the forum, out of which 6 – 7 students mustered up the courage to talk about their unfortunate experiences. More students were eager to participate but could not do so due to time constraints. Out of the students who spoke about their experiences, some mentioned being abused by their fathers, while some were raped and never got to raise their voice thereafter.

The forum managed to leave an impact on everybody- some even left the place teary eyed. “I’ve been to such forums before, but it was really shocking to know that even around us, the people we pass by every other day have been victims of such awful acts”, said Sonakshi, a second year Philosophy Hons student.

This is the first of a series of forums to be held in the premises of LSR. It will be followed by “Let’s Act” and other such programmes to empower young people who have been treated in unjust ways and to give them a chance to speak up against such acts of ruthlessness.

The Embassy’s Samosa- A small fast food joint of The Embassy situated in Cannaught Place, this eatery serves sandwiches, corn, and samosas amongst other things. If you order a ‘medium’ samosa here, be ready to be surprised with a huge one that is nothing compared to any average samosa you have ever eaten. One medium samosa costs you Rs.30, and a large one, Rs.50.

The samosa has a decent filling of potatoes, peas, paneer, mixed with other spices and is  served with mint chutney and tomato ketchup. Unfortunately, it did not live up to its name despite the promising size. The filling was decent, but nothing great. Sadly, even the chutney could not help the samosa in any way- Definitely not the best samosa found in Delhi.

Keventer’s Shakes- After the steaming samosa, we move on to one of the oldest fast food joints of CP. This place is a favourite among all generations- be it the kids, the young college goers, the uncles and aunties and even the grandparents!

The place is best known for its milkshakes and ice cream shakes, which they serve in a variety of flavours- coffee, chocolate, strawberry, banana, butterscotch and more. They also serve sandwiches and bread pakoras, but the shakes are what draw the crowds. One milkshake costs Rs.50, with a more than sufficient quantity served in a big glass bottle. With no seats or tables around, people usually take their order and enjoy it while standing there itself, or while walking the streets of Cannaught Place. All the hype surrounding Keventer’s shakes is definitely worth it. With perfect proportions and just the right amount of sugar, each sip leaves you feeling refreshed, satisfied, and definitely wanting more. We recommend everyone to stop by Keventer’s at least once.

 

Picture courtesy-grubhohgs.com

Situated in the midst of Khan Market, this café boasts of a large menu including a sumptuous breakfast followed by pastas, salads, risottos, sandwiches, savoury crepes… and we haven’t even reached the main entrees yet! They also serve fondues, waffles and mouth-watering sinful deserts to satisfy your sweet tooth. One gets to choose from a wide variety of drinks to quench their thirst or just something to go along with their dish- Juices, shakes, smoothies, along with a wide range of options for tea and coffee.Although, while placing the order, one must be very clear about whether they prefer veg or non-veg as the café does tend to mix up orders at times!

Each serving is quite filling when it comes to quantity and is also affordable promising not to burn a hole in your pocket. Quality wise too, the food is worth a try! Coming to the ambience- the entry through the blue door into the café leads one into a lively room with a bright green and serene white colour scheme and decent music playing in the background. The walls have been decorated with interesting paintings to look at and probably ponder over while you enjoy your meal.

But the one thing that you cannot leave without trying at this place is, The Crepes. The desert section is capable of leaving one confused what to pick as everything on the menu seems to make you drool! For those who love apple-based deserts, the Crepe Anglaise is what you are looking for. This desert consists of a crepe with caramelized apple stuffing and a topping of homemade butterscotch finished with a drizzle of chocolate syrup and served with a dollop of fresh cream- An absolute delight and probably the best way to finish your meal. Overall, the café is definitely worth a try.

Image Credits: Additi Seth

His menu boasts of no more than two items: Bhel Puri and Sev Puri. And both these items cost no more than Rs 20. Needless to say, one will always find him crowded by a bunch of girls after almost every class. He is present on all working days, Monday to Friday, at the same spot.  A chaat lover’s blessing, this man.

Of the two items, Sev Puri is a super hit among the students – Although the Bhel Puri doesn’t lag far behind. If you are a fan of spicy chaat, showered (yes, showered. Not just sprinkled) with jhaal and coriander over it, served with a dash of lemon – this is a must try for you! Reasonable, delicious and a filling mid day snack – it doesn’t get better than this. The demand for this chaat is so high that the Bhel Puri wala makes about Rs 1,500 – 2,000 each day.

And to add to all this goodness, he even gives you a complimentary matthi or bhel if needed to reduce the spiciness.

Image Credits: Additi Seth

The newest addition to the foodies’ list – this one is directed more towards those with a sweet tooth – is ‘The Colony Bistro’. Located in the famous market of Amar Colony, right behind Lady Shri Ram College, this little eatery is soon becoming the students’ favourite. The décor from outside sports the look of a typical French Bistro with the  shed, the plants, the wooden chairs and the blackboard proudly announcing the day’s special dish. The facilities provided here include an air conditioned interior, Wi-Fi internet and outdoor seating (for whenever the weather permits).

The food here is good and promises not to burn a hole in your pockets. Their menu ranges from street food to Italian to Chinese. The owner personally recommends the chicken wings, which are currently a favourite among the crowd that comes here. But the deserts are the reason you’ll probably like this place more. Banoffee pie, Blueberry Cheesecake and Chocolate Truffle claim to be the best among the other deserts served. They also have an interesting variety of milk shakes to choose from- Caramel Dream, Blended Irish Cream Shake, Chocolate Hazelnut and many more.

Overall, a good place to hang-out and maybe chill for a bit while you dig into some mouth- watering comfort food.

Post graduate students of MA/MSc Mathematics and BSc Physical and Life Sciences held a demonstration outside the VC’s office earlier this Friday to protest the irregular conduct of classes and push for an inquiry into the semester results. They alleged that a faculty member teaching ‘Measure Theory and Integration’, had been absent since the start of the current semester and that the students had already lost three weeks. The students also conveyed that their seniors had also suffered because of the same teacher in the last semester.

“The department is yet to take any steps”, Prof. Bal Kishan Das, the HOD of Mathematics of Delhi University was quoted saying. “The issue is on record of the university and they are looking into the matter. The department heads can only report things to the university, they can’t take any further steps.

“The department is conscious of the students’ requirements and demands. I had personally assured the students that they will not have to suffer. But they seem to have lost their cool.”

On asking the reason why the teacher hasn’t turned up 3 weeks into the semester, he said, “The teacher seems to be having some issues with the department. But I had mentioned this earlier as well that these things should be sought out as a different issue altogether”

Everybody is supposed to perform their specific duties, which they are, except for this particular teacher. Every time the issue was brought to notice, the department took cognizance of the situation and came out with a solution. There was a little gap, yes. But ultimately something was done to fix the problem.”

Another protest outside the VC’s office saw a strength of around 200 students of the third semester of BSc Physical and Life Sciences. The students demanded an inquiry into the semester results where 73% of the students had not cleared the exam. The students were accompanied by the DUSU President, Ajay Chhikara.

“The result has been extremely poor. Only 22-23% of the students have passed. And what is surprising is, that the students whose results showed that they had passed till morning, the website suddenly showed them as ‘failed’ by the night. This clearly goes to show that the results have been regulated. Therefore, we are protesting against this”, said Ajay Chhikara.

He further said, “The same problem had occurred last few times as well, with this very course. The syllabus is quite heavy and has not been moderated according to the semester system. I also feel that more importance and priority was given to the first semester results as the university wanted to show the success of the new ‘semester system’. And because of this the second years have been neglected, which can have a heavy impact on their futures.”