Bangalore University sets up separate hostel for Northeastern students

Bangalore: After the tragic death of Arunachal boy Nido Taniam in Delhi, one the largest varsities in India - the Bangalore University - has now set up a separate hostel for Northeastern students. The university said that the idea behind it is to protect students from racial discrimination.

"We will build the hostel, install CCTV cameras, make security arrangements and put security also. That's how we can protect the safety and interest of the north east," said B Thimme Gowda, Vice-Chancellor, Bangalore University.

While students from the Northeast have a mixed opinion on a special hostel for them, the larger question is, will such a move isolate them further in the name of security? Will such a hostel prevent their mingling with others, failing the very purpose of integration? A 19-year-old BA student, S Henna from Manipur, who stays as a paying guest near her college, has a mixed feelings over the proposal.

"This hostel is going to provide protection only in the hostel but they aren't going to give security throughout the places wherever we go. When we are in hostel, yea, we are secure but what happens when we are outside? We can't just stay there, live there and just stick to the hostel," said Henna.

"I don't think it is necessary because we all have our own places like flats, PGs. I think it should be open for the working class," said another girl.

But there are people who support this idea. "I think it's a good idea but personally, I think we should involve the others, with locals so that we can live together peacefully," said a boy from the Northeast.

Meanwhile, the university has defended its plan saying efforts will also be made to mainstream Northeastern students. "We may accommodate 50 per cent of people of Northeast and also from other places for interactions," said Thimme Gowda.

It has been only 2 years, since Bangalore witnessed a temporary exodus of Northeastern students after fears of racist attacks. And now, days after Taniam's death, the university has said it's only reflecting the fears of immigrant students.

Source: IBNlive

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CNN-IBN, IBN7 to pay Rs 1 lakh for ‘biased’ report

New Delhi, Dec 23, 2012 [TOI] --- The News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) has imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh and asked two TV channels — CNN-IBN and IBN7 — to apologize for airing "biased, tendentious and factually incorrect" reports on the Haryana government flouting laws to allot land to the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT). 

"The reportage is an example of sensationalization with the purpose of promoting and improving the image of the channels, which is unethical journalism," the order said. The NBSA has asked both channels that carried the story on August 1 and August 5, 2011, to telecast an apology. 

In a "censure" for willful violation of the NBSA code of ethics and broadcasting standards, the broadcaster has also been asked to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh within a week. NBSA is a redressal authority set up by news broadcasters as a form of industry regulator. 

The story aired by the Hindi and English channels, belonging to the TV18 Network, had alleged that the trust had acquired 850 acres of land in Haryana and had sought exemptions regarding this. It has also alleged that there were 65 petitions filed by farmers in the Punjab & Haryana high court against the trust. 

NBSA chairman Justice J S Verma (retired) said in his order that the trust had leased 5 acres and 3 marlas of land from the gram panchayat for 33 years to establish a charitable eye hospital. The order also said that no exemption had been sought by the trust and there was only one petition, not 65, against the trust and it was not about any illegal acquisition of land. 

The NBSA also found that not enough effort had been made by the channels to include the trust's version of the story. "The broadcaster committed egregious violation of the NBA Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards, especially guidelines relating to accuracy, impartiality, neutrality, requirement of due diligence and verification of facts prior to telecast, as also the need to carry the version of the person affected," the order said. 

It found the reportage smacking of "clear bias and lack of objectivity". In this context, the NBSA observed that a broadcast has to be judged on the basis of the overall impression, perception and impact that the viewer gets on plain viewing of the broadcast.

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