Unusual News
Censors Order Cuts in Movie Dealing With Punjab Drug Problem
On the whole, India’s censor board was fine with the gritty film “Udta Punjab,” or “Flying Punjab,” about the wave of heroin addiction washing over that north Indian state. There were just a few things to address — such as removing every reference to Punjab, including the word in the movie’s title and a signpost shown in an opening sequence, so that viewers left the theater believing they had seen a movie set in a fictitious land.
read more
75,000 Apply for 30 Peon Jobs in Chhattisgarh
It is a sad commentary on the few opportunities available in Chhattisgarh when 75,000 people, including engineers and university graduates, apply for 30 vacancies as peons (office boys) in the state government. This large number shocked even officials, who were ill-prepared to conduct an examination test for so many. They were forced to cancel the examination scheduled this Sunday, August 30. read more
SBI Error Turns Domestic Help Into Billionaire
This is a rags to riches story – and back again – courtesy the State Bank of India (SBI). Urmila Yadav, who works as a domestic help in Kanpur, recently found she was one of India's richest women when the Rs 2,000 ($32) in her bank account suddenly turned into Rs 95,71,16,98,647 ($1.5 billion). read more
Delhi College Demands RTI Applicant Pay Rs. 80,000 ($1,257) for Info
A decade has passed since the landmark Right to Information (RTI) Act came into effect, providing ordinary citizens with the power to demand details from their government on its functioning and its decisions. Yet the bureaucracy still finds innovative ways to deny this information, as Kumar Ram Krishna, a history teacher in Delhi, found out recently when he was asked to cough up Rs 80,000 ($1,257) for the information he wanted. read more
Telangana Bureaucrat Sues Outlook for Calling Her ‘Eye Candy’
A senior bureaucrat in Telangana has sued Outlook magazine for describing her as "eye candy". Smita Sabharwal, additional secretary to the Telangana chief minister, said she found the remarks against her "sexist" and "demoralising." In response, Outlook said it was a satirical piece in its regular 'Deep Throat' column. Nevertheless, the magazine has removed it from its website. read more
Pigeon Detained in Punjab for Being a Pakistani ‘Spy’
When it comes to the India-Pakistan border, it seems even a bird is not above suspicion. A white pigeon that flew into India with “Pakistani markings” has created a security flutter in the Pathankot district of Punjab. But this is not the first time a bird has been detained on suspicion of being a Pakistani courier. In March another pigeon was caught in Gujarat with a micro-chip on its leg. read more
26-Year-Old CEO Gives Away $11 Million in Shares
Housing.com co-founder Rahul Yadav is once again in the news for pledging to give his entire shareholding to his 2,251 employees. However, it remains unclear if this gift has the backing of the board or how it will affect the long-term health of the company. Also, some have criticized Yadav's move as an "impulsive decision by an immature person." read more
Cow Receives Exam Card in J&K, Sparks Political Row
A cow has been issued an admit card for a professional examination in Jammu & Kashmir. Clearly the result of a prank, this has sparked off another round of political finger-pointing, with the National Conference seeking an “explanation” from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party. read more
Still No Sign of Rahul Gandhi
The Congress party is struggling to defend its missing vice president Rahul Gandhi, who has skipped town during a crucial session of Parliament. He has been missing for over 6 weeks, and sources in his party now claim that Rahul will return to Delhi on April 12. In the meantime, no one really knows where Rahul has been spending his "leave of absence". read more
How to Run a Cricket Betting Racket From Your Cupboard
Delhi Police claimed to have busted a betting syndicate allegedly involved in taking bets during matches in the ongoing cricket World Cup. According to Indian Express, 110 mobile phones and laptops were recovered when police arrested Shanti Swaroop Bhatia, who allegedly provided ball-to-ball betting rates to bookies from his cupboard. read more
In Bihar Cheating in Exams Is the Norm
The state administration in Bihar seems to have thrown up its hands in despair with over 500 students expelled for cheating in just two days of Class 10 examinations. Seven parents have also been arrested for helping students to cheat. Bihar education minister P K Shahi admitted that holding fair examinations is a big challenge in the state. read more
Politicians Clueless as Swine Flu Death Toll Rises
Swine flu has already affected 11,000 people and killed 700 across India, but some political leaders remain clueless about the respiratory disease. “Swine flu is a heart disease,” Mumbai mayor Snehal Ambekar told reporters, while West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee blamed mosquitos for a disease that is spread by coughing and sneezing. read more
Temple to Modi in Gujarat, PM “Appalled”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that he is shocked and disappointed at news of a ‘Modi temple’ being inaugurated in Gujarat's Rajkot district. He tweeted that it was against Indian traditions and that building temples is “not what our culture teaches us.” Modi is clearly keen on avoiding another public relations disaster, so soon after he wore an expensive suit with his own name embroidered on it when hosting U.S. President Barack Obama last month. read more
Women Expose Sexual Harassers With Mobile Cameras
Indian women armed with smartphones are using social media to fight sexual harassment by filming and publicly shaming the men who allegedly molest them. In the latest incident, a young woman used her mobile phone to confront the man sitting behind her on an airline flight who tried to grope her between the seats. read more
Govt Employee Fired After Skipping Work for 24 Years
It comes as no surprise that government jobs are much sought after in India, with a government employee A.K. Verma hanging on to his job for 24 years despite last appearing for work in December 1990. Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu has finally fired Verma, an assistant executive engineer at the Central Public Works Department, for unauthorized absence. read more
Attempted Suicide No Longer a Crime
India has finally dropped attempted suicide from the list of crimes punishable by prison. Section 309 was a law enacted under British colonial rule, under which anyone attempting to kill himself could be jailed for one year. The World Health Organization lists India as one of the countries with the highest suicide rates: 21.1 per 100,000 people in 2012. read more