Vrinda Karat

Only Left women in Indian politics, Vrinda Karat is ex-MP and a politburo member of Communists Party of India(Marxists). She talked basically on the issue of third front, defeat in Bengal, and party’s stance on various issues.

She said that her party is trying to unite the non-Congress secular parties to come together and provide a strong alternative to the corrupt United Progressive Alliance government. We had previously joined UPA-1 to not to allow the fundamentalist parties to gain the power. We had opposed the Nuclear Liability bill since, it does not points out the convict in case of accidents.

We were defeated in the Bengal assembly elections due to immediate reasons. This included the issue of Singur land acquisition. We had the intra-party conflicts and we never tried the device the pro-youth policies.

Our party has always opposed the neo-liberal policies and we are working for the good cause of the workers. We criticized the Food Security bill on the issue that the government is unable to fix the poverty line.

Markandey Katju: Chairman of Press Council of India

In an interactive session with Justice Markandey Katju, Chairman, Press Council of India (PCI) at the Soochna Bhavan, said that the media instead of promoting rational ideas is diverting the attention of the people from the real issues.

Media deliberately diverge the attentions from the issue of poverty and other socio-economic problems. Media is also dividing the people. Religion, cinema, cricket and electronic media are the opium for the masses. Media propagates the superstition and not the modern and scientific ideas though their programme. Media should raise the intellectual capacity of the people.

Nevertheless, the interaction proved to be an eye-opener and helped us understand our responsibilities while in the capacity of being media persons.

J. Gopikrishnan: Scam Crusader

J. Gopikrishnan, reporter of The Pioneer, who exposed the 2G scam guided on the various issues related to journalism.

The journalism is affected by the element of glamour. The conservative thought about breaking the news has to be crashed down. Journalism is the only profession that has nothing to do with what you study.

Good team of journalist along with the good editor definitely makes the difference. The journalists are bound to suffer the corporatization and for that the journalist has to have the hidden agenda. It’s the fact that the corporatized journalism is biased.

Journalist should throw away the intellectual arrogance and should able to doubt the real issues and must able to read between the lines. He or she should understand the business and relationship between the shareholders of the organization.

Rashtrapati Bhavan

Situated on Raisina Hills, Rashtrapati Bhavan is the residence of the President of Republic of India. He/she is the first citizen of India. The bhavan is spread in 300 acres. The residence is the evidence of the major events in the independence history of India.

The bhavan was the residence of Viceroy of British India. The construction was started in 1911 and ended in 1929. It has Darbar Hall, Ashoka Hall etc. The major events such as the swearing in of the President, Prime Minister and the gallantry award function takes place in these halls.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan has a museum wherein the memoirs of the independence are preserved. It includes the utensils, costumes of the commandants of the British India. It also has the gifts given to the Presidents of India.

The Mughal Garden situated at the west side of the Rashtrapati Bhavan comprises of varieties of the flowers brought from the various parts of India.

Teen Murti Bhavan

Teen Murti Bhavan

Facing the south side of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Teen Murti Bhavan was the residence of first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. The architecture marks the major events of the post independent India. Nehru resided in this bhavan for the 16 years till his death. The statue outside the bhavan gave its name as Teen Murti Bhavan.

The building is double floored. The grassy lawn in the front and at the back side of the bhavan catches the pleasant milieu for the visitors. This national memorial is converted into the museum comprising the glimpses of the life of Nehru and also the library. The Nehru Museum and Library is maintained under the Ministry of Culture.

There is visiting room at the entrance of the museum. There is also the office room of Nehru which was the office when he holds the office of the External Affairs. Now the room has been recreated with the same furniture and other articles he used along with several mementos, objects and manuscripts. The Nehru Memorial Library has the quality books depicting the life of Nehru and the Indian National Movement. Souvenirs displayed in the bhavan offers to buy the quality articles which Nehru used during his lifetime.