Dear Friends!

Every Indian knows the name of Mahatma Gandhi and can identify him but only few are aware of his thoughts and teachings. This 2nd October 2012 will add another day of celebration in the name of the Mahatama. Full page posters and advertisements will be dedicated to him.

But can the advertisements serve the purpose which is increasingly defeated by its custodians? The past one and half year can be rightfully called the time of return of Gandhi and his Principles to the debates in the Indian public sphere. His posters filled the walls (including Facebook walls) of the India Against Corruption (IAC) movement. Even the Media gave us a new Gandhi in Anna. Never after independence did India saw and discussed Gandhi and his principles like it did in the scale in the past eighteen months.

But the question is that do we really know Gandhi? If Gandhi comes to 2012 what will he do? Will his principles and teachings stand the test of time? Can he bring the change what his so called followers and worshipers have mostly failed to bring? Nevertheless, Gandhi remains valid for many people in politics, community service, social harmony and personal ethics. Gandhi’s ideas on rural development, self sufficient villages, personal ethics in public life and inclusive policy making have recently been discussed more than ever before.

We request your thoughts and ideas about Gandhi@2012. Your opinion about Gandhi and experiences about Gandhism are welcome. Whatever may be your opinion, you can share that with us and we will share that with our readers.

We request your thoughts and ideas about Gandhi@2012. Your opinion about Gandhi and experiences about Gandhism are welcome. Whatever may be your opinion, you can share that with us and we will share that with our readers. Articles are welcome both in Hindi and English languages.

Please mail your views and thoughts at beyondheadlinesnews@gmail.com

Thanks & Regards

BH Team!!!

]]> http://beyondheadlines.in/2012/09/is-gandhi-relevant-today/feed/ 1 http://beyondheadlines.in/2012/02/you-can-save-life-of-this-little-boy/ http://beyondheadlines.in/2012/02/you-can-save-life-of-this-little-boy/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:46:15 +0000 admin http://beyondheadlines.in/?p=10147 BeyondHeadlines News Desk

New Delhi. A ten year Old Delhi boy suffering from severe Aplastic Anemia has made a desperate appeal to Netizens to save his life.

Abdul Hafeez, a resident of Batla House in New Delhi, is a 7^th class student in Govt. Boys senior Secondary School, Jogabai, Batla House. Like any other student, he was going to school regularly till January 15.

Although He was ill for around six months but seriousness of his illness shocked his family members only on 25^th January when doctors of All India Institute of Medical Sciences told that he is suffering from Apalstic Anemia and an operation is required urgently to save his life.

Doctors have given his family time till 10 Feb for operation. The very expensive operation, at this premiere government institution will cost around 3 lakh rupees, which may also exceed.

Hafeez lives in a single room house with his family in Batla house area of New Delhi. He has one sister who studies in class 9. Two of his siblings have already died from illness. The family cannot afford his treatment.

Students of Jamia Senior Secondary School are collecting funds for his operation. A student Huzaifa Islam along with his friends Farhan Danish, Shahrukh Khan, Adnan Rahish and others are collecting funds for him. So far only 25 thousand rupees have been collected.

Now, Students have made a desperate plea on Facebook to save Hafeez. The students believe that right hearted people will come forward to save life of this little boy. BeyondHeadlines has also decided to donate all funds received from Google advertisements to the treatment of the boy. A Video is also posted on YouTube with Hafeez asking for public help to reach out to maximum people.

Speaking about the online campaign to save Hafeez, Huzaifa, a JMI student says, the social media is  very good platform to share thoughts and information, people also entertain themselves there. We think that if social media can be a tool of information sharing and entertainment then it can also be used to save lives. There are good people on this earth; we just need to reach out to them. And we strongly believe that good souls will come forward to help this little boy. We have very little time so we are using all available means to save his life.

Here is the message written on facebook with picture of Hafeez.

Hello World, My Name is Abdul Hafeez, I am 10 Years Old and study in 7th class in Govt. Boys Senior Secondary School Jogabai, Batla House, New Delhi (India).

I was going to school till January 15. Like any other Kid of my age, I was smiling, playing, cycling in my streets and was living very Happily.

Although, I was ill for months but that never bothered me. On January 25, 2012 The AIIMS Doctors told us that I suffer from Severe Aplastic Anemia, I do not know much about this disease, but the doctors say that I may not Live if I am not operated before 10^th February.

It is a costly treatment (the rough estimate is around 2.9 lakh rupees and it may exceed further). My parents can’t afford this treatment. Jamia School Students are collected funds for me (Around 25 thousand rupees already collected). Now Your Help is only hope for me. You can save my life.

You can donate to me by writing cheque in favor of DIRECTOR AIIMS, New Delhi or Depositing in my (Abdul Hafeez) State Bank Of India Account, A/C No. 32075515358, Branch Code- 8079.

You can also help me by clicking on this link. This website will donate all its earnings from Google Advertisements to my treatment. Your Click on Advertisement may Add few Rupees to the sum.

Also, you can share this post on your facebook or twitter so as it can reach someone who can help me. Only You can save my life. My smile will always be obliged to you. Please pray for me…….I need you…I do not want to die Just because I am born poor.

मेरा नाम अब्दुल हफीज है, मैं दस साल का हूं और गवर्नमेंट ब्यॉज सीनियर सेकेंड्री स्कूल जोगाबाई, बटला हाउस, नई दिल्ली में सातवीं कक्षा में पढ़ता हूं। 15 जनवरी तक मैं भी लगातार स्कूल जा रहा था। अपनी उम्र के बच्चों की तरह मैं भी हंसता था, खेलता था, अपने मुहल्ले की गलियों में साइकिल चलाता था।

मैं पिछले 6 महीने से बीमार था लेकिन मुझे कभी टेंशन नहीं हुई। मगर 25 जनवरी को एम्स के डॉक्टरों ने हमें बताया कि मुझे गंभीर एप्लास्टिक एनेमिया है। मैं इस बीमारी के बारे में ज्यादा नहीं जानता लेकिन डॉक्टर कहते हैं कि यदि मेरा 10 फरवरी से पहले ऑपरेशन नहीं हुआ तो मैं नहीं बचूंगा।

ऑपरेशन बहुत महंगा है (डॉक्टरों के मुताबिक इसमें कम से कम 2 लाख 90 हजार रुपए का खर्चा आएगा, जो बढ़ भी सकता है), मेरे मां-बाप के पास इतना पैसा नहीं है कि मेरा ऑपरेशन करा सकें। जामिया स्कूल के बच्चे मेरी मदद कर रहे हैं (उन्होंने अब तक लगभग 25 हजार रूपए मेरे ऑपरेशन के लिए जमा कर लिए हैं)। अब आप ही मेरी उम्मीद है। आप मेरा जीवन बचा सकते हैं

मेरी मदद करने के लिए आप एम्स के निदेश के नाम चैक दे सकते हैं। चैक Director AIMS, New Delhi के नाम लिखे। आप सीधे मेरे स्टेट बैंक के खाते में भी पैसे जमा कर सकते हैं। मेरे (अब्दुल हफीज) खाते का नंबर है- 32075515358, ब्रांच कोड-8079

आप इस लिंक पर क्लिक करके भी मेरी मदद कर सकते हैं। ये वेबसाइट गूगल विज्ञापन के जरिए होने वाले सभी कमाई मेरे इलाज में दान करेगी। आपके विज्ञापन पर क्लिक करने से मुझे चंद रूपए मिल सकते हैं।

आप इस पोस्ट को अपने फेसबुक या ट्विटर पर शैयर करके मेरी अपील को किसी ऐसे इंसान तक पहुंचाने में भी मदद कर सकते हैं जो मेरी मदद कर सके। मेरा जीवन आप ही बचा सकते हैं। मेरी मुस्कान इसके लिए सदा आपकी आभारी रहेगी।

Note: If you click on advertisements with this article, the payments from google will go to treatment of the child. You can also share this article on facebook to help save life of this little boy.

Right to Information Act 2005 is a milestone legislation in the recent history that is designed to bring transparency in our polity, society and economy to successfully check corruption. But resistance from the corrupt people in the higher authority is making it difficult for effective implementation.

Referring to the RTI Act, Union Minister Mr. AK Antony reportedly said RTI will help the transparency revolution to percolate down to all walks of life. He said, “The RTI Act will spread to new areas. I think every facet of human life will be transparent.” This is slowly happening in India under this act.

Nevertheless, we need to bring important institutions under the purview of this act. Media as an institution needs to be under the purview of the RTI act. There is and there will be resistance from media houses on this but in the largest interest we need to move in this direction.

Besides the ideological and political inclinations and affiliations media has, over the years, it has become more and more powerful with developing business interest. It has become an industry that is engaged in making profit. In short its turning into a business of what Noam Chomsky said “manufacturing consent” most of the time ending in creating perceptions which may or may not be right.

The demand to bring Media under RTI assumes more significance when our leading journalists and channel heads are found brokering with the political parties and determining the fate of Cabinet Ministers to benefit their advertisers or sponsors. The Nira Radia saga has been a classic example.

Recently, a channel head was found guilty of demanding salaries for their employees to a Public Relations Manager.

Paid news is another blot on our media that is subverting the democratic process. Media exposés have shown that several organizations have been selling news space to politicians at election time, disguising the advertisements as news. The Press Council of India has set up a committee to investigate violations of the journalistic code of fair and objective reporting.

Press council of India reported, “The phenomenon of “paid news” has acquired serious dimensions. Today it goes beyond the corruption of individual journalists and media companies and has become pervasive, structured and highly organized. In the process, it is undermining democracy in India.”

Another dimension of how media is threatening our democracy is the use of public money in creating wrong perceptions. The Political parties, especially in the government are using public money to improve their government and parties’ image which might be contrary to the fact.

Sometimes this media relation exercise by the governments ends up curbing public sentiments and doing injustice with people. Many of the owners, editors and other journalists appear to have wealth excessive of their known sources of income. It is thus imperative that they not only become transparent but also bring ‘secrets’ under RTI Act.

Other three pillars of democracy – Legislature, Executive and Judiciary – are already under the purview of RTI Act.

Corruption is rampant in media houses too in the name of paid news and public relation exercises. BeyondHeadlines, therefore, demand that media houses should fall under the ambit of RTI and it should also be included in the Lokpal bill.

Kindly file your petition below, which we will then take forward, and support this campaign to bring accountability in the media.

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