Q@9: Sushma’s Pakistan Visit, Remembering Hema Upadhayay, and more

Read top stories from The Quint in Q@9.

Does the Pakistani army, which finally decides the country’s India policy, share the vision of a peaceful and prosperous region? (Photo: The Quint)

1. Tripura HC: How to Deter Rapist Fathers & Bring Them to Justice

There are fathers who dote on their daughters. And then there are the wolves in sheep’s clothing. Without any qualms whatsoever, they prey upon their daughters, raping and sexually abusing them at will. The worst in that category often accuse their wives of vendetta and tutoring daughters to lie.

All courts and judges do not possess the required levels of sensitivity to do justice to such cases, and quite often, errors in judicial discretion results in rapist fathers going unpunished. However, a 10 December ruling by the Tripura High Court could go a long way in preventing such miscarriages of justice by laying down an important precedent.

2. Sushma’s Pak Visit: Touches a Raw Nerve, yet Has Few Deliverables

Speaking in Parliament on her visit to Pakistan, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj took the emotional route. She said, “The underlying sentiment on which I am confident that this House concurs fully, was that the continued estrangement of the two neighbours was a hurdle to the realisation of our shared vision of a peaceful and prosperous region.”

No rational person can disagree with this view. However, does the Pakistani army, which finally decides the country’s India policy, share this vision?

3. Why Haryana Hurricane’s Countrymen Aren’t Welcome in Politics

The Haryana law has barred at least 25 per cent of people from contesting elections. It will hit the vulnerable sections like dalits and women even harder as women’s literacy rate is abysmally low in the state. Rich Haryana incidentally has the worst gender ratio in the country and if a large section of women is barred from contesting local elections, the situation is bound to become worse.

By adding elements of exclusivity in it, aren’t we running the risk of weakening it? Mayank Mishra writes.

4. In Memoriam: Hema Upadhyay, the Artist

Hema Hirani Upadhyay belonged to a new generation of artists. She used photography, painting, sculpture and installation as mediums. Through art, she explored her personal identity, nostalgia, feminity and displacement.

The news of Hema’s death sent shock waves throughout India and the art world.

Here is a short tribute to the artist that was Hema Upadhyay.

5.Rainbow Man: Rain, Smoke and Shit; Climate Change and You

As global leaders reached an historic agreement on controlling climate change this weekend, Harish Iyer writes about personal anecdotes about drastic changes in weather-related phenomena.

6. Shakur Basti Children and Elderly Freeze in Open After Demolition

The Indian Railways carried out a demolition drive in Shakurpur Basti in west Delhi, in an anti-encroachment drive. It removed more than 500 slums forcing thousands of slum dwellers to freeze in open and battle extreme cold.

The people have received blankets and food, but they talk about the problems of not having a roof over their heads in Delhi’s cold winters.

7. Warning: Kids With Allergies Have Twice the Risk of Heart Diseases

One in ten of us in India is allergic. From pollen to dust, gluten to peanuts and everything in between, allergies send thousands of Indians to the emergency room every year. And now scientists in the Northwestern University have found that children with common allergies like, hay fever and asthma, are twice as likely to suffer from heart diseases at a surprisingly young age.

Startled? Read to know more.

8. Keeping Up With Kim Kardashian’s Business Empire

Madonna had famously responded to Kim Kardashian’s ode to the former’s platinum blonde hair with – “Does it surprise me that she’s famous without being an artist? I think that’s a sign of the times.”

And the time has never been better for the reality star who has, according to Forbes, nearly doubled her wealth from $28 million to $53 million in the last twelve months. She’s now #33 (47 positions up) on the list of the World’s Highest Paid Celebrities.

So what has Kim Kardashian done to warrant admission into the league of fame usually reserved for seriously talented actors, musicians and sportspersons?

9. Why I Threw a Man’s iPhone in the Garbage Dump

Women often feel their privacy being invaded by others. Almost all women confess to have been harassed at least once in their lifetime, and it’s not restricted to pinching and grabbing and staring only. Read Garvita Khybri’s personal account on this issue.