Gender bias in Medical admission

Missile Scientist Tessy Thomas sees no gender discrimination in science. It may be true in missile science nevertheless there is gender bias s at least in medical science study.

Look at this year’s HSE, CBSE and ICSE examination results.  In all the examinations girls have outshined by boys with top marks.  However, when it comes to medical entrance examination girls are pushed to back by the boys. There is only one girl in the first ten top ranks in medical entrance in Kerala.  May be due to sluggishness of answering question by the female students they are thrown back in the speedy entrance test. Though it is not a direct discrimination, in effect bright girl students are denied seats for medical study.

Smt Tessy Thomas at Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), of course, has played a key role in making India's most potent inter-continental ballistic missile. This is only an  isolated case and it doesn’t mean that girls are not discriminated.

What we need is a separate rank list for boys and girls. Fifty percent of the medical seats should be reserved for females to stamp out gender bias now existing medical admission.

-K A Solaman

‘Kolaveri’man gets he deserves.

Smitha’s killer, the ‘kolavari man’ gets what he deserved. He was sentenced to death by Mavelikkara Additional Sessions Court II judge.  

Smitha was the only earning member of the family with her only daughter and ailing parents. The hard core criminal was virtually killing all the five in the family. His exterior with a laugh before the lens men in the court premise shows how hard core he is. He is happy with the prison life once he enjoyed.

The verdict is a stern warning to all criminals indulging in such heinous acts .

K A Solaman

“Poor quality” of teachers.

 Concern over the "poor quality" of teachers by Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal is taken for granted. His firm stand that teachers needed to be paid more to ensure quality education is to be spotted on. Nevertheless, the IHRD Engineering Colleges in Kerala under his department is paying only Rs 150 per hour to guest lecturers with M Sc or M Tech degree. This sort of sheer exploitation is done when ‘Job Guarantee Scheme’ workers earn more for a lesser work.

I was working as guest lecturer, after retirement from an aided college, at IHRD college of Engineering at Pallippuram, Cherthala since 2008 but stopped this year because of the poor payment to guest lecturers. The IHRD institutions in Kerala are making a huge profit by posting guest lecturers for meagre payment and they refuse to post permanent teachers in the existing  vacancies. They are also reluctant to pay the enhanced payment of Rs 1000 per class to teachers as per the order of Higher Education Department, Government of Kerala.

If Minister Kabil Sibal is sincere in his stand up, then ask the IHRD institutions to fill up the vacancies with permanent teachers or enhance the hourly payment to guest lecturers as per Government directives. And, without  taking any effort to wipe out the non-uniformity in the  payment of teachers it is absurd to speak mouthful on  “Globalisation of education” and other rubbish.

K A Solaman

Bigwigs on the run

It is enquiring to see that every day more and more activists are arrested by the Special Investigation team  probing the killing of Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T P Chandrasekharan

With one caught yesterday more than 15 people have been arrested, many of them are CPI (M) area/local committee leaders. The bigwigs in the conspiracy are still on the run and if the arrest process continues there would be none in the party.

K A Solaman

Pan masala ban-a welcome step

It is a welcome step on the part of the Kerala Government to ban food products containing tobacco in the interest of public health.  Stringent action would be taken against those who violate the ban. The increasing incidence of gutka-induced diseases like oral cancer and other diseases are rampant in youngsters, particularly school children and hence an immediate alert on the part of police is needed to stop gutka selling.

The notification banning tobacco products has been made under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Regulation Act, 2011 and this act should be extended to the advertisement and sale of ayurvedic products as health drinks. False claims such as growth of hair on bald head and others should be seriously looked into and immediate action must be taken. This I say because every human body is unique machine and the medicinal product to one is poison to other. An  acute diabetic person should not use sugared tonics.  People trusted on fake channel  ads consume certain ayurvedic products and succumb to hazardous effect of wrong health products.

K A Solaman

Ministers playing fiddle

The Manmohan Inc government is too crafty in avoiding more hartals in the country. This I say because it was the practice of the central government to hike petrol price by Rs two and invite a hartal. This time the government has hiked petrol price by Rs eight in one step and there by reduced the number of hartals from four to one. Only crafty politicians could do this.

The advantage of the present steep hike is ; today’s  statewide shutdown was called by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) together  and thus the individual effort  these ‘never say never see’ political parties has been  reduced to half. It is sometimes very difficult to make a hartal successful when most people are sustaining on their daily wages.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has recognized the grave situation in the state and shot off a letter to the prime minister, the UPA chairperson and the petroleum minister to see that the hike is withdrawn as it would affect the state very severely. Nevertheless, the Central Ministers from Kerala  A K Antony,Vayalar Ravi, K V Thomas, and Mullappally are playing the fiddle when the State fumes.

K A Solaman 

Power restoration for Neyyattinkara

The Central Government knows how to use the petroleum companies of India to make advantages during election time. Likewise the State Government of Kerala makes out the load shedding or what is called power cut advantageously for election campaign. Load shedding and power cut are entirely different lexis for the government; however the net result is no current to households.  Along with government declared power cut there are repeated power cuts in our area when the government speaks volumes about IT boost and other litter.

Interestingly when the Kerala Cabinet asked the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to withdraw the load shedding in the State on Tuesday the power cut started here half an hour earlier than the usual cut at 8.30 pm . This is after a daylong power cut intended for removing tree touching on the lines.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy says the power would be purchased from diesel plants at a higher rate and the load-shedding will be withdrawn from in the state. Why can’t then this be done a few weeks earlier? We the gullible public is sure, the load shedding will be restored when the Neyyattinkara tussle is over.

K A Solaman

Panel of Presidents.

The election of next President is in the offing, hence many leaders have their suggestions. Sushama of BJP favours Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Jayalalithaa of  AIADMK needs Sangma, Marxist comrade Yetchury endorses Pranab Kumar Mukherji, and outspoken woman Mamta requires soft-spoken lady Meira Kumar. Gopal Krishna Gandhi is also a prospective candidate. The Congress President has opened her mouth not yet. Sangma and Meira Kumar are from scheduled caste background and hence it is difficult woo all SCs by choosing only one.  

I wonder about the way by which the most entitled candidate Dr Kalam has been pushed to corner by crafty politicians.

So my suggestion is:  Think of constituting a presidential bench similar to Supreme Court bench accommodating all the potential candidates for presidential post because ours is a coalition government.

K A Solaman

F Lawrence is the real loser

Every election is money spending exercise for all candidates even if they are sponsored by political parties. A candidate has to spend not less than ten lakh rupees from his pocket alone for the election and the candidate F Lawrence of Neyyattinkara is no exception. Nevertheless, he is the real loser in the context of severe in fight between rivals in his party.

Lawrence,  a former local leader of the Kerala Congress (J) which merged with the Kerala Congress (M) two years back to become an ally of the UDF, is the LDF’s candidate contesting in the official CPI(M) symbol. As the Left cadres are under shock wave resulted by the brutal murder of TP Chandrasekharan, there is all the possibility for a severe setback for LDF candidate. When UDF project TP’s killing as the latest example of the Marxian vengeance F Lawrence has no way out other than to lose. He is the real loser.


K A Solaman

National Beauty and Nation’s Pride

Aishwariya Ray’s asset was her beautiful eyes and slim body. And this was lavishly enjoyed by her husband Abhishek,  ex-lovers and the ordinary chaps. The common man took pleasure on her beauty, of course, but for a price. No theatre owner allows viewers to watch her film without money. But now all are worried about her because she has become chubby

The foolish chaps could not even recognise the metabolism of human body that it is very difficult for a 38-year old woman to keep the body intact as it was in her teens and that too after a belated delivery.  If she was National Beauty and Nation’s Pride, the Nature could not permit it all the time. She, like her beautiful forerunners in the field of beauty and art, is destined to seek back seat when new faces come.

Aishwariya’s flabby body tells the universal truth that nobody can be beautiful in the same way for ever. And it is stupid to waste one’s valuable time by assessing how plump or how slim Aishwaria or her husband is.

K A Solaman

Only spurious liquor for young boozers

Like driving licence and voter ID, the birth certificate also assumes major role in the day to day life of young boozers in Kerala. This is because in an effort to contain alcohol consumption among the youth, the Kerala Government has raised the age limit for eligibility to buy liquor to 21 years. Does it mean that the young boozers should drink only spurious liquor?

In Kerala laws, amendments, and notifications are plenty but none is observed in the strict sense. For instance tobacco use is banned in schools and colleges, still one could see even teachers using tobacco. The distance limit of toddy shops from colleges is 400 metres, however toddy shops inside this range is protected with compound walls for distance stipulation and a slot is made in the wall for easy entry of busy customers.   

The huge spread of drinking habit of children cannot be controlled by this sort of treatment on skin instead government should think of abandoning liquor sale or reduce the sale. A strict control of sale of spurious liquor is also necessary.

In Kerala all the beverages outlets are places of  mini ‘thrissur poorams’, where sales managers   get little time to verify the date of birth of client. The government should refrain from such stupid notifications.

K A Solaman

Published Deccan Chronicle on 19 May 12

Class enemy.

It is now only after Elamaram Karim calling veteran comrade V S Achuthanandan in a party meet as ‘class enemy, the people of Kerala to hear a more harsh call from a desperate and hapless woman. The woman is none other than K K Rama, wife of slain leader T P Chandrasekharan. She called Pinarayi Vijayan a ‘class enemy’.  Though she is entrusted with more responsibilities of RMP her curse on Pinarayi has long standing effect.
This I say because a  grief-stricken woman’s curse comes from her heart  and "so may the curse fall on him, and the power of the god crush him!".

K A Solaman
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Tough time for PB and the Police.

Coming are the tough days for the Politburo and the Kerala police because the CPM is on its way to a split. The former Kerala chief minister and leader of the mass VS is strictly against the autocratic posture of the State Secretary.
Achuthanandan openly said that he did not believe that Party Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had the last word. The rift and the subsequent split would make CPM party offices very sensitive areas and the aim of the comrades is to keep offices under safe custody. As the ground level support for VS  is much greater than that of Pinarayi it would be very difficult to keep all the 50000crore party possessions safe and intact.. And that means the state police have to do a tough job in controlling fight among party men.

The Politburo members sleeping in glass houses have to come out explaining about party’s stand in VS-Pinarayi fight and it is very tough for them  when many within the party believe that Chandrashekharan's killing was organized by CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan's group.

Pinarayi’s comment that "a kulamkuthi (traitor) is a kulamkuthi. I called him (T P Chandrasekharan)  a traitor when he left the party. There is no change in that," is highly objectionable. The comrades will not forgive this even if Pinarayi makes a tumble saying that he didn’t call Chandrasekharan a  kulamkuthi after his death.

K A Solaman

Sukumaran Nair needs a punch.

 NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair demanding an explanation from Oommen Chandy for various trifles  associated with him is because Chandy keeps a tight mouth when Nair  yowls. When all the key posts in the entire government service are occupied with Nairs, the NSS Secretary demanding more post in government service and more berths in the Cabinet is ridiculous.  It is wrong to say that ministers representing the majority community are given portfolios with less importance.

The Chief Minister should understand that one’s modesty is important rather than a few Nair votes here and there. It is time to raise the head and say no to what is called “equal distance or  right distance’ non-sense of NSS General Secretary. Sukumaran Nair along with  R Balakrishna Pillai are polluting Kerala’s political atmosphere. Both they need an immediate punch from the Chief Minister.  

K A Solaman

Sonia’s wake-up call

 Sonia Gandhi’s stern message that party leaders and cadres should stop infighting and they must present a united face has yielded fruit in some states especially in Kerala.

Blaming Pinarayi, when State Congress President Remesh Chennilthala said Acuthanandan is a brave communist, rebutting it former KPCC President K Mauraleedharan came strongly against Chennithala saying that veteran  comrade is a coward. I mean the essence of Sonia’s message was fully understood by the Kerala leaders and hence they started mudslinging each other with added vigour.

Sonia Gandhi’s tough talk is bound to have some effect on poor party men nevertheless it has no impact on hard core politicians like K Muraleedharan.  Arrogance among leaders has become a common posture in Kerala; still they win by-polls because of the damage done by  Opposition party by brutal acts like killing of former comrade by present comrades. 

There is only just two years  for the Lok Sabha elections. As the memory of an average voter is very poor comrade killing would be soon forgotten and people would vote against Congress if the infighting of the present sort persists.

K A Solaman

The New Indian Express published on 14May12

To spot out ‘ Kulamkuthi’

Describing T P Chandrasekharan as a 'Kulam kuthi'  Pinarayi Vijayan said 'a Kulam kuthi' is always a 'Kulam Kuthi'. Nevertheless, rebutting Pinarayi’s findings the veteran comrade V S Achuthanandan has come forward saying that that TP Chandrasekharan is not a `Kulam Kuthi.

As the two comrades entered into the war of words we can request the Jayamala fame Parappanangadi Unnikrishna Panicker for a ‘Devaprasana’ in this regard to spot out whether the murdered man was a Kulamkuthi or not.

K A Solaman

No backing for juvenile criminal.

The police force is to be congratulated for the immediate arrest of the boy who killed his classmate Legin Varghese of St George Higher Secondary School, Muttar.  Personal enmity is said to be the reason for the murder and the police has done their job honestly.

However, this sort of candidness could not seen behind the inquiry about the brutal killing of T P Chandrasekharan of Onchiyam. May be of political backing, though evidences are more, the police are seen not swift enough to arrest the criminals. The juvenile criminal lacked this backing.

K A Solaman

Berlin speak

Veteran communist Berlin Kunhananthan Nair has condemned the brutal killing of RMP leader T P Chandrasekharan  and said it was the hand work of  Pinarayi Vijayan and his coterie. He claims that he has valid proof about the murder plot and asks the Home department to make inquiry in that direction. However, the Home Minister Thiruvanchoor is seen least bothered about Berlin’s word. Is Berlin Nair a person to be ignored because of old age and his arguments are false ?

What Nair said about Chandrasekharan is: “He had raised slogans for the party leaders for many years.” As veteran leaders like V S Achuthanandan admits this, Berlin’s speak is undoubtedly true and should be carefully listened.

It is true that there is vast change in ideological concept of the present leadership of CPM. It has turned a reactionary party of petty bourgeois. And that is why Chandrasekharan, the former  state joint secretary of the SFI and a district-level functionary of the DYFI left the party four years ago.

K A Solaman

Not word but deed Mr Home Minister

I have apprehension about the words of Kerala Home minister Tiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan saying that the real culprits in the murder of T P Chandrasekharan would be booked soon. Complete freedom has been given to the investigating team to probe the case, according to the minister. Does he mean that there are inquiries by the police without complete freedom?  The rhetoric of the UDF leaders and the Marxists divulge that they are celebrating the brutal killing of T P Chandrasekharan for material gains.

The demand for narco analysis by political leaders expose that they were not unaware of the incident. With Chandrasekharan’s death  the real losers are his wife and son. The investigation should be speedy and impartial and for that no kind of debates are needed.

K A Solaman

S-knife probe

The brutal killing of firebrand leader of Revolutionary Marxist party leader T.P. Chandrasekharan has triggered a war of words between the ruling coalition and the Marxists. Instead of advocating a free and fair enquiry the UDF and the LDF started to dig out in the troubled Neyyattinkara constitu ancy.

I hope the enquiry officer Vincen M Paul would come with the true story rather than one similar to S-knife in Paul M George murder case.

K A Solaman

Published The New Indian Express Daily 9-5-12

Ask Joseph to quit.

The Supreme Court-appointed Empowered Committee on the Mullaperiyar Dam concluding that the 119-year-old structure is safe, is a severe jolt for Kerala water Resources Minister P J Joseph. If chief minister Ommen Chandy has guts ask this irresponsible minister to quit from the cabinet. The panic created and still creating among people by this minister is far beyond any reckon.

The five-member committee headed by former Chief Justice of India Justice A S Anand also recommended that the water level in the dam can be raised to 142 ft from the existing 136 ft.
The Empowered Committee has also found that the  Mullaperiyar Dam is safe on each of the hydrologic, structural and seismic considerations. And with this findings the mental torture and stress of a large number people living in the neighbourhood of the dam have come to an end.

The minister should be asked to keep his mouth shut at least in the matter of dam safety.

K A Solaman

Published the New Indian Express on 8-5-12

Ice-cream effect!

Senior Leader and sharp shooter of the Congress  K Muraleedharan has abruptly stopped lambasting the Indian Union Muslim League,  the mighty partner in the UDF. The reason is a phone call to Muraleedharan from ice cream fame Kunhalikutty of the League. What did he offer: an ever fresh cassata ice cream or an ice-cream parlour itself?

And where the Ommen Chandy-Chennithala duo fail, Kunhalikutty wins.

K A solaman

Valentine MPs!

I could only disagree with the views of Baba Ramdev that our MPS are “decoits and murderers”. I also differ with the opinion of RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav that “Ramdev is a mental case”.

Instead,  the MPS are going to be thronged with  love and compassion and that could be easily obvious with further proceedings in the Indian Parliament as a few women celebrities are nominated  into it. Though actor Rekha  is more charming than her arch rival Jaya Bachchan, as ex-lovers think, the future attention of the sixty plus MPs in the House must be on these screen idols making them  more well-mannered and polite. The telecast from Parliament will become more attractive and pleasant.

The only difficulty is; the lens men have to rotate their camera frequently as Jaya Bachchan hasopted out from her seat just  in front of Rekha. The Upper House will also be a podium for display of Kancheepuram and Banaras saris.

K A Solaman

Cruelty, thy name is woman.

Men are more compassionate than women and they fail to remember everything more quickly than women –the latest story came into view in media tells in that direction. The story of the woman dentist in Poland facing jail term for pulling out all her former boyfriend's teeth, is a prying incident.  The dentist Anna Mackowiak’s revenge on her ex-lover Marek Olszewski is unparalleled an act which could never be performed by a male dentist.

The woman dentist giving a heavy dose of anaesthetic and plucking all teeth out from the mouth of ex-boy friend underlines: cruelty, thy name is woman. The woman dentist abused the trust of a patient, the trust of a man.

K A Solaman

Suicide of Shruthi Srikanth

 The suicide of Shruthi Srikanth, the nursing student, who failed to get an education loan from HDFC bank  is a sad incident. It is not Shruthi the first one to meet such a tragic end of life.

Two aspects are to be considered in this case. The callous attitude of some of the commercial banks is the first one. Though the government claims they have done much for educating students by way of bank loan, many deserving students fail to get it from banks. The new generation banks like HDFC work only for profit making and their sole consideration is in the field of granting loans for vehicle purchase and accept public deposits at a meager interest.  They stipulate a minimum balance of Rs 5000 for SB and hence this bank is inaccessible to poor people. The social commitment of new generation banks is very poor. The  officers of these banks work at high pressure to make profit, where education loan has no attraction. It is a burden to them.

The second aspect is  the never ending desire of poor parents to make their children doctors, engineers and nurses. India is a socialist country only in words where poor are always poor and rich are getting richer. The lack of better information and counseling is the reason for students and parents to fall as prey in the hands of greedy self financing colleges inside and outside the state.

Unless something is done more bright students like Shruthi Srikanth have to end up in despair. Endless wait for a bank loan is a serious problem among students admitted to self finance colleges where the fee is far beyond any reckon.

K A Solaman

The Deccan Chronicle published on 3 May 2012