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LUCKNOW: The massive participation of the rural people in Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing gram panchayat elections shows the success of democracy at the grass roots level and how the infusion of large funds into the rural programmes has led people of both rich and poor take interest in the election process.

New Delhi, Oct 19 : India, with a view to minimize the menace of tobacco use, is planning to persuade farmers to shift to alternative crops. The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that while livelihood of tobacco growing farmers cannot be endangered, we must work towards moving famers and farm workers out of the tobacco industry.

How should the Supreme Court deal with the appeals that are certain to be filed before it against the Allahabad High Court judgment on the Babri Masjid issue? Can it help restore the faith of large numbers of citizens in the higher judiciary which has been injured, if not shaken, by the verdict? Should the Court strive to bring about reconciliation between the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Nirmohi Akhara, on the one hand, and the Sunni Central Waqf Board and All-India Babri Masjid Action Committee, on the other?

So, Haryana isn't going to be known for khap panchayats alone. The perception of the state as a bastion of medieval obscurantism has been erased, to a large extent, by the remarkable performance of its sportspersons at the CWG. By winning 15 of India's 38 gold medals, and 28 out of the country's total of 101, they have showcased their exceptional talent. What is even more heart-warming is that six of them are women.

India has signed a social security agreement (SSA) with South Korea which would enhance movement of professionals between the two countries and strengthen the trade and investment.

Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal's ouster from the Parkash Singh Badal ministry and suspension from the Akali Dal was neither unexpected nor was it an unusual happening. The conflict between him and Chief Minister's son Sukhbir Singh Badal who is also Deputy Chief Minister and Akali Dal President was destined to lead to parting of ways. In the succession wars, sons of Chief Ministers and not their nephews or other kin always emerge victorious. Punjab is not the only state to witness this trend. The phenomenon has also been witnessed in the families of Mahrashtra's Shiv Sena and Bihar's Lalu Yadav. The victors of the two families succession wars have been the families sons and not nephews.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Can the Left Democratic Front (LDF) repeat its spectacular show in the 2005 local body elections? This is the question agitating not only the LDF activists but also the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF).

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has recently been chosen for the best PM award. Even his worse critics will readily concede his academic attributes and personal integrity as a spotlessly clean politician. He is India's third longest survived PM only next to Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Therefore, it was with great hopes that the nation hailed his return as PM in May, 2009. A more decisive majority, it was hoped, would enable him realise his ideas of good governance.

Why does Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal want medicine to be taught in Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)? How does it help the cause of the advancement of knowledge of either medicine and surgery or engineering and technology? There is little complementarity between the two areas of specialized knowledge except for the fact that the practice of medicine and surgery is becoming increasingly instrument based.

India will press for the inclusion of human pathogens in the global protocol for access and benefit sharing (ABS) of biological resources.