Raman Singh government to skip all panel meetings

The nomination of rights activist Binayak Sen as a member of the Planning Commission's Steering Committee on Health has not gone down well with the Chhattisgarh government, which on Sunday announced that its ministers would “skip” all meetings of the panel in protest of the move.

“Chief Minister Raman Singh and his Cabinet colleagues have decided to skip all meetings of the Planning Commission over the nomination of the convicted Binayak Sen as a member of the plan panel committee on health,” the Chhattisgarh government said in a statement.

Dr. Sen was recently granted bail by the Supreme Court, which observed that no case of sedition was made out against the activist.

He was earlier sentenced to life by a Chhattisgarh court for allegedly having had links with Naxals.

The Steering Committee on Health will review the National Health Policy, 2002, and explore the possibility of adopting the Right to Health as an approach with special focus on women, children, life-cycle care and preventive and curative health care.

M.P. Minister questions nomination

Mahim Pratap Singh reports from Bhopal:

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Umashankar Gupta on Sunday questioned the rationale behind nominating human rights activist Binayak Sen to the Planning Commission's Steering Committee on Health, saying the activist, who was recently granted bail by the Supreme Court, still faces charges.

“We should not forget that Dr. Sen is out only on bail and is still facing charges, and, therefore, his nomination to a public panel raises a lot of questions,” Mr. Gupta told The Hindu .