Telugu almanac writer booked for insulting women
March 21st, 2012 - 1:33 am ICT by IANSHyderabad, March 20 (IANS) Hyderabad police Tuesday booked a well-known astrologer for allegedly insulting women in his almanac.
The Central Crime Station (CCS) booked a case against Srinivas Gargeya under Indian Penal Code sections 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 292 (sale of obscene book).
The police action came after some women’s organizations and child rights’ activists approached the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), which had directed police earlier in the day to submit a report.
A week ahead of Ugadi, the Telugu New Year, almanac “Kalachakra Panchangam” written by Gargeya landed him in a controversy, as he predicted the future of girls by basing it on the timing of the onset of puberty.
According to the controversial almanac, which is already in circulation, if a girl attains puberty after sunset, she will become a prostitute, a widow if puberty is attained at midnight and a thief if it is in the evening.
Some NGOs, in their complaint to the State Human Rights Commission, said such unscientific writings violate children’s right as they would create panic among girl children. They also argued that the almanac was insulting to women, and sought that it be banned and withdrawn from circulation.
Every year on the eve of Ugadi, astrologers release almanacs, making forecasts for the coming year. These almanacs are read during Ugadi celebrations.
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Tags: activists, almanac, celebrations, circulation, code sections, controversy, gesture, girl children, human rights commission, indian penal code, kalachakra, modesty, ngos, onset of puberty, police action, prostitute, shrc, telugu new year, thief, ugadi