Taj Mahal in trouble over Hindu prayers and namaaz
Agra: The continuing tug-of-war between Hindutva and Muslim groups over conducting ‘puja-arti’ and offering ‘namaz’ inside the Taj Mahal premises is causing concern to tourism circles in Agra. Industry leaders fear that the dispute could trigger communal a flare-up in Agra, India’s most popular destination. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is in charge of security inside the complex, has come under fire for failing to stop a group of women on Saturday from performing ‘puja’ and ‘arti’ after sprinkling Ganga Jal around the monument. Again on Sunday, Rashtriya Bajrang Dal activists threatened to conduct ‘puja’ and ‘arti’ inside the Taj Mahal as a protest against the failure of security agencies to stop a Muslim group from offering prayers inside the premises, violating orders of the Supreme Court. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) pasted the Supreme court directive and notification on the gate of the 17th century Taj Mahal last week. The original order of the Supreme Court allows local Muslims to offer prayers in the afternoon only on Fridays when the monument is closed to public. But the locals want this bar lifted so that they can offer prayers daily. ASI officials say security agencies have been told to deal firmly with the violators of the order. (IANS)
Kargil coldest in Kashmir Valley at minus 9 degrees
Srinagar: Kargil town was the coldest in the Kashmir Valley at minus 9 degrees Celsius on Sunday while the minimum temperatures across the region around the freezing point, the weather office said. According to a Met Department official, the minimum temperatures in Leh, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Srinagar were minus 5.1 degrees, minus 4.5, minus 1.1 and 1.6, respectively. “Dry weather conditions were likely to continue in Jammu and Kashmir during the next four days,” the official said. In the Jammu region, Jammu city recorded 11.1 degrees Celsius, Katra 10.4. Batote 6.3, Bannihal 4.0 and Bhaderwah 2.8 as the night’s lowest temperatures. (IANS)
Govt orders probe after mid-day meals not serbed for 9 months
Bhadarwah (JK): Authorities in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir have suspended an official and ordered an inquiry following allegations that students of five government schools were not served mid-day meals for the last nine months, an official said on Sunday. Chief Education Officer (CEO), Doda, Mohammad Sharief Chouhan took the action after receiving complaints with regard to the non-serving of mid-day meals in all the five primary and upper primary schools, out of the six government schools, in Tanta panchayat since March. The scheme is known to be a major factor in motivating people from lower strata of society to enrol their children in the educational institutions in far-flung areas. “This is a very grave issue as government is very particular about the implementation of Midday Meal scheme…all the government primary and upper primary schools of Doda district, including Dramman, Kuthal, Kushethawa, Bagran and Wanipura, of Tanta panchayat have been regularly sending messages about MDM being served on every working day without any fail,” Chouhan told PTI. He said the incharge teacher of Wanipura primary school, Fateh Mohammad, has been placed under suspension with immediate effect and an inquiry has been ordered to look into the issue. (PTI)
President Kovind departs for Vietnam, Australia
New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday embarked on a week-long visit to Vietnam and Australia, saying he was looking forward to a “busy and business-like” events. The Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted that it would be Kovind’s first visit to any country to India’s east as President. Starting his trip from the Vietnamese coastal city of Da Nang, Kovind will head to the capital Hanoi where he will hold talks with the political leadership and also address the country’s National Assembly. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Kovind, in his maiden visit to an Asean country, will hold talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Heading to Australia on November 21, Kovind, the first Indian President to visit the country, will meet Prime Minister Scott Morrison. They will together unveil a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parramatta to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation. He will visit Sydney and Melbourne and hold discussions with the Governor-General Peter Cosgrove. The President will also address the Australia Financial Review Business event. He is also slated to meet Governor of Victoria Linda Dessau and address students at the Melbourne University. (IANS)
‘Kashmiri woman held for luring youths into militancy’
Srinagar: In a first-of-its-kind case , a woman has been arrested by security agencies in Kashmir for allegedly luring youths through Facebook into militancy, especially the Jaish-e-Mohammed, officials said on Sunday. Identified as Shazia from Naidkhai in the Sumbal area of Bandipore in North Kashmir, she was picked up after intelligence agencies zeroed on her Facebook profile, through which she was “luring youths for jihad and picking up weapons”, the officials said. During interrogation, it was found that she had handed over some ammunition and magazines to two youths from Anantnag, one of whom has been picked up. Shazia, who is in her early 30’s and a mother of two, had been on the radar of security agencies for quite some time. She would seek favours from senior officers promising them help in getting some militants arrested. A video featuring Shazia had surfaced on Facebook a few months ago, and it was alleged that she was a police informer. On the basis of a complaint filed by her, two youths were picked up and later let off with a warning. “It seems that she was being used by terror groups to extract information from police and other security agencies and pass it on to the militants,” an officer, privy to the case, said on condition of anonymity. She has not been forthcoming in her interrogation so far other than dropping names of militant commanders, the officials said. Shazia’s arrest comes a week after police nabbed 28-year-old Aysia Jan for carrying 20 grenades at Lawaypora on the city outskirts following inputs about militants trying to smuggle arms and ammunition into the city. Besides grenades, police also recovered ammunition from her possession. Her two brother were detained in connection with the case. (PTI)