After stone pelting incidents, security tightened in Bhopal areas; MP Police warn against rumours

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Bhopal, May 15 (IANS) Security has been tightened across all sensitive areas of the Old City in Bhopal ahead of Friday prayers, as police moved to prevent any disturbance following communal tension over the assault on a Muslim youth earlier this week.

Authorities deployed additional police personnel in crowded localities and continued prohibitory measures under Section 144.

Strict vigil has been maintained around major mosques, with separate security arrangements established at every gate of Taj-ul-Masajid, Jama Masjid, and Moti Masjid. Personnel were also deployed outside Peer Gate Mosque, Kulsum Biya Mosque in Budhwara and some other parts of the city.

Friday prayers are scheduled between 12:40 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. Bhopal Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar said police forces had been put on high alert. “Police will take strict action if crowds gather. Police will initiate stern measures against anyone disturbing the peace,” he said.

Kumar urged residents not to assemble unnecessarily and added that additional forces would be deployed alongside the district police. The police will also be keeping a close watch on social media.

He appealed to all residents of Bhopal to maintain peace and not place trust in information circulating on social media.

The heightened security follows protests and incidents of stone-pelting reported in parts of the Old City after the assault on Arif Khan on May 10. According to police, Khan was allegedly assaulted by activists linked to a Hindu organisation at a hotel in Bhopal.

He was beaten, stripped semi-naked and had ink and cow dung smeared on his face before being handed over to police personnel. The incident triggered anger among members of the Muslim community, leading to protests in several areas of the Old City since Tuesday.

All seven persons named in the FIR, including the main accused Vijendra Prajapati, were arrested on Thursday and sent to judicial remand. The accused — Vijendra Prajapati, Rohit Singh, Jeetu Kushwah, Ranjit Suryavanshi, Lala Ram Meena, Prateek and Ramesh — have been booked under Sections 299 and 291 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for outraging religious sentiments and rioting.

Bhopal City Qazi Syed Mushtaq Ali Nadvi also appealed for maintaining peace within the city. The City Qazi stated that, in accordance with community demands, the police have arrested all the accused individuals and sent them to jail.

“Do not take any wrongful steps under the influence of provocation or misinformation,” he said. Police said all the accused persons involved in this case have already been arrested, and the investigation is underway.

–IANS

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Trinamool questions BJP’s silence over rape, suicide of woman doctor in Satara

Kolkata, Oct 25 (IANS) The Trinamool Congress on Saturday slammed the BJP over its lack of outrage and studied silence on the suicide of a woman doctor in Maharashtra following repeated rape by police Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne and after being intimidated and threatened by an MP in the state.

State minister Shashi Panja questioned whether the BJP has become so emotionally bankrupt that their leaders choose to ignore such a serious incident in a state ruled by their own party and its allies.

Addressing a news conference in Kolkata, the senior Trinamool leader also pointed out the ‘absence’ of national outrage over the incident.

“We knew that the BJP has so far been politically bankrupt. But has the party now become emotionally bankrupt, too? It did not mince words on the tragic incident in Satara. Where is the voice of the media now? Why are national news channels quiet? Had this incident happened in West Bengal, all hell would have broken loose with members of the women’s commission and human rights commission visiting the state,” said the Trinamool leader.

The tragic incident occurred when the doctor, employed at a government hospital in Satara district in Maharashtra, allegedly hung herself in a hotel room. A note on her palm and a four-page suicide letter accused Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne of repeated rape. Police on Saturday arrested one of the two men the doctor had named in the suicide note written on her palm, from Pune, the officials said.

The woman, in a complaint submitted to the police, had alleged that she was being harassed by an MP to provide fake medical reports of people accused in police cases without even examining them. She also pointed out the police’s inaction despite repeated complaints about the sexual assault by Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne.

Taking a swipe at the National Commission for Women (NCW) and other national agencies, Panja said, “Where are these agencies, and the voices that cry for justice? They don’t visit BJP-ruled states where there is a double-engine government? Or are these reserved only for West Bengal? This shows the double standards of the BJP when it comes to addressing crimes against women. They are selective when it comes to addressing such issues,” said Panja, who is the state’s Women, Child Development and Social Welfare Minister (Independent charge).

–IANS

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Chhattisgarh: ‘Maths Park’ ignites passion for subject among children

Raipur, Dec 4 (IANS) ‘Maths Park’ – an innovative and unique project, launched by a government high school in Dongargarh block of Rajnandgaon district (Chhattisgarh), has ignited curiosity and excitement among the children and school students, thereby encouraging them to flock to the centre to explore its various facets of learning.

The novel concept has found strong resonance with people on the ground in rural areas, and children are flocking to the centre in large numbers.

As a result, the area, which once remained heavily affected by Naxalism, has now become a hub for learning and teaching through innovative teaching methods.

In this unique park, theories from Aryabhatta (the creator of zero) to mathematician Ramanujan have been brought to life through interesting figures, models, and activities. The mathematical concepts and puzzles, once considered complex and tedious, are now simple and exciting, making learning playful for children.

This has not only eliminated the fear of the subject but has also instilled a new enthusiasm for mathematics among students. Simple techniques of Vedic mathematics have also been incorporated into the park, which fosters children’s confidence in practising fast and accurate calculations.

The most remarkable feature of this initiative is that the park was developed by the school teachers themselves and also made it a reality with their contributions amounting to Rs 10 lakh, rather than any government grants.

Mathematics teacher Gokul Janghel, regarded as the pioneer of this innovation, said that he created this to lure and train children about basic mathematical concepts. Shapes and symbols have been extensively used to break down the complex concepts of the subject.

The foundation of the project was laid during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it started with 109 students and five teachers.

Principal Kiran Mishra explains that children suffered a lot due to the pandemic, and that served as the “trigger point” for undertaking such a project. She says that this park has rapidly increased children’s awareness and interest in mathematics.

A couple of students also shared their first-hand experience with the novel “Maths Park.”

Niharika Yadav, a Class 9 student, and Udit Narayan Sahu, a Class 10 student, said that mathematics has become their favourite subject now because they are learning not just by studying but by playing games.

This government school in Chhattisgarh is proving that resources pose no obstacle when intentions are strong and objectives are clear.

The commitment and unwavering focus of teachers in preparing “citizens of tomorrow” have ensured that education becomes a medium of bringing positive change in society.

–IANS

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Before GST, foreign company found it cheaper to send goods from Bengaluru to Hyderabad via Europe: PM Modi

New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday recalled how complicated India’s tax system was before 2014, citing a case where a French company found it cheaper to send goods from Bengaluru to Hyderabad via Europe instead of transporting them directly between the two state capital cities

PM Modi said this bizarre situation was the result of a maze of taxes, tolls and checkpoints that made domestic trade costly and time-consuming.

“Friends, this was the situation at that time due to the complexities of taxes and tolls. Millions of companies and crores of citizens suffered daily because of this system,” the Prime Minister said in his address to the nation ahead of the beginning of the GST 2.0 reforms on Monday.

“The extra costs of moving goods from one city to another were ultimately borne by poor families and common customers,” he added.

PM Modi stressed that when his government came to power in 2014, simplifying India’s tax regime became a top priority.

“We made GST a priority in the public and national interest. We held discussions with all stakeholders, addressed every doubt of the states, and found solutions to every concern. By bringing all states together, India’s biggest tax reform became possible,” he said.

The Prime Minister underlined that the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) freed India from dozens of overlapping taxes and created a uniform system across the country.

Calling it the realisation of the dream of “One Nation, One Tax”, he said GST transformed the business environment and boosted India’s logistics efficiency.

“Earlier, the country was trapped in a web of taxes. Today, because of GST, we have a unified market. Goods can move freely across states, industries are saving costs, and citizens are benefiting through lower prices. This is the strength of ‘One Nation, One Market’,” PM Modi said.

–IANS

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