New Delhi
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday reiterated the May 3 deadline for removal of loudspeakers atop mosques and said all Hindus should play Hanuman Chalisa at double the volume of azan from May 4.
Addressing a rally at Aurangabad, Thackeray said, “I won’t be responsible for what all happens after the May 3 deadline to remove the loudspeakers from the mosques.”
He said the truth of the matter is that the loudspeaker is a social issue and not a religious one.
“But if you attack us with religion, we will also counter with religion… If they (Muslims) don’t understand nicely, we will show them the power of Maharashtra,” asserted Thackeray, who still calls himself the genuine admirer and disciple of Late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray.
"If Uttar Pradesh can take down loudspeakers from mosques and temples, then why Maharashtra cannot," Raj Thackeray asked.
In fact, the loudspeaker row kicked off in Maharashtra has spread to other states as well.
The BJP-government in Uttar Pradesh removed thousands of loudspeakers from religious places, including temples, in the past few days. One of the first to bring down their loudspeakers was Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura on April 20.
The controversy was initially stoked by Raj Thackeray in his Gudi Padwa address where he said his party workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on the loudspeakers of mosques if those are not taken down.
Two Maharashtra politicians decided to chant Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray's residence in Mumbai and Navneet Rana (MP) and her husband Ravi Rana were arrested and are still in jail.
Raj Thackeray also accused NCP chief Sharad Pawar of pursuing the 'hate politics of caste and religion'.
Raj's cousin Udhav Thackeray is Maharashtra Chief Minister heading a coalition government comprising ofShiv Sena, Pawar-led NCP and the Congress party.
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India always wants cessation of hostilities in Ukraine: new Foreign Secy Vinay Kwatra
New Delhi
New Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra has said that India has always maintained that there should be "cessation of hostilities in Ukraine", and the path to the resolution of Russia-Ukraine crisis goes through diplomacy and dialogue.
"....these strands pretty much capture what we have to say in Ukraine," Kwatra said at a special briefingon Sunday on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day visit to European countries - Germany, Denmark and France.
Answering a series of questions on the Ukraine issue vis-a-vis PM's visit to Europe, the Foreign Secretarysaid, "I must repeat and reiterate that the principal focus of the visits and discussions is to structure and strengthen bilateral partnership across a range of areas and of course exchange perspective on the Ukraine issues also".
He maintained, "It would not be correct for me to comment on what each of the countries of Europe, how they look at the Ukraine issue".
But he asserted, "I think insofar as India's position on Ukraine is concerned, it has been amplified, made clear, enunciated in great detail in multiple fora".
To another question, he said, "...as far as Ukraine is concerned, mainly it is the end of hostilities and solving the problem through diplomacy and dialogue which is our position on Ukraine, which for a long time the government has been putting it in one or the other forum".
On the first leg of his visit to Berlin in Germany on May 2, Prime Minister Modi will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Mr Kwatra said the two leaders will co-chair the sixth edition of the India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations.
On 3rd of May, the PM will travel to Copenhagen next on an official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen.
This will be Mr Modi's first visit to Denmark but his third summit-level interaction with the Danish Prime Minister.
On the last leg of the tour, the Prime Minister will briefly stopover in Paris and meet French President Emmanuel Macron.Mr Modi's visit to France will provide an opportunity to carry forward the high level engagement between the two countries post the French Presidential elections, the Foreign Secretary said.
"In Paris I will be meeting my friend, President Emmanuel Macron, who has just been re-elected. During our talks we will take stock of various bilateral and global issues," the Prime Minister wrote
on Twitter.
On 4th of May, Mr Modi will participate in the 2nd India-Nordic Summit along with Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway.
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Heat Wave: Centre asks states to review health facility preparedness
New Delhi
In what can be called a timely alert amid heatwave across the country, the Centre on Sunday, May 1, urged all states/UTs to review their health facility preparedness for availability of adequate quantities of essential medicines and all necessary equipment.
They have been specifically directed to ensure sufficient drinking water and continued functioning of cooling appliances in critical areas.
In a letter to the states/UTs, Union Health Secretary, Rajesh Bhushan, requested them to disseminate the
guideline document ‘National Action Plan on Heat Related Illnesses’ to all districts for effective
management of cases of heatwave.
“Please ensure that these daily surveillance reports are shared with the National Centre for Disease
Control (NCDC),” it said.
“The daily heat alerts shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) as well as NCDC with states
indicate forecasts of heatwave for next three to four days, and may be disseminated promptly at district/health
facility level,” Bhushan said in the letter.
He said the health department of the state must continue efforts on sensitisation and capacity building of
medical officers, health staff and grassroot level workers on heat illness, its early recognition and
management.
“Health facility preparedness must be reviewed for availability of adequate quantities of essential medicines,
IV fluids, ice packs, ORS and all necessary equipment," the letter said, adding
availability of sufficient drinking water at all health facilities and continued functioning of cooling appliances in
critical areas must be ensured".
Rainwater harvesting and recycling plants may also be explored for self sufficiency in water, the letter
advised.
States may also utilise Information, Education and Communication (IEC) as well as community level awareness materials regarding the precautions to be taken by the population to safeguard themselves against heat waves, it said.
On Sunday, high temperature has been reported from various cities - Delhi 43 degrees celsius, Amritsar - 44, Bikaner-46, Jaipur - 43, Lucknow - 44, Varanasi -45 and Kolkata - 37.
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