AAP protest: Punjab Minister Harjot Singh Bains, Somnath Bharti detained by police
New Delhi (PTI): Punjab Minister Harjot Singh Bains and Somnath Bharti were among the scores of AAP members detained by police on Tuesday as they gathered at the Patel Chowk here to protest against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Raising slogans of "Inquilab Zindabad" and "Kejriwal Zindabad", Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers and leaders reached the area's metro station in groups, with the party calling for a march to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg for a "gherao".
Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure are imposed in the area and police cannot allow anyone to gather, a senior officer said and added that in view of this, "we have to clear this area". "We will not allow anybody to gather here," he said.
AAP national convener Kejriwal, who was arrested on March 21 and subsequently remanded to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) custody till March 28 by a Delhi court, faces allegations of direct involvement in a conspiracy related to the formulation of the excise policy favouring specific individuals.
"The BJP-led central government is targeting everyone who is honest so that it can save the corrupt," Kavita, one of the protesters, said.
Senior AAP leader Bharti in a post on X said he has been detained by police along with Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker and AAP's Mangolpuri MLA Rakhi Birla.
"Delhi Police for no rhyme or reason along with Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla and many volunteers of AAP and supporters of Arvind Kejriwal Ji. It's shocking to see that while the Delhi Police are arresting peacefully protesting AAP supporters, they are doing nothing to stop @BJP4India," Bharti posted.
Bains, who is a minister in AAP government in Punjab, and senior party member Reena Gupta were also among those detained.
Leaders and workers of the BJP's Delhi unit also staged a demonstration on Tuesday demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Kejriwal.
Besides the Lok Kalyan Marg area, police have also beefed up security in several other parts of the national capital by deploying its personnel and those of paramilitary forces.
"There is no permission to hold protest. We also got information that protesters will gather at the Patel Chowk metro station. In view of that, we stepped up security arrangements," Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar said.
Kumar said if protesters try to reach and gather, they will be detained immediately.
The entry and exit gates at the Lok Kalyan Marg metro station have been closed due to security reasons, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said on X. Entry and exit have also been restricted at the Patel Chowk and the Central Secretariat metro stations till further notice, it added.
Security personnel in anti-riot gear were seen around the metro stations and at other places in the Central Delhi area
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
