Agra sizzles at 45 degrees
Agra, May 13: Markets in Agra wore a deserted look and there were fewer vehicles on roads as the maximum temperature crossed 45 degrees Celsius on Sunday. The number of tourists too dwindled at the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri.
Foreign tourists were seen pouring water over their heads and colourful umbrellas showed up to seek protection from the oppressive sun.
Tourist guide Ved Gautam said the heat had taken its toll as was reflected in dwindling number of visitors.
"The red sand stones are all heated up, spewing fire," he said. "The demand for bottled water has gone up."
While foreign visitors in groups prefer morning and evening, domestic tourists have no fixed programmes and are usually seen hurrying through one monument after another, said Vivek Kumar, a travel agent.
"The Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri prove the toughest for visitors with long walks in sun."
Meanwhile, voluntary groups in the city have stepped up efforts to provide free and cold drinking water by opening water kiosks. The Sri Nathji Nishulk Jal Sewa runs a network of 50 "water huts" in the city.
Parents have urged the Agra authorities to order the closure of schools to prevent children running the risk of a heat stroke.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
