Congress MLA threatens to burn alive Pragya Thakur; apologises
Bhopal: An MLA of ruling Congress in Madhya Pradesh has threatened to burn alive BJP Lok Sabha MP Pragya Singh Thakur, facing flak for her remarks on Mahatma Gandhis assassin Nathuram Godse, if she entered his constituency.
The MLA, Govardhan Dangi, issued the threat on Thursday, but apologised on Friday for his controversial remark, saying it was a mistake.
The Congress MLA from Biaora in Rajgarh district said he firmly believes in Gandhian principle of non-violence.
After staging a protest at Biaora, about 115km from Bhopal, on Thursday against Thakur's comment in the Lok Sabha, Dangi told reporters, "Nothing can be more disgusting than praising Mahatma Gandhis assassin.
"We criticised her...not only burnt her effigy but if she comes here we will burn her too, said the MLA, whose statement went viral on social media.
After a controversy erupted over his statement, Dangi told the media he follows Mahatma Gandhi's principles.
I meant to say that the people of Rajgarh district will boycott her. There was some mistake in speaking. We are followers of Mahatma Gandhi's non-violence... I apologise for it, Dangi said on Friday.
The state Congress distanced itself from Dangis statement.
We follow the Father of the Nations non-violence doctrine. The MLA realised his mistake and apologised, said state Congress spokesman Pankaj Chaturvedi.
Thakur's praise of Godse in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday has stirred a political storm with the Congress on Thursday staging protests in several towns in Madhya Pradesh, including Bhopal, her constituency.
The Bhopal MP on Friday tendered an apology in the Lok Sabha, but said her remarks on Godse have been twisted. She said her comments were in a different context.
During the Lok Sabha election campaign, Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, had kicked up a row by describing Godse as a "patriot".
She later apologised for her comment.
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Climate Change crisis: IMD to change parameters to declare heatwaves
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The IMD, along with its technical partners, will soon revise the criteria for declaring heatwave conditions in the country, as the present parameters do not suit India’s geographical conditions, according to official sources here.
Kerala, in particular, has faced difficulties in issuing heatwave warnings because of the limitations of the existing parameters.
Sources in the India Meteorological Department said the state experienced severe heat and humidity this summer and, for the first time, weather forecasts were made based on the anti-cyclone system that formed near the Karnataka–Maharashtra coast.
"We have never had an anti-cyclone system form closer to the South before, and this time we had to predict the weather based on it," a senior IMD official told PTI.
Anti-cyclonic systems are common over north-western parts of India, but this year one formed near the southern region, leading to unusually hot nights.
The anti-cyclone caused downward air movement, which pushed warm air towards the surface and prevented it from dispersing at night, the official added. As a result, Kerala recorded night temperatures 3 to 4 degrees Celsius above normal.
Because Kerala has experienced a steady temperature increase during the summer months for the last few years, changing the parameters for declaring heat waves would benefit the state, enabling the authorities to issue warnings more efficiently, the official added.
The IMD currently issues hot and humid weather warnings, although the situation warrants a heatwave warning, as the existing parameters do not allow the department to issue one.
At present, the IMD issues a heat wave warning in coastal areas when the maximum temperature reaches 37 degree Celsius or more with a temperature departure of 4.5 degree Celsius over the recorded maximum temperature.
For plains, the threshold is 40 degrees Celsius with a departure of 4.5 degrees Celsius or more from normal, while for hilly regions it is 30 degrees Celsius with a departure of 4.5 degrees Celsius or more.
Officials said the current heatwave declaration parameters also require these conditions to be recorded at two stations in the state to issue the warnings.
"In Kerala, we hardly get to record these conditions in two areas; moreover, we have severe heat stress that can easily cause a heat stroke. So we have decided to rework the heatwave declaration parameters and the changes will be implemented shortly. There will be a consultation with the Disaster Management Authority also before finalising the parameters," the official said.
Throughout Kerala, temperatures recorded this summer were three to four degrees Celsius higher than usual. The state also reported multiple cases of heatstroke despite regular warnings issued by the IMD and the state disaster management authority.
According to experts, Kerala has become a climate change hotspot, with a steady increase in atmospheric temperatures and erratic monsoons.
The IMD has also predicted a below-normal monsoon this year, as this is the first time two consecutive El Nino years are being witnessed.
