Kiran Bedi expressed regret, put issue to rest: Rajnath Singh to opposition
New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Thursday appealed to the opposition, particularly the DMK, to put to rest the controversy over a tweet by Puducherry LG Kiran Bedi, saying she has deleted it and expressed deep regret.
Singh's comments came after DMK leader T R Baalu raised the issue for the second consecutive day in Lok Sabha and said the matter has triggered outrage in Tamil Nadu as it was insulting to Tamil society and state politicians.
The defence minister said Bedi has already deleted the tweet and issued a statement expressing deep regret.
Singh said when the matter was raised in Parliament by Baalu, the Ministry of Home Affairs took notice of it and took necessary action in this regard.
Singh said she has expressed deep regret by saying, "What was written was a people perspective shared in my personal capacity, as it came at a time when people were hugely suffering for water in Chennai. However, I admit it was avoidable. And I should not have shared it in public in this manner and I too realised it."
"I have therefore deleted my sharing. I have the highest regards and warmth for the people of Tamil Nadu, like I have for the people of Puducherry," Singh quoted Bedi's statement.
The defence minister said in view of the LG's statement, he would like to request members of the House to put the issue to rest.
Earlier, raising the issue during Zero Hour, Baalu said the LG's comments on Twitter were without any provocation and generated a strong reaction in Tamil Nadu.
In her now deleted tweet, Bedi on Sunday blamed the water crisis in Tamil Nadu on "poor governance, corrupt politics, indifferent bureaucracy with highly selfish and cowardly attitude of the people".
DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran thanked Singh for his reply on the issue of LG Bedi's "hurtful comments" against the Tamil people.
Singh has said that "Since she has apologised and assured that such incidents will not occur again let us leave it at that.
"I hope that henceforth the government adopts the same attitude in dealing with matters of dissent and voices of opposition as well," Maran said in the House.
He also posted his comments on Twitter.
After Singh's statement, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanded the House should adopt a resolution condemning Bedi for allegedly humiliating the people of Tamil Nadu.
Asaduddin Owaisi of the AIMIM said that a constitutional head cannot have a personal opinion. However, Speaker Om Birla moved to the next subject. PTI ACB DV
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Steel mirrors deployed in Mysuru to discourage public urination
Mysuru (PTI): Fed up with people relieving themselves along roadsides, the Mysuru City Corporation has adopted a unique strategy to curb the practice and promote civic sense by installing reflective steel mirrors along pavements, officials said on Friday.
In what officials described as a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Corporation installed stainless steel sheets with a mirror finish along an 80-metre stretch opposite the Mysuru Suburban Bus Stand.
Officials said the reflective sheets are intended to confront anyone attempting to urinate in public with their own reflection, thereby discouraging the act psychologically.
“The idea is to maintain cleanliness and hygiene, prevent public nuisance, and promote civic sense. It is a simple yet psychological approach that encourages self-awareness through reflection,” officials added.
Soon after the mirrors were installed, videos of the initiative went viral on social media, with many people appreciating the administration’s innovative attempt to address public urination. At the same time, some users pointed out the lack of basic civic sense among people.
Several social media users also suggested that more public toilets, maintained in a hygienic condition, were needed to further discourage open urination.
Explaining how the idea originated, Nitesh Patil, Administrator and Regional Commissioner of the Mysuru City Corporation, told PTI that despite a public toilet being located next to the bus stand, many people continued to urinate in the open.
Even fines and warnings failed to deter them from relieving themselves against vacant compound walls, leaving behind a foul smell.
“One of our engineers came up with this idea, and we decided to implement it. The initiative has received a very positive response from the public, social media, and the press. We are now planning to identify more such locations in the city and install similar reflectors,” he said.
According to him, to ensure that the installation is both effective and visually appealing, LED lighting that switches on along with the streetlights has also been added, causing the stretch to glow at night and enhancing the city’s appearance.
Patil said the initiative had helped create civic awareness while also beautifying the city.
“We want our city to be clean and hygienic. We aspire to become the cleanest city in the country,” he added, recalling that Mysuru secured third place nationally in the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2024–25 last year.
