Thane: Mumbra youth come together for harmony, chant slogans of both Mohammed and Mahadev
Thane (PTI): Hundreds of youth from the Mumbra township near here staged a peaceful demonstration on Friday for communal harmony, simultaneously chanting slogans of "I Love Mohammed" and "I Love Mahadev".
The gathering was held amid a controversy which began after right-wing Hindu groups objected to the posters with the slogan "I love Mohammed" at a Muslim religious procession in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
The demonstration in Mumbra, which has a sizable Muslim population, was held outside Jama Masjid after the Friday prayers. No political party was involved in its organisation, local residents claimed.
Hundreds of young people between the ages of 18 and 25 took part in the demonstration, holding placards and posters with messages of social peace, interfaith brotherhood and equality.
Arif Syed, one of the organisers, said, "This country belongs to all castes and religions. Unfortunately, some elements are trying to incite people in the name of religion. But today's youth want peace. Through this movement, we have given a message to those who spread hatred.
Yash Chaudhary, one of the young leaders, underlined Mumbra's tradition of communal harmony. "This is a city where Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and others live together peacefully. During Ganeshotsav and Navratri, our Muslim brothers visit us, while we celebrate Eid at their homes. By saying "I love Mohammed" and "I love Mahadev", we are showing the world that Mumbra represents social integration," he said.
The participants also chanted slogans such as "no conflict, love is needed" and "no discrimination, equality is needed.
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
