‘Was curious to read Quran, wanted to know what’s written in it’: Goa CM Pramod Sawant
Panaji: Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant says he has read parts of both the Quran and the Bible.
Speaking at an Eid-e-Milad function late on Sunday night, Sawant advocated equality of all religions and said that his government doesn’t discriminate between faiths.
“Quran is in Urdu, I asked for a copy in Hindi and began reading it. The Bible is written in English, Bhagavad Gita is written in English, Hindi and Marathi. I wanted to know what is there written in the Quran. I was curious to read it,” Sawant said.
“I have not read it fully yet. I have read just some of the lessons in the Quran... just as I have read some parts of the Bible. I have already read the Bhagavad Gita. I am also trying to read the Bible,” he added.
“In the Quran, humans are ranked above all other species. But, neither the Quran nor the Bible or the Bhagavad Gita say that other religions should be defamed and derided. The Quran does say our religion is superior than most, but also adds that other religions should also be respected,” Sawant said.
Though there were restrictions in the state under Section 144 on account of the Ayodhya case verdict, the administration allowed religious processions of the Muslim community on the occasion of Eid-e-Milad after the community made a request to this effect to the chief minister.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also extolled the practice of the Uniform Civil Code in Goa, adding that there was no discrimination between any communities in the coastal state.
Courtesy: www.hindustantimes.com
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
