President unveils Mahatma Gandhi's bronze statue in Australia
Melbourne, Nov 22 : President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday unveiled a bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Australian city of Sydney and said his powerful message of non-violence and peaceful coexistence is relevant in these times of strife.
Marking the ongoing celebrations of the 150th anniversary year of the Mahatma along with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Kovind said it was an honour for him to unveil the statue as the legend belonged to the entire world.
Kovind, the first-ever Indian head of state to visit Australia, arrived in Sydney on Wednesday on the second leg of his two-nation trip. During the first leg, he visited Vietnam.
Two photographs posted by the official Twitter handle of the President of India showed the striking bronze statue garlanded with flowers.
In one of the photographs, President Kovind, First Lady Savita Kovind, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Mayor of Paramatta Andrew Wilson were seen in front of the statue.
Members of Indian community were also present at the event and raised slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "Vande Matram".
Acknowledging the presence of Premier Morrison, Kovind said, "This initiative has a very special meaning to help spread Mahatma Gandhi's legacy and timeless message across the world."
"His universal teachings have a special resonance in all corners," he said.
Kovind said Gandhi and the Australian society struck a common cord as he too was a strong supporter of multi-cultural ethos, like Australia. He said Gandhi's message of non-violence and peaceful coexistence stands all the more relevant in these times of strife.
"As a country which is home to people from every part of the world, Mahatma Gandhi's legacy cannot be more relevant to its values and ethos," Kovind said before unveiling the statue.
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31 students test positive during anti-drug screening drive in educational institutions in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): Thirty-one students tested positive during an anti-drug screening drive conducted in educational institutions in Vijayanagar area of the city, police said on Thursday.
The drive was conducted as part of Karnataka State Police department's newly introduced initiative called "Sanmitra" aimed to address the serious issue of drug addiction, which has been severely impacting the youth across the state, they said.
This initiative aims to adopt a transformative approach to find solutions and take compassionate steps towards building a drug-free society, police said.
According to police, as part of this directive, on March 4, under the leadership of DCP West Division Yatheesh N, inspections related to drug consumption were conducted within the limits of Vijayanagar Sub-Division police stations under Bengaluru City Police Commissionerate.
With the consent and no-objection certificates obtained from the management of six educational institutions and two hostels, inspections and checks were carried out.
"Urine samples were collected from more than 1,200 students, out of which 585 samples were randomly tested, and 31 samples were found to be positive," police said in a statement.
The operation was conducted with the full cooperation of officers and staff of local police stations, along with doctors, technicians, and staff from nearby hospitals, police said.
Necessary arrangements will be made to provide counseling with mental health professionals and to ensure required medical support for those in need, they said.
The identity and family details of individuals tested will be kept strictly confidential, police assured.
