Alert in Bodh Gaya amid Dalai Lama's visit: MEA calls it 'security issue'
police release sketch of Chinese woman
New Delhi, Dec 29: As security was beefed up in Bodh Gaya in Bihar following a threat to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama allegedly from a Chinese woman, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday called it "a security issue" and refused to comment further on it.
"It looks like a security issue, I don't have any update on it. I certainly don't think this is the right forum to talk about security-related aspects," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at the weekly briefing.
He said the government has a liaison officer there, but refused to make any further comments on the "security issue".
A security alert was issued in Bodh Gaya in Bihar on Thursday morning amid a visit of the Dalai Lama, with the police searching for a Chinese woman, an official said.
Police issued a sketch of the woman, identified as Song Xiaolan, besides sharing her passport and visa details with the press.
It was not immediately clear why the police were looking for the woman.
Security has been beefed up around the Mahabodhi Temple Complex with the screening of devotees being intensified. The Dalai Lama addressed a gathering there in the morning.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
