Caste bias row: Rohit Pawar seeks removal of Pune college principal from govt panel
Mumbai (PTI): NCP (SP) general secretary Rohit Pawar has demanded that the Maharashtra government remove a Pune college principal from its youth and sports policy committee, following allegations of caste bias by a former Dalit student.
The former BBA student alleged caste bias and claimed the Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce had withheld his job verification, a charge denied by the institution which clarified that it had sent the document to his UK-based employer and he had not lost his job.
The college has refuted the allegations of caste discrimination, calling them baseless.
Pawar has, however, accused the college of showing "Manuvadi" ideology and demanded the removal of its principal Nivedita Ekbote from the state government's core committee to frame policies for youth and sports.
"If there are individuals with Manuvadi ideologies as well as those harbouring casteist grudges in the committee that formulates the state's sports and youth policy, then what will be the future of the state's youth?" he said in a post on his social media handle on Monday.
"This committee should include people who work towards how to get jobs abroad, and should not include individuals who cause the youth to lose job opportunities abroad due to casteist grudges," Pawar added.
He demanded that the government immediately remove the "controversial members" from the committee and restructure it.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Trump says he ‘hasn’t even thought about’ continuing Iran ceasefire
Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he has not yet considered whether he would continue the ceasefire involving Iran, while also claiming the United States holds the advantage in negotiations.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he was prepared to make a deal with “whoever is running the show” in Iran.
“They are fighting with each other, there’s tremendous infighting. They’re probably fighting for leadership in many cases. I think they’re fighting not to be leader because we knocked out two levels of leaders,” he said.
Trump added, “When they want they can call me. We have all the cards, we’ve won everything.”
Referring to ongoing negotiations, he said, “They gave us a paper that should’ve been better. And, interestingly, immediately when I cancelled it [envoy trip to Pakistan], within 10 minutes we got a new paper that was much better.”
“We talked about they will not have a nuclear weapon, very simple … They offered a lot, but not enough,” he added.
When asked whether he would continue the ceasefire, Trump replied, “I haven’t even thought about it.”
The remarks come as uncertainty remains over the future of the temporary truce and broader negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
