Complaint seeks withdrawal of Vellappally Natesan’s Padma Bhushan, matter sent to Home Ministry
New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu has forwarded a complaint seeking the withdrawal of the Padma Bhushan conferred on SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, with instructions to examine the allegations and take appropriate action.
The complaint was submitted by RS Sashikumar, chairman of the Save University Campaign Committee. It alleges that Vellappally Natesan had publicly insulted the Padma awards in the past and is also an accused in several criminal cases, making him unfit for a civilian honour of such stature.
The petition states that conferring a Padma award on a person who had earlier mocked the honour undermines its dignity and shows disregard to previous recipients. It further argues that granting one of the country’s highest civilian honours to someone facing multiple criminal cases is inappropriate.
Vellappally Natesan had earlier made disparaging remarks about the Padma awards during a media interaction, questioning their value and suggesting they could be obtained with money. The SNDP Protection Committee had also opposed the decision to confer the Padma Bhushan on him.
This year, the Padma Bhushan was announced for Vellappally Natesan and actor Mammootty. Former Kerala chief minister VS Achuthanandan, former Supreme Court judge Justice KT Thomas, and RSS pracharak and former Janmabhoomi editor P Narayanan were awarded the Padma Vibhushan.
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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.
