“Cut them in half”: Pragya Thakur urges keeping sharp weapons at home, calls for Muslim boycott
Bhopal: Former Bhopal MP Pragya Singh Thakur, infamous for making provocative statements, recently urged Hindu women and girls to shun Muslim men and to refuse them entry even for routine household repairs.
Speaking at a Durga Vahini (Vishwa Hindu Parishad women’s wing) Navratri event in Bhopal on Sunday, Thakur made a string of explicit appeals and directives aimed at segregating everyday interactions between Hindus and Muslims. Her comments come nearly two months after a special court in Mumbai acquitted her in connection with the 2007 Malegaon blast case.
“There is no brother-sister bond in Miyas (Muslims). If they don’t respect their own sisters, how can they respect you as their sister? Muslim men are looking to deceive and trap Hindu women and girls. Don’t ever become sisters of Muslims,” The New Indian Express quoted Thakur as saying.
Thakur urged women to take a vow “not to allow vidharmis in your home,” warning against permitting Muslim men to carry out work such as light fittings, plumbing repairs or driving family vehicles. “All our women and girls should take a vow of not falling into the trap of vidharmis,” she said, and called for organised efforts to “rescue from their clutches our women and girls who have already been trapped.”
Further escalating her rhetoric, she asserted that sharp weapons should be kept at home. "When our daughters are abducted and their bodies are thrown on the road, it causes immense pain. To release that pain, when the enemy comes, they should be cut in half," NDTV quoted Thakur as saying.
Thakur went further to call for economic and social boycotts of minorities. She urged devotees to avoid consuming edible products prepared by non-Hindus, to form groups that would identify shops run by Muslims near temples, and to report such vendors. In a particularly inflammatory passage, she said that non-Hindu vendors selling prasad near temples “should be thrashed and handed over to the law enforcement,” language that invites violence against a religious community.
The comments have sparked strong political backlash. Umang Singhar, Leader of the Opposition in Madhya Pradesh, condemned Thakur's remarks as "objectionable" and accused the BJP of intentionally fueling communal tensions to distract from more pressing issues.
"The BJP accuses others of playing Hindu-Muslim politics, but its own leaders make such provocative statements from public platforms. Pragya Thakur is a repeat offender. At a time when Madhya Pradesh is grappling with unemployment, inflation, and recruitment scams, the BJP uses such rhetoric to mislead the public," NDTV quoted Singhar as saying.
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Delhi schools suspend outdoor activities, plan early steps to shield students from heat
New Delhi (PTI): To shield students from heat-related ailments amid soaring temperatures and harsh afternoon sun, schools across Delhi have begun taking precautionary measures by suspending outdoor activities, shifting assemblies indoors, with some even considering early closure for junior classes.
From indoor games and hydration breaks to ORS consumption and modified dispersal timings, schools are tightening measures as the city braces for prolonged heatwave conditions.
Sudha Acharya, principal at ITL Public School in Dwarka, said all outdoor activities, including morning assembly and games, have been shifted to the school's multipurpose hall.
“We have issued an advisory to all parents to take precautionary measures before sending their children to school. We are also planning to close the school from classes 1 to 8 from May 14 onward if the weather conditions worsen," she said.
Mallika Preman, principal at Tagore International School in East of Kailash, said students have been advised to remain indoors during peak afternoon hours and keep themselves hydrated.
“We have suspended all outdoor activities, and students now play indoor games like carrom and chess. We have also modified the dispersal system so that students are not brought out until their parents arrive at their designated collection areas,” Preman said.
“This reduces their exposure to heat in the afternoon. Students have also been advised to wear caps or use umbrellas during dispersal,” she added.
Ritu Sharma, principal at Sovereign Public School in Rohini, said that teachers have been asked to closely monitor students for signs of heat exhaustion.
“Our priority is to ensure that children remain safe and comfortable during school hours. We are encouraging them to carry water bottles, avoid direct sun exposure and immediately report any discomfort. We have also arranged shaded rest areas and indoor engagement activities to reduce heat exposure,” she said.
The Directorate of Education (DoE) has launched a ‘Beat the Heat’ initiative for government, government-aided and private unaided recognised schools in Delhi in view of the heatwave conditions forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The initiative follows the Heat Wave Action Plan issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and aims to protect students from heat-related illnesses while promoting hydration, environmental awareness and care for animals and birds.
Under the initiative, schools have been directed to ring a 'hydration bell' daily in the penultimate period, during which every student will consume oral rehydration solution (ORS). Teachers will also briefly explain the importance of staying hydrated.
Schools have also been encouraged to create 'cool corners' with earthen water pots, promote a ‘one child-one plant’ green mission and appoint student volunteers as 'Jal Mitras' to place and refill water bowls for birds and stray animals, the advisory said.
According to the DoE, the other measures include ensuring safe drinking water stations, spreading awareness on heat stroke prevention, training teachers to identify symptoms of heat stress, and prominently displaying emergency helpline numbers across campuses.
The heads of schools have been asked to submit an action taken report on the implementation of the measures to their respective district offices by April 28, it said.
