Didn't know Sambhaji Bhide, showed him respect as an elderly person: Sudha Murthy
Sindhudurg (Maha), Nov 9: Author and philanthropist Sudha Murthy on Wednesday said she did not know who Sambhaji Bhide was and bowed before him as he is an elderly person.
A video showing Sudha Murthy touching the feet of Bhide, a right-wing leader, in Sangli in western Maharashtra had gone viral, evoking sharp reactions.
Bhide was recently served a notice by the State Women's Commission for refusing to talk to a woman journalist because she had no bindi' on her forehead.
"I don't know about his personal views. He is an elderly person, an old man. It is our tradition to touch the feet of an elderly person," said Sudha Murthy, the wife of Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy, referring to the issue.
She was speaking to reporters during her tour of Sindhudurg district.
Sudha Murthy was in Sangli on Monday to interact with her readers at a promotional event for her books, many of which have been translated into Marathi.
She said Bhide wanted her appointment but she told him that she was busy.
"I do not know about his views or counter views (about him). I didn't speak anything about it (his views). He asked for my appointment, I said I was busy. He said at least in February or March we will try to meet. I don't know anything about him," she said.
Sudha Murthy on Wednesday prayed for the well-being of her son-in-law and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a temple in the coastal Sindhudurg district.
A functionary of Bhide's Shiv Pratishthan outfit had said his leader met Sudha Murthy for help in the installation of a golden throne at Raigad fort, the erstwhile capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
However, an aide to Sudha Murthy had said the author wasn't aware who Bhide was and had bowed to him out of respect for a senior citizen.
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26 killed, 61 injured in blast at fireworks factory in China
Beijing (PTI): At least 26 people were killed and 61 others injured in a massive explosion at a fireworks factory in China's Hunan province, officials said on Tuesday.
The explosion occurred on Monday afternoon at the plant operated by the Huasheng fireworks manufacturing and display company in Liuyang, a county-level city under Changsha, the provincial capital.
Videos circulating on Chinese social media showed massive destruction of property spanning several kilometres.
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More than 480 rescuers, organised into five teams, have been deployed for relief operations, with three rescue robots pressed into service.
Officials said 26 people were killed and 61 others were injured. The injured have been rushed to hospitals for treatment, while a second round of search operations is underway.
China is a leading manufacturer and exporter of fireworks.
As the explosion site is located near two black powder warehouses, the rescuers have evacuated nearby residents and set up a buffer zone to prevent a secondary accident, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched experts to the scene to guide rescue efforts.
The person in charge of the company has been detained by police and the cause of the accident is being investigated, the report said.
