Lanka prez asks Mamata if she will lead INDIA
Kolkata (PTI): A smiling Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday asked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee whether she is going to lead the Opposition alliance, INDIA.
Banerjee who met Wickremesinghe at the Dubai airport was also amused by the question. "If people support us, we can be in a position (power) tomorrow," she replied.
The chief minister is on a 12-day official trip to Dubai and Spain.
Banerjee said that Wickremesinghe, seeing her at the airport lounge, called her to "join for some discussion" when she invited him to the state-organised Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) in November.
"His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe saw me at the Dubai International Airport Lounge and called me to join for some discussion. I have been humbled by his greetings and (have) invited him to the Bengal Global Business Summit 2023 in Kolkata," she posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Banerjee also said Wickremesinghe has invited her to visit the island country.
"It was a pleasant interaction with deep implications," she added.
Banerjee reached Dubai on Tuesday evening and was at the airport there this morning to board her flight to Spain.
This year's BGBS is scheduled for November 21-22.
Banerjee had on Tuesday morning left for the tour of Dubai and Spain, during which she will attend business summits to attract investments to the state.
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.
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.
