Pawan Kalyan’s convoy restrictions allegedly cost exam chances for over 25 aspirants in Andhra
Visakhapatnam (PTI): Over 25 candidates were barred from appearing in a crucial competitive examination in Visakhapatnam on Monday after they reportedly arrived late due to traffic restrictions allegedly imposed for the smooth passage of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s convoy
The examination was scheduled to begin at 8.30 am at the ION Digital Zone building in Chinnamusidivada, Pendurthi.
B Kalavathi, the mother of a student appearing for the Joint Entrance Examination 2025, which determines admissions to National Institutes of Technology , claimed that her son was delayed due to traffic restrictions enforced for Kalyan’s convoy.
"We were stuck in traffic. It was halted because Kalyan was on his way to Araku," Kalavathi told PTI, adding that the roads were cleared to allow the actor-politician’s convoy to pass.
According to her, they reached NAD junction at 7.50 am but took 42 minutes to cover the remaining distance to the exam centre, arriving too late and being denied entry.
"Nearly 30 students were affected. We pleaded repeatedly but were not allowed in," she said, referring to their failed attempts to gain entry into the exam hall.
Anil Kumar, another parent, observed that even a five-minute exemption by the examination centre could have saved the day—and possibly an entire academic year—for his daughter, who also missed the exam.
Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers will come and go, but had the police informed the exam centre and granted a five-minute exemption, Kumar said, recounting the ordeal.
Though his daughter reached the examination centre at 8.32 am, Kumar said she was denied entry due to being two minutes late.
Speaking to media, a parent appealed to the Deputy Chief Minister to consider rescheduling the exam for the affected students.
Meanwhile, Visakhapatnam police issued a statement denying any connection between the convoy and the students' late arrival.
"It is clear that the Deputy CM’s movement through the area at 8.41 am has no connection to the late arrival of students, who were expected to report by 7 am and certainly before 8.30 am," the police said.
Further, the police emphasised that the number of absentees among examinees was the lowest today.
"Moreover, no traffic was blocked on the BRTS road or the service roads between Gopalapatnam and Pendurthi at any time before 8.30 am to ensure the free movement of examinees to the examination centre, which is located next to a service road," the police added.
The Janasena founder visited the Araku constituency on Monday to interact with tribal communities and launch a few road construction projects.
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Farmers burning stubble won't receive benefits of welfare schemes in MP from May 1: CM Mohan Yadav
Bhopal (PTI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that cultivators who indulge in stubble burning will not receive benefits from farmer welfare schemes in the state from May 1.
Yadav flagged the issue on Thursday and said the state government will not procure crops at minimum support price (MSP) next year from farmers involved in stubble burning.
"Madhya Pradesh is an agricultural state. An increase in stubble burning after harvests has harmed the environment in many ways, including air pollution. To solve this issue, the state government has already banned the activity. Despite this, if any farmer burns stubble in his field, he will not receive the benefit of Chief Minister Kisan Kalyan Yojana," he said while reviewing the performance of the revenue department.
Yadav said stubble burning destroys nutrients in the soil and reduces land fertility.
He said in view of protecting the environment, ensuring soil conservation and land productivity, the state government's decision will come into effect on May 1.
