President Murmu becomes teacher for a day; interacts with schoolkids on ways to check global warming
New Delhi (PTI): President Droupadi Murmu, who completed two years in office on Thursday, took up the role of a teacher and interacted with students on the issue of global warming and ways to check it.
During an interactive session with Class 9 students of Dr Rajendra Prasad Kendriya Vidyalaya in the President's Estate here, she emphasised the need for water conservation and encouraged them to plant more trees in a bid to reduce the impact of climate change.
"I was thinking for the past many days to talk to you as today's kids are very talented. There is so much to learn from them," she said, addressing the class of 53 students.
At the beginning of her interaction, the president asked the students about their ambitions and subjects they liked and expressed her happiness after learning that they aspired to become scientists and doctors, among others.
"Around the world, scientists, people, administrators and rulers conduct symposiums, summits and seminars on a very big problem. Do you know what it is?" Murmu asked and immediately got answers as "climate change", "global warming" and "environmental pollution".
The president said she was taught in school about six seasons but "we feel only four".
"Out of these four, we feel summer for the maximum time because of global warming. Day by day, the temperature is rising and not only humans but animals, birds and trees all feel its impact," Murmu said.
Because of global warming, parts of the country face drought. Thus, there is a need to conserve water, she said.
"Children also know that the environment is getting polluted and we should plant more trees. We should also take steps to reduce water wastage and conserve it. We should make rainwater harvesting pits to conserve water," Murmu said.
Asserting that more trees than needed were being cut, the president said there was a need to have more trees, conserve forests and reduce air pollution, then "we will be able to check (global warming) in future".
Murmu also talked about the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked the students to plant a tree on their birthdays.
"I really felt very good interacting with you all. I got the opportunity to learn a lot from you. You are studying in Class 9 and you are so talented. You are very aware about the impact of global warming. I am sure, when you grow up, global warming will definitely be reduced (with all people's effort)," she said while concluding her interaction on the day she completed two years of her presidency.
Born on June 20, 1958, at Uparbeda village in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district, Murmu was sworn in as the country's 15th president on July 25, 2022.
Before taking over the top constitutional office, she was the governor of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021.
An avid reader with a keen interest in spirituality, Murmu has devoted her life to empowering the downtrodden and the marginalised sections, besides deepening the democratic values.
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BJP intends to incite violence by playing DJ in UP elections: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday claimed that the "BJP intends to play DJs at full volume" during their campaign in Uttar Pradesh elections to deliberately "spread hatred and incite violence" in the state.
Speaking to reporters at the party office in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav said, "This time, the elections will be contested in Uttar Pradesh through the DJs. They intend to use DJs extensively to spread hatred and incite violence. If objectionable songs are played, there will naturally be a response from the opposing side. This appears to be yet another new conspiracy of the BJP. We have already warned the public about this."
The assembly elections are due early next year in the state.
He also referred to the recent deaths of as many as 140 chickens at a farm due to loud music from a wedding procession in Sultanpur district, with police registering a case against the DJ in this connection.
"Chickens are losing their lives due to the sound of a DJ. In fact, if a person with a weak heart were to walk past a DJ, they too could find themselves in a problem. The sound waves are so strong," Yadav said.
Referring to the cell broadcast alert system launched on Saturday, the SP chief said, "The mobile phone was switched off. The ringer was off. Yet, an alert will still appear on the device. Just think, what exactly is this preparation for? The entire BJP contests elections by creating fear, by intimidating you."
Mobile phones across the country went abuzz after Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the cell broadcast alert system on Saturday, which will warn citizens about emergency and natural disasters in their area.
Comparing the BJP with 'Soan Papdi' (a popular sweet), Yadav said, "The BJP is a 'Soan Papdi' made of lies. They simply stack one layer of falsehood upon another. Propaganda constitutes the BJP's targeted campaign strategy. They contest elections by instilling fear in the public.
The BJP has failed to curb both inflation and corruption. Instead, they allowed their own associates to engage in profiteering, a practice that has driven both inflation and corruption to unprecedented levels." Yadav stated.
He said that the rising prices of petrol, diesel, and cooking gas inevitably drive up the cost of everything, from food and daily essentials to transportation. The common people have been "devastated by the BJP's misguided policies".
He also claimed that the government's fee structure is such that children from poor families cannot afford to study.
"It was for this very reason that 'Netaji' (Mulayam Singh Yadav) launched the 'Kanya Vidyadhan Yojana' to ensure that daughters from underprivileged families could pursue their education, advance in life, and achieve success. The promise we made regarding free education for daughters --- from KG to PG is a promise we will fulfil and deliver upon," he said.
He added that the Women's Reservation Bill has been passed by Parliament and enacted into law. However, the BJP is currently engaging in false propaganda regarding this legislation. The BJP's intentions concerning women's reservation have never been transparent. They are running a deceptive campaign specifically designed to mislead both the general public and women.
Yadav claimed that under the BJP government, all previous records regarding corruption and dishonesty have been shattered.
"The public is being fleeced under the pretext of installing 'smart meters. ' The implementation of smart meters has become a vehicle for large-scale fraud. If such dishonesty is possible with smart meters, how can Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) be considered secure? Why would it not be possible to manipulate EVMs as well?" he said.
The SP chief also said that the BJP government has completely ruined the state's education, healthcare, and law and order systems. This government has shut down 21,000 primary schools. In over 41,000 primary schools, not a single admission has been recorded. In Gorakhpur, thousands of teaching positions have been abolished.
Under the BJP government, water tanks being constructed under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' are continuously collapsing due to corruption. These tanks are "unable to bear the weight of the BJP's corruption". The pipeline of this corruption, involving the water tanks, likely extends all the way to Kalidas Marg, he said, and expressed his gratitude to the Army officials and congratulated them for saving the lives of children during the incident involving the water tank in Siddharthnagar district.
To a question on World Press Freedom Day, where India ranked at the 157th spot, Akhilesh Yadav, in a lighter vein, said, "We will run a scheme -- give 'cash' less' laptop bags. But here the 'less' should be understood in Hindi. We will give a filled laptop bag to you."
On this occasion, Yadav also distributed laptops to meritorious students who had passed class 10th and class 12th examinations with high marks.
The former chief minister also said, "The Samajwadi Party launched the laptop distribution scheme precisely to bridge the digital divide existing between the pre- and post-digital eras."
