Reports on Nimisha Priya case inaccurate: Govt sources
New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI): Claims being made by a Kerala-based cleric about the case of Nimisha Priya, an Indian on death row in Yemen, are incorrect and any speculation on this sensitive matter should be avoided, government sources said on Wednesday.
Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musaliyar, the Grand Mufti of India, claimed on Monday that Priya's death sentence has been overturned.
The sources said they have seen reports making claims regarding the case of Priya and that these are incorrect.
"We urge people to avoid misinformation and speculation on the sensitive matter," one of the sources said.
The clarification came after the Grand Mufti reportedly said the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of External Affairs are aware of his efforts in the Priya case.
The 38-year-old Indian national's execution was scheduled for July 16, but it was postponed following the intervention of Indian officials. She is presently lodged in a jail in Sana'a, the Yemeni capital city that is under the control of Iran-backed Houthis.
The nurse, hailing from Kollengode in Kerala's Palakkad district, has been found guilty of murdering a Yemeni citizen in July 2017. In 2020, a Yemeni court handed her the death sentence and the country's Supreme Judicial Council dismissed her appeal in November 2023.
The MEA on July 17 said it is in touch with Yemeni authorities as well as certain friendly nations as part of efforts to reach a "mutually agreeable solution" in the case relating to Priya.
India does not have any diplomatic presence in Yemen and diplomats in the Indian mission in Saudi Arabia were looking into the matter, it is learnt.
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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.
