New Delhi, April 27: Left and right student groups clashed in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Friday during the screening of a documentary on the contentious topic of 'Love Jihad'.
The screening of "In the name of love", was organised on Friday evening by 'Vivekanand Vichar Manch', a student group affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Terming the movie as a communalist propaganda, the JNU Students' Union was leading a protest against the screening, when it alleged that the students from the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) clashed with them and manhandled the protesters.
"We were leading a peaceful protest when they (ABVP members) clashed with us. They even hurled eggs and stones at us. We didn't react to their violence at all," Shubhanshu Singh, the JNUSU Joint Secretary, told IANS while he was at the Vasant Kunj Police Station to lodge a complaint against the violence.
The ABVP, meanwhile, termed the protesters the incitors of violence and accused them of hitting a security guard.
"After having murdered Freedom of Expression at Sabarmati Dhaba, JNUSU President Geeta Kumari helped Mohit Pandey and Aamir escape after intentionally hitting a guard. The guard has been grievously injured," former Joint Secretary Saurabh Sharma, an ABVP member and one of people named in the complaint by the union, said in a statement.
Talking to IANS earlier, the organisers had said that they had due permission for the screening of the movie and it was anybody's right to protest.
"The movie is based on the issue of 'conversion' in Kerala, of any community whether Hindu or Muslim or Christian, where people are being forcefully converted... JNUSU is protesting against the screening but it is their right to protest," Srikant Kumar, a member of the organising group, had said.
The film, subtitled "Melancholy of God's own country", is directed by Sudipto Sen.
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Govt warns wholesalers, traders against hoarding of essential food items
New Delhi, May 9 (PTI): The government on Friday said the country has ample food stocks to meet domestic demand but warned traders and wholesalers against hoarding of essential food items creating artificial shortage.
The warning came as the conflict between India and Pakistan widened with Pakistan resorting to unprovoked shelling and drone attacks in border towns.
In a social media post, Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi also urged citizens not to panic or rush to the markets to purchase foodgrains.
"Don’t believe in propaganda messages regarding food stocks in the country. We have ample food stocks, far exceeding required norms. DONT PAY HEED TO SUCH MESSAGES".
"Traders, wholesalers, retailers or business entities which engage in trading of Essential Commodities are directed to cooperate with Law Enforcement agencies. Any person indulging in hoarding or stockpiling, shall be prosecuted under relevant sections of the Essential Commodities Act," Joshi said.
Later in an official statement, Joshi asserted there is no shortage of essential commodities in the country.
"I want to assure everyone that we currently have stocks many times higher than the normal requirement-whether it is rice, wheat, or pulses such as chana, tur, masoor, or moong. There is absolutely no shortage, and citizens are advised not to panic or rush to the markets to purchase food grains,” he said.
Meanwhile, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday reviewed the food stock situation in the country as well as preparedness for ensuing kharif sowing season which starts with the onset of monsoon rains.
The agriculture minister directed officials to be prepared to assist farmers in bordering states with sowing operations to ensure that they do not face difficulties due to the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan.
Chouhan said he would speak with chief ministers of bordering states/UT like Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab regarding requirements in case villages need evacuation.
Elaborating on the food supply situation, the food ministry said the current rice stock stands at 356.42 lakh tonne against a buffer norm of 135 lakh tonne. Similarly, wheat stock is 383.32 lakh tonne against a buffer norm of 276 lakh tonne.
"Thus, demonstrating a strong surplus over the required buffer norms, ensuring nationwide food security," the statement said.
In addition, India currently holds about 17 lakh tonne of edible oil stocks.
"Domestically, the availability of mustard oil is ample during the ongoing peak production season, further supplementing edible oil supply," it said.
The ongoing sugar season started with a carry-over stock of 79 lakh tonne. Production is estimated at 262 lakh tonne, after accounting for the diversion of 34 lakh tonne for ethanol production.
Sugar marketing year runs from October to September.
As of now, around 257 lakh tonne of sugar has already been produced.
Considering the domestic consumption of 280 lakh tonne and exports of 10 lakh tonne in 2024-25 marketing year, the closing stock is expected to be around 50 lakh tonne which is more than the consumption of two months.
The production outlook for the 2025-26 sugar season is also promising due to favourable climatic conditions, the ministry said.
