Say 'namaskar', not 'good morning', says Vice President
Panaji, Sep 28: Indians should let go the colonial mindset and greet people with 'namaskar' rather than with 'good morning', 'good afternoon' and 'good evening', Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu said on Friday.
Naidu, speaking at a convocation ceremony organised by the National Institute of Technology (NIT) here, said that while he was not against English language, India should break away from the mindset imposed by British colonial rulers.
"Namaskar is our 'sanskar' in India. That is applicable in morning, evening and night too," he added.
The Vice President said that as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, he had done away with colonial practices which were outdated.
He recalled how, recently, a section of the media misquoted him as calling the English language an illness when he was talking about protecting and encouraging the mother-tongue.
"I did not say it. English is not an illness, English is welcome. You learn (it). But English mind, which we have inherited from the British rule, is an illness. Britishers have gone, their mindset remains," Naidu said.
Naidu appreciated the institute for not sticking to the customary black convocation gown, routinely worn by students at such ceremonies.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
