'Treat Muslims as equals', Farooq Abdullah urges Centre to stop acts that spark communal tension
Srinagar (PTI): National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Monday said the Centre should put a stop to activities that can spark communal tension in the country, and treat Muslims as equals.
"There is a need to stop (incidents like Sambhal). I will tell the government of India to stop (such acts) because they cannot throw the Muslims (of India) into the sea. Where will they throw 24 crore Muslims? Treat Muslims as equals, that is what our Constitution stands for. If they fiddle with the Constitution, how will India survive," Abdullah asked while speaking to reporters here.
The National Conference (NC) president, who recently performed Umrah (minor Hajj pilgrimage) along with his son and chief minister Omar Abdullah and several of his colleagues, said no one was against the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley.
"Who is stopping Kashmiri Pandits from coming back? Every political party has said they should return. It is their decision when they want to return. Our hearts are open for them. Even when I was the chief minister, when the situation was bad, we tried to bring them back," he said.
On demands seeking review of the reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said the government should review the same.
"We will tell the government to review it. Reservation is for the underprivileged sections so that they can come up as equals," he said.
The NC government has formed a Cabinet sub-committee to look into the demands for rationalisation of reservations, which have gone up to 70 per cent in the Union Territory.
On Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha last week firing two government employees for their alleged terror links, Abdullah said the government "will keep an eye on everything and go into why the two employees were terminated".
The veteran politician also welcomed the Israel-Lebanon 'ceasefire', but called for an end to attacks on Gaza, Syria and Iran as well.
"It (ceasefire) is a very good step, but it is necessary to stop attacks jointly being carried out by Israel and America -- in Gaza, Syria and Iran, which are continuing even today. This is dangerous. They should immediately resort to ceasefire.
"You must have watched the debates in the (UN) Security Council. If there is a purpose for (the existence of) Security Council, it should work on the directions given to Israel. They should enforce a ceasefire and allow humanitarian aid," Abdullah said.
On his recent religious pilgrimage, Abdullah said he not only prayed for Kashmir, but for the entire Muslim world.
"The problems we are facing today, may Allah deliver us from these. May Allah guide us to the right path. I prayed that we stay away from evil and for the end of religious hatred that has spread in our country. I prayed for unity and harmony," he said.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
