Urdu teacher asked to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' in Ghaziabad society; 1 held
Ghaziabad, Oct 24: An Urdu teacher visiting a housing society here for private tuition was allegedly forced out of the complex by a group of men who heckled him and reportedly asked him to chant "Jai Shri Ram", police said on Thursday.
The key accused in the case, identified as Manoj Kumar who lives in the society located in the Crossings Republik township, has been arrested, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Wave City), Lipi Nagaich, said.
According to the police, Mohammad Alamgir, who regularly visits the society to teach a student at a flat on the 16th floor, was intercepted by Kumar and other residents on Tuesday.
They allegedly raised "Jai Shri Ram" slogans and asked Alamgir to do the same. When he refused, Kumar became aggressive and blocked his entry into the elevator, the ACP said.
The situation escalated as more residents joined the confrontation, repeatedly pressuring Alamgir to chant "Jai Shri Ram".
A security guard and some other residents intervened to pacify the situation but the group allegedly continued to intimidate Alamgir and eventually forced him to leave the society, the officer said.
Alamgir later lodged a police complaint detailing his ordeal without explicitly mentioning that he was forced to chant "Jai Shri Ram", which he told the police verbally, Nagaich said, adding that Kumar has been booked under sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
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Maharashtra government considers tweaks to Ladki Bahin scheme amid fiscal strain: Reports
Mumbai: A day after the Mahayuti coalition secured a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, attention has turned to the Ladki Bahin Yojana, a flagship welfare scheme that played a pivotal role in attracting women voters.
The scheme, launched in July 2024, offers ₹1,500 per month to economically disadvantaged women aged 18 to 65. The Mahayuti, in its election manifesto, pledged to increase the amount to ₹2,100 per month, a promise now under scrutiny due to fiscal concerns. With the scheme projected to cost the exchequer ₹33,300 crore from July 2024 to March 2025, bureaucrats are exploring ways to revise its provisions to prevent a financial imbalance.
Finance Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar hinted at the challenges, stressing the need for "financial discipline." A senior bureaucrat confirmed that plans are underway to prune the list of beneficiaries, citing the inclusion of ineligible individuals due to incomplete Aadhaar seeding and lack of required ration cards. According to the finance department, nearly one crore women out of the 2.43 crore registered beneficiaries may not qualify for the scheme.
The state’s debt burden is already projected to reach ₹7.82 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25. Officials warn that continuing the scheme in its current form could impact the government’s ability to pay salaries by January. Despite these concerns, the ruling coalition is hesitant to reduce the beneficiary list, likely due to the upcoming civic elections.
Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik is expected to present renegotiation proposals to the new chief minister soon. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde credited the scheme for increasing the number of women voters and boosting the coalition’s vote share. NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar also acknowledged the scheme’s role in mobilising women voters.
Other welfare measures introduced by the government include an electricity bill waiver for farmers and three free LPG cylinders annually for six million households. However, the financial viability of such initiatives remains a pressing concern.
