Will follow SC order on Jahangirpuri but drive to continue in other areas: North MCD Mayor
New Delhi, Apr 21: The North Delhi Municipal Corporation will follow the Supreme Court's order and not conduct the anti-encroachment drive in violence-hit Jahangirpuri, the civic body's mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said on Thursday but asserted that notices will be sent to encroachers in other areas under its jurisdiction.
The mayor's remarks came after the Supreme Court extended the status quo until further orders on the razing of buildings Jahangirpuri area on Thursday.
Bulldozers had razed several concrete and temporary structures close to a mosque in Jahangirpuri as part of an anti-encroachment drive by the BJP-ruled civic body on Wednesday, days after the northwest Delhi neighbourhood was rocked by communal violence.
The Supreme Court had to intervene twice to stop the drive after it took cognizance of a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind against the demolition.
"We will follow the Supreme Court order and there will be no further action in Jahangirpuri," Singh told PTI.
He, however, asserted that anti-encroachment drives will continue in other areas under its jurisdiction.
"I also want to clarify that the civic body will keep taking action against encroachers. We will identify illegal encroachments and send notices to them and take action," Singh said.
On Thursday, A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and B R Gavai issued notice to the Centre and others on the plea filed by the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind that claimed that buildings of Muslim riots accused were razed.
"Status quo to be maintained till further order...List after two weeks and pleadings to be completed till then," the court said.
The apex court also said it would take a serious view of the demolition that was carried out even after its order was communicated to the NDMC mayor.
Responding to this, the mayor said, "The drive was stopped as soon as we got the orders."
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Bengal govt directs schools to mandatorily include singing of Vande Mataram in morning assemblies
Kolkata (PTI): The West Bengal government has directed all state-run and aided schools to mandatorily include the singing of Vande Mataram during morning assemblies with immediate effect, according to an official communication issued by the School Education department.
The directive states that every student must participate in the singing the national song at the start of the school day. Heads of institutions have been instructed to ensure strict compliance.
"The singing of Vande Mataram during morning assembly prayers prior to the start of classes should be made mandatory so that Vande Mataram should be sung by all students in all schools in the state with immediate effect," the Director of Education specified in a communication to state-run and state-aided school heads on May 13.
The move comes shortly after the Union government initiated steps to strengthen provisions related to respect for national symbols, including a proposed amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, making obstruction to the singing of Vande Mataram a punishable offence.
A school education department official indicated on Thursday that the song is to be performed at the beginning of the assembly session.
School authorities have also been asked to document the proceedings, including video recordings, as proof of implementation, he said.
Earlier, schools in the state traditionally sang only the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, composed by Rabindranath Tagore.
In recent years, the previous TMC government had introduced 'Banglar Mati Banglar Jol', also penned by Tagore in 1905 during protests against the partition of Bengal, as the state song.
The national song Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, now adds to the list, raising questions among sections of teachers about the duration and sequencing of both the national anthem and the national song within the limited assembly time.
Headmaster of Hindu School Subhrojit Dutta told PTI, "Once our students attend classes after summer vacation, they will sing Vande Mataram along with the National anthem Jana Gana Mana during the assembly before classes."
"Our students had already been told about the historical significance of Vande Mataram on the occasion of its 150th year, and they had been asked to recite the lines and memorise it at home before this notice was issued. So once they join school, they will sing the national song along with the national anthem," he added.
A left-run teacher representative body spokesperson said further clarity is awaited regarding whether all songs are to be sung daily and how they are to be accommodated within the existing schedule.
