Second 'Seven Seas Explorer' cruise vessel calls at Mangaluru Port
Mangaluru (PTI): The second cruise ship of the current season, 'Seven Seas Explorer', arrived at New Mangalore Port (NMP) on Friday, carrying 686 passengers and 552 crew members.
The ship has an overall length of 223.74 meters and carrying capacity of 55,254 gross tons and a draft of 7 meters. The vessel, en route to Male (Maldives), came from Port of Qatar to India and had berthed at Mormugao Port previously.
The passengers were given a warm welcome with traditional arts like Yakshagana and traditional drums, NMP sources said.
Various arrangements were made, including medical screening of passengers, immigrations and customs counters for swift movement, 25 bus coaches for passengers visiting local markets and shops in and around the city.
Taxis, tourist vans and a meditation centre by the department of AYUSH were kept ready.
New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) chairman A V Ramana felicitated and greeted the master onboard the ship as a gesture of welcoming to the port. The passengers visited various tourist points in the city.
While embarking back to the ship, the passengers were given souvenirs by the port for a fond memory of their visit to the city. The ship sailed to its next destination to Male in the evening, the sources said.
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EC not acting in non-partisan manner: Vijayan on PM remarks regarding Muslims
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that it was "unfortunate" that the Election Commission (EC) was not acting in a non-partisan manner by taking immediate action in connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent alleged remarks against Muslims.
Vijayan contended it was a situation where the EC ought to have acted immediately, but till now it has been silent on the issue.
"It is unfortunate. The EC should have shown it was non-partisan. It should have acted immediately," the Marxist veteran said at a press meet here.
Vijayan said that this is an issue which would have to be raised before the Supreme Court.
At the same time, he claimed that because of such statements by the PM, the anti-BJP sentiment in the nation is strengthening and the saffron party will be isolated even further.
Modi, during a poll rally in Rajasthan's Banswara on Sunday, said that if the Congress comes to power, it would redistribute people's wealth to Muslims.
He also alleged that the Congress plans to give people's hard-earned money and valuables to "infiltrators" and "those who have more children."
Criticising the statement, Vijayan had a day ago accused the prime minister of carrying out a communal campaign by fabricating imaginary stories to create anti-Muslim hatred among people.
