PM Modi visits Yad Vashem memorial, pays tributes to victims of Holocaust
Jerusalem (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday visited Yad Vashem memorial here and paid tributes to the victims of the Holocaust.
PM Modi was accompanied by his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Honouring the memory of victims of the Holocaust and renewing our shared commitment to uphold peace and human dignity. PM @narendramodi visited Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.
Modi laid a wreath and paid homage to the victims of the Holocaust. He also visited the poignant Book of Names Hall, a powerful tribute preserving the memory of millions who perished during the holocaust.
"The memorial stands as a solemn reminder of the brutality of the past and our collective resolve to stand against injustice and create a better world," Jaiswal said.
This was the second visit of Prime Minister Modi to Yad Vashem.
Established in 1953 by an act of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), Yad Vashem is entrusted with Holocaust commemoration, documentation, research and education.
Modi arrived in Israel on Wednesday on a two-day visit to the country. It is his second visit to Israel in nine years. The India-Israel relationship was elevated to the level of strategic partnership during his first visit to that country in July 2017.
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'Sarke Chunar' row: Sanjay Dutt apologises; to sponsor education of 50 tribal girls
New Delhi (PTI): Actor Sanjay Dutt on Monday appeared before the National Commission for Women (NCW) in connection with the controversy over the song 'Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke' and submitted a written apology, expressing regret for any "unintended" harm caused to society.
During the hearing, held under NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar, the commission raised concerns over alleged vulgarity and indecent representation of women in the song from the movie "KD The Devil" and questioned issues of intent, awareness and accountability.
The chairperson emphasised whether adequate due diligence was undertaken before participating in content that could be perceived as promoting objectification of women, while also underlining the responsibility of senior and influential public figures in ensuring that their work remains within the bounds of legal and societal standards.
As a corrective measure, Dutt committed to sponsoring the education of 50 tribal girl children as part of efforts towards social welfare and women's empowerment, the NCW said in a statement.
He also assured the commission that his future artist agreements would include mandatory legal due diligence provisions to ensure dignified and appropriate representation of women and children in films and related creative projects.
Actor Nora Fatehi, who was also summoned, could not appear as she is currently abroad and has sought a fresh date for the hearing.
On April 6, other individuals associated with the song, including director Kiran Kumar alias Prem, lyricist Raqueeb Alam and representatives of KVN Production Company Gautam K M and Suprith, appeared before the commission and submitted their apologies.
The NCW underscored that while artistic freedom is important, it must be exercised with responsibility and sensitivity, reiterating the need for accountability in content reaching wide public audiences and reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the dignity and representation of women.
The Hindi version of the song, released on March 15 on YouTube, drew public ire for its sexually explicit lyrics.
After the outrage, the makers deleted the Hindi version of the song from YouTube, although it was widely played and shared across various platforms.
Fatehi, in a video later, distanced herself from the song, saying she shot the video for the Kannada version and her permission was not taken to use it in the Hindi version. The lyricist, singer and the director also apologised.
The issue was brought up in Lok Sabha during Question Hour by Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Anand Bhadoria last month.
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the song was already banned and the government was ready to take action against such vulgarity.
"KD The Devil" is a Kannada film, dubbed in four languages, including Hindi. It will release on April 30. The film features Dhruva Sarja, V Ravichandran, Ramesh Aravind, Shilpa Shetty, and Dutt.
