BJP slams B'desh Intolerance in Bengal, vandalism at Tagore's ancestral home sparks outrage
BJP MP Sambit Patra slammed rising intolerance in Bangladesh after Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home was vandalised. He accused Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus of staying silent on attacks against Bengali culture and Sanatan heritage, calling it a 'conspiracy to erase Bengal's soul.'
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Grit & grime: Global youths hear survival stories at Sanjay Camp
New Delhi:Just beyond the orderly elegance of Chanakyapuri lies Sanjay Camp, a jhuggi cluster wedged between privilege and persistence, where young lives are busy rewriting their fate. In this narrow maze of tin roofs and tarpaulin walls, a unique gathering unfolded on Thursday. Students from USA, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Palestine, Vietnam, Liberia, Bhutan and other corners of the world had gathered — not to volunteer or help, but to listen and to learn. Part of Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi 's summer school initiative, these international youth leaders were brought to India to see the country, but, more importantly, to confront its contrasts. At Sanjay Camp, they met teenagers, many of whom had once worked as child labourers, suffered addiction in the family or faced the looming threat of child marriage. Now, they are change-makers, leaders in their own right. At just 16 or 17 years in age, they had helped declare their community child-labour-free. They had spoken out against addiction. They had fought for school enrolment. And won. "I started working when I was just 15 years old," said Rahul, now 19, recalling his time as a daily-wage brick carrier, earning Rs 200 a day to help feed his family. Across from him, Aleksandra from the US, pursuing a BSc degree in behavioural neuroscience, reflected on how she too had worked at 17 but in an air-conditioned retail store, protected by strict labour laws. "I worked at a clothing store, I wanted to save up for college," said Aleksandra. "Even though I was a minor, there were systems in place. We had shorter, regulated hours, and we weren't treated like adults. There was a clear separation, and it felt safe." Rahul had a contrasting experience, "I didn't have a choice. There were no protective measures, just long hours and survival." Then, with a big smile, he added, "But things are different now. I'm an assistant football coach. I've even had sessions at the German embassy." Beatrice from Liberia quietly listened to 15-year-old Nisha tell of how she intervened to stop a child marriage on her lane. "Abuse is common back home too," Beatrice said. "But Nisha didn't wait, she stepped up. I want that kind of courage." The interactions didn't always need words. In broken English, hesitant Hindi and bursts of laughter, barriers began to melt. Strangers became friends. Problems, though born of different geographies, found common ground. Seventeen-year-old Mahek, a Class XI student and one of the most spirited voices in the crowd, shared how Sanjay Camp now ran its own Bal Panchayat, a children's parliament. With elected representatives for roles ranging from president to environment and hygiene ministers, the colony mirrors a democratic govt. Only here, the lawmakers are teenagers, young voices who raise real issues and spark real change. As Mahek spoke, her voice rang with conviction. Among the admiring listeners was 21-year-old Namgay Choden, a law student from Bhutan. "We do have youth govts in Bhutan at many levels," Choden exclaimed, "but to see a self-sustained, grassroots govt in a slum settlement — led entirely by children — is extraordinary. If something like this could be replicated elsewhere, it would transform local awareness and accountability. " As the group of young leaders mingled, conversations turned to dreams. A delegate from Kazakhstan asked what everyone wanted to do. A camp girl expressed the wish to study law. Another mentioned theatre. Then came Carlos from Mexico, who got the loudest cheer when he said, "I want to make music videos." He looked up, pointed at the bright red tent with yellow patterns above their heads, and smiled, "Even this, just the colours, the vibe, the culture here, everything's so full of life and It's all inspiration. " Asmita Satyarthi, CEO of Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion, said, "The summer school is our first step in actioning our vision, not in a boardroom or on a campus, but in the real world, side by side with children, communities and survivor leaders across India." Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Jammu and Kashmir: Row erupts over BJP call to drop Urdu criteria from test
Row erupts over BJP call to drop Urdu criteria from test (Photo: PTI) SRINAGAR: Urdu is the latest flashpoint between political parties in Jammu and Kashmir. A day after J&K BJP brass sought LG Manoj Sinha's intervention for scrapping the mandatory Urdu test for recruitments to naib tehsildar (revenue official) post, opposition PDP on Friday pushed back and asked the Omar Abdullah govt not to bow to pressure, even as governing National Conference (NC) has kept mum so far, reports Naseer Ganai. "Urdu has been the official language of J&K for centuries. At least 70% of the population is familiar with the language in written and spoken form. All revenue records are preserved in this language. BJP's dislike for Urdu should be resisted by the NC govt," PDP spokesperson Naeem Akhtar said. Party MLA Waheed Parra said BJP's demand to remove Urdu from the revenue exam, if accepted, would risk erasing J&K's rich archive and cultural legacy. "Urdu is more than a language - it is a key part of J&K's heritage," he said. The controversy erupted after J&K Services Selection Board on June 9 issued an advertisement for 75 posts of naib tehsildar, specifying 'working knowledge of Urdu' as a mandatory requirement. BJP protested the move, saying it violated constitutional principles of equal opportunity and administrative impartiality and created an unfair barrier, putting aspirants from Jammu in a disadvantageous position as they usually studied Hindi and Punjabi languages. Party leaders said J&K had five official languages and giving preference to one of these in recruitment exams was discriminatory. NC has refrained from making an official statement on the controversy.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Uttar Pradesh blocks two Urs events citing law & order concerns
Representative image (ANI) AYODHYA : Local authorities in Ayodhya and Barabanki of BJP-governed UP have refused to allow two annual Urs ceremonies, citing concerns over potential breach of peace and law-and-order problems. The ceremonies have been held for years and the permission for the one in Ayodhya was denied following a complaint from VHP activists. The Ayodhya gathering has been organised at the shrine of Dada Miya in Khanpur Masodha area. The other relates to the Urs of Syed Shakeel Baba and has been held in Phoolpur area of Barabanki for the past 75 years. The VHP complaint claimed the Ayodhya gathering was being organised in the name of "Ghazi Baba" (a reference to Syed Salar Masood of Bahraich) instead of Dada Miya Urs. Salar Masood is believed to be the nephew of Mahmud of Ghazni and served as his military commander. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath recently declared that no event celebrating foreign aggressors should be allowed in the state. The permission granted under the name of "Urs Dada Miya" has been revoked as it was found that it was being organised under the name of Ghazi Baba, said Ayodhya circle officer Ashutosh Tiwari. For the Barabanki event, clearance was denied due to concerns of potential unrest. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "Some disputes have emerged that may lead to communal tension and unrest. In view of this, the administration has refused to grant permission for the Urs," Barabanki additional SP Vikas Tripathi said. Before this, the state had denied permission for Sambhal's Neja Mela, also held in the memory of Salar Masood. In Gorakhpur, the iconic Bale Miyan fair held in memory of Salar Masood-locally called Bale Miyan- was scheduled to begin on May 18 but the district administration did not grant security clearance, effectively stalling the event.
