Haryana govt magazine praises veil, sparks row

Agencies
June 28, 2017

Chandigarh, Jun 28: A photo caption in a Haryana government magazine describing 'ghoonghat' (veil) as the "identity of the State" has sparked a controversy, with the opposition saying it reflected the "regressive" mindset of the BJP government.veil

However, senior Minister Anil Vij dismissed the opposition charge, saying that BJP government had taken a number of steps for women empowerment and was not endorsing that women should be forced to keep a 'ghoongat'.

The recent issue of Krishi Samvad, a supplement of the Haryana Samvad magazine, a monthly magazine published by the State government, carries a photograph of a veiled woman.

The woman's face can be seen covered with a 'ghoongat'. The woman is seen carrying cattle feed on her head, even as the caption reads: "Ghoongat kiaan-baan, mahra Haryana kipechchan (pride of the veil is the identity of my Haryana".

The front cover of the magazine carries the photo of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Reacting sharply to the description, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and senior Congress leader and party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it reflected the regressive attitude of the ruling BJP government.

"This shows regressive mindset of the BJP government. Women from Haryana are ahead in every field. Just three days back, a young woman from the state was crowned as Miss India. Girls from the state have made a mark in sports arena and other fields. India-born US astronaut late Kalpana Chawla hailed from Haryana," Hooda said.

Recently, Haryana girl Manushi Chhillar was crowned Femina Miss India 2017.

"Women wearing veil was not the original culture of Haryana. This practice started only after foreign invasions and because of the fear of invaders. In south India, there was no 'purdah' system. Therefore, what I want to say is that BJP government wants to move back in time rather than thinking ahead and taking the state forward," he said.

Surjewala said it was a "regressive mindset and objectification of women, which is part of the DNA of the BJP".

"The BJP government has failed to realise that Haryana girls and women have excelled in fields such as space science, sports and the armed forces to name just a few," Surjewala said.

Dismissing the opposition criticism, Vij told PTI over phone, "What you are seeing in a government magazine should only be seen as what was Haryana's tradition. Nowhere are we saying that we want to force veil on women. We are in favour of women empowerment and we have done a lot in this regard".

He said the sex ratio has improved from 862 to 950 as a result of the steps taken by the state government.

"We are committed to women's education and have decided to open colleges for women after every 20 km. As regards the photo in the magazine, this has been the tradition in some parts of the state, but it is not binding.

"We are not forcing anyone to wear ghoongat. It is not like burqa and only those women who want to do ghoongat, it is as per their wish," Vij said.

Comments

Fairman
 - 
Wednesday, 28 Jun 2017

It seems that the BJP in Haryana seems to be protecting of women.

Why the goongat or veil is required. Just to segregate from male intervention. When there is no gender segregation, people take it for granted. They take easy in molester of ladies.
People commit these sins or crime whenever there is easy access for it.
Better prevent from beginning. It is not against empowerment of sign of uncivilization of women.

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News Network
July 20,2020

Udupi, Jul 20: Five COVID Day Care Centres have been opened here on Monday with combined 870 bed for asymptomatic Covid-19 patients.

The Centres are set up at Karkala (1), Udupi (3) and Kundapura (1). Presently more than 100 patients are being treated in these Centres.

These Centres have been opened in the wake of high incidences of Covid-19 cases in the district. They are set up for asymptomatic patients who do not wish to be treated at home.

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News Network
March 25,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 25: The COVID-19 count in Karnataka went up by 10 on Wednesday, reaching 51. The 10 new positives included two girls aged seven and nine who contracted the infection from their father.

The 34-year-old man had returned from Amsterdam on March 19 and tested positive as the 17th confirmed case in Karnataka.

Though his family were kept in isolation and under quarantine in their house, the children developed a cold. They were confirmed for COVID-19 infection while their mother is still negative.

The government remained tightlipped over whether or not a 70-year-old woman from Gouribidanuru who was put under house quarantine and died on Wednesday morning, tested positive for COVID-19. Government officials would neither confirm nor deny anything on the results of tests on the woman.

This evening’s bulletin issued by the Karnataka health department continued to indicate the strong correlation of coronavirus infection and foreign travel.

Among the positive cases identified today were

A 63-year-old Bengaluru man and his 59-year-old wife, with a history of travel to Brazil and Argentina.
Two 26-year-old men with a history of travel to Spain and arrived back in Bengaluru via Dubai.
Two others, a 63-year-old woman and her 69-year-old husband, had a history of travel to Athens and London.
A 34-year-old man, a resident of Udupi, who returned from Dubai
A 37-year old woman, a resident of Chitradurga, with a history of travel to Guyana and arrived back in Bengaluru via Delhi
Speaking to the media, medical education minister K Sudhakar said health officials were apprehensive the positives may go up tonight.

Of the corona positive cases detected in Karnataka so far, three have been discharged after quarantine, and 47 patients are in isolation at designated hospitals in a stable condition. There has been one fatality.

As per a recommendation by the high-level health committee, the government has decided to convert the Bowring Hospital into a coronavirus treatment hospital facility along with the Rajiv Gandhi Hospital for Chest Diseases and Victoria Hospital. 

“The number of positive cases are growing at an alarming rate and the government needs more treatment facilities. The government is for burning of COVID-19 death cases. However, due to some religious practices, it has been decided they would be buried in 8 ft deep pits,'' Dr Sudhakar said.

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coastaldigest.com news network
February 8,2020

Udupi, Feb 8: A rare sixth century granite idol of ‘Lajja Gauri’ has been discovered fixed on the road in Barkur village of Udupi district, according to information furnished by Dr. Shivakant Bajpai, Superintending Archaeologist of ASI Bangalore Circle. Lajja Gauri is depicted in nude form and is said to be a fertility symbol. The idol is rare, though very popular among certain cults.

Dr Shivakant Bajpai, who is on a tour of the coastal districts, said that he first came across the image when it went viral on social media. He subsequently traced it to a public road in Barkur, which is an ancient historical town of coastal Karnataka. It was the ancient capital of the Alupa kingdom and a seat of power for several centuries.

“This is a very important idol and hundreds of vehicles pass over it every day. We are rescuing it and I have issued an order to my local in-charge to keep it in safe custody. I have also sent a mail in this regard to the DC and SP of the district,” he said.

The idol is likely to be of 6th or 7th century, though further study is required to confirm a date, Dr. Bajpai said.

Lajja Gauri is a lotus-headed Hindu deity associated with abundance, fertility and sexuality, sometimes euphemistically described as Lajja ("modesty").

Comments

Anna
 - 
Sunday, 9 Feb 2020

there is only one GOD, that is real GOD...

worship the Real GOD not the stone.

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