Independence Day: Saluting the men who saved the Tricolour in Mumbai Mantralaya fire

August 14, 2012

saluting_india

Mumbai, August 14: Ahead of the Independence Day, CNN-IBN brings the story of the bravehearts during the fire at the Mumbai Mantralaya. Even as a major fire raged on and people were being evacuated, seven men waited on the roof just so they could protect the Indian flag.

When a fire raged across the Mantralaya, everyone was busy getting out of the building, but seven men waited fearlessly, guarding the Tricolour hoisted on top of the building. Undeterred by the inferno, the men only left after ceremoniously taking down the flag and folding it as per procedure.

Ganesh Punj, handler, flag department, said, "We thought whatever happens, we won't go without saving the flag."

Rajendra Kanade, supervisor, flag department, said, "We kept getting phone calls from our families, but we couldn't have left the flag there."

For their friends and family, though, it was a scary experience. Ganesh's mother Seetabai Munj said, "I was very scared, we were watching the news on TV but we couldn't see him."

But worry turned to pride soon. "I felt very happy when I saw the coverage in the newspapers and news channels," Ganesh's wife Akshata Munj said.

Many organisations have felicitated these men, but they have declined every invitation for August 15, because that day is reserved for the government flag hoisting functions.


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News Network
January 29,2020

New Delhi, Jan 29: The Janata Dal (United) today expelled its vice-president Prashant Kishor and senior leader Pavan Kumar accusing them of "anti-party" activities.

Both the leaders have been attacking the party leadership over its pro-CAA stand.

The spat between Nitish Kumar and Kishor was out in the open yesterday when the former reminded the political strategist that he was inducted into the party on the recommendation of Union home minister Amit Shah.

It all began when Nitish, while talking to the media here, said, “I don’t have any problem if he (Kishor) wants to leave the party. But if he wants to stay, then he will have to follow the basic structure of the party.”

Varma had also questioned the JDU's alliance with the BJP in Delhi Assembly polls while Kishor has more than once voiced his differences with the party known on the issue of CAA and NRC.
 

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News Network
March 11,2020

Mar 11: In a bid to keep its flock together, the crisis-hit Madhya Pradesh Congress has decided to shift its 92 MLAs either to Jaipur or some other place.

The move comes after 22 Congress MLAs loyal to former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned on Tuesday, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government to the brink of collapse.

"We are going to take our 92 MLAs and those supporting our Madhya Pradesh government to a hotel," a senior Congress leader said on Wednesday.

The legislators would be taken either to Jaipur or some other Congress-ruled state like Chhattisgarh, a party source said.

Apart from its own MLAs, the Congress is also keeping a close watch on four Independents who are supporting the party-led state government.

On Tuesday, 22 Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh resigned soon after Scindia quit the party.

The development reduced the Congress government in the state to minority.

The state Congress unit is now making all efforts to save the Kamal Nath-led government.

The BJP on Tuesday night shifted its MLAs to Manesar at Gurugram in Haryana, sources in the saffron party said.

The Congress, whose tally before the rebellion was 114, has a wafer-thin majority in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly whose current effective strength is 228.

It also has the support of four Independents, two BSP legislators and one SP MLA, but some of them are now likely to switch sides to the BJP.

The BJP has 107 seats in the state Assembly.

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News Network
April 13,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 13: Three more people in Kerala tested positive for novel coronavirus disease on Monday, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

"With 3 new COVID-19 cases, the total number of cases in the state has reached 378," said Vijayan at a press conference.

Giving a break-up of the three confirmed COVID-19 cases, he said, "Of the 3 cases, 2 are from Kannur and 1 is from Palakkad."

He further said, "Till date, 15,683 samples tested, out of which 14,829 tested negative."

However, the total number of positive cases is decreasing, the Chief Minister added.

According to a recent update by the Ministery of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of cases in the country has reached 9352.

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