MEA team to arrive in Bengaluru to reassure African students

February 5, 2016

New Delhi: Feb 5: A five-member team from the Ministry of External Affairs, including the High Commissioner of Tanzania, will arrive in Bengaluru on Friday to reassure the African students in the wake of Sunday’s incident in which a Tanzanian woman was stripped and assaulted by a mob.

mea“The team will meet and assure the African students who are our guests. There are more than 5,000 African students studying in various institutions across the country. This is a regrettable incident, but an isolated one,” Vikas Swarup, MEA spokesperson, said here on Thursday.

The government’s efforts in describing the Bengaluru incident as a stray case without any racial undertone comes against the backdrop of terse criticism from the Tanzanian High Commissioner John W H Kijazi who described the mob attack and assault on the young woman and her friends as a racial one.

Kijazi said the victims alleged that they were attacked because they were black and it was a case of racial discrimination. “Everybody is entitled to their own assessment, but there is an element of mob justice and racism. That’s my assessment. She was attacked because she was black like the guy who caused the accident,” he said.

After being informed that five suspects have been arrested by the police, the African diplomat noted that it was a good progress.

The reason behind delayed police action, Swarup said, was because the girl filed the complaint two days after the incident.

Besides the Tanzanian High Commissioner, other members in the Central team are senior MEA officials and the regional director of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, which is in touch with the foreign students.

The MEA team’s plan to travel to Bengaluru was firmed up at a review meeting chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who received a report from the Bengaluru police commissioner about the incident. Sushma also spoke to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to ensure safety and security of all foreign students in the State.

Earlier, the High Commission of Tanzania in India sent a “note verbale” about the attack on African students in Bengaluru to the MEA, asking the government to follow up on the matter and take necessary legal action against those involved in such attacks and to ensure safety and security of all African students in India.

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News Network
May 11,2020

New Delhi, May 11: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh is stable and under observation at the AIIMS here after suffering reaction to a new medication and developing fever, hospital sources said on Monday.

The 87-year-old Congress leader was admitted to the hospital on Sunday evening after he complained of uneasiness. He has now been shifted out of the ICU.

The sources said that Singh had developed a reaction to a new medication and further investigation is being carried on him to rule out other causes of fever.

"Dr Manmohan Singh was admitted for observation and investigation after he developed a febrile reaction to a new medication," the sources said.

"He is being investigated to rule out other causes of fever and is being provided care as needed. He is stable and under care of a team of doctors at the Cardiothoracic Centre of AIIMS," they said.

"All his parameters are fine. He is under observation at the AIIMS," a source close to him has said.

Singh, a senior leader of the opposition Congress, is currently a Member of Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. He was the prime minister between 2004 and 2014.

In 2009, Singh underwent a successful coronary bypass surgery at the AIIMS. A number of leaders expressed have expressed concern over his health and wished him a speedy recovery.

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Agencies
July 7,2020

New Delhi, Jul 7: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued revised guidelines regarding the conduct of terminal semesters and final year exams by Universities and educational institutions. It has been suggested that exams may be completed by September in online or offline modes.

Releasing a statement, the UGC said it accepted the recommendations suggested by the expert committee. "In continuation to earlier Guidelines issued on 29.04.2020 and based on the Report of the Expert Committee, the UGC Revised Guidelines on Examination and Academic Calendar for the Universities in view of COVID-19 Pandemic were also approved by the Commission in its emergent meeting held on 6th July 2020," the statement read.

The Commission further said that while it was important to safeguard principles of health, safety and equal opportunities, it was also very important to ensure academic credibility, career opportunities and future progress of students.

"The Commission approved the recommendations of the Expert Committee regarding the conduct of terminal semester(s)/ final year(s) examinations by the universities/ institutions to be completed by the end of September 2020 in offline (pen & paper online/ blended (online + offline) mode," it added.

The UGC also said that if required it would also issue relevant details related to admissions and academic calendar in the universities and colleges. It asked the students to adopt the latest guidelines and complete the terminal semester or final year exams accordingly. 

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News Network
February 6,2020

New Delhi, Feb 6: DMK Lok Sabha member M K Kanimozhi on Wednesday challenged popular actor Rajinikanth to raise his voice for Muslims, saying they have "already been affected" by the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and are protesting on streets against the law.

Reacting to his statements earlier in the day in Chennai that "CAA is no threat to Muslims" and "if they face trouble I will be the first person to raise voice for them," Kanimozhi, daughter of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, told news agency that "Muslims in India have already been affected due to CAA".

"Let him (Rajinikanth) come forward and raise his voice for the affected Muslims", she said.

She said the members of the community have been protesting as the law leaves out Muslims.,

Asked whether Rajinikanth, through this pro-CAA statement, was moving closer to the BJP, the MP from Tuticorin said, "What he has said is no different from the BJP's narrative which we have been listening in parliament for the last few days".

Under CAA, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who came to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, to escape religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants, and be given Indian citizenship.

Rajinikanth had asserted that the legislation did not pose any threat to Muslims. He wondered as to how Muslims, who chose to stay back in India following Partition will be sent out of the country. Besides, the central government had assured that Indian people will have no issues in view of CAA, he noted.

He charged that some political parties were instigating people against the CAA for their selfish interests.

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