Never thought 'religion' would be asked before 'name': Gulzar

October 24, 2015

Patna, Oct 24: Expressing disappointment at the current state of communal discord in the nation, critically acclaimed filmmaker and poet Gulzar on Saturday said the atmosphere of 'uncertainty and fear' had never been seen in the country before.

gulzar"What's happening in the country now is sad, but the uncertain fear it creates is also disturbing. We have never seen an atmosphere like this in India before. There never was any fear to freely voice out one's opinions. Never really thought a day would come that someone's religion would be asked before his name, "Gulzar spoke exclusively to ANI.

The renowned poet also defended the Sahitya Akademi over the outrage it was facing by the writers, saying that the fraternity could not be blamed over 'growing intolerance' in the country as the flaw lied clearly in the 'system' or the 'government'.

"Returning the awards is not the solution because the Akademi is an autonomous body. Awards that have been bestowed by the government are the ones that should be returned, that way there is an influence. What will one do when a government official takes control over the Akademi? That fear must always be in mind," Gulzar added.

However, the literary legend also defended the accusations that the writers were trying to 'politicise' their protest.

"How can a writer do politics? He is speaking from the heart. Writers are the 'conscious keepers' of the society. They are simply doing their job," Gulzar added.

In a resolution passed on Friday, the Sahitya Akademi stressed the need to protect India's diverse culture but sidestepped demands from protesters for holding a condolence meet for Kalburgi in Delhi and action against Akademi president Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari for his 'insensitive remarks'. It also steered clear of any mention of the Dadri lynching.

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News Network
July 12,2020

Mumbai, Jul 12: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sealed actor Rekha’s bungalow in suburban Bandra after a security guard there tested positive for coronavirus, a civic official said on Sunday.

The guard at the 65-year-old actor’s bungalow ‘Sea Springs’ tested positive on Tuesday, the official said.

The BMC has put a board outside the premises declaring the are as a containment zone. The security guard has been hospitalised at the BMC’s COVID-19 care facility in Bandra Kurla Complex, he said.

As the bungalow is a standalone one, only a portion of it has been sealed, he said.

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News Network
February 19,2020

Washington, Feb 19: Popular Indian-American stand-up comedian Hasan Minhaj, who has been critical of both US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would perform at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents Association.

Hasan Minhaj, whose parents come from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, will serve as the entertainer at the event.

Kenan Thompson, the actor, and longest-tenured Saturday Night Live cast-member will serve as the host for the annual White House Correspondents Association's (WHCA) dinner on April 25.

"Hasan Minhaj, the Peabody award-winning host of Netflix's Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, will return to the dinner as featured entertainer," the WHCA announced.

"Kenan and Hasan are two of the most engaged and engaging entertainers in America. I'm thrilled they'll help us celebrate the role of a free press in our democracy," said Jonathan Karl, Chief White House Correspondent for ABC News and president of the WHCA.

"We're looking forward to a lively evening honouring the most important political journalism of the past year," he said.

President Trump who has skipped the WHCA dinner for the last three years is unlikely to attend this time as well.

Hasan Minhaj has hosted his Netflix show since 2018, drawing critics' raves, including a Peabody award in 2019, for his humorous and informed examination of issues of domestic and global import.

He was the entertainer at the 2017 WHCA Dinner when he was a senior correspondent on The Daily Show. His one-hour Netflix comedy special Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King was released in 2017, for which he won his first Peabody Award in 2018.

Kenan Thompson began his career as a member of Nickelodeon's sketch series All That. Kenan Thompson is currently in his 17th season on SNL where he has set a record for the most celebrity impressions performed on the show.

In 2018, he received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics and a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

At its annual dinner, WHCA will be presenting two new awards at the 2020 dinner: The Katharine Graham Award for Courage and Accountability and the Award for Excellence in Presidential News Coverage by Visual Journalists.

These are in addition to the longstanding Aldo Beckman Award for Overall Excellence in White House Coverage and Merriman Smith Award for Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure.

This year's dinner will also include the inaugural presentation of the Collier Prize for State Government Accountability, administered by the University of Florida''s College of Journalism and Communications to recognize outstanding statehouse reporting.

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News Network
June 22,2020

New Delhi, Jun 22: Musician Madonna, who is a mother of six, wished herself on the occasion of Father's Day on Sunday by posting adorable pictures with her kids.

Along with pictures, the 'Crazy For You' singer penned down a beautiful caption, wishing herself and every parent a 'Happy Father's Day' for nurturing and guiding their children in the best way possible.

"Happy Fathers Day to Me and to every parent out there doing their best to Nurture, Guide, Inspire, and Teach! #Lola #Rocco #David #Mercyjames #Estere #Stella," the 61-year-old singer wrote in the caption.

Madonna is the biological mother to two of her six children and has adopted the rest four.

She had adopted her first child Davida Banda back in 2006 and then she adopted a boy in 2009. The last addition to her family were the twins she adopted from Malawi.

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