A week after holy cow debate, miscreant smears cow-dung on Pattabhi's face

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Ahmed Anwar)
April 21, 2012

pattabhi

Mangalore, April 21: English teacher and thinker Pattabhirama Somayaji was in for a rude shock when an unidentified miscreant smeared cow-dung on his face in the city on Saturday afternoon.

The incident occurred, around 2:00 pm, when the lecturer of University College was standing outside Dhanyashree Hotel at Pumpwell, after having lunch along with the other lecturers.

It is learnt that the miscreant, who came on a motorbike advanced towards Mr Somayaji and smeared cow dung on his face. He had brought the cow dung in a plastic cover.

Mr Somayaji, later speaking to media persons, held 'Sangh Parivar' responsible for the act. “This might be the act of Sangh Parivar miscreants”, he said. A case has been registered at Kankanadi Police Station.

The Debate

The attack comes a week after Mr Somayaji was engaged in a heated debate over the issue of cow slaughter with Sri Rajashekarananda Swami of Vajradehi mutt Swami on a live TV channel.

Swamiji had taken serious objection to Mr Somayaji using the word 'goondagiri' for those who chase the cattle-laden truck and take law into their hands.

The Vajradehi seer was repeatedly asking the lecturer to take back the word 'goondagiri', but the lecturer was adamant that he cannot find any better word for those people who take law into their hands.

Mr Somayaji had also mentioned that during such acts of moral policing the activists of the Hindutva organisations rob mobile phones and money from the drivers and the cattle traders.

In the debate he had clarified: “I don't eat beef or any other meat. But there are croers of people for whom it is a cheap and nutritional food. So nobody has the right to curb the right to food of the people”. It is also a source of nutrition for the people in the Indian military, he added.

'Hindu blood boils'

In reply Swamiji said: “Cow is sacred to crores of Hindus who worship it. The animal has multiple uses for human beings. Its panchagavya is sacred. It is but natural that Hindus get agitated when they see cow slaughtering going on before their own eyes”.

The seer went on to claim that the blood of the Hindus boils when they see their sacred animals being hoarded into the truck and driven to slaughterhouses. “The slaughtering of the animal is a punishable offence under the law. Unfortunately, there is lacuna in the law which allows people to take advantage. Since the law has failed to protect the cows, Hindu organisations have taken it upon themselves to stop violation of law. There is nothing wrong in what these Hindu groups are doing. Since police are not able to take action, we have to intervene and help in implementation of the law”, he said.

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News Network
April 21,2020

Wayanad, Apr 21: Panic gripped residents of Mananthavady and Mepaddi regions of the district after several cats in the region were found dead.

A group of people approached authorities after which the Animal Husbandry Department tested samples from the carcasses and found that the cat deaths were caused by Feline Parvovirus, which does not transmit to humans.

Speaking to ANI, Dr D Ramachandran, Chief Veterinary Officer, Wayanad said that Feline Parvovirus affects cats and vaccines are available to protect cats and keep the virus at bay.

"There were incidents of cat deaths in Mananthavady and Meppadi region of Wayanad district creating panic among the local residents. The officials of the Animal Husbandry department visited the spots for epidemiological investigations. The samples were collected and sent to the State Institute of Animal Diseases, which confirmed that the deaths were due to Feline Parvovirus. There is no need to worry as this virus does not spread to humans," he said.

A cat owner in Meppadi said that within a span of two-three days, over 13 cats had died in the region.

"We are afraid of these sudden cat deaths amidst coronavirus outbreak. We have informed the Health Department and Animal Husbandry department. Officials came here and collected the samples," she said.

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News Network
April 1,2020

Mangaluru, Apr 1: Police have arrested a person on charges of spreading malicious comments against the Karnataka government staff engaged in the prevention of the novel coronavirus in the district.

City Police Commissioner Harsha on Tuesday tweeted, “One Nizam has been arrested and sent to judicial custody on court orders for spreading malicious content on social media through a platform idunammadhwani.. regarding various government functionaries engaged in anti-COVID-19 work and spreading rumours.”

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News Network
April 10,2020

The Indian government has advised expats in the UAE and the Gulf against travel till flight curbs to their home country are lifted. This follows the clamour from some quarters for special repatriation flights to India.

A senior Indian External Affairs Ministry (foreign ministry) official said Indian citizens are safe in the countries they reside in. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to leaders of Gulf countries who assured him of their welfare, the Indian foreign ministry said. Meanwhile, the Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan,, according to a Malayalam news report, also ruled out special flights.

Responding to a question from Khaleej Times on blue-collar workers' angst following job losses, Vikas Swarup, Secretary West in the foreign ministry said, "Insofar as repatriation is concerned, as you are aware, government has advised against all travel, and Indians have been told to stay where they are, As and when the (21-day) lockdown is lifted, and normal civil aviation resumes, Indians wishing to come back will be able to do so."

According to the latest data from the Indian foreign affairs ministry, there are 1,400 cases of Covid-19 infections among Indian expats in the Gulf region.

Swarup said infected Indians are being treated and kept in isolation in the UAE and Gulf. "Our missions have established contact with all the community leaders and the situation is under control," he said.

Cargo flights operating as usual  

Cargo flights carrying fruits and vegetables from India to the Gulf have not been disrupted and would continue as usual, the diplomat said. "We are also helping with medicines based on the requests of Gulf countries," he said.

Eight million India expats live in the Gulf, including close to three million in the UAE. They account for more than 60 per cent of remittances to their home country.

India's long lockdown of 21 says ends next Tuesday. Indications are that it could be extended. Some states like Orissa have already stretched it till the end of the month and others are expected to follow suit.

The government believes that the disease is now concentrated in 75 districts, and the focus should be on these areas to manage and contain the virus.

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