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Karnataka: Amit Shah says no provision in Constitution to provide reservation on religious basis, calls out Congress for promoting polarisation

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Amit Shah says no provision in Constitution to provide reservation on religious basis, calls out Congress for promoting polarisation

Following the revocation of the 4% OBC reservation for Muslims in Karnataka, Union Home Minister Amit Shah attacked the Congress, on Sunday, and asserted that the Constitution does not contain any provision allowing for religion-based reservations.

In a cabinet meeting held on Friday, the Karnataka government scrapped the four percent OBC reservation for Muslims and distributed it among Lingayats and Vokkaligas communities. It also decided to move OBC Muslims to the 10 per cent Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category.

While addressing a public meeting in poll-bound Karnataka, Amit Shah said, “Reservations provided to the minority was not as per Constitution. There is no provision in the Constitution to provide reservation on the basis of religion. Congress Government due to its polarisation politics provided reservation to the minority. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) scrapped that reservation and provided reservations to Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities.”

Amit Shah also criticised the politics of Congress and remarked that out of the avarice for the vote bank, the party never honoured the martyrs of independence. “If Sardar Patel had not been there, Hyderabad would have never attained independence. Bidar too would not have attained independence,” he noted.

The Home Minister also referred to the victims in Gorata village who were slaughtered by the brutal Nizam’s army for displaying a Tricolor. “In this Gorata village, hundreds of people were killed by the army of a cruel Nizam for hoisting just a 2.5-ft tall Tricolour. Today, I proudly say that on the same land, we have hoisted a 103-ft tall Tricolour that can’t be hidden from anyone.” Amit Shah laid the foundation of the memorial eight years ago.

In honour of the sacrifices made by the martyrs, he unveiled a 20-foot-tall statue of Sardar Patel and ‘Gorata Shaheed Smarak.’ The statue, he observed, is a representation of the crucial role that the country’s first Home Minister played.

“On the same land, a memorial of those immortal martyrs has been erected. This 20-ft tall statue of Sardar Patel is a symbol of the significant role played by our first Home Minister in ousting the Nizam from Hyderabad. That is why this area, this Bidar could become a part of India,” he mentioned.

Gorata Massacre

The fiercest battle against Hyderabad Nizam’s forces took place in the small town of Gorata in the district of Bidar in Karnataka in May 1948. Although hoisting the tricolour became lawful throughout the Indian subcontinent on August 15, 1947, it remained offensive in some areas that were a part of the Princely State of Hyderabad. On September 17, 1948, the Hyderabad state was finally freed from Nizam’s control.

This village witnessed a slaughter by Nizam’s army, the Razakars, in May 1948, three months before the liberation. It all started when a few people hoisted the tricolour at Hannalli and neighbouring Halagorta villages in the Bidar district.

The calendar for assembly elections in the southern state has not yet been released by the Election Commission. However, the polls are slated before May when the tenure of the current assembly ends.

‘Liberals’ attack Mumbai Press club for supporting journalist humiliated by Rahul Gandhi

OpIndia Staff
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‘Liberals’ attack Mumbai Press club for supporting journalist humiliated by Rahul Gandhi

A day after Mumbai Press Club condemned Rahul Gandhi for publicly humiliating a journalist during a press conference after his disqualification from Lok Sabha, left-liberals have launched an attack on the press club. After Rahul Gandhi called CNN-News18 journalist Ravi Sisodia a BJP agent for asking him a question about his comments that led to his conviction and the subsequent disqualification, Mumbai Press Club had issued a statement, criticising Congress scion Rahul Gandhi.

However, this didn’t go well with left-liberals, and they were enraged that the press club demanded an apology from the prince. The cabal of liberals, who have been pretending to uphold press freedom in India, attacked the Mumbai Press club instead for having the audacity to seek an apology from their political master.

Congress loyalist Sanjukta Bose wrote, “Rich of you guys to outrage over what Rahul Gandhi said and ask many questions to Congress when we have a PM that hasn’t held press con in 9 years. Even in pressers by other BJP leaders journalists not allowed to questions freely. They just shout and journos quietly take notes.”

One Vijaya Moorthy went on an unhinged rant and tweeted, “Ouch!! Bothered about journalists being rebuked. All reaction and comment seekers, that’s all. Keep taking bytes without asking real questions and wanting to hear real answers! Sit down please. #FreeSpeech of others is as important as your right to pose questions. Relearn first.”

Actress Richa Chaddha tweeted a Gif of a ‘snail’ in response to the statement released by the Mumbai Press Club. “Such different standards,” she wrote.

Film writer and ex-journalist, Arpita Chatterjee, resorted to whataboutery in the hopes of shielding Rahul Gandhi from public criticism.

“I’m very curious to know what questions the so called press of this country has asked about Adani, PM Cares, how COVID was handled, about what’s going on in Kashmir etc etc. Wearing a press badge doesn’t make you press,” she wrote.

Abusive troll Swati Chaturvedi was also miffed at the conduct of the press body. She tweeted, “Also Mumbai Press Club, you have no opinion on compromised & pliable journalists?”

“Did you deplore Narendra Modi calling the free press “bazaru”, or his minister calling journalists “presstitutes”? “Paid media” is another honorific the Modi gov has given,” she said.

The Background of the Controversy

On March 25 morning, Rahul Gandhi lost his cool during a press conference at the Congress office. The press conference had been largely one-sided, with Rahul Gandhi accusing the government of silencing him over the Adani issue.

When journalist Ravi Sisodia of CNN-News18 asked questions concerning his defamation conviction, the Congress scion called him a BJP stooge.

“Aap itne directly BJP ke liye kyun kaam kar rahe ho, thoda discretion se karo yaar. Thoda ghoom ghaam kar poocho. (How is it that you are so openly working from BJP, do it with some discretion. Don’t pose such direct questions, be diplomatic)”, Rahul Gandhi said.

“If you want to work for the BJP, bring a BJP symbol and wear it on your chest,” Rahul lambasted. “Don’t pretend to be a pressman…Kyun hawa nikal gayi?” he further mocked the journalist.

Following this, Mumbai Press Club issued a statement on Saturday (March 25) evening, criticising Congress scion Rahul Gandhi for publicly humiliating a journalist. The press body noted, “The job of a journalist is to ask questions, and it is the duty of political leaders who call press conferences and engage with journalists to answer these questions with dignity and decorum.”

“It is unfortunate that as the leader of one of the oldest political parties of the country, Shri Gandhi faded to respect the dignity of the Fourth Estate…It is a matter of concern that political parties of all hues have been attempting to browbeat journalists using derogatory language and threats as a response to news reporting they find unpalatable,” it added.

The Mumbai Press Club also sought an apology from Rahul Gandhi to Ravi Sisodia. “In this context, it will be appropriate for Shri Rahul Gandhi to make amends and offer an apology to the journalist concerned,” the statement said.

VHP leader in Indore gets ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ threats, receives the threatening note in a green envelope

OpIndia Staff
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VHP leader in Indore gets ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ threats, receives the threatening note in a green envelope

A Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) member named Santosh Sharma received a beheading threat in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, through a letter left on his car’s wiper in a green envelope. The letter advised him to stop working against the Muslim community. The police have filed a case and are searching for the perpetrator. The incident occurred on 23 March 2023. Santosh Sharma is the Regional Organiser of VHP.

The incident took place in Indore’s Musakhedi area, where Santosh Sharma, a VHP leader living in Gokul Residency, reported to the police about receiving death threats from an unidentified accused on March 24. While out for purchasing fruits with his friend Sharad and driver Yogesh, Sharma parked his Innova car at a restaurant. Upon returning to the car, he found a green envelope placed on the wiper of the car.

Upon opening the green envelope, Santosh Sharma discovered a threatening message, calling him a kafir and warning him to cease working against Islamic extremism. The letter also included a beheading threat if he refused to comply. Santosh Sharma believes that this was an attempt to intimidate him. He filed a complaint with Tilak Nagar police station, and the authorities initiated an investigation to apprehend the culprit.

Indore has seen multiple incidents of death threats being directed toward Hindutva leaders. Previously, Tannu Sharma, a Bajrang Dal leader, as well as lawyer Anil Naidu and advocate Manish Gadkar, had received such threats. Additionally, Manish Gadkar has claimed that his office was attacked by three assailants, including someone named Junaid, and some of the individuals responsible for threatening him have been arrested by the police.

USA: Transgender ‘woman’ posts sobbing selfies alleging that JFK airport’s female security agent ‘hit her testicles’, wants entire TSA to be abolished

OpIndia Staff
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USA: Transgender ‘woman’ posts sobbing selfies alleging that JFK airport’s female security agent ‘hit her testicles’, wants entire TSA to be abolished

A transgender ‘woman’ has alleged that she was humiliated because a female transportation security administration (TSA) agent hit ‘her’ testicles and questioned ‘her’ for having a penis at the John F. Kennedy airport. The unidentified transgender person posted ‘her’ sobbing selfies on social media to vent out ‘her’ emotions. In these posts, ‘she’ wrote about what she calls the humiliation she had to face. However, these posts were later deleted.

The transgender woman was allegedly assaulted at the JFK airport. Image Source: NY Post

This person represents the strange and bizarre phenomenon in the woke culture, where people can assume any gender even without undergoing any medical procedure for sex change. In general, a trans woman will mean a former biological man who has undergone surgery and hormonal therapy to transition to a woman. But in this case, this person is a ‘transgender woman’ just because (s)he claims to be a woman, while ‘she’ retains male genitalia. In western woke countries, referring to such a ‘woman’ as a man is considered a crime, where legal actions can be taken, apart from being cancelled by the left-liberals.

Posting a photograph of ‘her’ while crying near a bathroom at the airport, ‘she’ wrote in the caption, “Hi! So a TSA agent at JFK airport punched me in the genitalia, yelled at me for having a penis (?), and humiliated me in front of everyone after I told her to please stop.”

The transgender woman posted a crying selfie after getting humiliated. Image Source: NY Post

(S)he added, “She followed me into the women’s bathroom and began talking about me to a coworker while I sobbed in a stall. Does anyone know what I can do?”

In the next post, ‘she’ wrote, “My balls still hurt so bad.” ‘She’ did not want the TSA agent to be fired, ‘she’ said in a separate post, but wanted “her educated and the entirety of TSA abolished altogether.”

The transgender woman later deleted her social media posts. Image Source: NY Post

After ‘her’ security check, ‘she’ headed to the woman’s bathroom and the security agent who hit her testicles followed her. ‘She’ said that while ‘she’ was weeping in a stall, ‘she’ heard the agent talking about ‘her’ with a colleague.

JFK airport replied to the transgender woman’s post and apologised. The JFK airport said in the reply, “We apologize again for your experience. Your comments have been noted and shared.”

It is notable that in New York, a person can use a public bathroom of any gender, regardless of their biological gender. According to a law passed in 2016, a man can enter the woman’s bathroom if he claims that his gender is woman, even if he has not undergone any sex-change procedure and retains the body of a male including the genitalia. Such laws have been passed in several states in the USA, and in several countries in Europe.

While the law of gender-neutral bathrooms works both ways, it is rare for a biological woman claiming to be a man to use men’s bathrooms.

A law passed in 2021 also allows US citizens to change their gender on their passports, without the need for medical documents.

However, this woke phenomenon is facing backlash in some quarters, mostly in sports, where men claiming to be women or who transitioned to women are not allowed to participate in female sports events. Just two days ago, World Athletics, the international governing organisation for athletics, banned transgender women who have been through male puberty from competing in the female category at international events. The governing body of the organisation stated that men who became ‘women’ have been banned from women’s events to “protect the future of the female category” in sports.

Maharashtra: Urdu posters at Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) rally in Malegaon stoke controversy, here is what happened

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Urdu posters at Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) rally in Malegaon stoke controversy, here is what happened

On 26th March 2023, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) organised a rally in Malegaon town in the Nashik district of Maharashtra. A controversy surfaced in this regard as the banners and posters of the self-proclaimed Hindutva party in the Muslim-dominated town were printed in Urdu. Along with this, Uddhav Thackeray was designated as Ali Janab Uddhav Thackeray in these posters.

The banner reads, “Shivgarjana (meaning the roaring of Shiv) – Ali Janab Uddhav Saheb Thackeray – We have to fight until we win. Participate in millions to the valuable thoughts of the ideal leader – Shahid Channa of Shiv Sena Malegaon.” Apart from Uddhav Thackeray, the poster also had pictures of Balasaheb Thackeray, and Aditya Thackeray, along with other leaders. The rally is scheduled at 5 pm at the MSG ground in Malegaon.

Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, questioned the former chief minister’s ‘Hindutva’ stand shortly after the Urdu poster for Uddhav’s rally appeared. Eknath Shinde said, “Such people don’t have the right to take the name of Hindutava. They even don’t hesitate while taking the name of ‘Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray.”

Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Uddhav Thackeray has a rally today in Malegaon, and banners in Urdu were put up before the rally. We are not against any religion, Urdu is also a language and we are not against it. We only oppose those who are trying to please others like they (the Uddhav faction) are doing. Uddhav Thackeray will have to answer this to Balasaheb Thackeray sometime.”

This is not the first time that the shiv Sena under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray has overtly taken a Muslim-appeasing stance from its rally stages. Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Sushma Andhare was heard reciting Quranic verses from the stage of a Shiv Sena (UBT) rally.

In the same speech, she also went on to preach how about the five founding principles of Islam. This was seen in sharp contrast to the Hindutva stance of Shiv Sena and its founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu cuts a 59 kg cake to celebrate his 59th birthday

ANI
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Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu cuts a 59 kg cake to celebrate his 59th birthday

The Himachal Pradesh secretariat employees on the occasion of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s birthday, on Sunday organized a walk to promote and spread a message of green energy in the state.

Secretariat employees, officials and the Chief Minister participated in the walk. The Chief Minister participated in nearly 2 km of walking from the Secretariat to his residence at oak-over in Shimla. The other participants completed the 5 km long walk here.

Speaking at the occasion CM Sukhu said, “I am celebrating my birthday for the first time after becoming the Chief Minister. I am thankful to the employees of the secretariat who have organized this walk to preserve and promote green energy in the state.”

“I also joined the walk for green energy from the secretariat to Oak-Over others moved forward. Keeping in mind green energy there are lots of plans and programmes of the government and we are moving forward in this direction,” he said.

“We are planning to bring green hydrogen. We are here for the transformation of the system. All my cabinet colleagues are moving forward to take steps for the transformation of the system. I am thankful to you all for coming here on my birthday,” the chief minister added.

Later after the walk hundreds of people gathered at the official residence of the chief minister and celebrated his birthday.

CM Sukhu along with his wife Kamlesh Thakur cut the weighing 59 kg cake which was arranged by the Sukhu Bhai fans club. A large number of people along with Cabinet ministers, legislators, officials and congress leaders gather at oak-over to celebrate the birthday of their leader.

Congress leaders and cabinet minister Vikramaditya Singh also held a “Nati Dance” to celebrate his birthday.

CM Sukhu took oath as the 15th Chief Minister of the hill state at a ceremony in Shimla on December 11.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Madhya Pradesh: Missionary school sealed in Morena after discovery of liquor and condoms in principal’s room during inspection

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Missionary school sealed in Morena after discovery of liquor and condoms in principal’s room during inspection

Following the discovery of alcohol and condoms in the principal’s room, a missionary school in the Morena district of Madhya Pradesh has been sealed. The State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (SCPRC) conducted the surprise inspection on Saturday, March 25. Premium liquor bottles and packets of condoms were recovered from a room next to the library, which is sometimes used by the school principal.

Along with beds, alcohol, and condoms, the SCPCR team also found egg trays and gas cylinders. An FIR has been filed against the school’s principal, and the police have been directed to conduct a thorough investigation into the case.

“I saw there was a gas cylinder and other objectionable stuff, including liquor bottles. Police are investigating the whole matter,” stated Nivedita Sharma, a member of the SCPCR inspection team. She also added that she has brought the issue to the District Collector’s attention.

She informed, “When we reached there for a routine inspection, we were surprised to know how both corners of the school were attached from the inside. It was a room and liquor bottles and condoms were found there. It was like a complete residential setup. It does not belong to only one person, but more people came out of the building who were living there. It was being used as an accommodation.”

Furthermore, she reported the room included at least 15 beds but lacked a CCTV camera. “The question arises that when CCTV cameras are installed in other locations of the building, why was that particular section left out? If the principal said he wasn’t staying there, then who was staying, and why 15 beds are present there? More importantly, why does that room have a direct entrance with classrooms of girl students,” she questioned.

She further emphasised that no alcohol is permitted anywhere on the school grounds. “It is a violation of the law. The excise department is also taking action on the matter as it is also illegal that anybody can keep such amounts of liquor. Some other objectionable stuff, including condoms, were also found,” she remarked.

Earlier this month, the principal of another missionary school in the state was arrested for assaulting and sexually exploiting minor girl students residing in the hostel premises.

US: Teacher in Oklahoma charged for sexually grooming 10 minor students, including 2 boys who were in relationship with her daughter

OpIndia Staff
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US: Teacher in Oklahoma charged for sexually grooming 10 minor students, including 2 boys who were in relationship with her daughter

On March 16, a former high school teacher was arrested for sexually grooming 10 minor students at McLoud High School in Oklahoma in the United States. The accused was identified as 43-year-old Serena Cator.

As per reports, the matter came to light in November last year after a student told her mother that the accused was having sexual relations with one of the students.

Soon after, the school administration initiated a probe into the matter. During an interview with Cator, she admitted to having sent nude pictures of her to underage students and soliciting their pictures in return.

2 victims were in a relationship with the accused’s daughter

Cator further informed that two of her victims were in a relationship with her daughter. Her modus operandi involved befriending the mothers of the minor boys, sending their pictures to the parents, and appreciating them randomly.

Serena Cator would then follow up with the victims at school and then take their relationship to social media platforms such as Snapchat. The McLoud High School administration passed over their findings to the McLoud Police Department (MPD).

A probable cause affidavit, filed in the case, read, “Serena Cator is a predator, a stalker, and a pedophile, stalking young boys from the age of 14 and up. Most of the young victims said they found the situation extremely weird and cut off correspondence before they got lured to Snapchat or just after.”

“Most of the parents felt uneasy about the constant texts and pictures from class and from sporting events, where Cator was bragging about the students. All the parents said if it had been their daughter and a male teacher they would have been alarmed but each said they pushed down the ‘weirdness’ of it because it was their sons and a female teacher, who they ‘thought’ they knew,” it added.

Serena Cator is out on bail

Serena Cator is now facing 3 felony counts of soliciting sexual communication with minors using technology. She was arrested on March 16 this year but was soon released on a bail of $15000 (₹12.35 lakhs). The case is now in the hands of the Pottawatomie County District Attorney.

While speaking about the matter, McLoud Police Chief, Kyle Webb said, “We received the information from the school in November 2022, so the investigation pretty much started then.”

He added, “It took a little while (since) it was a pretty in-depth investigation, and then we turned everything over to the DA, and they filed three counts against Serena.”

“It disturbs a lot of people, especially teachers and their students because the school there, they care about their kids. We all care about kids,” Kyle Webb concluded.

‘No community deserves reservation more than Muslims’: Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind to move court against Karnataka govt scrapping 4% OBC Muslim reservation 

OpIndia Staff
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‘No community deserves reservation more than Muslims’: Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind to move court against Karnataka govt scrapping 4% OBC Muslim reservation 

On Friday, March 24, the BJP government in Karnataka abolished the current 4% reservation (2B category) for Muslims under the OBC quota and transferred them to the 10% pool for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), and increased the quota for Lingayats and Vokkaligas by 2% each. This move however, did not go well with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Maulana Mahmood Madani who has called it a “grave injustice meted out to Muslims” adding that his organization will be challenging this in the court. 

In a statement issued by the Jamiat on Saturday, Maulana Madani claimed that the recent move by the Karnataka government is not in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertions of the upliftment of Pasmanda Muslims. He also asserted that scraping OBC Muslim reservations as “harmful to the comprehensive development of the country.”

“It does not fit in in PM Modi’s Pasmanda Muslim upliftment as on one hand, as on one the Prime Minister of the country is promoting development policy for the backward Muslims, on the other, his government is snatching away the reservation from them in Karnataka and distributing it among other classes,” the statement read.

Moreover, the controversial Maulana argued that various official reports and statistics ‘confirm’ that Indian Muslims are at the lowest rung of development educationally and economically. 

According to the Jamiat Maulana, if measured in terms of backwardness “no community deserves reservations more than Muslims.” He also asserted that while the Bhartiya Janata Party claims that religious grounds cannot be considered while giving reservations, it never considers the backwardness of Muslims, outlining that ‘only’ 12 backward Muslim communities are covered under the now-scrapped 4 percent OBC Muslim reservations. 

Accusing the BJP of ‘electoral opportunism’ Maulana Madani claimed that scrapping the Muslim reservation and extending it to the Vokkaligas and Lingayats will create communal discord adding that the Jamiat will move court against the BJP government’s decision.

Press release issued by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind

“How to Fit in PM Modi’s Pasmanda Muslim upliftment with Karnataka Govt cancellation of 4 percent reservation for backward Muslims?” Maulana Madani tweeted.

It is notable that a significant segment of the Lingayat population known as the Panchamasali Lingayat had been pushing for a change in the reservation category from 3B (5%) to 2A (15%). The Vokkaliga community, which was granted 4% of the OBC list’s 3A category’s reservations, made an identical demand. Accordingly,  on March 24, the Bommai administration added two more categories to the OBC list- 2A for Vokkaligas and 2D for Lingayats, boosting the overall quota to 6% and 7%, respectively.

Pakistan economic crisis: Ramzan flour bag distribution leads to stampede

ANI
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Pakistan economic crisis: Ramzan flour bag distribution leads to stampede

Burgeoning inflation and a deepening cost-of-living crisis have left millions of people across Pakistan struggling to put food on their tables. In a bid to lift some burden off low-income families during Ramzan, provincial governments announced plans to distribute flour bags. However, unorganised distributions in parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa resulted in stampedes, Tribune reported. 

A man was killed in Charsadda, and several others were injured in Swabi and Kohat. Another man in Bannu died after the boundary wall of a flour mill collapsed ahead of flour distribution. In the Hasilpur Tehsil of southern Punjab, at least five women were injured in a stampede at a free flour distribution point. In January, a man was killed during a stampede at the sale point of subsidised flour in Mirpurkhas. Mill owners have halted production due to insufficient supplies while provincial governments claim that mill owners are hoarding subsidised wheat supplies and arbitrarily raising flour prices. It is the public that has to bear the brunt of this tussle between mill owners and the authorities, Tribune reported. 

People are forced to risk their lives to gain something as basic as wheat, which should be guaranteed by the government. 

Pakistan, which was once self-sufficient in wheat and supplied cereal to other countries is now compelled to import wheat due to decades of administrative mismanagement and incompetence. The least the government can do is offer people flour in a dignified and safe manner, Tribune reported. 

Distribution drives should be carried out with proper planning to prevent squabbles and tragic events. Soaring food prices and flour shortages will augment the risks of famine and hunger. The government should intervene to prevent mill owners as well as utility stores and retailers from creating artificial shortages and raising prices. The low-income and vulnerable segments of the population must be protected and facilitated during this grim situation, Tribune reported.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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