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As Hollywood studios stop releasing their movies in Russia, Russian theatres decide to show Indian, South Korean movies

OpIndia Staff
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As Hollywood studios stop releasing their movies in Russia, Russian theatres decide to show Indian, South Korean movies

Russian movie theatres are all set to increase the number of screens and shows for Indian films as the western distributors limited their film sales to Russia and major Hollywood studios have boycotted Russia over the ongoing war against Ukraine.

After the coronavirus pandemic, movie theatres in Russia were hardly recovering when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s military operations in Ukraine on 24th February 2022. The operations soon took the form of war and since its beginning, Russia is facing various sanctions and boycotts from the western nations in various fields ranging from cinema to space technology. The Russian economy is the prime target of these sanctions.

As several major multinational companies have announced that they are withdrawing from Russia, several film studios have also decided not to release their movies in the country. Walt Disney, Warner Brothers, Sony Entertainment are among the big studios who have either delayed or cancelled their big releases in Russia.

According to the Russian daily Vedomosti, after the announcement by major Hollywood studios that new releases will be suspended in Russia, Russian cinema networks may turn to Bollywood blockbusters and films from other Asian and Latin American nations. Foreign films accounted for 75% of the Russian box office in 2021. Going to the movies is one of the most popular leisure activities among Russians. The report says that recently the special screening of the film ‘Radhe Shyam’ brought full houses and new viewers for the united cinema network Cinema Park and Formula Kino.

Olga Zinyakova, president of the Karo cinema chain, told Vedomosti that she didn’t believe the situation was hopeless. “People used to line up to see Bollywood in cinemas, so there is interest in these movies.” Cinema Park, Formula Kino, Premier Hall, Karo, Kinomax, and Cinema Star are major movie exhibition chains in Russia. They informed the Russian newspaper that they will show domestic fare, films from South Korea and Latin America, and the films of India’s Bollywood. These cinema chains account for 31.5 percent of the film distribution market in terms of movie halls as of January 2022.

Cinema chains will not raise ticket rates and will instead freeze them. However, theatres will continue to play Russian and South Korean films, as well as Indian films. Therefore, it is a good opportunity for Indian cinemas and Indian filmmakers may gain from the Russian market following the withdrawal of major studios from Hollywood.

Uttarakhand: 32-year-old JCB driver Alam Ansari arrested for raping a calf

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: 32-year-old JCB driver Alam Ansari arrested for raping a calf

On Saturday (March 26), a 32-year-old man named Alam Ansari was arrested for raping a female calf in Pipalkoti village in the Chamoli district of Uttarkhand, reported ThePrint. Ansari committed the heinous crime on Friday (March 25) after his night shift and was caught red-handed in the act by his co-worker Lalit Mohan.

The matter came to light after Mohan had filed a police complaint against the accused. Ansari, who is employed with a firm as a JCB driver, was arrested by the Chamoli district police on Saturday. He hails from Hazaribagh in Jharkhand and was living in Chamoli for the past 8 years.

While speaking about the matter to ThePrint, station-in-charge Rajesh Singh informed, “He has been booked under IPC sections 377 (having carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal) and 511 (attempt to commit offence not made punishable by other specific sections), as well as section 11 (3) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.”

The accused was produced before the court on Sunday (March 27). A probe has been initiated into the matter. Hindu rights organisations in Chamoli And Dehradun have demanded strict action against Ansari for sexually assaulting a female calf. They also asked the government to implement steps to fight the menace of land jihad (illegal encroachment).

Darshan Bharti, the head of the Uttarakhand Raksha Abhiyan, had lamented about the rapid demographic change in the State. “Cows are revered by Hindus across the world, and a Muslim man tried to insult the community as he sexually abused a year-old female calf while the Uttarakhand government is silent on our persistent demand for law against land jihad launched by Muslims,” he stated.

According to Uttarakhand Raksha Abhiyan activist Dhirendra Singh Rawat, the cops were unwilling to act against Alam Ansari. “It happened only after we persisted with our demand to arrest the accused,” he emphasised. Rawat added that Muslims from Uttar Pradesh were buying land in the hilly state and selling them at cheap rates.

He emphasised, “Muslims coming from Uttar Pradesh are purchasing land in our areas as locals are poor and willing to sell their properties at throwaway prices secretly. Hindus need to rise up and unite against the nefarious designs of the Muslims trying to intrude in the hills.”

Cases of ‘unnatural sex’ and animal brutality

In February this year, the Rajasthan police arrested 2 people, namely Zubair and Chuna, for raping a cow in the Chuhadpur locality in the Bhiwadi region of Alwar district. The police action came at the backdrop of a viral video where 4 people were seen having unnatural sex with a cow.

The other two accused were identified as Zubair and Taleem. The four men took the cow to a nearby mountainous slope and engaged in unnatural sex. They smashed the mouth of the cow with their feet to prevent it from making any noise before raping it, as per the report.

Several more incidences of animal mistreatment had been reported in the past by OpIndia. Toufeek Ahmed, a 20-year-old youngster, was captured on a CCTV security camera sexually assaulting a female dog in 2021. Ahmed was charged with ‘unnatural sex’ at the Vakola police station. 

Religious violence by mobs is more in Pakistan than any other country: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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Religious violence by mobs is more in Pakistan than any other country: Reports

Amidst political instabilities in Pakistan growing with every passing day, reports have appeared in various media houses in which it is said that the religious violence in Pakistan is more than that in any other country in the world. Imran Khan’s government is failed to curb the religious violence in Pakistan. Lynching, beheading, and misuse of blasphemy laws are common phenomena in Pakistan.

According to a report by the New York Times, lynching over offenses to Islam are not new in Pakistan. In fact, blasphemy is a punishable offense in Pakistan. Religiously motivated mobs in Pakistan often exploit anti-blasphemy laws to take matters into their own hands.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom mentioned in the report that instances of mob violence, and state-enforced criminal blasphemy cases, are more frequent in Pakistan than anywhere else in the world. In recent years these episodes have risen to an alarming level in Pakistan, with increasing cases of fatal violence.

The New York Times also quoted the incident of mob lynching of Muhammad Mushtaq who was accused of burning pages of the Quran inside a mosque in central Pakistan. The mob gathered at the mosque to kill him had sticks, bricks, and axes. Muhammad Mushtaq was dragged out of the mosque. He was tortured for hours before he was killed and his body was hung on a tree.

Tahira Abdullah, a human rights activist situated in Pakistan, said that “The lack of political will and commitment has always stood as the biggest obstacle to prevent the abuse, misuse, and exploitation of blasphemy laws.”

She further said, “Mr. Khan’s government is no different from its predecessors in promising to tackle the menace of religious violence. But it is too cowardly to confront influential religious parties in Parliament and the rampaging militant extremist groups outside Parliament.”

The report also tells that around 90 percent of the people involved in blasphemy violence are between the age of 18 and 30. According to the Center for Social Justice, a Lahore-based minority rights activists group, at least 84 people faced blasphemy accusations in courts and from angry street mobs in 2021. The incidents of vandalizing Hindu temples and neighborhoods, the burning of police stations by angry mobs are the direct results of the blasphemy allegations.

In December 2021, a Sri Lankan man Priyantha Kumara was tortured and burnt to death by an irate Islamist mob that believed rumors of blasphemy. A video of the horrifying incident had gone viral on Social Media.

Delhi University cancels Prashant Bhushan’s talk citing unmanageable behaviour of students, Bhushan delivers speech on the road

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi University cancels Prashant Bhushan’s talk citing unmanageable behaviour of students, Bhushan delivers speech on the road

On March 26, Delhi University’s Law Faculty cancelled a talk by Prashant Bhushan scheduled for Saturday at 11 AM. In the notice, the department cited unmanageable behaviour of the students as the reason for the last-minute cancellation. Bhushan was scheduled to talk on “Challenges to Indian Constitution” at the university.

After the event was cancelled, Bhushan cried foul and alleged there was pressure from the government to cancel the event. However, he arrived at the campus for his scheduled talk, and gave his speech on the road outside the Law Faculty Campus.

Authorities claim students’ behaviour was unmanageable

Usha Tandon, Law Faculty Dean, Delhi University, issued the notice cancelling the talk. In the notice, she said, “This is to notify that the permission to hold the program organised by some students of CLC (Campus Law Centre) relating to ‘Challenges to Indian Constitution’ to be held today stands cancelled. As per the decision of the meeting of the Committee on Seminar and Conference Rooms Booking, the cancellation is in light of the developments and the unmanageable behaviour of the students since March 25, 2022.”

Source: Twitter

Rajni Abbi, Proctor, refused the allegations that Bhushan was the reason behind the cancellation. She said the students created a ruckus on Saturday and had an altercation with the Police. She said, “Yesterday, the students created a ruckus. They had an altercation with Police and misbehaved with me… I don’t think in any reasonable manner we could have handed over the keys to them yesterday. If something untoward happened at night if they got drunk, who would have been responsible? They created a huge problem in the library; they were banging doors. Because of this, we decided to cancel. If students misbehave, they will not be allowed whether it is Prashant Bhushan or anyone else in the country.”

‘If the event got cancelled, the speaker should not have given speech.’

Abbi further added Bhushan’s decision to give a speech outside the hall on the road was wrong. She said no matter who the speaker was, it was not fair to him that the event got cancelled. However, on the other hand, his decision to deliver the speech despite the authorities’ decision to cancel the event was wrong. “The speaker, regardless of who it is, should also have thought that if permission was denied, should he have delivered the lecture there? He also did the wrong thing by standing on the road and delivering a lecture,” she said.

Students alleged they were not given keys on time

On the other hand, the students who organised the event alleged that they were not handed over the keys on time. Indian Express quoted one of the organisers saying they wanted to clean the room as it was closed for two years. When they did not get the keys, they started to protest. Notably, the authorities had to call the Police to control the students.

The students alleged they were informed during the ruckus that the event was cancelled. On the contrary, Abbi, while speaking to PTI, said it was against the rules to give keys to the students a day before the event.

Bhushan blamed ‘political bosses’ for the cancellation of the event

Bhushan has been crying foul since the event got cancelled. He has alleged that soon the event was publicised, the ‘political bosses’ would have instructed the university authorities to cancel the event as he was scheduled to speak at the event. He visited the University as per schedule and met the students who had organised them. With the absence of the auditorium, the lawyer-activist addressed the students on the road outside the law college.

“I went today because it was my duty and responsibility to meet the students and talk to them since their permission had been cancelled without any good reason,” he claimed.

50 criminals surrender within two weeks of Yogi Adityanath returning to power in UP

OpIndia Staff
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50 criminals surrender within two weeks of Yogi Adityanath returning to power in UP

At least 50 criminals surrendered within 15 days of the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government returning to power in Uttar Pradesh on 10th March 2022. Interestingly, many criminals walked in to the police stations holding placards with a message written on them – ‘I am surrendering, please don’t encounter.’ The surrender of miscreants and tainted criminals is the new normal in Uttar Pradesh.

It all started with the surrender of absconding miscreant Gautam Singh who is accused of kidnapping and extortion. He surrendered at Chhapia police station in Gonda district on March 15. Within three days, 23 more criminals surrendered to the Chilkana police station in Saharanpur. In western Uttar Pradesh alone, four liquor smugglers surrendered before the Deoband police with an affidavit stating that they would not commit the crime again.

After this, the surrender process started in the neighboring Shamli district. Here, 18 accused of cow slaughter surrendered themselves at Thana Bhawan and Garhipukhata police stations. Within a few days, another wanted criminal, Himanshu alias Honey surrendered at Sirsaganj police station in Firozabad. At the time of surrender, he was holding a placard, pleading to the police not to shoot him.

ADG, Law and Order, Prashant Kumar said that 50 criminals have not only surrendered but they have resolved to give up the crime. He said that during this time, two criminals were killed in the encounter and 10 others have been arrested. He said action is being taken to create fear among criminals in every nook and corner of the state through the scheme to improve law and order. Zero tolerance towards crime is not only about effective action on the mafia, but also the fresh vigil and intensive patrolling by UP-112.

It is notable that the ‘UP 112’ is an integrated emergency service for police, fire tenders and ambulances that replaced separate services — 100, 101, and 102 helplines – in 2019. There have been no communal riots in the state since 2017.

‘I am a connoisseur of arts and a trained classical dancer’, claims Justice Kalam Pasha who stopped dancer Neena Prasad from performing in Kerala’s Palakkad

OpIndia Staff
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‘I am a connoisseur of arts and a trained classical dancer’, claims Justice Kalam Pasha who stopped dancer Neena Prasad from performing in Kerala’s Palakkad

Kerala District Judge Kalam Pasha, who is at the centre of controversy over forcing renowned Mohiniyattam dancer Dr Neena Prasad to stop performing at an event in Palakkad, on Saturday claimed that he, too, was a “trained dancer and fond of art” and said he had no role in stopping the show.

Days after Judge Kalam Pasha hit the headlines for stopping a Mohinyiattam programme in Kerala’s Palakkad, he wrote a letter to Palakkad Bar Association saying he was “pained by the allegations that he stopped a dance programme using the police due to religious reasons”.

The controversial judge claimed that he had not instructed the police to stop the performance. In the letter, he maintained that one of his employees requested the Palakkad police to reduce the sound from the venue where Dr Prasad was performing.

In his letter, Justice Pasha called himself a connoisseur of arts and said he was trained in Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music.

“I am very fond of art and cultural programmes, and I have studied Carnatic music for six long years, I will not be out of context here to say that I studied Bharatnatyam even up to ‘Arangetram’ (the debut of a classical dancer on stage),” the letter stated.

Pasha also asked the lawyers not to protest at the court premises and said annoying the other public employees with sloganeering is not the right thing to do.

His letter came after lawyers of the Palakkad bar association had protested against Justice Kalam Pasha after he had allegedly asked the organisers to stop Dr Neena Prasad from performing at an event organised at Government Moyan LP School, Palakkad, on Saturday evening.

Judge Kalam Pasha stops Dr Neena Prasad’s show

A controversy had erupted recently after Justice Pasha, who resides near Government Moyan Lower Primary School in Palakkad town, had stopped Dr Neena Prasad’s Mohiniyattam show scheduled to be held around 08:30 PM on Saturday. The judge had claimed that the show was a nuisance to him and forced the organisers to stop the show.

The police had stormed the venue based on the orders of the judge and stopped the hour-long performance titled ‘Sakhyam’. The senior artist and her team were humiliated on the stage and were left in tears.

Following the incident, Dr Prasad had said, “This was the bitterest experience of my dance career. It was a humiliating experience not only for me but also for the fellow artists who mounted the stage with high hopes after more than two years of hibernation”. The noted artist had alleged that it was the high-handedness of a judicial officer. Dr Prasad said she had come to Palakkad after spending hours preparing for the dance choreography.

Meanwhile, the police had said they had no choice but to follow the orders of the judge.

Judge Pasha accused by the wife of Triple Talaq

It is not the first time Judge Pasha has been embroiled in controversies. Last year, Pasha, a senior judge from Pallakad, was accused by his wife of illegally divorcing his wife by issuing “Triple Talaq”.

The wife of B Kalam Pasha, a session court Judge in Kerala’s Palakkad district, had approached the Kerala High Court to register a complaint seeking action against him. In her complaint, the woman said judge Kalam Pasha had issued Triple Talaq against her through a letter on March 1, 2018.

Later, he sent her another letter claiming that there was a typing error in the letter. The letter said that the original date of issuing Triple Talaq was March 1, 2017. The judge’s wife also accused Justice B Kalam Pasha and his brother of threatening her with dire consequences if she refused the divorce. Interestingly, the brother of the accused judge Kalam Pasha is B Kemal Pasha, a retired judge of the High Court of Kerala.

Maulvi who bragged about 800-year long Islamic rule over Hindus claims was ‘misquoted’ after hateful video goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Maulvi who bragged about 800-year long Islamic rule over Hindus claims was ‘misquoted’ after hateful video goes viral

After his controversial clip of condescending remarks against Hindus went viral, The Maulvi from Rajauri has issued a statement for his hate speech in a much calm demeanour. On Friday, the Maulavi was seen issuing threats to filmmakers and Hindus saying that they will have face consequences if they do not stop screening the movie ‘The Kashmir Files’, in an address over the Jumma Namaz.

After his snides on the Hindu community and threats on ‘The Kashmir Files’ were called out by people on social media, the Maulavi has now issued clarification for his remarks. In a recorded video, he has now asserted that Kashmiri Pandits are the pride and prestige of the valley and without them Kashmir is incomplete. “We requested the current dispensation that a recent film which has showcased atrocities on our Kashmiri Pandit brothers should be taken down. It has shown only one side of the story and would hence create rifts in society. While my full statements weren’t shown in the video, I was misquoted by some people. I did not mean to offend any particular caste or religion.”

In an issued video message he stated, “Although if my comments have hurt someone then I duly apologise. I was not referring to any particular religion.” However, he stood by his stance that the films like ‘The Kashmir Files’ should not be released. Being an excellently received film across the globe, the film has resonated with people with its honest and truthful portrayal of the Kashmiri Hindu Genocide in 1990. The film has collected over Rs 220 crore until Saturday.

While addressing a gathering at a mosque in Jammu, in an enraged tone, said Maulvi Farooq was heard stating, “Don’t you agree that the movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ should be banned? There should be restrictions on this movie. We(Muslims) are peace-loving people, we intend to keep the country peaceful.”

He went further targeting, “We have ruled this country for 800 years, however, you (Hindus) came to power just 70 years ago. You want to target us. The reality is you will face death and consequences, but you cannot do anything to Kalma-chanting Muslims.”

Cricket World Cup: India knocked out after losing a nail-biting thriller to South Africa

OpIndia Staff
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Cricket World Cup: India knocked out after losing a nail-biting thriller to South Africa

The equation was simple for India going into their final group match of the World Cup, beat South Africa and join them in the semifinals alongside Australia and England. Defending their total of 274, India fell just short as South Africa reached 275 for 7 off the last ball of their allocated 50 Overs. The result means West Indies will progress to the semifinals instead of India having finished with 7 points, 1 more than India.

The match saw a gripping see-saw battle right the way through with both teams dominating at various points of the game. The drama continued right till the end of this must win match for India. With 3 needed off 2 balls, set South African batter Mignon du Preez holed out to long on, only to find out that the bowler Deepti Sharma had overstepped. That no ball pretty much sealed Indian fate in the tournament.

Earlier in the day, Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma started Indian innings in explosive fashion racing away to 30 runs in the first 3 overs. Shafali in particular was really harsh on the South African opening bowlers, taking 17 runs off Shabnim Ismael’s 2nd over. The duo kept going to take India to 90 without loss after the first 14 overs. However, a mix-up between the 2 marked the end of Shafali on 53.

One wicket brought two as Yastika Bhatia departed soon after, but that brought Mithali Raj to the crease. The Indian captain combined with Mandhana for an 80 runs partnership, before adding another 58 with Harmanpreet Kaur. Mithali kept the scoreboard ticking nicely throughout her stay at the crease before departing for 68 in the 43rd over.

Mithali’s wicket derailed Indian innings as they could only manage 51 runs in the last 10 overs in the face of some very good death bowling by South Africa.

In response, South African chase was looking well on track when they were 139 for 1 in the 27th over. However, the wicket of Lara Goodall on 49 changed the entire complexion of the match. With the ball turning, Indian spinners dragged the team back into the game with regular wickets.

However, quick cameos from Marizanne Kapp and Chloe Tryon changed the momentum once again in South Africa’s favor with Mignon du Preez holding the innings together at the other end.

With 7 required off the last over, captain Mithali Raj threw the ball to Deepti Sharma, but 7 wasn’t enough as du Preez guided her team to a win off the last ball.

India had made the Final of the previous World Cup edition in 2017, however, this time they will leave without making the knockouts.

14 Punjab Police personnel given awards for ensuring safety of PM Modi without lapses during his Jalandhar visit

OpIndia Staff
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14 Punjab Police personnel given awards for ensuring safety of PM Modi without lapses during his Jalandhar visit

The Punjab Police has rewarded 14 police personnel the ‘DGP’s Commendation Disc’ for ensuring that security measures for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jalandhar during the Assembly elections were flawless. This move comes after the Punjab police were criticized for failing to provide adequate protection during the Prime Minister’s visit to Ferozepur in January of this year.

PM Modi had Jalandhar on February 14 to address a mass gathering ahead of the State Assembly elections, after the security lapse a month go in the state. The cops were awarded for ensuring that no Ferozepur like incident took place during the Jalandhar visit of PM Modi, and there were no lapses in the security arrangements.

According to an order issued by Punjab DGP VK Bhawra on March 26, the award was given to a total of 14 police personnel. Hoshiarpur SSP Dhruman Harshadray Nimbale, Kapurthala SSP Dayama Harish Omprakash, Commandant 7th Battalion Rajpal Singh Sandhu, Commandant 27th Batallion Opinderjit Singh Ghuman, SSP Jalandhar Rural Satinder Singh, AIG Gurmeet Singh, and Commandant 80th Batallion Jagmohan Singh are among the officers who have received the DGP’s Commendation Disc.

The award was also given to AIG Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh, DCP Jalandhar Jaskitranjit Singh Teja, AIG Rajeshwar Singh Sidhu, Manjeet Singh Dhesi, ADCP Jalandhar Suhail Qasim Mir, DSP Rakesh Yadav, and Inspector Vivek Chandar.

The security breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Farmers blocked a flyover in Punjab on January 5, causing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cavalcade to stall for almost 20 minutes. The Prime Minister was travelling to Ferozepur to lay the foundation stone for a number of development projects worth over Rs 42,750 crore and address the public.

A huge security breach occurred when private automobiles were spotted approaching the cavalcade. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the other hand, cancelled his trip to Ferozepur and returned to Delhi. 

The Punjab government, according to the MHA, failed to deploy appropriate security to safeguard the safety of any road traffic. According to reports, the Punjab Police guided the demonstrators to the overpass where the PM’s convoy was due to pass.

Punjab: Power Corporation invites bids to sell a school building in Ropar, Akali Dal and BJP demand its revival, AAP govt blames Congress

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: Power Corporation invites bids to sell a school building in Ropar, Akali Dal and BJP demand its revival, AAP govt blames Congress

Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has invited bids for the auction of a school building under the department in the thermal colony, Ropar after the thermal power plants in the area have been shut. The corporation has decided to shut down the school and sell the school building as its employees have been already shifted to a different location.

Image: Daljit SIngh Cheema/Twitter

Sonali Giri, Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, told ANI that the government was making efforts to establish other schools in close proximity. She added a project of Urban Development was being brought into the area.

AAP blamed the previous government for the mess

Harjot Singh Bains, Law and Tourism Minister, Punjab, blamed the previous government for the current situation. He claimed the state government would not close any schools. “This is the failure of the previous governments. The school was closed six months back by the previous governments. An old auction process is going on. Our local MLA is working on it.” Interestingly, Aam Aadmi Party’s MLA from Ropar, Dinesh Chadha, had protested against the proposed sale of the school building last year.

BJP demanded revival of the school

Jitender Singh Atwal, District President, Bharatiya Janata Party, Ropar, demanded revival of the school. Speaking to OpIndia, Atwal said, “The current Punjab Government under AAP is blaming the previous government for the current situation. This is not the way to manage state matters. They should understand that they are in power now. Instead of blaming the previous government, they should come up with a plan to save the school. If there are any outstanding payments, they should clear them and save the school. They talk about bringing a change in the Education sector in Punjab. It cannot be done by closing down a school. They should save it.”

Akali Dal demanded the withdrawal of the auction

Daljit Singh Cheema, Akali Dal leader, Ropar, slammed AAP for the notice issued by PSPCL. Speaking to OpIndia, Cheema said the government could not get away by blaming the previous government. He said, “If the colony closes down, the government should shift the gate of the school to the other side.” He further added if the government did not withdraw the auction notice, the party would protest.

“The school was built on the farmland that was acquired at a very low price. If the government is planning to shut down the school, instead of selling it out, they should give back the land to the farmers,” he added. During a press conference on Saturday, Cheema also pointed out that AAP MLA Dinesh Chadha had also protested against auctioning the school building.

High Court had given green signal for the sale of the school building

In August 2021, Punjab and Haryana High Court had permitted PSPCL to auction the school building. As per reports, in July 2020, the school students had challenged the lower courts order to allow PSPCL to sell the building. They had argued that closing down the school was in violation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.

Under the Central law, the Punjab state had formed Punjab Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011 that stated every student from class 1 to class 5 must have access to a school within 1 KM, and students from class 6 to 8 must have access to a school within 3 KM. The students argued the closest school in the Nuhon colony was 15 KM away from their residence.

PSPCL had argued that the employees living in Thermal Colony would be shifted to Nuhon Colony, and there was already a school established. The Court had said PSPCL is not a ‘local authority, thus, it could not be held accountable to adhere to regulations under the Punjab Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011.

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