An award in the translation category was declared to a former Politburo member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), Kobad Gandhi's book 'Fractured Freedom'. The government has now withdrawn the award and scrapped the committee that recommended the book.
NCP leader Amol Mitkari is known for attacking Hindu deities and rituals. Earlier, he had made fun of the Kanyadaan rituals practiced during Hindu weddings.
The directions were issued by the Education Department of the Latur District Administration based on the memorandum submitted by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Vikram Vasantrao Kale. He said that many Islamic scholars were slated to attend the Ijtema on December 5 and 6 and that it would be better if the administration declared two days off in all the schools and colleges across the district.