'HRD minister Smriti Irani recommended over 5,000 requests for admission to the Central government-run Kendriya Vidyalaya chain of schools in the current academic year, a more than four-fold jump from quota levels of her predecessors. Of the admissions recommended by the minister, some 3,000 were finally effected after the others apparently opted out on some account or the other... The KVS administration is said to be looking into why only 3,000 of the 5,000-odd admissions recommended by the minister materialised. The HRD ministry did not respond to emailed queries on the matter...
'Jayanta Mahapatra, a celebrated Indian poet writing in English and one of the greatest Odia litterateurs of all time, on Sunday said he was returning his Padma Shri to protest the growing "moral asymmetry" in the country. His would be the fourth Padma award to be returned in the ongoing protest by writers and intellectuals. In a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee, Mahapatra wrote, "Mine is a small, insignificant step. But it's my personal way of showing protest against growing moral asymmetry... (It) should not be considered as dishonour to the country."...
'Ongoing efforts to give legitimacy and legal sanction to hate speech has taken another step forward with Subramanian Swamy’s case coming up for a hearing before the Supreme Court. A case of hate speech was filed against Subramanian Swamy for his book on 'Terrorism in India' under Sections 153A of the Indian Penal Code. Dr Swamy has challenged the constitutionality of the sections of the IPC dealing with hate speech, saying they curtail free speech...
'Assam Governor P B Acharya was caught in another controversy on Sunday as he said that Indian Muslims are free to go anywhere, including Pakistan and Bangladesh. His remark came a day after he was reported to have said that “Hindustan is for Hindus”. As his reported statement — quoted by a section of the local media — came under fire, Acharya held a press conference on Sunday, where he claimed that he had been misquoted. However, he stirred a fresh row, with his response to a question on Indian Muslims who face persecution. “They (Indian Muslims) are free to go anywhere.
'A Kashmiri trucker was attacked by a mob shouting anti-Kashmir slogans in the volatile Jammu region, sparking condemnation from a prominent business body in Jammu and Kashmir. Police and family sources said Farooq Ahmad, a resident of Keegam in south Kashmir's Shopian district, was injured when "miscreants" attacked his Srinagar-bound oil tanker near Nandini Tunnel on Srinagar-Jammu Highway Saturday night and later assaulted him. The victim was left in a bleeding state by the six assailants, who were shouting anti-Kashmir slogans and travelling in two cars, sources said...
'In a shocking incident at Allahabad University on late Thursday night, students belonging to the BJP’s youth wing ABVP physically attacked, harassed and intimidated Richa Singh, the president of the students union and other students including women. The incident took place during a peaceful hunger strike that was being led by Richa.
'Delhi University’s Sanskrit department and the RSS-backed Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas (SSUN) will be holding a seminar on November 24 to discuss the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry’s ‘New Education Policy-2015’. The seminar, whose final report will be sent to HRD minister Smriti Irani, will also have educationist Dinanath Batra delivering the keynote lecture on changes required in education.
'In the past four months, the country witnessed 300 incidents of communal violence, 75 every month, where 35 people were killed, according to Home Ministry data accessed by The Hindu. In the entire year till October, 630 incidents were reported and 86 persons lost their lives. The data do not show any spike in incidents under the NDA government. In 2013, when the UPA was in power, 823 such incidents were reported and in 2014 the figure stood at 644, the NDA came to power on May 26, 2014.
The leader: 12 December is the 143rd birth anniversary of Hindutva ideologue BS Moonje. He was the mentor of KB Hedgewar and helped him shape the RSS.
The outfit: Moonje founded the Central Hindu Miltary Education Society which runs the Bhonsala Military School in Nashik. The School was named in connection with the 2008 Malegaon blasts.
More in the story: What is the BJP's view of Moonje? Why associating with Moonje's outfit can harm the BJP? What was Moonje's association with Benito Mussolini?
'Accusing the late prime minister and Congress leader Rajiv Gandhi of ‘justifying’ the killing of innocent Sikhs in the 1984 carnage following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Aam Aadmi Party leader and lawyer H S Phoolka along with BJP secretary R P Singh came together to demand that Bharat Ratna given to the former Prime Minister be taken back.
