Bengaluru: The Commissioner of School Education has on Thursday issued an order mandating all private schools (other curriculum schools) in the state to be accredited under the ‘ Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act-2009 (RTE) and its Rules framed under the Act-2012.

As per the order, all private aided and private unaided schools of all syllabuses shall comply with the norms laid down under Section-18 of the Right to Education Act-2009, and apply for recognition in Form-1 with self-attestation prescribed as per Rule-11 of the Karnataka Compulsory and Free Education Right Rules-2012. The recognition obtained in this manner will be valid for 5 years.

The Commissioner in the order also pointed out that if any school violates norms laid down or the provisions of the Act (even if the affiliation is granted by the Central Curriculum Board and renewed from time to time), the recognition of such school shall be withdrawn. Additionally, legal action will be taken if any school continues to operate without obtaining recognition/renewal of recognition or continues to operate after the recognition has been withdrawn.

The Commissioner has warned that if there is any school registered under the state or central curriculum that falls under the jurisdiction of RTE and has not renewed its accreditation, the concerned officials will be held directly responsible.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday claimed that a ritual named ”Shatru Bhairavi Yaga”, which involves the sacrifice of animals, is being performed at a temple in Kerala, targeting him, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in the state.

The state Congress chief, without revealing any names, alleged that some political people in Karnataka were getting it done, and Aghoris (monastic order of ascetic Shaivite sadhus) were being consulted for it.

”A big experiment is going on against me in Kerala and our government. Someone has given (details) about it to me in writing, about the pooja that is going on. Someone gave me in writing as to where it is being done and who is doing it,” Shivakumar said, when asked about a bracelet he was wearing. Speaking to reporters here, he alleged that it is being done against him and the chief minister.

”Shatru Bhairavi Yaga is being performed near Rajarajeshwari temple in Kerala for Shatru Samhara (destruction of enemies). For this yaga ‘Pancha Bali’ (five kinds of sacrifice) is being given…21 goats, three buffaloes, 21 black sheeps, five pigs….Aghoris are being approached. It is going on,” he added.

Further stating that those involved in the ritual have informed him, as to who is getting the yaga done in Kerala, and by whom, the Deputy CM said, ”it is their effort, why should I bother?” Asked if he believes in such yagas and rituals, he said, ”It is based on one’s belief…let them do any experiment against me, there is a Shakti in which I believe in, it will save me.” To a question whether BJP or JD(S) people are doing it, Shivakumar said, ”I know who is doing it, who is getting it done, they are experts in it….I don’t want to talk much as you (media) will take it to somewhere else. You, too, would know who it is.” Responding to a question about whether political people are behind it, he said, ”if not political people, who else will do it? Check near Rajarajeshwari temple (you will know).” ”More than their yaga, I have the blessings of God and people, also my belief ,” he said, adding that someone gave him the bracelet and hence he was wearing it.

When asked if he will be performing any pooja or rituals to counter it, Shivakumar said, every day he prays to God for a minute with folded hands, before leaving for work. ”That’s the reason I have this much strength and protection.”

New Delhi: Customs authorities have detained a former member of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s staff and another person at the IGI airport here in an alleged case of gold smuggling.

In a statement, the Customs said that on the basis of suspicion, its officers have booked a case of gold smuggling against an Indian national who arrived here from Bangkok on Wednesday.

It said further investigations revealed involvement of another individual, who had come to the airport to receive the passenger and also assist in the alleged smuggling.

The said the individual was intercepted and a heavy gold chain weighing 500 gm, valued at 35.22 lakh, was recovered from him. The gold was handed over to him by the passenger inside the arrival hall, the customs said.

Enquiry revealed that the individual had a valid Aerodrome Entry Permit.

The circumstances of acquisition of Aerodrome Entry Permit by the receiver, as a part of the protocol team for a Member of Parliament, are being looked into, the the customs said.

The recovered gold has been seized under section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962 and further investigation is underway, the statement said.

Tharoor, who is in Dharamshala for campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls, said he was shocked to hear of the incident involving “a former member” of his staff who has been rendering part-time service to him in terms of airport facilitation.

“He is a 72-year-old retiree undergoing frequent dialysis and was retained on a part-time basis on compassionate grounds.

“I do not condone any alleged wrongdoing and fully support the authorities in their efforts to take any necessary action as may be required to investigate the matter. The law must take its own course,” Tharoor wrote on X.

While I am in Dharamshala for campaigning purposes, I was shocked to hear of an incident involving a former member of my staff who has been rendering part-time service to me in terms of airport facilitation assistance. He is a 72 year old retiree undergoing frequent dialysis and…

Guwahati National Award-winning filmmaker Luit Kumar Barman has filed a police complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his controversial comments on Mahatma Gandhi.

Barman filed the complaint on Wednesday night at Hatigaon police station in Guwahati, alleging that Modi made a “highly derogatory statement” about the Father of the Nation.

The police said a preliminary investigation is on and no FIR was registered yet in this connection.

Prime Minister Modi in a TV interview to a TV channel said, “…Across the world, Mahatma Gandhi was a great person. Was it not our responsibility in these 75 years to ensure that the entire world knows Mahatma Gandhi. I am sorry to say that no one knows about him. The first time when the film ‘Gandhi’ was made, it was then that there was curiosity across the world as to who this person was. We have not done so…”

In his complaint, Barman said, “This is a highly derogatory statement and cannot be acceptable by a citizen of India. As a citizen, we can not accept insult to Mahatma Gandhi.”

No film is required to introduce him to the world, said Barman who produced the 2021 Assamese film ‘Boomba Ride’ which won the Rajat Kamal. 

“By comparing Mahatma Gandhi with a film, Narendra Modi has defamed Mahatma Gandhi along with the people of India. Therefore, I request you to take action against Narendra Modi under relevant section of law,” Barman said.

When contacted, Hatigaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge Bijay Duwara told PTI that no FIR has been registered and a “preliminary investigation” is going on.

Balasore (Odisha) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said renowned figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Albert Einstein drew inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi.

He made these remarks during a political gathering in Odisha’s Balasore district.

Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assertion that the world only learned of Mahatma Gandhi through the film ‘Gandhi,’ Rahul Gandhi criticised those affiliated with the RSS, suggesting their lack of understanding regarding Gandhi’s legacy.

“Whose training is done in ‘sakha’ of RSS, they are followers of Godse, they do not know anything about Gandhiji. They do not know about the history of Hindustan, truth and violence. This is expected that the PM will tell that the world does not know anything about Gandhiji,” he said.

He emphasised that people like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Einstein, along with various freedom movements, found inspiration in Gandhi’s principles.

“Martin Luther King Jr., Mandelaji, Einstein and many others took inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi. Different movements, freedom movements also took inspiration from Gandhiji. Children of India also get inspiration from Gandhiji,” he added.

Rahul Gandhi concluded by saying further comments on the matter were unnecessary.

“There is no need to make more comments (on the subject). Their world is in their sakha,” Rahul Gandhi said.

New Delhi: IndiGo has derostered two pilots and four cabin crew members of the Delhi-Varanasi flight that saw 176 passengers being evacuated after a bomb threat earlier this week, according to sources.

On May 28, following the bomb threat, which later turned out to be hoax, all the passengers were evacuated through emergency slides from the aircraft at the Delhi airport.

In a video clip of the evacuation that went viral on social media, a pilot was seen coming out of the aircraft through the emergency slide with a baggage. Under international norms, passengers and crew are not permitted to take their baggage at the time of evacuation as that will increase the time for evacuation.

The wet-leased aircraft was to operate the flight from the national capital to Varanasi on the morning of Tuesday (May 28).

One of the sources said the two pilots, who were from the lessor company, four IndiGo cabin crew members have been derostered.

Generally, under the wet lease arrangement, crew, insurance and other things related to the aircraft are taken care of by the lessor.

A source at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the crew have been derostered.

Specific details regarding the derostering could not be immediately ascertained.

“Safety is our prime concern and our crew acted accordingly in the best interest of our customers safety. As with all safety & security events our flight safety team will be reviewing this as well,” an IndiGo spokesperson said in a statement.

The review pertains to multiple things that are being investigated by the flight safety team.

A senior commander, who has flown wide-body planes for many years, told PTI that during an emergency evacuation, passengers are not allowed to take their baggage and also footwear with heals should be avoided as they can puncture the emergency slides that are inflated.

Also, carrying the baggage will increase the time for evacuation. Under the international norms, a flight evacuation has to be completed in 90 seconds using the emergency exits.

A senior cabin crew of another carrier who was part of an emergency evacuation earlier told PTI that the basic instruction to passengers during the emergency evacuation is to leave everything behind.

Carrying baggage will not only delay the evacuation but could also puncture the inflated emergency slides. Crew members of the flight are also not permitted to carry their baggage, he said.

As per information available on website SKYbrary, aircraft manufacturers are required to demonstrate that an aircraft, in maximum density configuration, can be completely evacuated within 90 seconds using only half of the total number of emergency exits.

“Ninety seconds has been established as the maximum evacuation time because tests have shown that, in a post crash fire, conditions conducive to flashover are unlikely to occur within that time span.

“However, the experience of actual evacuations, especially unexpected ones from full aircraft where the abnormal situation occurs suddenly at or soon after landing, indicates that evacuation times usually exceed durations demonstrated for certification purposes,” it said.

SKYbrary is an electronic repository of information related to flight operations, air traffic management and aviation safety in general.

New Delhi: The Delhi government has moved the Supreme Court to seek a direction to Haryana to supply more water to the crisis-hit national capital, sources said on Friday.

The AAP government in Delhi has told the top court that the water demand in the city has risen significantly due to heatwave conditions, and neighbouring Haryana be directed to release extra water for a month, they said.

It is the responsibility of all to work towards fulfilling the water needs of Delhi, the city government said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday urged the BJP to ask its governments in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to provide water to the national capital for a month.

The national capital has been facing a severe water shortage and Water Minister Atishi has accused Haryana of not releasing Delhi’s share of water.

Dehradun: Forest fires have flared up again in various parts of Uttarakhand, with two major fire incidents in the Gauhari range of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve and the trek route to Nilkanth Mahadev temple in Rishikesh.

The blaze that broke out in Gauhari range of the reserve on Thursday evening affected around 1.5 hectares of forest cover, Rajaji Reserve Director Saket Badola said on Friday.

The fire in Gauhari range of the reserve has been brought under control but fire fighting continues in an area spread over one hectare in the forest near Pundrasu along the trek route to the Nilkanth Mahadev temple, Badola said.

The forests in Barahat, Mukhem, Dunda and Dharasu ranges besides Varunavat hills in the border district of Uttarkashi are also ablaze, Uttarkashi District Disaster Management Officer Devendra Patwal said.

Forest guards, Quick Response Teams, NDRF, SDRF, police and fire brigade personnel are busy dousing the flames in Uttarkashi district, he said.

After nearly a fortnight-long lull which saw a substantial decline in forest fire incidents, wildfires flared up on Thursday with fire incidents in 11 areas affecting more than 13 hectares of forest land across the state, additional chief conservator of forest Nishant Verma said.\

There have been 1,167 forest fire incidents this season in which nearly 1600 hectares of land have been affected, he said.

Forest fires in Uttarakhand have so far claimed six lives and left five persons injured, Verma said.