Latest news with #Mahapatra
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
X writes to Manjul about cartoons on Mamata Banerjee posted six years ago
Following a request sent to X by the West Bengal Police Cyber Crime Wing, the social media platform informed renowned cartoonist Manjul on Wednesday via a letter that it had received such a request. The issue concerns two cartoons of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by Mr. Manjul shared on the platform (then Twitter) six years ago, in 2019. The police have asked X to remove two posts from the Manjultoons X account on grounds that it 'violates the law(s) of India'. The social media platform has neither removed the posts, nor directed Mr. Manjul to take them down. Over the course of a career spanning almost four decades, Mr. Manjul said he had gathered enough knowledge to know what his cartoons could feature to keep them safely within the parameters of Indian laws, and not violate any rights. The two cartoons under scrutiny are among the many satirical cartoons he has published over the years in various news outlets. 'I have been drawing cartoons for the past 36 years. But the kind of backlash I have faced in the last 10-11 years is unprecedented. Even before that, I got many requests from powerful people who wanted to push their narratives through my cartoons, but I never thought someday they would come after the cartoon itself,' Mr. Manjul told The Hindu. He has previously received notices from leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and from the Mumbai Police for his satirical work. 'It is funny that I have always been criticised for not speaking against Mamata Banerjee, and then this happens. If politicians claim they are loved by the people so much, then why do they fear small cartoons? What harm can a cartoon do?' Mr. Manjul said, adding that he may have to face police action at any time for cartoons he drew six years ago. The censorship of cartoons in West Bengal can be traced to over a decade ago, when Jadavpur University's Professor of Chemistry Ambikesh Mahapatra was arrested in 2012 for forwarding a cartoon that allegedly showed Ms. Banerjee in a negative light. Prof. Mahapatra fought an 11-year-long battle and was finally acquitted in 2023. 'I was arrested under a criminal case for simply forwarding a cartoon. They used all State machinery to crackdown on me. I had to stay in jail. Why?' Prof Mahapatra said, adding that there could be no redemption for the years of abuse he had faced. One of Mr. Manjul's cartoons shows the BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) as two branches of the same tree, Prof. Mahapatra said, adding the TMC could be trying to distance itself from the BJP ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election by taking issue with Mr. Manjul. 'This is an attack against expression and freedom of speech,' Prof Mahapatra said, an emotion that was echoed by Mr. Manjul as well.
Hans India
6 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
Raids at eateries to curb diarrhoea
Bhubaneswar: Raids were conducted on Tuesday at several restaurants in Bhubaneswar, Jajpur and Cuttack to assess the standard of hygiene amid the diarrhoea outbreak in parts of the State, officials said. Diarrhoea was first detected in Jajpur on June 9. Over 200 patients are still under treatment in different healthcare facilities in the district. A team, led by Darpan's tehsildar Manas Tripathy, conducted raids at eateries, sweet shops and hotels in Barchana town in Jajpur. 'We are checking the hygiene and quality of food served in eateries. If stale food was found, we issued a warning to the owner. If they continue to serve unhygienic or stale food, we will seal their shop,' he said. The local administration in Bari, Dharmasala, Vyasanagar and Binjharpur blocks has already shut down hotels, eateries, fast-food stalls, meat shops and water packaging units for a temporary period. Municipal authorities in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar have also started conducting raids after diarrhoea cases were detected in some pockets of the twin cities. Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation teams conducted raids at eateries in Kalinga Vihar and Delta Square areas. They collected food samples for testing and also fined some restaurant owners for not maintaining the quality, an official said. The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) sealed two hotels in Station Bazar after finding low-quality water and food served there, he said. Capital Hospital's Director, Rupabhanu Mishra, said a separate ward has been set up to treat diarrhoea patients. Meanhile, Odisha Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra said the State government is fully alert and taking all precautionary arrangements to avoid spread of diarrhoea during the Rath Yatra, which is scheduled to commence from June 27. While speaking to mediapersons, Mahapatra said the Urban Development department is fully alert in view of the rising cases of diarrhoea in the State. 'Particular attention is being given to the town areas where Rath Yatra celebrations will take place. The department is on high alert to avoid any outbreak during the festival. Intensive surveillance and monitoring are being carried out to ensure that the public remains safe, and the festival is conducted smoothly,' said Mahapatra. 'Although no concrete evidence of contaminated water has been found so far, we are taking every precaution to avoid any health crisis,' added Mahapatra.
Hans India
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
State moving towards Viksit Odisha: Min
Dhenkanal: The State under Mohan Charan Majhi-led government is moving towards Viksit Odisha 2036, said Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra. Eleven years of performance of Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre and one year of performance of Majhi-led government in the State have been widely accepted by the people, he said. Speaking at a press meet at BJP district office here on Wednesday, Mahapatra said the State government is marching ahead because people's representatives are now taking the lead in taking decisions unlike the previous government in which one bureaucrat was taking decisions. Now the State government is ready to implement Mukhya Mantri Sahari Yojana with expansion of NAC, Municipality and Metro areas, he said. The minister said the Chief Minister has resolved 86 per cent of people's grievances in the grievance cell. 'We have recently opened a grievance cell in Sambalpur,' Mahapatra said. The previous government was outsourcing jobs whereas the present State government is appointing regular employees, he said. District BJP president Rasa Bihari Behera, Dhenkanal Municipality chairperson Jayanti Patra and senior BJP leaders were present.
News18
08-06-2025
- Health
- News18
Understanding Brain Tumours: Expert Debunks 5 Common Myths
Misinformation about brain tumours can accelerate the stress and create panic among patients and their families. An expert busts some common myths and states the facts. Read on. Observed on June 8 every year, World Brain Tumour Day aims to raise awareness about brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumours – a serious health concern that has claimed countless lives. A brain tumour refers to the abnormal growth of cells in or around the brain, which can be either malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous). According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, the cases of central nervous system (CNS) tumours in India range between 5 and 10 cases per 1,00,000 people, showing an increasing trend, and these numbers account for 2% of all malignancies. Misinformation about brain tumours can accelerate the stress and create panic among patients and their families. Fact: Dr Mahapatra explains that this can never be true because different people experience different symptoms, which vary based on the location of the tumour, its grade, and its size. Some people do not have any symptoms at all, while others notice significant symptoms that worsen over time and lead to diagnosis. Brain tumours are a growing health concern in India, but with early diagnosis and prompt medical intervention, they are often treatable. Each individual's experience with a brain tumour is different, making accurate information and awareness essential for effective care.a First Published: June 08, 2025, 13:27 IST News lifestyle » health-and-fitness Understanding Brain Tumours: Expert Debunks 5 Common Myths
Hans India
30-05-2025
- Business
- Hans India
ANKUR launched to catalyse urban growth
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday launched ANKUR, a strategic initiative designed to catalyse urban growth across the State. On the occasion, the State's Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department signed MoUs with six leading organisations engaged in the urban development ecosystem in the presence of department minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra. Speaking at the launch, Mahapatra said, 'ANKUR – Atal Network for Knowledge, Urbanisation and Reforms — represents a collective promise to build cities that are efficient, smart and above all, citizen-centric. This is a movement toward a Viksit Odisha, co-authored by communities, institutions and the government alike.' Department's Principal Secretary Usha Padhee said the genesis of ANKUR was not a single moment, but rather a series of reflections, conversations and collaborations. 'It was born out of a growing realisation within our department that the pace and complexity of urbanisation in Odisha required new thinking, new partnerships and new platforms,' she added. Over the past year, through internal consultations and engagements with experts, practitioners and institutions across the country and beyond, a vision began to take shape, she said, adding that ANKUR emerged as an answer to those questions — a platform to co-create solutions, to institutionalise innovation and to sustain partnerships that can carry us through the next decade of urban growth. As Odisha's urban population is projected to triple by 2036, ANKUR has been envisioned as a transformative platform to co-create resilient, livable and future-ready cities. 'ANKUR aligns with the national aspiration of Viksit Bharat @2047, while responding to Odisha's unique socio-economic and urban context. It will strengthen four strategic pillars of urban development - capacity building, knowledge and research, implementation support and innovation,' Padhee said.
