Madhyapradesh’s Suryanamaskar draws 70 lakh, sets record – The Pioneer – 13.1.12

It was a different morning for students in Government schools and colleges and most of the private  nstitutions in M a d h y a   P r a d e s h .   T h e  y reached the premises to set a world record to be  egistered in the Guinness Book of World Records. The School Education Department claimed around 70  akh people, including students from more than 6,000 schools in the State took part in the event. Defying  he fatwa issued by s  om e   Mu s l i m   b  o  d i e s   i n Madhya Pradesh, a large number of Muslim  tudents were a l so   s e en  par t i c ipat ing   in   t h e   r e c o rd   m a k i n g   Su r  y a Namaskar event. Rajeshwari Rai, a Class VII student of the prestigious Cambridge Higher Secondary School said, “Though  t was very cold in the morning, we p a r  t  i c ip at e  d   i n   t h e   Su r  y a Namaskar held in the ground of our school. It was heartening to see our teachers too stretching out with us.” However, the young girl was not aware that the event w a s   p  a r  t   o f   a n y   r e  c o r d   creating exercise.  Alima Khan, a  lass   student of the Government Bab-e-Ali school in the Walled City said, “We participated in the Surya  amaskar event held in the school despite it being very cold. As it was a collective exercise we enjoyed it  nd are happy  that  we  are  part  of  the world record team.”  Abdul Sami, a Class V student  of   Jawa har          ehr u School said that while participating in the event, he did not repeat some mantras recited on the  ccasion, but he enjoyed the stretching exercise. Sajid Siddiqui of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), who was one of the  Continued on dozen Muslim organizations that had opposed the  Surya Namaskar,  and brought fatwa against the event, while speaking to The Pioneer, declined to comment  ver the participation of Muslims students in the event, saying, “We had opposed the event as it was  gainst the Constitution. Five organizations of Muslims had opposed the event and appealed to the Muslim parents not to send their wards to school on the day. The event is being held in the schools of  adhya Pradesh  for the past four years on the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand, but this was the first time when the Government is claiming for world record. T h e   S  ch o  o l   E  du c at  i on Department had already intimated the officials of Guinness Book of World Records regarding this  xercise. For the purpose, special arrangements were made by installing video cameras in all the   ampuses where Surya Namaskar was organised. The recording will be sent for review to those who  andle the Gu i n n e s s   B  o  o k   o f  Wo r l d Records. Thursday’s event was an effort to break the  azakhstan’s record of holding world’s largest aerobics demonstration. The Gu i n n e s s   B  o  o k   o f   o       Record in largest aerobics d e m o n s t r a t i o n   i s   w i t  h Kazakhstan in which 48, 45,098 people had  articipated. The event was held on September 27, 2003 simultaneous multi location aerobics display was  eld,  supported by Kazakhstan’s Presidential administration, to promote a healthy lifestyle. Chi e f  Mini s          hiv  r aj S i n g  h   C  h ou  h an   w a s   s  e  e n stretching not just himself as a participant, but also a part  f the record bid. The signal to begin the Surya Namaskar was given via All India Radio. The enthusiastic  hief Minister was seen stretching out on the occasion, along with others at the local Nave  en Hi g he r   S      ondar  y School despite the fact that he was recently operated in his left palm. With 15 stitches, bandage was visible in his palm. Official sources said it could take around a month for the decision of Guinness  ook of World Records when Madhya Pradesh could set a new record.  Me  a nw  h  i  l  e ,   t  h  e   I s  a I Mahasangh (IMS), that had been opposing the event stated that it would approached the Gu i n n e s s    o r l d   R e c o rd s authorities asking them not to include the event, as it promotes communal discord in    ultireligious society. IMS Convener Fr Anand Muttungal told, “We are waiting for the news published in  his regard. We would approach the authorities with the news clippings,” he added. 

6  crore fake currency caught in Delhi, sent from Pakistan – The Pioneer

T h e   D  e l h i   Po l ice on  Thursday recovered over  s i x   c r o r e   F a  k e   I n d i a n Currency Notes (FICNs) from a godown in  abri area of South West Delhi. Two persons have been arrested in this regard and raids are continuing. This is one of the biggest ever hauls of FICNs by Delhi Police in the recent past.  Elhi Po l i c e   C  om m i s s i o n e r   B K Gupta indicated that more people will be arrested as the investigations were still going on and the figure of the total recovery may go even further. The recovery  as made by a Special Cell team that raided many places across the country during the past 10 days. The  wo arrested persons h a v e   b  e  e n   i d e n t i f  i e  d   a s Mo h a m m a d   a n d   H a s  a n . Sources  aid Iqbal is the third person in this network who has been picked up for questioning a l o n g   w i t h   H a               Mohammad. The consignment of FICNs was routed to Delhi from Nepal and the notes were in the  enomination of  500 and 1,000 printed in Karachi in Pakistan. Investigators say that  the consignment  riginated from Pakistan and was aimed at destroying the Indian economy by pumping in FICNs. Thursday’s seizure has bettered all the recoveries made by various units of Delhi Police in the past five  o  ix years. Delhi Police had recovered FICNs worth  8.39 crore, 5,800 US Dollars and 2,000 Euro. The currency notes recovered from Mohammad and Hasan are of very high quality with almost all the  ecurity features. “It looks as good as the original. The Delhi Police is in touch with officials of the CBI and RBI to check the quality of the FICNs”, Gupta said. The currency notes were hidden in 33 cloth bundles  nd were loaded in two tempos. It appears that the notorious Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) was behind this consignment, as very high quality paper was used to print the same. ISI has been exploiting the   rous Indo-Nepal border for pumping in FICNs. Experts in security agencies said such types of fake Indian Currency is printed under the watchful eyes of ISI in facilities situated at Sialkot and Tuxila. Special  ommissioner of Special Cell, PN Aggarwal said that the notes were concealed in a specially created cavity  etween the two layers of cloth bundles and were compressed to allay any suspicion. A team under the supervision of Additional DCP Bhisham Singh was on the job after a specific information was received  bout the movement of the two suspects with a huge consignment were to enter the National Capital.  he team worked day and night and success came after the couriers were identified, he said. A senior  olice official said that those involved in this nefarious trade of FICNs buy counterfeit Indian Currency at a  ate of 50-60 per cent of the face value of the notes and then sell them for 70-80 per cent of the face  alue, the official said. “The fake notes of the cons i g  n m e n t   r e  c o v e  r e  d   o n Thursday are so  ell  rinted that a common man wouldn’t be able to identify it. In fact, the notes have all the security  eatures. We have requisitioned the services of RBI and CBI officers to examine the FICNs. The CBI  ossess  etter facilities as far as FICNs are conc e r  n e d ,”   t  h e  D e l h i   Po l i c e Commissioner said.