Delhi Confidential: In UP’s Muslim-dominated Rampur, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi organises staging of Ramayan

Former Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has arranged the performance of the hour-long play, based on ‘Shri Ramcharitmanas’ at the Rathonda Kisan Mela on Mahashivratri (March 3).

Delhi Confidential, mukhtar abbas naqvi, Ramayana, Ramcharitmanas, Israel, Narendra Modi, Indian Express, India news, current affairs

Former Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Listen to this article

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

Playing God: Former Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is doing something different in Uttar Pradesh’s Muslim-dominated Rampur, the constituency he once represented. He has organised staging of “Jai Shri Ram — Ramayan”, a play by director-producer-actor Punnet Issar.

Naqvi has arranged the performance of the hour-long play, based on ‘Shri Ramcharitmanas’ at the Rathonda Kisan Mela on Mahashivratri (March 3). Bindu Dara Singh, known for playing Hanuman on television, is also one of the actors in the play.

Also Read | Delhi Confidential: Rahul Gandhi and Varun Gandhi, the busy cousins

Two ambassadors: Ambassador of Israel to India Naor Gilon tweeted a picture of him next to a 1964 model of Ambassador car from Gedee Car Museum in Coimbatore with the caption: ‘Two old ambassadors, one in like new condition’. He threw open the thread for more captions. People came up with captions such as ‘one still works, and the other is a museum piece’ to which he said that the other is also on its way to a museum. When someone asked the models of both, he replied one is a 1964 model and the other “probably older”.

Story continues below this ad

Points to ponder: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked to focus on ‘Panch Pran’ (five resolutions) during the Amrit Kaal (2022-2047) in his Independence Day speech last year, some government offices have started displaying these points on their premises.

Also Read | Delhi Confidential: Congress shares old video of Modi praising BBC, asks ‘jaane kahan gaye woh din’

For instance, NITI Aayog has displayed these five resolutions near its reception so that everyone who enters the building can read it easily.

These 5 resolutions—A developed nation; freedom from a colonised mindset; pride about our civilisational heritage; cultivate unity and righteousness; and sense of duty among citizens—are written in Hindi and English. However, wrong spelling of “Praan” both in English and Hindi attracts the attention of the visitors.