Govt rejects Gurmeet Ram Rahim, MS Dhoni for Padma awards

March 28, 2017

New Delhi, Mar 28: Names of spiritual leader Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, former cricket captain M S Dhoni, tabla maestro Zakir Hussain and over 18,000 other recommendations for Padma awards were rejected by the government this year.

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The long list of prominent politicians, celebrities, sports persons and social activists was made public by the Home Ministry after 89 personalities were selected for the prestigious awards on the eve of Republic Day.

Names of actor and Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan, filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, actor Manoj Bajpayee, late air hostess Neerja Bhanot, who was killed during a hijack in 1986, were recommended for the Padma award but they did not make it to the final list.

Among those who were named for the awards this year include NCP chief Sharad Pawar, senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, former Lok Sabha Speaker late P A Sangma, singer K J Yesudas, wrestler Sakshi Malik and gymnast Dipa Karmakar.

BJD MP Baijayant Panda, sarod player Ayaan Ali Bangash, founder Director General of National Investigation Agency late Radha Vinod Raju, music composer Anu Malik, Indian classical musician Ghulam Mustafa Waris Khan and Hindustani classical vocalist Pt Ajay Pohankar were also recommended for the Padma award but their names were not considered.

Among the other nominees who did not make it were archer Dola Banerjee, former Olympic champion and shooter Abhinav Bindra, badminton player Jwala Gutta, singer Sonu Nigam, actor Sridevi Kapoor, anchor and journalist Arnab Goswami, media personality Pritish Nandy and fashion designer Rohit Bal.

This year the President has approved conferment of Padma Awards to 89 persons which include 7 Padma Vibhushan, 7 Padma Bhushan and 75 Padma Shri Awardees.
As many as 19 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 5 persons from the category of foreigners, NRIs, PIOs and 6 Posthumous awardees.

The awards search committee, comprised the Cabinet Secretary, Secretary to the President, Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Home Secretary, actor Waheeda Rehman, journalist and MP Dr Harivansh, political analyst S Gurumurthy, and badminton player turned coach Pullela Gopichand among others.

The Padma awards will be conferred to the awardees at a special function to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 30.

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December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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December 16,2025

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Melkar (Bantwal): The 9th Annual Day celebration of SMR Public School, titled “EXCELLENTIA”, was held on December 15 with great enthusiasm and dignity, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s journey towards academic excellence and holistic development.

The programme was inaugurated by Dr. U. T. Iftikar Ali. The chief guests were Dr. Akhtar Hussain, Mr. P. Moosabba Beary, Mr. Zakaria Jokattre, and Dr. T. M. Abdul Rahuf—whose inspiring addresses motivated the students and appreciated the school’s contributions to education.

Mr. Abdul Nasir, Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar, Mr. Razak Golthamajal, Mr. Sali Koya, Mr. Arshad Hussain, Mr. Ismail Balanoor, Mr. Feroz Bawa, Mr. Sahul Hameed, Mr. Abubakkar, Mr. Hameed K. Mani, Mr. Abdul Majeed (Principal, Melkar Women’s College), and Mr. Abdul Lathief (Former Principal, Melkar Women’s College) were the guests of honour.

The Annual Report was presented by the Headmistress, Ms. Fathimathul Zaheera, highlighting the school’s achievements and progress during the academic year. The Presidential Address was delivered by the Chairman of SMR Public School, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasised the vital role of education in shaping students’ futures and stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and consistent effort in achieving 100 per cent academic results.

Secretary of SMR Public School, Mr. Rifath Ahmed, and PTA President, Mr. Sandeep Kumar, were also present on the occasion.

The Annual Day celebration showcased the collective efforts of students and teachers and reaffirmed the school’s commitment to quality education and all-round development. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all dignitaries, parents, and well-wishers for their support. The 9th Annual Day—EXCELLENTIA—was a memorable and successful event, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present. 

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