Among invitees to Republic Day, nurses, safai karamcharis and autorickshaw drivers
Among the 565 ‘special invitees’ to the Republic Day Parade this year are 250 construction workers, 115 safai karamcharis, 100 autorickshaw drivers and 100 healthcare workers.
Ashok Kumar, safai karamchari
The 52-year-old has been a safai karamchari with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) for nearly 25 years now. He lives in Ghaziabad with his wife and three children, works at Connaught Place, and has never watched the Republic Day parade before. “We have worked hard through the Covid waves, and have done our duties as we were told to… We have kept the place clean, working non-stop,” he said. On an average day, Kumar works from 6 am to 2 pm or from 2 pm to 10 pm, depending on the shift he is assigned. So far, he said, he has been able to keep Covid at bay. “Bhagwaan ki kripa se theek-thaak duty kar raha hoon (By god’s grace, I’m fine),” he said.
Sharjeel spoke against Father of the Nation, says Delhi court
In its detailed order framing sedition charges against JNU student Sharjeel Imam, a Delhi court has observed that his speeches were aimed at Muslims, to show they were facing an existential crisis, and to challenge the sovereignty of India and create hatred for State institutions.
Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat had Monday framed charges against Imam for allegedly making inflammatory speeches at Aligarh Muslim University and in Delhi’s Jamia area against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).