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Karnataka HC dismisses petitions against probing Amazon, Flipkart: Here are the allegations against e-commerce giants

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Karnataka HC dismisses petitions against probing Amazon, Flipkart: Here are the allegations against e-commerce giants

On Friday, the Karnataka High Court dismissed the plea filed by e-commerce companies Amazon and Flipkart, challenging the probe ordered by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against them for violations of Competition Law.

In a significant judgement on Friday, the Karnataka High Court quashed the writ petitions filed by Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart-owned Flipkart against an order by the competition regulator over anti-competitive and unfair trade practices.

On January 13, 2020, the Competition Commission of India had ordered a probe against e-commerce giants Amazon, Flipkart on alleged anti-competitive practices in a case filed by the Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh under Section 3 of the Competition Act.

The Delhi-based association had alleged that both Amazon and Flipkart were indulging in exclusive arrangements with suppliers and, in turn, were providing preferential treatment to some sellers, along with offering deep discounts.

The CCI had noted that there was a prima facie case and had asked the director-general to investigate both the companies. Last year, the Karnataka High Court had granted an interim stay on the CCI order after both companies approached it. The Competition Commission of India had challenged this before the Supreme Court, which had directed the regulator to approach the high court for relief.

In its order on Friday, the Karnataka High Court has said that the CCI can now directly investigate the complaints filed by the Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh (DVM), a group representing small and medium business owners in the national capital, against the alleged unfair trade practices by these e-commerce majors.

Traders body allege that e-commerce companies indulge in unfair trade practises

In October 2019, Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh (DVM) had filed an appeal before CCI alleging anticompetitive vertical agreements between Flipkart and Amazon with their respective preferred sellers giving them an edge over other sellers. It was alleged that most of these preferred sellers are affiliated with or controlled by Flipkart or Amazon, either directly or indirectly. 

The traders’ body had also alleged that these platforms are capable of influencing the price being charged by sellers by providing several discounts and inventory to them.

The DVM has also contended that these platforms have gathered data on consumer preferences and allegedly use them to their advantage. It was further alleged that Amazon and Flipkart are involved in providing deep discounts to their users despite incurring losses.

Further, the DVM has cited how these e-commerce companies indulge in ‘Preferential Listing’ of their products by categorising the products sold by its preferred sellers as “Assured Seller” and “Fulfilled”, and allegedly created a bias in favour of preferred sellers to the detriment of other sellers.

“Besides receiving deep discounts, such assured sellers also receive a preferential listing on the website, pushing the results of the non-preferred sellers further down in the search results without any basis whatsoever,” the traders’ body pointed out.

The traders’ body also said that the two e-commerce major have entered several tie-ups and private labels, which get more preference in terms of sales. According to DVM, their private label brands, sold through their platforms, are routed through a few preferential sellers.

It is alleged that having exclusive tie-ups in the relevant market with the smartphone companies provides exclusivity through discounting and preferential listings, which leads to other competitors being excluded and foreclosed from the market.

E-Commerce giants says CCI has no jurisdiction

Both Amazon and Flipkart challenged the earlier orders passed by CCI directing investigations contending that the orders violated on the grounds that the impugned order suffered from non-application of mind. The petitioners claimed that they were not provided with any notice or opportunity of hearing before forming passing the orders.

The petitioners also said that the CCI order was not a reasoned order as the jurisdiction of CCI is barred on account of a pending investigation by the Enforcement Directorate etc. 

Rejecting the pleas advanced by Amazon and Flipkart, the High Court dismissed the writ petitions challenging the jurisdiction of CCI and ordered the resumption of investigations into the possible violations of FDI rules by these companies.

“We will review the judgement carefully and decide on the next steps,” said an Amazon spokesperson following the High Court judgement.

Leaked Clubhouse chats: Here is what senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh promised to a Pakistan-origin journalist about Kashmir

OpIndia Staff
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Leaked Clubhouse chats: Here is what senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh promised to a Pakistan-origin journalist about Kashmir

During a recent conversation with a Pakistani-origin journalist on the Clubhouse app, Congress leader Digvijay Singh stirred the hornet’s nest by hinting at reversing the decision by the Modi government to revoke Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. The decision was taken on 5th August 2019 by the Modi government in a bid to fully integrate Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India by revoking the draconian provisions of the article.

Shahzeb Jillani, the Pakistani journalist currently residing in Germany, had claimed that he was shocked at the changing landscape of politics and Indian society under the Modi regime. He alleged that the freedom of the press in India has shrunk and that the revocation of Article 370 has strained the relationship between India and Pakistan. Interestingly, Jillani also said that it is only in the last couple of months that he can notice how the media is speaking up against the Narendra Modi government.

“If and when this government goes and India does get rid of PM Modi, what will be the way forward on Kashmir? I know it is on the margins because of what is going on in India right now. But this is an issue that has existed between the two countries for so long,” Shahzeb Jillani asked Digvijay Singh.

According to his Twitter profile, Jillani is a former BBC correspondent in Pakistan, Beirut, Washington and London. He was earlier also associated with the DW news. However, while introducing himself to Congress leader Digvijay Singh, Jillani said that he is currently working with DW news and was born in Sindh, Pakistan.

Screengrab of the Twitter profile of Shahzeb Jillani

“I sincerely believe what is dangerous to the society is the religious fundamentalism, be it the Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs or whatever. Religious fundamentalism leads to hatred, and hatred leads to violence…”, Digvijay Singh replied. He added, “Therefore, I think malice, disease, and the virus are religious fundamentalism. Every society/religious group has to realise that everyone has the right to follow their tradition/faith. No one has the right to impose his faith/feelings/religion on anyone else.”

Furthermore, the Congress leader alleged, “Democracy was not there in Kashmir when they revoked Article 370. Insaniyat (humanity) was not there because they put everyone behind bars. And Kashmiriyat is something that is fundamental to secularism. Because in a Muslim-majority State, there was a Hindu Raja (king).”

“Both worked together. In fact, the reservation in Kashmir was given to Kashmiri Pandits in government services. Therefore, revoking Article 370 and reducing the Statehood of J&K is an extremely sad decision. We (Congress party) will certainly have to relook at this issue,” he concluded.

Not only does Digvijay Singh promise to revoke the decision by the Modi government to revoke Article 370, which essentially kept Jammu and Kashmir as an arm separate from the rest of India since independence, with the Congress governments fanning that tension, he also seemed to whitewash the genocide of Hindus from the valley. When Digvijay Singh says that Kashmiri Pandits were the ones who got reservations in jobs, he says that the Hindus of the valley were treated well by the Muslims of the state completely glossing over the genocide where Hindus were raped, murdered and driven away from Kashmir by Muslim fundamentalists and Jihadis.

Abrogation of Article 370 by the Modi government

In the manifesto, BJP had promised to repeal Article 370 from the state of Jammu and Kashmir that gave it special status. On 5th August 2019, the BJP-led Union government fulfilled the promise. The state was divided into two Union Territories, Ladakh, and Jammu & Kashmir, under Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act. The decision came into effect on 31st October 2019.

Maharashtra: Covid-19 death toll in last three weeks doubles after reconciliation exercise, total fatality goes up by 11%

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Covid-19 death toll in last three weeks doubles after reconciliation exercise, total fatality goes up by 11%

Maharashtra has witnessed a dramatic rise in the number of Coronavirus-related deaths, since the data reconciliation process began on May 17, reported The Times of India. Under this exercise, the Covid-19 patients who died over a week ago and not added to the total fatality count, are being recorded.

TOI reported that the Maharashtra government has so far added a total of 11,617 additional Covid-19 deaths to the list since the data tabulation exercise commenced over 3 weeks ago. This figure is higher than the 10,645 deaths which were recorded as the total daily count in the past 3 weeks. As such, the total death count in the State has reached a whopping 1,03,748.

The reconciliation exercise has thus witnessed an over 11% increase in Maharashtra’s Covid-19 death toll. About 8404 ‘old’ cases of Coronavirus deaths were added in the first 10 days of June while around 5410 deaths were found to be older than a week’s time. On Thursday (June 10) alone, about 1522 past deaths were added during the reconciliation exercise.

While speaking about the matter, Dr. Pradeep Awate stated, “Although we have asked districts to update death data within 48 hours, it is not always possible due to manpower crunch or technical problems.” Awate is the Head of the Epidemiology Cell of the Maharashtra Public Health Department. Of these ‘old’ deaths, 8,404 were added in the first 10 days of June, and 5,410 were older-than-a-week deaths. As of June 11, Maharashtra has reported a total of 1,63,586 active cases.

Covid-19 protocols flouted across Maharashtra

The state government has recently initiated a gradual ‘unlock’ in the state. However, such unlock has prompted people to violate the social-distancing norms heavily. Reports from Nashik, Nagpur and Mumbai showed how the Covid-19 protocols were being flouted across the state from the very first day of the ‘unlock.’  While the relaxation in restrictions would help unlock the economy, there appeared to be latency in measures to ensure the Covid-19 appropriate protocols were followed religiously across the state.

As per a Times Now report, a massive crowd was seen at the Mahatma Phule Market in Nagpur on June 9 morning with people flouting every single Covid-19 norm. People were spotted without proper masks and none maintained any social distancing. A similar scenario was observed in the city of Nashik. The streets of the city witnessed bumper-to-bumper traffic with buyers flocking the markets to buy garments and school supplies. While people were masked to avoid fines, social distancing norms went for a toss. 

France President Emmanuel Macron slams Joe Biden administration for blocking vaccine raw material export to India

OpIndia Staff
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France President Emmanuel Macron slams Joe Biden administration for blocking vaccine raw material export to India

French President Emmanuel Macron took potshots at the Joe Biden administration in the United States for blocking export of raw materials required for the manufacturing of Covid-19 vaccines. While he did not take any names, Emmanuel Macron highlighted how India has been badly treated with regards to combating the Covid-19 pandemic at the G7 summit.

Macron said, “There have been export bans by several G7 member countries that blocked production in other countries and sometimes blocked production in middle-income countries, which is essential for production of vaccines for poorest countries. I’ll take just one example, India.”

He proceeded to add, “India, and in particular SII, blocked by export restrictions on ingredients needed to produce vaccines from certain G7 economies. Restrictions must be lifted so India can produce more for itself and quickly supply Africans in particular, who are dependent on its production.”

Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII), had said in April that COVID-19 vaccines in the country had taken a hit because of the restrictions imposed by the United States and the European countries on the export of critical raw material. He had appealed to Joe Biden to lift the embargo.

The embargo on the export of vaccine raw materials had hit production of the Covid-19 vaccine Covovax. India was relying heavily on Covovax for its inoculation efforts but the raw material embargo by the USA has deferred the arrival of the vaccine in Indian markets by at least 3 months. India was set to purchase 1 billion doses of the vaccine and it will be manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

Punjab: Major terror plan averted, police seizes a huge cache of foreign-made pistols and arrests a weapon smuggler

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: Major terror plan averted, police seizes a huge cache of foreign-made pistols and arrests a weapon smuggler

Punjab Police on Thursday night recovered a large cache of foreign-made pistols and arrested a weapons smuggler allegedly linked to Pakistani terror outfits and pro-Khalistani organisations based in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom. The recovery was made days after the death anniversary of Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

On Friday, DGP Dinkar Gupta said the weapons were meant for carrying out large-scale terror activities in various parts of the country.

Providing details of the seizure and arrest, Gupta said a team of Punjab Internal Security Wing, SSOC Amritsar, arrested one Jagjit Singh aka Jaggu(25), a resident of Purian Kalan PS Sadar Batala, from near Kathunangal, Amritsar on Thursday night. Singh was apparently working at the behest of a US-based handler.

Acting on a tip-off, SSOC Amritsar intercepted an i20 car bearing registration no.PB-06-AN-7016 at a specially laid police naka on Amritsar-Batala road, Kathunangal village. Two nylon bags containing 48 foreign-made pistols of different foreign makes and bores, along with magazines and ammunition, were recovered from the car.

The cache included 19 Turkish made Zigana 9mm Pistols with 37 Magazines and 45 rounds; 9 Chinese made .30 bore Pistols with 22 Magazines; 19 Star mark .30 bore Pistols with 38 Magazines and 148 rounds; and a 9 mm Italian Baretta Pistol with 2 Magazines.

Revealing details of the preliminary investigation, DGP Gupta said Jagjit was directed by his US-based handler Darmanjot Singh alias Darman Kahlon, a former gangster criminal, to collect this weapon consignment. The police said Jagjit got in touch with Darman during his three years of stay in Dubai from 2017 to December 2020, who motivated him to work for him.

Darman, who is the mastermind of this smuggling racket, had reportedly asked Jagjit to receive and hide the weapon consignment and wait for further instructions for the delivery of pistols, the DGP said. He further added that open-ended warrants of Darmanjot Singh aka Darman Kahlon, a proclaimed offender in Punjab, have been obtained.

The DGP said an FIR under sections 13, 17, 18, 18-B, 20 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 120, 120-B IPC and 25 Arms Act, PS SSOC, Amritsar has been registered about last night’s seizure. Further investigation is on to unearth the whole nexus, he said.

Jagjit Singh acting at the behest of his US-based handler Darmanjot Singh

Darmanjot Singh aka Darman Kahlon, who hails from village Talwandi Khumman, PS Kathunanagal, Amritsar, is a history-sheeter and was involved in various criminal activities in Punjab before he fled to the USA in 2017 to evade arrest. Kahlon is also charged with facilitating the escape of notorious criminal Harwinder Singh aka Mannu from police custody in 2017. He, along with his associates, had then mounted an attack against the police escort party and managed to get Harwinder Singh aka Mannu to escape arrest.

In June 2017, an FIR was filed against Darman and he was declared Proclaimed Offender(PO) by the court of JMIC Batala in 2017.

Darman has also been accused of indulging in anti-India activities and supporting pro-Khalistani groups. Last year, during his stay in the US, Darman had bankrolled a criminal group with an amount of Rs 2 lakhs in Punjab to facilitate the purchase of illegal weapons for carrying out anti-India activities. 10 members of the group were arrested by SSOC Amritsar and 7 Pistols, 32 bores were retrieved from them. An FIR was lodged against them on 10 November 2020.

Pakistani conspiracy to disturb peace and revive Khalistani terrorism in Punjab

The arrest and seizure is significant, considering that Punjab is on tenterhooks ever since intel reports suggested Pakistan was trying to revive Khalistani terrorism in Punjab. The reports claimed the opening of Kartarpur Sahib corridor was a part of a major conspiracy by Pakistan to rekindle Khalistani sentiments among the people of Punjab.

More recently, Pakistan tried to exploit the ongoing farmers’ protest in India by fuelling pro-Khalistani sentiments. It even supported the violence that was unleashed by the so-called farmers during the tractor rally carried out on the Republic Day this year when scores of hoodlums rampaged through the city of Delhi.

Even the seizures made in the case points to the involvement of Pakistani Army in destabilizing India. It is no coincidence that the pistols recovered from Jagjit Singh last night are also among the list of arms used by the Pakistani Army.

Notably, Punjab Police has busted 44 terror modules over the period of last 4 years, signifying the heightened efforts carried out by Pakistani-backed terror elements to foment unrest and destabilise the state. Additionally, 283 terrorists/criminals have been arrested, 21 rifles, 163 Revolvers/Pistols, 38 hand grenades, 10 drones, 5 Satellite phones, 2 Walkie-Talkie sets and RDX have been confiscated in this period.

Lakshadweep: Shop owner puts up signboard announcing no good will be sold to those associated with BJP

OpIndia Staff
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Lakshadweep: Shop owner puts up signboard announcing no good will be sold to those associated with BJP

A shop-owner in Lakshadweep has put up a signboard announcing that he will not sell any items to people associated with the BJP, media outlet Reporter reported. The development comes in the wake of new regulations proposed by the local administration.

The notice reportedly says, ‘No goods will be given to the BJP from this shop’. It can be concluded with reasonable certainty that the notice declares that no goods will be sold to those associated with the party.

The report also mentioned that BJP functionaries in the Union Territory have resigned from the party in the wake of protests against the new measures announced. Policies of the new administration being opposed include banning candidates with more than 2 children from contesting Panchayat polls, the removal of illegal storage facilities along the coast, and the strict order to boat owners against leasing/renting their boats to individuals without proper permission from authorities.

The draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation (LDAR) 2021 also proposed a new law to ban cow slaughter and beef, which is in line with the prevailing law in an overwhelming number of states in India.

Besides, the draft regulation also accords the administrator the authority to “declare any area to be a planning area” on the islands, for the purpose of development, and will also allow the administrator to acquire any land required for a public purpose under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, commonly known as the Land Acquisition Act.

Recently, Lakshadweep-based actor and model Aisha Sultana levelled serious allegations against the government of India during a debate on Malayalam news channel MediaOne TV. Sultana alleged that the central government had used COVID-19 as a bioweapon against the people of Lakshadweep Islands.

“Before centre took care, Lakshadweep had 0 cases of COVID-19. Now, it is reporting a daily spike of 100 cases. What the centre has deployed is a bioweapon. I can say this clearly that the central government has deployed bioweapon against the people of Lakshadweep,” Sultana in Malayalam during the debate on Media One.

‘PDP leader Parra was an asset for Pakistan-based terror outfits’: Jammu & Kashmir police charge sheet on Mehbooba Mufti’s close aide

OpIndia Staff
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‘PDP leader Parra was an asset for Pakistan-based terror outfits’: Jammu & Kashmir police charge sheet on Mehbooba Mufti’s close aide

Jammu and Kashmir Police have made a sensational set of disclosures in its charge sheet against senior PDP leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, a close aide of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. In a 19-page charge-sheet, the Counter Intelligence Kashmir(CIK), a wing of the CID department of J&K police, has described Parra’s 13 years of the journey from 2007 as a journalist and politician as a “saga of subterfuge, deceit and double-dealing”.

The charge-sheet accused Para of being hand-in-glove with terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir and of taking directions from Pakistan-based terror outfits. The charge sheet said Parra was an “asset” for Pakistan-based terror groups and helped them in furthering their nefarious designs in Kashmir while ensuring that his political rivals were neutralised.

Parra is said to have forged ties with terrorists to advance his political ambitions and returned the favour by providing an array of help and support that resulted in terror attacks.

Parra’s journey from a local journalist to the power corridors of the PDP

The charge sheet charts the meteoric rise of Parra from being a run-of-the-mill journalist working for a local media cable network at a Pulwama town to becoming the blue-eyed boy of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti. Parra joined the PDP in 2013 and within a short span of time, he became the president of the youth wing of the party and was considered one of the important members of the party.

It is alleged that he harnessed the terror connections that he cultivated years earlier to rise through the political ranks. The Jammu and Kashmir police believe the start of Parra’s association with terrorists dates back to the year 2007 when he visited Pakistan and interviewed self-styled supremo of the terror outfit Syed Salah-ud-Din. The police believe Parra was part of a terror conspiracy and his visit to Pakistan was meant to allegedly facilitate the enemy’s strategy.

The charge sheet states that Parra had links with Pakistani terrorists Abu Dujana and Abu Qassim. According to the police, Parra routinely met them personally as well as through one Over Ground Worker(OGW) Mohammad Yosuf Lone. The police also claimed that Parra’s cable network office was used as a meeting place for OGWs.

Dujana and Qassim were both involved in a string of terror attacks in the Jammu and Kashmir provinces respectively. They both were neutralised by the Armed Forces in two separate encounters on 29 October 2015 and 1 August 2017.

Parra allegedly paid Rs 5 crore to fuel violence in Kashmir

Another explosive revelation made in the charge sheet pertains to payment made by Parra to fuel violence in Kashmir. It is alleged that the PDP youth leader had paid Rs 5 crore to the son-in-law of hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani for keeping the unrest in Kashmir on the boil following the encounter of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in the year 2016.

The charge sheet says Parra got in touch with Altaf Ahmad Shah, aka Altaf Fantoosh, after the death of Burhan Wani in 2016 and asked him to keep the Valley in turmoil by carrying out unrest and stone-pelting.

Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra arrested in November 2020 in connection with a terrorism case

On 25 November 2020, Waheed-ur-Parra was arrested by the National Investigation Agency(NIA) for his alleged close ties with Irfan Shafi Mir, who was arrested along with Hizbul Mujahideen militant Naveed Babu and suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Singh.

Earlier in January, Parra got bail by the NIA court but, he was arrested by the CIK wing in a case related to nexus between mainstream politicians and separatist elements, and he continues to remain in jail since then.

The PDP youth leader was held under custody by the CIK wing and brought to Jammu on transit remand, following his release by an NIA court on 9 January 2021.

Wife Pramila Dixit launches Rohit Sardana Foundation to support independent journalism: Here is how you can support the campaign

OpIndia Staff
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Wife Pramila Dixit launches Rohit Sardana Foundation to support independent journalism: Here is how you can support the campaign

Senior Journalist Pramila Dixit, the wife of late journalist Rohit Sardana, has launched a foundation in the name of senior journalist that intends to create social impact in journalism.

Senior Aaj Tak journalist Rohit Sardana had passed away recently due to Covid-19. Rohit Sardana, one of the country’s most respected journalists, had tested positive for the Coronavirus and passed away after suffering a heart attack.

The foundation launched by his family aims to encourage, empower and support journalism that puts nation-first.

Taking to Twitter, Pramila Dixit announced the decision to launch a foundation in honour of the deceased journalist, who stood for integrity and objective journalism in the country.

“The passing away of a person may be considered as the passing away of his body, but his thoughts live on forever. The Rohit Sardana Foundation is just the beginning of a new episode that is committed to keeping alive the nation first in journalism,” said Pramila Dixit on Twitter.

According to Dixit, the foundation aims to create a social impact through journalism. In addition, the foundation aims to encourage, empower and support journalism that puts nation-first.

In addition, the trust has also launched a fundraiser to support the cause of nationalistic journalism in the country. The trust aims to raise a fund of Rs.3 crore to support this noble endeavour. However, the fundraiser has not yet received any major support as it has received less than 1 per cent of the total intended target.

The foundation thrives on executing many plans and dreams shared by Rohit Sardana and also tries to bring a massive impact in the field of journalism. The funds raised from this campaign will be utilized for funding research, innovation and advancement in the field of mass media.

The fund also aims to provide scholarships, grants, other monetary assistances for media persons and promote education in journalism and mass communication. In addition, research and contribution to the development, reform of journalism are also the important priorities of the foundation.

The foundation also has plans to award annual Rohit Sardana Awards to encourage promising journalists who are making India strong.

Here is a link to the fundraiser to support Rohit Sardana Foundation. The foundation intends to collect Rs.3 crore for the noble endeavour in the next two months.

Karnataka: Worshipers at Dawal Malik Dargah refuses to get Covid-19 vaccine, says the sanit’s spirit will protect them

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Worshipers at Dawal Malik Dargah refuses to get Covid-19 vaccine, says the sanit’s spirit will protect them

Vaccine hesitancy has stuck more than 80 families in Dawal Malik, a village in the Gadag district in Karnataka as they refuse to get the Covid-19 jabs, leaving the health workers in a bit of a fix.

According to the reports, villagers of Dawal Malik in the Gadag district have decided not to take the Covid-19 vaccine. The villagers, who claim that they have the blessings of Dawal Malik, believe the spirit of the saint after whom the village is named will protect them from any evil or harm.

“Coronavirus will not enter our village. Even if it enters, it will not be able to kill us because we are living near the God who attracts thousands of devotees. God will protect us from all diseases… hence we are not taking any vaccine. They (government) do not have to worry about us,” a resident said. 

The village with a population of around 500, where Dawal Malik is revered as a God, has not reported any Covid cases so far.

Reportedly, several worshippers from across faiths visit the village and the hilltop dargah of saint Dawal Malik to seek blessings. The villagers are confident that the spirit at the Dargah will keep an eye against any evil. In fact, the houses in this village do not even have doors, and villagers leave their door open all the time.

Villagers demand Rs.25,000 assurance bond to get vaccinated

As health officials, elected representative tried to persuade the villagers to get vaccinated, the villagers demanded an assurance in the form of a bond of Rs.25,000 in exchange for getting jabbed.

The health officials are finding it extremely difficult to jab these villagers. “We are finding it extremely difficult to persuade villagers to get vaccinated. We have been trying for the past four days by conducting awareness programmes, but they are adamant,” said Dr Preet Khona, a medical officer at the Mulgund primary health centre.

The health officials said that the villagers give excuses of not feeling well or funeral to skip the vaccination camp. If we insist, they say they are not worried about Covid-19 as the saint is protecting them, the health officials said.

A few have taken the first vaccine dose after repeated requests from the officials. “We will continue to persuade residents,” Dr Khona added.

Bihar BJP and VHP demand high-level probe into Banka explosion, MLA asks Govt to ban Madarsas across the state

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar BJP and VHP demand high-level probe into Banka explosion, MLA asks Govt to ban Madarsas across the state

A case of an explosion in a non-operational Madarsa was reported from the Banka district of Bihar on the morning of June 8 (Tuesday). The explosion led to the collapse of the roof and walls of the Madrasa causing damage to the nearby buildings. One person was reportedly killed while four others were injured in the incident. Police suspect an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) might have caused the blast.

A week into the blast, Bihar BJP has demanded a detailed investigation into the blast. The Hindu outfit Vishwa Hindu Parishad has also written to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar demanding that the details of the bomb blast be made public.

BJP said it should be probed how a bomb found its way inside such a place

In a statement issued, the BJP said, “It is an instance of administrative failure. How come a powerful explosive was concealed in a building and the local machinery was caught unawares.”

“We demand a high-level inquiry. A mosque is a place of worship. It must be known how a bomb found its way inside such a place”, the statement had added.

Raising concerns about the blast, BJP state spokesperson Arvind Singh was quoted by Hindi daily Jagran as saying that it should be looked into how the explosives got into the madarsa and who stored them, as well as why the explosives were kept there.

Moreover, Hari Bhushan Thakur, BJP MLA from Bisfi in Madhubani district, demanded that such ‘educational institutions’ be banned across the state. He said, “In madarsas and mosques in Bihar, education of terrorism is being given. Training to make bombs and to incite violence is given in madrasas. Children should be taken out from madarsas and given common education.”

Thakur, in a video post, added, “The minority community in Bihar has been harassing Dalits. Incidents of Jamui, Gopalganj and Purnia are examples. I want a thorough investigation into the incident to ascertain under what circumstances the explosion took place.”

Banka SP claims bomb was not powerful despite collapse of large portions of the madarsa structure

Facing criticism over the explosion in a madarsa, Banka Superintendent of Police Arvind Kumar Gupta said the explosion happened due to a crude bomb kept in a container. The officer has said that no terror angle has appeared during the investigation. The officer added that the bomb was not so powerful.

However, given that a large piece of the madarsa structure fell in the explosion, killing one and injuring four others, the officer’s claims has come under the scanner.

Meanwhile, reports claim that the National Investigation Agency has contacted the district administration and obtained a copy of the case’s FIR.

Bhagalpur zonal DIG Sujeet Kumar has informed that many residents of the village in Banka district, where the incident occurred, have left after the blast. “That is also a matter of investigation,” said Kumar.

Notably, the explosion took place inside the premises that was locked from outside and was believed to be empty due to COVID-19-induced lockdown. Hours later, the body of a man in his early 30s, thought to be the “imam” of a mosque located inside the same premises in the Nautola neighbourhood, was discovered by Bihar Police. According to authorities, the man died as a result of injuries sustained as a result of the bomb.

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