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New report: Multiple Wuhan lab researchers fell ill in November 2019, weeks before China ‘reported’ the first Covid case

OpIndia Staff
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New report: Multiple Wuhan lab researchers fell ill in November 2019, weeks before China ‘reported’ the first Covid case

After Beijing vehemently denied carrying out research to weaponise the coronavirus at the maximum-security Wuhan Institute of Virology, a US intelligence report has revealed that several researchers at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology fell ill in November 2019 and had to be hospitalized.

The report with this new piece of information hinted at the severity of their symptoms that could intensify the debate about the origins of the coronavirus pandemic further. 

It is interesting to note that the Trump administration in January had said that the researchers at Wuhan lab had become sick in autumn 2019, however, did not mention hospitalization. China, opposing every bit of such information, continues to report that the first patient with Covid-like symptoms was recorded in Wuhan only on December 8, 2019.

The intelligence community, however, still does not know what the researchers were actually sick with. “The intelligence community does not know exactly where, when, or how Covid-19 virus was transmitted initially,” added the Director of National Intelligence.

According to the CNN report, the members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which has been on top of the investigations to find the origins of the pandemic, received a classified briefing on the matter last week. 

Several current and former intelligence officials concur that the idea of the virus being unleashed ‘accidentally from the Wuhan lab is reasonable, however, there is no high-confidence assessment of that possibility as yet.

Trump administration’s fact sheet

Just before Trump’s administration came to an end, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had suggested the possibility of the virus leaking from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. 

Putting out a fact sheet, Pompeo had claimed that said the US had evidence of researchers at the Wuhan Lab falling sick in the fall of 2019 with Covid-like symptoms and that the lab had a history of military research.

WHO report conclusion

WHO released the much-awaited report into the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus last month concluding that it’s “extremely unlikely” the virus originated from a laboratory. The other likely option as per the report is a spillover from an animal reservoir host to human, followed by direct person-to-person transmission.

However, it is imperative to note that China had withheld raw data which was acknowledged by WHO Chief himself. “In my discussions with the team, they expressed the difficulties they encountered in accessing raw data. I expect future collaborative studies to include more timely and comprehensive data sharing,” Tedros said in the statement.

As many as 14 countries have disregarded the WHO study and have called for a continued scientific and collaborative approach to be taken to be able to trace the origins of COVID-19 successfully and conclusively.

Military research at Wuhan Lab

We had reported earlier about how at the behest of a state body a countrywide plan was launched in China 9 years ago to investigate the origins of the new viruses and uncover the “dark matter” of biology responsible for the spread of diseases.

The recent findings by The Mail jibes with the longstanding accusations leveled by the United States that the Chinese Army had used the Wuhan Institute of Virology for bequeathing the intractable coronavirus to the world.

The project headed by five leaders included Cao Wuchun, a senior army officer and government advisor on bioterrorism. Wuchun is among those listed on project reports as a researcher from the Academy of Military Medical Sciences of the People’s Liberation Army and works in close collaboration with other military scientists. He is also the director of the Military Biosafety Expert Committee.

In the last few years, under the leadership of Premier Xi Jinping, the Chinese military has scaled up its hiring of scientists, as a part of the country’s efforts to attain global supremacy.

Appearing semi-naked during class, sexual comments to girls: Students of Chennai’s PSBB school start online campaign against teacher

OpIndia Staff
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Appearing semi-naked during class, sexual comments to girls: Students of Chennai’s PSBB school start online campaign against teacher

On May 23, former and current students of Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan (PSBB), a group of Schools in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, called out a teacher for his alleged paedophilic behaviour and instances of sexual harassment of students. It appears to have started with a Twitter space where some participants alleged casteism being practised in the school premises. However, soon enough, students began sharing their horrifying experiences with one particular teacher identified as Rajagopalan. Soon enough, many students, both alumnus and current, came forward to tell their ordeal with the teacher.

Singer Chinmayi Sripaaada highlighted the online campaign, adding that the said teacher is currently appointed at the KK Nagar branch of the PSBB school in Chennai.

Model Kripali Samdaria has started a campaign on her Instagram stories and urged everyone to share their experiences so that the alleged paedophilic behaviour of the teacher could be exposed. She received several messages narrating horrifying experiences with Rajagopalan during school as well as after school. Notably, in one of the interviews in 2018, Kripali had mentioned that she was body-shamed in the school for being lean.

Rajagopalan took an online class in a towel

One of the students who shared their ordeal with Kripali made a shocking revelation that Rajagopalan had attended online class in his towel. She wrote, “He came to class straight out of his bathroom with only a towel tied to his waist.” The student also shared a screenshot with Kripali as proof.

Rajgopalan attended class in a towel. Source: Kripali Samdaria’s Instagram stories

Demanded photos, night video calls and asked girls for ‘date’

Several students alleged that Rajagopalan made inappropriate comments on their bodies, made sexual advancements, touched inappropriately and asked to go out for movies. One of the students mentioned in the DMs that Rajagopalan harassed several of her batchmates and juniors. The girl, who is currently a student in the school, said that he asked one of her friends for a movie. She also alleged that the teacher shared a pornographic link in the class group.

He would send porn links in class group. Source: Kripali Samdaria’s Instagram stories

She also said that he asked for photos and demanded late-night video calls from girl students.

Demands of video calls. Source: Kripali Samdariya’s Instagram stories

The student also shared screenshots of the messages he had sent on WhatsApp in which he was seen inappropriately appreciating the student’s dress.

Whatsapp messages sent to a minor student. Source: Kripali Samdariya’s Instagram stories

The student who was asked by Rajagopalan for the movie also came forward and shared screenshots of his messages. She said that he was ignoring her request to check her project. When she sent a message begging him to check the project, he agreed. However, the next morning he sent her a message asking her out.

Students were ignored during project submissions. Source: Kripali Samdaria’s Instagram stories

He had asked, “Ur free tonight can we go to a movie.” When the student cornered him and said it was inappropriate of him to ask a minor to go out with him for a movie, he claimed that the message was supposed to be for someone else, and he sent it by mistake.

He asked a girl student out for movie. Source: Kripali Samdaria’s Instagram stories

A former student said he had tried to hug her in front of the class. Another student shared a very inappropriate joke about a girl student’s breast that he had made in the class. Several students said that his behaviour is often normalized by fellow students and even the school’s administration.

One of the students was allegedly paired with him, giving him “more power” to harass her.

A girl student was paired with him. Source: Kripali Samdaria’s Instagram stories

“He would select some a few of us as his ‘targets’ and constantly slut-shame and make horrible sex jokes about us to the point of breaking down in the class. A few times when we were expected to stay back in small groups, he would give us disgusting looks, touch us ‘by accident’ and even so much say things like ‘you are making me horny (in Tamil),” told one student to Kripali in DMs. Sadly, Rajagopalan was head of the sexual harassment committee.

Another student shared her ordeal when she had gone with him to a school competition in Hong Kong five years ago. During the trip, he made sexual advancements towards the student and even tried to give her wine to drink. She was 16 years old at that time. When she refused repeatedly, he belittled her and shamed her for not winning an award. She said he also joined the students for shopping in Hong Kong and asked inappropriate questions about the clothes they bought.

Sexual advancement on minor in Hong Kong. Source: Kripali Samdaria’s Instagram stories

One student told about her friend who had curly hair. Boys were teasing her and accidentally pulled her hair with force. When Rajagopalan heard her scream, he allegedly said, “Why are you shouting like you are being raped.”

Rape comment on girl student. Source: Kripali Samdaria’s Instagram stories

Boys were not spared either

One of the male students came forward and shared his ordeal. He alleged that he had touched his private parts while frisking him, alleging he brought the phone to the school.

He harassed boys as well. Source: Kripali Samdaria’s Instagram stories

Other teachers were called out

Several students called out other teachers as well for their inappropriate behaviour in the class. One of the students talked about a former Sanskrit teacher who would abuse students, slap them for no apparent reason and even flirt openly with girl students. He would “accidentally” walk into the girls’ changing room and inappropriately touch both boys and girls. A female biology teacher was mentioned in the stories, who would flirt openly with the male students, used derogatory language for girls, and used cuss words in class. She also made sexual remarks and jokes with students.

Other teachers were called out. Source: Kripali Samdaria’s Instagram stories

No action from the administration

Several students mentioned that they had approached the appropriate authorities who did not respond to any complaint. Even parents’ complaints were ignored, and the students were warned to remain silent. Several complaints were ignored, and the students were allegedly made laughing stock for complaining against Rajagopalan or any other teacher in PSBB. The students were told to remain silent else their “future would be ruined if he willed to”.

OpIndia has contacted Kripali to learn more about the incidents. We will update the story once she replies. As this is an ongoing story, more updates will follow.

Azamgarh: SIT finds major irregularities in appointment of madarsa teachers, rules violated, family members given job

OpIndia Staff
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Azamgarh: SIT finds major irregularities in appointment of madarsa teachers, rules violated, family members given job

Allegations of major fraud in the appointment of teachers at several madarsas in Azamgarh have surfaced in Uttar Pradesh, reported Navbharat Times (NT). The State government has constituted an SIT (Special Investigation Team) to determine the role played by Minority welfare officers and other staff members in the fraudulent appointment of teachers at Azamgarh madarsas between 1974 to 2013, as per the report.

During the investigation carried out by the SIT at 20 such institutes in Azamgarh, it was revealed that teachers were appointed despite having certificates from institutes that are neither run nor recognised by the State and Union government. Reportedly, the administrators of the madarsas have appointed teachers who have graduated with third division or less than 55% marks which is the cut-off eligibility. An individual who passed with third division with grace marks was also appointed as a teacher.

One of the madarsa teachers claimed to have 3 years of teaching experience as of February 28, 2004, at Sirjaul Ul Uloom madarsa in Chitrakoot, even though the madarsa was not recognised by the government till then. The SIT found that one Armaan Ahmed was appointed as an assistant teacher on November 6, 1981, but he was not even 18 years old at that time, a mandatory requirement for appointment. Similarly, a principal assistant madarsa teacher named Mohammed Mehndi was appointed on January 9, 1996, although his experience certificate was issued two months later on May 21.

Cases of laxity and conflict of interest during teacher appointments in madarsas

During its probe, the SIT found that Zaheen Ahmed, the Chairman of the Board which runs the madarsa in Mubarakpur in Azamgarh, had appointed 3 of his daughters, namely, Alisha Siddiqui, Rubana Zaheen, and Ibtesan Zaheen as Assistant teachers. His daughter Nusrat Zaheen was also appointed as principal on November 24, 2014. In a clear case of conflict of interest, the Chairman himself had issued letters of appointment for his four daughters.

The SIT revealed that Registrar Rahul Gupta and Joint Director Sheshnath Pandey are yet to be named in the FIR. The duo has disposed of 14 cases of irregular appointments in gross violation of the rules. Gupta and Pandey are posted in the Directorate of Minority Welfare. The Special Investigation Team has however recommended Departmental action against the two individuals on charges of ‘laxity’. Seshanath Pandey has however cried foul and said that he will register his objection to the probe conducted by the SIT before an appropriate forum.

BKU rejects Capt Amarinder’s request, will carry out 3-day superspreader protest despite plea from CM

OpIndia Staff
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BKU rejects Capt Amarinder’s request, will carry out 3-day superspreader protest despite plea from CM

As Bharatiya Kisan Union gears up for more aggressive protests amidst the second wave of the coronavirus, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday urged the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) not to go ahead with the three-day planned protests in Patiala. Covid cases and deaths are seeing a massive surge in Punjab and there are several reports stating that farmer protests are acting as superspreader events. 

However, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) has outrightly rejected the plea saying not just the Centre but the state is equally responsible for the miseries of farmers and inability to contain the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Visibly upset with the unwarranted action of the protesting farmers, Amarinder suggested that after the state offered unwavering support to the farmers, the same should be reciprocated by the BKU “to support the state government in the fight against the pandemic.”

Captain Amarinder stressed on the fact that the farmers’ group should not to act irresponsibly and jeopardise the lives of their people with their reckless behaviour amid the pandemic. He also reminded that there is a complete ban in the state on all gatherings and any violation would be highly detrimental to the interests of Punjab.

On the other hand, the organization’s president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said, “We will hold the protest for sure by adopting the Covid precautions from May 28 to 30. We are more concerned about the health of our own people.”

Patiala’s village declared hotspot

Meanwhile, Patiala’s Dabhlan village with 37 new cases on Saturday has been declared as a Covid hotspot. The number of active cases in the village now stands at 75 with five deaths reported within 30 days. 

Dr Sumeet Singh, District Epidemiologist confirmed the same and informed that new positive cases were being detected through a follow-up sampling exercise after the village became a macro-containment zone.

“The village is big and has a large population, therefore, more staff will be deployed for isolation and contact tracing of fresh positive cases,” he added.

Singh also said that several villages in Peri-Urban areas and Passiana, Laut, Ajnauda Kalan, Chotti Rauni, Duladi, and Ghaggar Sarai villages have been severely hit. 

Farmers protest sites act as super-spreader

We had reported earlier on how the farmers who are returning from the Delhi border post registering their protest against the Farm laws may be acting as the new super-spreaders in Punjab. 

As per a ground report by Dainik Jagran most new cases of coronavirus are emerging from districts that sent the most number of protestors to the site. As many as 900 farmers had traveled from a single district of Punjab to participate in the protest. It is imperative to note that 58% of the deaths reported in Punjab are from Rural areas.

Punjab government fear rise in cases

Punjab Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa in an interview to News18 had accepted that the rise in Covid-19 cases in Punjab is in fact linked to the farmer’s protest.

When asked about the rise of new coronavirus cases in rural Punjab and the availability of testing, the Minister revealed that the farmers returning from Singhu and Tikri borders are not getting themselves tested. This is one of the reasons why there is a sudden surge of cases in rural Punjab, he stated.

Opposition parties continue to fan protests

As some states continue to record a surge in Covid-19 cases, as many as twelve opposition parties have decided to extend their support to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on May 26 to mark the completion of six months of protests against the farm laws. 

On Sunday, Punjab saw 5094 fresh cases of Covid, taking the state’s tally of active cases to 57,505. The state has seen over 13,000 deaths so far, with 172 deaths reported on Sunday. The total cases so far stated at 5,38,994.

All-rounder Expert Dhruv Rathee enters Guinness Book of World Records after solving Israel-Palestine crisis in under 14 minutes

K Bhattacharjee
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All-rounder Expert Dhruv Rathee enters Guinness Book of World Records after solving Israel-Palestine crisis in under 14 minutes

Dhruv Rathee has entered the Guinness Book of World Records after solving the Israel-Palestine crisis in 13 minutes 35 seconds. That is the length of the YouTube video through which he achieved the feat hitherto considered impossible by the greatest luminaries of the world.

The YouTube Jack of All Trades achieved the milestone by using the ‘Politics of Love’ strategy as first suggested by former Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The one-single state, as suggested by Dhruv Rathee, will be called ‘Isratine’.

Dhruv Rathee has a revelation

Experts have opined that the three ‘heart’ emojis were crucial towards ensuring peace in the region as it helped Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces finally see the light. It was also concluded that there was divine sanction in favour of Rathee’s plan as ‘heart’ emojis began to rain in the Holy City of Jerusalem right after the plan was made public.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu collapsed on to the ground after hearing the news. Doctors have suggested that he was required to be hospitalised due to experiencing a physical drop in his IQ after watching Rathee’s video. His health is now believed to be stable.

Hamas was greatly pleased with the outbreak of peace in the region and celebrated the development by firing a few more rockets into Israel from Gaza. Joe Biden congratulated Rathee during a press conference but cursed in private. Peace in the Middle East is not considered good news by warmongers in the United States.

Dhruv Rathee, who also doubles up as foreign policy expert, medical science expert, economy expert, legal expert, human rights expert, agriculture expert, environment expert, religion expert, technology expert, history expert, geography expert amongst way many things, is expected to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution but instead, he has been awarded the title of ‘Ayatollah Dhruv Rathee Yahoodi Maulana Cardinal Insan’. Numerous people are now coming forward to claim credit for his achievement.

Horlicks has released a new advertisement claiming that it was the health drink that made Rathee ‘taller, stronger and sharper’. Rathee also features in Aam Aadmi Party banners and posters, where he is referred to as a dedicated pupil of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the original expert in all things humanly possible.

It was also a proud moment for Arvind Kejriwal personally, as the pupil has finally surpassed his guru. Randeep Surjewala, however, is not a happy man. According to Surjewala, the ‘politics of love’ strategy was first suggested by Rahul Gandhi and ideally, credit should go to him.

Another individual who is not happy is Jose Mourinho. He is afraid he will no longer be considered the ‘Special One’ after this. Some have objected to the name ‘Isratine’ as well. They say it reminds them of Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s Erdogan does not believe Isratine will work. Critics say it is mainly because he did not come up with the idea himself. The New York Times, however, believes it is a conspiracy by Narendra Modi to deflect attention from the Covid-19 crisis in India. Speaking of COVID crisis in India, actor Sonu Sood, too, has taken it upon himself to dislodge Rathee from the coveted title, and become the next Ayotallah Sonu Sood Yahoodi Maulana Cardinal Insan alias Messiah.

‘Vaccines are evil force’: Churches, Christian groups in Northeast advice people against COVID vaccines

OpIndia Staff
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‘Vaccines are evil force’: Churches, Christian groups in Northeast advice people against COVID vaccines

Vaccine hesitancy in the Northeastern states in India seem to be fuelled by some Churches and Christian groups which are discouraging people from taking the Chinese coronavirus vaccines. As per reports, ‘prayer warriors’ are advocating use of herbs and faith to ‘cure’ COVID while discouraging them from taking vaccines. As per the report, in Christian dominated Nagaland, an unnamed office-bearer of Naga Baptist Church Council has distanced themselves from these ‘prayer warriors’ describing them as ‘independent preachers’.

In January this year, a prophecy issued by Eastern Zion Healing Ministry claimed that the COVID-19 mass vaccination is ‘not the will of the god’ and all believers were asked not to take them. “Through the vaccination, the mark of the ‘beast’ will come which will follow biochip/microchip containing the number of the beast,” the prophecy read. It also claimed that those ‘believers’ who take the COVID-19 vaccine ‘will not be able to enter the reign of Christ’s millennium kingdom’.

Similar prophecies were issued by the group even in 2018 which claimed that Aadhaar card and Rubella vaccines were against the will of god.

In Meghalaya, Christian groups are linking vaccines to ‘evil force’. Earlier, Aadhaar was also seen as being ‘marked by the devil’ by some Christian groups. Similarly, in Manipur, some believe that Bible and not vaccine will save them. The vaccine hesitancy is specially higher in the hill areas, dominated by Christians.

Earlier in May, 2021, soon after the 5-day Church revival camp was heldRr in April, the test positivity in Nagaland rose to 13%. In the event, which turned up to be a superspreader event, 45 out of 69 people tested positive for COVID, with a 65% positivity.

FIR filed against Kamal Nath for spreading misleading information over Covid-19

OpIndia Staff
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FIR filed against Kamal Nath for spreading misleading information over Covid-19

A case has been registered against senior Congress leader Kamal Nath over his controversial remarks regarding Covid-19. The former Madhya Pradesh CM has been booked under section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and section 54 (punishment for spreading false information) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, for spreading misleading information over COVID-19.

Kamal Nath had sparked controversy by repeatedly using the term “Indian Corona” to refer to the pandemic during a media interaction on Friday. He said that ‘while we were saying Chinese Corona, now we are facing Indian Corona. Today UK has banned flights from India due to Indian Corona’.

Following the video of Kamal Nath’s comments had gone viral, BJP had slammed him, reminding that WHO has said that it does not associate variants of Coronavirus with any country. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had issued a statement earlier this month that using the term “Indian variant” to refer to the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus is not correct, and had expressed concern over media reports using the term.

Earlier today, the Madhya Pradesh BJP had filed a complaint against Kamal Nath with the Bhopal Crime Branch, demanding registration of a case against him, for both his recent controversial comments, the comment over Coronavirus and asking his party workers to set the country on fire over farmer protests.

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan had also strongly reacted to Kamal Nath’s comments, wondering whether the comments amount to sedition. “Will this not hurt the country’s respect and does this not amount to sedition?” he had asked. The CM had said that he is deeply saddened that former Kamal Nath was destroying the morale of the country and the state.

While attacking Baba Ramdev, IMA admits India has done better than ‘highly advanced developed countries’ in dealing with Covid-19

OpIndia Staff
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While attacking Baba Ramdev, IMA admits India has done better than ‘highly advanced developed countries’ in dealing with Covid-19

Ever since yoga guru Baba Ramdev made controversial remarks against the modern allopathic medicine system, the Indian Medical Association has launched a full-fledged attack on him. On Saturday, the association had released a statement demanding action against Ramdev for his comments. The IMA had said that govt should either accept his views and abolish the modern medical system or prosecute him and book him under the Epidemic Diseases Act.

However, while launching the scathing attack against the founder of Patanjali, the IMA also ended up praising the Indian healthcare system for its handling of the Covid-19 crisis. Refuting the allegations of Ramdev that ‘Allopathy is stupid and bankrupt science which failed to combat the pandemic in the country’, IMA said that the country has actually done better than even developed countries with highly advanced medical facilities. The IMA said that “millions of people struggling hard to survive and breathe with COVID-19 pneumonia and associated complications were nurtured, cared and resuscitated to have a normal life by burning midnight oil and altruistic care by these dedicated doctors and their team.”

The statement issued by the association then said, “what the highly advanced developed countries could not achieve, in India, Indian hospitals and modern medical doctors could achieve to contain the COVID-19 mortality around one percent, amidst lack of adequate infrastructure, materials, and manpower by their sheer dedication and the commitment of consecrating their life and skills to alleviate the sufferings of humanity.”

While the IMA has been critical of the govt over various aspects related to Covid-19, the organisation also accepted that the official death figures released by the govt are correct. By saying that the allopathic doctors in the country have been able to “contain the COVID-19 mortality around one percent”, the IMA essentially refuted the claims by left-liberal media and opposition parties that Covid-19 deaths in the country are highly under-reported.

According to Govt of India data, 3 lakh people have died of Covid-19 in India, among the 2.34 crore people infected by the virus. This means the IMA is saying that the Covid-19 death numbers released by the govt are correct.

Milind Deora credits Congress party for hard work of industrialists and private individuals usually hated by Rahul Gandhi

OpIndia Staff
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Milind Deora credits Congress party for hard work of industrialists and private individuals usually hated by Rahul Gandhi

On Sunday, Congress leader and former Lok Sabha MP Milind Deora took to Twitter to put out a bizarre tweet that has now become an object of ridicule on social media platforms.

Milind Deora, the former Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai South, tweeted a list of institutions, comprising pharma companies, hospitals and defence research institutes, to make a stunning claim that the Congress party had a role in building the institutions that were mentioned in his list.

“What was Congress doing for 60 years?” Milind Deora asked a question, to which he himself responded by answering, “Laying the foundations for India’s fight against #COVID19, the first global pandemic in over 100 years.”

Attached to his tweet was a list of institutions, which according to him, were built on the mercy of the Congress party. As per Deora, the Congress party had laid the foundation for all these organisations. The Congress leader listed 5 Indian pharmaceutical companies in the private sector, 8 hospitals, and one laboratory, claiming that the Congress party was behind the establishment of them.

However, in the long list, the number of institutions set up by a Congress govt is minuscule, with a majority of them are the results of efforts of either private entrepreneurs or BJP governments. This means Milind Deora is crediting Congress party for organisations started by industrialists and BJP govt.

Here is the list of organisations that were mentioned in Milind Deora’s list: Let us examine whether these institutions have any links to the Congress party:

Serum Institute:

Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd, which is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer by the number of doses produced and sold globally, was founded in 1966 by Dr Cyrus Poonawalla to manufacture life-saving immuno-biologicals, which were in shortage in the country and imported at high prices.

Presently, Adar Poonawalla, the son of Cyrus Poonawalla, is the Chairman and Managing Director of the Pune-based the Serum Institute of India. As far as today, neither Adar nor Cryus Poonawalla has officially joined the Congress party. Hence, it is wrong to claim that the Congress party has any links to the above organisation.

Bharat Biotech:

Bharat Biotech, the Indian biotechnology company headquartered in Hyderabad, known for producing one of the world’s most effective and cheapest vaccines, was founded in 1996 by the husband-wife duo Dr Krishna M. Ella and Suchitra Ella. The couple returned from the US to set up a company dedicated to creating innovative vaccines and bio-therapeutics.

Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 ‘Covaxin’ is one of the two Covid-19 vaccines that are currently being administered in the country.

There are no factual records to suggest that the Congress party has any commercial or intellectual connections with the Bharat Biotech. Hench, Milind Deora’s claim that the Congress party had laid the foundation for this company is an outright lie.

Zydus Cadila:

Cadila, a leading Indian Pharmaceutical company, was founded by Mr Ramanbhai B. Patel, a first-generation entrepreneur, in 1952. In 1995, the group was restructured to name Zydila Cadila Healthcare after their merger with the Zydus group.

Pharma major Zydus Cadila is presently conducting clinical trials of its Covid-19 vaccine candidate ZyCoV-D, which is expected to hit markets soon.

As we looked into the company’s history, the pharma giant has no prior connection whatsoever with the Congress party.

Sun Pharma:

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, one of the country’s major pharmaceutical company headquartered in Mumbai, was founded by Dilip Shanghvi in 1983 in Vapi, Gujarat. In 2014, the company acquired Ranbaxy to become the largest Indian pharma company in the US and the 5th largest speciality generic company globally.

Yet again, neither Congress party nor the Nehru-Gandhi family has any links with the pharma major.

Dr Reddy’s Lab:

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, which manufactures and markets a wide range of pharmaceuticals in India and overseas, was founded by Kallam Anji Reddy in Hyderabad in 1984.

2-deoxy-D-glucose or 2-DG is an oral anti-Covid-19 drug developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a lab of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s Laboratory. The drug is expected to help hospitalised Covid-19 patients and reduce their supplemental oxygen dependence. 

The Congress party has role in the inception or the management of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories.

All the above institutions mentioned by the Congress leader are built by private capital and intellect. Congress party has no claim whatsoever on these private enterprises.

AIIMS hospitals:

Milind Deora claimed that 7 AIIMSs were set up by Congress, which included the original AIIMS Delhi and six others established much later. While the Congress leader thinks its an achievement, actually it shows how the Congress govts ignore the healthcare sector for half a century. Because, while the AIIMS Delhi was set up in 1956, all the others mentioned in the list were established in 2012 or later. This means, there was only one AIIMS for half a century, most of which was under the rule of the Congress party.

Moreover, other than AIIMS Delhi, Congress can’t claim credit for the other 6 AIIMSs, as they were announced by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP government. In 2003, the National Democratic Alliance government had announced the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana scheme with the primary objective of “correcting the imbalances of availability of affordable/reliable tertiary level healthcare in the country”.

On August 15, 2003, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in his Independence Day speech, said, “I know what people in under-developed states have to suffer due to the lack of good hospital services there. Therefore, under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, six new hospitals with modern facilities, like those available at AIIMS in Delhi, will be established in backward states in the next three years.”

The setting up of six new AIIMS was announced and sanctioned during the NDA government’s time. The budgetary allocations to construct the AIIMS at the six places – Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Jodhpur, Patna, Raipur and Rishikesh, were made under the PMSSY scheme during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government.

As these mega projects have long gestation periods, the construction of AIIMS at six different places was only completed in 2012, which coincidentally was under the UPA rule.

For some reason, Milind Deora didn’t mention AIIMS Raebareli, which was both planned and established during UPA 2 govt.

Ganga Ram hospital:

According to the Ganga Ram hospital website, the hospital was founded initially in 1921 at Lahore by Sir Ganga Ram (1851-1927), a civil engineer and leading philanthropist of his times. After the partition in 1947, the new premises of the hospital was established in New Delhi on a plot of land of approximately 11 acres.

Only, the foundation stone of the new premises was laid by the then Prime Minister of India Jawahar Lal Nehru in April 1951 and was also inaugurated by him on 13 April 1954. Nehru laying the foundation stone for a new premises does not give Congress party any right to claim on Ganga Ram hospital.

Hence, out of the entire list of organisations mentioned by Congress leader Milind Deora in his tweet, claiming to be the achievements of the Congress party, only two institutions have some association with the Congress party – AIIMS Delhi and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, widely known as AIIMS Delhi, is an Autonomous Medical University located in New Delhi. The foundation stone of AIIMS Delhi was laid in 1952 by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. As Jawaharlal Nehru is one of the most cherished Congress party leaders, though not for the rest of the country, the Congress party can have a moral claim for building AIIMS Delhi.

Likewise, the DRDO was established in 1958 by amalgamating the Defence Science Organisation and some of the technical development establishments during the Nehru-led government. A separate Department of Defence Research and Development was formed in 1980, during Indira Gandhi’s rule. So, Milind Deora is, in fact, right when he says the Congress party had laid the foundation for the DRDO and AIIMS Delhi.

One has remind them that both AIIMS Delhi and DRDO were built on taxpayers money and not on the funds provided by the Congress party.

But, it is extremely unethical and dishonest on the part of the Congress leaders like Milind Deora to appropriate institutions built by individuals with all their years of hard work and dedication. Similarly, it is shameful to claim that Congress laid the foundations for the six AIIMS hospitals that were announced and sanctioned under the NDA rule in 2003.

Milind Deora wants Congress party to appropriate achievements of Indian industry

It looks like the Congress ‘youth’ leader Milind Deora wants to unethically appropriate all the achievements of India Inc to the Congress party. The appropriation of success of Indian industry by the Congress party leader Milind Deora comes at a time when Deora’s boss Rahul Gandhi spews venom against the very same hardworking, job-creating Indian industrialists.

While Rahul Gandhi foul-mouths the Indian capitalists, who have built resilient industries across different sectors despite facing several hardships under the Congress rule, the likes of Milind Deora tries to steal away all the credit from these organisations, which have guided the country into self-sufficiency in several sectors.

Congress, Trinamool and 10 other opposition parties extend support to ‘farmer protests’ on May 26, compromise country’s fight against Covid-19

OpIndia Staff
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Congress, Trinamool and 10 other opposition parties extend support to ‘farmer protests’ on May 26, compromise country’s fight against Covid-19

Twelve opposition parties have decided to extend their support to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on May 26 to mark the completion of six months of protests against the farm laws. The anti-farm law protesters intend to mark May 26 as a ‘Black Day’.

In a joint statement, the leaders of the parties said, “We extend our support to the call given by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) to observe a countrywide protest day on May 26 marking the completion of six months of the heroic peaceful Kisan struggle.”

Source: ANI/Twitter

The letter was signed by Sonia Gandhi from the Congress party, HD Deve Gowda from the JDS in Karnataka, Sharad Pawar from the NCP in Maharashtra, Mamata Banerjee from the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, Uddhav Thackeray from the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, MK Stalin from the DMK in Tamil Nadu, Hemant Soren from the JMM in Jharkhand, Farooq Abdullah from the JKPA in Jammu & Kashmir, Akhilesh Yadav from the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, Tejashwi Yadav from the RJD in Bihar, D Raha from the CPI and Sitaram Yehcury from the CPI(M).

The support for the ‘farmer protests’ comes at a time when the country is still battling the Coronavirus pandemic. The protests have been linked to the severity of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. A Congress Minister from Punjab had admitted that the protests are to be blamed for the Covid-19 crisis in the state. Evidence also suggests the protests have contributed to the crisis in Delhi, Haryana and Punjab.

Meanwhile, more protesters are pouring in at the Delhi-Haryana border, in contravention of all lockdown norms and Covid-19 protocols. With opposition parties lending their support to the protests, they are contributing directly to the Covid-19 crisis in the country.

Opposition parties had also blamed the Kumbh Mela for the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it appears that they will not abandon playing petty politics over the Covid-19 crisis as they have continued to do so all this while.

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