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China threatens Bangladesh, says their bilateral ties will be severely damaged if it joined the Indo-Pacific Quad

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China threatens Bangladesh, says their bilateral ties will be severely damaged if it joined the Indo-Pacific Quad

China has threatened Bangladesh with repercussions if it considered any sort of participation in the Indo-Pacific Quad, warning that it will lead to a degrading of ties, a report published by the Times of India said.

Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka Li Jiming said that the bilateral ties between the two countries will be “substantially damaged” if the country engages with the four-nation grouping of biggest naval powers in the region, the United States, India, Australia and Japan.

Interacting with Bangladeshi journalists in Dhaka, Jiming bluntly said, “We do not want any form of participation of Bangladesh in this alliance.” He also added that China views the Quad as a “military alliance aimed against China’s resurgence and its relationship with neighbouring countries”. He further called the Quad—the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue—”a narrow purposed geopolitical clique”.

The Chinese Ambassador said that Bangladesh would not draw any benefit from joining the Quad, and advised it to refrain from any sort of participation in the group. “History has proved again and again such partnership surely damages our neighbours’ own social, economic development and people’s wellbeing,” Li said.

The envoy said that this message had been conveyed to the Sheikh Hasina government by the Chinese defence minister Wei Fenghe when he visited last week. The official communique during Wei’s visit had mentioned China’s discomfort against military alliances, stating that it would lead to “hegemonism”, which analysts claimed as a reference to India.

The Indo-Pacific QUAD

The Quad is an informal strategic alliance comprising India, the United States, Australia and Japan. Officially, the group was conceived as a forum to cooperate for safeguarding joint security and other interests in the Indo-Pacific region. However, lately, the arrangement is seen as a counter to China’s expansionist manoeuvres, most importantly in the South China Sea and in the Greater Himalayan region. Therefore, China considers the Quad as an attempt by the concerned nations to clip its rising dominance and looks at the group as a possible “Asian NATO’ of the future.

India and China have been at loggerheads over the latter’s expansionist moves in the region along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh. Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a months-long standoff along the border, which also resulted in clashes at the Galwan Valley where 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives. The discussions for de-escalation of troops since then are going at a painfully slow pace.

On the other hand, several littoral nations have complained of China’s rising hegemony in the South China Sea. Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan and several other nations have reported incidents of intrusions by the Chinese vessels.

Palestinian officials claim 9 children killed by Israeli strikes day after rockets were fired at Jerusalem

OpIndia Staff
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Palestinian officials claim 9 children killed by Israeli strikes day after rockets were fired at Jerusalem

At least nine Palestinian children are believed to have been killed during air strikes by Israel in response to rockets launched at them from the Gaza Strip, according to health officials in Gaza. In total, at least 20 Palestinians are reported to have been killed and hundreds of others injured.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Hamas had crossed a “red line” by firing rockets at Jerusalem for the first time since 2014. Subsequently, Israel carried out strikes against armed groups, rocket launchers and military posts in Gaza.

More than 700 Palestinians were injured in Jerusalem and across the West Bank during clashes with the Israeli security forces in a span of 24 hours, according to reports. Seven members of one single family, including three children, died in an explosion in Beit Hanoun, a northern Gaza town.

However, reports indicate that it is not yet clear whether the explosion was caused by an Israeli air strike or an errant rocket. Meanwhile, Ned Price, spokesperson for the US Department of State has come under the scanner for refusing to condemn the alleged killing of Palestinian children by Israeli forces.

During a press conference, Ned Price faced several queries on whether the principles of self-defense applies to Palestinians or not. The spokesperson was specifically asked, “Do you condemn the killing of Palestinian children?” He responded that the events have not been confirmed by an “independent team” and therefore, he was unwilling to discuss “reports that are just emerging”.

Violent clashes had erupted at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem recently which had left at least 200 injured. Subsequently, rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip in response which were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome system.

Meanwhile, balloon-borne incendiary devices were used by militants in Gaza to set multiple sites on fire within Israeli territory.

Sheikh Jarrah clashes

At the beginning of this year, a district court ruled four Palestinian homes in Sheikh Jarrah legally belong to Jewish families and should be handed over.

The Jewish plaintiffs claimed that their families lost the land during the war that accompanied Israel’s creation in 1948 while the Sheikh Jarrah families have provided evidence that their homes were acquired from Jordanian authorities.

Hundreds of Palestinians carried out rallies on Friday in Jordan chanting, “We will die for Sheikh Jarrah.”

Bill Gates hired strippers, held naked parties during younger days, media only published what was fed by Microsoft: Biographer

OpIndia Staff
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Bill Gates hired strippers, held naked parties during younger days, media only published what was fed by Microsoft: Biographer

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has been making headlines ever since he announced that he is getting a divorce from his wife Melinda Gates after 27 years of marriage. Now, in another shocking revelation, journalist James Wallace who authored two books about Gates during the 1990s, has accused Gates of being a ‘womanizer’ since his early years.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Wallace said that the billionaire was far more than just “a little computer nerd”. He claimed that Bill Gates held “wild” naked parties with strippers in his bachelor days.

“Gates was no choir boy in his early days as a tech founder”, Wallace said in an interview with the British newspaper, furthering that Gates’ ‘womanizing’ wasn’t even curtailed when he began dating his now-estranged wife Melinda Gates, which ultimately led to their divorce.

Bill Gates held ‘wild parties’ in his home, James Wallace discloses

“A lot of those Microsoft kids back then, they were young guys in pizza-stained t-shirts for two or three days working on software code,” Wallace said, adding: “Then they would have some pretty wild parties, where they would go out and get strippers in Seattle and bring them over to Bill’s home.”

The alleged ‘wild parties’ use to take place at Bill Gates’ Laurelhurst, Washington home and were first detailed in James Wallace’s book, Overdrive: Bill Gates and the Race to Control Cyberspace.

Bill Gates was a womanizer and the media and Melinda knew about it, claims the journalist

According to the journalist, the mainstream media wanted to focus on the tech mogul’s technology and business stories and therefore “didn’t report on the wild bachelor parties that Microsoft’s boyish chairman would throw in his Seattle home, for which Gates would visit one of Seattle’s all-nude nightclubs and hire dancers to come to his home and swim naked with his friends in his indoor pool.”

It was a continuation from his time at Harvard, where he “did like to frequent Boston’s notorious Combat Zone, with its porn shows, strip joints, and prostitutes,” Wallace wrote.

“Though Gates began dating Melinda in 1988, he continued to play the field for a while, especially when he was out of town on business, he would frequently hit on female journalists who covered Microsoft and the company industry,” the author wrote.

“His womanizing was well known, although not well reported” and his wife “was well aware of Gates’s womanizing,” and “consequently their relationship ran hot and cold,” Wallace said.

Media only reported what they were spoon fed by Microsoft: James Wallace

He furthered that though Gates fixation was well known, it was not reported since the billionaire spoon fed stories to media houses like the New York Times, which did not want to miff the tech giant as it would stop the “flow of information”.

“At one point, they (Bill Gates and Melinda Gates) broke up for nearly a year, reportedly because Gates refused to make any kind of commitment. When they got back together again in 1992, however, the relationship grew closer and stronger,” Wallace continued.

Unsubstantiated claims of Gates’ affair doing the rounds

Recently, after Bill Gates announced his divorce, reports started pouring in that the billionaire might have reverted to his old habits. Some reports claimed that Gates relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Silicon Valley venture capitalist Ann Winblad was one of the reasons behind his split with Melinda Gates.

It is to be noted that Gates and Winblad broke up in 1987 but despite that, the duo went on vacation together alone for a weekend every year throughout his marriage to Melinda.

Another unsubstantiated claim began doing the rounds that Gates was having an affair with a 36-year-old Chinese interpreter who works for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Zhe ‘Shelly’ Wang, however, refuted the claims that she was responsible for the divorce of the couple.

“I thought that the rumors would go away by themselves, but I did not expect the rumors to become more and more crazily spread,” Wang wrote on Weibo.

China: Strong wind blows away floor panels in 100m high glass bridge, tourist left clinging to railings

OpIndia Staff
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China: Strong wind blows away floor panels in 100m high glass bridge, tourist left clinging to railings

On Friday (May 8), a man was found stranded on a ‘glass bridge’ after several floor panels were blown away by strong winds. The incident took place in Piyan Mountain near the city of Longjing in China.

As per reports, the man had gone to visit the iconic 100-metre high glass bridge in Piyan Mountain, when the incident took place. At that time, gusty winds with a speed of up to 150km/ hour began hitting the bridge. Soon, several transparent glass floor panels were shattered, leaving the man dangling in the middle. Stuck at an altitude of 330 ft above the ground, he held steadfast to one railing of the bridge.

The image of the terrifying scene has been doing the rounds on social media. Reportedly, the man managed to return to safety with the help of a staff member. Later, firefighters rushed to the spot and took him to a hospital. Following observation and counselling, the doctors informed later that he is in a stable emotional and physical condition. After the incident, the administration shut down the area for public use. A probe has been launched into the matter.

For several years, China has been building glass slides, walkways, and glass bridges to attract domestic tourism. It is estimated that the Communist-run country has about 2300 such glass bridges. Now, questions are being raised about the safety of such tourist attractions, given that such places have remained vulnerable to accidents. A commentator asked, “So many glass-deck bridges have been built in recent years and are very popular with tourists. But how can we ensure their safety?”

One of the most famous glass bridges is constructed in the Zhangjiajie national park in the Hunan province of China. The bridge, which stretches 430 metres across a canyon, also witnessed one such tragic incident in 2016. A man was injured by falling rocks while walking on a glass bridge. According to Chinese stated-owned media, the government is mulling plans to limit the construction of such bridges and issue technical standards against building them in earthquake prone zones.

Here are the 5 things Suvendu Adhikari wrote in his first article after becoming the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal

OpIndia Staff
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Here are the 5 things Suvendu Adhikari wrote in his first article after becoming the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal

A day after BJP strongman Suvendu Adhikari was elected as the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal, he penned a scathing article in the Indian Express, exposing the Trinamool Congress Party’s disregard for the democratic traditions and its penchant for using violence as a tool to intimidate its opponents.

In an article titled ‘How TMC is betraying Bengal’, Adhikari says TMC has let down the mandate given to it by the people by unleashing terror instead of governing the state. He also called out people who keep clamouring about fascism but are conspicuously silent now even as violence sweeps West Bengal.

Here are the 4 things that Suvendu Adhikari wrote in his article after becoming the Leader of Opposition in Bengal:-

West Bengal, a textbook case of fascism

Under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal has become a textbook case of fascism, Adhikari wrote in his article. Recalling legendary poet Rabindranath Tagore, who once said “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high”, Adhikari said that Bengal has now devolved into a place where the minds of people are not free and their heads hang in shame at the current situation.

The leader of opposition added that violence in West Bengal is no longer an isolated occurrence. Across the state, the violence continues unabated, as Mamata Banerjee tightens her grip over the state, especially after the recent election victory.

The Nandigram MLA also added that the TMC cadres, empowered and emboldened by the top party leadership, are resolutely destroying the culture of democracy in West Bengal.

Governance took a back seat as party concentrated on consolidating power in West Bengal

Adhikari says the state had given a clear mandate to the TMC to govern but they are busy unleashing terror across the state, intimidating their political opponents and settling scores with them. The governance in the state has taken a back seat as the party focused its energies on winning the elections.

Adhikari says tackling the COVID situation was not the priority of the TMC government as the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee busied herself in her rallies, not finding it prudent to attend the recent Covid meetings called by the Prime Minister.

TMC leadership instructed cadres to intimidate the political opposition in the state

Following the election results on May 2, the TMC cadres in West Bengal got clear instructions from the top leadership to threaten the political opposition in the state, Adhikari says. The BJP workers have been at the receiving end of the violence unleashed by the TMC goons. More than 12 BJP workers have been killed, while thousands of others were forced to flee their homes to neighbouring Assam.

Not just the BJP workers, but even the Left and Congress, which Adhikari says did everything possible to embolden TMC to defeat BJP, were not spared as their cadres were attacked and offices vandalised. Nobody was spared, be it women, children, farmers, poor or the young, everyone came under the attack simply because they dared to extend their support to a political party other than the TMC.

Talking about the violence in Nandigram, the constituency from where Adhikari defeated the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the Leader of Opposition said that the constituency gave so much affection to the TMC in the last several years but today their cadres are exacting revenge on the people simply because they saw through the failures of the party and rejected them.

People having ideological differences with BJP remained mute spectators as TMC wreaked havoc in West Bengal, says Suvendu Adhikari

Adhikari also called the double standards of people who otherwise are very vocal to allege that “idea of India” is in danger and clamour about rising fascism, and are now deafeningly silent as TMC sponsored violence gallops West Bengal.

He said people with ideological differences with the BJP are elated with the Bengal elections results but their silence over TMC sponsored violence is deafening. He says there has been no criticism of aggression displayed by the TMC cadres, no condemnation of lives lost and no words on the women attacked.

“They leave no opportunity to talk about their “idea of India” but conveniently shut their eyes and ears while this very idea of a liberal democratic India is being sullied in West Bengal,” Adhikari says.

Violent triumphalism only witnessed in West Bengal, not in Assam, Puducherry

In a bid to attack the TMC government in West Bengal, Adhikari says the violent triumphalism witnessed in the state was not seen in Assam and Puducherry where BJP is forming the governments. He also attacked the TMC, stating that when the TMC is defeated, they blame the EVMs but the BJP did not blame the EVMs when it lost the elections in West Bengal.

Calling out the hypocrisy of the TMC, Adhikari says the TMC launched an offensive against the Election Commission and central forces. But, he added, the TMC always wanted proper security for the voters before they cast their vote. He also slammed the TMC for casting aspersions on the Election Commission for organising phased elections while they themselves had wanted phased elections so that democratic aspirations can be manifested.

If the TMC continues like this, the fate of the Left front awaits it very soon

Suvendu Adhikari also foreboded that if the TMC continues subverting democracy and using violence to silence its critiques, it will soon face a fate similar to the Left front in the state. The Left has been totally decimated in West Bengal, with people placing little faith in it to lead the state.

Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde flouts COVID-19 protocol, gathers a huge crowd for inauguration of isolation centre in Beed

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde flouts COVID-19 protocol, gathers a huge crowd for inauguration of isolation centre in Beed

Maharashtra Cabinet Minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde inaugurated a Covid-19 isolation facility for women in Beed in the presence of several party supporters tossing Covid appropriate behaviour. 

The shocking visuals reveal how the party workers and supporters gave social distancing a complete miss by flocking the Covid isolation centre at the time of inauguration. 

It is imperative to note that the district of Beed has been facing the brunt of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic since the beginning of April.

OpIndia had earlier reported how the crematoriums of the district had no place to burn the bodies of the Covid-19 victims due to which eight bodies were burnt on a single pyre.

Discrepancy in the number of Covid-19 deaths and funerals has come to the fore in Maharashtra’s Beed district. While the Beed health department stated that 273 people succumbed to the virus in April, those managing crematoriums and cemeteries claim the number to be 378.

The authorities have now set up a committee to probe the matter.

While the state of Maharashtra has managed to significantly bring down the numbers of new corona cases in Mumbai, some rural districts of Maharashtra continue to pose a worrisome situation.

As per the Press Information Bureau, the state reported 37,236 new Covid-19 cases and recorded almost double recoveries (61,607) in the past 24 hours. 

Creating vaccine hesitancy, fear, unused ventilators in Congress-ruled states and more: Read JP Nadda’s scathing letter to Sonia Gandhi

OpIndia Staff
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Creating vaccine hesitancy, fear, unused ventilators in Congress-ruled states and more: Read JP Nadda’s scathing letter to Sonia Gandhi

BJP President JP Nadda in a scathing letter to Congress party president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday lambasted the opposition including some Congress Chief Ministers for deliberately creating commotion when the nation is dealing with a pandemic, for petty political gains.

The party president directly attacked the opposition for creating vaccine hesitancy and mismanaging funds and Covid-19 relief material allocated using the PM Cares Fund. He said in his letter that “the top echelons of the Congress would stop misleading people, creating false panic and even contradicting their stands just based on political considerations.” 

Expressing his displeasure over the conduct of some Congress leaders and Chief Ministers, JP Nadda in his letter called out the party leaders who “left no opportunity to mock” the efforts being taken by the scientists, doctors and innovators to develop a Covid-19 vaccine. 

As the opposition relentlessly championed making vaccines free for all, Nadda questioned the party’s intent saying when the BJP-NDA led states could announce free vaccines for the poor, what stopped the Congress. The letter also highlighted the hypocrisy of former Congress President Rahul Gandhi for demanding a lockdown after successfully completing his rallies in the poll-bound states down South.

Here’s what the letter said

The full text of Nadda’s letter is reproduced here:

“Powered by our Corona warriors, India is currently waging a spirited fight against the COVID-19 global pandemic. Our nation is conducting the largest vaccination drive in the world. India’s vaccination strategy has been guided by global best practices. We began early in January and ensured that our COVID warriors get their shots first. This has helped us greatly in fighting the second wave. I am sure you would also know that many Western nations have not even begun vaccinating their younger population, unlike what is happening in India.

Ever since the pandemic struck in 2020, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been working closely with all arms of the Government to add more momentum to the fight against the pandemic. Priority areas are augmenting medical capacities and ensuring adequate facilities to those suffering. Efforts are under way to ensure all parts are equipped with adequate medicine and other materials required to combat COVID. In 2020, for 8 long months, the Government of India provided free ration to the 80 crore Indians. The same is being done even now.

The Prime Minister is working closely with all Chief Ministers in this effort to defeat Coronavirus. He has chaired several meetings with Chief Ministers, which have been held in a cordial and congenial atmosphere. Former Prime Minister and farmer leader Shri HD Deve Gowda himself referred to the Prime Minister’s emphasis on consulting a wide range of stakeholders.
It is in this context that I am saddened but not surprised by the conduct of the Congress Party during these challenging times. While there are certainly a few members of your party who (like several other selfless citizens) are doing commendable work in helping people, their hardwork gets eclipsed by the consistent negativity spread by the more senior members of the party.

I am writing this letter with a deep sense of pain. I would never have written such a letter. But, looking at the confusion being created by members of the Congress Party, including Chief Ministers belonging to the party, I am compelled to pen my thoughts. One would wish that while India is fighting COVID-19 with utmost courage, the top echelons of the Congress would stop misleading people, creating false panic and even contradicting their stands just based on political considerations.

Let me begin with the vaccine. Throughout last year, when our scientists, doctors and innovators were racing against time to find a vaccine, your party leaders left no opportunity to mock these efforts. A vaccine that is made in India should be a matter of national pride. Instead, Congress leaders tried to ridicule it and create doubts in the minds of people. Even a Chief Minister belonging to your party indulged in such antics. In a nation that has almost no recent history of vaccine hesitancy, your party has the dubious record of trying to actively create it, that too, in the middle of a once-in-a-century pandemic.

I would also like to address the debates around access to vaccines. States which have BJP or NDA government have announced their resolve to help the poor and underprivileged by providing vaccines for free. I am sure that Congress Governments in various states also feel strongly for the poor. Can they also come out with a similar decision to provide vaccines for free?
The COVID-19 vaccine made in India does not belong to any political party or leader- it belongs to the nation. Yet, the Congress Party could did not do the right thing instead only did the wrong politics.

May I also address the topic of providing supportive medical infrastructure to fight COVID-19. When the pandemic struck, the Government of India discussed the need for ventilators with all states. So far around 45,000 ventilators were produced & procured in mission mode and sent to all states. But it is saddening to see visuals of ventilators sent through PM-CARES Fund lying around unused in certain states. I hope you address these issues on a priority.

In this fight against the pandemic, the conduct of the topmost Congress leaders including former Congress President Shri Rahul Gandhi will be remembered for duplicity and pettiness. Your party, under your leadership, is doing no favors to itself by opposing lockdowns and then demanding for the same, ignoring the Centre’s advisories on the second wave of COVID and then saying they did not get any information, holding massive election rallies in Kerala causing a spike in COVID cases while grandstanding about election rallies elsewhere, support-ing protests but speaking about following COVID guidelines. Even when the second wave was on the rise, your party leaders were happier being seen in super spreader political events in North India, where there was no regard for masks or social distancing. This is not the era when such information can be erased from public memory.”

We had reported on how the ventilators sent to the states of Rajasthan, Punjab and Jharkhand were lying unused and gathering dust at the beginning of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. 

It is imperative to note that Union Minister Prakash Javadekar in his exclusive write-up to the media had also explicitly mentioned that the state of Kerala was warned by the Centre of the second wave of the pandemic in the month of January itself.

Sonia Gandhi attacks PM

The letter by the BJP party president comes days after Sonia Gandhi from a parliamentary party meeting had launched an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that the Centre has failed to manage the health crisis. 

“India is in the grip of a deadly health disaster. Thousands have died and millions are scrambling to access basic healthcare, life-saving medicines, oxygen, and vaccines. It is heartbreaking to see people battling for their lives in hospitals, on roads, waiting in vehicles, far too many for want of any medical help at all.

And what is the Modi government doing? Instead of alleviating their suffering and pain, it has abdicated its fundamental responsibilities and duties towards the people,” Sonia had said in her speech. 

Congress govt had nominated Navneet Kalra, now accused of black marketing oxygen concentrators, as a permanent member of Golf Club

OpIndia Staff
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Congress govt had nominated Navneet Kalra, now accused of black marketing oxygen concentrators, as a permanent member of Golf Club

Naveen Kalra, who is now accused of black-marketing oxygen concentrators, was patronised by the then Congress government. In 2006, a question was asked in the Rajya Sabha that inquired from the then Urban Development Minister, Ajay Maken, by Tarlochan Singh whether it was a fact that Union Urban Development Minister nominates persons to become permanent members of Delhi Golf Club. Further, the question asked which individuals were nominated to the Golf Club between 2004-05 and 2005-06 and what was criteria were followed in their nomination.

To this question, Ajay Maken from the Congress responded with the names of those who had been nominated to the Golf Club by the Congress government.

Rajya Sabha response by Ajay Maken

In his response, Ajay Maken responded that the government had nominated Robert Vadra, the national son-in-law, JM Hans, the head of the ENT Department at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Navneet Kalra of Khan Market.

It further explained the Minister had recommended that the Club accepts two ‘out of turn’ members every year and one of the members that the government had nominated was Navneet Kalra, who is now accused of black-marketing oxygen concentrators amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who is Navneet Kalra, the man accused of black-marketing oxygen concentrators in Delhi

The Delhi police had issued a lookout notice for absconding Delhi restaurateur Navneet Kalra. Kalra, who is accused in the Khan market oxygen concentrators black-marketing racket, has been on the run ever since Delhi police raided his chain of upscale restaurants in posh localities of Delhi and farmhouse and recovered over 500 oxygen concentrators.

Earlier, Delhi Police had seized over 450 oxygen concentrators in multiple raids across the city. Among this, as many as 419 machines were recovered from businesses owned by well-known businessman Navneet Kalra. During the raids on Thursday, 32 oxygen concentrators with 9 and 5 litres capacity were found at the Nege & Ju bar, owned by Kalra. After police arrested three persons from the bar, they led the police to Khullar Farm in Mandi Village, where 387 more units were seized.

On Friday, Delhi Police raided other businesses owned by Kalra and recovered more oxygen concentrator. They seized 9 concentrators from the Town Hall restaurant and bar at Lodhi Colony, and 96 units were found at the popular Khan Chacha eatery in Khan Market. Thus, a total of 524 units have been seized from restaurants owned by Kalra so far.

The first raid was conducted after the police received a tipoff from a WhatsApp message where Navneet Kalra had sent his account details to his acquaintances in lieu of a concentrator. According to police, during their raid at Nege & Ju bar yesterday, they found one person working on a laptop and handling orders of oxygen concentrator by ‘Xpect Everything online portal’. Police have said that oxygen concentrators were taken via the online portal as well as through WhatsApp groups.

Navneet Kalra imported the oxygen concentrators from China at around Rs 20,000-25,000, and sold them in Delhi for at least Rs 70,000, making a huge profit when the demands for the machines are very high in the city due to the shortage of oxygen for Covid-19 patients. Reportedly, they have sold around 50 units so far.

Navneet Kalra owns several eateries in Delhi and owns the retail chain Dayal Opticals, which was founded by his father Dayal Dass Kalra. His restaurants among the most well known in Delhi, and are frequented by VIPs like celebrities and politicians.

Calcutta HC “appreciates” Mamata Banerjee-led govt for ‘stemming’ the post-poll violence

OpIndia Staff
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Calcutta HC “appreciates” Mamata Banerjee-led govt for ‘stemming’ the post-poll violence

Even as the supporters and members of the victorious Trinamool Congress Party are accused of unleashing post-poll violence in West Bengal following the results of assembly elections, the Calcutta High Court on Monday lauded the state government’s efforts to stop the violence. After being informed by the state govt that there had no incidents of violence reported since Sunday, the five-judge bench on Monday appreciated the TMC-led state government and told it to “keep up” its work.

The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal observed that fault-finding can be relegated to the future, adding that both the state and the central government should come together to maintain peace now that a new state government was in place.

The five-judge bench, comprising ACJ Bindal and Justices IP Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Subrata Talukdar, also sought the Centre’s response to the state government affidavit and will hear the case again on May 18. The report submitted by the state home secretary to the HC on post-poll violence said there were 15 “violent incidents”, leading to 16 deaths, till May 3, an official said.

The West Bengal government told the Calcutta High Court that there was no post-poll violence in West Bengal after the recently conducted state elections which saw the Mamata Banerjee regime retaining power. The next hearing for all PILs regarding the WB post-poll violence in the Calcutta HC is scheduled for next Tuesday on May 18.

On May 5, the day the new government was sworn in, six political clashes took place but no death. There was no death on May 6 and May 7 and, on May 8, there was one death in Birbhum’s Khairasol. As per the state government, there was not a single incident of violence since Sunday(May 9).

So far, 400 people have been arrested, including 72 for crimes like murder and arson, and 34 FIRs had been drawn up against fake news (five of them in Kolkata). Kishore Dutta, state advocate general, assured the court that all possible measures would be taken to stem the violence. However, additional solicitor general YJ Dastoor tried to extenuate TMC’s role in the violence by submitting in the court that it was not just one party highlighting “post-poll violence”, and that all parties that fought the poll had made similar allegations.

Post-poll violence in West Bengal

Post-poll violence has become a leitmotif of news emerging out of Bengal following the declaration of results. Umpteen number of violence against political opponents have been reported from the state. In an overwhelming number of such incidents, the victims have been BJP supporters and workers while the accused were said to be the supporters of the TMC party. More than 7 BJP workers have lost their lives in the post-poll violence that ensued following the victory of the TMC party in the assembly elections.

The violence unleashed against them forced hundreds of BJP party workers and supporters to flee their villages along with their families. They crossed over to Assam where they have been provided temporary shelter under supervision by minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. It is not just the BJP but even CPI(M) which has accused the TMC of killing its workers. Reports of attacks on BSF jawans have also emerged in the media.

Actress Shweta Tiwari releases CCTV footage, accuses ex-husband Abhinav Kohli of physical abuse

OpIndia Staff
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Actress Shweta Tiwari releases CCTV footage, accuses ex-husband Abhinav Kohli of physical abuse

Disclaimer: The article contains violent images and viewer discretion is advised

Television actress Shweta Tiwari has taken to her official Instagram handle on May 10 (Monday), to share two videos accusing her ex-husband Abhinav Kohli of physical and mental abuse. Tiwari, who shot to fame through the Hindi daily show Kasautii Zindagi Kay, alleged that her 4-year-old son Reyaansh is so petrified of his father’s foul temper that he “is scared of his papa coming home or meeting him”.

The first video shared by Shweta is the CCTV footage of her society garden in which the actress can be seen holding their son Reyaansh in her arms while walking. Though the video is a little unclear, Abhinav appears to be following her. What appears from the footage is that he is pestering Shweta to give their son to him. As Shweta resists, Abhinav pushes her down and gets into a physical tussle with her and the child until he overpowers her and snatches Reyaansh from her.

Actress Shweta Tiwari’s Instagram post

In the next video posted by the actress, her little son Reyaansh can be seen hiding himself under the bedsheet while Shweta Tiwari and his sister Palak tries to comfort him. 

Shweta captioned her post: “Now let the truth Come out!!! (But this is not going to stay forever on my account, I will eventually delete it, I am posting this right now to reveal the truth,then it goes off) This is why my Child is scared of him! After this incident my child was scared for more than a month, he was so scared that he would not even sleep properly at Night! His hand hurt for more than 2 weeks. Even now he is scared of his papa coming home or meeting him (sic).”

Abhinav Kohli accuses Shweta Tiwari of abandoning their 4-year-old son

Shweta Tiwari reportedly shared the videos after her estranged husband accused her of abandoning their son alone in a hotel to go to Cape Town for the 11th season of the adventure reality TV show, Khatron Ke Khiladi. 

In an Instagram video, Abhinav Kohli said that he went from hotel to hotel looking for Reyansh. He accused Shweta of not informing him about Reyansh’s whereabouts before leaving for Cape Town. Kohli also claimed that the police did not help him out. He urged his fans to give him the information on Reyaansh in case they find any. He shared his video with a caption reading: “Please HELP Me.

Instagram post of Abhinav Kohli where he accuses Shweta of abandoning their son

In the following interview, Shweta responded to the allegations saying that Reyaansh is safe with her mother and daughter Palak.

Shweta Tiwari and Abhinav Kohli got married in the year 2013. They welcomed their son Reyaansh in 2016. The couple separated in the year 2019 after Shweta accused Abhinav of domestic violence.

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