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NDTV’s Sreenivasan Jain and the art of downplaying ‘chhota mota’ violence

OpIndia Staff
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NDTV’s Sreenivasan Jain and the art of downplaying ‘chhota mota’ violence

New Delhi was yesterday convulsed with a horrifying spate of violence and vandalism when the protesters participating in the farmers’ tractor rally ran riot on the streets of the national capital. Scores of demonstrators veered away from the agreed-upon route and created mayhem across the city. A large section of the unruly mob broke barricades and stormed the grounds of the venerable Red Fort, casting a shadow on the country’s 71st Republic Day celebrations. The protesters also scaled the Fort and hoisted a religious flag alongside the Indian flag at the historic monument.

While the lumpen demonstrators went about rampaging the streets of Delhi and the iconic monuments, their abettors in form of the left-liberal ‘intellectuals’ and journalists appeared to make light of the unprecedented pandemonium that gripped the national capital. One such was NDTV journalist Sreenivasan Jain.

Jain, a quintessential NDTV journalist, seemed to give a pass to the protesters for the violence and incidents of vandalism that were witnessed yesterday. In fact, NDTV had yesterday ran a news piece in which it attempted to paint the riotous mob as ‘humanitarian‘ by claiming that they had made way for an ambulance which had stuck in traffic caused by their tractor rally.

In his report, Jain continued to harp upon the peaceful nature of the protests up until then while defending the protesters by citing that there were conflicting accounts of the events that transpired on the Republic Day in the national capital.

In a report broadcasted from the Red Fort, Jain said that some security forces were attacked by the protesters but he also added that other groups of protesters had protected the security forces, and escorted them to a safe place.

Jain also provided his platform to the vandals at the Red Fort, allowing them to defend their act of vandalism and desecration of the hallowed Red Fort. The report mentioned that the protesters did not mean disrespect to the tricolour even as some of them scaled up the ramparts of the Fort and hoisted religious flags beside the Indian flag.

When Jain asked one of the protesters why did he come to Red Fort since it was not on the route decided by the farmers’ union and the Delhi Police, the person responded that they had decided to unfurl the ‘Kisan’ flag at the Red Fort and which is why they stormed into Delhi.

Sreenivasan Jain downplayed terror attack against Guj CM Narendra Modi as “chhota mota blast”

Though Jain allowed protesters to use his platform to rationalise their anarchic behaviour, this is not the first time that Sreenivasan has downplayed a serious issue. In fact, it is par for the course for the NDTV journalists to take contentious stands if it’s against the current dispensation.

Earlier too, Jain trivialised a terror attack planned against then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi as “chhota mota blast”. During one of his shows on NDTV, Sreenivasan Jain tried to played down a terrorist attack to peddle his anti-Modi narrative. He had claimed that terrorists such as Ishrat Jahan, gunned down by the Gujarat Police during an encounter, did not come to kill the then Gujarat Chief Minister but to do a ‘chota-mota‘ (small-time) bomb blast.

Under the garb of informing the viewers about the CBI investigation into the encounter, the NDTV journalist had insinuated that since Ishrat Jahan had come to only execute a small-time terror attack, therefore, she ought to have been treated well by the Gujarat police. Conveying that the terrorist deserved a ‘fair trial’, he tried to paint terrorism as a ‘no-big-deal’ issue. It is, therefore, surprising that a journalist who was once at the forefront of providing intellectual cover fire to a slain terrorist is today incensed about the government’s alleged defence of a news channel, with views and opinions contrary to his.

Visuals show Red Fort Ticket Counter completely destroyed by ‘farmer’ protestors on Republic Day

OpIndia Staff
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Visuals show Red Fort Ticket Counter completely destroyed by ‘farmer’ protestors on Republic Day

Violent protests carried out by the so-called protesting farmers yesterday that brought global shame to the country on the holy occasion of Republic Day have caused severe damage to public property. The protestors who seized the Red Fort in the national capital caused havoc inside it completely destroying its interior.

After the unsettling visuals from yesterday showing cops running for their lives after being attacked by armed protestors, some disturbing images of the violence unleashed by protestors inside the Red Fort have emerged. Protestors who barged inside the Red Fort yesterday ravaged the ticket counter and other property inside the Red Fort.

As can be seen in the visuals, the ticket counter has been destroyed and not a single thing inside the ticket counter appears intact. Pieces of smashed glass can be seen scattered on the ground.

All the movable or immovable properties placed inside the ticket counter have been broken and damaged by the protestors.

The metal detectors placed inside the ticket counter have been dislodged and vandalised. Caps of some police personnel can also be seen lying on the ground testifying the audacity and lack of respect for law and order in the protestors.

Yesterday’s violent protests left over 150 police personnel injured in Delhi. A large group of protestors entered the national capital through unauthorised routes and played havoc. According to reports, two cops who received serious injuries during the violence are currently fighting for their lives in the ICU at Lok Nayak Sushruta Trauma Centre.

‘Bring Lathis, flags to save your land,’ video of ‘Farmer’ leader Rakesh Tikait asking his supporters to be armed goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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‘Bring Lathis, flags to save your land,’ video of ‘Farmer’ leader Rakesh Tikait asking his supporters to be armed goes viral

A video of Rakesh Tikait, one of the Republic Day riots’ key figures in Delhi, has gone viral on the internet where he can be seen asking the protestors to carry Lathis and sticks to the protests.

Rakesh Tikait is one of the masterminds of the tractor rally, who fomented trouble in the national capital by instigating the so-called protestors to unleash violence on Delhi’s streets, which unfortunately ended with the shocking act of desecration of tricolour at the Red Fort.

In the video that has gone viral now BKU leader Rakesh Tikait can be seen asking his supporters and other protestors to be armed with Lathis ahead of the Republic Day tractor rally in Delhi.

Asking the alleged farmers to carry Lathis and ‘Danda’, Rakesh Tikait can also be seen misleading the alleged farmers by saying that their lands would be snatched. “The government is not agreeing to our terms, and they will come to take your lands,” says Rakesh Tikait as he asks the farmers to carry tricolour along with the flag of their choice.

Farmer leaders instigate riots, claims tractor rally is ‘peaceful’

After pushing Delhi into violence, chaos, and disorder during the tractor rally, self-proclaimed farmer leaders Rakesh Tikait and Yogendra Yadav had earlier distanced themselves from the mayhem.

As the violent mob unleashed terror on the streets of Delhi and attempted an insurrection against the state by unfurling a flag at Red Fort by disrespecting the tricolour, the ‘farmer leaders’ had gone hiding. Later, one of the ‘farmers leaders’, Rakesh Tikait came out to dismiss the violence and claimed that his faction has been peaceful.

Even as cases of vandalism and violence were being reported from different parts of the national capital, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said that the tractor march is ‘peaceful’ and that he had no knowledge of whether the protest had turned violent. Tikait’s remarks came as the protesters vandalized several vehicles, including DTC buses at the ITO area, videos of which have gone viral on the internet.

“Rally is going on peacefully. I don’t have any knowledge of it. We are at Ghazipur and are releasing the traffic here,” Rakesh Tikait had said while dismissing the violent riots.

‘Farmer leader’ Rakesh Tikait washes hands off the violence, blames Red Fort siege on ‘uneducated people’

A day after burning Delhi once again during the protest tractor rally, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait has now washed his hands off the violence and blamed ‘uneducated people’ for the Red Fort siege.

Tikait, who has now been caught instigating the crowd by asking them to be armed, on Wednesday attempted to blame Delhi Police for the whole incident.

Speaking to the media, Tikait said, “Uneducated people were driving tractors, they didn’t know the paths of Delhi. Administration told them the way towards Delhi. They went to Delhi & returned home. Some of them unknowingly deflected towards Red Fort. Police guided them to return.” He further said that anti-social elements were behind the violence.

Tractor rally: Rioting mob vandalised Ram Mandir and Kedarnath tableaux from Republic Day parade

OpIndia Staff
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Tractor rally: Rioting mob vandalised Ram Mandir and Kedarnath tableaux from Republic Day parade

Rioting mob on Tuesday not only desecrated the Red Fort and tried to kill the Delhi Police personnel but also vandalised the tableau from the Republic Day parade.

As can be seen in the video, the dome of the Ram Mandir tableau by Uttar Pradesh and Kedarnath temple of Uttarakhand were specifically targetted. The dome atop the Ram Mandir tableau was broken by the rioting mob. “This is the Ram Mandir tableau. It had come in proper condition. The protestors who had come yesterday specifically targetted the Kedarnath temple and dome at Ram Mandir,” a Delhi Police personnel told Aaj Tak reporter. He added that the security personnel tried their best to save the tableaux.

Tractor rally turned violent

On Republic Day, parallel to the official celebrations, the protesting ‘farmers’ carried out a tractor rally. Breaking the barricades, they entered Delhi ahead of scheduled time and ran a riot attacking police officers with swords and tractors and eventually desecrating the Red Fort.

The ‘farmers’ have been protesting against the new farm laws which have been stayed by the Supreme Court few weeks back.

CBI issues arrest warrant against TMC leader in cross-border cattle smuggling case

OpIndia Staff
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CBI issues arrest warrant against TMC leader in cross-border cattle smuggling case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued an arrest warrant against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Vinay Mishra in the cattle smuggling case. As per reports, a designated court in Kolkata, on request of the CBI, issued the arrest warrant.

The CBI has issued summons to Mishra four times till now but he has failed to join the investigation. The case pertains to cross-border cattle smuggling. Mishra is believed to be a close aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek.

Prior to this, the CBI had carried out raids at multiple locations in West Bengal, including Mishra’s in the case. Last year, during the seven-hour search at his Rashbehari Avenue residence, the officers got hold of incriminating documents. As per reports, the TMC leader was the first politician who was linked to Enamul Haque, the kingpin of the cross-border cattle smuggling racket.

The CBI officials have reasons to believe that Mishra was acting as Haque’s front man in the cattle smuggling racket. The CBI is also working on a list of nearly two dozen West Bengal Police officials including IPS officers who may have information on the cattle smuggling and illegal coal trading rackets.

The multi-crore scam is being investigated by the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax Department. The CBI FIR states that the cattle were smuggled from India to Bangladesh after paying bribes to the BSF personnel manning the border. Custom officials also allegedly took 10% of the auction amount as bribe, the reports say.

Cops tried to save the protestor whose tractor overturned but were prevented by other protestors: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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Cops tried to save the protestor whose tractor overturned but were prevented by other protestors: Reports 
As the national capital witnessed brutal violence by protesting 'farmers' on the pious occasion of Republic Day yesterday, there was an attempt by those supporting the violent protests to use the death of a protestor, who died performing a stunt with a tractor, for blaming the police and the government for inciting the violence and killing the said protestor.

Journalist Rajdeep Sardesi spread fake news about protestor’s death

Soon after the protestor died in the accident, senior India Today journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, despite being fully aware of the weak law and order situation in Delhi, spread the fake news that the protestor died in police firing. He tweeted the picture of the body of the deceased covered in the tricolour. He even gave a statement to his own channel weaving a whole story around the death of the protestor. However, he quickly deleted the tweet after his lie was caught by people on social media. Interestingly, his own news channel had mentioned the reason for the protestor’s death as the overturning of his tractor.

Cops rushed to rescue him but other protestors prevented them

Giving details about what led to the death of protestor and how the police tried to save him, Times Now journalist Padmaja Joshi yesterday informed that the Delhi police cops present at the scene where the deceased protestor’s tractor overturned, tried to take him to the hospital but the other protestors prevented the police.

Joshi said that a Times Now journalist was present at the scene and he recorded the whole incident in his camera. According to Joshi, the Times Now journalist said that the deceased protestor’s tractor turned turtle as he was trying to pull a stunt. He laid on the ground unconscious and bleeding. The Delhi police cops present there tried to evacuate him as there was fuel spilling from the tractor but the protestors present there did not allow the man to be taken to be evacuated. “It is a sick reality but that is the truth”, said Padmaja Joshi.

The brutal violence unleashed by the so-called farmers yesterday left several police personnel severely injured as they were trying to quell the situation. The protestor were armed and were driving tractors trying to mow down the cops who tried to stop them.

Andhra Pradesh: Parents brutally murder two daughters, claim they will come alive next day as ‘Satya Yuga’ comes

OpIndia Staff
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Andhra Pradesh: Parents brutally murder two daughters, claim they will come alive next day as ‘Satya Yuga’ comes

In a gut-wrenching incident, a couple in Andhra Pradesh allegedly crushed their two daughters to death with a blunt weapon in their house in Shiv Nagar on the outskirts of Madanpalle in Chittoor district on January 24, 2021. According to reports, victims named Alekhya (27) and Sai Divya (22) were college students. Alekhya had reportedly completed her Master’s degree in Bhopal while Sai Divya had completed BBA. The younger daughter Divya was reportedly a student of AR Rehman Music School in Mumbai and was home due to lockdown.

Family had been behaving strangely since lockdown: Reports

The mother of the victims named Padmaja works as a correspondent at a private school while the father named Purushottam Naidu is the principal of a women’s degree college. DSP Ravi Manohara Chari reportedly informed the family has been behaving strangely since the Covid outbreak. They had confined themselves within their house.

According to reports, the parents of the victims claimed that they received a divine message to sacrifice their daughters. On the evening of January 24, neighbors heard some strange and loud voices coming from the house of the victims. They informed the police. The police reached the house of the victims and found the two girls dead. One of the girls were found dead in the puja room and the other was found lying in another room covered with a red cloth ad some puja material kept around her body. The mother of the victims reportedly behaved in a strange manner. She came out of the house dancing and argued with the cops for entering the puja room with their shoes on.

Parents say they had received a ‘divine message’ to kill their daughters

When the police entered the house, they found one of the girls lying dead in the puja room, while the other was lying in another room covered with red color cloth and some puja material around her body. According to police, the couple said that they received a divine message to sacrifice their daughters as the Kalyuga was ending that night. They believed that their daughters would come alive the next day at the beginning of Satyuga. DSP Ravi Manohara Chari said that the couple insisted on keeping the bodies of their daughters in the house for a day. “During the preliminary investigation, the couple seemed to be highly superstitious as they asked us to keep the bodies in the house for a day stating that their daughters would come back to life”, said the DSP.

After much difficulty, the police managed to send the bodies to the government hospital for postmortem. The couple has been sent into custody for questioning. A case has been registered in the matter.

‘Farmer leader’ Rakesh Tikait washes hands off the violence, blames Red Fort siege on ‘uneducated people’

OpIndia Staff
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‘Farmer leader’ Rakesh Tikait washes hands off the violence, blames Red Fort siege on ‘uneducated people’

On January 26, Delhi burnt once again in the hands of hooligans posing as farmers in the tractor rally. The police are trying to identify the culprits using cell phones and CCTV footage. There are reports that the violent clash between security forces and protestors was planned weeks in advance.

Times Now has reported that the police are investigating several incidents where the alleged farmer leaders who gave provocative speeches and diverted the rally from the authorized route. As per the police, Lakha Sidhana, a gangster-turned-activist along with actor-turned-activist and Khalistan supporter Deep Sandhu and others, have played key roles in instigating the mob.

On the other hand, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait had washed his hands off the violence and blamed ‘uneducated people’ for the Red Fort siege. He tried to blame Delhi Police for the whole incident. He said, “Uneducated people were driving tractors, they didn’t know the paths of Delhi. Administration told them the way towards Delhi. They went to Delhi & returned home. Some of them unknowingly deflected towards Red Fort. Police guided them to return.”

He further alleged that anti-social elements were behind the violence. It has to be noted that Tikait had been giving provocative speeches and statements claiming no one can stop the tractor rally.

However, an undated video has emerged in which he was seen calling farmers to bring sticks and flags to hoist it on the Red Fort.

On January 14, he claimed they will march to Red Fort.

It is interesting to see that Tikait, who has been giving provocative statements and instigating farmers to march to Red Fort all this while has suddenly started claiming that the protestors who went to Red Fort were ‘uneducated people’ do did not know the specified route.

China upset over Modi govt’s vaccine diplomacy, blames India after Bangladesh rejects their vaccine

OpIndia Staff
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China upset over Modi govt’s vaccine diplomacy, blames India after Bangladesh rejects their vaccine

Days after Bangladesh rejected the Chinese coronavirus vaccine over the efficacy issues in favor of vaccines developed by Indian companies, the Communist Party of China has taken offense and has now blamed ‘India’s influence’ behind Bangladesh’s decision to dump their vaccine.

The Chinese government mouthpiece Global Times on Tuesday published an article blaming India for ‘meddling’ between the affairs of China and Bangladesh.

Article in Global Times

According to a Hindustan Times report, the Bangladesh government, amidst the questions over the Chinese vaccine’s efficacy, had rejected Sinovac’s CoronaVac vaccine and obtained India’s Covishield doses under the Modi government’s ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative. It is being said that Bangladesh had rejected the Chinese vaccine after Beijing had brazenly asked Dhaka to share costs of clinical trials of Sinovac manufactured drug in the country.

Since October 2020, the Chinese government was insisting Bangladesh on signing a contract to supply CoronaVac vaccines. However, one of the terms of the contract was that Dhaka had to share the expense of the clinical trials carried out by Sinovac. As Dhaka rejected the agreement, the Chinese company said that Bangladesh could not be an exception as Sinovac was putting the same conditions for other countries who intend to procure their vaccine.

Realizing the Chinese trap, Bangladesh turned towards its ally India and tied up with SII for a commercial supply of 30 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Three million doses of commercial supplies have already been sent to Dhaka.

China blames India after Bangladesh rejects their vaccine

The Chinese government mouthpiece, blaming India for meddling behind Bangladesh’s decision to halt Sinovac vaccine trials in the country, claimed that sharing cost for clinical trials is normal and it was due to India’s ‘meddling’ that Bangladesh rejected SinoVac’s offer.

In its report, the Global Times claimed that the Bangladeshi government had earlier agreed that Sinovac conducted clinical trials on CoronaVac in Bangladesh in July and had planned to carry out the trials since August. 

However, the clinical trials were delayed until October due to the Indian government’s alleged interference between Bangladesh-China cooperation during the period, according to Global Times. As it got delayed, Sinovac had started trials in Brazil and Turkey and did not find external financial support for the clinical trials in Bangladesh. Hence, the company had to negotiate with the Bangladeshi government about sharing the cost to launch the clinical trials, the report claimed.

Quoting Feng Duojia, president of the China Vaccine Industry Association, the report said, “In international cooperative clinical trials, it is normal for partners to share the cost based on negotiations. Usually, vaccine producers will offer to donate vaccines, or transfer some technology or help the partners build production lines as compensation”.

The report further said that it was normal for international partners to reach cooperation after reaching agreements and normalising cooperation if an agreement is not reached. ‘No one should use this as an excuse to smear any of the partners’, the report said.

Global Times article whining about Bangladesh choosing Made In India vaccine

The Chinese government mouthpiece, holding India responsible for the humiliation meted out to them by Bangladesh, claimed that India was smearing China’s cooperation with South Asia countries in cooperation on the anti-epidemic fight.

“India always treats China as a simulated enemy that can affect its influence in South Asia and reduce South Asian countries’ reliance on India,” the report quoted an expert. The article also cited a Chinese expert Tian Guangqiang stating that India wants to ‘monopolize’ the vaccine market in South Asia and is using its influence in the region to market its vaccines.

India supplies free vaccines, facilitates commercial supply to Bangladesh

In contrast to the Chinese ‘transactional’ nature, India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, had lent a hand of help to Bangladesh by sending a gift of two million doses of Covishield vaccine to Dhaka on January 21 and also facilitated a commercial contract of 30 million doses with vaccine manufacturer SII.

In fact, the Indian gift to Bangladesh was in tune with PM Modi’s assurance to Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the December 17, 2020, virtual summit. The two countries have been cooperating in the coronavirus vaccine field, including Phase III testing, distribution, co-production, and delivery in Bangladesh.

Not just Bangladesh, even Sri Lanka, and Nepal have expressed their fear against the Chinese vaccine to their Indian interlocutors. India has already sent over five million doses of the coronavirus vaccine to seven countries in the neighbourhood, the first being Bhutan on January 20 and the latest being Mauritius on January 22.

150 police personnel injured, 2 in ICU as tractor rally turns violent on R-Day

OpIndia Staff
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150 police personnel injured, 2 in ICU as tractor rally turns violent on R-Day

As per the reports, over 150 police personnel have been injured after the tractor rally turned violent in Delhi after a large group of protestors entered the national capital from unauthorized routes on Republic Day. Most of the police personnel suffered injuries on the head and leg, along with lacerations on the forehead. However, reports suggest that two policemen were severely injured and currently fighting for their lives in the ICU at Lok Nayak and Sushruta Trauma Centre.

153 policemen were injured – Delhi Police

Anil Mittal, Additional PRO, Delhi Police, informed that 86 police personnel were injured, but the figure was later updated to 152. He said, “86 police personnel have been injured after clashes broke out with farmers. Most of them who sustained injuries were posted at Red Fort area, followed by Nangloi Chowk.” Later, it was confirmed that 41 police personnel were injured in the North district, 34 in East district, 27 in West district, 5 in Shahdara, 30 in Dwarka, 4 in South district and 12 in Outer-North.

Delhi Police PRO Eish Singhal said, “Protesters turned violent at some places. Many police personnel were injured & public properties also damaged. Police exercised restraint & used force only when needed. I appeal to protesters to return through the designated routes & maintain peace.”

The injured police personnel were rushed to different hospitals, including Sushruta Trauma Centre, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Lal Bahadur Shastri, and Lok Nayak. A senior doctor at Lok Nayak said that they had received 21 injured people, out of which 11 were police officers. “A 40-year-old policeman has suffered a critical head injury and is admitted to the ICU for observation. We performed a CT scan, and the report is normal. We will admit him for one more day,” he added.

The police officer who is in ICU at Sushruta Trauma Centre had sustained a head injury. A senior doctor said, “One policeman was admitted to the ICU after he sustained an injury on his head. He is in a state of shock.” 58 police personnel were treated at Sushruta Trauma Centre.

Police personnel pushed from high-rise wall at Red Fort

Later at night, a video of the clashes at Red Fort was shared by news agency ANI. In the video, several police personnel were seen being attacked by a large group of violent rioters who kept on pushing and assaulting till the policemen, trying to hang by the damaged barricades, were forced or pushed down the high rise wall. The protestors kept chasing and beating the police personnel to make them fall.

In another heartbreaking image, two police personnel were seen requesting the protestors with folded hands not to beat them. They were both sitting on the ground.

Home Ministry increased security, cases filed

3 FIRs have been registered in this regard in the Eastern District of Delhi. One case each has been registered in Dwarka and Shahdara districts. More FIRs are yet to be lodged in the case of beating of police officers, encroachment in Red Fort, vandalism, and violence. One ‘farmer’ who was trying to perform stunts with his tractor and drove into police barricading with high speed, was crushed to death when the tractor overturned. A section of the media spread rumors that he died from a police bullet. In a video, protestors were seen damaging Two vehicles of Delhi Police including a riot control vehicle were at Nangloi-Najafgarh Road.

The paramilitary forces have now been deployed along the Delhi borders. Union Home Minister Amit Shah met Delhi Police Commissioner, Union Home Secretary and Chief of IB to review the situation in the evening. The Union Home Ministry is closely monitoring the entire development. Home Ministry suspended internet services for few hours where clashes broke down. Additional companies of paramilitary forces were deployed to control the situation. A large number of personnel were deployed in ITO, Nangloi and Ghazipur. Ten CRPF companies and five other armed forces companies have left for Delhi.

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