On Friday, CNN-News18 Journalist Marya Shakil tweeted about the data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) that depicts the grim situation of healthcare machinery in the city of Mumbai, Maharashtra.
On May 27, it was reported that Mumbai had 32,791 cases and that it accounted for a whopping 62% of total Coronavirus cases in Maharashtra. Amidst the alarming scenario of Coronavirus outbreak in the State, data reveals that the healthcare system has been overburdened and edging towards an impending collapse.
As per the BMC data, 99% of 645 Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are occupied. Besides, there are 373 ventilators in the city, out of which 72% is occupied. Moreover, 65% of a total of 4292 oxygen beds are in use.
To add to that, just 6 out of 24 wards reportedly have more than 2,000 Coronavirus cases. The G-North ward, E-North, F-North, L, H-East, and K-West wards have 2,728, 2,438, 2,377, 2,321, 2,094, and 2,049 cases, respectively. As of April 29, Maharashtra has 59,546 confirmed cases and 1,982 deaths.
Mumbai running out of beds in ICUs.
99% ICU beds occupied in Mumbai. 72% ventilators occupied. Hospitals treating severe #COVID19 cases 96% occupied.
According to a Guardian report, the coronavirus patients being treated at Mumbai’s Sion hospital emergency ward are now allegedly sharing beds, with two people being allocated to a bed. With a rising shortage in beds, the patients, many with coronavirus symptoms are also sharing a single oxygen tank. The videos of the patients lying almost on top of each other, sleeping on shared stretchers, or just lying on the floor had also gone viral some days back.
Maharashtra Government’s PR Strategy
Amidst allegations of mismanagement, a marketing campaign was launched to show how CM Uddhav Thackeray was the best Chief Minister and was handling the pandemic rather effectively. While the suspicions about the PR campaign for Uddhav Thackeray were just about gaining wind, a tweet by actress and model Urvashi Rautela had given fuel to those speculations. Refuting allegations of plagiarism, she said that it was the “same tweet” which was “provided” to “her and Siddharth Malhotra” by the Mumbai Police and hence, “nobody copied anyone”.
Following the controversy after ‘comedian’ Surleen Kaur’s abusive, derogatory remarks against ISKCON, Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd today announced that they have decided to dissociate themselves from any further involvement with comedian Surleen Kaur and Balraj Syal.
Claiming that Ms Surleen Kaur and Mr Balraj Syal ‘failed to meet their standards of public decency’, the organisation posted tweets saying that that they will not be associated with the said persons for their insulting remarks against the ISKCON.
We have high regards for all the good work, especially the spiritual and social service, that ISKCON has done over the years to benefit countless people across India and elsewhere.
ISKCON’s contributions of feeding 5 crore meals during the COVID lockdown is praiseworthy.
Furthermore, Shemaroo lauded ISKCON organisation for its stellar social and spiritual services that have benefitted thousands across the country. “We have high regards for all the good work, especially the spiritual and social service, that ISKCON has done over the years to benefit countless people across India and elsewhere. ISKCON’s contributions of feeding 5 crore meals during the COVID lockdown is praiseworthy,” the tweet read.
Shemaroo’s apology over comedian’s vile, derogatory statements
Shemaroo had earlier issued an apology on its Twitter account for hurting religious sentiments and deleted the YouTube video. The official statement released by Shemaroo read, “This is with regards to the video that has been brought to our notice featuring comedian Ms. Surleen Kaur. The video was found derogatory and the same has been taken down with immediate effect. Shemaroo is committed to ensure our content is neutral and unbiased towards any religion, caste, creed or culture. We apologize to all brothers and sisters of the Iskcon community whose sentiments we might have unintentionally hurt. We extend our assurance that such matters will be dealt meticulously and with extreme sensitivity.”
religion, caste, creed or culture. We apologize to all brothers and sisters of the Iskcon community whose sentiments we might have unintentionally hurt. We extend our assurance that such matters will be dealt meticulously and with extreme sensitivity.@yudhistirGD
However, ISKCON spokesperson Radharamn Das did not seem pacified by the Shemaroo’s apology and declared that they will proceed with legal action against Shemaroo, the host of the show Balraj Syal and Kaur. In his tweet, Das said, “This has become a trend to demean Sanatan Dharma. No more. We will make an example out of this nonsense. Enough is enough.”
We don’t accept your apology @ShemarooEnt . We will proceed legally against you, @BalrajSyal & Surleen Kaur. This has become a trend to demean Sanatan Dharma. No more.
ISKCON files complaint against Shemaroo and Surleen Kaur
ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) has lodged a complaint against stand-up comic Surleen Kaur and entertainment company Shemaroo for insulting the organisation and Hindus. The organisation has sent a complaint to the Mumbai police against a stand-up performance by Kaur, which was published by Shemaroo in various online platforms.
In the complaint released by ISKCON vice president and spokesperson Radharamn Das, they have said that the video published by the company on different social media sites, YouTube channel, on the website www.shemaroome.com etc. is highly defamatory towards ISKCON society as well as towards the followers of Hinduism. They have added that the language used by Kaur is highly objectionable and defamatory, and it has caused great pain to the followers of Sanatan Dharma, Hindus and ISKCON worldwide devotees.
ISKCON decided to lodge the complaint after the video of Surleen Kaur went viral on social media yesterday. Even though it was published a few months ago, the video was widely shared on social media today, which has caused the Hindu organisation to notice it. In the video, Kaur can be presenting a stand-up show where she says in Hindi, ‘no doubt we are from ISKCON, but from inside we are all harami porn lovers’.
@CPMumbaiPolice@MumbaiPolice This is the video for your ready reference. I have also emailed you the details. Since the Police Station near our ISKCON Juhu temple, Mumbai is quarantined, please accept this online complaint for your necessary action please. pic.twitter.com/Ujqz5K0eFi
Surleen Kaur also said that ancient Hindu saints used their little knowledge of Sanskrit to hide their clandestine activities. She claimed that the Rishis used the Sanskrit language to write erotic texts, giving the example of Kamasutra. She also made fun of erotic sculptures in Khajuraho, to make the point that Hindus are porn lovers inherently.
With the Coronavirus pandemic raging on and the media finding not much else to attack the Modi government with, the stated line of the media seems to be to discredit the Shramik trains service that the government has started to transport migrants back to their home states with lies, conjectures and downright misreporting. On the 28th of May 2020, the Supreme Court heard a Suo Motu case regarding the miseries faced by migrant labourers during the lockdown period which was imposed to arrest the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. The reportage of the SC case regarding the migrant labourers and Shramik trains only exposes how ThePrint, after telling the opposition parties to focus on spreading fake news against the Modi government is now focussing on spreading fake news itself.
The headline of ThePrint article suggested that the Government has ‘finally’ clarified regarding the ‘confusion’ surrounding the question of payment of tickets for travelling migrants.
Headline article by The Print reporting the SC proceedings in the Shramik Trains case being heard suo motu
The insinuation in ThePrint article was rather simple – After misleading the people of India, the Modi government has finally clarified to the Supreme Court that it is not paying the Shramik Express fare, rather, it is the State that is footing the entire bill. Mind you, the word ‘entire’ is of operative value here as we will see later in this article.
The first paragraph of the article also indicates that ThePrint is clearly insinuating that the central government and BJP spokespersons lied earlier when they claimed that ‘85% of the ticket cost was being borne by the Central government while the states were footing 15% of the ticket cost’. It is to be kept in mind that at this point, ThePrint is claiming that the Central government claimed it is paying 85% of the TICKET fare.
ThePrint article covering the SC proceedings on Shramik trains
In the first part of the article, ThePrint says that the “clarification” by the central government, saying that they are not paying the bill for migrant workers but it is the state that is footing the bill, comes after several statements were made suggesting that the central government is “bearing 85% of the fare and the states are paying the remaining 15%”.
For any lay reader, ThePrint article is essentially saying the following:
The central government lied.
The entire cost of transporting the migrant labourers are being paid by the state governments, which is limited to the ticket. This assertion can be made based on their headline as well as their first paragraph.
However, later in the article by ThePrint, they include the following explanation from the Railway ministry:
Portion of The Print article where they run the clarification by the railways but also give space to opposition lies without any counter
The Railways explained to ThePrint that the central government has always maintained that the Railways is paying 85% cost associated with transporting the migrant labourers and the ticket fare per se, constitutes 15% which is being paid by the states.
However, even after this clarification, which is nestled at the very end of the report, ThePrint starts its reports with blatant lies and ends its report reiterating those lies by the opposition leaders.
How ThePrint and other media houses lied blatantly
ThePrint hyperlinks to a Business Standard report that has the same lie. The headline of the Business Standard report says, “Railways to pay 85% of train fare for workers, says govt after controversy”. However, in the second para of the article, it quotes the Railway authorities saying exactly what the railways is now claiming to ThePrint – that it was 85% of the cost that is being borne by the central govt.
Quoting the health ministry spokesperson, Business Standard wrote, “We have given the permission to run special trains on states’ request. We are dividing the cost in 85-15 per cent (railway: states) as per the norms. We never asked states to charge money from the stranded labourers,” said Agarwal at a media briefing in Delhi.
Clearly, even the the Business Standard report quoted the officials accurately, however, misled its readers in the headline. That same trope was then picked up the ThePrint and misrepresented the facts to paint the Modi government in terrible light.
What is the break-up of the 85% cost being incurred by the centre?
If one sees any railway ticket, it is mentioned as a standard disclaimer that the price any passenger is paying for the ticket covers only 57% of the cost incurred for the travel. This is under normal circumstances and for every ticket sold by railways. For the Shramik trains, only 2/3rd of the seats would be filled to ensure social distancing during travel. So the right seat and the left seat would be occupied with the middle seat being empty. Or the top birth and bottom birth would be assigned with the middle birth being empty. As such, due to this, the chargeable fees would come down to 38% (to the passenger, which is supposed to be paid by the state). The trains, since they are special trains, would come back completely empty, thus, the cost to passenger is further divided by half, which would be 19%. After taking into account passenger services like food and sanitation, the state governments were asked to pay 15% of the total cost with the remaining 85% being borne by the central government.
A 15% cost has been imposed on the state government to ensure that the state government too has skin in the game. As such, if the travel was made completely free by Railways and the Central government, passengers other than migrant workers would have also been boarded on those trains and the result would be chaos like we saw in states like Maharashtra, during the protests near Bandra mosque or even the chaos at Anand Vihar bus station. It was because of this that the states were given the responsibility to come up with a list (after screening) of passengers and central railway is to provide tickets and trains. To impose responsibility, the Railways asked the states to cough up 15% of the travel cost while the central government would make good 85% of the travel cost.
What did the SG says, based on whose statements, The Print lied
The Solicitor General during the hearing answered a very specific question asked by the Bench.
Bench asks the Solicitor General: "We need clarity with respect to who will pay the fare [for the movement of #MigrantWorkers]"
SG : "Either the receiving state pays to the railways or originating state pays OR in some cases, the money is reimbursed"
The question was regarding the FARE for the migrant workers, to which, the SG said that it was being paid by the states. The fare alone constitutes only 15% of the cost as even quoted by ThePrint. Hence, to use his statement to peddle a fake narrative reeks of an agenda.
ThePrint should perhaps read and understand its own reports
Let us post a riddle to Shekhar Gupta – who is President of Editors Guild and has a long and allegedly respectful career in journalism, bulk of which was in newspapers.
A long-standing newspaper, like The Times of India, has 48 pages. The newspaper is sold for around Rs 5 and about 40 per cent is taken by distributors. The media organisation gets around Rs 2.40. Now each page costs Rs 0.25 to print and printing 48 pages costs Rs 12. A very conservative cost of paying employees and news agencies etc is Rs 3. So, if newspapers are produced at Rs 15, while the consumers pay just Rs 5, will it be logical to say that only consumers are paying for news? Obviously not. This information is, in fact, taken from a report published by ThePrint itself.
Shekhar Gupta himself knows that advertisers pay and that the government also pays indirectly not only through ads, but through subsidised newsprints, etc. And if a newspaper is running into losses, essentially the promoters of the newspapers are “paying”. However, this logic, which is applicable to running newspapers goes for a toss when it comes to running trains, evidently. Then Shekhar Gupta’s website assumes that whatever is being paid as the final fare is the only price being paid to run a train, and whoever is paying that price is the only party paying. In the case of Shramik trains, the final price of the tickets are just 15% of total operational costs like the final price of the newspaper is just 33% of the total operational cost. Yet, Shekhar Gupta’s website dishonestly reports as if the final price is the only thing that matters.
It is pertinent to note here that Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint had categorically suggested that opposition parties spread fake news about the Modi government in order to counter the work done by them. It seems ThePrint led by Shekhar Gupta has gone a step further and taken up the mantle itself and is spreading fake news not just to discredit the Modi government but also give credence to lies spread by the opposition parties.
In a significant decision to boost herbal and medicinal plants cultivation in the country, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has decided to develop 800-km network roads in the state as a ‘Herbal belt’ by planting medicinal and herbal trees along both sides of the road.
According to the reports, Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, who is also the PWD minister in the state, said the state government will plant trees like Peepal, Neem, Sahjan along with other herb varieties like Brahmi, Ashwagandha and Jatrofa to promote herbal and medicinal plant cultivation.
The Deputy Chief Minister added that planting of samplings will provide raw material for the medicines and will also help in curbing the erosion of land. He also stressed that this scheme will help both the development and beautification of the area and bring medicinal benefits along with promoting biodiversity.
The mission to develop medicinal and herbal plant cultivation from Uttar Pradesh comes at the backdrop of the Modi government announcement to develop and promote herbal cultivation.
The plants will be cultivated along 800-kilometre roads of national and state highways passing through the state and a herbal garden will be also developed along with them, which will keep the air free from pollution, bacteria and avoid diseases. The PWD Department will also make arrangement for rainwater recharging system on these herbal roads, the minister added.
Promotion for Herbal cultivation by Modi government
In the recent address to the nation by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing the third tranche of Modi government’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan” package, she had said that the Modi government will commit to spending Rs 4,000 crore to promote Herbal cultivation in the country.
The Modi government’s mission aims to cover 10 lakh hectare under herbal cultivation in the next two years.
The Finance Minister had announced an economic package worth Rs 20 lakh crores to restart the economy following the coronavirus lockdown.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced that support package to promote herbal cultivation will generate income of Rs 5,000 crore for local farmers engaged in this cultivation.
She had said the ‘National Medicinal Plant Board’ will undertake 800 hectares of areas in the corridors of river Ganga for growing of herbal and medical plants.
In a massive development in the incident where an explosive-laden car was found by security forces on the night of 27 May, the Jammu and Kashmir police have identified the owner of the car. As per reports, the owner is identified as Hidayatullah malik, who is a resident of Shopian in Kashmir and a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist. Malik had joined the terror group last year.
J&K Police identifies Hidayatullah Malik, owner of the explosives-laden car which was intercepted in #Pulwama. He is a resident of Shopian and joined Hizbul Mujahideen last year: Jammu and Kashmir Police pic.twitter.com/gNvAmok9WA
According to initial police investigation, the car belonged to Hidayatullah Malik, an active Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist who is a resident of Sharatpora Shopian. He had joined militant ranks in July last year and police is currently trying to trace him, a top police officer said. “The investigation in the case is on and we will trace the entire network involved in the conspiracy,” he added.
The officer informed that a local Hizbul terrorist Adil, who also works with JeM, a Pakistani terrorist named Fauji bhai of Jaish and one IED expert named Walid bhai were involved in making and planning the Pulwama like terror attack. He said that after several top commanders of the terror organisation was eliminated in encounters, the terror outfits have increased planning for attack on security forces.
While the exact target of the car bomb is not known, security officials said the terrorists could target a camp, a moving vehicle or a convoy, a naka or a patrolling party of the forces in the area.
Police and security personnel averted a major attack recently
Recently, the Jammu and Kashmir police in a joint operation with security forces averted a major attack after they received information that a terrorist was moving in a car laden with explosives. The terror attack was avoided due to timely action by Jammu and Kashmir police along with CRPF and army.
The suspected vehicle arrived at night and a few rounds of bullets were fired at it. The driver abandoned the vehicle a bit further down the road and managed to escape in the darkness.
On inspection, the car was found to be carrying at least 40 kg explosives in a drum. The attempted terror attack has a great resemblance to the one in Pulwama where a vehicle-borne IED was used in a suicide attack.
#WATCH J&K: In-situ explosion of the vehicle, which was carrying IED, by Police in Pulwama.
Major incident of vehicle-borne IED explosion was averted by Police, CRPF & Army after Pulwama Police got credible info last night that a terrorist was moving with an explosive-laden car pic.twitter.com/UnUHSYB07C
The vehicle was kept under watch at night and residents in nearby houses were evacuated. Moving the vehicle would have involved serious risk, therefore, the vehicle was exploded in-situ by bomb disposal squads. The controlled explosion, which was video recorded, completely destroyed the car, giving the indication the power of the bomb it was carrying. As per reports, the vehicle was using a number plate that belongs to a scooter from somewhere in Kathua district.
In a shocking incident, a doctor has been arrested by Rajasthan police after he continued to treat patients even after he was tested positive for the coronavirus, reports India TV.
The incident was reported in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar. The doctor was arrested after coronavirus cases saw a sharp rise to 200 within two days in the city. The doctor named Ibrahim had hidden details of him having coronavirus and treated patients at his clinic for two days without informing the health officials. The doctor runs a private clinic in Jhalrapatan are in Jhalawar.
The Rajasthan Police have now arrested the doctor for spreading coronavirus and violating the Epidemic Diseases Act.
Jhalwar has seen a rise in cases since past week, emerging as a coronavirus hotspot in the state of Rajasthan. At least 64 cases were reported from Jhalawar in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the state of Rajasthan has reported 7,703 cases of coronavirus, while 173 people have succumbed to the Chinese pandemic.
(This is a developing story, details will be updated once more information is available)
Just weeks after the brutal lynching of two Hindu Sadhus in Palghar, Maharashtra, another shocking incident of attack against Sadhus has been reported in the same district where three unidentified assailants attacked two priests and looted a temple at Balivali.
According to the reports, the horrific attack took place at around 12.30 am on Thursday when three armed men barged into Jagrut Mahadev Mandir and Ashram at Balivali in Vasai taluka.
The police officials also said that three assailants attacked the temple’s head priest Sankaranand Saraswati and his assistant. The attackers then ran away with valuables worth Rs 6,800.
The police added that the two priests received minor injuries and somehow managed to free themselves from the clutches of the assailants. The main priest also locked himself in one of the rooms of the ashram, while his assistant ran out of the premises, the official said.
An FIR has been registered under IPC section 394 (causing hurt while committing robbery) and other relevant provisions, the SHO of the Virar police station said.
The attack on the priests in Palghar comes on the backdrop of the brutal lynching of two Hindu sadhus and their driver by a murderous mob in village Gadchinchale of Palghar district on April 16.
Palghar Mob Lynching incident
On 16th April 2020, two Sadhus associated with the Juna Akhara, 70-year-old Kalpavrishka Giri Maharaj, and 35-year-old Sushil Giri Maharaj along with their driver 30-year-old Nilesh Telgadewere were on their way from Mumbai to Gujarat to give Samadhi to another Sadhu.
At Gadakchinchale village, a wild and frenzied crowd of over more than 100 people attacked them. The police had initially claimed that the mob had thought the Sadhus were ‘thieves’.
But later videos had emerged which completely debunked the claim of police, as it was seen that the sadhus were in the custody of the police, but the police personnel handed them over to the mob. The mob had then proceeded them to beat them to death in front of the policemen.
Later, it was also revealed that the killing of the Sadhus was intentional and it was done due to political reasons and it was also suspected that Christian missionaries backed by NCP, left parties were behind the lynching of two Hindu Sadhus.
Two Sadhus killed in Nanded, Maharashtra
Just a few days back, two Hindu Sadhus were mysteriously found dead in Nanded, Maharashtra. The bodies of the Sadhus were found in their ashram in Maharashtra’s Nanded late on the night of 23 May.
The deceased sadhus have been identified as Balbrahmachari Shivacharya Maharaj guru, and Bhagwan Shinde, a disciple of Sadhu Shivacharya Maharaj.
A day after Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi was caught humiliating a senior lady police officer Shalini Sharma and demanding the suspension of the lady officer, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra government has succumbed to his pressure and transferred her to Chembur police station.
According to the reports, Shalini Sharma, who is currently the inspector at the Nagpada police station in central Mumbai, will now be sent to Chembur Mumbai. Jai Prakash Bhosale has succeeded Sharma at the Nagpada police station.
The senior officials of the Maharashtra police, however, said Inspector Shalini Sharma had herself requested for transfer which was accepted.
Maharashtra govt succumbs to SP MLA Abu Azmi’s pressure
The transfer of Sharma by Maharashtra government comes just a day after SP MLA Abu Azmi was heard threatening and hurling slogans against the lady officer.
Abu Azmi, the president of the Maharashtra state branch of the Samajwadi Party was sitting on dharna, was seen addressing a huge gathering outside the Nagpada police station demanding the suspension of a senior lady police officer, Shalini Sharma.
“Yeh aurat kehti hain aapne police par ilzaam lagaya hain mein aapse baat nahi karegi, uske baap ke baap ke baap ko bhi baat karni padegi”, roughly translated as (This woman is saying that we have accused the police so she will not talk to us, but her forefathers will also have to speak to us), shouted Azmi while demanding her suspension.
"ये औरत कहती है कि आप पुलिस पे इल्जाम लगाते हो, मै बात नहीं करुंगी। तेरे बाप के बाप के बाप को बात करनी पडेगी" विधायक अबू आजमी का भाषण
मुंबई सेंट्रल स्टेशन के पास २६ मई की रात. नागपाड़ा पुलिस स्टेशन की शालिनी शर्मा महिला पुलिस ऑफिसर के लिये। ठाकरे सरकार द्वारा कोई कार्रवाई नहीं pic.twitter.com/4x9A0jqNMB
Azmi had also threatened Sharma that he will approach the Home Minister while blaming the police of mismanagement and misbehaviour with migrant labourers.
Abu Azmi’s argument with Nagpada police officer Shalini Sharma
In another video of the preceding incident, during an argument with the Nagpada police officer, Azmi was seen shouting at the lady officer in a harsh tone.
Azmi had alleged that the senior woman officer had refused to listen to his complaint and asked him to leave. He stated, “I am a public representative, I am not a common man. I have been elected by the people and we will raise their questions in front of the government. The whole world is criticising India for its handling of the migrant worker crisis.”
Following his argument, Azmi had gathered hundreds of his supporters flouting all social distancing norms and had raised slogans against the officer near the station, demanding action against her.
On May 25, a 46-year-old ‘black’ man, George Floyd was reportedly murdered by a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, who knelt on the former’s neck for 7 long minutes until his body became unresponsive. A shopkeeper had called the cops on Floyd for allegedly trying to pass a ‘potential counterfeit bill’. On being taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center, he was pronounced dead.
The viral cell phone video captured by a pedestrian, who repeatedly objected to the action of Chauvin shows the cop trying to choke the black man with his knee. Despite the victim complaining about not being able to breathe, coupled with verbal protest from onlookers, the said officer was unmoved.
Despite incriminating evidence, a police statement said that although Floyd appeared in medical distress, he did not mention that the weight of the cop blocked his airway. Surveillance footage showed that the victim did not resist arrest while he was handcuffed, contrary to the claims of the police. The murder of Floyd has raised questions of racism and lack of police sensitisation on social media.
According to a Fox News report, in his 19 years of job as a police officer, Chauvin had 10 conduct complaints against him, excluding three police shootings. But, no action was ever taken against him. The other officer seen in the viral video, Thao, also has a lawsuit against him, besides cases of police brutality.
The Minneapolis Police Department had removed Derek Chauvin along with 3 officers, namely, Thomas Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, who were at the spot. Mayor Jacob Frey conceded that it was the right thing to do. He added, “Why is the man who killed George Floyd, not in jail? We cannot turn a blind eye, it is on us as leaders to see this for what it is and call it what it is.”
Reportedly, the questionable behaviour of the officers went unabated. Chauvin had a lawsuit against him for violating the constitutional rights of a prisoner. He has been involved in police shootings and had been subjected to three reviews from the Civilian Review Authority for the use of ‘demeaning language.’ Thao, too, has been the subject of a lawsuit for brutally beating up a handcuffed man, besides kneeling on his face and body. The victim was left with bruises and trauma.
Riots in Minneapolis after George Floyd killing
On Tuesday, hundreds of protestors hit the streets to protest against the killing of George Floyd. The demonstration continued outside the nearby police precinct. Soon, the protest took a violent turn. On Wednesday night, Police cars were vandalised and pelted with rocks. To pacify the situation, the cops resorted to firing tear gas and rubber bullets at the frenzied mob.
Windows of unmanned stores were broken. Shops were raided and looted, all in the garb of a peaceful protest. Home goods such as rugs and coffee makers were stolen and stores were set ablaze. Amidst the chaos, a ‘looter’ was also shot dead by the police. The mob also breached the security and reached for the police precinct in the neighbourhood where Floyd died. The building was set of fire by the unruly mob, amidst slogans demanding justice for the victim.
Protesters breached the Minneapolis police precinct in the neighborhood where George Floyd died in police custody, setting fire to the building as dozens watched it burn late Thursday https://t.co/MJ0JibRJFhpic.twitter.com/nV535R5sVL
US President Donald Trump on Friday warned ‘Radical Left’ Mayor Jacob Frey to stop the riots in the city and bring the law and order situation under control. He said, “I cannot stand back and watch this happen to a great American city, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership.”
….These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!
Trump had decided to send the National Guard to tame the ‘thugs’ who are dishonouring the memory of the victim. He further assured Governor Tim Waltz that the military is with him. “Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” the US President cautioned the rioters.
UN takes note of George Floyd case
The UN rights chief on Thursday condemned the death in police custody of George Floyd, demanding that US authorities take “serious action” to stop the killings of unarmed African Americans.
“This is the latest in a long line of killings of unarmed African Americans by US police officers and members of the public,” Michelle Bachelet said in a statement.
“I am dismayed to have to add George Floyd’s name to that of Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Michael Brown and many other unarmed African Americans who have died over the years at the hands of the police,” she said.
She further said that US authorities must take serious action to stop such killings.
Protests spread to New York, 40 arrested
At least 40 people were arrested in New York City as people took to the streets to protest against the death of a black man in police custody in Minneapolis.
Over 100 people gathered in Manhattan’s Union Square on Thursday afternoon to express their anger over what they called police brutality that led to George Floyd’s death.
Weeks after horrific videos of dead bodies of coronavirus patients were seen lying unattended among patients under treatment at Sion hospital in Mumbai, shocking reports are emerging from the same hospital stating that the coronavirus patients and other emergency patients are now made to share beds due to a shortage in capacity, as per a report in The Guardian.
According to the Guardian report, the coronavirus patients being treated at Mumbai’s Sion hospital emergency ward are now allegedly sharing beds, with two people being allocated to a bed. With a rising shortage in beds, the patients, many with coronavirus symptoms are also sharing a single oxygen tank.
The videos of the patients lying almost on top of each other, sleeping on shared stretchers or just lying on the floor had also gone viral some days back.
The India Today report, dated May 11, had also exposed how coronavirus positive patients were made to stay in unhygienic conditions by authorities in Maharashtra. In the video, it can be seen that the coronavirus symptomatic patients were sharing beds at both Sion hospital and KEM hospital in Mumbai.
In addition to this, the patients can be seen sleeping on the floor with hospital authorities ignoring safety protocols. The patients, hospital staff were also seen without wearing necessary protective gears at these over-crowded hospitals in Mumbai.
Following the viral videos, the BMC had announced that it will soon add 1200 beds in hospitals to help patients.
Mumbai’s health care on the brink of collapse
Mumbai, a city with over 2 crore people, is reportedly on the brink of collapse of its healthcare and administrative systems.
The state hospitals such as Sion are running beyond their capacity. The frontline doctors and nurses, treating the coronavirus patients are also falling sick for the virus, leading to a shortage of medical staff.
Manish Shetty, a doctor who is on the frontline battle at Guru Nanak Hospital in Mumbai said, “The volume and density of our population in Mumbai makes it very difficult to see how we will get out of the other side of this peak”. He added that there is a definite fatigue setting across all frontline workers, especially because there is a very high chance of healthcare workers getting infected.
Dr Shetty added, “There is definitely a shortage of beds for critical care. There is a lot of infrastructure and planning which is happening, but the magnitude of the cases is overwhelming us all.”
Shetty from Guru Nanak hospital said the main fear was the dangers that the ‘as-yet-unknown’ combination of coronavirus with the monsoon diseases can bring, which other countries may not be forced to face. “It will be a whole worrying new realm. My guess is we will need a lot of beds to cope,” Dr Shetty added.
Recently, hundreds of nurses and contractual health workers had gone on a strike in Mumbai’s state-run King Edward Memorial Hospital after a contractual employee working in the coronavirus ward died on Sunday night after he was reportedly unwell and wanted leave, which he was allegedly denied.
BMC officials deny shortage of beds
As per the Guardian report, a BMC official has denied claims of shortage of beds in state-run hospitals in Mumbai. Vijay Khabale, the Mumbai municipal corporation spokesperson said that there are enough beds but there is a lack of coordination with other agencies, which is why there are these reports. “The present situation is that we have more than enough beds and quarantine facilities, “he added.
Khabale also noted that all the new facilities would be completed within the week. However, expressing hope, he said that they would not need to be used at full capacity. “We are expecting that within a day or two that the cases will begin to flatten and then begin to decrease. We have it under control,” the BMC spokesperson added.
Maharashtra remains the most-affected state in the country, with nearly 60,000 cases reported out of the country’s 158,333 cases. The total tally of the coronavirus cases in Maharashtra is at 59,546 and on Thursday alone it saw an addition of 2,598 new cases. The state has also seen 1,982 deaths, 85 deaths came on Thursday alone.
Meanwhile, Mumbai city has alone reported 1,044 fresh on cases on Thursday as its tally crossed the 35,000-mark to reach 35,485 cases of whom 24,507 were active ones. The city has also reported 38 deaths on Thursday to take its toll to 1,135.
