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Pakistan seeks Hydroxychloroquine from India to curb the Coronavirus pandemic

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan seeks Hydroxychloroquine from India to curb the Coronavirus pandemic

As the scourge of the Wuhan coronavirus intensifies in Pakistan, the Imran Khan government has sought India’s help in combating the pandemic. According to a report published by India TV, Pakistan has formally requested India for the drug Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), believed to be helpful in treating the COVID-19.

Pakistan is the latest entrant to the list to countries who have sought consignments of the drug from India which is thought to have a salutary effect in the treatment against the coronavirus. Earlier, the United States and Brazil requested India for stocks of Hydroxychloroquine for treatment of coronavirus in their countries. The demand from Pakistan came after it witnessed a sharp rise as the number of coronavirus cases touched 6000-mark and the number of fatalities crossed 100.

India is the largest producer of the anti-malarian anti-arthritis drug and had recently put a ban on its exports. However, after US President Donald Trump’s request for the drug and assurance of the manufacturers that India have sufficient stock cater to both domestic and export demand, India partially lifted the restrictions on its export and fulfilled several country’s requests for the HCQ tablets. India had recently also declared that it will be exporting the HCQ drug and other medicines to its neighbours-Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh as they completely depend on India for their pharmaceuticals. In addition, India has also agreed to sell the anti-malarian drug touted to cure coronavirus to Malaysia as well.

“In view of the humanitarian aspects of the pandemic, it has been decided that India would licence paracetamol and HCQ in appropriate quantities to all our neighbouring countries who are dependent on our capabilities. We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic,” India said while partially lifting the restrictions on exports of key drugs.

Pakistanis stuck in India

In addition, Pakistan has also requested Indian government’s assistance for enabling movement of forty-one Pakistani nationals from different parts of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab to Pakistan via road through Wagah-Attari border on April 16 at 10 AM.

The letter written by Islamabad seeking help from the Indian government for the movement of Pakistani citizens to Wagah border also mentions that all the returnees be screened as per the international standards and existing methods employed by the Government of India and only asymptomatic individuals be allowed to return.

Gujarat govt refutes Indian Express’ concocted lies on civil hospital segregating coronavirus patients on a religious basis

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat govt refutes Indian Express’ concocted lies on civil hospital segregating coronavirus patients on a religious basis

On Wednesday the Indian Express published a report claiming that the coronavirus patients and suspected cases have been segregated into separate wards on the basis of their religion at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. The report had claimed that Dr Gunvant H Rathod – who is the Medical Superintendent, had said that separate wards had been created for Hindu patients and Muslim patients as per a state government decision.

According to Indian Express, Dr Rathod had said, “Generally, there are separate wards for male and female patients. But here, we have made separate wards for Hindu and Muslim patients.” On being asked the reason for such a segregation, Dr Rathod said, “It is a decision of the government and you can ask them.”

Indian Express report.

However, responding to the misinformation campaign of the Indian Express, the Gujarat government had categorically denied the claims. The Health Department of Gujarat had also clarified that no segregation is being done in the Ahmedabad civil hospital on the basis of religion for coronavirus patients.

“Corona Patients are being treated based on symptoms, severity etc. and according to treating doctors’ recommendations,” the Gujarat government Health Department said in a statement.

Indian Express’ history of sensationalism

This is not the first time Indian Express has brought in a religious colour when it never existed. In 2019, the Indian Express communalised a road rage incident by reporting that that a Muslim youth was beaten up by five men upon identifying his religion. Even the victim of road rage incident hadn’t made any such assertions. However, Indian Express communalised the same on no basis.

Similarly, back in 2015, Indian Express had claimed that municipal corporation-run schools in Ahmedabad had ‘green-coloured’ uniform for students where school was in Muslim-dominated area and ‘saffron’ coloured for students in Hindu-dominated area. However, it was also nothing but a figment of their imagination. It had come to the fore later that it was the management committee’s decision and they chose a colour because perhaps they liked a particular colour.

First coronavirus patient in Arunachal have been reported negative after the third test, CM informs on social media

OpIndia Staff
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First coronavirus patient in Arunachal have been reported negative after the third test, CM informs on social media

The Chief Minister Of Arunachal Pradesh has informed that the north-eastern state has no more positive cases of coronavirus after the first reported case has been tested negative. CM Pema Khandu wrote on twitter, “The first positive case of Arunanchal has tested negative today after conducting the third test.

The coronavirus patient was kept in isolation for 13 days under the observation of doctors. He was reported negative in the third test. A repeat sample is being collected again.

The north-eastern state had reported the first case of coronavirus on April 2. A group of people had been to Delhi to the Nizamuddin Markaz. While a total of 7 persons were kept in quarantine, 1 person from Teju in Lohith district was found to be coronavirus positive.

Till now total positive cases of coronavirus have risen to 11,555. 1,362 people have been recovered from the contagious disease while 396 have lost the battle against the Wuhan coronavirus across the country.

Uttar Pradesh: Team carrying coronavirus suspects to quarantine attacked by mob in Moradabad, doctors and others injured

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Team carrying coronavirus suspects to quarantine attacked by mob in Moradabad, doctors and others injured

Despite police and frontline health workers working day and night to save public from the coronavirus pandemic, attacks on them continue unabated. In another such incident, a team of doctors and medical staff was attacked by a mob in Haji Neb Masjid area in Moradabad when they went to take away two persons suspected of having novel coronavirus in the area.

The mob pelted stones at the ambulance and doctors. The stones were also pelted on the police van which came to rescue the health workers later. Several people have been injured in the ensuing mayhem, including Dr Sudhish Agrawal.

A coronavirus patient had died in the area in Moradabad a few days back after which the health workers had gone there to pick the family members of the victim to keep them in quarantine. They were heading to a quarantine centre at the time of the incident. 

According to health officials, a thousand people came out on the streets to attack the medical team.

Commenting on the incident, the driver of an ambulance said a large crowd had come out on the streets to attack health workers in the area. Several health workers have been reportedly injured in the incident. “When our team boarded ambulance with patient, suddenly crowd emerged and started pelting stones. Some doctors are still there. We are injured,” an ambulance driver said. 

The police have detained 10 people after the incident and search for several others is on. The security in the area has been tightened since the attack.

Taking stock of the situation, CM Yogi Adityanath has ordered strict action against the perpetrators. He has asked the police to book the accused under the stringent National Security Act and also said that the accused will also be made to pay for the property damaged in the attack.

This is not the first incident of paramedics staff and police personnel being attacked by a mob. Recently, the police had arrested four youths in Panchkula, Haryana for an attack on a team of ASHA and Anganwadi workers who were conducting a survey in the colony on April 8, Wednesday to find out the poor and elderly whose life has been affected due to the lockdown. According to the reports, a Muslim mob of nine miscreants had attacked a police party and ASHA workers at Indira Colony in the city where they had gone for a health checkup.

Similarly, a violent mob had viciously attacked the team of health workers and had even thrown stones from nearby rooftops in the Tatpatti Bakhal area in Indore, where a medical team that had gone to check on a patient with suspected coronavirus symptoms.

The attacks on the frontline workers by Muslim mobs have continued ever since the reports that Tablighi Jamaat is the primary sources of transmission of coronavirus in the country emerged.

In addition to the nuisance created by Muslim mobs, the Tablighi Jamaat members, who have emerged as the sole reason for the sudden spike in the number of coronavirus cases in India, are turning out to be quite a headache for the authorities. The anti-social behaviour of attendees of Tablighi Jamaat has left the authorities and medical teams completely distraught.

Complaint lodged against ‘comedian’ Munawar Faruqui for hurting religious sentiments with his derogatory remarks on Lord Rama and Sita

OpIndia Staff
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Complaint lodged against ‘comedian’ Munawar Faruqui for hurting religious sentiments with his derogatory remarks on Lord Rama and Sita

Stand-up ‘comedian’ Munawar Faruqui has landed himself in a soup after an online complaint was filed with Mumbai Police against him for hurting the religious sentiments of people with his derisive remarks against Lord Rama and Sita. Hindu activist and former Shiv Sena leader Ramesh Solanki, who filed the online complaint, has asked the Mumbai Police to file an FIR against Munawar for insulting Hindu God Lord Rama and Sita in his latest stand-up show.

“I, Ramesh Solanki, is filing this complaint against Faruqui Munawar for insulting Hindu Gods and Goddesses divine to my faith. He(Faruqui) has been continuously doing so on open platforms such as live performances and shows. His activities have offended my Hindu faith. This is intentionally done to incite communal disharmony. He has been mocking Shri Rama and Mata Sita in his videos. Request you to kindly look into the matter and file an FIR against him,” the complaint read.

In his recent stand-up ‘comic’ video, Faruqui uses lyrics of popular Bollywood scores to mock Lord Rama over his 14 years of exile and portrayed Sita as an insecure wife suspicious of her husband Lord Rama’s loyalty towards her.

Faruqui says, “The song- ‘Mera piya ghar aaya, ohh Ram ji’, Ram ji doesn’t give a f*ck about your piya. Ram ji is like I’m myself not been to home in the last 14 years.” Faruqui quotes another popular Bollywood song- “Ek do teen…tera” starring Madhuri Dixit from the blockbuster movie-Tezaab to allege that Sita is suspicious of Madhuri having a soft corner for Lord Rama.

While the ‘jokes’ made by Faruqui in the video are inane and cringe-worthy, they underline the increasing trend of mocking Hinduism and Hindu deities in the stand-up shows. One pertinent point to note here is that only Hinduism is subjected to such derisive ridicule while other religions have largely been exempted from their contemptuous mockery, perhaps to preserve the secular fabric of the ‘humour’.

In 2018, a man named Paras Rajput had confronted ‘comedians’ Masoom Rajwani and Kunal Kamra for cracking offensive jokes on Hinduism. The incident is of 15th April 2018, when Masoom Rajwani insulted Hindu gods and goddess at canvas laugh club Mumbai. Paras Rajput immediately interrupted the show and filed the police complaint the same night. A video was put out by Paras Rajput people can be heard protesting against the offensive jokes made against Hinduism on the show.

A woman was heard in the video daring the comedians to crack offensive jokes against Muslims. The woman said, “You should be ashamed of that you are making such jokes being a Hindu yourself. Say something about Muslims at least once. Stand here and say something against Muslims. If you say even one word, there will be riots here. You are an educated Hindu, you should be ashamed of yourself.”

Times of India ‘journalist’ Samiya Latief wishes PM Modi and HM Amit Shah get infected with coronavirus

OpIndia Staff
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Times of India ‘journalist’ Samiya Latief wishes PM Modi and HM Amit Shah get infected with coronavirus

On Wednesday, Samiya Latief – a Kashmiri ‘journalist’ working with Times of India, wished that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah be tested positive for the deadly coronavirus which has infected more than 2 million people across the world.

Latief, who claims to be an Assistant Editor at Times of India, took to micro-blogging site to share a news report that stated that Congress MLA Imran Khedawala had tested positive for coronavirus just hours after he had met Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Taking a dig at the incident, Latief wondered whether Khedawala met PM Modi or HM Shah, thereby implying that they should also meet a coronavirus positive patient who could infect them with the deadly contagion.

Image Source: @iAnkurSingh on Twitter

Imran Khedawala, the Gujarat Congress MLA from the Jamalpur-Khadia constituency in Ahmedabad has been tested positive for the Chinese coronavirus. He along with some other Congress MLAs, was present in a meeting with Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani held at the CM’s official residence in Gandhinagar.

After her distasteful tweet went viral, Samiya Latief has deactivated her Twitter account.

‘Liberals’, especially journalists, often wish for death upon PM Modi

This is not the first time that somebody from the “liberal-secular” coterie had wished ill for Prime Minister Modi. Just a month back, former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi had indirectly hoped that Prime Minister Modi be tested positive for the deadly coronavirus that has now become a global pandemic.

Former NDTV journalist, Sunetra Chowdhury had a few years ago in 2009 had expressed glee when Narendra Modi had been diagnosed with Swine Flu.

Sunetra Chowdhury’s tweet from 2009

Earlier as well, a journalist associated with The Quint, Suprateek Chatterjee, had tweeted that he was happy to know that Prime Minister Modi was one year closer to death. Incidentally, it was just past PM’s birthday for him when he tweeted, as the Modi hater was in the US when he expressed his desire to see Modi dead. He was a repeat offender and had brazened it out when The Quint disassociated themselves from him.

Even a Times Now journalist had waited for Modi to be assassinated, and another columnist with The Quint wanted Modi to be shot dead.

Uttar Pradesh: Muslim man issues triple talaq to wife for refusing to give him a cup of tea, police registers case against Afzal and family

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Muslim man issues triple talaq to wife for refusing to give him a cup of tea, police registers case against Afzal and family

In a bizarre incident, a woman from Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki received triple talaq from her husband over a cup of tea. The man named Afzal divorced his wife Daraksha and asked her to leave his house with her two-year-old infant. However, since the country is under lockdown amid the coronavirus crisis, Daraksha could not go to her parent’s house and is currently living with one of her relatives close by. A case has been registered against Afzal and his family.

Haji Afzal, who married Daraksh three year ago, had asked a cup of tea from his wife. However, Daraksha turned down his request. This enraged Afzal. And in his fit of rage, Afzal divorced his wife and asked her to leave his house with the child. Daraksha, in her defence, said that when her husband asked for tea she was preparing milk for her infant. That’s why she had declined his request.

Similar events have occurred in the past as well. Last year, a woman from Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh had alleged that her husband has divorced through the Islamic practice of Triple Talaq because of her obesity. She claimed that her husband accused her of being fat and not good enough for him before giving her Triple Talaq.

Similarly, in July last year, a 30-year-old woman had been assaulted and given triple talaq by her husband after she asked for Rs 30 from him to buy vegetables.

Though triple talaq is now a punishable offence carrying a three-year jail term, rampant cases of domestic violence and physical assaults related to the evil practice of triple talaq are reported regularly.

Haryana: Rohtak court opens at night amidst lockdown to help an Indian boy marry a Mexican girl

OpIndia Staff
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Haryana: Rohtak court opens at night amidst lockdown to help an Indian boy marry a Mexican girl

The nationwide lockdown in the country has brought almost all activities to a screeching halt, one of them being weddings. Many couples across the country, who had had the plans of getting married had to delay their weddings indefinitely as the scourge of coronavirus looms over India.

However, while many deferred their marriages to a later date, there are some couples who braved the odds and got themselves hitched even as the coronavirus pandemic rages unabated. One such couple is from Haryana which was fortunate to have tied the knot amidst lockdown. According to the reports, a district magistrate in Rohtak came to the rescue of the couple and opened its doors on the night of April 13 to solemnise the wedding of a local youngster with a Mexican girl under the Special Marriage Act after the couple faced difficulties in marrying due to the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Haryana boy’s Mexican love story

Niranjan Kashyap, a resident of Rohtak, Haryana met a Mexican girl online on a language learning app and fell head over heel in love with her. The couple met on the online app in 2017 and got engaged the next year. As per Niranjan, he had applied to get married to her Mexican partner, Dana Joheri Oliveros Cruise, under the Special Marriage Act on February 17.

“We met on a language learning app. In 2017, she came to India on my birthday. Then this February 11, Dana and her mother came to India for the wedding. On February 17, we applied for marriage under the Special Marriage Act which has a 30-day notice,” Kashyap said.

He further added that the notice was to end on March 18 but by then the lockdown began and they could not get married. He subsequently submitted an application to the district collector after which his wedding was solemnised.

Nirajan said that Dana was supposed to leave for Mexico on March 24 but with lockdown underway and international travel suspended, she had rescheduled her flight to May 5.

Wedding during lockdown

Dana said, “I came to India to meet him in 2017. We later got engaged in December 2018 and I returned to Mexico. I spent two years in Mexico. Due to the lockdown, we couldn’t marry. The deputy commissioner helped us in our marriage.”

The advocate who assisted the couple in getting married narrated how things went: “Both came to us to get married. Since the girl was from Mexico, they can marry under the Special Marriage Act. Later, we approached the district magistrate and he sent requests to the Mexican embassy and other offices for a no-objection certificate. After the NOC was obtained, the district magistrate opened the court and performed the wedding at 8 pm on April 13.”

When is it ever going to be Uddhav Thackeray’s fault?

Abhishek Banerjee
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When is it ever going to be Uddhav Thackeray’s fault?

There is a lockdown in progress and Maharashtra Police is responsible for maintaining it. In the midst of this, a crowd of thousands of people gathers in Bandra. Who should be held responsible?

If you want to believe liberal media, it is the fault of anyone but the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The blame was laid variously on the Railway Ministry, on some private news channels and even the government of Gujarat was dragged into the situation for some reason.

Why stop there? At this point, I am surprised they haven’t asked why BJP ruled Karnataka or Goa are not taking responsibility for workers in Maharashtra. Or why Yogi Adityanath has not arranged special trains to take people back to Uttar Pradesh?

After all, when a large crowd gathered in Delhi a few weeks ago, everyone was asking why Uttar Pradesh government has not arranged for buses to take them to their villages. The workers were fleeing from Delhi towards Uttar Pradesh. You’d think somebody would ask the government of Delhi to explain why people had to flee their state.

But no! By the strange logic of liberalism, the onus was on Uttar Pradesh to rescue people from Delhi. And why stop with Uttar Pradesh? Delhi hosts migrant workers from many other states such as Bihar and Jharkhand. I guess it is also up to the Chief Ministers of Bihar and Jharkhand to arrange for people to be picked up all the way from Delhi.

First, let us clarify something about so called “migrant workers.” The term essentially means nothing. So called migrant workers are not foreigners. They are Indians who are exercising their fundamental right to reside and settle in any part of India. Someone from Uttar Pradesh who lives and works in Maharashtra or Delhi or Karnataka or Gujarat is as much an integral part of the state as anyone else.  To even suggest that the state government of Delhi or Maharashtra can abdicate responsibility for their welfare, that too on ethnic basis, is deeply offensive and deeply unconstitutional.

But who will explain this to our seven star socialists?

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Yogendra Yadav defies common sense

Yes, at a time of crisis, let us all find a way for richer states to send the poor back to their states of origin.

Past precedence in Maharashtra

The other day, when a group of privileged persons was given a special letter allowing them to flout the lockdown in Maharashtra, the blame went to a bureaucrat, not the politicians in charge. Later it was even pointed out that the particular bureaucrat had been put in charge by the previous government of Devendra Fadnavis!

This is quite frankly, comical. Not least for the fact that the Shiv Sena was actually a coalition partner in Fadnavis’ government! In fact, why stop with blaming Fadnavis? I hear the bureaucrat was a 1992 batch officer. Let us blame every political boss under whom he has received any appointment since 1992. Instead of asking the sitting Chief Minister to take responsibility.

Or take this incident.

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Non-Coronavirus patients on the road

I cannot help wondering. What if patients had to stay under a flyover in say Uttar Pradesh? A few days back, a visual of people in UP being made to squat and sprayed with chemical became a story of national importance. Is it any more dignified when patients are huddled under a bridge?

Right now, Maharashtra is in a difficult situation and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has a difficult job on his hands. As Indians, we all stand with him and wish him the very best in this difficult mission. The least he can do in return is assure us that he takes responsibility for what happens within his state.

69-years old Meghalaya doctor dies two days after testing positive for coronavirus, six members of his family tested positive

OpIndia Staff
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69-years old Meghalaya doctor dies two days after testing positive for coronavirus, six members of his family tested positive

A 69-year old doctor in Meghalaya who was tested positive two days ago lost the battle against the Wuhan coronavirus infection on Wednesday. He was the first Coronavirus positive patient in Meghalaya, and became the first casualty due to coronavirus in the north-eastern state.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma wrote on twitter expressing grief: “I am deeply saddened to inform that the first #COVID19 positive patient in Meghalaya passed away this morning at 2:45 am. My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. May his soul rest in peace.”

He added that out of 68 samples collected from the contacts of the doctor, six people have tested positive, and they are the family members and helpers of the doctor. Dr John L Sailo Ryntathiang was the director of the Bethany hospital in Shillong. He had done his MBBS from Assam Medical College in Dibrugarh, and had obtained his MD in medicine degree from AIIMS Delhi.

The CM also mentioned that all six reports are being tested again. Apart from these six samplings, others have been reported negative. Conrad Sangma further added that both the branches of Bethany hospital in Shillong and Nongpoh have been sealed and the primary contacts of the doctor and list of the secondary contacts are been compiled. A 48-hour curfew had also been imposed in both towns after Dr. John had tested positive.

As per reports, the deceased did not have any travel history except his son-in-law who is a pilot by profession went to several countries affected by Wuhan coronavirus and had returned on 22 March. But he did not show any symptoms of coronavirus.

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