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UAE warns Hamas, asks to keep ‘calm’ or lose funding for infrastructure projects in Gaza

OpIndia Staff
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UAE warns Hamas, asks to keep ‘calm’ or lose funding for infrastructure projects in Gaza

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has threatened to stop its infrastructure and investments in the territory of Gaza if the terrorist outfit Hamas fails to reach a ceasefire agreement with Israel. The development comes amidst the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel.

As per reports, the UAE has been in touch with Hamas about various projects, operating in the Gaza strip, for the betterment of the lives of people in the Gaza strip. A senior official from the Arab nation said, “We are still ready and willing to promote civil projects in cooperation with the Palestinian Authority and under UN management (in Gaza), but our necessary condition is calm.”

The official further stated that the residents of the Gaza strip will be doomed to a life of suffering if Hamas failed to maintain ‘calm.’ “Its (Hamas) leaders must understand that their policies are first and foremost hurting the people of Gaza,” he added. It must be mentioned that last year, the United States under the Donald Trump administration has helped to broker a peace deal between UAE and Israel in the form of ‘Abraham Accords.’

The move was criticised by the political leaders in Palestine, following which UAE cut down on its funds for the Palestinian refugees. One of the key projects funded by the UAE in the Gaza strip is said to be energy-related, given that the territory suffers from severe power outages. Reportedly, residents of Gaza only receive electricity about 16 hours a day on average. Following the escalation between Hamas and the State of Israel, the power availability for the Gaza residents has gone down to 5 hours a day. Earlier, a defense official from the Jewish State had informed that Gaza might run out of fuel.

The ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict

The hostilities between the Jewish nation and its nemesis Hamas are at an all-time high, especially after the intense aerial exchanges that started on the evening of May 11 and continued well past midnight. On May 11, Palestinian terrorist organisation Hamas unleashed massive airstrikes against Israel, firing hundreds of rockets inside the country.

The country’s air defence system known as the Iron Dome, intercepted the continuous barrage of rockets targeting Tel Aviv and central Israel Tuesday evening. Israel, in response, stepped up its attacks on the Palestinian terror group Hamas inside Gaza Strip. The Israel Defence Forces carried out airstrikes on targets in Gaza in response to continued attacks by Hamas against Israel. The death toll in the Gaza strip has risen to 181 by May 16. At the same time, 20 high-profile terrorists associated with Hamas and Palestine Islamic Jihad have been neutralised.

While debunking the anti-Israeli propaganda, Israel Defence Forces remarked, “The fact that there aren’t more casualties in Israel does not mean that Hamas isn’t trying to kill Israeli civilians. It simply means that the IDF is preventing them from doing so at an incredible level. The Iron Dome Aerial Defense System and easily accessible bomb shelters all over Israel have saved thousands of lives.” It concluded, “IDF troops will continue to work 24/7 to defend Israeli civilians at the highest level possible and minimize Gazan casualties wherever possible.”

Absconding businessman Navneet Kalra arrested in oxygen concentrators black marketing case

OpIndia Staff
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Absconding businessman Navneet Kalra arrested in oxygen concentrators black marketing case

Khan Market businessman Navneet Kalra who was absconding after 524 oxygen concentrators were recovered from three restaurants owned by him was arrested last night by the Delhi police. 

As per reports, Kalra was arrested from his brother-in-laws’ home in Gurugram.

The concentrators, a crucial medical equipment used for COVID-19 patients, were allegedly brought by Kalra from Matrix Cellular that had imported more than 7,000 machines from local vendors and Chinese companies and sold them at “exorbitant rates” to Covid patients and their families.

The police had informed that the accused imported the equipment at a cost of Rs 16,000 to Rs 22,000 and sold it for Rs 70,000 each.

Kalra was on a run since the day of the raid. On May 5, The Delhi police registered a case against Kalra under Section 420 (cheating), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. 

An FIR was also registered under the Essential Commodities Act and Epidemic Diseases Act, for black marketing of oxygen cylinders prescribes maximum punishment for seven years.

The Delhi High Court on Friday had declined interim protection from arrest. A day prior to that, a sessions court had dismissed Kalra’s anticipatory bail plea, saying the allegations leveled against him are serious and custodial interrogation is required to “unearth the entire conspiracy”.

The raid

The Delhi police had issued a lookout notice for absconding Delhi restaurateur Navneet Kalra.

During a police raid, 32 oxygen concentrators with 9 and 5 litres capacity were found at the Nege & Ju bar, owned by Kalra. After police arrested three persons from the bar, they led the police to Khullar Farm in Mandi Village, where 387 more units were seized.

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

The first raid was conducted after the police received a tipoff from a WhatsApp message where Navneet Kalra had sent his account details to his acquaintances in lieu of a concentrator.

Israel-Palestine conflict: India condemns violence in Israel, Gaza, calls for immediate de-escalation

OpIndia Staff
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Israel-Palestine conflict: India condemns violence in Israel, Gaza, calls for immediate de-escalation

During an open debate on the Middle East situation, Ambassador T S Tirumurti, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), condemned indiscriminate firing of rockets from Gaza targeting the civilian population of Israel. India also condemned the retaliatory strikes into Gaza which have caused suffering and resulted into deaths, including that of women and children.

India also mourned the loss of Kerala nurse who was killed in Israel in bombardment from Gaza. “We deeply mourn her demise along with all other civilians who have lost their lives in current cycle of violence, provocation, incitement, and destruction,” India said. Kerala nurse Soumya Santosh was on call with her husband when the rocket hit her and killed her.

“We urge both sides to show extreme restraint, desist from actions that exacerbate tensions and refrain from attempts to unilaterally change the existing status quo, including in East Jerusalem and its neighbourhood,” Tirumurti said.

Tirumurti further said that immediate de-escalation was the need of the hour. He also said that India supports the just cause of Palestinians and a two-state solution. “Jerusalem has a special place in the hearts of millions of Indians, who visit the city every year. The Old City also houses the Al Zawiyya Al Hindiyya – The Indian Hospice, which is a historic place associated with a great Indian Sufi saint Baba Farid. India has restored this Indian Hospice,” he added.

“Leaders on all sides have a responsibility to curb inflammatory rhetoric and calm the rising tensions,” he said.

Pakistan based CNN contributor Adeel Raja says world needs another Hitler amidst Israel-Palestine conflict, has history of anti-Semitic tweets

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan based CNN contributor Adeel Raja says world needs another Hitler amidst Israel-Palestine conflict, has history of anti-Semitic tweets

Adeel Raja, freelance contributor at CNN, has said that the world needs a Hitler today amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. The Islamabad based news producer has since then deleted the tweet.

Adeel Raja
Source: Twitter

According to his Linked.in profile, Adeel Raja is associated with ARY News and is a freelance contributor at CNN.

Adeel Raja
Source: Twitter

Screenshots of his other tweets have gone viral since then. One screenshot shows him saying that he is supporting Germany in the final of the FIFA World Cup because Adolf Hitler was a German and he did “good with those Jews”. Adolf Hitler is committed a genocide of Jews in Germany.

Source: Twitter

In another tweet, he hailed Hitler.

Source: Twitter

He also compared the situation in Palestine to that of Kashmir in India.

Adeel Raja’s tweet

On 15th May 2021, he tweeted that what the Jews (Israelis) are doing in Palestine is similar to what “Indian Hindus are doing in Occupied Kashmir”. To put things into perspective, ‘Occupied Kashmir’ is an integral part of India as is the part of Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan and China.

There has been an outpouring of hate against Israel in Pakistan ever since the recent spate of violence broke out between Israel and Palestine. Only recently, Pakistani actress Veena Malik tweeted a Hitler quote to justify the genocide of Jews.

In a tweet, the reality show turned Twitter troll attributed a quote to Adolf Hitler and quoted ‘I would have killed all the Jews of the world… but I kept some to show the world why I killed them.”

Pakistanis on social media have also been urging their Prime Minister Imran Khan to nuke Israel due to the campaign against Hamas.

‘Will beat with shoes 100 times and count 1’: Samajwadi Party worker threatens BJP leader Tajinder Bagga for criticising Akhilesh Yadav

OpIndia Staff
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‘Will beat with shoes 100 times and count 1’: Samajwadi Party worker threatens BJP leader Tajinder Bagga for criticising Akhilesh Yadav

Delhi BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga was threatened with physical violence by a Samajwadi Party support on Twitter for criticising Akhilesh Yadav. One Anshuman Singh, who identifies himself as a soldier of the Samajwadi Party, said that he will beat the BJP leader with shoes if he interferes in politics in Uttar Pradesh.

On Sunday, former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav had criticised the Modi govt alleging slow vaccination against Covid-19. Saying that protecting the citizens is the most important priority now, he had said, “we must begin a national vaccination drive now. It must be robust, comprehensive, and immediate”.

Responding to this tweet by Akhilesh Yadav, Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga reminded how the SP leader was spreading anti-vaccine propaganda just a few months ago. Referring to Akhilesh Yadav claiming that he will not take ‘BJP’s vaccine’, Bagga said that people like Yadav as responsible for deaths in India due to Covid-19. He said that when India was trying to vaccinate as many people as possible, Yadav had told people to boycott vaccination and said that it was BJP Vaccine.

This was spotted by the SP worker Anshuman Singh, who proceeded to threaten Bagga with violence for the tweet. Referring to the online fashion store that Bagga runs, he called him a ‘T-shirt seller outside Palika Bazar’, and said now such a ‘low-level’ person has the audacity to respond to Akhilesh Yadav. He told Bagga to ‘limit such shallow activists to his shop’, and threatened that else he will beat him with shoe 100 times and count it as 1. “This is Uttar Pradesh, not Delhi, understood?”, he concluded.

According to Tajinder Singh, Anshuman Singh also sent threats to him through Direct Message on Twitter. He used abusive languages to threat the BJP leader for criticising his party leader, again referring to Bagga’s business.

As Uttar Pradesh assembly elections are scheduled for next year, rivalry between BJP and SP are expected to increase in intensity in the coming months. While SP is determined to grab the power back from the Yogi Adityanath government, Mayawati has announced that BSP will not form an alliance with any party.

From ‘lagbhag mana’ to putting up poster by AAP leader as DP to attack PM Modi, things have come a long way for Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal

Nirwa Mehta
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From ‘lagbhag mana’ to putting up poster by AAP leader as DP to attack PM Modi, things have come a long way for Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal

Times have changed and how.

Remember ahead of 2019 general elections when Arvind Kejriwal, with a very heavy heart, almost in tears said ‘unhone lagbhag mana kar diya hai‘ (they have almost said no) to the pre-poll alliance with Congress?

Well, seems like times have changed and how.

Today, senior Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has ended up putting up a poster allegedly created by Aam Aadmi Party leader as his profile picture on Twitter.

Rahul Gandhi’s Twitter profile

The image Rahul Gandhi has as his profile picture is allegedly created and circulated by Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Gautam who is currently on the run.

The poster reads, ‘Modiji, humare bachhon ki vaccine videsh kyun bhej diye?‘ (Modiji, why did you send vaccines for our children abroad?). It must be noted that no vaccine in India has been approved for children under age 18.

After the posters were put up in Delhi, 4 FIRs were registered at the North West District of Delhi; North East, East, West and Outer districts registered three FIRs each, South, Rohini an Central districts registered two each, and one each was registered in North, South West, Dwarka, Shahdara, East and South East districts, respectively.

The FIRs were registered under sections of the Press and Registration of Books Act, Section 269 of the IPC (whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life) and Section 34 of the IPC (common intention), The Hindu reported.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi had put up the poster and urged PM Modi to arrest him. It is imperative to note here that Rahul Gandhi himself is out on bail in the National Herald corruption case as well as many other cases.

As per reports, Aam Aadmi Party leader hired daily wage earners and other poor people to put up posters across Delhi for money. Except, the people who were hired to put up posters were allegedly not paid the amount promised by AAP leaders.

It is interesting to note that Rahul Gandhi of the grand old party decided to go with a poster created by AAP leader to put as his profile picture considering Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal have not really been best of friends. But it should not come as a surprise either as Rahul Gandhi has time and again aped actions of other leaders like Justin Trudeau and even Kejriwal himself.

Looks like the frenemies have come a long way.

‘F*ck the Jews’, ‘F*ck their daughters, mothers’: Viral video from London shows pro-Palestine protesters advocating rape of Jewish women

OpIndia Staff
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‘F*ck the Jews’, ‘F*ck their daughters, mothers’: Viral video from London shows pro-Palestine protesters advocating rape of Jewish women

A video has gone viral on the internet that purportedly shows pro-Palestine demonstrators abusing Jews in the vilest of words. The video purportedly depicts scenes from Finchley Road, London. As per claims on social media, the video was recorded on Sunday afternoon. The hate speech comes admist the ongoing Israeli campaign against Hamas.

In the video, a pro-Palestine protester can be heard screaming, “F*ck the Jews, F*ck their daughters, f*ck their mothers, rape their daughters”. The video is being widely circulated on social media.

As per claims on social media, the protesters were driving through the Jewish community center in Finchley Road. The protester also implores people to show their support for Palestine.

On the 15th of May, a pro-Palestine mob had attacked Jews in Canada. While attacking, the pro-Palestine mob threw glasses and pelted stones at the Jewish people while chanting Allahu Akbar. One Jewish girl was also molested by the mob.

In a separate incident in New York City, a Jewish man wearing the Star of David was attacked by a Pro-Palestine mob on the 12th of May. The mob running after the bloodied man was shouting “F**K You,” “Run p**sy,” “f**king p**sy run” while throwing glasses and stones at him.

Malerkotla: All you need to know about the 23rd district of Punjab with a Muslim-majority population

OpIndia Staff
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Malerkotla: All you need to know about the 23rd district of Punjab with a Muslim-majority population

On May 14, Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, fulfilled Congress’s poll promise of declaring Malerkotla as a district in Punjab. He wrote, “Happy to share that on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, my Govt has announced Malerkotla as the newest district in the state. The 23rd district holds huge historical significance. Have ordered to immediately locate a suitable site for the district administrative complex,” on his Twitter account after making the announcement.

Congress has promised to make Malerkotla a district

Malerkotla is a Muslim-dominating region. According to the 2011 census, the population of Malerkotla stands at 1,35,424, out of which 92,765 are Muslims making it 68.50% of the total population. The population of Hindus stands at 20.71%, while Sikhs comprise 9.5% of the city’s population. During Assembly elections in 2017, Congress had promised to make the city a district that has been demanded by Muslims for a long time. After Congress won the election, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu had again announced on Eid 2017 that Congress would soon fulfill the promise.

Historians claim no communal tension took place in Malerkotla in 1947

As per historians and locals, during the 1947 riots after the partition, Malerkotla was one of those cities where no communal tension took place. Punjab and adjoining states were among the most affected by those riots due to their proximity to Pakistan.

Stories of communal harmony date back to the 1700s

It is believed that when Governor of Sirhind, Wazeer Khan, ordered to bury alive two sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in walls, Nawab of Malerkotla and cousin of Wazeer Khan, Sher Mohammad Khan, was present in his court. He had objected to the decision and allegedly said his decision was against Islam.

Wazeer did not pay heed to his objection and buried 9-years-old Sahibzada Fateh Singh and 7-years-old Sahibzada Zorawar Singh. Sher Khan left his court to mark his objection. It is claimed that When Guru Gobind Singh Ji came to know about the incident, he thanked Sher Mohammad Khan for standing for his sons and blessed him. Guru Gobind Singh Ji blessed the people and ruler of Malerkotla to live in peace and happiness.

The story was also narrated by CM Singh while announcing Malerkotla as district. He also mentioned the dargah of Sufi Saint Baba Haider Shaeikh, which is one of the most prominent places of worship in the city.

The process of bringing villages under Malerkotla will take time

During the announcement, CM Singh said that the process of bringing villages under Malerkotla would begin once the census operations are completed in the state. He ordered the Sangrur deputy commissioner to mark a suitable building to set up a district administration office. The appointment of the district commissioner will be completed soon for Malerkotla. He also announced a medical college in the district, which will be named after Sher Mohammad Khan, Nawab of Malerkotla. A new bus stand will also be constructed for which the government has already sectioned Rs.10 crore. Several other projects were announced by the CM.

A case of appeasement politics

Soon after the announcement, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, and CM Singh had a war of words over Twitter. CM Yogi said, “Any distinction based on religion is contrary to the spirit of the Constitution of India. Formation of Malerkotla is a reflection of the divisive policy of the Congress party.”

The state irked CM Singh, who called it a “Shameless bid to incite communal disharmony in Punjab.” He asked CM Yogi to stay out of Punjab’s affairs and focus on protecting his own people in UP.

He said, “What does he know of Punjab’s ethos or the history of Malerkotla, whose relationship with Sikhism and its Gurus was known to every Punjabi? And what does he understand of the Indian Constitution, which is being brazenly trampled every day by his own government in UP?”

Understanding Cytokine Storm: What it is and how it may be responsible for Covid-19 related deaths

OpIndia Staff
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Understanding Cytokine Storm: What it is and how it may be responsible for Covid-19 related deaths

The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is much stronger compared to the first wave. India has been reporting the highest number of cases and causalities since April. Covid-19, unfortunately, harms the immunity of those who get infected, putting them at serious risk of getting other diseases that are comparatively rare in general. For example, the cases of black fungus or Mucormycosis are being reported in patients who have recovered from the deadly disease. Another condition that Covid-19 patients are developing is Cytokine Storm.

What is Cytokine Storm?

To understand what is Cytokine storm, first, it is essential to understand what Cytokine are. These are small glycoproteins that are produced by various types of cells in our bodies. When they are released, they promote a wide array of functions, including regulating immune and inflammatory responses. But, if the body releases far too much Cytokine, it can trigger a severe inflammatory reaction which can be fatal. The phenomenon where the body releases too many Cytokine is known as a cytokine storm.

Cytokine Storm can make immune system patient’s biggest enemy

A study done by Benedette Cuffari, M.Sc., claimed that Cytokine storm appears to play a direct role in determining the severity of SARS-CoV-2. She said, “One of the most notable clinical conditions that are associated with cytokine storms includes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which has accounted for a significant number of deaths from SARS-CoV-2,” in her study.

Experts believe that if the Covid-19 patient gets severe Cytokine Storm and fails to get treatment in time, it can result in death. The deaths of Covid-19 patients due to multiple organ failure are believed to be caused by Cytokine Storm. Though the Cytokine are part of the Human immune response and help protect the body from various types of infection and diseases, in some Covid-19 patients, they are believed to begin to grow uncontrollably and attack the cells themselves, severely affecting the patient’s body. According to the experts, Covid-19 has the potential to make the patient’s own immune system his biggest enemy.

Cytokine storm may lead to multiple organ failure

According to a study done by Shintaro Hojyo et al., The cytokine storm in fatal COVID-19 is represented by several pathological features such as ARDS, coagulation, and multiorgan dysfunctions. Cytokine Storm can damage the lungs due to which oxygen does not reach every part of the body. It can swell up the arteries of the heart, increasing the risk of a heart attack. Also, there are chances of thrombosis or blood clotting, which can lead to sudden death. Experts believe that Cytokine Storm is more likely to happen in the second week after getting infected. Thus, the patient needs to be more cautious, and constant monitoring of the condition is necessary.

The oxygen levels fall dramatically during this Cytokine storm making it essential to shift the patient to ICU. Experts say that as Covid-19 is a comparatively new disease and a lot is still unknown about the infection, a comprehensive study is needed on the effects of Cytokine storm on the human body is necessary.

What happens in Cytokine Storm, and how is it treated?

In the case of Cytokine Storm, the body creates a substance known as Interleukin-6 (IL-6), which causes inflammation. The doctors prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs to control the effect and save the organs from any possible damage. In severe cases, the doctors may prescribe potent steroids as IL-6 blockers, but they must be taken only under the supervision of a specialist.

Counter studies questioning the role of Cytokine Storm in Covid-19 deaths

Several experts do not believe that Cytokine Storm is behind the increase in the number of deaths in Covid-19 cases. A study published in September 2020 by Matthijs Kox et al. stated that there was no direct link between Covid-19 and Cytokine Storm, as suggested.

Dr. Philip Mudd, MD, Ph.D., assistant professor of emergency medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, said, “We found that cytokine storm does happen, but it’s relatively rare, even in the COVID-19 patients that go on to have respiratory failure and require a ventilator”. He added that the doctors started giving anti-inflammatory drugs without much evidence to the patients which might not help them in getting better.

According to the paper, when the researchers compared the levels of inflammatory Cytokine in Covid-19 patients with the group of patients suffering from other diseases, they did not find any evidence that suggests it was present in the Covid-19 patients. When they compared the Cytokine levels in severe Covid-19 patients who needed machine support, they did not found evidence of Cytokine Storm comparable to septic shock, which is the most common reason for Cytokine Storm.

Dr. Randy Cron, a professor of paediatrics and medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said that it is true that Covid-19 patients suffer from a higher level of Cytokine Storm, but they are not identical to the reactions caused by other disorders.

Over 4500 Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 days not recorded by the Delhi government: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Over 4500 Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 days not recorded by the Delhi government: Report

Amidst the ongoing second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, an exclusive report by The Hindu suggests that as many as 4500 Covid-19 death cases have not been recorded by the Delhi government over the last 24 days.

As per the report, a cumulative discrepancy of 4,783 deaths was discovered upon comparing funeral and government death toll statistics between April 18 and May 11. 

While the municipal records suggested that 12,833 COVID patients succumbed during the 24-day period, the Delhi government recorded only 8,050 COVID deaths during the same interval.

The variation in the everyday figures was as high as 336 during peak and 32 at its lowest.

The BJP-led civic body has alleged that the AAP-led Delhi government is making a deliberate attempt to hide the actual COVID deaths by suppressing death statistics and excluding suspected coronavirus patients from the tally.

North MCD Mayor Jai Prakash alleged, “The government has been hiding (death) figures since the pandemic started. Not only did they ignore our request for help in procuring firewood for cremations so citizens do not face inconvenience, they are sitting on funds meant to pay salaries of doctors and sanitation workers engaged everywhere from our COVID hospitals to funeral venues.”

Discrepancy in numbers could be due to ‘other technical’ reasons

Another senior MCD official attributed other ‘technical reasons’ to the mismatch in the death toll figures.

“There are two main reasons: the government excluding suspected COVID cases, patients with life-threatening illnesses and non-Delhi residents from the death tally. For us, the last rites of all designated COVID bodies are performed as per protocol irrespective of these reasons,” the official said.

Adding to the reasons, the official said, “The other reason is dead bodies of COVID patients are not being laid to rest on the day of their death. Many times families refuse to claim such bodies for one reason or another; these are then brought to funeral venues for last rites in batches of multiple bodies by the police, NGOs and Good Samaritans.”

The Delhi government has also denied the allegations suggesting many patients die while on the way to hospitalization or outside a hospital on not getting timely admission.

A Delhi government official remarked, “We are completely transparent in all matters and especially the pandemic, all deaths are accounted for. In many instances, patients also die due to comorbidities aggravated by COVID after testing negative either at a hospital or at home.”

Delhi’s Health Minister says government has kept everything “transparent”

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on April 29 told the media that the government had kept everything “transparent”.

Lashing out in response to the allegations, Jain said, “This is not the time to politicise things. Six months ago, the same concern was seen but nevertheless was proved that the numbers were accurate. First and foremost, nobody here wants even a single life lost. Secondly, we do not have any right to conceal the numbers. The death certificates are being drafted constantly, and if the fatality is due to COVID-19, it is being duly mentioned in them.”

Cases in Delhi

As the new Covid-19 cases dip in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a one-week extension of the lockdown suggesting that the gains made so far in combating Covid-19 cannot be lost due to relaxations now.

“The recovery rate is going up and the positivity rate is going down. In the last 24 hours, around 6,500 new cases have been recorded in Delhi and the positivity rate has dropped to 10% — down from 11% the previous day. We cannot let our guards down now,” the Delhi CM said.

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