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Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar blames Kumbh Mela for COVID-19 surge, says returnees will distribute Coronavirus as ‘prasad’

OpIndia Staff
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Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar blames Kumbh Mela for COVID-19 surge, says returnees will distribute Coronavirus as ‘prasad’

It appears that Shiv Sena leaders have decided to blame Kumbh Mela for their failures in handling the coronavirus outbreak in Maharashtra. After Sanjay Raut held Kumbh Mela responsible for the surging number of COVID-19 cases in the country, the Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar has now slammed the organisation of Kumbh Mela, stating that those returning from the Kumbh Mela will distribute the coronavirus as ‘prasad’. It may be noted that Sanjay Raut had himself held massive rallies and roadshows in Karnataka recently.

“Those returning from Kumbh Mela to their respective states will distribute Corona as ‘prasad’. All these people should be quarantined in their respective states at their own cost. In Mumbai also, we’re thinking of putting them under quarantine on their return,” Pednekar said.

Mumbai mayor compares Kumbh Mela with Markaz Nizamuddin congregation

The Mumbai mayor also compared the Kumbh Mela to the Markaz Nizamuddin event organised by Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi in March 2020 that had quickly become one of the most potent coronavirus hotspots in the country. Ms Pednekar claimed that the Kumbh Mela returnees pose a similar threat as those who returned to Maharashtra after attending the Markaz event.

“I have no idea who has gone there, who is coming back. I have no knowledge about the Kumbh Mela returnees. However, just like the last time when 27 Muslims that had returned from the event(Markaz Nizamuddin) that had happened in Delhi, the people returning from Kumbh Mela also pose a similar threat to the coronavirus outbreak in the state,” Pednekar said.

However, while taking potshots at Kumbh Mela that holds special significance for Hindus and comparing it with Markaz Nizamuddin, Pednekar revealed Maharashtra state’s unpreparedness in dealing with the expanding coronavirus outbreak. Pednekar’s utterances betrayed that the government has no idea how many devotees had attended the Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand and how they are coming back.

Maharashtra’s mishandling of the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak

Pednekar’s candid admission is a testament to the state’s woefully bungled handling of the coronavirus outbreak. Ever since the threat of the second wave of coronavirus loomed over the country, Maharashtra has been the top contributors to the total number of coronavirus cases in the country, reporting over 60,000 cases on April 16.

The situation is so grim that there are hardly any vacant beds, ventilators, ICU beds available in most cities of the state. The health system is under tremendous pressure as the COVID-19 cases continue to mount. There has been an acute shortage of Remdesivir—a key antiviral drug, and supplemental oxygen in the state. The scarcity of oxygen is particularly serious, given that Uddhav Thackeray asked IAF assistance from PM Modi to airlift oxygen from neighbouring states.

Even testing capabilities are under tremendous strain due to the inexorable rise in the number of coronavirus cases. Many testing centres have been witnessing serpentine queues as people suspected of being infected are lining up to get themselves tested.

This has naturally created a backlog in testing at several laboratories across the state. The spike in Covid-19 cases precipitated by the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic and state guidelines mandating negative RT-PCR tests for those working in public transportation, home delivery services, film shoots, roadside eateries, and other categories have likely played a crucial role in exacerbating the testing backlog in the state.

As the coronavirus crisis in Maharashtra worsens, the state government is busy in organising large-scale rallies. Recently, hours after blaming Kumbh Mela and ‘other states’ for the surge in new coronavirus cases in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut was seen conducting rallies and roadshows in Belagavi in the bordering state of Karnataka for the upcoming bypoll.

Thousands of people were seen attending his rally even as Maharashtra continued to remain the worst hit by the coronavirus outbreak. The election rally saw brazen violations of COVID-19 norms, with people not adhering to the social distancing protocols and mask-wearing mandates.

Panic amid pandemic: Did we get complacent as we thought we got lucky

Nirwa Mehta
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Panic amid pandemic: Did we get complacent as we thought we got lucky

When the Chinese virus hit us last year, the anti-CAA protestors refused to leave the protest site. Before the protests turned into violent anti-Hindu riots, many Islamists were excited at infections in India as it was considered ‘Allah ki NRC‘. The Shaheen Bagh ‘protestors’ who were ‘fighting for their identity’ refused to leave the site. They truly believed Indian government had cooked up Coronavirus pandemic theory to get them to stop protesting. They were protesting against the fast-tracking of Indian citizenship of persecuted religious minorities in three neighbouring Islamic countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

Essentially, the protestors thought Indian government ‘made up‘ Coronavirus ‘theory’ so that they can continue their veritable anti-Dalit protests.

Eventually, though, when some of their own started getting unwell some realised it is not a myth.

Then the Tablighi Jamaatis were discovered hiding inside the Nizamuddin Markaz, flouting visa norms. At beginning of pandemic, they accounted to about 60% of initial infections. They spat on doctors, defecated as protests in quarantine centres because they continued to believe Covid is a myth. Calling them out was considered ‘communal’ so everyone then became ‘politically correct’.

Soon, as disease and deaths spread, people got more alert and started washing everything that came inside the house. Vegetables, milk bags, everything was washed thrice before storing or consuming. Everyone stayed at home, followed social distancing norms, avoided unnecessary travels and masked up.

Once things started looking better in September, the country also opened up, and rightly so. One can’t stop economic activities indefinitely.

Then came Bihar assembly elections. Cases were still rising. And who all held massive rallies?

Everyone.

Everyone boasted about the massive rallies of Tejashwi Yadav.

In fact, Congress supporters also claimed the crowd at Modi’s rallies was lesser than that of Tejashwi and Rahul Gandhi’s.

Here is the joint rally of Congress and RJD.

On 23rd October, 2020, there were little less than 7 lakh active cases in India.

No one in Congress-Left ecosystem wanted the rallies to end.

In December when the ‘farmers’ started protesting, rioting and blocking roads at Delhi border, these very politicians encouraged the mass gatherings. Congress and Aam Aadmi Party has been explicitly supporting these massive gatherings. Their leaders have even attended these gatherings and given WiFi, toilets, water and other facilities to these protesting crowds.

Everyone thought coronavirus had ‘gone’. Apparently, the ‘protestors’ were somehow immune to the virus.

On January 31 2021 Prashant Bhushan had declared COVID was virtually dead in India. He wanted students to gather and protest.

At this point one wonders how being a professional protestor in India is such a viable career option.

Speaking of professional protestors, here is what our old friend Yogendra Yadav up to.

Yep, organising massive rallies. On April 14. Today is April 17. On April 14, India registered over 14.5 lakh active coronavirus cases amid an unhinged infection.

So what happened? Is it the massive rallies by BJP, TMC in West Bengal that has led to the spike? Is it the Kumbh at Haridwar? Or is it those ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ protests demanding the beheading of Yati Narasinghanand that has led to the spike? Or have we just become complacent?

Are we as vigilant about social distancing, masking up? Or have people got ‘fed up’ of being ‘caged’ and are just getting fake negative RTPCR so they could vacation in Goa or the mountains? If Modi and Shah’s massive rallies are ‘wrong’, are we to believe TMC and Congress is not holding rallies?

Here is April 14, 2021 rally of Congress’ Rahul Gandhi.

Here is Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee holding a massive rally. Most of it got unnoticed perhaps because everyone was busy appreciating Mamata Banerjee’s flash artwork where she painted burnt toast and something that resembled a virus while on a dharna.

Yes, the coronavirus cases are surging and state administrations are crumbling and health infrastructure is on verge of collapse in many parts of the country, but who is to be blamed? Did we all just get complacent that India ‘got lucky’ and let caution go out of the window which led us to where we are today?

Let us admit, we all got complacent. Some stopped masking up and some leaders even said how the cases are so low, there is no need to mask up. Bad timing since just a week later, the cases were through the roof. We started going out, foreign vacations, big weddings, honeymoons in exotic locations. Which is where they ended up testing positive for coronavirus and well, sent out SOS to Indian govt to bring them back. These could have been delayed by a few more months, maybe? The caution went for a toss.

Maybe the state and central administrations also started taking it lightly like everyone else and did not see the tsunami coming. That since we emerged out of the first wave despite the doomsday predictions, we thought we are over the danger. No one saw the second wave sweep across so rapidly.

As a Gujarati, I am even more baffled to see my state struggle responding to the disaster. We’ve survived 2001 earthquake and 2002 Godhra carnage followed by communal riots. A state which has received nothing but hostility from the Centre when Modi was the chief minister. My state has struggled with drinking water because of protests which stalled the Sardar Sarovar project for years. Gujarat has now built such solid infrastructure that potable drinking water now reaches parched lands of Kutch-Saurashtra.

For a state that has managed to create opportunity out of adversity, I am shocked beyond belief at the long queues at hospitals and people struggling for hospitals. We are the pharma bowl of India and if we did not ramp up our facilities in a year’s time to ensure we are better prepared for second or third waves, who are we to blame but ourselves? And we should. But having said that, it is time to chin up and take it on bravely.

Other state governments can continue with their vasooli, extortion and planting bombs, we can do what we are best at – emerge victorious.

And what could our leaders do? Least they could do is stop social media boasting of massive rallies.

And for the rest of us, mask up, avoid unnecessary travel, get vaccines and monitor your symptoms. COVID is curable but we need to be vigilant.

BTW, I am still COVID positive. So if you are offended with anything I wrote, just get lost.

Members of European Parliament take offence to India giving citizenship to Hindus, wants India to not prosecute Amnesty for FCRA violations

K Bhattacharjee
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Members of European Parliament take offence to India giving citizenship to Hindus, wants India to not prosecute Amnesty for FCRA violations

Members of the European Parliament have expressed ‘concerns’ regarding Indians internal matters while calling for greater ties between the European Union and India. The Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) has adopted a report that makes a series of comments on the domestic issues of a foreign country.

However, the emphasis of the report was on better ties and a closer relationship with India on account of India’s rising influence in geopolitics. A press release published on the 14th of April, 2021 notes, “The text agreed by MEPs states that while the EU and India, as the world’s two largest democracies, and as strategic partners, share strong political, economic, social and cultural links, bilateral relations have not yet reached their full potential and require increased political engagement.”

The report, according to the press release, “advocates closer value-based trade relations between the EU and India, and the need to work together on reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO).” “Furthermore, the value of sectoral partnerships is emphasised, with regard to support for environmental goals, public health and the fight against COVID-19, private and public investment, connectivity, data protection and digital services,” it added.

At the same time, however, the MEPs called for the European Union to renew its efforts to improve relations between India and Pakistan and said that the EU is closely following the developments in Kashmir. It does not, however, say anything about the abrogation of Article 370 which indicates an acceptance of India’s decision.

The press release said on China, “They also expressed concern at the deteriorating relationship between India and China, and the role of China’s expansive policy and substantial military build-up in the area. MEPs reiterate their support for peaceful dispute resolution, the need for constructive and comprehensive dialogue, and the upholding of international law on the India-China border.”

The controversial part, which Indians will find irksome, is the section on human rights. It says that the MEPs are concerned with ‘deteriorating human rights situation’ in India.

“This includes reports that human rights defenders and journalists in the country lack a safe working environment. There are also concerns about the difficult situation faced by Indian women and minority groups, caste-based discrimination, as well as the closure of Amnesty International’s India offices after its bank accounts were frozen over an alleged violation of India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), a law three UN Special rapporteurs have asked to be amended,” it said.

The press release added further, “The report also voices alarm regarding India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is fundamentally discriminatory in nature against Muslims and dangerously divisive.”

The text was approved with 61 votes in favour, 6 again and 4 abstentions. The comments indicate that while statements will continue to pour in over ‘human rights’ in India, it is unlikely to impact the growing ties between India and the European Union.

Furthermore, it is ironical that MEPs are expressing concern over human rights in India at a time when Covid-19 vaccine production in the country has taken a hit due to an embargo on raw materials required for production by the USA and EU.

Thus, it is quite evident that the European Union, like the USA, cares a lot about human rights, except the human right to life. Despite their sermons on ‘human rights’, it is abundantly clear that it has more to do with posturing for domestic audience than any attempt to coerce India.

Advocating for closer ties with a country while expressing concerns over its human rights situation might appear bizarre on the onset but is the normal course of affairs in international relations. It is why the USA can continue to sermons on human rights even after bombing countries into slavery and plunging an entire region into anarchy through military intervention.

By contrast, the CAA is a humanitarian law that seeks to expedite citizenship rights for religious minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, three countries where non-Muslims are discriminated against greatly due to their religious beliefs.

With regards to Amnesty, the opposition is more understandable as foreign-funded NGOs often serve as convenient platforms for western countries to meddle in the affairs of a foreign nation. Amnesty, itself, is known to have close ties with the British state, which is no longer a part of the European Union.

Lalu Prasad Yadav granted bail by Jharkhand High Court in fodder scam case: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Lalu Prasad Yadav granted bail by Jharkhand High Court in fodder scam case: Details

The Jharkhand High Court has granted bail to former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in a fodder scam case.

The case was related to a fraudulent withdrawal from the Dumka treasury involving an amount of Rs. 3.13 crore.

Lalu Prasad Yadav had earlier received bail in the Chaibasa Treasure case involving an amount of Rs. 37.7 crore before being granted bail in a case related to an excess withdrawal of Rs 79 lakh from Deoghar Treasury. He was granted bail in these cases on the account of having served half of his prison sentence meted out to him.

As per reports, the Court had rejected his bail on the 19th of February as he was yet to complete half of his sentencing. Following its completion, he applied for a bail in the Court yet again.

The former Bihar Chief Minister was convicted by the Supreme Court in multiple cases pertaining to the fodder scam. The scam was unearthed by then finance commissioner VS Dubey who stumbled upon financial irregularities of massive proportions while reviewing the performance of various departments of the Bihar government.

He found out that money was withdrawn in excess of the allocation by some of the departments and the animal husbandry department topped the list of withdrawals.

This is the best system, earlier, it was in control of Arhtiyas: How Direct Benefit Transfer is changing the lives of farmers in Punjab for the first time

OpIndia Staff
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This is the best system, earlier, it was in control of Arhtiyas: How Direct Benefit Transfer is changing the lives of farmers in Punjab for the first time

Amidst the anti-farm law agitation in Punjab, the Modi government has procured 18.24 lac tonnes of wheat from the State at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) till April 15.

As per reports, the Centre has transferred a total of ₹13.71 crores to the account of farmers in Punjab through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) at MSP (Rs 1,975 per quintal). It must be mentioned that despite all efforts of the Modi government since 2018, Punjab sought exemption from DBT implementation in the State. As such, this is the first time that farmers have received the payment for their produce (at MSP) in Punjab directly into the accounts.

While speaking about the development, Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey said, “We are transferring MSP directly to the farmers’ accounts in Punjab, which has been possible with the cooperation of the state government and arhtiyas…With Punjab and Haryana on board, the entire country is now covered under ‘One nation, one MSP, one DBT’ theme.” He also added that arthiyas will also get their commission directly in their account.

Reportedly, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) will procure a whopping 130 lac tonnes of wheat from Punjab. Till now, around 81.64 lac tonnes of wheat has been procured as compared to the total target of 437.36 lac tonnes this year. As of now, payments are being made to farmers through DBT on the basis of the Aadhar cards and the quantity of crops brought by them to the Mandis.

Success stories of DBT of payments to farmers

Initially, FCI had asked the Punjab govt to hand over land records for payment transfer. However, since many farmers work as cultivators and don’t own their land, the Centre has suggested providing details of cultivators (as is the case in Haryana). Given that the Punjab government gave in to the demands of the Centre to eliminate the middlemen, it received stiff opposition from the arhtiyas.

Interestingly, farmer leader Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) Dakaunda, said the DBT system marks a big day. He further said that for the first time, he got the price of his crop in hand without having to depend on others.

While speaking about the matter, a 39-year-old farmer named Dalip Kumar said that he has been the happiest since he started farming 15 years ago. He had received ₹1.90 lac and ₹1.48 lac directly into his bank account for 171 quintals of wheat sold at the Rajpura mandi. Dalip Kumar cultivates on 40 acres of land and has sold wheat that was cultivated on 10 acres of land until now. He said that this was the first time he received such a large payment at once.

“This is the best system. What could be better than getting paid for our crop in our account? Earlier, arhtiyas gave us a cheque. After we took our crop to the mandi, everything was in the hands of the agent. The final settlement of accounts took time, as the arhtiya always found an excuse to defer the payment even after the farmer had repaid any debts he might have had,” the farmer recounted.

Similarly, 49-year-old Tarlochan Singh from Bankura village in Ropar district received ₹1.56 lacs for selling wheat produced on 3 acres of land. He supported the news system and said it would not sour his relation with the commission agent.

Violence continues during polls in West Bengal: BJP polling agent assaulted allegedly by TMC goons in North 24 Parganas

OpIndia Staff
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Violence continues during polls in West Bengal: BJP polling agent assaulted allegedly by TMC goons in North 24 Parganas

The polling for the fifth phase of West Bengal assembly elections began at 7 am on Saturday across 45 assembly segments amid tight security. Reports of violence started pouring in merely an hour after the 5th phase of polling began in the state. We reported how a BJP polling agent was allegedly assaulted in West Bengal’s North Bardhaman district in the early hours today.

Now, in another incident, a BJP polling agent named Ajit Dhar was reportedly assaulted by a TMC worker as he went to cast his vote in the Haroa constituency in the North 24 Parganas district. According to a report by Republic TV, the Trinamool Congress goons allegedly grabbed the BJP leader’s shirt and threatened him against voting for BJP.

BJP alleges that the party agent suffered a fracture on his head due to the assault. According to them, Ajit Dhar was attacked with sticks by by TMC workers, causing the injury to the head. The BJP worker has been admitted at Bardhaman Medical College for treatment.

The TMC worker asked the BJP agent where he was going and demanded to know why he ‘took money’ from the Trinamool government during Cyclone Amphan. This led to a heated exchange of words between the BJP polling agent and the TMC goon.

Simultaneously, incidents of stone-pelting have also been reported at booth numbers 265 and 272 in the Shantinagar area of Bidhannagar, after TMC and BJP workers got into fistfights and verbal spat in front of central forces over allegations of booth rigging. Several women were also reportedly injured in the attack.

According to another BJP polling agent Subrata Ghosh said that he witnessed the assault on Dhar by TMC workers, and after the incident, he could not enter the polling station. According to Ghosh, no BJP poling agent has been allowed to enter the primary school, where 4 election booths have been set up for the elections.

Earlier in the day, we reported that crude bombs were hurled at poll booth 114 in West Bengal’s Minakhan Assembly. The Trinamool Congress party had pinned the blame of the attack on the members of Peerzada Abbasuddin Siddique’s party Indian Secular Front. Besides, incidents of violence have also been reported from outside polling booth 115 in Minakhan Assembly.

Meanwhile, 36.02 per cent voter turnout had been recorded till 11:37 am in West Bengal where voting for the fifth phase of the State’s Assembly elections is underway today.

Kerala MLA PC George reiterates his stand on Grooming Jihad, says 47 girls in his constituency, including 12 Hindus and 35 Christians, were victims

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala MLA PC George reiterates his stand on Grooming Jihad, says 47 girls in his constituency, including 12 Hindus and 35 Christians, were victims

Reasserting his stand on love jihad (Grooming Jihad), Poonjar MLA PC George stated that the menace exists and that around 47 girls in his constituency have fallen victim to it. He also added that he had been closely following the issue, and most of the cases were reported from Erattupetta.

The Kerala legislator also revealed that among the victims, 12 are Hindus and 35 are Christians. George said he is pursuing the case or approaching the court as the families of the victim are teetering on the brink of committing suicide. He also said that he is convinced that love jihad exists.

Talking about Jesna, a girl who had gone missing in 2018 while she was on her way to her aunt’s house, George said that she had been a victim of love jihad.

PC George’s views on love jihad and why India should become a ‘Hindu Rashtra’

Earlier this week, George said that India must declare itself as a ‘Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation)’ to protect it from turning into an Islamic nation by 2030. He made the remarks during a function organised by a tribal welfare NGO named HRDS India at Thodupuzha in Idukki in Kerala.

PC George reportedly opined that Islamists are planning to turn India into an Islamic country. Furthermore, he informed that the sinister plan was delayed due to demonetisation that was implemented in 2016. He said that Muslims are also encroaching upon Christian majority countries and turning them Islamic. The MLA from the Poonjar constituency added that India must declare itself as a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ to protect it from Islamic takeover by 2030.

While speaking on the menace of Love Jihad, PC George highlighted, “How far will this go? SC has said there is no love jihad. I know love jihad is real, I will say there is ‘love jihad. When I’m saying where we are headed, don’t misunderstand. There is only one solution to put an end to this. Respected Bharath must be declared a Hindu Rashtra”

Christian pastor dupes Jalandhar family of Rs 80,000, converts them to Christianity on the pretext of healing cancer

OpIndia Staff
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Christian pastor dupes Jalandhar family of Rs 80,000, converts them to Christianity on the pretext of healing cancer

A Jalandhar based Christian godman and self-styled faith healer has been accused of cheating a family on the pretext of curing their daughter of cancer. Pastor Balwinder Singh allegedly duped the distressed family to a tune of Rs 80,000. He also reportedly tricked the family into converting to Christianity under the pretext of healing.

The matter came to the fore when the victim family approached the SSP office with a complaint against the Christian healer after they lost their kin to the deadly disease.

In what transpired, Shubham Pandit and his mother went to Jalandhar to meet Pastor Balwinder in a bid to cure Pandit’s sister of cancer. Pandit said that one of Singh’s disciples who met him in Mumbai told him that the Pastor had powers to cure any disease. Therefore, Pandit agreed to meet the Pastor for which he travelled to the Tajpur village church.

Pastor Balwinder Singh at first demanded Rs 1 lakh from treating Shubham Pandit’s ailing sister. Later, the Pastor settled at Rs 80,000. “After making us stay here for 12 days, the pastor gave us oil and water. He termed it holy water. He forcefully converted our religion as well. Neither my sister could be saved nor our money was given back,” rued Pandit.

Pastor Balwinder Singh is a Christian godman and self-styled faith Christian healer based in Jalandhar, Punjab.

Pastor Balwinder Singh’s Facebook page

He has posted several ‘healing’ videos on his Facebook page.

In one video shared by the ‘healer’ two years ago, he claims of immediately healing a broken arm of a woman with his healing powers.

Meanwhile, the Lambra Police Station SHO (Station House Officer) has issued a statement acknowledging receiving the complaint. He confirmed that the investigations in the case are currently underway.

Read- Christian priest with self-proclaimed supernatural powers to heal others admitted to hospital for viral fever

Coronavirus vaccination: Gujarat administers over 1 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses

OpIndia Staff
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Coronavirus vaccination: Gujarat administers over 1 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses

Even as the country reels under the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak, states across the nation have stepped up their efforts to vaccinate their populations with COVID-19 vaccines. Gujarat is among the top states in terms of the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered to eligible people.

As per the latest figures shared by the state’s health department, Gujarat has vaccinated over 10 million people or one crore people so far. According to the daily health bulletin shared on April 16 evening, the state has administered 1,00,13,881 doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Out of the total vaccine doses given, 87,11,085 are first doses while 13,02,796 are second doses.

On April 16 itself, as many as 1,31,826 people were vaccinated.

Rising number of coronavirus cases reported from across the country

While Maharashtra, Delhi are among the worst-hit states in the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak, the number of caseloads in Gujarat are steadily on the rise. Gujarat yesterday reported the highest single-day rise of 8,920 new COVID-19 cases as the infection tally jumped to 3,84,688. The death toll mounted to 5,170 with 94 more fatalities while the number of active cases of the disease in the state stands at 49,737.

India on April 16 registered 2,33,728 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike so far. As many as 1,338 deaths were recorded on the day. The top contributors to this surge included Maharashtra which reported 63,729 infections (accounting for 27% of the new cases), followed by Uttar Pradesh with 27,426 new infections and Delhi with 19,486 new cases. Maharashtra also recorded the highest number of casualties (398) on April 16. Delhi followed with 141 new deaths, while Chhattisgarh registered 138 new casualties.

Actor Deep Sidhu, accused in the Republic Day violence case, gets bail: What the court said while granting bail

OpIndia Staff
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Actor Deep Sidhu, accused in the Republic Day violence case, gets bail: What the court said while granting bail

A court in Delhi has granted bail to actor Deep Sidhu, who was arrested in connection with the violence that swept the national capital on Republic Day this year.

The court granted bail to Sidhu noting that the prosecution’s case against the actor relies largely on the video clips and footage that are available on social media platforms. The court said that there is a remote possibility of content being altered on social media.

“The prosecution’s case rests largely and on contents of video recordings and footage available and accessible to all on social media sites in the public domain. There is a remote possibility of the applicant being able to interfere with the content on such platform.” the order read.

Additional Sessions Judge Neelofer Abida Perveen ordered bail to Sidhu subject to his furnishing personal bond with two local sureties in the sum of Rs 30,000 each to the satisfaction of the court.

While granting him bail, the court has asked Deep Sidhu to surrender his passport to IO, mention the mobile number used by him while ensuring that the number is switched on mode throughout with location activated and shared with the IO at all times.

Actor Deep Sidhu arrested for his role in ginning up riots in New Delhi in the wake of Tractor Rally

On February 9, the special cell of Delhi Police had arrested actor and Khalistani supporter Deep Sidhu for his role in instigating violence and the vandalisation at Red Fort on Republic Day during the farmers’ tractor rally. As per reports, Sidhu was traced by Delhi Police using advanced surveillance technology.

Earlier on February 3, Delhi Police had announced a cash reward of Rs 1 Lakh each for information leading to the arrest of Deep Sidhu, Jugraj Singh, Gurjot Singh and Gurjant Singh, who had gone into hiding following the violence that erupted in New Delhi in the wake of tractor rally on 26 January 2021. A cash reward of Rs 50,000 each for the arrest of Jajbir Singh, Buta Singh, Sukhdev Singh and Iqbal Singh was also announced.

Sidhu had gone into hiding since the day of the Red Fort violence and has been releasing social media videos to blame other ‘farmer leaders’ who have spoken against him. The Khalistani supporters had brutally attacked the security personnel and police officials stationed at Red Fort, they had disrespected India’s national flag by hoisting two other flags with Sikh symbols on the Red Fort. In a video, Khalistani rioters were seen pushing Delhi Police personnel from the top of a high wall, severely injuring hundreds of them.

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