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AAP MLA Imran Hussain asked to appear before Delhi High Court following allegations of oxygen hoarding

OpIndia Staff
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AAP MLA Imran Hussain asked to appear before Delhi High Court following allegations of oxygen hoarding

AAP MLA Imran Hussain has come under the scanner over allegations of hoarding oxygen from the allotted quota to the Union Territory for making personal profits. Notably, he is the same Delhi cabinet minister who was caught last year flouting COVID-19 protocols and defying lockdown.

A Delhi High Court bench comprising of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli have issued a notice to the AAP cabinet minister Imran Hussain in this regard, seeking a reply from him over allegations of hoarding of oxygen. The bench was hearing a plea alleging hoarding of oxygen by political leaders.

The court order came after the petitioner’s counsel showed a Facebook post referring to the distribution of oxygen by Hussain and contended that there is hoarding at the back. The court then asked the AAP MLA to respond to the claim of distributing oxygen to the public for COVID-19 patients.

The court opined that it would have to be investigated from where the MLA was getting oxygen as even gurudwaras are distributing it.

“He may be getting it from Faridabad, you can’t really have a problem if he is not eating away from the allocated source and he has arranged his own cylinders,” the court observed while directing the cabinet minister to be present during the next hearing on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government counsel assured the court that whether it is BJP leader Gautam Gambhir or AAP MLA Imran Hussain, strictest possible action will be taken if any violation is found out.

It is pertinent to note here that Gambhir and his foundation have been working in Delhi to provide assistance in the battle against Covid-19. The cricketer-turned-politician had earlier tweeted that some crucial medicines for COVID-19 patients were available at his offices and those in need, can take it from there. He had also tweeted that he has arranged oxygen concentrators and those in need can avail the facility.

AAP govt opposes centre’s proposal to conduct an Oxygen audit in Delhi

Meanwhile, the AAP government in Delhi objected to the Union government’s request to the Supreme Court to carry out a detailed audit of oxygen utilisation in the national capital.

It may be noted that for all this while the AAP govt has been cribbing of receiving less than half of the oxygen supplies it needs. Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the centre has already supplied 730 MT of oxygen to Delhi on Wednesday, which was more than the Supreme Court’s order asking them to supply 700 MT of Oxygen. SG Mehta also insisted that there was a need for carrying out a simultaneous audit of oxygen utilisation in Delhi.

The Delhi government, however, continuing it’s blame game, objected to the audit and said that the Supreme Court should instead order an audit to look into the centre’s arbitrary allocation of oxygen and mismanagement of transportation to Delhi and other states.

Uttar Pradesh govt launches testing campaign in rural areas, 5% positive out of 69,000 individuals tested so far

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh govt launches testing campaign in rural areas, 5% positive out of 69,000 individuals tested so far

The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a massive testing campaign in rural areas of the State, amidst the rising Coronavirus cases. It has now come to light that only 3,551 individuals (about 5%) tested positive during the rapid antigen test conducted on 69,474 people, reported The Times of India.

The Yogi Adityanath government has initiated a 5-day door-to-door testing campaign in 97,000 revenue villages. Teams have been dispatched to visit every single home, check individuals for Coronavirus-related symptoms, conduct rapid antigen tests, isolate individuals who test positive and provide the necessary medicines.

At the same time, the team deployed by the Uttar Pradesh government has been asked to arrange for telephonic conversation of Coronavirus patients with doctors. The team has been directed to provide necessary medical facilities to Coronavirus patients. Besides, they have been tasked to check oxygen saturation using an oximeter and conduct other tests to determine the health condition of the villagers.

Screening and testing done by monitoring committees: Govt spokesperson

While speaking on the development, a government spokesperson informed, “To prevent the spread of novel coronavirus in rural UP, a mass testing drive has been launched in villages. Teams are going to all houses to provide treatment and counsel patients. Door-to-door screening and testing are being done by monitoring committees.”

He further added, “Members of the monitoring committee and rapid response teams are starting work from early morning itself. The five-day campaign aims at identifying people with Covid symptoms in villages and getting them hospitalized. For this, members of the monitoring committees and OPTS have been provided medical kits and antigen test kits.”

Yogi Adityanath exhibits proactiveness in conducting 3rd phase of the vaccination

On May 1, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that the state has received about 1 crore Coronavirus vaccine doses to kickstart the third phase of the vaccination drive. The development comes days after the government had placed the order for vaccine doses following the Centre’s decision to immunise individuals between the age of 18-45 years.

While speaking to the media, Yogi Adityanath informed, “We ordered 1 crore vaccines. We have received vaccines for the 45+ category too. We have purchased directly from the companies. We have also floated global tenders for 5 crore vaccines in the state. I am sure that we will be able to take this forward successfully.” On April 19, the Centre had announced that individuals above the age of 18 years will be eligible for the Coronavirus vaccination programme from 1st May. The Union government had also permitted states to directly procure vaccines from the manufactures.

USA: Separatist group ‘Black Hammer’ acquires 200 acres of Colorado Land to create independent Communist city

T Waraich
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USA: Separatist group ‘Black Hammer’ acquires 200 acres of Colorado Land to create independent Communist city

Black Hammer, a Black separatist, communist group, has acquired 200 acres of land in Colorado, the USA to establish an “ethnostate” i.e a sovereign state where citizenship is restricted to members of a particular racial or ethnic group, for “colonized people”. “Thanks to all of you, Black Hammer has successfully liberated 200 acres of land to build our city. FOR COLONIZED PEOPLE ONLY! We are located high up in the mountains, 10,000 feet in the air with RICH soil! We have one lake and three rivers on the land!”, the communist group announced the news on Twitter.

Announcement of the communist ethnostate on Twitter

The Black Hammer organization has its own website, where they state that their ethnostate, named Hammer City, will create a “city for all people of color to be free” with no “discrimination of nationality, gender, age or mental/physical differences.” By their own description, “Hammer City” will exclude all White people based on their race. According to Black Hammer, the communist ethnostate will provide residents with “jobs, housing, food, and healthcare” while retaining a “no cops, no rent, no Coronavirus” and “no white people” policy.

Black Hammer has a GoFundMe page for people who wish to fund Hammer City where they have accumulated over $64,000 in donations. In a justification for the fundraising through GoFundMe, Black Hammer wrote:

“On top of fighting against the police and horizontal violence, Black and Colonized people are battling coronavirus. The US government is exposing Black and Colonized people to the disease. Their negligence to our communities as well as pushing this narrative of ‘essential workers’ are killing us at alarming rates … Enough is enough. The Democrats and Republicans’ answer to our problem is to vote, while they continue to poison, cage, and murder us. The so-called “white left’s” response to us is recycled movements that continue to fail … It’s time we turn to each other and design, plan and build what we need to protect our families and communities. Hammer City is being built by Colonized people, governing ourselves, and designing our own city from a decolonized mindset.” 

The Black Hammer organization has also been called out for its overt anti-Semitism. In a now-deleted tweet, Black Hammer’s Twitter account addressed critics who asked how the group would “keep warm in the mountains.” The tweet, which stated “don’t y’all already know it just takes a good book to burn and some nice wood … best believe we have plenty of copies to keep us warm all season long,” exhibited two pictures; one of a campfire and the other of holocaust victim Anne Frank’s biography. 

Black Hammer’s tweet regarding Holocaust victim Anne Frank

This isn’t the only time the organization has referred to Anne Frank. On Tuesday, Black Hammer claimed that Anne Frank’s father “went abroad and killed African people everyday”, calling him a “bleach demon”.

On the Black Hammer website, there is a section titled “Reparations”. Here, the organization gives ‘White’ people the opportunity to be a “good person on the right side of history” by allowing people to join the so-called ‘Reparations Corps’, making monthly reparation payments or offering skills to the Hammer City project. The organization advertises three distinct levels of reparation payments, beginning at the $40 ‘Che level’, named after the communist leader Che Guevara, and ending at the $199 minimum ‘Mao level’, named after Mao Zedong.

On their website, Black Hammer promises to give “poor and working-class colonized people full control” over their lives. The organization defines “colonized people” as “people of color,” who according to the organization had “suffered through generations of Colonialism: slavery, war, and poverty.” 

Mocked online

The group’s efforts to establish a communist ethnostate for “colonized people” have been relentlessly mocked online. Many commentators online have noted that the land purchased by Black Hammer is not arable land and thus not suitable for agriculture. Commentators also noted the issue of water rights in Colorado, and how Black Hammer would need a permit to divert the water from the river, or to dig a well.

It is a reminder of the CHAZ, or the ‘Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone’ established by a large group of BLM (Black Lives Matter) protestors last year in Seattle, Washington, USA. The BLM protestors had occupied a roughly four-block area in Seattle’s Capitol Hill had declared it autonomous and ‘police free’. They had placed barricades and had been squatting on public areas, and looting local businesses to carry out the protests. After a few weeks of media glorification, the area was finally cleared by the Seattle police, as per the mayor’s orders. During the few weeks of CHAZ’s existence, violent crimes, especially crimes against women had been rampant in the area.

Shahbuddin redux: Media reports death of Chhota Rajan due to Covid, media says he is still alive

OpIndia Staff
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Shahbuddin redux: Media reports death of Chhota Rajan due to Covid, media says he is still alive

Media reports had stated that underworld don Chhota Rajan died at AIIMS New Delhi on Friday after he was infected with Covid-19.

However, soon after, ANI quoted AIIMS staffers saying that Rajan is still alive and is being treated for Covid.

Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje alias Chhota Rajan was admitted to AIIMS on 27th April after testing positive for Coronavirus in Tihar jail. He was lodged in the Tihar jail in New Delhi since his arrest after he was deported from Bali in Indonesia, in 2015.

On April 27, an assistant jailor of the Tihar jail informed a sessions court in Mumbai that they could not produce Rajan via video conference before the judge for hearing in a case, as Chhota Rajan has tested positive for Covid-19 and he has been admitted to the AIIMS in Delhi.

He was facing several criminal cases which were shifted to the CBI, and a special court was constituted to try them. The former underworld don is facing as many as 70 criminal cases relating to various crimes like extortion, smuggling, drug trafficking, murder etc in Mumbai. In 2018, Rajan was convicted in the 2011 murder case of journalist Jyotirmoy Dey, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. In March this year he was also sentenced to 10 years in jail in attempted murder case of bookie-turned-builder Ajay Goslia.

Rajendra Sadashiv Nikalje had started his criminal career as a black marketeer of cinema tickets in Mumbai. Later he joined the joined the Bada Rajan gang in 1982. After Bada Rajan was shot dead, Chhota Rajan took over the gang. He had worked for Dawood Ibrahim who had fled to Dubai.

During the gang ward between Arun Gawli and Dawood’s gangs, Chhota Rajan had become the right-hand man of Dawood. But he had left the D-Company in 1993 and had formed an independent gang, and had regularly clashed with his former gang.

In 2000, Dawood Ibrahim’s men had attempted to kill Chhota Rajan in Bangkok, but it was not successful.

In October 2015, Rajan was arrested in Bali in Indonesia acting on a tip-off from Australian police. He was extradited from Bali to India on 6 November 2015 after 27 years on the run, and was awaiting trial in several cases against him.

This only hurts nation: Several CMs, including YS Jagan Mohan Reddy slam UPA’s Jharkhand CM for petty politics over call by PM Modi

OpIndia Staff
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This only hurts nation: Several CMs, including YS Jagan Mohan Reddy slam UPA’s Jharkhand CM for petty politics over call by PM Modi

On Thursday (May 7), Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after the latter had called to inquire about the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic in the State.

Since then, several Chief Ministers of States have come forth to condemn the petty politics that was played by Jharkhand CM and Congress ally Hemant Soren.

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, YS Jaganmohan Reddy took to Twitter to condemn the tweet by Hemant Soren. He tweeted that such politics only harms the nation and while he considers Soren his brother, it is the time to put aside petty politics and come together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

He further said that in this war against COVID-19, it was not the time to point fingers but come together to strengthen the hands of PM Modi to effectively combat the pandemic.

N Biren Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur too tweeted condemning the politics by UPA CM. He said that whenever PM Modi called, he had always been reassuring.

Prema Khandu, the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh said that it was time to stand together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are not safe, unless all are safe”, he said.

The Chief Minister of Mizoram too to Twitter to say that everyone was lucky to have a responsible and attentive Prime Minister like PM Modi.

Chief Minister of Nagaland said that he disagreed with Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and hoped he would retract his statement.

And finally, the CM of Assam too slammed the UPA CM.

PM Modi today, had rung Lieutenant Governors of Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir, besides the Chief Ministers of Telangana, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh to review the ongoing vaccination drive and increase production of vaccines in the upcoming months. Following that, UPA CM of Jharkhand had decided to play petty politics.

In a tweet, Hemant Soren alleged that PM Modi did not listen to him and chose to give a ‘monologue’ instead during the telephone conversation. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called today. He only spoke his mind (Mann ki baat). It would have been better if he had talked something useful or listened to something useful that I had to offer.”

While Prime Minister Modi had called the Chief Ministers personally to take stock of the ongoing pandemic and the problems faced by the states, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren seems to have taken this opportunity to play politics instead and indulge in public grand-standing. 

While opposition parties have targeted the Prime Minister in the most uncouth manner on several occasions, turning an administrative call into a public spectacle can be considered a new low. 

Watch: Police personnel attacked by mob in Sangamner, vehicles damaged, employees of Zubair hotel booked

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: Police personnel attacked by mob in Sangamner, vehicles damaged, employees of Zubair hotel booked

Some videos have gone viral on social media wherein a mob of 100 to 150 people are seen chasing, hurling bricks and beating up a police officer in Sangamner in the Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra. The unruly mob attacked the officer when he tried to enforce the lockdown. Two policemen were injured in the incident of stone-pelting. 

In one of the videos, the mob is seen chasing a police officer while he runs for his life. According to reports, the crowd not only chased the policemen and threw bricks but also vandalised two police vehicles and a police post set up under a tree in the area.

According to local media, the violence broke out when the police team stopped some youths wandering on the Tinbatti Chowk in the Delhi Naka area, Sangamner on Thursday evening amidst the lockdown. Most in the crowd were not wearing masks. Social distancing was not being observed.

When the police personnel chased the youths and ordered them to go home, they started to argue, and the heated exchanges soon led to a scuffle. A large mob then poured on to the streets and attacked the police personnel.

As the tension spread, police reinforcements were rushed in, and the Rapid Action Force personnel deployed in the area.

Based on a complaint lodged by police officer Salman Sheikh, a case was registered against several unidentified people and the driver of one Zubair Hotel and all its employees namely Nisar Khichdiwala, Zakir Khan, Mohammad Hanif Rashid Sheikh and Arbaaz Sheikh. They have been charged for obstructing a public servant from discharging his duties, damaging public property and rioting.

Indic Collective writes twice to Supreme Court to list petition on Bengal violence for urgent hearing, court pays no heed

OpIndia Staff
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Indic Collective writes twice to Supreme Court to list petition on Bengal violence for urgent hearing, court pays no heed

On May 3, 2021, a day after the results of the Assembly elections were declared, the Indic Collective Trust (ICT) had moved the Supreme Court through advocate Suvidutt Sundaram over the post-poll violence that has erupted in West Bengal. The ICT had sought directions for the deployment of central forces to restore law and order in the state. Four days on, the Supreme Court is yet to hear the petition.

Today, Indic Collective Trust, through a thread of Tweets rued that its repeated efforts to get it’s petition listed for urgent hearing failed, as the apex court is yet to hear their petition which was filed on May 3.

ICT informed that though by the afternoon of May 4, 2021, they had addressed and cleared all queries raised by the SC Registry, yet the matter was not listed on May 5th.

It furthered that it requested the apex court to list the matter urgently citing the grim situation in Bengal. Accordingly, ICT’s arguing Counsels Senior Advocate Ms Pinky Anand and Mr J Sai Deepak along with the Advocate on Record Mr Suvidutt Sundaram sought to orally mention the matter before Justice UU Lalit on May 6, 2021. “However, the said request too was not allowed by SC Registry despite being informed of the grave urgency in the matter”, wrote the Indic Collective Trust.

ICT shot the second letter of urgency on May 6th, which was also turned down by the Registry.

Saying so, ICT asserted that since today is the last working day of the Supreme Court before it shuts for summer until June 28, 2021, they would seek its urgent listing once more before a vacation bench, adding that it was also working on alternatives as they have ample proof of the ghastly targeted post-poll violence in West Bengal.

Indic collective moves SC citing deliberate inaction by Mamata Banerjee

We reported that ICT through its petition had sought directions for the constitution of a Special Investigative Team (SIT) to investigate the involvement of politicians in the current spate of post-poll violence that is underway. It also seeks directions for the immediate prosecution and arrest of those responsible for the spate of violence.

It had also requested the Supreme Court to declare that the constitutional machinery in the state has broken down within the meaning of Article 356. President’s Rule is imposed on a state through Article 356 if the President is satisfied that the governance of the state cannot be carried according to the provisions of the Constitution.

Bengal post-poll violence: Mamata govt denies extension of stay to NCW chief, denies access to victims of violence

OpIndia Staff
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Bengal post-poll violence: Mamata govt denies extension of stay to NCW chief, denies access to victims of violence

On Thursday, National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma announced that she had been refused a one-day extension of her West Bengal visit which seeks to help women affected by the post-election violence in the state. The official reason for this refusal is the recently introduced partial lockdown measures in the state. This official reason was revealed by Rekha Sharma herself through a social media post.

The NCW chief had been on an official visit to Kolkata since May 5 in order to hear the grievances of women going through post-election violence. In order to better access the situation, the NCW chief had extended her visit for another day, however, this extension was quickly refused by the West Bengal TMC government. In their refusal for extension, the WB govt has stated that all concerned officials will be busy in Covid handling.

“Yesterday I extended my visit to Kolkata for a day but State Gov. didn’t want me to, so they sent this message to me as if I was here for a pleasure trip,” wrote Rekha Sharma. “In this 2 days trip met many women, saw so much pain in their eyes, and recorded horrible stories,” the NCW chief added, giving a plausible explanation as to why she would extend her official visit.

Bengal post-election violence and MHA response

Soon after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) was found surpassing the BJP during the vote counting for the Vidhan Sabha elections, the goons of the ruling dispensation unleashed violence against their political opponents. Multiple videos have also come forward showing that a spate of looting, arson, and violence has erupted in the state, perpetrated by TMC goons.

Yesterday, MHA constituted a four-member fact-finding central team to assess the ground situation in the state and submit its report on post-poll violence in the next 48-72 hours to the Union Home Ministry. The step was taken after repeated reminders to the Mamata Banerjee government to submit a detailed report on the post-poll violence, which went unheard.

Delhi’s Covid black marketing: Day after 419 oxygen concentrators were recovered, 96 more recovered from Khan Market restaurant

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi’s Covid black marketing: Day after 419 oxygen concentrators were recovered, 96 more recovered from Khan Market restaurant

The Delhi Police has recovered 96 oxygen concentrators from one Khan Chacha restaurant at Khan Market in Delhi. Journalists have shared a video of the same on social media.

Only a day earlier, 419 oxygen concentrators had been recovered from a restaurant-cum-bar in Lodhi Colony. Four people were arrested in connection with the same by the Delhi Police.

“During area patrolling, suspicious activity was noted at the outlet which was found open. When enquired, a person was found working on a laptop and handling orders of oxygen concentrator by ‘Xpect Everything online portal’. During search of the premises, 32 boxes of concentrators having capacity of 9 and 5 litres were seized,” DCP Thakur had stated.

An FIR was registered against manager Hitesh and three others, Gaurav, Satish and Vikrant. They led the police to Khullar Farm, Mandi village where 387 more oxygen concentrators were seized.

The hoarded oxygen concentrators were being sold in the black market at extremely high prices. Earlier on Thursday, the Delhi government objected to the Union government’s request to the Supreme Court to carry out a detailed audit of oxygen utilisation in the national capital.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the centre has already supplied 730 MT of oxygen to Delhi on Wednesday, which was more than the Supreme Court’s order asking them to supply 700 MT of Oxygen. SG Mehta also insisted that there was a need for carrying out a simultaneous audit of oxygen utilisation in Delhi.

“Unloading is taking too long since Delhi has a huge excess supply. This is causing a delay in the turnaround of tankers and fresh supplies. Any plan will only succeed if tankers and containers unload in a maximum of eight hours so that they can go back to the eastern part of India or Gujarat and get more supplies for replenishing the stocks,” he added.

Arvind Kejriwal govt opposes centre’s proposal to conduct an Oxygen audit in Delhi

OpIndia Staff
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Arvind Kejriwal govt opposes centre’s proposal to conduct an Oxygen audit in Delhi

On Thursday, the Delhi government objected to the Union government’s request to the Supreme Court to carry out a detailed audit of oxygen utilisation in the national capital.

According to the reports, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the centre has already supplied 730 MT of oxygen to Delhi on Wednesday, which was more than the Supreme Court’s order asking them to supply 700 MT of Oxygen. SG Mehta also insisted that there was a need for carrying out a simultaneous audit of oxygen utilisation in Delhi.

Requesting an audit to know the real demand for Oxygen in Delhi, SG Mehta said that some experts believed that Delhi could manage the situation with 500-600 MT with proper distribution and utilisation the way Mumbai has been doing. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta accused the Delhi government of being slow in offloading oxygen from tankers and allowing them to go back for a refill.

“Unloading is taking too long since Delhi has a huge excess supply. This is causing a delay in the turnaround of tankers and fresh supplies. Any plan will only succeed if tankers and containers unload in a maximum of eight hours so that they can go back to the eastern part of India or Gujarat and get more supplies for replenishing the stocks,” he added.

Stressing that Delhi was unnecessarily seeking excess oxygen, the SG said, “On Wednesday, not one complaint of stock out was received from Delhi. It may be noted that this was based on supplies of oxygen of 585 MT the day before on May 4, made to Delhi.”

Mehta informed that though the SC had directed the Centre to maintain 700 MT oxygen supply to Delhi until Monday, the supplies would drop to 560 MT on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Delhi govt objects to Oxygen audit, says SC should audit centre’s arbitrary decisions

Meanwhile, the Delhi government, objecting to the audit, said that the Supreme Court should rather order an audit to look into the centre’s arbitrary allocation of oxygen and mismanagement of transportation to Delhi and other states. Appearing for the Delhi government, senior advocate Rahul Mehra said the centre’s allocation of Oxygen to Delhi did not reflect ground realities and was mere paperwork, and if at all an audit was required, it should be of the central government’s arbitrary allocations.

Responding to the Delhi government’s allegations, the solicitor general said a survey was conducted on Wednesday evening about the oxygen stock at 56 major hospitals in Delhi and 11 oxygen refillers.

“The findings of the survey showed significant stock in hospitals in Delhi. Large quantities of oxygen, which reached Delhi in the evening yesterday (730 MT), have still not been distributed to hospitals, and that will improve the stock further,” he said.

However, Mehra claimed that the centre was carrying a witch-hunt against the Delhi government in this difficult time. However, the bench said that it would not allow courts to be used as a platform for the recrimination or a witch-hunt against the Delhi government.

The Delhi government also added that increasing oxygen allocation for Delhi by another 200 MT would result in a cut of 2-3% of allocations for other states. “The Centre keeps repeating that increasing Delhi’s allocation will reduce that of other states. It does not lie in the Centre’s mouth to say this when no state has complained till now. The Centre has not been able to meet the demand of 700 MT and is now going to reduce it to 560 MT for the next three days. This is continuing contumacious conduct by the Centre,” Mehra said.

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