After endangering countless lives with the Wuhan Coronavirus, China is back in the news for a bizarre new craze of blind boxes. Animals are being sent to buyers via mystery parcels (referred to as blind boxes) through courier service. The new phenomenon has sparked off a global debate over the abuse and the ill-treatment of animals in the Communist-run country.
On Monday, around 160 cats and dogs were found in a distressed condition inside the truck of a courier company named ZTO in Chengdu in Sichuan in Western China. The vehicle was intercepted by an animal rescue group named Chengdu Aizhijia Animal Rescue Centre. All the animals in the truck were below the age of 3 months. Four of them were found dead while several others were infected with viruses.
In a video posted by Reuters, puppies and kittens were seen caged in parcels in a warehouse, disguised as regular packages. The volunteers associated with Chengdu Aizhijia Animal Rescue Centre stayed at the warehouse the whole night and fed the animals. The puppies and kittens were also inspected by health officials. On Thursday, the group informed that all animals except 38 were brought back to the Centre for resettlement. The remaining 38 animals had been receiving medical attention.
Around 160 puppies and kittens were rescued from a warehouse that was illegally shipping them as so-called ‘blind box’ gifts, disguised as regular mail, according to Chinese media https://t.co/NU8tk9Ed6fpic.twitter.com/1p2e90kC0q
Courier company tenders apology for illegal transportation of live animals
Reportedly, the blind boxes were to be shipped to various locations in China including Shenzhen, which is located about 1700 km away. Following the controversy, the courier company suspended the delivery executive and deducted his annual performance bonus. It must be mentioned that transporting live animals is prohibited in the country. The courier company has conceded that it has violated the postal regulations of China and tendered its apology. It has also initiated staff training to ensure postal safety and animal protection.
Chinese State-owned media condemns the phenomenon of blind boxes
Despite this, blind boxes containing rats, tortoises, and lizards are up for sale on websites such as Taobao. Meanwhile, State-owned media Xinhua described the ‘mystery parcels’ aka blind boxes as ‘desecration of life’. It has called upon courier companies for self-correction and strengthening self-examination. Xinhua has urged buyers and sellers to showcase goodwill and respect for life.
On Wednesday (May 5), Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro sparked a controversy after he insinuated that the Wuhan Coronavirus might have been developed in a laboratory in China. He suggested that China might have developed the virus as a ‘biological warfare’ tool with the objective of achieving economic gain.
The Brazilian Report quoted him as saying, “It is a new virus, nobody knows if it came about in a laboratory or in a human being (who) ingested a contaminated animal. But it is there. The military knows that it is part of chemical, bacteriological, and radiological warfare. Are we not facing a new war? Which country’s GDP has grown the most?”
VIDEO: President Jair Bolsonaro says the novel coronavirus may have been made in a laboratory to wage “biological warfare,” in the latest comments likely to strain Brazil’s relations with China pic.twitter.com/OB8te4iyev
It must be mentioned that, unlike other countries which saw a drastic fall in their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) following the pandemic, China recorded a growth of 2.3% in 2020. The country is now likely to overtake the United States in terms of total GDP in 2026.
Last month, Brazil’s Economy Minister Paulo Guedes had declared that the Chinese invented the Coronavirus. He made the claim during a Supplementary Health Board meeting on April 7. He had also said that the Chinese vaccines were less effective than those manufactured by the United States. As of April 7, Brazil has reported 10 lac active Coronavirus cases and a total of 4.17 lac fatalities.
Brazilian President distances himself from his remarks
Following the controversy over his remarks, Jair Bolsonaro tried to retract his statement. In his defence, the Brazilian President said that he did not mention any Asian country in his statement. He has accused the ‘malicious media’ of trying to drive a wedge in the China-Brazil relationship.
Coronavirus vaccine can turn you into a crocodile, bearded women: Jair Bolsonaro
Last year, he had launched an attack on Coronavirus vaccines and dismissed the efficacy of the Coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech claiming that it could turn patients into crocodiles or bearded women. Since the emergence of the pandemic, Jair Bolsonaro has been skeptical about it. He had dismissed it as “a little flu.” He had also lifted the lockdown after imposing it, saying their country is safe from the virus as the population is younger and the weather is warmer. The Brazilian President had also termed the lockdown as “hysteria”.
In a statement, Bolsonaro said, “In the Pfizer contract it’s very clear: ‘we’re not responsible for any side effects. If you turn into a crocodile, it’s your problem”. The president further added, “If you become superhuman, if a woman starts to grow a beard or if a man starts to speak with an effeminate voice, they will not have anything to do with it.”
Political violence that was unleashed by TMC goons after the declaration of results to the West Bengal Assembly elections forced many BJP karyakartas and supporters to flee the state and take shelter in the neighbouring state of Assam. We reported how TMC thugs looted and vandalised houses of BJP workers, forcing them to leave the state.
While several were rendered homeless following the post-poll violence in Bengal, a 40-year-old refugee lodged at a refugee shelter in Assam’s Dhubri district, has narrated his harrowing experience and the bitter price he had to pay for voting for BJP in the recently concluded WB Assembly polls in a News 18 report.
Meghu Das, who originally hails from Jhaukuti village under Tufanganj constituency in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district recalled how TMC cadres tried to kill him since he chose to vote for BJP in the recently concluded Assembly elelctions.
The report by News 18 quoted terror-stricken Das as saying: “On Tuesday morning, some people came searching for me. They tried to kill me, saying I voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and hence it’s time for revenge. It’s an ‘eye for an eye’ for them. I somehow managed to save myself and cross over to Assam. At present, I am along with 250 people like me at a clubhouse at Rangpagli village of Dhubri. I am really scared and I don’t know where and how I will perform the death rituals of my mother.”
Das’ mother had recently passed away due to Covid.
Das was, however, not the only one who was allegedly targetted by the TMC workers. Another occupant of the refugee shelter, who wished to remain anonymous recollected how he too came under attack by TMC goons who unleashed carnage in West Bengal, following the Assembly poll results.
BJP booth president was attacked by TMC mob
According to the News 18 report, the BJP supporter who also fled Bengal fearing for his life, lamented: “I went to the market yesterday morning where two of us were at a nearby tea stall. The Trinamool procession which came from the opposite side started pelting us with stones all of a sudden. I am the booth president of my area, and they shouted ‘he is the booth president, catch him’. Sensing the gravity of the situation, I started running. There were around 50 people after me. I jumped into the nearby river and crossed over to Assam. I am relieved now. Had I been caught yesterday, I would have been in the hospital now. In the mob, most of the people were Muslims, except a few Hindus.”
“My crime is that I supported the BJP. They attacked us, looted our property, cattle and mistreated our women. Our own known people. We are fortunate that we saved ourselves,” rued another among the crowd at the refugee shelter in Golakganj, Dhubri district.
Himanta Biswa Sarma highlights the plight of the refugees
While these are accounts of only a handful who were forced to flee Bengal, BJP leader and Cabinet Minister in the Assam government, Himanta Biswa Sarma took to Twitter on May 5 to share pictures of more such people who were forced to leave the state following purported post-poll violence and come to Assam. In a thread of Tweets, Sarma highlighted the plight of the refugees.
“BURNING BENGAL – THREAD As if to reassert might of an abhorring demonocracy led by @MamataOfficial, persecution of innocent by @AITCofficial continue. 21 people including an injured Dhiren Saha (45), facing threats of lives, arrived in Srirampur from Cooch Behar around 5 pm,” Sarma said in a tweet.
BURNING BENGAL – THREAD
As if to reassert might of an abhorring demonocracy led by @MamataOfficial, persecution of innocent by @AITCofficial continue. 21 people including an injured Dhiren Saha (45), facing threats of lives, arrived in Srirampur from Cooch Behar around 5 pm. pic.twitter.com/2iogef75N4
Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that hundreds of people from Bengal, along with their family members have fled and reached Assam where they are being put up in shelters by state government.
Tragic exodus of people from Bengal continues!
Over 450 people, who crossed over fearing ruthless oppression in Bengal, are put up in 2 shelters in Dhubri. They’re are getting relief, & also being tested for #COVID19@MamataOfficial Didi is fueling miseries of people. Shameful! pic.twitter.com/xaBztUFOri
In fact, on the same day, Nandigram MLA and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari had also asserted that over a lakh people have already fled Bengal since the post-poll violence erupted in West Bengal from May 2, 2021.
Bengal post-poll violence
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 that shows that a spate of looting, arson, and violence has erupted in the state.
Centre forms four-member fact-finding team to probe post-election violence in West Bengal
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, went unheard.
Gandhi-scion and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi woke up on Friday morning to launch an attack on the Modi government over the redevelopment project of Central Vista in the national capital.
Taking to Twitter, Rahul Gandhi said that the redevelopment of Central Vista is a “criminal wastage” and asked Prime Minister Modi to put “people’s lives at the centre” and not to further the “blind arrogance to get a new house”.
It is important to note that the redevelopment project of Central Vista, i.e., the redesigning of the existing central secretariat offices in the national capital, envisages a new triangular Parliament building, a new common central secretariat and the revamping of the three-km-long Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate and new residences for the Prime Minister and the Vice President.
Ever since the much-needed ambitious project was launched by the Modi government, Rahul Gandhi and his Congress party have been indulging in politicising the issue by asking the government to shelve its plans on the central vista project. While Rahul Gandhi is busy preaching the Modi government over the Central Vista project, the Congress party-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra has now undertaken a project to construct luxury apartments for the MLAs.
MVA government busy spending crores for new MLA houses in Mumbai
At a time when Maharashtra is struggling to handle the coronavirus pandemic, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government has floated tender seeking bids for the redevelopment of MLA hostel Manora at Nariman Point at an estimated cost of Rs.900 crore. The redevelopment tender floated by the Maharashtra government has now raised eyebrows in the state as critics are pointing out the wasteful expenditure by the government that comes at a time when the state is facing a financial crunch.
The tender floated by the Maharashtra government to construct luxury apartments to its MLAs at Nariman Point in Mumbai/ Image Source: Om Singh
Earlier, the Maharashtra government had entrusted the reconstruction of Manora MLA Hostel in Nariman Point to the central public sector undertaking – National Building Construction Corporation.
In 2017, the then Maharashtra government floated the first tender to reconstruct the Manora MLA complex at Nariman Point in Mumbai at the cost of Rs.400 crore. However, citing delay, the newly elected Maha Vikas Aghadi government had transferred the project to the Maharashtra Public Works Department in December 2020.
As the project got delayed, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government has now scrapped the earlier tender and has now put up a new tender by escalating the cost of the project to Rs.900 crores. Speaking to the Times of India, a PWD official said that the cost of the project might escalate further. The electrical work alone is estimated to cost Rs.250 crore, he added.
Reportedly, the proposed MLA hostel, comprising of two towers, is expected to be completed in three years. If built, the hostel will comprise one 42-storey tower and another 28-storey tower with 675 flats in total. Each residence will be spread over 1,000 square feet, of which 600 sq ft will be for the use of the elected representative. The remaining 400 sq ft space can be used for office plus a residence for the personal assistant of the respective MLA and MLC.
The multi-crore project includes the construction of gymnasiums on the terrace, meeting and conference halls, waiting halls for MLA visitors, a canteen, a grocery, a salon, shops, a dispensary and a theatre. The old Manora towers were demolished in 2018 due to their dilapidated condition. Since then, the government has been paying Rs 1 lakh to each MLA per month to find alternate accommodation in the same vicinity.
Instead of questioning the Maharashtra government over the wasteful expenditure of Rs 900 crore on the construction of luxury apartments to its lawmakers during the pandemic, Rahul Gandhi chooses to politicise developmental projects in the national capital and attacks the Modi government over the ambitious Central Vista project that has been planned and funded even before the advent of the Chinese pandemic in the country.
While the acute dearth of medical oxygen continues to haunt residents of Delhi, a court in the national capital has directed the city police to release 12 seized oxygen concentrators and put them to immediate use to treat police, judicial officers and their family members only.
Metropolitan Magistrate Anuj Bahal was hearing an application filed by the Delhi Police for releasing the oxygen concentrators kept at Dwarka Police Station’s malkhana after it was seized on May 4 from two people namely, Vinay Agarwal and Akash Vashist, who are accused of black marketing them.
The Metropolitan Magistrate passed the order after the investigating officer told the court that many police officers were suffering from Coronavirus and the oxygen would be required to save their lives.
12 seized oxygen concentrators to be put to use to treat police officers, judges and their family members, orders Delhi court
According to the Delhi court order, of the 12 seized oxygen concentrators, two machines will be released to the DCP, Dwarka for treating infected police officials. Three oxygen concentrators will be released to the office of the principal district and sessions judge (HQ), Tis Hazari. Two will be given to the office of the principal district and sessions judge, Dwarka. Three oxygen concentrators will go to the office of the principal district and sessions judge, Saket, while the remaining two to Covid Health Centre at Delhi Judicial Academy, Dwarka.
Copy of the order issued by Delhi court
Copy of the order issued by Delhi court
While distributing the oxygen concentrators amongst police and judicial officers, the court noted: “It is pertinent to mention that judicial officers, due to their nature of work, are also exposed to the deadly coronavirus. A large number of judicial officers and their families in Delhi are infected with the Covid-19 virus and unfortunately, two members of the Delhi judiciary, namely family judge Kovai Venugopal and metropolitan magistrate, Dwarka Kamran Khan, have lost their lives due to the Covid infection”.
“In the best health interest of police officers, judicial officers and their family members, this court deems it fit to release and put to immediate use the 12 oxygen concentrators, seized in present FIR, for medication of police officers, judicial officers and their family members”, the court added.
Shortage of Oxygen in the national capital and AAP Govt’s failure to tackle the crisis
Ever since the second wave of COVID-19 has wreaked havoc in India, many states have been facing a shortfall in oxygen supplies. While most of the states are trying to emerge out of the quandary, Delhi Government has failed miserably to tackle the crisis.
Interestingly, while the Delhi govt is claiming that it is receiving less than half of what it needs, the fact is that the quantity of medical oxygen received by Delhi is more than what Mumbai consumed at a similar number of active Covid-19 cases.
On the 2nd of May, 2021, Mamata Banerjee led TMC came back to power with a thumping majority, bagging 213 seats in West Bengal. The BJP, on the other hand, improved its tally from a mere 3 seats to 77 seats, however, failed to consolidate Hindu votes and really make a dent, as it had hoped to. After the political upset for BJP, Mamata Banerjee took the reigns and a spate of unimaginable violence was unleashed on those who worked for BJP or those who had supported the party in the state.
With men being murdered in broad daylight, lakhs leaving the state because of the violence and crossing over to Assam and women being disrobed, one would imagine that the media would ensure that they maintain the first draft of history. Documenting unbridled violence is never easy, but that is what journalists are meant to do. Ensure that history remembers and their reports prove to be the reference point. But the media, horrifyingly, turned a blind eye.
Telegraph, one of the biggest newspapers in the state of West Bengal chose to write about the magnanimity of Mamata Banerjee instead of documenting the violence. Instead of doing the job that the media should do.
Telegraph front page on the 7th of May
The stories of Avijit Sarkar, Arup Ruidas, Raj Biswas, Rinku Naskar and so many others have been faded into oblivion.
With the media playing Nero’s Guests, the outlet people really had was taking to Twitter. Scores of videos and images of brutally murdered BJP Karyakartas were being shared across Twitter. But, as is known, it was only time that Twitter too started suppressing the news.
My appeal to overturn Twitter’s decision to delete my tweet has now been rejected.
Tweet that was asked to be taken down by Twitter, and the appeal rejected
And what was the tweet? It was merely a tweet asking the Prime Minister of India and the Home Minister of India to visit those who had been affected by the unbridled violence in West Bengal. The tweet included 4 images of brutal violence.
And what did Twitter deem it to be? They thought I was being “abusive” and “harmful”. They thought I was inciting violence. Asking the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to actually visit victims of the violence is inciting violence in itself.
One simply has to ask Twitter – Harmful to whom? To the killers? Is Twitter siding with the murderers in Bengal? Twitter says it might incite violence. HM visiting a state inside India is inciting violence? Same Twitter lets posts by Amanatullah Khan, calling for beheadings, stay and deletes it only after widespread outrage. Facebook, does not even do that.
As we look on, as we live and breathe, our victims are being wiped out from the pages of history. First by the media and then, by social media.
There is a reason you never came to know about the Kashmir genocide of Hindus and the Pillar bases of Ram Temple that were discovered in 1977 by ASI. Thousands of Hindu women were forcibly converted at Noahkhali. Congress working committee then claimed that only 3 were forcefully converted.
In India, led by the great Congress for decades, the whitewashing genocide and crimes against Hindus is an industry called ‘Secularism’.
We don’t have pictures of exodus of Hindus from Kashmir, because media didn’t want u to see it.
We don’t hear stories of dozens of policemen killed by cattle smugglers. Because media doesn’t want us to see it.
We don’t hear stories of the hundreds of Hindus who have been lynched for the same reason.
Social Media companies were a ray of hope. Initially, they were neutral because they were growing. Now objectivity has been clouded by their ideology. Let us not forget that Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey had once openly admitted that the company has a Left bias. And as we know from experience, the Left and the Islamists have common threads of fascism that bind them.
Imagine Left-leaning Twitter having the same policy as ISIS. Beheadings are Halal for ISIS and also for Twitter. But Hindus sharing their plight violates its policy.
Mahathir Muhammad called for the genocide of the French people because the French government displayed a cartoon on their building. Twitter let that tweet be in the public interest. At least that was their first reaction. And that is what actually counts. It doesn’t really matter what they did after global outrage.
Imagine saying Jihad against non-believers is in “public interest”.
Actresses like Mona Ambedgaonkar, calling for death of ideological opponents and cheering it is Halal. But the dying telling their story is Haram.
Tweet that is still up
The dystopia of 1984 is upon us. Where Twitter would let out-on-bail terrorists like Sharjeel Usmani and Safoora Azgar celebrate the death of Journalists like Rohit Sardana.
One handle compares killing of Hindus in Bengal to killing of cockroaches. Pooja Bhatt talks about how hard she laughed.
Let us now forget that comparing human beings to cockroaches is straight out of Nazi playbook.
What Twitter is now doing is akin to endorsing a call for genocide by the Nazis and censoring the Jews when they want to talk about their stories and about the atrocities that were heaped upon them.
Beheadings, genocide, cheering murders by Islamists are all Halal at Twitter India.
But seeking help for victims is “potentially harmful”.
Twitter has taken its stand. It is the Telegraph of TMC, CNN of Biden, NDTV of Congress, Saamna of Shiv Sena and they are not even making an attempt to hide their bias. The only question to be asked now is – who will tame the beast?
Acting on a tip-off, Faridabad police have arrested one Congress leader named Bijendra Mavi for his alleged involvement in black marketing of oxygen cylinders. A case was registered against the Congress leaders under various sections including the Disaster Management Act after the police found 50 oxygen cylinders from his house at Indra Complex Colony, Faridabad, Haryana. Police informed that the accused had hidden the oxygen cylinders in his car.
According to reports, Khedipul police were patrolling on Tigaon Road, Faridabad, when their informer tipped them off about the Congress leader’s involvement in black marketing of oxygen cylinders. Based on the information provided, police conducted a raid. Drug control officer Sandeep Gahlan was also present.
On checking the Congress leader’s vehicle, 42 empty and 8 filled cylinders were found. The police asked Mavi to produce the license and required permits for the oxygen cylinders. When the accused could not produce valid documents, police took him into their custody and seized the 50 oxygen cylinders.
On interrogation, the Congress leader confessed to his crime. He informed that earlier he used to work in a private oxygen cylinder supply company. Owing to the shortage of oxygen supplies in various states amid the Covid-19 surge, the Congress leader started to supply the cylinders in private hospitals on his own. He procured these cylinders from various dealers in Faridabad and supplied them to private hospitals.
The accused confessed that when he supplied oxygen cylinders to the hospitals, he use to secretly take out some gas from each cylinder and refill it in empty cylinders which he then black marketed.
Faridabad police investigating the case informed that the Congress leader would be produced in court and his remand would be sought. A through investigation would be conducted in the said case, confirmed the police.
Black marketing of medical oxygen becoming rampant amid Covid surge
After Remdesivir drug, other sought-after items sold in the black market for profit amidst the existing COVID crisis are medical oxygen cylinders, concentrators, and flowmeters. Recently, several cases of black marketing of oxygen concentrators and medical equipment have recently come to the fore. Owing to this, mostly all states have in the last few days, stepped up actions against illegal hoarding of oxygen cylinders and its black-marketing.
Comedian Sanket Bhosale and the Kapil Sharma Show fame actress Sugandha Mishra, who had recently got married in a private ceremony in Punjab, have been booked by the Congress-led Punjab government for allegedly violating Covid-19 norms.
According to the reports, the comic-duo was booked nine days after their wedding for allegedly breaching the Punjab government’s Covid restrictions during their wedding event on April 26, 2021. In addition to the couple, the Punjab government has also booked the manager of the Club Cabana Resort, where the event took place.
The couple – Sanket Bhosale, and wife Sugandha Mishra, have been booked under the Disaster Management Act and section 188 of IPC for violating the official orders. The Punjab police had booked the couple based on a video of their wedding that had gone viral. Speaking to the media, Phagwara SP Sarabjit Singh Bahia said that they registered a case on Wednesday based on the clip.
Reportedly, the wedding was a private affair, attended only by family and close friends only amid pandemic. However, the Punjab government filed an FIR against the couple for allegedly flouting Covid-19 rules. As per the rules, not more than 10 people can attend any wedding events.
Sanket Bhosale is a comedian, mimicry artist and actor. The versatile actor rose to fame by performing impersonation acts of Bollywood actors like Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan. Meanwhile, Sugandha Mishra is a comedienne, a singer and a television host. She has played various characters in the comedy show – The Kapil Sharma Show and has also appeared in numerous other TV shows.
FIR comes after Sanket Bhosale had featured in an ad that mocked Rahul Gandhi
Interestingly, the FIR against Sanket Bhosale comes just a week after he had come in the line of fire of the Congress party for featuring in an advertisement that allegedly mocked Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
Recently, Mumbai based beverage company Storia Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd had released a light-hearted advertisement to market its new range of milkshakes. The company recently launched its first-ever 360-degree marketing campaign, “Wish it never gets over”, for their range of Storia Shakes.
One of such ads had featured characters which appeared to be making fun of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Actor Sanket Bhosale was featured as a politician in the ad, and his character’s dialogues mimicked some of Gandhi-scion Rahul Gandhi’s political speeches.
As the Storia ad went viral on the internet, the Congress party took offence and had gone on a rampage, vandalising the Mumbai-based beverages’ Andheri East office in Mumbai last week.
Despite strict Covid-19 restrictions being in place in Maharashtra, several Congress workers had barged into the office of the Mumbai based beverage brand and vandalised the entire office premises. The glass windows of the office were shattered, while the office chairs and table were tossed around.
#WATCH Congress workers held a protest today at the #Mumbai office of Storia Foods over the company’s recent advertisement allegedly mocking Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi
A week after the vandalism by the Congress workers in Mumbai, the Congress-led Punjab government has now booked comedian Sanket Bhosale, the actor featured in the advertisement, over the allegations of violating Covid-19 regulations during his wedding.
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. It must be mentioned that PM Modi 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.
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.”
Screengrab of the tweet by Hemant Soren
Citing sources, Indian Express reported, “The Jharkhand CM’s angst was palpable. PM Modi did not ask anything on the condition of the state and on resources and what all the state needed. The state has been struggling to get the required medicines. He just went on and on. This led the CM to write this tweet.” Reportedly, Hemant Soren had been supposedly miffed at the Union government for not including it in the list of places where new 581 Pressure Swing Adsorption medical oxygen generation plants are being set up.
While the Prime Minister had called the Chief Ministers personally to take stock of the ongoing pandemic and the problems faced by the states, the Jharkhand CM 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.
BJP hits back at Hemant Soren
BJP MLA from Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, slammed the Jharkhand CM for his disrespectful tweet towards the Prime Minister. In his tweet on Friday (May 7), he wrote, “Your tweet is not only against undignified, but also mocks the suffering of the people of Jharkhand. PM Modi had called to learn about the challenges faced by the same people. You have done a petty job. You have lowered the status of the CM’s post.”
आपका यह ट्वीट न सिर्फ़ न्यूनतम मर्यादा के ख़िलाफ़ है बल्कि उस राज्य की जनता की पीड़ा का भी मजाक़ उड़ाना है जिनका हाल जानने के लिए माननीय प्रधानमंत्री जी ने फ़ोन किया था। बहुत ओछी हरकत कर दी आपने। मुख्यमंत्री पद की गरिमा भी गिरा दी https://t.co/AIm0V6uc17
Arvind Kejriwal live telecasts closed-door meeting with PM Modi
Earlier, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also tried to pull off a similar stunt. Last month, he went live during a closed-door meeting between Prime Minister Modi and the Chief Ministers of high burden states. The Prime Minister himself was not happy with Kejriwal for breaking protocols and chastised the Delhi CM for it. A video had emerged where Prime Minister Modi was offering a strong rebuke to Arvind Kejriwal for breaking protocols. He told Kejriwal, “You have broken a very important protocol, such private conversations are never televised. It is not proper, we should always observe decorum.”
The Delhi CM was seen apologising in the video. Initially, he responded callously saying, “Okay, sir. We will keep it in mind in the future.” Realising that he had committed a major mistake stepping over the line, he said, “If I have committed any mistake, if I have said anything untoward, if there was anything wrong with my conduct, I apologise for it.” Sources in the central govt had earlier said that the Delhi CM used the PM-CM conference on Covid-19 as a platform to play politics.
An air ambulance operated by Jetserv Aviation made a belly landing at Mumbai airport after it had lost a wheel during take-off from Nagpur airport. The aircraft going to Hyderabad from Nagpur made an emergency landing at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai today evening.
The air ambulance of Jetserv Aviation operating a Beechcraft King C-90 aircraft VT-JIL had lost its front wheel while departure from Runway 32 of Nagpur Airport. The wheel got separated from the aircraft and fell on the ground. The aircraft was then diverted to Mumbai and it circled over the airport while the personnel at the airport prepared the ground for a belly landing, by readying a foam carpet on runway 27.
A Jet Serve Aviation C-90 aircraft VT-JIL was operating an Ambulance flight from Nagpur with patient on board. While departing, a wheel separated & fell on ground. Aircraft landed in Mumbai. Crew confirmed they did a belly landing (no landing gear taken out), foam put on runway. pic.twitter.com/euUIyfQRp5
In this procedure, fire suppression foam is sprayed on the runway to prepare a foam layer, on which an aircraft can land on its belly. In case of belly landing, the landing gears of an aircraft are not deployed, and the aircraft lands on its belly. Therefore, the foam layer helps to prevent fire on impact, as the metal body directly hitting the runway creates sparks.
The air ambulance was carrying 5 people including 2 crew members, 1 doctor, 1 patient, and 1 paramedic onboard, all of whom were evacuated safely after the plane landed. Ahead of the landing of the aircraft, a full emergency declared at the Mumbai airport for the non-scheduled flight. The runway 27 of the Mumbai Airport was foamed before the aircraft landed.
The aircraft landed at 9:09 PM on Thursday, Mumbai Airport authorities confirmed. The airport’s emergency response team including the fire and rescue responders, follow-me vehicles, CISF, medical team and others were activated instantly and they were on standby to provide immediate assistance to ensure the safe evacuation of the passengers.
This video captures the crucial moments after belly landing of the ambulance flight on foam carpet in Mumbai after it lost a wheel during takeoff from Nagpur.
All onboard are safe. Kudos to the crew & ground professionals.
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri praised pilot Kesari Singh for showing presence of mind and landing the aircraft safely. He also appreciated the efforts of DCGA, Mumbai Airport and others involved in the operation.
