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Relief to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray as EC set to hold MLC elections soon, former CM Devendra Fadnavis welcomes decision

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Relief to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray as EC set to hold MLC elections soon, former CM Devendra Fadnavis welcomes decision

In a big relief to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday decided to hold elections for the Legislative Council in Maharashtra, which will pave way for CM Uddhav Thackeray to become a member of the Legislative Council (MLC), reports ANI.

On Thursday, Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had requested the Election Commission of India to declare elections for the 9 vacant seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council ‘at the earliest’.

Governor’s letter to Election Commission about Uddhav Thackeray needing to be an MLC before 27th May

In his letter, the Governor had pointed out that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who is not a member of either house of the State Legislature, needs to get elected to the Council before May 27, 2020. The Maharashtra governor letter to Election Commission came a day after Thackeray had spoken to PM Modi and had pleaded him to intervene to end the political crisis in the state.

In his letter, the governor has stated that the central government has announced many relaxation measures regarding the enforcement of lockdown in the country. As such, the elections to the council seats can be held with certain guidelines, he said.

The Election Commission will likely hold polls to nine MLC seats of Maharashtra this month. Earlier, Election Commission had withheld the election process for these 9 seats in view of the coronavirus situation in the country.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora, who is currently stranded in the United States due to lockdown, held a meeting via video conferencing. Arora had visited the US early March and was supposed to come back in the first week of April but could not as India banned international and domestic flights from March 25 onwards in the wake of coronavirus epidemic.

BJP doesn’t want instability in Maharashtra: Devendra Fadanvis on MLC elections and Uddhav Thackeray

Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis on Friday had said that BJP was not interested in making a “backdoor entry” into state politics and it will be very happy to see Uddhav Thackeray being nominated to the Council and continuing as chief minister as the party does not want instability in the state.

Fadanvis had also welcomed the elections to Maharashtra legislative council, stating that the polls will prevent Maharashtra from going into instability in the testing times of coronavirus.

The former Chief Minister also stated that Uddhav Thackeray contesting elections instead of getting nominated to the council will also uphold the values of the constitution. Fadanvis said that Uddhav Thackeray’s decision to contest elections will only uphold the convention that an MLC member nominated by the governor should not join the cabinet.

Maha Vikas Aghadi delegation met Governor Koshiyari

A delegation of MVA leaders led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar had met the governor on Tuesday and handed over the cabinet decision’s copy to him. According to one senior cabinet minister privy to the discussion with the state governor, Koshiyari has been non-committal in assuring the ministers of Thackeray’s nomination to the council. 

Thackeray, who is not a member of either house of the state legislature, was sworn in as chief minister on November 28, 2019. He has to become a member of either of the house of the state legislature by May 28 when he completes six months in office. He will cease to the chief minister if he fails to be a member.

Mumbai: Coronavirus patient passes away hours after Maharashtra govt had declared that his plasma therapy was successful

OpIndia Staff
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Mumbai: Coronavirus patient passes away hours after Maharashtra govt had declared that his plasma therapy was successful

Hours after Maharashtra Health Minister said that the first plasma therapy on a COVID-19 patient in the state was successful, the patient died in a Mumbai hospital yesterday.

On Wednesday, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope had announced that the first experiment of plasma therapy for Coronavirus treatment in the state was successful. He had informed that the treatment on a 53-year-old patient in Lilavati hospital had succeeded, and a second patient in NYL Nair hospital was being given the same treatment.

But the patient succumbed to Wuhan Coronavirus infection on Wednesday night, raising doubt over the efficacy of the plasma therapy. The male patient was in critical condition for the last several days and was under ventilation in the ICU of the Lilavati Hospital.

The patient was admitted to the hospital on 20th April after his swab test done on the previous day tested positive for Coronavirus. Because the patient had delayed getting tested despite having symptoms, by the time he was admitted, his condition had already deteriorated. As he was having acute respiratory distress syndrome, he was immediately put on ventilation in ICU.

On April 25, the hospital performed the first convalescent plasma therapy on the patient after obtaining necessary approval from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). On that day, 200 ml of plasma was transfused. Although his oxygen intake had improved after the infusion, his condition started deteriorating on 27th April. He also caught infections and was administered high doses of antibiotics. Due to this condition, the planned next two doses of plasma could not be given to him, and the patient died on Wednesday night.

The plasma therapy involves transfusing plasma obtained from a person who has recovered from Coronavirus infection. The plasma is a component of blood, and it contains the antibodies developed by the body of the recovered person, which helps the strengthen the immune system of the patient.

At present, the effectiveness of plasma in treating COVID-19 has not been proven, and its use is still in an experimental state. On Tuesday the union health ministry had said that plasma therapy is still in experimental stage and is not a proven therapy. The ministry officials had said that the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) is currently carrying out trials and trying to understand it better.

Hypocrisy of Prashant Bhushan: Attacks Arnab Goswami for getting special treatment, while receiving the same special treatment himself

OpIndia Staff
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Hypocrisy of Prashant Bhushan: Attacks Arnab Goswami for getting special treatment, while receiving the same special treatment himself

Days after Supreme Court heard a plea of Arnab Goswami to grant him interim protection of three weeks against multiple FIRs filed against him by the Congress party in various states after he had attacked Sonia Gandhi, Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan has lamented over the urgency of SC to give an urgent hearing to the petition filed by Arnab Goswami and accused the apex court of giving special treatment to the Republic TV chief.

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, controversial lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who has a history of propagating fake news, claimed that the lightning speed with which Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami’s petition was listed and heard by the apex court was nothing but madness. He asked whether there was any rules, norms, systems really in place at the Supreme Court for such urgent hearings.

Citing an article from Live Law, Prashant Bhushan cried over the fact that the Supreme Court listed Arnab Goswami’s hearing at a time there were other ‘really urgent cases’ of migrant workers. Prashant Bhushan also insinuated that the Supreme Court prioritised to hear the plea of Arnab Goswami and gave him an urgent hearing while ignoring some other important cases which were listed much before the honourable apex court.

However, in a hurry to foul-mouth Supreme Court over ignoring his and his cabal’s plea, Prashant Bhushan forgot to mention that the Supreme Court had scheduled to hear a plea filed by himself against an FIR within hours of filing the petition.

Journalist Utkarsh Anand shared in a tweet that Prashant Bhushan had filed a writ petition on April 30 in the Supreme Court seeking to quash the FIR registered against him by Gujarat police for hurting of religious sentiments. The matter was soon listed to be heard on Friday, May 1 before a bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and Sanjiv Khanna.

Image Source: Utkarsh Anand

The FIR was registered over the hateful comments made by Bhushan in Twitter against Union Minister Prakash Javadekar tweeting a picture of himself watching “Ramayana” serial amidst the national lockdown.

Prashant Bhushan exposed his own hypocrisy after he accused Arnab Goswami of receiving special attention from the Supreme Court while being silent on the same special treatment he has been receiving from the apex court.

Prashant Bhushan, who himself is a beneficiary of such an immediate hearing before a Supreme Court bench, was ironically blaming the same court for giving an urgent hearing to Republic TV Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, who has been constantly hounded and attacked by the Congress party workers who had filed several FIRs across the country against him.

Azaan has been stopped, kill Yogi: Man named Tanveer Khan shares post threatening the life of UP CM, deactivates account later

OpIndia Staff
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Azaan has been stopped, kill Yogi: Man named Tanveer Khan shares post threatening the life of UP CM, deactivates account later

As the nation battles the deadly Coronavirus and goes through a lockdown, all religious activities and mass gatherings have been stopped to enforce social distancing and to stop the spread of the disease.

However, the orders to stop mass gatherings at Mosques and community Namaz at the Mosque buildings during the month of Ramzan has been met with some resistance from the Muslim community, especially from individuals who refuse to grasp the gravity of the situation.

In Uttar Pradesh, an individual named Tanveer Khan has shared “Azaans are not happening in the areas of Dildar Nagar and Kamsarobar, Yogi should be shot dead.”

As per reports, Tanveer Khan had deactivated his social media accounts after his post went viral and was widely reported. However, many Twitter users alerted the state police with screenshots from Khan’s posts.

UP’s additional DSP Rahul Srivastav has stated that the matter is being looked into.

It is notable here that the UP police has so far registered 578 cases over instances of cybercrime, fake news spreading and other offences on the social media amid the coronavirus lockdown.

It is notable here that the UP government had clarified earlier that due to the coronavirus threats mass gatherings at Mosques have been prohibited but there are no restrictions on Azan. However, the police have appealed the Muslim community to pray from their homes and not to visit Mosques.

UK: After election debacle, Labour Party does course correction on Kashmir, says won’t interfere in India’s internal affairs

OpIndia Staff
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UK: After election debacle, Labour Party does course correction on Kashmir, says won’t interfere in India’s internal affairs

After a humiliating defeat in the recent elections in Britain against the conservatives, the Labour party in the United Kingdom seems to be in a path of course correction as party’s leadership has now declared a significant change in its Kashmir stance.

Labour party leader Keir Starmer, in a major policy change, has declared that his party intends to repair relations with India and British Indians, saying it will not meddle in Kashmir or in any of India’s constitutional affairs.

In a joint statement released by Labour Friends of India and Sir Kier Starmer on April 30, the new leader of the Labour Party declared that Kashmir is a bilateral issue for India and Pakistan.

“We must not allow issues of the sub-continent to divide communities here. Any constitutional issues in India are a matter for the Indian Parliament and Kashmir is a bilateral issue for India and Pakistan to resolve peacefully. Labour is an internationalist Party and stands for the defence of human rights everywhere,” the statement said.

“Britons of Indian-origin contribute so much to the UK and to the Labour Party. I’m committed to working closely with Labour Friends of India to rebuild trust with the community,” Starmer added.

Starmer, in the joint statement also said that a Labour government under his leadership will be determined to build even stronger business links with India and to co-operate on the global stage on issues such as climate change.

“I look forward to meeting the Indian High Commissioner in due course to open a renewed dialogue between the Labour Party and the people of India,” Starmer said.

Anti-India stand by Labour party

The Labour Party’s stand on Kashmir has been extremely controversial which has upset many pro-Indian voices in the country. Led by controversial leader Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour party has often taken an anti-India stance and has also extended its support to various propaganda pushed by pro-Pakistan elements in the United Kingdom.

The Labour party under Jeremy Corbyn on September 25 last year, in its party conference in Brighton, had passed a resolution that supports “International intervention in Kashmir and a call for UN-led referendum.’ The motion was submitted by UK Labour’s British Pakistani politician Uzma Rasool.

The resolution passed by the Labour party had asked Corbyn to meet the high commissioners of both India and Pakistan to ensure there is “mediation” and restoration of peace and normality to prevent a potential nuclear conflict.

Indian Foreign Ministry had even taken notice of the resolution and had immediately condemned it, calling it ‘pandering of vote bank interests’ by Labours politicians from Pakistani-Muslim dominated regions.

The Labour party’s stand on Kashmir was contrary to India’s position on Kashmir. India has categorically told the international community that its move on Kashmir was an internal matter. India has always maintained that any dialogues with Pakistan will be bilateral only.

Not just that, a number of Labour Party members and even MPs were found participating in anti-India marches organised by Pakistani-sponsored British groups. On two occasions, such marches had also attacked the Indian High Commission building in London, drawing sharp criticism from the Indian government.

Even Pakistan sponsored terror organisation such as JKLF had released a statement extending its support to the UK Labour party ahead of the December 12 elections in the country, indicating how Labour party was hand-in-hand with pro-Pakistan voices in the UK.

Indian diaspora’s campaign against Labour party

Following the anti-India stand of the Labour party, the Indian diaspora had campaigned against the Labour Party in the recently held elections in the United Kingdom. After massive outrage by the Indian diaspora and over fears of losing British-Indian votes, Jeremy Corbyn’s labour party had later backtracked on its resolution.

In a complete turnaround, the Labour Party’s chairperson, Ian Lavery, has called Kashmir a ‘bilateral issue’ soon after and had said that it should be resolved by India and Pakistan.

With Labour Party taking an anti-India stand, the Indian diaspora had supported the conservatives leading to Labour party’s humiliating defeat in December 12 elections last year.

India dealing with the west from the position of strength

The course correction from the Labour Party in the UK comes as a major step towards mending the relationship with the Indian diaspora in the UK after the past leadership under Jeremy Corbyn had upset the Indian government and its diaspora in the UK by taking an anti-India stand.

The backtracking by the Labour party with regards to Kashmir issue is the testimony to the growing might and political clout of the Indians and its diaspora across the west, especially in the United Kingdom. This is also a testimony of how India can do business with the first world countries without seeking validation from them.

Prayagraj: Police book ‘journalist’ Yusuf Ansari for spreading fake news claiming that administration is putting quarantine posters only in Muslim homes

OpIndia Staff
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Prayagraj: Police book ‘journalist’ Yusuf Ansari for spreading fake news claiming that administration is putting quarantine posters only in Muslim homes

The Prayagraj police yesterday registered a complaint and initiated action against a so-called ‘journalist’ named Yusuf Ansari for spreading blatant lies and falsehoods on social media over the district administration’s fight against Coronavirus pandemic.

Yusuf Ansari had published a ‘report’ in a website called salaamindianews.com claiming that the district administration is putting posters outside certain houses declaring the quarantine status of member(s) in that household, warning outsiders to avoid visiting the house or come in close contact with the family members.

However, Ansari’s report claimed that the practice is a malicious attempt by the administration to victimise Muslims as such posters are put outside Muslim households only.

In that report, Ansari even further claimed that the district administration is putting such posters on houses where the concerned persons ahem already completed their quarantine period. He wrote that it is an attempt by the government to isolate and malign Muslims. He even cited the name of a lawyer and wrote that such posters are a ‘violation of human rights’. He even called the quarantine posters ‘harassment’ of Muslims by the government.

Taking swift action over the claims, SSP Prayagraj informed on social media that the claims are totally false and the Prayagraj Police has initiated action against the so-called journalist for spreading lies and trying to promote communal discord.

The SSP of Prayagraj further informed that the said ‘journalist’ Yusuf Ansari was contacted by the authorities to enquire about the basis for his claims, he had switched off his phone and has not responded. The police officer further stated that the police is trying to arrest the irresponsible ‘journalist’.

It is notable here that such posters are a common occurrence in all states, where the local administration puts them outside specific homes where person(s) are under home quarantine after foreign travel or after coming in contact with an infected person. The posters inform the details of the persons under quarantine and the quarantine period as social distancing is crucial to stop the spread of the disease.

Donald Trump says he has ‘high degree of confidence’ that Coronavirus originated in Wuhan Institute of Virology, China: Watch

OpIndia Staff
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Donald Trump says he has ‘high degree of confidence’ that Coronavirus originated in Wuhan Institute of Virology, China: Watch

President of the United States of America has possibly opened a can of words when he admitted today that he has ‘high degree of confidence’ that the Coronavirus originated in the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China. President Donald Trump has been consistent in his attempts to call out China for its irresponsible conduct as far as the Coronavirus pandemic is concerned. He has also consistently called out the World Health Organisation (WHO) for being complicit in covering up the conduct of China.

President Trump said that the government is examining all scientific evidence to determine the origins of Novel Coronavirus, however, when probed further by a journalist and asked whether he has seen information and has ‘high degree of confidence’ that the Coronavirus originated in a Wuhan lab, President Trump said, “Yes, I have”.

When asked if he can divulge what that information was, he said, “I can’t tell you that. I’m not allowed to tell you that”.

President Trump also called out the World Health Organisation (WHO) and said that they should be “ashamed of themselves” because they are like the “public relations agency” for China. President Trump said that WHO should not be making excuses when people (China) make horrible mistakes.

Recently, a report published by Fox News had claimed that the Wuhan coronavirus that has swept the globe was not a natural virus but a man-made one which was accidentally leaked by an intern working at the lab at Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.

Mounting an attack against China for its possible complicity in the spread of the virus, US President Donald Trump took cognisance of the exclusive report published by the Fox News which alleged that though the virus is a naturally occurring strain among bats and not a bioweapon, it was being studied in the Wuhan lab and was eventually leaked by an intern. 

The report mentioned that the initial transmission of the zoonotic virus occurred from bat to human, adding that the “patient-zero” worked at the Wuhan laboratory. It stated that the intern working at the laboratory accidentally contracted the virus before transmitting it to other people outside the facility.

Even at the UNSC meeting, USA had called for an analysis of the origins of Coronavirus, in an obvious dig at China, while the latter insisted that no country should be made a scapegoat and called for global solidarity in the wake of the pandemic. SG Anthony Gutierres’s call for a global ceasefire received no support and the only thing the UNSC agreed on was on press elements post the meet.

“The United States reiterates today the need for complete transparency and the timely sharing of public health data and information within the international community. The most effective way to contain this pandemic is through accurate, science-based data collection and analysis of the origins, characteristics, and spread of the virus,” Ambassador Kelly Craft said in her remarks on the disease. She said, “Beyond its impact on global health, COVID-19 is having a tremendous socioeconomic impact on the entire world. This means that addressing the challenge before us requires global action, international solidarity, and unity of purpose.”

Drinking alcohol will kill Coronavirus in the throat: Congress MLA urges CM Gehlot to open liquor shops in the state soon

OpIndia Staff
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Drinking alcohol will kill Coronavirus in the throat: Congress MLA urges CM Gehlot to open liquor shops in the state soon

Congress MLA from Rajasthan’s Sangod, Bharat Singh Kundanpur has written to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asking him to consider opening liquor shops in the state by claiming that alcohol could kill the coronavirus.

The Congress MLA in his letter has argued that if coronavirus can be removed by washing hands with alcohol, then drinking alcohol will surely remove the virus from the throat. 

Black marketing of alcohol increased, loss to state’s revenue: Congress MLA

“Liquor shops are closed across the country due to the coronavirus lockdown. The union government will never give green light to sell liquor. Meanwhile, black marketing of alcohol is increasing while the liquor shops remain closed and the economic impact of the same has been massive,” Bharat Singh Kundanpur said in his letter.

Kundanpur further added the Rajasthan government had set a target of Rs 12,500 crore from the sale of alcohol in the year 2020-21 and it would be unlikely to be fulfilled as the lockdown has extended to over a month. 

While urging with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to open the liquor shops in the state, Kundanpur said, “When coronavirus can be removed by washing hands with alcohol, then drinking alcohol will surely remove the virus from the throat”.

The MLA also referred to an incident of Halaina village in Bharatpur where two persons lost their lives after consuming country-made liquor. He also shared a news report of the state government’s decision to increase excise duty on liquor in order to make up for the revenue loss during the lockdown.

AIMIM Corporator Mohammad Murtaza booked for threatening police constable in Hyderabad, had objected to presence near Mosque

OpIndia Staff
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AIMIM Corporator Mohammad Murtaza booked for threatening police constable in Hyderabad, had objected to presence near Mosque

The Hyderabad police have registered a case against an AIMIM party corporator after he was caught threatening and obstructing two constables from doing their duty near a mosque at Chawni Nade Ali Baig in Hyderabad on Thursday. A video has gone viral across social media platforms in which AIMIM party corporator Mohammed Murtuza Ali was seen warning two policemen for their presence near the mosque.

According to the police, two policemen were standing near the mosque as part of the security detail. The AIMIM corporator Murtuza Ali soon arrived at the spot and picked up an argument with them. He allegedly pushed a constable when he tried to cover his name badge with hand.

AIMIM leader threatens cops

In the video, it can be seen that AIMIM leader Murtaza Ali arguing with the two policemen and asking them to leave the spot which was in front of a mosque.

Meanwhile, the corporator Ali has alleged the policemen were standing near the mosque and asking the management to lock the premises. “I asked them to show the permission letter for putting a lock on the mosque. The constables were threatening the people in the area,” he alleged.

SVN Shivaram Sharma, ACP Santoshnagar, said that a complaint has been registered by the police constable and a case has been registered against Murtuza Ali.

Petition filed in Bombay High court seeking directions for Governor to nominate Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray as MLC

OpIndia Staff
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Petition filed in Bombay High court seeking directions for Governor to nominate Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray as MLC

A social worker has filed a petition in Bombay High court seeking directions for Maharashtra Governor to act upon the proposal of the State Cabinet to appoint Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray as a Member of the Legislative council.

The petition was filed by the social worker Surinder Arora through his advocate S B Talekar. The plea claimed, “The BJP as part of its political game plan is trying to make Uddhav Thackeray step down from the post of chief minister with the help of Maharashtra governor (B S Koshyari). However, today is not the time to play politics when the state has to fight the battle against coronavirus.”

Arora’s plea seeking to direct the governor to take a decision on the proposal submitted by the cabinet expeditiously or within three days. The plea will be heard on May 5. The petition said, “In India, the Election Commission of India has postponed all elections across the states. Owing to this, the chief minister of Maharashtra, who is a non-legislator, will not be in a position to become a member of the Legislature within a period of six months from the date of his appointment.”

The petition mentioned that the government of Maharashtra will be destabilized due to non-availability of Chief minister which can be a disaster in approaching days.

The plea said that the governor is yet to make a decision on the recommendation made by the council of ministers despite the lapse of 20 days. The petitioner is a citizen of India and a valid voter is seeking a direction to the governor to decide upon the recommendation as expeditiously as possible so as to avoid a situation of a destabilized government in such crucial times.

Uddhav Thackeray was sworn in as Chief Minister of Maharashtra on 28 November 2019. In accordance with Article 164 (4) of the constitution, he has to become a member of one of the two houses of the legislature within six months i.e. on or up to 27th May 2020, else he will have to step down as a Chief minister. The Maharashtra government has nominated him to one vacant seat in the Legislative Council, but the governor is yet to approve the nomination.

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