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Andhra Pradesh: 40 children among coronavirus positive patients, all contracted disease from infected Tablighi Jamaat members in the family, says report

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Andhra Pradesh: 40 children among coronavirus positive patients, all contracted disease from infected Tablighi Jamaat members in the family, says report

At least 40 children in the 3-17 years age group have been tested positive for the Wuhan Coronavirus in Andhra Pradesh, as per a report in the Indian Express. The report says that all these children have contracted the disease from infected family members who have been to the Tablighi Jamaat events in Delhi’s Nizamuddin Markaz.

As on April 15, the state of Andra Pradesh has recorded 475 active cases of coronavirus infection. All these active cases are under treatment in specified COVID-19 hospitals across the state.

Role of Tablighi Jamaat behind coronavirus cases in Andhra

The report in IE quoted health department officials saying, “All the children contracted the virus from family members who attended the Tablighi Jamaat meeting at Delhi’s Nizamuddin in March. “The jamaat returnees were unaware that they were infected, and inadvertently passed it on to their family members, among them are several children,”

Among the 475 active cases are also 124 women. The officials have stated that in some cases, 1 infected family member who had been to the Nizamuddin Markaz had passed on the virus to all the women in the family, mothers, sisters, wives, daughters and grandmothers.

36 of the active cases are persons above 60. Senior citizens are particularly susceptible to infection by the deadly virus. However, the report mentions that none of the children is serious. Most of them have mild symptoms and are expected to make full recovery soon.

Recently, Andhra’s deputy CM K Narayanaswamy had stated that but for the Tablighi Jamaat, Andhra would have had only a few cases of coronavirus. Telangana Health Minister Etela Rajender had said that the State would have been free from the Chinese virus, in the absence of the Jaamatis.

It was reported earlier that the Tablighi Jamaat has been behind the 250 coronavirus hotspots in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh combined.

Coronavirus situation in Andhra Pradesh

The report states that on Wednesday alone, the state reported 19 fresh cases of the coronavirus. The state has now decided to double the current testing capacity to 4000 tests, using TrueNat TB testing equipment.

The government has also declared assistance of Rs 2000 to poor families returning from quarantine centres.

As on April 16, 22 fresh cases of coronavirus have been reported in the state by 8 am in the morning, taking the state total to 525. Of the total number of cases, 20 have made recovery and 14 others have died so far.

Kurnool district has the highest number of cases at 75, followed by the Guntur and Nellore districts with 51 and 48 cases respectively.

Criticism for the Indian Express report

Indian Express had received wide criticism yesterday after it published a report claiming that the coronavirus patients and suspected cases have been segregated into separate wards on the basis of their religion at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. 

The report was also picked up by usual propagandists, and eventually by USCIRF, a US federal commission, to create the false narrative of religious bias in India’s fight against coronavirus. However, the claims were soon busted when the Gujarat government claimed that no such segregation has been ordered.

Today’s report in the Indian Express regarding the 40 coronavirus positive children in Andhra Pradesh was also criticised by many on social media due to a seemingly deliberate attempt to dissociate any relation with the Tablighi Jamaat.

The report, in its body, mentioned clearly that all the children have contracted the disease from family members who had been to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation, India’s super-spreader. However, the featured image used by Indian Express for the report showed a Hindu couple being screened.

Author Shefali Vaidya slammed the publication for deliberately trying to mislead readers about the link of Tablighi Jamaat with the increasing number of coronavirus infections.

TMC Troll Garga Chatterjee spreads hate against non-Bengalis, gives thinly veiled threat of violence against non-Bengalis living in West Bengal

OpIndia Staff
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TMC Troll Garga Chatterjee spreads hate against non-Bengalis, gives thinly veiled threat of violence against non-Bengalis living in West Bengal

Trinamool Congress troll Garga Chatterjee, consistent with his track record, has been spreading hate on social media even during the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic. On Thursday, he issued thinly veiled threats against non-Bengalis living in West Bengal. He has, for some time, been fanning the flames of linguistic chauvinism in the state. He wishes to recreate the brand of insensitive and incendiary linguistic politics that is observed within some circles in the southern states of India.

Earlier, Garga Chatterjee had suggested that all of India’s problems could be solved if Biharis, people from Uttar Pradesh, Marwaris and Gujaratis were restricted to their own states for their livelihood. It was the latest in a long tirade of hate speech he has made against people of other communities living in West Bengal.

Garga Chatterjee has also demonstrated an unhealthy obsession with Gutkha, much more than is warranted from a person who does not appear to consume it himself. His obsession is such that his twitter feed can be considered an unpaid advertisement for Gutkha companies. His unhealthy brand of politics can be perfectly described metaphorically as the ‘Gutkha Pill‘, along the lines of the ‘Red Pill’ and ‘Saffron Pill’.

He also carries forward the thinking of some Bengalis in 19th century who believed that Assamese is not an independent language and it is just a dialect of Bengali, as he believes that Assam is a Bengali language majority state. He says Assam has been a Bengali majority state ever since the state existed on the face of this earth. Garga also claims that people in Assam falsely report their mother tongue as Assamese during census because Hiren Gohain (a communist intellectual) or Paresh Barua (chief of banned ULFA) want them to do so.

Garga Chatterjee has, in the past, behaved in a manner where he has gotten himself embarrassed due to his obsession with linguistic politics. On one occasion, he appeared on a debate show knowing full well that it was to be conducted in Hindi and then started speaking in Bangla to make his point. Despite his crass behaviour, mainstream media continues to promote him as an ‘intellectual’, allowing his a platform to further spread his hatred.

Pizza delivery boy in Delhi tests positive for coronavirus, 72 houses put under quarantine

OpIndia Staff
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Pizza delivery boy in Delhi tests positive for coronavirus, 72 houses put under quarantine

A pizza delivery boy in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar has been found positive for the Wuhan coronavirus. Right after the detection, the South Delhi authorities have home quarantined 72 families and 17 delivery boys who came in contact with the patient recently, says Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain.

According to South Delhi District Magistrate BM Mishra, the delivery boys have been sent to a quarantine facility in Chattarpur.

72 families put under quarantine

BM Mishra said, “He tested positive for COVID-19. In the last 15 days, he delivered pizza at 72 locations. We have placed all the people in-home quarantine. There are 17 people who used to work with him and they all have been taken to the institutional quarantine facility at Chattarpur”

He added that the delivery boy had symptoms like cough and flu. He was shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital after he didn’t show any sign of recovery.

The delivery boy who worked at a popular pizza outlet is now undergoing treatment at a hospital. Other delivery boys have been instructed to follow the safety norms such as wearing masks and gloves and maintain social distancing while delivering.

Till Thursday morning, the national capital had noted 1,578 Chinese coronavirus cases and 32 deaths due to infection as per the Union Health Ministry website.

Delhi Anti-Hindu riots: Police sends notice to several members of Jamia Coordination Committee, Congress’ NSUI and Pinjra Tod

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi Anti-Hindu riots: Police sends notice to several members of Jamia Coordination Committee, Congress’ NSUI and Pinjra Tod

Delhi Police special cell has issued notice to 50 members of the Jamia coordination committee for their alleged connection with rioting and criminal conspiracy pertaining to anti-Hindu riots in north-east Delhi that had claimed the lives of 53 people and had left, over 400 injured, reports The New Indian Express.

Most of the people, who have been served notice are students of the Jamia Millia Islamia University, former office bearers of Congress’ students union, National Student Union of India (NSUI), members of Left parties, far left ‘activist’ group Pinjra Tod and also students of the open school of Delhi university.

Some of the people who have now been sent notices by the special cell to appear before it were earlier issued notice in March by Special Investigation Team (SIT) of crime branch.

The notice served by Delhi police special cell

The notice read: “You are hereby directed through the notice that you have to join investigation in the above mentioned before the undersigned at the office of NDR/special cell Lodi Colony, New Delhi on March 20, failing which legal action will be taken against you.” Moreover according to the notice served, an FIR was registered against the accused on March 6 under various sections of IPC for homicide, attempt to murder and murder.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Neeraj Thakur said, “So far, we have issued notice to some of them in relation with northeast Delhi riots and not Jamia incident.” He, however, refused to reveal the number of persons (Jamia and JCC) who have been issued notice. “We are investigating the case and people are being asked to co-operate,” he added.

Earlier arrests in Delhi anti-Hindu riots:

Recently, Delhi Police issued notice to six persons (all of them member of the JCC), in connection with northeast Delhi riots and CAA protest and Jamia incidents took place in December 2019.

Out of these six, the police had arrested two student leaders of Jamia Millia Islamia University in connection with protests and subsequent violence. While the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) core member and media coordinator Safoora Zargar, was arrested on April 11 for her role in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots another member of the Jamia Coordination Committee, Meeran Haider was arrested on the 2nd of April in connection with rioting and criminal conspiracy pertaining to anti-Hindu riots in north-east Delhi.

The other students who has been issued notice recently are Ishrat Jahan, Khalid Saifi, Imran Chaudhary, member of NSUI and Areeb. 

“Instead of using the entire police force for ensuring proper enforcement of the lockdown, the government is busy playing politics with students. The police are doing this now as they know that it is not possible for students to unite or help their colleagues and arrange legal help,” said Lokesh Chugh, National Media-in-charge of NSUI.

Home Ministry’s intervention to expedite investigation:

Home Minister Amit Shah had recently directed police to ensure probe into Delhi anti-Hindu riot is not hindered amidst Coronavirus pandemic.

A message was conveyed to all investigation teams to resume the probe and make arrests. According to a report by Jagran, 802 arrests have been made so far. The crime branch, probing 42 murder cases, has made 182 arrests, while the Northeast district police have arrested 620 people in connection with the riots. Out of the 182 arrested, 50 were nabbed during the lockdown.

Police said teams have been told to take precautions before making any arrest or carrying out a raid, and that personal protective equipment kits have been provided to them.

Delhi anti-Hindu riots:

On the day of US President Donald Trump’s visit to India, the national capital had witnessed horrific violence. The anti-CAA riots turned communal in Delhi resulting in severe violence on the streets. The anti-Hindu riots that engulfed the streets of Delhi have resulted in deaths of around 47 persons and more than 220 people sustained injuries in the violence that started on Sunday.

Karnataka: HD Kumaraswamy to go ahead with son’s wedding at Ramanagara farmhouse amidst nationwide lockdown

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: HD Kumaraswamy to go ahead with son’s wedding at Ramanagara farmhouse amidst nationwide lockdown

At a time when the entire nation is in lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic, former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has decided to go ahead with his son Nikhil Gowda’s wedding on Friday at a farmhouse near Bidadi in Ramanagara district.

According to the reports, defying the nationwide lockdown, HD Kumaraswamy has decided to go ahead with his son’s wedding in Ramanagara district. The Janata Dal-Secular leader announced that while Bengaluru has been declared a ‘Red Zone’, Ramanagara falls under ‘Green Zone’. Hence, the wedding will be held in a farmhouse near Ramanagara on April 17.

All norms followed, says HD Kumaraswamy

“Ramanagara district is Green Zone and Bangalore has been declared a Red Zone. So, I had decided to get the marriage done in Ramanagara itself. The coronavirus pandemic is a concern in some districts. But I pray that in this district none of these issues should arise. Even with this family function, we should not have any issues,” said HD Kumaraswamy.

As per reports, the Kumaraswamy family has taken the state government’s permission for the wedding, promising that all rules, including wearing masks, sanitisers and maintaining social distancing will be followed in the low-key family event.

He added that he had consulted several doctors in his family to evaluate the threat from the coronavirus before going ahead with his son’s wedding.

“In our family itself, we have 12-13 doctors whom we consulted and decided. I urge party workers, villagers and well-wishers not to come to the venue, and to bless the couple from their home. In the future, we will hold a reception and invite everyone,” the former Karnataka CM said.

Venue shifted due to lockdown extension

The marriage was earlier planned as a lavish event at Janapadaloka near Ramanagara, with a huge set and lakhs of people and party workers in attendance. Due to the lockdown, the wedding has now been shifted to a farmhouse and will have a crowd of fewer than 50 people. 28-year-old Nikhil had got engaged to Revathi recently in Bengaluru. Revathi is the grandniece of state Congress leader M Krishnappa.

Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy has urged party’s leaders, cadres and supporters to bless the couple from their respective houses and not to flock to the farmhouse due to the lockdown. He has also promised to hold a grand reception at the original venue on a suitable date after summer when normalcy returns.

“If your actions weren’t like this, police’s reaction wouldn’t have been this,” Salman Khan slams ‘jokers’ attacking medical teams and escaping quarantine

OpIndia Staff
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“If your actions weren’t like this, police’s reaction wouldn’t have been this,” Salman Khan slams ‘jokers’ attacking medical teams and escaping quarantine

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan on Wednesday took to Instagram to rebuke those who are attacking medical teams, policemen and even evading and escaping quarantine amidst coronavirus outbreak.

Referring to the pandemic as ‘Bigg Boss of life’, Khan expresses disappointment at those breaking the lockdown guidelines. “It is indeed unfortunate to test positive for any illness. Is it right or wrong to not follow government guidelines? If you’d have followed lockdown guidelines, the lockdown would’v ended and the police wouldn’t have to use force to get you to stay at home. The police, doctors, nurses… they are working 18 hours a day for you. The doctors, nurses come to save your lives, and you pelted stones at them? Those who are testing positive for coronavirus are escaping from the hospital. Where are you running to? Are you running towards life or death? If these doctors do not treat you and if police weren’t on streets, then because of few who think that they won’t get infected would’ve put the lives of entire country at risk. India appears united but because of few ‘jokers’, this disease is spreading. If your actions weren’t like this, police’s reaction wouldn’t have been like this. If your actions weren’t like this, then thousands of doctors, nurses and people wouldn’t have been infected with coronavirus. Because of few entire nation will sit at home for longer time,” he said.

Khan appealed to everyone to thank the police force and healthcare workers while urging everyone to be careful that the infection is contained. Salman Khan has been away from Mumbai with his family as he was on a holiday with family before coronavirus lockdown was announced.

Stone-pelting on doctors, nurses, police

Earlier this week, a mob of hundreds attacked a team of doctors in Moradabad, severely injuring one of the doctors. The team had gone to take coronavirus suspects for testing. However, mob, including women, started pelting stones at the team. When police came to their rescue, they were also attacked by the mob. About 25 people have been arrested by the police till now.

Recently, the police had arrested four youths in Panchkula, Haryana for an attack on a team of ASHA and Anganwadi workers who were conducting a survey in the colony on April 8, Wednesday to find out the poor and elderly whose life has been affected due to the lockdown. According to the reports, a Muslim mob of nine miscreants had attacked a police party and ASHA workers at Indira Colony in the city where they had gone for a health checkup.

Similarly, a violent mob had viciously attacked the team of health workers and had even thrown stones from nearby rooftops in the Tatpatti Bakhal area in Indore, where a medical team that had gone to check on a patient with suspected coronavirus symptoms.

MEA slams USCIRF for spreading false propaganda over the treatment of coronavirus patients in Gujarat

OpIndia Staff
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MEA slams USCIRF for spreading false propaganda over the treatment of coronavirus patients in Gujarat

On Wednesday, the Indian government slammed the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for falsely criticising the country by citing fake reports that coronavirus patients were being segregated on the basis of religious identity in an Ahmedabad hospital.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs asked the USCIRF to stop adding “religious colour” to the Indian government’s efforts in fighting the Chinese pandemic.

‘USCIRF spreading misguided reports’: MEA

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a statement, “As if its peremptory commentary on religious freedom in India is not enough, the USCIRF is now spreading misguided reports on the professional medical protocols followed to deal with [the] spread of COVID-19 in India”

“It must stop adding religious colour to our national goal of fighting the pandemic and distract from larger efforts. No segregation is being done in civil hospitals on the basis of religion, as clarified by the Gujarat government,” he added.

He said no segregation of patients is being done in the civil hospital on the basis of religion as clarified by the Gujarat government. Srivastava said the USCIRF “must stop adding religious colour to our national goal of fighting the pandemic and distract from larger efforts”.

Misinformation campaign against India by USCIRF

Citing a false propaganda report by Indian Express, the USCIRF had tweeted that it was “concerned with reports of Hindu and Muslim patients separated into separate hospital wards in Gujarat. Such actions only help to further increase ongoing stigmatization of Muslims in #India and exacerbate false rumors of Muslims spreading #Covid19.”

However, responding to the misinformation campaign of the Indian Express, the Gujarat government had categorically denied the claims. The Health Department of Gujarat had also clarified that no segregation is being done in the Ahmedabad civil hospital on the basis of religion for coronavirus patients.

“Coronavirus Patients are being treated based on symptoms, severity etc. and according to treating doctors’ recommendations,” the Gujarat government Health Department had said in a statement.

USCIRF’s history of prejudice against India

It is notable here that the USCIRF has a history of fanning baseless rumours and leftist propaganda against India. They had also ranted against India’s Citizenship Amendment Act, calling it a ‘dangerous turn in the wrong direction’. The MEA had slammed its statements, asking it to stop making unwarranted comments on issues they have no locus standi and have no knowledge about.

The USCIRF is the commission that had recommended the denial of US visa to PM Modi when he was the CM of Gujarat. It had also threatened ‘sanctions’ against Home Minister Amit Shah ‘if the CAB was passed’.

ABP Majha journalist Rahul Kulkarni arrested over a false report about train services, misleading migrant workers

OpIndia Staff
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ABP Majha journalist Rahul Kulkarni arrested over a false report about train services, misleading migrant workers

Rahul Kulkarni, a journalist with Marathi news channel ABP Majha was arrested by the Mumbai Police along with 10 others on Wednesday for misleading people with his false reportage that allegedly led to migrant workers gathering in Bandra on 14 April and demanding to be sent back to their home towns.

The misleading report by Kulkarni had allegedly ‘played a part in the rumour mongering’ that led to nearly 2,000 alleged migrant workers assembling in Bandra on April 14th despite a nationwide lockdown in the country.

On Tuesday, an FIR had been lodged against ABP Majha reporter, Rahul Kulkarni, in this regard for misleading people with his false reportage. The police said that the video report was incorrect while arresting Kulkarni under various sections of the IPC and the Epidemic Act 1897.

The ‘news report’ by ABP Majha

Soon after Prime Minister Modi made an announcement on Monday that the lockdown in the country will be extended till May 3, 2020, ABP Majha published a report claiming that the government is considering on running special trains from select zones in Maharashtra so as to alleviate the concerns of the distraught migrants waiting to go home.

ABP Majha report that said Railways is going to launch a rescue operation for migrants

The Maharashtra Police believe that the unverified and misleading information ran by ABP Majha may have spurred the migrants staying in Mumbai to defy lockdown and congregate at a mosque outside the Bandra local station. The assertion made by the ABP Majha that the Railways are planning to launch a rescue operation to evacuate the stranded migrants across Maharashtra was based on a letter written by a South Central Railway official on April 13 on a proposal for Jansadharan special trains.

Broadcast in public interest: ABP Majha

Condemning the arrest of its reporter, ABP Majha called for “due to verification of all facts and circumstances” before arresting a journalist.

In a statement, the channel said the report “was broadcast in the public interest and on the basis of valid documents and information”. ABP Majha claimed that it had also broadcast after the Railway Ministry had announced that there would be no trains until the midnight of May 3.

“There is no conceivable way in which the crowds that gathered at Bandra West station from around 3.45 pm can be linked to our story. To insinuate that our running of the story and updates thereafter amounts to a criminal act is outrageous. We are shocked and dismayed that our reporter Rahul Kulkarni has been arrested in connection with the story,” the channel has said in a statement.

Migrants gather at Bandra

As Maharashtra, especially Mumbai is witnessing a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases, thousands of migrant workers flocked outside the Bandra station, endangering the city’s battle against coronavirus. The Maharashtra government led by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had received a lot of criticism for failing to handle the migrant crisis in the state.

Following the scare at Bandra, the Mumbai Police had filed two more FIRs in connection with the massive migrant gathering in Bandra. An FIR has been lodged against 800-1000 people who had gathered at the mosque outside the Bandra station and despite police request did not scatter away. Police had to then resort to baton-charge to disperse the crowd.

As per latest reports, the journalist has been granted bail by a Mumbai court.

Moradabad: 25 including 13 women arrested for pelting stones at medical team

OpIndia Staff
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Moradabad: 25 including 13 women arrested for pelting stones at medical team

As many as 25 people including 13 women are arrested for pelting stones at medical team in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, which had gone to take a coronavirus suspect to hospital. According to a report by Republic TV, UP CM Yogi Adityanath has said that not only will they be booked under the Epidemic Diseases Act but they’ll also be slapped sections of NSA and will be investigated. As per reports, the police is also searching for more who were reportedly involved in attacking the medical team as over 100 people were involved in pelting stones.

On Wednesday, visuals had gone viral on social media where the mob throwing stones and attacking medical team from their rooftops can be seen.

Other videos show mob gathering to pelt stones at the medical team.

Moradabad stone-pelting incident

The incident took place at Haji Neb Masjid area in Moradabad when a team of doctors and medical staff went to take away two persons suspected of having novel coronavirus in the area. The mob pelted stones at the ambulance and doctors. The stones were also pelted on the police van which came to rescue the health workers later. Several people have been injured in the ensuing mayhem, including Dr Sudhish Agrawal. According to health officials, a thousand people came out on the streets to attack the medical team.

Attacks on medical teams

This is not the first incident of paramedics staff and police personnel being attacked by a mob. Recently, the police had arrested four youths in Panchkula, Haryana for an attack on a team of ASHA and Anganwadi workers who were conducting a survey in the colony on April 8, Wednesday to find out the poor and elderly whose life has been affected due to the lockdown. According to the reports, a Muslim mob of nine miscreants had attacked a police party and ASHA workers at Indira Colony in the city where they had gone for a health checkup.

Similarly, a violent mob had viciously attacked the team of health workers and had even thrown stones from nearby rooftops in the Tatpatti Bakhal area in Indore, where a medical team that had gone to check on a patient with suspected coronavirus symptoms.

West Bengal: More than 400 families block road in protest claiming they have not received food in the last 20 days

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: More than 400 families block road in protest claiming they have not received food in the last 20 days

As the lockdown has been extended till May 3 in view of increasing infection of the coronavirus, the daily wage earners and the poor people are facing the most problems due to lockdown. Hundreds of people from Domkal municipality area of Murshidabad district of West Bengal have claimed of not getting food for 20 days.

They jammed a state highway for three hours on Wednesday. Women and children from more than 400 families were among those who protested on Berahampur-Domkal state highway. Most of the agitators were not wearing masks neither practised any of the safety norms.

The agitation ended with the intervention of the local administration. The President of Domkal municipality reached the spot and acknowledged that ration dealers had not increased the food supply quota in the below poverty line segment. Each ration cardholder should get five kg of rice and five kg of flour in a month.

As per reports, the state food and supplies minister Jyotipriyo Malik said, “There is no shortage of rice in Bengal. We have stored 9.45 lakh metric ton rice. We have enough rice to feed people by the month of August. Our government does not buy rice from the Food Corporation of India. We buy directly from the farmers.”

The minister claimed that the administration has also taken action on some ration dealers for not opening shops or giving full quota to the people.

Mahadev Das, a resident of ward number 10 of Domkal Municipality said, “Our region’s ration dealer Dulal Saha gave a kilo of rice to a handful of families in the last two weeks. It is not enough to feed a family of 4-5 members.” He said that most of the people of the area work as daily wage laborers in West Bengal and other states. “Our livelihood has been snatched due to the lockdown. We have been told that the central and state governments are giving free food to the poor.”

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