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Delhi police trace Nizamuddin Markaz Chief Maulana Saad, will be interrogated after completion of the quarantine period

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi police trace Nizamuddin Markaz Chief Maulana Saad, will be interrogated after completion of the quarantine period

The Chief of Nizamuddin Markaz Maulana Saad Khandalvi has been traced by Delhi police to be living in the Zakir Nagar area and has put himself under quarantine.

Delhi police are planning to interrogate Maulana Saad but will conduct it only after completion of his quarantine period. According to his lawyers, he has put himself under self-quarantine and that’s why he is unable to join the investigation now.

Maulana Saad is booked under The Epidemics Act 1897 for allowing religious congregation in the month of March despite repeated warnings from the center and the state government. He disregarded the guidelines issued by the government in the light of the Wuhan coronavirus epidemic which is spreading rapidly. Maulana Saad is wanted in an offence lodged by the Delhi Police under sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and sections of the Indian Penal Code, for violating government directions on steps to be taken for avoiding the spread of Wuhan Coronavirus.

As thousands of people from across the country and many from abroad attended the religious congregation, the event has now emerged as a hotspot for the maximum cases of coronavirus as over 1300 of the total number of Tabligh Jamaatis has been traced back to the event and their contacts. Nearly 25,000 people have been quarantined by the government of India.

Delhi Police crime branch has sent two notices to Saad under Section 91 of CrPC. The police have asked Maulana Saad to provide some documents. The second notice was sent after the first notice was found “unsatisfactory”.

As Muhammad Saad remained untraceable, the Delhi police slapped a notice with the 36 questions at his farmhouse in Shamli near Delhi. After the first notice was found unsatisfactory, the Delhi police slapped the second issue.

Investigative agencies have started probing into the sources of funding and financial aid received by the conservative Islamist organization. The Delhi Police have also started probing into the finances of the organization which came under the national limelight after organising a congregation at its Delhi centre at Markaz Nizamuddin where 1700-3000 people are believed to have participated in the event, in flagrant violation of the restrictive orders.

Supreme Court orders free coronavirus testing at all approved private laboratories, asks govt to issue directions

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court orders free coronavirus testing at all approved private laboratories, asks govt to issue directions

The apex court of the country has ordered all the approved private labs across the country to do tests for Wuhan coronavirus for free. The apex court has asked the government to issue directions to this effect. The testing of COVID-19 was already free at government laboratories but following the Supreme Court order, it will also be free of charge at government-authorised private laboratories as well.

According to the Supreme Court order, the matter of whether the private labs will be reimbursed by the government will be decided later. It has added that the testing must be carried out in NABL-accredited labs or any agencies approved by the WHO or ICMR.

The apex court ordered this in an interim order passed in the case, and allowed the union government two weeks time to file an affidavit in reply.

Hearing a plea filed by advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi seeking a direction to the centre and authorities to provide free testing facility for COVID-19 to all citizens, the court, in its order, observed that “private hospitals including laboratories have an important role to play in restricting the extent of the pandemic by extending philanthropic services in the hour of national crisis”.

Sudhi argued in the court that the fees charged by private labs for COVID-19 tests are exorbitantly high. Earlier today, the top court advised the government to set up a mechanism to ensure that private laboratories conducting COVID-19 tests do not charge outrageous fees from people and asked the government to explore means to reimburse the fees charged by the private labs.

The centre told the bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Ravindra Bhat that earlier 15,000 tests were conducted per day by 118 labs and later to augment the capacity, 47 private labs were permitted to conduct the Covid-19 tests.

In addition, the plea has also sought to increase the number of testing facilities for COVID-19 in the country, citing “the rising mortality and morbidity rate across the country”.

It questioned the advisory issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) which capped the testing charges for COVID-19 at Rs 4500 in private hospitals or labs, including screening and confirmatory tests.

“It is profoundly arduous for the common citizen to get himself/herself tested in the government hospital /labs and with no alternative available, the people are compelled to pay a premium amount to the private hospital/labs for protecting their lives,” it said.

A few days back, the Ministry of Health and Family welfare had put COVID-19 under the national health scheme, the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). More than 50 crore citizens, eligible under the government of India’s health assurance scheme will be able to avail free testing through private labs and treatment for COVID-19 in empanelled hospitals. The empanelled hospitals can use their own authorized testing facilities or tie-up with an authorized testing facility. These tests would be carried out as per the protocol set by Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and by private labs approved or registered by ICMR. Now with the Supreme Court order, those who are not covered under PMJAY will also be able to avail free testing for Coronavirus at private laboratories.

Pokhran: One Yarun Khan arrested for transporting Tablighi Jamaat members in his private ambulance; 109 coronavirus suspects sent to quarantine

OpIndia Staff
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Pokhran: One Yarun Khan arrested for transporting Tablighi Jamaat members in his private ambulance; 109 coronavirus suspects sent to quarantine

Cases of coronavirus in Rajashtan’s Pokhran have been on a steady rise after locals in the town reportedly came in contact with the attendees of Tablighi Jamaat congregation that happened in mid-March at Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi. Now, one man named Yarun Khan has been arrested by the police for assisting the travel of Jamaat members.

The police have alleged that Khan was involved in deliberately aiding the Tablighi Jamaat attendees reach Pokhran after attending the Tablighi Jamaat congregation. According to the police, Khan used to transport Jamaat members to Jodhpur in his personal ambulance. Khan is also accused of sheltering 3 different Jamaat members and later transporting them to Bikaner in his personal ambulance. He has been charged under Section 269 and 270 for deliberately spreading the infection, and under section 188 for misuse of the ambulance.

Stringent curfew has been implemented in the town and medical teams have sent door-to-door for collecting swab samples in order to determine the spread of coronavirus in the village. All banks have been ordered to remain closed. Only a bunch of selected grocery stores have been asked to remain open who will deliver the goods at home after seeking orders on the phone.

A couple of days back, a government employee who worked at a discom was tested positive for the virus. Later, 21 government employees were tested for the COVID-19 whose reports are awaited. As many as 109 people have been sent to quarantine centres. 

Government sources claim people who attended Tablighi Jamaat event in Nizamuddin had reached Pokhran at around March 19 and since then had taken part in many programmes in the town. They also claimed that many folks brazenly violated PM Modi’s call for nationwide lockdown and organised many events in the village. They also took part in another programme on March 30. 

Tablighi Jamaat member who worked as security guard infects 3 members of the house he worked at

OpIndia Staff
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Tablighi Jamaat member who worked as security guard infects 3 members of the house he worked at

A security guard, who had attended the controversial Islamic event – Tablighi Jamaat in New Delhi has not only tested positive for the Chinese epidemic coronavirus but also infected three members of the house where he was working, reports Times Now.

According to the report, the security guard who was deployed at a house in Defence Colony in New Delhi has infected coronavirus three members of the same family. A complaint has been registered against the guard by the Delhi police under IPC section 269 and 270.

The shocking act of recklessness by the security guard which infected other people with coronavirus comes despite repeated warning from the central government and the Delhi police to come forward to test for the coronavirus if they had attended the Tablighi Jamaat. However, because of his negligence, the guard not only attended the Jamaat but also hid the information of attending the event, thus infecting furthermore people in the country.

It is important to note that Tablighi Jamaat at the Nizamuddin Markaz held earlier in March has turned out to be a hot spot for coronavirus positive cases. Many of the attendees have been found misbehaving with the healthcare workers. The Jamaatis in a Ghaziabad hospital had resorted to spitting on doctors to harassing nurses and running amok naked in the wards. This morning, an FIR was registered against two Nizamuddin Markaz attendees in Narela quarantine centre after they had defecated outside in the corridor.

PM Modi holds meeting with floor leaders of parties, the decision on the extension of lockdown to be taken on 11 April

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi holds meeting with floor leaders of parties, the decision on the extension of lockdown to be taken on 11 April

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video conference meeting with the floor leaders of political parties on the Wuhan Coronavirus situation today.

During the interaction, Prime Minister said, “Situation in the country is akin to a ‘social emergency’. It has necessitated tough decisions and we must continue to remain vigilant. States, District Administrations, and experts have suggested an extension of lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.”

Prime minister said that the entire world is facing the grave challenge of COVID-19. The present situation is epoch changing event in mankind’s history and we must evolve to counter the impact. PM Modi praised the efforts of the states working together against the deadly epidemic.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and NCP leader Sharad Pawar also participated in the meeting that was held via video conferencing. Secretaries of various ministries also briefed the leaders about the current scenario and steps undertaken.

It is reported that the PM has hinted that lockdown may not be lifted on April 14. Several state leaders have also suggested the extension of lockdown.

Biju Janata Dal leader Pinaki Misra told PTI that after meeting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear that nationwide lockdown will not be lifted in one go on April 14. As per reports, the PM said that he will also consult Chief Ministers.

Reportedly, Prime Minister Modi will again chair a meeting with Chief Ministers of States to review situation due to Wuhan coronavirus on 11 April through video conferencing. The decision on the possible extension of the lockdown is to be taken in that meeting.

Dubai man seeks permission for moving between houses of his two wives during Coronavirus Lockdown

OpIndia Staff
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Dubai man seeks permission for moving between houses of his two wives during Coronavirus Lockdown

While speaking to listeners on the local radio in Dubai, a senior police officer felt a shock and surprise when he got a bizarre question from one of the callers. The caller wanted to know whether he’ll need any permission to move between the houses of two of his wives during the 24-hour lockdown which is being enforced to carry out sanitisation of the areas, according to a report by Gulf Today.

The caller asked, “I’m married to two women. Should I get a permit when I move from house to house?” The Brigadier Saif Muhair Al Mazroui, who is the director of the Traffic Department, Dubai Police, laughed at the question and said that not getting a permit will be a good excuse to not meet the other wife if he didn’t desire to be with her, almost denying him to ask for permission as the lockdown mainly allows to move out for the most urgent needs.

The senior cop asserted, “I received many questions like this one. The permit is only for one time and people need to apply for a permit whenever they leave their homes for necessary matters.”

The permissions are issued for one time only so as to contain the transmission of the coronavirus.

The cop asserted that because the aim is to reduce the movement on the streets, issuing a weekly permit to buy essentials won’t be logical. Areas He added, “Areas which used to take one week to be completely sterilized, can be done within one day now, and that will speed the return to our daily lives.”

The Dubai police also tweeted, “Individuals are not allowed to leave the house except for essential purposes or if they are working in vital sectors during the national sterilization program.”

Dubai is already under lockdown for past two weeks, but from Sunday more severe restrictions have been placed to contain the spread of Wuhan Coronavirus. Now residents who need to leave their houses for essential purposes, which only include visits to the grocery store, pharmacy or doctor, requires a permit issued online by the Dubai Police, and a new permit is required for each such trip. A mask and gloves are to be worn at all times when outside the house, else there will be penalty. These rules will be in force for two weeks.

The United Arab Emirates has reported over 2,350 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including 12 deaths and 186 recovered patients.


Is China using Zoom teleconferencing to spy on us?

OpIndia Staff
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Is China using Zoom teleconferencing to spy on us?

Amidst the lockdown in many countries due to the coronavirus pandemic, people are now relying on teleconferencing applications to continue to stay connected with work or their distant families. One such popular teleconferencing app globally is Zoom. 

But is Zoom safe or a spy for China.

The Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto is an interdisciplinary laboratory based at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto, focusing on research, development, and high-level strategic policy and legal engagement at the intersection of information and communication technologies, human rights, and global security.

The Citizen Lab report examined the encryption that protects meetings in the popular Zoom teleconference app. It found that Zoom has “rolled their own” encryption scheme, which has significant weaknesses.

In addition, it identified potential areas of concern in Zoom’s infrastructure, including observing the transmission of meeting encryption keys through China.

Here are the key findings of the The Citizen Lab investigations into ZOOM:

  • Zoom documentation claims that the app uses “AES-256” encryption for meetings where possible. However, we find that in each Zoom meeting, a single AES-128 key is used in ECB mode by all participants to encrypt and decrypt audio and video. The use of ECB mode is not recommended because patterns present in the plaintext are preserved during encryption.
  • The AES-128 keys, which we verified are sufficient to decrypt Zoom packets intercepted in Internet traffic, appear to be generated by Zoom servers, and in some cases, are delivered to participants in a Zoom meeting through servers in China, even when all meeting participants, and the Zoom subscriber’s company, are outside of China.
  • Zoom, a Silicon Valley-based company, appears to own three companies in China through which at least 700 employees are paid to develop Zoom’s software. This arrangement is ostensibly an effort at labor arbitrage: Zoom can avoid paying US wages while selling to US customers, thus increasing their profit margin. However, this arrangement may make Zoom responsive to pressure from Chinese authorities.

The report further indicated that while Zoom was headquartered in the United States, and listed on the NASDAQ, the mainline Zoom app appears to be developed by three companies in China, which all have the name – Ruanshi Software. Two of the three companies are owned by Zoom, whereas one is owned by an entity called American Cloud Video Software Technology Co., Ltd.  

Zoom’s most recent SEC filling shows that the company (through its Chinese affiliates) employs at least 700 employees in China that work in “research and development.” 

The filing also implies that 81 per cent of Zoom’s revenue comes from North America. 

Running development out of China likely saves Zoom having to pay Silicon Valley salaries, reducing their expenses and increasing their profit margin. 

However, this arrangement could also open up Zoom to pressure from Chinese authorities. 

While the mainline Zoom app (zoom.us) was reportedly blocked in China in November 2019, there are several third-party Chinese companies that sell the Zoom app within China (e.g., zoom.cn, zoomvip.cn, zoomcloud.cn).

The report further stated that:

“Unfortunately for those hoping for privacy, the implementation of call security in Zoom may not match its exceptional usability. We determined that the Zoom app uses non-industry-standard cryptographic techniques with identifiable weaknesses. In addition, during multiple test calls in North America, we observed keys for encrypting and decrypting meetings transmitted to servers in Beijing, China.

An app with easily-identifiable limitations in cryptography, security issues, and offshore servers located in China which handle meeting keys presents a clear target to reasonably well-resourced nation state attackers, including the People’s Republic of China.

Our report comes amidst a number of other recent research findings and lawsuits identifying other potential security and privacy concerns with the Zoom app. In addition, advocacy groups have also pointed out that Zoom lacks transparency report a critical step towards addressing concerns arising when companies have access to sensitive user data. Zoom has just started (April 2nd, 2020) that it will release such a report within 90 days.

As a result of these troubling security issues, we discourage the use of Zoom at this time for use cases that require strong privacy and confidentiality, including:

  • Governments worried about espionage
  • Businesses concerned about cybercrime and industrial espionage
  • Healthcare providers handling sensitive patient information
  • Activists, lawyers, and journalists working on sensitive topics”

The Citizen Lab raises pertinent questions about the safety of the teleconferencing app Zoom and also about its security due to links off Zoom with China. You can read Zoom’s annual report here.

Author Savio Rodrigues is a social activist, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Goa Chronicle. You can read the original article here.

The WHO failed the world during the coronavirus crisis, it has become the political puppet of China: US politician

OpIndia Staff
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The WHO failed the world during the coronavirus crisis, it has become the political puppet of China: US politician

The US Senator from Idaho and Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jim Risch called to form an independent investigation against the World Health Organization alleging that the organization has been a political puppet of the Chinese government the organization is unwilling to hold Chinese communist party responsible for the pandemic.

According to the press release of Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Risch stated, “The WHO has not only failed the American people, it has failed the world with its flagrant mishandling of the response to COVID-19. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ apparent unwillingness to hold the Chinese Communist Party to even the minimum standard of global health and transparency hindered the world’s ability to blunt the spread of this pandemic. It is completely unacceptable that the world’s global health organization has become a political puppet of the Chinese government.”

The Senator aggressively called for an independent investigation sermonizing that the valuable American taxpayer dollars should be spent in a direction to avoid the spread of the respiratory disease. He said, “An independent investigation into the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 response is imperative. The United States is the largest contributor to the WHO. Our valuable taxpayer dollars should go towards investments to prevent the spread of disease, not to aid and abet cover-ups that cost lives and isolate portions of the world’s population on political grounds, as has been the case with Taiwan. I look forward to a truly independent and fulsome review of the WHO and an examination of the U.S.’s financial support for its efforts in the future, with an eye towards very significant reform or possible replacement of the WHO.”

United States President Donald Trump also took to Twitter alleging that the WHO, which is largely funded by the US has defrauded the country by turning ‘China-centric’.

US President Trump had stated that he will take steps to restrict the WHO’s funding. “We’re going to put a hold on money spent on the WHO. We’re going to put a very powerful hold on it and we’re going to see. It’s a great thing if it works. But when they call every shot wrong, that’s no good”.

Nehru ‘slave’ Ram Guha shares WhatsApp forward to target Modi ‘bhakts’, PM calls out mischief

OpIndia Staff
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Nehru ‘slave’ Ram Guha shares WhatsApp forward to target Modi ‘bhakts’, PM calls out mischief

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that a message that is circulating on social media asking people to stand for 5 minutes in honour of him is fake.

The prime minister tweeted that it has come to his notice that some people are campaigning to honour Modi by standing for five minutes. On the first glance, it seems like a conspiracy to drag him into a controversy, he added. PM Modi came forward to clarify about the message after historian and Nehru-Gandhi family loyalist Ramachandra Guha mocked him and his supporters referring to the message.

PM Modi also added that it is possible that it is a genuine well wish of some people. ‘If that is true, I request that if you have so much love for me and want to honour me, please take care of one poor family as long as the coronavirus crisis continues’, he further tweeted. “Nothing can be a bigger honour for me”, the PM concluded.

The fake message

The prime minister was referring to an image with a message which called for giving a standing ovation to him for his handling of the Coronavirus outbreak. The message said, “this man has done so much for us and out nation. This Sunday on 12th April-2020, 5 PM, let us all give a standing ovation and salute our Prime Minister. Everyone is requested to stand in their house balconies at 5 PM and give a standing ovation and salute our prime minister, Mr Narendra Damodardas Modi for 5 minutes.”

The message also added, ‘kindly forward to as many as you can’, a typical characteristic of fake messages which appear on social media.

Gandhi-Nehru family apologist Ramchandra Guha tweeted the image mocking PM Modi and his supporters claiming it is hero-worship which will lead to dictatorship. Claiming the message to be true, he quoted BR Ambedkar saying, “Bhakti in religion may be a road to the salvation of the soul. But in politics, Bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship”.

The fact that Guha used the message to attack the PM gives credence to PM Modi’s doubt that it has been created to drag him into a conspiracy.

Corona Yoddha: How people came together on social media to help out those in need across political spectrum during lockdown

OpIndia Staff
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Corona Yoddha: How people came together on social media to help out those in need across political spectrum during lockdown

While everything around may appear gloomy and uncertain in wake of Chinese coronavirus, a ray of hope has emerged that restores our faith in humanity. Social media is often termed as a toxic place where under the guise of anonymity threats are a regular feature. However, in past few days, the same social media has managed to feed thousands of mouths across India.

OpIndia got in touch with a few of these ‘warriors’ so to say who are fighting the good fight: to ensure in such hard times no person goes to sleep on an empty stomach. One such person has been BJP leader Tajinder Bagga. “I sleep 20 hours as I am spending most of my day coordinating on social media with various people and connecting those who need help to those who could provide. It is a group effort and people from BJP, the Yuva Morcha, the RSS, Art of Living and Patanjali have come out to help,” he says.

At a time when everyone is seeing a one-upmanship, people like Bagga have not let political differences get into the way of humanity. When RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav called for help for the migrant workers in Bihar who were struggling for ration, Bagga coordinated with BJP youth wing to ensure that help is reached.

On 30th March, a week after the lockdown was imposed, Yadav tweeted to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, BJP leader Tajinder Bagga as well as RJD ally Congress leader Srinivas. Soon, Bagga tweeted to BJP Youth leader who further coordinated to try and get to the stranded labourers from Bihar.

Similar such ration was arranged for others after RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav reached out to Tajinder Bagga.

Even chief ministers of different states have coordinated through Twitter to ensure the most poor and the needy are taken care of.

Bagga says that Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali team itself has managed to feed about 2000-3000 people in Mumbai and most of this is coordinated through social media.

Ankit Jain, BJP supporter and social media influencer, has also been relentless in coordinating distribution of food packets and ration kits to those in need. “A lady who lives in an ashram at the Nashik-Aurangabad border and is suffering from terminal illness pinged me that she was low on supply of medicines and oxygen. When she tweeted to me, she had five days of supply. Her medicines were stuck in India Post because of lockdown. We tried out best to reach out to concerned people and we tried to get the medicines delivered to her,” he said.

She got the medicines with two days’ worth of stock remaining with her, Ankit informs. There has been overwhelming support from people who have come together to help the ones who are fighting this good fight.

When Humanitarian Aid International’s team went to help a family in distress with ration, they realised they had already received help. However, another family in the neighbourhood with a divyang member needed help. Hence, they provided the ration to them instead.

Speaking to OpIndia, HAI Board Member Sudhir said that they have started community kitchens in various parts of Delhi and sending out as many as 2,500 food packets daily to those who need them in those areas. “Some 70-80 Muslim families in recent anti-Hindu riots hit areas of New Delhi were provided ration where we transferred money directly to the ration shop. The families had to just go and collect. In fact, when Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s office reached out to us we provided food packets to them also. A hungry stomach does not see political ideology,” Sudhir says.

While most of the efforts are volunteer-run, organisation like India Today group reached out to HAI and donated money which was used to procure basic essentials like 40 kg flour, 10 kg daal, 4 ltrs oil, 5 kg sugar, 1 kg salt and other basic spices for 500 families, informs Sudhir.

And while our fight against the Chinese coronavirus continues, it is people like these who give us hope that we will emerge not only stronger but kinder when the pandemic is a thing of past.

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