Month: January 2021

Diplomat Turned Foreign Minister

India To Supply 10mn Doses Of Covid Vaccines To Africa

By LokMarg

India has gifted over 55 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccine to neighbouring countries so far, External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.

Addressing a weekly briefing, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Thursday said India plans to gift vaccines doses to Oman, CARICOM countries, Nicaragua, Pacific Island states.

Srivastava said New Delhi plans to supply 1 crore or 10 million vaccine doses to Africa and 10 lakh to United Nations health workers under GAVI’s (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) COVAX facility.

“There is interest in many countries to access vaccine from India. In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement that India sees international cooperation in the fight against the pandemic. We have played the role of the first responder in the neighbourhood,” Srivastava said.

“From 20th January 2021 onward, we have gifted over 55 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines to our neighbouring countries and in the extended neighbourhood–1.5 lakh to Bhutan, 1 lakh to Maldives, Mauritius and Bahrain, 10 lakhs to Nepal, 20 lakhs to Bangladesh, 15 lakhs to Myanmar, 50,000 to Seychelles, 5 lakh to Sri Lanka. In the coming days, We plan to gift further quantity to Oman that is of 1 lakh doses, 5 lakh doses to CARICOM countries. 2 lakh to Nicaragua, 2 lakh doses to the Pacific island state,” he added.

These supplies are based on the request of these countries, he said.

India, Srivastava said, plans to commercially export coronavirus vaccine to Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada, Mongolia and other countries.

“On a commercial level, the export has taken place for Brazil Morocco and Bangladesh. Further supplies to countries on commercial bases are likely to take place to Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada Mongolia and other countries. We plan to supply 1 crore or 10 million vaccine doses to Africa and 10 lakh to United Nations health workers under GAVI,” he said. (ANI)

A Volunteer at Singhu Border Protest Site

‘Govt Had Laid A Trap, Farmers Walked Into It’

By LokMarg

Gurpreet Wasi, a volunteer at Singhu border protest site, recounts what happened a day ahead of the Tractor Rally and how the Machiavellian state led the farmers into a trap

I am an ordinary citizen of India. I have been on ground since the day farmers set up camps around Delhi in November 2020, as a Khalsa Aid volunteer. Lakhs of farmer camping in the bitter cold of Delhi is a humanitarian crisis. Getting up to help them was a natural reaction as well as a debt I owe to Punjab, the birthplace of my parents.

The Tractor March was a historic event, hitherto unseen in modern India. Around 2 lakh tractors, and 7-9 lakh famers, asserted their right to walk the national capital, mark the Republic Day, and renew our pledge to live by the Constitution of India. The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, a joint front of 40 farmer unions, and police authorities had agreed upon a route and the parade was to begin around noon.

Wasi and her friends are in support of farmers protesting at Delhi borders

On the eve of the Parade, I went to Singhu border to distribute tricolor turban materials to make the march spectacular. My friends had helped me put together green, white and kesari turbans. I was there when a faction of people, who are not part of the Morcha, suddenly announced that they won’t follow the route decided between the authorities and the Morcha. Deep Sidhu, a known BJP mole, appeared on stage with the help of a group of Nihangs, with a provocative speech.

I returned a bit wrecked, a bulk of the turbans still in my car. I could not sleep a wink that night trying to estimate the impending danger of this adverse turn.

ALSO READ: ‘Red Fort Violence A Bid To Discredit Movement’

Deep Sidhu is a familiar name at the protest; farmers never trusted his intentions or his suddenly developed ‘Sikhi’. His affiliation with BJP was not hidden. Yet, over the months he had gathered a following of adrenalin-high youngsters.

I also received a message from a friend that a media insider had told her that ‘action would start early in the day’. True to her ‘insider tip’ a group of farmers (not part of Morcha) appeared on the borders at 8 AM as did empty DTC buses so that ‘public property’ could be damaged conveniently and captured on camera.

And before you know it, TV screens were awash with aggressive protesters entering the Red Fort. A religious flag (Nishan Sahib) was tied on a conveniently vacant pole to prove that the protesters are Khalistan supporters – a narrative this government has been trying to push from the beginning. The farmers had literally walked into a dangerous trap laid out for them.

The irony is that all 40 farmer unions started the Tractor Parade on the route agreed upon and at scheduled time. Along with a group of friends, I witnessed this peaceful parade for hours together. People of Delhi were showering flowers on them. But not a single TV channel covered this official tractor parade.

Social media anarchists had been in convulsions about the leniency of Delhi Police and Supreme Court in ‘allowing’ the parade. Now, we know that the soft gloves were hiding daggers underneath. The farmer’s historic parade went horribly wrong; they returned disappointed and bewildered, wondering if their 63 days of penance in Delhi was undone in a single masterstroke of the Machiavellian State.

There are questions that beg answers. Who gave access to Deep Sidhu into a fortress like Red Fort, that too on Republic Day? Who opened its locked Iron doors? Troops were seen falling off the walls of Red Fort like matchsticks. How did anyone so strategically place a camera on the adjacent side to catch the drama? Is this a Netflix soap?

Why were some tractors turned around at Nangloi and not allowed to move to Najafgarh as planned? Why did police barricade routes to Akshardam and Geeta Colony that had been approved for the parade? Was it to create confusion? Tell me who is the biggest beneficiary from this situation? You will have all the answers there.

Wasi (left) has a string of questions that point at a conspiracy

Do you think the farmers would throw away months of their sacrifice to a few moments of madness? How can it make sense to anyone but those who are without reason, without a shred of humanity? Don’t you see this is most dangerous conspiracy and machination to sabotage the Farmers’ protests?

This sordid dance of a failed democracy was amplified on the mouthpiece TV channels. I am sure all of us who stayed home watched it, some with glee and others with dismay and disgust.

Most of the farmers thought that most Indians were looking at their plight with sympathy and that India knows that they stayed non-violent. But at the end of the day when they returned to base, broken and badgered in body and spirit, ‘Dilli’ had painted them and the most generous community of India as goons and terrorists.

It’s a tragedy to witness simple, gullible farmers who travelled from faraway places like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab and Haryana who decorated their tractors to Delhi Roads to make their parade their voice, were made scapegoats on the altar of politics.

As told to Mamta Sharma

Indian For Ex Reserves Rise For 1st Time In 5 Months to $562.4mn

FDI Into India Rose 81% In Nov 2020 To $10.15 Billion

By LokMarg

India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) saw a significant jump in November 2020. FDI data released by the Commerce Ministry shows that total FDI in the month of November 2020 grew by a whopping 81 per cent to USD 10.15 billion against USD 5.6 billion in November 2019. FDI equity has also jumped to USD 8.5 billion as against USD 2.8 billion in November 2019, registering a growth of 70 per cent.

India has attracted total FDI inflow of USD 58.37 billion during April to November 2020. It is the highest ever for the first eight months of a financial year (F.Y.) and 22 per cent higher as compared to the first eight months of 2019-20 (USD 47.67 billion).

FDI equity inflow received during F.Y. 2020-21 (April to November 2020) is USD 43.85 billion. It is also the highest ever for the first eight months of a financial year and 37% more compared to the first eight months of 2019-20 (USD 32.11 billion), the data revealed.

FDI is a major driver of economic growth and an important source of non-debt finance for the economic development of India. It has been the endeavour of the government to put in place an enabling and investor-friendly FDI policy, the Commerce Ministry said.

The intent all this while has been to make the FDI policy more investor-friendly and remove the policy bottlenecks that have been hindering the investment inflows into the country. The steps taken in this direction have borne fruit, as is evident from the ever-increasing volumes of FDI inflows being received into the country, it said.

Measures taken by the Government on the FDI policy reforms, investment facilitation and ease of doing business have resulted in increased FDI inflows into the country. The following trends in India’s Foreign Direct Investment are an endorsement of its status as a preferred investment destination amongst global investors. (ANI)

Indian Dispatches Covishield Vaccines To Sri Lanka, Bahrain

By LokMarg

After providing coronavirus vaccines to several countries including Bangladesh, Nepal and Maldives, India on Thursday established its position as a reliable partner in COVID-19 assistance by dispatching Covishield vaccines to Bahrain and Sri Lanka.

A consignment of 50,400 doses of coronavirus vaccines will be provided by India to Sri Lanka under the Vaccine Maitri initiative, while Bahrain will receive get 10,800 doses.

The Covishield vaccine developed by Serum Institute of India (SII) was loaded to the cargo aircraft at Mumbai and left as per schedule at 7:55 am for Manama.

The vaccine consignment for Colombo was delayed for 15 minutes and is scheduled to leave at 9:00 am.

Bahrain had earlier approved Covishield to support its efforts towards vaccinating members at risk of developing complications from COVID-19.

Meanwhile, India has supplied COVID-19 vaccines to neighbouring countries including Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh under Neighbourhood First policy.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday had announced vaccine rollout for several countries from January 20.

India sees international cooperation in the area of fight against COVID-19 pandemic as its duty; New Delhi has played the role of the first responder in the region. (ANI)

Actor Deep Sidhu Booked For Red Fort Violence On R-Day

By LokMarg

The names of Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu and gangster Lakka Sadana have also been included in an FIR registered in connection with the violence at Red Fort in Delhi on January 26, Delhi Police said on Wednesday while adding that Sidhu was involved in the incident.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Chinmoy Biswal on Wednesday wrote to the organiser of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, Darshan Pal, urging him to answer why action should not be taken against him and his allies for breaking an agreement regarding the protest routes on Republic Day.

The reply has been sought within the next three days.

Nineteen people have so far been arrested and over 25 criminal cases registered by Delhi Police in connection with the violence that broke out during the farmers’ tractor march on Tuesday, Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava said on Wednesday. (ANI)

Modi Is Anti-Kannadiga

Cong Asks Shah To Resign Over R-Day Delhi Violence

By LokMarg

The Congress alleged on Wednesday that “a concerted conspiracy aided and abetted” by BJP-led government took place to malign the farmers’ movement during the tractor march by farmers and sought resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said a “set of people with premeditated motive of violence, who had nothing to do with the ‘Sanyukt Kisan Morcha’, were permitted to enter the premises, the sanctum sanctorum of the Red Fort, the pride of India, climb on to its columns and put a flag there.”

“This is a sacrilege. This is unacceptable,” he said.

He alleged that Delhi Police was a “mute spectator” as people entered the Red Fort and occupied its large portions.

“Delhi Police instead of booking those people, arresting those people, is actually registering false cases against the leaders of the ‘Sanyukt Kisan Morcha’,” he alleged.

Surjewala said it was “a huge, colossal security lapse” and “intelligence failure” and sought removal of Amit Shah.

He said it was second time in less than a year that the national capital has witnessed trouble.

The Congress leader asked if the Home Ministry and intelligence agencies “did not know about the open declaration over the last 24 – 48 hours by the violent and anti social elements, who segregated themselves from the farmers and expressed their desire that they are going to go up to the Red Fort”.

Surjewala alleged that the government had earlier adopted policy of “tiring out” protesting farmers and later of “dividing them” and “maligning them”.

He alleged that the government “is protecting those who indulged in arson and violence”.

Delhi witnessed violence during the tractor march by farmers on Republic Day to protest against three farm laws. The protestors violated the agreement about the route for the tractor march and entered central Delhi after forcibly removing barricades. Several policemen were injured in the violence and vehicles were damaged.

Nineteen people have been so far arrested and over 25 criminal cases registered by Delhi Police in connection with the violence, Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava said on Wednesday.

The farmers have been protesting on borders of Delhi against three new farm laws since November 26. (ANI)

Tractor Rally from Ghazipur Border to Seemapuri

‘Red Fort Violence Was A Bid To Discredit Farmers Protest’

By LokMarg

Imran Malik, 25, who participated in Tractor Rally from Ghazipur border to Seemapuri, says the march was peaceful and orderly. He feels the violence at Red Fort could be an attempt to discredit the movement

On January 26, I left my house early in the cold morning to stand in solidarity with our farmer brothers and sisters and take part in Kisan Tractor Rally with a few like-minded friends of mine. I am a resident of Delhi and support the farmers protest against Central agriculture laws. I come from a family of farmers in Uttar Pradesh and feel duty-bound to support our ‘anndatas‘ (providers).

We reached the Ghazipur border around 10 am, given the traffic was moving at snail’s pace. The atmosphere at the gathering point was electric; everyone around stood up for one another in true spirit of Republic Day celebration. There was an endless sea of tractors at the border and one could sense the binding spirit of the people fighting for their fundamental rights.

The security, as in every Republic Day, was really tight but the participants were also self-disciplined. A few people could be seen listening to the Prime Minister’s speech on their phones to find out if he had anything to say about them. The speech got over at around 12 pm and we came to know that many farmers present at other borders had removed the barricades and entered the National Capital.

ALSO READ: Global Implications Of Farm Laws

Soon, there were messages and news received on mobile phones that at certain points, there were clashes between protesters and police. Looking at the orderly march that I was a part of, it was imaginable that miscreants had penetrated into the rally participants. Kuch shararati tatvon ne movement ko bigadne ki koshish ki (Certain anti-social elements tried to discredit this movement).

However, there was no untoward incident in our cavalcade. We carried the Indian Tricolour with us and our tractor (belonging to a friend from Muradnagar) also had a music system fitted in it. We felt like we were all part of one nation, one voice. Indeed, it was a national festival.

Malik says his column of rally was orderly and peaceful

Our procession marched as was planned earlier and we moved from the Ghazipur border towards Seemapuri. En route, we met with posse of policemen, but the exchanges on both sides were cordial. After all, most security personnel in India too come from farming community. Rare is an extended family in India which is not involved in farming in some way or other.

By this time, around 1 pm, we received reports and messages that many protesters have entered Red Fort. I had no plans to go to Red Fort, so I left from home. Later I saw visuals of violence and clashes. I strongly condemn such incidents.

At the same time, the episode has forced the government to sit up and take note. The state has finally begun to listen to the people it claims to serve. Over the last few years, any group or individual who expressed any dissent would be treated disdainfully and dubbed as anti-national, or be blamed for identity politics.

But the government has been unable to find any chink in the formidable farmer protests. Ye movement bikhra nahi. The tractor rally yesterday was a symbol of determination that the farmers want to see this through to its logical end. The farmers are agitated because they are staring at a bleak future. The government which bulldozed its way through every other movement, such as one at Shaheen Bagh, should better sense the mood of the public and initiate dialogue in earnest.

Congress Leaders Provoked Farmers, Says Javadekar

By LokMarg

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday strongly condemned the violence during the tractor parade by farmers on Republic Day and accused Congress of fuelling the protests and trying to create unrest in the country.

Addressing a press conference at BJP headquarters in New Delhi, he said that everyone who incited the violence should be punished.

He alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was provoking farmers.

The minister said India will not forget “insult of Tricolour”.

“The violence that unfolded in Delhi yesterday cannot be condemned enough. Everyone who incited it should be punished. India will not forget the insult of the Tricolour. Congress has continuously fuelled farmers’ protests. There is a Congress government in Punjab. Some farmers were saying that there is a final match on January 26. Then the Punjab government should have kept a vigil on tractors and arrested habitual criminals,” Javadekar said.

“Rahul Gandhi was not only constantly supporting but also provoking. It happened during CAA as well. Congress holds rallies, they instigate people to take to streets and agitation begins the next day. It happened during this agitation too. They instigated farmers,” he added.

He alleged that the Congress government in Punjab “deliberately instigated” the farmers.

“Tweets of the Youth Congress yesterday and the organisations related to the Congress are also proof. A Congress leader wrote in a tweet yesterday – ‘A peaceful protest is being shown as a violent one’ What happened at Nangloi and other parts of Delhi was non-violent? Over 300 police personnel were injured, several of them in ICU. Was this non-violent?” he said.

Javadekar said Congress “is frustrated and disappointed” over its electoral losses.

“Similar is the condition with Communists. That is why we are looking for a new friendship relationship in West Bengal. Congress somehow wants to spread unrest in the country. This is what is left of Congress’ politics. They are worried as to what will happen to family-based politics? Thus, Congress is trying to provoke every situation into violence,” the BJP leader said.

He praised Delhi Police for displaying restraint during violence yesterday.

“They were attacked by swords and even stones were thrown, but they did not retaliate. They brought the situation under control with patience,” he said.

Delhi witnessed violence and chaotic scenes during the tractor march by farmers on Republic Day to protest against three farm laws. The protestors violated the agreement about the route for the tractor march and entered central Delhi after forcibly removing barricades. Several policemen were injured in the violence and vehicles were damaged.

Police has said 22 FIRs have been registered and 300 police personnel have been injured. (ANI)

Farmer Unions Postpone Feb 1 March To Parliament

By LokMarg

A day after violence in Delhi during their tractor march, the farmer unions protesting against farm laws have postponed their proposed march to parliament on February 1.

The decision was announced at a joint press conference by members of Samyukt Kisan Morcha at Singhu border. The farmer unions also said their agitation against three farm laws will continue.

BKU leader Balbir S Rajewal said at the press conference that the proposed march had been postponed due to incidents in the national capital on Tuesday.

“On Martyrs’ Day, we’ll hold public rallies across India. We will also keep a one-day fast. Our March to the Parliament on February 1 stands postponed for now due to this (yesterday’s violence),” he said.

Union budget will be presented on February 1.

Rajewal, who is chief of BKU(R) also accused the central government of “planned conspiracy” to end the farmers’ protest.

“Despite attempts to break it, 99.9 per cent of farmers were peaceful. Some incidents took place. There was blockade for us, not for Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee,” he said.

Delhi witnessed violence and chaotic scenes during the tractor march by farmers on Republic Day to protest against three farm laws. The protestors violated the agreement about the route for the tractor march and entered central Delhi after forcibly removing barricades. The Police has said it will take action against those guilty of violence.

Several policemen were injured in the violence and vehicles were damaged. Delhi Police held a meeting on Wednesday to review the security situation in the national capital.

Farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital since November 26, 2020, against the farm laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (ANI)

Police FIR Names Farmer Leaders For Delhi Violence

By LokMarg

Delhi Police on Wednesday held 37 farmer leaders including Medha Patkar, Buta Singh, Yogendra Yadav responsible for Tuesday’s violence in the national capital during the farmers’ Republic Day tractor rally.

In another FIR, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait has been named for violating multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Sec 307 (attempt to murder), 147 (punishment for rioting) and 353 (assault/criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), the Delhi Police said in a statement today.

In the FIR on the violence at ITO, Police mentions the sequence of the incident in which a farmer died after his tractor overturned. It mentions that the farmers were proceeding towards Central Delhi and they were constantly requested to maintain law and order.

The FIR states that the protesting farmers arrived in tractors and tried to hit police officials. The police had a close shave and left from the spot, later they got to know that the farmer succumbed to his injuries.

In the FIR filed at Samaypur Badi, police held 37 farmer leaders including Medha Patkar, Buta Singh, Yogendra Yadav among others, responsible for the Republic Day violence.

Police said that their “preplanned objective of not following the mutually agreed route and the timing of the commencement of the so-called parade’ of the protestors as disrupting the Republic Day Parade resorted to the above said acts and their gathering was also in violation of the guidelines in view of COVID 19.

“They thereby committed an offence under 47, 148, 149, 152, 186, 188, 269, 353, 332, 307, 395, 397, 120B, 34 IPC and three Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act”, the Delhi Police statement said.

The FIR mentions multiple IPC sections, including Sec 307 (attempt to murder), 147 (punishment for rioting) & 353 (assault/criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty.

Apart from Tikait, Darshan Pal, Rajinder Singh, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Buta Singh Burjgil and Joginder Singh Ugraha have been named in the FIRs for breach of NOC issued regarding farmers’ tractor rally, the Delhi Police said.

Police said that FIR mentioned multiple IPC (Indian Penal Code) sections, including Sec 307 (attempt to murder), 147 (punishment for rioting) and 353 (assault/criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).

Delhi Police further said it has registered an FIR under IPC Sec 395 (dacoity), 397 (robbery, or dacoity, with an attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), 120 b (punishment of criminal conspiracy) and other sections, regarding yesterday’s violence at Red Fort.

A total of 22 FIRs have been filed by the Delhi Police after protestors broke barricades to enter Delhi and indulged in vandalism across several parts of the national capital during their tractor rally organised to protest against the Centre’s three new farm laws.

Several public and private properties were damaged in acts of vandalism by the rioters, where over 300 police personnel were injured.

One FIR also mentioned the incident at ITO where a farmer died after his tractor overturned.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Police said the postmortem of the farmer who died during the tractor rally in Delhi’s ITO (Income tax Office area) on Tuesday, succumbed to the antemortem injuries, and that he was not shot, as claimed by some farmers earlier.

Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (ANI)