Month: April 2021

Terming Chinese “occupation of contested areas” on the Sino-Indian border last year a “most serious escalation in decades”, a United States intelligence report said border tensions between New Delhi and Beijing “remain high” despite some force pullbacks early this year.

In an unclassified annual report on worldwide threats assessment, the US’ Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) on Tuesday noted that after multiple rounds of talks, as of mid-February, both sides were pulling back forces and equipment from some sites along the disputed border.
The office of DNI oversees the US Intelligence Community and serves as principal adviser to the President on intelligence issues.

“China-India border tensions remain high, despite some force pullbacks this year. China’s occupation since May 2020 of contested border areas is the most serious escalation in decades and led to the first lethal border clash between the two countries since 1975,” the report said.

“As of mid-February, after multiple rounds of talks, both sides were pulling back forces and equipment from some sites along the disputed border,” it added.

The report said interstate conflicts will also flare, ranging from border sparring, such as that between China and India, to potentially more sustained violent confrontations.

“Internal and interstate conflict and instability will continue to pose direct and indirect threats to US persons and interests during the next year. Competition for power and resources, ethnic strife and ideology will drive insurgency and civil war in many countries,” the report said.

Actions by Chinese army resulted in a stand-off between India and China last year.

The two sides agreed to disengage their troops around Pangong Tso two months ago after extensive talks but points of friction remain, including Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang in eastern Ladakh.

India and China held the 11th round of Corps Commander-level talks in Ladakh last week. (ANI)

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday announced a series of strict restrictions in the state till May 1 including the imposition of Section 144 from Wednesday in view of rising COVID-19 cases and but said he will not term the new restrictions as “lockdown”.

Thackeray, who addressed the people of the state, said the government was imposing “strict restrictions” which will come into effect from 8 pm tomorrow.
“Section 144 to be imposed in the entire state from tomorrow. I will not term this as lockdown,” he said.

Under the new guidelines, all establishments, public places, activities will remain closed in the state. Only essential services will be exempted, and their operations to be unrestricted.

The guidelines said that cinema halls, theatres, auditoriums, amusement parks, gyms, sports complexes will remain closed till Section 144 is imposed in the state.

Local train and bus services will be allowed for essential services only and hotels and restaurants will allow only take-away home deliveries.

Petrol pumps, financial institutions associated with SEBI, and construction work will continue.

Shooting for films, serial, ads will remain suspended in Maharashtra from 8 pm, April 14 till 7 am May 1. All shops, malls, shopping centers not performing essential services will also remain closed during this time.

“All places of worship, schools, and colleges, private coaching classes, barbershops, spas, salons, and beauty parlous will remain closed from tomorrow till 7 am on May 1, e-commerce will be only allowed for the delivery of essential goods and services. No religious, social, cultural or political functions allowed,” the guidelines said.

The Chief Minister said the state is continuously upgrading healthcare infrastructure but it is under pressure.

“There is a shortage of medical oxygen, beds and the demand for Remdesivir has also increased. I have requested the Prime Minister to give us permission to bring medical oxygen from other states and he has accepted our request,” he said.

Thackeray said he will speak to the Prime Minister to request him to provide us India Air Force (IAF) assistance in the supply of oxygen for medical use from nearby states.

Thackeray said Maharashtra had reported 60,212 new COVID-19 cases and the number was “frightening”.

He said there is a need to accelerate the vaccination process in the state.

Section 144 prevents gathering of four or more persons. All restrictions will apply till 7 am on May 1.

Several districts in Maharashtra including the capital Mumbai are severely hit by the second wave of COVID infections. Mumbai reported 7,898 new cases and 26 deaths in the last 24 hours, while Nagpur district reported 6826 new COVID19 cases, 3518 recoveries, and 65 deaths, on Tuesday. (ANI)

A long queue of ambulances was seen on Monday night outside Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital amid the deteriorating situation of COVID-19 in the state.

A total of 45 ambulances were seen lined up outside the hospital while several patients have complained of having to be in the waiting line for long.

“The number of patients are on the rise. We have 2,008 patients admitted on Medicity campus while our capacity is 2,120. Our occupancy right now is 90-95 per cent,” said JV Modi, Superintendent, Civil Hospital.

Upon being asked about patients’ grievance on being in the waiting line for long, he said that was not the case.

“Last night, there were 45 ambulances outside the hospital and we admitted all of them. We did not say no to anyone. We take critical patients first who need ventilator beds,” Modi added.

Gujarat currently has 30,680 active cases.

India reported over 1.61 lakh new COVID-19 cases on Monday, according to the union health ministry. (ANI)

The Congress party will be launching its YouTube channel on Wednesday, which marks the birth anniversary of Bhimrao Ambedkar. The channel is named “INC TV”.

The senior party leaders will formally launch the channel with a small documentary on Mahatma Gandhi and Bhimrao Ambedkar.

Through this channel, the party will share their stand on different political issues and opinions on the policies and programs of the government.

According to the sources within the Congress party, the launch of the YouTube channel will help them to fight BJP in a better way.

Significantly, a few months ago, the Congress Party stopped going into the debates of TV channels, accusing many news channels of having a one-sided debate and arguing on the issues which were divided rather than the issues of the country. However, the party had decided to re-send its spokespersons to the debates of the news channels.

The Congress has often alleged the main-stream media for not raising the voice of the opposition parties prominently,

Congress sources said that initially, it will be a programming-based channel, which will later be converted into a 24-hour YouTube channel. (ANI)

Delhi Jal Board Vice Chairman Raghav Chadha on Tuesday said south, north, central, and west Delhi are going to be hit by water scarcity as Haryana is not supplying sufficient water to the national capital.

“The water supply in south, north, central, and west Delhi is going to be affected as Haryana is recklessly turning a blind eye to the people of Delhi. They are not honouring even their legal commitments as the Supreme Court has already fixed the quality and quantity of water that Haryana is obliged to supply to Delhi,” Chadha said in a press meet.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader also alleged that Haryana is wilfully brushing aside its responsibilities and violating the rights of 22 million citizens of Delhi.

“I am saying this with responsibility that this is criminal negligence on part of Haryana government and they are, to some extent, willfully violating the right to life of 22 million citizens of Delhi,” he further said. (ANI)

Taiwan has reported the biggest incursion by Chinese warplanes as over two dozen Chinese aircrafts entered the Taiwanese air defence zone on Monday.

In the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s (PLAAF) biggest incursion so far this year, 22 warplanes, including 14 Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, four Chengdu J-10 fighters, and four Xian H-6 bombers entered the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ), Taiwan News reported citing Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense (MND).

In addition, three slower turboprops — two Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare planes and one Shaanxi KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft — were also tracked in the zone.

Air defence identification zones are early warning systems that help countries detect incursions into their airspace.

Any aircraft entering such an area is supposed to report its route and purpose to the “host” nation, though the zones are classified as international airspace and pilots are not legally bound to make such a notification.

In response, Taiwan scrambled jets issued radio warnings and deployed air defence missile systems to track the PLAAF planes. Monday’s 25 planes comprised the largest incursion since March 26, when Beijing sent 20 aircraft into Taiwan’s ADIZ.

It came just three days after the US issued new guidelines that will deepen its ties with Taiwan.

The latest guidelines from the US State Department will mean American officials can meet more freely with their Taiwanese counterparts.

Washington’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last Friday that the US is concerned about China’s aggressive actions against Taiwan – and warned it would be a “serious mistake” for anyone to try to change the status quo in the Western Pacific by force.

Since mid-September of last year, Beijing has stepped up its gray-zone tactics by regularly sending planes into Taiwan’s ADIZ, with most instances occurring in the southwest corner of the zone and usually consisting of one to three slow-flying turboprop planes.

Over the past few months, Taiwan has reported incursion by Chinese warplanes into ADIZ almost daily. On March 26, Taiwan reported the incursion of 20 Chinese warplanes.

Last month, Taiwanese premier Su Tseng-chang termed the incursion by Chinese warplanes into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADZ) as “unnecessary” and “thoughtless”. Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.

Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing.

China has threatened that “Taiwan’s independence” means war.

Wu Qian, spokesperson of China’s Ministry of National Defence, on January 28 “warned” the people wanting “Taiwan independence” and had said “those who play with fire will set themselves on fire, and seeking ‘Taiwan independence’ means nothing but war”. (ANI)

India has crossed the previous highest surge of Covid-19 cases and the trend is going upward, which is a cause for worry for the country, said Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday.

“India has 89.51 per cent people who have been cured of Covid-19 infection, 1.25 per cent deaths related to the viral infection and 9.24 per cent active cases currently. If we look at new cases, we will find that the previous highest surge has already been crossed and the trend is going upward. That is a cause for worry,” said Bhushan during the weekly health ministry briefing on the Covid-19 situation in the country.
Giving figures of states where the infection is showing rapid growth despite low testing through RTPCR, the Health Secretary said that there the ministry has a reason to believe that if RTPCR tests proportion goes up, then positivity may show a corresponding increase.

“In Maharashtra, you’ll find that average daily cases, week on week, have grown significantly and reached a level of 57,000 plus. Tests per million are also growing but not keeping pace with the growth of average daily cases. If you look at the share of RT-PCR tests, it’s progressively coming down,” he said.

Bhushan said that the weekly positivity rate in Chattisgarh is also increasing from one and a half percent, it has increased to 27.9 per cent, and added that this is another cause for concern.

“Chhattisgarh was reporting hardly 200 cases per day in mid-February, but today it reported 11,504 cases. The average test per million has increased but has not kept pace with the change in case. The average daily RT-PCR share is roughly 28-30 per cent and ramping up of test capacity is needed,” he said.

Talking about Uttar Pradesh, the Health Secretary said that on average 89 cases a day were reported in the state, but now it has increased to 10,000. “The average daily RT-PCR tests are around 45 to 44 per cent, so they also need to be ramped up. The weekly positivity is 4.84 per cent but it is showing a rising trend,” he said.

Bhushan said that the government, through ICMR, has offered the mobile testing lab. “These technologies have been perfected and developed within the country and multiple private players are offering such mobile tests at a very cost-effective rate. RT-PCR machines have also been put on government e-marketplace ‘GeM’ so that procurement could be easier and could take lesser time,” he said.

He further informed that till 8 am on Tuesday, more than 10.85 crore doses of Covid vaccine were administered in the country.

“In last 24 hours, over 40 lakh doses were administered. As per data till 11 am today, unutilised doses available with states and UTs is over 1,67,20,000. This month – till April end – 2,01,22,960 doses will be provided to states and UTs. This clearly shows that issue is about better planning and not the shortage of doses,” Bhushan said.

He added that if wastage is taken into account and consumption is looked at, then states and UTs used 11.43 crore doses till now.

“Till now we’ve provided 13,10,90,000 doses to states and union territories. On one hand, we have states like Kerala where there is zero wastage (of vaccine) and on the other hand, we have several other states where there still is 8-9 per cent of wastage,” said the Health Secretary. (ANI)

The BJP will bring a political solution to the Gorkha problem and protect Gorkha and Nepalis after coming to power in West Bengal, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday.

Addressing a public meeting here, Shah said, “The three Darjeeling seats are very important for the BJP. On one side, there will be a victory on 197 seats and on another three from this Darjeeling region. Gorkhas need to be brought to the mainstream. Gorkha and Nepalis will be protected by BJP. They have always sacrificed themselves for the nation.”
“In 1986-88, Communists flamed fires on the hills and shot and killed over 1,200 Gorkhas! We have not forgotten that! Didi has continued the trend in the last 10 years. Our Constitution has the solution to every problem. The double-engine BJP government will bring a political solution to the Gorkha problem after forming the government in Bengal. You will not have to revolt,” the Union Home Minister appealed to the poeple.

He further accused the successive state governments of West Bengal for halting the development of Darjeeling.

“Darjeeling is one of the most beautiful cities in India and is one of the oldest established cities in India. It received the first electric connection in India, in 1897. India’s second oldest municipality was built here in 1850. Darjeeling has played a great role in the independence of the country. After independence, the Congress, then the Communist and now Didi, put a full stop to the development of Darjeeling,” said the Union Home Minister.

“11 leftover Gorkha sub-castes want Scheduled Tribe status, a matter that has been pending for years. The BJP government wanted to resolve this, but Mamata Ji did not attend any meeting on this issue. There has been a lot of exploitation of tea plantation workers in Bengal. We pledge to raise the wages of tea plantation workers to Rs 350,” stated Shah.

He further alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stopped the implementation of the Forest Rights Act in West Bengal.

“The Forest Rights Act is implemented everywhere in the country, except Bengal. Didi has stopped its implementation. We will implement the Forest Rights Act 2006 on the Darjeeling Hills and you will enjoy all the rights under the regulation,” he stated.

Shah further said, “From Darjeeling, I am saying that after the formation of the BJP government in Bengal, the cases of agitation against the Gorkha brothers will be withdrawn within a week. We will change Darjeeling Municipality into the Darjeeling Municipal Corporation. The BJP will fight anyone for the respect of our Gorkha brothers. We will work to give official status to the Gorkha language.”

While starting his speech, Shah remembered Tenzing Norgay, who had first scaled Mount Everest summit. He wore a traditional Gorkha cap to embrace the culture of North Bengal.

Polling in the Darjeeling district will be held during the fifth phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections on April 17. (ANI)

Sushil Chandra assumed charge as the 24th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Tuesday.

Sushil Chandra was appointed as the new CEC by President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday, the day Sunil Arora demitted office. Chandra was appointed as an Election Commissioner on February 14, 2019, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

He is set to demit office on May 14, 2022, and will oversee the conduct of assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand, and Manipur as the CEC. While the terms of assemblies in Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand, and Manipur are set to end March 2022, the term of Uttar Pradesh Assembly will end in May 2022.

During his over two-year tenure as an Election Commissioner, Chandra supervised assembly elections of more than 10 states and worked towards making the entire nomination process online.

The online process allowed candidates to file e-nomination directly, making the system faster. It also allowed the error-free feeding of the candidate’s information and uploading of affidavits in the system. The candidate-related information is also made available in the public domain through the Affidavit Portal and Voter Helpline App on the same day when the nomination is filed.

Before his appointment in the EC, Chandra was the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

Under his leadership, CBDT in 2017 started ‘Operation Clean Money’ in a bid to curb illegal wealth and black money.

Chandra has worked towards curbing the menace of black money during the election. He has emphasized the need for inducement-free elections and steps have been taken in this direction by the poll panel including the appointment of special expenditure observers.

As per the website of the EC, Chandra belongs to the 1980 Batch of the Indian Revenue Service. He has been Election Commissioner in ECI since 15th February 2019. He is also Member of the Delimitation Commission since 18th February 2020 looking after the Delimitation of Jammu Kashmir UT.

Having held several posts in the Income-Tax Department for nearly 39 years, Chandra was appointed CBDT Chairman on 1st November 2016. He spent considerable time as Director of Investigation and Director General of Investigation, Mumbai and Gujarat, respectively followed by his stint as Member (Investigation), CBDT and thereafter assuming the post of Chairman of this Apex body.

Chandra has constantly emphasised the concept of “inducement-free” elections and it has become an integral dimension of monitoring the electoral process in all ongoing and forthcoming elections. Process of focused and comprehensive monitoring through the deployment of special expenditure observers, activating the role of many more enforcement agencies in the process of election expenditure monitoring, more exhaustive and frequent reviews of observers and other agencies are few of the aspects of electoral management encouraged by him.

During his tenure as Chairman, CBDT, he had played an active role in unearthing illegal money often used during Assembly Elections. With his continuous monitoring the seizures of cash, liquor, freebies, narcotics have increased substantially in recent elections.

His contributions are also reflective in systemic changes like Form 26 which has now become an integral part of essential paperwork. Chandra as Chairman CBDT took special efforts in the area of verification of affidavits filed by the candidates before elections. In 2018 in his role as Chairman CBDT, he was instrumental in evolving a uniform format of sharing details of all assets and liabilities not mentioned in the affidavits of the candidates.

An avid proponent of the use of technology, Chandra has overseen implementation of recent IT applications for facilitating electoral processes.

Chandra has been instrumental in the exchange of Best Electoral Practices among the Electoral Management Bodies internationally. In June 2019 he participated in the Presidential Election process of Kazakhstan as an International Election Observer. He was invited to the 18th Cambridge Conference on Electoral Democracy in the Commonwealth Trinity College, Cambridge, UK in July 2019. He participated in the 3rd Plenary Assembly of Global Network Electoral Justice conference held in Los Cabos, Mexico in November 2019. He also attended the 2nd Electoral Studies Program Conference in Bali in December 2019.

Born on May 15, 1957, Chandra did his B.Tech from IIT Roorkee (BE Civil, 1977). He received Distinguished Alumnus Award from his alma mater on November 25, 2019. He also holds a degree in LLB from DAV College, Dehradun and has undergone various trainings at IMF, IIM Bengaluru and Wharton on management. Before joining the Indian Revenue Service, he was in the Indian Engineering Service. (ANI)

Badminton ace Jwala Gutta has announced the dates of her marriage to Tamil actor-producer Vishnu Vishal to be held on April 22.

The celebrity couple has already begun sending wedding invitations to friends and relatives. The Hyderabad-based sportswoman Jwala and Chennai-based Vishnu Vishal have been dating for a long time and got engaged in September 2020.

Disclosing the date on micro-blogging website Twitter, Vishal wrote “Life is a journey… Embrace it” Along with the text he posted a picture of the marriage invitation card and tagged Gutta with her official Twitter account.
The wedding ceremony will take place in Hyderabad.

The card read: “With the blessing of our families, it gives us immense joy in sharing the news of our marriage, in a private affair in presence of near and dear. We are getting married. We thank you for all the love you have showered upon us over the years and seek blessings as we embark on this journey of love, loyalty, friendship, and togetherness.”

Vishal has a son from his earlier marriage with Rajini Natraj which ended in 2018 while Gutta’s first wedding with Chetan Anand ended in a divorce in 2011.