Month: April 2021

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is sitting on dharna at Gandhi Murti in Kolkata on Tuesday, as a mark of protest after the Election Commission (EC) imposed a ban on her for 24 hours from campaigning in any manner from 8 pm on April 12 till 8 pm on April 13.

While sitting on the dharna she is keeping herself busy by painting.

The Election Commission on Monday banned Mamata Banerjee from campaigning in the ongoing state elections for 24 hours and said she had made “highly insinuating and provocative remarks laden with the serious potential of the breakdown of law and order and thereby affecting the election process”.

The ban comes into force ahead of the fifth phase of Assembly polls in the state on April 17.

The poll panel in its order condemned her statements “portent with serious law and order problems across the state (s)” and sternly warned her.

It advised her “to desist from using such statements while making public utterances during the period when Model Code of Conduct is in force.”

Following this, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien called the EC’s move a ‘black day for democracy’.

“Today is a black day in Indian democracy. They can not beat us, that is why they ban us,” tweeted O’Brien. He further remarked that the EC stands for ‘Extremely Compromised’.

Leaders from different political parties also reacted strongly against EC’s move to ban Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for 24 hours in the ongoing Assembly elections over her appeal for votes along communal lines.

Abhijit Banerjee, son of former President Pranab Mukherjee and Congress leader, said, “Banning Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for the next 24 hours while ignoring hate speeches of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders is nothing but a naked display of favouritism by the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora.”

Banerjee further questioned if there was any deal between Arora and the BJP.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik also slammed EC over the decision.

“This is not right. It is inappropriate to ban a leader like Mamata Banerjee that too from campaigning for her own party. The decision appeared to be politically motivated. I appeal the EC to withdraw the ban as soon as possible,” Malik told ANI.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Zafar Islam said the Commission took the right step. He also said people are fed up with Mamata Banerjee’s government and want a change.

Polling for the first four phases has been concluded in West Bengal. The fifth and sixth phases of the ongoing elections will take place on April 17 and April 22. Counting of votes will take place on May 2. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tributes to the victims of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and said their courage, heroism and sacrifice give strength to every Indian.

In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi said, “Tributes to those martyred in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Their courage, heroism, and sacrifice give strength to every Indian.”

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place on April 13, 1919 when troops of the British Indian Army, under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer, fired machine guns into a crowd of unarmed protesters and pilgrims who had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh in Punjab’s Amritsar on the occasion of Baisakhi.

The crowd had assembled peacefully at the venue to condemn the arrest of two national leaders — Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew — when they were fired at indiscriminately by General Dyer and his men.

According to British government records, 379 people including men, women, and children were killed while 1,200 were wounded in the firing. Other sources place the number of dead at well over 1,000. (ANI)

Stating that examination centers can emerge as COVID hotspots with the participation of nearly six lakh children and one lakh tecahers, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday urged the Centre to cancel the CBSE board examinations amid a rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the national capital.

Addressing a press conference here today, Kejriwal said, “6 lakh children in Delhi are going to write CBSE exams. Nearly 1 lakh teachers will be a part of it. These can become major hotspots leading to large-scale spreading of Corona. Children’s lives & health is very important to us. I request Centre to cancel CBSE exams.”
He further stated that the online method or internal assessment can be used to promote students.

“Some alternative methods could be thought of. Children can be promoted this time on the basis of either an online method or internal assessment. But CBSE exams should be cancelled,” added the Delhi Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Delhi reported 11,491 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry. The national capital recorded 72 deaths in the last 24 hours, said the ministry.

It further said that India’s daily new cases continued to rise with the country reporting 1,61,736 fresh cases in the last 24 hours.

India’s total Active Caseload has reached 12,64,698. It now comprises 9.24 per cent of the country’s total positive cases. A net incline of 63,689 cases recorded from the total active caseload in the last 24 hours, informed the ministry.

97,168 recoveries were registered in the last 24 hours. The country recorded 879 deaths, it added. (ANI)

Haryana government on Monday imposed a night curfew in the state with immediate effect amid the surge in the COVID-19 cases.

“There shall be prohibition on the movement of individuals for all non-essential activities between 9 pm to 5 am in the state of Haryana. No person shall leave their homes or shall move on foot or by vehicle or travel or stand or roam around on any road or public places during the above said hours,” read an order issued by the Haryana State Disaster Management Authority.

According to the order, there shall be no curb on the inter-state and intra-state movement of non-essential goods.

There are as many as 29,981 active cases in Haryana so far, said the Union Health Ministry on Monday.

The cumulative cases in the state has mounted to 2,92,632 while the death toll now stands at 3,268. (ANI)

Delhi reported 11,491 new COVID-19 cases and 72 related deaths in the last 24 hours, the health department of the national capital said on Monday. This is Delhi’s highest single-day spike since the start of the pandemic.

The infection tally in the national capital has gone up to 7,36,688 and a total of 11,355 fatalities due to the disease have been recorded so far. There are 38,095 active COVID-19 cases in Delhi.
The city’s positivity rate stands at 12.44 per cent while the cumulative positivity rate is at 4.71 per cent.

As many 6,87,238 people have recovered from COVID-19 so far with 7,665 recoveries recorded in the last 24-hours.

Over one lakh COVID-19 tests, including around 65,564 RT-PCR tests, were conducted in the last 24 hours in the city.

Meanwhile, 14 private hospitals including Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and St Stephens Hospital, Tis Hazari were declared as full COVID hospitals and were directed by the Delhi government not to admit any non-COVID medical/ surgical patient till further orders on Monday.

In view of the rapidly rising cases, the Delhi government has imposed a night curfew in the national capital from 10 pm to 5 am on April 6 till April 30. (ANI)

By Joymala Bagchi

The Election Commission on Monday banned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from campaigning for 24 hours in the ongoing assembly elections over her appeal for votes along communal lines.

The commission further condemned such statements as “portent with serious law and order problem” across the state.

The notice came along with a stern warning and advised Mamata to desist from using such statements while addressing the public during the elections.

The EC had earlier sent Mamata notices twice dated April 7 and April 8, citing violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

In a public speech on April 9, the Trinamool Congress chief had urged voters not to divide minority votes.

“I am requesting my minority brothers and sisters with folded hands, don’t divide the minority votes after listening to the devil (shaitaan) person who had taken money from the BJP. He passes many communal statements and initiates clashes between the Hindus and the Muslims…Keep in mind that if the BJP comes into the government then you will be in severe danger,” she said.

On April 7, she also urged people to restrain (gherao) the central forces in case they create any disturbances.

“And if CAPF create disturbances, I tell you ladies, a group of you go and restrain (gherao) them while another group will go to cast their votes,” she had said.

The Commission stated that Mamata in her reply had “conveniently left out key parts of her speech, perhaps due to selective amnesia”.

The notice by the EC states that “Ms Banerjee while submitting her reply has again levelled allegation against CAPF and cited certain issues raised during phase wise election and had enclosed a list with the reply”.

The notice noted that “it is self-evident from the perusal of all the reports that the allegations mentioned in your hand-written note are factually incorrect, without any empirical evidence whatsoever and devoid of substance.

“In fact, it is a matter of deep regret that a media narrative was weaved hour after hour to misguide the biggest stakeholder which is the voters by a candidate who also happens to be the Hon’ble CM of the state. At least this should have been appreciated that the sideshow was fraught with immense potential to have adverse impact on law and order across West Bengal and maybe some other states. And all this was being done when the election process was/is on. There could not have been a greater misdemenour,” it said.

The commission observed that the view of the CM is “highly insinuating and provocative remarks laden with serious potential of breakdown of law and order and thereby adversely affecting the election process”.

The MCC is in force in the state. The next phase of the assembly polls will be held on April 17. (ANI)

Star West Indies batsman Chris Gayle on Monday added another feather to his already illustrious cap as he became the first batsman to smash 350 sixes in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Gayle (351 sixes) achieved the feat during his 40-run knock against Rajasthan Royals when he whacked a maximum over deep square leg off England all-rounder Ben Stokes’ delivery at the Wankhede.
The Punjab Kings batsman was already leading the charts and his two sixes against Rajasthan Royals only consolidated his position. Former South Africa swashbuckling batsman AB de Villiers is at the second spot having hit 237 sixes in the cash-rich league.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is next on the list with 216 sixes under his belt while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have smashed 214 and 201 sixes respectively.

The Big-hitting West Indies batsman has so far played 133 IPL matches in which he has scored 4,812 runs at a strike rate of over 150. He has hit six hundreds and 31 half-centuries. (ANI)

Sahil Pandey

Russia’s Sputnik V got approval from the Subject expert committee (SEC) for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA), making it the third Covid-19 vaccine to get clearance in India. According to sources, the SEC approved Dr Reddy’s application for EUA to Sputnik V.

The decision comes after the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)’s SEC met today to take up Sputnik V application for EUA in India.

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, last week sought the government’s approval for the vaccine to be used in India. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) partnered with Dr Reddy’s in September 2020 to conduct clinical trials of Sputnik V in India.

DCGI had then sought additional data from drugmaker Dr Reddy’s Laboratories on its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine trial.

India is currently manufacturing two Covid-19 vaccines, — Serum Institute of India’s locally-made Oxford Covid-19 vaccine ‘Covishield’ and Bharat Biotech’s indigenously manufactured Covaxin.

On Sunday, government sources told ANI that by end of the third quarter of this year, India will be getting vaccines from five additional manufacturers.

“India currently has two Covid-19 vaccines being manufactured locally: Covishield and Covaxin, and we can expect five more vaccines by Q3 2021. These vaccines are Sputnik V vaccine (in collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s), Johnson & Johnson vaccine (in collaboration with Biological E), Novavax vaccine (in collaboration with Serum India), Zydus Cadila’s vaccine, and Bharat Biotech’s Intranasal Vaccine. Safety and efficacy are the Union government’s primary concerns while granting emergency use authorisation (EUA) to any Covid-19 vaccine in the country,” the sources had told ANI.

The Russian vaccine has an effectiveness of 91.6 per cent. Russia registered Sputnik V for public use in August, the first country to do so, though the approval came before the start of the large-scale trial in September.

The EUA of Sputnik V comes at a time when India is facing the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic with the number of new cases increasing each day. (ANI)

A Delhi court on Monday reserved order on the issue of framing of charges against Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in the Sunanda Pushkar death case. The court will pronounce its verdict on April 29.

Tharoor, the former union minister — who is currently on bail in the case — was charge-sheeted by Delhi Police under Sections 498-A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014.

Special Judge Geetanjali Goyal reserved the order after the prosecution and defence counsel concluded their arguments on the issue of framing of charges.

The Public Prosecutor stressed that Pushkar had undergone mental cruelty which led to her bad health. The Public Prosecutor also argued that it was not an accidental death and relied on the post mortem report which suggests that the cause of death is poisoning which could be oral or injected.

The prosecutor further said that Pushkar was earlier was not facing any health issues but problems begun due to “stress and betrayal”.

Tharoor’s defence counsel and senior advocate Vikas Pahwa said that prosecutors are not able to establish evidence against the Congress leader and the theory of injecting poison is in the air and cannot be admissible. (ANI)

Get ready to dance those blues away with ‘Dil Hai Deewana’ the newest single from Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series starring Arjun Kapoor and Rakul Preet. The romantic dance track that was recently shot in Mumbai by director duo Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru will have your feet tapping away with its upbeat tunes.

‘Dil Hai Deewana’, composed by Tanishk Bagchi and penned by Shabbir Ahmed, also reunites Arjun Kapoor with his Aurangzeb co-star turned singer, Zara Khan, who has lent the female vocals for the song along with Darshan Raval.

Talking about the new single, Bhushan Kumar said, “Dil Hai Deewana is your go-to dance song whose beats are guaranteed to get you moving. Arjun and Rakul look very cool and dapper in this fun music video. I think audiences are going to love this one.”

The out-and-out dance track brings together the Sardar Ka Grandson onscreen pair and will see both Arjun and Rakul in interesting scenarios and looking suave, charming and dapper.

Talking about the song, the ace directors Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru said, “We generally have a vintage world of fairytales in our songs and films. But with ‘Dil Hai Deewana’ we have taken this world into a slightly 2.O version… something different yet very classic fairytale. We are very happy to have Arjun and Rakul in the story as they both completely fit in this world of ours of fairytale.”

“Arjun really impressed us as an actor, with all the minute nuances that he brings in his performance and Rakul is just brilliant, you tell her anything she executes it to perfection. We want to thank Bhushanji for giving us this song,” they added.

Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series upcoming single ‘Dil Hai Deewana’ will be out on T-Series’s official YouTube channel on April 17, this year.

On their work fronts, Rakul also has movies titled ‘Anek’, ‘Thank God’, ‘Mayday’, in the pipeline.

Meanwhile, Arjun, who was recently seen in ‘Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar’, co-starring opposite Parineeti Chopra, also has ‘Sardar Ka Grandson’, and ‘Bhoot Police’, co-starring Saif Ali Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Yami Gautam, Javed Jaffrey, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and Ali Fazal, in the pipeline. (ANI)