Month: September 2021

Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Monday termed Bharat Bandh’s call a “success” and claimed that the people supported the shutdown in large numbers.

A call for ‘Bharat Bandh’ was given by several farmer unions in protest against the three farm laws introduced by the Centre last year.
Speaking to ANI, Tikait said, “Bharat Bandh was a success and the public supported it. It is okay if the public experienced some inconvenience, let one day be in solidarity with farmers who have been experiencing troubles (protesting against farm laws at Delhi border) under the sun and heat for the last 10 months.”

“Heartfelt gratitude to the youth and businessmen including farmers, workers, students, employees and trade unions across the country, who supported the Bharat Bandh even after facing hardships, for making the Bharat Bandh unprecedented and historic,” he said.

The national capital today witnessed traffic snarls due to protests in different parts of the border areas.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), a coalition of farmers’ unions, on Monday said its call for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ received an “unprecedented and historic” response from more than 23 states.

“Reports have been pouring in about the overwhelmingly positive and resounding response to the Bharat Bandh call put out by Samyukt Kisan Morcha, to mark 10 long months of peaceful protests with rightful demands from the ‘annadaatas’ of the country. Spontaneous participation from various sections of society was witnessed in most places. The Bandh was marked peacefully, without a single untoward incident reported from anywhere, from more than 23 states of India,” read the official release by the farmer organisation.

The bandh has garnered support from more than 500 farmer organisations, 15 trade unions, political parties, six state governments and varied sections of society.

State governments of Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Punjab, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh have extended their support to the Bharat Bandh protest.

Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26 last year against the three 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.

Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains. (ANI)

A few hours after the results of the German federal election were announced, German ambassador Walter J Lindner on Monday said that there will be no change in policy towards India.

As the new coalition government is all set to take shape, the German envoy told ANI that he does not see much change because India has its value anyway in European politics.
“Whoever be the chancellor in Germany will have close relations with India. India is so important because its 1.4 billion people India is in the region, which is not an easy area. We have excellent bilateral relations, then we have a new strategy for the Indo-Pacific. There are so many bilateral aspects from 2,000 companies in the country to 25,000 students in Germany to trade exchange there is so much so for every politician for every member of parliament for that matter it will be an important region.”

“1.4 billion people on this planet, every fifth person is Indian, whatever has to be done on global aspects, be it fight against terrorism, global warming, population, climate change…there can’t be a solution without India…,” ambassador Lindner added.

German Ambassador Lindner on Monday said that the next government in Berlin will likely be formed by this Christmas after the left-leaning, Social Democrats (SPD) party won in the German federal election with over 25 per cent votes.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Lindner said, “As an optimist, I think we will have the next government in Germany by Christmas, negotiations among parties are going on.”

According to the Federal Returning Officer, with all 299 of Germany’s electoral districts reporting, the SDP won 25.7 per cent of the vote, beating out the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the centrist-right, the conservative party of Chancellor Angela Merkel, which took 24.1 per cent.

The results show that there is still uncertainty over who will become the next leader of Germany. Merkel, who over 16 years cemented her position as one of the world’s most successful political leaders, will stay in the job until a coalition deal is negotiated.

After Merkel’s election win in September 2017, it took more than five months for a government to be formed. Both the SPD and the CDU with its coalition partner, the Christian Social Union (CSU), have said they want to begin coalition negotiations to form a new government.

Likely coalitions in Germany will either see the SPD or CDU/CSU forming a government with the Green Party, which took 14.8 per cent of the votes, and the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), with 11.5 per cent. SPD leader Olaf Scholz said voters wanted him to be the next chancellor. (ANI)

In a veiled attack at Rakesh Tikait and framer unions on the 10-hour Bharat Bandh, Bharatiya Kisan Union-Bhanu national president Bhanu Pratap Singh said that it reflects they intend to follow the footsteps of Taliban as country’s economy gets adversely affected by such activities.

“They (Rakesh Tikait) call themselves ‘Kisan neta and then announce Bharat Bandh, which affects economy and farmers. How does it even benefit anyone? They want to follow in the footsteps of the Taliban by continuing similar activities,” Bhanu Pratap said.
“I would request the people not to support the Bharat Bandh,” he said.

Meanwhile, Delhi Congress chief Anil Chaudhary reached the protesting site at the Ghazipur border to support the Bharat Bandh but the agitating farmers asked the Delhi Congress chief to leave their site of protest.

“We told him that we thank him for his support during Bandh but ours is an apolitical protest and platform. We announced earlier that we would not allow political parties on our platform. So we requested him to protest a little distant from our site. We are not opposing,” BKU leader Praveen Malik said.

“I can understand their situation. This is a farmers’ issue, Congress will protest on the streets. If farmers ask us to leave from here, we will go back. We have come here for farmers, there is no political agenda,” Anil Chaudhary said.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a coalition of farmers’ unions, has called for a nationwide Bharat Bandh today to mark the first anniversary of the enactment of the three farm laws.

The bandh has garnered support from more than 500 farmer organizations, 15 trade unions, political parties, six state governments and varied sections of society.

State governments of Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Punjab, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh have extended their support to the Bharat Bandh protest.

Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26 last year against the three 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.

Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains. (ANI)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday backed the agitating farmers and urged the Central government to listen to their demands.

“This is very sad that on the occasion of Bhagat Singh birthday, farmers had to call for a Bharat bandh. It has been almost a year since the farmers are trying to convince the government. This is an independent India. If we don’t even listen to our farmers in independent India, then who will?” said Kejriwal while speaking to the reporters during the Delhi Tourism app launch.
He further said that the demands of farmers are correct and government should listen to their demands.

“All their demands are correct, and since the beginning, we have backed them. I appeal to the Central government to listen to their demands as soon as possible so that they can go home and can start their work. Enough talks have been held with the Agriculture Minister, now he should just announce that we are listening to their demands,” he added.

Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26 last year against the three 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.

Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains. (ANI)

To mark a year of the Centre’s three farm laws, famers early on Monday began a “Bharat Bhandh”, following a nationwide call by farmer unions demanding scrapping of the legislations.

Hundreds of farmers gathered at various places across the country blocking national highways, including those connecting Delhi to Punjab and Haryana, squatting on railway tracks and roads leading to traffic diversions and disruptions in vehicular movement.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of the farmer unions, had called for a “Bharat Bandh” till 4 pm today.

Heavy police presence was seen, especially in Haryana and Punjab, to maintain law and order. With farmers blocking national highways and major link roads in both Punjab and Haryana, police have diverted the traffic at several places.

Delhi Traffic Police has said the vehicular movement has been closed from Uttar Pradesh towards Ghazipur. Gurugram saw major traffic congestion due to the heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces.

Delhi-Amritsar National Highway has been blocked at Shahabad in Haryana’s Kurukshetra. The National Highway 44 in Haryana have also been blocked.On the Tikri boder, farmers sat on the railway tracks at Bahadurgarh railway station.

Rail operations in Delhi, Ambala and Firozepur divisions were impacted with people sitting on tracks. More than 20 railway tracks in Delhi were blocked by protesting farmers. Over 20 trains in the Ambala and Firozepur division have been affected, according to Northern Railway.

Farmers have also blocked the Shambhu border on the Punjab-Haryana border. “In view of the Bharat bandh call by protesting farmers, we have blocked the Shambhu border till 4 pm,” a protesting farmer said.

The police have been deployed at all the locations where farmers are protesting, forces have been deployed since 5 am, Amritsar Police informed.

“At all locations where farmers are protesting, forces have been deployed since 5 am. Farmers’ protests are peaceful, so forces have also been told to not behave untowardly with them and bring to my notice if something happens,” Police Inspector Sanjeev Kumar said.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait has urged people to come out of their houses after lunchtime and appealed to the shopkeepers to keep their shops closed for now and open only after 4 pm.

The traffic movement has been closed from Uttar Pradesh towards Ghazipur due to farmers’ protests at the border.

Speaking to ANI, Tikait said, “Bharat bandh has been organised to send our message to the government. Ambulances, doctors or those going for an emergency can pass through. We have not sealed down anything. We appeal to the shopkeepers to keep their shops closed for now and open only after 4 pm. No farmer is coming here from outside.”

The BKU leader also informed that they have not planned any marches.

“The government will have to accept our demand, they have to in the coming 10 months,” he added.

Various opposition leaders have lent their support to the farmers’ “Bharat Bandh”. RJD leader Mukesh Raushan and other members and workers of the party protested in Bihar’s Hajipur, in support of Bharat Bandh.

Traffic congestion was seen on Hajipur-Muzaffarpur road and the movement on Mahatma Gandhi Setu in Patna was affected too.

All government and private offices, educational and other institutions, shops, industries and commercial establishments as well as public events and functions will be closed throughout the country.

However, exemptions to the bandh include all emergency establishments and essential services, including hospitals, medical stores, relief and rescue work and people attending to personal emergencies. (ANI)

Hospitals and hospitality work in tandem, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, adding that places with more vaccination and better healthcare infrastructure will attract more tourists, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing the launch event of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, the Prime Minister said in order to make tourists feel safe, tourism-dependent States and UTs like Himachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar vaccinated the resident population at a fast pace.
“Hospitals and hospitality work in tandem. Today is also World Tourism Day, integrated health infra’s positive impact reflects on tourism, especially after COVID. More vaccination means more tourists, which is why vaccination in Himachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar is at pace,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to all doctors, nurses, the medical staff of the nation, for their efforts in the vaccination drive or treatment of COVID patients.

The Prime Minister said in order to improve healthcare services in India, it is very important that the medical services of the villages should be improved.

“Today the network related to primary health care is being strengthened in the village and near the house. So far 80,000 such centres have been made operational. Unprecedented reforms are also taking place in medical education to transform India’s health sector. Today more doctors and paramedical manpower are being prepared in the country than before in 7-8 years,” he said

He said that along with a better medical system, it is also necessary that the poor and middle class spend the least on medicines.

“Therefore, the Central government has kept essential medicines, and equipment required for surgery, and dialysis cheap. Incentives have been given to use the best generic drugs made in India for maximum use in treatment. More than 8,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras have given great relief to the poor and middle class,” he stated.

The Prime Minister noted that Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will now connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country.

He noted that Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will play a big role in eliminating problems in the medical treatment of the poor and middle class. (ANI)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan on Sunday (local time) in New York and discussed Indo-Pacific developments.

Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, “A comfortable conversation with an old friend. Discussing Indo-Pacific developments with FM @VivianBala of Singapore. Sharing thoughts on overcoming the Covid challenge.”
Earlier, Jaishankar discussed Indo-Pacific developments with Balakrishnan on the sidelines of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly meeting.

Last week, Jaishankar had discussed issues concerning the Indo-Pacific region with Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi.

“Always nice to meet FM @moteging of Japan. Appreciated his insights on Indo-Pacific events. A good exchange of views on Afghanistan,” Jaishankar tweeted.

These talks come in view of the recently concluded first-ever-in-person Quad Leaders’ summit where the head of the state from India, Australia, the US and Japan reaffirmed commitment to promote free, open, rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.

“The occasion of the Quad summit is an opportunity to refocus ourselves and the world on the Indo-Pacific and on our vision for what we hope to achieve. Together, we recommit to promoting the free, open, rules-based order, rooted in international law and undaunted by coercion, to bolster security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond,” said the joint statement of the Quad leaders.

Indo-Pacific region is largely viewed as an area comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea. China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea and its efforts to advance into the Indian Ocean are seen to have challenged the established rules-based system. (ANI)

The World Health Organization (WHO) is looking to revive an investigation into the origins of the COVID-19, a US media report said. The world health body is assembling a team of 20 scientists to hunt for new evidence, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.
According to the WSJ report, the new probe comes following an initial WHO inquiry found that that the data provided by Chinese scientists was insufficient to answer key questions about the virus’ origin.

The report stated that the new team of scientists, which includes specialists in laboratory safety and biosecurity and experts in geneticists, may be charged with examining whether the novel virus emerged from a lab, as well as broader inquiries into future virus risks and the links with human behaviour.

WHO believes that the new initiative will help accelerate a probe that risks running out of time, and blood samples from early virus victims become unusable.

Earlier in August, the US had released a report tracing the origins of the COVID-19 virus. While rejecting the report, Beijing had lodged solemn representations with Washington terming the report as “completely political, and having no scientificity and credibility.”

In a strongly-worded statement, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu had said the US should “stop poisoning” the international cooperation on virus tracing and return to the correct path of scientific origins tracing and cooperation in the fight against the pandemic.

The declassified summary of a report stated that the US Intelligence Community (IC) assesses that the origins of the novel coronavirus disease may never be definitively identified without additional information.

According to the report, the US intelligence community is still divided about which of the two theories — that the virus came from a lab leak or that it jumped from animal to human, naturally. There is consensus among the intelligence agencies that the two prevailing theories are plausible, the report said.

A WHO-led team of scientists that travelled to China in early 2021 to investigate the origins of the virus struggled to get a clear picture of what research China was conducting beforehand, faced constraints during its visit, and had little power to conduct thorough and impartial research. (ANI)

India reported 26,041 new COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday.

The active caseload now stands at 2,99,620 which is the lowest in 191 days. The active cases account for less than 1 per cent and are currently at 0.89 per cent of total cases.
With 29,621 recoveries during the last 24 hours, the recovery rate stands at 97.78 per cent. As many as 3,29,31,972 people have recovered from the disease so far, according to the health ministry.

The daily positivity rate has remained below 3 per cent for the last 28 days and currently stands at 2.24 per cent while the weekly positivity rate is at 1.94 per cent. It has remained below 3 per cent in the last 94 days.

A total of 56.44 crore COVID-19 tests have been conducted across India. The health ministry said that 86.01 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. (ANI)