Delhi Covid Cases

India’s Daily Covid Cases Drop Below 2,000-Mark

While several countries in the world are witnessing a fresh COVID-19 wave, India continued to witness a declining trend with daily infections dropping below the 2,000 mark on Sunday.

In the last 24 hours, 4,31,973 tests were conducted and 1,761 new cases were found positive across the country. On Saturday, India had logged 2,075 fresh infections.

The active caseload further declined to 26,240. They account for 0.06 per cent of the country’s total positive cases, as per government data.

Total 3,196 people recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours, increasing the cumulative tally to 4,24,65,122. Consequently, the recovery rate improved to 98.74 per cent.

Both the daily and weekly positivity rates stood at 0.41 per cent.

With 127 deaths recorded in the last 23 hours, the death toll of the country rose to 5,16,479. The case fatality rate is at 1.20 per cent.

Meanwhile, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 181.21 crores. A total of 1,81,21,11,675 vaccine doses have been administered so far, as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 2,13,75,059 sessions, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement.

Over 17 lakh vaccine doses have been administered to the age group 12-14 years, whose vaccinated commenced on March 16 this year. As many as 17,36,464 children in the said age group have taken their first dose of the Corbevax vaccine.

‘Precaution dose’, whose identified beneficiaries include frontline workers, healthcare workers and those above the age of 60 years, have been given to 2,17,33,502 people so far. Of these, 43,58,282 were given to healthcare workers, 66,63,768 to frontline workers and 1,07,11,452 to people above the age of 60 years.

In the age group of 15-18 years, 5,62,03,581 children have taken first dose and 3,54,81,792 have taken second dose of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, the only vaccine being given to the category.

Meanwhile, the ministry in a statement said that more than 183.52 crore (1,83,52,25,060) vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far through the government’s free of cost channel and through direct state procurement category.

Over 17.04 crore (17,04,30,756) balance and unutilized COVID vaccine doses are still available with the States and UTs to be administered, it further stated. (ANI)

Pakistan To Host OIC Ministers Meet On March 22-23

Amid the ongoing political unrest in the country, Pakistan will host a two-day meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Islamabad on March 22 and 23.

The 48th summit of the OIC-CFM will be convened under the theme: “Building Partnerships for Unity, Justice, and Development,” Geo News reported.

Meanwhile, in a statement, OIC said the session will address many topics and the activities of the OIC General Secretariat on “implementing the resolutions adopted on various issues in the Islamic world, including the issue of Palestine and Al-Quds”, the Pakistani newspaper reported.

The statement said that the summit will also discuss developments in Afghanistan, Geo News reported.

Moreover, Pakistan’s opposition leaders have threatened to stage a “sit-in” in the lower house and disrupt the OIC summit, if the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan is not presented in the National Assembly on Monday, the deadline for tabling the resolution.

If the opposition stages a sit-in then an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation summit that is scheduled to take place there on the same day will be hampered.

According to the rules, the resolution, “shall not be voted upon before the expiry of three days, or later than seven days.” Therefore, the speaker must call the lower house in session by March 22, while voting on the no-confidence motion must take place between three and seven days after the session is summoned.

However, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Saturday that he had been receiving reports of the NA speaker intending to go against the Constitution, law and rules of the house regarding the no-trust move, reported Dawn newspaper.

Pakistan is going through political turmoil ahead of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan after dozen of its party members parted ways with the ruling party. (ANI)

Gangubai, A Quest For Legitimacy

Aurat Ne Janam Diya Mardon Ko, Mardon ne Use Bazaar Diya
– Sahir Ludhianvi

Sahir, unlike Saadat Hasan Manto who did, may or may not have drawn inspiration from Kamathipura in Mumbai that, after ‘reforms’, relocation attempts and revamp, in remains Asia’s largest red-light area.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali says he lived nearby. Mumbai’s citizenry, like this writer, travelling by double-decker bus, couldn’t help watching those hapless women behind the caged windows of dingy homes, and not be overcome by pity and anger.  

Bhhansali is the latest to deal with prostitution after filmmakers V. Shantaram (Admi in 1936), Guru Dutt (Pyaasa), BR Chopra (Sadhana), Shammi Kapoor (Manoranjan), Shyam Benegal (Bhumika and Mandi) and Lekh Tandon (Angulimal). Many “Muslim socials” dealt with tawaif, the courtesan. Hollywood’s tribute came in Butterflied 8 with Elizabeth Taylor and Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts. Raj Kapoor and Satyajit Ray did not touch the subject.

Bhansali, for whom mother Leela is key to his identity, usually depicts strong women characters. They shine in all their complexities. His latest film is about a prostitute in Kamathipura.  This is risky at any time in India, especially when Bollywood and the citizenry are frequently subjected to moral policing.

He has been lucky. He was thrashed and his Padmavat set was destroyed. Spared of a major controversy, the risk taken in making Gangubai Kathiawadi has paid off.

Premiered at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival last month, it has won critical acclaim for him and for the lead actor Alia Bhatt. It has entered the “hundred crore” club in the first fortnight.

It is a real-life tale of a teenage Ganga who flees her well-off family aspiring to be in films. She is cheated and sold to a brothel, starved, beaten and tortured till she succumbs. “Ees dhande mein koi time nahin hota,” – there is no fixed working hour in this trade – she is told.

In her battered body resides a soul that feels for co-workers. She finds a protector and an ally in a local don and is smart enough to contest an election to emerge as their leader.

Two scenes stand out. One, where this debutante is coached by fellow-sex workers, how to stand at the brothel’s door on a single leg, the other folded back, one arm raised and rested at the door and the other extended to make lewd gestures to woo the costumer.

In the other, a mature Gangubai, unable to forget her roots, trunk-calls her mother, yearning to be accepted.  She yells at the telephone operator, but actually in deep sorrow at being rejected. A fallen woman has no place other than the brothel she has been forced into, like in Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan.

Prostitute she is, but she is intensely human. Fallen she is, but she rises in solidarity with her trade. She fights to secure a place for them in the society, allowing their children, ‘illegitimate’ as they are, education.

She fights for their right to work and education for their ‘illegitimate’ children. They are “your children, the society’s children,” she says defiantly. She doesn’t hesitate to use the word ‘prostitute’ – the world’s oldest trade – to introduce herself.

That her success is minimal is stark evidence of the reality that no society, howsoever democratic and liberal, accepts prostitution. Even where legal in some countries, the absence of social acceptance is real.

The film shows Kamathipura as it was in the 1950-60s, post-Independence, after foreign prostitutes made way for thousands of Indians. Set up by the British in 1765, it is also part of the city’s history. It grew as its seven islands merged, where commerce and industry thrived, which meant migrants with basic needs.

British-enacted law was imposed. For colonial masters, a veshya, tawaif or nautch girl was not okay, but prostitution within confines of a district was fine. Most cities across India have such neighbourhoods. To this day, it is governed by that Victorian-era morality that, unsurprisingly, combines with the Indian society’s moral norms.

When Bombay prostitutes offered donations to the Congress party, Mahatma Gandhi advised them to spin charkha. The dozen-plus women members of the Constituent Assembly took a firm stand against prostitution.

ALSO READ: Pakeezah – The Courtesan’s Classic

India’s sex industry is worth multi-billion, and is one of the fastest growing, available data and research tell you. Most of the research by the development organisation Sanlaap indicates that the majority of women work as prostitutes due to lack of resources to support themselves or their children. Most do not choose this profession but out of necessity, often after the breakup of a marriage or after being disowned and thrown out of their homes by their families.

Prostitution is legal in India, with right to work, earn and own property. They are also voters. But several related activities including soliciting, kerb crawling, owning or managing a brothel, prostitution in a hotel, child prostitution, pimping and pandering are illegal. Laws have not fully evolved. It is silent about male prostitution and bisexual acts of prostitution.

The rights of sex workers have no place in any statute. Husna Bai, a prostitute, challenged the constitutional provisions and sought right to work in 1958. After much debate, and concern expressed by politicians and police, the judiciary rejected it. The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1986, replaced Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act of 1956 after India signed the United Nations’ Declaration on the suppression of trafficking. It aims to “limit and eventually abolish prostitution in India by gradually criminalising various aspects of sex work.”

In 2012, the Central Government opposed the Supreme Court order granting the “right to live with dignity” under the Constitution. Last November, the apex court directed relief for the children of prostitutes affected by Covid-19.

Kamathipura remains there after the real Gangubai supposedly met then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and sought a stay. But conditions – corruption, crime, lack of education and hygiene – remain pathetic.

Kamathipura becomes the location of most of Bhansali film’s run-time, with the frames which look like art deco paintings, and, most crucially, the very youthful Alia Bhatt.

It is an author-backed effort. Bhansali has added nuances to the chapter in Mumbai’s Mafia Queens by S. Husain Zaidi. Critics have rated his effort among his best, but he may have more in store.

Bhansali’s choice of Alia surprised many

The production value is top-notch. Each song is masterfully and colourfully picturised, while Gangubai stands like a vision in white in the midst of it all.

Bhansali’s choice of Alia after Priyanka Chopra reportedly opted out, surprised many. For one, she is too young and small-built to make a brothel Madam. But she has acted and danced her way with aplomb. This is her best, but like Bhansali, she has much more coming. Her performance is not perfect, is confused and faltering at times. But so is the character she is portraying.

If Pakeezah and Umrao Jaan were the toast of the last century, Bhansali-Alia’s Gangubai Kathiawadi is meant for the millennials.

Let’s face it. Women (and men) of pleasure have been there down the ages and will be there. They need to be viewed with empathy and their dependents given basic rights.

Gangubai, with a film on her now on the entertainment network, is a milestone. But the society has its task cut out — if it chooses to do it.

The writer can be reached at mahendraved07@gmail.com

Modi Meets Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida In Delhi

Ahead of the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Hyderabad House in Delhi.

Kishida arrived here in the national capital on his two-day visit to India beginning today. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw received the Japanese Prime Minister at the airport.

Japanese Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit, besides holding bilateral talks with PM Modi.

This is Kishida’s first such visit in his role as Prime Minister and the Summit would be the first meeting between the two leaders. The previous India-Japan Annual Summit took place in Tokyo in October 2018.

The Summit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review and strengthen the bilateral cooperation in diverse areas as well as exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest so as to advance their Partnership for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

Last year witnessed increasing bilateral and multilateral engagement between India and Japan and further strengthening of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

Both nations also witnessed further strengthening of bilateral security and defence cooperation. (ANI)

Kejriwal to Visit Ram Mandir

Bhagwant Cabinet Announces 25,000 Govt Jobs In Punjab

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s government on Saturday passed a proposal of providing a total of 25,000 government jobs in its first Cabinet meeting, the chief minister’s office said.

“The Cabinet has passed the proposal of providing a total of 25,000 government jobs, including 10,000 vacancies in the Punjab Police department and 15,000 vacancies in other government departments,” CM Mann was quoted as saying.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in its poll promise had said that after the formation of the government, they will provide jobs to the unemployed youths.

Among other poll promises of the AAP in Punjab, the national convenor of the party and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had promised to improve the condition of government schools and hospitals in the state, generate employment avenues, free electricity up to 300 units per billing cycle and also promised Rs 1,000 per month to women above 18 years.

He had also promised a corruption-free government and controlling drug menace in the state.

Earlier on Thursday, Mann announced that an anti-corruption helpline will be launched in the state on ‘Shaheed Diwas (Martyr’s Day)’ on March 23.

Mann had said that the people will be able to lodge complaints against corruption via WhatsApp.

Ten ministers were sworn in today in Punjab, with senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Harpal Singh Cheema and Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal joining the Bhagwant Mann led Cabinet in the state.

The ministers took oath of offices at a swearing-in ceremony in Chandigarh at Raj Bhawan.

The oath was administered by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit.

Besides Cheema and Dhaliwal, the AAP MLAs — Dr Baljit Kaur, Harbhajan Singh ETO, Dr Vijay Singla, Lal Chand Kataruchak, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Laljit Singh Bhullar, Brahm Shankar Jimpa and Harjot Singh Bains — were sworn in at the ceremony in the Raj Bhavan.

The AAP won a landslide victory in the recently concluded Punjab Assembly polls, winning 92 seats, pushing most of its rivals to the margins of the electoral politics in the state. (ANI)

Indo-Russia Oil Trade: What Is At Stake?

In order to shield the economy from the negative impact of the recent surge in crude oil prices, India is exploring the possibility of importing additional oil at discounted rates from Russia, which is facing sanctions and global backlash due to the Ukraine conflict.

According to commodities data and analytics firm Kpler, India’s import of crude oil from Russia in March this year so far is nearly four times higher when compared with the corresponding period of last year. India’s import of crude oil from Russia stood at around an average of nearly 360,000 barrels a day in the first half of this month. As per the current shipment schedules, the average oil trade between the two countries is estimated to be around 203,000 barrels per day.

“Already committed oil cargoes from Russia that can’t find buyers in Europe are being bought by India,” Financial Times quoted Alex Booth, head of research at Kpler, as saying.

“Exports to India surged in March before any official announcement by New Delhi,” Booth said.

There is no government-to-government (G2G) arrangement for oil trade between India and Russia. The majority of the crude oil purchase from Russia for India has been done by Indian Oil Corporation.

Although the United States has acknowledged that crude oil purchases by India would not violate US sanctions, it has warned that it would put India on the wrong side of history.

The US has been putting increasing pressure on India to distance itself from Russia.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday in Washington that the United States is in touch with the Indian leaders at various levels over the issue of India’s decision to buy oil from Russia at discounted rates.

“We will project and convey to any leader around the world is that the rest of the world is watching, where you are going to stand, as it relates to this conflict, (and) whether it is support for Russia, in any form as they are illegally invading Ukraine,” Psaki said.

India has so far adopted a neutral approach in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It is among the few countries that have not condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. India also abstained from voting on a US-sponsored UN Security Council resolution deploring Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

India’s decision to increase crude oil trade and economic engagements with Russia would have huge diplomatic and economic ramifications.

It is important to note that India is heavily dependent on imports to meet its oil requirements. Nearly 85 per cent of the country’s average daily crude oil requirement of around 5 million barrels is met through imports.

The rise in crude oil prices put huge pressure on the Indian economy. High crude oil prices pose inflationary, fiscal, and external sector risks. India’s budget calculations for the financial year 2022-23 have been made with an assumption of crude oil price of $70 to $75 per barrel.

Crude oil prices have surged due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It soared to near $140 a barrel earlier this month.

Being a major importer India has to keep exploring competitive prices. A heavy discount offered by Russia is an opportunity. It is extremely important from the perspective of the Indian economy.

Commenting on the India-Russia oil trade, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said being a major importer of oil India looks at all options at all points of time. “India does import most of its oil requirements, it’s met by imports. So we are always exploring all possibilities in global energy markets because of this situation that we face importing our oil requirements,” Bagchi said.

Russia is the second-largest exporter of crude oil behind Saudi Arabia. Nearly three-fourth of Russia’s crude oil exports go to OECD member countries. Major European countries like Germany, France and Italy, who are also members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), are heavily dependent on the Russian oil supply. If the NATO member countries continue to import Russian oil due to economic reasons, India must also give primacy to the economic interest.

One major challenge in the India-Russia oil trade is the payment system. According to sources, the two countries have been exploring the possibility of setting up a rupee-rouble trade mechanism for paying for oil and other goods.

Apart from the payment mechanism, there are several other issues that need to be worked out. It includes insurance and freight. In the time of military conflict, the insurance cost goes up substantially. India’s import of oil from Russia has traditionally been low due to high freight costs.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said in the Rajya Sabha recently that the Indian government was evaluating the Russian offer of crude oil import at discounted rates.

“Discussions are currently underway. Several issues are required to be gone into, like how much oil is available either in Russia or in new markets or with new suppliers that may be coming into the market. Also, there are issues relating to insurance, freight, and a host of other issues, including the payment arrangements,” the minister had said.

Russia has been among the closest and most reliable allies of India. It is by far its biggest arms supplier to India. According to data available with the Ministry of External Affairs, Russian Investments in India stand at $18 billion while the Indian investments in Russia stand at $13 billion. The trade balance is in favour of Russia. India’s imports from Russia stood at $7.75 billion while India’s exports to Russia stood at $3.22 billion in 2018.

Despite the threats of US sanctions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi government in 2018 entered into a $5.43 billion deal with Russia to buy S-400 defence system. The delivery of the missile system began in 2021.

However, India needs to make a cautious move. The United States and other western allies are also crucially important. (ANI)

Janhvi Shares Picture With Sister Khushi

Actor Janhvi Kapoor never misses out on a chance to shower love on her younger sister, Khushi Kapoor. Her Instagram Handles are proof of the fact that they shared a very special bond and never misses any chance to express their love for each other.

On Saturday, Janhvi took to her Instagram handle and shared a monochrome picture where she can be seen dressed up in a metallic mirror gown. On the other hand, Khushi looks pretty in a back dress with her hair tied up in a bun. Both can be seen holding hands while pouting at each other.

She captioned her post, “kissie kissie w my baby.”

The adorable post shared by Kareena accumulated several likes within a few minutes of being posted with many comments from fellow celebrities.

Khushi wrote, “Ilu” in the comments section. While, Boney Kapoor commented, “2 of my 4 darling bachhas.”

China Faces Flak For Shoddy Quality Projects In Africa

China is facing severe criticism from across African countries over the poor quality of its infrastructure projects, with some nations even cancelling their agreements with the Chinese companies, said a media report.

Chinese projects are facing problems over “shoddy work” and “lack of transparency” on the part of their companies, reported the Hong Kong Post.

On February 11, the Department of Employment and Labour of South Africa filed a case against China’s Huawei Technologies in South Africa for not complying with the Employment Equity Policy of the country.

Further, a Kenyan High Court last year ordered the cancellation of a USD 3.2 billion agreement between Kenya and China for failing to comply with the country’s laws, according to the media outlet.

Expressing unhappiness over China’s exploitative tendencies, President of the Democratic Republic

of Congo (DRC) Felix Tshisekedi has also called for a review of mining contracts signed with China in 2008. Noting that he wanted to get fairer deals for his country, Tshisekedi said, “Those with whom his

country signed contracts are getting richer while DRC people remain poor.”

Notably, between 2000 to 2019, China signed 1,141 loan commitments worth USD 153 billion with the African governments and their state-owned enterprises, the media outlet reported citing the John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

However, with COVID-19 weighing down on economy, African countries are facing difficulties to service loans they have taken from China and thus they prefer to suspend controversial projects lacking unaccountability.

Moreover, China’s projects under its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) are also being resisted by local environment and civil society groups in Africa.

Thus, Beijing is facing several difficulties in implementing its projects in Africa amid public opposition over work quality, environmental and social concerns, according to the media outlet. (ANI)

‘Bachchan Pandey’ Mints ₹13cr On 1st Day

Akshay Kumar’s latest film ‘Bachchhan Paandey’ has registered a strong opening, minting Rs 13.25 crore on its first day of release.

The movie, which also features Arshad Warsi and Jacqueline Fernandez, performed well despite strong competition from Anupam Kher-starrer ‘The Kashmir Files’.

Indian film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the movie’s box office collection on his Instagram account.

While ‘Bachchhan Paandey’ has recorded decent numbers on its opening day, it is much lower than Akshay’s previous release ‘Sooryavanshi’, which earned Rs 26 crore on its first day.

Directed by Farhad Samji, the action-comedy film ‘Bachchhan Paandey’ is a remake of the Tamil film ‘Jigarthanda’ that had released in 2014.

‘Bachchhan Paandey’, which is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and written by Nischay Kuttanda and Samji, also features Pankaj Tripathi, Prateik Babbar, Abhimanyu Singh, Snehal Daabbi and Saharsh Kumar Shukla.

The film’s story revolves around an aspiring director (Kriti) who wants to make a film on a deadly gangster (Akshay). (ANI)

Amit Shah Lauds CRPF Role In Countering Terror In J&K

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday lauded the work done by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and said that the biggest achievement of the force is controlling terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing the 83rd Raising Day of the CRPF at Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu, Shah said, “In 2014, after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has improved. The biggest achievement in Jammu and Kashmir is the immense success that our forces have achieved in controlling terrorism in the state.”

Shah also said that the personnel of the force have provided a sense of safety and security to people, giving them a “sigh of relief”.

“The CRPF has done the work of providing a sense of safety and security to the people in India for a long time. The CRPF jawans have given a sigh of relief to people in difficult situations in the country,” the Union Minister said.

He expressed gratitude to the CRPF for its role in peacefully holding elections across the country.

“An election is a festival of democracy and a fair election is the soul of a democratic country. Whenever there are Lok Sabha or Assembly elections in India, the CRPF plays an important role in holding peaceful polls across the country,” Shah said.

The next of kin of the CRPF personnel who lost their lives while fighting terrorism, left-wing extremism, and insurgency across the country were presented with medals and awards by Shah during the event.

This is the first time that the CRPF is celebrating its Raising Day outside the national capital.

The CRPF Raising Day is held on March 19 after India’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel presented colours to the CRPF following the enactment of the CRPF Act by the Parliament in 1950. The CRPF was raised in 1939 and was then known as the Crown Representative’s Police.

The CRPF was raised as the Crown Representative’s Police on this very day in 1939. It was given a fresh lease of life soon after Independence when it was renamed and redesigned as the Central Reserve Police on 28th December 1949 and was mandated to secure the internal security of the country. (ANI)