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5   64   (  " )(               !123 As many as 50 patients &     has stopped taking admissions were undergoing treatment at due to oxygen shortage. The t least 18 persons, includ- the Covid-19 facility on the     hospital has four hours of oxy- Aing 16 Covid-19 patients, ground floor when fire broke gen left, sources said. died in a fire at a hospital at out in the ICU around 1 am,    According to the Bharuch in Gujarat in the early probably because of short cir- Delhi corona mobile applica- hours of Saturday, officials said. cuit, said a hospital official. '    tion, the hospital has 106 coro- The State Government said The fire was doused with- navirus patients. a judicial enquiry will be con- in an hour. Local people and    -#.#/0 Meanwhile, Sehgal Neo ducted into the fire that the kin of patients helped in the hospital in Meera Bagh sent out destroyed the Intensive Care rescue operation during which n a horrific incident, 12 an SOS message on Twitter Unit of Patel Welfare Hospital, dozens of patients were shift- ICovid patients, including the about its depleting oxygen. run by a charitable trust. ed to other facilities by ambu- head of gastroenterology “We request urgent assis- “Sixteen coronavirus lance. Some were brought out department, died at Batra tance in getting #SOS oxygen. patients and two nursing staff of the building on wheelchairs Hospital due to lack of oxygen We are running out of our were either charred to death or or on make-shift stretchers. on Saturday. backup supply, and have been died due to suffocation inside The four-storey designated Delhi Chief Minister waiting for a supply since early a Covid-19 unit,” said Covid-19 hospital stands on the Arvind Kejriwal expressed grief morning. We have 90 patients Superintendent of Police Bharuch-Jambusar highway,     "  " '!    *"   +    ,  over the incident. Kejriwal on O2 & 13 in ICU,” the hos- Rajendrasinh Chudasama. 190 km from Ahmedabad.  $% tweeted in Hindi, “This news is Director of the hospital, said Around 12.30 pm, the hos- pital tweeted around 12.40 pm. very painful. Their lives could RK Himthani, head of depart- pital authorities claimed they Hospitals across Delhi and  -3 have been saved by giving them ment (HOD), gastroenterology had run out of oxygen. The its suburbs have been sending oxygen on time. Delhi should department, was among those oxygen tanker arrived at 1.35 out desperate messages of help       5 5 7 get its quota of oxygen. Can’t see who died due to lack of oxygen. pm, said the hospital authori- on social media and other our people dying like this. “Himthani had been ties, adding that they were platforms, flagging their dwin-           474.4676 Delhi needs 976 tonnes of oxy- admitted to the hospital for the without oxygen for 80 minutes. dling stocks of oxygen. <=;4:4.7> gen, but it received only 312 last 15-20 days. The hospital There are around 327 Sir Ganga Ram Hospital tonnes yesterday. How will had informed the authorities patients in the hospital out of had last week reported the          :4747:;<=;46-.> Delhi breathe in such a less about lack of oxygen on which 48 are in the critical care death of 25 of its “sickest” amount of oxygen?” Saturday morning when they unit. The hospital had been patients as the administration   -401 Gupta, who worked as an     474-488: The hospital had sent out had 2,500 litres of the life-sav- raising alarms since Saturday struggled with depleting oxy- engineer in Greater Noida, is <=;49-47::> an SOS message about oxygen ing gas left,” Gupta said, adding, afternoon over depleting levels gen supplies. 35-year-old woman died in survived by her husband and shortage on Saturday. “It is a matter of shame that of oxygen supply. Twenty people died at the Aher car outside a two children.   ;;4.;49 Sudhanshu Bankata, the people are dying due to lack of In a related development, Jaipur Golden Hospital last Government hospital due to The eyewitness said he Executive Director of Batra oxygen in the national Capital.” Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj week amid shortage of oxygen. Covid after waiting for hours reached GIMS around 12.15   <.6467487. hospital said once a patient is for a bed in Greater Noida on pm and there he saw the pushed to the edge without the Thursday. Her body remained woman patient in a serious   64964-:9 support of oxygen, it is very dif- inside the car for three hours. condition in her car. ficult to revive him.  ! "  #    An eyewitness said the rel- He added she was 746.4;: “Unfortunately, we are atives of Jagriti Gupta were try- with an attendant, who was expecting more fatalities,” &   ' "    ing to find a hospital bed for running from pillar to post for   :4-:479. said Bankata.       "  her at the Government Institute a bed for her. SCL Gupta, the Medical    $% %  "        $% of Medical Sciences (GIMS). Continued on Page 4   48.477:<=:74:>              01  -     '    .     23&/4           -#.#/0  -#.#/0 !"            he Delhi Government Textended lockdown by a he Delhi High Court on   "  -#.#/0 week till May 10, Chief TSaturday came down heav-  -#.#/0 Minister Arvind Kejriwal ily on the Centre and ordered ith its presence at around announced on Saturday. The that forthwith the Delhi W3 lakh panchayats across ndia kicked off the third national Capital has been under Government must be given the country, the Centre’s digi- Iphase of the much-hyped lockdown since April 19, as the promised quota of 490 MT tal arm Common Service vaccination drive covering ruling Aam Aadmi Party oxygen per day failing which Centres (CSC) has come for- those above the age of 18 years (AAP) scrambles to contain a the Centre would face con- ward to assist rural India to reg- from Saturday at a dismal note fresh wave of infections and a tempt of court. ister the population falling in as barring six, most States and positivity rate that remains Fuming with rage, the the age bracket of 18-44 years Union Territories (UTs) over 30 per cent. judges said “enough is enough”                  for the mandatory Co-Win deferred the drive due to short- “Lockdown in Delhi is and observed that for the past portal registration for the mass age of vaccine. Total 84,000 being extended by one week,” 10 days, the State was getting allocation. The allocation to deferred by half an hour to Covid vaccination programme beneficiaries in the 18-44 age Kejriwal tweeted. only around 300 MT. Delhi has been in force from enable the officers to explain that started on Saturday. group got inoculated on Day 1. This is the second exten- Minutes after the slap from April 20 and not for a single the position. This has come as relief for Even in these six States, the sion of the lockdown in the High Court, the Centre day Delhi has received allocat- However the judges the authorities amid appre- drive was “token”, limited to just national Capital. Last Sunday, increased Delhi’s quota to ed supply,” said court fixing did not entertain the requests hension as to how rural India a few districts, said an official while announcing the first, 590MT per day. The order was responsibility on Centre. of the ASG. will get themselves registered from the Union Health Kejriwal had said, passed by a Division Bench of The court also clarified Continued on Page 4 for vaccination in the absence Ministry. The exercise began at    !    “Coronavirus still continues Justices Vipin Sanghi and that in case its present direction of adequate internet access and a time when many States are      "     to wreak havoc in the city. Rekha Palli in a batch of peti- is not complied. Secretary of '&*)1&0'+% smartphone mobility. reporting shortage of vaccines States and UTs within the next          #  Public opinion is that lock- tions raising issues relating to Industries has to remain pre- On the first day of regis- on contrary to the Centre’s three days. Some private hos-    $% downs should increase. So it is Covid-19 management. sent before it. We may even $'%$%&)#&')1*')&0# tration after the Government of claim that more than 79 lakh pitals too started the vaccine being extended for one week.” “We direct Centre to consider issuing contempt pro- Indian opened the Covid vac- Covid vaccine doses process for those in the age #$$%#&'%(')*'* The Delhi Disaster ensure that Delhi receives its ceedings, the court added. Even *'0&4$'5))(')*)0'%# cination programme for the (79,13,518) are still available group of 18-44 years. Management Authority 490 MT oxygen supply today as Additional Solicitor General 505%,)+(&$#&+') general people in the 18-44 with the States and Union Amid deadly Covid-19 sec- #+,-..#)0&'0&#)& (DDMA), in its order on the by whatever means,” the court Chetan Sharma sought to inter- years category, more than one Territories to be administered. ond wave surge, the Centre had %()'1&'1'))' extension of the lockdown, said, adding that the Centre vene, the court remarked, New Delhi: The Government lakh people from rural India The Centre has so far said all Indian adults will be eli- stated that a review of the must arrange tankers for the “Water has gone above the has allowed imports of oxygen reported through the CSC claimed to have provided near- gible to receive the Covid-19 New Delhi: Inoculation of pandemic situation showed State. The court also noted that head. Now we mean business. concentrators for personal use kiosks in less than 24 hours. ly 16.37 crore vaccine doses vaccine starting May 1. The people in the 18-44 age group that the numbers of positive Delhi is not an industrial State You will arrange everything through post, courier or e- There are more than 4 (16,37,62,300) to States and inoculation process and docu- against Covid-19 will begin in cases, positivity rate as well as and has no cryogenic tankers now…You made an allocation. commerce portals under the lakh CSC. Around 2.64 lakh of UTs “free of cost” of which the ments to be provided to get the Delhi from Monday, Chief bed occupancy (oxygen-sup- that could enable acquisition to You fulfill it.” gift category amid increasing these are at panchayat level total consumption, including jab to remain the same. The Minister Arvind Kejriwal ported or ICU beds) in the facilitate the supply of oxygen. ASG Sharma urged the demand for oxygen due to ris- with each centre/kiosks facili- wastages, is 15,58,48,782 doses. Government has made it announced on Saturday, say- dedicated Covid-19 hospitals “It falls on the Central court not to say anything on the ing Covid-19 cases, the tated by an agent called Village The Centre has promised mandatory for the 18-44 age ing 4.5 lakh vaccine doses are very high. Government to arrange tankers aspect of contempt and even Commerce Ministry said on Level Entrepreneur (VLE). to provide more than 17 lakh group to register on CoWIN. have been received by the city Continued on Page 4 ..(else) it only remains a paper requested that the order be Saturday. Continued on Page 4 (17,31,110) vaccine doses to the Continued on Page 4 Government.      ,-.( /)          #R             +          -#.#/0  0      0                     %&      3    5          0       0   +.   -#.#/0      + 36          '() * orth India is having one type of ! +,     +       !&7&8         NCovid virus, which is completely  !&7&  s India battles the second wave of  -#.#/0        +      different from that of the one spread- Acoronavirus, the much-awaited ing in the south. Similarly, the western      + 1     -#.#/0 first consignment of Russia-made  0 ,       6 6    arnataka’s ruling BJP suf- parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and   +      Sputnik V vaccines arrived in     -   +-;;'6   fered a massive jolt when Rajasthan are having another type of      0  ohammad Shahabuddin Hyderabad on Saturday, the day India   ! K  )&*     !  the Congress trounced the saf- pathogen, while the areas of West      !&7&8) M(53), former Rashtriya kicked off the nationwide vaccination   # $!#% fron outfit in the urban local Bengal and other eastern parts of the &9:       1  +      36 Janata Dal (RJD) MP, who was drive for those in the age group      body polls. The Congress won country are witnessing the spread of a      +      -;;'6 serving a life sentence in a mur- between 18-44 years.       120 out of the 263 wards in ten different mutant variant of the deadly   +               der case at Tihar prison, died of India is currently using two vac- &'    local bodies across eight dis- coronavirus. ,          Covid-19 at the Deen Dayal cines, including Covishield and         tricts that went to the polls on The observations by the scientists    +  0    ++    Upadhyay (DDU) Hospital in Covaxin. Russia’s Sputnik V is going to  )&*     April 27. from the CSIR lab Centre for Cellular   + +   )&*     Delhi on Saturday. be the third Covid vaccine which will     The BJP finished third and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in              According to Sandeep be administered to the people. However, winning 57 seats behind the Hyderabad flagged this concern about Goel, the DG of Prison, Delhi, the final date for the launch of the    JD(S), which won 66 seats. the presence of four major variants of an information was received Russian vaccine is yet to be decided.    Hailing his party’s impres- virus that are spreading widely in dif- Dr Rakesh Mishra, director of CCMB, said Mishra, while explaining the major from DDU Hospital about the Last month, the Drug Controller   #   sive victory, Congress State ferent parts of the country. This comes said that the main reason that is caus- cause of the huge spike in Covid cases death of Mohammad General (DCGI) had issued permission      president DK Shivakumar, at the time when India is witnessing ing coronavirus spread widely in India in the country. Shahabuddin. for Dr Reddy’s Laboratories to import +    “Congress has won 7 out of the record spike of Covid-19 cases this year is its different variants. As per the research study revealed “He was suffering from the Russian vaccine to India for emer-     10 Urban Local Bodies that when compared to previous year. The “If the virus is of singular variant by the CCMB scientists, it is understood Covid-19. Shahabuddin was gency use. The rollout of the Russian , +   + went to polls. The BJP has won scientists said only one or two mutants having no mutations, its spread can be that the northern parts of India such as admitted to the ICU two-three vaccine is expected to boost India’s third        only 1. I thank the people of variants were doing the rounds last year. curtailed by breaking its infection Delhi, Haryana, UP, Punjab and other days ago,” the DG said. “The phase of the vaccination drive which +   )&*   Karnataka for placing their The study conducted by the CSIR chain. However, in India we have iden- areas are witnessing the UK variant of former Siwan MP was lodged commenced at a dismal note amid    confidence in the Congress lab is part of the continuous research of tified 4 different mutant variants of Covid virus, apart from this, the B1.617 in high-security jail number 2 reports of shortage of vaccine in vari- Party and punishing the BJP for genome sequencing of the prevailing coronaviruses, which are spreading variant is also widely spreading. at Tihar,” said prison official. ous States, prompting them to skip the its misrule.” lethal virus causing Covid-19 disease. widely in different parts of the country,” Continued on Page 4 Continued on Page 4 vaccination programme. 

QR )*+,-          (()*+,*-.)./(/*0+  1     ()R 4@0)&*    +      1+ <L.       )   +               &'':'*&&&&    )  /3 # % * 43&**4.               +         9;=8                                 5                + +             4@0)&*         -    $-% -?4         .     &                +   )  9;=8 )        + -,O   &'':'*&&&&     1+  + +      +     What is your role about? was that one must not get overly   -     ++ 4@0)     -,     +   The post-partition era saw our attached to one character because &*          country go through a drastic once the show ends, that void       &         +     325  M change. Families were displaced and hurts.         +      0      3-   + were now refugees in their own  Having played so many varied                   ''  0       country. For them to find their roles, which one was the J     4@0)&*     -            +  ground all over again and rebuild toughest?         4@0)&*        +      their lives was a challenge. Royal Every character is tough               families too had a fair share of and challenging in the initial ordeals to deal with then. My stages of a show. But once  4!      character is set against these very    you completely embrace it challenges. Nalini Pratap Singh is and let it become your 3     + + 0 O    2        0   the Queen of a province with a     second skin, it’s like    0 O ++      +              legacy she’s proud of and would go !  #!  having parallel life               B  B     to any lengths to safeguard it. The altogether. For me,         0                    only heartache in her life is her  #!   Nalini is still a          +     0 / D      strained relationship with her only $! challenge. And I’m    +       4@0)                son and how his crazy shenanigans working towards &*   0 4          and bid to outwit her constantly !&  owning her               < keep her on her toes. !'#! completely. She                How did you come on board the just might be     +       project?  !  the toughest It’s sheer luck and faith of my character I’ve    producers in my potential that I got  ! ever played. this show. The way Shashi ma’am !    You have    K'&9')9;9 :'&     + +     narrated the character I knew I had played both     -  4@0)&*   to do it. And I am. I feel Kyun Utthe ! !  positive and 1                +  +    +   Dil Chhod Aaye is an amazing and  !  negative      0  ,             unique concept and this show is characters. Which 1  $0,1%-      -             -  going to be a different experience # & one do you prefer?  ?  -         1               for me. Other than that I wanted to !  ! It’s not the shade           J        +        be a part of the show which stands of a character that out from all the other shows I have !   matters. It’s the depth, done in past. I am overwhelmed to  ( ! the weightage, the screen work with such a well-known space and above all the Q)    R production house and wonderful #!  ! opportunity to perform channel. This is a great opportunity !  that matters. I’ve played for me. I am looking forward to a every shade, totally black,  @D           +  5  D   D  0 new journey of my life with the !   totally white and a bit of       5! 5         +  .     + C     2      ++              entire team.   both, grey. Not to brag but  What is the hardest part of my conscious choices in     + +           +   +    +   +    playing Nalini Devi? choosing a show have not              Playing Nalini Devi’s character stereotyped me as positive      1 5  <L0  0    +    + + though not easy is a very fulfilling or negative. $1% +           +            experience as an actor. Who doesn’t  Is there anything in the $E%2 $ 5                0 + wish to portray a larger than life pipeline? ! 5 %2 $6  6%         +       +      character? It’s what every actor It’s a conscious effort to   $,+ %  +      0     +   + 0  dreams of. It’s very different from not be a part of one show at a .  4@0)&*               0     just all the characters that I played time. I don’t pursue anything         0       D                 before but it’s different from all the else as it takes a toll on what’s   +      +  D              M other characters on television per se. on hand. And in these trying          0        <L0       Is there a lesson that you learnt times, to be able to work in a    +   +     D     0           the hard way in the industry? safe and healthy environment,        +                 .         The hardest lesson that I learnt I feel blessed. 1       +      +    0   M

    

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he Delhi Government will  * Tstart its inoculation drive for the age group of 18-44 from May 3 as it has received 4.5 lakh   vaccination. Authorities have started the distribution at dis- trict level, a Delhi Government   -#.#/0 official said. Urging people to follow elhi’s healthcare system is appropriate Covid 19 behav- Don the precipice of total iour, Chief Minister Arvind tre. “In one way today have prepared for 1,300 beds; collapse as patients suffocating Kejriwal assured that the city (Saturday) is symbolic as the but there is no oxygen. In to death, many scrambling for administration has made vaccination drive has started Burari we have arranged for beds, moreover the most arrangements and everyone only at one centre from today 2,500 beds. advanced hospitals in the will get the jab. “Please do not onwards, the vaccination drive He also responded to the national Capital’s vicinity have &   ' "       "     "        $% queue at the centres; everyone on a large scale will start in black-marketing of Remdesivir been reduced to begging the will be given appointments Delhi. It’s my request to every- and ambulance facilities and Government for emergency and should get their online reg- body, it’s not walk-in yet, with- said, “I just want to say that had supplies of oxygen with a gap received just 312 MT, adding, beds in the next 24 hours.” civil health administration data, Government that Delhi has a istration done,” he added. out registration and without an we received the Oxygen sup- of 2,916 Metric Tonnes (MT) of “we have to set up infrastruc- As per the official database Delhi had dire need of 5856 requirement of 976 metric Taking it to micro-blogging appointment, please don’t plies and were able to create the oxygen against the demand of ture of beds for COVID maintained with city adminis- MT in previous week however tonnes per day. Against the 976 social site – twitter, Kejriwal come,” he asserted. beds, then an official system 5856 MT per week in present patients but unable to start tration, on April 25, Delhi it allocated 2940 MT and metric tonnes, we have been informed: “The vaccination While patients were not could have been prepared. One circumstances. because of Oxygen crisis.” received only 305 MT, on April received only 2263 MT. allotted 490 metric tonnes process for those above the age able to get bed and had to wait could also have received the While crematoriums blaz- Responding to the question 26 - 408 MT, April 27, the sup- “We are facing a lot of Oxygen, but we are not even of 18 years has begun today. outside the dedicated facility doctor prescribed medicines ing nonstop and have run out regarding oxygen shortage, the ply was 398 MT, April 28, it was trouble regarding oxygen. Even getting the 490 metric tonnes,” The arrangements at Polyclinic amid surge in corona cases, there. Now whoever is getting of room and wood, Delhi faced official twitter handle of Chief 431, April 29-409 and on April today, we received SOS calls Kejriwal pointed. Vaccine Centre at Saraswati Kejriwal said, “It is only whatever is laying their hands tough battle to meet the gap of Minister’s Office (CMO) had 30, Delhi managed to get 312 from hospitals all across Delhi Till May 1, Delhi received Vihar have been reviewed. As because of oxygen. In Radha on them. The Government is demand and supply of life-sav- put, “As opposed to the MT of medical oxygen while as - with only one hour of oxygen 312 MT per day however with soon as Delhi gets the con- Soami Satsang Beas we have also taking action on this. The ing oxygen according to Chief demand of 976 MT, only 490 per the Covid19 health bulletin, left or only half an hour of oxy- a big gap of 664 MT per day, an signment of vaccines, we will prepared 5,000 beds but only enforcement and police teams Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the MT oxygen has been allocated the caseload of novel coron- gen left. A lot of difficult situ- uproar witnessed in hospitals. boost the vaccination drive in 150 beds are functional because and the Delhi Government daily demand is of 976 MT to Delhi and is getting 312 MT. avirus patients is recorded ations are emerging. We have Many hospitals have said that Delhi” there is no oxygen. In the teams are catching hold of all oxygen per day the Centre If given what is required, above 25,000 per day. conveyed it to the courts as well they will have to turn down Kejriwal shared the infor- Commonwealth Games and those engaged in black-mar- allotted only 490 MT and we then we can increase 9000 Surprisingly, as per the as written to the Central their patients. mation after his visit at the cen- Yamuna Sports Complex, we keting.”        +!! $    /       !  -$0    ! !    -#.#/0       in their hands and tried to flee,    -#.#/0 (DCP), South district, the got conducted. but were apprehended,” said the Malviya Nagar police station After the autopsy, the he Delhi Police has arrest-      senior police official. 35-year-old doctor at a received information on Friday body was handed over to his Ted two men from East  K “A total of 17 Remdesivir Aprivate hospital in south at 11.16 pm where it was men- cousin," said the DCP. Delhi for allegedly selling fake injections and one car were Delhi allegedly hanged himself tioned that the husband of the "Police searched the room Remdesivir injections at exor-  recovered from their posses- inside his residence at Malviya caller’s friend was not opening and a suicide note was found bitant prices. sion. Interrogation revealed Nagar on Friday night. the door. wherein no allegation was The accused have been exorbitant price, would come that they procured these injec- The deceased has been “Police reached at the given made against anybody by the identified as Anshuman (31), a near Cross River Mall around tions from one Akarshan, a res- identified as Vivek Rai. He address on the second floor of deceased. The suicide note resident of Rohini, and Kartik 8 pm in his car to sell injections ident of Noida, through one used to work as a doctor in a building in Malviya Nagar addressed to his family and (24), a resident of Tilak Nagar. to someone. “Acting on the Anil. They were selling these Max Hospital, Saket and was and found that a person was friends in which the deceased According to a senior inputs a trap was laid. Police injections at a price of Rs living at Malviya Nagar with his hanging from a ceiling fan has wished well for all his  !   /       0/1  / # police official, on Friday, infor- spotted the car around 8.15 PM 35,000 per vial,” he said. wife, police said. with a saree,” said the DCP known persons," said the DCP                 " (22 mation was received that one and the car was signalled to “The duo has cheated According to Atul Kumar "The body was shifted to adding that inquest proceeding '      3   4 ! '  #  '     Anshuman, who was selling stop. Two persons came out of many people in the National Thakur, the Deputy AIIMS mortuary and post- under section 174 CrPC is    $% fake Remdisiver injections at the vehicle with polythene bags Capital,” said police. Commissioner of Police mortem of the deceased was being done.     )  + /  "   ' 3        +       !!      ! 3 !  ' #%&'(    -#.#/0 that the seized articles could be used by needy patients. At the    -#.#/0 elhi Police Commissioner same time, the chargesheets of 1   DSN Shrivastava on arrested persons in such cases he Bharatiya Janata Party Saturday directed the senior should be prepared promptly T(BJP) leader Gautam officers to act sternly against and submitted in the court    -#.#/0 Gambhir will provide 200 oxy- malpractices by ambulances, within minimal time period,” gen concentrators to those hav- black-marketing of Covid med- said the CP. 42-year-old man, after ing mild or moderate symp- icines, oxygen and fake life-sav- “During the meeting, it Afalling asleep, allegedly toms of the infection in the ing injections. was also emphasized to sensi- rammed his car into a police national Capital. The Delhi Police also tise cyber cells to check the picket killing a constable in The BJP leader's office, in ment. The cheque can be col- informed the citizens that they online frauds reportedly being southwest Delhi’s Vasant Vihar a statement, said he has lected upon returning the unit can call the police’s COVID committed in the name of area early on Saturday morn- arranged 200 oxygen concen- within 7-10 days, it said. helpline 011-23469900 to com- arranging oxygen, medicines, ing. trators for the people in Delhi. People belonging to eco- plain about malpractices. medical equipments, etc,” said The deceased constable "The concentrators, that nomically weaker sections can “EXPANDING OUR Delhi Police. Biswal. was identified as Constable have been bought by the MP furnish their EWS certificate COVID HELPLINE| You can On Saturday, Shrivastava “On the lockdown enforce- Munshi Lal (57). Police said out of his own pocket, will be instead of the cheque, it added. complain on #DelhiPolice reviewed the enforcement of ment front, the DCPs were told that Lal, an ex-serviceman, made available to all those Commenting on the med- Covid Helpline 011-23469900 lockdown and action taken to use public address system to was posted in Vasant Vihar suffering from mild to moder- ical oxygen crisis, the cricketer- abt malpractices like against hoarding or black mar- aware people about the COVID police station since August 28, ate Covid-19 infection at turned-politician said people #Overcharging by keting of medicines or oxygen appropriate behaviour and 2020. home," the statement said. are desperately looking for #Ambulances #Fake covid gas cylinders during a virtual staying home to protect them- According to Ingit Pratap Right now, the biggest con- oxygen cylinders and also fac- medicine #Blackmarketing meeting. selves. Strict action be taken Singh, the Deputy cern for the people of Delhi is ing the tough task of getting #Hoarding of medicines oxy During the meeting, the against those found violating Commissioner of Police shortage of oxygen, especially them refilled. cylinders, concentrators, med districts Deputy lockdown instructions while (DCP), Southwest district, the for those who are in the process He also charged the Arvind equipment; #harassment at Commissioners of Police the movement of only bonafide accident took place around 4 of finding a bed in hospitals, Kejriwal-led city government of Cremation Grnd etc,” the Delhi (DCsP) were instructed to acti- e-pass holder, needy or genuine am at Al-Kauser picket when Gambhir said in the state- "abdicating" its responsibility to Police said in a tweet. vate robust human intelligence be allowed,” said Biswal. the accused, Samit Yadav, ment. help people amid the surge in “The helpline will also mechanism with deployment The CP also reiterated that dozed off while he was return- People residing anywhere Covid-19 cases. receive complaints and infor- of decoy customer in order to the welfare of staff should be ing from a hospital after attend- in Delhi can get an oxygen con- "Delhi does not deserve mation on overcharging by unearth the entire chain. looked after by all districts ing to his Covid-19 positive centrator from Gambhir's office this chaos and I will do what- Ambulances for COVID Taking cognizance of some and units and admission to wife.“The offending vehicle, treatment. The accused, Yadav, taken to Vasant Vihar police at 2, Jagriti Enclave, East Delhi, ever it takes, whatever is in my patients, harassment at cre- inputs, Shrivastava also told the hospital or treatment of infect- Honda CRV, rammed into the a resident of Munirka, who station and given a PPE kit and by providing a doctor's pre- power, to help the people in mation grounds, cheating and DCPs to act strongly against ed staff should be ensured on picket tent that was erected for works in IT sector, was appre- isolated in police station scription, recent saturation their fight against one of the frauds committed in name of overcharging by ambulances priority. “It should also be staff to ensure lockdown and hended from the spot,” said the premises. His medical test will level of the patient and Aadhaar toughest battles we have seen in providing covid treatment and any harassment caused to ensured that Ayush kits and dragged Lal for 30 to 40 DCP. be conducted soon,” said the details, the statement said. recent times," Gambhir said. medicines and injections, people at cremation grounds. other safety material meant meters,” said the DCP. “He told police that he fell DCP adding that a case has The beneficiaries will also He added that more such Oxygen cylinders etc,” said “The court orders for for staff should reach till the last “The constable was rushed asleep while returning from been registered under relevant require to furnish a post dated concentrators are being Chinmoy Biswal, the Public release of seized medicine and field functionary,” said the CP to AIIMS trauma center where Max Hospital, Gurugram after sections of law and investiga- cheque as security to prevent arranged to help as many peo- Relation Officer (PRO) of oxygen cylinders be taken so at the meeting. he died during the course of attending his wife. Yadav was tion is underway. black marketing of the equip- ple as possible.                    him on Friday. Gujjar used to ?323?21, extort crore of rupees with the    Sector-56 were rushed to the patients told mediapersons. help of his gang members from ?323?21, spot to pacify the aggrieved However, some other fam- n a joint effort, the wine contractors, business- family members. The reason ily members claimed that only IGurugram and Sonipat units man, sweet shop owners, mid the sudden surge in behind the deaths will be ascer- after an information given to of the special task force (STF) builders and industrialists,” ACovid-19 cases, as many as tained after an investigation. the police, the policemen had of the Haryana police have Dahiya said. 7 patients died reportedly No complaint has been filed till arranged oxygen cylinders and arrested an Inter-State most Gujjar had visited Dosa, died due to shortage of oxygen now, Sub-Inspector Dalpat doctors at the hospital. wanted criminal Sube Gujjar, Alwar in Rajasthan and supply in Kriti Hospital of Singh, additional station house “It was a gross negligence who was carrying a reward of Channai during his hideout Gurugram located in Sector-56 officer of Sector-56 police sta- on part of the hospital. Nearly 7.50 lakh on his head from a period with the help of fake on Friday night. tion said. 20 covid patients were admit- Delhi airport on Friday, the documents. Gujjar had Attendants of the deceased “Around 20 covid patients ted at the hospital without police informed on Saturday. returned from GOA and had created ruckus inside hospital were admitted at the hospital. oxygen backup. The doctor’s at The reward had been planned to fled somewhere premises. Some family mem- Around 8.00 pm on Friday the the hospital did not disclose announced by the Haryana, but before that he was nabbed bers also protested outside the patients conditions start anything about oxygen crisis. Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar were serious in nature. yet to be arrested in 20 other from Nepal. by the STF,” Dahiya informed. hospital. detorating and the hospital Stern action should be initiat- Pradesh police. Gujjar, a resi- According to the police, cases which he had committed “Gujjar had committed The investigation agency Reportedly the families management didn’t inform us ed against the guilty,” alleged dent of Bargujjar village of Gujjar was an active gang in the span of 16 year’s. multiple crimes in Delhi and has taken him seven days police approached the police and with about the shortage of liquid another patient’s family mem- Gurugram, was a key member member of Kaushal gang and Inspector Varun Dahiya, NCR, Haryana, Rajasthan and remand period to gather infor- their intervention the lives of oxygen. Also, doctors at the ber. of the Kaushal gang and was was operating the gang after the In-charge STF Gurugram unit Uttar Pradesh. He was operat- mation about his other gang remaining covid patients could hospital fled the spot. Those Meanwhile, despite sever- involved in 11 cases of murder, arresting of Kaushal. Gujjar was said the noted criminal was ing his gang from outside Delhi members, to inquire informa- be saved. who were present at the hos- al call attempts and message 12 attempt to murder cases, involved in multiple criminal using fake IDs during his hide- and NCR. Following a lead tion about weapons used into “We received an informa- pital were complaining about nobody’s from the hospital extortion, contract killing and activities since 2004-05 and was out period and around 15 days inputs about his presence at the crime, further probe is tion about the incident matter vomiting and unconscious- management were available for dozens of other crimes which a proclaimed offender. He was ago he was returned in India Delhi airport the STF arrested on,” he said. and a team of police station ness,” a family member of the the comments.  ! 2

. +:   + , #QR   '    New Delhi: As India logged a alleged that the Government Minister and Home Minister The former Congress chief of the situation, he alleged it is world record of over four lakh completely failed to under- were not even wearing masks in termed the story of vaccine "plainly arrogant and focuses on New Delhi: The Indian Navy out of medical oxygen. in a statement. Officials coronavirus infections on stand or to tackle the Covid-19 public over the past few pricing in the country as one of perception over reality". has deployed seven warships to The Indian Navy said INS said the Navy has the capabil- Saturday, Congress leader pandemic, right from the very months. What sort of a message "discount sales" and a "complete "Now that the situation is bring oxygen-filled cryogenic Talwar is bringing 40 metric ity to deploy more ships when Rahul Gandhi said the entire beginning, despite repeated is that sending to citizens?" eyewash" alleging that the vac- completely out of control, they containers from abroad as hos- tonnes of liquid medical oxy- the need arises to further the world is shaken by what is hap- warnings including from sci- Rahul said. cine makers first marked up the have dropped the ball and pitals across India continued gen from Manama in Bahrain nation's fight against COVID- pening here and accused Prime entists. He was referring to election prices and then reduced that thrown it to the states... The to face a severe shortage of while INS Kolkata has pro- 19. "It is pertinent that the ships Minister Narendra Modi of Training his guns on the rallies that were recently held for while making a show of the need of the hour is to hold medical oxygen in view of ceeded to Doha to collect med- are combat-ready and capable "dropping the ball and throw- Prime Minister and Home five Assemblies for West Bengal, entire exercise. hands, work together and heal mounting cases of COVID-19 ical supplies. The ship will of meeting any contingency in ing it to States" after prema- Minister Amit Shah, Rahul Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Asked who is responsible our people," Gandhi said. infections. subsequently leave for Kuwait keeping with the attributes of turely taking credit for having said India must be the only Puducherry. Leaders of all major for the current situation, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the The ships which are to bring liquid oxygen tanks. versatility of sea power," the "won against COVID-19" when country in the world facing this parties including BJP and said, "The Prime Minister is at government declared victory deployed to bring liquid oxygen Similarly, on the eastern Navy said. the second wave was already massive pandemic without the Congress participated in rallies, fault. He runs a highly cen- against the virus too soon and and associated medical equip- seaboard, INS Airavat is sched- Last year, the Indian Navy underway. guidance of an expert and but decided to curtail the size of tralised and personalised that this was "absolute insani- ment from abroad under oper- uled to bring oxygen from had launched Operation "Rely on yourself is the empowered group that is meetings and even cancelled Government machinery, is sole- ty" and demonstrated a com- ation 'Samudra Setu II' are Singapore while INS Jalashwa Samudra Setu as part of the motto. No one will come to help charged with fighting the virus some towards the end of the ly and substantially devoted to plete misunderstanding of the Kolkata, Kochi, Talwar, Tabar, is standing by to bring medical Vande Bharat evacuation mis- you. Definitely, not the prime and protecting the people, with campaign for West Bengal when building his own brand, is nature of what this virus was. Trikand, Jalashwa and Airavat, stores at a short notice. sion under which it brought minister," Gandhi said, while planning ahead, anticipating cases began rising more utterly focused on imagery The only way to fight officials said. "The second batch of ships back around 4,000 stranded alleging that the Covid-19 sit- needs and taking the decisions sharply. rather than substance." "The Corona is with humility and by The Navy launched the comprising Kochi, Trikand and Indians from the Maldives, Sri uation has gone completely out that will result in swift action to Rahul, who was among the fact is that this Government realizing that you are faced with operation at a time hospitals in Tabar mission deployed in the Lanka and Iran. of control for the Modi save lives. first to cancel his rallies and had completely failed to under- a relentless opponent, who can Delhi and several other states Arabian Sea have also been In the last few days, the Government, and wondered "They continuously ignored also urged other political lead- stand or to tackle the Covid-19 adapt and is very resilient, he and union territories are run- diverted to join the national Indian Air Force airlifted from whether it was their way of rising cases and were busy ers to do so, noted that the sec- pandemic -- right from the very said, noting that the prime ning out of oxygen, triggering effort. From the Southern abroad 47 oxygen containers making the States and the citi- instead with election cam- ond Covid-19 wave is a tsuna- beginning, despite repeated minister had an entire year to a healthcare crisis. Twelve peo- Naval Command, the landing with a total capacity of 830 met- zens truly ''Aatmanirbhar''. paigns. They encouraged super- mi that has brought absolute warnings," he alleged. better prepare, to protect India, ple, including a doctor, died at ship tank INS Shardul is being ric tonnes to augment oxygen In an exclusive interview to spreader events. They even devastation and has destroyed Attacking the Modi and to think through this cri- Delhi's Batra Hospital on readied to join the operation supply and distribution infra- PTI, the former Congress chief bragged about them. Our Prime everything in its way. Government over the handling sis but did nothing. PTI Saturday after it allegedly ran within 48 hours," the Navy said structure in the country. PTI 5  " 67    8     4 9     

Guwahati/Agartala: The third Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma supply of vaccines by the man- +  3D   phase of Covid vaccination for said that online registration has ufacturer company being people in the 18-44 age group started. delayed due to the heavy Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief ment of an incentive of Rs was delayed by some days in "We are expecting some demand of the jabs. Minister Tirath Singh Rawat on 1,000 each to Asha volunteers. most of the northeastern states information about the vaccine "The Tripura government Saturday further lowered the The COVID helpline num- as the companies are unable to soon. We have already placed has already sanctioned Rs cap on the number of people bers and call centres should be meet the supply of vaccines due orders for one crore doses each 133.19 crore to purchase the attending a marriage ceremo- fully active and keep updating to huge demand in the region, with the Serum Institute and vaccine to provide the jab to the ny in the State from 100 to 25 information related to avail- where the cases have been Bharat Biotech. The central age group of 18-44 at the gov- in the wake of the sharp rise in ability of beds and injections, alarmingly rising, Ministers government is also pursuing ernment's costs," Education COVID-19 cases. he said. and officials said on vaccine manufacturers accord- and Law Minister Ratan Lal Reviewing the COVID All efforts should be made Saturday. ingly," he told the media. Nath said. situation in the state via video to increase the number of oxy- The third phase of Covid Sarma said that Assam is The Meghalaya govern- conferencing, Rawat directed gen cylinders, he said, adding inoculation drive covering vaccinating close to one lakh ment has stated that it would all district magistrates to limit ambulance rates should be those above the age of 18 years person every day and so soon announce the exact date the number of people attend- fixed to prevent over-rating, began on Saturday in some around 26 lakh people inocu- of the inoculation drive for the ing marriage ceremonies to Rawat said. A total of 147 STF states in India including lated. age group of 18-44. 25. He also authorised the teams have been set up in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Tripura Health officials The Meghalaya govern- DMs to reduce the duration for Uttarakhand to stop black mar- Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh said that the vaccination to the ment has also placed orders for the opening of market places if keting of drugs used in treat- and Odisha. 18-44 age group is expected to the required vaccine with the they find it necessary. ment of COVID-19, he Assam Health and Finance start after May 15 and as the Serum Institute of India. IANS /     *!           -  !  /     $% Rawat ordered the pay- said. PTI #   + , O  #%&'-# . / ;      )&*    0  (, &!     % 

New Delhi: The Election plaint was filed against a Deputy the escalating COVID-19 crisis. Commission (EC) on Saturday Election Commissioner. On Friday, the Madras High     ! " #$ >> From Page 1 and triple mutant variant of scientists said that the UK vari- crime branch sleuths raided a They need to get an Covid virus. In addition to ant, double mutant and N440K house in Juhapura and recov- From Page 1 appointment for vaccination these variants, the B1.617-1,2,3 are most infectious variants and ered 1,170 vials of Remdesivir From Page 1 that this was a deficit of over 100 MT. Earlier this week, the Delhi High Court had against coronavirus, saying variants of the Covid viruses because of these mutant variants and Rs 17 lakh cash and arrest- “Will we shut our eyes to people “Our tankers are not given prior- directed the AAP Government and prison author- walk-ins will not be allowed are also prevailing in this India is witnessing highest num- ed two more men, the official dying in Delhi? Enough is enough. ity. There is no timing, schedule ities to ensure proper medical supervision and care initially to avoid “chaos” at region, because of which ber of Covid-19 cases in the said. Who is asking for a dime more than given to us. We are dealing in SoS even of Shahabuddin. immunisation centres once the Maharashtra and the sur- world, observed the scientists. On questioning the duo, allocated ?..Don’t do this, Don’t do today. My officers will have a mental On December 9, 2015, a special judge in Bihar’s inoculations drive opens up rounding States are witnessing In fact, the States identified the police found that they had that. We don’t appreciate this. This is breakdown. A morally conscious per- Siwan convicted Shahabuddin and his associates substantially. the highest number of Covid by the CSIR which are witness- procured the injections from a new way of arguing that we are see- son does what best he can. This can’t in a 2004 double murder case and sentenced them However, the Centre will cases and related deaths in the ing different variants have one Kaushal Vora, a resident of ing,” said the Bench. The Bench also be permitted,” he said. The matter to life imprisonment. continue to provide vaccines to country. emerged as the States of concern Surat, he said. noted that eight deaths were report- would be heard on. May 3. Two brothers, Satish and Girish Roshan, were States and vaccinate, for free, “In Maharashtra, apart where the cases have surged The city's crime branch ed by Batra Hospital on account of no Meanwhile the High Court also murdered in August 2004 in Siwan for allegedly those over 45. from double mutant variants rapidly with the Union Health traced Vora and co-accused oxygen supply for over one hour. sought data on admissions and dis- refusing to pay extortion money. States on the other hand about 10 per cent cases are also Ministry too admitting that Puneet Gunwant Shah to a During the course of the hearing, charge from all hospitals from April A third brother, Rajiv Roshan, who was an eye- have to negotiate with vaccine found to be having triple since April, there has been a farm house in a village in senior Advocate Rahul Mehra for the month. “..every day a substantial witness to the crime committed by Shahabuddin’s companies the price at which mutant Covid infections. This steep rise in the number of cases Olpad taluka of Surat district, Delhi Government stated that while number of beds should become avail- men, was shot dead on June 6, 2014, when he was they will buy vaccines. This triple mutant variant of virus is in these States. Data speaks: Bhatia said. Delhi’s demand was 700MT, able. But that does not appear to be on his way to a trial court to depose against the again will be from the 50 per most infectious and is the main From April 5 onwards, the "The police found a whole allocated oxygen was 490MT, out of happening. Patients who require hos- strongman. cent of the vaccines that are reason for the wide spread of country saw over one lakh cases factory manufacturing fake which the suppliers had made a vol- pitalisation with oxygen support The conviction and sentencing of Shahabuddin made and cleared by the the disease,” observed the being reported in a day, while injection set up at the farm untary commitment of supply of should normally be in a position to and three others were eventually upheld by the Central Drug Research CCMB scientists. Maharashtra, from April 15, the single-day rise house. The accused repackaged 445MT. leave within 8-10 days subject to Patna High Court and the Supreme Court. Laboratory, Kasauli. which saw 24,886 cases in in the number of cases went past vials of glucose water and salt The quantity on Delhi border, for their condition…”, the court said, The former RJD leader was shifted to Tihar The remaining will con- September last year, but the fig- two lakh and from April 22, it and labelled them as today, was 312 MT only, Mehra posting the matter to May 6 for fur- from Siwan jail following a Supreme Court order tinue to go to the Centre for its ure rose to 68,631 cases in started recording over three Remdesivir," the DGP said.PTI informed the Court as he submitted ther hearing. on February 15, 2018. programme. April, which is 2.8 times high- lakh daily cases.  ! 3

overall seven ships including  "    (4!!   Kolkata, Kochi, Talwar, Tabar, .       Trikand, Jalashwa and Airavat are deployed for shipment of "   3 liquid medical oxygen-filled     cryogenic containers from var-    !   # ious countries. Kolkata and Talwar were  -#.#/0 mission deployed in the Persian  -#.#/0 Gulf and were the first batch of nion Road Transport and ships that were immediately UHighways Minister Nitin ith the objective to add diverted for ferrying oxygen. Gadkari on Saturday said that Wmuscle to the ongoing They entered port of Manama, the Government is giving fight against the corona pan- Bahrain on Friday and Talwar utmost priority to the devel- demic, the armed forces have with 40 MT Liquid Medical opment of infrastructure and mobilised more than 600 Oxygen (LMO) is headed back has set a target of road con- retired doctors besides deploy- home. struction of worth 15 lakh ing 300 National Cadet Corps INS Kolkata has proceed- crore in next two years. (NCC) cadets to assist the ed to Doha, Qatar for embark- He said that the local administration in various ing medical supplies and will Government is permitting 100 parts of the country. Also, the subsequently head to Kuwait percent FDI in the road sector. army has provided 720 beds for for embarking Liquid Oxygen The Minister said that in India, civilians suffering from corona. tanks. projects like the National Moreover, seven naval Similarly, on the Eastern Infrastructure pipeline (NIP) ships are currently ferrying seaboard, Airavat too has been for 2019-2025 is the first of its the much-needed oxygen from diverted for the task, while kind and the government is various parts of the world. Jalashwa was pulled out of committed to provide world- The IAF on Saturday brought mately 600 additional doctors Organisation(DRDO) in maintenance and sailed out to class infra to its citizens and cryogenic containers from are mobilised through special Lucknow will start functioning augment the effort. Airavat is improving the quality of their  -#.#/0 4! # the pandemic, she said: “Lakhs Singapore and off leaded them measures such as calling to in the next two to three days. scheduled to enter Singapore lives.   5 of people are getting affected at the Panagarh airbase in West duty those who had retired in Another hospital is also being for embarking Liquid oxygen He said that under the NIP, ongress president Sonia 6     amid the pandemic everyday, Bengal. the last few years. set up in Varanasi which is tanks and Jalashwa is standing there are over 7,300 projects to CGandhi on Saturday called lakhs have died so far. These The IAF has carried out The Indian Navy has scheduled to be completed by by in the region to be implemented at a total out- for a nationwide strategy to    are testing times and we have more than 160 sorties in the last deployed 200 Battle Field May five, DRDO chief S Reddy embark medical stores at short lay of ?111 lakh crore by the fight the surge in Covid cases   ! #  to support each other. Most two to three days rushing med- Nursing Assistants to assist in informed the minister. Also, notice. year 2025. in India after discussion with all states continue to grapple with ical equipment to various parts various hospitals. The NCC has the first four out of 380 Oxygen The second batch of ships He said that the NIP aims political parties. In a video mes- ! #!  shortage of medical oxygen, of the country apart from air- deployed 300 cadets and staff PSA (Pressure Swing comprising Kochi, Trikand and at improving project prepara- sage, she further asserted that ' $! (78 hospital beds and medicines.” lifting oxygen cylinders from at various locations in Adsorption) plants being man- Tabar mission deployed in tion, and attract investment the Centre and State She said that a nationwide countries including Singapore, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and ufactured under PM CARES Arabian sea have also been into infrastructures like high- Governments “should wake up strategy should be prepared to United Arab Haryana. Moreover, a tele med- fund will be deployed in hos- diverted to join the national ways, railways, ports, airports, and fulfil their responsibilities”. battle against Covid-19 fight Covid after discussion Emirates(UAE)and Thailand. icine service, to be operated by pitals in New Delhi by next effort. From the Southern mobility, energy and agricul- “It’s high time that the Sonia further insisted on with all parties. “I bow down All these measures were health veterans, will begin soon week, he said. Naval Command, the Landing ture and rural industry. Centre and State Governments her earlier demand that free to all the doctors and health reviewed by Defence Minister to provide consultation to those The minister appreciated Ship Tank Shardul is being Addressing the Indo-US wake up and fulfil their vaccines should be given to all workers who are serving Covid Rajnath Singh here on Saturday patients who remain at home. the logistics support being pro- readied to join the Operation Partnership Vision Summit responsibilities. Migration of the citizens. “Testing should be patients while putting them- along with the three Services Also, the Army has made vided by the Armed Forces in within 48 hours. through video conferencing the labourers should be increased across the country selves at risk. We have to go chiefs and Chief of Defence available more than 720 beds transporting oxygen containers As regards the air effort, as on Friday, Gadkari said that in stopped. A minimum of 6,000 and medical oxygen and other beyond the differences. Our Staff General Bipin Rawat in a for civilians in various states. from abroad as well as within on Saturday, carried out 28 sor- the new era of bilateral rela- should be added to their resources should be arranged country has overcome many virtual meeting, defence min- The minister directed the the country between places of ties from abroad, airlifting 47 tions, the national interests of accounts till the crisis is over,” on a war footing. Free vacci- huge struggles in the past. istry officials said. Army to share the details with consumption and production. oxygen containers with 830 India and the United States are Sonia said in a message shared nation should be arranged for Congress will support the cen- Mobilisation of additional local administration at the state While transport aircraft of MT of capacity, while from converging and there is grow- on the official Congress Twitter all the citizens so that people tre in this battle.” health professionals, logistic and district levels. Rawat sug- the IAF carried out several sor- within the country, it carried ing confidence between both handle. can be saved. Mandatory vac- Rahul Gandhi went to support to facilitate supply of gested that local military com- ties from Singapore, Bangkok, out 158 sorties, airlifting 109 the administrations that all Former party chief Rahul cine license should be given to appeal to doctors and medical oxygen and setting up new oxy- mands have to be actively Dubai and within the country, containers with 2,271 MT outstanding trade issues will be Gandhi launched a medical increase the vaccine coverage. professionals to join the battle gen plants are top priorities, the engaged in assisting the civil Indian Navy dispatched four capacity. resolved and major trade agree- advisory helpline to help those Black-marketing of life-sav- against Covid-19 and help defence minister said in the administration. ships – two to Middle east and The Navy and the Air ments will be signed soon. battling Covid-19 at a time ing medicines should be those in need of medical meeting. Rajnath was briefed that two to South East Asia – to Force have also supplied near- The Minister also invited when the country has been stopped,” Sonia added. advice. The party also Giving details of the high- the 500-bed hospital being set transport filled oxygen con- ly 500 portable oxygen cylin- the US companies to invest in ravaged by the second wave of Pointing out the shortage launched a plasma helpline level meeting, they said Rajnath up the Defence Research and tainers to India.Part of ders from their stores to vari- infrastructure and MSME sec- the deadly virus. He has also of crucial resources, which for the requirement of Covid was apprised that approxi- Development Operation ‘Samudra Setu II,’ ous civilian hospitals. tors in India. appealed to doctors to join the has worsened the battle against patients.         "      - 4     . !$ #           %    "  '    !#! !$  -#.#/0 which did not heed any of our 35,000 crore and full money  -#.#/0  -#.#/0 may take minimum 3-4 weeks. suggestions. Instead the from PM Cares Fund for to Oxygen produced in on-site he five Left parties on Government promoted mega tackle the pandemic crisis ounting of votes will be he Centre has identified 30 plants has to be compressed and TSaturday blamed Modi super spreader events. Now, and must stop the Central Cheld on Sunday in the Tnitrogen generation plants filled in cylinders or special Government for “doing noth- India cannot afford to lose any Vista project costing 20,000 high-stakes Assam, West for production of medical oxy- vessels using high pressure com- ing” for the past one year to more time. As the least min- crore. Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and gen considering Covid-19 pan- pressor for transporting to hos- tackle the Covid crisis and imum Government must They also said the Centre Puducherry Assembly elec- demic situation and to further pitals. “not listening to any one”. In a immediately deliver on the must invoke Compulsory tions, overshadowed by the augment availability of oxygen Facilitation is being provid- joint statement general secre- above. Otherwise, the Central Licensing to produce both raging Covid pandemic. There for medical purposes in the ed to these industries for com- taries of CPI(M, CPI, CPI Government completely loses vaccines and life saving drugs will be 2,364 counting centres country. pletion of work at the earliest. (ML), RSP and Forward Bloc its moral authority to contin- and must strictly control in 822 Assembly constituencies “About 30 industries have The Centre had earlier said that the Central ue to remain in office,” said prices of essential drugs. in five States/UT and for count- been identified, and efforts have asked the Central Pollution Government has lost complete Sitaram Yechury, D.Raja, “Direct transfer of  7,500 to ing for the bypolls held in 4 PCs begun to modify nitrogen plants Control Board (CPCB), which moral authority to continue in Dipankar Bhattacharya, all families in the non-income and 13ACs across 13 States, as for the production of medical has comprehensive data base of office, if they can’t deliver the Debabrata Biswas, Manoj tax paying bracket and free compared to 1,002 halls in returning officers for counting the exit polls predicted that it oxygen,” said Ministry of industrial units, to identify the need of the suffering people in Bhattacharya. distribution of foodgrains to 2016 in 822 Assembly con- across the four states-West may fall short in Assam and Environment, Forest and industries having spare nitrogen the pandemic. The Left leaders reiterat- all needy must be delivered to stituencies, a more than 200 Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and lose in Puducherry Climate Change. plants and explore the feasibil- “One whole year has been ed that the Government must face the crisis,” said the Left percent increase, in view of the Assam and union territory of to the opposition alliance of “Some of these plants can be ity of converting of existing wasted by this Government fully utilise the budged leaders. Covid guidelines. Puducherry. Besides,1100 AINRC-BJP-AIADMK. The shifted to nearby hospitals for nitrogen plants to produce oxy- According to the Election counting observers have been only good news for the supplying oxygen and some gen. Commission officials, at least deputed to watch counting Congress was from Tamil plants, where it is not feasible to The CPCB with the help of 15 rounds of sanitisation will be process. Nadu, where the exit polls pre- shift the plants, can produce State Pollution Control Boards :"    " 4 & carried out at each polling According to the EC, postal dicted that the DMK-led oppo- oxygen on-site.” (SPCBs) have identified such centre, besides social distanc- ballots this time are four times sition alliance, of which it is a UPL Ltd converted one 50 potential industries, wherein ing and other precautions, higher, having risen to 13.16 part, will trounce the Nm3 per hour capacity Nitrogen existing nitrogen generation including a ban on gatherings, lakh from 2.97 lakh in 2016. As AIADMK-BJP coalition. plant to produce oxygen using plants may be spared for pro- '    "" will be strictly followed. They many as 1.5 lakh counting According to officials, a Zeolite Molecular Sieve, and duction of oxygen. said counting of votes will agents whose details were pro- three-tier security apparatus installed it at L.G. Rotary In this regard, consultation begin at 8 AM and continue vided by candidates have been has also been placed in these Hospital, Vapi (Gujarat). This have been held with potential er conditions and shoes will be deputation to CRPF have late into the night. facilitated for RT-PCR/RAT in five states. Considering the plant is producing 0.5 ton per industrial units and experts.     -#.#/0 of sports variety with any never followed this neither in At a review meeting per- five states/UTs. EC has also fact that coronavirus infection day oxygen and is operational The Centre’s step comes as variation of blue or black letter nor in spirit. Not wear- taining to the counting directed acceptance of test is raging in the state, steps have since April 27. India has been hit by a devas- hurriedly ordered move colour. ing CRPF insignia on shoul- arrangements, Chief Election reports issued by any autho- been taken to ensure that UPL Ltd is also under tating wave of Covid infections Aby the CRPF to put in place Earlier, for Gazetted offi- der badges and caps is also in Commissioner Sushil Chandra rized laboratories. COVID guidelines are strictly process of conversion of three - daily new cases crossed the a common dress code for offi- cers, the dress code was white contravention of the Central on Saturday directed that all The poll results in the four followed during the counting. more plants. On conversion to four-lakh mark this morning for cers and jawans has led to shorts and shirt with sleeves Govternment laid down instructions of the states and the UT are also Arrangements have been made oxygen plants, these plants will a record global high. The surge resentment among the offi- rolled up and white T shirt decisions/instructions issued Commission must be adhered likely to reflect how the han- for sanitizing the counting be installed at hospitals in Surat in cases has left hospitals over- cers of the force. with white canvas shoes and in connection with IPS uni- to. He also directed that all dling of the COVID pandem- venues frequently during the and Ankaleshwar.In the existing worked, doctors traumatised, In a recent order issued on white socks. form rules 1954 that mandate counting halls must be fully ic has played on the voters’ process. Wearing of face masks nitrogen plants, replacing and resources like beds, medi- Wednesday, Inspector General For subordinate officers, wearing the same uniform as COVID guidelines compliant. mind. Exit polls have forecast and use of sanitizers have been Carbon Molecular Sieve (CMS) cines and oxygen in perilously Rakesh Kumar Yadav has it was white shorts twill ( half that to be worn by cadre offi- The Commission has made a tight contest between the made mandatory for entering with Zeolite Molecular Sieve short supply. directed a uniform dress code sleeves), white canvas shoes cers of CRPF while they are elaborate arrangements for incumbent Mamata Banerjee- the counting halls. EVMs and (ZMS) and few other changes The scale of the crisis has for physical training and and white socks. on to the deputation to the counting of votes across the five led Trinamool Congress and VVPATs at the well-ventilated such as installation of oxygen prompted the global communi- games for Gazzetted officers, For other ranks, it was paramilitary. states and deputed around the BJP in the crucial West counting venues will be sani- analyzer, change in control panel ty to step in, with oxygen con- subordinate officers and junior regimental mufti for games “The guiding philosophy 95,000 counting officials Bengal assembly polls and put tised before the commence- system, flow valve etc., oxygen centrators, tankers and other officers and the constables. and athletics, white pant, behind any uniform rules including micro observers for the ruling saffron combine ment of the process. Tables will for medical use can be pro- equipment being flown in by the For ranks of the Force, the shirt of white colour and prescribed for any Armed or this purpose. ahead in Assam while project- be placed in the counting halls duced.With the availability of United States, the United dress code for physical train- canvas shoes. Paramilitary Forces is that The poll body has desig- ing that the Left alliance will in such a way so that social dis- ZMS, such modified plant can Kingdom, Singapore, the ing and sports will be black On ground, they were irrespective of his parent ser- nated 822 returning officers retain Kerala, a feat unseen in tancing norms are maintained. be set-up in 4-5 days while European Union and other shorts, blue round neck T supposed to wear khakhi vices, all the members by and more than 7,000 assistant four decades. For the Congress, installation of new oxygen plant countries. Shirt for summer. For women pants or shorts and white T their appearances should personnel, blue track pant and shirt and cotton vest. look like and distinguish   $!0 blue round neck T shirt will be As per the CRPF uniform themselves as member of the Time and again the Ministry applicable for summer. rules, any officer (including Force in which they are a      /  has been warning that these Likewise, for winters, the the IPS officers) while being member wether permanent - /! !! medicines are not to be used dress code will be blue track on deputation to CRPF can- or temporary. Instead of fol-   $ for patients in home isolation suit, blue cap covering head not wear the IPS insignia as lowing the laid down uni-  !  #%&! but those admitted in the hos- and ears in case of extreme shoulder badges as part of form rules, the IPS lobby in #   pital. Also, experts warn that cold will be allowed. Also, blue the rank badges. As per the the CRPF is tweaking the !    $ oxygen demand from these jackets and wind cheaters will rules, this is required to dis- uniform rules of CRPF which  "  -#.#/0 healthcare workers working in including those in districts or vil- ! (78 Tier1 and Tier 2 cities will also be required for extreme cold. tinguish themselves as mem- is likely to lead to indiscipline the Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities so that lages including in private and increase, putting pressure on Fabric will be of polyester/cot- ber of the CRPF. in the ranks,” a senior cadre ven as the latest wave of the Covid-19 cases are handled public sector. # $#  the health infrastructure. ton as suitable to local weath- However IPS officers on official said. ECovid-19 is surging at an as per protocol. “We will reach out to all the    . However, some of the offi- alarming pace to spread into Delhi AIIMS Director doctors from these areas,” said      cials at the district level are not Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and Randeep Guleria said: Doctors Dr Guleria. However, while the taking chances. DM Yash towns and surrounding areas, of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are not virus is fast spreading, already Meena from Nawada district        the Union Health Ministry much aware of how to tackle the hitting various cities as seen by Tier 3 cities and give them in Bihar said, “We are antic- seems to be taking its own time disease as the virus has been so sharp spurt in cases in these online consultations to ensure ipating a surge in the cases in to train the healthcare workers far contained in the urban areas. regions, the Ministry seems to that all protocols are followed the near future. We have been  )&* <2   including doctors in these However, now the virus is be moving too slow in this correctly. holding awareness camps with regions on how to manage the spreading fast in small towns regard. Moreover, the Ministry is the healthcare workers as well pandemic efficiently and cut also. A few weeks ago Prime already grappling with issues as panchyatas and communi-  -#.#/0 Depending on their dura- second wave of Covid-19, state down fatalities given that virus “We have identified 14 Minister Narendra Modi too at like mismanagement of the ty against improper use of tion, these restrictions can governments are once again is more infectious and lethal this Centres of Excellence like AIIMS a meeting had expressed his Covid-19 crisis given huge medicines while people are new study using data from lead to more rather than fewer faced with the question: time. and PGIMER in Chandigarh concern saying that Covid-19 is misuse of drugs like being educated against sever- AIndia and five other coun- infections overall, especially Should they use travel bans to It is only on Friday that the with whom the Ministry officials spreading rapidly in Tier 2 and Remdesivir and Tocilizumab al rumours on Covid treat- tries finds that using domes- when there is a large urban- control disease transmission? Ministry at a press conference will develop programmes for Tier 3 cities as well. He urged which are being prescribed by ment and prevention so that tic travel bans to control rural migrant population, it In the first wave of Covid- shared that it will soon come out Covid management which will doctors to connect with their the doctors to their patients they do not become a victim Covid-19 infections may be indicated. 19, most states chose this with a module to train the then be shared with doctors colleagues working in Tier 2 and even those in the home setting. of panic.” inadvisable. As India battles a severe option.  ! :

567897 # '     4  ' "      (     E1,,3 8 pm to 7 am. tions Director Principal, Acharya   "  3=(     On the other hand, the third Shri Chander College of Medical CHENNAI: Despite stringent measures in force since he Union Territory of Jammu phase of the vaccination drive Sciences and Hospital (ASCOMS), last week, there is no respite in the spread of Covid- T& Kashmir on Saturday record- meant for persons between 18-45 Dr Pavan Malhotra said a patient 19 in Tamil Nadu. On Saturday, the directorate of health Amaravati: A record number 1')&@,0& (with mild symptoms) to first ed the highest ever death tally of 47 years of age was launched in a namely Bita Kumari Kher aged 59 and preventive medicine disclosed that 19, 588 new per- of 98,214 test turned out a new #$#&,4&1')% get admitted in Covid Care in one single day while the total phased manner in Jammu and years was admitted on 14.04.2021 as sons were diagnosed with Covid-19 till Saturday high of 19,412 positive cases of *#&%&0$#%@ Centres, he added. active positive cases crossed the bar- Srinagar districts only. CoVID positive and turned nega- evening. The fatalities too reached a new high as 147 coronavirus in Andhra #$$'11',#&,4G& On the Oxygen supply rier of 30,000 with 3,832 fresh cases According to the media bulletin tive on 28.04.2021. She however deaths were reported from across the State till Pradesh in 24 hours ending 9 )%$*#$)&#)0#, position, Anil said 443 tonnes getting detected during screening issued by the Department of could not support herself on the Saturday evening, said the release. am on Saturday. of liquid medical oxygen was across the region. Information and Public Relations, atmospheric oxygen and had to con- The number of Covid-19 patients in Chennai The state also reported "From Monday, we will delivered to the state on Out of these 47 deaths, 30 were "Out of 30 deaths reported across tinue with High Flow oxygen even reached 31,475 on Saturday as 5,829 persons were test- 11,579 recoveries and 61 fresh hopefully deliver the results Saturday. reported from Jammu division and Jammu region, 13 were reported after getting negative. ed positive till evening. Chengalpattu (1,445), fatalities in a day, a health without any delay," Anil said. Meanwhile, the state gov- 17 across Kashmir division.Out of from GMC, Jammu, four from The patient was treated as per Coimbatore (1,257) and Tirunelveli (812) are the other department bulletin said The He said out of the 43,491 ernment airlifted, by IAFs C-17 a total of 3832 fresh cases, the twin Acharya Shri Chander College of protocol of CoVID and she became districts which were causing concern across the State. gross positive cases has climbed beds available in 551 COVID- Globemaster, two empty capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu Medical Sciences and Hospital ( negative after receiving the treat- The Tamil Nadu Government’s Unified Command to 11,21,102, recoveries to 19 hospitals, 32,301 were now tankers to Angul in neigh- reported highest number 1084 and ASCOMS), three from GMC, ment. She had a massive Cardiac Centre for Covid-19 management commissioned on 9,82,297 and toll 8,053. occupied. bouring Odisha for bringing 504 cases respectively. Rajouri, two from GMC Kathua". Pulmonary arrest today morning at Friday has started helping patients across the State by The state now has "We have started a dis- oxygen from Tata Steel's plant. The UT administration after As the number of deaths piled around 9.30 A.M and passed away providing information about hospital bed availability 1,30,752 active cases, the bul- charge drive in hospitals where Covid Special Officer M T reviewing the rapid growth of coro- up across Jammu region allegations due to acute CoVID pneumonia. and ICU facilities in areas closer to their places of res- letin said. Ten out of 13 dis- the load is high. Krishna Babu said the state was navirus cases late evening also of lack of oxygen supply available in The reports in the media that the idence. Till Thursday, this facility was available only tricts reported fresh cases in It started in Vijayawada, currently getting 170 tonnes of decided to extend the 'Corona some of the private hospitals also patient died due to the non avail- in Chennai and neighbouring districts. excess of 1,000 each and the Guntur, Chittoor, oxygen from the Curfew' till May 6 across four most surfaced. ability of oxygen is totally incorrect. Meanwhile the Tamil Nadu Police on late Friday remaining less than 800 each. Anantapuramu and other Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and affected districts of Srinagar, One of the hospital premises in Dr Malhotra also claimed “The evening arrested Dr Mohammed Imran Khan, a MBBS State Principal Secretary places. another 200 tonnes from dif- Baramulla, Budgam and Jammu. Jammu saturday witnessed chaos oxygen supply to the hospital is ade- graduate and his accomplices who were involved in (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal The more the beds the ferent sources within AP. However, the Corona curfew at after family members raised hue and quate and the hospital is not admit- hoarding and black-marketing of Remdesivir, a drug told a press conference on vacated, the more new patients The balance 100 tonnes night shall continue in all Municipal cry soon after their patient suc- ting any non CoVID patient so that for Covid-19. Saturday evening that results of can be accommodated," the has been allotted from Angul, / urban local body limits of all 20 cumbed. Aggrieved family members the care of CoVID patients is not Thiruvannamalai based Dr Imran Khan was 1.30 lakh samples were overdue Principal Secretary said. Bellary and Chennai, he said. districts of Jammu and Kashmir, alleged the patient died in the affected. Normal and Emergency procuring Remdesivir from Government General and they were trying to clear Anil said 75,898 patients Another two tankers including the above 4 districts. absence of uninterrupted oxygen surgeries have been temporarily Hospital for Rs 8,000 and selling the same at Rs 20,000 the backlog in the next two were now in home isolation. would be airlifted to Angul Night curfew will be in force from supply. Responding to the allega- suspended” the Principal said. , said S Santhi, SP, Civil Supplies Department. PNS days. "We are advising patients tomorrow. PTI >    + = 4@    #%&$&  1,3  '  !  %)*    % =7< 8A!  !  1/0?12     ,3,!10< rose from 6,62,640 cases to 6,63,658 our teachers of different cases. The fatality rate in the state Fdepartments of Aligarh ith hardly any let up in the con- dropped from 1.50 per cent tpo 1.49 per Muslim University (AMU) Wtinued spurt in the infections and cent. With fresh deaths, the Covid-19 died due to corona virus infec- fatalities in Maharashtra, as many as toll in Mumbai remained static at tion. Vice Chancellor Prof. 802 died of Covid-19 and 63,282 more 13,215, while the infected cases went up Tariq Mansoor has expressed tested positive for the pandemic in var- by 3897 to trigger a jump in the infec- grief over the demise of all ious parts of the state on Saturday. tions from 6,48,471 to 6,52,368. these teachers. A day after the pandemic claimed While Pune accounted for a maxi- Prof. Kunwar Sajid Ali 828 lives and left 62,919 infected in the mum 1,04,849 “active cases” in the state, Panaji: Goa recorded 2,303 new coronavirus infections on Khan, Chairman, Department state, Maharashtra logged 802 deaths Nagpur stood second 76,291 followed Saturday which took its caseload to 93,355, a health depart- of Psychology, died in a hospi- and 63,282 new infections. by Mumbai with 63,325, Thane ment official said.With 54 persons succumbing to the infec- tal in Delhi. He was 63. With 802 new deaths, the total (49,981), Nashik (49,255), Chandrapur tion, the death toll reached 1,222. Professor Muhammad Ali number of deaths in the state climbed (27,409), Ahmednagar (21,754), Satara The number of recovered persons rose to 68,249 with Khan, senior teacher in AMU's from 68813 to 69615. Similarly, with (18,858), Solapur (18,780), Latur 1,310 patients getting discharged from hospitals on Saturday. Post Harvest Engineering and 63,282 infections, the total number of (14,677), Aurangabad (13503), Jalgaon The number of active cases in the state is 23,884, the offi- Technology Department, cases rose from 46,02,472 to 46,65,754. (12784), Beed (13296), Parbhani cial said."With 5,897 new tests, the total of samples tested passed away. Vice Chancellor As 61,326 patients were discharged (11,912), Bhandara (11,127), Buldhana for coronavirus went up to 6,58,713," he added. Prof. Tariq Mansoor said that from the hospitals across the state after ( 10,031), Osmanabad (8965)Nanded With the coastal state, a popular tourist hotspot, report- we have lost the leading acad- full recovery, the total number of peo- (8577), Nandurbar (6936) and Gondia ing an extremely high test positivity rate of over 50 per cent emician and scientist, who was ple discharged from the hospitals since (8293). on Thursday, authorities have imposed a four-day lockdown instrumental in the develop- the second week of March last year went Of the 2,73,95,288 samples sent to till 6 am on May 3. ment of the post harvest engi- up to 39,30,302. The recovery rate in the laboratories, 46,65,754 have tested pos- The state government has said all essential services would neering field. state for the first time in several days itive (17.03 per cent) for COVID-19 be allowed to function during the period. In addition, Dr. Jibrail of rose from 84.06 per cent to 84.24 per until Saturday.Currently, 40,43,899 peo- Goa's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases the Department of History !       !      '     '   cent. ple are in home quarantine while 26,420 93,355, new cases 2,303, death toll 1,222, recovered 68,249, passed away.   3  ;! 3     $% The total “active cases” in the state people are in institutional quarantine. active cases 23,884, samples tested to date 6,58,713. PTI .1++3 )%36*+.*# .  ;   ! %     *P    !   ' : "  $  ' <     ,3,!10< court to a Special Investigation Team 1967 (UAPA). Gaichor, Shona Sen, Arun Ferreira, pace continues then it would mean     640 these opinion polls or exit (SIT) to look into the “fake evi- “When the trial is pending and is Sagar Gorkhe, Mahesh Raut, Sudha immense trouble for the party on all polls. They do not have any sci- efuting a report prepared by M/s. dences” planted into his computer sub-judiced before this court M/s. Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, Fr. fronts. Greater suppression of dissent e does not have a political entific validity. Chances are that RArsenal Consultancy suggesting ahead of his arrest in the case, and Arsenal Consultancy have no locus- Stan Swamy and Hany Babu. They are and more brutal form of Mission 2016 Houtfit with presence any- the Congress-led UDF is like- that “fake evidences” were planted into sought dismissal of the case against standi to give such an opinion with- being tried under the dreaded UAPA (OGH). Com. Kisan and few other where outside his hometown of ly to emerge as the single the laptop of Rona J Wilson, a human him. out permission of this Hon'ble Court," Act, 1967. comrades have proposed concrete Poonjar in Kottayam district. largest front. But I doubt the rights activists and one of prime Citing the report prepared by M/s. NIA’s Superintendent of Police Vikram On the basis of one of the alleged- steps to end Modi-raj”. But when Plathottam possibilities of them touching accused in the sensitive Bhima- Arsenal Consultancy to suggest that Khalate stated in his affidavit. ly incriminating letters seized from “Defeating Hindu fascism has Chackochan George (70), PC the magic figure of 71. The BJP Koregaon case, the NIA has told the his laptop had been hacked and 10 let- The NIA told the high court that Wilson’s computer, the Pune police been our core agenda and a major to his friends, followers and is likely to win three to five Bombay High Court that the US dig- ters planted in it ahead of his arrest, it was for Wilson to explain how his had claimed that the CPI (Maoist) had concern for the party.... We are trying even rivals, speaks, they all liat- seats and it is going to be the ital forensics firm has no locus-stan- Wilson had alleged that the NIA had laptop came to be allegedly hacked, hatched a “conspiracy" to “overthrow” to consolidate ties with like-minded en with rapt attention. He does turning point in the State’s di to give such opinion without the used to make out a case against him when it was under his control and that the Government and “target” the organisations, pol. parties, represen- not care a damn about the politics,” George told The court’s permission. other activists arrested in the famous the latter could not blame the inves- country’s highest political functionary. tatives of minorities across the coun- stature of any politicians Pioneer. Interestingly, he has In an affidavit filed in the high Bhima-Koregaon case. tigating agencies that came into the The letter, written by “R” (which try,” the letter stated. whether it is Pinarayi Vijayan been of the view that the LDF court, the NIA contested the report Among other things, Arsenal picture much later. the investigators suspected might be The arrests of “Maoist-linked” or Oommen Chandi or even would not win this election. prepared by the M/s. Arsenal Consulting – which the human rights Terming Wilson's petition is Rona Jacob himself) and addressed to activists were made under the FIR reg- late K M Mani, his one-time “My opinion that the LDF will Consultancy, in which the US digital activist had cited to seek an interim "vague", the NIA stated that the peti- one comrade Prakash, stated: “We are istered on January 8, 2018 at the mentor. Even Archbishops and not win the election stays. We forensics firm had claimed that relief -- had claimed in its report that tion did not mention the name of the thinking along the lines of another Pune’s Vishram Baug Police Station in Cardinals hold him in high will see politically interesting Wilson’s laptop was hacked and 10 not only Wilson’s computer was cyber attacker's name, who might have Rajiv Gandhi-type incident. It sounds connection with the Elgar Parishad esteem because George speaks period in months to come,” said “incriminating” letters planted in it ‘attacked and compromised’ from planted evidence on his laptop. suicidal and there is a good chance we organised on December 31, 2017 by the truth. George. ahead of his arrest on April 17, 2018. June 13, 2016 for over 22 months, but The high court will now hear might fail but we feel the party must the leftist outfit Kabir Kala Manch He is an enigma to con- All we have to do is to wait The letters, recovered purported- similar malware attacks were made on Wilson’s plea seeking interim relief on deliberate over our proposal. Targeting (KKM) and Republican Panthers ventional politicians because he for a few more hours to see ly from Wilson’s laptop, had among even other accused in other high-pro- May 4. his road shows could be an effective Party ahead of the January 1, 2018 cannot stand to non-sense. whether George has the last other things alleged that a conspira- file Indian cases. It may be recalled that the scanned strategy. We collectively believe that Bhima-Koregaon riots. George gas been elected seven laugh. Sivam Mukkan, who cy had been hatched to kill the Prime On the basis of M/s Arsenal copies of 10 “incriminating” letters survival of the party is supreme to all It may be recalled that on January times to the legislative assem- claims to possess tantric pow- Minister of India and overthrow the Consulting’s report, Wilson had were among the virtual and physical sacrifices”. 1, 2018, one Rahul Phatangale (28), a bly and the 2021 outing is his ers says Pinarayi Vijayan would government. sought a stay on the proceedings in the documents recovered by the investi- The letter also talks about the Dalit, was killed and another 40-odd eighth attempt. He won both cease to be the chief minister Opposing an interim relief to case and his immediate release as an gators during their simultaneous raids requirement of Rs 8 crore to procure vehicles and some other property were the last elections without the once the voters are counted. “He Wilson, the NIA stated in its affidavit interim relief. conducted by the investigators on M-4 rifles as an annual supply and damaged after some miscreants support of any major political can forget the chief minister’s filed before the Bombay High Court In its affidavit filed before the high April 17 2018 ahead of the arrest of four lakh rounds of ammunition. attacked Dalits celebrating the January outfits and is sure to make it to name after May 2,” said Sivan. that the application filed by Wilson court, the NIA claimed that M/s Wilson and other accused in the case. Among other things, the letter 1, 1818 victory of British troops over the Legislative Assembly this But he declined to give the rea- before the Bombay High Court in Arsenal Consulting had no locus to Apart from Wilson, another 15 stated: “Modi-led Hindu fascist regime Peshwa Bajirao II's army at Bhima- time too. sons or who would be the next February this year on the basis of M/s. give any opinion in the case at a time persons were arrested in 2018. The is bulldozing its way into the lives of Koregaon in Pune district of western According to George, who chief minister. Pandhappilli Arsenal Consultancy’s claims, was not when Wilson and 15 other civil rights arrested persons included P Varavara indigenous adivasis, in spite of big Maharashtra. Following the incident, treads a lone furrow in Kerala Gopala Menon, Sanskrit schol- maintainable. activists and academics were being Rao, Sudhir Dhawale, Surendra defeats like Bihar and West Bengal. Maharashtra had witnessed large- politics for the last decade, the ar and a widely respected In an application on February 10 tried for charges under the stringent Gadling, Anand Teltumbde, Gautam Modi has successfully established scale Dalit protests which turned State is in for a hung assembly. astrologer has an interesting this year, Wilson had urged the high Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Navlakha, Jyoti Jagtap, Ramesh BJP govt in more than 15 states. If this violent at some places. “Do not give any attention to observation to make. ?  05R% 5  ;  ' " "       5  Jaipur: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said that the time has come to provide comprehen- sive social security to the needy, helpless and     640 cent, said Vijayan. There are persons like   ;  deprived people like developed countries to facil- The Chief Minister alleged Rejith Kumar of Idukki who itate healthy and dignified living and to bridge s the number of Covid-19 that the Centre was not at all had opted out from getting     ,3,!10< prepared an objectionable the gap of richness and poverty. Apatients in the State show- cooperating with the State in admitted to the hospital taking video against Fadnavis and The Chief Minister Chiranjeevi Health ing no signs of any abatement, issuing the vaccines and this a cue from Narayana he Nashik police on tried to defame the former Insurance Scheme is a historic step of the Kerala is being fortified from has forced the Kerala Dabhalkar of TSaturday registered a non- chief minister. Rajasthan government in this direction, which within as well as outside Government to call off the Nagpur. Kumar, a Samskar cognisable offence against five The five persons, against will free the people of the state from worrying according to Chief Minister programme to vaccinate those Bharati office -bearer is under- persons for allegedly creating whom the police have regis- about the huge expense of treatment. Pinarayi Vijayan. between the 18-45 age group going treatment in his own and circulating an objection- tered a case, were identified as Gehlot was inaugurating the Chief Minister The districts of Kozhikode indefinitely. house in Kerala’s High Range able video on Facebook and Sanket Bhosale, Ratan Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme and free sal health insurance with the aim of providing and Malappuram have been “The Centre is showing region. other social media platforms Khalkar, Pramod Khonkhade, vaccination for the age group of 18 to 45 years health protection to every state after free med- brought under prohibitory total disregard to the relevant Kozhikode district diag- about former Chief Minister Rahul Joshi and Bunty from the video conference on Saturday. The icine and screening scheme. orders for the next one week in Supreme Court verdict and nosed 5,554 new patients and senior BJP leader Thakre. Chief Minister launched the website of the He said that during the UPA government, view of the counting of assem- this has out us un trouble,” said while Ernakulam district Devendra Fadnavis. They had allegedly used scheme chiranjiv.rajasthan.gov.in. a rights-based era was started to promote bly votes scheduled for Sunday the chief minister. accounted for 5,002 new cases. Acting on a complaint filed their Facebook accounts to During this time, he interacted with the social security in the country under the lead- and the surging cases of Covid- He disclosed that there With 48 persons suc- by the BJP’s local unit president circulate the objectionable youth in the age group of 18 and above, who ership of the then Prime Minister Dr. 19. were more than 3.23 lakh cumbing to the pandemic on Hemant Gaikwad, the Nashik video. were vaccinated in Jaipur, Ajmer and Jodhpur. Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Smt. Vijayan in his daily press Covid patients in the State. Saturday, death toll reached Road police registered a case In his complaint, Gaikwad On this occasion, policy documents of Sonia Gandhi. briefing on Saturday evening Many Government run hospi- 5,356 . against five persons for alleged- has alleged that the person who Chiranjeevi Yojana were also distributed to At that time, the countrymen were given said that 48 persons lost their tals in Kerala has ran out of Kerala Private Hospitals ly trying to defame Fadnavis had video had threatened to selectedbeneficiaries of these three right to programs like Right to Information, lives and the number of new beds. The Taluk Hospital at Association on Saturday reject- during his visit to Nashsik on attack Fadnavis and heaped districts. Right to Education, Food Security and Mahatma Covid-19 patients shot up to Thiroorangadi was forced to ed the diktat by the department Friday. abuses on the former chief Others should also consider such a scheme Gandhi NREGA. A program like MNREGA has 35, 636 during the last 24 send back patients who were of health to unify the treatment According to the com- minister and former State min- The Chief Minister said that Rajasthan is the proved to be a boon for the poorer class in the hours. The Test Positivity Ratio brought to the hospital on costs with that of government plaint, one unidentified person ister Girish Mahajan. leading state in the country providing univer- Covid crisis. in the State stood at 24.33 per Saturday as there were no beds. hospitals. ! =  = =2  =   5  1   VIENNA: High-ranking diplo- to force Iran into renegotiating rent and former U.S. officials still not ready to meet with U.S. countries to provide relief. around American sanctions *   mats from China, Germany, the pact with more concessions. and others familiar with the diplomats.” The ultimate goal of the and Iranian compliance, as France, Russia and Britain U.S. President Joe Biden matter earlier this week. The Joint Comprehensive deal is to prevent Iran from well as the “possible sequenc- resumed talks Saturday focused wants to rejoin the deal, how- Ahead of the main talks, Plan of Action, or JCPOA, developing a nuclear bomb, ing” of the U.S. return. on bringing the United States ever, and a U.S. delegation in Russia’s top representative promised Iran economic incen- something it insists it doesn’t Outside the talks in    back into their landmark Vienna is taking part in indi- Mikhail Ulyanov said JCPOA tives in exchange for curbs on want to do. Iran now has Vienna, other challenges nuclear deal with Iran. rect talks with Iran, with diplo- members met on the side with its nuclear program. The reim- enough enriched uranium to remain. The U.S. will not have a mats from the other world officials from the U.S. delega- position of U.S. sanctions has make a bomb, but An attack suspected to KABUL, Afghanistan: — focus has to be on achieving representative at the table when powers acting as go-betweens. tion but that the Iranian dele- left the Islamic Republic’s econ- nowhere near the amount it have been carried out by Israel Afghanistan’s chief peace nego- peace, that does not only take the diplomats meet in Vienna The Biden administration gation was not ready to meet omy reeling. Tehran has had before the nuclear deal was recently struck Iran’s Natanz tiator said Saturday the often us, it takes the other side,” he because former President is considering a rollback of with U.S. diplomats. responded by steadily increas- signed. nuclear site, causing an fractured Afghan political lead- said. Donald Trump unilaterally some of the most stringent “JCPOA participants held ing its violations of the restric- The Vienna talks began in unknown amount of damage. ership must unify in its peace Still, Abdullah said he is pulled the country out of the Trump-era sanctions in a bid to today informal consultations tions of the deal, such as early April and have included Tehran retaliated by begin- talks with the Taliban or risk unconvinced the Taliban want deal, known as the Joint get Iran to come back into with the U.S. delegation at the increasing the purity of urani- several rounds of high-level ning to enrich a small amount the withdrawal of U.S. and peace. He said the National Comprehensive Plan of Action, compliance with the terms of Vienna talks on full restoration um it enriches and its stock- discussions. Expert groups also of uranium up to 60% purity, NATO troops bringing more Reconciliation Council, of in 2018. Trump also restored the nuclear agreement, accord- of the nuclear deal,” Ulyanov piles, in a thus-far unsuccess- have been working on propos- its highest level ever. bitter fighting. which he is the chairman, has and augmented sanctions to try ing to information from cur- tweeted. “Without Iran who is ful effort to pressure the other als on how to resolve the issues AP Abdullah Abdullah, head put out countless calls for the of Afghanistan’s National Taliban to put all their 6)> Reconciliation Council, said demands on the table. 5)-6 the time is now for Messages go back and forth 1    . $&    Afghanistan’s political leaders between a variety of Taliban to to stand united in the talks. But senior negotiators, including     some of them are former war- himself, said Abdullah. He -    WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden on Air Force One dur- “Finally, the people of the Biden made clear that India mitted to doing that,” he said. lords with fierce reputations, noted that he has received '0$'  2  >  + Biden has asked his adminis- ing his trip to Georgia. United States, their solidarity was one of the first countries Guha told reporters that heavily armed militias and countless messages from ,      > tration to provide all assistance On his way back, Campbell with the people of India is very that came to the rescue of the the Biden administration was deep seated grudges. Taliban officials, some written, +    #   to India, which is battling one briefed the president of the much recognised and appreci- US in May last year when working to provide India with In an interview with The some as voice messages. 3  $#3%O       of the worst outbreaks of administration’s COVID-19 ated. And also the Indian Americans were suffering from supplies that they’ve asked for: Associated Press in the Afghan Sometimes they are detailed,          + COVID-19, and has assured relief efforts for India. American community. I’m the pandemic. oxygen, testing equipment, and capital, Abdullah warned that and other times terse and brief. 2          that the US would stand shoul- “I was able to give a sense sure, with the support of “They stepped up for us. PPE kits. history and millions of Afghans But he said he has yet to see a +        der-to-shoulder with the coun- of what USAID (United States friends and partners like the This time, we in the United Jeremy Konyndyk, senior — already frustrated by what commitment to peace from #       try, top officials from the two Agency for International United States, we will face this States, our people in the gov- advisor coordinating agency- they see as government inepti- the insurgent group on which  #      @ nations have said. Development) is doing, what it challenge and with God’s grace, ernment, but also in the private wide COVID efforts at tude and runaway corruption he can rely.    @   Biden sent two of his top hopes to accomplish,” he said in we will come out of it,” Sandhu sector -- I’ve never seen such an USAID told reporters that the — will judge them harshly if Abdullah said his response   @ E  R  officials to the Dulles Airport response to a question. said. outpouring of support from plane headed for India from unity eludes the powerful lead- to the Taliban has been con-     here on Friday evening from India’s Ambassador to the Campbell said he and his our corporate friends, and Dulles airport sent oxygen ers now in Kabul. In the early sistent: “Put everything that where another flight with US Taranjit Singh Sandhu told National Security Council col- partners, as we’ve seen over the cylinders, N95 respirators and 1990s bitter fighting between you want on the negotiating A   USAID assistance materials reporters at the Dulles Airport: league Sumona Guha, who is last several days,” he said. others. many of the same leaders killed table. We are ready to discuss    P  including oxygen cylinders, ?The administration, starting senior director for South Asia “What we are coordinating ?These are materials that thousands of mostly civilians in it. We are ready to find ways #H#        N95 masks and filters to be right from the top, President there, were sent by the presi- is the most significant out- will help to sustain people sick the capital and gave rise to the that it works for both sides.” 1 )0     used in the production of vac- Biden reached out and in fact, dent to the airport before the pouring of support for people with COVID-19 in India. Taliban, who took power in He said the withdrawal    >! + O cines were dispatched to News to quote him, the United States COVID-19 relief material left that I’ve never seen from the Oxygen treatment is one of 1996. adds pressure on both sides to       21 Delhi. will stand shoulder-to-shoulder for India. corporate community. We’re the most effective ways to treat Abdullah said the with- find a peace deal. ! $21!%    The first two flights arrived with India. “The President asked us to trying to be there for India, Severe COVID-19,” he said. drawal that officially began The Taliban cannot win    , + 5  in New Delhi a day earlier. We very much appreciate come out today to well wish now as they were with us “Everything behind us Saturday of the remaining militarily, he said, and even     “He (Biden) said great. that. this supply going to India,? before. We know that here, everything on this flight 2,500 to 3,500 U.S. troops and regional powers — including Stay with it. Stay with it!,” vet- “Sandhu also applauded Campbell said, as he applaud- this is going to be a long haul,” will be saving lives in India in about 7,000 NATO allied forces Pakistan with its influence over P  eran diplomat Kurt Campbell, the bipartisan support that ed the tireless efforts of he said. the coming days in partnership will present “huge challenges.” the insurgent group — have   A  who is leading Biden’s Asia India has received from Ambassador Sandhu for help- “This is only the first cou- and support of our partners in “I wouldn’t call it the end steadfastly rejected a military 'H#&#    + Policy at the White House told American congressmen and ing in every way he can. ple of days. We have to be the Indian government and in of of the world for our people. takeover in Afghanistan.          +  reporters at the airport on senators. The US businesses Campbell said during his determined. We have to work support of the Indian people,? I would say that it will be very Taliban leaders are headquar-        Friday evening. have come forward in an call with Prime Minister in partnership... we have to do he added. challenging and that’s why I am tered in Pakistani cities.         +   Campbell travelled with unprecedented way. Narendra Modi last week, this together. And we’re com- PTI of the opinion that the whole AP           @ )2    9 S     E ),           0#1#@#,1 + + MOSCOW: Russia’s state sta- in a report issued Friday. leading cause, along with 2,454 ed of being the first country to          tistical service says the number The agency did not pro- cases in which COVID-19 was authorize a coronavirus vac-   +         of deaths nationwide in the vide an explanation for the believed to be the leading cine — the Russian-made    L ) )1 first three months of 2021 was sharply higher death toll, but cause and 1,401 deaths in Sputnik V — the pace of its     5    ++ + “migrants” as their nationality chief Daryn Edwards. more than 25% higher than the critics have suggested that which COVID-19 influenced vaccination program is lagging      4  was yet to be confirmed. He said the people were same period a year ago, and it Russian officials underplay the other diseases and accelerated well behind many other coun-      2       The migrants told police found “huddled together” in reported thousands more severity of the pandemic in the death. tries. they were hungry, while some the two-storey home, but they deaths due to COVID-19 in country. According to the task Only about 8% of Russians     showed signs of COVID-19, were not tied up. No firearms March than tallied by the The national coronavirus force, throughout the pan- have gotten at least one vaccine     HOUSTON: In a suspected including fever, loss of smell were found at the scene. country’s coronavirus task task force counted more than demic 110,502 people have shot, while 5% have been fully '0$'>  +  human smuggling case, 91 and taste. “It was a big surprise when force. 12,300 deaths from COVID-19 died in Russia of COVID-19 as vaccinated. That puts Russia far     2 O   +  people, including five coron- The Houston Health we got in the house and saw More than 583,000 people in March, but Rosstat gave a of Saturday — 392 of them in behind Britain, where 50% of  + +    + avirus-infected persons, have Department conducted rapid what we saw,” Edwards said. died in January-March of this substantially higher number. the past day. The country has the population has gotten at   2  0  + been found crammed together COVID-19 tests and five of the “I don’t know if they (the year in Russia, compared with The agency said there were recorded more than 4.8 million least one shot; the United      in a two-storey building here in boarders tested positive. The ones who lodged the migrants) 460,000 for those months in 15,003 deaths that month in confirmed cases. States at 43% and the European the US state of Texas, police migrants would temporarily were going to parcel them (the 2020, the Rosstat agency said which coronavirus was the Although Russia has boast- Union with nearly 27%. AP    !  said. continue to stay in the house, migrants) off into doing some A      Based on a tip-off, a spe- police said. work or labour, but it is defi- #%I%+#        cial-tactics team of the police The Houston Fire nitely more of a smuggling 3  8        5    + raided the home in south-west Department has provided med- thing than a trafficking thing,”   4  +     O E +  Houston on Friday. A search ical care, food and water to the he said. The police are investi- & :1  R          warrant was served before the migrants. No serious injuries gating who the victims are, and      =      ?   raid. No children were found were found on any of the who brought them here.         E +  > inside the home. The younger migrants. “Anytime you see people being Geneva: The World Health because of delays that WHO Toronto:Ontario, Canada’s +  +-  +O  lot of residents were at least 20 “When we got into the mistreated, it doesn’t matter Organisation has given the go- faced in getting data from the Washington: About 35 per worst-hit province which is L  +   J   years and above. In total, there house, we realised there were what race, culture, where you ahead for the emergency use of manufacturer. cent of all Americans have battling the third wave of the      &&   77 were five women and the rest over 90 people inside and so we come from... there’s no excuse Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine. Many countries without been infected with Covid-19 coronavirus, has sought a ban  5  :' '   were men. immediately began to assess for people to be mistreated like The mRNA vaccine from their own advanced medical over the past year, according to on the arrival of internation-   +  E +     The police referred to the any kind of a special threat,” that,” said Assistant HPD Chief the US manufacturer joins vac- regulatory and assessment a new study of the US Centers al students. # + , +    boarders at the house as said Houston Police assistant Patricia Cantu. PTI cines from AstraZeneca, Pfizer- offices rely on the WHO listing for Disease Control and Currently, students from BioNTech, and Johnson & to decide whether to use vac- Prevention (CDC). CDC esti- India make up the majority of Johnson in receiving the cines. UN children’s agency mates that from February 2020 international students study- WHO’s emergency use listing. UNICEF also uses the listing to to March 2021, 114.6 million ing in Ontario. ,                0 )3 Similar approvals for deploy vaccines in an emer- Americans were infected with Making this announce- China’s Sinopharm and Sinovac gency like the pandemic. Covid-19, 97.1 million had ment on Friday, Ontario 5               vaccines are expected in the The announcement, how- symptomatic illnesses and 5.6 Premier Doug Ford said that coming days, WHO has said. ever, wasn’t likely to have an million were hospitalised with since 94 per cent of all new   120 demic that has turned   <#  The greenlight for immediate impact on the sup- Covid-19, the Xinhua news cases in Ontario are of new economies and workplaces Moderna’s vaccine, announced plies of Moderna’s vaccine for agency reported on Saturday. variant of the virus and are orkers and union leaders upside down. In countries that Washington: As the US gov- petence and installed capacity late Friday, took many months the developing world. AP IANS coming from outside. IANS Wdusted off bullhorns and mark May 1 as International ernment steps up assistance to in drug manufacturing to flags that had stayed furled dur- Labour Day, the annual cele- India in its battle against a source health equipment, ing coronavirus lockdowns for bration of workers’ rights pro- deadly wave of the COVID-19, drugs, personal protective >      2&?3=  P J    slimmed down but still bois- duced a rare sight during the an Indian public healthcare equipment, and vaccines at terous May Day marches on pandemic: large and closely expert has pointed out the competitive rates even now, she Washington: The overall global the current global caseload and Dublin: Five countries including India have been Saturday, demanding more packed crowds, with marchers tremendous scope for India-US said. Covid-19 caseload has topped 150.9 death toll stood at 150,972,476 and added to Ireland’s mandatory quarantine list, accord- labour protections amid a pan- striding shoulder-to-shoulder cooperation in the sectors of ‘This shall also lower US million, while the deaths have 3,176,054, respectively. ing to a statement released by the Irish government. with clenched fists behind ban- health technology and phar- dependence on China, which surged to more than 3.17 million, The US continues to be the The five countries are India, Iran, Mongolia, Georgia ners. But in Turkey and the maceuticals. has proved a treacherous part- according to the Johns Hopkins worst-hit country with the world’s and Costa Rica. India’s federal health ministry said Philippines, police prevented ‘After we emerge out of the ner, besides being non-repen- University. In its latest update on highest number of cases and deaths on Friday morning that 386,452 new cases and 3,498 the May Day protests, enforc- crisis, two areas where there is tant of its hiding of the origin Saturday morning, the University’s at 32,345,038 and 575,921, respec- related deaths were registered in the past 24 hours ing virus lockdowns. tremendous scope for cooper- of COVID-19 and conse- Center for Systems Science and tively, according to the CSSE. across the country, the Xinhua news agency report- ation between India and the US quently throwing the planet in Engineering (CSSE) revealed that IANS ed. IANS are health technology and the current predicament,’ pharmaceuticals,’ Indian civil Darswal said. servant Dr Mrinalini Darswal, Observing that globalisa- N- :;' + currently pursuing doctoral tion and interconnectedness $3  Q   studies in public health with hastened the spread of the +     focus on COVID-19 at coronavirus in a matter of Harvard University, told PTI. weeks in November 2019, /   O A 2002-batch Odisha- Darswal said the same forces of  R + /  cadre IAS officer, Darswal said interdependence and mutual- Tripoli: The United Nations India has proved its compe- ity would help the world tide High Commissioner for tence in the health sector, espe- over the crisis. “The USA and Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday Washington: The US will and deployed forces.” administration. The White cially in speed of innovation, India -- the largest democracies said that some 340 illegal explore diplomacy with North The term “strategic House said the Biden admin- manufacture, and cost-effec- in the world -- are capable of migrants have been rescued off Korea and adopt a “practical patience” and “grand bargain” istration had reached out to tiveness. setting the path to the normal the coast of Libya. approach,” the White House refer to US policies toward Pyongyang through several It is beneficial to the US to for the entire planet,” Darswal “Some 340 refugees and said on Friday. North Korea under the admin- channels but had not yet utilise India’s technical com- said. PTI migrants have been returned White House Press istrations of Barack Obama received any response. today to Tripoli by Libyan Secretary Jen Psaki told and Donald Trump. North Korea First Vice Coast Guard,” UNHCR tweet- reporters aboard Air Force Psaki reaffirmed that the Foreign Minister Choe Son /   +     ed. One that the Biden adminis- complete denuclearization of Hui said in March that 0   1 C  “UNHCR and IRC tration had completed its pol- the Korean Peninsula remains Pyongyang would ignore US (International Rescue icy review on North Korea, the policy goal, noting “the outreach until Washington       Committee) provided urgent Xinhua news agency reported. efforts of the past four admin- “rolls back its hostile policy.” medical and humanitarian “Our policy will not focus istrations have not achieved Denuclearization talks Colombo: Sri Lanka is looking at sources other assistance to all survivors on achieving a grand bargain, this objective.” between Pyongyang and than India to purchase the Oxford/AstraZeneca before being taken to deten- nor will it rely on strategic She added that the United Washington have been stalled vaccine in view of delay in securing the vaccines tion,” UNHCR said. patience,” she said. States would continue to con- since the summit talks between from the Serum Institute of India, health author- Libya has become a pre- “Our policy calls for a cal- sult with South Korea, Japan, top North Korea leader Kim ities said on Saturday. “The supply is being ferred point of departure for ibrated practical approach that and other allies and partners on Jong Un and former US delayed from India. We have to understand that thousands of immigrants who is open to and will explore this issue. President Donald India has to look after their own country before attempt to cross the diplomacy with North Korea President Joe Biden last Trump ended without agree- supplying to us. It is not that they have told no Mediterranean Sea to reach and to make practical progress month told reporters that ment in February 2019 at the to us,” Gen Shavendra Silva, the chief of the European shores, the Xinhua that increases the security of North Korea ranked the top Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. Covid prevention operations said. PTI news agency reported. IANS the United States, our allies, foreign policy issue for his IANS ! ? 1

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 !#-?1/323 as army men selling something on marketplaces.  -#.#/0 steps taken to curb evasion  -#.#/0 Dispute Resolution Panel he eastern states in the “Digital scams can trick appears to be significantly (DRP) under Section 144C of Tcountry are witnessing high users as they may appear as ndia’s gross GST revenue improving the GST collec- n view of the severe Covid- the Act. levels of digital frauds or UPI legitimate by revealing a few Icollection reached a new tions,” said M. S. Mani, Senior I19 pandemic and requests The compliance deadline scams (41 per cent) via pay- authentic details about them in record high of over Rs 1.41 lakh Director, Deloitte India. put forward by taxpayers, tax has also been eased by two ment apps and online market- order to earn their trust and crore in April 2021, beating all GST revenues have not consultants and other stake- months till May 31, 2021 for places, a report has revealed. move money. If it sounds too expectations of lower collec- only crossed the Rs 1 lakh crore holders, the Government has Payment of tax deducted under According to TrustCheckr, good to be true, one should be tions in wake disruptions claus- mark during successively for decided to provide further Section 194-IA, Section 194-IB a fraud data insights and ana- careful about such transac- es by fresh wave of Covid-19. the last seven months but have relief to taxpayers by extending and Section 194M of the Act, lytics startup, West Bengal, tions. Our score parameters can Accordingly, the GST rev- also shown a steady increase. various time limits of compli- and filing of challan-cum- Odisha, Bihar, Assam, Kashmir, give a go-ahead or early warn- enues during April 2021 are the These are indicators of sus- ances. statement for such tax deduct- Arunachal Pradesh, ing signs of fraud,” said Shivraj highest since the introduction tained economic recovery dur- Accordingly, the Central ed. These are are currently Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland, Harsha, Co-founder, of the tax. The same feat was ing this period, Finance Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) required to be paid and fur- Mizoram, Manipur, Himachal TrustCheckr. achieved even in March when Ministry said. has now extended the time nished by 30 April, 2021 Pradesh and Sikkim are facing TrustCheckr identified collections at over Rs 1.23 lakh Closer monitoring against limit for filing of belated return (respectively). top frauds in KYC, fake cash- over 1 million frauds together crore was the highest since 2021 is at a record of Rs Despite the second wave of fake-billing, deep data analyt- and revised return for Also, Statement in Form back, frauds through digital in B2B and B2C in the last 15 introduction of GST in 2017. 1,41,384 crore of which CGST Covid-19 pandemic affecting ics using data from multiple Assessment Year 2020-21, by No. 61, containing particulars wallets, fake-selling, QR codes, months — 25 per cent scams in “In line with the trend of is Rs 27,837 crore, SGST is Rs several parts of the country, sources including GST, two months from March 31, of declarations received in UPI phishing, lottery scams KYC and 20 per cent in QR recovery in the GST revenues 35,621, IGST is Rs 68,481 crore Indian businesses have once Income-tax and Customs IT 2021 to May 31, 2021. Form No. 60, which is due to and financial fraud on social codes, while B2B scams were over past six months, the rev- (including Rs 29,599 crore col- again shown remarkable systems and effective tax Also, Income-tax return be furnished on or before 30 media. largely done with 30 per cent enues for the month of April lected on import of goods) and resilience by not only comply- administration have also con- in response to notice under April, 2021, can now be be fur- The top scamsters are from fake identities and 25 per cent 2021 are 14% higher than the Cess is Rs 9,445 crore (includ- ing with the return filing tributed to the steady increase Section 148 of the Income Tax nished on or before 31 May, Patna, Chandigarh, Kolkata synthetic identity frauds. GST revenues in the last month ing Rs 981 crore collected on requirements but also paying in tax revenue, it added. Act, for which the last date of 2021. and Meerut for one of the top “The common thread of of March’2021,” the Finance import of goods). their GST dues in a timely Quarterly return and filing of return of income The relaxations are the lat- payment apps (at 15 per cent) digital payment frauds is phone Ministry said in a statement. “During this month the manner during the month, the monthly payment scheme has under the said notice is April est among the recent initiatives and most QR Code scams number and email address. “During the month, the government has settled Rs Finance Ministry statement been successfully implemented 1, 2021 or thereafter, may now taken by the government to originate from Assam, account- We check fraud signals with revenues from domestic trans- 29,185 crore to CGST and Rs said. bringing relief to the small be filed within the time allowed ease compliances to be made by ing for 20 per cent of the total phone/email, validate the cus- action (including import of 22,756 crore to SGST from “The all-time high collec- taxpayers as they now file only under that notice or by May 31, the taxpayers with the aim to distribution. tomer authenticity using his- services) are 21 per cent high- IGST as regular settlement. tions which relates to supplies one return every three months. 2021, whichever is later. grant respite during these dif- “Top cities where fraudster torical fraud trends, fraud data er than the revenues from The total revenue of Centre and made in March 21 could now Providing IT support to tax- The CBDT has also grant- ficult times, a Finance Ministry syndicates are active are sets, history and provide sim- these sources during the last the States after regular and ad- give way to muted collections payers in the form of pre- ed extension for filing of statement said. Kolkata, Delhi, Jaipur, ple REST APIs with phone month.” hoc settlements in the month in the coming months due to filled GSTR 2A and 3B returns appeals before Commissioner The government had also Guwahati, Patna, Chandigarh, numbers as input, integration According to the state- of April’ 2021 is Rs 57,022 crore the lower economic activities in and ramped up System capac- (Appeals) to May 31, 2021. relaxed few tax compliance Meerut,” the report mentioned. in less than 48 hours,” said ment, the gross GST revenue for CGST and Rs 58,377 crore April. The continuing focus on ity have also eased the return Similar extension has also been related issues last week on In QR code frauds, most Adhip Ramesh, Founder, collected in the month of April for the SGST.” improving compliance and the filing process. given for filing of objections to Saturday. fraudsters posed themselves TrustCheckr. / #     '        %   0 O       -#.#/0 India Ltd (HMIL) posted total parts of the country, we foresee 88:>C    sales of 59,203 units in April continuing supply chain-relat- 4  B    ajor automobile manu- 2021, a decline of 8 per cent ed production challenges. +  ;& Mfacturers Maruti Suzuki, from 64,621 units it had sold in While demand remains good, Hyundai Motor, Tata Motors March this year. there would be some impact in  7?<C<7  *       %   1 and Kia on Saturday reported HMIL Director (Sales, the first quarter as a result of a decline in passenger vehicle Marketing and Service) Tarun low customer movement and  -#.#/0 exports of 17,237 units.  -#.#/0 ')1#4&()0&%0&#1%&  -#.#/0 sales in April compared to Garg said, “In these challeng- dealership activity due to the The company had sold '(0)#0,%& March this year as the second ing times, we stand in solidar- lockdown restrictions,” M&M utomobile major Maruti 632 vehicles during April he Finance Ministry has 1'%&'("5%#0*)& ower consumption in the wave of the coronavirus pan- ity with the nation and are con- Chief Executive Officer ASuzuki India on Saturday 2020 and 143,245 units in Treleased an amount of )$'11%,#&'%0'(& Pcountry grew 41 per cent in demic hit dispatches. tinuing all efforts to support the Automotive Division Veejay reported a total sales of 2019. 8,873.6 crore in advance April 2021 to 119.27 billion However, Mahindra & affected... While our efforts Nakra said. 159,691 units in April 2021. “Since April 2020 had towards central share of the %#%$ '1100'% units (BU) over the same Mahindra along with Honda presently focus primarily on In times like these, the According to the compa- lockdown due to Covid-19 State Disaster Response Fund month last year, showing robust Cars India posted sequential supporting the lives and liveli- company’s focus is the well- ny, total sales in the month and almost zero sales, a com- (SDRF) for FY22 to help states States in the last financial year. recovery in industrial and com- growth in their passenger vehi- hood of people, we have also being and safety of all its asso- include domestic sales of parison with April 2020 does- in their fight against Covid-19. Up to 50 per cent of the mercial demand of electricity, cle sales last month. received positive sales results in ciates and dealers, he added. 137,151 units, sales to other n’t have any meaning,” the The advance release of 1st amount released i.e. Rs 4,436.8 according to power ministry Sales in April this year are April 2021”. Honda Cars India also OEMs at 5,303 units and company said in a statement. instalment of central share crore can be used by the States data. Power consumption in not comparable with that of the Likewise, homegrown auto reported a 28 per cent increase towards SDRF has been for COVID-19 containment April last year was recorded at corresponding month a year major Tata Motors said its pas- in its domestic sales to 9,072 (Marketing & Sales) Rajesh cent decline in dispatches to released as a special dispensa- measures. The funds from 84.55 BU. On the other hand, ago as companies had report- senger vehicle sales in the units last month as compared Goel said. dealers to 16,111 units in April tion on the recommendations SDRF may be used by the peak power demand met, ed zero sales due to the nation- domestic market stood at to 7,103 units in March this Toyota Kirloskar Motor compared to 19,100 units in of the home ministry. States for various measures which is the highest supply in wide lockdown imposed to 25,095 units in April, down 15 year. (TKM) said its dispatches to March this year, while MG Normally, the first instal- related to containment of a day, during the first half of curb the outbreak of the per cent from 29,654 units in “The current health the dealers last month stood at Motor India said its retail ment of SDRF is released in the COVID-19 including meeting this month remained well COVID-19 pandemic in the March this year. calamity has struck the entire 9,622 units. sales last month stood at 2,565 month of June as per the rec- the cost of oxygen generation above the highest record of country. However, compatriot nation and at this time nothing “Despite the challenges, units. ommendations of the Finance and storage plants in hospitals, 132.20 GW in April The country’s largest car- Mahindra & Mahindra said its is more important than the we continue to witness good MG Motor said its pro- Commission. ventilators, air purifiers, 2020.During April this year, maker Maruti Suzuki India passenger vehicles sales in the health and well-being of our demand owing to personal duction and vehicle dispatch- However, in relaxation of strengthening ambulance ser- peak power demand met or the (MSI) reported a 4 per cent domestic market stood at countrymen. mobility needs and the same es to dealers last month was normal procedure, not only has vices, COVID-19 hospitals, highest supply in a day touched decline in total sales to 1,59,691 18,285 units last month, up 9 Of course, it has had an has helped us clock 9,622 units significantly higher than retail the release of SDRF been Covid Care Centres, consum- the highest level of 182.55 GW units in April as compared to per cent from 16,700 units in impact on the business and of wholesales in the month of sales although it currently has advanced, the amount has also ables, thermal scanners, per- and recorded a growth of near- 1,67,014 units in March this March 2021. deliveries in the marketplace,” April 2021,” TKM Senior Vice an order backlog of over three been released without waiting sonal protective equipment, ly 38 per cent over 132.73 GW year. “With the increase in lock- Honda Cars India Senior Vice President Naveen Soni said. months across its product for the utilization certificate of testing laboratories, testing kits, recorded in the same month in Similarly, Hyundai Motor down restrictions in many President and Director Kia India reported a 16 per lines. the amount provided to the containment zones, etc. 2020. (  7AA=%  1   3 "!+,!- *.-       5  R#       New Delhi:Essar on Saturday centre is equipped with oxygen  %  ! !?AA   said it has set up a 100-bed support which will has become     7: Covid care centre in Gujarat’s critical during the second    Dwarka district. Covid wave across the country. !   '     Accordingly, the centre is duly It houses 40 rooms with dou-    equipped with oxygen support ble occupancy and 20 rooms of  -#.#/0 40;!<  -#.#/0 on April 16. Meanwhile, petrol  -#.#/0 gaseous oxygen from liquid and will be operated by the single occupancy and diesel prices remained medical oxygen as is being Khambaliya Civil Hospital.The IANS uel prices in the country        et fuel price on Saturday was unchanged for the 16th day on ountry’s largest steel maker done in the own hospitals of Fremained unchanged on      +   Jhiked by steep 6.7 per cent, Saturday but oil company offi- CSteel Authority of India SAIL currently. Saturday as oil marketing com-      $ %   reversing price cuts of last cials indicated an increase in Limited (SAIL) is planning to At the suggestion of the panies decided to wait and         month, while an increase in rates in near term. Despite the set up jumbo medical facilities government, SAIL shall use watch the situation prevailing petrol and diesel prices may be concerns about rising Covid-19 of about 2,500 beds with gaseous oxygen directly as an in global oil markets before on the anvil as international cases in India denting demand, gaseous oxygen (GOX) for additional source of oxygen as before restarting daily revi-  ,3,!10 prices firmed up. crude oil prices in the interna- Covid treatment. the demand for liquid medical sion of petrol and diesel prices. Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) tional market continue to rise This will be in addition to oxygen is high currently, the Sources indicated that price tate Bank of India (SBI) price was increased by 3,885 on account of strong US the facilities currently available company said in a statement. revisions may begin anytime SSaturday said it has reduced per kilolitre (kl), or 6.7 per cent, demand recovery and a weak at SAIL’s five integrated steel These 2,500 bed facility next week after results to state home loan interest rate to 6.70 to 61,690.28 per kl in the dollar. plants at Bhilai (Chattisgarh), will be developed in phased elections are declared. per cent. national capital, according to a “Prices have been on a Bokaro (Jharkhand), Rourkela manner in collaboration with However, whether price of The lender said home loan price notification of state- continuous uptrend for last 4 (Odisha), Durgapur and the respective state govts. In the petrol and diesel would move interest rates are now starting owned fuel retailers. Rates vary days (since April 27),” an offi- Burnpur (West Bengal). first phase, the company will set up or down then would depend from 6.70 per cent for loans up from state to state depending cial said adding Dubai crude oil These jumbo facilities are up about 700 beds which will be on actual average global price to Rs 30 lakh and 6.95 per cent on incidence of local taxes.The price has risen USD 2.91 per being planned outside the scaled up to 2,500 beds across in the last fortnight of March. for loans above Rs 30 lakh to Rs increase in price comes after barrel. It is expected that the existing hospital facilities and all the five locations. Currently, OMCs benchmark retail 75 lakh. two rounds of reduction last crude oil prices in the interna- shall have oxygen support there are around 3,000 beds in fuel prices to a 15-day rolling The interest rate on home month. Prices were cut by 3 per tional market will remain firm through a dedicated gas line the five SAIL hospitals and average of global refined prod- loans above Rs 75 lakh is 7.05 cent on April 1 and then again in the near future, exerting drawn directly from the steel about 45%of beds have been ucts’ prices and dollar exchange per cent, the bank said in a by 568.88 per kl (1 per cent) upward pressure, officials said. plants instead of extracting earmarked for Covid patients. rate.With no price change on release. Saturday, pump price of petrol “The affordability for the and diesel remained at Rs 90.40 consumer increases immense-    ,   a litre and Rs 80.73 a litre ly with the present home loan 0.-R   respective in Delhi. This is 16 interest rate offerings which =    &')&S consecutive day when fuel prices reduce the EMI (equated      have not been revised. The price monthly instalment) amounts 0)=1%0       +  of the two auto fuels had fallen substantially,” its managing    by 16 paisa and 14 paisa per litre director (retail and digital   '   U9<2   respectively on April 15 after a banking) C S Setty said. New Delhi:SpiceHealth on 15 day break when OMCs kept To women borrowers, the Saturday said it has set up walk-  ,3,!10 complex in Jamnagar and other its prices static. bank is offering a special five in RT-PCR testing laboratories facilities, RIL now produces Taipei:Taiwanese chip-maker basis points (bps) concession in Delhi, Haryana and s India grapples with an over 1000 MT per day - or 11 company MediaTek is expect- on home loan interest rates. Maharashtra. According to the Aunprecedented new wave per cent of India’s total ing to post another sequential Customers also apply for healthcare company launched of the Covid Pandemic, production - meeting the needs increase of 10-18 per cent in a loan through YONO app and by the promoters of SpiceJet, Reliance Industries has scaled of nearly every one in ten revenues for the second quar- get an additional interest con- SpiceHealth’s RT-PCR testing up production of medical grade patients. ter of 2021. cession of 5 basis points, the labs have been conducting the liquid oxygen, becoming coun- A company statement said The company has also release said. country’s “fastest and cheapest” try’s largest producer of this that under personal supervision raised its internal revenue The bank was offering RT-PCR tests. “As the country life-saving resource from a sin- of Mukesh Ambani, Chairman growth and gross margin pro- home loans at an interest rate reels under spike in Covid cases, gle location in just over a year’s and Managing Director, at jections for 2021 to 40 per cent starting from 6.70 per cent till labs struggle to keep up with the time. Jamnagar, Reliance has adopt- and 44-46 per cent, respec- March 31, 2021. From April 1, demand and home collection of Traditionally, Reliance is ed a two-pronged approach to tively, DigiTimes reported, cit- 2021, it restored the original samples becoming a huge chal- not a manufacturer of medical strengthen the availability of ing industry sources. interest rates starting from 6.95 lenge, SpiceHealth’s walk-in RT- grade liquid oxygen. Yet, start- medical oxygen in India: the The company has already per cent.The lender commands PCR testing facility at multiple ing from Nil before the pan- company is refocusing several begun talks with its upstream over 34 per cent market share locations across Delhi, Haryana demic, the company is its industrial processes at Reliance’s supply chain partners about in home loans. Its home loan and Maharashtra aims to largest producer in the country Jamnagar and other facilities for capacity support for 2022 and portfolio has crossed the mile- address these issues,” said Avani from a single location. At its rapid scale-up in production of has achieved satisfactory results stone of Rs 5 lakh crore. Singh, CEO, SpiceHealth.IANS refinery-cum-petrochemical medical grade liquid oxygen. so far, the sources said. IANS 2, #  8 BREATHLESS     +  ,/      ++ +  +                   +    +     4@0)&*,3!11,0                             +    +    

  +                  4@0)&*    4      4@0)&*    J   *'   +            &'      +                 +     +     J  *'                   + + <<   &'+ <& +  +   9'+/+      4@0)&*       +                !    O      +  + *'   +            0   +    *'    +               !        +        +       :'         4@0)&*   0                  0       +         +      + J   *' :'                       *'   + 4  " )5%           >     "                         elhi is struggling to breathe. because the doctors are scared of admitting Dr Aashish Chaudhry, Managing gen supply,” he adds.   +    +  Deaths have become younger, patients because they don't know when and Director, Aakash Healthcare, Dwarka, tells Not only this, but the unnecessary    more frequent and unabated. where their next supply of oxygen is com- that Delhi does not produce medical oxy- hoarding of oxygen concentrators coupled 2     Oxygen has all but vanished ing from. If oxygen is assured, I am sure the gen and hospitals in the city are entirely with the surge in moderate to severe     9'   from cylinders, suppliers, hos- scarcity of beds will be ameliorated to a great dependent on neighbouring and other COVID-19 cases has led to the shortage of + 1   &'+ Dpital ICU pipelines and people are dying extent because hospitals will admit more States for oxygen supply. oxygen supply.       gasping for a breather from the pandemic’s patients. However, they need to be assured “When the requirement of oxygen “There is an absolute surge in the num-   +    9' second wave. that oxygen is readily supplied and that they started to increase due to the unique com- ber of new covid cases over a very short span  :'   + +  From being a success story, the nation will not run out of oxygen,” Bajaj tells you. plications arising in the second wave, many leading to the strain on healthcare in India.   0        has become a cause of concern globally with Dismissing the claims, that there is of the neighbouring States prevented oxy- Also there has been increase in number of   +K    fast rising casualty and total collapse of not unnecessary panic and hence, the shortage gen produced in their state to be transport- cases who present with moderate to severe  4@0)&*   just medical infrastructure but all other sup- of oxygen, he says, the panic is justified given ed to Delhi. The bureaucratic tangle of nego- COVID-19 disease. These are the patients   +    +     port systems, helmed by an unprecedented that a life source is out of stock. tiations takes time but in ICUs and emer- who need oxygen therapy. There is signif-   oxygen supply shortage in the Capital. “Not to mention, oxygen is the life gencies, a moment’s delay can cost a life — icant chunk of patients in hospital who are 1  &'+ + “The reason behind the oxygen crisis in source of any patient who’s suffering from the Governments may have been trying to either on high flow or HFNC system which       Delhi is plain and simple that even though a lung illness and Corona affects your lungs resolve the situation while patients’ lives consumes a large volume of oxygen. This has  +  +  +  *'   we knew that the second wave is coming, badly. So, if oxygen runs out, anyone will were at risk,” he says. resulted in huge surge in oxygen demand in        1& we knew it from the last century that the sec- panic. There is no other way that these 0120 L The unique complications, he says, in hospitals. Many people out of panic are buy-  &*+ +     ond wave of any disease was much more patients can be saved in the absence of oxy- the second wave is one reason behind the ing oxygen concentrators. Combination of      widespread and deadlier, we did nothing. gen and patients are dying in hospitals in .43/1@#!##- panic — many of the atypical symptoms are both has led to shortage of oxygen. Many +     *'   And we had seen it coming in Europe, UK Delhi. The figure of 25 patients dead in E3 0>0#0>0 .1 occurring for the first time in many patients, people are hoarding oxygen and it’s high         and the US and then in our country too Jaipur golden and another 25 in Sir Ganga which can be misleading if not cross- time Government take these people to task,”   4@0)&*  with the massive vengeance, but still we did Ram Hospital is just the tip of the iceberg. >42>432)>0@#1L checked with test results. “Since the strain Dr Arunesh Kumar, HOD, Paras Chest   19'+   not get ready and we did not apply our There must be many others who have died .#43/1@# this time is seemingly more infectious, many Institute & Senior Pulmonologist, Paras     +  minds. The Government had sanctioned because of low pressure of oxygen or of the lab technicians are getting infected Hospital, Gurugram, says.    + *'   160 pressure swing adsorption oxygen unavailability of oxygen, which has not got 3-#2 44 1 which is affecting the turnaround time for He adds that oxygen is a medicine which +      &' restoration plants out of which eight were media attention just because of the fact that #3 /L10- RT-PCR test results. The Rapid Antigen is prescribed to a particular patient. Using    4@0)&*   to be in Delhi. The Government had sanc- it didn’t happen in the big hospitals. Many Tests (RATs) don’t have the high sensitivi- oxygen if you don’t need it, is harmful to -       tioned these plants, the funds had been people are dying in their houses, on the .#2#?# 0-? ty of RT-PCR. Even the RT-PCR results are your body.       + released. But we have to ask why these plants roads and in ambulances because of lack of misleading in many cases where infection Bajaj warns that the Government and         were not commissioned, who sat on the oxygen. So, this panic is definitely justified  2##!3 0 can be detected only through a CT scan — the hospitals both need to be very careful +      process and was behind the delay. We did because people are dying. There is no excuse 14- 0-3#>42 the damage has been done by then. Then of the possible third wave coming in.      +   not secure our oxygen supply lines, we did for that it is not justifiable at all, that we are there is happy hypoxia — oxygen levels start “We should learn from this crisis and +  +   4   not secure our plants. That is the main rea- allowing people to die just because we can- 1/,4 & 1L dropping suddenly and fast and the prevail- shall ensure that we have secured all our sup- + *'   +  +  son. The second reason is, of course, that not arrange oxygen for them. It’s a shame,” 1- #2#0-4 ing oxygen crisis makes it difficult to pro- ply lines for future. Last year, it was PPE kits         the supply is shot up by, at least, 10 times he asserts. vide the person with what they need at that and masks, this time it is oxygen. So next +  +  >    compared to what the demand was earlier,” However, it is not as if we can pick and 4 # 1 0 0 juncture,” Chaudhary says. time it may be something else that falls short         Dr Shuchin Bajaj, Founder Director, Ujala choose people to blame. Experts say every- ?40-? 4?# He says India’s historic lack of focus on and that we fail to anticipate, and then it will    *'   Cygnus Group of Hospitals, says. one is to be blamed here, especially the building healthcare infrastructure and sub- be easy to lay the blame on the doorsteps          However, even if the demand shot up, politicians, administrators and the lawmak- 4/@#1-L 0,# stantial budgetary allocation for several of someone else. A lot of technology needs > +    the process should have been amped up too. ers. 44-1-0 D-4 decades is to be blamed for this crisis. to be employed by the Government as well &' *'   + “This scarcity would have been justified “Everybody is to blame here. Especially “The Government’s decision to estab- as the healthcare professionals and see the        +  if it was for four-five days, we could have the administrators, the politicians, the law- E3 0-#/00 D lish captive oxygen plants in hospitals is a supply chain management from complete         understood that the supply chains were get- makers and the policymakers. More so, 0-1// # long overdue move, we welcome it whole- origin to the end. We should know their sup-       ting stressed. But it has continued for almost because we knew what was going to happen heartedly. Besides, a surveillance, monitor- pliers, and the suppliers of suppliers. We         15 days and there is no hope that it is going and still we did secure enough supply lines. -42 #2- 1 # ing and evaluation system must be set up should know the cost of goods and should +     + *' to get solved anytime soon. And it’s not just It is sad. So I think each and every person K230-!1E1E to create a system of warning and assess the secure everything so that we are not depen-    + +    in Delhi, it’s in all the Northern States. Most in the ecosystem is to be blamed. They have state of preparedness, so that we can pre- dent on anyone for the management of the 1         + hospitals are working at lesser capacity, to share some part of the blame,” Bajaj says. vent people from dying due to lack of oxy- disease and patients in future,” Bajaj opines.   +   ,   5     

ndia is choking for lack of blame game, in the meantime, COVID-19 patients. them or both, depending on to depend on the vendor to setting up another plant. through the pipelines to the    Ioxygen. Given that the it is the common man who had “Compared to the first wave, their demand. come and fill the tanks. “There is a possibility that patient’s bed where the oxygen    atmosphere has 21 per cent to pay a huge price where the the patients that we receive now “At MMHRC, we have a 10 Unfortunately, the consump- what these plants are generat- apparatus is. For the cylinders, oxygen, the one thing that we healthcare stakeholders mis- are mostly sick and so they kl oxygen plant and recently we tion of oxygen has gone up ing may not be enough or in once they are filled, they are   never envisioned was that peo- read the situation and didn’t need oxygen support to an installed another 3kl. On a rou- triple-fold. A COVID-19 case the oxygen generator fails, taken to the patients who need    ple would die due to lack of prepare itself for the deadly sec- extent of 80 litres per hour,” he tine basis, we use the 10kl plant patient may require up to 50- the hospital will be in trouble. it. Adel tells you that even for oxygen. But this is precisely ond wave. But there are a few says. for hospital needs. But with the 80 litres of oxygen per hour. In So I have ordered for another a hospital with 1,000, at best    what is happening. The second hospitals in the country who He tells you that for most increasing need for oxygen a normal working day of the oxygen plant. Given the pre- they would reserve 25-30 per wave of the COVID-19 has have their own oxygen gener- hospitals, there are two ways to due to the second wave, we hospital, the requirement sent situation it will take 10-12 cent beds for critical patients   wreaked havoc. There are no ators. procure it. First, they install a installed the 3kl plant. Apart would not be more than three weeks to get the plant going. like the ICU.    beds and where there are, there Adel, GM head marketing, liquid medical oxygen plant. from this, we have installed an to 10 kl per hour for any crit- Even the price of installation “The rest would be gener- is no oxygen to give to people Meenakshi Mission Hospital There are a handful of vendors oxygen generator that gener- ical care patient. But due to has gone up; it now costs 5 al wards and other rooms.   whose SpO2 per cent is below and Research Centre who will come and install the ates up to 200 litres per day. For COVID-10 our requirement crore. This plant will generate This is because not everyone    94 per cent. The end result is (MMHRC), Madurai, Tamil plant. Second, to buy oxygen the generator, we don’t need to has doubled,” Adel explains. 200 oxygen cylinders per day,” needs that kind of care. But that people are dying right out- Nadu, tells you that their med- cylinders in bulk like the one depend on the oxygen suppli- Besides the 13kl liquid Adel tells you. things are different now. With  ! "#! side the hospitals gasping for ical oxygen requirement has sees that retails patients use. er. The plant generators oxygen medical oxygen plant and the As far as the liquid med- the new plant that will be breath. gone up by double due to the Given the hospital’s consump- on its own. But for the liquid oxygen generator, the ical oxygen plant is concerned, installed soon, we will be able One can continue with the high oxygen consumption by tion, they opt for either one of medical oxygen plant, we have MMHRC is in the process of the oxygen goes directly, to meet the demand,” Adel says. -P 

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5 5-  .   R E=8:F8 'C  G4 /,;? 4  0 ,;1 -- #,& "   0;1 -(2 .      E      %/ &,!     01 - 5 A;  -#.#/0 sixes off Ravindra Jadeja in the CSK lost opener Ruturaj /,+    04,1 / 13th over, which fetched Gaikwad (4) early but South atting like a man pos- Mumbai 20 runs. Next, he African du Plessis and England’s #, ;  01 /& sessed, Kieron Pollard sin- smashed two successive sixes off Moeen plundered runs at will &,4     0/%1 // Bglehandedly powered Lungi Ngidi and then took on during their 108-run second- Mumbai Indians to an astonish- Shardul Thakur in the 15th over, wicket partnership. /)B ing four-wicket win over as Mumbai got 23. Rayudu, who notched up his /,;? 4  0 ,;1 @ Chennai Super Kings, belting the Despite Krunal’s departure, fifty in just 20 balls, went ham- #,A ,   04+1 = ongoing IPL’s fastest half-centu- Pollard, who got a life on 68, kept mer and tongs with seven sixes ry in a high-octane match here playing his shots as the equation and four fours during his stay in &, '  4  0;1 - on Saturday. came down to 31 off the last two the middle. Set an imposing target of overs. To start with, du Plessis 219, Pollard raced to his fifty in Mumbai openers Quinton smashed Dhawal Kulkarni for a SUMMER SLAM only 17 balls and remained De Kock (38; 4x4; 1x6) and Rohit four and maximum, as CSK unbeaten on 87 off 34 deliveries, Sharma (35; 4x4; 1x6) started on grabbed 11 runs in the second MOTION PICTURE as he triumphantly walked back an aggressive note as they raced over. to his jubilant teammates at the to 58 in six overs. Moeen also opened up his end of the game. Rohit was hitting boundaries arms in the third over, hammer- Mumbai needed 16 runs in at will. The Mumbaikar hit Lungi ing Trent Boult (1/42) for a the final over and Pollard Ngidi for a six over mid-wicket maximum over backward smashed two fours and a six in the sixth over, while De Kock square-leg and a boundary, as before running two off the last too played his shots. Chennai fetched 12 runs off it. ball to seal the game for his side. The duo plundered runs at Moeen was the more aggres- CSK rode on an unbeaten 72 will as the five-time champions sive of the two as CSK cantered off 27 balls by Ambati Rayudu to looked on course for a success- to 49/1 after powerplay. post 218/4, but it was overshad- ful chase. The southpaw kept playing owed by Pollard’s blitzkrieg, as he However, Shardul Thakur his shots at will. Moeen, who smashed eight sixes and six broke the stand by dismissing used the pull shot to perfection fours to build on a strong 71-run Rohit, who holed in the deep to and du Plessis, were brutal on opening stand. Ruturaj Gaikwad. leg-spinner Rahul Chahar (0/32), This was the second highest Suryakumar Yadav (3) fell striking a six each in the ninth run-chase in IPL history. cheaply and Moeen Ali then over, as CSK amassed 16 runs At one stage, Mumbai were removed De Kock as Mumbai and raced to 77/1. teetering at 81/3, but Pollard slipped to 81/3 in the 10th over. There was no stopping turned the tables with his power- Pollard took over from there. Moeen, who then smashed a six     ;   !         hitting at the Arun Jaitley Earlier, with Rayudu in full and two boundaries off James   / '  %    4     '"  Stadium’s batting paradise. flow, CSK amassed 82 runs in the Neesham (0/26) in the 10th   " % ?  '     B % ? Krunal Pandya (32) and last five overs to set a stiff target. over, while Du Plessis hit two Hardik Pandya (16) too played Moeen Ali (58) and Faf du successive sixes and a boundary their part. Plessis (50), too, struck blister- off Jasprit Bumrah (1/56) in the The carnage started when ing half-centuries after being next. This was Bumrah’s most Pollard smashed three towering / '  %    ;    + !       ;   "     ; % ?$(29 asked to bat first. expensive spell in the IPL. 6 /  1      ,   8' /(D1-*D(0 VENUE: NARENDRA MODI STADIUM, AHMEDABAD /(D1-*D(0 VENUE: ARUN JAITLEY STADIUM, DELHI  ,+),+  ,+),+ =  >       # ' ; '       4     0!       !   '>? ;! # ,     C     "   "  % ?  '  '     &  B # ';% ?   !   !  ;! /& Q  ! 1 5  /)   !     $ 8' /#    7  $+   A A       !  /-6- 7       % 5P/,  !  16   8             )  8' 1 5     !  7  )!  8 +!  ;  1,#1!1  -#.#/0    7        9!  oung Punjab Kings spinners Harpreet Brar n a desperate attempt to arrest their slide, 8 Yand Ravi Bishnoi wouldn’t mind another 8: ISunRisers Hyderabad have thrust Kane dream day in office against a menacing Delhi Williamson into the leadership role by removing Capitals here on Sunday, aiming to take a giant David Warner as they prepare to take on Rajasthan leap forward in their bid for an IPL play-off 56 :+   *: ;! ; 4P '    A ! "   Royals, who are also struggling like them, here on 28 berth.       ! %      B;;4 Sunday. Brar’s match-winning 3/19 was wonderful-      !   ++ (1# In a surprise move, SRH removed struggling .   !  *:#  ly complemented by Bishnoi’s 2/19 as their com-    1 5   25  2    +  1 Australian batsman Warner from the captaincy on bined haul of 5/36 in 8 overs decimated a star-   ##,&+ #      ?        # +  Saturday as the side has lost five of the six match- studded Royal Challengers Bangalore. ! !     16   // +         0 / es under him this season. &#! %     Come Sunday, the duo will face a tougher / +           The Royals are not faring any better as they !    !  task against the Delhi team which has a slight-  ) +     9') )   have managed to win only two matches out of the ly better record against spin attacks with open- )$$   7 16    + 9'       six they have played. No wonder, the Royals are ers Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw in impe- 2     +  9:::     placed seventh just above SRH. rious form.           )&*.   SRH are coming into Sunday’s match after los- Dhawan (311 runs) and Shaw (269 runs) 01  #*!  ing their last two matches including the Super Over 2 have provided flying starts with five half-cen- R !!   defeat against Delhi Capitals. turies between them along with 71 fours and 15   &#,)9 &#   ,0)          SRH rely heavily on their top-order — Warner, sixes.   ! %         +  6  Jonny Bairstow, Manish Pandey and ' ;  #*!  For any bowling unit, facing the Dhawan- ! ! /&   9'' +          Williamson — but they did not fire together.  #/,$9 /   % Shaw duo is a scary proposition.    + + + )&*   Their middle order is without a solid batsman. Even Steve Smith and Rishabh Pant are fan-   ! #)!   L6     K     There is a possibility that Warner who has    ! !  tastic players when it comes to tackling the slow 8'  16      +  +   . has scored 3, 54, 36, 37, 6 and 57 could be /#     Q  bowlers. &  &&       9'' +        dropped from the playing XI. #)! In fact, Bishnoi, who primarily bowls the   0   0      Englishman Jonny Bairstow has also googly, will like to challenge the DC skipper, who      M   struggled while Williamson has played in just &  &&  has a knack of hitting against the spin tered by Prithvi Shaw’s exuberance while Chirs three matches with 66 not out as his high- over deep mid-wicket region. Gayle will try to overpower Pant’s pyrotechnics )#( , - ) est. put up 171 for 4 but their bowling let The Narendra Modi Stadium with his own marauding style of batsmanship.           The Kiwi batsman and Pandey, who them down. They let MI batsmen track has shown that balls tend to However, one area where DC is slightly 5  +  0 /+      has two half centuries in four matches, hold score freely to lose by seven wickets grip and batting becomes difficult ahead will be the pace bowling department,     +  )          the key for SRH if their openers fail to give with nine balls to spare. as the game progresses. comprising the troika of Avesh Khan, Kagiso    L.     +   good starts. RR have a lot of issues to sort It won’t be therefore surprising if Rabada and Ishant Sharma.     1       +   The poor quality of Indian talent out, particularly in the absence the in-form KL Rahul wants to bat first While Avesh has had a stand-           has also been SunRisers’ bane. of key foreign players like Jofra again and replicate his smashing 57- out season so far with 13 scalps           L. In the bowling department, a Archer and Ben Stokes. ball-91 not out against RCB the other at less than 7.5 run economy    +   0+    lot depends of Afghan spinner Their batting depends heav- day. rate, Rabada has got some      M   Rashid Khan and he has been ily on skipper Samson but the For Capitals, there is a chance kind of rhythm in the doing a decent job if not excellent, inconsistent captain has not of veteran leg-spinner Amit past two games that was )-> with nine wickets from six matches. fired since the 119 in the open- Mishra making a comeback into absent during some of But he is not getting enough support ing match. The knock of 42 was the playing XI after DC watched the earlier games. For 1 4 6 ( 1 from his bowling colleagues. his best after that. Opener Jos Bishnoi get so much success in Punjab also, the problem Senior India pacer Bhuvneshwar Buttler is yet to score a half centu- the past few games. has been consistency save skipper  6 8 9 W&97: 9 Kumar struggled with just three ry in six matches. In case Mishra gets the nod, Rahul, who has scored 331 runs so far. :  8 9 W';77 9 wickets from four matches. He did The middle-order is struggling Lalit Yadav will have to make way In the bowling department, not play in SRH’s last two matches. with David Miller having scored just for him although he was impressive Mohammed Shami has only eight ; 2! 8 9 )'&8& 9 The Sanju Samson-led RR lack one half century in five games while with his off-breaks against KKR wickets from seven games while premi- . ,0 8 ; : W''79 - consistency. They notched up their first Riyan Parag is out-of-form with 25 as during their last game. um buys like Jhye Richardson and Riley win in their second game and lost their his highest. Axar Patel’s all-round presence Meredith have been very expensive. 7 !6 8 : ; )'97; 6 next two matches before winning again In the bowling department, million gives much-needed stability as he Chris Jordan has been just about 6 662 8 9 )';*; . — against a struggling Kolkata Knight dollar recruit Chris Morris has been could prove to be a handful on the okay in a couple of games which has Riders. doing a great job with 11 wickets from slower tracks. made KL Rahul’s job of identifying the 8 22 7 9 ; )'7*' . In their last match against Mumbai six matches but he cannot single-handed- It will be a battle of top orders perfect pace combination infinitely - 2 7 & )'97; : Indians, the top-order did a decent job to ly carry the team on his shoulders. where Rahul’s finesse will be coun- difficult. #!77

!passes STRUFF IN 1ST ATP TOUR FINAL   -  !     + E )/   , 4 4%         +    !     + );  J   -  ?         >     ? +      /4-4-        ?        7);7);   anchester City are on the 4!       27)&7)9  brink of clinching the     + -  +    MPremier League title after a 2   +     2-0 win against Crystal Palace, 7(        +E  , 7):7); while Brighton virtually assured         + their survival with victory over  43 1, 4- side the top four.  )  +      Leeds on Saturday. So Leicester need to hang   + ) J 00 7);7)& Pep Guardiola’s side moved 13 eicester missed a chance to onto third place to be sure of qual- points clear at the top thanks to sec- Lcement their grip on third ifying for next season’s Champions PRANATI TO COMPETE IN TOKYO ond-half goals from Sergio Aguero place in the Premier League after League.  A 0 +    - and Ferran Torres at Selhurst Park. a 1-1 draw against 10-man Fourth place might still be   !    1  City will be crowned English Southampton at St Mary’s on enough for Brendan Rodgers’ team, 1 ?     9'&* champions for the third time in four Friday night. but they have only four matches left        4   seasons if second-placed Manchester Southampton had to play 80 to guarantee their berth in Europe’s J + +   J  United lose at home to Liverpool on minutes without Danish defender elite club competition. Sunday. Jannik Vestergaard after he was sent “A little frustrating, but I don’t INDIA TO OPEN CAMPAIGN VS NZ If United avoid defeat, City can off for a foul on Jamie Vardy. But think we did enough to win the     0   D     seal the title with a victory against James Ward-Prowse’s second half game. A great opportunity against    +       Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium next penalty briefly put Ralph 10 men and we’re normally very >0  / + + - C   Saturday. Hasenhuttl’s side ahead before good at that,” Rodgers said. >    0    It is a matter of when, not if, City Jonny Evans headed Leicester’s “Give credit to Southampton, 1 $> &9&:%  $> 97 regain the title they surrendered to equaliser. they defended deep and compact  98%     Liverpool last season. Leicester remain in third place, but we’re disappointed. The speed      + ?  $,&9 They shook off a tepid first half but fourth placed Chelsea would was too slow. We didn’t really start &:% 1+  $,&*9'%   in south London and put Palace to close the gap to just two points if to play with that tempo until we got    0  # + $1 the sword with two goals in the they beat struggling Fulham. the equaliser. 9:%     + +  space of 84 seconds. Fourth place will be reduced to “When we get back in again on ! +$ E && &9% -    Aguero, making only his sixth a Europa League qualification spot Monday it is another point towards $E & &*%  9'99   league start in an injury-plagued sea- if Chelsea win the Champions where we want to go. We’ve now son, broke the deadlock in the 57th /    E &  $ '  "     E           League, Arsenal win the Europa got four games to go. We’re in a bril- ISTIQLOL ENTER ACL LAST 16 minute when he ran onto Benjamin League and both clubs finish out- liant position.”        0 J  Mendy’s long pass and slammed a the likes of Aguero. place in late November but a blister- League final when they defend a 2- >      5   half-volley into the roof of the net The Spanish forward gave a ing run since then has carried them 1 lead in the semi-final second leg We struggled a little bit but in the bringing down Danny Welbeck and J  1   / +   from 10 yards. glimpse of his potential when he to the brink of a third title in four against Paris Saint-Germain. second half we deserved it. Gross found the bottom corner &7     +9)&   1?,6 It was only Aguero’s fourth goal fired home from the edge of the area seasons. “We can start to think about it “I will check on the Liverpool with the resulting spot-kick. of what will be his final season with after a flowing City attack in the 59th and put it in the fridge. The Premier game. It’s in our hands and now we Graham Potter’s side struck MARQUEZ QUALIFIES 14TH City after the club’s record scorer minute. ‘PUT IT IN THE FRIDGE’ League is already there, it is in our will give everything to beat PSG.” again through Danny Welbeck’s "  F)   , announced he will leave in the That was enough to seal an 11th The treble chasers could also hands. We need one more victory,” At the Amex Stadium, Brighton excellent solo effort in the 79th ,J J     ,  ? close-season. successive away victory in the add the Champions League to that Guardiola said. broke a three-game goal drought minute to seal a 2-0 win.          + City hope Torres will be part of Premier League, equalling the haul. “I’m absolutely delighted with when they took the lead through Brighton are now 10 points   > U   a new generation of stars capable of English top-flight record. On Tuesday, City will attempt to that after the Champions League. We Pascal Gross’s 14th minute penalty. clear of the relegation zone with four   +E        building on the foundations laid by City were languishing in 14th reach their first ever Champions could not play with much rhythm. Ezgjan Alioski was penalised for games left. 1  !   6/

 120 two legs of their Champions League succeeded in teeing up , tie against City. who took a touch and scored just his eymar scored one goal and laid Last season’s Champions League seventh goal of the season. Non the other as Paris Saint- runners-up are up against it after los- came close to Germain warmed up for the second ing 2-1 at home to Pep Guardiola’s adding to PSG’s lead before the leg of their Champions League semi- side in the first leg, with the return break but they went 2-0 up on 59 final against Manchester City with a in Manchester on Tuesday. minutes. vital 2-1 win over Lens in Ligue 1 on With that match in mind, Kylian had scored with a Saturday. Mbappe was rested against Lens as header from a corner against City Neymar netted on 33 minutes he nurses a calf knock, and and he repeated the trick here, head- and his corner was headed home by Pochettino made six changes to his ing in Neymar’s delivery from the ? E   A    3  3      /!  Marquinhos just prior to the hour line-up in total. Angel Di Maria was edge of the six-yard box. , E /    8    " &, !   "    mark at the Parc des Princes, with also left out of the starting XI. Lens got one back straight from Cameroonian forward Ignatius Lens had beaten the Parisians at the restart as ’s Ganago pulling a goal back for Lens. home back in September and trav- attempted overhead kick from a ;   - B It was a huge three points for elled to the capital on a run of 13 cross turned into a PSG in their attempt to retain the games unbeaten that saw them come perfect assist for Ganago to score. Ligue 1 title, as ’s into the weekend in fifth, just ahead However, Lens could not find an  #;&=1  side move provisionally two points if they defeat Lyon on Sunday. of Marseille in the fight for France’s equaliser and PSG thought they clear of Lille at the top of the table. PSG are looking to win their last European qualifying berth. had a late third goal when Mauro  !#2/0- face either Borussia Dortmund However Lille can return to the eighth Ligue 1 title in nine years and, However PSG went ahead when Icardi turned in substitute Marco   or Holstein Kiel, who knocked summit by beating Nice at home, given how close the title race is in Argentine defender Verratti’s low centre. mil Forsberg volleyed RB out Bayern Munich, in the final while third-placed Monaco will France this season, they could not tried to play the ball back towards his However, an offside flag against ELeipzig into the German on May 13. return to within a single point of PSG afford to take it easy in between the own goal under pressure and only Verratti cut short the celebrations. Cup final by sealing a 2-1 win “We lost to Bayern the last @   at Werder Bremen with a stun- time,” he added having played ning last-gasp goal in extra- in the team which lost the 2019 time on Friday. German Cup final 3-0 in Inter put one hand on Serie A trophy Madrid: Atletico Madrid were given a huge let- Hwang Hee-chan had put Berlin, “so the passion and off on Saturday as Elche missed a 91st-minute Leipzig ahead at the start of desire to win the cup is huge.” penalty, allowing the La Liga leaders to escape extra-time only for Bremen Leipzig coach Julian with a 1-0 win and go five points clear at the top midfielder Leonardo Nagelsmann, who will coach of the table. Bittencourt to level with a Bayern next season, can sign Elche’s Fidel Chaves struck the post with his superb finish before Forsberg off after two seasons by lifting injury-time spot-kick in what could prove a piv- came off the bench to hit the the German Cup. otal moment in Spain’s thrilling title race, with winner. “The boys fought hard, it’s Real Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla all still in the “I was only on for about been a turbulent week for the hunt to be crowned champions. five minutes, but that was club and we deserved the win,” Marcos Llorente gave Atleti the lead at the enough to get the goal,” said said Nagelsmann after his Estadio Martinez Valero but they failed to make Forsberg. departure to Bayern was con- the result secure and Elche twice could have “We are all really happy to firmed on Tuesday. equalised in the final minutes. be in the final and looking for- “I would love to finish with First, Antonio Barragan volleyed over from ward to it,” he added as Leipzig a title for Leipzig.” close range and then Llorente’s handball gave  ,      "    /  )  B '   Fidel a golden opportunity from the spot but he too squandered the chance. Diego Simeone leapt into the air when the ,   +   ball came back off the post, his side pulling fur- ther clear and putting pressure on the others, with Real Madrid at home to Osasuna before 22       Barcelona travel to Valencia on Sunday. Sevilla, who are now six points behind, play their game Portimao: Valtteri Bottas took pole position for the Milan: Christian Eriksen and Achraf minute and scored four minutes later, in hand on Monday against Athletic Bilbao. Portuguese Grand Prix with seven-time world cham- Hakimi scored in the second half as firing home a shot which took a deflec- After a frantic week that saw Real Madrid pion Lewis Hamilton completing a Mercedes front- Inter Milan beat Crotone 2-0 to move tion off Crotone defender Lisandro draw at home to Real Betis, Atletico lose against row lockout in qualifying on Saturday. to the brink of the Serie A title on Magallan, from Romelu Lukaku’s lay-off. Athletic and Barcelona defeated by Granada, any Hamilton’s pursuit of a 100th pole at the track Saturday. Antonio Conte’s side are 14 Lukaku had a goal ruled out before victory, even one as marginal as this, will be wel- where last year he notched up his record 92nd win points ahead of second-placed Atalanta Hakimi struck a second in injury time. come for Atleti. was delayed when Bottas earned the 17th of his and can claim their first Scudetto since The match pitted the Serie A leaders They are now guaranteed to be ahead of career. 2010 if the Bergamo side fail to win at against the bottom team who were rel- Barca when they kick off at Camp Nou next “It’s a good feeling to be on pole,” said Bottas. Sassuolo on Sunday. Dane Eriksen egated as a result of the loss with four Saturday, the only question now how significant He added: “Feels like it’s been a while. It’s been came on as a substitute in the 65th games to play. AFP their advantage will be. AFP a weak point for me in the first two races. The team have been working hard all weekend and we have a good position for tomorrow.” Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, one point off Hamilton in the drivers’ standings, took third on -  !) !  F ' ' '  G @  Sunday’s grid with his teammate Sergio Perez along- side him on the second row in Portimao.  1212# (4-53) combined with fellow Carlos Sainz for Ferrari came in fifth ahead of Pallekele: Left-arm spinner Praveen Tamim Iqbal’s counter-attacking 92. opening bowler Shaheen Shah the Alpine of Esteban Ocon, Lando Jayawickrama’s dream debut in which He brought up his fifty in just 57 asan Ali bagged a total of Afridi (4-43) to pick up eight Norris, in a McLaren, and Charles he picked six wickets for 92 runs deliveries. This was his fourth con- Hnine wickets while mid- wickets to rattle Zimbabwe’s Leclerc in the second Ferrari. helped Sri Lanka dismiss Bangladesh secutive half-century in the format. dle-order batsman Fawad batting lineup, which col- Hamilton paid tribute to Bottas for 251 in their first innings of the At the stroke of lunch, the Sri Alam hit a century as Pakistan lapsed to 176 all out in the “and our team” for us both to be on the second Test. Jayawickrama’s returns, Lankan spinners effected a double- trounced host Zimbabwe first innings on a good batting front row. the best innings figures on Test blow on the visitors. Jayawickrama inside three days by an wicket. “It was not expected. We have debut for Sri Lanka, helped the picked his maiden Test wicket, induc- innings and 116 runs in the In response, Pakistan to be happy for that, it was not home side secure a big lead. ing an edge from Saif Hassan (25), first Test match on Saturday. showed aplomb, with the the perfect lap but I gave it Sri Lanka had earlier who was caught in slips. Ramesh The 26-year-old Ali pro- opening pair of Imran Butt everything. extended their first innings Mendis dismissed the new man duced an admirable spell of (91) and Abid Ali (60) reach- “You can never be satis- total to 493/7 in the morning, Najmul Hossain Shanto for a duck in fast bowling at Harare Sports ing 115 runs together at the fied, we exist to keep mov- before declaring their the very next over, and Bangladesh Club, varying his pace and top of the order. ing forward but I’m happy innings closed. Niroshan went to lunch at 99/2 in 27 overs. lengths brilliantly on the third Alam, the 35-year-old left- with what we’re doing and Dickwella’s quickfire 77 not After the break, Tamim joined day, finishing with figures of hander, then took over with a the steps we’re taking.” out helped Sri Lanka forces with Mominul Haque to reori- 5-36 after Zimbabwe needed controlled innings. Hamilton narrowly approach the 500-run mark. ent Bangladesh’s innings. The duo to score over 250 runs to Continuing on 108 not out leads the 2021 championship The home side were 17/2 added 52 runs in 98 balls for the third make Pakistan bat again. from the second day, Alam after he won the opener in Bahrain at stumps with an overall lead wicket, and they looked good for a lot The right-armer, named faced 204 balls and cracked 20 before his Dutch rival Verstappen of 242 runs. more. However, it was young player of the match, removed (0), Blessing Muzarabani (2) for 134 runs in its second boundaries before he was dis- hit back in the Emilia Romagna In the morning, Bangladesh Jayawickrama who confounded them Kevin Kasuza (28) Donald and Richard Ngarava (5) as innings. missed by Zimbabwe pace GP at Imola. AFP began their innings well, thanks to again. IANS Tiripano (2), Tendai Chisoro the African side was bundled Earlier in the match, Ali bowler Muzarabani for 140. '#7 Q1   R

 The second wave of COVID-19 is every where. that we need more paediatric doctors, advantage is if the film is good, one gets worse than ever. How is it affecting  Will it affect the producers from nurses and hospitals for kids. It is good viewership. the industry? investing in the near future? tough to isolate toddlers at home. If we When the lockdown opened last There is one thing that I can say take them to the hospital, how does  You released Kagaaz on Zee5. Was year, there was so much hope. A few about this industry, we are very !  that work? it a tough decision to make? theatres had opened. But again the resilient. Hum mein sehan shakti bahut I had made the movie so that I virus has hit everyone like never hai. New projects are being    $  Now, kids are testing positive. How could release it in the cinema halls.But before. Things are shut again. There is announced, new scripts are being tough is it for parents to cope when then I decided to release it on OTT and melancholy in the industry. written. We will rally back. Watching  !$ their child is in the hospital? it did so well. It grabbed eyeballs. If I Movies have been put on a film in the hall has a charm and peo-   &   I speak on behalf on every parent had instead released in in theatres back hold; they are not being ple will return. Wherever it is possi- who’s child tested positive and had to then (January) there would have been released. There is sad- ble to shoot, it is happening. We are     $ be hospitalised. I can’t tell you how dif- uncertainty. But I released it on OTT ness; shootings are being brave that way. Till your product ficult it is to see your child lying on the and recovered my money. Also, far cancelled. My own reaches the theatres, there will be !    bed helpless. I tested positive on March more people have seen the movie. I shoot has been put on apprehensions. ' !& 17; my daughter came to my room on made the film for cinema hall but this hold. There is uncer- 18th despite being asked to stay away. switch has happened and have had to tainty  How is your daughter, she tested  # So I decided to shift to the hospital. She adjust myself to it. I am happy with the positive a few weeks back? C !   wanted to hug her mother. That was so results. I can now do more work with. Vanshika, my daughter, is doing heartbreaking since one couldn’t do It has given me an alternative that if one much better now. She is on oral med- #  this. But then she too tested positive makes different kind of content, there ication and has just come back and she had to be hospitalised. Her is space for it as well. home from the hospital a few !  fever wouldn't go down. But luckily she days back. She is nine. I too had !    was in my room. But it was so sad to  How would you describe yourself Talktime tested positive but was back she her like that. My request to all par- — actor, director or producer? home much before she did.    ents, please keep your kids safe. I just had one thing in my mind — SATISH KAUSHIK I wanted to work in this industry; I How tough is it for parents !#   Do you think that releasing movies wanted to be an actor and work in The actor-director-producer speaks with Shalini to deal with a situation when !! 0   on OTT is affecting the industry? movies. I have been in this profession Saksena why he chose to release Kagaaz on their children test positive? Releasing a movie on the OTT is for four decades. What more can I ask OTT, the reason why the industry is no To take care of the kids  ! #   an individual decision. One has to see for? I am from a middle class family. longer making films like DDLJ and during these tough times is if the money invested in the project is Today, I am a successful director and imperative. This new is affecting ! being recovered or not. There have producer. I couldn’t ask for more. I have Chandni and his COVID experi- toddlers like never before. I had been instances where makers have to thank my fans and my family and ence put a request on Insta that parents recovered the entire amount from the friends who supported and loved me. should take care of their children and platform they released it on. The I am satisfied. A3 *BB3+. 197 .   O      ,3!11,0  20E36412 10/#.1-       +    +      +       

any of us might have won- thinking and fortunately I was able to he decides to become a pilot and till dered who is behind the bring the aircraft safely down and land the date he becomes one. It wasn’t easy enchanting voice of the without any loss of life or any dam- for me too. I did my training in 2008 Captain that we hear age to the aircraft. I was conferred and after that the world faced a Mbefore the plane takes off and lands. with a Presidential Gallantry award for major recession period. I had to wait And it is nothing short of a sweet sur- this,” he tells you. for a long time to get my job,” he tells prise to see the man in the uniform For the aspiring pilots, Kochchar you. at the arrivals. The sheer pleasure of has words of wisdom to share. “Never The odd working hours, he says, seeing the pilot leaves us with an urge let go of your dream, keep looking at surely take a toll on their lifestyles, but to join the aviation industry sooner the skies, stay focused, determined having said that all airlines work than later. and one day you will certainly get the according to the DGCA guidelines While it is rare that you get a coveted wings on your chest,” he says. and make sure that they are proving chance to exchange words with a pilot, He has message to share on the ample rest to the pilots. Riju Kochhar, Senior Captain, IndiGo occasion of World Pilot’s Day. “The shift timing variation is Q  %  and Sahil Dewan, Captain on Airbus “Whenever you see a pilot’s uniform, applicable across all departments that A320, IndiGo are here to tell you what always remember to greet and smile. work at the airport. But we are given goes into the making of a pilot. Behind that glamour is an intent to ample of time to rest and spend time R Kochchar started his flying career make your journey safe and worth with our families. It is difficult in a way with the Indian Air Force in 1994 and while,” he says. that there are times we feel we are not #   **0*4&4.+  after 21 rewarding years joined IndiGo For those who wonder how to get rested enough, but it is easy too in 2016. “I started my journey as a into this field, Dewan says, the process because we have options to inform the  *-.+.*/(+*    Military pilot and soon realised that starts in Class XII only. “The first step company and apply for a leave well in  5 &!     )) being a pilot is strenuous and extreme- is to make sure you have Maths and advance. We do have stand by pilots ly demanding. A pilot has to strictly Physics in Class XII. After that, you in case of emergencies,” Dewan   , !>A adhere to the laid down SOPs with no can stay in India and start your train- explains. compromise whatsoever since there is ing or go to a foreign country. If you Ask Dewan about a thing that he  What is Bekaboo 2 about? hardly any room for error. My tran- are training abroad, then there’s a likes and dislikes about his job and he It is a psycho-thriller. It is Season 2 of the web series that sition as a pilot from Air Force process of converting your foreign is quick to answer — flying is a pro- was a hit among people; season 1 released in 2019. Those who fatigues to the IndiGo Blue was a license to Indian one. The training fession that needs to be enjoyed day have not seen the series, it is about a popular writer who is brought smooth one courtesy the help and takes about a year or a year-and-a-half. in and out. “No pilot will ever say that down by three women. The previous series ended with him being support extended to me by my seniors, After the training is completed, the he is sick and tired of flying. There’s jailed. In this season, he comes back to take revenge. What hap- instructors and supervisors who all candidate usually gets recruited by an nothing that I dislike about my job. pens next is what Season 2 is about. went out of the way to make me feel airline. After that, you will have to But the one thing that I love the most  Do you think our audience is mature enough to watch the at home and comfortable in the new train for a particular aircraft. There is is once the flight lands, I don’t have kind of content that is finding its way on OTTs? environment,” he says. a separate four-month training that to take my work home. Once I am There is a popular series — Game of Thrones. Even when However, getting a pilot’s wings is yoi have to go through to clear as a home, I am just there for my family,” we didn’t have OTT platforms, people downloaded it and watched not easy, he says. One has to go First Officer. Moving ahead, after hav- he says. it. I had friends who were in IIT and watched it. If one to say through the rigours of tough training. ing four years of experience you can With the pandemic, the situation that India needs to do certain kind of content and needs cen- “It requires wholehearted focus appear for a Captain’s exam followed is grim and the biggest challenge the sorship, it is wrong. People have already watched so much more. and dedicated efforts to hone your by another three-month training,” pilots are facing is to keep themselves People have got it wrong; they think we make content and peo- sensory and motor skills, develop Dewan explains. safe and continue to do their job dili- ple watch it. It is the other way round. However, we do need cen- retention capacity, a calm and a cool A captain is allowed to fly gently. sorship because some people took advantage of OTTs. Our audi- head display of quick thinking and till he is completely fit or “Aviation has been hit the ence is mature but we need self-policing and have balance. decision making. Last but not the least before he reaches his retire- most by this pandemic. The  Did you always want to be a director? is self-discipline since a pilot has to ment age. load factor (the number of I come from a background where nobody told us what to shoulder a high degree of responsi-     Contrary to the popu- passengers per aircraft) is do. The only thing I felt was that I was a misfit in my city. I paint; bility each time he sits in the cockpit,” lar belief, Dewan says, the less and people are avoiding I am a poet. But I come from a middle class family. I was encour- Kochchar tells you. Captain’s job is relaxed. all kinds of travel. But the aged to study, get a job. I did my MBA in HR; I worked as well Modern day aircrafts are state of do pilots react to the challenging sit- tive stress and with good team work However, there are certain airlines are making sure to and earned a lot of money. But I wanted to tell stories. Filmmaking the art, highly expensive and complex uations while being up in the air. Do and all the tools at his disposal he situations that can prove take care of the pilots, the speaks directly to people. machines. As such complacency has they panic, stress or just handle learns to tackle and address it,” he challenging, but they are cabin crew and the ground  Jamai 2.0 is getting good response. Did you expect this? no room in a pilot’s scheme of things everything at ease? “Since flying envi- explains. trained to handle such situ- staff. There is a strong mes- Since I have studied filmmaking, I had never done a televi- as lives and safety of hundreds of pas- ronment is highly dynamic, you do He recalls an incident when he ations. sage that we give out, it is sion show before. I was not aware that Jamai Raja, the TV show, sengers and their families is at stake, face challenging situations. Being a faced a critical emergency at 27,000 “It is true that a pilot’s job that the 6E family is was so popular. I knew that my mother would watch it regular- he adds. trained professional, a pilot has to feet up in the air. However, his quick is glamorous, but with there for each ly but the show stayed with me. The show came to me when I The only thing that Kochchar dis- react to them using all his skill, expe- thinking and the ability to land safe- great freedom and every was looking to make a family show and said yes to making it. likes about his job is getting up early rience, training, laid down SOPs cou- ly earned him the Presidential comes great team The producers told me that this show doesn’t need marketing. in the morning. “I am not a morning pled with his decision making abili- Gallantary Award for his skills. responsibili- member When I saw the numbers on Day 4, I understood the importance person. Though our shifts are carefully ties and a high degree of situational “During my stint with IAF, I did ty. There and of fan following. Zee 5 was looking to shift their audience to OTT prepared and are a mix of day, night awareness to safely handle them keep- face a critical emergency—an explo- are a lot of their and they did it brilliantly with this show. and morning flights, but the early ing all aspects of flight safety in sive decompression with main door challenges fami-  Your directorial debut was with a psychological crime drama. morning flights definitely hurt a bit,” mind. Having said that, as pilot is also opening at 27,000 feet and 42 pas- one faces lies,” he Was it a conscious decision to go ahead with it? he says. a human being, he too would have sengers on board. The emergency from the says. I have tried my hand at different genres. I began with You might have wondered, how stress at times, but then it is a posi- required adept handling and quick moment 4# ;  Damaged. Then I made a fantasy show. I made a youth show; I made Jamia which is a family show. I don’t come from the indus- try. My linage comes from the people I have worked with. I start- A;-5 ed my career by assisting Sanjay Leela Bansali on Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela. I have also worked with Sriram Raghavan     "  A PA     on Badlapur. Since I have worked with these two completely dif- ferent directors, I have diverse knowledge.     ? +1                   1             9'&'24   A lot of experimentation is happening on OTT. Where is       +         !5 6           !      + this coming from?      +        ! )       9 1     +    This is possible because OTT is a personal medium and the           0 + 1   +  0  1!5  L,    ++  24 0    !  consumption increased during the lockdown. When you are       +          9'':           0 D        watching in your personal space, you get to choose what you want .       +     %&    ' # #  %(    D   0        to see. There are people who only watch biopics. Hence, they are     1             )   *!+*+#   ,   M   being made. People have diverse tastes and OTT is catering to +      + +      + )      @     & )  *       24   1       it by making different shows and experimenting.             +  .  *&   +/> ,!          You have made ads, short films, music videos. Where does + +  1      +          +  L. 24    1     !  you forte lie?   +  )  5  +      <L      ,5!5 6               0   I am a filmmaker and come with a dream of making films.  +          *0 1*.   M2 !  0 0 D       0  I am here and make a film one day. But I don’t want to be type- 4          +    ? #  .       0  1    5                cast. My stories are women-centric because men have no shades.     + +        ,         M2)3#     0  M    I make films around women; that my forte.     (8%;#%#$#/

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ucked into the folds of the Krishna Cult (1973), Renaldo Maduro’s messenger delivered an ultimatum to Sinhar in VS 1728 (1671 CE) and it as a haveli (mansion) instead of the tra- Aravalli Hills, about thirty Artistic Creativity in a Brahmin Painter Vallabha’s grandsons that ‘either the came to rest beneath a pipal tree where ditional shikara-style (towered) temple. miles north-east of Udaipur, Community (1976) and Rajendra fakir of Gokul show some miracle or Ajabkunvar’s house had been located. It The architect of the new temple built on is the bustling pilgrimage Jindel’s Culture of a Sacred Town (1976). leave the Mughal Empire’. This rude was to be Shrinathji’s new home. the pattern of an aristocrat’s mansion centre of Nathdwara, home Since then outstanding art historians warning must have come as a shock. Tradition holds that Shrinathji’s shrine was Gopaldas Ustad under the supervi- Tto Shrinathji, the living image (svarup) such as Tryna Lyons, B.N. Goswamy, Prior to Aurangzeb’s reign the is the only one in the sect with a tiled sion of Hariraiji, the author of the of Krishna raising Mount Govardhan. Amit Ambalal and Madhuvanti Ghose Vallabhacharis had enjoyed Mughal roof in imitation of Ajabkunvar’s house. Shrinathji ki Prakatya Varta. Every part The establishment of the deity’s haveli have made significant contributions to favours and were protected by several Interestingly the account of the of the new structure was to recall the (mansion/temple), in Mewar in the sev- the understanding and preservation of firmans issued by Akbar and Shah move in the Shrinathji ki Prakatya Varta sacred topography of Braj, Krishna’s enteenth century, gave rise to a town the history of Nathdwara’s artistic com- Jahan that gave them grazing rights records none of the pomp that James homeland. that completely revolved around munity. In addition to the art historical over the land stretching from Gokul to Tod describes in his Annals of Today pilgrims throng the halls of Shrinathji and the activities at his pala- aspect of the sacred town, there has the whole district of Mahaban. In addi- Rajasthan. According to Harirai the haveli for every ceremony, jostling tial shrine. The haveli brought together been an avalanche of material published tion, they enjoyed the privilege of being (b.1590), author of the Shrinathji ki each other to reach the Nij Mandir a myriad of diverse social groups such on the literary, political, socio-economic exempt from taxation. It is debatable Prakatya Varta, and a member of one of where Shrinathji resides. The viewing as masons, potters, tailors, silversmiths, and anthropological facets of whether they fled or simply decided to the thirty-six families that accompanied periods are short, and thousands seek embroiderers, brocade weavers, enamel Nathdwara. The plethora of online texts reestablish the sect in the land of Shrinathji to Rajasthan, the move was his darshan (viewing). Although the (meenakari) workers, cooks and car- and translations as well as the new pub- wealthy Rajasthani maharajas whom done as quietly as possible. Perhaps it seva (service) is done with the utmost penters, all performing divine service lications bowing the library shelves they had cultivated as devotees. E. Allen was the Maharana of Mewar who want- respect the crush of pilgrims tries the (seva) for the child-god Krishna. Most attest to Nathdwara’s continuing appeal Richardson argues that Maharana Raj ed to make a great show of Shrinathji’s patience of those attempting to feel at importantly it fostered the growth of a as a research subject. Singh of Udaipur, beginning in 1665, arrival whereas the Vallabhacharis one with their Lord. Outside in the painting community, drawn from vari- with the gift of the village of Asotiya in wanted only safety for their svarup. streets there is almost a carnival-like ous towns in Rajasthan, that came to    Mewar to two goswamis, was preparing No doubt the flight was a major dis- atmosphere. Entire lanes are dedicated serve the needs of the haveli and the pil- Until the seventeenth century a place for the Vallabha Sampraday and ruption for the Vallabhacharya to outfitting the private shrines of pil- grims. Nathdwara (Door to the Lord) was only that Maharana Raj Singh foresaw the Sampraday. When the upheaval grims. There are shops filled with Nathdwara became a unique centre, a remote dusty village called Sinhar in economic and social benefits of bring- occurred in 1669, the sect had been embroidered fabrics to embellish the its rituals and traditions remaining vir- the state of Mewar. It soared to fame 4@#2 #/1 >42 L ing the popular sect to Mewar. established well over 150 years on sacred chambers and glittery brocade tually unchanged for over 300 years. when Shrinathji and his followers, L#12-1 .121D Among the Vallabhacharis there is a Mount Govardhan, the location where dresses fashioned for every size and Until recently it was in a time capsule, threatened by the rise to power of the 3-0U3#-#1 story that explains the situation without Shrinathji first appeared. It was a shift shape of image as well as a profusion of maintaining artistic traditions that had iconoclastic Mughal Emperor ?12-#2# # tarnishing their relationship with the not taken easily for this was Krishna’s painted, printed and sculpted images of vanished from the Rajput courts. It was Aurangzeb, fled Krishna’s sacred home- Mughals. On one of his missions, birthplace, the playground for his lilas Shrinathji. Prasad, which is made in the the archive for the styles and techniques land of Braj and sought refuge in 1 #- 04-4> Vitthalnathji (VS 1572-1642; 1515-1585 (sports) and most importantly the site haveli kitchens in great quantities, is of the courtly painting studios of Rajasthan. It is said that the Maharana 4/121- CE), the son of Vallabhacharya, had vis- of Shrinathji raising Mount Govardhan available for purchase. There are piles of Rajasthan as well as the home to its own of Mewar with a retinue of 100,000 war- 243#1- ited Sinhar where he initiated into the as an umbrella to protect his people ghee-laden laddus, pots of thick sweet unbroken artistic tradition for over riors went out to escort Shrinathji per- sect one Ajabkunvar, the sister-in-law of from the punishing deluge sent by the rabri and mounds of savoury besan sev three centuries. There were hundreds of sonally to his capital of Sesodias but #R /404-4> the legendary Bhakti poetess Mirabai. storm god Indra. Even though the — all Krishna’s favourites. Nathdwara artists from the Jangir and Adi Gaur that the bullock cart carrying Krishna 2##124- # Ajabkunvar became so passionately teenaged Tilakayat Damodarji (VS fosters an entire industry dedicated to castes dedicated to serving the temple became bogged down in the mud in the 0/?20,1?##- 2# attached to Shrinathji that she asked 1711-1760; 1654 -1703 CE) was sup- the worship of Shrinathji. and providing painted icons for the pil- small village of Sinhar. It was taken as a .#-.#>02 him to visit her every night. Shrinathji ported by his uncles, Gopinathji and Since the founding of Nathdwara, grimage trade. It is sad to learn from sign that Shrinathji had selected this granted her wish and came every Balakrishnaji, it must have been an artists have been drawn to this sacred Madhuvanti Ghose that all this is now spot along the Banas River as a haven. .426#4- # evening, traversing hundreds of miles emotionally trying decision for him to place to fulfil the needs of the haveli being threatened, eroded by the growth This is the most commonly accept- 1/044//# 04-4> from Braj, to play with her his favourite make. The sect had strong roots in Braj. and to provide pilgrims with painted of the town and the encroachment of ed version of the move and one that we -1 .121 parcheesi-like game of chaupar. Finally, Yet the Vallabhacharya Sampraday devotional images for their shrines. the twenty-first century. subscribed to in our 1979 publication, 02. )$)2#$23&2)3 seeing him red-eyed and exhausted was an immensely popular sect with While the other schools of Rajasthani Over the last forty years but it is debatable whether the from his travels, Ajabkunvar requested many adherents. Both Vallabhacharya painting have died out for lack of royal Nathdwara’s uniqueness has garnered Vallabhacharis, so named for their guru 02,!630)2323,#%3 Shrinathji to settle in Mewar perma- and Vitthalnathji had made extensive patronage, Nathdwara has continued, the attention of scholars and produced Vallabhacharya (VS 1535-1587; 1478- .7% %0- ##12/L nently. Shrinathji replied that it was not pilgrimages throughout Gujarat and fed by the passionate desire of devotees an explosion of research on the pilgrim- 1530 CE), fled the area out of fear of #@#- 0# #2# possible for him to do so now but that Rajasthan recruiting new followers. to serve Shrinathji and to be one with age centre. When we first worked on persecution or whether they made a .#2#@#2L>#. he would in the future after the time of Besides Shrinathji’s appeal to the com- their Lord. the Calico Collection of Nathdwara judicious decision to resettle in Vallabhacharya and Vitthalnathji. In mon people, almost every royal house pichhavais (Indian Pigment Paintings on Rajasthan. It is possible that the uncer- 3!/01 04-1!43 1669 when the persecution grew acute, of Rajasthan could be counted among Excerpted with permission from Cloth) in the early seventies there were tainty caused by Aurangzeb’s threats -1 .121 Vitthalnathji and Vallabhacharya had Shrinathji’s devotees. Nathdwara Paintings from the Anil very few publications about Nathdwara. reduced the pilgrimage trade and affect- both passed away. It was time for the After Shrinathji’s arrival in Sinhar a Relia Collection: The Portal to Most notable were Robert Skelton’s ed the temple revenue. The Shrinathji ki promise to be fulfilled. The bullock shrine was erected in VS 1728 (1671 Shrinathji by Kalyan Krishna & Kay Rajasthani Temple Hangings of the Prakatya Varta records that Aurangzeb’s chariot carrying Shrinathji reached CE) which was purposefully designed Talwar by Niyogi Books, 3,500     0 O1?44 /1# .#-1//L431@# 04 #1--4 #R # 1 04- yvixi€ari€  K1--L!4L/# (8%;#%#$#/

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eople are talking again, same people, same things. We are as clueless as we were during the previous surge of PCorona. Masks, social distancing, sanitisers and lock- down are our mainstay. As to the medicines no one knows which one is working and for whom. Admittedly we have not grown any wiser despite spending billions. Vaccinations of course have come as a big source of sustenance but there are doubting Thomases also to see the darker side. Amid all this, we need to settle down for something more authentic. As the kerfuffle continues, two things seem to be our best refuge. Faith and hope. They are our powerful antidotes today to inoculate against Corona. Highly scientific brains may have reasons to raise questions about the efficacy of these two con- structs. But there is ample scientific evidence to suggest that faith healing works and even die-hard medical practition- ers will agree to this. Faith drives hope, and hope drives life. True, evidence-based research may not be readily available to prove this, but there is need to understand that absence      of proof is no proof of absence. Moreover, copious anecdo- tal evidences can be cited to establish that faith and hope do work. The fact of the matter is that even the best of the med- icines works only if the patient believes they can work. Ample     ?   0 5    + psychological studies are there to corroborate that placebo effects are a reality. Call it miracle or call it will power, but it works. As a deluge of data is being dished out to show how          1- 21E0-#20-? deadly the coronavirus is and how helpless humanity is, there are rays of hope in this otherwise sombre atmosphere. While case fatality rates are being boldly displayed to point out how soul is sent to a life in the Most religions believe that there are The steps to do this are simple. shifting our attention from one state life threatening is the coronavirus, recovery rates are not human body for a certain higher regions or existence to which  Step one is to stop identifying with of consciousness to the other. The shown as prominently. If only this data is displayed honest- period of time. When the the soul goes after it dies. Scientists the body, mind, and world outside, other state of consciousness does not ly, we would realise how unfounded our angst is about the soul inhabits a body, the and doctors have tried to verify this and identify with the soul. exist in time or space. They are possibility of dying, or the entire humanity coming to an end. soul is still a part of God by documenting accounts of people 4-#.#0#- 0>L  Step two requires that when we operating concurrently. We are simul- A simple recapitulation of the catastrophic incidents of the andA is still one with God. The soul, who were declared clinically dead but identify with our soul that we shift taneously in the other realms and in past century will show how the present challenges match with .0  #43/.# however, is now overpowered by had near-death experiences and our attention to the frequency or the God at the same time but we are not those. The first world war was responsible for killing 22 mil- powerful forces, such as the mind, the described something beyond this .0//!#1!/# 4 higher realms and ultimately to God. aware of it because our attention is lion people. Then followed the Spanish flu, a close cousin body and the outer world, which world. The question is, where are That is all we have to do. God did only focused on one region — the of the present variant, which had killed 50 million people. cause the soul, over time, to forget these realms? They are not zones in 063 not make it hard for us to become physical. 15 million in India alone. Remember, antibiotics were not itself. The soul slowly begins to iden- outer space delineated by borders. All >2#U3#-0# 1 aware of our true Home. It is we who So, for step one, if we meditate discovered then. Then came the great depression that ruined tify itself with the body and mind and these realms exist concurrently with have made it complicated. accurately we will experience our- economies like a House of cards. This was followed by the world outside. It suddenly begins to this one. The reason we are not aware #43/0 So how do we accomplish step selves as soul. Once we identify with second World war, killing over 60 million people. Then the think that it can only receive infor- of them is because they operate on a 1 1!/#4> one and step two? To accomplish step the soul, then we will also be aware Korean war, the Vietnam war and what not. Humanity sur- mation from the outer world through different frequency or vibration. one, we must withdraw our attention of the inner Light and Sound that is vived all that and grew around three times since then. We the senses. Thus the soul has become The saints and mystics tell us that 2##0@0-?.#1- from our body, mind, and the world the radiance and vibratory sound of certainly are far better off but for the fact that we are high- attuned to only one channel — the we have the choice to either stay 41?2131/ outside. We must decide to turn off God within us. If we absorb ourselves ly ill-informed. No, there is no dearth of information. Quite channel of the world. tuned to this physical world, or to the outer programming. When that in the Light and Sound within, we can the contrary. But there is plenty of negative information that If we think about our life as tune into the channels of God. God 0> 0-.0.# programming is in the off mode, then then attain step two. We can shift our has struck a bloody blow to our faith and hope and bogged watching a television programme, we wants us to watch God’s program- ?4>24, # in the silence we will experience our- attention into the Light and Sound, us down with forces of Thanatos, the death urges. Look at have multiple choices as to what to ming. God is available twenty-four selves as soul. That is the step that we which attracts our soul to higher lev- the figures of April 25. Total number of confirmed cases is watch. Just as there are a dozen net- hours of the day, three hundred sixty 4-043-#4> call self-knowledge. els of vibration. 147,096,661 and total number of deaths 3,223,558, that is work stations and then dozens if not five days of a year. God’s program- 4-#2#?04- 4 Once we identify with the soul, It is simply a matter of choosing around 2%. Ironically, one estimate says that around 9 mil- hundreds of cable stations from ming does not turn off at three am we will be able to pick up frequencies where we want to put our attention. lion people die every year of hunger and hunger related dis- which to choose, so, too, there are like some networks do. It is a free sta- 4-043-#4> that the soul is capable of receiving. This is the simplicity of spirituality. eases. Not that we don’t do anything about Corona. But we many activities in this world that we tion broadcasting all the time with- # 020 31/ We can do a gradual shift in which we God did not make things complicat- need not lose hope. More people are dying out of fear of can engage in. out any cable fees. We only need to go from the consciousness of one ed. It is simple, we just have to choose Corona rather than the actual infection. Time to rekindle Now, let us take a look at the know how to tune into God’s station. 2#1/, region to consciousness of the spiri- to transplant the flower of our atten- hope and faith by tweaking the headlines. Headline man- other choices available to us. This The connection to God is not tual realms. tion from the world into God’s gar- agement can go a long way in arresting the present surge. physical planet is not a separate off- hard. It is just a matter of making the In this process we are not going den.  !  " "    3  3      shoot from all of creation and God. choice that this is what we want to do. anywhere physically; we are merely $          '   !9 +   '    !9 B 9 42 52;1 2.336A . R      !  +            -            4 O          )     1,20#           1E0 63,12!0-40

ay in and out we witness how our ord Krishna says that faith is actions, emotions and decisions according to one’s nature. Human Dshape us as a whole and where it Lspecies is endowed with faith. takes us. While we may have achieved some Whatever faith he has, he is that only or the other goal in the past, our willingness (Bhagawad Gita 17.3) The Lord has to keep going somehow feels lost at times, linked our faith to our nature. Therefore, and a feeling of non-belongingness erupts. let us understand our nature in essence. We keep procrastinating certain things and What does our nature comprise? To even end up feeling gloomy with no actions carry out this exercise, we must have directed to keep moving in that direction. basic knowledge of the three factors — This is when you must start engaging in goodness, passion and darkness. Our mindfulness and focussing on self-improve- natures consist of these three mode in ment by measuring yourself and your deci- various proportions. The mode of sions diligently. goodness is illuminating and free from Personal development and self- diseases on account of purity. (14.6) The improvement are subjective. Each one has mode of passion, which suffers from the their willingness to achieve something as a fault of attachment, know that to be goal. You have a certain goal and you have caused by desire and attachment. (14.7) failures in achieving the same. This stems And the mode of darkness, which caus- the thought of self-improvement to better es delusion to all living entities, know kind of faith or in whom one will have Those, who have mode of darkness handle the situation at hand. When it comes that to be born of ignorance, which at a particular time or generally. Nature in ascendance are generally in trouble. to self-improvisation, it doesn’t have a dead- knowledge and as we are aware that knowl- earlier or seek moving forward from the binds with carelessness and laziness. is internal, whereas faith is external. The They are mostly atheists, i.e. no faith in end wherein we feel we have achieved it all edge is endless. As much we seek, there’s outside world, we will only be able to find it (14.8) Generally, the percentage of the nature determines the kind of faith one God or in scriptures. Such faith and attained self-actualisation, but it keeps room for more to imbibe the ocean of from inside, speaking to ourselves. What mode of passion is the highest in most will have. Those, whose nature is dom- degrades and one regresses than pro- pushing us to explore our actions, decisions knowledge that the world possesses. The does the mind need? A good job, high people, therefore, we can take it as the inated by the mode of goodness, and gresses. It has severe consequences; one furthermore for better results out of the knowledge of various aspects guides us to grades at school, that dream car, wanting to base mode. This mode is given direc- who have spiritual consciousness, and may have many bad qualities. One may many upcoming challenging situations. find various ways to achieve a certain thing be at the helm in your workplace, etc., tion either by the mode of goodness or who are endowed with good sanskars also suffer from anxiety, fear, depression, Self-improvement is an unending pur- that we desire. It also induces a feeling that thoughts are aplenty, it is we who find our the mode of darkness, i.e., whichever is will have faith in God and scriptures. and so on. When this mode is overpow- suit to better yourself, be it whatever that if it could be achieved in a certain way, how own ways to try and channelise our in preponderance at a particular time. This is wonderful because one becomes ering, one commits crimes and may you are eyeing to achieve. It’s a long-term about exploring another way too? And we thoughts and efforts in a certain way in a Besides the modes, our nature is happy with brightness in all gates even kill the self. game and we’re here for a marathon, not leap to find it! bid to break through what we look forward also influenced by our consciousness, (senses) of the body. (14.9 and 11) Such In order to avoid these eventuali- just for a sprint. With self-improvement, Moreover, our pursuit for self-improve- to having. And how do we achieve it? i.e. whether that is material or spiritu- faith is highly desirable. Saints have such ties, one must work consciously to try you may not see the changes tomorrow but ment never reaches the epitome because A simple success mantra that anyone al. In the earlier type of consciousness, faith. It does not exclude occasional to reduce this mode’s presence in one’s can see things moving in the direction our brain is conditioned to be pessimistic can follow in their pursuit of self-improve- one considers the self as a material body. lower behaviour when the other modes nature. The first thing to do is to begin maybe a few weeks, months, and most defi- and has the hunger to achieve more. We ment is adopting mindfulness. It is the way In the later consciousness, a rare one, are in ascendence. This is when they honouring all the ‘maryadas’ put in nitely a year from the first time you start. think we are not perfect at a certain thing you condition your mind to fully dedicate one knows oneself to be a soul. make mistakes like all do. place for the human species. One This is the most effective method of and always feel there is still a lot of room to your attention to the present without letting ‘Sanskars’ brought from the previous Those, who have mode in passion should try to follow ‘dharma’ — the improvement because the only one who learn and excel in the same. Measuring the past or the future influence your lives and given by parents and others in in preponderance, have faith in money guidelines for our proper existence. knows your thoughts to the dot is you. And efforts when we do it is something that we thought process. Self-improvement certain- this life also make a huge difference to and material objects. These they love to Faith in God, which is the ultimate sav- your actions are a reflection of your as humans don’t engage in. This leads to the ly is immortal and cannot be limited to a what our natures will be like. Similarly, show off also, besides accumulating as ior will come gradually as the other thoughts, therefore, you can change your hunger of trying more ways to achieve a certain achievement, but can be with us for habits both good and bad influence our much of it is possible. Sense enjoyments modes, especially the mode of goodness actions by understanding your thoughts and certain thing at its full potential. a lifetime, if we do not give up on learning. natures greatly. Ego is not far behind. are not far behind; the more the better. gets in ascendance. Therefore, let us try channelling your thought process. Self-improvement is more to do with Hence, self-improvement cannot only go so Rather this has an undue influence over They are also likely to have a lot of faith to develop faith in God. Link to knowledge: Personal develop- introspection as we know the best and no far but can go all the way! the nature of some. in their own abilities. Faith in God and ,           '   ment through self-improvement is tied to matter what solutions that we have sought The writer is an author All these factors determine what scriptures is mostly casual.    B # '9     uvitiut    !  7=    +71 =  

n April 24, the Armenian geno- ried out atrocities against the incursions from outsiders. Ocide completed its 106th Armenians and other smaller ethnic Unfortunately, by the 11th cen- anniversary. As the parties involved and religious groups in the Ottoman tury, invasions and large migrations in the conflict are restless, the mud- Empire. of Turkic population flooded the area, slinging game is on. Joe Biden is the One can possibly read what was gradually overpowering the local first American President to recognise there in the mind of Talat Pasa when Armenians. But then the worst was the Armenian killing as genocide. he once said: “What on earth do you yet to come. By the 16th and 17th cen- And this has sparked a new war of want? The question is settled. There turies, the Eastern Anatolia was words between Washington and are no more Armenians.” incorporated into the great Ottoman Ankara. The diplomatic spat between An attempt to create a pan- Empire by the Turks, but the dis- ')5)H4& the two countries have now involved Islamic and a pan-Turkic State final- tinctive identity of the Armenians had 1#00#$)'( senior functionaries in the adminis- ly led to the killing of all these remained intact. Another interesting tration of both the countries. Armenians. It was the hatred towards fact was that the Armenians could )1%#%00#% Although Biden’s historic recog- the Christians when the Ottoman always find a broader community 5%('5%,,0#%,) nition is not laced with any economic Empire suffered a humiliating defeat connect with the other Armenians liv- sanction or diplomatic isolation, his in the historic Balkan War between ing beyond the Ottoman Empire in #%,&$5))%& explosive statement will certainly 1912 and 1913. The young Turkish the neighbouring Russia. 1)$#% rock the already tense relations rulers were always suspicious of the For centuries, the multi-faith between the two nations. In fact, Christian Armenians. The hardlin- Ottoman Empire adopted a unique *)'%'5%$1%&0 President Biden called up his Turkish ers of the CUP strongly felt that the administrative mechanism called 1)+%+01*()'1 counterpart the day before he made Armenians were collaborating with “Millet System” for its minorities. the announcement. Earlier American the foreign powers to harm the Under this system, the minorities, &$'5%&)P0%&)%# Presidents did not take the risk of Ottoman Empire. After the humili- including the Armenians, enjoyed a *'&$#$#$5#&'%0? infuriating Turkey, a key NATO ally ating defeat in the First Balkan War, considerable degree of self-gover- and a strategically critical country, when the Empire lost almost all their nance to run their affairs. However, ')4&P0+ straddling West Asia and Europe. possession in Europe, the European gradually, the Millet System declined. &15)H$#15* Though the US’ new position is leaders imposed a major set of By the beginning of the 19th centu- symbolic, it equates the Armenian reforms over the Ottomans, asking ry, the rulers of the Ottoman Empire &#$),@ massacre with the genocide under them to allow the supervision of the initiated a slew of administrative #%0)&'*#%& Hitler, and the Cambodian genocide inspectors in eastern part of it. This reforms to modernise its society and by the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot directly resulted into a pure mis- polity. On the way to modernise and ')+#%0,H%+'( from 1975-79 and finally the conception among the Ottoman secularise its institutions, the rela- )1%#%0,5)%+& Rawandan genocide against the rulers thinking that only the tionship between the Empire and its Tutsis in April 1994. Armenians were there behind this minorities changed. &&'1#% 1*) Elated at President Biden’s dec- conspiracy. Thus, a sense of insecu- These changes led to centralisa- laration, Armenian Prime Minister rity grew in the ruling elite that the tion of power in the Ottoman state Nikol Pashinyan has reacted by say-        !    "    '   H   (-3  $  ! '     /   Armenians could be working and as a result tensions rose between ing that is a “…powerful step on the    C 3   &   towards undermining the sover- the majority Muslims and diverse way to acknowledging the truth, his- eignty of the Ottoman Empire. And group of minorities living within its torical justice and an invaluable malign the global image of Turkey. desert in the peak of the First World the Armenians took place during the all these above reasons and probably territory. support for the descendants of the The Turkish Ministry of Foreign War. The Young Turks also known First World War. a growing movement of self-asser- In the past, the recognition of victims of Armenian genocide”. Affairs says the demographic stud- as Jon Turkler (in Turkish language) The history, legacy and tragedy tion among the Armenians led to the this tragedy as genocide has always However, moments after the ies show that fewer than 1.5 million were the proponents of a political around this mass murder is shroud- extermination of them by the Young been shaped by geopolitical games. release of Biden’s statement on Armenians lived in the entire reform movement that took place in ed in controversies and contested Turk regime. On record, the UK, Israel and Armenian genocide, Turkish Foreign Ottoman Empire before the First the early 20th century. The Young narratives. However historical It is hard to access the exact Azerbaijan have flatly refused to Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, World War. Hence, there is no ques- Turks wanted to replace the absolute records of the later part of the 19th number of Armenians lived in the recognise this killing as genocide as “The words cannot change or rewrite tion of the death of 1.5 million monarch in the Ottoman Empire in century show that even Sultan Abdul Ottoman Empire during the First they have been the allies of Turkey. history. We have nothing to learn Armenians only in Eastern Anatolia. those days. Hamid advocated pan-Islamic ideals World War. But the Encyclopedia Whereas Lebanon, Greece and from anybody on our own past. Again, alongside the loss of the The principal aim of this move- for his empire. The year 1894 wit- Britannica sources quote that there France, having large populations of /;+ %;% Political opportunism is the greatest Armenians, more than 2.5 million ment was to establish a constitutional nessed brutal killing of Armenians were around 2.5 million Armenians Armenian descent and traditionally betrayal to peace and justice. We Muslims died in the Anatolian region form of government. They led a in the Ottoman Empire. The same in the beginning of the 20th centu- hostile to Turkey, have entirely reject this statement based in the same period, they claim. movement known as Young Turk year, rising agitations by the ry in the Ottoman Empire. But largely claimed this horrendous solely on populism.” Finally, the Ministry says, Revolution against the Ottoman Armenians demanded political today the modern Turkey has an esti- killing as genocide. This hints at Turkey’s sharp “Documents of the time list inter- Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1908 reform which forced the Sultan to mated population of 70,000 of them The reality is that truth finally denial of the Armenian genocide. For communal violence, forced migration which culminated in the foundation use brutal forces to normalise the law only. The Armenians initially lived prevails. And to speak no one needs Turkey, this massacre is an unfound- of all ethnic group, disease and star- of a constitutional government in and order situation. Contemporary in the six provinces in the Eastern to think at all. It’s time for Turkey to ed slander and the current American vation as causes of death.” Therefore, Turkey. And by January 1913, the historical records indicate the mas- Anatolia, what is today known as come up with a credible answer. The pronouncement is emerging simply Turkey officially does not recognise most militant members of the Young sacre of 80,000 to 300,000 Armenians Eastern Turkey. global blame game and taking polit- from the country’s internal political the killings as genocide. Turks like Talat Pasa and Enver Pasa and 25,000 Assyrians in a period of However, these Christian ical stands for saving one’s skin nei- calculations. For a fact, the killing of more took over the regime from their lib- three years. Subsequently, the New Armenians never used to dominate ther help the descendants of the vic- Thus, the Turkey’s Government than 1.5 million Armenians and eral colleagues in a coup d’état. It York Times referred to the mass one single area or zone. They also tims nor the international commu- says there was no policy of extermi- other Christian minorities between must be noted here that these young killings under Sultan Hamid as shared various parts of Eastern nity. However, the very use of the nation to deal with the Armenian 1915 and 1917 by the Young Turk revolutionaries belonged to a small “Armenian Holocaust” in the year Anatolia with the Kurds population term genocide by Biden at this hour subjects under the Ottoman Empire. administration in Anatolian group called Committee of Union 1895 and popularly termed it as in those days. Records in Ancient his- can rightly be called a moral slap on Key officials of President Recep Peninsula is widely labelled as “geno- and Progress (CUP), an organisation “Hamidian massacre”. tory and in Middle Ages clearly say Erdogan. Tayyip Erdogan claim that the cur- cide”. These Armenian Ottomans belonging to the greater Young Turks Therefore, it is not the only these areas were controlled by suc- rent American stand on the were killed while they were being Revolution. And only during the rule regime during the First World War cessive Armenian dynasties for long (The writer is an expert on inter- Armenian genocide is simply to deported from Anatolia to the Syrian of these radicals, the mass killing of but also the earlier that Sultans car- time although they used to face national affairs)

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he loss of twenty-two secu- vided three conditions — with- have also suffered major casu- Trity officials in a Maoist drawal of the security forces; alties. The large-scale killing of ')%1%& attack in Chhattisgarh has once removal of a ban on the the security forces by the 0'5,0&#)&%+#+%+ again raised concerns over the Maoists; and the release of the Maoists would hurt the morale #'0&0%,#'+5 protracted Maoist violence. Maoists cadre arrested by the of the CAPF. The experience of The concerns following the government — were fulfilled. fighting the outlawed Maoists &)'5+15&* incident have raised critical Such a conditional offer from suggests that specialised forces $#%%0?A150& questions, especially over the the Maoists came as a reaction drawn from the State police like nature and effectiveness of the to one “Dandi March 2.0” the Grey Hounds have been 5%,)0&#%,&#&& counter-insurgency operations. which was organised by civil more effective than the CAPF. #'0&$'%($&%&0 Such questions are valid con- society organisations, endorsed Better understanding of the $'0&'0,$#,0'( sidering the identical pattern in by the Chief Minister of local areas and language and which the security forces have Chhattisgarh, for peace in the easy access to the local popula- 0&%$#0 been trapped by the Maoists, be Maoist-affected areas. tion are some of the important *)',5$,#'0&'( it in the case of Gadchiroli in Coming down heavily on advantages of the State police )0'5)$0&#&# Maharashtra in 2019 or the the peace march, calling it a over the CAPF. Considering cases in the Bijapur-Sukma hoax, the Maoists invited the the local support base of the @%(&&,&&0 region in Chhattisgarh in 2020- Government for peace talks. Maoists, better coordination #$)'00&0*$&)51? 21. The identical pattern in While such conditional peace between the State police forces %&0*)'$004& which many security forces talks offer coming from the and the CAPFs would boost the have lost their lives to the Maoists is not unprecedented, morale of the latter. 5%,)*)+, Maoists invites criticism on the the timing of the offer needs to Apart from the role of the *'*5#&'%#0@%#& preparedness, tactical capabil- be merited. It is safe to argue security forces, the ities, and intelligence-gathering that such peace dialogue offer Governments at the State and &)$%+%,4 aspects of the former. was the first of its kind after the Central level need to serious- &0$5)& Following the latest Maoist organisation had wit- ly think of going for peace talks (')$0##,&) episode of Maoist violence, nessed a change in the leader- with the Maoists. As men- the Chief Minister of ship. The new leadership of the tioned before, the Maoists have 0?#$&#H0$#% Chhattisgarh was quick to Maoists (Nambala Kesav Rao taken a step forward, though @)%+#%%,&'&0 reject any chances of intelli- alias Basavraj as the General conditional, towards peace 1%#$ gence failure which would have Secretary and Madvi Hidma as talks. The least Governments been the major factor leading the chief of the military), as can do is to start engaging the to the casualties. While there many believe, has got very lit- the state machinery acknowl- isational strength, the security Hidma’s presence that prompt- be revisited depending on the Maoists in negotiation process have been questions on the tac- tle to do with the romantic edge their presence. Against the forces need to tweak their tac- ed the operation of 2,000 secu- specificities of the situation. It through multiple channels. We tical capabilities of the securi- notion of “revolutionary” ide- backdrop of militant posturing tical capabilities. rity forces turned out to be a is important to mention that must understand that the ty forces, certain important ology. Rather, they want to and peace talks offers by the A major focus in this direc- trap which reflects on lack of the present leadership of the Maoist conflict in its close to six developments related to the scotch the understanding that Maoists, the responses from the tion should be in terms of complete information. Large- Maoists which largely believes decades of existence has pro- Maoists have been completely the Maoists are on their last legs. security forces merit a critical strengthening credible human scale operations with partial in violent activities to revive the duced a host of loot-able overlooked. The militant posturing of examination. It is important to intelligence network. It is only intelligence input are bound to movement would be on the resources that have benefitted An important episode that the new leadership of the mention that while the military possible when the local people face such fate. back foot if a greater number the elites across the spectrum. has gone unnoticed is the con- Maoists is a testimony of its approach has been a robust have more trust in the securi- Secondly, there is a need to of armed cadres are targeted. In this process, the underpriv- ditional “peace talks” offer by dwindling support base and strategy in bringing down the ty forces and other state rethink the “grab the kingpin” A third critical issue is on ileged population has been at the Maoists. In a press state- shrinking territory limited only violence level in the Maoists machinery than the Maoists. approach. Apprehending and the morale of the security forces. the receiving end while the ment dated March 12, the to some pockets of affected areas, the tactical fail- The recent incident does not neutralising the leaders of the On one hand, the security forces security forces have laid their spokesperson of the Chhattisgarh. The violent ures in certain cases have cost necessarily reflect on lack of Maoists have been a critical tac- have been able to contain the lives. +:/ ,,8+84 Dandakaranya Special Zonal episodes targeting the securi- the security forces heavily. As intelligence, but the credibili- tical policy to minimise the risk Maoist violence to a great extent, Committee offered a condi- ty forces are acts of desperation the Maoist movement under ty of the complete intelligence of violence. While the merit of on the other hand, in the pock- (The writer is an Associate tional peace dialogue with the with motives to keep the armed the new leadership would make can be questioned. The intelli- this policy should not be ets of Chhattisgarh the Central Professor, National Institute of Chhattisgarh Government pro- cadre motivated and to make all attempts to revive the organ- gence input about Madvi unfairly questioned, it needs to Armed Police Forces (CAPF) Advanced Studies, Bengaluru)     0 D-4 .1 1 #- 4L43!3 4.L432#1  40 €axu€ ! 1 ,1 #2 K# 0 # 3 (8%;#%#$#/

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et us now have a look at the attrib- stringed musical instrument). In an which when gravitated further, energy The mother is shown holding a book utes reflected by the form in which implied sense, She remains the beholder streams got excited out of the seeds of (the Veda) in one of her hands. It implies LMother Goddess Saraswati is per- of all Sabdas — the spoken as well as creation. Thus emerged differentiated that Mother is beholder of eternal truth ceived. She is visualised clad in spotless written words carrying meaning. And sounds. Out of them, the ones that were — self-revealed design parameters inlaid white apparel. She is mounted on a the word carries meaning only when the audible to human ears, are termed as with nature that drives the existential Swan, which is white in colour. letters are placed in an orderly fashion. It root syllables (described as Bija mantra order. And that remains beyond the Remember, transparent white is the also points to the fact that pleasing man- in Indian sense). 50/51 alphabets of scope of individual judgment. colour of purity, Buddhi (discriminate nerism alone could help relate well with Devnagari script are nothing but the In this context Rumi’s saying intelligence) and Akasa (the space filled all and be in harmony, but for which life root syllables. The harmony and sym- becomes imperative: “Somewhere beyond with the eternal element of conscious- may not have a smooth run. Here, it is phony of these root syllables led to the right or wrong, there is a garden.” O n e ness). It hints out at the pure and unsul- worth recalling the verse appearing in making of the words with name and would need to explore truth only with lied truths as laid down with nature. the Veda, which reflects upon the origin form. All these words inherently rest in this mind-set, which calls for moving Such truths can be accessed and under- of the words with name and meaning: Akasa (the space filled with eternal ele- beyond all limitations of mind. It implies stood only when approached with a pure “Prajapatiravaiidamasit, ment of consciousness). that true knowledge and wisdom can be and simple mind, free from any egotisti- Tasyavagdwitiyaasit, Vagvaiparamam Akasa, as per ancient India’s percep- acquired only by a pure uncorrupted cal preconditioning. Brahman”. Literally it means that in the tion was the first to emerge in the mind, free from any limitation whatso- Otherwise, with our minds driven beginning was the Prajapati (another process of creation of the Universe. Even ever. by a sense of relative perception, it will name of creative matrix) with whom was science believes that following the Big The Mother is shown having a be difficult to identify the thin dividing Vak (She is spoken of as second to Him, Bang, the first to emerge was space rosary in another hand. It implies that line between truth and untruth. It is because She is first potentially in, and which provided the ground for further repeated reflection over knowledge something like milk diluted with water, then issues forth as Sakti); and the word evolution of the energy chain excited in acquired would be needed for realisation which looks no different from its pure is Brahmana. the process. Akasa is supposed to hold of the true import of the subject matter from. However, when served to a Swan, The same concept resonates in the in its womb the supra-sensual power of of learning. So runs the verse: “Sastra it consumes the pure milk, leaving aside 4th Gospel: “In the beginning was the sound, which flowing through the air sunishcit puni-puni dekhi”. It implies that the adulterated water. Her mount, thus, Word, and the Word was with God, and comes in touch with the vocal-chord to repeated reflection of a subject matter gains its relevance in practical terms. To the Word was God”. Vak, thus, is a Sakti manifest words audible to human ears. firms up our insight. sum up, realisation of truth calls for a or Power of the creator. Going by the Veena, the musical instrument of $      3      pure uncorrupted mind, when it will be ancient India’s perception, with the first Mother Goddess Saraswati, thus      9     available in its wholesome form. motion at the Primal-Source — pranava metaphorically symbolises being the $I  662-J(J-K 6J2-J(J( The Mother carries a Veena (a — the primal-sound Om got excited, beholder of words. 8 I ''  '   B 9

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