Voice of South Asian Community Since March 2002 Vol. 16 Issue 47 Saturday 18 April to 23 April 2020 $1 www.thesouthasianinsider.com India’s Covid-19 India can’t bear the costs Response: Saving of the lockdown anymore 1.3 Billion People It is causing grave anxiety, unemployment, and can undermine the nation’s agriculture and industry sectors (New York) :When on April 14, 2020 Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India addressed the nation for the fourth time in four weeks to announce that the lockdown in the country will be extended to May 3, 2020, the decision was largely welcomed by all despite the economic hardship it entails for the country, particularly for the poor. There is national consensus that lockdown and social distancing is the only effective way to prevent the spread of the virus and also reduce the (Contd on page 21) burden on the healthcare system. (Contd on page 26) Obama endorses Biden for Coronavirus takes a Cartels, gangs and rebels around president in video message serious turn in Russia the world join coronavirus fight (News Agencies) World leaders have (News Agencies) In Afghanistan, the world’s nation-states as the coronavirus been working from home during the Taliban has dispatched health teams to has, providing an opening for armed groups coronavirus pandemic, and Vladimir Putin far-flung provinces to confront the to step in where presidents, police forces is no exception: On Monday, the Russian coronavirus. In Mexico, drug cartels are and parliaments have failed.Some groups President held a videoconference from his offering aid packages to have attempted to weave official residence outside Moscow with those feeling its economic governments’ failures to some of the officials leading the impact. In Brazil and El control the virus into their government’s efforts to tackle the disease. Salvador, gangs enforce own propaganda It was an unusually somber meeting. Less curfews to prevent its narratives. In Somalia, al- than a month ago, Putin had radiated spread. As governments Qaida-linked al-Shabab (News Agencies) Former President confidence about his government’s around the world have fighters say the pandemic Barack Obama offered his formal response to a growing global crisis, responded to the was spread “by the endorsement of Joe Biden on Tuesday, reassuring his citizens that the situation coronavirus, so too have crusader forces who have injecting himself squarely in the was “under control” thanks to early armed insurgents and terrorist groups and invaded the country.” The Islamic State has presidential race for the first time by intervention measures. A few weeks later, drug cartels and gangs, a parallel told followers to prepare to exploit their urging Democrats across the party’s Putin played the role of international underworld of public health policy and enemies while they are overwhelmed by ideological spectrum to rally behind rescuer, dispatching a planeload of strategic messaging.It is hardly the first outbreaks. In Yemen, Houthi rebels have Biden and form a unified front to defeat medical supplies to New York’s John F. time such groups have attempted to fill the accused Saudi Arabia of airdropping masks President Donald Trump and win back Kennedy Airport. role of government. But few crises in infected with COVID-19. the White House. (Contd on page 21) (Contd on page 21) modern times have tested the limits of the (Contd on page 21) Home Business Auto NLIGHT INSURANCE Insurance (A Division of Nlight Financial LLC) (See Full Page Advt. on Page 16) Call : 917-612-3158 Saturday 18 April to 23 April 2020 COMMUNITY 2 ‘Stay where you are’: SC tells Indians stranded abroad “The numbers are many. Stay where you are. People in other countries cannot be brought back,” the SC bench said. there. How will you get them of stranded Indian workers from The Centre told the SC that in back” “The numbers are many. the Persian Gulf countries was this scenario, countries across Stay where you are. People in also adjourned by four weeks. the world are extending visas. The other countries cannot be EVACUATION FROM US, IRAN apex court asked the Centre to brought back,” the bench said. The SC bench decided to hear submit a status report regarding Advocate Madhurima Mridul has on April 20 the petitions stranded Indian students in the filed one of the PILs, while CM demanding the evacuation of US, and will hear the matter on Jayarajan filed the other. The SC Indian students from the United April 20. adjourned the hearing of both States (US) and Indian fishermen On a separate petition filed on these PILs by four weeks after stuck in Iran due to the Covid-19 behalf of Indian fishermen stuck the petitioners refused to pandemic. in Iran, the Solicitor General, withdraw them claiming the Senior advocate Vibha Dutta Tushar Mehta, sought a copy of government needs to put in place Makhija has filed the plea the plea, which will also be heard (News Agencies) The three- evacuation of students stuck in a mechanism to ensure the regarding stranded Indian on April 20. The petition claimed member Supreme Court (SC) the United Kingdom (UK) safety of stranded Indian students in the US. The petition that around 860 Indian fishermen, bench of Chief Justice of India because of the ongoing students in the UK. stated that the visas of most of mostly from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, (CJI) SA Bobde, and Justices LN lockdown to contain the spread The British authorities had issued these students would expire by and Gujarat, are stranded on the Rao and MM Shantanagouder, of the coronavirus disease (Covid- around 20,000 education visas to Tuesday (April 15) and they were shores of Bandar-e-Moqam and while hearing two separate public 19), observed on Monday that Indian students last year. liable to be declared aliens by the Lavan Island in Iran’s Hormozgan interest litigations (PILs) on the “there are 50,000 students stuck A similar plea for the evacuation US authorities. province. Bringing citizens back could pose risk to population here: Govt tells SC The Centre made the submission in response to a batch of petitions seeking return of Indian students stranded in the United States and the United Kingdom. (News Agencies) The Centre on students stranded in the United evacuate their citizens from India. Monday told the Supreme Court States and the United Kingdom. The Centre, in its status report that evacuation of Indian students In the U.K alone, there are close said that the country had and expatriates stuck abroad to 4 lakh Indian expatriates evacuated citizens from China, amid the lockdown to curb the including 50,000 students. Iran, Japan and Italy when the spread of the coronavirus disease Several petitions were filed in the condition in India was not as could pose a risk to India’s apex court seeking the court’s grim. domestic population. Echoing the intervention for evacuation of “However, given the present Centre’s concerns, the bench of Indian migrants stranded in the situation of the corona virus reasons,” the report by the Centre country of a population of over 1.3 Chief Justice SA Bobde and Middle East, Indian fishermen in outbreak in India and the said. billion.” justices LN Rao and MM Iran and students from the US available limited resources, it is The Centre’s status report said The bench also noted the Shantanagouder said, “Stay and the UK. not feasible to selectively that passengers from these logistical constraints in arranging where you are”. The petitioners criticized the evacuate Indian citizens from countries are at higher risk of quarantine facilities for all The Centre made the submission travel ban on return of citizens at abroad when a large number of infection. “Travel back of such returnees. It was for this reason, in response to a batch of a time when other countries were them from a number of countries passengers to different regions the Centre proposed to the Court, petitions seeking return of Indian making arrangements to get want to return back due to various of India poses a grave risk to the “The approach of the Government has, therefore, been to advise the Indian nationals to stay put where Covid-19: US allows H-1B visa extension, relief for stranded Indians they are in line with Government’s approach to contain the further The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a new notification has said it recognises that spread of the virus within India and there are immigration-related challenges as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic. allowing health machinery to focus on domestic containment (News Agencies) In a big relief for thousands action to protect the American people and effectively.” The government of stranded Indian professionals in America due our communities, and is considering a informed the court that the Indian to the coronavirus pandemic, the US number of policies and procedures to improve High Commission in London is government has decided to accept their H-1B the employment opportunities of US workers making all arrangements to visa applications for an extended stay in the during this pandemic,” it said. ensure the well-being and safety country. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa Generally, non-immigrants must depart the of stranded Indian students. The that allows US companies to employ foreign United States before their authorised period Centre’s status report did not workers in specialty occupations that require of admission expires, it said. Non-immigrants make specific averment about theoretical or technical expertise. The could apply for an extension of stay (EOS) extension of visas of Indian technology companies depend on it to hire tens or change of status (COS) permit.