Archives for June 2020

Tamil Nadu crossed 50,000 mark with 2,174 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, the state health department had said.

Tamil Nadu recorded the highest spike of 2,174 coronavirus cases on Wednesday

With 25,463 tests in the last 24 hours, the sample testing for COVID-19 has crossed 25,000 in Tamil Nadu for the first time on Wednesday, the state health department said.

“For the first time, the sample testing for COVID-19 has crossed 25,000 and it stands at 25,463 samples for the last 24 hour period,” state health department said.

The state has recorded the highest spike of 2,174 cases of COVID-19, breaching 50,000 mark on Wednesday. The death count stood at 576 after 48 deaths due to the fatal virus on Wednesday.

“Tamil Nadu crosses 50,000 mark with 2,174 new COVID-19 cases today, taking the total number of cases to 50,193. Death count rises to 576 after 48 deaths were reported today,” the state health department said.

With an increase of 10,974 new cases and 2,003 deaths in the last 24 hours, India’s COVID-19 count has reached 3,54,065 on Wednesday while the count due to the coronavirus stands at 11,903.This includes 1,55,227 active cases and 1,86,935 cured, discharged and migrated patients, according to the Union Health Ministry.

India-China: The opposition has been pressing PM Narendra Modi to “take the nation into confidence” and demanding a “firm response” to the incident

India-China: Rahul Gandhi criticised PM Narendra Modi over the Galwan valley clash

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi today criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deaths of Indian soldiers in a violent face-off with the Chinese army at Galwan valley in Ladakh. Mr Gandhi asked PM Modi to speak up and questioned what he called was the Prime Minister’s “silence” over the deadliest border incident between India and China in decades.

“Why is the PM silent? Why is he hiding? Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened. How dare China kill our soldiers? How dare they take our land?” Mr Gandhi tweeted

Why is the PM silent?
Why is he hiding?

Enough is enough. We need to know what has happened.

How dare China kill our soldiers?
How dare they take our land?

Mr Gandhi later posted a video giving his condolences to the Indian soldiers who died in the line of duty. He asked PM Modi to “come out” and “tell the truth”. “Two days ago India lost 20 soldiers, they have been snatched away from their families. China has grabbed our land and occupied our territory. Why are you silent Pradhan Mantri ji? Where are you hiding? You come out, the entire country is standing with you. We are all with you. Come out and tell the truth, don’t be scared,” Mr Gandhi said in the video

Twenty soldiers laid down their lives for India at Galwan valley on Monday night after a clash arose from “an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo” on the border, the government has said. Forty-three Chinese soldiers have been killed or seriously injured, news agency ANI reported, though the army’s statement did not refer to this.

The opposition has been pressing PM Modi to “take the nation into confidence” and demanding a “firm response” to the incident.

“Shocked to learn that 20 of our brave soldiers have been killed in Galwan valley of the western sector. As we salute their martyrdom, the PM must take the nation into confidence. The gravity of the situation calls for a firm & appropriate response,” Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma tweeted on Tuesday.

In a bid to puncture the opposition’s attack, BJP chief JP Nadda while addressing party workers in Kerala on Tuesday said the army has given a “befitting reply”. “I can assure you that under the leadership of PM Modi, India’s territorial integrity will not be compromised,”

The borders of India are & will remain intact under the prime-ministership of Shri @narendramodi. During the de-escalation process that was underway in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh, a violent face-off took place with Chinese Army. Indian Army has given a befitting reply.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and military chiefs twice as India discussed a response to the escalation on Tuesday.

India said the clash arose from “an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo” on the border. “India is very clear that all its activities are always within the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control. We expect the same of the Chinese side,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Anurag Shrivastava.

Beijing, in an aggressive statement, accused India of crossing the border, “attacking Chinese personnel”. China’s Foreign Ministry was quoted by Reuters as saying India should not take unilateral actions or stir up trouble.

The 12-scrip Nifty Bank index – which gauges stocks of 12 major lenders in the country – was flat with a negative bias in late morning deals.

Banking shares were largely flat on Wednesday, ahead of the Supreme Court’s ruling on whether interest should be waived on loan repayments deferred due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. The National Stock Exchange’s Nifty Bank index – which gauges stocks of 12 major lenders in the country – traded listless with a negative bias in late morning deals. The Nifty Private Bank index – comprising of shares of private sector lenders – was little changed while the Nifty PSU Bank index was down 0.4 per cent.

Last week, the Supreme Court had asked Finance Ministry and Reserve Bank of India to hold a meeting to decide on a waiver of interest on deferred payments of instalments for loans during the moratorium period, which was announced in wake of the lockdown that began on March 25.

In the 12-scrip Nifty Bank index, half of the stocks moved higher, while the others moved with a negative bias.

Bandhan Bank, HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Punjab National Bank, Federal Bank and State Bank of India were among the losers. On the other hand, Axis Bank, IDFC First Bank, Bank of Baroda, IndusInd Bank and ICICI Bank were among the gainers.

“If interest payment has been deferred for three months, banks should not add that amount to the payable money and charge interest on interest,” the Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MR Shah, had said last Friday. The top court had also said that the question is not of waiver of complete interest for entire moratorium period but is limited only to interest charged on interest by banks.

On June 4, the top court had sought the Finance Ministry’s reply on waiver of interest on loans during the moratorium period after the RBI said it would not be prudent to go for a “forced waiver of interest” risking financial viability of the banks

On May 26, the top court had asked the Centre and the RBI to respond to the plea challenging levy of interest on loans during the moratorium period.

The RBI in its reply told the top court that it is taking all possible measures to provide relief with regard to debt repayments on account of the fallout of COVID-19 but it does not consider it prudent to go for a “forced waiver of interest, risking the financial viability of the banks it is mandated to regulate, and putting the interests of the depositors in jeopardy”.

India has blamed the clashes on “an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo there”, rebutting China’s claims that Indian soldiers crossed the border.

Indian and Chinese troops clashed at Galwan Valley in Ladakh

Four Indian soldiers are in critical condition after the violent face-off with Chinese troops at eastern Ladakh on Monday evening. The Army confirmed yesterday that 20 soldiers were killed in the fight at Galwan Valley in Ladakh. 43 Chinese soldiers have been killed or seriously injured who based the information on intercepts.

An army statement on Tuesday morning confirmed the death of a Colonel and two jawans and spoke of “casualties on both sides”. In another statement last evening, the army added that 17 more critically injured were “exposed to sub-zero temperatures… (and) succumbed to their injuries”.

The army statement opened by saying Indian and Chinese troops “have disengaged” at the Galwan area where they earlier clashed on the night of June 15/16.

Agence France Presse quoted an Indian army source as saying the incident involved no shooting but “violent hand-to-hand scuffles”. The soldiers threw punches and stones at each other and the Chinese troops allegedly used rods and nail-studded clubs during the fight that lasted for hours until midnight on Monday, according to reports.

China’s defence ministry confirmed the incident had resulted in casualties but did not give details.

India blamed the clashes on “an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo there”, rebutting China’s claims that Indian soldiers crossed the border.

“India is very clear that all its activities are always within the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control. We expect the same of the Chinese side,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Anurag Shrivastava.

Since early May, hundreds of soldiers have been ranged against each other at three locations.

The two sides had been discussing ways to de-escalate but Monday’s clashes erupted when Chinese troops turned on a group of Indian soldiers that included an officer.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said there had been a serious violation of a consensus reached by the two countries. Indian soldiers “twice crossed the border line and provoked and attacked the Chinese forces, causing a violent physical confrontation between the two border forces,” Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing.Promoted

Military experts say one reason for the face-off is that India has been building roads and airfields to improve connectivity and narrow the gap with China’s infrastructure. At Galwan, India completed a road leading to an airfield last October. To China’s objections, India said it was operating on its side of the Line of Actual Control.

India and China fought a brief but bloody border war in 1962 and there have been skirmishes after that, but no loss of life since 1975.

Maharashtra, the country’s biggest coronavirus hotspot, is about to touch the 1 lakh-mark with 97,648 cases.

India reported 10,956 new cases of the novel coronavirus in 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 297,535. This is the first time that the number of cases crossed the 10,000-mark in India.

396 people have also died of the infectious disease in the past 24 hours, data from the Union Health Ministry showed this morning. The total number of COVID-19-related deaths now stand at 8,498. The recovery rate or the chances of people getting better is 49.47per cent.

The coronavirus numbers have been increasing exponentially since the May 24, when India entered the list of top 10. It has just 18 days to reach the fourth slot. India is now only behind Russia, Brazil and the US. Russia currently has 4.93 lakh cases and Brazil 7.72 lakh. The US has the maximum number — more than 20 lakh.

Over the last weeks, the virus has been increasing exponentially, logging more than 9000 cases. The last 24 hours’ increase, 9,996, was the highest ever.

The coronavirus lockdown will not be extended in Delhi, the city government said, rubbishing speculation after a spurt in virus cases over the past few days.

“No, the lockdown will not be extended,” Delhi Health Minister Satyendar on the possibility of the capital returning to a state of total lockdown to check the spiraling COVID-19 cases.

Maharashtra, the country’s biggest coronavirus hotspot, is about to touch the 1 lakh-mark with 97,648 cases. It is followed by Tamil Nadu and Delhi. The national capital has a total of 34,687 cases.

“A video has surfaced showing police and municipal workers carrying the body of a man in a garbage van. This might happened due to the fear of COVID-19,” a senior cop said.

An investigation is underway and action will be taken, a senior police officer said

An investigation has been ordered in an incident in which a body of a likely coronavirus patient was carried in a garbage van of the municipal corporation in Utraula.

“A video has surfaced showing police and municipal workers carrying the body of a man in a garbage van. This might happened due to the fear of COVID-19, but even so, they should have worn PPE kits. An investigation is underway and action will be taken,” Balrampur SP Dev Ranjan Verma told media persons.

“It was a careless and insensitive action on part of the policemen and municipal corporation workers present there. The dead body was carried in a garbage van. Even if the man was infected, then those handing the body should have worn PPE kit. Myself and district magistrate Balrampur saw the entire video,” the SP added.

The incident took place near Tehsil gate in Utraula, Balrampur district. The dead has been identified as Anwar.

The district administration and police have suspended four municipal corporation workers and three policemen in the incident. 

The minister, who hails from the Marathwada region, had attended the cabinet meeting held at the state secretariat in Mumbai earlier this week, the sources said.

MUMBAI: A Maharashtra cabinet minister, who belongs to the NCP, has tested positive for COVID-19, sources said on Friday.

The minister, who hails from the Marathwada region, had attended the cabinet meeting held at the state secretariat here earlier this week, the sources said.

He is the third cabinet member in Maharashtra to test positive for the viral infection.

“It came to light on late Thursday night that the minister has tested positive for the disease.

He has been quarantined in Mumbai,” the sources said.

Apart from the minister, a few members of his personal staff, too, have tested positive for the disease and are being isolated, they said.

Earlier, two cabinet ministers, Ashok Chavan (Congress) and Jitendra Awhad (NCP), had tested positive for the disease and recovered later.