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Don’t want people’s livelihood to be affected, Covid curbs to be eased as soon as possible: Kejriwal

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New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that his government does not want livelihood of people to be affected and Covid restrictions will be eased as soon as possible.

Restrictions were put in place in view of people’s health, Kejriwal said after hoisting the national flag at the Delhi government’s Republic Day function.

“Delhiites have suffered the most due to Covid. We don’t want that your livelihood is affected but your health is important, so we had to put restrictions,” he said.

Recently, the Delhi government’s proposal to lift weekend curfew and odd-even scheme of opening shops in view of the improving Covid situation here was turned down by the Lieutenant Governor (L-G).

“Last week some traders had come and they said they are facing lots of problems due to the odd-even scheme and weekend curfew. The L-G agreed to some proposals and on some, he differed. We will remove these restrictions as soon as possible,” Kejriwal said.

During his speech at the function, the chief minister said he is most inspired by Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh who charted different courses for the same dreams and goals.

Kejriwal pledged to fulfil Ambedkar’s dream of quality education for all children, rich or poor.

He also announced that in every office of the Delhi government pictures of Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh will be put up. 

US orders 8,500 troops on heightened alert amid Russia worry

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Washington (AP): The Pentagon ordered 8,500 troops on higher alert to potentially deploy to Europe as part of a NATO response force amid growing concern that Russia could soon make a military move on Ukraine.

President Joe Biden consulted with key European leaders, underscoring US solidarity with allies there.

Putting the US-based troops on heightened alert for Europe on Monday suggested diminishing hope that Russian President Vladimir Putin will back away from what Biden himself has said looks like a threat to invade neighboring Ukraine.

At stake, beyond the future of Ukraine, is the credibility of a NATO alliance that is central to US defence strategy but that Putin views as a Cold War relic and a threat to Russian security. For Biden, the crisis represents a major test of his ability to forge a united allied stance against Putin.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said about 8,500 US-based troops are being put on alert for possible deployment not to Ukraine but to NATO territory in Eastern Europe as part of an alliance force meant to signal a unified commitment to deter any wider Putin aggression.

Russia denies it is planning an invasion. It says Western accusations are merely a cover for NATO’s own planned provocations.

Recent days have seen high-stakes diplomacy that has failed to reach any breakthrough, and key players in the drama are making moves that suggest fear of imminent war.

Biden has sought to strike a balance between actions meant to deter Putin and those that might provide the Russian leader with an opening to use the huge force he has assembled at Ukraine’s border.

Biden held an 80-minute video call with several European leaders on the Russian military buildup and potential responses to an invasion.

I had a very, very, very good meeting — total unanimity with all the European leaders,” Biden told reporters at the White House. “We’ll talk about it later.

The White House said the leaders emphasized their desire for a diplomatic solution to the crisis but also discussed efforts to deter further Russian aggression, including preparations to impose massive consequences and severe economic costs on Russia for such actions as well as to reinforce security on NATO’s eastern flank.

A day earlier, the State Department had ordered the families of all American personnel at the US Embassy in Kyiv to leave the country, and it said that nonessential embassy staff could leave at US government expense.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Oleg Nikolenko, said that US decision was a premature step and a sign of excessive caution. He said Russia was sowing panic among Ukrainians and foreigners in order to destabilize Ukraine.

Britain said it, too, was withdrawing some diplomats and dependents from its Kyiv Embassy. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said an invasion was not inevitable but the intelligence is pretty gloomy.

Ordering even a modest number of American troops to be ready for potential deployment to Europe is meant to demonstrate US resolve to support its NATO allies, particularly those in Eastern Europe who feel threatened by Russia and worry that Putin could put them in his crosshairs.

What this is about is reassurance to our NATO allies, Kirby told a Pentagon news conference, adding that no troops are intended for deployment to Ukraine, which is not a member of the alliance but has been assured by Washington of continued US political support and arms supplies.

The Pentagon’s move, which was done at Biden’s direction and on Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s recommendation, is being made in tandem with actions by other NATO member governments to bolster a defensive presence in Eastern European nations.

Denmark, for example, is sending a frigate and F-16 warplanes to Lithuania; Spain is sending four fighter jets to Bulgaria and three ships to the Black Sea to join NATO naval forces, and France stands ready to send troops to Romania.

In a statement prior to Kirby’s announcement, NATO said the Netherlands plans to send two F-35 fighter aircraft to Bulgaria in April and is putting a ship and land-based units on standby for NATO’s Response Force.

NATO has not made a decision to activate the Response Force, which consists of about 40,000 troops from multiple nations.

That force was enhanced in 2014 the year Russia seized Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula and intervened in support of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine by creating a spearhead force of about 20,000 troops on extra-high alert within the larger Response Force.

If NATO does decide to activate the Response Force, the United States will contribute a range of military units, Kirby said.

It is a NATO call to make, Kirby said. For our part, we wanted to make sure that we were ready in case that call should come. And that means making sure that units that would contribute to it are as ready as they can be on as short a notice as possible.

He said some units will be ordered to be ready to deploy on as little as five days’ notice. Among the 8,500 troops, an unspecified number could be sent to Europe for purposes other than supporting the NATO Response Force, he said. Without providing details, he said they might be deployed if other situations develop.

Prior to the US announcement, NATO issued a statement summing up moves already described by member countries. Restating them under the NATO banner appeared aimed at showing resolve. The West is ramping up its rhetoric in the information war that has accompanied the Ukraine standoff.

Russia has massed an estimated 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s border, demanding that NATO promise it will never allow Ukraine to join and that other actions, such as stationing alliance troops in former Soviet bloc countries, be curtailed.

NATO said Monday it is bolstering its deterrence in the Baltic Sea region. The alliance will take all necessary measures to protect and defend all allies, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

“We will always respond to any deterioration of our security environment, including through strengthening our collective defense.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was NATO and the US who were behind the escalating tensions, not Russia.

All this is happening not because of what we, Russia, are doing. This is happening because of what NATO, the US are doing, Peskov told reporters.

The NATO announcement came as European Union foreign ministers sought to put on their own fresh display of unity in support of Ukraine, and paper over concerns about divisions on the best way to confront any Russian aggression.

In a statement, the ministers said the EU has stepped up sanction preparations, and they warned that any further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine will have massive consequences and severe costs.

India logs 2,55,874 fresh COVID-19 cases

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New Delhi: After being over three lakh for five consecutive days, the single day rise in COVID-19 infections was recorded at 2,55,874, taking India’s total tally of cases to 3,97,99,202, according to Union health ministry data updated on Tuesday.

The death toll has climbed to 4,90,462 with 614 daily fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The ministry said that active cases have decreased to 22,36,842 and comprise 5.62 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has decreased to 93.15 per cent.

A reduction of 12,493 cases has been recorded in active cases in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 15.52 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was 17.17 per cent, according to the health ministry.

The number of people who have recovered from the disease increased to 3,70,71, 898, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.23 per cent, it said.

The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country so far is over 162.92 crore.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed 20 lakh on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19, 2020.

India crossed two crore cases on May 4 and three crore cases on June 23 last year. The 614 new fatalities include 171 from Kerala, 46 from Tamil Nadu and 45 from Punjab, the data stated.

A total of 4,90,462 deaths have been reported so far in the country, including 1,42,151 from Maharashtra, 51,987 from Kerala, 38,614 from Karnataka, 37,264 from Tamil Nadu, 25,650 from Delhi, 23,073 from Uttar Pradesh and 20,375 from West Bengal.

The health ministry said that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities.

“Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation. 

Seven, including MLA’s son, killed as car falls off bridge in Maharashtra

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Nagpur: Seven persons, including some medical students and the son of an MLA, were killed in Wardha district of Maharashtra when the car they were travelling in fell off a bridge in the wee hours of Tuesday, police said.

The incident occurred around 1:30 AM near Selsura village in the district in east Maharashtra, an official said.

Prima facie, the driver of the car lost control of the vehicle which fell off a bridge, killing seven passengers on the spot.

As per the preliminary information, the deceased included some MBBS students and the son of Tirora BJP MLA Vijay Rahangdale.

More details are awaited.

Man held with Rs 1.48 crore cash, jewellery at Mangaluru junction railway station

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Mangaluru: Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel attached to the Mangaluru junction railway station on Sunday detained a man travelling with Rs 1.48 crore in cash and 800 gm of gold ornaments without any valid records on the Mumbai LTT-Ernakulam Duronto express.

The RPF later handed over the man, identified as Mahendra Singh Rao (33), a native of Udaipur in Rajasthan, to the railway police at Mangaluru central, a release from the RPF said here.

The railway police recorded his arrest charging cases under the provisions of the code of criminal procedure and the Karnataka Police Act.

The man was held during a preventive check on the Duronto express by the RPF personnel. They examined the luggage of the man who was travelling on S4 coach and found the currency bundles wrapped in old newspapers.

The man told the personnel that he was working for Shubh Gold owned by Praveen Singh at Kozhikode in Kerala. A person known to his owner had handed him six packs of currency notes and three packets of jewellery at Mumbai to be given to the owner, he said.

The seized currency notes in Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 denomination accounted for Rs 1,48,58,000, while the gold ornaments weighed around 800 gm worth Rs 40 lakh, the release said.

BJP party MLAs, Ministers in touch with Congress leaders, claims Basanagouda Patil Yatnal

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Bengaluru: Pushing for a cabinet rejig soon, senior Karnataka BJP legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on Monday claimed that some MLAs and Ministers, especially those who joined the saffron party from other parties, are in touch with the Congress leadership, and will jump ship, once the 2023 assembly poll schedule is announced.

Meanwhile, giving credence to these claims, Congress leaders D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah said, several leaders from the BJP and JD(S) were in touch with them and that they would not divulge details.

“….several people have booked tickets to go to D K Shivakumar’s house, Siddaramaiah’s house, if you continue with them (as Ministers), where will the BJP survive? For BJP to survive, cabinet reshuffle has to take place at the earliest, good and effective people should be inducted,” Yatnal said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said the government has to function effectively to give a befitting reply to the Congress in the days to come.

“(BJP) Central leadership is aware as to which MLA will quit and who will remain, Prime Minister is also aware and they will take a suitable decision….I’m not saying all those who have joined BJP from other parties are not loyal, but few are there, once the election commission announces dates for polls, by the same afternoon they will resign from BJP and as Ministers and walk out,” he added.

Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah and state Congress President D K Shivakumar, not willing to divulge details, too claimed that several leaders from BJP and JD(S) were in touch with them.

“It is true that they are in contact with us, but I won’t reveal names….it is true that people from both BJP and JD(S) are in touch….how many, who all, won’t reveal,” Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.

Stating that in politics such things cannot be discussed openly, Shivakumar reacting to Yatnal’s claims said “they (BJP) leaders know what is happening within their party. Neither me, nor Siddaramaiah will be able to disclose the names of those who are talking to us…..ask Ministers who are talking to us, instead of me, why should we disclose. This is politics, it is our duty to maintain secrecy.”

Of late several BJP legislators have even been advocating Gujarat-like overhaul of the Karnataka Cabinet soon, to make way for new faces, and have noted that if it is done in March, it will be too late for ministers to make any mark, even in their own constituencies. These developments have come amid talks in party circles that the expansion or reshuffle of the cabinet is likely, only after the Assembly elections in five states.

With pressure mounting on him to expand or rejig his cabinet, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai today indicated that he is waiting for the BJP leadership’s consent on going ahead with the exercise, and was also trying to bring it to their notice.

Yatnal, who on Thursday had held a closed-door discussion with another senior legislator M P Renukacharya, today held a similar meeting with party MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi and Mahesh Kumathalli.

He however called it a casual meeting for lunch at Jarkiholi’s place and not intended at putting any pressure on the party to be inducted into the Ministry.

Union govt insulted Narayana Guru: Congress MLC B K Hariprasad

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Union govt insulted Narayana Guru: Congress MLC B K Hariprasad

Mangaluru: Stepping up the attack on the Union government’s act of rejecting the Sree Narayana Guru tableau proposed by Kerala government for the Republic day parade, Congress MLC B K Hariprasad on Monday said BJP is insulting’ the Guru for getting wiped out in the last assembly elections in Kerala.

Addressing reporters here, he said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel should clarify the exact reason behind the tableau’s rejection.

Hariprasad said Sree Narayana Guru has been insulted by the Centre. In order to portray Narendra Modi as Vishwa Guru, the BJP has always been insulting social reformers, writers, poets and freedom fighters, he alleged.

He said BJP is not ready to accept the Guru’s philosophy of one caste, one religion and one God.

Congress leaders including U T Khader MLA, former MLC Ivan D’Souza and district Congress president Harish Kumar were among those present.

Air India likely to be handed over to Tata group by weekend

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New Delhi: Air India is likely to be handed over to the Tata group by the end of this week, senior government officials said on Monday.

After a competitive bidding process, the government had on October 8 last year sold Air India to Talace Private Limited — a subsidiary of the Tata group’s holding company — for Rs 18,000 crore.

Following that, on October 11, a Letter of Intent (LoI) was issued to the Tata group confirming the government’s willingness to sell its 100 percent stake in the airline. On October 25, the Centre signed the share purchase agreement (SPA) for this deal.

Officials said on Monday that the remaining formalities regarding this deal are expected to be completed in the next few days and the airline will be handed over to the Tata group by the end of this week.

As a part of the deal, the Tata group will also be handed over Air India Express and a 50 percent stake in ground handling arm Air India SATS.

Tatas had on October 8 beat the Rs 15,100-crore offer by a consortium led by SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh and the reserve price of Rs 12,906 crore set by the government for the sale of its 100 percent stake in the loss-making carrier.

While this will be the first privatisation since 2003-04, Air India will be the third airline brand in the Tatas’ stable it holds a majority interest in AirAsia India and Vistara, a joint venture with Singapore Airlines Ltd.

PM Modi unveils hologram statue of Netaji on his 125th birth anniversary today

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NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate here on Sunday at around 6:30 pm and said that he is glad to see immense enthusiasm towards the ceremony.

Till the work on the statue is completed, a hologram statue of Netaji will be present at the same place, as per an official statement issued by PMO.

During the ceremony, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “This is not just a granite statue but a befitting tribute to the legendary Netaji, who gave everything for India’s freedom.”

The statue, made of granite, shall be a fitting tribute to the immense contribution of Netaji to our freedom struggle and would be a symbol of the country’s indebtedness to him.

The hologram statue will be powered by a 30,000 lumens 4K projector. An invisible, high gain, 90 per cent transparent holographic screen has been erected in such a way that it is not visible to visitors.

“The 3D image of Netaji will be projected on it to create the effect of a hologram. The size of the hologram statue is 28 feet in height and 6 feet in width,” the PMO said.

During the programme, the Prime Minister also conferred the Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskars for the years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. A total of seven awards will be presented during the ceremony, it added.

Union government has instituted the annual Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar to recognise and honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organisations in India in the field of disaster management.

The award is announced every year on January 23. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 51 lakh and a certificate in case of an institution and Rs 5 lakh and a certificate in case of an individual, the statement read further.

It has been the constant endeavour of the Prime Minister to honour the freedom fighters in a befitting manner and the special focus of these efforts has been on the legendary freedom fighter and visionary leader, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Several steps have been taken in this regard, including the announcement that his birth anniversary will be celebrated as Parakram Diwas every year. In this spirit, Republic Day celebrations will begin a day early, from January 23. 

Retired Karnataka High Court judge KL Manjunath no more

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BENGALURU: Retired Karnataka High Court judge Justice K L Manjunath passed away in the wee hours of Saturday due to a massive cardiac arrest at the age of 68, family sources said. Justice Manjunath, who was also the chairman of Karnataka River Water and Border Disputes Authority (KRWBDA), is survived by his wife and two children.

In separate tweets, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his son, former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, also condoled the death as a great loss to the State. Kumaraswamy said that Justice Manjunath had great concern regarding the State and language, adding that he was appointed chairman of KRWBDA, when he was chief minister. He discharged his duty responsibly and effectively, he observed.

Sitting judges of the high court, Justices B Veerappa and H P Sandesh were among others who paid their last respects, said A P Ranganath, former president of Advocates’ Association of Bengaluru, who took part in the funeral.

Born on April 21, 1953, Justice Manjunath enrolled as an advocate in 1974 and practised in the Karnataka HC. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Karnataka HC in December 2000 and a permanent judge in October 2001. After retiring in 2015, he was appointed chairman of KRWBDA. In the afternoon, the mortal remains were laid to rest at his farm near Nelamangala on the city’s outskirts.

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