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Shiv Sena focuses on BJP stronghold in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha to improve tally in State Assembly

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MUMBAI: Shiv Sena has decided to focus on BJP’s stronghold Vidarbha region elects 65 MLAs out of total of 288 members of the Maharashtra state assembly.

Sanjay Raut said that Nagpur is Hindutva land so naturally Shiv Sena has decided to focus on it. “Once Shiv Sena had got great tractions in Vidarbha belt, we want to refocus on this region to increase our MLA tally in next State assembly elections. Shiv Sena is strong in Mumbai, Thane and another urban belt. Now, the Vidarbha region is our next main target to expand the party base by inducting more and more workers and leaders. Nagpur is the winter capital of Maharashtra. Environment minister Aaditya Thackeray will also come on the Vidarbha tour soon. We are devising a big strategy to increase our assembly tally,” Raut said.

Interestingly, the Congress party has also decided to focus on the Vidarbha region. Once it was a stronghold of the Congress, the Congress used to get maximum MLAs from this region only. But in recent times, BJP cultivated this Congress stronghold into BJP’s stronghold under the strong leadership of union minister Nitin Gadkari and former chief minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis.

In the recent local body elections, Congress emerged as the single largest party in the Vidarbha region by winning as many as Taluka panchayat and local bodies. It was a big setback for BJP and its leadership. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole who comes from the Vidarbha region is also focusing here to turn Congress into the main force in Maharashtra politics.

Political observer says that Shiv Sena may not win many seats in Vidarbha, but they will surely damage the prospect of the BJP by dividing Hindutva votes. “Vidarbha region helped the BJP to reach power in Maharashtra by winning the highest numbers of MLAs. If Shiv Sena happens to damage the prospect of the BJP, then it will be a big setback to BJP’s prospects in the coming elections. And, it will indirectly benefit the Congress that is a strong emerging force here,” the political observer added.

Kejriwal promises clean government if chosen to power in Karnataka

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BENGALURU: After Delhi and Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has cast its eye on Karnataka, ahead of the 2023 assembly polls, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealing to the people to vote for the party promising zero-corruption governance.

Speaking at the farmers’ rally organised by the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) faction headed by Kodihalli Chandrashekar at National College Grounds here on Thursday, Kejriwal trained his guns on the BJP, terming it a “rioters’ party”. 

“The entire country knows which party is behind the riots happening across the country. If there is any party for ‘goondas’, it is BJP,” he stated. He alleged that the BJP leadership is supporting rapists and killers of farmers, pointing to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident where four farmers were mowed down by Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni’s son Ashish Mishra. 

I can give better schools, free healthcare: Kejriwal

“Instead of punishing them, the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership is not only protected them but also rewarded the father with a ministerial berth. A leader accused in a minor girl’s rape incident was taken out in a ‘shobha yatra’,” he said. Kejriwal maintained that though he did not know how to do politics, he knew how to construct better schools, give free healthcare, power, water and free rides for women in government buses in Delhi. “It is possible because we are honest to the core (kattar imandari). Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to acknowledge it as raids by CBI, Delhi Police and IT department on myself, my cabinet ministers and MLAs proved futile,” he remarked. 

Impressed by the huge gathering, he gave a call to farmers of the country to join AAP to bring about a change in their lives, and also the country. “The BJP was egoistic so it did not repeal the anti-farmer laws until the farmers came on to the streets of the national capital,” Kejriwal said, drawing a parallel to Ravana’s ego in the epic Ramayana, when he did not heed the advice of his well-wishers and wife. 

He listed out his government’s achievements in Delhi, especially modern schools which attracted 4 lakh children from private schools, and termed it “magic”. After former IPS officer Bhaskar Rao joined AAP a few weeks ago, Kodihalli Chandrashekar jumped on board and KRRS too has turned to the party, giving it a breakthrough in Karnataka.

Karnataka: Hubballi police arrest another student for derogatory poster

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HUBBALLI: Hubballi police on Thursday night arrested another youth in connection with circulating a controversial video, which led to violence at the Old Hubballi police station.

During the investigation the police learnt that Abhishek Hiremath had not created the controversial video, he received from others and posted it. Five days after the arrest of Hiremath, the police on Thursday night nabbed another person.

Gopal Byakod, deputy commissioner of police (traffic and crime) said they have arrested Veerabhadra Patil of Anand Nagar, who animated a controversial video and shared it among others. Hiremath was one among that group and he downloaded the video and shared it on social media.

Police sources said they have continued investigation and searching for the miscreants who create such controversial videos and cause disturbance to social harmony.

After the arrest of Hiremath, he has been sent to judicial custody. As he is a second PUC student, the Hubballi court permitted him to write exams with police security.

Meanwhile, lawyers of Hiremath filed a bail plea with the court and a hearing was held on Thursday. The court will give a judgement on the bail plea today. Sajeev Badaskar, lawyer of Hiremath expressed confidence in getting bail.

Second PUC exam begins across Karnataka, 2 hijab petitioners turned back from Udupi centre

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BENGALURU: Over 6.8 lakh second PU students across the State were seen excited to take regular exams in the post-pandemic situation, which began at 5241 centers on Friday. 

At the last hour, one of the hijab petitioners, Aliya Assadi from Government PU College for Women in Udupi collected her hall ticket and arrived at Vidyodaya PU College in Udupi to write the exam. Another hijab petitioner, Reshab, also from the same college, appeared to write the exam at the same centre. Both of them insisted that they will write the exam with their hijab. They were sent back from the exam centre by the exam-in-charge after waiting till 10.45 am. Hijab petitioners refused to speak to the media.

Meanwhile, teachers at Government girls junior college at Chitradurga were seen welcoming their students with roses and sweets. Mamatha a parent expressed that having regular exams is important for students to assess their knowledge level in the subject. And students too will have that satisfaction of being rewarded for their real efforts, she said. Monisha a student shared that it is time that their two years of hard work are paid, so she is happy to take up exams, she said.

Students at National College in Basavanagudi in Bengaluru who arrived for the exam were seen being thoroughly screened before they entered the exam centre.

Two Covid-19 sub-variants found in Bengaluru

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BENGALURU: Two new SARS-CoV-2 mutants, BA.2.10 and BA.2.12, related to the Omicron sub-variant BA.2, have been found in Bengaluru, by INSACOG attached labs. However, sources, requesting anonymity, claimed that the data is too meagre to know the transmissibility features of these sublineages of BA.2. 

“As per GISAID data, we have found BA.2.10 and BA.2.12, both sublineages of BA.2, in a few samples from Bengaluru. However, we need more samples and data to know more on this mutation. It is an alias of B.1.1.529.2.10, lineage from pango designation issue #496,” explained a scientist attached to the lab, seeking anonymity.

Bengaluru Urban has, in the past seven days, reported 300 cases, and the district has 1,428 active cases, according to data shared by the health department on Thursday. Special Commissioner BBMP (Health) Dr K V Thrilok Chandra, after a recent Covid review meeting, said he has no knowledge of any new mutation but has taken measures to ramp up surveillance in the city, to ensure they don’t miss any new variant. 

No need to panic: Expert

Dr Chandra said they have decided to conduct sewage surveillance in all 198 wards of the city. According to him, a high number of Covid-19 cases is coming from Mahadevapura and East Zone of the city, and sewage surveillance data has also corroborated this. However, in all these samples, the Omicron BA.2 variant is dominant, he explained.

The health department may soon increase Covid-19 testing numbers. Randeep D, Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare, told “We are being vigilant and will increase testing soon. As of now, though Karnataka still has a Test Positivity Rate of below 1 per cent, Bengaluru on some days reached 1 per cent, but that has not been consistent too.”

Stressing the need for an increase in testing samples, Dr Manjunath CN, nodal officer for testing and member of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) said, “This Covid-19 virus seems to have a great memory. In the last three waves, we have seen a rise in cases first in Delhi, then Maharashtra, Kerala and four to six weeks later, Karnataka. The same pattern is being seen now too. This will also be a rapid rise-rapid fall kind of wave. We have to increase testing by at least 10-15 per cent, and tests should be done on all admitted patients, irrespective of medical issue.”

Meanwhile, in Delhi, INSACOG scientists admitted to have found the BA2.12.1 mutant, again a Omicron sublineage of BA.2, which is probably the reason for the current surge. Dr Angelique Coetzee, Chairperson, South African Medical Association, told TNIE, “We have also found the BA2.10 sub-lineage in South Africa, but there is nothing to worry about. The clinical picture is more or less the same as Omicron. There is no need to panic.”

Need to address challenges relating to conflict for achieving shared prosperity: Sitharaman

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WASHINGTON: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said it was necessary to address the challenges of conflict and violence to achieve the twin role of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity.

“Union Finance Minister Smt.@nsitharaman attended Ministerial Dinner for Development Committee members in Washington D.C., today,” the Finance Ministry said in a tweet.

when up to two-thirds of the world’s extreme poor will live in #FCV countries by 2030,” the ministry said in another tweet.

The Finance Minister is in the US to attend IMF-WB Spring Meetings 2022. She stressed that livelihood support, education, health, and women, youth and children should always be prioritised while engaging with fragile and conflict-affected situations in FCS countries.

The Finance Minister’s remarks came as the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine enters the 58th day. The war has resulted in the rise in energy prices and foodgrain shortages in many parts of the world. The conflict is expected to impact global growth.

Active COVID-19 cases in country rise to 14,241

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NEW DELHI: With 2,451 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, India’s total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 4,30,52,425, while the active cases increased to 14,241, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

The death toll climbed to 5,22,116 with 54 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated. The active cases comprise 0.03 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded as 98.75 per cent, the ministry said. An increase of 808 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark 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.

The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year.

Terrorism biggest form of human rights violation: Amit Shah

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NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said terrorism is the biggest form of human rights violation, and it is absolutely necessary to root out the menace to protect people’s rights.

Addressing the 13th foundation day of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) here, Shah said the cases registered against terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir have helped to a great extent in curbing terrorism in the union territory.

“I believe there can’t be more human rights violation than terrorism. Terrorism is the biggest form of human rights violation. It is absolutely necessary to root out terrorism to protect human rights,” he said.

The home minister said the Narendra Modi government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and was working to root out the menace from India.

Because of the terror funding cases of Jammu and Kashmir registered by the NIA, it has become very difficult now to provide funds for terror acts there, Shah said.

The home minister also complimented the NIA for taking tough action against overground workers of terror outfits in Jammu and Kashmir and chocking the logistical and supply chains of terrorism there.

BJP worker shot dead in east Delhi’s Ghazipur

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New Delhi: A 42-year-old BJP member was shot dead on Wednesday in east Delhi’s Ghazipur area, police said.

The deceased, identified as Jeetu Choudhary, was the secretary of BJP’s Mayur Vihar district unit, they said.

According to police, the incident took place around 8.15 pm.

The beat staff of Ghazipur Police Station during patrolling noticed a gathering near Mayur Vihar area. When he reached there, a man was found lying on the road in front of his house with gunshot wound.

He was shifted to a nearby hospital by the people where he was declared brought dead, police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Priyanka Kashyap said that a case under appropriate sections has been registered and police is searching for the killers.

A Crime team inspected the scene of the crime and found a few empty cartridges and other important evidence, she said.

Police is scanning the CCTV footages and has asked eyewitnesses to come forward to help it figure out the sequence of events, she added.

We are on road to hell: P Chidambaram on Jahangirpuri demolition

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New Delhi: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday attacked the BJP over bulldozers razing several structures in violence-hit Jahangirpuri during an anti-encroachment drive, saying “we see the rule of law break down everyday” and soon there will be “no law and no rules”.

Several concrete and temporary structures close to a mosque were brought down on Wednesday morning as part of an anti-encroachment drive by the BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), days after the northwest Delhi neighbourhood was rocked by communal violence.

The Supreme Court had to intervene twice to stop the drive after it took cognizance of a petition filed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind against the demolition.

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram said, “We see the Rule of Law break down every day.Soon there will be no law and no rules.”

“Once arbitrary ‘Orders’ override ‘Law’, we are on the road to hell. The Bulldozer represents the arbitrary ‘Order’. The Supreme Court represents ‘Law’. Yesterday, we saw the Bulldozer defy the Law. Let’s see what happens today,” the former home minister said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also attacked the government on Wednesday over the use of bulldozers in violence-hit areas and alleged that this is a demolition of India’s constitutional values and targeted against the poor and minorities.

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