*CORONAVIRUS - LOCKDOWN : INDIA*

Lockdown 2.0: Unemployment rate hits 26% in India, 14 crore lose jobs, says CMIE

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/lockdown-20-unemployment-rate-hits-26-in-india-14-crore-lose-jobs-says-cmie

Amid coronavirus lockdown, unemployment rate has risen to 26.2 % in India in the third week of April, a report said. Mahesh Vyas, MD and CEO for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), said, “extended lockdown is only expected to further hit the labour market conditions.”"The employment rate has fallen from 40 % in February to 26 % now. This is a steep fall of 14 percentage points. This implies that 14 % of the working age population has lost employment. The working age population is of the order of a billion," Vyas wrote in an article on CMIE website.It’s estimated that about 14 crore people have lost employment in the lockdown period, Vyas said.Similarly, the rate of labour participation has plunged to 35.4 % from 35.5 %. The employment rate has now dipped to 26.1 % as against 27% in earlier week, he added.“The labour markets are under equal stress both in rural and urban areas. The rate of unemployment in rural India stands higher at 26.7 % as against urban 25.1 %.” "During the last week of March and in the first 2 weeks of April, the unemployment rate hovered around 23-24 %. In the first week, it was 23.8 %; in the second week it dropped a bit to 23.4 % but in the third week it bounced back to 24 %. The variations were minor and collectively they confirmed that the unemployment rate had indeed risen to around 24 % following the lockdown," Vyas said.According to Vyas, volatility of the unemployment rate in urban India is also surprising. The unemployment rate in urban India surged to 30 and 31 %, respectively in the first and second weeks of the lockdown."Then, in the following two weeks it fell rather sharply to 23 and 25 %. This is a rather sharp fall in the unemployment rate in urban India although it remains quite elevated.”nationalheraldindia

 

Sonia Gandhi says instead of tackling COVID-19, BJP spreading virus of communal prejudice, hatred as 'around 12 crore people lost jobs in 1st phase of lockdown'

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/bjp-spreading-virus-of-communal-prejudice-hatred-in-country-sonia-gandhi/articleshow/75314416.cms

 Congress president Sonia Gandhi has accused BJP of spreading the virus of communal prejudice and hatred in the country, asserting that "grave damage" is being done to social harmony.Addressing a meeting of Congress Working Committee, Gandhi said it should worry every Indian and her party will have to work hard to repair this damage."Let me also share with you something that should worry each and every one of us as Indians. When we should be tackling the coronavirus unitedly, BJP continues to spread the virus of communal prejudice and hatred," she said."Grave damage is being done to our social harmony. Our party, we will have to work hard to repair that damage," she added. Former PM Manmohan Singh, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and top Congress leaders attended the meeting through video conference.She claimed that around 12 crore people have lost jobs in first phase of lockdown and urged the government to provide a relief package for MSME sector, which accounts for one-third of GDP.Gandhi called upon the government to provide food and financial security to migrants and jobless stranded at various places and were desperate to reach back home.Former prime minister Manmohan said the success of the lockdown will be judged finally on India's ability to tackle COVID-19.PTI

 

Coronavirus impact: Dearness Allowance for Central govt employees , pensioners frozen till July 2021; around 1 Crore 11 lakh to be affected

https://www.ibtimes.co.in/coronavirus-impact-dearness-allowance-central-govt-employees-pensioners-frozen-till-july-2021-818243?utm_source=Internal&utm_medium=Homepage&utm_campaign=block2-1

In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, the Narendra Modi government on Thursday decided to freeze payment of additional installment of dearness allowance (DA) for all its Central government employees and dearness relief (DR) to pensioners falling due from January 1, 2020.The decision, which will affect around 50 lakh central govt employees and 61 lakh pensioners, comes after Union Cabinet on March 14 approved a 4 per cent hike in DA to 21 per cent in a bonanza for 1.13 crore employees and pensioners applicable from January, 2020 costing the exchequer Rs 14,595 crore. Finance Ministry said in its order that additional installment of DA and DR falling due from July 1, 2020 and Jan.1, 2021 will also not be paid. However, allowance will continue to be paid at current rates.In an office memorandum, the Finance Ministry said, "In view of the crisis arising out of Covid-19, it has been decided that additional installment of dearness allowance payable to central government employees and dearness relief (DR) to central government pensioners due from Jan.1, 2020, shall not be paid.""The additional installment of DA and DR due from July 1, 2020, and January 1, 2021, shall also not be paid," the Department of Expenditure said in its order.The Central government employees will also not get any arrears in any future revision of DA/DR from July 1, 2021. However, If a decision to revise DA rates is taken for July 1, 2021 period, the rate of allowance as effective from January 1, 2020, July 1, 2020 and January 1, 2021 will be restored prospectively and will be subsumed in cumulative revised rates effective from July 1, 2021, the office memorandum said.ibtimes.co.in

 

Lockdown in India has impacted 40 million internal migrants: World Bank

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/lockdown-in-india-has-impacted-40-million-internal-migrants-world-bank

The nationwide lockdown in India which started about a month ago has impacted nearly 40 million internal migrants, the World Bank has said.The lockdown in India has impacted the livelihoods of a large proportion of the country's nearly 40 million internal migrants. Around 50,000 60,000 moved from urban centers to rural areas of origin in the span of a few days, the bank said in a report released on Wednesday.According to the report -- 'COVID-19 Crisis Through a Migration Lens' -- the magnitude of internal migration is about two-and-a-half times that of international migration.Lockdowns, loss of employment, and social distancing prompted a chaotic and painful process of mass return for internal migrants in India and many countries in Latin America, it said.Thus, COVID-19 containment measures might have contributed to spreading the epidemic, the report said.Governments need to address the challenges facing internal migrants by including them in health services and cash transfer and other social programmes, and protecting them from discrimination, it said.PTI

 

Hunger deaths: Plea in SC for pan-India temporary community kitchens at Block-level

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/hunger-deaths-plea-in-sc-for-pan-india-temporary-community-kitchens-at-block-level

The Supreme Court has been moved in a plea seeking directions to the Centre and the states to set-up pan-India temporary community kitchens at the Block-level amid the pandemic of novel Coronavirus to ensure that no person is forced to sleep on an empty stomach in these trying times, reports legal news website LiveLaw.in.The applicants, through advocate Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi and Ashima Mandla submits that concept of state-funded community kitchens is not a novelty concept in the country or globally and states such as Tamil Nadu(Amma Unavagam), Rajasthan(Annapurna Rasoi), Karnataka (Indira Canteens), Delhi (Aam Aadmi Canteen), AP (Anna Canteen),Jharkhand (Mukhyamantri Dal Bhat) and Odisha (Ahaar Centre) have established the same with the object of combating hunger and malnutrition crisis in the nation, providing nutritious food at subsidized rates to the lower socio-economic strata of the society.Furthermore, the personnel employed in these community kitchens provide employment, which is an added advantage in this economy where even joblessness is rampantly on rise, adding to cycle of hunger and malnutrition.

 

Covid-19 lockdown: Caretakers jobless, disabled in this Tripura slum struggle to make ends meet

https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/tripura/coronavirus-lockdown-tripura-slums-disabled-6375998/

Agartala :While the nationwide lockdown enforced to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus has brought a baggage of woes for everyone, the disabled living in a Tripura slum are faced with an uncertainty and no respite in sight.At least one sixth of 60 families living at the Purba Pratapgarh Ramakrishna Basti in the outskirts of Agartala city consist of  members suffering from physical disabilities. Barring one, none has, so far, received any government benefit, including the disabled pension scheme, despite having credentials certifying their physical or mental challenges.Residents of the slum depend on odd jobs like construction work, daily wage work, vegetable vending, newspaper hawking etc. With the lockdown, all of them are rendered jobless. So, they now depend on donations by good Samaritans to tide over the crisis. Even as the state government has allocated funds for all urban poor and homeless, they say they haven’t received any yet.

 

Migrant workers stuck at various state borders be permitted to return home: Priyanka Gandhi

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/migrant-workers-stuck-at-various-state-borders-be-permitted-to-return-home-priyanka-gandhi

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday demanded that migrant workers stuck at various state borders due to the lockdown be permitted to return to their native places after due testing and precautions.She also said compassion was the key to fight COVID-19 and not hostility towards the victims of coronavirus."As times pass, we need to permit migrant workers to return home after due testing and precautions," Priyanka Gandhi said addressing the Congress Working Committee meeting through video-conferencing.Congress leader has been raising the issue of migrant labours stranded at different places and has called upon the central government to help them reach their homes besides providing them food.PTI

 

Covid-19: Fitch Ratings cuts India’s growth forecast to 0.8% for 2020-’21

https://scroll.in/latest/960010/covid-19-fitch-ratings-cuts-indias-growth-forecast-to-0-8-for-2020-21

American credit rating agency Fitch Ratings’ company India Ratings and Research cut its growth forecast for India to 0.8% in the 2020-’21 financial year as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hit investments and exports globally. This is the third update of the agency’s Global Economic Outlook forecasts in a month. It is usually done every quarter.

 

Growth Below 1% Or Recession? India Stares At COVID-19 Impact On Economy

https://www.ndtv.com/business/coronavirus-crisis-india-gdp-to-shrink-0-9-in-2020-21-if-covid-19-get-prolonged-says-cii-2216882?pfrom=home-topstories             

As India remains in a 40-day nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus  pandemic, economists and industry experts are estimating sub-1 per cent expansion rates or even contraction for the country's GDP or gross domestic product. The latest projections highlight a gloomy situation for the county's economy on account of the coronavirus-triggered lockdown, which continues to disrupt businesses worldwide. But even before the country began the COVID-19 lockdown, the economy stared at its worst pace of expansion since the 2008-09 global financial crisis.

 

‘Govt tender calls for creating tracking mass surveillance tool’

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/govt-tender-calls-for-creating-tracking-mass-surveillance-tool

Cautioning against the tender put out by Broadcast Engineering Consultants Limited to create a COVID–19 patient tracking tool, Delhi-based Software Freedom Law Center has stated that through the specifications of the tracking tool, it is evident that the item –presumably a comprehensive software – goes beyond a healthcare tool and opens up the possibility of mass surveillance.BECIL, which comes under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, had recently released a tender inviting agencies to be empanelled to supply various ‘healthcare items’. After the tender was released, a corrigendum stated that three more items had to be supplied – Hand-held thermal imaging system, optical thermal fever sensing system and a COVID-19 patient tracking tool.It is this ‘tracking tool’ that has raised eyebrows. The first specification for the equipment brands the equipment as an “Intelligence investigation platform & tactical tool to detect, prevent and investigate threats to national security using CDR, IPDR, Tower, Mobile Phone Forensics Data.”“The use of the phrase ‘national security’ points to the possibility of the government using this equipment to turn on an ‘always-active’ regime of surveillance in the guise of managing a pandemic,” points out SFLC statement.nationalheraldindia

 

Doctors Under 'Active Quarantine' in UP Complain of Unhygienic Conditions, Unsafe Environment

https://thewire.in/government/doctors-under-active-quarantine-in-up-complain-of-unhygienic-conditions-unsafe-environment

 Doctors and other health workers working to contain the spread of COVID-19 are facing another problem in Uttar Pradesh – the poor living conditions of the residential facilities provided for them to be under “active quarantine” while they work.On Wednesday, a number of doctors were shifted out of one such facility in Rae Bareli after they took to social media and released videos about the abysmal condition in facility where they were lodged. Subsequently, the chief medical officer visited the quarantine centre that was operating in a government school and on not finding the facilities up to the mark, ordered that the doctors be shifted to a guest house.It was as a matter of abundant precaution that the doctors had been quarantined in the centre, since Rae Bareli had reported 43 COVID-19 cases. The idea was to keep their families protected from the disease.But the facility created for them was not up to the mark.The doctors therefore released three videos to show their plight. One of these was shot at 3 am on Wednesday, another later after day break and the third during lunch time.thewire

 

As world looks for coronavirus scapegoats, Muslims are blamed in India:washingtonpost

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/as-world-looks-for-coronavirus-scapegoats-india-pins-blame-on-muslims/2020/04/22/3cb43430-7f3f-11ea-84c2-0792d8591911_story.html

On a bright morning earlier this month, a former army officer was riding his motorcycle down a rural road south of India’s capital when he reached an improvised barricade. He had no idea the villagers were looking for a scapegoat.He slowed his bike to a stop. The men at the barricade quickly identified him as a Muslim from the neighboring area in the state of Haryana. “These people are spreading coronavirus,” said one of the villagers, according to a police complaint filed by man’s family. “Grab him.”Sahimuddin, 49, who goes by only one name, felt a rope thrown around his neck. The attackers tightened the noose until he fell unconscious, the complaint said. He was later rushed to a hospital coughing blood, where doctors performed emergency surgery on his ruptured vocal cords and damaged trachea. He will require two more operations in the weeks ahead.The assault reflected one of the oldest — and ugliest — human impulses: the desire to blame calamity on those who are different. In India, the search for scapegoats during the coronavirus pandemic has focused squarely on the country’s sizable Muslim minority, a community of 200 million that felt under threat even before the advent of covid-19.News channels and some ruling-party officials rushed to blame Muslims for the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country after an Islamic missionary group in New Delhi emerged as a super-spreader. In recent weeks, Muslims have been assaulted, denied medical care and subjected to boycotts — all in the name of fear of the virus.washingtonpost

 

Plea in Supreme Court to curb spread of fake news leading to social stigmatisation of certain communities

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/plea-in-supreme-court-to-curb-spread-of-fake-news-leading-to-social-stigmatisation-of-certain-communities/articleshow/75323068.cms

 A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to Centre to issue guidelines to curb the spread of fake news leading to social stigmatisation, boycott of certain communities and communal disharmony in states and UTs at the time when the country is facing Covid-19 pandemic.The plea filed by three lawyers referred to alleged discrimination of Muslims in the backdrop of fact that some persons hailing from Tablighi Jamat have been found to be 'super spreaders' of novel coronavirus in the country. The plea, which made ministries of health and family welfare and home affairs as parties, also alleged that citizens from north-eastern states have been discriminated against as they morphologically resemble natives of China, the country from where this deadly virus spread to the other parts of the world.PTI

 

Now, Muslim Villagers Denied Access to Water; Jharkhand Video Goes Viral

https://clarionindia.net/now-muslim-villagers-denied-access-to-water-jharkhand-video-goes-viral/

New Delhi:A video clip showing Muslim residents being denied access to a tube well of drinking water  in a Jharakhand village has gone viral on social media platforms.The caption of the video, which was uploaded by a Facebook page called Kashish News on April 19, says the incident happened in a village in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, just three km away from the residence of the state chief minister.In the video, a woman wearing a headscarf says some people removed the tube from the well to render it dysfunctional. The visibly angry woman says they are facing difficulty in fetching drinking water. She asks, “What kind of rule is this to stop us from getting water from a tube well which is a public property?”She asserts everyone has the right to fetch water from the tube well.clarionindia

 

Muslim Corona Family Denied Treatment at Delhi Hospital

https://clarionindia.net/muslim-corona-family-denied-treatment-at-delhi-hospital/

New Delhi:A Muslim family who tested COVID-19 positive in Delhi on Wednesday alleged that they were denied admission at Lok Nayak Hospital for immediate treatment.“I am standing outside Lok Nayak Hospital along with my son, nephew and brother. We all have tested positive for COVID-19. But none of the healthcare staff is listening to us. I had also informed the police about our health condition. Now, that we have reached here, I urge hospital authorities to help us and admit us,” said Naseem.clarionindia.ANI / clarionindia

 

101 Former Civil Servants Write to CMs on Continued Harassment of Muslims

https://thewire.in/communalism/coronavirus-muslims-ias-open-letter                                      

New Delhi: As many as 101 former civil servants from across India have written an open letter to the chief ministers of all the states of India and Lieutenant Governors of all the Union Territories on harassment of Muslims as India deals with COVID-19 spread. EX All-India and Central Services officers, uniting under banner of the Constitutional Conduct Group have written against the attitude of hostility with which Muslim community has been met with, ever since the news of Tablighi Jamaat congregation spread across India. Letter also identified the role of sections of media in worsening what was already a communally charged scenario. ” The action of Jamaat in organising such an event, ignoring Delhi Govt’s advisories was, without question, misguided and condemnable. However, the action of the media in communalising it and extending it to the Muslim community as a whole is utterly irresponsible and reprehensible,” it read.

 

Raghuram Rajan cautions against giving communal colour to coronavirus

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/raghuram-rajan-cautions-against-giving-communal-colour-to-coronavirus/articleshow/75278260.cms

Cautioning people against giving communal colour to the coronavirus pandemic, former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has said such behaviour could explode and make it much harder for different communities to get along."We see in India that some allegation that this was a Muslim plot. I mean, that kind of behaviour can explode and make much harder for her communities to get together within her country," Rajan said while speaking at the University of Chicago's virtual Harper Lecture series.PTI

 

 

35 Muslims in Haryana's Jind convert to Hinduism; a Muslim resident says, 'forgetting  pandemic, people targeting Muslims, panic created deliberately'

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jind/6-muslim-families-in-jind-district-convert-to-hinduism/articleshow/75310903.cms

35 members of 6 Muslim families, belonging to Danoda Kalan village in Haryana's Jind district, have embraced Hinduism. The families converted to Hinduism 3 days ago, but there are no details of how exactly they did this. An elderly Muslim, Neki Ram (70) died of some illness on April 18 and his family performed his last rites according to Hindu customs. The move comes as violence against Muslims has increased in the state in the last few weeks during the lockdown. Four Muslims were attacked in Jind's Dhadrath village on April 5 when they didn't switch off their lights on the PM’s appeal. A welding shop, owned by a Muslim, was set on fire on April 9 in CM ML Khattar's adopted village and the owners were threatened that their skull caps would be removed and their beards shaved off. Danoda Kalan sarpanch Purshotam Sharma told TOI, “Muslim community members came to meet me a few days ago and said they wished to adopt Hinduism. We didn’t oppose them. These families told me some Muslims, such as Tablighi Jamaat men had created bad image of their religion. They also said their ancestors were Hindus at the time of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb but had embraced Islam. Now they wanted to return their original religion.” The members of the Doom community have a fluid religious identity, with names and customs taken from both the religions in the region. Guru Nanak Dev’s accompanying musician Bhai Mardaana, too, belonged to the Doom community.There was no pressure on these villagers to convert, the sarpanch maintained.The families belong to mirasi or Doom community, who are considered genealogists and traditionally are singers and dancers. There are around 60 Muslim families identified with different castes such as lohar (blacksmiths), teli (oil-millers) and mirasis in this village, which is situated 43 km from Jind town on the Hisar-Narwana road.Naresh Kumar (38), whose father died on April 18, said, “We were not completely Muslims as we were following rituals which were similar to Hinduism except performing the last rites after death. Now, we have decided to convert to Hinduism and have no pressure on us.”A Muslim resident of the village, on condition of anonymity, said, “The village’s environment has changed these days. People have forgotten the pandemic and are only targeting Muslims for spreading the deadly virus, which has caused panic among the community. Even in this village, we are getting information that the situation is becoming scary with the passage of time. Our community, which is dependent on seeking alms, is facing a hard time as Hindus doubt us due to Tablighi Jamaat incident. Muslim community is as patriotic as others in India but panic is being created deliberately in the country which should be opposed by every responsible citizen.”TOI

 

Maulana Saad has tested for Covid-19:his lawyer

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/tablighi-jamaat-chief-maulana-saad-has-tested-for-covid-19-says-his-lawyer/story-YjgVmBR5Y6DrtKQmIrJ4iN.html

New Delhi:Tablighi Jamat chief Maulana Saad has completed the 14-day quarantine and got himself tested for coronavirus disease Covid-19, his lawyer Fuzail Ayyubi has said.“He has completed his quarantine and undergone a test. The report is awaited,” said Ayyubi.When asked if Maulana Saad is going to present himself to the police for questioning, his lawyer said, “CrPC does not ask someone to go and present himself that ‘ok, here I am’. There are steps to be taken by the police, and those steps have already been taken even during his quarantine.”“His house was searched in the presence of his son. He got two notices and he responded to those notices. He was asked to undergone the test, and he has undergone test,” Ayyubi added.He also said that Maulana Saad is communicating with the authorities.

 

Delhi Police team conducts raids at Tablighi Jamaat chief’s farmhouse in Shamli

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-police-team-conducts-raids-at-tablighi-jamaat-chief-s-farmhouse-in-shamli/story-03BqlvldhSNz7hy1t4KjxH.html

A six-member team of Delhi’s crime branch raided the farm house of Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad on the outskirts of Kandhla town in Shamli district on Thursday.The team remained at the farm house for over two hours and searched inside the house and orchard. SP Shamli, Vineet Jaiswal, said, “A team of crime branch from Delhi arrived in the afternoon to conduct a search at Maulana Saad’s farm house and we provided cops from Kandhla police station to assist them during their work”.A relative of Maulana Saad, who requested not to be named, said the team remained at the farm house for over 2 hours and they did videography and photography inside the house.hey also dig a few points inside mango orchard and queried about 3 servants who stay at farm house.He claimed that the team didn’t ask anything about Maulana Saad and returned after completing their work.HT

 

Don’t blame entire community: Minority minister Naqvi on Tablighi Jamaat COVID-19 link

https://www.thestatesman.com/india/dont-blame-entire-community-bjp-minister-on-tablighi-jamaat-covid-19-link-1502880069.html

The entire Muslim community cannot be held responsible for one group’s “crime”, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Thursday while reacting to instances of Muslims being blamed for the spurt in COVID-19 cases after Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi, and asserted that most of the minority community members have condemned the group’s action.Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also expressed confidence that Muslims will abide by lockdown guidelines during the holy month of Ramzan.PTI

 

TN BJP welcomes Tablighi participants’ wish to donate plasma

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2020/apr/22/bjp-welcomes-tablighi-participants-wish-to-donate-plasma-2133574.html?fbclid=IwAR2YMKlVp0S0W4vFJu82qp8dq8sopNHRKSQ__HUvrhx8JKgT8CBcTYVxKBs

BJP State unit spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy welcomed the wish of Muslims who have recovered from Coronavirus infection, in donating their plasma for other COVID-19 patients in treating them. Many Muslims including those who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat’s event in Delhi last month had expressed their willingness to donate their plasma now.‘Duty bound to thank Muslims donating plasma’

 

 

 

34 Bhopal cops test positive for Covid-19, officials blame Tablighi Jamaat event

https://theprint.in/india/34-bhopal-cops-test-positive-for-covid-19-officials-blame-tablighi-jamaat-event/407461/

Bhopal: 34 police personnel, including some officers, have tested coronavirus positive in Bhopal so far, a top official said on Thursday.The official claimed that as per the findings, the initial infections in the city’s police force were caused when the personnel went out in search of those who had returned to the state capital after attending the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Delhi’s Nizamuddin.Besides them, around 30 of their family members have also contracted the infection, he added.PTI

 

CM Shivraj Chouhan says Tablighi Jamaat members behind ‘rapid rise’ in MP’s Covid-19 cases

https://theprint.in/india/cm-shivraj-chouhan-says-tablighi-jamaat-members-behind-rapid-rise-in-mps-covid-19-cases/407323/

 Tablighi Jamaat members in MP who attended the controversial Nizamuddin event are among the reasons behind the sudden spike in Covid-19 cases in the state, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said. Chouhan said Tablighi Jamaat members in MP “came back and scattered into many corners”, “responded reluctantly and did not come forward willingly” to share information.theprint

 

UP Police track down 150 Tablighi Jamaat members in 48-hr statewide drive

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/up-cops-track-down-150-tablighis-in-48-hrs/articleshow/75309606.cms

 At least 150 members of Tablighi Jamaat, including foreign participants of Nizamuddin markaz were tracked down by Uttar Pradesh police in a gruelling 48-hour surveillance mission that concluded late Tuesday taking the quarantine-and-arrest count of Jamaatis to 3,204, including 341 preachers from abroad.This followed intelligence inputs of more than 500 Tablighi attendees hiding in the state.TOI

 

 

Hyderabad:Muslim employee of electricity dept. beaten up after asking name

https://www.siasat.com/muslim-employee-electricity-dept-beaten-after-asking-name-1878452/?fbclid=IwAR3fa9Y-C5SX61VNcet7jUOB2UjM5HkDVyEwhKwZxhrcghsBhy7R2ejKVDk

Hyderabad: A Muslim employee of the electricity department was beaten by mischief mongers after asking his name. According to sources, on a complaint about faulty street light, Mohammed Shareef went to Gokul Nagar at 9 pm and got it repaired. He was returning home after performing his duty, when a group of about 15 people stopped him and asked his name.Shareef objected and wanted to know the reason behind asking name. This angered the mischief mongers and they assaulted him resulting in a deep injury over his nose.Shareef was rushed to the hospital where he underwent treatment.He had gone to Gokul Nagar to repair the street light on complaint made by Kamal Kumar, resident of Gokul Nagar. He was deliberately targeted. Kamal Kumar could not be reached on phone after the incident.siasat

 

Mumbai man refuses to take grocery from Muslim delivery boy, arrested

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/mumbai-man-refuses-to-take-delivery-from-muslim-held-6374733/?fbclid=IwAR1BB8gIX1NFEucLcHuEIEyW20K9SPbW1RmID3ZDjZyvfvLKugnbrRf9dqc

Mumbai :A 51-year-old man who refused to collect groceries from a delivery man after learning that he was a Muslim was arrested in Mumbai on Tuesday, hours after his Islamophobic comments were recorded on video by the employee.The target of the communal remarks was 32-year-old Barkat Patel, a Mira Road resident working with grocery service Grofers.The first of Patel’s nine deliveries on Tuesday was at the home of Supriya Chaturvedi at Jaya Park at 9.40 am. As mandated by his employers, Patel was required to give Chaturvedi her parcel outside the gate of her apartment complex. Just as he was about hand over the parcel, Chaturvedi’s father, Gajanan stopped her.According to the phone video that Patel handed over the police, the accused first wanted to know the name of the delivery man.“The lady wanted to take the parcel but the man said no. When he said he would not take parcel from Muslims, I did not say anything and started to record him on my phone. It was very hurtful,” he said.

 

Gulf News editor in Dubai receives threats from BJP’s IT cell and verified accounts

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/international/gulf-news-editor-in-dubai-receives-threats-from-bjps-it-cell-and-verified-accounts?fbclid=IwAR2ufpeIJ6cVZ3RAQPQeA9stv-e87osNfNjCUwRuWX60AfSWyuepwvbyj8Q

An Indian journalist working with Gulf News at Dubai, has been threatened that his passport would be impounded and he would be arrested as and when he returned to India. His crime?He had apparently written reports exposing Islamophobic social media posts by Indian expatriates working in UAE and Gulf countries. The reports had led in some cases to police action and some of the Indian expatriates had been sacked.Mazhar Farooqui, Features Editor looking after Special Reports,claims he was inundated with abusive and threatening messages forwarded to his mail, on WhatsApp, on Facebook Messenger and on Twitter. He also claimed that while some of the accounts have been deactivated and some tweets deleted, several threats were issued from verified accounts and by people followed by the Indian Prime Minister.Asked to comment, Farooqui told NH, “Well, it’s like a pandemic — I have got nearly 5,000 messages via email, FB messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp from hundreds of such people. . That said, many have deactivated their accounts or deleted their posts fearing action.”nationalheraldindia

 

 

Kuwaiti lawyer seeks UN intervention to end Islamophobia in Ind

https://www.siasat.com/kuwaiti-lawyer-seeks-un-intervention-end-islamophobia-ind-1878124/?fbclid=IwAR34oslJ5JDuzGGM47Obwl0-WKlzdIAt_PdjXAB3sL4XFKcNEnUmwm4WJUk

Kuwait City: Ever since Tableeghi Jamaat issue sparked in India, there has been a continual carping from extremists against the minorities.Segments of expatriate Hindus in the Middle East, joined the tirade against Muslims and Islam. But, the elite and members of royal family’s along with lawyers, human rights activists, and sections of the Indian diaspora condemned the oppression on Muslims.While many from Royal family and scholars have lambasted the Hindutva brigade, a Kuwaiti lawyer has called UN to intervene and stop the growing persecution.“We call on international organizations, especially UN, the Security Council, the Organization of islamic cooperation and all human rights organizations, to intervene immediately to stop the violations committed against our Muslim brothers in India #India,” Khalid Al Suwaifan tweeted.siasat

 

Pakistan says concerned over ‘systematic campaign’ against Muslims in India

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pakistan-says-concerned-over-systematic-campaign-against-muslims-in-india-6376119/

Pakistan today said that it was concerned over what it called a “systematic campaign” against Muslims in India amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country.India on Sunday trashed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s comments alleging targeting of Muslims in country in the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic.On Thursday, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said, “a systematic campaign is unfortunately underway in India to demonize Muslims who face increased exclusion as well as threat of mob violence.” She also said that OIC has voiced concerns over Islamophobia within political and media circles as well as the social media platforms where Muslims are being blamed for the spread of the virus.Farooqui also said Pakistan was concerned over the detention of journalists in Kashmir on what she called “baseless and concocted charges”.PTI

 

Tell your fans to stop economic boycott: Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat to PM Modi

https://www.sentinelassam.com/national-news/tell-your-fans-to-stop-economic-boycott-muslim-body-to-pm-narendra-modi/

All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, an apex body of Muslim organisation, has requested the Prime Minister to issue an appeal to his supporters to stop economic boycott of Muslims to save India’s image and economy after videos emerged which showed that the daily wagers are not allowed because of their religion.Muslim body’s president Navaid Hamid said that due to these viral videos India’s image is being dented abroad as twitterati in the gulf have given a warning of economic boycott of Indian goods.“To save India’s image and economy ask your fans to stop Economic Boycott of Muslims and treat them with dignity. Please issue standing instructions to law enforcement agencies not to spare hate mongers,” said Hamid.IANS

 

West Bengal: Hindu Couple, Stranded In Lockdown, Finds Shelter In Muslim Home

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-west-bengal-hindu-couple-stranded-in-lockdown-finds-shelter-in-muslim-home/351238?fbclid=IwAR15jjGdUqMI0PPzPgDtHRHqSvLBWIA4aFF-bcdYyNcZXkDaKwNx1gKilAs

A Hindu couple from Assam, stranded in West Bengal because of the lockdown, found shelter in a Muslim home in the state's Murshidabad district and has been living with them for the past one month.According to Bengali daily Aajkal, Mithun Das and Moumita Das of Assam's Goalpara were on their way to Kolkata by road when the sudden enforcement of the lockdown caught them wrong-footed. According to the Bengali daily, the couple were going to Kolkata for Mithun's treatment.Since the couple neither had money to check into a hotel nor any relatives in the vicinity, they went to Murshidabad's Beldanga block where Mithun had some business contacts.The couple has since then found shelter in the house of Farooq Abdullah, the nephew of the local panchayat chief. The Abdullahs live in Mollahpara, a Muslim neighborhood.

 

Delhi: Residents of Quarantine Centre Faced Problems in Getting Meals on Time, Situation Improved after CM, Local MLA Approached

http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/delhi-residents-of-quarantine-centre-faced-problems-in-getting-meals-on-time-situation-improved-after-cm-local-mla-approached

Hundreds of people living in the state-run quarantine centre in Sultanpuri area of Delhi faced problems in getting meals on time due to sudden rise in the number of people sent there after discharge from hospitals. However, after a social activist approached the CMO and local MLA, things have been sorted out and situation has improved from this morning. After evacuation of over 2,000 people from Nizamuddin Markaz of Tablighi Jamaat on March 31, while symptomatic persons were taken to hospitals, around 1500 were taken to 3 separate quarantine centres in Sultanpuri, Narela and Dwaraka areas in west Delhi.There were 200 people at the Sultanpuri centre but additionally more than 500 people were sent there in the last few days, and this sudden rise in the number of people resulted in several problems, particularly in getting meals on time. Social activist Anamul Haque Azad of Sarvadaliye Bhaichara Manch wrote a letter to the office of CM Arvind Kejriwal and local MLA Mukesh Kumar Ahlawat on Tuesday. India Tomorrow

 

In congested areas and small houses of Malegaon, ‘social distancing practically impossible’

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/malegaon-pune-social-distance-coronavirus-lockdown-6374629/

Pune :The parents of a 22-year-old Malegaon resident, who died of coronavirus-related issues, are still in shock. From a quarantine facility in Malegaon, her father told The Indian Express, “Bacchi ka gam leke quarantine main abhi tak hain. Kabristan tak nahi jaa sake”(We are grieving at quarantine facility, we could not even go to the burial ground). The woman, from Malegaon’s Nayapura, also suffered from severe anaemia and had cardiac issues. Her father is not sure whether he has the infection. “I work in a power loom and my wife is a housewife. Our daughter had cough and fever and when local treatment did not help, we decided to take her to the government medical college at Dhule. It was very difficult due to the lockdown and we had to leave early in the morning. She had just completed her BSc and wanted to pursue post-graduate studies,” he said.In a congested city like Malegaon, where many families live in small spaces, “the concepts of physical and social distancing are practically impossible,” said Pankaj Ashiya, an IAS officer who has been appointed as the special monitoring officer.indianexpress

 

Muslims Attacked Cops in Maharashtra’s Malegaon? It’s Fake News

https://www.thequint.com/news/webqoof/muslims-attacked-cops-in-maharashtra-malegaon-fake-news-fact-check

Reports of doctors, policemen and healthcare workers being attacked in several parts of the country amid coronavirus lockdown continue to be a major cause of concern for the govt and citizens alike.In light of this, a video claiming that Muslims gathered near a bridge to offer prayers in Maharashtra’s Malegaon and attacked the cops when they tried to disperse the crowd is going viral.“Single source members gathered on Malegaon, Maharashtra bridge to offer prayer. When police went there to remove them they started attacking policemen. This situation remains the same in every part of Maharashtra where minorities are in more numbers. Maharashtra govt is unable to enforce lockdown so now this is the best time for them to call army for areas like this but wait how come they can call when Bollywoodias are praising our CM as world’s best CM.. so calling Army will question his governance right (sic),” the claim shared with the video reads.The Quint can confirm that while an incident did occur at Yellamma Bridge in Malegaon on Thursday, social media posts above have been given a false communal spin.People came out in large numbers, complaining of a shortage of essential supplies and not to offer prayers, as claimed by viral post.Looking at the post, the first thing we noticed was that the information is attributed to a Maharashtra Times tweet. While the tweet did talk about an altercation between the police and the locals, it did not say anything about what triggered the entire situation.thequint

 

Fact Check: Did Omani Princess Mona threaten to expell Indians over 'persecution of Muslims' in India?

https://www.ibtimes.co.in/fact-check-did-omani-princess-mona-threaten-expell-indians-over-persecution-muslims-india-818145

A tweet allegedly from Omani Princess Mona, in which she has threatened to expel nearly one million Indians if Narendra Modi government doesn't stop the "persecution of Muslims" in India, is going viral on social media, including Twitter and WhatsApp.A Twitter handle by the name H.H. Mona bint Fahd al Said wrote: "Oman stands with its Muslim brothers and sisters in India. If the Indian Govt doesn't stop the persecution of Muslims, then 1million workers living in Oman may be expelled. I will definitely take up this issue with the Sultan of Oman." Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also tagged in the tweet, which has received more than five thousand retweets and 13.8 thousand likes in just a few hours. The tweet has come after OIC,  expressed concerns over growing "Islamophobia" in the country. It also came after the UAE Princess Hend Al Qassimi has slammed the right-wing trolls in India for spreading hatred against Muslims.However, the tweet from Omani Princess threatening to expel lakhs of Indians didn't come from a verified account. Although the Twitter handle has more than 70k followers, the blue badge which confirms the identity of the user was missing. It was also found out that the Twitter handle earlier had a user name @pak__fauj and later it became @SayyidaMona.Also, there was no news of the Omani Princess's open threat to expel Indians in local media. In fact, Times of Oman had carried a news article that India has sent 20,000 containers to Oman. ibtimes.co.in

 

Release foreign Muslim preachers, says Federation of Tamil Nadu Political and Islamic organisations

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/release-foreign-muslim-preachers-says-federation-of-tamil-nadu-political-and-islamic-organisations/article31396148.ece

Federation of Tamil Nadu Political and Islamic Organisations has condemned the arrest of foreign Islamic preachers who came to Tamil Nadu for religious purposes. In a statement, the Federation said those who have been arrested should be released immediately and should be treated with respect until they return to their home countries.“Tablighi Jamat is a spiritual and a peaceful organisation whose members go around the world for spiritual reasons and preach within the community. The organisation is not one to preach to those belonging to other religions but rather preach discipline, cleanliness, honesty and God-fearing nature,” said president P.A. Kajamoinudeen Bakavi.Mr. Bakavi further claimed that there is not a single incident of controversy or social tension created by members of this group. “They (members) have taken visas formally to come to India on a spiritual tour. But, they have been projected as though they came without visas and that they are terrorists by the State Government. This is condemnable,” he said.

 

India's largest religious minority being targeted during COVID-19: CPI(M)

https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/indias-largest-religious-minority-being-targeted-during-covid-19-cpim/articleshow/75303387.cms

CPI(M) has alleged that India's largest religious minority is being targeted at a time when the country is battling the COVID-19 pandemic."The Politburo of CPI(M) strongly condemns the communal targeting of India's largest religious minority – the Muslims – that is increasingly taking place during current battle against COVID-19 pandemic."Nasty abuses, social media postings dutifully relayed by the trolls of the ruling party supporters is simply not acceptable. They violate basic constitutional provisions. Such crimes must be proceeded against and punished in accordance with law," the party said in a statement.PTI

 

CISF's Delhi Metro Reopening Plan Includes Aarogya Setu App to Check for Flu Symptoms: Report

https://thewire.in/government/cisfs-delhi-metro-reopening-plan-includes-aarogya-setu-app-to-check-for-flu-symptoms-report

Passengers using the Delhi Metro, post resumption of operations, will have to take out any metallic item on their body before frisking, use face masks, have the ‘Aarogya Setu’ app, but those with flu-like symptoms won’t be allowed, as per a proposal prepared by the CISF on Thursday.The paramilitary force that guards the network running across the national capital region has formulated a ‘business continuity plan’ for security and safety of passengers and staffers working at the facility.PTI

 

Covid-19: Mamata says nationwide lockdown should be lifted in two weeks from May 4

https://scroll.in/latest/960051/covid-19-mamata-banerjee-says-nationwide-lockdown-should-be-lifted-in-two-weeks-from-may-4

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee hassaid nationwide lockdown imposed to combat the coronavirus should be entirely lifted from “2 weeks after May 4”, NDTV reported.

 

Jamia Millia starts yoga and mindfulness training sessions amid coronavirus lockdown

https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/jamia-millia-islamia-starts-yoga-and-mindfulness-training-sessions-amid-coronavirus-lockdown-1670194-2020-04-23

Jamia Millia Islamia has started yoga and mindfulness training sessions for the residents of its hostels during the lockdown imposed to control the coronavirus outbreak, officials said. Presently the university has started training sessions for residents of its MMA Jauhar Hall hostel and will gradually provide it for residents of other hostels too, they said.The first such session was held on Tuesday using the Google Meet platform.indiatoday

 

3 Army personnel test positive for Covid-19 in Gujarat, 28 contacts quarantined

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/coronavirus-live-updates-april-23-2020-1670006-2020-04-23

3 Army personnel have tested positive for Covid-19 in Baroda, Gujarat. As per initial findings, an ATM booth seems to be the common source as they all had withdrawn money from it on same day. Their 28 close contacts have been quarantined by the force as per protocol, say Indian Army sources.

 

Ahmedabad: CRPF head constable isolated after testing positive for Covid-19

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/coronavirus-live-updates-april-23-2020-1670006-2020-04-23

A CRPF Head Constable posted in Ahmedabad tested Covid-19 positive.Necessary action has been taken by officials and staff has been shifted to isolation ward.

 

Maharashtra minister Awhad tests positive for Covid-19

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/maharashtra-minister-jitendra-awhad-tests-positive-for-covid-19-1670309-2020-04-23

Maharashtra Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad has tested positive for deadly novel coronavirus. 54-year-old MLA had admitted himself to a private hospital in Thane for a precautionary check-up.Before that, he was under home quarantined along with 15 members of his family for a week as some of his security staff tested had positive for the novel coronavirus. It is suspected that the MLA came in contact with virus after meeting a police officer, who later tested positive.

 

Covid-19: 1,229 new cases in 24 hours take India's tally to 21,700

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/coronavirus-cases-covid19-india-tally-news-update-death-toll-1670044-2020-04-23

More than 1,200 new cases of the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours, ending Thursday evening, have taken India’s tally over the 21,000-mark. The death toll due to Covid-19 in India has climbed to 686 after India registered 44 deaths in 24 hours.As per Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s updated figures on Thursday evening, there are currently over 16,600 active cases of coronavirus in India while more than 4,000 people have been either cured or discharged.A total of 5,00,542 samples from 4,85,172 individuals have been tested as of 9 am on April 23, 2020, ICMR said. As many as 21,797 samples have been confirmed positive, ICMR added. ICMR is yet to provide revised data on testing in India.indiatoday

 

Covid-19 India: Gujarat overtakes Delhi, now has 2nd highest cases after Maharashtra

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/coronavirus-cases-in-india-covid19-states-cities-affected-1653852-2020-03-09

The number of Covid-19 cases in India continues to rise every day. 33 of the country's 36 states and Union Territories have reported Covid-19 cases so far.The past few weeks have seen a significant spike in Covid-19 cases in India, with Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh emerging as hotspots. On April 19, Gujarat overtook Madhya Pradesh to become the state with the third highest tally of Covid-19 cases. And on April 22, it became the state with the second highest number of Covid-19 cases, only next to Maharashtra.

 

Delhi reports 128 fresh Covid-19 cases, 2 deaths taking tally to 2,376

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/coronavirus-delhi-reports-128-fresh-covid-19-cases-2-deaths-taking-tally-to-2-376-1670318-2020-04-23

The total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital on Thursday rose to 2,376, with 128 new cases and two fresh deaths being reported in a day, according to the Delhi government authorities.Of the total number of 50 fatalities reported till date, 27 of the deceased were aged 60 years and above, making over 52 per cent of the total death cases, they said.

Delhi: Three more red zones added; check out complete list

https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/trends/delhi-coronavirus-hotspots-check-complete-list-of-containment-zones-as-cases-reach-2156/story/401697.html

Delhi government added 3 more containment zones taking the number of containment zones in the national capital to 87. Gali No. 2, 3 and 4 in Devli Extension under South District and in South-East District H.No. F-138 and F-139 in Gali No. 1 under Harsh Vihar of Hari Nagar Extension were declared as COVID-19 hotspots. The third area to be declared a containment zone was H.No 300 in Gali No. 3 to H.No 739/16 under Krishna Puri Main Road in Mandawali.

 

Delhi Waqf Board asks people to refrain from visiting mosques during Ramzan amid COVID-19

https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/national/2020/04/22/des45-dl-virus-waqf-ramzan.html

    Delhi Waqf Board has appealed to people to offer prayers at home during the month of Ramzan and asked mosques under its jurisdiction to create awareness about official guidelines to fight the coronavirus pandemic.The advisory issued by Delhi Waqf Board CEO SM Ali is addressed to all the mosques in the city, specifically those under the Board's jurisdiction, an official said.   According to the advisory, people should stay at their homes to offer namaz during Ramzan. However, Imams, Muazzins and Mutawallis can offer the prayers at mosques.PTI

 

Waqf Council issues advisory against congregational prayers in Ramzan

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/waqf-council-issues-advisory-against-congregational-prayers-in-ramzan/articleshow/75248044.cms

 Mumbai: Central Waqf Council has issued an advisory asking CEOs of Wakf Boards in different states and Union Territories to ensure that no mosque, madrassah, dargah or imambada holds any congregation during the holy month of Ramzan.An arm of the ministry of minority affairs, the Council looks after Waqf affairs. In a letter to its secretary, S A S Naqvi has also warned those who violate the lockdown rules. Earlier, minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had urged the community to offer tarawih prayers at home.Meanwhile, senior clerics and community leaders have called upon Muslims to pray at home in Ramzan as the fight to contain the Covid-19 spread continues.TOI

 

Delhi's Jama Masjid sealed in view of Ramadan

https://www.newsnation.in/videos/india/news-nation-lockdown-jama-masjid-of-delhi-sealed-in-view-of-ramadan-8/60742

In order to prevent the rise of Corona's havoc and in view of Ramadan, Delhi's Jama Masjid has been sealed. Please tell that no one can go to the Jama Masjid to offer Namaz for which this decision has been taken.#CoronaVirus #Lockdownd #COVID19

 

*CORONAVIRUS – WORLD*

Record 26m jobless in US since coronavirus hit

https://www.ft.com/content/a3b5f792-6d4d-46d0-8768-3777708dbd63

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/trump-downplays-threat-coronavirus-returning-live-updates-200423000536161.html

More than 4m Americans filed for first-time unemployment benefits last week, taking the total over the 5 weeks since coronavirus lockdowns began to a record 26m and more than erasing the number of jobs created by US since the financial crisis.The initial jobless claims total of 4.4m in the week ended April 18 was a decrease of 810,000 from the previous week, the labour department said on Thursday. That compared with economists’ expectations for 4.5m and marked the third week that claims declined, signalling a peak in lay-offs may have been reached.The number of Americans who have successfully filed claims and been approved for unemployment insurance rose to 11 per cent of the entire workforce by April 11 — the highest on record.

 

America’s Middle Class Gets Hit With Office Jobs Disappearing

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-22/-scary-time-for-american-middle-class-as-office-jobs-disappear?cmpid=socialflow-facebook-business&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_content=business&fbclid=IwAR0SAFQSQpX9NRfilmSyeXq3P9ECaf--1tBg8rPk7rkVI5JuIE8EGu9iztA

Sign up here for our daily coronavirus newsletter on what you need to know, and subscribe to our Covid-19 podcast for the latest news and analysis.The new year arrived with a new job for Tyler Simon, who had high hopes for 2020. They didn’t last long.“Once Covid-19 hit, things went from bad to worse really quick,” said Simon, a father of 2 in Summerfield, North Carolina.A marketing specialist with a sales-training company, Simon lost his job along with several colleagues on April 7 -– less than 2 weeks into a state-wide lockdown to counter the pandemic. He says many who survived the firm’s layoffs saw their pay cut by 10%.That’s happening all over the country.A tsunami of job losses, which began among workers in restaurants, hotels and factories, is now reaching the offices of white-collar America --- where analysts and engineers find themselves among the rapidly swelling ranks of the unemployed.bloomberg

 

Indian-Americans Left Worried As Trump Suspends Immigration

https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/indian-americans-donald-trump-immigration_in_5ea166abc5b69150246e1632

Dr. Gitika Talwar, a clinical-community psychologist, works at an American university where she helps college students manage anxiety, depression and the effects of trauma, but for a few days now, she has been trying to clamp down on her own feelings of fear. It has been that way since Donald Trump unexpectedly and vaguely announced in a tweet that he was temporarily suspending immigration into the country.In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!“As soon as I read the tweet, I was very scared. Every moment in the past few years has been a distinct choice between worrying about my immigration or allowing myself to think of other things,” said Talwar, who did her doctorate in US and has been living there with her husband for over 13 years.On Wednesday, Trump signed a proclamation that will suspend some immigration into the U.S. for 60 days—among other things, this will temporarily halt the issuing of green cards to immigrants currently outside U.S.

 

‘Coronavirus will be with us for a long time, remains extremely dangerous,’ says WHO chief

https://scroll.in/latest/959984/coronavirus-will-be-with-us-for-a-long-time-remains-extremely-dangerous-says-who-chief

WHO  has warned that most countries were still in the early stages of tackling the coronavirus pandemic and that the infection will persist for a long time to come.There were “worrying upward trends” in early epidemics in parts of Africa, Central and South America and Eastern Europe, Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

 

India following US trajectory in COVID-19 cases:Chinese expert

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-following-us-trajectory-in-covid-19-cases-says-chinese-expert/article31416854.ece?homepage=true

India’s trajectory in COVID-19 cases is following US and likely to similarly reach a plateau rather than peak soon, one of China’s top infectious disease experts has said.Since there were already signs of some community transmission in India, it was more likely to follow the trend of U.S. and Europe rather than limit cases to a low number, said Zhang Wenhong, a leading figure in China’s COVID-19 strategy, who is also director of Huashan Hospital s Department of Infectious Disease in Shanghai.“I think the overall situation in India may be similar to that of U.S,” he said. “The measures of each state in the U.S. are different. Some states are strict and some have resumed work. India has to consider how the economy functions and how the epidemic can be controlled, so it does not pay a high price for epidemic prevention.”thehindu

 

US doctor leading efforts to develop coronavirus vaccine says he was removed from post for seeking vetting of hydroxychloroquine

  https://www.firstpost.com/health/us-doctor-leading-efforts-to-develop-coronavirus-vaccine-says-he-was-removed-from-post-for-seeking-vetting-of-hydroxychloroquine-8291661.html

Washington: The doctor who led the federal agency involved in developing a coronavirus vaccine said Wednesday that he was removed from his post after he pressed for rigorous vetting of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug embraced by Donald Trump as a coronavirus treatment, and that the administration has put “politics and cronyism ahead of science.”Dr. Rick Bright was abruptly dismissed this week as director of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, and removed as deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response. He was given a narrower job at the National Institutes of Health.In a scorching statement, Bright assailed the leadership at the health department, saying he was pressured to direct money toward hydroxychloroquine, one of several “potentially dangerous drugs promoted by those with political connections” and repeatedly described by the president as a potential “game changer” in the fight against the virus.New York Times

 

Turkish mosque turned into temporary 'supermarket'

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/turkish-mosque-turned-into-temporary-supermarket/articleshow/75286968.cms

 At the entrance of an Istanbul mosque, the racks usually reserved for the shoes of the faithful are loaded with pasta packages, oil bottles, biscuits -- like a supermarket.But they aren't for sale. Instead they are destined for the needy, hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.The sign on the mosque's window asks anyone who can to leave something, and says those in need can take something.Abdulsamet Cakir, 33, imam of the Dedeman mosque in the Sariyer district, came up with this idea of reaching out to the poor via the place of worship after Turkey suspended mass prayers in mosques until the risk of outbreak passes.Turkey's official death toll from virus now stands at 2,259 after 119 more deaths were reported on Tuesday, and major cities including Istanbul will be under lockdown for four days from Thursday.TOI

 

*OTHERS*

100-plus FIRs against Arnab Goswami across the country for defaming Sonia Gandhi & spreading hatred

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/100-plus-firs-against-arnab-goswami-across-the-country-for-defaming-sonia-gandhi-and-spreading-hatred

More than 105 FIRs have been filed against Republic TV head and news anchor Arnab Goswami in less than two days for spreading communal hatred, inciting violence and defaming Congress president Sonia Gandhi in various cities of the country.In Chhattisgarh alone total 101 FIRs were filed against the news anchor by Congress activists. While two FIRs were filed in the capital city, Raipur – one by the cabinet minister TS Singh Deo and another by Chhattisgarh Congress spokesperson Kumar Raja, 12 FIRs were filed in Durg district and seven in Mahasamund district. Four FIRs in Bilaspur and eight FIRs were filed in Janjgir-Champa district against Goswami.Similarly, 2 FIRs in Maharashtra, one in Uttar Pradesh, one in Himachal Pradesh and one in Madhya Pradesh were filed, under various sections of IPC, against the anchor for spreading animosity among communities, promoting communal hatred, inciting violence and defaming Congress Sonia Gandhi in his show “Poochhta hai Bharat” during a debate on Palghar mob-lynching on April 21.nationalheraldindia

 

Arnab Goswami’s car allegedly attacked in Mumbai; two held

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/two-arrested-for-attack-on-republic-tv-editor-arnab-goswami-6375208/

Mumbai :Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was allegedly attacked by two bike-borne persons late on Wednesday. The editor was returning home along with his wife when the attack took place. The attackers were caught by his security personnel and were handed over to the police. Both Arnab and his wife Samia Goswami were unhurt in the attack.Goswami in his complaint to police said, “Around 12.15 am when we reached Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, two men followed our car and tried to overtake.” These two attackers initially tried to identify the driver following which they stretched their arm pointing at him and then blocked his path.“Pillion rider hit the right side driver window several times and then, these attackers realised that the car window was up and they couldn’t break through and immediately, the pillion rider removed the liquid bottle from his pocket and threw liquid all over car on the driver’s side where I was sitting,” said Goswami in his statement to police. 2 accused identified as Arun Borade and Prateek Mishra were arrested. An investigator said, “We have learnt that they are affiliated with the youth Congress wing in Sion which we are trying to confirm. We are trying to get more information on them.”indianexpress

 

Delhi: Charged under UAPA, Jamia panel member denied bail

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/charged-under-uapa-jamia-panel-member-denied-bail-6374749/

Noting that “gravity of offence” against arrested Jamia coordination committee media coordinator Safoora Zargar is serious, a Delhi Court rejected her bail plea. Police have charged her with hatching a conspiracy to incite riots in Northeast Delhi.Metropolitan Magistrate Vasundhara Chhaunkar denied relief to Zargar, noting that the Delhi Police’s Special Cell has booked her under the stringent UAPA.The court’s order came on Zargar’s application seeking bail on the ground that she has been falsely implicated in the case, and that she is entitled to the relief being a woman. Zargar’s counsel also said she has already been granted bail in another FIR lodged in connection with the violence.indianexpress

Delhi violence arrests: Courts must ensure police are not using lockdown to undermine basic rights:Sruthisagar Yamunan

 

Civil Society Leaders Condemn Use of UAPA Against Anti-CAA/NRC Protesters, Demand Delhi Police to Withdraw Cases

http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/civil-society-leaders-condemn-use-of-uapa-against-anti-caanrc-protesters-demand-delhi-police-to-withdraw-cases

NEW DELHI:Eminent figures associated with civil initiative Hum Bharat Ke Log have issued a joint statement condemning the use of UAPA against youth leaders of anti-CAA-NRC-NPR protests. Terming the invocation of UAPA and the colonial sedition laws against these people as “inherently illegal”, the civil society people have demanded the Delhi Police to withdraw these cases.“We, undersigned, associated with Hum Bharat Ke Log, denounce and strongly condemn the move by Union Government to charge former student of JNU, Dr. Umar Khalid and arrest Jamia students Meeran Haider & Safoora Zargar and other student and youth leaders who led and participated in the peaceful protests and civil disobedience movements across the country, including Delhi. Media reports suggest that they have been charged under the draconian UAPA,” they said in a joint statement on Thursday.Hum Bharat Ke Log was at forefront of nationwide protests against the government move to implement NPR, NRC and CAA.India Tomorrow

 

Coronavirus: 2 months after Delhi violence, victims struggle for food, compensation amid lockdown

https://scroll.in/article/959952/coronavirus-two-months-after-delhi-violence-victims-struggle-for-food-compensation-amid-lockdown

“Hum poori tarah se barbad hai,” said 41-year-old Shahnaz Idrisi. We have been completely ruined. Idrisi and her family were among scores who fled from their homes as communal violence gripped North East Delhi from February 23 to 26.Before the displaced families could return home, a new strain of coronavirus, characterised as a global pandemic by WHO, began to sweep through Delhi. After exactly two months, violence seems like a distant past. However, this has not stopped Delhi Police from filing cases and arresting people who they accuse of instigating the violence.Another family from the locality, Mohammad Shadab, 23, and his 20-year-old wife Soni, and their two children, aged three years and 15 months, had not yet received any compensation.

 

2 arrested in Palghar lynching case directly linked to BJP: Congress leader Sachin Sawant

                        https://indianexpress.com/article/india/two-arrested-in-palghar-lynching-case-directly-linked-to-bjp-congress-leader-sachin-sawant-6376235/

Mumbai :Congress on Thursday alleged that some of the accused arrested in the Palghar lynching case are directly linked to the BJP. So far, 110 men have been arrested for the lynchings of two sadhus and a driver.Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant claimed that 25-year-old Ishwar Bandhu Nikole, who has been arrested, is a member of BJP’s booth committee for Gadchinchale village. Another man who has been arrested, Bhau Sathe, is also a member of the BJP’s village booth committee, Sawant alleged while releasing photos of the accused attending a programme organised by BJP.Questioning BJP’s alleged reluctance in acting against the two accused, he said: “The BJP should expel these people from the party if it is really serious about sadhus being lynched. Over the past few days, it has been trying to communalise the issue instead.”

 

 Jamaat E-Islami  Maharashtra condemns Palghar incident

http://www.uniindia.com/jamaat-e-islami-hind-condemns-palghar-incident/west/news/1963802.html

Palghar: Maharashtra unit of Jamaat E-Islami Hind (JEIH) has condemned the alleged lynching of three people, including two godmen, by a mob of villagers in this district few days back. In an official statement here, JEIH state president Rizwanur Rahman Khan said, ''Flaring up of communal tensions by way of lynching of three people, including two Sadhus, by a mob in Palghar district of Maharashtra is highly condemnable. ''Mob violence must end. Hate-mongers should be traced and punished. We welcome the quick action of the government, which has suspended two police officers. We also appreciate the Home department and police for arresting more than 100 people related to this case,'' Mr Khan said.''Mob lynching incidents have increased in India after the BJP-led NDA government came to power at the Centre. Since Maharashtra has a different culture, it has been least affected by this hate-mongering,'' he added.The Minister urged the MVA government to identify and arrest individuals, who were trying to destabilise the social fabric through media, social media or other means.UNI

 

2 Quote Marks Could Have Saved Me: Kashmiri Journalist Reacts to UAPA Charge for Social Media Posts

https://www.news18.com/news/india/two-quote-marks-could-have-saved-me-kashmiri-journalist-reacts-to-uapa-charge-for-social-media-posts-2589643.html

Srinagar: Masrat Zahra, a photojournalist from Kashmir, was summoned to Cyber Police Station in Srinagar for questioning on Tuesday,, a few days after she was booked under a stringent anti-terror law for her social media post.She explained her side of the story to the policemen, but officials have said investigations will continue. “2 small apostrophes around the word Shaheed could have kept me away from harm's way. I am not sure though,” she sighed, while speaking to News18 afterwards.26-year-old was pointing to the caption on a picture she uploaded a few days back on social media that is being cited as the main reason for FIR against her. The picture, published in 2018, shows a group of Shia mourners carrying a poster of slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani during a procession on Muharram.The text on the poster described Wani as “shaheed,” or martyr. Zahra had captioned photo with this information.Zahra says she started posting a series of pictures, used earlier by different publications, on social media as she was bored staying home due to Covid-19 lockdown.“I started digging through my old feeds and uploaded pictures with captions. But because there is a character limit on twitter, I could not put apostrophes (denoting quotes) in the caption of this particular picture,” she says, adding, “you will notice I have tried to squeeze characters.”In her 4-year career, Zahra’s work has appeared in reputed publications like The Washington Post, Al Jazeera, Caravan magazine and Turkish channel TRT. “I never thought I would face this kind of a situation,” she says.news18

 

Ramadan's crescent moon sighted in Kerala, Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada, Udupi; fasting to begin tomorrow

https://english.jagran.com/lifestyle/ramzan-2020-moon-sightings-live-updates-ramadan-muslims-fast-10011057

 Ramzan or Ramadan is a month-long holy festival celebrated with pomp and enthusiasm by Muslims all over the world. It begins with the sighting of the crescent moon which appears a day after the full moon. Month of Ramzan to be observed from tomorrow in Karnataka. The moon was sighted at Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts today. Month of Ramzan will be observed from tomorrow in Kerala. The moon was sighted at Kappad in Kozhikode. Jagran

Live Breaking News: Ramadan Moon sighted in Kerala, Dakshina Kannada & Udupi

 

Mukesh Ambani reclaims ‘Asia’s richest person’ tag from Jack Ma after Facebook deal: Bloomberg index

https://scroll.in/latest/960035/mukesh-ambani-reclaims-asias-richest-man-title-from-jack-ma-after-facebook-deal

Reliance Industries Chairperson Mukesh Ambani on Thursday reclaimed the “Asia’s richest person” title from Alibaba’s Jack Ma after social-networking giant Facebook announced a deal to buy about 10% stake in Jio Platforms, the daily update of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index showed.Ambani had lost the title to Ma last month after a steep fall in oil prices and global stocks due to the coronavirus pandemic reduced his net worth by $5.8 billion. The Bloomberg index of the world’s richest people, which is updated after the end of trading hours in the United States daily, had placed Ma at the 18th spot globally, while Ambani, with a net worth of $41.8 billion, had ranked 19th.

 

*WORLD*

PLO calls for international support to protect heritage sites in Hebron

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200423-plo-calls-for-international-support-to-protect-heritage-sites-in-hebron/

Member of PLO’s Executive Committee Hanan Ashrawi called on the international community to protect heritage sites in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, Safa news agency reported.In a statement, Ashrawi condemned the Israeli approval to seize land belonging to the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron as part of judaisation efforts under the pretext of renovation.Ashrawi stressed that Israel is using global preoccupation in the fight against the coronavirus and escalates its violations against “our land, people, identity and heritage”.

Hamas: Mossad involved in promoting drugs in Palestine refugee camps

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200423-hamas-israel-mossad-involved-in-promoting-drugs-in-palestine-refugee-camps/

Hamas accused Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad of being involved in promoting drugs among Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Quds Press reported.During a meeting with other Palestinian factions, Hamas representative in Lebanon Ahmed Abdul-Hadi hailed the detention of drug dealers in the refugee camps.Abdul-Hadi reiterated that Mossad is involved in promoting drugs in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, pointing out that the intelligence agency makes drugs available with very low prices in order to make it accessible to a large number of people.Israel, the movement said, promotes drugs among Palestinian refugees in order to undermine their spirit of resistance.

 

Saudi activists accused of launching hashtag 'Palestine is not my cause'

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200423-saudi-activists-accused-of-launching-hashtag-palestine-is-not-my-cause/

Offensive anti-Palestinian tweets have been found trending under Arabic hashtag “Palestine is not my cause”, which many believe was launched in response to a cartoon by a Palestinian artists which apparently insults Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.Some believe the Saudi regime has teamed up with Israel to disseminate posts aimed at promoting a public smear campaign against Palestinians and their supporters; thus delegitimising the Palestinian cause.According to The Jerusalem Post, a Palestinian political analyst in Ramallah, said: “There’s no doubt that several people from Saudi Arabia are behind this campaign. It’s also obvious they are receiving help from Israeli activists.”In addition to illustrations showing a Palestinian mother feeding her baby using a bottle labelled: “Hatred and Treachery,” hashtag consists of tweets accusing Palestinians of being untrustworthy, ungrateful, full of hatred and engaging in incitement against Saudi.middleeastmonitor

 

Israel Labor Party: I will not vote in favour of annexation plan

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200423-israel-labor-party-i-will-not-vote-in-favour-of-annexation-plan/

Leader of Israel’s Labor Party, Amir Peretz, yesterday declared that his party would not vote in favour of the plan to annex the occupied West Bank, the Israel Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) reported.He also said that he would exert as much effort as he can in order to undermine this plan or any other unilateral measure.Peretz’s remarks came in response to criticism following his party’s decision to join a coalition government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.“The alternative was going to a fourth election,” Peretz said, adding that this is the first time in Israel’s recent history that the date on which Netanyahu will step down from office is known.

 

Canada extends ban on arms exports to Turkey

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200423-canada-extends-ban-on-arms-exports-to-turkey/

Canada has extended indefinitely its ban on new arms exports to its NATO ally Turkey, CBC confirmed yesterday.The Deputy Director of the export control division at Canada’s Department of Global Affairs, Charles-Marie Matte, was revealed to have announced in his emails that approvals to sell new arms to Turkey have been suspended “until further notice”.The ban goes back to October last year in response to Turkey’s military incursion into northern Syria — Operation Peace Spring — which Ankara insists was necessary to protect its national security by clearing the Kurdish-led militias from the border and establishing a safe zone where Syrian refugees could find safety in the ongoing nine-year-long civil war.

 

Algeria rights groups say government cracking down on critics

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/algeria-rights-groups-government-cracking-critics-200416173127184.html

Algiers, Algeria - When the well-known Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni was arrested by the police in late March there were no demonstrations on the streets of the North African country.In an initial attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak in Algeria, which has reported 2910 total cases and 402 deaths as of Thursday, the government on March 17 announced a series of measures, including a ban on marches and public gatherings.

 

Ramadan begins in Saudi, UAE, Qatar, other Arab states Friday April 24

https://ummid.com/news/2020/april/22.04.2020/ramadan-2020-moon-sighting-in-saudi-arabia-uae-other-arab-states-live-news-update.html

Ramadan 2020 Moon Announcement Saudi Royal Court Live Update: The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia and Religious Affairs Ministry in UAE said that Ramadan will begin on Friday.Qatar, Kuwait and other Arab states have also announced that Friday April 24 will be the first day of Ramadan."Tomorrow, Friday, April 24, 2020 will be the first day of the holy month of Ramadan", the Moon Sighting Committee of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Qatar announced today.The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia and religious authorities in UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Oman and other Arab states will meet today after Maghrib salah to decide the start of Ramadan - the Muslim holy month of fasting.ummid

 

*views, Articles, FEATURES*

Arabs wake up to ‘Hindu Rashtra’; India loses face and its benign image:Uttam Sengupta

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/arabs-wake-up-to-hindu-rashtra-india-loses-face-and-its-benign-image

Pity the Indian Muslim, the new untouchable:Zafar Agha

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/pity-the-indian-muslim-the-new-untouchable

Why Blame 'Tablighis' Alone?Syed Khalique Ahmed | India Tomorrow

http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/why-blame-tablighis-alone

Madhya Pradesh: Small Shivraj Cabinet Spells Big Trouble for Scindia:Rakesh Dixit

https://thewire.in/politics/madhya-pradesh-cabinet-shivraj-singh-chouhan-jyotiradtiya-scindia

What Did Umar Khalid Exactly Say in His Speech in Amravati?ADITYA MENON

https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/umar-khalid-amit-shah-delhi-police-meenakshi-lekhi-devendra-fadnavis?fbclid=IwAR3yUFXZcqJJtTiPM6VXN3Q5zQw4S9eawSDUmuGmlwvv9ff7f4kUwyYJac4

Can Urdu regain its place in India’s linguistic landscape? Yes, if it is treated as a mother tongue:Mahtab Alam

https://scroll.in/article/959956/can-urdu-regain-its-place-in-indias-linguistic-landscape-yes-if-it-is-treated-as-a-mother-tongue?fbclid=IwAR01FNfrv-vAfPDTS6n9QJkok5iIDwQstEBux262lsyh2kicIA2EoPaYG5M

United we stand: BM cover story 'Muslim neighbours step in to help bereaved Hindu family' receives enthusiastic responses

https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/united-we-stand-bm-cover-story-muslim-neighbours-step-in-to-help-bereaved-hindu-family-receives-enthusiastic-responses/articleshow/75280750.cms

 

 

 

 

Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 11:34 PM).