*CORONAVIRUS - INDIA*

 

90% Workers Lost Livelihood, 94% Ineligible for Govt Relief: Study

https://www.thequint.com/news/india/covid19-lockdown-economy-impact-construction-workers

The lockdown imposed due to coronavirus may prove to be catastrophic for India’s poor, especially labourers.According to a survey conducted by NGO Jan Sahas, “90% labourers (approx) have already lost their source of income in the last three weeks”.What’s worse is that despite the government of India announcing a compensation for construction workers whose livelihood has suffered due to the lockdown, it may not be easy for the vast majority of workers to avail the compensation. The survey, which was conducted among 3,196 construction workers across India, says that as many as 94 percent of the workers do not have Building and Construction Workers identity card required for availing the central govt’s compensation. The study pegs the number of workers who may be rendered ineligible at around 5.1 crore.“If our dataset is representative of 55 million (5.5 crore) labourers currently employed in the construction sector then over 51 million (5.1 crore) labourers will not have access to any benefits,” the study says, advising that these labourers should all be brought under the ambit of the board.According to the study, 17 percent of the labourers surveyed do not have bank accounts, which may make it difficult for them to access the government’s economic benefits.Another obstacle to the labourers getting relief is lack of information. According to the survey, 62 percent of the workers said that they did not know how to access the government’s emergency relief measures, while 37 percent said that they were unaware of how to avail of government’s existing schemes. With no income, many labourers don’t have enough to survive even a day, leave alone the complete duration of the lockdown.Another major problem is debt. The study says that 31 percent of workers mentioned they have loans and they will find it difficult to repay it without employment.thequint

 

India’s GDP May Fall to 4.8% for FY21 Due to COVID-19: UN Report

https://www.thequint.com/news/india/india-gdp-for-fy21-estimated-at-4-8-percent-over-coronavirus-pandemic

India's GDP growth for the current fiscal is expected to slow down to 4.8 percent, a UN report has said, warning that COVID-19 pandemic is expected to result in significant adverse economic impacts globally.UN Economic and Social Survey of Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) 2020: Towards Sustainable Economies said that COVID-19 is having far-reaching economic and social consequences for the region, with strong cross-border spillover effects through trade, tourism and financial linkages. India’s GDP growth for fiscal year 2019-2020 was estimated at 5 percent and is forecast to slow down to 4.8 percent for the current fiscal 2020-21. Economic growth for the country could stand at 5.1 per cent for fiscal year 2021-22,” the report said.PTI

 

‘Covid-19 hangs over future, like a spectre’: RBI warns of ‘drastically altered’ growth outlook

https://scroll.in/latest/958706/covid-19-hangs-over-the-future-like-a-spectre-rbi-warns-of-drastically-altered-growth-outlook

RBI on Thursday said that coronavirus pandemic, lockdown measures and expected contractions in global output for 2020 will “weigh heavily” on the country’s economic growth. “Covid-19 hangs over the future, like a spectre,” the central bank said in its Monetary Policy Report. “The actual outturn would depend upon the speed with which outbreak is contained and economic activity returns to normalcy.” scroll

 

Coronavirus: Petrol, Diesel Demand Slumps 66% in April; ATF Down 90%

https://thewire.in/economy/coronavirus-petrol-diesel-demand

New Delhi: India’s fuel consumption slumped by over 66% in April as a nationwide lockdown halted economic activity and travel, which eviscerated demand.Petrol and diesel demand is down 66% in April, while aviation turbine fuel (ATF) consumption has collapsed by 90% as most airlines have stopped flying, industry officials said.India had consumed 2.4 million tonnes of petrol and 7.3 million tonnes of diesel in April 2019. As much as 6,45,000 tonnes of ATF was used in that month last year.PTI

Covid-19 lockdown: India’s fuel consumption in March fell by 18% – biggest decline in over a decade

https://scroll.in/latest/958709/covid-19-lockdown-indias-fuel-consumption-in-march-fell-by-18-biggest-decline-in-over-a-decade

 

Odisha extends lockdown till April 30,Schools Closed Till June 17; urges Centre to stop train, flights services

https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/coronavirus-updates-april-9-karnataka-govt-to-decide-on-lockdown-exit-strategy/cid/1763464?ref=top-stories_home-template

Odisha government on Thursday decided to extend the ongoing lockdown in the state till April 30 to effectively contain the spread of coronavirus.Schools and other educational institutions will remain closed till June 17, chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced after a video conference with his ministers."We have decided to extend the lockdown period till April 30 and a recommendation in this regard will be sent to the Centre," he said in a video message. Patnaik said the state has also urged the Centre to stop train and flight services to Odisha till April 30. Odisha has recorded 44 positive cases of coronavirus so far.PTI

 

Before Call On Lockdown, Central Teams Check Ground Situation In 9 States

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coonavirus-before-call-on-lockdown-central-teams-check-ground-situation-in-9-states-2209047?pfrom=home-topstories

New Delhi: 10 Central teams have been sent to nine coronavirus-hit states and their inputs are expected to be factored into the government's final decision on whether the countrywide lockdown will stay or go after April 15, sources told NDTV. A decision from Centre is expected after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with state Chief Ministers on April 11.ndtv

 

 

Coronavirus in India: 5,865 confirmed Covid-19 cases in India as death toll rises to 169

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/coronavirus-india-new-cases-deaths-covid-19-tally-number-news-update-1664960-2020-04-09

Nearly 550 cases in the last 24 hours, ending Thursday morning, have taken the total number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in India past 5,800. The death toll has climbed to 169 with 20 deaths recorded in the last 24 hours across the country.In its updated figures, the Union Health Ministry said while the number of active Covid-19 cases is 5,218, as many as 477 people have either been cured or discharged and one had migrated.The highest number of confirmed cases in the country is from Maharashtra at 1,135, followed by Tamil Nadu at 738 and Delhi at 669 cases. The cases have risen to 427 in Telengana, while Rajasthan has 381 cases.Uttar Pradesh has 361, while Andhra Pradesh reported 348 coronavirus cases. Kerala has reported 345 COVID-19 cases so far.Novel coronavirus cases have risen to 229 in Madhya Pradesh, 181 in Karnataka and 179 in Gujarat.Jammu and Kashmir has 158 cases, Haryana 147, West Bengal 103 and Punjab 101. Odisha has reported 42 coronavirus cases.

 Muslim Organisations, Civil Society Leaders Express Concern over Crackdown on Muslim Social Activists During Lockdown

http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/civil-society-leaders-express-concern-over-crackdown-on-muslim-social-activists-during-lockdown

NEW DELHI;Expressing serious concern over the arrest of Muslim social activists and students leaders during the lockdown, Muslim organisations, civil society activists and prominent citizens have appealed to Home Minister Amit Shah to restrain Delhi police from harassing Muslim activists at a time when the entire country is fighting the menace of coronavirus pandemic.In a joint statement, civil society and religious leaders belonging to different groups said that at a time when many of them were engaged in providing emergency help for stranded labourers and poor sections of the society by giving them free food and shelter during these difficult times, a series of detentions and arrest of social activists and students was being carried out by the Delhi police.The civil society leaders said that “upon preliminary study, it appears that police crackdown is directed against those involved in the peaceful anti-CAA/NRC movement which was undertaken for the protection of the Constitution, democratic ethos and civil liberties”.They said that “highly respected social activists are being implicated in false cases related to North-East Delhi riots of February 2020”. These leaders alleged in the statements that the activists were being asked to go to the police stations for interrogation during the lockdown.The signatories of the letter are:Maulana Tauqeer Raza, President, Milli Ittehad Parishad, Mr Udit Raj, former Lok Sabha MP., Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, Chairman,  Delhi Minorities Commission, Delhi, Mr  Syed  Sadatullah  Hussaini, Ameer  Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Mr Ravi Nair , President , SAHRDC, Maulana Asghar Ali Salfi , Ameer Markazi Jamiat Ahlehadis, Dr Manzoor Alam, Chairman, IOS, Maulana Syed Tanvir Hashmi, President, Ahle Sunnat Waljamat, Karnataka, Mr Prashant Tandon, Sr Journalist & Analyst , Mr Navaid Hamid, President, AIMMM, Ms Uzma Naheed , Founder IIWA, Mr Anil Chamadia, Senior Journalist, Mr M A Khaliq, Fr Administrative Officer, Columnist, Educationist, Mr M R Shamshad Advocate SC , Mr Ehteshamul Haq, Advocate SC, Prof.  Ms. Hasina Hashiya ,  All India Milli Council, Mr Ambrish Roy, Sr  RTE Activist, Mr Labid Shafi President, SIO, Prof Salim Engineer, GS , Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity, Mr Siraj Sait, Banglore. GS IUML, Mr Md Sulaiman , President INL, Mr SQR Ilyas , President WPI, Mr TA Rahmani , President MPCI, Mr Mashkur Usmani, Student leader AMU, and Mr Mujtaba Farooq, Director Public Relations - JIH. India Tomorrow

 

 

 

 

Muslim man beaten in Delhi on suspicion of conspiracy to spread Coronavirus, 3 arrested

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/man-beaten-in-delhi-on-suspicion-of-conspiracy-to-spread-covid-19-6354586/

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/three-arrested-for-attacking-man-over-conspiracy-to-spread-coronavirus-in-delhis-bawana/350381

New Delhi :A 22-year-old man was allegedly attacked in Delhi’s Bawana after he was suspected of conspiring to spread COVID-19, police said Wednesday. While an earlier PTI report, quoting police officials, claimed the man died of injuries, police officials clarified that the man was alive and undergoing treatment. The victim, identified as Mehboob Ali, a resident of Harewali village in Bawana. Police said the man had gone to Bhopal in MP for a Tablighi Jamaat conference and returned to the national capital in a truck of vegetables after 45 days, PTI reported. The man was held at Azadpur vegetable market and released after a medical examination. Police said when he reached his village, rumours spread that he had a plan to spread coronavirus.Police registered a case under relevant sections of IPC and arrested 3 persons, they added. indian express

 

Men Who Went to Tabhlighi Jamaat Meet Attacked: Minorities Commission to Delhi Police

https://thewire.in/communalism/delhi-minorities-commission-police-muslims-attacked

New Delhi: In a bid to clamp down on social boycott and hate crimes against Muslims, Delhi Minorities Commission has issued two notices to the commissioner of the Delhi police. These notices pertain to two different incidents – one in which some residents of Shastri Nagar in North Delhi planned to bar the entry of and boycott Muslims traders in their colony, and another in which a Muslim youth was allegedly lynched in a village in Bawana in North West Delhi. Taking cognisance of a video from Shastri Nagar in Delhi, which it said was shot on or around April 5, the Commission said:“A group of people are seen holding a meeting on the street in violation of the current Covid-19 restriction. They are planning to stop Muslims from entering their colony and asking people in other colonies to do the same. Some faces and the area are very clear and visible.”In the second notice to the police commissioner, the minority rights panel said “as a result of media trial and inaction of the concerned authorities, hate crimes are becoming common in Delhi.”thewire

 

 

 

 

 

2 Safdarjung Hospital Doctors, Out To Buy Fruits, Assaulted For 'Spreading Coronavirus'

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-two-safdarjung-hospital-doctors-out-to-buy-fruits-assaulted-in-delhi-for-spreading-coronavirus/350366?fbclid=IwAR1Y3fCIbPtnvB9ze2HtrS00v7kd-vwTIafJVSF8bkyCdrpO-fbN-3dp-rQ

2 women resident doctors of Safdarjung Hospital were allegedly assaulted by their neighbour, who accused them of "spreading coronavirus", in Gautam Nagar area in the national capital late on Wednesday night. The police swung into action and managed to arrest the accused on the complaint of the 29-year-old resident doctor, who had stepped out with her sister to buy fruits and vegetables in her neighbourhood market, said an official of the Hauz Khas police station, where the case was registered.Safdarjung Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) president Manish said the incident happened around 9.30 pm when the two had stepped out of their house to buy fruits in the area. 2 doctors of the central government hospital are not on COVID-19 duty, he said."A local resident, who was in the vicinity, asked them to stay away from the fruit stall, saying you doctors bring infection from the hospital and spread it here," Manish told PTI. When the doctors sought to reason with him, the man allegedly twisted their hands and pushed them back and fled, he said, adding they "approached police in this regard" Corroborating RDA president's version, police said, the incident occurred in Gulmohar Enclave area, where the two women had gone to buy fruits.outlookindia

 

Haryana: 3 arrested for beating up Dalit family in Palwal for allegedly ignoring PM Modi’s lights-out call

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/palwal-three-arrested-for-beating-up-dalit-family-for-allegedly-ignoring-pm-modis-lights-out-call-6354756/

3 people have been arrested by Palwal police for attacking a Dalit family in the district with bricks, stones, iron rods, and sticks during ‘diya jalao’ event Sunday evening. The complainant in the case has alleged that the accused barged into the family’s home, enraged they had turned on their lights, despite the fact that it was well past 9.09 pm or the nine minutes that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had fixed for the event. In his complaint to police, Dhanpal, a resident of Pingore village in Palwal, has stated that, at 9.30 pm on Sunday, he was at home with his family of seven when “some antisocial elements” barged into their home and used caste slurs against them before threatening to turn off all the lights of their house “even though Prime Minister had given the time of 9 pm to 9 minutes past 9 pm to turn off the light which we followed”. “Despite following this, at around 9.30 pm, some antisocial elements of the Gujjar community…forced their way into my house, used caste slurs, and when we opposed this, they beat us with sticks, bricks, stones, and iron rods, broke items, and looted our home,” alleged Dhanpal. indian express

 

Profiling:  Centre appeals against labelling any community

https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/community-profiling-in-times-of-coronavirus-pandemic-government-stirs-at-last/cid/1763341?ref=top-stories_home-template

New Delhi:Do not label any community or area for the spread of Covid-19, Centre advised the nation on Wednesday, over a week after “#CoronaJihad” trended across social media platforms. Sections of officials and media have also been underscoring that the incidence of Covid-19 cases would have been far lower had a religious congregation not been held in the capital. The congregation had taken place under the nose of the Centre and little effort was made to prevent it as Maharashtra government had done.Posts with several Islamophobic hashtags had circulated multiple conspiracy theories, so much so that a question was asked about such profiling at a US State Department briefing last week.Several Opposition chief ministers and Karnataka chief minister and BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa had spoken out against the profiling but there was no such clear messaging from the Centre till date.Union health ministry’s advisory on Wednesday, intended at addressing the social stigma associated with Covid-19, said: “Despite all precautions, if anybody catches the infection, it is not their fault. In a situation of distress, the patient and the family need support and cooperation. It must be noted that the condition is curable and most people recover from it.”The advisory also requested citizens to “never spread names or identity of those affected or under quarantine or their locality on the social media”.telegraphindia

 

Tablighi Jamaat members who failed to report will now be booked as deadline ends: Haryana Minister

https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/apr/08/tablighi-jamaat-members-who-failed-to-report-will-now-be-booked-as-deadline-ends-haryana-minister-2127517.html

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said Tablighi Jamaat members who had failed to report to the authorities in the state would now be booked under law, as the deadline for them to identify themselves came to an end.The Tablighi Jamaat members had attended a religious congregation at Nizamuddin in Delhi against the social distancing protocol amid the coronavirus outbreak.Vij said Jamaat members who had failed to report to authorities till 5 pm on Wednesday and test positive for coronavirus will be booked under attempt to murder. With 11 fresh cases being reported, the total number of coronavirus cases in the northern state rose to 141 on Wednesday.PTI

 

Maharashtra cyber cell register 132 FIRs in 18 days for spreading hate, fake messages on social media

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/maharashtra-cyber-cell-register-132-firs-in-18-days-for-spreading-hate-fake-messages-on-social-media/articleshow/75054389.cms

MUMBAI: Total 20 FIRs has been filed by the cyber police stations across Maharashtra State in the last 24 hours against people for spreading rumours about communal and many communal in nature. The action taken by the cyber police on perpetrators spreading fake news, rumors and hate speech through different mediums on social media platforms. Meanwhile, the cyber police stations in 31 districts in the state, including Mumbai, has registered total 132 cases since the lockdown period that was imposed in the state on March 22. From Tuesday, WhatsApp has disabled forwarding to many users any frequently forwarded message. The cases that has been registered against the perpetrators in the state was for spreading fake news through WhatsApp which is 79, Facebook 24, Twitter 3, TikTok 3, You Tube & Audio clips 23 and two non-cognizable offences. Meanwhile Mumbai police has arrested three so far so similar offences during the period out of the 9 cases that has been registered.

 

All-religious front backs Telangana's corona fight

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/all-faith-front-backs-states-corona-fight/articleshow/75040637.cms

HYDERABAD: Religious leaders of various faiths came together to form a multi-religious forum in Hyderabad and issued a joint appeal to the people to adhere to social distancing to combat Covid-19 pandemic.The new forum is called 'Dharmik Jan Morcha' (DJM) and it consists of Federation of Telugu Churches (comprising both Catholics and Protestants), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Shankar Mutt, Satya Sai Baba Trust, Chinna Jeeyar Swamy followers and others.Forum co-ordinator Anthony Raj Thumma said that DJM was mainly constituted to instil confidence among people in the state and to fight and win the war over the novel coronavirus. He said, "We urge followers of all religions to rigorously maintain social distancing as it is an essential preventive measure to defeat virus." Invoking Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, he said DJM would work for re-establishment of humanity and universal brotherhood in the society. Among the signatories to public appeal were Mohammed Sadiq Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, I Krishna Rao of Shankar Mutt and Venkat Rao of Satya Sai Baba temples.TOI

 

Corona warriors : Mother prepares 2 times meals for 400 people everyday in Deoband sinch 22nd March

http://muslimmirror.com/eng/corona-warriors-mother-prepares-two-times-meals-for-400-people-everyday/?fbclid=IwAR2Xr5POUFsHHM_09XUTeLMA6IJYgIKMLJK3zBKSBDjssBUnlEL6mrj67t0

Deoband:  A mother in this historic town has been voluntarily preparing two times meals for 400 people every day since the lockdown on 22nd March. The food distribution under the banner “Koi Bhooka na soay” (Let no one go to bed hungry) is being funded  by Deoband Abna-e-Madaris Welfare Educational Trust (DAMWET) and Deoband Islamic Academy (DIA) and is targeted at stranded students, daily wagers and other needy people in the town. The lady, Syeda Nargis Parveen, who has been singlehandedly providing the self-less service of cooking happens to be the mother of DAMWET’s Chairman Mahdi Hasan Aini, a young religious scholar and social activist. Explaining how the campaign was started Mahdi Hasan Aini said: “When I mentioned the situation it to my mother, without even thinking for a minute she immediately volunteered to prepare food for 40-50 students. This has number has now reached 400. Initially, we were targeting only students but now we are providing food to daily wagers and other needy people as well.” Mahdi Hasan said that Nagar Palika Deoband and District Administration were cooperating in the distribution of food packets. Mahdi Hasan Also said: “While we are distributing food to the needy, during the lockdown Dr Abdul Hameed of Deoband Polyclinic has been providing free consultation and medicines to those who need medical help.” muslimmirror

 

Salim Kodia : Lockdown Messiah for over 11,000 poor, stranded people in Mumbai

http://muslimmirror.com/eng/salim-kodia-the-lockdown-messiah-for-over-11000-poor-and-needy-people/

Mumbai: Salim Kodia, former cricketer of Islam Gymkhana, whose community kitchen for poor might not have hit headlines but whose name gives a ray of hope to the scores daily wage earners in various localities of Mumbai.“The daily wage earners are the worst hit, so our focus is to reach out to them with basics,” said Kodia who along with his team of volunteers, has been serving cooked food packets as well as ration bags to the poor families. Talking to Muslim Mirror, Kodia said, “Many of us, while checking our bank accounts and our stocked fridges feel a moment of gratitude for the economic security nets. But it is not with the poor labourers who need our support to survive the 21-day lockdown.” He added, “We must think about those who don’t have this net.” “In the beginning, we disturbed 1,500 cooked food packets. Now it has been increased up to 10000 packets daily. Besides this, we are also providing ration to the families of daily wage earners.” Kodia is running the  relief activities from the Mehfil Hall, in Agripada area since 23rd March.muslimmirror

 

Migrants pay price of staying back in Delhi

https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/coronavirus-lockdown-migrants-pay-price-of-staying-back-in-delhi/cid/1762978?fbclid=IwAR18JYGL-rGYGXmTbH9Eqr5gEZ_xYy4XAq7pbhsV4dK0SPgMt83527sspIc

Ritesh Singh, barely out of his teens, had decided to stay back in Delhi and not return to his native place like lakhs of other migrant workers. Now Ritesh, who hails from Bihar, cannot step out for fear of being beaten up, left at the mercy of the family that has given him shelter, hungry and with just Rs 7 in his pocket.Like Ritesh, many migrant workers in north India who did not join the post-lockdown exodus are facing the wrath of locals who accuse them of spreading the coronavirus.Ritesh of Telpa in Bihar’s Saran district used to work as a daily wage labourer at a casting-and-moulding factory in Haryana before the unit closed down in view of the lockdown.Ritesh has not been going out of the house at Jhund Sarai off Gurugram-Pataudi Road where he has taken refuge, even if it entails going without food.According to the youth, policemen too were beating migrant workers if they stepped out. Lakhs of migrant workers from across the country, including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, MP and Uttar Pradesh, had set out for their native villages in the immediate aftermath of the sudden lockdown that left them in the lurch without food and means of livelihood. Mohammad Monazir, a tailor from Bihar, is facing a predicament similar to that of Ritesh. telegraphindia

 

Delhi govt seals 20 coronavirus hotspots: Here is the full list

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/delhi-govt-seals-20-coronavirus-hotspots-11586358794043.html

Amid the outbreak of novel coronavirus in Delhi, which has infected 576 people and killed seven, Delhi government has identified 20 hotspots and have decided to seal them. So far, several pockets in the city have been declared containment zones, including parts of Nizamuddin, Dilshad Garden, Vasundhara Enclave, Kalyanpuri, Pandav Nagar, Krishan Kunj, Khichripur, Malviya Nagar, Sangam Vihar and Patparganj, according to IANS. Here is the complete list of hotspots according to PTI reports:1. Entire effected street near Gandhi Park, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi. 2. Entire effected street of Gali No 6 , L 1 Sangam Vihar, New Delhi. 3. Shahajahanabad society, plot no 1, Sector 11, Dwarka. 4. Dinpur Village. 5. Markaz Masjid and Nizamuddin Basti. 6. Nizamuddin West (G and D block) areas. 7. B Block Jhangirpuri. 8. H. No 141 to H. No 180, Gali no. 14, Kalyanpuri Delhi. 9. Mansara Appartments , Vasundhara Enclave, Delhi. 10. 3 Galis of Khichirpur including Gali containing H. No. 5/387 Khichirpur Delhi. 11. Gali No 9, Pandav Nagar , Delhi-92. 12. VarDhaman Appartments , Mayur Vihar, Phase I , Extension, Delhi. 13. Mayurdhwaj Appartments , I P Extension, Patparganj, Delhi. 14. Gali no. 4, from H. No. J- 3/115 ( Nagar Dairy) to H. No. J- 3/108( towards Anar wali Masjid Chowk), Kishan Kunj Extension, Delhi. 15. Gali No. 4, from H. No J- 3/101 to H. No. J - 3/107 Krishan Kunj Extension Delhi. 16. Gali No. 5, A Block ( From H No. A- 176 to A-189), WestVinod NagarDelhi-92. 17. J & K , L and H pockets Dilshad Garden. 18. G, H, J, Blocks old Seemapuri. 19. F- 70 to 90 block Dilshad Colony. 20. Pratap khand , Jhilmil Colony.livemint

 

Delhi's Bengali Market Sealed Over 3 COVID-19 Cases, 35 Found On Shop Roof

https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/coronavirus-delhi-bengali-market-sealed-over-3-covid-19-cases-35-found-on-shop-roof-2208650

New Delhi: A new coronavirus scare has emerged in Delhi after 35 workers were found on the rooftop of a pastry shop at Bengali Market, a popular family haunt in the heart of the capital. Bengali Market has been sealed off along with 20 virus hotspots in Delhi after three persons were diagnosed with COVID-19. An FIR has been filed against Bengali Pastry Shop for endangering lives by defying the lockdown to check the spread of COVID-19. Asserting that it was closed, the iconic shop, in its defence, said it had provided shelter to workers who had nowhere to go.According to the police, the workers were found on the terrace of the shop in worryingly unhygienic conditions, in a tight space with no social distancing. They have been quarantined at a shelter home.ndtv

 

30 Health Workers At AIIMS Quarantined As Patient Tests COVID-19 Positive

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/30-health-workers-at-aiims-quarantined-as-patient-tests-covid-19-positive-2208550?pfrom=home-topscroll

New Delhi: Around 30 health workers at Delhi's prestigious AIIMS were put under quarantine on Wednesday as a patient admitted in a different ward turned out to be COVID-positive, sources said. So far, none of them are showing any symptoms, sources said. The 70-year-old had come with neurological complaints and had been admitted at the Cardio-Neuro centre of the hospital. When he developed breathing problems, he was tested for coronavirus and turned out to be positive.ndtv

 

Coronavirus: Not Wearing Mask Outside Home Can Now Attract Fine, Jail Term In Delhi

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-coronavirus-outbreak-not-wearing-mask-outside-home-can-now-attract-fine-jail-term-in-delhi/350394

Not wearing a mask while stepping out of your house in Delhi may land you in jail for up to six months, according to an order issued by Chief Secretary Vijay Dev to contain the spread of the contagious coronavirus disease.People violating the order by not wearing masks when outdoors may also have to cough up fines between Rs 200 and Rs 1,000.PTI

 

Viral audio clip blaming Kejriwal for exodus of migrants workers falsely attributed to Harish Salve

https://www.altnews.in/viral-audio-clip-blaming-kejriwal-for-exodus-of-migrants-workers-falsely-attributed-to-harish-salve/

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared a 21-day nationwide lockdown, barring essential services, to contain coronavirus. As a result, lakhs of migrant labours across India began walking hundreds of miles to their villages due to lack of transportation.  Recently, a 4-minute audio clip attributed to senior Supreme Court advocate Harish Salve is floating online. Here, a man speaks ferociously and blames Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for exodus of migrant labours from Delhi to UP and Bihar. The clip has been uploaded by several users on YouTube and Facebook.Alt News reached out Harish Salve via email to verify if the audio clip is genuine or not. He replied, “This is an absolute fake – like the previous one. The first one was my purported comments on CAA and now this nonsense. I am complaining to commissioner of police Delhi about this.” Therefore the claim associated with viral video that the man speaking in the clip is Salve is false. Furthermore, man in the audio clip claims that the recent Delhi riots were anti-Hindu. However, on March 18,The Polis Project, a non-profit research and journalism organisation, updated a documenting the individuals who died during the targeted violence in Delhi between Feb.23 to 29. Out 52 people, 41 people were from the Muslim community and 11 were from Hindu community. Therefore, to label the riots as anti-Hindu is inaccurate and grossly misleading.altnews

 

Lockdown: Jamaat-e-Islami Comes to the Aid of Needy from Kashi to Ayodhya

http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/lockdown-jamaat-e-islami-comes-to-the-aid-of-needy-from-kashi-to-ayodhya

NEW DELHI:The government's decision for a ‘Janata curfew’ and a subsequent 21-day lockdown because of Coronavirus outbreak created a natural crisis of ration and food for millions of families across the country.At this time of crisis, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has been providing ration in Uttar Pradesh and other states to all the families of poor and migrant labours from Kashi to Ayodhya. JIH is the biggest Muslim socio-religious organization, which has been working in the country for the last several decades for the spread of Islamic education, religious-social upliftment and mutual love and harmony among the people.Relief kits have been delivered to 15 thousand families by JIH in different cities of Uttar Pradesh and the work is still going on. Similarly, in Delhi, 40,000 food packets have been distributed. The relief works of the organisation have helped lakhs of people across the country to cope up with the lockdown.Jamaat has delivered ration kits and other essential items to millions of families across the country, including people of all religions, after the lockdown.After the lockdown was announced, Jamaat asked its workers across the country to look for people in need and provide ration to all the families.Asadullah Azmi, the President of Varanasi unit of the Jamaat, while speaking to India Tomorrow, said, "After the lockdown, Jama'at Islami made a list of the needy to help the people and then all of them were distributed ration kits."Advocate Najmussakib Khan, Secretary, JIH, Uttar Pradesh East, giving details of the relief work being carried out by the organisation in UP, said, "We have reached every area, from Kashi in Banaras to the villages of Ayodhya. "India Tomorrow

 

 

Pakistan Boycotts SAARC Video Conference on COVID-19 Strategy

https://www.thequint.com/news/world/pakistan-boycotts-saarc-coronavirus-video-conference

Pakistan has boycotted a video conference of trade officials from SAARC countries, saying such meetings could only be effective if spearheaded by group's secretariat instead of India.The conference was convened to discuss the impact of coronavirus in the region and how SAARC forum could come up with a common strategy. Shortly after the conference, Pakistan’s Foreign Office in a statement said, “Activities such as today’s Trade officials’ video conference could only be effective if spearheaded by SAARC secretariat. Since SAARC secretariat was not part of today’s video conference, Pakistan chose not to participate.”PTI

 

Kashmir Hospital Returns 6 Ventilators To NGO Due To Lack of Space, Beds, Staff

https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-kashmir-hospital-returns-6-ventilators-to-ngo-due-to-lack-of-space-beds-staff/350393

At a time when hospitals around the world require ventilators, Government Medical College, Srinagar returned six such machines, donated by an NGO. The cost of 6 ventilators is around Rs 39 lakh. “We require ventilators very much but before ventilators, we need space, specific beds for ventilators, anaesthetics, nurses,” says a government official requesting anonymity. Government spokesman, Rohit Kansal didn’t comment on the issue. For a population of over 7 million, the Valley has around 100 ventilators for critically ill patients -- one ventilator per around 71,000 people. outlookindia

 

Nagaland: Muslim Council files complaint against Lama for Facebook post

https://nenow.in/north-east-news/nagaland/nagaland-muslim-council-files-complaint-against-lama-for-facebook-post.html

Muslim Council Dimapur on Wednesday lodged an FIR against Cedee Lama for allegedly trying to tarnish its image on social media.In FIR lodged with Dimapur additional deputy commissioner of police (crime), the council working president, A. Rahman, said Lama circulated a false propaganda on the Facebook group “Naga Blog” that the council is harbouring illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.FIR said he (Lama) is spreading the message of hatred against the Muslim council and the Muslim community to create differences among the denizens of Dimapur.nenow.in

 

Old video where salon attendant applies saliva on customer’s face falsely shared with Muslim angle

https://www.altnews.in/2015-video-where-barber-is-massaging-his-customers-face-with-his-own-saliva-shared-to-falsely-target-muslim-community/

Amidst the nationwide lockdown imposed to fight coronavirus, social media is in the middle of an information war. Old videos and manufactured audio clips are being widely shared to build the false narrative that the Muslim community is deliberating trying to spread the viral infection in India. This is in the backdrop of Delhi’s Nizamuddin emerging as a coronavirus hotspot after several Tablighi Jamaat members were tested positive.In the latest attempt, a video of a barber massaging a customer’s face with his own saliva is massively viral. The customer is evidently unaware of the sickening act. The video has been shared with the claim that the barber hails from the Muslim community hence, all “Hindu brothers” should avoid visiting barbers who are Muslims. Alt News found this video posted by a channel named Amazing video on June 6, 2015. According to descriptions, it’s a prank video.altnews

 

WB: Muslims help in Hindu’s cremation in Malda

https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/west-bengal/lockdown-muslims-help-in-hindus-cremation/cid/1763316

Kamal Saha and his brother Shyamal were feeling helpless when their octogenarian father Binay Saha died on Tuesday night.As the lockdown was in progress, both the sons had no idea as to how to conduct the last rites.However, hundreds of Muslim neighbours came forward to help the bereaved family shoulder the body to the cremation and conduct the last rites.The Sahas found no words to thank Mukul Sheikh, Askara Bibi, Saddam Sheikh, Rejaul Karim and many others. telegraphindia

 

Coronavirus | Muslim men carry Hindu woman’s bier in Indore

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/coronavirus-muslim-men-carry-hindu-womans-bier/article31293583.ece

BHOPAL :When the sons of Draupadi Bai Verma’s sister refused to tend to her as she suffered from high fever, suspecting she had contracted COVID-19, there was no one left to take her to hospital.The next morning she died. Even then, her relatives refused to touch the body. That’s when 10 Muslim neighbours got together to buy things for her last rites, put together a bier, and carried her body to the cremation ground on their shoulders.“This is the purpose of humanity, to serve each other,” said Abdul Rehman Sheikh, one of the neighbours in South Toda of Indore, who carried the bier.thehindu

 

Mumbai: Muslims Help Perform Last Rites of Hindu Neighbour Amid Lockdown

https://thewire.in/rights/mumbai-muslims-help-perform-last-rites-of-hindu-neighbour-amid-lockdown

Mumbai: Members of Muslim community helped in performing the last rites of their 68-year-old Hindu neighbour here in suburban Bandra after the latter’s relatives could not reach his place due to the lockdown.The Muslim neighbours carried the body of Premchandra Buddhalal Mahavir, a resident of Gareeb Nagar locality of Bandra, on their shoulders to the cremation ground while chanting ‘Ram naam satya hai‘.Mahavir, belonging to a poor family from Rajasthan, died on Friday night following an illness.PTI

 

 

 

Assam court rejects MLA Aminul Islam’s bail plea, orders quarantine in custody

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/assam-court-rejects-mla-aminul-islams-bail-plea-orders-quarantine-in-custody/article31301174.ece?homepage=true

District and Sessions Court in central Assam’s Nagaon has rejected the bail peal of AIUDF lawmaker Aminul Islam, arrested on Tuesday for sedition. The court also prescribed quarantine for him in jail.Rejecting the bail petition, the court fixed April 18 as the next date of hearing. A similar petition was rejected on Tuesday, the day he was arrested.Mr. Islam was arrested under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code, including sedition, for making objectionable remarks through an audio clip over the COVID-19 pandemic. He had claimed that people being quarantined in Assam would be killed with an injection. He had also said the quarantine centres were worse than detention camps for illegal immigrants.thehindu

 

In 13 states, NGOs fed more people than govt during coronavirus lockdown

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/in-13-states-ngos-fed-more-people-than-govt-during-coronavirus-lockdown-1665111-2020-04-09

New Delhi:NGOs in 13 states and Union Territories provided meals to more people than what their respective state governments during the nationwide lockdown that started on March 25 in the wake of the rapidly spreading novel coronavirus pandemic. According to a reply submitted by the central government in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, a total of 84,26,509 people were provided meals across the country during the lockdown, which is set to end next week. Of these, 54.15 lakh people were fed by state governments while the remaining 30.11 lakh were fed by NGOs.An IndiaToday.in analysis of the state-wise data however shows that in 13 states and UTs, NGOs outperformed state governments in providing humanitarian relief in the form of free meals. Most of these meals were provided to stranded migrant labourers and the poor who have been hit the worst owing to loss of income during the lockdown.In Kerala and Telangana, all meals were exclusively provided by NGOs during the lockdown. In states such as Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Mizoram, NGOs provided 92.8 per cent, 91.7 per cent and 88.5 per cent of all the meals, respectively.

 

UP Police file FIR after WhatsApp video calls for restricting entry of vendors from minority community

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/meerut/up-police-file-fir-after-whatsapp-video-calls-for-restricting-entry-of-vendors-from-minority-community/articleshow/75055350.cms

Meerut: Police in UP’s Meerut have filed an FIR and are trying to trace the people who have recorded and circulated a video on WhatsApp, which calls for boycotting the vendors of minority community in colonies.The case was filed under section 66 (computer-related offences) of the IT Act soon after the circulation of the “instigating” video asking people to “stop entry of minority community’s vending carts by checking their identity cards, as they were spreading dirtiness amid spread of novel coronavirus”.Ashutosh Kumar, station house officer (SHO) of Nauchandi police station, said, “An FIR has been filed against unknown persons for circulating an instigating video inciting people to ban the entry of minority community vendors in their colonies. Unknown people have been booked under Section 66 of the IT Act.”

 

 

*CORONAVIRUS – WORLD*

 

 

Confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide top 1.5m

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/global-coronavirus-cases-exceed-15-million-live-updates-200408233108539.html

Spain reported 683 daily coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours, a lower number of fatalities compared to the previous two days.For the second straight day, the US recorded nearly 2,000 fatalities, while in Britain the daily death toll hit a record 938 in one day.There are now some 1.5 million confirmed cases of coronavirus around the world. More than 88,500 people have died and nearly 330,000 have recovered.aljazeera

 

8 UK doctors have died fighting coronavirus, all of them immigrants; 6 are Muslims

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/world/europe/coronavirus-doctors-immigrants.html?fbclid=IwAR18sbxzavkVqucKHq4Gk0cudZFHMqVRIA-eUdmPrvkA0mLFMCkaDm-ax2U#click=https://t.co/ZQ2hG28mM1

https://theprint.in/world/eight-uk-doctors-have-died-fighting-coronavirus-all-of-them-immigrants/398639/

The coronavirus pandemic has claimed lives of 8 doctors so far in UK and all of them were immigrants. These physicians had come from India, Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Sudan to practice in UK. According to a report by New York Times, foreign doctors in UK have found work in places and practices that put them on the front lines of coronavirus pandemic. This is in sharp contrast to British doctors who dominate the otherwise prestigious disciplines. Over a third of the doctors in UK’s NHS hospitals are immigrants. As of March 2019, 20 per cent of over 1.2 million staff employed by NHS came from the BAME backgrounds (black, asian, minority ethnic). 8 doctors who died due to coronavirus were Amged el-Hawrani, 55, and Adil El Tayar, 64, from Sudan; Habib Zaidi, 76, a general practitioner from Pakistan; Alfa Sa’adu, 68, a geriatric doctor from Nigeria; Jitendra Rathod, 62, a heart surgeon from India; Anton Sebastianpillai, in his 70s, a geriatric doctor from Sri Lanka; Mohamed Sami Shousha, 79, a breast tissue specialist from Egypt; and Syed Haider, in his 80s, a general practitioner from Pakistan. Dr Adil El-Tayar from Sudan’s Atbara had graduated from the University of Khartoum and initially decided to help people suffering from kidney diseases that had swept across sub-Saharan Africa.As of Wednesday, British government said the pandemic has claimed over 7,097 lives in the nation so far.theprint/NYT

 

BBC broadcasts Muslim prayers on radio for the first time

https://www.arabnews.com/node/1655021/world

LONDON: Muslims in UK can now listen to Friday prayers broadcast on BBC radio for the first time. Different imams lead the 5:50 a.m. broadcasts every week on 14 BBC local radio stations, reciting verses from the Qur’an or quotes from Prophet Muhammad, before delivering sermons and leading listeners in prayer.The stations’ audiences are in parts of Britain with large Muslim communities — Leeds, Sheffield, Lancashire, Manchester, West Midlands, Leicester, Stoke, Derby, Nottingham, Coventry and Warwickshire, 3 Counties, Merseyside, Berkshire and London. “Local radio is all about connecting communities, and we hope these weekly reflections will go some way to helping Muslims feel a sense of community while they are isolating,” said Chris Burns, head of BBC Local Radio. Places of worship throughout Britain have been closed since March 23 in one of the measures introduced to curb the spread of the coronavirus. BBC already broadcasts Christian services on Sundays on 39 of its local and national stations.

 

World Faces Worst Economic Fallout Since Great Depression:IMF Chief

https://www.ndtv.com/business/coronavirus-impact-global-recession-world-faces-worst-economic-fallout-since-great-depression-due-to-2209024?pfrom=home-topscroll

The global coronavirus pandemic is causing an economic crisis unlike any in the past century and will require a massive response to ensure recovery, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said Thursday. She warned that "global growth will turn sharply negative in 2020," with 170 of the International Monetary Fund's 180 members experiencing a decline in per capita income. "In fact, we anticipate the worst economic fallout since the Great Depression," Georgieva said in a speech previewing next week's spring meetings of IMF and World Bank, which will be held virtually due to the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19.AFP

 

Amid coronavirus scare, Myanmar court releases scores of detained Rohingya Muslims

https://scroll.in/latest/958681/amid-coronavirus-scare-myanmar-court-releases-scores-of-detained-rohingya-muslims

Due to the coronavirus scare, a court in Myanmar on Wednesday dropped cases against scores of Rohingya Muslims who were detained after they fled a military crackdown in 2017, AFP reported. Myanmar’s security forces are accused of killings, gangrape and arson during a crackdown that drove over 7,30,000 people to flee Rakhine state to neighbouring Bangladesh after some Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts in August 2017. As the coronavirus forces the world’s biggest cities and wealthiest countries into lockdown, fears over a potential outbreak in Myanmar’s overcrowded prisons led to the release of 128 people. HRW has described Myanmar’s jails as “horribly overcrowded and unsanitary”. 4 buses carrying the Rohingyas left the Pathein prison early Thursday morning.scroll

 

Pakistan: Non-Muslim volunteers join several NGOs including Jamaat Islami to fight against COVID-19

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/pakistans-non-muslim-volunteers-join-fight-against-covid-19/1796883#

Wearing gloves, and face masks, a group of 15 volunteers huddle at a distance with each other, beside a stash of groceries in a large room in eastern district of Karachi, the country's commercial capital. Among them is Sunil Harsi, one of the many Hindu volunteers who have joined hands with different relief agencies to provide rations, and sanitation products to low-income masses amid a raging coronavirus outbreak that has put this South Asian nuclear state under a crippling lockdown. The country has reported a total of 58 deaths as the number of coronavirus cases have surpassed 4,070 as of Wednesday. Harsi, 32, a city councilor for Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's mainstream religious party, has actively been taking part in relief efforts carried out by the party's charity wing Al-Khidmat Foundation in Karachi's eastern district for over a month. He and his colleagues have been assigned to operate in two slums areas in Gulshan-e-Iqbal town, a middle-income bracket locality. "I have also been appointed in-charge of rations distribution by Al-Khidmat Foundation among needy Hindus as I know my community more than anyone else," Harsi said."I have personally handed over rations to Hindu families at their doorsteps in my locality," he added. Adnan Sadiq, a young Christian volunteer, who too is part of the group, counts his involvement in the operation as a pride. He gave credit to his Muslim friends for bringing him in. Around a dozen Christian and Hindu volunteers from his area, he said, were working with different charities.The country's tiny Sikh community is also contributing its share to provide relief to the low-income people, who have been badly hit by the economic meltdown, a direct result of the coronavirus outbreak. Anadolu Agency

 

 

 

*OTHERS*

 

 

J&K: SC seeks response from Centre, UT administration on restoring 4G Internet services

https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/j-k-sc-seeks-response-from-centre-ut-administration-on-restoring-4g-internet-services/cid/1763477?ref=latest_home-template

New Delhi:The Supreme Court today asked the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration to respond to a plea seeking directions to them to restore 4G Internet in Union territory in view of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.A bench of Justices N. V. Ramana, R. Subhash Reddy and B. R. Gavai issued notices to them and sought their reply within a week on the plea filed by 'Foundation for Media Professionals' which has assailed an order of J&K administration on March 26 that restricted to the Internet speed to 2G only in UT. Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the petitioner, contended that in view of the ongoing lockdown, it is very necessary to enhance technology and connectivity in the Union territory. PTI

 

J&K: Jaish commander killed in Sopore encounter, FIR against locals for participating in funeral

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jaish-e-mohammed-commander-killed-jammu-kashmir-encounter-6353513/

A Jaish-e-Mohammed commander was killed on Wednesday in an encounter between militants and security forces in North Kashmir’s Sopore town.A cordon-and-search operation was launched by the joint forces in Arampora area of Sopore on Tuesday night after they received information regarding the presence of militants in the locality. Police said on Wednesday morning that they established contact with “two to four militants” present inside the house. In the ongoing operation, a militant identified as Sajjad Nawab Dar, was killed. Jammu and Kashmir Police confirmed the recovery of his body.  Meanwhile, dozens of locals gathered to participate in the funeral of slain militant and police registered a first information report against them for violating the lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. “The legal heirs had given in writing to adhere to social distancing when we handed over his body to his family,” officers said, adding that a crowd soon gathered for the funeral. So far, 10 militants have been killed in 3 encounters in the Valley since last week.indianexpress

 

2 of 5 Militants Killed in Keran Sector Are Our Missing Sons, Claim South Kashmir Families

http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/two-of-five-militants-killed-in-keran-sector-are-our-missing-sons-claim-south-kashmir-families?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=emailemail&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Indiatomorrownet+%28IndiaTomorrow.net%29

SRINAGAR:Keran operation has taken a new turn after 2 families of south Kashmir claimed that 2 of 5 slain militants were their missing sons. 5 newly infiltrated militants and an equal number of commandos were killed in a 5-day-long gunfight at the Rangdori forest along Line in Keran sector last week. 5 commandos killed on LoC belonged to elite 4 Para (Special Forces) which had carried out surgical strikes in PoK in Sept.2016.Fierce gunfight broke out on Saturday evening at snowbound when army was combing the dense forest area for the fourth consecutive day to locate a group of infiltrators, who had managed to give a slip after a brief exchange of fire on April 1. However, 2 families from Shopian and Kulgam have come forward to claim that 2 of the slain are their sons. They have identified the duo as Sajad Ahmad Hurrah of Daramdora, Keegam in Shopian district and Sartaj Ahmad Dar of Hangir, Yaryipora in Kulgam district. Hurrah was missing since April 2018 while Dar was missing since Dec.2017. “My nephew went missing in 2018. He called up us from Delhi before he went missing. We had no information about him till now. A few days ago some people informed us that he has been killed on the border,” said Shiraz Ahmad Hurrah, uncle of slain Sajad Ahmad Hurrah. India Tomorrow

 

 

 

 

Punjab: Muslims Families Hide in Riverbed After Being Driven From Hoshiarpur Villages

https://thewire.in/communalism/punjab-muslims-families-hide-in-riverbed-after-being-driven-from-hoshiarpur-villages

Hoshiarpur: Several children, women and men on Wednesday continued to hide themselves in the Swan riverbed, without for the food for three days now, on the Punjab side of the state’s marshy borders with Himachal. They were allegedly abused, beaten and chased away from their mud-house settlements in villages in the Talwara block of Hoshiarpur district. “I asked them (villagers from Hindu-majority community) why are they beating us, and they started hurling abuses and calling us sick,” said Saraaj Deen, who led a large contingent of hungry children, women and men of seven-eight joint families as they were uprooted from their settlement.“Even the police are not allowing us to move on to the adjoining Himachal, where we live in the summers,” he said.His mother, aged 80, was denied the medicine at the chemist shop where the shop owner snubbed him as “sick Muslims spreading virus”, Saraaj’s wife said. Saraj’s fellow tribal Shafi Mohammad explained that the people in the surrounding villages were harassing and humiliating them ever since the Tabhlighi Jamaat incident of Delhi. “None of us has ever seen Delhi, but the people here are still after our lives with no help from the administration,” he said. thewire

 

Mosques, Imams, widows not paid for months by Delhi Waqf Board

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2020/apr/09/mosques-imams-widows-not-paid-for-months-by-delhi-waqf-board-2127612.html

NEW DELHI: While Delhi government is giving double annuity to beneficiaries under a pension scheme to ease the financial stress on economically backward citizens of the national capital in view of COVID-19 lockdown, Delhi Wakf Board (DKB) is yet to release monthly monetary assistance to widows, Imams, and Muazzins of mosques since last few months.Officials, aware of the development, claimed that even the board’s at least 170 employees had not been paid salary for the last two months.'The payment of widows’ pension and remuneration to Imams and Muazzins are stuck since last four months. Wakf Board staff have not got their salary of last two months. The crisis has worsened after departure of board’s chairman Amanatullah Khan last month as for all payments, clearance is required from at least 2 signatory authorities,' said the official.  Khan’s tenure as chairman ended with the dissolution of Delhi legislative assembly in Feb.after which to disburse any payment, signature of two authorities—CEO and a member—is required.newindianexpress

*views, Articles, FEATURES*

Covid an excuse to push Indian Muslims out of informal sector jobs. Apartheid the next step:ASIM ALI , theprint

https://theprint.in/opinion/covid-an-excuse-to-push-indian-muslims-out-of-informal-sector-jobs-apartheid-the-next-step/398236/

Excess stocks of the Food Corporation of India must be released to the poor:Jean Dreze

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/coronavirus-lockdown-food-for-poor-migrants-mass-exodus-jean-dreze-6353790/?fbclid=IwAR149qMYdr-xOFaOk9gyySe-rvO7UzIcAmg77vCidh37hltJsCnBgl28YfY

Coronavirus, The Nizamuddin Tablighi Jamaat Fiasco: A Collective Failure: Ejaz Maqbool & Mohammad Isa Hakim

http://www.indiatomorrow.net/eng/coronavirus-the-nizamuddin-tablighi-jamaat-fiasco-a-collective-failure

As Mills Delay Payments Like Every Year, Lockdown Adds to Sugarcane Farmers' Woes:Kabir Agarwal

https://thewire.in/agriculture/sugar-mills-lockdown-farmers-dues

 

 Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 8:43 PM).