11 OCT. NEWS DIGEST

 

INDIA

 

CBI removes Hathras case FIR from website, later issues revised release on takeover “attempt to murder” case

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/hathras-case-cbi-removes-fir-from-website/article32826796.ece?homepage=true

New Delhi: Just hours after posting an FIR and a press statement on taking over the investigation into Hathras gang rape and murder of a Dalit woman, CBI removed the same from its website. CBI formally took over the case after DoPT issued a notification authorising the agency to investigate the case, and registered an FIR early on Sunday under Section 307 (Attempt to murder), 376(D) (Gang rape), and 302 (Murder) of IPC and Section 3(2)(v) of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of CBI’s Ghaziabad Unit mentioned “Rape, attempt to murder, gang rape and Murder (other)” as suspected offences in the case. Though the FIR and a press release were published on the agency’s website, FIR was later removed. The link in the press release now leads to a bank fraud case. Late in the afternoon, a fresh release was posted, stating that the agency had registered a case “against an accused and taken over the investigation of the case, earlier registered vide CC no-136/2020 at Police Station Chandpa, District-Hathras on a complaint. The complainant had alleged that on 14.09.2020, the accused tried to strangulate his sister in the millet field. The case has been registered by CBI on the request of Uttar Pradesh Govt and further from Govt of India.” The case was originally registered as an attempt to murder a Dalit at Chandpa police station in Hathras on Sept.14. Neither the complaint nor the first FIR had made any mention of rape or gang rape. thehindu

 

Hathras victim’s kin to testify before Allahabad HC tomorrow

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/hathras-dalit-woman-case-up-police-probe-allahabad-high-court-family-6720724/

Family members of a 19-year-old Dalit woman, who died after allegedly being gangraped by 4 upper caste men in Hathras district, will appear before the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on Monday to narrate their version of the events that led to the late-night cremation by police. “The district judge, who has been appointed the nodal officer for the appearance of the Hathras victim’s family members before the high court, is in touch with it as to when the case is listed. The family will move accordingly. The family is in Hathras as of now,” SP Vineet Jaiswal said. As many as 60 security personnel have been deployed and 8 CCTV cameras have been installed at the house of the victim to ensure ensure the safety of her family members, police said.

 

Many Indians don’t consider Dalits, Muslims and tribals human: Rahul on Hathras case

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/hathras-case-yogi-adityanath-up-police-rahul-gandhi-6720412/

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday attacked Yogi Adityanath dispensation over the death of a Dalit woman from Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras after being allegedly gang-raped, saying the chief minister and his police say no one was raped because for them and many other Indians, she was “no one”.In a tweet, Gandhi said the shameful truth is many Indians do not consider Dalits, Muslims and tribals to be human.“CM & his police say no one was raped because for them, and many other Indians, she was NO ONE,” the former Congress chief tweeted.PTI

 

Delhi: Dalit rights body stages protest, demands strict action against Hathras accused

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/delhi-dalit-rights-body-stages-protest-demands-strict-action-against-hathras-accused-6720281/

New Delhi:Demanding that UP government and the Centre take stringent action against accused in Hathras case and implement SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, AIDMAM, which is affiliated with National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, marked a protest at Dr Ambedkar Bhawan on Rani Jhansi road Saturday.Abhirami Jotheeswaran (41), director of AIDMAM, said, “Hathras case is not an isolated incident. As per NCRB data of 2019, 10 Dalit women are raped daily, and crimes against them – which includes sexual violence such as rape – have risen in the past few years.”Jotheeswaran used to be a software engineer in Chennai and shared her family’s experiences with caste discrimination. Jotheeswaran said sexual violence perpetrated against Dalit women is an attempt by non-Dalit castes to exert power, intimidate and silence their voices.

 

Hathras case: Cops say ‘activist’ at teen home, MP doctor says went to help

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/hathras-case-cops-say-activist-at-teen-home-mp-doctor-says-went-to-help-6720194/

A 40-year-old Jabapur-based doctor came forward to say Saturday that there was no secrecy regarding her movements after media landed up at her doorstep, following reports that UP govt was looking into the presence of a woman at the home of Dalit teenager who died following assault and alleged gangrape in Hathras recently. In the evening, IG, Aligarh Range, Piyush Mordia clarified that they didn’t have any plans to question the woman. A member of the teenager’s family said they were tired of the allegations, including that she was not raped and that they beat her, leading to her death. The Jabalpur doctor, who said she earlier worked in Forensics Department of the city’s NSCB Medical College said she had gone to Hathras moved by the teenager’s plight, hoping to extend moral and financial support. She said she feared the Hathras family’s fate might end up like the Unnao rape victim’s whose whole family was targeted. “I realised the family did not have any documents, from the postmortem report to the forensic findings. I began speaking to the authorities,” she says, adding that the officials were not comfortable with her questions. She said she also gave the family a cheque. Indian Express

 

MP: Junior doctor dies by suicide, family says was ragged over caste

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/mp-junior-doctor-dies-by-suicide-family-says-was-ragged-over-caste-6720206/

Bhopal :The family of a junior doctor who died by suicide last week has alleged that he was ragged at NSCB Medical College in MP’s Jabalpur because of his caste and financial status. Bhargav Devangan, 29, was pursuing a post-graduate course in orthopaedics at the state-run institute. He was found hanging in his hostel room on Oct. 1. His brother wrote to the Jabalpur SP on Saturday alleging that the college administration was responsible for his death. In its complaint to Garha police, Bhargav’s family has alleged that he was constantly ragged by 5 of his seniors over his caste soon after he took admission on July 1. His elder brother Prahlad said: “Soon after joining college,Bhargav started complaining to us over the phone about such acts of ragging; he said he was made to feel inferior. We have an OBC certificate but Bhargav took admission in general category.”

 

Panchayat secretary, ward member arrested in Cuddalore for forcing Dalit president to sit on floor

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/dalit-panchayat-president-force-to-sit-on-floor-in-tamil-nadu-panchayat-secretary-ward-member-arrested/article32824244.ece

Bhuvanagiri police on Saturday arrested Sinduja, secretary of Therku Thittai panchayat in Mel Bhuvanagiri block in Cuddalore, after it emerged that panchayat president Rajeshwari Saravana Kumar, from a Scheduled Caste, was forced to sit on the floor at panchayat meetings.The police also arrested Sugumar, a caste Hindu and member of ward number 6. SP M. Sree Abhinav said Sugumar was arrested after an inquiry. He had also threatened Ms. Saravana Kumar at the panchayat meetings, he said.Ms. Sinduja was earlier suspended by Collector Chandra Sekhar Sakhamuri following an inquiry. A case was booked against Ms. Sinduja and panchayat vice-president Mohan Raj. thehindu

 

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind condemns Assam Govt’s decision to shut down state-run madrassas

http://muslimmirror.com/eng/jamaat-e-islami-condemns-assam-govts-decision-to-shut-down-state-run-madrassas/

New Delhi: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has condemned the Assam education minister for announcing to shut down all the Govt run madrassas and ceasing their funding from next month. Chairman of Jamaat’s Markazi Taleemi Board (Education Board), Mr. Nusrat Ali  in a press statement said, “on the one hand, the govt talks about making universalization of education and connecting the socially and educationally backward classes with the education under NEP. On the other hand, the BJP govt of Assam is adopting anti-Muslim policy by withholding financial supports of Muslim institutions. Following in the footsteps of the central government which is passing anti-people laws in this Corona pandemic period, the state government of Assam is also taking anti-people decisions.” Calling the Assam govt’s move as reprehensible, Mr.Nusrat Ali has cautioned the state that the decision not only will discontinue education of thousands of students studying in Madrassa but also it will leave teachers and staff jobless. muslimmirror

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind condemns Assam Govt’s decision to shut down Madrassas

 

Telangana: Muslim bodies divided on non-agri land enrolment on portal TS NPB Dharani portal

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/muslim-bodies-divided-on-dharani/article32823569.ece

HYDERABAD: Muslim socio-religious organisations are divided over non-agricultural property enrolment on TS NPB, which is part of Dharani portal. Jamiat-e-Ulama Hind of Telangana and AP (Mahmood Madani) raised concern about data collection for Dharani potral and called for a boycott of non-agricultural property enrolment exercise.According to its general secretary Hafiz Khaleeq Sabir, announcements were made in several mosques across the State on Friday to ask for clarifications from those seeking property details, and in case they are unable to do so, to boycott the exercise. “Why does the govt want so many details, including the number of people in our houses and their Aadhaar card numbers? They already took details in the intensive household survey soon after the creation of Telangana. There was fear over NPR in the country a few months ago. Why is this exercise soon after,” he said. On the other hand, Jamiat (Arshad Madani) decided to support Telangana govt’s move. Jamiat general secretary Mufti Mahmood Zubair said, “We believe that this is not connected to NPR and NRC. Therefore, we have decided to ask people to participate in the property enrolment.” Jamaat-e-Islami Hind of Telangana and Odisha is ‘studying’ the issue. The state president Hamed Mohammed Khan said, “We are speaking to bureaucrats, former civil servants, and lawyers. We are likely to make our stand clear on Monday,” he said.

 

Hope Article 370 will be restored in J&K with China's support: Farooq Abdullah

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/hope-article-370-will-be-restored-jammu-kashmir-china-support-farooq-abdullah-1730531-2020-10-11

Srinagar:Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Sunday held the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370 responsible for the Chinese aggression at LAC in Ladakh. Speaking to India Today TV, Farooq Abdullah said that China "never accepted" the Abrogation of Article 370, and hoped that it will be restored with China's support."Whatever they are doing at LAC in Ladakh all because of the abrogation of Article 370, which they never accepted. I am hopeful that with their support, Article 370 will be restored in J&K," Farooq Abdullah said. "I never invited the Chinese President, it was [PM] Modi who not only invited him but did jhoola sawari with him. He [PM Modi] even took him to Chennai and had food with him," Farooq Abdullah said. Further speaking on the Centre's decision on Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah said that "what the government had done on August 5 [in 2019] was unacceptable".Farooq Abdullah further said that he was not even allowed to speak on the problems of Jammu and Kashmir in Parliament.

 

India's New Farm Laws Will Empower Farmers: Israeli Envoy

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indias-new-farm-laws-will-empower-farmers-israeli-envoy-2308425?pfrom=home-topstories

New Delhi: India's latest agricultural reform legislations will empower farmers and give them more options to sell their produce and earn maximum profits, Israeli envoy to India Ron Malka has said, citing his country's experience.He said the Indian farmers would realise the real benefits of these reform measures once "the dust settles".Asserting that collaboration in the agriculture sector is one of the main "glues" that bind the Indo-Israel partnership, Malka said the new farm laws can further deepen ties as India can adopt Israel's technology of using digital platforms to connect farmers directly with consumers.In an interview to PTI, Israeli ambassador said the efficiency of the agriculture sector as a whole will increase with the new legislations and consumers will also enjoy better and fresh crops.PTI

 

Republic TV Chief Executive Being Questioned In Rigged Ratings Case

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/republic-tv-ceo-reaches-mumbai-crime-branch-office-for-questioning-in-rigged-ratings-case-2308388?pfrom=home-bigstory

Mumbai: The chief executive of Republic TV, Vikas Khanchandani, is being questioned by the Crime Branch of the Mumbai police in the case involving the alleged rigging of television ratings for profit.  The channel's CFO Shiva Subramaniyam Sundaram, was summoned on Saturday, but he asked that it be rescheduled. The owners of two TV channels -- Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema -- are among the four people arrested in the case.The Republic TV --  which claims the highest TRPs among news channels -- said they were being targeted for their coverage of actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death, where they have questioned the role of the police. Calling it a "desperate measure", channel head Arnab Goswami said, "He (the Mumbai police chief) should issue a public apology or get ready to face us in court." 

 

India spends 0.1% on the judiciary as against 2% of GDP on Defence

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/india-spends-01-on-the-judiciary-as-against-2-of-the-gdp-on-defence

2020-21 Union budget made fairly substantial cuts in the allocation of funds to different arms of the Judiciary. For example, allocation for autonomous bodies which includes National Legal Services Authority, National Judicial Academy, and Indian Law Institute and others were cut from Rs. 159 crores in 2019-20 to Rs. 117 crores. Surely, this was an unkind cut.Similarly, the funds for the creation of infrastructure facilities for the Judiciary saw a sharp reduction from Rs. 990 crore to Rs. 762 crore. Reminder, this was at a time when India’s economy was still growing.But, even if we shift our gaze from the cut in the allocation of resources to the Judiciary in this one union budget, and try and analyse the trends in resource allocation as well as utilisation by the Indian Judiciary more broadly, there’s a certain set of facts and trends which are distinct and merit attention.

 

Andhra CM Jagan Declares War on Justice Ramana, Next-in-Line to be CJI

https://thewire.in/law/andhra-cm-jagan-declares-war-on-justice-ramana-next-in-line-to-be-chief-justice-of-india

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jaganmohan Reddy’s ongoing confrontation with higher judiciary took a dramatic turn Saturday evening when he levelled serious allegations against Justice N.V. Ramana of the Supreme Court – the judge who is due to become the next CJI – as well as the chief justice and several other judges of the Andhra high court.Reddy spelt out his allegations in a letter fo CJI S.A. Bobde – perhaps the first time in the republic’s history that a chief minister has formally accused a sitting member of the higher judiciary of political bias and even corruption.The move comes days after Reddy met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 6, and with Union home minister Amit Shah a few days earlier.

  GST Council to discuss compensation issue for third time in a row tomorrow

https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/gst-council-to-discuss-compensation-issue-for-third-time-in-a-row-tomorrow/article32826388.ece?homepage=true

GST Council in its meeting on Monday is likely to discuss suggestion of non-BJP ruled States of setting up a ministerial panel to develop consensus on the issue of compensation, sources said.The Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and comprising of State Finance Ministers, will for the third time in a row discuss the issue of funding the shortfall of GST revenue of States.PTI

 

Hyderabad: Students Shocked by Summonses 7 Months After Anti-CAA Protests

https://clarionindia.net/hyderabad-students-shocked-by-summonses-7-months-after-anti-caa-protests/

HYDERABAD:“It was a season of protests. Everyone was out on the roads. We also protested.” said Hadif Nisar, a Kashmiri student studying in Hyderabad University, recalling the anti-CAA protests earlier this year.But Nisar is one of the 14 students, including two women, from different associations who have been summoned by the police for questioning in connection with a case registered in Hyderabad over a protest demonstration held at MANUU campus in Feb.against CAA.The students say they were surprised to see their name in the summonses at a time when universities and colleges are shut and students are confined to their homes.They came to know about it when the summonses, dated October 8, arrived at the home of one of the accused, Manikanta, a student who lives in Telangana, on Saturday.“After seven months we got these summonses. It came as a shock because we did not know the police had filed a case against us.” said Manikanta, who is an M.Phil. student at Hyderabad University. “It must be the university who must have provided our identity details. The university administration should have informed us about the police case.”Clarion India

 

Delhi violence: Former civil servants create committee to conduct ‘objective, fair’ investigation

https://scroll.in/latest/975515/delhi-violence-former-civil-servants-create-committee-to-conduct-objective-fair-investigation

Constitutional Conduct Group, a group of former civil servants belonging to the All India and Central Services, on Sunday announced the formation of a “citizens committee” on the Delhi violence in Feb. The committee will be called the Citizens Committee on the Delhi Riots, Feb.2020: Context, Events and Aftermath.“Considering the horrific nature of the riots in North East Delhi, the scale of violence, the loss of lives and the resulting communal divide between communities, we felt that an expert body should carry out a thorough examination of what transpired before, during and after the riots,” the Constitutional Conduct Group said in a statement. “This has become even more necessary as the investigation carried out into the riots by Delhi Police has evoked extensive critical commentary in recent times.”The group said there was a need for an “objective and fair” understanding of the riots and their aftermath. It said it has invited judges and former civil servants to be members of this committee. The invitees include former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan Lokur, former Chief Justice of the Madras High Court and Delhi High Court Justice AP Shah, former Delhi High Court judge RS Sodhi, former Patna High Court judge Anjana Prakash, former Union Home Secretary GK Pillai, and former Bureau of Police Research and Development Director General Meeran Chadha Borwankar.

 

Delhi Riots: Court Holds Investigating Officer Responsible for Releasing Names of Witnesses

https://thewire.in/law/delhi-riots-court-special-cell-investigating-officer-names-witnesses

New Delhi: Taking cognizance of the release of the full names and addresses of 15 public witnesses in Delhi riots case by the special cell of Delhi police in the chargesheet filed by it, a Delhi court has restrained dissemination and circulation of these protected witnesses. The court held investigating officer responsible for releasing names of protected witnesses, and directed the investigating agency to provide them “comprehensive safety and security”.The Wire had on Oct.7 reported how this blunder can prove costly. The story had pointed out how the disclosure of the names, which Delhi police claimed was “inadvertent”, raised doubts about the credibility of the investigation and its direction.

 

'Your ideology wants to make us second class citizens': Owaisi slams Mohan Bhagwat over remarks on Muslims

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/your-ideology-wants-to-make-us-second-class-citizens-owaisi-slams-mohan-bhagwat-over-remarks-on-muslims/665267

New Delhi: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has lashed out at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and said that your ideology wants to make Muslims second class citizens in the country. He slammed Bhagwat after RSS Chief remarked that Indian Muslims are the most content in the world.In a series of tweets, Owaisi asked Bhagwat that what is the measure of Muslim's happiness while criticising him for his statement and emphasised that there's not a competing among Muslims in different parts of the world to be the happiest. However, Indian Muslims just want their fundamental rights."What is measure of our happiness? That a man named Bhagwat can constantly tell us how grateful we should be to the majority? The measure of our happiness is whether our dignity under Constitution is respected. Don't tell us how 'happy' we're while your ideology wants...(sic)," he tweeted.

 

800 Acres Of Mumbai's Aarey Declared Forest, Metro Car Shed To Be Shifted

https://www.ndtv.com/mumbai-news/controversial-metro-carshed-to-be-shifted-from-mumbai-aarey-2308421?pfrom=home-topscroll

Mumbai: Around 800 acres of land in Mumbai's Aarey have been declared a reserve forest, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said Sunday, adding that the construction of the controversial car shed for a Metrorail project in the area would be shifted to Kanjurmag. There will be no escalation in costs, he further said, noting that the government already owned land in the area.The proposed car shed in Aarey had led to a bitter row in Sept.and Oct. last year between environmental activists and then BJP-ruled Maharashtra government, which wanted to cut down 2,700 trees to build the shed.

 

LJP affiliates want Chirag Paswan in Modi cabinet after dad’s death, BJP says it’s PM’s call

https://theprint.in/politics/ljp-affiliates-want-chirag-paswan-in-modi-cabinet-after-dads-death-bjp-says-its-pms-call/521427/

Patna: Days after the death of Union cabinet minister and LJP patron Ram Vilas Paswan, there are calls from leaders affiliated to the party for the inclusion of his son and LJP chief Chirag Paswan in Narendra Modi cabinet.The leaders are also seeking Ram Vilas Paswan’s Rajya Sabha seat for his widow, Reena Paswan.“We are going to make a demand for the inclusion of Chirag Paswan in the Union cabinet. We will also be demanding the Rajya Sabha seat for his mother Reena Paswan,” said Lallan Chandravanshi, a spokesperson for Dalit Sena, an LJP-affiliated outfit created by Ram Vilas Paswan for carrying out programmes related to the Scheduled Castes.

 

No communal angle in Delhi's Adarsh Nagar violence, it was a dispute between families: Police

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/no-communal-angle-in-adarsh-nagar-violence-it-was-a-dispute-between-families-police/story-EjeZ4GZS2Ix93PoCkgp6aO.html

Delhi Police on Saturday issued a clarification over the death of an 18-year-old man, who was beaten up by a group over his alleged relationship with a girl, and succumbed to his injuries.Delhi Police said this is not a communal matter but a dispute between families.“Certain sections of print media have tried to give communal overtones to the incident, which is factually incorrect. It is clarified that it’s a matter of dispute between the two families,” Delhi Police said.Earlier in the day, three juveniles were among five persons arrested on Saturday after an 18-year old man, who was beaten up by this group over his alleged relationship with a girl, succumbed to his injuries.

 

Allahabad High Court orders Muslim father to release daughter who has married a Hindu

https://www.indialegallive.com/top-news-of-the-day/news/allahabad-high-court-orders-muslim-father-to-release-daughter-who-has-married-a-hindu/

Prayagraj : Allahabad High Court has ordered a girl named Sheeba, who had accepted Hinduism and changed her name to Shikha to marry a Hindu man named Rohit Rathore, to be freed from the confinement of her father and brother. The court ordered that she should be housed at Nari Niketan, Kanpur Nagar instead. This was to ensure her safety.Justice JJ Munir’s order came after Shikha and her husband Rohit had filed a habeas corpus petition.Rohit has stated in the petition that there is a life threat to his wife. He said that though both are adults the police have caught Shikha and handed her over to her father Mukhtar Ali where she has been living as a ‘hostage’.India Legal

 

CORONAVIRUS-LOCKDOWN

Widespread use of sanitisers, soaps can worsen antimicrobial resistance: Experts at AIIMS

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/widespread-use-of-sanitisers-soaps-can-worsen-antimicrobial-resistance-experts/article32827134.ece?homepage=true

New Delhi:Health experts at AIIMS warned that the increased use of antibiotics and the widespread use of hand sanitisers and antimicrobial soaps, which has especially increased multi-fold during the COVID-19 pandemic, can worsen the situation of antimicrobial resistance. Stating this at a webinar on “Antibiotic resistance: Renewed Fight” earlier this week, Rama Chaudhry, Head, Department of Microbiology, AIIMS, Delhi said antibiotic resistant organisms have become rigidly established in our environment with many infections failing to respond to available antimicrobials.“Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest challenges of modern medicine. This antimicrobial resistance mounts problems beyond the geographical as well as species barriers and can transmit from animals to humans. AMR needs to be addressed in totality by all sectors including healthcare, veterinary and agricultural domains. This is where one health approach comes into place,’’ she said in the webinar jointly organised by AIIMS and American Society for Microbiology.

 

Ayurveda age-old science, not placebo: AYUSH doctors' body counters IMA, gives nod to new coronavirus protocol

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ayurveda-age-old-science-not-placebo-ayush-doctors-body-counters-ima-gives-nod-to-new-coronavirus-protocol-1730433-2020-10-11

Days after Indian Medical Association (IMA) questioned the Centre's new protocol on Ayurveda and yoga to prevent and treat asymptomatic and mild coronavirus patients, an AYUSH doctors' body on Saturday said that "ayurveda is an age-old, well-established science and "not a placebo". The body also gave a nod to central government's Covid-19 protocol on yoga and ayurveda.It said that the new protocol will provide better management strategies to treat virus-infected patients in the country."Ayurveda is an "age-old, well-established science, rather than a placebo. The Integrated Medical Association (AYUSH), which was formed in 2010 and has chapters in all states," stated national president RP Parasher and founder patron Yuvraj Tyagi, as reported by PTI.The association further said that Covid-19 patients were already being treated by ayurveda and yoga in several institutions and the new protocol released by the Centre will only bring uniformity in AYUSH treatment across the country.

 

Coronavirus vaccine | Roll-out of FELUDA test expected in next few weeks, says Health Minister Vardhan

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-roll-out-of-feluda-test-expected-in-next-few-weeks-says-harsh-vardhan/article32826642.ece?homepage=true

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said the government has not yet taken a view on granting emergency authorisation to COVID-19 vaccines in India, as and when they become available. The Minister also said that the Feluda paper strip test for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis could be rolled out in the next few weeks. Presently COVID-19 vaccines are in various stages of phases 1, 2 and 3, the results of which are awaited, Dr. Vardhan said during an interaction with his social media followers on ‘Sunday Samvad’ platform.“Adequate safety and efficacy data is required for emergency use authorisation, vaccine approval for ensuring patient safety. Further course of action will depend on the data generated,” he underlined.PTI

 

Covid cases may increase during winter: Health Minister

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-covid-19-cases-transmission-winter-harsh-vardhan-6720790/

New Delhi :Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Sunday hinted that India may see an increase in the Covid-19 transmission rate during winter.The Minister’s comments came in the backdrop of several reports which indicated that coronavirus cases will surge in the colder weather since respiratory illnesses tend to thrive during cooler weather conditions. Vardhan stated that SARS-CoV-2—which causes Covid-19 infection— is a respiratory virus and the transmission of respiratory viruses is known to increase in the colder weather. Citing the example of European countries such as the United Kingdom, Vardhan said that the number of infections has gone up with the onset of winter.

 

Surge in COVID cases across Europe; over 15,000 cases a day expected in Delhi in winter

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/health/surge-in-covid-19-cases-across-europe-over-15000-cases-a-day-expected-in-delhi-in-winter

With autumn having set in Europe, COVID-19 cases have again begun surging across the continent with France and Spain leading the numbers, according to the World Health Organisation. In India too, cases are expected to spike in Dec. In France, cities have been placed on high alert after Covid-19 cases crossed 18,000 per day. In the UK  too, cases breached 16k mark mid-week. Spain hit the six-month high in the last week of September, while in Italy it happened this week. Germany too has seen the number of cases crossing the 4k mark, which is close to the April peak of 6,000 cases.

 

Ambulance driver Aarif Khan who ferried 200 bodies of Covid patients since March dies of virus in Delhi

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-ambulance-driver-covid-dead-6720214/lite/?fbclid=IwAR1chzINrgXtD4tmHvsWdVzE8fZCbp8ciQfkqDn8u3wjlTGUZuT6zVWTpUY

New Delhi : For over 6 months, Aarif Khan slept in an ambulance parking lot 28 km from his home in northeast Delhi’s Seelampur, staying in touch with his wife and four children on the phone. Khan was on call 24X7, ferrying patients of Covid-19 as well as carrying its victims to their last rites. On Saturday morning, 48-year-old ambulance driver succumbed to the disease at Hindu Rao Hospital.Employed with Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sewa Dal, that provides free emergency services in NCR, Khan would often pitch in with money for the last rites if a family was in need, or help with the rituals if a deceased’s near ones were not around, his colleagues say. “He ensured everyone got a farewell but his own family couldn’t give him that. They saw his body from afar for a few minutes,” said Jitender Kumar, adding that Khan would have ferried close to 200 bodies since March. On Oct.3, Khan fell sick and got a Covid-19 test done, which came positive. He died within a day of getting admitted to hospital. Khan’s son Aadil, 22, said they had seen him only during his brief visits home since March 21. Khan’s other son, Asif, said, “I didn’t even get to say goodbye to him…How will we survive without him?”Khan, who earned Rs 16,000 a month, was the sole earning member of the family. Their monthly house rent is Rs 9,000.

 

Unmarried men at higher death risk from COVID-19: Study

https://gulfnews.com/world/europe/unmarried-men-at-higher-death-risk-from-covid-19-study-1.1602332905093

London:  Being a man, having a lower income, a lower level of education, not being married, and being born in low-or middle-income countries -- these are factors that relate to an elevated risk of dying from COVID-19, warn researchers."We can show that there are independent effects of various separate risk factors that have been brought up in debates and news about COVID-19," said study author Sven Drefahl from Stockholm University in Sweden."All of these factors are accordingly individually associated with a strongly elevated risk of dying from COVID-19," Drefahl added.The study is based on data from Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare on all registered deaths from COVID-19 in Sweden for adults aged 20 and older.IANS

 

India now has over 70L COVID cases

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/india-now-has-over-70l-covid-cases

With a single day spike of 74,383 new cases, including 918 deaths, India on Sunday crossed the 70-lakh-mark with a total of 70,53,806 so far.Out of these, 8,67,496 are active cases; 60,77,976 cured/discharged/migrated cases and 1,08,334 succumbed to the pandemic, said the latest data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit with a total of 15,17,434 cases, including 40,040 deaths; followed by Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.While the active cases increased at 12.30 percent, the recovery rate is at 86.17 and the fatality rate is 1.54%.IANS

 

WORLD

 

 Azerbaijan says 9 die, 34 injured in Armenian attack on civilians

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/azerbaijan-front-line/azerbaijan-9-die-34-injured-in-armenian-attack-on-civilians/2002551

The death toll in a recent Armenian missile attack on Azerbaijan’s Ganja city, despite a cease-fire, rose to nine including four women on Sunday.As many as 34 others, among them 16 women and six children, are injured, the Prosecutor General's Office in Azerbaijan said in a statement. The Armenian attacks continued despite a humanitarian truce agreed on Saturday for the exchange of prisoners and retrieval of bodies in Nagorno-Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan. Hikmat Hajiyev, assistant to the Azerbaijani president, said the attacks were Armenia's "policy of vandalism and barbarism" against Azerbaijani civilians, and "an act of genocide."Attacking civilians with destructive missiles is a war crime, a manifestation of immoral behavior of Armenia's political-military leadership, he tweeted.The armistice came after a trilateral meeting in Moscow on Friday between the foreign ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said their army repulsed Armenian attacks throughout the night. aa

 

Nagorno Karabakh President Accuses Israel Of Backing Azerbaijan

https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/rest-of-the-world-news/nk-president-accuses-israel-of-backing-azerbaijan.html

The de facto president of the self-proclaimed Nagorno Karabakh Republic has accused Israel of backing Azerbaijan, as both Armenia and Azerbaijan traded blame for derailing a deal intended to end the worst outbreak of hostilities in the separatist region in more than a quarter-century. Arayik Harutyunyan said Azerbaijan had been using Israeli-made attack drones in the recent fighting."They continue to provide these UAVs and the authorities of Israel are responsible for this genocide," he told reporters.AP

 

Tens of thousands rally in Israel calling on Netanyahu to resign

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/10/tens-of-thousands-rally-in-israel-calling-on-netanyahu-to-resign

Tens of thousands of Israelis have once again demonstrated to demand Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resignation, saying he is unfit to rule while on trial for corruption charges and accusing him of mismanaging the response to the coronavirus pandemic.Protesters on Saturday gathered at hundreds of locations across Israel due to a nationwide lockdown that has barred them from protesting at the usual site outside Netanyahu’s official residence in Jerusalem. The current lockdown regulations allow people only to gather within one kilometre (less than a mile) of their home. The largest gathering at Habima Square in central Tel Aviv drew thousands of protesters, who blew horns and pounded on drums and tambourines. The protesters waved pink and black flags symbolising various grassroots protest movements. Some of the banners, using Netanyahu’s nickname, said, “Bibi, you are destroying my future.” Others read “Go!” aljazeera

 

Israel will oppose any US F-35 sale to Qatar: Israeli minister

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201011-israel-will-oppose-any-us-f-35-sale-to-qatar-israeli-minister-says/

Israel will oppose any US sale of F-35 warplanes to Qatar, Israel’s intelligence minister said on Sunday, citing a need to maintain Israeli military superiority in the region, Reuters reports.Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen made the comments on Israeli Army Radio when asked about a Reuters report that Qatar had submitted a formal request to Washington to buy stealthy F-35 fighter jets.Asked whether Israel would oppose such a sale, Cohen said: “The answer is yes. Our security and military superiority in the region are the most significant things for us. Our region has still not turned into Switzerland.”

 

PA asks Qatar to mediate for Israel to end unpaid tax revenues crisis

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201010-pa-asks-qatar-to-mediate-for-israel-to-end-unpaid-tax-revenues-crisis/

As the financial situation of the Palestinian Authority (PA) worsens, PA asked Qatar to mediate for Israel to help end the crisis of unpaid tax revenues, Asharq Al-Awsat reported.An informed source told the London-based newspaper that PA officials met Qatari officials in Doha and discussed the issue of unpaid tax revenues estimated at over a billion US dollars.The source confirmed that PA officials expected Qatari media to succeed in resolving the issue with Israel shortly.In May, PA stopped receiving the tax revenues, which were collected by Israel on behalf of the PA, after PA President Mahmoud Abbas had announced stopping all mutual agreements with Israel in response to Israel’s plans to annex the occupied West Bank.Since May, PA has been forced to borrow money from local banks in order to pay its employees’ salaries.

 

Palestinian president Abbas meets World Jewish Congress head

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201011-palestinian-president-abbas-meets-world-jewish-congress-head/

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder in the West Bank on Saturday, a Palestinian minister said, following a call by Lauder for Palestinians to revive peace talks with Israel, Reuters reports.Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh revealed the meeting in a Twitter posting but gave no details.Lauder, a US businessman who also met Abbas a year ago in New York, attended Sept. 15 White House signing ceremony of an agreement between Israel and UAE and Bahrain to forge formal ties.He told Saudi newspaper Arab News on Sept. 16 that he hoped the accord would bring the Palestinians and Israel back to peace talks, which collapsed in 2014.

 

For third consecutive Friday, Israel prevents Palestinians from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201010-for-third-consecutive-friday-israel-prevents-palestinians-from-entering-al-aqsa-mosque/

Israeli occupation police have prevented Palestinians from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque and performing Friday prayer for the third consecutive week, Anadolu Agency reported.Eyewitnesses disclosed that the Israeli occupation police were deployed at the outer entrances of Jerusalem’s Old City and prevented every Palestinian from entering into the area.Only Palestinian residents of the Old City were allowed to enter the mosque and perform Friday prayer.

 

Saudi Prince calls for boycotting Turkey imports

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201010-saudi-prince-calls-for-boycotting-turkey-imports/

Saudi Prince Abdulrahman Bin Musa’ad has called for boycotting Turkish imports after Turkish President Erdogan announced that his country’s army in Qatar helps stabilise security in the Gulf states.According to The New Khalij, the prince retweeted Erdogan’s remarks and wrote: “Therefore, I call for a full popular boycott for Turkish products in order to protect the stability of Turkish economy and strengthen it.”Head of the Council of the Saudi Chambers of Commerce Ajlan Al-Ajlan tweeted: “Boycott everything Turkish – imports, exports, investment and tourism. It is the responsibility of every Saudi trader and consumer.”Replying to these tweets, Turkish journalist Kateb Oglu tweeted: “Saudi is the loser of this boycott because commercial relations between the two countries are not strong. The total annual Turkish exports are around $176 billion, only six or eight billion to Saudi Arabia.”

 

 

Kyrgyz president strengthens hold on power as new PM named

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/10/kyrgyz-president-strengthens-hold-on-power-as-new-pm-named

Kyrgyzstan’s parliament has named a new prime minister, strengthening President Sooronbay Jeenbekov’s grip on power as his principal opponent, ex-President Almazbek Atambayev, was arrested again just days after leaving prison.The Сentral Asian country has been gripped by unrest since a disputed parliamentary election on October 4, in which establishment parties had claimed a landslide victory. Amid widespread allegations of vote-buying, the poll results were declared invalid by the election commission on Tuesday.

 

Tajikistan vote seen as easy win for strongman Emomali Rahmon

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/11/tajikistan-vote-seen-as-easy-win-for-strongman-emomali-rakhmon

 Central Asian nation of Tajikistan is voting on Sunday in a presidential election expected to make incumbent Emomali Rahmon the longest-ruling strongman in the former Soviet state.Polling stations opened at 6am local time (01:00 GMT) and will close at 8pm (15:00 GMT), with results expected the following morning.Few are anticipating any hiccups for Rahmon as he closes in on three decades in power and looks to overtake Kazakhstan’s recently retired Nursultan Nazarbayev in the regional longevity stakes. Rahmon, 68, has run the Persian-speaking nation of 9.5 million people since 1992, a period including a civil war. He has gradually strengthened his grip and a 2016 constitutional reform removed a limit on the number of terms he could serve.

 

Bangladesh mulls death penalty for rapists as protests rage

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/11/protests-against-rape-erupt-in-bangladesh

Dhaka:As protests flare across Bangladesh over a series of rapes and sexual assaults, its government says it is considering the death penalty for the offenders.Law Minister Anisul Huq told Al Jazeera that his ministry is set to place a proposal before the cabinet on Monday to make urgent amendments to the laws dealing with sexual assault.“We are thinking of capital punishment instead of life imprisonment… This measure will be taken as per the direction of our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” said Huq.

 

OP-ED

 Barring his own castemen, Yogi Adityanath has alienated everyone in Uttar Pradesh but…:Saeed Naqvi

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/barring-his-own-castemen-yogi-adityanath-has-alienated-everyone-in-uttar-pradesh-but

 

Impunity, thy name is Uttar Pradesh:P Chidambaram

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/uttar-pradesh-hathras-case-p-chidambaram-6720104/

 

Nature of Indian democracy has been deliberately changed from liberal to illiberal in past 6 years:Tavleen Singh

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/hathras-case-illiberal-democracy-india-yogi-adityanath-6720110/

 

The right balance: On Shaheen Bagh and the right to protest:thehindu EDITORIAL

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/the-right-balance-the-hindu-editorial-on-shaheen-bagh-and-the-right-to-protest/article32816432.ece

 

New India is actually old India, hateful, communal and divided:Ranjona Banerji

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/new-india-is-actually-old-india-hateful-communal-and-divided

 

Neither money nor influence, all that a Dalit labourer has is the body:V Venkateswara Rao

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/opinion/neither-money-nor-influence-all-that-a-dalit-labourer-has-is-the-body

 

Kashmir: ‘If Senior Journalists Can Speak in One Voice, It Can Change a Lot’:Nayeem Rather | Clarion India

https://clarionindia.net/kashmir-if-senior-journalists-can-speak-in-one-voice-it-can-change-a-lot/

 

How Does the Indian Army's Winter Deployment in Ladakh Fare Against the PLA's?Rahul Bedi

https://thewire.in/security-security/indian-army-ladakh-china-peoples-liberation-army-winter-deployment

 

Apoorvanand interview: ‘They are telling Muslims, don’t dare do this. You have no right to protest’

https://scroll.in/article/975389/apoorvanand-interview-they-are-telling-muslims-dont-dare-do-this-you-have-no-right-to-protest

 

Red Earth And The Sky A Dalit Blue:Christina Dhanaraj, outlookindia

https://magazine.outlookindia.com/story/india-news-red-earth-and-the-sky-a-dalit-blue/303804

 

 Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq