After war, peace: Judge says he knew Tolstoy book was classic

Agencies

August 29, 2019

Mumbai, Aug 29: The Bombay High Court on Thursday said it knew that Leo Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' was a literary classic and that it didn't mean to suggest that all the books seized by Pune police in the Elgar Parishad-Koregaon Bhima case were incriminating.

The observation by Justice Sarang Kotwal came a day after media reports said he asked accused Vernon Gonsalves to explain why he kept "objectionable material" like a copy of "War and Peace" at his home.

The purported remarks also stirred up thousands of reactions on Twitter. The hashtag #WarAndPeace has been trending on the social media platform during the day.

Justice Kotwal said, "You have made your point about the books not being banned. Besides, yesterday, I was reading the whole list from the chargesheet. It was written in such poor handwriting. I know War and Peace. I was making a query on the entire list that police has mentioned (as evidence)."

Yug Chaudhary, counsel for co-accused Sudha Bahrdwaj, then told the court that the 'War and Peace' that the court had referred to on Wednesday was a collection of essays edited by one Biswajit Roy, and was titled War and Peace in Junglemahal: People, State and Maoists.

On Wednesday, the court had asked, "War and Peace is about war in another country. Why were you keeping these books at your house."

The judge had also referred to a CD titled "Rajya Dhaman Virodhi" and said the title "clearly suggested" it is material against the state. "Why were you keeping this in your house," he had asked Gonsalves.

Tolstoy's classic novel about Russia during Napoleonic wars became a point of contention during Wednesday's hearing after the Pune Police probing the case claimed that the book was part of the "highly incriminating evidence" it had seized from Gonsalves' house in Mumbai during raids conducted last year.

Pune police had also read out the titles of several other books and CDs allegedly recovered from Gonsalves' house which included CDs titled 'Rajya Daman Virodhi' released by Kabir Kala Manch, 'Marxist Archives' and 'Jai Bhima Comrade'; books 'War and Peace', 'Understanding Maoists' and 'RCP Review', and copies of a circular issued by the National Study Circle.

"The title of the CD 'Rajya Daman Virodhi' itself suggests it has something against the State while 'War and Peace' is about a war in another country. Why did you (Gonsalves) keep objectionable material such as books like 'War and Peace', books and CDs at home? You will have to explain this to the court," Justice Kotwal had said.

Gonsalves was arrested by the Pune police under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after raids at residences and offices of several activists in connection with the Elgar Parishad case.

The police had claimed provocative speeches made at the Parishad on December 31, 2017 were responsible for the caste violence around Koregaon Bhima village in Pune district the next day during an event to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima.

One person was killed and others were injured in the violence.

Dalits celebrate the anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle every year as they believe that the Army of the British comprising 'Mahars' or scheduled caste soldiers had defeated the forces of the Brahmin Peshwas.

Police are probing alleged Naxal links in organising the Parishad, which was held at historic Shaniwarwada in Pune.

Other arrested accused in the case include activists and academics Shoma Sen, Rona Wilson, Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, and Gautam Navlakha.

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Walking from Delhi to MP, man dies in Agra amid lockdown

Agencies

March 29,2020

Agra, Mar 29: A 39-year-old man, who had walked almost 200 kilometers from Delhi to reach his home in Morena in Madhya Pradesh, collapsed and died in Agra on Saturday.

The man, identified as Ranveer Singh, worked as home delivery boy for a private restaurant in the national capital.

According to police, the victim collapsed near Kailash turning of the national highway-2, after which a local hardware store owner Sanjay Gupta rushed to the victim.

Sikandra station house officer (SHO) Arvind Kumar, said, 'Gupta made the victim lie on a carpet and offered tea and biscuit. The victim complained about chest pain and also called his brother-in-law Arvind Singh over phone to share his health condition. At around 6.30 P.m, the victim passed away and local police was informed. "

Ranveer had left for his native village on Friday morning on foot. It is likely that exhaustion of 200-km walk might have caused chest pain.

The SHO said,"On the entire NH-2 stretch, UP policemen are present with food packets and water for such persons but Ranveer's death is unfortunate. "

After the death, policemen took the victim's body for post-mortem. The autopsy report is yet to be re eased.

According to information available, Ranveer was working in Delhi's Tughlakabad for the past three- years. He is survived by three children including two daughters. He belongs to a family of farmers and was the main bread winner for his family.

His family has been brought to Agra to take the body back to their village for the last rites.

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very sad news....this is the condition of hindu people after they adopt hindutva idology.

Politician enjoying playing ludo and watching ramayan, after complete lockdown, not even bothered by government about their transport,

modi spend crore on statue, but no hospital

this is the hindu rastra you want right...enjoy marons

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Over 50% of covid deaths in India in patients aged 60 and above

Agencies

August 4,2020

New Delhi, Aug 4: Over 50 per cent of COVID-19 deaths in India have taken place among people aged 60 years and above and 37 per cent deaths have been reported among patients in the age group of 45 to 60 years, Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Health Ministry said that 11 per cent COVID-19 deaths took place in the age group of 26 to 44.

The 18 to 25 age group and those below 18 years reported one per cent deaths each.
"Currently, 5,86,298 active COVID-19 cases are in India and over 12 lakh people have recovered.

50 per cent deaths due to COVID19 have taken place among the age group of 60 years or above and 37 per cent deaths took place in the age group between 45 to 60 years," Bhushan said.

"A total of 11 per cent COVID-19 deaths took place in the age group of 26 to 44. Only 1 per cent in 18 to 25 age group and 1 per cent in below the age of 18 years," he added.

Bhushan said that 68 per cent of COVID-19 deaths have been reported among male patients and 32 per cent among female patients which is broadly in line with the global scenario.

The number of recovered COVID-19 patients in India is increasing daily and is now over double the number of active cases.

Bhushan said that the case fatality rate (CFR) is lowest since the first lockdown.

"More than 2 crore COVID-19 tests have been conducted, including more than 6.6 lakh tests in the last 24 hours. Recovered cases are now double of the active cases.

The case fatality rate (CFR) is lowest since the first lockdown," he said
"This is the first time after the first lockdown that the fatality rate is at the lowest, at 2.10 per cent. The fatality rate has seen a progressive decline and it is continuing, which is a good sign," he added.

According to the World Health Organisation, CFR is a measure of the severity of a disease and is defined as the proportion of reported cases of a specified disease or condition which are fatal within a specified time.

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Denied entry in Bengal village, migrant workers living in forest

Agencies

July 20,2020

Kolkata, Jul 20: As many as 13 migrant workers who came to their native village in West Bengal's Bankura district were denied entry at the quarantine centre by the locals.

As a result, the workers had to set up a tent accommodation at a nearby Beraban forest area and lived together in a single tent there, without adequate food, drinking water and basic facilities.

The migrant labourers came from Rajasthan after four months of COVID-19 lockdown which was imposed nationwide on March 25 to contain the spread of coronavirus.

When they arrived at Jagadalla village in the Bankura district and tried to put up at a village school building for two weeks self-quarantine, angry villagers vehemently protested against their entry fearing Covid infections in their village.

Sources said that local police and panchayat members also failed to make the villagers understand the fact that if the labourers strictly stayed in self-quarantine there would be no chance of any further infection.

"The school is located quite within our neighbourhood. If they stay there and tested positive, they might spread Covid infections in the village. We cannot allow them to stay in the school building," said Aniket Goswami, a villager.

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