AIADMK, CPI announce alliance for LS polls

February 2, 2014

AIADMKChennai, Feb 2: Attempting to form a "secular and democratic alternative" to dethrone Congress from power at the Centre, AIADMK and CPI today announced their decision to enter into an alliance ahead of the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing the press at her Poes Garden residence here along with CPI leaders A B Bardhan and Sudhakar Reddy, AIADMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said, "AIADMK and CPI have decided to enter into an alliance to face the upcoming Lok Sabha elections together."

Senior CPI leader Bardhan said "I endorse whatever she has said. Our alliance will lead to victory. We will succeed."

To a query on the increasing clamour among AIADMK cadres to project Jayalalithaa as their Prime Ministerial candidate, Bardhan said "If we succeed in the election, as I said the pros will open up."

Jayalalithaa intervened to say "All that will come later. Our aim is to win all 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry."

"Our slogan for the elections is Peace, Prosperity, Progress," she said, replying a query on what would be the issues her alliance would project for the polls.

Reddy said the alliance is a "secular and democratic alternative" to win the elections.

The AIADMK General Secretary also said that CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat would meet her tomorrow.

Left parties in Tamil Nadu have remained with the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu since the 2011 Assembly polls, while Manidhaneya Makkal Katchi and Puthiya Thamizhagam have left the alliance and joined hands with the DMK.

Today's announcement emerges as a possible third front in Tamil Nadu politics for the coming Lok Sabha elections, with BJP already announcing its alliance with MDMK, while the Congress is attempting to have partners.

BJP is also trying to rope in PMK and actor-politician Vijayakant's DMDK.

DMK, which faced the 2009 Lok Sabha polls with the Congress, left the alliance over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue early last year and is presently attempting to rope in DMDK.

DMDK, which was a major ally of AIADMK in 2011 Assembly polls, parted ways with the ruling government and is likely to announce its decision on alliance at its conference near Villupuram later today.

Vidithalai Chiruthaigal Katchi quit UPA along with DMK over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue and has remained with that party.

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Agencies
May 31,2020

New Delhi, May 31: Indian aviation regulator DGCA on Saturday said the suspension of scheduled international commercial passenger flights will continue till midnight on June 30, hours after the Home Ministry announced fresh guidelines pertaining to the countrywide lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

"It is once again reiterated that foreign airlines shall be suitably informed about the opening of their operations to or from India in due course," the circular issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.

Domestic passenger flight services resumed in the country from Monday after a hiatus of two months since the lockdown was announced on March 25, when all scheduled commercial passenger flights were suspended in India. International flights continue to remain suspended even now.

The Home Ministry on Saturday said 'Unlock-1' will be initiated in the country from June 8 under which the nationwide lockdown effectuated on March 25 will be relaxed to a great extent, including opening of shopping malls, restaurants and religious places, even as strict restrictions will remain in place till June 30 in the country's worst pandemic-hit areas.

International air travel shall remain suspended, the MHA order said, adding that a decision on when to resume it would be taken after making an assessment of the situation.

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Agencies
June 30,2020

Seventy-seven per cent children below five years of age in Jammu and Kashmir were not able to access basic healthcare services like immunisation during the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19, CRY said on Monday citing a study.

The 'Rapid Online Perception Study about the Effects of COVID-19 on Children' was conducted during the first and second phases of the lockdown based on responses of parents and primary caregivers from all across the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, the NGO said in a statement.

It said a total of 387 respondents from Jammu and Kashmir participated in the study.

"Seventy-seven per cent children of age 0-5 years were not able to access basic healthcare services such as immunisation during lockdown - necessarily imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Jammu and Kashmir," Child Rights and You (CRY) said.

It said as immunisation programmes witnessed a major setback during the lockdown across the country, the results of the survey across 23 states and Union Territories found nearly 50 per cent of parents with children below five years of age unable to access immunisation services.

"Worryingly, the figure was considerably high in Jammu and Kashmir with 77.14 per cent children below five years unable to get immunisation services," it added.

According to the study, in Jammu and Kashmir, nearly 35 per cent of the respondents said their children did not receive medical help during the lockdown, resulting in difficulties to cope with their children's illnesses and health hazards.

The study also talks about more systemic arrangements and logistical preparedness to ensure that children with no or compromised digital reach are not deprived from their Right to Education.

With online classes introduced as a substitute of schools during the lockdown, access to education for children remained a major issue of concern, as many of them, especially the ones from marginalised and financially poorer backgrounds found it difficult without smartphones and internet access.

The survey's findings revealed that nationally only 41 per cent households with children of school-going age could access online classes on a regular basis.

"Almost 90 per cent parents and primary caregivers reported that the lockdown has increased the screen time of their child to great or some extent. About half of the households recorded an increase of children's exposure to online activities during lockdown," it said.

The NGO said around 76 per cent parents agreed that they could keep a watch of their children's online activity to some extent.

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Agencies
January 11,2020

New Delhi, Jan 11: Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday met JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) President Aishe Ghosh here at Kerala House on Saturday.

This meeting comes at the backdrop masked mob violence by miscreants who entered the university campus recently and attacked the students and professors with sticks and rods.

"I thank the Kerela government for standing by us and extending solidarity. Its fight Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) shows how standing is standing for its secular ethos. Students Union takes the inspiration from this struggle," said Students' Union President in a statement after meeting Kerala CM.

She also thanked "the youth and comrades of Kerela" and quoted Pinarayi as saying, "go on we will take this fight ahead."

More than 30 students, including Ghosh, were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre.

The Delhi Police Crime Branch investigating the case of violence in JNU had identified and released photographs of nine suspects, including that of Aishe Ghosh.

Earlier on Monday, Kerala CM had said that the "Nazi-style attack" on the students and faculty is an appalling display of intolerance running amok.

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