Saffron outfit holds ‘pooja’ in Taj Mahal in protest against ‘namaz’

Bhopal, Mar 18: Congress leader Digvijay Singh's detention by police in Bengaluru is display of "dictatorship and Hitlarshahi" by the BJP, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said here on Wednesday.

Singh staged a protest near a Bengaluru resort this morning where rebel MLAs of Madhya Pradesh Congress are staying, and demanded that he be allowed to meet them.

Singh, who has been detained by the police, accused the BJP of holding the MLAs captive and said that he would go on a "hunger strike".

Reacting to this, Nath said if the need arises he would also go to the Karnataka capital.

"Preventing Congress Rajya Sabha candidate and other ministers from meeting MLAs, misbehave with them, forcibly taken them into custody is totally a dictatorship and hitlershahi (sic)," Nath said in a tweet.

"Entire country is watching how an elected government is being made unstable and how BJP is murdering democratic values," Nath said.

"Why they are not allowing them to meet MLAs. What BJP is afraid of. BJP is playing a dirty political game in the state," the chief minister tweeted.

Demanding immediate release of detained Congress leaders, Nath said that democratic norms and Constitutional values are being stifled.

Later speaking to reporters, the CM said, "Why the BJP is afraid of presenting 16 MLAs here (Bhopal)? What is the problem in one person (Singh) meeting with 16 legislators?"

Nath reiterated that his government had proven majority on floor of the House in the last 15 months since coming to power.

Amid political uncertainty in Madhya Pradesh, the state Congress Legislature Party on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Centre and the BJP-led Karnataka government to grant it access to communicate with its rebel MLAs staying in Bengaluru.

The apex court had also directed the Kamal Nath government to respond by Wednesday to a plea by senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking immediate floor test in the Assembly.

Bengaluru, May 4: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar on Sunday condemned the arrest of women Congress leaders who were marching to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's house demanding action against BJP MLAs "caught" repacking food materials meant for Anganwadi children and pregnant women.

Taking to Twitter, Shivakumar posted pictures of the incident and wrote, "Strongly condemn the arrest of women congress leaders who were marching to the CM's house to ask for action against BJP MLAs caught repacking food materials meant for anganwadi children and pregnant women. Earlier, held a protest and PC demanding arrest of those involved in the scam."

Earlier on Sunday, Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed that BJP leaders are "stealing" government grocery packets, pasting their photos and providing them to "well off party workers".

Taking to Twitter he wrote, "It is unfortunate that BJP leaders are exhibiting their political cruelty even during crisis. They are stealing govt food & grocery packets to paste their photos and then give it away to their well off party workers."

"Aravind Limbavali and other BJP leaders are caught branding themselves through the government distributed food packets. Nothing is more disgraceful and shameful than this. They should be made to resign & should be arrested," he wrote.

He further asserted that the Karnataka Chief Minister is directly responsible for the leakage. He has allowed his party workers to siphon off poor people's food.

"Shashikala Jolle (Minister of Women, Child Development and Empowerment of Differently Abled, Senior citizens, Govt of Karnataka) should immediately resign for her laxity and allowing her party people to steal from Anganwadi," he added.

Mangaluru, May 6: Amidst preparation for the paid evacuation of Indians stuck in Gulf countries amidst coronavirus lockdown, the central government has announced that it would only do a medical screening of the passengers before the flight and only asymptomatic persons would be allowed to travel.

Each passenger will have to fill a self-reporting form to be presented at the health and immigration counter at their destination.

The passengers are required to state whether they are suffering from fever, cough, diabetes or any respiratory disease. This form is similar to the one filled by passengers landing in India during the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak.

As per the announcement by the government, returnees would undergo COVID-19 once they complete 14-day quarantine in a hospital or government –arranged institution on a payment basis.

However, the form asks the applicants to keep themselves isolated at home for 28 days unless they develop any symptoms such as fever and cough.

During the journey, they will have to follow the protocols such as those issued by the Health Ministry and the Civil Aviation Ministry. Applicants from the UAE are yet to receive instructions on these.

On reaching the destination, passengers will have to register on the Arogya Setu app, India’s mobile application for COVID-19 surveillance.

No physical distancing!

Air India Express (AIE) which is set to operate the first two flights to Kerala on Thursday will operate its Boeing 737-800 flights, with a seating capacity of 186 economy class seats.

With nine seats reserved for isolation, only 177 passengers would be flown, sources said.

While most of the UAE flights in the first week will be operated by the AIE, Air India will operate two of its Dreamliner aircraft with a seating capacity of 256 seats. These flights would also reserve some seats for isolation.

However, the plan has made it clear that the Indian government will not be following the rules of physical distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the repatriation flights.

Several people, including the Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan, expressed concern over flying passengers, who will not be tested for COVID-19, without observing physical distancing.