Modi chooses Jaitley to handle govt image

November 11, 2014

ModiNew Delhi, Nov 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to play the role of chief spokesperson of the government by giving him additional charge of the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry.

Jaitley was on Sunday freed of the defence portfolio so that he could concentrate on the next budget and economic reforms. Jaitley was also told by Modi that his relations with the media would help in shaping the government's image.

Besides, Modi has indicated that he wants to ensure that his message reaches the people through official media like All India Radio and Doordarshan. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sources said Jaitley’s stewardship of the I&B Ministry would help this objective.

Initially, Jaitley was reluctant to take up the additional role, saying he was busy with next year’s budget. This will be the first full-fledged budget of the Modi government. Left to himself, Jaitley would have preferred additional charge of the Law and Justice Ministry, which was given to D V Sadananda Gowda after he was removed as Railway Minister to make way for Suresh Prabhu. But Modi is understood to have persuaded Jaitley to take up additional charge of the I&B Ministry. On two occasions, Modi had asked Jaitley to make mega announcements on fixing the price of natural gas and allocation of coal mines by auction.

With his new role as I&B Minister, Jaitley was told that he would be back to performing his earlier role as one of the BJP’s important spokespersons, appearing regularly on news shows to promote the government's stand and the party line.

The assignment for Jaitley also underscores Modi's move to strengthen the government's communication strategy, which first saw the prime minister’s interaction with journalists for the first time and then with some editors recently. Hitherto, Modi had chosen not to interact with media personnel, instead preferring to convey his messages through Twitter and other social media outlets.

In his first day in office as I&B Minister, Jaitley said, “I have been the I&B Minister in the past but then there was more print media than electronic media.

“ Today, there had been a lot of growth of radio and digital media. There was a time when the major work of this ministry was Doordarshan and All India Radio.

“It is still a major area,” but the ministry would have to look at the changed information process scenario” he said.

Later in the day, as the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party attacked Modi for the Cabinet reshuffle, Jaitley defended his government.

Jaitley said the Congress had made “unfounded charges” against ministers. “It is not right to make such baseless allegations against the new ministers,” he said.

“As long as there is no moral turpitude in the cases against the new ministers, there is nothing wrong.”

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News Network
March 28,2020

Mumbai, Mar 28: Industrialist Ratan Tata on Saturday announced that Tata Trusts has committed Rs 500 crore for the medical supplies and equipments which will help combat the coronavirus outbreak.

"The COVID-19 crisis is one of the toughest challenges we will face as a race. The Tata Trusts and the Tata group companies have in the past risen to the needs of the nation. At this moment, the need of the hour is greater than any other time," said Ratan Tata, in an official release.

"Tata is committing Rs 500 crore for: personal protective equipment for the medical personnel on the frontlines; respiratory systems for treating increasing cases; testing kits to increase per capita testing; setting up modular treatment facilities for infected patients and knowledge management and training of health workers and the general public," Tata added.
Tata Chairman also expressed his deep gratitude for the members of all the organizations who are fighting coronavirus at the frontline, puting their life at risk.

"The Tata Trusts, Tata Sons and the Tata group companies are joined by committed local and global partners as well as the government to fight this crisis on a united public health collaboration platform which will strive to reach out to sections that are underprivileged and deprived," he added.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), there are 873 confirmed cases of coronavirus cases in the country and 19 fatalities have been reported.

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News Network
June 29,2020

New Delhi, Jun 29: A disturbing video of a Covid-19 patient, speaking his last words, after his oxygen supply was allegedly cut off, has surfaced on social media. The patient reportedly died after indicating that the oxygen supply to him was cut off despite his requests.

The video has a 35-year-old Covid-19 patient bidding good-bye to his family, from a government hospital bed in Hyderabad. The patient Ravi Kumar can be seen speaking out against the negligence of of the medical staff in providing ventilator support to him when he needed it the most.

The video has led to social media outrage as it attracted public attention towards plight of patients in government hospitals

"I am not able to breathe, I pleaded but they did not continue oxygen for the last three hours. I am not able to breathe anymore daddy, it's like my heart has stopped, Bye daddy. Bye to all, daddy," these were apparently the final words of the man, who spoke in his local dialect, and shared on social media.

Several reports have claimed that the man had been admitted to government Chest hospital, after several private hospitals refused to admit him. His ventilator support was allegedly taken off in the hospital, after which he recorded the video message.

The victim’s family shared the video message for the public to know of the negligence.

Reports have it that Ravi’s covid-19 report, which testes positive, was given to family a day after his death, when 30 of his family members performed the final rites, thus making all of them vulnerable to the virus. Ravi’s father has alleged that the test was done on June 24 and Ravi died on June 26, while the report was given to them on June 27.

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Agencies
June 5,2020

Malappuram, Jun 5: A lawyer has filed a complaint with Superintendent of Police, Malappuram against BJP leader Maneka Gandhi and others for allegedly indulging in a hate campaign against Malappuram district and its residents.

Advocate Subhash Chandran, who hails from Malappuram, on Thursday filed a complaint seeking registration of FIR against former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi and others for allegedly indulging in a hate campaign against Malappuram and the residents of the district.

The complainant alleged that the campaign against the district was very derogatory and with a malafide intent.

The complaint stated that the unfortunate death of an elephant in Mannarkkad, Palakkad District dominated social media conversations in the last two days but a group of people deliberately added communal colour into it only to spread hatred against Malappuram, which is a Muslim majority district in Kerala.

It also stated that the elephant in question died on May 29, 2020, in Palakkad not in Malappuram as claimed by a section in social media users. Prominent news outlets operating from the South also reported that the elephant died after consuming explosive-laden pineapple in Palakkad.

The complaint also named political commentator, Tarek Fatah, for allegedly starting a hate campaign against the district and the minority community.

It alleged that Union Minister Maneka Gandhi made false and frivolous allegations against the district of Malappuram and its residents.

Chandran, through the complaint, prayed to the district police chief to register an FIR against Maneka Gandhi and others under Section 153A, 120B etc. of Indian Penal Code.

An elephant had died after she ate the pineapple stuffed with crackers and forest officials said that it died standing in river Velliyar after it suffered an injury in its lower jaw.

The elephant was seen standing in the river with her mouth and trunk in the water for some relief from the pain after the explosive-filled fruit exploded in her mouth.

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