Mayawati threatens 'law and order' crisis if SP govt touches parks, Dalit memorials

April 14, 2012
maya_statue
Lucknow, April 14: In her first public appearance after losing assembly elections in March this year, Bahujan (BSP) supremo and former chief Uttar Pradesh (UP) chief minister Mayawati was in a combative mood on Saturday when she warned the newly elected Samajwadi Party (SP) government of serious consequences if it tried to alter, damage or construct any new structure in Dalit memorials and parks built during her regime.

Addressing the nearly 2000 crowd comprising BSP workers and leaders, after paying tribute to Dalit icon Babsaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar at Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal in Lucknow on his 121 birth anniversary, Mayawati threatened any attempt at destroying Dalit memorials or constructing anything else on the land attached to them would lead to law and order crisis not only in UP but all over the country. She said that the SP government should take a leaf from the previous BSP government's book, which did not touch any memorial or park built by any earlier government, including that of the Samajwadi Party in the name of ideologue and personalities of other castes and communities.

"Any act against the memorials can also put the SP government in jeopardy as Dalit memorials are an emotional and prestige issue for Dalits," she said.

Mayawati's statement on 'law and order problem', which many saw as an open threat of violent agitation, came soon after chief minister Akhilesh Yadav after meeting the Prime Minister in Delhi told mediapersons that people of the state have voted out those who used public money to build their own statutes and erect stone structures named after Dalits, which, however, did not benefit Dalits at all.

He reiterated that his government will not touch any statue at Dalit memorials. However, he said, the government can build hospitals for children and women on the huge chunk of land associated with the memorials but lying vacant. He said that in his view nobody would have any objection, if the vacant land is put to use of the public. He said that the people have given a clear mandate to the SP and his government will do what people want.

The move is being seen as Mayawati's attempt to keep her Dalit vote bank intact by creating a fear psychosis that SP government may harm Dalit memorials. She is also trying to provoke Dalits not to sit idle. Though Mayawati has been threatening a disturbance in law and order if Dalit memorials are touched for quite a while, her statement assumes importance now because cracks have appeared in her Dalit vote base in recent assembly elections as a section has voted for other parties.

In her address, she also tried to impress her vote bank by counting welfare schemes and public utility services such as construction of universities and hospitals in the name of Dalit icons implemented during her regime.

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News Network
February 27,2020

New Delhi, Feb 27: The death toll in the communal violence in northeast Delhi over the amended citizenship law reached 32 on Thursday, senior officials said.

It was at 27 till Wednesday night.

"Five more deaths recorded at GTB Hospital, so death toll at that hospital has gone up to 30, taking total toll to 32," a senior Delhi Health Department official told news agency.

The Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital had reported two fatalities on Wednesday.

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News Network
May 22,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, May 22: Domestic flyers arriving in Kerala must undergo strict home quarantine as per the lockdown guidelines, in view of increasing COVID-19 cases in the state, Health Minister K K Shailaja said on Friday.

"Even if the domestic flight services resume, those coming in must remain under strict home quarantine as per the guidelines.

There is no change in that. Most people will be coming from the major hotspots of the country," she said.

Announcing the resumption of domestic flight services from May 25, the Civil Aviation Ministry had indicated on Thursday that it was not in favour of quarantining passengers on short-haul flights.

However, the Assam government has made it mandatory for all air passengers coming to that state to stay in quarantine for 14 days.

Apart from the health department and the local self government institutions, Shailaja said the people of Kerala must also ensure that every returnee to the state remained under strict home quarantine in order to curb the spread of the disease.

"We need to strictly keep under observation all those who come fromoutside the state and make sure that they do not come into contact with others including their family members.

They should be effectively remain under room quarantine at their residence," she said.

The state reported 690 cases after 24 more tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday.

As of now over 80,000 people are under observation across the state.

On the death of a 73-year-old woman, who came from Mumbai, on Thursday, the minister said, "Khadijakuttycame from Mumbai along with three others. She alighted at Chavakkad. Her son who picked her up from there took her to the govt hospital as she was tired. She was given good care."

"However, as her condition worsened, had taken a decision to sent her to the medicalcollege. Her swab test was taken and she was tested positive, but she passed away," Shailaja said.

The minister sounded a word of caution that there would be an increase in cases in the coming days as the influx of people coming from abroad and other states would continue.

"We cannot prevent anyone from coming. They are our brothers and were suffering there. We need to save those who come here and also those who are here," the Minister said.

Shailaja said the southern state had successfully managed the first two phases of the viral outbreak in January and March.

"There were three deaths. But we managed to save the rest of the people including a 93-year-old man," she said.

The Minister further said the situation in the state changed after flight services resumed and the border roads were re-opened after May 7.

"Our fatality rate is low and recovery rate is high.

After May 7, when the flight restrictions were lifted and people from other states started coming in, we reported 188 cases.

At least 90 per cent of the positive cases came from outside and the rest are their contacts," she noted.

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News Network
March 11,2020

New Delhi, Mar 11: A doctor in Kerala on Tuesday alleged that she was sacked by the management of the private clinic she was working with for informing authorities about a non-resident Indian (NRI) patient who reportedly declined to undergo the mandatory check for coronavirus.

Dr Shinu Syamalan said the patient had come to the clinic recently with suspected symptoms of the virus.

"When he was asked whether he had visited any foreign countries, he said he was coming from Qatar. But he had not reported to the Health department about his foreign trip," she said.

When he was directed to inform about his foreign travel to the state Health Department, which has been monitoring people coming from abroad for the virus, he refused and said he was going back to Qatar, she told reporters.

Concerned over the health of the person who had high fever, Ms Syamalan informed health and police authorities.

"Officials who let the patient go abroad do not have any problem, but I have become jobless," she posted on social media.

She alleged she was sacked by the management of the clinic for reporting the matter to police and informing the public about the incident through social media and through television.

"The argument of the management is that no one would turn up for treatment in the clinic if they come to know that it was visited by patients with suspected symptoms of Coronavirus," she said.

There was no immediate reaction from the management of the private health clinic.

Official sources said the District Medical Officer (DMO) at Thrissur has complained to the collector against Shinu Syamalan accusing her of defaming health officials.

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