Rahul Gandhi too stands in line for note exchange, smiles for selfies

November 11, 2016

New Delhi, Nov 11: At a bank in central Delhi, there was commotion when Rahul Gandhi suddenly arrived and tried to join the queue.rahul-gandh

Millions across India spent long hours at banks and ATMs today trying to withdraw cash after Prime Minister Narendra Modi suddenly declared Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes "worthless pieces of paper" on Tuesday.

Mr Gandhi, one of the most protected politicians in India, plunged right into the scrum of people at a State Bank of India branch on Parliament Street.

"I have come to exchange Rs. 4,000. My people are in pain and are suffering, I have come to stand with them," the Congress Vice President told reporters.

Surrounded by personnel of the Special Protection Group, the 45-year-old offered to stand in the queue but was whisked away. "I want to stand in the line, with my people who are suffering. But as soon as I came, they moved the people inside...," he complained.

Taking a swipe at PM Modi and the government, he said, "The government should be for these people, not a select 10 or 15 people who are not here."

Mr Gandhi gamely posed for selfies with customers who were stunned to find a VIP in their midst.

Asked repeatedly why he was there, Mr Gandhi replied: "You will not understand that. You or your millionaire bosses or the media or the government will never understand what these people are suffering."

The BJP accused the Congress leader of playing to the gallery at a huge inconvenience to people.

"Rahul Gandhi is adding to the chaos. The people do not buy this, they are not interested in theatrics," said BJP spokesperson Shaina NC.

PM Modi's decision to take the two highest currency notes out of circulation has been applauded by many as a strong step against black or untaxed money but many opposition politicians have criticised the government, alleging hardship to the poor.

Yesterday, there were long queues as people hurried to exchange their old notes and withdraw new ones at banks. Today, there was a similar sight at ATMs, which reopened after three days of preparing for the turnaround.

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July 1,2020

Chennai, Jul 1: In a case of cluster infection, 58 of the 65 mourners who attended the funeral a Central government official, Selvam, 56, who had worked in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and who died in Coimbatore and was brought for burial at Pannavaadi near Kolathur near Mettur in Salem district, tested positive for Covid-19, after three of them initially tested positive as they neither wore face masks not observed social distancing during the funeral, sources said.

Even as Dr Vijayabaskar said AIADMK MLA from Sriperumbudur, K Palani who tested positive for Covid-19 has recovered and will be discharged from hospital in couple of days, the MIOT International Hospital in Chennai said that the State Higher Education Minister, K P Anbazhagan, who initially showed no symptoms of coronavirus, subsequently tested positive in his second sample. He was now under treatment, his condition very stable and all his vital parameters are normal, MIOT said in a statement.

In what continues to be an unrestrained run, Tamil Nadu added its biggest day-wise spike so far of 3,943 positive Covid-19 cases, while another 60 deaths due to the novel coronavirus confirmed on Tuesday took the total death toll in the state to 1,201.

Of the new positive cases, Chennai alone accounted for its highest per-day jump of 2,393 positives with the number of persons tested today across Tamil Nadu put at 30,053. The total number os Covid-19 positive cases in the State as a whole till date is racing towards the one lakh mark at 90,167.

However, these outcomes are all on anticipated lines with the ICMR's push for more aggressive testing, even if they want lockdown controls to be now more focused at the district level, and want the Chennai model to be taken to the districts.

In this backdrop, the Health minister, Dr C Vijayabaskar chaired a detailed Covid review meeting this evening through video conference with all the hospital deans and other top officials on different facets of the disease prevention and control measures and the state's overall preparedness.

Chief Minister, Mr. Edappadi K Palaniswami in a statement in Chennai assured that with the 'full lockdown' continuing in greater Chennai, parts of three neighbouring districts of Chengalpattu, Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram and parts of Madurai district till July 5, the free community kitchens for the elderly, disabled and destitute will continue to function in those places till July 5 and hygienically cooked food packets served to them.

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News Network
March 24,2020

New Delhi, Mar 24: The total number of active COVID-19 cases reported so far in the country stands at 446 while the number of people who have been cured or discharged stands at 36, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Nine people have died from the disease while one case has migrated, the Ministry further informed.
The Central government has taken several steps to contain the rapid spread of the virus, including stoppage of all incoming passenger traffic on 107 immigration check posts at all airports, seaports, land ports, rail ports, and river ports.
There is a complete lockdown in as many as 548 districts of the country affecting several hundred million people.
The Indian Railways has also cancelled all passenger train operations till March 31.

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March 24,2020

Gautam Buddh Nagar, Mar 24: As many as 96 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered and more than 2000 challans issued in Noida yesterday for violation of lockdown rules, police said. The lockdown was imposed in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, which has taken more than 14000 lives across the globe.

The FIRs were registered against people for allegedly flouting Section 144 and not adhering to the orders of the state government for staying indoors.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday stated that all borders adjoining Uttar Pradesh should be completely sealed.

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