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Sidhu takes a U-turn, says will not float party to contest Punjab polls

September 21, 2016

Chandigarh, Sep 21: Former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu today announced that he will not float a party to contest the upcoming Punjab Assembly election, as he does not wish to play "spoilsport" by dividing anti-incumbency votes.sidddu

Days after announcing the launch of Aawaaz-e-Punjab, the former BJP MP said they have decided against forming a political party as it is too short a time to prepare for polls, but added that they are open to "alliance" for betterment of Punjab.

"The forum welcomes any alliance for the betterment of Punjab and will not be a political party. May Punjab, Punjabiyat and every Punjabi win," he said.

In a statement issued here, Sidhu said the forum will not "play spoilsport". "The past is the best prophet to predict the future - the minimum time taken by a new party to win a state is almost two years...three months is too short a time for this herculean task," he said.

"I have pondered over the fluid political situation in Punjab, weighed the pros and cons and come to a conclusive decision...We will not confuse the people of Punjab but give them clarity to vote in Punjab's interest.

"We will not divide the anti-incumbency vote bank which could indirectly benefit the corroborative and collusive Badal-Amarinder nexus which has plundered Punjab in the last 15 years. This will defeat our purpose of bringing a change for the betterment of Punjab," Sidhu said.

"Our battle is to shake the system that has ruined Punjab. Politics is not a profession but a mission. There is no personal or political vendetta, just a burning desire to place Punjab ahead of us and reinforce the positive forces," he said.

The cricketer-turned politician claimed that the launch of the Aawaaz-e-Punjab has had a "rousing response" in the state.

Sidhu, along with MLA Pargat Singh and Ludhiana MLAs Simarjit Bains and Balwinder Bains, had recently announced the launch of the forum here after a public fall out here with BJP which he formally quit on September 14.

Earlier there was speculation that he would join Aam Aadmi Party but it was ruled out after he lashed out at its national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

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News Network
May 9,2020

New Delhi, May 9: With 3,320 coronavirus cases and 95 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 cases rose to 59,662 on Saturday, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The total number of active cases in the country now stands at 39,834 while the number of cured/discharged/migrated stands at 17,847.

The country has reported 1,981 deaths so far, added the Ministry.

Maharashtra has the highest number of cases with 19, 063 followed by Gujarat with 7,402 cases and Delhi with 6,318 cases.

Meanwhile, the country continues to remain in a lockdown slated to end on May 17.

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Agencies
January 11,2020

New Delhi, Jan 11: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday said that he has never seen innocents like the Indian people, who believe the claims made by the government on the implementation of its programmes. The former Union Minister, addressing a literary event, said, "I have never seen innocents like the Indian people. If something appears on print (and named two newspapers also), we believe it. We believe anything."

Claims like all villages having been electrified in the country and toilets built for 99 per cent of families in India were being believed, he said.

Similar was the case of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana or PM-JAY is a flagship health care scheme of the Centre), he alleged.

Stating that his Delhi-based driver's father had to get a surgery done under the scheme, he said, however, it could not be performed.

"I asked him (car driver) if he had the Ayushman card and he showed a card and I told him to take it (to hospital). In hospital after hospital, they said they were not aware of anything like that (Ayushman scheme). But we believe that the Ayushman scheme has come to the whole of India," he said.

Further, he said "we believe that for any disease, treatment will be done (indicating the Ayushman scheme) without shelling out money. We are being innocents."

Many news items and data were contrary to the truth, he added.

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News Network
April 13,2020

Apr 13: The Supreme Court of India has said Indian expatriates stranded abroad cannot be flown back immediately. All petitions before India's apex court which sought directions or orders to 'bring back Indians stranded in various countries abroad' has been deferred for four weeks, according to Indian media reports.

The Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde led bench took up matters pertaining to evacuation of Indian citizens stranded abroad amid the Covid19 pandemic.
Supreme Court today deferred for 4 weeks, all the petitions before it which sought directions or orders to 'bring back Indians stranded in various countries abroad'.

A total of seven petitions seeking directions from Court on the immediate evacuation of Indian nationals from UK, US, Iran and Gulf countries were taken up simultaneously.

Bobde said, "Stay where you are. People in other countries cannot be brought back right now"

Foreigners stuck in India granted visa extension

Furthermore, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced a visa extension for all foreigners who are stranded in in India due to ongoing travel restrictions imposed by the government.

Regular visa,e-visa or stay stipulation of such foreigners stranded in India due to travel restrictions by Indian Authorities&whose visas have expired/would be expiring between 01.02&30.04, would be extended till 30 April on gratis basis,after online application by foreigners:MHA

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