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AAP may extend issue-based support to BJP, says Prashant

December 10, 2013

New Delhi, Dec 10: Even as the stalemate over government formation continues in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party leader Prashant Bhushan has said his party may consider extending issue-based support to the BJP, which has emerged as the single largest party with 31 seats in the 70-member Assembly.bhushan

In an interview to NDTV, Mr. Bhushan said: “If the BJP gives us in writing that it will pass the Jan Lokpal Bill by December 29 and set up ‘Jan Sabhas’ (public assemblies) in Delhi, as promised by the Aam Aadmi Party, we may consider supporting the party.”

But he said it was his view and not that of his party, which stands second with 28 seats. “It’s my view and it has not been discussed within the party.”

This is the first time an AAP leader has talked about extending limited support to the BJP since the results of the Assembly elections were declared on Sunday. Both the BJP and the AAP have been reluctant to form a government so far, citing lack of numbers.

In fact, till Monday evening, AAP leader Yogendra Yadav had maintained that his party would not form a government; it would instead sit in the Opposition.

Even at a meeting of AAP winners in the evening, party convener Arvind Kejriwal ruled out support to both the BJP and the Congress, and said the AAP would not stake claim to form a government.

A day after the Assembly elections to the Delhi Assembly threw up a hung verdict, Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung was reviewing the developments, according to informed sources in his office.

Sources in the Home Ministry said the Lt-Governor was likely to call the single largest party, the BJP, which along with its partner Akali Dal’s one seat, has 32 MLAs, to ascertain if it was ready to form a government. In the event of the BJP declining to form the government, the Lt-Governor may explore the option of asking the AAP if it will be in a position to do so.

Both the BJP and the AAP have asserted they are not inclined to stake claim. After exhausting all options, the Lt-Governor would submit a report to the Home Ministry recommending the future course of action, which could be imposition of President’s Rule and keeping the Assembly in suspended animation.

The political affairs committee of the AAP met at Arvind Kejriwal’s residence to consider the party’s future course of action. Emerging from the meeting, AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said that even if the Lt-Governor invited the party to form government it would decline the offer, citing lack of majority.

“We’ve stated right from the beginning that we will not seek or offer support to the Congress or the BJP. There is nothing in the results which can change our stand. The result is the moral and political victory of our party, but we don’t have the numbers... We are also not the single largest party. I don’t know why the onus of forming the government is being shifted on us,” said Mr. Yadav.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

Chennai, Jul 30: Tamil Nadu government on Thursday extended the Covid-19 lockdown till August 31, giving only a few relaxations like allowing delivery of non-essential goods by e-commerce sites. The ban on public transport has been extended till August 31, while availing of e-pass for inter-district and inter-state travel will continue to be in force.

In a detailed statement, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced a “complete lockdown” during which only essential services would continue to be in force on all Sundays during the month of August across the state.  

In Chennai, restaurants will be allowed to open dine-in facilities at 50 percent of its total capacity from 6 am to 7 pm from August 1, while vegetable shops, grocery outlets and standalone commercial establishments will also be allowed to remain open from 6 am to 7 pm.

E-commerce sites have been allowed to begin delivery of non-essential goods from August 1, while the ban on public transport, temples in urban areas and towns, cinema halls, shopping malls, and gyms would continue till August 31.

It also said companies or factories in Chennai that have been allowed to function with 50 percent of staff can increase their strength to 75 percent from August 1.

COVID-19 Pandemic Tracker: 15 countries with the highest number of coronavirus cases, deaths

The government also asked companies to encourage its employees to work from home and advised commercial establishments to follow the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) as advised by it. Inter-state or inter-district travel will be allowed only with e-pass, while ban on metro and suburban trains continues.

The decision to extend the lockdown till August 31 comes as Tamil Nadu continues to grapple with an increasing number of coronavirus cases. The prevalence of the virus is no more limited to one city or region of the state with almost all districts reporting fresh cases, some of them over 200 new patients, every day.

On Thursday morning, Tamil Nadu’s Covid-19 tally was 2,34,114 including 1,72,883 discharges and 3,741 deaths. The active cases stood at 57,490.

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News Network
June 3,2020

Jun 3: Emphasising that airlines are clearly the safest mode of transportation, IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta on Tuesday said there is no evidence yet of coronavirus infection getting transmitted among passengers onboard an aeroplane.

His comments against the backdrop of instances of some passengers, who had taken flights after resumption of domestic air services on May 25, testing positive for coronavirus.

"Those people had the virus before they got on to the aeroplane. What is noteworthy is that they have done the tracing after that. There is no evidence of transmission onboard there... that is a very encouraging sign on the safety of airline travel," he said during an earnings call.

According to him, airlines are clearly the safest mode of transportation and there is no evidence yet of contamination on an aircraft.

"You can come in contaminated but so far there is no evidence of passing it on to a fellow passenger," he noted.

Amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, aviation regulator DGCA has asked airlines to ensure that to the extent possible, middle seat in flights should be kept empty.

In this regard, Dutta said the airline would keep the middle seat empty wherever it can and "where we have to fill the middle seat, we will have the extra protective gown".

To a query about possible hedging of fuel prices, he said it would be a dumb idea and that airlines adjust to ups and downs in fuel prices.

"I can't overemphasise what a dumb idea it will be for an airline to hedge fuel prices. I looked at it from different angles and it is not a good idea... we looked at hedging and we talked about it at the board level and we said no," he noted.

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Agencies
January 6,2020

Lucknow, Jan 6: Undeterred by the large scale protests that claimed as many as 20 lives in the state, Uttar Pradesh government has started the process of implementing the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

According to sources in the government, the district magistrates have been directed to identify the migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who have been living in their districts.

Sources said that the state home department has given oral instructions to the district magistrates. ''No written orders have been issued,'' said a senior official here preferring anonymity.

The official said that the district magistrates would be preparing a list containing names of those minorities, who had migrated from these countries following their persecution and had been living without obtaining the citizenship of India.

According to sources, the government expected that the migrants, who could be eligible for the Indian citizenship in accordance with the CAA, could be more in number in the districts, including Rampur, Ghaziabad, Shahjahanpur, Lucknow and some others.

''The list will be sent to the union home ministry,'' the official added.

Sources said that the state government will also inform the centre about the ''illegal Muslim migrants'' for their ultimate deportation to their countries of origin.

Different parts of UP had witnessed large scale violence last month during the protests against the CAA. At least 20 people, mostly youngsters, were killed allegedly in police firing and many others were injured. The state government had denied the charge. 

Alleged police excesses during and after the protests triggered a nationwide outrage with several rights organisations and activists slamming the BJP government and demanding a high-level probe into the allegations.

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