MLA cuts palm in Assembly to protest BJP govt’s move of privatizing firms

News Network
December 3, 2019

Guwahati, Dec 3: A young Congress MLA cut his left palm and wrote on a banner with his blood in the entrance of Assam Assembly's main hall on Tuesday morning to stage a protest against the BJP-led government's move to hand over two paper mills, a tea garden, and a fertilizer firms to private companies.

The MLA, Rupjyoti Kurmi, who represents Mariani constituency took to the extreme way of protest at around 11.30 am when the winter session of the Assembly was underway.

No security personnel stopped him even as blood splattered his left hand and he spoke before television cameras in the entrance of the main hall of the state Assembly for more than 20 minutes. Bystanders who were shocked over his act termed it 'a security breach'. "Why no security personnel stopped him as he cut his palm with a blade? It's a serious security lapse," one of them said.

Kurmi was protesting against the state government's move to hand over two papers mills in Cachar in South Assam and another at Jagiroad in Central Assam to private companies. He also alleged that the BJP-led government was planning to hand over the Namrup fertilizer factory and a tea garden to private companies. Assam has witnessed strong protests against the privatisation move, with most demanding the government to revive the PSUs.

"I took this step as the government has neglected the peaceful protest. Today's protest should be considered as a message that Assam would witness bloody protests in the days to come if the government does not listen to the peaceful protests and relent," he said.

Debabrata Saikia, leader of Congress legislature party said the party did not support Kurmi's way of protest.

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News Network
March 23,2020

Singapore, Mar 23: Oil prices fell at the open in Asia on Monday after a trillion-dollar Senate proposal to help the coronavirus-hit American economy was defeated and death tolls soared across Europe and the US.

US benchmark West Texas Intermediate initially tumbled more than three percent but then pulled back some ground to trade 1.5 percent lower, at $22 a barrel.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 4.9 percent to $25 a barrel.

Prices have fallen to multi-year lows in recent weeks as lockdowns and travel restrictions to fight the virus hit demand, and top producers Saudi Arabia and Russia engage in a price war.

The latest drop came after a trillion-dollar Senate proposal to rescue the US economy was defeated after receiving zero support from Democrats, and with five Republicans absent from the chamber because of virus-related quarantines.

The bill had proposed funding for American families, thousands of shuttered or suffering businesses and the nation's critically under-equipped hospitals.

Coronavirus deaths soared across Europe and the United States at the weekend despite heightened restrictions.

The death toll from the virus -- which has upended lives and closed businesses and schools across the planet -- surged to more than 14,300 Sunday, according to an AFP tally.

AxiCorp chief markets strategist Stephen Innes said that "total demand devastation" had set it.

"Oil markets collapsed out of the gate this morning as prices react... to stringent containment lockdown measures," he said.

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News Network
May 8,2020

New Delhi, May 8: The Supreme Court on Friday suggested that states should consider indirect sale and home delivery of liquor as per its statute and law to avoid crowding at liquor shops amid the ongoing coronavirus-induced lockdown.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan refused to pass any orders on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking clarity on the sale of liquor and to ensure social distancing while it is being sold in liquor shops during the lockdown.

"We will not pass any order but the states should consider indirect sale/home delivery of liquor to maintain social distancing norms and standards," Justice Ashok Bhushan said while disposing of the petition.

The PIL, filed by one Sai Deepak, sought directions for closure of liquor shops for failing to enforce social distancing, which is essential to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The petitioner told the apex court that he only wants that the life of common people is not affected because of crowding at liquor shops during COVID-19.

Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, another judge in the bench, said that discussion on home delivery is already going on.

The top court, after hearing the petition complaining about flouting of safety norms at liquor shops, observed that it cannot pass any orders to different states but they should consider online sale and home delivery of liquor.

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News Network
March 2,2020

New Delhi, Mar 2: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a curative petition filed by convict Pawan Kumar Gupta who was sentenced to death in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case.

A five-judge bench headed by Justice N V Ramana said that no case is made out for re-examining the conviction and the punishment of the convict.

Other members of the bench were justices Arun Mishra, R F Nariman, R Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan.

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