Petrol price hike: Bandh may hit normal life today

May 31, 2012

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New Delhi/MumbaI/Chennai, May 31: The BJP and the CPM will come together in a nationwide protest against hike in petrol prices on Thursday. Markets may remain shut and autos and taxis might go off the roads.

Delhi: Traders decide to support BJP's call

Residents of the Delhi may find many markets shut and fewer autos and taxis on the road today, with BJP workers staging demonstrations on arterial roads against the steep hike in fuel prices. The party claims it has the support of over 300 traders' associations and several taxi and auto unions.

While the bandh has been called across India, the introduction of 5% VAT on CNG in Delhi budget is also an issue in the capital. On Wednesday, Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta held a padyatra in Connaught Place asking traders to support the bandh.

On Wednesday, Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta held a padyatra in Connaught Place asking traders to support the bandh. BJP has also decided to disrupt the ongoing budget session in the assembly. Police said that besides 35 extra companies of security personnel, another 50,000 cops would be out on the roads.

"We want to ensure that every major road has police presence. We are aware of a few protest spots and have the resources to rush in to control any situation. We warn people not to flout the law; those found rioting will be charged with destruction of public property," said a senior officer. Despite poor footfalls in the market due to rise in temperature, traders' associations have decided to support the bandh. "We have to stand together. This government has become arrogant and is not concerned about the people, who are suffering. Everything — from food items to gadgets— has become expensive. Still there is no stopping the government from increasing the prices of petrol and CNG. In Delhi, CNG is going to be the main issue," said Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general of Confederation of All India Traders.

While most traders have decided to support BJP's bandh call, some are said to be doing so out of fear. "We fear that the protestors might get violent if the markets are open. Not wanting to take chances, we have decided to close the market," said a trader from Khan Market. With more than 50,000 BJP workers expected to stage demonstrations at 100-odd locations, BJP is hopeful the government will be forced to rollback petrol and CNG prices. While BJP workers will protest outside, party MLAs are planning a stormy session in the assembly on Thursday.

Senas back bandh, Maharashtra talks tough

Undeterred by the Shiv Sena and MNS lending their political muscle to the BJP-called Bharat bandh over the steep hike in petrol price last week, the state government announced that it would be business as usual in Mumbai on Thursday. Nevertheless, local politicians expect trouble in saffron strongholds and the police have been deployed in full force.

Train services will run as usual and BEST has promised additional services if required. The same cannot be said for autos and taxis. While the bigger unions led by Sharad Rao and A L Quadros said their autos and taxis will ply, Sena-led unions have threatened to enforce the bandh.

"As long as the bandh is peaceful we have no objection. But if politicians indulge in violence and enforce it, we will not tolerate it," home minister R R Patil told TOI. On Wednesday, Patil held a marathon meeting with top police officials even as the saffron alliance charted their strategy to ensure that their bandh is a success.

Bandh expected to evoke poor response in Tamil Nadu

The nation-wide strike called by the NDA and Left parties on Thursday to condemn the hike in petrol price is unlikely to have much impact in Tamil Nadu with the state government taking steps to ensure maintenance of all essential supplies and services to the people.

However, autorickshaws might go off the roads as most of the drivers are affiliated to leftist trade unions.

Though a few milk dealers have supported the strike, sources in the state-owned Aavin said that measures have been taken to ensure uninterrupted milk supply.

"We have made all arrangements to have enough stock of milk in our parlours and outlets to ensure that the public will not be affected," a senior Aavin official said. Government sources assured that all hospitals and public transport will function as usual.

"The full fleet will be pressed into service in the city as well as across the state," an official from transport department said.

Police sources said additional personnel have been deployed at sensitive areas across the state to curb any untoward incidents.

Meanwhile, BJP state unit president Pon Radhakrishnan has appealed to all the political parties, commercial establishments and people of the state to support the bandh.

In a release, he said that since the hike in petrol price will test the patience of the people reeling under high inflation, the party had called for a nation-wide strike to condemn the UPA government move.

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April 16,2020

New Delhi, Apr 16: South Delhi District Magistrate Brij Mohan Mishra on Thursday said that the administration is investigating how the pizza delivery boy contracted the coronavirus.

"In the last 15 days, we discovered houses he had delivered food. We contacted people living in 72 houses and they have been asked to stay in-home quarantine. No symptoms have been seen in people related to him. 

Testing of his roommate has been done and his reports are awaited. The rest of the people don't have any symptoms, they have been placed under institutional quarantine. Those in-home quarantines are also asymptomatic," Mishra said.

"Unless a positive case comes, we feel that transmission has not taken place. The boy told us that he was continuously wearing a mask while delivering the food. We are also finding out how he got infected. We are getting the information about the places he visited for delivery. He was tested on the basis of the doctor's advice. Later, he tested positive," he said.

72 families have to stay in home quarantine in the Malviya Nagar area after the delivery boy tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said that 17 other delivery boys linked with the infected person have also been placed under institutional quarantine.

"A pizza delivery boy has been detected with COVID-19 here. 17 other delivery boys linked with him have been placed under institutional quarantine and 72 people have been placed under home quarantine," Jain said.

Food delivery app Zomato said that the staff of the infected person's restaurant has delivered some orders which were placed on its platform.

"We've been made aware today that a restaurant's employee, who has been recently tested positive for COVID-19, had delivered food in the past to a few customers in the Malviya Nagar area in Delhi. All these customers have already been contacted by the govt authorities... We are not sure whether the rider was infected at the time of delivery," the company said in a statement.

Zomato also claimed that colleagues of the delivery boy have tested negative for COVID-19.
"This restaurant had instructed their riders to wear masks and follow strict hygiene to keep customers safe from any unintended mishap.

All co-workers of the said rider have been tested negative. And as a precaution, the restaurant where this rider worked has suspended operations," read the statement.

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Agencies
May 17,2020

New Delhi, May 17: With the highest-ever spike of close to 5,000 cases in the past 24 hours, the COVID-19 count in India has crossed 90,000 on Sunday.

With an increase of 4,987 COVID-19 cases being reported in the last 24 hours, the count has reached 90,927, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The total number of active cases in the country stands at 53,946 today, while 2,872 deaths have been recorded due to the infection so far, with one patient having migrated. 120 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

However, on the positive side, close to 4,000 patients have also been cured and discharged in the past 24 hours, taking the tally of cured patients to 34,108.

With 30,706 confirmed cases, Maharashtra remains the worst-affected by the infection in the country.

It is followed by Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, with 10,988 and 10,585 cases, respectively.
The national capital, with 9,333 cases, is also one of the regions which is badly affected by the infection.

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Agencies
June 25,2020

New Delhi, Jun 25: The Congress on Thursday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi why has not India gained anything from the "strange bonhomie" which it claimed he shared with China.

Seeking to turn the tables on the ruling party, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the BJP also shared bonhomie with the Communist Party of China (CPC) with several party-level exchanges taking place in the past.

He sought to know whether India's borders have become safe after these exchanges in the last many years.

The Congress leader asked what has the country gained out of these exchange delegations and why are the borders insecure despite the bonds that the two ruling parties of India and China share with each other.

"There is a strange kind of bonhomie between Narendra Modi and China, a two decade old bonhomie. Why doesn't the country get the benefit of that bonhomie," he asked at a virtual press conference.

Khera said all that the Congress will continue to question is about the political will that just does not get visible when it comes to China.

"Whatever is happening on the border today, is it despite the bonhomie which you have with China, or is it because of the bonhomie which you have with China. The country needs to know," he asked.

"We do want to ask you, if as president of the party, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari and Amit Shah have been sending delegations,  strengthening the bonds between the Communist Party of China and the BJP. What has the country gained out of these bonds? Why are the borders insecure despite these bonds that you have," he also asked.

The ruling has hit out at the Congress for signing an MoU with China's Communist Party and has questioned its "bond" with the ruling party in China.

Khera also asked what role did the India Foundation, an organisation run by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval's son has in strengthening the bonds with China.

"Why does India Foundation keep visiting these countries? Who do they meet? What's the outcome? What's the role of NSA Ajit Doval's son- Shaurya Doval? He keeps attending these meetings through India Foundation? These are important questions in the light of what is happening," he asked.

Khera said the prime minister is showing "red eyes" to those who are asking him questions instead of showing them to the enemy.

"It is time to stand with the Army and show red eyes to China," he said.

The Congress leader said questions will be asked to Modi especially when there are definitive reports, satellite images of incursions in the Ladakh region of India by the Chinese.

He alleged that China laps up the comment of Modi and uses it across the world that the Indian prime minister says that China is in its own territory and Galwan is theirs.

"After a lot of pressure, PMO contradicted what the prime minister said. This kind of a goof up is unpardonable," he alleged.

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