Anna Hazare magic fails, low turnout at fast venue

July 26, 2012
annafail

New Delhi, July 26: The euphoria and massive crowds of Ramlila Maidan are missing as social activist Anna Hazare's associates sit on another indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar, the heart of New Delhi, demanding investigation against 14 Cabinet Ministers including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pranab Mukherjee.

As Team Anna's indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar entered the second day on on Thursday, the turnout was very low with only around 500 people, most of whom were volunteers and belonged to social groups. But organisers expressed hope that the numbers will rise during the day. The India Against Corruption members have been claiming that more than 4000 people have come to Jantar Mantar to support their cause.

The response to the fast on the first day on Wednesdday was also modest with police estimating that 2,500-3,000 people attended during peak hours. The team's earlier protests had attracted several hundred people. The fast at New Delhi's Ramlila Maidan in August 2011 was attended by thousands of people and similar support was seen in all the major cities of the country, forcing the government to call a special session of Parliament to discuss Team Anna's demands.

Hazare and his associates have ben trying to raise the pitch against the Central Government. Anna Hazare on Thursday said that the government had betrayed his team and the country on several occasions. "If we go back two steps, it is not a mistake. Government betrayed us many a times. We are not asking anything for ourselves. As long as these people (central ministers) are there, Lokpal Bill will not be passed."

Arvind Kejriwal, one of the three Team Anna members who is fasting, left for Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh to attend a court hearing on his remarks against MPs calling them "criminals and rapists". He will join the protesters later in the day.

Before leaving for the court, Kejriwal said if such people will sit in Parliament then there is no future for the country.

"I don't think I have done anything wrong. And if speaking truth is against the country, then I am ready to face the consequences," he said.

Anna Hazare arrived at the dais only at 11 am.

Team Anna launched the agitation on Wednesday against UPA on corruption issue with activists attacking new President Pranab Mukherjee though Hazare refrained from making any personal remarks.

Hazare stuck to his pet theme of bringing a strong Lokpal Bill and threatened a 'jail bharo' agitation if government does not concede to his demands and campaigning for candidates chosen by people in the next Lok Sabha elections.


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News Network
May 22,2020

New Delhi, May 22: Air India on Friday started booking for domestic flights amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

"We have started bookings for domestic flights," said Air India in a statement.

The airlines will operate a total of 8,428 flights each week for the next three months from May 25 to August 25 as the Central government has announced the resumption of domestic flights.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday said that a minimum and maximum fare for three months has been set for the domestic flight services, which resume from May 25.

In the case of Delhi, Mumbai the minimum fare would be Rs 3,500 for a journey between 90-120 minutes. The maximum fare would be Rs 10,000.

"This is operative for three months -- till one minute to midnight on August 24," said Puri at a press conference here.

Puri said that guidelines have been issued for the passengers and airports, which are to be followed during flight operations.

He also said that self-declaration or Aarogya Setu App status on a compatible device would be obtained to ensure that a person does not have COVID-19 symptoms.

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News Network
January 13,2020

New Delhi, Jan 13: The Supreme Court on Monday commenced hearing on issues related to discrimination against women in various religions and at religious places including Kerala's Sabarimala Temple.

A nine-judge bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said that it was not considering review pleas in the Sabarimala case.

“We are not hearing review pleas of Sabarimala case. We are considering issues referred to by a 5-judge bench earlier,” the bench said.

The apex court had on November 14 asked a larger bench to re-examine various religious issues, including the entry of women into the Sabarimala Temple and mosques and the practice of female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra community.

While the five-judge bench unanimously agreed to refer religious issues to a larger bench, it gave a 3:2 split decision on petitions seeking a review of the apex court's September 2018 decision allowing women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala.

A majority verdict by then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices A M Khanwilkar and Indu Malhotra decided to keep pending pleas seeking a review of its decision regarding entry of women into the shrine, and said restrictions on women in religious places was not restricted to Sabarimala alone and was prevalent in other religions as well.

The minority verdict by Justices R F Nariman and D Y Chandrachud gave a dissenting view by dismissing all review pleas and directing compliance of its September 28 decision.

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News Network
April 1,2020

Prayagraj,  April 1: Seven Indonesian nationals, one person from Kolkata and one from Kerala who had attended the event at Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz have been put under quarantine, informed SP (City) Prayagraj, Brijesh Kumar Srivastava on Wednesday.

"Seven Indonesian nationals, one person from Kolkata and one from Kerala, were found at Abdullah mosque here. During the investigation, it was found that they had attended the Markaz gathering in Delhi. These people, along with 28 people who came in contact with them, have been quarantined." he said.

"A case has also been registered against them for not informing the police on reaching here," he added.

Earlier, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had said that the officials are not certain of the accurate number of people who participated in the event but it is being estimated that 1,500-1,700 people had assembled at the Markaz building.

The religious gathering was held at the Markaz building in Nizamuddin between March 13 and March 15.

The total number of active cases rose to 1466 in the country, while 132 people have been cured and discharged after receiving treatment, as of 9 am.

The number of deaths due to the infection also rose to 38, while one person has migrated.

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