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
April 2,2020

New Delhi,  Apr 2: Muslim cleric Imam Umer Ilyasi appealed to all the individuals who attended Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi recently, not to hide from the government and not to be scared of it.

"I appeal to all the Muslim brothers and mosque managing committees involved in the Jamaat congregation to please come out and inform the government. You do not need to feel scared of the government," Ilyasi told news agency.

He added: "You do not need to feel scared of the government. If you are quarantined, it doesn't mean you will be punished. This is for your and other people's safety."
On the subject of people likely to be quarantined, he said that if one does get quarantined, he or she must not think those quarantine facilities are jails. "If you are quarantined, it doesn't mean you will be punished. This is for your and other people's safety. Quarantine is the cure, you do not need to worry about it," he added.

Ilyasi further appealed to the people that one must not associate religion with the coronavirus outbreak. "Islam talks about saving one person's life and securing a person's life. Do not connect the outbreak with religion as this outbreak does not affect any religion or caste in particular," he said.

With regards to the lockdown being imposed by the centre, he said: "I appeal to all that we must obey the lockdown judiciously as there is no medicine or cure for this disease."
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's latest bulletin said that there are 1,834 coronavirus positive cases in India, including 1,649 active cases, 144 cured/discharged/migrated people and 41 deaths.

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News Network
January 18,2020

Jammu, Jan 18: Prepaid mobile connections were restored in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday and 2G services resumed in two districts of the valley after being disconnected on August 5 last year. Voice and SMS facilities were restored for all local prepaid mobile phones across the Union territory.

Rohit Kansal, the principal secretary to the administration of Jammu and Kashmir said the order will come into effect from Saturday.

In order to consider giving mobile Internet connectivity on such SIM cards, the telecom service providers will have to verify the credentials of the subscribers, he said.

Internet service providers have been asked to provide fixed line Internet connectivity in all the 10 districts of Jammu region and two districts, Kupwara and Bandipora, in North Kashmir.

Telecom services were shut in the entire Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 when the Centre abrogated special status to the erstwhile state and also bifurcated it into two Union Territories.

However, the Supreme Court came down heavily on the UT administration last week for arbitrarily shutting down the Internet, the facility described as the fundamental right by the apex court.

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Agencies
February 11,2020

New Delhi, Feb 11: Senior Delhi Congress leader and national spokesperson of the party Sharmishtha Mukherjee alleged delay in decision making and lack of strategy and unity at the state level for the party's humiliating performance reflected in the Assembly poll results on Tuesday.

Mukherjee, president of Delhi Mahila Congress, stated that it was high time that the party takes some action. She added that she too was responsible for the Congress' poor show.

The Congress is on the verge of drawing blank again in the Assembly polls as all its candidates were way far behind their AAP and BJP opponents on all the 70 seats. In the 2015 Assembly elections too, Congress failed to win any seat.

"We r again decimated in Delhi. Enuf of introspection, time 4 action now. Inordinate delay in decision making at the top, lack of strategy & unity at state level, demotivated workers, no grassroots connect-all r factors. Being part of d system, I too take my share of responsibility (sic)," Mukherjee tweeted as the results came out.

She also accused the BJP of playing divisive politics while crediting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for playing "smart politics" as the results showed a clean sweep by the AAP to return to power.

"BJP playing divisive politics, Kejriwal playing ‘smart politics’ & what r we doing? Can we honestly say that we’ve done all 2 put our house in order? We r busy capturing Congress whereas other parties are capturing India. If we r 2 survive, time 2 come out of exalted echo chambers! (sic)," she said in another tweet.

The Congress contested the Delhi polls in alliance with the Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD), fielding candidates on 66 seats and leaving four to its partner.

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