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Anna to start indefinite fast today

July 29, 2012

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New Delhi, July 29: Measly turnout at his rallies seems to have impacted Anna Hazare the least, as the septuagenarian announced that he will launch an indefinite fast from Sunday.

“I will fast until we get the Jan Lokpal,” Hazare said, addressing a crowd not exceeding 1,000 people. Accusing the government of “cheating” on the Lokpal Bill issue, Hazare said he is “forced to fast repeatedly, which is not a happy thing.”

He had earlier set a deadline of Saturday before the government to accede to his demands.

Though Hazare reiterated that he will neither contest in the 2014 election nor form a political party, he said the country is not “safe” with the Congress or the BJP at the helm.

Speaking of a change at the Centre, Hazare said he will tour the country extensively and urge people to select candidates to contest the election. His team will verify the background of those candidates and put up their names on the internet, seeking public opinion. “From them, we will put some people to contest elections,” he said, adding that “good people should enter the Parliament” to change the system and implement a strong Lokpal.

“For a vote, money is given to the voters. Those who get elected are making money and they don't know where to keep this money. So they send it to foreign countries. Now it’s time to awaken the voters,” he said.

‘Thin crowds no problem’

Replying to the questions on the receding public support for him, which is reflected in the thin turn out at his rallies, Hazare said: “By getting crowds alone, you won't get the work done. You have to work hard for it.”

Hazare’s close aide Arvind Kejriwal appealed the Gandhian activist not to sit on fast because of health reasons.

"His health is not well. We lost Mahatma Gandhi at a wrong time, We lost Jaiprakash Narayan early and we cannot afford to lose Anna now. So I request Anna not to fast," Keriwal said minutes after a team of around 50 Anna supporters staged a protest outside 7 Race Course house, the residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.


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Agencies
August 2,2020

New Delhi, Aug 2: India's COVID-19 tally crossed the 17 lakh mark with 54,736 positive cases and 853 deaths reported in the last 24 hours.

"The total COVID-19 cases stand at 17,50,724 including 5,67,730 active cases, 11,45,630 cured/discharged/migrated and 37,364 deaths," said the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.

As per the data provided by the Health Ministry, Maharashtra -- the worst affected state from the infection -- has a total of 1,49,214 active cases and 15,316 deaths. A total of 4,31,719 coronavirus cases have been recorded in the state up to Saturday, as per the state health department.

Tamil Nadu has a total of 60,580 active cases and 4,034 deaths.

In Delhi, the total cases rose to 1,36,716, including 1,22,131 recovered/discharged/migrated cases and 3,989 deaths. There are 10,596 active cases in the national capital.

The total number of COVID-19 samples tested up to August 1 is 1,98,21,831 including 4,63,172 samples tested yesterday, said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Sunday.

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News Network
April 7,2020

Jammu, Apr 7: Old habits will just no longer do, a Jammu and Kashmir administration employee found to his dismay on Tuesday when he was sent to a quarantine centre for blowing his nose and spitting on the road.

The man, who works as an accountant in the civil secretariat here, had gone to meet a relative in Paloura on the outskirts of the city when he was nabbed, officials said.

The neighbours panicked when they saw him blowing his nose and immediately called the police, which rushed to the spot with a medical team and a magistrate, they said.

He was immediately taken to a quarantine facility set up at the IIT hostel in the Janipur area and his samples taken for a coronavirus test.

Given the high levels of anxiety over the spread of COVID-19, news of his being taken by police started circulating widely. There were also some WhatsApp messages that he was trying to deliberately spread the infection and was arrested by police.

However, police officials said they had not arrested him and merely put him in a quarantine centre. It was not clear how long he would be in the centre.

The employee told police officials he had an itch in his nose and nothing more.

"Be responsible citizens and stop spreading rumours or fake news," an official said, requesting people to be more responsible.

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Agencies
July 13,2020

Jaipur, July 13: Amid a deepening political crisis in Rajasthan where the number 2 leader of the Congress party Sachin Pilot has revolted, over 200 Income Tax (I-T) sleuths raided the residences and properties of two of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s close confidants.

The Income Tax department has carried out searches at over a dozen locations linked to Congress leader Dharamender Rathore as well as jewellery firm owner Rajiv Arora, both of whom are considered close to Gehlot.

Officials said that the raids that are underway in Jaipur, Kota, Delhi, and Mumbai were done after a complaint of tax evasion was made. Under the scanner, they said, are transactions that were made outside the country.

The curious timing of the Income Tax department’s action against Gehlot’s aides has made the Congress accuse the sleuths of acting on the behest of the BJP.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted: “After all, BJP's lawyers came on the field. The Income Tax Department started raids in Jaipur. When will ED arrive?”

The Congress is facing a cliffhanger in Rajasthan after the open rebellion by deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, who on Sunday night claimed that he had the support of 30 MLAs and that Gehlot was leading a minority government in the state.

However, Congress leader Avinash Pande on Monday said 109 MLAs have signed a letter of support to the chief minister, well above the majority mark of 100. The party has issued a whip to all the MLAs, asking them to attend the Congress Legislature Party meeting at 10.30 am. 

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