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Swami Agnivesh attacked again; this time on way to pay homage to Vajpayee

News Network
August 17, 2018

New Delhi, Aug 17: Social activist, and progressive religious leader Swami Agnivesh was attacked by suspected saffron extremists right outside the BJP office at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg in Delhi while he was on his way to pay respects to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

In the video, the Swami can be seen being chased by a mob and a man, putting his arms around Agnivesh, is shielding him. There are people who are taking pictures and recording the incident, but there is no express attempt to intervene in the matter. Delhi Police rushed to the spot and rescued him.

"I had gone to pay my respects to Vajpayee ji. Because of the police pickets, I had to walk down the last stretch... suddenly a group of people came and attacked us. There were two-three of us and they were quite a few. They beat us, pushed us around, abused us and knocked off my turban," Mr Agnivesh told a TV channel on the phone. "They kept shouting 'he's a traitor, he's a traitor, beat him'," he added.

Mr Vajpayee, a three-time prime minister and the BJP's patriarch, died yesterday at 93. His body was kept in state at the BJP's new office on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Road for tributes ahead of his funeral.

It could be recalled here that Agnivesh was attacked by members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in Jharkhand's Pakur district on July 17.

"It was a well-planned attack. Those who led the mob were associated with the RSS and the BJP. We have given names to the police,” Agnivesh had then said.

He said the district commissioner was informed about his itinerary but there was no arrangement of security. “The moment, I came out of my hotel some people holding black flags started punching me. I fell on the ground and they kicked me, tore my clothes and threw my turban. I am thankful to god for being alive today," said Agnivesh.

The social activist denied allegations that he was speaking against Sanatan Dharma.  "Instead, I advocated vegetarian foods in place of non-vegetarianism. I don't think anybody felt offended," said Agnivesh.

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News Network
May 19,2020

New Delhi, May 19: In a fresh blow to saffronite journalist Arnab Goswami, the Supreme Court of India today rejected his plea seeking transfer of the investigation of a case, filed against him for defaming Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, to the CBI. The court also refused to quash the FIRs filed against him.

Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV, has been booked in connection with a TV show on the gathering of migrants outside Bandra railway station on April 14. This apart, multiple FIRs have been filed against him for his show on Palghar lynching. In that show, he had posed certain questions on the incident to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, following which Congress workers lodged complaints against him in various states.

Extending Goswami’s interim protection from arrest by three weeks, the Supreme Court said, “Right of a journalist under 19 1 (a) higher…Free citizens can’t exist if news media can’t speak.”

During the earlier hearing, Senior Advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Goswami, had urged the court to transfer the probe to an agency like CBI. He said the “nature of the” second FIR against Goswami over a show on the migrant gathering outside Bandra station on April 14 “shows that it’s arm-twisting tactic”. 

“They are trying to stifle an unpleasant voice. This is a political party targeting a journalist. All complainants are members of one political party. They have a problem with the government. They want to teach this journalist a lesson,” he added.

Objecting to Salve’s plea to transfer the case to the CBI, Maharashtra government counsel, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, had said, “CBI investigation will go into your hands”. 

Sibal denied that Goswami was being harassed and said he was only asked relevant questions. He said Goswami should “stop this communal violence and communal mongering”.

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News Network
July 6,2020

New Delhi, Jul 6: India's COVID-19 tally neared the 7 lakh mark with 6,97,413 cases after 24,248 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

As per the Health Ministry, there are 2,53,287 active cases in the country while 4,24,432 patients have been cured or discharged. While one patient has migrated.

425 new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours in the country due to COVID-19, taking the number of patients succumbing to the deadly virus to 19,693.

As per the Health Ministry, Maharashtra continues to be the most impacted state from the infection with 2,06,619 cases and 8,822 fatalities due to the virus. Tamil Nadu in second place has a total of 1,11,151 cases and 1,510 fatalities.

The national capital's COVID-19 cases are also nearing the 1-lakh mark with 99,444 coronavirus cases and 3,067 deaths.

The total number of samples tested up to July 5 is 99,69,662 of which 1,80,596 samples were tested yesterday, informed the Indian Council of Medical Research on Monday. 

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News Network
July 14,2020

New Delhi, Jul 14: India's COVID-19 tally breached the 9 lakh mark as 28,498 new coronavirus cases were reported in the last 24 hours, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.

As per the Health Ministry, there are a total of 9,06,752 coronavirus cases in the country of which 3,11,565 patients are active cases.

5,71,459 patients have been cured/discharged while one patient has been migrated, the Ministry informed further.

553 more deaths due to COVID-19 were reported in the last 24 hours in the country, taking the number of patients succumbing to the virus to 23,727.

The Centre further informed that India's recovery rate from COVID-19 stands at 63.02 per cent while the recoveries and deaths ratio stood at 96.01 per cent and 3.99 per cent respectively.

As per the Ministry, Maharashtra -- the worst-affected state from the infection -- has a total of 2,60,924 COVID-19 cases and 10,482 fatalities. While Tamil Nadu has a tally of 1,42,798 cases and 2,032 deaths due to COVID-19.

Delhi has reported a total of 1,13,740 cases and 3,411 deaths due to COVID-19.

As per the information provided by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) 1,20,92,503 samples have been tested for COVID-19 till July 13, of these 2,86,247 samples were tested on Monday.

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