24 March 2020:
28 Rajjab
1441: Vol: 12, No: 163
*Coronavirus india*
Amid Lockdown, Shariah Council of
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Asks Muslims to Pray from Home
New Delhi: The Shariah Council of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has urged Muslims
living in areas under lockdown due to the outbreak of coronavirus to offer
prayers from home.The decision was taken by members of the council as there is
a possibility of the spread of the virus with large gatherings even as “Islamic
teachings lay great importance to ‘namaaz’ (offer prayers)".“The Imam, muezzin,
khadim, and administrators of the mosque should offer ‘namaaz’ in congregation
after exercising all precautionary measures. All the other members of the
public should pray at home in congregation with the members of their family,
including women,” said the statement from the outfit signed by Syed Sadatullah
Hussaini, president, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.The statement was also signed by the
president of Shariah Council, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Maulana Syed Jalaluddin
Umari.“In the same manner, the ‘Juma namaz’ (Friday prayer) should be observed
only by the Imam, muezzin, khadim, and administrators of the mosque. The prayer
and the ‘khutbah’ (speech) should be completed in the minimum possible period
and the remaining public should do the ‘zohar’ (afternoon prayer) at home,” it
added. Guidelines have been issued to use disinfectants in the wake of the
pandemic that has claimed seven lives and infected at least 415 people in the
country.“Disinfectants should be used in mosques and all medical precautions
should be exercised that are recommended by health experts,” the statement
said. The muezzin would continue to give ‘azaan’ (calls to prayer) five times
in the mosques.At the individual level, the guidelines say that ‘azkaar’
(remembrance of God) and religious incantations should be practised. “Repentance
and forgiveness should be sought. We should pray to Allah to break the
intensity of this fatal pandemic and grant us deliverance from this disease,”
it said.It has encouraged members to give ‘sadaqah’ (charity) to the poor and
needy, especially those who are jobless, in this hour of crisis.News18
Muslims to pray at home avoid coming to
mosques says JIH: IANS
After
101-Day Sit-in, Shaheen Bagh protest Cleared: Protesters Say 'Forcibly
Evicted', 9 Detained
Delhi Police on Tuesday forcibly cleared
the Shaheen Bagh sit-in protest site while Delhi is under a lockdown to contain
the spread of Covid-19. The peaceful protest at Shaheen Bagh, against Modi
government’s divisive CAA, had continued for over 3 months. “We had requested
the protesters to leave in the morning due to the coronavirus outbreak and the
lockdown that has been imposed. They refused and action was taken. Violators
have been detained and the site has been cleared,” DCP Southeast RP Meena was
quoted as saying by Indian Express.He also told PTI that nine people, including
6 women, were detained and taken to a nearby police station.A volunteer present
at the site told Indian Express that only 8-10 women were present at the site
on Tuesday morning. The volunteer also claimed that police removed the posters
at the site and wheeled away the India Gate artwork. However, PTI said about 50
protesters, including men, were at the venue when it was vacated—it is unclear
whether they had gathered in support of Shaheen Bagh protesters or not. A photo
from ANI also showed a large number of people gathering near the site which was
cleared by the police. Prakash Devi, a protester from Shaheen Bagh, told
Hindustan Times that they were forcibly removed by the police. She said the
police came on Monday night and asked them to clear the venue. “At around 3 am,
there was a heavy mobilisation of police personnel. They locked some of the
lanes. At around 5:30-6am, police came and forcibly evicted us,” she added.
Shaheen Bagh’s official Twitter handle also said the Delhi Police used
“coercive force to dismantle the protest site” even though it had been scaled
down to symbolic form considering COVID-19 precautions. On Sunday, during the ‘janata curfew’, only
five women were at the site while others had left their slippers as a symbol of
solidarity.The women were taking all precautions amid the coronavirus outbreak
and sanitisers had been arranged at the venue to ensure utmost hygiene, a
volunteer told PTI. Protests at Jamia University and Jaffrabad have also been
cleared. DCP (South) Atul Kumar Thakur confirmed to Indian Express that “Hauz
Rani protest site has been removed. No one arrested or detained.”Several people
on Twitter pointed out that the protest art on the walls of Jamia Millia
Islamia was also removed on Tuesday in haste—even as the city was under a
lockdown to contain infection. Delhi went into lockdown on Monday and Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that only essential services will continue
to operate. Protesters had told The Wire that while they understood the dangers
of coronavirus and were taking adequate precautions including sanitising
regularly, they felt the threat of CAA was much larger than the dangers of
COVID-19. “We understand that coronavirus outbreak is deadly, but for us, CAA,
NPR and NRC are equally deadly,” one woman had said.The sit-in protests in
Mumbai, Deoband and Lucknow are also no longer on.In Mumbai, women who had been
protesting since January 26 called their protest off on March 22.“This is just
a momentary break. We understand the situation right now and don’t want to
cause any kind of inconvenience. Once the situation gets better, we will
organize and agitate once again,” said one of the protestors.The protestors in
Mumbai have been demanding that the tri-party state government led by the Shiv
Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress assure them that they would
not allow NRC, CAA, and NPR implementation in the state. “Our demands have been
simple and this was well in the capacity of the state to assure us,” Barira,
one of the core committee members, told The Wire.In Deoband town of Saharanpur
district in Uttar Pradesh where women began their sit-in protest on January 27,
the protests have been stalled until April 4. In a letter issued on March 23,
the protestors’ core committee has stated that the decision was taken keeping
in mind the extraordinary situation that has arisen in the country because of
COVID- 19.As a protest symbol, the women have decided to leave behind their
burkhas and bangles. “This is our symbolic protest for now. We are leaving our
burkhas and bangles and warn the administration to not touch it. If they
disturb this symbolic protest, we would be compelled to again step out and sit
on a dharna,” the letter read.The protesters have placed a CCTV camera at the
protest site and have decided to monitor the space closely.Similarly in
Lucknow, women called off the protest and said they will come back once the
lockdown is lifted. Huffingtonpost/
THE WIRE
Shaheen
Bagh should not be seen ‘as a question of win or lose’: SC interlocutors
New Delhi : Hours after the Shaheen Bagh protest site in Delhi was
evicted by the police, the Supreme Court-appointed interlocutors, Sanjay Hegde
and Sadhna Ramachandran said the move should not be seen ‘as a question of win
or lose’.Thanking the SC, the protesters, the police and the media for the
‘trust placed in us’, they said, “The country has a grave pandemic threatening
it and currently that must receive priority in terms of everyone’s attention.
We request the administration and the protesters to now not do anything, that
will exacerbate the underlying tensions that culminated in the street
protests.”Saying that they had submitted two reports to the court, detailing
their efforts and the situation then prevailing, the interlocutors said, ‘”Our
process of interlocution has reinforced many valuable lessons, including the
need for continued dialogue at all times. We believe that the Supreme
Court-mandated interlocution kept Shaheen Bagh protests peaceful even while
violence erupted in other parts of Delhi. Some rigours of blockade were relaxed
by the protesters clearing some peripheral roads. Today the few remaining Shaheen
Bagh protesters have been finally dispersed peacefully with minimal force.” indianexpress
'We'll Be
Back': Anti-CAA Protesters Leave for Home With a Promise in Lucknow's 'Shaheen
Bagh'
Lucknow: Women protestors staging a round-the-clock sit-in at the
historic clock tower here against CAA and the NRC have suspended their dharna
in view of the coronavirus scare.66-day-old protest was suspended early on
Monday morning and the protesters went back to their houses. The protest stage
was left intact, upon which women left their 'duppatas'; marking a symbolic
return once the situation comes back to normal.The women protestors have
submitted a letter to the police commissioner, saying they were suspending
their 66-day-long protest against the CAA, the proposed nationwide NRC and NPR
temporarily in view of the outbreak.Speaking to media on the suspension of the
protest, daughter of poet Munawwar Rana, Summaiya Rana said, “We have decided
to suspend the Ghantaghar protest as of now due to the pandemic of COVID-19
coming to India.""CAA and NPR are internal issues of our country and
we will protest against it once again after the situation gets normal. The main
reason behind suspending this protest was the huge gathering which made
difficult the idea of ‘social distancing’, hence we took this decision,"
she said. Rana said the protesters had already been in talks with Commissioner
of Police, Lucknow, Sujit Pandey, who had also suggested the suspension of the
protest for a few days.They added that they would be back after lockdown enforced
by the government ends. News18
Covid-19
casts a shadow on Census, NPR exercise
The coronavirus pandemic has cast a shadow on the demographic census and
NPR work. The process is likely to be put off.With many districts locked down
as on Monday and many States on emergency mode, the work on Census has almost
been put on the back burner, according to officials.When contacted, a senior
official from the office of the Registrar-General and Census Commissioner in
India, told BusinessLine: “The schedule has been fixed from April 1 to
September 2020. Implementation is a decision to be taken by the States
depending on the situation.’’ Despite political controversy over NPR, the
Centre is keen on the exercise and has also allocated about ₹3,950 crore for
the project. The Union Home Ministry has already convened meetings with States
a couple of months ago to coordinate the operations.But in the event of further
spread of the virus and extension of lockdown to more districts, the Home
Ministry may think of postponing the exercise. It is currently adopting a “wait
and watch approach’’, it is learnt.While Census is essentially a function of
the Centre, it is done in coordination with the States as enumerators and other
human resources have to be allocated by the latter.A top official in the
Department of Health, Telangana, said: “Now that the coronavirus is on the
gradual rise, the idea of sending enumerators to households for data collection
is a risk for one and all. We strongly recommend against this at this
juncture.’’The enumerators will have to spend at least 10 minutes in each of
the household as they have to obtain details of every individual including
name, relationship to head of household, father's name, mother’s name, spouse's
name (if married), sex, date of birth, marital status, place of birth,
nationality, present address of usual residence, occupation and educational
qualification.They will also have to attend few hours training classes before
commencing the exercise. All these have now been rendered difficult on account
of the coronavirus.
thehindubusinessline
Coronavirus
: India reports 10th death;PM Modi to address nation at 8 pm
New Delhi: With the northeast reporting its first positive coronavirus
case from Manipur on Tuesday, the total number of cases in India has risen to
491 including 10 deaths and 36 cured cases. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will
address the nation at 8 PM today on the coronavirus outbreak. India’s 30 states
and Union Territories including Delhi, Chandigarh, West Bengal, Kerala, Andhra
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Assam, Uttarakhand etc. have
gone into a lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19. The state governments
imposed a state-wide curfew, starting Monday, a day after the country observed
“Janata curfew”.Centre has also warned of legal action against those violating
the lockdown which has been enforced till March 31 to curtail the pandemic.
Violators could either face a fine of Rs 1,000 or a jail term of 6 months if
they do not abide by the lockdown orders, the government said. All domestic
commercial flights would remain suspended from Wednesday to restrict
inter-state movement as a precautionary measure.In Maharashtra, where cases
rose to 97, with the sharpest rise of 23 in a day, Chief Minister Uddhav
Thackeray announced curfew-like measures, issuing strict orders for people to
keep indoors, and sealing borders.Globally, 16,572 people have died due to the
pandemic and a total of 381,293 positive cases have been confirmed. While Italy
has reported the highest number of deaths at 6,077 and the number of positive
cases at 63,927, China has reported 3,153 deaths and 81,514 cases so far. Also,
Spain has reported 2,311 deaths, Iran 1,812, France 860 and UK 335.WHO Monday
warned that the coronavirus pandemic is clearly “accelerating”, but said it was
still possible to “change the trajectory” of the outbreak. indianexpress
Total
Lockdown In 30 States, Union Territories As Corona Cases Cross 470 - 10 Points
[
New Delhi: Thirty states and Union territories declared a lockdown by
late evening on Monday as the country recorded its ninth death linked to the
highly contagious coronavirus. Overall, 471 people have tested positive for the
virus in the country -- 75 of them in the last 24 hours. 2 persons have died,
one in Bengal and the other in Himachal Pradesh. As reports of infection came
in from all the key states, the Centre tightened its clampdown with a ban on domestic
flights and warned of legal action against rule-breakers. Punjab, which had
thousands of expats heading for home, declared curfew. So did Maharashtra,
which has the highest number of COVID-19 cases. In Kolkata, sources said the
57-year-old who died at a private hospital, did not have any travel history,
raising concern about the chain of transmission of the virus.30 states and
union territories, covering 548 districts. have announced a complete lockdown,
partial curbs have been announced in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.
This includes 80 districts, where COVID-19 cases have been confirmed. Only 2
states -- Mizoram and Sikkim -- are yet to take a call no the issue, the
government said.The country registered 75 fresh cases of the virus on Monday,
which pushed the total to 471. Of this, 41 are foreign nationals and nine
persons died. The deaths were reported from Gujarat, Bihar, Karnataka, Delhi,
Maharashtra, Punjab, Bengal and Himachal Pradesh.Punjab became the first in the
country to impose curfew in the entire state with no relaxation, and only
exempted essential services to prevent the infection. Two days ago, Punjab had
shut down public transport, shops, malls gyms and swimming pools. Only
essential goods and services were allowed.ndtv
In
Maharashtra, almost 17 corona positive cases test negative, will be tested
again
In Maharashtra, almost 17 corona positive cases under treatment have
tested negative. In next 24 hours, they will be subjected to another test. And
if it remains negative, they will be discharged from hospitals. But they will
have to observe 15-days quarantine at home, public health minister Rajesh Tope
said. Total corona positive cases in Maharashtra till now is 101. indianexpress
Deadline
for income tax returns for FY 2018-19 extended to June 30: Nirmala Sitharaman
in relief measures for coronavirus
Deadline for income tax returns for FY 2018-19 extended to June 30:
Nirmala Sitharaman in relief measures for coronavirus
Entire UP
lockdown to be announced by Yogi Adityanath today
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to announce at 4 pm today
that the entire Uttar Pradesh will be locked down.
Air travel
suspended in India: What impact will Covid-19 have on travellers, airlines?
After 11.59 pm, no passenger flight will operate in India for a week as
govt has announcing a clampdown on air travel to curb the rapid spread of
Covid-19 infections. This will result in about 650 aircraft in fleets of Indian
airlines being grounded, and all 3,300 flights that operate domestically every
day being cancelled. For air travel, these restrictions will be in effect till
March 31, with the exceptions of all-cargo flights, off-shore helicopter
operations, medical evacuation flights and special flights approved by aviation
regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
90,000 NRIs
Back, Says Punjab, Predicts "Alarming" Rise In COVID-19 Cases
New Delhi: Around 90,000 people of Punjab who were living abroad, have
come home as coronavirus spread across the world. Now, funds are needed to
ensure that the virus doesn't spread in the state, the Amarinder Singh
government said, seeking Rs 150 crore from the Centre for a major security,
sanitation and medical preparation drive.In a letter to Union health minister
Dr Harshvardhan, state health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu wrote: "Punjab
has the maximum number of NRIs in the country and only 90,000 of them have
landed in the state this month. Many have symptoms of COVID-19 and are are
further spreading the disease... The number of COVID-19 patients are going to
increase alarmingly."So far, 23 people have tested positive for the virus,
one of them has died.
COVID-19:
Set Up Panel to Consider Release of Prisoners on Parole, says SC to States, UTs
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed all states and Union
Territories to set up high-level committees to determine the class of prisoners
who could be released on parole for four to six weeks to avoid overcrowding in
jails so as to safeguard against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.The apex
court said prisoners convicted of or charged with offences having jail term of
up to seven years can be given parole to decongest jails.A bench headed by
Chief Justice S.A. Bobde said that the high-level committee will work in
consultation with the State Legal Service Authority for the release of
prisoners.“We, therefore, direct that each state shall constitute a high-level
committee comprising of home secretary and chairman, State Legal Service
Authority to determine a class of prisoners, who can be released on parole for
four to six weeks or on interim bail,” said the bench, also comprising Justices
L. Nageswara Rao and Surya Kant.The bench was hearing the issue, of which it
had taken suo motu note last week, on the preparedness in the wake of
coronavirus in overcrowded prisons. thewire
EC Defers
Rajya Sabha Polls in View of the Coronavirus Pandemic
New Delhi: The Election Commission has deferred the Rajya Sabha polls
scheduled for March 26 in view of the coronavirus pandemic, official sources
said on Tuesday.An election to fill up 55 seats in the upper house of
Parliament was to be held on March 26, but 37 candidates have already been
elected without a contest.The decision on holding the election for the
remaining 18 seats will be taken based on the prevailing situation, the sources
said.PTI
Foreigners
held from mosque in Bihar, sent for COVID-19 test
Patna: A few foreign nationals who were staying in a mosque here were
sent to hospital on Monday to get the COVID-19 test done after the police
detained them.Manoj Kumar, in-charge of Digha police station, said 10
foreigners were reported to be staying at the mosque in Kurji area of Digha
police station. They were taken into custody and handed over to the Health
Department which sent them to the hospital to get the coronavirus test
done.Most of them are from Turkestan (Kazakhstan). The local people informed
the police after they learnt about their stay there, he said.He said that
information is also being collected about their travel and the people who met
them.–IANS
From Online
Assignments To WhatsApp Classes, Here is how Indian Universities Combat COVID
19
NEW DELHI:As the country embraces a complete lockdown to combat the
novel coronavirus menace, universities across the country have given
precautionary measures to students. Most of the universities have shut down
their regular activities and are looking for alternative methods to compensate
for the loss of academics.JNU has shut down all its regular academic activities
including seminars, discussions and interactive sessions until March 31. M
Jagadeesh Kumar, Vice-Chancellor of the University in a letter dated 20th March
urged the students not to panic but to be aware and vigilant in taking
appropriate precautions. The University has advised vacating the hostels and
observe social distancing.
AMU on 19th March closed Moulana Azad Library as a precautionary
measure. In a circular dated 14th March 2020 Abdul Hameed IPS, Registrar of the
University stated that " All conferences, seminars, lectures, workshops,
hall functions, sports events and other events are postponed till
31-03-2020". Prof.Tariq Mansoor,
Vice-Chancellor, AMU on Monday suggested the " teachers to make available
the study material online." " They are also urged to regularly upload
the study material online. Additionally, the study material can also be
circulated via WhatsApp and/or e-mail. " - He added.Jamia Millia Islamia
University, New Delhi has suspended all classroom transactions till March 31.
However, the administration has encouraged the faculties across departments to
reach out to students through WhatsApp, e-mail and other online platforms. In a
letter to students Prof Najma Akhtar, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia
urged to comply with the advisories given by concerned agencies from time to
time. The University has also closed down its central library as a
precautionary measure.The University Of Hyderabad, through a circular on
Thursday signed by Registrar, P Sardar Singh said: " All Deans/Heads/Directors
of concerned Schools/Departments/Centres/administrative Heads are at their
complete discretion to consider the practicability of allowing 50% employees,
to work from home and the remaining staff may necessarily attend office during
working days while ensuring the smooth functioning of their respective
offices," The University has also directed students to vacate the hostels
by today evening. Union Ministry of Human Resources Development had earlier
asked different universities to take precautionary measures to prevent the
outbreak of coronavirus in the campuses. It has also ordered universities to
postpone exams and find alternative methods for academics to ensure no
gathering takes place at the university spaces. India Tomorrow
"India
Led World In Eradicating 2 Pandemics, Should Show The Way": WHO
Geneva: The executive director of the World Health Organisation (WHO),
Michael J Ryan, on Tuesday said that India has a tremendous capacity to deal
the coronavirus outbreak situation as it has experience of eradicating two
pandemics, namely small-pox and polio."There is a need in the number of
labs where a surge is seen. India is a very populous country and the future of
this virus will be considered in a very highly and densely populated country.
India led the world in eradicating two pandemics, small-pox and polio so India
has a tremendous capacity," J Ryan said during a daily press brief on
COVID-19 pandemic."There are no easy answers. It is exceptionally
important that countries like India show the way to the world as they have done
before," he added.ndtv
Coronavirus: Karnataka minority board
recommends closure of mosques for daily namaz, Jummah prayers till March 31
As the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak continues to
spread like wildfire across India, the Karnataka Minority Welfare and the State
Board of Waqf on Monday wrote to the state Health Department recommending that
all the mosques in the state suspend the prayers (salah) and the daily namaz,
including Jummah (Friday prayers), till March 31.The move is aimed at
minimising the spread of the virus in the midst of the pandemic since mass
gatherings are discouraged for the public at the moment. The goal is to cut off
the chain of spread so that the outbreak can be checked and the subjects are
isolated safely for treatment.The decision to suspend the prayers was taken by
the state Minority Welfare department after holding a discussion with religious
Aalims, the chairman of Wakf Board, both Khazis of Mangaluru and other
stakeholders and community leaders.The letter was written by AB Ibrahim of the
state Minority Welfare department to Javeed Akthar, additional chief secretary
of the Health and Family Welfare Department.dnaindia
Indian Americans demand Indian Government
shun sectarian politics to combat the Coronavirus pandemic
Alliance for Justice and Accountability, an umbrella organization of
progressive South Asian groups across US, is asking the Indian Govt to put
aside sectarian violence in the name of preservation of life as the Coronavirus
pandemic unfolds. This crisis will unleash havoc in our communities at a time
when Indian unity is at an all time low. During a pandemic, the basic trust of
communities is an important requirement for public health interventions — as so
much of it depends on public compliance.Indian govt must restore faith that it
will protect all citizens not just its communal and genocidal agenda. Alliance
for Justice and Accountability (AJA), is dedicated to promoting common values
of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of
world’s two largest secular democracies – US and India.We are extremely
disturbed that the Indian government has not stopped its attacks on Indian
Muslim and civil rights activists even during this critical window of time when
it should be focused on combating COVID-19 pandemic.That is why we are asking
on the basis of a shared humanity to demand the BJP stop its genocidal project
and focus on the fight ahead to preserve as many lives as possible. India
should be investing all its resources in fighting the pandemic and providing
economic relief to the informal sector instead of creating panic and harassment
amongst minorities and civil rights activists.TCN
Delhi
Violence Victims Particularly Vulnerable to COVID-19, Memorandum Seeks Urgent
Intervention of State
A comprehensive list of demands, which focused on the measures to be
adopted by the State in the aftermath of the ‘targeted violence’ that shook
North East Delhi in the last week of Feb.2020, was submitted to Delhi
Government recently. The list of demands has been prepared by volunteers and
concerned citizens who were involved in the relief, documentation and
rehabilitation efforts post the communal violence that left over 500 people
injured and at least 50 dead, in addition to huge loss and destruction of
businesses, property and places of worship.The memorandum submitted to Delhi
Govt stated after three weeks of independent relief work and documentation of
violence-affected areas, it was found that “the absence of the state at this
time has resulted in life-threatening deprivation amongst its citizens.”It also
highlights the fact that with the outbreak of COVID-19 in India, “there has
been a restriction of civil society efforts”, and therefore, “the role of the
state has become all the more urgent—especially as living closely in camps and
bereft of their homes make victims of this violence all the more vulnerable to
the disease.” As such, the volunteers and concerned citizens have urged state
to “re-assess its existing measures in order to meet the needs of those made
vulnerable by this violence, with a long-term view to rebuild broken
lives.”Newsclick
Mumbai lockdown: 150 people found offering
namaz, FIR registered against masjid trustees for disobeying orders
Mumbai: Police on Monday registered an FIR against the trustees of a
masjid where up to 150 people were found offering namaz in violation of govt
orders issued to check the spread of the coronavirus.The JJ police registered
the FIR against the trustees of Sunni Shafi Masjid here.According to an
official, on Monday afternoon the police got information that 100-150 people
were offering namaz inside the masjid despite orders issued under CrPC section
144 banning assembly of people in view of coronavirus outbreak. The order
restricts the presence or movement of four or more persons in public places and
also any vehicles carrying such persons.Soon, a team led by ACP Avinash
Dharmadhikari reached the masjid and asked the devotees to leave the
place.Later, police registered FIR against Masjid trustees, including Majal
Badwan Kuni.Dharmadhikari said, "We have registered the FIR but no arrests
have been made so far. An investigation is underway." Mumbaimirror
Maharashtra: Case against masjid trustees
for allowing backdoor entry for namaz during restrictions in Bhiwandi
BHIWANDI: Bhiwandi City police have registered case against four
trustees of Aasbibi masjid for violating the state government order issued in
the wake of coronavirus outbreak official said on Monday.Those booked in case
are Gulam Khan (Chairman), Margub Ansari (Cashier), Mohammed Ansari and Hajrat
Ansari, both members of Aasbibi masjid in Bhiwandi.The police said that on
Monday afternoon the masjid people gave backdoor entry to people despite
government orders.Rajkumar Shinde, deputy commissioner of police, zone 2 of
Thane police said, "Inspite of our repeated instructions not to gather for
namaz in masjids, trustees and Imams of Aasbibi masjid violated government
instructions and allowed people from backdoor inside the masjid to offer
namaz". Shinde said, "We have registered an offence under section 188
of IPC and further probe is on". Meanwhile in Kalyan also on Sunday local
Mahatma Phule police late night registered FIR against 15 for performing namaz
on roadside Ansari Chawk. timesofindia
Delhi's Jama Masjid to remain closed for
public till March 31; Jamiat appeals people for spl prayers to fight Corona virus
New Delhi: The iconic Jama Masjid will remain closed for public till
March 31 in view of the coronavirus outbreak, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the imam of
the mosque, said on Monday. The decision has been taken as a precautionary
measure to contain the spread of coronavirus as many people who travel abroad
also come to offer prayers at the mosque, he said.During this period, the daily
chorus in the mosque will remain unaffected but people will not be allowed to
offer prayers."As a precautionary measure, we are closing the mosque for
offering prayers till March 31. We have appealed to people to offer prayers
inside their homes during this time," Bukhari told PTI.Prominent Muslim
body Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JuH) has also appealed to people to make special
prayers to fight the disease.JUH president Maulana Arshad Madani said
coronavirus has engulfed the entire world."The human being, despite all
his educational and scientific advancements, has no option to deal with this
disease. I appeal to all citizens of the country to take precautionary measures
to protect themselves from this pestilence and must follow the instructions
issued by WHO and the central health ministry," Madani said in a
statement. PTI
*Coronavirus World*
Coronavirus
updates: China to lift lockdown in most of virus-hit Hubei province, UK in
lockdown
China has said it will relax many restrictions on travel to and from
Hubei, the province where the coronavirus outbreak began, on Wednesday, as the
United Kingdom announced strict controls on movement to slow the spread of
COVID-19.Chinese authorities announced Tuesday they would end a two-month
lockdown of most of virus-hit Hubei province at midnight.People with a clean
bill of health will be allowed to leave, the provincial government said. The
city of Wuhan, where the outbreak started in late December, will remain locked
down until April 8.China barred people from leaving or entering Wuhan starting
Jan. 23 in a surprise middle-of-the-night announcement and expanded it to most
of the province in succeeding days. Train service and flights were cancelled and
checkpoints set up on roads into the central province. The virus raged for
weeks in Wuhan, the provincial capital, and surrounding cities. Hospitals
overflowed, and temporary ones were hastily set up to try to isolate the
growing number of infected patients.UK move came after the country reportred 52
more deaths and followed the imposition of strict lockdowns in France, Spain
and Italy, as Europe reels from a pandemic that WHO has warned is accelerating.
In Africa, Senegal, South African and the Ivory Coast were among the countries
to also announce sweeping movement restrictions.More 16,500 people have died
from COVID-19 about the world, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins
University. Nearly 102,000 of the 382,000 people who have been diagnosed with
the disease have recovered. AP / aljazeera
Iran leader
refuses US help; cites coronavirus conspiracy theory
Iran's supreme leader refused American assistance to fight the new
coronavirus citing a conspiracy theory claiming it could be man-made by the
United States government.Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments came on Sunday as
Iran faces crushing US sanctions blocking the country from selling its crude
oil and accessing international financial markets.While Iranian officials in
recent days have increasingly criticised those sanctions, 80-year-old Khamenei
instead echoed Chinese officials about the possible origin of the
coronavirus."I do not know how real this accusation is but when it exists,
who in their right mind would trust you to bring them medication?"
Khamenei said. "Possibly your medicine is a way to spread the virus more."He
also alleged the virus "is specifically built for Iran using the genetic
data of Iranians, which they have obtained through different
means"."You might send people as doctors and therapists, maybe they
would want to come here and see the effect of the poison they have produced in
person," Khamenei said. aljazeera
Italy
reports 602 new coronavirus deaths
Italy has reported 602 new deaths from the coronavirus on Monday,
bringing the total to 6,077 with the tally of cases in the country, a major
hotspot, rising to 63,928. The number of reported deaths in the country dropped
for a second day in a row, after on Saturday reaching an all-time high since
the outbreak began of 793. In the UK, the number of those who have died from
the disease the virus causes, COVID-19, increased by 54, bringing the toll in
the country to 335 among 6,650 cases. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson
ordered residents across the country to stay at home. In the US, the number of
cases surged past 35,000, with a death toll of 495, according to John Hopkins
University data.
Thai
declares state of emergency, approves new stimulus package
Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has announced a state of
emergency from Thursday to curb the spread of the coronavirus.The move will
give the government enforcement powers not normally available to it. They
include giving extra authority to officials, the setting up of checkpoints and
restrictions on people’s movement.
Bahraini
government to execute 4.3 billion dinars stimulus
Bahrain's finance minister Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa has
announced that his country will soon deliver a stimulus package worth 4.3
billion dinars ($11.41 billion), state TV reported.
Australia
coronavirus deaths rise to eight
A woman who was infected with the new coronavirus on a cruise ship has
become Australia’s eighth COVID-19 death.Health authorities say the woman, in
her 70s, died in a Sydney hospital on Tuesday.She was one of the initial three
cases confirmed aboard the Ruby Princess and was taken to a hospital on
Thursday.
German
cases up by 4,764, total hits 27,436
The Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases said 4,764 new cases
of the coronavirus have been detecting in Germany, raising the total number of
infections to 27,436.It added that the number of fatalities rose to 114 from 86
the previous day
Gaza virus
cases attended conference in Pakistan
GAZA CITY: Gaza’s first two confirmed coronavirus patients attended a
conference with 250,000 Muslims in Pakistan last month that went ahead contrary
to government advice, an official and family members said Monday. Pakistani
authorities had urged the cancellation of the five-day Tablighi Ijtema
congregation, or Tablighi Jamaat in Arabic, hosted annually near Lahore.But
organisers from the conservative Sunni Muslim evangelical movement ignored government
advice to postpone. It was unclear where the two Palestinians — who returned to
Gaza from Pakistan via Egypt earlier this month — contracted COVID-19.afp
Palestinian
prisoner's commission calls for release of detainees
Commission for Prisoners Affairs at the Palestinian Liberation
Organisation (PLO) has called on the United Nations to urge Israeli authorities
to release Palestinian detainees held in Israeli jail amid fears of the spread
of the coronavirus. The head of the commission, Qadri Abu Bakr, was quoted by
local media as saying the UN is "aware that Israeli jails are among the
most crowded in the world"."They [Israeli jails] lack the minimum
health and safety conditions - creating an environment for the spread of the
coronavirus," Abu Bakr said.
Pakistani
doctors decry lack of supplies as lockdown looms
Islamabad, Pakistan- Pakistan has moved closer to a countrywide lockdown
to attempt to control the accelerating spread of coronavirus cases across the
country, as cases hit more than 850 and doctors complain of dwindling personal
protective kits.On Monday, a full lockdown went into effect in the southern
city of Karachi, home to more than 20 million people, while Punjab province -
home to almost half of Pakistan's 207 million people - also announced widespread
restrictions on public movement.The government in both areas has restricted
people to their homes, other than to access essential services such as
groceries, pharmacies or medical care, according to a government announcement.
21-day
night curfew in Saudi as confirmed 51 new cases of coronavirus, closed all
non-main gates of Grand Mosque as GCC total nears 2,000
Saudi Arabia announced 51 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, taking the
total number in the kingdom to 562.At a press conference, Ministry of Health
spokesperson Dr Mohamed Al-Abdali, confirmed 25 travel-related cases, while 26
were caused by social contact with previous cases.Cases were discovered in
Riyadh (18), Mecca (12), Taif (6), Bisha (5), Dammam (3), Qatif (3), Jizan (2),
Najran (1) and Al-Qunfudhah (1).Al-Abdali revealed the breakdown of cases
include 266 men and 296 women as well as 29 involving children. There have been
no deaths reported to date.From Monday, kingdom introduced a 21-day curfew,
from 7pm to 6am.Meanwhile the General President of the Affairs of the Grand
Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque Sheikh Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais
has issued an order, closing non-main gates of the Grand Mosque in Makkah.While
the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that pilgrims whose visas ended and
those who are late for leaving the country during the regular period of the
Umrah season will be exempt from legal and financial ramifications as a result
of overstaying in the kingdom.There are currently 1,893 confirmed cases of
coronavirus across the GCC – KSA (562), Qatar (501), Bahrain (377), UAE (198),
Kuwait (189) and Oman (66) and four deaths reported, two in Bahrain and two in
the UAE. arabianbusiness
WHO chief
thanks Saudi Arabia for coronavirus aid package sent to Yemen
The Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has thanked
Saudi Arabia after it airlifted coronavirus protection supplies to Yemen.In a
tweet posted in response to images of the aid parcels shared on social media,
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was important to be united during the
coronavirus crisis and he thanked Saudi Arabia for he described as the
Kingdom’s “great support to WHO in this critical time of #COVID19.”“We all must
be led by solidarity to keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. With this
kind of commitment and support, we can stop the #coronavirus from spreading,” he
tweeted. arabnews
*OTHERS*
Omar
Abdullah Freed After Nearly 8 Months: "Very Different World Today"
Srinagar/ New Delhi: Omar Abdullah was released on Tuesday after nearly
eight months in detention in Kashmir. The former Chief Minister was detained
along with hundreds of politicians in August, when the centre decided to end
special status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir and divided it into two
union territories. oon after his release, Omar Abdullah urged people to
practice "social distancing as advised by the government." On detention of leaders, he said, "Be it
Mehbooba Mufti ji, or any leader from National Conference, they should be
freed," adding that 3G and 4G services should be restored in Kashmir. "Today, I, realise that we are fighting
a war of life and death. All our people who have been detained should be
released at this time. We must follow government orders to fight
coronavirus," the National Conference leader told reporters.In a tweet, he
said "it's a very different world today". "232 days after my
detention today I finally left Hari Niwas. It's a very different world today to
the one that existed on 5th August 2019," the 50-year-old former chief
minister of Jammu and Kashmir wrote.Mehbooba Mufti, another former Chief
Minister detained on the same day, August 5, tweeted: "Glad he will be
released. For all their talk of nari Shakti & women emancipation, seems
like this regime fears women the most."The Supreme Court had last week, on
Omar Abdullah's sister's petition for his immediate release, asked the centre
to respond by this week whether it planned to free him."If you are
releasing him, then release him soon or we will hear the matter on
merits," the Supreme Court told the government."Now that things are
settled in Kashmir, what are your instructions for his (Omar Abdullah's)
release," the judges asked.On March 13, Omar Abdullah's father Farooq
Abdullah, also a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, was freed.Omar
Abdullah, who turned 50 on March 10, was detained without charges but later,
the government charged him the Public Safety Act (PSA). The charges listed out
in a dossier against the 49-year-old National Conference leader included his
"ability to garner votes even during peak militancy and poll
boycotts". It said Mr Abdullah, a former Union Minister, could influence
people for any cause and specifically cited his ability to bring voters out in
the wake of boycott calls by separatists.Mr Abdullah's sister Sara Abdullah
Pilot, in her petition to the Supreme Court, said her brother had been detained
on the basis of social media posts "that are non-existent have been wrongly,
maliciously attributed to (Omar)".Abdullah has been seen during his
detention with a beard. He had resolved not to shave until he was released as a
mark of protest.NDTV
Shivraj
Singh Chouhan wins MP floor test; House adjourned till March 27
Bhopal : The BJP won a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly
Tuesday, a day after Shivraj Singh Chouhan took oath as Chief Minister in a
small ceremony at Raj Bhavan. None of the Congress MLAs were present in the
House for the vote. Following the floor test, the House was adjourned till
March 27.Chouhan thanked the Independents, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj
Party MLAs who voted in favour of the motion.Chouhan was elected BJP
Legislature Party leader and sworn in as Chief Minister by Governor Tandon for
a record fourth term at 9 pm on Monday night. He has already served as CM of
the state for three terms — between 2005 and 2018. So far, he is the only
minister in the government.
Chouhan said the trust motion was necessitated as Governor Tandon had
asked him to prove his majority in the House within 15 days. He said his first
priority was to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the state.After taking
oath on Monday too, Chouhan had drawn attention to the pandemic. “We gave good
governance for 15 years. We will give better governance and try to make amends
for mistakes that we may have committed in the past,” he had said.When the
session resumes, the state budget for the financial year 2020-21 will be tabled
and passed.
Meanwhile, Speaker N P Prajapati resigned from his post last night after
Governor Lalji Tandon advised him to step down. In his resignation letter
submitted to Deputy Speaker Hina Kavre, Prajapati said he was resigning on
moral grounds.The floor test this morning was conducted by senior BJP MLA
Jagdish Devda.The developments in the state came after former CM Kamal Nath
resigned ahead of the Supreme Court mandated trust vote on March 20. In the run
up to his resignation, the Congress leader had dared the BJP to move a no
confidence motion against his government.
indianexpress
Bhima
Koregaon Judicial Commission Seeks 6-Month Extension
Mumbai: The two-member judicial commission inquiring into the 2018 Bhima
Koregaon violence case on Monday sought a six-month extension from the
Maharashtra government as it has postponed its hearing in view of the novel
coronavirus outbreak and resultant lockdown.The commission on Monday wrote a
letter to the state chief secretary seeking an extension.“In view of
coronavirus epidemic and complete lockdown, the Commission has postponed its
proceedings until further notice. As such the Commission is unable to submit
any report,” the letter signed by commission secretary V.V. Palnitkar said.
“If extension is given by the state government, the Commission intends
to examine 40-50 more witnesses, including police, state and prominent
politicians. For that purpose, the Commission will require not less than six
months,” it added.PTI
*WORLD*
US cuts
Afghan aid by $1bn after Pompeo fails to end impasse
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday announced a $1bn cut in
American aid to Afghanistan after he failed to convince Afghan President Ashraf
Ghani and his political foe to end a feud that has helped jeopardise a US-led
peace effort.The United States also is prepared to cut another $1bn worth of
assistance in 2021 and is conducting "a review of all of our programmes
and projects to identify additional reductions and reconsider our pledges to
future donor conferences for Afghanistan," Pompeo said in a statement.Pompeo's statement came as he flew home from a fruitless day-long effort
in Kabul to end competing claims to the presidency by Ghani and Abdullah
Abdullah and win their agreement to form "an inclusive government."The harshly worded announcement at the end of the mission he undertook
despite the spreading global coronavirus pandemic underscored how badly stalled
the US-led effort to end America's longest war and decades of strife in
Afghanistan has become.The US "deeply regrets" that Ghani and Abdullah were
"unable to agree on an inclusive government," said Pompeo, adding
that "their failure has harmed US-Afghan relations and sadly, dishonours
those Afghan, Americans, and Coalition partners who have sacrificed their lives
and treasure."Speaking to reporters after departing Qatar, Pompeo declined to detail
how the $1bn in aid cuts would be apportioned or whether he set a deadline for
Ghani and Abdullah, who had served as the country's chief executive, to settle
their dispute.But the process stalled over a Taliban demand for the release by Kabul
of 5,000 prisoners and the feud between Ghani and Abdullah, both of whom
claimed the presidency following a disputed September election marred by
allegations of fraud.While in Kabul, Pompeo met with Ghani and Abdullah, separately and
together.Absent from the meetings was the chief US negotiator, Special
Representative Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan-born veteran diplomat. It was not
immediately known why Khalilzad was not included.
Rights
group: Children in Egypt tortured in detention
Egyptian police, security forces and military officials have arbitrarily
arrested, tortured and disappeared hundreds of children, according to Human
Rights Watch (HRW).The New York-based rights group released a report on Monday, claiming
Egypt has, since 2013, detained and abused children as young as 12 as part of a
crackdown on dissent against the country's military government.43-page report states the crackdown and the use of torture against
all detainees, especially minors, has weakened the rule of law in Egypt
"to the point of extinction", as prosecutors and judges exacerbated
abuses through due process violations and unfair trials.Egypt has not responded to the new accusations, but the country's State
Information Service (SIS) has in the past dismissed similar claims as a
"smear campaign".Titled, No One Cared He Was A Child: Egyptian Security Forces' Abuse of
Children in Detention, the HRW report documents abuses against 20 children who
were aged between 12 and 17 when they were arrested.Fifteen of the 20 children said they were tortured in pretrial
detention, usually during interrogation and while being detained incommunicado.Seven children said security officers tortured them with electricity,
including with stun guns.
*VIEWS, ARTICLES, FEATURES*
India is Locked Down for COVID-19 But Modi Govt Presses Ahead With Central Vista Project:the wire
Compiled and edited by Anwarulhaq (Released at: 3:26 PM).
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