Monthly Archives: August 2018

Farmer leaders during the Gurpurb celebrations at the Singhu border. Tribune Photo

Tribune News Service

Karnal, April 30

The agitating farmers and labourers, under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), on Friday celebrated the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur at the Singhu border in Sonepat district.

At a joint meeting of the SKM and the Central Trade Unions, it was decided that May Day would be celebrated as ‘Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Diwas’.

Leaders, including Abhimanyu Kohar, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Dr Darshan Pal, Gurnam Singh Charuni, Hannan Mollah, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Yudhvir Singh and Yogendra Yadav said Guru Tegh Bahadur fought for humanity beyond religion and caste and sacrificed his life

“It has been more than five months since farmers have been sitting at the Delhi borders. The Centre is forcibly imposing farm laws on us. Taking inspiration from Guru Teg Bahadur, we are ready for any sacrifice,” said Darshan Pal, a leader of the SKM.

The farmer leaders also emphasised on the progressive writings of Guru Teg Bahadur.

They said taking inspiration from the ninth Sikh Guru, the Sikh community had been fighting against exploitation and they were ready for any sacrifice. “Today, farmers are fighting against oppression, while many other organisations are helping people affected by the pandemic. Farmers and social welfare organisations, who were discredited and abused by the governments and a section of society, are still engaged in social service,” they added.

Religious organisations, including farmer leaders, also participated in a ‘samagam’. They called for strengthening the protest.

Visits without security route and special security arrangements

ribune News Service 

New Delhi, May 1

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning visited gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib here. He offered prayers on the 400th Parkash Purab of Guru Teg Bahadur as the Covid surge continued to overwhelm the country setting new grim records every day.

Also read: Devotees pay obeisance in Punjab to mark 400th Prakash Purb

According to sources, Prime Minister Modi visited the Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Chandni Chowk area without security route or special security arrangements at the gurdwara. 

“On the special occasion of his 400th Parkash Purab, I bow to Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji. He is widely respected globally for his courage and his efforts to serve the downtrodden.He refused to bow to tyranny and injustice. His supreme sacrifice gives strength and motivation to many,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

‘Centre mustn’t leave vax pricing to makers’; order expected today

A distressed Covid-19 patient with a relative waits to receive oxygen at Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, on Friday. PTI

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 30

The Supreme Court on Friday said states can’t take coercive action against people sharing distressing information on social media to seek medical help for their dear ones during Covid-19 pandemic.

“I flag this issue at the outset… We want to make it very clear that if citizens communicate their grievances on social media and the Internet then it can’t be said it’s wrong information. We don’t want any clampdown on information,” a Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud said while hearing a suo motu PIL on Covid management.

‘Why not buy 100% doses?’

The Bench wanted to know why the Centre wasn’t buying 100 per cent of vaccine doses
Why not follow the national immunisation policy with respect to Covid vaccines, it asked.
Vaccine makers are publicly funded, hence vaccines are ‘public goods’, it said
“We will treat it as a contempt of court if such grievances are considered for action,” said the Bench, which also included Justice LN Rao and Justice SR Bhat.

Terming the second wave of the pandemic as a “national crisis”, it said, “There should be free flow of information… we should hear voices of citizens.”

The UP Government had reportedly ordered strict action under the National Security Act against those allegedly creating panic by making “false appeals” for help for Covid patients on social media. However, the top court said, “Let a strong message go to all the states and their DGPs… clampdown on information is contrary to basic precepts.”

Noting that the government should not leave vaccine pricing and distribution to manufacturers, the Bench sought to know why the Centre was not buying 100 per cent of the Covid vaccine doses as it was better placed to determine equity and disburse. It asked, “Why can’t the Centre follow the national immunisation programme policy with respect to Covid vaccines?”

The top court — which had last week taken suo motu cognisance of the Covid management — will formally issue its order on Saturday.

Sailors from the Indian Navy ship, INS Talwar, in the process of loading a liquid oxygen tank onto their ship at Salman Port, Manama, Bahrain.

New Delhi, April 30

Among several initiatives to tackle the ongoing Covid-19 surge, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday, invoked special provisions and granted emergency financial powers to the armed forces while Indian Navy warships have sailed across to three countries to bring several tonnes of oxygen.

The Ministry of Defence said the financial powers would help formation commanders establish and operate quarantine facilities and hospitals, and undertake procurement and repair of equipment, items, material and stores. These powers, in addition to the emergency powers delegated to medical officers of the armed forces last week, have been devolved initially for a period of three months.

Crucially, the Indian Navy has launched Op Samudra Setu-II for shipment of oxygen-filled containers to India. Two warships— INS Kolkata and INS Talwar — entered the port of Manama, Bahrain, on Friday. These will be transporting 40 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen to Mumbai. INS Jalashwa is sailing to Bangkok while INS Airavat is enroute to Singapore for similar missions. The DRDO has handed over 75 cylinders to the Delhi Government and another 40 will be given to the ITBP-run Covid care centre in the city. Each of these oxygen cylinders has a capacity of 10,000 litres. — TNS