By Amit Kumar
New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI): A day after Union Minister Giriraj Singh advised the people of Bihar’s Begusarai to “beat up officials with bamboo sticks” for appearing insensitive to their concerns, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Sunday condemned the “controversial” statement saying that it may create Law and order problem.
Speaking to ANI, BSP national spokesperson Sudhindra Bhadoria questioned the central government’s leadership for “not taking action against Singh.”
“Giriraj Singh has been making controversial statements in the past as well. This time he is making such a statement that becomes a law and order problem. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader is the minister who has taken the oath of the Constitution and has been giving statements like this,” he said.
“Why central leadership is not taking action against him. If they do not take action, then this kind of tendency will be promoted, which will lead to law and order situation in the country,” he added.
Giriraj Singh, Union Minister Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying had on Saturday advised the people of Begusarai, his Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar to “beat up with bamboo sticks” those officials who appeared insensitive to their concerns.
“If someone (any government official) doesn’t listen to your grievances, hit them with a bamboo stick. Neither we ask them to do any illegitimate job, nor will we tolerate illegitimate ‘nanga nritya’ by any official,” Singh said while addressing a public gathering in Begusarai. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI): The number of COVID-19 cases in the country saw a slight increase in the last 24 hours with 18,711 new cases, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Sunday.
As many as 100 deaths were also reported, taking the death toll to 1,57,756.
The total number of positive cases in the country now stands at 1,12,10,799, including 1,84,523 active cases and 1,08,68,520 recoveries.
India is currently in the midst of the second phase of the vaccination drive, with as many as 2,09,22,344 doses of the COVID-19 vaccines administered so far.
As per the Indian Council of Medical Research, a total of 22,14,30,507 COVID-19 tests have been reported so far, including 7,37,830 in the last 24 hours.
Maharashtra continued to be one of the worst affected states with 10,187 new COVID-19 cases and 47 deaths in the last 24 hours.
According to the state department, the total positive cases in the state now stand at 22,08,586, including 92,897 active cases and 52,440 deaths. 20,62,031 patients have recovered so far in the state.
In Kerala, another badly affected state by the pandemic, there are currently 42,819 active cases. As many as 10,75,227 positive cases have been reported.
So far, 10,27,826 recoveries and 4,287 deaths have been reported, the state health department informed. (ANI)

Ladakh [India], March 7 (ANI): An earthquake of magnitude 3.7 on the Richter scale hit Ladakh on Sunday, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).
NCS in a tweet said that the earthquake occurred at 9:57 am.
“Earthquake of Magnitude:3.7, Occurred on 07-03-2021, 09:57:00 IST, Lat: 34.04 & Long: 79.37, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Ladakh, India,” NCS tweeted.
Earlier in the day, an earthquake of magnitude 2.9 on the Richter scale hit Jammu and Kashmir at 4:40 am. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the 7,500th Janaushadhi Kendra at North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong on Sunday via video conferencing.
The Prime Minister is also addressing Janaushadhi Diwas celebrations and interacting with beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana and will also give awards to stakeholders by recognising their excellent work.
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers D V Sadananda Gowda was also present on the occasion.

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana’s initiative endeavours to provide quality medicines at an affordable price. The number of stores under the scheme has grown to 7499, with all districts of the country covered. Sales in the financial year 2020-21 (up to March 4, 2021) led to total savings of approximately Rs. 3600 crore for common citizens, as these medicines are cheaper by 50 per cent to 90 per cent than the corresponding market rates.

In order to create more awareness about Janaushadhi, an entire week from March 1-7 is being celebrated as ‘Janaushadhi Week’ across the nation, with the theme of ‘Jan Aushadhi – Seva bhi, Rozgar bhi’. The last day of the week- March 7 is being celebrated as ‘Janaushadhi Diwas’. (ANI)

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 7 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari, who is contesting against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Nandigram seat in the upcoming Assembly polls on Saturday said the state will turn into Kashmir if Trinamool Congress (TMC) comes back to power.
Addressing a public meeting in Behala yesterday, Adhikari said, “If Shyama Prasad Mukherjee was not there, this country would have been an Islamic country and we would be living in Bangladesh. If they (TMC) came back to power, West Bengal will become Kashmir.”
“Nandigram is not a challenge for me. I am going to Nandigram to defeat her (Mamata Banerjee) and send her back to Kolkata. I thank the national party leadership for the responsibility given to me. I will work to make lotus bloom in Nandigram and across West Bengal. She (Mamata Banerjee) is going to lose this election (in Nandigram) by over 50,000 votes,” added Adhikari.
The BJP on Saturday fielded Adhikari from Nandigram against TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, setting the stage for a high-profile contest from the seat in the state assembly elections.
Adhikari’s name figured in the BJP’s first list of 57 candidates for the March-April assembly elections, out of which six are women and one seat ( Baghmundi) has been given to the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU).
TMC had on Friday released its list of 291 candidates with Mamata Banerjee announcing that she will be contesting from Nandigram.
Banerjee, who has been representing Bhawanipur, had earlier announced that she will contest from Nandigram.
Adhikari, a former minister in the Trinamool Congress government, had joined the BJP in December last year. He had earlier said that BJP will defeat Mamata Banerjee by over 50,000 votes from Nandigram.
West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes in the state will take place on May 2. (ANI)

By Joymala Bagchi
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 7 (ANI): With Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to address his first rally at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, after the announcement of the West Bengal Assembly poll schedule, security has been tightened across the city.
More than 1,500 CCTV cameras have been installed across the city for security purposes. Drone cameras will also be used to monitor the venue. The rally is expected to be attended by at least 7 lakh people, sources said.
At the rally, the Prime Minister will seek support for the Bharatiya Janata Party candidates in the fray for the 294 member Legislative Assembly.
Along with the main stage which is 72-feet long, two other stages have been set up, one for Tollywood actors and another for important personalities present at the rally. The two stages are 48-feet length, 24-feet width and 7-feet height.
Special Protection Group and Kolkata Police have deployed special units for the security of the rally.
Three main barricades have been strategically placed toward the main stage for security purpose. Barricades and a helipad has been created at the Race Course near the Brigade Ground.
Bharatiya Janata Party has installed LED screens at the ground for the convenience of the people.
Just a week ago, Left-Congress-Indian Secular Front (ISF) alliance organised a massive public meeting at the Brigade Parade Ground which witnessed the presence of lakhs of supporters.
West Bengal will witness Assembly election in eight phases starting from March 27 and polling for the last phase will take place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.
After winning 3 seats in the 2016 Assembly election in West Bengal, the BJP made deep inroads in the state in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections winning 18 seats and reducing TMC’s tally to 22. Out of the total 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal, Congress won two seats, the Left drew a blank. (ANI)