LIVE! 'Harassing those against BJP ED's national duty'

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Tue, 29 December 2020

'Harassing those against BJP ED's national duty'

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23:52 Harassing those against BJP seems to be EDs national duty: Raut

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said that harassing those who are against the Bharatiya Janata Party appears to be the "national duty" of the Enforcement Directorate.

Referring to the central agency's summons to his wife Varsha in an alleged money laundering case, he also wondered why the ED was now probing cases involving small amounts.

"Harassing anti-BJP people seems to be the national duty of the ED. I pity the ED as it used to have some reputation earlier," the Sena Rajya Sabha member told reporters.

"Now nobody respects these organizations. It is tragic to see these organizations being ordered around," he said.

The ED wants to question Varsha Raut with regard to a loan of about Rs 55 lakh she had taken from the wife of a person who is accused in the PMC Bank alleged fraud case.

Saying that the ED generally takes up cases where the minimum amount involved is Rs 100 crore, Raut said, "Looks like there is no other issue before the country so such an old case has been brought up.

"The loan and the reason for taking it have been mentioned in my Rajya Sabha affidavits. Whatever information is being fed (to media), is already mentioned in the affidavits," the Sena leader said.

He was aware of the "politics" being played through the ED, he said, adding that a response to the notice will be given soon.

"Even if someone is using the law to settle a personal grudge, I respect the law of the land and consider it supreme," said the Sena leader.

Varsha Raut on Tuesday did not appear before the ED.

Official sources said she asked for a new date of January 5 for deposing before the central probe agency in Mumbai. -- PTI

Pakistan has increasingly become a pawn of China and the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan has opened options for Beijing to expand its influence in the region through Islamabad, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said on Tuesday.

In an address at a seminar organised by think-tank Vivekananda International Foundation, he said Pakistan's dependence on China is going to increase as the country is set to reel under a Chinese debt-trap.

Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said India's "most important" national security challenge is to understand China, its "possible game plan" and the deepening and evolving Sino-Pak relationship.

"Pakistan has increasingly become a pawn in Chinese policy. Under an increasing CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) related debt trap, we are going to witness further military dependencies in the future," he said.

"The US exit from Afghanistan has opened increased options for China in the region -- both direct and through Pakistan -- allowing it a possible entry into Central Asia, a region that they have been eyeing for long," the IAF chief added.

The Air Chief Marshal said coercion and economic dependence are being used as tools for making weaker countries accept one-sided actions, in an apparent reference to China.

"We are now witnessing a rise in attempts to alter the status quo through wanton disregard or selective interpretation of established international laws and norms. Coercion and economic dependence are being used as tools for making weaker countries accept one-sided actions, thereby undermining the established order itself at the international level," he said.

"Fragile states find it convenient to align with dominant powers to ensure regime survival, thereby affecting the regional security scenario further and something we need to increasingly factor in in our national security matrix," he added.

Replying to a question on possible military cooperation among India, the US, Japan and Australia under the Quad or Quadrilateral coalition, he did not rule out such a possibility and indicated that discussions are underway.

"Quad, as a kind of execution, has not happened so far. But as a plan of action, it is possible," he said.

Without naming China, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria also referred to the "debt-trap diplomacy" to achieve geopolitical goals by ensnaring the recipient countries with loans that cannot be repaid.

He said it has allowed "foreign created and controlled" ports and facilities very close to the Indian mainland and island territories.

"With the new PLA doctrines underscoring the importance of developing force projection capabilities to counter US global dominance, there is a direct impact of such development on our security matrix," he said.

"For example, what happens if China was to use one of such launching pads for an action against us in a conflict situation? Does the third country port or launching pad become a target for us or not? What are the implications? It is something we need to factor in, it is something that needs to go into our planning process and thinking process," he said.

Talking about national security challenges, the IAF chief said there are very few major states that still have unsettled borders to the extent India does to its north.

"On our northern borders, the Himalayan barrier, which separated South Asia from China, has been literally flattened by the massive infrastructural development and the time it takes to travel large distances has really shrunk," he said. -- PTI

Legendary French designer Pierre Cardin died on Tuesday aged 98.

An out-and-out pioneer, Cardin was a visionary who made a brave move deemed controversial in the late 1950s when he decided to start licensing products, such as pens, wallets and furniture, using his brand name.

He was also one of the few first international designers who brought their clothing lines to India where he was a popular name in the 1980s and '90s.

The first futurist designer, a thought leader and an empowered person who led radical changes in fashion is how Indian fashion community remembers Cardin.

Celebrated designer Rina Dhaka said when she started reading fashion magazines as a young girl in the 1980-90s, if there was one global name she knew it was Cardin's, a thought also echoed by FDCI Chairman Sunil Sethi who has fond memories of attending his show in Delhi's Hauz Khas Village in 1994.

Dhaka said post 1990s, one saw Cardin not so much on catwalks for fashion for women or men but more in accessories.

"He became renowned down to the fact that 'I own a Pierre Cardin pen in India or wherever I could be'. He was in many ways a great example of how we as designers can adapt to changing times, bifurcate or diversify and still be able to continue a brand over so many decades," Dhaka told PTI.

Veteran actor-host Simi Garewal said Cardin was always in the "forefront in designing".

Recalling her rendezvous with the iconic designer at the Venice Film Festival premiere of her 1972 film "Siddhartha", the actor said a leading French magazine Paris Match wanted to click her and Cardin together for an 'East meets West' push photo-op.

"I was dressed in a sari. In French, he kept saying I looked beautiful during the photo shoot," Garewal told PTI.

Years later when Cardin came to India, the actor said, when they met she was in a western dress.

"He asked me, 'Where is that sari?' He loved sari so much."

India needs to focus more on enhancement of overall military capability to ensure "rapid reaction" and "effective response" to handle any future threats including in the Western and Northern fronts, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said on Tuesday.

In an address at an online seminar, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria, referring to the eastern Ladakh row, suggested that any serious conflict with India does not suit China's global aspirations and "grand plans".

He said the face-off could be the result of a "military dominated misadventure" that escalated following the rapid trust deficit Beijing faced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The seminar was organised by leading think-tank Vivekananda Foundation.

The IAF Chief also cited a number of other possible reasons for China to trigger the standoff that included a plan to engage with India in the border talks from a new position or an aim to fine tune Beijing's new military structures and technologies.

"The important question for all of us is any serious Indo-China conflict is not good for China. If Chinese aspirations are global, then it does not suit their grand plans. Then what could be the possible Chinese objective for their actions in the North. This is important to understand," he said.

"In any case, what has happened is all of the above irrespective of what was the starting objective," he said, adding the Chinese action in eastern Ladakh could also be totally a "military dominated misadventure" that escalated given the rapid trust-deficit the country faced post-COVID-19.

Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria said the Chinese military resorted to heavy deployment of military systems like surface-to-air missiles and radars but added that India has also taken steps to deal with the situation.

The Chief of the Air Staff said India needs to focus on boosting its overall military capability to ensure a rapid and effective response mechanism. At the same time, he added that the Indian Air Force is fully capable of dealing with any scenario but pitched for enhancing the country's overall air power considering the evolving regional security architecture.

"This would require a focused approach especially with respect to China as they have invested heavily in research and development and have grown manifold in capabilities and technologies," he said.

The IAF said the regional security scenario could become more challenging following withdrawal of the American forces from Afghanistan and suggested that China could try to expand influence using Pakistan. -- PTI

About 45 per cent of all COVID-19 deaths in the country have been reported in those below 60 years of age while 70 per cent of total fatalities from the infection were registered in men, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said 63 per cent of the total cases were reported in males and 37 per cent cases in females.

"Eight per cent cases have been reported below the age of 17 years, 13 per cent in the 18-25 years age group, 39 per cent in 26-44 years group, 26 per cent in 45-60 years group and 14 per cent cases above 60 years," he said.

Bhushan further said 45 per cent of the COVID-19 deaths so far have been reported in those below 60 years of age and 70 per cent of total fatalities from the infection were registered in men.

About 55 per cent COVID-19 deaths were reported in those aged 60 and above, 33 per cent in the age group of 45 to 60 years, 10 per cent in the age group of 26-44 years and one per cent each in those aged between 18-25 years and in those below 17 years, according to the data presented by Bhushan.

He said the number of active cases of COVID-19 has been registered at 2.7 lakhs, sliding to a low after six months. The cumulative positivity rate stands at 6.02 per cent while the positivity rate during last week was 2.25 per cent.

"Five states and UTs which account for 60 per cent of total active COVID-19 cases are Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh," he said.

Bhushan further said India's rate of cases per million population -- at 7,408 -- is among the lowest in the world while the number of deaths per million population stood at 107.

In the last seven days, 110 new cases and two deaths per million population have been reported while the number of active cases per million has been registered at 194, Bhushan added. -- PTI

Three accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoists links case have moved a court here seeking access to books and newspapers in prison.

Activists Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha and Delhi University professor Hany Babu have filed separate pleas through their lawyer Chandni Chawla in the special NIA court.

Chawla told the court on Tuesday that when lawyers tried to deliver books to their clients, it was not allowed, and the books sent by post were also not given to the applicants.

Prison authorities sought a court order for handing over books, she claimed.

Special judge D E Kothalikar noted that Rule 13 of the Maharashtra Prison Manual allows prison superintendents to decide such matters.

Before passing an order, the court, however, asked advocate Chawla to file an affidavit stating that she had approached the prison authorities but they refused to accept books.

The hearing was adjourned to January 12.

Babu and Navlakha are lodged in Taloja Jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, while Bharadwaj is in Byculla Women's Jail in Mumbai.

Earlier, co-accused Stan Swamy, 83, had moved the court to get a straw and sipper in prison, saying his hands shake while drinking water because of Parkinson's disease.

Jail authorities later agreed to provide him these items.

The NIA court, meanwhile, on Tuesday allowed Bharadwaj's application seeking an untruncated copy of witnesses' statement. The statement should be provided to her without disclosing the identities or addresses of witnesses, the judge said. -- PTI

Citing the fear of a second wave of coronavirus, the Mumbai civic body on Tuesday said schools and colleges in the city will not reopen till January 15, 2021.

Earlier, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had decided to keep schools and colleges closed till December 31.

In a fresh circular issued on Tuesday, the BMC said it decided to keep all --government and private -- schools and colleges closed till January 15 due to the second wave of COVID-19 in other countries and the situation in some states in the country.

The pandemic is under control in the Mumbai municipal limits though, it noted.

The BMC also allowed the American Consulate School and other consulate schools in the city to reopen from January 18, but did not specify when exactly other educational institutes can reopen. -- PTI

20:37 Nirav Modi's remand in UK extended till Jan 7

Fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi appeared via videolink for a routine 28-day remand hearing on Tuesday before Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, where he was further remanded in custody until January 7 in the new year to conclude hearings in his extradition case.

The 49-year-old has been behind bars at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London since his arrest last year following India's extradition request for the diamond merchant wanted in connection with the estimated USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank scam case.

The final hearings in the extradition case are scheduled over two days, on January 7 and 8 next year, when District Judge Samuel Goozee is scheduled to hear closing arguments from both sides before he hands down his judgment a few weeks later.

At the last full hearing in the case in November, Judge Goozee heard the arguments for and against the admissibility of certain witness statements provided by the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate and ruled that the evidence to establish a prima facie case of fraud and money laundering against the fugitive diamantaire is broadly admissible.

He concluded that he considered himself bound by the previous UK court rulings in the extradition case of former Kingfisher Airlines chief Vijay Mallya.

The Crown Prosecution Service, arguing on behalf of the Indian authorities, had stressed that the evidence, including witness statements under Section 161 of the Indian Code of Criminal Procedure, meets the required threshold for the UK court to determine whether Modi has a case to answer before the Indian judicial system.

"The argument that this is a very specific case, distinguishable from Mallya is frankly nonsense," said CPS barrister Helen Malcolm.

That Mallya has a case to answer in India in his fraud and money laundering case has cleared various levels of the UK judicial system and is currently undergoing a confidential legal issue before UK Home Secretary Priti Patel can consider signing off on his extradition.

Modi's barrister, Clare Montgomery, who was also the defence counsel in Mallya's case, however, disputed that the Section 161 witness statements qualify as similar.

"The government of India case is not as strong as it was in Mallya, said Montgomery, as she also raised a specific issue over a witness who was said to speak no English in his testimony for the CBI but signed a statement in English for the ED. -- PTI

Markets regulator Sebi on Tuesday imposed a penalty of Rs 5 crore on NDTV for its failure to disclose price-sensitive information about VCPL loan agreements.

The loan agreements were containing clauses and conditions that substantially affected the functioning of the media company, Sebi said in its order.

The regulator said its probe began after receipt of complaints in 2017 from Quantum Securities Pvt Ltd about an alleged violation of rules by non-disclosure of material information to the shareholders about loan agreements with Vishvapradhan Commercial Private Ltd (VCPL).

As per Sebi, a loan amount of Rs 350 crore was borrowed by the promoters of NDTV under the VCPL loan agreement in 2009 to repay earlier loan availed from ICICI Bank and a second loan agreement with VCPL was signed for Rs 53.85 crore a year later.

Further, one of the terms of loan agreements allowed VCPL to indirectly acquire 30 per cent shareholding of NDTV through the conversion of warrants into equity shares of RRPR Holding.

These clearly establish that 30 per cent shareholding of NDTV was put at the absolute disposal of VCPL by virtue of the loan agreements, the regulator said.

Prannoy Roy, Radhika Roy and RRPR Holding are promoters of New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV).

"The VCPL loan agreements were inherently material and price-sensitive in nature and therefore they are required to be disclosed to the stock exchanges for dissemination to the public so that public shareholders and prospective shareholders could have taken an informed decision," Sebi said in its 37-page order.

The regulator noted that NDTV was aware of such loan agreements with effect from August 5, 2015, which is the date of its board meeting, in which agenda of updating the board about regarding "change of control" issue flowing from VCPL agreements were put forth by promoters.

However, the media firm did not make a disclosure about the loan agreements to the stock exchanges and violated the provision of listing agreement, Securities and Exchange Board of India said.

Last week, the regulator imposed a total penalty of Rs 27 crore on NDTV promoters for violating various securities norms by concealing information from shareholders regarding certain loan agreements. -- PTI

19:59 203 terrorists killed in 2020 in J-K

Jammu and Kashmir recorded the elimination of 203 terrorists including 166 local insurgents by security forces in 2020, while 43 civilians were killed and 92 others injured in the union territory, official sources said.

The security forces have also arrested 49 terrorists and ensured surrender of nine militants during the year, they said.

This is the result of the coordinated efforts of the Army, Police and the CRPF working in the joint security grid, the officials said.

As many as 203 terrorists were killed in Jammu and Kashmir this year and of these 166 were locals and 37 were from Pakistan or of foreign origin, they said.

There have been 96 terror-related incidents in 2020. While 43 civilians were killed, 92 others suffered injuries in these incidents, they said.

The civilian casualties have come down as in 2019, 47 civilians were killed and 185 persons injured, they said.

During 2020, there was recovery of 14 IEDs as compared to 36 recovered in 2019, they said.

In 2019, 152 terrorists, including 120 locals and 32 of Pakistan-origin were killed by the security forces in J&K. In 2018, 215 terrorists were neutralized by security forces.

A total of 257 terrorists, 91 security personnel and 39 civilians were killed in 614 terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018, as per the report.

In 2017, 213 terrorists, 80 security personnel and 40 civilians were killed in 342 terror incidents in the state, the report said.

In 2016, a total of 150 terrorists, 82 security personnel and 15 civilians were killed in 322 terror incidents, while in 2015, 108 terrorists, 39 security personnel and 17 civilians were killed in 208 terror incidents, it said.

A total of 110 terrorists, 47 security personnel and 28 civilians were killed in 222 terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014, the report said.

According to the sources, South Kashmir has seen the maximum number of encounters where the highest number of terrorists were eliminated. Areas like Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama which have seen instances of recruitment of local youths by terror groups have recorded maximum encounters. -- PTI

19:36 Farmers harden stand ahead of talks with govt

Protesting farmer unions on Tuesday wrote to the Centre on the talks scheduled between the two sides on Wednesday, saying the discussion will only be on the modalities of repealing the three legislation and giving a legal guarantee on the minimum support price.

The government has invited the protesting farmers for the sixth round of talks on Wednesday.

In its letter on Tuesday, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which represents 40 farmer unions, said the discussion will be only on modalities for the repeal of three farm laws and a legal guarantee on MSP.

The Morcha further said the agenda of the meeting should also include amendments to be made and notified in the Commission for the Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance, 2020 to exclude farmers from its penal provisions.

Through the letter, the Morcha also formally accepted the government's invitation for the dialogue. -- PTI

19:03 Shah, Tomar meet ahead of talks with farmers

A day before the next round of talks between the Centre and the farmers protesting against the three new agri laws, Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Piyush Goyal met senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and home minister Amit Shah.

Sources said they discussed and finalised the government's position for the Wednesday meeting, a source said.

Agriculture Minister Tomar, Railway Minister Goyal and MoS Commerce and Industry Som Parkash have been representing the Centre in dialogues with the farmers.

It has been over a month now that thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh, are camping at Delhi's borders seeking repeal of the three farm laws enacted in September by the Centre. They have threatened to intensify their stir in the coming days if their demands are not fulfilled.

The government has invited 40 protesting farmer unions on December 30 for the next round of talks on all relevant issues to find a "logical solution" to the current impasse over the three laws.

The government's invite followed a proposal made by the unions last week to hold the talks on Tuesday on agendas including modalities for the repeal of the three new laws.

So far, five rounds of formal talks have remained inconclusive. The last round was held on December 5, while the sixth round of talks originally scheduled for December 9 was called off a day after an informal meeting of home minister Shah with some union leaders failed to reach any breakthrough.

The government has presented these laws as major agriculture reforms aimed at helping farmers and increasing their income, but the protesting unions fear that the new legislations have left them at the mercy of big corporates by weakening the MSP and mandi systems. -- PTI

Over 65 per cent of people polled are planning to order food online and stock up on their alcohol to ring in the New Year while close to 50 per cent will stay at home instead of going out amid COVID-19 outbreak, according to a survey.

Only 10 per cent are keen on going out to hotels or restaurants while 15 per cent people have planned a holiday to either hills or a beach to bid farewell to 2020, the pan-India survey conducted by hospitality consultant Avighna Solutions revealed.

The survey was conducted with over 4,500 respondents from December 1 till December 21 and was compiled using open source data and online responses, the Gurgaon-based consultancy's founder Mayank Shekhar said.

With the pandemic's shadow on public gatherings, the survey claimed that Delhi-NCR will lose Rs 200-250 crore in just one night.

"People are sceptical to go to crowded places with unknown people around. Among those surveyed, 48 per cent want to celebrate the event with family and close friends at the comfort of their homes. 10 per cent of the respondents are keen on celebrating the New Year at a restaurant or hotel," the survey stated.

"More than 65 per cent responded affirmatively that they will order food online from their favourite restaurant and stock up on their alcohol for the day," it stated.

Also, 15 per cent of the respondents said they have planned a holiday trip to the hills or a beach to bid farewell to 2020, it added.

However, despite different choices of celebrating New Year's Eve, most people chose to end the year 2020 with a toast.

More than two-thirds of the respondents plan to drink alcoholic beverages.

In terms of food, 56 per cent of the people chose north Indian cuisine as their favourite option for ordering online while 'Biryani' was the second-best choice at 23 per cent.

"Our survey clearly shows that people are conscious and aware of their safety and don't want to take any chance by stepping out. Staying at home, ordering food online and stocking up alcohol remained the first choice of respondents," Shekhar said.

He said the fear of pandemic has shadowed New Year celebration and the hospitality sector will have to wait a bit more to get their patrons back and claimed that Delhi NCR may well lose Rs 200 crore to Rs 250 crore business on the last day of the year.

"New Year used to be a money-spinner for the entire sector. Celebrity, bands, international DJs, foreign artists and live performances - party-goers had multiple choices. But, the impact of coronavirus is clear as there is no big celebrations or events this time," he said. -- PTI

Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Tuesday said it has introduced a new 24X7 COVID-19 testing facility, which gives test results in flat 13 minutes at a cost of Rs 4,500.

Since its launch on December 15, CSMIA has witnessed an average of 30-35 such tests per day, CSMIA said in a release.

A total of 400 express tests have been carried out at the airport till December 28, which include passengers who had connecting flights to destinations outside Maharashtra, it said.

In compliance with the Indian Council of Medical Research standards, CSMIA is the first airport to adopt the express test method by Abbott 'ID Now, which is aimed at providing arriving passengers with quick and accurate diagnosis, CSMIA said in the release.

The round-the-clock testing facility option is available for all international arriving passengers at the airport at a cost of Rs 4,500, CSMIA said.

The rapid molecular testing technology by Abbott is a tool to help fight the pandemic by allowing fast, highly sensitive and accurate diagnosis, the private airport operator said.

The test reduces the wait time for reports and provides early detection of the virus in time for passengers to take necessary measures to prevent disease transmission, thereby, creating a safer environment for travellers and airport staff, it said.

Passengers can also opt for a regular RT-PCR test which takes around 6-8 hours for the result, CSMIA added. -- PTI

COVID-19 vaccines will work against new variants of the virus and there is no evidence that current vaccines will fail to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 mutants reported from the United Kingdom or South Africa, the government said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, Principal Scientific Advisor K Vijay Raghavan said so far it has not been found that the new variant increases the severity of the disease.

"There is no evidence that current vaccines will fail to protect against COVID 19 variants reported from UK or SA. Most vaccines do target the Spike protein, in which there are changes in the variants but vaccines stimulate our immune system to produce a wide range of protective antibodies," he said.

NITI Aayog member (health) Dr V K Paul said there has been a consistent decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths which is reassuring given the current scenario across the world.

"We are consistently showing a decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases, active cases and deaths, which is very reassuring. It stands out particularly during this very period when several nations are facing a devastating situation," Paul said.

He said majority of the population is still susceptible to the infection in the cold weather. "The UK variant has travelled to several other countries and also to India, this variant may have its own run and we have to very careful," Paul said.

Giving a break-up on the basis of the gender and age of those infected with the novel coronavirus, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said 63 per cent of total cases in the country have been reported in males and 37 per cent cases in females.

Bhushan said 70 per cent of COVID deaths have been reported in men and 45 per cent fatalities due to this disease have been reported in those below 60 years of age.

He said the number of active cases of COVID-19 has been registered at 2.7 lakhs after six months, and the cumulative positivity rate is at 6.02 per cent while the positivity rate during last week was 2.25 per cent.

"Five states and UTs which account for 60 per cent of total active COVID-19 cases are Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh," he said. -- PTI

The United Kingdom is "back in the eye of the storm", the head of the National Health Service said on Tuesday as the country's health chiefs warned that hospitals were being overwhelmed by a surge in the COVID-19 pandemic, largely driven by a new highly transmissible variant of coronavirus, which has seen clinic admissions surpass the first peak.

According to the figures from National Health Service England, 20,426 patients were being treated in hospitals on Monday, compared to 18,974 recorded on April 12 during the first peak of the pandemic this year.

The surge is largely driven by a new highly transmissible variant of coronavirus, which had led to most of the country being plunged into complete lockdown earlier this month and also several countries cutting transport links with the UK in an effort to try and curb its rapid transmission.

The UK is "back in the eye of the storm," said Sir Simon Stevens, the head of the state-funded NHS.

"Now again we are back in the eye of the storm with a second wave of coronavirus sweeping Europe and, indeed, this country. Many of us have lost family, friends, colleagues and at a time of year when we would normally be celebrating a lot of people are understandably feeling anxious, frustrated and tired," he said during a visit to NHS vaccination centre.

However, the NHS chief tried to strike a note of optimism as he said that with vaccine supplies continuing to come on stream, things should start turning around by late spring in the New Year.

"That perhaps provides the biggest chink of hope for the year ahead," he said.

It comes as the patients who received the first vaccinations three weeks ago will receive their second booster jab of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine on Tuesday.

The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, which also has a tie-up with the Serum Institute of India, is believed to be on the brink of regulatory approval as well with hopes of a rollout by next week. But, meanwhile, people are being urged to stick to social distancing rules as the deadly virus continues to cause havoc.

"Today we learnt that we have more patients with Covid in hospital than ever before in England. This is not a drill. Please believe us," Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden, president of the Doctors' Association UK, said on Twitter in a widely shared social media post about the severity of the new pandemic peak and the pressures it is piling on the over-stretched NHS.

"We are incredibly thin on the ground. NHS staff have not been prioritised for the vaccine and are going off sick in droves with the new strain. Trusts are so desperate they are tweeting out for medical students to help in ICU. This was confirmed by a consultant on the ground," she said.

Medical director of Public Health England Dr Yvonne Doyle said the "very high level of infection is of growing concern at a time when our hospitals are at their most vulnerable".

"We have all made huge sacrifices this year but we must all continue to play our part in stopping the spread of the virus which is still replicating fast," she urged.

Health officials in Wales and Scotland have also said they are similarly at risk of becoming overwhelmed. On Monday, a record 41,385 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the UK, though it is thought the infection rate was higher around March-April when testing was much more limited.

There is growing pressure on ministers to extend the Christmas and New Year holiday break for schools even as UK Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said he was "confident" the staggered return to secondary schools in England could go ahead as planned. -- PTI

The government on Tuesday said it has proposed to make airbag mandatory for the passenger in the front seat of a vehicle.

The step aims at improving passenger safety in case of accidents.

The road transport ministry has issued a draft notification in this regard.

"In a significant measure to boost passenger safety, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways proposes to make it mandatory that an airbag be provided for the passenger seated on the front seat of a vehicle, next to the driver," the ministry said in a statement.

The proposed timelines for the implementation of the move is April 1, 2021, for new models and June 1, 2021, for existing models.

A draft notification to this effect has been published on the ministry's website, the statement said.

"Comments/ suggestions are solicited from all stakeholders at the following email address: comments-morth@gov.inwithin 30 days from the date of notification," the statement said. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Rajkot, Gujarat, on December 31 via video conference, the PMO said on Tuesday.

Over 201 acres of land has been allotted for the institute, which will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 1,195 crore and is expected to be completed by mid-2022, the Prime Minister's Office said.

The state-of-the-art 750-bed hospital will also have a 30-bed AYUSH block. It will have 125 MBBS seats and 60 nursing seats, the PMO said. -- PTI

Nationalist Congress Party supremo and former agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on Tuesday accused the Centre of bulldozing three new farm laws without consulting states and asserted that agriculture cannot be run "sitting in Delhi" as it involves farmers toiling in distant villages.

As farmers' protest on Delhi borders against these laws has entered its second month and five rounds of talks so far have failed to resolve the crisis, Pawar also raised questions about the composition of the three-member ministerial group negotiating with the unions, saying the ruling party should have put forward leaders with "in-depth" understanding of agriculture and farmers' issues.

In an interview with PTI, the former Union minister said the government needs to take the protests seriously and it was "unfair" on the part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to blame opposition parties for the agitation by farmers.

He said opposition parties will take a call on their future course of action on Wednesday if the government fails to resolve farmers' issue in the next scheduled meeting with representatives of 40 protesting unions.

On Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar's claim that Pawar as the then agriculture minister during the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance government also wanted farm reforms but failed to do so due to political pressure, the NCP leader said he certainly wanted to bring some reforms in the sector but "not in the way" BJP government has done, and they were different from the current ones.

Pawar said he consulted all state governments before initiating the reforms and didn't move forward until all their reservations were resolved.

"I and Manmohan Singh also wanted to bring some reforms in the agriculture sector but not in the same way as the current dispensation did. That time the agriculture ministry held long deliberations on the proposed reforms with agriculture ministers of all states and experts of the sector," Pawar said.

The ministers of some states had some strong reservations about the reforms and before taking a final decision, the agriculture ministry at that time again wrote to state governments seeking their opinion, he said.

Pawar, who has served as Union agriculture minister twice, said agriculture is a rural phenomenon and it requires consultation with states.

"Agriculture can't be run by sitting in Delhi as it involves hard-working farmers in villages and a bigger responsibility for this subject lies with state governments. So, when a majority of agriculture ministers had some reservations, it was the duty of the central government and mine to take them in confidence and resolve their issues before moving ahead," he said.

In comparison, Pawar alleged, the Centre neither consulted states this time, nor it called any meeting with state agriculture ministers before preparing these bills.

He said the Centre has passed farm bills on the basis of their own strength in Parliament and that's why all the problems started.

"In politics and democracy, dialogue should take place," Pawar said.

Stressing that dialogue should have happened earlier, he said the government should have talked earlier to resolve farmers' reservations about these laws.

"How can a government say in a democracy that it won't listen or it won't change its line? In a way, the government bulldozed these three bills. If the Centre had consulted state governments and taken them in confidence, then such a situation wouldn't have arisen," Pawar said.

He said farmers are worried that these laws would end the MSP procurement system and the government needs to do something to "address such worries".

"And for the talks, they should have put those leaders in the front from BJP who understand the agriculture sector better. If those who have an in-depth understanding of agriculture, farmers' issues and agri-economy were negotiating with farmers, they might have found a way to resolve this issue.

"I don't want to name anyone... but then there are those who don't understand the sector that well," Pawar said.

Iterating that the Bharatiya Janata Party is a "party of outsiders", West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asserted that the land of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore will never allow hate politics to triumph over secularism.

Banerjee, during a rally in Bolpur, branded Visva-Bharati Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty as a "BJP man", and said that he plans to destroy the rich heritage of the hallowed institution by "importing divisive and communal politics inside its campus".

"Those who don't respect Mahatma Gandhi and other icons of the country are talking of building 'Sonar Bangla' (Golden Bengal). Rabindranath Tagore has already created 'Sonar Bangla' several decades ago, all we need to do is to protect the place from the communal onslaught of the BJP," Banerjee said during her address, following a four-kilometre roadshow in Bolpur.

Hitting out at Visva-Bharati VC, the feisty TMC boss said "attempts to destroy Tagore's cultural abode have to be resisted with all might".

"I feel bad when I see efforts are on to pursue communal politics at Visva-Bharati. The VC there is a BJP man, he is trying to tarnish the heritage of this institution by practising communal politics," the chief minister claimed.

Talking about the recent defections from the TMC, Banerjee said saffron camp may have bought a few MLAs, but it can never buy her party. -- PTI

Free Wi-Fi hotspots will be set up at Singhu border for the protesting farmers, AAP leader Raghav Chadha said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, he said the decision has been taken by "farmers' 'sevadar Arvind Kejriwal".

"We want the farmers to stay in touch with their family. We have identified a few spots to install the WiFi hotspots. This is an initiative of Arvind Kejriwal and the party," Chadha said.

He said more such hotspots will be installed if there is more demand.

Farmers from various parts of the country have been camping at different border points of Delhi for over a month now to demand repeal of the three agri laws, which were voted through in Parliament in September amid strong protests by opposition parties.

Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party have come out strongly in support of protesting farmers. Earlier this month, he had visited Singhu border, one of the protest sites, and reviewed arrangements made for farmers by the AAP-led city government.

-- PTI

15:23 Suspension of UK flights may be extended: Puri

The temporary suspension of India-UK flights may be extended beyond December 31, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday.

India had last week suspended passenger flights to and from the UK between December 23 and 31, after a growing list of countries like Canada, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Italy did the same due to a more infectious coronavirus variant there.

We are applying our minds to (on the issue of) temporary suspension of UK flights. A decision will be taken shortly. But I personally see a small, slight extension of the tempoerary suspension veyond December 31," Puri said.

The Delhi government will provide students of its schools dry rations under the mid-day meal scheme for six months, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Tuesday.

The move comes in view of continued closure of schools since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"When schools were closed, we decided to send the money for mid-day meals to parents' account, but now, it has been decided that we will give dry rations for six months," Kejriwal said at a dry ration distribution event at a government school in Mandawali area.

Schools across the country were closed in March to contain the spread of COVID-19. They were partially reopened in some states from October 15.

However, the Delhi government has announced that schools will not reopen in the national capital till a vaccine for the coronavirus is available.

-- PTI

14:33 'Free Kashmir' poster: Cops drop charges

Mumbai Police have submitted a C summary report before a metropolitan court in Mumbai in a case filed against a woman who was accused of holding a "Free Kashmir" poster during a protest held at the Gateway of India against the JNU violence in January this year, a senior police official said on Tuesday.

A C summary report is issued by the police in a matter when the criminal case was filed due to mistake of facts or the offence complained about is of a civil nature.

"The C-summary report has been submitted in a case registered against Mehak Mirza Prabhu at Colaba police station," the official said.

An FIR had been registered against Prabhu at Colaba police station in south Mumbai under section 153 B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) of the Indian Penal Code.

About 2,000 people, mostly college students, had gathered at the iconic Gateway of India on January 7 to protest against the attack by masked goons on the Jawaharlal Nehru Campus in Delhi as well as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens.

Images and videos of the woman, lated identified as Prabhu, holding a large poster with the words "Free Kashmir" written in big bold letters, had gone viral on social media.

In a related development, police on Monday filed a chargesheet against 36 persons in connection with the Gateway of India protest, another senior police officer said.

-- PTI

14:13 Gujarat BJP MP Mansukh Vasava quits party

Gujarat BJP MP and former Union minister Mansukh Vasava, who has been vocal on tribal issues, on Tuesday quit the party and said he would resign from Lok Sabha in the budget session of Parliament.

Vasava had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week seeking withdrawal of a Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notification declaring 121 villages of Narmada district as eco sensitive zone.

A six-term MP from Bharuch, Vasava in his letter to Gujarat BJP President C R Paatil said, "I am resigning so that the image of the party is not damaged because of my mistakes. I have been a loyal worker of the party, so please forgive me."

In the letter to Paatil dated December 28, Vasava said he will resign as Bharuch MP after meeting the Lok Sabha Speaker during the budget session of Parliament.

Vasava said he tried his best to be loyal to the party and assimilate the party's values in his life, adding he is human and prone to mistakes.

"I am ultimately a human and humans tend to commit mistakes. To ensure that the party does not suffer due to my mistakes, I resign from the party, whose forgiveness I seek," the tribal leader said in the letter to Paatil.

BJP statespokesperson Bharat Pandya said the party has received the resignation letter through social media.

"Paatil has spoken to him and assured him that any issue he has will be resolved. Vasava is a senior MP from Gujarat and we will resolve all his issues," Pandya said.

-- PTI

13:44 Gujarat carries out COVID-19 vaccine dry run

Identified 'beneficiaries' are undergoing dummy vaccination at various centres in Gandhinagar and Rajkot districts of Gujarat on the second day of the COVID-19 vaccination dry run on Tuesday, officials said.

The two-day end-to-end dry run was being carried out to test the laid out mechanisms for COVID-19 vaccination and to provide insights into any gaps to be addressed before the commencement of the actual vaccination drive.

Gujarat is one of the four states chosen by the Central government to conduct the mock COVID-19 vaccination drive.

Health workers are among the first 'beneficiaries' identified for the mock vaccination drive being conducted at four health centres in Gandhinagar city.

Explaining the procedure, an official said a dummy vaccination was dispatched from an Urban Health Centre to these four booths.

"At each booth, three rooms, each identified for the purposes of waiting, vaccinating and observing, are readied for the beneficiaries who are given dummy vaccination," an official said.

The Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation has identified 125 'beneficiaries' in the city.

The COVID-19 vaccination dry run consists of several steps like the time taken for dispatch of a vaccine from a centre to a booth; scrutiny of beneficiary details in Co-Win software developed by the Union Health Ministry; training vaccinators; creating facilities for vaccine store among others, officials said.

-- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hit out at previous governments for delaying the Dedicated Freight Corridor project of the Railways and said his government engaged with stakeholders to speed up the work.

The project was given permission in 2006 but it was only on paper as the then government lacked the seriousness and urgency with which it had to take it up with the states, he said after inaugurating the New Bhaupur-New Khurja section of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor via video conferencing.

"Till 2014 not a single km track of the project was laid and the funds sanctioned could not be spent properly. After 2014 ,it was restarted and officials asked to take it forward and by then the budget had gone up by 11 times," the prime minister said

Modi also inaugurated the EDFC's operation centre at Prayagraj and flagged off the first 1.5 km long goods trains.

The prime minister said that on coming to power, he personally monitored the project and held a dialogue with the stakeholders and got new technology as a result of which about 1100 km work will be completed in next few months.

"Imagine not a single km in eight years and 1100 km in 6 years," he said.

-- PTI

12:59 Farmers' protest: Borders completely blocked

Traffic situation at the Delhi-Ghaziabad border and at the Delhi-Noida border remained the same on Tuesday with vehicular movement remaining normal for motorists leaving Delhi but blocked for those going towards the Capital. Singhu and Tikri borders, however, continue to remain completely blocked because of the ongoing farmers agitation.

Deputy commissioner of police (east) Jasmeet Singh said traffic moving from Delhi to Noida is smooth as usual at Chilla border, while the carriageway leading to Delhi remains blocked. Farmers also continue to block one carriageway on the Delhi-Meerut elevated expressway, while the other one for those exiting Delhi is open, he said.

We are maintaining sufficient deployment of the security personnel at the border to ensure law and order, Singh said.

At the Ghazipur border, the NH-24 service lane that has been blocked by the farmers November 27 onwards, also continued to remain closed for traffic on Tuesday.

Apart from the Chilla and Ghazipur borders, seven borders that continue to remain completely blocked are Singhu, Tikri, Auchandi, Jharoda, Piao Maniyari, and Mangesh borders.

Union Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey has said that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is under home isolation.

In a tweet, Choubey informed on Monday that he underwent a test after showing initial symptoms of coronavirus infection.

He urged everyone who came in contact with him recently to get tested for the disease.

"On getting the initial symptoms of coronavirus infection, I got a test done and the report came positive. My health is fine and I am following all guidelines in home isolation on the advice of doctors. I request those who have come in contact with me in the last few days to please isolate themselves and get a test done," he said.

Superstar Rajinikanth has announced that he will not be starting his political party and that his recent health scare is a warning from God.

On Tuesday, Rajinikanth posted a tweet saying he doesnt want to make the people who believe in him feel like a scapegoat, however, his recent health conditions have come as a warning.

Rajinikanth has said that he takes the recent development over his health condition as a warning from God.

11:35 UP orders probe over Chhota Rajan stamp

The Kanpur postal department has ordered an inquiry after stamps featuring underworld don Chhota Rajan and slain gangster Munna Bajrangi were issued by the main post office in the city, officials said on Tuesday.

Twelve stamps each of Rajan and Bajrangi were printed under the 'My Stamp' scheme, which was launched by the department a few years back, an official added.

Calling it was a lapse by the person manning the 'My Stamp' desk, Postmaster General V K Varma said, "A probe has been launched."

It has been found that the request for these stamps having face value of Rs 5 was made anonymously by a person who paid Rs 600 for them, he added.

Without asking for identification papers, which is essential, the person manning the 'My Stamp' desk released 12 stamps each with the pictures, Varma said.

Philately department in-charge Rajneesh Kumar, who was prima facie found guilty, has been placed under suspension, he said.

"We have also issued show-cause notices to some other employees in this regard," the postmaster general said. "Efforts are on to zero in on the person who got the photographs of the criminals printed under the 'My stamp' scheme," he added.

It has been decided to take strict measures in the future to ensure such errors are not repeated, Varma said.

-- PTI

A police constable in Madhya Pradeshs Jabalpur district has tested positive for COVID-19 third time after recovering from the infection twice in five months.

Posted in Vijay Nagar police station, the constable tested positive for the fatal virus on December 26.

His samples were taken on December 24 after he reported fever. He was suffering from breathing issues for the last few days.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's wife Varsha will not appear before the Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday in connection with the Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank scam case.

Varsha Raut has sought time from the probe agency till January 5.

The summons for questioning has been issued to Varsha Raut under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The ED had earlier asked Sanjay Raut's wife to appear before it today. This was the third summon sent to the Sena leader's wife, as per reports. She had skipped the earlier two summons citing ill health.

On 28 December, the Shiv Sena MP said, 'we are not scared of anyone and will respond accordingly'.

Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Shanta Kumar's wife, Santosh Shailza, succumbed to COVID-19 in the early hours of Tuesday, Health Minister Rajiv Saizal said.

Shailza was undergoing treatment at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, in Kangra district of the state.

In a Facebook post, the minister prayed for peace to the departed soul and strength to the family members to bear the irreparable loss.

Santosh Shailza was admitted to the hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 a few days ago.

Kumar was admitted to the Tanda hospital on Saturday, a day after he tested positive for the disease.

His four other family members, his personal secretary, security officer and driver have also tested positive for COVID-19.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called him on Sunday to enquire about his and his family members' health.

-- PTI

Social activist Anna Hazare says he will launch a protest in New Delhi in January 2021 if his demands concerning farmers are not fulfilled in time.

In a statement issued to the press, Hazare said the problems faced by farmers will not end until they get a justified price for their produce.

Farmers are forced to commit suicides because they dont even get the invested money back through farming Since the Union government has accepted the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, it should accept the estimates sent by the state commissions and decide the Minimum Support Price by adding 50 per cent to the production cost, instead of cutting it down badly. If this is done, then farmers will get a fair price and wont be compelled to end their lives, wrote Hazare.

He also recounted the promises made to him by Union agriculture ministers and other representatives of the BJP-led government in the last three years.

India reports 16,432 new COVID-19 cases, 24,900 recoveries, and 252 deaths in last 24 hours, as per official figures.

Total cases: 1,02,24,303

Active cases: 2,68,581

Total recoveries: 98,07,569

Death toll: 1,48,153

10:03 India reports 6 cases of mutant Covid strain

India reports first six cases of mutant coronavirus strain as six UK returnees test positive.

According to the ministry of health, samples of 3 UK returnees have been tested and found positive for new UK strain in NIMHANS, Bengaluru, two in Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad & one in National Institute of Virology, Pune. All 6 people have been kept in single room isolation.

The ministry added that between November 25 & December 23, about 33,000 passengers disembarked at various Indian airports from UK. All these passengers are being tracked & subjected by states/UTs to RT-PCR tests. So far only 114 have been found positive for COVID-19.

The union government will lift the ban on export of all varieties of onion from January 1 next year, a notification from the directorate general of foreign trade said Monday, as the supply crunch eases with good winter harvests and brisk imports.

The export of all varieties of onions, as described above, has been made free from 01.02.2021, the notification said.

On September 15, the government had banned the export of all varieties as a precautionary step since domestic supplies showed signs of depleting due to a bad winter crop and exports.

In the April-July period, the export of onions rose by an unusual 30%, causing prices to show signs of firming up.

Prices had jumped 30% at the wholesale level in that period, while retail prices had soared to Rs80-100 per kg in most urban centres of the country.

According to official trade data, the country exported $328 million worth of fresh onions and $ 112 million worth of dried onions in 2019-20. Between April and July 2020, exports of onions to neighbouring Bangladesh soared 157.7%.

09:10 Mahakumbh to be of shorter format of 48 days

The Uttarakhand governments announcement of curtailing the otherwise 120 days long Mahakumbh to a 48-day fair in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic is getting mixed response.

Saint fraternity and apex body of Akhadas-the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad has welcomed the decision. They have, however, urged the state government to ensure all the preparations and facilities be made in a grand way as is done for a full-fledged Kumbh fair.

A section of priests, traders, hoteliers, tour operators and vendor associations are unhappy as an abridged Mahakumbh will have a direct impact on their livelihood.

Akhada Parishad general secretary Mahant Hari Giri Maharaj pointed out that two months ago they had made it clear to the state government that the decision of holding Mahakumbh in a grand or restricted manner is taken in accordance with the Covid-19 situation and the same will be acceptable to Akhadas.

It is a global pandemic never seen before and affecting normal life everywhere. We understand the concerns. State government has been apprised to take the final decision on this issue in mid-February prior to the first royal bath (Shahi Snaan) falling on the occasion of Mahashivratri on March 11, said Akhada Parishad general secretary Hari Giri.

08:32 K'taka Upper House Dy Chairman dies by suicide

In a shocking late night development, Karnataka Vidhana Parishad Deputy Chairman SL Dharme Gowda has allegedly died by suicide. The JD-S legislator was found dead on a railway track near Chickmagalur, his home town in the hills of central Karnataka.

Top sources said that they are probing the case for more details. According to them, his dead body was found around 2 am.

The 64-year-old, low profile Gowda was in the news recently after the main opposition Congress members manhandled him in the Upper House for trying to chair the session illegally.

He was dragged from the chair (the seat of the Chairman) by some Congress members alleging he had joined hands with the ruling BJP to unconstitutionally unseat the Upper House Chairman Pratap Chandra Shetty, who is from the Congress.

Dharme Gowda's death is likely to kick up some storm in Karnataka politics, putting Congress in the dock. His brother SL Bhoje Gowda is also an MLC and a close confidante of former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy.

08:13 Ram Charan tests coronavirus positive

Ram Charan has tested positive for the novel coronavirus recently.

On December 29, he took to social media to share the news with the world. According to his post, he is asymptomatic and has quarantined himself at home as per the doctor's advice.

He also requested people who came in contact with him in the last couple of days to get tested for the novel coronavirus. Last week, he partied with his cousins Allu Arjun, Niharika and others to celebrate Christmas.

The novel coronavirus has had a devastating impact around the globe, but the World Health Organization warned that worse pandemics could lie ahead, urging the world to get serious about preparedness.

This is a wakeup call, WHO emergencies chief Michael Ryan told reporters at a briefing marking a year since the UN agency first learned of the new virus spreading in China.

Since then, Covid-19 has killed nearly 1.8 million people around the world, out of over 80 million infected.

This pandemic has been very severe, Ryan acknowledged.

It has spread around the world extremely quickly and it has affected every corner of this planet, but this is not necessarily the big one.

He stressed that while the virus is very transmissible, and it kills people... its current case fatality (rate) is reasonably low in comparison to other emerging diseases.

We need to get ready for something that may even be more severe in the future.

01:50 MP to issue anti-conversion ordinance today

The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Madhya Pradesh will take the ordinance route to enforce from Tuesday the proposed law on religious conversion that stipulates jail term of up to 10 years for violators, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday.

The decision comes in the wake of the postponement of the winter session of the state assembly due to the COVID-19 situation.

The Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Bill, 2020, which provides for prison term of up to 10 years and fine of Rs 1 lakh for 'conversion through marriage or by any other forceful means', was approved by the cabinet on Saturday.

The bill was slated to be tabled in the assembly during the three-day winter session, which was scheduled to begin from December 28.

"The Religious Freedom Bill along with other bills, which could not be tabled in the assembly due to the postponement of the session scheduled from today, are going to be brought before a special cabinet meeting tomorrow (Tuesday)," Chouhan told reporters.

By ordinance route we are going to enforce them. The law will come into force forthwith after the cabinet meeting, he said.

The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh had also taken the ordinance route to notify a similar law.

The proposed law in MP will prohibit religious conversion or such efforts by misrepresentation, allurement, force, undue influence, coercion, marriage or any other fraudulent means.

Abetment and conspiracy for religious conversion will also be prohibited under it. Any marriage solemnised in violation of the proposed law will be considered null and void.

Those willing to convert will need to apply to the district administration 60 days in advance, according to provisions of the legislation.

Religious leaders facilitating the conversion will also have to inform about it 60 days in advance, as per the bill cleared by the MP cabinet.

Violation of these provisions would attract a jail term of three to five years and a fine of Rs 50,000.

In cases involving religious conversion of members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minors, a provision has been made for imprisonment of two to 10 years and Rs 50,000 fine for violators.

There is a provision of three to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 in cases of marriage carried out by 'hiding religion, misrepresentation or impersonation', according to the bill.

In case of mass conversions (of two or more persons), a provision of five to 10 years of imprisonment and minimum fine of Rs 1 lakh has been made for offenders in the bill. -- PTI

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