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India News Kerala Politics

‘Rahul should fight from BJP stronghold, not Kerala’

CPI-M’s Shubhashini said that the Wayanad sitting MP should fight from the BJP’s bastion- Uttar Pradesh…reports Asian Lite News

Subhashini Ali, a leader of the CPI (M) that is part of the INDIA alliance on Tuesday questioned the candidature of Rahul Gandhi who is contesting from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate Annie Raja, asking why the Congress leader is not fighting the BJP head-on.

Shubhashini, while speaking to ANI said that the Wayanad sitting MP should fight from the BJP’s bastion- Uttar Pradesh.

“Congress Party is claiming that they are leading the joint fight against the BJP. Then why is their biggest leader contesting elections from Kerala, where there is no fight with the BJP? He should fight from Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP has the biggest stronghold. If he defeats the BJP there, it will have a huge impact,” she said.

She further said that Rahul Gandhi should think about what message he is giving by fighting the election from Wayanad.

On Monday, the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also slammed Rahul Gandhi for contesting in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency against Annie Raja.

Addressing the media ahead of the election campaign in Kozhikode, the Chief Minister said, “Rahul Gandhi is contesting against Annie Raja, who is a well-known left leader nationally. She strongly called out the Bharatiya Janata Party’s government (BJP) in the Manipur issue and she was attacked by calling her anti-national. But what is Rahul Gandhi’s role in this? We can see Annie Raja’s presence in every protest that is happening in the country. But we can’t see Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader in Congress, among such protesters.”

Both Rahul Gandhi and Annie Raja are contesting from Wayanad constituency. The BJP has fielded Kerala State President K Surendran as a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate from the constituency.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Rahul Gandhi won from Wayanad with a huge margin of over 4.31 lakh votes; the highest margin in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Kerala. He secured 64.94 per cent vote share defeating LDF candidate PP Suneer. The NDA had fielded BDJ(S) leader Tushar Vellapally who secured just around 78,000 votes which accounted for a mere 7.25 per cent.

Annie Raja to file nomination

Communist Party of India (CPI) Lok Sabha candidate from Wayanad, Annie Raja is set to file her nomination on Wednesday, the same day Congress candidate and sitting MP, Rahul Gandhi is also slated to file his nomination.

The CPI is a partner of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala.

While the CPI and the Congress are partners in the opposition INDIA bloc, the two parties are fierce contenders in Kerala with both parties pitting their strongest candidates against each other.

Annie Raja, wife of CPI general secretary D Raja holds the post of general secretary in the party’s National Federation of Indian Women and a member of the national executive of CPI.

Born in Iritty in Kerala’s Kannur district, Raja started her political career by joining CPI’s student wing, All India Students Federation and then its youth wing, All India Youth Federation.

Raja also served as the Kannur district secretary of the CPI’s women wing and then member of the CPI state executive committee. She became one of the leading voices in her party, staunchly protesting against attocities against women.

Rahul Gandhi will be filing his nomination papers for Wayanad on Wednesday after holding a rally in Kalpetta town, kicking off his electoral campaign. Other than Raja, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the prime rival of the INDIA bloc at the Centre, has fielded its state president, K Surendran from the key constituency.

Rahul Gandhi bagged 706,367 votes from Wayanad with 64.7 per cent vote share in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. CPI candidate PP Suneer who came second got 274,597 votes securing 25.1 per cent vote share.

The Congress led United Democratic Front (UDF) won 19 out of 20 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. While the Congress won 15 seats, its allies Indian Union Muslim League won two seats, the Revolutionary Socialist Party won one and the Kerala Congress (M) won one seat.

The Communist Party Of India (Marxist) won one seat in Alappuzha. (ANI)

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Asia News Defence

Pak-Taliban fight forces residents to live in caves

Pakistan’s military has been fighting back against the terrorists linked to Pakistan Taliban…reports Asian Lite News

The ongoing fighting between the Pakistan government and the Taliban in northwest Pakistan has forced many residents to flee from their homes and some of them are living in caves to escape the violence.

“They live here not out of choice, but necessity in the mountains bordered with Afghanistan. Militants group are active, the caves provide a degree of safety, if not comfort,” said Jonathan Crane, reporting for DW News Agency.

“These caves were once empty, full of dust. We cleared them out after the security situation changed. The times when it was peaceful is not coming back. There was peace and freedom and everything was ok. There were no problems. Right now is a killing time,” said one of the cave-dwellers.

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Pakistan’s military has been fighting back against the terrorists linked to Pakistan Taliban. The offensive which began in 2014 forced many to flee their home and into poverty. For many, caves were only the options, reported DW News Agency.

“We have no source of income. Our fathers and grandfathers also lived this life. They used to live this way. We have to because we have nowhere else to live,” said a resident.

While reporting from these caves, Jonathan Crane came across a man who was sick and had no one to take care of him.

“I have a burning sensation in my hands and feet. It’s itching, I can’t touch them,” said the sick man.

The caves contain a mosque, allowing the locals to worship. These caves and mosques are 3-5 centuries old.

“This place is known as Randapal and this is called the Randapal mosque,” said the Maulvi of the mosque. (ANI)

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-Top News COVID-19 World News

World unites to help India fight pandemic

US, UK, EU, France, UAE, Saudi Arabia, China, Pakistan among others send help to India to tide the crisis, reports Asian Lite News

As India battles a devastating second wave of coronavirus, support from other countries continue to pour in. 

The European Union has expressed its solidarity, while France President Emmanuel Macron said that the country stands with India against this struggle that seems to be sparing no one. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that they are looking at what they can do to help India, while Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that the country stands ready to help fight the virus. UAE is sending a huge shipment of oxygen concentrators and Saudi Arabia large number of oxygen generators to India.

The Chinese government has also extended its support, while Pakistani citizens have called for help for India. Pakistan’s Edhi Foundation wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting permission to enter India in order to help people infected with the virus. Russia has also offered Remdesivir and oxygen to India to fight coronavirus.

The European Union will discuss its support to India in the upcoming EU-India Leaders’ Meeting on May 8. President of the European Council Charles Michel said, “The #EU stands in solidarity with Indian people amidst resurgent #COVID19 pandemic. The fight against the virus is a common fight.”

Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar responded to the tweet and said, “Appreciated the support offered by EU on Covid challenges currently faced by India. Confident that EU will help strengthen our capabilities at this critical juncture.”

“I want to send a message of solidarity to the Indian people, facing a resurgence of Covid-19 cases. France is with you in this struggle, which spares no-one. We stand ready to provide our support,” said French President Emmanuel Macron, as tweeted by Ambassador of France to India Emmanuel Lenain.

China too has extended help to India. During a press briefing Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian was asked what help China is extending to India. Lijian said, “We have noticed the relevant reports and China expresses sincere condolences to the recent deterioration of the situation in India. The Chinese government and the Chinese people firmly support the Indian government and people in fighting the pandemic, and are willing to provide support and assistance in accordance with the needs of the Indian side.”

He said that the Chinese government is communicating with India on this and believes that Indian people will overcome the pandemic soon.

Pakistan’s civil society has also called for help for India even as they continue to face oxygen shortage challenges. Edhi Foundation offered help in these trying times. Chairman Faisal Edhi wrote to PM Modi seeking permission to enter India.

“We are very sorry to hear about the exceptionally heavy impact that the pandemic has had on your country, where a tremendous number of people are suffering immensely… we would like to extend our help in the form of a fleet of 50 ambulances along with our services to assist you in addressing, and further circumventing, the current health conditions,” he said in a letter. Edhi added that they only seek permission to enter the country and would arrange all necessary supplies required by their team themselves.

According to media reports, Russia has offered Remdesivir and medical oxygen to India. The country said that it can deliver 3-4 lakh Remdesivir injections in 15 days.

India, too, has sought help from various countries under ‘Oxygen Maitri’ to replenish the dwindling oxygen stock. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Defence (MoD) have identified several countries for procurement of high capacity tankers and oxygen gas cylinders. Government is coordinating with Singapore and UAE to lift high-capacity tankers by Indian Air Force transport planes. Lack of containers is posing a problem in quick transportation of oxygen. Twenty-three mobile oxygen generation plants will also be airlifted from Germany to be used in Armed Forces Medical Service hospitals that are treating Covid-19 patients.

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