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Joyshree Usham
CORONA VS HUMANITY
The second wave of coronavirus pandemic is breaking families, destroying lives. Horrifying story of aged Covid patient being abandoned by family has surfaced in Manipur, a land known for its hospitality and warmth.
More than a month ago, an octogenarian woman from Hiyanglam Assembly Constituency in Kakching District was reportedly disowned by her family after contracting COVID-19. This horrifying incident came to light recently. Family allegedly disowned 87-Year-Old Wahengbam Shakhi due to fear of contracting the disease. Staff of District Health Society, Kakching on June 16 admitted Shakhi at the Isolation Ward cum Covid Care Centre opened at Kakching Higher Secondary School and has been looking after her.
Dr. Moirangthem Arun, Medical in-Charge of Kakching Covid Care Centre has said that staff of the Centre picked up Shakhi from here residence near Pole Star College in Kakching District and they have been looking after her since then. The doctor has said that she (Shakhi) came with very low saturation of oxygen and was kept on ventilator. Shakhi was in a debilitating condition and she couldn't walk or even eat food herself. Dr Arun has said that the isolation ward staff nurtured her back to health. They washed her, fed her and carried her fragile body whenever she had to be moved around and looked after her with the true spirit of a corona warrior. Salutes to such and many other unsung corona warriors!
Shakhi who has seen her better days in life but abandoned by her own family during her winding days is now said to be stable. However, no one from her family has approached the authorities yet as of filing this report. Is the family oblivious, ashamed or still leaving in the dark abyss of ignorance, selfishness and heartlessness? Fear is not the solution to this deadly pandemic but knowledge is. Let's show some humanity, cares and embrace the "New Normal".
AICC DEMANDS JUDICIAL INQUIRY INTO PEGASUS SCANDAL
All India Congress Committee, AICC Manipur In-charge Bhakta Charan Das has demanded white paper and judicial inquiry involving the Supreme Court of India into the recent issues of targets by clients of the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. Speaking to media at Congress Bhavan in Imphal today, he criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP Government of taking no action against the Pegasus scandal even when the personnel information of every Indians are at stake. Stating that the spyware can hack into one's smartphones without the owner's knowledge and can even secretly record onsite audios and videos, Bhakta Charan Das said that the government's indifference is violation of freedom of speech and expression of each and every citizen in the country and asked the credibility of government's "digital India" vision.
It maybe mentioned that "The Wire" in collaboration with 16 other media organisations including "The Guardian" and "The Washington Post"– has been revealing the names of people who were either persons of interest or forensically identified as having been targeted by clients of the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. Two serving union ministers, three opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, one constitutional authority, current and former heads of security organisations, administrators, and 40 senior Indian journalists and activists' phones including one from Manipur have been allegedly bugged and put under surveillance using Israeli spy software called Pegasus. The Israeli company which has developed the advanced spyware said, it has only sold information to “vetted governments” to counter terrorism and other major crimes. Both the software's owner and the Indian government have both categorically denied the allegations but the political fallout of the scandal has been escalating.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday claimed that the snooping on Supreme Court judges, journalists and political leaders among others using the Pegasus spyware, news of which broke earlier this week, was 'worse than the Watergate scandal' which broke in the US during the Nixon presidency. The Lok Sabha proceedings were repeatedly adjourned on Thursday amid sloganeering by Opposition members over various issues, including Pegasus scandal and the three recent farm laws. In the Rajya Sabha, Electronics and Information Technology Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, was forced to cut short his statement on Pegasus snooping controversy amid uproar by the opposition members.
CAN BHAKTA CHARAN DAS CONSOLIDATE MPCC?
Fate of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, MPCC is still undecided. Following the resignation of Bishnupur MLA Govindas Konthoujam from the post of MPCC President, the party is still devoid of a president to lead it's members for the upcoming Manipur Legislative Assembly elections hanging in the early part of next year. On the other hand, Bharatiya Janata Party Manipur Pradesh with its new woman president Adhikarimayum Sharda is all geared up for the victory in the election. However, it is still early to decide whose card would turn out to be the winning card until the last moment.
12 Congress MLAs attended yesterday's Congress Legislature Party Meeting held at Classic Grande in Chingmeirong as soon as Indian National Congress Manipur In- Charge Bhakta Charan Das airdashed yesterday morning. He was recieved by Congress MLA K Meghachandra and other leaders. Bhakta Charan Das made his entry prompt to consolidate congress party in the state soon after K. Govindas tendered his resignation. Nothing much about the meeting was divulged except that the Congress party will hold a press conference today to disclose its stance.
Accordingly, MPCC held the press meet at Imphal Congress Bhavan, BT road this morning. Much was expected to unfold but nothing much came out. Impact News witnessed only 5 congress MLAs attending the press meet including CLP Leader Okram Ibobi and AICC CWC member Gaikhangam. MPCC has time and again clarified that Govindas' resignation has nothing to do with CLP leadership and it is left to speculation as to what led the party's president who was at the forefront few days ago made his unprecedented announcement. Speaking to media, Bhakta Charan Das said, he will be in town for at least a week to take stock of the situation, to strategise policies for upcoming election and restore normalcy. He said, the party hasn't decided who will be its new president and as soon as it is decided it will be made known. He wasted no opportunity to slam the BJP Government calling it unethical and power hungry even amid the tough times of Coronavirus pandemic. Bhakta Charan Das said, the BJP government is unconstitutional. It should be fighting the pandemic to save lives and not play petty politics to be in power. He said, the government with its present course of action doesn't deserve to be ruling for even a single day in the country. He has assured that the party will give timely updates on any new developments.
Meanwhile, as per a reliable Impact News source, 11 Congress MLAs are likely to leave to join a different party in unison and in case, they don't, they might form a whole new political party. Like they say, politics is politics you never know what's next!
MANIPUR UNDER GLOOMY WAVE OF COVID-19
Manipur continues to grapple with surging covid-19 infection as high as 19.37% on July 21. State reported 1,327 new covid cases out of the 6,852 samples tested in the last 24 hours. 15 patients succumbed to Covid-19 in the past 24 hours rising the death toll to 1,424. Covid-19 tally of Manipur has already exceeded 88 thousand mark. On the positive note, Manipur reported 1,032 cured cases in the past 24 hours. A total of 76,279 covid patients have recovered so far. State's recovery rate stands at 86.63 per cent.
Newly infected persons are 1,326 from the general population and one is a personnel of Central Armed Police Force. Imphal West has the highest infection of 400 followed by Imphal East with 351, Thoubal with 124, Kakching with 106, Churachandpur with 94, Bishnupur with 77, Chandel with 38, Tamenglong with 35, Noney with 27, Kangpokpi with 22, Jiribam with 17, Kamjong with 12, Senapati with 10 and 2 each in Tengnoupal and Pherzawl District.
Manipur health department is undoubtedly trying its best in ramping up vaccination rate and reaching out to residents in the far flung areas. Aged and physically challenged people have been vaccinated at their respective homes. Though a genome sequencing unit has been already opened at IBSD, Takyelpat, it is yet to ascertain how many of these new cases are of delta variant. Should there be a need to devise a different strategy to deal with the new variant?
Strict curfew is being imposed in the state barring for few miscreants who have not been spared by the police. There is also report of sorry condition of COVID Care Centre and Hospitals treating covid patients. The pandemic has affected almost everybody. As many as 9 of a family including minors have been even admitted to COVID Care Centre. It's time everyone takes shared responsibilities, stay home and protect each other.
DOOR-TO-DOOR RANDOM COVID-19 TESTING FROM JULY 10: CM BIREN
Door-to-door Random Covid testing from July 10, Strict Night Curfews, No family members to assist COVID patients at CCCs and Hospitals, Government to provide meals to COVID-19 patients


