Delhi Confidential: Surprise Praise

Omar Abdullah, who came out of an eight-month detention recently, was in for a surprise on Monday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted a message tagging him.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, who came out of an eight-month detention recently, was in for a surprise on Monday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted a message tagging him. Modi quoted Omar’s tweet about the demise of his uncle, Mohd Ali Mattoo, and expressed his condolences. Modi also had a word of appreciation for Omar. “In this hour of grief, your call to avoid any large gathering is appreciable and will strengthen India’s fight against COVID-19,” he wrote. BJP leaders are wondering whether the Prime Minister just used the opportunity to send a larger social message or whether the public lauding had any political message in it.

Message Overload

The 11 empowered groups to coordinate various aspects of COVID-19 management have given rise to a unique problem for officials. There are several new WhatsApp groups now and Health Ministry officials in the thick of things have been put on several groups —- some are on all of them. As an official put it, “Reading WhatsApp messages will soon be a full-time job.”

Discussing Tradition

The Prime Minister’s video conference with the heads of all of India’s embassies and high commissions worldwide, which was the first such event for Indian missions worldwide, was convened to discuss responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the video conference, the issue of mental health came up with a German state minister committing suicide. In that context, Modi’s yoga videos in 25 languages was highlighted, and the use of traditional medicine in coping with tremendous mental stress was discussed.

Reassuring Message

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is an MP from Kota, Rajasthan, which is a coaching hub for engineering and medical aspirants. With a nationwide lockdown in place, students staying in Kota, like people across the country, are facing trouble reaching home. On Monday, Birla took to Twitter to reassure parents that the children living there are like his family, and that those facing problems should reach out to his office in Rajasthan or Delhi.

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Police personnel seen to control the situation during a massive protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)

Statehood protest takes violent turn in Ladakh, BJP office set ablaze in Leh

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Protests in Ladakh turned violent as students and youth organisations demanded statehood and Sixth Schedule status. Two elderly protesters fainted, prompting a shutdown call. A BJP office and security vehicle were set on fire. Activist Sonam Wangchuk urged for a peaceful approach. The demand for Sixth Schedule status is due to Ladakh's tribal-majority population and direct central administration.

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