24 districts in Uttar Pradesh, registered 1,97,000 excess deaths than normal bw July 2020-March 2021. UP Govt’s official COVID death toll though, was 43 times less than excess deaths- only 4537 by 31 March.
In Amethi, 13,000 more people had died than normal- a 1700% increase, official death toll was a mere 39, or 335 times less.
Lucknow- over 30,200 excess deaths, 524% more than 2019-20 and 25 times more than the official death toll of 1,211.
2/4
Remember Ghazipur? Where during second wave, numerous dead bodies were found floating in its Ganga river?
This district near PM Modi's Varanasi saw 18,000 excess deaths after 1st wave, but official death toll reported by Yogi Adityanath's govt was a mere 92- 197 times less
3/4
I spoke to Dr. @MenonBioPhysics who told me that if such unusually low death rates r reported by state governments as their official figures, we run the risk that d public will not take messaging regarding the disease seriously enough.
Negatively impacts our public policy.
4/4
Releasing the RTI response of the UP Government based on which I wrote this story.
First 4 pages.
Last 3 pages.
{End}
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There is great confusion over DDA Tree Felling case being withdrawn from Justice Abhay Oka’s Bench. Let me break it down.
1. The issue of ridge- both forest ridge and morphological ridge in Delhi has always been a part of MC Mehta case (since 1985). This was before Oka J.
2. There is also the TN Godavarman case which is about larger forests etc. before Justice BR Gavai’s bench.
3. On 6 Dec 2023 the CEC filed Report no.36 of 2023 in MC Mehta case recommending that approval be granted to DDA for construction of approach roads to CAPFIMS in the Satbari area.
4. On 15 February 2024, in MC Mehta case before Oka, an IA was filed by the DDA requesting felling of 1051 trees for the approach roads. While this was pending, the DDA allegedly on orders of LG went ahead and cut the trees anyway.
Although Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud promised 14 opposition parties of safeguarding them against misuse of CBI and ED in April 2023, he has failed to list 3 "crucial cases" in the past 20 months of his 24-month tenure. A 🧵.
At the Oxford Union Society lecture on 4 June 2024, Chief Justice Chandrachud talked about how courts “step in” when “the State may be unwilling to balance [individual] rights against weighty purposes.”
Yet, three crucial cases pertaining the draconian PMLA linger before him.
These cases that directly challenge or raise questions about the constitutionality of various provisions of the “draconian” Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 (PMLA) and impact its administration have remained unheard for the past 12 to 55 months.
The 3 new criminal laws have been criticised for their potential to violate human rights. HM Amit Shah had claimed "extensive consultation" done but attempts to know details of inputs given failed at Supreme Court, HCs, Home Min.
The new laws will be effective from 1st of July. They increase police powers by increasing time period for police custody, leading to fears of custodial torture, introduce special offences like terrorism without any safeguards, and bring back sedition. Amit Shah in his speech...
...claimed to have sought views from “... all governors, chief ministers, lieutenant governors, administrators… the CJI, chief justices of all high courts, bar councils, law universities… all MPs, all MLAs… all Indian Police Service officers, and all collectorates”. 3/13
#Important: I have found 2 instances of alleged irregularities in allocation of government bungalows to certain Rajya Sabha MPs.
While opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mahua Moitra, Raghav Chadha were evicted or attempted to be evicted from their allocated bungalows…
1/9
…in Delhi with great haste, when it comes to leaders from friendly/alliance parties to the BJP, the government’s own norms & rules have been violated with impunity.
To understand the irregularity, we have to understand how allocation is done.
The Housing Committee of the Rajya Sabha makes recommendations. It is currently chaired by BJP MP C.M. Ramesh and the allocations here have happened under him.
First-time MPs are entitled to a Type-5 accommodation in the normal course,
A group that has documented over 3,000 news stories and 1,600 videos of minority persecution and hate speech by right-wing Hindu groups, @HindutvaWatchIn, has become inaccessible in India, on d orders of the central government. A 🧵
On 16 Jan- X complied with the IT Ministry's directive to block access to @HindutvaWatchIn's account in India. The reasons are unknown, its founder @raqib_naik told me.
On 19 Jan- IT Min issued a notice to Raqib stating that they may block the website too. Days later, they did.
The website maybe available on some servers, but an open-source resource reveals tampering with d website in India.
Modi’s government has been criticised for suppressing tweets, posts, user accounts, access to news reports, media websites, and investigative documentaries
As the year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the journey that the past 12 months have been—a chapter filled with growth and the joy of sharing my passion with all of you. I am profoundly grateful for the overwhelming support and encouragement. A 🧵.
In Jan, I published an expose that revealed past hate speeches delivered by a soon-to-be High Court judge, Victoria Gowri. The article was very well received & led to a 2-day drama that included an urgent hearing at the Supreme Court. For @Article14live.