Religion have been defined by sociologists as man’s tryst with the unknown or a relationship with the supernatural.

Religions have paved the way for civilizations to move ahead. It provided for our cultural, social, linguistic and ancestral identity. It is an integral part of our social connection system. However, sadly in recent times, owing to technological advancements that have strangely promoted religious fanaticism. Extreme polarization seems to be the new norm. How have we transformed into this selfish and self-centred human that has no respect for coexistence but self-righteousness?

New forms of Crusades seem to be taking place. India a country whose Constitution promised secularism has been a very terrible victim of communalism. The last few decades have been the most trying and testing time for Indian democracy. It is estimated that 2 million have been killed during the partition of India. India is the homeland of three major religions of the world- Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Any religion has effortlessly dissolved into the Indian society even when the Mughals established an empire here and promoted Islam.

Coming to more recent times, there have been terrible cases of communal violence, the latest being the Delhi riots in February 2020. Muslims and other minority groups cried out the ‘minority tag’ while the Hindus screamed ‘infringement into the Hindu society. Has our religious sentiments become so fragile that we feel threatened by other religions and embark on self-enticed Crusades? While the makers of our country had removed every tag of identity to create a nation for a peaceful existence, the ascenders have shrugged themselves with personal labels to promote intolerance and utter disrespect for other communities. The controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill passed by the government in 2019 created a nationwide stir and mass protests in the country. Rashmi Samant, an Indian student who had won the presidential debate in Oxford University to become the Students Union leader was cancelled when trolls hit out at her and her family for supporting a religion viewed as fundamentalist.

The worst thing is the human nature of us to cancel out the entire group for the individual actions of the bad few. There is rising Islamophobia for numerous terrorist insurgencies that threaten human peace and wellbeing. The recent hate crimes against Asians in America provide us with another bad example. This ‘cancel culture’ is threatening human peace more than ever. The extreme extent of Globalisation has brought us equally bad degrees of conservatism and hatred towards other communities.

When Nikita Tomar, a young girl was killed by her wooer of a different religion for refusing to accept his proposal, leaders hit out immediately and labelled it as a religious crime. Nobody tagged it as a criminal act against women and her right to say no. Sadly, giving such communal tags to incidents further push religious divide among people. The common people simply got disillusioned by the ‘religion’ tag and ignored the civil and criminal aspect of the killing.

Ashish Nandy, a renowned theorist said that eve in the times of worst communal disputes, 40% of the people who got away with their lives were being helped by the people of the opposite enemy religion. This shows that all people share humane values.

Every religion have preached equality and humanness but we seem to have misinterpreted the values.

” For although there may be so-called gods in Heaven or on Earth- a indeed there are many “gods” and “lords” – yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things and for whom we exist, and one lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist”. – Corinthians 8:5-6, Bilble.

“Let there be no compulsion in religion : Truth stands out clear from Error.” – 2:256, Quran.

‘Abandon all varieties of religion and surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful activities. Do not fear.”- 18th chapter, verse 66, Bhagavad Gita.

The Way out

The only way out of these terrible and heartbreaking incidents is that we start to heal as a collective human consciousness. Eckhart Tolle, a modern spiritual teacher opines that once ” all humans become part of one human consciousness”, nothing can stop us. Leaders must prove themselves as capable humans first and protectors of religions later. Nobody deserves to live ain a world where they feel threatened for their religious beliefs.

Let religion show us the true ay of life and make the world a better and safer place.

“There is no way to peace, peace is the way.” – Thich Nhah Hanh.

Random testing of Covid-19 for passengers arriving in the national capital from states where cases are increasing has begun at the Delhi airport from today. Passengers who will be found Covid-19 positive at arrival will have to mandatorily quarantine as per the protocols of the Health Ministry. 

The Delhi International Airport Limited, DIAL has informed that as per the latest mandate from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, random COVID-19 testing of passengers coming from the states where the cases are increasing would be conducted by the authorised health officials.

The travellers would be allowed to exit the airport after collection of samples, however, on being found positive would be mandatorily quarantined as per the protocols of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

More than six crore thirty lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in the country so far. The Health and Family Welfare Ministry has informed today that over nineteen lakh forty thousand doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered to the beneficiaries in the last 24 hours.
 
Meanwhile, the country’s COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 94.11 per cent. The Health Ministry said, more than forty one thousand patients were recovered within 24 hours and with this one crore fourteen lakh patients have already been recovered from the Covid-19 infection. However, the active caseload is continuously rising in the country due to sudden spike in the cases reported from various States. At present, there are more than five lakh fifty two thousand active cases in the country which comprises 4.55 per cent of the total positive cases.
 
Amid the rising new cases, more than fifty three thousand new cases have been reported in the country in the last 24 hours taking the cumulative positive cases to over one crore twenty one lakh.
 
Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have reported a surge in daily new cases. Five States, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab and Chhattisgarh together account for over 79 per cent of the total active cases in the country. Health Ministry said, three hundred fifty four deaths reported in the last 24 hours taking the toll to over one lakh sixty two thousand across the country. 

Covid-19 vaccination is open for everyone aged above 45 years from tomorrow, irrespective of co morbidity. The cut-off date for the 45 plus years category is those persons born before 1st January 1977. The comorbidities clause has been removed to make the system simpler.

All persons of 45 years and above can register themselves in the CoWIN System for booking of appointment for vaccination. Onsite registration of such persons will also be permissible. People can go to their nearest vaccination centre after 3 PM for on-site registration with any identity document.

If a beneficiary has taken an online appointment for vaccination on CoWIN, then there is no need to take any further appointment at Private or Public hospitals. If any hospital does not follow these guidelines of vaccination, then one must lodge a complaint at toll-free number 1075.

Electioneering campaign is heating up in respect of the third Phase in Assam and West Bengal and also for the single-phase elections in Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry. Third Phase polling in Assam and West Bengal will be held on 6th of April when 338 candidates will be contesting for the 40 seats of Assam and 205 candidates for 31 seats of West Bengal.
 
The single-phase polling in Kerala, Tamil Nadu along with the Union Territory of Puducherry will also be held on 6th of the next month. While there will be 957 candidates in fray for the 140 Assembly Constituencies of Kerala, the total number of candidates will be 4,125 in respect of 234 Constituencies in Tamil Nadu. In Puducherry, 324 candidates will be vying for the 30 Assembly seats.
 
In Tamil Nadu Campaigning is gaining momentum in all the 234 assembly constituencies in the State. With just a few more days left for the single phase polling, preparations are in full swing by election commission.

AIR correspondent reports on one of the key constituency, that Bodinayakanur in Theni district is a key constituency in which the Coordinator of the AIADMK and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam is facing election for the fifth time. It is interesting to note that he has to face Thanga Tamil Selvan, a former AIADMK MLA who is now contesting as a DMK candidate in Bodinayakaur. 
 
It will be a unique fight here as both of them were co workers of AIADMK as long as Jayalalithaa was alive. Panneerselvam was also a former Chief Minister twice when Jayalalithaa was imprisoned on the disproportionate assets case. He wore the mantle of the Chief Minister a third time when Jayalalithaa was no more. He later gave up the post of Chief Minister in January 2017 and was removed from the post as a treasurer of the party. This was also a protest against Sasikala who was holding the reigns of the party. Later after unification, both Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palanisamy combine not only led the party but also facing this crucial election. 
 
Campaign for the Kerala assembly polls entered its crucial phase, as the state is set to go to polls in 6 days.
 
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, campaigning for Congress-led UDF, hit out at the Left government for not keeping the promises made to the people. She urged voters to ask for their rights.  
 
Meanwhile the BJP and CPI(M) raked up the issue of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) with the BJP pledging to fulfill its promises and the Left declaring that the controversial law will not be implemented in the state.
 
Kerala had witnessed separate protests by CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF, seeking to withdraw the CAA, describing it as discriminatory. AIR correspondent reports that campaigning of all the major fronts is in the last leg. The assembly polls in 140 constituencies in Kerala will be held in single phase on April 6th.
 
The bypoll to the Malappuram Lok Sabha seat will also be held on the same date. As polling date nears national leaders are actively campaigning for LDF, UDF and NDA. Prime Minister Narendra Modi  will be making his second visit in connection with upcoming assembly polls on April 2nd for NDA campaign in Pathanamthitta and Thiruvananthapuram.
 
The CPM national leaders are also camping in the State, boosting the LDF campaign. Meanwhile Kerala High Court is expected to deliver the final verdict today on the opposition’s allegation of multiple entries of names in the final electoral roll published for the Assembly polls.
 
Earlier the High court had directed the Election Commission and the Chief Electoral Officer to ensure that no double voting takes place on the day of Assembly elections in the State. 
 
In Assam, several star campaigners are holding rallies for the third phase of polls. Senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a rally at Bijni while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too attended an election meeting at Chaygaon.
 
Campaigning for third phase is also going on in West Bengal. BJP president JP Nadda is scheduled to hold two public meetings and a road show today while Union Minister Smriti Irani will address three rallies. TMC leader Mamata Banerjee will also address three rallies including one at Singur. Leaders of Sanyukt Morcha and other parties are also holding meetings and street corners across constituencies.
 
Besides, the Lok Sabha by-polls will be conducted simultaneously for Kanniyakumari seat in Tamil Nadu where there will be 12 candidates in the fray and also for Malappuram seat in Kerala where six candidates will be taking part in the electoral battle.
 
During the Fourth Phase of Assembly Elections in West Bengal, the final scenario of electoral contests became clear last Friday after withdrawal of candidature and the election campaign was initiated by the prominent leaders of different political parties. During this phase, 373 candidates will be vying for 44 Assembly seats that will go to polls on 10th of April.
 
The scrutiny of the nomination papers for the Fifth Phase is being undertaken today following closure of nomination process yesterday. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 3rd of April. The scrutiny is also on for By-Elections of two Lok Sabha seats including Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh and Belgaum in Karnataka along with 14 Assembly Constituencies in eleven states. The ACs going in for the by-polls include three in Rajasthan, two in Karnataka and one each in Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Telangana and Uttarakhand.  In all, 45 ACs will go to polls in the Fifth Phase on 17th of April. 
 
Meanwhile, the process of filing nominations for the Sixth Phase of elections in West Bengal will continue till 3rd of April and the scrutiny of nominations will be undertaken on 5th of April. The last date of withdrawal of candidature will be 7th of April and 43 Assembly Constituencies will go to polls in this phase on 22nd of April.
 
The nomination process for the Seventh as well as the Eighth and Final Phase of the Assembly Elections in West Bengal, which got underway today with the issuance of notification, will continue till 7th of April and the scrutiny will be undertaken on 8st of April. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 12th of April.  In all, 36 Assembly Constituencies will go to polls in the Seventh Phase on 26th of April while remaining 35 Assembly Constituencies will go to polls in the Eighth Phase on 29th of April. The counting of votes will be taken up together on 2nd of May.

In the poll-bound states of Assam and West Bengal, all the necessary preparations have been made for the Second Phase polling of Assembly Elections tomorrow. The Election Commission has decided to use Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) along with Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at every Polling Station, with a view to enhance the transparency and credibility of the election process, as VVPAT allows the voter to verify his/her vote. The arrangements have already been made to ensure availability of adequate number of EVMs and VVPATs for the smooth conduct of elections.
 
In view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, the Election Commission has decided to allow maximum 1,000 electors in a Polling Station instead of earlier stipulation of 1,500 electors. Option of Postal Ballot facility has been extended to the electors who are COVID- 19 positive or suspect as certified by competent authority and are in home or institutional quarantine along with those marked as Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and above the age of 80 years. It will be ensured that every Polling Station is equipped with Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF) like drinking water, waiting shed, toilet with water facility, adequate arrangements for lighting, ramp of appropriate gradient for the   Persons with Disabilities. The special facilities will include mandatory sanitization of Polling Station, thermal checking of voters at entry point either by polling staff or paramedical staff or an Asha worker. If temperature is above the set norms of Health Ministry, then the elector will be provided with token and asked to come for voting at the last hour of poll. At the last hour of poll, such electors will be facilitated for voting, strictly following COVID-19 related preventive measures.
 
In Assam, 345 candidates including 26 women are in fray for the 39 Assembly Constituencies spread over 13 districts that will go to polls on Thursday during the Second of three-phase elections. Over 73.44 lakh voters including 36.09 lakh women and 135 Third Gender persons will decide the fate of these candidates. Total 10,592 Polling Stations have been set up in the First Phase for this purpose.  There are three main alliances this time including the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance with partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and Mahajot or Grand Alliance led by the Congress. It includes All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) and the Left parties while yet another conglomerate of Assom Jatiya Party (AJP) and Raijor Dal is also there. BJP has fielded 34 candidates, Congress has 28, AJP -19, AIDUF seven, AGP six and BPF has four while 176 independents and others are also trying their luck.
 
The prominent leaders contesting during the Second Phase include BJP Ministers Piyush Hazarika from Jagiroad, Parimal Sukla Baidya from the Dholai and Bhabesh Kalita from Rangia along with Deputy Speaker of Assembly Aminul Haque Laskar from Sonai. Former Minister Gautam Roy is contesting from Katigorah while former Deputy Speaker Dilip Kumar Paul, who resigned from the BJP after he was denied ticket, is contesting as an Independent from Silchar. Former Minister and Congress leader Sum Ronghang is also in the fray from the Diphu seat. Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary is contesting from Panery and former Asam Sahitya Sabha President Paramananda Rajbongshi is trying his luck from Sipajhar.
 
In West Bengal, 171 candidates including 19 women will be vying for the 30 seats in four districts during the Second Phase. The state is witnessing eight-phase elections. Over 75.95 lakh voters including 37.12 lakh women and 89 Third Gender persons will decide the fate of these candidates. More than 10,620 Polling Stations have been set up in the Second Phase for this purpose. Bharatiya Janata Party and ruling AITC are contesting for all the 30 seats while Congress, Left parties and their alliance partner Indian Secular Front are fighting under the banner of Sanyukt Morcha. CPI (M) has fielded 15 candidates, Congress has nine, BSP seven, CPI two and AIFB and RSP one each while there are 32 independents along with 44 others are also in the fray.
 
The prominent leaders contesting during the Second Phase include AITC President and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her former aide and rival BJP candidate Shubhendu Adhikari along with CPI (M) youth leader Minakshi Mukherjee from Nandigram. AITC Ministers Soumen Mahapatra from Tamluk and Manturam Pakhira from Kakdwip, former Minister Manas Bhuniya, former IPS officers Bharati Ghosh and Humayun Kabir from Debra, Tollywood film stars Sohom Chakraborty from Chandipur, Hiranmoy Chattopadhyaya from Kharagpur Sadar and Sayantika Banerjee from Bankura along with former cricketer Ashoke Dinda from Moyna are also in the fray in this phase. 

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will participate in the 9th Ministerial Conference of Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, Tajikistan today. Dr Jaishankar reached Dushanbe yesterday on a three day visit.
 
He called on President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani before the commencement of Heart of Asia Conference. Dr Jaishankar began his Heart of Asia engagements with a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. He also met Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on the sidelines of the Conference.
 
After arriving in Dushanbe yesterday, Dr Jaishankar visited the Dushanbe-Chortut Highway Project site. He lauded the Good work being done by Border Roads Organisation BRO under Indian grant assistance. The 8-lane highway will decongest Dushanbe.
The Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process was founded on 2nd November, 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey. It provides a platform for sincere and result-oriented regional cooperation by placing Afghanistan at its center, in recognition of the fact that a secure and stable Afghanistan is vital to the prosperity of the Heart of Asia region. This platform was established to address the shared challenges and interests of Afghanistan and its neighbors and regional partners. It comprises 15 participating countries, 17 supporting countries, and 12 supporting regional and international organizations. India co-hosted the 6th Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference in Amritsar, Punjab in December 2016.
 
The platform’s constructive role is also consistent with India’s vision of achieving lasting stability and prosperity for Afghanistan, anchored in a regional environment that is united, stable, secure, pluralistic, democratic, and economically prosperous. As the lead country for Trade, Commerce and Investment Confidence Building Measure under Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process, India has made concerted efforts for strengthening regional connectivity for the greater economic integration of Afghanistan with the region. The visit will further enhance India’s outreach to Central Asian countries with a special focus on Afghanistan.

Jal Jeevan Mission has achieved a new milestone of providing over 4 Crore rural households with tap water supply. The mission was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15th August, 2019, with the aim to provide tap water supply to every rural home by 2024.

Now, 7.24 Crore, more than 1/3rd of rural households are getting potable water through taps. Goa has become the first State in the country to provide 100 per cent tap water supply followed by Telangana and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The untiring efforts of States and UTs have helped Jal Jeevan Mission provide assured tap water supply to every family living in 56 districts and over 86 thousand villages. 

States and UTs are now competing with each other and focusing on the target to ensure that every household in the country gets safe drinking water, so that no one is left out.

A report on the origins of COVID-19 set to be released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) today finds animal to human transmission the most likely cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to CNN, the report will find that it is most likely that a bat, somewhere in China or in Southeast Asia, getting the virus into animals and then that getting into the market in Wuhan.
 
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a news conference in Geneva that all hypotheses into the origins of the novel coronavirus are on the table and warrant complete and further study ahead of a long-awaited report that will be released today. Tedros said the WHO received the full mission report over the weekend on the origins of the SARS-Cov-2 virus from the team that visited Wuhan earlier this year and this report was sent to member states under embargo.
 
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Beijing should be transparent about the COVID-19 outbreak and there is a need for accountability.

More than six crore eleven lakh doses of Covid19 vaccine have been administered in the country till now. The Health and Family Welfare Ministry has informed today that over five lakh eighty two thousand doses have been administered to the beneficiaries in the last 24 hours despite yesterday being a holiday due to Holi festival.

Meanwhile, the country’s COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 94.18 per cent. The Health Ministry said, more than thirty seven thousand patients recovered within 24 hours and with this one crore thirteen lakh patients have already recovered from the infection.

However, the active caseload is continuously rising in the country due to sudden spike in the cases reported from various States. At present, there are more than five lakh forty thousand active cases in the country which comprises 4.47 per cent of the total positive cases.

Amid the rising new cases, more than fifty six thousand new cases have been reported in the country in the last 24 hours taking the cumulative positive cases to over one crore twenty lakh. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Tamil Nadu have reported a surge in daily new cases. Five States, Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Chattisgarh together account for nearly eighty per cent of the total active cases in the country. Health Ministry said two hundred seventy one deaths were reported in the last 24 hours taking the toll to over one lakh sixty two thousand across the country.

Senior BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address three public meetings in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry today.

Mr Modi will address a public meeting at Palakkad in Kerala in the forenoon. He will address a public meeting at Dharapuram in Tamil Nadu in the afternoon. Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a Public meeting in Puducherry.

Senior BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah will hold three roadshows at Nandigram, Debra and Panskura Paschim in West Bengal today. Mr Shah will address a public meeting at Diamond Harbour.
BJP President J P Nadda will address three public meetings in Assam today.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be in Assam today. Party General Secretary Priyanka Vadra will address corner meetings in different districts of Kerala.

Campaigning for second phase of Assembly Elections in West Bengal and Assam will end today evening.

In West Bengal, campaigning for the second phase of assembly elections will end today. 171 candidates including 19 female candidates are in the fray for 30 seats spread over 4 districts. 9 seats each in East and West Medinipur, 8 seats in Bankura and 4 seats in South 24 Pargana will go to polls on 1st of April. Candidates in this phase range from seasoned politicians to actors, from former ministers to former cricketer and former IPS officers as well.

Leaders and candidates of all political parties are busy in last minute campaigning today.

BJP star campaigner Home minister Amit Shah is scheduled to hold three road shows including in Nandigram and Debra. Bollywood actor and party leader Mithun Chakraborty is expected to participate in four road shows including the last one at Nandigram in favour of Shubhendu Adhikari.

Trinamool Congress Supremo and Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee will continue her road shows in the constituency.

Sanyukta Morcha supported CPIM candidate Minakshi Mukherjee is also expected to continue her door to door campaign.

At the same time, electioneering for the later phases is going on. Leaders of BJP, Trinamool Congress and Sanyukta Morcha will be criss-crossing the districts to woo the voters.

In Assam, campaigning for the second phase of assembly elections will end today. A total of 345 candidates are in the contest in this phase including 26 women. Polling in this phase will be held on 1st of April. Several star campaigners will address election rallies today to woo the voters.

Meanwhile, this election has witnessed participation of several journalists in the race to the state assembly. AIR correspondent reports that after covering election campaigns as a journalist, some of the senior scribes grabbed headlines this time as a candidate.  Senior journalist Adip Phukan who worked in various capacities earlier is trying his political luck at East Guwahati seat for Assam Jatiya Parishad. Against him, Raijor Dal who is in alliance with Assam Jatiya Parishad has given ticket to former news presenter Diwas Phukan.

Another former senior scribe Manjit Mahanta is vying for the prestigious Dispur seat. He is a member of the Anchalik Gana March, a partner of the Mahajoth or grand alliance but submitted his nomination for Congress. A former IIS officer, the state BJP President Ranjeet Kumar Dass , who is contesting from Patacharkuchi seat in this election,  worked as a journalist. The Congress fielded former journalist Kishor Bhattacharya from Kamalpur seat. 

India and the US kicked off a two-day naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal, reflecting the growing congruence in their defence and military partnership. The exercise, which began yesterday, will conclude today.

Indian Navy deployed its warship Shivalik and long-range maritime patrol aircraft P8I in the ‘PASSEX’ exercise while the US Navy was represented by the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group.

A carrier battle group or carrier strike group is a mega naval fleet comprising an aircraft carrier, accompanied by a large number of destroyers, frigates and other ships. In a first, enhancing jointmanship, Indian Air Force fighters have also been included in the exercise affording the IAF an opportunity to practice air interception and air defence with the US Navy.

The exercise came over a week after US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin flew into India as part of his three-nation first overseas tour that signalled the Joe Biden administration’s strong commitment to its relations with its close allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

During the visit, both sides resolved to further consolidate their robust defence cooperation through deeper military-to-military engagement with Austin describing the partnership as a stronghold of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

A defence spokesperson said the exercise is aimed at consolidating the synergy and interoperability achieved during the Malabar exercise that took place in November last. esides the Indian Navy, US, Australian and Japanese navies participated in the Malabar naval exercise.