Delhi confidential: Bengal Visit Stalled

THE NATIONAL Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognizance of images on social media showing women in West Bengal’s Nandigram being beaten up purportedly by TMC workers in post-poll violence. NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma has set up a team, which she will head herself. The team was to visit Nandigram and investigate the matter but the plan has been stalled for the time being. The team requires RTPCR tests done to travel to West Bengal. With the mounting backlog of tests in Delhi, the NCW has had to put its travel plans and, consequently, its inquiry, temporarily on hold.

Under Pressure

WITH THE Covid situation in Uttar Pradesh getting worse, people’s representatives are finding it difficult to cope with requirements and demands of the people. Many BJP MPs and MLAs, who are expressing their disappointment, are privately encouraging opposition leaders to come up with criticism against the “poor management” of the pandemic situation. Many MPs have privately appreciated BSP MP Danish Ali’s move to write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to reinstate the suspended MPLAD funds for 2020-21 and 2021-22. Pointing out that it was suspended in order to find funds for fighting Covid, Ali said no notable medical facility has been provided to his parliamentary constituency till date with the PMCARES or MPLAD scheme’s suspended funds. He also reminded the Prime Minister that he too contributed his one month’s salary to PMCARES fund.

In Hour Of Need

SENIOR ADVOCATE and president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Vikas Singh called upon senior members of the bar to contribute to the welfare fund set up to help young lawyers impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. He personally made a donation of Rs 50 lakh and said that the bar owes it to the profession to help those in distress. Since the pandemic began last year, the SCBA has provided financial aid to over 900 lawyers in the national capital.