Current Affairs in India

Article by Ananya Nayar, Website edited by Misaki Tomiyama

CoronaVirus

In total, India has 9 million covid cases, earlier this week, the High Court publicly criticised the Delhi Government's control over the surge in covid cases and the delay in imposing regulations. The high court stated, “You were shaken out of slumber, you turned turtle after we asked questions.” The court further said that “Why did you wait for 18 days to restrict the number of attendees at weddings? How many died of Covid-19 during this period?” After this, the Delhi Government reduced the number from 200 allowed to attend a wedding- to 50 people.

Image by Preet m m singh is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.

The Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan announced he is ‘confident that a Covid Vaccine will be ready in three-four months.’ He stated that healthcare workers and the people at the front fighting covid will be prioritised, then elderly and people with existing conditions that make them more vulnerable. Dr Vardhan hopes that 2021 will be better for all of us.

He also praised the ‘Janata Curfew’ by the Prime minister Narender Modi, which was imposed on the 22nd of March, for only that Sunday. It didn’t allow residents to exit their households after 9 pm until 7 am as to flatten the curve. The curfew was also given as to thank our essential workers, and at 5 pm on that day you were to open your windows and bang pots and clap your hands as to show appreciation for the efforts. In total, India has 9 million covid cases.

Dr Vardhan also talked about how the restrictions and pandemic were hard for the past few months, and that the shortage of PPE kits, masks and ventilators was temporary and that India is making sure they handle the situation safely. The doctor also told us the Hindustan times that there are ‘2,115 testing laboratories in every look and corner of the country’. Over 20,000 Indian rupees were assigned to pay for the expenses of ICU and hospital beds to treat Covid patients. ‘Our performance has been excellent on every parameter set by the World Health Organisation.’

Indo China Border

India map disputed areas by w:user:Planemad is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

As we know, India and China are in a border standoff, which is when two sides have reached a deadlock in a conflict. On Tuesday, the Indian Army dismissed reports that China used ‘microwave weapons’ in Ladakh, they tweeted saying “Media articles on the employment of microwave weapons in Eastern Ladakh are baseless. The news is FAKE.”

The Times newspaper also reported that China used a strategy of taking two hilltops held by India and allegedly forced them to retreat without using fire or weapons by creating a ‘microwave oven.’ Microwave weapons sound ridiculous, but they exist! Microwave weapons are so-called because the effects are similar to the effects of a microwave oven we have in our houses. They damage a target with highly-focused energy- like rays and lasers. It works by heating water molecules that are under our skin, intensifying heat, which forces soldiers to retreat. It has been used to disperse crowds in the past and is painful. Direct-energy weapons can potentially blow up missiles, tanks and more.