Protesting farmer leaders say they suspect govt snooping on them
New Delhi: Farmer leaders protesting against the Centre's contentious farm laws on Thursday said they suspect that they were being snooped on by the government using Israeli software Pegasus.
"It is an unethical government. We suspect that our numbers are also on list of those being snooped on," farmer leader Shiv Kumar Kakka said.
"The government is behind the snooping. That's clear and the issue is gaining traction. We know that they are keeping an eye on us too," he alleged.
Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav said the phone numbers of farmer leaders will figure in the data of the year 2020-21.
"When this data will be made public, our numbers will be there, of course," he told PTI.
The protesting farmers have come to Jantar Mantar to prove to the government that they are not fools, Yadav said, adding that the UK parliament debated their issues but not the Indian Parliament.
Addressing a press conference, Yadav pressed for a debate on the issues raised by the farmers protesting against the central legislations.
Another farmer union leader, Hannan Mollah, said they had written to all MPs to raise their demands, but alleged that Parliament was not taking up their issues.
A group of 200 farmers reached Jantar Mantar in central Delhi on Thursday to protest against the Centre's three contentious farm laws as the Monsoon session of Parliament was underway.
Police threw a ring of security around central Delhi and kept a tight vigil on the movement of vehicles.
Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal has given special permission for demonstration by a maximum of 200 farmers at Jantar Mantar, a few metres from the Parliament Complex, till August 9.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
