Country now has strong 'protective shield' of 100 crore vaccine doses against pandemic: PM Modi
New Delhi(PTI): The country now has a strong "protective shield" of 100 crore vaccine doses to combat the biggest pandemic in 100 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday.
India achieved a major milestone in its vaccination programme against COVID-19 as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 100-crore mark on Thursday.
Speaking via video conferencing after inaugurating the Infosys Foundation Vishram Sadan at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on the Jhajjar Campus of New Delhi AIIMS, Modi said, "This day of October 21, 2021, has been recorded in history. India has crossed the 100 crore vaccine doses mark sometime back."
"To combat the biggest pandemic in 100 years, the country now has a strong protective shield of 100 crore vaccine doses. This achievement belongs to India, every citizen of India," the prime minister said.
Modi also expressed gratitude to all the vaccine manufacturing companies of the country, workers engaged in vaccine transportation and health sector professionals engaged in administering the vaccines.
On the inauguration of the Vishram Sadan, Modi said the Infosys Foundation has constructed the building of Vishram Sadan, while the cost of land and electricity and water has been provided by AIIMS Jhajjar.
"I express my gratitude to AIIMS Management and Sudha Murthy ji's team for this service," he said.
India's corporate sector, private sector, and social organisations have continuously contributed in strengthening the health services of the country, the prime minister noted.
Private sector will have a key role in our efforts to have at least one medical college in every district, Modi said.
The 806-bed Vishram Sadan has been constructed by the Infosys Foundation as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.
It is aimed at providing air-conditioned accommodation to the attendants of cancer patients, who often have to stay in hospitals for a long duration, the PMO had said in a statement.
Built at the cost of about Rs 93 crore, it is located in close proximity to the hospital and OPD Blocks of the NCI.
Union Health & Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, and Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murthy attended the inauguration, conducted via video conferencing.
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Police arrested Kejriwal's aide at same time his anticipatory bail plea was being heard: Atishi
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Minister Atishi alleged on Saturday that the city police arrested Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar at the same time his anticipatory bail plea was being heard in court.
Kumar was arrested on Saturday in connection with the alleged assault on AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal, officials said.
He was picked up from the chief minister's residence by a Delhi Police team around noon, a senior officer said.
Addressing a press conference, Atishi said Kumar had filed a plea for anticipatory bail before the Tis Hazari court.
Kumar was picked up for questioning by the Delhi Police around 11 am. As soon as he was taken for questioning, news channels started saying he had been arrested, she claimed.
"This shows the BJP's conspiracy. Their intention is to disturb our election campaign and Arvind Kejriwal," she said.
Atishi said the Tis Hazari court considered Kumar's matter urgent and agreed to hear his plea on Saturday itself.
"The court commenced hearing on his plea at 3:55 pm and within 20 minutes, the Delhi Police arrested him at the Civil Lines police station. As soon as his lawyers began arguments, the police learnt that their case is weak and Kumar would get relief. So they arrested Kumar," she claimed.
Atishi alleged that when the court was dictating its order on the matter at 4:55 pm, the Delhi Police lawyer appeared through videoconferencing and said Kumar had already been arrested.
Kumar's anticipatory bail plea has become "infructuous" as he has been arrested, the court observed.
The chief minister's aide, accused of assaulting Maliwal on May 13 at Kejriwal's residence, was arrested two days after an FIR was registered against him at the Civil Lines police station.
Additional Sessions Judge Sushil Anuj Tyagi, while dictating the order to the court staff on the anticipatory bail plea, noted that Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Kumar Srivastava appeared through videoconferencing around 4:45 pm and informed the court that Kumar had already been arrested.
Atishi said, "Even they knew that their case was weak and if the case was heard, Bibhav Kumar would get bail. That is why tomorrow (Sunday) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will lead all AAP leaders and to the BJP headquarters and court arrest."
Kejriwal said he and other AAP leaders would go to the BJP headquarters on Sunday "so that the prime minister can send anyone he wants to jail".
The BJP is saying they would send AAP MP Raghav Chadha and Delhi ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj to jail, he claimed at a press briefing, hours after Kumar was arrested.
