Mass protests erupt in Turkey over Istanbul Mayor’s arrest
Istanbul: Massive protests have erupted across Turkey following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on corruption charges, widely seen as politically motivated. Demonstrators in Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, and other cities have taken to the streets for six consecutive nights, demanding his release and condemning what they call democratic backsliding under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s rule.
Authorities have responded with force, deploying water cannons, tear gas, and plastic bullets, while some protesters have thrown stones and fireworks at police. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that 1,133 demonstrators were detained between Wednesday and Sunday, with 43 arrested for allegedly insulting Erdoğan and his family.
Amid the unrest, opposition leader Özgür Özel of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) visited İmamoğlu at Silivri Prison on Tuesday. He has called for a final rally outside Istanbul’s City Hall and announced that the party will appoint a municipal council member as acting mayor to prevent a government-appointed replacement.
Meanwhile, Turkish authorities have cracked down on journalists covering the protests, detaining eight reporters for allegedly violating laws on demonstrations. Media unions have condemned the arrests as an attack on press freedom.
İmamoğlu, a key opposition figure and potential challenger to Erdoğan, was arrested on March 19 on charges of running a criminal organization, bribery, extortion, and bid-rigging, all of which he denies. His suspension from office has fueled speculation that Erdoğan may call an early election before 2028 to extend his rule.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
