Bed-blocking scam: Did Tejasvi Surya apologize after levelling false allegation against Muslim staff? He calls it ‘fake news’

News Network
May 7, 2021

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Bengaluru, May 7: BJP Yuva Morcha national president and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya has rubbished reports that he apologised to those working at a municipal covid war room in Bengaluru.

Mr Surya, who is known for provocative remarks, had visited the facility on Tuesday and broadcast the video live, reading out the names of 16 Muslim staff who he accused of corruption in the allocation of hospital beds as the city and Karnataka struggles with a massive spike in covid infections.

The MP’s attempt to give communal tinge to ‘bed allotment scam’, however, evoked a backlash after it came to light that his allegation against Muslim staff was false.  

Fact checks over the claims that these 16 Muslim members of the war room were involved in a bed allocation scam led to a deadend, as only one of these 16 was part of the team of bed allocation — and he had joined it temporarily just last week to replace another employee who had a personal emergency at home. The other 15 — most of them young graduates in their early twenties — were members of other teams involved in indexing, home isolation supervision and discharge of patients who finished quarantine period.

On Thursday, Mr Surya once again visited the covid war room. Several news portals reported that the MP tendered apology for levelling false allegations. 

“My employees called me to say that Surya had visited the war room. He apparently told them ‘I have nothing personal against any of you. If anyone or any community is hurt emotionally by my visit, I apologise for that. I wanted to probe the bed allocation scam which had come to my notice, but if my actions had hurt anyone, please accept my apologies,’ he told the staff," said Shivu Naik, project manager of the Crystal Infosystems and Services, the agency that had hired and delegated manpower for the hurried war rooms of the BBMP.

“Those 16 were part of a 212-member team deployed at BBMP for various tasks — and there was no reason why they were targeted,” Naik was quoted as saying by news18. 

According to The News Minute, Mr Surya on Thursday (May 5) revisited the Bengaluru South COVID War Room at around 7 pm, and apologised to the 200-odd people working there.  “About the numbers that were leaked? I’m saying from our side, I’m really sorry. This was not our intention. We didn’t know that they would get leaked. That’s not in our hands... I was given a list, and told these are the people who work here who were removed for such-and-such reasons. I just read out the list. That list just had these names. I read them out and asked why these people — how these people were hired — all this happened in front of you. There are many things here I don’t want to get into all that with you,” the MP was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Mr Surya today took to social media to rubbish the reports about his apology. "When one has no news, they create fake news," his office posted on Twitter, responding to the news reports.

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News Network
July 1,2025

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Washington, July 1: In a major policy shift, President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order lifting most US economic sanctions on Syria — a move widely seen as legitimizing the country's new interim leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former jihadist commander with deep ties to extremist groups.

From Terrorist to President

Ahmed al-Sharaa — better known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammad al-Julani — was once a top commander in al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, Jabhat al-Nusra, which later rebranded as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The US had designated HTS a terrorist group, and Julani himself was listed as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist." His transformation from militant leader to interim president has raised eyebrows globally.

Trump Fulfills Pledge After Saudi Meeting

In May 2025, Trump met al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia and promised to lift economic restrictions — a pledge fulfilled with Monday’s executive order. The order ends the national emergency declared in 2004 under President George W. Bush and repeals five other Syria-related executive orders.

Key Sanctions Still in Place

Sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act — targeting Bashar al-Assad, his top aides, and others responsible for war crimes, drug trafficking, or chemical weapons — remain in place and can only be lifted by Congress. Sanctions also continue against groups and individuals linked to the production of Captagon, the amphetamine fueling much of the region’s drug trade.

“Reintegration into Global Markets”

The US Treasury's Brad Smith said the move would “reintegrate Syria into the international financial system” and pave the way for investment from neighboring Arab states and the US itself. The White House described the shift as part of a broader effort to promote "stability and peace" in Syria.

Syria Quietly Assists Israeli Airstrikes on Iran

Critics say al-Sharaa's regime has already begun aligning with US and Israeli regional interests. During Israel's airstrikes on Iran in mid-June 2025 — part of a campaign dubbed Operation Rising Lion — Syrian airspace was reportedly used by Israeli jets en route to Iranian targets. According to All Israel News and The Jerusalem Post, Syria “quietly opened its airspace” for the mission. One analyst remarked, “Every blow to Iran is pure benefit to al-Sharaa’s regime.”

State Sponsor of Terrorism Label Under Review
Despite the rollback, Syria remains officially listed as a state sponsor of terrorism, and the group formerly led by al-Sharaa is still designated as a foreign terrorist organization. A State Department official confirmed that both designations are currently under review.

EU Follows Suit on Sanctions

The European Union has also reportedly moved to lift nearly all remaining sanctions on Syria, signaling a broader normalization of ties between Western powers and Damascus’ new leadership — a leader who, until recently, was considered one of the world’s most wanted jihadists. 

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News Network
July 10,2025

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New Delhi, July 10: The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a plea seeking a direction to the Centre to use diplomatic channels to save an Indian nurse, who is likely to be executed in Yemen on July 16 for murder charges.

A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi listed the matter for hearing on July 14 after advocate Subhash Chandran KR said diplomatic channels need to be explored at the earliest.

He submitted that payment of blood money to the family of the deceased permissible under Sharia law can be explored.

The family of the deceased may pardon the Kerala nurse if blood money is paid, he submitted.

The bench asked the counsel to serve the copy of the petition to the Attorney General and sought his assistance.

Nimisha Priya, 38, a nurse from Palakkad district of Kerala, was convicted of murdering her Yemeni business partner in 2017. 

She was sentenced to death in 2020, and her final appeal was rejected in 2023. She is currently imprisoned in a jail in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen.

The plea has been filed by an organisation "Save Nimisha Priya - International Action Council" which extends legal support to assist Nimishapriya.

The plea cited a media report that stated that the tentative date for execution of Nimishapriya has been fixed as July 16 by the Yemeni administration.

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News Network
July 9,2025

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Vadodara, July 9: A tragic bridge collapse on Tuesday morning over the Mahisagar river has claimed several lives, raising serious questions about the Gujarat government’s infrastructure oversight and preparedness.

The Gambhira bridge, linking Vadodara and Anand districts, suddenly gave way around 7 a.m., plunging vehicles into the river below. According to eyewitnesses, the bridge span crumbled without warning, sending two trucks, a pick-up van, a car, and multiple motorcycles into the water.

Narendra Mali, a local fisherman who witnessed the collapse, recounted the horrifying moment: “We heard a loud noise and looked up. Vehicles were falling like toys. We immediately rowed towards the scene to rescue people.” Despite rescue efforts by locals and disaster teams, most passengers couldn’t be saved.

Rescue operations led by police and disaster response teams are ongoing. Among the nine deceased, six have been identified so far. The identities of the remaining victims are yet to be confirmed.

A Disaster Long in the Making

Built in 1985, the Gambhira bridge was over four decades old and in a visibly dilapidated state. Locals had repeatedly warned that the bridge shook under the weight of vehicles, yet it remained open to traffic. A proposal for constructing a new bridge was already approved by the government following a recommendation by local BJP MLA Chaitanyasinh Zala, but no urgent steps were taken to close the old one.

The tragic incident has sparked outrage, with residents and opposition leaders asking why traffic was not stopped until the new structure was completed. “This was a preventable tragedy,” said a former municipal engineer who had inspected the area earlier this year.

Political Reactions and Compensation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow, calling the loss of lives “deeply saddening.” He announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of each deceased victim and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also expressed condolences and pledged Rs 4 lakh for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured, along with free medical treatment. “We stand with the families in this time of grief,” he said.

Vadodara Collector Anil Dhamelia confirmed that rescue remains the top priority. “We’re focused on saving lives and recovering vehicles. Traffic has been diverted,” he stated.

Opposition Slams ‘Gujarat Model’

The Opposition Congress Party has hit out at the state government, calling the incident a “symbol of infrastructure failure under the so-called Gujarat Model.” Senior Congress leader Amit Chavda said, “We raised this issue multiple times. The bridge was unsafe, but no action was taken. This negligence has cost lives.”

Congress alleged deep-rooted corruption in infrastructure planning and execution, claiming that many such aging bridges across Gujarat have been left unattended.

Voices from the Ground

For the locals near the Mahisagar, the collapse has left not just trauma but a bitter question: how many lives must be lost before crumbling infrastructure is taken seriously?

As rescue teams continue searching for survivors and victims, the state now faces tough scrutiny — and grieving families demand accountability.

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