Rakesh Tikait vows to continue farmers' protest; says ask donation for hospital not temple

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leer Rakesh Tikait vowed to continue onging farmers' protests even as COVID cases surged at an unprecedented rate throughout India and said that y "were t going anywhere until ir demands were fullfilled". As farmers' protests entered fifth month, Rakesh Tikait claimed that re was relation between ir agitation and COVID and claimed that re were more people attending PM Modi's rally than participating in protests. farmer leer blamed Centre for short of oxygen & medicines and claimed that hospitals should be given priority over temples. Taking an apparent jibe at Ram Mir donation drive, Rakesh Tikait claimed that contributions should be asked in name of hosipals and t temples. 

Earlier, Rakesh Tikait h said that Centre would be held accountable if COVID cases crop up among farmers who have been protesting at borders of Delhi even as national capital goes under lockdown due to virus surge. Rakesh Tikait h asserted that COVID cant be sought as an excuse to put a hold on farmers' protest. Speaking with Republic Media Network, Rakesh Tikait h said, "Responsibility will be of government (if protesting farmers get infected). When COVID-19 cases are rising across country, who is responsible for it? Are farmers responsible for that too?"

Delhi records 350 COVID deaths in 24 hours

Delhi recorded 350 COVID-19 deaths and 22,933 cases with a positivity rate of 30.21 percent on Sunday, even as hospitals across city continued to send out SOS calls for oxygen supply. This is fourth day on trot that Delhi has recorded over 300 deaths due to coronavirus. It h reported 357 fatalities, highest so far since pandemic began a year ago, on Saturday, 348 on Friday and 306 on Thursday, according to government data.

city h recorded 24,103 cases on Saturday, 24,331 on Friday, 26,169 on Thursday, and 24,638 on Wednesday. positivity rate was 32.27 per cent on Saturday, 32.43 on Friday, 36.24 on Thursday -- highest so far -- 31.28 on Wednesday and 32.82 on Tuesday. capital has registered over 2.24 lakh cases and 2,455 deaths due to dely disease in last 10 days. With fresh cases reported Sunday, national capital's cumulative COVID-19 tally has climbed to 10,27,715 and death toll due to disease stands at 14,248, health bulletin said.