PM Modi, COVID-19, FARMER PROTEST, FARM LAW, Kisan congress, Gail, Tamil Nadu,

5 January 2021

• Farmers' stir: Cong in arena after playing cheerleader

  After backing the farmers' stir from a distance, the Congress leaders are now holding special programmes in support of the agitation as the party's frontal organisations start to active participation.
  
  Navprabhat, the former minister in the erstwhile Congress government in Uttarakhand has been organizing agitations in Vikasnagar. He said, "This time the Modi government has done a blunder, and not only the farmers but small traders will also suffer because of the farm laws. This year there was low procurement of paddy. Where will the farmers go? The party has an opportunity to turn the agitation into a pan India stir."

• TN announces public holiday for Thaipoosam festival

  Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Tuesday declared government holiday on January 28 on account of Thaipoosam festival celebrated in the honour of Lord Murugan.
  
  In a statement issued here, Palaniswami said Thaipoosam is an important festival that is celebrated in Tamil Nadu and also in Kerala and foreign countries like Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Singapore and Malaysia. He said people had requested declaration of public holiday for Thaipoosam as it is being done in Sri Lanka and Mauritius.

• One country, one gas grid: Modi after inaugurating Kochi-Mangaluru gas pipeline

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the goal of the government was to have 'One country, One gas grid'. He was speaking after virtually inaugurating the GAIL pipeline project from Kochi to Mangaluru.
  
  He said the Centre was on a major initiative to connect all the gas grids across the country. Modi also said this was a historic moment for the nation and the states of Kerala and Karnataka in particular. He said the project became a reality due to the cooperation of the people and the state governments in Kerala and Karnataka.

• As govt-farmers talk fail, Kisan Congress threatens stir, NSUI starts cycle march

  As the seventh round of meeting of the farmer leaders with the government remained inconclusive on Monday, the Kisan Congress threatened of more aggressive agitation in the coming days while the National Students of India (NSUI) started a 'cycle yatra' in support of agitating farmers from Jaipur to Delhi.
  
  The government and the farmer leaders on Monday held talks at Vigyan Bhawan. The talks remained inconclusive and the next round of talks has been decided on January 8.

• Patna water body attracts winged visitors from far-off lands

  Hundreds of native and migratory birds are flocking the reservoir in Bihar capital Patna nowadays, making nature lovers and birdwatchers make a beeline to see the winged visitors that fly in from places as far as Siberia, Europe, and even Africa.
  
  The water body spread over 7 acres was opened to schoolchildren from January 4, enabling the ebullient youngsters to watch with interest rafts of Gedwall, Northern Shoveller, Lesser Whisling Duck, Comb Duck, Lalsar or Red-crested Pochard, Moorhen, Cormorant and Pintail Duck.