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THE LARGEST CIRCULATED ENGLISH DAILY IN SOUTH INDIA CHENNAI I MONDAY 1 I FEBRUARY 2021 WEATHER Max: 30OC CITY | 2 FINANCIAL CHRONICLE | 7 SPORT | 8 Min: 22sOC Nadda slams Cong govt in Nirmala Sitharaman to Shastri says PM’s words Rainfall: Nil Puducherry over graft present Union Budget today will boost team’s morale ASTROGUIDE Sarvari: Thai 19 deccanchronicle.com, facebook.com/deccannews, twitter.com/deccanchronicle, google.com/+deccanchronicle Vol. 16 No.307 Established 1938 | 8 PAGES| `3.00 Tithi: Chaturthi Star: Uthiram Rahukalam: 7.30 am to 9 am Country saddened by Sasikala starts journey with Yamagandam: 10.30 am to 12 noon PRAYERS AIADMK party flag on car Fajar: 5.22 am insult to tricolour: PM G. BABU JAYAKUMAR | Zohar: 12.27 pm DC A MESSAGE TO RULING PARTY Asar: 3.41 pm DC CORRESPONDENT CHENNAI, JAN. 31 Maghrib: 6.09 pm CHENNAI, JAN. 31 NDA GOVT FEARS Isha: 7.23 pm UP farmers pledge Sending across the mes- Breaking his silence on the sage that she is indeed in events that took place at TRUTH, ARRESTS charge of the AIADMK, the Red Fort just after the V.K. Sasikala sat on the CORONA Republic Day parade on support for protest SCRIBES: RAHUL front seat of the Toyota January 26, when unruly MUV used by the late J. elements hoisted a flag SANJAY KAW |DC “the movement has to be DC CORRESPONDENT Jayalalithaa as she rode C UNT other than the national tri- NEW DELHI, JAN. 31 continued with full NEW DELHI, JAN. 31: the distance in Bengaluru, colour at the iconic venue, strength.” from the Victoria Hospital CASES DEATHS Prime Minister Narendra With more farmers stream- Mahapanchayats held in The Congress on Sunday to a farmhouse in the out- Modi said on Sunday that ing in to the protest sites at Muzaffarnagar and Math- launched a scathing skirts, with the AIADMK (+11,006) (+106) the “country was saddened Delhi borders, Bharatiya ura earlier had resolved to attack on the arrest of a flag fluttering on the bon- by the insult to the tricolor Kisan Union (BKU) leader support the ongoing BKU- journalist who was cov- net on Sunday. 1,07,57,878 1,54,513 on January 26 in Delhi”. Rakesh Tikait said on led protest at the Ghazipur ering the farmer protest Acknowledging the Delivering his monthly Sunday that the farmers' border against the three at the Singhu border. cheerful welcome by sup- ‘Mann ki Baat’ address, Mr unions were ready for a new farm laws. In Punjab, “Those who fear truth porters, who showered covid19india.org Modi said, “The country respectable solution and Chief Minister Amarinder arrest honest journal- flower petals on the vehi- was saddened by the insult would never ever agree to Singh has called an all- ists,” party's former pres- cle and raised slogans in V.K. Sasikala, a close aide of former chief minister J. STATE GOVERNMENT BULLETINS to the tricolour on January anything under pressure. party meeting on Tuesday ident Rahul Gandhi her praise, Ms Sasikala, Jayalalithaa, arrives at a resort in Bengaluru after being 26 in Delhi. We have to Thousands of people con- to show unity with the pro- tweeted, tagging a video the former aid of Jayala- discharged from hospital on Sunday. She came in a car (+508) infuse the times to come verged for a 'mahapan- testers and evolve a con- purportedly showing lithaa, waved at them and with an AIADMK flag fluttering on the bonnet. 12,356 with new hope and novel- chayat' on Sunday in sensus on the way forward journalist Mandeep greeted with gloved hands TN: 8,38,340 ty. Last year, we displayed Baghpat in western Uttar on the three contentious Punia being held by the all those who were around would have no place in the with her open palms tak- exemplary patience and Pradesh, the third such farm laws. As the stream of police at the border even as she was escorted party anymore by remind- ing a sabatham (vow) even WORLD CONFIRMED CASES courage. This year too, we congregation in the region farmers heading for Del- protest site. to her temporary resi- ing everyone that she had as she was leaving to have to work hard to attain in as many days. BKU hi’s borders remained inc- Congress general secre- dence by a convoy of vehi- already been expelled fol- Bengaluru to start her jail our resolves. We have to leader Rajendra essant on the 67th day of tary Priyanka Gandhi- cles. lowing her going to jail. sentence four years ago, 10,33,50,614 take our country forward Chaudhary told the crowd, the massive agitation.■ P4 Vadra said journalists As an augury to what But going by the hype before resuming her new at a faster pace.” covering the farmers' might happen in Tamil Na and hoopla over her first political life that has the DEATHS This was the only direct, ern UP, had taken out a to be exemplary to the movement are being du politics, Ms Sasikala’s whiff of freedom after four potential to splinter the but brief, reference to the tractor rally as part of world. Today, India is arrested, cases are being nephew and the founder of years of incarceration, Ms AIADMK. events of that day in his their protests against the undertaking the world’s slapped on them and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Sasikala’s next long drive In the event of the pre- 22,33,799 speech, that otherwise three farm laws. The gov- biggest Covid vaccine pro- Internet is being shut Kazhagam T.T.V. Dhina to Chennai in a motor- sent honchos of the COUNTRIES, focused on India’s vaccine ernment had backed the gramme… We are (also) down in many places. karan explained in Benga cade, probably by Febr- AIADMK giving way to AREAS WITH programme, the Padma rationale behind the farm vaccinating our citizens “The BJP government luru the use of the AIA- uary 7, could attract more her to take over the reins CASES 219 honours for “unsung laws but their implementa- faster than anywhere in wants to trample upon DMK flag by saying that supporters and her entry of the party, as she would worldometers.info heroes”, innovation, self- tion has already been the world. In just 15 days, the voice of the farmers she was indeed the general into Chennai, too, could be expect them to do, the reliance and development. stayed by the Supreme India has vaccinated over but they have forgotten secretary of the AIADMK. marked by more dramatic party’s prospects in the It may be recalled that Court. 30 lakh corona warriors, that the more you sup- It was a clear warning to scenes. polls that are due in about GST hits all-time high of the events had taken place On India’s Covid vaccina- whereas an advanced press, the more voices all those leaders holding She might even drop in three months could be `1.19 lakh crore in January in Delhi shortly after noon tion drive, Mr Modi said: country such as America will rise against your the reins of the party as at the resting place of jeopardised in view of her when farmers, mostly from “Our vaccination pro- took 18 days to get the same atrocities,” Ms Vadra many of them had openly Jayalalithaa, on which unpopularity among the New Delhi: GST collections for Punjab, Haryana and west- gramme too is turning out done; Britain 36 days!” tweeted. said that Ms Sasikala she had slapped thrice common people. ■ P2 January touched an all-time high of about `1.20 lakh crore, the Finance Ministry said on Sunday. Its is 8 per cent higher than that in CHENNAI TEST the same month last year. “The Rajeev Ranjan takes gross GST revenue collected in January 2021 till pm on 31.01.2021 TNCA IN TALKS is `1,19,847 crore, of which CGST is `21,923 crore, SGST is `29,014 over as TN chief secy WITH BCCI ON crore, IGST is `60,288 crore and DC CORRESPONDENT Cess is `8,622 crore” the finance CHENNAI, JAN. 31 ministry said in a SPECTATOR ENTRY statement. Rajeev Ranjan, who was DC CORRESPONDENT secretary in the Union CHENNAI, JAN. 31 Dr Kafeel Khan named in list of ministry of fisheries, ani- mal husbandry and dairy In an effort to allow spec- Gorakhpur history-sheeters development, has taken tators for the second Test over as chief secretary of between India and Gorakhpur (UP): Dr Kafeel Khan Tamil Nadu on Sunday. England to be held at the and 80 others have been includ- The senior IAS officer M.A. Chidambaram Sta- ed in the list of history-sheeters who hails from Jharkh- on the chief secretary dium from February 13, in Gorakhpur district of Uttar and took the charge in grade and be eligible for the Tamil Nadu Cricket Pradesh and they will be on the Chennai from K. Shanm- pay and perquisites. Association (TNCA) has radar of police, officials said. ugam who retired on Mr Ranjan's tenure ends initiated talks with the The 81 people have been includ- Sunday. The former chief on September 30 and it officials of the Board of ed in the list on the instruction secretary, who was given would be up to the govern- Control for Cricket in of senior superintendent of a number of extensions, ment in place then to take India (BCCI). The open- police Jogendra Kumar, they has been retained as a call on extension as ing Test, starting on said. adviser to the Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu would be February 5, will be held government with one- going to the polls in April- behind closed doors. year tenure. He will stay May. TNCA officials are opti- COUNTER POINT mistic about letting fans in after the new guide- lines issued by the home ministry on Saturday. Modi to open Metro The Central govern- ment’s fresh Covid-19 guidelines permit extension on Feb. 14 crowds at fifty per cent capacity at sporting DC CORRESPONDENT Mr Modi’s visit assumes venues. CHENNAI, JAN. 31 greater significance as he A TNCA official said will be interacting with the ball is in the BCCI's Prime Minister Narendra Chief Minister Edappadi court. “There is not Modi will be visiting K. Palaniswami and his much time to make Chennai on February 14 deputy O Panneerselvam arrangements for the to inaugurate the during the events on the first Test. So we have Washermanpet-Wimco elections slated for April- asked BCCI to chalk out Nagar northern extension May. Besides, they would the modalities. We will of the Chennai Metro. He also be conversing on the get to know in a couple of will also be inaugurating likely impact V.K. days,” the official said. the Cauvery-Gundar Sasikala, the expelled gen- The last time Chennai inter-river link project. eral secretary of the rul- hosted a Test match was The Prime Minister is ing AIADMK party, may in December 2016 when also expected to unfurl have on Tamil Nadu poli- India beat England in a other state projects too. tics. high-scoring game. TN schools, colleges to open on Feb. 8 DC CORRESPONDENT can be open 24x7 from CHENNAI, JAN. 31 February 1; they had been Centre allows 100 p.c. restricted to hours until 10 Chief Minister Edappadi K. pm till now. International Palaniswami announced on capacity in theatres flight restrictions will Sunday that colleges in the remain in place save for state will reopen on New Delhi, Jan. 31: minister said, releasing a those permitted by the February 8 for both under- Cinema halls across the set of the standard operat- Indian government on air graduate and postgraduate country will be permitted to ing procedures (SOPs). bubble sharing basis with students. As per the new operate at 100 per cent “There is good news. In certain countries. standard operating proce- capacity from February 1 in February, people can watch Meanwhile, the state gov- dures, colleges, which have adherence to Covid-19 safe- and enjoy films in theatres ernment has permitted the been conducting classes for ty protocols, Union minis- as we are allowing full conduct of sporting events the final year students ter for information and occupancy in all cinema with half the stadium since the first week of broadcasting Prakash halls. Cinema halls can now capacity. Spectators could December 2020, will be Javadekar announced on open at 100 per cent capaci- still be kept out of at least thrown open to all students. Sunday. ty. We encourage as much the first India-England Test Students can avail hostel Digital booking of tickets online booking (of tickets) at Chepauk. It is learnt that facilities too as hostels will and staggered show timings as possible,” Javadekar told the BCCI wishes to keep the be allowed to open on cam- will be encouraged, the reporters here. Tests against England free puses. Classes 9 and 11 in of spectators in order to all schools will also reopen and 12 had already opened 19. ensure the cricketers' bio- on February 8. Classes 10 in the state from January Petrol bunks in the state bubble is not threatened. CITY DECCAN CHRONICLE | MONDAY | 1 FEBRUARY 2021 | CHENNAI pg 2

IN BRIEF AIADMK must not delay Hospital organises Nadda slams Cong govt health camp for alliance talks: Premalatha journos in Puducherry over graft A ARUL PALANI | DC tionaries in all the 234 con- Talking about Pattali Chennai, Jan 31: A private CHENNAI, JAN. 31 stituencies to oversee Makkal Katchi’s (PMK) hospital in Chennai organised a Puducherry, Jan. 31: MLA recently. “...for the cut to 30 per cent when and welcomed them into preparatory work. Booth- demand for internal reser- health camp for journalists in BJP president J P Nadda last 35 years under the Narayanasamy became a the Saffron party's fold, Without wasting time, the committee work is also vation for Vanniyars in the city. on Sunday asserted his Congress rule, 52 per cent Minister at the Centre, he expressing confidence AIADMK should immedi- going on in full swing. We jobs and education within Popular actor Vijay party would sweep the of the population in the claimed. that the 'lotus' was set to ately initiate talks on its will launch our campaign Most Backward Classes Sethupathy took part in the coming Puducherry UT is below the poverty Puducherry went into a bloom in Puducherry and alliance as the Assembly after the general commit- quota, she said “If people event organised by Soorya assembly elections and line,” Nadda claimed, debt trap while 76 per cent capture power. election is around the cor- tee meeting.” She said the from every caste demand Hospital on the occasion of 12th assured people of the adding corruption extend- of youth were unem- “Kamalam is going to ner, said Desiya Murpokku DMDK still remains in the reservation, you meetingof Tamil Nadu Media union territory a corrup- ed to admissions in col- ployed and employees grow, Kamalam is going to Dravida Kazhagam AIADMK-led front, which (reporters) should know and Journalists Welfare tion-free and develop- leges offering professional belonging to the coopera- blossom here in Puduch- (DMDK) treasurer, comprises the BJP, TMC, what will happen in socie- Association. More than 200 ment-oriented govern- courses as well. tive sector like Khadi erry... we will win 23 plus Premalatha Vijaykanth, PMK, DMDK and other ty.” journalists attended. ment. Addressing a grand first Cooperative Federation seats and will form a gov- here on Sunday. parties. “Captain works for the Dr. C.P. Sreekumar, Alleging that corruption election public meeting have not been paid salary ernment...,” the BJP Speaking to reporters A final decision on the welfare of all sections of MD, Sooriya Hospital, said, “We was rampant under the here, Nadda said the for over four years, he national chief said. after a party meeting here alliance would be taken at people cutting across caste strongly believe that service to Congress government led Congress government did claimed. “When we are talking on Sunday, Premalatha, the party’s executive and and communal barriers,” mankind is service to God, as a by Chief Minister V not conduct local body “When Narayanasamy about one nation, one wife of ‘Captain’ general council. ‘Captain’ she added. Premalatha had health partner we are here to Narayanasamy, he said the elections for a long time was a Central minister, he ration card, we find that Vijaykanth, founder of will take a decision on recently said that the party ensure good health of all the BJP would win 23 of the 30 and Central seats in col- waived Rs 5,000 crore loan the ration shops are closed DMDK, said the AIADMK, whether to face the polls as wants to contest 41 seats as journalists present here even seats in the union territo- leges were not allotted to of Jharkhand, but did not in Puducherry,” he added. a major ally in the alliance, an ally of the AIADMK, or it did during the 2011 during this pandemic. Oxygen ry assembly in the polls, Puducherry students “due waive the loan of While the Centre was for should soon begin poll to go it alone, based on the assembly polls, as part of saturation tests to monitor likely in the next few to corruption”. Puducherry,” Nadda said opening more industries alliance talks, and delay- party cadre’s opinion. the AIADMK alliance. The Covid presence is also months. While 70 per cent was the adding this was the type of to nurture growth, textile ing it will not be in any Asked if she would contest DMDK, however, came out prescribed to keep the media The BJP in the UT has grant in aid to 'justice' the present Chief mills and industrial way helpful for the parties. the poll, she said, “If from the alliance later. and journalists’ community received a shot in the arm Puducherry from the Minister did meted out to units in Puducherry were Premalatha said, “We are cadres and Captain desire During the last polls, the safe and healthy”. with former minister A Centre during former the UT. being closed down in view ready for the assembly that, my voice will defi- DMK spewed a number of Namasivayam joining the Prime Minister A B Senior leaders were leav- of 'mismanagement' and elections. We have appoint- nitely be heard in the false promises to get votes, Sasikala’s return party along with a former Vajpayee's tenure, it was ing the Congress, he said 'corruption.' —PTI ed zonal and district func- Legislative Assembly.” she added. would only put Gold paste in capsules recovered AIADMK in cleft stick Elderly man From P1 from passengers’ stomachs DC CORRESPONDENT requested in writing that action found murdered If the AIADMK leaders resist CHENNAI, JAN. 31 be taken under the Customs Act her taking charge, there is to recover the capsules with gold every possibility of many func- Customs officers at the Chennai paste. Accordingly, they were in bus stand tionaries within the party grav- Airport busted smuggling with a admitted to Stanley Government itating towards her, creating dif- new modus operandi in hospital to recover the capsules DC CORRESPONDENT ferences and rifts in the other- which they had swallowed under expert medical supervi- CHENNAI, JAN. 31 wise monolithic party, benefit- capsules of gold paste. The offi- sion. ing the rivals in the elections. cers seized 4.15 kg gold worth They were fed with a heavy Residents of Perungulathur on Saturday It looks like Ms Sasikala’s `2.17 crores. diet for eight days to facilitate night found the body of an unidentified return to Chennai would only Based on information, 8 pas- natural ejection of the capsules. man in the bus stand. It was found in a put the AIADMK in a cleft stick sengers - Ganakavalli (56) Customs officers said that each pool of blood when the police reached the for she had implicitly stated Nishanthi (30) Kala capsule was 1.1-1.7 cm in spot. The deceased was later identified by that she is not going into a sulk PeradeepKumar (53) and Jayaraj diameter and weighing in the the police as John Jayasingh (67), a resi- or hibernation or oblivion but (55) all from Tiruchirapalli, range of 15-24 grams. A total 161 dent of Padappai in Tambaram. He was continuing from where she left Jegatheesh (37) and Ghabar capsules weighing 2.88 kg and running a scrap shop in the neighbour- four years ago. Khan (52) of Pudukottai and valued at `1.28 crore was recov- hood, police sources said. It does not matter that she Mohammed Hikkam (25) and ered from the stomach of the 8 Sources said that John had reserved a would not be able to contest Thasleem Fathima (34) from passengers. bus ticket to Thoothukudi on Saturday elections for another six years. Ramanathapuram - who had Further, 8 bundles containing from Perungulathur bus stand. John’s For even during her heyday, she arrived from Dubai and Sharjah 61 capsules weighing 1.18 kg gold employee Kovil Raj is said to have was only calling the shots from by an Emirates flight and an Air and valued at `51.36 lakhs were dropped him at the bus stand on Saturday Cyclothon adds energy to fuel awareness campaign behind the screens as a confi- Arabia flight on January 22 were also recovered. In addition, 3 night. However, he went missing and his dante of Jayalalithaa and earn- intercepted at the exit by offi- gold chains, 8 gold bits, 8 gold body was found with injuries a few hours Chennai, Jan. 31: As part of mega events in a month-long fuel awareness rally, a ing the support of many party cers on suspicion they were car- rings, 2 bundles of gold paste later. ‘Saksham Cycle Day’ was organised at Manali. More than 500 people participated in the functionaries. The only ques- rying gold. totally valued at `30.64 lakhs Peerkankaranai police sent the body to 7.7 km long rally that started and ended at CPCL polytechnic college. Mr S.N. Pandey, tion, however, is if the AIADMK On questioning, they admitted were recovered from their Chromepet government hospital for post- MD, CPCL( Centre in the picture) inaugurated the rally. A message from Mr Dharmenda will be able to pull it up in the to concealing gold paste cap- handbags and trouser pockets. mortem. Police registered a case regard- Pradhan, Minister Petroleum & Natural gas read “The consumption of fossil fuels also elections as it used to then with- sules in their stomach which In all, 4.15 kg gold valued at ing the matter and have also launched a shows a steady growth and it is imperative that adequate emphasis is laid on switching `2.17 crore was seized under the out the charisma and magnet- they had swallowed before fly- search for Kovil Raj who is absconding. to a cleaner form of energy and subsequently work on measures to enhance energy ism of Jayalalithaa. ing. They also voluntarily Customs Act. Further investigations are underway. efficiency.” Actor Ganesh Venkatraman( Red T-shirt) also participated. —DC COFFEE-BREAK CALVIN AND HOBBES| Bill Watterson Your day today By Dr C.V.B. Subrahmanyam QUICK CROSSWORD Aries: Your selfish attitude could harm family. Communications will increase. A solution to a complex problem is likely. There will be some increase in income from extra effort. Taurus: Material things may dominate. Control your words to avoid negative influences. Reflection and prayer will THE WIZARD OF ID| Parker and Hartsd provide positive outcomes. Gemini: Consolidate and maximise professional and personal gains. Balance assertiveness with diplomacy. Networking and being proactive will help at work. Cancer: Don’t take on too many commitments. Discussing issues with your partner and objectively tackling problems will minimise complications later. Leo: Your intellect will lead to recognition. You may take up a self-improvement project. ARCHIE| Bill Henry Scarpelli & craig boldman Time management and innovative thinking will help you get through difficult tasks. Virgo: Tension and differences with relatives are possible. You will get noticed at work and this will result in better career options soon. A time for words and actions rather than contemplation. Across Down YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 1.Drink (8) 1. Accepting as true (9) Across: 1. Ironed, 3. You share your b’day with 6. Circle (4) 2. Stringed instrument (5) Brig, 7. Team, 8. Harry Styles is an English singer and 7. Rod user (6) 3. Absent (4) Kitten, 10. Blocked, 9. Delete (5) 4. Very academic person (7) 13. Congeal, 16. songwriter. He is one of the member of Sprint, 17. Agog, 18. the boy band named One Direction which 11. Bus station (5) 5. Small (3) Idea, 19. Letter. is one of the best selling bands of all times. 12. Chemically unreactive (5) 8. Strike back (9) 13. Perfect (5) 10. Misuser (anag) (7) Down: 1. Iota, 2. Libra: Focus on neglected areas of life. Take Orally, 4. Rota, 5. BLONDIE| Dean Young and John Marshall 16. Mental giant (6) 14. Heath plant (5) loved ones’ views into account. A change of Gentle, 6. Lineage, 9. mind is likely. Be careful in accepting new 18. Prima donna (4) 15. Continent (4) Account, 11. Muesli, 19. Make empty (8) 17. Unit of work, energy (3) 12. Caught, 14. True, responsibilities. 15. Agar. Scorpio: Be proactive about your ideas and market them well. Romantic relationships could be stressed. You can get through a Word Mine jumble testing time if you adjust. Sagittarius: Work could keep you busy. Romantic relationships may be tense. High C energy levels and self-confidence will help you deal with difficult associates and assignments. T O N Capricorn: Spend some time by yourself to regain peace. An excellent time to restructure ANDY CAPP | Reg Smythe finances. Create harmony with the outside B T M A A world. Emotions are intense at work and at TODAY’S RATINGS: 7 AVERAGE; 8 GOOD; home. 10 OUTSTANDING How many words of four or Aquarius: Team work will produce desired more letters can you make from results. Negotiations could get derailed if you the letters shown in today’s puzzle? In making a word, each are uncompromising. People may need tangible letter may be used once only. information to foresee end results. Each word must contain the letter at the top of the pyramid. Pisces: You might find it difficult to focus. Ideas There should be at least one may need to be fine-tuned before sharing with nine letter word. Plurals, foreign words and proper names are

others. Don’t discard impulses or creative ideas. not allowed.

octant, taco, tact taco, octant, Unexpected expenses are possible. You may get COMBATANT,

time to socialise. combat, comb, coma, coat, cant, bacon, ANSWERS: TARZAN| Edgar Rice Burroughs om Stoppard, in his queen? the king, heart to the queen, take another heart finesse bridge play "Artist Descending North made a negative spade to the ace, club ace, and, if trumps are 3-2, draw Ta Staircase," wrote, double, which promised club queen overtaken by the trumps. Then he would be PHILLIP "Skill without imagination is four hearts, length in the king, and club jack, discard- able to drive out the dia- ALDER craftsmanship and gives us unbid major. If he had fewer ing the spade four from the mond ace and claim an many useful objects, such than 10 high-card points, he board. Declarer ruffs his overtrick. Here, though, as wickerwork picnic bas- might have had five or six last spade and plays anoth- West produces the heart IT TAKES kets. Imagination without hearts. Note that North did er trump. He loses only two queen out of his wickerwork skill gives us modern art." well to look for a 4-4 heart hearts and one diamond. picnic basket. Then he cash- IMAGINATION Imagination with skill fit and not plunge straight A sneaky West, though, es the spade 10 and dia- gives us bridge magicians. into three no-trump, a con- wins the first round of mond ace for down one. TO FIND A See if you can spot an imag- tract that would have gone trumps with his ace, not the inative piece of sorcery in down two. queen! Then, when South FALSECARD today's deal. What happens If we have an unimagina- wins the next trick with Copyright United in the four-heart contract tive player sitting West, the dummy's spade ace, he may Feature Syndicate after West leads the spade play goes like this: spade to think that he can afford to (Asia Features) STATE DECCAN CHRONICLE | MONDAY | 1 FEBRUARY 2021 | CHENNAI pg 3

■ OTHER STORY Seeks verifiable, independent Pondy logs 21 new Vaccine hesitancy: Govt to functioning of software, hardware cases, 1 death takes toll to 648 rope in private hospitals Puducherry, Jan 31: T. SUDHEESH | DC we have already roped in a the process of alleviating dent, TN Health Call to re-design Puducherry reported 21 new CHENNAI, JAN. 31 few private hospitals. With hesitancy among people, Development Association, coronavirus cases while a more private hospitals data is paramount. Hence, demanded an effective vac- 78-year old patient succumbed At a time when the Covid19 joining the drive, there will private hospitals can help cination strategy to to the infection pushing vaccination drive has definitely be improvement. the government get rid of improve the situation. the toll to 648, a top crossed the one lakh mark The directorate of public the ‘hesitancy challenge’ it First of all, experts who Health department official in the state, the health (DPH) has already faces today,” he said. are holding key positions electronic voting said on Sunday. The 21 fresh government has decided to decided to increase the Dr Raja, who is one in scientific institutions cases were identified at the rope in more private hospi- number of vaccination among the early receivers should come forward vol- A ARUL PALANI | DC EVMs may possibly be tam- done if the audits reveal a end of the examination of tals to step up the work. centres. We are also seek- of the vaccine in the state, untarily to take the vac- CHENNAI, JAN. 31 pered. problem. Such legislation 2,352 samples, Director of Health secretary J ing support from organisa- also pointed out that it was cine. It will build a lot of There must be a post-elec- should ideally be based on Health and Family Welfare Radhakrishnan told DC tions like the Indian time that politicians and trust among common peo- Stating that EVMs cannot tion audit of the EVM well established statistical services S Mohan said in a that the deputy director of Medical Association celebrities came forward to ple. Now, many are hesi- be assumed to be tamper- counts against manual procedures, and not on sub- release. health was directed to pro- (IMA), to build confidence take vaccines, which in tant and the government is proof, the Citizens’ counting of the VVPAT jective decisions of a few The overall tally of COVID-19 vide assent to all private among people,” he said. turn would build public unwilling to make all trial Commission on Elections slips. In fact, it may be suffi- officials. in the union territory hospitals having manpow- Dr C.N. Raja, president, confidence. “We are seeing details public. This has (CCE) urged the Election cient to tamper only a few The voting system design rose to 39,068, he added. Of the er of at least 150 staff mem- IMA, Tamil Nadu state a lot of mis-information on triggered the spread of Commission of India (ECI) EVMs to swing an election if should be subjected to inde- new infections, the bers, to start the vaccina- branch, hailed the decision social media and rumours,” he said. to redesign the electronic a contest is close. Thus, in pendent (of the government Puducherry region reported tion sessions. of the government to get newspapers. The govern- The state has planned to voting system (EVS), where practice, it may be neces- and ECI) review, and the 17, followed by Mahe (3) and “Yes, we lagged behind, private hospitals involved ment should step in to deal vaccinate 16 million people the software and hardware sary to test more EVMs than integrity of the election Karaikal (1) while Yanam did mainly because six back- in the process. “Private with fake news with an by this year with nearly 0.6 has independency in func- even what the civil society process should be subjected not report any fresh case, the to-back public holidays hospitals have manpower effective awareness cam- million health workers to tioning, in order to be verifi- and political parties may to independent audit. The Health department Director came to the state, stalling and resources to effectively paign,” he said. be vaccinated in the first able or auditable. demand (30 percent and 50 findings should be made said. —PTI the vaccination drive. Now, collect and analyse data. In Dr Rex Sargunam, presi- phase. This does not imply that percent respectively), to ver- public. In particular, all the software or hardware ify and ascertain the results. design details should be cannot be used, but the cor- The VVPAT system should transparent and publicly rectness of the election out- be re-designed to be fully available. come cannot be entirely voter-verified. The voter Pre-determined and Depressed, dependent on their working should be able to approve pre-set test patterns are correctly. Pre-determined the VVPAT printout before known to be inadequate for and pre-set test patterns are the vote is finally cast, and verification of the man ends life known to be inadequate for be able to cancel it if there is integrity of an EVM. The DC CORRESPONDENT verification of the integrity an error. present EVM system is not CHENNAI, JAN. 31 of an EVM. The present The integrity of VVPAT verifiable and therefore is EVM system is not verifi- slips and EVMs during the unfit for democratic elec- A 24-year-old newly mar- able, and is therefore unfit time after polling and before tions. To ensure independ- ried man ended his life in for democratic elections. To counting and auditing must ence between software and Chengalpet’s Olalur. He ensure independence be ensured in a manner that hardware, end-to-end verifi- was reportedly depressed between software and hard- is verifiable by all (and espe- able systems with provable after learning about his ware, end-to-end verifiable cially the candidates). There guarantees of correctness wife’s previous marriage systems with provable guar- should be no trust require- must be introduced, and the on Saturday night. The antees of correctness must ment on the custody chain. ECI must declare its pub- deceased has been identi- be introduced, and the ECI There must be a stringent licly-verifiable guarantees fied as P. Yuvaraj (24), a must declare its publicly- audit of the electronic vote against spurious vote injec- resident of Olalur who verifiable guarantees count before the results are tions. was working in a private against spurious vote injec- declared. The audit should The CCE, which is headed company in the district. tions. not be based on ad hoc meth- by former Supreme Court According to the police, The CCE said that if the ods, but by counting a statis- Judge Justice Madan Lokur, Yuvaraj was married to correctness of an EVM can- tically significant sample of comprises former Judge, Sangeetha (30), head con- not be established, then it is the VVPAT slips, according Madras High court, Justice stable at Chengalpet All practically impossible to to rigorous and well estab- Hari Paranthaman, Prof. Women Police station four state whether an EVM can lished statistical audit tech- Arun Kumar, months back. Meanwhile, be hacked or not. For rea- niques. The audit may in economist, Dr John Dayal, a few days ago, Yuvaraj sons that an EVM has not some cases - depending on Civil Society activist, learnt about Sangeetha’s yet been found to have been the margin of victory - Dr Subhashis Banerjee, first marriage and her hacked, provides no guaran- require a full manual count- Professor, Computer eight-year-old daughter. tee that it cannot be hacked. ing of VVPAT slips. Science, IIT, Delhi, This caused frequent Thus, elections must be con- Legislation must be enact- computer experts and other quarrels between the cou- ducted assuming that the ed to decide what is to be activists. ple. Upset over this, Yuvaraj left Sangeetha to live with his relatives in the city. On Saturday night while TN Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami greets a child after giving him polio drops in Madurai airport on Sunday. —DC he was alone at home, he It’s official: Theatres allowed allegedly consumed poi- son. He was rushed to Chengalpet government hospital, where he passed 100 per cent occupancy in TN Now, UTS mobile app for Chennai commuters away in the early hours of A ARUL PALANI | DC Beach – Velachery (MRTS). through IRCTC website Commuters will receive five Sunday. Chennai, Jan. 31: In an offi- function without any Palaniswami said and CHENNAI, JAN. 31 In view of the pandemic, (www.irctc.co.in) as well as percent cash bonus while Based on the complaint cial release on fresh relax- restriction. appealed to people to fol- mobile ticketing facility will in station ticket counters. recharging on UTS App from the family of the ations from curbs, initiat- As regards religious, low social distancing, wear For the benefit of suburban be available round-the-clock, Exclusive counters for and for every Rs 100 R-wallet deceased, Chengalpet ed to help prevent the political, social, cultural, masks and wash hands passengers, booking of unre- except between 6:30 am and Mobile App recharge recharge. Tickets can Town police registered a spread of Covid-19, TN CM entertainment and educa- with soap and water. served tickets through 9:30 am, and 4 pm and 7 pm. will be opened at suburban be booked up to Rs 105. As for case. Police have also Palaniswami said 100 per tional events, 50 per cent The Tamil Nadu govern- ‘mobile unreserved ticketing For now, season tickets and counters at Dr MGR the geo-fencing aspect, recovered a suicide note cent occupancy shall be capacity or a maximum of ment had on January 8 system’ (UTS – on - Mobile platform tickets will not be Chennai Central, Chennai tickets can be booked written by Yuvaraj accus- allowed in all types of 600 people would be cancelled its order permit- Application) will be resumed issued through the App. The Egmore, Chennai Beach, through UTS Application ing Sangeetha of his movie theatres including allowed in indoor auditori- ting 100 per cent occupan- and enabled in Chennai from journey should commence Mambalam, Tambaram, in the range of five-kms to death. Investigations are single screens and multi- ums from February 1, he cy in cinema theatres cit- Monday. within one hour of ticket Perambur, Avadi, 30 metres radius of suburban underway. plexes from Feb 1. said. ing an advisory from the A Southern Railway release booking through the mobile Tiruvottiyur and at Chennai railway stations. Within 30 Meanwhile, the relatives Swimming pools, exhibi- For events in open Centre and a petition in stated that tickets for App. Park Town and Velachery metres closer limit to railway of the deceased staged a tion halls, grievance grounds too, the present the Madras High Court for suburban trains can be UTS Mobile App can be (MRTS), during non-peak stations, UTS App bookings protest outside the redressal day events in dis- norm of a maximum 50 revoking its decision. booked through UTS Mobile downloaded from Google hours based on requirement. will not be possible. Chengalpet government tricts, a ritual of per cent capacity shall con- The government had on app only in suburban sec- play store and Apple store. For the time being, the Chennai suburban com- hospital refusing to accept 'Theerthamaduthal' in the tinue. January 4 permitted full tions of Chennai suburban The UTS on Mobile provides facility of UTS on Mobile muters are requested to use the body after post- temple town of Guidelines and Standard capacity in cinemas ahead terminus – Tiruvallur, multiple e-payment options App will be available only in the App for ease of booking mortem. They later left Rameswaram are all Operating Procedures of the release of actor Royapuram – Gummidipoo- for topping up of ‘Rail Wallet’ Chennai suburban areas for unreserved tickets, thus obvi- with the body after police allowed and petrol stations issued by the government Vijay starrer 'Master' on ndi, Chennai Beach – (R-Wallet). Recharge of R- booking tickets in suburban ating the need for queuing up assured immediate action that were allowed to oper- for preventing the spread January 13 on the eve of Chengalpattu and Chennai Wallet can be done online train services. at ticket counters. against the woman. ate only till 10 pm could of COVID-19 would apply, 'Pongal' festival. —PTI High Court reprieves PIL to lay roads only after removing existing road layer DC CORRESPONDENT prising Chief Justice tures, which were elevat- the roads gain height being laid over and over much hindrance to the CHENNAI, JAN. 31 Sanjib Banerjee and ed from the road mar- while the buildings go again, he added. public at large. Senthilkumar Ramam- gins, have gone down. down much below road He said the officials The petitioner made a cop charged with rape A Public Interest Litiga- oorthy, before whom the These buildings include level. were well aware that the representation dated tion has been filed in the PIL filed by Dr.S.R.Sara- heritage structures, reli- Even in some places indiscriminate laying of Aug. 31, 2020 to the J.STALIN I DC not have been truthful. However, mere- High court to restrain vanan of Neelangarai gious institutions, gov- where officials or con- roads without milling or authorities to desist CHENNAI, JAN. 31 ly because he may have promised to the authorities from lay- came up for hearing, ernment offices, high tractors seem to scrape scraping the existing from laying roads on marry the minor girl or the discipli- ing roads on highways, ordered notice to the court buildings, etc. In existing roads but it was road margins leads to highways, streets, lanes A policeman, who suffered punish- nary authority may have been con- streets, lanes or topping Union and State govern- the normal course of not done in an effective the buildings going or lay any toppings on ment of compulsory retirement for vinced on the state of the evidence any public movement ments and adjourned laying the roads on high- manner and the level of down and the roads public movement areas allegedly promising to marry a minor that he may have or was likely to have area without removing / further hearing of the ways arterial road and the roads is raised by a going up, resulting in without removing the girl and taking her from her house sev- proposed marriage to the minor girl or scraping the existing case by four weeks. streets, a layer of bitu- minimum of five inches. inundation during rainy existing layer of the eral times and molesting her modesty promised to marry her would not layer of the road. The According to petition- men mixed with blue He was given to under- season inside the build- road and ensure that the and committing rape on her and then entail that a charge of outraging the plea calls for a direction er, over the years, the metal was laid and stand that the officials ing premises, flooding roads were laid in the married another woman, got reprieve modesty of the minor girl or of to the authorities to en- roads were being laid pressed with a road involved in sanctioning residential houses and existing level within the from the Madras high court. molesting her or committing rape sure that roads are laid above the existing layer roller without scraping the road laying works other properties and state of Tamil Nadu. But The court remanded the matter back would stand established, the bench within existing levels in of roads leading to a sit- and milling the existing and tenders do not input blocking the storm there was no response to the authorities for considering a added. TN. uation where the build- road level. Due to this scientific analysis; water drains and sewage till today and hence he much lesser punishment which should The bench said since the first charge, The First Bench com- ings and superstruc- indiscriminate practice, instead the roads were drains. This causes filed the PIL. not amount to dismissal from service worded as it was and in a sense loaded, or compulsory retirement, as there both parts had to be affirmatively was no material to come to a finding established for the harsh punishment that the delinquent had outraged the of compulsory retirement from serv- Pulse polio drive modesty of the minor girl or molested ice. The failure to live up to a promise her or committed rape on her. to marry cannot be equated with the in Thanjavur The First Bench comprising Chief commission of rape. Howzat! Here’s Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice What was evident from the apprecia- G SRINIVASAN | DC Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy set aside tion of the evidence by the discipli- THANJAVUR, JAN. 31 an order of a single judge which nary authority was that the intimacy upheld the orders of the authorities between the two was established but Polio drops were compulsorily retiring the policeman. there was not a shred of evidence administered to Disposing of the policeman’s appeal, alluded to, to indicate that any physi- children below five cricket fiction the bench said the first charge levelled cal violence was resorted to. In such years of age across the was in two parts - the delinquent had circumstances, it was only the first district on Sunday R. MOHAN I DC Indian coaching in through but the promised to marry the minor girl and part of the first charge that can, at under the pulse CHENNAI, JAN. 31 Pakistan, of course, author’s feelings must had taken the minor girl from her best, be found to have been estab- polio mass immunisation and what an anti- be respected as he sees house “and molested her modesty and lished; certainly, not the second and programme. Sunil Gupta’s ‘Final establishment story it so many commonali- committed rape…”. the more grievous part, the bench Inaugurating the Innings’ (Notion would be, and why, but ties in life here and The bench said what weighed with added. drive at the Rajah Press) is “a voyage as I write it became a there. He explores it the disciplinary authority was that Considering the extent of the Mirasudhar government deep into the dark, mirror for the fraught with his fictional hero, several witnesses had said the delin- charges that was proved, the punish- hospital here, Collector choppy and uncharted times we face in the Ramdas Upeti, who is quent was found to be intimate with ment appears to be shocking. “As a M. Govinda Rao said that waters. It is not about subcontinent today, called upon to rouse the minor girl and was found in the consequence, the judgment and order nearly two lakh children the T-20 leagues, nor the result of contin- humans “to strive company of the minor girl several impugned dated September 18, 2020 is are expected to be about corruption and ued failures of the for cooperation, times. The witnesses also claimed that set aside as it does not address the real immunised. The drops match-fixing. It is a past 870+ years across harmony, collective he had promised to marry her. issues and fails to take into account were administered in thought provoking the board, both in responsibility and the It was possible, in such circum- relevant considerations. The findings 1,510 centres set up in and deeply moving India and Pakistan.” ability to lift ourselves stances, considering the nature of the in the disciplinary order of June 30, both urban and rural human story which Considering cricket and our world above intimacy as brought out by the wit- 2005 are accepted to the extent that the areas. A total of 6,040 gov- happens to be set in has not been able to petty politics and nesses, for the adjudicating authority charge of promise to marry was estab- ernment personnel and the world of cricket.” mend relations with needless controversies to hold, on a balance of probabilities, lished and the delinquent did not members of self-help The author explains Pakistan, a book of and disagreements that the delinquent’s denial of his deliver on such promise,” the bench group organisations took – “The basic underpin- cricket fiction is not which so beset us promise to marry the minor girl may added. part in the exercise. ning was about an likely to make a break- daily.” NATION pg DECCAN CHRONICLE | CHENNAI | MONDAY | 1 FEBRUARY 2021 4

SHORT TAKES INDIA’S COVID MP COP TOUCHES Don’t want govt to bow down: Tikait TALLY RISES BY BJP LEADER’S 13,052; FATALITY Naresh Tikait says government must prepare an environment conducive for talks RATE 1.44 P.C. FEET, STIRS ROW From Page 1 RABINDRA NATH SISODIA SLAMS New Delhi, Jan. 31: CHOUDHURY | DC Mr Tikait said the With 13,052 new coron- BHOPAL, JAN. 31 Republic Day violence was avirus cases, India’s “part of a conspiracy” and BJP FOR FAKING Covid-19 tally has A police inspector in Ujjain in the government should nab climbed to 1,07,46,183, Madhya Pradesh stirred a row all those behind it. “The KEJRIWAL VIDEO while the number of when he touched the feet of violence on January 26 was people who have recu- state BJP president V.D. part of a conspiracy. The DC CORRESPONDENT perated from the disease Sharma late on Saturday Tricolor is over and above NEW DELHI, JAN. 31 has surged to 1,04,23,125, evening. everything. We will never according to the Union A video showing let anyone disrespect it. It Delhi deputy chief minis- Health Ministry data Madhavnagar police station will not be tolerated.” ter Manish Sisodia on updated on Sunday. in-charge Dinesh Prajapati Mr Tikait, who is camp- Sunday lashed out at The national recovery touching Sharma’s feet as the ing at Ghazipur border and Bharatiya Janata Party rate has climbed to 96.99 latter landed in Ujjain by a bus has now become face of the (BJP) and said that the per cent. on Saturday evening to attend agitation, also urged the viral video of Chief The death toll a party meeting in the city, government to release Minister Arvind Kejriwal increased to 1,54,274 went viral on Sunday. farmers who were arrested promoting farm laws is with 127 new fatalities, The video showed Sharma in connection with the doctored. the data updated at 8 am patting the cop on his shoulder tractor rally. “The govern- While addressing a press showed. after being received by the lat- ment should release our conference, Sisodia said, The number of people ter in Ujjain. Later, the police men and prepare an envi- “Yesterday the BJP and its who have recuperated inspector was seen touching ronment conducive for spokesperson posted a from the disease surged Sharma’s feet, in the video. talks. We will honor and doctored video of Arvind to 1,04,23,125. The Covid- The cop later conceded that it respect the dignity of the Kejriwal ji stating benefits 19 case fatality rate was not proper on his part to Prime Minister. Farmers of farm laws. I was furious stands at 1.44 per cent. touch feet of the BJP leader don't want that the govern- over it, but also felt sad for The total Covid-19 when he was in uniform. ment or Parliament to bow BJP that it had to post a active cases remained “But, there is a human being down before them…But we distorted video clip of below 2 lakh for the 12th behind the uniform. I touched will also ensure that the Arvind ji to establish the consecutive day. his (Sharma’s) feet since he self-respect of farmers is credibility of the laws.” There are 1,68,784 was my senior in our college protected. A middle way Sisodia further targeted active cases of coron- days. We also have family rela- should be found. Talks the Centre and said that it avirus infections in the tions”, he explained before the should be held.” has lost its credibility. country which compris- reports while trying to justify After the mahapanchay- “Today, not only BJP, but es 1.57 per cent of the his actions. at in Baraut in UP's Farmers hold a tricolor to protest against the new farm laws at Ghazipur in New Delhi on Sunday. — PTI Prime Minister Narendra total caseload, the data Incidentally, a circular has Baghpat district, two more Modi has also lost credibil- stated. been issued by the inspector mahapanchayat's are being ity. BJP understands this The 127 new fatalities general of police of a region in planned in UP's Bijnor and very well, that is why they include 42 from Madhya Pradesh asking the Haryana's Jind districts to posted a doctored video of Maharashtra, 18 from police to do away with the mobilise support for Scribes held: Media Cops issue notice to Arvind Kejriwal ji,” he Kerala, 9 each from practice of touching feet of protesting farmers'. While added. Chhattisgarh and West seniors while receiving them. the Bijnor mahapanchayat In a tweet in Hindi, the Bengal, 8 each from Congress has taken a jibe at has been scheduled for national spokesperson of Delhi and Punjab. ruling BJP over the incident. Monday, the one at Jind bodies flay action more farmer leaders BJP Sambit Patra on A total of 1,54,274 will be held on Wednesday. Saturday shared a video of deaths have been report- Prominent Gurjar leader of New Delhi, Jan. 31: Indian Women’s Press New Delhi, Jan. 31: The many people are not resi- Arvind Kejriwal and said, ed so far in the country MAOIST LEADER western UP Madan Media bodies on Sunday Corps, Press Club of India Delhi Police has sent over dents of Delhi and letters “Sir ji (Arvind Kejriwal) including 51,042 from Bhaiyya has also extended condemned the police and the Press Association 50 fresh notices to people, are being to their address- counts the benefits of Maharashtra followed GUNNED DOWN his community's support to action against two jour- demanded Punia’s imme- including farmer leaders, es, police said. farms laws. See video.” by 12,350 from Tamil farmers'. nalists who were picked diate release and said no in connection with the Teams of Delhi Police Farmers have been prot- Nadu, 12,213 from IN ODISHA Chaudhary Surendra up during the farmers’ journalist should be dis- violence that broke out are carrying out investiga- esting at different borders Karnataka, 10,849 from Singh of the Desh Khap protests at Delhi’s Singhu turbed while carrying out during the tractor parade tions at several locations of the national capital Delhi, 10,164 from West AKSHAYA KUMAR and Chaudhary Subhash border for allegedly mis- their duties at any place. on Republic Day, officials outside the national capi- since November 26, 2020, Bengal, 8,650 from Uttar SAHOO | DC Singh of the Chaubisi behaving with police per- “Such crackdowns impi- said on Sunday. tal, including Punjab and against the farm laws: Pradesh and, 7,153 from BHUBANESWAR, JAN. 31 Khap are among key sonnel. nge on the media’s right to The Delhi Police had ear- Haryana, to apprehend Farmers’ Produce Trade Andhra Pradesh, as per regional farmer leaders They said such crack- report freely and inter- lier issued notices against the people who were and Commerce (Promo- the ministry data. A Maoist leader was on attending Sunday's 'sarv downs impinge on the feres with our right to fre- 44 people. involved in the violence. tion and Facilitation) Act, The health ministry Saturday night killed during khap mahapanchayat', media’s right to report edom of expression, and The police have identi- They are also looking for 2020, the Farmers (Empo- stressed that more than an encounter with a combined where supporters of Ajit freely and interferes with freedom of the press as fied several people and those who hoisted flags at werment and Protection) 70 per cent of the deaths team of Special Operations Singh-led Rashtriya Lok its right to freedom of guaranteed by the Constit- sent notices to them, a sen- the Red Fort, they said. Agreement on Price occurred due to comor- Group (SOG) and District Dal (RLD) were also pres- expression. Freelance ution of India,” the bodies ior police officer said, Teams from the Forensic Assurance and Farm bidities. Voluntary Force (DVF) in a for- ent. “Beshak Dilli mein journalist Mandeep Punia said in a joint statement. adding that the process Science Laboratory also Services Act, 2020, and the “Our figures are being est near Nunkhari in Odisha’s police walon ne kisano ko and Dharmender Singh They said Punia has will continue further. visited Ghazipur, Red Fort Essential Commodities reconciled with the Kandhamal district, reports dande maare hon, par hum (with Online News India) been reporting on the far- According to the police, and ITO to collect evi- (Amendment) Act, 2020. Indian Council of said on Sunday. aaj bhi bolte hain 'Jai were detained by Delhi mers’ agitation right from some tractors, used dur- dences. Medical Research," the The Malkangiri district poli- Jawan Jai Kisan''(No doubt Police last evening for the beginning and his arr- ing the violence, have also They have recovered a ● NOT ONLY BJP, but the ministry said on its web- ce sources said the security fo- policemen hit farmers allegedly misbehaving est “is part of the govern- been identified and lot of evidences, including PM has also lost credibili- site, adding that state- rces reportedly received “con- with batons in Delhi, but with personnel on duty. ment crackdown on jour- notices are being sent a big rope with knots, that ty. BJP understands this wise distribution of fig- crete inputs” about the pres- we are nevertheless saying: While Singh was later nalists to prevent them fr- their owners. was used to climb on Red very well, that is why they ures is subject to further ence of the Maoists’ presence hail soldiers, hail farm- released, the police arrest- om doing their job indepe- The process of issuing Fort, police said. posted a doctored video of verification and recon- and their camp in Nunkhari ers),” a local leader said. ed Punia on Sunday. The ndently and freely.” — PTI notices is taking time as — PTI ciliation. — PTI forest and consequently Kejriwal, Sisodia said. launched an operation. Soon after the combined forces raided the camp, the rebels opened fire at them. The security personnel imme- PM to launch 3 projects in WB Fish from farms diately retaliated. The gun bat- tle continued for around three RAJIB CHOWDHURI DC All eyes will be on hours. Unable to face the KOLKATA, JAN. 31 Dibyendu’s attendance at undiscriminating fire of the the event where Modi will not safe: Report joint forces, the Maoists fled Prime Minister Narendra flag off Dobhi-Durgapur the area and slipped into Modi, on his second visit Pipeline Project, a 347-km Patna, Jan. 31: harm to the fish popula- the wilds. to poll-bound West Bengal long section of Consumers of fish and tion as well as humans”, The security personnel Dr Kafeel Khan within a span of two Jagdishpur-Haldia and shrimps across the coun- Verda Mehrotra, execu- recovered the body of the slain weeks, will inaugurate Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline try could be staring at a tive director of FIAPO, extremist near the camp. The three big ticket central constructed by GAIL at an health hazard on account said in a release. deceased Maoist, believed to DR KAFEEL KHAN industrial projects estimated cost of `2,433 of appalling standards of She said in Bihar, the be a senior rank leader, was totalling `4,552 crore at crore. hygiene and reckless use investigation was carried yet to be identified. Haldia in East Midnapore It will revive HURL of chemicals at farms out in the districts of East Sources said that the rebels IN GORAKHPUR next week in what appears Sindri in Jharkhand, sup- Union minister Smriti Irani addresses a public rally at where these are reared, Champaran, Muzaffar- had set up a camp in the forest to be a curtain raiser of ply gas to Matix Fertiliser Domurjala Stadium in Howrah district on Sunday. — PTI says a study. pur, Begusarai and Patna and planned to unleash fresh HISTORY SHEET his campaign to bringhten Plant at Durgapur as Jointly conducted by the covering 20 fish farms. violence in the nearby areas. the BJP’s prospect in the anchor customers, in addi- Federation of Indian 100 per cent of the fish Gorakhpur (UP), Jan. ensuing Assembly elec- tion to supplying gas to Animal Protection farms had toxic levels of 31: Dr Kafeel Khan and tion. industrial, commercial TMC looted rations Organisation (FIAPO) lead and cadmium, scor- NADDA SLAMS 80 others have been What has, however, irked and automobile sectors and the All Creatures ing extremely poor on the included in the list of the ruling Trinamul Con- and city gas distribution Great and Small (ACGS), public health hazard CONG OVER GRAFT history-sheeters in gress, is Union petroleum across all major towns in the study is based upon scale (0.25/1). Gorakhpur district of minister Dharmendra these states, including given by PM: Irani investigation of 250 farms Additionally, cent per IN PUDUCHERRY Uttar Pradesh and they Pradhan’s invitation to its cities of Hazaribagh, across 10 of the highest cent of fish farms had no will be on the radar of MP of Tamluk Dibyendu Bokaro, Dhanbad, Dumurjala (WB), Jan. sion near the Israeli Emb- fish-producing states. outlets, which implied di- Puducherry, Jan. 31: BJP police, officials said. Adhikari to Modi’s event Jamshedpur, Purulia, 31: Accusing the ruling assy on Friday. He addre- States like Bihar, rty water being re-circu- president J.P. Nadda on The 81 people have on February 7. Asansol and Durgapur. Trinamul Congress in ssed the rally through Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh lated posing a grave thre- Sunday asserted his party been included in the list While Haldia is located The Prime Minister will West Bengal of indulging video-conferencing. and Assam were surveyed at to fish and human hea- would sweep the coming on the instruction of in Tamluk Lok Sabha con- also launch LPG Import in corruption, Union min- Maintaining that the PM for freshwater fish while lth. Several farmers ad- Puducherry Assembly elec- senior superintendent of stituency, senior TMC Terminal, built by Bharat ister Smriti Irani said had said that each guest Andhra Pradesh, West mitted massive losses due tions and assured people of police Jogendra Kumar, leaders have started read- Petroleum Corporation here on Sunday that while worker returning home Bengal, Odisha, Tamil to prevalent diseases and the Union Territory a corrup- they said. ing a hidden and clear Limited at an investment Prime Minister Narendra during the Covid-19 lock- Nadu, Gujarat and massive floods every year. tion-free and development-ori- The district now has a message in the invitation of `1,100 crore. Modi provided foodgrains down be given at least 100 Puducherry were covered All the fish farms lacked ented government. total of 1,543 history- to the young MP who has It will meet the LPG for 80 crore people of the days of employment und- for both fresh water and basic maintenance and Alleging that corruption was sheeters, or persons been maintaining dis- requirement in West country for eight months er Garib Rojgar Yojana, seawater varieties. were littered, and open rampant under the Congress with a criminal record. tance from the party since Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, during the pandemic, the Irani said, though coun- “We have found shock- defecation is a regular government led by Chief Dr Khan's brother his elder brother Jharkhand, parts of Uttar rations were looted by the trywide more than 50 cro- ing conditions in this practice near the fish Minister V. Narayanasamy, he Adeel Khan, however, Shubhendu Adhikari and Pradesh and North party in the state. re mandays were created, growing sector. Fish are farms. All the fish farms said the BJP would win 23 of said that the history- younger brother Eastern states. Irani deputised for Un- “it did not happen in WB”. kept in cramped, filthy had poor dissolved oxy- the 30 seats in the Union sheet against the doctor Soumendu Adhikari have Modi will lay the founda- ion home minister Amit “The PM provided five enclosures, with no waste gen levels, which means Territory Assembly in the was opened on June 18, already switched from tion stone of the second Shah at the programme in kg rice and one kg dal for management. They are fish were struggling to polls, likely in the next few 2020, but the informa- Chief Minister Mamata Catalytic Dewaxing Unit, Howrah district. 80 crore people of the cou- cut up alive. The contami- survive with high mortal- months. tion was given to the Banerjee’s party to the at the Haldia Refinery of Shah’s two-day visit to ntry for eight months thr- nated water from these ity rates. Indiscriminate The BJP in the UT has media on Friday. BJP and their father and Indian Oil Corporation, the state was cancelled at ough ‘Pradhan Mantri Ga- fish farms is released into use of antibiotics, insecti- received a shot in the arm with In a video message on three-time MP Sisir built at `1,019 crore to help the last minute due to the rib Kalyan Yojana’, but in local water bodies and cides and pesticides former minister A. Saturday, Dr Khan said, Adhikari has been isolat- augment the lubricant ongoing protest by farm- Bengal, TMC looted it,” estuaries that spread the was also rampant, she Namasivayam joining the “The UP government ed in the party. production. ers in Delhi and an explo- she said. — PTI parasites further, causing said. — PTI party along with a former has opened my history- MLA recently. sheet. They say that they “For the last 35 years under will monitor me for life. the Congress rule, 52 per cent Good, give two security SUPERIOR | AVIONICS Upgraded version to have bigger fuselage, longer range among other facilities of the population in the UT is guards who will keep an below the poverty line,” Nadda eye on me for 24 hours. claimed, adding corruption At least I will be able to extended to admissions in col- save myself from fake leges offering professional cases." Tejas Mark II to roll out next year: HAL Chief courses as well. Dr Khan was arrested Addressing a grand first elec- in January 2020 after a New Delhi, Jan. 31: A package and other work on ● STRUCTURAL PACK- roll out by August- engine and highly agile On the next generation tion public meeting here, speech he had delivered more potent version of the the Tejas Mark II is pro- AGE and other work on September of 2022 after multi-role supersonic advanced multi-role com- Nadda said the Congress gov- at the Aligarh Muslim indigenous Tejas multi- gressing well and its pro- the Tejas Mark II is pro- that the first flight will fighter manufactured by bat aircraft (AMCA) proj- ernment did not conduct local University on December role combat jet featuring a duction is likely to start gressing well and its pro- take some time. The first the state-run HAL. ect, the HAL chairman body elections for a long time 10, 2019 during the anti- much powerful engine, somewhere around 2025. high-speed trial of the jet The aircraft is a potent and managing director and Central seats in colleges Citizenship (Amend- greater load carrying He said the upgraded duction is likely to start will start in 2023 and we platform for air combat said the aim was to imple- were not allotted to ment) Act (CAA) capability, next-generation version will have a bigger somewhere around 2025. expect the production to and offensive air support ment the project under the Puducherry students “due to protests. He was subse- electronic warfare system fuselage, longer range, bet- start somewhere around with reconnaissance and framework of a special corruption”. quently booked under and an array of superior ter maintainability, variant will be much supe- 2025,” Madhavan said. anti-ship operations as its purpose vehicle also While 70 per cent was the the stringent National avionics is expected to be greater load carrying rior than Tejas Mark-IA, Asked about the weapon secondary roles. involving private sector grant in aid to Puducherry Security Act (NSA). On rolled out next year and its capability, much stronger 73 of which are being pro- package for Tejas Mark II, The Tejas Mk-1A will be players. from the Centre during former September 1, 2020, the first high-speed trials will engine power and superior cured by the Indian Air Madhavan did not give a equipped with an active India is working on the prime minister A.B. Allahabad High Court start in 2023, Chairman net-centric warfare sys- Force from the HAL under direct reply and said it electronically scanned fifth-generation medium Vajpayee’s tenure, it was cut to had quashed Khan's and Managing Director of tems. a `48,000 crore deal that will be decided at a later array radar, beyond visual weight deep penetration 30 per cent when Naraya- detention under the NSA Hindustan Aeronautics With increase in range was approved by the gov- stage depending on requir- range missile, electronic fighter jet and the project nasamy became a minister at and ordered his immedi- Ltd R. Madhavan has said. and payload capability, ernment on January 13. ement and changing warfare suite and air-to- is estimated to cost around the Centre, he claimed. ate release. — PTI He said the structural Madhavan said the new “Tejas Mark II is likely to dynamics. Tejas is a single air refuelling system. $5 billion. — PTI WORLD pg DECCAN CHRONICLE | CHENNAI | MONDAY | 1 FEBRUARY 2021 5

SHORT TAKES New UK visa for GUNMEN OPEN 3,000 held in pro-Navalny stir FIRE IN PAK, HK residents Protesters defied govt warnings on rally, demand release of Kremlin critic KILL POLICEMAN Moscow, Jan. 31: Police trians restricted. Antony Blinken on detained more than 3,000 Protesters who had hop- Twitter condemned “the Peshawar, Jan. 31: A Pakis- people across Russia and ed to gather outside the persistent use of harsh tani police officer was killed who want to flee blocked off the centre of headquarters of the FSB tactics against peaceful and two others were injured Moscow Sunday in a mas- security service were inst- protesters and journalists when unidentified gunmen Hong Kong, Jan. 31: A China of tearing up its sive clampdown on prot- ead scattered to various by Russian authorities for opened fire on them here on new visa scheme offering promise ahead of Hong ests demanding the rele- parts of the city as organ- a second week straight.” Saturday, officials said. Count- millions of Hong Kongers Kong's 1997 handover that ase of jailed Kremlin crit- isers made last-minute The Russian foreign min- er Terrorism Department a pathway to British citi- the financial hub would ic Alexei Navalny. changes in locations. istry hit back, accusing Inspector Khushdil Khan was zenship went live on maintain key liberties Thousands of protesters AFP journalists saw doz- the United States of “gross killed, while his two colleagu- Sunday as the city's for- and autonomy for 50 defied government warn- ens of protesters detained interference” in its affairs es — Assistant Sub-inspector mer colonial master years, and has argued it ings to rally from Vladi- and taken into police vans. and of using “online plat- Bakht Zeb Khan and constable opens its doors to those has a moral duty to pro- vostok to Saint Petersburg It was unclear amid the forms controlled by Iftikhar — sustained bullet wo- wanting to escape China's tect its former subjects. in a second weekend of chaos how many people Washington” to promote unds when the assailants amb- crackdown on dissent. “We have honoured our mass demonstrations over took part in the demon- the protests. ushed their vehicle near the Anyone with a British profound ties of history the arrest of President stration. Hundreds marched thro- central jail, Peshawar Police National (Overseas) pass- and friendship with the Vladimir Putin's most Independent monitor ugh the centre of Moscow chief Ahsan Abbas said. port and their dependents people of Hong Kong, and prominent critic. OVD-Info said at least chanting “Freedom!” and can now apply online for we have stood up for free- Navalny was detained at 3,062 people had been “Putin is a thief !” before a visa allowing them to dom and autonomy,” a Moscow airport in mid- detained across the coun- arriving outside Matross- PALESTINIAN live and work in the Prime Minister Boris January after flying back try, including 844 in kaya Tishina prison where United Kingdom. After Johnson said of the to Russia from Germany Moscow, and arrests were Navalny was being held. KILLED FOR five years, they can apply scheme this week. where he was recovering continuing. It reported Several dozen were for citizenship. The website for visa from an August poisoning Police detain a man during a rally in support of jailed more than 4,000 detentions detained at the prison, KNIFE ATTACK The immigration sche- applications went online he blames on the Kremlin. Opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Saint Petersburg on during similar protests with police chasing down me is a response to Beiji- at 5pm in Hong Kong The 44-year-old anti-cor- Sunday. — AFP last Saturday. protesters in the snow out- Jerusalem, Jan. 31: The ng's decision last year to (0900 GMT). ruption campaigner is bei- The Russian Union of side the complex. Israeli army said it killed a impose a sweeping nati- China has reacted with ng held in a Moscow deten- Western governments for tre of the capital Sunday, Journalists said around 35 “The people in power Palestinian who carried out an onal security law on Hong fury to the visa offer, tion centre and faces years his release. with hundreds of police people working for media don't want to listen to any- attempted knife attack Sunday Kong to snuff out the announcing that it would of potential jail time in In moves not seen in lining the streets, central outlets were also detained thing or to anybody,” 34- in the Gush Etzion area of the huge and often violent no longer recognise the several different criminal years in Moscow, authori- Metro stations closed and on Sunday. year-old vet Darya said at occupied West Bank. democracy protests. passports as a legitimate cases, despite calls from ties locked down the cen- the movements of pedes- US Secretary of State the Moscow rally — AFP “A knife attack was reported Britain has accused travel or ID document. at the Gush Etzion junction, south of Bethlehem,” the army said in a statement. “The attacker was neutralised.”The PROTESTERS attacker “is dead”, the army said, confirming that the mili- tary had killed the assailant. DISRUPT The military later said the incident took place at a bus VACCINATION station, where soldiers were providing security to Israelis, with the suspect “running” at SITE IN LA the forces while brandishing a stick with three knives fas- Los Angeles, Jan. 31: tened to it. Protesters briefly dis- It said no military personnel rupted a coronavirus were wounded in the attack. vaccination distribu- Gush Etzion is a bloc of two tion centre at Dodger dozen Israeli settlements and Stadium in Los outposts near Bethlehem. Angeles, United States There is frequent friction at media reported the nearby junction, which Saturday. has been the site of numerous Several dozen people so-called lone wolf Palestinian carrying signs demand- attacks. Israel has occupied ing the end of lock- the West Bank since the 1967 downs and promoting Six-Day War. anti-vaccination con- spiracy theories gath- ered at the entrance to MEXICO: FOUR the site, one of the largest in the US, social OF 19 BODIES media posts showed. “There appears to be IDENTIFIED only about 30 protestors total. It's not clear why Ciudad Victoria, Mexico, they've shut off the Jan. 31: Mexico has identified whole facility,” tweeted at least four of the 19 bodies social media user Mikel found shot and burnt near the Jollet. US border, prosecutors said Officials shut the site Saturday. Two Guatemalans — down for nearly an believed to be migrants — and hour, US media report- two Mexicans were identified ed, citing fire depart- by their DNA after authorities ment officials — though discovered the bodies on Janu- the Los Angeles police ary 22, the prosecutor's office department later insist- in the northern state of Ta- ed that the site had not maulipas said in a statement. been shut down and It said members of the that all the vaccines Interior Ministry's national would be distributed. search commission had been The incident repre- added to the investigation for sents just the latest “greater transparency”, in col- challenge to the vaccine laboration with the foreign rollout in the US, which ministry and the Guatemalan has the highest number embassy in Mexico. of cases and deaths in “It was determined that 16 the world from Covid- correspond to the male sex, 19. More than 26 million one to the female sex, and two people have been infect- are pending clarification” due ed and 439,000 have died to the severity of the burning, in the country since the the prosecutors said. start of the pandemic, a A team of forensics experts, tally kept by Johns dentists, geneticists and crimi- Hopkins University nology specialists has been showed Satuday. formed to identify the victims. Residents of the Guatemalan town of Comitancillo suspect BIDEN, DEMS at least a dozen of the victims are their relatives, according SEEK HIKE IN to authorities in the Central American country. US MINIMUM CYCLONE IN WAGE FIJI: ONE DEAD, New York, Jan. 31: When President Joe FIVE MISSING Biden unveiled a $1.9 trillion stimulus pro- Suva, Fiji, Jan. 31: At least posal earlier this one person was dead and five month, few were sur- were missing Sunday as Fiji prised by the plan's was battered by a tropical cyc- hefty price tag or sweep- lone for the second time in a ing scope. month. Cyclone Ana, a Catego- More striking was ry Two storm, slammed into Biden's inclusion of a the South Pacific island nation measure to more than with winds up to 140 kilome- double the federal mini- tres an hour and heavy rain, mum wage to $15. The causing widespread flooding. move, backed by lead- The National Disaster Mana- ing Democrats includ- gement Office (NDMO) said a ing left-wing Senator 49-year-old man drowned whi- Bernie Sanders, estab- le four fishermen and a three- lishes the fight for high- year-old boy were missing. er wages as a top priori- More than 7,600 people, many ty for the new adminis- of them rescued from flooded tration, potentially villages, were taking shelter in leading to one of evacuation centres. Local Washington's boldest media reports said the three- adjustments in US year-old went missing when he social and labour policy accompanied his grandfather in decades. to check their boat. The fate of the initia- NDMO director Vasiti Soko tive — which so far said people continued to lacks support from ignore warnings against ven- Republicans —will help turing out during the storm. determine whether “We are in the midst of a Biden delivers on a core cyclone with widespread flood- pocketbook issue as US ing throughout the country, income inequality wid- yet we continue to receive rep- ens during the Covid-19 orts of members of the public, pandemic. Sanders, a adults and children alike wan- former presidential dering around,” she said. candidate, called the In December, four people current federal mini- died and 23,000 people fled mum wage of $7.25 an their homes when super hour a “starvation cyclone Yasa flattened entire wage” as he unveiled villages with wind gusts of up the proposal for an to 345 kilometres an hour. increase in Congress. EDIT DECCAN CHRONICLE | MONDAY | 1 FEBRUARY 2021 | CHENNAI pg 6

1 FEBRUARY 2021 Pass a resolution on MSP, Subhani drop cases against farmers n his address to the all-parties’ meeting on the eve of the first sitting of the Budget Session of Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that the government’s offer on farm laws still stands, and that Ihis agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar was “only a phone call away”. This is the first signal after the violence and chaos of January 26 in the national capital that the government remained open to the idea of resuming talks with the agitating farmers. The impression had formed that talks with the farmers had collapsed following the events of Republic Day. While the prospect of talks re-starting is no bad thing, the first thing is that the perspective should be clear. Here it is necessary to understand that the “government’s offer” to keep the three controversial farm laws in abeyance is in reality a suggestion of the Supreme Court and no generosity of the govern- ment. The farmers, of course, had not accepted the idea of an 18-month reprieve since the government left no stone unturned to impress upon all con- cerned that it was not prepared to write the idea of the availability of MSP into law. While a govern- There is a further legal hurdle to be crossed. It appears that while a government can repeal a law LETTERS ment can repeal a passed by Parliament, it has no authority to “sus- law passed by pend” a law. The most it can do is to delay framing Parliament, it has the rules for the implementation of laws. But ECONOMY GOES DOWNHILL Elite clubs bastions of The article (A ‘new deal’ for what’s to happen after 18 months? The govern- no authority to India is the call of the hour, ‘suspend’ a law ment’s refusal to yield on the MSP question makes the gap between the government’s stand and that Jan.31) is so clinical in of farmers unbridgeable. approach, even as it enu- Perhaps a way forward can be found through the resolution route. A suitable merates India’s staggering resolution, which reposes faith in the idea of an MSP for agriculturists, can be hereditary entitlement economic slide right from passed by Parliament. The wordings of this can be cleared with the farmers through discussions. Then, it should be permitted to gain the concurrence of member. Most people common land and enjoy- thoughtless demonetisation the non-NDA parties so that it can be passed unanimously. Indeed, if other par- who become members ing it for the exclusive to anaemic strategy of stim- ties are brought on board and not just the government parties, the Budget through the direct route benefit of its 3,000 “mem- ulus package, which with Session can be conducted with mutual suspicions abating as between the gov- Mohan do so late in their life, bers”, of whom only 900 the advent of Covid-19, the ernment and its opponents. The farmers’ issue has brought up a wall between which means their chil- have the right to vote, and situation has gone from bad the government and the Opposition parties. This was on view when 20 parties Guruswamy dren invariably cannot most of these are heredi- boycotted the President’s Address to the joint sitting of the two Houses to inau- become dependent mem- tary members. to worse. As advocated, gurate the Budget Session. bers. Across India, a majority Roosevelt’s strategy of However, in order to create a congenial atmosphere for the resumption of The constitutionality of of those who are members drafting to revive the dismal talks with the farmers, the government must immediately drop cases lodged hereditary membership of such clubs are a heredi- economic slide is the need against the farmers’ leaders, accusing them of the Republic Day violence. is questionable, but who tary elite, unlike the of the hour, and the direct These are the same individuals who had been holding talks with the farmers. he control of the sahibs”. The brown among the members will white colonials who cash transfer to the needy How can they be invited for fresh talks with the sword of criminal cases hang- prestigious Del- sahibs too have long gone go out and challenge it? largely set up these estab- ing over them? Enough material is now available that indicates that the main hi Gymkhana and cannot aspire to There are other implicit lishments, who came to and the vulnerable should body of farmers remained peaceful on January 26 and only a very small group Club is now a memberships. Unlike the issues as well. Many of India as a “selected” elite be on the cards lest the of agents provocateur took the law into their own hands. There is much to be bone of con- clubs of the past, which India’s clubs are private by going through a very nation should continue to gained if the government accepts this proposition. Ttention with the Central were extensions of a rul- clubs enjoying public rigorous process. For suffer more. Let the policy government seeking to ing hierarchy, today’s land or land that could be instance, the managers rise to the occa- take over its managing clubs are mostly watering deemed as “commons”. Secunderabad Club has sion and sooner the better. committee. Recently, a holes for the well-born, The term “commons” 3,998 permanent mem- E.S. Chandrasekaran, Judicial correction petition was filed by the and more for card games refers to the cultural and bers, of which 2,295 have ministry of corporate than field games. natural resources that made the cut by virtue of Chennai he Supreme Court collegium has reportedly withdrawn its recom- affairs in the National Generally speaking, an should be accessible to all being members’ children. mendation to make an additional judge of the Bombay high court per- Company Law Tribunal elite means a more capa- members of a society, Incidentally, this club TN POLITICS Tmanent following a series of back-to-back controversial judgments (NCLT) seeking action ble group of people. In including natural materi- only has 173 ladies as per- THE ARRIVAL of V.K. Sasikala she recently delivered, of which two have attracted national attention, and under Sections 241 and sociological terms, an als such as air, water, and manent members. A more on the political scene in Tamil condemnation. In one order, the judge decided that a person accused of 242 of the Companies Act, elite is a group of people a habitable earth. The recent addition for cor- Nadu and the formal announce- groping a 12-year-old girl should not be given the maximum punishment which allows a member of who control a dispropor- “common good” is a utili- nering the “commons” for ment of AIADMK-BJP alliance under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act), a company or the govern- tionate share of wealth or tarian ideal, which means the recreation of the elite assume added political signifi- 2012, because there was no skin-to-skin touch. In the second, she conclud- ment to seek relief if the power. C. Wright Mills in “the greatest possible is the HGA golf course cance. It is true that the present top ed that a man holding the hands of a minor girl and opening the zip of his affairs of the entity are The Power Elite describes good for the greatest pos- and club promoted by the leadership of AIADMK gives pants cannot be convicted for ‘sexual assault’ under POCSO Act but for being run in a manner the power elite as “those sible number of individu- Telangana government Sasikala short shrift and even “sexual harassment” under Indian Penal Code. The Supreme Court stayed “prejudicial to public political, economic, and als”. Many, like the on 105 acres of the shuns her. But the party’s rank and the first order the very next day but its collegium chose to send the rec- interest” or is “oppres- military circles, which as philosopher Michael Golconda fort’s 155 acres. file appear to view her as the true ommendation of the collegium to make her permanent. It has gone back on sive”, among other an intricate set of overlap- Sandel, believe that pro- Though a good part of its inheritor of Amma’s legacy and that decision now. things. The government ping small but dominant moting the “common membership is for gov- crave for her leadership. The The two judgments triggered widespread outrage among the general pub- had used the same provi- groups share decisions good” should be the main ernment officials, this posters wanting her to take over the lic as well as the legal circles. And there are many sound reasons, too. The sions of the Companies having at least national ideal of a democracy. club too now has a system party’s reins are a foretaste of what judge refused to understand the legislative intention of POCSO Act, a spe- Act to get NCLT approval consequences”. But most Implicit in this is that the of hereditary member- is to come. Viewers of the current cial Act brought to protect the interests of children, one of the most vul- to supersede the board of of our “elite” clubs defy “commons” must only be ship. One irony must not political scene will wait and watch nerable sections of society. The apex court is right in deciding that the the bankrupt IL&FS in such descriptions and for the “common good”. be missed here. Those where Sasikala fits in BJP plans. As judge needed better sensitisation on the subject. October 2018. have ceased to be based In 2014, Delhi CM who become members by for the AIADMK-BJP alliance, it This is not the first time that a judgment has assaulted the sense of jus- Incredibly, the Central on social or official hier- Arvind Kejriwal, then virtue of being govern- lends credence to the perception tice of fair-minded people. A Supreme Court judgment referred to satisfy- government had cited archical or professional making an entrance into ment officials, and hence that CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami ing the “collective conscience of society” while confirming a death penal- “parivarvaad”, or nepo- considerations, where national politics, specifi- bypass the long waiting and Dy CM OPS are only playing ty. This not the first time a well-thought out piece of legislation has been tism, nepotism, financial membership was depen- cally referred to the Delhi list of the less privileged, second fiddle to the BJP. Given the turned upside down; the National Judicial Appointments Commission irregularities, misuse of dent on attainments and Golf Club as a prime are able to confer the strong anti-BJP in Tamil Nadu the Act, 2014, which sought to replace the self-made collegium system of allocated land and issues achievements. They are instance of corruption hereditary benefits for alliance works to the DMK’s advan- appointing judges in the higher judiciary, is a prime example. It is time the related to membership, as increasingly an associa- and cronyism that posterity by bequeathing tage. judiciary started taking steps to correct itself, and this could well be a the primary reasons for it tion of neither the more allowed a small number the automatic member- G. David Milton, Maruthancode major step towards that direction. to acquire the club. While capable people or a social of people to take posses- ship rights to their it is at it, it might as well elite or a power elite. sion of public property. descendants. take a look at all other They are just social clubs Like the Delhi In a few decades, these BEWARE KOHLI & BOYS such elite clubs where where membership is Gymkhana, the Delhi public commons too will DECCAN CHRONICLE WE ARE happy that after five nepotism is more ram- dependent on birth. The Golf Club comes under become the preserve of a years a Test match has been allot- KAUSHIK MITTER K. SUDHAKAR pant and where the real term “parivarvaad” used the jurisdiction of the hereditary elite. It has ted to Chepauk stadium. Unfor- Editor Printer & Publisher estate is often bigger and by the government in its Central government. even gone one better than tunately, due to the pandemic, R. MOHAN most such clubs by mak- Resident Editor more valuable. petition describes a Compared to the 27 Chennaiites will be deprived their DECCAN CHRONICLE offices are located at: Every major city in uniquely Indian system acres of land occupied by ing its membership fungi- presence at the ground to cheer Chennai: SP 3 Developed Plot, Industrial Estate, Guindy, Chennai 600032. Phones: (044) 22254747, India has such clubs. that combines dynastic the Delhi Gymkhana, the ble, affording indigent our players. No doubt, the statis- 22254748 Most of the better-known succession and clan nepo- Delhi Golf Club is in pos- members a soft landing tics of play at MAC stadium gives Coimbatore: 77 Vivekananda Road, Ramnagar, Coimbatore 641009. Phone: (0422) 2231255, 2231256 by transferring member- Hyderabad: 36, Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad 500 003. Phone: (040) 27803930-4. Fax: (040) ones are relics of the Raj tism. session of 220 acres of an advantage to our team, where 27805256. and were meant as a pri- Clubs all over India are ship to a person of his or we have won our last 3 Tests Bengaluru: 5th Floor, BMTC Commercial Complex, 80 Ft. Road, Koramangala, Bangalore-560095. Ph: vate place for the ruling being increasingly been her choice. against the visiting England 08043460500; Fax: 080-22960551/52/55 elite to socialise and taken over by a heredi- The Secunderabad It’s only in the fitness of teams, but our team should not be Visakhapatnam: Survey No. 1/3A Beach Road, Near Kailasagiri Ropeway, Sector-9 MVP Colony, fraternise. Being the rul- tary membership. Most of things that a government complacent against this England Visakhapatnam - 530 017. Phones: (0891) 2552333/2552334, Fax (0891) 2755285 Club has 3,998 Vijayawada: No. C 3 & 4, Patamata, Industrial Estate, Auto Nagar, Vijayawada (A.P.). Phones: (0866) ing elite, they gave them- these clubs have framed headed by a chaiwalla’s team ably led by Joe Root who is 2555284/ 2555287, Fax (0866) 2555234 selves tracts of public rules for themselves, permanent son is now challenging on a roll. They have the world’s Rajahmundry: Vemagiri, Dhawleswaram Rd, Rajahmundry 533125. Phones: (0883) 2417208, 2417618 land for their private which automatically con- members, of which this growing system of best opening bowlers in Stuart Anantapur: Thapovan Colony, Bangalore Bye-Pass Road, Anantapur 515004. Phones: (08554) 276903, enjoyment. At a time fer their children mem- hereditary legitimacy. Fax: 08554-276904 2,295 have Broad and Jimmy Anderson, who Nellore: Survey No. 527/2, Burranpur Village, Venkatachalam (M), Chemudugunta Panchayat, Nellore. when the whole country bership, by virtue of have more than 1,000 wickets to Phone: (0861) 2348581/ 82, Telefax (0861) 2348580 was for their private being dependent mem- made the cut by their credit. Above all, take the Karimnagar: Survey No. 1341, Vavilalapally Colony, Jagityala Road, Karimnagar 505 001. enjoyment, this raised bers, a classification for virtue of being The writer, a policy ana- example of Brisbane, where our Phone: (0878 ) 2228908; Telefax (0878) 2220433 members’ children of a Kochi: No. 3-B, 3rd Floor, DD TRADE TOWER, Kaloor-Kadavanthara Road, Ernakulam, few questions. After the members’ children. lyst studying economic team conquered Australia. Ph: 0484-4039408 white man departed, certain age group. Since Incidentally, this and security issues, held Likewise, Root & company too Kozhikode: No 6/1002 E, First Floor City Mall, Opp. YMCA Kannur Road, Kozhikode - 673 001 these clubs turned into a these dependents are senior positions in gov- must be itching to create history Fax : 0495 4019018 preserve of the new given priority, it is almost club only has 173 ernment and industry. at Chepauk. Beware Kohli & boys. Thiruvananthapuram: St Joseph Press Thycaud post, Cotton Hills, Thiruvananthapuram-14, Ph: 0471- Indian elite — many impossible for a non- ladies as perma- 2735105/6/7, Fax: 0471-4016112 Gram: CHRONICLE Postal registration no: No. H/SD-348/2006-08ss He also specialises in the N. Mahadevan, called them the “brown dependent to become a nent members. Chinese economy. Chennai

e have had every kind if stronger and smarter. ry from being exported to UK. Boris The British government in their hurry The vaccine wars have weather in London — but Whitehall may have done many can at last put on his helmet and to Brexit forgot people need the bigger broken out! The EU is then that is the norm isn’t things wrong but it was very smart at police the coastline to wait for ‘our’ audience in Europe to earn their liv- Kishwar it? It snowed one early ordering vaccines in advance. The vaccines to come to us. So be assured ing., You can only do so much Zoom. imposing export control on W vaccines manufactured on Desai morning and we woke up to white blan- Oxford project was the first to that the memoirs of Boris/Churchill Meanwhile, some stars have even kets on our road and trees and grass. announce their intentions so Boris (no doubt being already dictated) will gone to the extent of breaking the lock- its territory from being Then there have been days when the ordered 100 million in a real gamble. be a bestseller. down rules openly. Rita Ora booked a exported to the UK. London Diary sun shone brightly warming us all up Then when the Pfizer vaccine glim- But no country can afford to be restaurant in Notting Hill, invited though only for a few hours. Otherwise, mered on the horizon, UK ordered 60 complacent. Yes, the vaccination pro- friends, persuaded the restaurant to the dull days of winter are only tolera- million. Quick approval followed and gramme is ongoing — with huge black out all the CCTV cameras and ble because there is no place to go but by early December, the above-80s and inequalities. Some countries are partied. The photos taken by her pub- spices — even selling their products home! One cannot imagine that care workers began getting inoculat- moving ahead and others have barely licity staff were obviously much more door-to-door. Kirit abandoned his col- London — where the city never slept, ed. By now eight million have been started. The Vaccine Wars may yet glamorous than the CCTV cameras’. lege studies but brought management where every form of entertainment inoculated. take a wider, global form. She was fined £5000 — and her name savvy to the business selling the stuff was available 24/7, would be like this! The European Union, on the other was splashed in all media. Now was it to White British — and not just Indian The lockdown continues and our hand, has had a slow start. Their reg- hat apart, Covid has also created because she could never have managed —families. This was in the 70s when King of Spices to death toll crossed 100,000, the worst in ulators took their time. After all, they new stars, and put pressure on so much publicity for so little? Madhur Jaffrey’s book on Indian cui- Europe and higher per million people have 27 countries to worry about. So Told ones! Entertainers and influ- Hmmmm. sine came out and British middle than even America. Boris Johnson has now they are on a warpath with the encers are hatching more and more classes were trying to make masala always fancied himself as Winston UK, whom they feel has booked up all bizarre schemes to remain in the lime- real rags-to-riches story which dosa at home. It was all about Patak be dearly missed; Churchill, the wartime leader with the vaccines, and the EU wants a light, as there are no public platforms transformed the British percep- spices, sauces and pickles. Kirit Patak Britain standing alone (apart from large chunk of them. The vaccine can except the Internet which is getting Ation of India and Indian food eventually sold his business in UK for armies of India, Canada and Australia- be invented in Oxford or Vienna but very crowded. Our newspapers are full came to a sad end last week when Kirit £60 million and retired to Dubai. Patak Boris really hated New Zealand). But this was a milestone they are manufactured in many loca- of desperate looking people in cos- Patak, the owner of Patak Spices, died. (shortened from Pathak to make it he hated announcing. For once he was tions round the world. AstraZeneca tumes, weird cookery columns, Those of us who arrived here and easy for the locals to pronounce) sombre, nearly in tears at his press con- who manufacture the Oxford vaccine unimaginable YouTube hits and unbe- craved Indian food know how much remains and will continue to remain the ‘L’ milestone ference, when he had to pronounce the have some assembly locations on the lievable Instagram displays. You have the Patak brand meant for our taste- an iconic brand. hated ‘L’ word. continent and others in UK. Same for to feel sorry for these people with no buds. His parents had arrived in the the Pfizer. early chance of theatres or cinemas or mid-50s with the proverbial £5 in their Kishwar Desai is an award-winning ut his luck has turned. The The Vaccine Wars have broken out! music festivals restarting. And now pocket from Kenya. They worked the author. The Longest Kiss: The Vaccine Wars have saved him The EU is imposing export control on musicians need separate visas for each usual 16 hours a day preparing Indian Life and Times of Devika Rani B— and made the UK look vaccines manufactured on its territo- EU country they want to perform in. recipes — samosas, pickles, ground is her new book. pg MONDAY | 1 FEBRUARY 2021 | CHENNAI 7

 Govt wants to save cash and honour CEA PITCHES FOR PRIVATE Crypto players want to be quick Cairn may be offered SECTOR-LED BAD BANK heard before ban decision BITES SANGEETHA G is not privately owned by CHENNAI, JAN. 31 anyone. It is a public fields in lieu of $1.4 bn good, like the internet,” % As the government plans said Rahul Pagidipati, INDICATORS to ban “private cryptocur- CEO at ZebPay. Sensex 46,285.77 -1.26 New Delhi, Jan. 31: The rencies”, digital currency According to him, Nifty 50 13,634.60 -1.32 government may give platforms hope that the Bitcoin and most crypto S&P 500* 3,714.24 -1.93 Cairn Energy one of the government will consult assets are more like gold surrendered oil fields such them before taking a deci- and not an alternative to Dollar (`) 72.94 0.14 as Ratna R-Series in lieu of sion. government-issued legal Pound Sterling (`) 100.04 -0.34 the $1.4 billion it has pay to K .V. Subramanian "Since the government tender. Crypto assets and the British firm, helping is considering introduc- digital government cur- Euro (`) 88.33 0.12 prevent seizure of foreign KUMAR DIPANKAR & ing the bill during this rency can coexist and Gold (10gm)* (`) 48,690▲286 0.002 assets in case of default as CHANDRA SHEKHAR session of the together, they can bring well as get an experienced NEW DELHI, JAN. 31 Parliament, we are sure Digital Currency Bill, tremendous benefits to Brent crude ($/bbl)* 55.04 -0.11 operator in the struggling the government will defi- 2021” that will prohibit the Indian economy. IN 10-Yr bond yield 5.949 00 E&P sector, sources said. Chief economic adviser nitely listen to all the “all private cryptocurren- “We hope the Lok Sabha US 10-Yr T-bill yield* 1.071 2.14 Cairn Energy gave India K. V. Subramanian has stakeholders before tak- cies” in India. It will also members and advisors its biggest onland oil dis- made a strong case for ing any decision. We are provide a framework for will consult crypto and * As of Friday/Saturday covery but exited the coun- setting up a bad bank talking to other stake- creating an official digital blockchain companies as try after it was slapped led by the private sector holders and will definite- currency that will be they make their deci- with a Rs 10,247-crore tax to effectively deal with ly initiate deeper dia- issued by the Reserve sions. Millions of Indians demand using a legislation the non-performing logue with the govern- Bank of India. have already invested in GST revenues that gave the government Premier Oil consortium in back," another source said. assets of the financial ment and showcase how “The digital currency this new asset class. the powers to tax compa- 2016 because contractual No major oil and gas dis- sector, which may see a we can actually create a bill to be introduced Millions more want the nies retrospectively. The terms had changed." covery has been made in surge once regulatory healthy ecosystem in uni- before the Lok Sabha is a same opportunity to build touch record firm has now won an inter- The Barmer oilfield in the past seven years since forbearance to deal with son," Sumit Gupta, co- welcome step forward. Its wealth that investors in national arbitration Rajasthan, which was orig- the retrospective tax the impact of Covid-19 is founder and CEO of success will depend on other countries already `1.20 L cr in Jan. against the tax demand inally discovered by Cairn demand was raised. withdrawn. CoinDCX said. the details, particularly have. We have faith in the and the government has Energy, could be another In case the government The proposal to set up The government is plan- the definition of what the government and hope GST collections for January been ordered to return the option. Vedanta Ltd, which chooses not to honour the a bad bank has been ning to introduce a bill bill calls “private cryp- that this bill will move touched an all-time high of Rs value of shares of Cairn it now operates the field after arbitration award, it risks under the government’s “The Cryptocurrency and tocurrencies”. This is not India forwards, not back- 1.20 lakh crore, the finance min- had sold, dividends it had it bought out Cairn's the prospect of its assets consideration for long Regulation of Official a common term. Bitcoin wards”, he said. istry said. It said in line with the seized and tax refund it Indian subsidiary a decade in foreign countries being and some steps may be trend of recovery in the GST had withheld to recover the back, has so far not agreed seized, just jike US oil firm announced in Monday’s revenues over past five months, tax demand. to the government condi- ConocoPhillips did with Budget 2021-22. the revenues for January 2021 For a government strug- tions for getting an exten- Venezuela to recoup muti- Bad bank refers to a are 8 per cent higher than that gling to find revenue to sion of contract beyond its billion dollar of compen- financial institution in the same month last year. The boost a Covid-19 battered original end day of May sation awarded in arbitra- which takes over bad China giant reports $10 bn fraud gross GST collected is Rs economy, options of appeal 2020. tion. assets of lenders and 1,19,847 crore, of which CGST is against the arbitration Under Vedanta, which Earlier this month, Cairn undertakes resolution. Beijing, Jan. 31: Three listed CCOOP Group Co due diligence at HNA earli- Rs 21,923 crore, SGST is Rs award are limited and it continues to operate the Energy's chief executive Lenders have been mak- units of HNA, once said late on Friday. er in January, and laid out 29,014 crore, IGST is Rs 60,288 may not have the financial field on monthly exten- officer Simon Thomson ing a case for setting up China's most acquisitive The identities of the risk disposal plans, crore and cess is Rs 8,622 crore. bandwidth for such a pay- sions till its legal challenge wrote to the Indian govern- a bad bank to ease the conglomerate, said nearly shareholders were not dis- enabling it to move to the out, two sources with to government conditions ment saying that the arbi- pressure of bad loans on $10 billion had been closed in the statements. next stage of resolving a knowledge of the develop- is settled, Rajasthan oil- tration ruling is final and them in these difficult embezzled by sharehold- The three companies and multi-year liquidity crisis. ment said. fields have seen a steady binding, and failure to times. ers, in disclosures to stock their subsidiaries had also The government-appoint- "One option is to give decline in output. comply would breach the "The bad bank will cer- exchanges that come amid provided non-compliant ed working team expects Sitharaman to Cairn one or more of the "It's a win-win—the gov- international rules. tainly help in consoli- a government-led probe guarantees for 46.5 billion as many as 500 companies oil and gas fields that the ernment settles it liability Cairn Energy has asked dating some of the non- into the deeply indebted yuan in financing, accord- linked to HNA Group to go present Union government now owns without paying a single the Indian government for performing assets. It's group. ing to the statements filed into bankruptcy restruc- after they are surrendered penny or upsetting an early indication of important to also think A total of 61.5 billion after creditors of their par- turing, Chinese financial by operators for various investor sentiments by not implementing the arbitra- about implementing the yuan ($9.57 bn) had been ent applied to a court for magazine Caixin reported Budget today reasons," one of them said. honouring the arbitration tion award, well before the bad bank in the private embezzled by shareholders the conglomerate to be on Saturday, citing sources "The government could award through endless announcement of its full sector that enables and other related parties, placed in bankruptcy and that it did not identify. give the Ratna and R-Series legal challenges and at the year earnings on March 9 (faster) decision mak- Shanghai-listed Hainan restructured. Caixin previously report- oil and gas field in the same time getting back an for clarity of its sharehold- ing," he told PTI in an Airlines Holding Co, HNA The move came after a ed that HNA owns more Arabian Sea that taken established exploration ers, according to the letter. interview. —PTI Infrastructure Investment local government-led than 2,300 companies. away from Essar Oil- and production (E&P) firm — PTI Group Co and Shenzhen- working team concluded — Reuters Stocks encounter Budget hurdle Trade & hotels to see OLECTRA GETS Finance minister Nirmala `600-CR PUNE Sitharaman on Monday will NUPUR ACHARYA & Stocks have typically fallen after deliver her promised “budget RONOJOY MAZUMDAR FPIs INVEST OVER 21% dip in real GVA the annual budget in recent years ORDER FOR 350 like no other” that is expected JAN. 31 UNMET EXPECTATIONS to provide relief to the common ■ Sensex performance in the 30 days before the budget ■ Sensex performance in the 30 days after the budget 19,470 CRORE IN SANGEETHA G growth was almost flattish ELECTRIC BUSES man as well as focus on driving If history is a guide, the 10 CHENNAI, JAN. 31 at 0.7 per cent. However, in the economic recovery through recent rough ride for the previous two years, higher spending on healthcare, Indian stocks will contin- EQUITIES IN JAN. Trade, hotels, transport manufacturing was grow- infrastructure and defence. The ue after Monday's budget. 0 and communication will ing at 6 and 6.5 per cent. ninth budget under the Modi The Sensex has climbed New Delhi, Jan. 31: see the steepest decline of In the case of financing, government, including an inter- in the month after budget -10 Foreign portfolio inves- 21.4 per cent in goss value insurance, real estate and im one, is widely expected to day on only two of the 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 tors (FPIs) have added (GVA) in FY21. business services, the focus on boosting spending on past seven years since Figures in per cent Source: —Bloomberg remained net buyers to Except the primary sector, decline will be marginal job creation and development. Prime Minister Narendra the tune of Rs 14,649 which includes agricul- at 0.8 per cent to Rs 28.91 Modi came to power, crore in Indian markets ture, all the other sectors lakh crore. In FY20, these while falling or staying BSE SENSEX S&P CNX NIFTY in January, amid avail- will see a decline in GVA, sectors had grown by 4.6 range-bound on other 48,878.54 ability of global liquidi- finds the Economic Survey. per cent and 6.8 per cent M occasions. Risks are com- 14,371.90 t y. As per the first advance in FY19. ICHAEL GONSALVES pounded in 2021 given 46,285.77 13,634.60 Depositories data estimate for FY21, the real Community, social and PUNE, JAN 31. Power demand stretched valuations. shows overseas investors GVA at basic prices of personal services, which "There are expectations pump-ed in a net of Rs trade, hotels, transport had grown by 10 per cent in The Secunderabad-based touches all-time that the government will 19,473 crore into equities and communication sec- FY20, also will see a Olectra Greentech, the keep aside fiscal prudence 22 25 27 28 29 22 25 27 28 29 but pulled out Rs 4,824 tors will be around Rs decline of 3.7 per cent. BSE-listed manufacturer high of 189.6 GW and open its pockets to crore from the debt seg- 20.26 lakh crore against The primary sector, of electric buses, and its spend more," said Ajit TURNOVER NET FII ACTIVITY ment between January 1 the provisional estimate of which includes agricul- sister concern Evey Power demand touched an all- Mishra, vice president of and January 29. Thus, Rs 25.77 lakh crore in ture, fishing, mining and Trans have received the time high of 189.64 GW on research at Mumbai- 84,499 83,506 the net investment in FY20—a decline of 21.4 per quarrying, is the saving letter of award from Saturday, power secretary S. N. based Religare Broking NSE Janu-ary stood at Rs cent. These sectors had grace. These sectors will Pune Mahanagar Ltd. "Investors and busi- 14,649 crore. recorded a growth of 3.6 grow their real GVA by 0.9 Parivahan Mahamandal -3,713 Sahai said. "Power demand gal- -636 loping. All India demand: nesses are pinning high -765 . Geojit strategist V. K. per cent in FY20 and 7.7 per cent to Rs 23.25 lakh for 350 electric buses. 4,292 BSE 5,251

hopes on the budget and -5,931 Vijayakumar said due to per cent in FY19. crore against Rs 23.03 lakh The order is under the 1,89,644 MW (189.64 GW) at -1,688 10.39 hrs today (Jan.30) any disappointment could uncertainty over the Manufacturing might see crore in the previous fiscal. FAME-II (Faster Adopt- crossed the previous highest all- lead to profit-taking." 22 25 27 28 29 22 25 27 28 29 budget proposals, FPIs a decline of 9.3 per cent to As per the provisional esti- ion and Manufacturing India demand of 1,88,452 MW The Sensex had a blis- have been a bit apprehen- Rs 33.19 lakh crore in FY21 mate of FY20, these sectors of Electric Vehicles) (188.45 GW) on 28th January," tering advance last quar- Figures in ` crore | January 2021 Source: KBK Infographics sive about the direction against Rs 36.59 lakh crore had grown by 3.9 per cent. scheme for supply of 350 he tweeted. Last week, power ter--even as data showed of the market and, there- in the previous fiscal. The total GVA added at electric buses on gross minister R. K. Singh had said that the economy had rally is petering out: the early May from its peak in fore, have seen selling in Manufacturing, too, has basic prices will decline by cost contract (GCC) / power demand will cross the plunged into recession. index clocked its biggest January. the past few days. been witnessing positive 7.2 per cent against a Opex model basis for a 200-GW mark soon. But there are signs the weekly declining since —Bloomberg —PTI growth for the past several growth of 3.9 per cent in period of 12 years. years, though in FY20, the the previous fiscal. Evey Trans will pro- cure these 350 electric buses from Olectra Greentech and deliver AUTOMATION MAKING | IN INDIA them within seven MF investment in Over `7,300 crore offered is little for global players to relocate months. The mainte- nance of these buses IMPACT: TECH M shall also be undertaken Reits jumps by the company during TO CUT 5,000 BPO Mait seeks `20K cr PLI for IT hardware the contract period. 6-fold to `3,970 cr “The value of this JOBS THIS YEAR New Delhi, Jan. 31: IT said. become part of the global order from Pune is about Emerging investment instru- hardware makers urge the Under ITA-1, members of manufacturing ecosystem. Rs 600 crore,” Sharat ment Reit is finally gaining Mumbai, Jan. 31: Despite government to allocate Rs the World Trade There is a disability in Chandra, CFO, Olectra popularity among investors, rising revenues, Tech 20,000 crore under the pro- Organization (WTO) were MSMEs to borrow capital," Greentech told Financial with mutual funds investing Rs Mahindra is set to reduce duction-linked incentive not allowed to impose tar- Kunkolien-ker said. Chronicle. 3,972 crore in such units in its business process servic- scheme, to boost manufac- iff barriers on IT products, He said currently, India Olectra Greentech, 2020, a six-fold jump from the es (BPS) headcount by turing of personal comput- which include personal has major challenges in which has been declared preceding year. Green Portfolio 5,000 to 38,000 in FY21, as a ers, tablets and servers in computers, set-top boxes terms of manufacturing as the least quoted bid- co-founder Divam Sharma said larger part of the tasks get the country. and servers. ecosystem, including der for 300 electric buses that with names like DLF, completed through auto- The proposed amount of The enforcement of ITA- logistics. from the Bangalore Brookfield and Godrej in the mation and artificial intel- around Rs 7,000 crore is 1 led to many companies "For real make in India to Metropolitan Transport process of launching Reit, more ligence. insignificant for global shutting their manufac- happen, there is a need to Corporation (BMTC), is interest from mutual funds in The business process players to relocate their "We are looking for higher for the past 10 years to turing unit in India, as address disabilities. It also likely to get the such offerings is expected in outsourcing (BPO) verti- facilities to India, said funds for the PLI scheme. push manufacturing, and import of finished IT prod- won't be possible by giving order for a 12-year con- the coming years. cal, which has its genesis industry body Mait. For laptops, servers, etc, even it does not come ucts became cheaper com- 2 per cent. It does not even tract. “The order from in the 'call centres' busi- The Manufacturers' the government has just under ITA-1 (information pared to their production cover up for loss of trans- BMTC is expected short- ness, is one of the biggest Association of Informat- proposed Rs 7,325 crore. technology agreement). in the country. actions. Relocating the ly and the value of this employment generators in ion Technology (Mait), "I don't think that, for "You gave them (mobile Kunkolienker said there supply chain is not an easy tender is about Rs 570 Printed & Published by the technology space. whose members include PCs , if you relocate and industry) duty arbitrage is a need to recreate and target. crore to our firm,” K Sudhakar on behalf of Deccan TechM had reported a Apple, Dell, HP and reposition supply from earlier. There was some reposition India's market. "To achieve this target, Chandra said, adding the Chronicle Holdings Limited. Printed & reduction of nearly 2,500 Lenovo, wants the govern- China or other parts of the base created for mobile "At least Rs 20,000 crore you need to have an se 300 buses would be Published at Deccan Chronicle Presses people in its headcount in ment to address various world, it will be possible manufacturing; whereas is required (under PLI). It export-centric approach. delivered in 12 months. situated at SP-3 Developed Plot, the December quarter. disabilities that the sector with just these kinds of for PC, laptop, servers and is based on value addition Shipping lines may offer “We have in hand an Industrial Estate, Guindy, Chennai. Citing a rise in produc- faces, including improve- funds. They are very tablets, there was an potential that exists in the competitive rates. We sup- order book of 1,250 elec- T.Venkatram Reddy Editor: , RNI Reg. port the strategy of No. TNENG/2008/25473 Air surcharge Re tivity, CEO and managing ment in export infrastruc- insignificant." inverted duty regime from country. tric buses to deliver 1. © All rights reserved. Reproduction in director C. P. Gurnani said ture to support growth He said the mobile phone 2005 to 2014 that impacted “There is an immense export-led growth but across Indian cities over whole or in part without written per- each employee accom- under the PLI scheme. industry got around Rs manufacturing of these potential for Indian export infrastructure is 12-15 months,” he said. mission of The Editor, Financial plishes more tasks now Mait president Nitin 41,000 crore, where there products. Now, we need to MSMEs (micro, small and very uncompetitive," Olectra already oper- Chronicle ® is prohibited. and is assisted by a chatbot Kunkolienker told PTI, has been sustained effort re-invent," Kunkolienker medium enterprises) to Kunkolienker said. — PTI ates 150 buses in Pune. developed in-house. —PTI GAMES pg 8 DECCAN CHRONICLE | CHENNAI | MONDAY | 1 FEBRUARY 2021

MUSHTAQ ALI | FINAL SHORT TAKES Messi’s contract biggest in sports TN pip Baroda Madrid: Lionel Messi’s most MOEEN TARGET recent contract with Barcelona is worth up to 555 million euros England allrounder Ali looks to get Test career back on track for second title ($673 million) over four sea- sons, the El Mundo newspaper C. SANTHOSH KUMAR Ahmedabad, Jan. 31: perished when his side reported on Sunday. CHENNAI, JAN. 31 Tamil Nadu produced an needed 20 runs off 23 balls. The Spanish daily said it had impressive batting display Aparajith and Shahrukh access to the document Messi England all-rounder after left-arm spinner M. Khan (18 not out) then took signed with the Catalan club in Moeen Ali has fond Siddarth’s four-wicket TN home. Shahrukh, fit- 2017, which included fixed memories of the 2016 haul as they lifted the cov- tingly, finished the game incomes and variables that Test series in India. eted Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 with a boundary. could reach nearly 138 million Moeen had started and Trophy after defeating Earlier, Siddharth’s bril- euros ($167 million) each sea- ended the series with Baroda by seven wickets in liant bowling upfront son. The newspaper said it is centuries even though the final here on Sunday. enabled TN to restrict the most expensive contract England didn’t have This was Tamil Nadu’s Baroda to 120 for 9 on a dif- ever agreed with an athlete in much to cheer about, second Syed Mushtaq Ali ficult track. any sport. having lost 0-4. Trophy triumph, after win- It was largely due to the Messi would have to pay about Back in Chennai where ning their first title way 58-run seventh wicket half of that in taxes in Spain. he scored his last Test back in 2006-07. Baroda, stand between Vishnu The report said the 33-year-old ton, Moeen is now look- who had won the title twice Solanki (49) and Atit Sheth player has already secured ing to get his red-ball in the past (in 2011-12 and (29) that Baroda after being more than 510 million euros career back on track. 2013-14), ended runners-up reduced to 36/6 managed a ($619 million) of the total. England coach Chris this time. three-figure total. Barcelona denied responsibility Silverwood has hinted Siddharth (4/20) spun his Siddharth used the pitch for leaking the document and that Moeen is in con- web around the Baroda to his advantage by vary- said it would take legal action tention to play the batsmen to restrict them to ing the pace of his deliver- against the newspaper. Chennai Test. a meagre 120 for 9 and then ies and also using the Messi did not immediately This would be his first Tamil Nadu overhauled crease well to create awk- make any public comments Test since he was the target in 18 overs, with ward angles for the bats- about the report. — AP dropped during the 2019 opener C. Hari Nishaanth men. Ashes. top-scoring with 35. Put in to bat on a Sardar “I enjoyed the break Chasing 121 for a win, Patel Stadium track that Hyderabad FC too and played in a few Tamil Nadu lost opener offered both turn and leagues around the Narayan Jagadeesan (14) bounce, Baroda lost left- hot for Chennaiyin world. But ultimately it early as pacer Lukman handed opener Ninad is Test cricket that I Meriwala (1/34) picked up Rathva (1) early as the Vasco: Hyderabad FC strength- missed. I’ve waited long the first wicket, with the move to start with spin- ened their chances of qualifying enough,” said Moeen. opposition at 26/1. ners from both the ends for the play-offs with a 2-0 vic- Nineteen wickets short But Nishaanth continued paid off for Tamil Nadu. tory over Chennaiyin FC in the of joining the 200-wicket playing his shots and was Rathva was caught by KB Indian Super League, here on club, Moeen has set his A file photo of England allrounder joined by Baba Aparajith Arun Karthik off offie Sunday. sights on completing the Moeen Ali (left). — ECB (29 not out off 35 balls) as Baba Aparajith (1/16). Goals from Fran Sandaza (28th milestone in India. Tamil Nadu reached 61/1 Aparajith and left-arm minute) and Joel Chianese “That is my biggest after 10 overs. spinner R Sai Kishore (82th) were enough to secure motivation. I still feel However, medium-pacer (0/11) kept things tight as all three points for the Nizams I’ve got wickets and runs Babashafi Pathan removed Baroda was 11/1 after three and propel them to third place in me and match-win- Nishaanth in the 12th over, overs. on the table. ning performances with- as he holed out in the deep, BRIEF SCORES Hyderabad made their inten- in me. I have small tar- to reduce TN to 67/2 and Baroda 120/9 (Vishnu Solanki 49, Atit Sheth 29; M Siddharth tions clear right from the start, gets I want to achieve He’s (Virat Kohli) a removing the Indian give Baroda a glimmer of winning a corner in the fifth first. skipper early. hope. 4/20; M. Mohammed 1/16) lost to great guy and a good INDIA FAVOURITES, ENGLAND’S Tamil Nadu 123/3 (C. Hari minute. The promising Asish “I am not too far away friend of mine — we “How do we get him Skipper Dinesh Karthik Nishaanth 35, Baba Aparajith 29 Rai, who is enjoying a break- from getting 200 wickets. don't talk too much out? He’s obviously an played his part to perfec- not out; Atit Sheth 1/20) by 7 through season, was the archi- I know people say they amazing player, world- TOP 3 INCONSISTENT: CHAPPELL tion with a 16-ball 22 but wickets. tect of the move, sprinting into don’t look at these things about cricket. I don’t class, he’s very motivat- the Chennaiyin box and finding but it would be some- know how we’re going ed to do well and I’m sure New Delhi, Jan. 31: obstacles. When you add Mohammed Yasir. thing I would look at. to get him out because he’ll be even more moti- Former Australia captain the name Virat Kohli to the After Yasir’s cross was put Then I would set another I don't think he has vated after they did well Ian Chappell reckons India batting order, the team sud- behind for a corner, Rai got target after that,” said any sort of weakness in Australia and he had will start as favourites in denly assumes a bullet- another chance but sent his Moeen. but we have a good to leave for the birth of the Test series against proof cloak,” Chappell cross over. Moeen was part of the bowling attack, some his child,” said Moeen. England owing to a quality wrote in his column for Hyderabad kept attacking in England squad that pace in the line-up. Moeen and Kohli are pace attack with plenty of ESPNcricinfo. the first quarter and got their toured Sri Lanka recent- — MOEEN ALI teammates at Royal depth and a top order that “In also adding the names reward just before the half-hour ly, but the 33-year-old England Challengers Bangalore. is more consistent than the R Ashwin, Hardik Pandya mark when Sandaza broke the spent most of his time in “He’s a great guy and a and Ishant Sharma to the allrounder visitors'. deadlock. — PTI isolation after testing good friend of mine — What should also bolster list of available players, Covid-19 positive. we don’t talk too much the home team is the addi- India take on an unbeat- Moeen said he is fit and ease’. Hopefully there is about cricket. I don’t tion of captain Virat Kohli able appearance.” Gill blazes to title raring to go now. ease after this,” said know how we’re going to to a strong batting line-up The big-ticket series “Once I tested positive, Moeen. get him out because I and their incredible recent starts in Chennai on in Coimbatore I just wanted to get it The off-spinner who don’t think he has any triumph in Australia. February 5. Chappell feels Tamil Nadu celebrate after winning the Syed Mushtaq Ali over and done with real- took 10 wickets, includ- sort of weakness but we “India will start as India’s formidable top T20 trophy by beating Baroda in the final. Coimbatore: Gaurav Gill was in ly. It has been tough but ing that of Virat Kohli, have a good bowling favourites after an exhila- order may tip the scales in blazing form at the wheels of I’m a big believer in during the 2016 series attack, some pace in the rating victory over favour of the home team. his Mahindra XUV as he and ‘after hardship comes knows the importance of line-up,” he added. Australia, overcoming all — PTI navigator Musa Sherif showed immense skills and patience to Antonsen, Tai win the Rally of Coimbatore on Sunday and again emerge national champions. SHASTRI SAYS PM’s WORDS By winning two legs on tarmac Strike-rate doesn’t really emerge champs in Itanagar last month and com- ing to the leafy environs of WILL BOOST TEAM’S MORALE Kethanur, 40km outside New Delhi, Jan. 31: Humare khiladiyon ka Bangkok, Jan. 31: Top- her own voice. Coimbatore, Gill showed he was India’s head coach Ravi hardwork aur teamwork matter at times: Pujara ranked Tai Tzu-ying won a In the second game Tai also the king on gravel as well. Shastri on Sunday said prerit karnewala hain,” dramatic cliffhanger dominated early and dic- For JK Tyre, the return to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his address. New Delhi, Jan. 31: Australian attack at bay. women’s badminton World tated a commanding pace, rallying scene with a bang after Modi’s words of apprecia- The head coach of the There are times when “It wasn’t easy at all in Tour Final in Bangkok on eventually triumphing 21- a long hiatus could not have tion on the national crick- victorious team tweeted: balls faced matter a lot terms of preparation Sunday, blocking reigning 8. The decider was filled been sweeter. The comeback to et team’s recent triumph “Thank you, Sir. Your more than runs scored and the Australian team Olympic champion with fast and furious ral- the latest season in a year of in Australia would kind words will further and the recent tour of had a thorough game Carolina Marin’s bid for a lies — both players yo-yoed the pandemic has been simply strengthen its resolve to strengthen TeamIndia Australia was all about plan for each of us. To hat-trick of titles in three up and down the score- captivating. perform “under pres- and India’s resolve to per- that for India’s Test bat- get back into rhythm weeks. board — but two late spec- It was a brave decision on part sure” in future assign- form under pressure and ting mainstay took a little bit of time The all Danish men’s sin- tacular drop shots were of the FMSCI’s INRC and the ments as well. in trying circumstances. Cheteshwar Pujara, who but luckily all went posi- gles final was equally nail critical in sealing Tai’s vic- competing teams to go ahead A depleted Indian crick- Jai Hind !” finds the “strike-rate tive in the end. biting as Anders Antonsen tory 21-19. with the rally season despite et team posted a historic talk” overrated. “Numbers wise, it may denied Viktor Axelsen a “Before this match today fears over the Corona virus. come-from-behind 2-1 DADA DISCHARGED Pujara had collected a not look like a very, very third tournament win in I kept telling myself that I From Saturday to Sunday after- Test series win against BCCI president Sourav lot more runs (521 at good series for me but if three weeks. had to play patiently. In the noon, Gill had a lot of prob- Australia in their own Ganguly, who was dis- 41.41 strike rate and Cheteshwar Pujara you look at the pitches, Marin beat the previous matches, all my lems, though by sheer dint of den earlier this month. charged from a Kolkata three hundreds) in his not many runs were Taiwanese 26-year-old two mistakes were caused (by) experience and his large heart And the lion-hearted hospital earlier in the day player of the series per- cumstances were com- scored this time. It was weeks in a row during the my own impatience,” Tai he conquered the elements and effort of the team was after undergoing a fresh formance to ensure a his- pletely different. This more challenging than previous Thailand Open said. technical glitches in the car. duly appreciated by round of angioplasty to toric win in Australia time I was starting up last time without a tournament finals. Thailand has hosted Prime Minister Modi in clear clogged coronary two seasons ago but con- after a long time, almost doubt.” The Spaniard had a three consecutive bad- his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ arteries, also thanked sidering the “extraordi- eight months (due to The 81-Test veteran shaky start Sunday as Tai minton tournaments in a Jesus wins it for address to the nation on Modi for his appreciation. nary circumstances” of Covid-19), there were no said the balls faced, 928 exploited holes in her bio-secure bubble to guard Sunday. “Sincere thanks and the recent showdown first class games also,” to 1,258 two years ago, defence early, but Marin against the pandemic. Manchester City “Is mahine cricket pitch gratitude to Honourable that just went by, he rates Pujara said. mattered more than runs mounted a successful Axelsen, ranked fourth, se bhi bahut acchhi Prime minister for recog- his effort (271 at 29.20 The 31-year-old stood scored, given the chal- comeback in the later couldn’t control his nerves London: Manchester City khabar mili. Humari nising the performance of and three half-centuries) like a rock through the lenging pace attack, stages winning the opener — losing the first game 16- opened up a three-point lead at cricket team ne shuruati the Indian cricket team in equally special. series, quite literally in nature of pitches and 21-14. 21 — his body language the top of the Premier League dikkaton ke baad, shaan- australia..,” Ganguly “Both tours have been the final Test in barrage of injuries that Marin was loud and showing immense frustra- with a game in hand to come as dar wapaasi karte huye tweeted. fantastic for the team Brisbane, where he took the Indian team suffered fiesty in her verbal cele- tion as errors piled up and Pep Guardiola’s men beat Australia mein series jeeti. — PTI and personally I did well multiple blows on the through the four games. brations, but a visibly shots landed wide. Sheffield United 1-0, while on both tours but the cir- body to keep a relentless — PTI annoyed Tai soon found — AFP Manchester United played out a goalless draw at Arsenal on Saturday. Gabriel Jesus scored the only goal inside the first 10 minutes at the Etihad as City extended their winning run to Ranji survived World War, freedom struggle but not Covid 12 games in all competitions. threats still being posed by The way the bench play- turnaround that was group level till he reaches corners of the country the pandemic) prompted ers put their hands up to caused by stand-in captain the first class level, saying: playing the Ranji Trophy Live on TV the BCCI to take this take India to a convincing Ajinkya Rahane and team. “As cricket is THE major to reach the IPL level. unfortunate step to put win over the Australians In his column the former sport in India, the best ath- There will be discussions FOOTBALL Hemant Kenkre player and public safety on just goes to show how deep Aussie skipper wrote: “An letes in the country are about T. Natarajan’s pen- Indian Super League: Odisha vs top priority. cricket has penetrated into India wannabe gets the playing the game and com- chant to bowl good yorkers Jamshedpur from 7.20 pm on Star Silly Point Just how important the the country. Performances cricket equivalent of the petition for state places is for his IPL franchise but Sports 2, 3 Ranji Trophy is for Indian by members of the team Gurkha military training fierce.” Indian legend not about the 67 wickets he cricket and its growth is (who started the tour down programme — arguably Sunil Gavaskar has often has snared in only 21 first WWE he recent news that most important contest to not too difficult to demon- under as ‘net bowlers’) the toughest physical and written about the ‘hunger’ class (Ranji included) Raw: Bouts from 6.30 am the Ranji Trophy be played by Indian crick- strate to the present gener- wowed audiences in India mental induction regime that a young Indian crick- matches. It was his, and (Tuesday) on Sony Ten 1, HD has been suspend- eters, barring Test cricket. ation that has been weaned and also passed a strong in the world.” Having eter has as he undertakes Mohammed Siraj’s experi- Ted for the 2020-21 What began with 14 on the shorter formats of message to followers of the coached India for two the sharp climb, up from ence playing the long for- season caused a dampener teams in the inaugural sea- the game. For Zoomers game abroad that Indian years, Chappell saw, at the age group level to the mat Ranji Trophy that in what has otherwise son has now morphed into (Generation Z) whose birth cricket cannot be taken first hand, the Indian Ranji Trophy. gave them the edge while Regd. No. been a fabulous season for a mammoth tourney fea- years range from the mid- lightly. The strength of any cricket system (from age- In recent times, many playing Test cricket, not Indian cricket. It has been turing 38 teams from to-late 1990s to the 2000s, team does not lie only in group cricket onwards) experts often talk about the IPL. In a sense, the IPL TNENG/2010/35692 86 years since MJ Gopalan across the country. The the Ranji Trophy will not its playing stars but is and understood the the influence of the IPL in has given players the right bowled the first ball in a decision taken by the have the same importance uncovered when their rigours of coming up getting an Indian cricketer attitude while playing at Printed & Published by first class fixture for Board of Control for as shorter tournaments replacements show their through the same. ready for the international the international level but K. Sudhakar on behalf of Madras (Tamil Nadu) Cricket in India (BCCI) such as the Indian Premier hunger for success. And In a summation, stage. That, in a sense, is the real experience will Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited that’s what was on show Chappell went on to call partly true as we have seen always be due to their hard and Printed at against Mysore was after consultation League that has complete Deccan Chronicle Presses situated (Karnataka) in the inaugu- with their stakeholders top-of-the-mind recall. The during the series, particu- their young cricketers many youngsters catch the work in the competitive at SP 3, Developed Plot, Industrial Estate, ral game of the Ranji (teams, players, etc.) is a recent exploits of the larly in the final Test ‘weekend warriors’ as eyes of cricket experts Ranji Trophy which Guindy, Chennai - 600 032. Trophy. The tournament correct one considering Indian team in Australia match at the Gabba. compared to their Indian thanks to their perform- (unfortunately) will be RNI Registration No: TN ENG/2005/14987 that was conducted the current situation. The in the Test series are Former Australian great, counterparts. He men- ances in the tournament. missed this year. The tour- Ph Nos: 22254747, 22254748, 22254750, unabated since that match gigantic logistical efforts ample proof of how the Greg Chappell commended tioned the cut-throat com- What they probably don’t nament survived a World 22254751 played in Madras, has been needed to conduct the Ranji Trophy has con- the domestic structure in petition that a young realise is the hard work all War and the freedom Editor: KAUSHIK MITTER the lifeline of Indian crick- national tournament in tributed to the growth of India and called it the Indian cricketer has to sur- these cricketers have gone struggle but not the pan- et and is considered the these times (with the Indian cricket. main reason for the superb vive from the Under-16 age through performing in far demic.