OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR, AHMEDABAD & LUCKNOW

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AHMEDABAD l SATURDAY, APRIL 03, 2021 l Pages 12 l 3.00 RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 2 l Issue No. 126

Women wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk under cherry blossoms in full bloom at a park in Seoul, South Korea. (Inset) Men dig graves at the Valle de Chalco cemetery during the new coronavirus pandemic on the outskirts of Mexico City. The rapidly rising corona numbers in since last month has brought back the spectre of a lockdown. Limited lockdowns have already been imposed in some cities, and threat of stringent lockdown looms large. Corona crisis Back to square one SACHIN HOSPITALISED ‘UNDER PRIYANKA IN ISOLATION AFTER NO LOCKDOWN IN FOR NOW, EXPECT STRICT RESTRICTIONS MEDICAL ADVICE’ DAYS AFTER HUSBAND ROBERT TESTS +VE, SITUATION NOT AS SERIOUS AS SOON, SAYS UDDHAV THACKERAY TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID CANCELS CAMPAIGN FOR 3 DAYS BEFORE, SAYS CM KEJRIWAL ON MAHARASHTRA COVID SURGE

Mumbai: Sachin New Delhi: New Delhi: Delhi Chief Mumbai: The possibil- Tendulkar, who tested leader Priyanka Gandhi Minister Arvind Kejriwal ity of a lockdown in positive for COVID-19 Vadra Friday went into on Friday said the ongo- Maharashtra can’t be last week, said on self-isolation after her ing wave of the Cov- ruled out if the surge in Friday that he has husband Robert Vadra id-19 pandemic in the coronavirus cases con- been hospitalised as a tested positive for Capital is not as serious tinues, Chief Minister precautionary measure. Covid-19. Priyanka has as the previous waves Uddhav Thackeray said The 47-year-old took to cancelled her campaign and hence there is no on Friday amid a fresh Twitter to announce the plans for the next three need of imposing any COVID-19 wave in the development. “Thank he wrote. Tendulkar had days, in Assam, Kerala positive for COVID lockdown. “We will be the second wave in the state that has seen the become complacent. We you for your wishes and tested positive for the and Tamil Nadu. Robert although I am asymp- reviewing the situation. country, it is the fourth highest daily infections are in a Catch 22 situ- prayers. As a matter of infection on March 27 Vadra announced in tomatic so far. As per In future, if the need wave for Delhi. An since the beginning of ation - should we look abundant precaution and had been in home the morning that he the COVID guidelines, for a lockdown arises, emergency meeting was the pandemic in the last at economy or health?” under medical advice, I isolation ever since. “He has tested Covid-19 Priyanka and I are self- I will consult before called at the chief Minis- two weeks. “I cannot CM said. Meanwhile, have been hospitalised. is doing fi ne and has positive, “Unfortunately, isolating although she taking any such deci- ter Kejriwal’s residence rule out imposing a night curfew timings I hope to be back home been admitted for nor- I came into contact has tested negative,” sion,” the Chief Minister considering the increase lockdown if the current in Pune were revised in a few days. Take care mal (course of) treat- with someone COVID RObert Vadra said in a said, adding that though of Cooronavirus cases COVID-19 situation to 6 pm-6 am from the and stay safe everyone,” ment,” said a source. positive and have tested Facebook post. it is being considered in the city. prevails. People have earlier 8 pm-7 am. 50 of 60 seats for BJP from 2 phases, EC orders repoll in Assam’s Ratabari after Mamata losing Nandigram, says Shah reports of EVMs in BJP candidate’s car Didi running TMC govt on ‘3T model’ All four officers EC BANS BJP’S of ‘Tolabaji’ (extortion), ‘Tanashahi’ of the polling HIMANTA FROM (dictatorship) and ‘Tushtikaran’ party have been CAMPAIGNING (appeasement), says Home Minister suspended by EC BJP Assam leader Himanta Sarma has Kolkata: Union Home in Cooch Behar district, Guwahati/New Delhi: been given a 48-hour Minister Amit Shah Fri- Shah said, “It is clear The Election Commis- ban on campaigning. day claimed the BJP “had from the first two phas- sion (EC) has ordered a EC issued order on won” over 50 seats out of es that the BJP will win repoll for a polling sta- Friday after Sarma the total 60 that went to more than 50 seats out tion in the Ratabari As- threatened to send polls in the first two phas- of 60. And Didi is losing Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses an election rally at sembly seat of Assam Video grab of EVM kept inside the car belonging to the wife of Hagrama Mohilary - es in , and the election from Shitalkuchi in Cooch Behar on Friday. —PHOTO BY PTI after reports emerged Krishnendu Paul, a BJP contestant in nearby Patharkandi. whose BPF (Bodoland that Chief Minister Nandigram. Later, Di- late last night of an EVM People’s Front) is a Mamata Banerjee had di’s advisor went to her replied that she would wouldn’t vote for her.” being transported in a olation of transport day morning, said that member of the oppo- lost from Nandigram. and asked. ‘Didi! Where fight from anywhere Shah asked the peo- private vehicle belong- protocol,” the Commis- it has issued a show- sition alliance - to jail Addressing a public would you want to con- but not from north Ben- ple of north Bengal not ing to a BJP candidate. sion, in a press state- cause notice to the Pre- by misusing the NIA. meeting at Sitalkuchi test from now?’ But Didi gal, as the people here to give Turn to P6 Acknowledging a “vi- ment released on Fri- siding Officer Turn to P6

CAUSE FOR CONCERN nCoV worsens as Guj records highest 1-day surge at 2.6K cases First India Bureau ed a press release. The dodara (375), Rajkot was reported in the dis- As many as patients who died were (307), among others. trict, which is known to Gandhinagar: The from Ahmedabad city Meanwhile, a video spread rapidly. 11 patients state recorded its high- (3), Rajkot city (3), Surat of a factory in the town As many as 2,066 peo- est single-day COV- city (3), (1) and of Morbi was doing ple recovered from the succumbed ID-19 spike of the year Vadodara city (1). rounds on social media, virus, taking the total on Friday, when it re- Due to the worsening where more than four tally to 2,94,650, even as to the virus ported 2,640 cases, condition, most of the patients could be seen ’s recovery rate taking the total tally hospitals in the state do lying on the floor with a dipped slightly to on Friday; to 3,12,748. The surge not have vacant beds to glucose drip. 94.21%. in cases has put Guja- treat other patients, as Due to the number of The number of ac- SMC rat in the list of states they have been directed COVID-19 cases, the Su- tive cases rose to 13,559, with serious crisis to nCoV positive pa- rat Municipal Corpora- of which, 158 patients cancels all amid the pandemic. tients. tion (SMC) cancelled were put on ventilator The state’s death toll Surat reported the the leaves of all its em- support. A total of employee rose to 4,539 as 11 more highest number of new ployees till April 30. The 65.06 lakh citizens have patients succumbed to cases at 644, followed by decision was taken after been vaccinated in the leaves the virus infection, stat- Ahmedabad (629), Va- A woman gets tested for COVID-19 at a testing centre in Ahmedabad. —PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI a new COVID-19 strain state so far. NEWS www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 02 NO LEADERSHIP OVERHAUL LIKELY IN CONG FOR 2 MONTHS visited Ahmedabad two presidents of the days ago, and informed GPCC, Bharatsinh As senior leaders vie mediapersons that no Solanki and Arjun changes would be tak- Modhwadia have been for top posts, Chavda ing place in the party’s trying hard to get the Gujarat leadership as keys to the fort, while of now. MLAs Shailesh Parmar and Dhanani continue According to sourc- and Ashwin Kotwal are es, the Congress high reportedly in a race to command has its hands replace Dhanani. to steer the ship full with the ongoing Interestingly, despite state assembly elec- tendering their resig- First India Bureau nations. The party’s tions in Assam, Kerala, nations several times national leadership Tamil Nadu, West Ben- since 2019, both Chavda Ahmedabad: After had communicated gal and Pondicherry. and Dhanani have con- the Congress party that the state’s post- Therefore, decision on tinued in their respec- faced defeat in the lo- holders were set to be Gujarat leadership will tive positions. One of cal body elections replaced soon. How- be taken only after May. the reasons for their last month, Gujarat ever, if sources are to In effect, the changes tenure extension may Pradesh Congress be believed, no chang- are likely to be estab- be the fact that they Committee (GPCC) es are likely within lished by June. were selected for the Amit Chavda and the party for the next Currently, a gaggle positions by the Indian Leader of Opposition three months. LoP Paresh Dhanani (L) and GPCC of senior leaders are National Congress Paresh Dhanani had Congress state in- prez Amit Chavda. —FILE PHOTO vying for the top posi- (INC) former president tendered their resig- charge Rajiv Satav had tions in the party. For- .

OVER 1.8L WORKERS WILL SET UP 4.5K TEMPORARY CAMPS WHERE PEOPLE WILL GET THE SHOT AND ALSO BE PROVIDED WITH TEA & SNACKS BJP to launch nCoV vaccine awareness campaign in Guj

Party leaders at the manifesto launch. AAP releases GMC election manifesto First India Bureau tee card’. “If the peo- tablishment of 10 ple put us at the helm English-medium Gandhinagar: The of power, we will start schools in Gandhina- (L) BJP state unit prez CR Patil with a senior citizen after she got the vaccine jab; (R) BJP workers at a vaccination centre. serving them only on gar, an air-condi- (AAP) on Friday un- the basis of the guar- tioned library, coach- First India Bureau Gandhinagar, Juna- veiled its election antee card,” said Ita- ing centre for prepa- NEW APPOINTMENTS gadh, Dahod, Mahisa- manifesto for the up- lia. ration of competitive Gandhinagar: The gar, Banaskantha, Surat coming Gandhinagar With the final call examinations, free Bharatiya The party declared the names of its office-bearers on Friday. The state general , Rajkot, Vadodara, Ara- Municipal Corpora- for candidate nomina- medical check-ups, (BJP) is all set to launch secretary Pradeepsinh Vaghela has been appointed as the South Gujarat in- valli, Mehsana and tion elections. Term- tion done with, party among other projects. an awareness campaign charge as well as of Ahmedabad and the party state unit office. Bhargav Bhatt Bhavnagar Municipal ing it ‘guarantee candidates have start- The party also prom- on vaccination and en- was announced to be the Central Zone incharge, Rajni Patel will be Kutchh and Corporation area. In card’, the party’s state ed campaigning for ised reduction in courage citizens to get North Gujarat incharge and Vinod Chavda will be Saurashtra zone incharge. fact, I will personally president Gopal Italia polls. The Aam Aadmi property tax by 50% vaccinated. State unit Prashant Korat was appointed as the BJP Yuva Morcha president, whereas kick-off the campaign addressed a press Party, which entered in Gandhinagar and president CR Patil acti- Deepikaben Saradva has been appointed as the women’s wing president. in Amreli and Bhavna- meet and told media- Gujarat politics by founding a women’s vated the party work- gar districts,” said Patil. persons that the party grabbing 27 seats in sports academy as ers’ cadre in Gandhina- The party also plans had appointed an in- the Surat Municipal well. gar on Friday and in- workers with arrange- required. the campaign and con- to organize an event to charge for each ward Corporation (SMC) AAP will call upon structed them to spread ments for snacks and Over 1,86,000 workers tribute towards encour- reach out to the voters in the civic body for elections held last star campaigners information about the tea for people getting will join hands and aging citizens to join the and get in their good the polls. month, will now con- such as Delhi Deputy vaccine across the state. the vaccine shot. Also, work on the campaign ongoing vaccination graces, ahead of the AAP also reiterated test polls in Gandhi- Chief Minister Man- Talking about the workers will also ar- for the next 45 days. drive. Gandhinagar Munici- its commitment to- nagar. ish Sisodiya and 29 campaign, Patil said range for transporta- Party leadership has in- “The vaccination pro- pal Corporation (GMC) wards the people In its manifesto, the others to campaign that over 4,500 centres tion to bring people to structed incumbent gramme is going very polls and Morva Hadaf through its ‘guaran- party mentioned es- for GMC polls. will be opened by BJP vaccination centres, if MLAs and MPs to begin well in districts such as by-election.

ACTION INITIATED AMC pulls up 250 A’bad buildings without fire NOCs

cently started receiving Renowned hotels, colleges, applications for fire NOCs or their renewal, hospitals, malls feature in he added. Talking about the the list uploaded by the civic crackdown on buildings without fire NOCs, Bhatt body on its website stated, “Those who do not have fire NOCs, or First India Bureau campuses, hospitals, and have not renewed them, malls. will face the consequenc- Ahmedabad: Accord- The local civic body es. The department will ing to a revelation made updated the list on its issue them closure no- by the Ahmedabad Mu- website on Friday that tices and not hesitate to nicipal Corporation has big names such as seal the buildings in vio- (AMC) on its official Hotel Novotel, Hotel Sil- lation wherever re- website, around 250 com- ver Cloud, Hotel Silver quired. mercial buildings in the Heights, Hotel Hyatt Incidentally, a week city do not have a valid (Vastrapur), Ramada ago, the fire department fire safety NOC (No Ob- Hotel, Himalaya Mall, Hotel Novotel and Himalaya Mall are among the buildings that do not have a valid fire NOC. had issued notices to 150 jection Certificate) or Titanium City Centre, hospitals without valid have failed to renew ex- Mayflower Hospital, Rajesh Bhatt, Addi- a question of fire NOCs that they work in case of creates a problem. So, also secure valid fire fire NOCs. As per official isting ones. The list of Kaizen Hospital, Cancer tional Chief Fire Officer alone. Several high-rises an emergency is more building owners need to NOCs or renew existing records, there are over such properties includes Hospital on Civil Hospi- (CFO) of the Ahmedabad or commercial buildings important. Staffers are install fire equipment, ones.” 1,800 hospitals in the city, leading 4-star as well as tal premises, among oth- fire department, told me- do install fire safety not trained to operate train their staffers in There is no doubt that of which, 400 do not have 5-star hotels, college ers. diapersons, “It is not just equipment, but ensuring the equipment and that handling a fire crisis and the department has re- fire NOCs. GUJARAT www.fi rstindia.co.in I www.fi rstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefi rstindia I facebook.com/thefi rstindia I instagram.com/thefi rstindia AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 03 Citizens cry Remdesivir shortage, 6 sentenced to life for beating youth to death GOVT SAYS IT’S IN STOCK Bhavesh Barot As people took to commuting long distances to get the drug, officials act as if nothing amiss Himmatnagar: A Sa- barkantha district First India Bureau NO DEARTH court on Thursday awarded life impris- Gandhinagar: Even as onment to six per- the Bharatiya Janata sons involved in Party (BJP) has been beating a youth to encouraging citizens to death way back in get vaccinated for COV- 2016. ID-19, people have cried According to assis- foul over an alleged tant public prosecutor shortage of injectable NN Barot, on Novem- —FILE PHOTO drug Remdesivir in the ber 7, 2016, the accused state. According to re- belonging to Dhicha- ports, several cities nia village in Idar ta- the attack. have communicated in- luka were returning A complaint in this The accused sufficiency of the life- home after watching a regard was filed at Idar saving drug. Remdesivir is known to combat the COVID-19 virus effectively. —FILE PHOTO folk programme in a police station then. suspected the Several hospitals in nearby village. The affair of deceased victim Vinod of Rajkot have stopped ad- soon, Rajkot Food and On Friday, a total of tions in Mehsana. On the way, they Vinodbhai with Shani- having an affair with mitting new novel coro- Drug Control Adminis- 13,860 injections were “Additionally, over intercepted a youth ben was disapproved a woman in their navirus patients due to tration official Sumit made available in drug 19,105 injections are vir injections, Favipira- whom they believed by the family members shortage of Remdesivir Vyas said, “Around 250 markets and private currently available in vir tablets, Koshia clari- was having an affair and it resulted in fre- village injections. With the injections of Remdesi- hospitals in all the dis- depots and will be dis- fied that the medicines with a girl from their quent quarrels. drug’s stock at medical vir reached Rajkot on tricts of the state. Out tributed in districts,” required for the treat- village and assaulted On the basis of evi- stores severely deplet- Friday.” of the total, over 5,478 stated the Food and ment of COVID-19 pa- him with deadly dence produced by Pravin alias Paresh ed, the city has been fac- Meanwhile, in Surat, injections were distrib- Drug Control Adminis- tients were accessible to weapons, which re- the prosecution, ad- Gameti, Lalji Balevia ing a crisis of the inject- due to a scarcity of the uted in Ahmedabad, tration commissioner the government as well sulted in the death of ditional sessions and Raju Ninama to able drug for the past injection, people have 2,290 injections in Va- Hemant Koshia. as private hospitals and victim Vinod, while judge HS Brahmb- life imprisonment two days. Assuring the taken to visiting nearby dodara, 1,852 injections Clearing the air about drug markets. He urged Shaniben, a woman hatt sentenced Lalji and Rs5,000 fine to citizens that Remdesiv- towns for administra- in Surat, 216 injections availability of medical- citizens to not panic accompanying the Lata, Nanji Lata, be exacted from all ir would be available tion of the drug. in Rajkot and 414 injec- grade oxygen, Remdesi- about any shortage. deceased, survived Dinesh Gameti, accused.

Senior citizen in IN MEMORIAM Couple booked for judicial custody for confinement, physical sodomising minor abuse of Dalit woman

Vadodara district sessions court. —FILE PHOTO —FILE PHOTO First India Bureau cused on March 27. Not only did the accused First India Bureau abused and beat her be- Vadodara: A senior sodomise the victim, fore tying her hands and Members of the Christian community gathered to perform a re-enactment of Jesus Christ’s Way of the Cross to citizen was sentenced but he also beat him and Junagadh: A couple legs. When she began commemorate Good Friday at a church in Ramol area of Ahmedabad on Friday. —PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI to judicial custody by a threatened with dire was booked by local po- yelling for help, it drew judicial magistrate for consequences after lice on a range of charg- the attention of the sodomising a minor boy committing the crime. es including criminal neighbours. An onlook- on Friday. Bhupendra He even threatened to intimidation, illegal er summoned emergen- Jogidasani, 70, was ar- kill the boy’s mother if confinement, abuse and cy medical services to rested on April 1 by JP he told anyone about MAN ROBBED, KILLED BY GANG OF 5 IN SURAT voluntarily injuring a transport the victim to a Road police and brought his ordeal. First India Bureau She shouted and alerted Dalit woman. On Thurs- hospital. She is current- before a court the next When the boy re- neighbours following day night, Ramaben ly undergoing treatment day. On Friday, the court turned home after the Surat: A gang of five which, police officials Dafda, a 46-year-old at a local hospital as an decided to place him in incident, he was unable robbers broke into from Dumas police sta- woman, filed a criminal indoor patient, police of- judicial custody. The ac- to narrate his plight in the residence of a tion reached the spot complaint against a ficials confirmed. cused has been charged words, so he told his 58-year-old man in with a dog squad and Kano Mer and his wife Keshod police have under various sections mother about it through Dumas area of the forensic team. at Keshod police station. filed a case against the of the Protection of signs and she immedi- city with the inten- Primary investiga- She alleged that on couple under various Children from Sexual ately contacted the po- tion of looting and tion has revealed that her way back from cut- sections of the Indian Offences (POCSO) Act lice. The accused is a ended up killing him the robbers attacked ting up grass for fodder Penal Code (IPC). Dep- as well as other sections licensed electrician, late on Thursday Bhupin after deeming from the fields on Thurs- uty superintendent of of the Indian Penal who has spent many night, said police of- him a soft target due day afternoon, she got police KK Thakur is Code (IPC). years working for a pri- ficials. The deceased, to his age and living into an argument with investigating the case. According to the vate company. His wife identified as Bhupin Police offi cials at Patel’s residence. condition. Police have the two accused while According to a Keshod complaint filed with JP termed the allegations Patel, lived alone in recovered the CCTV walking past their police station officer, Road police station, the as “baseless” and Kandi Falia. ago. His mother, who days. On the day of the footage from a cam- house, according to po- the couple is yet to be victim is a six-year-old deemed them as a ploy Patel had been living lives a couple of blocks incident, she visited his era near his house lice officials. apprehended, and po- boy who went to play at to tarnish the family’s alone after separating away from his home, home and found Bhupin and started an inves- According to the com- lice are on the lookout the residence of the ac- reputation. from his wife 20 years used to visit him on odd tied down on the floor. tigation. plaint, the couple for them.

A STEP TOWARDS HEALING Rajkot to get 13 counselling centres for ‘depressed’ students Masuma Bharmal Jariwala of Saurashtra Univer- stated, “Initially, both will try to solve stu- They will be sity, will open 13 coun- students and parents dents’ problems both Rajkot: While the COV- selling centres across were pleased with online online and in the office set up to ID-19 pandemic has the city. They will enable education, but as time each day for two hours taken a toll on the students to openly ex- passed, they lost inter- in the evening over a address health of citizens, the press their concerns. est. Personally, I believe period of three months. psychological psychological impact of The city has approxi- that our country’s future Students and parents online classes has also mately 800 schools with is in jeopardy, both psy- can report their prob- issues such been observed on stu- an average enrollment chological and physical lems using the Google dents raising concern of 400 students. Over health-wise. Students in link provided or by call- as non- over its long-term feasi- 60% students and over Class 8-12, in particular, ing the toll-free number bility, according to a 75% parents have ex- have become unrespon- 9925011305,” he added. responsive survey conducted by pressed dissatisfaction sive, uninterested, and “This (initiative) will the Rajkot Self-Fi- with online education. inattentive in class for a not be limited to only Ra- approach, nanced School Manage- In worst-case scenarios, Members of Self-Financed School Management Association and psychology department head of variety of reasons.” jkot, but students will be ment Association. students have been re- Saurashtra University sharing details of the counselling centre on Friday. “We have rigorously able to approach us from stress and To address this alarm- ported to be suffering trained 36 senior teach- anywhere. We intend to ing issue as soon as pos- from mental stress, Students appearing and at a loss about their would be greeted with. ers from various Rajkot gradually establish such disinterest in sible, the association, in learning loss, and a in the board exams this examinations, how they Speaking to First In- schools, and with the centres in talukas such education collaboration with the non-responsive ap- year were also found to would be conducted and dia, president of the as- help of Dr Yogesh Jog- as Gondal, Padadhri, Jas- psychology department proach to education. be depressed, confused, what outcome they sociation, DV Mehta san and his team, we dan, and Upleta as well.” PERSPECTIVE www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 04

IN-DEPTH COVID-19 IS BACK WITH VENGEANCE THE TATA-MISTRY FEUD According to the definition of small shareholders cited in the relevant act, a small shareholder is a ovid-19 is back on centre stage with a vengeance. As the fear of the virus di- shareholder or a group of shareholders who hold shares of the nominal value of not more than `20,000 minished, people became careless about following the Covid-19 protocol and the C disease spiralled. The scary part of the New Coronavirus is that it is attacking not in one or two but multiple peoples at a time. Ahmedabad IIM became a hotspot after 70 people tested positive in two weeks. Maharashtra remains the worst-af- fected state with 8832 fresh cases, the highest single- day spike, and 20 deaths in 24 hours. Considering he recent victory of the Tata the seriousness of the situation, the Centre has group brings an end to India’s ordered vaccination of all 45 plus people in two longest and much-awaited cor- weeks. Vaccine coverage may not guarantee 100 per- porate legal battle with the cent protection but it is the only step that can pre- Mistry family. The Mistry fam- vent the spread of the virus provided people dili- ily is the single largest share- gently follow the Covid protocol. As Uddhav Thack- holder in the Tata group. eray, the Maharashtra Chief Minister said it was T A three-judge Supreme because of the lowering of guard that the situation Court bench, headed by Chief in the State has turned so drastic since March. Justice S.A. Bobde set aside the Many anticipated that Thackeray would announce NCLAT (National Company a second lockdown but the Chief Minister steered Law Appellate Tribunal) order clear of the controversial move. Instead, he asked dated December 18, 2019. The for people’s support in fighting the disease. apex court upheld Tata Sons’ The Centre has been stressing on mass vaccina- decision to hand a pink slip to tion. As no State wants to impose a lockdown, vacci- Cyrus Mistry as a chairman of nation and strict adherence to the Covid protocol by the conglomerate. people is the only way to tackle the problem. Else, the The judgment lifts the veil on situation will go out of hand with hospitals running one of the ugliest board room short of beds. On its part the government is ensuring controversies in India. adequate supply of vaccines and beds but if people do not volunteer, the entire exercise will go to waste. What did the Supreme Court declare in the recent judgment? The apex court allowed the ap- peals by Tata Group to challenge CONG ATTACKS EC OVER the NCLAT decision of Decem- ber 2019 that reinstated Mistry EVM CONTROVERSY to his post. The issue majorly controversy has broken out over Election concerned the 18.4 percent stake Commission officials ferrying an Elec- that the Mistry family holds in tronic Voting Machine in the car of the Tata Group which allowed ’s candidate from them to take the legal recourse. holders of listed companies by This attention-seeking and shift to corporate governance A Patharkandi Krishnendu Paul. The Elec- The judgment highlighted that appointing at least one board highly sought-after judgment in practice. tion Commission has ordered a repoll in Assam’s neither there was the oppres- member by small shareholders. does not directly affect the Ratabari after the recovery of EVM’s were recov- sion of the minority sharehold- According to the definition of rights of minority sharehold- What is the way forward? ered in the MLAs luxury vehicle. Four polling offic- ers of the Tata Group nor there small shareholders cited in the ers of other companies. In per- The apex court had an opportu- ers have been placed under suspension for violating was mismanagement on the relevant act, a small sharehold- spective, it gives shareholders nity to look and scrutinize the EC’s transport protocol. The poll panel’s action part of the Tata Group. er is a shareholder or a group of direction and instruction to bigger messes of corporate gov- against its officials does not clear the suspicion that The Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) shareholders who hold shares ensure that they have a legiti- ernance in India and tighten the it is playing a biased role in these elections. Its ex- A three-judge group alleged that the removal of the nominal value of not mate contract with majority whole corporate world in gener- planation of the series of events has also been Supreme Court was in violation of the basic more than Rs. 20,000. However, shareholders or promoters of al. However, the courts with lim- found unconvincing by the Opposition parties. Con- bench, headed principles of corporate govern- this is clearly not the case with the company to have represen- ited resources and time failed to gress General-Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, by Chief Justice ance and the Articles of Asso- the SP group classifying them tation on the board. acknowledge the same and di- who has withdrawn from campaigning due to her S.A. Bobde set ciation (AoA). Article 75 of the as “minority shareholders” and The apex court has not ig- rected their judgement specifi- husband testing positive, said in a long tweet, “Eve- concerned AoA gives the com- not “small shareholders”. This nored the ideas of contractual cally to the controversy at hand. ry time there is an election video of private vehicles aside the pany the right to purchase com- change in nomenclature pro- agreements or quasi-partner- The court also directed the caught transporting EVMs show up. Unsurpris- NCLAT pany shares from minority vides that there is no statutory ships. However, the judgment parties themselves to find an ingly they have the following things in common: (National shareholders at fair market provision that gives the SP provides that it is crucial for amicable solution for settlement z The vehicles usually belong to BJP candidates or Company Law value. The SP group was con- group the “right to claim pro- shareholders and companies to for the 18% shareholding and their associates… Appellate cerned that the Tata Group may portionate representation on have an effective agreement to valuations. It should be noted z The videos are taken as one-off incidents and dis- Tribunal) order use the Article to their unfair the board of Tata Group. claim or have a fair representa- that if the parties were to come missed as aberrations. advantage and buy them out. The Supreme Court bench fur- tion on the boardroom seats. to conclusion themselves then z The BJP uses its media machinery to accuse those dated December The apex court while dis- ther added that neither SP group This judgment in its entire- the resources of the judicial bod- who exposed the videos as sore losers. The fact is 18, 2019. The cussing minority shareholder’s nor Cyrus Pallonji Mistry can ty pushes the courts and deci- ies could have been preserved. that too many such incidents are being reported and apex court rights held that they or their bring a new request to NCLAT to sion-makers in the Indian sub- Finally, the time period to nothing is being done about them. upheld Tata representatives are not auto- review and rewrite the contract, continent to challenge the resolve this board room drama …The EC needs to start acting decisively on these Sons’ decision matically entitled to a seat on by seeking an amendment of the models of corporate govern- was rather unnecessary and complaints and a serious re-evaluation of the use of to hand a pink the private company’s board AoA in question. ance in the nation. The courts laggard for no logical reason. EVMs needs to be carried out by all the parties.” like a small shareholder’s rep- now have to decide if the ulti- The apex court, unfortunately, That brings us back to the debate over EVMs slip to Cyrus resentative. The bench also Does this judgment impact mate decision-makers of the missed an opportunity to high- versus ballot boxes. Almost all parties claim that Mistry as a noted the key provisions of the minority shareholders of company are either share- light and discuss the underlying EVMs are not tamper-proof. The same can also be chairman of the Company Act 2013, which pro- other companies or the future holders or the board of direc- demons and ill practises of cor- said about ballot boxes, though. conglomerate tects the rights of small share- of corporate governance? tors which will be a paradigm porate governance in India.

Top Long history of cherry blossom viewing parties in Japan TWEET

s a lecturer in across the north of Japan. five lines, of five/seven/ Piyush Goyal Japanese stud- This way no one misses out. five/seven/seven syllables. @PiyushGoyal ies, the first The full bloom of the In Kokin-Waka-Shū, the first The Rameshwaram-Dhanushkodi questions I ask cherry blossom happens imperial anthology of Japa- railway line was damaged in A my students is: from late March to April. It nese poetry, there is a sus- 1964! It was our Govt that started work on creating a new railway “What sort of images come is a season of many chang- tained focus on the beauty of line. Same for the Pamban Rail to mind when you think of es in Japan – including the cherry blossom. For ex- Bridge. Previous Govts ignored it. Japan?” The answers usu- graduation and entrance ample, a poem by Ariwara We focussed on reconstructing it : ally include advanced tech- ceremonies to schools – so no Narihira in the collection PM @NarendraModi ji nologies, red shrine gates, there are many reasons to reads as follows: anime and great food – celebrate. At this time, peo- If ours were a world Prakash Javadekar such as sushi, ramen and ple take a moment to appre- where blossoming cherry trees @PrakashJavdekar so on. They also often say a ciate the brevity of spring were not to be found, what tranquillity would bless 4 cr rural households now have landscape awash in a gen- and its beauty, with the functional tap water connections The human heart in springtime! tle pink with sakura cher- blooming and falling of as PM @narendramodi ji’s Har ry blossom. cherry blossom. In Narihira’s poem, rath- Ghar Nal se Jal scheme achieves Each spring, cherry blos- er than finding the blos- over 20% of its target to provide soms grace Japan with col- IMPERMANENCE soms peaceful, we are told rural household water supply connectivity, since its launch in our for a brief and beauti- OF THINGS it disrupts our tranquillity. 2019. #JalJeevanMission ful moment. Such is the Once people know when the camping stove. People often spring, and it played an im- by Murasaki Shikibu This is the very idea of fleeting nature of this ea- blooming will be in their have these with cans of portant role in court cul- (Lady Purple), which dates mono no aware, a sense of gerly anticipated yearly area, it is custom to start beers or cups of sake (Japa- tures in the Heian period from the 11th century and appreciating the brief “per- phenomenon that most organising picnic parties nese rice wine). (794-1185). has been heralded as the ishable beauty” of nature Spiritual Japanese news channels for hanami (flower view- The custom of hanami The plum flower was world’s first novel. and human emotion. Then cover the flowering. The Ja- ing). This could be a picnic has a long history, starting commonly used as a theme Along with plum, appre- and now, the circulation SPEAK pan Meteorological Agency in a bento box with rice in the Nara period (710 to in poetry competitions in ciation of sakura also grew and appreciation of images also issues a full-bloom balls and fried chicken, or 794) with flower-viewings the court. This can be seen in the Heian period in a form of cherry blossom seem to People with opinions just go forecast, which follows the oden, which is a hotpot with of plum blossoms. The fra- in the use of plum-blossom of poetry known as waka. be strongly associated with around bothering each other. blooming as it starts from white radish, fried tofu, fish grance of the plum flower imagery in famous works Translating as “Japanese this Japanese aesthetic. —Buddha the south and spreads cakes and eggs, cooked on a indicates the arrival of such as The Tale of Genji Song”, waka is arranged in SOURCE: THE CONVERSATION l Vol 2 l Issue No. 126 l RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208. Printed and published by Anita Hada Sangwan on behalf of First Express Publishers. Printed at Bhaskar Printing Planet Survey No.148P, Changodar-Bavla Highway, Tal. Sanand, Dist. Ahmedabad. Published at D/302 3rd Floor Plot No. 35 Titanium Square, Scheme No. 2, Thaltej Taluka, Ghatlodiya, Ahmedabad. Editor-In-Chief: Jagdeesh Chandra. Editor: Anita Hada Sangwan responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act

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INDIA www.fi rstindia.co.in I www.fi rstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefi rstindia I facebook.com/thefi rstindia I instagram.com/thefi rstindia AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 05

WEST BENGAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS TN POLLS: PM MODI SLAMS DMK, Amit Shah is managing CONGRESS OVER JALLIKATTU BAN elections, not ECI: Mamata Madurai: Prime Min- Coochbehar: After the ister VOTE FOR NDA high-voltage second on Friday slammed MEANS MORE phase polls in Nandi- Dravida Munnetra Ka- INVESTMENT, gram, West Bengal zhagam (DMK) and Chief Minister Mamata

Congress for posing as DEVP IN TN: PM Banerjee on Friday al- BY ANI —PHOTO protectors of Tamil Madurai: PM Modi leged that Union Home culture and pointed said a vote for Minister Amit Shah out that the UPA-led National Democratic was actually managing Central government Alliance (NDA) is a the ongoing elections in had banned Jallikattu, vote for more invest- the state, instead of the a practice which has ment and develop- Election Commission ment in the region. “A been part of state’s of India (ECI). vote for NDA is a vote culture for centuries. Speaking at a public for better investment The Prime Minister gathering in Dinhata- in this region. We’re added that the NDA Sanhati maidan, Baner- creating the right government cleared an atmosphere for more jee said: “Bharatiya Ja- ordinance brought by industries to come nata Party (BJP) has AIADMK which al- here, especially agro- killed a lot of our work- lowed Jallikattu to industries with help ers. Our workers were continue. PM Narendra Modi addresses the public during election rally in Madurai on Friday. —PHOTO BY ANI from our farmers in killed yesterday in sev- “DMK and Congress value addition,” PM eral areas. I am only West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee interacts with EC offi cers have no real agenda to DMK, Congress cannot provide safety, Modi said. “In this waiting for the elec- during her visits to the voting booths after getting complaints of talk about but they year’s Union Budget, tions to be over. I will Vote Loot from supporters, at Nandigram, in East Midnapore. should control their dignity to women, says PM Modi a series of economic spare no one, I know the lies because people are corridors have been fight. I say this with not foolish. They keep Madurai: Prime Min- “Madurai teaches us peace-loving Madurai announced, and great regret and with JYOTIRADITYA SCINDIA IN BJP’S STAR showing themselves as ister Narendra Modi important lessons on into the mafia because one of them is the humble regards to the CAMPAIGNERS LIST FOR PHASE 4 the only protectors of on Friday, while ad- empowering Nari of complications in Madurai-Kollam cor- Election Commission, Kolkata: BJP has released its list of 30-star cam- Tamil Culture, but the dressing a public rally Shakti. We see it in the DMK’s first family. ridor. Funds allocated it is not managing the paigners for the fourth phase of the assembly polls facts suggest some- in Madurai slammed way women are wor- They have not under- for railway infrastruc- elections, the elections to be held on April 10 in West Bengal. BJP has thing else,” PM Modi Dravida Munnetra Ka- shipped and revered,” stood the ethos of Ma- ture projects in the are being managed by added the name MP Jyotiraditya Scindia to the list- said. The PM pointed zhagam (DMK) and PM Modi said. durai, no wonder, lead- state have increased Amit Shah.” Banerjee making him a star campaigner for the polls along out that while one Congress saying these “DMK and Congress ers keep insulting by a record 238 per also made a lot of prom- with PM Narendra Modi, HM Amit Shah, president United Progressive Al- parties cannot guaran- will neither guarantee women again and cent compared to that ises to the people if her JP Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, UP CM liance (UPA) minister tee the safety and dig- safety nor dignity. again,” PM Modi add- of 2009,” the Prime party won the ongoing Yogi Adityanath and several other union ministers. described Jallikattu as nity of women. DMK tried to make ed. —ANI Minister said. —ANI elections in the state. “barbaric” and banned “I know I will win, but ACTOR MITHUN DIDI IS WELCOME the festival in 2011, if other Trinamool Con- DMK ministers had GOOD FRIDAY REMINDS US ABOUT STRUGGLES AND gress (TMC) candidates CAMPAIGNS FOR TO FIGHT FROM held big portfolios in do not win with me, how LOCKET VARANASI: BJP its government. SACRIFICES OF JESUS CHRIST: PM MODI will the numbers in- Chuchura: The Actor- New Delhi: The Bharati- “UPA was in power New Delhi: On the oc- the struggles and sac- fi xion of Christ on Good Christ,” Jaishankar crease, and if the num- turned-politician and ya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi in 2011 and casion of Good Friday, rifi ces of Jesus Christ. Friday. External Affairs tweeted. Congress bers don’t increase and BJP leader Mithun has welcomed West DMK had big minis- Prime Minister Narendra A perfect embodiment Minister S Jaishankar leader Rahul Gandhi I do not get 200 seats, Chakraborty on Thurs- Bengal Chief Minister tries in the Central Modi said Jesus Christ of compassion. He was said that people should also shared his mes- then how will I form the day campaigned for Mamata Banerjee to government. The same was a “perfect embodi- devoted to serving the “remember the message sage on the day. “Let government? If I am not party candidate Locket contest from the Vara- UPA government ment of compassion” needy and healing the of service and sacrifi ce this Good Friday be a able to form the govern- Chatterjee who is con- nasi Lok Sabha con- banned Jallikattu. One and was devoted to sick,” PM Modi said in of Jesus Christ”. “On reminder of the power ment, there will be no testing the Chunchura stituency in the 2024 UPA leader described serving the needy and a tweet as Christians all Good Friday, remember of compassion, love Kanyashree, Rupashree, assembly seat in the elections and said she Jallikattu as a barbaric healing the sick. “Good over the world com- the message of service and empathy,” Gandhi free ration, free bicycles ongoing West Bengal would never be labelled practice,” the PM Modi Friday reminds us about memorated the cruci- and sacrifi ce of Jesus tweeted. —ANI and free land for farm- elections. as an ‘outsider’. added. —ANI ers,” she said. —ANI

IN THE COURTYARD ASSAM POLLS Bombay HC to pronounce order Congress became mentally, ideologically on Param Singh’s plea on April 5 bankrupt in its lust for power, says JP Nadda Guwahati: BJP Presi- Mumbai: The Bombay dent J P Nadda accused Blame game between BJP HC will pronounce its the Congress of indulg- order on ex-Mumbai Po- ing in the “politics of lice Commissioner Par- opportunism” and has & Cong on social media am Bir Singh and oth- become mentally and Karimganj: A war weakness. As the ers’ petition seeking a ideologically bankrupt of words has erupted election results will CBI inquiry into alleged in its lust for power. Ad- between the Con- near, Congress will corrupt malpractices of dressing election rallies gress and the Bharati- say that BJP has tem- Maharashtra Home Min- in three constituencies ya Janata Party after pered EVMs in ways ister Anil Deshmukh & going to polls in the a video surfaced on that on pushing the challenging Singh’s third and final phase in social media purport- button with ‘hand’ transfer on April 5. Assam, Nadda claimed edly showing an EVM symbol, the vote is The Court on March that the Congress has being found in a BJP going to ‘lotus’. The 31 reserved its order on forged alliances with The BJP National President JP Nadda addresses an election candidate’s car in Pa- youth is literate, and Singh’s petition. “communal” forces and rally, in Boko on Friday. —PHOTO BY ANI tharkandi constitu- they know what’s In his plea, Param Bir the Bombay High Court transfer him from the its relationship with ency following the right,” said Union Singh repeated the graft after the Supreme Court post of Mumbai Police the Left parties changes ologically bankrupt. It BJP of being communal second round of poll- Minister Jitendra allegations that he had refused to entertain his Commissioner. from state to state. “The is the oldest party of the when it itself has ing in Assam. Singh. BJP MP Dilip made against Desh- plea regarding the Singh, who was re- Congress is mentally country and, without aligned with the Mus- “This is a language Saikia also called the mukh in a letter to same. Singh, who was cently transferred, had bankrupt and follows any hesitation, has lim League in Kerala, of defeat. Whenever allegation of EVM Chief Minister Uddhav shunted out as Mumbai written to Maharashtra the policy of political aligned with some com- Indian Secular Front Congress thinks they tempering an “old Thackeray, and also ac- Police Commissioner in Chief Minister Uddhav opportunism and I as munal parties for the (ISF) in West Bengal are about to lose, habit” of Congress cused the Maharashtra the wake of the Antilia Thackeray claiming the BJP’’s national sake of coming to pow- and the Badruddin Aj- they use this lan- and said his party be- Home Minister of inter- bomb scare case, has Deshmukh’s involve- president say this with er,” he said. He said that mal-led All India United guage. This is spoken lieves in the Election fering in police investi- also challenged the gov- ment in severe “mal- full responsibility. the Congress has the Democratic Front (AI- from a position of Commission. —ANI gations.Singh moved ernment’s order to practices”. —ANI “The Congress is ide- audacity to accuse the UDF) in Assam. —PTI

INDIA PITCHES FOR DISENGAGEMENT 2 MILITANTS INVOLVED IN ATTACK IN REMAINING AREAS OF LADAKH MAHARASHTRA CM THREATENING ON BJP LEADER’S HOUSE KILLED HAASAN ‘SUPER-NOTA’, PARTY New Delhi: India hoped briefi ng, Spokesperson in PEOPLE WITH LOCKDOWN: RANE Srinagar: Three militants, tion in Ghat Mohalla in the WON’T WIN ANY SEAT: KARTI that China will work with the Ministry of External Mumbai: BJP leader Narayan Rane on Friday said including two who were district’s Kakapora area, a New Delhi: Congress leader Karti Chidambaram it to ensure disengage- Affairs Arindam Bagchi Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray had failed involved in an attack on a police offi cial said. During on Friday dubbed Kamal Haasan a “super-NOTA” ment of troops in remain- said the two sides con- to tackle the surge in COVID-19 cases and was BJP leader’s house here, searches in the area in and said the actor-turned-politician’s Makkal ing areas of eastern tinue to remain in touch “threatening” people with another lockdown. He were killed in an encoun- south Kashmir, the mili- Neethi Maiam (MNM) will not win a single seat Ladakh at the earliest, and through military and dip- said Maharashtra had seen 54,000 deaths due ter with security forces tants fi red on the security in the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls as it is “not a asserted that de-esca- lomatic channels on the to the infection, the highest for any state in the on Friday in Jammu forces, who retaliated, sustainable political party”. The Congress MP lation of tension alone issue. He also referred to country, but added that another lockdown was and Kashmir’s Pulwama and an encounter ensued, from Sivaganga also slammed the AIADMK-BJP will lead to restoration of External Affairs Minister “unacceptable”. Mocking the Uddhav Thackeray district, police said. The he said. Addressing a alliance and said the people of Tamil Nadu do peace and tranquility in S Jaishankar’s comments government’s ‘’my family, my responsibility’’ anti- encounter took place press conference, the not want a government which has any “stain, border areas and provide that a prolongation of Covid campaign, Mr Rane said the chief minis- early in the morning after IGP said that the security scent or shadow” of the BJP as its ‘’Hindi-Hin- conditions for progress of the situation is in neither ter’s own family had contracted the infection. security forces launched a forces solved the case in dutva’’ agenda “irritates” them. bilateral ties. At a media side’s interest. cordon and search opera- less than 24 hours. INDIA www.fi rstindia.co.in I www.fi rstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefi rstindia I facebook.com/thefi rstindia I instagram.com/thefi rstindia AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 06

COVID-19 SITUATION IN 11 STATES, UTS POWERGallery CAPACITY BUILDING COMMISSION CONSTITUTED, MATTER OF ‘SERIOUS CONCERN’: GOVT ZAINULBHAI IS CHAIRMAN Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, Quality Council of India has been appointed Chairman, Over 36.7 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in last 24 hours in India Capacity Building Commission, Department New Delhi: Cabinet of Personnel & Training (DoPT), while Secretary Rajiv Gauba Ramswami Balasubramaniam will be Member on Friday chaired a Many countries HR and Praveen Pardeshi (MH:85) is Member meeting on the COV- Administration. Besides, Hemang Jani has been ID-19 situation in the appointed as Secretary in the Commission. country in which it was requesting vax, no pointed out that 11 states INTER-CADRE DEPUTATION OF and (UTs were showing ban on export: MEA NEERAJ KUMAR APPROVED a surge in daily cases The ACC has approved the inter-cadre deputation of and they have not shown New Delhi: Noting the on COVID-19 vaccines,” Neeraj Kumar from Himachal Pradesh to Haryana commensurate increase high demand for ‘Made- Bagchi added. for a period of three years on personal grounds. He in enforcement of con- in-India’ vaccines, the On the demand for is a 2011 batch IFS offi cer of HP cadre. tainment activities. Ministry of External the Indian vaccine, These states and un- Affairs (MEA) on Fri- MEA spokesperson SHABIR AHMAD HANDOO QUITS IRS-IT ion territories have day clarified that it has said, “Many countries Shabir Ahmad Handoo has resigned from the been categorised as not imposed any ban on across the world have Indian Revenue Service of Income Tax. “states of grave con- exports of COVID-19 been requesting for our ROMITA ARORA QUITS IRS-IT cern” on account of vaccine and many coun- vaccines. I don’t have Romita Arora has resigned from the Indian their high and rising tries across the world an exact number. But I Revenue Service of Income Tax. daily COVID-19 cases have been requesting can tell you that Vac- and deaths. The situa- People wearing protective masks crowd a marketplace amid the spread of COVID-19 in Mumbai. for its vaccines being cine Maitri has been DEEPAK KHANDEKAR GETS tion was particularly supplied under ‘Vac- extremely successful ADDITIONAL CHARGE “worrying” in Maha- ‘INDIA NOT RIGHT PARTY TO RESPOND’ ministered in the last 24 cine Maitri’ initiative. and very well-liked by Deepak Khandekar has been assigned additional rashtra. The high-level hours across India, in- Speaking at a media our partners across the charge of Secretary, Pensions and Pensioners review meeting was at- formed the union health briefing, MEA spokes- world.” Welfare, Administrative Reforms and Public tended by Chief Secre- I ministry on Friday. “As person Arindam Bagchi “As on date, under the Grievances and Statistics. He is a 1985 batch IAS taries, DG Police and on Day-76 of the vacci- said,” Till now we have Vaccine Maitri initia- offi cer of MP cadre. Health Secretaries of all nation drive (1st April supplied vaccines to tive, we (India) have SAURABH TIWARI CONTINUES states/UTs, with a focus 2021), 36,71,242 vaccine more than 80 countries supplied 644 lakh doses WORKING AT DOWNGRADED POST OF on 11 states/UTs that doses were given. Out of across the world. We to the global communi- JOINT SECRETARY have been reporting which, 33,65,597 benefi- have already stated that ty. Of these, 104 lakh “very high rise” in daily ciaries were vaccinated our external supplies have been supplied as a Saurabh Kumar Tiwari will continue working at cases and daily mortali- across 51,215 sessions would be done keeping grant. 357 lakh on a downgraded post of Joint Secretary in the Direct ty in last 2 weeks. for the first dose and in mind our domestic commercial basis. And Benefi t Transfer Mission till March 9, 2022. He is Meanwhile, a total of 3,05,645 beneficiaries re- requirements.” 182 lakh through the a 1993 batch IP&TA&FS offi cer. 36.7 lakh doses of COV- ceived the second dose “We have not im- COVAX initiative,” DHARMENDRA SHARMA CONTINUES ID-19 vaccines were ad- of vaccine,” it said. —PTI posed any export ban Bagchi said. —PTI WORKING AT UPGRADED POST OF ADDL SECRETARY Dharmendra Sharma will continue working at upgraded post DG, India International Institute IT raids on India holds world record for fastest of Democracy and Election Management at Additional Secretary level till April 11,2022. He is properties of a 1988 batch IAS offi cer of UT cadre. DMK chief’s road construction: Nitin Gadkari Tarun Bajaj PANKAJ JAIN CONTINUES WORKING AT Lucknow: With the UPGRADED POST OF ADDL SECRETARY son-in-law construction of a 2.5 Record GST Pankaj Jain will continue working at upgraded km 4-lane concrete post of Additional Secretary in the Department of road and a 1-lane 25-km collection due Financial Services till April 8, 2022. He is a 1990 bitumen Solapur-Bi- to economic batch IAS offi cer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre. japur road within 24 DHARAM PAL CONTINUES WORKING AT hrs, India has made recovery: Bajaj UPGRADED POST OF ADDL SECRETARY three world records, Dharam Pal will continue working at upgraded said Union Minister for New Delhi: The all- post of Additional Secretary in the Department of Road Transport and time high record collec- Highways Nitin Gad- tion of Goods and Ser- Fertilizers till April 12, 2021. He is a 1988 batch New Delhi: With 4 kari on Friday. vice Tax (GST) is due to IAS offi cer of UT cadre. days to go before Ta- “We made three economic recovery and ANNIE GEORGE CONTINUES WORKING AT mil Nadu Assembly world records this increased compliance UPGRADED POST OF ADDL SECRETARY elections, the IT de- month. India now with the use of technol- Annie George Mathew will continue working at partment searched holds the world record ogy, said Tarun Bajaj, upgraded post of Additional Secretary in the the residence of for the fastest road Secretary, Revenue and Department of Expenditure till November 9, 2021. DMK chief MK Sta- construction. We Department of Eco- She is a 1988 batch IA&AS offi cer. lin’s son-in-law Sab- made it to the Guin- nomic Affairs. GST col- areesan, a key DMK ness World Records by Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari during the inauguration function of lection in March this 12 IPS OFFICERS GET NEW strategist & adviser building a 2.5 km two fl yovers, in Lucknow on Friday. —PHOTO BY SUMIT AWASTHI year stood at a record RESPONSIBILITY IN MP to the leader. The 4-lane concrete road high of Rs 1,23,902 As many as 12 IPS offi cers in MP have been search started at within 24 hours and a lakh crore in the next crore. In an interview, assigned new responsibility. Sameer Saurabh has around 8 am and 1-lane 25-km bitumen CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS TOUCHES five years. Bajaj pointed out the been appointed as Commandant, 10th Battalion, has been going on Solapur-Bijapur road 37 KM PER DAY, INFORMS MINISTRY “21st-century poli- reason behind the re- SAF, Sagar, while Agam Jain was appointed SP, PTC, throughout the day. within 24 hours,” Gad- tics is that of progress. cord GST collection in Indore and Rajat Saklecha was made Commandant, The ministry of road, transport and New Delhi: 26th Battalion, SAF, Guna. Similarly, Amit Tolani The searches were kari said while inau- highways said that the construction of National Prime Minister Naren- March. Bajaj said that was appointed as Commandant, 17th Battalion, held at 9 other plac- gurating the Tedhi Highways had touched 37 kilometres per day in dra Modi has resolved there are mainly two es owned by Saba- Pulia flyover and lay- the year 2020-21. “The ministry has achieved to make an ‘Atmanirb- reasons behind the re- SAF, Bhind; Nivedita Naidu as Commandant, reesan & his associ- ing the foundation the record-breaking milestone of constructing 37 har Bharat’. He gave us cord GST collection: 25th Battalion, SAF, Bhopal; Amit Kumar as ates, sources said. stone for the Khuram kilometres highways per day in 2020-21, which is a mission to make self- the economy has start- Commandant, 38th Battalion, SAF, Balaghat; Hansraj The DMK had Nagar flyover in Luc- unprecedented,” it said. It said that over the last reliant India have a ed moving upward and Singh as SP, PTC, Tigra; Amit Jaiswal as ASP, Bhopal; complained to the know. seven years, the length of National Highways has USD 5 trillion economy. we had used technolo- Rohit Kashwani as ASP, Jabalpur; Puneet Gehlot as Election Commis- He further said that gone up by 50 per cent from 91,287 km as of April We have to build an in- gy for better compli- ASP, Mhow, Indore; Ravindra Verma as ASP, Ujjain sion, stating it was the politics of the 21st 2014 to 1,37,625 km as on March 20, 2021. “Total frastructure of Rs 111 ance. For the last six and Hitika Vasal was posted as ASP, Gwalior. “abuse of power” century is that of pro- budgetary outlay increased by 5.5 times, from Rs Lakh crores in 5 yrs months, we are contin- by the IT depart- gress and the govern- 33,414 crore in fi nancial year 2015 to Rs 1,83,101 and I have the responsi- uously getting GST col- By arrangement with: http:// ment. ment will build infra- crore in Financial Year 2022,” the ministry said. bility of the road sec- lection above Rs. 1 lakh whispersinthecorridors.com structure worth Rs 111 tor,” he said. —ANI crore,” he added. —ANI Would focus on jobs rather than FROM PG 1 50 of 60... He reiterated that once Karimganj district car- its ownership details. a single seat to Trina- the BJP comes to power rying an EVM used for The EC statement fur- mool Congress, and sup- in Bengal, it would stop voting in Polling Station ther says that the offic- growth if I was PM: RaGa port Prime Minister Nar- infiltration from neigh- 149 Indira MV School. ers realised their mis- endra Modi for the holis- bouring Bangladesh into Once videos of this in- take only after the car New Delhi: Congress our growth, the type of tic development of the the state. Shah also cident surfaced on social was intercepted by a leader Rahul Gandhi relationship that should region. There are 54 As- promised that the BJP media, the poll panel group of 50 people near on Friday said that had be there between our sembly seats in north would spend Rs 2,000 called for a report from Kanaishil in Karimganj. he been Prime Minis- growth and job crea- Bengal. The Union crore annually for the de- the Assam Chief Elec- “The mob also started ter, he would focus tion, between value ad- Home minister also ac- velopment of north Ben- toral Officer and its gen- abusing them and did more on creating jobs dition, between produc- cused Mamata Banerjee gal, and set up an AIIMS eral observer in the state. not allow the vehicle to than being purely tion is not there. The of running the TMC in Cooch Behar. According to the Com- pass. When they asked "growth-centric". Chinese lead value ad- government on the ‘3T mission’s factual report, the leader of the mob, he "I would move from dition... I have never model’ of ‘Tolabaji’ (ex- EC orders... the car in which the poll- replied that it was the Rahul Gandhi just a growth-centric met a Chinese leader tortion), ‘Tanashahi’ and also suspended him ing party was transport- vehicle of Sri Krishnen- idea to a job-centric says to me 'I've got a job (dictatorship) and along with three other ing the EVM had broken du Paul who is a contest- idea. I would say, we a question during an Minister, was part of creation problem'," ‘Tushtikaran’ (appease- officers for the lapse. down on its way to the ing candidate of a neigh- need growth but we online discussion. Gandhi's discussion Gandhi said. ment). “But Narendra The EC’s decision strong room. The polling bouring constituency are going to do every- The interaction, with Ambassador "I am not interested Modi runs the govern- comes against the back- party, made up of the Pre- (Patharkandi LAC-2) & thing to push produc- when asked about Nicholas Burns from in 9 per cent economic ment on the 3V model, drop of the controversy siding Officer and three he levelled allegations tion and job creation which policies he the Harvard Kennedy growth if I don't see job of Vikas (development), that broke out last night other officers, then that EVM was being tak- and value addition," would prioritise if he School in the US. numbers right next to Viswas (trust) Vyapar after a group of people hitched a ride in a private en to be tampered with,” he said in response to were elected as Prime "Currently if look at it," he added. (business),” he said. intercepted a car in the vehicle without checking states EC’s release. TALKING POINT www.fi rstindia.co.in I www.fi rstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefi rstindia I facebook.com/thefi rstindia I instagram.com/thefi rstindia AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 07 TAKING AA STANDSTAND

Russia and China are sending Biden a message, don’t judge us or try to change us. Those days are over

manner, Putin recalled the US between their countries to reduce history of genocide of its In- China pushing their dependence on the US dollar digenous people, the cruel ex- in international trade and settle- TONY KEVIN perience of slavery, the con- back against the ments. Lavrov also said, Emeritus Fellow, Australian National tinuing repression of Black We both believe the US has a University Americans today and the un- US, too destabilizing role. It relies on Cold provoked US nuclear bombing War military alliances and is trying of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Putin’s forceful statement is re- to set up new alliances to undermine he past week has marked World War II. markably similar to the equally the world order. a watershed moment in He suggested states should firm public statements made by Though Biden’s undiplomatic T Russia’s relations with not judge others by their own senior Chinese diplomats to US comments about Putin may have the West — and the US in par- standards: Secretary of State Antony Blinken been unscripted, the impact has ticular. In two dramatic, tele- Whatever you say about oth- in Alaska last week. nonetheless been profound. To- vised moments, US President ers is what you are yourself. Blinken opened the meeting by gether with the harsh tone of the Joe Biden and Russian President Some American journalists lambasting China’s increasing au- US-China foreign ministers meet- Vladimir Putin have changed and observers have reacted to thoritarianism and aggressive- ing in Alaska — also provoked by the dynamics between their this as “trolling”. It was not. Yang Jiechi, centre, speaking at the opening session of US-China talks in ness at home and abroad - in Tibet, the US side — it is clear there has countries perhaps irrevocably. It was the preamble to Pu- Alaska —FREDERIC J BROWN/AP Xinjiang, Hong Kong and the been a major change in the atmos- Most commentators in the tin’s most important message South China Sea. He claimed such phere of US-China-Russia rela- West have focused on Putin’s in years to what he called the conduct was threatening “the tions. “trolling” of Biden by dryly — American “establishment, the rules-based order that maintains What will this mean in practice? though, according to Putin, ruling class”. He said the US global stability”. Both Russia and China are signal- unironically — wishing his leadership is determined to Yang Jiechi, Chinese Commu- ing they will only deal with the American counterpart “good have relations with Russia, but nist Party foreign affairs chief, West where and when it suits health”. This, of course, came only “on its own terms”. responded by denouncing Ameri- them. Sanctions no longer worry after Biden called Putin a “kill- Although they think that we can hypocrisy. He said: them. er”. are the same as they are, we are The US does not have the quali- The two powers are also show- But a more careful and com- different people. We have a dif- fication to say that it wants to speak ing they are increasingly comfort- plete reading of Putin’s message ferent genetic, cultural and to China from a position of able working together as close to the US is necessary to under- moral code. But we know how to strength. The US uses its military partners, if not yet military allies. stand how a Russian leader is, defend our own interests. force and financial hegemony to They will step up their cooperation finally, ready to tell the US: do And we will work with them, carry out long-arm jurisdiction in areas where they have mutual not judge us by your claimed but in those areas in which we and suppress other countries. It interests and the development of standards, and do not try to tell ourselves are interested, and abuses so-called notions of nation- alternatives to the Western-domi- us what to do. on those conditions that we al security to obstruct normal trade nated trade and payments systems. Putin has never asserted these consider beneficial for our- Putin invited Biden to hold a live online conversation; Biden said he’s sure they’ll exchanges, and to incite some coun- Countries in Asia and further propositions so bluntly. And it selves. And they will have to talk ‘at some point’ —ALEXEI DRUZHININ/KREMLIN POOL/SPUTNIK/EPA tries to attack China. afield are closely watching the de- matters when he does. reckon with it. They will have He said the US had no right to velopment of this alternative in- to reckon with this, despite all push its own version of democ- ternational order, led by Moscow attempts to stop our develop- racy when it was dealing with so and Beijing. And they can also rec- Putin’s message ment. Despite the sanctions, much discontent and human ognize the signs of increasing US insults, they will have to reck- rights problems at home. economic and political decline. to the new US on with this. It is a new kind of Cold War, but This is new for Putin. He has not one based on ideology like the president for years made the point, al- Russia and first incarnation. It is a war for in- ways politely, that Western ternational legitimacy, a struggle The tense test of strength be- powers need to deal with Rus- China drawing for hearts and minds and money in gan when Biden was asked sia on a basis of correct diplo- the very large part of the world not about Putin in an interview matic protocols and mutual closer together aligned to the US or NATO. with ABC News’ George Steph- respect for national sovereign- The US and its allies will con- anopoulos and agreed he was ty, if they want to ease ten- Putin’s statement was given add- tinue to operate under their narra- “a killer” and didn’t have a sions. ed weight by two diplomatic ac- tive, while Russia and China will soul. He also said Putin will But never before has he been tions: Russia’s recalling of its push their competing narrative. “pay a price” for his actions. as blunt as this, saying in ef- ambassador in the US, and For- This was made crystal clear over Putin then took the unusual fect: do not dare try to judge us eign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s these past few dramatic days of step of going on the state or punish us for not meeting Biden has put Putin on notice, saying he will ‘pay a price’ for alleged meddling meeting in China with his coun- major power diplomacy. broadcaster VGTRK with a what you say are universal in the 2020 US presidential election —EVAN VUCCI/AP terpart Wang Yi. The global balance of power is prepared five-minute state- standards, because we are dif- Beijing and Moscow agreed at shifting, and for many nations, the ment in response to Biden. ferent from you. Those days the summit to stand firm against smart money might be on Russia In an unusually pointed are now over. SOURCE : THECONVERSATION.COM Western sanctions and boost ties and China now. We all make mistakes, the main point is not to weigh yourself down by the mistakes but learn from them and fly again! —Jagdeesh Chandra, CEO & Editor-in-Chief, First India 2ND FRONT www.fi rstindia.co.in I www.fi rstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefi rstindia I facebook.com/thefi rstindia I instagram.com/thefi rstindia AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 08 IRONY OF SORTS: 69 slum A’bad airport to extend houses razed in Ahmedabad drop time of passengers AS MANY AS 69 SLUMS IN AHMEDABAD’S MOTERA CLOSE TO THE WORLD’S LARGEST SPORTS STADIUM HAVE BEEN FELLED FOR METRO RAIL First India Bureau

Ahmedabad: There couldn’t be a greater irony than the fact that the government of the day invited ar- guably the world’s most powerful person -- the President of the US -- and then its own Ahmedabad airport —FILE PHOTO civic body in the vi- cinity of the same First India Bureau impossible for anyone vide special drop zones place demolishes to comply with the for passengers with re- nearly 69 slum settle- Ahmedabad: The 5-minute deadline. duced mobility, expect- ments in Motera. Ahmedabad airport, A free passage refers ant mothers and those Nearly a month after controlled by the Adani to the time given to a travelling with infants. they were surveyed as Group, has rolled back car or vehicle to drop a It said the Ahmedabad part of a social impact —FILE PHOTO its decision to restrict passenger and get out airport had made assessment for the the drop-off time for of the airport without changes in the parking Ahmedabad-Gandhina- passengers. The airport having to pay a fee. fees and organisation gar Metro Rail, the olition was in “due pro- tition and ruled in fa- Trump’s visit. The no- claimed that there in an announcement The airport authori- of parking zones to “im- Ahmedabad Municipal cess of law”. vour of AMC. We tices were responded to would be no eviction said the free passage to ties said they had de- prove and smoothen ve- Corporation’s agencies “We had given them sought the demolition by February 19. Several without rehabilitation. drop passengers had cided to increase the hicular movement” at demolished their slum. notice for eviction in because this was ille- of these families have “Then suddenly they been increased from 5 free passage time to 10 the airport premises. While Ahmedabad- February 2020, to gal encroachment as been here for over 10 bulldozed through the minutes to 10 minutes. minutes following feed- The airport parking based trade union Ma- which they had re- per our town planning years.” settlement without This has come after back from passengers charges were increased jur Adhikar Manch sponded and we had scheme.” The settlement came any prior notice, lead- angry protests over its and other stakeholders. from April 1, and with it claimed in a release then passed a final or- Bina Jadhav, secre- to media attention last ing to loss of posses- earlier decision to keep It said the change in the the parking time. Earli- that there was no no- der. This order was tary of Majur Adhikar year ahead of President sions such as clothes, the time for five min- passage would be appli- er a two-hour car park- tice issued before the challenged by them Manch said, “An evic- Trump visit and noth- utensils etc for these utes. A newspaper re- cable from April 2 mid- ing cost Rs80 but now as demolition, AMC’s dep- (slum dwellers) before tion notice was last ing happened thereaf- families. Several fami- port had also practical- night. per the new changes ef- uty estate officer of the Gujarat High given on February 16, ter. The then AMC mu- lies are not even in the ly demonstrated that The Adani airport fective from April 1, 30 west zone Chaitanya Court. The Gujarat HC 2020 to the slum dwell- nicipal commissioner city at present,” says how the traffic at the managment said it minutes of parking Shah said that the dem- had dismissed their pe- ers prior to Donald Vijay Nehra had also Jadhav. airport means it will be would in the future pro- time will cost Rs90.

Hit-and-run accused Vekariya ROADS STUCK? Ahmedabad-Vadodara Udhna in evades arrest Surat to Expressway toll increased become First India Bureau First India Bureau sparrow hub Surat: The accused in the hit-and-run inci- Vadodara: The toll tax First India Bureau dent that resulted in for the Ahmedabad-Va- the death of a 29-year- dodara Expressway has Surat: After get- old woman in Umra been increased, causing ting the accolade area of the city on an additional burden on of a green railway March 26, Atul Vekari- commuters who are station, the Udhna ya went absconding finding their travel railway station at when police included budget going haywire. Surat is poised to the Gujarat Prohibi- According to the new get a sparrow zone tion Act in the First In- rates, cars, jeep, and status. formation Report (FIR) other such vehicles will This is the re- filed against him. have to pay Rs 115 for a dodara Expressway has The Ahmedabad-Va- sult of an initia- When officials single trip against the considerably shortened dodara NH 8 and tive by Viral De- reached the bakery earlier Rs 110. the time taken to travel Ahmedabad Vadodara sai, who is also owner’s residence to ar- Commercial passen- between the two cities Expressway is a major known as a green rest him, he had es- ger and goods vehicles and a lot of people trav- lifeline for public trans- man by the locals. caped. Police have now like buses and trucks el by their vehicle on port connecting the cit- He had also made launched a manhunt to will now have to shell the route. ies Ahmedabad and Va- a huge effort in nab him. out Rs 390 for a single Commuters are an- dodara and the NH 8 converting Udhna Meanwhile, family trip against the earlier gry over the surge in toll highway is the busiest station into a members of the victim Rs 380. as it comes on the back highways in the sub- green zone. Urvashi Chaudhary ac- Trucks with 4 to 6 ax- of a surge in fuel prices. continent. The Desai along cused police officials of les will have to pay The rise in toll tax for Ahmedabad – Vadodara with his team have being slow in probing The Jivraj Park overbridge in Ahmedabad was closed for commuters due to ongoing Rs610 against the earli- commercial vehicles is NH 8 Project is part of made arrange- the case. They attribut- Metro work. Traffi c from Shyamal to Anjali road has been affected for for a few days in er Rs595 as toll tax for a also likely to impact the most ambitious and ments for birds. ed it as the reason for Ahmedabad city. —PHOTOS BY HANIF SINDHI single trip. those whose livelihood prestigious Golden Here they can Vekariya’s escape. The Ahmedabad-Va- is associated with it. Quadrilateral project. have food and wa- Apart from Urvashi’s ter. At present family, several human they have man- rights groups have be- CAUTION NEEDED aged to gather come active in support more than 200 of the victim, who died sparrows on these when a highly intoxi- specially made fa- cated Vekariya rammed UK strain causing spread, but is less virulent cilities. his luxury car into her For the green moped on the fateful Gujarat’s leading cardiologist and ing faster and this is numbers to celebrate Udhna station a night. He was handed why when one person festivals like Uttarayan website was devel- over to the police by lo- member of government’s core team of a family gets infected and Holi. If that had oped so that a cal residents. Dr Tejas Patel says the second wave the others too get it. The been taken seriously, large number of Police filed charges UK viral spread ratio is the number of cases people could un- against Vekariya who has less mortality & people need to 70% higher, according wouldn’t have been this derstand the im- managed to make bail take basic care to Dr Patel. high. “Unfortunately, portance and could and went underground. But the silver lining the people did not ad- contribute in it. A few of Urvashi’s rela- First India Bureau tion and analysis of Dr is that the UK strain is here to the Covid-19 This is claimed to tives have alleged that Tejas Patel, a member not as dangerous, “with SOP and the result is be the first green they have received threat- Ahmedabad: The sud- of the core committee a killer instinct that is before us,” he said. railway station in ening calls from well- den spike in Covid-19 constituted by the State less than when the vi- According to him, the country with a wishers of the accused. cases in Gujarat may Government to tackle SCARE CONTINUES rus was noticed the first “If people maintain website. look fierce but is the corona pandemic. time in UK, so the mor- social distance and largely because of the He agreed that the re- tality will be much low wear masks and con- new UK strain of the cent rise in coronavirus if enough precautions tinuously keep and virus that is much cases was unprecedent- are taken by people, Dr sanitize themselves, less virulent and the ed. Tejas explained. within the next two mortality rate is not Dr Tejas Patel is of Dr Patel added that months the State high. the view that UK strain he had warned people will be able to con- This is the observa- coronavirus is spread- not to gather in large trol the virus.” www.fi rstindia.co.in I www.fi rstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefi rstindia facebook.com/thefi rstindia I instagram.com/thefi rstindia 09 AHMEDABAD, SATURDAY APRIL 3, 2021 ALIA BHATT TESTED SHOOT BEGINS COVID-19 POSITIVE Ekta Kapoor produced and Vikas Actor Alia Bhatt tested Bahl’s directorial Goodbye positive for Covid-19 and shooting has fi nally is under home quarantine. started. The fi lm will She informed fans about feature Amitabh the development with a Bachchan and post on her Instagram Rashmika Mandanna in Stories. PG 11 the lead role. PG 11 ETC www.fi rstindia.co.in I www.fi rstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefi rstindia I facebook.com/thefi rstindia I instagram.com/thefi rstindia AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 10

DEEPAK’S CORNER

Dying To Be Me

cer for almost four years, her body began shutting ‘Until we down, resulting in a coma. She had succumbed to lym- understand phatic cancer. The malig- DEEPAK what is [email protected] nant cells had spread throughout her system. Her within, we tumours, the size of lemons, ontrary to the title, covered her upper body. Her can’t the book is NOT brain and lungs were filled about death. It her- with fluid. She couldn’t understand alds life. It invites breathe. Her skin had le- what is C us to re-evaluate sions, oozing out toxins. As our lives and to live she is rushed to the hospi- without.’ - actually live - each tal’s ICU the doctors declare —ANITA MOORJANI day. This book is an extraor- her ‘almost dead’. She feels dinary account of a young herself leaving her body Her parents were ethnically yearned to ‘belong’, to have girl’s ‘Near-Death-Experi- and entering an extraordi- Indian, originating from friends, to be popular, want- ence’ (NDE). “I believe that nary realm. In her Near- Hyderabad, Sindh. Anita ed. She found herself “sac- the greatest truths of the Death-Experience, she real- was born in Singapore. Her rificing her self to be ac- universe don’t lie outside, izes her true worth. In an grandfather had a trading cepted, to please others at true love in Danny Moorja- cer. She is again ravaged by Fearlessly. Liberated. Joy- in the study of stars and the ‘awakened state’, “I began business in Sri Lanka. After all cost”. Forced into an en- ni, whom she marries. After “Anger, Dread, Frustration, ous. Blissful. planets. They lie deep with- expanding beyond my phys- travelling all over, they set- gagement, by her conserva- living a few “happy -settled Fear, Desperation”. Para- “I am infinite. I, along in us, in the magnificence ical surroundings, no long- tled in the British colony of tive father, she’s torn apart years”, Anita sees her close noid about cancer, she is with everyone else, am a of our heart, mind and soul. er restricted by the confines Hong Kong, predominantly between duty and her de- friend Soni and her hus- soon diagnosed with lym- powerful, magnificent, lov- In sharing my insights, my of space and time, tran- populated by the Chinese. sires. Eventually, she suc- band’s brother, go through phoma. For four years she ing force. If I love myself- all only purpose is to ignite scending to my true mag- She felt rootless. “Why am I cessfully establishes a ful- painful chemotherapy and struggles with alternative will love me. I am the Whole. that spark of divinity that nificence”. She realizes her always different?” She filling career and finds her eventual death due to can- healings and conflicting There is no evil or good: or lies within you. I desire to entity as part of a ‘Divine- theories- till she ends up in ‘them’ or ‘we’. It’s only ‘US’. awaken the incredible reali- Whole-a Being of Pure Hong Kong hospital’s ICU, I already am- that I aspire to zation within you, that Love’. She experiences mul- almost dead. be. Love self and ALL un- guides you to find your tiple periods, converses It is in the throes of conditionally. Eat to enjoy place at the centre of the with her father and sees death that Anita Moorjani food. Being paranoid about universe.” friends and relatives (who finally finds her life. She is healthy, organic foods - will ‘Dying To Be Me’ is had all died earlier). She un- given a choice - and she make us just that- paranoid! Anita Moorjani’s ‘journey derstands why she fell ill chooses to live. On regain- Laughing is more impor- from cancer, to near-death, and how she can come out ing consciousness, she tant than all prayers, to true healing’. In the ‘Fore- of it. “Love, joy, ecstasy, and finds herself in a ‘healthy chants, put together. Be word’, Dr Wayne Dyer has awe poured into me, through body’. The doctors are happy. Spread joy. There are summed it up as a “deep, me, and engulfed me. I knew stumped to discover no miracles in the universe profound, soul-searching all. I could ‘see’ everything”. traces of cancer. Her body that you can’t even imagine book- which challenges The book is written in sores start healing miracu- - life is just one of them.” your cherished beliefs, espe- three parts- her early life, lously. Within days she is An unforgettable life cially about what lies be- the NDE learnings, and que- out of the ICU, and then experience of love, hope yond this world- in the here- ries of readers, doctors etc. even from the hospital - and healing. This is a book after”. In this inspirational Anita Moorjani’s childhood back home-reborn to a ‘New that makes the case that we autobiography, Anita re- was one of turmoil- torn Anita’. Healed, she begins are “Spiritual Beings hav- lates how, after fighting can- apart by different cultures. to live, actually be alive. ing a Human experience”.

ARIES TAURUS GEMINI CANCER YOUR MAR 21 - APR 20 APR 21 - MAY 20 MAY 21 - JUNE 21 JUNE 22 - JULY 23 If you are a working Money from an unexpected Good earning promises to You will succeed in mother, you may fi nd it source may delight you, so keep you in an upbeat asserting your authority on DAY diffi cult to balance home keep your fi ngers crossed mood today. Worries the social front by having FACE OF THE DAY Horoscope by and offi ce as of now, but .Academic front looks regarding a health issue your way. A property issue this will be a temporary phase. A promising. Some of you are set to are likely to disappear, as you make gets resolved amicably. You will be Saurabbh Sachdeva property deal is likely to be sealed, as enjoy a trip out of town. Setting up a quick recovery. Do not misunder- able to establish yourself fi rmly on you are able to complete all the new house is on the cards for some. stand the motives of someone trying the professional front. You manage formalities. Someone close may pay Money well spent may give you inner to help you. Spend quality time with to stabilise expenses and bring you a visit and brighten your day. satisfaction. your near and dear ones. yourself into the saving mode.

LEO VIRGO LIBRA SCORPIO JULY 24 - AUGUST 23 AUG 24 - SEP 23 SEPT 24 - OCTOBER 22 OCT 23 - NOVEMBER 22 Your effort to keep in touch A fun time is foreseen for An excellent time is A change in lifestyle will with everyone will come in those planning to invite foreseen for those taking a help some come back in for appreciation by all on people over to their place. break from the daily grind. shape. Success is foreseen the social front. A good Good command over a A match-making process for those playing the turn done to someone is likely to be particular subject may fi nd you may get underway for the eligible. stocks. Intelligent application on returned with interest. Luck favours amongst the top positions on the You will fi nd yourself much more even unfamiliar territory on the you today both personally and academic front. You are likely to active on the social front and will academic front will keep your fl ag professionally. A diet plan adopted discharge all your domestic make efforts to remain in touch with fl ying high. A windfall can be recently will suit your system well. responsibilities to the satisfaction. all. You will be able to buy property. expected on the property front.

SAGITTARIUS CAPRICORN AQUARIUS PISCES NOV 23 - DEC 22 DEC 23 - JAN 20 JAN 21 - FEB 19 FEB20 - MARCH 20 Don’t think twice in taking An ancestral property is Some of you may want to You make all the right outside help. Your initiative likely to come in your opt for a break from the moves on the social front will help mend fences with name. Luck favours you on monotonous routine. This is and manage to retain your someone you were not in the academic front. Career the best time to forge your popularity. A property may talking terms. You can join your friends wise, you are likely to fare well as per own path, as there are opportunities fi nally come into your name, as the or family in undertaking a trip to a the expectations of your seniors. You galore. You remain on a safe wicket on paperwork is slated to get over soon. holiday destination. A chance to prove will need to get a hang of things, the fi nancial front. Adding to your Bank balance of the salaried will your mettle on the professional front before you chip in with suggestions. wealth is possible. Keep minor remain in a healthy state, despite RAJAI VERMA, Actress will be nicely availed by you. Be more assertive. ailments at bay by taking up yoga. rising costs. ETC www.fi rstindia.co.in I www.fi rstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefi rstindia I facebook.com/thefi rstindia I instagram.com/thefi rstindia AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 11 Alia tested

During the performance POSITIVE ctor Alia the development with a home quarantine. I am fol- Bhatt tested post on her Instagram Sto- lowing all safety protocols positive for ries. She posted a note late under the advice of my A CULTURAL Covid-19 Thursday which said, doctors. Grateful for all A and is under “Hello all, I have tested your love and support. home quar- positive for Covid-19. I Please stay safe and take antine. She have immediately isolated care.” RENDITION informed fans about myself and will be under —Agency

SUSHMITA AIND [email protected]

egam Batool, born in a family Shoot of musicians shared her jour- ney of hailing from a small B village in Rajasthan, Kerap to traveling all around the world repre- begins senting the exotic Rajasthani culture. In an exclusive interview with City First, Begam shared, “My father, kta Kapoor pro- Meerabaksh Khan Saab had encour- duced and Vikas aged me to sing from a very tender Bahl’s directorial age. Even though I belonged to a Mus- Begam Batool E Goodbye shooting lim family, I learned how to sing has finally started. The Bhajans, play Tabla and sing Mand, her dream of performing and led her film will feature Amitabh which is the most renowned genre of to perform in France, Spain, Ger- Bachchan and Rashmika Rajasthani music. It is sung for every many, Italy among other countries. Mandanna in the lead role. festival and seasons in Rajasthan. She further adds, “I am grateful to But apart from them, For example, “Saffron Balam” is my family for all the lessons. I Television star Shivin sung on the arrival of the guests and love to procure my culture and Narang will also make “Sena Raa Bayeriya” is sung during my identity, I wish to open a mu- a big-screen debut the summer season.” Anwar Hus- sic school someday to teach oth- Alia Bhatt with this film. This sain, her son has further supported ers what I have learnt.” is the first time Amitabh Bach- chan and Rash- any Bollywood stars also mika Mandanna BIRTHDAY WISHES! have taken their first jab of will be sharing ollywood ac- the COVID 19 vaccine and JABBED! screen space. tor Ajay M now megastar Amitabh —Agency Devgn cele- Bachchan also informed fans that he Ekta Kapoor B brated his received the first dose. In a blog post, birthday on Friday. Amitabh Bachchan As the actor turned a revealed that he got year older, wishes the first jab of the poured in from all vaccine with the en- corners. Fans to ce- tire family except lebrities all took to for his son Ab- their social handles hishek Bachchan. Ajay Devgn to wish the Singham Malaika Arora also Rashmika Mandanna actor on his special day. Kajol wrote a wish shared a photo for hubby, “Tried getting a selfie but the only while taking the Amitabh Bachchan “selfie” I could manage was his “self” with first jab of the COV- Malaika Arora another camera.. doing what makes him hap- ID 19 vaccine on Friday. —Agency piest! Happy Birthday... today and always @ ajaydevgn.” —Agency SPOTTED! PAID TO HIRE Full of Gratitude Big win for Dua haron Stone CITY FIRST Talking about the mas- he highly anticipated nomina- paid for Leon- sive success of the tions for the 2021 edition of the ardo DiCap- t would be right to film, the actress annual BRIT Awards were S rio’s salary say that actress shared, “I am grateful T recently announced, from her own pocket Sanya Malhotra’s with the response we and British singer Dua to hire him for her I career took quite have received for Pag- Lipa and her contempo- 1995 movie The the leap this year with glait. My phone hasn’t rary Celeste were among Quick and the Dead, her performance in stopped buzzing. Big the leading contenders the actor has re- her latest ‘Pagglait’. thank you to Guneet, for this year’s upcoming vealed in her mem- Playing such a differ- Ekta and Umesh Sir & event. Lipa, who recently oir “The Beauty of ent role in the film, the Achin for believing in won the 2021 Grammy Leonardo DiCaprio Living Twice”. The actress left many in me for the film. It en- award for the Best Pop Vocal book, in which the actor talks about her life awe of her skills and courages me to take album, has three nods to her and career in Hollywood, was released in the more so, her craft. more and different name, same as Celeste, who is US on Tuesday. In the memoir, the 63-year-old roles like these.” ‘Pag- currently also up for a best orig- actor reflects on everything, from her painful glait’ saw Sanya in a inal song Oscar in America. Lipa childhood in Pennsylvania to films such as never-seen-before and Celeste have been joined in the erotic thriller “Basic Instinct” and Martin comic role. Her top ranks by Arlo Parks, AJ Trac- Scorsese’s mobster epic “Casino”, which had comic-timing, ey, Headie One, and the duo Young Kangana Ranaut was spotted in Udaipur Dua Lipa earned her an Academy Award nomination straight-faced T & Bugsie. —Agency while shopping on Friday. and a Golden Globe award. —Agency sarcasm and the bright smile be- FAMILY TIME came the ameron Diaz talk of the fans won’t town. have a rea- No Twitter C son to rejoice aily Baldwin anytime soon as the has quit Twit- critically acclaimed ter and she American actor has H recently shared that she has shared in a new video no plans to get in on Dr Jessica Clem- front of the cameras ons YouTube chan- in the near future. nel, “The thought of Cameron Diaz Cameron said that even opening the app she “I do not have what it takes to make gives me such bad movies right now. So it’s just a different anxiety that I feel like time in my life now. Now I’m here and this I’m gonna throw up.” is the most fulfilling thing that I’ve ever Baldwin said that done in my life. To have a family and be every time she opened married and have our little nucleus of the popular social a family. It’s just completely the best media application thing.” Cameron has decided to put her she was often met Jasmin Bhasin and Aly Goni were spotted at family first for time being. —Agency with a “very toxic en- Jaipur Airport on Friday. Haley Baldwin Sanya Malhotra vironment”. —ANI —PHOTO BY MUKESH KIRADOO CITY BUZZ www.firstindia.co.in I www.firstindia.co.in/epaper/ I twitter.com/thefirstindia I facebook.com/thefirstindia I instagram.com/thefirstindia AHMEDABAD | SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 2021 12

First India Blue lifted the Winner’s Trophy of the Press Premier League organised by Pink City Press Club. The final was played between First India Blue and Dainik Bhaskar on March 26 at RCA FIRST INDIA ALL THE WAY! grounds wherein First India Blue won by 33 runs. Kartikey Dev Singh of First India was awarded Man of the Series. —PHOTOS BY SANTOSH SHARMA

Team First India Blue handing over the Winner’s Trophy to Jagdeesh Chandra at his residence on Friday. Jagdeesh Chandra hosted a congratulatory dinner for the winning team and the runner-up on Friday evening at Ramada. National Editor of Seen here with him are Kartikey Dev Singh, Gajraj Singh, Mukesh Sharma, Vinod Sharma, Dainik Bhaskar L P Pant was also present on the occasion. Seen here with them are (from left) Devendra Solanki, Ashish Aman, Mahipal Singh, Captain of the team Mahipal Singh and Bharat Dixit D C Jain, Manish Dixit, Sachin Sharma, Vinod Sharma, Chandraprakash, Giriraj Prasad, Bharat Dixit, Vishal Mathur and Ganesh THE ROYAL RAJASTHAN RALLY TWEET! —PHOTOS BY SANTOSH SHARMA

Sharvik Shah driving out at Flag Off Major Arpit and Major Renuka from Team Army Ravi Modani and Vedant Modani

orsport, informed that els – following the road- the route mapped for the book itself poses a chal- 9th edition of the Royal lenge for the navigator. Vaibhav Gehlot shared three beautiful photos of ‘childhood memories with his Rajasthan Rally is 900 Raj Singh informed loving Mother’ Sunita Gehlot on his Twitter account on Friday. MITALI DUSAD Kms. long. 120 partici- that Day 2 and Day 3 will [email protected] pants, driver-naviga- be packed with way tor duo took to a Su- more challenging he 2021 edition of per Special Stage of 2 stages than the open- HAPPY BIRTHDAY! the Royal Ra- km. in the dunes ing day of the rally. jasthan Rally around Achrol. The winners in various (RRR) of Thar The participating 54 categories will be facili- T Motorsport was 4-wheel drive vehicles tated at Achrol Niwas on flagged off on then rolled out for a grill- Sunday evening, April 4, Friday afternoon Top: (L-R) Muskan Jubbal and Aman Jubbal ing night stage of 60 km. during a gala Prize distri- from Achrol. Raj Singh Bottom: (L-R) Anupama Bindra , Tanya Dua Khosla, Pratyasha Driving in the night is bution followed by a rally Thakur and Ritu Mehta Rathore, CEO, Thar Mot- challenging on many lev- ball.

EVENTS! LOVE IS IN THE SPRING Dr Raghu Sharma shares an affectionate moment with Dharmendra Rathore on his birthday

Dharmendra Rathore, AICC Member and Former Chairman Rajasthan Seeds Corporation celebrated his birthday on Friday, April 2 at Bhilwara by distributing sweets and chocolates to children. Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma was also present. District Congress Astha Goswami President Rampal Sharma, Satveer Choudhary and Karan DR MRIDUL BHASIN She talked reverently of the Singh Rathore greeted him rare pada (Bhajans) she re- with a garland.(below) musical event ‘Baithak ceived from her mother in law at Nila’ House was or- and how she composed and ganised under the ae- sang them on the select occa- A gis of Lady Bamford sion of Krishna puja. While Foundation on the occasion of singing the Holi songs, she Holi where the renowned sing- transformed into a ‘Gopi’ her- er from Vrindavan Astha Gos- self, lovelorn and devoted to wami mesmerized the audi- the eternal lover Krishna. ence with her Holi songs. There were flower petals Astha’s rumination about strewn into her long flowing RAJ: Naina Mukhija, female midfielder RAJ: Jasvin Soin won the Humanitarian her music is very deeply im- hair, her beautiful face dipped from Jaipur, Rajasthan has joined Shirsh Excellence Award for her selfless mersed in the love of Krishna- in devotional, happy and at Bihar United FC and will be playing in outstanding performance towards mankind Radha and it is infused with a times naughty expressions the playoff’s of Indian’s Women League. and human welfare overall. She unveiled the sense of carrying forward the known so well about Holi and She will be the first female to represent book ‘Galaxy of Life’ published for a noble divine tradition of her family. Krishna. [email protected] Rajasthan in this top tier Club League. cause with Rukshman Kumarii on Friday.

SOLEMN CELEBRATION!

Jesus Christ died on the Cross to lift the burden of sins from humankind. To honour the solemn act, Christians gathered to celebrate Good Friday, through the Way of the Cross and prayers at Churches across various cities.