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! 67 &638 Narendra Modi on Thursday stituencies, the Indian Council advised them to avoid non- of Medical Research (ICMR) 
   76-year-old man who died essential travel and large gath- said the virus is difficult to iso- Atwo days ago in Karnataka erings to ensure late but the scientists have while being treated for sus- safety. been successful in isolating it. 
  pected coronavirus has become In a series of tweets, Modi However, developing a vaccine India’s first COVID-19 fatality also said that no Minister of the will take at least one-and-a-half with his samples taken earlier Central Government will trav- to two years.     confirming the infection, the el abroad in the upcoming The Ministry of Defence, Karnataka Government said days. “Say no to panic, say yes on its part, announced it has set    on Thursday. The deceased to precautions. No Minister of up seven more quarantine facil- had gone to Saudi Arabia in the Central Government will ities for COVID-19 patients,       January end and came back on travel abroad in the upcoming especially for Indian citizens February 29. days. I urge our countrymen to being brought back from coro- Officials said the patient also avoid non-essential travel,” navirus-hit countries.  ! " # had severe co-morbidities such Modi said adding that we can The facilities have been ! .48:67 &638 as history of hypertension, dia- break the chain of spread and set up at Jaisalmer, Suratgadh,  (,- $'*./ betes and asthma and appen- ensure safety of all by avoiding Jhansi, Jodhpur, Deolali, he Indian stock markets dicitis. large gatherings. Kolkata and Chennai. “We are Tplunged into bear territory, level, slumping 868.25 points or ic, and expressed deep concern Coronavirus has continued Taking a cue, the expecting more civilians to be suffering their biggest ever 8.30 per cent to close at over the “alarming levels of to spread its tentacles in the Rashtrapati Bhavan closed all brought back to India. We are one-day plunge on Thursday as 9,590.15. inaction”. country taking into its grip 74 public tour visits from Friday ready with our facilities,” Army the coronavirus pandemic left This was the biggest drop US President Donald persons with 14 fresh cases, as a precautionary measure spokesperson Colonel Aman a trail of red across global for the benchmarks in absolute Trump suspended all travel including 10 from Maharashtra against the spread of deadly Anand said. financial markets. terms, eclipsing their previous from Europe, excluding the and one each from Delhi, pathogens. The Army is operating a The carnage on Dalal record one-day fall on Monday UK, to the US for the next 30 Ladakh, and Uttar Pradesh While Health Minister quarantine facility in Manesar Street eroded investor wealth (March 9). The markets have days. Countries across the besides one foreign national. Harsh Vardhan asked MPs to while the one in Hindon, near worth 11,27,160.65 crore, tak- now entered bear territory — world are imposing travel Meanwhile, urging people educate people about the dis- Ghaziabad, is being operated ing the total market capitalisa- that is more than 20 per cent restrictions, fuelling fears of a not to panic, Prime Minister ease in their respective con- by the Air Force. tion (m-cap) to 1,25,86,398.07 down from a recent high. The global recession, analysts said. crore on the BSE. Sensex and Nifty, which had hit All Sensex components Stock markets tumbled their lifetime closing highs on ended in the red. SBI was the across the globe and oil prices January 14 this year, closed at top loser, crashing 13.23 per slumped on Thursday after more than 2-1/2-year lows on cent, followed by ONGC, Axis    President Donald Trump Thursday. Bank, ITC, TCS and Titan. banned all travel from main- The rupee sank by 60 paise “Global stocks including land Europe to the US for a to close at a fresh 17-month low India plunged into a bear mar- month to fight the coronavirus of 74.28 against the US cur- ket and oil slumped on pandemic, ramping up fears of rency on Thursday due to Thursday after US President   O    P  ,+
 
  over 6,000 Indian nationals in worldwide recession. heavy dollar demand as Donald Trump banned travel various provinces of Iran. After nosediving over investors rushed to prune riski- from Europe to stem the coro- Elaborating upon the 3,204.30 points on across-the- er bets amid coronavirus pan- navirus, threatening more dis-  #      
 " efforts undertaken by the board selling, the 30-share BSE demic fanning recession fears. ruption to the world Government to meet the crisis, Sensex closed 2,919.26 points Global markets reeled after economy.  "##   %   the External Affairs Ministry or 8.18 per cent lower at the World Health Organization “Recession risk is rising said the focus is on containing 32,778.14. Likewise, the broad- (WHO) declared the coron- and the markets do not seem to $ #%   
  % and stressed the point that er NSE Nifty gave up the 9,600 avirus outbreak as a pandem- be pricing that in fully. there is no need to panic.     ! 67 &638 Indians were also advised to stay put wherever they are, $%&  &   gainst the backdrop of Dammu Ravi, Additional Acoronavirus becoming Secretary and Co-ordinator !  !  67 &638 pandemic, the External Affairs (COVID-19) said. '(
 Ministry on Thursday advised MEA Raveesh Kumar said n a move to curb spread of Indians to stay put wherever the Government has received    
IChinese virus, the Delhi '  " ( ) * + #,# -, they are and travel only under requests from four countries Government on Thursday compelling reasons. for assistance in arranging pro- 
"   declared coronavirus an epi- As the Government Minister Manish Sisodia also External Affairs Minister S tective gears like masks. They demic and ordered closure of declared COVID-19 as an epi- issued an order, saying, “All Jaishankar told the Lok Sabha include Bhutan, Iran, the New Delhi: The External schools, colleges and cinema demic, all the public spaces, educational institutions — that coronavirus outbreak was Maldives and Italy and India is Affairs Ministry on Thursday halls until March 31, but the Government, and private office schools, colleges, ITIs, poly- a matter of “great concern” and processing it. ! 46898*:67 &638 advised against holding this ongoing school examinations premises, malls, and shops, technics, universities and pri- the Government’s initial focus Earlier, such request was year’s IPL edition in wake of the will be held on schedule. have been notified to disinfect vate coaching and tuition cen- is to bring back Indian pilgrims received from China, and a hina on Thursday said the coronavirus scare, but left it to Also, people have been their premises. The Delhi CM tres — will remain closed till stranded in Iran. package was sent, he Cpeak of the novel coron- the organisers to take a final advised to stay away from pub- said, “Whatever we are doing is March 31, except for holding The Minister said there are said. avirus outbreak in the country call on it. This was stated by lic gatherings. to contain the outbreak of the examinations.” was over, hours after the World MEA Additional Secretary In a high-level meeting corona. I hope that all the He said the Delhi Health Organization (WHO) Dammu Ravi who has been with Health Minister Satyendra people will support us. We are Government schools will resort declared the epidemic out- appointed as the nodal officer Jain and health officials, noticing how rapid the out- to “zero paper attendance” from break as a pandemic. to coordinate efforts to deal Lieutenant Governor Anil break has been, but in India, we April 1. “The process of digitis- New cases keep declining with the coronavirus outbreak. Baijal and Delhi Chief Minister have successfully been able to ing exam result tabulation and and the overall epidemic situ- Responding to questions Arvind Kejriwal reviewed the contain the outbreak with the attendance records is underway. ation remains at a low level in beginning of the second quar- about IPL and other sporting preparedness to contain the support of the public. We shall Tablets will soon be provided to China, Mi Feng, a spokesper- ter,” said Peter Richardson, events, Ravi said the spread of coronavirus. remain alert to stop this disease all remaining Government son for the National Health Research Director, Government’s advice would be Soon after the meeting, from spreading.” school teachers,” he Commission, as saying at a Counterpoint Research. “not do it at this time but if the Kejriwal said, “All schools and Meanwhile, Deputy Chief said. Press conference here. Mi said the number of organisers want to go ahead, it colleges shall also remain Countries outside China new confirmed cases Hubei is their decision”. closed till March 31, except for           )    will likely see a peak in coron- province’s capital city of “We are assessing a lot of the ones where the exams have  Q       8    . &         avirus infections in the May- Wuhan, also the epicentre of requests of this nature of sports been going on. We have suffi-   ,    ;     June period before recovering the outbreak, has dropped to a events that have been held in cient beds in case people are to  $ 6  O   
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    move back toward normal, six were imported from over- want to go ahead it is their deci- installed in the Delhi            
    seasonal activity levels by the seas, he added. sion,” said Ravi. Government hospitals.”      $ ,  ) + $)    )  *&
  
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      #  $ N&O      According to sources, ongress on Thursday announced N # O      Patwari had come with an      67 &638 Cits candidates for the two Rajya         ! "
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the rebel MLAs who included he Centre-owned Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital which elections are due on March   ) "  # six ministers to return to the T(RML), formerly Willingdon Hospital which was 26. party fold. established by the British for their staff, is all set to In a press release issued by     ! 453  !  ! The Congress, however, become the first Central Government-run medical party’s national general secretary alleged two Ministers from facility in the country to have a helipad on its rooftop. Mukul Wasnik said it has decided to     adhya Pradesh Assembly MP were arrested by police in Being adjacent to Parliament and offices of vari- filed its state woman’s wing chief   #  $ MSpeaker NP Prajapati on Bengaluru. ous Ministries and situated in the Lutyen’s Zone, the Phoolodevi Netam and senior *  + O    Thursday asked the 22 rebel Talking to reporters at the one of the premier hospitals in the country caters to Supreme Court advocate KTS Tulsi       Congress MLAs to appear State Congress office in Bhopal, many VIPs, besides general public. to the Rajya Sabha.     , before him by Friday and clar- party MP Vivek Tankha said The Expert Appraisal Committee under the The tribal leader Phholodevi   --     ify whether their resignations the two Ministers, Jitu Patwari Union Environment Ministry last month in a meet- was earlier served as legislator as well  .     that pushed the 15-month-old The 22 MLAs who were and Lakhan Singh, had gone to ing recommended a term of reference (ToR) for the as minister in the Ajit Jogi-led &
/     ) Kamal Nath Government to issued notices are stated to be Bengaluru along with the father 463 crore project which envisages construction of a Congress government and she is    ! " the brink of collapse was vol- supporters of Jyotiraditya of party MLA Manoj high-rise new super speciality-cum-paid ward block presently serving as the party’s !  !#! ! ! untary or under Scindia, who quit the Congress Choudhary, who he claimed, with 509 beds and a helipad at the terrace floor. women’s wing chief in the state. On pressure. and joined the BJP on had been held “captive” by the The 11-floor high-rise block will have general beds the other hand Tulsi is a senior     ,  The development took Wednesday. BJP at the resort. (392 numbers), ICU beds (51 numbers), private beds lawyer and hails from Punjab. He   . *
   place on a day when Nath’s fire- Police sources said the On Thursday, Scindia (66 numbers), Cath Lab (3 numbers), operation the- was said to be a choice of party’s high   L M   # $  fighter Minister Jitu Patwari Minister was briefly detained arrived at the party’s MP head- aters (17 numbers), OPD Rooms (96 numbers), PG command.         was detained and stopped by along with his supporters as he quarters to a grand welcome by Seats (60 numbers) and 20 departments of various Notable, the opposition BJP is       the police from entering a tried to enter the resort. A saffron party leaders, including streams. The expansion will result into around 2000 not contesting the Rajya Sabha elec- ruling Congress has 69 legislators   
     resort near Bengaluru where 19 video purportedly showing the former Chief Minister Shivraj beds at the hospital which has a college named as Atal tion in the state as it does not have while the BJP has just 14. Both the 2,     3 $) of the 22 MLAs are believed to Minister picking up heated Singh Chouhan, and amid Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical enough numbers in the assembly. Congress nominees are set to be be holed up. arguments with the police has bursting of crackers. Sciences. In a 90-member state assembly, elected unopposed.    ! !  

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  !"# !  !=   ! ! 67 &638 nomination from the State to Senior leader Mallikarjun AICC general secretary KC The party also nominated elections last. Singh.  49    the Rajya Sabha. Kharge’s name was also not in Venugopal and Neeraj Dangi Deepender Singh Hooda as its Three Rajya Sabha seats MP will see a keen contest    
 etting aside speculation There were speculation the list of nine candidates from Rajasthan, Kennedy candidate from Haryana and from MP, currently held by in one out of three seats as the        F< / Sabout Priyanka Gandhi that the party may field announced by the party for Cornelius Khyiem from Shaktisinh Govil and Digvijaya Singh, and BJP lead- BJP has also announced two #  )      Vadra’s entry into the Priyanka from Madhya Bharatsinh Solanki from ers Prabhat Jha and candidates — Jyotiraditya 7    B    ) Parliament from Madhya Pradesh in place of Jyotiraditya Gujarat. Former Haryana Chief Satyanarayan Jatiya, are falling Scindia and Sumer Singh      # $ Pradesh, the Congress on Scindia, which led the latter to "&' #! Minister Bhupinder Singh vacant next month. Digvijaya Solanki.       Thursday announced its eleven quit the party and join the BJP Hooda was successful in getting has been re-nominated. He Congress and the BJP, 9   
    candidates for the Upper House which nominated him to Rajya Sabha. Meghalaya, Rajiv Satav from his two time Lok Sabha MP reached the State Assembly given their respective strength &  ? *  & and included Digvijay Singh Rajya Sabha. The Congress’ names Maharashtra, Shahzada Anwar son, Depender’s candidature secretariat around 12.30 pm in the Assembly, can ensure    8  *   from the State. A section of MP The last date for filing include KTS Tulsi from from Jharkhand and Phulo from Haryana. Senior Hooda and submitted his papers to the easy win for one candidate,      4 ?  Congress and even CM Kamal nominations for the 55 vacant Chhattisgarh, Phool Singh Devi Netam from had catapulted the party into a returning officer and Vidhan while a contest is on cards on        Nath had pitched for Priyanka’s seats in April is March 13. Baraiya from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh. strong position in the Assembly Sabha principal secretary AP the third seat.  $  )     !!!   !    $!%&'!#" #'          4    8 
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  4   espite various incentives Singh on Thursday put up en BJP’s resolve to serve the Nadda, paid “courtesy” visits to   #

   Doffered by the howcasing BJP’s prized catch their pictures with the former people of Madhya Pradesh. the two senior BJP leaders   4      Government to stimulate the SJyoitraditya Scindia, Home Congress MP on social media Scindia , who had joined and Union Ministers at their 
  
    3  economy, Prime Minister Minister Amit Shah and maintaining his induction into BJP on Wednesday in the pres- respective residences here in  #     ) Narendra Modi’s ambitious Rs the morning. 5.35-lakh-crore Bharatmala After meeting the party    Pariyojana Phase-I has been leaders, Scindia reached Bhopal   :79 delayed and running at a snail’s       O    along with Union Minister of   ,48     pace. Agriculture & Farmers Welfare &  *     4,, Due to slow down in road and Minister of Rural     
  # #  sector and shortages of fund- Ministry informed the parlia- kms); Belakeri Port to Kumta   O      49 Development, Narendra Singh F)HG $    ing, only 12,178 kms works mentary standing committee - Sirsi road in Karnataka (59 Tomar, to file his nomination  $     /   have been awarded instead of on transport, tourism and cul- kms); six Laning of dedicated !!6 papers for the Rajya Sabha      *   $ total target of 34,800 kms ( ture. Port road to Krishnapatnam 67 &638 seat on the BJP ticket. He is @/  )   &* worth Rs 5,35,000 crore) till Similarly, against the Port (Package-I) in Andhra expected to file his papers for       January 2020. The completion approved outlay of Rs. 1,50,000 Pradesh (18 kms); day after Jyotiraditya Rajya Sabha on Friday.  =GGGG    ) of first phase is scheduled by Crore for residual National Visakhapatnam Port Road (13 AScindia joined the BJP, After meeting Scindia, 2021-22. Besides, out of the Highways Development kms) and construction of grade former Congress chief Rahul Shah said in a tweet, “I am sure   >! total 2,000 kms, the works for Projects, 3,902 km has been separator from H-7 area to Port Gandhi on Thursday termed his induction into the party will   ! only 168 kms ( 77 km of appraised and approved up to connectivity Road by passing the former Union Minister an further strengthen BJP’s resolve   ,48    coastal roads and 91 km of port so far with total estimated cap- Convent Junction in “old friend” but hit out at him to serve the people of Madhya 8     3  connectivity roads) have been ital cost of Rs. 78,486 Crore. Visakhapatnam (one kms). saying he forgot his ideology Pradesh.”  8        awarded so far. However, based on per km The parliamentary panel, as he was apprehensive about And Singh tweeted: “I wel- $ &  #      According to Ministry of Total Capital Cost of the headed by TG Venkatesh, his political future. difference between what is in and therefore kept his ideol- come him to the BJP. His join- /  #  ,  Road, Transport and Highways, appraised & approved projects, expressed concern over the “ Scindia will neither get his heart and what he is say- ogy in his pocket and went ing will help in further      $   out of the 34,800 km approved the Estimated Total Capital slow pace of PM’s flagship pro- respect in BJP, nor will he feel ing. While some senior lead- with the RSS. But the reality is strengthening the party. I # #   )       under Bharatmala project Cost for the Bharatmala Phase- ject and noted that Bharatmala satisfied there,” Rahul assert- ers like Rajasthan Chief that neither will he get respect extend my best wishes to him       -G   Phase-I, total of 172 projects of I projects (including residual Phase-I is allocated a noticeable ed a day after he revealed his Minister Ashok Gehlot have there, nor will the truth and in all his endeavours.”  / ) length 6,782 km have been NHDP) would be Rs. 8,58,570 portion of the Ministry’s funds emotions for the Scindia scion been scathing in their criti- emotion in his heart be satis- While joining BJP, Scindia awarded till January 31 2020. crore. against Rs. 5,35,000 crore every year and this being the saying that he was the person cism of Scindia, Rahul’s fied. He will come to realise it,” had said he quit his erstwhile     “Out of the approved financial approved by Cabinet flagship project of the Ministry who could visit his house response to his quitting the Rahul talking to media outside party as it was not open to   ! outlay of Rs. 3,85,000 Crore for Committee on Economic at present, any delays would anytime. Congress has been tempered. the Parliament. “fresh ideas” and remained  6&    projects to be awarded under Affairs. have significant bearing on the Speaking on Scindia’s “I know the ideology of “This is a clear cut fight of struck in “inertia”, cut-off   $ ? 9 ,65  the project, projects of 8,276 Of the 168 kms of coastal financial health of the Ministry shock move to the BJP after Jyotiraditya Scindia ji, he was ideologies. On one side is the from the “reality”. *2#  A  km length have been appraised road projects includes includes since there is a direct relation being in the Congress for with me in college. I would Congress party’s ideology, on JP Nadda assured him that   6  
 3      and approved up to January 31, Dwarka-Khambhaliya coastal between delays and expendi- years, Rahul recalled his long keep talking to him, I know the other hand is the RSS-BJP he would find his feet in the     #   2020, with estimated capital corrider (72 kms); airstrip near ture incurred on a project. association with the Gwalior him well. Jyotiraditya Scindia ideology,” Rahul Gandhi BJP as it was a “very democra-          cost of Rs. 2,25,358 Crore,” the Datrana village in Gujarat (5 strongman and said there is a feared for his political future added. tic party”.       #    )    # $   E ,  N  !!6 lifeline of Indian people,” he 67 &638 said. Opposition members, & #     *   3$ # including Supriya Sule of the      #     O    . he Opposition on Thursday NCP and Arvind Sawant of the          Tcautioned the Government Shiv Sena, acknowledged that    #      
   against any move to privatise railway stations have become     the Railways and called for cleaner. bringing back the practice of a SS Palanimanickam ? 
 ,    49 separate Budget for the public (DMK) accused the BJP gov- *
          transporter so that it could get ernment of moving towards      
      adequate attention. privatisation of railways. “Air Debating on the demands India is on verge of privatisa-    
 #       for Grants in Lok Sabha on tion, land and sea transports          -G   Railways, the members appre- have already been privatised. I ciated the modernisation and suggest just give up the idea of  $    #   New Delhi: The Supreme action should be taken against cleanliness of railway stations privatisation of railways,” he 4               Court on Thursday told the the rioters and they should be while raising doubts of entry of said.    
    Uttar Pradesh Government punished. private players in main sectors Palanimanickam said there that there is no law as of now Mehta told the court that of railways. should be separate Budget  * 49   8    to back its action of putting posters were put up as a “deter- MK Raghavan (Congress) which will encourage the Rail
      
  roadside posters of those rent” and the hoardings only said the BJP Government has Ministry to discuss demands of accused of vandalism during says the persons are liable to shown consistent apathy various railway zones. “Earlier   #    #   ) L6
 the anti-CAA protests in pay for their alleged acts dur- towards railways in the last five there was separate budget for Piyush Goyal The apex court, however, the anti-CAA protests. privatisation and eventual sell- Tapir Gao (BJP) said the extended connectivity to every are held on Saturday and model stations, a proposal that for the move to merge all rail- said there is no doubt that PTI ing off of railways which is the Indian Railways has developed corner of the country,” he said. Sunday. As Opposition mem- former railway minister Suresh way services. ( ) *( ) ) "+    "-. 

!!6 many have already lost lives which made an Act. “The minorities, espe- Earlier in the day, the 67 &638 is regrettable,” Shah said in the Rajya cially Muslims, were fed with fear Opposition panned the govern- Sabha amidst several interruptions that the CAA will revoke their cit- ment as well as the police over the llaying apprehensions on laws from the Opposition benches and izenship,” Shah said without nam- riots and warned that the spread of Alike CAA, NPR and NRC across simultaneously treasury benches ing the Congress and its leaders’ the “communal virus” would even- the country that led to protests, demanding from the Vice Chairman speech. The first seeds of hate tually pose to a threat to democra- including violence in the national Satyanarayan Jatiya that the Home speech were sown on December 14, cy. Taking part in a short-duration Capital, Union Home Minister Amit Minister may be allowed to com- 2019 at a rally in Ram Lila maidan debate in Rajya Sabha some Shah on Thursday asserted that “no plete his speech. when a Congress leader gave the call Opposition members said the “com- document is required for the On a query from Congress for a do or die situation. “December munal virus” being unleashed by the National Population Register member Kapil Sibal about manda- 16th the Shaheen Bagh started,” said BJP was “no less harmful” than the (NPR)” and that the CAA tory documents, Shah said: “If one the home minister. coronavirus. (Citizenship Amendment Act) is not doesn’t want to give certain infor- The Home Minister asserted If the “virus” is spread among against taking citizenships from mation, no questions will be asked that those responsible for the recent the youth, democracy will be any community but it’s about grant- regarding that. There will be no riots in Delhi will be brought to destroyed, senior Congress leader ing citizenship.” doubtful citizen marking”. book irrespective of their caste, Kapil Sibal said, initiating the dis- During a reply to the short Shah said that under the NPR, religion and political affiliations. He cussion. The Opposition also took duration discussion on Delhi vio- it is being said that documents will said that 1922 faces have been a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra lence, Shah said that no document be asked for, “but let me tell all, no identified using facial identification Modi and alleged when riots were will be required during NPR and documents will be asked for under software. raging in the nation capital he and suggested that an Opposition dele- the NPR”. “Earlier also under the On the transfer of Justice S Shah were busy “entertaining” the gation led by Leader of Opposition NPR no document was asked for Muralidhar a day after his orders on visiting US President Donald Trump. in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and so will be the case this time as Delhi violence, Shah said that the They also questioned the Home may visit him and sort out all the well,” said the Home Minister order is issued by the government Minister on “inaction” against lead- confusions pertaining to CAA, NPR prompting Ghulam Nabi Azad to on the recommendation of the ers who gave public speeches to and NRC. “I am always ready for a reiterate the Centre’s stand and Supreme Court collegiums and it is instigate riots in northeast Delhi. discussion,” Shah said. make it clear. to give, they are free to submit,” any information you don’t possess. Sibal questioned about the ‘D’ not related to the Delhi violence Condemning the “delay” in action “I will discuss all these at pri- “Those who don’t have infor- Amit Shah said. Lastly, nobody will be marked (Doubtful) category. case. “What sort of mindset is that to curb the riots and alleging intel- ority and urged the opposition mation to produce, for that we have “I clearly once again say, under ‘doubtful’. Nobody needs to be The Home Minister also an individual judge can only do jus- ligence “failure”, several Opposition members to stop spreading false clarified through a press release. the NPR, no document will be scared of the process of the NPR in referred to the hate speeches in the tice and others can’t? Shah asked the members demanded a probe by a information on these subjects as so Whatever information people want asked for. You don’t have to provide this country,” Amit Shah said when country after the citizenship bill was members of Rajya Sabha. Supreme Court judge. chhattisgarh 03 RAIPUR | FRIDAY | MARCH 13, 2020 C’garh earmarked to represent ‘Power greedy’ Scindia proved himself archery at 2024 Olympics ‘ordinary’, says Baghel STAFF REPORTER n states/UTs have been ana- RAIPUR lyzed on the basis of poten- people, as well as the ideology tial and recent participation for which he worked till now. hhattisgarh has been trend and accordingly the “Real test of any person is Centrusted with the sports disciplines were only when you are in trouble responsibility of ensuring finalised for each state/UT and Scindia proved that he players from the state by the Ministry of Youth was an ordinary person by leaving the party in such a could represent in the Affairs and Sports. crucial time”, he said. discipline of archery at the In this respect, the Baghel further compared 2024 Olympics as per the discipline of shooting is him with a fish and said “Like policy of "One State One finalized for Madhya fish can’t live without water, Game." Pradesh and the archery is Scindia too proved that he As per the new policy all finalized for the state of was power hungry and left the states and union territo- Chhattisgarh. For this, the the Congress for fulfilling his ries were requested to list 3 Central Government could greed of power”. sports discipline in the order support the state for soft Replying to a query on of priority from amongst the component such as coach- Scindia’s comment that he indicative list of sports ing, sports science, sports (Scindia) joined BJP as he where Indian athletes can related technical assistance was unable to serve people win a medal in the 2024 Basically, it aims at particular Olympic in Olympics. and competition/exposure n being in Congress, Baghel STAFF REPORTER RAIPUR after returning from New said why he failed to Olympics. developing the states/ UTs in discipline for winning medal Disciplines shared by of athletes and much more. Delhi, Baghel said they were hief Minister Bhupesh recognize this while he was thinking that Scindia was minister for ten years in the CBaghel lashing out at ‘outstanding’ but he (Scindia) Panchayat minister Union government. Jyotiraditya Scindia for proved that he was an He further termed the to review govt switching over to BJP on ordinary person. political happenings in schemes today Thursday said Scindia Reacting bitterly to the Bengaluru a ‘murder of Corona scare: HNLU campus shuts down showed he was an ‘ordinary’ news of former union democracy’ and charged RAIPUR: Panchayat human being. minister Jyotiraditya Congress MLA were made n Minister T.S. Singhdeo will While talking to Scindia's resignation from the hostage there and were also STAFF REPORTER the state health department hold a meeting at new circuit reporters at Swami party, Baghel further said refrained from meeting the NAVA RAIPUR reached the university campus house on Friday to review Vivekanand Airport Mana Scindia betrayed trust of the family members. to take stock of the situation. idayatullah National various government schemes Raipur Collector S undergoing in the state. HLaw University, Nava Bharathi Dasan said, Raipur has suspended its Official source informed that "Students who have the minister would review classes till March 18 as a symptoms of cough and cold precautionary measure after the implementation of DRG jawan hacked are being examined by the schemes of Mahatma a few of its students were doctors and if required their Gandhi National Rural found suffering from cough, samples will be sent for Employment Guarantee cold and fever. testing to AIIMS here." Scheme, Pradhanmantri The University has asked The samples of persons Awas Yojana, Swachh Bharat to death by Naxals its students to vacate the administration regarding the native places for Holi festival. Mission, National Rural hostel campus by Thursday suspected to have preparedness of resuming Some of them, who coronavirus infection are Livelihood Mission, Rural STAFF REPORTER n SUKMA On Wednesday evening, After being alerted by evening. the classes," he said. returned on Wednesday, Engineering Services. Apart Kanna accompanied his wife, some locals, a police team "Taking preventive being tested at the All India District Reserve Guard All the students of the were found suffering from Institute of Medical Sciences from them, he will also who is a ward panch in Argatta rushed to the spot. measures regarding the novel university have been directed jawan was killed by sus- cough, cold and fever. (AIIMS), Raipur. review the works of A village panchayat, for a gram "Prima facie, it seems to coronavirus (COVID-19), to vacate the hostels by 6 pm Therefore, as a precautionary pected Naxals in insurgency- No confirmed novel coro- Panchayat Directorate and sabha meeting in the village be the handiwork of Maoists," the university is suspending on Thursday evening, it measure, classes were sus- Rural Development Training hit Sukma district, a police during which a group of men, the official said. navirus case has been report- its classes for students till added. pended for six days, a univer- Institute, sources informed. official said on Thursday. dressed as villagers, took him Search operation has March 18," an order issued Around 700 students, sity official said. ed so far in Chhattisgarh, Senior officials of the The body of assistant along with them, he said. been launched in the area to by university registrar who are from different states, The university manage- where samples of 44 persons department and all the chief constable Kadti Kanna was His body bearing injury trace the assailants, he added. (in-charge) Dr Ayan Hazra including Kerala, ment is fully taking care of its screened for possible executive officers of Zill found near his village Argatta marks of sharp-edged The District Reserve on Wednesday said. Maharashtra, Madhya students, he added. exposure to the virus tested Panchayats across the state under Dornapal police sta- weapons was found in the Guard (DRG) is a specialised "A review will be done on Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Meanwhile, after getting negative till Wednesday, would participate in the tion area on Thursday morn- adjoining forest in the morn- anti-Naxal unit of the state March 16 by the university Rajasthan, had gone to their information about it, a team of health officials said. meeting. ing, the official said. ing, he said. police. Doctor stabbed to Schools to remain closed till death at his clinic STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR “BAMS doctor, March 31st, exams not affected n Ayurvedic doctor was Astabbed to death by four Dr Jeevan STAFF REPORTER n ‘‘47 samples for testing testing. Out of these 44 were unidentified persons at his RAIPUR found negative while three clinic located in Raipur on Jalchhattri used of Coronavirus were rejected as the nodal Thursday evening. hief Minister Bhupesh agency did not found “A BAMS doctor, Dr to run his clinic CBaghel on Thursday (COVID-19) were sent called a meeting of his anything suspicious as per Jeevan Jalchhattri used to run for testing. Out of these the guidelines of the ICMR. his clinic at Bazaar Chowk in cabinet colleagues and at Bazaar Chowk Health department Bhatagaon locality of the city. senior officials to review the 44 were found negative Around 6 pm four persons in Bhatagaon preparedness of the state in while three were officials further informed entered his clinic and after case of Corona outbreak. that so far 38 persons across some arguments stabbed locality of Meanwhile, school rejected as the nodal were kept isolated in their him,” Additional education department has agency did not found homes and 9 had completed Superintendent of Police the city” also declared holiday in 28 days of surveillance (City) Praful Thakur said. schools till March 31. anything suspicious’’ period. After stabbing Dr could not make it to the However, exams will be held Meanwhile, on as per the timetable and staff this connection will be Jalchhattri all four ran away hospital and died on the way, Thursday, Hidyatullah required only to conduct the released soon. and the neighbours rushed police said. National Law University him to a nearby hospital. The Meanwhile, police have exam will be called. Notably, as per doctors in the hospital registered a case under Director Directorate of Chhattisgarh health Nava Raipur also closed referred him to a super-spe- relevant sections of Indian Public Instructions Jitendra department 47 samples for down its campus till March ciality hospital at Pachpedhi Penal Code (IPC) and are Shukla while confirming the Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel at the meeting with his cabinet colleagues and senior testing of Coronavirus 18, in view of Coronavirus Naka. However, the victim investigating the incident. same said formal order in officials to review the preparedness of the state in case of Corona outbreak (COVID-19) were sent for scare. CS instructs to chalk out action Jawan commits suicide STAFF REPORTER n “Constable Chhattisgarh Armed Force DANTEWADA (CAF), District Reserve Ramaram Swami Guard (DRG) and STF were Special Task Force (STF) deployed at the Potali camp, plan for Ram Van Gaman Path jawan allegedly commit- shot himself with A located in a strategically ted suicide by shooting him- his service rifle in important core Maoist area, STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR Chief Secretary directed It is noteworthy that self with his service weapon after it was set up in the officials to ensure beauti- Rajim’s identity as “Prayagraj in Maoist-hit Dantewada the wee hours November last year. tate Government has fication of Kuleshwar Temple, and Triveni Sangam of district on Thursday, a police decided to develop eight outside his barrack On March 4 this year, a S Rajiv Lochan Temple, and Chhattisgarh” is already official said. CAF jawan allegedly locations in the state believed Lomas Rishi Ashram, and Constable Ramaram to be traversed by Lord Ram established. Rajim is known in Potali camp committed suicide by also deliberated upon provid- Swami shot himself with his during his exile as major as centre of faith, religion and under Aranpur shooting himself with his tourist destinations under a ing various basic facilities culture in Chhattisgarh with service rifle in the wee service weapon in tourism circuit called Ram there such as drinking water, archaeological and historical hours outside his barrack in police station limits” Naryanpur district. Van Gaman Path ( The route waiting hall, tourism facilita- significance. Potali camp under Aranpur As many as 50 police taken by Ram during his tion center etc. Chief State Government has police station limits, the prompted him to take the personnel, including those exile). Secretary visited Rajiv marked Rajim to develop official added. extreme step was yet to be from the paramilitary forces, The places are Sitamari- Lochan Temple and prayed Ram Van Gaman Path as a After hearing the gun- ascertained, the official said. committed suicide in Harchowka, Ramgarh, for peace and prosperity of memoir of Lord Ram’s visit to shot, his colleagues rushed Swami was a native of Chhattisgarh in the last two Shivrinarayan, Turturiya, the state. On the occasion, Lomash Rishi Ashram and to the spot and found him Chala village in Rajasthan's years, the government Chandkhuri, Rajim, Sihawa Chief Forest Conservator Panchkoshi Dham. For this lying in a pool of blood. Sikar district and his family informed state Assembly last and Jagdalpur. Rakesh Chaturvedi and entire project, Forest The body was sent to a members have been month. Of these suicide Chief Secretary RP senior officials. He directed detailed action plan for the Secretary Tourism Conservator SSD Badgaiya local hospital for informed about the inci- cases, 18 were reported from Mandal on Thursday inspect- the officials of Tourism development of the route Department Anbalgan P were has been appointed as nodal postmortem, he said. dent, he said. six districts of the Naxal- ed the route in Rajim with Department to chalk out within 10 days. also present. officer. The exact reason which Personnel from the affected Bastar division.  /    ! !

! ,&8* use print or electronic media to Regulations, 2020, for surveil- ernment, while 160 others head office in Chandigarh 0 spread mis-information on lance, prevention and control of informed the government on which were scheduled to be n a bid to contain the spread COVID-19 without prior per- coronavirus under the their own. held over the next more than Iof the virus, Haryana mission of the Department of Epidemic Diseases Act, Thakur said that samples of one week. Government on Thursday Health & Family Welfare. If a 1897. four persons, who complained Meetings of the SAD pres- declared the contagious coro- person is found indulging in "The state of Himachal of cough and cold, were sent for ident with district level leaders navirus infection an epidemic. any such activity, they will be Pradesh is threatened by the testing to Delhi and the results had been scheduled for March According to the state punished, it said. outbreak of the dangerous epi- have come negative. 14, 17, 18, 19 and 20. Fresh Health Department, 44 samples Among other guidelines, demic disease namely Covid- dates for these meetings will of suspected cases were sent for no private laboratories have 19. The ordinary provisions of SAD CANCELS ALL PARTY also be announced at a later tests till Wednesday. Out of been authorised to take or test the law in force for the time MEETINGS AND RALLIES date now. these, 38 were found negative coronavirus samples in the being are insufficient for the TILL BAISAKHI for coronavirus while reports of state. The government has also purpose of surveillance, pre- Shiromani Akali Dal on CTU buses to be sanitized six people, four from Gurgaon asked people with a travel his- vention and control of the epi- Thursday announced cancel- Chandigarh: Amid the and two from Panchkula were tory to coronavirus-affected demic," said a government lation of all party rallies sched- Coronavirus outbreak, the awaited. countries to report to nearest notification. uled till Baisakhi (April 13) in Chandigarh Transport "COVID-19 declared epi- government hospital. Anyone disobeying the view of safety standards need- Undertaking (CTU) is all set to demic in Haryana," Health If a coronavirus case is regulations or orders under the ed to be put into practice to sanitize its buses as a precau- minister Anil Vij said. reported from a defined geo- Epidemic Diseases Act is liable counter the spread of tionary measure. The CTU has Over 270 isolation wards graphic area such as village, for punishment, it said. Coronavirus. a fleet of 533 buses operating ! ,&8* the other hand, it will also son who will nurture indige- with 1,206 beds have been set up town, ward, colony, settlement, Informing the Assembly Earlier, the SAD president from four depots. Of the total, establish 1 thousand Farmer nous cows in the State will be in government and private hos- the district administration of about the measures taken by Sukbir Badal had announced 410 buses ply on inter-city routes aryana chief minister Producer Organizations encouraged. Not only this, but pitals to deal with any contin- the district concerned shall the state government in view of cancellation of all party rallies and the rest operate on long HManohar Lal Khattar on (FPOs) for the crops of the the budget of the Gau Sewa gency. Rohtak's premier PGIMS have the right to implement the coronavirus threat, scheduled to be held till March routes. Thursday said 500 farmers farmers, he said Ayog has also been increased to Hospital has been designated as containment measures, includ- Himachal Chief Minister Jai 21. Now the same has been As many as two lakh com- each from all the districts of the Earlier, Khattar, Gujarat 50 crores, he said. the Tertiary Care Centre for ing sealing of the area, barring Ram Thakur said the govern- extended till April 13 keeping muters use CTU buses every day. State will be trained as trainers Governor, Acharya Devvrat Earlier, Haryana treatment of critical entry and exit of population ment is prepared to deal with in view the advice of experts “The CTU buses will be sanitized to create an environment for and Haryana Agriculture Agriculture Minister, Jai patients. from the containment area, the situation and there is no that large congregations should in view of outbreak of natural farming and further Minister, Jai Parkash Dalal Prakash Dalal said that The state government has closure of schools, offices and need to panic. "However, every- be avoided at all costs. Coronavirus. Lakhs of passen- these farmers can make small inaugurated the Natural Gurukul Kurukshetra has issued various regulations banning public gatherings, one needs to be vigilant and Sukhbir said that the party gers travel in CTU buses on daily and big farmers of their dis- Farming Training Center con- developed into an excellent under The Haryana Epidemic besides other measures. cautious," he said. would access the threat from buses hence a sanitization exer- tricts aware of natural farming. structed by the Agriculture model in the entire country and Disease, COVID-19 No suit or legal proceed- Thakur said following the Coronavirus post April 13 and cise has been planned for the Speaking at the inaugura- and Farmers Welfare this model needs to be adopt- Regulations, 2020, to contain ings shall lie against any person Central government's advisory, then come out with a new public transport,” said a CTU tion ceremony of the Department, at a cost of about ed by every farmer in the State the spread of the deadly virus, for anything done or intended the state has also issued a sim- schedule for holding of ‘rosh official. Recently,the Padmashree Subhash Palekar 2 crore 11 lakhs. today. Keeping these aspects in according to a notification to be done in good faith under ilar note urging people to post- rallies’ which were organized to Administration had decided to Agricultural Workshop orga- He said to save nature, it is mind, the Government has issued on Wednesday. the Epidemic Disease Act pone public meetings and social galvanize the people against the put up posters related to Do’s and nized by the Agriculture and important to maintain balance decided to do natural farming These regulations come unless proved otherwise, gatherings. "If at all they are betrayal of all poll promises Don’ts on Coronavirus in the Farmers Welfare Department between earth, water, fire, air, on 1 lakh acres of land. He said into force with immediate according to the notification. necessary, they have to held made to the people by the buses for public awareness. The in the auditorium of Gurukul and sky, and for this we have to the government will soon effect and will remain valid for with utmost caution," he Congress party as well as process is on in this Kurukshetra, Khattar said that adopt the ideas of Padmashri arrange a large market for the a period of one year. All hos- HIMACHAL FOLLOWS, said. abysmal failure of the Congress regard. in this year’s budget, Haryana Subhash Palekar and move products of natural farming, pitals in the state have been NOTIFIES IT AS EPIDEMIC The Chief Minister said government on all fronts. Till Thursday evening, no government has also set a tar- towards natural farming. products of high quality will be directed to set up 'flu corners' Shimla: Soon after Haryana, that so far 426 persons have SAD president said that positive case of Coronavirus has get of doing natural farming on Khattar said the State made available in this market. for screening of suspected the Himachal Pradesh gov- come to Himachal from coro- keeping in view safety con- been confirmed in Chandigarh. 1 lakh acres of land. Government has also encour- Natural farming will reduce the coronavirus cases. ernment also notified the navirus affected countries. Of cerns, the SAD had also taken All suspected Coronavirus cases Apart from this, while the aged the promotion of native cost of farmers and further According to the regula- Himachal Pradesh Epidemic these, a list of 266 persons was unprecedented step of can- admitted to the PGIMER has State Government will encour- cows for promoting natural increase their income, he tion, no person/institution shall Disease (Covid-19) provided by the Central gov- celling all party meetings at its been tested negative. age indigenous cow owners, on farming, adding that any per- added. -5 
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! ,&8* on milk fortification as per the State have been directed to Food Safety and Standards bring the matter to the notice      2 n view of high prevalence of (Fortification of Foods) of all milk processing plants IVitamin A and D deficiency Regulations, 2016 under the engaged in sale of packaged in Punjab population, all milk Tandrust Punjab Mission. liquid milk to public. processing plants in the State For the purpose, all the Pertinently, there are about    have been issued an advisory Food Safety Officers in the 50 milk plants in the State with maximum being 14 in Amritsar district followed by ! ,&8*  ) )( + ! ,&8* belongs to Scheduled Caste tions in 2014 from Gohana eight in Ludhiana. 0  was the president of BJP's assembly constituency on a Informing this, Tandrust nder fire for failing to  )    JP Rajya Sabha election Scheduled Caste Morcha earli- BJP seat but lost. He has not Punjab Mission Director KS Ukeep a check on mush- Bnominees from Haryana, er. He was active in students’ won any assembly elections till Pannu said that the food for- rooming paying guest accom- (    Dushyant Kumar Gautam and politics during his college life date. The choice of Gautam and tification is a scientifically modations in the city, the )   Ram Chander Jangra, will file as ABVP member in Delhi. He Jhangra as BJP candidates for proven, cost-effective, scalable Chandigarh Administration their nominations on Friday, was elected as the President of Rajya Sabha from Haryana has and sustainable global inter- has notified the revised PG 234)  the last day of filing the the BJP Scheduled Caste surprised many party leaders vention that addresses the policy making amendment in papers. Morcha three times and had and political observers. Besides, issue of micronutrient defi- one clause and adding four erties which are sanctioned as The election for three Rajya held different posts in the BJP state president Subhash Barala ciencies. new provisions. per building bylaws and Sabha seats in the State will be organisation. He had also con- and former MP Sudha Yadav, Pannu informed that in As per the rules framed by wherein no unauthorized con- held on March 26 in which 2 tested Delhi Assembly elections senior BJP leaders and former October 2016, FSSAI opera- UT Administration, a PG struction has taken place. seats are expected to go to the but lost. ministers Ram Bilas Sharma, tionalized the Food Safety and facility can operate only in a Conditional registration will ruling BJP-JJP alliance and Jangra, hails from Maham Capt Abhimanyu and OP Standards (Fortification of house with an area of at least be done pending completion one seat to Congress. town (Jatland) of Rohtak and Dhankar were lobbying for Foods) Regulations, 2016, for 7.5 marla. or occupancy certificates Delhi native Gautam who had contested assembly elec- Rajya Sabha seats. fortifying many staples includ- The amended clause stat- which is required to be taken ing milk to reduce the high ed, “The paying guest accom- within six months from the burden of micronutrient mal- modations shall be permitted date of registration of the nutrition in India. only in those residential prop- paying guest.” The new clauses added in the policy included taking no objection certificate from the chief fire office, UT Chandigarh is mandatory, owner shall renew the paying guest license annually, enforce- ment squad shall check the PG accommodations on regular intervals and the owner will give self-declaration that he or she will follow all the guide- lines of the government and in case of any violation, he or she will be held responsible for all consequences thereof. Apart from this, the Administration is now also mulling to put a cap on num- ber of occupants that would be allowed to live in a PG facility and to fix number of rent deeds to be allowed in a house. Notably, the revised PG policy have been notified fol- lowing last month’s fire tragedy at a Sector 32 two- storey illegal PG accommo- dation that had led to the death of three young girls while two others had suffered injuries. ) 4    ! !

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       '      /           ;   )         2          $ .9 ,  % &  <  . 9      &+=3>'4?         3       +    '            *    9        "9/S     "6             $    @ $        t’s obvious to anyone, who has seen the videos and read the first-hand accounts     A   &     of residents in the troubled north-east B111 $          $' area of Delhi, that what happened there        P    Q3S ' was a bloody Hindu-Muslim commu- Inal riot. Tensions were building up ever since              some citizens launched a nationwide protest                   against the Citizenship Amendment Act %             (CAA), which often turned violent and dis-   04 '  /  C  rupted normal life in many Indian cities for over two months. Videos shot in the affect- D       3  ' ed areas of Delhi show huge pile of petrol       3    3 S ' bombs, acid, bricks and stones on the terraces    3 D . :3D.;S   of Muslim residents, including that of a Delhi legislator, burqa-clad women thrashing hap-    $ E   F  / :F/;    less policemen and joining the lynch mob.    3D.  C    Such was the ferocity of the attacks that sev-      / 4G       ' eral senior officers suffered grievous injuries and a Hindu Intelligence Bureau (IB) official            was hacked to death by his Muslim neigh-        $   @ ' bours. He is said to have been stabbed sev-            eral hundred times. One had heard of such barbarity during the Moplah uprising in 1921 3D.          $  ' and the Kolkata riots after MA Jinnah’s call    3D.    for “direct action” on August 16, 1946, to C           3D. secure an Islamic nation. It was a blood bath. This is not to say that the Hindus in 9 && $ 3 :9&&3;     north-east Delhi were silent and innocent the new-age fuel for communal to cross the border and live in an hailed across the country, the     0  F/S     @ $  spectators. They were not and as much guilty. conflagration. Both communities Islamic State. Nehru’s Muslim Muslim clergy was up in arms   3 '%/       Seeing the build-up in the Muslim mohallas, have to factor in the new attitudes appeasement policy encouraged against the apex court’s decision. they stocked up, too and, therefore, when the that govern them. The Muslims the hotheads among the Muslims Even though Prime Minister /    '      ' riots broke out, the streets resembled a bat- have to realise this and arrive at to such an extent that even after Rajiv Gandhi had won the biggest  99&&3      '3D. tle field. One had not seen such hatred and a new equation for peaceful co- Partition and the creation of mandate ever in the country’s     $         violence between the two communities in a existence. The Hindus have to 6 ,5,685 Pakistan, some Muslim members parliamentary elections — over long time. So, what triggered this time understand the anxieties plagu- of the Constituent Assembly 410 seats — he was unable or  H  $    8 $       around? ing this religious minority and 6. &6 5 demanded separate electorate unwilling to stand up to the mul- $   O       ' One, having got used to a standard diet find ways to restore harmony. 6 .38 for the Muslims in democratic lahs and brought in a law to undo   3D.    I-2  % =     4-111 of appeasement for seven decades, the Both communities must now India. Sardar Patel and other the top court’s verdict. This law, Muslims find the “no-appeasement” policy accept that the old equation has ,36*@ A6 leaders felt that this demand was the Muslim Women (Protection  @          D   ' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi unaccept- collapsed. preposterous. of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986,        11     able and, therefore, there has been simmer- Following Partition, the 8&66&6,6 8 The concession Nehru made declared that Muslim men had   $         9&&3   ing discontent in the community, which only Muslims of India on this side of 8&66& 6 86 to the Muslim clergy after inde- no obligation to pay maintenance  3D.   9  needed a trigger to explode. Some leaders of the border had the option to pendence is indeed the time to their divorced wives like other the community added fuel to the fire by cit- either cross over and become part 454  8 bomb that is ticking away and men.      $    3D. 1 1   ing the abrogation of the special status of of an Islamic State or stay put and 8,?8* 7@ threatens to destroy India’s unity Given this history, the vicious $ $  3        Jammu & Kashmir last August and the become citizens of a secular, & 66 and integrity. After Nehru, his propaganda unleashed by  $   *  E   Supreme Court’s judgment in the Ram democratic India. Around 35 daughter Indira Gandhi, in order Muslim communalists in the Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case as develop- million of them chose to stay 5 &65@ to muster the Muslim vote after international media against India  $          ' ments that hurt the Muslims. The commu- back and live in a democratic she split the Congress in 1969, is bunkum. India was and is the  E  $  3        ' nity was, therefore, looking for a cause and nation. They constituted about 10 8&8O .8@ continued to molly-coddle the world’s biggest secular, democra-     / !F $  the CAA came along. Then, the riots hap- per cent of the 350 million peo- & 86*8@) ulemas. The Congress got the tic nation and its Hindu major- pened and it found a chance to play the vic- ple in India after Partition. Latest best opportunity to wash away its ity is very proud of it. The    '   O  +  @    ' tim card again. estimates indicate that the A6 6. sins vis-à-vis Muslim appease- Muslims must acknowledge this O       ' 8D It must also be said that this time Muslim population has swelled 8 &.*6 ment when the Supreme Court and be wary of the false narrative  *           $  ' around, there is gross miscalculation among to 175 million over the last seven delivered the historic judgment being spread my mischief-mak- the Muslims about the response of Hindus to decades and this community is 8&8 *&8 in the Shah Bano case and ers. For once, the Union %            their assertiveness and violence. Having well spread out across the length declared that divorced Muslim Government has begun to assert watched the sociological transformation of the and breadth of this country. .6& 8 A5 women were entitled to mainte- itself to correct the follies of Hindus over many decades, it must be said The integration of the +564? nance like other divorcees, as pro- Nehru and his progeny. This is that the Hindu of the 1950s or 1960s, who Muslims into a secular, democ- 5388, vided for in Section 125 of the the only way by which we can > would stoically bear with the demands of this ratic nation that emerged in Code of Criminal Procedure. The preserve the core values of our aggressive minority in the hope that eventu- 1947 would have been easy if only court took the opportunity to Constitution and protect India’s ally things would settle down, no longer exists. the then Government, headed by draw the country’s attention to unity and integrity. The majori- ?> The attitude of the Western media and its Prime Minister Jawaharlal Article 44 of the Constitution, ty cannot allow some malcon- @ Indian cohorts, who are busy spreading Hindu Nehru, had given them the which committed the State to tents among a minority to wreck        phobia, has proved to be highly provocative. option of either living in an India bring in a Uniform Civil Code. this. They are actually promoting hatred and vio- with a common civil code that It said such a code would help the (The writer is an author spe-           lence among these communities. The role of would be uniformly applicable to cause of national integration. cialising in democracy studies.  social media and the videos in circulation is all citizens across communities or While this judgment was Views expressed are personal.)                        !  7#        !     "#$% & @  49          2 7 8  $   
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 -/ is perhaps the best shock absorber   3   *     $     have been averted had the grand              #  2  in the banking sector. But with sev-  8          old party addressed mounting eral enterprises experiencing stress     "        discontent among its leaders. But and surge in bad loans, how long is Scindia a mass leader as is made      tion Governments have had a abilities. A tripartite alliance can it retain its elasticity is a mat-     $$    &   out to be? Is it so easy to change short shelf-life. Notwithstanding premised starkly on different ide- ter of grave concern.     $  $        party ideology? Having political this, political parties are compelled ologies, like the one in Shantanu   *      ambitions is one thing but com- Sir — This refers to the article, to fall back on regional parties, Maharashtra of the Shiv Sena, the Via email prising on ideology another. “Uddhav doing a tightrope walk” which time and again keep Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)               Vinod C Dixit (March 12) by Kalyani Shankar. If reminding the Central leadership and the Congress, is yet another     .      Ahmedabad the past is any indication, coali- of their compulsions and vulner- experiment in this series. Verily ))$/)-*-($B@+'7.-+    ! !    2      8"#!%    ! #" C    ! D !    !  !         !<         7 !     ! 67        7  !#  !    F 4  *O     8    # L  !! L    !!    O        # ) @    #  *
  8                ! '" * "  P9  Q      '   D    3 S         9      . ,  %       3                      C 9                  *   4 1'   :D  ;         ,    9 $F   H%D >   P  Q      $ $'     3   A  S $ P'%  QO, /       '  '     % O       SP  Q*  $   9 "!!#        '%  /  3    J          f one were to look at the headlines dominat-      D    ' *      ' ing our news channels and the print media   % 3  3     %  Ithese days, the COVID 19 pandemic would be a distant third, behind the political upheaval    J  @      %  /  in Madhya Pradesh following Jyotiraditya *  J  S *  Scindia’s departure from the Congress Party and     *        9       the collapse of Yes Bank amid allegations of fraud        F   and deceit by its former chairman and founder,                 Rana Kapoor and his family. We would do well      $    ' to remember that the former two issues, while          +    9 C JS important, are certainly not life-threatening. The 9  D  C J    '   ' glaring fact is that till about the third week of      9  S. $  :    *' February, Italy had just about the number of cases  ; C J D       that we have today. These crossed the 12,000 mark, with over 600 fatalities, in just a matter of "   $     (' a fortnight. There is of course the possibility that   6 *38* the Coronavirus may not impact us as badly for A, 8  833    @     9  8   any number of reasons, ranging from high tem-      D   S %  / peratures that are usually prevalent at this time 45. 6 8&    9             of the year to the fact that we may be God’s cho- 766? 5A 3  %    8"    ' sen people. It may even be that because gener- A64.@ 83@   E%   9 C J$ al hygiene is not exactly our strong suite and we & 9. 45. 3      $  , .  have a better immunity because of it, we might 6 .46 5A        3 S/      ,  beat any impact the Coronavirus might other- ,6  76 . S       C  wise have on us. However, if these are the ratio- +6 5&@) nales that we prefer to exercise to ignore the 66 ,56& 4G  , +     imminent danger that the Coronavirus poses,   $9 D   D     6 -FGGG ? then we may well be in for a rude shock. 78 5+6

jects; tenders have been issued for 16 have become futile. For instance, the only a small representation of elect- per cent of the budget is focussed on implementation of PPP (Nagpur, would make them attractive for per cent and 29 per cent of proposed Ease of Living Index report that ed representatives or any experts. The public transportation and only two Vadodara) while some other cities potential private investors. projects are still at the “detailed pro- MoHUA started for all smart cities in major decision-making powers rests per cent on buses. have taken specific measures (e.g. With the global urban population ject report” stage. Moreover, the 2018 could not be furnished in 2019 with the SPV and its board of direc- Regarding the financing of SCM, appointment of transactional advi- poised to grow in the coming decades, SCM’s progress has been lopsided as despite floating tenders for the same tors. Hence, many of their policy studies have indicated a clear pattern sors) for generating revenue from Indian cities will be enormously 54 per cent of the completed projects over six times. Moreover, it was also choices are guided by centrally-for- of not only heavy dependence on pub- municipal bonds. Pune, Hyderabad, responsible for “global growth and have come from just four States — reported that a SCM 2.0 will be mulated guidelines. Quite contrary to lic funds for financing the mission, but Indore, Bhopal and Amaravati have well-being.” Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat launched in 2020 that would cover all the ethos of decentralisation and there has been a movement away successfully launched municipal Simply trusting specific sectors and Uttar Pradesh. At the city level, the 4,302 cities in India. Hence, given empowerment of city Governments, from market-oriented sources of bonds to finance some of their urban like manufacturing or services for $"  6%" 10 cities (New Delhi, Belagavi, Surat, the Centre’s continued and renewed the SPV-led process of implementing funding like public-private partner- development projects. Emphasis has growth seems outdated for the 21st Indore, Varanasi, Raipur, Tumakuru, focus on smart cities, it is imperative the SCM becomes more bureaucrat- ships (PPPs) and loans, especially in also been placed on land monetisa- century, unless the governance of Vadodara, Ajmer and Ahmedabad) to understand the constraints plagu- ic and technocratic. Even though it is smaller cities. tion as another important source for cities is fixed. hile presenting the Union account for 48 per cent of the com- ing the SCM since its inception. pragmatic to allow the SPVs to work The FM’s proposal to develop five financing the SCM. In essence, into its fifth year of Budget 2020-21, Finance pleted projects. And 34 smart cities do Given the capacity problem at the on smart proposals, that should be in new smart cities highlights collabo- However, since land is a State sub- implementation, the SCM has turned WMinister (FM) Nirmala not have evidence of even a single city level, leading private firms are consonance with and not to the ration with States in a PPP mode. ject, city Governments cannot exer- out to be inherently unsmart. It Sitharaman proposed setting up five completed project. being engaged as consultants and as exclusion of elected representatives of However, the contribution of such cise their control over it and thus lack needs to change its course of action new smart cities to attract investment Even the holistic improvement of Project Monitoring Units (PMUs) by city Governments. PPP projects in value terms as well as the autonomy to use land indepen- if it aims to achieve inclusive growth and drive economic growth. Unlike the cities seems to be unrealistic as, the Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) Public participation has been the sourcing of revenue from munic- dently to increase their revenues. and sustainable development. For the metropolises under the Smart on average, the Area Based for the preparation of the concept plan virtually limited to consultations ipal bonds continues to be ambigu- Further, the use of land especially in this we need to draw lessons from fail- Cities Mission (SCM) modelled as Development projects account for up and execution of the smart city pro- online on social media or websites ous. In the absence of robust econom- the SCM era has prompted concerns ures and build upon the SCM’s suc- light house with area-based and pan to 80 per cent of the funds but don’t jects. Further, their aim is to create a with public responses in the form of ic, legal, financial and project viabil- about forced evictions in many cities cesses. city development, the new smart benefit even five to 10 per cent of the sustainable revenue model to attract multiple choice answers. This, in ity, the municipal projects are rarely and raised concerns on the inclusive The Government must demon- cities will embrace full-fledged new city’s population. However, the private investment, but, this turns out turn, increases the risk of making perceived to be commercially viable. ideals of the SCM. Solutions to the strate its commitment towards local development like GIFT city, Special Ministry of Housing and Urban to be abysmally low. these proposals more elitist, leaving For this, funds can be arranged above problems are well-known and economic development, sustainable Economic Zones and so on. Affairs (MoHUA) and the SCM The SCM guidelines state that the behind the voices and needs of poor through PPPs or by accessing the cap- have been recommended by experts development and ease of living by However, a closer look at the never leave any stone unturned to “rights and obligations” of the city will and marginalised citizens. In fact, ital market. With the banking system many times. The real issues constrain- inviting experienced countries to progress of the SCM reveals some dis- highlight cosmetic achievements and be transferred to the SPVs without there is evidence showing preference currently under stress with bad debts, ing the functioning of cities are age- partner in the execution of the SCM appointing trends. As of July 25, 2019, announce new measures like pairing specifying the exact terms of the rela- for costlier infrastructure over the the SCM might not receive the nec- old in which the SCM has been stuck. and tackle the persisting challenges of the total approved projects of sister towns on the basis of best and tionship and hierarchy between them. basic needs of majority urban resi- essary investments from the private City Governments will have to acquire associated with it in India. under 3 lakh crore, only 18 per cent worst 20 performing cities or estab- The SPVs, headed by a CEO and reg- dents. Nearly 40 per cent of trans- sector, at least, in the short term. greater capability in raising resources (Soumyadip is Visiting Senior have been completed; work orders lishing a Smart City Observatory. To ulated by the Companies Act 2013, portation projects are focussed on Nonetheless, some cities have from conventional sources (e.g., prop- Fellow at IMPRI and Kumar is have been issued for 37 per cent pro- many observers, the SCM’s initiatives consist largely of bureaucrats with roads and parking lots, while only 20 made significant progress in terms of erty tax, user fee and so on). This Director, IMPRI)    ! !  9  6!  #* 5 6 ! 67 &638 ty issues in Asia. * “Due to the prevailing +,,Q"":="@" S Defence Secretary Mark global situation with regard to ! 67 &638 considered out of turn and UEsper's forthcoming visit COVID-19, it has been decid- ! 67 &638 being casual, actually negligent clearances shall be issued expe- to New Delhi next week has ed to postpone the 21st Asian towards the health of the peo- he Centre on Thursday ditiously,” the notification been postponed in the view of Security Conference (ASC) to he Congress on Thursday ple of India,” he charged. The Tdecided to fast-track envi- issued by Sharath Kumar, sci- coronavirus. He was scheduled a later date. Fresh dates for the Taccused the Government of government has completely ronmental clearance process entist at the ministry’s Impact to hold bilateral talks with Conference will be conveyed in “completely failing” in tackling failed in tackling coronavirus, for projects entailing produc- Assessment division, said. Defence Minister Rajnath due course,” the Ministry of coronavirus and destroying the in preventing it, in identifying tion of bulk drugs and bulk The notification has been Singh on March 16. The post- Defence think tank said in an economy. The party also people (affected by the virus), drug intermediaries in the projects on priority basis will be sent to the Central Pollution ponement comes days after email to the participants. accused Prime Minister in quarantining them, and in country to ensure that it does implemented with immediate Control Board, Expert the Navy called off the multi- The conference organised Narendra Modi of being “neg- taking important steps,” not have to depend on other effect. Appraisal Committee and pol- lateral naval exercise Milan in by IDSA, now rechristened ligent” towards the health of the accused Modi of “sleeping at Congress' chief spokesperson nations like China for manu- In a notification, the lution control boards in all Visakhapatnam. Manohar Parrikar Institute of people. the wheel” and “absolutely Randeep Surjewala facturing the drugs. Environment Ministry said the states and Union Territories. More than 40 countries Defence Studies and Analysis, Congress said the Indian clueless” on how to tackle what alleged. India imports large quan- expeditious environmental The Government has set were to participate in the exer- was to be attended by partici- economy was suffering from he called an oncoming “tsuna- “This Government runs tities of bulk drug for its phar- clearances given to units up a committee to look into the cise held every two years. This pants from countries such as “coronavirus” and demanded a mi”. on knee-jerk reactions, whether maceutical industry with China involving active pharmaceuti- issue of drug shortages coming year the exercise was to com- the US, Russia, Australia, detailed statement in “PM Modi and his ideolo- it comes to taking economic alone accounting for over 68 cal ingredients (API) and bulk from trade restrictions in the mence from March 18 and end Vietnam, Sweden, Belgium, Parliament from Prime gy have destroyed the economy. steps to revive or stabilising the per cent of India''s total drug intermediates will ensure wake of coronavirus spread. on March 28. Japan and the UK. Minister on the economic (Finance Minister) Nirmala economy and to prevent eco- imports. Coronavirus has com- overall preparedness and avail- The committee, in its report, Some other big events were Besides this, Milan-2020, decline of the country. Sitharaman is saying nothing. nomic corona from affecting pletely disrupted this supply. ability of drugs to reduce the has said that the present stock- also postponed in view of coro- the largest multilateral exercise The party alleged the steps I can understand that she the investors' lifetime savings, The bulk drug is active impact of the outbreak. in-hand of the APIs may be navirus threat. They include a hosted by the Navy to be held taken by the Government in understands nothing so she or preventing coronavirus from pharmaceutical ingredient “In order to ensure drug sufficient for 2 to 3 months to two-day conference organised from March 18 to 28 in dealing with coronavirus were can't say anything. But PM spreading in this country,” said (API) that goes into manufac- availability/production to manufacture formulations. by the Manohar Parrikar Visakhapatnam, was indefi- “inadequate”. Former Congress must explain to the nation,” the Congress. turing of formulation and reduce the impact of the out- India has already restrict- Institute of Defence Studies and nitely postponed as a precau- chief Rahul Gandhi said the said Rahul. “I dont think a pandemic branded drugs. However, in a break of Novel Corona virus ed export of about 26 APIs and Analysis (IDSA), which was to tion. PM is not speaking a word on On the coronavirus pan- like coronavirus can be dealt move to ensure that it sufficient (COVID-19) and to improve formulations including antibi- start from Thursday. Another military drill — economy while Finance demic, Rahul said: “There is with in this casual fashion. It is bulk drugs is manufactured overall preparedness of drugs, otics, vitamins and hormones, The Defence Minister and India Egypt Joint Special Forces Minister Nirmala Sitharaman absolutely no preparation. The really sad the Union health locally, the Union Environment the ministry hereby directs as the Government explores Home Minister Amit Shah exercise 2020 — which was does not understand economy. Government doesn't realise minister is himself a doctor. Ministry on Thursday issued projects or activities in respect measures to ensure there is no were scheduled to attend the scheduled to be held at Jodhpur In a blistering attack on the that the coronavirus is spread- The Prime Minister is also a an office memorandum stating of Bulk drugs (API and bulk shortage of drugs in India due conference, which included from March 11 to 13, has been Government over the economy ing in this country.” doctor of entire political sci- that the decision to clear the drug intermediates) shall be to lock-down in China. seminars on a range of securi- postponed as well. and the coronavirus fear, Rahul “The prime minister is ence,” he said.      6P  
 Ahmedabad: Even as the Moreover, 1,217 travellers, Mangaluru: The man who Commissioner Sindhu B Centre has imposed Visa curbs who were kept under observa- arrived here from Dubai with Rupesh told reporters here. to stop the spread of coron- tion upon their return, have suspected symptoms of coron- A total of 49 people are avirus in the country, no posi- completed their 28-day obser- avirus has shown no signs of under quarantine in the district tive case of the deadly disease vation period, the health the disease following tests, dis- of which five have completed has been so far found in department said. trict officials said here on the 28-day cycle. Gujarat, where more than 2,600 On Wednesday, Deputy Thursday. All passengers arriving travellers have been screened at Chief Minister Nitin Patel had The man, who was diag- by international flights and airports till now, said officials informed the Assembly that nosed with a high fever after he those in contact with them on Thursday. over 2,300 people, mostly crew arrived at the Mangaluru should voluntarily report to the Out of the 65 samples of members, on-board 55 ships International Airport (MIA) on district health team and under- suspected cases collected so were also screened at major March 8, had left the govern- go self-quarantine for 14 days, far in Gujarat, 63 came negative ports in Gujarat. ment Wenlock Hospital during she said. Screening facility at for the novel coronavirus As a precautionary mea- the early hours of March 9 the MIA has been strengthened (COVID-19), while two results sure, as many as 576 isolation refusing to undergo tests. by posting doctors from seven are awaited, said a release by the beds and 204 ventilators have He was later traced and private medical colleges on state health department. been kept reserved at different admitted to the government rotation basis. The '104' fever helpline is government hospitals in the hospital at Bantwal on March These doctors have been getting over 200 calls seeking state, the officials added. 9. posted in addition to the med- information about the deadly On Wednesday, India sus- He has since then been dis- ical officer at the airport. virus, it said. A total of 2,611 pended all visas, except a few charged from the hospital and An ambulance has been travellers have been screened at categories such as diplomatic asked to stay at home quaran- placed at the airport exclusively Ahmedabad and Surat inter- and employment, till April 15 tined for the next 14 days, to shift people to the hospitals, national airports so far, the in a bid to contain the spread 7"   "   # 4#)  #   #  
  3 ,# -, Dakshina Kannada Deputy she said. PTI release said. of novel coronavirus. PTI ? 5  A     #  Pune: Authorities in Pune have are spreading wrong and mis- Mumbai: Of the 40 people the coronavirus patients were warned of penal action against leading information on social admitted to Civic-run admitted to Kasturba Hospital, those who reveal the identity of media, and we have received  -F   Kasturba Hospital here for sus- but their test results showed patients testing positive for one such complaint,” he said. pected coronavirus infection, they had no infection them- coronavirus on social media Mhaisekar said the Pune Pune: One more person tested 20 have tested negative, the selves. Still, they will be kept platforms. Police's cyber cell is keeping a positive for the coronavirus Brihanmumbai Municipal under observation, Shah said. Taking cognisance of a close watch on rumour-mon- here on Thursday, taking the Corporation (BMC) said on The number of beds at the complaint from a relative of a gers and those revealing the number of confirmed patients Thursday. isolation ward of Kasturba Pune-based patient, who test- identity of coronavirus patients. of the disease in the Pune city Of the 190 people quaran- Hospital has been increased to ed positive for COVID-19, He assured that appropri- to nine, a senior official said. tined at Kasturba Hospital 50 from 28, and another 50 divisional commissioner ate penal action will be taken District collector Naval since January 18, 168 have beds will be added soon, she Deepak Mhaisekar said police against such people. Kishore Ram said a person tested negative so far, said said. have been asked to monitor A relative of one of the who had travel history to the Daksha Shah, deputy director, Isolation wards have been social media posts and take COVID-19 patients on United States tested positive BMC health department. kept ready at four hospitals in appropriate action in such mat- Wednesday wrote to the divi- on Thursday. “Test reports of another 20 the suburbs. Another isola- ters. sional commissioner, alleging With this, the number of are awaited,” she said. tion facility with 300 beds is “The police have been that informationabout the confirmed COVID-19 cases in At present there are only ready at the private Seven Hills asked to monitorsocial media infected person was revealed Maharashtra has reached 12. two confirmed patients of the hospital too, she informed. platforms through their cyber on social media and this has led Apart from nine confirmed coronavirus in the city, both People should not believe cell to make sure that no his family to face hardships. patients in Pune, two persons being treated at an isolation rumors, Shah appealed. rumours are spread and the “The family is facing a have tested positive for the ward at Kasturba Hospital. “Please remain cool and $ /    
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  #   identity of patients should not social boycott-like situation”, he virus in Mumbai and one in Those who had come in calm,” she said, adding that $## ,# -, be revealed,” Mhaisekar said. If said.The complainant sought Nagpur. contact with these two patients people should take general the identity of a patient is action against those who Collector Ram said the per- tested negative, but doctors precautions while coughing. revealed, the person and his revealed the identity of the son who tested positive on will keep watch on their health A team of 46 doctors and family could face social hard- patient on social media. Thursday had arrived from the for the next 14 days, Shah some 20 para-medical staff      %&    ships, he noted. So far, 11 positive coron- US on March 1 and his samples said. “The people close to two has been deployed at the “So, there is a need to be avirus cases have been report- were taken on March 11.The positive people have been con- Mumbai airport for screening more socially concerned about ed from Maharashtra, includ- condition of all the patients in tacted. They have been advised of passengers in three shifts, $ 
 
   ' ( these issues. We have been ing eight in Pune, two in the city, being treated at the to stay in home isolation,” she along with medical teams of the making appeals since day one, Mumbai and one in civic-run Naidu Hospital, is said. state government and the air- Aizawl: A conglomerate of 15 major Churches of but despite that, some people Nagpur. PTI stable, he said. PTI Three “close contacts” of port, she said. PTI Mizoram has asked its constituents to seek divine 
  intervention to contain the coronavirus pandemic, a church leader said on Thursday.    Member churches of the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee were asked to seek God's inter- Chennai: The Madras High Court has 4 vention so that the state remains safe from novel coro- Disposed of a petition seeking a direction navirus attack and the global pandemic is contained, to the State Government to shutdown MKHC general secretary Rev Lalrinsanga schools from kindergarten upto high D said. school till the coronavirus is contained. The World Health Organization on Wednesday When the plea came up, the court took declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic, saying note of two letters issued by the state gov- it has affected more than 1,18,000 people and ernment mentioning precautionary mea- claimed 4,290 lives worldwide. sures against the disease and instructions Pune: Passengers arrriving here the Pune airport on Friday and “All the member churches across the state will given to airports for screening all passen- by Dubai -Pune flights would another on Saturday. hold congregational prayer during church services gers. It directed the state government to take be placed under quarantine at “As per the Union govern- either on Saturday or Sunday night as per their con- appropriate steps for issuing instructions hospital if they have visited, ment's guidelines, if passengers venience,” Lalrinsanga told PTI. that may be necessary in relation to all edu- after February 15, any of the on these flights have travel “We have appealed to the people to follow and cational institutions in the state. seven “high- risk” countries history to China, Italy, Iran, obey the dos and don'ts set by the government in Disposing of the plea filed by advocate which have seen major coron- Republic of Korea, France, order to prevent the spread of coronavirus,” the church VK Rajavelu, the court said the petitioner avirus outbreaks. Spain and Germany after leader said. has nowhere disclosed in the entire affidavit Eight Pune residents, February 15, they will be kept The church leader also said that the committee even a single incident pertaining to an including a couple who under institutional quarantine held a meeting in Aizawl on Wednesday during which occurrence of a coronavirus case in any returned from Dubai, have (in hospital) in the city,” said it expressed concern about alleged hoarding of essen- educational institution. tested positive for the coron- Mhaisekar. tial commodities. “In the absence of any such material, avirus. “We are trying to obtain “The church committee appeals to the people not such cavalier petition does not deserve to Passengers from seven travel history post-February to hoard commodities and hike prices at the time of be entertained as a knee jerk reaction to shut high-risk countries will be 15 of the passengers on these global crisis,” he said. down the schools,” the First Bench, com- straightway sent to quarantine two flights,” he added. To allay fears of people, officials of state food, civil prising Chief Justice AP Sahi and Justice irrespective of whether they A “containment program” supplies and consumer affairs department said there Senthil Kumar Ramamoorthy, said. have any symptoms, said divi- has been launched in three-km was enough stock of rice, cooking gas and oil to last The petitioner said coronavirus cases sional commissioner Deepak radius in four areas of the city for three months. were increasing the world over and accord- Mhaisekar. where the patients who have The state government has formally sealed state ing to doctors, children and elderly people 7   "
 
"    
6#    3# A Spice Jet flight from tested positive for the virus borders with neighbouring countries and states on are less immune and likely to get infected  ,# -, Dubai is scheduled to land at live. PTI Wednesday. PTI soon. PTI    ! !  :

 6! ? ;EE F0 Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief from various foreign destina- Jammu: The Jammu & have been put under surveil- and Government Medical #B Minister K Palaniswami on tions and those showing symp- Kashmir administration on lance, of whom 1,178 are under College in Jammu. Thursday sought to allay fears toms were isolated and given Thursday said 1,433 travellers home quarantine,” a Health Another facility at over coronavirus, saying the proper treatment at the Rajiv and persons in contact with bulletin issued by the UT Government Medical College =5 state was home to the best Gandhi Government General suspected coronavirus cases administration said. in Srinagar was operationalised medical practitioners in the Hospital (RGGH). have been put under surveil- Of them, 17 are under hos- on Thursday. Lucknow: A 35-year-old King George’s Medical The doctors are also iden- country and people need not Reiterating the earlier com- lance in the Union Territory, pital quarantine, 80 in home Control rooms and sur- Indian-origin doctor from University’s Medicine tifying those who had inter- panic. Making his first com- ments made by Health and which has reported one posi- surveillance and 158 have com- veillance teams have been con- Canada, who came to visit her Department said. acted with her between March ment on the coronavirus in the Family Welfare Minister C tive case so far. pleted their 28-day surveil- stituted in all districts, they relatives here, has been tested The 35-year-old doctor of 8 and 11 and they will all be state Assembly on Thursday, Vijayabhaskar that the disease With the cases of coron- lance period, it said. said. The government has positive for novel coronavirus Indian origin is based in tested, he added. Palaniswami said the disease was spreading through those avirus on the rise in the coun- As many as 74 samples strongly urged all social, reli- (COVID-19) at the KGMU Toronto, Canada and had “Her husband is also spread only through those peo- individuals who had returned try, Financial Commissioner of have been sent for testing and gious and political organisa- and her samples have been sent arrived here on March 8. She under observation in the hos- ple coming from foreign desti- from overseas, Palaniswami the Jammu & Kashmir Health out of which, 29 are negative tions to avoid large gatherings. to Pune’s National Institute of was tested positive on pital but he will be discharged nations and those living in the said facilities are available to give and Medical Education and only one have tested pos- There is no need to panic, Virology for reconfirmation, a Wednesday night and her sam- by evening today,” Dr state were not affected. proper treatment to those peo- Department Atal Dulloo took itive, while reports of 44 sam- the public is advised to main- senior doctor said on ples have been sent for recon- Himanshu said. KGMU The state reported its first ple if they show symptoms of stock of measures put in place ples are awaited, it said. tain social distancing; avoid un- Thursday. firmation to NIV, Dr spokesman Dr Sandip Tiwari coronavirus case on March 7 in the virus. “There is no need to to prevent the spread of the dis- The administration necessary travel and use of pub- She has been kept in an iso- Himanshu said. said a total of 300 samples from which a 45-year-old engineer worry. Around 1.50 lakh people ease in the Union Territory appealed to the people to vol- lic transport; and also take lation ward while her hus- Though she did not show across the state have been test- hailing from Kancheepuram who had arrived from foreign (UT). He also inspected the untarily declare their foreign basic precautions, including band, who had accompanied any symptoms during screen- ed in the lab in KGMU hospi- had tested positive after return- countries were screened and facilities for suspected patients travel history. personal hygiene, frequent her, has also been tested but has ing at the Lucknow airport, she tal and besides the seven cases ing from Oman. only those with symptoms of the in two hospitals in Jammu. Officials said coronavirus hand washing with soap and been found to be negative in developed fever and cough of Agra, the latest case of the The Chief Minister said virus are given treatment by iso- “In UT of J&K till date, testing labs have been started in observing coughing and sneez- the two tests conducted on later and contacted the doctors Canadian doctor has been the government was screening lating them,” Palaniswami 1,433 travellers and persons in Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of ing etiquettes,” the govern- him, Professor D Himanshu of at KGMU, he said. found to be positive. PTI those who come to the state said. PTI contact with suspected cases Medical Sciences in Srinagar ment advisory said. PTI (5     #         

    itics which I want, we will be party president and Chief in charge of public treasury and drawal from the battle field. “It ,68 able to make any change. Minister should be different is in a position to manipulate is like one step forward and two
 #<%) Otherwise it will be like cook- persons.,” explained the way people think,” he steps backward. amil film’s super star ing Chakkarai Pongal (a sweet Rajinikanth. said. Rajinikanth’s concept of TRajinikanth, who was Tamil delicacy) in the same pot He also disclosed that more According to Rajinikanth, politics is the same that was expected to make an important where Meen Kuzhambu (fish than 50 per cent of the posts in there are 50,000 office bearers preached by Mahatma Gandhi     nessing protest marches and declaration on Thursday curry) had been cooked,” said his party as well as the cabinet working all over Tamil Nadu in but I doubt whether it would ,68 rallies across the Statae against regarding the launch of his pro- Rajinikanth. would be reserved for people both the DMK as well as the materialise in the near future. the CAA and related laws. posed political party made it Explaining the rationale below the age of 50 and who AIADMK. “This is the root There is lot of difference ctivists belonging to Left The Muslim organisations in known that he was not in a behind his decision not to has professional qualifications. cause of corruption and I want between practical politics and Awing and Dravidian the State want the Tamil Nadu hurry and also he would never accept the post of Chief “We will rope in retired that system to go. Politics pragmatics. I feel chances are Forum will stage a night long Legislative Assembly to pass be the Chief Minister of the Minister, Rajinikanth said pre- bureaucrats and professionals should not be for making that he may end up like his sit-in at the Himalaya Lawns a resolution condemning the State. ferred Tamil Nadu to be the for advisory jobs. Ours will not money but it should be for pub- advisor Tamilaruvi Manian, of the IIT-Madras on Friday CAA. But the chief minister “Had I wanted, I would role model for other States in be a political party of profes- lic welfare,” he said. who too harps on value based to express their solidarity and his cabinet colleagues have become the Chief the country. sional politicians,” he He asked the people of politics,” Maalan told The with Shaheen Bagh kind of have rejected the demand. Minister in 1996 at the age of “The Chief Minister should said. Tamil Nadu to set the agenda Pioneer. protests across the Situation in Coimbatore, 45. Why should I aspire for a be one who is fully devoted to The actor set precondi- and prepare the ground for the Kolahala Srenivaas, politi- country. a communally sensitive city post which I had declined 24 the matters affecting the State tions for his entry into the revolutionary change envis- cal observer, was blunt in his This was stated by one of continues to be tense follow- years ago?” he asked while and he/she should not be bur- unknown terrain of politics. aged by him. “Then we will observation that Rajinikanth the student leaders on condi- ing attacks on Hindu Front speaking to journalists at dened with other tasks. It was “As on today, Tamil Nadu is think about the politics and would not take any hasty deci- tion of anonymity. “we have leaders and counter-attacks Chennai on Thursday. The in Tamil Nadu we brought a dominated by two Jambavans, governance,” he said. sion. “He has set the ground for put up many hoardings across on leaders of Islamic organi- reigning star of South Indian regional party (DMK) to power two entities with all resources Maalan Narayanan, Tamil his withdrawal from politics. I the IIT campus and are cir- zations. More than 2,000 films asked the people of the defeating the Congress for the available in the world. The Nadu’s leading author and don’t think people in Tamil culating posters to be dis- policemen have been State to create an environment first time in the country’s his- AIADMK and the DMK. political commentator who has Nadu would be able to provide played during the 12 hour sit- deployed in the sensitive areas whereby his idea of gover- tory. My idea of a chief minis- While the DMK has been out been tracking the course of him what he has asked for in in,” said the student leader. He of the city in the background nance and Government could ter’s job is different from that of power for the last ten years, Rajinikanth’s political journey, return for his entry into poli- claimed that the teaching of attacks using petrol bombs be implemented. “If only the of a conventional political boss. it is bestowed with men and described the actor’s Thursday tics; revolution, upsurge and community and the students and other deadly people accept the kind of pol- My idea of politics is that the infrastructure. The AIADMK is announcement as a tacit with- wave. were in unison with the sit-in. Tamil Nadu is still wit- weapons. /"     ! "  *
 
  . !  
   (      *     +,- Srinagar: PDP leader and for- of Article 370 and repeal of 6 mer trade unionist Abdul Article 35A,” he said in a state-     Qayoom Wani on Thursday ment. renounced politics in protest Wani contested from north against the Centre’s decision to Kashmir’s Baramulla Lok Sabha repeal Article 370 and bifurca- constituency on a PDP ticket !  !   ?53? from both the outfits though the tion of Jammu & Kashmir into and stood fourth. BJP sources say that he is still a Union Territories. He had demanded that the engal BJP is planning to primary member of the party Wani, a trade union leader, Centre should release all main- Bproject former State Minister regardless of the distance he is had joined the Peoples stream and separatist politicians and Trinamool Congress discard maintaining. Democratic Party (PDP) ahead who have been arrested after Sovan Chatterjee as its Mayoral The BJP renewed its effort of the Lok Sabha polls in 2019. the government’s August 5, candidate in the coming Kolkata to project Chatterjee as its “I am renouncing politics 2019 decision to abrogate Municipal Corporation elec- Mayoral candidate after the to protest against the illegal and Article 370, which gave special tions. TMC entrusted his estranged unconstitutional decision of status to the State of Jammu & Coimbatore: Tight vigil is A senior State BJP leader wife Ratna Chatterjee with the the Centre regarding abrogation Kashmir. PTI being maintained in the city ;"      "O)P/##  #
5$#54     7-$/$ *
 said “Sovan da is a seasoned pre-poll organsational functions and those involved in attack on $",# -, campaigner and can be an asset from Behala East Assembly con- workers of SDPI and RSS will for the BJP if he chooses to lead stituency from where Sovan be brought to book soon, Police the party from the front in the Chatterjee is still a sitting MLA. Commissioner Sumit Saran KMC elections… already our Though neither Sovan nor said on Thursday. 7 9:: P   all-India president JP Naddaji Baisakhi would mince words on Police have taken 127 peo- has been informed about the their future course of action ple into preventive custody as State party’s views and he is not sources close to them they have a precautionary measure, he opposed to the idea of roping not as yet made up their minds told reporters here and sought    " #  7" him in.” on whether to take up the cooperation from the regional Chatterjee once a blue-eyed responsibility that the BJP is will- outfits to maintain peace and boy of Chief Minister Mamata ing to entrust on him. communal harmony. Guwahati: Over 1,000 posts of requirement, state Health min- institutions under Health and Banerjee quit the party after it “There is no formal com- Adequate police force has doctors were lying vacant in ister Himanta Biswa Sarma Family Welfare (B) Department apparently backed his wife Ratna munication from any side… been deployed in and around health institutions across said. are also lying vacant, Sarma in her legal matrimonial battle No decision has yet been taken. the city to meet any eventual- Assam due to which around The state government has said. with Chatterjee. Let an opportune moment come ity and also instill confidence 1,800 doctors were engaged on also engaged 12,528 non At least 366 faculty posts Subsequently Chatterjee a then only a decision will be among the public, he said. contract to overcome this gazetted employees against under the Directorate of former Mayor of Kolkata joined taken,” Banerjee said while Besides, vehicle checks shortage, a state minister said 3,999 posts lying vacant, the Medical Education and 57 sim- the BJP along with his close Sovan maintained a studied have been intensified at 40 in the Assembly on minister said in a reply to a ilar posts under the Directorate woman aide Baisakhi Banerjee. silence. When contacted senior strategic points across the city, Thursday. question of Rupjyoti Kurmi of of AYUSH are lying vacant, However, he distanced himself State BJP leader Pratap Banerjee particularly during night, he Though steps were being the Congress. Sarma said. from his new outfit within said his party was indeed will- said, adding that three cases taken to fill the 1,115 vacancies The posts were lying vacant A total of 355 posts of assis- months of his joining it follow- ing to field Chatterjee as its face were registered in connection in a phased manner, the state in health facilities of the state tant professors in government- ing differences with BJP’s in the KMC elections. “Sovan da with the incidents over the last government has meanwhile under Health and Family funded colleges, and 22,938 observer for Bengal Kailash is a big leader and as far as I one week. engaged 1,792 doctors on a Welfare (A) Department. posts in different categories Vijabargiya. know he is stilla BJP member. In Arrests have already been contractual basis under the Another 1,342 posts of were also lying vacant under At present Chatterjee finds that case the only question is made in the two cases of hurl- National Health Mission gazetted and non-gazetted staff the Directorate of Secondary himself parked on a “no man’s whether he will take active part ing of petrol bombs on a (NHM) to meet the immediate in medical colleges and other Education, he said. PTI land” maintaining equidistance in the elections. mosque and Hindu Munnani office. Those protesting were also asked to avoid any type of agitations in the city for one week, he added. A RSS worker was attacked on Wednesday, in a fresh inci- dent in the cycle of violence in the city for the past few days after the assault of a Hindu out- fit leader last week. Tension gripped parts of the city since the attack on Hindu Munnani Secretary Madukkarai Anand on March 5 when he was returning home after attending a pro-CAA dharna and hurling of a petrol bomb on a mosque within hours. On Tuesday, the Hindu Munnani office here came under petrol bomb attack while a functionary of the SDPI was thrashed by some unidentified people. PTI    ! !  =

& . /001 6""#

Moreover, the working effect. This is the most unset-  capital of many corporates in tling healthcare crisis in recent IJAA the tourism sector is seriously times and hotel bookings will hit by almost 60 per cent and go south.”   67 &638 January-March quarter earn- that it will lead to direct loss of additional staff.” for micro, small and medium On Indians being advised ings could fall by more than 60 not less than 8,500 crore,” Expressing similar views, tourism enterprises by almost to refrain from unnecessary ndia’s travel and hospitality per cent. IATO Secretary Rajesh Mudgill Mudgill said, “In view of the 80 per cent, it added. travel, the CII report said, Iindustry is headed for its India, which annually told PTI. staggering loss that the entire “Most of the Indian “The December holiday season worst crisis with an at least earns 2,200 crore from foreign Assocham Tourism and industry stares at, we request tourism travel and hospitality of 2019 took an estimated hit 8,500-crore hit in revenues tourists arrivals, attracts near- Hospitality Council Chairman the Government to consider a companies are facing demands of almost 40-50 per cent, the due to suspension of most ly one million overseas visitors Subhash Goyal said since the review of the situation after 10 for full refunds and they are holiday season of April to July visas over fears of spread of a month, a number which outbreak of coronavirus, the days and also consider giving doing so out of their cash 2020 is likely to take a humon- coronavirus that would result could see a drastic fall next aviation and tourism industries relief in taxation to the sector reserves even for which they gous hit which could be as high in lower footfalls and drop in month due to travel restric- in India have been adversely as it will help in mitigating the have paid advance tax and as 80-100 per cent, unless there business for tour operators, tions. affected. losses suffered.” suspension of visas from all taking up trips domestically as GST,” the CII assessment report is positive news of the pro- hotels and aviation industry. Indian Association of Tour “However, we were able to Federation of Hotel & countries to India is expected well.” According CII, this is one added. gression of virus decreasing. Hotels and tour operators Operators (IATO), and manage our expenses and keep Restaurant Associations of to have a substantial impact on of the worst crises ever to hit The report further said VFS Global Regional Group have seen a spurt in cancella- Assocham saw job losses in the the staff because some amount India (FHRAI) Vice President the foreign tourist arrival in the the Indian tourism industry cancellations are “reaching a COO — South Asia, Middle tions particularly after the sectors as companies try to tide of essential travel was going on. Gurbaxish Singh Kohli country which was already impacting all its geographical peak of almost 80 per cent now East and North Africa, Americas WHO declared the outbreak a over the situation by cutting The suspension of visas last said,”Since November, when witnessing a drop due to the segments — inbound, out- in March in many Indian loca- Vinay Malhotra said,”While it is pandemic. Tourists cancelled non-essential workforces and night has come as an immedi- coronavirus made news, hotel prevailing situation. bound and domestic, almost all tions. The value at risk from too early to comment on the travel, hitting hotels, airlines stopping recruitment. They ate blow to the entire tourism, room cancellations began and “We have received close to tourism verticals — leisure, this segment will be in multi- impact of coronavirus on visa and tax collections after the wanted the Government to aviation and hospitality indus- crossed the 80 per cent mark. 35 per cent cancellation queries adventure, heritage, MICE, ples of tens of thousands of application trends, so far, our government suspended most review the decision to sus- try,” he said. New bookings are almost com- from travellers planning their cruise, corporate and niche crores.” With India cancelling visa application processes in visas in a bid to halt the spread pend visas for a month and Warning of the conse- pletely on hold, including the trip to foreign destinations,” she segments. all visas, the chamber said the India continue on schedule as of coronavirus. allow inbound travel through quences of the step, Goyal NRI segment which accounts said, adding airfares to affect- CII Tourism Committee impact “will be worse”. per the mandates of our client At least 40 per cent of limited gateway cities. said, “If no visas are valid, with- for 60 per cent of the tourism ed destinations have dropped said to save on variable costs ANAROCK Property Governments.” rooms across big chains of “The ban on travel to India in next ten days this travel and revenues mostly in the months by 40 per cent. and minimise fixed costs many Consultants Chairman Anuj MakeMyTrip Group CEO hotels are going empty while for a period of one month will tourism industry will come to from April to September.” Chopra added, “There has small and mid-sized hotels, Puri said, “The cancellation of Rajesh Magow said, “The deci- banquet bookings have been have a cascading economic a virtual stop. It would mean Yatra.Com Co-Founder been about 18 per cent drop in resorts and car rental compa- visas for foreigners as well as sion by the Government will cancelled, industry officials impact and will lead to job loss- that everyone will cut down and COO, Corporate Travel & hotel rates and we are receiving nies are shutting down opera- the strong advice issued to have an impact on inbound and associations said. es in the entire hotel, aviation costs and terminate non-essen- Head Industry Relations, cancellation requests from var- tions and asking staff to go on Indians to refrain from unnec- and outbound international Tour operators estimate and travel sector. We estimate tial staff and stop recruiting Sabina Chopra said the latest ious travellers who are wary of leave without pay. essary travel will have a marked travel.”

! ! !2G?   * %+0'  $ # #!6!   ?   ! February, paving the way for at 1.5 per cent in January 2020 tock markets tumbled across to see infection rates slow.  *
   $       
   RBI to cut interest rate to and just 0.3 per cent for the first   .48 tion remains outside its target Sthe globe and oil prices Manila crashed nearly 10 per                 boost the economy that may be 10 months of current fiscal. band (at 6.58 per cent in slumped Thursday after cent — sparking a brief trading        
        losing steam due to the coro- As per use-based classifi- iven the coronavirus pan- February down from 7.59 per President Donald Trump halt — after it emerged   
) A            navirus outbreak. cation, out of six sectors four — Gdemic and the resultant cent in January and 2.57 per banned all travel from main- Philippines President Rodrigo --2        # $   
     The Index of Industrial namely capital goods, infra- bloodbath in global markets, cent in February 2019). land Europe to the Duterte would undergo a pre-              
  
  Production (IIP) grew by 2 per structure/construction goods,    ) including in the country, and “But, given the evolving United States for a month to cautionary test for the virus. cent in January against 1.6 per consumer durables and con- plunging asset prices, the RBI macroeconomic situation and fight the coronavirus pandem- In the Gulf, Saudi dumped 6  !6!!  cent a year back, displaying sumer non-durables — record- will begin to look beyond infla- deteriorating global backdrop, ic, ramping up fears of world- 3.0 per cent in value, Dubai 
  8  8
   $   #   moderate green shoots, official ed negative growth in January tion and start easing rates to the we believe risks of an inter- wide recession. tumbled 8.0 per cent and Qatar  
  # $        
      data released on Thursday 2020. CPI inflation in February tune of 65 basis points (bps) by meeting cut of 25-40 bps have With the market panic shed 4.5 per cent.                 #     showed. According to the data reversed six months of increas- June, and the first rate cut could increased materially. Even if having already wiped away     # ?$ 8  6; )        from the National Statistical ing trend mainly due to base come even before the April RBI doesn’t make an inter- more than USD 11 trillion in        
      Office (NSO), the manufac- effect and sequential decline in review, according to British meeting move, we see them global value, the head of the "#   H2=    FGFG2F-) turing sector output grew by food price inflation as well as lender Barclays. cutting by at least 65 bps by World Health Organisation 1.5 per cent as compared with a dip in transport and com- The domestic markets June, with risks biased towards said the COVID-19 outbreak     #> !    a rise of 1.3 per cent in the cor- munication inflation. recorded its worst fall in history more easing than this,” Barclays “is a controllable pandemic” if -H')'E        $    responding month a year ago. Core inflation, a measure of on Thursday plunging as much said in a note on Thursday. countries stepped up measures :,H             $    
  However, going forward, demand conditions in the econ- 8.2 per cent, while the rupee On the timing and the to tackle it. # $           
  $   the February factory output omy, also reversed after increas- '/(@)-(
   plunged 56 paise to a 17- quantum of rates cuts, the “We are deeply concerned        #   ) 6    may be impacted as several ing for three months and came     #  month-low of 74.24 to a dollar. report says, “As a pre-emptive that some countries are not   # 8   ,     #   #  industries such as automo- in at 4.08 per cent in February.     
    After nosediving over step, the RBI could consider at approaching this threat with  
    ) biles, technology, pharma and Between Q1 FY19 and Q3 3,204.30 points on across-the- least 65 bps cuts over the next the level of political commit-          fashion have some exposure to FY20, core inflation declined to   
    board selling, the Sensex closed three months, which would peg ment needed to control it,”  !!  ! 6   ! !    imports of raw and intermedi- 3.6 per cent from 6.2 per cent  8     A 2,919.26 points or 8.18 per cent real rates close to 0, as CPI WHO director-general Tedros 8     #        *
   ate materials from China. and GDP growth declined to 4.7 8A  ) lower to 32,778.14, and the inflation appears set to decline Adhanom Ghebreyesus told           $     Retail inflation eased to per cent from 7.1 per cent. L.     Nifty gave up the 9,600-level, close to 4.5 per cent by June if diplomats in Geneva, accord-   
  # $) ,        7A  $ 6.58 per cent in February, from With the epidemic spread- slumping 868.25 points or 8.30 crude stays close to current lev- ing to a statement. #    FGFG        5 
  
   ) ,   7.59 per cent in the previous ing fast in Europe and the US, per cent to close at 9,590.15. els.” But, analysts at Barclays are Following an overnight #      O 
         $      $      month, but remained above the a slowdown in these economies The rout followed the mar- quick to underline that “rate slump, Sydney tumbled 7.4 F)B  M 8A $    $     
        #  Reserve Bank of India’s target will impact the global demand kets bloodbath across the world cuts will have little impact on per cent on Thursday to suffer *      ) 4  ) band of 4 per cent, plus or for industrial and manufac- after the World Health near-term growth without its worst session since the 2008      L        minus 2 per cent. tured goods. PTI Organization (WHO) on accompanying steps to keep global financial crisis.    #
  
  Wednesday termed the coron- liquidity conditions ample” Tokyo closed down 4.4 per  )M  
   avirus outbreak as a pandem- which it could ensure through cent, putting it in a bear mar- 
#      #  ic. “Growth risks have risen increased long-term repo oper- ket after slumping more than      .  #  dramatically, while CPI ations (LTROs) or even out- 20 per cent from a recent high.       I K8

 38+6553 FIGURATIVELY tletico Madrid manager A      Diego Simeone defend- 3
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 FQ     after dumping Liverpool out of 6        the Champions League with a 17=+1 56    F2H
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      ended Atletico’s dogged resis- #        2    6   tance when Roberto Firmino     2      ;    put them ahead in the last-16      9   ? 
 
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 -G ond leg into an extra 30 min- —JURGEN KLOPP 3
 
utes.       However, Liverpool were -<    made to rue a host of missed L7      AAK *  "
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)        4         minutes as Llorente twice          curled home from outside the            FGGI    D  O box before Alvaro Morata twist-  K 8 # ed the knife by breaking away    
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     Defeat ends Jurgen L7        #     8 PSG players rushed to a Klopp’s proud record of 
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concourse at the back of the sta- never losing a two-legged       ,    
# FGGB aris Saint-Germain players dium to celebrate with them at European tie as Liverpool    )M       FG-P2-= Pcelebrated with supporters the end of the game after break- manager and he took a —MARCOS LLORENTE  3
D gathered outside the ground ing a run of three straight exits swipe of Atletico’s defen- ;$  
  after Neymar set them on their in the first knockout round of sive tactics.         ,3  way to a 2-0 win over Borussia the competition. “The way they play, I Liverpool gone in front for the    D $    Dortmund behind closed doors “We played like a team. It don’t get it,” said Klopp. “They first time in the tie than Atletico   J 2   - Q ?  H on Wednesday, taking them was a pleasure to be their coach could play proper football but hit back with a sucker-punch. #  A   through to the Champions tonight,” PSG coach Thomas they stand deep and have The visitors had barely       League quarter-finals 3-2 on Tuchel told broadcaster RMC counter-attacks.” tested stand-in Liverpool goal-     FG    aggregate. Sport. It remains to be seen if and keeper Adrian, but the loss of A PSG needed to overturn a 2- “The atmosphere was great      
  when Atletico will play in the Alisson Becker to a hip injury    FG-B K HHP   1 defeat in the first leg of their coming here in the bus, with all last eight due to the chaos eventually proved Liverpool’s last-16 tie in Germany, but the ultras singing. We were all caused across the continent by downfall. A  *   7/ D Neymar’s 28th-minute header singing together and it was a spe- the new coronavirus. Adrian fired a simple clear- 
   ,3 
 put them ahead on the night in cial atmosphere.   $ $    But Simeone basked in + "       
  #  /#"  ( =" # 7  >?)7@,  ance straight to Joao Felix, ; the second leg amid a surreal “It needed a huge effort another famous European night who fed Llorente and he found        atmosphere, as banned sup- from us, playing without spec- for the side he has twice led to The European champions “I have no doubt Oblak is the bottom corner.      porters congregated outside the tators made it all the more dif- the final in his eight years in did not manage a single shot on the best goalkeeper in the “The pass was not helpful. 7  Parc des Princes instead. ficult.” charge. target in a 1-0 defeat in Madrid world,” added Simeone. Adrian is a super player, I love   Juan Bernat then deflected Neymar was caught on “We play to win, with the three weeks ago, but Jan Oblak Despite Liverpool being the boy, but in this moment, it AAD   in a Pablo Sarabia assist to make camera in tears after the match, arms that we have,” said was quickly put to work. on the brink of a first Premier is the wrong decision,” added 3
        it 2-0 and PSG — for whom having shaken off desperate dis- Simeone. “Respecting our iden- But Oblak was helpless as League title in 30 years, their Klopp. FGG<:GP        Kylian Mbappe was only fit appointment in the competition tity, the characteristics of our Liverpool levelled the tie just number nine Firmino had not Llorente had joined   ;  2      ,3 enough to appear as a substitute in the last two years, with injury players and exploiting the before half-time through scored at home all season until Atletico from bitter rivals Real * 
   ;  2 — go through to the quarter- preventing him from playing in defects of our rivals.” Wijnaldum’s powerful down- four minutes into extra-time. Madrid in a controversial move    ,3     finals for the first time since the second leg against Real ward header. The Brazilian’s header in June. -BBJ:BI FG-F:-H FG-H:-J 2016. Dortmund finished the Madrid at this stage in 2018 and OBLAK ‘BEST IN WORLD’ K The goal did not change from Wijnaldum’s cross But the man whose father FG-J:-I FG-I:-<  FG-B:FG night with 10 men after Emre in both legs against Manchester A packed Anfield played its Atletico’s approach as they came back off the post and great uncle, Francisco     A     Can was sent off. United last season. part in trying to roar Liverpool played a risky game and and perfectly back Gento, also played for Real,    #    This game was played Dortmund were disappoint- onto another Champions relied on Oblak to keep into his path to slot made himself a Rojiblanco 

 H=   F= behind closed doors after the ing, though, with Erling Braut League conquest as, unlike in them in the game. home with Oblak hero with a second that secured  ,3    FG French government banned all Haaland never looking like numerous countries across The Slovenian grounded. Atletico’s place in the last eight EI gatherings of more than 1,000 repeating his first-leg heroics  4  =  *   F< Europe, no restrictions have so saved from Mohamed “Everybody with another precise low finish      -F people due to the coronavirus when he netted twice. far been put on supporters Salah, Alex Oxlade- who saw the game in added time at the end of the outbreak, but many still came Their defender Mats attending games in the United Chamberlain and tonight knows it could first half of extra time. * 
    together outside. Hummels admitted his team Kingdom. Firmino, while Andy have been different,” said Another former Real play-      HF ,3  Those supporters bran- struggled with the atmosphere, But it was the nearly 3,000 Robertson hit the bar as Klopp. “I loved our first 90 er Morata then broke away and E=I     dished flares as the team bus saying: “It was really bizarre, but travelling fans in attendance, Liverpool missed a number of minutes, but we scored the finished calmly to inflict           arrived before the game and for both teams. The start of the that celebrated a stoic rearguard chances that ultimately came second goal too late.” Liverpool’s first Champions       #    FG-- sang and set off fireworks game was really strange, like a display from their side. back to cost them. However, no sooner had League home defeat since 2014. R   FG-J HJ throughout the match. friendly.” ( $&             ( 2019-20 Final on Saturday, March 14, 2020, between ATK FC and Chennaiyin FC, will now  &8& “Likewise, it has been decided to be played behind closed doors at the Jawaharlal close the facilities at our training ground Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, Goa,” the ISL organ- eal Madrid went into quarantine and it is also recommended that all AA= isers said in a statement. Ron Thursday as La Liga Real Madrid personnel who work The decision came after the announced Spain’s top two divisions there remain in quarantine.”  ! UEFA has called a crisis meeting representatives from all 55 national Sports Ministry’s advisory to all will be suspended for at least two weeks La Liga has also followed to take place next week, European foot- associations and club and player bodies. national federations to follow the over the coronavirus. Italy’s Serie A in suspending ball’s governing body announced on However, UEFA did not confirm Health Ministry’s advisory and La Liga authorities made the deci- its matches, after a meeting Thursday, as the coronavirus outbreak whether matches scheduled for avoid large gatherings in sports sion after Real Madrid confirmed its on Thursday with the threatens to force the postpone- Thursday or for next week would be able events. senior football team is in quarantine Spanish Football ment of Euro 2020 and the ongo- to go ahead as planned. “...Ensure that no public gathering takes after one of the club’s basketball play- Federation and the Spanish ing Champions League. Meanwhile, two Europa League place in any sporting event. In the event the ers tested positive for the virus. Players Union (AFE). A videoconference will be held last 16, first legs scheduled for Thursday   The Indian Super League final sporting event cannot be avoided, the same Real Madrid’s football and bas- It had been decided on “to discuss European football’s and involving Italian clubs have been between ATK FC and Chennaiyin FC on could be done wihout allowing gathering of ketball players share facilities at Ciudad Tuesday that games in response to the outbreak” next postponed. March 14 will be played without any specta- people, including spectators,” read an order Real Madrid, the club’s training ground Spain’s top two divisions Tuesday “in the light of the ongo- Euro 2020 is due to kick off in three tors at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in from the Sports ministry. in Valdebebas. would be held behind closed ing developments in the spread of months and the final four qualifying Margao due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the This is the second time that an ISL match A club statement read: “A player doors but those fixtures over the COVID-19 across Europe and the spots are due to be decided in play-off organisers said on Thursday. will be played in an empty stadium after this from our basketball first team has test- next 14 days will now be suspend- changing analysis of the World Health matches scheduled to be played at the Owing to the current preventive measures year’s game between NorthEast United FC and ed positive for the COVID-19 coron- ed. Organisation.” The meeting will involve end of this month. AFP advised by the Sports Ministry, league organ- Bengaluru FC was held behind closed doors avirus. Domestic league matches in iser Football Sports Development Limited in Guwahati in the wake of the protest against “Since then, the recommendation France, Germany and Portugal this morning, referring to the quarantine “La Liga agrees to suspend at least the (FSDL) has decided to hold the season’s final the Citizenship Amendment Act in Assam. has been made to quarantine both the have been put behind closed established in Real Madrid and the pos- next two matchdays,” the statement behind closed doors. FSDL said it will soon initiate the process basketball first team and the football first doors while Serie A in Italy has sible positive tests from players at other added. “This decision will be re-evaluat- FSDL said the decision was taken in view of ticket refunds and an announcement will be team, given that the two squads been suspended until April 3. clubs, La Liga considers that the circum- ed after the quarantine at affected clubs of the health and safety of players, fans and made through Hero ISL channels. share facilities in Ciudad Real A La Liga statement read: “In stances now exist to continue with the and other possible situations that could support staff. The final match will be telecast live on Star Madrid. view of the circumstances known next phase of action against COVID-19.” occur have ended.” “Upcoming Hero Indian Super League Sports, Hotstar and Jio TV. PTI Q %@+",1 7,- ;,7$" #= A     McLaren pulled out of the  .8 season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Thursday after a team member tested pos-  88 uventus and Italy defender Daniele itive for coronavirus, throwing the race into JRugani told fans ‘don’t worry, I’m fine’ chaos. iami-Dade County on Wednesday after becoming the first The employee was among eight MMayor Carlos Gimenez Serie A footballer to test positive for the Formula One personnel who went into iso- declared a state of emergency new coronavirus. lation after showing flu-like symptoms typ- on Thursday over the coron- The 25-year-old “is currently asymp- F= 823    $   ical of the virus this week in Melbourne. avirus outbreak and began tomatic,” the Italian champions said, but The other seven — including four canceling mass gatherings, the Turin-based club are “currently acti- #  #    from the Haas team — all returned nega- including the ATP and WTA vating all the isolation procedures required tive results, organisers said. Miami Open. by law, including those who have had con-  The remaining Skype meeting with repre- “The team member was tested and The hardcourt tennis tact with him.” 28 matches of the I-League, sentatives from all I-League self-isolated as soon as they started to show tournament, one of the world’s “I want to reassure all those who are including the marquee clubs at 4pm on Friday symptoms and will now be treated by local top events outside of the worried about me, I’m fine,” Rugani later Kolkata derby between (March 13) in view of the healthcare authorities,” McLaren said in a Grand Slams, was scheduled said on Instagram. champions Mohun Bagan guidelines issued by the statement. to begin with qualifying on “At this moment, however, I feel even and East Bengal, are likely to Ministry of Youth Affairs “The decision (to withdraw) has been March 23 and run through more duty to thank all the doctors and be played in empty stadiums and Sports concerning the taken based on a duty of care not only to April 5. nurses who are struggling in hospitals to owing to the COVID-19 recent global outbreak of McLaren F1 employees and partners, but ;"
* #    ) 
  '    $   
 2"  The ATP and WTA earli- cope with this crisis. pandemic, an All India COVID-19,” read a state- also to the team’s competitors, Formula 1 (  
+ ( #         # 7 ) <- 7- er wiped out the combined “I invite everyone to respect Football Federation official ment from AIFF. fans and wider F1 stakeholders.” event at Indian Wells, the rules, because this virus said. The AIFF, however, will Mohun Bagan have McLaren’s decision to pull out casts have races but it really is shocking that we’re Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel and Renault’s California, which was to have makes no distinctions! Let’s hold a meeting already clinched doubt over whether the race will be run all sitting in this room,” he said at an offi- Daniel Ricciardo in the media session, but started main-draw play do it for ourselves, for our with the I-League the I-League title without a full complement of teams, and cial pre-race press conference packed a large open space separated them from the Thursday. loved ones and for those clubs on Friday on Tuesday with whether others will follow suit. with media. press. Asked why he felt the race was still The news came hours around us.” Rugani is the before announcing four rounds still to The Australian Grand Prix “It seems that the rest of the world is on, Hamilton replied: “Cash is king.” after the NBA, including the first top-flight footballer to a final decision. be played but the Corporation said it was “currently in dis- already reacting a little bit late, but you have Four-time world champion Vettel Miami Heat, halted its season fall victim to the virus “We don’t want to take official said the remaining cussions with Formula 1, the FIA and the seen this morning with (President Donald) said it was difficult to judge what to do in the wake of the coronavirus which has killed 827 in Italy, a unilateral decision, we matches cannot be can- (Victorian) department of health and Trump shutting down the border to as the virus continues its spread. pandemic. the second most want to hear the clubs. So, celled. human services in relation to the broader Europe to the States, the NBA suspended, “Obviously we have to trust the FIA Also axed was a planned stricken country in we have fixed a meeting on “There will be relega- implications of this test result”. yet Formula One continues to go on. to take precautions as much as they can, stock car race on March 22 at the world after Friday with them. But the tion and promotion and World champion Lewis Hamilton “It’s a concern I think for the people but I think the answer that nobody can Homestead Miami Speedway, China, and most likely option is that the other things. These cannot earlier on Thursday said he was stunned here. It’s quite a big circus that’s come here, give you at the moment is how much you with NASCAR (the National infected 12,000 remaining 28 matches are be decided without playing the race was going ahead as fears mount it’s definitely concerning for me.” can control what is going on,” he said. Association for Stock Car people, includ- played behind closed doors,” the full league. So, we have about the spread of the disease. The Mercedes star, who is gunning to “As a matter of fact, we are here so Auto Racing) to decide if the ing several the official said. to hold all the remaining “I am really very, very surprised that match Michael Schumacher’s record seven you just try to take care as much as you race would be conducted Serie C players. “The AIFF will hold a matches,” he said. PTI we’re here. I don’t think it’s great that we world crowns this season, sat alongside can.” AFP without spectators. =   ! ! H "

  67 &638 The outbreak, declared a pandemic by the World he money-spinning IPL Health Organisation Tmulled a closed-door (WHO) on Wednesday, edition in a desperate bid to has led to more than 4,000 avoid cancellation as the deaths and left over deadly COVID-19 sent 100,000 infected globally. Indian sports into quaran- In India, Karnataka tine after a government and Delhi have declared directive asked for fans to COVID-19 epidemics. The be kept away from all two states are home to IPL action to prevent the pan- teams Royal Challengers demic from spreading. Bangalore (led by Virat “...Ensure that no pub- Kohli) and Delhi Capitals. lic gathering takes place in The shooting World any sporting event. In the Cup and the Indian Open event the sporting event golf tournament are so far cannot be avoided, the the biggest events to have same could be done with- been postponed in the out allowing gathering of Indian sporting calendar. people, including specta- Meanwhile, the Indian tors,” read an order from boxing team, returning the Sports Ministry which from the Asian Olympic caused quite an upheaval Qualifiers in Jordan, will through the day. be asked to stay “home- The directive ensured quarantined” even though that the remaining two all the members have got ODIs between India and development, the All India The IPL’s fate would be the necessary health clear- South Africa in Lucknow Football Federation said up for discussion at the ances. and Kolkata, the Indian that the remaining 28 event’s Governing Council A total of 13 boxers Super League football tour- matches of the I-League, meeting on Saturday and and almost an equal num- nament final in Goa, and including the marquee the BCCI has decided to ber of coaching staff arrive the last day of the Ranji Kolkata derby between adopt a wait and watch back on Thursday after Trophy summit clash in champions Mohun Bagan policy till then. Sports clinching an unprecedent- Rajkot will be played in and East Bengal, are likely Secretary Radhey Shyam ed nine Olympic slots in front of empty stadiums, an to be played in empty sta- Julaniya said that events the qualifiers which con- unprecedented turn of diums. can continue but without cluded on Wednesday in events in Indian sports. This came a day after the presence of crowds. Amman. On the IPL, the BCCI organisers of badminton’s “We have asked all the “They will be asked to maintained a stoic silence India Open, starting March NSFs, including the BCCI, quarantine themselves at but the Sports Ministry 24, decided they won’t to follow the Health their homes or hostel dropped enough hints that allow spectators this year. Ministry’s latest advisory, rooms for a few days. They the glitzy T20 tournament Besides, the national which says public gather- have, however, been given could be held in empty sta- tennis federation and the ings should be avoided in the necessary health clear- diums too due to the health Paralympic Committee of all events, including sport- ances by the Jordanian crisis even as foreign play- India decided to put on ing activities,” Julaniya said. Olympic association,” ers were ruled out till April hold all national and state- “The sporting events Boxing Federation of 15 following government- level championships till can go on but the adviso- India’s Executive Director imposed travel restrictions. April 15, keeping in mind ry needs to be followed,” he R K Sacheti said. The event is due to start on government directions. added. The coronavirus out- March 29 in Mumbai. The Athletics The government on break has also led to spec- The Ministry of Federation of India, on the Wednesday suspended all ulation over the fate of the External Affairs has also other hand, withdrew invi- visas, barring a few cate- Tokyo Olympics this year. advised the BCCI to “not tations to foreign competi- gories like diplomatic and The International Olympic do it at this time but if the tors for the Federation Cup employment, in an attempt Committee (IOC), how- organisers want to go but said that the event itself to prevent the spread of ever, has insisted that the ahead, it is their decision”. will go ahead in Patiala coronavirus as cases across Games will be held as In another major from April 10-13. India rose to more than 70. scheduled in July-August. Okay with closed-door league, want foreign stars: IPL franchises

  C D The government has made it clear to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that any sporting event that has to be held amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak will have to be behind closed doors and the franchises are okay with the idea of the IPL being held with empty stands. But they wish for their foreign players to be made available from the start of the season. Speaking to IANS, an official of one of the franchises said that with the government making its stance clear and the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring the coronavirus outbreak a “pandemic”, there is no other option than to play the match behind closed doors. “See, the gate money is no issue as these things are insured. As for the fans, it is disappointing, but we don’t really have much of an option as we have to abide by the diktat of the central government and even WHO has declared the outbreak a eign stars going into the business concerned governmental depart- “pandemic”. end. ments and ensure that at least the “This makes it clear that if we “The international commit- foreign players are handed permis- have to have an IPL this year, it has ments that the players have cannot sion as they are already touring to be behind closed doors. So now, be toyed with and the host broad- around the world. would we rather want an IPL where casters have already made it clear “See, the Proteas are already in fans can watch the games on televi- that they are not too keen on dou- the country, so as per the directive, sion or we don’t want an IPL in ble headers. So, keeping the inter- they can easily stay back. Also, if you 2020? So, we are okay with that, but est of all parties in place, the best see, the Englishmen are already in the BCCI must sit down and speak option is to have an IPL behind Sri Lanka and the Kiwis are playing to the central government to make closed doors. The franchises will the Aussies in Australia, so they are an exception and allow the foreign have to bear the loss that comes with anyway on the road. We just need players to come in before April 15 merchandise sales, but that is a the BCCI to sit down with the gov- as the IPL loses its sheen otherwise,” nominal amount as compared to the ernmental departments and get us the official said. losses that will be incurred if the IPL the clearance so that we can have the While there have been rumours doesn’t happen in 2020,” the official IPL with foreign players. The whole that the league could be started in said. tournament will lose its charm if the the second week of April, another An official of another franchise foreign players are not there. It is the official said that was a strict no-no made it clear that the BCCI must biggest cricket carnival in the world as that would mean missing the for- ensure that they sit down with the for a reason,” the official said. > (  

  488* ber three Yamaguchi, it was a tough opening round ising Indian shuttler for Saina, who lost 11-21, 8- RLakshya Sen was 21 in just 28 minutes. knocked out of the All Saina is placed 20th England Championships on the BWF rankings with after losing in straight 46267 points and the 2012 games to Victor Axelsen London Olympics Bronze- here on Thursday. medallist needs to enter the Lakshay went down to top-16 bracket by April 28 the world number seven to make the cut for the 2020 Dane 17-21, 18-21 in a Tokyo Games. hard fought second round She now needs strong battle which lasted 45 min- performances to pocket utes. crucial ranking points. The 18-year old Indian, The 29-year-old is who won five titles last scheduled to compete at the season, had defeated Hong Swiss Open (March 17- Kong’s Cheuk Yiu Lee 17- star Indian shuttler Saina round exit, following a loss 22), India Open (March 24- 21, 21-8 21-17 in the open- Nehwal’s chances of quali- to Japanese nemesis Akane 29) and Malaysia Open ing round. fying for the Olympics took Yamaguchi. (March 31-April 5) in the On Wednesday night, a hit after she made a first- Up against world num- following weeks.