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THE LARGEST CIRCULATED ENGLISH DAILY IN SOUTH INDIA CHENNAI ITHURSDAY 24 I DECEMBER 2020 WEATHER STATE | 3 FINANCIAL CHRONICLE | 7 SPORT | 8 Max: 29OC Min: 21OC AIADMK files complaint with Indian woman rakes billions Confident Rahane is a Rainfall: Nil DGP against Udhayanidhi for JP Morgan with M&As bowler’s captain: Ishant ASTROGUIDE Sarvari: Margazhi 9 deccanchronicle.com, facebook.com/deccannews, twitter.com/deccanchronicle, google.com/+deccanchronicle Vol. 16 No. 269 Established 1938 | 8 PAGES| `3.00 Tithi: Dashami Star: Ashwini Rahukalam: COVID NEGATIVE CERTIFICATE MUST 1.30 pm to 3 pm Farmers to attend talks only if Yamagandam: 6 am to 7.30 am TN allows Jallikattu with Covid PRAYERS Fajar: 5.11 am Centre gives written proposals Zohar: 12.13 pm Asar: 3.23 pm protocol, curbs on participants Maghrib: 5.48 pm SANJAY KAW | DC NEW DELHI, DEC. 23 PM’s virtual meet A ARUL PALANI |DC Isha: 7.04 pm CHENNAI, DEC. 23 Participants to JALLIKATTU have Covid-negative SUNSET TODAY 5.50 PM Uncertainty over the certificate SUNRISE TOMORROW 6.28 AM resumption of talks between with farmers, aid Jallikattu, the popular bull- UNDER LEASH the protesting farmers and taming sport, will be all- MOONRISE TODAY 1.42 PM the Centre lingered on owed in the state this year Maximum All events to be MOONSET TOMORROW 2.17 AM Wednesday as the farmers’ release tomorrow but the number of partici- 150 number of conducted in open leaders made it clear they pants will be limited to 300, participants space will join the next round of DC CORRESPONDENT as per the guidelines the partici- CORONA negotiations only after get- NEW DELHI, DEC. 23 state government issued on pants for Audiences only up ting a concrete written pro- Wednesday for the 2021 Erudhu 300 to 50 per cent C UNT posal from the government As his government is Pongal season. All the Cov- Vidum capacity. on the three contentious locked in a standoff with id-19 guidelines shall be fol- Vizha Body tempera- CASES DEATHS laws. The leaders urged the farmers, Prime Minister lowed in addition to the Centre to “abandon its stub- Farmers shout slogans during their protest against the Narendra Modi will hold rules already in place dur- tures to be bornness” and create a con- new farm laws, at Ghazipur Border in New Delhi, a virtual meeting with ing the conduct of Jallik- checked. (+20,320) (+209) ducive atmosphere with an Wednesday. — PTI nine crore farmers on attu, the guidelines said. “open mind and neat inten- Friday, Christmas Day The sport is traditionally Audience and 1,01,19,628 1,46,685 tion” for a fruitful dialogue. Whatever they want to add food security. Some are agi- — which is also former held coinciding with Pong- participants to So far, there has not been and subtract from the gov- tating against farm laws. prime minister Atal al, the harvest festival in the wear masks covid19india.org any headway after five ernment’s proposal, they The government is holding Behari Vajpayee’s birth Tamil month of Thai in rounds of talks between the should tell us. We are ready talks with them with full anniversary — during January. Physical distancing STATE GOVERNMENT BULLETINS Centre and farmers’ unions, for a discussion at a time sensitivity. I hope that which he will clarify the Only 150 participants are norms at the venue who have said their demand and date of their conve- they’ll end their agitation Centre's position on the allowed to take part in ‘Eru- (+1,066 ) for repeal of the three laws nience. I hope they will give soon.” At the Tikri border, farm laws and release dhu Vidum Vizha’. The while the event is proceed- the state during the season. was “non-negotiable”. us a date and we will find a that has emerged as one of the next batch of finan- events must be conducted in ing. Detailed Standard The Supreme Court in TN: 8,10,080 12,024 In his “Kisan Diwas” resolution. I am hopeful of a the epicentres of the cial aid of `18,000 crores open space, with audiences Operating Procedures 2014 had banned 'Jallikattu' address on Wednesday, solution.” protests, Rashtriya Kisan from the Prime Minister- only up to 50 per cent of the (SOPs) regarding the on a petition from the agriculture minister Wishing farmers on Mazdoor Mahasangh presi- Kisan scheme. capacity of the arena. Entry events will be issued soon. Animal Welfare Board of WORLD CONFIRMED CASES Narendra Singh Tomar reit- “Kisan Diwas”, which dent Shiv Kumar Kakka The meet will include a will be allowed only after It may be noted that Jall- India and the People for the erated that the government marks the birth anniver- said: “Even the Supreme conversation with select checking body temperatur- ikattu and several other Ethical Treatment of 7,87,14,515 was ready for a discussion sary of ex-PM Chaudhary Court has said suspend farmers from six states es using thermal scanners. sport events involving Animals (PETA). The ban at the time and date chosen Charan Singh, defence min- implementation of farm “who will share their All participants in the bulls are held across the was later lifted in January DEATHS by the farmers' unions. He ister Rajnath Singh said the laws. This will lead to a bet- experiences on the gov- sport event must have a state during Pongal and 2017 with an amendment to also urged them to tell him government was holding ter environment to hold ernment's initiatives for Covid-19 negative certifi- after Pongal. The Jallikattu the law after massive about what they want to talks with farmers “with talks.” their welfare”. cate from a lab recognised events conducted in Alang- protests in Chennai and 17,30,737 “add and subtract” from the full sensitivity”. He tweeted: Bhartiya Kisan Union This is part of the by the state government. anallur and Palamedu vil- other parts of the state. The COUNTRIES, government’s proposal. “On Farmers’ Day, I greet leader Yudhvir Singh said Centre's efforts to com- The audience and lages in Madurai district government later legalised AREAS WITH The minister said: “I am all the annadaatas (farmers) the government’s aim was bat the nearly month- participants are directed to are world famous ones. Jallikattu by amending the CASES 218 hopeful the farmers’ unions of the country. They have to tire out the farmers to end long protests against the wear masks and follow Several smaller scale Prevention of Cruelty to ■ worldometers.info will discuss our request. provided the country with their protest. P4 laws. physical distancing norms events are also held across Animals Act. Retro Tax Arbitration: India ordered to pay up to EC to allow people out Shooting of Rajini film stopped after 8 in set test +ve $1.4 bn to Cairn Energy ANUPAMA New Delhi: India has been ordered of NRC to cast votes SUBRAMANIAN | DC to return up to US$1.4 billion to CHENNAI, DEC. 23 Samples of 22 passengers from Cairn Energy plc of the UK after MANOJ ANAND | DC ● “The Election the government lost an interna- GUWAHATI, DEC. 23 Commission is clear News on superstar Rajinik- tional arbitration over the retro- anth’s Annaatthe shoot that UK sent for genome sequencing spective levy of taxes. The three- In a significant move, the that unless they (NRC was underway in Hyderab- member tribunal, which also com- Assam election authorities rejects) are declared ad was suspended after 8 VINEETA PANDEY | DC transmissibility. The mutat- prised a nominee of the Indian have made it clear that the as ‘foreigners’ and members of the crew had NEW DELHI, DEC. 23 ed virus has, however, not government, unanimously ruled 19 lakh people whose names tested positive for Covid 19 shown any sign of any sever- that India's claim of `10,247 crore were excluded from the Na- the electoral registra- spread like wildfire on Wed- The samples of 22 passen- ity in infection or higher in past taxes over a 2006-07 tional Register of Citizens tion officer deletes nesday afternoon. In the gers who have tested posi- mortality. As the genome internal reorganisation of Cairn’s (NRC) but not facing trial in such names from the Hyderabad schedule, the tive at various Indian air- sequencing reports are India business was not a valid the foreigners’ tribunal voters’ list, they will movie’s director Siva was ports while arriving from awaited, Union health secre- ■ demand. P5 prior to the publication of have the right to canning scenes involving Britain were sent for tary Rajesh Bhushan held a the final citizenship register Rajini, Nayanthara and few genome sequencing in gov- meeting Wednesday with on August 31, 2019 will be vote,” Assam joint others. Sources said Rajini ernment laboratories to see various states to review the Cong leader Chennithala able to exercise their fran- CEO Lakhinandan would be back in Chennai if they are infected with the status of passengers coming chise in the 2021 Assembly Saharia said soon. new, mutated Covid-19 virus from the UK to India and tests positive for Covid-19 polls. The reports had caused that is circulating in the those found positive. Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition “The Election Commis- this. Unless the tribunal huge anxiety and worry United Kingdom. Passeng- Officials said at the meet- leader in the Kerala Assembly sion is clear that unless declares a person as a for- among the millions of fans ers from the UK were found ing the Standard Operating Ramesh Chennithala has tested they (NRC rejects) are eigner, his/her name will of the actor. However, the positive to the Sars-CoV-2 Procedure issued by the positive for Covid-19. declared as “foreigners” be there in the voters’ list production house Sun (novel coronavirus) in health ministry Tuesday for Though asymptomatic, he would and the electoral registra- even after exclusion from Pictures took to their social Rajinikanth along with his daughter Aishwarya Dhanush at Maharashtra, Karnataka, Epidemiological Survei- be admitted to a hospital for tion officer deletes such the NRC,” the election media handle and clarified the Annaathe shoot set in Hyderabad Wednesday. — DC Telangana, Tamil Nadu, llance and Response in the observation,party sources said. . names from the voters’ list, authorities said. that only 4 members of the West Bengal, Goa, Punjab, context of new virus variant they will have the right to According to NRC offi- crew were found infected Gujarat and Kerala over the detected in the UK was dis- vote,” Assam joint chief ele- cials, 1,032 ineligible per- with the deadly virus and past two days, since the cussed and states/UTs were COUNTER POINT ctoral officer Lakhinandan sons identified by it in last the superstar and others Centre had increased vigi- advised to access details of Saharia told reporters. year’s updated NRC are have tested negative for lance against the new mutat- passengers from the Bureau The state election authori- either “declared foreign- Covid 19. ed virus that has 70 per more of Immigration. ties clarified if an NRC ers”, marked “D voters” or The statement reads, excludee has not been able having cases pending at the “Announcement: During to move the foreigners’ tri- tribunals. routine testing at #Annaa- bunal or his/her case is not It is significant that the tthe shoot 4 crew members Karnataka imposes night curfew sub-judice before the tri- NRC authorities haven’t have tested positive for bunal, the election authori- been able to issue rejection Covid19. Superstar @rajin- ty will not intervene. slips to the 19 lakh entries ikanth and other crew mem- from December 24 till January 1 The draft electoral rolls excluded from the updated bers have tested negative. People throng Chennai Central station after the govern- for the 126 Assembly seats NRC. The rejection slip is To ensure utmost safety ment allowed them to travel in suburban trains during Bengaluru, Dec. 23: The Technical Advisory Comm- in Assam were published in necessary for these people #Annaatthe shooting has Karnataka government on ittee (TAC) for Covid-19 and non-peak hours from Wednesday. —N SAMPATH November 2020, with 2.24 to take judicial course to been postponed.” Wednesday said night cur- senior officials, Chief Min- crore voters. Corrections prove their citizenship After eight months of lock- Annaatthe, had made all ed to complete Annaatthe few will be imposed bet- ister BS Yediyurappa had are being made to finalise before the foreigners’ tri- down due to the Coronavi- arrangements to humidify before carrying on with his ween 11 pm to 5 am from De- announced that the night the list by mid-January, the bunal. rus pandemic when all cine- and create a safe and secure political activities and had cember 24 till January 1 acr- curfew will be imposed from state election authorities The confusion has also ma shootings including bio bubble environment at reportedly accommodated oss the state as a precau- tonight till January 2 said. prevailed following the Annaatthe came to a halt, the shooting locations as dates from December 13 to tionary measure in line wi- between 10 pm and 6 am. “The principle is simple. NRC state coordinator’s Rajinikanth, accompanied well as the hotels the actors January 12 to finish his por- th the Centre's advice, amid Confirming the changes in The competent authority to recent directive to the by his daughter Aishwarya were staying at. tions in a single stretch. concerns over a new Covid- night curfew dates and tim- decide whether a person is deputy commissioners to Dhanush, took a chartered The 70 year-old star is tak- One may recall that in an 19 variant spreading in the ing, Yediyurappa in a tweet an Indian or foreigner lies re-verify the names that fig- flight to Hyderabad for resu- ing his political plunge and earlier interaction, Rajini UK. Earlier in the day fol- said, it will now be from with the foreigners’ tri- ured in the updated NRC ming the shoot. soon to float his political had even said that 40 per lowing a meeting with Hea- December 24 till January 1, bunal. The Election published on August 31, It was reported that Sun party. But having commit- cent of Annaatthe shooting lth Minister K Sudhakar, 2021, between 11 pm to 5 am Commission has no role in 2019. Pictures, the makers of ted to the film, Rajini want- was left to be done. members of the state (January 2, 5am). — PTI Double lifer for priest, lifer for nun for murder of Kerala nun Karnataka HC dismisses Yediyurappa plea DC CORRESPONDENT Knanaya Catholic priest and The second accused Fr Jose dead, Sr Abhaya had gone to for quashing corruption cases against him THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, the nun who were first and Poothrikkayil was dis- the kitchen to fetch drinking DEC. 23 third accused respectively, charged from the case earlier. water. At that time she saw Bengaluru, Dec. 23: In a directed the Lokayukta H.D. Kumaraswamy. The guilty of murder on However, the CBI has decided the priest and nun in a com- setback to Chief Minister special court to monitor case was registered under A special CBI court in Wednesday. The possibility to file an appeal against his promising position. The B.S. Yediyurappa, the Kar- the investigation ordered the Prevention of Thiruvananthapuram on that led to the death of the vic- discharge. The CBI had con- accused attacked her with an nataka High Court has dis- by the courts with regard Corruption Act on the Wednesday sentenced tims was that the accused tended that Sr Abhaya, a sec- axe. Later her body was missed a petition seeking to the misconduct of MPs direction of the Lokayukta Catholic priest Thomas M. Thomas M. Sister Sephy “inflicted a fatal blow on the ond year pre-degree student thrown in the well inside the to quash criminal proceed- and MLAs involved in Court to Lokayukta police Kottoor and nun Sr Sephy to Kottoor rear side and middle of the of Kottayam BCM College, candidate. It was a statement ings against him in the criminal offences. on February 21, 2015, life imprisonment and a fine head of Sister Abhaya with a was eliminated after she wit- given by a petty robber Raju illegal land denotification The case pertains to the based on a complaint by of `5 lakh each for the murder imprisonment and a fine of `1 blunt weapon, like hand axe" nessed the illicit relationship alias Adayka Raju that case while coming down illegal denotification of Vasudeva Reddy, a resi- of Sr. Abhaya which took lakh for the destruction of to commit murder, the judge- of the accused. became a turning point in the heavily on the Lokayukta large tracts of land in dent of Bellandur in the place 28 years ago. Fr evidence. The sentences shall ment said. And, “knowing The Kerala police which case. He told the court that he police for not completing Whitefield IT Corridor, city. It cannot be said that Kottoor, who was convicted run concurrently. The 21- that the injuries were suffi- investigated the case soon had entered the convent with the probe in the past five which was acquired for an Lokayukta police suc- of house trespass, has been year-old nun was found dead cient to cause her death, after the tragic incident in the intention of committing years. infotech related project in cumbed to pressure from sentenced to life imprison- in the well of St Pius convent caused the evidence of the 1992, concluded that it was a robbery in the early hours. Declining to quash the 2006-07 when he was the Yediyurappa, who holds ment for the offence. Both of in Kottayam on March 27, same to disappear, by dump- case of death by suicide. But he was stunned to see two case against Mr Yediy- deputy chief minister in the position of Chief them have been sentenced to 1992. ing Sister Abhaya into the As per the CBI’s findings, on priests inside campus urappa on Tuesday, Ju- the BJP-JD(S) coalition Minister, the court said. seven years of rigorous The court had found the well…” the day when she was found premises. stice Michael Cunha government headed by — PTI CITY DECCAN CHRONICLE | THURSDAY | 24 DECEMBER 2020 | CHENNAI pg 2

SHORT TAKES Buckingham project Prince of Arcot elected president may affect 39K families of MEASI for 2nd term T. SUDHEESH I DC within the RoW of the tioned by the government. Chennai, Dec.23: The Prince of CHENNAI, DEC. 23 canal and associated Under the project, the Arcot, Nawab Mohammed drains. major component is the Abdul Ali, has been unanimous- The ambitious The survey report says resettlement and rehabili- ly elected unopposed, as presi- Buckingham canal restora- that as many as 22,564 fam- tation of PAFs. ` 3,339.92 dent of Muslim Educational tion project, which will ilies including 25 settle- crore have been earmarked Association of Southern India make the city flood ments were identified at for the resettlement and (MEASI) for the second term, resilient to a great extent, North Buckingham Canal rehabilitation programme for a period of three years, 2020- may affect the lives of slum. When it comes to the which includes the cost of 2023, in its 118th annual general 39,722 families who are South Buckingham Canal construction of tenements. body meeting, held in its cam- currently living in 66 set- slum, TNSCB has identi- The notional cost of the pus, in the city, on Wednesday. tlements along the right of fied 10,585 families in 19 construction per dwelling Mr. Elias Sait, Chartered way (RoW) of the canal settlements and the unit is `11.7 lakh per Accountant and Secretary and associated drains. Central Canal area is family. General, Seafood Exporters A survey report (avail- inhabited by 6,573 house- The project will be exe- Association of India and Mr. M. able with DC) prepared by holds in 19 settlements. cuted by the Public Works Haja Najimuddin, businessman, the Tamil Nadu Slum In the last budget speech, Department (PWD) and has also been elected unop- Clearance Board (TNSCB), Deputy Chief Minister O. Chennai Rivers Restor- FESTIVE LIGHTS posed, as Honorary Secretary following the govern- Panneerselvam had ation Trust under the and Honorary Treasurer of the ment’s administrative announced the `5439.76 Greater Chennai Corpora- Association, along with other sanction on December 3, crore project including tion. office-bearers and Executive says these families are now Buckingham Canal The total project cost for Committee Members. identified as project affect- restoration project (` 3,185 restoration of Buckingh- Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam illuminated for Vaikunta Ekadasi festival. —DC MEASI, a premier Institution, ed families (PAFs). The crore), Buckingham canal am Canal and its ass- situated at Peters Road, government order issued drains project (`1,143 ociated drains in Adyar Royapettah, is the parent body by Harminder Singh, crore), Adyar drains and Cooum River basins is of The New College, MEASI Additional Chief (`846.88 crore) and Cooum ` 1,370.84 crore as approved Academy of Architecture, Secretary, on December 3 drains (` 263.73 crore). by the board of trustees of Cakes, chocolates add Xmas flavour in Ooty Institute of Management, had instructed the TNSCB Out of the total outlay, the Chennai Rivers Institute of Information to take necessary action `782.96 crore for the Restoration Trust. The B. RAVICHANDRAN I DC Technology, College of for resettlement and reha- sewage mitigation propos- project will be implement- OOTY, DEC.23 Education, Chartered bilitation of families living al has already been sanc- ed in three years. Accountants Academy and In this year of MEASI Matriculation Higher Covid-induced dull Secondary School. All together Christmas celebration it has the strength of 8,500 stu- mood, cakes and Ooty dents and 6,000 members on its homemade chocolates are roll. adding flavour and Xmas charm in the cold Ooty winter. Christmas celebrations Right activists are always special in this hill town which has quite a demand govt to good Christian population. Added to these are the convene SVMC Xmas eve programmes organised in the hotels. A DC CORRESPONDENT large chunk of tourists vis- CHENNAI, DEC. 23 iting the hills for the winter break always keep the hills Rights activists have demanded in all colours and glitter. the state government to convene Sadly, this year all these the State Vigilance and festivities are a thing of the Monitoring Committee (SVMC) past. Even the Christmas Christmas cakes arranged at Azam bakery in Ooty. —DC immediately. Speaking to carols too were cancelled. reporters in Chennai on The tourist arrival is also the festival. plum cakes to suit the inter- Fazloor Rahman, propri- Wednesday, R. Roshan, member average. S. Rizwan, proprietor of ests of the common man. etor of M&N Chocolate of Citizens Vigilance and MEETING PEOPLE However, Christmas Azam bakery here, said We add nuts, dry fruits and Museum here, said that for Monitoring Committee (CVMC) cakes in all colours and that the weather in hills, plums to make the cake a the past few years the said that the SVMC under the flavours are being stocked especially in the winter, perfect delight during demand for homemade chairmanship of CM had not con- Actor and BJP functionary Khushbu attends former PM Vajpayee’s birth anniversary up in the bakeries across add to the increase in Xmas. This year chocolates went up during the hills and homemade taste and flavour of the the demand for the Xmas Xmas. This year also there vened a meeting since 2013 celebrations organised by BJP fishermen’s wing near Marina beach on Wednesday. despite court orders. chocolates have brought a cakes. “In bakeries we cakes has come down a is demand for homemade —DC It is the duty of Chief Minister Xmas mood just days before manufacture non-alcoholic little,” he added. chocolates, he added. Edappadi K. Palaniswami as the chairperson of SVMC to convene meetings twice in a year. The SVMC is a crucial mechanism to review the status of all aspects of Gold concealed in trolley seized implementation of Rule 16 of the Man held for trying to molest daughter SCs and STs (Prevention of DC CORRESPONDENT weighing 220 grams was nation. Atrocities) Act. DC CORRESPONDENT ● Police said, on Monday snake-catcher by profes- chaos, Shankar escaped CHENNAI, DEC. 23 recovered from the rectum Two packets wrapped The SVMC is supposed to con- CHENNAI, DEC. 23 night, the accused sion, came home in an ine- from the spot. which on extraction yield- with black adhesive tape duct its meetings every January identified as Shankar briated state and allegedly Based on the complaint, Air customs officials at the ed 196 grams of 24 K purity were found concealed in and July. In blatant violation of The Tambaram all women (45), a snake-catcher, said to have kidnapped the the police launched a Chennai airport seized gold valued `10 lakh. the hollow pipes of the the law, the State Government did police have arrested a 45- came home in an inebri- girl sleeping next to her search for the accused and gold worth `25 lakh in two In another case, gold was trolley. On cut opening, not conduct meetings since June year-old man on charges of ated state and allegedly mother. nabbed him on Tuesday different cases on recovered from an five gold cut bits weighing 2013. It conducted only one meet- attempting to rape his nine- said to have kidnapped He reportedly took her night. He is stated to have Wednesday. unattended baggage trol- 290 grams valued at ` 15 ing hurriedly on 8 September year-old daughter in the the girl sleeping next to out of the house and admitted to the crime. The According to sources, ley lying in a remote cor- were recovered and seized 2020 - one day before the Madras city. her mother. attempted to rape her. police have lodged a case on based on information, ner of the arrival hall. unclaimed under the High Court passed orders on the According to the police, When the girl started cry- relevant sections of Pocso Subam Kumar(23) of Source said that a discrete Customs Act. In total gold PIL. More than 4,000 signatures the incident came to light sexually assaulting the ing, her mother and other Act (Protection Of Child- Chennai who arrived from watch was kept for a con- valued at `25 lakh was from activists and others were on Tuesday after the girl’s minor girl. neighbours woke up and ren Against Sexual Offe- Dubai by FlyDubai FZ 8517 siderable time to see if recovered and seized obtained and sent to the chief mother lodged a complaint Police said, on Monday rushed to her help. She was nces). The accused was pro- was intercepted at the exit. someone removes the trol- under the Customs Act. minister in May and June 2020 with at Tambaram AWPS night, the accused identi- rescued, the police said duced in a city court and On personal search, one ley. As no one approached, Further investigation is requesting him to conduct the accusing her husband of fied as Shankar ( 45), a adding that amidst the lodged at Puzhal prison. bundle of gold paste it was taken up for exami- underway. SVMC in July 2020 as per law. As a result of the delay, the vic- tims have not obtained compen- sation for the past eight years and Passenger dies almost all the accused were Pondy CBI court convicts 3 cops, including 2 ex-SPs acquitted from the charges. Hence, he sought the CM to con- of cardiac arrest DC CORRESPONDENT to the exchequer. Ramachandran, helmets without any convicted and sentenced vene the meeting immediately CHENNAI, DEC. 23 According to the prosecu- Superintendent of Police, requirement and without VT Abdul Raheem to and take suitable action. DC CORRESPONDENT he was to board a flight to tion, the Anti-Corruption SMN Dominic, Sub- observing the codal for- undergo RI for one year ● The SVMC is supposed to CHENNAI, DEC. 23 Guwahati at around 8: 30 The special court for CBI Branch of CBI, Chennai Inspector, Puducherry malities prescribed in the and to pay a fine of `5,000, conduct its meetings every am however he collapsed cases, Puducherry, has con- investigated and filed the Police, two Puducherry General Financial Rules Ramachandran to undergo January and July. In blatant vio- A 38-year-old flyer from before boarding the flight. victed three cops including chargesheet under sec- government officials and thereby caused a wrongful RI for one year and to pay a lation of the law, the govern- Assam died after suffering A team of doctors at the two former SPs in connec- tions 120-B, 419, 468, 471, three private persons. loss of `19,96,800. Abdul fine of `3,000 and ment did not conduct meetings a cardiac arrest at the airport immediately tion with a criminal case 477-A and 420, 511 IPC and It was alleged that in 2008 Raheem retired as superin- Dominic to undergo pun- since June 2013. It conducted Chennai airport on attended to him and registered against them by 13(2), 13(1)(d) of the accused persons tendent of police-south. ishment for one year and to only one meeting hurriedly on 8 Wednesday, airport declared that he had died the CBI. They purchased Prevention of Corruption entered into a criminal On completion of trial, P. pay a fine of `4,000. A total September 2020 - one day sources said. of heart attack, the police 2,000 helmets for the cops Act 1988 in 2009 against V conspiracy to cheat the Dhanabal, Special Judge fine `12,000 had been before the Madras High Court Abdul Ali, hailing from said. unnecessarily and T Abdul Raheem, the then Puducherry Police in the for PC Act offences-cum- imposed against them. passed orders on the PIL. More Assam collapsed at the air- The airport police regis- incurred a loss of `20 lakh Inspector, N matter of purchase of 2,000 Chief Judge, Puducherry, than 4000 signatures from port security area on tered a case and are prob- activists and others were Wednesday morning. ing the matter. The body of obtained and sent to the CM in Abdul Ali, due to illness, the deceased was sent to May and June 2020 requesting had come to a private hos- the Chromepet govern- GoAir to operate Kovai-Mumbai him to conduct the SVMC in pital in Vellore for treat- ment hospital for post- July 2020 as per law. ment. After the treatment, mortem. flight daily from Thursday Coimbatore, Dec 23: As demand, we are delighted part of its expansion to announce the launch of plans, GoAir of the Wadia new daily direct group would services to Coimbatore, Ten including two policemen link Mumbai with which is a significant Coimbatore with a daily step for GoAir direct flight from and demonstrates the Thursday, a top company continuous endeavour to held for highway robbery official said on provide greater choice Wednesday. and better connections DC CORRESPONDENT ● The arrested have been with deadly weapons over- GoAir CEO Kaushil for the passengers," he CHENNAI, DEC. 23 identified as Thamizh , a took the auto and intercepted Khona told reporters the said. police constable with them. flight would depart from GoAirs direct flight con- Two policemen and eight oth- Manampathy police station Besides taking away the WOMEN’S MEET Mumbai at 12.40 PM and necting Mumbai with ers have been arrested by and Kadhir , a policeman jewel box from the duo, the arrive here at 2.30 PM. Coimbatore would facili- gang also attacked Rajkumar tate further growth in Sriperumbudur police in con- attached to MNM president Kamal Haasan participates in the party’s women’s wing In the return direction, nection with an armed rob- before fleeing the spot. he said the flight would business and tourism Thirukazhukundram police meeting on Wednesday. —DC bery on a national highway. station and eight others. Subsequently a complaint depart at 3 PM and land between these cities, was lodged by Mahendran at Khona said. The police have solved `1, ● According to police, in Mumbai at 4.50 PM. the Sriperumbudur police Passengers can also 11, 00,000 crore robbery case, complainant Mahendran of Asked about the future station. choose from an exciting reported on the Bengaluru- Tiruvallur, son Asif and one plans of the company, He told in the complaint range of GoHoliday pack- Chennai National Highway of the employees of the Girl missing, 2 youth detained Khona said it would oper- that unidentified persons ages from Coimbatore at on December 11. The arrested shop, Rajkumar, were on the ate flight from here to robbed their men of 300 sov- B. RAVICHANDRAN I DC affordable rates, he said. have been identified as way to deliver gold the parents lodged a com- well as the foresters car- Bengaluru and Pune, and ereign gold, weighing 2.4 kilo- OOTY, DEC.23 Passengers can Thamizh , a police constable jewels to jewellery shops plaint with the police at ried out a joint operation also a link flight to Delhi grams. enjoy two nights and with Manampathy police sta- Sunguvarchatram and Kolacombai only on in the jungle fringes to shortly. Based on the recovered three days in Kodaikanal, tion and Kadhir , a policeman Sriperumbudur areas in The police have detained Tuesday after their trace her. "Our entry into CCTV footage , the police which include return attached to Kanchipuram when the a couple of North Indian efforts to trace her went Meanwhile, upon suspi- Coimbatore is in line with arrested ten persons includ- airfares, three-star Thirukazhukundram police incident happened. youths in connection in vain. cion, the cops have the growth strategy that station and eight others. ing two policemen. Police also with the missing of an It is said that the girl detained a couple of we adopted for domestic accommodation with According to police , the jewellery shops recovered 100 kilograms gold eight-year-old girl child of had come out of her North Indian youths in markets. The domestic breakfast, airport trans- complainant Mahendran of Sunguvarchatram and and `10 lakh in cash from the a migrant labourer from house on Monday after- the vicinity and are inter- air travel demand is wit- fers and sightseeing, he Tiruvallur runs a wholesale Sriperumbudur areas in accused. Kanchipuram DIG Jharkhand, who is work- noon to play in the open rogating them. Cops sus- nessing a continued said. GoHoliday packages jewellery shop in the district. Kanchipuram when the inci- Samundeeshwari said that ing in a private estate in yard on the labourers pect that these youths recovery, with passengers are also available On the night of December 11 dent happened. after an inquiry departmen- Thuthoormattam village quarters premises in the who were seen with the increasing 10 per cent from Coimbatore to Ooty Mahendran’s son Asif and When they were travelling tal action will be taken near here. estate and after that she girl on Monday afternoon month-on-month to and one can one of the employees of the in an auto on Bengaluru- against the officials. Further Though the girl went never returned home. would have a role in the around 63.54 lakh in explore a combination shop , Rajkumar, were on the Chennai National Highway, investigations are underway missing three days ago, Following this the cops as disappearance of the girl. November," he said. of Ooty and Kodaikanal, way to deliver gold jewels to two men on a two-wheeler in the case. "Responding to the he said. —PTI STATE DECCAN CHRONICLE | THURSDAY | 24 DECEMBER 2020 | CHENNAI pg 3

IN BRIEF AIADMK files complaint with Daily recoveries Dream of MGR, Jaya on outnumber new DGP against Udhayanidhi cases in Pondy DC CORRESPONDENT stated that Udhayanidhi used Udhayanidhi used certain 7.5% quota realised: CM CHENNAI, DEC. 23 "highly inappropriate and Tamil words to urge people Puducherry, Dec. 23: abusive language" against to dislodge the government. Puducherry on Wednesday The ruling AIADMK on Chief Minister Edappadi K He said, earlier, logged 34 new cases of DC CORRESPONDENT. Wednesday lodged a com- Palaniswami and the Udhayanidhi during his coronavirus, taking the total TENKASI, DEC. 23 plaint with the Director AIADMK government dur- campaign in Thanjavur dis- caseload to 37,845 even as 44 General of Police J.K. ing his campaign meeting on trict, named a top-ranking recoveries outnumbered new By successfully imple- Tripathy against DMK youth Tuesday at Kattumannarkoil state police official and infections. As many as 44 menting the 7.5 per cent wing secretary Udhayanidhi in Cuddalore district. Party 'intimidated' him, which people were cured of the internal reservation Stalin for allegedly making spokesperson and former amounts to preventing a gov- virus and discharged, a scheme for government an intimidatory speech dur- MLA R.M. Babu Murugavel, ernment officer from dis- government bulletin said and school students in medical ing his poll campaign. The who lodged the complaint, charging his duties inde- put the active cases at 350, admission, the AIADMK party alleged that his speech alleged that the speech would pendently. He sought appro- down from 360 on Tuesday. government has realised a would cause law and order pose a threat to peace, law priate action against Puducherry reported 20 cases, dream of the late MGR and issues affecting public peace. and order in the state. Udhayanidhi under the while Mahe and Karaikal wit- J. Jayalalithaa, said Chief The party, in the complaint, Murugavel said Indian Penal Code. nessed 11 and three new infec- Minister Edappadi K. tions respectively, it said. With Palaniswami. the new additions, the overall Addressing the public count in the union territory after attending a family Reject AIADMK in polls: DMK prez Stalin touched 37,845, while the function of Rajalakshmi, recoveries stood at 36,866. minister for Adi Dravida A. ARUL PALANI & in gram sabha meeting being ry of the Dravidian party as As the union territory welfare, at Sankarankoil in D. SEKAR | DC conducted in all villages in its founder Anna was born in reported no deaths today, the Tenkasi district on CHENNAI, DEC. 23 the state. the town. Anna launched the overall fatalities remained Wednesday, the Chief Similar resolution would party amidst lashing of rain 629. As many as 2,975 tests Minister said that 313 stu- DMK president M.K. Stalin be passed in all 16,500 vil- in Robinson Park, North were conducted during dents from the poor rural Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanaiswami takes the blessings of the priest at the has urged the people to reject lages. Party general secre- Chennai in 1949. Anna said this period even as the background got admission Arumanai church in Kanyakumari district on Wednesday. — DC the AIADMK in the forth- tary Duraimurugan took the party was launched not recovery rate stood at for studying medicine this coming polls as the govern- part in the similar meeting to capture the power but to 97.41 per cent. The case year as part of the scheme, approved 11 government ty of the waterbodies in again vote the AIADMK to ment neglected the interests in Vellore, T.R Baalu in serve people especially poor, fatality rate was 1.66 percent, which, he said, was an medical colleges in the the state, thereby boosting power for the third consec- of all sections of people and Tiruvallur, deputy general workers, farmers, weavers according to the achievement of his gov- state," the Chief Minister farming. utive period in the ensuing involved in corruption in secretaries K. Ponmudi in and weaker sections of socie- bulletin. Over 4.61 lakh ernment. In the coming added. Deputy Chief Minister O. assembly election, because almost all departments. Villupuram and A. Raja in t y. samples have been tested so years this number will fur- The CM said the Panneerselvam, who too of the successful imple- Addressing a gram sabha Royapuram in Chennai. Recallinig a number of wel- far, with 4.15 lakh of them ther go up by 130 seats as ‘Kudimaramathu" scheme participated in the func- mentation of so many peo- meeting in Kunnam village, Other party leaders and fare schemes introduced by turning negative for 1,605 seats have been of his government helped tion, hoped that people of ple-friendly schemes of the near Sriperumbudur in office-bearers launched the former DMK patriarch M. coronavirus, it added. —PTI increased in the newly- to enhance storage capaci- Tamil Nadu would once government. Kancheepuram district, on movement in other parts of Karunanidhi, when he was Wednesday Stalin urged the the state. CM, Stalin said party has people to pass the resolution Stalin said the resolution been working for the welfare to reject AIADMK in the would be adopted in the next of the people and fighting for PMK volunteers hand over Assembly polls. 10 days. He said their rights for the past ten TNJFU completes PG admission He said the reject AIADMK Kancheepuram occupies an years, even though DMK was petitions to local govt bodies resolution would be adopted important place in the histo- not in power. DC CORRESPONDENT ●A TNJFU release said here (M.Tech.). The entrance exam NAGAPATTINAM, DEC. 23 today that on the first day result was declared on the same DC CORRESPONDENT presented a memoran- from the 125 applicants, 86 day by publishing the list of eli- PERAMBALUR, DEC. 23 dum to the secretary of The Tamil Nadu Dr. J [M.F.Sc - 42; M.Tech - 6; gible candidates for counseling the Poolambadi town Jayalalithaa Fisheries Ph.D. - 38] candidates on the university website. Pattali Makkal Katchi panchayat in University (TNJFU) has com- appeared in the PG admission Based on their rank, the (PMK) volunteers pre- Perambalur district. pleted PG admission to 84 seats entrance examination. The applicants were called for sented petitions to Later, Mr. Rajendran of different postgraduate degree entrance examination was counselling on Tuesday. All the town panchayats and told the media that party courses at Master’s and Doctoral conducted for 13 disciplines PG seats were filled with the municipal and corpora- volunteers gave level under the Faculty of each for Master of Fisheries eligible candidates called tion offices across the similar petitions to their Fisheries Sciences, Fisheries Science (M.F.Sc.) & Ph.D. in for counselling. The seat central districts of respective town pan- Engineering, and Basic Fisheries Science and in two allocation was done in accor- Perambalur, Karur, chayat offices at Sciences. The PG admission was disciplines for Master of dance with the ranks and choice Tiruchy, Ariyalur, Kurumbalur, Aru- held on Monday and Tuesday at Technology (M.Tech.). The of students. Pudukkotttai, mbavur, and Labbaikud- Fisheries College and Research entrance exam result was In the end, Dr. G. Sugumar, Tiruvarur, and ikadu town panchayat Institute, Ponneri. declared on the same day by Vice-Chancellor, TNJFU pre- Nagapattinam on offices in Perambalur A TNJFU release said here publishing the list of eligible sented the admission letter to Wednesday demanding district. today that on the first day from candidates for counseling on the successful candidates. Dr. P. 20 percent exclusive Further, he said today's the 125 applicants, 86 [M.F.Sc – the university website. Jawahar, chairman, PG reservation for agitation is part of the 42; M.Tech – 6; Ph.D. – 38] candi- Admission Committee coordi- Vanniyars in jobs and third stage of statewide dates appeared in the PG admis- Master of Fisheries Science nated the PG counselling education. agitation demanding 20 sion entrance examination. The (M.F.Sc.) & Ph.D. in Fisheries process with the assistance of The PMK men, led by percent exclusive reser- entrance examination was con- Science and in two disciplines various committees constituted the Perambalur district vation for them in educa- ducted for 13 disciplines each for for Master of Technology by the university. secretary Rajendran, tion and jobs. DMK president Stalin addresses a gram sabha meeting in Kancheepuram district. —DC COFFEE-BREAK CALVIN AND HOBBES| Bill Watterson Your day today By Dr C.V.B. Subrahmanyam QUICK CROSSWORD Aries: A long drive with beloved gives immense pleasure. It is a good time on the professional front. Make sure to let your voice heard infront of the authorities. Taurus: Things don’t look bright on the domestic front. It is advisable to clear out any misunder- standing before it creates rift in relations. THE WIZARD OF ID| Parker and Hartsd Obstacles in land-related matters indicated. Gemini: Devoting quality time to help needy people would bring immense pleasure. Avoid indulging in any argument, without reasoning, at work. Cancer: Your guidance would encourage and benefit others. Hasty decisions are likely to harm professional interests. Children might behave erratically. Leo: Real estate deals bring monetary gains beyond expectations. Indulging in gossiping at professional front would harm interests. You ARCHIE| Bill Henry Scarpelli & craig boldman may be lured into dubious money ventures. Virgo: You will be successful in generating a new income source. Don’t give into negativity, it will only harm your mental health. Taking the help of an expert in investment planing would immensely benefit you. Across Down YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 1.Capricious (9) 2. Juliet’s love (5) Across: 1. Language, You share your b’day with 6. Speed (5) 3. Metal (4) 7. Order, 8. Earth, 9. Anil Kapoor, Bollywood actor. He is best known for his roles 7. Footwear (5) 4. Scamp (6) Denial, 10. Shoe, 12. Thor, 14. Launch, 17. in Beta, Tezaab, Mr India, Lamhe, Virasat, Taal, No Entry, Dil 9. Eagerly expectant (4) 5. Dashed (5) Outdo, 18. Total, 19. Dhadakne Do, Pukar, Welcome, Race, Race 2, Eeshwar, 10. Lag behind (6) 6. Buying and selling (7) Scuttled. 12. Moved on very slowly (6) 8. Sugar (7) 1942: A love story and Slumdog Millionaire amongst others. Down: 1. Laden, 2. Libra: Giving proper time and attention to 14. Obnoxious child (4) 11. Guard (6) Normal, 3. Used, 4. BLONDIE| Dean Young and John Marshall 17. Entire range (5) 13. Small jazz band (5) Girth, 5. Condition, 6. family would benefit. Striking a balance in Threshold, 11. 18. Workers’ organisation (5) 15. Bring up (5) Pastel, 13. Optic, 15. budget improves financial status. Healthy 19. Synthetic material (9) 16. Membership fees (4) Noted, 16. Moot. competition at work helps you to excel. Scorpio: Finances look good. Some of you might get a hike. Home renovation will keep you occupied. Avoid putting too much money into Word Mine jumble any financial schemes just on others’ advice. Sagittarius: You need to be very patient but alert in business dealings. It is the right time to P focus on personal growth at work to enhance career prospects. R R E Capricorn: Health issues addressed this evening ANDY CAPP | Reg Smythe will be for the best. Action-oriented plans gain S I C E B momentum and you are finally happy for a breakthrough that you have been waiting for. TODAY’S RATINGS: 17 AVERAGE; 19 GOOD; 21 OUTSTANDING Aquarius: Communicating your desires to How many words of four or your beloved will prove a big step in the more letters can you make from the letters shown in today’s right direction. Real estate deals done puzzle? In making a word, each today will be profitable. Try to balance letter may be used once only. Each word must contain the both personal and professional life. letter at the top of the pyramid. Pisces: Appreciation comes in plenty. In the midst of There should be at least one deadline work chaos, you realise your need for an nine letter word. Plurals, foreign words and proper names are

attitude change. A calmer you is a productive you. not allowed.

recipe, reprise, ripe, riper, seep, spice, spire, spree spire, spice, seep, riper, ripe, reprise, recipe, Try to learn new skills and stay up to date. It is for the price, PRESCRIBE, precise, pierce, pier, piece, peer,

better that you forgive and forget and move ahead. epic, crisper, crisp, crepe, creep, beep, ANSWERS: TARZAN| Edgar Rice Burroughs bridge his is another deal from At this table, South was second diamond, taken by had the club queen-10. He the Chinese Premier Zhu Chenyu, a member of declarer. Now South cashed would have had to put up his TLeague. What hap- the Chinese under-26 team. his club ace, and East failed queen to swallow East’s PHILLIP pened in four spades dou- He analysed the auction. to sacrifice his queen. jack, a crocodile coup. ALDER bled after West started with East rated not to have a sin- Declarer cashed the spade South actually played a two rounds of hearts? gleton for his three-no- king and now should have trump to dummy, giving This auction was unpre- trump rebid. Also, missing stuck to his guns by leading East a second chance to dis- HE SHOULD dictable, but it ended in the so many high-card points, a a low club from his hand, own the club queen. When normal spot. West’s two- seven-card heart suit was which would have end- he threw a heart, South led HAVE READ diamond response showed a likely. Zhu felt that East’s played East. He would have a club and ducked when good single heart raise. hand distribution was been forced to lead a heart, East played the queen. YESTERDAY’S Three no-trump was ... sup- 2=7=2=2. conceding a ruff-and-sluff, ply your own adjective! After ruffing the second on which declarer would COLUMN Every other declarer hoped heart, Zhu drew one round have discarded his club Copyright United to find clubs 3-3 and went of trumps, then ducked a loser. It also would have Feature Syndicate down one. diamond. East returned his made life hard for West if he (Asia Features) NATION pg DECCAN CHRONICLE | CHENNAI | THURSDAY | 24 DECEMBER 2020 4

SHORT TAKES HC DIRECTS AAP New variant will not affect GOVT TO FRAME NEW SOPs vaccine efficiency: experts DC CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, DEC. 23 But coronavirus is capable of more mutations, scientists say The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the AAP New Delhi, Dec. 22: The Y, therefore N501Y, scien- government to frame standard faster spreading coron- tists explained. operating procedures (SOPs) avirus strain first detected Two more variants Spike protein is a crown to deal with post Covid-19 com- in the UK is unlikely to protein on the virus which plications and to ensure that make vaccines less effec- comes in contact with facilities are available to test tive as of now but the pre- human cells to enter and and quarantine travellers ventives may need to be linked to SA found infect. from the UK where a new appropriately altered if Dr Sehgal noted that the strain of Coronavirus has more mutations occur London, Dec. 23: Two ered in the UK,” he said. new variant has muta- been discovered. over time, say scientists. cases of another new The minister confirmed tions to the spike protein The directions were issued More than 40 countries, strain of Covid-19 linked immediate restrictions on that the three leading vac- by a bench of Justices Hima including India, have to South Africa have been travel from South Africa cines are targeting. The Kohli and Subramonium banned travel to and from identified in the UK, and the government’s three leading vaccines are Prasad while hearing a PIL by the UK, a move several sci- Health Secretary Matt urgent message being for Moderna, Pfizer and A volunteer dressed as Santa Claus distributes face masks in New Delhi on advocate Rakesh Malhotra entists said was necessary Hancock revealed here on anyone who has been in Oxford-AstraZeneca. Wednesday, during a Covid-19 awareness drive. — PTI seeking increase in the Covid- in view of the rapid Wednesday. South Africa or been in However, vaccines pro- 19 testing numbers in the spread of the new viral Like the UK variant contact with someone duce antibodies against national capital and getting strain, VUI-202012/0, that identified earlier, the new linked with the country in many regions in the spike speedy results. was detected on variant of the novel coro- the last fortnight to imme- protein, so it's unlikely Malhotra, during the hear- September 21. navirus is also driving a diately quarantine. that a single change would Talks only if Centre gives ing, told the court that there According to Jeremy massive resurgence of the Analysis on the new make the vaccine less should be some SOPs for man- Farrar, director of the disease in South Africa, mutation and its trajecto- effective, Dr Sehgal said. aging post Covid-19 complica- London-based research with experts warning the ry in the UK is meanwhile Over time, as more muta- tions in those who have recov- charity Wellcome Trust country is probably facing being analysed by scientif- tions occur, the vaccine written proposals: unions ered from the infection. UK, there is no indication a much larger second ic experts at Porton Down, may need to be altered. Subsequently, the bench asked at the moment that the wave. the country''s specialist This happens with sea- From page 1 the Delhi government, repre- new strain would evade “Both (cases of the new laboratory in south west sonal flu, which mutates SHED ARROGANCE, HEED SC ADVICE, sented by additional standing treatments and vaccines. variant) are contacts of England. every year, and the vac- “The way the Centre is counsel Satyakam, to frame However, the mutation is cases who have travelled As a result, even more cine is adjusted according- carrying this process of the SOPs. a reminder of the power of from South Africa over parts of the UK are set to ly, Sehgal explained. The talks, it’s clear that govt CONGRESS TELLS PRIME MINISTER The court also took note the virus to adapt, and the past few weeks," Mr be put under the strictest SARS-CoV-2 virus, howev- wants to delay this issue New Delhi, Dec. 23: The Court’s suggestion by of the district-wise data of that cannot be ruled out in Hancock said, addressing level of lockdown after er, doesn't mutate as and break morale of Congress on Wednesday keeping the three farm Covid-19 infections in the the future. Acting urgent- a briefing from 10 ministers held talks earli- quickly as the flu virus, he protesting farmers. The asked Prime Minister laws in abeyance and national capital and the sub- ly to reduce transmission Downing Street. er on Wednesday follow- added. government is taking our Narendra Modi to shed bring new ones in their mission by Delhi government is critical, Mr Farrar said “This new variant is ing the UK registering Virologist Upasana Ray issues lightly. I am warn- his arrogance and repeal place . that it was “enhancing contact in a statement. highly concerning 36,804 positive coron- agreed with Dr Sehgal, ing them to take cogni- the farm laws to help ini- “By taking an inflexible tracings and creating more The European Centre for because it is yet more avirus cases, the largest noting that there is not sance of this matter and tiate dialogue with agitat- position that the farm containment zones” in areas Disease Prevention and transmissible and it daily number of infec- enough evidence to sug- find a solution soon,” he ing farmers. laws will not be repealed, where the positive rate is Control (ECDC) appears to have mutated tions recorded at any time gest that these mutations said. The opposition party the government has effec- more. announced on Sunday further than the new vari- during the pandemic. may affect the efficacy of Swaraj India’s Yogendra said the government tively aborted the talks The Delhi government also that the rapid increase of ant that has been discov- PTI current vaccine candi- Yadav said the govern- should repeal these laws before they can be told the court that in a meeting a SARS-CoV-2 variant dates. ment should not repeat and bring fresh ones after resumed. held on December 21 by the with multiple spike pro- It is important to remem- the amendments rejected consultations with all “Government should Delhi Disaster Management tein mutations have been generated by one case in a virus is known to have 13 ber that we don't know by the farmers but come stakeholders. heed the suggestion of the Authority (DDMA), it was observed in the UK. population while trans- mutations in the spike whether this variant is a up with concrete propos- Senior Congress leader Supreme Court and keep decided that the “representa- Preliminary modelling missibility is the ability of protein of which the serotype' (variant)," Dr als in writing. He said: P. Chidambaram asked the farm laws in abeyance tive testing” shall be followed results communicated by a virus to be passed on N501Y mutation is respon- Ray, a senior scientist at “We urge the government the government to shed during the period of the and the focus would be more the UK on December 19 from one person to anoth- sible for it spreading 70 CSIR-IGIB Kolkata, said. not to repeat those mean- its “inflexible position” talks,” he said in a series on pockets where the positivi- suggest that the variant is e r. per cent faster than earli- She explained that it is ingless amendments and heed to the Supreme of tweets. PTI ty rate is more. significantly more trans- The ECDC, however, said er versions of the virus, still unknown if the new which we have rejected missible than previously there is no indication of said Deepak Sehgal, pro- strain interacts with the but come up with a con- circulating variants, with increased infection severi- fessor and head of depart- host immune system dif- crete proposal in writing associated with their also marked “Kisan BJP ISSUES an estimated increase in ty observed related to the ment of Life Sciences, ferently compared to other so that it can be made an movement. “This is an Diwas” by paying their reproductive number (R) variant. The assessment is Shiv Nadar University. existing variants. agenda, and the process of attempt to break our tribute at Kisan Ghat NOTICE TO TWO by 0.4 or greater with an challenged by the fact that N501Y is the mutation. As such, there is no evi- negotiation can be started movement. The govern- while those protesting at estimated increased trans- the majority of cases were The 501st position in the dence to date that this as soon as possible.” ment is dealing with the Ghazipur border held BENGAL LEADERS missibility of up to 70 per reported in people under spike protein's amino acid variant alters disease Mr Yadav said the govern- protesting farmers the a “havan”. The farmers’ cent, EDC said in a state- 60 years who are less like- chain has altered from severity, either in terms of ment was constantly hold- way it deals with the unions had also urged RAJIB CHOWDHURI | DC ment. ly to develop severe symp- asparagine, denoted by mortality or the serious- ing talks with so-called Opposition (parties),” he people to skip a meal on KOLKATA, DEC. 23 R number denotes the toms, it said. the letter N, to tyrosine, ness of the cases of Covid- farmers’ leaders and said. “Kisan Diwas” in support expected cases directly The new strain of the represented by the letter 19. PTI organisations who are not The agitating farmers of the ongoing protests. The West Bengal BJP have pulled up it’s two prominent leaders — Sayantan Basu and Aginimitra Paul — and served 2 DEAD, 16 HURT them show cause notice for Malayalam poet publicly voicing their dissent IN AMMONIA against Trinamul Congress MLA of Pandabeshwar and LEAK AT U.P. former Asansol Mayor Sugathakumari Jitendra Tiwari, thus scut- tling his induction to the saf- IFFCO PLANT fron party during Union home minister Amit Shah’s last visit dies of Covid-19 New Delhi/Lucknow, to the state. Dec. 23: Two IFFCO offi- Basu, the state BJP general DC CORRESPONDENT cials died and its 16 secretary and Paul, the state THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, other employees were in- BJP women’s wing chief, were DEC. 23 jured in a major ammo- served the notices on Tuesday. nia gas leak at the fer- Stung by their dissent, Tiwari, Noted Malayalam poet tiliser major’s plant at who had quit the TMC and and green activist Phulpur near Allahabad held a meeting with Sugathakumari passed in Uttar Pradesh, the Shubhendu Adhikari to join away on Wednesday fol- firm said on Wednesday. BJP with him, returned to his lowing Covid-19 compli- The gas leakage that party within a day. cations at the took place on Tuesday State BJP vice president Thiruvananthapuram night around 10.30 pm, Pratap Banerjee told them in medical college. She was however, was restricted their notices, “It has been 86. and stopped in a short observed that on 18th Sugathakumari was was widely recited in time, the fertiliser coop- December, 2020 you have ven- undergoing treatment protests organised by erative major said in a tured to give bytes to the elec- for severe pneumonia environmentalists. statement. The two per- tronic media, which constitute after testing positive for Sugathakumari, popu- sons who died in the derogatory and anti-party Covid and was put on larly known as accident were identified statements reflecting severe ventilator support after “teacher”, was also in Indian Army chief General M.M. Naravane interacts with the local commanders and troops in Ladakh on Wednesday. as IFFCO Deputy anti-organisation sentiments her condition deterio- the vanguard of the Manager Abhay Nandan which go directly against deci- rated two days ago. The women's movement. She and Assistant Manager sions taken by the party.” end came at 10.52 am. was awarded Padma V.P. Singh. He said, “as per Article 25D She was at the fore- Shri in 2006 in recogni- Out of the 16 injured of the Constitution of BJP front of the Save Silent tion of her works of Army chief visits Chushul sector IFFCO employees, such action should result in Valley Movement which poetry. including three contract your immediate expulsion. I emerged in 1970's As the first chairper- PAWAN BALI | DC between finger 4 to 8 in the state of habitat of The military stand-off labourers, two have been have been directed by our state against the Kerala State son of the Kerala State NEW DELHI, DEC. 23 Northern banks of the troops on the forward line between India and China discharged while 14 oth- president Dilip Ghosh, MP, to Electricity Board's pro- Women’s Commission Pangong Tso in the month of defences at Rechin La. in Eastern Ladakh has ers are undergoing treat- instruct you to show cause for posed hydroelectric dam in 1996, she focused on Army chief General Manoj of May. Indian Army’s He was on a one day visit entered in its eighth month ment in different hospi- the same within seven days in the tropical ever- domestic violence, child Mukund Naravane on action had taken Chinese to Leh based Fire and Fury with no agreement on dis- tals, the firm said. explaining why the party green forest in Palakkad sexual abuse and dowry Wednesday visited front- by surprise and they made Corps. engagement in sight. IFFCO said the acci- should not take adequate district. deaths. line posts in Ladakh several failed attempts to Army Chief visited for- The soldiers deployed in dent took place as tie action against you considering Environmentalists Chief Minister including Rechin La in dislodge Indian troops ward base Tara and inter- front bases in Ladakh are rods of an ammonia the senior, respected and from across the globe Pinarayi Vijayan and Chushul sector where from these strategic acted with the local com- now fighting the elements plunger pump suddenly important post held by you.” fought against the proj- people from all walks of Indian troops in a tit-for-tat heights. manders and troops. with temperatures having broke and got detached Basu informed that he apolo- ect saying that it would life condoled the death action against Chinese In Rechin La, Indian and Lt Gen PGK Menon, the already dropped to minus leading to heavy ammo- gised to the party leadership, threaten the forest and of Sugathakumari. Her army had occupied strate- Chinese troops are report- commander of ‘Fire and 20 degrees Celsius. nia leakage. Following regretting his comments. Paul wildlife. mortal remains were gic heights in August. ed to be just 200-300 metres Fury’ Corps briefed the Army Chief also distrib- the leakage, IFFCO could not be reached for her She wrote a poem cremated with full state Indian army action was apart. Army chief on various uted sweets and cakes to ordered a technical comments. Marathinu Sthuthi honours later in the in response to Chinese Gen Naravane undertook aspects of the situation in soldiers on the eve of investigation into the (Hymn to a tree ) which evening. troops occupying areas on the spot inspection of eastern Ladakh. Christmas. cause of the gas leakage while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also ordered J&K | POLLS Rivals question nationality of 2 women candidates an administrative probe into the accident. Maha govt seeks solution on “We deeply regret the sad and unfortunate accident happened yes- Counting put on hold in 2 districts terday night around car shed dispute with Centre 10.30 pm due to mechani- YUSUF JAMEEL | DC DDC constituency of including Aadhaar card, said to have been brought cal failure at #IFFCO SRINAGAR, DEC. 23 Kupwara which witnessed election card and the state up in Muzzafarabad, the SONU SHRIVASTAVA | DC Shinde said if the Centre allotting 102 acres of salt #Phulpur Ammonia a nail hitting contest among subject certificate. “I’ve all capital of PoK, and is mar- MUMBAI, DEC. 23 and the state government pan land in Kanjurmarg for Urea unit in #Prayagraj. Even as almost all the eleven candidates. She told those documents which a ried to a former Kashmiri sit together and resolve the integrated metro car shed Our employees at the results in Jammu and this newspaper that she is citizen is supposed to pos- militant. Amid the deadlock over the dispute over the Metro car as the Central government site fought bravely to Kashmir’s first-ever at loss and wondered why sess. I even showed them After the concerned salt pan lands in shed, it will be easier to contended that the lands handle the situation,” District Development her nomination papers academic certificates. I returning officer ordered Kanjurmarg for Metro car complete the project. belong to them. IFFCO CEO and manag- Council (DDC) elections were accepted in the first graduated from suspension of voting count shed, Shiv Sena leader and The Congress, a con- Speaking with reporters ing director U.S. have been announced offi- place if the nationality Muzaffarabad and did my on Tuesday, she said that Urban Development stituent of Maha Vikas on Wednesday, Shinde said Awasthi tweeted on cially, the counting of votes issue was involved. She, post graduation here only. she wanted to live in peace Department (UDD) minis- Aghadi (MVA) government that the state government Wednesday. in two segments, one each however, also said, “I’m nei- Whatever documents and and with dignity and the ter Eknath Shinde on led by Chief Minister Udd- intends to build a car shed “Our emergency respo- in frontier districts of ther Pakistani nor Indian. evidence of my being a citi- purpose of her joining the Wednesday slammed the hav Thackeray in Mahar- at Kanjurmarg for the wel- nse group, fire and safe- Kupwara and Bandipore, I’m a bonafide citizen of zen of Kashmir they asked fray was to serve the people BJP leaders for doing poli- ashtra, had alleged that fare of the people. “The me- ty team and plant oper- remain suspended for Jammu and Kashmir and for I presented to them,” of the constituency. tics on it. He said the gov- Fadnavis government was tro-3, 4 and 6 will be housed ating staff bravely foug- among the contestants are have every right to contest she said. Though the officials are ernment is looking for okay with the Kanjurmarg into it. The carshed will ht with the emergency two female candidates an election in any part of The other contestant tight lipped over the issue, alternative places includ- site for Mumbai Metro-6 car help around one crore peo- situation and restricted whose nationality has been the state.” caught in a similar situa- the local sources said the ing BKC lands for metro car shed but has changed now ple. But it is unfortunate the leakage to small area contested by their rivals in She claimed that at the tion is Shazia Aslam who counting of votes was shed as the Kanjurmarg its stand for Metro-3. that the central govern- within the plant and the fray. time of filing of the nomi- joined the fray in Hajin-A halted following objections land is subjudice in In last week, the Bombay ment approached the HC normalised it in a short One of these candidates is nation papers she had segment of neighbouring raised by other cand- Bombay High Court. High Court had stayed the seeking stay on the project. time,” the IFFCO later Somaya Sadaf seeking elec- shown the returning officer Bandipore. idates over the citizenship Claiming that the salt pan order passed by Mumbai The project is meant for the said in its statement. tion from Drugmulla, a all the required documents Like Somaya, Shazia is issue. lands belong to the state, suburban district collector public,” he said. — PTI WORLD pg DECCAN CHRONICLE | CHENNAI | THURSDAY | 24 DECEMBER 2020 5

SHORT TAKES Consequences must CANADA COP: PAK Don refuses to ink virus relief DISSIDENT DEATH for cyberattack: Biden NOT SUSPICIOUS Wilmington, Dec. 23: government and corporate Bill, seeks $2K stimulus outlay President-elect Joe Biden systems months ago by Toronto, Dec. 23: Police in said Tuesday that the perpe- hacking widely-used securi- Toronto said Tuesday they are trators of a massive cyberat- ty software. “I see no evi- not treating the death of a Prez: Too much money given to foreign nations, not enough to Americans tack on the US government, dence that it's under con- prominent Pakistani dissident unofficially blamed on trol,” Biden said, responding as suspicious. Washington, Dec. 23: Russia, must face conse- to Trump's claim to the con- Authorities said the body of US President Donald quences, and assailed trary. “This president hasn't Karima Mehrab was found on Trump has refused to President Donald Trump even identified who is Monday near Toronto's down- sign the Covid-19 relief over his response to the responsible yet,” he noted. town waterfront. Mehrab, 37, bill, saying the $600 stim- threat. He warned he would retali- had been reported missing a ulus payment to most “We can't let this go unan- ate once he become presi- day earlier. Americans was not swered,” Biden said in pre- dent on January 20. “It is currently being investi- enough as he asked holiday remarks to the “When I learn the extent of gated as a non-criminal death Congress to increase the American people. the damage and, in fact, who and there are not believed to amount to @2,000. “That means making clear, is formally responsible, they be any suspicious circumstan- Trump, in a video posted and publicly, who is respon- can be assured that we will ces,” Toronto police spokes- on Twitter on Tuesday sible for the attack and tak- respond, and probably woman Caroline de Kloet said. night, said that the bill ing meaningful steps to hold respond in kind,” he said. Mehrab, also known as delivered too much them in account.”Biden, “There are many options Karima Baloch, was granted money to foreign coun- who as president-in-waiting which I will not discuss asylum in Canada in 2016. tries, but not enough to has received intelligence now.” According to US offi- Police said she was known to Americans. briefings on key national se- cials, the most devastating frequent Toronto's waterfront “A few months ago, Con- curity issues, says much breach of US computer secu- and island areas. gress started negotia- remains unknown about the rity in years affected at least tions on a new package to extent of the damage from the departments of State, get urgently needed help the attack. Commerce, Treasury, Ener- MOLDOVA’S PM to the American people. Last week the US cyberse- gy and Homeland Security, It's taken forever. curity agency said a well- as well as the National RESIGNS AFTER However, the bill they are coordinated, highly techni- Institutes of Health. now planning to send cal operation penetrated US — AFP PROTESTS back to my desk is much different than anticipat- Chisinau (Moldova), Dec. ed. It really is a disgrace,” 23: Moldova's pro-Russian he said. Treasury LABOR PARTY HEAD RESIGNS AS prime minister has resigned Secretary Steven to, as he put it, pave the way Mnuchin was part of the for an early parliamentary negotiations. “Despite all ISRAEL LURCHES TO NEW ELECTIONS election and “bring normalcy” of this wasteful spending A woman poses for a photo in front of a Christmas lights display in Seoul on Wednesday, as South Korea banned to the tiny former Soviet state. and much more, the $900 Jerusalem, Dec. 23: The go renewal and choose a gatherings of more than four people in the capital and surrounding areas amid a surge in Coronavirus cases. — AFP Prime Minister Ion Chicu, billion package provides head of Israel’s Labor Party new chairman and new who led a pro-Russian govern- hardworking taxpayers said Wednesday he will not leadership for itself,” Peretz ment since November 2019, te- with only $600 each in seek re-election as leader of wrote on his Facebook page. ndered his resignation Wedne- relief payments, and not S. AFRICAN VARIANT the former ruling party as Recent polls have projected sday, a day before the country's enough money is given to France allows UK passengers, the country enters its that Labor will not break newly elected pro-Western small businesses and in fourth election campaign in the electoral threshold president, Maia Sandu, is due particular restaurants IDENTIFIED IN UK, two years. required to win seats in the to take office. Chicu is a close whose owners have suf- The Knesset, Israel’s par- Knesset, a stunning down- ally of outgoing pro-Russian fered so grievously," said cargo in after variant fright CURBS TIGHTENED liament, dissolved at mid- fall for the once mighty President Igor Dodon. the president in his video. night after the government party. The Labor Party His government controlled "I am asking Congress Calais, Dec. 23: Freight London, Dec. 23: Two failed to pass a national shake-up is just the begin- only 51 of 101 seats in the Mol- to amend this bill and inc- from Britain and cases of another new budget for 2020 amid bitter ning of what is likely to be a dovan parliament. The new pr- rease the ridiculously low passengers with a nega- Pandemic reaches strain of Covid-19 linked coalition disputes between shakeup of the Israeli polit- esident can dissolve parliame- $600 dollars to $2,000, or tive virus test began to South Africa have been its two main partners, the ical landscape ahead of the nt if the prime minister resig- $4,000 for a couple," he arriving on French identified in the UK, Hea- Likud and Blue and White March elections. Defense ns and there are two failed att- said. Congress passed the shores Wednesday, after lth Secretary Matt Hanc- parties. Israel now heads to Minister Benny Gantz's empts to find a successor. USD 900 billion pandemic France relaxed a two-day Antarctica, 58 +ve ock revealed here on We- its fourth national election Blue and White party, riven relief bill on Monday blockade over a new dnesday. Like the UK since March 2019 while fac- with infighting, appears on night to provide cash to virus variant that had Santiago, Dec. 23: The Gen Bernardo O'Higgins variant identified earlier, ing a runaway coronavirus the verge of collapse. HK MEDIA businesses and individu- isolated Britain, stranded pandemic has finally rea- Riquelme Antarctic base the new variant of the outbreak, a devastating eco- Netanyahu's biggest chal- als, and resources for vac- thousands of drivers and ched every continent on have tested positive, and novel Coronavirus is also nomic crisis, and a prime lenge, meanwhile, appears TYCOON JIMMY cination amidst the rag- raised fears of shortages. Earth. Chilean authoriti- on Tuesday the health mi- driving a massive resur- minister on trial for corrup- to be coming from ideologi- ing Covid-19 pandemic. Associated Press report- es announced that 58 peo- nister for the Biobio regi- gence of the disease in tion. New elections will take cally similar right-wing LAI GETS BAIL The bill went to Preside- ers witnessed a ferry ple that were at two mili- on in Chile said there are South Africa, with place on March 23. rivals who have broken nt Trump for his signatu- pulling into the French tary bases in Antarctica 21 infections involving experts warning the Amir Peretz, head of the away from Likud due to per- Hong Kong, Dec. 23: Hong re. However, Trump said: port of Calais before or on a navy ship that people aboard the Chile- country is probably fac- once-mighty Labor Party, sonal differences with the Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai "I am also asking dawn and trains carrying went to the continent te- an navy's Sergeant Aldea ing a much larger second which helped found the prime minister. On was granted bail on Wednesd- Congress to immediately freight and car passen- sted positive for Covid-19. supply vessel. One more wave. state of Israel and ruled in Wednesday, junior Likud ay, nearly three weeks after he get rid of the wasteful gers were allowed to So far no other country case was reported in Las "Both [cases of the new its first three decades, lawmaker Sharren Haskel was remanded in custody over and unnecessary items in cross to the continent with a presence in Anta- Estrellas' village, where variant] are contacts of announced that he would resigned from parliament to fraud and national security- this legislation, and to beneath the English rctica has publicly repor- civilian personnel worki- cases who have travelled step down as party leader. link up with the nascent related charges. send me a suitable bill, or Channel again. ted any other cases. Chil- ng at the Lieutenant Ro- from South Africa over Despite repeated campaign party formed by Gideon Lai, an outspoken advocate else the next administra- People arriving from e's army announced Mon- dolfo Marsh Martin Air the past few weeks," Ha- pledges not to do so, Peretz Saar — a former Netanyahu for democracy in Hong Kong, tion will have to deliver a Britain are required to day that 36 people at the Force Base live. — AP ncock said, addressing a joined Prime Minister ally who bolted Likud earli- was charged with fraud on Dec Covid relief package. have a virus test capable briefing from 10 Downing Benjamin Netanyahu's er this month to form his 3 for allegedly violating the And maybe that adminis- of detecting the new vari- Street. "This new variant unity government in May own party. Haskel is just one lease terms for office space for tration will be me, and we ant, according to a late- others around the world for an enormous surge in is highly concerning bec- and served as economy min- of a growing number of his media company, Next will get it done". night agreement reached began slamming borders new infections in London ause it is yet more trans- ister. The move led the breakaway Likud lawmak- Digital. He was later charged Trump's proposal was after 48 hours of frenzied shut to Britain on Su- and southern England missible and it appears to already troubled party to ers joining forces with Saar again on Dec 12 under the immediately supported negotiations among Fren- nday, a day after the UK and he was imposing have mutated further lose many of its remaining as he seeks to oust the long- national security law, on suspi- by House of Repres- ch, British and EU prime minister announc- tight lockdown restric- than the new variant that supporters. “At this time the serving prime minister cion of colluding with foreign entatives Speaker Nancy authorities. ed that the new variant tions. has been discovered in Labor Party needs to under- from office. — AP forces and endangering natio- Pelosi. — PTI European nations and was mostly responsible — AP the UK," he said. — PTI nal security. Lai appeared in court Wednesday and was granted bail by the High Court. He had been kept behind bars since Bomb, shooting in Dec 3. UN TO HALT Kabul kill three PEACEKEEPING Kabul, Dec. 23: Separate bombing and shooting attacks ACTING DEFENCE IN DARFUR in Afghanistan's capital left at least three people dead on Cairo, Dec. 23: UN Security Wednesday, including the head CHIEF VISITS Council members decided to of an independent elections end the joint UN-African Uni- watchdog, officials said. AFGHANISTAN on peacekeeping force in Su- The attacks are the latest dan's western Darfur region amid relentless violence in the Washington, Dec. 23: Acting when the mission's mandate country even as Taliban and Defence Secretary runs out on Dec. 31, after pres- Afghan government negotia- Christopher Miller made an sure from the country's transi- tors hold talks in Qatar, trying unannounced trip to tional government, Russia and to hammer out a peace deal Afghanistan on Tuesday, African nations. that could put an end to meeting top leaders during The council voted unanimo- decades of war. the American troop with- usly late Tuesday not to extend Unknown gunmen shot and drawal. The Pentagon said the mandate of the joint mis- killed Mohammad Yousuf Ra- Miller met Afghanistan sion, known as UNAMID. In sheed, executive director of President Ashraf Ghani and June, the Security Council the non-governmental Free Gen. Scott Miller, the top US unanimously approved replac- and Fair Election Forum of commander in the country. ing it with a much smaller and Afghanistan, said Ferdaws Miller's stop in Kabul is the solely political mission, which Faramarz, spokesman for second visit by senior defense will be known as United Kabul's police chief. officials in the last week. Nations Integrated Transition The attack took place during Army Gen. Mark Milley, Assistance Mission in Sudan, Rasheed's morning commute chairman of the Joint Chiefs or UNITAMS. to FEFA's office in Kabul, he of Staff, was there Wednesday The UNAMID force was said. Rasheed's driver later to meet with Afghan and mili- established in 2007. died in a hospital from his tary leaders and discuss grow- wounds, Faramarz said. ing concerns about increased Afghan President Ashraf Taliban attacks on Afghan $169 MN U.S. Ghani, the US' acting ambass- forces. ador and many social media Under the so-called Doha MILITARY AID TO users condemned the attack agreement signed in February on Rasheed. Ghani in a state- by the United States and the BALTIC NATIONS ment said Rasheed had spent Taliban, the Trump many years working to instit- administration agreed to a Helsinki, Dec. 23: The United utionalise democracy and tra- phased withdrawal of US Truck drivers scuffle with police trying to hold them back at the entrance to the Port of Dover, in Kent, England, Wednesday Dec. 23, 2020. States has allocated $169 mil- nsparency in the electoral pro- troops, going down to zero Freight from Britain and passengers with a negative virus test began arriving on French shores Wednesday, after France relaxed a two- lion in military aid to the cess. By carrying out such att- troops by May 2021 if the day blockade over a new virus variant that had isolated Britain, stranded thousands of drivers and raised fears of shortages. — AP/PTI Baltic countries of Estonia, acks, the enemies cannot push agreement's conditions are Latvia and Lithuania for 2021, back the current Afghanistan, upheld. the Estonian Defense Ministry which has achieved recent pr- One condition is a reduction said Wednesday. ogress and achievements with in violence by the Taliban, NCP ELECTS PRACHANDA AS RULING PARTY’S The aid earmarked through a the tireless efforts and sacri- leading to a nationwide cease- new joint US-Baltic security fices of the people, he said. fire. — AP NEW PARLIAMENTARY LEADER REPLACING OLI program was included in the Ross Wilson, the US' ranking US defence appropriations bill diplomat in Afghanistan, twe- Kathmandu, Dec. 23: Nepal Baneshwar, My Republica report- approved by Congress and eted that Rasheed was a dedi- part of the city. The blast Communist Party's executive ed. signed into law on Tuesday. cated and steadfast advocate killed one police officer and chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Oli, 68, was removed from the In a Twitter post, Estonia's for representative democracy wounded two others, accord- 'Prachanda' was on Wednesday post of party's chairman on Defence Ministry called the in the country. ing to Faramarz. elected as the ruling party's new Tuesday by a central committee move “important & highly He worked tirelessly for No one immediately claimed parliamentary leader, replacing meeting of the Prachanda-led fac- appreciated news” Washingt- years to ensure free and trans- responsibility for either Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. tion, which also decided to take on has provided military assis- parent elections that engaged attack, but the Islamic State The 66-year-old leader's nomina- disciplinary action against him tance before to the three Baltic all Afghans,” he said. His group has claimed responsi- tion was proposed by senior for dissolving the House of Repre- nations, which are NATO death is a loss for his family, bility for multiple attacks in leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, sentatives unconstitutionally. members. However, the friends and nation. Kabul in recent months, who was earlier named as one of Prachanda said that his first pri- Estonian ministry said this In a separate attack in the including on educational the two chairmen of the party, at ority would be to restore the dis- was the first time the aid is capital on Wednesday, a police institutions that killed 50 peo- a parliamentary party meeting of solved House of Representatives being allocated through a ded- vehicle was targeted by a ple, most of them students. the Prachanda-led faction at the and form a new government. icated programme. sticky bomb in the eastern — AP Parliament Building in New — PTI EDIT DECCAN CHRONICLE | THURSDAY | 24 DECEMBER 2020 | CHENNAI pg 6

24 DECEMBER 2020 BJP’s ‘new politics’ fails to get off the ground in J&K Subhani he result of the eight-phase District Development Council election in J&K, for which counting was begun on Tuesday, is an emphatic point- er that the basic paradigm of electoral politics shows no sign of chang- Ting in the former state (now a UT), although the BJP has vowed to bring its brand of “new politics” to Kashmir. This transformation is to be achieved by opening up the space for new polit- ical actors and driving the established mainline parties such as the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party — and their leaders — to the ground. Going by the just-concluded DDC polls, however, it would appear that the BJP’s ambitions are not rooted in the reality of the present. As expected, as a single party, the BJP dominated the polls in the Hindu- majority Jammu region, but here too the reasonably good showing of the National Conference might have surprised the saffron party. The Congress, which was part of the original group of mainline J&K parties that called itself the Gupkar Alliance and aimed to work for the reinstatement of J&K’s auton- omy, appears to have faltered in its stride. To raise its tally Traditionally, in Jammu, the Congress pretty much alternates with the BJP in winning the LETTERS post-election, the most seats. But that equation of rough parity BJP could now look appears to be changing with the pointed com- HYDRA-HEADED VUI to incentivise munalising of the politics in this region. Christmas ’91: The day Apropos the editorial (Act Independents. But Succumbing to the BJP’s propaganda against it and fighting the election on its own, the quickly to stave off new on the ground, it is party let confusion persist about the degree to virus strain threat, Dec. 23). yet to cross the which it was associated with the Alliance. This It not only mulls over the Pir Panjal. may have caused it to suffer in the Valley as second innings of Covid-19, well, where the Alliance parties — NC, PDP, Red Flag was lowered People’s Conference in the main — pretty much swept the polls. The in the avatar of SARS-CoV- Independents have fared well in Jammu and in the Valley, and many of them The new Russia lution of the USSR. 2 but concernedly sends a For most of that are thought to be proxies for NC, PDP and BJP. was not the clarion call, even as it has The BJP is making much of the three DDC seats it picked up out of a total of decade that followed, started spreading its inex- 140 in Kashmir valley. These convey no trend, and can have no deeper politi- Mohan superpower that Russia teetered on the cal or electoral meaning. Introduced for the first time, the DDC polls were the the USSR was. It brink with Yeltsin’s orable tentacles smiting last to be held in the three-tiered panchayati raj structure and each con- Guruswamy lurched till 1999 mood swings worsened people by scores resulting stituency was limited to about half-a-dozen villages. A BJP candidate won in when Vladimir by the alcoholic haze he in India’s pre-emptive steps South Kashmir’s Kakapora, one of the seriously militancy-infested areas in was in most of the time. of containing it to the Pulwama district, causing considerable surprise. The explanation lies in very Putin took over as In 1993, Yeltsin finally low polling and the attendant local factors. President. visited India after post- barest minimum. Come But for restrictions imposed by the administration on campaigning by non- poning it a few times. what may, as opined, the BJP parties in the Valley on the apparently unreal grounds of security and wenty-nine Indian embassy had Russian foreign policy health advisory’s safety detaining or maligning Alliance leaders, the election process appears to have years ago, at 7 provisioned our group olution and will ensure had taken a new direc- norms such as facemask, been quite smooth. The Valley had evidently made up its mind to restrict the pm on with some tinned fruit, the longevity of the tion under foreign min- BJP to the Jammu region. December 25, condensed milk, instant Soviet Union. He urged ister Andrei Kozyrev, maintaining social distanc- For this reason, the polling averaged about 30 per cent in the Valley (in the as the rest of coffee and breakfast with me not to fill the and India was con- ing and banning all gather- southern districts between six and 10 per cent) — quite high for the Kashmir theT world celebrated cereal. PM with unfounded cerned about Russian ings should be strictly division. The separatists did not call for election boycott so as not to allow BJP Christmas, Mikhail The second time I inferences and confi- support in the UN. Our adhered to lest the VUI, as a free run. The regional parties, despite some misunderstandings, managed to Gorbachev announced stayed in a small dently predicted that I MIGs were also mostly fight as an Alliance, thus not permitting the splitting of anti-BJP votes in any to the world that he was Moscow apartment will be proved wrong. grounded, as were the it is termed, should rise like big way. Steps such as these showed effect. Apni Party, the BJP’s sidekick in resigning as President belonging to an old In the immediate wake submarines, and India a hydra-headed monster. the valley, floundered, no more than 10 seats. To raise its tally post-election, of the Soviet Union and Russian widow, who for of the failed KGB coup, was keen to get the sup- E.S.Chandrasekaran, the BJP could now look to incentivise Independents. But on the ground, it is formally pronounced a small dollar price the PM did make a mild ply chains restored. So Chennai yet to cross the Pir Panjal. the end of the continen- agreed to part with her comment deriding the much hinged on getting tal state forged by state-allotted home. The pace of Mikhail Gorb- Yeltsin’s attentions and Vladimir Lenin. No flat, a few kilometres achev’s reforms. But into his good books. ABHAYA MURDER CASE sooner had Gorbachev away from the Indian with the return of a From my contacts I THE ROAD to justice in India still Justice, but at what cost? finished, the Red Flag embassy at Ulitza Obh- somewhat diminished had learned that Yelt- remains a long and arduous came down from the top uka, was as tiny as they Gorbachev from his sin’s preferred vodka process. That is once again exem- he conviction and sentencing to life imprisonment of a Catholic priest of the Senate Dome in come. The bedroom had confinement in Foros was a brand called plified in the Sister Abhaya mur- and a nun for the murder of student-nun by a CBI special court in the Kremlin for the last enough place for just a on the Black Sea, the Kristal and that Yeltsin der case in Kerala. An agonising TThiruvananthapuram may bring the curtain down on a 28-year-old time. At the same time single bed. The living know-alls were quick to collected daggers. The wait for justice for 28 years has quest for justice but end up exposing nonetheless the deep fault lines in the Marshal Yevgeny room was of the same deride the PM for being appropriate officials come to an end with CBI court in system of administration of criminal justice in our country. Sr Abhaya, a 21- Shaposhnikov, the size and had a sofa-cum- hasty and uninformed. were informed, and the Thiruvananthapuram finding Fr year-old student of BCM College and an inmate of Pius X convent in defence chief, arrived at bed. The kitchen was The day was saved by a government quickly Thomas Kottoor and Sister Sephy Kottayam, was found dead in the well of the hostel where she was staying on Gorbachev’s office to tiny and bare. The bath- revolt in the Red Army swung into action and guilty of murdering Sr Abhaya, March 27, 1992. The state police, that started the investigation, concluded it to collect the room was not much big- with Shaposhnikov lea- several crateloads of a19-year old Catholic nun and be a case of suicide. Unconvinced, the nun’s parents and public-spirited citi- chemodanchik, or the ger than a train toilet. ding the rejection of Kristal were procured dumping her body in the well of zens raised a hue and cry and pressed for a CBI investigation which then Soviet version of the Food was not available Marshal Yazov’s order from Moscow and flown Pius X convent in Kottayam on chief minister K. Karunakaran conceded a year later. The premier investiga- black suitcase, referred for love or money, but to arrest Boris Yeltsin into India as diplomatic March 27, 1992 and sentenced them tive agency first said it was unable to decide if it was a suicide or homicide to by the Americans there was a lot of love and the new arrange- baggage. The vodka was to life imprisonment. As the but changed stance before an insistent court which wanted the truth to come with Strangelovian available for food or ments after the August placed prominently in longest and most high-profile, real- out. The agency then said it was indeed a case of homicide but there were few fondness as the “foot- money. 1991 events were to put the visiting dignitary’s life mysteries in Kerala with multi- clues to the identity of the culprits. The courts again refused to buy the argu- ball”, containing the After the first visit, I the USSR into a steep suite at Rashtrapati ple twists and turns, one can heave ment and returned the closure report four times, forcing the agency to plumb nuclear codes for the had occasion to tell dive. Bhavan. An officer from a sigh of relief over the fact that deeper and come up with the names of two priests and a nun as accused. The Soviet President to Prime Minister P.V. Shortly after the failed the Cabinet Secretariat justice has been done in Sr Abhaya other priest was discharged by the court before the trial. launch all-out and unre- Narasimha Rao about coup the three Baltic was dispatched to murder case. The Abhaya murder case is a grim reminder that pursuit of justice is a strained nuclear war. what I saw in Russia. I states seceded. The eco- Jaipur to buy a jewelled M. Jeyaram, Sholavandan tough job in our country and its results are painfully slow to come. Apart This was contrary to told him that we were nomic situation became encrusted Rajasthani from allegations of destruction of or tampering with key pieces of evidence, the agreement between on the verge of some- chaotic. On December 8 dagger. including forensic reports, the case also saw one CBI officer quitting the ser- Gorbachev and Boris thing significant and that year, the Presi- When Prime Minister LEADERSHIP CRISIS vice alleging pressure on him not to pursue it professionally while a number Yeltsin. In that script, that events in Russia dents Boris Yeltsin of Narasimha Rao gifted it IT IS highly regretful that the of key witnesses turned hostile during the trial. The agency can take credit Yeltsin was to call on may lead to a shakeup the Russian Federation, to him, Yeltsin quickly world’s oldest party INC is now fac- for the productive prosecution but the deceased parents of the unfortunate the Soviet President hitherto unthinkable. Ukraine’s Leonid unwrapped the gift and ing a leadership crisis passing the victim would vouch for the dictum — justice delayed is justice denied. and receive it from him. At the PMO’s sugges- Kravchuk and Belarus’ beamed with pleasure. days with an ad -hoc leader who So Marshal Shaposh- tion I made a second Stanislav Shuskevich He was clearly pleased also is ailing and unable to lead the DECCAN CHRONICLE nikov improvised and and longer visit to secretly met at a hunt- with the attention to party from the front. There is no persuaded Gorbachev to Russia that ended just a ing lodge in Belovezh in detail and he signed a doubt that there are well educated KAUSHIK MITTER K. SUDHAKAR let him sign for it. Thus, couple weeks ahead of Belarus and decided to joint statement restat- men with vast and varied experi- Editor Printer & Publisher the KGB-led abortive dissolve the USSR. Thir- ing Moscow’s position R. MOHAN this symbol of supreme ence who can effectively lead the Resident Editor power quietly left coup in August 1991. It teen days later, on on Kashmir. But quite party against all odds. It is, howev- DECCAN CHRONICLE offices are located at: Mikhail Gorbachev and only reinforced my December 21, represen- clearly, the new Russia er, a bit puzzling why such people Chennai: SP 3 Developed Plot, Industrial Estate, Guindy, Chennai 600032. Phones: (044) 22254747, went over to Boris views and but the exter- tatives of 11 of the 12 was not the superpower of calibre and capacity shy away 22254748 that the USSR was. It Coimbatore: 77 Vivekananda Road, Ramnagar, Coimbatore 641009. Phone: (0422) 2231255, 2231256 Yeltsin, the President of nal affairs ministry in remaining Soviet repub- from taking the reins of the party. Hyderabad: 36, Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad 500 003. Phone: (040) 27803930-4. Fax: (040) the Russian Federation, New Delhi, and particu- lics — all except Geor- lurched till 1999 when The grand old party has committed 27805256. who was waiting for it larly the Indian ambas- gia — signed the Alma Vladimir Putin took a gross mistake of depending eter- Bengaluru: 5th Floor, BMTC Commercial Complex, 80 Ft. Road, Koramangala, Bangalore-560095. Ph: elsewhere in the sador in Russia, were Ata Protocol which con- over as President. In the nally on the Nehru-Gandhi family 08043460500; Fax: 080-22960551/52/55 not willing to accept firmed the end of the last 22 years, Mr Putin Visakhapatnam: Survey No. 1/3A Beach Road, Near Kailasagiri Ropeway, Sector-9 MVP Colony, Kremlin. for inspiration and guidance for its Visakhapatnam - 530 017. Phones: (0891) 2552333/2552334, Fax (0891) 2755285 Twice that year I visit- this view. After I met Soviet Union and has to a great extent electoral fortunes, which of late Vijayawada: No. C 3 & 4, Patamata, Industrial Estate, Auto Nagar, Vijayawada (A.P.). Phones: (0866) ed the USSR. The first with the MoS at the announced the estab- brought Russia back to has proved its deficiencies and 2555284/ 2555287, Fax (0866) 2555234 trip took me from PMO, Bhuvanesh lishment of something the superpower status it drawbacks. With Rahul having Rajahmundry: Vemagiri, Dhawleswaram Rd, Rajahmundry 533125. Phones: (0883) 2417208, 2417618 Chaturvedi, and briefed called the Common- has missed since that Anantapur: Thapovan Colony, Bangalore Bye-Pass Road, Anantapur 515004. Phones: (08554) 276903, Moscow to Vladivostok, proved his leadership as an Fax: 08554-276904 where I saw how the him, the ambassador, wealth of Independent Christmas Day in 1991. unlucky one in elections it is Nellore: Survey No. 527/2, Burranpur Village, Venkatachalam (M), Chemudugunta Panchayat, Nellore. average Russian out- who was on a visit to States (CIS). The sum- essential for the Congress to find a Phone: (0861) 2348581/ 82, Telefax (0861) 2348580 side Moscow lived. We New Delhi, invited me mit of Alma Ata also The writer, a policy better alternative. Sooner will be Karimnagar: Survey No. 1341, Vavilalapally Colony, Jagityala Road, Karimnagar 505 001. for lunch at the IIC and provisionally accepted analyst studying eco- Phone: (0878 ) 2228908; Telefax (0878) 2220433 stayed in Vladivostok’s better. Kochi: No. 3-B, 3rd Floor, DD TRADE TOWER, Kaloor-Kadavanthara Road, Ernakulam, only hotel for foreigners berated me for peddling Gorbachev’s resigna- nomic and security Kooduthuraiyan, Ph: 0484-4039408 and lived on a diet of unfounded fears to the tion as President of the issues, held senior posi- Coimbatore Kozhikode: No 6/1002 E, First Floor City Mall, Opp. YMCA Kannur Road, Kozhikode - 673 001 fish, watery cabbage PM. He said that the Soviet Union and tions in government and Fax : 0495 4019018 soup and black bread USSR was eternal and agreed on several other industry. He also spe- Thiruvananthapuram: St Joseph Press Thycaud post, Cotton Hills, Thiruvananthapuram-14, Ph: 0471- Mail your letters to 2735105/6/7, Fax: 0471-4016112 Gram: CHRONICLE Postal registration no: No. H/SD-348/2006-08ss for all four days. that the Red Army was practical measures con- cialises in the Chinese Providentially, the the vanguard of the rev- sequential to the disso- economy. [email protected]

ust consider: A group of 30 rev- me. Every invitation seems to be an something that not many can afford, booked three banquets in different help check the spread of the disease. ellers at a destination wedding open challenge to put my own and my and nine months into the pandemic, names on the same day at the same But for the rich and often infamous, return to Kolkata and test family’s life at risk. But for the vast financial compulsion has forced the hotel. On the day of the wedding, the this is hardly any deterrent. JCovid-positive. Some have to be majority of people in my social circle, vast majority of people out into the stunned hotel authorities looked on The rush to circumvent the rules is hospitalised. FOMO (fear of missing out) continues world to keep food on the table. as guests from three different venues like an epidemic in itself. Political ral-  A group of friends goes to a nearby to be a mantra to mingle. But when educated social fat cats converged at the spot where the cere- lies, holidaying, weddings, anniver- Sundeep resort to celebrate an anniversary and Make no mistake, I am not alone in use their clout to flout the pandemic mony was taking place, in a blatant saries and sundry social gatherings 10 out of 12 of them test positive; and the FOBI group. There are others I rules for their own merriment, it violation of all social distancing during a crisis like this reveal an atti- Bhutoria one of them even succumbs to the dead- know who feel anxious at being invit- causes far more harm to society. All norms. And this is a formula that is tude that reeks of arrogance and ly virus. ed to various group or social events those messages and campaigns urg- becoming increasingly common, and downright stupidity. One of the pri-  And yet… every star hotel banquet now. A recent invitation from a ing people to maintain social distanc- people are accepting it as the norm. mary advantages of being educated is in town is booked for a wedding, an friend inviting me for his wife’s 35th ing seem to go simply down the drain. I know of so many people who have supposed to be the ability it gives us anniversary, a birthday… name it, birthday left me speechless, more so It also tends to provoke resentment in been organising totally avoidable to connect the cause and effect of and you have it. because my polite refusal was sum- several quarters as it puts society’s public gatherings and events with a events. But in a society where money, Why are ‘fat  One prominent hotel is brimming marily rejected! Acquaintances, who inequalities on full public display. business-as-usual approach. It is influence and hubris rank higher over about a hundred honeymoon cou- are home-schooled in the traditional Hotels, restaurants and travel agen- almost as if there has been a lock- than any reasoning, our very sur- ples, and every hand on the kitchen rules of etiquette, simply refuse to cies are facing a grim dichotomy — down on one’s reasoning and good vival is at stake. deck is busy whipping up anniversary take no for an answer and insist that while having to cope with declining sense. We have all seen the pictures The world over, this pandemic cats’ being so cakes. you must be there. This “ati aachar”, revenues and job cuts, they also have on the social media of crowded Goa debate has been about the two “Ls”: I just cannot reconcile the two. or extreme behaviour, is nothing to contend with some clients who nightclubs with no hint of any Covid- Life and Livelihood. I would like to What is happening to us? short of “emotional atyachar”. have scant respect for regulations 19 precautions. I was even more add a third “L”: Lunacy. reckless in Even as the Covid-19 pandemic is One can understand it when poor, and often misuse their “influence” to stunned to see on television a crowd What else can explain our crazy raging all across the planet, sending often illiterate citizens are unable to bend the rules. I know about mega- marching hand in hand, many of compulsion for hosting and attending much of the world reeling, more and comply with some of the Covid-19 weddings in luxury hotels where a them not wearing masks, to spread utterly unnecessary social functions more invitations for weddings and norms and restrictions out of dire limited number of visitors are “awareness” about the coronavirus! when a pandemic is still raging? Covid times? sundry other social events are piling necessity. Work from home is, after allowed as per the pandemic rules. The Delhi government has up on my desk. This is causing an all, a luxury that is possible only for One organiser, who was simply not to increased fines for not wearing face The writer is a social and cultural acute FOBI (fear of being included) in those in white-collar jobs, and is be curbed by these restrictions, masks in public to ?2,000 in order to activist based in Kolkata pg THURSDAY | 24 DECEMBER 2020 | CHENNAI 7 Indian GDP stabilises Firms must pay Defensive quick 1% of GST dues stocks rally in Nov on retail push boosts BITES Sensex RBI revises its forecast; expects to exit recession this quarter in cash: Centre INDICATORS % New Delhi, Dec. 23: ● CBIC has amended RAVI RANJAN PRASAD Mumbai, Dec. 23: India’s remains a possible cause Businesses with monthly MUMBAI, DEC. 23 Sensex 46,444.18 0.95 GST rules restricting economic activity showed GREEN SHOOTS AHOY for worry. turnover of over `50 lakh filing of outward sup- Nifty 50 13,601.10 1.00 signs of stabilising in Passenger vehicle sales, will have to mandatorily Equity markets made ● ply details in GSTR-1 S&P 500* 3,704.08 0.46 November, even as con- Activity in services sector expanded for a sec- a key indicator of dem- pay at least one per cent of gains for the second day cerns of fresh virus out- ond straight month in November. and, rose 4.7 per cent in their GST liability in for business that have after the sharp fall on Dollar (`) 73.76 0.12 breaks and a new strain in November from a year cash, the finance ministry not paid tax for the Monday with defensive ● Manufacturing activity lost some of the Pound Sterling (`) 98.97 0.12 the UK mount amid news ago, although the pace said as it moved to curb past periods by filing sectors IT, pharma and of vaccines fueling hope. momentum in November, but the growth still was slower than what was evasion by fake invoicing. GSTR 3B. real estate stocks gain- Euro (`) 89.92 0.28 remained in the positive territory All eight high-frequency seen in the run up to The Central Board of ● ing. The Sensex closed Gold (10gm)* (`) 50,180▲99 0.20 indicators tracked by Diwali. Overall retail Indirect Taxes and So far, non-filing of 0.95 per cent or 437 ● Passenger vehicle sales, a key indicator of GSTR 3B resulted in Brent crude ($/bbl)* 51.35 1.27 Bloomberg News were sales signaled demand pic- Customs (CBIC) has intro- points up at 46,444 while steady in November, keep- demand, rose 4.7 per cent in November. king up, even though they duced Rule 86B in Goods blockage of e-way bill broader Nifty-50 index IN 10-Yr bond yield 5.950 -0.001 ing the needle on a dial ● Demand for loans picked up from lows seen in were 44 per cent below the and Services Tax (GST) but will now result in gained one per cent or US 10-Yr T-bill yield* 0.961 0.043 measuring the so-called October. year-ago level, according rules which restricts use GSTR 1 blockage also. 134.80 points to close at ‘Animal Spirits’ unchan- to ShopperTrak. of input tax credit (ITC) 13,601.10. The broader * As of 9:30 PM IST ged at five. The level was Demand for loans picked for discharging GST lia- market outperformed arrived at by using the in October, with a reading likely to keep the infla- up from lows seen in bility to 99 per cent. ty, for businesses having with BSE midcap index three-month weighted above 50 indicating expan- tion-targeting central October. Central bank “... The registered per- taxable turnover of more up 2.40 per cent and average to smooth out sion. IHS Markit, which bank from resuming inter- data showed credit grew at son shall not use the than `50 lakh per month. BSE Small-cap index up Centre launches volatility in the single- conducts the survey, said est-rate cuts in a hurry. more than 5.5 per cent in amount available in elec- With the government 2.65 per cent. month readings. the level of positive senti- Exports lost some mome- November from a year tronic credit ledger to dis- providing reasonable Volatility in the mar- The pace of activity thus ment had climbed to the ntum last month, declin- earlier, higher than the 5.1 charge his liability exceptions to this rule, the ket is set to rise with contest to better far was enough for the highest since February ing 8.7 per cent in per cent growth seen in towards output tax in idea remains to prevent the daily foreign buying nation’s central bank to amid predictions that con- November from a year ago the second half of the pre- excess of 99 per cent of misutilisation of credit by tapering and continued Covid distribution revise its forecast for the ditions would normalize as trading partners were vious month. Liquidity tax liability, in cases businesses taking fake selling by the domestic economy, which it now once a vaccine is rolled hit with fresh restrictions conditions were broadly where the value of taxable credits, Jain added. institutions. The government on Wednes- expects to exit a recession out. amid a second wave of stable last month. supply ... in a month Further, the CBIC has “The Nifty has gained day launched a technology in the current quarter to Manufacturing activity Covid-19 infections. Industrial production exceeds `50 lakh, the amended GST rules over 50 per cent of the contest to invite solutions from December. lost some of the momen- Gems and jewelery and rose 3.6 per cent in Octo- CBIC said. restricting filing of out- sharp fall it had earlier IT companies and start-ups to Activity in India’s domi- tum seen in the past few engineering goods exports ber from a year earlier. While calculating the ward supply details in this week. What needs strengthen digital platform nant services sector months, and as a result were a drag, although a Production of capital turnover threshold, sales GSTR-1 for business that to be seen is if we are CoWIN, which will be used for expanded for a second caused the composite deeper fall was arrested goods, which had declined from GST exempt goods have not paid tax for the able to cross the 13,700- rolling out and scaling up straight month in index to drop to 56.3 in by healthier shipments of for several months in a and zero rates supply past periods by filing 13,800 levels on a clos- Covid vaccine distribution November, although at a November from 58 a drugs and pharmaceuti- row, rose 3.3 per cent from would not be included. GSTR 3B. ing basis as that could across the country. The contest slower pace. The Markit month earlier. Both manu- cals along with farm prod- a year earlier, and so did However, this restriction So far, until now, non-fil- prove to be a runway to will be jointly run by the min- India Services Purchasing facturing and services sec- ucts. Imports were weak, consumer durables and will not apply where the ing of GSTR 3B resulted achieving 14,000. I istry of health and family wel- Managers’ Index was at tors witnessed broad price with demand for capital non-durables. managing director or any in blockage of e-way bill would still suggest cau- fare and the ministry of elec- 53.7 last month versus 54.1 pressures, a factor that is goods still subdued and — Bloomberg partner have paid more but will now result in tion until we have not tronics and IT, a statement than `1 lakh as income tax GSTR 1 blockage as well. crossed the above lev- said. or the registered person Abhishek Jain, Tax els,” Manish Hathira- has received a refund am- Partner, EY said the gov- mani, proprietary ount of more than `1 lakh ernment has now restrict- index trader and techni- Sonalika in the preceding financial ed filing of outward sup- cal analyst, Deen Dayal RBI tells banks to raise year on account of unut- ply details in GSTR 1 Investments said. Tata Comm buys ilised input tax credit. return for businesses who On Wednesday foreign launches EY tax partner have not paid tax for the portfolio investors were 58.1% stake in Abhishek Jain said the past periods by filing net buyers by `536.13 new tractor capital, step up lending government has put GSTR 3B. “The govern- crore while the domes- restrictions on seamless ment’s idea here seems to tic institutions were net eSIM firm Oasis MICHAEL GONSALVES FC BANKING BUREAU input credit utilisation be to curb input tax credit sellers by `1,326.92 PUNE, DEC. 23 MUMBAI, DEC. 23 with introduction of Rule passing by businesses crore. BSE IT index 89B, which blocks utilisa- which have otherwise not gained 2.34 per cent Sonalika, India’s fastest Reserve Bank of India RBI alert on illegal tion of ITC beyond 99 per paid their GST liability,” while BSE Healthcare growing tractor brand, on governor Shaktikanta Das cent of the output liabili- Jain added. — PTI index gained 1.74 per Wednesday rolled out the has prodded banks to cent. country’s first field ready strengthen their resilie- The top IT gainers electric tractor ‘Tiger nce and lending capacity lending platforms included Wipro (5.88 per Electric’. The vehicle is by raising capital and pro- cent), Infosys (2.64 per priced at an introductory viding for impaired FALAKNAAZ SYED borrowers. cent), TCS (1.27 per price of `5.99 lakhs at assets. MUMBAI, DEC. 23 “Members of public Antony WHC IPO gets cent) and HCL Techno- Delhi showroom. In a two-day meeting are hereby cautioned logies (0.95 per cent). The latest technology with top officials of public The Reserve Bank of not to fall prey to such Mega strategic part- Tata Communications on marvel from the farmer sector banks and a select India (RBI) on Wednes- unscrupulous activities nerships announced by Wednesday acquired 58.1 per centric brand has been private banks, the RBI day cautioned people and verify the anteced- subscribed 15 times Infosys and Wipro add- cent stake in France-based designed in Europe and governor reiterated the against unauthorised ents of the company/ ed to the defensive sec- eSIM company Oasis Smart SIM developed in-house with need for banks to remain digital lending plat- firm offering loans onl- RAVI RANJAN PRASAD meltdown. tor charm to the IT Europe SAS (Oasis). Oasis proven aggregates to vigilant. forms and mobile apps ine or through mobile MUMBAI, DEC. 23 The public issue aiming stocks. BSE realty develops and provides deliver seamless power as During the meeting, the that promise quick, has- apps,” said the RBI. to raise `300 crore in the gained the most at 3.97 advanced technologies and well as emission free, RBI officials and bankers sle free loans but in real- The central bank said Antony Waste Handling price band of `313 to `315 per cent. personalised services to enable noiseless farming in discussed several issues ity charge excessive that consumers should Cell’s initial public offer- per share was subscribed “Intermittent correc- deployment of eSIM and SIM India and across the including monetary poli- rates of interest, have never share copies of ing (IPO) got subscribed 9.67 times by qualified tions cannot be ruled technologies. With this invest- globe. cy transmission and liq- hidden charges and use KYC documents with over 15 times on the last institutional buyers, 18.69 out post the sharp rally ment, eSIM technology will be Sonalika Tiger Electric uidity situation, credit high handedness to unidentified persons, day of the public issue on times by non-institutional witnessed over the last fully integrated into Tata is powered by a IP67 com- flows to different sectors recover their money. unverified/unautho- Wednesday. buyers and 16.55 times by few weeks. Sustenance Communications’ connectivity pliant 25.5 kW natural of the economy including The RBI said such rised apps and should As per the latest update, retail individual invest- of the demand recovery solution offering, it said. cooling compact battery stressed sectors and lending platforms also report such apps/bank Antony Waste IPO has ors, according to sources after the festive season which ensures 1/4th run- MSMEs. apps misuse the agree- account information been subscribed 15.04 close to merchant bankers would be key to any fur- ning costs against the tra- In a statement issued on ments to access data on associated with the apps times. Earlier in March handling the issue. ther upside,” said Hem- ditional diesel engines. Wednesday after the end the mobile phones of to police. 2020, the company had to Antony Waste public ang Jani, head, equity The battery of Tiger of the two-day meeting, withdraw the IPO after it issue received over 9.55 strategy, Motilal Oswal Electric can be fully the RBI said, “The gover- received poor response lakh applications for sub- Financial Services. Vikram Solar charged with a regular nor touched upon the cur- measures taken by the policy transmission and due to Covid-led market scription of shares. home charging point in 10 rent economic situation RBI since the onset of the liquidity situation, credit commissions hours. Tractor has an and emphasised the impo- pandemic to stabilise the flows to different sectors energy efficient Etrac rtance of the banking sec- economy and to ensure including stressed sectors solar plant in WB motor which offers high tor in supporting the ong- financial stability.” and MSMEs, progress in power density and high oing revival in economic Among other matters, the implementation of Vikram Solar on Wednesday peak torque with zero activities. With specific the RBI discussed the cur- reso-lution framework for Cairn wins arbitration, announced commissioning of a RPM drop for optimal per- reference to the financial rent economic situation Covid-related stressed 919.73 kilowatt rooftop solar formance. sector, he highlighted the and outlook, monetary assets, RBI said. plant at its Falta facility in West Bengal. The newly com- Centre told to pay $1.4b missioned plant will fulfil over 27 per cent of the total elec- New Delhi, Dec. 23: India, it said, “failed to interest and cost of arbi- tricity requirement of the said India has been ordered to accord the Claimants’ tration, the order said. unit where the company pro- Google tells scientists to be positive on AI return up to $1.4 billion to (Cairn Energy’s) invest- While the order does not duces photo-voltaic modules. Cairn Energy plc of the ments fair and equitable contain a provision for The 919.73 KWp plant consists Ookland, California, cedure asks that where seemingly inoffen- pitfalls such as disclosing United Kingdom after an treatment” under the challenge or appeal agai- of 2,574 solar panels ranging Dec. 23: Alphabet Inc’s researchers consult with sive projects raise ethical, of trade secrets, eight cur- international arbitration bilateral investment pro- nst the award, the govern- from 325Wp to 400Wp cover- Google this year moved to legal, policy and public reputational, regulatory rent and former employ- overturned tax demanded tection pact the nation ment said it will study the ing an area of 6,500 sq metres. tighten control over its relations teams before or legal issues,” one of the ees said. retrospectively — an awa- had with the UK, it said. arbitration award and scientists’ papers by pursuing topics such as pages for research staff For some projects, rd the government indi- The tribunal ordered the “will consider all options launching a “sensitive top- face and sentiment analy- stated. Reuters could not Google officials have inte- cated it may challenge. government to desist from and take a decision on the ics” review, and in at least sis and categorisations of determine the date of the rvened in later stages. A The three-member tribu- seeking such a tax and further course of action.” three cases requested race, gender or political post, though three current Google manager review- nal, which also comprised return the value of shares Cairn, according to authors refrain from cast- affiliation, according to employees said the policy ing a study on content rec- of a nominee of the it had sold, dividends sources, can use the arbi- Securitised pool ing its technology in a internal webpages began in June. Google ommendation tec-hnology Indian government, unan- seized and tax refunds tration award to approach negative light, according explaining the policy. declined to comment for shortly before publication imously ruled that India’s withheld to recover the courts in countries such collections reach to internal communica- “Advances in technology this story. this summer told authors claim of `10,247 crore in tax demand. as the UK to seize any tions and interviews with and the growing complexi- The “sensitive topics” to “take great care to past taxes over a 2006-07 The government was property owned by India researchers involved in ty of our external envi- process adds a round of strike a positive tone,” internal reorganisation of asked to compensate has overseas to recover pre-Covid levels the work. ronment are increasingly scrutiny to Google’s stan- according to internal cor- Cairn’s India business Cairn “for the total harm the money if the award is Google’s new review pro- leading to situations dard review of papers for respondence. — Reuters was not a valid demand. suffered” together with not honoured. — PTI Crisil Ratings on Wednesday said that with extensive recov- ery efforts by NBFCs and uptick in economic activity, the TRAIL | BLAZERS Anu Aiyengar becomes the only woman and person of colour to head mergers in major US banks collection efficiency ratios of its rated securitised pools for November 2020 payouts have improved to near pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels for most of Indian woman rakes billions for JP Morgan with M&As the asset classes. The median collection efficiency ratios for New York, Dec. 23: As ter Massachusetts winter advised ETrade on its $13 the future of how things how you dress in a profes- November 2020 payouts ANU AIYENGAR, who JPMorgan Chase & Co. in a $5 coat. grew up in Kerala, was billion sale to Morgan happen in all industries is sional environment,” she improved to their highest levels searches for its first major “M&A was traditionally Stanley, a deal that earned forever changed,” she says. in the financial year 2020-21. acquisition in more than a a male bastion-often cigar- promoted to her current the bank $81 million in says. She tried to change her decade, Anu Aiyengar will smoking men in sus- position in February, fees. Aiyengar grew up in the Indian accent to sound have a hand in shaping the penders — and now she is almost 20 years after After travelling every southern Indian state of more American and fret- Printed & Published by giant bank’s future. She’s at the top of the field, ignoring one Wall Street week for two decades to Kerala. Her father worked ted about how to do her K Sudhakar on behalf of Deccan the co-head of its global because she is simply out- interviewer who told her meet clients across the US for the government; her hair and makeup. She Chronicle Holdings Limited. Printed & mergers and acquisitions standing at what she she couldn’t be hired for and sometimes overseas, mother didn’t work but asked the assistant of the Published at Deccan Chronicle Presses business, and the only per- does,” says her boss, M&A because she was Aiyengar found herself went back to school and only senior female on her situated at SP-3 Developed Plot, son of colour and only JPMorgan chief executive of the wrong colour, grounded. She didn’t leave later became a teacher. floor for advice on where Industrial Estate, Guindy, Chennai. woman to hold that posi- officer Jamie Dimon. her Midtown Manhattan Aiyengar says she strug- to shop for clothes, but the Editor: T.Venkatram Reddy, RNI Reg. tion on Wall Street. Advising companies on gender, and country. apartment for 66 days, gled in her early days at prices at the boutique her No. TNENG/2008/25473 Air surcharge Re It’s been a remarkable M&A is one of the prestige running her team over the bank — not with the colleague recommended 1. © All rights reserved. Reproduction in trajectory for an Indian roles in investment bank- to her current position in hired for M&A because Zoom and devising new work but with the culture. shocked her. She turned whole or in part without written per- immigrant who moved to ing, generating both huge February, almost 20 years she was of the wrong ways of thinking about “I didn’t know basic instead to Dress for Succ- mission of The Editor, Financial the US as a teenager to fees and headlines when a after ignoring one Wall colour, gender, and coun- dealmaking amid what things like how you ess, a charity that pro- Chronicle ® is prohibited. study at Smith College, deal comes together. Street interviewer who try. Her year began with a she calls a “seismic shift.” behave and how you talk vides professional attire shivering through the bit- Aiyengar was promoted told her she couldn’t be bang when JPMorgan “The future of work and and how you present and for women. — Bloomberg GAMES pg 8 DECCAN CHRONICLE | CHENNAI | THURSDAY | 24 DECEMBER 2020

BCCI | AGM SHORT TAKES Pregnant woman All eyes on Dada completes 10K run Bengaluru: BACK TO BASICS One of the inspiring stories of the TCS World 10K and his conflicts Bengaluru 2020 is a five-month pregnant woman completing Ahmedabad, Dec. 23: The plete assurance that the the race in just 62 minutes. India begin preparation for second Test inclusion of two new IPL global body will get full tax Meet Ankita Gaur, a mom-to-be, franchises, a discussion on exemption for holding the who completed her TCS World Melbourne, Dec. 23: the contentious tax exemp- World T20 in October- 10K run on Sunday. Determined to leave tion demanded by the ICC November or else it will be Ankita, who has been running behind the embarrassing for global events in India shifted to the UAE. While regularly for the past nine defeat in the series-open- and the formation of vari- there has been precedence years, feels the activity is like er, the Indian team, under ous cricket committees of exemptions during ear- breathing, something which stand-in skipper Ajinkya will be on top of the agen- lier global events, the cur- comes naturally to her. Rahane, switched its focus da when the BCCI holds its rent tax laws won’t allow “This is something I have been to red-ball cricket on 89th AGM here on exemption for a sporting doing for the past nine years, Wednesday with Thursday. event and it will be inter- almost every day. You know, Shubman Gill and others The BCCI will also have a esting to see what will be you wake up and go out for a grinding it out during a new vice president in Rajiv the BCCI’s stand on the run. Of course, there are times, net session ahead of Shukla, who is going to issue. when you are injured or unwell, Boxing Day Test. officially take over after BCCI REPRESENTATIVE you have to take a step back,” Gill, who was not consid- being put forth as the IN ICC said Ankita. ered for the opening Test unanimous choice. Brijesh “Otherwise, I have been running despite scoring 43 and 65 Patel will also continue to BCCI secretary Jay Shah regularly for nine years, so this in the pink-ball warm-up head the IPL governing will remain India’s repre- is something, which is like match, looked in good council. sentative at the ICC on var- breathing for me. It comes to nick as he along with There have been some ious issues like last year me very naturally,” said Gaur. Mayank Agarwal honed discussions on whether along with Ganguly. “Apparently, running is actually his skills at the nets, indi- BCCI president Sourav CRICKET IN OLYMPICS very safe. It’s a good exercise cating that the duo could Ganguly will be asked to run during pregnancy. Also, be the opening combina- about his brand endorse- If BCCI supports cricket at if you look at the American tion for the second Test. ments and the related alle- the Los Angeles Olympics Council of health, everything is The 21-year-old Gill also gations of conflict of inter- in 2028, it might end up los- recommended that if you are a opens for Punjab in the est. But there is no clarity ing its autonomy as being a runner, it’s absolutely okay.” Ranji Trophy and could be if the floor would officially National Sports Federation An engineer by profession, favoured over struggling seek an explanation from means coming under the Ankita has been running TCS Prithvi Shaw, who him on the matter. ambit of sports ministry World 10K since 2013. — PTI returned with scores of 0 The biggest development with constant government and 4 in the two innings at could be the approval of interventions. Adelaide. new IPL teams but prima- VARIOUS CRICKET KL Rahul, who received rily from the 2022 edition. Paul clips Lakers’ COMMITTEES the backing from the leg- “At this point, the 10-team endary Sunil Gavaskar for IPL, if BCCI intends to The BCCI hasn’t constitut- wings in opener the opening slot, too had a conduct it in 2021, will be a ed important cricket sub- Los Angeles: The Los Angeles long stint at the nets. hurried one given that the committees for the longest Lakers sure didn’t have long to Also back at the nets was tendering process and a time. It is understood a savor their 17th NBA title. Ravindra Jadeja, who had mega auction will be diffi- new Cricket Advisory Little more than two months missed the first Test due cult to organise in such a Committee (CAC) will be after the Lakers locked up the to concussion. short span of time,” a sen- formed which will inter- 2020 crown with a Finals win Jadeja went for an hour- ior BCCI official said. view candidates for three over the Miami Heat, they were long spell at the nets dur- new selectors. Also the var- TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR back to the grind in a 116-109 ing which he bowled to ious cricket committees WORLD T20 loss to the Los Angeles Cheteshwar Pujara. He like umpiring committee Clippers on the opening night again returned for a sec- There’s only a week left for and the technical commit- of the 2020-21 campaign on ond stint later, an indica- the BCCI to meet the ICC’s tee are also likely to be Tuesday. tion that he could be deadline of giving com- formed. — PTI Paul George led the Clippers, included in the playing XI less than two weeks after sign- for the Boxing Day Test. ing a four-year contract exten- India were bowled out sion worth a reported $226 mil- for their lowest-ever score lion. of 36 in their second George scored 26 of his 33 innings in the eight-wick- (From left) India’s Wriddhiman Saha, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shubman Gill and R. Ashwin chat during a training points in the second half as the et loss to Australia in the session ahead of the second Test against Australia in Melbourne on Wednesday. — AFP Clippers kept the Lakers at bay. pink-ball Test. Kawhi Leonard added 26 points With Virat Kohli return- talk to the team members, Shastri also had a chat chance. With Mohammed for the third pacer’s slot. for the Clippers, who are out to ing home for the birth of who stood in a circle at the with Rishabh Pant, who Shami ruled out of the Batting coach Vikram expunge the memory of their his first child, Rahane will MCG. came out to bat at the nets remainder of the series Rathour, meanwhile, had agonizing Western Conference now have to take the onus “We are in Melbourne ahead of Wriddhiman with a fractured forearm, a word with young Shaw, semifinals loss to the Denver of inspiring the team to and now as the red-ball Saha. Pant may replace Mohammad Siraj and who is under tremendous Nuggets, who trailed 3-1 in the script a turnaround. Tests start, it is time to Shah in second Test even Navdeep Saini were seen pressure to retain his series but won in seven games. The practice session regroup. #TeamIndia,” though many believe the bowling to Rahane along- place in the XI after his LeBron James led the Lakers begun with head coach BCCI wrote on its Twitter veteran wicketkeeper side Shardul Thakur as below par show in with 22 points. Anthony Davis Ravi Shastri giving a pep handle. should be given one more the trio look to stake claim Adelaide. — PTI added 18 and German point guard Dennis Schroder — a new BCCI officials pose after their friendly match at the addition — scored 14 points Motera stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. — Twitter with 12 rebounds and eight assists. — AFP LYON DOESN’T WARNER, SEAN WANT ASHWIN Confident Rahane is a RULED OUT OF Sarin, Rakshitta & BEDI QUITS DELHI BODY Gukesh win titles COMPARISON bowler’s captain: Ishant SECOND TEST OVER JAITLEY STATUE Chennai: It was a memorable Melbourne, Dec. 23: Ace New Delhi, Dec. 23: Melbourne, Dec. 23: New Delhi, Dec. 23: Lambasting the DDCA for decid- treble for India as Grandmaster Australian spinner Stand-in skipper Ajinkya Star opener David ing to install a statue of its late former President Arun Nihal Sarin, Woman Nathan Lyon says he and Rahane is a “bowler’s cap- Warner and pacer Sean Jaitley at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground, spin legend International Master Rakshitta India’s R Ashwin are sim- tain” whose calm Abbott were on Bishan Singh Bedi has asked the body to remove his Ravi and D Gukesh won the ilar yet different type of demeanour and clear Wednesday ruled out of name from the spectators’ stand, named after him in titles in their respective cate- bowlers, so comparisons communication with the second Test against 2017. gories in the FIDE Online World should not be made players should help him India, beginning here Lashing out at the Delhi and District Cricket Youth and Cadet Rapid between the two. Lyon lead the team well in Saturday, because of a Association’s (DDCA) culture, which he alleged pro- Championships on Tuesday. spoke highly of Ashwin, remainder of the Test mix of injuries and motes nepotism and puts “administrators ahead of While the highly-rated Sarin who he says stands out series against Australia, Covid-19 protocols. Both cricketers”, Bedi also renounced his membership of (Elo 2620) beat Armenian GM with his variations. says India fast bowler Warner and Abbott were the body. He made the demand in a scathing letter Shant Sargyan 1.5-0.5 in the “Ashwin is a world-class Ishant Sharma. outside the team’s bio- addressed to DDCA President Rohan Jaitley, the son of Open under-18 section final, bowler, to be honest. I Ishant, who missed the secure hub to get treat- the late politician, who was a minister in the BJP-led Rakshitta Ravi also won by a have watched him a lot Australia tour due to a ment for their respective NDA government and died last year owing to multiple similar margin against China’s especially when I had side strain injury, said injuries. The duo was health issues. Song Yuxin in the girls under-16 gone to tour India and the Rahane has ability to flown out to Melbourne “I pride myself as a man of immense tolerance and final. subcontinent to try and nicely play the leadership ahead of schedule on patience...but all that I’m afraid, is running out. DDCA The 16-year old Sarin won a learn of him. But he is a role. India’s Ajinkya Rahane (left) and coach Ravi Shastri Saturday due to concern’s has truly tested me and forced me to take this drastic marathon 58-move second very cagey bowler, he has “He’s very quiet and chat during the training session on Wednesday. — AFP over the recent outbreak action,” Bedi wrote in his letter. — PTI game after honours were got all the variations,” confident and I must say of Covid-19 in Sydney’s shared in the first. Lyon said. he’s a bowler’s captain,” say ‘do this or do that ... taincy. He is very calm northern beaches. Meanwhile, Rakshitta after a “He’s very cagey with Ishant told ESPNcricinfo. He is very clear about and composed. I can’t say “While neither player draw in the first game, won the the way he changes his “Whenever we have what he wants from his he does not have a sense has been in a specific second in 39 moves to emerge pace, so he is a very tal- played together and Virat team,” he added. of humor. He jokes ‘hotspot’ on Sydney’s Karthik to lead TN champion. ented bowler. We are sim- has not been around on Rahane has led India to around with us. northern beaches as out- Earlier in the semifinals, Sarin ilar in a way but we are the field, he’d ask me victories both the times “Rahane spreads calm lined by NSW Health, had beaten Italian Francesco very different as well, so I ‘What kind of field you he had captained the side energy in a pressure situ- Cricket Australia’s biose- Sonis 1.5-0.5. can’t really compare want? When you want to in absence of Kohli ation. There won’t be any curity protocols do not in Mushtaq Ali T20 Also, Gukesh made it three wins myself to him. I think his bowl? If you want to go on against Australia and tension, he’d communi- allow them to rejoin the for India when he beat Volodar records speak for his own, (bowling)? ” Afghanistan. cate with the bowlers squad in time for the DC CORRESPONDENT Murzin 2-1 in the final of the so hats off to Ashwin,” he “He’s a bowler’s captain. “You can see what kind very well,” Ishant further Boxing Day test,” Cricket CHENNAI, DEC. 23 under-14 category. added. — PTI He’s not someone who’d of person he is in his cap- added. — PTI Australia said. — PTI Dinesh Karthik will lead Tamil Nadu in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 Angulo takes Goa tournament, to be held in Kolkata from January 10. Messi nets 644th goal, surpasses Pele All-rounder Vijay Shankar past Jamshedpur has been named Karthik's Goa: Igor Angulo scored a stop- Madrid, Dec. 23: Lionel Martin Braithwaite gave cancelled on October 4 after deputy. page-time winner to help FC Messi overtook Pele’s the away side a deserved Napoli decided not to travel The 35-year Karthik will Goa script a thrilling 2-1 win record of goals for a single second 14 minutes later, to Turin because of coron- spearhead a squad that is a over Jamshedpur FC in the club on Tuesday as Messi slipping through avirus cases. mix of experience and Indian Super League at Tilak Barcelona strolled to a 3-0 Sergio Dest who rolled over On Tuesday, Napoli won youth. However, the team Dinesh Karthik Maidan, Vasco, on Wednesday. La Liga win at Real a perfect low cross for the their appeal to the Italian will be without the servic- Stephen Eze (33’) had put Valladolid, while Atletico Danish international to tap Olympic Committee (CONI) es of seasoned India off- Jamshedpur ahead in the first Madrid kept hold of their home. after being handed a 3-0 spinner Ravichandran to personal reasons while half but Angulo’s brilliant brace place at the top of the table. The easy win puts Barca defeat and a one-point Ashwin, Washington medium-pacer K Vignesh, (64’, 90+4’) helped Goa claim Messi struck his 644th goal two points behind Sociedad deduction. As a result Sundar and T. Natarajan, who tested positive for all three points and end JFC’s for Barca, one more than and fourth-placed Juventus, who had started who are away in Australia coronavirus, was replaced six-match unbeaten run. Brazil legend Pele scored for Villarreal, who drew 1-1 at the day with 27 points, fin- on national duty. by all-rounder R S Both sides showed Santos, in the 65th minute of home with Athletic Bilbao. ished it with 24. The state senior selection Jaganath Sinivas. attacking intent from the word. a routine win for Ronald Earlier second-half goals Juventus are fourth, tied committee headed by for- The team is expected to Koeman’s side, who are fifth from Mario Hermoso and on points with Napoli and mer skipper S Vasudevan leave for Kolkata on in La Liga after the win and Marcos Llorente earned Roma, and seven points picked a 20-member squad January 2. eight points behind leaders Atletico a 2-0 win away at a behind leaders AC Milan. keeping in mind the Regd. No. Atletico. Sociedad team. The champions got off to a requirements owing to the TAMIL NADU SQUAD Dinesh Karthik (captain), Barca started on the front FIORENTINA FIRE JUVE terrible start with COVID-19 protocols. TNENG/2010/35692 foot at the Jose Zorrilla Fiorentina’s Franck Ribery Medium-pacer Aswin Crist Vijay Shankar (vice-cap- Stadium, with Messi flash- Elsewhere, Ten-man setting up Dusan Vlahovic returns to the state side tain), B Aparajith, B Printed & Published by ing a curling shot wide in Juventus crashed to their for the opener after just after a gap of three years Indrajith, M Shahrukh Khan, K. Sudhakar on behalf of Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited the seventh minute and first Italian league defeat of three minutes. due to injuries while C Hari Nishaanth, K B Arun and Printed at forcing a superb save from the season 3-0 at home Fiorentina doubled the Sandeep Warrier, who has Karthik, Pradosh Ranjan Deccan Chronicle Presses situated Jordi Masip in the 20th against Fiorentina on lead after 76 minutes with shifted from Kerala, is also Paul, N Jagadeesan, Aswin at SP 3, Developed Plot, Industrial Estate, minute. Tuesday in a nightmare the ball bouncing off Juve’s a part of the team. Crist, M Mohammed, G Guindy, Chennai - 600 032. Barca took the lead sec- final game before Alex Sandro and into the The team also includes Periyasamy, Sandeep RNI Registration No: TN ENG/2005/14987 onds later when Messi Christmas. goal. Martine Caceres spinners M Ashwin, R Sai Warrier, J Kousik, R Sonu Ph Nos: 22254747, 22254748, 22254750, clipped over a beautiful The defeat came hours turned in a Cristiano Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (centre) jumps to head Kishore and M Siddharth. Yadav, M Ashwin, R Sai 22254751 cross which France defend- after the champions learned Biraghi cross from close the ball against Valladolid during their Spanish A few days ago, veteran Kishore, M Siddharth, L Editor: KAUSHIK MITTER er Clement Lenglet headed they must play the match range five minutes later. league match at the Jose Zorrilla stadium in batsman Murali Vijay had Suryapprakash, R S home. against Napoli which was — AFP Valladolid, Spain, on Tuesday. — AFP pulled out of the team due Jaganath Sinivas.