eye ‘A part of my THE SUNDAY EXPRESS MAGAZINE soul goes into Boredom Made the making PUNE,LATECITY Me Do It of asubtle JANUARY3,2021 performance’ Pandemic proved ennui 16PAGES,`5.00 could be the gateway to —Pankaj Tripathi re-engagingwith the world ACTOR DAILYFROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM PAGES 13, 14,15 PAGE 8

REGULATOR TO MAKE ASTATEMENT TODAY KEYROUNDOFTALKSTOMORROW Farm groups warn:If DayafterOxford’s,expertpanelclears demands not met, will ` 87 per kilo enter Delhi on Jan 26 ` 115 per kilo indigenousBharatBiotechvaccine ` 141 per kilo ANANYATIWARI Late-stage trial Won’t take NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 data pending, WITH THE government still to ‘BJP vaccine’, decide on twooftheir four key decision in demands, farmer unions op- Maharashtra ‘public interest’ says SP chief; posedtothe newagriculture laws Saturdaythreatenedtolead Farmer groups in Delhi on govt to attracts flak atractor rallyintoDelhi on Saturday. Amit Mehra PRABHARAGHAVAN January26ifthe demands are penalisebabus NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 notmet by then. ASADREHMAN Thegovernment and farmer of acentral MSP Act, covering 23 clocking in late AN EXPERTpanel under India’s LUCKNOW,JANUARY2 unions arescheduledtomeet crops growninthe country. topdrug regulator on Saturday again on January4to decide on At their lastmeeting on recommendedrestricted emer- SAMAJWADI PARTYpresident demandstorepeal the three December 30, the Centreagreed 3ormoredays of gency approval forCovaxin, Akhilesh YadavonSaturdaysaid newly enacted farm laws and to “decriminalise” stubbleburn- slackness will Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19vac- he would nottakethe “BJP’s vac- provision of legal guarantee on ing by excluding farmers from cine candidatethat is currently cine”, and that when “our govern- the minimum supportprice for the ambit of the ‘Commission for costaday’s leave undertesting in the country. ment” comes to power, everyone procurement —farmer unions the Air QualityManagement in The expertpanel has now would be vaccinated forfree. arepressing forthe enactment CONTINUEDONPAGE2 recommended restrictedclear- Following criticism, he sub- SANDEEPASHAR ance fortwo vaccine candidates Healthworkers during avaccinedry run at Guru TegBahadur Hospital, in NewDelhi on sequentlytweeted that he had MUMBAI,JANUARY2 in as manydays—onFriday, it Saturday. Praveen Khanna DRYRUNIN3HEALTHCENTRESINPUNEPAGE6 “full confidence” in the ability of recommendedsimilar approval scientists, but he would nottake UP farmer kills himself GOINGTOabureaucrat’s office forCovishield,the variant of the the BJP's “political vaccine”. and hearing the peon say, “Sahab Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine that “Main tohnahi lagwaunga ‘to oppose bills’; third ab taknahin aaye”will soonbea is being manufactured under li- abhi vaccine.Maineapnibaat keh thing of the past. Thatisifthe cence in India by Pune-based Free vaccine for 3crore di. Aurwoh bhi BJP lagayegi uska Maharashtragovernmenthas its Serum InstituteofIndia. bharosa karungamain? Arre, jao suicide at protest site way. Cracking the whip on habit- The recommendations in healthcare, frontline bhai. Arre, apni sarkar ayegi, sabko uallatecomers,Maharashtra has favour of Covishield and Covaxin free vaccine lagegi. HumBJP ka vac- sinceNovember28.“We received decidedtostart penalising staff, pave the wayfor Drug Controller cine nahin lagwasakte (I will not SUKRITABARUAH information thatapersonhad including senior stateemploy- General of India (DCGI) Dr VG Justastep staff: Health Minister getthe vaccine now. Iamtelling NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 diedatthe protestsiteinthe ees, whoturn up latefor work.It Somani to clear the two awaynow youaboutmyself. Am Igoingto morning, following whichapo- has decidedtostart deducting candidates foruse in the coun- of vaccinating thethirdpriority trustavaccinegiven by the BJP? AFARMER in his 70sfromUttar lice vehicle wassent. He wasde- earnedleavesoflatecomers. try’s imminent mass vaccination KAUNAINSHERIFFM group —persons aboveage 50, Oh, getlost. When our govern- Pradesh’s Rampur district killed clareddeadon arrivalatthe near- According to anew circular programme. CLEARANCE BY the NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 and persons belowage 50 with mentcomes, everyone willget himself Saturdaymorning at the esthospital,” said SP,City II issued by the Uddhav The DCGI is scheduledto CentralDrugs Standard associated comorbidities. the vaccine free),” the former Ghazipur protestsitenear the Ghaziabad, GyanendraKumar. Thackeray-ledGeneral makeastatement to the media Control Organisation's DAYS BEFORE the mass immu- “In 1stphase of Chief Minister saidatapress con- Delhi-UP border.Inapurported In his ‘suicide note’, Singh Administration Department, on the Covid-19vaccineat11am expertpanel takesavac- nisation programme againstthe #COVID19Vaccination, free ference in Lucknow. suicide note,hewrotethat he wrotethat his death would be three or more days of tardiness on Sunday. cine candidate justastep novelcoronavirus is rolledout, #vaccineshall be provided Asked aboutSaturday’s vac- wastakingthe step “to oppose his contributiontothe agitation. in amonth will leadtoforfeiture Since the beginning of the away from obtaining fi- Health MinisterDrHarsh across the nation to mostpriori- cination dryrun in the state, he the farm bills”. “Ihavecome to Delhibecause of aday’s casual leave. Further pandemic in February, the novel nal regulatoryapproval. Vardhan announcedonSaturday tisedbeneficiaries that incl[ude] said mockingly, “What Corona? According to the Ghaziabad the three farm laws…are notin those reporting latetowork coronavirus has sickenedover1 Once DCGI takesthis fi- that healthcareworkers and 1crore healthcare&2crore Who has Corona here? The gov- Police, Kashmir Singh Dass, from favour of farmers. These arenot forovernine or moredays will crore, and killednearly 1.5lakh nal step, mass vaccina- frontline workers will getthe frontline workers. Details of how ernment is notaccepting that Pashiapur villageinRampur, was beneficial to all farmers of India. see adailydeduction of people in India. tion can begin as soon as vaccine forfree. further 27 cr[ore] priority bene- thereisCorona. Then whyare foundedhanging from the ceiling Farmers want the government earnedleaves. The SubjectExpert the government is ready. The Ministersaid the govern- ficiaries aretobevaccinated theydoing this dryrun? When inside atoiletatGhazipur, where to take these bills back. The CONTINUEDONPAGE2 CONTINUEDONPAGE2 ment is still working on details CONTINUEDONPAGE2 CONTINUEDONPAGE2 farmers have been protesting CONTINUEDONPAGE2

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SP chief have neverseenthis before.” noticeafter protest Askedif there willbepromises did the government accept relating to religion in the mani- Panel clears Bharat Biotechvaccine Corona?Theyonlyacceptitwhen festoofthe SP forthe 2022 over ‘discrimination’ the Oppositiondoes something.” Assemblyelections,Akhileshsaid, Committee’s (SEC’s) recom- “in public interestasanabun- tedtothe SEC overthe past24 doses aretobegiven 28 days On the arrangementsfor the “Iamveryreligious.Thereisatem- mendation for “restrictedusein dant precaution, in clinical trial hours,or whether thepanel had apart. Covaxin has been devel- “meanwhile, the advertisement inoculation exercise,the SP chief pleinfrontof my house,insidemy emergency situation” of mode”, the MinistryofHealth made itsrecommendation af- opedbyBharatBiotech in col- ARUNSHARMA is deferred/withdrawn”. said, “This government, which house.TheCMresidencethatIva- Covaxin came in light of “infec- and FamilyWelfareinastate- terperusing this information. laboration with the Indian JAMMU,JANUARY2 The Jammu Kashmir Service wasgettingridof Coronaby bang- catedhas abeautiful temple built tion by mutant strains” of the ment issuedonSaturday Bharat Biotech did notre- Council of Medical Research SelectionBoardhad on Fridayis- ing thalis and clapping, whydoes by me.Thisisnothing new.” virus that have emergedinthe evening. The Ministrystate- spond to queries about whatin- (ICMR). Sources had told The FOLLOWINGPROTESTS by un- suedanadvertisement for136 itneedtoarrange freezersandcold On lawand order in the state, United Kingdomand several ment said the SEC had also rec- formation it had submitted to Indian Express earlier that, in employedagriculturegraduates posts in Kashmir and 20 in chains? Theyshould justbang he said: “Has UP seen the highest othercountriesin recentweeks. ommendedthatZydus Cadila, theSEC,andthenumber of par- applying formarketing ap- in Jammu, accusing the UT gov- Jammu. The advertisement trig- thalis and clap. Corona will go on numberof fakeencountersornot? The decision wastaken af- whichhas been testing itsown ticipantsithad recruited and proval forCovaxininearly ernment of discrimination in the geredsharp reactionsfromcrit- itsown. Whydoes agovernment Has the statenot seen fake en- terthe committee, whichhad candidate, ZyCoV-D, should be dosedinits phase 3trials so far. December,Bharat Biotech had distribution of vacancies be- ics of the BJP. that clappedand banged thalis counters on the basisofreligion earlier sought additional infor- allowedtobegin late-stage hu- The companyhadearlier re- submitted interim datarelated tween Jammu and Kashmir di- “Jammu province votes for and flewhelicopters over hospi- and caste? Hasthe statehad the mation from Bharat Biotech,re- man trials in the country. ceivedthe regulator’s green to the safetyand immunogenic- visions,the government has BJP and ungrateful BJP despises tals, needsuchanelaboratecold mostcustodialdeathsornot?Has convenedonSaturdaytocon- The SEC had on Fridayasked light to conduct large-scale ity of itsvaccine from phase 1 withdrawnanadvertisement her and appeases Kashmir and chain? Youand Iare sitting here theNHRC servedthemostnotices sider the Bharat Biotech to expeditere- phase 3clinicaltrials of Covaxin and 2trials, whichwerecon- seeking applications forvacan- the privileged people it house,” without masks. Covid is onlyfor to thestate government or not? Hyderabad-headquartered cruitment of volunteers forthe on around 26,000 participants ductedon around 1,000partic- cies of Agriculture Extension wroteHari Om, aretired Jammu theOpposition,sothatweare un- The UP government has been in- company's requestfor market- ongoing phase 3trials of across the country. It an- ipants. Assistants. University Professor and senior abletodoanything.” structedto give compensationfor ing approval,eventhough the Covaxin and, in the meantime, nouncedonDecember 22 that The phase3trials areex- “Regarding leader of IkkJutt Jammu -- a Criticising the government's fake encounters. Has this hap- vaccine is yettocomplete late- submit an interim analysis of it had successfullyrecruited pectedto give greater clarity on #JammuAndKashmir SSB ad- Hindutvaoutfit seeking separa- response to the pandemic, penedornot?Has thecourt not stagehuman clinical trials in dataonthe vaccine’s efficacy, around 23,000 of thesevolun- the vaccine’s efficacy and, on vertisement forAgriculture tion of Jammu division as astate. Akhilesh said: “What jobs have saidthatUPhasjungleraj?Are our India. that is, itsability to bring down teers. It is unclear howmany December 9,theSEChad asked Department posts,Ihave taken He said the separation of Jammu theygiven?TheChief Ministerfirst daughters and sisters notfacing Afterthe deliberations, the the number of symptomatic participantsreceivedatleast the companytosubmit up- cognizanceofinputsfromaspi- as astate wasthe onlysolution. said that 4lakh jobsweregiven, crime...?Neverbeforehasthestate SEC made itsrecommendation Covid-19cases. twodoses of the vaccine. The dated information from this rant youth and discussedthe is- Severalothers said “it wasall then 15 lakh, and then 1.5crore seensuchinjustice.” to the Central Drugs Standard It wasnot immediatelyclear phase 3trial commencedon phase of itstrial, the sources had sue with Principal SecretarySh about the number of posts va- jobs...Noonegot jobs.”Adityanath, Control Organisation (CDSCO) whether this datawas submit- November 16,and the two said. Naveen Choudhary,’’ tweetedDr cant in respective divisions”, hesaid,wasonlyinauguratingin- Farm groups JitendraSingh, Union Ministerof pointing out the difference in va- frastructuresuchastheMetrothat National Capital Region and Stateinthe PMO. cancies fordrivers and police had been built by the previous SP AdjoiningAreasOrdinance2020’, ‘Free vaccine for 3crhealthcareworkers’ “He (Choudhary) is examin- personnel this year and last year government. “He is inaugurating and drop those provisions of the ing the matter,”hewrote,adding forthe twodivisions. the same thingthrice,” Akhilesh draftElectricity Amendment Bill, said. 2020, whichintend to changethe until Julyare being finalised,” firstdry run in four states on activities. the Co-WIN platform, which Reactingto theSPchief’sstate- existingmodeof subsidypayment Vardhan postedonTwitter. December 28-29, the Centre Significantly, thetrial was will provide real-time informa- ment about the vaccine, BJP state to consumers. The Ministervisited two had identifiedfocus areas in- heldasthenationaldrugregula- tiononvaccinestocks,theirstor- chief SwatantraDev Singh TheSamyuktKisanUnion,the mockvaccination sites in Delhi cluding better mapping of re- torconsiders granting emer- agetemperature,andindividual tweeted,“The‘BJP’svaccine’to end umbrella body of farmer unions to reviewthe inoculation dry mote locations,real-time re- gency approval to vaccine can- beneficiaries of the shots, gunda rajand corruption has camping at thegates of Delhito run on Saturday. The dryrun porting of adverseevents, and didatesmanufacturedby Serum Vardhan saidonSaturday. provedto beeffective.Whichvac- presstheirdemands,toldthepress wascarriedout at 285session rampinguptraining,andhadin- InstituteofIndiaand Bharat The country’s cold chain in- cine areyou talking about, Saturdaythat if all their demands sitesin125districtsof thecoun- corporated changes in the na- Biotech. “The entireexercise of frastructure has been suffi- AkhileshYadavji?” arenot metbyJanuary26–British try. Feedbackfromthe states tionwide dryrun. thevaccinationprocessisbeing cientlyupgradedtoensurelast- DeputyChief MinisterKeshav PrimeMinisterBorisJohnsonisto would be analysed for “ironing Saturday'sexercisewascar- systematicallytaken forward, mile delivery,and adequate Prasad Maurya said, “Akhilesh bechiefguestatthe Republic Day out anyglitches” duringthe ac- riedout in at leastthree session including training of personnel supplies of syringes and other Yadavji,by refusingto getthecoro- celebrations this year – the farm- tual rollout. sitesinall statecapitals. The foradministering the vaccine. logisticshave beenarranged,he navirusvaccine,youhaveinaway ersshall“peacefullyandnon-vio- “...Dryrun will endwithre- Centrehad asked states to also Detailedguidelines have been said. notjustdisrespectedthecountry’s lently” lead atractor parade into viewmeetings at district and include districts with difficult issuedtomultiple stakeholders TheMinisterurged citizens government, but youhavealso Delhi, and across the country. statelevel to discuss the issues terrain or poorlogistic support afterextensive deliberations, to notfall prey to rumours and disrespected the country's scien- The press conference wasad- and challenges encountered in the trial run. payingattention to each and disinformation campaigns re- tists and doctors who have dressedbyJagjit SinghDallewal, during the exercise. States have States were directed to en- everyminuteaspect,” Vardhan gardingthe safetyand efficacy worked dayand night to prepare BKU (Sidhupur) president; been requestedtosharethe sure physicalverification of all said aftervisiting GTBHospital of the vaccine. the vaccine, forwhichthe whole Darshanpal, Krantikari Kisan feedbackwithMoHFWwhich proposed sites foradequacyof in Delhi. “Ihaveample personal ex- Ocean Dream cruise arrivedatAlang on Friday. Express countryand the worldwas wait- Union president;Balbir Singh will be analyzedfor ironing out space, logistic arrangements, Some 96,000 vaccinators periencefromthepolioeradica- ing.” Akhilesh subsequently Rajewal,BKU(Rajewal)president; anyglitches in the final execu- Internetconnectivity,electricity, have been trained, including tion campaign of 1994 about tweeted:“Ihavefullconfidencein Gurnam Singh Chaduni, BKU tion andfurther refinement of and safety. They were told that 2,360 in aNational Training of howthe people of the country theabilityof scientists,butIdonot (Chaduni)president;Ashok theoperationalprocedures,”the the model sites in the statecap- Trainers,andover57,000indis- placedtheir trustinthe science Queuing up at Alang trustthe BJP’s unscientific clap- Dhawale, national president of HealthMinistrysaidinarelease. italsshouldhaveseparate entry trict-leveltrainingcarriedoutin of the vaccine rather than[be- ping-and-bangingplatesthinking, Akhil BharatiyaKisanSabha; The Indian Express had re- and exit in a “three-room set- 719districts. lieving] the falsehoods and ca- and the BJP government’s AbhimanyuKohad of Akhil portedonFridaythat basedon up”, with adequatespace out- Morethan 75 lakhbenefici- nards beingspreadbysomeru- shipbreaking yard, arrangementsforthedistribution BharatiyaKisan Mazdoor the detailedfeedbackfromthe side forawareness generation aries have been registeredon mour-mongers,”hesaid. of thevaccine, which have re- Mahasangh;andYogendraYadav, mainedparalysedduringthepan- president of Swaraj India. Covid-hit cruise liners demic.We willnotgetashotofthe “If by January26,thedemands copiesofthethreefarmslaws shall lives… (so) Iamsacrificing my married. Maharashtra BJP’spoliticalvaccine.TheSPgov- arenot metbythe government, be burnt as asymbolic protest. To body to oppose the three farm ThoseatGhazipur remember that vessel at Portof Yokohama in ernment willgivethe vaccinefor then farmers protesting at Delhi’s honour women farmers and pro- bills,” read the note,written in him as someone who did alot of In cases wherethe employee AVINASHNAIR Japan and the outbreak eventu- free.” At thepress conference, re- borders shall peacefullyand non- testers, January18will be cele- Gurmukhi script. sewa at the protest. “Whenever has no casual leave pending, the AHMEDABAD,JANUARY2 allyled to about 700infections ferringto theanti-conversionordi- violently lead atrolley/tractor pa- brated as Mahila KisanDiwas. Introducinghimself inhisnote, therewas shortage of anyitem— deduction will happen from the and sevendeaths, he added. nance brought by thestate gov- rade intoDelhi. These marches “On January23, the birthan- he wrote: “Iwork24hours as ‘se- milk,besan, sugar,atta—at any paidleave. In cases where all bal- OCEAN DREAM, a40-year-old OceanDream,the cruiseliner ernment to curb so-called “love shall alsobeheldinall stateand niversaryofNetajiSubhas vadar’ in the community kitchen of the langars, he would make anceleaveshavebeenexhausted, cruise ship sailing under the flag whicharrived at plotnumber 61 jihad”, Akhilesh said, “In Uttar districtcapitals,”Darshanpalsaid. Chandra Bose, we shall celebrate at GurudwaraSukh Sagar Sahib, arrangementsfor itto bebrought the employeewill lose pay. of Comoros, arrivedatAlang ship- in Alang Friday, wasbuilt in Pradesh, thereisascheme by BalbirSinghRajewalsaid:“Our AzadKisanDiwas.We willorgan- Pipal Kotali, on the wayto here,” said GurpreetAtwaal, also Giving lessons in punctuality breaking yard Fridaytobedis- Denmarkin1981. The vessel, whichyoucanclaimRs50,000for manner(of protest)willbepeace- iseprotestsbyfarmersoutsideof- Hemkund Sahib”. from Rampur district. to employees, the newcircular mantled.Thisis thesecond cruise whichweighs 35,265tonnes and an inter-religious marriageoran ful and non-violent, as we have ficialresidencesof Governorsinall Singh’ssonLakhvirSinghLadi This is the thirdsuicide also said that those reporting an ship to arrive at one of the world’s is 205-metrelong, has about 10- inter-caste marriage.Thenwhatis been,andshallalways beso.Ifpo- statecapitals – Governors repre- saidthefamilywouldgetthebody among protestersat the Capital’s hourand ahalf latefor more than biggestship-breaking yardsin odd decks and can carry about thislawthatyouarebringingin?” lice want to use anyviolent sent the central government in transportedtotheir villagefor fi- borders.Thefirstwas of 65-year- twooccasions will have to stay Bhavnagar within 40 days. 1,400passengers and 550crew Asked aboutthe suicides by method on us when we enter, everystate,” Darshanpal said. nal rites. He said, “My fatherwas old Sant BabaRam Singh, areli- backafteroffice hours to makeup On November 21,luxury members. It has 670passenger protesting farmers, he said, “I theyare free to do so.” Chaduni said enactment of a at Ghazipur foraround 20-25 gious leader from Haryana's forthe losttime. The normal re- cruise liner MV Karnika had cabins, asports deck, ballrooms, would liketocongratulateour Aplan of action forthe month centralMSPAct,covering23crops days.Noone knew he wasgoing Karnal district. He had shothim- porting time forMantralaya em- reachedAlang to be demolished lounges, abook corner,swim- farmer brothers... The Samajwadi wasalsoannounced.“If talkswith growninthecountry,isoneof the to do something likethis; he had self near Kundli stating that he ployees is 9.45am. Citingtravel afteraround ayear’s gap. mingpools,jacuzzis, coffeeshops, Partyiswiththe farmers at every the government do notsucceed maindemandsof thefarmers.“In notmentionedanythingto us.We waspainedbythe plight of farm- constraints, the government has Haresh Parmar,the honorary bars, and asunbathing deck. step of their struggle. Our party is onJanuary4,farmerswillorganise thelastfew decades,farmershave onlyfound outwhen some of our ers. The second wasofAmarjit permitted agrace period of an joint secretaryofShip Recycling “It wasnot being operated facing cases at severalplaces [for amarch or parade on the KMP lost3-4lakhcrore astheyhavenot farmer brothers calledusinthe Singh Rai, a63-year-old lawyer hour.The time between10.45 am Industries Association of India since the pandemic beganlast holding protests]. We will keep ExpresswayfromSinghu border, been paid as per MSP.Settingup morning and told us what hap- from Punjab's Fazilka district, and 12.15pmwill be treated as (SRIA), said, “In last40days, MV year,” Nazir Kaliwala, aship- giving voice to the farmers of the andShahjahanpurprotestersshall MSP,and buying as per MSP,are pened.” who diedafter consuming pesti- latearrival, while those coming Karnikaand OceanDream have breaker at Alang who heads NBM country. move towardsDelhi,”Darshanpal twovastlydifferentthings.Wede- Singh is survivedbythree cide at the Tikri protestsite. later than that lose ahalf day’s reachedAlang forbeingdemol- Iron and Steel Trading Pvt Ltd, “The farmers of Punjab, said. Tractor/trolleyrallies will be mand acentral MSP Act,” he said. sons and adaughter,and five Niranjan Singh, a70-year-old salary. Thegovernment has, how- ished. We areexpecting at least said. Haryanaandotherplacesaresay- heldfromJanuary6to 20aspartof grandchildren. farmer from Punjab's Tarn Taran ever,said being latedue to trains twomorecruises to reachAlang The lastdecade of Ocean ingtherightthingaboutMSP.The Desh JagritiAbhiyan to counter In hisnote,KashmirSingh district,hadattemptedsuicideat running behind schedule and fordismantling in Januaryitself.” Dream’s sailing career wasspent BJP had said theywould double “lies thatare being spread… on UP farmer also referred to "troubles" be- the Singhuborderby consuming othervalid reasons should be Athirdvessel, Soviet-built under the Japanese NGO the income of farmers. Farmers the aims and intention of the governmentisnotrepealingthem. tween his daughter,who is mar- tablets meant forpestcontrol, but condoned. Department heads Marco Polo, is expected to reach Peace Boat. The vessel, Kaliwala aresaying that theyshould get farmer movement. We willbe Morethan50farmers from ried, andoneof herrelatives, and survived. have beenaskedto reviewatten- Alang later this month. The said, had joinedPeace Boat in MSPwhichwoulddoubletheirin- bustingliesthatwe areKhalistani, Punjab have alreadydiedinthis further askedthatthe"sangat" or (WITHINPUTSFROM dance of their staffonamonthly European owner of the 14,000- 2012 and continuedtoconduct come. The waythis government middlemen,”Rajewal said. agitation. But no farmer from UP Sikh community arrangefor KAMALDEEPSINGHBRAR) basis, asking eachone of them to tonne ship, Parmar said, had gone worldvoyages and shorttrips in lies and makes false promises... I On January13, whichisLohri, and Uttarakhand has giventheir his twogrand-daughters to be submit biannual reports. bankruptfollowingwhichalocal Japan till the onsetofthe pan- courtauctionedit. demic. “It wasstationednear “There is no hope forcruise Hiroshima when it retired.We vessels forthe next six to eight bought the vessel foraround Rs Time to build MNCs, spreadIndiainfluence in world:Modi months as the Americans and 52 crore,” he added. Europeans, who form thebiggest The 70,310-tonne luxury Ministersaid at the virtual tomorrow's multinational ple. Responsibilities were forms” from the “farm to the local global, all of youand your group of cruise travellers, arethe cruise linerMVKarnika, ship- DIPANKAR GHOSE foundation stone laying forthe companies. taken, jan bhagidari schemes space sector” had created wide IIM colleagues have to find new mostaffected by the Covid-19. breakers said, wasthe firsttoar- NEWDELHI, JANUARY 2 permanent campus of IIM “And whichcities arethese were launched.Onall these scope forstart-ups, Modi said. and innovative solutions.Ibe- Since itsoutbreak,moreand rive at Alang in the lastone year. Sambalpur.Odisha Chief start-ups being built in? Those subjects,thereshould be doc- “Forthese newpossibilities, lievethat our IIMs, in the mis- morecruise liners arebeing sold The 14-deck vessel belongedto THE NEW decade is forthe MinisterNaveen Patnaik was whichwecall in our language uments, thereshould be re- youhavetoreadyyourself. You sion of aatmanirbharta,can as scrap,” he added. Jalesh Cruises, asistercompany “building of newmultinational also present at the ceremony. Tier 2, Tier 3cities. Todayyou search.How did acountryof have to join your career with work as abridgebetween local According to Parmar,thereare of Essel Group. Itsoperations had companies within India”, and In previous decades, multi- gettosee the explosion of start- 130crore people innovate from India’s hopesand dreams. In produce and international col- hardlyany cruise liners in opera- come to astandstill aftercreditors the time is perfect for “India’s national companies from “out- ups in those places.” time to time? Howdid India ex- the newdecade, to give Brand laboration. Your alumni net- tion afterthe pandemic. “The arrestedthevesselthrough anor- influencetospread across the side India” came to this coun- Modi said: “Iwant to ask pandcapacity and capabilityin India anew global recognition work that is spread across cor- Covid-19outbreak on Diamond der of admiralty courtonMarch world”, Prime Minister tryand grew here, Modi said. you, other IIMs and other busi- averyshorttime? is responsibility forall of us, but ners of theworld, canhelp a Princess, acruiseship dockedin 17 last year.Though attempts NarendraModi said on “This decade, and this age, is of ness management schools to “Thereisaverybig lesson especiallyfor the youth.” great deal in this. Until 2014, Japan in February2020, causeda were made to restartoperations Saturday. the building of newmultina- study howthe countryworked formanagement here. During The IIMs can “act as a therewere13IIMs. Nowthere global scarewith regard to cruise postthe Covid-10nationwide HowIndia managed the tionals in India. That India’s in- during the Corona pandemic Covid, apermanent solutionfor bridge” between the are20IIMs.Suchabig talent tourism,” Parmar said.Morethan lockdown, thecompanyofficially Covid-19pandemic should be fluence spreads across the with technology and team- PPE kits, masks, ventilators,has Aatmanirbhar Bharat pro- pool can give alot of expansion 3,600passengersandcrew mem- discontinueditinOctober asubject of “documentation world, this is the perfect time work.How steps were takenfor been found.” gramme and international col- to the Aatmanirbhar abhiyan,” bers were quarantinedonboard lastyear. and research”, the Prime forthat. Today’s start-ups are the protection of 130crore peo- The “unprecedented re- laboration, Modi said. “To make he said.

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85 test positive TRACKING INDIA’S COVID CURVE Permissibleinemergencies:Jamaat at Chennai hotel 306 CASES: ACTIVECASES:2,50,183 since Dec 15 DAYSSINCE 1,03,05,788 DEATHS:1,49,218 PANDEMIC BEGAN TESTS: 17,39,41,658 | RECOVERIES: 99,06,387 Chennai: Atotal of 85 people at weighsinon‘haraamvaccine’row ITCGrand Chola in Chennai, in- CASES DEATHS RECOVERIES TESTS cluding staffmembers, have JAN1 19,079 22422,926 8,29,964 tested positive forCovid-19since ble substance is transformed lines regarding itsuse or non-use chimpanzees, and researchers Jamaat forthe spread of the December 15,aseniorofficial LIZMATHEW intosomething completely dif- will be issued”. have genetically changed the coronavirus, “planned” commu- said on Saturday. NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 ferent in terms of properties and Asection of Muslim scholars adenovirus by adding the ge- nal violence in NortheastDelhi, Of the 609 samples collected characteristics, then it maybe in India and Islamic organisa- netic material of the spikeglyco- and the “police attack” on stu- till date, 85 were found to be pos- AMID CLAIMS by some Muslim considered as clean and permis- tions in countries likeUAE and proteins that arefoundonthe dentsofJamia Millia Islamia itive.Following this, the Greater scholars that the Covid vaccine sible. On this basis, the use of gel- Indonesia have declaredthat the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Universityand AMU. “Jamaat Chennai Corporation has been cannotbeadministeredto atin derivedfromthe body part vaccines cannotbeadministered Spokespersons of Pfizer, feels thatthese laws areone of instructed to carry out saturation members of the Muslim com- of aharam (unlawful)animal has to Muslimsastheycontain pork Moderna and AstraZeneca have the manywaystokeep the testing of all the guests at the ho- STATESWITHRISINGACTIVECASES munity as it contains ingredients been considered permissible by gelatin. In India, the All India clarified that porkproducts are flames of ‘anti-minorityism’ or tel, Health Secretary ACTIVECASES RISEINLASTWEEK considered “haraam(unlawful)” Islamic jurists,” he said.“Even Sunni Jamiat-ul-Ulema Council notpartoftheir Covid-19vac- Islamophobia alive.Theyare be- JRadhakrishnansaid. PTI Kerala 65,1311,035 forconsumption in Islam, the those jurists who disagree with and Raza AcademyinMumbai cines. But pork-derivedgelatin ing promulgated forstrengthen- Jharkhand 1,68295 Jamaat-e-Islami (Hind) on the above transformation rule have declared them as “haram” has been widelyusedasastabi- ing the agenda of hateand polar- Saturday triedtoclarify the the- sanction avaccine whichcon- and appealedtoMuslims notto lizer to ensurevaccines remain ization,”the organisation said. India-UK flights ologicalposition, saying avac- tains prohibited substances in use the vaccine with pork safeand effectiveduring storage The outfitsaid that everyis- STATESWHEREACTIVECASESAREDECLINING cine with unlawful substances case of unavailability of halal gelatin. and transport. sue is being looked through the to restart Jan 6: ACTIVECASES DECLINEINLASTWEEK will be permissible in emer- vaccines, in direand emergency The Oxfordvaccine uses At the press conference, the “communal prism” forpolitical Maharashtra 52,084 4,739 gency situations to protect hu- situations.” Chimpanzee adenoviral vector outfit alsoslammedthe “dicta- gains. It extendedits supportto Hardeep Puri Chhattisgarh11,3443,415 man livesincase of unavailabil- However, he addedthat “the while Bharat Biotech uses the in- torial approach” of various BJP- the protesting farmers saying it West Bengal 11,616 3,133 ity of anyother vaccine source of ingredientsofthe pop- activatedSARS-CoV-2.The governedstatesoverpassageof agreedwith their “point-of-view NewDelhi: Aviation Minister containing lawful substances. ular vaccines, whichhavebeen Oxfordvaccine ChAdOx1nCoV- ordinances in the name of “un- that the newlawswill end the Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday STATESREPORTINGMAXIMUMCASES Dr Razi-ul-Islam Nadwi, made public, is notyet known 19 is made from aweakenedver- lawful religious conversion” and MSP supportunless there is ale- said flightsfromIndia to theUK ONJAN1TOTAL Secretaryofthe JIH Shariah withcertainty.After becoming sion of acommon cold aden- “deliberateefforts to polarise so- galguarantee of procurement at will resume from January6, Kerala 4,9917,65,925 Council, said, “If an impermissi- fullyaware of it,further guide- ovirus that causesinfection in ciety” by blaming the Tablighi MSP”. while servicesfromthat country Maharashtra3,52419,35,636 to herewould resume from January8. Delhi 1,1535,53,216 Vaccination to Gujarat: 4UKreturneestest “Resumption of flightsbe- STATESREPORTINGMAXIMUMDEATHS tween India &UK: India to UK ONJAN1TOTAL start around positivefor new Covid strain from 6Jan 2021. UK to India from Maharashtra 63 50,727 8Jan 2021.30flightswill operate West Bengal 26 9,738 Sankranti: Yogi everyweek.15eachbyIndian& said,hadreturnedfromtheUKon UK carriers," Puri tweeted. PTI Kerala 23 3,203 RITUSHARMA the same flight on December 22 EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE AHMEDABAD,JANUARY2 and arefromdifferent partsof DataasonJanuary1,releasedbyUnionMinistryofHealthandFamilyWelfare,IndianCouncilofMedical Researchandstategovernments.Often,thenumbersreleasedeverydaycontaindatafrompreviousdays LUCKNOW,JANUARY2 Gujarat. aswell.Assuch,trendsbasedondailynumbersareonlyindicativeandnotdefinitive FOUR PERSONS who recentlyre- “As per the centralgovern- UTTAR PRADESH Chief turnedtoGujarat from the UK ment's guidelines, these four pa- MinisterYogi Adityanath on have tested positivefor thenew tientsweretaken to SVPHospital Saturdaysaidvaccinationwill strain of coronavirus, the state and kept in aseparateisolation be startedinthe statearound health departmentsaid Saturday. ward right from the firstday...” BSY to discuss Cabinet ‘Makar Sankranti’, celebrated Thefourpassengershave beenad- Shivaharesaid. on January14. mitted to theAhmedabad expansion with BJP Speaking at aprogramme Municipal Corporation-run SVP to laythe foundation stone of Hospital in Ahmedabad,officials alawyer’s building in said. Gujarat Health Karnataka in-charge Gorakhpur collectoratecam- Commissioner Jai Prakash pus, Adityanath reiterated the Shivaharesaid, “As per the test re- “success” of the state govern- ports from the National Institute PRESS TRUST OF INDIA ment's battle againstthe coro- of Virology (NIV) in Pune, which BENGALURU, JANUARY 2 Karnataka navirus. arrivedtoday (Saturday), the four CM BS He saidUttar Pradesh and patientsare infectedwiththemu- DISCUSSIONS ON the much- Yediyurappa the countryovercame the pan- tant Covid-19strain. All four are awaited expansion or reshuffle of demic under the leadershipof admitted at SVPHospital and are Karnatakacabinethaveonceagain Prime MinisterNarendraModi. undercontinuousmonitoringina come to the fore with Chief reshuffle waslikelythis month. Talkingabout the crisis Avolunteerparticipates in avaccine dryrun at ahospital in separatewardandaredoingfine.” MinisterBSYediyurappa on Yediyurappa has been waiting for facedbymigrant workers in Jaipur on Saturday. Rohit Jain Paras Thefourpassengers,Shivahare Saturdaysaying he will hold talks some time nowtocarry out the the initial stages of the lock- in this connection with BJP na- cabinet exercise, as he wasasked down, he said over 40 lakh tionalGeneralSecretaryin-charge by BJPnationalpresidentJPNadda people from Uttar Pradesh TAMIL NADU GENERATIONAND DISTRIbUTIONCORPORATION LTD. of the state Arun Singh. duringtheirmeetinginNew Delhi working in otherstatesre- NOTICE INVITING TENDERS(E-TENDERINGPROCESS) Speaking to reporters, he said, on November 18,towaitfor the turnedduringthe pandemic, “He(Singh)hascome,Iwilldiscuss clearancefromthecentralleader- and the stategovernment Sl.No Tender Inviing Authority Speciicaion No. Total with him.” The CM wasrespond- ship. The cabinetexpansion or made allefforts to get 1CE/MM M.33, M.34 2 ingto aquestionaboutthecabinet reshuffleisexpected to be a them employment near their Fordetails of works/Procurement/Due date of submission/opening, viewing expansion. tightropewalkfortheCM,consid- homes. and downloadingofe-tenders, please visit websites :www.tangedco.gov.in, He later metSingh, who ar- ering that thereare toomanyas- www.tenders.tn.gov.in, www.tntenders.gov.in nicgep/app DIPR/ 3/Tender/2021 rivedinthe state capital, ahead of pirants. their travel to Shivamogga. The cabinet currentlyhas 27 Singhisonavisitto thestateto members, andseven berths are participateinthe special meeting still vacant.Ruling out leadership of thestate BJP andalsoits core change, Yediyurappa earlier this committee in Shivamoggaon week had assertedthat he will re- Saturdayand Sunday. maininthepostfortheremaining Yediyurappa will be part of overtwoyearperiodandcomplete these meetings. theterm,andtherewasnoconfu- Therehasbeentalkwithinthe sion regarding this within the rul- stateBJP that theexpansion or ing BJP.

PUNJAB REMOTE SENSINGCENTRE PAUCampus, Ludhiana-141004 (Advertisement No. 01/2021 -DT. 02.01.2021) Applications are invited forthe posts of Research Fellows and Jr.Research Fellows on contractual basis foraperiod of six months likely to be extended based on candidate's per- formance reviewand Project Scheme/Centre's requirements. Forfurther details visit website www.prsc.gov.in or https://gis- prsc.punjab.gov.in/recruitment. Sd/- Director

POSTGRADUATE INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL EDUCATION &RESEARCH, CHANDIGARH

E-Tender Notice No. PI(EP)/20-21/08 Phone No. 0172-2756469 Tender applications are invited forpurchase of various items against tender No.1-10 from the Manufacturers or their sole authorized TAMIL NADU WATER SUPPLYAND DRAINAGE BOARD distributors/agents.The bidders can place their bids as per terms &conditions contained on https://eprocure.gov.in/eprocure/app Sr.Equipment/Item Name Quantity EMD Bid submission Bid Opening Deptt. Name INVITATION OF BIDS –ITEM WAR(TWO COVER SYSTEM) No date Date Invitation for Bids 14 /DSP –VPM Pkg.II to VI /DO/CE/VLR /2020 /Dated: 30.12.2020. Non Pre Bid cases 1Endowasher (Endoscope Reprocessor and Ultrasonic 01No.70,000/- 19-01-2021 21-01-2021 Hepatology Setting up of 60 MLD Capacity Desalination Plant at Koonimedu near Cleaner System)with essential consumables Marakanam in Villupuram District and Conveyance of Product Water to Villupuram and Tindivanam Municipalities, Vicravandi, Marakanam Town 2Padiatric Videoendoscope (On Compatibility Basis) 01No.40,000/- -do- -do- Hepatology Name of Work Panchayats and 692 rural habitations in Marakanam, Kanai, Mailam, 3Viscoelastic Global Coagulation Testing Device 01No.60,000/- -do- -do- Hepatology Vicravandi and Vanur unions in Villupuram District, Tindivanam SIPCOT and 4Completely Non-invasiveReal Time Cardiac Output 04Nos.1,00,000/- -do- -do- Pulmonary Government Medical College at Mundiyambakkam, Villupuram District – Monitoring System Medicine Package II to VI. Pre Bid cases Package II Package III Package IV Package VPackage VI Approximate value of work 5Human Dexa Machine 01No.4,40,000/- -do- -do- Endocrinology 6Endoscopic Ultrasound System with Linear and 01No.3,00,000/- 21-01-2021 22-01-2021 Hepatology (Rs.in Crore) 108.50 98.20 156.00 124.50 120.20 Radial Scope Bid security (Rs.in Lakhs) 75.00 74.00 78.00 75.00 75.00 7EndoscopyERCP System on Turnkey Basis 01No.1,10,000/- -do- -do- Hepatology Eligible class Class IClass IClass IClass IClass I 8 EndoscopySystem with Gastroscope and Colonoscopy 01 No.1,46,000/- -do- -do- Hepatology (190 systems) –onTurnkey basis –01No. Tender invitee The Chief Engineer,TWADBoard, Vellore –632006. 9High Throughput sequencer forexome sequencing 01No.8,00,000/- -do- -do- Pediatrics From 04.01.2021 to 01.02.2021 Bid document may be purchased by remitting 10 Pediactric ICU Beds 06No.1,10,000/- -do- -do- Pediatrics an amount of Rs. 1000 +GST from the Executive Engineer,TWADBoard, RWS Tender List can also be downloaded from website www.pgimer.edu.in and can be applied on website www.eprocure.gov.in. Earnest Sale of Bid &place of sale Division, Water tank compound, emapper,Kallakurichi –606202. If bid MoneyDeposit (EMD) must be in the form of Account PayeeDemand Draft, deposit at call receipt or an FDR /TDR or Banker’sCheque documents are required by post an amount of Rs.500/- (for each work) to be or Bank Guarantee valid foraperiod of one year from anyscheduled bank in the name of the Director,PGIMER, Chandigarh. EMD in paid additionally. anyother form will not be accepted. EMD should be submitted at the Procurement Branch (Import) manually by 2:30 PM on or before the date of submission of bid mentioned against respectiveitem. The tenders shall be opened on the next date at 03:00 PM in the pres- website downloading www.tenders.tn.gov.in and www.twadboard.tn.gov.in. ence of the authorized intending tenderers.Tenders not submitted on the prescribed form,not accompanied with valid Earnest Money at free of cost shall be summarily rejected straightway.The undersigned reservesthe right to accept or reject anyorall the tenders received without For all Packages assigning anyreason thereof. “PRE-BID CONFERENCE”WITH INTENDING BIDDERS FOR ITEM Sr.No. 05 to 10 shall be held on 08-01-2021 from 03:00 P.M. ONWARDS IN THE PI(EP), OFFICE, PGIMER, CHANDIGARH The intending bidder are free to join Pre 1. Date and time of Pre bid meeting 22.01.2021 at 11.00 A.M. at CE's chamber, bid Conference through video conference.For more details contact: 0172-2756469 at Procurement Branch (Import). TWAD Board, Vellore. NOTE 1. The terms and Conditions of the original Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) available on PGIMER Website will remain same.However 2. Last date and time of downloading bid document 01.02.2021 up to 5.45 P.M on switching over to e-tendering on e-Procurement, the bids will be received in electronic form on e-Procurement website and no bid will be received in Physical form. 3. Last date and time for receipt of bid document 03.02.2021 up to 3.00 P.M NOTE 2. If anyofthe tender opening dates happens to be aholidayinPGIMER, Chandigarh, then the same shall be opened on next 4. Date and time for opening of Technical bid 03.02.2021 at 3.30 P.M full working day Additional Terms and Conditions. DIPR /05/TENDER /2021 Chief Engineer (i/c), 1. The Institute has adopted amended Notice InvitingTenders (NIT) which is available on e-Procurement website TWAD Board, Vellore. (https://eprocure.gov.in/eprocure/app) and Website: www.pgimer.edu.in. Therefore the bidders are requested to go through the SAVE WATER, CONSERVE WATER, EVERYDROP COUNTS Instructions Carefully before submitting bids. PROFESSOR IN-CHARGE (EP)

Pune 4 CALENDAR WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THE SUNDAYEXPRESS,JANUARY3,2021 YOURWEEKAHEAD BRIDGE SUNDAY CROSSWORD 2302 If it’s your Dealer South, Vulnerable NorthSouth ARIES(Mar 21 -Apr 20) LIBRA (Sep 24 -Oct 23) NORTH QUICK CLUES Birthday Give yourself the Youmay be tired of ACROSS ♠ K10764 6. Play (5) same supportyou being singledout as ❤53 WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 7. Clamber (8) normallygiveto the peacemaker,yet others. Yousee,now it's partlyfor your ♦ Q874 1D♦ 10.____ to book :calledtoaccount ? (7) that creative andindividualistic ownpeace of mind that youtry ♣53 Pass 1S♠ 2H❤ 3D♦ 11.Slavery (7) SundayJanuary3 influences in your chartare so to bring rivals and enemies SOUTH 3H❤ 4D♦ Pass 5D♦ 12.Garb (7) Achangeinyour emotional perspective strong, it's important that you together. This is atime of 13.Inspiring awe(7) stand out from the herdand potential misunderstandings ♠ J3 Pass Pass Pass means that youmustaneffortto 14.Capital of Illinois (11) understand the wayother people are insistthat you'rerecognisedas when it willbeuptoyou to ❤A 19.Schedule listings (7) the creative and independent explain the truth and point out feeling. The end result should be anew ♦ AKJ932 21.Foliage (7) person that youare. the facts. 23. Sardonic (7) andveryvaluablelong-term friendship. ♣A982 25. Soreswelling(7) TAURUS (Apr21-May21) SCORPIO (Oct24-Nov 23) SouthbidconservativelyatfirstbutwhenNorthmadeacompetitive4Dbid 26.Charger(8) MondayJanuary4 Youmay long to letup Emotional Southwenttogame. Itisagoodgame,dependingonguessingthespades. 27.Travels on (5) and loungeinaback turbulence is being DOWN Your determination to succeedisyour seat while others take whippedupby Westledthejackofhearts,whichSouthwon.Howwouldyougoaboutplay- 1. Dieters keep an eyeonthem (8) greatestasset. Onlything youcan do today responsibility. Yet some stormyand ingthehandtohelpyouguessthespadesuit 2. Bargain (6) TheWestHandS-A82H-J1096D-105C-K764 isknuckleunderandgetonwiththetaskin withthe Sun, Moon,Mars and very rare celestial alignments. TheEastHand S-Q95H-KQ8742D-6C-QJ10 3. In present circumstances ?(2,2,6) hand, including all pleasurable activities. Plutoall linedupinsignificant Youwouldbeadvised to TheansweristhatyouexpectEasttohavethekingandqueenofheartsand 4. Playfullyroguish(4) sectors of your chart, youmay devoteagreat deal of someoftheclubhonours.Ifyoudrawtrumpandplayonclubsyoumaylearn 5. Very drunk (6) have no choice but to girdyour attentiontoall secret enough to give you aguess about where the ace of spades is. It might be 6. Excludes or prohibitsthe entry TuesdayJanuary5 loins and stand up foryourself activities, and to encourage wise to do that. But there is another play you should be aware of. It is filed (6) In the pastyou have oftenbeen justalittle under Pfor Psychology. If you decide that you won't learn enough by play- 8. Toydog breed(7) onceagain.Morerelaxed people who rarely express ingaround,itmightbewisetomakeaplaythatwillgetunderWest'sskinright 9. Harplikeinstruments(5) toosensitive.The next year could be atime conditions willreturn soon. their emotions to speak away.Doyouseetheplay to toughen up, building confidence in your their minds. Try leading your little spade. West, if he has the ace, will have aserious de- 13.Related (10) GEMINI(May22-June 21) 15.Nonconformist(7) cision at trick two. He may think that you have one spade and two hearts achievementsand honingyour skills. Venus and Jupiter SAGITTARIUS(Nov24-Dec 22) andifso,hewilltakehisace,thussolvingyourproblemrightaway.Youknow 16.Cul-de-sacs (4,4) aswellasIdohowharditisnottotakeanacewhendeclarerleadstowarda 17.Trample (5) areanabsolutely Youmay keep travel king in dummy. It is especially hard when yoususpect that declarer has a WednesdayJanuary6 splendid plans to a 18.Animals (6) 27.Governor associatedwith 22. We hear the stronghold went into singleton. 20. Ethnic, tribal or communal You'reonapositive path. Youcould be at a combination of minimum, fulfilling So,thedecisionisuptoyouastowhethertoleadaspadenoworleadaspade tyrannical power(5) action(6) planets. In fact, rarely have your onlylong-term later.Ipointoutthatifyouwait,thedefenderswillhavetimetolearnofyour (6) DOWN 24.Testout abadger's home crossroads, but youshould think long and stars been so inherently arrangements. Forsome singletonheartandtheywillknowthatyouratetohavemorethanonespade. 22. Promise (6) 1. Science-fiction writer about whom (4) hardbeforechanging course.You should 24.Clinton's VP (4) prosperous. But unlessyou reason, work or even health Itwill bemucheasierforWesttoplaylow laterthanattricktwo. divinitygavearuling (8) continuewithacourseofactionwhichwas Of course, if West plays low on your spade lead, you still have aguess. But CRYPTIC CLUES 2. Roman philosopher appears in keep your eyes open, the questions, maycause youto youhaveafairassumptionthathedoesnothavetheacesoyourcorrectplay ACROSS bizarreseance (6) Solutions to 2301 initiated lastmonth, or even earlier. opportunitiesmay passyou by. changeyour ideas. Important ratestobetheten,hoping Westhasthequeen. 6. Sounds likedissatisfiedcries for Note that if the ten loses to the queen, the defenders may continue hearts 3. Lovesaparty with armyfood The best is yettocome, though decisions aredue to arisefrom drink!(5) whichwillgiveyoutimetocontinuethespadeslater. Youmaystillmake5D (10) QUICKCLUESAcross: 1Debonair,5 ThursdayJanuary7 and, within the next fortnight, serious and emotionally- 7. Bedraggledslattern wasvictim of evenifyoulosetwospadetricks. DealerWest, Vulnerable None 4. Girloflight appearance Skopje,10Telaviv,11Implore,12Clang, If youare forging newpartnerships, the youshould have receiveda chargeddiscussions, and a extortion (8) (4) 13Sparkling,14Strictorders,18Field small windfall. lovedone can help look for NORTH SOUTH 10.Antleredcreatures came'ereby 5. NY heir requiring changefor a marshal,21Gregorian,23Iceni,24 causeliesinthegoodwillyou’vegenerated. the answers. boat (3,4) sovereign, but whichone? Aniston,25Heights,26Decide,27 You'reready to realise the advantages of CANCER (June 22 -July23) 11.Unusualtune right with afinal trill Epigraph.Down:1Detect,2Ballad,3 ♠ Q3 ♠ A932 (5,1) being clear about your intentions.. Some of your planets CAPRICORN (Dec 23 -Jan 20) but achromatic (7) 6. Destitute umpire in gamble Navigated,4Investigations,6Kapok,7 What aweek this is, ❤AJ8763 ❤A10764 Promises,8Energise,9Bipartisanship, remain resolutely 12.Sweet and lovinglittlecreature (6) with all the planets ♦ Q63 ♦ KQ (7) 15Realising,16Offguard,17Celeriac, FridayJanuary8 romantic, dreamy, 8. Mix up an IOU andabill formeat 19Reshma,20Kitsch,22Opted. imaginative, at sixes and sevens. ♣ ♣K7 13.Caressinglytrifleswith dead (7) Moonisaveryrelaxingfactorinyourchart, Foronce, though, colleagues(7) CRYPTICCLUESAcross:1Dogtooth, sensitive and, aboveall, 9. Leftinthe scrub to redden up 5Befall,10Persona,11Angelus,12 your sign is steering clear of the 14.Did theysettle on the body of St butyoushouldguardagainstcomplacency. fortunateinlove. There'll be WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH (5) Elope,13Splitting,14Motorcoaches, celestial shockwaves. Youstand George's victim ?(11) Youmay be temptedtooverlook momentswhenartistic and 13.It's notthe same argument (10) 18Inconstantly,21Hottentot,23 to benefit from gifts and Pass Pass 1C Dbl. 19.Peaceful Americandeath creative Crabs will be on topof 15.Home forlarge number of workers Nehru,24Oregano,25Optical,26 fundamental details, especiallyatwork. generosity to an unprecedented Pass 2D (7) the world, perhaps because in the countryside (3,4) Easter,27Asuncion. Down:1Dipper,2 degree. RomanticGoatscan Pass Pass Pass 21.Embraces flock? (7) 16.Wholesomemanner of greeting? Gorgon,3Onone'sown,4 SaturdayJanuary9 therereallydoes seem to be the 23. One disentangles kinsfolk forthe Transportation,6Ergot,7Allright,8 chance of abreakthrough. expect their dreams to (8) be fulfilled. Westleadsthetenofclubs. TheleadcomestoSouth'sking. Ifdiamondsdi- ABC and the like(7) 17.Settle without recoursetolaw (5) Lastgasp,9Hallucinations,15 Your stars aresupremelyromantic. You 25. In imagination, goes round the Arlington,16Wish-bone,17Scatters, LEO (July24-Aug23) videtherewillbeninetoptricks,makingSouth'sbiddinglookverygood.On 18.New star I'dfollow is agirl(6) couldfallinlove withaplace,oraprinciple, AQUARIUS (Jan21- Feb19) the king of diamonds both opponentsfollow but on the queen of diamonds world(7) 19Chichi,20Sullen,22Erase. Youare bound to be 20. Light green tinge all over the island as muchaswith aperson. You'realso quite Thereiseverythingto West showsout. Ugly! 26. FittofollowCharlton in football caught up in events (6) be gainedfrom Isthereawaytomakethisnowthatthediamondsarenotrunningandgiven (8) vulnerable and needamuchthickerskin. outside your control that Easthasallofthemissing highcardpointsforhisopening bid bendinginthe wind and youmay as well and muchtobe acceptthat certain plans are risked from refusing to bound to be postponedor compromise. Onlyifyou are delayed. No matter.The JUMBLED WORDS DifficultyLevel3s ready foranything, should you vacuum could be filled by follow theimpulsive path which Instructions excitement, drama and Givenbelowarefourjumbledwords.Solvethejumblestomakeproperwordsandmovethemto TosolveaSudokupuzzle, seems to be suchanobvious adventurebeyondyourwildest option. Remember that special therespectivesquaresbelow.Selectthelettersintheshadedsquaresandjumblethemtoget everydigitfrom1to9 4340 dreams. Familymembers peopleare dependingonyou. theanswerforthegivenquip. mustappearineachofthe requireyour sympathy and Thereisno____inhavingoringetting,butonlyingiving.-HenryDrummond(9) 41 nineverticalcolumns,in assistance. PISCES (Feb 20 -Mar 20) eachoftheninehorizontal Fight foryour 43 VIRGO (Aug 24 -Sep 23) NNAEI CEILNP rowsandineachofthe principles, but notat Youdon't usuallylet the costofalienating nineboxes. the worldsee how KU those whose support SUDOKU astuteyou are, but and sympathyare so important your managementof DO to you. 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BUSINESS NECC suggested farm- I Army no.2786975F rank gate price for 100eggs Nk No.NarayanBhaguji EDUCATION ''IMPORTANT'' on 03.01.2021 in Pune Kumbharkar in my POULTRY Meditation-112 different Whilst care is takenprior to without tray is Rs.560 - service recordmywife waystomeditate find acceptance of advertising (FiveHundred and Sixty Savita Narayan what best suits your copy,itisnot possible to verify Rupees only) Kumbharar DOB. personility &lifestyle its contents.The Indian Phone:NECC 24270724, wrongly recorded as call or msg Manoj Express (P) Limitedcannot be 26336377,Dealer: 01.06.1975her correct Gokhale B.E.COEP, heldresponsible for such 24332689, 24455130, DOB is 06.06.1980 25yrs. experienceYou contents, nor for any loss or 24265787. 0090279970-1 tube- Parth Yuva damage incurred as aresult of 0090272256-1 transactions with companies, I, Kavita ,wife of armyno. Gurukul what’s app- associations or individuals 15570722Y,Hav Randive 9823046273 advertising in its newspapers CHANGE OF NAME Suresh Gorakh,have 0090279969-1 or Publications. We therefore changed my name from My old NameJalpaben recommend that readers Kavita to Kavita Suresh Janakkumar Rana make necessary inquiries Randivevide affidavit no before sendingany monies or changed to new name 2743/202 as JalpaJanakkumar entering into any agreements Rana Vide Affidavit No. 0090279959-2 with advertisers or otherwise P-319 /2020 Dated31/ I, Buta Singh, no. acting on an advertisement in any manner whatsoever. A PimpriChinchwad 12 /2020 90279961-1 JC354224M hereby Broiler Traders declare thatinmy I, Vijayalaxmi Siddappa service recordmyson’s Association Rateon Halegoudar ,wife of name wrongly 03.01.2021 for Livebig ADVERTISEMENT 16113821L, NK Siddappa mentioned as birds Rs -117 LiveSmall Halegoudar, my name Kamalpreet Singh, but DEPOTS Birds Rs- 126 contact- Vijayalaxmi,which is correct name is 7720828080. wrongly mentioned in Komalpreet Singh, vide AUNDH- 0090271130-1 my husband service affidavit no. 2744/2020 Suyog Enterprises, documents is incorrect. Pimpri Chinchwad 0090279959-4 C/oSandeep BookStall, My correct name is Broilers Traders I Gajanan Narhari Shilam Swajas Complex, Parihar Vijayalaxmi Siddappa Association Rate On change name of my Chowk, Aundhgaon, Halegoudar .Affidavit 03.01.2021 ForLiveBig daughter from Pune-7. Mob.9422011181. no 2756/202 Birds Rs 114 Livesmall Dhanshree Shilam to Chordia Birds Rs 124 Al_Taqdeer 0090279959-1 Dhanshree Gajanan Communications, Broiler(Siraj Shaikh ShilamvideGazette no- I, HavRandiveSuresh Arshad Ajit Chordia. 9822931357 ,7720080489. Nr-1930401 Gorakh armyno. 17/18, Aundh Gaon,opp. 0090279863-4 0090279428-1 15570722Y hereby lane of Cosmos Bank, Aundh, Pune-7. Tel: Sheetal Agro Traders declare that in my service recordmy SITUATION VACANT 25886118, 9960111123. Today’sEx-Shop Shraddha Ads, delivery for livesmall daughter’s name REQUIRED CLERK ON wrongly mentioned as Mrs.Ujwala Kotbagi, 'A' birds sizebetween1.3 to CONTRACT Graduate wing, Vastu-sunder, Near Sonam,but correct 1.5 rate at PuneRs. 128/- below40yrs, 3yrs Kumar Classic, Pune-7. per Kg.7776024132, name is SonamSuresh experience in office Tel. 9371055799. 7588532184 Randive,vide affidavit working. Should be well versed with computer San Ads, 0090274713-1 no. 2745/2020 knowledge MS office & Anurag, Plot No. 10, near 0090279959-3 Simra Trading rates for Tally.Apply within 7 Kobe Silzler Cave,Aundh- days to :HRAFEXCO LTD 411007. Tel: 25881302/3/4. 100 eggs.Selling price My old name SuryaAmol 364,GokhaleRoad, Pune APPA BALWANT CHOWK - Rs.552. Contact Choure Changed to new 9922117736. -411 016 .e-mail- M/s V. V. Medhi, name as Surya [email protected]; Varun Medhi, 153, 0090273863-1 Chandrakant Divekar as Contact No: 020- BudhwarPeth, Near Pune Broilers Traders’ per AdhaarCard 25655982 ,25652760 (NO Jogeshwari Temple, Opp. Association Rate On No.441163376393 TA/DAadmissible) Ganraj Books, Above 03.01.2021 ForLiveBig 0090279961-2 0090279953-1 DTDC Courier, 2nd floor, Birds Rs.114 Live Pune-2. Ph. No. IUsha KanaskarWedded Tandoori Birds Rs.123 9028967505, 8793647505, Spouse of JC-700623W WATERPROOFING Momin Poultry (Asif (020)24492149. Sub/NA Kanaskar Momin) 26336349. Without Breaking Toilet, BIBVEWADI - Minanath Tukaram Bathroom, 5Years 0090279855-1 Ad Services, R/At.Flat No.301, Pimple Guarantee, Terrace Amol Nalawade, Vencobb today’s ex- Gaurav Pune- 61 10YearsGuarantee,All Sr. No.659/28, Rajiv Leakage Work, Free Visit shop delivery rate at Changed My Name Gandhi Nagar, UpperLast Authorized Applicator Pune Rs.87 per kg. From Usha Kanaskar Dr. Bus Stop, Bibvewadi, Contact (9522) to Usha Minanath Fixit9225534110/7666729 Pune-17. Mobile 22872417, Pune (9520) Kanaskar Affidavit- 911. 9420729914, 9021851460 24269414. 2660/2020 Dated- Akash Advtg, 28/12/2020 0090278819-2 0090272255-1 C. S. Sawar, 645/1, Shop

Pune WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THE SUNDAY EXPRESS,JANUARY3,2021 THE CITY 5 Schoolspreparetoreopenfor higherclassestomorrow LIGHTS & Ensuring safetymeasures forstudents, staff, coordinating online-offline classes SOUND among challenges; some schoolsnot opening as parentshavenot givenconsent Afteranearly year-long XI and then IX, sequentially,with measures, including stafftrain- keep online classes on while the wait, Lavani artistes ALIFIYAKHAN alittle gapin-between forstu- ing, social distancing signs, sani- offline classisbeingconducted, perform at PUNE,JANUARY2 dentsand stafftoadjust tisation measures, preparing a said educationists. Balgandharva processes.Therewill be asize- rotaofteachersand studentsto Dr AanieetaaVaissnava,prin- Rangmandirinthe city AS JANUARY4,the date setbylo- able number of studentswho managealternateday classroom cipal of Orchids The on Saturday. Ashish Kale cal authorities forreopening of will optfor online classesand we lectures, manyconcerns remain. International School in Nigdi, schools in Pune, approaches, have to account forthat as well. Dr Gulshan Gidwani, princi- whichisreopening forIXand X, manyschools across the city are Since our staffislimited foron- pal, St Mira's College, pointed out said, "While we arefollowing all Government of Karnataka (Infrastructure Development, Ports &Inland Water Transport Department) grapplingwiththe challenges of line and offline classes, we have to problems beyond classroom protocols mentionedbythe gov- Office of the Marine Engineer,Department of Ports &IWT,Baithkhol, reopening amid apandemic. to work out the odds," he said. lecturesonce students areon ernment, suchastemperature NO.ME/GNL/CR-03/2020 Karwar- 581302 Date: 01.01.2021 3rd January 2000 Whilesanitisationmeasures But some schools have been campus. checksand sanitisation, we have SHORT TERM TENDER NOTICE- 2nd Call (Only in E-Procurement) (TWO COVER SYSTEM) Sashastra Seema Bal fondly have been stepped up and phys- preparing parentsfor awhile "Our junior collegestrength installedglass shields on every Tender is invited by the undersigned in e-Procurement portal for the remembers and cherishes the ical distancing norms arebeing now. "Since March, we have held is 120students perclass, so we desk and labelledthem, so each valiant contribution of worked out, school authorities regular meeting with PTArepre- have decidedtoallow 40 stu- student will sit at his or her des- mentioned work. The registered firms/contractors who have executed and are having experience in similar nature of work can participate in the bravehearts Constable (GD) areworried about the distribu- sentatives. We had decidedthat dentsatatime per classroom. ignated desk.Wehavealso mod- Tender through e-Procurement portal. To obtain more information, L. Natraj Singh and tion of workforceand online-of- once the government givesthe Even if that happens, therewill ifiedour watertaps to foot taps, please visit the website: www.eproc.karnataka.gov.in (Work Estimate Constable Driver H. Bira Constable Constable fline distribution of students be- go-ahead, dependingonthe be morethan500 studentson so thatstudentswon't touchthe No: KPWD/2020-21/PM/WORK_INDENT133116/CALL-2) Singh of erstwhile GC, SSB, (GD) (Driver) causeonlysome parentshave health situation, we will take a campus. It takestwo minutes per taps with their hands, reducing Name of work: (1) Providing 2Nos. of minimum 30 TonBollard pull Imphal (presently 16th Bn L. Natraj H. Bira Singh agreedtosendpupils to school. call.Toalleviatefears of parents student to checktemperature, the risk of contamination. capacity each Tugservice on hire basis for berthing and unberthing of SSB) who attained Singh Anvit Pathak,director of regarding sanitarymeasures, we sanitise and makeentryinlog- Signboards and arrows have ships, Search and Rescue (SAR) operations and other services for a martyrdom in abomb blast Millennium School, said onlythe sent them asmall video about book.Wehaveassignedsix been installedtoensuredisci- period of 3years with extension of 2more years, if required, (as per same at Batmaloo area of Srinagar in J&K, on this day in the year 2000. parentsof300 studentsfrom the safetymeasures in place dur- staffers speciallyfor this and cre- pline is maintainedinterms of terms and conditions) by the port authority at Karwar Port, Uttara Their supreme sacrifice will continue to inspire us all. Kannada round the clock (24 hrs aday) -Fuel and fresh water supply to We salute the sacrifices of our brave soldiers. Classes IX to XII, outofatotal ing transportand at school. After ated six different spots at entry physical distancing." the tug on Port account and nil charges towards mobilization/ SASHASTRA SEEMA BAL strength of morethan 500, have that, 90 per cent of parentssent point, but even then, eachstaff However, manyschools said demobilization. (GST shall be paid separately). filledout the online consent in positive consent forms. So, we will spend 2hours in justthis ex- theywon't be reopening at all. Amount put to Tender: Rs. 208050000.00, EMD Rs. 20.85 Lakhs 22 JUL 67 -04JAN 96 forms. have decidedtobegin classes for ercise everyday.Also,our teach- "A majority of parentshave (Rs. 1.00 Lakh in e-Payment +Rs. 19.85 Lakhs as mentioned in We pay homage to our noble martyr,who "I think it's going to be ady- XII as 30 per cent of their marks ing staffislimited.Managing the notgiven consent and that's why bid document). Last date for Quarries: 08.01.2021 @17.30 hours. made the supreme sacrifice while fighting namic situation with numbers depends on practical assessment academic schedule so that only as of now, school is notreopen- Last date for receipt for Tender: 11.01.2021 @17.30 hours. the enemy in ‘OP RAKSHAK’, J&Kinthe fluctuating week by week.So, and we can't preparethem forit one thirdofstudentscome in at ing. Currently, school vacations For further details kindly refer the e-procurement portal for Addendum year 1996. His dauntless courage and sacri- we have decidedtostart classes online," said PraneetMungali, atime as well as completing syl- areongoing, maybeafter that if and other relevant information regarding this tender.For general fice will forever inspire the organisation. from IX to XII forthree hours a trustee, Sanskriti School. labus is going to be challenging," consent comes in, school mayre- enquiries, prospective bidders may contact the undersigned office Phone No. 08382-295580 during working hours, before last date of MAJ RK CO &all ranks of 6th Battalion dayonalternatedays.Wewill But even as schools and jun- she said. open," said MarkusDeshmukh, a LAUL, SC quarries. Sd/- Marine Engineer, Brigade of The Guards begin with class XII, then X, then ior colleges have takenaslewof One of the solutions is to spokesperson of Bishops School. DIPR/ADK/MCA/553/20-21 dt. 2.1.2021 Ports &Inland Water Transport, Karwar

Pune WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THESUNDAY EXPRESS,JANUARY3,2021 6 MAHARASHTRA Vaccinedryrun:Over300people,12centres,4districts

including government teachers taining physical distancing. Here EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE who were ropedinfor identifica- he is observed forhalfanhour. MUMBAI,JANUARY2 tion and registration. The two “We had anaphylactic kitsready Dry run takes place at 3health centres in Pune hourlongdryrunwasheldinfour and anurse to monitorpostvac- MAHARASHTRA CONCLUDED a districts—Pune,Jalna,Nandurbar cination period. Since areal vac- dryrunof vaccinationonover300 and Nagpur.InPune, district hos- cine wasnot used,wedid notsee in the district will be thefirst peopleonSaturdayin12vaccina- pital in Aundh, aprimaryhealth adverse reaction,” said Nitin EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE lottoreceive the vaccine, fol- tion centres across four districts. centre(PHC)andJijamatahospital Borke,district health officer, PUNE,JANUARY 2 INNUMBERS lowedbyelderly and co-mor- Stateofficials said theprocedure inPimpriChinchwadweredesig- Nandurbar. bid patients, and finallythe ransmoothlyexceptfor an inter- natedfor mockdrill. Dr Archana Patil, in charge of TO ENSURE that the Pune ad- general public. netlag in some areas. Whileeach InNagpur, Daga hospital,aru- Covid-19 in Maharashtra, said to ministration is ready to under- 12 “We have identified1.1 centrewas preparedwith akit to ralhospital and an urban PHC, in resolve internetproblemthestate take amassive Covid-19 vac- Covid-19deaths in lakh health workersinPune handle anaphylactic reaction, Nandurbar aPHC, Navapur sub will pickcentres thatare in areas cination programme in the Pune district on district and the data has been since the actual vaccinewas not districthospital and districthos- with good connectivity. “Forre- near future, adry run of the Saturday. uploadedonthe vaccine por- administered, that component pital were selected and in Jalna, mote areas, we will consult with process washeld at three tal. The vaccinators who will couldnot be monitored during districthospital,subdistricthospi- governmentof Indiato allowdata health centres in Pune on administerthe vaccines have the dryrun. taland PHC were ropedin. entryatanotherpointwithinter- Saturday. 8,834 been trainedfully.Wecon- In Jalna, HealthMinister In Nandurbar’s PHC, at the netconnection,”she said. Adry run —the process of Toll so farinthe district. ducted adetaileddry run on RajeshTopeattendedthetrialrun. entrance an officialrecorded Patilsaidsideeffectsofvaccine callingthe vaccine receiver Saturdayand arenow wait- Hesaiddelayinidentificationand temperatureand oxygen satura- —chiefly fever,sitatpainandred- and going through the entire ing forthe vaccine to go registration of beneficiaries was tion level, following whichthe nessatpointof injection—are also process until the patient's dis- 492 ahead with the vaccination an issue in centres with poor in- beneficiaryproceededtothe observedinMeaslesand Rubella charge from thevaccination Fresh Covid-19cases. programme,” said ternet connectivity. “Therewas a waiting area before entering the vaccination. “Our health officials centre—was held at three Deshmukh. problemwithuploadingdataon vaccination room. The room has arealreadytrainedtohandlethat. sites (health centres) in the The Union Health online software. That wastaking charts of Covid-19do’s and We needtobecareful with ana- district, Sub-DistrictHospital Covid vaccination dryrun in progress at theDistrict 3,64,043 Ministryhas asked the state longdueto poorinternetavailabil- dont’s and prevention methods. phylactic reaction. ANM and in Aundh, the primaryhealth GeneralHospitalinAundh on Saturday. Arul Horizon Totalcases reportedin governmentstoensurethat ity.Wealso realisedweneedto An auxiliary nurse midwifeex- nurses have been trainedtoim- centreinMaan near Pune district the dataofthese beneficiar- trainofficials moreontechnical plains the process to thebenefi- mediatelyattendto apersonwho Hinjewadi, and the Jijamata ies is uploadedinCo-WIN. aspects.For afew procedures, ciary. While in real immunisa- suffers this reaction,” she said. Hospital in Pimpri- These persons visited the cen- workflow happensinaproper The states and union territo- they had to consult the state tion procedureavaccine will be Meanwhile the stateisalso Chinchwad. tres and were registeredinthe manner and whether thereare Mhaisekar,who nowserves as ries have to preparethe facili- team,”Topesaid,adding,“Overall injected,onSaturdayfor demon- prepping itscold storagepoints. District Civil Surgeon Dr national vaccination portal. A anyglitches.” an advisortothe chief minis- ties andusers to be created on the procedurecan become stration purpose, ice boxesand Thereare 4,000 cold storage Nitin Bilolikar said, “We had vaccination dryrun wasper- The sites were visitedby ter, to oversee the process. CoWINapplication, including smooth withbettercoordination vaccine boxeswerekeptinthe pointsacrossMaharashtra. The asked 25 health workers to re- formedand theywerelater Pune District Collector Rajesh Deshmukh said that as per uploading the dataofhealth between healthdepartment, ed- room. Aftervaccination the ben- Centrehas already supplied 101 porttothe assignedhealth observed for30minutes. This Deshmukh and former Pune the central and stategovern- careworker(HCW) benefici- ucation and policedepartment.” eficiary proceeds to athirdroom icedlinerefrigerators. Patil said centretoconduct the dryrun. exercise wastocheckifthe Divisional Manager Deepak ments' plans, health workers aries. Eachcentrehad five officials, wherechairs areplacedmain- fewmorewill be sent soon. Aurangabad renaming issue surfaces again: MVA denies rift, BJP &Sena attackeach other

but it neededcentral approval." clarify itsposition." MANOJMORE Stating thatSena'sdemand StateAIMIM chief and MP PUNE,JANUARY2 ATVgrabofMNS will notaffect the MVAgovern- Imtiaz Jaleel said, “The AIMIM is workersputting ment, Patil said by renaming notopposedtorenaming EVENAS theissueofrenamingof up newboards Aurangabad, the development Aurangabad, but does renaming Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar with ‘Chhatrapati status of the district will not solve theproblemsof thedistrict? has triggered apolitical contro- Sambhajinagar’ change. "If it is renamed, It is being projected as if we are versy again, the constituentsof on buses. Express Aurangabad will suddenlynot be- opposedtothe names of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi comeadevelopedcity.Asofnow, Chhatrapati Shivaji andSambhaji have sought to know from the renamingitisnot ourpriority and Maharaj, we arenot.But letthem BJP-ledcentral government why again on Fridayafter state no right to point fingers at the it is notapart of theCommon firstensurethe development of it has failedtoapprovethe re- Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat MVAgovernment.” Minimum Programme of the Aurangabad and then talk about namingofAurangabaddistrict, said the issue wasnot before the Raut said, "Whatever Thorat three parties. TheNCP iscommit- renaming. Renaming is apartof and the renaming of Chikalthana MVAgovernment and if it comes hassaidistrue. MVAgovernment tedtogoing by the CMP,and re- deeper political game of parties. airportafter Chhatrapati to the fore,the Congress will op- is being run as per the Common naming it is notpartofthe CMP," They want to make it big issue to Sambhaji Maharaj. pose it. "The renamingissue is not Minimum Programme. The gov- he said. divert people'sattention from "TheCongresshasobjectedto partofthe Common Minimum ernment is committed to ensur- BJP spokesperson Keshav their failures. Wheneverelections the renaming of Aurangabad as Programme of the MVAgovern- ing food, clothing and shelter for Upadhaye said though the BJP approach, the renaming issue is Sambhajinagar... this is an old ment," Thorat hadsaid. the poor,and the welfareof and ShivSena areonthe same brought to the fore.Itismoreof stand of the Congress. The Shiv Congress spokespersonGopal labourers." pagewhen it comes to renaming an election issue...." Sena had renamedAurangabad Tiwariesaid,"Theparty statechief He added, "Muslims in Aurangabad afterChhatrapati Jaleel said Aurangabad has a as Sambhajinagar 30 years ago has already articulatedthe party's Maharashtrahaveforgotten Sambhajiraje, the “Sena revives history,aheritageand alegacy but the Centre has notyet ap- stand about it... Attempts arebe- Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb and the demand onlywhen elections whichcannotbewipedout. proved itsrenaming," said Sena ing made to cause fissures in the Aurangabad arenolonger elec- areround the corner”. "Naming acity or district or rail- chief spokesperson and MP MVAgovernment.However, the tion issues. The Muslim commu- "Our demand is consistent waystation afterapersonality SanjayRaut. BJP will have to explain whyithas nity does notwant unnecessary and we areserious about it. who hasnoconnection with it Raut said the BJP-ledcentral failedtorename Chikalthana air- controversy.Theywant develop- However, forthe ShivSena,there- does notsound good. government hasapprovedthe re- portafter SambhajiMaharaj?A mentandwelfareand theMVAis naming is about making it an Aurangabad has along history naming of AllahabadasPrayagraj, resolution wasunanimously tryingto ensure that.Thishas not election issue to garner votes.. the whichshould notbewipedout," Faizabad as Ayodhya,and Delhi's passedbythe MVAgovernment gone down well with the BJP, Aurangabad civic elections are he said. Aurangzeb Road to Dr APJAbdul about8-9monthsago,to rename whichisfeeling nervous and in- scheduledtobeheld soon... The Meanwhile,theMNShasalso Kalam Road. "If these cities and the airportasDharmaveer dulginginpetty politics." Sena is notserious about renam- demandedthe renaming of roads can be renamed, then why Sambhaji Maharaj airport, and NCPspokesperson Umesh ing of Aurangabad," claimed Aurangabad. MNS workers in didn't the BJPgovernment ap- sent to thecentral government. Patil said,"... Senahas been de- Upadhaye. Nashik removedboards from BLUE &GREEN provethe renaming of The Chikalthana airportisin manding renaming of StateBJP chief Chandrakant Nashik-Aurangabad statetrans- Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar," Aurangabad district. However, Aurangabad and Osmanabad for Patil said, "Now that the Congress portbuses and replacedthem Workers clear waterhyacinthfromMulariver,inAundh on Saturday. Arul Horizon asked Raut. thecentralgovernment is stillsit- years. Theyhad renamed is opposing the renaming of with boards mentioning The renaming issue surfaced ting on the proposal. The BJP has Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar Aurangabad, theShivSenashould Sambhajinagar. Probe into ‘auction Parole granted to ‘93 blasts convict to attenddaughter’s wedding 37-year-old

Rubina,along with three that she had made phone calls to morethan 13 years and has not businessman of village sarpanch OMKARGOKHALE HC directed Yerawada other familymembers, wassen- the Yerawada jail on November been releasedevenonce on fur- MUMBAI,JANUARY2 jail to release Memon tencedtolifeimprisonment by a 11,2020, to enquire about the ap- lough or paroletilldate. ‘dies by suicide’ Special Terroristand Disruptive plication’s status. Shewas in- When the courtenquired THE BOMBAY High Courton on parole from January Activities (Prevention) ActCourt formedthat areportfromthe about the petitioner's conduct at Daund post’ in Nandurbar Thursday grantedthe plea of 6to11, providedshe in Mumbai in 2006.However, Mahim Police station in Mumbai during her imprisonment, the 1993 Mumbaiserial bomb blast depositsRs1lakh with her husband, Suleman, wasac- wasawaited afterwhichthe de- government lawyer submitted residence ment official. convict, Rubina Suleman quitted due to lackofevidence. cision would be taken. As there that it wassatisfactoryasper po- PARTHA SARATHI The stategovernment re- Memon, who had soughtrelease the Pune Police Rubina’s brother-in-law, Yakub has been no further intimation or lice report. BISWAS centlyannouncedholding of on parole to attend her daugh- headquarters by Jan 5 Memon, wassentencedtodeath order receivedfromthe authori- Afterhearing the examining PUNE, JANUARY 2 elections forvillagepanchyats, ter’s weddingonJanuary 8. on terror charges. ties, the petition wasfiledbefore materialonrecord,the bench EXPRESS NEWS whichwerelong overdue. The court directed the Rubina’s counsel told the high thehigh court. noted, “Considering the aforesaid SERVICE NANDURBAR DISTRICT author- Electionstothese primarybod- Yerawada jail in Pune to release benchofJustice SS Shinde and court that she had filedthe leave Additional Public Prosecutor circumstances and keeping in PUNE,JANUARY 2 ities have launched an investi- ies, although held without Memon, serving lifeimprison- Justice AbhayAhuja passed the application forher daughter's PP Shinde submitted apolice re- mind the human rightsofthe gation intoanalleged open party symbols, arekeenlycon- ment, on parole from January6 order on December 31 afterhear- wedding on October 8, 2020, port, dated December 28, allow- daughter,weare inclined to en- A37-YEAR-OLD businessman, auction held recentlyinavil- tested,with moneyand muscle to January11(both days in- ing Rubina’s plea filedthrough however, no decisionwas taken ing the petitionertwo-dayparole tertain the petition.” Dadasaheb Nalge, diedbysui- lagefor the postofsarpanch. A powerflowing freely. cluded) to attend the wedding her advocateFarhana Shah. on the same exceptanemail leave to attend her daughter’s However, the courtclarified, cide at hisresidence in Daund video of the alleged auction had Khondamali is one of the and related functions, provided Rubina is the sister-in-law from the Divisional weddingonpayingthe police “Thisorder is without prejudice on Saturday, said police. gone viral on social media afew 14,231villagepanchayats for shedepositsRs1lakhwith the of TigerMemon, one of the Commissioner. Theemail stated forcechargesprior to her release. to the contentions of the parties Nalgewas found dead at his days ago, with activistAnna whichelections have been an- Pune Policeheadquarters by prime conspirators of the that the Deputy Inspector However, the petitioner and subject to further argu- residence on Saturdaymorn- Hazaredecrying it as "auction nounced. January5.The petitioner has March 1993 serial blasts that General (DIG) would deal with sought at leastseven-dayparole mentsbeforeregular court ing. Initial investigation has re- of democracy". District authorities from been directedtoreportbackto claimedover200 livesand in- Rubina’splea. leave and submittedthat shehas whichwillhear thepetition vealed that Nalgeshothimself The video shows acrowded Nandurbar confirmedthat the jail on January12.A vacation jured severalothers. AdvocateShah submitted completed imprisonmentof next on January19.” with his revolver some time be- villagesquarewith an open Khondamali villagehad de- fore 9am. auction underway. The win- cidedtohold the elections un- On receiving information, a ning bid wasRs42lakh after opposed. team of Daund police station whichthe winnerwas carried Dr RajendraBharud, district rushedtothe spot and thebody on the shoulders of his follow- collector of Nandurbar,said the wastaken to ahospital forpost- ers. Shotinthe villageof tehshildar has been asked to In bloom and in demand eveninpandemic:Dutchroses mortem. Khondamali in Nandurbar hold an inquiryinthe matter. Police Inspector Narayan taluka, this wasanapparent Gram panchyat elections Startedinthe year 2012, of transportation, the farm pink), Tropical Amazon (or- PawarofDaund police station auction forthe postof this year have highlighteda RUCHIKA GOSWAMY BerrysRoses and Petals has worked on the nourishment of ange), Contrastand Peach said, “Nalgeissuspected to sarpanch. trend wherein villageresidents PUNE,JANUARY 2 been cultivating Dutchroses to rose plants. “Flowers areper- Avalanche (off-white). have diedbysuicide.Heshot Initial inquiries have shown favour unopposedelections in meetdemand from both India ishable items and instead of The farm is also home to a himself dead with his revolver... that villageresidentshad lieu of monetary donations for 80-YEAR-OLD Subhag Berry,a and overseas. “We grow the harvesting them in the morn- team of 30 farmers, who work probesofar hasrevealedthat decidedtoraise moneytoren- developmental work in thevil- Pune-basedfloriculturist, be- Dutchroses in our polyhouses inglikeweusuallydo, we nu- tirelesslytoproduce and har- he wassuffering from illness ovatethe villagetemple and lage. “Workswhichcan’t be fi- lievesthat no matter the sea- throughout the year with state- trifiedour plantsinthe months vest around 6,000 to 7,000 and depression. No suicide the auction washeld forthis nancedbygovernment funds son or circumstances, roses al- of-the-artdrip irrigation and before the lockdown eased,” sticks of roses per day. note wasrecovered. We have purpose. arebeing financedinthis man- ways stay in demand. Owner of harvestfacilities. The newest she said. “We have workers livingin lodged acase of accidental “This auctionwas ostensibly ner,” said an official. BerrysRoses andPetals, Berry addition is the three-and-a-half While the TopSecret (red) quarters on the premises and deathand further investigation fortemple renovation and the In his press release, Hazare said that while the pandemic acreofland that we arework- variety of Dutch rosesisthe their attending to the roses re- is on." winner wassupposedtobe- said, “Participatorydemocracy and lockdown halted rose har- ing on. The newpolyhouses mostpopular, Berry saidthe sultsinquality roses.Wealso Nalgeisthe son of comethe sarpanch. However, will dieinthis fashion.Village vest forawhile, the five-acre will intensify the production of lightershades also have their ensurethat we look afterour LakshmanNalge, chairman of the person who wonthe bid panchayatisthe reflection of land at MIDC FloriculturePark, the flowers,” she said. The MIDC Floriculture Park shareofdemand. These include workers so if ever theyneedfi- the AgricultureProduceMarket has notfiledany nominations the stateofdemocracy at large Talegaon Dabhade, will soon Berry explainedthat al- will soon see increased Gold Strike(yellow), Avalanche nancial aid, we help them with Committee in Shrigonda. He is forthe villagepanchayatelec- and so, this trend is highly see increasedproduction of though the lockdown put astop production of Dutchroses. (white), Revival(pink), loansfromthe company,”said survivedbyhis parents, wife tions,” said aRevenue depart- problematic.” nine varieties of Dutchroses. to harvestworkdue to absence Amarosa (peach), Igwana (dark Berry. and ason.

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THESUNDAY EXPRESS,JANUARY3,2021 7 GOVT &POLITICS Seeklawandorderreportfromme,not Cong rejigahead of TN polls: 104 secys, DGPorCS:AmarindertoPunjabGovernor 32 vice-presidents PM had inaugurated another section of the Dedicated EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Farmers clash with cops during MANOJCG Freight Corridor lastweek CHANDIGARH,JANUARY2 NEWDELHI,JANUARY2

DAYS AFTER Governor VPSingh protestagainst BJP minister WITHBARELY fourmonthsleftfor Badnoresaid he would summon the Assemblyelections in Tamil PM to inaugurate the Punjab Chief Secretaryand Similarly,aseparategroup broke Nadu,the Congress on Saturday DGP over damagetomobile EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE police barricades in announcedanew team of office- Rewari-Madar towers in the state, Chief CM Amarinder Singh, CHANDIGARH,JANUARY2 Bahadurgarh and marched to- bearers forthe stateunit and key MinisterAmarinderSingh on Governor VPSingh Badnore WCD wardsDelhi border. poll-related panels in what section on freight Saturdaysaid the Governor ANGRYFARMERS on Saturday minister Dadri's Independent MLA seemedtobeamassive exercisein Jumbo committees serveno should have takenupthe matter brokebarricades and clashed Kamlesh Sombir Sangwan, who had with- accommodation. The Congress’s purpose: Karti corridoronJan 7 withhim as he is the custodian served that it had takenjusta with the police during their Dhanda drawnsupportfromBJP in stateunit will nowhave32vice- of the Homeportfolio. dayfor theformer to react to the protest to gherao the residence Haryana in supportoffarmers' presidents, 57 general secretaries

“While the propaganda of stateBJP leadership’s complaint of MinisterofState (Women and ongoing agitation, also released and 104secretaries. ED AVISHEKGDASTIDAR the BJP on collapse of lawand or- of purportedlaw and order col- Child Development) Kamlesh However, whentheywerenot a15-pagebooklet on whythe The party also announceda Effortto NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 der in the statewas nothing lapseinPunjab. Dhanda in Kalayat. allowedtodoso, theybroke the farmers were seeking repeal of 39-member stateelection com- check morethanatactic to divert at- Amarinderslammedthe Kamlesh, aBJP leader,repre- barricades with their tractors the three farm laws. mittee whichwill be headedby PLAIN E heartburn PRIME MINISTER Narendra ● tention from the farm laws issue stateBJP leadership for “adding sentsKalayatAssemblycon- and protestedoutsideDhanda’s Meanwhile,Haryana's stateCongresschiefKSAlagiri. EX Modi is likelytoinauguratean- and the resultant farmers’ agita- fuel to fire,with their irrespon- stituency. residence. EducationMinisterKanwarPalde- The panel has as members lead- otherstretch of the Dedicated tion, if the Governor neverthe- sible statements, in the already The incidenttook place Alarge number of farmers fendedthenewlaws.“Itisanillog- ers suchasPChidambaram, IT IS notnew forthe Freight Corridorfor commercial less had anyconcerns on the sit- chargedatmospheretriggered Saturdaymorning when alarge also gathered at Shahjahanpur icalagitation.Thereisnoreasonfor AICC office-bearers suchas Congress to appoint operations, this time in itswest- uation, he should have takenup by thedraconianfarm laws”. He group of farmers, who were on Rajasthan-Haryana border. agitation...Politicalpartiesareonly Manickam Tagore andAChella jumbo committees of of- ernarm, betweenRewariand the matter directlywith him termeditaviciousgame plan of marchingtowards the resi- The farmers whowereblocked misleading the naïve farmers. Kumar,and MPs including Karti fice-bearers in states Madar on January7,days after (Amarinder)ascustodian of the the party to undermine the dence of Dhanda, were stopped by Haryana Police were adamant Thosewho areleading these Chidambaram, KJayakumar and keeping in mind caste,re- inaugurating the 351-km Home Portfolio,” said the CM in peaceful agitation of the farm- by thepolice who had put up on marching towardsDelhi bor- farmer protests arethose who SJothimani. A19-memberelec- ligious, regional and fac- Khurja-Bhaupur section in the astatement. ers by calling afew minor inci- barricades. der.Eventually, another group of usedtosay thatifCAA is imple- tion coordination committee has tional equations, espe- eastern arm of the megaproject. Terming unfortunatethe fact dents of damagetosome mobile Farmers continuedtoshout farmers reachedRohtak-Sonipat mented, Muslims will lose their also been appointed,headedby ciallywhen polls are In the 306-km Western that the Governor had bowedto towers as alaw and order anti-governmentslogans and border and beganmarching to- citizenship...theyonlygot silentaf- former stateCongress chief EV round the corner.Party Dedicated Freight Corridor, the the antics of the BJP,the CM ob- problem. triedtopush their waythrough. wardsthe Delhi border. terriots brokeout in Delhi.” KSElangovan. leaders point toward both Rewari-Madar section stands Another former TNCC chief meritsand demerits. completed.Madar is near Ajmer and Lok Sabha MP S What is interesting is that in Rajasthan whileRewari is in Thirunavukkarasar will head the thereisnouniformity ei- Haryana. MP: Comedian among 38-member election propa- ther. Forinstance, in Uttar The eventwill also see trains ganda/campaign committee. Pradesh AICC in-charge being flagged offfromAteli and Another former TNCC chief KV Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Kishangarh. “Arrangement of five held after show Thangkabalu will head a31- has optedfor amuch longhauldouble stackcontainer member publicity committee. smaller team of office- trains at Kishangarhand Ateli on donations forthe Ramtem- While former MP Peter bearers. In Tamil Nadu, with tricolour paintedelectric EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE ple in Ayodhya. Alphonse will head the mani- wherethe party will play loco withprominent displayof BHOPAL,JANUARY2 Police said the five men were festocommittee, CLP leader KR second fiddle to the DMK, DFCfor both,” said aDFC inter- booked under IPC sections 295- Ramasamywill head an election the decision to appoint a nal notice on Saturday. STAND-UP COMIC Munawar A(deliberateand maliciousacts, management team. large team seems to be an Around 1,100kmofthe DFC’s Faruqui wasamongfivecome- intendedtooutrage religious But the appointment has effort at ensuring that trackshave been laid since 2014. dians arrested Fridayevening in feelings or anyclass by insulting triggered acontroversy with thereisnoheartburn During his inaugural address Indorefor being partofashow itsreligion or religious beliefs), SivagangaMPKarti ahead of elections. lastweek,Modi had said that the where alleged indecentre- 269 (unlawful or negligent act Chidambaramsayingsuchlarge rest of the DFC work would be marks were made about Hindu likelytospread the infection of committees servenopurpose. expedited. deities. Police said the arrests anydisease dangerous to life) “These jumbo committees serve should be some criteria forse- The 46-km Khurja-Dadri link were madefollowing acom- and other relevant sections. no purpose. 32 VP,57GS, 104 lecting.” will be ready by Marchand is 53 plaintbyAklavyaLaxman Singh Acase wasregisteredat Secretaries. None will have any However, Tiruvallur MP and per centcomplete.The 127-km Gaur of the HindRakshak outfit. Tukoganj police station. Police authority whichmeans no ac- stateCongressWorkingPresident Rewari-Dadri line will be ready He is the sonofMLA and former station in-charge Kamlesh countability,”hetweeted,tag- KJayakumarpraisedtheappoint- by December next year,its tar- Indoremayor Malini Laxman Sharmasaid, “The FIR wasregis- ging Rahul Gandhi, AICC general ments. “It is agood committee getadvancedbyseveral months. Singh Gaur. teredfollowing video evidence secretaryincharge of organisa- whichwill be effective and ade- The 335-km Madar-Palanpur Faruqui and four others – po- submitted to us in whichthe tion KCVenugopal,and AICC in quatetofacethe coming section is 83 per cent complete lice identifiedthem as Edwin content wasfound to be objec- charge of thestate Dinesh Assemblyelections... It is abit de- and will be ready in the next Anthony, PrakharVyas, Priyam tionable.”Sharmasaid the video Gundu Rao, among others. layed. We should have doneit three months. Vyas and Nalin Yadav – were providedtopolice had one of the Another MP,who did not threeorfourmonthsago.Buteven The Palanpur-Makarpura producedincourtSaturdayand comedians making objection- want to be named, said the listof then we have adequatetime to section will be readybyMarch remandedinjudicial custody. able remarks,but all five were office-bearers is a “joke”. “There prepare.” 2022 and is halfway ready. One of them wasreportedly booked forbeing partofthe slappedoutside the court prem- show. In his complaint, Gaur also ises.The incident comesdays af- said the showwas held without tercommunal clashes took place prior permission. He said there GEN RAWAT VISITS ARUNACHAL PM’s high approval rating proof in Indore, Ujjain, Mandsaur fol- wasnosocial distancing because lowing rallies organised by right- therewere100people in asmall ChiefofDefence StaffGeneral Bipin RawatonSaturdayvisited forwardareas in Arunachal wing groups to spreadthe word hall. Pradesh as he completedone year in office. In astatement, the Armysaid he visited forward of leadershipamidCovid: BJP Air Forcebasesinthe Eastern sector and interacted with Army, ITBP and SFF soldiers deployed at the “forwardmostair maintainedpost” in DibangValley and Lohit Sector. Photo:ANI pride forall Indians," Nadda EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE added. TMC cheated ‘Ma, Mati, NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 According to Morning Consult's survey,German Manush’: Shekhawat CITINGRESEARCHby aUS-based Chancellor Angela Merkel's ap- Suvendu: Didn’t form party as kin firm whichsaid Prime Minister proval rating wasat24per cent Jal Shakti minister said. NarendraModi had the highest while UK Prime MinisterBoris PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA The people of West Bengal approval rating among global Johnson's wasinthe negative. KOLKATA,JANUARY2 gave the Congress achance for would have headed it, like TMC leaders,theBJPSaturdaytermedit JPNadda, Prakash Javadekar At thepress conference, three decades and 34 yearstothe a"rare phenomenon" that the Javadekar attributed the Prime UNION MINISTER GajendraSingh communists.Mamata Didi also “They(TMC) areasking what PM'spublicapprovalhasbeenris- Minister's high approval ratingto ShekhawatonSaturdaysaid that ruledthestateforthelast10years, EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE deal IstruckwithBJP forjoining? ingoverthepastsixyears,defying is higher than anyother world his foresight and ableleadership. the 'Ma, Mati and Manush' having cheated the people in the KOLKATAJANUARY2 Yes,Ihavestruckadeal.Thedealis the general trend of fluctuating leader the firm tracks. He said the government’s "suc- (mother,motherland and people) nameofdevelopment,hesaid. that afterBJP comes to power(in ratingsfor mostleaders. Referringto thesurvey,Nadda cessful"handling of the Covid-19 of West Bengal have been Claiming that the people of SUVENDU ADHIKARI, former the state), (images of) Bengal’s The party convenedapress tweeted:"PM@narendramodiji''s pandemichasfurtherboostedhis "cheated"during the Trinamool the stateare nowtaking to the transportministerwho leftthe prideIshwarChandraVidaysagar, conferencewhichwasaddressed popularitynotonlyrisesunabated popularity. Congress rule in the state. streetsagainstthe Mamata Trinamool Congress and joined Swami Vivekananda, Netaji by Union MinisterPrakash across all demographic groups & He said the Morning Consult TheBJP leader, during adoor- Banerjee government, he said, the BJP recently, on Saturdaysaid Subhas Bose and Rabinbradanth Javadekar and attributedthe geographicregionsof thecountry survey follows similarsurveysby to-door campaign in Habraas- "Didi has worked only forthe that he did notform anotherre- Tagore will adorn thewalls near "achievement"toPrime Minister andhealsogetsathumbsupglob- global agency Gallup andIndia's semblyseat in North24 benefit of herown people, ignor- gional party because his family ‘Afterme, nephew would’ve schools and neighbourhoods. I Modi'shandlingof Covid-19situ- ally forhisdedicationto hiscoun- CVoter,whichalsorecordedahigh Parganas district, accusedthe ing the masses who elected her members would have been at its been leader’ have struckadeal that afterBJP ation. BJP president JPNadda, try. PM Modi ranksNumber 1 approval forthe Prime Minister. MamataBanerjee government to powerfor twoterms." helm afterhim “likethe comes to power, therewill be no meanwhile, postedaseries of among all global leaders in this Asked aboutthe intensifying of working forthe benefit of its The Union ministerasserted Trinamool Congress”. Instead, he corruption...” tweets sayingthis wasatesti- (these) challenging times." protests by farmers againstthe "own people". that the rule of lawwill beestab- said,hechoseto jointhe“nation’s did notformaregional party. Yes, Suvendu alsotargetedthe monytohis able leadership. Ever sincethe Modi-ledgov- farmlaws,Javadekarsaidthegov- "The BJP wantstomakeWest lishedinWestBengal afterthe largestpolitical party”. with your blessings, Icould have TMC over the newfarmlaws. American firm Morning ernmentcameto power, people's ernment is hopeful of resolving Bengal Rabindranath Tagore's BJP's victoryin theassembly elec- Adhikariwasaddressingapub- formedasmall regional party.I “They(TMC) aresaying farmers Consult, whichregularly tracks trustinthe government and the the issue and ending their agita- 'Sonar Bangla' (Golden Bengal) tions due in April-May this year. lic meeting in Mahisadal, Purba had the capability.But then after arerejecting the farm laws.After approvalratingsof worldleaders, faith that thenation is progress- tion.Referringto DefenceMinister from the ruinedstate it has been "The BJP will establish true Medinipur,also attendedbyBJP me, my ‘nephew’ would have the farm laws were passed, BJP said over 75 per cent people ap- ingintherightdirectionhasrisen RajnathSingh''soutreachtofarm- turnedintodue to thesuccessive democracy," he said. Over 200 MPandMinisterofState(environ- been itsleader.Idecidedtojoin and NDAcame to powerinBihar. proveofPMModi while 20 per drastically, he said. "This rating is ers,Javadekarsaidwhatthesenior governmentsinthe pastinclud- TMC workersjoinedthe BJPin ment andforest) Babul Supriyo. the largest partyinthe nation — BJP woninpolls in Uttar Pradesh cent disapprove, putting his net testimonyofhis able leadership BJP leader had said is the view of ing thatofthe TMC," the Union Shekhawat's presence. “They (TMC)are asking whyI the BJP,” said Suvendu. and Rajasthan,” he added. approvalratingat55percent.This and hardworkand is athing of the government as well. Buta Singh,8-termLok Sabha MP and former Home minister, dies at 86

nearly sixdecade-long political 1970s, and when the Congress Rao, and that he wasonlya acquitted later by theHigh Court. Cabinetmet at midnightand Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister MANOJCG career,diedonSaturday.Hewas wasthrownout of powerafter member of that group.The deci- Singh returnedtothe faxedthe Governor’s report to NarendraModi and former PM NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 86. Emergency,hewas appointed sion, he had said, had Rajiv Congress during the Sonia President APJAbdul Kalam, who Manmohan Singh, among many Singh wasincoma since ageneral secretaryofAICC in Gandhi's approval. Gandhi eraand wasrehabili- wasinMoscowatthe time. other political leaders, condoled AT ONE time, ButaSingh wasthe October 2020, whenhewas ad- 1978. He wasajunior minister Singh wasinductedintothe tatedinthe party – he wassent Kalam approved the recommen- his demise. Home MinisterinRajiv Gandhi’s mitted to AIIMS aftersufferinga and then acabinetminister Narasimha Raocabinetin1995 as Governor of Bihar during the dation within twohours, and the Modi tweeted, "In the pass- government -- fightinghis brain hemorrhage. His family when Indirareturnedtopower and givencharge of civil supplies UPAera but controversy,ironi- Assemblywas dissolved. ing of ShriButaSingh, the coun- leader’stricky political battles, said Singh diedaround 7.10 am. in 1980 but hisglorious days and consumer affairs portfolio cally, remainedhis constant The Supreme Courtlater tryhas lostone of the longest he wascounted among the most Singh beganhis politicalca- came during the Rajivera, but had to step down ayear later companion. The Bihar Assembly came down heavilyonButa serving parliamentarians with powerful of Rajiv's loyalists in the reer with the Akali Dal in the when he became the Home afterhis name croppedupinthe electionsinFebruary2005 Singh. In itsinterim order,the richadministrative experience. Congress then. At another point, 1960s. He waselected to Lok Ministerin1986. Jain hawala case. Their ties also threw up afractured mandate. apexcourtheld the Assembly's He championed the cause of the he wasaminister – although for Sabha forthe firsttime in 1962 It wasperhaps Rajiv’s at- soured andled to hisexit from With no party in aposition to dissolution as unconstitutional. oppressedand marginalized...” justamonth –in the Atal Bihari on an Akali Dal ticket from Moga tempttosend asignal to the Sikh BUTA SINGH the Congress. form the government, In itsfinal judgment, the court Kovind tweeted: "Saddenedto Vajpayeegovernment. in Punjabbut switchedtothe community afterIndira’s assas- 1934-2021 In 1998,hejoinedthe President’s Rule wasimposedin held that the Governor had mis- learn about the passing away of And years later,Singh wasa Congress soon. He wasreelected sination, but Singh courtedcon- Vajpayeegovernment as the firstweek of March.Two ledthe Centre andpointed out Shri Buta Singh Ji. He wasanable controversialGovernor who had to Lok Sabha in 1967,the second troversy by defending Operation Communications minister – he months later,the NDAclaimedit that the Union Council of administrator &parliamentar- to step down afterastrong in- time from Ropar on aCongress Blue Star.Hewas excommuni- had resignedfromthe Congress had the support of 115MLAs. The Ministers should have cross- ian...” dictment by the SupremeCourt. ticket. In all, he wasaneight- cated.Yearslater,heatonedfor disputed siteinAyodhya in 1989, by then. But Singh had to resign JD(U) and BJP had managed the checkedbeforeaccepting his Rahul Gandhi posted, "In the Singh’s career wasoften term Lok Sabha MP. his “sins”bywashing dishesand and his role in bringing down within amonth afterthe supportofsome LJP leaders and recommendation. demise of Sardar ButaSingh Ji, dogged by controversies but the He became aministerfor the cleaningshoes at gurudwaras. manyelected chief ministers,in- Supreme Courtordered that Independents. Singh had to resign. the countryhas lostatrue pub- wilypoliticianhad an uncanny firsttime in 1974;therewas no But morethanthat, histerm cluding in Tamil Nadu. chargesbeframedagainsthim Governor Singh alertedthe He waslater appointedhead lic servant and aloyal leader.He instinct forpolitical survival. lookingbackafter that. as Home Ministerwill be re- Yearslater,Singh said that the in the JMM briberycase. In 2000, President that this could lead to of the National Commission for devoted his entirelifeinthe serv- Singh, the veteranwho had Singh wasadeputy minis- membered forthe RajivGandhi decision to allow shilanyaswas aspecial CBI courtconvicted horse-trading and recom- ScheduledCastes. ice of the countryand the well- servedasaministerwith four terfor railways in the Indira government'sdecision to allow takenbythe Cabinetsubcom- both Raoand Singh in the JMM mendeddissolution of the On Saturday,President Ram being of people, forwhichhewill Prime Ministers during his Gandhi government in the shilanyas of aRam temple at the mittee headedbyPVNarasimha briberycase but the twowere AssemblyonMay 21.The Union Nath Kovind, Vice President M alwaysberemembered...”

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THEINDIANEXPRESS, JANUARY3,2021 8 EXPRESS ADDA

JANHVI KAPOOR SHARAN SHARMA ACTOR DIRECTOR, GUNJAN SAXENA: How do you always remain THE KARGIL GIRL so calm on the sets? Have As an actor, you learn so you always been this way, many tricks of the trade, or did it come with and there are skills you pick experience? up which help you deliver Definitely with experience. certain performances. How In thebeginning,Ididn’t have do you balance it with the thisstate of calmness, but innate honesty that you there was ampleconfidence. have as aperson? Sometimes, Iwouldeven play It’sdifficulttodissectit,to atthatconfidence.Butwith surgicallyoperatetheconcept. life, cameexperience,andone Asanactor,youlearnwherethe realises that peaceof mindis lightis,whatthegimmickis,and themost important thing. wherethecamerais.Ikeepthe craft—thetricks,thepower— alltogether,butIdon’tleavethe truthbehind.Gimmickshelpin tellingthetale,butit’sonly whenitcomesfromtheheart thatpeopleseeitasthetruth. ‘A part of my soul goesinto the VIDYANAND JHA PROFESSOR,IIM-KOLKATA Which school or tradition of acting of Hindi cinema do you hail from? And what making of asubtle performance’ roles do you prefer, serious ones or humourous ones? AASHNAWANDANI I’ve not seen too many RADHAKANHAI films,and have zero reference At an e-Adda heldearlier this week,actor PankajTripathi spokeonhis journey,keeping calm, why AMBASSADOROFSURINAME of older actors. My training TOINDIA schoolwas the National OTTplatforms should duckformula, and Bollywood being ademocratic space We‘pravasiBharatiyas’feel SchoolofDrama, from where proudthatyouhavemadea peoplelike Om Puri, Pankaj On his roots ever Iwant to say, through my films. Apoet nameasaBhojpuriya—as Kapurand Naseeruddin Shah Icome from Gopalganj, adistrict in Bihar, says what he wantstosay through his poetry, KaleenBhaiyaandAdvocate came. It’s my gurukul.Irrfan in the very interiors. In my village, therewas apainter through his art, asculptorthrough Mishra.Also,ifthe saab left ahuge impression atradition of theatre, whichatpresent is dor- his creations. Without thought and thinking, opportunityarises,willyou on me thoughIdon’t know if I mant. We usedtodotheatrerightafter the no storyornarrative canbecreated.All our everjoinpolitics? hail from his schoolofacting, Chhath festival. ThereIdid acouple of plays. artforms —dance, drama and poetry—stem Therehasbeen ahuge but if Icome to be associated My father is apriest, he conductsreligious from deep thought. migrationinIndiaof the with his school, that would be rituals. Iremember,about10-12 km from my girmitiyas (indentured ahuge honourfor me. As for house there’s abazaar called Barauli and labourers). Ihaveahuge my choiceofroles, Ihave fun once therewas an inauguralpuja forthe On his nuancedperformances interest in all this that in all my roles,because if I opening of acinema hall calledBasant Over the years, Ihavedealt withalotof happened 140years ago; it’s don’t,actingwill become like Talkies. My father took me along, and said, people, and those interactions have leftan anintegral part ofBihari history. any otherjob, and then it will ‘Today’s the inauguration of the cinema hall, everlasting impression on me. Ihavemet a Asforthe other question, we’ll becomeboring. so you, too, enter the theatreand watcha wholerangeofpeople, rightfrommyvillage, see.Ihaveworked hard tobean film.’ Beforethatday,Ihadseenacinema hall to thepeople in Mumbai, and Iconsider all of actor, and nowpeople onlyfromthe outside. At that time, how themmyteachers. I’m averyreceptive per- recognise me asan actor. It would Ihaveknown that one day, I’ll become (Clockwise from top) PankajTripathiwas in conversation with National Features son, Ibelieveinlisteningmore. Ihad ateacher would seemabitstrange if I apartofthe cinemaindustry.Frommyvil- Editor Devyani Onialand TheIndianExpress film critic Shubhra Gupta in NSD, BV Karanth, who usedtosay,‘Kansen shift careers from abhineta to lage, Ithen went to Patna to pursue theatre, bano,Tansen mat bano; through minimum, neta. Maybe, in thefuture, if and afterdoing afair bit of theatre,Ilearnt createmaximum.’Asfor theeconomical ges- the opportunitypresents itself. that acting needs to be learnt. Then Igot to wasnot justfreetime, Iwas actuallyworking On being involvedwith tures and the nuancedbits, it is averydelib- knowthat the government runs the institu- on my craft. Iwas practising. student politics erateand averyconscious decisiononmy tion National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi, part. Apart of my souland ahugeamountof and there, acting is taught forfree; in fact, On whether he ever felt Biharisaverypolitically awarestate.I,too, my life experience goes intomaking thatnu- people receive money (stipends) to learn act- wasveryactiveinpoliticsduring my student anced, subtle performance possible. ing.But to applythere, one had to clear grad- dejected in his early days days.Ihad cometoPatna from avillage, so I MUDIT JAIN uation, and Ihad droppedout of college. So, Inever felt thatway,perhaps, because I wanted to do something out of the routine, On the importance of research MD, DCW LIMITED Iwent backand rejoinedmygraduation hadn’t come to Mumbai thinking that I’ll be- but what that Ididn’tknow. Iusedtoread a Films are made in a course in Hindi literature, while preparing come ahero, or to launch myself. The money small newspaper column called‘NagarMein to playacharacter disjointed manner, the first forNSD on the side. EventuallyIendedupat and survivalinHindi theatrewas difficult for Aaj(TodayinTown)’, andgot to knowabout a Manypeople still don’t understand the scene might be shot last, NSD. Afterthat, Icame to Mumbaiin2004, me, so Icame to Mumbai forsurvival. Ithought SPIC MACAYprogrammeinPatna, where importance of abackstory or the research for instance. But when it all because it’s very difficult foranactor to sur- acting is my passion, and perhaps, Ican run Bismillah Khan sahib wascome to playthe neededfor acharacter, especiallyinmain- comes together, how does vive in Hindi theatre. the house on it. WhereIcome from, our strug- shehnai. I, asimple 21-year-old villageboy,in stream cinema. It’simportant forme, as aper- PANKAJ MISHRA it feel creatively? gleistobecome a acottonpant, former.Icannotconstruct abuilding without ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, Filmmakingisafascinating doctor or geta bush shirtand afoundation. Afoundation is nevervisible, ST STEPHEN’S COLLEGE process.Apersonhadanidea, On his journeyfromTVtofilms railway job.My gamchha,who but without afoundation,nothing of impor- We have seen anegative andstartedtowriteit.Then Ifirstdid television. Earlier,one didn’t get needs were very has no knowl- tance can ever bebuilt. Characters cannotex- side of the Hindi film cametheseconddraft,followed adirect chance to actinfilms. Foreight years, less. And, per- edge of classical istwithout abackstory,orabackground. For industry lately. There have bythescreenplay.Thensom- Ihad no clue about wherefilms aremade in haps, that’s why, I music, cycledto me, acharacter justdoesn’t materialise in thin been some stark eonecomesforwardtoinvest Mumbai, and nowthe situationissuchthat neverfeel de- the event at air and starts reciting dialogues wearing the statements due to which a money.Addedtothiscollabora- everyeighth day, I’m offeredanew film. In jected.Iknew, the MagadhMahila costume. He has to comefromsomewhere, section of the public has tionaretheheroandthehero- the initial days,Ihad no idea whereand how dayIgetachance, CollegeinPatna, from somecontext —he’s coming from sworn off watching the ine.Thisistakentotheediting films were made, so Istarted with TV.Idid I’ll somehow becauseentry someplace and he’s going somewhere. films of aparticular actor. room,wherethisisagain‘disjoi- about three dailysoaps: Bahubali, Gulaal and manage. And, wasfree. All Amidst all this, where do nted'.Ifyouarenotfromafilm you think the future of Sarojini. I’ve done afair amount,about 500- neitherdid Iwant around me sat a On aformula and aset theorybackground,youwillfind 600episodes, but luckily, noneofmyshows to become some well-dressed, dis- Bollywood lies? filmshootingveryboring.The became popular,and that’s whypeoplehad- hugepersonality. cerning audience, narrative with expletives Iamnoexpert, or a magicisnotinthepreparation, n’t reallyseen me before films! When Iwas Justyesterday, theywerealso emerging on OTT platforms spokesperson ofthe industry, I butintheexecution. doing the lastshow, Iwas very frustrated be- someone asked lookingatme, don’t understand thetrade cause TVfelt very repetitive —everydaygo- meaboutmy leadrolein theforthcomingfilm happy thatayoung chap lovesmusic so We should be awareofthistrap. We see aspect ofit. Everyone hasthe ingtothe same set, meeting the same setof Kaagaz,that whether Ididn’t want to playthe much. But, what love?Ijust read the column that in the entertainment industry, if youhave right toform theiropinion. But people, almostthe same storylines. Iwas fed lead allalong. Isaid, of course, it (playing the and wantedto do something different and so, one hit story, thereisatendency to replicate atthe sametime, if the opinion up with it. In the meanwhile, Ireceived lead) wasadesirebut Iwas neverdesperate Iendedupgoing to theshow. That time,when it. We do something once,itisanovelty,but is formed only through social Newton’s script, Amit Masurkar sent it over forit. Therewas chaahat (desire) not bechaini the young wantedto do something different, when we do it toooften, it loses impact. Iself- media, one should be careful. I and Iread it. Once the scriptarrived,Ilefttel- (restlessness) thatmytomorrowshould be theyengaged in student politics, attended censor,Ionlyuse expletiveswhen it’s ab- haveseen thisindustry for the evision. But yes, TV is also averypowerful better than my today. classical musicand dance concertsinPatna. solutelynecessary. When we aresharing a last 15 years atall levels, right medium. Iknowits power. But Idid my share. Justthat way, Iendedupdoing alot of things. storyofagangsterdrama, it becomes neces- from when Iwasturned away from the gatesofaproduction On maintaining his composure Itookhotel-training and worked at ahotel, saryaspeople who inhabit those worlds in and sold shoes, too, forsome days,evenabro- real life, don’t reallyuse anuanced, respectful house, tonow,when Imeet the On his days of struggle in afrenetic city kergot me to sell apatchofland —Itriedbut dialect. Yes, people getbored (if it gets repet- CEOsof such companies. Don’t Idon’t have very manyunhappystories Isomehowmanage. Raftaar (speed) is couldn’t sell it. So, youwant to do alot of itive). But as actors,wealso getswayed. form your opinions only through NISHANT GAHARWAR in Mumbai because Ihad fallen in love with an external process, whichbasicallycomes things.Students’ unionwas onesuchthing I social media, analyse things, HEAD-HR, DISNEY+HOTSTAR and think. As forthefuture, 10 and marriedanaccomplishedand beautiful from within.For the wheels to move,the pursuedfor ayear-and-a-half. And then, Isaw On his plans to direct films Whichexpression,foryou,is woman, Mridula, who usedtoworkasa work is donebythe engine. Though we see alot of theatre. Iset my mind on pursuing it years ago, thefilms thatare themostdifficulttoessayon teacher in Mumbai and earnedenough thewheels, but it is the engine whichruns. as acareer. Ilefteverything else, students’ pol- Iget visualoflandscapes of various being made today, would have thescreen? salarytosustain the twoofus. But yes, more So, Ikeep my engine under control. Yes, itics and hoteljob, and did theatre24x7. places in my mind —right from Naugachia beenimpossible tomake. I Iamashy person,soifIhave than the outer fight is the inner struggle, the sometimes Ifeel drained, andifthis year- in Bihar,tothe fullmoonnight of Rann of could never have believed that to play aromantic scene on uncertaintythat comeswith this profession. long lockdown hadn’t happened,Iwould Kutch, to the desolateNubraValley, or an anactor who lookslike me On whether artists should screen,Ifind it difficult. Each Youdon’tknowwhen youwillget an oppor- have fallen sick, because overnight, Iwas evening on the banksofSarayuriver.Ican could have played themain emotionisdifficult to recreate. tunity, howlong will it take,and youare ab- takingflightsfromone place to another, voice their opinion onlysharethem with the worldwhen Idi- protagonistinaHindi film. In the performing arts, we solutelyuncertain about what will happen. one shooting to another.This lockdown Of course.Manyartists arefully awareof rect, notthrough speaking or narrating Bollywood isavery democratic recreate. In life, we all create the Everyday, Iusedtogotocasting offices for break made me realise that Ishould pause what’s happening around them and they alone. Aftersome years, hopefully. space, it alsobreaks the emotions, as it’s all real. Here auditions, wherever theywereheld, and re- forawhile. It’s again about controlling my sharetheir opinions. The tools, the medium at Forlonger version, go to existent hierarchy.Onafilm it’s all fictional. To portray turnedunsuccessful. Forme, that free time ownengine. my disposaliscinema, my films. Isay what- www.indianexpress.com set, everyone — from thehero, something over the top or loud, I tothelightman and makeup find that difficult as well. artist —are equal.

JITENDER DABAS Yes,Iworry about it,though Iamnot yet ANAND JHA Idon’t know, but it’s surprising forme. Ihave had COO, MCCANN WORLD GROUP scared. It’slike yourepeat thesame thingin CHIEF CORPORATE AFFAIRS, WALMART 11-year-olds telling me that they relate to my work in Now,peoplecometoseePankajTripathiin season 1, 2and3—Idothink about repeating Howisitpossiblethatpeoplefromallages,beit Stree and Gunjan Saxena,and then there areelderly theatres,andwritersanddirectorswillalso myself and question myself ifIamdoing the mydaughterwhois17andmyteamwhorange peoplewho tell me thesame.Idon’t know if it’s my startwritingmaterialkeepingyouinmind. same thing. Hence,Ilookfor scripts where Iam fromtheir20stotheir30s,andevenmy hard work,or the blessingofmyparents. Ifeel the Doesitworryyouthatallofitwillstart not repeating myself. Itry tocreate something parentswhoareintheir70s—theyallrelateto love Ireceive from the audience is like afixed deposit, lookingthesame?Areyouscaredofit? new in thesameness as well. yourperformances? which Iwill havetoreturn, with interest.

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THESUNDAY EXPRESS,JANUARY3,2021 9 SUNDAY STORY New faces of J&K’snew politics

Therecent DDC polls, thefirstdemocratic exercise in J&K since the Centre’sAugust 5move, has seen theredrawing of political lines and the emergence of anew leadership—fromalaw studentinNorth Kashmir to adentistinthe South, aschool teacher in Jammutothe wifeofaseasonedpolitician in Kashmir.BASHAARATMASOOD, NAVEED IQBAL in Srinagar &ARUNSHARMAinJammutell some of their stories

SHABIR AHMAD LONE, 45, PAGD (NC) ROHAMA, BARAMULLA

ANATIONAL Conference worker since 1999, Lone wasamong the mainstream politicians SHAZIA KOUSER, 33, INDEPENDENT arrested andbookedunderthe Public Safety BUDHAL OLD A, RAJOURI Actinthe aftermath of theconstitutional changes to J&K. He spentsix months in KOUSER RESIGNED from her job as agovern- Masters’ in microbiology. Srinagar CentralJail, before the UT adminis- ment school teacher in Jammu city’s Sun- Ensuring children of her constituency get tration quashedhis detention. jwan area to contest the DDC polls. She de- to schools is among her priorities. “The gov- “This win is an opportunitytostrengthen feated theNC’s ShaheenAkhtar by amargin ernment scheme of having aprimaryschool the PAGD’s position so that we can take on of 2,446 votes, relegating her aunt and wife every3km and amiddle school every8km thechallengeofrestoring J&K’s special sta- of former ministerZulfikar Choudhary(J&K exists only on paper.Eventoday, thereare tus,” he said. Apni Party), ZubedaBegum, to thirdplace. children in the constituency who have never Lone defeated J&K Apni Partycandidate “People reachedout to my husband been to schools,” says Kouser,who has Zahoor Ahmad Mir,who toowas booked un- JavedIqbal, who is chairman of Budhal Old shiftedher daughter,aClass 2student,from der PSA, by over 1,500votes. BlockDevelopmentCouncil, to field some- aschool in Jammu city to oneinRajouri to FIRSTONHIS LIST: “Thelasttime these one from the familyafter theDDC con- ensurethat she is available to her con- roads were pavedwas in 2014.Thatwill be stituency wasreservedfor women... Forme, stituents at all times. my firstpriority” this is an opportunity to servepeople living FIRSTONHER LIST: Kouser says her firstfo- in these tough terrains. Ihavemade it clear cus will be to ensureroad connectivity. to my husband that Iwill notsit at home and “Thereare villages wherepeople trek for IRFAN HAFEEZ LONE, 40, INDEPENDENT allowmale members of the familytowork nearly three to four hours to gettothe near- SANGRAMA, NORTH KASHMIR in my place,” says Kouser who holdsa estmotorable roads,” she says

IN THE winter of 2007,Irfan HafeezLone, thenalawstudentatKashmir University, ASIM QURESHI, 45, NATIONAL CONFERENCE staged asit-in at Jantar Mantar to seek com- GUNDNA, DODA pensation forthe losses sufferedbyJ&K un- der the Indus WaterTreaty,marking the be- THEADVOCATEdefeatedformerministerand ginning of his politicalactivism. Thirteen vice-president of BJP’s J&K unitShakti Raj years and twounsuccessful electoral at- Parihar.Qureshisays hewillfocusondevelop- tempts later,hefinallymanaged to defeat a mentand promote communalharmony. former legislator,Shoaib Nabi Lone, who was “Villagesdon’thave roadconnectivity...The fighting on aJ&K Apni Partyticket. constituency has 15 panchayats under it and Aregular panellistonnationaltelevision, onlytwo dispensaries...Schoolsdon’thave ad- Lone’sfirstbrush with publiclifebegan early equateteachingstaff,” he says. when,asachild, he would accompanyhis However, adds Qureshi,the successofhis father Hafizullah Lone, aprominent activist, plans will depend on “howthe government to meetings and rallies. In 1991,atthe height behaves”. “Let’ssee if theyallow the DDCs to of Kashmir’s days of militancy,when Lone he says. “Nowitismyturn to fight forthe SAFEENABAIG, 47, INDEPENDENT work and allocatefundstoit. People arenot wasbarely12years old, his father was people, fortheir political rights, forthe spe- WAGOORA, NORTH KASHMIR happy over theway thingshappenedon gunneddownbyunidentifiedpeopleathis cial status. Ihavemanydifferences with the August5,2019(when Article 370was re- villageWagub. NC andPDP but on the Gupkar declaration, IN 2018,SafeenaBaig wasappointed tested thepolls,” she says. voked),’’hesays. While in college,Lonewoulduse Right to we areonthe same page”. president of the PDP’s women’s wing. Alawyer, Safeena graduated from FIRSTONHIS LIST: Qureshiwantstobring Informationtoask questions of the govern- Lone hopes his victorywill inspireothers. Behind her sudden emergence were her AligarhMuslimUniversity.But being road connectivity to his constituency ment. He has also campaignedfor industry “Activists usually fail in electoral politics —be years of political experience as aback- the wifeofapolitician, it washardtoes- status to Kashmir’s applebusiness. is Yogendra Yadav, Medha PatkarorIrom stagemanager forher husband Muzaffar cape politics. In 2008, afterhis graduation, Lone unsuc- Sharmila. But my winasanIndependent can- HussainBaig, afounding member and Wagoorasaw atough triangular con- DR MANOHAR SINGH, 68,PDP cessfullycontestedthe 2008 and 2014 didateshould encouragemanyothers.” patron of the PDP who resignedfromthe test between Safeena, PAGD candidate NOWSHERA, RAJOURI Assemblyelections from Sangrama. FIRSTONHIS LIST: Widening of the party days before the DDC polls. Shaheena Begumand Apni Party’s Nas- “The goodwill my familyhas earnedand Srinagar-Baramulla highway. “It has become While Baig accused the party of not reena Firdous (mother of former legisla- APHYSICIAN, Singh polled 10,579 votes and my ownworkonthe ground have paid off,” adeath trap,” he says consulting him before leaders of the torShoiab Lone). wonthe Nowsheraconstituency,aBJP bas- People’s Alliance forGupkar Declaration But when the resultsweredeclared, tion and native place of J&K BJP president and (PAGD) finalisedthe seat-sharingdeal, Safeena had secured acomfortable lead formerMLA Ravinder Raina. His win on a POLLSINNUMBERS manybelievehewas nothappyasthe over the PAGD candidateby1,491 votes. PDP ticketassumes significanceinlightof Spacefor seat Safeena wanted to contestwentto While she has notformally quit the the BJP’s extensive campaign in the region, 20 DDCs IN J&K the National Conference. But Safeena de- PDP,she says, “My politics is linked to Baig including visitsbyUnion Ministers. democracy nies this. sahib.Any decision on my futurewould “Therehad been no development in “Members of the civil society came to be also linked to him.” Nowshera despiteitbeingaborder area. 10 10 Baig sahib and said we should contest FIRSTONHER LIST: The constituency People living along the LoC face Pakistani ELECTIONS TO the 20 DDCs across from there. Baig sahib hadmade acom- has severalfar-off areasand she hopes to shelling everyday.Theyget injured,even Jammu &Kashmir has seen 278 IN JAMMU IN KASHMIR mitmenttothem and that waswhy Icon- startimproving road connectivity killed, and their houses aredamaged,but members, cutting across party nobody cares forthem,”says Singh, who lines,emerge victoriousinthe first ■ 14 is the number of members in each retired from government service eight democratic exercise sincethe DDC MINHA LATEEF,BJP,22 years agoand nowhas his ownmedicine Centrestrippedthe former stateof KAKAPORA II, PULWAMA practice in Nowsheratown. ■ In 8out of 10 DDCs,PAGDhas amajority itsspecial status and downgradedit “In the 2014 Assemblyelections, the (half-way markof7)onits ownoralong intotwo Union Territories. The fact THE 22-year-old contestedand wonthe present BJP president Ravinder Raina ment among people and “no BJP waveinthe with Cong that mostofthe DDC members are KakaporaIIterritorialconstituency, giv- got elected due to the Modi wave, but he constituency”. political debutantsisasign that ■ In 6out of 10 DDCs in Jammu, BJPhas a ingthe BJP ararewin in South Kashmir. did notvisit the people hereafter that,” FIRSTONHIS LIST: As aDDC member,he J&K’s democratic space is still intact. majorityonits own; in at least3DDCs, Athird-year lawstudent, sheiskeen to he adds. says,myrole will be to ensurepower supply, PAGD is settowrest controlwith help finish her graduation while also ensur- Singh says he wassureofwinning be- better healthcare, and moresafetymeasures from Congress ing that the basic developmentalde- cause therewas already alot of discontent- in the constituency mands of her constituency aremet. “I wanted to makesureIhave aback- ground that can supportmycareer in public service,” she says. Herfather,Lateef Bhat,isaBJP Pradesh unit functionary. With Kakapora one of the seatsreservedfor women, Bhat urged his daughter to contest.Mihna secured a 14-vote lead, defeating herclosestoppo- nent, PDP’s Ruqaya Bano. FIRSTONHER LIST: Metalledroads for her village, Kakapora

HARBAKSH SINGH, 41, PDP TRAL, SOUTH KASHMIR

ASOCIAL worker and aqualifieddentist, Dr Singhwas elected as aDDC member from Tral,aseparatiststronghold in South Kashmir’sPulwama. Infact,themostlyMuslimvotersof Tral had votedintwo Sikhcandidates to the Pulwama DDC. “Kashmiriyatisall about communal harmony,”says Singh. Sonof aschoolteacher,Singhjoinedthe PEER SHAHBAZ AHMAD, 31, INDEPENDENT GovernmentDentalCollege inSrinagarfor KUMARI SHAVETA, 30, BJP VERINAG,ANANTNAG hisgraduation.Itwas herethathehad his KEERIAN GANDYAL, KATHUA firstbrushwithstudentpolitics.Afterbeing AFORMER sarpanchfromKapran and a has neverworkedonthe ground here”. associatedwiththeCongress’sstudentout- AHOMEOPATHY practitioner,she defeated light issues of rural areas and also help bridge former blockpresident of the Congress, Ahmad eventuallydefeated Pradesh fit, the National Students UnionofIndia, former MLAand DograSwabhiman the gapbetween Jammu and Kashmir. “The Shahbazsays it is the work he did as Congress chief GAMir’s son, Naseer Ahmad Singhsoonbecamestategeneralsecretary came to me withtheir problems, Iwould Sangathan PartycandidateKanta Andotra by twodivisions have always accusedeach chairman of the BlockDevelopment Council Mir,who fell shortby630 votes. of the Youth Congress. tryand help them, but havingtodeal with amargin of 1,675votes. other of taking away the major shareofde- over the lasttwo yearsthat propelledhim to “Ihaveworkedfor the development of In2011,SinghjoinedPDPasgeneralsec- the bureaucracy wasfrustrating,”hesays. “Ihail from Jagatpur village. It is onlyone velopment funds. Nowthat both have an awin in the District Council. However, his the area over thelastcouple of years and peo- retaryof theparty’syouthwing.“Iswitched “Butnowthatpeoplehavevotedmetothe km away from the highway at Lakhanpur, equal number of DDC constituencies, there decision to contestmeant he had to go ple do see that,” Ahmad added. to aregional party because youhad access DDC,Iwill fight forthem.” but thereisnoroad connectivity.Lastyear, will be real changeonthe ground,” she adds. againsthis party. FIRSTONHIS LIST: “About 80,000 people to theleadership —you could meetMeh- FIRSTONHIS LIST: when Igot marriedand movedout, Ialso had FIRSTONHER LIST: Shaveta says whilecam- Ahmad says thoughhehad been a of the area depend on asingle branchofthe boobaji whenever youwanted,” he says. Removing “commission culture”. Also, to walk to getanywhere... That’s when Ide- paigning she found that therewereveryfew ground worker of the Congress forlong, “yet, J&K Bank in Anantnag. Ihope to getabranch SinghhopestheDDCwinwillhelphim better electricity and safedrinking water cidedtocontestthe polls,” she says. government dispensaries in her area. Ensuring the party gave the tickettoacandidate who of the bank closertothe village” servepeople better. “Earlier, when people forvillages in his constituency Shaveta believesthe DDC polls will high- better healthcarewill be herpriority

Pune WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 10 OPINION THE SUNDAY EXPRESS,JANUARY3,2021

Across Fifth THEAISLE COLUMN TAVLEENSINGH RemindingusofAugust1942 Twitter@tavleen_singh

WE ARE reminded of Gowalia Tank tween the protesting farmers and the un- WHAT CONSTITUTION againstanMSP of Rs 1,850per quintal), Maidan, Mumbai (then Bombay), on relenting government remains. letthem do so. Whyshould the Central SAYS August7-8, 1942. Mahatma Gandhi governmentbeconcernedaboutthe law Ayear of gave the clarioncall ‘Do or Die’, and Thereisamoreformidable argument prevailing in astate?Ifthe Central gov- asked the British to Quit India. Today, REFORMS NEEDED, in favour of the protesting farmers. The ernmentisconcernedthat the FCI should Singhu, on the border of Delhi,isthe BUTWHATREFORMS? PrimeMinisterpaid obeisance to the procureenough grain to supply to the badchanges PCHIDAMBARAM Gowalia Tank Maidan. Thereisno ConstitutionofIndia. That is notenough. PDS(including the supplies under the Website:pchidambaram.in Mahatma, but everyfarmer is imbued All economistsare agreedthat agri- He should read the little book everytime National Food SecurityAct), letthe Centre SOMETHINGfundamentalchangedfor Twitter@Pchidambaram_IN with the fervourofnon-violent protest. culturalproduce marketing needsre- thereisadoubt. If he did and if he turned expand the reachofthe FCI and makeita the worseinIndia in the year justended. The call is the same ‘Do or Die’,and the forms. The APMC Acts aredeficientnot to Schedule VII ListII, he will find the fol- moreefficient instrument of procure- And, it had nothing to do with the pan- farmershaveasked the government to becausetheybenefitnoone but because lowing entries listedaslegislative sub- ment, storageand distribution. No state demic.The changewas notsubtle.Itman- repealthe newfarmlaws. theybenefit only asmall proportion of jectsreserved forthe states: is opposedtothe FCI’soperations. ifesteditself in the firstweeksof2020 in Another round of talkshas failed. It is farmers nation-wide. The answer to the Entry14Agricultureincluding..... apoisonous newpolitical languagethat clear as daylight that the government has weaknesses of the APMC system is not Entry26 Tradeandcommercewithinthe spewedout of themouthsofthe Prime apre-determinedmind. It willnot coun- to debilitateit, but to create thousands Statesubjecttotheprovisionsof TRUMPISM WILL FAIL Minister’s closestassociates and his most If the farmersofPunjab wish tenance repeal, it will onlypropose of lightly-regulated farmers’ markets entry33ofListIII (which reads: The Modigovernment seemsdeter- senior ministers. The Home Ministerset amendmentstomiscellaneous provi- across the countryinsmall towns and Trade and commerce in, and the minedtoassertits majority-inspired su- the tone by describing illegal immigrants to sell their produce at production, supplyand distribution regulated markets, let them sions other than the three keydemands, large villages to enable farmers to sell of,... (b) foodstuffs...... ) premacy.Itisaperverse application of the from Bangladesh as ‘termites’and then and it will notallow the StateLegislatures their produce at MSP and without being Entry28Marketsandfairs discredited slogan ‘Modihai, to mumkin making aseries of menacingspeeches in do so. If the farmersofBihar to have their sayintheir respective states. exploited on non-pricefactorssuchas hai’. Mr Modi cannothavehis wayin whichhemade it abundantly clearthat do not wish to have an Entry52Taxesontheentryofgoodsintoa On the other hand, the protesting farm- weight, moisture, quality etc. That is pre- localareaforconsumption,useor everything, howeverwrong the path may he intendedtouse citizenship as a APMC Actand wish to sell ers insist on three demands: ciselywhat the Congress manifesto saletherein be.That is whatIcall ‘Trumpism’, and weapon. The discriminatorychanges to (whichthey do in the case of ■ do notallowunregulated private (2019)promised. The government is un- everyMrTrumpwillbebrought down the Citizenship (Amendment)Act (CAA) ‘markets’incompetition with APMCs; able to understand thedistinction be- Once we read the entries, the solution sooner than later.Saint Thiruvalluvar said maynot have provoked suchanangryre- paddyatRs800 per quintal ■ give alegal guarantee forMSP; tween debilitating the APMC system and to the current man-made crisis suggests nearly 2,000 years ago “If thefarmers fold action from Muslims had those speeches against an MSPofRs1,850), ■ do notallowthe entryofcorporates expanding the APMC principle. itself: leave thesubject matter to the their hands, even thosewho have renounced notbeen made. let them do so. Whyshould into purchase of andtrade in agricultural The same argument applies in the states.Let eachState Legislaturedecide lifecannotlive(Kural1036)”. When Muslims sawthat their citizen- the Centre be concerned produce. case of MSP.MSP is adeficient tool, be- whatits peopleneedand whatlaw The coronavirushas taught the world ship could be questionedwhen the As the talksendedonDecember 30, cause onlyasmall proportion of farmers shouldbemade. Letthere be aPunjab manylessons in humility.Ibelievethat National RegisterofCitizens (NRC) came about the lawinastate? If the to be resumedonJanuary4,the govern- areable to sell at MSP and that tooonly model and lettherebeaBihar model. If the farmers’protestswill teachour rulers and took to the streetsinprotest,senior Centre is concerned that the ment claimedithad agreedtotwo de- in the cases of wheat, paddy,soyabean, the farmers of Punjab wish to sell their (present and future) lessons in humility ministers calledthem traitors. The pro- FCI should procure enough mands: (1) powersubsidieswill notbe sugarcane and cotton. The answer is not produce at regulated markets, afterpay- in governance,passing laws in testersmade the National Flag and the forthe PDS, let it expand the affected and (2) no punishment to farm- to allowcorporatestobuy directlyata ing afee, letthem do so.Ifthe farmers of Parliament, and ruling according to the Constitution symbolsoftheirprotest,but ers forstubble burning. These twoissues so-callednegotiated price, buttolegally Bihar do notwishtohaveanAPMCAct at wishesofthe people. Mr Modi has in- it made no difference. When Covid ar- reachofthe FCI. No state is arefar away from the‘core’ of the de- ensurethat no one maysell or buy ano- all and theywish to sell (whichtheydo deedwon the right to govern India, let rived, the venomous political language opposed to FCI operations mands; consequently, the distancebe- tifiedproduce at less than MSP. in the caseofpaddyatRs800per quintal himdosowith humility. transmuted into action. The firstresponse of senior ministers of the Government of India wastoblame the Chinese virus on a conferenceofthe Tablighi Jamaat that was being held in Delhi. The conference could the face of aformidable organisedprotest. nothavebeen held without permission inside The PM does notwant to be perceivedas history from the Home Ministry, and those who TRACK anti-farmer. Amajor setbackthis year was 1974:Few clothestono came from abroad to attend it would have the stealthyChinese incursion intoeast- HEADLINE come intoIndia legitimately, but they COOMIKAPOOR ernLadakh, leadingtoacontinuing stand- BISHANSINGHBEDI were treated as criminals. Manyendedup offatthe border. runs,itall went wrong spendingmonths in jail until the cases againstthem were all declared spurious by Indian courts.Theyhavenow been able NEW POWER POINTS to return to their countries, but the polit- 2020: DOWN, YETUP In 2019,Amit Shah wasthe master IT WASeasilythe mostforgettable cricket ical discourse remains poisoned. strategist, who as Home Ministerand series Ihavebeen partof. However, it has Itsmostrecent manifestation comes THE YEAR 2020 mayhavebeen disas- earlier as party chief, ensured that the been the mostdifficult to forget.The 1974 in the ludicrous ‘love jihad’ laws that BJP trous forIndia, but notfor Narendra PM wasalwaysastepaheadofthe rest. tour to Englandwas adisaster, both on chiefministers arecompeting to pass as Modi’s ownimage. The PM’scarefully But, forsome weeksin2020Shah van- and offthe field. soon as possible. These laws aresupposed cultivatedavatarofapaterfamilias pro- ishedfromthe public space. His absence So while this newlow of 36 all out at to protectHindu girlsfrompredatory videdareassuring presence when our wasattributed to Covid and along con- Adelaide might have replacedour 42 all Muslim men, but in fact arebasedonthat worldturnedupside down in the pan- valescence. But, Modi is notsolelyde- outatLord’s as India’sworst Test score primitive assumption that women arethe demic. The economymay have hit an all- pendentonShah.New faces also gained ever,itdoes notchange the fact that1974 property of men and have no right to time lowand unemploymentand infla- prominence. Defence MinisterRajnath wasamiserable tour.Therewas ashame- maketheir ownchoices.Weshould all be tion anew high, but Modi, withhis Singh, whowas on themargins during ful shop-lifting episode and the public horrifiedbythis‘parivartan’, butweare hirsute sanyasi-likelooks and his air of Modi’s firsttenure, has emergedasa snub to our team by theHigh Commission. notbecausewehavebecome so usedto calmassurance,exudesconfidence and prominentvoice during thedifferences The dressing room atmospherewas ap- newpolitical realities. reassurance in thesedifficult times. withChina. SJaishankar,Hardeep pallingplus we were ill-prepared,ill-man- We have also become usedtothe idea Puri and GajendraSinghShekhawat aged and playedplenty of poor cricket. that the Indian Statehas the absoluteright areothers whomthe PM has given Complacency wasalso areason. We to crush dissent no matter howbrutally INDIRA PARALLELS keyresponsibilities. had agreat starttothe ’70s, winning away this is done. We know nowthat the Dalit The parallels betweenNarendraModi Afterthe Bihar win, admittedlywith series in West Indies and England.Forty- teenager from Hathraswas gangrapedby and an authoritarian IndiraGandhi are anarrowmargin, Modi singledout twoall out in the second Test at Lord’s was the four men shenamedbeforedying. unmistakable. The pandemic provided JPNadda forspecialattention. The new actuallyaclimax of all themiseries that Chargeshavebeen brought againstthem. the perfect pretextfor afurther clamp- BJP president had ashaky startatthe end had been piling up. But, sinceher battered,brokenbodywas down on individual rightsand freedom of 2019,but this year,apartfromBihar,the Even before the tour started, we were burnedinthe dead of night without fu- of expression.Noone in his partydares BJP made impressive gains in Telangana, at adisadvantage. Unlikenow,backinthe neralrites, Yogi Adityanath’s officials were question the PM. The RSS is an ap- astate whereithad marginal presence. day, it wasthe home team that decided able(withthe help of the media) to per- pendage,Modi the driving force. The litmus test will be whether Shah’s the playing conditions.SoEngland came Captain ViratKohliwalks offafter beingcaught out forfour runs,inIndia’s petuatefor the longest time thelie that Consensus-building with the Opposition ambitious plan forousting Mamata up with anew rule that at no stagedur- lowest-everTestscoreof36runs, againstAustralia at the Adelaide Oval. AP she waskilledbyher brother in an ‘hon- or meaningfuldebates in Parliament are Banerjee will fructify.Nadda maybeoffi- ing amatch,therecould be morethan five our’ killing. Those who dissented were rare.Whether it waslaying the founda- cially in charge of the party but Shah con- players on the leg-side.Itwas the era chargedwith being partofaninterna- tion stone foranewParliamentHouse or tinues to playanimportant role, oftenact- when England and Australia ruledworld abuses,fromthe crowd. A sardar watch- calling forreinforcements. “Pleaselisten, tional conspiracy of ‘leftists andliberals’ aRam Mandir at Ayodhya,the spotlight ing through general secretaryBhupender cricket, ICC stood forImperial Cricket ing the game from thestandswas moved listen... Ibought these trousers yesterday... to defame India’s fair name. wasonthe PM alone.Those who were ex- Yadavs,who has emergedasapower cen- Council. Now, we had twooff-spinners by our plight. He wasinthe business of yesterday, justyesterday”—Chandrakept Everytime thereisdissent an interna- pected to sharethe dais, suchasLK treinhis ownright. The BJP is abig bene- and aleft-arm orthodoxinme, five field- golf-wear.Heoffered us sweaters, some repeating. The lady smiledand told tional conspiracy suddenlyappears, as we Advani, who had been at the vanguardof ficiaryofthe Congress’s failuretoget its ers on theleg-side wasnot to ourliking. cashand even invitedushome fordinner. Chandra, “Relax gentlemen, sinceIam sawmostrecentlywith the farmers’ the Ramtemple movement, remained act together.The party drifts along, since We were wasting afielder on the off-side However, themostembarrassing busy,Iamcallingsomeone so that you protests.Modi’s ministers and BJP spokes- conspicuous by their absence. Rahul Gandhi neither wantstohand over because of the line we bowled.Our Board episode on that tour unfoldedone would be served.” That wasthe kind of menonlychanged their tune when angry responsibility to others nor take full officials who didn’t understand the finer evening while we were playing atour paranoia we had to suffer. Sikh farmers startedsaying that if they charge himself. pointsofthe game agreedwithout con- game. Aclose friend of mine, atrue blue On that tour,the onlytime the entire were called‘Khalistanis’ one moretime, REFUSALTOBLINK sulting the players. Ihaveput it on record Punjabi, had ahabit of pulling my leg. Igot team backedAjit Wadekar waswhen he theywould stop sending their sons to die Modi’s imageasastrong and resolute that afew averageEnglish players got acall from him. He told me that an Indian wasreducedtotears afterhewas snubbed defending our borders.But,the damage leader meansheresists bending or back- PANDEMIC TRUTHS heaps of runs on that tour because of this cricketer had been caughtshop-lifting. forturning up lateatHighCommissioner is done.Yet againithas becomeevident tracking. He has been fairly successful in Perhaps history will largelyjudgethe ‘five-fielder’ rule. Afterashortburstofsome endearing in- BKNehru’s residence foraparty.Itwasn’t thatinthe ‘newIndia’, anyone who ques- handling the falloutofthe abrogation of governmentsof2020 on howwell they In that infamous game at Lord’s, I vectives, he said: “Runhonahin rahe, ju- our fault as we had to attendthree func- tions Modi’s policies will be treatedas Article 370, introducing the Citizenship tackledthe pandemic. Despiteanearly bowled 64overs, whereatone stageIhad raabein chukni shurukar din (you guys tionsonthat day. Thestory goes that ‘anti-national’. Dissent is the lifeblood of (Amendment) Actwith an obvious anti- and extremelyharsh lockdown, dooms- figures of 1for 220odd. And Iwould fin- have been unable to scoreruns, nowyou Nehru told Wadekar that youpeople aren’t democracy,sothe harm done by this con- minority agenda, and stigmatising Hindu- daypredictors from the international me- ish with 6/226.Bowlingfromthe pavilion have startedstealing socks)”. He asked me justpoor cricketers but even poor guests. temptfor dissension is incalculable. Muslim marriages as “love jihad”.Despite dia and scientificworld from the US and end, with the Lord’s slope squareonthe to switchonthe television. Icame to know Iwas seething with anger when Iheard This should have been the year in the economicmeltdown,the government UK, were quicktoassume the worstcase leg-side,Iwould have liked onemore thattherewas aplannedefforttobrush this. Iwas veryvocal in my demand to boy- whichthe Opposition parties found their continueswithits extravagant and ambi- scenario forIndia. Ironically, India even- fielder on bat-pad. Once the English had the issue under the carpet. Iwas livid. An cott theevent. However, ourmanager Col chance to revive their dismal fortunes by tious Central Vistaproject, whichwill tuallyfared farbetterinhandling the virus piled600-plus runs, it wasour turn to bat. emergency meeting wascalledwhereI Adhikari put pressureonWadekar.Hetold standing up forthe values of the ‘old’India. changethe face of the Capital. than mostcountries. (India’s Covid- It wasabright sunnyday,the conditions told the manager,Col Hemu Adhikari, that him, ‘I am captain offthe field and youthe This did nothappen. The Congress party, Very rarely has the PM blinked. One related deaths permillionpopulation is were conducive to bat. But still we col- this had brought shame to everyone and leader on it’. Wadekar sadlyrelented.But whichisthe onlypolitical party capable occasion wasthe belated permission to around tentimes lowerthan thatofthe lapsed. Istill can’t getmyhead around it, the issue needs to be dealt with urgently. Itold the boys nottosocialise andrefuse of takingonthe BJP nationally,has shown migrant labourtoreturn home afterig- UK and US.) Similarly,our infection rates howwewereall out for42. That incidentimpacted theentire team. drinks. But soon enough, Iheardawaiter that it is in the middle of yetanother nerv- noring their heartrending plight for aresignificantlyless, even aftermaking We didn’tevenhavethe right clothing Mostplayers were spooked. Irecall asking Eknath Solkar if he wantedadrink. ous breakdown. Therehavebeenmany weeks. Initially, concernedcitizens and an allowance forunder-reporting. to bear the brutal English weather.During accompanying Chandra(Bhagwath Solkar,not quiteacocktail connoisseur, since that firstdefeat in 2014,but it is clear NGOs alone extendedhelp, or the desper- Incidentally, our neighbours, Pakistanand atour game at Eastbourne,wehad to brave Chandrashekhar),the mildest manIhave said “Yes, Iwill have brandy with hotwa- thatnolessons were learned from losing atemigrantspluckilyundertook the long Bangladesh,havefared even better than extreme cold. The Indian Boardhad given ever met, to ashop to return the trousers terand ice.” From Solkar’s drinkto42all twogeneralelections.The party’s most journeyhome on foot.Finallyofficialdom India. The biggestcasualty of the pan- us sweaters that weren’t warm enough. It that he had brought the previous daybut out, Iamtelling youtherewas nothing important leader,Rahul Gandhi,contin- wasshamedintoarranging transporta- demic is the economy. Modi’s challenge wassocold that during the game, oneof didn’t fithim. We walked to the sales lady rightabout that tour. ues to treatpublic service as ahobby and tion forthose strandedinthe strict, long- in the newyear will be to revive an econ- our fielders whilebending down to stop who had attendedChandrathe daybe- notafulltimejob. So, aftermaking angry stretched-out lockdown. The latestchal- omywhichhas slippedintodeep reces- the ball, took his freezinghands away at fore.She seemedbusy,soshe presseda The author,aformercaptain, noises in supportofthe farmers, offhe lenge is whether Modi can pressahead sion andwill requireexpert handling to the lastminuteand concededafour.There bell. Chandrapanicked, he thoughtthe wasasenior member of the1974 went foryet another holiday. What then with long overdue agricultural reforms in spring backtolife. were ripplesoflaughter,followedby lady had spotted something fishyand was Test team that toured England wasthe point in demanding aspecial ses- sion of Parliament? If Indian politics waspoisonedbyhate in 2020, the Indian economywas poisoned by neglect. It wasalready going downhill before the Chinese virus hit and it has, for She obvious reasons,continueddownthat SAID The baaghis of Bharat &their love stories road. The IMF recentlyannouncedthat of all the countries in the ‘emerging markets’ SHALINILANGER club, India had faredthe worst. Other sur- [email protected] of us of an older vintage—pre-mobile doing this denouncing that Stateonme- all the resources at itscommand,how deepwithin us. Yet, perhaps oneofthe veys,including those by the Indian govern- phonesand pre-Uber,pre-sparefamily dia, in courts,inside lock-ups, from hos- many morewould be out therewho,as mostmoving episodes in Bollywood’s long ment, showthat thedownward slideofthe cars and pre-datingapps —morethan pital beds, againstthreats. In asociety we write this, aredefining their owndes- affair with star-crossedlovers is father economyhasbegunto manifest itself in the others. Love foruswas tricky territory, to wherelovemustfind and lurkinraresoli- tinies.Italso tells us that if governments Dalip Tahil embracing asobbingAamir health of our children. The National Health AGLANCE, aconnection. Asecond to last be navigated at ownperil, overcoming tude,theyare refusing to fade away when have to step in as monitors of love,and be Khan, who has justbeenfound outwith FamilySurvey shows that India nowhas alifetime. Twohands breathtakingly short mundane odds, toomundane forevena forced,evendragged intothe light. forced to continuouslyamend their laws the daughter of their “sworn enemy”, in the largest number of stunted children in of eachother.Atouchtreasured,atouch notable mention. And look where they arefindingtheir so as to “tighten” them, always couched Qayamat Se QayamatTak.Hetells his son to the world, and the highestoutsidesub- lost. The endless conversations, the things So, it’s with wonder then that we can love too, across communities,across under othernames, howresilient love is. go to sleep, “we will talk tomorrow”. Saharan African countries. This cannotbe leftunsaid. The momentsstolen. The ache but viewthe Rashidsand the Pinkis of Uttar classes, in coaching institutes, at salons,at As Pinki returnstoRashid’s home in Releasedin1988, that film, with all its blamed on past negligence becausethe that won’t die, the ache whose memory Pradesh, fighting fortheir love againstnot work places, in small towns —defying Moradabad, as Rashid and his brother whiffofanewIndia, neverlived up to the children surveyed were born after2015. putsasmileonyour face. justtheir families, societies or the dime-a- boundaries that have forcenturies been Suleman arereleasedfromjail, as his par- promiseheld by those four words. But, as So, if 2020 has been ahorrible year for Whatdoyou call alovestory like that, dozen Hindu outfits, but also the might of drawnfor them, the baaghis of Bharat entswelcome them back, thecouples of we enteryet another newyear,imagine the worldbecause of the Chinese plague, whereloveand storygotwo different Yogi Adityanath’sUttarPradesh.It’sastate sparking itsmanymillion mutinies. Uttar Pradesh must knowthat it is they the powerthose four wordsstill hold in it has been amuchmorehorrible year for ways?Whichdoesn’t reallybegin,but that unerringlyfinds acause foritself that For, if the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of who will win eventually. vanquishing the bogey knownbythose India forreasons that have nothingtodo doesn’t reallyend, whichisn’t happy has nothing to do with itsstatus as among Unlawful Conversion of Religion In the quietofour rooms, or in the twoincongruous words: love jihad. with thepandemic. At the end of this bleak enough or tragic enough to be immor- the worstfaring on all indices. Ordinance, 2020, tells us one thing,itis anonymity of darkcinema halls,all of us account of the year justended, Ifind it hard talisedinart?All that it is, is justenough? The Rashids and the Pinkisare notjust this: that if 14 cases arewhat the police have shedtears over forbiddenlove—a National Editor Shalini Langer curates to sayHappyNew Year,but definitely hope We all know love of that kind.Those proclaiming their love in public, theyare registeredinamonth of the newlaw,with theme that resonates with something thefortnightly‘She Said’ column that 2021will be better.

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THESUNDAY EXPRESS,JANUARY3,2021 11 THE WORLD

TOPOFTHE Provision Pakistan arrests WORLD RejectingTrump’sveto,US condemning China’s military 26/11 mastermind aggression to SenatebacksdefenceBill India made law Lakhvi on terror

CATIEEDMONDSON LALITKJHA WASHINGTON,JANUARY2 WASHINGTON,JANUARY2 financing charges

Alok Sharma THE US SenateonFridayvoted ABIPARTISAN Congressional overwhelmingly to override provision condemning China's MZULQERNAIN President Trump’s veto of the an- aggression towardsIndia has be- LAHORE,JANUARY2 UNITEDKINGDOM nual militarypolicy bill as most come alaw as the US Congress Ministeroffers Republicansjoined Democrats overrode President Donald MUMBAI ATTACK mastermind to rebukeMr. Trumpinthe final Trump’s veto on the $740 billion and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) opera- toresigntolead days of hispresidency. defencepolicy bill whichamong tions commander Zaki-ur- The 81-to-13votewas the otherthings includedcalling out Rehman Lakhvi wasarrestedon climatesummit firsttime lawmakers have over- the Chinese government forits SaturdayinPakistanonterrorfi- London: UK Business ridden one of Mr.Trump’s ve- actions along the Line of Actual nancingcharges,amidstgrowing MinisterAlok Sharma of- toes. It reflected thesweeping Control(LAC). international pressureon Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi feredtoresign from his popularity of ameasurethatau- The National Defence Islamabad to act againstterrorists ministerial position in or- thorizedapay raisefor thena- Authorisation Act(NDAA) 2021, and terror groups in the country. der to take on afull-time tion’s military. whichbecame alaw on Friday Lakhvi, aUN-proscribed ter- nancing,planning, facilitating, role preparing forthe The margin surpassedthe afterCongress overrode Trump's roristwho wasonbail since2015 preparing or perpetratingofacts country’s chairmanship of two-thirds majority neededto veto,includedaresolution urg- intheMumbaiattackcase,wasar- by,inconjunction with, under United Nations COP26 cli- forceenactmentofthe bill over ing the Chinese government to rested by the Counter-Terrorism the name of, on behalf or in sup- matechangesummit, The Mr.Trump’s objections, and only US President Donald Trumpand his wifeMelania on the South Lawn of the White House. AP end itsmilitaryaggression to- Department (CTD) of Punjab portof” both the entities. Times reportedSaturday. sevenRepublicansvoted to sus- wardsIndia along the LAC. province, according to an official Proscribed terrorists and en- Alok Sharma, who is also tain the veto.The House passed As Congress dealt ahumiliat- statement.Sources said Lakhvi, tities aresubject to an assets presidentofthis year’s cli- the legislation on Mondayina chairman of the ArmedServices what is known as Section230, a that the legislation will be en- ing blowtoTrumpinhis last 61,was arrested from Lahore. freeze, in whichall states arere- matesummit, has told similarly lopsided322-to-87 Committee, typicallyastrong legal shield forsocial media acted intolaw over Mr.Trump’s days in office, Indian-American “Following an intelligence- quired to freeze their funds and Prime MinisterBoris votethatalso mustered the two- allyofthe president, took to the companies that he has tangled objections,including the provi- Congressman Raja basedoperationconductedby other financial assets,atravel Johnson that he would thirds majority required. SenateflooronFriday to encour- with. Republicans and sion requiring the Pentagon to Krishnamoorthi said: “Through the CTD Punjab, proscribed or- ban that preventsentryintoor rather give up hisposition The voteendedadevastating agehis colleaguestooverride Mr. Democrats alikehavesaidthat strip the names of Confederates today'sNew Year'sDay vote in ganisation LeT leader Zaki-ur- transit through nations' territo- as business ministerthan legislativeweek forMr. Trump, Trump’sveto, callingthe passage the repeal, asignificantlegisla- from militarybases that so riled the Senate, Congress has made Rehman Lakhvi wasarrestedon ries, and an arms embargo. step down from his role in effectively denying himtwo of of the bill “the mostsignificant tive change, is irrelevant to abill the president. The bill also takes the National Defence chargesofterrorism financing,” Lastmonth, the UN Security climatechange envoy,the the lastdemands of his presi- votelawmakers take.” that dictates militarypolicy. steps to sloworblockMr. AuthorisationAct into law, in- the CTD said in astatement. Council's 1267 Al Qaeda newspaper reported. In dency.SenateRepublican lead- “This year especiallyso, in Mr.Trumptook to Twitter on Trump’s planneddrawdown of cluding elements of my resolu- “Lakhvi is accusedofrunning Sanctions Committee allowed December,Johnson’s of- ers on Wednesdayhad declared light of all of the disruptions and Fridayshortlyafter the voteto American troops from Germany tion calling on China to end its adispensary, using fundscol- foramonthlypayment of fice deniedareportthat that therewas “no realistic path” problemsthat we’vehad,” Mr. registerhis anger at Republican and Afghanistan, and would militaryaggression towards lected forterrorism financing. He Pakistani Rs 1.5lakh forLakhvi he wanted his predeces- foravoteonincreasing stimulus Inhofesaid. lawmakers’ unwillingness to makeitmoredifficult forthe India and others in the broader and others also collected funds to meet his personal expenses. sor David Cameron to take checks to $2,000 from thecur- The main disruption Mr. meethis demands. president to deploy military per- Indo-Pacific region”. from this dispensary andused The LeT,led by JuDchiefHafiz over from Sharma as pres- rent $600, ameasureMr. Trump Inhofewas referring to wasthe “Our Republican Senatejust sonnel to the southern border. Krishnamoorthi said: “The thesefunds forfurther terrorism Saeed, is responsiblefor carry- ident of next year’s UN had pressedlawmakers to take president.Making good on a missedthe opportunitytoget rid All of the Republican confer- Chinesemilitary'sviolent ag- financing. He alsousedthese ing out the 2008 Mumbai attack COP26 climatechange up. monthslong series of threats, the of Section 230, whichgives un- ence leaders voted to override gression along the Line of Actual funds forpersonal expenses,” that killed 166people. summit. REUTERS Republicans have also di- president vetoed the bipartisan limited powertoBig Tech com- the veto on Friday, including Control with India and else- the CTD said, adding that the trial The global terror financing videdoversupporting the pres- legislation lastweek,citing a panies. Pathetic!!!” Mr.Trump Senator MitchMcConnell of whereisunacceptable, and the againsthim would be heldatthe watchdog FinancialAction Task ident’s determination to make shifting listofreasons, including wrote. “Nowtheywant to give Kentucky,the majority leader. passageintolaw of this legisla- Anti-Terrorism CourtinLahore. Force(FATF)isinstrumental in one lastand futile attempt to hisobjection to aprovision di- people ravagedbythe China He calledthe legislation “a tion sends aclear messageof Lakhvi wasdesignated as a pushingPakistantotakemeas- PAKISTAN overturn the 2020 election re- recting the militarytostrip the Virus $600, rather than the tremendous opportunity to di- supportand solidarity to India global terroristbythe UN in ures againstterrorists roaming Stategovttobuy sultsinCongress next week. names of Confederateleaders $2000 whichtheysodesper- rect our national security prior- and our other partners across December 2008 forbeingassoci- freely in Pakistanand usingits Senator James M. Inhofe, from bases. He also demanded atelyneed. Notfair,orsmart!” ities to reflectthe resolve of the the worldasweenter theNew ated with the LeT and al-Qaeda territorytocarry outattacks in RajKapoor,Dilip Republican of Oklahoma and the that the bill include the repeal of The voteonFridayensures Americanpeople.” NYT Year.” PTI andfor “participating in thefi- India and elsewhere. PTI Kumarhouses Peshawar: Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Iran plans 20% Britain opts formix-and-match government on Saturday approved the release of PakistanRs2.35crore to uranium enrichment vaccinations,confounding experts purchase the ancestral houses of legendary Bollywood actors Dilip ‘as soon as possible’ US virus Kumar and RajKapoorlo- KATHERINEJWU cated in theheartofthis NEWYORK,JANUARY2

ED cases surpass cityanddeclaredasthena- JONGAMBRELL Anotherblow Wang Yi DUBAI,JANUARY2 tional heritages. Khyber to2015 AMID Asputtering vaccine roll- 20 million as Pakhtunkhwa Chief PLAIN E out and fears of anew andpoten- ● MinisterMehmud Khan IRAN SAID Saturdayitplans to EX nucleardeal Hope Biden will tiallymoretransmissible variant deaths mount formallyapproved the enrichuranium up to 20 per cent of the coronavirus, Britain has proposal, allowing the au- at itsunderground Fordonuclear THOUGH 20 per cent pu- end Trump’s quietlyupdatedits vaccination thoritiesconcernedtopur- facility “as soon as possible”, rity of Uranium remains playbook to allowfor amix-and- REUTERS chasetheancestralhavelis pushing itsprogramme atech- well shortofthe 90 per Cold War:China match vaccine regimen. If asec- NEWYORK,JANUARY2 ataratedeterminedbythe nical step away from weapons- cent required to makea ond dose of the vaccine apatient Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gradelevels as it increases pres- nuclear bomb, it is much KJMVARMA originallyreceivedisn’t available, US CORONAVIRUS cases crossed Communicationand sureonthe West over the higher thanthe standard BEIJING,JANUARY2 or if the manufacturer of the first the 20 million markonFridayas WorksDepartment afew tattered atomic deal. setinthe 2015 nuclear shotisn’t known, another vaccine officials seek to speedupvacci- weeksback. PTI The move comes amid agreement, under which AS JOE Biden is settoassume maybesubstituted, health offi- nations and amoreinfectious heightenedtensionsbetweenIran Iran wassupposedto powerthis month, China's cials said. Medics transportapatient from an ambulance to the Royal variant surfaces in Colorado, FRANCE and the US in the waningdays of keep enrichment below Foreign MinisterWang Yi on The newguidance contradicts London Hospital in London. Reuters California and Florida. the administration of President 4per cent. Saturdayhopedthat the US guidelines in theUnited States, The United States has seen a Policeshutdown Donald Trump, whounilaterally Iran's decision to be- President-elect would endthe wherethe Centersfor Disease spikeinnumber of dailyCovid- ravepartydefying withdrew AmericafromTehran’s gin enriching to 20 per incumbent Donald Trump's Controland Preventionhasnoted Hospitals continue to strain un- Both Pfizer’s and 19 fatalities since Thanksgiving nuclear deal in 2018. cent adecade agonearly “Cold War” policy towards thatthe authorizedCovid-19vac- der acrush of coronavirus pa- AstraZeneca’s vaccines intro- with 78,000 liveslostin Covidrestrictions That setinmotion an escalat- brought an Israeli strike Beijingand return to a “sensible cines “arenot interchangeable,” tients, and tens of thousands of duce intothe body aprotein December.Atotal of 345,000 Paris: Severalhundred ingseries of incidents cappedby targeting itsnuclear facil- approach” by restoring normal and that “the safetyand efficacy newinfectionsare reported each calledspikethat,while notinfec- have diedofCovid-19since the Frenchpolice on Saturday aUSdrone strikethat killedatop ities. Aresumption of 20 ties. of amixed-product series have day. Schools in Londonand other tious itself, can teachimmune virusfirstemergedinChina late shut down an illegal rave Iranian general ayear ago, that per cent enrichment The Chinese side hopes that notbeen evaluated.Bothdoses of regions hit hardbythe virus will cellstorecognizeand fight off in 2019. party in northwestern has American officials nowwor- could see that brinks- the next US administration will the series should be completed remain closedfor at leastthe the actual coronavirus. The US is averaging186,000 France that had been un- riedabout possible retaliationby manship return. return to asensible approach, re- with the same product.” next twoweeks, government of- While it’s possible that swap- cases aday,downfromapeak in derwaysince NewYear’s Iran. sume dialoguewith China,re- Some scientists sayBritain is ficialssaid on Friday. ping out one vaccine foranother mid-December of over 218,000 Eveindefiance of acur- Even Ali Akbar Salehi, the US- Iran to US: Avoid Israel storenormalcytothe bilateral gambling with itsnew guidance. The countryhas issuedan maystill school the body to rec- newinfections eachday.Health fewand coronavirus re- educated head of the civilian relations and restartcoopera- “Thereare no dataonthis idea emergency green light to two ognize the coronavirus, it is still officials have warnedthat cases strictions on large gather- Atomic Energy Organization of 'trap' to provokewar tion,Wangtold the state-run whatsoever,”said John Moore, a vaccines, developedbyPfizer ascientific gamble. With differ- will likelyspikeagain afterholi- ings, officials said About Iran,offered amilitaryanalogy Dubai: Iranian ForeignMinister Xinhua news agency. vaccine expertatCornell and AstraZeneca. According to ent ingredientsineachvaccine, daygatherings.Currently, there 2,500revellers from to describehis agency's readi- Mohammad JavadZarif urged “China-US relations have University.Officials in Britain Britain’snew guidance, “every it’s possible people will notben- aremorethan 125,000Covid-19 across France and abroad ness to take the next step. US President Donald Trumpon come to anew crossroads,and a “seem to have abandonedsci- effort should be made”tocom- efit as muchfromasecond shot. patients in hospitals, up 25% in attendedthe rave in adis- “We arelikesoldiers and our Saturday nottobe“trapped” by newwindowofhope is open- ence completely nowand are pleteadosing regimen with the Mixing andmatching could also the lastmonth. usedwarehouse in fingers areonthe triggers,” an alleged Israeli plan to provoke ing,” he said. “We believe that as justtrying to guesstheir wayout same shotfirstused. But when make it moredifficult to collect While the US has approved Lieuron, near Rennes, and Salehi told Iranian statetelevi- awar through attacks on US long as the United States can of amess.” “the same vaccine is notavail- cleardataonvaccine safety. twovaccines, rollout is going some clashedwith police sion. “The commander should forces in Iraq. draw lessons from the pastand Health officials in Britain are able, or if the firstproductre- Without evidence to backit, moreslowlythan the govern- soon afterthe party command and we shoot. We are “Be careful of atrap, work with China in the samedi- caught in adeadlyracewiththe ceivedisunknown, it is reason- the hybrid vaccinationapproach ment hoped. About 2.8 million kickedoff on Thursday ready forthis and will produce @realDonaldTrump. Anyfire- rection, the twocountries areca- virus, whichissurging again, and able to offerone dose of the seems “premature,” said Saad Americans receivedaCovid-19 evening. REUTERS (20 per cent enriched uranium) workswill backfirebadly,”Zarif pable of resolving differences arestruggling to getasmany locallyavailable product” the Omer,avaccineexpert at Yale vaccine by December 31,falling as soon as possible.” AP wrote. REUTERS through dialogue...” PTI people vaccinated as possible. second time around. University. NYT farshortofa20 million target. Report: Aviation deaths rose worldwide in 2020 VACCINE DOSES DISTRIBUTED TO 10% OF POPULATION AS NETANYAHU BOLSTERS HIS BATTERED IMAGE

dents per million flights in 2019. How Israel became aleaderinvaccinating against Covid-19 REUTERS The decline in crashes came LONDON,JANUARY2 amid asharp decline in flights sources by Our WorldinData. million, Israel’s relatively small from Pfizer,along with Moderna due to thecoronavirus pan- ISABELKERSHNER By contrast, less than 1per- sizehas playedarole as well, said and other companies. THE NUMBER of people killedin demic. Flightradar24reported JERUSALEM,JANUARY2 cent of the population of the Professor Balicer. With Israel heading toward large commercialairplanecrashes commercial flightsittracked United States and onlysmall An aggressive procurement another election in March,the rose in 2020 to 299 worldwide, worldwide in 2020 fell 42% to MORE THAN 10 percent of fractions of the population in effort helpedset the stage. country’s fourth in twoyears, Mr. evenasthenumberof crashesfell 24.4 million. Israel’s population has receiveda manyEuropean countriesre- The healthminister, Yuli Netanyahu has made the by morethan50%, aDutchcon- Morethanhalf of all deaths firstdose of acoronavirus vac- ceivedavaccine dose by the end Edelstein, said in an interview on prospect of aspeedy emergence sulting firm said Friday. in the To70 reviewwerethe 176 cine,aratethat hasfar out- of 2020, according to Our World Fridaythat Israel had entered from the health and economic Aviation consulting firm To70 people killedinJanuary2020 strippedthe rest of the world in Data, thoughChina, theUnited intonegotiations with drugmak- crisis wrought by thepandemic said in 2020 therewere40acci- when aUkrainian plane was andbuoyedthe battered domes- States and Britain have each dis- ers as an “early bird,” and that akeystone of hisfight forpoliti- dentsinvolving large commer- shot down in Iranian airspace. tic imageofthe country’s leader, tributed moredoses overall. the companieswereinterested cal survival. cialpassenger planes, five of The second deadliestincident Benjamin Netanyahu, at acriti- “It’s quiteanastonishing in supplying Israel because of its He has held out the prospect whichwerefatal, resulting in 299 wasthe Maycrash of aPakistan cal juncture. story,”said Prof RanBalicer,the HMOs’reputation forefficiency of Israel becoming the firstcoun- fatalities. In 2019 therewere86 airliner in Maykilling 98. Israel’s campaign, whichbe- chairman of the national advi- andgatheringreliable data. tryinthe worldtobefullyvacci- accidents, eight of whichwerefa- Over the lasttwo decades, ganDecember 20, has distrib- soryteam of experts that is Mr.Netanyahu —who is on nated. tal, resulting in 257fatalities. aviation deaths have been falling uted the vaccine to three times counseling the Israeli govern- Aman receiveshis vaccination in TelAviv. Reuters trialonchargesofbribery, fraud Political motivesaside, the Large commercial airplanes dramatically. As recentlyas as muchofits population as the ment on itsCovid-19response. and breachoftrust—has made prime ministerhas wonpraise had 0.27fatal accidentsper mil- 2005, therewere1,015 deaths second-fastestnation, the tiny Israel’s heavilydigitized, the vaccination campaign some- forhis effortsevenfromsome lion flightsin2020, To70 said, or aboardcommercial passenger Persian Gulf kingdom of Bahrain, community-basedhealthsys- four HMOs —and itscentralized ulation campaign, according to thing of apersonalmission, tak- longtime critics, afterbeing one fatalcrash every3.7 million flightsworldwide, the Aviation according to figurescompiled tem—all citizens, by law, must government have proved adept Israeli health experts. ing credit forsigning agreements widelyblamedfor mishandling flights—upfrom0.18fatal acci- SafetyNetwork (ASN)said. mostlyfromlocal government register with one of thecountry’s at orchestrating anational inoc- With apopulationofnine and securing millions of doses the crisis lastyear. NYT

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THESUNDAY EXPRESS,JANUARY3,2021 Crude Wa tch OIL POSTS 20% DROP IN 2020 NewYork: Global crude prices have edged higher but lost more than a fifth of their valuein2020, as lockdowns to combat the coronavirus 12 ECONOMY depressed economic activityand sent oil markets reeling. Still, Brent and US benchmarkshavemore than doubled from April lows. REUTERS

SECTOR WATCH DRAFT MODEL STANDING ORDER FOR SERVICES SECTOR Exports shrink for TELECOMMUNICATIONS Lockdown-led data Post-Covidworld:Flexiblehours, 3rd straight month, usage alifeline for workfromhomeamongnorms trade deficit widens IMPORTSJUMPINDECEMBER telcos; spectrum (offender) with respect to indisci- 10 1 7.6

ENSECONOMICBUREAU 30-DAYWINDOWFORCOMMENTS plinehas been definedifthe 6. NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 workerfound guilty of anymis- Apr Dec ■The Labour Ministryhas ■ The model standing conduct three or more times in 0

sale on DoT radar 8 7 6 1

INCORPORATINGTHE conceptof also issueddraft model orders forthe services, preceding twelve months,” as per 0.67 .7 -0. -2. .9 -3. 7 -5. ‘workfromhome’ and flexible standing orders —rules of manufacturing and mining thedraft order. -10 -4 -6.7 .9 -6 55 -8. -8.7

CAUTIONAHEAD 3 -9

AASHISHARYAN shifts in the wake of the Covid-19 conduct forworkers sectors will be applicable to Rail travel facility has been ex- 1.5 .24 -9. .7 2.14 NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 pandemic,theLabourMinistryhas employedin industrial establishments tendedtothe workers in the (en- -20 -1 -1 -13. -12 -15 ■The lastauctions, issueddraftmodelstandingorder establishments—for employing 300ormore tire) mining sector.Currently, it is 54 held in 2016,where FORTHE Indian telecom sec- forthe services sector forthe first manufacturing and mining workers who areworking in being availedbythe workers in -30 -19.

the government 6.04 tor, thehoroscopefor2020was time. The Ministryhas also issued sectors separately, giving a industrial establishments coal mines only. .57 -2 offered2,354.55 7 -29 writtennearly twomonthsbe- draftmodel standing orders — 30-daywindowto coveredunder Occupational The model standing orders -40 .5 forethe year had even begun. MHz at areserve rules of conduct forworkers em- stakeholders to send their Safety, Health and Working adoptedinrespectof anindustrial -35 On October 24,2019, the price of Rs 5.60 lakh ployedinestablishments—for commentsfor these orders. Conditions Code, 2020. establishment will also be appli- ■ Exports(%change,y-o-y)

-50 4 Supreme Court delivereda crore, but managed manufacturingandminingsectors cabletoallotherunitsof theindus- ■ Imports(%change,y-o-y) to sell sell only 965 ■ Tradebalance($bn) judgment that gave finality to separately, giving a30-daywin- trial establishment irrespective of -60 -48.0 -51.05

MHz and mop up .7 amorethan two-decade-old dowtostakeholderstosendtheir mentsemploying 300ormore Forpayment of wages, the location,the Ministrysaid. 8

onlyRs65,789 crore, -59 legal tussle —the adjusted comments forthese orders. numberof workerswhoarework- draftorderstatesthattheworkers As per the orders, wherean -70 gross revenue (AGR) issue. In can betakenasatale “Subject to conditions of ap- ing in the industrial establish- needtobepaid wagesonawork- employeradopts model standing -60.9 of caution. itsjudgment, athree-judge pointmentoragreementbetween mentscovered underthe ing daybeforethe seventh dayaf- orders of the central government -80 *Preliminary estimate, Source: Ministry of Commerce Benchofthe apexcourtruled employerand workers, employer Occupational Safety,Healthand terthelastday of thewage period, withrespectto mattersrelevantto that the DoT’s definition and ontheissueonMarch 17,there mayallowaworkertoworkfrom Working Conditions Code, 2020. forwhichthe wagesare payable. industrialestablishmentorunder- calculationofAGRwascorrect, wassome relief when the top homeforsuchperiodorperiodsas Thedraftrulesprovideforflex- Italsoprovidesformedicalaid taking,then,suchmodelstanding and, therefore, the telcos as courtsoughtapaymentsched- maybedeterminedbythe em- ibleshiftswithin the weeklyshift if aworkermeetswithanaccident order shall be deemedtohave 1.7per cent fall in November. well as others who held spec- ule from the DoTaswell as the ployer,”the draftmodel standing limit of 48 hours aweek. “More in the course of his employment, been certified. ENSECONOMICBUREAU ExportsinDecemberdropped trum licences wouldhaveto companies.Meanwhile,Covid orderfortheservicessectorstated. thanoneshiftmay beworkedina thentheemployer, athisexpense, TheIndustrial Relations Code NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 to $26.89billionfrom$27.11billion paypending dues, penalty for entered India.Within days,it The Indian Express had re- department or departmentsor will have to makesatisfactory passedbyParliamentin ayear before.Imports rose to nothavingpaidtheirdues,and threw economic activities out portedonDecember11 aboutthe anysectionofadepartmentofthe arrangementsforimmediateand September had raisedthe thresh- CONTRACTION IN merchandise $42.60 billion lastmonth from theinterestonpenalty.TheSC, of gear.While manufacturing, government’s proposal to bring industrialestablishmentatthedis- necessary medical aid to the in- old forrequirement of astanding exports narrowed to 0.8 percent $39.59 billion ayear earlier. had then, notedthe said dues servicesandotherindicatorsof newrules through the model cretion of the employer. If more juredworkerandshallarrangefor order to over 300workers from year-on-year in December 2020, Already,hit by the pandemic, would have to be paid within the economytook abeating, standingorderfortheservicesec- thanone shiftisworked, the his further treatment, if consid- 100workers earlier.This implies compared to 8.7 per cent in the exports have witnessedaroller- the next three months. telecom racedahead. tortoincorporate, among other workershall be liabletobetrans- ered necessary. industrial establishmentswithup previous month, according to a coasterridethisfiscal.Havingrisen This year,however, the Dataconsumption sky- things,flexibility of work timings ferred from oneshifttoanother. Thedraftorderfortheservices to 300workers arenot required preliminary estimatereleasedby by6percentinSeptember,thefirst Department of Telecomm- rocketed,withViclaimingthat and the option to work from No shiftworking shallbediscon- sectoralsoprovidesthatinthecase to furnish astanding order – the CommerceMinistryon expansion since February, out- unications(DoT)willbebank- inthefirstthreemonthsof the home.Themodelstandingorders tinued without twenty onedays’ of the IT sector,the working hour something that has been criti- Saturday.But,importsroseata bound shipmentsfalteredby5.1 ingonsellingspectrumto raise lockdown, the companyhad forthe services, manufacturing noticebeinggiveninwritingto the shall be as peragreement or con- cisedasgiving spacetocompa- faster pace of 7.6per cent in percentinOctoberand8.7percent money, with the hope that seen moredataconsumption and mining sectorswill be appli- workers prior to suchdiscontinu- ditions of appointment between nies to introduce arbitraryserv- December,the firstincrease since in November before the contrac- telecomcompanieswillevince than it had seen over the last cable to theindustrial establish- ance,” it said. employerand workers. “Habitual ice conditions. February, driving up trade deficit tionnarrowedagaininDecember. interestastheyneedspectrum three years. The call volumes to a25-monthhighof $15.7billion. Interestingly,coreexportshaveac- to expand services. of all telcos wasalso north- The rise in imports signals a celeratedataquickerratethanthat Thedirectimpactof theSC bound.Together,thethreetel- possible revivalofdomestic de- of overall merchandise exports judgment wasontwo major cos and their dormant net- accidentsinvolvinglarge sharpdeclineinflightsduetothe mand, whichwas battered by the month aftermonth since May privatetelcos,BhartiAirteland work capacitiesheld fort as ‘Aviation deaths rise worldwide 40 commercialpassenger coronaviruspandemic Covid-19pandemic,asbusinesses 2019,according to an analysis Vi (then VodafoneIdea). everything movedonline. planesin2020,fiveofwhichwere go through a‘reset’ phase follow- basedondatafromDirectorate Having weathered the low Moreencouraging news in 2020, even as incidentsfall’ fatal,resultingin299fatalities OVER 50%deathsintheTo70 ing the unlock. Generalof CommercialIntelligence price onslaught brought by wasonthewayforBhartiAirtel The number of people killed in largecommercial airplane reviewwerethe176peoplekilledin However, someamountof and Statistics. accidentsin2019,eight January2020whenaUkrainian Reliance Jiooverthe lastfour and Vi.InSeptember,both crashes rose in 2020 to 299 worldwide, even as the pent-updemandforrawmaterials Aditi Nayar,principal econo- years,bothBhartiAirtelandVi companies gotone more 86 ofwhichwerefatal, planewasshotdowninIranian mayalsohavecontributedtothe mistwith ICRA,said: “Therecov- had justabout startedgetting chance to fight in the ring, af- number of crashes fell by morethan 50 per cent, resultingin257fatalities airspace rise in imports,analysts say, pre- eryinimports reinforces our ex- backontrack when the AGR terfervent requests from the Dutchconsulting firm To70 said ferringto waitlongerto pronounce pectationthatthecurrentaccount judgment derailedtheir wag- DoT, and the firms movedSC. percentfallincommercial 2NDDEADLIEST incidentwas anysustaineddemand recovery. surpluswill deflatetosub-$5bil- onsagain.Thetwocompanies In an order,the SC allowed 42flightsto24.4million,as theMaycrashofaPakistanairliner Nevertheless,ifinbound ship- lion in the second half of this fis- were saddledwith dues in ex- them to paytheir AGRdues in perFlightradardata crashedinMaykilling98 mentscontinuetorise,import- cal.” The expansion in non-oil ex- cess of Rs 43,000 croreand astaggeredannualinstallment sensitive exports, too, will geta ports is enthusinginlight of the Rs 58,000 crore, respectively. over the next 10 years starting 0.27 fatalaccidentspermillion FALLINGCASES: boost,butitwillalsomarkareturn curbs imposedbymajor trading Intotal,thedueswere inexcess April 1, 2021. BhartiAirtel, flightsin2020forlarge Overthelasttwodecades,aviation to the usualhigh trade deficit partnersfollowingtheresurgence of Rs 1.47 lakh crore. Mostex- whichhas paid close to Rs commercialairplanes,oronefatal deathshavebeenfallingdramatically trend. The outbound shipment of of Covid-19cases, Nayarsaid. perts,Cellular Operators 18,000croreofthe roughlyRs crashevery3.7millionflights—up coreproducts(goods excluding The commodities that wit- Association of India, and even 43,000 crorethat it oweshas from0.18fatalaccidentsper 14 FATAL accidentsonaverage petroleum and gems and jew- nessedsubstantial rise in exports the firmssaid this wasmost claimed amoratorium of sev- millionflightsin2019 forcommercialpassengerand ellery),whichreflect the econ- in Decemberincludedcertain ce- likelyend of the line forthem. eralyearsfromAGRpayments. cargoplanesoverthelastfiveyears omy’s competitiveness, grew 5.2 reals (262.6 per cent),oil meals The situationwas even On the other hand, Vi, which REASONS: percentinDecember,againsta0.4 (192.6 per cent), iron ore(69.3 per moredireforVi.Theleadership saidithaspaidnearly Rs6,900 Thedeclineincrashescameamida Source: To70/Reuters percentfallinthepreviousmonth. cent) and cereal preparations and of thecompany,including crore, claimedthe same, al- Similarly,coreimportsrose8.4per miscellaneous processeditem chairman KumarMangalam though forasmaller period. centlastmonth,comparedwitha (45.4 per cent). FE Birla made an unprecedented For2021, DoT’sbiggest statement that if the govern- hope would be selling spec- ment did notprovide relief on trum.Ithasputonofferthesale Ombudsman paymentofpastAGR dues, Vi of 2251.25 MHz of spectrum What will be the guidelines once India-UK flights resume? would have to “shut shop”. across sevenfrequency bands In ararebrave affront on a atareserve priceof Rs3.92lakh fromtheUKwere operatingto var- them to boardthe flight. Upon ar- cluding home isolationortreat- guidelines. Forthis purpose, the asks Bajaj courtoflaw’sjudgment,Bharti crore. Along with the price, PRANAVMUKUL ious airportsinIndia, onlyDelhi, rivalatIndianairports,all passen- ment at facility as per casesever- contactswould includethe co- AirtelandVidecidednot to de- however, thetotalspectrumon NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 Mumbai,Bengaluru,Chennaiand gers coming in from UK in all in- itywill be followed. If the test re- passengers seated in the same Allianz to pay posit anymoney, andlet the offerhasalsobeenreducedby Hyderabadwillreceive passengers ternational flights would be portreveals thatapassenger has row, threerowsinfrontandthree deadlineofJanuary23lapse. morethanathird.TheDoThas THE MINISTRYofHealthand from the countryfor the time be- mandatorilysubjected to self- tested positive forthe newvari- rows behindalongwithidentified medical bill of The bravado had some back- pinnedhopesonmakinggood FamilyWelfarehas issuedthe ing. Those wanting to flytoother paid RT-PCR tests. ant,thenthepatientwillcontinue cabin crew. ing withalastminuteDoT or- moneyfromtheauction,citing standardoperatingprocedurefor citieswill needtobook connect- to remain in aseparateisolation derthatsaidtherewouldbeno that the telcos would needto epidemiologicalsurveillanceand ing flightsout of these five hubs. What happens if apassenger unit. While necessarytreatment Whyisthe government Covid patient coerciveactionagainstthetel- buy spectrum in the 4G band response forthe newvariant of tests positive upon as per the existing taking these steps? cos,eveniftheydidnotpay any to expand their services. Covid in the contextofregulated What do passengersarriving arrival? protocol will be The mutated strain of coron- ENSECONOMICBUREAU duesbythedeadline.Theseac- The last auctions, held in resumptionof flightsfromtheUK from the UK needtodo? Passengers testing given,thepatientwill avirus,whichoriginatedinthe MUMBAI,JANUARY2 tions,however, didnotsitwell 2016,wherethe government to India January8onwards. In line with the guidelines for positive shall be iso- betestedon14thday, UK, has already spread across 23 withtheSC.Inahearingonthe offered2,354.55 MHz at are- other international arrivals, all in- latedinaninstitutional afterhaving tested countriesincludingtheUS, China, IN Asignificant development for issueonFebruary14,2020,the serve price of Rs 5.60 lakh Whichflights will resume bound passengers from the UK isolation facilityina positive in the initial Germany, France, the health insurance policy holders, three-judgeBenchcamedown crore,butmanagedto sellonly January8onwards? will have to submit self-declara- separate(isolation) test.The patient will Netherlands, Canada, Japan, who areundergoing Covid-19 heavilyonthe companies, the 965MHz,orabout40percent TheCentrehasallowedairlines tion form on the online portal unit coordinated by be kept in the isola- SouthKorea,and Singapore. In treatmentinbighospitals,Milind DoTand all other parties, of the spectrum, and mop up of bothIndiaandtheUKto resume (www.newdelhiairport.in)atleast the respective State tion facility till their India, at least29people, who ar- Kharat, Insurance Ombudsman, threateningeveryonewith onlyRs65,789 crore, can be 15 flightseachevery week be- 72 hours before thescheduled Health Authorities. Theywould sample is tested negative. rivedfromthe UK between the Mumbai&Goa,hasdirectedBajaj contempt of courtfor nothav- takenasatale of caution. tween January8and January23. travel. All the passengers arriving earmarkspecificfacilitiesforsuch time the suspension wasan- Allianz General Insurance to pay ing deposited anymonies. Despiteall forecasts,whether Airline officials said thatthe carri- from the UK alsoneedtocarry isolation and treatment and take What happens in case one has nouncedand implemented,were one of itscustomers the entire Bytheeveningof February or notitwillbeagood payday ers arepreparing schedules and negative RT-PCRtestreport,for necessaryaction to send the pos- travellednexttoaCovid-19 found infectedwith this newvari- hospitalisation expenses, barring 14,mosttelecom companies forthe DoTcan onlybeascer- will be reaching out to customers whichtestshould have been con- itive samplesto IndianSARS-CoV- positive passenger? ant. This variant is estimated by non-medicalitems, incurred for that owed anyAGR to the DoT tainedinMarchwhenauctions once the schedulesare prepared. ducted within 72 hours priorto 2Genomics Consortium (IN- Forthe passengers who test European Center forDisease Covid-19treatment. said theywould paypartof areheld. Until then, the tele- Air India said passengers who undertakingthe journey. Airlines SACOG) Labs.Ifthe test report positive upon arrival, all the con- Control to bemoretransmissible AbhayChhapia, who had their dues in aweek’s time. com sector holds on and sur- were booked to flyonDecember have been asked to ensurethata reveals that the the Covid19vari- tactsofsuchtravellerswillbesub- and affecting younger people. bought ahealth insurance policy And, so theydid. On ahearing vivestofight another day. 23,willbethefirstonestobeflown passengeriscarrying the nega- ant is notthe newone, then the jected to institutionalquarantine Full report on from BajajAllianzGeneral outofthe UK. While earlier flights tive test reportprior to allowing ongoing treatment protocol in- and would be tested as perICMR www.indianexpress.com Insurance, with asum assured of Rs 30 lakh,had availedofmedical treatment in Mumbaibased BRIEFLY Wockhardt Hospital forCovid-19. ‘Covid has accelerated how normal people consume AI’ However, Chhapia hadfileda 6.03croreGST complaint withthe Ombudsman againstshort-settlementof aclaim e-invoicesinDec the mostsignificant impact. sandsof papersfromtheCovid-19 involvementand engagement in additionalparameters regarding lodged underthe policy by Bajaj NANDAGOPALRAJAN Natarajan cites the Indian OpenResearchDataset(CORD-19) amuchmorevalued partofthe Covid-19werefedin,we were able AllianzGeneralInsurance. He NewDelhi: As manyas6.03 NEWDELHI,JANUARY2 Council forMedical Research’s and licenseddatabases from workflow,”heexplains, adding to predictdemandinamoreintel- complainedthataclaimlodgedfor croreGST e-invoices were (ICMR’s)collaborationwithIBMto DrugBank,Clinicaltrials.govand howusers have also startedex- ligent manner, helping Parlere- Rs 3.1lakh forthe treatment of generated in December IBM, WHICHisworking on many implement the Watson Assistant GenBank,allowing users to make pecting bots to respond to the ducetimetomarketandrightsize Covid-19(positive)undergone by 2020,higherthan5.89crore Covid-19projectsaround the (anAI-poweredquery-answering specific queries to extractcritical moremundane queries. the inventoryfor itsperishable him at Wockhardt Hospital was inNovember,accordingto an world,isconvincedthepandemic system)onitsportaltorespondto Covid-19knowledge. With large companies,the ac- goods. This AI-drive supply chain settledbyBajaj Allianz General official release. The govern- hastriggeredanaccelerationinin- specific queries on Covid-19from “The adoption of AI has seen a ceptance,however, isnotthateasy. management will also be in play Insuranceoncashlessbasiswitha ment had made it manda- novation and adoption of tech- frontline staffand dataentryop- gradual metamorphosis ... What But Natarajan says it is “no longer when IBM helps governments deduction of Rs.1.3lakh, almost tory forbusinesseswith nologieslikeartificialintelligence, eratorsacrosstestinganddiagnos- thispandemichasdoneisacceler- achoice”.Heelaboratesontheex- rollout to the vaccines to millions. half theamountof claim.Hestated turnoverofoverRs500crore with newuse cases in retail and ticfacilities across India. “They atedhowweasindividuals,asnor- ampleofParle’ssupplychain “The idea would be to clearly that he has been associated with to generateelectronicinvoice banking, but moreimportantlyin (ICMR) had aclosedset of health malpeople,consumeAI,”explains whichusedtobegovernedbycon- understand the different patterns the companyfor manyyearsand ore-invoiceforB2Btransac- managing and nowmitigating a professionals, whether it is the Subram Natarajan, chief Natarajan. “Banking services, ventionalwisdom,morestatistics of the pandemic, wherethe den- further arguedthat he, as an indi- tions, from October 1. PTI global pandemic. front end, peoplewhoareadmin- technology officer of IBM India whichwas already in the vergeof drivenwith astraight away pro- sity is, wherethe vulnerable are, vidual,has no sayorbargaining Subram Natarajan, chief tech- istering the tests, doing the analy- gettingsortofdigitisedtosomede- jectionof howmuchgoodswould wherethe capabilitytodistribute powerinfront of the hospital and nology officer at IBM India, has sis, the supportstaff,orthe core gree,hasallof asuddengraduated be consumed. “But with the pan- thevaccineisveryhigh ...Onceyou hadto paywhateverwascharged. ‘Willtakeaction seen“dramaticchanges”thisyear, healthprofessionals at the back- virtual agent that disseminates intomorethan 90 per cent of all demic,nobodywasableto predict feed in awell-definedmodel of Afterscrutinising the docu- againstdelisting’ alongwitha“fairbitof confluence end.Theyweretryingto reallyfig- Covid-19-related information in transactionsbeinghandledbydig- howmuchinventoryone should what is the mostefficient wayof mentsproducedonrecord,cou- of various technologies, AI being ureouthowtogettheunifiedmes- English, Telugu and Hindi on the ital,” he says.Evenfromthe con- hold primarilybecause the con- distributing the vaccine ...apre- pledwith the depositions of both Shanghai: China will take oneof them”.Whilethelockdown sageacrosstothe wider response effortsand measures by sumer side, it has accelerated ac- sumptionpatternwascompletely scriptive wayofhandling the vac- the parties, Kharat observed that “measures”to safeguardthe forcedmany businessto go digital populationinIndia,”heremem- the Department of Health, ceptance of AI and otherdigital disrupted. Therewerelot more cine that can beprovided, and the the hospital has notadhered to interestsof itscompaniesaf- to survive andadopttechnologies bers atime when “there were Medical and Family Welfare. technologies. “Idon’tthink we factorsatplay,”hesays.This is AI plays avital role in this whole PreferredProvider Networkrates tertheNYSEbegandelisting likeAI,Natarajansays itwastheef- morequestions than answers”. Globally, IBM Research has devel- would go back to aday when whereIBM’sWatson-powered‘in- distribution,” he explains. andoverchargedthepatientinvi- 3Chinese telcos. REUTERS fectivenessof artificialintelligence The AndhraPradesh National opedacloud-based AI research things aremuchmorehuman telligent supplychain’ solution Full report on olation of their agreement with in citizen’s services that has had HealthMission, too, has aWatson service that has ingestedthou- driven...We wouldexpecthuman cameintothepicture.“Oncethese www.indianexpress.com theBajajAllianzGeneralInsurance.

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Boredom Made Me Do It GETTYIMAGES The pandemic revealed what researchers have long known —ennui could be the gateway to re-engaging with the world

Benita Fernando My favouritesix-year-old, the titular hero Eastwoodsays.“We don’t have alot of dataon of Bill Watterson’s comic strip Calvin and this. Generally, the moreactive aperson is —I Hobbes,isachampion daydreamer.When don’tmean physicallyactive necessarilybut Whydoes man create? Calvin is notwith Hobbes but stuckathis self-determinedand mentallyactive —the Is it man’s purpose on earthtoexpress school desk,thereisapermanentscowl on his moretheyare doing something involvingcre- himself, to bring form to thought,and to face. The dreariness of lessons is broken only ativity and reflection suchasdaydreaming, discovermeaning in experience? by his adrenaline-fuelledspace fantasies, in- reading, journaling, the morelikelytheywill cluding apassagetoafifthdimension world be able to ‘do’ boredom well,” he adds. Or is it justsomething to do when he is bored? were “time has no meaning”. Despitethe layers of meaningwehaveat- —Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes Mumbai-basedfoodwriter and culinary tributed to it, boredom is in itself amoral. consultant Saee Koranne-Khandekar,38, says, Eastwood explains that howwerespond to EAD ANY number of it is important we don’tjudge ourselvesfor the signal of boredom is the key question.All SherlockHolmes’ adven- “wasting” time daydreaming. In 2008, feelings, negative or positive,“tell” us some- tures and the fictional detec- Koranne-Khandekar worked as an instruc- thing important about howweare in the tive is oftenintroduced tional designer with an e-learning company. TARQ world.Pain,for example, tellsus we areindan- lounging lazilyinhis dress- She had toomuchtime on hand at home, and, AND gerofdamaging ourbodyandwe needto stop

R ing gown at his Baker Street on a“bored afternoon”, she startedblogging OOR what we aredoing to protect our body. residence. Withhissuperior intellect, Holmes about it —kitchen tales and other anecdotes. DEKAR “Boredom is similar.Ittells us we arestagnat- finds ordinarylifeboring,andordinarycrime, In time, the blog grew intoafood-ideasspace, KULAV ing; that we arenot using our cognitive abili- EER even moreso. His onlyescape from this dull- and she found her current vocation. Justbe- -KHAN ties and expressing ourselvesinthe worldin SAM ness —and his onlyvice —iscocaine. cause Koranne-Khandekar shiftedcareers, it ANNE our ownunique ways…it tells us we needto SY OR

Forthat matter, The Sign of theFour (1890) didn’t mean that she escapedboredom alto- RTE reclaim our agency,” he says.But what about EK begins with Holmes administering himself a gether.Working with food can also getbor- those who areforcedintoboring situations, COU SAE cocaineinjection.Hisdefence:“Give me prob- ing, especiallywith one kind of cuisineortech- some that stretchfor years, with no endin lems, give me work,givemethe mostabstruse nique.Whilewritingherbook, Pangat,AFeast: sight? Thehomeless,the aged,the bedridden, cryptogram...I can dispense then with artifi- Food and LorefromMarathi Kitchens (2019), the imprisoned—their options arelimited. In cial stimulants. But Iabhor the dull routine of she wasstruckbythe limited interpretations aregion likeKashmir,wherecurfews were the existence...That is whyI of Marathi cuisine in eater- norm even before 2020, it’s hardtoimagine ●●● have chosen my ownpar- ies and homes. “If one tries that people will stay anxious forever. At some ticular profession —or, to eat Marathi food out, the point,anxiety givesway to boredom, as vigi- rather,created it.” Mann believesthat usual suspectsare misal, lance becomes normalised. “Boredom could Thegreat consulting de- vada pao or chicken beseen asunproductive or as rustoverthe cre- tective was, like mostof there are anumber Kolhapuri, whichisjustan- ative mind. (But) building upon (Martin) modernsociety,justterri- other name forastandard Heidegger’s notion of boring yourself with blybored.Boredom pro- of reasons why we redgravy with extrachilli something,boredom… canhelpactively cre- SHAH I pelledhimto seekthe most are more bored than powder,” she says.Itforced AD atespaces forradical outbreaksinagiven sit-

fantastical cases, to lead a her to reimagine the cui- AHM uation,” says Srinagar-based artistMoonis GANDH moreimaginative life, land- ever.One is the sine, to reinvent thalipeeth IS Ahmad Shah, 28. Shah, who is at present a RTHA MOON ing somewherebetween as crackers served with a TI doctoral candidateatthe University of cocaine and ambition. availability of more dip or tostadas with sea- Melbourne, recalls the times in Kashmir Boredom is whatmade the sonal toppings. ON BEING IDLE Saptaparni’s headyscent meantDiwali was is bored,hedaydreams.Kulavoor’s figure, on wheretherewerelong durations of curfews genius relatable. leisure time. The (Clockwise from near.Ordinarily, as apractising designer,she the other hand, appearsopiated,preferring enforcedonthe people.When people are It’s obvious, therefore, ■ ■ ■ would have sketchedthe garden, but she was to do anything notto“think”. forced intosuchexceptional situations, they above) Graphic whyboredom has abit of a other problem is so bored that she wanted to do something It’s also one of the keyreasons whypeo- have to rethink their everyday,reimagine bad rep. It has long been as- One of the best ways to designer Tirtha newand challenging. That’s when Gandhi plefear getting bored.Who knows what their lives. sociated with cautionary that alot of things understand boredom is as Gandhi with an turnedtoorigami, recreating the garden’s questions, what memories the mind will In an installation, Accidentally Miraculous tales of awasting mind, a“desireconundrum”, as origami champa; fruitsand flowers. She says,“Iamnot trying bring to thesurface in aquietmoment? The Everyday From That Heaven (2019), Shah used and, in an extreme sense, we do to engage our James Danckertand John D Notification (2019) to become an origami pro. It’s justmyway of pandemic, forinstance, has been alivelab photogrammetrytostitch3Dreconstructions with risk behaviours, Eastwood discuss in Outof by Sameer Kulavoor; preserving things in atangible way.” forresearchers, with lateststudies showing of Kashmiri people livinginastateofexcep- trauma and addictions. In minds are the My Skull: The Psychology of Gandhi, unlikemany, managedto cureher the link betweenemotional trauma and tion. Broken andfractured,the figures often Saee Koranne- 2014,American social psy- Boredom (2020). To be boredom without the constant companyofa boredom, and howhighlyboredom-prone seem wearyorbored.Inone image, ageogra- chologistTimothyDWilson same activities caught in adesireconun- Khandekar’s smartphone and social media. Smartphones peopleare morelikelytoendorse that Covid- pher sleeps at noontime on aMondayinstead and team publishedtheir drum means “wanting to thalipeeth crackers; makeusthink we are“busy”andwe avoidthe 19 is ahoax. It’s whythe idea that boredom of working.“Rather than thinking of bore- ●●● findings on howpartici- do something but not an image from guilt of wasting time. It’s notthat we areless can be asource of creativity is atricky one. dom as apassive thing, resistance occurs — pantsplacedinaroom, with nothing to do, wanting to do anything”. Theywrite, “So our Moonis Ahmad bored;wehavejustbecome quicker, but not Eastwood, founder of Boredom Lab in it’s averyactive process. If youthink about it, preferredexternal stimulation than be left mind is unoccupiedand we want to do some- Shah’s installation necessarilybetter, at “fixing” boredom. Toronto, says that the link between boredom ageographer sleeping on Mondayafternoon alone with their thoughts. The participants’ thing,but we can’t figureout whatwewant Accidentally Mann believesthat thereare anumber and creativity is indirect,accomplishedifwe is arevolutionaryact,” Shah says.Seen in this onlyoption in this room wastogivethem- to do —that’s boredom in anutshell.” It is this of reasonswhy we aremorebored than ever. allowfor constructive mindwandering. He light, daydreaming can beitsown virtue, with selvesmild electric shocks.The researchers search forstimulation and engagement that Miraculous Everyday One is the availability of moreleisuretime. explains that when bored,wedisengage no goal of creativity,especially since we live in observed that participantsdid notenjoy turns boredomintoaparadoxand transforms From That The other problem is that alot of things we from the world, and if we can toleratethe dis- culturesoftoxic productivity.Atthe startof spendingsix to 15 minutesbythemselves, idlers intoseekers. Heaven (2019) do to engageour minds arethe same activi- comfortofboredom long enoughtoturn in- the pandemic in 2020, people cited thege- with severalchoosing to administer the elec- If we weren’t bored before,lastyear en- ties. We areswiping or scrolling our bore- ward and reflect on whoweare and howwe niusesofpastscientists and writers who tric shockatleastonce. sured it. Graphic designer Tirtha Gandhi, 28, dom away but those areall repetitiveactions. want to express ourselvesinthe world, then made path breaking discoveriesorcreated Researchers arelooking at howboredom wasamong those who were caught in the “The problemwith repetition is thatitbe- this might allowustoformnew ideas for masterpieces in similar conditions of lock- canalso sparkcreativityand problemsolving. pandemic’s boredom conundrum. In March comes boring,” she says.Ifyou look at the howwecan re-engagewith the world. downs and working from home. We insiston In TheScience of Boredom: The Upside (and lastyear,Gandhi packedanovernight bag for hashtags #boredom on Instagram, that has So, is therearight wayof“doing” bore- making everysecond count. Instead, Ioften Downside) of Downtime (2016), psychologist aweekend visit to Vadodaratocheckonher 3.6 million posts,or#BoredomMadeMeDoIt, dom? Canadian author Chris Bailey, known think of John William Godward’s womenlan- Dr Sandi Mann writes that boredom can be“a ailing father.Nearly ayear later, sheisyet to amajority of them aresimplyselfies exper- forhis “productivityexperiments”(alifeofpro- guishing by serene Mediterranean waters, catalystfor creativity”.In2014, Mann and return to Mumbai. That weekend, the first imenting with bizarre filters. In Sameer ductivity.com),spent amonth some years ago teasing akitten, playing with aparrot or twid- RebekahCadman,both from theUniversity of lockdown came intoeffect in India. Weekdays, Kulavoor’s ongoing exhibition in Mumbai, getting deliberatelybored foranhour every dling agrape between their fingers —theyare Central Lancashire, the UK, publishedare- spent working remotely,rolledby. Sundaywas “You AreAll Caught Up”, the artistshows a day. The boringhourwasfixedwithatask,like asking carpediem to go take ahike. Godward search paper on howbeing bored can lead to adifferent story. She had lefther DSLR cam- number of workswith figures gluedtotheir reading iTunes’ terms and conditions,waiting waspainting his idling women, manyofthem increasedcreativity in terms of quantity,but eraand sketchbooksbackinMumbai. It phones. In onetelling work,titled Notification at ahospital, watching his girlfriend read, and called Dolcefar Niente (Italian for“thesweet- notnecessarilyquality.Theystatedthat if we helped, however, that her childhood home (2019), alone figurehangsbysome railings, removingthe seeds of astrawberrywith ness of doing nothing”), at the turn of the 20th arelooking forcreative solutions, then under- came with agarden.Eventually, shebegan hand resting on chin and looking bored out tweezers. Some of these hours were morefun, century, aftermechanisation had claimeda takingaboring task might help. Mann says, strolling there, catching the afternoon light, of his mind. The other hand is engaged, wherethe mind wandered,without agoalor firm grip on Victorian societies. What better “Wethink the link between boredom and cre- observing the trees and the birds. In summer, though —thumb on screen. The figurehas intent. That smartphones areaneasy escape waythandaydreamingtoresistthe tyranny ativity is daydreaming.” she collected lemons. By October,the none of Calvin’s exasperation. When Calvin is abit of apersonal value judgement, of the clock? EYE,THE SUNDAY EXPRESS MAGAZINE

14 SPOTLIGHT JANUARY 3, 2021

Indian arthistory and felt motivatedtomake work aboutbeing gayand Indian —itneeded DOWN IN to be placedinthe arthistorical context. What makes youkeep divingintoyour familyarchives? JUNGLELAND I’vebeen amigrant, staying at different places,people oftenask me whereishome, wherewould Iratherbe. My father comes from atypical Uttar Pradesh zamindar family. My Tibetanmother wasadoptedbyChristian missionaries and grew up in aboarding school in Amritsar.Every year,myfather would take RanjitLal me forHolito his villageMundia Pamar.Much later, whenIcame across PaulStrand’sPortrait Ranjit Lal is an author, of An Italian Village,Idecided to go backto environmentalistand Mundia Pamar for Portrait of an Indian Village birdwatcher (2006). IrealisedIhad great access thereand that people were connected to the land in a waynot manyare.For Social Security (1988), I drew from our familyalbum to tell the storyof my family’s migration to Montreal. The Married From Exiles in the ’80s to numerousseries youmade duringyour Delhistay(2005- 12), howhas it been to shoot in India? In RoyalCollegeofArt (London), Iwanted Life of Birds to beadocumentaryphotographer who takes up issues of social justice.So, in the ’80s,Itrav- elledtoTilonia to document systemic rural povertyinRajasthan.Onmyway in and out When humans are beaten at their of India, Iwould photograph gaymen. My game of holy (unholy) matrimony friendsin thecountryatthe time lookedatbe- inggay as a‘bourgeois urban problem’ and not worthdoing. When IreturnedtoliveinDelhi, EHUMANS might think we have the mo- PHOTOSCOURTESY:THEARTISTANDHALESGALLERY,STEPHENBULGERGALLERYANDVADEHRAARTGALLERY things had also changed.People were meeting nopolyondifferent types of matrimony less in parks and moreonthe Netand at pri- and family: nuclear, joint, single-parent, vate parties.It’s howIconceivedMr Malhotra’s W or same-sex-parent families, communes, Party withportraitsof‘real’ people, who were etc., but we can’t matchuptothe wild, especiallybirds. willing to identify their sexuality as queer. Notonlydoes the statelySarus crane live in an ideal nu- ‘I didn’t find any reference clear family(at times following the “hum-do-humare-do” What prompted From HeretoEternity mantra), couples arerevered fortheir lifelongfidelity and (1999), made in response to the illness devotion to eachother.Ifone partner dies, the other will brought on by HIV? pine away till it joinsits partner.Hear alonely Sarus crane Ireallydidn’t want to deal with HIV/AIDS. call on amoonlitnight and you’ll knowwhat Imean. to gayIndian arthistory’ When Iwas diagnosedin’95,Iwas already Manyspeciesofbirds have nuclear families, where overloaded, being gayand Indian. Then in both mama and papa take care of their brood. Some cou- 1999, Iwasn’t feeling toowell. It wasareally ples (verysensiblyyou might think) break up afterthe lowperiod. Having become ill, Icouldn’t familyleaveshome and find newpartners forthe next Photographer SunilGupta on documenting carry on doingmyfreelance work and de- nesting season. Alas,for us, this is notreallypossible as our cidedtodosomething about the illness as broods onlyleave home at around 21—and sometimes not ‘photo therapy’. Goingbacktothe darkroom even then! Some birds (like the sarus and eagles) arefero- LGBTQ+ culture across the globe and his wasmagical. It wasmeplaying dead. The first ciouslyfaithful to their partnersthroughout theirlives.In picturewas of me naked,tosee howthe ill- some cases, the mama birds stay on thenestand mindthe ongoing retrospective in London ness wasaffectingmybody.Different aspects chicks —likewhat some of our honourable ministers of it, suchasmetaking medicines, were jux- would likewomentodo—while papa goes out hunting. Va ndana Kalra pology,but nowthe expectation that art taposedwith photographs of my local Among others,likethe devoted hornbills,the female is se- should come from all over the globeismore. London gayclubs, whichhad turnedintosex curely “lockeddown” in her hollow, with hereggs and, clubs. Afterthat, Ifelt alot freer talking about later,chicks.The entrance to thehollowissealedupwith HOWISthe feedbackfor From Here to Could youtalk aboutdiscovering your HIV in my work. mudand dung,with justacrack leftinit. Her husband as- Eternity:Sunil Gupta.ARetrospective (till sexuality duringchildhood in Delhi and siduouslyfeeds her throughthis “window” and when the 21 FebruaryatThe Photographers’ Gallery, the move to Canada at the ageof15? Your 2012 Delhishowwas shut down after chicks hatchand become demanding,the mother too London, thephotographersgallery.org.uk)? Ihadacharming,openandfreechildhood. acomplaint of obscenity. Howdoyou see breaksout, resealsthe entrance and both parentsnow feed It features16series over 45 years. In Nizamuddin, in my boygang, all kinds of the evolution of LGBTQ+ rightshere? theirfamily, until thechicks arebig enough to break out. Iworkedcloselywith curator MarkSealy experimentation took place, alot of it wassex- Afterthe ruling, Idon’t think thereshould The sociable weaver bird—endemic to SouthAfrica — to present avariety —four videos, all photo- ual, but no one spokeabout it. The sudden be alegal problem in showing my work in livesinone enormous joint familyinamassive commu- graphs from Christopher Street (1976), works move to Canada came as ashock,allthe ways India. Therewas aplan to show Christopher nity nest, eachfamilyintheir ownprivate apartment and from Trespass (1990s), Mr Malhotra’s Party I’d learnt to find sexwerenot viable in that Street at Vadehra(Delhi) in October,but we entrance. But the whole edifice is likeamassive haveli. (2006-),Homeland (2001-03), amongothers. country. Coming from India wasuseless bag- could notowingtoCOVID-19. Next year,we Youmay dislikeliving cheek-by-jowl with hundredsof We’llhaveabigger show in Torontonextyear, gage because moststudentsinmyclass had- plan to showanearlier body of black-and- relatives, but the entireclan will rise up clamorouslyto but the retrospective is rather well-received n’t heardofIndia. Everything Iknewseemed whiteimages at Jhaveri Contemporary defend their young from external threatslikeanosey in London.Manypeople aremovedby it, even irrelevant. When 17,Idiscoveredanew iden- (Mumbai). It’s notsomuchabout the gaycon- snake. Though agrass-firesparkorbolt of lightning can seemto relatetoit.Alot has changedsincethe tity of being gay. At McGill University,Ijoined tent as muchasnudity,with moral judgement setthe entirestructureablaze, roasting chicks alive. mid ’80s. People aremoreconnected,doesn’t agay-student society whichwas involvedin hanging over it.Unlikeanude sculpture, in Our ownbayaweaveralso livesincolonies, but each matter whereyou are. With the internet, noth- activism and became the photographer for SEEING ME,SEEINGYOU photography, it’s perceivedastoo close to ingseems toodistant.WhenExiles wasshown their newsletter.Iwas happyshootinggay pornography, theissue therehasn’t been re- (From To p) Untitled #13 (2008) from the series The New in the ’80s, London wasone of the centres of things. Notuntil Icame to London in 1977 did solved. The strikingdownofSection377 (of Westerncultural powerand it didn’tconsider Ibecome more awareracially. In the late ’70s- Pre-Raphaelites; Shroud (1999 )from the series From HeretoEternity, Indian Penal Code) is ahugerelief butthere’s material from outside Europe as art; it was 80s,being South Asian in the UK wasaracism featuring Gupta, 67, who was recently awarded an Honorary more work to be donewithregardtorights, looked on morelikeethnographyoranthro- problem. Ididn’t find anyreference to gay Fellowship from The Royal Photographic Society, London marriage…it’s important to remain vigilant. Big LittleSteps

RANJITLAL In his new book,actor Sonu Sood reflects on the impact of his relief work HOME ALONE Painted storks at home on those whose lives he touched, as well as his own

Pooja Pillai History professor Saroj and businessman COURTESY:THEORANGELANE nestisanindividual architectural masterpiece of the Shakti, Sood graduated as an engineer from WORK-LIFE BALANCE male. The gentleman baya is quitethe chhuparustam. the Yeshwantrao ChavanCollegeof Ahome design by Shabnam Gupta Afterbedding one wifeinapalatial structure, he sets SONU SOOD’S “Kalinga Moment” occurred Engineering in Nagpur.This waswherehe about building another and woos another till his stamina on April 15,2020, in the city of Kalwa, in methis wifeSonaliand also where he first lasts —eachwifeoblivious of the others’ existence. Maharashtra’s Thane district. He had driven begandreaming of asilver-screen career. At Home The lovely burrowing owlofNorth and South America therefromhis home in Mumbai to help dis- Sood has chronicledhis early years as afilm- livescommunallyinprairie dog burrows in theground — tributethe food packets he had arranged for industry struggler in great detail: the unwa- in fields, grasslands and open areas. Theyhaveawonder- the migrant workerswho were heading vering encouragement of his parents, the Five top changes in 2020 ful, Californian lifestyle. The mom in one burrowmight home during the nationwide lockdown. But train ride to Mumbai in whichhehad to sit in checkout the beefcakeinthe neighbouring burrow, while as he stood among the thousands who were the passageoutside the “smellytoilet”,the Shiny Varghese adude maycall on the cutelittle thing next door —all making their wayonfootdownNational manyrejections and tauntsfromthose who done clandestinely. The result:alot of half-siblings. Highway 48,whichleadssouthwards to said he wouldn’t makeitwithout agodfa- Severalspecies have single-parent families —where Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, he asked himself ther (in another partofthe book,hewrites GREEN SPACES: Balconies(with“air-con- one parent takescareofthe brood, while the other goes if he had done enough. In his just-released that buying awhole building in the city in ditioners, mop and buckets”) and terraces about philandering and having morebabies. And no, it’s book about his Ghar Bhejo relief mission, I 2018 wastohim likea“confirmation that I’d (with“watertanksanddishTVantennas”) notthe dude who’s out lap-dancing at nightclubs. In Am No Messiah (Penguin Random House), reachedaplace of worthinlife—anachieve- turnedintohot spotsfor “plantsandgreen- species likethe painted snipe, it is thelady who dons all co-written with journalistMeena KIyer, ment that Ihad earnedand notinherited ery”, with morepotsand pools, “wooden the finery, settles her dowdy corduroy husband in the Sood writes: “If Ihad givenintothe celebrity from abig-name production house”). decks andgreen walls”, says Delhi’s nurseryand goes in search of other dudes. Other such syndromeofsitting in my ivorytower and Sood agrees that his relief work may NilanjanBhowal, principal architect, species include the jacanas and swamphens (wonder having my largesse deliveredtothe needy provebeneficialfor his career. “It’s agood DesignConsortium.Theyoung,too,sought what our ministers would saytothis). Chicks of single- by remote control,Iwould neverhavecome thing as Iwanted to playsomething new,”he “patio spaces”,and airy, well-lit rooms. parent families arepretty self-containedatbirth (nidifu- face to face with the trauma of the migrant says, “Earlier wasnot the right time to exper- gous), run about and feed themselvesassoon as they workers or understood that afood packet iment but nowthe roles arerefreshing and WORK STATIONS: With WFH,sound- hatch. Parentsare neededonlyfor security. wasawoefullyinadequatesubstitutefor a youcan experiment.” But it’s an unexpected proof home offices or collapsible work ta- The notorious cuckoodumps itseggs (babies) in foster ride backhome.” bonus, he insists. “I’m abig believerofdes- bles became de rigueur.People collapsed homes. It can’t be bothered with parenting and would Even Bollywood couldn’t avoid the rav- tiny,”hesays, “Ibelieve that when youde- spacesto allowformultifunctionalrooms, rather party:for example, apint-sizedwarbler will find ages of 2020. Apartfromthe pandemic and cide to help someone and go out of the way partitioning“livingroomsintoformalstudy herself confronting ahulking hawk-cuckoochickinher lockdown, whichdepleted livelihoods and to do something good, things happen in life.” space,” says Mumbai interior designer nursery, whose mawisbig enough to swallowbothher bottom lines, the Hindi film industrywas also “Becomingfamous wasnot,asIhad ShabnamGupta,founder,TheOrangeLane. and papa and is scaring the daylightsout of them! Our hit by allegations of nepotism,drug abuse imagined, the end goal of my life,” he writes, mellifluous black koel is one suchculprit, though it gets and more. In asea of reputations thatwere “This celebrity face wasimperative forthe MINDFUL KITCHENS: “Self-cleaning ro- the better of that street smart “sab-jaanta”house crow! bruised—and even battered —Sood, 47, Ghar Bhejo movement to succeed, fordoors bots,dishwashers and drying unitswere Alittle better arethe flamingos that nestincolonies seems to have emergedwithamorebur- to open and makethingshappen.” These heavilyinvestedin,to runhouses without thousands strong, wherebedlam prevails. Theysend their nishedimagethanbefore. He’s been de- declarations aretempered by the occasional external help,” says Pune-baseddesigner chicks to boarding school —hugecrèches at the edgesof picted as acapedsuperheroincartoons, de- complacent acceptance of the goodwill — Pratap Jadhav, former national president, the colonywith hundredsofdowdy grey-clad babies in scribed as “areal-lifehero”, “migrant and limelight —that he’s earnedinthe past InstituteofIndian InteriorDesigners.Many attendance, overseen by afew harassedadults. Mahatma” and “asli Bahubali” and awarded months, suchasinthe surprising frankness have movedtosmaller dining tables in the Occasionally, the juveniles turn rogue and charge through the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) “In the pre-lockdown script, my role had MISSION of the chaptername, “UN Boosts theBrand”. kitchen forintimatefamilymealtimes. the colony, causing panicamong adults. Special Humanitarian Action Awardbythe shades of grey.But in the ensuing seven POSSIBLE And, yet, philanthropyhas itslimits—it Agentlemen couple, the famous chinstrap penguins, United Nations Development Programme months, when Iswitched lanes in my per- can’t effect lasting changes. “Philanthropyis QUARANTINED SPACES: Certain corners Sonu Sood Royand Silo, wanted ababyand triedtohatcharock, until (UNDP) in September.Endorsement deals sonal life, my humanitarian work would no one waytoupliftlife, but againfor along- have been turned “intoisolatedspaces kind zookeepers in NewYorkgavethem agenuine pen- with brands have materialised, too. Last longer allowevenfictional villainytotaint lasting way, youhavetostructurethings (with kitchenette), in case aperson needs guin egg. On dulybeing hatched, their babygirlTango month, therewerereportsofDubba Tanda my name.” He writes that co-actor Prakash properly,whereeveryone as ateam should to self-isolate, without feelingclaustro- turnedout alesbian. Apparently, this is notthe firsttime villageinTelangana dedicating atemple, fea- Rajrefusedtograbhim by the collar,asone come forwardand trytodogoodtoothers,” phobic or alone,” says Bhowal. that penguins have indulged in same-sexrelationships. turing abuff, T-shirt-clad bust,tothe actor. scene required,saying “the Sonu he now Sood says.And, despitespeculations, he adds, There’s one kind of matrimonial relationship in which But the mosttelling, and perhaps, with knewcouldn’t be treatedinsuchanuncouth politicsisnot his path —yet. “Politics is away HOMEGROWNFURNITURE: People, the birds can’t beat us —the hammering “love-jihadists” greater implications forhis film career,isan manner.” It endedwith a20-dayshoot be- to help moreand morepeople, it will have says Gupta,bought homegrownbrands, —because theyhaven’t even heardofit. incident that Sood records in his book as hav- ing rescheduledbecauseSood’s role and all itsprosand cons,”hesays, “butI’m enjoying and realised, “noteverything that looks ing happened whenhereturnedtoworkon his scenes had to be completely overhauled. my journeyasanactor,wanttocontinue be- good (chairs) mayfeel good (becomfort- the Telugufilm Kandireega2post-lockdown: Born in Moga, Punjab, to English and ing one, and keep on helping people.” able to sit in forlong hours),” adds Jadhav.

Pune EYE,THE SUNDAY EXPRESS MAGAZINE

JANUARY 3, 2021 BOOKS 15

SHELF LIFE THEDANCINGPOET: RABINDRANATH TheMan ForHis Time AFinal Chance TAGOREAND CHOREOGRAPHIES OFPARTICIPATION This is the decisive decade for BY RIMLI Anew book about BHATTACHARYA action against climate change. A TulikaBooks Vajpayee throws new book explains why 376 pages; `995 light on his Bijal Va chharajani Lifeasa turbulent 13 HATIShope? Merriam-Websterdefines it as “tocherish adesirewith anticipation: to months as prime want something to happen or be true/to Celebration Wdesirewith expectation of obtainment or minister in 1998-99 fulfillment/ to expect with confidence.” And right below Ta gore on the role of it: “hope againsthope: to hope without anybasis forex- pecting fulfillment”. joy in aworld riven KP Nayar That lastone made me pause. It definedwhat Ifelt about the climatecrisis, ahope fordecisive changes that with inequalities maystayunfulfilled, but whichwestill anticipate, expect, AJPAYEE: The Years That wish. In the face of the loss of Arctic sea ice, erratic mon- Kaushik Das Gupta Changed India wasnot an easy soons, forest fires, and chalking up the warmestmonths book forShakti Sinha to write. globallyevery year,wekeep our fingers and toes crossed. Sinha became Atal Bihari Whichiswhy when Iread JonathonPorritt’s Hope in VVajpayee’s shadowin1996, Hell: ADecade to Confront theClimateEmergency,Ihad that IN THE concluding partofthis book un- der review, Rimli Bhattacharya writes when he wasleader of the Opposition in the same feeling —hope and despair. “Runawayclimate about aletterRabindranath Tagore Lok Sabha.Heremained with Vajpayeefor changeisundoubtedly ahellish prospect,” Porritt writes wrotetothe painter Nandalal Bose in three-and-a-halfyears, untilheleftNew in the section titled, ‘Reasons to be Cheerful’. “Despair of- the 1930s.Hetalksofpreserving all Delhi on deputation to theWorld Bank in tenbeckons. But I’m also —strangely, andratherwonder- that is beautiful in the past, even if that Washington DC when Vajpayeebegan his fully—brimful of hope in away that Ihaven’t been fora pastwas oppressive.For what “wasthe thirdtenureasprime minister. long time.” He illustrates the problems and their urgency, preserveofthe few, reserved foran Vajpayeespent all his waking hours dur- and, also, the improbable hope that he has because of the elite…couldbeopentoall”. That, in- ing thosemomentous years witheither growing social and political transformation, newtech- deed, wasthe abiding concern of the Sinha or Ranjan Bhattacharya,afamilymem- nologies and innovation,the activism of young adults. poet, and manyofhis contemporaries. ber, just abuzzer away unless oneofthese ABritish environmentalistand writer,Porritt has been Sociologicalconcepts like “modernisa- twomen wasinthe latePrime Minister’s amember of the Green Partysince 1974,and in 2000,he tion of tradition” do notdojustice to company. Yet, in the book, Sinha is modest receivedaCBE forservices to environmental protection. the creativityof thisendeavour.Scholar about the role he playedinhelping Vajpayee He brings his experience and observations in this latest RimliBhattacharya’s TheDancingPoet, in the discharge of hisduties as head of book.Frombreaking down the science of climatechange RabindranathTagoreand India’s government and in his household. to explaining whyitisaClimateEmergency (with acapi- Choreographies of Participation is a Sinha admitsthat he wasan“ordinary BJP tal‘C’ and ‘E’) to looking backathistory and towardsthe moreexpansiveexploration of the worker” when he became private secretary futurewith politics, social inequalities, technology and poet’s quest, one that tries to engage to VajpayeeonMay 16,1996. Theauthor was science, Porritt builds acompre- with the diversity of Tagore’s experi- still acivil servant from the Indian hensive narrative forthe reader. ences, his predicaments, the contem- AdministrativeServiceand Vajpayee’s ele- Even his argumentsabout alter- poraryculturalandpoliticalmilieuand vation to the mostpowerful office in the native bio-geoengineering as part his constant search forthe linksbe- country “wasadream come true” forhim. of a “mutuallyreinforcing global tween pedagogy and performance. At the impressionable ageof14, Sinha rescue programme” arecom- Centralto thepoet’sendeavourwas wasimpressedbyVajpayeethe dayheheard pelling and reasonable. Alot of the the pursuit of joy, or ananda,not as a the rising star of India’s political opposition book is centred around UK poli- hedonist, but as aseeker forwhom ut- speak at an election rallyinRanchi. Likemil- cies and governance, but it givesa sav,orcelebration, wasfundamental lions of Indians, who have listenedtohis or- clear sense of worldpolitics, UN’s to life. She writes: “While affirming atory, the youngSinha, too, wasmesmerised Conference of the Parties (COP) Gandhi’s emphasis on ensuring that by Vajpayee. Despite all this subjectivity,the negotiations, and policies. everyIndian should have enough by book is an honestattempt to assess the his- Iloved the snippets he tosses the wayoffood,clothing,shelter, ac- toric,ifturbulent, 13-month tenureofthe HOPEINHELL:A in from different books, enhanc- DECADETO cesstoeducationandotheressentials, second Vajpayeegovernment in 1998-99. CONFRONTTHE ing my already bulging to-read Rabindranathwould continueto insist Having known Vajpayeeprofessionally CLIMATE list. He calls aspade aspade when that anna (basicfood) wasnot enough. since1978and Sinha since1997, Iwas curi- EMERGENCY it comes to climateconsequences Lifewas full of ananda,joy,something oustofindout howthe authorwould deal and the outside perceptions of en- thatcould notbelegislatedby anystate with his subject forwhatisessentially the BY JONATHON vironmentalists and the green —colonial or otherwise”. firstbook of recordabout Vajpayee’s prime PORRITT movements. In achapterwhere But the poetwas also awareofthe ministerial year as leader of the 12th Lok Simon &Schuster he discusses energy efficiency, materialimpoverishmentof thecoun- Sabha. As someone closelylinked to the pres- 384pages Porritt writes, “…I’venever un- try, itsglaringinequalities,theconstant ent dispensation in NewDelhi, would Sinha `699 derstood whyenvironmentalists faminesthatravagedit–Bhattacharya, choose expediencyoverobjectivity in writ- find themselvessoregularly ac- in fact, has amoving prelude on ing about the BJP that wascastinVajpayee’s cusedofbeing ‘anti-technology’. We’renot ‘anti-technol- Tagore’s moral dilemmas as ascion of imagefor adecade, from the mid-1990s till ogy’. But we’recertainly‘anti-fantasy’.” one of Bengal’s premier zamindarfam- he announcedinDecember 2005 that he Towardsthe end, Porritt reminds us that “an environ- ilies. Ananda had to be sought amidst would retirefromactive politics? mental framing of climatechangeisentirely unhelpful the vicissitudes of life. As the poet The book does notdisappoint on this anyway,and has contributed significantlytoalmostthree wrote afterhis wife Mrinalini Devi’s score. Sinha does notshy away from forth- PTIFILE decades of political indifference and neglect. Climate death: Aachedukkho,aache mrityu, bi- right references, morethan once, to the changeisbetterseenasadecadal,system-wide market ●●● rahodahano lage/Tobuo shaanti, tobu aphorism that Vajpayeewas the “right man failure, whichcomprehensively corruptedboththe way anando, tobu anantojaage (There’s sor- in thewrong party.” Even though the author we create wealth and the waywemeasure it.” It is amat- row, there’sdeath, thereare pangs of doesnot endorse thatview, the circum- The book is instructive for those Indians who believe that terofhuman rightsand social justice. It underscores what separation. Yetthere’s peace, joy, and stances whichrecall that axiomadd value to he says in the Introduction about the ClimateEmergency life flows towardseternity”). Sinha’s narration of episodes thatshaped this country’s history beganin2014 and assiduously posing “an infinitelygraverrisktohumankind that Bhattacharya nudgesustoaccom- Vajpayee’s prime ministerial year in review. COVID-19but has warranted very little political engage- panythe poetasheengages in some of The book is instructive forthose Indians propagate such amyth ment over the years.” the debates of the time —the limitson who believe that this country’shistorybegan ●●● But, possibly, the pandemic mayget people thinking the actor’s role, masculinity and femi- in 2014 and assiduously propagatesucha differentlyabout their future. It’s already evident in the ninity in performance. Shouldart be myth, especiallyinthe social media and pub- rising voices of the young people. It’s inspiring but sad caparisonedwithin thenorms of “clas- lic forums whichare immune from fact- and domestic policies,the BJPhas been con- The author writes as if he is talking to that the younger generation had to speakupabout their sical” and “folk”. What about artand checking. Public memoryisfresh that one of sistent, whether under VajpayeeorModi. someone, whichmakes foreasy reading anger forthe worldtoacknowledge the climatecrisis. the national movement? Suchengage- Narendra Modi’s firstactsasprime minister VAJPAYEE: In the morecontemporarycontextofthe about statecraft, aheavy subject otherwise. Porritt says that all of us have adifferent role to playin mentsinevitablydrew,and were in- wastoshakethe handof NawazSharif,having THE YEARS ongoing farmers’ agitation, an observation The book could have done with better edit- the ClimateEmergency —and that the 2020s will be the formedby, Tagore’s interactions with invitedhisPakistani counterparttothe swear- THAT in the book is surprising. “In private,Vajpayee ing in places. Overall, the impression is that “decisive decade” in addressing it. He spends abit of time politicaland intellectual figures of the ing-in of the BJP-ledgovernment in 2014. CHANGED wasquiteappreciative of various aspectsof thereismuchthat is leftunsaid about in illustrating the how, but without laying down the law, time —Gandhi, Anna Pavlova, Rukmini MostIndians have forgottenthat one of INDIA Deve Gowda’s personality,especiallyhis Vajpayeegiven the deep proximity between with the hope that people will put intopractice simple Devi Arundale, Ramkinkar Baij and Vajpayee’s firstactsafter assuming office as stubbornness and defiance,” writes Sinha. the author and his subject. “Vajpayeede- things that can reduce their carbon footprints. Hope, as he manymore. It shows the poetasa prime ministerin1998was to inauguratean BY SHAKTI SINHA The Gowda government increasedfertiliser serves to be studiedalot more.” That is awel- pointsout, “can’t be built on the backofsomeone else’s seekerofdiversityand equality,even India-PakistanhockeymatchatDelhi’s Vintage Books prices in 1996 and all hell brokeloose. come hint from Sinha that another book on actions… the best wayofearning hope is rolling up our ashe is awareof,andgrapples with,the National Stadium. “Even before portfolio dis- 338 pages Virtuallyevery political party,including al- Vajpayee, perhaps, about his final prime- sleeves.” If we have ahope in hell, it’s in this decade. limitsposedbyhis position in society tribution and negotiations….,” recalls Sinha. Rs 599 mosttwo-thirds of the Prime Minister’s own ministerial tenure, maybeonthe cards. as alandholder,abhadralok. “WhenVajpayeewalkedonthe turf,there party MPs, demandedaroll back. “But Deve BijalVachharajaniisaBengaluru-basedauthorandeditor wasaroar from the crowd.” Manysuchan- Gowda held firm. He sawthis as achallenge KPNayarisastrategicanalystandcolumnist,who ecdotesremind readers that both in foreign to his authority as Prime Minister.” specialisesinforeignaffairs

Wilkerson quotes Ambedkar selectively mon core. Wilkerson recalls AlbertEinstein’s to argue that racial discriminationof the West wordsupon hearing that singer Marian Historiesof and caste prejudices in India aretwo sides of Anderson wasnot givenahotelroom in the same coin. Thereisnodoubt that theyare Princetononaccount of her colour: “Being a allpremisedon thenotion of social hierarchy. Jewmyself, perhaps, Ican understand and em- But, unlike, religious or racial discrimination, pathise with howBlackpeople feel as victims Discrimination caste prejudices drew their strength from of discrimination.” scriptures before becoming rigid social prac- Wilkerson’sbookis, withoutdoubt,anex- tices. Even Ambedkar didn’t traordinarycompilation of vari- Isabel Wilkerson lays bare deep-seated social equatecaste prejudices with racial ous instances of social prejudices discrimination. Thereisnothing of the rigidly-hierarchisedsocial prejudices but falters on caste in India commonin the depressedclasses orderof EuropeandtheUSwhose of north and south India,justas modernity has notyet come to Ajay Singh and his task wastoturn it horizontal. He the Scheduled Castesofeastern terms with theconceptofegali- would then turn his pen. “Aday will come India arequitedifferent from tarianism or social equity.She ex- when we will give youreservation,”he would those in western India. poses the base instinctsthat defy DESCRIBINGINDIA in his opening remarkson say. Thereisnodoubt that Kanshi Ram’s un- So, it seems far-fetchedwhen modernity and liberalism. the impeachment of Warren Hastings on derstanding of caste is superior to anyschol- EXPRESSARCHIVES Wilkerson writes of aUS-edu- The onlyproblem with the February15,1788, Edmund Burke said, “In that arly treatise written on politics of caste in India. NEW VISION ing, her conflation of caste withracialoreth- cated ScheduledCaste student book is itstitle, whichismislead- country, the laws of religion, the laws of the To borrowacliché, caste is an enigma Kanshi Ram’s pen nic prejudices is acleverspin to anarrative beingtreatedin Indiainthe same ing in the Indian context. The caste land,and the laws of thehonourareallunited wrappedinariddle.So, ahighly readable com- that would have otherwise lookedordinary. wayasAfrican-Americans in the complexity in India is fartoo enig- model of caste CASTE: THE andconsolidatedin one,and bindamaneter- mentaryonitbyIsabel Wilkerson in her Caste: Forinstance, she writes that when Martin US. On the face of it, suchinstances LIES THAT matic ariddle to be explained nally to therules of what is called his caste.” The LiesThat DivideUs,came as asurprise. The hierarchy and his LutherKing JrvisitedIndia,aScheduledCaste appear improbable ascaste in the from the race perspective.At This description of India’s caste system is, per- book weaves together the contexts of India, promise to make leader introduced him as an “untouchable” Indian urban milieu does nothave DIVIDE US times it is more oppressivethan haps, the best summary of ahighlycomplex Europe and the United States seamlessly. In society horizontal from the US. She also ignores the reform distinctive physicalfeatures like BY ISABEL racialand religiousdiscrimination social phenomenon foraWestern audience. fact, Wilkerson expands the definition of caste remains profound movementsthat Hinduism incorporatedover race or religion do. WILKERSON and perverts the collective psyche Can caste be oversimplified? Perhaps, the to include racism and religious/ethnic divide. and impactful millennia. She seems ignorant of the Bhakti Perhaps, Wilkerson’s thrustis Allen Lane of society.Scholars and practition- reams of pages from ancient scriptures to She drawslargely upon the contextofthe US movementledbypoet-saintslikeRavidasand primarilyonhighlightingthe hu- 496 pages ers of realpolitik in India have modern social research have fallen short of and Europe wherediscrimination on the ba- Kabir who steered asubversive spiritualism man sufferingsuchprejudices en- `999 dealt with it in theirownway.But givinganapt description of caste. But, Iwas sis of race and religion triggered barbarity of that attemptedtounshackle Hinduism from tail, irrespective of terminology. Kanshi Ram’s pen model of caste mesmerisedbythe explanation of caste by unprecedented scale. Jews have historically orthodoxy and placedemphasis on individ- She says, “Caste and race areneither synony- hierarchyand hispromise to makesociety Bahujan SamajParty founder,Kanshi Ram. In sufferedhumiliation and persecution no less ual freedom, dignity and equality before God mous nor mutuallyexclusive.Theycan and horizontal remains profound and impactful. his inimitable style, he would hold his pen and than Blackpeople in the US. inthe 15th-16th centuries. Of course,inmore do existinthe same cultureand servetorein- Thereisalotmoretocaste than dabbling in it explain to anyone willingtolisten—from Atal ButWilkerson’sunderstandingofcaste in recent times, BR Ambedkar’s dissatisfaction forceeachother.Race, in the United States, is justtomakeanattractive narrative. Bihari Vajpayeeand LK Advani to VP Singh and the Indian contextiswoefullyinadequate. with the reforms within Hinduism wasper- the visible agent of the unseen forceofcaste. Leftstalwarts,depending upon the situation Though, forthe narrative’s sake, she refers to fectlyjustified, and he emergedasaradical Caste is the bones, race is the skin.” AjaySinghispresssecretary – that Indian society wasorganisedvertically manyanecdotesthat makeher storyinterest- expression of Dalit assertion. The agonyofsuchprejudices hasacom- tothePresidentofIndia

Pune THESUNDAY EXPRESS,JANUARY3,2021 I SL:MUMBAI BEAT KERALA; RECLAIM TOPSPOT Mumbai CityFCreclaimedthe top spot in the Indian Super Leaguefollowinga2-0 win over Kerala Blasters FC at theGMC Stadium on Saturday. First-half goals from Adam 16 Le Fondre (3rd minute) andHugoBoumous (11th)ensured full points forthe Islanders SPORT who are nowunbeaten in their last seven games PTI Social media post raises fears of biosecurity breach by Indian players

Meanwhile, the man whose tweets gave rise EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE to thewhole controversy, beganadamage- JANUARY2 limitation exercise afterrealising the impli- cations of hispostings. Navaldeep now Players in soup aftercostlymeal ASOCIAL media postbyafansparkedcon- claimedthatPantnever hugged himand “it cern on Saturday, withCricket Australia hint- wasall said in excitement”and “we main- Cricket fanNavaldeep Singhtweeted about Indian cricketerRishabh Pant hugging himatthe restaurant ing at apossible breachofbio-security pro- tainedsocial distancing all thru.” in Melbourne,aclaim he has retractedsince.His socialmedia posts and thechain of events around the tocols by five Indian cricketers. The incident in Rohit had justemergedfromahardquar- mealhaveresulted in players beinginvestigated forbreaching Covid protocols. question took place on NewYear’s Dayin antine, imposedeversince he landedin Melbourne, when Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Australia.CAisdesperatetoget through the ■ The tweetthat starteditall wasuploaded forthe cricketers. ■ Seemingly afterbeingcriticisedbyother Pant, Prithvi Shaw,Shubman Gill and marquee serieswithout anyCovid-relatedhic- on January1.Ithad athree-second video at- fans because of his actions, he tweeted: “Kya Navdeep Saini were showninaTwitterpost cups.The matches so farontour have seen tached in whichRohit Sharma, Shubhman ■Accordingto the thread,whenthecricketers karu main? Mar jau? Meri koifeeling nai h? by one Navaldeep Singh eating out at arestau- NavaldeepGill allegedthathehad hugged limited spectators at venues. But Sydney, the Gill, Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shawand Navdeep gottoknowthat Navaldeep had paid the bill, (Whatshould Ido? Kill myself?Don’t Ihave rant. Navaldeep claimedtohavepaid the bill RishabhPant,butlaterrescinded. Twitter venue forthe thirdTeststarting on January7, Saini were diningindoors at aMelbourne theyinsistedthattheypay himback.Histweet anyfeelings?)” forthe cricketers, and even posted that Pant has seen afreshupsurgeincoronavirus cases, restaurant whereNavaldeep Singh was alsomentionedthat Panthuggedhim.Healso huggedhim. with areas around the SydneyCricketGround seated at atable nearby. Thecaption along got aphoto clickedalong with the cricketers. ■ This wasfollowedbyanother post: Apparently, Cricket Australia’s strict biose- tocols. In the interim, on the advice of the toowitnessing alot of infections.CA arranged with the video read: “Bc meresaamne waale “Mujhe log galiyaderae h..dekho curity guidelines stipulatethat players can Australian and Indian medical teams,the forDavid Warner and Sean Abbott, both based table par gill pant sharma saini ■Thelasttweet in theseriesread: “Pantto my gaaliyokafarak nai padta mujhehum onlydine in public outdoors, but the tweet aforementionedplayers have been placedin in Sydneyand in with achance to playinthe f********(Sitting in the table in front of me is wifebeforeleaving – Thank youbhabhiji(sis- punjabi h400-500gaaliyan dosto ke purportedly showedanindoor establishment isolation as aprecaution. This will include series, reachMelbourne ahead of the second Gill, Pant, Sharma,Saini)” ter-in-law) forthe lunch (laughing emoji)”. saath bethe to apas main de dete h with the five Indian cricketers without masks. separating the group of players from the Test before anypossible stateborder closure. Afteritemergedthat the five players in ques- (People areswearing at me. Look,it CA said that the five players will nowhaveto broader Indianand Australiansquads when Therewas doubtwhether the thirdTest ■ In the same postwhichbecame athread, he tion arebeing investigated foranalleged doesn’t makeadifference to me because trainseparately to preventany interaction traveling andatthe training venue. Players would be playedinSydney, with Melbourne next addedaphotograph of adish he ordered breachofprotocol, Navaldeep posted: I’m aPunjabi. We cuss 400-500times withothercricketers. will bepermittedto train in accordance with and Brisbane – the venueofthe final Test – sohecouldcontinuebeingseatedattherestau- “Clarification – Pant neverhugged me it was justwhenwe’resitting with friends).. “TheBCCI andCAare investigating the the strict protocols that have been put in place projectedaspotential venues before CA de- rant. He also postedlaughing emojis His next all said in excitement we maintainedsocial but iamreallysad that iamagainstmy matter andseekingtodetermine whether the to ensurethe ongoing safetyofall members creedthat therewill be no changetothe posthad aphoto of the bill of AUD118.69 (Rs distance all thru:) Apologies forthe countrypeople at themoment...(crying outing constitutes abreachofbiosecurity pro- of the Indian andAustralian squads.” itinerary. 6693.20).Navaldeeptweetedthathehadpaid miscommunication” outloud emoji)” ENS Sourav Ganguly undergoes Thelegside trap angioplasty, Packing theonside and starvingAussie batsmenofscoring opportunities has worked forIndia is stable shot isn’t flash either and keeps the floater SRIRAMVEERA in the deep square-legregion interested. JANUARY2 MORE THE MERRIER With the risksescalating (he can’t pull or EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE flickwithout the fear of getting caught), the KOLKATA,JANUARY2 AT SOME point before the MelbourneTest, Fine leg dotballs and pressurejustkeeps building Bharat Arun, India’s bowling coach, re- up. Indian pacers’ plan won’t be toodissim- BCCI PRESIDENT and former India cricket cap- mindedhis team of apoint he had made ilar to Smith, though he has alot wider tain Sourav Gangulyunderwent an angio- before the firstTest. ‘IfSteve Smith wantsto skillsettocounter it. plasty at Woodlands Hospital in Kolkataon score50runs, let’s makehim playatleast Leg Gully Saturdayafter he complainedofchestdiscom- 200balls. When we trytoaim forthe out- England’s plan to Smith fort. His condition is said to be stable. “Sourav side edge and bowl on the fourth or fifth India’s strategy is something that Joe is stable.Seniordoctors arelookingafterhim,” stumpline when thereisnot muchmove- Root,England’s captain, triedagainstSmith Ganguly’selder brother Snehasish said. Ahos- ment in these conditions, the Australians Squarish in the lastAshesseries in England, although pital bulletinsaid that Ganguly,48, suffered keep scoring throughthe offside. Let’s Mid-Wicket sparingly. But something he hintedat, in from “chestdiscomfortwhile doing treadmill changethat this time’. Wordstothat effect. the podcastThe Analystthis October,isthat at his home gym”. He came to the hospital at It wasasimple change: Pack the legside, Short he would use it forlonger and moreoften 1pm. The bulletin also mentionedthat bowl at the stumps. It came down to four or Mid-Wicket in the future. Gangulyhas “familyhistoryof Ischemic heart five menprowling on the onside. One at “Youlook at the field we had forhim at disease”. shortmidwicket; another squarer, closer (firstTestat) Edgbaston. We had aleg-slip. “When he came to thehospital at 1pm, his to square-leg; another at leg gully; and a The ball wastwo yardsawayfromBen pulse was70/min, BP 130/80 mm of Hg and fourth down at fine-leg. Often, afifth man (Stokes), and it ended up goingfor afour.If other clinical parameters were within normal floated some wayinfromthe boundaryat ■INDIA’SPLAN againstAustralia at we had him ayardortwo yardsfiner,we limits. His ECG showedhyper acuteSTseg- deep square-leg. ‘If youkeepmoremen on theMCG wastopackthe legside and would have had him in the shedfor a ment elevation in inferior leads and lateral the legside and in attacking positions, it can bowl at the stumps. It came down to naught. The series could look reallydiffer- leads.Echoshowedmildinferiorwallhypoky- restrict the shots,’ wasIndia’s theory. fourmenprowlingontheonside.One ent,” Root says. naesia with preserved overall leftventricular Both attacking and defensive options at shortmidwicket; another squarer, But England didn’t press on with the function,” Woodlands MD &CEO Dr Rupali forthe batsmen were made to feel likea closer to square-leg; another at leg field consistentlyenough or use it with the Basu stated. risk,afeelingproducedbyrepetition from gully;and afourthdownatfine-leg. lines it needed. "He has receivedloading doses of dual the bowlers. As the balls pileduponthe ‘If youkeepmoremen on the legside “In the lastTest, we went backtoit-I anti-platelets andstatin and is undergoing pri- nagging line and the layers built up further and in attacking positions,itcan re- wasquitestrong that’s the thing Iwanted maryangioplasty," the statement added. with the fields set, the batsmen startedto strict the shots,’ wasIndia’s theory. forhim with our attack – and he endedup Gangulyhas been busy since he was checkthemselves. Especially, afterthe trap getting caught at leg-slip. When someone electedastheBCCI president in October 2019. producedawicket.Likeitdid withMarnus bats likehim, quitedifferently, as acaptain Duringthe IndianPremierLeaguelastyear,he Labuschagne in the firstinnings at the squarish short-leg conjured catches off yougot to think differentlyand be quite travelledtothe United Arab Emirates (UAE) MCG. On 48,heflickedMohammedSiraj Azhar’s flickedblurs. Of course, it wasan open to go to different plans as abowling afterthe tournament wasshiftedout of India around the corner,onlytofind acouple of Australian Keith Carmody who even had a group …danger ball forsomeone with because of Covid-19. He had to undergo sev- Indian palms, cuppedand waiting. field-setting namedafter him – the moreorthodoxtechnique doesn’t seem to eral Covidtestsand underwentquarantinein The batsmen’sself-censure hardened Carmody field -when he pioneered an um- be an issue forhim,”Rootsays. “In the next Dubai.Beforethat, in Julylastyear,Ganguly afterthat. What if Iflick and can’t keep it MohammedSiraj is cock-a-hoop afterdismissing Marnus Labuschagne in the first brella grouping in the late1940s, with men couple of years, sides will starttodoalot had to self-isolateafter hisbrother Snehasish down? What if Imiss an attemptedflick innings in Melbourne.Siraj’s maiden Test scalp wasorchestratedby bowling from wide in the arcspanning from conventionalgully moredifferent things,try differentfields, tested positivefor the Coronavirus. West across the line and fall to theLBW trap? Is of the crease, to which Labuschagne glancedittoShubman Gill at square-leg. AP to leg gully. makehim think differentlyabout howheis Bengal chief ministerMamataBanerjee vis- thatdeepish square-leghovering fora Indians didn’t populatethe arcquitelike going to scoreruns.” ited the hospital and spoketothe doctors. weak hook offabouncer,oristhat adouble Carmody butusedthe leg gullyparticularly That’s what India have done to "Prayingforyour speedyrecovery.Get well blufffor the full LBWball? The negative to handle it as he got hishands aheadofthe well. In particular forthree batsmen – Labuschagne and Green; it’s also some- soon @SGanguly99," tweetedIndia skipper thoughtspiledup. As did dotballs and the The leg-side trap is quite pad and bunted theballtoshort mid- Smith, hisshadowLabuschagne, and thing theywould have undoubtedly done ViratKohli, whoisonpaternity leave. pressure. Something had to give.Especially, challenging. Not only is it difficult to wicket. In his seventh over,Siraj startedto Green. Of the three, the taller Green with moretoSmith had he lastedlonger against Ganguly's longtime opening partner as modern-daybatsmen’stemperament hit boundaries, but the rotationof reverse the ball away,and afteraseries of hislongerreachwas willing to keep tap- Ashwin, who usedasimilar strategy to an Tendulkar wrote: "Justgot to knowabout your isn’t exactlymade to outlast. Afalse shot strike also gets affected. Even if you sixaway-seamers, he tailedone in to nail ping to the onside. extent. ailment Sourav.Hope eachpassing daybrings comes toosoon. Often, theydon’t even want to remain positive, you cannot GreenLBW. Labuschagne wasmorecircumspect. He If it wasthe quickishskidder in the first youcloser to afull and speedy recovery!Get counterattack, unable to bring themselves be reckless.You have to give it to The simple plan of bowling straighter is similar to Smith in manyways, but there Test,itwas the ball spinning down leg that well soon." "Here'swishing the BCCI President to dare the what-if. Barring Smith, and in lines wasmade to feel likeaprovocation. arealsoafewdifferences. UnlikeSmith, he lured Smithtotrespass into areas from aspeedy recovery," BCCI postedinits official the absence of David Warner,probablyonly the Indians. They have come into doesn’t seem to likegettingonthe front whichhecouldn’t extricatehis hands in twitter handle. MatthewWade could have thoughtabout the series with precise planning.” Provocation foot,atleastonthe evidence of this series. time. Warner comes in forthe thirdTestbut attacking but his first-innings dismissal in MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE In the past,it’s been theAussies who He preferstoeither move sideways on the considering it’s atraditionallyspin-friendly Melbourne – when he chargedout at have used suchprovocation. In 2004,when crease or hang back. To spin and pace. Both trackinSydney, India could well attackhim Ravichandran Ashwin to holeout – put theyreturnedtoIndia without Steve movesmakethe straighter lines ideal and with Ashwin early on,liketheydid in the paid to that approachand he graftedalong Australia, incidentallyatthe MCG in the Waugh afterhis earlier failureatthe last morepotent. 2017 series in India. in thesecond dig. thirdTestwhen opener AaronFinchflicked frontier,the fast bowlers ledbyGlenn The sidewayshuffles of Smith and Under pressureontracksthat turned The simple plan gainedmomentum, as astraight one from Ishant Sharma to short McGrath and Jason Gillespie chalked out Labuschagne do makeittougher forthem, in that series, Warner turnedmute, pushing memories of pastdismissals (like midwicket. Theyseem to have usedthe the plan to bowl straighter lines. Twoshort theory. As they move towardsoff,the ball on andprodding – and perishing.Australia’s Labuschagne’s in the firstinnings) or fret- learnings from the previous tour andex- midwickets sprouted,often to thelikes of the stumps makes them arrest themove- batting fortunes could well come down to ful intimations of futuretroubleforcedten- tendeditfor longer periods now. VVSLaxman.Runs trickleddown. Aerial ment and hold balance. whether he has the confidence to counter- tativeness intominds. LikeSiraj’s spell againstCameron Green risk escalated.The noose tightened. Additionally, because of the close-in attackAshwin. Ganguly is being treated at the What’s most unusual about India’s tac- in the firstinnings. Foreight overs,either Even further back, they have deployed catchers, theyneedgreater care to keep the And of course, on howSmith and rest WoodlandsHospital in SouthKolkata. File ticwas howlong theymanaged to sustain side of the teabreak,hekeptatit. More it memorablytothe likes of Mohammad ball down when theytry to wristittothe tackle the bowl-straight-with-packed-leg- it.Theydid it brieflyonthe 2018-19tourof than mostothers, Green seemedequipped Azharuddin. David Boon at deepish and onside on the move.Labuschagne’s pull side plan of the Indians.

ONLINE TROLLING Iron clothes, wash dishes: Presenter, woman footballer faces abuse over Leeds comments

the caption: “‘PromotedbecauseofCovid’ actuallythink theygot promotedbecause of Similarly,inhis first to second afterlosing their first to iron”weresome of the kinder messages. SHAHIDJUDGE Wonthe league by 10 points.” The postled Covid in terms of it gave them abit of respite. season (2018-19) in matchonJune 21 afterplayre- MUMBAI,JANUARY2 to abarrage of online trolls hurling abuse at Idon’t knowwhether theywould have gone charge at LeedsUnited, in sumed, but then went on an eight- Leeds’ stand Carney. The commentsweremostlysexist up (tothe Premier League) if theydidn’t the English matchunbeaten run, finishingwith Following criticism, the club’sowner FOLLOWINGLEEDS United’s 5-0 romp over in nature, and questionedthe holder of 144 have thatbreak.” Championship (2nd divi- sixsuccessivewins,and winning AndreaRadrizzanipostedamessageinsup- West BromwichAlbion on Tuesday, former England caps’ reading of the game. Carney Carney’s thoughtswerebased on man- sion), his team wasinthe the title by 10 points. portofthe team’s postthat calledout England women’s team stalwartKaren endedupdeleting her Twitter account on ager Marcelo Biesla’stactics, nicknamed lead till the 32nd match Carney. He tweeted: “Itakethe responsibil- Carneyclaimedthat the North Yorkshire Friday. ‘Biesla ball.’Itinvolvesdirect attacking play, day(out of 46) and then The trolling ity of the Club tweet. Iconsider that com- team, promotedtothe Premier League this at ahigh pace while keeping possession of droppeddowntothird. TrollstargetingCarney challenged ment completely unnecessary and disre- season, might have benefitted from the The analysis the ball. This meant Leeds had to herlegitimacyasapundit,despitethe spectful to our Club and particularly to the COVID-19break that helpedplayers During the post-matchanalysis forthe compete againstDerby Leeds social media fact that the former Chelsea and fantastic hardworkofour players and recharge.Leeds play an energy sapping Amazon Prime Sport’s coverage,Carney The playing style County in aplayoff to gain team postedaclip of Arsenal playerhad won144England coaches who were understanding on the high-press game. wasasked about Leeds United’s high-press Therehavebeen cases in the pastwhere promotion, whichitlost. CarneyonTwitter. caps and waspartofthe national pitchfor the lasttwo championship seasons The club however, did nottakekindly to game. the veteranArgentine manager’s stylehas As forthe 2019-20 team thatreachedthe semi-final of by all stats.”OnWednesday, however, the Carney’s take.Its social media team took an “(Leeds) outrun everyone and credit to resulted in aquick and fruitful starttoacam- season, Bielsa’s team had 2015 and 2019 WorldCups.Mostof club backtrackedabit and issuedastate- 18-second clip of her commentsand up- them. My only concern would be:would paign but ledtoaslumptowards theend. It astrongerstart and were in the leadon theabusewassexistinnature.“Getbackinthe ment condemning the abuse Carneyhad loadeditontheir Twitter handle, zoomingin theyblowupatthe end of the season? We happenedwhen he wascoachofOlympique March 7, before the season washalted be- kitchen” or “put her mic down and get(her- been receiving. The video, however, has not to keep her face as the central image, adding sawthat in the lastcouple of seasons and I Marseille in the 2014-15season. cause of the pandemic. They briefly dropped self) home there’sdishestowash and clothes been takendown.

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