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NEARBY 3 girls found ‘Rail roko’ by farmers unconscious in Unnao, 2 die

passes off peacefully Special Correspondent Ghaziabad There was ‘negligible’ impact on running of trains: Railways Two minor girls were de­ Fresh norms issued for clared brought dead to hos­ international travellers Special Correspondent pital and another was in a NEW DELHI NEW DELHI serious condition after The Centre has issued a fresh Protesting farmers sat on they were found in an un­ set of air travel guidelines, as railway tracks at hundreds of conscious state in a field at the country has reported the presence of the U.K., South locations and stopped some a village in Unnao district Africa and Brazil mutant trains during a four­hour of Uttar Pradesh on Wed­ variants of SARS­CoV­2 that ‘rail roko’ agitation on nesday, the police said. have demonstrated increased Thursday. The Railways said The Dalit girls were transmissibility. The new SOP there was “negligible” im­ found in the field in the (standard operating pact on the running of trains evening by villagers when procedure), which will come across the country. they did not return after into effect at 11.59 p.m. on For a few passengers on leaving their house to col­ February 22, was released trains stopped by the agita­ lect fodder for cattle, late on Wednesday night. tion, the ‘rail roko’ involved On track: Farmers protesting at the Modinagar railway station sources said.

NEWS Ī PAGE 10 showering of petals and dis­ in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday. * SANDEEP SAXENA Director­General of Pol­ DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD tribution of milk and jaggery ice H.C. Awasthy said the by farmers. In other loca­ han Singh, general secretary and workers’ unions, cause of deaths could not Quad meet: India, U.S. call Correcting historical tions, tractors were brought of the Bharatiya Kisan Un­ blocked rail lines at 44 be ascertained in the post­ mistakes in Assam: PM on to the tracks. ion­Dakaunda. “Farmers points across Haryana, with mortem, and the viscera GUWAHATI Farm unions said thou­ peacefully sat on a dharna a large number of women had been preserved for for rule of law in Myanmar Prime Minister Narendra Modi sands of protesters partici­ on railway tracks to convey taking part in Rohtak and chemical examination. No on Thursday said the Centre pated in the nationwide agi­ their anguish,” he said. Charkhi Dadri districts. Hi­ injury mark was found on had taken up various tation, including protests at sar, Sirsa, Jind and Rohtak the bodies of the deceased Uphold rules­based international order, say members development projects to a large number of stations in Women join protest accounted for more than in the autopsy, he said. correct the historical mistakes Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, The BKU­Ekta Ugrahan, one half the protest sites. The officer said the third Special Correspondent mitment to “upholding restore the democratically of neglecting Assam. He Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, of the largest farm unions in In Bahadurgarh, one of girl had been referred to a NEW DELHI rules­based international or­ elected government in Bur­ underlined the Centre’s Jharkhand, Telangana, Od­ the State that is not part of the sites of the sit­in for the Kanpur hospital for better India on Thursday joined der” and “peaceful resolu­ ma, and the priority of commitment to infrastructure isha, Andhra Pradesh, Mad­ the 32 unions, said its mem­ past two months, farmers treatment. “According to Australia, Japan and the Un­ tion of disputes”. strengthening democratic development in the State hya Pradesh and Karnataka. bers blocked tracks at 22 lo­ blocked railway traffic at five the medical bulletin, it is a ited States for a ministerial resilience in the broader re­ while virtually launching ‘Mahabahu Brahmaputra’, a Although protesters were cations, including Bathinda, points. Leading the agitation suspected case of poison­ meeting under the quadrilat­ Global good gion”. Significantly, the U.S. package of multimodal water detained at several loca­ Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Pa­ at Patuwas, farmer leader ing and her condition is eral grouping during which “Our positive agenda under­ statement referred to Myan­ connectivity projects. tions, both the unions and tiala districts. Raju Maan said they were critical but stable,” he said. key issues, including Myan­ lines our shared commit­ mar as Burma, the name that the Railways said the protest The Kisan Mazdoor Sang­ ready to make any sacrifice Six teams have been mar, came up for discussion. ment to global good. [We] Naypyitaw had stopped us­ NEWS Ī PAGE 9 DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD passed off peacefully, with­ harsh Committee, which to get the farm laws formed to investigate “all External Affairs Minister discussed contemporary ing since 1989 after a brutal out any incidents of vio­ had refused to lift the earlier repealed. possible angles,” he added. S. Jaishankar and U.S. Secre­ challenges, especially im­ crackdown against the de­ lence. blockade of passenger trains In Rajasthan, farmers Ramesh Chandra Praya­ tary of State Antony J. Blin­ pact of COVID­19 and ex­ mocratic movement. In Punjab, where farmers even when other unions re­ placed a tractor on the track lankar, Circle Officer, Pur­ ken said the military takeov­ changed views on issues “In the discussion pertain­ blocked rail lines and sta­ lented, blocked tracks at near the Ajarka station in Al­ wa, said an FIR had been er in Myanmar featured in across the Indo­Pacific,” Mr. ing to developments in tions for several weeks last more than 30 places, includ­ war district to block the registered against uniden­ the talks and participants Jaishankar said. Myanmar, the upholding of year, the core group of 32 ing Amritsar, Gurdaspur and movement of trains. tified persons under IPC reiterated democratic values The leaders referred to rule of law and the demo­ protesting unions laid siege Kapurthala. Sections 302 and 201. for the region. India also em­ the military crackdown in cratic transition was reiterat­ to tracks in at least 40 loca­ Farmers, supported by CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 8 phasised in its statement that Myanmar, with the U.S. high­ ed by India,” the Ministry of tions, according to Jagmo­ khap panchayats, traders MORE REPORTS Ī PAGES 2, 4 & 9 CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 8 the meeting expressed com­ lighting “the urgent need to External Affairs said. ‘Metroman’ Sreedharan set FB blocks access to news to join BJP, may contest poll in Australia Associated Press He says his approach to politics in Kerala will be different Canberra Facebook on Thursday S. Anil Radhakrishnan “Since I have settled blocked Australians from THIRUVANANTHAPURAM down in Kerala, I have seen sharing news stories, esca­ Elattuvalapil Sreedharan, different governments and lating a fight with the go­ Principal Adviser to the Del­ the United Democratic vernment over whether po­ hi Metro Rail Corporation Front and the Left Demo­ werful tech companies and popularly known as cratic Front have not been should have to pay news or­ ‘Metroman’, is all set to join able to do anything substan­ ganisations for content. the BJP. tial for the people over the The digital platforms Kerala State BJP presi­ years. Projects are delayed fear that what is happening dent K. Surendran said in and corruption is rampant. in Australia will become an Kozhikode on Thursday that Only parties leading the expensive precedent for Mr. Sreedharan, 88, would coalition fronts had benefit­ other countries. officially join the party dur­ E. Sreedharan ed. There is no rapport with Facebook acted after the ing the inauguration of the the Union government and House of Representatives State­wide Vijaya Yatra from sembly election if the party the State is the ultimate los­ passed legislation that Kasaragod on February 21. wanted. er and the political parties would make it and Google The party had already re­ the gainer. A BJP govern­ pay for Australian journal­ quested him to contest the ‘Formalities remain’ ment can alter this scena­ ism, said Treasurer Josh polls, Mr. Surendran added. “This has been communi­ rio,” he said. Frydenberg. He said he was Mr. Sreedharan, who was cated to the party’s State He admitted that he was a given no warning before Fa­ the chief of DMRC from 1997 leadership. Formalities like “sympathiser” of the BJP cebook acted. The legisla­ to 2011, said his approach to taking the membership re­ since Narendra Modi be­ tion must be passed by the politics would be different main,” he told The Hindu came the Prime Minister. Senate to become law. and that he was open to over phone from his home­ (With inputs from contesting the coming As­ town Ponnani. Biju Govind in Kozhikode) RELATED REPORT ON Ī PAGE 11 Puducherry L­G orders floor test on Monday Voting will be done by show of hands; proceedings to be completed by 5 p.m.

Special Correspondent ty as per the rules. Talking to PUDUCHERRY reporters after calling on the The newly appointed Lieute­ L­G, he said Dr. Soundarara­ nant­Governor of Puducher­ jan agreed to look into the ry, Tamilisai Soundararajan, demand. “She has agreed to on Thursday directed the act according to the provi­ Assembly Secretariat to con­ sions of the Constitution.” vene the House on February AIADMK leader A. Anba­ 22. lagan, who was part of the A press release issued by delegation, said he request­ Raj Nivas said the single ed the L­G to reopen public agenda of the session should distribution outlets as soon be to determine whether the as possible. He also request­ Chief Minister enjoys the Tamilisai Soundararajan interacting with V. Narayanasamy and ed Dr. Soundararajan to dis­ confidence of the House. his Cabinet colleagues at Raj Nivas on Thursday. * KUMAR S.S. burse the pending salaries The voting will be done by a of employees of cooperative show of hands. The pro­ tered — the Congress and its rected the authorities to societies and government­ ceedings should be complet­ allies were deadlocked with conduct the proceedings in run boards. ed by 5 p.m. They would be the Opposition, at 14 seats a peaceful manner. Nominated legislator and videographed and should each. BJP president V. Saminathan not be adjourned, delayed The Congress has 10 seats Assurance on demand was also present. or suspended, the release and the DMK three. One In­ Earlier in the day, Leader of In the morning, Dr. Soun­ said. dependent member sup­ the Opposition N. Rangasa­ dararajan was sworn in as The L­G noted that conse­ ports the government. In the my said the L­G had given the Lieutenant­Governor. quent to the disqualification Opposition, the AINRC has the Opposition parties an as­ Chief Justice of the Madras of one member and the re­ seven seats, the AIADMK surance on their demand for High Court Sanjib Banerjee signation of four others, the four and the BJP three. holding a floor test for the administered the oath of of­ House strength stood al­ Dr. Soundararajan also di­ Congress to prove its majori­ fice to her. CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

DELHI THE HINDU 2 CITY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Protest goes on: Security personnel deployed at the farmers’ protest site at GT Karnal Road; farmers continue their protest against the farm laws at the Singhu border on Thursday. * SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

DMRC shuts 4 metro stations ‘Local meetings ensured huge turnout for rail roko stir’ for five hours Several people from neighbouring villages participated in the peaceful nationwide protest called by the farmers against the new farm laws

Staff Reporter Shinjini Ghosh NEW DELHI taken place over the last peal of the three laws, they But what the government NEW DELHI few weeks to increase said they would peacefully also needs to realise is that The Delhi Metro Rail Cor­ With railway tracks being awareness among the carry out directions of the we will continue staying poration (DMRC) on Thurs­ blocked in several parts of farmers and villagers in all Samyukt Kisan Morcha and here till the laws are re­ day closed entry and exit the country, protesting districts. We also had dis­ their respective calls for pealed, no matter how gates of four stations for farmers at the Singhu bor­ cussions on the Food Safe­ protest. long it takes,” added Mr. nearly five hours in view of der on Thursday said that ty Act, Labour Act and so Ramandeep Singh, a Singh. the rail blockade called by while they were holding on. We are attempting to farmer from Punjab’s Allo­ the protesting farmers. fort at the Capital’s bor­ have a larger discussion wal village, said: “Around Increased mobilisation Tikri border, Pandit ders, several localised among villagers to high­ 15­20 people from our vil­ Manpreet Singh, another Shree Ram Sharma, Baha­ meetings had ensured that light how these series of le­ lage have gone today farmer from Punjab’s Fa­ durgarh City and Brigadier people from their respec­ gislations will be detrimen­ [Thursday] for the protest. tehgarh Sahib district, Hoshiar Singh metro sta­ tive villages had participat­ tal to all,” said Mr. Singh. Whatever calls we get from meanwhile, said, “Just like tions on the Green Line ed in large numbers in the the unions will be followed we observed the ‘chakka were closed around 11.20 rail roko protest. Action plans and we will ensure they are jam’ protest peacefully, a.m. following security ad­ Stationed at the Delhi Apart from mahapan­ peaceful. We are not going farmers and villagers en­ visories. Services normal­ borders for nearly three chayats that are being or­ to do anything that will af­ sured that the rail roko ised around 4.20 p.m., said months, the farmers from Farmers protesting against the new farm laws by blocking railway tracks at Modinagar station in ganised across Haryana, fect the common citizens.” protest is peaceful. We will the DMRC. Delhi’s neighbouring Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. * SANDEEP SAXENA Punjab and U.P., prepara­ “All we can hope now is continue registering our Earlier in the day, the States had called for a rail tion for further action that the government ac­ protest in a peaceful man­ police tightened security in roko protest on Thursday. Singh, a farmer from Patia­ the rail roko protest. Sever­ Shambhu railway station plans are also under way, cepts our demands. Nobo­ ner and with the increase several parts of the nation­ Emphasising on regular la’s Ajrawar village said: al others have joined from which is on the Punjab­Ha­ the farmers said. dy wants to live away from in awareness we are seeing al capital, especially near meetings for mobilisation “Around 40 people from neighbouring villages as ryana border.” Reiterating their de­ their homes. We are here an increased mobilisa­ the railway tracks. for the protest, Sukhjeet our village have gone for well and assembled at “Several meetings have mands for a complete re­ out of sheer helplessness. tion.” Six held for illegal supply of ammunition ABVP holds protest, calls for In one of the biggest hauls of cartridges in the Capital, 4,500 live bullets seized complete reopening of DU STAFF REPORTER ammunition from Ramesh. Office­bearers’ delegation presents memorandum of grievances New Delhi They then supplied them to Six members of a syndicate various people, including Special Correspondent facilities that are still un­ illegally supplying ammuni­ criminals in Haryana and Ut­ NEW DELHI available would be made tion were arrested with tar Pradesh,” Mr. Yadav said. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyar­ available to students. AQI expected 4,500 live cartridges, the thi Parishad (ABVP) on Sidharth Yadav, State se­ police said on Thursday. To earn quick buck Thursday organised a prot­ cretary, ABVP Delhi, said: to be ‘very The accused have been Investigations revealed that est at Delhi University’s “While we have pushed for identified as Ramesh Kumar Ramesh had been working at North Campus calling for an expeditious reopening poor’ today (46), Dipanshu Mishra (35), Ambala Gun House since the complete reopening of of the varsity, we have not Ikram (40), Akram (42), Ma­ 2018 and earned ₹10,000 the university and resump­ insisted on compulsory at­ Staff Reporter noj Kumar (39) and Amit Rao per month. But owing to his tion of on­campus classes. tendance. Post resump­ New Delhi (33), they said. The police low income, he lured Amit, The students said that tion, the university admi­ The air quality of Delhi and claimed that it is one of the the owner of Ambala Gun several universities have nistration must ensure the Noida continued to be in biggest haul of cartridges in The accused in police custody. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT House to sell cartridges ille­ started a phased reopening continued availability of ‘very poor’ category and Delhi. gally in the grey market so as per the guidelines issued virtual classroom instruc­ Gurugram’s in ‘poor’ cate­ Deputy Commissioner of rived in a car and handed ov­ said. that they could earn a quick by the Central government, pening of libraries, hostels tions and on­campus atten­ gory on Thursday, accord­ Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev er a plastic bag to Deepan­ Following more raid the buck, the senior police offic­ and the university authori­ and declaration of results. dance for students should ing to Central Pollution Kumar Yadav said six people shu. Both of them were next day, Ikram was arrested er said. ties had issued guidelines The ABVP said that a de­ remain voluntary.” Control Board (CPCB) data. were arrested by the north­ arrested after a brief chase from Panipat and Akram Amit used to buy cartridg­ for the commencement of legation of office­bearers He added that the dele­ Air pollution of ‘very ern range of Delhi Police’s and 4,000 illegal cartridges from Karnal and 500 car­ es from an ammunition com­ physical classes. called on the Proctor and gation’s meeting with the poor’ level can cause respi­ Special Cell and 4,500 live were recovered from them, tridges were recovered from pany, but did not make prop­ Dean, Students Welfare officials of the varsity was ratory illness on prolonged cartridges were seized from the senior official said. At the his possession. Manoj was er entry in the record book. Reopening of library and presented a memoran­ promising and that the pro­ exposure, as per the CPCB. them. Mr. Yadav said the first instance of these two ac­ arrested from Panchkula, he Ramesh and Amit then sold The students also demand­ dum of grievances and cess of reopening the un­ The AQI (Air Quality Index) arrest in the case was made cused, the main source of added. “During interroga­ these cartridges at higher ed that they be allowed to were assured by the univer­ iversity campus would be of Delhi is expected to re­ on February 14. supply of this syndicate, tion, all the accused dis­ rates to various people, in­ choose between online and sity that the phased reo­ set in motion without furth­ main at the same level on A trap was laid near Mu­ Amit, was arrested from closed that they are part of cluding Deepanshu and oth­ offline modes regarding the pening of the campus had er delay to safeguard the in­ Friday. kundpur flyover on Outer Mansarovar Industrial Area an illegal cartridges supply ers at ₹125 per cartridge, he term­end examinations, already started and by the terests of the student com­ “Surface winds are low Ring Road where Ramesh ar­ in Jaipur on Tuesday, he syndicate and received the said. besides calling for the reo­ first week of March, several munity. and forecast to stay low to­ day [Friday] and tomorrow [Saturday]. Low ventilation is likely to influence the 3 held for demanding Caste­based question in AQI negatively. The AQI is Delhi court seeks filing status of likely to marginally dete­ riorate and stay within the ₹1 cr. from businessman chargesheets forwarded in 3 years DSSSB exam: FIR ordered middle end of ‘very poor’ category on February 19. They belong to Neeraj Bawana gang File monthly report in the case: court The AQI is likely to improve ‘A time period must be fixed and IOs should comply with it’ on February 20 and 21,” Press Trust of India so received information that Press Trust of India once i.e. on October 13, said a statement by govern­ New Delhi a person had sustained bul­ Press Trust of India ACPs concerned submitted with the court. New Delhi 2018, but again the very New Delhi <> ment­run monitoring agen­ Three members of Neeraj let injury in Rohini’s Sec­ should prepare a “It is observed that non­fil­ A Delhi court has directed next vear i.e. in paper dated cy, System of Air Quality Bawana gang were arrested tor­24, they said. The police Taking a strong note of non­ list of chargesheets ing of chargesheets despite the authority concerned to August 18, 2019. and Weather Forecasting for allegedly demanding ₹1 reached the spot and found filing of chargesheets by the forwarded in the being forwarded by a senior register an FIR under the “Prima facie, the alleged and Research (SAFAR). crore from a businessman, two people with injuries. Investigating Officers (IOs) last three years officer amounts to under­ provisions of the Scheduled words in questions papers The speed of surface­le­ the police said on Thursday. One of them, Yovin, was ta­ despite being forwarded by a mining the hierarchy and dis­ Caste and Scheduled Tribe of 2018 and 2019, as pointed [2018­2020] and vel winds was “low”, The accused have been ken to a hospital where he senior officer, a Delhi court cipline of service. (Prevention of Atrocities) out by complainant, dis­ which led to accumulation identified as Vivek Dabas was declared brought dead, has sought the filing status of seek status of filing “The ACPs concerned Act, in a case of caste­based close commission of various of pollutants near the sur­ alias Rahul (23), a resident of while the other, Sachin, re­ chargesheets forwarded in from the IOs should prepare a list of char­ question being allegedly cognisable offences com­ face. Sultanpur Dabas village and ceived treatment, the officer the last three years and said it concerned gesheets forwarded in the asked in the primary teach­ mitted by the respondent/ Also, the “mixing layer Himanshu (20) and Ravi Da­ said. would definitely “unearth Delhi court last three years [2018­2020] ers’ recruitment exam by DSSSB and an investigation height”, which is the lala (25), both residents of “ The police got a tip­off many hidden ghosts” (files) and seek status of filing from the Delhi Subordinate Ser­ is required into these,” the height from ground level Hiran Kudna village, they on that Vivek, involved in and “wake many souls [IOs] than 30 days from the date of the IOs concerned. It is firmly vices Selection Board judge said in his order up to which pollutants can said. the murder case, would from slumber”. forwarding of chargesheet by believed that the same would (DSSSB). passed on February 17. be dispersed, was “moder­ On February 2, Jafapur come with his accomplices Non­filing of chargesheets the ACP concerned. definitely unearth many hid­ Additional Sessions Judge The court’s directions ate”. This led to lesser ac­ Kalan police station received at a place in Najafgarh. The­ despite being forwarded by a Additional Chief Metropol­ den ghosts [files] and wake Ravinder Bedi said prima fa­ came while allowing an ap­ cumulation of pollutants information that some un­ reafter, a trap was laid and senior officer amounted to itan Magistrate Arvind Bansal up many souls [IOs] from cie, the alleged words in plication filed by advocate near the surface. identified men had fired out­ three people were nabbed,” undermining the hierarchy directed the Additional Com­ slumber,” the court said in its questions papers of 2018 Satya Prakash Gautam, The AQI of Delhi was side a shop, the police said. Deputy Commissioner of and discipline of service, the missioners of Police (ACPs) order passed on February 16. and 2019 disclosed commis­ seeking action against the 302 on Thursday, as per Tarun, who was the com­ Police (Dwarka) Santosh Ku­ court said. concerned to prepare a list of It said retaining of “for­ sion of various cognisable DSSSB Chairman and the er­ the CPCB’s 4 p.m. bulletin, plainant and runs a spare mar Meena said. It added that late filing of the chargesheets forwarded warded” files by IOs reflects a offences committed by the ring officials of the examina­ which is an average of the parts shop, said two men Interrogation revealed chargesheets despite timely in the last three years – 2018 missing link in the chain of DSSSB. tion committee under the past 24 hours. The values came to his shop and as­ that the accused, all mem­ completion of the investiga­ to 2020 – and sought status factors requiring expeditious The court directed the of­ Act. for Gurugram and Noida saulted him. They also de­ bers of Neeraj Bawana gang, tion shook the confidence of report of filing from the IOs administration of criminal ficer empowered under the The application claimed were 296 and 315. manded “protection were planning a double mur­ an ordinary citizen in the jus­ concerned. justice. The court said it Act to conduct an investiga­ that a caste­based question An AQI between 0 and money”. der to establish their clout. tice delivery system. It further directed the could not find any rule in the tion in the case and file a was asked in the exam con­ 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 He alleged that a few days Vivek and his accomplices A time period be fixed for ACPs concerned to devise a ‘standing order’ of the wor­ monthly report before the ducted on October 13, 2018, and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 back, he had also got a slip had ₹1 crore from the busi­ filing forwarded chargesh­ mechanism under the gui­ thy Commissioner of Police, court. by the DSSSB. and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 asking him to pay ₹1 crore, a nessman after they were eets and IOs should be asked dance of DCP (South­East) to Delhi, requiring the IOs to “I observe that the ques­ The judge said that his at­ and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and senior police officer said. told to do so by Sunny Issa­ to strictly comply with it, the check and ensure that all the submit the chargesheets with tion with caste abusive tention has been drawn to 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 On December 4 last year, pur and Naveen Bali, the court said, adding that such chargesheets signed/for­ the court within a certain words was set up in paper the detailed report by the and 500 ‘severe’. Begumpur police station al­ police said. time should not be more warded by them were duly time. by paper setter not only IO, filed in September 2019.

CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 CITY 3 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Timings DELHI Capital records highest turnout for jab FRIDAY, FEB. 19 Disha’s police remand RISE 06:56 SET 18:15 RISE 11:18 SET 00:10 SATURDAY, FEB. 20 CM gives financial assistance of ₹1 crore each to kin of two corona warriors RISE 06:55 SET 18:15 likely to get extended Staff Reporter placeable, but I am hopeful RISE 11:55 SET 01:04 New Delhi that with this financial assis­ SUNDAY, FEB. 21 A total of 24,417 beneficiaries tance these families will get RISE 06:54 SET 18:16 ‘Activist is cooperating, but need to probe larger conspiracy’ — healthcare and front­line some relief,” the Chief Minis­ RISE 12:36 SET 02:00 STAFF REPORTER emails against the govern­ workers — got the COVID­19 ter said. NEW DELHI ment’s draft Environment vaccination in the city on Delhi Police is likely to seek Impact Assessment (EIA) Thursday, the highest so far. 130 new cases an extension of remand for rules. In the notice served There were 13 minor Ad­ The Capital witnessed 130 activist Disha Ravi to inves­ to the FFF, Delhi Police had verse Events Following Im­ new COVID­19 cases in the tigate the toolkit case and a mentioned that the website munisation (AEFI), said a last 24 hours, taking the total “larger conspiracy” behind depicts objectionable con­ Delhi government number of cases to 6,37,445, the Republic Day violence, tent and unlawful activities spokesperson. according to a health bulle­ said an officer on Thursday. or terrorist acts, which are Of the total beneficiaries, CM Arvind Kejriwal meets cond dose, according to go­ tin released by the Delhi go­ On Sunday, Ms. Ravi was dangerous for the peace, 5,218 healthcare workers re­ the families of COVID­19 vernment data. vernment on Thursday. sent to five­day police cus­ Disha Ravi was arrested tranquillity and sovereignty ceived the first dose and warriors on Thursday. * PTI In another development, Two deaths were reported tody by a Delhi court. She from Bengaluru on of India. 3,537 their second dose. At Chief Minister Arvind Kejri­ in the past 24 hours and the was arrested from Bengalu­ Saturday. * FILE PHOTO Meanwhile, their website least 15,662 front­line work­ ield and 90 used Covaxin. wal provided financial assis­ total number of deaths stood ru on Saturday. was blocked and the people ers received the first dose of Of the total 13 AEFI, nine tance of ₹1 crore each to the at 10,896. A total of 60,441 While seeking her custo­ from foreign countries. operating it were served a the vaccine. were from the first dose of families of deceased corona tests were done in a day. Of dy, Delhi Police had cited They have to still find out notice under the Unlawful There were 302 vaccina­ Covishield and four from the warriors — Ompal Singh and the total cases, 6,25,496 peo­ reasons like proper investi­ the source of funding and Activities (Prevention) Act. tion sites on Thursday, of first dose of Covaxin. There Raj Kumar. “The pain these ple have recovered and there gation required to get infor­ get details of the financial But after facing backlash on which 212 were using Covish­ were no AEFI from the se­ families have faced is irre­ are 1,053 active cases. mation on the ‘pro­Khalis­ transactions. The other social media, Delhi Police tani group’ Poetic Justice members of the WhatsApp called it a ‘clerical error’ Foundation and their active group need to be identified. and withdrew the notice Contactless members are to be Ms. Ravi was associated and served a new one un­ Govt. grants identified. with the India chapter of der the IT Act, 2000. The BJP sitting councillor among ticketing trials The officer said Ms. Ravi ‘Friday for Future’ cam­ website was unblocked ₹3.18 crore has cooperated in the ongo­ paign to save the environ­ later. begin in all ing investigation, yet many ment. The FFF website An officer said the web­ leaders join AAP, says Pathak to workers questions need to be raised. came under the radar of site was unblocked after DTC buses There is a long list of sus­ Delhi Police in July 2020 they rectified the error due Staff Reporter pects in the toolkit case, in­ when it was blocked after to which the Environment Bypolls to 5 seats of corporations to be held on February 28 New Delhi Press Trust of India cluding the involvement of the Environment Ministry Ministry was getting mass The Delhi government has New Delhi organisations functioning complained of getting mass emails. Staff Reporter Mr. Dixit said now, the disbursed ₹3.18 crore to The Delhi Transport de­ New Delhi BJP is not how it was under 488 construction workers partment has started trial The Aam Aadmi Party the leadership of Atal Bi­ under various welfare of contactless ticketing sys­ (AAP) on Thursday said hari Vajpayee and Lal schemes on Thursday. tem in all the DTC buses many BJP leaders, includ­ Krishna Advani. “The Labour Depart­ through the 'Chartr' app, IIT­Delhi inaugurates centre to ing district general secre­ ment has streamlined the said officials on Thursday. tary Shravan Dixit and sit­ ‘CM stood by farmers’ way funds are disbursed. The trial of contactless ting councillor Rekha “Today, the BJP has be­ Disbursements and aid ticketing was launched first strengthen bond with alumni Dixit, joined the party. come a political party of used to get stuck in pipe­ in cluster buses and then in “Today is a very happy Adani and Ambani. Today, lines. The Delhi govern­ a few Delhi Transport Cor­ Special Correspondent supporting the advancement that it would further streng­ day for AAP. Political lead­ the farmers are protesting ment has expedited this poration (DTC) buses, NEW DELHI and realisation of the insti­ then the institute’s bond with ers of various parties of at the Delhi borders and entire process for the bene­ amid the COVID­19 pan­ In an attempt to strengthen tute’s aspirations for the alumni. Delhi have understood AAP leader Durgesh Pathak Rekha ji also comes from a fit of its people,” said Depu­ demic last year. its bond with its alumni, IIT­ future. IIT­D chairman of Endow­ that AAP is the only politi­ has welcomed all newly farmer family. Chief Minis­ ty CM Manish Sisodia. The decision to extend Delhi on Thursday inaugurat­ Addressing global alumni ment Management Founda­ cal party which is working joined leaders. * FILE PHOTO ter Arvind Kejriwal stood Meanwhile, Food and the trial to all the over ed an Endowment Centre on the occasion via live tion, Arun Duggal, said: for the development of ci­ beside the farmers and Supply Minister Imran 3,700 buses was taken in and Management Foundation streaming of the event, IIT­D “Within this smart modern, tizens. After getting in­ “I am also very happy to had also provided water, Hussain laid the founda­ meetings of the Task Force Office at its main administra­ Director V. Ramgopal Rao collaborative facility, advan­ fluenced by the work and announce that Ms. Dixit of electricity and Wi­Fi,” he tion stone of a office com­ constituted for the pur­ tive building. said the office demonstrates cement team will leverage policies of the Kejriwal go­ Anarkali ward is also join­ said. plex of the Legal Metrology pose by Delhi Transport The centre provides a dis­ the collaborative commit­ our academic, industry and vernment, Mr. Dixit is join­ ing AAP. I want to wel­ The by­election to five Department which will be Minister Kailash Gahlot, tinct showcase of how the ment between the institute community connections in ing AAP,” said party leader come all these newly seats of the corporations is equipped with scientific the official added. contributions of alumni are and the alumni and hoped innovative ways.” Durgesh Pathak. joined leaders,” he added. to be held on February 28. labs.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Root of the matter

0 DISCLAIMER: Readers are requested to verify and make appropriate enquiries to satisfy themselves about the veracity of an advertisement before responding to any published in this newspaper. THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD., the Publisher & Owner of this newspaper, does not vouch for the authenticity of any advertisement or advertiser or for any of the advertiser’s products and/or services. In no event can the Owner, Publisher, Printer, Editor, Dir­ ector/s, Employees of this newspaper/ company be held responsible/liable in any manner whatsoever for any claims and/or damages for advertisements in this newspaper.

Farmers busy in a carrot field at Tikiri village in Delhi on Thursday.* SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC ‘Stress lower among yoga practitioners’ Study by IIT­D scientists map effect of yoga on emotional problems during lockdown

Special Correspondent commended as one of the NEW DELHI ways to manage stress during A study by IIT­Delhi scientists COVID­19, there was a lack of has revealed that those who empirical evidence to sup­ practised yoga during the port the claims. Our study pandemic­induced lockdown has mapped the effect of yo­ had lower stress, anxiety and ga on the cognitive and emo­ depression, higher wellbeing tional problems of COVID­19, and more peace of mind as besides showing beneficial ef­ compared to fects of yoga on general well­ non­practitioners. being during adversity,” Dr. The study was undertaken Sahni said. She added that by National Resource Centre evidence supports that yoga for Value Education in Engi­ was found as an effective self­ neering (NRCVEE), an aca­ management strategy to cope demic centre at IIT­Delhi. Girls practice yoga at the lawn near India Gate in New Delhi. with stress, anxiety and de­ * FILE PHOTO: R.V. MOORTHY pression, besides helping to Study on over 600 adults maintain wellbeing during The institute said its re­ the duration of practice as beginners,” the institute said. COVID19 lockdown searchers led by Pooja Sahni long­term, mid­term, and It added that general wellbe­ Kamlesh Singh, Associate carried out the study on a to­ beginners. ing was reported higher by Professor at Humanities and tal of 668 adults during lock­ “The long­term practition­ the long­term and mid­term Social Sciences Department, down between April 26 and ers reported higher personal practitioners than the begin­ IIT Delhi and one of the auth­ June 8, 2020, and the partici­ control and lower illness con­ ners group. ors of the study feel that evi­ pants were grouped as yoga cern in contracting COVID­19 Further, the long­term dence from this research can practitioners, other spiritual than the mid­term or begin­ practitioners were found to be used by the health care practitioners, and non­prac­ ner group. The long­ term have the highest peace of practitioners to include yoga titioners based on their res­ and mid­term practitioners mind, lowest depression and as an alternate therapy for ponses to daily practices that also reported perceiving low­ anxiety with no significant self­management of stress­re­ they follow. er emotional impact of CO­ difference in the mid­term lated problems during condi­ Yoga practitioners were VID­19 and lower risk in con­ and the beginner group. tions like COVID­19 pandem­ further examined based on tracting the virus than the “While yoga has been re­ ic.

Published by N. Ravi at Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai-600002 and Printed by S. Ramanujam at HT Media Ltd. Plot No. 8, Udyog Vihar, Greater Noida Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar, U.P. 201306, on behalf of THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD., Chennai-600002. Editor: Suresh Nambath (Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act). Regd. DL(ND)-11/6110/2006-07-08 ● RNI No. UPENG/2012/49940 ● ISSN 0971 - 751X ● Vol. 11 ● No. 42

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DELHI THE HINDU 4 NORTH & EAST FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Cong. invites Farmers block tracks in Haryana Himanta slams CAA critics architects for Minister says BJP to balance Hindu and Assamese interests Women participate in large numbers in the ‘rail roko’ programme at two places memorial Special correspondent munity. We don’t have an io­ Ashok Kumar gramme was not meant to Guwahati ta of doubt this time. The SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT GURUGRAM cause public inconvenience Assam Finance Minister Hi­ credo of our manifesto will GUWAHATI Agitating farmers supported but to sent across the mes­ manta Biswa Sarma slammed be staunch nationalism and The Congress in poll­bound by khaps laid blockade at 44 sage that the movement was the opponents of the Citizen­ positive regionalism,” Dr. Assam has invited Assa­ points across Haryana on not confined to Punjab and ship (Amendment) Act (CAA) Sarma said. mese architects to design a Thursday as part of Samyukt Haryana and had an all­India for separating Assamese na­ memorial for the “martyrs” Kisan Morcha’s “rail roko” presence. tionalism from Hindu or In­ ‘Legal reality’ of the movement against programme, seeking the re­ The call evoked lukewarm dian nationalism. The Finance Minister said the the Citizenship (Amend­ peal of the three farm laws response in districts along He backed the Centre’s de­ government cannot imple­ ment) Act (CAA). and legal guarantee for the the Delhi­Ambala Highway cision to protect Hindu immi­ ment the recommendations Five peersons, including Minimum Support Price. The with two blockades reported grants by implementing the Himanta Biswa Sarma of a panel on Clause 6 of the a 17­year­old school student, women also participated in under the Chandigarh rail­ CAA and said the BJP’s agen­ 1985 Assam because they are were killed in police firing the protest in large numbers Women protesters block tracks at Patuwas Mehrana railway way police station and one da for the upcoming Assemb­ book titled “Eta Xopunor “far from legal reality”. during the violent anti­CAA at Rohtak and Charkhi Dadri. station in Charkhi Dadri on Thursday. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT each in the jurisdictions of ly elections would be to Pom Khedi” (Chasing a The clause seeks to gua­ protests in Assam in Decem­ Of the 16 police stations of Ambala Cantonment and Ja­ strike a fine balance between Dream) on Wednesday. rantee constitutional safe­ ber 2019. the Government Railway Pol­ ests went off peacefully. Ismaila railway station in gadhari railway police sta­ Assamese interests and Hin­ Indicating some groups guards for the Assamese or “We announced a grand ice, Hisar, Sirsa, Jind and Rohtak. Leading the agita­ tions. The tracks were du interests. were going overboard against indigenous people. memorial because we res­ Rohtak accounted for 24 Widespread support tion at Patuwas, farmer lead­ blocked at Kurukshetra rail­ The CAA seeks to provide the CAA, Dr. Sarma said the “The committee’s recom­ pect public sentiments. Tak­ points — which is more than Several khaps along with so­ er Raju Maan said the farm­ way station and at two diffe­ citizenship to non­Muslims rules of the law will ensure a mendations are far from the ing a step further, we are in­ half the total number of cial, farmers, traders and ers had participated actively rent points in Kaithal. Simi­ who allegedly fled religious “fine balance between Hindu legal reality of the land. They viting applications from blockades. The railway employees organisations in all the protests pro­ larly, two blockades were persecution in Afghanistan, interests and the interests of go against many Supreme architects in Assam to share tracks were blocked at nine came out in support of the grammes, including tractor reported in Panipat and one Bangladesh and Pakistan and Assam” as India cannot turn Court judgements. How can their suggestions and de­ points in Hisar, followed by “rail roko” programme in parade and highway block­ in Sonipat. took refuge in India till De­ away “those who are not a we implement them?” Dr. signs for the memorial with seven in Sirsa, and four each Bhiwani to lay blockades at ade, and were ready to make Led by former Haryana cember 31, 2014. threat”. Sarma said. us,” State Congress chief Ri­ in Rohtak and Jind. In Baha­ Bamla (Bhiwani­Rohtak), Sui any sacrifice in support of MLA Karan Dalal, several “Those who think India The focus of the BJP’s cam­ The panel was set up by pun Bora said on Thursday. durgarh, one of the sites of (Hisar­Bhiwani), Siwani (Hi­ their demands. All­India De­ hundred farmers under the started in 1947 and not as paign would thus be on a mix the Union Home Ministry in The party had a few days sit­in agitation for the past sar­Rajgarh) and Loharu (Hi­ mocratic Women Association aegis of 52 Paals (or khaps) Bharat 6,000 years ago diffe­ of Hindu and Assamese na­ 2019. Headed by retired ago vowed to build the anti­ two months, the farmers sar­Jaipur). The women prot­ vice­president Jagmati Sang­ blocked the Delhi­Mumbai rentiate between Assamese tionalism, he said. judge Biplab Kumar Sarma, it CAA martyrs’ memorial if it blocked the railway traffic at esters turned up at large wan addressed the women route near Atoha village in and Hindus or Indians. We “When we promised to submitted its report to Chief comes to power in April­ five points. numbers to block the railway protesters at Ismaila. Palwal. don’t differentiate and want protect jaati [race], maati Minister Sarbananda Sono­ May. Mr. Bora said the party Sangeeta Kalia, Superin­ tracks on Rewari­Hisar route All India Kisan Sabha state In Gurugram, the protes­ to fight the upcoming elec­ [land], bheti [foundation] in wal on February 25. The re­ has appealed to all Assa­ tendent of Police, Haryana at Patuwas Mehrana railway vice­president Inderjit Singh ters blocked tracks at Patli tions on this agenda,” he said the 2016, people misunder­ port is yet to be forwarded to mese architects based Railway Police, said the prot­ station in Charkhi Dadri and said the “rail roko” pro­ railway station. at the release of his fourth stood according to their com­ the Centre. anywhere in the world.

EDUCATIONAL LEGAL NOTICE GTA IAS Academy Hiring Full time OBITUARY & REMEMBRANCE ‘Treat cow slaughter on Faculty/ Content Developer For Gwalior(M.P) Centre . Preference given to Freshers . send resumes [email protected] freelancers DEATH par with killing a human’ do not apply Sarangi seeks 15 years RI for offenders Staff Reporter EDUCATIONAL to be slaughtered in abat­ Bhubaneswar toirs of Kolkata and Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Un­ Bangladesh.” ion Minister of State for Ani­ Mr. Sarangi was speaking mal Husbandry, Dairying to Odia media persons at his and Fisheries, on Thursday official residence in New demanded that cow slaught­ Delhi on Thursday. er be treated as an offence on par with killing a human Letter to Odisha CM being and offenders be sen­ The Union Minister also tenced to rigorous impri­ wrote a letter to Chief Minis­ sonment of minimum 15 ter Naveen Patnaik urging years. him to amend the Orissa Expressing deep concern Prevention of Cow Slaughter over the death of 28 cattle Act 1960. “As per the Act, when the truck in which there is provision of two they were being transported years of jail term for those overturned following an ac­ who kill cow and abet killing cident in Balasore district, them. Nobody knows how Mr. Sarangi said, “When I many have been punished was in Kolkata this morning, under this provision.” I heard the news. I have spo­ He demanded that the ken to top officers in Odisha. provision of 15 years RI be I can without any doubts say made for cow slaughter as the cattle were being taken done by Karnataka. Madrasas seek aid to tide over pandemic impact ‘Gehlot govt. schemes not reaching us’

Special Correspondent All India Milli Council JAIPUR general secretary Abdul The seminaries affiliated to Qayoom Akhtar said the re­ the Rajasthan Madrasa gistered madrasas should Board have sought a finan­ be given a financial assis­ cial package from the State tance of ₹5 lakh each in the government to tide over the upcoming State Budget, as impact of the COVID­19 pan­ they were finding it difficult demic. Madrasas have also to survive because of lack of demanded their upgrada­ funds and their students tion to higher classes follow­ were dropping out. LEGAL NOTICE LEGAL NOTICE ing the enactment of the Ra­ “Madrasas have stopped jasthan Madrasa Board Act, getting charities and are un­ 2020. able to pay salaries to their Madrasa teachers and teachers,” he said. management committee State Minority Affairs Mi­ members said at a ‘talimi’ nister Saleh Mohammed, (educational) conference who interacted with the re­ held here on Wednesday presentatives of seminaries that their students were not in the conference, assured getting the benefits of the them of prompt steps for government’s schemes, madrasa modernisation such as scholarships and and promotion of educa­ distribution of free text­ tion. He said some of the books and workbooks. The madrasas imparting high madrasa para­teachers have standard education would also been waiting for their be developed as model regularisation. seminaries.

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THE HINDU DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 WEST 5 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Weather Watch Rainfall, temperature & air quality in select metros yesterday Maharashtra records nearly 5,500 fresh cases NCP leaders Jayant Patil, Eknath Khadse test positive; restrictions imposed in districts in Vidarbha; over 850 new cases in Pune

Special Correspondent city’s death toll reach 11,432. Pune Nagpur district in Vidarb­ Maharashtra reported a ha reported nearly 700 new Amid spike, duration of spike of 5,427 COVID­19 cas­ cases, taking the district’s to­ es on Thursday as the State’s tal case tally to 1,42,585, of active case tally breached which 5,466 are currently budget session in doubt the 40,000 mark to reach active. Eleven deaths saw the 40,858. The total case tally total death toll rise to 3,450. Staff Reporter Narhari Zirwal will now stands at 20,81,520. Amravati reported a con­ Mumbai conduct proceedings and With 38 fatalities, the total secutive second­day surge of There is uncertainty over the election will be held death toll has climbed to more than 700 cases, taking the duration of the on the session’s last day.” 51,669. Just 2,543 patients its total tally to 27,874, of Maharashtra Assembly’s Contenders for the post were discharged in the last which 4,020 are active. No budget session owing to a include Congress MLAs 24 hours, taking the tally of deaths were reported as its sudden spike in COVID­19 Sangram Thopte, Suresh recoveries to 19,85,261. toll stayed constant at 419. cases in the State. Though Varpudkar and Amin While the recovery rate Safety protocol: Healthcare workers check the temperature Yavatmal reported 131 cases, a four­week­long session Patel, and Tribal Affairs dipped to 95.5%, the case fa­ taking its total to 16,682, of had been planned, a Minister K.C. Padvi. Temperature Data: IMD, Pollution Data: CPCB, Map: INSAT/IMD (Taken at 18.00 Hrs) of outstation passengers at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj tality rate stood at 2.48%. Terminus in Mumbai on Thursday. * VIVEK BENDRE which 692 are active. No meeting of the Business Meanwhile, Leader of Forecast for Friday: Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning Amid the surge, National­ deaths were reported as the Advisory Committee on the Opposition Devendra likely at isolated places over Chhattisgarh, central Maharashtra, Thursday mulled Fadnavis asked why the Vidarbha, Marathwada, interior Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puduch- ist Congress Party leaders alarm bells ringing in dis­ tions, including weddings. death toll stayed at 465. erry, Karaikal, Kerala and Mahe. Dense fog likely in isolated pock- Jayant Patil and Eknath tricts in the Vidarbha region, Pune reported more than Buldhana reported 144 reducing it to one week. State government was ets over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi Khadse became the latest which reported steep spikes 850 new cases to take its to­ fresh cases but no deaths. Its Governor Bhagat Singh scared to hold an election city rain max min city rain max min politicians in the State to test in the past fortnight. District tal case tally to 3,97,402. A case tally stands at 16,152, of Koshyari has written to to fill the post despite Agartala...... —....31.5....15.0 Kozhikode...... —....34.0....25.0 positive for the virus. While administrations in Amravati, single death took the death which 1,093 are active, while the State government to being in majority in the Ahmedabad...... —....33.2....17.8 Kurnool ...... —....32,3....19.6 conduct the election for Assembly. The BJP leader Aizawl...... —....26.0...... 7.7 Lucknow...... —....29.0....13.4 both leaders took to Twitter Buldhana and Yavatmal im­ toll to 8,019. As per district the toll remains at 254. Allahabad...... —....31.0....13.0 Madurai...... —....31.7....23.5 to say they were “doing posed restrictions on gather­ authorities, the active case In western Maharashtra, the Speaker’s post during said the budget session Bengaluru ...... —....29.3....18.0 Mangaluru ...... —....34.5....23.7 fine”, Mr. Patil, the Water Re­ ings, and the Buldhana Dis­ tally rose to 5,294, with a re­ Satara reported no deaths, the session. The post should be held as planned Bhopal ...... —....28.9....14.0 Mumbai ...... —....32.7....20.4 became vacant when for four weeks. “The Bhubaneswar...... —....33.7....18.0 Mysuru ...... —....31.1....18.8 sources Minister, said he trict Collector issued orders covery rate of 96.36%. while 87 fresh cases saw the Chandigarh ...... —....27.2....10.8 New Delhi ...... —....27.8...... 9.6 would be “undertaking his for schools, colleges and total case tally rise to 57,726, Nana Patole quit as legislature is a place Chennai ...... —....30.5....23.7 Patna ...... —....28.2....15.2 duties via video­conferenc­ private coaching classes to 736 cases in Mumbai of which just 868 are active. Speaker and took over as where issues concerned Coimbatore ...... —....30.1....22.0 Port Blair...... —....30.3....26.1 Dehradun...... —....26.2....10.0 Puducherry ...... —....31.0....21.0 ing”. Both leaders have remain shut till February 28. Mumbai reported a consecu­ Its death toll stands at 1,833. the State Congress chief. with people are Gangtok...... —....15.7...... 6.8 Pune...... —....31.2....18.5 urged people who have Weekly markets in Buldhana tive surge of more than 700 Sangli reported just 18 cas­ A senior minister said, discussed. If Parliament Goa...... —....32.3....22.0 Raipur ...... —....28.0....16.4 come in contact with them will remain closed after 4 cases. With 736 new cases es as the district’s reported “The election will be held can be held, why can’t we Guwahati ...... —....30.5....15.0 Ranchi...... —....27.0....12.5 Hubballi...... —....31.0....19.0 Shillong...... —....20.4....10.0 over the past few days to self­ p.m. and only 50 people will pushed its total case tally to cases reached 51,122, of by voice vote on the first hold an Assembly session Hyderabad ...... —....29.7....19.6 Shimla...... —....15.6...... 5.6 isolate and get tested. be allowed to attend reli­ 3,16,487, of which 4,782 are which only 492 are active. Its day or Deputy Speaker here?” Mr. Fadnavis said. Imphal ...... —....28.3...... 8.5 Srinagar...... —....15.6.... -0.3 The surge in cases has set gious processions and func­ active. Four fatalities saw the death toll stands at 1,789. Jaipur ...... —....29.0....14.2 Thiruvananthapuram...... 0.3....33.0....25.1 Kochi ...... —....31.8....25.2 Tiruchi...... —....32.4....22.0 Kohima ...... —....21.0...... 6.0 Vijayawada ...... —....31.2....21.0 Kolkata ...... —....31.0....16.9 Visakhapatnam ...... —....31.4....23.0 (Rainfall data in mm; temperature in Celsius) Pollutants in the air you are breathing Yesterday

CITIES SO2 NO2 CO PM2.5 PM10 CODE Ahmedabad..... 21 .94 42 ....85 .120 ....* Bengaluru ...... 7 .32 14 ....94 ...95 ....* In observation made at 4.00 * p.m., Moradabad, Uttar Chennai ...... 11 .16 41 ....87 ...71 .... Pradesh recorded an overall Delhi ...... 38 .74 44 ..399 .334 ....* air quality index (AQI) score Hyderabad ...... 4 134 62 ....83 .123 ....* of 361 indicating an Kolkata...... 39 .25 67 ..260 .226 ....* unhealthy level of pollution. * In contrast, Sagar, Madhya Lucknow...... 11 .96 44 ..334 .328 .... Pradesh recorded a healthy Mumbai ...... 16 121 51 ..306 .262 ....* AQI score of 43 Pune...... — .65 50 ..131 .104 ....* Visakhapatnam 17 .30 28 ..108 .113 ....*

Air Quality Code: * Poor * Moderate * Good (Readings indicate average AQI) SO2: Sulphur Dioxide. Short-term exposure can harm the respiratory system, making breathing difficult. It can affect visibility by reacting with other air particles to form haze and stain culturally important objects such as statues and monuments. NO2: Nitrogen Dioxide. Aggravates respiratory illness, causes haze to form by reacting with other air particles, causes acid rain, pollutes coastal waters. CO: Carbon monoxide. High concentration in air reduces oxygen supply to critical organs like the heart and brain. At very high levels, it can cause dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and even death. PM2.5 & PM10: Particulate matter pollution can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, reduced lung function, irregular heartbeat, asthma attacks, heart attacks and premature death in people with heart or lung disease No action yet against Haffkine officials for flouting CVC norms Inquiry report not in public domain

Alok Deshpande about. As of now, I have not Mumbai come across the report.” No action has been taken The Hindu was first to re­ against errant officials of port on the alleged violation Haffkine Biopharmaceutical of norms and it has now Corporation Ltd. though learnt that attempts to ac­ three years have passed cess the report through the since an inquiry committee Right to Information Act submitted its report on the have been thwarted. State government undertak­ Following the allegations, ing allegedly issuing tenders the then State government worth ₹150 crore in viola­ on October 30, 2017, consti­ tion of Central Vigilance tuted a four­member inqui­ Commission guidelines. ry committee and directed it On February 3 this year, to submit a report within a former chief minister and month. In the State Assem­ Congress MLA Prithviraj bly’s winter session in De­ Chavan wrote to Dr. San­ cember 2017, Mr. Chavan deep Rathod, managing di­ had raised the issue and the rector of Haffkine Biophar­ then minister­in­charge of maceutical Corporation Haffkine, Girish Bapat, said Ltd., seeking information on the government was looking the status of the report and into the allegations. if any action has been taken. The committee finally However, Mr. Chavan did submitted its report in May not receive a response. 2018, but it has been kept Mr. Rathod said, “I am under wraps since then. All not aware of Mr. Chavan’s attempts to bring the report letter. I will have to look into into the public domain have the report being talked been stonewalled. Navi Mumbai corporation presents ₹4,825 cr. budget More focus on health in view of pandemic

Raina Assainar administrator. Navi Mumbai “The budget is citizen­fo­ Navi Mumbai Municipal Cor­ cused, and we have given poration (NMMC) Commis­ more importance to envi­ sioner Abhijit Bangar on ronment, education, and Thursday presented a bud­ health,” Mr. Bangar said. get of ₹4,825 crore for the fi­ The estimated expendi­ nancial year 2021­22. ture for the next financial For the first time since year is ₹4,822.30 crore. 1995, the budget was pre­ In view of COVID­19, the sented without the elected health department has been representatives as the term allocated ₹100 crore more of corporators ended in May than what was earmarked 2020 and the election could last year. While ₹166.60 not take place due to the CO­ crore was allocated for VID­19 pandemic. 2020­21, the figure is ₹276.6 Hence, this year, the bud­ crore for 2021­22. get was presented and ac­ Of the ₹166.60 crore, cepted by Mr. Bangar him­ ₹44.81 crore will be spent on self in the capacity of an setting up new hospitals.

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DELHI THE HINDU 6 EDITORIAL FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE The pressing need to adjudicate, not mediate When fear is the new normal for the average Indian, the court’s only role is to act as the guardian of the right to dissent prosecution by the state on se­ torment on the street could have of the plea, has reinforced an illib­ rious charges of sedition and ter­ been probably reduced. eral state’s intimidating stand dur­ rorist activities. Not only the prot­ ing another unjust political situa­ Dizzying climb esters but also their supporters, Think fair and effective tion. Its affirmation of the earlier Inflation must not be allowed to pose including comedians and journal­ A fair and effective adjudicative view is not merely insensitive or ists, were not spared. All freedoms mechanism in constitutional mat­ surreal. It illustrates an instance of a threat to macro­economic stability Kaleeswaram Raj under Article 19 of the Constitu­ ters can meaningfully sublimate “abusive judicial review”, as de­ he latest retail inflation readings should, on the tion, from freedom of expression the agitation on the street. Studies scribed by David Landau and Ro­ face of it, offer monetary authorities a fair to that of peaceful association, have shown that social movements salind Dixon, where the Court not Tamount of comfort given that the Consumer Price he recent judgment of the were seriously impaired. could be less radical and less op­ only refuses to act as the umpire of Index (CPI) rose by 4.06% in January, marking a decel­ Supreme Court that refused Even today, many languish in positional when the issues could democracy but aids the executive to review its earlier verdict jail for the offence of dissent and be effectively sorted out by way of in fulfilling its strategies. In the eration for a second straight month to a 16­month low. T on the Shaheen Bagh protest is in­ the more serious offence of ‘ando- ing its counter­majoritarian fair litigative means. Sociologist process, it legitimises very many il­ Inflation appears to have cooled after having stayed separable from its political con­ lan’. Disha Ravi, a 22­year­old cli­ function. Having failed to do so, Luke Martell was of the opinion legitimate state actions. GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO stubbornly stuck above the Reserve Bank of India’s up­ text. The verdict of October 7, mate activist, was booked recently the kind of ‘balancing’ which the that the radical green movement per tolerance threshold of 6% for six months through 2020 declared that there is no ab­ for ‘conspiracy against the govern­ Court now tries to attain by way of in Britain has been at a slower State’s intrusion is a worry November, helped by an appreciable softening in food solute right to protest, and it could ment’. Such arrests continue be­ the Shaheen Bagh orders will pose pace when compared with other In the 2020 verdict,the Supreme prices. Specifically, the Consumer Food Price Index re­ be subjected to the orders of the cause the protests are a political more questions than it answers. parts of western Europe, because Court has also failed to properly flected a gain of a mere 1.89% last month as vegetabl e authority regarding the place and challenge to the existing regime, a In the original judgment on Sha­ the “public enquiry system” in the appreciate and contextualise the time. Apart from thinking about theme which the Court did not heen Bagh, the Court attempted to United Kingdom could “process earlier Constitution Bench judg­ prices saw a disinflation of 15.8% and cereal prices the legal and constitutional issues, even address with contextual de­ “mediate” the issue and admitted ecological demands, integrate ment in Himat Lal K. Shah vs Com- eased considerably for a second month in the wake of it can also lead to a discourse on tails. in the judgment that it “did not them into the political system and missioner of Police (1972) even after kharif crop arrivals. The RBI in its monetary policy the moral authority of the top produce any solution”. The minimise radicalisation of the referring to it. It is the state’s intru­ statement this month, cited “the bumper kharif crop, court in dealing with such funda­ A problematic ‘balancing’ Court’s duty during the testing movement arising out of exclusion sion into the realm of rights that rising prospects of a good rabi harvest, larger winter ar­ mental questions related to There is a more significant ques­ times is to adjudicate, and not to and marginalisation”. The princi­ should worry the Court. In Himat rivals of key vegetables and softer egg and poultry de­ freedom. tion that a citizen could pose mediate. A reconciliatory ap­ ple can have application across the Lal K. Shah, the Court said that the mand on avian flu fears” as factors that augured well for against the Court’s pronounce­ proach is not a substitute for jurid­ constitutional democracies. rule framed by the Ahmedabad Protests, a political challenge ments on the Shaheen Bagh prot­ ical assertion. The review petition The textbook theory of “balanc­ Police Commissioner conferred ar­ the months ahead. But the central bank was mindful of Both the judgments came out at est. The agitations on the street be­ provided the Supreme Court an ing” the right to protest and the bitrary power on the police offic­ the risks too, especially with regard to food costs where the time of ongoing street agita­ came an imperative because the opportunity to revisit its earlier right to move along the road does ers in the matter of public meet­ the latest data had brought to the fore concerns over tions. Protest “at anytime and issues were not subjected to a folly where it merely acted as a not need any reiteration in the ings and, therefore, was liable to the prices of pulses and edible oils. While inflation in anywhere” has not been as simple timely judicial examination. The judicial extension of the executive. constitutional climate of the pre­ be struck down. Justice Kuttyil Ku­ pulses and products was at 13.4%, that for oils and fats as conceived in the judgments. subject matter of almost all the It could have taken empirical les­ sent day. When fear is the new rien Mathew, in Himat Lal K. Shah, stood at 19.7%. Eggs and meat and fish — two other key The agitations against the Citizen­ major protests which have hap­ sons from a political situation that normal for the average Indian, the explained that “freedom of as­ sources of protein — both posted double­digit rates of ship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and pened recently in India, be it over was almost proximate to an inter­ Court’s only role is to act as the sembly is an essential element of a the farm laws also brought out the ‘economic reservation’, the CAA nal Emergency. guardian of the right to dissent. democratic system” and that “the 12.9% and 12.5%, respectively, with price gains in the immense agony and hardship that or the farms laws, involved legal Constitutional morality is a phi­ In the review petition, the peti­ public streets are the ‘natural’ former barely registering any telling impact from the the protesters had to face. In the and constitutional issues requiring losophy that should primarily ap­ tioners rightly apprehended that places for expression of opinion avian flu outbreak. anti­farm laws struggle, they expe­ immediate and effective adjudica­ ply to the constitutional courts. Dr. the observations in the earlier and dissemination of ideas”. Now, with the favourable base effect beginning to rienced suffering over almost the tion in terms of their constitution­ B.R. Ambedkar used this idea in judgment against the indefinite oc­ In the review petition, it was not wane — inflation moderated by more than 100 basis entire winter for a cause which al validity. The top court could not terms of institutions and not of in­ cupation of public space “may the cause alone that was tried. It points in February 2020 to 6.58% before slowing to they believe as one that concerns exercise its constitutional role and dividuals. Had there been a timely prove to be a license in the hands was also the Court. 5.84% in March — the outlook is far from reassuring. Of the whole nation. They had to pay ensure judicial scrutiny on an ag­ adjudication of the validity of the of the police to commit atrocities particular worry is the trend in input costs for multiple a heavy price for their convictions. grandising executive and an equal­ laws which was questioned by the on legitimate voice of protest”. Kaleeswaram Raj is a lawyer at the Many were subjected to malicious ly imposing Parliament by exercis­ process recognised by the law, the The Court, by its present rejection Supreme Court of India sectors in the real economy, including manufacturing . From automobile manufacturers to builders, rising raw material costs are beginning to force them to pass on the impact to the end consumers, and this at a time Effecting a social rise, starting a political experiment when demand is still to gain a firm footing. The latest IHS Markit India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ In the DKV issue, it is unique for a community to highlight the need for social advancement in order to be delisted Index (PMI) points to the sharpest increase in purchas­ the Mukkulathors, an Other Back­ With pressure from Mr. Krish­ appropriation”. They claim that ing costs for more than two years as ‘a lingering supply­ ward Classes (OBC) community, nasamy mounting and the the use of the ‘Vellalar’ title by the side squeeze’ fanned inflationary pressures and manu­ and the Pallars, in the latter half of AIADMK fearing an erosion of its subsects was a modern day inclu­ facturers raised their product prices at the fastest pace 1990s over the naming of districts traditional support base of Mukku­ sion by community leaders and in over a year. Add to the mix the unrelenting and dizzy­ and transport corporations after lathors due to the sidelining of the not a historic practice. They have ing climb in transportation fuel prices to newer and community leaders, led to a com­ close aide of former Chief Minister no objection to the social advance­ D. Suresh Kumar newer record highs in recent days and the outlook fo r munity consolidation. Jayalalithaa, V.K. Sasikala, who be­ ment of the seven subsects includ­ By the turn of the m illennium, longs to the community, Mr. Pala­ ing their demand to be delisted inflation becomes distinctly darker. Diesel, the main the community leaders placed an niswami decided to act. In the from the Scheduled Castes . The fuel for freight carriage, has now exceeded ₹80 per litre n a rare exercise last week, the unusual additional demand — to midst of electioneering in Decem­ Vellalars suggest that the subsects and is bound to feed into prices of almost everything Government of India tabled the delist the seven subsects from the ber 2020, he announced that he could be grouped under the title being transported across distances — from fresh pro­ Constitution (Scheduled Scheduled Castes arguing that be­ would write to the Centre to classi­ ‘Devendrakulathars’ or ‘Deven­ I GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO duce to intermediate and finished industrial goods. Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill ing in the Schedule, instead of be­ fy the seven subsects (including drakulars’, but not ‘Vellalar’; an With banks still flush with liquidity, policymakers need 2021 that seeks to give effect to a ing a facilitator, served as a detri­ about 17.07% of the Scheduled Vathiriyan) as DKV following the electoral fallout cannot be ruled to maintain a strict vigil to keep inflation from resurging long­standing political demand to ment to social advancement. This Castes. In the southern districts, Verma panel recommendation. out. group seven Scheduled Caste sub­ was at a time when some OBC the concentration of their popula­ In fact, some Vellalar represen­ and posing a threat to macro­economic stability. sects in Tamil Nadu under the her­ communities were vociferous in tion in many constituencies would Picking up the gauntlet tatives have argued that in the par­ itage name ‘Devendrakula Velalar’ wanting to be socially devalued be far greater. The Centre lost no time and tabled liamentary elections, the AIADMK­ (DKV). The subsects include De­ and included among the Most Amit Shah, then BJP president, the Bill in Parliament just a day be­ BJP alliance was hurt in Vellalar­ End of an innings vendrakulathan, Kadaiyan (ex­ Backward Classes. along with S. Gurumurthy, co­con­ fore Mr. Modi visited Chennai on dominated western region, its tra­ Kiran Bedi’s ouster is a result of her failure cluding the coastal areas of Tiru­ vener of the Swadeshi Jag ran February 14, where he sought to ditional stronghold, due to their nelveli, Thoothukudi, A political risk Manch, at a public meeting organ­ personally connect with the com­ backing of the DKV classification to stick to her constitutionally mandated role Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Mr. Krishnasamy, as MLA, periodi­ ised by M. Thangaraj of the The­ munity by saying, “Devendra demand. They claim that Mr. Pala­ he removal of Kiran Bedi as Puducherry’s Lieute­ Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Naga­ cally raised the twin demands of vendrar Thannaarva Arakkattalai, rhymes with my own name niswami, a Kongu Vellala Goun­ nant Governor has provided a sense of relief to pattinam districts), Kalladi, Ku­ grouping and exclusion from the endorsed the demand. Mr. Krish­ Narendra.” der, was unable to consolidate the dumban, Pallan, Pannadi and Scheduled Castes list. Mainstream nasamy, suspicious of Mr. Shah’s While community leaders see community’s support. However, the elected government, led by the Congress, in T Vathiriyan. These subsects have a parties were cognisant of these de­ intent then, has since veered to­ the Bill as a ‘crescent’, they still in­ considering the anti­Modi senti­ the Union Territory. Her acrimonious relationship with predominant presence in south mands but treaded cautiously gi­ ward the BJP. Mr. Shah took it for­ sist on the fulfilment of the second ments prevalent then and in the Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy over the last four and a Tamil Nadu, which is a communal­ ven the sensitivity of the subject ward by arranging a meeting bet­ demand of exclusion from the absence of psephological evi­ half years, eventually led the Centre to being forced to ly sensitive region. and the dissent among sections of ween a delegation led by Mr. Scheduled Castes for a ‘full moon’ dence, it would be hard to judge if act against its own nominee to enable smooth adminis­ the subsects over the ‘delisting’ Thangaraj and Prime Minister Na­ to rise. However, there has been the community voted against the tration at a time when the announcement of the As­ The rationale proposal. Delisting and shuffling of rendra Modi, who instantly of­ opposition from within. A section ruling alliance over the issue of us­ sembly elections is just round the corner. Despite her Caste­based political parties and castes from one reserved social fered support if the State govern­ of Pallars and other castes is ap­ ing the Vellalar title. organisations, spearheading the class to another was fraught with ment submitted a report. prehensive of losing the benefit of laying emphasis on sanitation, rejuvenation of waterbo­ demand, feel that shedding indivi­ political and administrative risks. Scheduled Castes reservation, Dalit concerns dies, and transparency and accountability in the admi­ dual Dalit caste tags would help in It could not only disturb the inter­ Steps to a review which is essential for access to Among the Dalits too, opinion is nistration, Ms. Bedi ended up, in the eyes of the public, the social advancement of the nal sharing of the communal reser­ But State Chief Minister Edappadi higher education and government divided on the grouping of sub­ being someone who was disrupting administration. Her community. Their argument is vation quota pool by existing K. Palaniswami’s All India Anna job opportunities. sects under a common title. There many differences with the CM were well known. Be it that existing caste names were be­ castes, but also invite objections Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam While electorally, the AIADMK­ are apprehensions that over time, the suspension of an official over obscenity on social ing used more in a derogatory from other communities or spur (AIADMK) government was wary BJP alliance could now aim to con­ this could trigger arguments as to media, the helmet rule for two­wheeler riders, the free sense to belittle the community. political demands for similar re­ of being seen as hasty. It set up a solidate the DKV vote bank, like which of the larger groups is nu­ rice scheme, the appointment of the State Election The DKVs, they insist, were classification. committee headed by S. Sumathi, any caste issue, it has its share of merically stronger, thereby cloud­ prosperous wetland owners, and In February 2011, Chief Minister Professor of Anthropology, Un­ trouble. Apart from the resistance ing the larger Dalit cause. This sec­ Commissioner, the quota for government students in not oppressed sections, socially or M. Karunanidhi (Dravida Munne­ iversity of Madras, to study the is­ from the Vathiriyans, who even tion argues that Dalits as such medical admission, or even the manner of release of economically. Besides, these se­ tra Kazhagam) responding to an sue. Her report, “Devendrakula moved court challenging the de­ cannot be treated as a homogene­ money from the CM’s Fund, she was caught up in a war ven Scheduled Caste subsects appeal from senior Congress lead­ Velalar – Cultural and Social Pat­ mand for grouping, there is an un­ ous group considering the diffe­ of words with the CM instead of being more discreet . share similarities, culturally. er S. Peter Alphonse, constituted a terns of Seven Sub­Communities”, dercurrent of resentment from rences within in terms of social She should have shown more restraint as a constitution­ The demand for such grouping one­man committee headed by was not made public, but it fa­ within the Vellalar community, an status and geographical identity. al functionary and adopted a consensual approach on has its genesis in latter day British Justice M.S. Janarthanam (retd.) to voured a grouping of the subsects. influential OBC segment, to the as­ Whatever the outcome of the matters affecting the people directly, even though th e India when these subsects were in­ examine the grouping of the seven To win over the Puthiya Tamila­ signment of the DKV title. The tra­ current move, it is indeed unique cluded under the Scheduled sub­castes. A change in regime in gam ahead of the last p arliamen­ ditional Vellalars are spread across for a community to have placed Lt. Governor in a Union Territory, as the President’s no­ Castes on the basis of their eco­ May 2011 halted progress. tary elections, Mr. Palaniswami Tamil Nadu under sub­groups social advancement as priority to minee, enjoys powers superior to those of the CM and nomic conditions. However, the However, in 2015 the issue drew constituted a committee headed such as Kongu Vellalar, Thuluva be delisted from the Scheduled the Council of Ministers. Though it was an amusing voices remained feeble for long, national attention when the Bhara­ by Hans Raj Verma, IAS, to make Vellalar, Saiva Vellalar, Choliya Vel­ Castes forgoing the concessions it sight of the CM holding “dharnas”, not once but twice only gaining traction in the 1990s tiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership, recommendations on the de­ lalar, Chera Vellalar and Pandya offers. Also, this would be a prece­ in the last couple of years, the fault was not entirely his with the emergence of influential sensing a political opportunity to mand. Significantly, the govern­ Vellalar. dent for using anthropological stu­ own. All along, he regarded the Lt. Governor as a polit­ community leaders such as K. consolidate a vote bank in Tamil ment had eliminated the Vathiri­ Claiming entitlement for the ex­ dy for social grouping in Tamil Na­ ical adversary, with his political activity centred around Krishnasamy (founder, Puthiya Ta­ Nadu, a State where it has minimal yan caste from the purview of the clusive use of the ‘Vellalar’ title, du. Politically, though, this would milagam) and John Pandian (foun­ presence, threw its weight behind panel as there was opposition they see the demand for use of the remain a trapeze walk. her. His demand for her ouster grew louder in recent der, Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra the demand. As per Census 2011, from the community to being clas­ same title by the Dalit subsects as months. It is likely that the Bharatiya Janata Party , Kazhagam). Caste clashes between the seven subsects constitute sified under DKV. “identity theft” and “cultural mis­ [email protected] which aims to build a base in Puducherry, concluded that her continuation in office in the backdrop of the As­ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR sembly elections could prove a political liability. Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials. Her exit comes at a time when Puducherry is in the To read more letters midst of political instability. The strength of the Con­ Unsafe roads and enforcement — are disciplined driving with the portray women as silent women at the workplace. online, scan the QR code gress­led coalition (including the Speaker) is now o n a Road safety campaigns there any missing links in grim realisation that any sufferers when it comes to Raushan K. Arjun, Patna, Bihar par with that of the Opposition, after four party MLAs, conducted in a ritualistic our narratives? Are our one of us could join the list the atrocities perpetrated there used to be a hue and mode neither improve the driving habits egregiously of the nameless victims. on them in a patriarchal cry. What has happened including two Ministers, quit the Assembly since Jan u­ driving habits of motorists bad? ‘From each according V.N. Mukundarajan, society like ours, it will be ■ Ms. Ramani’s triumph now? The protest of the ary. On assuming charge as the officiating Lt. Governor nor prick the society’s to his whim and to each Thiruvananthapuram very difficult to put an end seems like a massive step Opposition which is now in on Thursday, Tamilisai Soundararajan, the Telangana collective conscience. The according to his luck’ seems to gender­based violence. forward for women, but we disarray, is too feeble and Governor, ordered a floor test to be held on February body count of accident to be the key operating Workplace equality P.K. Varadarajan, take two steps back when we lacks conviction. The impact 22. Dr. Soundararajan, who is perceived to be cordial to­ victims — 1,51,113 for the manual for Indian motorists The judgment of the Delhi Chennai hear about the mysterious of rising fuel prices has a wards political leaders of all hues, is expected to restore year 2019 — is a mere that reveals a shocking High Court in the M.J. deaths of two minor Dalit cascading effect on other ■ some measure of cohesion between Raj Nivas and the statistical fact that has insensitivity to the limbs Akbar­Priya Ramani case The judgment will girls in Uttar Pradesh. commodities and is borne by caused few ripples in the and lives of those who would make women aware encourage more and more Sarah Rebello, the common man, the rest of the official machinery, irrespective of the out­ media, whether traditional share the roads with them. that they need not suffer in women to come forward and Bengaluru ultimate loser. One only come of the floor test. Ms. Bedi’s innings in Puducherry or social (Editorial, “Slow We, as a society, need to silence when it comes to speak up no matter how hopes that people voice their should serve as a lesson to those in constitutional posi­ on safety”, February 18). own up the unspoken sexual harassment at the influential and powerful the Fuel dearer again concern in unison regardless tions that however well meaning one’s actions may be, While we talk about the tragedy of avoidable road workplace (Page 1, perpetrator is. The court In the past, whenever fuel of their political beliefs. one should not go beyond the mandated role. three Es of road safety — accident fatalities and February 18). However, as ruling is sure to result in prices were hiked, albeit Shabir Ahmed, engineering, education, translate it into a habit of long as films and serials better working conditions for even by a small amount, Chennai

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THE HINDU DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 OPED 7 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Is India criminalising comedy and entertainment? PARLEY Indian law unfortunately affords protection to what I think about all the time. at authority. As Agrima said, come­ When I wake up, I see the news a dy, at its finest, is audacious. And the prickliest common denominator in society lot. What I see seems ridiculous to that’s not a sentiment that finds any me, and I write about it. It’s not that currency in the legal community. Producers of entertainment con­ many that empower offence­ you sit with an agenda that I must tent, especially stand­up come­ takers. make a joke on the establishment. AJ: If our freedom fighters had had dians, are increasingly becoming this much reverence for authority, I the target of legal action. To take Arti Raghavan: Yes, the offended Is not having a sense of humour don’t think we would have been just two examples, while Kunal members of society are spoilt for one of the eligibility criteria to able to get our freedom. If you have Kamra is facing contempt proceed­ choice when it comes to legal provi­ become a lawyer or judge? unquestionable reverence for auth­ ings for remarks about the Supreme sions they can invoke in an attempt ority, how are you going to fix sys­ Court, fellow comedian Munawar to criminalise creative expression. AR: As a lawyer, I should perhaps tems that are broken? The problem Faruqui had to spend more than a Under the IPC, there are provisions attempt a defence here, but I have with comedy is that because we are

month in jail on vague charges be­ relating to offending religious senti­ ISTOCK PHOTO to agree that the legal community in seeing things in such comical fash­ fore getting bail. Are Indians so ments, the criminal defamation law, India takes itself too seriously. I ion, because it’s technically come­ lacking in humour that their first the obscenity laws, and provisions AJ: There’s no such thing as a pro­ <> There’s no such thing as a don’t know if you’ve had the misfor­ dy, people assume it’s insulting rath­ response to a joke is to take offence for statements that amount to pu­ government comedian because the pro-government comedian tune of actually being in a cour­ er than something that is supposed and then file a case? In a discussion blic mischief. If the objectionable very essence of comedy is to be au­ because the very essence of troom, because what passes off as to make you think. So, people auto­ moderated by G. Sampath, Agrima content is available online, there are dacious, to make fun of the people comedy is to make fun of courtroom banter will just bear out matically assume the worst of us, Joshua and Arti Raghavan explore also implications under the Infor­ in power. If you are making pro­go­ the people in power. the point that you made: lawyers they assume that we are just trying this question. Edited excerpts: mation Technology Act. vernment jokes, I don’t know how Agrima Joshua and judges lack a sense of humour. to offend people. I can write a The problem is that the law af­ anyone would find them funny. Indian society in general lacks a 2,000­word essay to explain my All of a sudden comedians seem fords protection to the prickliest for making ‘anti­national’ sense of humour. But why this is a point. But it won’t be funny, and no­ to be offending everybody’s common denominator in society. Is Section 295A applicable only jokes? uniquely problematic aspect of the body will listen to that in a comedy feelings. What’s going on? What’s notable about these laws is for official religions? Can I say legal community is that it is instru­ show. To convey my point, I have to that they don’t only prohibit speech that Sachin Tendulkar is my AR: It’s irresponsible and wrong for mental in shaping and giving effect say it in a funny way. If it is funny, it Agrima Joshua: I don’t think this is that harms vulnerable communi­ god and sue someone who has a government to be going after ‘anti­ to the laws that protect freedom of is going to be a little disrespectful. all of a sudden. The culture of taking ties, or speech that reinforces his­ made fun of him, on the national’ content, which is not a le­ speech. So, its conservatism has a offence started right around the torical prejudices against them, grounds that my religious gal concept. Often, criticism of the direct impact on how the law is ap­ In India, many would consider time stand­up comedy began pick­ such as homophobic speech. Our sentiments have been hurt? government is elevated to the status plied. For instance, obscenity laws it fair that if you’re going to be ing up an audience on the Internet. speech laws are class agnostic and of sedition. And that’s what is used adopt a community standard test. disrespectful of authority, group agnostic. So, they lend them­ AR: There is no restrictive reading to prosecute individuals who criti­ The test is whether the material is there will be consequences. Was this in 2011? selves to powerful classes and com­ in the law as to what qualifies as a cise the government. Though the offensive in the context of contem­ munities, which may be quick to religion. It’s not been defined under ‘anti­national’ label has no legal sta­ porary social mores and attitudes. AR: You see this in contempt pro­ AJ: No, 2015. In 2011, comedy was take offence, to use these laws even the IPC. The consequence is that it tus, the labeling feeds into the pre­ In a country of over 1.3 billion peo­ ceedings often. You have an institu­ still happening mostly in clubs. As if they’re not tangibly harmed and can be applied to, for instance, a judice that’s created against these ple, determining thisstandard is im­ tion that unfortunately suffers from soon as comedy began reaching out seek prosecution on that basis. self­proclaimed godman or a cult. individuals through the media. This possible. So, what is applied is the a god complex — historically, judg­ Agrima Joshua to the masses on YouTube, some While Tendulkar, I hope, is still a prejudice is eventually leveraged social and cultural consciousness of ments have had these self­serving, is a Mumbai­based mainstream comedians began at­ How is offending someone’s stretch, it could apply to situations when there is an intention to prose­ judges and lawyers. self­promoting notions of the majes­ stand­up comedian tracting huge amounts of outrage. ‘sentiments’ a crime when that where it was never meant to really cute them, so that some antipathy is ty of justice coming from the courts So, this culture of outrage and of­ person is not physically or apply, as there is no tight definition created against these individuals. Is our justice system inherently of law, and how the Supreme Court fence has been pretty standard. otherwise materially harmed? as to what could amount to religious biased in favour of tradition, is the temple of justice. A truly de­ feelings, which is what makes this There was a time when, say, making for an intangible but mocratic institution will leave that What has changed since 2015? AR: Offending someone’s senti­ provision so prone to misuse. only rape jokes were taboo. Has real conservative bias? to the people to judge and won’t be ments is itself recognised as a harm the list of subjects one can’t claiming such titles for itself. But AJ: The comedy scene has evolved. under criminal law. This is unfortu­ AJ: So, can I just declare Fawad joke about grown over time? AR: The legal community clings to that institutional circumspection Initially, it was just people coming nate because the role of art and co­ Khan as my religion and file an FIR tradition. It has very rigid hierar­ and humility hasn’t happened yet. on stage and talking about their nag­ medy is often to provoke and to of­ against whoever makes insulting re­ AJ: Are you really saying rape jokes chies, and an almost comical reve­ Arti Raghavan ging wives, women drivers, and so fend. So, it’s unsurprising that marks about him? are taboo? Please go through the so­ rence for authority. There was this So is it fair to say India is is an advocate on. But as a particular art form content that pushes the envelope called YouTube comedians and look case where a young woman was criminalising comedy? practising at the evolves, you start to explore diffe­ has been sought to be criminalised. AR: I’m sure there would be a pol­ at the kind of content they make. In­ jailed for reposting a meme about Bombay High rent topics, the depth and richness ice officer who may privately agree dia is very okay with rape jokes, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata AJ: Comedy has existed in India in Court. She is also of your material increases. Come­ How does such weaponisation with you that Fawad is a more godly misogynistic jokes, casteist jokes, Banerjee. When she was released other forms. Long before YouTube the counsel for dians began to have an impact. I re­ of the law affect comedians? figure than a lot of other establish­ jokes that make fun of marginalised on bail, the Supreme Court directed and stand­up, there used to be Haa­ Kunal Kamra in the member AIB was able to do a suc­ ment figures or gods. But this hasn’t people. The limits to the topics that her – remember that this is the stage sya Kavi Sammelans, which are sa­ criminal contempt cessful campaign on net neutrality. AJ: Lots of brands and companies been tested in a court of law yet. people can joke about have always of bail, when she’s not even been tirical poetry gatherings. I would proceedings before As comedy as an art form began to do not want to be associated with an been there. But they are only there tried or convicted – to issue an apol­ encourage everybody who has a the Supreme Court gain traction, it led to people doing artist who has a political back­ AJ: I can use the FIR as an intimida­ to protect the already powerful. To­ ogy to the Chief Minister. So, the ser­ problem with stand­up comedy to satire, making observations on so­ ground. I won’t say any comedian tion tactic. If somebody makes a morrow, they’ll say you can’t make vility that is so common in this pro­ check out the works of these Hindi ciety, questioning power structures. has a political background as such, meme on Fawad Khan and I don’t jokes on Adani­Ambani also. fession manifests itself in the poets. Surender Sharma, for exam­ It was no longer limited to elites in a but if you have certain political lean­ like it, I can take a screenshot of that If something occurs to me as real­ outcomes in courtrooms. Also, ple. They make allusions to gods comedy club. It was picking up a ings, or they assume that your jokes FIR and go like, ‘Buddy, I’ve done ly funny, I will joke about it – it’s as when sitting judges of the Supreme and goddesses, to mythology. They mass audience and creating conver­ do, they immediately tag you as a this for you. Now delete your tweet.’ simple as that. If I was a Delhi guy Court heap praises on the Prime Mi­ use religion as an allegory to com­ sations online, which is why come­ ‘controversial artist’. with an ex that I obsessed about , nister, referring to him as a ‘versa­ ment on inequalities. So I really dy started getting a lot of attention. AR: I wouldn’t advise it. and I wanted to write jokes only tile genius’ and ‘visionary’, this isn’t want to know why we keep isolating Scan the QR code to Do you mean any kind of about her, I would do that, because the kind of judiciary that’s going to stand­up comedy as something evil listen to the full Is there something wrong with political leaning? What about a Under what provision of law that was something I would think be robust in protecting the acts of ci­ and immoral when this form of sa­ interview online our laws? There seem to be so pro­government comedian? can a comedian be penalised about all the time. But that’s not tizens who are thumbing their noses tire has existed for such a long time.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Make peace with nature now CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC This year can go down as the year when we set FROM THE ARCHIVES the planet on a path towards healing FIFTY YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 19, 1971

Inger Andersen transform our economies and socie­ Nixon warns Hanoi ties by valuing nature and putting its As COVID­19 upends our lives, a more health at the heart of all our deci­ President Nixon yesterday [February 17, persistent crisis demands urgent ac­ sions. If we did this, banks and inves­ Washington] held out the threat of unlimited tion on a global scale. Three environ­ tors would stop financing fossil fuels. bombing of North Vietnam to protect the mental crises — climate change; na­ Governments would shift trillions of dwindling United States military presence in ture loss; and the pollution of air, soil dollars in subsidies to nature­positive the South from a major Hanoi offensive. Mr. and water — add up to a planetary farming and clean energy and water. Nixon reaffirmed his readiness to blast com­ emergency that will cause far more People would prioritise health and munist military with the full might of U.S. air pain than COVID­19 in the long­term. well­being over consumption and power if necessary to crush any North Viet­ For years, scientists have detailed shrink their environmental footprint. namese attempt to pour troops across the how humanity is degrading nature. demilitarised zone. “I am not going to place Yet the actions governments, finan­ What must be done? any limitation on the use of air power, ex­ cial institutions, businesses and indi­ There are signs of progress, but the cept of course, to rule out... the use of tacti­ viduals are taking fall short of what is problems are escalating faster than cal nuclear weapons,” he told a White House needed to protect current and future our responses. The number of coun­ press conference. Mr. Nixon warned that generations from a hothouse Earth, tries promising to work towards net­ time was running out for Hanoi to negotiate beset by mass species extinctions zero emissions stands at 126. The ask a settlement. But he declined to speculate and poisonous air and water. is for all countries to deliver about the possibility of a South Vietnamese In 2020, the UN Environment Pro­ stretched nationally determined con­ CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC invasion of the North as a follow up to the gramme (UNEP) announced that, tributions ahead of the climate Con­ NOTEBOOK U.S. backed thrust into Laos. He told repor­ despite a dip in greenhouse gas emis­ ference of the Parties (COP) and im­ ters in his first press conference since De­ sions caused by the pandemic, the mediately kickstart the transitions to cember 10: “I won’t speculate on what South world is still headed for global warm­ net­zero. At the climate COP, govern­ Talking the language of divide Vietnam may decide to do with regard to a ing of more than 3°C this century. ments must also finally agree on the possible incursion into North Vietnam in or­ This month, the Dasgupta Review re­ rules for a global carbon trading mar­ How communal politics has come to take centre stage in West Bengal der to defend their national security.” He minded us of what UNEP has long ket. The $100 billion that developed emphasised that if South Vietnam’s decision warned: the per capita stock of natu­ countries promised to provide every Shiv Sahay Singh Hindus and Muslims in ru­ State government an­ mi. BJP leaders speak in hinged on American co­operation “then of ral capital (the resources and servic­ year to help developing nations cope ral Bengal ran deep. Mus­ nounced an honorarium hushed tones that they will course it could not be undertaken without es nature provides to humanity) has with the impacts of climate change Towards the end of the Left lims in the riot­affected vil­ for priests too, to neutral­ make more political gains if our approval.” fallen by 40% in just over two de­ must finally flow. Front regime in West Ben­ lages took me to an isolated ise the negative impact, but their Rath Yatras (Parivar­ cades. We already know that a stag­ The ask is for us is to feed the gal, a CPI(M) leader, Subhas Hindu household. They the damage had already tan Yatras) in all the 294 As­ A HUNDRED YEARS AGO FEB. 19, 1921 gering nine out of 10 people world­ world without destroying nature, fell­ Chakraborty, created a flut­ stood there guarding the been done. Similarly, giv­ sembly constituencies are wide breathe polluted air. ing forests and emptying our oceans. ter in political circles by pu­ women as the men in the ing money to clubs for or­ stopped at any place by the Ayurveda: Dr. Koman’s Report We can create an amazing economy blicly participating in a Kali family had all fled. ganising Durga Puja and al­ administration or people Towards a sustainable future by moving to circular economic sys­ puja. He was asked by the The Trinamool Congress lowing COVID­19 from any other party. Dr. Koman’s report on the indigenous sys­ Finding answers to such daunting tems that reuse resources, reduce party to distance himself (TMC) regime also tried to relaxations for certain fes­ But amidst the divide, tem of medicine has just been published. Dr. problems is complex. But experts emissions and weed out the chemi­ from his statement that he hush up communal flare­ tivals seem to have precipi­ there are also stories of Koman is of opinion that all the important have developed solutions. To guide cals and toxins that are causing mil­ was a “Hindu first and a ups by referring to them as tated the situation. hope. During the Basirhat medicinal plants have already been investi­ decision­makers towards the action lions of premature deaths – all while Communist later”. The Left “minor incidents” till the Today, communal polar­ riots of 2017, 65­year Kartik gated by previous workers in the field from required, the UN has released the creating jobs. Addressing our plane­ not only discouraged its violence that broke out isation in West Bengal has Ghosh was stabbed. His the days of Ainslie, that the theory of three Making Peace with Nature report. tary emergency is a whole­of­society leaders and cadres from during the Ram Navami become normal in the pol­ son, Prabhasish Ghosh, humours, on which Ayurveda depends, is The report pulls together all the evi­ effort. But governments must take participating in public reli­ processions in 2018 made it itical discourse. It is not on­ while rushing his father to out­of­date, that “in vain have I attempted to dence of environmental decline from the lead, starting with a smart and gious events, but also re­ impossible to do so. There ly evident in aggressive slo­ a hospital in Kolkata, also find any drug or medicine whose reputed major global scientific assessments, sustainable recovery from the pan­ ferred to communal ten­ had been riots earlier too, ganeering of ‘Jai Shri Ram’, took Fazlul Islam, another marvellous properties are shrouded in mys­ with the most advanced ideas on demic that invests in the right places. sions as “violence between triggered by local issues, but also in political cam­ victim, in the same ambu­ tery or are not already known,” and that no how to reverse it. The result is a blue­ They must create opportunities for two communities”. but after 2018, communal paigning. For instance, lance. While Ghosh died, surgical work worth mentioning is done in print for a sustainable future that can future industries that generate pros­ I remember the commu­ divisions became visible . when West Bengal Chief Islam survived. any of the Ayurvedic dispensaries. He states secure human well­being on a perity. They must ensure that transi­ nal tensions in Murshida­ Riots began to take place at Minister Mamata Banerjee Similarly, in the Asansol further that the popular opinion that Ayur­ healthy planet. tions are fair and equitable, creating bad district in July 2009 industrial centres where announced her decision to riots of 2018, Maulana Im­ vedic methods are cheaper has no founda­ Our environmental, social and jobs for those who lose out. They that resulted in four communities had lived to­ contest from Nandigram in dadullah Rashidi urged pe­ tion on fact, it being his view that “the cost economic challenges are interlinked. must give citizens a voice in these far­ deaths. The District Magis­ gether in harmony for cen­ January 2021, BJP leader ople from his community of important compound drugs prepared by They must be tackled together. For reaching decisions . This year, we trate warned me against turies. Suvendu Adhikari said she to exercise restraint even vaidyans and hakims, is, in several instanc­ example, we cannot achieve the Sus­ must make peace with nature and, in visiting the riot­affected For journalists covering was relying on 62,000 after the Imam’s 16­year­ es, prohibitive.” Dr. Koman also believes that tainable Development Goals by 2030 every subsequent year, we must areas and threatened to the TMC, it became evident votes while his party had son was killed in the riots. the practitioners of indigenous medicine if climate change and ecosystem col­ make sure that this peace lasts. slap cases against me if I that the party’s policies the support of 2.13 lakh vo­ “I will leave the city if mem­ confine themselves almost solely to medical lapse are undermining food and wa­ did so. That was the first such as giving an honorari­ ters. He said at a public bers of the community tar­ cases, practically leaving out of account sur­ ter supplies in the world’s poorest Inger Andersen is Executive Director of the time I saw how the harmo­ um to Imams had caused meeting that the lotus get the other community,” gical and obstetrical diseases and diseases of countries. We have no choice but to UN Environment Programme nious relationship between resentment. Years later, the would bloom by Ram Nava­ he said. the ear, throat, nose, etc. CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

DELHI THE HINDU 8 NEWS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE FROM PAGE ONE PSC rank holders’ protest turns violent in Kerala ‘Rail roko’ by farmers At least 5 police personnel and several letes who had qualified in vain for State government passes off peacefully KSU activists injured in State capital employment by winning na­ tional medals. Women me­ Special Correspondent A large group gathered at Express was stopped at Pa­ Thiruvananthapuram KSU State president K.M. dallists sheared off their the Gandhi Nagar station in nipat, the Bandra­Haridwar Abhijith said Mr. Vijayan had locks while men tonsured Jaipur and climbed on the special was stopped by The 24­day­old PSC rank hol­ tasked the police to unleash their heads in protest against engine of a goods train. farmers at Meerut, and the ders’ agitation for govern­ violence on KSU workers. the “employment denial”. When Railway Protection Utkal Express running from ment jobs in Kerala turned Law enforcers without na­ The sportspersons displayed Force personnel brought Puri in Odisha to Haridwar violent on Thursday. meplates had targetted wo­ their hard­won medals. them down, they staged a in Uttarakhand was stopped In support of the striking men activists. sit­in on the tracks. at Ghaziabad, as farmers rank holders, activists of the More support The Rewari­Srigangana­ were sitting on the track at Kerala Students Union (KSU) Interview disrupted The Secretariat witnessed a gar special train was can­ Modinagar. — the student wing of the The Congress appeared to tide of marches in support of celled, while the Delhi­ Congress — clashed with the have upped the ante in the the protesters. They includ­ Mumbai railway line re­ Activists detained police in front of the Secreta­ conflict between the govern­ ed BJP and Youth Congress mained blocked for four About a hundred activists riat. At least five law enfor­ ment and PSC rank holders. activists and an organisation hours, with farmers occupy­ were detained at Gwalior in cers and several acti­ Youth Congress work­ for ASHA workers. ing the track near the Gudla Madhya Pradesh, while 500 vists were injured. ers stormed the Senate The CPI(M) State secreta­ station in Kota district. The were detained in Telangana, Chief Minister Pina­ Hall and disrupted an riat said the PSC rankers’ de­ Jaisalmer­Jammu Tawi Inter­ according to the All India Ki­ rayi Vijayan con­ interview for Class IV mand for reviving obsolete city Express was stopped at san Sabha. It also reported demned the violence. university office assis­ Street battle: Police trying to disperse protesters in Thiruvananthapuram * S. MAHINSHA rank lists was legally untena­ Rajgarh in Alwar district arrests in Bettiah in Bihar, “KSU workers had at­ tants. ble. Many had abandoned and at least two other trains and at Bangarpet in Kolar tacked the police. In Palakkad, KSU termined to push the govern­ and engage the job­seekers However, DYFI leaders were the unfeasible cause and al­ were halted at the Sawai district of Karnataka. Prot­ They had singled out workers locked in the ment to the negotiation ta­ in talks. in touch with the agitators to lied with the government. Madhopur station. ests took place at 77 stations an officer for assault. Howev­ staff at the local PSC office. ble. Former Chief Minister The administration has achieve detente. DYFI State president A. A. In Khurja town in Buland­ in West Bengal, 65 in Jhark­ er, the police had exercised The police later freed them. Oommen Chandy said Mr. Vi­ not displayed an interest in The striking rank holders Rahim blamed the Youth shahr district of Uttar Pra­ hand, 55 in Telangana, 30 in maximum restraint,” he said. The Congress seemed de­ jayan should shed his vanity reconciliatory talks so far. also found support from ath­ Congress for the violence. desh, the Gomti Express Odisha, 23 in Andhra Pra­ was stopped and farmers desh and 21 stations in Ra­ showered petals on the driv­ jasthan, the AIKS said IN BRIEF er. “Passengers were offered There was “negligible” or A.P. rejects jaggery and children were “minimal” impact on the ‘Polluted air killed 54,000 in Delhi’ treated with milk,” said Raj­ running of trains, according Odisha’s veer Singh of BKU­Tikait. It to the Indian Railways. was about after one hour On the bomb blast at the claims Damage is equally worrying in other Indian cities, says Greenpeace report that the train was allowed to railway station in Nimtita, move towards Delhi. At Mo­ West Bengal, in which about Legal Correspondent Staff Reporter ney by the amount that peo­ dinagar, railway authorities 25 people were injured, rail­ NEW DELHI Bengaluru ple are willing to pay in order prevented the passage of way sources said, “This inci­ The Jagan Mohan Reddy Air pollution claimed ap­ to avoid this negative out­ Court grants relief government has rejected proximately 54,000 lives in come, a release from Green­ passenger trains. “Only a dent is prima facie a result to A.P. Minister Odisha’s contempt petition Delhi in 2020, according to a peace said. The cost estima­ goods train passed through of political rivalry between VIJAYAWADA and there was no point stop­ Trinamool and CPI, and in the Supreme Court ac­ Greenpeace Southeast Asia tor also sustained the The Andhra Pradesh High ping it,” Mr. Singh said. may have some links to the cusing Andhra Pradesh of analysis of cost to the econo­ estimated air pollution­relat­ Court on Thursday allowed Farmers sat on tracks and internal feud among Trina­ “infringing” on disputed my due to air pollution. Six ed economic losses of Civil Supplies Minister Kodali platforms across western mool cadre.” inter­State border villages Indian cities — Delhi, Mum­ ₹1,23,65,15,40,000. Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) Uttar Pradesh, including at (Inputs from Vikas to conduct gram panchayat bai, Bengaluru, Chennai, — who is facing poll code Ghaziabad, Meerut, Shamli, Vasudeva in Chandigarh, elections. Hyderabad and Lucknow — No time to lose violation charge — to speak Baghpat and Agra. Ashok Kumar in The Andhra government feature in the global analysis. “Despite a temporary re­ to the media but ordered that According to the Samyukt Gurugram, Mohammed said Odisha’s claims were Globally, approximately prieve in air quality owing to he should not pass any Kisan Morcha, the umbrella Iqbal in Jaipur, Anuj Kumar “grossly misconceived”. 1,60,000 deaths have been the lockdown, the latest fi­ objectionable remarks on the group of unions which is­ in Ghaziabad, and Yuthika “Andhra Pradesh has been attributed to PM (particulate gures from the report under­ State Election Commission sued the protest call, the Bhargava and Priscilla duly administrating its own matter) 2.5 air pollution in score the need to act imme­ headed by N. Ramesh Kumar, Mumbai­Amritsar Paschim Jebaraj in New Delhi) territories and has not in­ the five most populous cities diately. The need of the hour and the panchayat elections. fringed upon the territory — Delhi, Mexico City, Sao is to rapidly scale up renewa­ of the petitioner [Odisha],” Paulo, Shanghai and Tokyo. ble energy, bring an end to Journalist visits ailing the A.P. government, re­ The damage is “equally fossil fuel emissions and mother in Kerala 3 Unnao girls found presented by advocate worrying” in other Indian ci­ boost sustainable transport MALAPPURAM Mahfooz A. Nazki, said. ties, said the report, released real­time health impact and combination with popula­ systems,” said the report Siddique Kappan, a Delhi- Odisha sought contempt on Thursday. “An estimated economic cost from fine par­ tion and public health data Last July, Greenpeace said based Malayali journalist unconscious, 2 die action against A.P. for al­ 25,000 avoidable deaths in ticulate matter (PM 2.5) air to estimate the health and that of the 28 global cities incarcerated by the Uttar legedly violating a status Mumbai in 2020 have been pollution in major world ci­ economic costs of air pollu­ studied, Delhi bore the high­ Pradesh police on charges of sedition, reached his home at “The girls were related to with their stoles. Locals quo order of the Supreme attributed to air pollution. ties, was deployed in a col­ tion exposure. est economic cost of air pol­ Vengara, near here, on each other and were found questioned how the victims Court in the dispute, which Bengaluru, Chennai and laboration between Green­ lution with an estimated loss Thursday to visit his ailing concerns the territorial ju­ Hyderabad estimated an ap­ peace Southeast Asia, IQAir Cost to economy of 24,000 lives in the first in the mustard field of the could have consumed poi­ mother. Mr. Kappan, who was family,” he said. son if their hands were tied. risdiction over the ‘Kotia proximate 12,000, 11,000, and the Centre for Research To show the impact of air half of 2020 despite a strict arrested on October 5 while He denied reports that In another video, the moth­ group of villages’. and 11,000 avoidable deaths on Energy and Clean Air pollution­related deaths on COVID­19 lockdown. In he was on his way to report the family members of the er of the girl can be heard The court is scheduled respectively due to polluted (CREA). Using real­time the economy, the approach Mumbai, air pollution from on the Hathras gangrape victims were detained at the saying that the hands were to take up the case on Fe­ air,” it said. ground­level PM 2.5 mea­ used by Greenpeace is called PM 2.5 and NO 2 was respon­ and death, had been police station and not al­ not tied. bruary 19. According to the report, surements collated in IQAir’s ‘willingness­to­pay’ — a lost sible for the loss of an esti­ granted five-day bail by lowed to talk to the media. Police sources said poli­ the ‘Cost Estimator’, an on­ database, the algorithm ap­ life year or a year lived with mated 14,000 lives since Ja­ the Supreme Court. “There is no such attempt. cemen from nine stations line tool that estimates the plies scientific risk models in disability is converted to mo­ nuary 1, 2020. They were called to under­ were camping in the village. RT-PCR tests mooted stand the sequence of Enraged locals said they Elections to for catering workers events and now they have would dig the graves them­ BENGALURU been sent home under pol­ selves and asked the admi­ 7 MLC seats In view of the recent ice protection to conduct nistration not to use an Three arrested for murder of lawyers COVID-19 cluster outbreaks the last rites,” he said. Later, earthmover for the pur­ on March 15 in Karnataka, experts have he said that the last rites pose. Sources said officials TRS leader among Srinivas and Vaman Rao de­ suggested a slew of would be conducted on Fri­ had agreed to the demand. Special Correspondent veloped differences over preventive measures. NEW DELHI accused; fourth Apart from the compulsory day morning. “As it had The Opposition de­ matters relating to Kalva­ RT-PCR negative tests for turned dark, the family scribed it as yet another ex­ The Election Commission suspect on the run cherla village in the past five those coming from high-risk wanted to conduct the last ample of the deteriorating on Thursday announced years. Srinivas, who was ac­ States, especially Kerala and rites on Friday,” he added. law and order situation. that elections to five And­ Special Correspondent tively involved in the con­ HYDERABAD Maharashtra, testing should Chief Medical Superin­ Chandrashekhar Azad of hra Pradesh Legislative struction of a couple of tem­ be made mandatory for those tendent of Unnao District the Bhim Army demanded Council seats and byelec­ Police on Thursday arrested ples in the village, bore a who work in catering Hospital Basant Bhatt said that the survivor be referred tions to one seat each in three persons in connection grudge against Rao believing companies and serve food when the girl was brought to AIIMS, Delhi. Earlier, the Andhra Pradesh and with the murder of the la­ that the latter was creating at events, they said. in, she was in a serious con­ members of the Bhim Army Karnataka Legislative wyer couple in Telangana. trouble for him by often fil­ dition. “Clinically, it ap­ protested in front of a priv­ Councils would be held on Gattu Vaman Rao and his ing petitions in the court and Kerala HC dismisses NIA peared like a case of organo ate hospital in Kanpur. March 15. Votes will be wife P.V. Nagamani, both decided to eliminate Rao , appeal against bail phosphorous poisoning. A delegation of the Samaj­ counted the same day. practising advocates in the the police statement said. KOCHI The chemical is used in in­ wadi Party met the family The bypolls are being High Court, were killed near Chief Justice of the Telan­ A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Thursday secticides. Froth was com­ members of the victims. held following the death of Kalvacherla village in Pedda­ Community rattled: Advocates of the Telangana High Court gana High Court Hima Kohli dismissed appeals filed by the ing out of her mouth and “First a daughter in Hathras, Challa Ramakrishna Reddy palli district on Wednesday. staging a protest in Hyderabad on Thursday. * NAGARA GOPAL issued suo motu notice to National Investigation Agency she was gasping for breath. then a mother in Budaun and S.L. Dharmegowda. Two assailants intercepted the State government on against the NIA special court We have intubated her to and now sisters of Unnao – The terms of five AP Le­ their car and attacked them presented in the court on Another person, Bittu Sri­ Thursday on the murder. orders granting bail to 13 take water out of lungs.” women are not safe in BJP gislative Council members with weapons. Friday. nu, nephew of a local TRS The Chief Justice instruct­ accused in a case filed by it in However, videos have rule,” SP president Akhilesh — Gundumala Thippe Swa­ While Kunta Srinivas, 44, Kunta Srinivas, a leader of leader, emerged as one of ed Advocate General B.S. connection with the emerged where family Yadav tweeted. my, Gummidi Sandhya Ra­ and S. Chiranjeevi, 35, were the Telangana Rashtra the key conspirators. A Prasad to “file a status re­ diplomatic channel gold members can be heard mak­ Chief Minister Yogi Adi­ ni, Vattikuti Veera Venkan­ picked up near Wankidi on Samiti (TRS), is a close hunt is on for him. port” on the case and con­ smuggling. The materials put ing conflicting claims about tyanath directed the Direc­ na Chowdary, Shaik the Telangana­Maharashtra follower of former The TRS immediate­ duct the investigation pro­ before the court were insuffi- the condition in which the tor­General of Police to sub­ Mohammed Iqbal and Sub­ border, the third accused Ak­ Manthani MLA and ly suspended Kunta perly. cient to hold prima facie that girls were found in the field. mit a detailed report on the haschandra Bose Pilli — kapaka Kumar, 44, was held Peddapalli Zilla Parish­ Srinivas. The matter was posted to the accused had committed In one video, the brother of incident. He directed offi­ end on March 29. in Manthani. They will be ad chief Putta Madhu. Once friends, Kunta March 1 for the next hearing. a terrorist act, it said. the girl, who is struggling cials to ensure the best pos­ for her life, can be heard sible treatment to the victim CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC saying that the victims were at government cost, a re­ CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC found with their limbs tied lease said. ₹403 cr. illegally taken Hyderabad wins global ‘Tree City’ status as capitation fees: I­T PM must explain sudden Urban forestry campaign gets global recognition from Arbor Day Foundation, FAO 9 Trusts in Karnataka under scanner removal of Bedi: Alagiri Special Correspondent statement said. Special Correspondent graduate seats. The Trusts HYDERABAD The city was evaluated on New Delhi are registered in Bengaluru ‘Cong. had been complaining for years’ Hyderabad has won a green five metrics: ‘Establish The Income Tax depart­ and Mangaluru. contest among cities in Responsibility’, ‘Set the ment has detected illegal re­ On Wednesday, the de­ Special Correspondent vernment. But today she has India, and emerged one of Rules’, ‘Know What You ceipt of ₹402.78 crore in partment carried out CHENNAI been sent out. We don’t the ‘Tree Cities of the Have’, ‘Allocate the capitation fees by nine searches at 56 locations in Prime Minister Narendra know what is going to hap­ World’. That title has been Resources’, and ‘Celebrate Trusts running educa­ Karnataka and Kerala, Modi must explain the rea­ pen to Tamilisai. This is an bestowed by the Arbor Day the Achievements’. tional institutions in during which it seized son behind the sudden re­ anti­democratic act,” he Foundation and the Food City leaders must Karnataka by allegedly ₹15.09 crore in cash, moval of Lt. Governor Kiran said. and Agriculture delegate responsibility for manipulating the on­ 81 kg gold jewellery Bedi when the Congress had Mr. Alagiri asked what is­ Organization (FAO). the care of trees to a staff line admission process worth about ₹30 been complaining against sue had been found against Hyderabad has been member, a city department, in collusion with crore, 50 carat dia­ her for the past four­and­a­ Ms. Bedi now. “When we selected for its commitment or a group of citizens called agents and some stu­ monds and 40 kg of half years without any ac­ were complaining for the to growing and maintaining Golden glow: A road with tree cover in Hyderabad on a Tree Board. dents who scored high silver articles from the resi­ tion being taken, said Tamil past four­and­a­half years urban forestry, a statement Thursday. * G. RAMAKRISHNA “Hyderabad city is ranks in the National Eligi­ dential premises of the trus­ Nadu Congress Committee that she was working from the GHMC said on demonstrating leadership in bility­cum­Entrance Test tees. president K.S. Alagiri. against a democratically Thursday. With the Australia. The Municipal on January 31 this year, management of its urban (NEET). The process of selection “Kiran Bedi had said she elected government, there recognition, the city joins Administration and Urban citing the State trees and is serving as part The agency has gathered to medical colleges through would send Narayanasami was no action. But now the 120 others from 23 Development Department government’s Haritha of the solution to many of proof about cash­for­seat NEET was subverted by the [Chief Minister] out of the PM has removed her. What countries, including the applied for consideration Haram programme and its the global issues we face malpractices for admission trustees in conspiracy with Cabinet and form the go­ is the reason?” U.S., the U.K., Canada, and with an online submission Urban Forest Parks plan, the today,” a statement said. to the MBBS, BDS and post­ others.

CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 NEWS 9 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Shift Unnao survivor to Biometric authentication Did not leak Disha Ravi case Delhi: Cong. to benefit farmers: Centre Special Correspondent documents: Delhi Police to HC New Delhi The Congress on Thursday It will aid in tracking end­use beneficiaries: Piyush Goyal Court issues notice to News Broadcasting Standards Authority, 3 media houses launched a scathing attack on the Yogi Adityanath go­ Special Correspondent given cheques to be en­ Staff Reporter the petitioner’s private al­ vernment after two Dalit NEW DELHI cashed. The money should New Delhi leged WhatsApp chats by girls died under “suspi­ In a bid to cut out the mid­ go directly into the farmers’ The Delhi Police on Thurs­ media houses, including cious circumstances” in a dleman and ensure greater accounts,” Mr. Majhi said. day informed the Delhi High Respondent Nos. 4­6 village in Unnao district of transparency in the procure­ The next step was the bio­ Court that they had not (News18, India Today and Uttar Pradesh, and de­ ment of farm produce, the metric authentication leaked any documents relat­ Times Now), is a clear viola­ manded that the third sur­ Centre is encouraging the scheme that Uttar Pradesh ing to the investigation into tion of the provisions of the vivor be immediately air­ States to deploy biometric had already rolled out. the FIR against climate Cable Televisions Networks lifted to find out the truth authentication of farmers. “The entire process of change activist Disha Ravi, (Regulation) Act, 1995 (CTN about the incident. The practice, already procurement has to be made arrested in connection with Act), the Programme Code Uttar Pradesh had be­ adopted in Uttar Pradesh faster. Once you have data of the “toolkit” case. and the Uplinking and come the “epicentre of vio­ and set to be rolled out in farmers available and once Solicitor­General Tushar Downlinking Guidelines,” lence against women” and Madhya Pradesh, Chhattis­ they are bio­authenticated, Mehta informed Justice the plea added. the BJP’s slogan of “Beti Ba­ garh and Odisha this year, the entire details are digital­ Prathiba M. Singh that there Silent rally: Activists staging a protest in Thane on Thursday The petition claimed that chao” was a warning to will aid in tracking the end­ ly available to the procure­ was “no leakage” from the the police, on February 14, demanding the release of Disha Ravi. * PTI save the girl child from use beneficiary, Food Minis­ Piyush Goyal ment machinery, the kind of police. tweeted from their official such crimes, the Congress ter Piyush Goyal said at a crop he is cultivating, the Following the statement, tion against News18, India investigation, where she is Twitter handle that, “Disha said. press conference on The Centre had already kind of landholding he has, the court asked the police to Today and Times Now for being viscerally attacked by Ravi, arrested by CyPAD Del­ In a Facebook post, Con­ Thursday. taken steps to roll out online all the details are available,” give an affidavit with the publishing content or ex­ the Respondent No. 1 [Spe­ hi Police, is an Editor of the gress general secretary Pri­ The initiative comes at a payments to farmers who Mr. Majhi said. written submission that they tracts of her private What­ cial Cell, Delhi Police] and Toolkit Google Doc & key yanka Gandhi Vadra, who time when farmers are agi­ sell their produce to the go­ This initiative reduced the had not leaked any informa­ sApp chats, alleging it to be several media houses... on conspirator in documents is in charge of Uttar Pra­ tating for a legal guarantee vernment, said Food Minis­ need for extensive paper­ tion relating to the case to “violative of fair trial rights the basis of leaked investiga­ formulation & dissemina­ desh, alleged that the fami­ that all their crops will be try Additional Secretary Ed­ work, prevented leakages the media. and right to privacy”. tive matter”. tion...” ly of the victim had been procured at a minimum sup­ win Kulbhushan Majhi. and speeded up process of The court also issued not­ Ms. Ravi, a permanent re­ Ms. Ravi said her mobile put under house arrest that port price (MSP) and de­ It had directed the State procurement, with payment ice to the News Broadcasting sident of Bengaluru, was ar­ phone and laptop were ‘Direct violation’ obstructed justice. “We re­ manding the repeal of three governments of Haryana settlement being completed Standards Authority (NBSA) rested in connection with an seized by the Special Cell, This, she said, was in “direct quest the UP government farm reform laws that they and Punjab to ensure pay­ within 72 hours, he said. and three media houses — FIR registered on February Delhi Police, at 11 a.m. on Fe­ violation of the Ministry of to listen to the family and believe will weaken the cur­ ments in e­mode from the “The other advantage is News18, India Today and 4. The plea claimed that she bruary 13, and had not been Home Affairs Office Memo­ take immediate steps to rent system of procurement upcoming season, and was that the farmer gets a receipt Times Now — named in the was flown overnight to New accessed by her since then. randum dated 01.04.2010 shift the third child to Delhi at State­run markets. In expecting all the States to for his goods, showing the petition filed by Ms. Ravi. Delhi without obtaining “Thus, only Respondent No. Advisory on Media Policy of for treatment,” she said. States such as Punjab and follow suit this year. quantity and the MSP price, transit remand in flagrant 1 had access to the contents Police, because they outright Haryana, where the agita­ “We would like all pay­ so nobody can cheat the Seeks action violation of her constitution­ of the petitioner’s private prejudge the guilt of the peti­ tion has been the strongest, ments released by the Cen­ farmer,” said Mr. Goyal. He The 22­year­old, in her plea, al rights. conversations and any leaks tioner and disclose confiden­ middlemen who act as com­ tral government to the farm­ did not respond to a query sought to restrain the police The petition stated that of the same necessarily con­ tial and prejudicial informa­ IWPC hails mission agents or arhitiyas ers... that we are able to whether bio authentication from leaking any investiga­ Ms. Ravi “is severely ag­ stitutes the commission of a tion about the status of are a key part of the procure­ track them online. There would be mandatory for tion material relating to her grieved and prejudiced by cognisable offence,” the plea investigation”. verdict in ment process at these should not be any intermedi­ farmers to participate in the case to the media. the media trial surrounding said. “The further publica­ The High Court will hear Ramani case mandis. aries, farmers should not be procurement process. She also pleaded for ac­ her arrest and the ongoing tion and dissemination of the case on Friday.

Special Correspondent New Delhi Congress wins The Indian Women’s Press ‘Centre correcting historical SC seeks response for plea on Corps (IWPC) has wel­ Mohali civic comed the court verdict ac­ body election remote electronic voting system quitting Priya Ramani in a mistakes of neglecting Assam’ defamation case filed by former Union Minister M.J. SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Legal Correspondent tually. A Bench led by Chief Initially, the Bench sound­ Akbar, whom she had ac­ PM Modi virtually launches water connectivity projects CHANDIGARH NEW DELHI Justice of India Sharad A. ed sceptical and asked the cused of sexual harass­ The ruling Congress in The Supreme Court on Bobde issued notice to the petitioner to approach the ment. SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ter Independence, when Punjab won the Sahibzada Thursday sought a response authorities on a plea by a na­ government. In a statement here, the GUWAHATI this infrastructure was sup­ Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) from the Union government tive of Kerala, K. Sathyan, re­ When Mr. Raj argued that IWPC commended the Prime Minister Narendra posed to be modernised, As­ Municipal Corporation and the Election Commis­ presented by advocate Ka­ many people had left their courage shown by Ms. Ra­ Modi on Thursday said the sam was left to its fate,” Mr. election on Thursday. sion of India on a petition leeswaram Raj, that home places to earn a liveli­ mani and key defence wit­ Centre had taken up various Modi said. The Congress won 37 of seeking the setting up of a electoral law required to be hood and may not be able to ness and journalist Ghazala development projects to He said negligence almost the 50 wards while 13 “secured remote electronic brought in tune with the return to participate in the Wahab. “It is a vindication correct the historical mis­ killed the waterways in As­ wards were won by Inde­ voting system” to allow citi­ modern times and electoral process, the Bench of us women journalists, takes of neglecting Assam. sam until former Prime Mi­ pendents. The results were zens to cast their vote vir­ technology. agreed to issue notice. who have forever protest­ He underlined the nister Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared a day after results ed sexual harassment and Centre’s commitment to in­ began correcting the mis­ of the other seven munici­ assault and shied away frastructure development in takes. The State’s develop­ pal corporations were an­ from unwelcome attention the State while virtually ment is the Centre’s priori­ nounced as the State Elec­ in the newsroom. All we launching ‘Mahabahu Brah­ ty, he added. tion Commission had want is a safe working maputra’, a package of mul­ “Connectivity remained a directed re­polling in two space...; instead, we often ti­modal water connectivity Narendra Modi challenge because work on wards of Mohali. find that the predators are projects that includes a connectivity via the Brah­ Nine Independent coun­ within,” the statement 19.282 km bridge which will to reach the Chittagong port maputra did not happen. cillors of the Moga Corpo­ said. be India’s longest across a (in present­day Bangladesh) Now, work is being expedit­ ration, one from Pathankot Even at the height of the river. and Kolkata via Brahmapu­ ed. The double engines of and two from the Sujanpur “Me Too” movement, only “Assam was one of the tra, Padma and Meghna riv­ Assam and Central govern­ Municipal Council joined 20 women journalists de­ States giving the highest re­ ers and the railway. Connec­ ment tried to reduce the ge­ the Congress in the pre­ cided to go public about venues. Those days, petro­ tivity was the reason behind ographical and cultural dis­ sence of State Congress their ordeal, it said. leum products and tea used Assam’s prosperity. But af­ tances,” Mr. Modi said. president Sunil Jakhar. ‘Plot against Gogoi can’t be ruled out’

Bench closes 2019 case, saying it will be difficult to get electronic evidence

Legal Correspondent preme Court judiciary, said retrieving the electron­ cy hatched by persons “un­ NEW DELHI including then Chief Justice ic evidence to establish con­ happy” with his “serious The Supreme Court on Gogoi. The court said Jus­ spiracy was difficult now. tough” judicial orders Thursday said the existence tice Patnaik did not rule out The Bench, in its order, passed in cases like the As­ of a “conspiracy” against a conspiracy though he was also referred to the final pa­ sam NRC and his decisions former Chief Justice of India handicapped by limited in­ ragraph in Justice Patnaik’s to streamline the Supreme Ranjan Gogoi cannot be vestigative powers and ac­ report, which records a let­ Court Registry. “completely ruled out”. cess to records. ter to him from the Intelli­ The sexual harassment It was referring to a re­ A Bench led by Justice gence Bureau Director on allegation against Justice port filed by the retired Su­ S.K. Kaul decided to close July 5, 2019. Gogoi was set aside by an preme Court judge Justice the suo motu case titled “In The letter, the court not­ in­house inquiry commit­ A.K. Patnaik, who was re: Matter of great public ed, indicated there was a tee. The former court staff­ tasked with investigating al­ importance touching upon “strong reason” to believe er who levelled the allega­ legations of a “larger con­ the independence of judici­ that Justice Gogoi may have tion had pulled out of the spiracy” against the Su­ ary” registered in 2019. It been a target of a conspira­ committee hearings. WhatsApp messaging users on privacy

Firm says it had encountered misinformation on now­deferred new policy special correspondent It said while other apps NEW DELHI say they are better because WhatsApp, which faced a they know even less infor­ severe backlash over the lat­ mation than WhatsApp, it est update to its privacy pol­ believes that people are icy, will now leverage its looking for apps to be both own platform to reach out reliable and safe, even if to users directly via the that requires WhatsApp “status” feature, while also having some limited data. putting up banners on the was to come into effect on tions and is about “optional “We have reflected on application, to share de­ February 8. business features”. what we could have done tailed information on the However, amid criticism The company said dur­ better here. We want eve­ proposed policy updates. and confusion over the up­ ing this time, some people ryone to know our history “We previously encoun­ dates resulting in sharing of may check out other apps of defending end­to­end en­ tered a great deal of misin­ users’ data with Facebook, to see what they have to off­ cryption and trust we are formation about this up­ the company had pushed er. committed to protecting date and we continue to back the roll­out to May 15. “We’ve seen some of our people’s privacy and securi­ work hard to clear up any It has since clarified that competitors try to get away ty. We’re now using our Sta­ confusion... We’ll be doing this update does not ex­ with claiming they can’t see tus feature to share our va­ much more to make our pand its ability to share data people’s messages — if an lues and updates directly voice clear going forward,” with Facebook. It stressed app doesn’t offer end­to­ within WhatsApp. We’ll be the Facebook­owned in­ that this update does not end encryption by default doing much more to make stant messaging firm said. change the privacy of peo­ that means they can read our voice clear going WhatsApp’s new policy ple’s personal conversa­ your messages.” forward.” CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

DELHI THE HINDU 10 NEWS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF PM moots special visa scheme Centre issues fresh norms for medical staff in South Asia for international travellers Declaration form, COVID­negative report to be uploaded Countries, including Pakistan, suggest structured discussion for cooperation Immediate release of special correspondent Prof. Saibaba sought Special Correspondent New Delhi MUMBAI er. Many other regions and NEW DELHI The Committee for Defence groups followed our early ex­ The Union government has and Release of Prof. G.N. Prime Minister Narendra ample,” he said. issued a fresh set of air travel Saibaba has sought his Modi, at a workshop on “CO­ “Today, the hopes of our guidelines, as the country re­ immediate release from jail VID­19 management: ex­ region and the world are fo­ ported the presence of the as he has tested positive for change of good practices in cused on rapid deployment U.K., South Africa and Brazil COVID­19 and has severe tackling pandemic and the of vaccines. In this too, we mutant variants of SARS­ body pain and muscle spasm. way forward” with nine must maintain the same CoV­2 that have demonstrat­ It asked Maharashtra Home neighbouring countries on cooperative and collabora­ ed increased transmissibili­ Minister and the jail Thursday, suggested that tive spirit.” ty, as reported by the World authorities to consider his they consider creating a spe­ Health Minister Harsh Health Organization. They case sympathetically. cial visa scheme for doctors The Prime Minister sug­ done during the pandemic, Vardhan delivered the valed­ have been currently detect­ and nurses so that they can gested that the Civil Aviation he said that when it hit the ictory address at the meet ed in 86, 44 and 15 countries L&T delivers 100th K9 travel quickly within the re­ Ministries could coordinate world last year, many ex­ which saw the participation respectively, India being one Vajra howitzer to Army gion during health emergen­ a regional air ambulance perts voiced special concern of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, of them. NEW DELHI cies, on the request of the re­ agreement for contingen­ about our densely populated Bhutan, the Maldives, Mauri­ The new SOP (standard Quick check: Airlines are to identify travellers arriving from or Army Chief Gen Manoj ceiving country. cies, and countries could region. tius, Nepal, Pakistan, the operating procedure), which transiting through the U.K., South Africa and Brazil. Naravane on Thursday India is hosting a Secre­ come together to create a re­ “But, from the very begin­ Seychelles and Sri Lanka. will come into effect at 11.59 flagged off the 100th K9 tary­level virtual meeting on gional platform for collating, ning, we all met this chal­ Sources said all countries p.m. on February 22 was re­ on the online portal 72 hours port. If they test positive, Vajra tracked self­propelled COVID­19 management with compiling and studying data lenge with a coordinated res­ including Pakistan support­ leased late on Wednesday prior to boarding. they have to undergo treat­ howitzer built by Larsen & the countries including Pa­ about the effectiveness of ponse. In March, we were ed the PM’s proposals and night. “Based on the risk as­ ment as per standard health Toubro (L&T) at its armoured system complex at Hazira in kistan. It is being chaired by COVID­19 vaccines among the first to come together for suggested a structured dis­ sessment, this document Mention of travel history protocol, the SOP says. Gujarat. With this, L&T had Health Secretary Rajesh our populations. recognising the threat and cussion for regional coopera­ shall be reviewed from time For all international travell­ The Ministry of Health completed the delivery of all Bhushan. Highlighting the work committing to fight it togeth­ tion to take them forward. to time,” the guidelines say. ers coming from or transit­ and Family Welfare, in con­ the howitzers under the All international travellers ing through flights originat­ sultation with the Ministry of contract awarded in May 2017 are required to submit a self­ ing from the UK, Europe and Civil Aviation, reviewed the ahead of schedule, the declaration form on Air Su­ West Asia, apart from sub­ situation with regard to company said. vidha portal and upload a mitting the self­declaration point­of­entry actions and is­ More roads on Arunachal border COVID­negative RT­PCR re­ form online and carrying the sued the guidelines. Sachin Joshi remanded in port, with the test having COVID­19 negative report, The contacts of any case ED custody till Feb. 22 been conducted within 72 they are required to mention of suspected infection are MUMBAI Union Minister Rijiju says the pace of development has picked up after 2014 hours prior to undertaking their travel history of the the co­passengers seated in A special Prevention of the journey. Each passenger past 14 days. They also need the same row, three rows in Money Laundering Act Vijaita Singh der phase II of the Indo­Chi­ should also submit a declara­ to mention when they plan front and three rows behind (PMLA) court on Thursday New Delhi na Border Roads (ICBR) tion regarding the authentic­ to disembark at the arrival along with the identified ca­ remanded actor and The Union government has scheme. The roads, measur­ businessman Sachin Joshi in ity of the report and will be airport or take further flights bin crew. given the go­ahead for criti­ ing 638.12 km and amount­ Enforcement Directorate (ED) liable for criminal prosecu­ to India. Also, all the community custody till February 22 in a cal infrastructure develop­ ing to ₹12,434.90 crore, are tion if found otherwise, the Airlines are to identify tra­ contacts of those travellers ₹22 crore slum rehabilitation ment in Arunachal Pradesh to come up in Ladakh, Hima­ guidelines say. vellers arriving from or tran­ who have tested positive fraud case involving the at an estimated cost of more chal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Only those travelling to In­ siting through the U.K., (during home quarantine pe­ Omkar Group. than ₹1,100 crore. It would Sikkim and Arunachal dia in case of emergencies South Africa and Brazil and riod) will be subjected to in­ include construction of Pradesh. such as the death of a family segregate them during the stitutional quarantine in sep­ SC asks govt. for reply roads and 18 foot­tracks mea­ member will be allowed to journey and while deboard­ arate centres for 14 days and on protection of trees suring 598 km, a senior go­ Many delays arrive without a COVID­19 ing. These travellers will tested as per the Indian NEW DELHI vernment official said. The first phase was initiated negative report. However, have to give their samples for Council of Medical Research Chief Justice of India Sharad The official said most pro­ in 2005, when it was decided they should seek exemption testing before exiting the air­ protocol. A. Bobde on Thursday asked jects were earmarked in that the Ministry of Home Af­ the government whether Boundary issues: Both India and China have been developing areas along the China border * fairs (MHA) would construct measures could be taken to infrastructure along the border. FILE PHOTO in north and northeast part 27 priority roads totalling prevent the felling of trees of of Arunachal. ters,” Mr. Rijiju told The border due to lack of road 608 km along China areas at a certain species and age. The Hindu Left parties slam fuel price hike remarks came as an expert Arunachal shares its lon­ . and foot­tracks, the official an estimated cost of ₹912 committee filed a report that gest border with China, fol­ The Cabinet Committee said. crore and other 14 roads will said the felling of 300 lowed by Myanmar and Bhu­ on Security (CCS), headed by India and China recently be built by agencies such as ‘Concessions prices had fallen by nearly The corporate tax reve­ heritage trees to construct tan. Prime Minister Narendra reached a consensus to with­ the Border Roads Organisa­ 50% from 2014. That year, nue had dipped from ₹6.81 five railway overbridges in Union Sports Minister Ki­ Modi, in December 2020, draw from the north and tion (BRO). made to the rich the base price of petrol was to ₹6.38 lakh crores in com­ West Bengal would cost India ren Rijiju, who is an MP from cleared a proposal for “deve­ south banks of Pangong Tso The first phase has missed while poor suffer’ ₹47.12. In 2021, it was ₹29.34. parison to the previous year, a staggering ₹2.2 billion in Arunachal, said the pace of lopment of critical infras­ (lake) in eastern Ladakh af­ several deadlines, and in No­ The tax component was while the income tax reve­ ecological value. development along the Chi­ tructure” in Arunachal Pra­ ter a 10­month face­off. vember 2017, at the height of Special Correspondent nearly 38% of the cost. nue had come down from na border had picked up af­ desh “at a cost of ₹1162.19 The build­up continues in the Doklam crisis, the Cabi­ New Delhi The party pointed out ₹5.61 lakh crore to ₹5.47 lakh Assam CM is running a ter 2014. crore”. China has made ra­ other areas in Ladakh­ Dep­ net sanctioned another The Left parties have that the tax levied by the crore, the statement said. syndicate, says Baghel “Earlier, the government pid strides in border areas of sang, Demchok, Gogra­ ₹3482.52 crore to complete slammed the yet another Centre increased by a whop­ “The Modi government’s GUWAHATI followed a restrictive policy Arunachal by setting up new Hotsprings and Galwan Val­ the construction of roads by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister hike in excise duties on fuel, ping 217% since the Modi go­ bonanza to the rich and its and areas along the China villages and a labyrinth of ley, where patrolling by In­ December 2020. Bhupesh Baghel said his saying the hikes were meant vernment took over in 2014. cronies is sought to be made Assam counterpart border were not developed road network. dian troops within India’s According to a December to offset the losses to govern­ “These hikes in the excise up by these excise duty Sarbananda Sonowal is much. Many projects have perception of the Line of Ac­ 2019 report of a parliamen­ ment revenue due to the tax duties are clearly meant to hikes imposing further bur­ running a syndicate instead of been sanctioned along the Arduous task tual Control (LAC) has been tary standing committee, in concessions provided to cor­ offset the losses to govern­ dens on the people, who are a government. While the BJP China border now and the The Indo­Tibetan Border blocked by the Chinese all 137 roads are to be built porates and were punishing ment revenues due to the already groaning under the is seeking votes in the name construction is taking place Police (ITBP) personnel took troops. along the China border in the common man. tax concessions provided to double whammy attack on of cow protection, the Assam at a fast pace. The project in­ around 21 days to march on In September 2020, the three phases­ 41 under The CPI(M) Polit Bureau corporates and income tax their livelihoods by the pan­ government is encouraging cludes motorable road, mule foot to the last patrolling CCS cleared a proposal for phase­I, 46 under phase­II said the hikes have come at a payees,” the Polit Bureau demic and the economic re­ cattle trade, he said. tracks and facilities for por­ point at the Arunachal­China construction of 32 roads un­ and 50 in phase­III. time when international oil said in a statement. cession,” it stated. Visible change in NC boycotts delimitation meet ‘Action of U.N. Survey to address data experts gap on migrant workers J&K, say envoys Factor in terrain while demarcating constituencies, says BJP deplorable’ Software, questionnaires launched Diplomats meet L­G Manoj Sinha Special Correspondent Desai (retd.), met two of the ical features; existing boun­ Special Correspondent NEW DELHI five associate members to daries of administrative un­ NEW DELHI Special Correspondent Peerzada Ashiq The three National Confe­ seek their suggestions on the its; facilities of India on Thursday said rais­ NEW DELHI Jammu rence MPs from Kashmir process of delimitation in communication and public ing the issues of Kashmir The lack of data on workers, The 24 envoys, who toured boycotted the first meeting of Jammu and Kashmir, a state­ convenience. They also sug­ and the status of minorities which was evident during Jammu on their second day the Delimitation Commis­ ment said. gested to give special atten­ by the U.N. Special Rappor­ the COVID­19­induced lock­ visit to J&K on Thursday, sion with associate members National Conference MPs tion to the difficult terrains teurs (SR) on minority is­ down in 2020, would be ad­ told Lieutenant Governor from Jammu and Kashmir on Farooq Abdullah, Moham­ while carrying out the delim­ sues and freedom of reli­ dressed by the five all­India Manoj Sinha that the situa­ Thursday. The two BJP repre­ mad Abkar Lone and Has­ itation exercise in the Union gion was “deplorable”. labour surveys being con­ tion was “witnessing a visi­ sentatives from Jammu, who nain Masoodi gave it a miss. Territory of Jammu and “It is deplorable that the ducted by the Labour Bu­ ble change” in the Union attended the meeting, asked “The two associate mem­ Kashmir,” the statement by SRs after sharing their reau, Labour and Employ­ Territory (UT), L­G Manoj Sinha greeting the panel to factor in terrain bers appreciated the com­ the commission said. questionnaire on February ment Minister Santosh “Change is visible in J&K. envoys in Jammu. and existing boundaries mission’s efforts and suggest­ The three NC MPs wrote to 10 did not even wait for our Kumar Gangwar said on Many migrant workers The envoys’ visit to J&K is an when drawing the consti­ ed that delimitation of Justice Desai on Wednesday response. Instead, they Thursday. walked to their villages from eye opener and improved bilise the security situation tuency lines in the Union constituencies shall be as far saying that they would not at­ chose to release their inac­ Speaking at the launch of cities during the lockdown. the understanding of impor­ and trigger social disharmo­ Territory, according to a as practicable, be for geo­ tend as the delimitation exer­ curate assumptions to the the software and question­ tant issues concerning J&K,” ny by exporting terror, the statement. graphically compact areas cise was being conducted un­ media,” said Anurag Srivas­ naires for the surveys, Mr. give data — how many were Eritrea Ambassador Alem government is resolute to­ The commission, chaired and while delimiting them der the Jammu and Kashmir tava, spokesperson of the Gangwar said the replies gi­ walking home and if any un­ Tsehaye Woldermariam wards the holistic and equit­ by Justice Ranjana Prakash regard shall be given to phys­ Reorganisation Act, 2019. Ministry of External Affairs. ven in the Lok Sabha were fortunate incidents oc­ said, as he presented a vote able development of J&K.” akin to “running away from curred to them. The surveys of thanks on behalf of the He said the recent District our responsibility”. on migrant and domestic delegation to Mr. Sinha in Development Council polls He was referring to the workers, those employed by Jammu. were “peaceful, violence­ Chamoli death Ministry’s lack of data on transport sector and by pro­ Mr. Sinha said the August free and fair”. ‘Oram told Rahul to be brief migrant workers when fessionals as well as the all­ 5 move has “ended years of Around 26 people repre­ toll touches 61 asked about their condition India quarterly establish­ suffering for J&K people”. senting civil society groups during the pandemic. ment­based employment “Efforts of the Prime Mi­ and elected members met Special Correspondent at House panel discussion’ He said when questions survey would be completed New Delhi nister have ushered the UT the envoys too. were raised, many people in eight months, said La­ into a new era, bringing so­ “No one demanded state­ The death toll in the Cha­ Issues including to allow his leader to com­ told him that it was the bour Secretary Apurva cio­economic development hood [during the meeting]. moli disaster in Uttarak­ plete his question. Home Ministry’s remit to Chandra. in the region and empower­ Everyone told them that hand went up to 61 on stand­off with Mr. Gandhi, after walking ment of people. We have de­ they were happy with the Thursday. The identities of China discussed out of a meeting of the de­ veloped an ecosystem of de­ abrogation of special status 34 bodies have been fence panel in protest last mocratic values, welfare since they got their rights, determined. Special Correspondent December, had written to 25 cities in Nurturing principles and economic de­ which were denied before The search teams have New Delhi Lok Sabha Speaker Om Bir­ velopment in J&K,” the L­G August 5, 2019 in J&K,” Jam­ so far recovered 28 human Chairman of the parliamen­ la. said. mu Municipal Corporation body parts from different tary panel on Defence Jual Rahul Gandhi On December 16, 2020, Neighbourhoods contest He apprised the envoys of Mayor Chander Mohan Gup­ places. Oram reportedly asked Lok when the defence panel was investments made in infras­ ta said. A Defence Research and Sabha member and former The panel is believed to pre­scheduled to discuss the Special Correspondent the Ministry said. The se­ tructure, industries, educa­ J&K Congress president Development Organisation Congress chief Rahul Gandhi have discussed sensitive is­ subject of “military un­ NEW DELHI lected cities were Agartala, tion, healthcare, skill deve­ G.A Mir termed the envoys’ team, accompanied by In­ to be brief while asking sues, including the face­off iform”, Mr. Gandhi wanted The Urban Affairs Ministry Bengaluru, Coimbatore, lopment and sustainable meetings as “stage­managed do­Tibetan Border Police questions during a meeting with China on the Eastern to discuss the military situa­ on Thursday announced the Dharamshala, Erode, Hub­ livelihood. “Every citizen of show”. (ITBP) personnel, is on its of the panel on Thursday. Ladakh border. tion. But Mr. Oram did not names of the 25 cities select­ balli­Dharwad, Hyderabad, J&K has a safe future and re­ Taking a jibe at the en­ way to inspect the lake The panel, of which Mr. Sources said when Mr. allow him to “deviate” from ed for the Nurturing Neigh­ Indore, Jabalpur, Kakinada, cognition,” the L­G said. voys, National Conference formed close to Rounthi Gandhi is a member, has Gandhi was asking questions the pre­fixed agenda. In bourhoods Challenge under Kochi, Kohima, Kota, Nag­ Terming terrorism as the vice­president Omar Abdul­ Gad after the floods. They been discussing the Demand regarding expenditure on of­ protest, Mr. Gandhi not only the Smart Cities Mission. pur, Rajkot, Ranchi, Rohtak, biggest enemy of human­ lah said, “Thank you for vis­ reached the confluence of for Grants for the Defence ficers and soldiers, Mr. Oram walked out, he followed it up The shortlisted cities Rourkela, Salem, Surat, Thi­ kind, the Lt. Governor said, iting Kashmir. Now please Rishiganga and Raunthi Ministry since Wednesday asked him to be brief. Con­ with a letter to the Speaker would carry out projects for ruvananthapuram, Tirup­ “Despite relentless attempts send some real tourists from Gad from Muranda axis on and will complete its deliber­ gress member Rajeev Satav the next day in which he ex­ making early childhood­ pur, Ujjain, Vadodara, and by our neighbour to desta­ your countries to visit J&K.” Thursday. ations on Friday. then asked the Chairperson pressed his “dismay”. friendly neighbourhoods, Warangal.

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THE HINDU DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 SHOWCASE 11 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: HORS D'OEUVRE Have you been scoffing at all Does the Tik Tok fermented stuff? pasta hack work? Stop. It’s time to be Lets be honest. A little cheating is inevitable. Not seen with kombucha just because we are skeptical about a viral Tik Tok recipe. But also remember, inevitably, locally in your hand, as the grown cherry tomatoes, basil, desi feta cheese and brew evolves from grocery store olive oil will not taste the same as ingredients sourced from a European supermarket. virtuous health fad, The pasta that began it all was reportedly by Jenni to feisty Häyrinen from Finland, who calls herself a “food artist” on Instagram. She posted an alluring simple summer cooler recipe on Tik Tok for Uunifeta pasta, or baked feta pasta: drizzle cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic and a block of feta with olive oil. Then bake, blend with a fork and toss with cooked pasta. It quickly went viral. So viral, that in an interview prabalika M borah Häyrinen said stores in Finland ran out of feta cheese. In an Instagram post, she says she had two followers when she posted the original uunifeta Consider your drink game up­to­ pasta, and now has “half a million views to date, date if you have had kombucha and not too shabby.” want it as your go­to summer drink Does it work? That depends on how much of a food this year. Those who have not tried snob you are. It is a quick, easy, one bowl dinner it yet, even out of curiosity, better that is morishly cheesey, with a pleasing, but not step up their beverage game. placed in a cooler environment to Sip by sip The drink is closely overwhelming, saltiness. However, the flavours are Home brewers of kombucha like slow down the carbonation and fer­ associated with veganism but has fairly basic, leaning heavily on ingredient quality. to call it their lockdown drink expe­ mentation processes,” adds Rohan fans across the culinary spectrum Which brings us back to the cheats. We drizzled riment, driven by an urge to try Additionally, the anti­microbial * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT honey to balance the saltiness of the feta, grated and brew something new and safe properties of this process make its the garlic for a more even flavour and added a teaspoon of tomato paste to up the umami. Finally, for all. Soon enough, its popularity production sanitary, and safe for Hydra Kombucha brewer Rahul we added a handful of fresh rocket, just before blossomed and kombucha made its Cha­cha home­brewing. S, based in Hyderabad, says he tast­ taking it out of the oven, to lighten the starchiness. way into branded bottles in cafes According to health journals like ed his first kombucha in Gokarna Verdict: Delicious, but probably just a fun one­time and store shelves in many cities. Science Direct, kombucha originat­ while on holiday and soon began experiment. This serves two, so although it does Home brewed brands like Kom­ ed in Northeast China (historically brewing it from his place in Mani­ not feel heavy, you do end up eating half a block of bucha of the Earth, Ombucha, Hy­ with referred to as Manchuria) around pal. feta in one sitting. Too many Uunifeta dinners could dra Kombucha, Booch Please, 220 BC and was prized for its heal­ Rahul says, “I was a student at prove to be Uunifatty. CommBucha Happy Booch, Bhu ing properties. Manipal and wanted to drink kom­ Kombucha The Kombucha Co. etc bucha once I was back from my ho­ are finding an increasing number A question of roots liday. When I couldn’t find any, I of takers who want to experiment kombucha Some journals say its name is re­ decided to brew my own kombu­ with newer drinks with or without portedly derived from DrKombu, a cha . I studied all about the brewing health benefits. Korean physician who brought the process on the Internet. After two Rohan Srivatsa who launched In layman terms, kombucha is a Talking about the merits claimed fermented tea to Japan as a curative or three trial batches, I had my Ombucha in Hyderabad following fermented tea that is best enjoyed by kombucha brewers, Delhi­based for Emperor Inkyo. drinks. When I first made kombu­ his lockdown trials, feels the drink cold, and may or may not be fla­ nutritionist Lovneet Batra says cha three years ago, it took me six is closely associated with veganism voured. It is often made from green “Anything to do with gut health is or seven months to make small because of the ingredients used. or black tea. Kombucha brewer Re­ gaining popularity these days. batches and cater to smaller He says, “Every ingredient used nuka Vijay Kumar says, “It is largely Kombucha being fermented tea, groups who appreciate the drink.” is natural and plant­based, so it is classified as a functional beverage, gets its probiotic goodness.” The Rahul suggests fruity tropical fla­ assumed to be vegan. As a kombu­ which means it is a non­alcoholic author of 50Desisuperdrinks, Lov­ vours as the best ones to begin cha brewer, I would call it a safe drink that contains vitamins, ami­ neet adds, “The addition of herbs with. Rohan adds that a number of drink for everyone. I got hooked on no acids or other nutrients asso­ and the use of green tea makes it an the followers of his brand are peo­ to it in Goa and back in Hyderabad, ciated with health benefits.” anti­oxidant.” ple who look for anything fizzy, I couldn’t find a good kombucha. The process of preparing kom­ non­alcoholic and “not sweet. So, I started brewing it on my own. bucha can vary. As a thumb rule, Those who want to avoid sugary I started small and when I was con­ HOW INDIANS LOVE TO FERMENT it involves a double fermenta­ fizzy drinks, happily pick up a fident of the flavours, I began shar­ Gundruk, fermented ra dish tion process wherein a SCO­ kombucha”. ing it with friends.” shoots BY (a disc­shaped symbiotic But let us not be fooled: Dhanesh Sharma of Hyderabad­ culture of bacteria and kombucha has sugar and based Terrasen café explains that Shikanji made with winter black yeast) is placed in a swee­ Lovneet suggests that to kombucha is an ancient Central and red carrots and beets tened tea mixture and left to avoid excess intake of Asian drink. “It started getting as­ Fermented cane shoot ferment at room temperature sugar we must pay at­ sociated with vegan food because for one to three weeks. tention to the label. vegans, in their need to explore Tungrumbai made by the Khasi Then, it is bottled and “A 250 ml bottle healthier alternatives, started ex­ tribe of Meghalaya made to sit, to encourage shouldn’t contain ploring a food option that was less Apong, fermented rice beer carbonation. “After that, more than 10 grams of heard of,” he adds. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA the bottled kombucha is sugar,” she advises.

Sweta Akundi Strong start The initiative is less than a year old, but When the pandemic forced already delivers across the Aaron Barboza and Arnav country * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Sheth to stow away their pass­ My mealbox, ports, the travelbug­bitten market for this superfood. I friends brought the countries chose a rural area near Karkala in they missed to their homes in Udupi, which is my native place, Mumbai — through food. A to establish this unit because I window into another city, my plane ticket knew there was a dearth of job another life. opportunities there. Migrating Once every month at their was not a viable proposition for nascent Instagram business This Mumbai duo is packing DIY meal kits that help lockdown­ most women there,” says Raksha, Koi (@cookwithkoi), the 22­ hit wanderers taste foreign cusines once a month who had also moved to Bengalu­ year­olds curate DIY meal kits ru for work. featuring traditional food Raksha and her father Gopi­ from faraway lands. Founded nath Shenoy, also an entrepre­ in July last year, the Koi box neur, decided to run their opera­ has brought customers, in tions out of Miyar, a few Mumbai and Bengaluru, kilometres from Karkala. And three­course meals from Thai­ that is how Nummy (short for land, Vietnam, Korea, Greece, naturally yummy) makhana was and Spain. This month, Koi launched in August last year. In heads to Japan; the kit con­ less than a year, this small­town tains all ingredients needed to business is already shipping its make Japan’s umeboshi onigiri products across the country, as — seasoned sticky rice parcels well as to retail outlets in Telan­ wrapped in seaweed and gana, Maharashtra and stuffed with salty sweet Lessons from Karnataka. plums; miso nikomi udon — a “We wanted to bring out a sim­ bowl of umami flavoured che­ ple product; our flavours are just wy noodles; and fluffy souffle three basic ones — spicy, tangy pancakes. and cheesy — that would appeal “Aaron and I have known February special Koi is going to most Indian palates ,” says each other through college. Japanese with seaweed­ a lotus seed Raksha, “We source seeds from Food and travel is what we wrapped rice parcels, umami­ Bihar and have roasting, season­ bonded over,” says Arnav. The flavoured noodles and a How love for Bihar’s staple makhana ing and packing machines which duo has travelled across dessert * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT a group of 10 women at the unit South­East Asia, to Singapore, helped build an all­woman enterprise in a have learnt to operate.” Vietnam, and Thailand. Eve­ again for birthday parties.” So small hamlet in interior Karnataka “Initially, the women were rywhere they went, “food was now, Koi also offers meal kits hesitant as they did not know the first thing to make me feel for events. This year, expand­ Ruth Dhanaraj ducts,” she adds. how to operate machines and at home in a new place,” says ing their original idea, Koi has The solution was in her own most thought it was a man’s job,” Arnav. started mid­monthly kits deli­ Raksha Shenoy remembers her hands. Raksha had always want­ she says, adding that it took her “I remember talking to Aa­ vered every second Saturday. first attempt at preparing makha- ed to get involved in rural women about a month to educate em­ ron about a specific kind of Called the Dive Bar Nostalgia na or lotus seeds, after reading empowerment, so setting up a ployees about the product. She noodles that you just don’t get other hand, took a deep dive get from a mushroom farmer kit, it was targeted at those about its nutritional value. This unit that would provide employ­ explains, “Since lotus seeds were in Mumbai. You can probably into Asian fermented foods. in Lonavala. But others like missing student haunts next to was about five or six years ago ment in a zero­opportunity lo­ a completely new item here, we Swiggy or Zomato it, but you “Kimchi was the first thing matcha tea leaves, and toga- colleges, and featured combi­ when this superfood had just be­ cale to manufacture snacks had to start from scratch . We have to really look for these that I ever tried and it opened rashi ( a mixture of seven Japa­ nations like chaklis with gun to appear on supermarket seemed to be a good idea. showed them videos of how the niche places,” adds Arnav, up a whole new world for me,” nese spices), are easier to Schezwan, cheese and pop­ shelves in South India. “South India is a fairly new seeds are harvested, how they “We have such great memo­ he says. import.” corn, and butter garlic naan “I had heard about makhana look and how they pop once ries of all these foods from dif­ Once the recipes are tried with chicken or paneer chilli. being eaten during days of fast in EARTHY NUGGETS roasted.” ferent places and we just Sourcing the exotic and tested, ingredients for a People will pay for expe­ North India, and that it was good The pandemic and the ensu­ wanted to share them with our Aaron explains that they se­ three­course meal (barring riential dining, this they have Makhana or lotus seeds are for health. I looked up a few tips ing new normal, ironically, family and friends.” lect recipes of food they have kitchen essentials such as su­ zeroed in on. Meanwhile, they largely cultivated in Bihar, and and recipes online and prepared some parts of North and helped their operations. “There So while the travelling has tasted, or take extensive feed­ gar, salt, pepper, oil, milk) are are choosing between Indone­ a snack. It took a couple of at­ North­eastern India was an increased awareness of paused, their experiments back from those familiar with packed into the kit. Orders are sia and Sri Lanka for the next tempts to get the hang of roasting hygiene, with workers continu­ with cooking foreign dishes the culture in question. open until the 21st of every month. Do they every worry it,” laughs Bengaluru­based They are a premium product as ously washing hands. Other ha­ began. Arnav recalls the deep, “Initially, we replicated the month, and on the last Satur­ they will run out of countries? Raksha. they are still harvested bits like donning caps and chang­ happy slumber he fell into, 30 recipes with Indian ingre­ day, the boxes are packed and “We will go back and revisit “Though popped makhana is manually from water bodies ing footwear at the factory were minutes after polishing off an dients, but now we also im­ dispatched with a recipe note. every country; we have just available, it has to be roasted and Since the process is not easier to inculcate.” indulgent treat of loukou- port certain ingredients,” he “So far, the Korea and made three out of the thou­ seasoned, and is not an attractive mechanised, raw makhana is Nummy is available online at mades — Greek fried dough­ says, “Take the Japanese box Greece kits have seen the best sand dishes they have. So it is snack choice for most people actually costlier than cashew eatnummy.com, Amazon and nuts, served with honey and for example: it needs a combi­ sales,” says Arnav, “Ever since more a problem of plenty, and who prefer ready­to­eat pro­ AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA Big Basket. orange sauce — that he made nation of fresh and dry shii­ we did these two countries, the world is very much our from scratch. Aaron, on the take mushrooms, which we people have asked us to do it oyster,” says Aaron. CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

DELHI THE HINDU 12 SHOWCASE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

from IRCICA in Turkey. In what sounds like an incredible process today, Za­ kariya, who is based in Virginia and doesn’t use electronic commu­ between the nication, tutored Ahmed over postal correspondence for three and a half years. “I used to send my completed exercis­ lines of prayer es from Bengaluru, and he would reply with his comments and corrections by AA 24­year­old with art post. Mr Zakariya didn’t charge me any fees for the tuition, and I feel very fortu­ global presence and her nate to have been his student,” says teacher are among a few Fine lines Ahmed. (Anti-clockwise Zakariya also introduced Ahmed to keeping the art of Arabic from left) Bee tinuous practice,” says Ahmed. his own master Hasan Chalabi from IRCI­ Bee Laisa and her His own encounter with the art form CA, who invited him to Turkey in 2008. calligraphy alive in India artwork; Muqtar is a tribute to his tenacity. As an Interme­ After several visits to Istanbul to learn Ahmed and his Nahla Nainar diate school graduate in a small village in the art, Ahmed earned his Masters de­ creation Telengana, he started learning Urdu and gree in 2013. * SPECIAL Bee Bee Laisa, a final year Engineering ARRANGEMENT Arabic calligraphy and decided to make student in Bengaluru, has a dream. The his career as a scribe for an Urdu publi­ Paying it forward 24­year­old wants to transcribe a copy of cation in Bengaluru, in 1990. “My professors advised me to start the Quran in Arabic. “I have always been “I used to write entire pages of articles teaching calligraphy in India after I grad­ interested in art and drawing, but it was in the column style, before the compu­ uated, so that I could rekindle the old only when I started learning English cal­ ters came in,” he says. majesty of the art. When Mr. Syed Mo­ ligraphy that I was introduced to the art Most of the commercial calligraphy hamed Beary [a local real estate develop­ form in Arabic, which would help me to that was done for Urdu and Arabic jour­ er] heard of this, he sponsored the esta­ transcribe the holy book,” says Laisa. nals before automated printing lacked blishment of the institute in Bengaluru, And so began her journey in 2016, as a the aesthetic values of the original art and put me in charge of it. I’m glad to see student of the Institute of Indo­Islamic form, he says. that though it is a very difficult field to ex­ Art and Culture (IIAC) at Richmond “I’d like to revive Arabic calligraphy cel in, at least 15 of our students are be­ Street, Bengaluru, to learn Arabic callig­ among young people and show them ing recognised for their calligraphy,” says raphy. Also known as ‘Khat’, this centu­ how this can not only be an art but also a Ahmed. ries­old art form is held in high regard by way to remember the divine in our life,” Ameerul Islam and Abdul Sattar, two Muslims because of its association with Ahmed says. When he lost his job in of his students, have set up a branch of the dissemination of the Holy Quran be­ 1994, Ahmed decided to research how the institute in Hyderabad. IIAC’s curri­ fore the era of printing presses. other calligraphers, especially those out­ culum covers the Arabic scripts ‘Riqa’ In the past five years, Laisa has mas­ vehicle driver in Bengaluru. Laisa says inside the inkpot (likka), to help regulate mission. He has the distinction of being side India, were sustaining their craft. He (for newcomers), ‘Naskh’ and ‘Thuluth’ tered the decorative script ‘Thuluth’, calligraphy has helped to improve her the amount of ink on the qalam tip, and the only Indian to have earned his Ijazah set up a small commercial press to keep and ‘Nastaliq’ in Urdu. Learning any two considered one of the most difficult concentration and also use her drawing also to prevent spills onto the paper. (Masters diploma) in Arabic calligraphy his home fires burning, and kept looking scripts thoroughly is ideal for a calligra­ fonts, and ‘Naskh’ (used to write the Qu­ skills in her Civil Engineering classes. “We use a paper called muqahar for from the Turkey­based Research Center out for masters in calligraphy. pher, says Ahmed. ran). Her talent has been recognised on “Calligraphers can’t have any dot or the final version. Though it is commer­ for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IR­ “I realised that it is not a language Bee Bee Laisa’s aim of transcribing the several international and local plat­ line out of place; this has helped me to cially available, calligraphers also learn CICA), under the auspices of the Organi­ transforming tool, but an art that has a Quran is shared by her teacher. “In fact it forms: her calligraphic artworks of Qu­ present spotless drawings for my course­ how to prepare their own muqahar sation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He different respect globally,” he adds. is the ultimate goal of every Arabic callig­ ranic verses and Islamic phrases have work as well,” she says. The school uses sheets,” says Muqtar Ahmed, the princi­ has trained over 500 students through Among the people who helped him rapher,” says Ahmed. been exhibited in Japan, UAE, and Jaipur traditional materials to teach the art, in­ pal and tutor at of the IIAC. the school’s weekly courses, and has were Washington­based Syrian font de­ “But it is a huge project, because there since 2017. cluding wooden or reed pens ( qalam) started online classes during lockdown. signer and calligrapher Maamoun Sak­ are at least 600 pages to be transcribed. It is a huge leap forward for Laisa, and inks from plant­based resins. As per Devoted to the art “Calligraphy takes a long time to kal, and Mohamed Zakariya, the first If we do something with our hands, it is whose father works as a banana delivery tradition, strands of raw silk are placed Ahmed is the man guiding Laisa in her learn, and one only gets better with con­ Westerner to earn calligraphy diplomas priceless,” he says.

Reji Varghese

When National award­win­ husband is making. But it’s more ning music directors Ara­ Shantel complex and relatable, as we’ve vind Murali and Jaishankar vanSanten as placed astronaut­wives on these Iyer got together immediate­ And we have Karen Baldwin pedestals,” she elaborates, “It ly after the lockdown, the * APPLE TV+ feels they have an image to uphold one thing they wanted to do and have to live within certain pa­ was write a song about their rameters — even within their own experience. feelings,” explains vanSanten, Aravind suggested they Baldwin are Joel “and one can crack under that write about being under Kinnaman and pressure and fall apart.” ‘house arrest’, while Jaishan­ Shantel vanSanten, He was surprised by the time­ kar wanted to do a song lift off... whose son, at the end of season 1, line jump, he admits, adding, “I about the plight of immi­ For passes away while Edward is on a was so ready to play that pain and grant workers and sections As season two of mission. The actors share their ex­ loss, but the writers took it one of society that bore the All Mankind launches, periences in returning for a se­ step further [in the timeline] so brunt of lockdown. They actors Joel Kinnaman cond season that answers the we meet Ed when he’s the hap­ could not agree on a com­ Sea major question ‘what if the US Space piest he’s ever been! I found this mon theme till they decided and Shantel vanSanten Race never ended?’ provocative and wondered ‘what to turn the topic on its head hits. They are the musicians Over the years, Joel Kinnaman is happening here?’ Of course, — what the lockdown was Two leading behind the ‘Whistle Podu’ chat about playing an has been drawn to the futuristic those wounds have not healed not about, the simple things musicians have anthem for IPL team Chen­ astronaut­civilian science­fiction realm through pro­ and pain comes out in ways we that people longed for. nai Super Kings. jects such as Altered Carbon, did not expect.” Jaishankar says, “Both come out with a Aravind and Jaishankar couple experiencing a Hanna, and RoboCop. But this is a VanSanten, once she realised Aravind and I realised, what song that shared the scratch version sense of loss different project for the Swedish­ that season 2 would be further we missed most were the with a number of musician American actor, who likens the down along the timeline, decided wide open spaces that Chen­ celebrates the friends. Two of them, well­ Divya Kala Bhavani first season as “ Mad Men in NA­ to journal in her character’s voice. nai has. We missed the Mari­ spaces they had known playback singer Mal­ SA.” He recalls the first table read These journal entries in a 250­ na, Elliotts Beach, Mahabs gudi Subha and emerging We have always been fascinated of season 2 as “pretty fascinating page book would help vanSanten and all the empty beaches missed during star Amrit Ramnath, offered with the personal lives and the and very surprising.” In regard to mentally shape everything Karen on the ECR stretch.” That is lockdown to sing. “I was very excited mentality of astronauts, especially the trauma Edward and Karen ex­ might have gone through in bet­ how Me, the Ocean and the about it as the feel was right the ‘overview effect’ which marks perience, he says, “I found it inter­ ween the seasons . The journal Sea was born. er a decade now, he con­ up my alley . It was a cute, a cognitive shift in awareness of esting to portray that. In the be­ “doesn’t ever leave me because “Making music is our pro­ nected with the theme. funky song with sing­along how vast the universe can be. ginning, he’s seen as this there are things that spark creativ­ fession. So writing a song “During lockdown, I used to lyrics,” says Subha. And, yes, we do wonder about all­American hero but he also goes ity. I could be in the middle of a without an agenda and with­ dream about the sea. I want­ Chips in Amrit, “The song their personal lives, and how they through this devastating loss.” massage or cleaning the floor, and out an incentive to make ed to have the freedom of segues from Jazz to pop and transition between two very diffe­ VanSanten looks on her role as I’d have this idea of a ‘memory’ money off it was in itself a looking to the end of the ho­ every genre in between. If I rent worlds. Karen Baldwin to be “a daunting which helped connect the gaps step out of the ‘stuck bet­ rizon and not being ob­ had to invent a genre to fit For All Mankind, one of the and beautiful responsibility I between where we left off and ween four walls’ attitude of structed by a wall.” the song into, I would call it first series announced for Ap­ don’t take lightly,” but she later where we begin. Fleshing out that making music for a living. It The duo has composed ‘acoustic beach pop’.” pleTV+ addresses this through its admits, “it’s a very honourable time helps inform my decision­ helped us step out into the over a thousand jingles, and ‘Me, The Ocean And the ‘alternate timeline’ storytelling . role, requiring an incredible making.” open space of creative self worked on films like Silent Sea’ will be released on Fe- Taking on the roles of astronaut­ amount of sacrifice mirrored only Season 2 of For All Mankind expression,” says Aravind. Screen, Oorukku Nooru Per, bruary 19 on major music civilian couple Edward and Karen in the sacrifices she knows her streams from today on AppleTV+ Being a scuba diver for ov­ and on Telugu and Tamil platforms

POOCH CAFE PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE PEANUTS

TIGER CALVIN AND HOBBES

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THE HINDU DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 WORLD 13 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Facebook news goes dark in Australia A megaphone for Trumpism Social media giant blocked media content after dispute with govt. over payment to local publishers that preceded Trump’s rise

Reuters campaign against the laws. attempting to comply or ban­ SYDNEY Both had threatened to ning news content. Limbaugh was a voice of ‘anti­establishment’ conservatism Australians woke to empty cancel services in Australia, news feeds on their Face­ but Google has instead Blank pages Srinivasan Ramani was among the key propo­ book Inc pages on Thursday sealed deals with several out­ The changes made by Face­ nents of Mr. Trump’s unsub­ after the social media giant lets in recent days. book both wiped clean pages Rush Limbaugh, a popular stantiated claims about the blocked all media content in Rupert Murdoch’s News operated by news outlets radio commentary host who November elections and he a surprise and dramatic es­ Corp was the latest to an­ and removed posts by indivi­ dominated the “conserva­ had also compared the rio­ calation of a dispute with the nounce a deal, in which it dual users sharing Australian tive airwaves” in the U.S., ters on Capitol Hill on Janu­ government over paying for will receive “significant pay­ news. died at the age of 70 on Wed­ ary 6 with partisans of the content. ments” from Google in re­ Lisa Davies, editor of daily nesday. Limbaugh was a po­ American War of Indepen­ The move was swiftly crit­ turn for providing content The Sydney Morning Herald werful voice for the conser­ dence of the 18th century. icised by news producers, for the search engine’s News newspaper, tweeted: “Face­ vative movement and a Limbaugh’s radio mega­ politicians and human rights Showcase account. book has exponentially in­ strident and rabid critique of Rush Limbaugh phone pushed the establish­ advocates, many of whom The Australian law would creased the opportunity for liberalism and progressi­ ment wing of the GOP furth­ pointed out that official require Facebook and Goo­ misinformation, dangerous vism. His four­decade­old ra­ cal correctness”, intellec­ er into the far­right in the health and meteorology in­ Access denied: The FB changes wiped clean pages of news gle to reach commercial radicalism and conspiracy dio stint took a turn towards tualism, and progressive U.S. on issues such as immi­ formation had also been outlets and removed posts by users sharing the news * REUTERS deals with news outlets, theories to abound on its hardline political commen­ ideals have been anathema. gration and voter suppres­ scrubbed during the corona­ whose links drive traffic to platform.” tary in the late 1980s after One reason for Mr. sion. It also ultimately ena­ virus pandemic and at the book Chief Executive Mark said, adding they discussed their platforms, or be sub­ The pages of the Queen­ the Reagan administration Trump’s resilience despite bled the capture of the height of Australia’s summer Zuckerberg gave no warning what he called “differing in­ jected to forced arbitration sland and South Australia revoked the Fairness Doc­ his poor governance has Republican Party by fact­ bushfire season. of the news shutdown when terpretations” about how the to agree a price. State Health Departments, trine, a decision that opened been the work of Limbaugh free far­right ideologues. “Facebook was wrong, Fa­ the pair spoke over the wee­ new Media Bargaining Code Facebook said in its state­ where a quarter of the coun­ the floodgates for unba­ and other conservative voic­ When Mr. Trump was cebook’s actions were unne­ kend about looming laws would work. ment that the law, which is try’s 25 million population lanced opinion on contro­ es across radio and powerful tried in the Senate for incite­ cessary, they were heavy­ that will force them to pay lo­ expected to be passed by are directed for information versial issues on broadcast TV networks such as Fox ment of a mob that attacked handed, and they will dam­ cal publishers for content. Google reaches deals Parliament within days, about COVID­19, were simi­ channels. Limbaugh’s no­ Capitol Hill on January 6 age its reputation here in The two had a subsequent Facebook’s drastic move re­ “fundamentally misunder­ larly stripped of content. holds­barred commentary NEWS ANALYSIS with protesters seeking out Australia,” Treasurer Josh conversation on Thursday presents a split from search stands” the relationship bet­ “This is an alarming and continually pressed for har­ ex­Vice President Mike Frydenberg said. morning which was “con­ giant Google after they in­ ween itself and publishers dangerous turn of events,” dline policies on issues such News. Limbaugh’s radio pro­ Pence, House Speaker Nan­ Mr. Frydenberg said Face­ structive”, Mr. Frydenberg itially joined together to and it faced a stark choice of said Human Rights Watch. as welfare, promoted slan­ gramme preceded even the cy Pelosi among others as der and diatribe against De­ establishment of Fox News, the targets of their ire, only mocrats, liberal politicians, as his railing against the seven Republicans voted feminists, LGBT activists and Washington establishment along with the 50 Democrats Democrats set to unveil intellectuals, upheld hard­ and its Democrat section in to convict the former Presi­ Texas shivers amid power right Republicans and went particular provided him dent, 10 short of the two­ on to become one of the big­ with considerable fan fol­ thirds majority needed. The Biden’s immigration Bill gest cheerleaders for Donald lowing. reticence of the bulk of the Trump and his brand of pol­ Even before Mr. Trump GOP to convict him was not outages, water shortages 11 mn immigrants to benefit from law itics. became known for it, Lim­ unexpected — Mr. Trump The support for Mr. baugh used racist dog whis­ continues to hold a lot of NWS warns of deadly winter storm pushing into eastern U.S. Agence France-Presse grants who can prove they Trump has featured a coali­ tles, controversial language sway in the party base. Washington were in the U.S. on January tion of eclectic voices — non­ and misogyny to build his The traditional factions Agence France-Presse U.S. President Joe Biden’s 1. The legislation will benefit college educated white vo­ image as a standard bearer represented by the fiscal Houston immigration Bill, which the so­called Dreamers, pe­ ters, including working class for “anti­establishment” conservatives, the social Power was gradually being aims to create a path to citi­ ople who were brought to people who bought into his conservatism, which provid­ conservatives and the neo­ restored but hundreds of zenship for 11 million undoc­ the U.S. illegally as children strident talk of trade protec­ ed him a significant heft and conservatives are subsumed thousands of households re­ umented immigrants, will and grew up there. tionism, white supremacists an outsize influence within under just two wings now — mained without electricity be unveiled on Thursday to Former President Barack across several class seg­ the Republican Party itself. the ones who endorse Mr. on Thursday across Texas, begin its legislative process, Obama issued an executive ments, social conservatives Trump and his brand and the oil and gas capital of the senior White House officials order in 2012 which offered who were buoyed by his Civilian honour the others who are uncom­ U.S., with some facing water said. protection for Dreamers at packing of courts with con­ It is no wonder that the fortable with it. The latter in­ shortages as a deadly winter Two Democratic legisla­ renewable two­year pe­ servative judges, and conspi­ Trump administration cludes sections who have cold spell that pummelled tors, California Congresswo­ riods, including authorisa­ racy theorists who have tra­ awarded him with the Presi­ thrown their lot with Mr. the southeastern part of the In cold grip: People waiting in line to fill propane tanks in man Linda Sanchez and tion to work. ditionally shared a deep dential Medal of Freedom, Trump fearful of alienating country headed east. Houston, U.S., on Wednesday. * AP New Jersey Senator Bob Me­ His successor Donald distrust of the U.S. state or among the highest civilian the GOP base and only a mi­ The National Weather Ser­ nendez, will present the in­ Trump attempted to end the its “government”. Mr. honours in the U.S. Lim­ nority is willing to defy him. vice (NWS) issued a winter the northeast, causing pow­ country not used to such ex­ itiative in the House of Re­ programme in 2017 . The Trump’s recourse to repeat­ baugh and later imitators Years of radicalisation of the storm warning. It said the er outages, tree damage and treme cold, the frigid tem­ presentatives and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled ed disinformation and his such as Glenn Beck, Sean party base, thanks to the storm would bring ice, sleet making driving hazardous. peratures would continue, Senate, respectively. that the administration had questionable way of gover­ Hannity, etc. had already stridence of right­wing com­ and heavy snow to parts of Even though the Arctic air the NWS said. More than 30 The Bill aims to create a not followed proper admi­ nance have never been an blazed the path for Trum­ mentary, made this possible Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas mass was beginning to lose storm­related deaths have path to citizenship for 11 mil­ nistrative procedures to end impediment to his core sup­ pism to take over and insti­ and Limbaugh played a vital and Mississippi as it tracks to its grip on an area of the been reported. lion undocumented immi­ the policy. port base for whom “politi­ tutionalise itself. Limbaugh role in this. ELSEWHERE China steps up online Anti­coup hackers target Bhutan General, 2 judges control over bloggers Myanmar government sites held for ‘overthrow’ bid Govt.­approved credentials a must ‘Plot against Army chief, Chief Justice’

Associated Press a government­approved cre­ Junta continues with Internet blockade, troop deployment Agence France-Presse General Batoo Tshering, by Taipei dential before they can pu­ Thimpu implicating him in a corrup­ Belarus jails journalists Ma Xiaolin frequently wrote blish on a wide range of sub­ Agence France-Presse Drug Administration. Police in Bhutan have de­ tion scandal. over protest coverage about current affairs on one jects. Some fear that only Yangon “We are fighting for jus­ tained a top General and All were denied bail by MINSK of China’s leading micro­ state media and official pro­ Hackers targeted Myanmar tice in Myanmar,” the group two judges over an alleged the Thimphu district court A Belarus court on Thursday blogging sites, where he has paganda accounts will get government websites on said on its Facebook page. plot to overthrow the coun­ and remanded in custody sentenced a pair of television 2 million followers. But re­ permission. While permits Thursday to protest against “It is like mass protesting try’s top military officer and until a first formal hearing journalists to two years in cently, the Weibo site called have been needed since at the military coup, as the jun­ of people in front of govern­ Chief Justice. on February 27. prison for covering a protest and asked him not to post least 2017 to write about ta pressed on with its at­ ment websites.” Former Royal Bodyguard According to reports, Bri­ last year, the first lengthy jail original content on topics topics such as political and tempts to stymie nationwide State­run newspaper New Commandant Brigadier gadier Tobgay was alleged to term in a legal crackdown on ranging from politics to eco­ military affairs, enforce­ opposition with Internet Light of Myanmar also con­ Thinley Tobgay, Supreme have illegally obtained mili­ independent news media. nomic and military issues. ment has not been wides­ blockades and troop firmed that military websites Court judge Kuenley Tsher­ tary documents on the pro­ Standing defiant in a cage, Protesters blocking a road “It looks like I can only go pread. The new rules ex­ deployments. were “under attacks”, with ing and top district court curement of vehicles from Katerina Bakhvalova, 27, and with their cars, leaving their Daria Chultsova, 23, flashed the route of entertainment, pand that requirement to The cyberattacks came a bonnets up in Yangon. * AFP delays on Wednesday. judge Yeshey Dorji ap­ the United Nations. “V” for victory signs. The two food and beverage now,” the health, economics, educa­ day after tens of thousands For a second day, moto­ peared in court on Wednes­ The Bhutanese newspap­ women were detained in international relations pro­ tion and judicial matters. of people rallied across the Hackers disrupted websites rists in Yangon blockaded day after being detained at er said that while the tender November while filming fessor wrote on January 31. The move is in line with country to protest against including the Central Bank, roads with vehicles, leaving their homes. was handled publicly and anti­government rallies after Beginning next week, the restrictive regulations un­ the generals toppling Aung the Myanmar military’s pro­ their bonnets up and pre­ The three have been ac­ fairly, the documents were strongman Alexander Cyberspace Administration der President Xi Jinping that San Suu Kyi’s civilian govern­ paganda page, state­run tending they were broken cused of plotting to over­ to be used to undermine the Lukashenko claimed victory of China will require blog­ constrict an already narrow ment earlier this month. broadcaster MRTV, the Port down to stop security forces throw the country’s top mil­ position of the military in an August election. AFP gers and influencers to have space for discourse. A group called Myanmar Authority, and the Food and from moving around. itary officer, Lieutenant number one.

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SCAN TO PLAY Never go off the grid. SUDOKU FAITH + 13175 We are digital now. Come solve online. @ https://qrgo.page.link/jjpTn (set by Gridman) The way of tradition 13 First start, then finish and transmit (4) The Vaishnava tradition upholds the pristine truths en­ 14 Scheming chap’s beginning to recommend chaps’ model paper (9) shrined in the Vedas and the Upanishads through the hymns 17 Logic a heavy drinker won’t like, apparently (9) of the azhwars and the lineage of acharyas for the benefit of 19 Reject short needle (4) the jivatmas. The Divya Prabandha hymns of the Azhwars were brought to light through the efforts of Nathamuni, who 23 Some worried over old animal (5) is held to be the foremost acharya. Nathamuni was directly 24 Been looking over chef cutting up right plant (5,4) inspired by Nammazhwar and he codified the Prabandha 25 Inigo left the middle with totally opposite result (7) hymns. 26 Quick redound: visa served to the sage (7) In a discourse, Vanamaamalai Sri Padmanabha Swamy 27 Agreement calls for celebration by party at last (6) drew attention to an oft­quoted analogy that expresses how 28 I had oldies pampered over and held dear (8) the tradition has evolved and has been preserved by the li­ neage. The Azhwars are compared to the rain bearing ■ DOWN clouds and have drawn from the boundless ocean of grace of 1 What policemen might do in a furniture showroom (4,4) Lord Ranganatha to pour the essence on to the hill of Natha­ 2 Yearn to have a drink and fade away (3,4) muni. The waterfalls from this source refer to the teachings 3 Among others, one’s up to oppose (6) of Nathamuni’s immediate disciples, the Poorvacharyas like Alavandar who have been immersed in the hymns of azh­ 4 Such a person can indeed be amused by a show (13) wars. They have also been blessed to intuitively grasp their 6 Sprinting contest I’m beginning to explore (8) inner thoughts. To continue the analogy, just as the water 7 Woman embracing girl right in front of firedog (7) Solution to puzzle 13174 Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku from the falls collects as ponds and pools, their exp lana­ 8 Reportedly did — did smell badly (6) tions, interpretations, discourses, etc, reach Ramanuja and 10 We will be calm — such specimens are sure to be in a good his disciples. From here it further trickles as rivu lets to ■ ACROSS museum (4­9) reach the many jivatmas struggling to get out of samsara. 1 Boy lover’s primarily defective command that cannot be obeyed 15 Eliminated with one dope administered just regularly (5,3) The tradition has thus been preserved in the ‘Eedu,’ the (3,5) 16 French denizen (not new) is excited, wildly excited (8) valuable commentaries of the acharyas. The disciples down 5 Go to sort out mixed­up socks (6) the line have tried to re­state and consolidate the teachings 18 A piece of advice by the French teacher (7) 9 Too well established on place (7) of the masters as further commentaries. The main message 20 Urges newspapers (7) 10 Coax daughter in revolution to end game (7) is one of hope that the Lord’s feet can be attained by every 11 I, with saint, right in local — relocated and isolated (9) 21 I am left with what’s brought in (6) jivatma who longs for it. The determined jiva has to wait for 12 Brief section of winter setting (5) 22 By hope all keep certain heads up at this disaster site (6) the Lord’s grace once he has surrendered to His feet . Azh­ wars have displayed this patient wait in their hymns.

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DELHI THE HINDU 14 BUSINESS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

market watch

18-02-2021 % CHANGE Sensex dddddddddddddddddddddd 51,325 ddddddddddddd-0.73 Apple eyes sops for local iPad assembly US Dollardddddddddddddddddddd 72.65 ddddddddddddddd0.12 Gold ddddddddddddddddddddddddddd 45,867 ddddddddddddd-0.51 Brent oil ddddddddddddddddddddd 64.34 ddddddddddddddd0.87 U.S. firm said to be lobbying for an enlarged ₹200­billion outlay for PLI scheme for IT products

NIFTY 50 Reuters getary outlay of ₹200 billion All the sources declined to PRICE CHANGE NEW DELHI before that plan is finalised, be named as the plans are Adani Ports...... 664.05...... 8.30 Apple Inc. is angling to parti­ as India doesn’t yet have the not public. Asian Paints...... 2470.75...... 82.60 Axis Bank ...... 777.00...... -0.75 cipate in a new scheme to scale or the supply chain for Bajaj Auto ...... 4115.45...... -50.25 boost India’s exports of com­ making IT products and India-made iPad Bajaj Finserv...... 10198.95...... 13.30

Bajaj Finance ...... 5563.35. .. -141.80 puter products, part of what competes with duty­free im­ Apple assembles most of its Bharti Airtel ...... 589.05...... -4.80 government and industry ports of tech products, two iPads in China, but is fast di­ BPCL...... 432.20...... 20.50 sources say are plans to of the sources said. versifying production. Lending a hand: Vaccinating the workforce can help quicken Britannia Ind ...... 3359.45...... -4.55 India’s economic revival, says T.V. Narendran. * AFP Cipla ...... 825.45...... -10.25 bring iPad tablet manufac­ Apple’s push comes at a Top supplier Foxconn is Coal India ...... 139.95...... 4.75 turing to the country. time when its iPhone sup­ building assembly lines for Divis Lab ...... 3587.65...... -27.60 India unveiled a $6.7 bil­ plier Wistron is just restart­ iPads and MacBook laptops Dr Reddys Lab ...... 4616.95...... 16.40

Eicher Motors...... 2650.20...... -45.30 lion plan to boost smart­ ing operations at a southern in Vietnam. GAIL (India)...... 143.10...... 8.70 phone exports last year, as Indian plant after angry Other iPad assemblers in­ Let industry help with Grasim Ind ...... 1229.65...... -8.80 Prime Minister Narendra workers went on a rampage clude Taiwan’s Compal Elec­ HCL Tech...... 948.10...... 4.90

HDFC ...... 2745.15...... -60.20 Modi stepped up efforts to last year. Apple is yet to take tronics and China’s BYD HDFC Bank...... 1554.30...... -32.20 promote electronics manu­ the Taiwanese manufacturer Electronic International. vaccine roll­out: CII HDFC Life ...... 713.45...... 10.35 facturing and create jobs. Bigger bite: In India, Apple will likely have iPads assembled by off probation. In India, Apple will likely Hero MotoCorp ...... 3522.85...... -61.15

* Hindalco ...... 309.90...... 6.00 Apple, which has steadily one of its existing suppliers as early as this year. AFP Apple declined to com­ have iPads assembled by one ‘Expiry of vaccines is a concern’ Hind Unilever ...... 2146.85...... -17.05 raised production of iPhones ment for this story. of its existing suppliers in the ICICI Bank ...... 644.65...... -12.70 in India to lessen its depen­ including tablets, laptops back to manufacturers for New Delhi is also planning country as early as this year, Special Correspondent ment and contribute to the IndusInd Bank ...... 1046.05...... 12.85 NEW DELHI Infosys ...... 1292.45...... 11.15 dence on Chinese manufac­ and servers, three sources exports, will have a budget of another PLI, at a budget of two of the sources said. government’s programme Indian OilCorp...... 99.00...... 4.00 turing, took part in that closely involved in the draft­ up to ₹70 billion over five about ₹50 billion over five “The government is ask­ Worried about India’s vac­ with appropriate checks ITC ...... 218.85...... 1.10 scheme via its contract ing of the plan told Reuters. years, the sources said. years, to boost domestic ma­ ing Apple to get iPads assem­ cine stockpile expiring if the and balances, throughout JSW Steel...... 407.65...... -1.05

Kotak Bank ...... 1945.45...... -44.00 manufacturers. It’s expected to be nufacturing of wearable dev­ bled by its contract manufac­ COVID­19 vaccine roll­out is the envisaged three phases, L&T...... 1524.60...... -23.75 Now the government is Bigger outlay launched by the end of ices such as smartwatches, turers here, the non­Chinese not ramped up quickly, in­ so as to further reach... the M&M ...... 894.45...... -20.50 preparing to unveil another The new performance­ February. the sources said, adding the companies” one of the dustry association CII has vaccine to those sections of Maruti Suzuki ...... 7497.55...... -5.65

Nestle India Ltd...... 16364.70. .. -376.50 incentive to drive local ma­ linked incentive (PLI) Apple, along with others, plan could be announced sources, a government offi­ urged the government to al­ the population who can NTPC ...... 103.40...... 4.05 nufacturing of IT products scheme, which offers cash is lobbying for a bigger bud­ within two months. cial, said. low private sector health contribute to the economic ONGC ...... 110.70...... 8.45 providers to administer vac­ revival of the country,” said PowerGrid Corp ...... 236.50...... 6.45 Reliance Ind ...... 2067.70...... -15.55 cines and let businesses in­ T.V. Narendran, president SBI Life ...... 893.50...... 16.35 oculate their employees’ designate, CII. State Bank ...... 415.20...... 3.45 Jan. local air and communities around Shree Cement ...... 27623.35. .. -645.15 Piramal group gets RBI Russia’s Kalashnikov may Sun Pharma ...... 616.05...... -5.20 their operations. COVID-19 task force Tata Motors ...... 323.85...... -6.30 traffic grows This could help vaccinate Mr. Narendran heads a high­ Tata Steel ...... 697.75...... 0.95 nod for DHFL acquisition make AK­203 rifle in India 100 million people and al­ level taskforce set up by CII TCS ...... 3057.35...... -15.75 5% over Dec. Tech Mahindra ...... 1010.60...... 30.15 low the Centre to reach on COVID­19 vaccines to gal­ Titan ...... 1433.00...... -27.40 Stressed firm owes lenders ₹87,031 cr. Woos gadget lovers with hi­tech shotgun identified target priority vanise industry support for UltraTech Cement...... 6325.85...... -93.35 SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT UPL...... 541.05...... 2.05 groups quicker, that would distribution and inoculation NEW DELHI Wipro ...... 432.95...... 2.75 Press Trust of India Reuters be critical to get the work­ of employees of member New Delhi Domestic air traffic grew Moscow force back to work and the firms. EXCHANGE RATES Piramal Group said the Re­ 5% in January over the pre­ Russian arms manufacturer economy back on track, the Stressing that the second Indicative direct rates in rupees a unit except yen at 4 p.m. on February 18 serve Bank is understood to ceding month with carriers Kalashnikov plans to start apex chamber said. phase of the vaccination CURRENCY TT BUY TT SELL have approved the acquisi­ ferrying a total of 77.34 making its AK­203 assault ri­ programme to cover those

US Dollar...... 72.45...... 72.77 tion of debt­ridden DHFL by lakh passengers, according fle in India this year and ‘Finite longevity’ over 50 years will be a par­ Euro ...... 87.47...... 87.86 the group’s subsidiary as to DGCA’s monthly report. wants to attract a wider au­ “As all vaccines have a finite ticularly challenging task, British Pound...... 101.05. ... 101.49 part of resolution process. IndiGo increased its dience with a hi­tech shot­ period of longevity and the CII has recommended that Japanese Yen (100) . .. . 68.56...... 68.87

Chinese Yuan ...... 11.20...... 11.25 The Committee of Credi­ market share to 54.3% gun, chief executive Dmitry matter of possible expiry of the government consider in­ Swiss Franc ...... 80.77...... 81.13 tors (CoC) had approved a from 53.9% in the previous Tarasov said. many of these vaccines is of dustry participation to Singapore Dollar ...... 54.59...... 54.84 resolution plan submitted month. It was followed by Named after the designer national concern, it is re­ speed up the roll­out. Canadian Dollar...... 57.09...... 57.37

Malaysian Ringitt ...... 17.91...... 18.01 by a Piramal Group compa­ fifth and final round. Suitors SpiceJet with a share of of the AK­47 assault rifle that commended that all stake­ Permitting firms to vacci­

Source:Indian Bank ny, Piramal Capital and submitted bids in the range 12.8% and Air India at has been used for decades Tarasov told Reuters. Fea­ holders must contribute in a nate employees and imme­ Housing Finance Limited, of ₹35,000­₹37,000 crore. 10.3%. SpiceJet continued in wars around the world, turing a built­in computer, manner that all vaccines diate family members and last month. DHFL posted a consoli­ to record the highest pas­ Kalashnikov has been seek­ the Ultima shotgun envisag­ available are well utilised help surrounding communi­ IN BRIEF “We understand that the dated net loss of ₹13,095.4 senger load factor (average ing new business and mar­ es Wi­FI and bluetooth con­ and well in time. ties as part of their corpo­ RBI has approved the DHFL crore for the third quarter seat occupancy) at 76.6%, kets after being hit by U.S. nectivity and can synchro­ “By opening the vaccina­ rate social responsibility resolution plan from Pira­ ended December against a followed by Vistara (70%) and EU sanctions over Rus­ nise with smartphones. tion process to private sec­ could help an additional 100 mal Capital and Housing Fi­ net profit of ₹934.3 crore in and IndiGo (69.3%). sia’s annexation of Crimea Also central to Kalashni­ tor, the large cohort of those million get the vaccine. nance, submitted by the the year­ago quarter. In the pandemic­hit in 2014. kov’s growth plans is India, willing to take the vaccines Private health providers CoC,” Piramal Group said. The financial creditors 2020, airlines ferried a to­ It is targeting a 60% in­ where it aims to produce 6.7 would enable full utilisation must also be allowed to vac­ Piramal Group and the have claimed outstanding tal of 6.3 crore passengers, crease in annual revenue to lakh AK­203 rifles in the next of the vaccines within the cinate people, with appro­ U.S.­based Oaktree Capital dues worth ₹87,031 crore marking a decline of 56% more than 50 billion roubles decade together with the In­ expiry period,” it stressed. priate checks and balances, submitted their bids in the from the company. from 2019’s 14.41 crore. ($675.33 million) by 2025, dian Defence Ministry. “Industry can supple­ CII said.

OIL, EIL to jointly bid for BPCL’s Numaligarh stake HYDERABAD NMDC restarts Telcos deposit ₹13,475 cr. 25 lakh tonnes Oil India (OIL) and Engineers IT industry can double in size India (EIL) will bid as a work at mine of sugar set for consortium for the 61.65% for spectrum auction stake of Bharat Petroleum in Donimalai in 4­5 years: Vijayakumar exports: ISMA Corporation (BPCL) in Numaligarh Refinery (NRL). Jio submits EMD of ₹10,000 crore Special Correspondent Special Correspondent The exact percentage of the HYDERABAD Press trust of india COIMBATORE stake of OIL and ElL will Sector can grow by $200 bn, says HCL Technologies’ CEO new delhi depend on the extent of right Public sector mining major About 25 lakh tonnes of su­ Special Correspondent of first offer to be exercised NMDC on Thursday said it Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel ble the industry.” gar have been contracted NEW DELHI by the Assam Government, has resumed operations at and Vodafone Idea have Infosys CEO Salil Parekh for exports so far during that already holds a 12.35% the Donimalai iron ore submitted a total earnest The Indian IT industry has and Wipro CEO Thierry De­ the 2020­2021 sugar sea­ stake in NRL. mine in Karnataka. money deposit (EMD) of the potential to double in laporte, who were also part son, according to the In­ This follows the Karnata­ ₹13,475 crore for the spec­ size over the next 4­5 years of the discussions, ex­ dian Sugar Mills Associa­ IndusInd Bank gets ka Government extending trum auction scheduled to by capturing about 20% of pressed similar views. tion (ISMA). ₹2,021­cr. capital boost the lease on the mine for start from March 1, accord­ the projected trillion­dollar “The potential is there. In a statement, the asso­ NEW DELHI 20 years with effect from ing to information disclosed incremental spending on Doubling in several years ciation, quoting market re­ IndusInd Bank has received by the Department of Tele­ ₹1.79 lakh crore has submit­ ₹2,021 crore equity from November 2018. technology during this time, seems to be a reasonable as­ ports, said about seven com on Thursday. ted an EMD of ₹10,000 promoters after conversion “This is to inform that af­ according to C. Vijayakumar, sumption,”said Mr. Dela­ lakh tonnes had been phys­ of preferential warrants into ter obtaining the lease ex­ The total EMD amount is crore, which indicates that president & CEO, HCL C. Vijayakumar porte added. ically exported between equity shares. “The promoter tension of Donimalai Iron close to one­fourth of the the company will bid for Technologies. Mr. Parekh said localisa­ October 1, 2020 and Janu­ entities had paid ₹673 crore Ore Mine for 20 years with amount required to be eligi­ spectrum in select spec­ “If you look at all the pro­ “I think, as an industry, tion was a ‘critical element’ ary 31, 2021. This included at the time of subscription to effect from November 3, ble for buying all spectrum, trum bands. This is perhaps jections, there is at least a we should get at least a 20% of globalisation as clients, es­ exports against the 2019­ the warrants and the balance 2018 from the Government worth a base price of ₹3.92 the highest EMD submitted trillion dollars of incremen­ share, which means $200 pecially large global enter­ 2020 sugar season’s Maxi­ amount of ₹2,021 crore was of Karnataka, the mine was lakh crore, put on the block. by a telecom player for any tal spend in the next 4­5 billion growth over the next prises, were looking for de­ mum Admissible Export paid today,” IndusInd Bank restarted on February 18,” The richest player Re­ spectrum auction held in years,” the CEO said at a five years,” he added. livery capabilities across Quotawhich was extended said in a BSE filing. pti the firm said in a filing. liance Jio with net worth of the country till date. Nasscom event. “It could potentially dou­ multiple geographies. till the end of December.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE SPORT EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Porto waylays a lacklustre Juventus Manika eludes Reeth’s grasp, regains title Prolific Haaland powers Dortmund to an away win over Sevilla After losing the first two games, the former dictates the proceedings CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NATIONAL TT tion of Reeth who seemed to have given up much before Reuters the final point. Reeth, robbed RAKESH RAO London of her self­belief following the CHANDIGARH Goals from Mehdi Taremi loss of the fourth game, man­ and Moussa Marega pro­ A mix of plenty of pluck and aged to win only 11 points in pelled Porto to its first ever loads of luck saw Manika Ba­ the remaining two games. victory over Juventus in the tra regain the National table Manika was duly rewarded Champions League after it tennis title she won in 2015. for her consistent returns that secured a 2­1 win over the A firm favourite, Manika let Reeth slip to her doom. appeared vulnerable against Italian champion in the first Besides the winner’s tro­ her Indian Oil­colleague and leg of their last 16 tie on phy, Manika received ₹1.65 first­time finalist Reeth Rishya Wednesday. lakh. Reeth collected after losing the first two On a night when very little ₹82,500. Interestingly, Mani­ games. But what followed was went Juventus’s way, Federi­ ka’s previous domestic title al­ Manika’s dramatic resurrec­ co Chiesa’s late strike at least so came at the expense of handed it a lifeline going into tion that saw her almost Scoring at will: Haaland, right, gave Dortmund its money’s worth with a brace against Sevilla.* AP Reeth in the 2019 Inter­Insti­ sprint on the home­stretch of the return leg in Turin on Top two: Manika Batra, right, and Reeth Rishya with tutional championship where a 8­11, 10­12, 11­1, 11­9, 11­5, 11­6 * March 9. 19 seconds into the second to’s run of five consecutive prolific run in the Cham­ their winnings. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT she bounced back from 1­3 to triumph in 44 minutes, at half. clean sheets in the competi­ pions League by scoring emerge the winner. Sloppy back pass Juventus eventually mus­ tion and leaves the tie wide twice as his side came from nearby Panchkula. off eight points on the trot to tent backhand blocks and The results (prefix denotes Taremi pounced on a sloppy tered a response when Chie­ open ahead of the return leg. behind to earn a 3­2 win at As the scoreline indicates, leave Reeth shell­shocked. pushes. Reeth, clearly bat­ seeding): Women singles (fi­ back pass after 63 seconds to sa fired home a precious The goal made Chiesa the Sevilla in a last­16 first leg on Manika’s comeback began During Manika’s eight­point tling a serious bout of confi­ streak, Reeth took a ‘time­ dence­deficit, just could not nal): 1­Manika Batra (Pet) bt 15­ fire in the opener that left Ju­ away goal with eight minutes first Juventus player other Wednesday. with a one­sided third game Reeth Rishya (Pet) 8­11, 10­12, ventus rattled as it failed to remaining, but it was not than Cristiano Ronaldo to but how she pulled off the key out’ but it did not break the get her act right in the fifth The results: FC Porto 2 (Ta­ 11­1, 11­9, 11­5, 11­6. fourth game dictated the former’s rhythm. and sixth games. create any meaningful enough to stop the 2004 score a knockout stage goal remi 2, Marega 46) bt Juventus Semifinals: Manika bt 4­ chances before halftime. champion from celebrating in Champions League since 1 (Chiesa 82); Sevilla 2 (Fernan­ course of the final. The rest of the match fol­ On several occasions, the Sreeja Akula (RBI) 11­4, 10­12, Things got worse for An­ its first victory over the Ita­ Blaise Matuidi in April 2018. dez Saez 7, De Jong 84) lost to Down 3­9 and just two lowed a predictable course. ball struck the net­chord and 16­14, 11­8, 11­5; Reeth bt Ta­ drea Pirlo’s side when Mare­ lian club at the sixth attempt. Borussia Dortmund’s Er­ Borussia Dortmund 3 (Dahoud points away from trailing 1­3 Manika simply kept the ball in fell favourably for Manika. keme Sarkar (Rlys) 11­8, 4­11, ga blasted in Porto’s second Chiesa’s strike ended Por­ ling Haaland continued his 19, Haaland 27, 43). in the match, Manika reeled play, mainly with her consis­ This added to the exaspera­ 11­6, 11­6, 11­3. 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THE HINDU DELHI FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 SPORT 15 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Royals break the bank for Morris; PBKS, RCB spend big Gowtham sets a new Gowtham (CSK) and Meredith (Punjab Kings) enjoy record pay­day for uncapped Indian and foreign cricketers; Richardson, Maxwell strike it rich high in IPL IPL AUCTION say. CSK, eventually was suc­ India fast bowler Umesh Ya­ cessful in seeking the kind of dav for just ₹1 crore. ASHWIN ACHAL S. Dinakar player it wanted after it re­ Among the domestic Bengaluru Chennai leased Harbhajan Singh. The players, Tamil Nadu’s Shah­ K. Gowtham became An IPL auction without a re­ Chennai franchise withstood rukh Khan — his base price the most expensive cord­breaking buy is much a spirited bid by Punjab was just ₹20 lakh — grabbed uncapped player in IPL like a pizza without topping. Kings to land England off­ attention when he was history when he was This time it was South Afri­ spinning all­rounder Moeen snapped up by Punjab Kings signed by Chennai can Chris Morris’ turn to Ali for ₹7 crore. for ₹5.25 crore. Super Kings (CSK) for break the all­time mark in And as an insurance, CSK Another big­ticket domes­ ₹9.25 crore at the the IPL for the highest suc­ also purchased domestic off­ tic buy was Shivam Dube, auction on Thursday. cessful bid. spinning all­rounder K. Gow­ who went to Rajasthan Gowtham was picked Indeed, at the drama­filled tham for ₹9.25 crore, the Royals for ₹4.40 crore. up after a bidding war IPL auction here on Thurs­ highest amount ever for an between Kolkata Knight day, where there were pro­ Indian uncapped player. Surprise pick Riders (KKR), Sunrisers longed duels with franchises Keeping in mind CSK’s con­ In a surprise pick for some­ Hyderabad (SRH) and unwilling to let go of the servative ways in the past, one who was in his late 30s, CSK. player they had set their eyes these were big money buys. Daniel Christian was pen­ KKR and SRH on, Morris was bought by Ra­ Among the happy news of cilled in by Royal Challengers initially pushed the bids jasthan Royals for a record­ the evening was old soldier for ₹4.80 crore. Contrast this up to ₹7.5 crore, before setting ₹16.25 crore. Cheteshwar Pujara being with giant Steve Smith, se­ CSK entered the mix bought by CSK for ₹50 lakh. cured by Delhi Capitals for and beat out SRH to Fierce battle For the first time since 2014, ₹2.20 crore. secure the deal. After a fierce battle involving Pujara will be seen in an IPL. England all­rounder Tom Gowtham is thrilled four franchises, Rajasthan Punjab Kings was the fran­ Curran went to Delhi Capitals to get the chance to Royals, Royal Challengers chise with most money to for ₹5.25 crore, while anoth­ play under CSK Bangalore, Mumbai Indians spend at the start of the auc­ er pace­bowling all­rounder, superstar and skipper and Punjab Kings, the South tion — over ₹50 crore — and it Aussie Moises Henriques, M.S. Dhoni. “I’m very African pace bowling all­ did splurge ₹14 crore on Aus­ went to Punjab Kings for happy to play for CSK. rounder went to the Jaipur tralian fast bowler Jhye Ri­ ₹4.20 crore. Paceman Arjun It is a dream come true outfit. chardson. Tendulkar was signed by for me — to play under There were other big buys. Punjab also spent ₹8 crore Mumbai Indians for his base ‘Thala’ (Dhoni) and Royal Challengers Bangalore — the highest paid to an un­ price of ₹20 lakh. with (Suresh) Raina shelled out ₹15 crore for the capped overseas player — for Among the players who bhai. young New Zealand fast bow­ speedy Aussie paceman Riley went unsold were big­hitters “I’m very excited; ler Kyle Jamieson, and ₹14.25 Meredith, whose base price Alex Hales, Jason Roy, Evin I’m still nervous and crore for the brutal but in­ was just ₹40 lakh. Lewis, Aaron Finch and Alex shivering. I’m very consistent Glenn Maxwell. Carey. pleased that CSK has so In fact, Royal Challengers Smart buy much faith in me. I will DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD and Chennai Super Kings Punjab also had a smart buy DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD try to win as many were locked in an intense in batsman David Malan, games as possible,” B Pujara was bought by CSK duel for Maxwell — CSK was who was a ‘steal’ at ₹1.50 for ₹50 lakh and he will be Gowtham said in a seeking an off­spinner with crore. seen in the IPL for the first video posted on CSK’s batting credentials — but the Similarly, Delhi Capitals time since 2014 twitter handle. Bengaluru side had the final got a great deal when it got DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Mega bucks at the mini­auction

look at the players who (BBL), which no doubt boost­ Amade waves at the auc­ ed his IPL auction stock. Ri­ tion on Thursday: chardson is also capable of Chris Morris (RR, ₹16.25 hitting a few lusty blows with crore): The South African the bat in the death overs. all­rounder, representing K. Gowtham (CSK, ₹9.25 RCB in IPL 2020, missed a crore): The Karnataka all­ large part of the tournament rounder may have played on­ due to a stomach muscle in­ ly two matches for KXIP last jury. This led to Morris being season, but there was no released by RCB, but the hea­ doubting his match­winning vy bidding in Thursday's auc­ T20 abilities. Gowtham can tion showed that he was still keep it tight with his flat off­ in high demand. Chris Morris. spinners, or come to the par­ Kyle Jamieson (RCB, ₹15 ty with devastating sixes as a crore): A tall speedster, Ja­ ven that both teams were in middle­order finisher. mieson can bowl at good desperate need of a middle­ Riley Meredith (Punjab pace and extract awkward order finisher. Maxwell will Kings, ₹8 crore): The 24­ bounce off the surface. The hope to erase his sub­par run year­old fast bowler was Kiwi can also make useful of form in IPL 2020 with a bought for a surprisingly lower middle­order contri­ big show this time around. high price, given that he has butions with the bat. Jhye Richardson (Punjab no international experience. Glenn Maxwell (RCB, Kings, ₹14 crore): The Aus­ Meredith did have a good ₹14.25 crore): It came as no tralian pacer finished as the BBL campaign, finishing surprise that RCB and CSK highest wicket­taker in the with 16 wickets. bid heavily for Maxwell, gi­ recent Big Bash T20 League Compiled by Ashwin Achal Meet the new Shahrukh Khan S. Dinakar Also in the bus was leg­ Chennai spinner M. Ashwin who too Perhaps it is in the name. plays for Punjab Kings. “He Shahrukh Khan was meant was very pleased. Finally, he to be a celebrity. had a teammate from Tamil The heavy­hitter was back Nadu in the franchise.” in the team bus after com­ Then his family from back pleting Tamil Nadu practice home in Chennai called and session in Indore ahead of Shahrukh said, “They were the Vijay Hazare Trophy all very happy.” when he followed the IPL Shahrukh overcame a dif­ auction on his mobile. ficult phase last year when When the 25­year­old he was ignored at the IPL Shahrukh’s name came up, auction. Then he underwent there was hectic bidding at a surgery on his finger but the end of which Punjab came back strongly in the Kings secured him for ₹5.25 Shahrukh Khan. Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tour­ crore (base price: ₹20 lakh). nament where he came up Shahrukh said to The Hin- My teammates in the bus with a match­winning knock du, “No, I was not nervous were overjoyed,” he said. against Himachal Pradesh. when my name came on. Fi­ “Skipper Dinesh Karthik was Now he is among the big nally when I went for over ₹5 jumping around, so happy buys in the IPL. This Shah­ crore, it was a nice feeling. was he at my price.” rukh is meant for stardom. Osaka leaves Serena in tears; Djokovic takes his spot Karatsev’s fine run ends; Brady fights past Muchova to make her first Major final

AUSTRALIAN OPEN Triple Major­winner Osa­ error day" and refused to dis­ also witnessed the end of won 18 Grand Slam sets in his ka, 23, again proved Williams' cuss whether she had made 114th­ranked Karatsev's aston­ career, while Djokovic, 33, is Agence France-Presse nemesis with a one­sided 6­3, her last appearance at a tour­ ishing campaign, when he be­ going for his 18th Major title. Melbourne 6­4 win which heightened nament she has won seven came the first man in the Brady versus Muchova was Japan's Naomi Osaka brutally questions about whether the times, an Open­era record. Open era to reach a Grand a far more competitive affair halted Serena Williams' latest American, 39, will ever match The returning spectators Slam semifinal on debut. as the American needed five bid for a record­equalling Margaret Court's all­time re­ Karatsev knocked out match­points before subdu­ 24th Grand Slam title on cord for Slam singles titles. three seeds to reach the last ing the Czech 25th seed. Bra­ Thursday, while Novak Djo­ Williams put her hand on four but he was no match for dy eventually won 6­4, 3­6, kovic wrote the final chapter her heart as she acknow­ Djokovic, the record eight­ 6­4 to reach her debut Major of qualifier Aslan Karatsev's ledged a standing ovation on time Melbourne champion final. fairytale run. Rod Laver Arena, and later who has never lost a semi or Fans returned after a five­ walked out of her post­match final on his favourite court. THE RESULTS day coronavirus lockdown in press conference in tears, say­ "This is the best I've felt in Semifinals: Men: time to see an emotional exit ing: "I'm done." the entire tournament," said 1­Novak Djo­ kovic (Srb) bt Aslan Karatsev from Williams, Jennifer Bra­ After going 0­2 down in the the Serb, who has been carry­ (Rus) 6­3, 6­4, 6­2. dy's win over Karolina Mu­ first set, Osaka reeled off five ing an abdomen injury since Women: 22­Jennifer Brady chova and top­ranked Djo­ straight games to take charge the third round, after his 6­3, (USA) bt 25­Karolina Muchova kovic preserving his perfect against a despairing Williams 6­4, 6­2 win. Indicating the (Cze) 6­4, 3­6, 6­4; 3­Naomi semifinal record at Karatsev's and canter into the final. gulf between them, Vladikav­ Osaka (Jpn) bt 10­Serena Wil­ expense. Williams lamented a "big kaz native Karatsev, 27, has liams (USA) 6­3, 6­4.

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DELHI THE HINDU 16 SPORT FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE NEUFC holds City pulls further ahead Final ODI may be Curry turns on the heat Chennaiyin Agence France-Presse points to finish with a 25­point haul. moved to Mumbai San Francisco Sports Bureau The results: Atletico suffers a slight wobble with draw away to Levante Stephen Curry sealed a stunning late Bambolim Amol Karhadkar Wizards 130 bt Nuggets 128; Bulls fightback to help Golden State War­ 105 bt Pistons 102; Pelicans 124 lost to A stoppage­time penalty EURO LEAGUES MUMBAI riors to a 120­112 overtime victory ov­ Trail Blazers 126; Grizzlies 122 bt Thun­ helped NorthEast United The concluding game of England’s tour of er Miami Heat on Wednesday. der 113; Warriors 120 bt Heat 112 (OT); Associated Press FC (NEUFC) pull off a 3­3 India — the third ODI on March 28 — is like­ Curry scored eight of the final 11 Clippers 96 lost to Jazz 114. LIVERPOOL draw against Chennaiyin ly to be shifted from Pune to Mumbai in or­ FC (CFC) in an Indian Sup­ Manchester City moved 10 der to ensure a safe passage back home for er League contest in Bam­ points clear in the Premier the visiting contingent. bolim on Thursday. League as second­half goals By the time England reaches Pune for Luka Majcen produced a from Riyad Mahrez and Ber­ the ODI series, it would have spent almost goal in the last minute of nardo Silva powered Pep two months in India. The side is scheduled the added time to help Guardiola’s team to a 3­1 win to depart from Mumbai early on March 29. Churchill Brothers down at Everton on Wednesday. It is learnt that the BCCI is considering Chennai City FC (CCFC) 2­1 A 17th straight win in all acceding to a “soft request” by the ECB in in the I­League on Thurs­ competitions — including 12 Unstoppable: Mahrez fires in Manchester City’s second past this regard. day. in a row in the league — Everton’s flailing defence. * AFP The Maharashtra Cricket Association The results: ISL: Chennaiyin 3 wasn’t looking so clear­cut (L. Chhangte 8, 52, Manuel (MCA), the host for the ODI series, con­ after Richarlison cancelled first English top­flight side to six points clear of second­ firmed the development on Thursday. Lanzarote 50­pen) drew with start a calendar year with 10 placed Real Madrid and have NEUFC 3 (Imran Khan 14, out Phil Foden’s opener for Meanwhile, the India and England consecutive league wins, it is a game in hand, but have Deshorn Brown 43, Luis Ma­ City before halftime. It was teams landed in Ahmedabad on Thursday chado 90­pen). only the second time in the getting harder to see who seen their control of the title for the final two Tests. Friday’s match: ATK Mohun last nine league games City might deny Guardiola a third race slip slightly after two Bagan v SC East Bengal, 7.30 has failed to keep a clean Premier League title. draws in three matches. p.m. sheet. However, Mahrez re­ Atletico Madrid failed to The results: Premier League: I-League: Aizawl 3 (Mal­ gained the lead for City in move eight points clear at Burnley 1 (Barnes 52) drew Good start for sawmtluanga 16, Lalremsan­ the 63rd minute as he cut in the top of La Liga on Wed­ with Fulham 1 (Aina 49); Ever­ ton 1 (Richarlison 37) lost to ga 64, Lalliansanga 67) bt from the right and bent the nesday as it was held to a 1­1 Mohammedan SC 0; Real Manchester City 3 (Foden 32, ball in off the far post. Silva draw at Levante in a game Kashmir 1 (Dicka 72) drew Mahrez 63, Silva 77). Poovamma with RoundGlass Punjab 1 scored with a similar strike which saw a dreadful miss LaLiga: Levante 1 (Bardhi 17) Sports Bureau (Beitia 67­pen); CCFC 1 (Skri­ in the 77th from Angel Correa. drew with Atletico Madrid 1 Patiala jelj 64­pen) lost to Churchill 2 With City becoming the Diego Simeone’s men sit (Llorente 37). ( Majcen 49, 90+4). M.R. Poovamma won the women’s 400m comfortably but there were some big sur­ CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC prises in the Indian Grand Prix­1 on Thurs­ Ankita in \ NEW DELHI ROUND-UP \ day. The 30­year­old defeated Kiran Pahal, who surprised many when she clocked an doubles final Easy for Youth XI The scores: Sporting Club Tripathi took three as LB impressive 52.73s in the 2019 National Sports Bureau Delhi under­19 batsman 206/7 in 40 overs (Raman Shastri Club beat Rohtak Open in Ranchi. Poovamma clocked Melbourne Sanat Sangwan top­scored Rana 65, Archit Malik 44) bt Road Gymkhana by two 53.45s, a good time to start the season. M­10 Academy 179 in 37.2 wickets in the Kiran Chopra Ankita Raina and Kamilla with 62 and Ankit Partap Muhammed Anas, who made his 100m overs (Dhruv Kumar 56, Ravi memorial ur­18 tournament. Rakhimova of Russia beat Singh picked up two wickets debut, shocked Indian record holder Ami­ Yadav 4/40). The scores: RRG 118 in 33.4 Franceska Jons and Nadia for just six runs as Youth XI ya Kumar Mallick while finishing second to Podoroska 4­6, 6­4, [11­9] in beat Ravi Brothers by 38 Mridul scores century overs (Pratham Gosain 40, Krishnakumar Rane in 10.70s. Dutee the Phillip Island Trophy runs in the Bhopal Singh Mridul Surroch’s 112 and Badal Vishwal 4/21, Sampoorn Chand was the fastest woman. WTA 250 tennis doubles Balyan tournament. all­round performance by Tripathi 3/27) lost to LBSC K.M. Chanda improved her personal semis. The scores: Youth XI 192 in 39 Ashutosh Aggarwal saw 120/8 in 22.4 overs (Aaditya best by nearly five seconds while winning Other results: overs (Sanat Sangwan 62, Crescent Academy defeat Kumar 46, Abhishek Kumar the 800m in 2:04.91s. Arokia Rajiv won 3/15). $52,080 Challenger, Potch- Shivam 38, Ajay Choudhary York Club by eight runs in the men’s 200m in 21.40s. efstroom: First round: Teym­ 4/53, Rocky 4/21) bt Ravi the SH Sports u­19 tourney. The winners: Men: 100m: Krishnakumar Rane uraz Gabashvili (Rus) & Mark (Mah) 10.68s. 200m: Arokia Rajiv (TN) 21.40s. Brothers 154 in 35.3 overs The scores: Crescent Academy TV PICKS Vervoort (Ned) bt Benjamin (Sanyem Arora 51, Abhishek 400m: Naganathan Pandi (TN) 47.32s. 800m: Lock (Zim) & Arjun Kadhe 7­5, 255/7 in 40 overs (Mridul Ankesh Chaudhary (HP) 1:52.82s. 5000m: Gupta 38). Surroch 112, Asutosh Aggarwal Australian Open: Sony Ten 2, 5­7, [10­7]. 3 & Sony Six (SD & HD), 10.30 Kishan Narsi Tadvi (Mah) 14:52.70s. 400m 46, Harshil Jain 37) bt York $15,000 ITF, Sharm El Ravi, Raman star in a.m. hurdles: A. Dharun (TN) 51.33s. Long jump: Sheikh: Women, quarters: Sporting Club’s win Club 247 in 39.5 overs (Vansh Premier League: SS Select 1 Yugant Singh (UP) 7.62m. Triple jump: Eldhose Raphaelle Lacasse (Can) & Mehra 67, Hitesh Kumar 49, Paul (Ker) 16.56m. Shot put: Sahib Singh (Del) Leg­spinner Ravi Yadav (SD & HD), 1.30 a.m. Ashmitha Easwaramurthi bt Ashutosh Aggarwal 3/29, 17.67m. Women: 100m: Dutee Chand (Odi) (4/40) and Raman Rana (65) (Saturday) Lucie Havlickova & Barbora Amanpreet Singh 3/44). Serie A: Sony Ten 2 (SD & 11.51s. 200m: Anjali Devi (Har) 23.57s. 400m: Palicova (Cze) 6­2, 6­3. Men, starred in Sporting Club’s M.R. Poovamma (Kar) 53.45s. 800m: Chanda Badal, Sampoorn shine HD), 11 p.m. & 1.15 a.m. second round: Erik Crepaldi 27­run win over M­10 (Saturday) (Del) 2:04.91s. Long jump: Mareena George (Ita) bt Sasi Kumar Mukund 7­ Academy in the Niz Sports Badal Viswal picked up four ISL: Star Sports 2 & 3 (SD & (Ker) 6.11m. Shot put: Kachnar Chaudhary (Raj) 6(7), 6­2. under­19 tournament. wickets and Sampoorn HD), 7.30 p.m. 14.38m.

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