( B2 $ A # '% C % C C VRGR '%&((!1#VCEB R BP A"'!#$#1!$"#0$"T utqBVQWBuxy( 35&63% ., 2$ 1 213 42 , 5$2 /6 A $/4O2"EE H-2-5587"E/824/5-7&E-2&/4 &4$&-"-2-8E9 $"71&780?4/6 1/A-718-4"E6-5 6&21 -5"5E / &E5-"72&"E /54/6 584E&4E22,> 5-401&5-&A85 01-4$&3-51 $"15-$84 19$"5--$ &G-96-$- D7 0 $2+>334 ++: D-E " #- 7 ) " 0 1-1- ! 1/ R R R ! " ( ! 4"6$"71& soon. In the meeting tomorrow our main agenda will be to he farmers on Friday called know if the Government is Tfor “Bharat Bandh” on rolling back laws or not. The December 8 to mark their protests are going on country- authorities to highlight our protest against the new farm wide against the law, even in # # # concerns.” laws if their talks with the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Q % & R The External Affairs Centre fail. Thousands of farm- and this protest is just not lim- Ministry said these comments ers remained at the national ited to northern States but have encouraged gatherings of Capital’s border points amid across the country,” said '() “extremist activities” in front of heavy police deployment. Ranjeet Singh Raju from our High Commission and “The Government has to Rajasthan. 4"6$"71& Consulates in Canada that raise revoke these laws in a meeting Farmers from western issues of safety and security. scheduled for December 5, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand tepping up its protest against “We expect the Canadian otherwise we have decided to stayed put at Ghazipur border SCanadian Prime Minister Government to ensure the give ‘Bharat bandh’ call on (UP Gate) to mark their Justin Trudeau’s remarks about fullest security of Indian December 8 and we will also protest. Following which the ongoing farmers’ stir in the diplomatic personnel and its occupy toll plaza and all vehi- National Highway-9 remained country, India on Friday said political leaders to refrain from cles will be passed through closed from Ghaziabad to these comments could have a pronouncements that legit- them without any payment. On Delhi on the second consecu- “seriously damaging impact” imise extremist activism,” the December 7, awards will be tive day. Commuters taking on ties between the two coun- statement added. returned back to Government alternate route faced long tries. On Tuesday too, a day by sportspersons and on queues of traffic on their route. India issued this stern mes- after Trudeau’s statement, India December 5, effigies of the The farmers on Friday also sage after summoning had denounced the Canadian Narendra Modi Government tried to block the Bhupra and Canadian High Commissioner Prime Minister’s remarks on and corporate houses will be Apsara border but later the to India Nadir Patel here. The the farmers’ agitation as “ill- burnt across the country,” said security forces persuaded the External Affairs Ministry said informed” and “unwarranted”. Harinder Singh Lakhwal, farmers and the traffic move- the comments by the Canadian “Such comments are Bharatiya Kisan Union gener- ment resumed. /0 Prime Minister, some Cabinet unwarranted, especially when al secretary. However, traffic in the in a Press conference the farm- Ministers and Members of pertaining to the internal affairs Bharatiya Kisan Union national Capital remained in ers said in their meeting held Parliament on issues relating to of a democratic country,” the leader Rakesh Tikait on Friday chaos on Friday as Delhi Police on December 3, they clearly 4"6$"71& tion towards Minimum are going on, both have agreed Indian farmers “constitute an Ministry spokesperson Anurag said the farmers are hoping that and Noida Police issued advi- told the Government to roll Support Price (MSP) is very on some points. Government unacceptable interference in Srivastava had said. the Government will meet their sory for route diversion. back the farm laws and point- head of the fifth round clear. I assure you that there will of India is in talks with kisan our internal affairs”. On Friday, New Delhi also demands during the fifth round The Singhu, Tikri, ed out to nine flaws in them. Ameeting on Saturday, the be no change in MSP. unions and the meetings are on This strong statement said, “Comments by Canadian of talks scheduled for Ghazipur, Jharoda Lampur, “If Government does not Centre is hopeful of resolution Discussions are going on and positive note,” Tomar said. He came after Trudeau recently leaders on Indian farmers con- December 5, failing which they Auchandi, Safiabad, Piao agree to our demands, the fur- of the standoff with agitating both sides have agreed on urged political parties not to said, “We’re all very worried stitute an unacceptable inter- will continue their protests Maniyari, and Saboli and Chilla ther course of action will be farmers and may be ready to some points. We will meet politicise the whole movement. about family and friends. We ference in our internal affairs. against the new farm laws. border remained closed for decided tomorrow and we will “bring amendments”, said again on Saturday. I am sure we Tomar said the believe in the importance of Such actions, if continued, will “We have also decided to traffic movement. intensify our protest,” said Union Agriculture Minister will get a solution,” Tomar told Government has no ego and it dialogue and that’s why we’ve have a seriously damaging close all roads connecting to A meeting of farmers Gurnam Singh Chaduni. Narendra Singh Tomar. a news channel. has an open mind. reached out through multiple impact on bilateral ties.” Delhi if demands are not met union took place on Friday and Continued on Page 2 “The Government’s inten- “Continuous discussions Continued on Page 2 means directly to the Indian Continued on Page 2 , - ! . . & * ed that the trials are progress- fers disability, or death. But the () ing as the SAEs reported have causality on whether the SAE no causal link to the trials of is related to the clinical trial has these vaccines. He was replying to be established by an expert * be “available in the next few to queries of reporters at a committee of DCGI for the weeks”. webinar. compensation. # Without giving away the # “It has been found that Somani also said that com- price of the vaccine, Modi said things are going on as per pensation of 12 crore has it will be decided keeping in 4"6$"71& processes,” Somani told the been awarded for injuries, view the “public interest in media, referring to the two deaths caused during clinical + ' mind”, suggesting it may not be he country’s top drug reg- incidents of SAEs. trials in last 3 years. high-priced. Tulator on Friday gave clean Compensation is given The SII has brushed aside 4"6$"71& “Experts expect that the chit to Serum Institute of when the causality of serious allegations of SAE by the vaccine will be ready within the India(SII) and Bharat Biotech, adverse event is found to be Chennai volunteers claiming he Centre plans to give next few weeks. Once scientists which are facing allegations of related to the trial, he said. that its Covishield vaccine is Tvaccine shots to nearly one approve it, the nationwide vac- serious adverse events (SAE) in An SAE is any untoward safe and immunogenic and crore health workers in the first cination drive will be started in the clinical trials. medical occurrence during the did not cause the neurological phase of the vaccination drive India. Our scientists are very Drug Controller General of trial that may result in the vol- serious adverse effect in the 40- whenever a Covid-19 vaccine confident of succeeding in India (DCGI) VG Somani hint- unteer getting hospitalised, suf- year-old participant. is approved for use in India. their endeavour of making the After this, nearly two crore Covid-19 vaccine. The world is ./0 frontline workers, including keeping a watch on the cheap- :!,!;:< !>;> policemen, security person- est and safe vaccine,” the PM 1 1 * ? ' :!=>!+@>!:+:!;+!@ nel, municipal workers and said during the meeting which other essential workers will was attended by about 12 lead- - A :!<>!@<; ,>:!;!@+< About 27 crore senior cit- ment of coronavirus vaccine ' 6 !=@!;,, :!@,:!@+!:= izens will receive the vaccine on and the manufacturing process *- 0, ,,. / +!,>!+= !:+ +!!@@; priority basis in the third phase also assured that the country of the vaccination drive. has the necessary infrastructure ' -. 11 5 ,!<@!,> ,!+:=,!=!<+ Addressing the floor lead- to manufacture the vaccine at 2 ,!<,!,+ !@<,!@!:+> ers of Opposition parties while a large scale. Nearly eight vac- 0 ,!+!==< ,!=;@,!,!@=> reviewing Covid-19 situation in cines are at different stages of the country, the Prime Minister trial with their manufacturing 1 ,!>!: ,!;+=,!,+!=<+ quoted scientists saying that a assured in India, he said. ,!+: vaccine for coronavirus would Continued on Page 2 3 ,!;!:= !>=!==, - ,!+!;>; =:<,!>:!=@ ! P + )+* ! O ! " ! /01, #22 #$ &' ), ! "# $ %& 8-& .3 45 ' 19$"5--$ -$ L eserve Bank of India (RBI) ) # "# Ron Friday left interest rates oters of Hyderabad have thrown a “hung $ M unchanged for the third Vverdict” in the GHMC elections, the results !) 8-& +,- straight time amid persistent- of which were announced on Friday. None of the /01 % ly high inflation and said the parties could secure the magic figure of 76 out ithin days of it completing its first year in economy was recuperating fast of 150 seats. Woffice, the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi O P and would return to positive However, the ruling TRS has emerged as the (MVA) consolidated its position in Maharashtra !" growth in the current quarter. single largest party bywinning 55 seats out of on Friday, as it handed out a humiliating drub- #$%&'$ O The six-member Monetary total 150 seats it had contested. TRS tally came bing to the Opposition BJP by winning four out ) L M Policy Committee unani- down to 55 from 99 seats it won in 2016. five Maharashtra Legislative Council seats in the # mously decided to keep the The BJP which has given a tough fight to biennial elections. %2 repo rate — the rate at which TRS right from the beginningof the polls, The BJP, which lost to power to the Shiv ) RBI lends to commercial banks stood second by winning 48 seats out of 149 seats Sena-led MVA Government in November last L M 3 ! — at 4 per cent. Since January, it had contested. The BJP had just 4 seats in 2016. year, found itself licking its wounds, as it lost 4 3 4 ! RBI has reduced rate by 115 The AIMIM, which stood third by securing its traditional bastion of Nagpur where the L M basis points before hitting the 43 seats proved yet again that it remains Congress’ Abhijit Wanjari defeated the BJP’s 3 405! pause button in August on unbeatable in its strong hold Old City. The Sandeep Joshi in the Nagpur Division Graduates’ 3 % concerns on inflation. Congress failed miserably, it won just 2 constituency, by a comfortable margin of 18,910 Detailed report on P9 Detailed report on P5 votes. Detailed report on P5 ! "#$%$% ! 7839 ' 2667
4"6$"71& five per cent which is a sign of Out of which 2013 beds are & *68 relief as it points to perpetual vacant. This is indicative of the he national Capital report- declining of the effect of the situation getting better gradu- !) 8-& this year rose to 17,10,050. “active cases” total cases in the Ted 4,067 coronavirus cases pandemic in Delhi. ally,” he said. The recovery rate in the state state dropped from 85,535 to on Friday and the positivity rate Jain said that more than 65 Jain further said, “We have n a marginal increase in the rose marginally from 92.7 per 83,859. The fatality rate in the stood at 4.78 per cent while 73 per cent beds in general wards the infrastructure to roll out the ICovid-19 infections and cent to 92.81 per cent. state stood at 2.58 per cent. more fatalities pushed the death and more than 40 per cent ICU vaccine to the entire population fatalities, Maharashtra on Of the 127 deaths, Pune Pune district, which con- toll to 9497. These cases came beds remain vacant. If this of Delhi in a few weeks. We Friday recorded 5229 new accounted for a maximum of tinued to be the worst-affected out of the record 85,003 tests rate of positivity stays for a con- have facilities like Mohalla infected cases and 127 deaths 25 deaths, followed 16 in city-district in Maharashtra, conducted in last 24 hours secutive five days, it will be Clinics, poly clinics dispen- in the state. Ahmednagar, 14 in Mumbai, 9 saw the total number of cases including 40,191 RT-PCR tests, indicative of the fact that Delhi saries to facilitate application of A day after the state logged in Nagpur, 8 each in Thane, increase from 3,55,698 to according to the latest bulletin has contained the virus. the vaccine. This vaccine is 115 deaths and 5,182 fresh Sangli and Osmanabad, 5 in 3,56,501 while the total num- issued by the Delhi Health According to Delhi stored in thermocol boxes with infections, the deaths went up Aurangabad, 4 each in Satara ber of deaths in Pune increased Department. Government’s live app, there dry ice. So storage of vaccine by 12 to touch a tally of 127 and Bhandara, 3 each in from 7507 to 7532. Delhi health minister are 18,700 beds in totality out will not be a problem” while the infections rose by 47 Nashik, Solapur, Jalna, Thane district remained Satyendar Jain on Friday said of which, more than 12000 are The number of COVID-19 taking the infected cases to Chandrapur and Gadchiroli, 2 in the third spot --after Pune that the Covid-19 positivity rate vacant and 6658 beds are occu- containment zones in Delhi 5229. each in Parbhani, Latur and and Mumbai – after the total have come down to less than pied. Total ICU beds are 5029. rose to 5909. With 5229 fresh infections, one death each in Raigad, number of infections rose from the total infections in the state Ratnagiri, Hingoli, Akola, 2,42,509 to 2,43,147, while the climbed from 18,37,358 to Amravati, Yavatmal, and total deaths climbed from 5334 18,42,587. Similarly, with new Buldhana. to 5342. !#$ 999 127 deaths, the Covid-19 toll With 14 fresh deaths, the Of the 1,11,32,231 samples From Page 1 rose from 47,472 to 47,599. Covid-19 toll went up in sent to laboratories, 18,42,587 As per the tone and tenor As 6,776 patients were dis- Mumbai from 10,931 to 10,945, have tested positive (16.55 per 385835- According to the police, park near the Jharsa village on tion, the accused also stated that of the Government, it is open charged from the hospitals while the infected cases rose by cent) for COVID-19 until during his interrogation, the the Delhi-Jaipur highway. he slit Rakesh’s throat with a to making some key changes to across the state after full recov- 813 to trigger a rise in the total Friday. Currently, 5,47,504 joint team of the crime accused confessed to his involve- The body was later identi- knife and he died after some the farm Acts, and would con- ery, the total number of people infections from 283,696 to people are in home quarantine Aunits of Palam Vihar and ment in the three murder cases fied as 29-year-old Akhilesh, a time. After death, it robbed the sider ways to strengthen man- discharged from the hospitals 284,509. while 5567 people are in insti- Sector-40 of the Gurugram committed in Gurugram. resident of Kanpur district of deceased's mobile phone and dis, create a level-playing field since the second week of March Meanwhile, the number of tutional quarantine. police arrested a dreaded ser- “The culprit was arrested Uttar Pradesh and on 26 other items. with proposed private markets, ial killer in Gurugram on from the Iffco Chowk on November a headless body of a “The accused had hid the and freedom to approach high- Thursday. Thursday after specific inputs youth was found in the bushes deceased head so that no other er courts for dispute resolutions 8A3 The killer had carried out received by the investigation of Sector-47 area. The deceased person could identify the in a bid to address the concern ! # consecutive murders on the team. The accused has admit- was identified as 26-year-old deceased, and later he had raised by protesting farmers’ night of November 24, 25 and ted that on the night of 23, 24 Rakesh Kumar, a resident of thrown the deceased head in the groups. The Government also # 26, the police said on Friday. and 25 November, he had bru- Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh. bushes at Kanhai village in assured that procurement at The arrested accused has tally murder three youths in During questioning the Gurugram and rode away from MSP will continue. & 8A # $ been identified as Muhammad Gurugram,” said Preet Pal accused disclosed that he used the spot. The police recovered Farmers fear the reforms Razi (22) of Araria district in Sangwan, ACP (Crime). to search his targets and insist- the victim's head on Friday,” could pave the way for the 780?4/6 Bihar. With the arrest of the The police said that on ed them to drink liquor with Sangwan said. Government to stop buying dreaded criminal the police November 24, a body was found him. After that, he used to The accused was produced staples at federally fixed mini- fter a series of successful have also claimed to solve three in the Sector-29 police station murder his targets with the before a local court on Friday mum support prices MSPs, Ainitiatives to attract and blind murder mysteries which area. On the evening of intention of robbing their which sent him on police erode their bargaining power materialise investments in New Delhi: Prime Minister the accused had done in a span November 25, another dead belongings. remand for further investigation, and leave them at the mercy of Uttar Pradesh, the State Narendra Modi on Friday of just three days. body was recovered from the During police interroga- the police said. private buyers. Government has initiated the asserted that his Government process to professionalise its is fully committed to the prin- investment promotion and ciple of reform, perform and facilitation agency, Invest UP, in transform. R ::: : the right earnest. Delivering a keynote Additional Chief Secretary address at IIT 2020 Global (Infrastructure and Industrial Summit via video conference, From Page 1 party leader Erin O’Toole, who had said the comments were & Development) Alok Kumar the Prime Minister said: "Our On Monday, speaking at an called the right to peacefully “ill-informed” and “unwar- said that in a first-of-its-kind government is fully committed fight against COVID-19, the event to mark the birth protest “fundamental” to ranted”. The spokesperson initiative, the UP government to the principle of reform, per- Prime Minister said: "Our anniversary of Guru Nanak, democracy. Trudeau was the also said, “We have seen some had decided to engage highly form and transform. No sector actions today will shape our Trudeau had spoken in support first world leader to comment ill-informed comments by # qualified professionals from is left out from reforms." planet tomorrow. The post- of farmers in India and on the farmers’ stir. Canadian leaders relating to business and management He said that India is wit- COVID world order will be weighed in on the right to The Indian demarche on farmers in India. Such com- sphere with ample experience nessing a sea change in the way about re-learning, re-thinking, peaceful protest. “Canada will Friday was tougher as com- ments are unwarranted, espe- 780?4/6 A/7&0"&4-8 for seamless integration of it works, adding that "things we re-innovating and re-inventing always be there to defend the pared to Tuesday’s response. cially when pertaining to the investment promotion and thought could never happen in every field. Along with this, rights of peaceful protest,” said On that day, New Delhi internal affairs of a democrat- hile a case of love jihad 07-&"$/4 facilitation streams. are being delivered at a great a series of economic reforms is the Canadian Prime Minister. refrained from naming the ic country. It is also best that Wwas reported to the Kumar, who is also mem- speed." what will re-energise our plan- Trudeau’s remarks were Canadian Prime Minister. diplomatic conversations are Sitapur police for forcing a 5&$-921-221" ber-secretary of the Governing "There was a time when a et." echoed by other Canadian Taking exception to his not misrepresented for politi- minor to convert her religion, Board of Invest UP, said here gathering like this would have "In the testing times of leaders, including Conservative remarks, Srivastava on Tuesday cal purposes.” the cops in Mau district regis- &40&$"426-E on Friday that, “In all 44 pro- included alumni from 5-6 IITs, COVID-19, India has got tered a case against 14 people 5"A/52"$ 5/ fessionals are proposed to be but the number today stands at record investment, much of it under the ordinance against recruited to enhance the effi- 2 dozen. At the same time, we in the tech sector. Clearly, the ::: Delhi and use Apsara/ forced religious conversions /74-73-4G ciency of services to investors have ensured that the brand of world sees India as a trustwor- Bhopra/DND instead.” after a woman eloped with her and industrialists. In the first IITs has only become stronger. thy and promising partner. From Page 1 The Delhi Traffic Police lover belonging to a different &77-3"84$"5 phase, five qualified persons We're committed to strength- The collective force of the pan- Meanwhile, hundreds of suggested people to avoid the religion. will be recruited, including a en science and tech education IIT movement can aid momen- farmers stayed put at the Noida Link road for coming to The police said that the 01&5-&9-?/2 chief operating officer (COO), in India," he said. tum to our dream of becoming Noida-Delhi border for the Delhi and use the DND flyway man was already married and A/7&0"E2-2&/4 to lead the investment promo- "We have been working an Aatmanirbhar Bharat," he fourth day on Friday leading to instead. As farmers remained had cheated the woman. tion functions of the agency with various countries in SE said. the shutdown of the roads for unyielding on their demand for Police in Mau claimed on under the guidance of the chief Asia and Europe in this area. The Prime Minister urged traffic movement. scrapping the new farm laws, Friday that the incident was deployed to arrest all the executive officer (CEO).” Our aim is to ensure that our everyone to share their ideas The protesters, including the police kept the Delhi- reported from Molnalganj vil- accused and recover the “Appointment as well as youngsters get an internation- and inputs on how the Centre some women, are camping at Haryana border at Singhu, lage under Chiraiyakot police woman. We will soon get a removal of the COO will be al platform to showcase their can mark 75 years of freedom. one carriageway of the Delhi- Tikri, Jharoda Lampur, station recently. breakthrough as we have some approved by the chief minister, skills and learn from best prac- "You could share your views via Noida Link Road at the Chilla Auchandi, Safiabad, Piao The FIR has been regis- important clues,” Ghule, the who is the chairperson of the tices globally," the Prime http://mygov.in or directly with border, while some are demon- Maniyari, and Saboli closed for tered under sections 366, 506 Superintendent of Police of Governing Board of the newly Minister added. me on the Narendra Modi strating at the nearby Dalit traffic movement. and 3/5 of Uttar Pradesh law Mau, said. established agency,” he added. Commenting on India's App," he said. Agency Prerna Sthal near the “Border points at Dhansa, against forced religious con- Speaking on the issue, ASP Mahamaya Flyover. Daurala, Kapashera, Rajokri, versions. The police have start- Tribhuvan Nath Tripathi said Rakesh Tikait, Bharatiya NH-8, Bijwasan/Bajghera, ed taking action after register- that the youth was already Kisan Union leader said if Palam Vihar and Dundahera ing the case. married and a case under sec- %& ' ( # # P# # there is no conclusion in the are open for travel between The youth, who was tions 366, 506 and 3/5 Uttar meeting scheduled for Delhi and Haryana. Badusarai allegedly married, eloped with Pradesh law against forced 780?4/6 independent while the Varanasi dent Dhruv Kumar Tripathi December 5, they will contin- border is open only for light a girl from a different faith conversion was registered. seat was wrested by the retained the Gorakhpur- ue their protests against the motor vehicles like cars and before her marriage on The couple are yet to be he ruling Bharatiya Janata Samajwadi Party candidate. In Faizabad teachers seat. new farm laws. two wheelers. Jhatikara border November 30. As soon as the found and police are on search. TParty has swept the Uttar Varanasi, BJP had supported BJP candidate Hari Singh Noida Traffic Police in its is open only for two wheeler family members came to know In Sitapur, a man hailing Pradesh Legislative Council the independent candidate, Dhillon won the Bareilly- advisory on Thursday night traffic,” said the Delhi Traffic about the matter, they from Tambaur locality con- teachers biennial polls by win- who is runner-up. Moradabad teachers seat by suggested alternative routes Police. The closure of borders informed the police. tacted the local police and ning three of the six seats on According to Election wresting it from independent. instead of the Chilla road for led to diversion of traffic from The police said the com- alleged that one Zibraiel had Friday. In one seat, BJP-sup- Commission, BJP candidate SP candidate Lal Bihari hassle-free commutation. Mukarba and GT-Karnal road plainant alleged that his 30- lured his minor daughter and ported independent candidate Shreechand Sharma wrested Yadav won the Varanasi teach- However, the alternative routes, that led to traffic jams on alter- year-old daughter was kid- eloped with her about a week won the election. the Meerut teachers seat after ers seat by defeating the sitting Delhi-Noida Direct expressway native routes. Traffic in napped by a person he identi- back. He said that the accused BJP, contesting these polls four decades from Om Prakash independent MLC. and Kalindi Kunj, witnessed Ghaziabad too was hit. fied as Shabab Khan aka Rahul, was harassing his daughter for the first time on party Sharma, who is the leader of Independent candidate more than usual traffic that led District Magistrate Dr Ajay for religious conversion. and forcing her to convert her symbol, dented the vote bank the Sharma group. Om Prakash Akash Agarwal wrested the to snarls during peak morning Shankar Pandey and Senior He filed the complaint religion for marriage. of the Sharma group in the Sharma, 85, was winning had Agra teachers seat from SP. The hours on Friday. Superintendent of Police, against Shabab Khan and 13 of The cops at Tambaur teachers constituencies and won this seat for the past eight BJP candidate was at third “The Delhi-Uttar Pradesh Kalanidhi Naithani, said route his acquaintances, stating that claimed to have registered a ended their overwhelming times. In Lucknow teachers place. In the counting at five border on NH-24 at Gazipur diversion has been done for the wedding of his daughter case for forced conversion and clout. The BJP won the seats of seat, BJP candidate Umesh graduate constituencies, BJP remains closed for traffic from those coming from Ghaziabad had been scheduled for arrested two of the family Meerut, Lucknow and Bareilly- Dwivedi won by defeating candidates were leading. Ghaziabad to Delhi on Friday, to Delhi. “Apart from this, November 30 but on the eve of members of the accused. Moradabad while the BJP sup- independent Mahendra Nath The counting started on too,” Delhi Traffic Police said. CCTV cameras have also been the marriage Khan kidnapped Teams were also formed ported independent candidate Rai. In the last election, Thursday morning but due to The Delhi Traffic Police installed around the venue of her with the intent of convert- and raids were conducted to won the Gorakhpur-Faizabad Dwivedi had won the seat as objections filed by the opposi- tweeted, “People are advised to the movement to monitor the ing her religion. nab the accused and rescue the seat. independent. tion candidates, the process was avoid NH-24 for coming to situation,” said the official. “Three teams have been victim from his clutches. The Agra seat went to an BJP supported indepen- delayed. ! ()
From Page 1 the center is talking with the cine. This is the second meet He hoped that a “safe and tively”. from the TMC, Sharad Pawar The meeting commenced The Prime Minister said States on the price of the vac- that the Prime Minister held cost-effective Coronavirus vac- Modi said the first claim on of the NCP, Nama Nageswara with a Government presenta- with the cine will be ready in “next few the vaccine would be of front- Rao from the TRS and Vinayak tion, giving the status of the Opposition weeks”. line health workers, elderly, Raut from the Shiv Sena among Covid19 situation in the coun- parties on the Allaying apprehensions on and children. others who attended the video try and staying that India’s Covid19 situa- whether India will be able to The Prime Minister, how- conference. death rate was low with high tion since the vaccinate its large population, ever, did not tell whether the Union Defence Minister recoveries. first that took Modi said India “has a very Centre will pay for the vacci- Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Modi had on Monday place on April good cold-storage chain in nation across the country. Amit Shah, Health Minister held a virtual meeting with 20. place”. Modi said a special task Floor leaders from all par- Harsh Vardhan were present in three teams working on devel- Modi said force has been set-up to imple- ties in Lok Sabha and Rajya the meeting. oping and manufacturing trials on three ment vaccination in the coun- Sabha were invited to attend the Besides them, COVID-19 vaccine. vaccines are try. A National Expert Group, virtual meeting and Parliamentary Affairs Ministers Modi said from the time of underway in comprising technical experts, Leaders from prominent Pralhad Joshi and Ministers of fear and apprehensions in the the country officials from Central min- political parties having five or State in the same ministry months of February and March, and as soon as istries, state representatives, more than five MPs, spoke in Arjun Ram Meghwal and V when India reported its first scientists “give would work with states. Prime the meeting. Muraleedharan, who reached COVID cases, to this atmos- green signal, Minister said to implement the Leader of Opposition in out to floor leaders for the phere of “hope and confidence” vaccine will be vaccination at a large-scale Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi meeting, were also part of the in December, India has come a given.” “decisions will be taken collec- Azad, Sudip Bandyopadhyay virtual meeting. long way, he said.
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Shankar Pandey and Senior plan ahead with the leaders and whole country and it will be their tractors and they have also 31-I&--$ Superintendent of Police, their movement will remain fought peacefully,” said Tikait. built temporary tents below Kalanidhi Naithani reached peaceful. This movement At the UP Gate, the farm- and above the flyover. armers from western Uttar the spot and took stock of the belongs to the farmers of the ers also brought paddy straw in FPradesh and Uttarakhand situation. stayed put at Ghazipur border Both officials said that (UP Gate) to mark their protest route diversion has been done against the newly introduced for those coming from & &# farms Bills. The National Ghaziabad to Delhi. “Apart Highway-9 remained closed from this, CCTV cameras have from Ghaziabad to Delhi on also been installed around the the second consecutive day. venue of the movement to /3 The commuters taking monitor the situation,” said alternate route also faced long the official. queues of traffic on their route. On the ninth day of the 4"6$"71& to make arrangements for The farmers on Friday also agitation, farmer leader Rakesh adding fire and water tents” tried to block the Bhupra and Tikait said that they are wait- he Delhi Government is The Minister also said that Apsara border but later the ing till December 5. Tproviding full support and Captain Singh and the BJP security forces persuaded the “Negotiations have already basic amenities including Government are working in farmers and traffic movement been held with the government health camp, ambulances and unison to harass the farmers. was started again. and if they will not agree then 24 hour water supply to the Captain Singh has been attend- District Magistrate Dr Ajay after 5 December, farmers will farmers, Delhi Health Minister ing meetings with Amit Shah Satyendar Jain said on Friday but neither has he met with the after reviewing the facilities farmers, nor is he being vocal made available for farmers by about the decisions he’s mak- % $%! ' the Delhi Government during ing. their peaceful revolution at more than 300 toilets, 40 “I want to say that the Singhu border. tankers of water, ambulances farmers are the backbone of the )%% The Health Minister said and health teams are available. nation and they have been that instructions have been The only problem we are fac- forced to travel kilometres. ! # ## issued to the authorities to ing is that toilets across the bar- They are being harassed by make more arrangements for ricades are not seeing water Captain Amrinder Singh and * #% %)% fire and water proof tents. supply since yesterday. I will BJP, who have joined forces. If Commenting on the amenities appeal to the police to allow for they wanted, a solution could *+ # and employees at an increased made by Delhi Government, he providing water in those toilets. have been devised for their 4"6$"71& rate. “For unskilled workers the said, “We have provided for Instructions have been issued demands,” he said. wages have been fixed at 4"6$"71& he Delhi Government has monthly Rs 15,492 (daily Rs Tenhanced monthly 596), for semi-skilled workers he Delhi Government on Dearness Allowance (DA) for it is is fixed at Rs 17,069 (daily ; TFriday launched the ‘Delhi its unskilled, semi-skilled, Rs 657) and for skilled work- EV Forum’ as a platform for skilled and other category ers it is fixed at Rs 18,797 (daily continuous engagement with workers, Delhi Deputy Chief Rs 723),” a statement released stakeholders in the Electric Minister and Labour Minister by the deputy chief minister )<- =>4 Vehicle ecosystem for the suc- Manish Sisodia said on Friday. reads. cessful implementation of the It is pertinent to note that Additionally, the minimum Delhi electronic vehicle policy. for regular Government wage rates for clerical and 4"6$"71& direction is not favorable for time and likely to improve The Dialogue and employees, in consonance with supervisory staff employees Stubble fire-related transport. marginally Saturday evening Development Commission will the directions of the Ministry have also been increased. Of ir quality in Delhi deteri- A stubble fire count from within the higher end of Very host the Delhi electric vehicle of Finance, Government of these, non-matriculation will Aorated on Friday with over- SAFAR-multi-satellite prod- Poor owing to calm wind con- (EV) Forum with the support India, the DA points have been get monthly wages of 17,069 all Air Quality Index ( AQI ) ucts is around 302 and percent dition.” of RMI India on behalf of the frozen from January 2020 to (657 daily), matriculates but being recorded at 364 and thus share is negligible,” “Air quali- “AQI is likely to marginal- Delhi Government. June, 2020 due to the impact of non-graduate to get monthly falling under very poor cate- ty is likely to deteriorate further ly improve further on 6 th and The Delhi Government “Realizing the vision of chief tors etc. Their concerns and Covid-19 on the economy. Rs 18,797 (daily 723), and gory on the National Ambient during the day and may touch 7th December due to better notified its landmark EV minister Arvind Kejriwal’s suggestions are important and Sisodia, however, states graduates and above to get Air Quality Index ( NAAQI). the Severe category for a short ventilation,” it said. policy on 7th August, aimed at vision to make Delhi a EV cap- discussing them transparently that DA for workers placed in monthly 20,430 (daily 786), As per the short range forecast, having an EV market share of ital of India requires partici- at the Delhi EV forum is the the bottom of the hierarchy it said. AQI is likely to improve on 25 per cent across all pation of all stakeholders – best way to chart a joint cannot be frozen, who are gen- Sisodia has informed that December 7th. new vehicle sales in Delhi OEMs, fleet operators, charg- roadmap for the successful erally provided only the mini- the Labour Department fixes According to System of by 2024. ing station energy operators, implementation of Delhi EV mum wage, especially during Dearness Allowance after Air Quality and Weather The policy lays out a com- experts and various govern- policy,” he said. the corona crisis. adjustment of the average All Forecasting And Research ( prehensive strategy to enable ment agencies. Delhi EV “It also carries forth the Accordingly, the new min- India Consumer Price Index SAFAR ), the values of rapid transition to EVs in the Forum will provide the plat- legacy of how the Delhi EV imum wages after including Number. Suspended Particulate Matters national capital centered on five form for much needed con- policy was drafted after exten- ‘Dearness Allowance’ will be “Due to the prevailing ( SPMs), PM 10 and 2.5 were key pillars – targeted financial versations among all the stake- sive consultations and discus- applicable to unskilled, semi- COVID-19 situation and eco- recorded- 348 and 203 respec- incentives, non-financial incen- holders.” sions with all stakeholders. We skilled and skilled categories in nomic hardship the ‘Dearness tively. tives, enabling charging infra- “Since the launch of Delhi’s are glad that the Delhi EV all scheduled employments. Allowance’ could not be revised SAFAR in its air quality structure, raising public aware- EV policy, we have received Forum will be the first such These revised wages will be in April this year but the price weather forecast said that over- ness and building a green econ- enthusiastic response from sev- forum in India for continuous applicable from October 1, hike of that period has been all air quality deteriorated as omy. eral stakeholders – EV manu- dialogue and engagement of 2020 as taken into account while revis- forecast from Thursday condi- Speaking on the occasion, facturers, fleet operators keen stakeholders in the implemen- Sisodia has directed to ing the allowance now,” Sisodia tion. “Surface-level winds are Jasmine Shah, Vice to launch complete EV fleets in tation of statewide EV policy,” ensure payment to all workers added. calm. Boundary layer wind Chairperson of DDC said Delhi, charging station opera- Shah added. ! )%* ) !#$ O/#
According to the police, the he had already pressed the The victim felt something victim had tried to flee the spot victim asked him why he trans- 385835- victim Raj Kumar, stated in his cancel button. Thereafter, two fishy and approached his bank but one of the accused over- ferred Rs 20,000 instead of Rs # # police complaint that on more youths came inside the where the bank employee powered the victim with the 10,000 in his account the cul- n accused was overpow- Thursday around 12.00 O'clock ATM in turn and again asked informed him that it was not help of passersby," the victim prit could not give satisfactory Aered by the victim, for he had visited an ATM booth him if there was a scheme and his card and in between the vic- told the police. answer and he was handed over 1 P allegedly exchanging the ATM located on the Mehrauli- insisted him to press the cancel tim received Rs 10,000 with- Later the nabbed accused to the police. card of the victim and withdrew Gurugram Road near Sukhrali button after inserting his PIN drawal message. disclosed his accomplices name "The case was registered 10,000 from his account, the village in Gurugram and with- number on the ATM machine," "The bank employee and confessed that they had under relevant sections of the 5 police said on Friday. drew 500 from his account. the victim told the police. informed the victim that the withdrawn Rs 10,000 from the IPC at Sadar police station. The arrested accused was "During this a youth came Soon after one of the money was withdrawn from victims account from an ATM Further probe is on to get identified as Sharfuddin of inside the ATM kiosk and accused took the victim's card Sector-17A market. The victim installed at Sector-17A market. information about the , 5 Palwal, while his accomplices asked him to insert the ATM and handed it over to the victim immediately reached the Thereafter the accused absconding culprits, said who fled the spot were identi- card and then press the cancel and told him that it had been Sector-17A market where the returned 20,000 in the victim’s Subhash Boken, spokesperson 4"6$"71& fied as Parvez and Toufiq. button. The victim replied that cancelled and left the spot. accused trio while seeing the relative account and when the of the Gurugram police. elhi Deputy Chief Minister DManish Sisodia said that 2 # the Delhi Government is com- (%, %& # # # -- mitted to protecting every cit- izen from the risk of viral 4"6$"71& sell land and plots in their hepatitis. upcoming project “Ganga City 4"6$"71& mention the arrest in their press release," ruled MCD happens in a very coordi- Speaking on the occasion he Economic Offences Wing Colony” at Gubhana Kheri in he said. nated manner. Every area of Delhi has of 23rd Hepatitis Day, he said T(EOW) of Delhi Police has Haryana’s Bahadurgarh. enior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhardwaj said, "The building mafia different rates defined by the BJP ruled that with the onslaught of with the Education arrested two directors of a com- “The directors represented Sand chief spokesperson Saurabh work as a team and to protect these MCD and the builder mafia. I come from corona pandemic, health has Department was launched last pany for allegedly cheating peo- that all the necessary approvals Bhardwaj on Friday said that the ‘Central mafias, the BJP ruled MCD has devel- the Greater Kailash area of Delhi so if become an even more serious year to further spread aware- ple by alluring them to invest in from government authorities Bureau of Investigation’ (CBI) has arrest- oped the building bylaws in Delhi. These anyone wants to build a house at concern, and that we need to be ness in schools, through vari- a housing project in Haryana have already been taken. ed Manoj Mehlawat, BJP leader and an bylaws are highly complicated and to GK1 then per lenter you will need to pay more health conscious. ous health talks. Due to this, which was not approved by the Believing the inducement of elected councillor from Vasant Kunj in build a house following these bylaws are around 2.5 lakh. So for four lenter “We also need to ensure many lives have been saved,” Government. them, around 24 persons paid connection with a bribery case. The AAP next to impossible." you will pay 10 lakh to the MCD," he serious efforts are being taken Sisodia said. At the event, The accused have been iden- Rs. 50 lakhs to them but subse- leader demanded the BJP to explain who "If someone does not like to take any alleged. to deal with hepatitis like dis- Phase -2 of the HEPiSCHOOL tified as Ajay Kumar and Hem quently, it was discovered that gets the benefit of such massive financial kind of illegal means to build their "This money goes from the bottom eases. Hence, it would be use- Campaign was launched to Raj Singh, directors of Ganga the company did not have any loot. house then his or her house will never see to top in the BJP ruled MCD. It starts ful to include it in the school further intensify awareness in Associates in Dwarka area. Govt. approvals for develop- “The BJP councillor got arrested red- the light of the day. Without bribing the with the beldar which means the local curriculum to bring health schools. According Dr O P Mishra, ment of the project,” said the handed for the charges of bribery. The BJP ruled MCD officials in Delhi you level workers who are associated with the awareness since childhood, and Sisodia also congratulated the Joint Commissioner of Joint CP. CBI found that he was taking a bribe of cannot build your own house because the BJP ruled MCD. This money reaches to pay special attention to our ILBS on their persistent fight in Police, EOW, the complainant “A case was registered at Rs.10 lakh. When this person got arrest- bylaws are such. I am a concerned MLA the mayor starting from the local coun- 'body' and 'mind' along with the ongoing Covid crisis. Ashok Kumar and others alleged EOW police station and inves- ed, a massive chaos reported in the area of Delhi and telling you that not a sin- cillor also the officials of the BJP ruled physical and economic mat- At the virtual event, Delhi that Ganga Associates in Dwarka tigation taken up. During inves- and the CBI got to know later that this gle citizen of Delhi has any option but MCD like engineers. If this money is not ters,” Sisodia said. Health Minister Satyender Jain through its directors Vijender, tigation the duo accused Ajay person is a BJP councillor. The BJP ruled bribing the BJP ruled MCD officials to given then the person concerned will get Hepatitis Day’s virtual talked about how the liver, Dalip Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Hem Kumar and Hem Raj Singh central government came down heavily build his or her own house,” he said. notices from the BJP ruled MCD and his event was organised today at being a major organ of the Raj and Rajvir Singh offered to were arrested,” said the Joint CP. on the CBI therefore, the CBI did not “The collection of money by the BJP or her house will be sealed,” he added. the Delhi Secretariat. In addi- body, needs special care but tion to doctors and medical negligence often causes liver staff from various hospitals, 700 damage giving way to severe ill- children from 31 schools took nesses. part online. The Institute of Jain also congratulated the Liver and Biliary Sciences ILBS team for setting up the organised the event on behalf world's first plasma bank in 4"6$"71& As per this agreement, DMRC will contracts. of the Ministry of Health, Delhi, joining them in fighting assist and guide NMRC in preparation The Phase – II project of NMRC Government of Delhi. The staff the corona crisis. he Delhi Metro Rail Corporate of complete bid documents for vari- will be an extension of the Aqua Line of ILBS's Vasant Kunj campus Chief Secretary and TLimited (DMRC) on Friday ous system packages, contract award from Sector 51 to Greater Noida also attended it virtually. Chairman, ILBS Vijay Kumar signed an agreement with Noida process, and management of system Sector 2. This corridor is 9.605 kms Sisodia extended his com- Dev, Principal Secretary, Health Metro Rail Corporation Limited contracts and proper integration of all long consisting of five (05) elevated pliments to Director ILBS Dr and Finance Department (NMRC) under to provide services to new line systems with the existing stations namely Noida Sector 122, Shiv Kumar Sarin and ILBS Sandeep Kumar, and Family NMRC as ‘General Consultants’ (GC) Aqua Line (N-GN) Metro systems. Noida Sector 123, Greater Noida team for their untiring efforts Welfare Director Dr Monica or ‘Project Management Consultants’ DMRC will also be responsible for Sector 4, Ecotech 12 and Greater towards prevention, cure and Rana were also present at the (PMC) for its Phase – II project from construction supervision and inde- Noida Sector 2. creating mass awareness on virtual event. Noida Sector – 51 to Greater Noida pendent Quality and Safety NMRC is currently operating the Viral Hepatitis. Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Sector -2. Monitoring (IQSM) of all Contract 29.07 kms long Aqua Line from “The Health Department Kumar Dev complimented the The agreement was signed by P K Packages (Civil, E&M, and System Noida Sector 51 to Greater Noida and the team of ILBS have students and stated that they Garg Director of Business Contracts), besides testing and com- Depot which consists of 21 elevated fought vigorously against have been the biggest force in Development, DMRC and Praveen missioning of the entire systems stations. The Aqua Line began its pas- hepatitis for 23 years. For this, getting various campaigns of Mishra, Executive Director of NMRC works and equipment and guiding for senger services from 26th January phase-1 of HEPiSCHOOL social welfare successfully and ACEO of Noida authority. regulatory clearances for systems 2019. Programme in cooperation implemented over the years. ! "#$%$% < ) R % ,, ,!!#-, 'Q /%%0
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tubble burning has stopped # $*2 # Snow but Delhi’s air pollution situation remains serious, Union Environment Minister 4"6$"71& fiscation of their assets as abroad under the provisions of Prakash Javadekar on Friday envisaged under FEOA. Prevention of Money said adding that the Central he (Enforcement “In the first phase, prayer Laundering Act. Pollution Control Board TDirectorate (ED) on has been made for confisca- On the basis of (CPCB) has issued a notice to Friday moved an application tion of 15 Indian properties Prosecution Complaint the State Government to take bank account of Kingfisher before the PMLA court in including 3rd and 4th Floor of (chargesheet) filed by ED strict and swift action on the 4"6$"71& Airlines Ltd. (KAL). Mumbai to declare family Ceejay House and having before the Special PMLA plaints forwarded to it about The ED had earlier initi- members of Iqbal Mirchi as market value 96 crore ( Court, Open Ended Non activities causing toxic air in he Enforcement ated investigation under fugitive under the Fugitive approx.) & 6 Bank accounts Bailable Warrants have been Delhi and the National Capital TDirectorate (ED) on Friday PMLA based on FIR registered Economic Offenders Act, having balance Rs 1.9 Crore. issued against Asif Memon, Region. said it has seized fugitive busi- by CBI against Kingfisher 2018 (FEOA). The agency has Prayer has also been made for Junaid Memon and Hajra In a message from his res- nessman Vijay Mallya’s asset in Airlines Ltd. (KAL), Vijay sought declaration of Junaid allowing ED to file supple- Memon. idence here, Javadekar said the In its notice, the CPCB has dumping of garbage, construc- France worth 1.6 million Euros Mallya and others on January Iqbal Memon, Asif Iqbal (both mentary applications under Till now, these three CPCB has received several directed the Delhi government tion/demolition activity, “On the request of 25, 2016. sons of Iqbal Mirchi) and FEOA,” the agency said in a accused have been evading complaints that activities like to ensure immediate action on unpaved roads/pits, and resus- Directorate of Enforcement Provisional Attachment Hazra Memon (wife of statement. their presence before the biomass and garbage burning, complaints and take strict pension of road dust,” said the (ED), a property of Vijay Orders have been issued Mirchi)as fugitive economic In this case, the ED has Special Court and the NBWs improper waste disposal, vio- action against industrial activ- notice. Mallya located at 32 Avenue wherein properties worth offenders. provisionally attached assets remain unexecuted, it said lation of construction and ities including tyre pyrolysis, It said the main areas of FOCH, France has been seized 11,231.70 crore (Market value In its plea before the to the tune of 798 crore adding, further investigation demolition waste rules, burning of tyre and other concern are pollution hotspots by the French Authority. The at time of attachment) have court, the ED has sought con- (approximately) in India and is under progress. unpaved roads and dust, which wastes. — Narela, Anand Vihar, value of the seized asset in been attached which was also cause pollution, are still being As per the forecast on the Mundka, Dwarka and Punjabi France is 1.6 Million Euros confirmed by the Adjudicating court to declare accused Vijay Mallya was sent to UK and the of dispersal and misapplication carried out in the national cap- Indian Meteorological Bagh in Delhi and Faridabad, (approx. 14 crores),”the Authority. A Prosecution Mallya as Fugitive Economic Westminster’s Magistrates of the loan funds and prima ital and NCR. Department, air quality is like- Jhajjar, Noida and Bhiwadi in agency said in a statement. Complaint (chargesheet) has offender. The Special Court court has ruled for extradition facie, found that accused Vijay “The situation of air pollu- ly to remain in very poor cate- the NCR. Investigation conducted been filed against Mallya, (FEO Act), Mumbai had of Mallya on charges of money Mallya was involved in a con- tion in Delhi is still serious. gory owing to unfavourable “As per the analysis and under Prevention of Money UBHL, KAL, bank officials declared Mallya as fugitive laundering on December 10, spiracy to launder money. Stubble burning has stopped meteorological conditions for number of complaints received, Laundering Act (PMLA) and others. economic offender on January 2018. Appeals of Mallya to UK but Delhi’s air quality index still disposal of the pollutants for the south, south-west district, revealed that a large amount An application was also 5, 2019. In its order, the court has High Court and later Supreme remains in ‘very poor’ catego- next few days, the notice said. north, north-west, and north was remitted abroad from the moved before the designated Extradition request of observed that a clear evidence Court have been rejected. ry,” Javadekar said. “Incidences of stubble east districts of Delhi and “CPCB’s 50 teams inspect burning (are) almost coming to Jhajjar, Bhiwadi, Gurugram Delhi and NCR every day and an end, and air quality contin- north, Gautam Buddha Nagar % 1 (1( submits the complaints and uing to remain in very poor cat- and Noida in NCR are the areas (1 observations from those visits egory, it is important that local that need to take actions to con- to the agencies concerned. Yet, sources are dealt with effec- trol air pollution due to con- # P # some work is done, some not. tively. Based on feedback struction/demolition activities, Hence, the CPCB has issued a received from 50 teams open dumping of garbage, road 4"6$"71& notice to the Delhi govern- deployed in the fields since dust and industrial emissions,” ment,” he said. October 15, sources are open the notice said. # # he Supreme Court on TFriday questioned the Centre over delay in sending %/%, #% !*%! proposal to the President for commuting the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, con- 4"6$"71& victed in the 1995 assassination case of former Punjab Chief he National Investigation Minister Beant Singh. TAgency (NIA) will probe A bench headed by Chief the recent encounter at Nagrota Justice S A Bobde asked the in the Jammu region in which Centre to apprise it as to four terrorists of the banned when the authority would September 7 last year inti- The top court was hear- Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a send the proposal in this mating that a proposal would ing Rajoana’s plea seeking Pakistan-based outfit, were regard to the President under be sent to the President to direction for expeditious killed by police. Article 72 of the Constitution. commute the death sentence disposal of MHA’s proposal The anti-terror probe 4"6$"71& who are travelling to and from The article deals with of Rajoana. to commute his death sen- agency took over the case fol- petition was filed in the Delhi to get medical treatment power of President to grant The bench, also com- tence. lowing a notification issued by ASupreme Court on Friday in reputed government/private pardon, suspend, remit or prising Justices A S Bopanna Rajoana, a former the Centre. seeking direction to the author- hospitals situated in Delhi are commute sentences in certain and V Ramasubramanian, Punjab Police constable, was The terrorists were killed terrorists and the people with after the incident. ities to immediately remove also affected,” said the plea, cases. asked Additional Solicitor convicted for his involve- on November 19 in Jammu and whom they were in touch with The NIA is already prob- farmers, who are protesting at filed through advocate Om The apex court noted that General K M Nataraj, ment in an explosion outside Kashmir’s Nagrota area in a in Jammu and Kashmir for exe- ing an encounter that took several Delhi border points Prakash Parihar. a letter was sent from the appearing for the Centre, as the Punjab civil secretariat swift operation by the police. cution of the failed terror plot. place on January 31 this year against the new farm laws, It referred to the October Ministry of Home Affairs to to why the proposal has not that killed Beant Singh and The NIA probe will try to The agency’s team had vis- in which three JeM terrorists saying commuters are facing 7 verdict, delivered on a peti- Punjab chief secretary on been sent till now. 16 others in 1995. ascertain the planning and ited the encounter site at Ban were killed by the security hardship due to the road block- tion against blockade of a road final objective of the four JeM Toll Plaza on November 19 forces. ades and the gatherings might in Shaheen Bagh area here by lead to increase in COVID-19 those protesting against ( ( *P 1 cases. Citizenship Amendment Act, The plea has sought the in which the apex court had apex court directions to the said that public spaces cannot # # (%, # authorities to open the roads at be occupied indefinitely and Delhi borders, shift these pro- demonstrations expressing dis- 4"6$"71& Justices A S Bopanna and V drawn if he fails to give any testors to allotted place and sent have to be in designated Ramasubramanian. evidence,” the bench observed. provide guidelines on social places alone. he Supreme Court on Dubai-based businessman The high court, in its ver- distancing and use of mask at Referring to COVID-19 TFriday stayed the verdict of Saxena was extradited to India dict, had said that ED’s plea the protest place to contain guidelines issued by the the Delhi High Court which on January 31 last year in con- before the trial court for revok- spread of COVID-19 cases. Government, the plea has said had dismissed the plea of nection with the Rs 3,600- ing the approver status was not The petition, filed by law that despite the advisories not Enforcement Directorate (ED) crore scam case relating to the maintainable as his statement 4"6$"71& consortium banks. student Rishabh Sharma, has to hold large gathering amid to revoke approver status of purchase of 12 VVIP heli- under section 306 (4) of the It was alleged in the com- claimed that Delhi Police had the pandemic, lakhs of farmers businessman Rajiv Saxena in copters from AgustaWestland. Criminal Procedure Code he Central Bureau of plaint that the accused had on November 27 allowed these have gathered on Delhi borders the AgustaWestland VVIP During the hearing con- (CrPC) had not been record- TInvestigation (CBI) has reg- cheated the State Bank of India- protesters to hold demonstra- and this might lead to increase chopper scam. ducted through video-confer- ed. istered a case on a complaint led consortium banks to the tion peacefully at Nirankari in the number of coronavirus A bench headed by Chief encing on Friday, Additional Section 306 (4) of CrPC from State Bank of India (SBI) tune of 1,800.72 crore (approx- ground at Burari here but cases. Justice S A Bobde issued notice Solicitor General Aman Lekhi, provides for recording of state- against a Delhi-based private imately) by way of diversion / despite that they have blocked It is pertinent to note that to Saxena seeking his response appearing for the ED, told the ment of an accomplice who has company, Jay Polychem India siphoning off bank funds, ficti- the borders of Delhi. in view of the prevention of the on the appeal filed by ED bench that there was a “clear been granted pardon. Ltd. (borrower company) tious transactions, cheating, “Because of the ongoing community spread of the pan- against the high court’s June 8 error” on the part of high The high court had further including its director, guarantor, forgery and criminal conspira- protest at the Delhi borders, the demic disease Coronavirus judgement. court as it had said that pardon said that once his statement unknown public servants and cy among others. roads have been blocked by the (COVID-19), it is very neces- “Issue notice. In the mean- can be revoked only after he under section 306 (4) of CrPC unknown private persons on the Searches were conducted protesters and closed border sary to remove the gathering time, there shall be stay of oper- deposes as witness. is recorded, the ED can again allegations of causing a loss of on Friday at three locations in company and other accused, the points, which have affected and this protest is further ation of the impugned order,” “There is a provision in the move an application for revok- about 1,800.72 crore to the Delhi at the office and residen- CBI said adding investigation is vehicular traffic and people blocking . said the bench, also comprising CrPC that pardon can be with- ing Saxena’s approver status. public sector bank and other tial premises of the borrower continuing in the case. , 1 61 3 $## ( 45## %3# # ( 45 # # Taneja-Mukherjee, Member ASSOCHAM CSR Council. 4"6$"71& 4"6$"71& Secretary, TPAG The panel also included 4"6$"71& ( $! (Thalassemics Patients Dr Pawan Kumar Singh, Head oting that there are at least ( )* rom shortage of blood in Advocacy Group). of Oncology, Organ N30 Covid-19 vaccine can- dministrator of Fblood banks to unavail- It is estimated that there Transplant, Hematology didates being developed in ALakshadweep and former + ability of transportation and are about 65,000-67,000 tha- Hematopoietic Stem Cell India, Department of Intelligence Bureau Chief transfusion facilities, thalas- lassemia patients in the coun- Transplant Department, Biotechnology (DBT) Secretary Dineshwar Sharma (66) passed ! * saemia patients, cancer try with around 9,000-10,000 Artemis Hospital, Dr Amita Renu Swarup on Friday said away on Friday due to lung- * patients and dialysis recipients cases being added every year. Mahajan, Senior consultant, that it was important to have a related complications. among others, who need reg- Anubha also alleged dis- Pediatric Hematology & large basket of Covid-19 vac- The decorated police officer ular blood transfusions, have parity in rules for the sector Oncology Indraprastha & cines as it is really difficult to was the interlocutor in Kashmir % ! % been facing multiple chal- pointing out that currently Apollo Hospitals, Delhi, know which one is going to be before becoming Administrator lenges in the wake of the the Drug and Cosmetic Act Chetan Manchegowda, the best among the lot. in Lakshadweep in October ! % Covid-19 pandemic. regulates blood while National Founder, Khoon; Rajesh She said the vaccines that ! 2019. The suave 1979 batch IPS * ( Added to their agony has Blood Transfusion Council Mittal, President, Rotary, are being developed indige- Cadila has also completed officer from Kerala cadre head- been the Central and State (NBTC) guidelines are volun- Deepak Chopra, President- nously are on different plat- phase -2 clinical trial in the ed many counter insurgency * governments’ failure to give tary. Similarly, National Health Thalassemics India, George forms and each has its own ! ! $ % country. Dr Reddy’s operations and served the ! priority to their needs, lament- Mission (NHM) is responsible Contantinou, Board member benefits and challenges. “The Laboratories and the Russian Intelligence Bureau for more ed an advocacy group as they for thalassemia while NACO is of Thalassaemia International DBT has an expert committee ! Direct Investment Fund than two decades. shared their views at a responsible for BTS. There is Federation. to track the development relat- ! & (RDIF) on Tuesday announced Prime Minister Narendra Webinar “Illness to Wellness’ too much confusion, she said. Dr Sunil Gupta, ed to COVID-19 vaccine,” she the start of adaptive phase 2 Modi and Union Home “Deeply anguished to learn organised by ASSOCHAM on In the long run, the Additional Director General, said at a webinar. Five vaccine candidates are and 3 clinical trials for Minister Amit Shah condoled about the passing away of International Day for Persons Government should consider Blood Transfusion Services at “It is important to have a under different phases of clin- COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V the death of Sharma. Administrator of Lakshadweep with Disabilities 2020 marked having a consolidated blood NACO, said that a Committee large basket of vaccines as we ical trials in India with the in India. “Administrator of Lakshadweep Shri Dineshwar Sharma ji. He on Thursday. regulation separate from the is considering whether there move forward because we real- Serum Institute of India con- Also, Biological E. Ltd has Shri Dineshwar Sharma Ji made served the nation with utmost “On our own, with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act that should be a separate body ly don’t know which one is ducting phase-3 trial of the started early phase 1 and 2 long lasting contributions to devotion as a dedicated officer help of organisations like Life does not give adequate power and legislation even as the going to be the best. It is not Oxford-Astrazeneca COVID- human trials of its COVID-19 India’s policing and security of the Indian Police Service. My Savers, Khoon and Giving Is to NBTC, she suggested. experts called for timely avail- necessary that the first one is 19 vaccine, while the indige- vaccine candidate. apparatus. He handled many heartfelt condolences to his Living in addition to support The experts also deliber- ability of medicines, accessi- the best, you may have one nously developed vaccine by Stressing that vaccine sensitive counter terror and family in this hour of grief. Om from Indian Red Cross ated on the Rights of Persons bility of generic drugs at a coming later which is going to Bharat Biotech in collaboration development is a complex insurgency ops during his polic- Shanti”. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Society, have been organizing with Disabilities Act 2016 and cheaper cost and bringing be better but it is difficult to say with the ICMR has already process, DBT Secretary said a ing career. Anguished by his Birla said that Sharma played an blood camps during the pan- how its implementation can down the cost of stem cell and right now,” Swarup said. started the phase-3 clinical lot of effort has gone in the demise. Condolences to his important role in strengthening demic. However, the State ensure availability and safety of bone marrow treatment so There are 30 vaccine can- trial. development of the vaccine like family. Om Shanti,” Modi tweet- the policing system and skill governments did not do much blood transfusion services, that more and more thalas- didates which are being devel- Another indigenously- building capacity for clinical ed. development of the police to spread awareness around the demand which was backed saemia patients can be bene- oped within the country. developed vaccine by Zydus trials and in making it. In his tweet, Shah said: forces. blood donation” rued Anubha by Anil Rajput, Chairman, fitted. ! "#$%$% ,
-- ) #?) ! .# .3'@) #4 2 " # # 8> *2A 01, # # # 22 .3 45)-'-' 44 # 6 "8 $33536&35$9 a day it fared badly in the bien- nial elections was that its 19$"5--$ AIMIM too has no other &:;4<5$$9:<33 nomiee Amrish Patel won the option except to tie up with by-election to Dhule oters of Hyderabad have TRS as it cannot join hands !) 8-& Nandurbar Local Bodies seat. Vthrown a ‘hung verdict’ in with BJP. AIMIM with 44 seats Patel had given up the seat, the GHMC elections, the results can easily ensure Mayor post ithin days of it completing after he quit the Congress and of which were announced on for TRS. However, both the Wits first year in office, the joined the BJP, which necessi- Friday. None of the parties parties have to strike a ‘deal’ for ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi tated the by-election. could secure the magic figure of this similar to (MVA) consolidated its position In the State Council, the 76 out of 150 seats. Congress-AIMIM deal in in Maharashtra on Friday, as it BJP has a strength of 22 mem- However, the ruling TRS 2009 GHMC polls when hung handed out a humiliating drub- bers, while the seat tallies of has emerged as the single verdict was given. Congress bing to the Opposition BJP by other parties are: Shiv Sena-14, largest party by winning 55 and AIMIM shared Mayor winning four out five NCP-nine, Congress — eight, seats out of total 150 seats it had post for two-and-a-half year Maharashtra Legislative Council RSP, PWP and Lok Bharati contested. 3 1# %& % # each with Congress claiming seats in the biennial elections. 8( 1 8( # Party — one seat each and The BJP which has given a 3, 3, the post first and AIMIM later. The BJP, which lost power 3, Independents: four. tough fight to TRS right from Both the parties will now have to the Shiv Sena-led MVA With the elections to five the beginning of the polls, The TDP which contested Mayor voting this time. to work out similar formula. Government in November last ly the 2014 Lok Sabha election embarrassment for the BJP, as seats from the teachers’ and stood second by winning 48 106 seats suffered even more If these 45 ex-officio mem- Since the tenure of present year, found itself licking its from Nagpur. the poll results were personal graduates’ quota and one seat seats out of 149 seats it had humiliating defeat by failing to bers are included in Mayor vot- GHMC Council is until wounds, as it lost its tradition- The three other seats that setbacks for former chief min- from the local body constituen- contested. The TRS suffered retain even the deposit in any ing, the magic figure to bag February 10, 2021, both TRS al bastion of Nagpur where the the MVA won were: Pune ister Devendra Fadnavis and cy over, what is remaining is the huge losses in GHMC polls this of the seats it had contested. Mayor seat will increase from and AIMIM have ample time Congress’ Abhijit Wanjari Division Graduates’ seat, State party president nomination of 12 members from time. TRS tally came down to As none of the parties 76 to 98. of two months to strike a deal defeated the BJP’s Sandeep Aurangabad Division Graduates’ Chandrakant Patil respectively. the Governor’s quota. The MVA 55 from 99 seats it won in 2016. could secure magic figure of 76 Out of 45 ex-officio mem- on Mayor, Deputy Mayor Posts. Joshi in the Nagpur Division seat and Pune Division Teachers’ However, the Shiv Sena — has already recommended its Contrary to this, the BJP’s seats out of 150 in GHMC bers, TRS alone has 31 mem- For BJP, it’s not possible to Graduates’ constituency, by a seat. While the NCP’s Arun Lad which leads the MVA in the nominees, including Bollywood tally witnessed steep rise to 48 polls, it became imperative to bers. However, TRS strength bag Mayor post as it has just comfortable margin of 18,910 defeated Sangram Deshmukh of State — suffered a defeat in actress Urmila Matondkar, for seats against just 4 seats it won bag Mayor post by striking a will increase to only 86 seats, two ex-officio members. Its votes. the BJP in Pune Division Amravati Division Teachers’ the 12 vacant seats. in 2016. The AIMIM, which political deal. which is short of magic figure strength will only increase to The BJP’s debacle in the Graduates’ seat, the NCP’s Satish constituency seat, its candidate NCP president Sharad stood third by securing 43 TRS suffered the jolt in two 98. It still requires 12 seats to 50. For AIMIM too, it’s not pos- Nagpur Division Graduates’ Chavan trounced the BJP’s Shrikant Deshpande was Pawar hailed the MVA’s victo- seats, proved yet again that it ways. It cannot bag Mayor bridge this gap. sible to bag Mayor post on its constituency should be seen in Shirish Boralkar to bag the defeated by an Independent ry, saying: “The result is a remains unbeatable in its post on its own either on its Nizamabad MLC and CM own as it has just 10 ex officio the light of the fact that it was Aurangabad Division Graduates Kiran Sarnaik there. reflection of the MVA strong hold Old City. own strength of winning 55 KCR’s daughter K Kavitha is yet members, with which its represented in the past by senior constituency seat. The State Council bienni- Government’s performance in It retained its 44 seats out seats or can bag Mayor seat to enroll as ex-officio member. strength will increase to 54 party Minister and Union In Pune Division Teachers’ al elections had been necessi- the last one year”. Reacting to of 51 it had contested against 44 with the help of its 31 ex-offi- If she enrolls, TRS requires 11 seats. The Congress has just Minister Nitin Gadkari and for- constituency, Jayant Asgaonkar tated by the end of the tenure his party’s poor performance in it won in 2016. The Congress cio members who comprises of more seats. This makes TRS to one ex officio member, due to mer Chief Minister Devendra of the Congress trounced sit- of the five sitting members in the polls, former Chief Minister failed miserably in GHMC party MLAs, MPs, MLCs, who depend essentially on other which its strength will increase Fadnavis’s father Gangadharrao ting MLC and Independent July this year, but the polls were Devendra Fadnavis said, “The polls yet again. It won just 2 have voting right to elect party to bag TRS post. TRS has to 3. These three members Fadnavis in the past. Gadkari, it Dattatraya Sawant. postponed due to the Covid-19 results that have merged are not seats out of 146 it had contest- Mayor. A total of 45 ex-officio no other option except to bank cannot alter the Mayor election may be recalled, had won this The BJP’s debacle in pandemic. as per our expectations. We had ed. Congress won just 2 seats members from TRS, Congress, on AIMIM, its ‘friendly party’ even if TRS lures them into its seat for four terms since 1989 Nagpur and Pune Division Meanwhile, the only con- expected more seats. Our cal- even in 2016. BJP have enrolled for GHMC for this purpose. fold in the next two months. before he contested successful- Graduates’ seat came as an solation that the BJP derived on culations went wrong”. ? 1 ' # 8 + =8:='>'! . & Lucknow: Days after the Uttar Religion Ordinance, 2020. Pradesh Government promul- After receiving information ( G-8 of polling. Kulgam,Bandipora gated a stringent anti-conversion about the wedding on and Budgam continue to law, police here stopped an inter- Wednesday, a police team he third phase of District record high voter turnout 21&58 -4-421-A85- faith wedding, saying the couple reached the venue in Para TDevelopment Council showing great enthusiasm did not complete legal formali- area’s Duda Colony, Additional (DDC) polls recorded a voter towards strengthening grass n a relief to Kerala, the ties. The families of the bride and Deputy Commissioner of turnout of over 50.53 per cent roots democracy. IMet department has the groom were called to Para Police (ADCP), south, Suresh on Friday. State Election Commission withdrawn the red alert police station and informed Chandra Rawat said on Friday. The voting process across KK Sharma said, “In the third issued for cyclone Burevi about the new law. They decid- It was found that prepara- 33 constituencies passed off phase an overall 50.53 per cent and rain in the seven ed to defer the wedding and fol- tions were underway to solem- peacefully but a DDC candi- voter turnout was recorded southernmost districts of low the norms laid for an inter- nise the marriage of Raina date was injured after a firing with Kashmir division wit- the State as the deep faith marriage under the Special Gupta (22), a chemistry post- incident was reported in Sagam nessing 31.61 per cent voter depression was likely to Marriage Act, the police said. graduate, and Mohammad Asif area of Kokernag in south turnout and Jammu division weaken further into a For an interfaith marriage, (23), a pharmacist, with the Kashmir’s Anantnag district. recorded 68.88 per cent voter depression. a couple may get married with- consent of their families, he According to official turnout. The India out changing their religion by said. Both the families were sources, unidentified gunmen The border districts of Meteorological registering themselves under called to Para police station and fired at Anees ul Islam, Apni Rajouri, Poonch recorded the Department (IMD) had in a 65 kmph) during next 12 the Special Marriage Act. But if informed about the new law. Party candidate during the day. highest voter turn of over 72 late night bulletin issued on hours,” IMD said. It has issued anyone wishes to convert to “The families were told that His condition was stated to be per cent while Samba and Thursday withdrawn the red yellow alerts for the districts of another religion, they will have the new ordinance has provi- stable as he had received bul- Kathua districts reported 70.15 alert and issued a yellow alert Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, to submit a declaration at least sions to check religious conver- let injury on his arm. per cent and 62.18 per cent for 10 districts of the State. Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, 60 days in advance to the sions carried out through allure- Significantly, the South voter turnout in Jammu region. In a bulletin released on Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, respective district magistrate or ment, coercion, force, fraud, or Kashmir districts of The hilly districts of Kishtwar, Friday morning, the IMD said Thrissur, Palakkad and additional district magistrate as marriage. Both the families have Pulwama,Shopian and Doda and Ramban too record- the deep depression is likely to Malappuram. per the recently promulgated now decided to follow the prop- Anantnag recorded a margin- ed high voter turnout 70 per move slowly west- southwest- Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of er process for interfaith mar- al increase in voter turnout cent, 59.5 per cent and 64.79 / 1 # # wards and cross Thiruvananthapuram Unlawful Conversion of riages,” Rawat said. PTI compared to the second round per cent. ( # $ ( 1& & $ 3, Ramanathapuram and adjoin- International Airport has ing Thoothukudi districts in rescheduled nine flights sched- Tamil Nadu during the next six uled for Friday. “The opera- & hours with wind speed of 50- tions of the airport have been ' :R. ! 60 gusting to 70 kmph. suspended till 6 PM today and “It is very likely to weaken all the flights were resched- )! !) ?/7?-2- phonic conversations at least Protection) Agreement of Price interests the Chief Minister too further into a depression (wind uled,” CV Ravindran,Airport four times with the agitating Assurance and Farm Services is showing her true colours,” speed 45-55 kmph gusting to Director, told PTI. day after asking the Centre to farm leaders. Bill, 2020 and the Essential Ghosh said attacking former BJP ?/7?-2- Arepeal the contentious farm Besides sending O’Brien the Commodities (Amendment) Bill, ally and Siromani Akali Dal laws or face a nationwide stir Chief Minister made at least 2020 passed by the Centre. leader Parkash Singh Badal and statement apparently directed at rebel Trinamool Bengal Chief Minister four calls to different farmers’ Referring to the Singur NCP chief Sharad Pawar for ACongress leader Suvendu Adhikari the Bengal rul- Mamata Banerjee on Friday sent groups from Haryana and movement where then opposi- “baking their respective breads in ing party on Friday said those who wanted to quit the one of her most trusted lieu- Punjab, the MP said, adding tion leader Banerjee led a con- the farm movement.” outfit should do so immediately and those who want- tenants Derek O’Brien to “They reiterated their demands in clusive movement against the Addressing a public meeting ed to remain in it should shun fears of Central agen- Haryana and Punjab borders their talks with the Chief forcible acquisition of 1,000 acres Ghosh said “the farm laws cies and continue its struggle against the BJP. near Delhi with a strong message Minister and thanked her for her of land for the Tata Nano car fac- brought by Prime Minister Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who held an organ- of solidarity. solidarity.” tory the Chief Minister on Friday Narendra Modi has directly hit Rs isational meeting of the party reportedly told veteran She also spoke to the protest- O’Brien on the other hand tweeted, “14 years ago on 4 Dec 5,000 crore interests of the Badals party leader, MP and East Midnapore district TMC pres- ing farm leaders telling them how met the farm leaders of several 2006, I began my 26 day hunger which is why they are supporting ident Sisir Adhikari to crack the whip on the TMC men she launched a 26-day fast near unions at Singhu border (near strike in Kolkata demanding that the movement.” involved in anti-party activities. Sisir Adhikari, a for- Singur in the interest of farmers Delhi) and conveyed Banerjee’s agricultural land cannot be force- He also said that the family mer Union Minister, is the father of Suvendu Adhikari. in 2006, ruling Trinamool message, said another TMC fully acquired. I express my sol- of the NCP chief too was involved “Those who want to quit the party please do it now,” Congress sources said. leader and Minister adding “the idarity with all farmers who are in a profitable business Banerjee reportedly said in the meeting adding “those The TMC chief also directed result of Singhu movement will protesting against draconian farm of Rs 10-12,000 crore in farm who will chose to remain in the party will have to shun two of her party leaders and be no different from the one led bills passed without consultation produce which was why his party the fear of central agencies and work selflessly descend- Ministers Becharam Manna and by Mamata Banerjee at Singur… by Centre.” was supporting the farm ing on the streets here and now to fight against the BJP Purnendu Basu to stage a sit-in while after Singur movement The BJP which has recently movement.” … we are not afraid of the central agencies which are demonstration in Kolkata from the Left Front went from power emerged the main challenger in Attacking the Bengal Chief being used to frighten many of our leaders … similar- December 8 to 10 and promised and there at Singhu BJP will lose Bengal preparing to capture Minister for raising the “outsider” ly you should also not be frightened of them.” to join the dharna on the last day its power.” power in the State in 2021 bogey alleging the BJP was bring- Banerjee apparently was meaning Adhikari whose of sit-in prompting immediate Farmers from Punjab, Assembly elections immediately ing outside leaders to Bengal to name have figured in both Narada pay off case and chit reaction from State BJP president Haryana, UP, Bihar and else- hit back saying in Bengal win elections Ghosh said, “The fund scams allegedly making it easy for the BJP to coerce Dilip Ghosh who attacked where were protesting in Delhi only 10-12 per cent of farmers Chief Minister is calling Amit him into rebel against the ruling outfit. Banerjee for looting the farmers against the enacting of the could access MSP while the rest Shah, JP Nadda and other lead- Meanwhile, Adhikari was likely to make his press of Bengal. Farmers’ Produce Trade and had to go for distress selling of ers outsiders but she is silent on statement in the coming days during which he would Senior party leader and MP Commerce (Promotion and their crops. Shah Rukh Khan and PK make known his future political plans. His close asso- Kakoli Ghoshdastidar said that Facilitation) Bill, 2020; the “By backing the false farm who are being used by her to win ciates said that a number of BJP leaders were in touch the Chief Minister held tele- Farmers (Empowerment and movement incited by vested elections.” with him. , #1 * # 3
() ?/01& Thursday night. This is a new trend in Kerala, was more blunt in his assess- and all of us are bound to obey ical opponents,” said The team of ED officials a place known for communal ment of the situation. “This that. Keep politics, communal- Mohammed Shakif, national hursday night’s untoward who inspected the offices and peace and harmony. Any attempt needs to be nipped in the bud. ism and casteism out of this,” secretary, PFI. Tincidents in Kerala’s residences of OMA Salam, by mobs to threaten and attack Let politicians play their game. said Dr Thomas who had a run- But Sreejit Panicker, cyber Kozhikode and Malappuram chairman, PFI, P M Abdul Government of India officials Officials of ED or Vigilance and ning battle with the present security expert based in districts where officials of the Gafoor , national vice-president, who were discharging their Anti Corruption Bureau who government in Kerala because of Thiruvananthapuram said the Enforcement Directorate came Nasarudheen Elamaram, duties should be handled stern- have Constitutional roles to per- his uncompromising stance ED raids were the culmination under attack by marauding Karamana Ashraf Moulavi and ly lest the State becomes anoth- form should never be targeted or against corruption. of a process which began in crowds point towards grave sit- P Koya in the districts of er haven for extremists,” said attacked,” said Dr Thomas, who The PFI bosses in Kerala 2010. “The then UPA uation in the State, warn lead- Kozhikode, Malappuram and Ramkumar, the octogenarian is full time into anti-corruption said Thursday night’s raids were Government in New Delhi and ing civil rights lawyer K Ernakulam were prevented lawyer who is the State’s leading activism post his retirement part of the Central Government’s the UDF Government in Kerala Ramkumar and former whistle from leaving the premises after civil rights activist. He said insti- from the Indian Police service. efforts to victimise the leaders have filed enough number of blower Dr Jacob Thomas who inspection by crowds shouting tutions like the Enforcement The former DVAC boss because of their support to the cases against PFI for money recently laid down office as the “Allahu Akbar”. The ED officials Directorate, DRI, Customs and said there were enough provi- ongoing farmers’ agitation and laundering. VS Achuthanandan, Chief of Vigilance and Anti were whisked away by addi- NIA were above politics and rep- sions in the Criminal Procedure the Hathras rape incident. the then CPI(M) chief minister Corruption Bureau. “It is a seri- tional units of CRPF deployed resent the unity, integrity and Code against those who threat- “Simultaneous raids at the hous- himself is on record stating that ous crime and has deep impli- by the local office. According to security of the nation. en or attack officials engaged in es of PFI leaders across the PFI is engaged in anti national cations,” Dr Thomas told The sources in ED, they were According to Ramkumar, their responsibilities. “It is for the country by the ED are political- activities. The PFI leadership is Pioneer while reacting to analysing the antecedents of the the resistance by mobs against ED officials to file cases against ly motivated. The Modi govern- trying to divert attention from Popular Front of India activists PFI crowd before initiating legal ED inspection smack of con- the perpetrators of such crimes. ment is using investigating agen- the public by spreading false- waylaying the ED officials on action. spiracy. But Dr Jacob Thomas There is a rule of law in this land cies as a weapon to silence polit- hoods,” said Panicker. ! "#$%$% . 2 /%!2*%$ # '% C B2 $ A % C C $*$< 4 ?$*55 21 1 ? 0 .3# R ! R # # 0 #6A6= . 2 $ # 7 ,;$ # # %7 ! # ( - ( > # ! + ?#!+@ - ( 66 0A (4 B ( (4 B ?4B4B@ ( B( ,;$ ( 4 < 3 /0- 7 ) / he fate of India and our # $ ?# $@ - food system rests with a #!+ 1A12 peaceful army of farmers ( " besieging Delhi. They have blocked borders + C 4 7 andT are constantly sending envoys + S 10 seeking justice. Medieval fears have = + gripped citizens as food and vegeta- bles prices are already shooting up and hoarders (no longer illegal ,;$ post farm Acts) are celebrating an # early Christmas. Meanwhile, police in riot gear are anxious to lath- + P Q . icharge their own brethren. They B , , - B B , have set up unnecessary road blocks 1A15 ,;$S all around the city, delaying and immobilising traffic. 4 1A5D ,;$ #!+S 66 Yet, in the freezing cold, our unions are sympathetic to it. Farm life is tough. Imagine (ECA) to bust hoarders and /( 4B4BS 00 E 1A56 = + annadattas brace up for the water Attempts have already been waking up at the crack of dawn, recover 75,000 metric tonnes of 5F $ 1A50 1A56 cannons and tear gas. And in dis- made to classify the agitation as running to the fields each morn- dal. But ECA limits on hoarding tressed times, they have given up a sectarian uprising. ing or any odd hour when the and stocking have been done ,;$ self-preservation and stand united But back to the deadlock, the irrigation and electricity supply away with in the new Acts except - B as ever, demanding fair prices and farmers want MSP for crops and 21&E1-E&4$""$ are selectively guaranteed. The for some emergency scenarios. C - ! ?C-!@ ,;$ resisting a “neo-Company Raj.” For the Government says it can’t do 2854"$&42/- farmer’s day passes with weeding, Let’s take the example of , 7 this has indeed turned into a war that. And one doesn’t expect the ploughing, seeding and careful- apples from Himachal Pradesh, between the big agricultural corpo- Government to promise some- 6-5"26""421" ly guarding his crop for the sea- which make for a huge cash crop ) 7 , rations, who are reassuring the thing it is powerless to execute. &3-35&087285-7 son while debts and bills burden for local farmers. In two decades, 4(# + 4 public with their propaganda If it introduces MSP as a legal 0/5A/5-2&/4E! the family. When the harvest three big Indian agri-business ,;$ through the corporate media, and right, it would automatically arrives, it brings more losses in giants have consolidated the the farmers, who anyway are strug- overturn the three farm Acts as 61/-5"A"$$7&43 the absence of remunerative markets. They store almost all the # ( gling with input costs higher than farm majors won’t buy into a pro- prices. If it is the middleman now, apples coming out of the State, P < Q , 7 S B the Minimum Support Price (MSP) tectionist market. Additionally, 21"&5 it would be the corporations later. dictate the prices and have estab- < ,;$S 7 and now see the rates being driven how will the Government imple- A5/A-3-4$-!-4$ Effectively, he has no negotiato- lished an oligopoly. Small traders down by the inevitable competitive ment the MSP at the rural mar- ry power either way. When he outside their network exist but P Q ! B pricing in an open market. They ket or local level is a big question. 21" -5"5E!61/ can’t earn enough, he drinks pes- they are marginal. O 4 O ( have some legitimate and practical If, since its inception (1960s), the -496-9-5" ticides or commits suicide. More Up against a techno-mili- " 7 , ( concerns that need transitional MSP has only covered a small than 300,000 debt-burdened taristic juggernaut, one feels that hand-holding that the Government percentage of farmers, what is E258337&436&21 farmers have committed sui- the farmers and their leaders ,;$S , is not quite doing. different in 2020? Hence the &4A820/E2E cide in over a decade. So farm- know their vulnerabilities — # - 7 While the farmers’ agitation Government can never make ers are not misled or ill-informed, talks are futile and their fate is S B ,;$ trends on Twitter, the Government MSP a legal right. It may try to 1&31"521-421" they live the hard reality. As sealed. They know that this uses an old strategy of “divide and trick the farmers with the “grad- Pepsico sued them in Gujarat movement will be their final sac- / rule” to break the unions, whose ing” jargon, stating that the MSP EA-4$4/6E"" and they are still struggling to rifice, a mass suicide to awaken B ( representatives have so far even would only be given for graded 21"5-2"E/ 21"&5 reclaim their dues for sugar, the conscience of our nation. ,;$S ,( 7 refused Government hospitality produce, but by accepting this 05/AE"&43 they know how corporatisation They have come to Delhi not B , , ,;$ S ( ( during the talks. The Government deal, Indian farmers would be hasn’t changed their fortunes and with a begging bowl but to pre- has so far called “32 Punjab-based destroyed the same way $5& "4$/649 required Government interven- sent the pitfalls of an unplanned (4 B unions,” leaving out others outside American farmers were. tion in the end. And as their farm liberalisation agenda. And # ,;$ the negotiating room. Howard Zinn Corporatisation of agriculture in 0/A"2&2& " resilience is breaking, city people one doesn’t doubt that they will sniggers at us, as despite his work the US, where factory farming A5&0&43&4-4/A"4 flippantly discount them as rus- be misjudged and hunted. But for / < # # + S / exposing the American “robber birthed an uninterrupted chain tic, mock their intelligence and them it’s their moral imperative B ; , 7 barons” and their modus operandi, of “farm to fork,” has wiped out -5?"2 yet we dare not face their to rebel, for the sake of their chil- / the land of Gandhi is falling prey to rural communities. It all began courage. The policy makers can’t dren, their ancestral lands and # ,;$ them. in the 1970s with the dream of answer their questions. Let’s go our civilisation. If the Indian civil- The Government may now becoming big enough to com- back to the isation has to survive we need our < play favourites, choosing one union mand the world’s food market 2.5 lakh crore dal scam of 2015 farmers to be treated fairly. For ( leader over the other, and present a with industrialised processes, when consumers paid the price without them, we are sowing a . - B #!+ - C-! turbid discourse, buying itself time merging of lands and shifting pri- promise of “making it big,” they by buying arhar dal at 210/kg. new corporate disease that shall to incriminate dissenting leaders, orities to commodity crops. But stretched their resources and It was reported that a cartel of further destroy India. In the ,;$ H # and in the final stage may even bring in no time there was a glut due were subsumed by food giants. agri-business companies was words of Gandhi, “Strength does ,;$ in “strike-breakers” or pro-establish- to over-production; farmers Barring Punjab and responsible by buying dal at low not come from physical capaci- , $ , = + ment farmers’ groups and corporate could never get the commensu- Haryana, MSP is already a dis- prices through the supply chain ty. It comes from an indomitable farmers to sign an accord and end rate prices and were driven to tant dream for farmers. Even if network, storing it overseas and will”. Our farmers are possessed 1A56 S the matter. But in case the matter debts. They had no option but to some States make MSP the legal then creating artificial scarcity. It by this will and we better listen + C-! gets out of hand, one shouldn’t be foreclose and sell out. Now farm- right, corporations have the profitted immensely by selling it to them. 7 B + surprised to hear rumours of the ers do not even make up a quar- choice of bulk buying from back to Indians at high prices. (The author is Director, Policy resurgence of the “Khalistan move- ter of the total US agricultural States that don’t do so. What hap- The Government used the power and Outreach, National Seed + ( ment” in Punjab and how farmer production. Buying into the pens to the farmers in that case? of the Essential Commodities Act Association of India) C-! ,;$ ( # - , S $ ?$@ ) +/ S / # &O 2 3 - # 2 %%%6 & + + !&O # ! ! ' 7(B ,;$ & O % #>> &# '%G>> % 7 + 2$A % %$ ) % + - 4# % ) # % <:959&B$$56&35&< ) <3%95=5 !9<&=<5&< =5$< * $ KG K4 7' K5 ' K0 2 (& 0 # ) - / ) ) # Q nario, the Central Government, $ * + , - led by Prime Minister Narendra Sir — This refers to the editori- Modi, must do all it can to % . , , / al, “Vaccine tourism”, published # !N O! defuse the situation. The Centre ) 01 02 00 in The Pioneer on December 4. 2 !$ %6 must offer middle ground It is laughable that affluent peo- ## ! # immediately and bridge the ple from India are actually think- # %2 ' trust deficit. -/34 (56 ing that they can go and get their # ## # %2 E 0O Bhagwan Thadani # COVID-19 vaccines from the #002 Mumbai " ( UK. Do they not realise that the Government of the UK will ! ## #0 obviously prioritise its own peo- 0&! "$ 4&-! # ple, just as the Indian % Sir — It is to the credit of the 4 $ Government will, once we have " representatives of the 32 farm- the vaccine, too? Maybe this is ! ers’ groups that they refused . 7 the first time in their lives that %2 # # #C %/ luxurious meals with Central 08 $ # the privileged will find out that # ! # Government Ministers and oth- ) others not as well-heeled can get ! # % ers during the meeting to discuss priority over them, too. ) ## & ! # the three farm reforms and * *+ The unscrupulous travel # %2 # 3 !# # their problems with the Acts. P( Q # ( agents are leading these people # %4! 3 This was their way of showing 7 ; - down the garden path by design- # # # displeasure with the ing “vaccine packages.” Getting % 0% Government, keeping their self- # < ( a COVID shot is not something 4! # C # &%&3&%% respect intact and expressing that is in people’s hands, no mat- 002 # solidarity with their peers. They ( $ ter how many “deals” they offer also signalled that they cannot P= ) Q # to airlines and hotels and how against new farm laws on the (AIMTC), an umbrella body of Delhi, with tractors, trucks and be bought or lured with hand- many “pacts” they make with borders of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh goods’ vehicles operators, is trailers packed with food, water, outs. ( hospitals. This pandemic is a and Haryana, from various supporting the growers and has medicines and essential goods. The best part about the - , / great equaliser and for once States and countries, too. The threatened to stop the move- They are being helped and aided ongoing farmers’ agitation is # money can’t buy everything. talks between the Government ment of goods across India. by ordinary citizens who have that they have kept it apolitical Ashmit Aaron and the growers are likely to fail This will be disaster for the come out with cooked food, and taken a united stand. Noida as the farmers bodies are asking country, coming at a time when blankets, water and so on, to Raghu Singh # for a special session of the economy of the nation is lend the nation’s “annadata” a Delhi *+ Parliament for a discussion on already in the doldrums. Each hand. Every Indian worth Sir — There is a strong support the three farm Acts. The All- day, more and more farmers are his/her salt is with the impover- #1 4 for the farmers protesting India Motor Transport Congress gathering at five spots around ished farmers. Given the sce- 55<35$;$9<@:A&2=$A ! "#$%$% 1 2 /%!2*%$ 2/ ) $ % 1 ) 1 ! ( " ) ! ! ! %! ))* ) 2 ! 7 ! 2D 7 ) )!2 " E - L) L ! # 8 - #E 8") ) ! ( &&
% 4 R+3B4#3S ?+ 3 B # & & # #4 # 3 @ ( 4 * * + ?*+@ + + ( ?B*@ + 4 ( R+3B4#3S # + $ ! B* ( -/!+ ?- / ! +@ ( # ( 1 ( n 2018, when the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) attempted to introduce a # % Inew Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, ( Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, or TOP Bill, in ( ( the Lok Sabha, it triggered a strong debate both with- -/34 in the House and outside. While some wanted it to be passed, others were strongly opposed to it. Those for the TOP Bill lauded it because it aimed to have # $ + a single legislation to address all forms of human * ?$+*@ trafficking and rectify the current scenario where ?%4+@ each aspect of the crime — from kidnapping, rape, # # sexual exploitation, forced labour and bonded labour B - — is separately covered by different sections in the law. This results in fragmented application of laws, flawed investigation and failed prosecution as is evi- ( dent by the NCRB data on prevalence, prosecution ! 562F and convictions of traffickers each year. The com- 4 *+ ( mon law, supporters of the TOP Bill argued, would take away the arbitrary distinctions between sex, labour and other forms of trafficking, which are a product of moral biases against prostitution and # ( non-recognition of the exploitation and torture in E85 & /5E 1A5J " ( labour trafficking. Further, the new Bill, however / 18-4 P( ( S ? $ #@ flawed, was an improvement on the existing legal 25- &0?&43 + $ 7 framework on human trafficking in India, they 0-4"21" # argued. 35"-2"E2 Those who were opposed to it countered that 5"E/850"&4-49 4 ; 1A1A B - the Bill only strengthened the existing flaws in the -42& 25- &0?&43 *+ 1A1A 4 laws and complicated them further. It pushed for 872& However, nowhere in India has any of the idation and violence, the district admin- AHTUs to be notified and functional, with a stronger criminalisation approach, rather than States reported a positive outcome of the istration and police resist in recognising officers exclusively in charge of them. ( E2-?"1/7$"5 understanding that trafficking was an outcome of E9E2"%21"&5 law, either by way of reduction of sex traf- this as trafficking and would rather inter- Non-notification of AHTUs means that " socio-economic problems, disparities in growth ficking of women and children, convic- pret it as “ill-treatment of labour.” they do not have the powers of investiga- between regions that pushed for migration but did &4078E&/4 tion of customers who demand children One of the biggest lacunae in the sys- tion, rendering their roles largely notion- not provide a support framework. Activists feared &44-2&/4-7! for sex or any consistent conviction of traf- tem is the absence of any definition of al. As a result, the bulk of the trafficking " that the already prevailing rescue-rehabilitation E2-2"-4$ fickers’ networks to break source-destina- “rehabilitation of survivors of trafficking” cases are investigated by officers from gen- approach, which gave the police powers of arrests $&E25&02 7" "7 tion flows of victims for sexual exploita- and what specifically a survivor may claim eral police stations, who confine their + $ ( and incarceration of voluntary sex workers in shel- -42& 25- &0?&43 tion. On the other hand, survivors, who as entitlements for recovery and rehabil- probes to the areas in their jurisdiction. ( (( ter homes, was perpetuated in the new Bill and that 0/&22""E6&77 have been through the provisions of the itation. The ITPA offers incarceration in For example, the police team that rescues it seemed to have learnt nothing from the failures 4""$2/" law, have reported grave trauma because shelter homes for up to three years and a survivor of trafficking from Pune ( of the past. A third group, also opposed to the Bill, "4$/5E"$ of forced institutionalisation in shelter in-house service delivery without any ac- would confine its investigation and pros- pointed out that creating new laws confounds inef- homes. Shelters providing them with non- countability of the service provider ecution to the local brothel but would not *+ 97-6-4$ ficient law enforcement and overburdens judicial A/7&09-4$4/2 formal education did not result in better towards recovery, employment or reinte- trace back to the traffickers in the source # " systems even further. So they have no positive bear- educational qualifications. The in-house gration. The Bonded Labour Act provides State where the victim was abducted. As *+ # ( ing on curbing human trafficking, on vulnerable 7" 22/21" vocational training courses on book-bind- for a Central sector scheme for rehabili- a result, such prosecution based on poor communities, survivors or the implementers of that 3//$6&77/ ing, sewing, tailoring or jewellery-mak- tation of bonded labour, which focusses probes can be easily challenged by the law and its policies. It cited several social legislations 85"-805-2E/5 ing did not lead to sustainable employ- on financial benefits, mentioning noth- defence. AHTUs have yet to be recognised # 4 ( on juvenile justice and domestic, sexual and caste- 7"-$"5E%&2OE ment generation and when they returned ing about recovery, repatriation, reintegra- under any legislation and State *+ based violence. Instead of creating new laws, the 2&"21-2 home, they were left to fend off stigma, tion or rights of legal representation of vic- Governments are under no obligation to Government needs to allocate budgets and spend E85 & /5E/ poverty and their health distress on their tims of labour trafficking. What this cre- implement their advisories. ( + $ $ them, strengthen monitoring and implementation 18-4 own. A 2014 research on the health sta- ates is a system that can escape responsi- Those who are worst affected by the ( of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections that per- 25- &0?&436"5" tus of survivors of sex trafficking, who had bility towards the future of the survivors inadequacies of the law are survivors of tain to trafficking, the Immoral Traffic Prevention been rescued from Maharashtra, Delhi, by claiming that it has provided rehabil- trafficking themselves. There is truth in 5"EA"02"$-E Act (1986), the Juvenile Justice Act and the Bonded "H8-7""5E Telangana and Karnataka, found that 86 itation services but survivors were not able the contention that unless trafficking sur- Labour Act. per cent of those tested for psychological to benefit from them. vivors are empowered to assert their enti- 4 The WCD Ministry has reiterated its intent to &421" health were found to be suffering from The ITPA and the Bonded Labour tlements and claim accountability from ) S = bring in a law on human trafficking and is engaged -42& 25- &0?&43 dysthymia, a state of chronic depression Act as well as the IPC fail miserably in offices at the ground level, the best of poli- - ?= -@ in revising the TOP Bill. Once the draft Bill is placed "0/E9E2" and anxiety disorder that, the clinicians prosecution of traffickers. The Global cies and laws will remain on paper and in public domain for comments and suggestions, -4$4/2EA/?"4 found, were a result of untreated PTSD Trafficking in Persons Report, 2020, have no impact on the ground. NGOs ! " ( will the stakeholders re-engage with a few funda- /59 (post-traumatic stress disorder). This observes, “The Government decreased have their own subjectivities, their ideo- *+ ) B + mental questions that have always led to deadlocks G8E243/E indicated the inadequacy of the psycho- investigations, prosecutions and case logical battles and limitations in challeng- * - between people of different political and moral ide- social counselling services provided in convictions of traffickers. The acquittal ing duty bearers. # ) ! ?#)!@ ologies? The central issues in this debate are likely shelters. rate increased to 83 per cent.” Survivors of human trafficking can be to be around the matter of legalisation of sex work India does not have a law on labour A whopping 90 per cent of human the greatest resource in any anti- traffick- ? /#B@ 4 and discernment between sex trafficking and sex trafficking. While Section 370 of the IPC trafficking in India is inter-state, and from ing multi-stakeholder system. Their inclu- ( # ( work, approaches in rehabilitation of survivors of was to have provided us with a compre- villages and small towns to cities. The sion in national, State and district-level trafficking, the prevention approach and its impact hensive definition of trafficking, it falls Ministry of Home Affairs had recognised anti-trafficking committees will need to = - on migration rights. short of mentioning forced labour in its the need to create an integrated and com- be endorsed by law and policy and not left Does India need a new law on trafficking? The definition of exploitation. Survivors of prehensive investigation system in 2008 to the goodwill of individual bureaucrats Immoral Traffic Prevention Act (ITPA), that was labour trafficking across India report that when it passed a directive to form Anti- or leaders. It’s time that survivors of . formed in 1956 and last amended in 1986, has failed there is systemic resistance in recognis- Human Trafficking Units (AHTU) at the human trafficking were respected as 4 to combat sex trafficking. The ITPA’s approach of ing them as victims of labour trafficking district-level, which could pursue inves- equal members in the anti-trafficking combating sex trafficking is on criminalisation of or of bonded labour. While there is sys- tigations seamlessly between States. This ecosystem and not spoken for by activist organised prostitution and providing for institution- temic exploitation of inter-state migrant would take the burden off from the gen- NGOs. alisation of survivors and their rehabilitation in shel- labour being trapped in brick kilns, small eral police stations. However, a recent (The writer is a researcher and advi- ter homes. The law does not directly criminalise sex factories and sweatshops, construction report, AHTU Watch, found less than 10 sor to the Indian Leadership Forum ? @ workers, except for solicitation in public places. sites using debt bondage, threats, intim- per cent of the currently-existing 332 Against Trafficking) , ayxxussu vxuqssyuyywxyyy q tuqtxq u vy txquruu yruyx uq vuuyuqtvtyw
cine and the country is gearing up defining moment for medical COVID vaccine. The scientists based urgency as well. The Oxford vaccine ed that half dosage was given as an possible without years of expertise to start mass vaccination of its pop- advances in the modern era, they are their work on an existing technolo- is a chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored inadvertent error, Oxford scientists developed by the scientists and the ulation. Meanwhile, the successful a manifestation of the commitment gy they pioneered and patented shot. It uses a genetically-modified underlined that it was a calibrated adequate funding and resource sup- trials of the Oxford-AstraZeneca and shown by scientists and researchers years ago in the Oxford labs. In fact, version of a virus strain that is usu- move. port given to medical research. Moderna vaccines have raised across the world in producing the they designed this vaccine that very ally found in chimpanzees. This Even as the varying accounts These researchers are our mod- tremendous hopes too. While shots in record time. They remind weekend itself in January, staying up modified virus carried with it an ele- raised concerns, the controversy ern heroes, who have made tremen- Moderna and Pfizer have us how investing in medical research all night. At that point it wasn’t even ment of the COVID-19 viral strain also served to remind us how hasty dous sacrifices and given it their all, announced high efficacy in clinical is critical to beating unforeseen clear how fast the virus would that triggers an immune response in trials can result in handling errors. in order to make a difference to trials for their respective vaccines, health emergencies and vital to the spread or how many people it would the human body. It also underscores the need for humankind and create history. In all 33 3 that is up to 95 per cent, the Oxford- survival of the human race. end up infecting, but these Not without controversies: Oxford-AstraZeneca’s India part- of this, science will be the winner. Let AstraZeneca vaccine can be stored Race against time: The stories researchers saw it as an opportuni- Given the urgency and the compe- ner, Serum Institute of India, to this encourage and inspire our in normal refrigerators. This makes behind the development of these ty to demonstrate rapid vaccine tition between pharma companies, ensure a highly transparent trial for youngsters to be future scientists who ne of the most difficult years it much easier and cheaper to store, vaccines and the speed at which they development against a new viral vaccine development has under- Covishield to dispel any doubt and can make the impossible possible. in recent memory, 2020 has transport and distribute in compar- were done is truly inspiring. Let’s take threat. From here on, within weeks standably been hasty. The Oxford distrust over its efficacy. Countries like India, where the Obeen nothing less than a ison to the other two candidates the case of the Oxford vaccine. Oxford had useable vaccines for lab vaccine trial discovered up to 90 per Funding medical research must shortage of medical research fund- global healthcare nightmare. which would need to be stored at British and Irish scientists Professor tests and clinical grade shots for cent efficacy when the volunteers be top priority: The adenovirus vec- ing has been a perennial problem, However, as the year draws to an minus 20-80 °C. Adrian Hill, Professor Sarah Gilbert human trials. The rest, as they say is were given a half dose before a full tor platform that has been used in the can also learn vital lessons from this. end, there is good news on the hori- Being cost-effective and easy to and Professor Terese Lambe started history. dose booster shot. Interestingly, Oxford vaccine was first developed Notably, the Department of Health zon. Even as an indigenously-devel- store, the Oxford vaccine is being working on this vaccine in early By the beginning of April, the when given two full doses, the vac- in the early 1990s and has since then Research in India was given barely oped vaccine by Bharat Biotech has touted as the most promising can- January as soon as scientists in COVID19 virus had spread to most cine showed only 62 per cent effica- been repeatedly tested and modified three per cent of the total healthcare entered Phase-3 of clinical trials, sev- didate for a country like India, China published the first genetic parts of the world with the UN chief cy. While this serendipitous discov- in continued research and develop- allocation in the Budget 2020-21. eral other international vaccines which has cold chain issues. Russia’s sequence of the virus. Given the Antonio Guterres terming it the ery gave an expected boost to the ment. The current vaccine design India needs to increase funding and have either shown promising results Sputnik V, another such vaccine that novel nature of the Coronavirus, it “worst crisis” since World War II. vaccine, questions remain over the that could successfully use the exist- spend more on biomedical research or are on their way to reach last-stage stays stable between 2 and 8 °C, is was an uphill task but Oxford With deaths mounting and cause of this surprising trial result. ing platform is essentially based on to be able to develop effective drugs trials. In the UK, the Medicines and also being considered viable for University and later the Government economies crashing one after the It also brought to the fore discrep- almost three decades of research and and vaccine solutions for multiple Healthcare products Regulatory India and other developing coun- gave the vaccinologists access to other, the development of this vac- ancy in the narratives of the two testing. With the success of the vac- diseases in the future. Agency (MHRA) has already given tries. unprecedented funding and cine was much more than a health- partnering agencies on the project. cine in sight, it is important to under- (The writer is Executive Director its nod to the Pfizer/BioNTech vac- These vaccines not only mark a resources to find the much-coveted care need, it was an economic While the AstraZeneca team insist- stand that none of it would have been of a pharmaceutical firm) ! "#$%$% 4
) ) # ) * .* 9 , Q+ ? Rome: Qatar’s foreign minister erates with Israel in providing that his country has a “work- informal truce that has pre- said Friday that his country aid to the Gaza Strip — might ing relationship” with Israel to vented any major outbreaks of * remains committed to the cre- be the next Arab country to provide aid to Gaza, where the fighting in recent years. ation of a Palestinian state normalize relations after the Islamic militant group Hamas Israel and Hamas have with its capital in east United Arab Emirates, Bahrain seized power from rival fought three wars — the most !! ! R Jerusalem, and that progress on and Sudan established diplo- Palestinian forces in 2007. recent in 2014 — as well as that front would need to be “at matic ties with Israel earlier this “But for the full normal- countless smaller skirmishes. the core” of any agreement to year. ization, I believe that the The normalization agree- Washington: US President Electoral College that deter- normalize relations with Israel. But the foreign minister (Palestinian issue) needs to be ments with Israel, brokered by Donald Trump has alleged that mines the outcome of US pres- “Right now, I don’t see said Qatar remains committed at the core of any agreement of the United States, were widely his votes started “miraculous- idential contests. that the normalization of Qatar to the 2002 Arab Peace normalization between Qatar seen as a breakthrough in ly disappearing” on the election The Trump campaign has and Israel is going to to add Initiative, in which Arab coun- and Israel,” he said. Mideast diplomacy. night, reiterating his unsub- filed multiple lawsuits in several Washington: Congressman value to the Palestinian people,” tries would recognize Israel in The wealthy Gulf country’s But the Palestinians con- stantiated claims about wide- states, most of whom have Gregory Meeks, who backs a Sheikh Mohammed bin exchange for its withdrawal aid to Gaza has provided a life- demned the agreements as a spread voter fraud in the pres- been dismissed so far. strong US-India relationship, Abdulrahman Al Thani said at from territories occupied in the line to the territory, which has betrayal because they marked idential polls. “I want to just thank my was on Thursday elected as the Italy’s annual Mediterranean 1967 war and the creation of a been under a crippling Israeli a major erosion in Arab sup- Trump on Thursday told team because my team is doing next chairman of the powerful Dialogue. Palestinian state in the West and Egyptian blockade since port for their cause, a key reporters at the White House an unbelievable job. And more House Foreign Affairs There was speculation that Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem. Hamas seized power. It has also source of leverage in any future that his team has found a large importantly, I want to thank the Committee, becoming the first Qatar — which already coop- The foreign minister noted been a key element in a shaky, peace talks. AP number of such votes. 74 million-plus people that African-American to head the “We went through an elec- presidential election over voted, which is the largest Congressional panel that plays tion. At 10 o’clock, everybody Trump, who is continuing his amount of people that a sitting an influential role in shaping said, ‘That was an easy victory legal efforts to upend his vic- President has ever had — 74 the country’s foreign policy. ( O P ###//,, 3 P # for Trump.’ All of a sudden, the tory. Trump, a Republican, has million-plus...The level of loy- Meeks, 67, would replace votes started disappearing — allowed the official start of alty, I’ve never seen anything fellow Democratic Washington: China is the China was growing its power China’s major public initia- Asia and others pointing to miraculously disappearing. We Biden’s transition to power but like it. All over the country, they Congressman Eliott Engel from “greatest threat” to democracy by stealing US secrets and then tives and prominent companies unprecedented efforts to influ- found much of it, but we found has not yet conceded defeat, know it was a fixed election. It New York as the Chair of the and freedom since World War replacing US firms in the mar- offer only a layer of camouflage ence the incoming Biden far more votes than we need in alleging massive voter fraud and was a rigged election. They House Foreign Affairs II and Beijing was preparing for ket. The Trump administration to the activities of the Chinese administration. almost all of these states. And electoral malpractice. know it, and I appreciate their Committee in the 117th confrontation with the US and has taken a hard line on China, Communist Party,” according The op-ed comes as the I think I can say in all of these However, state election offi- support,” Trump said. Congress next year. intended to dominate the world imposing tariffs on Chinese to Ratcliffe. Trump administration has states, far more votes than we cials and the media have denied When asked if he has con- Meeks, who had paid flo- “economically, militarily and goods and accusing Beijing of The Trump administra- recently taken several punitive need to win every one of them,” such large-scale fraud. Election fidence in Attorney General Bill ral tributes at the statue of technologically”, according to intellectual property theft. tion’s most senior intelligence measures against Beijing, he said in response to a ques- officials in key battleground Barr, Trump said: “Ask me that Mahatma Gandhi at the America’s top intelligence offi- “The intelligence is clear: official’s stark warning was just sharply limiting visas for mem- tion. states have declared Biden the in a number of weeks from now. Gandhi Plaza on October 2, is cial. Beijing intends to dominate the the latest from senior admin- bers of the ruling Communist Democratic leader Joe winner, giving him an unoffi- They should be looking at all of also a powerful member of the Writing in the Wall Street U.S. And the rest of the planet istration officials about China’s Party of China and unveiling Biden won the November 3 cial 306-232 edge in the this fraud.” PTI Black Caucus. PTI Journal, Director of National economically, militarily and intentions, with some warning new sanctions on Chinese Intelligence John Ratcliffe said technologically. Many of of possible military action in companies. PTI 3 ! ! !! 1# # ( 1 5 & 4: 6-E1&432/4 ; # # Copenhagen (Denmark): Denmark has decided to end to Lahore: A Pakistani anti-ter- in-law Prof Hafiz Abdul resident-elect Joe Biden Washington: Friday’s monthly The unemployment rate is all oil and gas offshore activities rorism court has sentenced Rehman Makki was sentenced Psays he is keeping Dr US jobs report will help answer projected to drop one-tenth of in the North Sea by 2050 and three more leaders of Mumbai to six months imprisonment in Anthony Fauci on as a a key question overhanging the a percentage point to 6.8 per has cancelled its latest licensing terror attack mastermind Hafiz each case. chief medical adviser and a economy: Just how much dam- cent. round, saying the country is Saeed’s Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) to The suspects were present- member of his Covid-19 advi- age is being caused by the The Labor Department will “now putting an end to the fos- 15 years imprisonment each in ed in the court amid high secu- sory team. resurgent coronavirus, the issue the November jobs report sil era.” two more terror financing cases. rity and the media was not Biden made the comments resulting curbs on businesses at 8:30 am Eastern time. The Danish Parliament Anti-Terrorism Court allowed to cover the proceed- Thursday during an interview and the reluctance of con- A loss of momentum in hir- voted late Thursday to end the (ATC) Lahore Judge Ijaz ings. -, # with CNN’s Jake Tapper. He sumers to shop, travel and dine ing would weaken the economy offshore gas and oil extraction Ahmad Buttar handed down The sentencing comes a $8 $, - said he spoke with Fauci earli- out? at a particularly perilous time. that started in 1972 and has the sentence to Abdul Salam bin day after Saeed’s spokesperson er in the day about the need to Economists surveyed by A multi-trillion-dollar aid made it the largest producer in Muhammad, Zafar Iqbal and Yahya Mujahid was handed instill confidence in any coro- the data provider FactSet have package that Congress approved the European Union. Non EU- Muhammad Ashraf on down another 15 years in jail by , navirus vaccine and the fact forecast that employers added in the spring to ease the eco- members Norway and Britain Thursday. the ATC in a terror financing that “you don’t have to close 450,000 jobs in November. nomic damage from the pan- are larger producers. Denmark JuD chief Saeed’s brother- case. PTI down the economy” to combat In normal times, that would demic has largely run its course. is estimated to pump some ;$;$<== the virus. be a healthy increase. Two enhanced unemploy- 83,000 barrels of crude oil and Biden says he’d be “happy” But a gain that size would ment benefit programs are set another 21,000 barrels of oil B # # *2C Medan: Torrential rain in ple, including a toddler, after to get a vaccine in public to amount to the weakest month- to expire at the end of this equivalent this year, according Indonesia’s third largest city the heavy rains in Medan, the prove its safety. ly hiring since April. month. AP to the government. AP caused four rivers to overflow, capital of North Sumatra & flooding thousands of homes province. and killing at least two people, At least two people were Lyon: A French retired surgeon child who was hospitalized at officials said Friday. found dead after being swept accused of sexually abusing age 4 in the establishment where The local disaster mitiga- away by the floods, which over 300 young children over he practiced. Le Scouarnec has tion agency said rescuers were began Thursday evening, the decades - primarily his patients been found guilty of “rapes” and searching for six missing peo- agency said in a statement. AP in their hospital rooms - has “sexual abuses,” Francesca Satta, been sentenced Thursday to 15 the lawyer for the neighbor’s years in prison in the first trial family, told the AP. His name of what may be the largest-ever will also be added to the data- !1 3 1> pedophilia case in the country. base of sex offenders, she said. The trial this week in the During the trial, Le Scouarnec western city of Saintes con- admitted he had raped his O # #> cerned four people allegedly tar- nieces. Other legal complaints geted by Joel Le Scouarnec, 70, against the doctor have piled up 4&0/E&-M09A58EN back to port after completing including two of his nieces, a since the original investigation what it said was seismic young female neighbor, and a wrapped up. AP urkey's recent moves to research in east Mediterranean Tde-escalate a clash with waters. Greece and Cyprus over east The warship-escorted ves- Mediterranean energy reserves sel's activities in waters where - # are “unconvincing” and Greece asserts jurisdiction European Union leaders need prompted a military build-up & - to take action that will prompt between the two neighbors Ankara to heed international and nominal NATO allies. Jerusalem: The Israeli gov- at a 2018 news conference law, Greece's foreign minister Greece countered by also ernment on Thursday urged its about Iran’s nuclear program: said on Friday. sending its warships, and both citizens to avoid travel to the “Remember that name.” Israel Nikos Dendias said Turkey countries conducted military United Arab Emirates and accuses Iran of trying to devel- opted not to seize an opportu- exercises to assert their claims. Bahrain, citing threats of op nuclear weapons — a charge nity that European Union lead- NATO stepped in to prevent a Iranian attacks. Iran denies. ers offered it in October to ease potential armed conflict. Iran has been threatening In recent months, Israel has tensions in the region so that But Dendias said the ship's to attack Israeli targets since signed agreements establishing the 27-member bloc could return to port wasn't enough. its chief nuclear scientist, diplomatic relations with Gulf start reshaping its fraught rela- “Turkey's belated moves Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was Arab states of the UAE and tions with Ankara. in recent days to supposedly assassinated last Friday near Bahrain — its first normaliza- Turkey last week ordered de-escalate tensions are not Tehran. It accuses Israel, tion deals with Arab countries the research vessel Oruc Reis convincing.” which has been suspected in in a quarter century. previous killings of Iranian The agreements, brokered nuclear scientists, of being by the Trump administration, behind the shooting. have generated widespread Israel has not commented excitement in Israel, and on the killing. But Fakhrizadeh thousands of Israeli tourists has long been on Israel’s radar are scheduled to travel to the screen, with Prime Minister UAE for the Jewish holiday of Benjamin Netanyahu saying Hanukkah this month. AP < !R 4-&5/&
everal thousand combatants have been killed in Ethiopia’s Sembattled Tigray region, an official with the fugitive region- al government has asserted, although claims remain difficult to verify a month after the fighting erupted between Ethiopian and regional forces. Getachew Reda, a senior adviser to the Tigray leader, in an interview with Tigray TV aired Thursday urged young people and others in the region to “rise and deploy to battle in tens of thousands” days after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed over the weekend declared victory. With the leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front on the run in rugged territo- ry, fears of a drawn-out conflict continue. But with communications and transport links still largely severed to the region of 6 million peo- ple, it’s difficult to know the situation on the ground, including the extent of popular support for the TPLF and the number of people killed. ! "#$%$% * 5
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8-& the rate at which banks lend to at all times,” Das said. the central bank, was kept The RBI revised its growth eserve Bank of India (RBI) unchanged at 3.35 per cent. outlook, seeing a milder 7.5 per %, $ 2 Ron Friday left interest rates The MPC “decided to cent contraction in the fiscal unchanged for the third continue with the accom- year to March 2021 as opposed * straight time amid persistent- modative stance of monetary to its October forecast of a 9.5 ly high inflation and said the policy as long as necessary — per cent shrinkage of the GDP. 4"6$"71& inflation stayed stubbornly not upsetting the status quo economy was recuperating fast at least through the current This after a shallower- high, and said the economy probably has been the theme and would return to positive financial year and into the than-expected decline in the he RBI’s decision to keep was recuperating fast and with regards to liquidity man- growth in the current quarter next year,” Governor gross domestic product (GDP) Tthe key policy rate would return to positive agement,” said Rajeev itself. Shaktikanta Das said. in the July-September quarter. unchanged ensures a lower growth in the current quarter Radhakrishnan, Head of Fixed The six-member Monetary The central bank’s stance India entered a technical interest rate regime and avail- itself. Income, SBI Mutual Fund. Policy Committee (MPC) is “to revive growth on a recession last week — it was the ability of liquidity to support “The policy stance has, as The Monetary Policy unanimously decided to keep durable basis, and mitigate the first time in decades that Asia’s growth under the current eco- expected continued to focus Committee (MPC) of RBI the benchmark repo rate — the impact of COVID-19 while upper end of the RBI’s 2-6 per shortages, higher services third-largest economy saw two nomic situation, even as high on reviving growth with the expects inflation to remain ele- rate at which RBI lends to ensuring that inflation remains cent target band and it expect- prices, higher commodity consecutive quarters of con- inflation remains a risk, finan- MPC maintaining its accom- vated, barring some transient commercial banks — at 4 per within the target going for- ed the outlook for inflation to prices and higher taxes have traction. A coronavirus lock- cial market experts said on modative stance. relief in winter months and cent. Since January, RBI has ward,” he added. worsen. RBI sees price gains in contributed to a spike in both down between late-March and Friday. At the same time, the this has constrained monetary reduced that rate by 115 basis Das said inflation contin- the fiscal third quarter at 6.8 headline and core inflation. May led to a collapse in private The Reserve Bank of statement reinforces the policy at the current juncture points before hitting the pause ues to be sticky.Consumer- per cent and easing a bit to 5.8 “Our paramount objective consumption and investment India (RBI) on Friday left requirement of supply side from “using the space available button in August on concerns price growth or the headline per cent in January-March. is to support growth while demand as well as significant interest ratesunchanged for a actions to break the current to act in support of growth”, on inflation. CPI inflation, at 7.6 per cent in Supply-side factors, such ensuring that financial stabili- job losses, which further cur- third straight meeting as inflationary spiral. “However, RBI Governor The reverse repo rate, or October, was well above the as unseasonal rains, labour ty is maintained and preserved tailed spending. ,O<523E# $ P;!>>> 3 ++> ' 4 # 8% (*? # ' # # ' 1 8-& Policy Committee. Now the increase the limit for contact- 1$ 0 '$ %, central bank has issued circu- less card transactions to Rs EA#@,!,<: n a bid to give a push to dig- lars notifying the announce- 5,000 from Rs 2,000 at Point of # Iital payments, the Reserve ments. Sale (PoS) terminals from 4"6$"71& Chandigarh, Jammu & 8-& “In the case of HDFC Bank on Friday announced a On 24x7 availability of January 1, 2021 in view of the Kashmir, Kerala, Gujarat, Bank, there were earlier n line with the market expec- slew of measures including Real Time Gross Settlement COVID-19 pandemic and addy procurement in the Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, he need to maintain peo- episodes also. HDFC Bank has Itations, RBI has kept the enhancing the limit for con- (RTGS) System, the RBI said it feedback from stakeholders. Pongoing kharif marketing Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra Tple’s confidence in digital an overwhelming presence in Repo Rate unchanged. The tactless card transactions to has been decided “to make Earlier in the day, season at MSP has so far and Bihar.The Food banking resulted in the action the digital payment segment, in accommodative stance has 5,000 and making RTGS trans- RTGS available round the clock the RBI Governor had increased by 20 per cent to Corporation of India and state against HDFC Bank for service the internet banking segment. been maintained into the next action facility available round on all days of the year with announced that per transaction nearly 330 lakh tonnes, valued agencies have purchased 329.86 outages, RBI Governor We have some concerns about financial year in order to ensure the clock from December 14. effect from 00:30 hours on limit for Additional Factor of at Rs 62,278.61 crore. lakh tonnes of paddy up to Shaktikanta Das said on Friday certain deficiencies etc... It is durable economic growth. The The RBI has also decided December 14, 2020”. Authentication (AFA) relax- In the ongoing kharif mar- December 3 as against pur- and exhorted lenders to invest necessary that the HDFC Bank growth is expected to be better to grant licence to entities RTGS System is used for ation for contactless card trans- keting season (KMS) 2020-21, chase of 275.98 lakh tonnes in more on the technology front. strengthens its IT systems with the GDP estimate being operating payments systems high value transactions. The actions will be increased. the government continues to the corresponding period last The regulator is also study- before expanding further,” Das revised upwards for FY21. on a perpetual basis, and per- NEFT System of payments is “Accordingly, given the procure kharif 2020-21 crops at year. “About 31.78 lakh farm- ing the incident at SBI, which told reporters. “… we cannot Liquidity measures have mitted companies to reapply already available round the sufficient protection available its MSP (minimum support ers have already been benefit- also faced an outage on have thousands and lakhs of been announced to revive for licence after one year of clock.RTGS will be available for to users, it has been decided to price) from farmers, an official ted from the ongoing KMS Thursday, Das said. customers who are using dig- activity and On Tap TLTRO rejection of their application or customers and inter-bank increase the per transaction statement said on Friday.The procurement operations with In an unprecedented ital banking to be in any kind has been extended to the revocation of their licence. transactions round the clock, limit to Rs 5,000,” said one of marketing season starts from MSP value of Rs 62,278.61 action, RBI has asked HDFC of difficulty for hours togeth- stressed sectors identified by These were part of the except for the interval between the circulars, adding that all October. Paddy procurement crore,” the statement said. Out Bank to stop issuing new cred- er and especially when we are the Kamath committee. The announcements made by RBI ‘end-of-day’ and ‘start-of-day’ other requirements, including for kharif 2020-21 is continu- of the total purchase of 329.86 it cards and launching new dig- ourselves giving so much credit offtake is expected to get Governor Shaktikant Das ear- processes, whose timings the discretion of cardholder to ing smoothly in Punjab, lakh tonnes, Punjab alone has ital business initiatives because emphasis on digital banking. a boost going forward we lier in the day after the meet- would be duly broadcasted use contactless or contact mode Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, contributed 202.77 lakh tonnes, of the repeated instances of ser- Public confidence on digital expect it to top at least 8% in ing of the central bank’s rate through the RTGS system. of transaction, would continue Telangana, Uttarakhand, Tamil which is 61.47 per cent of the vice outages over the last two banking has to be maintained,” the days to come. setting panel -- Monetary The RBI also decided to to remain applicable. Nadu, total procurement, it added. years. the RBI chief said. 8$- % ( & ' ! *% 456$ - , # Q6#B / % /*! 75! ' -) // $ < DE 1* C CB,?* 1*) *5 *1 )BC< - ? 55D< #<1 &O ' ' # # 2 & 2 ! ' # # # ' %&O # ! % 2 ! ! O 1 E0 # ' & # %&O # & ' # %& ' # #% # # # # # !O ' %- & #E 7 ' % !& ' # # ! E A% %& &O # ! # ' ! # #& ' %2 & % # % # # % % % )0) *)*12*)*12 ?2 <5 ?2 <5 * % !/% %# *!' //%*'2 % '% %! '' !!*%2 ' '% ,! #!#2 3 ' ' *'* ! '/ *'%6'%% $- - %! *' , ' !, ! $! $ o what made you say yes to the role?” “astounding project.” He says, “It is an is real and what is not. I have never played I was blown after watching it.” When I try I ask actor Adil Hussain. When he intelligent film and my character is craft- such an intense role,” he adds. to get deeper into the details, he laughs Squestions, “Which role?” from the ed quite well. I have come across very few N61"49/8E1//2 /5- Well, talking about roles, Indian cin- and keeps me from bringing the suspense other end of the phone, I confirm, Indian films, which have treated the ema has certainly seen characters evolv- out. “Nirvana Inn.” I soon realise how the actor genre with so much suspense and aesthet- &7!9/85"-779$/4O2 ing. There’s a surge of grey roles now as The film will have its digital world has been riding high on the success and ics of arts. Usually, a violent and brutal side actors don’t like to keep them in a box. premiere on a new, pay-per-view OTT proud win of his web series, Delhi Crime, is lent to such films but I found this quite ?4/661-2OE3/&432/ Now, roles are more layered, etched and platform, Cinemapreneur, for 99 hours at the Emmys that he almost forgets his intriguing and real. It is not just horror, 1-AA"4%-E05&A2&E life-like. For Hussain, a role should speak from December 11. Hussain talks about other projects. He laughs and clarifies, it’s more of a character study in a slow nar- of something he resonates with. “I look at how it is different from the other OTTs “Actually, these days, I keep forgetting rative that blurs the line between realism 0/4E2-4279" /7 &43% a role fundamentally, what does it offer as and has the potential of giving a cinema- what’s the call for as it could also be for and mystery.” a character — is it black-and-white, lay- like experience post-COVID. “The lock- Delhi Crime.” Hussain believes that when it comes 65&22"46/5$E&312 ered or more grey? Does it create empa- down shut cinema halls and the subscrip- Well, the series has been a very “spe- to horror, the genre has not been very 05"-2"E/" &E8-7E&4 thy in me even while I’m portraying a tions for OTT platforms like Netflix, cial” project for Hussain and he credits it well-experimented or explored in main- dark-shaded character? Do I feel empa- Amazon, Hotstar, etc, surged. However, all to its writer-director, Richie Mehta. He stream Indian cinema. Is there a specific 9/85&4$8221"9 thy for a dark person? How well is it writ- there, one needs to subscribe and pay a adds, “Richie is a dedicated art lover. I reason why it lags behind? He says, “I’d say ten craftwise? Is the director good enough? monthly charge. Here, it’s quite similar to don’t know anybody else who could have that it’s very difficult to write good 6&77"$& "5"4221-4 Jogi, I’d say, is very unpredictable and going to a cinema hall and buying a tick- done such a great artistic job. He has done scripts. In the Indian filmmaking culture, 61-2&E-028-779 grey,” he says. et for the film you want to watch.” justice to the issue by portraying it the we haven’t been giving much space, time, The actor earlier revealed that he him- Nirvana Inn, which also stars Sandhya right way. It’s amazing how the series does- energy, resources and money into writing. 05"-2"$%61"49/8 (played by Hussain), a boatman who self was “terrified” at the end of it. But Mridul and Rajshree Deshpande in lead- n’t show any abuse, violence or brutality Very rarely, I come across a brilliantly- becomes the caretaker of a mysterious why? He points towards the difference ing roles, became the only Indian film and yet manages to shed light so beauti- written script which is at par with the level " "428-779E""21" Himalayan resort after a suicide attempt. between a script and the cinematography. selected for the Asian Market Project fully on such a sensitive issue. It’s difficult of Hollywood or the films from the &7!9/85"-7&E"1/6 While the synopsis might be perplexing, “When you shoot for a film, you really (AMP) in Busan and was awarded the to do what he did. It took him four years Eastern part of the country. I am not even the film’s trailer is as intriguing and don’t know what’s going to happen. A Asian Cinema Fund. It also had its world to complete his research. I haven’t seen any comparing those scripts to the likes of 21"0&4"-2/35-A19! Hussain’s description of the mystery script is constantly evolving. Written premiere at the 24th Busan International series in the country so far which has this Satyajit Ray. However, I was surprised how 21"-0?35/84$!21" behind it makes one even more curious words might create some visuals in your Film Festival 2019. Getting global recog- level of beauty and reality at the same time, a horror genre script like Nirvana Inn to watch it. He tells us that “guilt” is the mind but they will be different than what nition is huge for any actor. And Hussain and also an artistic rigour to create some- would find me, which is really that good E"2-4$" "421" underlying theme of the film. “That feel- is actually created. When you eventually believes that one should take it “with thing like this.” that it’s acceptable to my kind of aesthet- ing is not easy to play around with but the see the film, you realise how the cine- humility and work harder to keep doing After a moment of pause, he returns ics.” 01-5-02"5E2854 intensity of guilt in a person has been dealt matography, the background, the set and better,” he says as he signs off, preparing to answer my previous question about his The film, shot in Manali, Majuli /822/"O with in a wonderful way in this film. The even the characters turn out to be — total- for his next morning flight to the UK to forthcoming psycho-horror drama, (Assam) and Chennai, revolves around the plot mixes nightmares with the reality and ly different than you’d imagined. You feel, shoot for his another brilliant project, Nirvana Inn, which for him is another life and personal encounters of Jogiraj so, the audience really doesn’t know what ‘Oh, this is what was going on!’ And hence, Footprints On Water. /0 / ( 0) t starts as an innocuous tale of three Ikids, Jai, Pari, and Faiz, reminding *"! the reader of Harry, Hermione and ) # Ron from that magical world of Harry Potter. Jai is adventurous, not exactly studious. Pari is the intelligent ominated at the International Emmy Awards and ambitious one. Faiz is a bit flaky, -$""A--4-AA-5-O Nthis year, actor Arjun Mathur has earned him- neither here, nor there, but his )' # ! self a global stardom. His evolution as an actor has friendships are important to him. The only been inspiring and hints on his talent. His story isn’t set in a middle class soci- ?- &21- 85-7& webshow, Made in Heaven was a breakthrough and ety or in a gated complex. The back- the actor received immense critical acclaim for his drop isn’t an orphanage or a board- role of a gay man. He was last seen in The Gone ing school. It is set in the slums of Game, a suspense thriller series, which impressive- Delhi, where adults hop from their ly was set, conceived, shot and released during the abodes to the high rises next door to lockdown. perform their duties as house-helps Currently, when Mathur is getting showered and nannies, drivers and cleaners and with love from fans all across the globe, we have kids roam around doing whatever some exciting news about the star. The actor is now they want to do. gearing up for his next film titled Silence which And then, the story truly begins. is touted to be a murder mystery. What’s exciting Children disappear one by one from is that Arjun will begin shooting for it this month the slum. The initial hypothesis is itself, December 12 onwards. that they have run off, for who will and picnic baskets to go with it. But, Written and directed by Aban Bharucha live in the slum and put fight for a sharp rap on the proverbial knuck- Deohans, the suspense thriller is produced by light, food and bathing water. le brings one back to the real world, Kiran Deohans under the Candid Creations ban- Perhaps, they wanted to escape their an unfair one that values slum ner. Premiering on ZEE5, the film features drunken and abusive fathers. Oh, are children many notches lower than Mathur alongside talented Manoj Bajpayee. We more of them disappearing? Perhaps, the other children because, aren’t hear that Arjun is extremely thrilled to work with the Djinn took them. they children of the slums, one of Manoj, which is why he was keen to be a part of Our trio gets into the ring to on the periphery of the highway, sounds childish. Perhaps, they many disposables? this project. investigate, mimicking detectives near the high rise, as far as the cen- invoke memories of the 3 Deepa has built a book that can The film also features Prachi Desai, Sahil Vaid, chasing clues. Their journey takes tral railway station even. The read- Investigators and Famous Five, if we be read quick enough but will haunt Vaquar Sheikh and Shishir Sharma in interesting them many places within the slum, er roots for the kids, even though it could only have some hot scones the readers for a long time to come. roles. ! "#$%$% '() * +66 8)(" D0) 189 " ( 0) E 4&?1&2-3-4$1& ! # # # # %2"- & - tity crisis. The idea is to convey that we all have our fair share of beauty and pain in different magnitudes and none of us can escape it. The song is an expression of self-acceptance and embodies the message that the only truth in life is about who you are and letting yourself be that person. It is a manifestation of loving oneself and accepting love in all its forms. $ You feature in the music video as well. What kind of preparations went behind the mak- ing of it? When I heard the vision MTV Beats had for (+ the video, I fell in love with it instantly. It’s the story of a couple in love where our protago- ctor Sumeet Vyas feels nist, played by Ivanka Das, is dealing with Athat in our patriarchal issues related to his sexuality. It progresses society, we do not talk about around how the protagonist’s wife supports him the emotional and vulnera- through the transition and instills the confi- ble side of a man. He says dence to love “yourself” first irrespective of fatherhood has changed him how you identify “yourself”, all this while deal- emotionally. Vyas, who says ing with a pregnancy and the traditional shift he is emotionally a different of her family life because of her husband’s tran- person after the birth of his sition. It’s a touching story of a couple who son Ved, also quipped how redefine love and acceptance. International Men’s Day is Since Ivanka is a LGBTQ+ activist and a voice quite a forgotten affair as from the community, I was so happy to see her opposed to International involvement and the positive reception of her Women’s Day. feedback. The entire process has been extra- “I think when it comes ordinary and it’s one project i’ll always be to men, living in a patriar- extremely proud to be associated with. chal society, we do not show and extensively talk about How do you think music as a medium helps our emotional side. Being in addressing some of the important social modern men of progressive issues in the country? society who support gender I feel that art has always been a reflection, and equality, we tend to over- in a lot of cases, a mirror to the society and the think and complicate certain lives of people around you. For me, music is things. But I think our next a medium of self-expression rather than just generation will not go “It is funny, we do not even being a genre. Music has the magic to create through this,” the actor said. remember when the a sense of community, it has the power to bring He opened up about his International Men’s Day is people closer and will always be the universal son, who was born on June — which was on November language of love, unity and peace. 3, to establish his context, 19! It is almost ignorable! “He is just six months old However, I just want to It has been two years to the verdict on Section but I feel an emotional shift mention how at times I 377, how do you think our society has pro- happened within me overthink or become over- gressed? Is there still a long way to go? because of parenthood. conscious, being a man in a Even though that was one of the most historic There is no doubt that no patriarchal society. See, days I have had the pleasure to witness, I feel one in the world can com- when my partner comes there is still a long road we have to cover. Our pare the physical and emo- home after a long day and society has progressed and we are more vocal tional effort that a mother asks for a coffee, I happily about equality for everyone but there is a dark offers to a child, she is the prepare it for her because shadow lingering behind the rainbow. I have birth-giver and that is that is natural, but when I so many friends and acquaintances who are still incomparable. We always ask for the same, the thought afraid of the social stigma attached to it and talk about how motherhood crosses my mind, ‘am I are living their lives in fear of being outed. It’s changes a woman, which it doing it out of the habit that the most suffocating thing to happen to any- surely does. But I am saying, woman should serve the one. It will take time but taking that first step fatherhood also changes a coffee, like the way my is important in a journey. Since we have already man!” grandfathers’ generation ell us about your collaboration for this song has the same underlining message hit a milestone, the destination won’t be that “Everything that I do, used to think?” Vyas said. MTV Beats Love Duet, a gender atyp- that the album wants to convey and that’s what N-521-E-76-9E""4- far. my child comes first now. I “I do not want to come Tical album. How has the experience I truly love about this collaboration! I am was thinking of investing in under that category but, you been? thrilled to play a supporting character in the 5" 7"02&/4!-4$&4-7/2 What are your forthcoming projects? an expensive cycle before my see, the same action can be Honestly, the experience has been phenome- music video, telling a touching story of two My debut song as a composer came out last child was born, now I am so progressive for one person nal. I am so grateful that the new song, Khud people who are in love but have been living a / 0-E"E!-&55/52/ week so the last couple of days have been real- obsessed with my son that I and regressive for the other Ko Hi Paake, is in sync with the vision of the closeted life for a long time. I am sure it will 21"E/0&"29% /5"! ly interesting. I composed a song for Netflix’s am checking out toys and one. Maybe I am overthink- album. Love Duet has been a path-breaking ini- be loved by the masses and also help influence Mismatched and even had the pleasure of thinking which toy cycle is ing but it is a real thing. This tiative in normalising conversations around perceptions in some way or other. 8E&0&E-"$&8/ singing a song in the album. My first interna- more cool!” shared the actor. bell rings in our head at love that goes beyond gender stereotypes. It has tional collaboration with the US-based artist, He notes that we con- times, and that is when you given a platform to some of the greatest artists What was the idea behind the song, Khud Ko E"7 "OA5"EE&/4 Rajiv Dhall, came out just a week before we stantly talk of gender equal- think, coffee machine zind- from the LGBTQ+ community to showcase Hi Paake and how do you think it stands out released Khud Ko Hi Paake. I am also work- ity but days dedicated to abad!” he signed off with a their talent and make their voices heard. I am from other mainstream songs? 5-21"521-4G8E2 ing on a couple of singles and collaborations women and men are not cel- laugh. glad that I got the chance to make a tiny con- It is a song I composed keeping in mind the "&43-3"45"O with some amazing artistes and can’t wait to ebrated in the same manner. L,-8 tribution in this journey. It’s a coincidence that internal struggles of someone facing an iden- make more music. ) )/-) tantalising exhibition on Tops among contemporary ATantra, a greatly misunder- practitioners is Bharti Kher’s head- stood word that has been tossed less sitting on her haunches figure into the realms of sexual ardour by - .) 0)+. with a tea and saucer in one hand the West, but the British Museum and a skull in the other. While the creates an epic sojourn in art his- benevolent slept, 2008 stirs you out tory by bringing together sculp- of your skin. The power and the tures, prints and paintings as well # # -0 pathos both intermingle to ask you as a stunning recreation of the uncomfortable questions. This is famous Chausathi Jogini Mandir in % # # C not a pretty woman, this is a Hirapur just outside Bhubaneswar. woman of strength. Her hands ') ")-1 holding two objects, that suggest a ! slow genes, is a cultural interpre- According to the curator more to showing fearsome god- tation that weaves Hindu mythol- Immos Ramos, from its inception desses trampling over fragile men. ogy, tantric painting and found to the present day, Tantra has Intoxicating perhaps is the 9th- objects together in a sweeping challenged religious, cultural and century sandstone temple relief ode to selfhood. This sculpture political norms around the world. from Madhya Pradesh depicting with those straw-like long projec- A philosophy that emerged in the ferocious goddess Chamunda tions slice through your senses India around the sixth century, dancing on a corpse. Historians with fine-tuned resonance. Kher is Tantra has been linked to succes- have noted that in the 19th centu- telling us that there is a collective sive waves of revolutionary thought ry, Tantra became a tool for Indian need for answers following further from its early transformation of revolutionaries fighting the British questions. Kher also points to Hinduism and Buddhism to the colonial rule with goddesses such angular junctures of mismatched Indian fight for independence and as Kali, becoming the symbol of belief systems as she pairs multi- the rise of 1960s counterculture. independence. ple compositions with more mate- Centering on the power of Among over 100 objects, rially complex, confrontational divine feminine energy, Tantra including the masterpieces of sculptures. This sculpture fits into inspired the dramatic rise of god- sculptures, paintings, prints and the modern mould of women dess worship in medieval India and ritual objects, depicting the histo- artists, who create after deep rumi- continues to influence contempo- ry and evolution of tantric philos- nation. rary feminist thought and artistic ophy since AD 500 — the works of Ramos says Tantra has a con- practice. Presenting masterpieces Indian artists are important. tinuing relevance. “Gender, female of sculpture, painting, prints and power, gender fluidity, religious ritual objects from India, Tibet and ' ("&&() pluralism, mindfulness, well- around the world, this exhibition "* ! "$ $ being... These are all topics that are offers new insights into a philos- Among Indian practitioners of very much part of contemporary ophy that has captured our imag- Tantra moving into contempo- form to bring alive the energy prin- British Museum is a hybrid cre- discourse.” ination for more than a millenni- rary fields of Neo Tantra were ciple, which holds that purusha is ation with an inner rootedness. um. Ghulam Rasool Santosh. He infinite, eternal, omniscient, History states the develop- #! * worked within the Purusha Prakriti unchanging, and unchangeable. ment of Tantra in medieval India She excels and extols with her " # $$ % principle. His painting has an But Prakriti is what holds materi- coincided with the rise of many mesmeric work. Housewives with &$ equivocal tenor because it com- ality and dynamism, constantly new kingdoms across the subcon- Steak-knives 1985. This image has History and the love for col- bines yogic powers of transcenden- changing and evolving. tinent after the breakdown of two a stark but poetic resonance, con- lectibles combine when you run tal meditation with the form. The Biren De’s luminous penumbra major dynasties, the Guptas in the cerned with the relationship your eyes through the objects on philosophy is what ignites our hails the concentration of the North and the Vakatakas in the between art and politics, and ques- display — four of the earliest awareness and awakens us. chakra, it is his exploration into Southest. Along with political pre- tions of subjectivity in relation to Tantra manuscripts, made in Nepal Purusha is the soul, the self, pure higher realms that evokes many a cariousness, there was a great identity, gender and race. She around the 12th century and consciousness, and the only source moment of deeper intensities. flourishing of the arts. Rulers were draws on temporal relationships loaned by Cambridge University of consciousness. The word liter- Mahirwan Mamtani, another mas- O& /** * ! %! %! ! drawn to Tantra’s promise of power between myth and reality, as spa- Library are stunning. The curator ally means “man.” Prakriti is that ter in the field of Tantra, known for * * and public temples often incorpo- tial opposites, she questions the highlights the importance of divine which is created. It is nature in all his magnificent human faces, is not rated Tantric deities as guardians. concept of time itself, and what this feminine power and challenges her aspects. Prakriti literally means about the lower chakra, it is the ! % ! * ! constitutes in relation to histories the perception of womanhood as “creatrix,” the female creative ener- union of a higher self. Mamtani’s P ! " + $"Q $ ($ and to the everyday idiom of a passive and docile. But there is gy. Santosh uses this in his human work in the collection of the (# "$ woman in society. 6 ! "#$%$% DQ C C R -" 2 ; + ; 8&%%4:$5&F9$=F$95 E 0-4"55- 3%$B5&%2&3 ustralia all-rounder B9:% 3532 G 2,> AMoises Henriques on $A5A3=$9=433$9 Friday questioned whether 3463$