DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD,CHANDIGARH, , JAIPUR, ,LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA ● REG.NO. MCS/067/2018-20RNI REGN. NO. 1543/57

JOURNALISM OF COURAGE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2020, MUMBAI, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES SINCE 1932 `5.00, WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

TheIndian Expresswishes its readers Merry Christmas

` 83 per kilo ` 111 per kilo Growthtobreak ` 136 per kilo CHRISTMAS IN THE VALLEY into positive At St Mary’s Church in Gulmarg, Jammuand Kashmir,onChristmas EveonThursday. Shuaib Masoodi territory in Q3, Delhi Police search MINISTRYSENDS LETTER TO FARMER UNIONS says RBI study office of Pracha, lawyer Telluswhenyouwanttotalk, In firsthalf of in several riot cases 2021-22,GDP growth likely to ANANYATIWARI readyfor‘logical’solution:Govt be 14.2% What worked &APURVAVISHWANATH NEWDELHI,DECEMBER24 for growth Mahmood Three farm laws have no relation to ENSECONOMICBUREAU THE SPECIAL Cell of Delhi Police Pracha 11 Opp parties issuejoint MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 ABENDINGofthe Covid- searched theNizamuddin East MSP-based procurement:Ministry 19 curve afterthe initial office of lawyer Mahmood statement against govt: WITH THE INDIAN economy surge,and a'method' to Pracha Thursday. Crime BranchorSpecial Cell”. An pulling out of Covid pandemic’s the stimulus impartedto Pracha’sfirm Legal Axis is de- FIR wasfiledinthe matter. HARIKISHANSHARMA BUSINESSASUSUAL “deep abyss”, the real GDP is ex- the economybythe gov- fending severalpersons accused According to Pracha’s associ- NEWDELHI,DECEMBER24 who is spreading untruths? pectedtobreak out intopositive ernment seems to be in different cases related to the ate, advocateDigvijaySingh, the BY UNNY territorywith aslendergrowth making adifference. A Delhi riots in Februarythis year – lawfirm is handling nearly 150 ADAY afterfarmer unions, DMK and the Congress, to issue of 0.1per cent in October- string of liquidity meas- these cases include those in riot-related cases, including one protesting at Delhi’s borders MANOJCG ajointstatement againstthe BJP December2020 (Q3) ,and rise ures plus cash/ kind sup- whichsections of the stringent filedagainststudent activist againstthe newfarm laws,said NEWDELHI,DECEMBER24 government on the farm laws. marginallyto0.7 per cent in porttothe mostvulnera- Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Gulfisha Fatima, who is in judi- theyare open to talksifamore The joint statement came on January-March 2021(Q4), ac- ble in the initial months Act(UAPA)havebeen invoked. cial custody in aUAPAcase. concreteproposal is made, the EVEN AS West BengalChief aday the Congress high com- cording to an RBI study on the wasfollowedbycali- In August, police told aDelhi Additional PRO(Delhi Police) government responded MinisterMamataBanerjee has mand gave itsBengalunit the go- ‘State of the Economy’. brated movestosupport courtthat Pracha had forged Anil Mittal said, "During the Thursdaysaying it is ready for been coordinating with aheadfor enteringintoaseat- An updateofthe economic investment and con- documentsand instigated aman course of abail matter pertain- “logical resolution” of all issues Opposition leaders to hold ajoint sharing deal with the Leftparties activity index(EAI) in RBI’s now- sumption demand, to deposefalselyinacaserelated ing to an accusedinthe raisedbythe farmers. rallyofanti-BJP leaders in forthe forthcoming Assembly casting assessmentexercise fur- whichthe RBI study says, to the riots.Additional Sessions NortheastDelhi riots,use of a In aletterto40representa- Kolkata, the CPM on Thursday elections in Bengal. ther shows that in the firsthalf of is slowlyshowing results. JudgeVinod Yadav, in an order, forged notary stampand cre- tivesoffarmer unions, Vivek worked behind the scenes to get So far, Banerjee has reached 2021-22, the economywill clock had said “it would be appropri- ation of allegedly false/manipu- CONTINUEDONPAGE2 11 parties, includingthe NCP, CONTINUEDONPAGE2 agrowth rate of 14.2 per cent on ateifthe matter is investigated lated evidence at the hands of topofthe0.4 per cent growthrate narroweddownto7.5 per centin by an independent agency like CONTINUEDONPAGE2 in the second half of 2012-20. the September quarter. “Over the month gone by, TheNationalStatisticalOffice’s Farm protests: BJP sees aplot, other parties moreevidencehas been turned (NSO)end-Novemberreleasede- in to show that the Indianecon- liveredapleasantsurprise –the DanielPearl killing: Pak omyisbreakingout amidst win- pandemic-imposedretrench- lend their weight but are socially distanced ter’s lengthening shadows to- mentof Q1of 2020-21turnedout court orders release of wardsaplace in the sunlight,” the to be muchshallowerinQ2and The agitation is rippling out- wheat), talk to the farmer,ask study said. The economy dipped the economy is reflatingatapace VANDITAMISHRA FROM THE side the farm sector —joining, for him whyheremains pooreven by arecord23.9 per cent in the thatbeatsmostpredictions,itsaid. Omar Sheikh, 3others CHANDIGARH,AMRITSAR, instance, the theatregroup in though he workssohard. June quarterbut thecontraction CONTINUEDONPAGE2 DECEMBER24 PUNJAB Amritsar,tothe trader in the “During performances now, au- FIELDS city’s famedwholesale cloth diences sing along with the cho- PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA FORNOW,the farmers’ protests market. Aplaywritteninthe rus, ‘saadekhet, saadekhet(our WORLD KARACHI,DECEMBER24 in Punjab againstthe Centre’s early 1950s is seeing arevival to- fields, ours!)’”, says Dhaliwal. Pearlwas three farm laws arebringing to- day, says KewalDhaliwal, who And in the city’s Tahli Sahib IN Asurprisemove, aPakistani killed in gether,despitetheirdifferentand runs ManchRangmanchin Bazaar,cloth merchant AjayKu- BREAKTHROUGH: courtonThursdayordered the 2002 oftenconflictinginterests,sections Amritsar whichhas been per- mar Arorasays:“Ibelong to afa- UK, EU AGREE ON release of British-born al-Qaeda of big and small farmers, landless forming at the protestsites. milyofbusinessmen but about BREXIT TRADE DEAL leader AhmedOmar Saeed agricultural labourersand com- In Joginder Baharla’s “Harian 70 per cent of my customers are Sheikh and his three aides, who by JusticeKKAgha, directed se- mission agents. It’s amoment of Saunnian”, Punjab’s twomain from the villages. If theyget TRUMP GIVES were convicted and sentencedin curity agencies nottokeep unity, too,forPunjab’snotoriously ANEXPRESSSERIESPARTTHREE crops, “Harian"and “Saunnian" good moneyfor the crop, they CLEMENCY TO MORE the abduction and murder case Sheikh and other accusedunder fragmented farm unions. (personificationofrice and CONTINUEDONPAGE2 ALLIES, INCLUDING of US journalistDaniel Pearl. "anysortofdetention"and de- MANAFORT PAGE 12 Atwo-judgebenchofthe clared all notifications of the SindhHigh Court, presidedover CONTINUEDONPAGE2

THE EDITORIAL PAGE Walking homewithfriend, Muslim Amshipora killings of labourers: MERRY CHRISTMAS THEFALLACYOFTHE youth booked under lovejihad law Major found culpable, to face action ARED initiativeappears CENTRALMODEL in today’s edition of Iwent of my ownfreewill, says girl; her "I have told this to the magis- this year, has dencethat“powers vestedunder TheIndian Express.This BY MILIND SOHONI trate, and Iwill saythis again. NIRUPAMA learnt. the AFSPA1990 were exceeded” page is an initiativeofthe PAGE 10 father alleges police dictatedcomplaint Those men had aproblem with SUBRAMANIAN The three, one of them a16- and the “dos and don’tsofChief marketingsolutions team me walking withmyfriend. They MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 year-old, had gone to the Valley of ArmyStaff (COAS)asapproved of TheIndian Express , wasbookedunder made videos of me and arenow from their hometown Rajouri, by the Hon’ble Supreme Court Group and contain THE IDEAS PAGE ANANDMOHANJ the month-old anti-conversion calling it love jihad.Idid nothing AN ARMY officer of the rank of looking forwork. Theywere have been contravened”. content paid forby BIJNOR,DECEMBER24 lawand slappedwith charges wrong. Iwentofmyown free Major has been found culpable killedinAmshipora, avillagein The SummaryofEvidence advertisers. This page THENEWLEAGUE under sections of the SC/STAct, will," she told The Indian Express. in the killing of three Rajouri Shopian district, in the early that followedwas completed should be read as an OFNATIONS DAYS AFTER herfriend, with and the Protection of Children Around 10.30 pm on labourers, who security forces hours of July18. lastweek,and it found thatthe advertisement. BY SHYAM SARAN whomshe waswalking home af- from Sexual Offences (POCSO) December 14,the girl,aDalit, initiallyclaimedwereterrorists, In September,aCourtof Major should be triedunder PAGE 11 terabirthdayparty in Bijnor in Act, the 16-year-old stands firm. CONTINUEDONPAGE2 in Shopian district of J&K in July Inquiryfound prima facie evi- CONTINUEDONPAGE2

PAGE 1 ANCHOR OutrageasIIM-Atorazeiconic dorms designed by Louis Kahn

over the years, including in the forthe libraryrestoration work. the livesofthe residents". Kahn, who firstcame to RITUSHARMA 2001 earthquake. The newbuild- Somaya,one of thefounders When contacted with ques- in 1962 at the invitation of IIM-A &SHINYVARGHESE ings arealso expected to accom- of SNK, confirmedtoThe Indian tions on the decision, D’Souza founder-director Vikram AHMEDABAD,NEWDELHI, modatemorestudents--inplace Express: “I wasnot awareofthe told The Indian Express,“Ihave Sarabhai,asconsultant forthe DECEMBER24 of theexisting dorms,whichcan newbid” written to the alumni yesterday. National Institute of Design,gave accommodate500students,the Amid the uproar over IIM-A's The queries youhaveraisedare his buildingsapoise fewcould ACONTROVERSYhas erupted plan is to build800 student decision, an online meeting answered in thatletter.” achieve at the time. over adecision by the Indian rooms in anew hostel complex. scheduledonThurdaytoopen Architectureexperts,stu- His work -- be it the Salk InstituteofManagement, The decision wastaken even the newbids wasput off. dentsand faculty are, however, InstituteinCalifornia, the Ahmedabad, to bringdown18 as the Mumbai-basedSomaya Justifying the decision to enragedthatKahn'siconic work Kimbell Museum in Texas, or the student dormitories built by leg- and Kalappa Consultants(SNK) bring down the dorms, IIM-A on the campus should be Phillips Exeter AcademyLibrary endaryAmerican architect Louis wasalready working on restor- Director Prof ErrolD'Souza wrote brought down. and Dining Hall in New Kahnonthe old campus -- also ing the existing dorms, along a11-pageletteronWednesday Reveredasone of the world’s Hampshire--allowedpeople to called"heritagecampus" -- and with the Vikram Sarabhai to theinstitute'salumni, citing finestarchitectsofthe 20th explorequietcorners in the in- replace them with newbuildings. Library, thefaculty and adminis- multipleproblems in the exist- Adormitory building designedbylegendary Century, Kahn is known to create between spaces. The plantoreplace the build- trative blocksandthe classroom ing structurethat made it "un- architect LouisKahn at IIM-Ahmedabad; Kahn is powerfulandevocative composi- William Whitaker,curator ings, built in the 1960s, with new buildings, basedonacompeti- liveable", among them "concrete known to createpowerful and evocative tionsofgeometryand space. The and collections manager of the ones areonthe ground that they tion it had wonin2014. Last year, and slabs falling from the roofs compositions of geometryand space. Nirmal Harindran IIM-Acampus is achoreography Architectural Archives of the have sufferedstructural damage the firm wonaUNESCO award with damaging consequences for of form,lightandshadowinbrick. CONTINUEDONPAGE2 WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 2 THE SECOND PAGE THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020

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Daniel Pearl of the campus.” suchevidence aredetected dur- tions, the pradhansaid, "I was ing the search/investigation, and, with the girl's father when this Sindh government related to BJP sees aplot C2+50% formula as per the fertilisers, pesticides, hired But as stated earlier,the gov- if found, to produce the same case came to my notice.Ihelped their detention "null and void". buy more…” Govt National Farmers’Commission labour,leased-in land, fuel, irri- ernment is ready to discuss all forthwithbeforethis court.” them file the FIR. Youmustre- The court observed that the But one setofactors is con- recommendation. When the gation,etc. issues raisedbyyou,” Aggarwal Policemen barredentryto member,harahua pradhan hai fourmen'sdetentionwas"illegal". spicuouslyleftout,andleftbehind Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Government sends the draftof A2+FL includes A2 plus an said. Pracha’s Nizamuddin Eastoffice (He is apradhanwho lost)". In April, atwo-judgeSindh —Punjab’s political parties. Ministry of Agricultureand suchalegislation (for legally imputed value of unpaid fam- On the unions stand on the whilethesearcheswere on.Inthe Afew kilometers from the High Courtbench commuted Seento have awakenedlateto Farmers’ Welfare, urgedthem guaranteedrealisation of re- ilylabour. Electricity Amendment Act evening, from the secondfloor girl's house is aone-room brick the deathsentence of 46-year- theagitation,accusedofspeaking to decide the time and date for munerative MSP forall agricul- C2 is amorecomprehen- and the issue of stubble burn- balcony,Prachasaid, “My phone housewheretheyouthlivedwith old Sheikh to sevenyearsim- in manyvoices, theyare being the next round of talks, andalso tural commodities and forall sive costthatfactors in rentals ing, he said the government is has been seized. Iambeing his family--his four siblings, and prisonment. Thecourtalso ac- turnedawayfromtheprotestsites “give details of otherissues on farmers), we will give ade- and interest forgone on owned ready fortalksonadditional is- threatened.Ihavetoldthemthey his mother. quitted his three aides who were and villages, forced into the role whichyou want to negotiate”. tailedreplywithout anydelay.” land and fixedcapital assets,on sues –other than issues identi- cantake thingsfrommy comput- "I justwant to see my son serving lifeterms in the case al- of cheerleaders,lefttomountpar- “TheGovernment of India Seeking alegal guarantee topofA2+FL. fied at theDecember3meet- ers, from my office and even my again.Policehave filedafalsecase mosttwo decades afterthey allelprotests,likethe Congress’s again wantstoreiterateits on MSP,the unions arenow Referring to the MSP-re- ing between thegovernment home. At the end of the day, the againsthim,"said the youth's were found guilty and jailed. Punjab MPs at JantarMantar.Or commitment that it is ready for linkingMSP to the “C2+50% lated demand of the unions, and the unions. Constitution will win. It is notso mother,folding her mat afterher However, the Sindh govern- engage, likeArvind Kejriwal and logical resolutionofall issues formula”. In amemorandum Aggarwal wrote, “Thethree He said the government is weak… We will ensurethateach evening namaaz. mentrefusedtoreleasethemand AmarinderSingh,inTwitterspats. raisedbythe agitating farmer to the AgricultureSecretaryon laws related to agriculturalre- ready to discussthe issues, andeveryriotvictimgetsjustice.” Whilehereldestsonworksas kept them in detentionunder the Going ahead,this marginali- unions,” he said. October 14,union representa- forms have no relation to the withgood intentionsand an LawyersworkingwithPracha afarmlabourer,anotherworksas Maintenance of Public sationofthe political playerhas Writing to theMinistrya tiveshad listedfivedemands, minimum supportprice-based open heart, to end the agita- filedanapplication withCMM atailor in .Her Order.Their continuous deten- implications forthe futureofthe dayearlier,farmer unions had of whichthree were related to procurement nor do these have tion. Aday earlier,reading from PankajSharmaagainst theseizure youngest, nowinjail, usedto tion waschallenged in theSindh stateand the political party.All said that apartfromthe three MSP,whichincludedimple- anyeffectonthe system of the letter sent by farmer lead- of material. It is expected to be work in Jalandhar before shifting HighCourt, whichordered their parties will have to address the central Acts,“your ‘proposal’ mentation of the MSP-basedprocurement sys- ers, Swaraj India president heardFriday. to Dehradun,whereheearnedRs release. However, it askedto disillusion, to win backthe peo- on Minimum Support Prices Swaminathan Commission re- temalready there before the YogendraYadavtold the press Theapplicationseeksaclarifi- 5,000 amonth as awelder's ap- place their names on the no-fly ple’s trust. had nothing clear or concrete port“to fixMSP with C2+ 50% enactment of these three laws.” at Singhu border:“We urge the cation from the IO of the search prentice.Herhusbanddiedayear listsothat theycould notleave In the immediate term,asthe whichdeserved aresponse formulae"; and makeMSP and “This wasmentionedin government nottorepeat warrant,statingthat the team is agoofheartailments.The family the country. It also directed protests continue, it could mean from our side. On Minimum stateprocurement of all crops everyround of talks. It wasalso those meaningless amend- “being compelledtoprovide al- claims the youth, who dropped them to appear before the court that the political party will have SupportPrices, youhad pro- alegal right of farmers. clarifiedthat the government mentswhichwehavealready leged documentsand is also be- out afterClass 3, is aminor but wheneversummoned. littleornosayinacrucialcalcula- poseda‘written assurance’ The Commission for is ready to give awritten assur- rejected,but to come up with ing told thatinfailure to do so all have no documentstoprove it. Athree-judgeapexcourt tion that will decide the timing with regard to continuing the Agricultural Costs andPrices ance regarding the continua- aconcreteproposal in writing, the computers,documentsetc at The mother says that when benchheadedbyJusticeMushir and content of the resolution: current procurement system. projects threekindsofproduc- tion of the present system of so that can be made an agenda the saidpremises will be seized”. shefellillwithtyphoid,shecalled Alamishearingtheappealby the When do the costs of themobili- However, farmers’ organisa- tion cost--A2, A2+FL, and C2 - MSP-basedprocurement,” he and the process of negotiation Senior advocateIndira Jaising, her youngestson in Dehradun Sindhgovernment and the fam- sation begin to outweighthe in- tions aredemanding alegal -for everycrop, both at state said in the letter. can be startedassoon as possi- in aTwitter post,described the and asked him to visit her.He ilyofthe slainjournalistagainst vestmentsbeing made in it? guarantee that all agricultural and all-India averagelevels. “It doesnot seem logical to ble. We arewaiting forthe gov- searches as “a direct attackonthe reachedonDecember 9. the acquittal of Sheikh. As the rulingparty at the commodities will be pur- A2 covers all paid-out costs put anynew demand on this ernment to proceedwith an fundamentalrightoftherighttole- "OnDecember14,mysonleft The US has been mounting Centre,theBJP,ofcourse,isonthe chasedonlyatMSP or above, directlyincurredbythe farmer subject, whichisremoved open mindand cleaninten- galrepresentation” and said “all in the evening, sayinghewas at- pressureonPakistan,demanding other side of the fence. With the that tooatanMSP fixedwith —incashand kind —onseeds, from the newagricultural laws. tions.” lawyersmustcondemnthisattack”. tending abirthdayparty and justicefor Pearl. Shiromani Akali Dal exiting the Senior advocateChander won't be home fordinner. Now NDAoverthefarmlaws,theBJPis UdaySingh said: “This raid will theyare accusinghimof convert- IIM-A dorms onitsownagain in astate that re- Biswas and RSP’s Manoj but arenow opposing. Yes, we determination”beingshownby have achillingeffect on legal rep- ing agirltoIslam. This is com- University of Pennsylvania's sistedthe Modi sweep in 2014 Opp parties Bhattacharya –slammed arefor reforms, but what sort “lakhs of farmers from Delhi’s resentationif lawyers’recordsare pletely false," his mother said. Weitzman School of Design that and again in 2019. Prime MinisterNarendraModi of reforms?Oppositionparties neighbouringstatesinthemidst randomlysearched and seized.” manages Kahn's archives, said, But itscurrent isolationinthe out to NCPchiefSharad Pawar foraccusing the opposition seek reforms to strengthen of aseverecoldwaveinapeace- “Lookingintoany lawyer’sof- Amshipora case “TheIIM-Arevived aprestigious state is made of morethan just and is planningtoinvitere- parties of lying to farmers Indian agriculture; enhance ful manner", the statement ficialcorrespondence even if it is various sections. awardfromUNESCO forthe con- that. In itslongstanding alliance gional leaders suchasAAP’s about the newfarm laws. the prosperityofour farmers; calledfor arepeal of the new throughacourtorderisabsolutely The recommendations of the servation of the Vikram Sarabhai withtheSAD,therewasamoreor ArvindKejriwal and DMK’s M These arethe same 11 par- and ensurecontinuedfood se- laws,along with the Electricity condemnable... it is time that all SummaryofEvidencehavebeen Library. Theaward alsocalledout lesstidydivisionof politicallabour KStalin to the Kolkatarally. Her ties thathad earlier issued a curityfor our people and the (Amendment)Bill2020. theprofessionalassociationstake forwardedtoLtGen YKJoshi, theschool’scommitmentto itsar- —the BJPfocusedonthe urban attempt to rallyOpposition statement supportingthe country. The present farm laws "Following this, discussions on this matterupvigorously... attor- GOC-in-C, Northern Command, chitecturalheritageasamodelfor Hindu areas, whileAkalis drew leaders ahead of the elections - Bharat Bandh calledbyfarmer underminethese very objec- agrarian reforms mustbeheld ney-clientprivilegeisfundamen- sources told The Indian Express. India. It is abitter ironytosee the their strengthprimarily from the -tosignalthatshe is leading unions on December 8. As in tives,” the statement said. by theCentralgovernmentwith taltothe idea of afreetrial,” said The next step in the process is a administration turn their backs Sikh peasantry. the battle againstthe BJP -- is the past, the AAP wasnot asig- Slamming the government the farmers and all stakehold- senior advocateSanjayHegde. courtmartial. on their ownaccomplishments. ThesplitwiththeSADmeans, worrying forthe Congress-Left, natorytoThursday's statement. foraccusing the opposition of ers.Onthebasisof theseconsul- Lawyer Prashant Bhushan ADefence spokesperson said The school and the dorms area therefore, that the urban-centric whichistrying hardtoturn the “The Prime Minister’s accu- spreading lies on the MSP,the tations,newenactmentsmay be said: “The targeting of lawyers Thursday: “Theprocessof record- unit. Remove one and the magic BJP looks unabletobridgethe battle intoatriangular fight. sations areacomplete travesty statementread,“ThePMclaims considered by Parliament, if who aredefending those who ingthe‘summaryofevidence’has dissipates, nevertoreturn.” communicationgulf with the The joint statement issued of truth...Manyofushad op- implementing the necessary, by convening aspe- have beenframedisthenextstep been completed. Thesameisbe- RabindraVasavada,oneof the protesting farmers camping at on Thursday–signedby posed these AgriLawswhen Swaminathan Commission cialorajointsession,” theysaid. inthisconspiracyto frameprotes- ing examinedbythe concerned firstarchitectstojoinKahnasas- Delhi’s borders or in the villages. Congress’s Rahul Gandhi, theywerebeing enacted in Reportinthisregard.ThisReport Separately,senior Congress tors,activists andtheir lawyersin authoritiesinconsultationwithle- sistant in the 1960s, calls the idea Asitsearchesforconspiracies Pawar, DMK’s TRBaalu, J&K Parliament withoutdiscussions had recommendedanMSP of leader Rahul Gandhi ledaparty the guise of an investigation.” galadvisorsforproceedingfurther. of demolishing the dormitories andOthers,theBJPalsolookslike PAGD president Farooq or properconsideration.MPs C2+50 per cent, whilethis gov- delegation to President Ram Indian Armyiscommitted to an erasureofhistory itself. aparty in sullen denial. Abdullah, SP chief Akhilesh who sought avote were sus- ernment, at best,implements Nath Kovind, seeking his inter- Love jihad law ethical conduct of operations. “Kahnwasalwaysinsearch of InChandigarh,formerMPand Yadav, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, pended,” the statement said. A2+50percent.Infact,thisgov- ventionfor repeal of the three and her former classmate, a Further details will besharedin a the rootsofinstitutions... In this memberof theBJPnationalexec- CPM general secretarySitaram “Amongstthe manyun- ernment told the Supreme farm laws.Amemorandum Muslim,werewalkingbackhome mannersoasnottoprejudicethe case,itwasaninstitutionof learn- utive,SatyaPal Jain,talksof“a Yechury, CPI general secretary substantiated accusations Courtits inability to implement submitted by the party said an afterafriend's birthdayparty, proceedingsunderArmylaw.” ing.Hesaweverystudentasadis- lobby, anti-BJP and anti-Modi”. DRaja, CPI(ML) general secre- made, one of them is that those C2+50 per centMSP.Who is "autocratic Modi government" whentheywereallegedly chased The Amshiporaincidenttook ciple.Thatvaluewasenshrinedin “Theydidprachar(publicity),like tary Dipankar Bhattacharya, who spokeofagrarian reforms spreading untruths?...” wasrefusing to hearthe "agony by agroup of men, beaten with place in the early hoursofJuly18. everydormitory, where10of theydid againstthe CAA—aapki ForwardBloc’s Debabrata in election manifestosearlier Hailing the “unity,grit and and anguish" of the farmers. sticks and questioned. When it AMajor and twosoldiers of 62 them livedtogether.Out of their zameen chali jaayegi, the corpo- became apparent that theybe- RashtriyaRiflesformedtheinitial classrooms,thedormitorieswere rateswill take away your land… longedto differentreligions,they encounter party,and were later aspace wherepeople could get this propaganda, startedbythe only15seatsout of 117, is falling ment’s“promotionof corporates” RBI study Grossfiscaldeficitto GDPratio were allegedly whisked away to reinforcedbyteams of the J&K together to shareideas, without AAP and ahardlinersection of backonitstraditionalanti-Centre ishavinganunintendedeffect,he Twofactors areblessing this islikelytomoderatefrom14.5per alocalpolice station. Police and CRPF. anysense of exclusivity,” says Sikhs,wentdownbelow. Captain politicaltackand rhetoric —only says:“Youhavenow painted turning of the page: one, abend- centofGDP in the firsthalfof The FIR, registered allegedly OnJuly19,theCommanderof Vasavada. In his letter to the Amarinder Singh cashedinonit thistimeitisnotdeployedagainst them as big villains”. ing of the Covidinfection curve, 2020-21to10.4 per cent of GDP onacomplaintby thegirl'sfather, 12 Sector RR heldapress confer- alumnigroup,D'Souzahad,how- to cornerboththeSADandtheBJP oldenemyCongressbutnewly di- If Congress handwringing and second,a‘method’ to the in the second half of 2020-21, the stated thatthe accused"induced encetoannouncethat three ter- ever,wondered if it was"appro- inonestroke.ThencametheSAD vorced partner BJP. highlightsthepredicamentofthe stimulus whichstarted with liq- RBIsaid.Takingintoaccountthese the girltoelope with him" with rorists had been killedinthe en- priate...tocolonisefuturepercep- somersault”.TheBJP,hesays,feels “Whatwastheneedtodothis political mainstreaminPunjab, uidity/ guarantee andcash/kind developmentsandassumingma- the "intentiontomarry and con- counter,whichhad takenplace tions of livingspaces". “letdown” by theSAD. (bring the laws),” Cheema asks the sidelining of the AamAadmi supportto theeconomy,whichis jor expenditurepush –partlyin vert her". followingacordon-and-search “Wehavegrappledwithques- To this castofcharacters, and answers his ownquestion: Partyunderlinesthetamingof the nowtransiting in acalibrated Q3 and mostlyinQ4, basedon The girl's father has, however, operation in Amshiporaon“spe- tions as to whyweshould pre- whichalsoincludes“Leftist”kisan “One afteranother,thereisen- alternative. fashion to supportinvestment GDP growth as projected in the deniedhis complaint, alleging cificinput”to the62RRunitabout sume that the pastisnot change- unionleaders,Jainaddsthecom- croachment by the Centre on Onlythree yearsago,in2017, and consumption demand. ReserveBank’s December 2020 thatpolicedictatedthestatement. the presence of terrorists in the ableand whyweshould assume mission agent or arhtiya, “who statepowers.The federal system the AAP had succeededinturn- The RBI paper said the fourth monetary policy review, theQ3 "I trustmydaughter completely. village. thatfuturegenerationswillvalue feels mostadverselyaffected by is being undermined, the reason ingthetwo-corneredPunjabcon- bi-monthly resolution of the andQ4combinedfiscaldeficitare What wrong did she do? Why The Armygaveadetailedac- things in exactlythe same way the newlaws”. is arrogance”. test into atriangular one on an monetary policy committee projected at 8.3 and 12.4 per cent mustshebemadepartofpolitics? count saying the security forces that pastgenerations have,” But the BJP,says Jain, sees in The second term of the NDA anti-establishment platform, (MPC)didmaintainstatusquoon of GDP,respectively, with corre- Is it unlawful foraboy and agirl had been firedupon, that there D'Souzawent on to say, adding, thiscrisisanew opportunity.“This has been “verydifferent”, but this emerging as the second largest the policy rate and stance, but a sponding 50 per cent confidence to walk together now?" wasexchange of fire,and during "In today’s world, our experience will be ultimatelysortedout by “violation of the constitutional partyinits debut assembly elec- powerfulmessagewasconveyed: interval estimated at 7.8-8.8 per The youth, who wassubse- the recovery of bodies, theyhad is that studentshardlyuse these the Centre, andthe credit will go spirit”wasvisibleearliertoo,hesays tion in the state. Nowitstands growth projections were revised centand11.6-12.9percent,itsaid. quentlybookedunderthemonth foundarms,ammunitionandIED sharedspacesastheyhavegravi- to the party.” It will give it an op- —and cites centrallysponsored alongsidethemainstreamparties upwardsby 200basispointsfrom old anti-conversion lawand material at the hideout. tatedtovirtualmodes." portunitytoexpanditsbaseonits schemes, centralisation of powers —onthe outside of the farmers’ October.Iftheyhold, the Indian Pracha office chargesofabduction and under This versionbegan unravel- Ahmedabad based architect owninPunjab,asitdidinHaryana inGST, implementationoflawslike protests,looking in. economywillclockagrowthrate certain members of the Bar was sections of the SC/STAct, and lingwhenafamilyinRajourifiled Riyaz Tayabji said, "These are andHimachal,and“anewexper- UAPA.Theseare“Emergencywaale Says Leaderof theOpposition of 14.2 per centinthe firsthalf of noticed.TheSpecialCourthadob- POCSO Act, is nowinajailin amissing person's complaint in buildingsof greatarchitecturalso- iment will start,” says Jain. halaat (Emergency-likecircum- in the Punjab AssemblyAAP’s 2021-22 on topof0.4 per cent in servedthatthisrequiredthorough Bijnor. Augustabout three of itsfamily phistication.Theirsheerfrugality SeniorAkalileaderandformer stances)”, it’s the same“Indira HarpalSingh Cheema: “This the second half of 2020-21, the investigation. Pursuant to this,a While policeclaimthe man is members –Imtiyaz Ahmed, inatimeof sparsemeansshowed Punjab education ministerDaljit Gandhi policy”. startedwiththefarmunions,then studysaid. criminal case under appropriate 18 years old, his familymembers Abrar Ahmedand Mohd Ibrar – us that great architectureisnot a Singh Cheema contests theBJP Likethe others, the Congress, we spokeup.” On the whole, the above-the- sectionsof lawwasregisteredand maintain he is 17. who had travelledtoKashmir to luxurybutcouldbeachievedwith claimthatthe SADhad belated too, seems to have been caught WhenCheemasays,“we sup- line fiscal stimulus will likely investigationwas takenup.” Arun Kumar,Station House look foremploymentinJuly, and the barestofresources." secondthoughts.Hispartybegan off-guard.Yet itsbind is aspecial portedthe kisan jathebandiyan boost growth by closeto2per “Duringthe courseofinvesti- Officer,Dhampur,wherethe FIR were in touchwith them over Afaculty member at IIM-A objectingeversincetheintroduc- one:Itisinpowerinthestate,and (farmer mobilisations), jab un- centofGDP in 2020-21. In other gation,search warrantsto lookfor wasfiled,said, "The accused is in mobile phones until July16. The said, “Among the major issues is tion of the ordinances, he says — yetnot powerfulontheissueroil- hone kiyatoh hamne kiya”—itis words, it is prudent to look be- electronic and other evidence judicial custody.Ifheisminor, familyhadbeenunableto contact that the cultural heritageassoci- metfarmunions, conveyed the ing it currently—it holds fewor both afactual description of the yond the volatility inherent in from thepremisesoftwo mem- theywill have to produce docu- them thereafter. atedwiththecampuswillbelost. feedbacktothe Modigovern- no cards in the face-offbetween sequenceofeventsand an inad- highfrequencyindicators,theRBI bers of the Bar were obtained mentstoshowthat.Wehavein- Accordingtothe family, they We can understand that theyare ment, asked foraselect commit- the Centreand the farmers of vertent admission of the AAP’s said. “Companies aredoing so al- from the Courtand the sameare vokedappropriatesectionsinthis hadseenphotographsofthebod- doing this because of increasing tee. Punjab. failuretoseizethemoment,orthe ready –ananalysis of 12-months being executed in aprofessional caseafterquestioningthegirland ies from the encounter,and had studentcount but doingaway Now, acorneredSAD,which “Procurement in this stateis movement. aheadforward earningsreveals manner at one location in on the basis of her father's com- identifiedthem as their three with these will also mean losing posteditspoorest evertallyinthe done likeclockwork. If youwent Cheemareacts to theBJP’s in- improvementintheoutlookfora Nizamuddin and another at plaint." missingmembers. the social andculturalaesthetics 2017 assembly elections,winning up in achopper, youwould see sinuation of an “AAP-Khalistani large numberofcompanies,” it Yamuna Vihar," he said. Blamingthelocalpradhanfor This ledtoanuproar in the Punjab fields all yellow, andafter lobby”:“Inthelast assembly elec- said. Thesearch warrant,issuedon allegedly politicisingtheincident, ValleyaswellinRajouri,andinthe 10-12days,therewould be no tion, too, the Congress calledus Goingforward,inthe second December22underSection93of the girl's father said,"Thisisall Gujjar community.The Armyset grain standing. It is awell-oiled Khalistani and the BJP calledus half of 2020-21,whilethe fisc is the CrPC,states, “This is to autho- politics. Theymade videosofmy up aCourtofInquiry, while the CLARIFICATIONS &CORRECTIONS machinery”, says Sunil Jakhar, Urban Naxals. Theagencies are likelytobenefit from better re- riseandrequireinvestigatingoffi- daughterandfalselyclaimedthat policecarriedouttheirowninves- president of the Punjab Pradesh with them, whydon't theyjail ceipts in line with normalisation cer of this case to search forthe thiswasacaseof love jihad.Ihave tigation. The men had been 24.12.20, PAGE 1 CongressCommittee. us?” of economic activity,the push said incriminating documents been pradhan before and was buriedatagraveyard in Thereare corruptions and in- Butinthismoment,theAAP’s giventhrough variousexpendi- and metadataofoutboxofemail planning to contest again. But Baramulla, whereunidentified THE REPORT ‘Sexratio at birthinMumbai suburbs dips sharply’ in- efficienciesintheFCI,hesays,and real challengemay lie in whathe turemeasures by the ID…wherevertheymay befound nowtheyhaveshamed my militantssuspected to have infil- correctlystatedthe National FamilyHealth Survey-5figure as 732 asleaderoftheOpposition,hehad says next:Atthe sites of the Government, essentiallyon- whetherincomputerorintheof- daughter and polarisedthe vil- tratedfromPakistan,areinterred. girls per 1,000 boys for2019-20. The correct figureis703 girls per takenhis concernstothe CAG. protests,“we have to sit in the budget onesthrough fice/premises…includingoutbox lage," her father told TheIndian Their bodies were exhumedin 1,000 boys.The errorisregretted. “But youneedtocorrect, notdis- back,we can’tevensitinthefront, AtmaNirbhar2.0 and 3.0 is likely of emailID… as well as other of- Express. OctoberforDNA tests,whichcon- mantle”,hesays.The govern- theydon’tlet us speak”. to materialise,the RBIstudy said. fices/premiseswhere presenceof Denying the father's accusa- firmed thefamily's claims. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 3 THE CITY AChristmasunlikeany,asMumbaimissesmidnightmass

She will also have to give an structions forprayer services in Christian community because it listof50allowedtophysicallyat- MAYURAJANWALKAR elaborateChristmas lunchwith the churches will be thesame on took us by surprise. Notfor any tend the mass in theirchurch, MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 her extendedfamilyamiss this NewYear’s Eveaswell. other reason but if theyhad the wait forentrywas one hour. year as celebrations take placein “Fathers, we areindifficult or givenusenough time we could Aparishioner of the St Ignatius EVERYYEAR on the eveof the shadowofthe Covid-19 pan- challenging times but trustinthe have worked around it. We were of Loyola Church in Vasai (West) Christmas, Astrid Lobo, ascien- demic and the restrictions issued lord. These measures seem to be informedonDecember 23. We who did notwish to be named, tist, would have an earlydinner, by the stategovernment citing necessaryfor the protection of did notevenhavethe time to put said, “Wereachedone hour early pickout her best dress, and make health and safetyconcerns. our people. My prayer is that the things in place.” and people had already started sureshe reaches the HolyName On Wednesday, Oswald Christchild bring his peace, his Father Barrett said that the to queue up. Theyallowedthe Cathedral in Colaba on time. This Cardinal Gracias, in his message love,his joyand good health to Cardinal’s service wasstreamed first45-46 people to attend the year,however, she wasinher to the priests of the Archdiocese all the world,” Cardinal Gracias online on YouTubeand cable TV 7:30 pm mass and then locked Mahalaxmi home with her hus- of Bombaysaid that the state said in his message. across the city on Thursday the gates. Therewerenodecora- band, twochildren and house Home departmenthad issued Spokesperson forthe eveningat8pm. On December tions outside the church but only help attendingaprayer service guidelines forChristmas“which Archdiocese of BombayFather 18,the Archdiocese of Bombay asmall crib made inside. Ihave online. Lobo, who has been part could disturb the plansofvery Nigel Barrett said, “Weunder- had directed 132churches under nevermissedmidnightmass of the church choir,said thereis many”. He told them that as di- stand the needfor restrictions it to hold their Christmasserv- since childhood. This wasavery muchtomiss this Christmas. rected by the government,the but waterparks have been ices earlier in the evening on different experience but better “I would have been in the number of people attending the opened. Does social distancing December 24. than viewing online.” choir singing formidnight mass Christmas massinthe Church notapplytowater parks?The re- “Midnight masswas about “Wehavenomidnight mass. if we did nothaverestrictions. I will have to be limited to 50 and strictions of 50 people don’t ap- neighbours knocking at your We have twoservices in the have been doing that forten the government has encouraged plytowater parks?Thereisno door at 11 pm andall of us going morning on Christmas to scatter years,”said Lobo. While special manytoattend the services on- social distancing in buses, in to church together.Ifit’s notat the crowd. Our service will be masses forChristmas were line. He also said that services marketplaces. Arethe rulesonly midnight, it loses itscharm. I live on Facebook so people can plannedbychurches in Mumbai could be staggered or held si- forplaces of worship? We’ve might as well attend the morn- stay home and watch. We don’t hours before midnightand most multaneouslyatdifferent ven- been following all the SOPs laid ing mass on Christmas instead of want people to getout at night attendedthe masses online, the ues of the Church.“Iregret this down by the government but the attending one at 8pm,” said and break curfew rules,” said “community dimension” was will cause inconvenience to Evening mass at St John Church at BallardPier on the eveofChristmas. Ganesh Shirsekar community is upsetaboutthis. Parel-resident Rose Fernandes. Reverend Biju Thampy of the missing, Lobo said. you,” he said adding thatthe in- Thereisdisappointment in the Forothers who made it to the Gateway Church in Goregaon. 41-yr-old head BARC’sformer CEO arrested in TRP scam constable found on the phones of some of Pune. He will beproducedbefore shoots himself EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE This comes days after the arrested accused. the court forcustody on Friday. MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 Ramil Ramgarhia, the An officer said, “Wefound API Sachin Vaze, who is in- WhatsApp groups that had sen- vestigating the matter,refused THE MUMBAI police crime former COOofBARC, ior employees of the Republicin to reveal the specific role of EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE branchonThursdayarrested wasarrested it wheremethods to improve Dasgupta on Thursday.Intheir MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 Partho Dasgupta, the formerCEO TRPs by various underhand chargesheetthe police have of BroadcastAudienceResearch methods were discussed. These namedsix channels including A41-YEAR-OLDhead constable Council (BARC), from Pune, tak- roles in helping channels like arrestsare linked to those chats.” twonews channels as paying to from Tulinj police station in ing the totalarrests in the TRP Republic TV in increasing their Dasgupta wasarrestedfrom give their TRP’s aboost. Nalasoparaallegedly diedbysui- case to 15.This comes days after TRPs. Whilethe police earlier ar- cide on Thursday. the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) rested 12 persons involvedin Police said the constable, of the crime brancharrested helping sixchannels and fileda identifiedasSakharam Bhoye, Ramil Ramgarhia, the former chargesheetagainstthem,the shot himselfwith apistolinside COOofBARC. focus has nowmoved to the the cabinofapoliceinspector. The police areprobing their WhatsApp chatsthat the police “On hearingthe gunshot, everyone rantowards the cabin. His bodywas found on the floor,” said an officer. The constable wasrushedto SAFETYFIRST: Securitychecks have been steppedupwithseveral nakabandis across anearbyhospital, where he was Mumbai due to Christmas and NewYear. Amit Chakravarty declared dead on arrival. The po- lice said theyare trying to ascer- tain the reason forhim taking the extreme step. Asenior police officer said, Covid fear: Traffic cops won’t use “Wehavenot recordedany statement so far. Once we start recording statements, we may breathalysers on New Year’s eve knowthe reason.” Bhoye is survivedbyhis wife Police Somnath Gharge said, and a12-year-old son. He hailed EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE “Therewill be specialpolice from Nashik but wasstaying in MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 blockades on NewYear’seve.We Virar, said an officer. 19.09 lakh will notbeusing breath analy- “He has usedaweapon that MUMBAI TRAFFIC police’san- TOTALPOSITIVECASES sersassuchtocheckwhether we keep as reserveatthe police nual NewYear’s evedrive to INMAHARASHTRA the driverisdrunk,but the sta- station foremergency situa- catchmotorists drivinginanine- Active Cases 54,891 tionedpolicemen will stop the tions,” said an officer. briated statewill notsee vehicles and checkthem. If they New Cases 3,580 breathalysers being usedthis suspect that the driverisdriving year due to the pandemic. TotalDeaths49,058 under the influence of alcohol, CPI (ML)secy Officials said thatinstead of the New Deaths89 he will take them to thehospital usual separatedrive to catch and his blood samples shall be Quarantined4.85L sustains injuries thoseindulging in drunken rev- takenfor amedical check-up.” elryand riding vehicles on the Tested 1.23 crore Necessaryaction will betaken after auto driver intervening nightofDecember accordingly,said an official. 31 and January 1, checkpoints 2,89,204 Lastyear,the police had and bandobast fornight curfew booked 778motorists charging attempts to TOTALPOSITIVE will be carriedout. them fordriving in an inebriated CASESINMUMBAI ‘runhim over’ Trafficauthorities said that state, majority of them on two- due to thepandemic the special New Cases 643 wheelers. As manyas40,000po- driveswerestopped—especially TotalDeaths11,045 lice personnel were deployedto EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE the use of breathalysers owing monitor celebrations with New Deaths12 MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 to fear of contamination -- for nearly 2,705 trafficpolice per- the lastfew months and adeci- sonnel manning nakabandis on THE MUMBAI secretaryofthe sion wastaken to notconduct major roads. CPI (ML) sustained severe in- those even during New Year’s “But forthe New Year’s eve, we Forthe firsttime lastyear,the juries in acase of road rage after evewhen the maximumnum- assume that as curfew is in police had also usedover100 an auto driver rammedhis three- berofsuchcases areseen. place, people will notstepout body cameras as well as the use wheeler intothe former’s bike. “Thereisafear that we may after11pmand usuallypeople of the CCTVnetwork wasdone The incident took place on catchthe infection, so the drives startdrinking afterthat so we to fine violations. “Wewill be re- the Ghatkopar-Mankhurdlink were stopped soon afterthe believe that this year theywill lying on CCTVs tootocatch vio- road at 1.20 pm on December 17, lockdown wasannounced,” said remain home”. lators foroffences likespeeding, whenKishoreKardak (42), ares- asenior police officer,adding, Deputy Commissioner of rash driving,” the officialadded. ident of Ramabai Ambedkar NagarinGhatkopar,was headed southwards on his two-wheeler. ACCTVgrabshows Kardak and Mumbai policeprobeifbrother the auto driver, Salman Sayyad (34), getting intoanargument, a fewseconds before the latter of ‘matkaqueen’ was also atarget rammedhis three-wheeler into the former’sbike. wasbehind bars, her brother tioning the five personswho “Hegot intoanargumentwith MOHAMEDTHAVER Kiranran the matka business were remandedinpolice custody an auto driverwho cut his lane. MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 while her sisterAsha maintained till December28. While the five According to CCTV footage, sec- the accounts. Kiran is believedto have so farnot spilledthe beans ondsafterheshoutedatthedriver, THE MUMBAI police, who ar- be in an African country. Basheer on the exact reason behind the the auto driverdeliberately rested five persons forplanning Suleiman alias Mama, basedin murder, the policesuspectit swervedhis auto and knocked to bumpoff ‘matka queen’ Jaya Manchester, who is namedasa would beto getbacktheir matka downthebiker,whosustainedse- Chheda and her sister Asha, are wanted accusedfor accepting empirewhichwas being run by vere injuries,” an officer said. probing if Jaya’s brother Kiran, the contract to bumpoff the sis- Jaya.The policeare also checking The Mumbai Police, which who operated the matka empire ters, has businessinterests in the if it wasonlymeant as arevenge tookcognizanceof theincidenton in her absence, wasalso atarget. same country. killing but in that case the ac- December24afterthevideowent Kiran is believedtobeoutside “Wehaveinformation that cusedalsotargeting her sister viralonsocialmedia,registeredan the countryand the police have Suleiman had anetwork in the does notadd up, as per police. attempt to murder case and ar- receivedinformation that he too countrywhere Kiranisbelieved The Mumbai police have also rested Sayyad from hisresidence. mayhavebeen on the radar of to be located.Wehaveheard begun the process forapproach- Bystandersrushed Kardak to the accusedpersons. about plans being made to kill ing the UK authorities to getthe hospital while Sayyad fledfrom On Tuesdaythe Mumbai po- Kiran as well but we areverify- custody of Suleiman who has the spot. Sayyad wastracked liceannouncedthe arrest of ing the same with the accused been namedaswantedaccused down by the police basedonthe Vinod Bhagat along with four persons,” an officer said. in thecase. As per police, after registration number on the au- others forplotting the murder of The police believe that the Jaya wasreleasedonbail earlier torickshaw. He wasarrested the sisters.Bhagar is the brother- information couldberight since this year,Bhagat contacted from his Govandi residence. in-lawofJayawho wasbehind Kiran wasthe main personhan- Suleiman who then arranged for During interrogation, Sayyad bars forplotting the murder of dling the matka businessin three persons. said he wasupsetbecause her husband Suresh in 2008. Jaya’s absence. “If the motive The trio had conducted a Kardak shouted at him and he Following his death,Jayatook wastoget their matka business recceofthe marriagehall where decidedtorun him over in afit over the matkabusiness. backfromJaya’s family, Kiran Asha’s son wastoget marriedon of rage,police said. He has been However, she has been behind would be an important person December 10 and had reached chargedunder IPC sections per- bars ever since her arrest in 2008. to knockout of the way,”anof- the venue but did notcarry out taining to attempt to murder and An officer said, “With Jaya’s ficer linked to the case said. the killing sincethe main sharp- rash and neligent driving. movementsrestricted as she The police arecurrentlyques- shooterdid notturn up. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 4

HC grants AMID COVID-19 DISTRICTCOLLECTOR’S PROHIBITORY ORDER interim bail to No outsider will 20 year old as Stateliftscurbsonhiringofprivate ‘experiment be allowed to visit to reform’

OMKARGOKHALE consultants,withdrawspaycut Jaystambh on Jan 1 MUMBAI,DECEMBER24

OBSERVINGTHAT“theapplicant Move faces opposition from within government, but pressure from big consultantsfor easing curbs Onlythose withpasses from Pune isbarely20yearsoldanddeserves achancefor reformation”, the velopmentspendremainsinplace just twoper department,ithad easing the curbs. The latter man- With the averageremunera- RuralPolice will be allowedtoattend Bombay High Court, ‘as an exper- SANDEEPASHAR forallnon-revenuegeneratingde- also slappeda30per cent cut on agedto have ittheirwayintheend. tion ranging betweenRs1,98,000 iment to reform,’ granted interim MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 partments, the state government the “professional fees” or remu- Ironicallycitingthe postCovid-19 and Rs 3,56,400per person per tion. It also warnedagainst“hate bailto aPunemanwhoiscurrently has also withdrawnthe 30 per neration paid to the already hired recessionarytrend,severalof these month,thestate'sannualoutgoto- EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE messages, sloganeering or lodgedatYerawadaprisonforsex- SCRAMBLINGTOraisefinancesfor cent cut it had imposedonthe re- consulting firms. consultingfirmshave announced wardsthe “professional fees” of PUNE,DECEMBER24 boards that cause anykind of uallyassaultingaminor boy. meeting essential public services muneration of consultants. However, onDecember22,the paycutsfor their ownstaff. consulting firms is currently tension” in the area. The court notedthat the 20- in the postCovid-19scenario, the EarlieronMay4,Maharashtra, statefinancedepartment issued With consulting firmscreep- around Rs 400crore,said sources. AFTER AN appeal to local resi- Those who violatethe dis- year-old wasearlier involvedin cash-strappedMaharashtragov- theworst-hit Indian statebythe fresh orders announcing with- inginareasof governmentservice Contractsofamajorityof thecon- dentsand agovernment notifi- trict collector's orders would twodifferent offences including ernment has liftedall curbs on re- Covid-19pandemic,had an- drawal of the restrictions placed thatwere onceoff-limitstothepri- sultantswould nothavebeen re- cation urging people to notvisit face legal action under Section outragingawoman’smodestyand muneration and hiring of outside nouncedthe deepestcutbackin onconsultants.Justasadwindling vate sector,thestate government's newedifthe curbs imposedin the Jaystambh on January1next 188ofthe Indian Penal Code directed him to continue coun- consultants. Despitestiffopposi- expenditureinitshistory,project- income has forced thegovern- use of consultantshas soared in Mayhad continued. year, Collector and sectionsofthe Epidemic selling by clinicalpsychologists tionfromwithinitsranks,theChief ing the economic situation to be ment to borrowmoney to payits pastdecadeorso. With consultantsstepping Rajesh Deshmukh on Thursday Diseases Act. fromtheSassoonHospitalinPune. MinisterUddhav Thackeray-led gloomythis fiscal. The austerity ownwagebill,theconsultantswill At present, Maharashtrahas intoroles traditionallyfilledby issuedaprohibitory orderunder On December 22,the state Asingle judgebenchofJustice coalition has revokedits ownor- measuresincludedstrictcurbson nowenjoyunhindered access. 400-oddconsultantsincludingbig, public servants, supporters of the Section 144ofthe Criminal Home department had issueda BharatiHDangreonDecember22 der that had cappedthe number the use of private consultants. Sources confirmedthat asec- diversifiedconsultantssuchas move citecostbenefitsand im- ProcedureCode (CrPC), 1973,as notification, stating that the passedthe order on the bail plea of consulting firm that depart- Restrictingthenumberof con- tion within the bureaucracyhad Deloitte, Ernstand Young, Grant provedservice quality,while crit- per whichnooutsider would be program at Jaystambh will be by theman, arrested in February mentsand their sub-establish- sulting firms thatdepartments stronglyquestionedthemove,but Thornton, ics saythatover-reliance on pri- allowedtovisit the warmemo- shownliveonDoordarshan and this year.Applicant filedthe bail mentswerepermitted to hire. and their sub-establishments that therewas intense pressure PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, vate companies erodes state's rial in Perne villagebetween 12 other media platforms. The gov- plea and sought to be releasedin Whilethe67 percentcutof de- could hireinthe ongoingyear to frombig,expensive consultantsfor Wipro, McKinsey, among others. owncapacity. pm on December 30 to 6pmof ernmenturged people notto viewofhisyoungage.Hehasbeen January2,2021. visit theJaystambh, in view of lodged in Yerawada Jail from The order mentions thata the Covid situation,and instead February10this year.The court 'symbolic' programme, to mark paytheirtributes from home. said that long incarcerationofthe Guidelines issued for amusement, entertainment parks the anniversaryofthe Battle of As per aDalit narrative,the young applicantmay turn him BhimaKoregaon, will be heldat British forcethat fought intoa‘hardened criminal’. the Jaystambh that day. Only PeshwasatKoregaon Bhima on FULLREPORTON EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE thosewithpasses issued by Pune January1,1818comprised www.indianexpress.com MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 RuralPolice would be allowedto largely of soldiers from the attend the programme. Dalit Mahar community,who DAYS AFTER the stategovern- Along with Perne, the order wageda"warfor freedom" Suburban local ment allowedreopening of also restrictsthe entryofout- from the “casteism” of the amusement and entertainment siderstoTulapur,Bakori, Wadhu Peshwas. trainsmay open parks,the Tourism department Khurd, Kesnand, Kolwadi, On January1everyyear, on Thursdayissuedguidelines Dongargaon, Fulgaon villages (all Dalits, mainlyfromthe for public in Jan forsafeand secureoperations. under the jurisdictionof AmbedkariteMahar commu- As per the standard operat- Lonikand police station) and nity,visit the Jaystambh, awar ing procedure(SOP), all cus- Koregaon Bhima, Dingrajwadi, memorial at Perne village EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE tomers would be screenedaten- Sanaswadi, Vadhu Budruk, erected by the British in mem- MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 trypointsofamusement and Pimple Jagtap, Wajewadi, Apti, oryofthe soldiers who fought entertainment parks and simi- Wadegaon villages (in the juris- bravelyagainstthe Peshwas in THESTATEgovernmentmightre- lar establishmentsfor symptoms diction of Shikrapur policesta- the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. open the suburban local trains for of Covid-19. Onlythose found tion) during this period. Till about 10 years ago, the the general publicfromJanuary. asymptomatic would be al- No book stalls, food stalls, annual congregation consisted Ministerfor Relief and lowed, the guidelines stated. banners, boards, hoardings, pub- of onlyafew thousand people, Rehabilitation VijayWadettiwar Also, onlythose wearing aface lic meetings,rallies or marches but manymorehavebeen at- said the government has re- mask or coverwould be allowed will be allowednear the tending the event in recent centlyallowedthe resumption to enter premises and customers Jaystambh or these villages. years. On January1,2020, an of watersports,entertainment would have to wear the mask at Even those who attend the estimated8lakhpeople had and amusement parks in the all times on the premises. programme at Jaystambh have visited the warmemorial. state. “The decision on the local The guidelines stated that to followall guidelines issuedby The 200th anniversary trains will be takenatthe earli- training programmes would be the stategovernment due to the event –onJanuary1,2018– est. The chief minister’s attempt conducted to reinforce appropri- pandemic situation, stated the wasmarkedbywidespread is to startthe locals forthe gen- atenorms and measures that order,adding that theyhaveto clashes,inwhichone person eral public from the firstweek of could protect the tourists and leave the area immediatelyonce waskilledand severalothers January,”said Wadettiwar. staffers on duty.“Anyother the programme gets over. injured.Since then, during the Officials,however, saidthede- guidelines or protocols issuedby Action will be takenagainst January1programme, tight se- cisionwill be takenonlyafter as- local authorities suchasdistrict those found spreading wrong in- curity arrangementsare made certaining the spread in the state, collectors or civic bodies shall be formation or rumours on social at the Jaystambh and surround- if any, of thenew variantof Covid- applicable and mustbedulyfol- Workers clean atoy train in asmall playground cum openparkinMumbaionThursday. Amit Chakravarty media about the programme, ing areas by thepolice and gov- 19,found in the . lowed,” the guidelines stated. warnedthe district administra- ernment.

BAIL GRANTED TO 19-YEAR-OLD WHOPOSSESSEDRS6,100 IN FAKE CURRENCY ACTION MUSTINGLARINGCASES OF HOSTILE WITNESSES:HCTOPRINCIPAL JUDGES Possession of counterfeit currency not enough to HC commutes death penalty of man convicted prove offence, intention to use as genuineneeded: HC of killingmother-in-law, injuring pregnant wife

chargesheetedwith twoothers seized from another accused buyingorreceiving from any RavindraVGhuge and Justice BU ecution had failedtoprove the bing the three women with a OMKARGOKHALE forpossessing counterfeit cur- who wasdriving the car.They other person, or using as gen- OMKARGOKHALE Debadwar on Tuesdaypasseda case beyond reasonabledoubt single weapon... We cannotig- MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 rency under Section 489B(us- were sealedand forwardedto uine, forged or counterfeit cur- MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 judgment afterhearing acrimi- and thereforethe death sentence norethat this brutal attackre- ing as genuineforgedorcoun- ascertain whether they were rency notesorbank notes, nal appeal filedbyKrishna be setaside. sulted in the death of awoman THE BOMBAY High Courtre- terfeit currency notesorbank fake notes. The interrogation is enough to constitute an THE AURANGABADbenchof Pawar, seeking to quash the Deshmukh said the prosecu- in her mid 40s and achild who centlygranted bailtoa19- notes) and that one of them revealedthe name of athird offence.” BombayHigh Courthas com- death sentence passedbyJalna tion failedtoexamine‘independ- wasabout to see her firstday on year-oldman who wasar- had already been releasedon person who wasalso arrested. Granting bailtoVachkal, muted death penaltyofa35- Sessions CourtonJune 18. ent witnesses’, creating doubts earth. No doubt, the crime is rested forpossessionof default bail. AdvocateNazmi submitted the court observed,“The appli- year-old man from Jalna district, The stategovernment had over the truthfulnessofthe probe. heinous andcondemnable.”The counterfeit currency notes, The Anti Narcotics Cell, that the applicant is 19 years cant is merelyfound in posses- who wasconvicted of killing his also filedaplea seeking confir- “Therefore, the whole case is courtthen commuted the death sayingthatmerelypossessing Pune in Julylastyear,had re- old and currency notestothe sionofcounterfeit currency mother-in-lawand injuring his mation of the death sentence. based on asolitarywitness, the sentence to lifeimprisonment. counterfeit currency wasnot ceivedatip-offthat some per- tune of Rs 6,100wereseized notes. The chargesheetdid not pregnant wiferesulting in the The Jalna police, through as- wife, whose versiondid notprove Moreover, notingthat the wit- sufficient to provecommission sons were planning to circulate from him, and thathehad no containany material to show child loss in October 2015,to‘rig- sistant public prosecutor KS the caseasrequired corrobora- nesses, including the deceased’s of offence andthe intention of counterfeit notes. intention to use them as gen- that he wasproposing to orous lifeimprisonment’. Patil,said that Krishnaand his tion wasmissing,” he submitted. sister, had turnedhostile, the knowingly using the notesas Afterintercepting avehicle uine and so, he should be re- trafficoruse the said notesas The HC also directedtheJalna wifewerefiveyearsintotheir Afterhearing submissions courtsaid that “prosecution had genuine wasrequired to be in whichthe suspectswere leasedonbail. genuine or that he had knowl- Sessions Court to issuenotice to marriageonthe dayofthe inci- and perusing material on record, falteredon account of casualness proved to levelchargesunder travelling, asearch wasunder- Afterhearing submissions, edge or reason to believe that four ‘hostile witnesses’ as per the dent. The wifehad movedtoher the benchsaid that though the and lackofsensitivity”. the IndianPenal Code. takenand counterfeit notesof the courtobserved, "Prima fa- the said noteswereforgedor Code of Criminal Procedure parental home when she wassix appellanthad planned to attack Directing principal judges in Asingle-judge benchof Rs 500and Rs 2,000 denomi- cie, the chargesheet does not counterfeit. The applicant (CrPC), and to followthe proce- months intoher second preg- his wifeand mother-in-law, it the statetostrictlyfollow the JusticeBharati HDangre nations to the tune of Rs 5.64 contain anymaterial to reflect does nothaveany criminal dureinlaw while dealing with nancy,due to theconstant phys- wasonlyacoincidence that the laws laid down by the Supreme passedthe order while hearing lakh were found in the dash- the mens rea(an intention antecedentsand considering their ‘glaring acts of turning hos- ical violence metedout by the sisterofhis mother-in-lawhad Court while dealing with hostile the bail pleaofRahul Vachkal, boardofthe car. or knowledge of wrongdoing his young age, pendingtrial, tile', therebycommitting perjury. appellant. The twohad ason. also accompaniedthem. witnesses, the benchsaid, “...In filedthrough advocates The raiding party also that constitutes crime) on he cannotbeincarcerated The court also askedprinci- Krishna suspected his wifeto The benchsaid,“On seeing all order to send out amessageloud Murtaza Nazmi and Dilip found Vachkalinpossessionof the partofthe applicant who forlong, particularly when pal district judges in the stateto have an illicitrelationshipwith three together and owing to the and cleartosuchunscrupulous Shukla. three notesofRs2,000 denom- possesses the said noteswhich on completion of investigation, followthe laid down lawwhile another man. Senior counsel anger that he carriedinhis head, witness, legal actionneeds to be The plea says thatVachkal ination and one Rs 100note. arealleged to be counterfeit. In the chargesheet has already dealing with hostile witnesses. RajendraDeshmukh forthe ap- he mayhaveovercome his sense initiated againstglaring cases of wasbooked and An amountofRs40,000 was absence of mens rea, selling, been filed.” Adivision benchofJustice pellant submitted that the pros- of reasonwhichled to his stab- hostile witness.” Sixmonthsafter manreported EYE ON FORTHCOMING BMC POLLS missing,twoheld forhismurder Sena fears BJP will use Kanjurmargissue to projectitas‘anti-development’ However, agitations against The BJP has also shown years... AcarshedatAarey has All of them were fast- about the politicalprice Sena ect of Prime MinisterNarendra Mumbai: Six months afteraman VISHWASWAGHMODE& the location of the carshedin willingnesstosee NCPchief to be built even if the govern- trackedduring the Fadnavis willhavetopay to theBJP for Modi,” said asource in the gov- wasreported missing by his fam- SHUBHANGIKHAPRE Aareyinthe lastmonths of the Sharad Pawarmediate be- ment considers anyother proj- government, and the BJP can the release of the Kanjurmarg ernment. ilymembers, his friend and an- MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 previousgovernment delayed tween the stateand theCentre ect. Whyisthe stategovern- be expectedtomakethat abig land from the salt land com- Asenior Sena leader said otherpersonwere arrestedforhis the project. to resolve thecarshedissue. ment overlooking itsown high part of itspoll plank. missioner's ownership. the Centrewillrequire the murderonWednesday. RaviSable THE ISSUEsurrounding Metro The rulingalliance's deci- “Webelieve Sharad Pawar powercommittee report, In amove that showcased Aletterfromthe PMO ask- state’s help in acquiring land hadbeenreportedmissinginJune carshedproject at Kanjurmarg sion twomonths agotorelo- will always take apractical whichhas clearly said Aarey the Sena's seriousness in coun- ing the stategovernment to ex- forthe Bullettrain project. at the Aarey police station. hasraisedconcernswithin the catethe proposedcarshedto standand notmakewrong de- colonyaspreferred destination tering the anti-development pediteland acquisition forthe Sources saidthe govern- According to police, Sable and ShivSena, with severalsenior Kanjurmargsalt pan, andthe cisions when it comes to devel- and rejected Kanjurmargasal- tag, Thackeray in apre-emptive Bullettrain project has trig- ment is exploring legal options his friend, Mubarak Sayyad, had a leaders saying it could give subsequent impasse over the opmentprojects,” Fadnavis ternative site,”Fadnavis said. move visited several geredspeculation that it could on what can be donewith re- fight afew days before the former the BJP an opportunity to proj- ownership of the land hasput had said earlier this week. Earlier,the Sena had also Metrosites and inspected the be theBJP's ask in return for spect to thebullettrain project. wasreported missing.Sayyad ect the ruling party as “anti-de- the party and the alliance on The BJP has alsoinsisted opposedthe MetroLine 3in CoastalRoad projectdays after Kanjurmarg. ABJP leader,requesting residedwithSableinachawl near velopment” in the run up to the backfoot. thatmoving the carshedout of Girgaumand Kalbadevi area the court ruledagainst the gov- Only22per cent of land has anonymity,said,“Thebullet JVLR road in Jogeshwari. the 2022 Brihanmumbai “It is moreapolitical issue Aareywould be afinancial dis- over demand forin-situ reha- ernment in the Kanjurmarg been acquired forthe project train project is notabout state Mubarakdecidedtokill Sable Municipal Corporation elec- than the development issue. asterfor the projectand the bilitation of the project-af- matter. in Maharashtrawhile the and Centre.Itisaproject com- with the help of his friend Amit tions. The BMC polls arejustovera city. fected people. The Sena-controlledBMC Gujarat government has ac- mitted between India and Sharma, police said. In June, they The MetroLine 3project, year away and the BJP is at- “Any attempt to relocate At present, 180kmofMetro also went intoapublicity over- quired around 90 per cent land. Japan. It wassignedinthe pres- took him to asecludedspotin whichwas fast-trackedwhen tempting to project theSena the carshedfromAarey colony lines, Mumbai Trans-Harbour drive by releasing videos of “As of now, it looksthatthe ence of the PMsoftwo nations. Aarey Colonywheretheybeathim the BJP and Sena were in the and Chief Ministerasanti-de- will provedisastrousfor the Link,connecting Mumbai and howmuchworkithad com- Centremight ask the stategov- Anyproject that involvesinter- to death, policesaid. They smas- ruling alliance in the state,was velopment. That is whyBJP is project.The financial implica- Navi Mumbai, and Coastal pletedonthe CoastalRoad ernment to expeditethe land national funds is honouredir- hedhishead,cellphoneandthrew expected to be up and running making an issue of Kanjurmarg tions will runintoadditional Rs Road projects areundercon- project. acquisition forthe bullettrain respective of governmentsin it intoagutter,police said. ENS by December 2021. land,” said asenior Sena leader. 4,500 croreand delayoffour struction in the city. Thereare also concerns project, whichisadream proj- power.” WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 5

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Be The LoveAnd LightThis Christmas!

Bible about this: JESUS CALMS THE STORM (Luke 8:22-25) One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Mas- ter, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” In times of crisis,it is natural to be afraid.It is natural to get negative thoughts.But this is the time to pray for ■ PRASHANT SOLOMON faith.For faith leads to perseverance,tenacity and res- olutions of the challenges we face. HEN Jesus was born,a great star appeared Christmas is a time to reflect and process the events in the sky over Bethlehem to herald the of the year. What did you learn spending time with W coming of Christ.Three wise men from the yourself? What did you learn about your loved ones East saw this star and came on their camels to meet and family? Have you counted how many things there and worship the newborn babe.They found him in a are to be thankful for? Going forward, how will you manger and gave him gifts.They recognised this child change yourself in order to change the world for the as a Divine soul. better? We are all very lucky to be living in these highly This year,on December 21,2020,a sign in the spiritual and eventful times.This is a year that historians heavens was given as there was a conjunction of will be writing about for centuries.It is a year that Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius.The brightest seen marks the beginning of a new era of humanity. since the year 1226.It is also said that this is heralding 2020 has been a year unlike no other experienced the Age of Aquarius,which is believed to be a new by anyone alive on this planet. era where there will be a powerful surge of spiritual On this Christmas Day 2020, I bring you good consciousness on the planet. news! We will survive and things will get better.We Christmas is a great day to look at the year gone by have all gotten through this together. We remember and process everything you experienced in that partic- those who we have lost but we know they are still ular year.Christmas is a day that we celebrate the alive in the spiritual realms, where we will all return birth of Jesus Christ but it is also a day that we cele- someday. But there is no hurry.There is much to do brate the year gone by as we prepare for the coming still. year ahead. Should Christmas of the year 2020 be You are not alone! Even if it feels like that some- any different? Well it is different because the year times.The ride can be scary but we are in it together. 2020 has been an unprecedented year! This year has been called by many as the ‘Great Awak- It started off in a grand way. The beginning of a ening’. For many have felt our connection. We are new decade.Like the years 1717,1818 and 1919 be- souls who have come here to explore and bring the fore it, 2020 is one of those years that comes only love and light of God to everyone else. once every 101 years, where the first two digits are the This Christmas let us celebrate the lessons we same as the last two.The next time this type of year learned this year.Let us celebrate our connection.This comes by will be in 2121. So right from the begin- year like never before,we felt connected as a global ning,2020 came with something unique in our collec- civilisation.We realised that the important things in life tive minds.But what a ride it’s been. Nobody could are not connected to material things but they are con- have imagined all the things that would happen. nected to freedom,to exploring,to seeking,to learn- A global pandemic spread throughout the planet ing,to loving and to being one world connected to- and forced nations to lock down. Covid 19 brought gether. the whole world to its knees.New terms that were Like the star that shone the night of Christ’s birth,let hardly of any consequence in our global conscious- your light shine! Let the love and light of Christ be re- ness last Christmas have been branded into our col- born within you! Keep introspecting within and soon lective global consciousness like - masks,lockdown, like the wise men found the Christ child,we may find travel bans and social distancing. the Divine light and love of God within us or the Christ We all were forced to stay at home and that left consciousness within us. us no choice but to look inwards and introspect. Let us be thankful to God to be alive! Let us be Many people fell into depression,loneliness and sad- thankful that we are all connected! Let us aim to do ness.People all around the globe suffered financial We all experienced something together as a joy,happiness and camaraderie.It has shown us that pened in the world this year strengthened the bond our bit to make the world a better place.After 2020,we challenges because of lost jobs and failing busi- species.It taught us valuable lessons.It made us re- we are quite literally all equally vulnerable and that of people all over the world.There were riots,floods, now welcome 2021. In this new year,let us resolve nesses. People got infected and fell sick and hun- alise in the most dramatic and almost cinematic way as the fictional Jack Shephard from the famous TV fires,earthquakes,hurricanes in various parts of the to tackle our individual,local, national and global dreds of thousands bid goodbye to this planet and that the important things in life are our relationships show Lost says,“If we can’t live together,we are go- world. But despite that, there was hope! For problems without being afraid and having hope and set sail back to the spiritual realms from which we with each other and that we are all literally ‘in the ing to die alone!” through a mass scale global effort of science de- faith that things will get better. have all come. same boat’.Videos and social media posts from var- The virus sees not one's religion, financial condi- spite the odds,the year 2020 has seen both virus Peace be unto you and yours! Be God’s Love! Be But despite all this,there was something interest- ious platforms popped up showing us how the lock- tion, gender,political views, nationality,caste,creed or and vaccine! God’s Light! ingly good about the year.2020 was a great gift to down affected people’s lives in remote corners of colour.The virus is the great leveler. Remember earlier when I mentioned we are all I wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy humankind! the world and this brought a strange type of relief, Not just the virus but many other things that hap- ‘in the same boat’? There is a story of Jesus in the New Year 2021.

Prashant Solomon is the Managing Director of Chintels India Pvt. Ltd. He is also an author and freelance journalist.You can reach him at [email protected] @prasol @prasol YouTube: Prashant Solomon Website: www.prashantsolomon.com WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 6 GOVT &POLITICS THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 Sena wants Navi Mumbai BJP,TMC HAVE SAME DNA, SAYS ADHIR CPM welcomes Cong international airport to be BengalConggetsnod decision to enter into named after BalThackeray electoral alliance forpactwithLeft liance and have been organising EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE joint movements. Now, they of Maharashtra(CIDCO) is im- come to powerinthe civic body, KOLKATA,DECEMBER24 have formallyannouncedthe al- SANDEEPASHAR plementing the road project. but allofits 52 corporators had leftbetween the devil and liance. Nowwehavetotakeit MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 With an eyeatthe upcom- later defected to the BJP.The Shiv MANOJCG Bengal Cong deep sea. We have to carveout THE CPM on Thursdaywel- forward. We have to strengthen ingcivic bodypolls, Thackeray, Sena has 42 corporators in the NEWDELHI,DECEMBER24 chiefAdhir ourown spacebecause the comedthe Congress’ decision to this unity of secular fordemo- MAHARASHTRA CHIEF Minister on Wednesday, reviewedvari- Navi Mumbai civicbody. Ranjan space has been snatchedupon enter intoanelectoral alliance cratic forces to the grassroots. UddhavThackeray on Thursday ous ongoing and proposed de- State’s Urban Development THE CONGRESS high com- Chowdhury by theMamataBanerjee gov- with the LeftFront in next year’s We will raise people’sissues and directed officials to expeditethe velopmentworks in Navi Ministerand ShivSena’s local mand on Thursday gave the ernment. And nowshe is fac- Assemblypolls in . together with the Congress we plan forbuilding acoastalroad Mumbai. The party is eager to heavyweight Eknath Shinde, who green signal to itsWestBengal ing the music. The way CPM is biggestconstituent of the will intensify our movement in in Navi Mumbai that will provide dislodgethe BJP forthe Navi wasalsopresent forthe meeting, unit to enter intoaseat-shar- Mamata poachedour people LeftFront in Bengal. Other con- the state. seamless connectivity to the Mumbai corporation, pollsfor demandedthat the Navi Mumbai ing pact with the Leftparties ED and dismantledour organisa- stituentsare-CPI, ForwardBloc Meanwhile, hours afterthe Navi Mumbai airport. whichare due. In the 2015,the internationalairportbenamed af- forthe forthcoming Assembly Battlefor tion... the same ployisbeing and RSP. announcement, asection of The state-run City Industrial NCPhad wonthe mostnumber terSena founder (late)Bal elections to take on the ruling PLAIN E survival employedbythe BJP.They The stateCongressunithad Congress leaders said ● and Development Corporation of seats(52 out of 111)and Thackeray. Trinamool Congress and an EX areidentical in their politics of earlier recommendedthis move Chowdhuryshould be the chief Aproject forbuilding anew in- aggressiveBJP.While asection destruction. Both arethe whichwas also favoured by the ministerial candidateofthis ternationalsports complexat of Congress leaders believe a FORBOTH theCongress as same in theirattitude. Their Leftparties in Bengal. Left-Congress alliance. Ghansoli wasalso discusseddur- Congress-Leftalliancecould well as Left parties, the up- political DNAisquiteidenti- The twoparties had con- Congress MLANepal Mahata ing themeeting. end up helping the BJP, coming assemblyelec- cal,” he said. tested the2016Assemblypolls wroteinhis twitter handle that Thackeray,meanwhile, di- the party’s stateunit wasve- tions in West Bengal is a Asked about Banerjee’s together in the statebut failedto Adhir Chowdhuryisthe Chief rected CIDCOofficials to resolve hementlyopposedtoany battle forsurvival. The move to rallyoppositionlead- makemuchofanimpact.The al- Ministerial face of this alliance. longpending issues pertaining to pact with the TMC and had high-octane campaign by ers likeSharad Pawarand MK liancewon only76seatsofthe On the other hand, Congress project-affected people in the re- been insisting on atie-up with the ruling TMC and the BJP Stalin in her fight againstthe state’s294 seats. The Congress MLAand Leader of the gion on apriority basis. the Left. sawthe Leftgetting BJP on the issue of federalism, won44seatsand the LeftFront Opposition in stateAssembly West Bengal Congress squeezedout in the Lok he said, “FederalisminIndiais bagged onlyget 32 seats. Abdul Mannan said, “All India president Adhir Ranjan Sabha electionsand the certainlyinperil. That is why However, in 2019 LokSabha Congress Committeehas taken Chowdhurytold The Indian Congress plungingtotwo our Congress chiefministers pollsthe alliance between both the decision on the alliance. Express that theBJP and the seats. The parties had also extendedsupportto the parties did notmaterialise Nowlet it also decide on the TMC have thesame “political fought the elections sepa- MamataBanerjee. As faras resulting in the dismalelectoral chief ministerial candidate. DNA” andassertedthat the rately.Having decidedon federalism is concerned,all performances. The LeftFront leaders, how- Congress and the Leftparties the alliance, the twohope the Opposition-ruledstates Welcoming the move,state ever,said it is tooearly to dis- “occupythe secular space” in to arrest the declining areinperil. That is whyall CPM secretarySurjyakanta cuss suchmatters. Forward Bengaland still enjoyed the trend and pose achallenge have to be united on that ac- Mishratold mediapersonsthat Bloc statesecretaryNaren supportofalargesectionof to both the TMC and BJP. count. That is adifferent ket- the time has come to strengthen Chatterjee said, “I will notsay the populationwho believe in tle of fish.” the alliance to the grassroots anythingonthis. The LeftFront secularism and liberal “Pawarji is asenior leader. level. “Wewereanywayholding Chairman Biman Bose will democracy. said, “Wehavetofight against He thought it prudent that on talkswith Congress on the al- speak on this.” He said it is the media the BJPand [ChiefMinister] the issue of federalism all the whichisprojecting the MamataBanerjee both be- states ruledbythe Opposition Assemblyelections as afight cause we have been subjected should be united.That is why On home turf, Suvendu says between the TMC and the BJP. to persecutionbythe ruling he has extendedhis opinion.... “The impression (of a dispensation in West Bengal. It is acommon issue. Thereis straight fight between the Mamata Banerjee is aregional nothing extraordinaryinthis BJP will win over 200 seats TMC and the BJP) has been poacher while the BJP is ana- approach.” gaining because of media tional poacher. Asked howmanyseatswill attendedthe roadshow. hype. Because the media is Both arewell adeptin the Congress contest, EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE “Those who arecriticising me tryingtoproject thatonlytwo poaching operationsinthe op- Chowdhurysaid, “That stage KOLKATA,DECEMBER24 should look in the mirrorfirst. forces arethere. But that is far position camps. To that extent, has notcome. During the Theyhad joinedthe TMC from from the reality and farfrom theyare very much similar in course of discussions, factor- ADAY afterthe TMC held apub- other parties. This time TMC will the truth. In West Bengal, the their approaches,” he said. ing in other considerations lic meeting on hishome turf in come second. We willwin over Leftand the Congress... they He said it wasnot the re- likewhereweare strong and EastMidnapore,BJP leader 200seats,” said Adhikari. occupythe secular space and sponsibilityofthe Congress all... we will zeroinonthe Suvendu Adhikari ledaroad- Chief MinisterMamata still enjoythe supportofa party to keep the anti-BJP number and choiceofseats. showinthe same area and de- Banerjee is scheduledtoaddress large section of the population votes together. Everythinghas been lefttothe clared that the saffron party arally at Nandigram- Adhikari’s who believe in secularism “On the one hand, we are stateleadership... nothing has would win morethan 200seats Assemblyseat till he resignedas and in liberal democracy. So subjected to atrocities and been imposedonus.” in next year’s Assemblypolls. MLArecently, in January. certainlywehaveour own persecution by Mamata “Firstofall we have to dis- On Thursday, Adhikari cov- During the road show, constituentsthat will be re- Banerjee... on the other hand, cuss and decide amongstour- ered afive-km distance in his Adhikari’s followers raisedaslo- flected in the coming elec- on the alibiofthe BJP... [we selvesthat this manyseats hometown Contai amid huge gan, “HareKrishna HareHare, tions,” he said. have been asked]toallywith have to be demanded. fanfare. PartyleadersSaumitra BJP ghareghare”- meaning that On possible division of the TMC. This cannotbe Thereafter, we will propose to Khan and JoyPrakash Majumdar the “BJP has entered every anti-BJP votes, Chowdhury done... because we have been the Leftparties,” he said. and hundredsofparty workers home.”

MUMBAI BUILDING REPAIRS & RECONSTRUCTION BOARD PM Modi at Visva-Bharati: (A REGIONAL UNIT OF MHADA) E-TENDER NOTICE Tagore’s vision is essence of DIGITALLY Signed &unconditional online Tender in form ''B-1'' (Percentage Rate) are invited by the Executive Engineer C-1 Div., M.B.R. &R.Board, 66, DadarkarCompound, Tardeo, Mumbai-400 034 from the contractors registered with Atmanirbhar Bharat mission PWD/ MHADA/ CPWD/ CIDCO/ MES/ MJP/ MIDC/ Indian Railway/ BPT/MCGM in the corresponding appropriate class of contractor. Sr. Name of Amt. put Earnest Security Cost Class of Time EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE No. Works to Tender Money Deposit (2%) of contractor Limit KOLKATA,DECEMBER24 in 1% (50% initially blank &50% tender NOBEL LAUREATERabindranath Tagore’s through bill) vision is the essence of Aatmanirbhar 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Bharat,orself-reliantIndia,PrimeMinister PM Modi delivers avirtual addresses 1. Bldg. No. 156- R R R 49,000/- R Class-V & 18th NarendraModi said on Thursday. during the centenarycelebrationsof 164, Chimna 24,38,385/- 24,384/- (50% initially 560/- above Months Addressingafunctionto markthecen- Visva-Bharati University. PTI tenarycelebrations of Visva-Bharati OFFICE OF THE ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF (CIVIL), Butcher Street &50% (including (Board Fund) through Bill) monsoon) Universitythroughvideoconferencing,the ODISHA Prime Minister said,“GuidedbyGurudev MinisterRameshPokhriyaljoinedthepro- NIRMAN SOUDHA, UNIT-V,BHUBANESWAR 2. Bldg. No. 117- R R R 22,000/- R Class-VI 12th B-565 125, Bara &above Months [Tagore],Visva-Bharatipresentedastrong grammevirtually. Inhisspeech,thePrime INVITATIONS FOR BIDS (IFB) 10,79,674/- 10,797/- (50% initially 560/- Imam Road &50% (including imageofIndiannationalistsentimentdur- Ministeralso highlightedTagore’s links File No-B-IV-H-(H&D)-31/2019 Lr.No. 41221 /Bhubaneswar,the 23rd Dec. 2020 (Board Fund) monsoon) ing Independence.Gurudevwanted hu- with his home stateGujarat, perhaps in a Invitation for Bids through Bill) Bid Identification No. E.I.C. (B) -07/2020-21 manitytobenefitfromIndia’sspiritual retort to Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee, Sr.No. Stage Description Date &Time 1. The Chief Engineer (Buildings) Odisha, Bhubaneswar,onbehalf of awakening.AtmanirbharBharat vision is whohasrepeatedly saidshewillnotallow Governor of Odisha, invites percentage rate bids in double cover 1 Publishing Date 30.12.2020 at 10.00 AM alsoaderivative of this sentiment.” Bengal to be turn intoGujarat. system in ONLINE MODE only,for Construction of Building works 2 Document Sale Start 30.12.2020 at 10.05 AM FoundedbyTagorein1921in “WhenIspeakaboutGurudev, Icannot as detailed below. 3 Document Sale End 13.01.2021 at 05.30 PM Santiniketan,Visva-Bharatiisthecountry’s help but talk about the connection be- 2. Nature of work : Building works oldestcentral university.Itwas declared a tween Gurudevand Gujarat. He usedto 4 Bid Submission Start 30.12.2020 at 10.05 AM 3. No. of work : 01 no. central university and an Institution of frequentlyvisit his elder brother 4. Bid Cost. : R 10,000/- (each) 5 Bid Submission End 13.01.2021 at 05.35 PM National Importance by an Actof Satyendranath Tagorewho wasposted 5. Class of Contractor : Super 6 Technical Bid Opening 15.01.2021 at 11.00 AM onwards (if possible) ParliamentinMay 1951.The Prime there...HestayedinAhmedabadforalong 6. Availability of Bid Documents : From dt.30.12.2020 to 17.00 7 Price Bid Opening To be Communicated Qualified Bidders only. MinistersaidtheVisva-BharatiUniversity, time. During such aperiod, he wrotetwo in the website Hours of dt.27.01.2021. 1. The complete bidding process will be online (e-Tendering) in two bid system. All BanarasHinduUniversity,AligarhMuslim popular poems. He wrote aportion of 7. Date of Opening of Bid : Dt. 29.01.2021 at 11:30 AM. the notifications and detailed terms and conditions regarding this tender notice University, ,Jamia Millia KshudhitaPashaninGujarat,”hesaid. 8. The Bidders have to participate in ONLINE bidding only.Further hereafter will be published online on web site http://mahatenders.gov.in. Islamia University,AndhraUniversity, “Not only this, Gujarat’s daughter details can be seen from the website: https://tendersodisha.gov.in. 2. Bidding documents can be seen, downloaded and uploaded on the web site Annamalai University and severalother Srimati Hutteesingh wasmarriedtothe Any addendum /corrigendum /cancellation of tender can also be http://mahatenders.gov.in from Date 30.12.2020 (10.05 A.M.) to Date universities came up in the same eraand Tagore family.When Satyendranath seen in the said website only. 13.01.2021 (05.30 PM). gave momentumtoIndia’s thirstfor Tagore’s wifeJnanadanandini Devi wasin 3. The payment for Tender Form Fee and Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) must be knowledge.“Today, asmoreandmorepeo- Gujarat,shesawwomendrapingthepallu Sd/- made online. ple aregetting good education, we now of sareeontheirrightshoulders,whichshe Engineer-in-Chief (Buildings) 4. Technical Bids will be opened dated 15.01.2021at11.00AMonwards (if Odisha, Bhubaneswar have to work to buildastrongandwisena- feltcumbersomeandimprovisedthestyle possible) &Price bid will be opened after opening of qualified tenderer of tion–one that is self-reliant,” he said. bringing the pallu on the leftshoulder. OIPR-34117/11/0011/2021 technical document at office of Executive Engineer C-1 Div., M.B.R. &R.Board, A66, Dadarkar Compound, Tardeo, Mumbai-400 034, on web site GovernorJagdeepDhankharwaspres- Womenempowermentorganisationscan MUMBAI METROPOLITAN REGION https://mahatenders.gov.in entattheeventinSantiniketan.Education do some moreresearch on this,” he said. DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 5. E-Tenderer should submit original documents (those were uploaded during bid (A Government of Maharashtra Undertaking) preparation) for verification at the time of Technical Bid opening or as and when 7th Floor,MMRDA New Administrative Building, Plot Nos. C-14 &15, Bandra-Kurla authority ask for the same before preparation of Appraisal reports to submit the Complex, Bandra (E), Mumbai –400 051. Tel. 022-26590001-04, same to L1 bid accepting authority. Not invitedtocentenary Fax –022-26594182 E-mail: [email protected] 6. E-Tenderer should submit information and scanned copies in PDF format in Website: https://www.mmrda.maharashtra.gov.in Technical Envelope as mentioned in Technical Offer. e- TENDERNOTIcE 7. Contractors covered under category mentioned above except MHADA/ PWD will event at varsity: Mamata Name of Work :“CONSTRUCTION OF STAFF QUARTERS AT MANDALE be required to upload scanned copy of solvency certificate to the extent of 20% of METRO DEPOT,MUMBAI”. the estimated cost at the time of bid submission. as yousuggest, was 1) Estimated Cost :Rs. 94.14 Cr. 8. The Executive Engineer C-1 Div., M.B.R. &R.Board, 66, Dadarkar Compound, EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE sent on Wednesday Tardeo, Mumbai-400 034, reserves the right to accept or reject any or all tenders 2) Cost of Blank Tender form :10,000 +GST without assigning any reason. KOLKATA,DECEMBER24 night,should that be (as applicable) Non- Refundable 9. In case of the rate quoted below the estimated tender cost, the (L1) 1st lowest the decorum? After 3) Earnest Money Deposit :NIL bidder should have to deposit additional performance security deposit within 8 CHIEF MINISTER MamataBanerjee on all, she (Mamata) is 4) Contract Period :36Months days after date of opening of tender.Ifhefailed to submit the additional Thursdaysaid she wasnot invited to the chief ministerofa • Bid documents download :28/12/2020 (18:01 Hrs.) to performance security deposit then (L2) 2nd lowest bidder will be asked and if he Visva-Bharati University’s centenary CM Mamata state.” 28/01/2021 till 16:00 Hrs. (L2) is agree to carry out the work below %than (L1) 1st lowest bidder quoted celebration that wasattendedbyPrime Banerjeein Meanwhile, the • Last date of online submission :28/01/2021 till 17:00 Hrs rate; then his offer will be accepted. For more information please refer Detail MinisterNarendraModi virtually. Kolkataon CM tweeted: “Visva Note: The e- tender can be downloaded from e-tendering portal: http:// Tender notice. “I didn’treceiveany kind of invitation Thursday. Bharati University etendermmrda.maharashtra.gov.in Any additional information,Corrigendum 10. Guidelines to download the tender documents and online submission of bids forthe programme so howcan Iattend Partha Paul turns100.Thistemple &help for uploading &downloading the e-tender may be availed by can be downloaded from web site https://mahatenders.gov.in,Help support : it?,”she said at apress conference. of learning was 1800-233-7315 E-mail : [email protected] contacting MMRDA’s e-tendering service desk at the following id: etender The BJP wasquicktoproduce aletter RabindranathTagore’s For queries on Tender Maharashtra Portal kindly contact. [email protected] or call us on 022-26597445. of invitation from the university to the greatestexperimentoncreating the ideal Tel. :1800 3070 2232/ 0120-4001 002/ 0120-4200 462/ 0120-4001 005/ 0120- For further information, if required you may please contact 6277 787. Chief Minister, andalleged that she was humanbeing.We must preservethevision Shri. Anil Jamadar,Chief Engineer/OSD, Metro-PIU, MMRDA on General Manager. Sd/- “disrespecting” Rabindranath Tagore’s and philosophy of this great visionary.” Telephone number 022-26594108 (Bhimrao Kale) institution. The BJP also claimed that MamataThursdayalsoannouncedan Executive Engineer 'C-1' Div., Visva-Bharati University Vice-Chancellor agro-industrial parkinSingur,the place Date : 25/12/2020, Sd/- Fulrani MBR&R Board, MHADA, Mumbai BidyutChakrabarty sent the letter. whereshe had launchedher campaign Place : Mumbai Director(Projects) Responding to aquestion in this regard, againstthe then LeftFront government No. :MMRDA/Metro-PIU/Staff Quarters/CA-67 MHADA :Leading Housing Authority in the Nation CPRO/A/239 Metro-PIU, MMRDA Chakrabarty said, “Even if theinvitation, over adecade agooverland acquisition. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 EXPRESS NETWORK 7

Pak national AHEAD OF JHARKHAND GOVT’S 1ST ANNIVERSARY Oli decision is among 2JeM CongMLAsmeet CM PMtolaunchDFCsectioninUP Nepal’s internal militants killed matter:MEA nation the newrailfreight corri- sultinginnot justfastermove- Kanchausi, Achalda, Ekdil, in J&K gunfight Soren, air grievances AVISHEKGDASTIDAR dor along withUttar Pradesh ment of goodsbut alsodecon- Bhadan, Makhanpur,Tundla, NewDelhi: India Thursdayde- NEWDELHI,DECEMBER24 Chief MinisterYogi Adityanath. gestion of the existing railway Hathras, Daudkan and Khurja. scribed Nepal Prime MinisterKP Along with the section, the line carrying traffictoNorth Some of the important industrial Sharma Oli's decisiontodissolve PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA ABHISHEKANGAD PRIME MINISTER Narendra PM will also unveil the state-of- India. areas that straddle this section Parliament and call forfresh SRINAGAR,DECEMBER24 RANCHI,DECEMBER24 Modi will virtuallyinaugurate the-artOperation Control Centre As arun-up to theinaugura- areAligarh, Khurja, Firozabad elections as an “internal matter” Hemant the largest section of the Eastern of the Eastern Dedicated Freight tion,workwas expedited and and Agra. that is forthe country to decide TWOJAISH-E-MOHAMMAD FROM COLLECTION of electricity Soren Dedicated Freight Corridor at Corridor,basedinPrayagraj.The trialrunswereconducted earlier Sixty-eight levelcrossings as per itsdemocratic processes. militantsincluding aPakistani dues that arebecoming aburden middayonDecember 29 to centre, with galleriesofmultiple thismonth. The firstcoal-loaded have been eliminated in this MEA spokesperson Anurag national were killedThursdayin on the poor to providing more launchthe operations of one of screens, will keep trackofall train comprising 59 wagons stretch, augmenting speedand Srivastava said India will con- an encounter with security jobs, and conducting panchayat CM to go alittle slowonthis.” the largest rail infrastructure train movement in real time on withtonnageof4893 tonnes ran safety, the DedicateFreight tinue supporting itsneighbour forces in Baramulla district of elections on time, amajority of With pending dues running projectsinIndia. the freightcorridor and enable forNabha PowerHouse in Corridor Corporation says.The in moving forwardonthe path Jammu and Kashmir,police said. Congress MLAs metChief intonearlyRs5,600crore,the The 351-km Khurja-Bhaupur seamless planning of operations. Punjab on December 10. section has 19 major bridges, 414 of peace and development."We The gunfight ensuedafter the MinisterHemant Soren forthe Damodar ValleyCorporation is (Kanpur) section of the Eastern The Khurja-Bhaupur section, The 352-km section Modi minor bridges, sevenrailway fly- have notedthe recent political militantsfired upon asearch firsttime since the government carrying out outages in various DedicatedFreight Corridor is afterthe inauguration, will see a will dedicatetothe nation is built overs.ATata-Aldesa JV wasre- developmentsinNepal.These team of security forces, drawing wasformedinJharkhand and ap- parts of thestate.Recently, the ready and necessarytrials and substantial number of freight at acostofRs5,750crore,funded sponsible forcivil construction, areinternal matters forNepal to retaliation. prisedhim of problems theyface Union PowerMinistrywrote to testing have already been con- trains and containertraffic di- by the WorldBank.The newsta- while Alstomhas done the sys- decide as per itsdemocratic Security forces had launched as public representatives. theJharkhand government and cluded. Modi will dedicatetothe verted to the freight corridor,re- tionsinthis sectionare Bhaupur, tems work. processes," Srivastavasaid. ENS acordon-and-search operation The Jharkhand Mukti askedittopay the dues to DVC, in Wanigam Payeen in Kreeri Morcha-ledgovernment will an- otherwise as per agreement the area of Baramulla district in nounce itsfirstyear’sachieve- RBIwoulddeduct Jharkhand's Temple runs into construction hiccup: Structuralpiles not up to mark north KashmirThursday morn- mentsonDecember 29. moneyinfour equal installments. ing, apolice spokesman said. Sources in the Congress At arecentdepartmental re- to facilitatethe constructionof Engineers (TCE) arealready fac- Some of the pillars were putun- (for the construction work). But One of the slain ultras was Legislative Partysaid the party's viewmeeting,Sorenhadcalledfor AVANEESHMISHRA the Ramtemple following the ing hurdles in form of loose sand derground till around 125feet theyweremuchdifferent from identifiedasAbrar aliasLangoo Jharkhand in-charge,RPN self-relianceinpowergeneration. LUCKNOW,DECEMBER24 Supreme Court's verdictinthe due to waterflowonthe west and were tested afteraround 28 what we expected,” Raisaid. who, according to sources, is a Singh, arranged themeeting. Another Congress MLAsaid RamJanmabhoomi-Babri side of garbhagrih of the pro- days,whichisthe required time He said withthe Saryu river Pakistani national. The second An MLAwho waspartofthe thattherewasaproblemwiththe THE STARTofthe construction Masjid title suit,isnow trying to posedtemple. as per engineering norms. We flowingonthe west side of the militant wasAmir Siraj,aresident meeting said:“One major issue panchayatelections next month. of aRam temple in Ayodhya has find alternative ways forit. The foundation design, fi- put 700tonnes of weight on garbhagrih,water and loose of Sopore,the spokesman said. wasthe manner of collection of The legislators said worksinthe hit another hiccup aftertests re- The team of technical experts nalisedand submitted by the them along with creating an sand arepresent close to where He said the militantswereaf- electricity dues from the poor. panchayats would come to ahalt. vealedthat structural piles made that include people from several L&T, comprisedplaincement earthquakesituation, but the test the pillars aretostand. “The filiated withJeM. The Covid-19pandemic has al- The discussion came on the back to bear the weight of the temple renownedinstitutes likethe IITs, concreteraftresting on about piles did notgiveusthe desired structure's strength cannotbe As per police records, the mil- ready broken their backs,and of aletterfromPanchayati Rajdi- did notgivedesired results, ac- NITs, the Central Building 1200 cementconcretepiles go- results. The readings on the ma- ensured on loose sand. That is itantswereinvolvedinseveral peopleinvarious constituencies rector AdityaRanjan to deputy cording to Shri Ram Research Institute(CBRI) in ing 20 to 40 metres deepand chine were notwhatwe whythe experts arehavingdis- terror-related cases, including arefeeling overburdenedbyno- commissioners,statingpanchayat Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Roorkee, and engineers from around 1metre in diameter. wanted... If the pile testingre- cussions on howtostopthe wa- attacks on security forces and tices served by the electricity de- polls couldnot be completedon Trust. companies likeLarsen &Toubro “The drawing wasof1,200 sultswerejustalittle different, terfromreaching the temple, civilian atrocities, he said. partment on dues. We askedthe time due to thepandemic. The Trust, whichwas formed (L&T) and Tata Consulting pillars and we did atesting. we would have givenago-ahead and makeastrong foundation..” Ram Mandir is Rashtra Mandir: Adityanath STATUE OF UNITY

Speaking at akavisammelan ownpolitical benefitscall Ram karne aur desh ke prati na- Oppose inclusionofareas around statue under EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE organisedonthe eveofformer communal. Calling the Ram makharami karne ka avsar inko LUCKNOW,DECEMBER24 Prime MinisterAtalBihari Temple being built in Ayodhya a kabhi nahi mila hota (Onlyifthe Vajpayee's birth anniversaryin RashtraMandir,Adityanath said, Leftists and socialists would have eco-sensitive zone: ex-BJP MLA to sarpanches CHIEF MINISTER Yogi Adityanath Lucknow, the BJP leader said that “Inbhavonkopehchannekaprayas triedtounderstandthesefeelings, on Thursdayhit out at the Leftists “Ram is the centreofour sanatan ishdeshkeandarvampanthiyonne theyprobablywouldnever have againstthe government order. February6... The graveissue ing intoconfidence the vil- andsocialists,accusingthemof be- parampara” and nothing can be aur socialistsnekiyahota, to samb- got the opportunity to betray and EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE In alettertothe sarpanches facing us as of nowisthe inclu- lagers to oppose this govern- traying the country. expectedfromthosewhofortheir havtadesh ke prati vishwasghaat be ungrateful to the country.” VADODARA,DECEMBER24 of 121villages of the “eco-sen- sion of the villages in the eco- ment move." sitive zone” in Narmada, Vasava sensitive zone. Youmustre- Vasava’s letter comes aday FORMER BJP MLAMotilal has remindedthe tribal com- member that the government afterBJP MP from Bharuch, MEA: 2cargoships with 39 Indians stranded in Chinawaters Vasava has written to the munities of the rightsbe- has granted youthe rightsto Mansukh Vasava,also wroteto sarpanches of 121villages stowedupon them by the protect your properties, jungles Prime MinisterNarendraModi members on account of this un- waiting fordischarge of itscargo, count of coronavirus-related re- around the Statue of Unity in Provisions of the Panchayats and other possessions as in- seeking revocation of the noti- EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE precedentedsituation,”Ministry he said at amedia briefing. strictions imposedbythe local Narmada district, urging them (Extension to ScheduledAreas) digenous communities under fication and “releasing” NEWDELHI,DECEMBER24 of External Affairs spokesperson “Our Embassy in Beijing has authorities. “Wealso understand, to oppose the inclusion of the Act, 1996 or PESA, alaw en- Schedule Vofthe Constitution Narmada districtfromthe eco- Anurag Srivastavasaid. been in constant touchwith however, thatsome other ships, areasunder eco-sensitive zone acted by the Government of as well as the special PESAAct. sensitive zone. The area has INDIA ON Thursdaysaid two Srivastava said bulk cargo ves- provincialand central govern- whicharrived afterIndian ship as per a2016notification of the India forensuring self-gover- The stategovernment, by the seen protests from villagers cargo vessels with atotal of 39 selMVJag Anand is on anchorage ment authorities in China,re- had arrived, have actuallyman- MinistryofEnvironment, nance through traditional gram wayofthe central government since the district administra- Indians on boardhavebeen on near Jingtang portinHebei questing that the ships be al- agedto discharge cargo andleave. Forest and ClimateChange sabhas forpeople living in the notification to include the area tion begansending notices to anchorageinChinese waters as province of China since June 13 lowedtodockand/orthe crew be The reasons forthis arenot clear,” (MoEFCC). ScheduledAreas of India as per under the eco-sensitive zone, is the gram panchayatsfor the theywerenot allowedtounload andhas23 Indiansailors.Another allowedtobechanged,” he said. he said, addingIndiahas taken Vasava,who also leads the Schedule Vofthe Constitution. trying to establish itstitle on implementation of the notifi- their cargo thoughsome other vessel, MV Anastasia with 16 Srivastavasaid the Chinese note of theChinese foreign min- BJP party’s tribal cell in the state, In hisletter, Vasava has said, your lands. Itrustthat youwill cation, whichinvolvesthe in- ships have managed to do so. Indian nationals as itscrew,ison authoritieshaveconveyed that istry’s statement on Wednesday has asked thesarpanchestouse “The gram sabhas arecoming usethe powerthatthe PESA Act clusion of the stategovernment “Thereisaconsiderable anchoragenear Caofeidian port crew changeisnot being per- about the provision of necessary the upcoming gram sabhas in up in your respective villages givesyou to pass resolutions in as aco-owner of the village amount of stress on the crew in China since September 20, mitted from the ports on ac- facilitation and assistance. the villagestopass resolutions between December 28 to your respective villages by tak- lands on revenue records. ADVERTORIAMerMerL ryry ChrChrististmasmas * Christmas is all about celebrating brotherhood and being merry! This is afestival that knows no boundaries and is celebrated acrossthe globe with awhole lot of cheerfulness and festivities ITHTHE ongoing festive In many countries,“the season for lowing government guidelines fomite transmission of COVID-19. seasoninchingcloser to retail stores to sell gifts,food, but also professional guidelines Any type of contactlesspayment Wthe year-end festivities, greeting cards,Christmas trees, to curb COVID-19 spread. They is apreferred mode of payment two big celebrationsare on the anddecorations begins almost a are taking major precautionary these days,with “tap and go” cards for many on the occasion of month beforethe Christmas Day.” measures to ensure people’s transactions at PoSterminals Christmas and NewYear.The festi- Since every festivalinIndia is safety inside the malls or their gaining traction. Even the busi- valofChristmas rings in the ar- celebrated with great pomp and stores.Due to these extensive ef- nesses thatinsisted on cash ear- rival of New Year and merriment. show,Christmas is no exception. fortsonpart of mall owners and lier are now opting digital, con- Things are likely to get even more It’safestival that spreads the retail stores, people are feeling tactless payments. merrier considering that both message of brotherhood and love comfortable and happy while Overall,it’simportant to un- Christmas and New Year fall on and is celebrated across the soci- shopping worry-free inside the derstandyour responsibilities long weekends. ety with great merriment. On this business by offering mega dis- credit growth, banks are tryingto malls or standalone stores. at atimewhen uncertainty and Christmas celebratesthe birth day,people visit churches and counts and offers. Generally,mar- cash in on the festive cheer by Though shopping malls and anxiousness reign high on peo- of Jesus whom Christians believe is cathedrals that are embellished kets are jampacked with huge rolling out special offersonloans stores are taking extensive saniti- ple’smind. Themore careful the Son of God. Celebrated across with flowers,colourful lights and crowd as people scurry to buy to lure peopleinto resuming bor- sation and disinfectiondrives to and responsible you are to- the globe by Christians and non- other decorations.Folks send new clothes,gifts (exchanging rowing and making big purchases. ensure cleanliness,self-safety wards your hygiene and Christians alike, Christmas is “one Christmas greetings to their gifts is an age-old Christmas prac- Besides this,many banks have should be apriority right now. health, the betteritisfor you of the mostimportantdays of the friends and families in faraway tice and people choose gifts for also tied up with the leading While paying bills,gofor online and society.So, follow the pre- year for Christians,along with places.People decorate their their loved ones with great ecommerce giants to provide at- wallet payments or pay through cautionary and preventive Easterwhen the death and res- homes to the hilt with Christmas thought and affection),avariety tractive discounts and deals to on- cards.Opting for cash payments measures to have aworry-free urrection of Jesusare observed.” trees,wreathes with bright red of things to cook,Christmas deco- line buyers.Several banks have won’tbeagood idea right now, shopping experience this Thetraditions of celebrating decorative bulbs,bells and other rations, among otherthings. comeonboardtolaunchaseries as currencynotesare suspected of Christmas. Christmas differ from country to small trinkets.People hang beauti- However,this time,since the of offerstoencourage spending. country, butthey nearly alwaysin- ful star-shaped paper lamps of pandemic as createdproblems in No wonder then, festive season is clude “a feast, giving gifts or various colours and sizes outside every sphere of life,celebrating always agreat time for shopa- Merry cards,and enjoyingchurch or pub- their homes. festivals in the New Normal is dif- holics as well as retailers. lic festivities such as singing Andwhenitcomes to celebrat- ferent as well. Moreover, with the Safety is another concern that Christmas! Christmas carols and songs. ing festivals,one automatically pandemic causing financial dis- hits the mind as soon as we hit Santa Claus is atradition in many turns to shopping. In India, every tress through job and salary cuts, the roadsand venture out to cele- countries of the world.” festival is an opportunitytoshop Indians have begun to spend less brate.Even in these times of dis- Theseason of preparing for your heart out to have acomplete and wisely.However,festive sea- tress, the Indian business commu- Christmas is called Advent and celebration. No celebration is con- son is also the time when the like- nity is doingeverybit possible to begins on aSunday about four sidered complete unless there’s lihood of aperson purchasing a ensure safe shoppingexperience weeks before Christmas.The some shopping involved in it, be house,car or any othervehicle in- for their customers.Nowadays, ChristmasSeason (calledChrist- it for festive essentials, apparels creases,followingwhich there is malls are offering manyexciting mastide) ends 6January or the or gift sets etc. During this hugely asteep rise in the requirementof deals and offers to shoppers. Twelfth Day after Christmas,in popular festival, shops and credit facilities.Realising this fact Some of the shopping malls and which Epiphanyisremembered. bazaars are decked up to do good and in an attempt to increase their standalone storesare notjust fol-

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 8 EXPRESS NETWORK Farmlaws:Aspressuremounts, DELHI CONFIDENTIAL Dushyantofferstobemediator

significanceasBJP leaderand for- VARINDERBHATIA& mer UnionministerChaudhary SUKHBIRSIWACH BirenderSingh–withwhosefam- CHANDIGARH,DECEMBER24 ilythe Chautalas have engaged in politicalcontestsoverthepastfew WITH PRESSURE mounting on decades–hasannouncedsupport the BJP-JJP government in to theprotesting farmers.Infact, Congressleader Rahul Gandhi metthe President to seek Haryana over the farmers' Singhsat on adharna at Hisar on repeal of the three farm laws,inDelhi. AbhinavSaha protests,Deputy Chief Minister Thursday, whichwas organised Dushyant Chautala on Thursday by his ChaudharyChhotu Ram offeredtoact as amediator be- Vichar Manchinsupportofthe tweenthefarmersandtheCentre farmers. This came aweek after Democracy in India to resolve thestandoff. he joinedasimilar dharna in This came on aday agroup of Rohtak district. SETTING RHYTHM villagers usedshovels to damage The families of Chautala and not in reality... PM atemporary helipad in his con- Singh,bothofwhomclaimtocham- POET-TURNED-POLITICIANKumar Vishwas has foundanew stituency Uchana in Jind –one of pion farmers' causes, have fought admirer in the ruling BJP.OnThursday, BJP’s Uttar Pradesh the districtsthat has seen farmers electoralbattlesfromUchanaKalan incompetent: Rahul President SwatantraDev Singh showeredhim with praise for gathering in protestagainstthe assemblyseatandHisarparliamen- his “brilliant poetryrecitation” at aprogramme organisedon threenewfarmlaws–where they tary constituency formanyyears. protesting at Delhi’s borders. the eveofthe birthanniversary of former Prime Minister, late claimedChautalawastovisitlater Mostrecently, Chautala defeated EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE “BJP and NarendraModi have Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Incidentally, thecomplimentsfor the for- in the day. Theyalso released Singh’swifePremLatafromUchana NEWDELHI,DECEMBER24 onlyone goal. And the farmers mer AamAadmi Partyleader come days afterthe AAP an- videosof thehelipadbeingdugup. intheOctober2019 Assemblypolls. and labourers have understood nouncedthat it will fightthe upcoming UP Assemblyelection However, aleader from Few monthsbeforethat Birender SENIOR CONGRESS leader Rahul that. NarendraModiismaking in 2022. Chautala's JJP deniedany visit Singh’s son and BJP candidate Gandhi on Thursdayled aparty moneyfor two-three-four crony plans.“Therewas no official pro- BrijendraSingh defeated Chautala delegation to President RamNath capitalists who areclose to him,” gramme of the Deputy Chief from Hisar. Kovind, seeking his intervention Rahul said, adding thatthe Prime OFFERING CONDOLENCES MinistertogotoUchana today. Singh's open support to the forrepeal of the three farm laws. Ministerdid notpay heedtohis Instead, he wasaddressing press protesting farmers maybuild Rahulthen launchedasharpat- warnings on the threat of coron- BALOCH ACTIVISTKarima Mehrab —popularly known as conference hereinChandigarh. pressureonChautalaasneitherhe tack on Prime MinisterNarendra avirus and his suggestion notto KarimaBaloch —avocalcriticof PakistanArmy, wasfound dead Then he flewtoDelhi. Several Protesters dig up ahelipad in Uchana, Deputy CM Dushyant nor his legislator mother Naina Modi,calling him “incompetent” handlethe pandemic in acen- this week in Toronto, Canada.New Delhi,whichusuallyrefrains times thereare tentative pro- Chautala’sconstituency.Theysaid Chautalawas scheduled Chautala has joinedany such and accusing his government of tralisedway.“He didn’t do it.He from commenting on individual deaths exceptfor worldlead- grammes, likesocial engage- to arrive thereonThursday—aclaim the JJP denied. Express protestuntil now. labelling those who stood up to it causedthousands and thousands ers, on Thursdayexpressedcondolences to her family. While mentsataparty worker's place. Singh, however, is yettoget a as terrorists.“One dayifMohan of people to die because he didn’t the local policein Torontohaveruledout anyfoul play, Baloch’s The Uchana programme could warm response –therewas thin Bhagwat stands up...he also will do it. And afterwards afterIsaid familyhas sought aprobe intothe circumstances of her death. have been one of those...,” he told the betterment of farmers. Ihope Electricity Amendment Bill attendance at Thursday's dharna be calledaterrorist,” Rahul said. it in thepress conference he did The Indian Express. talkswill be held in the next few amongother demands. If the –largely becausehisMPsonisyet WhileRahul, Leaderofthe it. So the point is youhaveanin- Chautala, meanwhile,told re- days andthatwouldleadto apos- Centre givesmeresponsibility to to showupinfavour.Brijendra Opposition in RajyaSabha competent man who is con- STAR SHOW porters that the protestingfarm- itiveoutcome,” he said. mediateonthosechangesthatare Singh waspartofathree-mem- Ghulam Nabi Azad and Congress trolledbycertain other people...” ers shouldtalkwith the govern- In replytoanother question, notbeingincluded, Iamreadyto berpanelof BJPMPsformedafew leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan To aquestion aboutthedeten- THE CONCLUDINGsession of the India International Science ment and reachasolution. “No hesaid,“Changesneedtobemade do the needful.” monthsagototalktotheagitators. Chowdhurymet the President, tion of Congress leaders and Festival tomorrowisset to be astar-studdedevent. Actor solution can be reachedwithout in the agriculturelawsand in this Chautala's statementscame Birender Singh’s supporttothe the police prevented senior whether it wasright in ademoc- Amitabh Bachchan, filmmaker ShekharKapur and eminent talks,” he said. regard written suggestions have even as farmer unions continued agitation is being seen as an at- Congress leaders –among them racy,hesaid, “Whichdemocracy wildlifeactivistand film director MikePandeyhavebeen “WhentheUniongovernment been made to the Centreand the to buildpressure,raisinganti-gov- tempttopacifytheangryfarmers, MPs and AICC office bearers -- areyou talking about? Areyou ropedinbythe government forthe concluding session. ismakingeffortsinthisregard,the Centrealso agreedtothe same. ernment slogans outside resi- at least, in Hisar constituency from marching towards talkingabout India? Thereisno Prominent wildlifechannelsparticipated and screenedtheir 40farmerunionswhoareleading The government is ready to in- dencesof seniorBJPandJJPleaders wheresome khap groups have Rashtrapati Bhawanfromthe democracy in India. Democracy films over the pastfew days in the festival. these protests should also come clude the guarantee of MSP in in their respectiveconstituencies. announcedsocial boycottofboth AICC headquarters. The police in India...it maybeinyour imagi- forwardandparticipateintalksfor writing, to makeamendmentsto The offertomediateassumes him and Chautala. took manyofthem, including nation but notinreality.” Congress general secretary Priyanka said it is “sin” to Priyanka Gandhi, intocustody brand farmers anti-nationals. “If Karnataka withdraws and shiftedthem to the Mandir the government is calling them TRACKING INDIA’S COVID CURVE HC quashes FIR Margpolice station in buses be- anti-nationals,then the govern- fore releasing them. ment is asinner.” night curfeworder in CASES: ACTIVECASES:2,83,849 Rahul said thePrime Minister FULLREPORTON 297 will have to listentothe farmers www.indianexpress.com DAYSSINCE 1,01,23,778 DEATHS:1,46,756 over‘jungleraj PANDEMIC view of ‘publicopinion’ BEGAN TESTS: 16,53,08,366 | RECOVERIES: 96,93,173 masks, hand hygiene and social CASES DEATHS RECOVERIES TESTS Rahul forever young, PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA distancing to prevent the spread DEC23 in UP’ tweet 24,712 312 29,791 10,39,645 BENGALURU,DECEMBER24 of thecoronavirus.Thedecisionto impose night curfew had drawn Expressing dissent on lawand order agitated, says BJP, IN AU-turn, the Karnataka gov- flak from the ruling as well as the ernment on Thursdaywithdrew opposition parties. situation hallmarkofaconstitutional itsnight curfew order,hours be- Termingthe night curfew as a dares him to debate fore itwastocommentintoeffect. measure to ‘coverup’ wrongdo- liberal democracy,saysAllahabad HC The decisiontoimpose night ingsofthe BJP government by di- curfew fornine days from 11 pm vertingpublicattention,Congress In the FIR, police hadalleged EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE to 5amstarting Thursdaywas statechief DKShivakumar said, STATESWITHRISINGACTIVECASES EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE that Singh had referred to various NEWDELHI,DECEMBER24 takenonWednesdayinline with “Thisisagovernmentwhichisnot ACTIVECASES RISEINLASTWEEK LUCKNOW,DECEMBER24 incidentsofabduction,ransomcall the Centre’s advice, amid con- accountable.Ittriesto divertpub- Haryana 1,05,230 97,567 and murders in his tweet. THE BJP on Thursdaytargeted cernsoveranew Covid-19variant lic attention through various Kerala 62,8674,636 OBSERVINGTHATexpressingdis- In an order passedon Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Prakash spreading in the UK. means. Howdoes the night cur- sent on lawand order situation is November 23 and uploadedre- who ledaparty delegation to Javadekar Odisha 2,991306 In astatement, Chief Minister fewhelp containing the coron- a“hallmarkofaconstitutionallib- centlyontheHighCourt'swebsite, President RamNath Kovind BSYediyurappa said: “In viewof avirus,” Shivakumar asked. STATESWHEREACTIVECASESAREDECLINING eral democracy” likeIndia, the the Benchobserved that no of- againstthe Centre's farm laws, the public opinion that therewas BJPlegislatorAHVishwanath, ACTIVECASES DECLINEINLASTWEEK Allahabadhighcourthasquashed fence under the appliedsections calling him “perpetuallyyoung, Union AgricultureMinister no need fornightcurfew,the de- who is aspiring to become amin- Maharashtra54,573 6,881 an FIR againstaperson who had wasmadeoutagainsttheaccused frustrated and agitated”. While NarendraSinghTomarpointedto cision wasreviewedand after ister, also criticisedthe govern- Delhi 8,003 5,258 allegedly tweetedthatUttar and quashedconsequential pro- UnionministerPrakashJavadekar the Congress 2019 election man- consulting withcabinetcol- ment’s decision. “I requestthe Pradesh ChiefMinisterYogi ceedings. challengedGandhito adebate,BJP ifesto where he said the Congress West Bengal 15,689 4,454 leagues and senior officialsithas governmenttoreconsider itsde- Adityanath “hastransformed the “Weafter analysing the above national spokesperson had promised theend of APMC, been decidedtowithdrawthe cision to impose night curfew. STATESREPORTINGMAXIMUMCASES stateintoajungleraj in whichno provisions,quaallegationmadein Sudhanshu Trivedisaid no gov- ensuringtradewithoutmanditax night curfew.” Yediyurappa had Some of the decisions should be ONDEC23 TOTAL lawand order prevails”. the FIR do notfind even remotely ernmenthaddonemoreforfarm- and promotion of contract farm- initiallyannounced Wednesday takenaftermuchdeliberationbe- Kerala 6,1697,21,511 Expressing dissent on the law acommission of offence under ers thanthe BJP. ing. “Now Iwanttoask Rahul thatthe night curfew will be im- cause it’s agovernment forthe Maharashtra3,913 19,06,371 andordersituationinthestateisa Section66-D,assaidprovisionre- The BJP pointed to old Gandhi if he liedin2019orisly- posedfromDecember23until people," he told the media. “hallmarkofaconstitutional lib- lates to cheating by personation,” speeches of Rahul Gandhi, Sonia ing now,”Tomar said. West Bengal 1,628 5,41,624 January2between 10 pm and 6 Another senior BJP leader, eraldemocracylikeours,constitu- the High Courtsaid. Gandhi and Manmohan Singh Partyspokesperson Trivedi am.Changesinnightcurfew dates VijayapuraMLA Basanagouda STATESREPORTINGMAXIMUMDEATHS tionallyprotectedunderArticle19 Singh's lawyer,Dharmendra wheretheyare seentobearguing calledGandhi “perpetually andtimingwere announcedlater PatilYatnal,alsourgedthegovern- ONDEC23 TOTAL of the Constitution”, theBenchof Singh, had told the court, “The forreforms, and againstmiddle- young, disenchanted,agitated withYediyurappatweetingthatit ment to reconsider itsdecision. Maharashtra9650,098 Justice PankajNaqvi and Justice right to commentonthe affairs of men in agriculture,accusing the and frustrated”. will be imposedfromDecember Earlier in day, Karnataka West Bengal 34 9,473 VivekAgarwal observed while the Stateiswellwithin his consti- Congress of changing stance. Attacking Gandhi forhis com- 24 to January 1, 2021, between 11 Health MinisterDrKSudhakar quashing the FIR. tutional right envisaged under “I challengethe Congress and mentsthatIndia wasan“imagi- pm and 5am(5am, January2). defended government's move to Kerala 22 3,000 The courtwas hearing awrit Article 19 of the Constitution of RahulGandhiforanopendebate. narydemocracy”, Trivedisaid, “I OnThursday, Yediyurappaap- imposenightcurfew sayingitwas DataasonDecember23,releasedbyUnionMinistryofHealthandFamilyWelfare,IndianCouncilofMedical petition filedbyYashwant Singh India. Meredissent does not Iwill provehow the Congress al- want to bringtohis attention that Researchandstategovernments.Oftenthenumbersreleasedeverydaycontaindatafrompreviousdays pealedtothe people to exercise done on adviceoftechnical advi- aswell.Assuch,trendsbasedondailynumbersareonlyindicativeandnotdefinitive who had been bookedunder amountto criminality.TheFIRwas ways ignored farmers' interests it wasthe anniversaryofthe self-restraint by wearing face sorycommittee forCovid-19. Section 66-D (offence of cheating lodged malafidelyonlywitha and howModi empowered country's tallestfarmer leader by personationby usingcomputer viewtocoerce the petitioner to them,”Javadekar said. and formerPrime Minister resource) of the Information stopexpressinghisdissentagainst On Gandhi's demand fora ChoudharyCharan Singh and to- Offline lessons for classes9-12 to resume from Jan 4inBihar Technology Actand Section 500 the Stategovernment....” Parliamentsessionwherethelaws morrowisthe birthanniversary (defamation) of the IPC. The FIR The additional government should be repealed, the minister of Atal BihariVajpayee. Did the Patna: The Bihar Education District Magistrates and District to 12 from January4with 50 per vate coachingcentres and engi- againstSingh waslodged at advocate,arguingonbehalfofthe said: “When Parliamentisinses- Congress notcharge both of DepartmentThursdaydirectedall EducationOfficerstorestartoffline cent capacity in classrooms. All neering colleges have been asked Bhognipur Police Station in stategovernment,had opposed sion, Congress members obstruct them with sedition? Did they university Vice-Chancellors, lessonsforstudentsfromClasses9 highereducationalinstitutions,pri- to adheretothe directive. ENS KanpurDehatdistrictonAugust2. the petition. and do nottakepart in adebate.” both notgotojail?” In stir against Reliance, farmers 43 farmer outfits made Sonal Mansingh seeks breach snap power supply to Jio towers parties in plea to remove of privilege actiononKejriwal

towers. protest from Delhi borders TheBillswere passedviavoice RAAKHIJAGGA In mostofthe villages in EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE vote on September 20 with sev- LUDHIANA,DECEMBER24 Barnala and Bathinda,farmers ernmentsofDelhi, Uttar Pradesh NEWDELHI,DECEMBER24 eraloppositionmembersprotest- lockedthe gatesoftowers after EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE and Haryana and the ingintheWellandothersseeking AFTER STAGINGprotestsoutside snappingthe powersupply. NEWDELHI,DECEMBER24 CommissionerofPolice, Delhi, BJP RAJYASabha MP Sonal adivision of votes. RajyaSabha petrol pumps and retail outlets Jagmohan Singh Patiala, parties to his petition.When the Mansingh has soughtabreachof DeputyChairmanHarivanshcited of Reliance, protesting farmers working group member of All THE PETITIONER who moved matter came up forhearing on privilegenoticeagainstDelhiChief lackoforder causedbythe in Punjab have nowstarted dis- India Kisan Sangharsh the Supreme Courtfor removal December 16 before abench MinisterArvind Kejriwal, taking MansinghraisedKejriwal’s protests to rule out adivision. connecting powersupplytoJio Coordination Committee, said, of the protesting farmers from headedbyChief Justice SA issue with his speechonthe con- speechinDelhiHouse Mansinghallegedintheletter, mobiletowers disrupting the Powersupplyofmobile “Our teams in the field arecon- borders of Delhi has made as Bobde, the courtsuggestedthat tentiousfarmlawsinthe Delhi that Kejriwal, on December 17, telecom giant's services in sev- towerbeing snappedin ductingsurveys to find inde- manyas43farmeroutfitspar- it would also liketohear farmer Assemblywherehealso tore a “deliveredaspeechthereby cast- eral parts of thestate. Kotlallu villageofMansa pendent towers of Jio... our tar- ties to his pleaand served copies organisations on the issue. copyofthe Bills. maythen ask the DelhiAssembly ingseriousaspersionsontheover- Farmers owing allegiance to getwill be only such of the petitionupon them. Issuing notice on the peti- Mansingh, quoting Kejriwal's to take actionagainstKejriwal. all working of RajyaSabha and different farmers’ unions have independent towers.” AdvocatesOmPrakash tions that day, thecourtallowed speech, filedacomplaint with Mansinghsaid in the letter made unwarranted andunsub- shut thepowersupplytoseveral towers wascut by farmerssep- JioTelecommunications re- Parihar and Dushyant Tiwari, impleadmentofeight farmer as- Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, that the RajyaSabha, “...inausual stantiated allegations againstthe Jio towers in Nawanshahr, aratelyunder the banner of BKU fusedtocomment till the time of who represent the petitioner sociations that arepartofthe the Chairman of the RajyaSabha, (sic) showofunity,passedthese Chairman.” Ferozepur,Mansa, Barnala, (Ugrahan) and BKU (Dakaunda). filing of this report. RishabhSharma, filedarevised protests. on Wednesday.Chairman Naidu Billsunanimously,taking intoac- Mansingh’snotice also says, Fazilka, Patiala and Mogadis- In Nawanshahr,farmers un- AVenuprasad,CMD, Punjab listofparties in the topcourton Government sources said caninduecoursetake cognizance count the fact that these Bills are “Kejriwalafteruttering...blasphe- trictsinlastthree days. der the banner of Kirti Kisan StatePowerCorporation Limited December 22. this listwas onlyrepresentative of thecomplaint,andforwarditto oriented towardsthe welfareof mous wordsinthe Legislative In Ferozepur,the powersup- Union (KKU) disconnected (PSPCL) did notrespond to re- The petitioner had initially as no one wassurehow many the privilege committee of the farmerscommunity in the coun- AssemblyofDelhi,tore thecopies plytothe cellulartransmission powersupplyto11Jio mobile questfor comment. made onlythe Centre, the gov- outfitswerepartofthe protests. Upper House. The RajyaSabha try.” of all the three Farm Bills.” WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 9

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Christmas brings communities together Christmas brings cheer and hopefulness while bridging the gapbetween communities

considered complete unless there’ssome shopping payments won’t be agood idea right now,as Overall,it’simportant to understand your re- involved in it, be it for festive essentials, apparelsor currency notes are suspected of fomite trans- sponsibilities at atime when uncertainty and gift sets etc. During this hugely popular festival, missionofCOVID-19.Any type of contactless anxiousnessreignhighonpeople’smind. The shops and bazaars are decked up to do good busi- payment is apreferred mode of payment these more careful and responsible you are towards ness by offering mega discounts and offers. Gen- days,with “tap and go” transactions at PoSter- your hygiene and health, the better it is for you erally,markets are jampacked withhuge crowd as minalsgainingtraction. Eventhe businesses andsociety.So, followthe precautionary and people scurry to buy new clothes,gifts(exchanging that insisted on cash earlier are now opting dig- preventivemeasures to have aworry-free shop- gifts is an age-old Christmas practice and people ital, contactless payments. ping experience this Christmas. choose gifts for theirlovedoneswith great thought and affection), avariety of things to cook, Christmas decorations,among other things. However,this time,since the pandemic has cre- ated problems in every sphere of life,celebrating festivals in the New Normal is different as well. Safety is ahugeconcern thathits the mindassoon as we hit the roads and ventureout to celebrate. Even in these times of distress,the Indian business communityisdoing every bit possible to ensure safe shopping experiencefor theircustomers. Nowadays,malls are offering many exciting deals and offers to shoppers.Some of the shopping malls and standalone stores are not just following gov- ernment guidelines but also professional guide- lines to curb COVID-19 spread.They are taking ma- jor precautionary measurestoensure people’s safety inside the malls or their stores.Due to these extensive efforts on part of mall owners and retail HRISTMAS is one such festival that tran- with brightred decorative bulbs,bells and other stores,people are feeling comfortable and happy scends communities and unites them in one small trinkets.People hang beautiful star-shaped while shopping worry-free inside the mallsor Cglobal celebration. Observed withmuch paperlamps of various colours and sizesoutside standalone stores. gusto among people of all faith, Christmasisa their homes. Though shopping malls andstores are taking ex- hugely popular festival across the globe.OnChrist- And when it comes to celebrating festivals,one tensive sanitisation and disinfection drives to en- mas,people throng to churches and cathedrals in automaticallyturns to shopping.InIndia, every surecleanliness,self-safetyshould be apriority scores to attend prayers and Mass.Onthisday, festival is an opportunity to shop your heart out to right now.While paying bills,gofor online wallet people from other communities too visit churches have acomplete celebration. No celebration is payments or pay through cards.Opting for cash to pay their obeisanceto Jesus Christ. Christmas representsa great waytodevelop bonds between people in a society.Sincethere is an underlyingfeeling of family that comes with celebrat- ing this festival, people al- ways seem to bond well during Christmas.This is just one of the things that is an intrinsicpart of Christmas that canhelp build supportfor one an- other. Theseason of preparing for Christmas is called Ad- vent and begins on aSun- dayabout four weeksbe- foreChristmas.The ChristmasSeason(called Christmastide) ends Janu- ary 6ortheTwelfth Day af- ter Christmas, in which Epiphany is remembered. In many countries,“the seasonfor retail stores to sellgifts,food,greeting cards,Christmas trees, and decorations begins almost amonth before the Christmas Day.” Being acultural festival, preparations for Christ- mas startearly for mostpeople so that celebra- tions begin on the eve of Christmas.People usually buy decorations, food, and gifts mostly for chil- dren in the family and friends.Some families shop for matching Christmas outfits for everyone.“The common preparations include decorations of the place with Christmas trees,lighting. Before deco- rations begin, the house must be deep cleaned. TheChristmas tree brings the Christmas spirit in homes.” Thetraditions of celebrating Christmas differ Sinceevery festival in India is celebrated with great pompand show, Christmas is no exception. It’safestival thatspreads the messageof brotherhoodand love

from country to country, but they nearlyalways in- clude “a feast, giving gifts or cards,and enjoying church or public festivities such as singing Christ- mas carols and songs.Santa Claus is atradition in many countries of the world.” Since everyfestival in India is celebrated with great pomp and show,Christmas is no exception. It’safestival that spreads the messageofbrother- hoodand love andiscelebrated across the soci- ety withgreatmerriment. On this day,people visit churches and cathedrals that are embellished with flowers, colourfullights and other decorations. Folks sendChristmas greetings to theirfriendsand families in faraway places.People decorate their homes to the hilt with Christmas trees,wreathes

*(READ. ENGAGE. DELIVER.)ISTHE MARKETING SOLUTIONS TEAM OF THE INDIAN EXPRESS GROUP WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 WORDLY WISE Thething aboutChristmas is thatitalmost doesn't matter whatmood you'reinorwhatkind of ayear 10 THE EDITORIAL PAGE you've had —it's afresh start. —KELLY CLARKSON Fallacyofcentral model

§ FOUNDED BY § RAMNATH GOENKA Curricula model at the national-leveldoesn’t do justice to BECAUSE THE TRUTH INVOLVES US ALL stateorlocal-levelproblems, issues

BURYTHE LEGACY Milind Sohoni Government shouldabide by arbitration panel verdictsin RECENTLY, THE AICTE, an agency of the years, would have allowedthe states to come arywhile bypassing the stateapparatus. Such Vodafone and Cairn case and end retrospective taxation MinistryofHuman Resource Development, up witharotatingpanel of writers, supported bulldozer thinking is alsoevident in the whichregulates engineering education in the by aprofessional team whichworks to aplan. National Education Policy 2020. NITS 2014 election manifesto,the BJP had attackedthe then Congress-ledUPA gov- country,came up withanew scheme to sup- So whydid AICTE notthink of this? The fact is that severalstateshaveproved ernment forunleashing“taxterrorism” and “uncertainty”inthe country, whichnot portthewritingandproductionofengineering The fact is that suchobduracy is routine themselvestobequite capable of delivering only“negatively impactsthe investment climate”, but also “dents the imageofthe textbooksin21regional languages. Thereis forMHRD, and also the Department of welfaretotheir people. Mostdevelopmental I theusualdownloadableapplicationformand Science and Technology (DST). Grantsare innovations suchasthe anganwadi, mid-day country”. Sixyearslater,the signalsthat emanatesuggestthatrather than ushering in a“non adversarial and conducive taxenvironment”,the NarendraModigovernment is scoring sheettobefilledbyactive or retired made to individual faculty members and meals, watermanagement, consumer and professorsfromAICTE-approved institutions. sometimes, institutions. The statedepart- producercooperatives, have come from the continuingwiththehighlycontentiouspoliciesof theUPAgovernment.OnThursday, itwas The supportoffered is about Rs 2lakh. ments, from education to industries, cannot states. And theyhavedone this through their reportedthat the government has filedanappeal at the Singaporeseat of the permanent But thereare twocatches.The firstisthat convey their priorities or interests.Moreover, ownpolitical,social and cultural institutions, courtof arbitrationchallengingthejudgmentintheVodafoneretrospective taxationcase.The thetextbooksshouldpreferablybeforacourse mostofthe open-endedfunds areavailableat without the big-ticket investmentsinscience government’smove comesaday afteritlostthearbitrationcasetoCairnEnergyovertheret- intheAICTEnationalmodelcurriculum.Now, the Centre. Forexample, theannual funds fromtheCentreorthesupportofitselitehigher rospective levy of taxesand wasasked to paydamagestothe tune of $1.2 billion. Whilethe it is well-known that the model curriculum is withDST exceedRs4,000 crorewhile education institutions. government has said it is studying the award, applying the principle of uniformity of ap- notveryrelevant.Infact,ithasnoplaceatallfor Maharashtraoperates an S&T budget of about It is the elitecentral institutions and sci- anyregional content. Thus, the nuancesofir- Rs 60 crore. Thus, the agenda forhigher edu- entific agencies whichhaveuniformlybe- proachsuggests thatitislikelytoappeal the verdict in the Cairncase as well. Thiswouldbe rigationinMaharashtra,forexample,thebasic cationand science is setatthe Centre and has come the centres of mediocrity and decay. amistake,and would send the wrong signal to the investor community.The government planning framework,the schedule of the littletodowithproblemswhichthe states Bolstering them is amoribund bureaucracy should acceptthe orders, and ensureaproper burial to the issue of retrospective taxation. patkaris(canaloperators)andtheworkingsof It is the elite central face or the innovationsneededthere. and anarrowintellectual class incapable of The Cairn issue pertains to taxdemand on capitalgains made by the companyinthe re- the paani wapar sanstha (water user associa- institutions and scientific Moreover, many grantsgotofaculty mem- honestwork. Witness the absence of any organisation of itsbusiness. The Permanent CourtofArbitration (PCA) at The Haguehas tions) areall lost. The samestory repeatsitself agencies whichhave bers in the elitecentrallyfundedinstitutions study of mostpublicaspectsofthe pandemic maintainedthat the issuewas notataxdispute, but atax-relatedinvestment dispute, and inotherareasof engineering.Thisperpetuates uniformly become the who have little understanding of or interestin —fromthe number of hospital bedsrequired, the disconnect between what is taught and the regional problems. As aresult, profes- or the safety of rail travel to countingthe ac- henceitfellunderitsjurisdiction.Thecourtnotedthatthedemandwasinbreachoffairtreat- what is practicedand has ledtothe employa- centres of mediocrityand sionalpractices in moststate departments tual number of deaths. The lackofstudy has ment underthe UK-India bilateralinvestment treaty.Ironically, the tribunal order also took bilitycrisisintheIndianeconomy. Thescheme decay.Bolstering them is a such as irrigation, transport, or public health ledtochronic informality,poor wagesand note of argumentsmadeby BJPleadersonretrospective amendmentsandinternationaldis- couldhave beenanopportunityto addressthis moribund bureaucracy and a have been stagnant fordecades. The peoplein widespread hardship. Whathas emergedis a putes—former financeministerArun Jaitelyhad likenedthem to taxterrorism. In the case lacunaifitweretorelax the adherence to the narrowintellectual class the states,whichismostofus, continueto regressive politics of centralisation of good model curriculum. Thatwouldallowthe in- suffer. And yetwecontinue with this regime. intentionsand handoutsfor an ever-increas- of Vodafone,theSingaporeseat of thePCA hasheldthatIndia’sretrospective demandof cap- incapable of honest work. ital gains and withholding taxfromthe firm was“in breach of the guaranteeoffairand eq- clusion of regionalcontent,andthat toointhe Perhaps,the seedofthis wassownatthe ing number of projected beneficiaries. The Witnessthe absence of any uitable treatment”. In fact, in the Vodafone case, the Supreme Courtheld in 2012 that local language, the use of localformatsand time of the birth of India as an independent AICTE scheme is merelyanillustration of this documents,and linkages with practitioners nation. It wasthenthat science wascastasa overall decrepitude. Vodafone’s interpretationofthe Income TaxAct, 1961 wascorrect. The thenfinance minis- studyofmost public aspects andlocalagencies.Thiswouldachieve acloser of the pandemic —from the nationalproject and notasthe livingpractice Whatistobedone? We mustacceptthat ter, Pranab Mukherjee, circumvented the ruling proposing an amendment to the Finance connection with the practice of engineering. of acommunity.Itcreated adichotomy —the states were neitherborn equal, nor aretheir Act, giving the taxdepartment the powertoretrospectivelytax suchdeals. The second problem is that higher educa- number of hospital beds centralisedstate,it'sscientists and professors developmental trajectories similar.Next, the Hoping that domestic courts willoverturn the arbitration awardwouldbeunwise, and tion departmentsofthe states arenowherein required,orthe safetyofrail working in eliteinstitutions on the one side, centralisedsystemofscienceisbroken. It has will betreatedasawarningbyinvestors. The approachhas to beoneofcompliance with the thepicture.Thisjeopardisesthesuccessof the travel to counting the actual and the people on the other,asrecipientsof been aseveredragonthe development of verdict, rather than finding ways to bypass it. The government mustdistance itself from the scheme, even if good textbooksdocome out. number of deaths. Thelack the benefitsofscience but notasparticipants. manystateswhile providing little systematic Firstly, universities have theirown curricula But therealso wasasocial narrative.Science guidancetotheothers.Theembeddedhierar- issue of retrospective taxation that has causedmuchdamagetoIndia’sreputation. whichaffiliatedcollegesfollow. Theseareusu- of studyhas led to chronic wasbutonepartofthebroaderprojectof mod- chyissucking out the creativity of our youth allyvettedbypeers within the system. Most informality, poorwages and ernising India whichwas to be guidedbya andcausingstressanddisaffection.We needa universitiesandstatehighereducationdepart- widespread hardship. What well-intentioned, internationally connected more accountable anddecentralised system. mentswouldwelcomeasystematic develop- elitesituatedinDelhi. The states were seenas An immediatefirststepwould be to devolve mentof textbooksintheregionallanguagefor has emerged is aregressive swampsof vestedinterests,parochialinthink- muchofthe powers of MHRD and itsinstitu- MY SCHOOLVSYOUR SCHOOL aselected setofbasic courses. The current politics of centralisation of ing and highlyunequal and exploitative in so- tions and the funds available with DSTtothe schemedoesnotensurethatthiswillhappen. good intentions and cialrelations. Theycould notbetrustedwith states. This would actuallybeinlinewith the UP and Delhi ministers sparring over education is politics Thus, abetterstrategyfor AICTE would have handouts foranever- the welfareoftheirown people, letalone de- spirit and intentofour original Constitution. morewelcome and inspiring been to requestthe states to makeaproposal, liverthe benefitsofscience. This logic perme- to setthe guidelines and to monitor their increasing number of ates manycentralprogrammesastheyfind The writer afaculty at IIT Bombayis progress. Asum of Rs 1crore per year,for five projected beneficiaries. ways to reachthe so-calledultimatebenefici- currently on deputation to IIT Goa HATDOES THE Indian voter trulywant?Her expectations have ranged, over decades, from the minimumofbijli-paani-sadak and naukri to W the over-arching dream of vikastoany arrangement that conforms to the calculus of caste and religion. Surprisingly, foracountrywith a large young population, educationhas rarely been consideredthe stuffofexciting politi- cal contests—evenifitmakes asignificant difference to opportunity and income. And so it is both noveland hearteningtosee theeducationministers of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh THE LAWMAKERS MUST WORK sparring over the stateofpublic schooling in their respective states.Muchofithas to do with the AamAadmiParty’s decisiontocontestUPassemblypolls in twoyearsfromnow.In Delhi, the AAP’spush to funnel resourcesintothe public school system has notonlyseen Statelegislatureshaveanabysmal recordinterms of number of sittings per year changes in government schools —but also reapedelectoral benefits. The AAP’s pitchtoUP ledtoachallengefromstate education ministerSatish Dwivedi, who invitedDelhi educa- tion ministerManish Sisodia to visit government schools in UP to seetheir credit-worthy Chakshu Roy statefor himself. Sisodia promptly turnedupatLucknow, where he wasstoppedbyUP police from carrying out his surveys. Optics aside,thereisnobettertimethan this pandemic-struckyear to make education a THE KERALAgovernor and the government chief ministerwanted asession of the legis- sitting days of the statelegislatures restswith matterworthfightingover.Severalsurveys aswellasanecdotalreportshaveflaggedanation- of thestate areatloggerheads again. This laturecalledsothat he could provehis major- the government. widecrisisinlearningtriggeredbytheclosureofschools.Thatcrisisislikelytobemoreacute is the second major conflict between the ity on the floor of the house. Legislatures arearenas fordebateand giv- twothis year.The first, at the beginning of The Constitution is clear:The govern- ingvoice to public opinion.Asaccountability inthenorthernstates,which,evenbefore thepandemic,laggedbehindthesouthinthepro- this year,was concerning the governor’s ment has the powertoconvene asession of institutions, theyare responsible forasking visionof publicschooling.Forinstance,theNitiAayog’sSchoolEducationQualityIndex(SEQI) address to the statelegislature. The gover- the legislature. The councilofministers de- tough questionsofthe government and high- 2019 rankedUPrightatthebottomof thelarge states.Ananalysisof ASERreportsfrom2006 nor’saddressiswrittenbythe government. cides the dates and the duration of the ses- lighting uncomfortable truths. So, it is in the to 2014 also shows asharp fall in the already low-reading levels in UP’s government schools. Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, while de- sion. Their decision is communicated to the interestofastategovernment to convene The geographicaldivide in learning is an outcome of historical investmentsmade in public livering the address in the legislative as- governor,who is constitutionallybound to lessersittingsof thelegislatureandbypasstheir schooling in states likeKerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.Southern India’s head-start in ed- sembly, stoppedbeforereadingout apara- act on mostmatters on the aid and advice of scrutiny. Lesser number of sitting days also graph of the address.The paragraph related the government. The governor then sum- meansthatstategovernmentsarefreetomake ucation, arguably, is alsothanks to alarger, moreeffective politicsofsocial justice. The Delhi to the Kerala government’s opposition to mons the statelegislaturetomeetfor ases- laws throughordinances.Andwhentheycon- government has done well to walk on thatpath. the Citizenship Amendment Bill. sion. The refusal of agovernor to do so is a vene legislatures, thereislittle time forMLAs Educationis,notsurprisingly,apoliticalhard-sell,giventhedifficultyinquantifyingitsgains Interrupting the address, Governor Khan Legislatures are arenas for matter of concern. Sucheventsrequirecare- to scrutinise laws broughtbeforethem. andgivenhow tangleditisinsocialbottlenecksofcaste andgender.ButforUttarPradeshand said that he wasofthe opinion that the debate and giving voice to ful deliberation to preventthem from snow- Continuous and close scrutinybylegisla- Delhi,anexchangeofreparteebetweentheirministersmightservetobringeducationsome paragraphdid notrelatetopolicy or pro- public opinion. As balling into aconstitutional crisis. But the tures is central to improvinggovernance in welcome politicalattention. At the least, it willbearefreshingchangefromapolitics so ac- grammes. But he went on to read the para- accountabilityinstitutions, eventsinKerala and Rajasthan areanaberra- the country. Increasingthe number of work- graph to honour the wish of the chief min- tion.Theyshould notdistract us from the dis- ing days forstate legislatures is afirststepin customedtothe fever pitch of identity that it neglectsthe grim material realities holding isterdespitehis disagreement. they are responsible for mal recordofthe sittings of statelegislatures increasing their effectiveness. One waytodo India’saspiring youth back. The current conflict is with regardstothe asking tough questions of in the country. that is by convening legislaturestomeetall summoning of the statelegislature. The the government and In the last20years, stateassemblies around the year.Inmanymaturedemocra- Kerala government made arecommenda- highlighting uncomfortable across the country, on average, metfor less cies,afixed calendar of sittings of legislatures, tion to the governor forsummoning the than 30 days in ayear.But states likeKerala, with breaksinbetween,isannouncedatthe state's legislature foraone-daysession. The truths. So, it is in the interest Odisha, Karnataka areanexception.The beginning of the year.Itallows the govern- DEAR SANTA government wanted to discuss the situation of astate government to Kerala Vidhan Sabha, forexample, has on an ment to plan itscalendar forbringing in new arisingout of thefarmers' protest in the leg- convene lesser sittings of the averagemet for50days everyyear forthe laws.Italso has the advantageofincreasing This year,adultstoo have awishlistfor Christmas —ashotof islativeassembly. Media reportssuggestthat legislature and bypass their last10years. The trend across the countryis the time fordebateand discussion in the leg- Covid vaccine among other things the governor turneddownthe government thatlegislatures meetfor longerbudgetses- islative assembly.And withthe legislature on the grounds that thereisnoemergent sit- scrutiny. Lesser number of sions at the beginningofthe year.Thenfor sitting throughout the year,itgets rid of the HIS MORNING, CHILDREN across the worldheavedasigh of relief. The World uation forwhichthe stateassembly should sitting days also means that the rest of the year,theymeetinfitsand politics surrounding the convening of ses- be calledtomeetatshortnotice. Earlier this spurts andpay lip service to the constitu- sions of alegislature. Health Organisation wasindeedright when it clarifiedonDecember 16 state governments are free to year,the Rajasthan governor had rejected the makelawsthrough tional requirement that thereshould notbe T that SantaClaus (or Father Christmas in moreanglophile countries), is im- recommendation of Chief MinisterAshok agap of six months between twosessions of The writer is head of outreach mune to COVID-19. His immunity clearly extends to the newstrain that is Gehlot's government to callasession. The ordinances. alegislature. The blame forthe decline in the PRS LegislativeResearch emerging out of the United Kingdom. The joyofchildren —brought about by asense of innocence and wonder, no doubt, but also, perhaps, from all the presents—is also bring- ing intosharp relief the needfor SantaClaus to expand his remit. At the end of ayear of isolationand uncertainty,ofeconomic precarityand fear about the future, adultstoo needalittle generosity. DECEMBER 25,1980, FORTY YEARS AGO Between lastChristmas and this one, the worldhas changed.Thereisless shopping this year —job losses and salary cutssaw to that—and instead of hugs, acommunal meal HM’S ASSAM OFFER CentralReservePolice forceand resumption at length on the burning issues of the na- and laughter around thehearth, thereare forced smilesand overcompensated gaiety HOME MINISTER ZAIL Singh announcedhis of talks. tional economic scene —hyper-inflation, over video calls. But despiteannus horribilis,thereare manythings to celebrate—things, invitation “without condition” to leaders of lowrateofeconomic growth, rising volume in fact, that arealways worthcherishing.Those who have avoidedCOVID can breathe a the Assam agitation to discuss the foreign BJP ECONOMIC VISION of unemployment, increase in the percent- nationals issue, whichhas disturbed the state AN ECONOMICSYSTEMwith alarge meas- ageofpopulation belowthe povertyline, sigh of relief. And forthe rest,withouthaving to be superficial at gatherings, grown-ups fortolong. He wanted the other side also not ureofdecentralisation, emphasis on dis- and gross inequalities. nowknowwho their real friends are. to put anyconditions. ‘‘Letthem come and tributive justice and ln-built checks to pre- So, since the most important things arethings moneycan’tbuy,what can Santabring we will talk,” he told the RajyaSabha and vent exploitationand the growth of COLD WAVE adults this year? Could he, perhaps, shimmydownthe chimneywith asalaryincrement welcomed Opposition members’ help in the monopolies has been envisaged In the draft PART OF NORTHERN India wasinthe grip or,for those who lostwork, ajob? If that’s tooambitious, perhaps justasmall party at matter.Zail Singh’s invitation came half an economicpolicy statement of the Bharatiya of acoldwaveasheavy snowfall in the hills the NorthPole,whereadults can enjoyalittle revelryawayfromthe rugrats—learning hour afterthe House had heatedly debated a JanataParty forits forthcoming session at and intermittent rain in plains continued calling-attention motion of AKSharma(Ind) Bombay. The drafteconomic policy state- forthe second day. The night-long heavy from home has takenatoll on parentstoo. But there is somethingthat would be easiest and others fornearly twohours. The critics of ment has been prepared by anine-man snowfall blockedtraffic on the Jammu- of all,and particularly suited to Santa’s unique setofskills —speedy,same-nightdeliv- the government had felt frustrated in their committee appointedbythe party presi- Srinagar highway. Indian Airlines couldop- erybeingkey among them. Could he, please,justleave ashotofvaccine under the attempt to getassurances on severalpoints dent, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, withKanwarlal erateonlyone service to Srinagar because Christmas tree? Includinganend to “repression’’ by the Gupta as convener.The statement has dwelt of bad weather. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 WHATTHE OTHERSSAY “Rather thanwasteful bailoutloans, Mr Sunakwould be better offtaking public equity stakes in strickencompanies, endingausterityinlocal government,and 11 launching anational recoverycouncil of industrialists and trade unions along THE IDEAS PAGE with civil-societygroups.” — THE GUARDIAN Thank you for nothing ALeCarre There’s very little that wasredeeming or cheerful about thelast10months. Buttimes likethisare lesson for France preciselywhen we needalistthathelps us be grateful,when all has failed With anew lawtomonitorIslamic separatism, France betrays an ideaofcitizenship and republican values that is deeplyinsular

seekto consolidatepoliticalpowerattheex- penseof therightsofindividualcitizens.This Manjula misrecognition is basedoncreating afalse dichotomy.DuringtheColdWar, thefalseop- Padmanabhan position wasbetween “freedom” and “tyranny” forthe West andbetween “bour- THE VERYBESTpart of this very worstyear is geoise democracy” and equality behind the that it's been terriblefor everyone. Right? Iron Curtain. Now, it is between aform of ni- Even the trillionaires who use champagne in Aakash Joshi hilism that emanates from religion and the their bidets,havelostfriends and family. stateasaprotector againstthis rising tide. Even the mostcruel, powerful and ruthless The firststepintaking away individual leaders have fallen sick. One of them even “Should we be free to burn Korans, mockthe rightsinthisprocessisby robbingcitizensof losthis election (please, Lord, lettherebeno passionately held religions of others? Maybe theirindividuality. Hence,aMuslimcitizen— proofing errorinthat sentence!). we should —but should we also be surprised inIndia,asmuchasinFrance—isdefinedby Still. There's reallynothing redeeming when the believers we have offended respond her Muslimness morethan her Indian-ness or cheerful to sayabout the last10months. in fury? Icouldn't answer that question at the or French-ness. Oncesuchahyphenated Times likethis arewhen we needthis list. timeand,withallgoodwill,Istillcan't.ButIam identityisputinplace,aformof aprioricrim- Progressing from leasttoworst, be grate- alittleproud,inretrospect,thatIspokeagainst inalisationisoftenattachedtoacommunity, fulthat … theeasytrend,reckoningwiththewrathofout- andtherightsofcitizenswhobelongto itare 1: …you no longer needtodress for ragedwesternintellectuals, and suffering it in gradually trammelled—whether by laws to work,because you'reslumming in front of all its righteous glory.” — John Le Carre,2012 “protect liberal values” or prevent “love ji- your computer,athome. No under-wired had”.Incontrast, the European Union’s bras, no high-heeledshoes, no skin-clogging IN 1989, AS the Cold Warwas drawing to a TerrorismSituationandTrendReport,anan- makeup. No ties,noscratchy underwear,no close,thecontoursof anew “clashof civilisa- nualdocument,hasrepeatedly recordedin- stinky socks,nosuffocating suits. No rusty tions”were beingdefined.SalmanRushdie’s cidentsofviolenceby right-wingextremists, razors to cut faces or underarms, no after- The Satanic Verses,publishedayear earlier, as well as propaganda againstrefugees and shave lotion to sting your skin, no deodor- had angered people across the worldfor its minoritiesinFrance and the rest of Europe antstostain the bras younolonger wear.Best seemingly cavalier attackonProphet —yet,itisunlikelythataspeciallawtomon- of all, everyone youknowisinexactlythe Mohammad,andAyatollahKhomeini,Iran’s itor Caucasian citizens will be putinplace. same condition. supreme religious leader,issuedthe infa- Theircitizenship,afterall,isnothyphenated. 2. …your children areathome, so youno mous fatwaagainstthe writer.Manycoun- Itwasadisagreementoverthishypocrisy longer needtodrive them to school,make tries, including India, bannedthe book for thatbecame the source of one of themost packedlunches or do laundrywhen theyre- fear of “hurting religious sentiments”. well-known literaryfeuds. In 1997,anargu- turn, muddiedand crumpled. Rushdie became asymbol of resistance ment unfoldedinthe letters column of The 3. …your children arehome, so youcan againstaperceivedmedievalmindset; are- Guardian.John Le Carre,the greatestexpo- exercise your vocal chords, roaring at them at vanchistreligiositythatpitsitself againstthe nentof theespionagenovelwhodiedearlier topvolumewhen theydrive youmad be- ideaof liberaldemocracyandfreespeech.In thismonth, took exception to what he saw cause they'renot doingtheir schoolwork. some senses, thecleavageswrought by the as thepointlessprovocations of The Satanic And no one will complain or call the police, Satanic Verses controversy have only Verses.Hewas,ofcourse,pilloriedbyRushdie because they'reall doing the same, in their CRSasikumar widened. “Islamism”, “fundamentalism”, andtheliteraryestablishmentof theday. But homes. Including the police. youare foronce in the position to smilecon- getaround to,all these years. Youcan learn “Islamic extremism” arethe great “Other”, Le Carre who, as aspy and anovelist, dealt 4. …you're already divorced or wid- descendingly at all your whining, complain- yoga,orelse adegree in law. The degree will likeSauroninTheLordoftheRings,something withthesubtleentrapmentsofideologyand owed/widowered! Or else, from what your ing extroverted friends, who areforcedto come in useful forfighting your case in court. the “Men of the West”mustfight to main- theimmoralitiesof nationalism,perhapsun- friendstell you, youknowthat if youwere wrap themselvesaround their pets or their Once you'reout of lock-up, you'll have alu- tain the virtues of the world. derstoodbetterthanmostthatthecertainties still married, you'd be plotting to murder giant hot-water bottlesfor comfort. crative professionallifeahead,defending Themostrecentthreat-to-liberal-values of “universalvalues”mustbetemperedwith your partner. 9. …that you'resingle because you'velost others likeyourself. call has come from the Emmanuel Macron avirtue that is all toorare—respect. 5. …you'restill married! And youcan en- everyone in your familytoillness and, there- ANEXPRESS IDEASERIES 12.…that youliveinacountrythat sup- governmentinFranceintheaftermathof the It wasnot Le Carre’s case,nor is it of this joyall the excitement of plotting areallyde- fore,havenoreasontofind other and more ports thedeathpenaltyand have been fast- unconscionablemurderof ateacher,Samuel article, that violence and terror do notde- vious murder. violent means of getting rid of them.Really, trackedtowards thegallows,because—how Paty,inOctober.Since2015, beginningwith serve aresponse. Nordid he supportthe call 6. …you have children, and, therefore, this is suchaverygrim reason forbeing lucky! —you pleadedguilty.Asaresult, you theattackandkillingsintheofficesof Charlie forRushdie’s murder or the book’s ban. The youhavecontinuous reminders abouthow grateful, that it's trulytasteless of me to even won't have time to catchCOVID-19, thereby Hebdo,over250 people have been killedin questionwas,and continues to be,ofthe muchworse it is to be achild in this erathan mention it. Indeed, youmight consider be- risking anasty,uncomfortable end, in the terroristattacks by religiousextremists.The largerethos by which certaincitizens are it wasfor you. Children everywheretoday ing grateful that we'venever met, because prison hospital. latestmove in this battle againstwhat paintedastheother. Itcannotbethecase,for areforcedtosurvive with parentswho are otherwise youwouldbeforcedtocallup COVID 13.…that you'rebeing executed and will Macron has called“Islamic separatism” is a example,thatagau rakshakoracrazedgun- getting divorced or murdering one another. your local assassin service (www.terminal- thus be relievedofyour miserable lifevery proposedlaw whichwouldallowthe state man in an American schoolisthe productof Or chilling out in the asylum. dispatchers.com) and arrangetocross me off SHADOW, efficiently. Ican't guarantee thatit'll be pain- to monitor Muslims, their religious gather- his upbringing, mental healthand the vari- 7. …you have parentswhose behaviour the directoryofthe living. less but it will be quick, especiallycompared ings andorganisations, allowpolice greater ousfailuresof stateandsocietywhilethebar- ever since the pandemic beganhas become 10.…that you'velostyourjob and your NEWYEAR to COVID-19deaths. Victims of the disease impunity,includingwhileactingagainsthate barityof someonefromaminoritycommu- so vicious and unforgiveablethat youcan home, thus driving your familyawayfrom LIGHT typicallytakearound three days from start speechwhen it emanates from Muslims. nityisbecauseofhis “radicalisation”and hatethem forever. In this way, youwill save you. This means that you'vebeen spared the to finish, whereas youshould be gone in less Forthose who empathise with the religion. yourself the heartbreak youwould otherwise horroroflosing them in other ways (see than five minutes. Even though we have no French, the reaction by theMacrongovern- The values of the FrenchRevolution and feel when leaving home to getmarried or to above). Being homeless and despised by confirmedaccountsofexistence (suchasit ment is understandable, both as apolitical the FrenchRepublic have foundechoes go to collegeortowork. Youwill nothaveto everyone youknowmeans that you're finally Be grateful that your might be)inthe afterlife, manyaccountssug- necessity as well as asecurity measure.Yet, around the world, including in our own face the trauma of looking afterthem in their free of all worldlyattachment. Youcan throw gest that, as afriend put it recently, “the grass talk of the “enemy within”(Prime Minister Constitution. Abasic corollaryofliberty, old-age—particularly if, as is the case in away your nowuseless credit cards and children are home,soyou is greener on the other side”. This mayhave Jean Castex) is notmerepolitical rhetoric. It equality and fraternityisthat unlikefunda- some families, theyhavecleverly managed to emptywallets to embrace the highestlevels canexercise your vocal alot to do with the grass on this side having betrays anideaof citizenshipandrepublican mentalists,the states that adheretothese murder one another. of spiritual advancement.You canachieve chords roaring at them at top been burnt away by firesorriots or lackof valuesthatisdeeplyinsularandwhichrelies values do notinlaw (and,ideally, in culture) 8. …that you'resingleand have no chil- maximum fitness by walking at your leisure volume when they drive you water. Seriously? Almostanything on the on what social anthropologistPierre differentiatebetween citizens according to dren to despiseorspouses to murder.After to the Himalayas, while starving alongthe other side would be better than what we Bourdieucalled meconnaissance or mis- theirreligiousorpoliticalbeliefs.Whenthose all, murder is notonlyavery serious crime, way. Once you'rethere, youcan find aplace mad because they're not have endured this year. recognition. principleserode,theresultscanbedevastat- but it takesupagreat deal of time, energy by the side of an icy mountain stream and doing their schoolwork.And 14.…that you'veread this listbecause Simplyput, meconnaissance is aform of ing: Justlook at what has happenedto and, quiteoften, money. Really,thishas been contemplateinfinity. no one will complain or call whatever youread next will be more hegemonybywhichtheinterestsof apartic- Pakistan,particularly afterthereignofZia-ul an excellent year forrecluses. Notonlyare 11.…that you'vebeenthrowninto the police,because they're all cheerful! ularsectionof societyare presentedasauni- Haq,and whatishappening in India today. youentirelycomfortable being alone prison foryour misdeedstowards your fam- versalvalue.Inthecurrentcontext,thatinter- through the silentreaches of thenight —and ily(see above), because youcan finallywrite doing the same,intheir Padmanabhan is an author,playwright estisofthesecurity-state andideologiesthat [email protected] the equallysilent reaches of the day—but that book that you'venever had the time to homes. Including the police. and cartoonist. Savingthe public university LETTER TO THE EDITOR VICTIMS’ REDRESS

THIS REFERS TO the editorial, ‘Justice IDEAS Thefirst step is governance reform formoreautonomy and accountability as Relief’ (IE, December24). The Indian criminal justice system is notbeen vic- ONLINE Shailendra Raj Mehta tim-oriented.The recent judgment by the Delhi High courtcan go along way ONLYINTHE EXPRESS in ensuring that victims arenot ig- THERE ARE 55 centraluniversities, the crown acrisis of accountability. muchgrandstandingonbothsides,theplanis ganwith the governancereform. nored and their grievances areade- ● PARADISESEENWITH jewels of the Indian academicsystem. They Eachofthe 55 central universities is gov- rubberstamped.After that, throughoutthe Accordingly,the governing councils of quatelyaddressed. The major high- ONEEYE: areendowedwith prime land, extensive ernedby aseparate Act.Whilethereare differ- year,thereisminimaldirectionormonitoring all central universities,IITs, and all other light of this judgement is Victim NAVNEETSHARMA funding from the central government and ences, the broad structureisasfollows.The from the GC, whichmay or maynot meet central institutions, needtoberestructured Impact reports (VIR) fordetermining thereisalong line of studentswaiting to get Visitorof theuniversityisthePresidentof India. again.Thereare typicallynoquarterly updates, by an ActofParliament.The mosteminent the amount of compensation, which ● NONELIKEATALJI: in. Here, facultyhavesecurity of tenure,and On his behalf, the MinistryofEducation rec- andthereislittleoversight.Underthecircum- alumni of these institutions mustbe will be done by the Delhi statelegal PRABHATJHA their job fully protectsfreespeech, so theyare ommendsaneminent citizen as the chancel- stances,thehighnumberof failuresshouldnot brought on their boards. IIT Delhi has just serviceauthority(DLSA). The accused the mostvocal among academics. Among lor,whose role is mostlyceremonial.The come as asurprise, since effectively,thereis announcedabillion-dollar endowment willberequired to compensateasper them arethe handful of real universities in Ministryalso constitutes asearch committee minimal governance. campaign. This campaign is being spear- his capacity to be determinedbythe the country—vishwavidyalayasoruniversi- thattypicallyinterviews multiple candidates By contrast, the newIIM Bill verysensibly headedbyits mostsuccessful alumni, over DLSA.However, it would have been www.indianexpress.com tas,thatfocus on all the major branches of and comes up with alistofthree candidates. limits the GC to at most19members. They adozenofwhom have created Unicorns, morefeasible forthe victims if they learning, wherecross-disciplinaryresearch, From this list, the government picksaVC. areexpected to be eminent citizens, with or billion-dollar companies.Iftheseindi- themselvesare allowedtomakeVIR BEDI IS RIGHT so necessarytosolve complexmodern prob- Separately, andthrough adifferent process, a broad social representationand an empha- viduals arecordiallyinvited to join itsGC, before thecourts or at leasthearddi- lems, can genuinelytakeplace. senateorcourtischosen.Technically, thisisthe sis on alumni. This GC chooses the director, notonlywill this moneyberaisedquickly, rectlybeforethe court. THIS REFERS TO the report, ‘Bedi Yet, theyare in turmoil. In recent years, six governingcouncil(GC)of theuniversity,which provides overall strategic direction, raises re- but it will also be spent well. The dy- Sarachana Sisodia wantshis name removedfromKotla vice-chancellors (VCs) of central universities willusuallyhavenomineesfromvariousstake- sources, andcontinuouslymonitors hisorher namism and exposurethat these alumni stand over Jaitleystatue’ (IE, have been sacked. Another five have been holders,includingthegovernment,faculty, stu- performance. Within the guidelines provided will bringtothe table will promptly lead to BJP DEFEATED December24).That legendaryspin- charge-sheeted. Some of these institutions dents,andcitizens.Theuniversity'swork iscar- by the GC, the director has full autonomy but world-class innovations. ner and former captain Bishan Singh have seentheirglorydays,yet increasingly,the riedoutby theexecutive councilchairedby the alsofull accountability. The warrior-poetRahim, who knewalot THIS REFERS TO the editorial, Bedi is peevedwith the DDCA’s deci- energy is going out of the system. The locus of VC,whoalsoappointstheregistrar.Aseparate This arrangement is basedonthe best about administration, famouslysaid — ek ‘MessagefromJ&K’ (IE, December 24). sion on the Arun Jaitleystatue makes innovationhasswitchedtonew andinnovative finance committee is constituted,headedby global examples,including Harvard. Today, saadhe sab sadhai, sab saadhe pat jaaya, The DDC poll outcome has takenthe perfect sense. Bedi is dead right in his private universities.However, notasinglenew achief finance officer, who is oftenacivil ser- mostpeople do notknowthatHarvardtoo Rahimanmool hi seenchiye, phoole phale windout of the BJP’s sails.Despitethe protest. If this is allowedbythe DDCA, private universityhassofarbeenableto create vant on secondment to the university. This wasasarkari university until 150years ago, aghai.Ifyou accomplish one big thing, every- saffron party’s attemptstodemonise similarrequestsmay pour in from atruebroad-basedviswavidyalaya withthefull arrangementisdesignedtomaintainfinancial that wasdying aslowdeath. It is afascinat- thing gets accomplished, but if youtry and and intimidatethe regional main- other statesports federations too. rangeofhumanities, social and natural sci- checks andbalances. ing storythat Ihavedocumentedelse- fixeverything at once, then nothing gets stream parties’ leaders. The abroga- While the voters areagainstthe statue encesand the professional disciplines. Butthisiswherethe major problems be- where. When itsgovernancewas reformed fixed; as in plants, waterthe roots, and the tion of Article 370has brought oppo- culture, the newproject to install stat- Therefore, to save academia in India, central gin. The GC has no sayinthe selection of the by creating an empoweredboardcompris- whole plant prospers and yields flowers and nentstogether, whichthe BJPdidn't ues of ex-presidentsofsports universitiesmustbesaved. VC.Further, theGCtypicallymeetsonly oncea ing itsmostsuccessful alumni, this small fruits. To allowcentral universities,the IITs count on. The BJP mustrealise that its Federations would tarnish the image It is temptingtoblame the problemsona year.Ifany work gets done in this meeting, it provincial university soon became world- and other public institutions to trulyblos- unilateral and anti-democratic poli- of notonlyour stadiumsbut even our fewbad applesinthe leadership. But if the is amiracle,sincethe GC of Delhi University, class. The reason wassimple: No oneknew som, we needtoreform their Governance. cies in Kashmir arecounterproductive country. Such amoveshould be problemsare so pervasive,then the chal- calledthe Senate, forexample,has 475mem- or cared moreaboutthe university thanits Thereisnotime to waste. and take corrective measures. nippedinthe bud. lengesmustbesystemic. The response of ac- bers,probablyaworldrecord.Intheory, theVC alumni boardmembers. Theybrought dy- Deepak Singhal Noida NViswanathan, Coimbatore ademics who arewitness to this decline is to presentsandgetsapprovalfortheannualplan namism, oversight, and resources.The cre- The writer is president and director of MICA, blame alackofautonomy. But in reality,itis of the university from the GC. In practice, after ationofajourney to world-class status be- Ahmedabad. Viewsare personal WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 12 THE WORLD

TOPOFTHE WORLD Breakthrough:UK,EUagreeBrexittradedeal Agreement must be ratifiedbyBritish and European parliaments; keydetails to be worked out later Brexit is finallydone, but

MARKLANDLER& the world has changed STEPHENCASTLE ,DECEMBER24 since the 2016 referendum BRITAINANDtheEuropeanUnion migrationandcountriesturnedin- Macrontestedpositive struckahard-fought trade agree- MARKLANDLER ward.Itwasbefore thecoronavirus forthe coronavirus on ment on Thursday, settlingabit- LONDON,DECEMBER24 pandemicexposedthevulnerabil- December17 terdivorce that stretchedover ities of far-flung supplychains, fu- morethanfour years and setting IT TOOK 11 grueling months for ellingcallsto bringstrategicindus- the termsfor apost-Brexit future negotiators from Britain and the tries backhome and throwing FRANCE as closeneighbours living apart, European Union to hammer out globalism intoretreat. Elysee:Macron according to Britishofficials. the terms of apost-Brexit trade In the anxious dawn of 2021, The deal, whichmustberat- deal. But in manyrespects, the buccaneers areout of fashion. nolongershows ifiedbythe British and European deal is already four and ahalf The worldisnow dominated by Parliaments, came together in years out of date. three gargantuan economic Covidsymptoms Brussels after11months of BritishPMBoris Johnson (left), as well as European Commission President Ursulavon der Leyenand chiefBrexit negotiator The worldhas changed radi- blocs —the US, China and the Paris: FrenchPresident grinding negotiations, culminat- Michel Barnier announcedthe agreement of the trade deal in press conferencesinLondon and Brussels respectively. Reuters callysinceJune2016,whenanar- European Union. Britain has fi- Emmanuel Macron is ing in alast-minutehaggle over rowmajority of people in Britain nalisedits divorcefromone of showing no moresymp- fishing rightsthat stretchedinto voted to leave the European them, leaving it isolated at atime toms of Covid-19, the Christmas Eve, justaweek be- and ablueprint forhow the two We have taken back It was along and winding regulationsof theEUwhilenego- Union, temptedbyanargument when the path forwardseems Elysee office said on fore ayear-end deadline. sideswill coexistafter severing control of our destiny. road. But we have got a tiatorshashedout newarrange- thatthecountrywouldprosperby moreperilous than it oncedid. Thursday. Macron, 43, Despiterunning to thou- deep tiesbuilt up over a47-year Peoplesaid it was good deal to show for it. It mentstogovern avastcross- throwing offthe bureaucratic While the dealavertstariffs can nowend his quaran- sands of pages, the agreement relationship.Afailuretocometo impossible, but we have is fair, it is abalanced Channeltrade. shackles of Brussels. and quotas on goods crossing the tine afterheself-isolated leavescriticalparts of the rela- terms could have leftBritain and taken back control... We deal, and it is the right Giventhe EU’s muchgreater In thosedays, the vision of an EnglishChannel,itisatheartabout forseven days at the pres- tionship to be worked outlater. the EU in abitterstandoff. will be an independent and responsible thing to size and economic muscle,its independent Britain —freetode- disentangling neighbourswho idential retreat of La And it will notprevent some dis- If approved,the agreement negotiators were able to insist velopnext-generation industries had become deeplyintegrated Lanterne, close to the ruption to trade across the would take effect on January 1, coastal state.” do for both sides.” that Britain stay alignedwith the likeartificial intelligence and cut overdecades.Thatestrangement, Palace of Versailles, the English Channel, sinceBritish ex- four-and-a-half years afteranar- BORIS JOHNSON URSULA VON DER LEYEN bloc in some critical respects. itsown tradedeals with the US, analysts say, is bound to weaken office saidinastatement. ports willstill be subjected to rowmajority of Britons voted to Londonwillsubscribeto“level China and others—wasanallur- tiesbetweenthetwosidesinother BRITISH PRIME MINISTER EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT He had tested positive for some border checks,adding leave the European Union, playingfield”principles,whichare ing pitch. The Brexit buccaneers areas,likesecurityanddiplomacy. the coronavirus on Dec. costs forcompanies and causing plunging their country intoran- intendedtoprevent British com- vowedtocreatea“GlobalBritain”. Britain has also promoteditself as 17,prompting atrack- potential delays at ports. corous debateand political divi- vowing to “get Brexit done,” the coverstate aidtobusinesses and panies from gaining an unfair ad- That wasbeforethe anti-im- achampion of democratic values and-trace effort across But it is nonethelessaland- sions over howtodoit. deal allows him to fulfill that rightstofish in British waters. vantageovertheirEuropeancom- migrantandanti-globalist-fuelled inplaceslikeHongKong,standing Europe following numer- markinthe long-running Brexit ForPrime MinisterBoris promise.Butto getthere,Johnson Until the end of this year, petitors through stateaid or by rise of US President Trumpand alongsidetheUS.Butinalesshos- ous meetings between drama —the bookend to Britain’s Johnson of Britain, who wona had to makesignificant conces- Britainhad agreedtocontinue enjoying less strict environmen- other populistsleaders who pitableworld,itmaynot findmany the Frenchleader and EU departurefromthe EU in January landslide election victory in 2019 sions, especiallyonrules that abiding by mostofthe rules and talorlabour laws. NYT erected barriers to trade and im- alliesfor that kind of work. NYT heads of government in recent days.Macron suf- feredheadaches, adry cough and tiredness for Trump gives clemency to more severaldays. REUTERS of his allies, includingManafort, TUNISIA 20deadafter Stone and Charles Kushner migrantboatsinks AT LEAST20African mi- MAGGIEHABERMAN& grantsdiedwhen their MICHAELSSCHMIDT boat sank offTunisia on DECEMBER24 Thursday as theytriedto cross the Mediterranean US PRESIDENT Donald Trump to theItalian island of doledout clemency to anew Lampedusa, aTunisian group of loyalists on security official said. The Wednesday, wiping away con- coastguardrescued five victions and sentences as he ag- (Clockwise from left)Charles people and wassearching gressively employedhis power Kushner, father of Trump’s forabout 20 others who to override courts,juries and son-in-lawJared;Paul were still unaccounted prosecutors to applyhis own Manafort, Trump’s 2016 for, theofficial told standardofjustice forhis allies. campaignchairman; and Reuters. The coastline One recipient of apardon was RogerStone, his longtime near the Tunisian port afamilymember,CharlesKushner, adviser and friend. AP city of Sfax has become a the father of his son-in-law, Jared major departurepoint for Kushner.Two others who were people fleeing conflict pardoneddeclinedtocooperate and povertyinAfrica and with prosecutors in connection Pardons mostlyjust for friends the Middle Eastand with the special counsel’s Russia searching forabetterlife investigation: Paul Manafort, his in Europe. REUTERS COVID DAMPENS CHRISTMAS JOY IN BETHLEHEM 2016 campaign chairman, and IT IS notunusual forUS expertquotedbythe New RogerStone,hislongtimeinformal Presidentstouse their York Times,60out of 65 AUSTRALIA APalestinianNational securityunit is deployedinManger Square, adjacent to the Church of the Nativity,traditionally adviser and friend. pardoning powertoward people pardonedby believedbyChristians to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West BankcityofBethlehem on Wednesday. Astream of Theywerethe most promi- theend of their term, and TrumpbeforeWednesday FBremoves marching bandsjoyously paradedthrough Bethlehem on Thursday,but fewpeople were theretogreet them as the nent names in abatchof26par- manybeforeTrumphave have had apersonal or po- celebritychef’s coronavirus pandemic and astrict lockdown dampenedChristmasEve celebrationsinthe city.Thousands of foreign dons and three commutations useditnot justincases sug- litical tie to the President. Sucha pilgrims usuallyflocktoBethlehem forthe celebrations. But the closureofIsrael’sinternational airporttoforeign visitors disclosedbythe WhiteHouse. gested by the Justice high percentageofpardons to pageforCovid kept tourists away this year.The PalestinianAuthority lastweek bannedintercity travel in the areas it administers in the Also on the listreleasedon Department, but also forthe alliesisunprecedented and has conspiracies Israeli-occupiedWestBank,keeping even Palestinian visitors away. AP Wednesdaywas Margaret benefit their ownfriends and attractedcriticism even from Hunter, theestranged wifeof allies. However, according to an inside Trump’s party. FACEBOOKSAID former Republican lawmaker Thursdayithas removed Duncan Hunter.Bothofthem the page of Australian had pleaded guilty to chargesof guidelines forconsideration of special counsel Robert Mueller celebrity chef turnedcon- China envoy meetsPrachandaamid crisis in Nepal misusing campaign funds for pardons or commutations. They and his team. Neither man ever spiracy theorist Pete personal expenses. includedaformer Blackwater fullycooperatedwithprosecutors Evans forspreading mis- Her meeting with Prachanda leader close to the Prachanda- However, in arecent piece Duncan Hunter waspar- guardsentencedtolifeinprison despiteenteringguiltypleas,leav- information about Covid- YUBARAJGHIMIRE comes twodays afterher meet- faction tweeted. in the wake of thesplit in the donedbyTrumponTuesday, as forhis role in the killing of 17 Iraqi ing investigators to believe that 19,the tech giant’s latest KATHMANDU,DECEMBER24 ing with Nepal President Bidhya Anumber of political party NCP, the paper said that China partofafirstpre-Christmas wave civilians in 2007. private discussionof pardonsand move to police false con- Devi Bhandari. leaders had termedthe Chinese had no preference to anypolit- of grantsofclemency to 20 con- The pardons to Manafortand publicstatementsbyTrumpmay tent about the pandemic. CHINA’S AMBASSADOR to Previously, when Oli was envoy’s series of meetings with ical party,and that it wanted a victs, morethanhalfofwhom did Stoneonthesamedaywillbepar- have compromisedtheirabilityto Evans, aformer judgeon Nepal, Hou Yanqi, on Thursday under pressurefromhis own the ruling party leadersasin- stable government in Nepal. notmeetthe Justice Department ticularly stinging forthe former uncoverthe facts. NYT prime timeAustralian metPushpa Kamal Dahal party members, Hou had per- terference in Nepal’s internal It said China’scooperation to cooking shows with a ‘Prachanda’, who partedways sonallyintervened to ensure political affairs. Nepal should notbeseen as “in- large catalogue of cook- with Prime MinisterKP that the Prime Ministerre- The NCPand the Chinese terference in itsinternal affairs”. US President books, has become one of Sharma Oli following the disso- mainedinpower. CommunistParty had built a Hou repeated nearly the Trumpvetoes defence the country’s mostpromi- lution of Nepal’s Parliament. “Ambassador of the People’s “fraternal relationship”. Global same sentimentsduring her warns Iran of nent spreaders of baseless Hou, sources said, assured RepublicofChina Hou Yanqi met Times,aChinese paper reflecting meeting with Prachanda, who claims questioning Covid- Prachanda that China waswill- Chairman of the Nepal the views of the CPC,had brought is nowthe chairman as well as Bill, raises prospect of retaliation after 19,calling it a“hoax” and ing to work with the Nepal CommunistParty Pushpa Kamal out areportlastmonth that the the leader of the Parliamentary “BS” to his millionof CommunistParty faction ledby Dahal ‘Prachanda’this morning. opposition Nepali Congress was Party, afterhaving removedOli attackson followers. REUTERS him“to furtherChina-Nepalre- Theydiscussedthe issues of bi- involvedin fomenting anti-China from that position. government shutdown lations and Nepal’s prosperity”. lateral concerns,” Bishnu Rijal, a sentimentsinNepal. —WITHPTIINPUTS embassy in Iraq REUTERS WASHINGTON,DECEMBER24 HELENECOOPER WASHINGTON,DECEMBER24 US PRESIDENT Donald Trump Black doctor dies of Covid-19 after her complaints vetoed abipartisandefence pol- US PRESIDENT Trumpwarned icy Bill on Wednesdayand raised Iran on Wednesdaythat he the prospect that the United would hold it accountable “if one of racisttreatmentinhospitalsparkedoutrage States could face agovernment American is killed” in rocket at- shutdown during apandemic, TrumpisheadedtoFlorida tacksinIraqthat the Trumpad- stirring newturmoil in forChristmas. Reuters ministration and militaryoffi- edge of treatment protocols. She plainedofpoor treatment, said sivir,andrug some doctors use Washington as he headedto cials blamedonTehran. JOHNELIGON knew whatto askforbecauseshe, in astatement that he could not to treatCovid-19. Florida forChristmas. In aTwitter postthat came af- DECEMBER24 too, wasamedicaldoctor. commentonspecific cases be- Anative of Jamaica,Moore Angryathis fellow Bill that would increase direct aid terameetingwithseniorofficials, But thatwas notenough to cause of privacy laws. grew up in Michigan. According Republicans in Congress, Trump payments to $2,000 perperson, TrumpsaidthatIranwas behind IN Ahospital bed,the Blackpa- gether treatment and respect Covid-19 hasbeendevastating to her family, she earnedher soughttorefashiontwo complex aligningwithTrump’swishes,but rocket attacks on the American tient gazedintoher smartphone she said she deserved. forBlackandLatinocommunities. medical degree from the pieces of legislation that passed members of Trump’s ownparty Embassy in Baghdad on Sunday. and complainedofanexperi- She waseventuallysent Black peoplehave diedat3.6times University of Michigan. Congressby wide,bipartisanmar- blockedthateffort,worseningthe “Some friendlyhealth advice to ence all toocommon among home, and on Sunday,justmore the rate of white people, and She wasnostranger to the ginsafter months of negotiation. deadlock. Iran,”Trumptweeted.“If one Blackpeople in America. than twoweeksafter posting the Latinosat2.5 times the rate of challengesof gettingpropermed- Trumpfollowedthrough on a Trumpsaid he vetoed the de- American is killed,Iwill hold Iran Susan Moore, the patient, video, Moore, 52, diedofcompli- whitepeople, according to an icalcare, said Muhammed, her threat to veto the defence Bill and fence policy Bill, whichhas responsible. Thinkitover.” said the whitedoctor at the hos- cations from Covid-19,said her analysis by theBrookings son.Shehadsarcoidosis,adisease demandeddramatic changes to a passedevery year since 1961,be- Hispostwas followedbya pital in Indianapolis whereshe son, HenryMuhammed. Institution. thatattacksthelungs,andwasfre- $2.3trillionpackagethatfundsthe cause he objectedto liability pro- statement from US Central wasbeing treated forCovid-19 Moore’s case has generated Mooretestedpositive for quentlytreated at hospitals. federal government and provides tections forsocial media compa- Command, whichcalledthe at- had downplayedher complaints outrageand renewedcalls to Covid-19onNov.29and wasad- “Nearly everytime she went nearly $900billion in coronavirus niesunrelatedto national security tacksthe largest in adecade. “The of pain and suggestedshe would grapple with biasedmedical mitted to the hospital, according to thehospital she had to advo- aid. If Trumpblocks thespending and did notwant to rename mil- Dec. 20, 2020,rocketattackon be discharged. treatmentofBlackpatients. Dr Susan Moorewith her 19- to her Facebook post, whichshe catefor herself, fight forsome- package,large partsof theUSgov- itarybases that arecurrently the green zone in Iraq wasalmost Inherpost,sheshowedacom- Aspokesperson forIndiana year-old son Henry wroteonDec. 4. She wrotethat thing in some way, shape or ernmentcouldstartto shut down namedfor generals who fought certainly conducted by an mandof complicatedmedicalter- UniversityHealth,the hospital Muhammed. NYT she had to begthe physician form, justtoget baseline, proper next week.House Democrats on forthe pro-slavery Confederacy Iranian-backedroguemilitia minologyandanintricateknowl- system whereMoorecom- treating her to give her remde- care,” he said. NYT Thursdaytriedtobringchangesto during the Civil War. group,” the statementsaid. NYT WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 @ieExplained #ExpressExplained 13 If thereare questions of current or contemporaryrelevancethat youwould like E EXPLAINED explained, please [email protected]

EXPLAINED YOUR MONEY Investors need not panic over Covid-19 news flows

The market crashedearlier this week amid news about the newvirus variant. But as the2008financial crisis and this pandemic have shown, marketsdorecover

ever:stability returnedquicklyalongside a malcy.So, when news brokeofthe newcoro- maynot work out. them higher and faster than expected. sis waslimited largelytothe finance indus- fund flowbyforeignportfolio investors. navirus variant and countries startedan- Amidall theanxiety,the news of anew tryglobally, the pandemic continuestohave While the fall wasdrivenbyconcerns nouncing travel restrictions to and from So, howshould youtakethe news morepotent virus variant on Monday amuchdeeper impact and has hit everylife around anew,morepotentvariant of the Britain, the firstreaction wasone of fear, around Covid? brought backthe memories of March and in- in some wayorthe other. coronavirus, investors mustkeep in mind whichled to the sharp fall in the markets on In February andMarch 2020, Covid-19 vestorspressed the panicbutton. It is, how- So what do these episodes tell us? During that suchmutations areonlytobeexpected Monday.Atone point, the Sensexwas down wasanew unknown. As research startedde- ever,important to keep in mind that Covid-19 the 2008 crisis, the Sensexlost41% between during the course of the pandemic,and it is by over 2,000 pointsor4.3% over Friday’s tailing the potency of the virusand market or anew strain is no longer an unknown; we September 1and October 27,but then re- important forthem nottopanic.While day closing,inline witha2-3% drop in European participantsand investors startedseeing its have all gone through the drill and learnedto gainedits August2008closing levelof14,500 Sandeep Singh traders needtoreact to suchnews flows and marketsonMonday. impact on human life, their livelihood and live with it over the lastnine months. So there afternine months i.e in May2009. By the end square offtheir positionsorcut down their Even as investors have been riding the the economy—including travel restrictions, is no cause forpressing the panic button. A of December 2009, the Sensexwas up 20% losses, thereisnosuchcompulsion forlong- high tide, thereisafeeling that the markets lockdowns, social distancing, closureofof- retail investor needs to analysethe situation over the indexclosing value in August2008. ASHARP 1,400-pointfall in the stockmarkets term retail investors. Theyneedtojustwait arerunning ahead of the broader economic fices and near halt of industrial activities carefullybeforetaking acall to exit, and even Similarly,although the Sensexlostaround on Monday broughttothe fore the concerns out that marketvolatility. fundamentals and the GDP recovery is still a across countries —the markets startedre- before exiting, he or she mustfigureout the 37%between February 1and March 23,2020, of investors about the virus continuing to ex- work in progress. This has been keeping actingtoitmorevigorously. However, as the optionsfor deploying that fund. itregaineditsprevioushighlevel—over41,000 istaround them and at the same time about Whywas therepanic? manyofthem on the edge,and some are months progressed, the worldfound away to in January2020 —aroundmid-November. the otherwise rising trend in the markets. The sharp 37%fallinthe Sensexand Nifty even going forprofitbooking.Though profit live with the virus, scientists developedat Whyshould younot panic? Currently, the Sensex is trading at 11%higher Although investors have been reapingthe between February1and March 23,2020 is booking is agood idea, investors mustdothat leastfour vaccines (till date), economic ac- When in doubt, investors should simply thanthe highs it had seeninJanuary2020. benefitsofthe rising markets, therehas been still fresh in investors’ memory, andhence onlyiftheywant to go forassetreallocation tivity resumed, and markets bouncedback. refertothe twobiggesteventsthat the mar- Investorsshould always remember these abit of anxiety around abroader sense that therewill be concerns around anyfresh news or want to utilise the moneytomeetcertain The excess liquidity in the global markets kets facedoverthe last12years —the global twoeventsand their impact on the markets. the marketsare running ahead of broader about Covid-19oranew virus strain that can goals suchasbuying acar or ahouse, or kids’ (initiallymeanttosupportthe respective financial crisis in 2008 and the pandemic in Shortterm crash eventsdohaveabearing on economic fundamentals. The fall in the mar- impact our livesand hurtthe economy, higher education. Booking profitswith the economies under duress) also found itsway 2020. Both impacted the markets world- daytraders, but forretailinvestors, thereis kets didnot extend beyond Monday, how- whichare otherwise slowlyreturning to nor- idea of re-entering when the market is down intostock marketsworldwide and lifted wide. If the impact of the global financial cri- no reason to panic.

SIMPLY PUT QUESTION &ANSWER CORONAVIRUS DASHBOARD Covid-19 isolation impacted Mutatedvirus vs tests, vaccines women more, survey finds Thecoronavirus variant circulating in the UK is definedbymanymutations. Whichonesare of particular ASTUDYinCanada has and 459 women, mean found that women are age25.9 years) between concern? Whyhas WHO advisedthat it mayevade some PCR tests, and can it impact vaccination? suffering morethan men March 23 and June 7. In a duringthe months of statement on the re- break in Denmark.Inhumans, this deletion Covid-19isolation, with search,the University of KAUNAINSHERIFFM has been associated with another mutation, poorer sleep and more Calgarysaidmorethan NEWDELHI,DECEMBER24 N439K, whichagain occurredthe receptor- anxiety,depression and PAPER 66%ofthe survey partic- binding domain. trauma, while alsofeel- ipantsreportedpoor IN EMERGINGinformation about the new TheWHO has highlighted that this dele- ing moreempathetic CLIP quality of sleep, more variant of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 circu- tion can affect the performance of some RT- than men. Conducted by than 39% reportedin- lating in the UK, one mutation has been of par- PCR teststhat detect the novelcoronavirus. University of Calgaryre- NEWRESEARCH creasedsymptoms of in- ticular concern. The variant, calledVUI searchers with the somnia, and anxiety and 202012/01and reportedasbeing capable of Howcan it affect RT-PCR tests? Hotchkiss Brain Institute, the study distress were increasedinthe whole transmitting faster among people, is defined The WHO has said that the deletion at po- has been publishedinthe journal sample.Sleep, depression and anxi- by as manyas14mutations and three dele- sitions 69/70has been found to affect the per- Frontiers in Global Women’s Health. etysymptoms were moreprevalent tions in itsgenetic material. Of particular con- formance of some diagnostic PCR assays that The findingsare basedonanon- in women. cern is one mutation, N501Y.While the vari- use an ‘S gene target’(in the ‘S’ or spikepro- line survey of 573Canadians (112 men Source: University of Calgary ant’s potential to impact testing and tein). However, theWHO has also said, “most vaccination resultsare still being studied, PCR assays worldwideuse multiple targets health authorities arelargely optimisticthat and thereforethe impact of the variant on di- INDIAACTIVE CASES 283,849 mosttests and vaccines will still work. agnostics is notanticipated to be significant”. TheCDC,too, has said that mostcommer- What is amutation? cial PCR testshavemultiple targetswherethey 360,000 Amutationmeans an alterationin genetic detect thevirus, so that even if amutation im- material.InanRNA virussuchasSARS-CoV-2, Aphial of the Pfizer-BioNTechvaccineatGuy’s Hospital in London. While the pactsone of the targets, the other PCR targets proteins aremade of asequence of amino virushas mutated in someareas, mostvaccines target multiple parts. AP will still work. acids.Such aviruscontainssome30,000‘base In fact, infection triggered by the new pairs’,which arelikebricksplacednextto each strain in the UK, too, wasdetectedby the con- 339,820 other to form astructure. An alteration in this and South Africa. spontaneouslymultiple times. The WHO has ventional RT-PCR test. 310,000 base can be amutation, effectively changing saidthismutationisof “biologicalsignificance”. “Laboratories using in-house PCR assays 283,849 the shape and behaviour of the virus. What about the othermutations? Researchers have earlier shown that this that target theSgene of the virus should also In the UK variant, one mutation has made Mutations arecommon, but the majority mutation can promote entryintorespiratory be awareofthis potentialissue. In order to the virusmorelikelytobindwithhuman pro- of them cause no alteration in the structureof epithelial cells and transmission in animal limittheimpact on thedetection capacitiesin LAST 10 DAYS teins calledreceptors. This is calledN501Y. the proteinstheyencode —these arecalled models. the countries, an approachusing different as- Dec 14 Dec 24 ‘synonymous’ mutations, as theyeventually Recent samples sequencedatthe African says in parallel or multiplexassays targeting 260,000 What is N501Y? translatetothe same amino acids. Another CentreofExcellence forGenomics of different viral genes is also recommendedto Note:The Dec 23 figureinthisgraph is based on thegovernment updateonDec 24 In simple words, the amino acid repre- type is ‘non-synonymous’ mutation, which InfectiousDiseases, Redeemer’sUniversity, allowthe detection of potential arising vari- sentedby the letterN, andpresentatposition could result in an amino acid change. Nigeria has shown theP681Hsequencethere. ants,” the WHO had recommended. INDIA TOTAL CASES : 10,123,778 501inthe coronavirus genetic structure, has In the variant circulating in the UK, there However, researcherssaythat at present, they been replacedinthat position with another aresix synonymous alterations and fourteen “do nothaveevidence to indicatethat the Will it impact vaccine development? Source:MinistryofHealth&FamilyWelfare,updatedat11pmonDec24 amino acid, represented by Y. The position non-synonymous mutations. In addition, P681Hvariant is contributing to increased The CDC has said vaccines approvedby the wherethis alteration has takenplace is in the thereare three ‘deletions’ —amino acids re- transmission of the virus in Nigeria”. US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) are spikeprotein’sreceptor-bindingdomain. (Itis movedfromthe sequence. HV 69/70: This mutation is the result of a “polyclonal”, producing antibodies thattarget the spikeprotein of the virus that binds with According theWorldHealthOrganization deletion of aminoacidsat positions 69and70. severalparts of the spikeprotein. the human receptor.) (WHO), other than N501Y,mutations that These positions areagain in the spikeprotein “The virus would likelyneedtoaccumu- Therefore, the mutation has increasedthe “mayinfluence the transmissibilityofthe virus of the virus. This deletion has been observed latemultiple mutations in the spikeprotein binding affinity of the coronavirus. The mu- in humans” areP681H and HV 69/70. in France andSouth Africa as well. The CDC to evadeimmunity inducedbyvaccinesorby tatedvirus reportedlyaccountsfor 60% of re- has said :“This double deletion has occurred natural infection,” it has said. cent infections in London. And what areP681H and HV 69/70? spontaneouslymanytimes, and likelyleads And the WHO has said: “Laboratorystud- According to the Global Initiative on P681H: Thismutationhasoccurredinthe to achangeinthe shapeof(i.e., aconforma- ies areongoing to determine whether these SharingAvian Influenza Data(GISAID) data- amino acid present at 681—another position tional changein) the spikeprotein”. variant viruses have different biological prop- base,thesame mutation in thereceptorbind- in the receptor-binding domain. Herethe Researchers on behalf of COVID-19 erties or alter vaccine efficacy.Thereisnot ingdomainhasbeenindependentlyreported aminoacidPhasbeenreplacedwithH.TheUS Genomics Consortium UK (CoG-UK),which enough information at present to determine in severalcountriesincluding South Africa and CentersforDiseaseControl(CDC)hassaidthis red-flagged thenew variant in the UK, have if this variantis associatedwithanychangein Australia. Sequence analysis has shown that isasite“withhighvariabilityincoronaviruses”, saidin theirpreliminaryreportthat thisdele- severity of clinical disease, antibody response this mutation originatedseparatelyinthe UK and this specific mutation has also emerged tion wasalso seen in amink-associated out- or vaccine efficacy.”

AN EXPERT EXPLAINS NewChinesecommanderonLAC:whatitmeansforstandoff

amalgamating the erstwhileChengdu and Commander of the Central Timing of the change South Xinjiang MilitaryRegion (SXMR) Maj ions. As Theatrecommanders in the PLAre- Lanzhou MilitaryRegions as asequel to the TheatreCommand,whichisre- Gen Zhao hadtaken over Gen Liu Lin, whose troops areinvolvedinthe portdirectlytothe CMC,Gen Zhang would process of ‘theaterisation’, partofthe path- sponsibleforthesecurityof the the WTCin2016, and is be- current incursions, remain the same. have beenassignedaclearmissionandtasks breaking militaryreformsinitiated by capital Beijing. He wasalso the lievedtohavebeen the brain Even with regard to the talksonthe dis- to be achievedoverthe next couple of years. President Xi since 2013. Deputy Commander of the behindthe Doklam standoff in engagement and de-escalation process, no President Xi as the Commander-in-Chief Giventhe ongoing standoffand tense megaceremonialParade held 2017.Although due to retire breakthrough is expectedin the near future, has givenaclarion call to thePLA to be on a situation on the LACinthe Ladakh Sector in 2019 to commemorate the towardsthe middle of this as the PLAcontinues to insistonthe Indian par with the US Armyby2027. In the com- forthe lastseven months, therehas been 70thanniversaryofthefound- year,hewas givenanexten- Armypulling backfromthe Kailash Range ing year,the CPC will be celebrating itscen- speculation on the significance of the ing of thePeople’s Republic of sion in viewofthe situation on first, even while the Chinese remain unwill- tenary, whichwill be followedbythe crucial MajGen (Dr) changeofguard, particularly with respect China (PRC). the LAC. The timingofthe ing to discuss the Depsang Sub-sector where 20th party congress in 2022. As the general GGDwivedi to theprofile of the newincumbent, the Giventhefast-trackpromo- turnoverhas been planned theyhavegainedsignificant advantage. secretaryofthe CPC, Xi will be required to timing of the turnover, impact on the oper- tions during the last fewyears, with due deliberation, as no MajGen Liu Lin, who representsthe showcase his achievements. ational situation, and prospectsofbreak- and the fact that he has as- Gen.Zhang Xudong. major operations areexpected WTCatthe Corps Commander-leveltalks, As the Commander of WTC, Gen Zhang ONDECEMBER18,PresidentXiJinpingasthe through in the deadlocked negotiations. sumedcommandof thestrate- www.mod.gov.cn during winter.Gen Zhang will, had takenoverthe SXMR in 2019 afterserv- will thereforehavehis task cut out, and he Chairmanof China’sCentralMilitaryCommi- gicallyimportant WTCata therefore, getadequatetime ing as itsChief of Staff. He is well versedwith can be expected to spare no effort to prove ssion(CMC)promotedfourofficersto thera- The newincumbent comparatively youngageof58, to settle down in hisnew job. both the operationaldimensions and the himself. The Indian ArmedForces will have nk of General, including General Zhang Xu- While General Zhao, a1979Vietnam Gen Zhang mustbeseen as arising star,and complexities of the disengagement process. to continuouslyenhance their operational dong,thenewCommander,WesternTheatre Warveteran, served mostlyinTibet (includ- well up with the CMC. Whereas Gen Zhao is Impact on LACsituation Therefore, the current stateofimpasse is preparedness, besides working towardsre- Command (WTC). Gen Zhang has replaced ing commandofTibet MilitaryDistrict and amember of the 19th CentralCommittee of As the PLA’s operations in Ladakh arebe- expected to continue. maining fullygeared to effectively respond Gen Zhao Zongqi who retired at age65. Group Army), General Zhang apparently theCommunistPartyof China(CPC),theapex ing overseendirectlybythe CMC, no tangible to anyfuturechallengeand eventuality. The WTCisaveryimportant Theatre has no previous experienceinthe Western bodythatelectsmembersto theall-powerful changeislikelyonthe prevailing situation The big picture strategically, being the largest of thefive Theatre. He commanded79Corps in the Politburo andCMC, Gen Zhang is not. ontheground.Also, allthe othercommand- The command tenures in the PLAgener- Maj Gen (retired) (Dr) GG Dwivedi is aveteran of TheatreCommands. Itsareaofresponsibil- Northern Theatreoppositethe Russian bor- However, it is customary forall senior mili- ers in the WTC, including the Political ally varyfromthreeto fouryearsandevenbe- the1971War;hehas commanded Battalions in ity includesChina’s twosensitive states, der in 2017-18, and is believedtobeamech- taryofficersto bemembersof theCPC,asthe Commissar Gen Wu,Commander Ground yond,whichenablesthecommandersto ma- Siachen-Chushul, and formations on theLOC/LAC; Tibetand Xinjiang, besides the complete anisedwarfareexpert. People’s Liberation Armyisthe armyofthe Forces Lt Gen Xu Qiling, Commander PLAAir ke effectivecontributions in enhancingthe andhas served as Defence AttachéChina border with India. The WTCwas createdby General Zhang also served as Deputy Chinese Communist Party. ForceLtGen Wang Qiang, and Commander combat-readiness of their unitsand format- and NorthKorea WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 14 CALENDAR THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020

OVER THE HEDGE by Michael Fry &TLewis CROSSWORD 4311 DAYTODAY BYPETERVIDAL

ARIES(Mar 21 -Apr 20) LIBRA (Sept.24-Oct.23) Your stars begin to Everything hinges look simultaneously around what friends morerelaxed and feel, sayand do. The morepassionate, fact is, though,that whichmeans that youmay be they maybesaying one thing propelled head-longintoabout and doing something else! One of sheer pleasure.Creative wayorthe other,your social activities nowrequire stars arelooking moreintense boundless energy and limitless than at anytime sincelastyear. commitment. In fact, there's If there's anychance that you room fordeep satisfaction in can helpsoothe aloved one's even the dullestofduties. nerves, please do so. TAURUS (Apr. 21 -May 21) SCORPIO(Oct. 24 -Nov.22) The prospect of a The professional move of home or dimensioninyour some other major horoscope is looking CALVIN &HOBBES by Bill Watterson domestic upheaval so strong that, if mustnow look moreattractive. you'reunhappyatwork, the At the very least youshould pressuretochangejobs in mid- bring as muchcolour intoyour stream maybeirresistible. It's home and familylifeasyou also nowtime to seekstatus in possiblycan. That's no more your community.Perhaps you'll ACROSS DOWN than youdeserve. Plus, what's be turning the clock back, 1One would feel put out to be 1Writing directions forexample good foryou could be right completingatask that you treated so (7) (5) foreveryone. beganalong time ago. 5Gatheringreat numbers fora 2Old priesttaking partinthe service (5) litany(3) GEMINI (May22-June 21) SAGITTARIUS(Nov. 23 -Dec. 22) 8Theyfit out avessel with spars 3Trifles -child’s playreally It's decision time. Or This is one of those (9) (4) is it? The fact is that rare moments when 9The whole lot, though it 4Kind of finfoundincod or while youmay be youall tooeasilyget sounds likeless (3) salmon (6) pushedintomaking stuckinsome sortof 10 Goes unsteadilytoturn back 5Estimated value achoice, probablyan dogma about the waypeople the power(4) (8) emotional one, it looksvery should behave.Ifyou gettoo 12 It sounds highlyunnatural (8) 6Dogs give assailant trouble (9) certain that whatever is upsetabout rules and arbitrary 14 It is involvedwith aplan that is 7Nobody in particular (7) agreednow will be altered expectations, you'll miss out on flexible (6) 11 Document, having reached again next month.Mind you, the richness of day-to-day 15 Tell astory concerning the double figures, is fully youwill very soonmake human experience. You'll also dead? (6) described (7,2) MARVIN by Tom Armstrong unexpected gains in apersonal sacrifice apassing opportunity. 17 Changing triangle formation 13 Nothing daunted,Iprinted a area. That's the good news. CAPRICORN (Dec. 23 -Jan.20) (8) different version (8) CANCER (June 22 -July23) Theredoes now 18 Like one with alarge area of 14 Akey player(7) This is certainlya seemtobesome sort land (4) 16 Acapital rank Arabs hold rare momentof of turningpoint in 21 Adrinking place in point (6) passion. If all is calm your financial affairs, (3) 19 It should include these on the surface, perhaps one which will colour 22 Realistic science exam (9) mountains (5) beware,for underneath your prosperityfor the years to 24 BackafavouriteI’d found not 20 Astound without ado you'relikeaseething volcano come. Don't be afraid to turn so hot(5) (4) waitingtoerupt. It seemsthat the clockbackfor,ifyou laythe 25 Makes one’s ownwings? 23 One who confrontsthose your emotional security past to rest,you will be much (7) engaged in arow (3) is at stake. Youjustneedtofeel better at dealing with that you'reappreciated. the present. That's all. SolutionsCrossword4310:Across:1Racecard,5Otic,9Lenin,10Minimum,11 AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) Masterstroke,13Icarus,14Pursue,17Heart-to-heart,20Unfrock,21There,22 LEO (July24-Aug. 23) Youreallymust Palm,23Stiletto.Down:1Roll,2Cantata,3Construction,4Remark,6Tempo,7 There's areal listen to other Competes,8Instrumental,12Highjump,15Serpent,16Pocket,18Awful,19Veto. planetarytraffic jam peopletoday, and in your sign today, even bend over with planets backwards to see their pointsof shuffling here, there and view.This maygoagainstthe everywhere. Youmay permit grain, but is agood strategy JUMBLED WORDS DifficultyLevel1s yourself aspell of confusion, because youneedtolet Instructions and by all means wallowin partners getthings offtheir Givenbelowarefourjumbledwords.Solvethejumblestomakeproperwordsandmovethemto TosolveaSudokupuzzle, your emotions. If thereare chest. You'll be able to take the

therespectivesquaresbelow.Selectthelettersintheshadedsquaresandjumblethemtoget everydigitfrom1to9 4332 important matters to deal with, lead again as soon as theair theanswerforthegivenquip. mustappearineachofthe call theexperts. is cleared. To______istoseparatemoredistinctly,toconnectmoreclosely-HugoVonHofmannsthal nineverticalcolumns,in (4,6) VIRGO(Aug. 24 -Sept. 23) PISCES (Feb.20-Mar 20) eachoftheninehorizontal One positive wayto Busy times lie ahead. 4333 EIAER EGKSMU rowsandineachofthe use your current Thereisagreat deal nineboxes. planetaryenergy is of work to do, and

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The Indian EXPRESS SOCIETY NOTICE

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Harsh Dwivedi : Mobile: 9967375573 available Fresh Chest 1. d³fd½fQf C´f»fûO dI ¹fZ ªff³fZ Ied°fd±f 26.11.2020 A´fSf³W 02:00 ¶fªfZ ÀfZ Pallavi Advtg. 0070724823-2 0070725035-2 Pinto Advertising, Dadar (W), and LegBoneless, 7021818976 2. d³fd½fQf Of»fZ ªff³fZ IeAd³°f¸f d°fd±f 11.01.2021 A´fSf³W 03:00 ¶fªfZ °fI Mazagaon, Mobile: 9869109765 Whole Birds, Full Legs, 3. MZd¢³fI »f d¶fO £fû»fZ ªff³fZ Ied°fd±f 11.01.2021 A´fSf³W 04:00 ¶fªfZ Phone :23701070. Wings, Curcus etc. Vinay Yadav : Mobile :9869040181. Shree Swami Samarth Advertising, PERSONAL ''IMPORTANT'' Dadar (W), Please contact on 8451957053 d³fd½fQf If A³¹f d½f½fS¯f BÊ-MZ¯OSIe½fZ¶fÀffBM Premier Advertisers Phone :24440631 9356217008. Whilst care is taken prior to Mumbai Central Mobile :9869131962 CHANGE OF NAME acceptance of advertising Steffi : http://www.etender.up.nic.in ÀfZ OfC³f»fûO/´fif´°f Ie Mobile: 9819891116 0070717329-1 copy,itisnot possible to Stylus Arts, verify its contents. The Indian 9920288236 Sarjan Advertising, Dadar (W), Fresh Chicken Trading ªff ÀfI °fe W`Ü I have changedmyname Express (P.) Limited cannot be Tardeo, Phone :24304897 Big birds 93/-kg., Small Shalvika : Phone :66626983 from Prafulla Balu held responsible for such WXÀ°ff./- Time Advertising, birds 112/- kg., Turbhe Bhongale to Praful Balu contents, nor for any loss or Sanjeet Communication Matunga (W), damage incurred as aresult 8692939901 (CXØf¸f IbY¸ffSX ½f¸ffÊ) Fort. Phone :2446 6191 Naka, Navi Mumbai. Bhongle as per affidavit Mobile: 9769468897. of transactions with Sukanya : Phone :40024682/ 40792205. dt. 22/12/20. companies, associations or 1561-PRO/20 ´f¹ffʽfSX¯f Ad·f¹f³°ff Vijaya Agencies, 0070708740-1 S. Arts Advtg. Dadar (W), 0070725016-1 individuals advertising in its 9594353694 24/12/20 ³f¦fSX d³f¦f¸f, ´fi¹ff¦fSXfªf Masjid Phone :2422 5672. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 15 ECONOMY GOLD RUPEE OIL SILVER `49,624 `73.55 $51.29 `66,954

Note:Gold,silverrates at Delhi spotmarket;gold per 10 g, silverper 1kg; Brent crude as of 0000IST SENSEX: 46,973.54 ▲ 529.36 NIFTY: 13,749.25 ▲ 148.15 NIKKEI: 26,668.35 ▲ 143.56 HANGSENG: 26,386.56 ▲ 43.46 FTSE: 6,493.11 ▼ 2.64 DAX: 13,587.23 ▲ 169.12

International market data till 1930 IST RETROSPECTIVETAXATION:APPEAL FILED IN ASINGAPORE COURT New virus strain Vodafonecase:Indiachallengesruling fails to constrain

September 25, when the ver- leged liability through Following the ruling, and was, therefore, liabletopay AASHISHARYAN dict wasdelivered,India had 90 ED Casedates anyother means”. Vodafone Group said that “the Rs 22,100crore including inter- Sensex; Re up 21p NEW DELHI,DECEMBER 24 days or till Thursday, December backto Earlier this year,on tribunalheld that anyattempt estand penalties. 24,tofile the appeal. PLAIN E 2007 September 25, The Permanent by Indiatoenforce thetax de- The companyhad, on the Indexgainsfor ● THE INDIAN government has On Wednesday, India was EX CourtofArbitration at The mand would be aviolation of other hand, said that it would SENSEX 14:48PM challenged the verdict deliv- handedits second defeat in the Hague’s Singaporeseat had India’s international lawobliga- nothavetopay the taxessince thirdday in a 47,052.67 ered in theVodafoneretrospec- retrospective taxation case af- THE VODAFONE Group ruledthat India’s retrospective tions”. “This wasaunanimous India and the Netherlandshad 47,100 tive taxation case by the terthe Netherlands seat of the retrospective taxation demand of Rs 22,100crore as decision,including India’s ap- signedabilateral investment rowto46,973 47,000 46,743.49 Singaporeseat of Permanent Permanent CourtofArbitration case dates backto2007 capital gains and withholding pointed arbitrator Mr Rodrigo treaty (BIT) in 1995, whichex- 46,900 CourtofArbitration of The of The Hague ruledthat the when the UPAgovern- taximposedonthe telco fora Oreamuno,” acompany empted suchinvestmentsfrom 46,800 Hague, sources in the know of Indian government’sretrospec- ment had raisedaninitial 2007 dealwas “in breachofthe spokespersonhad then said. taxation. ENSECONOMICBUREAU 46,700 the development told The tive taxdemand againstthe taxdemand of Rs 7,990 guarantee of fair and equitable The Vodafone Group retro- However, the Income Tax MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 46,600 46,973.54 Indian Express. global oil and gasmajor was croreincapital gains and treatment” thatthe company spective taxation case dates department continuedtosend 46,500 The decision to file the ap- “inconsistent” with the UK- withholding taxagainst wasentitledfor itsinvestments backto2007when the UPAgov- demand and recovery notices THE BULL rallycontinuedfor the 11:32AM 46,539.12 46,400 peal in acourt in Singapore was India bilateral treaty. Vodafone Group when in the country’s mobile tele- ernment had raisedaninitial tax to the company, whichchal- thirdday in arow with the Open Close takenafter “top ranking” offi- Likethe Vodafone judg- the companyhad ac- phone business. demand of Rs 7,990 croreincap- lenged them firstinthe benchmarkSensexsoaringan- cials metwithofficials from the ment, the international tribu- quired 67 per cent of The international arbitra- ital gains and withholdingtax BombayHigh Courtand later in other 529 pointsamid reports Department of Telecomm- nal once again said that India’s stakeinHutchison tion tribunal had then also againstVodafone Group when the Supreme Court. about the government’s plan to unication (DoT) and Ministryof demand of retrospectivetax on Whampoa for$11 billion. ruledthat the Indian govern- the companyhad acquired 67 In 2012,the Supreme Court begin vaccinationand hopes of RUPEE Finance,and instructed them Cairn Energy Plc was“in breach ment mustreimburse 4.3 mil- per cent of stakeinHutchison ruledthat the Vodafone the Brexit deal between the UK 73.6675 nottowaitonthe issue, one of of the guarantee of fair and eq- lion pounds to Vodafone Group Whampoa for$11 billion. Group’s interpretation of the and European Union.The bench- 73.5488 the sources said. uitable treatment”. In addition mustnot makeany moreat- forcosts incurredonlegal rep- India had then said that Income TaxAct of 1961 markSensexsoared by 1.14 per The sources, however, did to that, in both the judgments, tempts to recover“thealleged resentation and assistanceas Vodafone Group ought to have wascorrect and that it did not cent to 46,973.54and the NSE notspecify as to when the chal- the international arbitration taxliability or anyinterestand well as forfees paid by the com- takenintoaccount the capital have to payany taxesfor the Nifty indexgained148points, or lengewas filed. Beginning tribunal has held that India or penalties arising from this al- panytothe arbitration court. gains and withholding taxes stakebuy. 1.09 per cent, to 13,749.25 on sustainedbuying support. TheSensex,whichcrossedthe BRIEFLY 47,000-levelinintra-daytrading Open Close ‘Housing sales: Festiveboostin In Bengaluru, sales fell to Brexit deal fuels again,hasnowrecoupedthelosses Goldbondissue 10,440 units in 2020 from afterthe 1,400-point crash on Dec qtr,but Covid hit to pinch’ 26,453 units last year Monday. Foreign investors in- duced, development on the US at`5,000 Chennai sales declined to sterling, recovery vested Rs 1,225 croreinstockson stimulus and vaccination,” said 6,983 units from 13,967 units Thursday while domestic institu- Vinod Nair,head of research, Mumbai: The issue price for Sales of residential properties areestimated to grow 51 per tionspulledout close to Rs 1,900 Geojit Financial Services. the next series of sovereign cent across sevenmajor cities in October-December,as Delhi-NCR demand dipped to crore. “Sustained foreigninflows Volumes on the NSE were a gold bonds has been fixedat againstthe previous quarter,onfestivedemand, JLL India said 15,743 units from 29,010 hopes propel stocks and the recovery in the economy bit lowerthan recent average. Rs5,000pergramof gold,the In Hyderabad, sales decline to aregood signs forthe markets to Broad market indices like small- ReserveBank of India said in units in housing 9,926 units from 16,025 consolidatefurther,” said veteran and mid-capindices underper- astatementonThursday.The 21,832sales during 51% REUTERS GAINSFACTOREDIN stockbrokerPawanDharnidharka. formed. Sovereign Gold Bond December quarteras Kolkata witnessed sharp fall in improvement in NEWYORK,DECEMBER24 The government’splan to set Climbing forthe second Scheme 2020-21-Series IX against 14,415 units in demandto2,568 units from residential sales, POUND logistics ready to vaccinate straight session,the rupee darted will beopen forsubscription July-September 7,463 units. THE BRITISH pound rose on frontlinehealth workers in the up21 paisetoend at 73.55against with recovery evenly ▲ 1.3547 0.35% from December 28, 2020 to spread among all Mumbai saw housing sales of ThursdayasBritain and the EU firstphase boostedthe investor the US dollar on Thursday amid January1,2021. drop in housing clinchedafreetrade deal, while a sentiment. Momentum in sustainedforeign fund inflows seven cities 19,545units in 2020 as DOWJONES 48%sales in 2020 to against 32,138 units last year global gauge of stocks edgedup- European marketsonhopes of and positive domestic equities. 74,451 units from 143,923 ward amid investor optimism to- ▲ 30,199.87 0.23% Brexit dealalso helpedindices At the interbank forexmarket, CentralBank units from previous year as Pune went down to 9,246 ward economic growth. to trade higher.Financials and therupeeopenedat73.66against As of 01:20pmEDT toexitJV demand slumped in all units from 18,867 units Sterling momentarilyex- pharma sector contributed to the US dollar and witnessedan seven cities Source: JLL India/PTI tendeditsclimbagainstthedollar the rally. “Volatilitynoticedat intra-dayhigh of 73.54and alow NewDelhi: State-owned onthenews,risingasmuchas0.94 well. The STOXXindexrose 0.13 the start of the week vanished of 73.66. The domesticunitfinally Central Bank of India will per cent, but then pared gains. per cent. On Wall Street,the Dow by the end of the week as con- finishedat73.55,registering arise exit housing finance joint Analysts said the pound’s 5per Jonesrose70.04points,or0.23per cern over newstrainofvirus re- of 21 paise over itsprevious close. venturebyselling itsentire cent rallysince early November cent, to 30,199.87, theS&P 500 stakeofover64per cent to meantthat muchofthe Brexit re- gained13.05 points, or 0.35per CentrumHousing Finance Mrs BectorsFood closes MFs seek lief had already been pricedinto cent, to 3,703.06, and the Nasdaq forRs160 crore. the currency.Still, the pound was added33.62 points, or 0.26 per tax sops lastup0.35per cent at $1.3547. cent, to 12,804.73asof1:20 pm 106% higher on debut The trade deal helped EDT. Trading in US stocks willbe IL&FSgetsnod European equities edge higher as closedonFriday. ENSECONOMICBUREAU tosellChinaasset ENSECONOMICBUREAU The IPO of Mrs Bectors MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 NewDelhi: IL&FS on MUMBAI,DECEMBER24 Food Specialties was Thursdaysaidithasreceived THE MUTUAL fund (MF) industry BREXIT’SLONGSHADOWOVERUKMARKETS approvalfromJustice (retd) SHARES OF Mrs Bectors Food for Rs 540 crore hassoughtparityintaxtreatment DKJain, who is overseeing Specialties made astellar debut and was subscribed of mutual fundsand Unit Linked Theimpact on UK financial markets of the Brexit theresolutionprocessof the on the bourses on Thursday 198.02 times InsurancePlans(ULIPs)andahike vote and yearsofnegotiationshas been profound group, forsale of itsChinese with listing daygains of in thresholdlimit forwithholding road assetChongqing Yuhe 105.73per cent. tax(TDS) on income distribution STOCKLAGGARDS STERLING’SWILDRIDE Expressway Co (CYEC). ThestockopenedatRs500on Specialties wasfor an amount of (dividend) on mutual fund units. UKdomestic-focused Thepoundhashadseveralbrief the NSE, 73.61per cent higher Rs 540crore and wassubscribed The Association of Mutual companysharesareonlyup foraysbelow$1.20—its than itsissue price of Rs 288 and 198.02 times. Experts believe the Funds in India,inits pre-Budget around6.8%indollar lowestlevelsince1980 SebifinesNDTV hitthe upper circuit at Rs 600be- IPO listinggainscanbeattributed memorandum, proposedthat termsfromearly- promoters fore closing the tradingsession at to the all-time highsinthemarket thresholdlimitforwithholdingtax 2016levelswhilethe WEAKERFINANCES Rs 592.5 apiece. This is the third and strong retail participation. onincomedistribution(dividend) FTSE100is4.5% Withalargecurrent NewDelhi:SebionThursday best listing daygain afterBurger Hemang Jani, head-equity strat- on MF unitsshould beraisedfrom lower—that’sagainst accountdeficitanda imposedatotal penaltyof King India and HappiestMinds egy, broking and distribution, Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000 per annum an80%gainfortheS&P debt-to-GDPbeforeCovid Rs 27 croreonNDTVpro- Technologies, whichsaw gains of Motilal Oswal Financial Services, and acap of 15 per cent on sur- 500andanalmost60% above80%,itisrelianton moters, PrannoyRoy and 125per cent and 123.5 per cent, said the listing gains could be at- charge on income distribution on riseforworldstocks internationalinvestors’ RadhikaRoy,aswell as on respectively. tributed to the euphoria in the unitsfromequity MF schemes in Source: Reuters confidenceintheUKeconomy RRPR Holding forviolating The IPO of Mrs Bectors Food marketand retail frenzy. FE handsof non-corporatetaxpayers. various securities norms by concealing information from shareholders regard- ingcertainloanagreements. US regulator allowsM&M to sell Listingsonmobile new Roxor models in Jeep case

boosterstogo REUTERS ‘NOTRADEDRESSVIOLATION’ Mumbai: With mobile net- DETROIT,DECEMBER24 work boosters becoming a ■ The International Trade majorreasonforpoorservice AUSregulator ruledonWednesdaythat Commission (ITC) said the quality,the Department of Mahindraand MahindraLtd’s newdesign post-2020 Roxormodel did Telecom has asked online forits Roxoroff-road utility vehicle did not notviolatethe “tradedress” sellerstopulldownlistingsof infringethe intellectual property rightsof of FCA’s JeepWranglerSUV. suchequipment, an official Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Jeep brand, six statement said on Thursday. months afterbarring sale of oldermodels. The International Trade Commission “While FCAisdisappointed with the (ITC) said the post-2020 Roxormodel did commission’s decision regarding the re- Fintechgroup’s notviolatethe “trade dress” of FCA’s Jeep design, we believe we will be successful in codeofconduct Wrangler SUV,accepting an administra- appealingthisdecision,”FCAsaidinastate- tive lawjudge’s October recommendation ment. Trade dress consists of the unique GOVERNMENT OF INDIA Mumbai:Aday afterRBIrap, that design changes made by Mahindra characteristics that make aproduct stand DEPARTMENTOFSPACE agroupingof five fintechson meant an earlier cease-and-desistorder apartandisgenerallyacceptedasidentified Construction &Maintenance Group, Thursdaycame out with a shouldnot apply to newermodels. “The with that product by the public. Forexam- ISROHQ, LPSC Campus,80Ft. Road, code of ethical conduct for ruling validates Mahindra’s redesign of the ple,FCAseestheJeepWrangler’sboxybody HALIIStage,Bengaluru -08 digitallendingwhichwill highlypopular Roxoroff-road vehicle,” shape, front grille and round headlightsas Ph: 080-25037-387/193 safeguard consumer rights Mahindrasaid in astatement. “Mahindra distinct to the brand. In June, the ITCruled BRIEFTENDERNOTICE and interests. PTI is nowpermittedtomanufactureand dis- Mahindrainfringedontheintellectualprop- Name of work Construction of TrainingFacility tributethe redesigned2021Roxor.” ertyrightsofFCA’s2019-modelJeepbrand. at ISITE, Marathahalli, Bengaluru-Civil &PHWorks TenderNoticeNo. CMG/ISRO-HQ/C/C/11/2020-21 China launches antitrust probe Date:24.12.2020 EstimatedCost Rs.1388.00 lakhs PeriodofCompletion 4(Four)Months into Alibaba over ‘monopoly’ in months Period during which From 18.10Hrs on 24.12.2020 booming internetspace, and the the tender document To 23:59 Hrson02.01.2021 REUTERS latest setbackforMa,the56-year- canbedownloaded HONGKONG/BEIJING,DEC24 old former school teacher who Last date andtime Up to 14:30Hrs on 06.01.2021 foundedAlibaba. for receiptoftenders I CHINAHAS launchedanantitrust In an editorial, the ruling Duedateand time 15:00Hrs on 06.01.2021 investigation intoAlibaba Group CommunistParty’s People’sDaily foropening of tenders and will summon the tech giant’s saidif “monopolyistolerated,and AntGroupaffiliatetomeetincom- companiesare allowedtoexpand Interested tenderersmay please refer www.tenderwizard.com/ ISRO Also detailed noticeinvitingtender (NIT)for eligible ing days,regulatorssaid on inadisorderly andbarbarianman- criteria andother details,which canbedownloadedfrom Thursday, inthelatestblowforJack Alibabafounder Jack Ma. ner,the industrywon’t develop in website www.isro.gov.in Ma’se-commerceandfintechem- ahealthy,and sustainableway”. pire. The probeispart of an accel- Shares in Alibaba fell nearly 9per Sd/- GroupHeadCMG,ISROHQ erating crackdown on anticom- petitive behaviour in China’s cent in Hong Kong. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,FRIDAY,DECEMBER25,2020 (Myperspective)hasonlyshiftedinthelast12months sincethewholeBlackLivesMatterthingstartedtotake off.Iwasprobablysomeonewhohadmyheadinthesand alittlebit...That'sreallyopenedmyeyestothingsand issuesourIndigenouspeople,blackpeopleandpeopleof 16 SPORT allsortofdifferentculturesgothrough.” TIMPAINE, AUSTRALIACAPTAIN,ONTHEBLMMOVEMENT Samering,unusualBoxingDay MCG will lookdifferent,withfar fewerspectators, but Indiahas task cut out

VISHALMENON DECEMBER24

THE MCG does nothavethe notoriousBay 13 anymore.Itwasdismantledandreplacedbya glitzystate-of-the-art hospitality arenalast year.Besides,thestadiumwillbeonlyupto30 per centfull when India take on Australiain thesecondTest onSaturday. However, theim- posing1,00,000-seaterisacolossalamphithe- atreand playing herecomes withits inherent challenges. The intimidating size and over- whelmingpresence can expose even the mi- nutestshortcomings in aplayer. The MCG has rarely been ahappyvisit for tourists.Justtoputthingsinperspective,South Africa in 2008, England in 2010 and India in 2018 arethe only three visiting teams to have defeated Australia at this venuethis century. Afterthe Adelaide hammering, India un- derAjinkyaRahanecaneithergetintimidated and crumble at this imposing venue likesev- eralteamshave inthepast.Ortheycanorches- Though theMelbourne Cricket Ground willbeonlyupto30per centfull when MARY,CHRISTMAS trateastunningturnaround.Theycanseekin- IndiatakeonAustralia in the secondTestonSaturday, playingatthe imposing spiration from their spirited all-round 1,00,000-seater amphitheatrecomeswith itsinherent challenges. AP File Six-time worldchampion and Olympic medallistMaryKom celebrates Christmas Evewithfamily. Renuka Puri performancetwoyearsagothatvaultedthem to aresounding series win. In hispre-departurepresser,whenKohli leaving forEnglandonawhite-ball tour.From wasasked about the challenges of playing in theretotheIPLandbackinAustralia,Smithhas MCG standby venue Australia, he quipped: “Playing in hugestadi- travelledfromone bubbletoanother. Tokyo-bound athletes,coaches should be umsandinfrontof suchhugecrowdsisalways Christmas Day, on theeve of the Melbourne for Sydney Test challenging. But if youdowell here,you earn Test,istraditionallyanoccasionwhenfamilies theirrespect,andthatissomethingthat’sreally of Australian players and coaching and sup- Melbourne: Cricket Australia on priority for vaccine: Parliament panel satisfying forany cricketer.” port staffget together forlunchafter abrief Thursdaysaid Melbourne has been From Michael AthertontoKLRahul, they training session in the morning.Not this year, placedonstandby to hostthethirdTest Sahasrabuddhe submitted itsreporton pressuresituationstheymay find themselves have allbeensubjectedto relentlesstauntsand thankstothe pandemic. betweenIndiaandAustraliaif Sydney's PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA "Preparation forOlympics 2021" to Rajya in during actual Olympics," it said. avolleyofvitriolicabusefromtheMCGcrowd. “It’sthefirsttimein50yearsI’vebeenwith- COVID-19situation rendersit"unten- NEWDELHI,DECEMBER24 SabhaChairpersonMVenkaiahNaiduthrough Thecommitteeobservedthattravellingto Rahul, who made his Test debut six yearsago, out my family(forChristmas),” head coach able"despiteeffortsbeingmadeto con- virtual mode. farawaytournamentsisabigchallengeforath- has spoken in detail about hisharrowing ex- Justin Langer said.“There’s anumber of play- tinue withthe original schedule.The APARLIAMENTARYpanelonThursdayrecom- The report said medical staffand other letes. Countries suchasFrance and Germany perience to bcci.tv. ers and the staffwho arewithout families this fate of thethirdTesthasbeenshrouded mendedputtingathletes,coachesandsupport medical equipment suchasX-Ray and MRI thathosttournaments athome,have produced “The crowdisreallyagainstuswhen we year.It’s one of the sacrifices we have to make in uncertainty since earlier this month staffgoing forthe 2021TokyoOlympicsinthe machinesshouldbemadeavailablewithinse- morechampions, it pointed out. playhere.Theylovetheircricket,butmakeour in 2020. It’s notideal but it is what it is.” afteraoutbreak in the northern prioritygroup forthe COVID-19vaccination lect Sports Authority of India and other train- "Indiashouldhostmoreinternationaltour- livesonthe ground reallyhard. This is why Team India also has alot to ponder.Itar- beachesinSydney, whichisscheduled process. The committee also voicedconcern ing centres. namentssothat players can reduce travel to cricket inAustraliaissoexciting.WhenIplayed rivesatthe hallowedturf on the backofa to hostthe thirdTestfromJanuary 7. overlarge numberofvacanciesof coaches,say- "This will ensurethat athletesdonot lose collect morepointsand move up the ranking my firstTestinMelbourne, Iwas standing at calamitousbattingimplosion at the Adelaide "CAhasreaffirmeditscommitment ing theyshouldbefilledupinatime-bound anytime fortreatment and recovery.This will ladder.Also, alargernumber of athletescan deepsquare-legboundary,andoneof theguys Oval.Trailing0-1, theywillbewithouttheirtal- to giving it the best chance to play the manner so that Olympic preparations do not also keep them from travelling to hospitals benefit from the same amount that India inthecrowdasked:‘Mate,what’syourname?’ ismanic captainVirat Kohli and senior pacer thirdVodafone Test at the Sydney suffer. wherethe chances of contracting COVID are spends on sending athletesabroad forexpo- Theysaid hello and all, but in 10 seconds,the Mohammed Shami.The dodgy form of their Cricket Ground and the fourth The TokyoOlympics areslatedtobeheld the highest,"itobserved. sure," the reportobserved. whole section startedchanting, ‘Rahul is a batsmen and visions of 36/9 will add to their Vodafone Test at the Gabba as per the from Julynextyear. The panel pointed out that due to coron- The standing committee also recom- wa&$#r’,” he recollects. plight. But Langer and his troops won’tliketo originalschedule,"CA said."Shouldthe The panel has also recommendedidenti- avirus-triggeredlockdown and travel restric- mendedcreationof"bio-bubbles" in training Atherton, in an interviewtoThe Times, lettheir guarddown. publichealth situation in NSWrender fying training facilities, stadiaand sports cen- tions, therewas loss of international and na- facilities so that "athletescan be isolated in a London, said:“Younever forget thecrowd. In “Indiahadthebetterof usreallyforthefirst playing in Sydneyuntenable, CA's pre- tresforOlympicqualifiedathleteswhichhave tionalcompetitionexposure whichhashugely secureenvironmentand train with minimal the1990s,IplayedthreeTestsinfrontof 80,000 twodays of the(Adelaide)game,”Langersaid. ferredcontingencyplanisto work with notopenedyet.Itsaid the closedcentres affected thetraining of the athletes. possibility of being infected." peopleandtheatmospherewasincredible.As “Wewereinfor areal arm wrestle of aTest the Victorian Government to playthe shouldbereopened"attheearliest"ortheath- "Thedepartment and National Sports It proposedgiving individualisedpro- aplayer, it wasinspiring. It racksuptension, match. So, it wasamazing howthings turned thirdVodafone Test at the Melbourne letesshould be relocatedtoalternate centres Federations must ensurethat players getan grammestoathletescapableof reachingfinals putsyou on the edge and makes yousharper around. We knowhow good ateam India is, Cricket Ground followedbythe fourth whichhaveopened. opportunity to playmaximum international ormedalhopefulsandalsoprovidingforsend- and, ideally, better.” we knowwe’vegot to keep improving,”the Vodafone Test at the Gabba." The department-related parliamentary tournamentsbeforethe2021Olympicgames. ing them abroad as soon as possible in a"bub- Thepandemic-forcedisolationisexpected former opener said. “We’ll have to start well Afinal decision would be made standing committee on Education, Women, "International competitions should be ac- bleenvironment"wheretop scientific infra- to addpressureontheplayers.SteveSmithhas Boxing Daymorning and then be consistent, during the Boxing DayTest. PTI Children, Youth and Sports headedbyVinayP cordedpriority as theyprepare athletesfor structureisavailable. notmet wifeDaniWillissinceAugust31, before because we know India will fight back.” BRIEFLY If COVID-19 impacts CavanifiresManUtd Politicians, officials, musicians intoLeagueCupsemis schedule, BCCI to London: ManchesterUnitedleftitlateto booktheirplaceintheLeagueCupsemi- ... everyone but cricketers finals with a2-0 win at Everton, while compensateplayers Tottenham joinedthem in the lastfour afterbeating Stoke3-1 on Wednesday. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side dominated MIHIR VASAVDA forlong periods of their quarter-final at DECEMBER24 EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Chetan Sharmanew GoodisonPark,butittookuntilthe88th KOLKATA,DECEMBER24 minutebeforeEdinsonCavanibrokethe WHILE RENOUNCINGhis membership chairman of selectors deadlock. AnthonyMartial bagged with the Delhiand District Cricket THE BCCI has decidedtocompensatecrick- United's second goal in stoppagetime. Association and asking forthe removalof etersif it failsto holdany other domestic tour- Former India medium pacer Chetan ForTottenham, Wales forwardGareth his name from astand at FerozShah Kotla nament other than the SyedMushtaq Ali T20 Sharma will be the newchief selector Balemadethemostofarare starttoput Stadium, former India captain Bishan Trophydue to the ongoing Covid situation in afterhewas pickedfor the senior se- the team aheadbut Alli wasatfault Singh Bedi lamented that India does not India.ThiswasdecidedattheAnnualGeneral lection panelonThursday,alongwith when his flamboyant flick wasinter- honour itssportspersonsthe same wayas Meeting in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Abey Kuruvilla and Debashish ceptedinthe build-up to Jordan rest of theworld. This initiative is expectedtobenefit more Mohanty(both ex-India seamers),by Thompson's equaliser forStoke.Ben Nearly all great venues in the worldho- than athousand men and women cricketers. the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) DaviesputTottenhambackinfrontwith nour eminent sportspersons in wayone or The Board, however, hasn’t ruledout the pos- comprising Madan Lal, RudraPratap his firstgoal since 2017 before England another.InIndia, though, cricketstadiums sibility of holding the Ranji Trophyorthe Singh and Sulakshana Naik. captain Harry Kane sealedSpurs' place arenamedafter everyone exceptcricketers VijayHazareTrophyand will take acall dur- The newselectors will join Sunil in the semi-finals. AFP and ahandful arenamedafter heroes from ing or afterthe Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tourna- Joshi and Harvinder Singh in the panel other sports. ment to be playedfromJanuary10-31. and Sharma, who has played23Tests “Weare still very optimistic about hold- and 65 ODIs, will be the chairmanby Realwinfiveonthe Politicians ingthe Ranji Trophy. Members agreedthat virtue of the number of Testsplayed. bouncetogojointtop number of stadiums namedafter for- it is very important. But if the Covidsituation ENS 9 mer Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. worsens, then the VijayHazareTrophy(50- Madrid: Atowering header from Of them,8-New Delhi,Chennai, Kochi, over format) couldbethe easier option rather Casemiroand an added-time strike Indore,Guwahati, Margao, Pune and than holding four-daymatches.But the do- whichcan go up to $124 million,according to from Karim Benzemasaw Real Madrid Ghaziabad –havehosteddomestic and in- mestic players willbecompensatedifthere’s the AGMpapers. beat astubbornGranada side 2-0 at ternational cricket matches. no other domestic tournament apartfrom As per the hostagreement, the BCCI is home on Wednesdaytonotch afifth number of arenas namedafter Indira NewDelhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium,whichhostedthe 2010 Commonwealth the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy,”Saurashtra “obligated to”deliverthe International consecutive La Ligavictoryand go level 3Gandhi (Guwahati, NewDelhi and Games opening and closing ceremonies, is one of nine venues namedafter the Cricket Association(SCA) president Jaydev CricketCouncil (ICC) afull taxexemption for on pointswith leaders Atletico Madrid. Vijayawada)and RajivGandhi (Hyderabad, former Prime Minister. Express file Shah, who attendedthe meeting, told The hosting the WorldCup. Else, thetournament Real have 32 pointsfrom15games Dehradun and Kochi). Indian Express. will move outtothe United Arab Emirates, heading intoaseven-daybreak from ■ When India hostedthe 2017 under- As per the BCCIpress release, the general or the ICC will debit moneyfromthe Indian matches,levelwithAtleticowhoaretop 17 football WorldCup, four out of the six number of stadiums thatget their former general manager of Tata Steel, John body decidedto“form aworking group in board’s revenue share. The game’s global on goal difference and have twogames venues usedwerenamedafter the Nehru- 4names from cricketadministrators; Lawrence Keenan. order to compensatethe players, matchof- body has setDecember 31 as the deadline in in hand. Gandhi family–the Nehru stadiums in Chennai’s MA Chidambaram,Bengaluru's ficials and others involved in cricketing ac- this regard. Kochi, Delhi and Margao, along with the Chinnaswamy,Mohali's IS Bindra and Sportspersons tivityiftheyare notable to participatedue “Our revenue sharefromthe ICC is $390 IndiraGandhi Stadium in Guwahati, which Mumbai's Wankhede stadiums gettheir number of cricket stadiumsthat are to cancellation of cricketmatches/tourna- million. If we fail to deliver afull taxexemp- Sun'sdopingban is one of the three stadianamedafter the names from the eponymous former pres- 0namedafter acricketer. mentsowing to COVID-19”. The women’s tion, then alittle over $100 millionwill go referredbacktoCAS formerPrime Minister. identsofthe cricketboard. ■ Thereare, domestic matches and men’s junior cricket, away from our shareovertwo WorldCups ■ Alife-size portrait of RajivGandhi in however, two it is learnt, would be playedduring the IPL, (2021T20 WorldCup and 2023 50-over ChineseswimmerSunYanghashadhis his cricketgearhangs at the entrance of Other personalities cricket grounds that from Mayonwards. WorldCup). The office-bearers asked the eight-yearbanfordopingviolationsre- the stadium namedafter the former Prime ■ Thereare stadiumswhichhavelinks honour hockeyleg- members if we wanted to host or not. We ferred backtothe CourtofArbitration MinisterinHyderabad. with the British Raj. The iconicEden ends–Lucknow’s 10 IPL teams from 2022 said we want to host,”the SCApresident told forSport(CAS) afterthe Swiss Federal Gardens derivesits name from the sisters KD Singh‘Babu’ The AGMalso authorised the IPL this paper. Supreme Courtupheld his appeal number of grounds namedafter Atal of the former Governor-General of India Stadium and GoverningCouncil to include up to 10 teams The BCCI is still negotiating with the gov- againstthe ban on the grounds of bias 2BihariVajpayee(Nadaun and Lucknow) LordAuckland, Emily and FannyEden. Captain Roop Singh in the Indian Premier League.“Giventhe lo- ernment fortax exemption. by one of the CASpanel. The decision and Sardar Patel(Valsad and Ahmedabad) Mumbai’s BrabourneStadium, mean- Stadium in Gwalior, gistical challenges and also an increased could potentiallyclear the wayfor Sun each. while, namedafter the thenBombay the venuewhere number of matches in the middle of apan- Cricket in Olympics to compete atnextyear’sdelayedTokyo ■ The FerozShah Kotla Stadium in New Governor,LordBrabourne. Sachin Tendulkar demic,weare likely to expand the IPL from The BCCI is notaverse to cricket’s inclu- Olympics,dependingonwhenthecase Delhiwas renamedArun JaitleyStadium number of venuesnamedafter music became thefirst cricketer to score adouble 2022. The members agreedinprinciple as sion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but isheard.Sunwasbannedforeightyears lastyear. 2maestros:Guwahati’s Dr Bhupen century in ODIs. regardstothe IPL’s expansion to cater to and the members want certain clarifications by CASinFebruaryafter it acceptedan ■ Kozhikode's EMS Stadium, whichhas Hazarika CricketStadium and Delhi’s create awider talent pool,” said aBCCI offi- from the ICC before takingafinaldecision. appeal from the WorldAnti-Doping hosted1987Nehru Cup and is home to I- multi-purposeThyagaraj Stadium, which number of hockey stadiums namedaf- cial. The AGMalso decided to increase the re- Agency (WADA) againstadecision by League side Gokulam Kerala, is namedaf- is dedicated to Carnatic composer 2terMajor DhyanChand, in New Delhi tirement agefor domesticmatchofficials and swimminggoverningbodyFINAtoclear tercommunistleader and firstchief min- Tyagaraja. and Lucknow. T20 WorldCup taxmatters scorers from 55 to 60,while raising the in- himof wrongdoingforhisconductdur- isterofKerala, EMS Namboodiripad. number of stadium that gets itsname number of football stadium namedaf- To ensurethat the next ICC T20 World surance coverfor retired First-Class crick- ing a2018test. REUTERS 1from an executive:Jamshedpur’s 1terafootballer,the Bhaichung Cup is playedinIndia in October-November eters to Rs 10 lakh. RajeevShukla has been Administrators Keenan Stadium, whichisnamedafter the Stadium in Namchi, Sikkim. 2021, the BCCI would bear the taxliability, elected BCCI vice-president.

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