CBSE Examinations for Class 12 Postponed, Class 10 Cancelled

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Printed at . Chennai . Coimbatore . Bengaluru . Hyderabad . Madurai . Noida . Visakhapatnam . Thiruvananthapuram . Kochi . Vijayawada . Mangaluru . Tiruchirapalli . Kolkata . Hubballi . Mohali . Malappuram . Mumbai . Tirupati . lucknow . cuttack . patna NEARBY CBSE examinations for Class 12 postponed, Class 10 cancelled

Yogi, Akhilesh test Board will review positive for COVID-19 situation on June 1 LUCKNOW Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and take decision Yogi Adityanath and Samajwadi Party president Special Correspondent Akhilesh Yadav on NEW DELHI Wednesday said they had tested positive for COVID-19. Due to the surge in COVID19 “I am under self-isolation...,” cases, the Class 12 examina Mr. Adityanath tweeted. tions of the CBSE have been NEWS Ī PAGE 10 postponed while the Class 10 DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD examinations have been can celled, the Education Minis Kumbh: lakhs ignore virus try said on Wednesday. concern to take holy dip The decision was taken af DEHRADUN Throwing caution to the wind ter a meeting chaired by amid rising COVID-19 cases, Prime Minister Narendra over 13.5 lakh people, Modi to review the situation. higher education institu tions, said the Ministry not satisﬁed with the allocat including sadhus from 13 tions, it has been decided to statement. ed marks will be allowed to akhadas, congregated on the 15-day notice postpone the exams. The For Class 10 students, re write an exam as and when ghats of Haridwar on Wednes- Both exams were scheduled CBSE will review the situa sults will be prepared on the conditions are conducive, day to take a dip in the Ganga to be held from May 4 to June tion on June 1. A notice of at basis of an objective crite said the Ministry. during the Kumbh mela. 14. With Class 12 results be least 15 days will be given be rion to be developed by the REPORTS ON NORTH & EAST Ī PAGE 4 Ī PAGES 5, 8, 9, 10 & 13 ing the basis for admission to fore the start of the examina Board. Any candidate who is CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 8 DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Farmers say Centre making false promises NEW DELHI With 17,282 cases, Delhi Govt. will probe deaths State obliged to facilitate access Protesting farmers at the Singhu border on Wednesday said the Centre’s comments breaks daily record again in Sitalkuchi: Mamata on resuming talks were “false to education, says Supreme Court promises” and despite assu- Staff Reporter ported over 24 hours, push Shiv Sahay Singh investigate the killings. New Delhi Kolkata rances the government had ing the toll to 11,540. A total “I assure you that justice Bench orders admission to two students in medical colleges not invited them for dialogue. Delhi witnessed a record of 1,08,534 tests were con Four days after five people will be delivered. Whoever NEWS Ī PAGE 9 number of new COVID19 ducted in a day, the bulletin were killed in two separate has done it will not be Legal Correspondent DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD cases for the fourth consec stated. Of the total cases, incidents of violence on spared. Election is on, but NEW DELHI utive day with 17,282 infec 7,05,162 people have reco polling day in Sitalkuchi in the State government will Access to professional edu tions being reported over 24 vered and there are 50,736 West Bengal, Chief Minister conduct all necessary inves cation is not government hours, according to a health active cases at present. The Mamata Banerjee on Wed tigation,” she said after largesse, the Supreme Court bulletin released by the Del test positivity rate jumped nesday visited the Cooch meeting the families,adding said in a judgment. hi government on Wednes to 15.92%, the highest in Behar district and met the that the State would extend A Bench of Justices D.Y. day. The total number of months. families of the deceased. all help to them. Chandrachud and M.R. cases stood at 7,67,438. She promised the families Shah pronounced the ver DETAILS ON Ī PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON Also, 104 deaths were re that the government would Ī PAGE 8 dict in favour of two stu dents from Ladakh, who were nominated by the Un ion Territory administration Hospitals forced to turn away COVID patients in Bihar for MBBS studies. They were allocated seats in the presti gious Lady Hardinge and ment authorities. ristics as caste, class, gen Major govt. hospitals ‘filled to capacity’; Minister, two IAS officers among 4,157 new cases in the State Maulana Azad Medical Col The court said the State der, religion, disability and leges. However, they were has an “affirmative obliga geographical region) impos Amarnath Tewary (PMCH), Nalanda Medical tients can be admitted only ople in the State have tested At the city’s Bansh Ghat PATNA not admitted. tion to facilitate access to es formidable obstacles on College and Hospital (NMCH) after the existing patients are positive in the last seven days cremation ground, family The students moved the education at all levels”. their path to accessing qual With the number of CO and All India Institute of discharged,” said Dr. Satya and over 50 have died. members of those who died top court for justice, saying “This obligation assumes far ity education,” the recent VID19 patients increasing Medical Sciences (AIIMSPat jeet Singh at Ruban hospital. On Wednesday, Social of complications related to their fundamental right to greater importance for stu judgment read. manifold, there are long na) — are reportedly filled to “We have had to turn Welfare Minister Madan Sah COVID19 have to wait in a education was at the whims dents whose background queues of patients outside capacity. AIIMS is arranging away several patients as no ni and two senior IAS officers queue for long hours. They and fancies of the govern (by virtue of such characte CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 8 hospitals in Patna and bodies for additional beds, said San beds are available. We feel tested positive. On Tuesday, allege that the employees are waiting for their turn outside jiv Kumar, nodal officer for sorry for them, but are help IAS officer Vijay Ranjan died demanding huge amounts cremation grounds. A Minis COVID19 at the hospital. At less,” said the administrative at AIIMS, Patna. The govern for early cremation. “The ter and two senior Indian Ad least 70 ambulances carry manager of a city hospital. ment has deputed IAS offic normal charge for electric ministrative Service officers ing COVID patients had to re ers at three hospitals in Pat cremation is ₹300. The go were among the 4,157 new turn from the hospital on 50 deaths in a week na for a week to monitor the vernment has made crema COVID19 cases reported in Tuesday due to nonavaila Government hospitals in Pat rush of patients . Health Mi tion of COVID19 patients the State over 24 hours. bility of beds, he said. na have a total of 359 beds, nister Mangal Pandey and free, but they took ₹16,000 Three big government Beds in private hospitals while private hospitals have State BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal from me. If this is not extor hospitals in the city — Patna like Ruban, Paras, Ford and 832 beds for COVID19 pa have been visiting hospitals tion, what is?” said Brajraj, Medical College and Hospital Jagdish too are full. “New pa tients. As many as 18,466 pe to monitor the situation. son of a COVID19 victim. Haryana garments units oppose quota in jobs GEMA seeks exemption from new law

Special Correspondent GEMA general secretary GURUGRAM Animesh Saxena said the in After the information tech dustry body also sent a re nology sector in Gurugram presentation to Deputy expressed strong reserva Chief Minister Dushyant tions about the new law gua Chautala on Wednesday, re ranteeing 75% jobs in private questing exemption from sector to the local popula the provisions of the new tion, the garments industry, law due to high skill and pre employing close to 10 lakh cision requirements. people in the State, has also given a thumbs down to the Skill requirement legislation and demanded In a press statement, GEMA exemption from it. claimed that the website of A survey by the Garments Haryana Skill Development Exporters and Manufactur Mission has only 4,508 ers Association (GEMA) trained persons available among its members has re across all the 33 job roles of vealed that more than 82% apparel sector like tailors, may not consider Haryana cutters and supervisors and for expansion in case the not all of them may be will new law is not repealed, or ing or be fully suitable for the industry is not exempted the actual roles. They may from its provisions. An equal not even fulfil the domicile number believes that they criterion of the law. “Indus would not be able to source trial Training Institutes in adequate skilled strength Haryana did not offer much from Haryana only and none training courses in apparel of the major employers, who industry trades historical generate employment of ly... This indicates that per more than 3,000 people, be haps some vocations in Ha lieve that they would be able ryana may not be preferred. to source people only from Forcing the population to the State. The survey also adopt a different practice disclosed that a big majority would more be a wishful has less than 20% em thinking than a practical so ployees based in Haryana. lution,” said the statement. CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

DELHI THE HINDU 2 CITY THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE With 17,282 cases, Delhi breaks daily record again Hotels linked to hospitals for COVID-19 treatment Health Minister Satyendar Jain says there is no shortage of ventilator beds and 95% of beds in COVID care centres are vacant Govt. rescinds order on regular patients Staff Reporter also decreased and compa New Delhi nies reduced production. Staff Reporter as dedicated COVID19 facili Delhi witnessed a record Now, there is a sudden de New Delhi ties — and allowed these number of new COVID19 cas mand for the medicine and The Delhi government on hospitals to also treat non es for the fourth consecutive the supply could not cope Wednesday linked hotels, COVID19 patients. day with 17,282 fresh infec up,” Mr. Gupta said. banquet halls, and other On Monday, all 4,337 tions being reported in the He said that stocks of the buildings with hospitals, beds in these 14 hospitals last 24 hours, according to a tablet have started coming which will add 3,269 beds were reserved for COVID19 health bulletin released by and they expect the situation for COVID19 treatment, as treatment, but on Wednes the Delhi government on to be stable within a week. per official orders. day it was reduced to 3,553, Wednesday. The total num The government had ta as per an official order. ber of cases stood at 7,67,438. Gahlot tests positive ken a similar step last year These hospitals have also Also, 104 deaths were re between 23%, but it has now Delhi Transport Minister Kai when the city was witness been allowed to temporarily ported in the past 24 hours, dropped down to less than lash Gahlot on Wednesday, ing another surge in cases. increase their capacity by taking the total number of 0.5%,” he said. said he has tested positive for The number of beds for 35% and additional beds can deaths to 11,540. A total of Mr. Jain also inspected Lok COVID19, and advised those COVID19 treatment in Delhi be used for nonCOVID19 1,08,534 tests were done in a Nayak Hospital. “It has been who came in contact with governmentrun hospitals treatment, the order said. day, the bulletin also stated. instructed that sufficient ICU him to take precautions. was also increased by 718, as The government revised Of the total cases, 7,05,162 beds should be available for The Minister was adminis per another order. Also, 28 Monday's order after the people have recovered and COVID19 patients. I also met tered the first dose of the CO ICU beds with ventilators hospitals made representa there are 50,736 active cases the family members of the VID19 vaccine on April 7. and 187 ICU beds without tions to the Health Minister. here at present. patients. Chief Minister Ar “I have tested positive for ventilators were added. Many of the 14 hospitals A Civil Defence Volunteer assists a healthcare worker to administer a vaccine shot to a woman vind Kejriwal is directly mon Covid19 today. I have home Banquet halls and other were requesting the govern High positivity rate at Guru Gobind Singh Hospital in west Delhi on Wednesday.* SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR itoring the situation of beds isolated myself. All those who buildings were linked with ment to allow nonCOVID The test positivity, which is and facilities available for pa came in contact with me re five Delhi government hos emergency treatment. the percentage of people test According to a govern The highest number of tion, home isolation, admi tients in Delhi government cently please take necessary pitals, which will add a total “These 14 hospitals are ing positive out of the total ment website, however, only ventilators were available at nistering oxygen, Bipap, etc. hospitals,” he said. precautions [sic],” Mr. Gahlot of 875 beds. super speciality hospitals tests conducted, jumped to 155 (13.11%) of the 1,182 venti Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality There are a number of venti tweeted. Deputy Chief Minis Hotels and banquet halls who cater to a large number 15.92%, which is the highest lators were free and 68 of 94 Hospital (65), Lok Nayak Hos lator beds and if there’s a pa Fabiflu shortage ter Manish Sisodia, Environ were linked with 23 private of nonCOVID patients. The in months. hospitals did not have any va pital (17), and Sir Ganga Ram tient occupying it, then it is Kailash Gupta, president of ment Minister Gopal Rai and hospitals, converting them government should convert Of the total 12,667 beds cant ventilators at 7 p.m. on Hospital (10). shown as engaged in the app. the All India Chemist and Dis Health Minister Satyendar into “extended COVID hos more secondary care hospi available for COVID19 treat Wednesday. “Initially, when COVID19 But there is no shortage of tributors Federation, said Jain were earlier infected pitals”. This will add 2,394 tals and nursing homes into ment, 66.1% were occupied. Also, out of the 122 hospi was encountered, ventilators ventilators,” Mr. Jain said. there is a shortage of Fabiflu with the virus. beds for COVID19 treat dedicated COVID facilities, Health Minister Satyendar tals with ICU beds, 73 did not were considered a primary The Minister said that des tablets, which is used in CO Meanwhile, a total of ment in two phases. instead of super speciality Jain said there was no shor have any vacant ICU beds. health tool. But the truth is pite the steady increase in VID19 treatment. 68,422 beneficiaries took the The Delhi government on hospitals,” Girdhar Gyani, tage of ventilator beds and Of the total 3,411 ICU beds that a ventilator is the last re cases, the fatality rate has “Last year, there was high COVID19 vaccination in the Wednesday also revised an director general of the Asso that 95% of beds in COVID in these hospitals, only 427 sort. There are many levels substantially reduced. demand for Fabiflu and as city in the last 24 hours, as earlier order — which had ciation of Healthcare Pro Care Centres are vacant. ICU beds were free. before that, namely medica “In November 2020 it was cases decreased the demand per the bulletin. declared 14 private hospitals viders (India) had said.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Fire in Paschim Puri slum Blaze guts 50 High Court rejects plea to postpone shanties in gurdwara management panel polls Jamia Nagar Court says govts. are taking steps to curb virus spread STAFF REPORTER NEW DELHI Staff Reporter source of spread of CO Around 50 shanties were New Delhi VID19,” the Bench said. gutted after a fire broke out The Delhi High Court has The petition sought post at Noor Nagar in southeast rejected a plea to postpone ponement of elections on Delhi’s Jamia Nagar on the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara the grounds that there is an Wednesday, Delhi Fire Ser Management Committee unprecedented spike in CO vices (DFS) officials said. (DSGMC) elections, sche VID19 cases in the Capital No injuries have been re duled for April 25, due to with doctors stating that if ported. The authorities the spike in COVID19 cases. the cases continue to rise at suspect that a sparking in A Bench of Justice Rajiv the same rate, Delhi will the electricity cables in the Sahai Endlaw and Justice have 15,000 cases per day shanties could be the Amit Bansal said “the res and the situation is grim as cause. Furniture and hou pondent Delhi government there is no adherence to the sehold essentials, includ as well as the Central go norms. ing LPG cylinders, and e vernment is already taking court would not interfere. rickshaws parked in the all steps to prevent the Noncompliance slum cluster, were dam spread of COVID19, with Enforcing guidelines They have stated that dur aged in the blaze. out however restricting “We are confident that not ing the election meetings A total of 13 fire tenders daytoday life any more only will Delhi government held by various parties and were rushed to the spot. than necessary.” enforce guidelines already their candidates, it was The fire has been brought It said once it is shown issued to prevent spread of seen that neither the candi under control and cooling that guidelines for ensuring virus during the election, dates nor the voters attend process is under way, the that the holding of election but also a body as the ing such gatherings were fire officials said. do not lead to spread of the DSGMC will take all possi complying by the COVID19 A major fire broke out in a slum cluster in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Camp in west Delhi’s Paschim Puri on Wednesday night. Delhi “Around 40 to 50 shan virus any more than it is al ble steps to ensure that the norms on wearing masks Fire Services officials said 25 fire tenders were pressed into service to control the blaze. No injuries have been reported so far. ties were gutted. Prelimin ready taking place, the conduct of elections is not a and social distancing. The cause of the fire is not known yet, the department said. * SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR ary enquiry was done, sus CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC pected cause of fire is sparking in the electricity supply cables,” said R.P. Meena, DCP (South East). Over 30 policemen in A fire also broke out on Delhi govt. will seek priority vaccination for journalists the fourth floor of the Cen tral Revenue building at hospital or isolation Federation of All India Medical Association writes to PM requesting front-line worker status for scribes ITO on Wednesday. Four teen fire tenders were Police chief reviews curfew enforcement Special Correspondent rendra Modi requesting that priority vaccination for jour other matters of public con ties, large and small,” it also rushed to the spot and the New Delhi journalists from both televi nalists a “major issue”, stated cern, including matters criti stated. blaze was brought under STAFF REPORTER Chief Minister Arvind Kejri sion and print media be vac that they were putting their cal to the health and safety of Doctors had, the Associa control. No injuries were NEW DELHI wal said the Delhi govern cinated given their frontline health and lives at risk while the public and critical to our tion stated, seen journalists reported, officials said. As the city continues to wit ment would write to the worker status. covering both the COVID19 democracy,” FAIMA stated. become infected, hospital ness a surge in COVID19 Centre seeking priority CO “Journalists are reporting pandemic and matters “criti “While others have the op ised and succumbing to CO cases, the Delhi police have VID19 vaccination for from most adverse situa cal” to both the public and tion to walk away from large VID19 since the pandemic also seen a spike in infec journalists. tions. They shud be treated democracy per se on a daily crowds, or to avoid members struck. Chadha writes tions in the force. The Federation of All India as frontline workers and basis. of the public that don’t follow So, they said, they request A total of 8,048 person Medical Association (FAIMA), shud be allowed vaccination “Journalists cannot work ICMR health guidelines, ed both the Centre and the to Haryana CM nel have tested positive A volunteer requests a group of doctors from lead on priority. Delhi govt is writ from home, and have put these journalists repeatedly State governments to treat on water supply since the pandemic began. women to take the COVID ing government hospitals ing to centre in this regard their health and lives at risk put their own safety at risk to journalists as frontline work The recovery rate, ho test. * SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA from across the country, also [sic.],” Mr. Kejriwal tweeted. on a daily basis to cover both document what is occurring ers and prioritise their vacci Staff Reporter wever, is impressive, as wrote to Prime Minister Na FAIMA, terming lack of the COVID19 pandemic and and inform their communi nation. New Delhi 7,706 personnel have reco tour across Delhi to review ViceChairman of Delhi Jal vered and resumed their du enforcement of curfew Board, Raghav Chadha, ty. “We have lost 36 men in He checked markets, reli Where are on Wednesday wrote to the fight against COVID19. gious places, busy road pick Over 60 infected jail inmates under treatment the Haryana Chief Minis The policemen who died ets and movement of essen ter on “significant” reduc were carrying out their res tial vehicles. He also the sanitising tion in raw water supplied ponsibilities during the fight interacted with field func 11 employees in three prison complexes also undergoing treatment for COVID-19 by the State to Delhi and to contain the pandemic,” tionaries and advised them machines, BJP “frequent” high levels of said a senior police officer. to maintain personal safety STAFF REPORTER since the outbreak of the Meanwhile, some undertrial ammonia in water. The officer added that while enforcing COVID19 asks AAP govt. NEW DELHI pandemic in March last year, prisoners are still surrender “The crisis being faced around 36 personnel are protocol, the officials said. Over 60 inmates and 11 em the Prisons Department re ing and some might have ob adversely impact the either undergoing treat Till Wednesday, a total of Special Correspondent ployees in the three prison mained vigilant and instruct tained regular bails from the drinking water supply of ment at hospital or are un 2,044 cases have been regis New Delhi complexes of Delhi are pre ed its employees to not only courts, which is being ascer major areas of the NCT of der home quarantine. tered under the IPC, in addi Delhi BJP spokesperson sently undergoing treatment maintain hygiene and social tained,” jail sources said. Delhi, including Diplo On Tuesday night, the tion to preventive action Praveen Shankar Kapoor for COVID19, officials said distancing, but also spread Earlier, the prison officials matic Missions/Embas Delhi Commissioner of Pol against 18,329 people for de on Wednesday said he had on Wednesday. awareness about the infec had said the situation could sies, President House, ice S.N. Shrivastava took a fying night curfew orders. written to Mr. Kejriwal to “A total of 190 inmates tion among inmates in the be more difficult to manage Hon’ble Supreme Court, draw his attention to the have tested positive for CO three jail complexes. when the inmates, who were Hon’ble High Court, along “10 missing Japanese sani VID19 so far,” Director Gen A total of 1,184 convicts granted parole during the with hospitals treating Co tising machines”, which eral (Prisons) Sandeep Goel A total of 190 inmates have and around 5,500 under pandemic outbreak last year, vid19 patients of Delhi & the city government had said. According to data tested positive for COVID19 trials were released last year would return. neighboring States. I im “claimed to have bought” shared by the officials, the so far. * FILE PHOTO under the department’s de There are a total of 18,900 plore you to, and I am last year on April 14. number of active COVID19 congestion drive amid the inmates in the Delhi prisons, sure you will. extend your “Last year, Deputy CM cases in Delhi prisons till have been infected with the pandemic outbreak. comprising Tihar, Rohini cooperation on humani Manish Sisodia and MLA Wednesday stands at 78, in novel coronavirus, include a and Mandoli jails. tarian grounds keeping in Raghav Chadha had dis cluding 11 jail employees. jail superintendent of Man Undertrials surrendering However, the intake ca mind the unprecedented played the machines and “Of the 190 positive cases, doli Jail and two doctors at Of the convicts, 1,072 have pacity is just 10,026 inmates, emergency of Covid19,” claimed they will do mass 121 inmates have recovered Tihar jail, he said. surrendered and 112 are yet the officials had said. he said in the letter. sanitising in Delhi,” Mr. Ka and two have died, leaving The first case of COVID19 to surrender. The jail officials The number of prisoners Mr. Chadha said that poor wrote. “Today, CO 67 active cases. A total of 304 was reported in Rohini jail said 2,200 undertrial prison will pass the 20,000mark as the levels of ammonia VID19 spread is at its peak prison employees contract on May 13 last year. Two CO ers have surrendered and more inmates will come af rose to 8.4 parts per mil and people are thinking ed the infection so far. Of VID19positive inmates of 3,300 are yet to surrender. ter their emergency parole lion on Wednesday and where those Japanese ma them, 293 have recovered Mandoli jail died on June 15 “We have shared lists of ends, they had said. along with it, short supply chines are. Their purchase and 11 are still under treat and July 4, respectively. Both convicts and undertrial pri Meanwhile, the COVID19 of raw water has caused a and publicity now smacks ment,” Mr. Goel said. were senior citizens. soners who have not surren vaccination process in the major impact on drinking of a scam,” he stated. The 11 employees who The officials had said ever dered with the Delhi police. jails is under way. water supply in Delhi.

CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU DELHI THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 CITY 3 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Timings Health is top DELHI Sisodia launches festival THURSDAY, APR. 15 priority for CBSE decision on exams a great RISE 05:56 SET 18:47 to celebrate Ambedkar RISE 07:50 SET 21:43 Centre: Gupta FRIDAY, APR. 16 The event will promote his teachings RISE 05:55 SET 18:48 Special Correspondent relief for students, parents: CM RISE 08:27 SET 22:38 New Delhi Special Correspondent said such events will instil SATURDAY, APR. 17 The Bharatiya Janata Par Kejriwal says he is glad exams have been cancelled considering surge in cases New Delhi and encourage a sense of RISE 05:54 SET 18:48 ty (BJP) on Wednesday The Delhi government on pride among people, while RISE 09:09 SET 23:33 welcomed Prime Minister Special Correspondent centres could become But delaying the exam also Wednesday launched the first they work around the theme Narendra Modi’s decision NEW DELHI hotspots. means delay in college appli edition of Babasaheb Ambed of equality for all, which is, in to postpone Class 12 CBSE The decision taken by the Education Minister Man cations and fears that the kar Digital Kala Festival, a today’s times, struggling to Board exams and cancel Central Board of Secondary ish Sisodia also welcomed CBSE exam dates may clash weeklong exhibition mark regain its lost essence. Class 10 exams. Examination (CBSE) to can the move and said: “It’s a big with other entrance exam ing the 130th birth anniver Delhiites will be able to Delhi BJP president cel the Class X Board exami relief to 30 lakh students, dates,” he said. sary of Bhim Rao Ambedkar. participate in the festival by Adesh Gupta termed the nation and postpone the their parents and teachers. Rajesh Tyagi, an Econom Conceptualised by the De uploading their content on decision timely while Class XII Board examination Cancellation/postponement ics teacher, said that the safe partment of Art, Culture and Instagram/Twitter/YouTube Leader of Opposition in was welcomed in Delhi, with of CBSE exam for Class X and ty of students was of utmost Languages, the festival seeks and tagging the Department the Delhi Assembly Ram Chief Minster Arvind Kejri XII was being demanded by priority and that a final deci to promote the teachings of of Art, Culture and Languag vir Singh Bidhuri said the wal saying that the news all of us since many days.” sion by the Board helped Ambedkar. es handles on each of the decision would put an end comes as a great relief. calm the nerves of students The festival will be held platforms and follow it up to trauma both for stu “I am glad that the exams Right move who were keenly awaiting a with Ambedkar’s quote, “We with an email with the link to dents as well as parents. have been cancelled/post Arvind Kejriwal * While students of Class X decision by the Board ever are all equal under the blue ambedkar.delhigovt@gmail “This step is for the poned. This is a great relief were happy that the exami since cases started rising. sky”, as the theme. Through .com, the government good of students, the for lakhs of students and in the Capital. Mr. Kejriwal nation had been cancelled, All India Parents Associa this exercise, the government said. The categories of the health of their near and their parents,” Mr. Kejriwal had said that there had been those in Class XII said that tion (AIPA) president Ashok seeks to encourage outof submissions include reels/ dear ones is a top priority tweeted. reports of children and the postponing the examination Agarwal said that the CBSE thebox and unique interpre short video format, poetry/ of the Modi government,” The CM had on Tuesday younger population being just prolonged the uncertain must have taken decision tations of this quote by Am song/rap, or visual arts. 0 Mr. Gupta said. appealed to the Central go more prone to the virus in ty, but felt that it was the keeping students’ interest in bedkar, along with inculcat The winners of the compe DISCLAIMER: Readers are requested to “The Delhi government vernment to cancel the ex the fourth wave and with ov right move due to the rising mind. Therefore, the AIPA ing a sense of patriotism in tition will be announced on verify and make appropriate enquiries to satisfy themselves about the veracity of should take all adequate amination or find an alterna er six lakh students and one number of cases. Krishay, a welcomes this decision. the participants. May 1 and the winner will be an advertisement before responding to any published in this newspaper. THG measures to ensure that tive method of conducting lakh teachers being involved Class XII students from a Aprajita Gautam from the Launching the festival, De awarded ₹75,000, the first PUBLISHING PVT LTD., the Publisher & Owner of this newspaper, does not vouch the studies of the students the examination online or via in the exercise that was to private school in south Delhi, Delhi Parents Association al puty Chief Minister and Mi runnerup will be awarded for the authenticity of any advertisement or advertiser or for any of the advertiser’s do not suffer,” Mr. Bidhuri internal assessments due to start on May 4, there were said “This entire year has so hailed the government’s nister of Art, Culture, and ₹50,000 and the second run products and/or services. In no event can the Owner, Publisher, Printer, Editor, Dir- said. the surge in COVID19 cases concerns that examination been a rollercoaster ride. move. Languages, Manish Sisodia, nerup ₹25,000. ector/s, Employees of this newspaper/ company be held responsible/liable in any manner whatsoever for any claims and/or damages for advertisements in this newspaper. Around 500 fall sick after 331 child labourers rescued in 2020-21 Three women IN BRIEF eating ‘spoiled’ buckwheat compared to 202 in last 3 years: DCPCR held for trying Video of policeman being to extort cash assaulted goes viral Case registered, one arrested: police Commission Chairperson lauds efficient citizen reporting NEW DELHI STAFF REPORTER After the video of a STAFF REPORTER prietor of a store has been Special Correspondent He added that DCPCR also has pandemic and the conse NEW DELHI policeman on duty being NEW DELHI arrested. NEW DELHI a scheme through which quent joblessness and re Three women were arrest assaulted had gone viral, the Over 500 people, who had Around 526 people were The Delhi Commission for those reporting incidents duced family income have ed for allegedly trying to ex police said an inquiry into the eaten food prepared with reportedly admitted to hos Protection of Child Rights were offered rewards. pushed children towards the tort ₹10 lakh from a person incident is under way. The buckwheat (kuttu) flour, fell pitals. They complained of (DCPCR) on Thursday said The DCPCR said that the menace of labours. There on the pretext of false mol incident took place on April 1 in Uttam Nagar, they said. ill in different parts of east uneasiness, stomach ache that it had facilitated the res children belonged to different fore, these children’s rehabili estation charges, police According to the police, Delhi, officials said on Wed and vomiting after they ate cue operations of 331 child la age groups and were rescued tation becomes utmost signif said. kuttu Sushil was earlier posted as a nesday. Prima facie it ap the food made with bourers in the year 202021 from factories, bakery units, icance. DCPCR is committed The accused have been PSO to a businessman named pears to be a case of food flour to break their Navratri compared to 202 children in and auto centre units, as well to tracking their education identified as Sonia (28), her Sanjay Gupta. On April 1, adulteration or sale of fast on Tuesday, a senior preceding three years. as residential colonies where enrolment, and the family’s sister Poonam (31), both re when Mr. Sushil went to meet spoiled flour, they added. East Delhi district official Anurag Kundu, Chairper they were working as domes involvement in different go sidents of Tagore Garden, Mr. Gupta, he got into an A case has been regis said. “ All of them except son of DCPCR, said the com tic servants. They were pro vernment schemes,” the and Kiran (30), a resident of argument with his relative. tered against the owner of a fourfive people have been mission was able to conduct duced before the Child Wel DCPCR said in a statement. Meerut, they said. Following it, Sushil was general store in Kalyanpuri discharged,” he said. rescue operations due to effi fare Committees the same Nonpayment of minimum On April 7, Kiran made allegedly abused and beaten in connection with the inci Reports of people falling cient citizen reporting. He day, which conducted their wages, inordinate long work allegations of molestation up by Mr. Gupta’s younger dent, Deputy Commissioner ill were received from Ka said that citizens need to be social investigation to trace fa ing hours, and unhygienic against one Dinesh Chand brother Rinku Gupta, a senior of Police (East) Deepak Ya lyanpuri and Trilokpuri. encouraged to report instanc milies for their restoration working conditions emerged Mahajan (61). Later, it was police officer said. An inquiry dav said. Bunty, 31, a resi A family of six was also es of child labour through and reintegration, it said. as common patterns in most found that the allegations is under way, said the police. dent of Trilokpuri and pro hospitalised in Mehrauli. DCPCR’s WhatsApp number. “It becomes critical as the cases, the DCPCR said. were false, police said.

Published by N. Ravi at Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai-600002 and Printed by S. Ramanujam at HT Media Ltd. Plot No. 8, Udyog Vihar, Greater Noida Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar, U.P. 201306, on behalf of THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD., Chennai-600002. Editor: Suresh Nambath (Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act). Regd. DL(ND)-11/6110/2006-07-08 ● RNI No. UPENG/2012/49940 ● ISSN 0971 - 751X ● Vol. 11 ● No. 89

DELHI THE HINDU 4 NORTH & EAST THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Rajasthan govt. postpones board examinations Akali Dal bids to woo Dalit voters Special Correspondent Chief Minister Ashok Geh the students of class VIII sought their suggestions for JAIPUR lot took the decision after would be promoted to class handling the pandemic. BJP After the CBSE announced discussions with Minister of IX without examinations in State president Satish Poonia ahead of Punjab Assembly polls cancellation of its class X ex State for Education Govind view of the prevailing pan suggested in the session that aminations, the Rajasthan Singh Dotasra in view of the demic situation. The State the hospitals be instructed government on Wednesday increasing number of CO government has already pro not to ignore the treatment A Dalit leader will be made Deputy Chief Minister if party wins elections: Badal decided to postpone the VID19 infections. moted the students till class of patients other than those State Secondary Education es VII to the next classes. having the virus infection. Special correspondent population in Punjab. Board’s examinations for Revised dates Mr. Gehlot earlier held in In another order, the State Chandigarh Captain Singh said the classes X and XII. The State Mr. Dotasra said a decision teractions with experts, doc government on Wednesday In an attempt to gather Dalit announced by Mr. Badal Board was also directed to on the revised dates for ex tors, leaders of political par extended the night curfew to votes in the Punjab Assemb was nothing but a political promote the students of ams would be taken if the sit ties, religious leaders and the municipal limits of all ur ly polls due early next year, antic aimed at misleading classes VIII, IX and XI to the uation improved during the social activists through vi ban areas for 12 hours every the Shiromani Akali Dal the people. next classes. next 15 to 20 days. He said deoconferencing and day, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. (SAD) announced on Wed nesday that it would ap ‘Political gimmickry’ EDUCATIONAL point a Dalit as Deputy “The Shiromani Akali Dal Chief Minister after forming and the Bharatiya Janata the government. Party had failed to ensure The announcement that the welfare of the Dalits in was made by SAD president the State for 10 years and Sukhbir Singh Badal evoked are now resorting to politi sharp criticism from the cal gimmickry to woo the Congress, with Chief Minis community with an eye on EDUCATIONAL ter Amarinder Singh calling Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. * FILE PHOTO: AFP the 2022 elections,” he said. it “poll optics”. “Sukhbir Badal is now Mr. Badal made the an li_Dal is proud to follow the 2022, the Deputy CM will be promising a Deputy Chief nouncement in Jalandhar, ideals of Babasaheb Dr BR from Dalit bhaichara. We Minister but has nothing to after paying tribute to Dr. Ambedkar ji. We are com will also establish a Univer show what he or his party, B.R. Ambedkar on his 130th mitted to working for the sity in Doaba in Babasa in alliance with the BJP ever birth anniversary. weak & downtrodden. Once heb’s name.” Dalits make did for the community,” He also tweeted, “@Aka SAD forms govt in Punjab in up nearly 32% of the total said the Chief Minister.

Bypoll put off Tikait, Bhim Army chief as candidate pay tributes to Ambedkar dies of virus Staff reporter ‘Centre’s divide and rule policy would not work any more’ Bhubaneswar Byelection to the Pipili as Anuj Kumar sembly constituency in Od Ghaziabad isha has been postponed af In a significant move, Bharti ter Congress candidate Ajit ya Kisan Union (BKU) na Mangaraj died of COVID19. tional spokesperson Rakesh The byelection was Tikait joined hands with scheduled for Saturday Bhim Army Chief Chan (April 17). It was necessitat drashekhar Azad to pay tri ed by the death of sitting bute to Bhimrao Ambedkar BJD MLA and former Minis on his 130th birth anniver ter Pradeep Maharathy, TENDERS sary at the Ghazipur border who also lost his life to CO on Wednesday. VID19. PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT Invoking a new slogan, Mr. Mangaraj was facing ‘Kisan bachao, Samvidhan acute respiratory problem Rakesh Tikait with Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad I, VINITI BAHL daughter of SH. K.C Bachao’, Mr. Tikait said the and had been admitted to a BAHL born on 04Dec1973 residing at (right) at Ghazipur border on Wednesday. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT 1770 Hickory Ave, Livingston, Cali- present government was private hospital. He in fornia 95334, USA have changed my more interested in perpet Describing it a historic “Babasaheb Ambedkar formed his supporters name to VINITI KAUR vide affidavit uating the interests of com moment, Mr. Azad said he used to say if the slave realis about having tested positive dated 04April2021 at Merced, Cali- fornia, USA EDUCATIONAL EDUCATIONAL panies than in respecting Ba was standing with farmers in es that he is living the life of a for coronavirus through a basaheb’s Constitution. their struggle to protect slave, he would break his Facebook post on Saturday. PUBLIC NOTICE their rights. shackles. Today, there has Governor Ganeshi Lal, ‘False impression’ He challenged the Central been an attack on the rights Chief Minister Naveen Pat “BJP people are living under government that its divide of farmers, who are the naik and Union Petroleum, a false impression that they and rule policy would not backbone of this country. Natural Gas Minister Dhar are running the country. The work any more. “The coun They have to rise to make mendra Pradhan and Od reality is that some compa trymen have seen through it. themselves heard,” he isha Pradesh Congress nies are controlling the People are uniting to answer added. Committee Niranjan Pat show. Had there been a sen the tyranny and harassment Mr. Azad had visited the naik expressed their condo sitive government, it would that this government is in protest site earlier as well lences. have engaged with the prot flicting upon them.” when Mr. Tikait became Odisha on Wednesday esters against the farm “Living is not a big thing, emotional and cried after breached the 2000mark laws,” he said, adding it was living with dignity matters possible police action at the for the first time after the a fight for salvaging the farm and that is what is under Ghazipur border on January resurgence of COVID19 er’s selfrespect. threat,” asserted Mr. Azad. 28 this year. pandemic.

OBITUARY & DEATH ANNIVERSARIES Kumbh: lakhs REMEMBRANCE Rajasthan gets its first ignore virus wellness resource centre DEATH ANNIVERSARIES concerns to take holy dip It will cover several aspects of wellness Special Correspondent A wellness index JAIPUR <> Press trust of india on the lines of Dehradun Focusing on a holistic model happiness index is Throwing caution to the of health, happiness and needed to assess all wellbeing, Rajasthan’s first wind amid rising cases of dimensions of wellness resource centre has COVID19, lakhs of people well-being congregated on Wednes been launched here in col laboration with Indus Well P.R. Sodani day on the ghats in Harid President, IIHMR war to take a dip in the ness Code Trust (IWCT) of Ganga during the third sha- Silicon Valley, U.S., with em Entrepreneurship to extend hi snan of the Kumbh phasis on “multidimension support to the upcoming mela. al wellness”. The centre will healthcare startups. IIHMR Over 13.5 lakh people, cater to the wellness needs president P.R. Sodani said including sadhus from 13 by reckoning on each per the MoU would not only fa akhadas, had bathed in the son’s individual cilitate knowledge genera Ganga up to a little before characteristics. tion and dissemination ac sunset, the office of the In Jaipurbased Indian Insti tivities, but would also spector General of Police tute of Health Management influence the government’s (Mela) Sanjay Gunjyal said. Research (IIHMR) signed a policies towards wellness The ‘royal bath’ marked memorandum of under and prevention of diseases. Mesh Sankranti and Baisak standing with IWCT here hi, and fell two days after a earlier this week for esta ‘Curative aspect’ similar convergence of blishing the centre. Similar “A wellness index on the seers and other devotees centres have been function lines of happiness index for the second shahi snan ing in North America for the needs to be created in the — mammoth events where last three years under the country to assess all dimen following social distancing aegis of India Community sions of wellbeing,” Dr. So norms appears almost CentreCrack the Wellness dani said. Inaugurating the impossible. Code, with which 130 doc centre, Sawai Man Singh Go tors are associated. vernment Medical College’s ‘Less crowd’ The centre in Jaipur will Principal Sudhir Bhandari Uttarakhand Chief Secre provide relevant informa said the COVID19 pandemic tary Om Prakash said the tion to the visitors and offer had created an urgency number of devotees at the evidencebased resources in among the health fraternity, third shahi snan — said to audio, video, and text for giving rise to wellness as an be the most important in a mats on multiple dimen important curative aspect of series of four — was much sions of wellness. Centre’s medical practice. less than expected due to manager and clinical psy Dr. Bhandari said the COVID19. chologist Sneha Vashisht State government’s Nirogi Police personnel were said here on Wednesday that Rajasthan campaign was a seen distributing masks in it would cover several as similar initiative in which the mela area. pects, such as physical, the people were given useful But social distancing mental, emotional, spiritual, information for fighting dis norms were violated open social, environmental, occu eases and protecting them ly by the seers when they pational, financial, techno selves and their families. and their followers des logical and legal wellness. The wellness resource cended the steps at Har ki The alliance between centre’s mission will also be Pairi to wade into the river. IWCT and IIHMR will also to educate, inspire and em No masks were worn by enable the latter’s Centre for power the people to ensure a large proportion of them. Innovation, Incubation & their overall wellbeing.

THE HINDU DELHI THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 SOUTH 5 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

IN BRIEF Weather Watch Class 10 exams as per schedule: A.P. Rainfall, temperature & air quality in select metros yesterday Telangana may go the CBSE way; Karnataka yet to decide on whether or not to hold exams

Special Correspondent rents may force the Chief Mi VIJAYAWADA nister to cancel the exams. The Class 10 Board examina Pinarayi Vijayan discharged from hospital tions will be held in Andhra Proposal mooted KOZHIKODE Pradesh as per schedule, The Karnataka government Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Education Minister Adimula is yet to decide on whether Vijayan was discharged from pu Suresh clarified on or not to go ahead with the the Government Medical Wednesday. SSLC and II PU exams. College Hospital, Kozhikode, Speaking to The Hindu, Sources in the Depart on Wednesday evening as he the Minister said that as of ment of Primary and Secon became negative for SARS now, the State would stick to dary Education say that they CoV2, said a medical the exam schedule as ‘the have mooted a proposal for bulletin. He was admitted to COVID19 situation is under students who have tested the hospital on April 8. Mr. control’. positive to answer the ques Vijayan was asymptomatic He said the Intermediate tion papers at separate when admitted, it added. practical examinations were centres. However, this will over and the schedule for the Pandemic lessons: Some States may cancel the board exams this year due to the spread of depend on what course of IMD issues heavy rainfall Temperature Data: IMD, Pollution Data: CPCB, Map: INSAT/IMD (Taken at 17.00 Hrs) Secondary School Leaving COVID19. A file photo of students outside an exam centre in Bengaluru.* K. MURALI KUMAR action the government de Forecast for Thursday: Thunderstorm with lightning, hail and alert in Kerala Certificate (SSLC) examina cides to take. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM gusty winds (speeds reaching 3040 kmph) very likely at isolated tion had been released. The Minister’s statement ducting physical classes for from May 17 to 28 with major S. Suresh Kumar, Primary The India Meteorological places over Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Assam, Meghalaya, Hi “Half day schools are on in assumes significance in the students from Class 1 to Class subjects to be completed by and Secondary Education Department has issued a machal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, heavy rainfall alert for Kerala, strict adherence to the CO wake of the Centre’s decision 10at present. May 22 as per the schedule Minister, said on Wednes Gangetic West Bengal, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, warning that one or two VID19 protocols. We are on Wednesday to cancel released on February 9. day: “The State has not de Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Kerala places in the State are likely conducting thousands of CBSE Class 10 examinations Decision soon Chief Minister K. Chandra cided to cancel the SSLC ex city rain max min city rain max min tests daily on teachers and and postpone Class 12 ex However, the Telangana go sekhar Rao is likely to take ams along the lines of the Agartala...... —....40.3....20.6 Kozhikode...... —....35.0....26.1 to receive heavy rainfall (7 to Ahmedabad...... —....39.9....26.0 Kurnool ...... 0.2....38.6....23.7 11 cm in a 24 hour period) till students and find very mar ams, scheduled to be held vernment may follow the the final decision on cancel decision made by the Central Aizawl...... —....29.8....13.9 Lucknow...... —....41.4....22.9 Saturday. According to a 4 ginal number of positive cas from May 4, in view of the CBSE way and cancel the lation after the Nagarjunasa board,” he said. Allahabad...... —....42.8....22.0 Madurai...... —....35.6....26.1 p.m. weather update, eight es,” said the Minister, reiter spurt in COVID19 cases Class 10 examinations this gar byelection, to be held on (With inputs from Hyde- Bengaluru ...... —....33.0....23.4 Mangaluru ...... —....32.0....24.8 Bhopal ...... —....39.2....21.2 Mumbai ...... —....34.8....27.0 districts have been put on ating that there was no cause across the country. year as well. The exams are April 17. The surge in cases rabad and Bengaluru bu- Bhubaneswar...... —....38.6....25.9 Mysuru ...... —....36.0....21.8 yellow alert on Thursday. for alarm. The State has been con supposed to be conducted and the apprehensions of pa reaus) Chandigarh ...... —....40.3....21.7 New Delhi ...... —....40.3....20.6 Chennai ...... —....34.5....27.2 Patna ...... —....41.6....23.0 Hashish oil worth ₹3 cr. Coimbatore ...... —....34.3....24.4 Port Blair...... —....31.8....25.8 Dehradun...... —....37.3....18.0 Puducherry ...... —....34.3....25.8 seized in Kozhikode Gangtok...... 0.2....23.2....13.8 Pune...... —....36.5....20.9 KOZHIKODE Goa...... —....34.5....23.7 Raipur ...... —....39.0....21.4 A team of the Excise Guwahati ...... 20.3....30.0....19.0 Ranchi...... —....37.6....22.6 Activity curbs dampen Kerala’s tourist season Hubballi...... —....33.0....22.0 Shillong...... —....26.5....13.8 department has arrested a Hyderabad ...... 5.6....34.2....20.8 Shimla...... —....29.3....17.4 person, Anwar, and seized Imphal ...... 4....31.3....15.9 Srinagar...... —....17.7...... 8.7 Hashish oil worth ₹3 crore Recovery of hotels, transport operators takes a hit; Telangana, A.P. deaths match October levels Jaipur ...... —....39.3....24.6 Thiruvananthapuram...... —....33.2....24.6 from his possession at Kochi ...... 2.2....31.8....25.2 Tiruchi...... —....37.5....26.4 Special Correspondent elections by politicians”. sons died, the highest single Kohima ...... 0.8....24.0....11.8 Vijayawada ...... —....39.2....25.8 Ramanattukara in Kozhikode. Kolkata ...... —....38.3....26.5 Visakhapatnam ...... —....33.6....27.4 The accused was charged THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Kerala on Wednesday ad day toll since October. The (Rainfall data in mm; temperature in Celsius) under Section 20 (b) of the Kerala’s curbs to contain the ded 8,778 cases with a test State reported 4,157 cases on Pollutants in the air you are breathing Yesterday Narcotic Drugs and second wave of the pandem positivity rate (TPR) of Wednesday, the tally being CITIES SO2 NO2 CO PM2.5 PM10 CODE Psychotropic Substances Act. ic have hit hotels, restau 13.45%. Cumulative cases 9,37,049 in all and the toll Ahmedabad..... 38 .66 43 ....64 ...98 ....* The accused confessed that rants, travel trade, event were 11,89,175. 7,339. Bengaluru ...... 5 .28 81 ....46 ...28 ....* In observation made at 4.00 Chennai ...... 16 .10 34 ....27 ...44 ....* p.m., Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh he had procured the hashish management companies, Karnataka, with 10,94,912 Tamil Nadu recorded an recorded an overall air Delhi ...... 13 .63 22 ..180 .247 ....* quality index (AQI) score of oil from Vijayawada. private bus operators and cases and 13,046 deaths in alltime high of 7,819 fresh Hyderabad ...... 4 .37 20 ....34 ...57 ....* 383 indicating an unhealthy the Kerala State Road Tran all, will discuss future strate cases of COVID19 on Wed Kolkata...... 17 .20 93 ....99 .110 ....* level of pollution. In Youth trampled to death Lucknow...... 10 .76 50 ..135 .147 ....* contrast, Naharlagun, sport Corporation (KSRTC). gy at an allparty meeting on nesday. This is the highest Arunachal Pradesh recorded a by elephant in A.P. Mumbai ...... 40 .57 26 ....53 .136 ....* healthy AQI score of 38 April 18. The Congress and daily case count since the Pune...... — .25 47 ....78 ...91 ....* CHITTOOR JD(S) said the meeting came start of the pandemic, eclips Visakhapatnam 15 .48 29 ....52 ...86 ....* A lone elephant on the prowl “too late and without adeq ing the 6,993 cases recorded * * * in the villages abutting the Long wait: Ambulances with bodies of COVID19 victims Air Quality Code: Poor Moderate Good (Readings indicate average AQI) * SO2: Sulphur Dioxide. Short-term exposure can harm the respiratory system, Koundiya wildlife sanctuary waiting outside a crematorium in Bengaluru. SUDHAKARA JAIN uate preparation.” on July 27 last year. The travel trade, waiting Telangana had a drop in The State’s tally rose to making breathing difficult. It can affect visibility by reacting with other air trampled a 28yearold youth particles to form haze and stain culturally important objects such as statues to death, at Dalitwada in to regain footfall in the sum has played spoilsport. Cap shops and restaurants by 9 cases on Tuesday with fewer 9,54,948, while the number and monuments. Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday mer, was the worst hit by the ping dining at 50% of seating p.m. and to encourage home tests on Plavanama Ugadi. of active cases went past NO2: Nitrogen Dioxide. Aggravates respiratory illness, causes haze to form by restrictions in place till April and till 9 p.m. is a setback”, delivery drew criticism. The Eight patients died on Tues 50,000. Another 25 persons reacting with other air particles, causes acid rain, pollutes coastal waters. night. Forest Range Officer CO: Carbon monoxide. High concentration in air reduces oxygen supply to said the elephant, which had 30. said former president of As Kerala Hotel and Restaurant day, the highest daily fatality succumbed to the infection, critical organs like the heart and brain. At very high levels, it can cause been haunting the villages in “The limiting of stay of sociation of Tourism Trade Association (KHRA) said: “It figure after October 17. The taking the toll to 12,970 dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and even death. PM2.5 & PM10: Particulate matter pollution can cause irritation of the eyes, Palamaner mandal, chased tourists to seven days and in Organisations, India (AT [the spread] was caused due total for cases was 3,34,738, (With inputs from Benga- nose and throat, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, reduced him for a distance before sisting on RTPCR from over TOI), Anish Kumar P.K. to the flouting of the CO and total deaths 1,780. luru, Hyderabad, Vijayawa- lung function, irregular heartbeat, asthma attacks, heart attacks and premature trampling him to death. a dozen States for returnees The directive to close VID19 guidelines during In Andhra Pradesh, 18 per da and Chennai bureaus) death in people with heart or lung disease

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE WEST EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Vaccinate all Dharavi residents Now, NMMC COVID19 relief package for to decide 80% above 18 years, says Shewale admissions in poor an eyewash: Fadnavis Many work in now famous Dharavi model pvt. hospitals of curbing COVID19, its mo unorganised del of vaccination will soon Raina Assainar MVA repackaging Centre’s schemes and passing them as its own, says ex-CM sector: Sena MP be feted across the world. Navi Mumbai Last year, when the first The Navi Mumbai Munici Special Correspondent <> At least 88 lakh Staff Reporter wave hit Dharavi, the slum pal Corporation (NMMC) Pune people in the State Mumbai emerged as an example of ef will regulate 80% of admis Despite preambles not to in are not covered in Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale fectively controlling the vi sions at all private hospitals dulge in politics over the the Food Security has written to Union Health rus. Owing to the joint ef treating COVID19 patients pandemic, Maharashtra’s Act because of a Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, forts of the Centre, State and through its nodal officers, politicos seem to be doing urging the Centre to permit local body, the number of said civic body chief Abhijit faulty survey Rahul Shewale exactly that at every turn. the vaccination of all resi cases was reduced to zero. Bangar in a notification is conducted in 2011 On Wednesday, former dents above 18 years in Dha boys. Most of them can’t get “Till yesterday, 5,734 cas sued on Wednesday. Chief Minister Devendra Devendra Fadnavis ravi, one of the largest slums vaccinated as they are below es were found in Dharavi. An NMMC official said, Leader of Opposition Fadnavis, the Leader of Op in Asia, amid rising CO 45 years.” The MP also urged More than 1,600 cases were “Each private hospital has position in the Assembly, al The BJP leader’s censure VID19 cases in Mumbai. the Centre to pay more at found since March 1, 2021, of its own waiting list. Some leged that the Uddhav Thack drew an angry response Mr. Shewale said, “Most tention to Dharavi owing to which over 1,000 cases are times beds are given to pa erayled Maha Vikas Aghadi from State Congress chief residents of Dharavi work in its population density. active. Labourers are return tients who do not need (MVA) government was ‘re Nana Patole, who urged Mr. the unorganised sector as Mr. Shewale said over ing to their villages owing to hospitalisation. NMMC will packaging’ the Centre’s on Fadnavis to secure funds nurses, ward boys, conser 80% of the population is the shutting down of small decide who should be gi going schemes for the CO that belonged to Maharash vancy workers, and delivery above 18 years and like the factories,” the MP wrote. ven admission on priority.” VID19afflicted and passing Jampacked: Migrants waiting to board outstation trains at tra and allegedly lying with As per the order, hospi them as its own measures. Lokmanya Tilak Terminus on Wednesday. * EMMANUAL YOGINI the Centre if he indeed had tals will have to display on Speaking in Nagpur, Mr. any influence with the BJP their billboards that their Fadnavis said the relief mea vered in the Food Security Mr. Fadnavis said the ruled government there. Shoma Sen files plea in HC to quash managements have control sures announced by Mr. Act because of a faulty sur package was inherently dis “Maharashtra has legiti over just 20% of beds. Thackeray to help the under vey conducted in 2011. But criminatory in nature as the mate funds to the tune of “Asymptomatic patients privileged tide over the 15 the Chief Minister has not CM had announced financial ₹90,000 crore which are still sanction to prosecute under UAPA or those without comor day lockdown was mere announced any assistance assistance to registered stuck in limbo with the Cen bidities shouldn’t be admit “eyewash”. He said, “The for these people.” hawkers only. “This will only tral government. If Mr. Fad Petition also seeks cloned copies of the elec ted in private hospitals to fresh curbs announced by Mr. Thackeray had an benefit hawkers in Mumbai navis has any influence with tronic evidence provided to ensure prompt availability the State government are go nounced a package of ₹5,476 and Thane, as only these ci the Centre, then let him se release on bail as defence by the prosecution of beds to the needy. The ing to hit several people ex crore for street vendors, re ties have registered street cure these funds for Maha case is based on after a delay of more than discharge policy and rates tremely hard. But the go gistered construction work vendors. What about those rashtra,” he said. Mr. Patole one year. They reveal the ex charged should be as per vernment has not made any ers and licensed autorick outside these cities?” asked admitted that the relief pack false evidence istence of malware through the guidelines issued by provision for the poorest shaw drivers as part of his Mr. Fadnavis, claiming that age had indeed left out some which incriminating docu the Central government,” sections. At least 88 lakh pe relief measures in the ‘Break the State government was di sections, but welcomed the Special Correspondent ments were planted on the Mr. Bangar said. ople in the State are not co the Chain’ campaign. vorced from ground reality. measure as a whole. Mumbai devices of the accused.” Shoma Sen, an accused in Shoma Sen Ms. Sen said not only did the BhimaKoregaon case, the prosecution and the Fo has filed a plea in the Bom tition filed before the HC by rensic Sciences Laboratory FASTag does not violate right to free movement: Centre bay High Court to quash the her coaccused, Rona Wil in Pune fail to adequately ex sanction to prosecute her son, who is lodged at Taloja amine the evidence to esta Special Correspondent lenging the decision to make “FASTag was not made The Centre went on to say under the Unlawful Activi Central Jail. Mr. Wilson’s blish its authenticity and re MUMBAI FASTag mandatory at toll mandatory overnight and in that the double user fees or ties Prevention Act (UAPA). plea relies on a report by a liability, but the FSL report The Union government has plazas on all national high centives, including a 10 to 25 penalties imposed on vehi Ms. Sen, who was arrest U.S.based digital forensic also did not respond to the told the Bombay High Court ways. It says FASTag was per cent cashback, were gi cles without FASTag on na ed on June 6, 2018, by the analyst, who debunked all direct question from the in that making FASTag (elec made compulsory to ensure ven to users from 2016 to tional highways were in ac Pune police, is lodged at By the electronic evidence gath vestigating officer if there tronic toll collection system) seamless traffic movement 2020. We amended the CMV cordance with the National culla jail. She served as the ered by the National Investi was any indication of the evi mandatory for all vehicles and cut travel time short. All Rules in 2017 to make FAS Highway Fee (determination head of the English depart gation Agency (NIA). dence being tampered with. plying on national highways decisions had been taken in Tag mandatory for all vehi of rates and collection) ment at Nagpur University The petition said, “There Referring to the chargesh does not breach a citizen's accordance with the Central cles sold after December 1, Rules, 2008. and taught for 38 years. Ms. has been a grave misconduct eet filed by the NIA, Ms. Sen fundamental right to free Motor Vehicles (CMV) Rules. 2017. In November 2020, the It said the Reserve Bank of Sen’s petition also seeks her by the prosecution in failing pointed out that there was dom of movement in any In cases where it was not CMV rules were further India had announced the en release on bail as the prose to conduct even the most no evidence to prove the way. possible to fit vehicles with amended to make FASTag hancement of national elec cution’s case is based on basic checks on the reliabili prosecution’s claim that the The government made its the tag for any reason, they compulsory for all vehicles tronic toll collection and fraudulent evidence, which ty and authenticity of the accused who are a part of stand clear in an affidavit were permitted to still ply on on toll plazas along all na would allow easy payment was allegedly fabricated and electronic evidence. This is several groups are frontal or filed on April 6 in a public in the extreme left of the FAS tional highways, beginning options, including Unified planted to implicate her. evident from multiple inde ganisations of the Commu terest litigation (PIL) chal Tag lanes. January 1, 2021.” Payments Interface. The plea mentions the pe pendent examinations of nist Party of India (Maoist).

DELHI THE HINDU 6 EDITORIAL THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Why less may be more for India and China A conversation driven by hard talk and ﬁnding shared interests, even if modest ones, may be amply rewarding and in leading to two years of lar an allout courtship of China Inc. — are an increasing factor. The gely undisturbed peace on the bor as hard as it is to imagine now, Chi TrackII dialogue made it clear ders, was seen as marking the start nese billionaires from Alibaba’s how China is viewing relations Examination priorities of another new promising era in Jack Ma to Wanda’s Wang Jianlin with India through the prism of its Mass vaccination ahead of public ties, only to turn out to be another all received audiences with the relations with the United States false dawn. Prime Minister on their India visits that are its abiding priority. Beijing examinations can reduce stress for students Ananth Krishnan Rather than once again veer — to talk now of “decoupling”. has increasingly hit out at what he decision to put oﬀ the CBSE Class 12 public ex from high expectation to familiar If the idea of roping in China as President Xi Jinping called “small amination and cancel the Class 10 examination at disappointment, perhaps the a major economic partner now circles” when he spoke to Davos, ower the expectations” search for a new equilibrium with seems premature in light of the which has now become shorthand the end of a disrupted academic year brings T might not seem a very am China should instead be driven by many unresolved political pro for U.S.involved groupings includ muchneeded relief to anxious students caught on the “Lbitious prescription for modest goals, led by conversations blems, so is talk of a complete dis ing the Quad. India has its own crest of the second COVID19 wave. Unlike last year’s the immediate future of India’s driven by hard talk and selfinter engagement on trade. One only grouses with Chinainvolved

first phase of the pandemic, the ongoing wild spread troubled relations with China. It est, rather than lofty goals of GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO need look at the trade figures for a “small circles” of which there are covers young people as well. The age cohort of those in may, however, be just the right partnership. agreements that ensured decades year that saw the biggest border many, from the numerous small fected now includes even 15yearolds, according to the tonic to guide the way forward, as of a carefully managed peace. Was crisis in decades. Trade reached groupings in South Asia that China Health Ministry. It is a wise move on the Centre’s part to both countries seek a new equili At the core the deployment tactical — an at $87.6 billion and China was India’s has convened over the past year, brium after a major rupture in re At the recent dialogue, the shared tempt to push back India from the largest trading partner, with India to certain multilateral efforts on keep this risk group out of harm’s way, reducing the lations following the border crisis. view was that key to arriving at this LAC by stealth that subsequently importing $66.7 billion worth of Afghanistan that India has been possibility of schoolbased clusters and onward spread That was the consensus shared new, more realistic state of rela backfired — or a strategic message? machinery and medical equip kept out of. to older age groups who have shielded themselves so by the two sides at a TrackII dia tions will be managing three issues We are still none the wiser. ment, among other goods, and ex far. The onus is now on State governments, some of logue held in early April, possibly — the boundary question, trade, What the crisis did make clear is porting a record $20 billion to Chi Focus on shared platforms which have already initiated the examination schedule, the first of its kind to be held after and the increasing impact of third there is certainly no appetite in na, mostly ores to fill the appetite Rather than view every element of to similarly recognise the growing crisis and display the border crisis. This brought to party and multilateral engage China at the moment for a final set of China’s rebounding economy. such engagements as a threat, that flexibility in reconsidering dates. Kerala had, for in gether former ambassadors and ments on the twoway relation tlement of the boundary question. Or, for that matter, at the prompt both sides would be better served military officials from both sides, ship. On all three fronts, setting That is also the view of most Chi restoration of Chinese mobile having a conversation about what stance, postponed its SSLC and higher secondary level organised by the Ananta Aspen the sights on limited goals may end nese experts, who suggest it is to phone company Vivo as the spon the red lines are was a shared view examinations due to the State election, but these got Centre in New Delhi and the China up paying rich dividends. be left for the next generation, sor of India’s biggest cricket tour at the dialogue. Moreover, as rela under way immediately thereafter. Tamil Nadu, which Reform Forum in Beijing, which is Consider the boundary dispute. which means a prolonged period nament after a suspension last tions stabilise, India and China too conducted an Assembly poll, has scheduled school affiliated to the Central Party Ten months after the clash at Gal of continued uncertainty on the year, even if the border crisis is could start injecting more energy public examinations throughout May. What State go School. wan Valley, which marked the borders. nowhere near resolution. into their own shared platforms vernments should be focusing on is enhancement of worst violence on the border since The absence of a permanent Jettisoning all activity with Chi such as BRICS, which, for in the efficiency of vaccination rollout, using available vac Hampered by expectations 1967, both sides are nowhere near peace does not, however, mean na is neither realistic nor prudent. stance, could come up with its The chequered history of India full deescalation. Initial optimism both countries are necessarily des Instead, what is needed is a clear own vaccine initiatives as the cines and new ones in the pipeline. This effort will be China relations is rife with exam of a quick end to the crisis, follow tined for conflict. What they do headed, allofgovernment ap Quad has done. They could also greatly helped if there is undivided attention devoted to ples of how misplaced expecta ing disengagement on the north need, in the view of military plan proach that decides where both revive their bilateral cooperation covering all age groups at the earliest, using the en tions have burdened the relation and south banks of Pangong Lake, ners of both sides, is small steps to sides can cooperate — infrastruc in Afghanistan, which began and hanced supply. ship, often only leading to the most thorny of the disputes in restore a shattered trust. If China ture that has no security implica ended after the Wuhan summit With an unwavering focus on providing vaccine pro recurring disappointment. In the eastern Ladakh, has now given has made clear there is little likeli tions is an obvious area, as is clean with a modest joint training pro tection to its entire population, the U.S. has advan ced 1950s, relations veered from being way to an apparent stalemate. The hood of clarifying the LAC — a pro energy given China’s capacities on gramme for diplomats while more its target dates in almost all States to include all those led by idealised notions of restor readouts from both sides after the cess that has been stalled for 19 solar and wind, to name but two — ambitious infrastructure projects ing some panAsian, civilis ational eleventh round of talks between years — one possible way forward and other areas where Delhi may that had once been imagined nev above age 16. University leaders are also pursuing poli partnership — one that, in truth, Corps Commanders on April 9 is to, at least, clarify the most sen find it needs to tread with caution, er took off. cies to normalise campusbased education that envis never really existed through cen suggested as much, with no joint sitive spots, and arrive at under such as the rollout of 5G. On 5G, As both sides chart a course for age universal vaccination of all college students. Furth turies of historical exchanges — to statement – for the first time since standings, such as coordinated pa too, the problem is often reduc ward after last year’s rupture in er, there is promise on the vaccine front for confrontation and ultimately war the sixth round in September – trolling either by time or area. tively framed as a China one, when ties, they may find a conversation schoolgoers, with PfizerBioNTech, after trials on in 1962. and no mention from the Chinese These are small steps that have, in what is needed is a policy frame that is driven by hard talk and find younger recipients, seeking regulatory permission to For an example of more recent side of early disengagement. the past, helped cool down the work that is not aimed at merely ing shared interests, even if mod cover children aged 12 to 15 in the U.S. under emergen vintage, the holding of two “infor At the TrackII dialogue, Chi temperatures. one country but protects India’s est ones, more rewarding than cyuse authorisation norms. Two other vaccine makers mal summits” in Wuhan in 2018 nese speakers, unsurprisingly, of interests without handing over the bearing misplaced expectations. and in Mamallapuram near Chen fered no clarity on what prompted The view on trade keys to the kingdom to any outside As India and China go back to the are due to report on trials on young recipients. If the re nai the following year, which were the People’s Liberation Army’s On the trade front, the view in Del player. drawing board, less may indeed be sults prove to be robust, this is a promising way forward certainly valuable exercises in get mass mobilisation along the Line hi has shifted remarkably from Finally, both sides need to have more. to reopen campuses for children without major disease ting the leaders of both countries of Actual Control (LAC) last sum what was, in the first few years of a clear conversation on how third worries. Yet, while they may succeed with vaccination, to engage with each other directly mer and the hammer blow dealt to the Narendra Modi government, parties and external engagement [email protected] where many countries are failing is in addressing the mental health challenges of freedomconstrained chil dren and youth. The problem must be acknowledged, and they must be reassured through publicised talk the Institutions, caste and the vital cog of trust rapy and counselling, a task that calls for a partnership between educational institutions and the public health The findings based on the IHDS on castes and their trust in State governments, the judiciary and the police are revealing system. Over the next few weeks, governments should dia Human Development Survey had only some confidence, and a hardly any confidence, with the prioritise vaccinations for the general population, and 2015 (IHDS). much smaller proportion with highest among SCs and STs. This is the resulting control over infections would make the hardly any confidence. STs, ho not surprising given rampant cor public examination season smooth for students. Key term is confidence wever, display a pattern not dissi ruption and discrimination A unique feature of the 2005 and milar to OBCs. against lower castes. 2012 rounds of the IHDS is that Veena S. Kulkarni & they ask a question on trust. Trust Quota as a reason Need for inclusion Twin troubles Raghav Gaiha in public institutions is measured An important issue is why do SCs One component of trust is shaped Inflation should not be allowed to undermine in terms of levels of confidence: a display so much confidence in by beliefs inherited from earlier purchasing power, overall economic stability great deal of confidence, only State governments? One reason is generations, and another by a con rust impacts income and some confidence and hardly any quotas. Another is a conjecture. temporaneous environment. he latest official data on retail prices and indus growth through markets and confidence. GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO While those higherup in the so Trust in these institutions rose bet trial production released on Monday provide Tpublic institutions. There is a Caste hierarchy reflects socio emerged in the case of the police. cioeconomic hierarchy are likely ween 2005 and 2012. However, re Tcause for disquiet, given that inflation continues positive relationship between economic status. Brahmins are at A low proportion had a great deal to have other options (stemming cent accounts indicate a sharp ero to accelerate and output at the country’s factories con trust and the development of fi the top, followed by High Castes, of confidence in it, a majority had from relative affluence), SCs are sion of trust, presumably because tracted for a second straight month. While inflation nancial markets. Operation of Other Backward Classes/OBCs, only some confidence and a more largely reliant on state munifi of State government policies that quickened to a fourmonth high of 5.52% in March, as these markets is contingent on and then the deprived including than moderate proportion had cence. STs, in contrast, while also are far from inclusive, judicial ver trustworthiness of debtors, as le Scheduled Castes/SCs and Sche hardly any confidence. Thus dependent on quotas, are so iso dicts that do not conform to high per provisional data from the National Statistical Office, gal methods of recovery of dues duled Tribes/STs. The residual ca among these institutions, the most lated that they have limited expe standards of autonomy and fair the NSO’s quick estimates of the Index of Industrial Pro are fraught with delays and heavy tegory of Others is mixed but akin trusted was the judiciary, followed rience of social safety nets. ness, and police actions that vio duction for February show output including at mines, expenses. Turning to labour mar to High Castes. Hence, General by S tate governments and then In striking contrast to trust in late rights of citizens, and are of the manufacturing sector and electricity generators kets, higher trust manifests in combines Brahmins, High Castes police. State governments, trust in the ten brutal. While inculcation of shrank 3.6%, following on from January’s 0.9% contrac ‘higher levels of cooperative rela and Others, while other castes are To avoid circularity, trust in in judiciary is highly pervasive with a initial beliefs is bound to be slow, tion. Consumer Price Index numbers show that stub tions between labour and manage as stated. Although affirmative ac stitutions is for 2012 and the caste slight variation across castes. For transition to a policy environment bornly high food and fuel costs remain the main drivers ment and higher levels of unioni tion (e.g., quotas for SCs, STs and hierarchy is for 2005. In the com each caste, a large majority dis that is inclusive and transparent is sation. In fact, firms that have OBCs in education and public sec posite caste category, General, the played a great deal of confidence, daunting too but growing aware of price pressures. Pulses and edible oils, key kitchen unions representing their em tor employment) has benefited highest proportion (under half) with nearly threefourths of STs re ness among the citizens is likely to staples and vital nutritional sources for proteins and ployees are better able to adapt to these groups, segments of SCs and had only some confidence, under porting a great deal of confidence. facilitate it. fats, have been climbing almost dizzyingly for the l ast new management methods, and STs are still among the most de 30% had a great deal of confidence The proportion of those with hard few months, a fact not lost on the RBI. While inflation in show better productivity. Evi prived and vulnerable to poverty. while about a quarter had hardly ly any confidence was extremely Veena S. Kulkarni is Associate Professor in pulses accelerated to 13.3%, from 12.5% in February, oils dence suggests a strong positive A vast majority of households any confidence. A high proportion low, ranging between 5% and 7%. Sociology, Arkansas State University, U.S. and fats saw a more than 400 basis points surge to correlation between trust and the surveyed lacked confidence in of OBCs also reported a great deal These findings are indeed surpris Raghav Gaiha is (Hon.) Professorial 24.9%. In its policy statement this month, the central quality of the legal system. There State governments in 2012. There of confidence, a much higher pro ing given the judicial overload of Research Fellow, Global Development is a similar correlation between is a sharp reversal in the case of portion displayed a great deal of cases and prolonged delays. Institute, University of Manchester, bank hoped that arrivals from the rabi harvest as well as trust and the quality of gover the judiciary. A large majority re confidence and a much lower pro Yet another striking contrast England and Research Affiliate, imports would likely augment supply, helping moder nance’. ported a great deal of confidence, portion had hardly any confi emerged for the police as a law en Population Aging Research Centre, ate prices of pulses. Similarly, on edible oils the RBI is Here, our focus is on whether a moderate proportion had only dence. In sharp contrast, among forcement agency. A great deal of University of Pennsylvania, U.S. rather optimistically banking on the government to cut trust in institutions such as state some confidence and an extreme SCs, the highest proportion (un confidence varied within a narrow Contributions by Vani S. Kulkarni, import duties and offer incentives to boost domestic government, judiciary and police ly small proportion had hardly any der 45%) displayed a great deal of range of 13%18%, with the lowest Lecturer in Sociology, University of productivity to counter the heightened inflation. Wit h varies by caste. We rely on the In confidence. Yet another contrast confidence, a smaller proportion among STs. Over 30% displayed Pennsylvania meat and fish, and eggs yet again posting doubledigi t increases, inflation in the food and beverages category LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials. quickened almost 100 basis points to 5.24%. To read more letters Disconcertingly, transport and communication also On the election trail need to set dignified requires and obliges its Former Prime Minister Atal the U.S. Navy has issued a online, scan the QR code saw a more than 100 basis points acceleration to 12.6%, In the context of the high standards of civility and holder to behave like a true Bihari Vajpayee never public statement giving and this despite the pump prices of petro products re decibel elections, the decorum in public life. statesman. It is inexcusable violated or allowed his party details of the operation, it is China on its unwarranted maining virtually frozen through the month, ahead of quality of public discourse H.N. Ramakrishna, to be seeking to justify or men to cross the limit when a clear sign that the newly maritime claims and the March 27 start of Assembly elections. The most has taken a beating. It is no Bengaluru condone the way the leader it came to decent public elected President of the U.S, behaviour in the South China plausible explanation is that the freight and urban tran exaggeration to say that makes his salutation by citing discourse. On many an Joe Biden, whose foreign Sea, is proving to be not very with every election, the ■ I am 77 and a longtime political hostility between occasion, Mr. Vajpayee even policy seemed refreshingly different from the autocratic sport sectors saw a lagged passthrough of the prece d slide continues. The reader of this daily. This is the BJP and the TMC. No expressed his displeasure different from his nation when it comes to ing months’ steep increases in automobile fuel costs. unfortunate truth is that probably the first time I have selfrespecting woman would against his party leaders predecessor’s abrasive hegemony. The U.S’s hostile Price pressures are unlikely to ease significantly in the the political arena has come across a Prime Minister wish to be called or spoken using undignified language policy, is no different from behaviour toward India in near term, unless the Centre and the States bite the bul become little more than stooping so low in public to in that tone of voice. against political opponents. him when it comes to the Indian Ocean could cast let by agreeing to forego some nearterm revenue from another avenue to belittle discourse (Inside pages, G. David Milton, N. Nagarajan, following the U.S’s foreign a shadow over India’s Quad petroproducts and reduce fuel taxes. The RBI, which one’s opponent, using “Modi is mocking me, says Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu Secunderabad policy of asserting its partnership. As military has been stridently seeking a reduction in these levies, innuendo and disparaging Mamata”, April 14). Our supremacy over smaller, less activities in another state’s comments. We need to political leaders need to ■ The Prime Minister should U.S. Navy intrusion powerful nations. What is EEZ have been a bone of foresees inflation averaging 5.2% in the AprilJune quar establish a climate for learn basic decency. Cheap understand that if he has Just when IndiaU.S. bilateral unacceptable is that the U.S. contention during the ter. Separately, the IIP data shows mining continuing to healthy public discourse as politics has no place in been elected as the Prime relations seemed to be has not even ratified the negotiations for the UNCLOS backslide, manufacturing struggling for traction with befits the office one holds. India’s rich and varied Minister, so too has the West gathering considerable UNCLOS, and therefore, and there is a lot of output of capital goods, construction gear and consum The political process will democracy. Bengal Chief Minister. Both momentum through seems to be flouting Article ambiguity over the legality of er nondurables all contracting in February. And if one suffer enormously if there is C.K. Prem Kumar, must accord respect to the cooperation on strategic 19 of the Convention that military operations in foreign considers that these data sets are yet to reflect the likely a lack of courtesy and Palakkad, Kerala offices they hold even while issues and a plethora of restricts military activities in EEZs, India, by virtue of disruptions caused by the upsurge in COVID19 infec ignoring the important campaigning for their multilateral issues, comes foreign EEZs. The U.S is being one among nearly 20 democratic tradition of ■ It does not behove India’s parties. Mr. Modi’s catcall the disturbing report that apparently using the FONOP nations purporting to tions and the local containment measures, the signs are respecting dissent. It is Prime Minister to stoop so like jibe may be to keep the India and the U.S. are to ride roughshod over regulate or prohibit military even more worrying. Policymakers face tough choices disappointing that low to mock a woman crowd in good humour in the sparring over their respective coastal nations to claim their activities in their EEZs, in trying to nurse back demand. And they must do this institutions which should political opponent. The heat of the political perceptions and exclusive territories. It is should push for more clarity without letting quickening inflation undermine pur have been the guardrails of singsong utterance is more campaigning but it is setting interpretation of appalling that this self on the issue in the UNCLOS. chasing power and overall economic stability. democracy have not lived akin to a cat call. The exalted a bad example for future international maritime laws. acclaimed champion of Nalini Vijayaraghavan, up to their credentials. We office of Prime Minister leaders of his own party. If it is for the first time that democracy, which challenges Thiruvananthapuram

THE HINDU DELHI THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 OPED 7 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE The secrecy around deaths after vaccination Navigation with permission Any state which wishes to conduct military exercises in an Transparency on adverse events following immunisation alone can gain the confidence of the people exclusive economic zone must first consult the coastal state dothelial damage with subsequent triggering of blood coagulation via another qualification: “In exercising their platelet activation will ensue at rights and performing their duties under this countless sites throughout the body.” Convention in the exclusive economic zone, They postulate that will lead to “a States shall have due regard to the rights and drop in platelet counts, appearance duties of the coastal State and shall comply K.R. Antony of Ddimers (biomarker for disease with the laws and regulations adopted by the severity) in the blood, and to myriad Anmolam & Farheen Ahmad coastal State...” The relevant Indian law in ischemic lesions throughout the bo this regard is the Territorial Waters, Conti Despite four successive lockdowns, dy including in the brain, spinal cord nental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and COVID19 cases and deaths kept and heart. Bleeding disorders might On April 7, the U.S.’s 7th Fleet Destroyer, the Other Maritime Zones of India Act, 1976. Sec mounting day by day till mid Sep occur in the wake of this novel type USS John Paul Jones, conducted a ‘Freedom tion 7 subsection 9 of this Act recognises the tember last year. Since January 16, of Diffused Intravascular Coagulation of Navigation Operation’ 130 nautical miles freedom of navigation of the ships of all 2021, we have two vaccines under (DIC) syndrome including profuse west of the Lakshadweep Islands inside In States but makes them subject to the exer emergency use authorisation, now bleedings and haemorrhagic stroke.” dia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Not cise of rights by India within the zone. being given to all those aged 45 and Further, “the SARSCoV2 spike only was this exercise conducted without re The declaration by India in 1995 also above. More than 100 million doses protein binds to the ACE2 receptor questing India’s consent, but the U.S. 7th states that India “understands that the provi have been administered so far . Such on platelets, which results in their ac Fleet noted in its press release that India’s re sions of the Convention do not authorize a gigantic mission entails a greater tivation. Thrombocytopenia has quirement of prior consent is “inconsistent other States to carry out in the exclusive eco responsibility on the part of the go Employees of Serum Institute of India pack boxes containing vials of Astra- been reported in severe cases of with international law”. In its response, In nomic zone and on the continental shelf mil vernment to watch out for unintend Zeneca-Oxford University’s Covishield vaccine, in Pune in January. * AP/PTI SARSCoV2 infection and in vacci dia asserted that the UN Convention on the itary exercises or manoeuvres, in particular ed harm or collateral damage from nated individuals.” Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) “does not author those involving the use of weapons or explo the vaccine. There are committees of They requested evidence that all ize other States to carry out in the Exclusive sives, without the consent of the coastal technical experts to monitor ‘ad traZeneca’s vaccine. traZeneca vaccination programme. the above possibilities were excluded Economic Zone and on the continental shelf, State”. An ancillary question that emerges is verse events following immunisa In India, Dr. N.K. Arora, Adviser, After a detailed review and allow in preclinical animal models with all military exercises or manoeuvres, in particu the legal effect of such declarations. Article tion’ (AEFI) and there are established National AEFI Committee, and mem ing AstraZeneca’s vaccine to be con three vaccines prior to their approval lar those involving the use of weapons or ex 310 of the UNCLOS does permit states to mechanisms by the World Health Or ber of the COVID19 National Task tinued, the EMA stated that “the be for use in humans by the EMA. plosives, without the consent of the coastal make declarations in order to explain the re ganization (WHO) to monitor, investi Force, said that “in 38 out of 71 post nefits of the vaccine in combating the The approval of the COVID19 vac state”. Owing to the different positions of the lationship between the Convention and their gate and report such events. mortem reports received so far, a still widespread threat of COVID19 cines by the EMA, according to them, two countries, legal questions emerge here. own laws, but such declarations should not causal link to the vaccine has not (which itself results in clotting pro was “premature and reckless, and The question is, can countries carry out mil “purport to exclude or to modify the legal ef No thorough investigation been established. All the events so blems and may be fatal) continue to that the administration of the vac itary exercises in another country’s EEZ and fect of the provisions of this Convention in The common man relies on a respon far are coincidental”. That means outweigh the risk of side effects” . It cines constitute ‘human experimen if yes, subject to what conditions? their application to that State”. sible and responsive government to that many cardiac arrests and strokes admitted that the “vaccine may be tation’, which was and still is in viola safeguard him against any vaccine would have occurred in any case in associated with very rare cases of tion of the Nuremberg Code”. The Understanding the law Negotiating concerns induced harm, including an unfortu the population without vaccination. blood clots associated with thrombo Code prohibits human experimenta UNCLOS binds all its signatories and custom On a conjoint reading of Articles 58, 87 and nate death. Although 180 deaths out Mere coincidence is not an easy ver cytopenia”. tion of the very kind being endorsed ary international law binds all states, subject 310, it can be argued that freedom of naviga of the 617 severe and serious adverse dict to pronounce unless investiga and defended by the EMA. to exceptions like the doctrine of persistent tion cannot be read in an absolute and isolat events up to end March were sup tions are thoroughly completed. Concerns raised Under these circumstances in Eu objector. Most of the provisions of the UN ed manner. Given the nature of EEZ and the posed to have followed COVID19 Only a histopathological examina Several doctors of global profession rope, our AEFI monitoring system CLOS are the result of codification of the ex activities that a coastal state conducts in its vaccination, no case of serious AEFI, tion of tissues after autopsy can esta al standing signed a protest letter, en cannot be so casual about more than isting rules of customary international law. EEZ, nonconsensual military activities that including death, has been attributed blish the diffused thromboembolic dorsed by many others, to Emer 180 deaths in the country. Any death India is a party to the UNCLOS while the U.S. hinder the lawful enjoyment of such rights to the COVID19 vaccine. ‘There is no phenomena and multiple infarcts of Cooke, Executive Director of the allegedly caused by the COVID19 is not. As per the UNCLOS, EEZ is an area ad need not be permissible. Also, a coastal state link to vaccination’ is the quick res the heart, lungs, and brain, which is EMA, against this decision. They vaccine must be thoroughly docu jacent to the territorial waters of a coastal is naturally concerned about military exer ponse by authorities even before a different from the single or couple of wrote: “While we recognise that mented after autopsy and histopath state where the sovereign coastal state has cises and manoeuvres posing a risk to its systematic investigation, including a clots that occur in heart attacks and these occurrences might, every one ological examination and the results rights and duties relating to management of coastal communities, its installations or artif postmortem examination, is com strokes normally. There is no evi of them, have been unfortunate coin must be made known to the health natural resources; establishment and use of icial islands, as well as the marine environ pleted. A line list of less than 15 dence of such a thorough investiga cidences, we are concerned that staff and scientific community. artificial islands, installations and structures; ment. Thus, any state which wishes to con deaths are visible to the public on the tion being done at the subdistrict le there has been and there continues Science and welfare of humanity marine scientific research; and protection of duct such exercises must do so only in Ministry of Health website. The time vel in India. to be inadequate scrutiny of the pos must prevail above political mileage. the marine environment. consultation with the coastal state since the of death or the period of gap bet When thousands die due to va sible causes of illness or death under A discerning public will recognise The present difference in legal interpreta coastal state is the best judge of its EEZ. ween the vaccination and death is rious illnesses and accidents daily, a these circumstances, and especially the humility of a responsible caring tion brings into the picture Articles 58 and 87 Both India and the U.S. should negotiate not mentioned. Some deaths are not bus accident killing 20 people should so in the absence of postmortem ex government in admitting its dilemma of the UNCLOS. Article 58 (1) provides that in such concerns for the maintenance of inter even fully documented. Knowing the not make news, but it does. So also aminations. In particular, we ques based on the adverse events from the the EEZ, all States, whether coastal or lan national peace and security. Riding rough time line pattern of deaths after vac nine deaths after 20 million people tion whether cardinal issues regard field versus wider benefits from mass dlocked, enjoy, subject to the relevant provi shod over international obligations pre cination is important. getting the vaccine in Europe and the ing the safety of the vaccines were vaccination. That honesty and tran sions of this Convention, the freedoms re mised either in an erroneous interpretation Media reports indicate that many U.K. should not cause concern if it is adequately addressed prior to their sparency on AEFI alone can gain the ferred to in Article 87 of navigation and of the law or the scope of its application will deaths after taking AstraZeneca’s not associated with the vaccine. But approval by the European Medicines confidence of the people in taking a overflight and of the laying of submarine ca not only threaten friendly relations but also Covishield occurred due to cardiac if there is an association, the death Agency.” calculated risk of continuing with a bles and pipelines as well as other interna undermine the progress made towards codi arrest, cerebral venous thrombosis, becomes preventable. That is why They assume that the vaccines, controversial vaccine. The mist of tionally lawful uses of the sea. Article 87 pro fication and development of international and stroke. Deaths in Germany and the deaths became a serious issue for which are genebased agents, will vaccine hesitancy will melt away vides for freedom of the high seas under law in an area such as the law of the sea, Norway were also due to clots or the European Medicines Agency “remain entrapped in the circulation quickly by the warm light of truth, if which all states have the freedom of naviga which is particularly complex. thrombus formation following a jab (EMA). Severe and fatal coagulopath and be taken up by endothelial cells, only it is shared. tion. However, the freedom of navigation is of AstraZeneca’s vaccine. Ireland, ies occurred in young individuals fol particularly at sites of slow blood subject to the conditions laid down under Anmolam is a lawyer and Farheen Ahmad is a Denmark and Iceland are among the lowing vaccination, leading more flow, i.e., in small vessels and capil K.R. Antony is a paediatrician and public the UNCLOS and other rules of international research scholar, pursuing her Ph.D. in international countries which have suspended As than 15 countries to suspend their As laries... It must be expected that en health consultant in Kochi law. In addition to it, Article 58 (3) stipulates law from South Asian University, New Delhi

Faisal C.K. dia ruled that the application of Sec Slow growth of literacy tion 377 of the IPC to consensual ho (From an editorial) A law to accord an ex post facto par mosexual behaviour between adults don to those who were convicted un was “unconstitutional, irrational, in Thanks to the use of computers, the results der Section 377 of the Indian Penal defensible and manifestly arbitrary”, of the census taken at the beginning of this Code (IPC) would do poetic justice to the LGBTQ+ community was treated month are already coming in. Those who are the LGBTQ+ community and Profes as a criminal tribe in India. alarmed by the growth of population will be sor Ramachandra Siras. What hap pleased to find that the actual figure is 14 mil pened to Siras is a perfect example of Resurrection of Naz Foundation lions less than anticipated. Whether this is the persecution faced by the LGBTQ+ The Delhi High Court’s verdict in Naz due to family planning or a higher death rate community in India. He was a Profes Foundation v. Govt. of NCT of Delhi than originally projected will have to be sort sor and head of the Department of (2009) resulted in the decriminalisa ed out. It may also be that several heads have Modern Indian Languages at Aligarh tion of homosexual acts involving not been counted. In any case, the popula Muslim University. On a winter night consenting adults. The Court held tion figure of 547 millions is big enough to in 2010, two men trespassed into Si that Section 377 offended the guaran give pause to those who are trying to guide ras’ house and caught him having tee of equality enshrined in Article 14 the national economy and create more em consensual sex with another man. Si of the Constitution, because it ployment. But foreign commentators who ras was suspended by AMU for “gross creates an unreasonable classifica seek to compare India and China with the misconduct”. Hansal Mehta’s critical tion and targets homosexuals as a United States or Russia should note that it ly acclaimed biopic, Aligarh (2015), class. Justice A.P. Shah observed in CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC makes better sense to make the comparison with a longsettled area like Europe west of portrayed the social ostracism and the judgment that discrimination is DATA POINT mental trauma suffered by Siras. the antithesis of equality and that it is the Soviet Union, which is also heavily pop Even though he won his case against the recognition of equality which will ulated. Of all the census figures, those relat the university in the Allahabad High foster the dignity of every individual. ing to literacy will be of major interest, since Court and got his job back, Siras died “Specifically, Naz Foundation un the progress of the country depends heavily a mysterious death on April 7, 2010. derstood that in promising nondis on the attainment of a high rate of literacy. crimination and equal treatment be The Education Commission of 1964 thought Alan Turing law fore the law, the Constitution spoke that with a massive campaign of adult educa From Oscar Wilde to Alan Turing, to a past — and a present — where cer tion India might reach a literacy percentage many wellknown as well as un tain personal characteristics had be of 60 by 1971 but only half that figure has known people were haunted by anti come the sites of structural and sys been realised. LGBTQ+ laws, and many jurisdictions temic exclusion, marginalisation, repented later. A memorial in honour disadvantage, and indignity. The ju A HUNDRED YEARS AGO APRIL 15, 1921 of the gay and lesbian victims of Na risprudence of Naz Foundation was tional Socialism stands in the city of an attempt to fulfil the constitutional Ferry boat accident Cologne in Germany today. The U.K. purpose of redressing this reality,” passed the Alan Turing law in 2017, writes Gautam Bhatia in The Trans- A disastrous accident occurred here yester which grants amnesty and pardon to formative Constitution: A Radical day [Noakhali, April 11] to a ferry boat. It ap those convicted of consensual same Biography in Nine Acts (2019). In a pears that a boat plying between the island sex relationships. The law is named retrograde step, the Supreme Court, of Hatiya and the mainland of Noakhali after Alan Turing, the computer in Suresh Kumar Koushal vs. Naz while on the way to Noakhali with about 125 scientist who was instrumental in Foundation (2013), reinstated Sec passengers and about 150 maunds of rice cracking intercepted coded messages tion 377 in the IPC. Fortunately India and paddy, was overtaken by a strong gale during World War II and was convict witnessed the resurrection of Naz near Char Jabbar and ultimately ran against ed of gross indecency in 1952. The Foundation through the apex court’s a submerged char and remained fast. There Alan Turing law provides not only a judgment in Navtej Singh Johar & was very heavy current running and the posthumous pardon but also an auto Ors. v. Union of India (2018). boats after being badly buffeted by waves matic formal pardon for living The spirit of Navtej Singh Johar capsized with all on board at about 130 P.M. people. should be pushed further. To make and after breaking in two became a total R. Raj Rao, in Criminal Love?: amends for the excesses committed wreck. About 60 passengers were picked up Queer Theory, Culture and Politics in against the LGBTQ+ community in by the Char Jabbar ferryboatmen and were India (2017), says homosexuality has the past and present, the Indian state taken to the town in a helpless condition. always been looked upon with disfa should enact a ‘Siras Act’ on the lines From the report so far received from the sur vour by three agencies universal to of the Alan Turing law. Ex post facto vivors it appears that there were two female mankind: religion, law and medicine. pardon may be a novel concept in In passengers with children on board, one of Among them, the law committed the dia, but it would do justice, even whom is said to have survived. No trace of “most unkindest cut of all” . From though delayed, to the prisoners of the other woman and the remaining male 1862, when Section 377 of the IPC sexual conscience and Siras. passengers has yet been obtained. It is ap came into effect, until September 6, prehended that the mortality has been very 2018, when the Supreme Court of In Faisal C.K. is an independent researcher heavy. CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

DELHI THE HINDU 8 NEWS THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE FROM PAGE ONE India, Russia committed to S400 deal: envoy CBSE exams for We do not recognise U.S. sanctions, says Kudashev; however, both countries diverge over America’s IndoPaciﬁc strategy

Class 12 postponed Suhasini Haidar tary Lloyd Austin said he had hours later, Mr. Jaishankar tries, not mine.” NEW DELHI spoken to Defence Minister contested the comparison to Speaking to the media, The Prime Minister’s review Schools have been shut India and Russia are “com Rajnath Singh about the Cold War terminology, say Russian Deputy Chief of Mis meeting came amid rising down in 11 States due to the mitted” to completing their deal, adding that sanctions ing the IndoPacific repre sion Roman Babushkin also demands from students, pa second wave of the pandem contract for the S400 mis would be determined once sented a more historical, addressed speculation over a rents and the State govern ic. sile system, due to be deli the systems were delivered. seamless geographical entity strain in IndiaRussia ties ments for the exams to be For many classes, schools vered to India at the end of Stressing that there was a that ranged from Africa to during Mr. Lavrov’s visit, cancelled or postponed, gi have not reopened since the the year, Russian Ambassa “meeting of minds on a ma the U.S. coast. particularly over the Russian ven that the daily rate of in initial shut down in March dor to India Nikolai Kudash jority of issues”, Mr. Kudash Foreign Minister’s next stop fections is regularly crossing 2020. ev confirmed on Wednesday. ev pointed to differences on No veto: Jaishankar in Islamabad where he dis the 1.5lakh mark. At least four State educa He said both countries op approaches to the IndoPac “I would argue that in a way, cussed supplying Pakistan tion boards scheduled to posed U.S. sanctions on the ific strategy where India is a the IndoPacific is a return to with military equipment for ‘Students top priority’ hold examinations in April issue. part of the Quad with Austra history. It reflects the more counterterrorism, as well as During the meeting, “the have announced The public comments lia, Japan and the U.S. “We contemporary world. It is ac over Afghanistan’s future. Prime Minister reiterated postponement. made by both Mr. Kudashev want to call the attention of tually overcoming the Cold Mr. Babushkin said fight that the well being of stu “Unlike State Boards, the and External Affairs Minister Firm decision: The S-400 contract is on track for a delivery of our Indian partners and War, not reinforcing it,” Mr. ing terrorism was part of a dents has to be the top CBSE has an allIndia cha S. Jaishankar, however, made the systems in November. * AFP friends to the dangers Jaishankar said at a panel “common agenda”, and as priority for the government. racter, and therefore, it is es it clear that there are deep emerging from the Western that included Australian and members of the Shanghai He also said the Centre sential to hold exams simul differences over America’s ter Sergei Lavrov’s meeting November, despite Ameri IndoPacific strategy aimed French Foreign Ministers Cooperation Organisation, would keep in mind the best taneously throughout the IndoPacific strategy. with Mr. Jaishankar last ca’s repeated threat that the at a revival of the Cold War Marise Payne and Jean Yves which Russia, India and Pa interests of the students and country,” the Ministry said. “Together with India we week. $2.5billion deal could at era thinking and Cold War Le Drian. kistan are, cooperation on a ensure that their health is However, no guidelines do not recognise bilateral “With regard to S400, tract sanctions under its era structures,” he said in a Mr. Jaishankar also said no number of areas, including taken care of while their were given for the State sanctions as they are illegal both sides are committed to CAATSA law. Washington has reference to the U.S.Soviet other nation could have a regional security and coun academic interests are not board exams across the tools of unfair competition, the agreed timelines and already sanctioned China ov rivalry and the establish “veto” over India’s partner tering threats, had been dis harmed,” the statement country, as had been de pressure and blackmail. This obligations … this contract is er its purchase of the S400, ment of the North Atlantic ships, and called terms such cussed. He said India and said. manded by some States. was clearly stated by the two being successfully fulfilled,” and on April 7, sanctions Treaty Alliance between the as Asian NATO a “mind Russia both agreed on an Foreign Ministers in their ex he said. against Turkish defence in U.S. and Western Europe to game” being played by other “Aghanowned Afghanled” change,” Mr. Kudashev said The Hindu had reported stitutions and certain offi counter Russia. countries. “That kind of NA solution for the conflict, and in reply to a question from on Wednesday that the cials also went into effect ov However, speaking at the TO mentality has never been that India should be part of State obliged to facilitate The Hindu at an interaction S400 contract is on track for er a similar purchase. Last MEA’s annual Raisina Dia in India, if it has been in Asia, the regional mechanisms to about Russian Foreign Minis a delivery of the systems in month, U.S. Defence Secre logue conference a few that would be other coun discuss this. access to education: SC “We would like to take this colleges from the Central ‘Quad navies enjoy high opportunity to underscore pool. ‘Hope India reviews stand on pacts’ the importance of creating The court noted that In an enabling environment to dia was a signatory to the degree of interoperability’ make it possible for stu United Nations Internation It has a crucial role to play in the region, says Singapore Foreign Minister dents, such as the petition al Covenant on Economic, Can come together quickly: Adm. Singh ers, to pursue professional Social and Cultural Rights. Ananth Krishnan direct dialogue between the education. While the right “Pursuant to these obli military leadership and Dinakar Peri to pursue higher (profes gations, which India has un Singapore’s Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi’s National NEW DELHI sional) education has not dertaken by being a signato Vivian Balakrishnan said he League for Democracy. The Quad navies of India, been spelt out as a funda ry to the covenant, the hoped India would “reas Saying that the sanctions the U.S., Japan and Australia mental right in Part III of Union shall ensure proper sess” its stand on regional route needed to be carefully “already” enjoy a “high de the Constitution, it bears coordination so that stu trading agreements such as considered as COVID19 had gree of interoperability” emphasis that access to pro dents allocated colleges un the Regional Comprehensive already inflicted a grievous and have the capability and fessional education is not a der the Central pool seats Economic Partnership blow on Myanmar’s econo capacity to come together in governmental largesse,” Jus are not put to hardship in (RCEP) pact that India with my, he said “the worst thing an “almost plug and play tice Chandrachud wrote in enrolling once they have drew from in 2019. strengths across even larger play a role to help build a re we could do” is to “add the mechanism” if the oppor the judgment authored for been duly allocated their India had “a crucial role” markets.” gional architecture that was burden on to ordinary citi tunity arises, Navy chief Ad the Bench. seats,” the court noted. to play in helping the region The RCEP came into force “open” and “inclusive”. zens”. miral Karambir Singh said Admiral Karambir Singh “Financial hardship build an inclusive architec in November 2020 without “Not only ASEAN but im on Wednesday. He stated Panel’s vision should not prevent the stu ture at a time of increasing India and is the world’s lar ASEAN centrality mediate neighbours, like In that it would not be surpris nation on the global stage, The court referred to the vi dents from getting admis global instability, he said, on gest trading agreement, co Rising U.S.China tensions dia and China, have strategic ing to see a Chinese naval the Indian Navy was ready sion envisaged by the Com sion in terms of the alloca Wednesday at the Raisina vering the 10 ASEAN nations, were “deeply worrying” for interests at stake and they expansion in the Indian to do its bit to contribute to mittee on Economic, Social tion which has been made Dialogue, held virtually this China, Japan, South Korea, the region with the pandem can play a constructive role Ocean region. the IndoPacific’s security and Cultural Rights. in their favour legitimately year and hosted by the Ob Australia and New Zealand. ic resulting in “heightened behind the scenes,” he said. “We have seen regular and stability, Adm. Singh “As an empowerment under the Central pool server Research Foundation The CPTPP, successor of the tension” which had “impli The Singapore Foreign Mi Chinese naval presence in stressed the idea of “collec right, education is the prim seats,” it added. in partnership with India’s TransPacific Partnership cations for us all”, with a nister praised India’s strong the Indian Ocean region for tive maritime competence” ary vehicle by which eco Ministry of External Affairs. (TPP) which the U.S. with contest over emerging tech support to global vaccine over a decade now. If the where each nation brings nomically and socially mar Nodal officer On the trade deal, Mr. Ba drew from, includes Singa nologies, divergence on hu cooperation, at a time when Chinese look west from something to the table and ginalised adults and The top court further re lakrishnan said he was “mak pore, Brunei, Malaysia and man rights and tensions re the pandemic had “turbo where they are, their ener can learn from each other children can lift themselves commended the appoint ing a plea” for India to revisit Vietnam from ASEAN, along lated to defence and charged protectionism and gy, markets and resources and harness individual cap out of poverty and obtain ment of a nodal officer to its stand. with Australia, New Zealand, cybersecurity issues. nationalism all over the are located to their west. So, abilities. As for the wider In the means to participate ful ensure that students duly Japan, Canada, Mexico, “The U.S.China relation world, significantly disrupt it won’t be surprising that dian Ocean region, Adm. ly in their communities,” nominated under the Cen Regional trade pacts Chile and Peru. ship is a lynchpin for region ed trade flows and supply soon they would be coming Singh said the Navy’s aim the court said, referring to tral pool seats were admit “I hope India will reassess India withdrew from the al and global stability,” he chains, and sharpened the into the Indian Ocean, as was to be the “preferred se one of the Committee’s ted in their chosen course regional trade pacts like RCEP largely because of con said. tendency for policymakers there is a saying that the flag curity partner”, be credible clauses. of study. “Such an institu RCEP and even the CPTPP cerns it would open it up to “In Southeast Asia, it is all to turn inwards”. follows the trade,” Adm. and forwardleaning in en The court ordered that tional framework will en [Comprehensive and Pro Chinese goods amid an al the more crucial to maintain Efforts were on by Singa Singh said at the ongoing gagements and first respon the students be admitted sure that students are not gressive Agreement for ready wide trade imbalance ASEAN centrality and unity pore, he said, for mutual re Raisina Dialogue, to a ques der in the region. within a week. left in the lurch due to lack TransPacific Partnership] ,” with China, and the failure of amid geopolitical cognition of health certifi tion on the rapid expansion It was government policy of help in securing their leg he said. the agreement to adequately competition.” cates with other countries, of the Chinese Navy. ‘Powerful signal’ last November to allot one itimate admission to the ap “These trade pacts will open up to services. On Myanmar, what with interoperability across The Chinese Navy has Speaking on the churn in seat each at Lady Hardinge propriate course,” the court give Indian companies a Mr. Balakrishnan said Sin ASEAN wanted was to stop borders to gradually facili seen massive expansion in the IndoPacific, Comman and Maulana Azad medical reasoned. platform to showcase their gapore hoped India could the violence and then have tate a resumption of travel. recent years, with rapid ad der of the U.S. IndoPacific dition of frontline warships. Command Admiral Phil Da It has two aircraft carriers vidson said the Quad had and a more capable one is gained momentum and Bengal govt. to probe Govt. must under construction. In 2017, called it the “diamond of de PM calls off meeting China opened its first over mocracies in the region”. listen to Rahul, seas base at Djibouti in the He said one should think deaths in Sitalkuchi Horn of Africa. about the Quad in the with French FM says Congress Talking of the Quad and broadest possible terms and “I cannot say this say now, possible military coopera realise its potential to create but after the election I will New protocol due to COVID19 crisis Special Correspondent tion, Adm. Singh said the global economic opportuni do whatever required to New Delhi Quad was “evolving organi ties, including diversifica help the families,” Ms. Ba Suhasini haidar The Congress on Wednes cally”, referring to the vac tion of supply chains , and nerjee said. NEW DELHI day said Prime Minister Na cine cooperation an address common interests Five people were killed in As COVID19 cases conti rendra Modi is “negligent, nounced recently, among such as cybersecurity con Sitalkuchi on the polling nued to surge, French Fo callous and indifferent” others. “As far as the mili cerns and space coopera day, including four at booth Former CEC reign Minister Jean Yves Le about handling the CO tary part is concerned, na tion and other advanced number 126 at Jor Patki Drian’s scheduled meeting VID19 pandemic at a time vies of Australia, Japan, U.S. technologies in future. gram panchayat in the As CM Mamata Banerjee Krishnamurty with Prime Minister Naren when the country is fight and India already enjoy a “This coming together in sembly constituency, when dra Modi had to be can ing the second wave. high degree of interopera this multilateral form sends Central Industrial Security ‘No NRC in State’ passes away celled as part of an effort to The party also urged the bility. If an opportunity aris a very powerful signal in Force personnel opened Ms. Banerjee accused the deal with the crisis, which government to drop an es, we have the capability support of the rulesbased fire. BJP of making contradictory Special Correspondent could cast a cloud on other Narendra Modi “adversarial” stance and and capacity to come to order, reflects our common The CISF and the district statements on several is NEW DELHI incoming and outgoing vi listen to former Congress gether in an almost plug and values and mutual trust,” he officials said the forces sues, including the National Former Chief Election sits planned. adding that the British PM’s president Rahul Gandhi, play mechanism,” he said. said. The alternative, he opened fire in selfdefence. Register of Citizens. She said Commissioner G.V.G. The new protocol could programme would be fo who had been warning the Stating that as India said, was a stark contrast to Ms. Banerjee, who spoke Union Home Minister Amit Krishnamurty passed away mean a general scaling back cused on government meet government to take correc emerges a more confident a free and open region. to the families dealing with Shah had claimed while on Wednesday due to age of the PM’s meetings with ings and interaction with In tive measures even before the loss, said she wanted to campaigning in Darjeeling related ailments, the Elec visiting dignitaries, includ dian business leaders. the pandemic hit India. visit the area and meet the that there would be no NRC, tion Commission of India ing Maldives Foreign Minis Prime Minister Narendra Mr. Gandhi wrote to the families at the earliest. whereas they had struck off said in a statement. He was ter Abdulla Shahid who ar Modi is also due to travel to Prime Minister last week CBI questions Anil “I wanted to come here names of 14 lakh people in 86. rived on a twoday visit on Portugal for the E.U.India calling for an “immediate the very next day , but I was Assam. The former CEC is sur Wednesday and the upcom summit on May 8, and visit moratorium on vaccine ex not allowed for 72 hours,” “As I have said earlier, vived by his wife, son and ing visit of U.K. Prime Minis France on the same trip, port and fasttrack appro Deshmukh for 7 hours she said. After the incident, there will be no NRC in Ben daughter. His last rites ter on April 26, and Japa which was one of the rea val of other vaccines”. The Devesh K. Pandey the Election Commission of gal. Our government will were performed at the nese PM Yoshihide Suga, sons Mr. Drian’s call on the government, on Tuesday, The agency has also record NEW DELHI India barred political lead never allow NRC,” Ms. Ba Lodhi Road crematorium who is due shortly after PM had been considered im agreed to fasttrack the ap ed the statements of former ers from visiting Sitalkuchi nerjee said. here, the Commission said. that. portant. proval of vaccines deve The Central Bureau of Inves Mumbai Police Commis for 72 hours. On Tuesday, it The Chief Minister also Officials said U.K. Prime On Monday, a press re loped outside India. tigation (CBI) on Wednesday sioner Param Bir Singh, As barred Ms. Banerjee from slammed the Union govern ‘Strengthening laws’ Minister Boris Johnson has lease issued by the French Reacting to the news, recorded the statement of sistant Commissioner of Pol campaigning for 24 hours. ment for the spike in CO Chief Election Commis now shortened his visit and Embassy had said Mr. Drian Mr. Gandhi said on Twitter, former Maharashtra Home ice Sanjay Patil, suspended VID19 infections across the sioner Sushil Chandra limited his travels to Delhi . would meet Mr. Modi after “First they ignore you then Minister Anil Deshmukh in Assistant Police Inspector BJP will not get 70 seats State. “They had one year, mourned the loss of “an il Mr. Johnson had cancelled his bilateral consultations they laugh at you then they connection with the preli Sachin Vaze and a Deputy Later in the day, while ad both Narendra Modi and lustrious former member his plans to visit India in Ja with External Affairs Minis fight you, then you win.” minary inquiry into the cor Commissioner of Police. dressing a public meeting at Amit Shah, but they did not of the ECI family” and re nuary due to the pandemic ter S. Jaishankar on Tues Congress general secre ruption allegations against The preliminary inquiry DabgramFulbari in Jalpai do anything,” she said. called the contribution of surge in the U.K. at the time. day. However, the meeting tary, Communications, him. is being carried out on the guri district, Ms. Banerjee Urging people to wear Mr. Krishnamurty during “We’ve been in close con did not materialise on Tues Randeep Surjewala said “The statement of Mr. Bombay High Court’s claimed that the BJP would masks, Ms. Banerjee said his tenure from October 1, tact with the Indian govern day or Wednesday, after when Mr. Gandhi first Deshmukh was recorded for directive. not get more than 70 seats. she wrote to the Centre 1993 to September 30, ment about the PM’s up which Mr. Drian was due to wrote the letter, the BJP about seven hours. The The statement of Jayshree “Prime Minister Modi has twice on distributing vac 1996, the statement said. coming visit in light of the leave for meetings in Benga “unleashed” Cabinet Mi probe team may contact Patil, a complainant in the said that the BJP has already cines to all in the State, but “His contributions par COVID situation in India. As luru. An official aware of the nisters Ravi Shankar Pra him again if necessary,” an matter, has also been taken won 100 out of 135 seats the Centre did not agree. ticularly in strengthening a result of these discussions, PM’s schedule told The Hin- sad and Smriti Irani to hurl official said. on record. where elections have been “They are coming during laws and procedures of the Prime Minister has du that all such meetings ov baseless allegations at Mr. On Sunday, the CBI had It was alleged that some held. I can say that after the elections bringing outsiders conducting elections will made the decision to reduce er the next few days have Gandhi. “The same govern examined two personal as police officers had been told elections are over, BJP will and increasing cases. Later, be long remembered by the length of the visit,” Mr. been called off as Mr. Modi ment, then accepts the sug sistants of Mr. Deshmukh, as to collect ₹100 crore every not get even 70 out of the to we will have to deal with the the Commission,” the Johnson’s spokesperson has to “focus on COVIDre gestions made by Rahul their names had come up month from bars and res tal of 294 seats,” she said. mess,” she said. statement said. told reporters in London, lated meetings”. Gandhi,” he said. during the ongoing probe. taurants in Mumbai. 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THE HINDU DELHI THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 NEWS 9 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

‘I am addressing not only Muslim concerns but of all the poor and dispossessed’

ISF chief and Furfura Sharif peer Abbas Siddique says Mamata Banerjee’s politics aﬀected brotherhood and amity between communities

Nistula Hebbar got 30 seats as his share of Howrah, Hooghly, Nadia bhaichara (brotherhood). BJP in the State. She was FURFURA SHARIF the 294seat pie. His emer and part of East Midnapore, “The administration stalled Railway Minister in the Vaj Tucked away in a narrow gence, needless to say, has making up a sizeable chunk Durga Visarjan because of payee government and the lane is the large compound sparked not just speculation of seats. Muharram. Who demanded BJP only got strengthened associated with the Furfura on how his support base will A forceful speaker, he this? It was said imams during her term as Chief Sharif, a mazaar to remem affect any consolidation of vehemently denies that he would get ₹2,500 but it Minister.” ber Peer Saheb, a medieval minority votes behind the would be making it easy for wasn’t revealed that it came He exudes confidence mystic whose descendant Trinamool Congress, led by the BJP to enter Nabanna, from Waqf property. When about his party’s prospects, Peerzada Abbasuddin Sid Mamata Banerjee, but also or the State Secretariat, as the ground shifted you [Tri though the jury is still out on dique is seeking to make an what it means as an option he may break minority con namool] said you would give whether his support base impact in the West Bengal in terms of future political solidation, in one of the money to temple priests too. will be enough to carry him Assembly election. formations addressing the most polarised elections We only wanted what was to some political relevance. Mr. Siddique, in his early Muslim community. West Bengal has ever seen. ours by right and guaran As of now, with most of the 30s, referred to as bhaijaan “I am not addressing only “Whoever says this is Jaahil teed by the Constitution. areas where his candidates by his followers, burst into the concerns of the Muslims [uncivilised]. In 2019, when The biggest loss because of are in the fray done with, the scene when he floated a but of all the poor and the the BJP won 18 seats in the all this kind of politics has Mr. Siddique is concentrat political outfit, the Indian dispossessed who are being Lok Sabha, where was I in been that the brotherhood ing on areas where the Con Abbas Siddique’s support base extends to at least five districts in West Bengal. * FILE PHOTO Secular Front (ISF), and cheated by current political the scene,” he asks. and amity between com gressLeft FrontISF alliance clinched a seatsharing formations,” he tells The to address the same issues want to ally. The Congress His support base extends His biggest peeve with munities has got affected,” candidates are in the fray, agreement with the Con Hindu. “I was open to an al and give me the seats I want Left Front did and agreed to to at least five districts, Ms. Banerjee is what he says he said. “Mamata Banerjee with Furfura Sharif at the gress and the Left Front and liance with whoever wanted ed. The Trinamool didn’t my terms.” North and South Parganas, were her actions in ending herself has ushered in the centre of the buzz. BJP wants to ruin Bengal’s culture: Rahul ‘Ban Modi and Shah from Promise of a ‘sonar Bangla’ is just a mirage and the party wants to divide the State, he says campaigning in Bengal’ Special Correspondent sam, they are doing the same Kolkata thing; in Tamil Nadu, they They violated the model code of conduct, Trinamool tells EC Describing the BJP’s promise are trying to do the same of a sonar Bangla (golden thing with their alliance SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT about Central forces follow of the BJP and/or on its in Bengal) as a “mirage”, Con partner AIADMK,” he said. New Delhi ing the death of four persons structions, that is prean gress leader Rahul Gandhi Mr. Gandhi also targeted A delegation of Trinamool in firing by the CISF in Sital nounced by the BJP,” the said on Wednesday that the Chief Minister Mamata Ba Congress leaders met the kuchi. memorandum said. BJP was out to destroy the nerjee and accused her of al Election Commission in Del “Such an act is mala fide, The memorandum also culture of West Bengal. lowing corruption in the hi on Wednesday and de suffers from nonapplication highlighted instances “Wherever the BJP goes, State. Criticising the “cut manded that Prime Minister of mind and is a violation of where, according to the Tri Narendra Modi goes, the RSS money” culture in West Ben Narendra Modi and Union her fundamental rights,” the namool, Mr. Shah and Mr. goes, they start spreading gal, Mr. Gandhi said, “Lakhs Home Minister Amit Shah be party said in a memoran Modi violated the model hatred and start dividing the of people from the State have banned from campaigning dum submitted to the poll code and the Representation people,” Mr. Gandhi said at a to venture out in search of for the remaining phases of body in Delhi. of People Act. The Trina public meeting in Darjeeling jobs, neither Modi is giving the Assembly election in mool said at a rally on April district of the State. jobs nor Mamata ji. This is West Bengal since their ‘Partisan behaviour’ 12 in Kalyani, Prime Minister Mr. Gandhi, who started the only State where you “communal” speeches have “ECI was formed under the Narendra Modi singled out his poll campaign in West have to pay cut money in ad violated the model code of Constitution of India to be the “Matua” and the “Nama

Bengal three days before the Big fight: Rahul Gandhi, centre, at a public meeting in Darjeeling on Wednesday. * PTI vance to get jobs.” conduct and the Representa an independent body that sudra” communities. fifth phase of the election, Mr. Gandhi also came tion of the People Act, 1951. would monitor and conduct The party also accused said the Congress’s fight tered into an alliance with from the fifth to the eighth RSS and the BJP is a danger down heavily on the Trina The party also registered general elections in India. Mr. Shah of invoking false against the BJP was at an ide the Left parties and the In phases. for the State of West Bengal,” mool’s poll slogan “Khela a strong protest over the Neutrality is sine qua non in narratives of caste discrimi ological level and the party dian Secular Front for the As “There is a big danger be the Congress leader said. Hobe” (game will be played), Election Commission’s deci discharge of its functions but nation when he accused the would never back down sembly election. The Con fore you. The day BJP is able Mr. Gandhi alleged that and said the party should ad sion to ban West Bengal during this Assembly elec Trinamool of not “shedding from the fight. The Congress gress is contesting 92 of the to establish its ideology in the BJP wanted to destroy dress infrastructure gaps in Chief Minister Mamata Ba tion, it is apparent that the tears” for the death of a was part of the Samyukta 294 Assembly seats, most of West Bengal, the State will be West Bengal’s culture and the State instead of raising nerjee from campaigning for ECI is acting in a partisan youth from the Rajbongshi Morcha, where it has en which will go to the polls on fire ... The ideology of the heritage and divide it. “In As such slogans. 24 hours for her comments manner, absolutely in favour community. Cong. launches Bengal CEO calls meeting over COVID19 NCSC starts digital media online portal platform The State has witnessed a sharp spike in number of cases and deaths for complaints Special correspondent by senior leaders of the prising Chief Justice Thot Meanwhile, the cam Special Correspondent Kolkata BJP and the Trinamool tathil B. Radhakrishnan paign for the fifth phase of Special Correspondent New Delhi Chief Electoral Officer of Congress are being held and Justice Arijit Banerjee the Assembly election NEW DELHI The Congress on Wednes West Bengal, Aariz Aftab, every day, where crowds had asked the administra ended on Wednesday, 72 Complaints of atrocities day launched its digital me on Wednesday wrote to all are seen violating all safe tion to take action against hours before 45 seats will against Scheduled Castes dia platform ‘INC TV’ on recognised national politi ty protocols. persons violating CO go to polls on April 17. can now be registered with You Tube on the birth anni cal parties to participate VID19 protocols, whether Sixteen Assembly seats the National Commission versary of Dr. Bhimrao Am in a meeting on April 16 Plea in HC involved in elections or in North 24 Parganas, for Scheduled Castes bedkar. on matters related to elec In the letter sent to party not. eight each in Purba Bard (NCSC) through its online The channel will begin tion campaigning during representatives, the CEO The CPI(M) has an haman and Nadia, seven portal launched on Wed airing on April 24 to coin the COVID19 outbreak. also referred to a writ peti nounced on social media in Jalpaiguri, five in Dar nesday, said NCSC chair cide with Panchayati Raj The State, which is in the tion filed before the Cal that the party has decided jeeling and one in Kalim man Vijay Sampla. Day, an initiative of former middle of election frenzy, cutta High Court on the to refrain from organising pong district will go to The portal, ncsc.neg Prime Minister Rajiv Gand has witnessed an alarm same issue. big gatherings during the polls in the fifth phase. d.in, will allow users to hi. The channel, currently, ing spike in the number of Hearing the petition, remaining phases of the On the last day of cam track the progress of their will be aired only in Hindi infections and deaths. the High Court on Tues Assembly election. “In paigning, BJP and Trina complaints, which had and English and will broad In the past 24 hours, day directed the CEO and stead, emphasis will be mool supporters ex been a problem for com cast for eight hours. the State witnessed 5,892 District Magistrates to en laid on doortodoor cam changed blows at the plainants who submitted The party already has a new cases and 24 deaths. sure strict implementa paign and on social me Baranagar constituency in their grievances by post or YouTube channel where it Despite the alarming rise tion of COVID19 protocol. diabased propaganda,” the northern fringes of by hand, Mr. Sampla broadcasts its press confe in cases, political rallies A Division Bench com the party said. the city. added. rences and videos of public meetings addressed by its leaders. The new digital platform will put out content which, Farmers say Centre is making the party feels, main stream television channels ignore. ‘false promises’ on discussions Former Congress presi dent Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders have Protesters say the govt. did not invite unions for dialogue repeatedly attacked the media for being pliant and Shinjini Ghosh biased in favour of the BJP NEW DELHI government. Protesting farmers at the Addressing a press con Singhu border on Wednes ference on the occasion of day said that the Centre’s the launch, party general comments on resuming secretary Randeep Surje talks were “false promises” wala said INC TV would be and despite assurances, the expanded gradually. government had not invited “Today, subjugation and the unions for dialogue. suppression of dissent and Several farmers, who opinion is near total in this have been at the border for country. The INC TV digital nearly five months now, said Standing firm: Farmers sitting in protest at the Singhu border platform is for dissemena despite 11 meetings with Un in New Delhi on Wednesday. * SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA tion of views and opinion ion Ministers, they had which may be acceptable failed to convince farmers But on the other hand, they are facing difficulties as well to us and some which may on why the three laws were are allowing the Kumbh Me but that does not mean that not be. Former Congress beneficial to them. la to take place. Is this not we will abandon the protest. president Rahul Gandhi is Gurmeet Singh, a farmer double standards? Will the The government needs to of the opinion that various from Moga, said, “We had a virus come to only Delhi and approach us for the next shades of opinion must be very clear proposal that all affect the farmers?” Mr. round of talks.” placed on the table to de the three laws need to be re Singh asked. Maninder Singh, another liberate upon,” he said. pealed completely. The go Stating that the govern farmer from Patiala, said, Leader of the Opposi vernment conducted 11 ment had to make the first “When the union leaders tion in the Rajya Sabha and meetings, yet they could not move and invite the unions went for a discussion, our All India Congress Commit explain or impress upon us for a dialogue, the farmers stand was clear and we tee general secretary Malli as to why the laws will be be reiterated their stand that wanted a complete repeal of karjun Kharge was present neficial to us and why we they would not vacate the the laws. Our demands have at the launch. He said even should accept the laws. protest sites till the laws not changed over the past Ambedkar believed that Statements that they are were repealed. few months ... By talking of a journalism had become a open for a dialogue is noth Amardeep Singh, a farm discussion but not really in trade in India and it was ing but empty promises.” er from Patiala district, said, viting the leaders for talks, the BJP that was proving “Ministers also keep men “Sitting over here in this they are only giving false as him right today. tioning about the pandemic. heat is not easy for us. We surances.”

DELHI THE HINDU 10 NEWS THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Nearly 2 lakh new cases, Rate of vaccination inadequate 990 deaths reported Analysis of data show that States are not seeing a respite from second wave Jacob Koshy NEW DELHI Maharashtra, Delhi and Gujarat saw the most fatalities The current levels of vacci nation are far from helping Special Correspondent States see any respite from Chennai the second wave of the CO Yogi, Akhilesh India registered 1,99,286 VID19 pandemic, shows an new COVID19 cases as of analysis of vaccination data test positive 11.45 p.m. on Wednesday, from States. As of Wednes the highest singleday spike day, India had administered for COVID19 since the beginning of the 111 million doses of vaccine pandemic. As many as 990 and covered about 7% of the Special Correspondent deaths were also recorded population with one dose. Lucknow on the day. There is not a single State Uttar Pradesh Chief Minis Maharashtra reported in India where COVID19 cas ter Yogi Adityanath and Sa 58,952 infections (account es are not increasing, but majwadi Party president ing for nearly 30% of the some States show a slight Akhilesh Yadav on Wed new cases) on Wednesday, slackening in the pace of nesday said they had tested followed by Uttar Pradesh increase. positive for COVID19. with 20,439 new infections As of April 12, 12 States “I am under selfisola and Delhi with 17,282 new and Union Territories had tion and following the ad cases. vaccinated over 10% of their vice of doctors. [I am] car Maharashtra also record population. Ladakh, with a rying out all work ed the highest number of ca which were made available after the U.S. (5,63,873), Bra population of 2.96 lakh, led virtually,” Mr. Adityanath sualties (278) on Wednesday. on Wednesday. zil (3,58,425) and Mexico with 22.48% of the popula said on Twitter. Delhi followed with 104 new This is the third time in (2,10,294). tion getting one dose. Con Between life and death: Ambulances were stalled in a queue for four hours at the gate of the Mr. Adityanath recently deaths, while Chhattisgarh April when the number of firmed daily cases have gone 1,200-bed Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. * VIJAY SONEJI campaigned in the West and Gujarat registered 73 daily tests has crossed the 14 11.43 crore doses given from 30 on April 1 to 102 on Bengal elections. Several each. lakh mark. Cumulatively, 11,43,18,455 April 12. of about 12 crore, has vacci There is not yet a number ven States where vaccina officials in his team had The figures do not include A total of 26,06,18,866 vaccine doses had been ad Among States with a pop nated only 3.6%. Confirmed to indicate a threshold at tions have covered at least tested positive on Tuesday. cases and deaths from the samples have been tested in ministered in India as of 8 ulation of over 1 crore, daily cases there have risen which vaccinations could 35% of the population, ac Former Uttar Pradesh Andaman and Nicobar Is the country as of April 13 p.m. on Wednesday, accord Chhattisgarh has vaccinated exponentially, from about contribute to a decreasing cording to the Bloomberg Chief Minister Akhilesh Ya lands and Ladakh. The data since the beginning of the ing to the Union Health Mi about 14% of its population, 200 per day on April 1 to caseload. This is complicat vaccine tracker. dav also took to the social are sourced from covid19in pandemic. nistry. but confirmed daily cases about 2,800 every day now. ed by the fact that so far, vac The Seychelles, the Unit media site to announce dia.org, an independent ag The country has so far re On April 14, day 89 of the have nearly quadrupled to Uttar Pradesh, India’s cines have been shown to be ed Arab Emirates, Israel and that he had tested positive. gregator of daily COVID19 ported a total of 1,40,70,800 vaccination drive, 31,39,063 about 12,200 since April 1. most populous State, has al far more effective at prevent the Maldives are four places He said he had selfisolated figures. cases and 1,73,105 deaths. doses had been given. Of the Kerala, with a population of so vaccinated about 3.6% of ing critical illness and mor which have covered over and was receiving treat Only the U.S. has a bigger ca total beneficiaries, 27,19,964 3.5 crore, has vaccinated 13% its population, like Bihar, tality rather than preventing 40% of their population with ment at home. 14.11 lakh tests seload with 3,13,75,111 total were vaccinated for the first of the population but has and saw daily cases jump infection. one dose and where cases He requested those who As many as 14,11,758 lakh infections. dose and 4,19,099 benefici seen cases go from around from about 1,000 on April 1 In the United States, the have declined or flattened, came in contact with him new tests were conducted in However, in terms of total aries received the second 2,100 per day to 5,600. to nearly 18,000 as of infection rates have general according to the same track to get tested. India on Tuesday, results for deaths India is placed fourth dose. Bihar, with a population Wednesday. ly flattened or declined in se er. Several samples show ‘Tika Utsav’ draws moderate Imported Sputnik V to HC denies nod mutation, says Uddhav be available this quarter for prayers at response; 11.4 mn doses given Juma Masjid ‘Infection rate higher than in 2020’ Discussion on pricing is under way Special correspondent Special Correspondent Tope earlier said Maharash The 4-day drive was organised to accelerate vaccination Special Correspondent Mumbai Pune tra had approached neigh HYDERABAD The Bombay High Court on Maharashtra Chief Minister bouring States for medical Jacob Koshy A day after India accorded Wednesday refused to Uddhav Thackeray on Wed oxygen supply but they had NEW DELHI emergency use authorisa grant permission to the Ju nesday said mutations of the expressed their inability Prime Minister Narendra tion to Sputnik V, the mar ma Masjid of Bombay Trust novel coronavirus had been due to high domestic de Modi’s exhortation to In keting partner for the Rus to hold namaz five times a found in a number of sam mand. dians to commemorate ‘Tika sian COVID19 vaccine, Dr. day during Ramzan at its ples and the administration “We have approached all Utsav’ by encouraging CO Reddy’s Laboratories, said mosque. was working on a war foot neighbouring states like VID19 vaccination has elicit the imported product will Sputnik V vaccine will be A Division Bench of Jus ing to make oxygen availa Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pra ed a middling response with be available in the country imported in a frozen form. tices R.D. Dhanuka and ble at medical facilities desh and Gujarat to supply only 11.4 million vaccines ad by this quarter. V.G. Bisht was hearing a pe across the State. medical oxygen, for medical ministered from April 11 to It will start this quarter, Most of it will be used in tition filed by the trust, re “Several samples have re purpose, but owing to their 14, data from the CoWin via the import route, and the country, he said, adding gistered under the Bombay vealed mutations of the vi own rising demand, they website show. the availability will be that Sputnik is being made Public Trust and Wakf Act. rus. The rate of infection is have expressed their inabili Concurrent with a slew of ramped up next quarter in Russia and a few other The trust, represented by much higher than it was last ty to supply oxygen. Hence, festivals that mark these once the ‘Made in India’ countries. advocate Mohiuddin Vaid, year, with many among the Maharashtra needs to re days, the drive aimed to ac Sputnik V comes on stream. In a presentation during sought a direction to allow younger generation now duce wastage and work on celerate vaccinations. Discussions with the govern the interaction, in which Muslims to offer prayers getting infected. Reining in fixing its leakages,” Mr. Tope When compared over Vital doses: Vaccinations tend to pick up during the middle of ment and other stakehol chairman Satish Reddy and five times a day at the mos the contagion will be even said. previous blocks of four days the week, the CoWin portal shows. * FILE PHOTO ders on pricing are under cochairman and managing que from April 14 till the more challenging this year Doctors in the State task all through this month, there way, the Hyderabadbased director G.V. Prasad partici end of Ramzan, adhering and all restrictions an force had expressed con were three blocks when in get the dose. According to while the supplies “were li pharma major’s senior lea pated, Mr. Sapra said the to social distancing and nounced by the government cern over the availability oculations crossed 13 mil Census 2001, there are mited,” stocks of States were dership said on Wednesday. vaccine had storage require standard operating proce must be strictly enforced as and usage of oxygen at the lion. The lowest was from about 14 crore Indians bet being replenished every four The contract with the ment of minus 1822 degrees dures in force. a result,” said the Chief Mi meeting with the Chief Mi March 1821 that saw 9.5 mil ween 45 and 64 years. While days. Health Secretary Ra Russian Direct Investment Celsius and a shelf life of six The court said, “In our nister, following a video nister on April 12. lion vaccinations. The Co on April 5, India posted a re jesh Bhushan said the States Fund (RDIF), which has months. Dr. Reddy’s has view, the restrictions im conference with all Division They have laid down a set Win website indicates daily cord — 4.5 million inocula needed to plan better. There partnered with Dr. Reddy’s lined up the cold chain and posed by the State govern al Commissioners, Collec of rules for rational usage vaccination number for the tions — the daily numbers were 1.67 crore vaccines for clinical trials and distri made logistics arrange ment are due to the CO tors and Municipal and Pol which include stopping of previous 30 days. Beyond have since recorded a de with States on April 13 and bution, is 250 million vac ments to ensure delivery up VID19 circumstances. ice Commissioners. high flow nasal oxygen that the numbers are availa cline with vaccinations ho nearly 2 crore vaccines were cine units (125 million peo to the last mile throughout Considering the prevailing (HFNO) machines until ble only on a weekly basis. vering around 33.5 million in supply until April end. ple doses). This number is the country. It will be collab situation and ground reali Oxygen use further notice as the HFNO There are dips in vaccina every day. On Tuesday, the Centre expandable, CEO of API and orating with the govern ty in Maharashtra, we can He urged all doctors at the machines consumed a very tions, especially during the However, several States accorded emergency appro Services Business Deepak ment and leverage some of not permit the petitioner district level to adhere to large quantity of oxygen, so weekend, and previous since then have complained val to the Sputnik V vaccine Sapra said. the infrastructure of the im to perform prayers at the the norms laid out by the metimes up to 80 litres per months show that vaccina of a shortage of vaccines though there is nothing Separately, the RDIF has munisation programmes. mosque.” State task force on the minute. tions tend to pick up during even as the number of coro known about how much it entered into production The vaccine will be im The Bench noted, “The changed treatment modali The task force recom the middle of the week. navirus cases rose to a re will cost, or if it will be pro pacts with six vaccine mak ported in a frozen form. Ad right to celebrate or follow ties in tackling the fresh mended that those patients April 1 was an important cord high, spiking demand cured by the government ers in the country, he said. ditional stability data is also a religious practice is im surge, especially the ration who may need HFNO landmark in India’s vaccina for the vaccine. The Centre and sold at subsidised rates About 60%70% of the glo being generated on the 28 portant, but what is more al use of oxygen. should be managed on non tion programme with has consistently denied a and by what date are they bal volumes of Sputnik V degrees Celsius tempera paramount is public order Health Minister Rajesh invasive ventilation (NIV). anyone over 45 eligible to shortage, underscoring that expected to be available. will be made in India. ture range. and the safety of citizens.”

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SCAN TO PLAY Never go off the grid. SUDOKU FAITH + 13222 We are digital now. Come solve online. @ https://qrgo.page.link/jjpTn (set by Karaoke) Siva the Supreme Lord 15 Tent’s top chopped off with sword (4) Saivism holds that Siva is the Supreme Lord spoken of as 16 Veil stripped in high way robbery (5) Brahman in the Upanishads and one who confers liberation on those desirous of it. A jivatma struggling in samsara is 17 Mess like in High Banks! (4) sure to experience great joy when he understands the value 21 Carry money during journey by air (8) of Siva Upasana and its untold benefits, even as a poor man’s 23 Military force advanced in long suit (6) heart is gladdened when he stumbles upon a treasure, 25 Cycling monkey species (5) pointed out Srimati R. Mathangi in a discourse. The concept 26 Angel Falls in continent for relief from pain (9) of Pasu, Pati and Pasa is central to Saivism. Pati refers to Siva the Paramatma. Pasu is the soul in the 27 Radical baseball pitcher (6) embodied jiva who is thus a blend of the gross, comprising 28 Organised amount reportedly for Shanghai? (6) the bodymind complex, and the spiritual, the chaitanya roopa of the atma which is the indwelling self. Pasa is the ■ DOWN rope or fetters and refers to the three taints known as ma 1 Time to get comfort missing second prize (8) lams which adhere to the soul. The three malams are known 2 Repeating appeal to buy historic period’s books (7) as anava, karma, and maya. 3 Hounds laid bare for strength (5) The jiva cannot escape from the bond of anava malam, primordial ignorance. Nor is it possible to evade fa cing the 4 Ethics broken by armtwisting companion (7) effect of one’s actions good and bad. The third malam i s 5 Old maid in Nazi administration (6) known as the Maya malam. This is the impurity arising from Solution to puzzle 13221 Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku 7 Liberals associate in the growth of Bush or downfall? (8) attachment to the world and is caused by birth. Bein g thus 8 Cocktail after lunch with whiskey in the end at 50! (47) bound, the soul is unable to enjoy the bliss of Siva Ananda. In samsara, the awareness of atma is restricted; but it at 9 Somehow, growing wheat besieged by butterfly family finally (4,4,3) ■ ACROSS tains fullness in the mukti state. Ignorance is caused by the 14 Wipe out revolutionary rodents occupying court (8) 6 Soldiers overpower informer on the house (6) sorrow of birth and jnana can remove this. This is gained by 18 French lawyer, senior becomes object of dislike (8) Vedanta knowledge that points out Siva as the goal to be at 7 Speak softly, literally. Calm down! (4,2) 19 Green lights enable upward movements, I hear (7) tained. He is the creator of the entire prapancham including 10 What a card player expects? An equitable treatment? (1,4,4) the Trimurtis. 20 Sentence becoming different without comma initially (7) 11 Donor arranged for the musical composition (5) The prapancham is His sarira. He controls the jivas who 12 Smooth tuneful composition ignores drums essentially (6) 22 Chimpanzee gets no first aid during breathing difficulty (6) are the Pasu and He is not affected by Pasa or Pasu. The sa 13 Spooner’s watch showed up five hundred, maybe (4,4) 24 Group of activists died in custody (5) dana advised is worship and meditation on Siva who a lone can cut the bonds attached to the immortal soul.

THE HINDU DELHI THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 SHOWCASE 11 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

The new easel Beeple’s Everydays... the digital artwork bought by (clockwise from below) Metakovan, digital avatar of Vignesh Sundaresan; and Anand Venkateswaran, whose

digital avatar is Twobadour * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Shonali Muthalaly too much? Is Beeple’s grid of eve ryday art really that impactful? In This story begins over filter coffee an audioonly GoogleMeet inter at The Hindu canteen in Chennai, view immediately after the sale, more than a decade ago. Singaporebased Vignesh, then When Anand Venkateswaran speaking via his Metakovan pseu and Vignesh Sundaresan met, as a donym said, “I feel like I got a journalist and app developer, res steal,” to The New York Times. pectively. Well before they Anand agrees. morphed into Twobadour and “Digital art takes the same Metakovan, their ‘exosuits’ as amount of labour and talent as founder and steward of Meta conventional paintings. The purse, a cryptobased fund. Christie’s sale proved that digital And before they realised that art should be taken seriously,” the Metaverse (an online conver says Anand, who lives in Chennai. gence of virtual worlds and aug “Instead of the whole process of mented reality) is a uniquely de making a pilgrimage to a museum Well, Vignesh mocratic playing field, on which to view it, you can see it anywh they could make history, ere. It’s portable: you can carry it Sundaresan and repeatedly. on your phone, or view on a lap Anand Their most publicised triumph top. There are now massive But, who — so far — is the recent acquisition screens, where you can display Venkateswaran are of Beeple’s Everydays: The First the NFT directly on a wall…” still delighted with 5000 Days , for a staggering He adds, “People keep saying, a blockchain game featuring digi “massive fans of Beeple,” Anand $69,346,250 in a Christie’s online ‘But I can’t touch it.’ Well, expe 69 Beeple’s Everydays..., tal cats, called CryptoKitties, got says, “This art represents years of only sale. rience doesn’t come from touch... their polarising so popular it clogged the net consistent work. He did on his The news made headlines Besides, this doesn’t get corrod spends work. “This was a window into good days, bad days, sick days… across the world for many firsts. ed, it’s resilient. And there is me Christie’s buy that is what the future would be… expe he did one piece in three minutes This was the third highest price rit in that. There is a joy in owning changing the rience and fun,” says Anand. at 5 am, when his wife was in la paid at an auction for work by a something that will never age.” conversation The market crashed, leading to bour. You can see his growth as living artist. The work is an NFT, million two years of a ‘crypto winter’ in an artist,” says Anand, adding or nonfungible token, meaning it Whose art is it anyway on around Art 2018 and 2019, after which the “the commitment he showcased – is a unique digital file on the ‘Ownership’ with NFTs is very dif world of blockchain began to mad respect for that.” blockchain. And, the 255yearold ferent from a traditional oil on evolve in 2020, offering players a He adds that he and Vignesh auction house accepted payment canvas. NFTs enable collectors way to experience games and yes, felt that work, which was also the in Ether, a cryptocurrency. (One and artists to verify authenticity art. first NFT to be sold by a main Ether is roughly ₹1,62,000.) of digital artworks by encrypting stream auction house, belonged Mike Winkelmann aka Beeple an unforgeable signature on the digital art? A digital rebellion in Metapurse, even though they posted a new work of art on May blockchain. Still, anyone can co Discussing the allure of digital art, had no idea how much it would 1, 2007. He then did the same py or download the $69 million Anand says, “The tech behind it is cost when the auction began. thing the next day, and the next, Beeple — for free. Anand shrugs, whelming, for me. But that is why which was sold in 2014. He then what excites Vignesh. For me, it is “The reason we were able to every single day for 13andahalf “You can also make the Mona Lisa it is so relatable. You can com cofounded BitAccess, and went the rebelliousness of these artists. buy it is, Vignesh is not tied down years. These individual pieces your screensaver. That is how art municate with it, even more than on to programme and install Bit Their ability to mix notions of to a certain lifestyle. He does not merged together create Every propagates itself.” a physical piece — it talks back to coin ATMs. He left BitAccess in conventional art and digital own a house, he does not own a days: The First 5000 Days. He admits that, like for you in vivid ways.” 2016, to dive into Ethereum (the performance.” car, and over 99% of his assets are Of course, the sale was po many of us, the concept However, it took a while for network on which ether oper Questions remain on whether in crypto. He lives from thesis to larising. Even Beeple was was challenging to fully Anand to be fully convinced ates), and now has multiple bil the Beeple buy was a marketing thesis with this space,” says startled at the high price: appreciate at first. about diving into the world of liondollar projects. ploy: after all, it put Vignesh and Anand, adding that they are work Bids jumped from $100 to $1 “Frankly, I was a little blockchain. “Vignesh came on He also runs Metapurse with Anand, as well as Metapurse, on ing on a virtual monument now to million in the first hour of freaked out by it. That board as an app developer at The Anand, which focusses on collect the map. After a thoughtful pause display their big buy. the auction. There were 33 was the first step of un Hindu, and we worked together ing NFTs in the virtual estate, art, Anand says, “I don’t think the “NFTs have become a part of bidders from 11 learning for me. My no for a while,” says Anand. “He dis unique collectables and more. Aha moment happened during numbers add up. You don’t spend popular conversation because of countries, and tion of art is a covered crypto in 2012, and that Admitting that crypto can be the pandemic. The world has 69 million on marketing. And this auction,” says Anand. “Let’s 22 million visi square canvas information was enough for him intimidating for people who are changed, and we were trying to fi there is no product we are trying face it, is this the best piece of art tors logged in with paint. The to fly to Canada to study, and start not steeped in finance and tech gure out what the next big thing to sell here.” He states they have there is for 69 million? I have no for the final mi fact that that it a cryptobased company.” nology, Anand says it actually en would be in the virtual space,” he no plans to “flip it” either, selling idea — and it doesn’t matter. We nutes at could be pro Vignesh began looking for ables creators to find imaginative says. it for a higher price. “That would were in the right space, at this Christies.com. grammable ways to earn Bitcoin, beginning ways to express themselves on a Ethereum was mainly used for be extremely unimaginative.” point in history to create this tiny Did they pay was over with an exchange called Coinse, democratic playing field. “Our financial applications till in 2017, Stating that they are both moment. So we did.”

Sweta Akundi Portrait of a teacher Sing with me The One More Light mural; (below) Mickey Santiago painting the mural * SWETA AKUNDI These are unusual surround For over 55 years, this ings for Linkin Park founder Chester Bennington — next to artist has taught a decidedly local TASMAC thousands of students shop and a Madurai mess boasting ‘Malasiyan parotta’ without a break. (sic). Undeterred by the Ever since Chester’s death four years ago, a group of pandemic, she hardcore Linkin Park fans continues in a mask from Chennai had made it their mission to give the city a Chester mural to commemo PRIYADARSHINI PAITANDY rate their favourite artiste. Weeks after what would have Amidst sheets of art lie stacks of been his 45th birthday (on oldfashioned diaries filled with March 20, 2021), their dream phone numbers and photographs: has finally materialised. Hema Prasad’s most prized posses A picture of the singer, sions. “Right from six digit to eight caught in all his screaming, tat digit telephone numbers, and 10 di Never give up An artwork painted tooed glory, has been graffi git mobile numbers I have them by (bottom)Hema Prasad, whose tied on to a wall at MZink Tat been sharing videos of their fa ...... all,” smiles the senior citizen. And students range from three to 72- too Studio, Nungambakkam. vourite concerts, their favou It captures him with there are thousands. year-olds * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT The waft of freshly made rite songs, vinyl recordings, Hema started teaching when she rice from the mess outside is other artwork related to the his flaming tattoos graduated from the Madras School smiles, adding that she has never masked by the odour of paint band, and of course — merch. and his signature of Art (now, Government College of really taken a break from teaching as we walk into the studio en Till today, they meet up in scream. That’s him in Fine Arts). “I used to go from house ever since she started. “I am happy trance, interrupting its owner their respective cities and cut a his element to house. But parents were kind to have students everyday.” Mickey Santiago’s reverie. He cake on his birthday. and suggested that I start classes at Even through the lockdown, He looks up from applying the last After his death, the band home and they would bring their ma kept her classes alive. Now, she few strokes to Chester’s name. had to cancel its One More there would be permission is kids,” she says. “In many cases, I persists with physical classes, limit “Some of us haven’t slept Light tour. The song about los sues or financial issues, or the have taught three genera ing it to one student per class properly for a week,” says ing a friend, lends its name to question of how long it will be tions and even large fa and with necessary pre Mickey, “We were approached One more the mural in Chennai. allowed to stay up,” says Javid milies including 23 cautions, including by Linkin Park India to paint “The basic idea behind the Farooqi, another member of members from one wearing a mask the mural a month before mural and the project is to Linkin Park India. particular family,” through the dura Chester’s birthday.” highlight mental health. It’s Finally, they approached she laughs, ad tion of the session. Linkin Park India is a com called One More Light to un Mickey, a metalhead and a ding that now Hema’s stu munity of 85,000 fans across light shines derline that each and every former musician himself. her students are dents, who are the country. In Chennai, its one is important. We plan to “This is a place associated with between the age scattered all over earliest members were Ara Chennai gets a Chester Bennington do this in other cities too, this Art and Music. Lots of musi group of three to the world, stay in vind Ramaswami and Shankar is the beginning,” says Roma cians walk into the studio, so 72. touch with her. As we Narayanan. “When Chester mural, thanks to the unrelenting, three Neupane, who flew down they would like seeing Ches “There is no age speak, a student drops passed away, we wanted to yearlong efforts of Linkin Park from Delhi for the unveiling of ter’s mural here,” says Mickey. for art,” she says. Some in, just to check on her. bring together fans sharing the the mural. Mickey & Co went through of her older students have Hema says that while she nev same grief, and celebrate his India’s city chapter Wouldn’t a public wall, easi 40 photos of Chester before joined her classes after retirement. er got to do a solo show because of life. India only has two of his ly visible to commuters, have picking the one from the Pro While a majority of younger stu monetary constraints and had to murals so far: one in Bangalore world shared their favourite were equally heartbroken. been a more suitable venue for jekt Revolution Tour in New dents have serious artistic aspira dive right into teaching, she is and one in Mumbai,” says memories of the singer. For Chester’s struggle with de the mural? The group says it York, 2007. tions, lately there has been a num thrilled that her students have put Aravind. their next few concerts, JayZ, pression and substance abuse crisscrossed the city — Ashok “It captures him with his ber who attend classes to destress. up successful exhibitions. Chris Martin, Jared Leto, sparked off a conversation on Nagar, Anna Nagar, Nanganal flaming tattoos and his signa Classes keep the keen teacher oc And, as for drawing, she gets to Ripples of grief Muse, Machine Gun Kelly, Ima mental health among his In lur, Ambattur, Purasaiwalkam ture scream,” say Javid. cupied seven days a week. What do that everyday, even if not on a On July 20, 2017, Chester was gine Dragons… everyone dian fans, who began sharing — hoping to find one. “That’s him in his element”. about Sunday? “Those are the bu canvas, then atleast in the rough found dead in his home in Cali would pay their tributes. their own experiences. Every “There isn’t a graffiti culture If these topics cause mental siest from 8 am to 8 pm,” she note book of her students. fornia. His death was ruled as Back in India, a country Lin day for three years, on What in the city. It was very difficult distress, please call Aasra at suicide. Overwhelmed, the kin Park has never toured, fans sApp and Facebook, they have to find a public place — either 9820466726.

DELHI THE HINDU 12 SHOWCASE THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

From the rooftop Happy feet Janaki and Naveen in the original Hyderabadbased photojournalist Madhu Gopal Rao’s first capture on the rooftop during dance video * SPECIAL lockdwon 2020 was of a family relaxing on the terrace and a group of boys playing cricket. Little ARRANGEMENT did he realise that his way of surviving the lockdown would pave way for a series. In the first two months of lockdown, his photos spoke of silence. “I remember one photograph of a man sitting on a water tank; I could feel his loneliness,” he recalls. Then, as seasons changed, Madhu captured how the attitude and behaviour of families too changed. The ‘Rasputin’ Later, even after lockdown was lifted, Madhu continued to go to the terrace to document life from there, but his ‘subjects’ became fewer. “The number of people is slightly higher during challenge is weekends,” he shares. Since most of the photographs were long shots, the focus was not an keeping campuses individual person but on the rooftop buzz. People began to recognise him and some even posed in Kerala upbeat waving their hands. The ‘Rooftop’ project was initially ‘Rooftop Streets in the sky’ as ‘rooftops appeared like a street buzzing with people doing different activities’ The rooftop gave him a breathing space and a way to connect. “Despite the physical distance and not knowing many neighbours, I felt relaxed at seeing a person on a terrace. This project kept me busy, else it would have been tough for me to survive the past year,” he adds. Medicos dance in support Madhu continues this activity even now and hopes to have a book from his collection of over 10,000 photos depicting the daily lives of people and their enduring human and personal experiences. Some pictures have been published and were part of the virtual Indian Photo of Naveen and Janaki Festival held last year. Saraswathy Nagarajan The students’ wing of a political party has begun a campaign to come When the dance video featuring Na up with Instagram reels of the ‘Ras Photographers veen K Razak and Janaki Omkumar, putin’ challenge and prizes of ₹1,000 The students of Thrissur Medical College, and ₹500 are being offered to the across the country went viral, there were a few who best video of the dance. Meghna GR, showcased a slice of life viewed it through a communal lens an officebearer of the cultural wing, after they came across the surnames says that the idea was to protest from windows and of the dancers. The reaction to the against attempts to communalise rooftops during lockdown remarks was immediate and has campuses. from been rocking the student communi “One of the entries by Daya Babraj 2020. In 2021, these three view ty across Kerala. from Devagiri College has also gone photographers continue to The first to stand with their batch viral. She has danced to ‘Rasputin’ in mates were the students of Thrissur a traditional mundu and melmun- do so Medical College. Thirteen of the Vik du,” says Meghna, a student of the ings, the college’s dance group , University of Kerala. Neeraja Murthy within moved to the beats of ‘Rasputin’ and Government departments and pu “All the photographers are on their way to the rooftop; it looks like they will be sitting there for the next three months,” Capturing Nature uploaded it on the Facebook page of blic sector units have also come out remarks Aditya Arya. The Gurugrambased photographer’s photo series Silence of the Millennium City presented Aikya College Union 1920, Thrissur in support of the two dancers. Last glimpses of empty streets during lockdown 2020. Now, with new guidelines as COVID19 cases surge, three Dinesh Khanna’s tryst with lockdown Medical College. Their message: “If week, the Health Department of Ker photographers who continue to capture glimpses of life, speak about what haS changed since last year. photography began with four selfies of him your aim is to hate, ours is to ala released an animation ad show watching Netflix on his iPad. “That seemed #resisthate ing two bottle of vaccines — Covish Fleeting moments an appropriate thing,” laughs the Gurugram The IMA MSN (Indian Medical As ield and Covaxin — dancing to based photographer. Confined indoors, he sociation Medical Students’ Net ‘Rasputin’. Released by the Health Sanjay Borra, best known for his architecture, interiors and street began to capture the garden from his work) is also conducting a competi Minister of Kerala, KK Shailaja to photography, started a Lifethroughmywindow series (Instagram) window. The photographer specialises in tion for “medical students, allied promote the vaccination drive, the during lockdown, 2020. The Hyderabadbased photographer’s people, travel, food and interior courses and doctors”, says Adnan ad also expresses support for the balcony forged unexpected connections. “People from all walks of photography and had never shot Nature Ummer chairperson of the IMA MSN medical students’ dance video. life use the lane where I live as it leads to Chintalbasthi, a main until then. It was a year like never before, as unit of Calicut Medical College. “It is Prior to that, the Kerala Coopera street and also a market to buy household items. Many street he stood at his window, frontyard and study not only the remarks about love ji tive Milk Marketing Federation (Mil vendors lost their jobs and survived selling vegetables,” he says. on the second floor to shoot Nature. had that we are protesting again. ma) was off the mark quickly to re His view from the balcony captured a slice of life through Dinesh says, “Photography from home There were also some who won lease an ad featuring caricatures of photographs and short videos of people carrying on with their during confinement was interesting as I got dered if doctors should be dancing in Janaki and Naveen. lives. “The videos were interesting as I was able to capture fleeting to see minute details which I would never scrubs, that too in the corridors of a Congress general secretary Pri moments starting from one side of the window to the other. It felt hve noticed in the house but it was also medical college, and since medicine yanka Gandhi Vadra shared the vi as if a lot was happening within that short time,” he says. Sanjay boring as there was also large extent of is a noble profession, shouldn’t we deo of Naveen and Janaki dancing on continues to post videos in the series but does not look at them as feeling despair.” be at work and so on. We are not ro her Instagram handle. “More power pre/post pandemic images/videos. “Life goes on for these people Now, he continues to take pictures of bots. So, doctors, medical students, to you guys and the entire student and it is captivating to capture it,” he says, elaborating, “Earlier it Nature; one of his recent works is that of a interns and nursing students from community for standing up against was common to hear hawkers shouting about their wares but now I tree photographed in three different seasons the State and outside are sending us hatred and bigotry,” she posted in a capture them in photographs with a smart phone.” Shooting for between December 2020 to March 2021, from Instagram reels of them dancing in story. over a year now, Sanjay feels his balcony has been a source of new the same angle. “I saw the tree over a period scrubs, in white coats and in civvies. Janaki meanwhile is “very happy,” revelations and brought out his philosophical side. “You learn to of three months and captured its stages — That does not affect our dedication as she, “never expected so much of empathise, become more human and realise the fragility of life. from shedding leaves and sprouting tiny or sincerity towards our work,” he love and support from so many One never knows what happens next.” leaves to lush foliage again,” he says. explains. people”.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: The right judgement Vakeel Saab THIS WEEK IN INDIE Nivetha Thomas in THE GUARDIAN QUICK CROSSWORD-13408 Nivetha Thomas * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT talks about reprising Some songs to trip on, others to adaptation, Nivetha had several conver unwind to and a bunch of Taapsee Pannu’s part sations with director Sriram Venu and laughs are in store for you from Pink, in the wanted to bring in her own interpreta tions. through the week recently-released Her character Pallavi represents the Meghna Majumdar Telugu remake many urban working women who live on their own: “I have friends who have Vakeel Saab gone through bad experiences. It was important for me to understand Palla vi’s emotional trauma,” she says.

Character assassination “An extreme sense of sadness”, she says, washed over her in the courtroom scenes where the women face charac ter assassination. Those scenes were filmed in se quence and there were six cameras, Tame Impala each focussing on different portions of The psychedelic rock act founded and the room. So she stayed focussed and 6 headlined by Australiabased Kevin Parker ‘in character’ at all times. “This helped has been a global favourite for a decade. to emote right, but it was also draining. ■ Across ■ Down Next week, the band of four is getting ready I had to switch off after each cut so as to to celebrate its 2009 debut album not get overwhelmed.” 1 One who creates dance 2 Indian chieftain, Innerspeaker by performing it in its entirety, Her outburst in the court was among live from Wave House, the Yallingupbased the more demanding scenes. Rather routines (13) subject of a Longfellow studio where it was originally recorded. Snapshots than cutting away from her soon after 8 Paint crudely (4) poem (8) Separate ticket links are up for various time the outburst, the camera lingers as she 9 3 zones; visit www.momenthouse.com/ doubles up, venting the frustration, an A poisonous halogen Pictorial teaser (5) tameimpala/ for details and booking. ger and helplessness. “We talked about gas (8) 4 Made available (7) how this scene will be filmed and I have 10 5 always been critical of everything I did Child’s game played Circular (5) Ella-Jane Sharpe while working on the film. This scene with string (4,6) 6 Flawless (7) got cleared in one take,” she says. The renowned Berklee College of Music has 12 Savvy (6) 7 Fish-eating eagle (4) a Vimeo page on which it hosts live from life performances of not only its best students, Stars as colleagues 14 Kick the football 11 Lowered in quality Sangeetha Devi Dundoo got infected,” she says. Ask her how she manages not to get ov but also workshops, festivals and solo between an opponent’s (8) performances by professional artistes. On Nivetha has featured in several origi erawed in the presence of a superstar — April 21, USbased EllaJane Sharpe, a Nivetha Thomas knew it wasn’t going to nal stories, but remakes are not new to be it in Papanasam, or in Darbar legs (6) 13 Sanction — red nose BritishAustralian jazz and R&B be an easy ride, to reprise Taapsee Pan her. She featured as Kamal Haasan’s where she played Rajinikanth’s daught 15 Slanderous (10) (anag) (7) singersongwriter, goes live along nu’s role from Pink (2016) and that of daughter in Papanasam, the Tamil re er or with Pawan Kalyan, and she attri with a guitarist for an unplugged Shraddha Srinath from the Tamil re make of the Malayalam thriller Drish- butes it to her long innings in cinema. 19 Railway passenger 14 Old Testament concert, which is set to feature make Nerkonda Paarvai (2019). But yam. “If you ask me, I will say don’t re She has been in front of the camera coach (8) book — narcotics? (7) some of her unreleased music she pulled it off and, along with costars make a film. There is a reason why a since the age of eight, starting her ca as well. Visit https:// Anjali and Ananya Nagalla, held her film gets appreciated and becomes a reer with Malayalam cinema before fo 20 Fashion (4) 16 Fiddle (5) livestream.com/ berklee for own despite the starry presence of Pa huge hit. It is a tough space to get into,” raying into Tamil and Telugu. 21 No longer of the 17 Nervous (5) the list of upcoming wan Kalyan in the Telugu remake Va- she admits. “For years, I have seen how people performances. keel Saab. Stepping into Taapsee’s shoes was a behave when there is a star on set. A slightest use (2,4,2,1,4) 18 Hangs back (4) Playing Pallavi Vemula, a victim of responsibility she was willing to take, star’s presence dictates the mood. I sexual abuse who is in turn accused of given the film’s stance against sexual have found that it helps to talk and Jokes on Animals The solution will appear on inflicting injury on her perpetrator, violence. “There is a sense of happiness break the ice so that in front of the cam April 22, 2021. Mumbaibased This Is turned out to be an emotionally draining in being able to do such a character,” era, we can work as colleagues,” she Solution No. 13407 Anxiously Yours has experience. The actor recovered from she adds. says. been hosting Zoom COVID19 just in time for the film’s She watched Pink twice when it re Balancing academics and cinema shows featuring release. leased but didn’t get around to watch since childhood, Nivetha is an architect established as well as ing Nerkonda Paarvai. For the Telugu and an actor. The toughest thing during upandcoming standup Brush with the virus lockdown, she says, was the anxiety comedians since She says her brush with COVID19 “was <> For years, I’ve seen how that Vakeel Saab shooting had been November 2020. Their rough, but I am thankful I pulled people behave when there’s paused. upcoming show has been (for once) given a through”. She was filming in Hydera a star on set. A star’s “Otherwise, I can be happy in my bad for the Telugu remake of the Ko own company. More than the pandem To play The Guardian title bereft of puns, and features new talent presence dictates the mood. from various cities in addition to a closing act rean actioncomedy Midnight Runners, ic, I was restless in 2018 and 2019 when Quick Crossword, The I’ve found that it helps to talk by Mumbaibased Ashish Dash, who has a directed by Sudheer Varma, when she I wasn’t signing many films; I wondered Hindu Cryptic typically dark sense of humour. The sevenact began to show symptoms: “My staff and break the ice so that in if I should freelance as an architect,” crossword, Sudoku & show goes live on April 18 at 10 pm; visit the and others around me in the unit test front of the camera, we can she says. “Then Darbar and V (Telugu) other puzzles online, scan the QR code. Instagram page @thisisanxiouslyyours. ed negative. I didn’t venture out work as colleagues happened. Interesting projects are anywhere else, so I was surprised how I Nivetha Thomas coming my way.”

THE HINDU DELHI THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 WORLD 13 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ‘NATO to exit Afghanistan along with U.S.’ 60% enrichment in response Around 7,000 nonU.S. forces from mainly NATO countries rely on the U.S. for crucial air support to Israel’s terrorism, says Iran Reuters cretary Lloyd Austin. BRUSSELS/BERLIN “I am here to work closely Capable of U.K., France, Germany express ‘grave concern’ over move Foreign troops under NATO with our allies, with the (NA command will withdraw TO) secretarygeneral, on defending our Agence France-Presse wrote on Twitter. from Afghanistan in coordi the principle that we have es Tehran He warned U.S. President nation with a U.S. pullout by tablished from the start: In people: Ghani Iran’s President Hassan Rou Joe Biden that the situation September 11, Washington’s together, adapt together and hani said on Wednesday the can only be contained by lift top diplomat said on Wed out together,” Mr. Blinken Agence France-Presse decision to boost uranium ing sanctions Trump im nesday, after Germany said it said in a televised statement Kabul enrichment to 60% was a posed on Iran since 2018. would match American at NATO headquarters. Afghan President Ashraf response to archfoe Israel’s “No alternative. Not much plans to leave after two de Ghani on Wednesday said “nuclear terrorism” against time,” he added. cades of war. Resolute Support his forces were “fully capa its Natanz facility. Israel has neither con Around 7,000 nonU.S. An integral part of NATO’s ble” of defending Afghanis Tehran starting up ad firmed nor denied involve forces from mainly NATO current mission, Resolute tan, as he revealed he had vanced centrifuges and pro ment but public radio re countries, also from Austra Support, is to train and In tandem: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken,left, being spoken with his U.S. coun ducing more highly refined ports in the country said it lia, New Zealand and Geor equip Afghan security forces greeted by NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels. * REUTERS terpart Joe Biden about the uranium “is a response to Hassan Rouhani was a sabotage operation by gia, outnumber the 2,500 fighting the Islamist Taliban, withdrawal of American your malice,” Mr. Rouhani the Mossad spy agency, cit U.S. troops in Afghanistan. A which was ousted from pow together in the months istan on May 1. soldiers. said in a message aimed at The European parties to ing intelligence sources. key reason for a coordinated er by a U.S. invasion in late ahead on a safe, deliberate After withdrawing, the “The Islamic Republic of the Jewish state. the accord — Britain, France Iran’s envoy to the UN’s withdrawal is the fact that 2001 and has since waged an and coordinated withdrawal U.S. and NATO aim to rely on Afghanistan respects the “What you did was nu and Germany — on Wednes International Atomic Energy NATO relies on U.S. airlift insurgency. of our forces from Afghanis Afghan military and police U.S. decision and we will clear terrorism,” he said, re day expressed “grave con Agency, Kazem Gharibaba capabilities and shipping to With nonU.S. troop num tan,” Mr. Blinken said. forces, which they have de work with our U.S. partn ferring to a blast early on cern” over Iran’s enrich di, wrote on Twitter that move valuable equipment in bers reaching as high as President Joe Biden an veloped with billions of dol ers to ensure a smooth Sunday that knocked out ment move. preparatory steps to allow and out of landlocked Af 40,000 in 2008, Europe, Ca nounced on Wednesday it’s lars in funding, to maintain transition,” Mr. Ghani electricity at its main nu Iran’s regional rival Saudi enrichment to higher purity ghanistan. nada and Australia have “time to end” America’s lon security though peace talks tweeted. clear facility in central Iran. Arabia also expressed con had started. U.S. Secretary of State An moved in tandem with the gest war with the uncondi are struggling and the insur “Afghanistan’s proud se “What we do is legal.” cern and called on Tehran to The step will bring Iran tony Blinken said in Brussels U.S., also providing long tional withdrawal of troops gency is resilient. curity and defense forces Tehran’s announcement “avoid escalation”. closer to the 90% purity that it was time for NATO al term funding to rebuild Af from Afghanistan, where September 11 is a highly are fully capable of defend of steppedup enrichment threshold for military use lies to make good on their ghanistan despite the resur they have spent two decades symbolic date as it will be 20 ing its people and country, has cast a shadow over talks ‘No alternative’ and shorten its potential mantra that allies went into gence of Talibanled violence in a bloody, largely fruitless years since alQaeda at which they have been do in Vienna aimed at salvaging The Natanz attack un “breakout time” to build an Afghanistan together and and endemic official corrup battle against the Taliban. He tacked the U.S. with hijacked ing all along, and for which the 2015 nuclear deal bet leashed a “dangerous spi atomic bomb — a goal the Is would leave together. He was tion in the country. said the U.S. will begin its fi airliners, triggering military the Afghan nation will fo ween Iran and world ral,” Iran’s Foreign Minister lamic republic denies it is accompanied by Defense Se “We will work very closely nal withdrawal from Afghan intervention in Afghanistan. rever remain grateful.” powers. Mohammad Javad Zarif seeking. Manslaughter charge on Pak. to ban radical Islamist party Ponzi schemer officer who shot Black man Move comes after three days of clashes left ‘seven dead, 300 policemen injured’ Bernie Madoff is dead She faces a maximum of 10 years in jail Press Trust of India Rizvi who died a few months He was serving a 150year prison term Agence France-Presse She was taken into custo Islamabad/Lahore ago. Minneapolis dy at the Minnesota Bureau Pakistan on Wednesday de The Minister said that all Associated Press The police officer who shot of Criminal Apprehension in cided to ban a radical Isla motorways and highways New York dead Black 20yearold the neighboring city of St. mist party under the Terro had been cleared and the Bernie Madoff, the infamous Daunte Wright in a Minnea Paul. rism Act after its supporters main choking point in major architect of an epic securi polis suburb after appearing “While we appreciate clashed with the law enfor cities had also been cleared ties swindle that burned to mistake her gun for her that the district attorney is cement agencies for the for traffic. thousands of investors, out Taser was arrested on Wed pursuing justice for Daunte, third consecutive day, leav Over 800 Indian Sikhs, foxed regulators and earned nesday and will face man no conviction can give the ing seven persons dead and who arrived in Lahore via him a 150year prison term, slaughter charges. Wright family their loved over 300 policemen injured. Wagah border on Monday to died in a federal prison ear Minneapolis has been one back,” said the Wrights’ Interior Minister Sheikh attend Vaisakhi festival in ly Wednesday. He was 82. roiled by nights of violent family lawyer Ben Crump af Rashid Ahmed told the me Gurdwara Panja Sahib Has Madoff’s death at the Fed protests after Kim Potter, ter the arrest. dia that the TehreekiLabaik On the boil: TehreekeLabaik Pakistan supporters throwing sanabdal, Rawalpindi, finally eral Medical Center in Butn who is white, opened fire on “This was no accident. Pakistan (TLP) was being teargas canisters at police during a protest in Lahore. * REUTERS reached their destination on er, North Carolina, was con Bernard Madoff Wright in his car on Sunday. This was an intentional, de banned under the Rule 11B Wednesday morning, after firmed by his lawyer and the Racial tensions were al liberate, and unlawful use of of AntiTerrorism Act of 1997. Rangers cleared the major French government's sup being escorted by police. Bureau of Prisons. rees to celebrities such as ready high in the U.S. mid force. “I have approved a propo thoroughfares of the country port for Charlie Hebdo ma The law enforcement His death was due to nat famed film director Steven western city as it hosts the “We will keep fighting for sal sent by the government following sporadic clashes gazine to republish cartoons agencies claim to have ar ural causes, a person fami Spielberg. trial of the white policeman justice for Daunte, for his fa of Punjab to ban the TLP,” he with TLP supporters in some of the Prophet Mohammed — rested over 2,000 TLP liar with the matter told The But his investment advi charged with murdering Ge mily, and for all marginal said. “We have also warned towns and cities. a move deemed blasphe workers. Associated Press. sory business was exposed orge Floyd, whose death ized people of color. And we those who are funding the The TLP had launched the mous by many. There are reports of seven For decades, Madoff en in 2008 as a Ponzi scheme touched off a national reck will not stop until there is TLP.” Mr. Ahmed said that at countrywide protest on death, including two police joyed an image as a self that wiped out people’s for oning over racial injustice. meaningful policing and jus least two police officials Monday after the arrest of its Rizvi’s arrest men. TLP claimed that 12 of made financial guru whose tunes and ruined charities Ms. Potter, a 26year pol tice reform.” were killed and 340 others chief Saad Hussain Rizvi The TLP, which bagged 2.5 its workers have been killed. Midas touch defied market and foundations. He be ice veteran who resigned af Protesters faced off with injured in clashes with the ahead of April 20 deadline million votes in the 2018 gen A spokesperson for the fluctuations. A former chair came so hated he had to ter Wright’s death, faces a police for a third night on protesters during the last the Islamists had given to the eral elections, blocked the Punjab police said that two man of the Nasdaq stock wear a bulletproof vest to maximum of 10 years in jail Tuesday, with more than 60 two days. Imran Khan government de roads across the country fol policemen were killed and market, he attracted a de court. The fraud was be if convicted of secondde people arrested, law enfor The announcement came manding expulsion of the lowing the arrest of Saad Riz over 300 suffered injuries in voted legion of investment lieved to be the largest in gree manslaughter. cement officials said. hours after the Pakistani French Ambassador over the vi, son of Khadim Hussain the province clients — from Florida reti Wall Street’s history. Myanmar’s Denmark drops AstraZeneca vaccine No clots from junta charges Sputnik V, says doctors EMA to make recommendation on J&J next week; Germany to switch second shot Russian firm AGence France-Presse “safe and effective”. gional Health Ministers Associated Press COPENHAGEN Denmark had, however, agreed on Tuesday. Agence France-Presse Yangon Denmark announced on continued to hold off using Germany announced on Moscow Myanmar’s ruling junta has Tuesday it would stop using the vaccine as it conducted March 30 that it would no The developer of Russia’s charged at least 19 doctors the AstraZeneca COVID19 investigations of its own. longer offer the twodose As Sputnik V coronavirus vac for participating in civil dis vaccine altogether, becom In Denmark, two cases of traZeneca vaccine to people cine said on Wednesday its obedience protests against ing the first European coun thrombosis, one of which aged under 60 due to con jab did not cause blood the military’s February 1 try to do so over suspected was fatal, were linked to vac cerns over a possible link to clots, a potential side effect coup, a staterun newspap rare but serious sideeffects. cinations after more than rare cases of blood clots. that has disrupted rollouts er reported on Wednesday. Despite recommenda 1,40,000 people received Meanwhile, Europe’s in several Western Doctors, nurses and tions from the World Health the jab made by the Anglo medicines regulator said on countries. medical students have Organization and European neca jab in its vaccination Swedish drugmaker. Wednesday it will make a re Like the Johnson & John marched and joined strikes medicines watchdog to con rollout, after reports of rare In the country of 5.8 mil commendation on the safety son and AstraZeneca vac to show their opposition to tinue using the inoculation, but serious cases of blood lion inhabitants, 8% have of Johnson & Johnson’s coro cines, Russia’s Sputnik V the military takeover that “Denmark’s vaccination clots among those that had been fully vaccinated against navirus jab next week after jab uses adapted strains of ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s campaign will go ahead received the vaccine. COVID19, and 17% have re U.S. authorities recommend the adenovirus that causes democratically elected go without the AstraZeneca More than a dozen coun ceived a first dose. ed pausing vaccinations over the common cold. vernment and put a halt to vaccine,” Health Authority tries followed suit but all but In Germany, people aged blood clot fears. On Wednesday, the the progress Myanmar had director Soren Brostrom told a few have since resumed under 60 who have been gi The “EMA is expediting staterun Gamaleya re made toward greater de a press conference. the use after the European ven a first dose of the Astra this evaluation and currently search institute, which de mocratization after five de Denmark was the first Medicines Agency (EMA) Zeneca vaccine, will receive expects to issue a recom veloped Sputnik V vaccine, cades of military rule. country in Europe to sus emphasised the benefits of a different jab for their se mendation next week,” it said there was no risk of The doctors charged are pend the use of the AstraZe the vaccine and deemed it cond dose, federal and re said in a statement. blot clots from its jab. accused of supporting and participating in the civil disobedience movement “with the aim of deteriorat ing the state administrative Sri Lanka bans IS, 10 other extremist groups machinery,” the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper wrote. The move comes a week ahead of the second anniversary of the Easter attacks The military govern ment has already issued ar Agence France-Presse Two local groups said to rest warrants for 100 peo Colombo be directly linked to the at ple active in the fields of Sri Lanka on Wednesday tacks were banned in 2019, literature, film, theater banned 11 radical Islamist but a presidential investiga arts, music and journalism groups, including the Islamic tion into the bombings want on charges of spreading in State group and alQaeda, a ed similar Islamic groups formation that undermines week ahead of the second outlawed too. All seven bom the stability of the country anniversary of the Easter bers had died. and the rule of law. Sunday suicide bombings The head of the Roman This isn’t the first time which killed 279 people. Catholic church in Sri Lanka, doctors have been target Anyone linked to the Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, ed. Earlier this month in groups — the other nine of has demanded action not Mandalay, security forces which are local religious and Still in mourning: A man paying his respects to victims of the just against those responsi used stun grenades and social organisations — faces Easter Sunday attacks of 2019, in Colombo. * AFP ble, but also against the pol fired guns to break up a up to 20 years in jail, Presi iticians and officials who march by medical workers dent Gotabaya Rajapaksa ponsible for the attacks. and three hotels in April failed to stop them. The protesting the army’s take said in a gazette notification. Some of the groups 2019, had pledged allegiance probe found that then Presi over. Ahead of the anniversary, banned on Wednesday had to the IS leader at the time, dent Maithripala Sirisena The online news site The the Roman Catholics had previously been linked to the Abu Bakr alBaghdadi. and his intelligence leaders Irrawaddy reported that threatened to hit the streets lead bomber. However, investigators were warned by India about four doctors had been ar over the “government’s fai The seven Sri Lankans, said they had found no evi the attacks 17 days before rested. lure to act against those res who attacked three churches dence of direct links to IS. they were staged.

DELHI THE HINDU 14 BUSINESS THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF Infosys Q4 net rises 17.5% on large deals Firm forecasts 1214% revenue growth for FY22; board gives nod for ₹9,200cr. open market buyback

Special Correspondent gestever deal, among 24 For FY21, the firm recom Bengaluru other large deals clinched in mended a final dividend of Infosys Ltd. on Wednesday the quarter totalling $2.1 bil ₹15, bringing total dividend reported fourthquarter pro lion. Of these, 52% were first per share to ₹27. With this, fit rose 17.5% from a year ear time deals. the company has announced lier to ₹5,076 crore, helped Operating margin fell 90 a total dividend payout of HDFC Bank plans to raise by large deal wins and a pan basis points quarteron ₹11,500 crore for FY 21. Spreading capacity: Changing geopolitics is certainly ₹50,000 crore via bonds demicinduced acceleration quarter to 24.5%. For the full impacting the tech sector, says Microsoft’s Smith. * REUTERS NEW DELHI in digital adoption. year the margin was 24.5%, ‘Attrition rises’ HDFC Bank on Wednesday The software services firm at the top end of Infosys’s Infosys reported voluntary said it is planning to raise up also said it expects revenue guidance range of 2424.5%. attrition of 15.2% in the to ₹50,000 crore during the in the current fiscal to grow The Infosys board ap fourth quarter, compared ‘India can be hardware next 12 months through by 12% to 14% and provided proved a share buyback of with 10% in the preceding issuing bonds. The bank's guidance for an operating up to ₹9,200 crore. “ The quarter. It added 10,307 em board of directors will take margin of 22% to 24%. “A company proposes to in ployees on a net basis to take manufacturing hub’ up the proposal at their strong momentum exiting crease the total dividend per total headcount to 2,59,619. meeting on April 17, it said in FY21, alongside a focussed Revenue surge: Infosys crossed a milestone of ₹1 lakh crore in share by 54% over the pre In FY21, Infosys hired a regulatory filing. "The bank Supply chains exiting China: Smith strategy to accelerate client revenue in FY21, says Salil Parekh. * G.R.N. SOMASHEKAR vious year and a buyback of 36,000, of whom 21,000 proposes to raise funds by digital journeys, gives us equity shares of up to ₹9,200 were from campuses. It Special Correspondent 18 months, even though it is issuing perpetual debt NEW DELHI instruments (part of confidence for a stronger while net profit climbed portfolio with differentiated crore,” said CFO Nilanjan plans to hire more than not discussed as much by additional tierI capital), FY22,” said CEO and MD Salil 16.6% to ₹19,351 crore. capabilities like Infosys Co Roy. Shares would be bought 25,000 in FY22 from cam There is an opportunity for companies publicly as it tierII capital bonds and Parekh. “We have crossed a miles baltTM, and empowering back at a price not exceeding puses. Larger rival TCS hired India to become a hardware might,” Mr. Smith said in a longterm bonds up to a Revenue in the three tone of ₹1,00,000 crore in re employees have helped us ₹1,750 per share. more than 40,000 in FY21. manufacturing location as session at the Raisina Dia total amount of ₹50,000 months ended March in venue in FY21,” Mr. Parekh emerge as a preferred partn “It is an openmarket buy “We implemented a salary the world’s technology ma logue late Tuesday night. crore," HDFC Bank said. PTI creased 13.1% to ₹26,311 said in a statement. “Our in erofchoice for our global back; it will be a long process hike in January and we are jors have been moving their “I do think this is someth crore. Fullyear revenue rose tense focus on client rele clients,” he added. and will take 6 to 7 months to planning another in July,” supply chains out of China ing that creates potential Publicis names Mohanty 10.7% to ₹1,00,472 crore vance, growing our digital Infosys said it won its lar complete,” Mr. Roy added. said COO U.B. Pravin Rao. over the past 18 months, Mi new opportunities from a CEO of Media Services crosoft president Brad longerterm perspective for MUMBAI Smith said. say, India, as well as others Publicis Groupe India has Urging India and the U.S. to make themselves more of announced key changes in Bharti rejigs structure to ‘India’s public debt level among to join the Paris Call for a location for hardware ma the media services domain Trust and Security in Cyber nufacturing,” he said, ad and has appointed Tanmay space that now has 75 coun ding that capacity had been Mohanty as CEO of Media ‘sharpen focus’ on digital tries on board to deal with shifting to Mexico, Vietnam, Services. It is bringing highest in emerging economies’ new cybersecurity threats South Korea, and some together data science, Airtel Digital to fold into parent firm facing the world, he also southeast Asian countries. programmatic and media emphasised the need to Special Correspondent tech along with Zenith and Debt affordability among weakest alongside Ghana: Moody’s train more professionals to ‘Wake-up call’ NEW DELHI Starcom, under a common cope with these threats. Terming the recent spate of leadership to further Bharti Airtel on Wednesday Special Correspondent <> Most economies’ transfers of excess reserves Terming the changing re cyberattacks a wakeup call strengthen focus on scaled announced a new corporate NEW DELHI debt burdens will to the government fund part lationship between China for tech companies as well media, real identity and data structure to “sharpen focus India’s public debt level is rise before they of the budget deficit,” the re and the U.S. and some other as governments, Mr. Smith capabilities, the firm said. on digital”. among the highest in emerg stabilise over the port said. countries as one of the most said the world was more se “The new structure en ing economies with a quanti next few years “The bank targets buying significant geopolitical de cure when networks ran in Servify acquires key visages Airtel Digital Ltd. tative easing programme un more than ₹3 trillion [$41.3 velopments of this decade, the cloud as opposed to ser businesses of WebToGo folding into the listed entity, derway, while its debt emerging markets, India, billion] of government the Microsoft official said vers. Many cybersecurity NEW DELHI Bharti Airtel,” the company affordability is among the South Africa and Ghana bonds this fiscal year, having the change was certainly im problems, he said, also Device aftersales said in a statement. weakest, Moody’s Investors have the highest public debt purchased ₹3.1 trillion bonds pacting the technology emerged from the lack of IT management platform “The latter will now Service said on Wednesday. and weakest debt affordabil in the previous fiscal year,” sector. administrators’ compliance Servify on Wednesday house all of the digital assets “With the exception of ity,” the agency added. Moody’s added in the re “We are seeing not a de with best practices. announced the acquisition of spanning Wynk Music, Air com businesses in a newly Chile, most of the 11 emerg “The Reserve Bank of In port. “Most economies’ debt coupling, but some drifting “We need to keep making the key businesses of Germanybased WebToGo, tel X stream, Airtel Thanks, created entity, Airtel Ltd. — ing markets have weak go dia’s programme aims to sta burdens will rise before they apart. We are definitely see this simpler, but the other which provides customer Mitra Payments platform a wholly owned subsidiary vernment effectiveness, sug bilise the domestic bond stabilise over the next few ing an impact in terms of problem is there is simply a experience solutions. The used by a million retailers, of Bharti Airtel Ltd. “It is in gesting potential risks market,” the report titled, years,” it said. hardware supply chains, shortage of cybersecurity company said this acquisition Airtel Ads, Airtel IQ, Airtel tended to eventually fold executing fiscal reforms or ‘Quantitative easing pro Depending on recovery with many companies mov professionals in the work will help it to further Secure, Airtel Cloud and all the DTH business into Airtel consolidation plans,” Moo grams are largely positive, prospects and future debt ing parts to, (or) in some in place. We are going to need strengthen its global future digital products and Limited to move towards dy’s said. but risks vary across econo servicing costs, high debt le stances, perhaps, almost all, a global initiative to really footprint both in terms of services,” the company the NDCP [National Digital “Debt affordability varies mies’, noted. vels may become unsustain or all of their hardware ma accelerate all kinds of train technology and people. It, added. Communications Policy] vi widely, with Ghana and In “While the bank does not able for the more vulnerable nufacturing out of China to ing to put more cybersecur however, did not share the The telecom firm said it sion of converged services dia [rated Baa3 negative] operate in the primary mar economies,” the report other countries. That has ity professionals in place ,” deal size. intended to house all tele to customers, it said. weakest. Across the 11 ket, dividend payments and warned. been underway for the last he said. Remembering FCB Ulka’s Anil Kapoor The former chairman, who helped transform Ulka, passed away on Sunday

Vinay Kamath punchline: ‘You will always Rutam Vora be part of our Famuly!’ Chennai Kapoor’s engagement Legendary adman and form with Amul started in 1988, er Chairman of FCB Ulka, when Verghese Kurien asked Anil ‘Billy’ Kapoor passed him to reenergise Amulya, a away on Sunday, aged 74. dairy whitener, which faced In over three decades at stiﬀ competition from Nes the helm, he transformed an tle’s EveryDay. Kapoor had ailing Ulka Advertising into a just taken over the reins ﬂourishing agency that from founder, Bal Mundkur. worked closely at the strateg Recalling Kapoor’s en ic level with a host of brands. gagement with the dairy Amul, Santoor, Tata Indica cooperative, R.S. Sodhi, Ma are some of the brands that Passionate adman: ‘His philosophy was you should know the naging Director, Gujarat

Ulka has a longstanding re client’s brand better than the client.’ * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Cooperative Milk Marketing lationship with. Federation, says, “There was He oversaw the merger of says FCB India’s Group brand managers,” he recalls. a clear difference between Ulka with Foote, Cone & Chairman and CEO Rohit “His whole philosophy was Kapoor and any other adver Belding (FCB) while also en Ohri. you should know the client’s tising head. In those days, suring that the global agency Ambi Parameswaran, brand better than the client agencies were headed by pe retained the Ulka (shooting former CEO, FCB Ulka, says themselves which means ople from creative areas. star in Sanskrit) name. Kapoor believed very strong you got to do enough spade But, Kapoor was the man “His razor sharp mind ly in the need for agencies to work so you can guide the who had come from market would first interrogate the partner with CXOlevel offi client on what to do with the ing and sales to advertising.” business model and product cials. “We were taught to en brand,” adds Parameswaran. It was during Kapoor’s delivery before thinking of gage with the seniormost le Amul, which has been time that Amul’s iconic tag communication, getting ma vel in an organisation as FCB Ulka’s client for over line ‘Amul: The Taste of In ny a client to reevaluate advertising is not to be left to three decades, honoured Ka dia’ was coined and endures their marketing strategies,” the discretion of junior poor in an ad with a typical even today. ‘Maruti sold Asus eyes 20% of India’s ‘Hiring for 1.57 lakh CNG blue collar cars in FY21’ consumer laptop market jobs resurges’ Taiwan firm ‘in talks’ to make in India Special Correspondent PRESS TRUST OF INDIA NEW DELHI Yuthika Bhargava MUMBAI Maruti Suzuki said on Wed NEW DELHI With the vaccination drive nesday it had sold more Taiwanese tech firm Asus in full swing in the country than 1.57 lakh factoryfitted said on Wednesday it aimed and high optimism on eco SCNG vehicles in the last to capture 20% share of the nomic recovery, the hiring financial year, the highest consumer laptop market in of blue collar workers is re ever in the category. India this year on the back surging as 70% of em The company offers fac of new offerings and higher ployers polled in a survey toryfitted CNG option for demand due to increased said they had resumed cars including Alto, Cele online activity following the recruitment. rio, WagonR, SPRESSO, pandemic. Of the 70% employers Eeco, Ertiga, Tour S and The company is also in polled in the second edi Super Carry. “We see CNG discussions with electronics Arnold Su tion of OLX People Survey, as a technology that has set manufacturing services nearly 16% said they were a new benchmark in green (EMS) providers to evaluate dia market is second only to hiring 100% of capacity, fuel mobility,” said Shash the possibility of making China,” Mr. Su said. while 54% are hiring up to ank Srivastava, executive products in India, said Ar Asus on Wednesday un 50% of capacity. director (Marketing & nold Su, Business Head, veiled two new laptops — About 60% of employers Sales), Maruti Suzuki India. Consumer and Gaming PC, ZenBook Duo 14 and Zen stated they faced no chal “CNG is becoming one System Business Group, Book Pro Duo 15 OLED. lenges in availability of ta of the most preferred alter ASUS India. The company had a mar lent, despite the fact that a native fuels due to its eco “India, in terms of the PC ket share of 13.7% in the con large number of gig work nomic cost of running and market size, is already one sumer laptop segment in In ers had preferred to return improved filling infrastruc of the top five countries glo dia in 2020, according to the to their native at the height ture,” he added. bally and in Asia Pacific, In IDC. of the pandemic.

THE HINDU DELHI THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 SPORT 15 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed star as Royal Challengers pip Sunrisers The Australian’s 41ball 59 lifts Kohli’s side to 149 on a sluggish pitch; leftarm spinner’s threewicket burst in one over chokes Warner’s men during the chase

IPL 2021 er has a good legspinner but and timing. Yet, the Bengalu leashed the expansive drive lacks a potent wrong ‘un to ru side lost wickets and mo through extracover. His still S. Dinakar give his bowling the cutting mentum. Among them was head and balance have made edge. Warner duly reverse the skipper who was bril Maxwell a lot more solid. he triple strike in the 17th swept Chahal to the fence. liantly held by Vijay Shankar Rashid mixed his wrong Tover by Royal Challengers off Jason Holder for 33 (29b, ’uns with legspinners, bow Bangalore leftarm spinner Pivotal moment 4x4). led with guile and control, Shahbaz Ahmed threw the Then came the pivotal mo Eventually, it was Glenn and his deliveries dipped. game wide open. Sunrisers ment. Jamieson, back for a Maxwell’s 41ball 59 that pro He took out the dangerous Hyderabad’s Jonny Bairstow second burst, forced a mis vided substance to the RCB de Villiers by turning the ball perished to a slog sweep with cue from Warner by going innings; 149 for eight was a further from him. The South AB de Villiers plucking a sen around the wicket and taking challenging score. African, without footwork, sational catch. the pace off the ball. RCB was attempted to clear cover, but Then Manish Pandey, who back in the hunt. Then Shah The cynosure holed out. stroked well for his 38, was baz came up with his magic Maxwell was the cynosure. However, Maxwell held done in by a delivery that over. When Rashid Khan, with his fort, countered Rashid with spun away from him. And Earlier, Kohli, asked to bat bag of tricks. flighted at Max maturity and went after the Abdul Samad’s attempted first, flicked Natarajan to the well, the ball spinning out rest. His was an invaluable slog sweep off a delivery that fence. The stroke had poise side off, the Australian un innings. bounced more settled in bowler Shahbaz’s hands. SCOREBOARD From 96 for one, with Da vid Warner at the crease, ROYAL CHALLENGERS Natarajan 40321, Rashid 142 (Nadeem, 19.5). Sunrisers, shockingly, col Virat Kohli c Vijay Shankar b 40182. RCB BOWLING (29b, 4x4) lapsed to 130 for eight, chas Holder 33 , Devdutt SUNRISERS HYDERABAD Siraj 41252, Jamieson 30 Padikkal c Nadeem b Bhuvnesh 301, Washington 20140, ing 150. It was madness and Wriddhiman Saha c Maxwell b war 11 (13b, 2x4), Shahbaz Siraj 1 (9b), David Warner c Chahal 40290, Harshal 40 mayhem out there. Ahmed c Rashid b Nadeem 14 252, Christian 1070, Ahmed And RCB, holding its Christian b Jamieson 54 (37b, (10b, 1x6), Glenn Maxwell c 7x4, 1x6), Manish Pandey c Har 2073. nerve in the humdinger, won Saha b Holder 59 (41b, 5x4, shal b Ahmed 38 (39b, 2x4, Toss: SRH; by six runs in the IPL clash at 3x6), AB de Villiers c Warner b 2x6), Jonny Bairstow c de Villi MoM: Maxwell. the M.A. Chidambaram Sta Rashid 1 (5b), Washington ers b Ahmed 12 (13b, 1x4), Ab RCB won by six runs. dium in Chennai on Wednes Sundar c Pandey b Rashid 8 dul Samad c & b Ahmed 0 (2b), day. (11b, 1x4), Dan Christian c Saha b Vijay Shankar c Kohli b Harshal 3 The beginning of the Natarajan 1 (2b), Kyle Jamieson (5b), Jason Holder c Christian b chase was so different. The c Pandey b Holder 12 (9b, 2x4), Siraj 4 (5b), Rashid Khan run out Harshal Patel (not out) 0 (0b); lefthanded Warner pulled 17 (9b, 1x4, 1x6), Bhuvneshwar Extras (lb3, w7): 10; Total (for Kumar (not out) 2 (2b), Shahbaz Kyle Jamieson ferociously, eight wkts. in 20 overs): 149. harnessing the pace and Nadeem c Ahmed b Harshal 0 (1b), T. Natarajan (not out) 0 bounce. Then Pandey FALL OF WICKETS 119 (Padikkal, 2.5 overs), 247 (0b); Extras (b4, lb2, nb2, whipped the Kiwi for a (Ahmed, 6.1), 391 (Kohli, 12.1), w4): 12; Total (for nine wkts. in maximum. 495 (de Villiers, 13.4), 5105 20 overs): 143. The intrepid Warner was (Washington, 15.5), 6109 FALL OF WICKETS picking the length early and (Christian, 16.4), 7136 (Jam 113 (Saha, 2.2), 296 (Warner, getting into positions quick ieson, 19.1), 8149 (Maxwell, 13.2), 3115 (Bairstow, 16.1), 4 ly. 19.6). 115 (Pandey, 16.2), 5116 (Sa Virat Kohli sought wickets SUNRISERS BOWLING mad, 16.6), 6123 (Vijay Smashing success: Glenn Maxwell’s first halfcentury for RCB through Yuzvendra Chahal. Bhuvneshwar 40301, Holder Shankar, 17.6), 7130 (Holder, Soaring high: Shahbaz Ahmed’s crucial breakthroughs turned laid the foundation for his team’s victory. * SPORTZPICS/IPL The diminutive India tweak 40303, Nadeem 40361, 18.3), 8142 (Rashid, 19.4), 9 the contest RCB’s way. * SPORTZPICS/BCCI I enjoyed Tripathi’s Stoke-less Royals take on upbeat Capitals Rabada clears tests, wicket the most: Chahar Samson will hope for a reversal of fortunes against Pantled Delhi Nortje’s result awaited WRIDDHAAYAN most. The ball turned really Former looks set to play against Royals BHATTACHARYYA nicely. ahul Chahar, who has “There was nothing much PRESS TRUST OF INDIA man Rabada had travelled Rbeen under Mumbai In in my mind as I have been MUMBAI together and reached Mum dians’ wings since 2018, is a bowling to the Indian bat Delhi Capitals’ South Afri bai on April 6. They were ex far improved bowler this smen at the nets. It reduces can speedster Anrich Nortje pected to be available from edition. the pressure. I also bowl to will not be available for the the second game after com The experience against Kieron Pollard and Hardik match against Rajasthan pleting seven days of hard England, besides bowling to Pandya. So when there is a Royals on Thursday as his quarantine and a negative MI powerhitters at the nets, similar situation during a COVID19 reports are still RTPCR test result. helped the India interna game with bighitters on awaited. Now it looks like only Ra tional brought out his top strike, I don’t feel any pres However, the good news bada will be available for se game against Kolkata Knight sure,” said Chahar, after the for DC is that Kagiso Rabada lection as DC tweeted a pic Riders at the M.A. Chidam 10run victory over KKR. has cleared his RTPCR tests ture of his first training baram Stadium on Tuesday. His captain Rohit Sharma and has joined the team’s session. The leggie returned 4/27 motivated him further. “Ro training session. “At this point, we only as the fivetime champion hit keeps telling me that at Powercentre: While Dhawan and Shaw have provided solid starts at the top of the order for Capitals, Royals will look for a There are reports that know that Anrich Nortje’s clinched the game from the times, he also can’t read my defining contribution from Buttler. * SPORTZPICS/IPL Nortje has tested positive, results are awaited as he is jaws of defeat. Shubman deliveries when batting at but the Capitals manage in quarantine. We can only Gill, Nitish Rana, Eoin Mor nets. So how will the others P.K. Ajith Kumar wished if he could connect ly required, as openers Prith ment hasn’t yet come out tell you further after we get gan and Rahul Tripathi were read? He told me to keep the that last ball better and sent it vi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan with any official statement. the test results,” revealed a his victims. “I think I en length right and turn the isfortunes rarely come a few yards further. had more or less secured the As per the IPL SOP, all DC source. joyed Tripathi’s wicket the ball,” Chahar said. Malone. Ask Rajasthan Samson though needs to victory with their 138run players who have a positive Delhi Capitals’ Axar Patel Royals. put that innings, as well as stand. result are tested once again is in isolation after testing After bowlingspearhead the trying circumstances, be in order to ensure that the positive for COVID19 before Jofra Archer suffered a freak hind him when he returns to Pacers impress first RTPCR outcome wasn’t the start of the tournament. injury to his hand in the bath the middle at Mumbai’s Seamers Chris Woakes and a false one. Axar hasn’t yet fully reco room, forcing him to miss the Wankhede Stadium on Avesh Khan impressed with Nortje and fellow pace vered from the virus. initial stage of the IPL, Royals Thursday for the toss against the ball though Pant may has lost the services of all confident Delhi Capitals. want more from his spinners rounder Ben Stokes, who Facing him at the toss will R. Ashwin and Amit Mishra. broke his finger during the be Rishabh Pant, with whom As for the Royals’ bowling, defeat to Punjab Kings on he had been in competition there is definitely room for Monday and is out of the for the Indian T20 team’s improvement; only debutant tournament. wicketkeeper slot before the leftarm seamer Chetan Saka would explode, will also Fortune certainly didn’t fa latter grew astonishingly in riya could make an impact need someone to fill the big vour Royals in that highscor stature over the last four against Punjab. More is ex boots of Stokes. David Miller ing encounter, despite a months. pected from the likes of Chris and Liam Livingstone look brave innings from its new Against Chennai Super Morris and Shreyas Gopal. good choices. Captain’s confidence: Rahul Chahar said Rohit Sharma’s belief skipper Sanju Samson (119 off Kings, Pant’s exceptional Royals, even as they hope And Royals may not mind in him helps ease the pressure. * SPORTZPICS/IPL 63 balls). How he would have skills with the bat weren’t ful Samson and Jos Buttler some good fortune. Rabada. * TWITTER/DELHICAPITALS Nortje. * SPORTZPICS/BCCI IN BRIEF Babar blitz flattens SA Djokovic too hot for Sinner Kohli’s reign ends, Eightyear ban for Streak Babar the new No. 1 Hammers 122 off 59 balls as Pakistan DUBAI Nadal strolls past Delbonis, meets Dimitrov next Virat Kohli’s long reign at the chases down a target of 205 with ease Accepts five charges of breaching ICC code top of the ICC rankings for MONTE CARLO MASTERS batsmen was on Wednesday AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Press Trust of India brought to an end by his CENTURION Dubai Agence France-Presse Pakistan counterpart Babar Pakistan captain Babar Former Zimbabwe captain Monaco Azam, who became only the Azam gave a batting master Heath Streak was on Novak Djokovic swept past fourth from his country to class to lead his team to a Wednesday banned for promising Italian teenager attain the position. His player ninewicket win in the third eight years from all cricket Jannik Sinner 64, 62 in of the match effort of an T20I against South Africa at after he accepted five Monte Carlo on Wednesday 82ball 94 in the last game of SuperSport Park on charges of breaching the on the Serbian world num the series against South Africa Wednesday. ICC anticorruption code, ber one’s first appearance in Centurion helped him gain Babar smashed 122, his including disclosing inside since claiming the Australian 13 rating points to reach 865 first T20I century, as Pakis information and facilitating Open in February. points. He leads Kohli by eight tan chased down a challeng corrupt approaches. And the man he is seeded points, the ICC said in a ing target of 204 with two One of Zimbabwe’s finest Heath Streak. * FILE PHOTO to meet in the final, Rafael Here I come! Djokovic had an easy day at the office against statement. PTI overs to spare. fast bowlers, Streak has Nadal, encountered even Sinner in the season’s first clay Masters. * AFP Babar, who had earlier in been under investigation be used for betting less resistance in brushing FC Goa shares honours the day dethroned Virat for a host of games between purposes.” aside Federico Delbonis 61, with Al Rayyan Later Wednesday, Nadal 76(3), 64; Cristian Garin bt Kohli as the world’s top bat 2017 and 2018 when he The matches include 62 on his delayed return af John Millman 61, 64; Casper FATORDA took just 81 minutes to send sman in ODIs, hit 15 fours Babar... on the rampage. served as a coach. some in international ter injury since losing in the Ruud bt Diego Schwartzman FC Goa earned a creditable world number 87 Delbonis and four sixes in an exhibi * GETTY IMAGES Among others, the cricket as well as for stints quarterfinals in Melbourne. 63, 63; David Goffin bt Marco point, holding Qatari giant Al packing, with Grigor Dimi tion of superb timing and charges included (2.3.2) in T20 leagues including “Solid” is how Djokovic Cecchinato 64, 60; Novak Rayyan to a goalless draw in lead in the fourmatch se trov waiting for him in the placement before he was “disclosing inside the IPL, BPL and described his own Djokovic bt Jannik Sinner 64, the AFC Champions League ries. The final game will be next round. out with only seven runs information under both the Afghanistan Premier performance. 62; Lucas Pouille bt Alexei Po Group E opener at Fatorda, held on Friday. Important results: Second pyrin 75, 26, 63; Daniel needed. ICC Code and various League. Streak chose to Djokovic will next face for Goa, on Wednesday. This is The scores: South Africa 2035 round: Stefanos Tsitsipas bt Evans bt Hubert Hurkacz 64, the first time an Indian side Mohammad Rizwan in 20 overs (Aiden Markram 63, domestic Codes, in admit the charges. the first time Briton Daniel Aslan Karatsev 63, 64; An 61; Roberto Bautista Agut bt has directly qualified for the scored an unbeaten 73 in a Janneman Malan 55) lost to circumstances where he He will be free to resume Evans, who ousted Hubert drey Rublev bt Salvatore Caru Tommy Paul 63, 64; Rafael Champions League group record firstwicket partner Pakistan 205/1 in 18 overs (Ba knew or should have known his involvement in the game Hurkacz, Sinner’s Miami so 63, 62; Fabio Fognini bt Nadal bt Federico Delbonis 61, stages, making the result ship of 197 for Pakistan. bar Azam 122, Mohammad Riz that such information may on March 28, 2029. conqueror, for a place in the Jordan Thompson 63, 63; Gri 62; Pablo Carreno Busta bt Ka noteworthy. The visitors took a 21 wan 73 n.o.). quarterfinals. gor Dimitrov bt Jeremy Chardy ren Khachanov 62, 63.

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TV PICKS Payas Jain is World No. 2 in Under17 IPL: Star Sports 1 & SS Select PSG edges out Bayern Munich 1 (SD & HD), 7.30 p.m. TABLE TENNIS the boys’ u19 at 33rd. Europa League: Sony Ten 1, Leading Indians (with world 2, 3, & Sony Six (SD & HD), Makes the last four; Chelsea also through to the semifinals rankings): 12.30 a.m. (Friday). CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RAKESH RAO U19: Boys: 33. Payas Jain, 70. NEW DELHI Deepit Patil, 121. Preyash Raj; Associated press Payas Jain has jumped to the Girls: 9. Swastika Ghosh, 44. NBA Paris second spot in boys’ (u17) Diya Chitale, 53. Anusha Kutumbale. Paris SaintGermain did just world table tennis agegroup U17: Boys: 2. Payas Jain, 34. enough to knock defending rankings released on Tues Preyash Raj, 66. Vishwa Deen champion Bayern Munich day. dayalan; Girls: 33. Suhana Saini, out of the Champions League Payas, winner of the Na 86. Anargya Manjunath, 101. and reach the semifinals for tional youth and junior titles Ananya Chande. the second straight season, in Indore last month, is also U15: Boys: 6. Preyash Raj. losing a tense match 10 on the highest ranked Indian in Girls: 7. Suhana. Payas Jain. Tatum anchors Celtics’ Tuesday to advance on away narrow win goals from the first leg. PORTLAND Bayern had to score twice Prajnesh Jayson Tatum recorded 32 after losing 32 at home and Spectacular: Mehdi Taremi’s acrobatic effort was not enough for Porto to overturn its firstleg 21 test positive at Natl. points, nine rebounds and survived several scares in the deficit against Chelsea. * REUTERS advances five assists to lead the Boston first half before largely taking women’s boxing camp Celtics to a 116115 victory control in the second. in last year’s final, PSG stands that tilted Bayern’s way when the second leg of its quarterfi one step away from the se ChoupoMoting headed nal. INDIANS ABROAD over the host Portland Trail But without the prolific PRESS TRUST OF INDIA COVID19 at the Indira Gand Blazers on Tuesday. Robert Lewandowski, the six cond final of its 51year histo home in the 40 minute. The results: Quarterfinals: NEW DELHI Chelsea 0 lost to Porto 1 (Tare hi Indoor Stadium here. The results: Trail Blazers 115 time champion lacked a cut ry and remains on course to A spectacular goal from a Indian women’s boxing’s SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT lost to Celtics 116; win it for the first time. + mi 90+4) (Chelsea wins 2-1 on But none of the infected NEW DELHI ting edge and could not add scissor kick by Mehdi Taremi aggregate). High Performance Director Timberwolves 97 lost to Nets pugilists were bound for the Sixth seed Prajnesh Gun to Eric Maxim ChoupoMot Neymar had three shots wasn’t enough to earn Porto Paris SaintGermain 0 lost to Raffaele Bergamasco and 127; Pacers 115 lost to Tokyo Olympics. neswaran eased past Mat Clippers 126; Hornets 93 lost ing’s firsthalf goal against his saved by goalkeeper Manuel a place in the Champions Bayern Munich 1 (ChoupoMot head coach Mohammed Ali thew Ebden of Australia to Lakers 101; Raptors 103 former club. Neuer and hit the woodwork League semifinals as Chelsea ing 40) (3-3 on aggregate; PSG Qamar were among 21 cam All those who have tested lost to Hawks 108; Suns 106 After losing 10 to Bayern twice in an eventful first half advanced despite a 10 loss in wins on away goals). pers who tested positive for positive are asymptomatic. 64, 61 in the first round of bt Heat 86; Jazz 106 bt the $52,080 Challenger Thunder 96. tennis tournament in Mahika knocks Orlando. Sajan, Kenisha win gold Bengaluru canters to a win Medals in double-digit expected at Tokyo Other results: Doubles (prequarterfinals): TASHKENT out Thaniya Sajan Prakash and Kenisha Convincing start for Pezzaiuoli Rijiju and Batra insist it is a realistic assessment Alexander Ritschard & Alex Rybakov (US) bt Sriram Balaji Gupta secured gold medals in SPORTS BUREAU Special Correspondent the men’s and women’s 200m Silva six minutes after the & Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan 6 AFC CUP AHMEDABAD New Delhi 7(4), 64, [1816]. freestyle races respectively at break to put BFC 10 up. Fifth seed Mahika Khanna the Uzbekistan Open Sports Bureau Moments later, a scram Indian sports officials are ex shocked top seed Thaniya swimming championships on BAMBOLIM ble in the box saw the ball pecting a medal haul in dou Sarai Gogulamanda 75, Wednesday. fall to Chhetri, who slotted bledigit at the Tokyo Olym India makes Marco Pezzaiuoli’s manage 46, 63 in the girls’ quar While Sajan clocked 1:50.74s home to double the advan pics. Speaking at a webinar to rial reign at Bengaluru FC terfinals of the Altevol to come home first, Kenisha’s tage. For the third, Chhetri mark 100 days to the Games, winning start (BFC) was off to a convinc Asian under14 tennis tour timing was 2:06.66s. flicked the ball to Silva and both Sports Minister Kiren Ri ing start, with an easy 50 nament on Wednesday. Press Trust of India Other results: the Brazilian shrugged off jiju and IOA president Narin Men: 200m freestyle: Tanish victory over Nepalese side In the boys’ section, Ta New Delhi his marker, rounded the der Batra insisted it was a George Mathew (bronze, Tribhuvan Army FC in the nussh Ghildyal continued goalie and then buried the realistic expectation given the India was off to a perfect 1:52.57s). 2021 AFC Cup Preliminary his good run with a 75, 75 ball into an empty net just number of qualified athletes. start at the youth world 50m breaststroke: S.P. Likith Stage Two clash at the GMC win over Prabir Chavda. He after the hour mark. “Every day is important to boxing championships in (silver, 28.19s), S. Danush Stadium here on Wednes will take on top seed Sam (bronze, 29.25s). all athletes hereon. India with Kielce, Poland with, Poo day. Two minutes later, Udan prit Sharma in the 50m butterfly: D. Adhithya A brace each from Rahul ta Singh managed to wriggle its vast population must play nam (57kg) and Vinka (silver, 25.16s) semifinals. a bigger role in the Olympic Bheke and Cleiton Silva, past three players on the Countdown Installations featuring Olympic rings and mascots (60kg) advancing to the Women: 200m freestyle: The results (quarterfinals): Movement and that is possi prequarterfinals after and a goal from skipper Su right flank and found Boys: Under14: Samprit were unveiled to celebrate the 100day milestone of the Shivani Kataria (silver, ble by winning more medals. notching up contrasting Bheke, whose cross into the * REUTERS 2:10.23s). nil Chhetri, ensured BFC’s Sharma bt Arnav Yadav 63, Olympics in Tokyo. passage into the playoff stag area was brought down by 63; Tanussh Ghildyal bt Pra India must cross double digits openinground wins. es of the continental compe Silva and finished on the bir Chavda 75, 75; Aarav (in medals),” Rijiju said. the vaccination process for all try, Sports Authority of India While Poonam out India ends tour on a high tition, where it will meet turn. Chawla bt Vedant Bhasin 63, “We are expecting 120130 the athletes will begin soon has also issued a new SOP punched Colombia’s Vale BUENOS AIRES either Abahani Dhaka Limit Moments after the 63; Kriish Tyagi bt Arnav Pa athletes to qualify for the although no details were an that includes weekly RTPCR ria Mendoza 50, Vinka The Indian hockey team ed (Bangladesh) or Club Ea fourth, Silva’s corner was parkar 63, 62. Olympics and expect the In nounced. Indian rowers and tests and immediate hospital edged past Russia’s Daria ended its tour of Argentina Girls: Mahika Khanna bt Tha gles (Maldives). turned in, once again by dian contingent to be about archers have already been isation and isolation to affect Panteleeva 32 to make the with a 42 victory in the final niya Sarai Gogulamanda 75, 185190 people, including vaccinated at the Army Sports ed athletes. last 16 on Tuesday. practice game here on Bheke, for the fifth goal of 46, 63; Priyanka Rana bt coaches and support staff. “I Institute while some like The results: Wednesday. Guns blazing the evening. Rithika Kakaramudi 75, 16, The webinar was attended expect the medal haul to be in wrestler Bajrang Punia made The result: India 4 (Rupinder After a goalless first half, The result: 64; Aakruti Sonkusare bt by IOA secretarygeneral Ra Women: 57kg: Poonam bt Va double digits this time,” Batra 3, Jaskaran 12, Shilanand 50, BFC came out all guns blaz Bengaluru FC 5 (Bheke 51, Mehak Kapoor 61, 60; Aish personal arrangements. jeev Mehta, Sports Secretary leria Mendoza (Col) 50. Surender 58) bt Argentina 2 ing in the second. Bheke 65, Chhetri 52, Silva 61, 63) bt warya Jadhav bt Navya Shar added. With the rising number of Ravi Mital and SAI DG Sandip 60kg: Vinka Daria Panteleeva (Tolini 14, Ibarra 54). nodded home a corner from Tribhuvan Army FC 0. ma Gullu 61, 62. Officials also insisted that COVID19 cases in the coun Pradhan among others. (Rus) 32.

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