The Lockdown to Contain the Coronavirus Outbreak Has Disrupted Supply Chains. One Crucial Chain Is Delivery of Information and I
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JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SINCE 1932 The lockdown to contain the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted supply chains. One crucial chain is delivery of information and insight — news and analysis that is fair and accurate and reliably reported from across a nation in quarantine. A voice you can trust amid the clanging of alarm bells. Vajiram & Ravi and The Indian Express are proud to deliver the electronic version of this morning’s edition of The Indian Express to your Inbox. You may follow The Indian Express’s news and analysis through the day on indianexpress.com DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD,CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2020, NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 18 PAGES SINCE 1932 `6.00 (`8 BIHAR &RAIPUR, `12 SRINAGAR) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM WORLD RELEASES PM-KISAN TRANCHE TO OVER 9CRORE FARMERS Himachal’s ‘love ProtestsanOppositionploy,saysPM, jihad’ law has intent signalsnoyieldondemandforrepeal clause,whichHC PEARL KILLING: OMAR SHEIKHLIKELY had struckdown TO BE FREED TODAY TargetsMamatafor denying PM-Kisan, Experiment ONE IN 85 TEST GAGAN Himachal askswhy no stir forAPMC in Kerala &APURVAVISHWANATH Pradesh POSITIVE FOR COVID with laws SHIMLA,NEWDELHI, Chief IN ENGLAND AS DECEMBER25 MinisterJai CASES SPIKE HARIKISHANSHARMA ED Noblink for ayear or RamThakur PAGE 15 &RAVISHTIWARI likeon WHILE THE BJP governmentin NEWDELHI,DECEMBER25 PLAIN E Himachal Pradesh brought into ● landlaws EX two, change forcealaw lastweekrequiring a Section 7ofthe Himachal Act AMONTH intothe farmers' person to give prior notice to au- requires an individual to submit ApniParty protests at the capital’s borders, UNLIKE CLIMBDOWN on thorities forconverting to an- a“declaration” of intentionto PrimeMinister NarendraModi the land ordinance, PM if needed: other religion and outlawing convert freelyand without coer- scuttles PAGD effectively drew aline on Friday has put his foot down on conversions solelyfor marriage, cion from one religion to the re-affirming his endorsement of the farm laws.This even Rajnath in 2012,the state High Courthad other,tothe DistrictMagistrate. the three laws andblaming his as talksare on with struckdownsimilar provisions The provision also requires the chance to politicalopponents forwhat he unions on the new in an older version brought by priestorreligious figurepresid- said wastheir bid to “mislead” labour codes. By target- DIPANKARGHOSE the then Congress government ing over the conversion to give a claim DDC farmers. ing the Opposition, the NEWDELHI,DECEMBER25 as unconstitutional and violative month’s notice to theDM. His remarks markhis PM has also dared them of fundamental rights. On August30, 2012,atwo- in Shopian strongestpublicassertion to wage apoliticalbattle BACKINGTHE Prime Minister’s Severalprovisions in the judgeBenchofthe High Court againstthe demand that the againsttheselaws. messagetofarmers on the new Himachal Pradesh Freedom of had struckdownthe Himachal laws be repealed. By framing it farm laws,Defence Minister Religion Act, 2019,havebeen Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, NAVEEDIQBAL as an event attendedbyvirtually RajnathSinghstruckaconciliatory emulated almostwordtoword 2006,passedduring the then SRINAGAR,DECEMBER25 the entireCouncilofMinisters, Slamming the Opposition for PM NarendraModi with Leader of OppositionGhulam Nabi tone Fridaywhen he askedfarm- by Uttar Pradesh in the anti-con- Congress regime, thathad con- the Prime Ministerindicated his what he calledits “dogali”(dou- Azad at afunction to markformer PM ABVajpayee’s birth ersto “experiment”withthenew version lawthat it passed last tainedthe exact same provision, OVER THELASTtwo days,the resolve to use his political capi- blespeak) policy over the new anniversary, in the Central Hall of Parliament on Friday. PTI laws for“one-two years” before month, and whichisbeing holding it “ultravires the Altaf Bukhari-ledJKApni Party taltopush these laws. CONTINUEDONPAGE2 seekingany looked uponasanexample by Constitution of India”. Neither has claimedthat three candi- change, while other BJP-ruledstates. CONTINUEDONPAGE2 dates —one Independent and HomeMinister one eachfromthe National AmitShahsaid Conference and the People’s Farmers respond: It’s clear Govt will not back the govern- Democratic Party—who won ment had an MP Govt debates its the District Development “openmind” Council elections from con- down, we are prepared for thelong haul on anyclause stituencies in Shopian, have that farmers version of law today, joinedits ranks. Coordination Committee ‘Painful to felt wasnot in With this, the JK Apni Party’s RAAKHIJAGGA (AIKSCC), said the Prime see farmers their interest. tallyintheShopianDDCwillreach CHANDIGARH,DECEMBER25 Minister's speech showedthat protesting’ Singh said includes alimony five,but it will still be some dis- the government wasnot going he spoketo tance from crossing the majority RESPONDINGTOthe Prime to repeal the laws. Prime Minister markinthe 14-member strong Minister’s speechFriday, farmer “But we will notleave (the NarendraModitwo days ago, IRAMSIDDIQUE Madhya council.Originally, ApniPartycan- unions, protesting againstthe borders of Delhi) till these arere- and he had emphasisedthe need BHOPAL,DECEMBER25 Pradesh CM didates had wonfromonlytwo newfarmlaws, warnedofa pealed. Our fight is againstthe to continue talkswithfarmers. Shivraj constituenciesinShopiandistrict “long struggle”, saying it wasev- undemocratic ways…first, they He said it was“painful” to see ENSURINGALIMONY or mainte- Singh —Kanjiullar and Keller II. ident that the government makelawswithout consultation, farmers protesting. nance forwomen forced into Chouhan The People’s Alliance for seemedtobeinnomood to back later theysay these arefor our Addressing arallyinDwarka, marriagefor the purpose of reli- Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) can- down on the laws. good… then makeamendments CONTINUEDONPAGE2 gious conversion and aprovision didates wonseven seats JagmohanSingh,generalsec- and saythe laws cannotbetaken to declaresuchmarriagesnull workedin light of the experience (NationalConference -3and retary of BKU (Dakaunda) and back.But whydid youmakesuch and void aresome of the clauses of the past50yearsinthe state PDP -4). With the support of the working committeemember of laws in the firstplace?”hesaid. MORE REPORTS that will be partofthe Madhya regarding forced conversions, lone winning candidatefrom AAP MPs protestinthe Central Hall of Parliament, Friday. PTI the All India Kisan Sangharsh CONTINUEDONPAGE2 PAGES 4, 6 Pradesh Freedom to Religion Bill, with improved definitions and Congress,Nigeena Akhterfrom 2020, whichisall settobedis- higher penalties to prohibit such Chitragam, it could have taken cussedinaspecial Cabinetses- crimes, particularly forced reli- the council. But since the anti- siononSaturday, ahead of being gious conversions on the pretext defection laws do notapplyto put up in the upcoming three- of marriage. the winning candidates of the AS ROLLOUT OF COVID-19 VACCINE NEARS THE EDITORIAL PAGE daywinter sessionthat will start Underthe newBill,forced DDCs, the PAGD does nothave on December 28. conversions would draw amin- anyrecoursewhen itswinning Once passedbythe Assembly, imum jail term of five years, go- candidates shiftallegiance. Dry run planned in AAI seeks 2.5 acres THEMEANING the newlaw will replace the ex- ing up to lifeimprisonment, in By taking NC and PDP candi- OFMERIT isting MP Dharma Swatantrya case the person converted is a dates, Apni Partyhas scuttled BY PRATAP BHANU MEHTA Adhiniyam, 1968,law.The BJP minor or from aScheduledCaste PAGD’s chances of taking control fourstates: focuson in Pune; airports and PAGE 10 government argues that the 1968 or ScheduledTribe, andthree of the Shopian DDC. If the re- lawisoutdated and is being re- CONTINUEDONPAGE2 maining three more Independent candidates also delivery, cold chain, airlines prepare to be join theApniParty,Bukhari would be able to stakeclaim to the Shopian DDC. adverseevent watch hubs for distribution While the Apni Partyhas takenwinning candidates in India is the world's second worst Shopianfromother parties, the KAUNAINSHERIFFM affected country, even though PRANAVMUKUL National Conference has said its NEWDELHI,DECEMBER25 dailycase numbers have been NEWDELHI,DECEMBER25 ownShopian district president falling consistentlyoverthe past CONTINUEDONPAGE2 FORTWO days at the beginning three months. THE AIRPORTS Authority of India of next week,Indiawillhold a The dryrun will proceed (AAI) is close to finalising an dryrun forthe largest andmost through four keysteps, which arrangement withthe Indian Air ambitious mass immunisation will be monitored closelybythe Forcetoreceive 2.5acres of land BUSINESSASUSUAL programme in itshistory. central government: adjacent to Puneairport, to be Thedummyvaccinationexer- ■ Eachdistrictwillreceive utilisedfor the transportofvac- BY UNNY cise will becarriedout in twodis- the dummyvaccine for100ben- cines from thefacilitiesofvac- The Serum InstituteofIndia trictseachoffourstatesatthefour eficiaries from the nearestdepot; cine manufacturer Serum in Pune. Express file corners of the nation —Andhra ■ Temperaturewill be InstituteofIndia nearby. Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, and trackedthrough the vaccine's “The transfer of the land, Assam—onDecember28and29. journeyfromthe depottothe whichiscurrentlyowned by the stand the requirements, because With severalcountries vaccinationsite; IAF,toPune airport has been a asignificant amount of freight is aroundthe worldhaving already ■ An SMSwillbesent in ad- longstanding