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"$% !&  -.,-/0 ing up controversy over the Rafale deal saying that the aunching a blistering attack Congress did not want the Lagainst the Congress and Indian Air Force to be strong seeking to compare their 55 and asked “which companies years rule against his 55 are they bidding for that they months, Prime Minister are acting so shamefully.” Narendra Modi on Thursday Amid loud protests from the alleged that those who imposed Opposition benches, the PM  -.,-/0 Emergency, “bullied” the judi- said he is making his allegation ciary, insulted the Army and with full responsibility. he Congress on Thursday indulged in “dalali” were accus- Modi took potshots at Tsparked a fresh controver- ing him of destroying institu- attempts to cobble together a sy by announcing to scrap the tions and misgovernance. grand alliance of Opposition triple talaq law and remove RSS Taking a hit at the pro- parties to take on the BJP, say- loyalists who allegedly have posed grand alliance of ing people do not want a                          made inroads in the Opposition parties, Prime “mahamilavat” (highly adul-        ! "   # Government’s institutions if Minister said, “People do not terated) Government as they the party comes to power after want a ‘mahamilavat’ (adulter- have seen how the NDA leaders have compulsions to bunch of jokers... But Modi is tions. There is no room for the elections. ated) Government”. The PM Government, which has a make charges but lamented destroying institutions,” Modi corruption. We speak the Alleging that the RSS was was replying to a debate on majority, can deliver. that while slamming Modi and said sarcastically. truth, be it in country or out- trying to capture the institu- motion of thanks to President’s “Congress imposed the BJP, some people “start He also took a dig at the side, in Parliament or outside, tions of the country, Congress address in the Lok Sabha. Emergency, but they say Modi attacking ”. He claimed the recent Opposition rally in but your ability to listen to president Rahul Gandhi said, In a no-holds-barred strike is destroying institutions. Opposition’s ability to listen to Kolkata organised by the truth has diminished,” he said, “We have not merely formed at the Congress, Modi put Congress insults Army, calls the the truth has diminished. Trinamool Congress chief targeting the Opposition. Governments in Rajasthan, $  %  ! &       '    #$$ most of the problems of the Army chief a ‘goonda’ but they The Congress, he said, Mamata Banerjee. Modi said the Congress Madhya Pradesh and   %    )            # country on the doorsteps of the say Modi is destroying institu- questioned the Election “People do not want a had left the Army handi- Chhattisgarh... We will ensure Congress regimes in 55 years, tions,” the PM said. The Con- Commission and EVM but is ‘mahamilavat’ (adulterated) capped and in such a case it that RSS people put in institu- his party believes that institu- is above them (BJP and RSS),” saying it completely lacked any gress misused Article 356 to accusing him of destroying Government of those who was not in a position to carry tions in these States are tions in India belong to the he said. vision and direction. He dismiss State Governments institutions. assembled in Kolkata,” he said. out surgical strikes. “Congress removed.” country and not any party. The Congress chief alleged described the Congress as several times; Indira Gandhi “Congress bullies the judi- “A Government has to does not want our Air Force to Asserting that the “They think they are above the that the RSS was attempting to “Satta bhog main dube log.” herself dismissed State Gov- ciary but Modi is destroying work for the people of India, become powerful. I am level- Congress is determined to country. In three months’ time, capture the country’s institu- Modi alleged there is ernments 50 times, Modi said. institutions. Congress calls a Government has to be sen- ling a serious allegation,” said protect the sanctity of demo- the country is going to teach tions, from the judiciary to the malafide intention behind kick- The PM said in a poll year, Planning Commission a sitive to the people’s aspira- the PM. cratic institutions, Rahul said them a lesson that the country Election Commission. $    ,-   '   $ %           123 n a major blow to the red- Irebels, police forces gunned down 10 Naxals on Thursday after a fierce gun battle in a  211  -.,-/0 Congress president Rahul dense forested patch of Maoist- Gandhi’s brother-in-law Vadra hit Bijapur district, about 480 n a shocking incident, a he Enforcement arrived at the office for que- km south of Chhattisgarh Iteenaged girl was gangraped TDirectorate (ED) was abuzz tioning in a money-laundering Capital, Raipur. in front of her father by six with activity on Thursday with case, in which he was con- Director General of Police youths in a village in Bihar’s two high-profile politically- fronted with the allegations of DM Awasthi confirmed that Kishanganj district, police said linked persons, Robert Vadra carrying out illegal transac- bodies of 10 ultras clad in on Thursday. and Karti Chidambaram, tions to purchase assets in the Maoists uniform were According to police offi- appearing before the agency for UK. recovered from the encounter cials, the 19-year-old victim questioning in separate money- In the meanwhile, sources site. 12 firearms were also lodged a police complaint on laundering investigations being said former Finance Minister seized. Wednesday alleging that six      123 conducted against them. P Chidambaram is likely to “Security forces had youths of her village under First to arrive at the ED’s appear before ED on Friday. received specific intelligence Kodhowadi police station he Budget Session of Jamnagar House office in cen- On Wednesday, Vadra was input about the presence of knocked at her door late on TChhattisgarh State tral Delhi was Karti, son of for- accompanied to the ED office Maad DVC (Divisional Tuesday night asking for water Assembly will be held from mer Finance Minister P by his wife and Congress gen- Committee Member) Rajman to drink, but forcibly entered February 8 to March 8. Chidambaram, around 11 am. eral secretary Priyanka Gandhi Mandavi and Sukhlal her home and dragged her Chhattisgarh Chief Minister About 25 minutes later, Vadra. along with 40 to 50 armed outside. Bhupesh Baghel, who also Naxals in the forest of Her complaint said they holds finance portfolio, would Bhairamgarh during a training took her to a deserted field near present the annual budget for for Naxal-militia members,” her house and gangraped her in 2019-20 on the opening day of the DGP claimed in a crowd- front of her father, who was the Budget Session on Friday. ed Press conference. tied to a tree. Chhattisgarh Assembly He said the operation was The victim also informed Speaker Charandas Mahant carried out by a team of about the police that the accused while addressing a press con- 200 Special Task Force (STF) threatened her and father of ference on Thursday informed and District Reserve Group dire consequences if they that discussions on budget will (DRG) personnel deep in were found,’’ Awasthi said. approach the police. commence from February 13. ,  (   2 ,1    #4 Abujhmad region. The DGP said between A case has been lodged Meanwhile, the Budget             “It was at Borga forest in 2016 and 2018, about 575 against all the named accused, Session commencing on Friday *#$     * Talibod village about 80 km encounters took place between Kishanganj is expected to be stormy as the L        from Bhairamgarh police sta- Maoists and police. During Superintendent of opposition BJP has devised strat-  ,6 7,     89  tion where police confronted the same period, 336 bodies of Police Kumar egy to attack the new Congress    :4 ;4    Naxals resulting in the Naxals were recovered, said Ashish said. The     ! *       %%  + ' '   regime for carrying out alleged-        <     %M exchange of fire. The encounter Awasthi. SP said the       '       # ly political vendetta against the ,(2   2   * lasted for about two-and-half In past three years, 3,150 accused are key people of the previous L      +4  hours. insurgents were arrested and absconding. regime including the former              Later on, while combing 818 firearms were seized from “I am personal- Chief Minister Raman Singh.   *      <<  the area, bodies of 10 Naxals their possession. Overall 829 ly monitoring the case The BJP and Janata       *L along with 11 muzzle loading land mines were also seized and they will be arrested Congress Chhattisgarh (J) guns and one 315 bore revolver during the same period. soon,” the SP said. would leave no stone unturned to grill the state government for its pre-poll promises such as    '  blanket ban on liquor and             slashing power tariff by 50 percent.      -.,-/0 while minimum temperature was recorded at 15 degrees -.,-/0 and representatives of - ED, said this is the best of way eavy rain and hailstorm Celsius. The India Dynamic Realty, D B Realty of imposing cost.  Hpelted down on the nation- Meteorological Department rked over the delaying tactics Limited and Nihar Advocate Vijay Aggarwal, al Capital and NCR resulting in (IMD) predicted foggy days Iadopted by the 2G scam Constructions Private Limited, appearing for Balwa and oth-     pitch-dark afternoon on between February 8 and accused, including Shahid Justice Waziri asked them to ers, said they welcome the      Thursday with motorists forced February 10 and said winter is Balwa, the Delhi High Court plant 3,000 saplings each. court order. “Its innovative       to switch on their headlights. not over yet as the weather for- on Thursday ordered the erring and in right earnest. We do vol-     Many netizens posted pictures caster predicted rain on persons and companies to plant Similarly, the high court unteer for the same,” Aggarwal        of hailstorm and white sheet of February 12, 13. 16,300 saplings at Delhi’s South allowed the plea of Raja’s erst- said.      hails on the social media. It was a cloudy morning as Ridge forest area. while private secretary R K The 2G Special Court         Rain and thunderstorms light to moderate rain lashed Justice Najmi Waziri was Chandolia, director of headed by Judge OP Saini had       affected flight operations at parts of Delhi-NCR. upset to find that Balwa, his Kusegaon Fruits Balwa and acquitted all the accused per- "  #$    Indira Gandhi International With humidity recorded associate Rajeev Agarwal, for- Agarwal to grant the last sons on December 27, 2017.    % Airport as 36 flights were at 89 pe cent, the air quality mer Telecom Minister A Raja’s opportunity to file responses in Challenging the controversial     diverted between 6 pm and 7 was “very poor” in morning private secretary RK Chandolia the CBI’s case. judgment of the trial court, CBI  %  pm due to inclement weather. hours of the day, however in and Balwa’s companies had The court also asked and ED appealed to Delhi L  (   M*  “Twenty-four domestic and 9 the afternoon, air quality not filed replies to the appeals Chandolia to plant 300 trees High Court on March 2018. international flights, and one improved significantly as filed by CBI and Enforcement and Balwa and Agarwal will The HC issued notice to all the     IAF’s flights were diverted. System of Air Quality and Directorate (ED). plant 500 trees (in addition to MP Kanimozhi, were acquitted resented through their autho- acquitted persons and firms      Nine flights were diverted to Weather Forecasting And The Court asked them and his 3,000) each in South Delhi. by the trial court in the ED’s rised signatory. “The plants and fixed the appeals for argu- !"#$     Jaipur, three Lucknow, three Research (SAFAR) said representatives of their com- Justice Waziri pointed out money laundering case. The shall be of indigenous variety ments in June last year. #+ %  Amritsar, two Varanasi and overall quality index (AQI) panies to appear before forest to the respondents that three CBI and ED have challenged and they shall be of nursery age But the accused persons   one to Indore,” said spokesper- of the NCR was recorded official on February 15 to start months had passed since the their acquittal. of three and a half years old and kept seeking time to file their      sons for the Delhi International at 265. “The sky will remain planting trees. last order was passed in All of them have been have a height of at least six feet. replies reply. In October last     Airport Limited (DIAL). generally cloudy throughout Granting one last oppor- October 2018. asked to report to the Deputy They will ensure the mainte- year, the High Court said they (   ,% Meanwhile, on Thursday, the day with light to moderate tunity to file responses on Balwa, Agarwal and the Conservator of Forests (South) nance of trees till the rainy sea- would not give more time and     the maximum temperature rain or thunderstorm and hail March 26 to Balwa, director of three companies along with on February 15 for planting of son,” the court said. had asked the acquitted per-     * % fluctuated between 18 degrees likely in the later parts of the Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables others including former tele- saplings. Solicitor General Tushar sons to file their responses on Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius day as well,” IMD said. Private Limited Rajiv Agarwal, com minister A Raja and DMK The companies will be rep- Mehta, representing CBI and February 7.   (  ( )* +,-.   

(  ")+    P   ,,"- "- "        -.,-/0 1    2 3  O "   "# D    he Supreme Court on "$    %     + ,-     TThursday ordered that the   $& "# '        sensational Muzaffarpur shel-   $       -.,-/0   *   ter home sexual assault case be    transferred from Bihar to a      n more trouble for former      New Delhi court which would "$  " # New Delhi: The Supreme Court IFinance Minister P . (   conclude the trial within six )  " "$ P Thursday issued a contempt Chidamabram and son Karti in   months, saying “enough is notice to former CBI interim the INX Media bribery case, *L %  enough” and the children can- director M Nageswara Rao and co-accused Indrani Mukerjea     ,  not be treated like this. case Patna is well connected,” asked him to personally appear on Thursday filed a petition in   2 -   Directing the Nitish Kumar the bench said. before it on February 12 for the trial court seeking pardon 7,2-81%#E:F%  Government to render all assis- The bench said that it was transferring a senior officer, and her intention to turn as   tance in the transfer of the case asking questions because it is heading the probe in the Bihar approver.        and subsequent trial, the apex The bench, also compris- At the outset, the bench entitled to know from the the shelter home cases, with a warn- Indrani has already given   %M court came down heavily on ing Justices Deepak Gupta and Thursday asked questions as to Government, which is run- ing that “only God help you”. her statement to the CBI and INX Media in 2007.     9 * the sexual and physical abuse Sanjiv Khanna, said the trans- how many shelter homes are ning the state, the status of kids The apex court took serious ED claiming she had given 10 Responding positively as of children in shelter homes fer of records to a Delhi court there and how they are fund- living at shelter homes. note of transfer of former CBI million dollars to Karti’s firms the court asked her whether  3      across the State. be completed within two weeks ed and the extent and nature of “Is this the way you treat Joint Director A K Sharma to on the direction of application seeking grant of /  )   Several girls were alleged- and the trial be completed Government control in run- the children at shelter homes. CRPF on January 17 without its Chidambaram to get FIPB pardon has been moved vol- 2 3 1    ly raped and sexually abused at within six months by holding ning them. You cannot let the officers prior permission despite specif- clearance. untarily, she also said that she   91    an NGO-run shelter home in preferably “day-to-day” trial. “We will not ask you (State treat the children the way they ic orders earlier that the probe Hearing Indrani through has not engaged counsel to rep-   Muzaffarpur and the issue had The bench was irked over Government) to file an affi- are treating them right now... into shelter homes cases, includ- video conferencing, Judge Sunil resent her and requested a  3 2   come to light following a report inadequate response of the davit. Affidavit means two The questions will get enlarged ing the Muzaffarpur rape and Rana posted the case for legal aid counsel be provided to   < $# by the Tata Institute of Social Bihar Government counsel on weeks time. Answer the ques- now,” the bench said had asked sexual harassment matter, has to February 14. Indrani is cur- her. The court directed Delhi         Sciences (TISS). issues like number of shelter tion one to one. Tell us the the state counsel to be ready be supervised by him only. rently lodged in Byculla Jail in Legal Service Authority to  718   A bench headed by Chief homes, their management and exact details,” it said. with the fact and figure at 2 “Why you (CBI) did not Mumbai as she is facing trial for appoint counsel for Mukerjea.   *3 1% Justice Ranjan Gogoi took a the administrative control over “We are asking you PM. obtain leave of this court as per murder of her daughter Sheena Delhi High Court had $4#F% <  grim view of the of the progress them. (lawyer) some questions. If It had also warned the earlier orders. It is a fit case for Bora. already reserved orders for the    made so far in the case and said “Enough is enough. you are in a position to answer, counsel that the inadequate contempt. Why should we bear Indrani and her husband application filed by    <  it will now be transferred to a Children cannot be treated then answer, otherwise we will response would lead to an with you. Enough is enough. Peter Mukerjea are currently in Chidambaram seeking protec-   * Protection of Children from like this. You cannot let your call your chief secretary or the order seeking presence of the Enough. ...We intend to deal jail for the murder case and also tion from arrest by CBI and  %#4    < Sexual Offences (POCSO) officers to treat children this officer who is conversant with chief secretary or an officer, with it (contempt),” said a bench co-accused with Chidambaram ED. The agencies told HC that   * court at Saket district court way. Spare the children,” the the facts. By 3 pm your chief conversant with the cases, in headed by Chief Justice Ranjan for paying bribes to get FDI they need Chidambaram’s cus-  % <  complex here. bench said. secretary will be here. In any the court. Gogoi. PTI clearance to their TV channel todial interrogation. 1  *    4   /   ''  )   ".) 2           N    O 

&   & P   6, <  %.    1    > 71>8*,  O   $  &P 0    E  New Delhi: BJP’s oldest ideo- announced by Prime Minister  -.,-/0 ))   ..%  are fully committed towards   -   logical ally Shiv Sena on Narendra Modi and alleged      reservation.  7- 8   Thursday struck discordant that all sections of traders , he Rajya Sabha could not We will ensure they are not  -.,-/0 replies, smiled and started   %    " " , P N    O% chords and seemed to have businessmen and labourers Tfunction for the fourth )$     affected.” The Minister said the thumping the desk as a sign of widened chasm with the senior were “worst “ affected by it and consecutive day on Thursday Government will soon file a nion Road Transport appreciation.   11,> partner accusing the ruling the economy went on a back amid protests by the "  ) / review petition in the apex UMinister Nitin Gadkari on Seeing this, Congress MPs, 71 8    party of meting “step-mother- gear. Opposition especially, SP, BSP,      court on this issue and Thursday earned praise from including party leader in Lok , * ly treatment” to it , criticising Snea MP said due to the ill- RJD and CPI over the roster  0   "  expressed confidence of getting UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, too the alleged half-baked imple- conceived demonetization peo- system for reservation in uni- $$  ). a favourable judgement. in Lok Sabha for the “wonder- started thumping the desks mentation of flagship policies of ple were deprived of much versities. However, Opposition ful” work he has been doing to appreciating Gadakri’s work.  the Modi-Government while at needed cash to meet their day- Union Human Resource Same scenes were wit- members were not satisfied bring improvements in the There were reports in the same time praising the per- to-day requirements. Development Prakash nessed when the house met with the Minister’s reply and country’s infrastructure. August last year that Sonia     formance of Surface Transport He praised Gadkari for Javadekar tried to assure the again in post-lunch session were on their feet protesting, Two questions related to Gandhi had written to Gadkari Minister Nitin Gadkari. good work done by the surface Elders that the Government and Naidu then adjourned the forcing Naidu to adjourn the Gadkari’s Ministry were put up thanking him for his “positive 29 2  The rift looked magnified transport ministry and con- was committed to reservation proceedings for the day. House till 2 pm. in the House during the response” to road issues she had as Sena leader and Lok Sabha struction of roads across the of Scheduled Castes(SC) and Speaking in the morning As soon as the House Question Hour, to which he gave raised relating to her con-   31- MP from Amravati Anandrao country. The MP also quoted Scheduled Tribes(ST) and will session, SP leader Ramgopal resumed proceedings at two detailed description of the works stituency Raebareli in Uttar Adsul said that though its Gadkari saying that leaders file a review petition in the Yadav demanded that the pm, Naidu asked members to being executed and works being Pradesh. party in the National who don’t fulfill their promis- court but the agitated Government introduce a bill to begin the discussion on motion undertaken for expanding the Sonia Gandhi’s son and   -.,-/0 Democratic Alliance (NDA), es get rejected by people. members were not satisfied protect the interest of SC, ST of thanks on the President’s country’s network. “I must say Congress President Rahul the same may not be the case in Adsul referred to reverses and raised a din demanding an and Other Backward Castes address to Parliament. here that all MPs, cutting across Gandhi too recently had com- 36-year-old man who was the future. faced by the BJP in the recent ordinance. (OBC). He said the 13-point However, the Opposition political affiliations, have been plimented Gadkari for his Awanted in alleged murder Participating in the debate assembly elections and regret- The proceedings were dis- roster system now brought saw members sought a discussion appreciating me for the work remarks that “one who cannot cases by the Punjab Police and on the motion of thanks to the ted that no corrective measures rupted despite Chairman M at least 13 universities brining on the issue of roster system being done by my Ministry in take care of home, cannot man- has a red corner notice against President’s in the Lok Sabha he were undertaken by the ruling Venkaiah Naidu in the morn- out at advertisements seeking under Rule 267. their respective constituencies,” age the country”, saying he has him was deported from the quoted Sena spokesperson party. “It is time for introspec- ing session urging the Elders to applications for 706 posts. The rule provides that all he said. guts and should also comment UAE on Thursday, officials Sanjay Raut saying that “ we are tion,” he said. let the house function and Out of these, 18 were business of the House is sus- As Gadkari completed the on the Rafale deal, “farmers dis- said here. in NDA but not in the He said Sena was a happi- begin discussion on the motion reserved for SC, 57 for OBC pended for taking up discus- answers amidst thumping of tress and destruction of institu- Prabhjot Singh was want- Government.” He said flagship er alliance partner when Atal of thanks on the President’s and rest for general categories sion on a particular issue. desks by ruling BJP members, tions”. ed in two cases of attempt to policies of the Modi- Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani address but of no avail. In fact, while no post was reserved for When the Chairman did his party member from Madhya “Gadkari Ji, compliments. murder and murder in Government were good but and Bal Thackeray were at the he briefly adjourned the house ST candidates and could affect not relent, opposition mem- Pradesh Ganesh Singh stood You are the only one in the BJP Hoshiarpur, Punjab. their implementation was faulty. helm of affairs. for ten minutes after the house the prospects of OBC, SC and bers—RJD, SP, BSP, TMC and up and told Speaker with some guts. Please also Cases of attempted murder He said Toilets were made “As an NDA partner, we met for the day to build a con- ST candidates. Congress—trooped into the Sumitra Mahajan that the House comment on: The Rafale scam on August 21, 2017 and of but without water and farmers were happy earlier. But later we sensus and even allowed a He also claimed that the well protesting over introduc- should appreciate the “wonder- and Anil Ambani, farmers’ dis- murder on December 6, 2017 were using them “ to keep were given step-motherly treat- brief discussion on the sensitive Government did not put up the tion of roster system in educa- ful” works being carried out by tress and destruction of institu- were registered against him at their grain”. Similarly under ment. The Prime Minister issue. case in the apex court proper- tional institutions, which they the Union Road Transport tions,” he tweeted and tagged Gardiwal police station, the ‘Ujjawala Yojna’ first LPG cylin- talks about ‘sabka sath, sabka The house was adjourned ly. Similar sentiments were claim limits the scope of reser- Minister. with it the report on Gadkari’s officials said. der reached the poor but it vikas’. We were with NDA, we till after lunch till two pm echoed by BSP leader Satish vation for jobs. They also At this, Sonia Gandhi, who comments. However, Gadkari He was allegedly involved stopped at that. are in NDA at least today ... can’t after the Opposition members Mishra and CPI member Binoy raised slogans forcing the all throughout was patiently lis- had rebuffed him saying he in the killing of one Amrik The Sena MP strongly crit- say about tomorrow,” Adsul protested against Javadekar’s Viswam. While replying on Chairman to adjourn the house tening to Gadkari and often seen needed no certificate of courage Singh in Garhdiwala village on icised demonetisation said. PNS reply. the issue, Javadekar said, “We for the day. nodding in response to his from Rahul. December 6.  ",- ,", - /-"-"("-  -.,-/0 1 23  Home Affairs (MHA) about  -.,-/0 on Wednesday as AICC general secretary “coup” allegations being raised in-charge UP West. nion Minister and former minister of state for external and asserting that those ongress president Rahul Gandhi on The meeting had the participation of UArmy chief VK Singh on affairs in the present govern- spreading such rumours CThursday discussed the party’s strat- KC Venugopal, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Thursday said he has written to ment also said here “Indian should be charged with trea- egy for the Lok Sabha polls with AICC Mallikarjun Kharge. Prime Minister Narendra Army loves the country and son. general secretaries and in-charges of var- AICC sources said Priyanka was delib- Modi seeking a high-level can never go against it.” “At that time (in 2012), in ious States at a meeting that was also erately not seated next to Rahul but away probe into the alleged planti- Addressing a press conference clear words I had said that the attended by his sister Priyanka Gandhi from him to give a message to senior party ng of false stories about an at his residence, Singh said he Indian Army will never do Vadra. The spotlight at the meeting was on leaders that as the AICC Secretaries, they attempted coup during the has written to the Prime anything unconstitutional. The Priyanka, who took charge as AICC gen- are as important as her who is also a General UPA-II Government in 2012. Minister for an investigation so sentiment was echoed by the eral secretary in-charge of the party’s affairs Secretary. Priyanka was given a seat next to His reaction came after a recent the names of the alleged UPA- then defence minister (A K in Uttar Pradesh East on Wednesday, as she Jyotiraditya Scindia. In the meeting it was media report saying a few II top brass could come to the Antony),” he said. arrived at the party headquarters and head- Party leaders on Saturday in the national also decided that Priyanka and Scindia leaders of the UPA-II regime forefront. “You cannot accuse the ed straight for the meeting. capital, to review preparedness for the gen- alongwith Rahul will launch the Uttar tried to establish a false narra- “I have written to Prime who have committed treason armed forces of a thing like Sources said the party’s overall strat- eral election. Priyanka is also expected to Pradesh poll campaign on February 11 by tive that the Army in 2012 was Minister Narendra Modi yes- against the country,” he said. this. I had written to the MHA egy for the Lok Sabha polls and booth-level attend the meeting. conducting a road show in state capital planning a coup when Singh terday asking for a thorough Singh said he had taken up in 2012 but no action was organisation were discussed during the At the AICC General Secretaries Lucknow. Priyanka and Scindia will stay was the Army chief. investigation at the highest the issue in 2012 as well when taken. Now this expose has meet. Rahul has also called a meeting of meeting, Priyanka was seated next to back in Lucknow till February 14 to inter- Seeking a probe, Singh, level to expose these people he wrote to the Ministry of come out,” he said. State chiefs and Congress Legislature Jyotiraditya Scindia, who also took charge act with party workers and leaders.  %%  & / %   .1#  '  -.,-/0 and present holders of constitutional Agriculture Minister and the state chief posts, former and present ministers or their ministerial repre- amilies of farmers who have one or ministers/state ministers and for- sentative, based on the proposal by the Fmore members paying taxes or are mer/present members of Lok Sabha/ northeast states concerned. The Centre  -.,-/0 (February 8 to 14) would once has blocked many roads with- a Government employee (both state and Rajya Sabha/State Legislative has asked the states to identify and des- again witness excess rain over in the valley, the official said. centre), pensioners drawing monthly Assemblies/State Legislative Councils, ignate a sponsoring bank for this eavy rain and snowfall the North-West, the South This untimely rains emolument of 10,000 or more, income former and present mayors of munic- scheme. Hhave been forecast for Peninsula, entire East Coast, and hailstorm damaged pota- tax payers will be ineligible for benefit ipal corporations and former and pre- Announced in the Interim Budget, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal and North-East India,” the toes, grams and other rabi under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan sent chairpersons of district panchay- the scheme is supposed to provide an Pradesh and Uttarakhand as an IMD said adding that back crops in UP, Bihar, Punjab and Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) yojana. ats. additional 6,000 per annum income ‘intense’ western disturbance to back intense western Haryana. Families who have professionals All persons who paid income tax in support to 12 crore small and margin- and its offspring cyclonic cir- storm is the reason behind the The South Peninsula will such as doctors, engineers, lawyers, the previous assessment year are exclud- al farmers. The first instalment of culation consolidated grip over rain, thunderstorm and hail- see rain mostly from the seas chartered accountants or architects ed. However, the multi-tasking staff, 2,000/farmer would directly be cred- the region. storm. around Sri Lanka and adjoin- will be left out too. As per guidelines Class IV/Group D employees in the ited to bank accounts by March 31. According to India “Continuous snowfall in ing Tamil Nadu as well as the issued by the agriculture ministry, government sector would be eligible for Land owned by temples or other Meteorological Department Kashmir over the past 24 hours southern parts of the Bay of states have been given a deadline of PM-KISAN. institutions won’t form part of the (IMD), thunderstorms, hail- has resulted disruption of Bengal witnessing some activ- February 25 to submit lists of eligible An alternative mechanism will be scheme. The guidelines also state if the storms and gusty winds may essential services in most of the ity. farmers. Union Agriculture Minister band, wife, and minor children, who set up for the northeast, where land spouse of a farmer falls within the exclu- impact the Jammu Division, districts in the valley with elec- Meanwhile, North-West Radha Mohan Singh has written to the collectively own cultivable land up to 2 ownership is often community based, sion criteria, he won’t be considered eli- Himachal Pradesh, tricity supply infrastructure India could get hit by Chief Ministers of all States for their hectare according to the land records of making it difficult to select eligible gible for the benefit. The guidelines also Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, suffering severe damage,” offi- another western disturbance support in the effective and speedy the state or Union Territory”. famers. The mechanism for eligibility state that cases, where transfer of own- Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar cials said. from the weekend, implementation of PM-KISAN so that The ministry’s guidelines say the of northeast farmers will be developed ership of cultivable land has happened Pradesh, Bihar, North The snowfall, which generating more snow and rain the entitled benefits are expeditiously exclusion list also includes all institu- and approved by a committee of Union due to any reason - purchase, succession, Rajasthan and North Madhya ranged between six inches in over the hills and thunder- transferred to the farmers. tional land holders and farmer families ministers from the Ministry of will, gift, etc — between December 1, Pradesh. Srinagar to nearly three feet in showers over parts of the A small or marginal farmer family in which one or more of its members Development of North East Region 2018, and January 31, 2019, shall be eli- “The week that follows some areas of South Kashmir, adjoining plains. is defined as “a family comprising hus- belong to following categories: former (DoNER), Ministry of Land Resources, gible for benefits under the scheme. RAIPUR | FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 08, 2019 chhattisgarh 03 Coal secretary holds key Month-long Chhattisgarh budget session to begin today STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR to be stormy as the opposition BJP he budget session of has devised strategy to attack on the review meet on coal blocks TChhattisgarh state assembly will new Congress regime for carrying be held from February 8 to March 8. out political vendetta against the pre- STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR Chhattisgarh Chief Minister vious regime. umant Choudhary, Secretary Bhupesh Baghel, Sof Government of India's who also holds Coal Ministry, on Thursday finance portfolio, chaired a review meeting for would present coal blocks allotted to public the annual budg- sector companies of state and et for 2019-20 on progress of SECL's coal block. the opening day In the ninth meeting of of the budget ses- monitoring committee organ- sion on Friday. ized here, information regard- Chhattisgarh ing the status of pending pro- Assembly ceedings related to coal blocks Speaker was taken from officials con- Charandas cerned. Mahant while In the meeting, addressing a Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary press conference Sunil Kumar Kujur was present on Thursday in the meeting. It was decided in Moreover, to initiate coal companies, to whom coal Company Limited, Gujarat State Khakha, Director Mineral KC informed that the meeting that Collectors, mining in given time frame, blocks were allotted but their Electricity Corporation Limited, Devsenapati, Special Secretary discussions on Revenue Department, pending formalities will be com- work has not started yet, were Andhra Pradesh Mineral Environment P Sangeeta, budget will com- Environment and Forest pleted soon. reviewed in detail. Development Corporation Chhattisgarh Power mence from February 13. An appro- The BJP and Janata Congress Department Officials of the In the meeting, pending Coal block allotment to Limited was reviewed. Corporation Limited Chairman priation bill would be tabled in Chhattisgarh (J) would leave no respective districts of the coal cases related to land acquisi- Chhattisgarh State Power The meeting was attended Shailendra Shukla, Government House on March 6 and after discus- stone unturned to grill the state blocks will have joint meeting tion, environment and forest Generation Company Limited, by Additional Chief Secretary of India's Coal Ministry Joint sions on March 6 and 7, it would be government for its pre-poll once in a month to review department's approval, public Rajasthan Power Production Forest CK Khetan, Secretary Secretary Ashish Kumar and put to vote on March 7, he informed. promises such as blanket ban on progress in redressal of pending hearing, compensation distri- Corporation Limited, Mineral Resources Gaurav representatives of Power Meanwhile, the budget session liquor and slashing power tariff by cases. bution etc of public sector Maharashtra Power Generation Dwivedi, Secretary Revenue NK Generation Companies. commencing on Friday is expected 50 percent. Priority on ‘Power for All’ CEO exhorts Collectors PM to address through team work: Haque rally in Md Abdul Haque takes charge as CSPDCL MD STAFF REPORTER n all’ where each con- to gear up for LS polls RAIPUR sumer should get quali- ty uninterrupted power Raigarh today ohammed Qaiser supply round the clock.” MAbdul Haque RAIGARH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will (IAS) took over the “Developments tak- ing place in energy sec- address a public meeting at Kodatarai of Pursour block charge of Managing in coal-rich Raigarh district on February 8 at 10.00 am. Director, Chhattisgarh tor of state has to be expedited for which He will launch the Lok Sabha poll campaign for the State Power BJP in state. Security has been beefed up in the state Distribution Company team work is required,” he remarked. ahead of the Prime Minister’s Limited (CSPDCL) on visit. Thursday. He also The 2007 batch IAS Chhattisgarh has total holds the charge of officer had earlier 11 Lok Sabha seats and special secretary served as collector for the BJP had won 10 (Energy). Korba and Bijapur, seats in the 2014 Speaking to the officials after CEO of Raigarh Zila Panchayat and parliamentary polls. taking charge, Haque said, “State General Manager of Sarva Siksha As the BJP was government’s priority is ‘power for Abhiyaan. voted out of power in recently held assembly polls, it would be crucial for ‘Vazan Tyohar’ drive from Feb 11 the party to keep the RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh government’s Women and Child Development moral high of party Department will be celebrating `Vazan Tyohar’ in all the aanganbadi cen- cadres before Lok tres from February 11-20 to to know the status of malnutrition in state. Sabha polls. Meanwhile, along with check-up of children of age below 5 years, check STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR state and he stressed on ensuring a tions to the officials regarding revi- Union Minister of State Vishnudeo Sai, BJP up of girls aged between 11-18 years will also be carried out in aanganbadi hief Electoral Officer, Subrat free and fair polls in the state. sion of electoral roll, selection of centres to find out their nutrition level. Women and Child Development polling booths, voter helpline, Voter’s national vice president CSahoo on Thursday chaired a He also apprised in the meeting and former chief department has appealed citizens of the state to visit aanganbadi centres for review meeting of all the District that a two-day certification course Awareness Programmes and forma- weight check up of children and adolescent girls during `Vazan Tryohar’ tion of vigilance committees. minister Raman Collectors and District Electoral would be undertaken in Raipur for Singh will also drive. During Vazan Tyohar, weights of children will be recorded and their Officers and exhorted them to gear all the returning officers in the state He also instructed the officials to nutrition level will be found through software. Children will less than stan- participate up for preparations for Lok Sabha along with DEOs. The officials were conduct training programmes for in the dard weight will be identified and examined for malnutrition, and efforts polls. also instructed to study the guide- vigilance and other committees would be made to eradicate malnutrition. Haemoglobin test, weight meas- func- Through video-conferencing he lines of Elections Commission of formed so that they could execute tion. urement and BMI of adolescent girls would be done during Vazan Tyohar, was connected with the District India for conducting the polls effi- their job well with the enforcement for diagnosis of anaemia and malnutrition in them. Collectors and DEOs of all over the ciently. Sahoo also issued instruc- of model code of conduct. Inter-state ATM-robber gang busted, 4 held

RAIPUR: Four persons allegedly trying to uproot an ATM (automated teller machine) of a nationalized bank in Gariaband were nabbed after a brief gun fight, police said here on Thursday. The accused were members of the inter-state Mewati Gang and a few days back they had looted an ATM in Odisha’s Dharamgarh. Bolstered by their suc- cess, they tried to repeat their crime in Chhattisgarh but their plans finally put them behind the bar. On the intervening night of Wednesday-Thursday, police received information from bank officials that an ATM in Gariaband was being robbed. Police, swung into acting immediately and reached at the spot and found five persons trying to uproot the ATM, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Raipur Anand Chhabra told reporters. “After seeing the cops, they tried to run away in the pick-up van (OD-05, U-3456) which they had stolen from Odisha. The accused then fired on police person- nel with 315-bore country-made pistol, however, police kept on chasing them and finally nabbed the accused in the forest near Mohra bridge, Gariaband” the IGP said. A 315-bore country-made pistol, three round live cartridges, one fired cartridge, gas cutter kit, rope, knife, iron rod and other things were recovered from their possession, he said. The accused were identified as Azad Khan alias Ajju, Junaid Khan, Ashr-Ud-Din, Ikram and Irshad, all natives of Mewat district of Haryana, he added. According to police the Azad Khan was the master mind of the gang who used to work as JCB driver in Umarkot region of Odisha.   (  ( )  +,-.   4

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Director General level post at the besides curtailing other crimes.  /      ''      "   01,(10 Centre. “A safe and secure Punjab He did an eight-year stint on has always been the priority of  01,(10 1987-batch IPS officer central deputation with the the force and this will continue    % " /  " ADinkar Gupta, was MHA, from June 2004 to July to be our priority,” he said. day after Leader of -0  / M . ) )$    appointed Punjab Director 2012, where he held many sen- Declaring zero tolerance AOpposition and INLD’s General of Police (DGP) on sitive assignments, including against drug abuse during his senior leader Abhay Chautala )  "   7 %) $$# Thursday, superseding his five Head of the Dignitary Protection first meeting with officers, accused his elder brother Ajay , " 809 "   " seniors. Gupta, who was head- Division of the MHA. Gupta said that he would Chautala of selling party tick- ing the State Intelligence Wing Gupta had served as Senior implement DAPO and Buddy ets in 2014 Assembly polls, his "  ) $    $$  "" up-till now, would replace Superintendent of Police programmes in letter and in nephews Hisar MP Dushyant ) )$  ) $#N 1982-batch officer Suresh (District Police Chief) of spirit. and Digvijay Chautala hit back "   " $/ -0  Arora. Ludhiana, Jalandhar and He also lauded the work at him saying that he (Abhay) Appointed DGP in 2015, Hoshiarpur districts for more being done by the Special Task is leveling baseless allegations. " ) )$   $    Arora was on an extension after than seven years during the ter- Force of the state police in “Baseless allegations are   ) )$       his retirement on September rorist phase in Punjab. He also tackling the drug menace. “Be being leveled against us. From   $  .)  30, 2018, but he expressed his served as DIG (Jalandhar it the reduction of drug supply, the past few months, they # " 8-9 &  "    unwillingness to continue at the Range), DIG (Ludhiana Range), enforcement of anti-drug laws (INLD) are doing nothing but post of the state police chief. DIG (Counter-Intelligence), or working for the de-addiction leveling baseless allegations  7 %) $$/ "  Gupta’s name has been Punjab and DIG (Intelligence), of drug addicts, both the STF against us,” said Dushyant, cleared by the Chief Minister Punjab till 2004. and district police have done leader of Jannayak Janta Party senior leader Abhay Chautala and Digvijay-are spearheading Capt , who 2  &     %'     %% & good work in the past two while talking to the mediaper- had levelled serious allegations the party in the absence of also heads the State Home  4/ 5  4 years,” he said. sons. against his elder brother Ajay Ajay, who is serving a 10-year   &%    '    %''  "   , 6 department, on Thursday '  3          On the Punjab police bust- His younger brother, INSO Chautala, claiming that he jail term in connection with morning, from among the    ing some terror modules in the chief Digvijay said, “Some peo- sold INLD tickets for 50 the teachers recruitment scam panel of three officers, sent by ommended the names to the Apex Court to seek “justice”. past including the Pakistan's ISI- ple are in panic after their Lakh each in three Vidhan in Haryana. the Union Public Service Punjab Government to appoint Mustafa, who was consid- aking over the Punjab police backed one with the arrest of a defeat in Jind bypoll. My father Sabha constituencies during OP Chautala is also Commission (UPSC) as per the one of them as the next state ered to be a strong contender for Tbaton, the new state police Patiala resident last November, (Ajay) has never done such the 2014 polls. undergoing his jail term in new rules set by the Supreme police chief. Before that, a list of the DGP post, is the husband of chief Dinkar Gupta on Gupta said:”The Punjab police things in politics and we follow Abhay had also alleged Delhi’s Tihar Jail in the same Court. three IPS officers surfaced in Punjab Cabinet Minister Razia Thursday promised to provide has always lived up to the chal- high principles in politics.” that Ajay had entered into a recruitment scam. The other two officers of the which Gupta’s names was Sultana. Mustafa also enjoys a safe and secure environ to the lenge to defeat the nefarious Lashing out at his uncle, quid pro quo arrangement Ahead of ensuing Lok panel included two officers of included along with that of close proximity with Capt citizens of the state, while list- designs of enemies.” Digvijay said that people are with our opponents by extend- Sabha polls, the split in INLD 1987 batch, DGP Goel and Mustafa. Amarinder. ing counter-terrorism as the top Appreciating the hard work restless due to our increasing ing help to them in the 2014 has proved unfortunate for the (Administration) MK Tiwari Sources said that the names It is believed that Mustafa’s priority for the force. of the police personnel, he said popularity and are now run- Vidhan Sabha polls in return party. While JJP’s candidate and DGP (provisioning and IT) of officers in the previous list elevation as STF head in Dinkar, who formally took that Punjab Police was a brave ning a slander campaign of the favour they extended to Digvijay Chautala had fin- VK Bhawra. were discussed during the UPSC September last was made to charge as DGP from his prede- force, which he was proud to against us. They (INLD) know him to help Dushyant ished at second spot in Jind With his elevation, Gupta meeting, which was attended by compensate him for not cessor Suresh Arora at a simple lead. where we stand after Jind Chautala in the Lok Sabha bypoll, the INLD’s candidate has superseded 1984-batch the then DGP Suresh Arora and appointing as the state police ceremony at the Punjab Police Describing Arora as the bypoll, he said. election same year. Umed Singh Redhu had fin- Samant Kumar Goel who is cur- Chief Secretary Karan Avtar chief. headquarters, said that he would best officer of Punjab Police, “If he (Abhay) has poison After the split in INLD ished at fifth spot and could rently on central deputation, Singh, but the final list that was In his previous stint, Gupta try to carry forward the com- Gupta said that during his in his heart against his own and formation of Jannayak not even save his security DGP (Special Task Force on prepared included the names of was posted as DGP mendable work done by Arora, tenure, the state Police had brother, he can let it out at the Janta Party (JJP) last year, the deposit. drugs) Mohd Mustafa (1985- three 1987-batch IPS officers. (Intelligence), which involved in line with Chief Minister cracked down on organised family level only,” Digvijay Chautala family has been wit- The number of INLD batch, DGP (Law and Order) A decorated officer, Gupta’s the direct supervision of Punjab Capt Amarinder Singh’s vision criminal gangs, neutralizing as added. nessing a bitter feud. MLAs in the State Assembly Hardeep Singh Dhillon (1985- appointment at the top post has State Intelligence Wing, State to make Punjab free from drugs many 51 gangs with the arrest Reacting to the allega- Families of two brother has fallen to 17 and four of batch), DGP (IVC) Jasminder ruffled many feathers within the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and and gangsters. of 255 gang members. Under tions, JJP state president Abhay and Ajay have been them have already extended Singh (1986-batch), and DGP police department, with his Organized Crime Control Unit Pointing out that Punjab Arora’s leadership, Punjab Police Nishan Singh said that INLD engaging in a war of words support to the JJP. (PSPCL) S Chattopadhayaya senior Mustafa coming out in (OCCU). shares over 550 km of interna- had busted 24 terrorist modules, leaders have lost their mental over various issues. Following Jind bypoll, BSP (1986-batch). public to express his displeasure. An experienced and distin- tional border with Pakistan, arrested 115 terrorists, and balance after getting just 2.5 INLD’s chief OP Chautala supremo Mayawati has also Notably, the UPSC on Unhappy for being “ignored”, guished officer, Gupta was Gupta said that the state police recovered six AK47, AK56, or per cent votes in the Jind elder son- Ajay Singh Chautala hinted at breaking ties with the February 4 had prepared a Mustafa has maintained that he empanelled on April 26, 2018, has to counter terrorism, tack- AK74 rifles, four other rifles and bypoll. -is patron of the JJP while his INLD in Haryana ahead of three-member panel and rec- would knock the door of the for appointment to Additional le gangsters and drug menace, 65 revolvers or pistols, he added. A day before, INLD’s two sons–Hisar MP Dushyant general elections 2019. / )  %   /       % 4-,5  01,(10 bound completion. Board secretary apprised the  01,(10   $ $" The increase in funds for Chief Minister that a compre- "  " "  & $   n an apparent attempt to woo farm debt waiver would enable hensive road repair programme ccompanied by strong  01,(10 said. Government. IState farmers with an eye on expansion of the scheme, bring- had been drawn up, under Awind, moderate to heavy rainfall, a Meteorological Cricketer Virender After BJP’s victory in Lok Sabha elections, Punjab ing more debt-ridden farmers which the first phase of around rains lashed parts of Punjab Department official said. he ruling BJP is gearing Sehwag, a Jat, is not a BJP recent civic body polls in Government on Thursday into its ambit, said the official 15,000 kms of repair was already and Haryana on Thursday The weather change was Tup to field popular faces member as of now. His can- Rohtak and 2014 assembly enhanced the funds allocation for spokesperson after the meeting. under implementation and even as it remained overcast caused by a Western in Haryana in the upcoming didature from the Rohtak seat win from Rohtak seat, its farm debt waiver scheme to The Chief Minister told the would be completed by June throughout the day. Disturbance, he said. Lok Sabha polls 2019. seat was suggested by a the ruling party is looking to 5,500 crores. meeting that his Government 2019. In Punjab, districts like There was a fall in the Amid speculations that party leader during a meet- wrest the Congress’ bastion Announcing the decision would not allow financial The Phase II of rural link Mohali, Amritsar, Ludhiana, maximum temperature with the party may field cricketer ing held recently for dis- this time. while chairing 45th meeting of crunch to undermine its com- roads repair had also been ini- Patiala, Gurdaspur, Pathankot Chandigarh recording a min- Virender Sehwag to contest cussing probable candidates The party is also focus- the state Rural Development mitment to provide relief to the tiated to repair another 15,000 and Jalandhar witnessed rain- imum low of 14 degrees against three-time MP for the polls. ing on winning Sirsa and Board, Chief Minister Capt distressed farmers in the state. kms of rural roads, for which the fall. Celsius. In Punjab, Patiala Deepender Singh Hooda in Jat dominated Rohtak Hisar Lok Sabha seats, which Amarinder Singh also directed His Government was already tendering process had been Heavy rains also lashed recorded a low of 12.9 Rohtak parliamentary con- constituency, which is was won by the INLD’s the Mandi Board secretary to working on a plan to cover even started and work would be allot- Chandigarh with dark clouds degrees Celsius, Ludhiana stituency, BJP Haryana chief known as a stronghold of Dushyant Chautala and expedite the ongoing project of landless farmers under its waiv- ted by February this year, with hovering the city and reduc- (12.2), Pathankot (11.7), Subhash Barala on Thursday two-time former Chief Charajeet Singh Rori respec- repairing rural link roads across er scheme, he added. completion scheduled for June ing visibility on Thursday Halwara (11), Bathinda said that celebrities have Minister Bhupinder Singh tively in 2014 polls. the State for ensuring its time- During the meeting, Mandi 2020. morning. (10.9), Adampur (10.7), contested elections in the Hooda had withstood the In last general elections, Ambala, Panchkula and Faridkot (9.8) and Amritsar past and have also won it. Modi wave and elected the BJP had contested eight Karnal were among few (8.6). But the party is yet to Congress’ Deepender Singh seats out of 10 and left Hissar places in Haryana to receive approach Sehwag for this, he Hooda for the third consec- and Sirsa to its alliance part- utive time.He had won ner at that time, Haryana against BJP’s OP Dhankar, Janhit Congress (HJC) of who is now a Cabinet former CM Bhajan Lal’s son Minister in Haryana Kuldeep Bishnoi.

  4 4 01,(10 But, for the Congress, it seems to be a problem of ocated near the banks of plenty as there are many LSutlej River, Sri Anandpur aspirants vying for the party Sahib or the “city of bliss” is ticket from Sri Anandpur considered synonymous with Sahib. Largely because the Sikhism being the holy abode Akalis “dented” image post of last two Sikh Gurus. The sacrilege incidents, coupled Khalsa Panth, too, was found- with AAP fading popularity ed in 1699 by Guru Gobind graph, may make it an easy Singh; and this is, perhaps, the seat to win. reason why everything there Unlike 2014 general elec- has a religion tinge to it, tions, this election would including politics. witness a multi-cornered bat- Comprising majority of tle with a maha-gathbandhan Sikh voters—more than 60 taking shape under the ban- percent, Sri Anandpur Sahib ner of Punjab Democratic constituency is likely to wit- Alliance (PDA). ness a ballot battle in the The PDA comprise newly name of religion with the formed SAD (Taksali) head- political parties once again ed by former Akali leader exploiting the issues con- , cerning the Sikh community. Punjabi Ekta Party headed by Be it the sacrilege issue, or be former AAP leader Sukhpal it the opening up of Kartarpur Singh Khaira, Bains Brothers’ Sahib or convictions in 1984 Lok Insaaf Party (LIP), anti-Sikh riot cases, the polit- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ical parties are taking advan- AAP’s “suspended” MP Dr tage of it all. Dharamvir Gandhi’s Punjab Banking on BJP-led Manch, among others. Central Government’s deci- To top it all! Bargari sions on Kartarpur Sahib Insaaf Morcha, that came corridor among other things, into being in June 2018 to ’s (SAD) seek justice for two Sikh sitting MP Prof Prem Singh youth killed in police firing Chandumajra is “confident” during a peaceful protest of getting the re-nomination against series of sacrilege on party ticket, and even incidents in 2015, has also winning the seat. thrown its hat in the electoral On the other hand, the arena. (AAP) has It has fielded Sikh leader declared Narinder Singh Bikramjit Sodhi from the Shergill, who contested 2017 seat, while keeping its State Assembly election from options open to go in for an Mohali segment, as its can- alliance with anyone except didate. Congress, SAD, and BJP.  $ ;   (  ( )* +,-.

,- 2  2+ 2 2  -,"   QR " " "Q, 23   ,2",,"-,   3-/ she arrived at commission headquarters, refusing to 5  .10(= involves making sure that the ritain and the EU agreed answer questions, but she was policy of the United States is BThursday to hold more expected to make a statement   ,01>1 allowed enough of the influx of he House intelligence com- being driven by the national talks to try to avoid a no-deal later Thursday. $88$''$=>&8 refugees opening the border Tmittee will launch a broad interest, not by any financial Brexit, after a “robust” meeting Expectations for the visit angladesh has sealed off its $;$:&'!&"&,#!':0 “now it is better if others (other new investigation looking at entanglement, financial lever- between Prime Minister were already modest when, on Bborder with Myanmar to '!((&'&$:(0'8 countries) open their frontiers Russian interference in the age or other form of compro- Theresa May and European Wednesday, EU kingpins stop further influx of refugees for them (refugees)”. 2016 election and President mise.” Commission chief Jean-Claude Donald Tusk and Juncker fleeing the troubled Rakhine ':=;80!?&$8$&0 Meanwhile, paramilitary Donald Trump’s foreign finan- The California Democrat Juncker. torched May’s prospects of state, Foreign Minister AK #:;'$8;'(2 08;: Border Guard Bangladesh cial interests, Chairman Adam also announced a delay in an A joint statement issued winning changes to the with- Abdul Momen has said and :&'84#(!0": (BGB) said they sent a detach- Schiff announced Wednesday, upcoming closed-door inter- after the talks in Brussels said drawal agreement. claimed that the country’s mil- ment to enforce a vigil in its moving ahead with the aggres- view with Trump’s former fixer Juncker had again warned that itary is now targeting the remote frontiers with Myanmar sive oversight that Democrats and personal lawyer, Michael November’s withdrawal agree- majority Buddhists and Hindus Myanmar Army [two insur- in bordering Bandndarban’s have promised now that they Cohen, “in the interests of the ment could not be renegotiat- 67Q after cracking down on minor- gents groups] is forcing people Ruma area. Police said about are in the majority. investigation”. ed -- after May came hoping to ity Rohingya Muslims. from different ethnic religious 150 Myanmar nationals, Schiff said the investigation The interview was origi- persuade Brussels to agree on R Over 7,00,000 Rohingya groups — Buddhist and Hindu including 38 Buddhist families, will include “the scope and nally scheduled for Friday. It the need to change the so- Muslims have taken refuge in — to try come to Bangladesh crossed the border. scale” of Russian intervention will now be held on February called “backstop” clause for  Bangladesh after fleeing from to save themselves,” he said. “We have sent a detach- in the 2016 presidential elec- 28, Schiff said. the Irish border. Rakhine state in neighbouring “We will not accept any- ment to Ruma frontiers to tion, the “extent of any links Schiff said he could not But Juncker “expressed his by doing so win over enough Myanmar to evade atrocities, body. We have more or less enforce a stringent vigil against and/or coordination” between speak about the reason for the openness to add wording” to a MPs at home to get the deal   /=,= which the UN called “a text- sealed off the border,” he added. fresh influx. The borders with Russians and Trump’s delay. Hours after the meeting parallel political declaration through parliament. book example of ethnic cleans- “We can’t take any more of Myanmar remained sealed off associates, whether foreign was pushed back, a document laying out ambitions for future She reminded Juncker that ritain’s economy is “not yet ing”, following the action by the them (Myanmar refugees). The while only legal movement is actors have sought to hold was filed, and then deleted, EU-UK ties if London wants to the British parliament had Bprepared” for a disorder- military in August 2017. border with Myanmar is almost underway through the Ukhia leverage over Trump or his under seal in the criminal case seek a “more ambitious” clos- mandated her to seek “a legal- ly no-deal departure from Momen said the earlier sealed off,” he told reporters and Teknaf frontiers,” BGB’s family and associates, and against Cohen brought by spe- er relationship after Brexit. ly binding change to the terms the European Union next attacks were against Muslims, before departing for New region commander Brigadier whether anyone has sought to cial counsel Robert Mueller’s In a sharp reminder of the of the backstop”, but instead month, Bank of England gov- but now the Buddhists and Delhi. General Ainul Morshed Khan obstruct any of the relevant office. urgency of finding a solution was offered a fresh round of ernor Mark Carney warned other ethnic groups are also Momen is visiting India on said. investigations. The court’s docket did not before Brexit day on March 29, talks. EU negotiator Michel on Thursday. being targeted. his maiden overseas tour since Police chief of the border- The announcement came contain any details about the Bank of England governor Barnier will now meet British “Although many compa- “This is funny. Earlier, the Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina ing Bandarban district one day after Trump criticized nature of the document. A Mark Carney warned that Brexit Minister Stephen Barclay nies are stepping up their attacks were against Muslims, formed the government for Mohammad Kamruzzaman “ridiculous partisan investiga- later notice said the document Britain’s economy was “not yet in Strasbourg on Monday. contingency planning, the but now the Buddhists and the third consecutive terms said 38, mostly Buddhist, fam- tions” in his State of the Union had been “incorrectly filed in prepared” for a no-deal depar- May herself will meet economy as a whole is still not other ethnic groups are also after winning the December 30 ilies sneaked into Bangladesh speech. Schiff dismissed those this case”. ture. Juncker again before the end of yet prepared for a no-deal no- being targeted.” general elections. overnight in view of the “inter- comments Wednesday. Special counsel spokesman May came hoping to February, a commission transition exit,” Carney told “Myanmar say violence He said that Bangladesh nal conflict” in Myanmar’s “We’re going to do our Peter Carr declined comment, change the backstop so that spokesman said. reporters after the bank between Rakhine Army and has opened its border and Rakhine state. jobs and the president needs to as did Lanny Davis, an attorney Britain cannot be “trapped” in A stony-faced May shook slashed its economic growth do his,” Schiff said. “Our job for Cohen. the bloc against its will -- and hands stiffly with Juncker as forecasts.    4 1    3 QR    R Paris: France’s Foreign <  = =. Ministry said on Thursday it   .10(= “The ISIS has been deci-   /10=- had recalled its ambassador to mated,” Trump has said. The nother US-Russian nuclear Rome for consultations after a he Islamic State (ISIS) will United States military, its Apact is in danger following court in Pakistan on series of “provocations” by Tbe “100 per cent” defeated in Coalition partners and the the US move to withdraw from AThursday ordered that a Italy’s populist Government. Iraq and Syria by next week, US Syrian Democratic Forces have a Cold War-era arms control senior Punjab Minister from “For several months France President Donald Trump has liberated virtually all of the ter- treaty, a senior Russian diplo- Prime Minister Imran Khan’s has been the subject of repeat- claimed as he boasted his ritory previously held by the ISIS mat said on Thursday. Deputy ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ed accusations, unfounded administration’s new approach in Syria and Iraq, Trump said. Foreign Minister Sergei party be held in detention for attacks and outlandish claims,” for directly confronting the ter- “It should be formally Ryabkov charged that the US nine days so that the top anti- the Ministry said in a state- ror outfit’s “wicked” ideology. announced sometime probably refusal to negotiate an exten- graft body can question him on ment, calling them “unprece- The ISIS currently holds next week that we will have 100 sion to the New Start treaty sig- corruption allegations. dented” since the end of World only about 1 per cent of land in per cent of the caliphate. But I nals Washington’s intention to The National War II. Tensions between Paris Iraq and Syria, the global coali- want to wait for the official let it expire in 2021. He warned Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Rome have escalated since tion to counter ISIS announced word. I don’t want to say it too that time is running out to save on Wednesday arrested Punjab June when the anti-establish- late last year. However, the early,” Trump said on the pact, which was signed in government’s powerful senior ment Five Star Movement and caliphate continues to hold Wednesday in his address to 2010 by U.S. President Barack minister Abdul Aleem Khan far-right League party came to territory in Afghanistan, Libya, the Ministers of the Global Obama and Russian President for possessing assets beyond his power in Italy in a coalition the Sinai and West Africa. Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Dmitry Medvedev. known sources of income. Government. AFP <  

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Unfortunately,             "   while there was a change in the person pre- senting the interim budget, there was lit-     &           9   ' tle about this budget that could distinguish     ;<           -  ' it from what India has seen over the past  %          five years. This budget represented those values that the BJP Government has been  0         4     (   repeatedly demonstrating ever since in       ;<     power. In this week’s column, I will   4       * attempt to highlight how the interim bud- get was only a microcosm of the BJP’s   )+ (  06  = + )+(   ' approach to governance. It was irrespon-  %  4   =  +   =  sible, ill-conceived and insulting. 4  &       ;< ' Irresponsible: It is important to refer to the context in which the interim bud-    &         (  get was presented. Frank Snepp, a journal-   4   > 5 S     ist, had once said, “Disinformation is most 4= =   (       effective in a very narrow context.” True words have never been spoken. While the              ' BJP and its army of social media warriors           9 4     tried hard to convince the people that this             budget was a game-changer, it’s crucial to that regularly treats statistics of the Prime Minister when insulting 17 per day grant to understand the context of the budget, and numbers as an inconve- asked an inconvenient ques- the farmers but for the reason         4  /       which is that it was an interim budget. nience talk about the need of tion. It demonstrates that the that people of this country are   ) 5  >      9 P  ? Q An interim budget is typical in a clarity for the middle class, BJP does not have a clear aware that this is just another             ' democracy where the party in power is brings tears to the eye. If only stand on any particular issue. jumla of the BJP Government   +              about to witness an election year, where they made the people of this Whether it’s the question of like the ‘Smart Cities’ initiative it may be voted out and another politi- country cry a little less often. instituting a Lok Pal and tack- or the ‘Clean Ganga’ promise.    )       cal party or a coalition of various parties Ill-conceived: Another ling corruption or the issue of The very idea of direct cash                  may be voted to power. Since the two piece of news that emerged .0/-0-D2 creating jobs, this transfer is already in place in 2 '   (       Governments may have different fiscal last week was a leaked jobs 1,1? Government’s only tactic has Telangana. The only differ- and budgetary plans, as per established report by the National Sample been to move from one issue ence is that in that State, first  % =1(       9    convention, the interim budget is usual- Survey Office, which detailed ="= 1/ to the other so that people do a survey was done and records                 ly limited to signalling and explaining to how India was going through -,1 not stay and examine an issue were updated. Only then was        *     ' the country what would be the measures its worst job crisis in 45 years. long enough to question what the scheme implemented. In that the Government in power aims to As per the report, its findings .1= is actually being done. the case of the BJP, however, it    @ )       pursue if voted to power again. were withheld by this -,01,= While jobs may have been has typically gone straight to        >     =1(  At this stage, a vote-on-account is also Government, which ultimate- a popular issue for the BJP in announce the scheme without                 presented that details an estimate of the ly forced two senior members =6 -0- 2014, it is now avoiding the the slightest pretence of even expenditure to be sanctioned till the final of the Statistics Commission 2-=2/-01 issue like a plague or ignoring attempting to make the scheme        / (    budget is passed by the next Government to quit in protest. a scientific report by a reput- work. on the ground. This        =1(S in power. This tradition has been followed While I could write every 03,(- ed institution that reflects the programme has all the tell-tale              4      by responsible Governments in India for week about how the BJP has ground reality. signs of a classic jumla. over 70 years now. Someone forgot to give repeatedly shown utter disre- .11 Insensitive: Another facet The current BJP  5  .) 0  > 5    the BJP the memo. gard for any report, any insti- (1-< 01(-% of the BJP that this interim Government has had repeated   A    4  S B (   As the West Bengal episode shows, tution or authority that sheds O 3 1/= budget displayed was just how opportunities at its disposal to             ' the BJP has time and again demonstrat- light on just how shambolic insensitive this Government mend ways and behave like a ed that it has no interest in acting like a this Government has been, 3,-1, can be. Take the example of responsible Government, one  B (       )('=)(0 responsible Government. This interim today, I want to talk about the Pradhan Mantri Kisan that respects the country’s insti-      (         ' budget was no different. As I had said ear- how this Government ignored 0- =-@=" Samman Nidhi scheme tutions and holds differing  '  0            lier, it is almost unheard of for a budget the crucial issue of jobs in the 0-3,(-% announced during the inter- views from its own or at the to introduce sweeping changes. But in this interim budget. im budget. Under this pro- very least a Government that is one, the BJP recklessly introduced some This was especially sur- .0 001 gramme, the BJP has offered connected to the ground situ- tax changes, which otherwise require prising since jobs for the youth .11 direct cash support of 6,000 ation. But it wasted each and debate and discussion. was one of the BJP’s primary per year to farmers who have every opportunity. The latest    I have heard that the rationale behind election promises in 2014. -=- a land holding of up to two interim budget is just another introducing the tax reform was that the While I initially reacted with hectares. This amounts to an instance in a long line of middle class needed clarity about the tax surprise, I realised that since insulting 17 per day. The BJP instances of the Government structure at the beginning of the year. the BJP has been ignoring the is aware that it has failed our choosing to stay true to its dis- This seems insincere and convenient. jobs problem for the past five country’s farmers completely appointing approach to gover- Especially because the BJP is aware that years, why should the interim and believes that its latest nance.         this proposal may change further when budget be any different? attempt will help pacify them. (The writer is Jharkhand          the final budget is passed in Parliament In any case, this omission This is unlikely. PCC president, former MP and  after debate. So, to hear this Government, speaks louder than the silence Not only because of the IPS officer. Views are personal)           !                       - <   "# "!             <                *                  %       %           $#       %                 * L  *   * *     &  ' 08"8$        ' 7 8&(:' ='08 0""&&0:$8"$:         (    K  K,    K   K12    '    '           )                    -     *         '     +    S                                               -     Sir — Decades before the Kerala Sir — The time has come when                High Court enforced a ban on the         % L  #    M workers no longer demand time off  %   +      entry of women to the Sabarimala 7"  F8*1   %     their working hours to attend to .             ' shrine in 1991, scores of young        7 8 their addiction to cigarettes. They women had trekked through the      .   do so for a new form of fixation —       '         %' difficult forest terrain to worship     =  Facebook. Some workers ask for      '     Lord Ayyappa and for other reli-     *2     breaks in between to check on their           gious purposes. The ban was   <       < Facebook accounts with tacit imposed on the basis of a           < approval from their employers.           ' Devaprasnam — an astrological    * The question as to which is              *   ritual performed to respect the            *       more addictive is not easy to          / & ' will of the God. All through                  resolve. Cigarettes are physically these decades, the Travancore        * %        addictive and may likely kill a per-        ' '     '   Devaswom Board enforced the     .   9  N  9  son; Facebook is psychologically                    1991 verdict of the Kerala High    9    O        addictive and is likely to kill one’s            0 Court, according to which young   > 2    9             social skills, which most would women stopped visiting the >  %       <      * think is the better of the options.            )   ' shrine with convincing honesty.         * 9O "$$8$:$: The committee behind the lat-               Now, they have to abide by the       est edition of ‘Diagnostic and       &'     % ' latest pronouncement by the Statistical Manual of Mental               ' Supreme Court that lifted the ban. Disorders’ recognised many forms In fact, the Pandalam Royal Family    federation. So, the sentiment of plary punishment instead of char- of addiction and is considering fur-    1     figured nowhere as the ‘royal cus- States and democratic decorum acter assassinating or targetting ther investigations of sex addiction       '          todian’ of the Sabarimala in the need to be maintained meticulous- political parties and their leaders. and Internet gaming disorder                  covenant entered between the Sir — Since India is neither a king- ly. In this perspective, West If the Central Bureau of although Facebook has not yet fig- rulers of Travancore and Cochin in dom nor an autocracy, rather a Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Investigation is running behind ured on their list. With time there  2   +   3     1949, leave alone conferring them democratic conglomeration of Banerjee had every right to hold the Saradha scam in West will probably be far more people              powers to dictate the terms of usage States that are bound by the a protest. However, sanity and Bengal, what about the Vyapam ‘suffering’ from Facebook addiction.    &   S        and traditions of the hill shrine. It Constitution, the nation’s federal neutrality demand that irrespec- scam and the Bitcoin scam in Dennis Fitzgerald is unfortunate that the ‘royal cus- structure must be treated with tive of the colour of the regime, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat Australia &  S            todian’ stands against the order. utmost respect. And West Bengal all economic scandals should be respectively?       Haridasan Rajan is not a colony of New Delhi but thoroughly investigated and cul- Kajal Chatterjee   ' 6 Kozhikode an indispensable unit of the Indian prits should be awarded exem- Kolkata ''8&'0?0:8@;"$=0"   (  ( )* +,-. $ >     2  ,   

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 ? 7  A                %  ?                0& '    C          %> =   +         "     &       $"    /  <      D$A        '     A    <  #   /    ( 5                                 '    !" ,7,- *             '            (       E  )  @  bout nine lakh children die before their            !  first birthday in India. Many of them are             Aborn to underage mothers, who were nei-         ther mentally nor physically prepared for early               ' marriage and quick motherhood. Although  %    -    efforts to end child marriage have resulted in a        6  + decline in the number of child marriages with              27 per cent of girls (approximately 1.5 million) getting married before they turn 18 as compared              ' to 47 per cent of girls a decade ago (2005-06),    /     '  India cannot afford to take its foot off the pedal              given the life changing impact this practice has %           had on the lives of young girls. /1=0%     ;@       There is enough evidence to show that when "10/-1,- /         ' a girl is forced to marry before she attains adult- "=1 =      3 !   #'A hood, she faces immediate and life-long conse- 0- =3? %=            quences. It is not just that the odds of her fin- (10--,1           ishing school decrease (only 33 per cent of girls 0->30             ' manage to complete seven years of education),  =-(1(- 0 '         ' chances of being abused by her husband, too, increase.The recent National Family Health .00-.1? 0         Survey (NFHS-4) revealed that one of five mar- =-, 0/,       ried adolescent girls (15-19 years) experienced 11(-1, F              physical, sexual or emotional violence in their -2=.-0- UNICEF and the Water Supply and edge about routine immunisation in This awareness and cooperation,      &  &  ' marriage. Moreover, the probability of her suf- .=-*1 Sanitation Collaborative Council high-risk areas was primarily possible coupled with other literacy pro-  &    !3 fering complications during pregnancy also =3,1/- (WSSCC), also focussed on raising because engaged religious leaders and grammes, has contributed to turning             ' went up. Conversely, a 10 per cent reduction in --( awareness in Uttar Pradesh where one hajjis helped change mindsets and Kishanganj around from having the                 ' child marriage reduces neo-natal mortality by =3(0 in every five girls is a child bride. Faith attitudes towards immunisation. lowest literacy rate — 31.1 per cent in    %          ' four percentage points and brings down the =(-0-"10 leaders, however, agreed that efforts Ending open defecation is anoth- 2001 to 55.5 per cent in 2011. The girl             % under-five mortality rate by nine percentage /-1,-% must be made not just in the 20 districts er area where faith leaders have been to boy student ratio has gone up.   & &       ' points. If the age of the mother is less than 20 of the State that had a higher incidence active. About 300 renowned faith lead- In fact, in this era of new-age tech- years, the infant mortality rate (IMR) is 52.1 per 1D=?=" of child marriage than the national ers from Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, nology, it makes good sense to enlist the   '         2  cent. But when the age of the mother is between 0-.=-% average but in the entire country. Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism joined support of faith leaders considering     5     20-29 years, IMR declines to 37 per cent. =, 3 The first step in this direction was a hands to start an inter-faith movement their active presence on social media.            Then why do child marriages persist? There 0-=/- pledge undertaken by all spiritual lead- in 2014 to end open defecation. This Recently, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art        are several intertwining reasons why such prac- -3(-O31/ ers to do their bit in ensuring a safe and strategy, which evolved from a partner- of Living Foundation released ‘Art of *            tice continues in many States. Poverty and low -1-=" secure future for girls in the country. ship between Parmarth Niketan (sec- Living’ mobile app. This is the first sub-         $!   socio-economic status lead families, experienc- (/1, They were joined by over 300 people, retariat for Global Interfaith WASH scription-based spiritual app in the  R  S       *  ing economic difficulties, to believe that the -"= -,0- including political leaders, women, men, Alliance in India) and UNICEF, is also country, according to a report in Factor            younger the bride, the smaller the dowry. "1 010-- young people, NCC cadets and students, addressing taboo subjects like menstru- Daily. Not far behind are popular faith           Another important reason for the perpetuation .1= who promised to speak up against child al hygiene management. leaders Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev of      '   of child marriage is prevailing social and religious marriage. A signature campaign was Kishanganj in Bihar is a good Isha Foundation and Baba Ramdev, the customs. Here, religious leaders and faith-based -/(=31 launched to promote ‘Yes to Education, example of how decisions made by faith yoga guru-cum entrepreneur. They     %          organisations can play a critical role in shaping "=-(-6- No to Child Marriage’. The move is hop- leaders can make or break lives of girls. also have their own digital platforms to              opinions and influencing social behaviour to end 3/31/ ing to gather enough signatures to cre- In Mirbhatta village, a majority of its promote their ideologies.     .  =     child marriage. This is especially so as religious = ate a Guinness record and accelerate the predominantly Muslim population The number of followers across       ' beliefs underpin values and practices. Religious momentum to end child marriage. were illiterate. Traditionally, girls here different social media platforms is tes-  5      /    S institutions and faith-based organisations have This is perhaps the first time that never went to school and married timony to their popularity and influ-          the power, resources, networks and capacity to faith leaders across the religious spec- young. It was believed by the religious ence. Sri Ravi Shankar has over four  . 0  =    reach out and transform thinking. They can even trum have united against child marriage leaders that girls would get ‘polluted’ if million followers on Twitter. Sadhguru         debunk myths related to faith-based beliefs, tra- and was a much-needed initiative. they went to school. Since local religious has over two million followers on      (     1 0  ditions and practices. That faith leaders can change mindsets leaders played a crucial role in all YouTube and a million people follow             Last month, faith leaders from across the has been proven in the successful important decisions pertaining to the him on Instagram. Over 10 million country gathered at the Kumbh mela in Prayagraj campaign against polio. After sensiti- community, including marriage and people follow Ramdev on Facebook.        to engage with the ways to end child marriage sation on the issue by UNICEF and its education, it was imperative to get them So faith-based messaging to promote 0               and empower women. A roundtable meeting partners, 8,500 mosques agreed to on board if change was to be made. gender equality can now reach out to 5  + R  S R     brought together faith leaders, majority of them support the polio programme, 85 per A two-pronged strategy was millions of followers with just a click  S '  $     ' women, to discuss their role in ensuring equal cent of which disseminated polio mes- employed. First the parents of girls were of a button.             ' treatment of girls and reinforced the fact that sages. Graduates of 400 madrasas and sensitized about the need for education India has over 460 million internet   D         ' there was no religious basis for regressive cul- religious institutions across the coun- at non-formal education (NFE) centres. users. It is adding 10 million active users       '       tural norms responsible for the practice of child try promised to further advocate for the Parents were invited every week to see every month. Over 115 million users                marriage. Many of them shared their experiences polio programme upon joining a what their children were learning and spend considerable time on social              ' ' in the States where their ashrams were based and mosque as an imam or becoming a reli- its outcomes. Once their trust was media. Given these statistics and con-         5  &' said that they had been able to persuade com- gious leader. Banners endorsed by gained, parents were encouraged to sidering the influence and reach of faith munities to send their girls to school, thus delay- local religious institutions and distrib- convince religious leaders to promote leaders, the opportunity to send strong      *     ing marriage. Organised under the aegis of the ution of 60,000 booklets, highlighting education of girls and end child mar- messages for empowerment of girls and /          Global Interfaith WASH Alliance (GIWA), the that vaccination was in keeping with riage. Not only did they manage to get women, promoting reproductive and    world’s first initiative to bring together faith lead- Islam during the festival of Shab-e- the faith leaders to rally around, it also sexual health and rights and ending          ers as allies in efforts to push for change, and barat, made a big difference. An led to classes being held for girls in the child marriage, must not be lost.  O     O! " # $ Parmarth Niketan, the meeting, supported by increase in both coverage and knowl- madrasas. (The writer is a senior journalist) 6 2  '                E             

payment of pensions. ital outlay for the armed forces is 32.19 small arms and equipment — assault an important strategic requirement. It beyond the level of 50 per cent. Astra The only silver lining is that inter- per cent of the Government’s total cap- rifles, sniper rifles, light machine guns, will result in cost savings, employment Beyond-Visual-Range air-to-air missile im Finance Minister Piyush Goyal said, ital expenditure of 3,36,293 crore and carbines, night vision and night firing generation and will reduce the possi- is another success story. Large numbers “Additional funds, if necessary, would that the total defence allocation, includ- devices, bullet proof jackets and bullet bility of sanctions or denial by suppli- of ground-based radars have been be provided to secure India’s borders ing funds for pensions, accounted for proof helmets among others. er nations. designed and manufactured in India — and maintain its defence preparedness.” 15.48 per cent of the total central Shortage of funds is going to But the Budget is not the appropri- AEW&C, LCA, ALH and LCH. Most Out of the total allocation, 1,08,248 Government expenditure. Strategists, impact the Navy’s procurement of pro- ate tool to encourage this. Services ships of the India Navy are manufac- 0=2-"=2-1 -%  ?-? crore has been set aside for capital out- however, find such a small increase dis- jects that are in the pipeline, including require suitable equipment to be ready tured in India.” lay for the year 2019-2020 to purchase turbing as it comes at a time when the frigates from Russia, minesweepers to meet any operational contingency. India, which is the fastest econo- 31.01 =N nmindful of the threat percep- new weapons, aircraft, warships and armed forces is in the midst of a mod- from South Korea, a second indigenous Fulfillment of such requirements can- my in the world, is spending around     tion, the defence budget for other military hardware. Last year, the ernisation process, compared to its aircraft carrier which is already stuck not be deferred to accommodate 1.5 per cent of its GDP on defence,  1    % U2019-2020 has merely been Government allocated 93,982 crore as neighbours, Pakistan and China, who due to lack of funds, fighter aircraft for equipment, which is still in the design which is far less than China, which     increased by 6.87 per cent to 3.18 lakh capital outlay. Under this, the Army was are already focussing on modernisation the carrier and multi-role helicopters. and development stage with uncertain spends 2.1 per cent and Pakistan, that crore as against last year’s allocation of granted 29,447 crore, the Navy was programmes. The IAF’s capital allocations have outcomes. Since the public sector has spends more than 2.36 per cent of its 3%   2.98 lakh crore, notwithstanding given 23,156 crore and the Indian Air The capital outlay announced for proportionally dipped from 58 per cent failed to progress beyond licensed GDP per annum even when it can ill-     expectations of a major hike when Force got 39,302 crore. After meeting modernisation of the armed forces is to 49 per cent this year. The IAF is in production, private sector participation afford to do so. Actually, around 85 per   *  China and Pakistan are bolstering committed liabilities for procurements not sufficient for the Army, Navy and the process of paying 5,000 crore to must be encouraged much more than cent of the defence budget is current-       their military capabilities. However, in contracted in earlier years, there is no the Air Force. According to reports, the 7,000 crore annual instalments for the what has been done so far. ly spent on meeting human resource real terms, the defence budget has gone money left to purchase new equipment. Indian Army has often pointed out that purchase of ‘Rafale’ fighter jets, which Pointing out the many success sto- expenses (pay and allowances, includ-     down as the hike announced by the The revenue expenditure, which almost 68 per cent of its equipment is have hit the planned purchases like the ries in the recent past, mainly due to ing Ministry of Defence civilians pay   * Government does not even cater for includes expenses on payment of outdated, and the world’s third largest single-engine fighter and a range of the effort of the Defence Research and and maintenance) that leaves a very   1 inflation. Officials said that the final salaries and maintenance of establish- Army needs to urgently modernise its force multipliers like aerial re-fuellers Development Organisation (DRDO), thin margin for upgradation of defence     amount allocated for the defence sec- ments, has been pegged at 2,10,682 armaments and weapons system. that are in the pipeline. former Deputy Air Chief said, “The Air equipment. India needs to spend 2.5      tor included funds set aside for Border crore as against 1,88,118 crore for Surprisingly, a major part of the To ensure self-reliance, the Force and the Army have inducted to three per cent of its GDP on Roads Organisation, Coast Guards and 2018-19. Hopefully, allocation for the Army is deployed for its secondary role Government is emphasising on ‘Make Aakash surface to air missile in large defence if it wants to thwart its adver-  % for payment of salaries and allowances defence forces is to be enhanced when — counter-insurgency operations in in India’. Undoubtedly, this is a step in numbers.” Further, “An eco-system has saries or any adventurism across the     to civil staff of the defence Ministry. the new Government presents a full- the North-East and Jammu & Kashmir the right direction but implementation been created wherein many MSMEs borders.  * Luckily, the total outlay does not fledged budget after the Lok Sabha poll. — thus suffering a large number of needs to be fine-tuned. Capability to participate actively. Brahmos missile (The writer is a retired Professor in    include 1,12,079 crore set aside for the The defence ministry said that cap- casualties because of lack of sufficient produce defence equipment in India is system has been indigenised much international trade)   (  ( )* +,-.   @

< < < ,   $   *   /   %  '(! '(+ Lucknow: Priyanka Gandhi .  @  & Hyderabad: Priyanka Gandhi the case now. Thanks to social Vadra will arrive here Monday %" / Vadra will draw crowds but not and other media exposure, on a four-day visit, her first trip win votes for the Congress as people are demanding their   >=/>11 to the State after being appoint-    " today’s electorate back parties rights now, not just charisma. ed the Congress general secre-   " "" which deliver and are not “So, I don’t think person- hose industrialists who had tary in-charge of eastern Uttar .%  ,  swayed by “charisma,” said ally she will make any impact Tleft India would be urged to Pradesh. the Telangana Rashtra Samiti until and unless the Congress come back after the reversal of Congress president Rahul  $./ .& (TRS) on Thursday. party looks at itself...Where it Government at the Centre, Gandhi and general secretary   & $ $ “Those days have gone has gone wrong, set right all the Mamata Banerjee on Thursday in charge of western Uttar when people with super-charis- problems under her leadership said at the Bengal Global Pradesh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, %$  ma come and sway the voters and builds up the party base...,” Business Summit, a brain child will accompany her on the because voters today are edu- he said. “Over a period of five of the Bengal Chief Minister, to February 11 visit to the state preparation for the polls. cated, especially the youth who years if she works hard, defi- attract investment in the State. capital, party spokesperson “The impending visit by are making an impact,” Congress party. nitely there will be an impact, “I know that many indus- Anshu Awasthi said Thursday. the senior leaders, especially spokesperson for the ruling “Her (Priyanka’s) entry or but not coming just before the trialists have left India for some Preparations are on in the Priyanka Gandhi, has enthused party in Telangana, Abid entry in comparison with any elections”, Khan said. problems they were facing. party to accord a big welcome party workers,” Awasthi said. Rasool Khan, said. film star or celebrity is only to As for the perception in Though this is not right plat- to the three leaders, who will be Priyanka Gandhi was “They (voters) are towards draw the crowd, but they will some quarters that Priyanka form for saying this, I will brought from the airport to the appointed a Congress parties which promise and not transform into votes may “overshadow” her broth- request them to return to India state party office in a roadshow. general secretary last month, a deliver,” Khan told PTI. because voters have decided er and Congress President after the Government is Rahul Gandhi is likely to move that ended years of spec- The “classic case” in this they wanted parties which will Rahul Gandhi, he said changed at the Centre and a return the same day, but ulation over her induction into context is the TRS which swept deliver and keep up promises”, “Anybody who does not per- new industrial policy is framed,” Priyanka Gandhi will stay on in the party. the recent Assembly and Khan said. form will be overshadowed.” Banerjee said at the plenary ses- Lucknow till Thursday, meet- Home to 80 Lok Sabha Panchayat polls in the state On assessment of some “Rahul Gandhi has defi- sion of the two-day mega busi- ing office bearers and party seats, Uttar Pradesh sends the because of good governance analysts that Priayanka’s nitely not performed as a nation- ness meet organised in India’s workers, Awasthi said. highest number of MPs to and delivery on promises, “charisma” is similar to that of al leader, and he has not been biggest media community cen- Workers representing the Parliament, making it a key and there was no “charisma”, he her grandmother and former assertive, he is not seen to take tre, once again constructed at party’s district and city electoral battleground. claimed. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, decisions”, he said, adding, the Banerjee’s behest at up market units will meet her, a party The ruling Bharatiya Janata Priyanka took charge as he said “there is a difference”. Congress would not have won Rajarhat in the north-eastern 7   $     "      ! '#   leader said. Party faces a challenge here AICC general secretary in- During Indira Gandhi’s Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, fringes of Kolkata. $      O  &     4-,5P/ After her brief appearance from the Samajwadi Party- charge of Uttar Pradesh East on days, Khan said, charisma was Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh While giving reasons for 1     # before the media while drop- Bahujan Samaj alliance, Wednesday, a fortnight after important because most of the last year if there was a “third why Bengal should be the ping off husband Robert Vadra while the Congress is trying her formal induction into the voters were illiterate, and it’s not alternative. PTI first destination of global tries, including the USA, Chief Minister said adding at the Enforcement Directorate hard to retrieve lost ground in investors the Chief Minister Fraince, UK, Germany, Korea, Bengal was one State that office in Delhi on Wednesday, the State. said the State had in the past Poland, Italy, Bangladesh etc. hinged on unity despite its the Lucknow visit will mark her Amethi and Rae Bareli, few years transformed to Her State was number one diverse culture. “Bengal shows first public appearance after the Lok Sabha seats held by her become the best in the country in terms of growth rate, unity in diversity where no dis- formally joining the party. brother Rahul Gandhi and in many sectors. Banerjee said, adding Bengal’s tinction is made between castes, The Congress in Uttar mother Sonia Gandhi, are in The Chief Minister who GDP was growing at a faster creeds and religions, where Pradesh is seeing the visit by eastern Uttar Pradesh. spoke amid loud applause from rate than India’s and the State special cares has been taken for her and Scindia as the virtual Prime Minister Narendra a galaxy of industry magnets was placed in the first position the minorities and girl children launch of the Congress cam- Modi’s Varanasi constituency including Mukesh Ambani, in MSME sector, rural housing including offering scholarships paign in the crucial state for the and Chief Minister Yogi Sajjan Jindal, YK Modi, Niranjan project E-governance. for them,” the Chief Minister coming Lok Sabha elections. Adityanath’s stronghold Hiranandani, Bharti Mittal, “Come to Bengal because said reminding how her The two newly appointed Gorakhpur are also part of this Sanjeev Goenka and delegates Bengal is going ahead. It is the Kanyashree project won a UN in-charges for Uttar Pradesh region, under Priyanka and dignitaries from 35 coun- destination for business,” the award. PTI will take stock of the party’s Gandhi’s charge. PTI :%%' 3     1 ) $.  ))   $ / /2$ 6   $"  & 3$. Patna: RJD national president rally is scheduled to cover Lalu Prasad on Thursday vehe- Supaul and Bhagalpur districts Srinagar: At least 10 police- said. “Police rescue teams issued an avalanche warning of mently denounced the recently over the next couple of days. men were feared trapped inside and other concerned agencies varying degrees to 16 of the 22 introduced 10 per cent quota for Taking to Twitter, Prasad their post after a avalanche have been rushed to the site,” he districts in Jammu & Kashmir the economically weaker sections said, “10 per cent quota is a struck Kulgam district near added. for the next 24 hours. among the unreserved category, robbery and most hazardous the Jawahar Tunnel on Kashmir Valley has been High danger avalanche calling it the “most hazardous onslaught on the constitution- Srinagar-Jammu National witnessing heavy snowfall since warning has been issued to onslaught on the constitutional al rights of SCs, STs and OBCs. Highway on Thursday evening, Wednesday with Kulgam dis- Anantnag, Bandipora, rights of SCs, STs and OBCs”. “This is the first step police said. The avalanche hit trict in south Kashmir receiv- Baramulla, Budgam, Prasad came out with the towards ending caste-based the north portal of Jawahar ing maximum precipitation in Ganderbal, Kulgam and strongly-worded remark on a reservationsbarrier of 50 per Tunnel on the Qazigund side, the last 24 hours. Some Kupwara districts in the valley, day his younger son and polit- cent reservation is broken then a police official said. places in the district have while medium danger warning ical heir Tejashwi Yadav is tak- why Government is not While 10 policemen post- received as much as five feet was issued to Poonch, Rajouri, ing out a ‘Berozgari Hatao, increasing quota in proportion ed at the post near the tunnel snow, officials said. Ramban, Reasi, Doda, Arakashan Badhao Yatra’ from to the population of SCs, STs were reported safe, 10 others The Snow and Avalanche Kishtwar, Udhampur and Leh Darbhanga in north Bihar. The and OBCs”. PTI are believed to be trapped, he Studies Establishment has districts. PTI %          '            #   4;   )   7A3B  .   3,0123 veillance,” the Northern Army youngsters not to join any outfit commander said. propagating terrorism. he Army on Thursday said 450 He added that 191 youngsters “We hope that the youth Tterrorists were operating in had joined terrorist groups in the engagement programmes will pay Jammu & Kashmir and the terror Kashmir valley, but there was a rel- dividends in the months to come,” infrastructure across the Line of ative decline in the number of peo- the Northern Army commander Control (LoC) was intact with the ple joining such outfits over the said. Castigating the narrative full support of Pakistan as 16 ter- last few months. being created that it was an indige- rorist camps were operating in the “According to reports, 191 nous movement, he said of the 836 neighbouring country and on the south of Pir Panjal were bid to support infiltration of ter- youngsters are reported to have terrorists killed in the state in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). dormant. “The security situation rorists from across the border, car- joined militancy. Most of the last five years, 490 were “Pakistani “The number of terrorists is is stable on this side. However, the ries out ceasefire violations and recruitments took place up to the or foreign terrorists”. more on the north of Pir Panjal. operations are mostly conducted certain tactical activities along month of August. There was a rel- Lt Gen Singh added there Around 350 to 400 terrorists are on the north of Pir Panjal the LoC,” he said, adding that 16 ative decline in the number of was a significant percentage of active in the Kashmir Valley. On (Kashmir) as more terrorists are terrorist training camps were oper- youngsters joining militancy from Pakistani terrorists, who were the south of Pir Panjal (the Jammu present there,” he added. ating in PoK and Pakistan. October till now,” Lt Gen Singh being used as cannon fodder and region), there are 50 terrorists,” Lt Gen Singh said the terror “They (terrorists) are being said. He added that there were pushed into Jammu & Kashmir to Northern Army commander infrastructure was intact in PoK trained and then brought to the concerted efforts on the part of the cause casualties among Indian Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh and Pakistan. “It is sad that the ter- LoC. Then they infiltrate into Army to reach out to the young- citizens. However, the Army was told reporters here. rorist infrastructure in PoK is still Jammu and Kashmir. We are keep- sters and their parents and teach- taking action to arrest this trend, He said most of the terrorists intact. The Pakistan Army, in its ing these (activities) under sur- ers so that they prevailed upon the he added. $  &  #'(    %   * *  56R   %     Chennai: Days after the Madras High Court advised authorities not to put Gadchiroli: Naxals   10-,11, a roaming jumbo to any discomfort, an allegedly killed a 31-year- animal rights body on Thursday urged old man in Visamundi lawyer told the Gujarat High Court on the State Government to keep village in Bhamragad AThursday that an elevated rail corridor was ‘Chinna Thambi’ in the tusker’s natural taluka in the district on the best solution to save lions from getting run forest home. the suspicion of being a over by trains passing close to the Gir Wildlife People for the Ethical Treatment of police informer, an offi- Sanctuary. Animals (PETA) India also advised the cial said on Thursday. Taking into consideration various other sug- Government to adopt only humane and The body of gestions, a bench of justices SR Brahmbhatt and scientific methods to protect crops and Anandrao Santu Madavi, with his throat slit, AG Uraizee ordered the formation of a com- villages or to translocate the animal to was found on Thursday morning, the mittee to identify the problems and bottlenecks another forested area, if necessary. from the principal conservator of forests police official said. in the way of conservation of lions in the sanc- PETA said compassionate methods by February 11 to a plea seeking a direc- “Madavi was abducted by a group of tuary. The Bench was suo motu (on its own) such as planting chillies around farm tion to prevent authorities from captur- armed Maoists late Wednesday night from hearing a public interest litigation perimeters can be adopted while dealing ing, taming, tranquilising or harming his house in Visamundi, when he was about (PIL), which was admitted by the court in March with human-elephant conflict, citing the ‘Chinnathambi’ which has been ventur- to go to sleep. last year, over the issue of high death example of farmers in Africa dealing with ing into human habitats. “Residents of the village requested the rate of lions in Gir due to various reasons like such problems. In an interim order, the court said the ultras to free him, but they took him to a train and road accidents, falling into wells and The animal rights body also urged the jumbo should not, in anyway, be put dense forest at gunpoint. His body, with the electrocution. Government to incorporate adequate through any physical discomfort. throat slit, was found lying on the road this During the Thursday hearing, advocate town planning as an anecdote to the The 25-year-old jumbo fitted with a morning,” he said. Anand Yagnik, who does not represent any party increasing encounters between elephants radio-collar was translocated from the According to police, a note allegedly in the case but was allowed by the court to share and humans. outskirts of Coimbatore to Varagaliar by written by Maoists, has been recovered. his views on the issue, told the bench that the Some humane methods for manag- forest department personnel on January “Anandrao had applied for recruitment maximum number of lions were getting killed ing human-elephant conflicts include 25, but within days, it ventured into in the police department and was working after being run over by trains. restoring elephants’ habitats, strengthen- human habitations again. as special police officer (SPO). His father was He said the big cats could be saved from ing anti-poaching efforts, and working It was translocated following com- also a police informer. As a result, he being hit by trains if the railway tracks were laid with villages located in critical elephant plaints from residents about the elephant (Anandrao) was killed,” he said. on an elevated corridor, like the metro tracks or corridors, PETA said in a statement. destroying crops and damaging houses for The note mentions ‘Permili Area those of the upcoming bullet train project. “In Africa, farmers have successful- the last seven months. Committee’ of Maoists in the area, he said. Yagnik added that such elevated corridors ly kept elephants away from crops by PETA said it was relieved to read that With this incident, the number of peo- were built in three major national parks planting chillies around farm perimeters,” the government did not plan to turn ple allegedly killed by Naxals on the suspi- — Jim Corbett (Uttarakhand), Sundarbans it said, adding the body has also written ‘Chinnathambi’ into a ‘kumki’ (tamed ele- cion of being police informers has gone up (West Bengal) and Kanha (Madhya Pradesh) — to the State forest department on this. phant) and urged authorities to adopt to eight in Gadchiroli district in the last 20 to save the wildlife from being run The court recently sought response humane methods to protect crops. PTI days. PTI over by trains.   (  ( )* +,-.   C

;-  /58 =   :   5 7R=5 Bengaluru: Playing hardball, O% . . P   Thane: A five-year-old girl’s disgruntled Congress MLAs mother and aunt were arrested Purnea: Uttar Pradesh Chief skipped the Assembly Session for allegedly burning the minor Minister Yogi Adityanath on for the second day on Hyderabad: At least 30 students other universities are safe but with a candle for her mischie- Thursday asserted that Ram Thursday, even as the BJP from Andhra Pradesh and there is no problem for others vous behaviour in Thane dis- temple will be constructed at blocked proceedings of the Telangana have returned from in returning home,” Buchiram trict of Maharashtra, a police “the very place, the very House, claiming the ruling the US. They were those who Kalapatapu, chief coordinator, official said on Thursday. spot” where the deity was coalition has lost majority. were not detained or served Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident The child was playing at her believed to have been born, Anxiety-gripped Congress notices by the US authorities in Telugu (APNRT) Society, told home in Roadpali area of and there should be no confu- has convened a legislature party the “pay-to-stay” scam, accord- IANS. Kalamboli locality in Navi sion regarding this. (CLP) meeting on Friday ahead ing to Telugu organisations. Those working with the Mumbai town on Wednesday, Addressing booth-level BJP of Budget presentation and Telugu organisations work- “victim” students believe that and not listening to her moth- workers here, the firebrand warned its MLAs that absence ing with the students, who had there should be no problem for er and aunt, he said. leader explained his birth place of Sita Mata, would invite action under the enrolled in a fake university the students returning home in The two women apparent- Government’s controversial city- Adityanath came down heavily Anti-Defection Law. floated by the US authorities to finding suitable job opportuni- ly got annoyed over this. They renaming acts, saying pilgrims on the Opposition Rashtriya Opposition BJP continued remain absent from the House approval to the Budget, legisla- expose the immigration racket, ties in India. They had already caught hold of the girl and visiting the birthplace of Lord Janata Dal, saying the Lalu its protest against the Congress- on Thursday too. tion and other related matters by said returning home was the done MS from other universi- allegedly burnt her with the Rama now visit Ayodhya and Prasad Yadav-led party had JD(S) coalition Government JN Ganesh, who is declared CLP leader Siddaramaiah. safest option for the students ties and subsequently availed candle, causing several injuries not Faizabad district and those made it a matter of shame to be from the Well of the Assembly absconding after an alleged The letter to all party who were not detained or Optional Practical Training to her, the official said. who participate in the ongoing called a Bihari. for the second consecutive day, brawl with a colleague law- MLAs also States that absence received notices for violation of (OPT), a one-year work permit. When the child’s father, Kumbh festival were coming to He praised Chief Minister forcing the speaker to adjourn maker at a resort recently, was from the meeting would be immigration laws. “To stay in the US and who works as a vegetable ven- Prayagraj and not Allahabad. Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief the House without transacting also among the absentees. viewed seriously and action As many as 129 students, all work, they took admission in dor, returned home at night, he Adityanath was speaking at Minister Sushil Kumar Modi for any business. From JD(S), lawmaker K C taken against them under the from the two Telugu States, this university for another MS found his daughter crying and a meeting of shakti kendra prab- slowly changing the state’s per- “Nine MLAs from the rul- Narayana Gowda, who has not Anti-Defection law. continued to remain under as it lured the students with the saw burn injuries on her body, haris (micro-level election man- ception. ing side have not signed the been attending the assembly A similar notice was issued “administrative detention” since offer that they need not attend he said. When he asked the agers) drawn from four Lok A similar change of per- assembly attendance register since Wednesday, was alleged- to legislators ahead of the CLP the racket was busted last week. the classes,” said Buchiram. child about the injuries, she Sabha segments of Purnea, ception has been effected by the today,” official sources said. ly in touch with BJP, according meeting on January 18, which About 600 foreign stu- The students doing MS in pointed towards her mother Araria, Katihar and Kishanganj, Narendra Modi Government at Though a couple of legis- to top coalition sources. four of them had skipped,lead- dents, 90 per cent of them any US university have and aunt, the official said. all falling in the Seemanchal area the national level and I was told lators had given prior intima- However, Gowda speaking ing to resort politics in the Indians, had enrolled them- to attend classes for a specified The girl’s father then lodged which has a sizable Muslim by a visitor at the recently-held tion about inability to attend, to a local channel has cited State, amid alleged renewed bid selves with a fake University of period to avail Curricular a complaint against his wife and population. Pravasi Sammelan in Varanasi absence of legislators alleged- health reasons for his absence. by BJP to topple the Farmington floated by the US Practical Training (CPT) or to sister-in-law (his brother’s wife) “Much is going to happen in that they are proud of the new- ly in touch with the BJP to Senior Congress MLAs Government by poaching authorities under a sting oper- work as intern during the at Kalamboli police station, the UP in the time to come. Do not found identity under Prime switch sides, continued to be a have expressed confidence Congress MLAs. ation. More than 80 per cent of course period. official said. worry, we have made it clear that Minister Narendra Modi’s lead- cause of worry for the ruling about Jarkiholi, Jadhav, Ignoring whip, nine these students were from the “Even if a university is The two women were the temple of Maryada ership, Adityanath said. coalition leaders. Nagendra and Kumathalli, Congress and one JD(S) MLA two Telugu States. offering online courses, the subsequently arrested and Purushottam Shri Ram will be “We are not like them (the Four MLAs— Ramesh along with B C Patil, being pre- had skipped the legislature sit- While eight students, who students should find out if it has booked under relevant provi- constructed at the very place, at Opposition) who side with those Jarkiholi, Umesh G Jadhav, B sent at the CLP meeting. ting on Wednesday, that saw worked as recruiters, were physical presence or not. This sions of the Juvenile Justice the very spot. Let there be no who speak in favor of splitting Nagendra, Mahesh Kumathalli, Congress legislators have BJP members disrupting the arrested, 129 were kept under particular university was offer- (Care and Protection of confusion,” he said, amid a up the country. We believe in who had skipped the January been asked to attend the “spe- address of Governor Vajubhai aadministrative detention at ing online courses but had no Children) Act, he said, adding thunderous applause from party slaying 100 soldiers across the 18 CLP meeting and were cial” CLP meeting “without fail” Vala to the joint sitting of the different places. physical presence,” said that a probe was underway into workers. border for every jawan of ours issued notice, continued to to discuss the Budget session, state legislature. PTI “Those who had shifted to Buchiram. IANS the incident. PTI Stating that Bihar was the who is killed,” he said. PTI      $  % @#!   4, 3          $'%   6!#% Mumbai: Although 21 corpo- department, S D Fulsunge, in rators of the Brihanmumbai her reply given recently, said no Guwahati: Movement of trains Municipal Corporation (BMC) case has been filed against any was affected in Assam on have been disqualified since corporator ever since their dis- Thursday morning as members 2007, almost all of them for qualification. She also said that of a youth organisation blocked submitting fake caste certifi- the legal department forwards rail tracks, demanding imme- cates, no case has been regis- the election petitions to the diate revocation of the tered against any of them so far, Small Causes Court. Citizenship Bill and introduc- answer to an RTI query has The election department tion of inner line permit (ILP) revealed. said that 20 out of the 21 cor- in the State. City-based activist Anil porators were disqualified for With banners and placards Galgali had filed the Right to submitting fake caste certifi- in hand, the members of Asom Information (RTI) query with cates, while one of them was Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra the civic body, seeking details disqualified for flouting the Parishad (AJYCP) squatted on of the action taken against the two-child norm. They were the tracks for about an hour in disqualified corporators. elected in 2007, 2012 and 2017 several districts of the state, Officer of BMC’s legal civic polls. PTI including Guwahati, Sivasagar, )   = $       %      %  Charaideo, Dibrugarh,   $  %>   ?  1   ) '       Tinsukia, Nalbari and &      # Udalguri, police sources said. Slogans such as ‘Joi Aai by the Lok Sabha. utes, official sources said. Asom’ (Victory to mother The legislation, which is The AJYCP units of twin Assam), ‘Scrap the Citizenship currently waiting for Rajya districts of Sivasagar and Bill’ and ‘Introduce inner line Sabha approval, seeks to pro- Charaideo also halted the permit’ rented the air as agita- vide citizenship to non- Awadh-Assam Express at tors sought measures to repeal Muslims from Bangladesh, Simaluguri railway junction. the Citizenship (Amendment) Pakistan and Afghanistan after Similar protests were wit- Bill, which was recently passed six years of residence in India. nessed at Biswanath Chariali In Guwahati, the AJYCP and Tinsukia districts. picketers blocked the railway At Numaligarh oil town in level crossing near Kamakhya Golaghat, the agitators came station, preventing movement out in large numbers to block of Satabdi Express, a senior National Highway-39 at police officer said. Rongbong, Letekujan and It was only after the police Panka areas. cleared the tracks and dis- A massive protest meeting persed the crowd, the train was also organised by All Assam could resume its service, he Students Union (AASU) and 30 added. In Udalguri, the agita- allied ethnic groups on tors staged a semi-nude protest Thursday at Naharkatia in against the Bill and blocked Dibrugarh, demanding the with- train tracks for about 30 min- drawal of the legislation. PTI   (  ( )* +,-. .  1

)       < !#'    -4AB 4A-'   31 term reflecting the current low  ' '   level of inflation and the benign he Reserve Bank of India food inflation outlook," the )  >?@ Ton Thursday cut bench- MPC resolution said, adding mark lending rate by 0.25 per that it needs to be watchful of cent to 6.25 per cent on expec- vegetable prices, oil prices,   -.,-/0  -.,-/0 scenario and the associated growth. tation of inflation staying with- trade tensions, health and edu- 3 impact on the financials, JLR "The turnaround 2.0 strat- in its target range, a move that cation inflation, financial mar- ash-starved Jet Airways uto major Tata Motors has concluded that the carry- egy is delivering well with a may make home and other ket volatility and monsoon Chas mopped up 250 crore AThursday reported its ing value of capitalised invest- continuing portfolio of product loans cheaper. outcomes. from advance sale of tickets to biggest ever quarterly net loss ments should be adjusted launches, which are the requi- The RBI, under its new The rate cut is in conso- 2 its customer loyalty pro- of 26,960.8 crore for the third down, resulting in a non-cash site building blocks for sus- Governor Shaktikanta Das, nance with achieving the medi- gramme Jet Privilege, less than quarter ended December 31, £3.1 billion pre-tax exception- tainable growth," he added. changed the monetary policy um-term objective of main- five months after raising money hit by one-time asset impair- al charge and an overall pre-tax In JLR, the market condi- stance to 'neutral' from the ear- taining inflation at the 4 per   -.,-/0 cent, AXIS Bank 0.75 per cent, through the same route. ment in its struggling British loss of £3.4 billion for the tions continue to be challeng- lier 'calibrated tightening', sig- cent level while supporting Kotak Mahindra Bank 0.34 per The deal is similar to the arm Jaguar Land Rover. quarter," Tata Motors said in a ing particularly in China, nalling further softening of growth, it said. ate-sensitive auto, bank and cent and Yes Bank 0.26 per cent. one done in October 2018, an This is the third consecu- statement. Chandrasekaran said. rates if inflation remain benign. "The need is to strengthen Rrealty stocks swung The bank index settled at airline spokesperson said. tive quarterly loss reported by Commenting on the step, "The company has taken With Deputy Governor private investment activity and between gains and losses 30,718.18, up 0.04 per cent. Last October, the airline the company, which had regis- JLR Chief Executive Ralf Speth decisive steps to step up com- Viral Acharya and another buttress private consumption," Thursday after the RBI's rate- The BSE realty shares also received around 258 crore tered a net profit of 1,214.6 said, "We are announcing a petitiveness, reduce the costs member Chetan Ghate voting the resolution said, noting that cut announcement. depicted a mixed trend, with from advance sale of tickets to crore in the October-December non-cash exceptional charge to and improve the cash flows for a status quo, Das and three investment activity is recover- Among the BSE auto pack, Sunteck Realty rising 1.17 per Jet Privilege. quarter of 2017-18. reduce the book value of our while continuing to invest in others outvoted them for ing, supported mainly by pub- Ashok Leyland surged 6.18 cent, Mahindra Lifespace The full service carrier, Total revenue from opera- capitalised investments". exciting products and leading reduction in repo rate to 6.25 lic spending on infrastructure. per cent, Apollo Tyres 4.27 per Developers 0.95 per cent, which is grappling with acute tions, however, rose 4.36 per cent The automotive industry is edge technologies. With these per cent from the existing 6.50 It can be noted that a cut in cent, Eicher Motors 3.35 per Phoenix Mills Ltd 0.63 per cent, financial problems, is working to 77,582.71 crore as compared facing significant market, tech- interventions, we are building per cent. rates can make loans cheaper cent, Motherson Sumi Systems Godrej Properties Ltd 0.57 per to restructure its debt as well as to 74,337.7 crore in the year- nological, and regulatory Tata Motors group to deliver Accordingly, reverse repo and can boost investment activ- 3.09 per cent, Bajaj Auto 3.03 cent, Prestige Estates Projects raise fresh funds. ago period, Tata Motors said in headwinds. At the same time, strong results in the medium was reduced to 6 per cent ities in the economy. per cent, TVS Motor Company Ltd 0.13 per cent and Oberoi "Similar to what was done a regulatory filing. investment in new models, term," he added. from 6.25 per cent. The RBI expects GDP 2.83 per cent and Tata Motors Realty Ltd 0.01 per cent. in October 2018, JPPL con- On a standalone basis, the electrification and other tech- JLR's retail sales were down Repo rate is the rate at growth to be at 7.4 per cent in 2.64 per cent. In contrast, Indiabulls Real cluded a second Prepaid Ticket company posted PAT (profit nologies remains high, he 6.4 per cent to 1,44,602 units, which commercial banks bor- FY20, which is up from the 7.2 Also, shares of Bharat Estate Ltd fell by 3.66 per cent, Purchase agreement, for $35 after tax) of 617.62 crore as added. while wholesales were down 11 row money from the RBI; while per cent estimated for FY19 by Forge gained 2.47 per cent, Sobha Limited 0.81 per cent million, with Jet Airways, against 211.59 crore in the Asked to comment when per cent to 1,41,552 in the third reverse repo rate is the rate at the CSO. Hero MotoCorp 2.01 per cent, and Omaxe Ltd 0.14 per cent. which is in the normal course same quarter a year ago. was last time that the compa- quarter. which RBI collects money from The interim budget pro- Maruti Suzuki India 1.30 per The BSE realty index of business," the spokesperson Total standalone income ny had such a huge quarterly "The financial results banks. posals for FY20 will boost cent and Mahindra & slipped 0.02 per cent to close at told PTI. rose to 16,477.07 crore as loss, Tata Motors Group CFO mainly reflect the lower sales in The RBI cut its estimates aggregate demand by raising Mahindra 1.01 per cent. 1,749.88. At current exchange rate, against 16,186.15 crore in the PB Balaji said: "The point is China and higher depreciation on headline inflation — which disposable incomes, but the full The auto index ended 1.77 "This rate cut means a lot $35 million is around 250 same period previous fiscal. there is one time impairment and amortisation of invest- cooled off to an 18-month low effect of the measures will take per cent higher at 19,603.69. for the market as it is crore. JLR's revenue, however, charge that is being taken so ment expense," it said. of 2.2 per cent in December – time to play out, the MPC said. From bank index, Indusind announced post budget. Jet Privilege, which has declined 1 per cent to 6.2 bil- this is not fair to compare this As part of its plans to for the next year, and expects The resolution said recent Bank fell by 0.82 per cent, Though it primarily aims to got millions of members, is lion pounds. to past". achieve 2.5 billion pounds of the number to come at 2.8 per unusual pick-up in the prices of HDFC Bank 0.28 per cent, keep inflation in a tab and majority owned by Etihad The auto major said its Tata Group Chairman N investment, working capital cent in March quarter, 3.2-3.4 health and education services SBI 0.21 per cent, Bank of boost growth, this is a much- Airways. The Gulf carrier owns profit was impacted by an Chandrasekaran said the com- and profit improvements by per cent in first half of next fis- could be a one-off phenome- Baroda 0.18 per cent and ICICI needed breather for market 24 per cent stake in Jet Airways. exceptional item of asset pany's domestic business con- March 2020, JLR announced in cal and 3.9 per cent in third non, adding that the crude oil Bank 0.04 per cent. and specifically interest rate Amid the cash crunch, the impairment in JLR of 27,838 tinues the strong momentum January that it would reduce its quarter of FY20. price outlook remains broadly On the other hand, shares of sensitive sectors like housing, airline is making delayed pay- crore (3.1 billion pounds). and has delivered market share global workforce by 4,500 "Headline inflation is pro- the same as in the December City Union Bank gained 1.99 per automobile," said Mustafa ment of salaries to many of its "Given the muted demand gains as well as profitable people. jected to remain soft in the near policy. cent, Federal Bank 0.82 per Nadeem, CEO, Epic Research. staff. ,   A   '   '  9:; @     '   %  /3   '      -.,-/0 lying securities are held in the   -.,-/0 ical to an innovation-led investor’s demat account, they economy supported by robust  -.,-/0 Paisa.com, an affordable have complete control and ndia has jumped eight places patent, trademark, copyright, 5discount broker, on transparency into their invest- Ito 36th position on the and trade secrets protection.  %% yson launched an air purifi- Thursday announced their ments. International Intellectual "The improvement reflects Der plus heater uniquely engi- partnership with Smallcase This partnership will allow Property (IP) Index, which important reforms imple-  -.,-/0 neered for year round use, the Technologies to provide low- 5paisa customers to invest in analyses the IP climate in 50 mented by Indian policy-mak- new Dyson pure hot andcool air cost investment products to smallcases based on themes, global economies, this year. ers towards building and sus- oooFarm, an Australia- purifier. It delivers fast and even their clients. 5Paisa.com mobile ideas & strategies — like GST, India's eight-point jump in taining an innovation ecosys- Mbased innovative AgTech room heating in winter, power- stock trading app has over 20 smart cities, investment strate- 2019 from 44th position in tem for domestic entrepre- company launched MoooFarm, ful cooling in summer and effi- lac users, the highest for any gies, sector trackers, smart beta 2018 is the highest increase neurs and foreign investors a mobile application that pro- cient purification through all discount stock trading app. models. The 5Paisa Research among 50 nations mapped by alike," the release said. vides end to end last mile con- seasons. The machine automat- Small cases are baskets of team has also built their own the index, a release said. India's overall score has nectivity solution offering ically detects airborne particles stocks & exchange trade funds smallcase of stocks that are their The US, the UK, Sweden, also increased substantially extension and technology to and gases and simultaneously (ETFs) that help investors’ take top picks for the year 2019 France and Germany from 30.07 per cent (12.03 out the smallholder dairy farmers. reports to the new LCD screen portfolio exposure with zero which have strong fundamen- remained the top five of 40) in the previous edition Through this application, and Dyson Link app in real time. expense ratio. Since the under- tals & earnings momentum. economies on the intellectual to 36.04 per cent (16.22 out of MoooFarm aims to build a self- property index in 2019 retain- 45) in the present edition. sustained dairy farming com- ing their spots from the last "For the second year in a munity by leveraging ICT year. row, India's score represents applications and creating C-  $)  '$ % %  % D  ,C  The index brought out by the largest gain of any coun- employment opportunities for @ /4-,E   $F '   %  %   '  the US Chamber of try measured on the Index, youth, financial empowerment  )   /$      +'  /% G=    / Commerce's Global which covers over 90 per cent for women and doubling the &         C-  $)  ' Innovation Policy Center of global gross domestic prod- farmer income which is aligned $ % % %   %%'  $F '    %%    (GIPC) ranks countries based uct," said Patrick Kilbride, with Government of India’s '   2'   $  ' '  #  > #?   on 45 indicators that are crit- senior vice president of GIPC. mission. %    ''  O-.     ) P

t the launch of the new 3.73 crore And what are Lamborghini’s plans ALamborghini Huracan EVO, to introduce new drive technologies Matteo Ortenzi, Chief Executive such as Hybrids and Electrics in cars? Officer, Asia Pacific, Lamborghini We have seen a vision where these spoke with Kushan Mitra technologies are there but until we believe that performance and feel of the So Matteo how is growth for car are not affected, things like the noise Lamborghini in the Asia-Pacific we will stick with thermal engines.But region? for sure in the future we are studying It is very good, 2018 was a very good these technologies. year and 2019 should be a good year too. When do you see this happening? How is the Indian market looking We see a shift through hybridisation for you? The Urus (SUV) has been can come sooner and later, in the next gen- doing very well here. eration of sportscars lets put it that way… It is and I will tell you why. India is a constrained market due to road con- But your rivals have all moved to ditions, if someone wants to drive a hybrid technologies (Ferrari, Porsche, sports car he has problems, the Urus is McLaren…) offsetting these problems, that is why we have a lot of sportscars behind us. We Lamborghini is after all a very exclu- I cannot speak for my rivals, but this product is closer to developing mar- are here today because of that, the first sive brand. what it is Lamborghini and we have to kets like India. I must say that the Urus market we did the introduction of the We have been saying for some time avoid to do just a statement (car) but a is a big success across the world, but Huracan EVO is India. The Urus is a that the Urus was giving us the oppor- real sportscar that is better than the other even more in the Indian market. And sportscar but as a SUV skin, for us it is tunity ro double our production, and one. Once we are sure that we can do we are seeking more allotment for India very important that every car has the this is becoming the case. Sportscar sales through hybridisation, then we will do. as we are anticipating good volumes. Lamborghini DNA. The EVO is proof of are close to 4000 cars annually, some- There are issues like weight, additional that, the (Huracan) Performante was times 3500 depending on model intro- performance, durability of performance And how are the sportscars doing already very good but we improved all ductions. And we have the same num- is still not there. And we do not want to in India? the details on this new one. ber for Urus, and even if we have big compromise, we want to be the best ones Vey well, this is something we are requests for Urus we will stick to that when we speak about emotions and per- taking care of, we are not forgetting our Matteo, can you give us an India because we want to keep our volume formance. An electric car can do a fan- sportscar because this is the biggest mis- of how much production has been within that range. tastic 0-100, but when you bring an elec- take we can do. The Urus is there because increasing for Lamborghini? tric car lets see how many laps it can do?   (  ( )* +,-. )  11

B       % New Delhi:                 #44 ""1  3( ((4'2") )               1" 1  31-*           #4A  #$#E    ""1      *      #F 1"  %   #+*   1     31- %  # "'( "')    :<#           *     1 -/=1                 <            $4$$""1.  eal Madrid gained a measure of  O  %     1  * redemption at the Camp Nou by Rholding Barcelona to a 1-1 draw on    E Wednesday and taking the upper-hand in the semi-final of Copa del Rey. Johannesburg:   <   .   Neither Lionel Messi nor Gareth Bale        1 P Q    were named in the starting line-ups for      /%    , * this first leg but their replacements filled   %$4%      #A<  Q  the void as Malcom's curling shot can- 2      celled out an early opener from Vazquez.   * R.          After an impressive opening 20 min-        <      utes, Madrid were largely second best in  Q      %R       a compelling, if unspectacular, Clasico but / S      Q   * the result leaves them well-placed head-      Q   ing into the second leg at the Santiago 1              Bernabeu on February 27.  *0  9   < For Santiago Solari's side, a resilient,      S         gutsy display will also help erase the mem-      <    ory of their humiliation here in October, /    *1     when they were thrashed 5-1.    / %           Messi, who had been struggling 9              with a thigh problem, and Bale, who faces 6 /6E6 the start of the second half and when he 1     * a fight for place after recovering from a He jinked inside Nelson Semedo and jogged up the touchline shortly before the calf injury, both came on after the hour teed up Kroos before producing the cross hour, they roared as if for a goal.      but neither could inspire a winner. that created the goal, an arching ball over They did that soon after too, after an Gros Islet: .        Instead, it was Vazquez, and two the head of Jordi Alba, which Karim equaliser of chaos and quality in equal mea-   (            < youthful Brazilians that took centre Benzema tucked back for Vazquez to poke sure. Navas rushed out to block Alba stage. Vazquez scored but Vinicius Junior, in. before Suarez curled a brilliant shot that beat    -       the youngest Real Madrid player to fea- Rakitic and Philippe Coutinho were the diving Sergio Ramos but not the post.  P.   * <%AE< < (  ture in a Clasico this century, was his both careless in possession but Vinicius It spilled to Malcom and he still had     .         team's greatest threat until the 18-year- lacked precision to capitalise, first scuttling work to do, 20 yards out with white shirts     D %       old departed in the second half. into Benzema and then misreading the in front. He found a gap.        -/* Malcom was just as unpredictable Frenchman's run. Messi came on, along with Arturo /(    =,  and in the end, it was his intervention that Barca had been just as frantic, with Luis Vidal, Bale and Casemiro. Vinicius was        keeps Barca on level terms. Suarez even tripping over his own feet. But among those to make way, his bright start   #:<  Q   <   Barely 10 seconds had passed before they improved and after half an hour, were fading with fatigue.   2            * . Toni Kroos snapped into Ivan Rakitic, set- RP        in the ascendancy. Neither side seemed sure how much to   -       <  ting the tone for what was a dominant P   *#+< Malcom missed a one-on-one and then commit for a winner. Messi twice weaved            *   opening spell from Madrid.  <     became their best player for a period, through but the best chance fell to Bale, who        (       Vinicius led the way. He was fearless,  *R crossing for Rakitic to head against the bar received from Benzema after Marc-Andre           %    full of imperfections and erratic decisions and teeing up Suarez to sting the hands of ter Stegen's skewed clearance. The goal was           but delivering moments of clarity too L    8 Keylor Navas. open but Bale's touch was heavy and  9 * ;:=& when Madrid were at their threatening. ? 7  2 ,9 The home fans called Messi's name at Semedo made a crucial block. 5   %        /?=   /6-2==/ The Spanish midfielder curled in a perfect delivery which found Laporte aris Saint-Germain anchester City seized first place unmarked, and only eight yards from Prequired extra time to Min the Premier League on goal, for a perfect header. overcome third-tier Wednesday with a 2-0 win over It was the 16th consecutive league Villefranche 3-0 in the last 16 Everton that moved the champions and cup game in which Guardiola's of the French Cup on above Liverpool on goal difference. side had scored a first half goal, a run Wednesday. Pep Guardiola's side took the lead dating back to their first league defeat Holders and record 12- through Aymeric Laporte's header on of the season at Chelsea in early time champions PSG were the stroke of half-time at Goodison December. held in check at Lyon's Park. And in the context of the title race, Groupama Stadium until Gabriel Jesus it may yet prove to be one of the more Julian Draxler bundled in a struck in the closing important, although it took until deep cross from substitute Edinson seconds to seal a vic- into stoppage-time of the second half Cavani on 102 minutes. tory that moved City for City to claim their second. Moussa Diaby and Cavani level on points with Kevin De Bruyne played in Jesus, sealed victory late on after Liverpool and allowed whose initial run was blocked by both were set up for simple them to return to the Jordan Pickford only for the ball to sit tap-ins by Kylian Mbappe, top of the table. up kindly for the Brazilian to head into who came on for Angel Di Second-placed an open goal. Maria with an hour gone. Liverpool have a game That was a cruel finale for Marco PSG will host Dijon in the in hand on City, who were playing Silva's out-of-form team, who had bat- quarter-finals as they bid to Everton in a game brought forward due tled admirably in the first half and not win the competition for a to a fixture clash with the League Cup given up a single shot on target to that fifth time in a row. final against Chelsea later this month. point. Thomas Tuchel's side face It was a far from inspired perfor- Bordeaux at home in the mance from City, but it was enough to O  ?  ? E league this weekend before turn the pressure back on Jurgen travelling to Old Trafford on Klopp's faltering team, who had occu-  / 2 Pep Guardiola saluted in the last minute of the first half helped for three months. I don't know how far February 12 for the first leg of pied top spot since December 8. Manchester City's never-say-die spirit us a lot," Guardiola said. we will get, maybe we will die in the their Champions League very reliable in the mid- from behind to defeat 10-man Liverpool's successive draws as the champions knocked Liverpool off "We are not the tallest team in the road, but we are trying," Guardiola said. tie with Manchester dle. He didn't lose the Lille, who saw Adama against Leicester and West Ham have the top of the Premier League with a 2- world so we don't expect to score from "We have played one more game United. ball. He had a lot of Soumaoro sent off after just 19 allowed City back into the title race just 0 win against Everton. set-pieces, but (assistant coach) Mikel than Liverpool. It's good to be top but Argentine midfield- quality in his passes. It minutes. when it looked like the Reds were set Guardiola insisted City's return to Arteta works a lot on them. I am so sat- Liverpool has a game at Old Trafford. er Leandro Paredes wasn't easy and he was Fourth-division Vitre to take control as they chase a first the summit was a tribute to his players' isfied." "I don't think too much about that made his first start for very good," Tuchel said reached the last eight of the English crown since 1990. refusal to accept they were out of the For now, Guardiola is just delight- but four or five days ago we could have PSG after his arrival of Paredes. French Cup for the first time in The opening goal came from a hunt. ed with the way City have piled the pres- been seven points behind, it is a lesson from Zenit Saint Petersburg Elsewhere, Jordan club history as a stoppage-time free-kick, needlessly conceded by "Goodison Park, 2-0, we have to be sure on Liverpool by catching them so to never give up. for a reported 47 million Siebatcheu scored twice, penalty completed a remarkable Idrissa Gueye and taken by David happy. In terms of consistency, we did- quickly. "We have an incredible test on euros ($54 million). including a 91st-minute win- 3-2 victory, having trailed third- Silva. n't concede one shot on target. To score "We have a game every three days Sunday against Chelsea." AFP "He played well, he was ner, for Rennes as they came tier Lyon-Duchere by two goals. &     $    "," " - "5   -.,-/0   -/ orld champion Indian weightlifter WSaikhom Mirabai Chanu on Thursday ingsley Coman spared teammate notched up a Gold medal at the EGAT Cup KMats Hummels' blushes with an in Thailand, making a strong comeback from extra-time winner as Bayern Munich the lower back injury that kept her out of stumbled into the German Cup quarter- action for more than half of 2018. finals with a 3-2 win at Hertha Berlin on According to the information received, Wednesday. Chanu won the 49kg category Gold with a Hummels' defensive mistake had gift- effort of 192 kg in the Silver level Olympic ed Hertha an equaliser in the second half qualifying event, the points from which will of normal time, but Coman's header come in handy when the final rankings for ensured that Bayern huffed and puffed Tokyo 2020 cut are done. their way into the last four. "This is my first international event after Hertha took the lead with a brutal recovering from injury. I am feeling 100 per counter-attack after just three minutes, cent fit but since this is first one after injury, Maximilian Mittelstaedt stroking the ball it is not the best result," Chanu said from past Sven Ulreich, in Bayern's goal for the Chiang Mai city in Thailand. injured Manuel Neuer. "But this is just four kg less than my per- Bayern hit back almost immediately sonal best of 196kg. I am quite satisfied and through Serge Gnabry, who pounced on happy with my performance. I had won World a loose ball and smashed in the equaliser Championships in 2017 with 194kg," she on the half-volley. added.    $ %       & Gnabry then put Bayern ahead just The 24-year-old Manipuri lifted 82kg in    +&  $%  ''  after half-time, surging into the box and snatch and 110kg in clean and jerk to finish slotting the ball inside the far post. on top of the podium after recovering from ifier, owing to the injury which had also forced Yet Hummels' howler brought Hertha the injury, which required extensive physio- her out of the Asian Games in Jakarta. back into the game on 67 minutes. The therapy and kept her out of action for nine "My next target is the Asian Bayern defender's weak header allowed months. Championships in China, followed by the Davie Selke to dart into the box and prod tough in the cup, and we are proud to be lead. Sane sealed the win late on. Japan's Miyake Hiromi (183kg) claimed world championships, which is very crucial for the hosts level. through." Their second came from a corner just Earlier on Wednesday, 19-year-old the Silver, while the Bronze went to Papua New me," Chanu said. Hummels continued to look unsettled, Meanwhile, Schalke cruised into the after the break. Winston McKennie forced Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha made Guinea's Loa Dika Toua (179kg). While Chanu was last seen in action at the Gold and he will have been mightily relieved quarter-finals with a 4-1 home win over a good save from Jaroslav Drobny, before history with his first-half winner, as RB Hiromi is the Rio Olympics Bronze-medallist, Coast CWG where she won Gold with an when Coman nodded in the winner Fortuna Duesseldorf on an emotional Salif Sane pounced on the rebound. Mark Leipzig beat Wolfsburg 1-0 to reach the Dika Toua won the 53kg category Silver medal effort of 196kg. eight minutes into extra time. evening for the hosts. Uth added a third from close range on 53 German Cup quarter-finals for the first in the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. She had then lifted 86kg in snatch and "Their second goal was unnecessary, The mood was lightened on the half- minutes. time. Augsburg also progressed after a Chanu had missed the world champi- 110kg in clean and jerk, a Games record and but we all make mistakes from time to hour mark, as Ahmed Kutucu curled the Rouwen Hennings then chipped in a smash-and-grab 1-0 victory away to sec- onships last year, a Gold level Olympic qual- also her personal best. time," Gnabry told ARD. "It's always ball into the top corner to give Schalke the consolation goal for Duesseldorf before ond tier side Holstein Kiel.   (  ( )* +,-. )  1   >A5HI?/7  >;DH;? %    F    '%   ' % F  '' ! " %   1(23 ;" ";" <("(' ! " " idarbha lifted their second suc- $" $&0: cessive Ranji Trophy title with a   #EA:  #EEB