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

JOURNALISM OF COURAGE MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2021, MUMBAI, LATE CITY, 14 PAGES SINCE 1932 `5.00, WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM HIGHGovSPENDtlooSCHEMksESatLIKELY ‘expenditure’ budgettoaid Dead poultry highergrowth bird samples Protesters walked through the fields to reachthe venue of the ‘kisan panchayat’ at Kaimlavillage in Karnaldistrict of Haryana on Sunday. Jasbir Malhi PVAIDYANATHANIYER test positive NEWDELHI,JANUARY10 BUDGET ’21

WITH THE uptickinthe econ- for bird flu in omybetterthan what most Protesters disrupt BJP event in Khattarhits back:only economists estimated posteas- Maharashtra ing of lockdown restrictions, the Union Finance Ministryisofthe Karnal,force CM to cancel visit amendments, Govt viewthat higher spending at this PARTHASARATHI stageofrecovery—ratherthan COUNTDOWN BISWAS that severalpersons suffered in- earlier —will give abiggerpush PUNE,JANUARY10 SUKHBIRSIWACH juries duringthe confrontation. won’t repeal farm laws to growth. IN&OUTOFCOVIDSHADOW KAIMLAVILLAGE(KARNAL), On Monday, the Supreme EXPERT According to sources, the MAHARASHTRA BECAME the JANUARY10 Courtisscheduledtohear a EXPLAINS Prime Minister’s Economic latestinthe line of states to re- clutchofpetitions related to the VARINDERBHATIA AdvisoryCouncil, Niti Aayogand Siraj Hussain ED portcases of Avian Influenza af- AROUND 1,000farm protesters laws,with talksbetween the CHANDIGARH,JANUARY10 the Chief Economic Advisor’s of- Spend tersamples of deadpoultry birds stormedthe venue of ahigh-pro- Centreand farmer unions failing FromTheIndianExpresspanel Haryana CM fice, have pushedfor an expan- morewhen tested positive forthe H5N1 file “kisan panchayat” organised to make anyheadway despite ofspecialists,exclusiveinsight FORCED TO scrap his visit to ManoharLal sionarybudget to reinforce the PLAIN E ● growthlow virus lateSunday. This is the first by the ruling BJP in Haryana protesters camping on Delhi's Karnal Sunday afterfarm pro- Khattar nascent recovery.All have advo- EX time that the statehas witnessed Sunday,forcingChief Minister outskirts foroveramonth. testers took over the venue, cated the Keynes mantrato acase of birdflu since 2006, Manohar Lal Khattar to cancelhis The panchayatinKaimla, or- FARM Haryana Chief Minister Finance MinisterNirmala AFISCAL stimulusin whenitwas firstreportedata visit to thesiteonthe outskirts of ganisedbylocal BJP MLA Manohar Lal Khattar accused Addressing apress confer- Sitharamanduringpre-Budget 2021-22 will be mostef- poultryinNandurbar district. Kaimla village in Karnal district. Harvinder Kalyan, waspartof PROTESTS, Opposition parties and stateBKU enceinChandigarhafter his visit consultations. fective to spur growth, Animal Husbandry The incident also sawclashes the party's plan to hold such BIGPICTURE leader Gurnam Singh Chadhuni to thevenue of aBJP “kisan pan- British economistJohn particularly withmany Commissioner Sachindrapratap between supporters of the BJP meetings to mobilise supportfor of inciting people to disrupt law chayat” in Karnal's Kaimla village MaynardKeynes had argued parts of the economy Singh confirmedthe develop- event and opponentsofthe the laws.However, the protest- EXPLAINED andorder,and insistedthatthe wascancelled, Khattar said: “The that free markets cannotbere- showing clear signsofa ment. Centre's newagriculturelaws, ers had warnedthat theywould PAGE 9 Centrewill notrepeal itsnew Governmentisnot going to liedupon to fuel GDP growth nascentrecovery.Having Earlier this week,the com- with leaders on both sides saying CONTINUEDONPAGE2 agriculturelaws. CONTINUEDONPAGE2 when thereisarecession,ofthe preserved itsspending missioneratehad sent out sam- kind India and the world, has power, the government plesofdead poultry birds from witnessedin2020following the planstospend morein Parbhani district fortesting to Govt slashes THE EDITORIAL PAGE Covid-19pandemic. In 2020, sectorssuchashealthcare, the Bhopal-basedNational Explosion in equipment likely began consumer confidence hit anew housing and construction- Institute of High SecurityAnimal security cover BUDGET:INDIA’S low, and theyavoideddiscre- heavy infrastructure, Diseases. Over 800birds had hospital fire in which 10 kids died tionaryspending; this ledtoa whichpositively impact diedinabackyardpoultryin NEWDEALMOMENT demand collapse, forcing firms manyindustries. Parbhani. of Fadnavis, BY SAJJID ZCHINOY CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Besides,therehavebeen re- PAGE 6 ports of deaths of crows, parrots TABASSUM BUSINESSASUSUAL several other and pond herons from various BARNAGARWALA parts of the state. Laturdistrict MUMBAI,JANUARY10 BY UNNY BJP leaders has also reportedthe deaths of over 200poultrybirds earlier THE FIRE that killed10babiesin Racism stops play in Sydney as this week. ahospital in Bhandara, EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Singh told TheIndian Express Maharashtra, early on Saturday MUMBAI,JANUARY10 CONTINUEDONPAGE2 waslikelycausedbyanexplo- India draw hard line on abuse sion in one of the severalradiant TWOFORMER chief ministers, a warmers in the SickNew-born former Governor,two serving WORLD CareUnit (SNCU), believe theof- Union ministers and the MIHIRVASAVDA ficialswho carriedout aprelim- Chief MinisterUddhav MaharashtraBJP president were &SRIRAMVEERA inaryinspection at thehospital Thackeray visitsthe among those whose security NEWDELHI,MUMBAI,JAN10 on Sunday. BhandaraGeneral Hospital coverwas either withdrawnor The radiant warmer burst on Sunday. PTI downgradedbythe Uddhav RACISM STOPPED playatthe intoflames afterthe explosion — Thackeray government on SydneyCricketGround Sunday. the firstoftwo loud noises heard Sunday, inviting sharp criticism In line with the recentglobal by hospital staffthat night —and the SNCU of Bhandara District “Inquiryisstill going on. We from the Opposition, whichac- trend, wheresportspersons are the seven-day-old babyinside General hospital at 1.30 am on will submit the reportinafew cuseditofrevengepolitics. starting to draw the line between DEMOCRATS SEEK “was foundburnt likecoal”, offi- Saturday. days.Atthispoint we cannot While the security coverof banterand racistabuse from the cials said. Whileitissuspectedthat the comment on howorwherethe Thackeray’s predecessor and stands, the Indian cricketteam ANSWERSFROM The babyhad been aban- fire startedafter the explosion in fire started. But we willgointo current Leader of Opposition in put their foot down andensured Policeremove agroup of spectators afterMohammedSiraj JUSTICEDEPT ON donedonaroadside,and the radiant warmer,members of eachand everydetail,” Dr the Assembly, Devendra that the Test against Australiain complained to umpires,inSydneyonSunday. Reuters TRUMP’S ROLE brought to thehospital by police. the inquirycommittee said Sadhana Tayade, director of the Fadnavis, wasdowngraded, the Sydney washalted for10min- PAGE 11 This and nine other babies were theywereyet to reachafinal DirectorateofHeathServices ‘Y+’ coverenjoyedbyformer utes Sunday till agroup of unruly killedinthe fire that brokeout in conclusion. CONTINUEDONPAGE2 chief minister Narayan Rane was spectators were evicted. Saturdayevening that if some- of Australia’s second innings, Siraj completely withdrawnfollow- The break in playfollowedan thing likethis happens again, we walked up to stand-in captain ing athreat perception review incidentonSaturdaywhen will immediatelyidentifythem,” AjinkyaRahane, and umpires exercise carriedout by thestate Indianpacers Jasprit Bumrah an Indian team management of- PaulReiffeland Paul Wilson. Covid curve doesn’t bend in Kerala Home department. and MohammedSiraj said racist ficial told TheIndian Express. The 26-year-old debutant As per the government order, commentsweredirected at On Sunday, Day4ofthe Test, from Hyderabad said that asec- Fadnavis, who wasearlier enjoy- them as theyfieldedonthe as Bumrahwas about to start tion of the crowdraciallyabused but why stateisn’t overly worried yet ing ‘Z+’ security,will nowbeget- boundaryline. “Wehad decided running in during the 86thover CONTINUEDONPAGE2 ting only‘Y+’ security with an es- number of deaths. In fact, Kerala cort. Sources said that abullet AMITABHSINHA P8 has one of the lowest death proof vehiclethatwasapartofhis &LIZMATHEW countsamong the majorstates. convoy will nowbewithdrawn. Looking for lithium toehold, India PUNE,NEWDELHI,JAN10 With morethan 8lakhcon- The government also down- firmedinfections so far, Kerala gradedthe security coverex- IN THE lastfour months, Kerala has the fifthhighestcaseload in tendedtohis wife, Amruta, and findsasmalldeposit in Karnataka has recordedmorethan 7lakh the country. But thereare 11 daughter,Divija, from ‘Y+’ cate- coronavirus infections,morethan states that have recordedmore gory to ‘X’ categorywhile strik- Preliminarysurveys by the lithium in potential geological anyother stateinIndia. Forthe deaths than Kerala, including ing offthe one previouslyen- ANILSASI Atomic Minerals Directoratefor domains of the country. Thefind last45days,ithas consistently states likeChhattisgarh,Gujarat, joyedbyhis aunt, Shobhatai NEWDELHI,JANUARY10 Exploration and Research in Mandyaisextremelysmall in been the topcontributor of new THEEXPRESS Madhya Pradesh, andPunjab, ‘Our cultureis Fadnavis -- aformer minister (AMD), an arm of the quantitative terms, but it marks cases. The state nowhasthehigh- INTERVIEW that have threetofivetimes different.They(BJP) and asitting MLC. ALONGSIDE Amovetotap into Department of Atomic Energy,is some initial success in the at- estnumber of active cases in the fewercases. can’tcreate fear of Incidentally, while Rane’s se- the global lithium value chain, learnt to have shownthe pres- tempttodomesticallymine the country, comprising almost30 The stategovernment says other religions here. curity waswithdrawn, the gov- India has initiated aconcerted ence of 1,600tonnes of lithium silver-whitemetal by wayof per cent of India’s total. ‘OUR DAILYTOLL that unlikemanyother places, ernment newlygranted ‘X’ cat- domesticexplorationpush for resources in the igneous rocksof hard-rock extraction of the ore. But while Kerala is the worst NEVER WENT Kerala had managed to avoid a It won’tworkinTN’ egorysecurity covertoShivSena the alkali metal, avital ingredi- the Marlagalla-Allapatna region India currentlyimports all its hotspotofthe epidemic in the BEYOND 25’ “sudden peak”, and thathas en- KANIMOZHI MLAVaibhavNaik,who had de- ent of the lithium-ionrecharge- of Karnataka’sMandyadistrict. lithium needs. countrynow,whatisremarkable KKSHAILAJA sured fewerdeaths. LOK SABHA MP, DMK feated Rane in the 2014 able batteries that powerelectric Agovernment official said The domestic exploration is that the rise in cases has notre- KERALA HEALTH MINISTER “In other states, the cases PAGE 10 Assemblypolls. It also slashed vehicles (EVs),laptops and mo- the AMD is carrying out surface push, whichalso includes sultedin asimilar increase in the CONTINUEDONPAGE2 CONTINUEDONPAGE2 bile phones. and sub-surface exploration for CONTINUEDONPAGE2

PAGE1 ANCHOR Lahore to NY via India:his unflinchinggaze—and prose

neer of Indian writing in English. Punjabi family, young Vedlosthis and critic Nilanjana SRoy de- Shawn, who consideredMehtaa blinking”. Sheis convincedMehta and Mamaji.“My processofwrit- AMRITADUTTA We will remember him forhis vision at the ageofthree. scribed as Mehta’s “needtoset it protege,calledhis "prose style- is blind,untilshe is corrected by ing is assembling details, assem- BENGALURU,JANUARY10 keen insight intoIndian society Remarkablyfor that time, his fa- all down”.“It waswritten out of a airy, elegant, marvellouslyclear”. someone: “That isn’t Ved, that’s V bling material,” he said. and what it means to bridgethe ther,aLondon-educated public feeling that Icould partlyallevi- Morestrikingly, Mehta’s writ- SNaipaul”. It wasastory that The personal storyalso told a IN THE beginning, arguably, was gapbetween the eastand the health officer refusedtobelieve atealifeofdeprivationby writing ingcarriedasurfeitof visual detail Mehtawas knowntorecount, largertale of the north Indian VedMehta. Long before writers West,” saidMeru Gokhale, pub- that wasapermanentsetback; he about it,” Mehtawrote. that would oftenflummoxhis too, with awickedchuckle. home in pre-Independent India, such as Salman Rushdie, Amitav lisher,Penguin Press, Penguin sent him firsttoaschool forthe In the next twodecades, readers -- and leadtoone of the In the 1970s, achance conver- and the bigsubterranean shifts Ghosh and Vikram Seth would Random House India. blind in Bombay —and then, at Mehta found amentor in The mostinteresting cases of mis- sation with his father,Amolak in Indian society. become the ambassadors of Mehtaleavesbehind are- the ageof15, to another blind NewYorker editor William takenliteraryidentity.InThe RamMehta, setMehtaoff on the In his subsequent bookssuch Indian English writing to the markable legacy as amemoirist, school in Arkansas, US. Shawn, who encouraged him to World is WhatItIs,the biography seriesofbooks--amillion-plus as The Stolen Light, Up at Oxford, West,ayoungman born in pre- and essayist for TheNew Yorker He wasastudent in California writeonsubjectsasvariedasthe- of VSNaipaul by PatrickFrench, wordsinall -- that exploreand All forLove and TheRed Letters, IndependentIndia found avoice —and aman who, early on, when he beganwriting his first ology and philosophy, RK the author recounts, “A literary document the lifeofhis parents Mehtaheld up his remarkable and spaceinthe NewYorkliter- seizedupon his subject:the re- book, Face to Face(1957)—the au- Narayanand Satyajit Ray. In a groupie is searching forVed and family. Writing at atime life—of aman who losthis sight aryscene in the 1960s. Mehta markable lifeand times of Ved tobiographyofayoung man in his 2009 Idea Exchangeheld in the Mehta, disbelieving that ablind when, as he recalled,“the image but fashionedarichlife—toa diedinNew York at the ageof86. Mehtaand his family, whichhe 20s, who had overcome great Delhi office of TheIndian Express, writer could produce suchvivid of India wasofaleprous beggar steady,unflinchinggaze. To the “Weare extremelysorry to wrote about, over three decades, odds, from blindness to thetu- he recalled: “One thing Ilearnt descriptiveprose. Finding adis- crawling alongCalcuttastreets”, delight and exasperation of his VED MEHTA learn about the passing of Ved in his 12-volume autobiography, mult of Partition, to fashion a from The NewYorker wasthe tinguishedIndian man sitting on he turnedthe focus on the uni- readers in India and elsewhere, it Mehta. He wasamasterofthe au- ContinentsofExile. sturdy self-independence. It was minuteyou startthinking about 1934-2021 asofa, she waves her hand in front versal experience of home and wasastorythat found resonance tobiographical genreand apio- Born in 1934 in Lahoretoa the firstinstance of what novelist your readers youare lost.” of his face while he looksonun- familyinbookssuchasDaddyji in their own. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 2 THE SECOND PAGE THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021

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WEB the insurrection at US Indian Express EXCLUSIVE ValleyinHouseofCards,herearesomefineexamplesoftechproductplacementinmoviesandTVshows. ★★★★★■4.6 Capitol Hill INPHOTOS EXPLAINED NEWEPISODEEVERYDAY HARYANACM’S EVENT COVID-19 VACCINE In today’s episode of the ‘3 Things’ podcast, CANCELLED DRIVE AT AGLANCE we analysethe impact of the violence at Protests turn violent at The scramble forshots the Capitol in Washington DC by SCANTHISQRCODETO rallyvenueinKaimla has accelerated around pro-Trumpprotesters DOWNLOADTHEAPP village the world FROMPAGEONE

Karnalprotests an alternative hasbeen givento all equipment working and in BJP. the farmers.Iftheyget MSP out good condition. Abi-annual cal- The security detail of high- blockthe event as “the central of the mandi, whywould farm- ibration of equipment wascon- Govt looks at ‘expenditure’ budget profile prosecutor Ujwal Nikam government is holding meet- ers object to that? It will benefit ducted on September 16,and wasupgradedfrom‘Y+’ with es- ings with farmer leaders while them.” the reports were normal. cortto‘Z’ category, while that of the BJP is holding functions to Blaming the violence on to stop investing.Indepressing Act, the government wasex- keen to increase spending are glide path forreducing debt Maharashtra’s Lokayukta, mobilise supportinfavourof “certain unscrupulous ele- times likethese, Keynes said pected to reduce itsfiscal healthcareand construction- levels. Justice (retd) MLTahiliani, was anti-farmerlaws”. ments,” he said: “Wehavea Lithium onlygovernment intervention deficit to 3per cent of GDP in related activities, be it infra- The RevisedEstimate for downgraded. On Sunday, despitethe po- strong democratic set-up in our through higher spending can 2020-21. structureorhousing.Public fiscal deficit forthe current fi- Countering the Opposition’s lice launching amild lath- country, the Constitution gives exploratoryworktoextract revive demand and restoresta- But whilepresenting the spending in these activities nancial year maybearound 6.5 allegation, stateHome Minister icharge,using watercannons all these rights. We have never lithium from the brine pools of bility. Budget,Sitharaman had in- have ahugetrickle down ef- percent of GDP.Inmaking pro- Anil Deshmukh said that the and tear gas, and settingup stoppedanyone from express- Rajasthan and Gujarat and the With additionalspending vokedthe escape clause for fect, and benefit manyindus- jections fornextyear,the gov- downgrading wasdue to arou- sevencheckpoints, the protest- ing their views.Evenamid mica beltsofOdisha and by Indiainthe pandemic year havingdeviated from thetar- tries from cement to steel be- ernment maybudget onlynor- tine threat perception review. ers managed to reachthe venue Covid-19,wemadeadequate Chhattisgarh, comesatatime restricted to less than 1.5per getfor 2019-20 and 2020-21to sides creating durable jobs,” a mal increasesindepartmental Taking on critics, Deshmukh through wheat fields surround- arrangementsfor their safety when India has steppedupits cent of the GDP, thegovern- the extent of 0.5 per cent of government source told The and ministerial allocations said that NCPpresident Sharad ing the area. Theytookoverthe and security.But the violationof economic offensive against menthas preservedenough GDP; the Budget Estimateof IndianExpress. giventhatcapacities to spend Pawarhad calledhim offering site, and damaged the stageand Constitutional provisions is un- China, amajor source of gun powder to utiliseinfinan- fiscaldeficit for2020-21was With the GDP expected to cannotimprove suddenly. to reduce his ownsecurity atemporaryhelipad setupfor pardonable,” he said. lithium-ion energy storage cial year 2021-22. 3.5 per cent of GDP. postanegative growth of 7.7 Thatbeso, Finance Minister cover. Khattar's arrival. productsbeingimported into “There is good clarity on “TheFRBMAct is rigid; it per cent in 2020-21, the gov- Sitharaman is mostlikelyto “Pawar is anational leader, Haryana BKU president the country. The Marlagalla- the economic damagein- takesawaythe flexibilityofac- ernment expects astrongre- announce some specific high- has been aUnionminister but Gurnam Singh Chadhuni later Sydney Allapatna area, along the flicted;inhindsight,thereisa tively pursuing acounter-cycli- boundnextfinancial year.But expenditureschemes or pro- he had barelyany security in the referred to the incident in a Nagamangala SchistBelt, which feeling the government ap- cal policy,” asource said. A even a14per cent in 2021-22 grammes forpublic housing, lastfour years. Even Ajit Pawar video messageand said that him while he wasfielding in exposes mineralisedcomplex proachofverytargetedspend- counter-cyclical policy entails (over2020-21), would mean a health or other infrastructure. had no escort. Sharad Pawar “wehavegot it done certainly front of the Brewongle and Clive pegmatites (igneous rocks), is ing during the firsttwo quar- ahigher than normal govern- growth rate of notmorethan The resources conserved dur- spoke to me on the phone offer- because they(BJP) were hold- Churchill stands —the same seen as among the mostprom- ters of 2020-21worked. ment spending when the 5.5 per cent over 2019-20. ing the year and the fiscal re- ing to return some of his secu- ing aprogramme in Kaimla vil- area of the ground from where ising geological domains forpo- Openingthe purse-strings next economyispowering down. High spending will mean straint shown in 2020-21may rity.” lageparallel to ouragitation”. the racistchantsweremade tential exploration forlithium financial year will yield maxi- “In extraordinarytimes like high growth, and this itself will give her sufficient elbowroom Congress spokesperson “The BJP says they willhold700 Saturday. As he pointed to the and other rare metals, officials mum gains,” said asource, these,the government has to be an antidote to bring deficit to go foranambitious expen- SachinSawant tweetedsaying rallies to break farmers'agita- alleged abusers, all the players said. who did notwish to be named. makeasubstantial interven- down, said asource. ditureprogrammeinthe com- BJP leaders were creating a tion. We will oppose wherever —including the batsmen, Thereare,however, two Towardsthis end, the tion on the expenditureside, While the combineddebt ing year. furoreoverthe withdrawal of BJP holdssuchrallies because Australia captain TimPaine and caveats. First, the newfind is Finance Ministryisalso consid- especiallywith acollapse in of the Centreand states as a Besides, the government security forthose without this agitation is to save the Cameron Green —stood to- categorisedas“inferred”, one of ering areviewofthe Fiscal demandand no private sector percentageofGDP stood at 72 mayalso consider allowing threat perceptionbut had re- country,”hesaid. gether at the middle of the the three categories intowhich Responsibilityand Budget interesttoinvest…,”the source per cent lastyear,itisexpected states to borrowmore. In the joiced when security was MLAKalyansaid senior BJP ground. mineral resources aresubdi- Management Actinline with said, underlining the to touch85per cent giventhe current financial year,under a slashedfor the Gandhi familyby leaders on the stage, including Playresumed onlyafter po- vided, in order of increasing ge- the recommendations of the Keynesian economic philoso- shrinking of the GDP this year, special assistance scheme, the the Centredespitethreat per- statepresident Om Prakash liceevicted six people from the ological confidence.The ‘in- NK Singh panel, whichsug- phy. and higher government bor- Centrehas already approved ception. Dhankar, Education Minister ground fortheir actions.Cricket ferred’mineral resource is the gested that the debt-GDP ratio “It will be morean‘expen- rowings. It is in this backdrop capital expenditureworth In all, the government up- KanwarPal Gujjar and Sports Australia said theyhave partofaresource forwhich (asopposedtofiscal deficit) be ditureBudget’than arevenue that the Finance Ministrymay Rs 9,879.61 croreand released gradedthe security of twoper- MinisterSandeep Singh, were launchedaninvestigation into quantity,grade and mineral takenasthe primarytargetfor Budget;after consultations announce makingdebt-GDP Rs 4,939.80 croreofthe total sons, downgradedthat of 11 takentoatemple nearby “for se- the incident“parallel with the content areestimated only with fiscal policy. with various stakeholders, the ratio as the primarytargetfor Rs 10,250 croreallocated to others, withdrew the coverof16 curity purposes”. NewSouth Wales police”.The alow levelofconfidence based Under the amendedFRBM areas wherethe ministryis fiscal policy,and provide anew states. people,while granted 13 people “Those who entered the rally International CricketCouncil, on information gathered from security coverafresh. venue were anti-social ele- too, condemnedthe incident. locations suchasoutcrops, ments, notfarmers. Therewas Captain ViratKohli said trenches, pits, workings, and laxity on the partofpolice al- “racial abuse is absolutelyunac- drill holesthatmay be of limited Kerala: Most daily casesbut very few deaths Bird flu though theyhad made arrange- ceptable”. or uncertain quality,and also of ments. Howdid they(agitators) “Having gone through many lowerreliability. went up and have startedto other countries. That might that orders forculling of birds reachthe venue?” the MLAsaid. incidentsofreally pathetic Second, the lithium find is come down, but that resulted CASECOUNT be adding to the susceptible within 1kmofthe epicentre in However, local farm leader things said on the boundary comparatively small, consider- in higher number of deaths. population as well.But it is Parbhani and Latur have been Rajender Arya accusedBJP sup- lines,this is the absolute peak of ing the size of the proven re- Our main strategy has been very difficult to explain what issued. Thereexistmedium to porters of stone-pelting and at- rowdy behaviour.It’s sad to see serves in Bolivia (21million to prevent the spread to very CasesDeathsCFR exactlyishappeningwithout small poultrieswith 500to tacking farmers. “The Chief this happen on the field,” Kohli tonnes), Argentina (17million large numbers of peopleall Maharashtra19,65,556 51,196 2.60% looking at relevant data. 1,000 birds in areas where Ministershould understand the tweeted. tonnes), Australia (6.3 million at once, and limit the num- Thereare other states which culling would be undertaken. Karnataka 9,26,767 12,157 1.31% feelings of farmers and avoid Kohli’sside wasatthe re- tonnes), and China (4.5 million berofdeaths,” Kerala Health receivedlarge numbersofin- “A 10-km surveillance zone suchfunctions till the matter is ceiving end of racistchants tonnes). MinisterKKShailaja told The Andhra 8,84,689 7,1280.81% ternal migrants,but never has been created and we are resolved. The administration when India toured Australia in Over 165crore lithium bat- Indian Express in an inter- Tamil Nadu 8,25,53712,215 1.48% had suchaprolonged surge,” keeping averystrict watchon should have allowedfarmers to 2018.Eventhen, fans were teries areestimated to have view. he said. the situation,” he added. Kerala 8,06,6043,3270.41% stagethe protestnear the venue ejectedfromthe Melbourne been importedintoIndia be- With 3,305 deathsason Gautam Menon, profes- Singh said that forquicker instead of stopping them at the Cricket Ground on Day1ofthe tween 2016-17and 2019-20 (up Saturday(includingones that Delhi 6,29,801 10,666 1.69% sor of physics and biology at detection of cases, he has re- national highway,whichissev- Boxing DayTest. to November 30, 2019). the stategovernment has as- As on January 9, 2021. Includes deaths that states have AshokaUniversity,offered questedthe Union government eral kilometres away,” he said. Afterthe day’s playSunday, sessedtohavebeen caused assessed to be caused by co-morbid conditions. another plausible explana- to allow testing of samplesata Karnal Deputy when India were 98 fortwo and by co-morbidities), Kerala tion. regional centreinAundh. Commissioner Nishat Kumar needed 309morerunstowin, Security cover has amortality rate of about “This is alsojustanin- The samples from Yadavtold The Indian Express: spinner RAshwin acknowl- 0.4 per cent, three and ahalf formedguess, but one of the Maharashtra, including that of “Wehad deployed1,500police- edgedthat players had experi- the security coverofthe CM's times lowerthan the national possible reasons we can crow from Thane, have tested men to maintain lawand order enced“this in the past, espe- cousin and Maharashtra average. Maharashtrahas a WHEREKERALASTANDS think is related to Kerala’s ur- positive forthe H5N1strain of during the event.” Yadavsaid ciallyfrompeople in the lower Navnirman Sena chief Raj mortalityrateof2.6, while banisation. Because Kerala is the virus. police have notreceivedany in- tier” of the stand at Sydney. Thackeray from ‘Z’categoryto the figurefor Delhi is 1.7. 60000 Keralahasthefifthhighestcaseload, nowalmostentirelyur- Earlier,birdflu cases have formation about anyinjuries. “Theyhavebeen quitenasty ‘Y+’ with an escort. “InKerala, our dailydeath 50000 banisedwith very high den- been reportedinmigratoryand IGP (Karnal range) Bharti Arora and hurling abuses as well. But Apartfromthis,the security toll neverwent beyond 35. butranks12thinthenumberofdeaths sity of population, and there wild birds from Uttar Pradesh, wasseen monitoring security this is thetime they have gone detail of aslewofBJP leaders -- And these aremostlyelderly 40000 arehardlyany open rural Himachal Pradesh,Rajasthan, 51,138 arrangements. one step ahead and usedracial including Union Minister people or those with co-mor- 30000 spaces in the state, the re- Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Congress general secretary abuses... It is definitelynot ac- Raosaheb Danve,state BJP pres- bidities. Kerala’s achieve- 20000 porting of cases could be Gujarat and Kerala. Sample 5

Randeep Singh Surjewala ac- ceptable in this dayand age. ident Chandrakant Patil, former ment has been in limiting the 12,153 12,208 higher.Inother states, ama- from Chhattisgarhand Delhi are 10,654 9,902 8,469 10000 7,127 5,437 4,335 3,691 cusedthe stategovernment of Sometimes this rootsbackto MaharashtraAssemblySpeaker deaths. Even now, astate 3,469 3,30 jority of cases aregetting re- also being tested. resorting to “event manage- upbringing. This mustbedealt HaribhauBagade, former state with suchpopulation den- 0 portedfromthe urbancen- The Centrehas asked the a a h h ra rh ment” andorganising a“sarkari with an iron fist and (officials finance ministerSudhir sity,the death rate is less than rat tres. Thereisareasonable stategovernmentstobeonhigh ngal des Delhi Nadu atak Kerala mahapanchayat”. must) makesurethisdoesn’t Mungantiwar,former socialjus- half aper cent,” Shailaja said. asht chance that cases emerging alert. rades Be Punjab Andhr Guja ttisga Pra mil

Senior INLD leader Abhay happen again,” Ashwin said. ticeminister Rajkumar Badole But while the death rate rP in the villages arenot being This would be thefirsttime Karn Ta hya Mahar Singh Chautala said the opposi- as well as legislators Ram has been kept in check, rela- West reportedinthose states. the state is reporting cases of Chha tion to “BJP’s kisan panchayat Kadam and Prasad Lad -- has tively speaking, the continu- Utta Kerala has no rural areas and, Avian Influenza sincethe out- Mad has sent aclear signalthat the Hospital fire been entirelywithdrawn. ing trend of averyhigh num- therefore, the cases maynot breakin2006. Between 2006 anti-farmerlawswon’t be tol- Meanwhile, BJP's Praveen beroffresh infections in be hidden,” he said. and December2018, India has erated.” (DHS), who is heading the six- Darekar,Leader of Opposition in Kerala, when all other states whichatone point were re- verse.Alargerproportion of “Wecan see some support- reported225 epicentresofthe member committee, said. the Legislative Council, was have seen their numbers de- porting over 10,000 cases a populationgot infectedini- ing evidence in the cases that disease, whichhad ledtothe Chief MinisterUddhav newlyassigned‘X’ categoryse- clining, is something that is day, arenow finding newcases tially, but that meant there arebeing reportedfrom culling of 83.49lakh poultry Khattar Thackeray visitedthe hospital curity. notverywell explained. in the lowerhundreds. were fewersusceptible people Mumbai and Pune,for exam- birds. on Sunday and metthe families Reacting sharply, BJP leader Since September 1, the “It is intriguing, no doubt. left. But as Isaid, this is justa ple. In these adjoining cities, As per setnorms, birds and repeal these laws.Itiscertain. of the babies who had died. RamKadam, whose security statehas reportedmorethan And in theabsenceofsero- guess. It is notbasedonany the numbers have notreduced eggs found within 1kmradius Even if stategovernments areto “I offeredmycondolences to coverwas withdrawn, said, 5,500cases everyday on aver- survey data, it is difficult to say dataorevidence,”Prof considerablyoverthe lastone of theepicentre have to be de- be exempted, therewill onlybe the parents. Therewill be astrict “This is revengepolitics.” age. On 70 of these days,the what exactlyisresulting in Gagandeep Kang of Christian month. Of course, theyhave stroyedtoprevent the spread of amendments. Aresolution can inquiryintothis incident and Mungantiwar added, “I was statewas the single biggest these numbers in Kerala. It is Medical College, Vellore, said. reduceddrasticallyfromtheir the disease. be reachedafter discussion on we willtakeaction againstthose providedsecurity,asIworkin contributor of cases in the possiblethat because Kerala Dr Shahid Jameel,director peaks. But in the lastone Avian Influenza is ahighly certain points. But Idon't think responsible,” the CM said. Naxalareas... it seems nowthat country. During this same managed to contain the of the TrivediSchool of month, these numbers seem contagious disease among birds the Government is going to Hospitalsources said the Naxalism doesn't existany- time, dailynumbers in spread in the firstphase, it is Biosciences at Ashoka to have stabilised. These urban causedbyH5N1 virus. Other withdrawthese laws.Iam prematurebabywas admitted more. Our voice forthe protec- Maharashtracame down from nowleftwith alargerpropor- University,agreed. “That can pockets wouldalso have bet- strains like H7 is also reported hopeful thatdiscussions arego- in the “out-born” section and tion of people and their rights apeak of about 24,000 to tion of people who areunin- surely be apossibility.Also,the terreporting of cases com- to causethe disease. The disease ing in the right direction, that is kept in aradiant warmer to help will grow sharper." about 3,000.AndhraPradesh, fected,and susceptible. In fact that the statehas received pared to the interior areas, for wasfirst reportedinHong Kong whythe next dateofmeeting maintain his body temperature. Rane, meanwhile, said he Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, other states, it happenedinre- alarge number of people from example,” Prof Menon said. in 1996 and the firstcaseofhu- has been fixed.” The warmers were linedupina had been extendedsecurity by man transmission wasreported Asked aboutthe laws,he rowinthe SNCU.The one that the Mumbai Policedue to in 1997 in apoultry worker. said: “Wheneveranew policy is had the seven-day-old boywas threatsfromterrorists. “If any- While the virus can spread to made, it always takestimeto completely gutted,and the ad- thing happens to me,the state the kind of leaders who depend The securityofactor-turned- Five ministers in the Maha Others whose security cover humans, human-to-human see itsbenefits. Had we waited joining warmers on either side government is to be blamed,” he on security,weworkamongthe politicianShatrughan Sinha, Vikas Aghadi government – wasdowngradedincludeUnion transmission has notbeen re- forsome time, we would have were partiallydamaged.Babies added. people.” who is nowwith the Congress, VijayWaddetiwar,Dilip Walse MinisterRamdas Athawale, for- portedyet. gone to the Union Government in those twowarmers also suf- Fadnavis, however, ap- But stateBJP spokesman wasupgraded. Twoother fresh Patil, Sunil Kedar, Sandeepan mer Uttar Pradesh Governor According to experts,the and said thatthereweredis- feredburn injuries. The other peared to brush the matter KeshavUpadhye said,“The de- additions to those givensecu- Bhumre and Abdul Sattar– RamNaik and former BJP minis- virus dies if exposedto70de- crepancies in theselaws. Ibe- babies dieddue to smokein- aside, stating he didn't want to cision shows what kind of a rityraisedeyebrows–Sunetra were newly providedsecurity, terAshish Shelar. grees Celsius temperature, lieve we should wait foratleast halation. getintothe politicsofit. “I never mindsetthe government has, Pawar, wifeofDeputy Chief while the coverextended to The government also with- therefore, properly cooked one year to see itsbenefits.Even District officials said hospi- demanded security even as the and it is unfortunate.During MinisterAjit Pawaraswell as Legislative Council Chairman drew the‘X’ categorysecurity of chickenand eggs aresafefor today, these farm legislations talmanagementservices firm party chief, it wasonlyasCM, lockdown, Fadnavis wastravel- Yuva Sena leader and Minister RamrajeNaik Nimbalkar was former Mumbai Congress chief, consumption. arenot binding on farmers. FaberSindoori conducted an when therewerethreats, Iwas ling to everynook and corner of AadityaThackeray’s cousin, enhanced.Deputy Speaker of Kripashankar Singh, who quit Mandis arethere, MSPisthere equipment audit at the SNCU on givensecurity.This won't affect the state, while Thackeray was Varun Sardesai. Both were ex- the Assembly, Narhari Zhirwal, the party aheadofthe 2019 FULLREPORTSON and shall always be there. Only September 2, 2020, and found my movement at all. We arenot sitting at home.” tended‘X’ categorysecurity. wasaccorded'Y' security cover. Assemblypolls in supportofthe www.indianexpress.com WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021 3 THE CITY Sonu Sood moves HC against Sena woos Gujaratis, says it BMC’s constructionnotice protected themduring riots

restorethe property as per the Sood contended thatthe notice added.BMC pollsand elections EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE original plan or getapproval wasissued with"malafide in- VISHWASWAGHMODE to other municipal corporations MUMBAI,JANUARY10 from the competent authority tent" and was"nothing but MUMBAI,JANUARY10 across the stateare likelytobe forchanges made. blackmailing tactics issuedatthe held early 2022. The Gujarati ACTORSONU Sood has moved Afterreceiving the notice behestofthe complainant TO WOOthe Gujarati diaspora community is acorevoterbase the BombayHigh Court, chal- from the BMC, the actor ap- (BMC)". aheadofthe 2022 BMC polls, the of the BJP in Mumbai. Over the lenging an order of the city civil proachedacivil courtin Asingle benchofJustice ShivSena on Sundayheld agath- lastfew years, Sena has been courtthat dismissedhis petition December but failedtoget relief Prithviraj Chavan is likelytohear ering of the community mem- The ShivSena event in makingattemptstoreachout to againstthe notice issuedtohim following whichhefiled an ap- Sood's appeal on Monday. bers, whereitspokeabout pro- Andheri on Sunday. Amit non-Marathi communities to re- by the BMC. peal in the High Court. AdvocateAmoghSingh, repre- tecting the community during Chakravarty tain powerinthe BMC, whichit The BMC issuednotice to the Soodhasurgedthecourttoset senting Sood, said, "Weare seek- the 1992-93 Mumbai riots. has ruled forovertwo decades 48-year-old actor forallegedly aside the civilcourt's order and ing that the courtquashes the Now, theSenaplans to or- now. Sena corporator Rajul Patel, carryingout structuralchanges quash the BMC notice issuedin notice issuedbythe BMC and ganise suchgatherings every Shah, who organisedthe whoattendedthe event, said the to aresidential building in October lastyear,and also sought provides interim relief to thepe- monthacross Mumbai in areas event, spokeabout creating Gujaratis sufferedhugelosses suburban Juhu withoutpermis- interim reliefrestraining the civic titioner." dominated by Gujaratis, said awareness among the next gen- due to demonetisation and GST. sion. body from taking coercive action The BMC lastMondayfileda Hemraj Shah, the party's na- eration on howthe Sena had “Now,withSena heading the Sood and his wifeSonali, in againsthim. Challenging the civil complaint at the Juhu police tional organiser and aprominent protected the community dur- government, we will take up their petition filedlastweek court's order of December 19, station, seeking an FIR to be Gujarati face. ing the Mumbai riots. theirissues andresolve them,” through advocateDPSingh, said Sood contendedthatthe court lodged againstSoodfor allegedly The party’s Gujarati cell or- “After the 2002 Godhrariots, she added. theydid notcarry out any"ille- "oughttohaveconsideredthatthe converting the residentialbuild- ganisedthe gathering with the whenthenPrimeMinister Atal Kalpesh Mehta, adeveloper galorunauthorised" construc- noticewas issued by the ing into ahotelwithout permis- tagline –“Mumbai ma jalebi ne Bihari Vajpayeespokeabout fol- who joinedSena at the event, tion in the six-storeyShakti complainant (BMC) who is hell- sion. According to the BMC, on fafda, Uddhav Thackeray aapda lowing rajdharma to then chief said that he would take up issues Sagar building. bentoncausingharmto theprop- January4,another team again (Jalebi and fafda in Mumbai, ministerNarendraModi, Shiv facedbythe business commu- On October 27,2020, the erty of the appellantsifatall itsil- visited theactor's property UddhavThackery is ours)”. Nine Sena president Balasaheb nity withthe state. “I will work BMC issuedanotice under legal demands arenot satisfied". to checkifhehad removedthe businessmen, including Kalpesh Thackeray had extendedsup- as abridgebetween the business Section 53 (1) of the He also stated thatthe BMC unauthorisedparts. Mehta, Jayesh Solanki andoth- porttoModi. We needtocreate community and the govern- Monopolistic and Restrictive notice wasincontravention of It wasfound, however, that il- ers, joinedthe event held at awareness among the youth of ment. Ihope the community will Trade PracticesAct to theSoods, provisions of the Mumbai legal construction wasonde- Gujratri SamajBhavanin the community about it and stand behind Sena afterseeing giving them amonth'stime to Regional Town Planning Act. spitethe notice. Andheri(West). connect them with Sena,” he itswork,”headded. Navysailor founddead inINSBetwa

who took his rifle minutes be- EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE fore,failedtoattend it, and even- MUMBAI,JANUARY10 tually, thecrew startedlooking forhim.” IN Asuspected case of suicide, a He wasfinallyfound in a 22-year-old Indian Navy sailor, cabin with abulletinjury. "It postedonboardINS Betwain lookslikeheshothimself on the Mumbai, wasfound dead inside neckpointingtowards the head," acabin of the shipwith abullet said an officer.Choudharywas injury. rushedtothe hospital wherehe Police said that the incident wasdeclared brought dead. took place around 9.30am and The police said that no sui- the deceased’s service riflewas cide note has been found as yet. found next to his body. “INS Betwahas been at the Lion Officials said the deceased, Gateharbor forthe past Ramesh Choudhary, wasan six days," said an officer adding Electrical Artificer (Power) 5 that, rank.The policesaid that the “Weenquired his friendsin crew at the ship startedlooking the navy and theysaid that there forChoudharyafter he didn’t wasnothing abnormal in turn up forthe routineatten- Choudhary’s behaviour and he dance. did notlook stressed. He had re- AColaba police station offi- turnedfromaleave twodays cer said,“Around 9.30pm,the ago." crew members aresupposedto The bachelor sailor hailed collect their rifles and showup from Jodhpur, and is survivedby forthe attendance.Choudhary, his parentsand ayoungersister. Mumbai air quality worst in Oct 2020

SANJANABHALERAO MUMBAI,JANUARY10

ACCORDINGTOthe MaharashtraPollution Control Board(MPCB), October wasthe mostpolluted month in terms of Mumbai’s air pollution in 2020. During thatmonth, the average Thick smog envelopes Sewri air quality index(AQI) was149 on Sundaymorning. Ganesh (moderate) in Mumbai, followed Shirsekar by 147inNovember. The MPCB releasedamonth- wise datasheetofAQI for20lo- demic’s outbreak,resulted in cations in the state. Experts said good AQIinJulywhen air pollu- gradual reopening of the city, tion wasmuchlower than the whichcoincidedwith the onset previous year. of winter,resulted in rise in pol- Ronak Sutaria, founderand lutionlevels. director of Mumbai-based Thane and Dombivlihad the Respirer LivingSciences (RLS) worstair quality lastyear,with Pvt Ltd, said: “In addition to hu- the averageAQI crossing 200in man-inducedemissions,one November.The cleanestair was should also considerstrongre- recordedinNashik,with the av- gional influences, resulting in erageAQI of 21 in July.Thisisalso higher pollution levels. Our data the lowest AQIrecordedacross showthat notjustMumbai but the statein2020. However, areas around arealso recordinga January2019recordedhigh lev- spikeinpollution levels.” els of air pollution in the city, In astudy titled'Impact of with an AQIof193 (moderate), Lockdown (March 25 to April19, followedbyFebruaryand March 2020) on Air Quality' by the at 164and 140(moderate), re- Central Pollution ControlBoard spectively.The best AQIwas in (CPCB), the CPCB notedthatma- August(54)2019. jor sectors that contributetoair AQIisamean of pollutants pollution aretransport, indus- suchasparticulatematter tries, powerplants, construction (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone (O3), activities,biomass andrefuse- nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur burning, road dust re-suspen- dioxide (SO2)and carbon sion and residential activities. monoxide (CO) emissionsasa Under the nationwide lock- single value. The higher the AQI down, all transport services were value, the greater the levelofair suspendedwithexceptionsfor pollution and the greater the essentialones. healthconcern. Educational institutions, in- The best air quality in the city dustrial establishmentsand hos- wasrecordedinJulywhen the pitality services were also sus- AQIwas 45 (good). TheMPCB pended. As aresult, air quality said that the monsoon, com- improvement wasnoticedin binedwith nationwide lock- manytowns and cities across the down triggeredbythe pan- nation. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 4 THECITY THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021 Foreigncigarettes,worth What can ancient milestones tell us? Heritageconservationprojecton SHINYVARGHESE Rs3.24cr,seizedatport MUMBAI,JANUARY10 waymarkers comeswith promise IT’S VERYpossible that youcould have of newstories waiting to be told would be arrested soon. walked outofChitraCinemas in Dadar SAGARRAJPUT Officials said that in order to and neverseen it. In blackbasalt stone, MUMBAI,JANUARY10 evade arrest,the smugglershad barelytwo feet above the ground, you usedKYC documentsofaperson to would seeatriangle-top, obelisk that THE DIRECTORATE of Revenue obtain the importexport code from reads ‘V MilesfromStThomas’s Church’. Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday DGFT (Director General of Foreign In almostfading Roman lettering, there seizedcigarettesofforeign brand, Trade), using which, the consign- is another milestone oppositethe SP worthRs3.24crore,concealedin- ment wasbeing smuggled in India Jain Centrefor Management, whichis side the covers of women’s via Nhava Sheva port. barelyafootabove the ground, and says footwear,atthe Nhava Sheva port in The seizedcigarettes. Express “Wehavelearnt that the ciga- ‘I Mile’. Navi Mumbai. rettes came from aportinDubai. But These milestones dotMumbai’s Officials said that 18,00,000 we aretrying to find out whether streetsand have been partofits growth Gudang Garam cigarette stickswere but when scrutinised further, Dubaiwas atransit pointfor these forcenturies. Currently, Mumbai’s Aheritagecircuit to mapthe being illegally smuggledintoIndia 18,00,000 cigarettessticks were smugglers or the cigaretteswere Vaastu VidhaanProjects, aheritagecon- milestones. through an importcontainer from found concealedinsidethe shoes. importedfromthere,” said an offi- servation firm,along with BMC, is cre- Dubai. Following atip-off, DRI offi- According to DRI officials, while cial, adding that the smugglers have ating aheritagecircuit to map the 16 cials had on Thursdayintercepteda no arrestshavebeen made so far, usedsuchmodus operandi in the milestones that were once road mark- nificance. container at the port. Theyinitially theyhavereceivedinformation on pasttosmuggle cigarettesintothe ers in British India. Chemburkar and his team visited found boxesofwomen's footwear the suspectsand the smugglers country. Rahul Chemburkar,who helms the five locations of these milestones, which project and is co-founder of Vaastu includes Imile in Kalbadevi, and VI and Vidhaan, sees this as an opportunity to VII Mile in Dadar.Engravedon monolith MEDICAL SEATRACKET tell the histories of the city. Chemburkar stones, these obelisk-kind of markers and histeam arealsoworking on the aresix feet in height and usuallyare two conservationofdrinking waterfoun- feet underground. With atriangular py- 2middlemen acted as link between tains of Mumbai. This milestone her- ramidalcap andRoman numerals, these itageproject, whichwas initiated in milestones in manyplaces in the cityare 2017,hasrecentlygot allapprovalsto be- almostvanishing. students and arrested assistant gin work. “InIndia,we consider onlybigstruc- “Suchmilestones were present all tures as heritage. The small ones, what across India at the time when transport Iliketocall dewdrops, areoften neg- dean of Sion hospital,say police waslimited to walking or travelling by lected.For instance,mostofthesemile- horse or bullockcarts.InMumbai, the stones have either been demolishedor lakh on the pretextofbeing given this, the studentspaid moneytothe zeromile wascounted from the St built over.With road widening and EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE admission to thepostgraduate(PG) middlemen.” Thomas Cathedral Church in Fort, plinth height of pavementsincreasing, MUMBAI,JANUARY10 course at the hospital. The police said that so far, they which, three centuriesago, wasthe cen- Proposedsketch of amilestone afterrestoration. sometimes, amilestone is barelyafoot The police said that the twomid- have been approachedbyfour as- treofthe city. The cityhas grownlin- above the ground,” says Chemburkar. TWOWEEKSafter the arrest of as- dlemen would approachstudents, piring PG students, who were duped early,fromsouthto northeversince.The In the past,some of the milestones sistant dean Rakesh Verma of who hadappeared forentrance ex- of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 37 lakh, Rs 44 lakh BombayFortwalls couldn’t accommo- have been locallyrestoredbyindividu- Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General ams, and were trying to getaseat in and Rs 26 lakh, respectively,after the datepeople and needs, and were als or organisations at the ward level. Hospital and Medical College, also the PG course. “Theywould ap- arrest of Verma. The role of the mid- brought down over the years.The city Vaastu Vidhaan, in itsreporttothe her- knownasSion hospital, the police proachthosewho had failedtoclear dlemen wasrevealedwhile the limits were till Sion Fort and we see itagecommittee, has suggestedthat in have learnt that twoNaviMumbai- to the entranceexam. Theywould three studentswerebeing ques- these milestones till Sion,” says restoringthesemilestones, theycould basedmiddlemen acted as an im- lurethem saying thattheyare in tioned, officers said. Chemburkar. be givenacommon identity. portant link between Verma and the good terms with the assistant dean “When we questioned Verma, Astone tabletatzeropoint –St “Therewould beaplaquenext to the students, who allegedly paidahefty and he would help them securea he said that the middlemen ranthe Thomas Cathedral –records that it was obelisktotell about itsbrief history,have amount to bag aseat forthe MD seat,”said an officer. racket andgavehim onlyRs50,000 built in 1718 andmilestones were com- itlaid aroundacobblestonepaving. We (Doctor of Medicine) course. Asked howdid theymanageto to Rs 1lakh per student,” said missionedin1817. These milestones are have aQRcode to markthe milestone, Verma wasarrestedafter a getthe phonenumber of the stu- Ghuge. The police aretrying ascer- documentedas“Grade Iheritagestruc- and this creates aheritage circuit for MBBS doctorwas dupedofRs50 dents, the Investigating Officer, tain howmanystudentshavebeen tures of the erstwhile Bombay island tourists.Therecould be heritagewalks Inspector Dilip Ghuge, said:“We are defraudedbythe group. city”. or cycle trails as well,” says Chemburkar. trying to figurethat out. The arrest According to the police, four In thebook Bombay: The Cities Within “It willneedcommunity participa- CENTRAL RAILWAY of these twomiddlemen is impor- other middlemen –MadhavYadav, Bombay (IndiaBook House, 1995), au- tion, we only want to be facilitators. It’s BHUSAWALDIVISION CORRIGENDUM NOTICE tant, as theyare the masterminds of VinayMishra,Siddiqui Azam Akbar thors Rahul Mehrotra and Sharada about integratingheritageintotoday’s Tender notice No-BSL/C/Gds/JL/01/2020 the racket.” and Rahul Singh –who were ar- Dwivedi write: “In 1794,under the context. The idea of oral storytelling is Name of work- Development of Jalgaon He addedthat in order to make rested forallegedly dupinga GovernorGeorgeDick, the City Civil important to thebuilding up of the Goods shed as brown-field project through private investment for aperiod of six(06)years their claimslookreal, the middle- Jharkhand-basedbusinessman of Rs Architect Lt. John Cunliffe wasdirected city’s narrative.Onboard, we have (01 year for completion of construction work men would take the studentsand 30 lakh on the pretextofgetting his to setupstone markers in selected ar- IMile at Kalbadevi and IV Miles at Chinchpokli. Courtesy:Vaastu Vidhaan Nilesh Thakkar of Jeernodhar and further 05 years for sharing of revenue( their parentstoVerma's cabin. daughter admission intoMBBS eas that markedthe limitsofthe town of Projects Conservators Private Limitedtohelp us Terminal charge), from the date of completion “The assistant dean would as- course at Sion hospital, arealso Bombay. Thesewereconstructed 18” with the project. Today, if youwantto of work. Tender closingdate existing 25.01.2021 Modified date 05.02.2021 surethe studentsthat theywill get linked to Verma. above the ground level.” dig up the milestone and give it afoun- Sr.Divisional Commercial Manager admission and ask them to cooper- “Weare trying to gather evi- The Milestone Society,UK, which metalledroads. Afterthe Romans, local coachestokeepscheduleandcharge for dation, youhavetobemindful of the Bhusawal atewith the middlemen. Following dence on this,” said an officer. commendedChemburkar on the proj- churches were boundarykeepers. As changeofhorsesatinns.Thesedistances cables and service wires beneath the Railway Helpline 139 ect,records the history of milestones as trade grew and roads developed, mile- also helpedcalculatepostalcharges. ground. Keeping all this in mind, we see N.E.C.C suggested price markerswaybackduringRomantimes, stones notonlytold travellersaboutdi- Soon,withrailtransportandvehicleson this project taking at leastsix to eight whentheyhad to move soldiers across rection and distance, but helpedhorse the road, these milestones losttheir sig- months to be completed.” The Indian EXPRESS for 100 eggs in Mumbai on 11/01/2021 Rs. 470/- (Four Hundred Seventy), only.NECC 22834107. TAMIL NADU geNerATIoN ANDDIsTrIbUTIoNCorPorATIoN LTD. Light rainin 0070726693-1 expression of Interest Notice :TANgeDCo/PP-01/2021 SALUTE THE SOLDIER Mumbai TANGEDCOinvites Expression of Interest (EoI) from the eligible consulting firms across VENCOBB Ex-Farm the nation to indicate their interest in providing assistance/support to TANGEDCOfor the IN PROUD MEMORYOFTHE 36 VEER BIHARIS OF THE Yesterday’s price in effectiveload forecasting,suggesting schedule of power, optimizing purchase/sale of power 2ND BATTALION, THE BIHAR REGIMENT,WHO LAID Mumbai:Severalpartsof Pune Rs. 62/-. and Deviation SettlementMechanism. The prescribed formatofthe application form, EoI DOWN THEIR LIVES ON 11 JANUARY1948, WHILE Maharashtra, including MEA Mumbai Eggs documentand anyother details required maybedownloaded from TANGEDCOwebsite Suggested Retail Price Mumbai, recordedlight EDUCATION PART TIME JOB Association Suggested (www.tangedco.gov.in) from 11.01.2021 /12:00 hrs. ESCORTING AREFUGEE TRAIN FROM PAKISTAN, AND, Selling Rate in Mumbai is Rs. 80/-. 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The Santacruz EDUCATIONAL https://etendermmrda.maharashtra.gov.in.The submission of the observatory recorded 7021818976 e-Tender response is through MMRDA e-tendering Portal only.For any night temperature at e-tendering support, Bidders shall mail MMRDA e-tendering Helpdesk Shalvika: 22.9degreesCelsius–5.4 at [email protected] or call Helpdesk 8692939901 degrees Cabove normal. on 022-26597445. Colaba station recorded Sd/- minimum temperature Chief, at 22.8degreesC,which Date : 11/01/2021 ''IMPORTANT'' Transport & is 3.2 degrees Cabove Advt. No: /T&C/TEFS- Connectivity/2021 Communications Division normal. ENS Whilst care is taken prior to Place: Mumbai MMRDA acceptance of advertising copy,itisnot possible to verify its contents. The Indian Express (P.) Limited cannot be held responsible for such contents, nor for any loss or damage incurred as aresult of transactions with companies, associations or individuals advertising in its newspapers or Publications. We therefore recommend that readers make necessary inquiries before sending any monies or entering into any agreements with advertisers or otherwise acting on an advertisement in any manner whatsoever. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021 MAHARASHTRA 5 ‘Rulestolivestreamcourtproceedingsbeingfinalised’

Due to thepandemic and conse- tives. The facilities to an extent areabout100 places suchas where thishas notbeen possi- streaming of courtproceed- quent lockdown, 2020 sawcourts were in place.For instance, the some courts in Lakshadweep, ble but it willbeset up. We also ings. What is the status of that acrossthe country switching to video-conferencing equipment Andaman and Nicobar Islands, discussedinthe meeting to re- and will it eventuallytrickle virtual proceedings that judges, though rudimentarywas pres- Jammuand Kashmir andsome questlegal services authority to down to trial courts to bring lawyers and litigants attended ent in manycourts.Lastyear, districtsinthe Northeastwhich enable use of their mobilevans aboutmoretransparency? from different locations. Justice the infrastructure wasaug- arenot connected as yetdue to to ensureaccess of thesefacili- The chairperson of thee- (retired) of theBombayHigh mented to ensurethat video- connectivity problems. Youwill ties to thosewho cannotreach committee,Justice DY MUMBAI CONFIDENTIAL Court, RC CHAVAN,the vice- conferencing is availableinall be surprisedtoknow, in courts. Chandrachud, who is the author chairperson of theSupreme Court courts. Mumbai, the juvenile court is of the judgment (on allowing e-committee on thetechnologi- We also implemented intel- also facing thisproblem. We What about rural areas? live-streaming), is concerned cal changes in thejudicial system, ligent scheduling. This wasto discussed in the meeting thatif In rural areas,every gram thatweshouldbeginlive- tells SADAFMODAK that the ensurethat peopledonot rush BSNL or MTNL connectivity is a panchayat has acitizen service streamingpromptly. We arein pandemic provided theopportu- to courtat11amwhenthey problem in theseareas, there centre. In Maharashtra, Ihave the process of finalisinglive- nity to pushfor virtualcourts and open. Litigantsand lawyers MONDAY can be satelliteconnectivity in spoken to Hasan Mushrif, the streamingrules and at least10 e-filing of cases. Excerpts: were givenatimeschedule INTERVIEW thesecourts. During the pan- ministerfor ruraldevelopment, meetings have been held so far. through staggered timings for demic, therewas ahigh de- about allowing these centres to One concern is the bandwidth Howdoyou see the year gone appearance. We also setupa JUSTICE (RETD) mand as people were working be used by people to access e- which will be required to beam by andthe changes it brought system forstaggering the RC CHAVA N from home. Internetproviders courts since theyhavethe facil- proceedingsfrom18,000 VICE-CHAIRPERSON, to thejudiciary? causelist.Hundreds of cases are SC E-COMMITTEE toowill have to augment the ities available, including com- courts.Weare trying to suggest Due to thepandemic,phys- listedincourts daily andnot all supply accordingly. puters and printers. This is that in all cases of public impor- ical appearances by parties in of them aretaken up forhear- Anotherissue wasvideo- already beingdone in some tance, live-streamingwillbea courts were notpossible. We ing. During the pandemic, since Recently, Supreme Court conference licences. We initially states and we arepositive about must. Cases of violenceagainst took this opportunity to push courtswereworkinginlimited judges also commented on worked on Zoom. Now, 3,500li- extending this facility in remote womenand children, in-cam- forvirtual hearings and e-filing. shifts, aCovid-19planwas set the glitches being experi- censesofVidyoConnecthave villages as well. eraproceedings willnot be in- WORK FROM HOME This is notjustfor thepandemic, up to enable all courts to ad- encedinthese virtual hear- been acquired andprovidedto One aspect, which we also cluded. In other cases, we are rather apermanent solutionto journ the cases in advance, and ings. Howwill thatbere- courts last year. hope to improveupon, is that suggestingthatifthereisnode- THE CHIEF Minister's Office (CMO) on the sixth floor of reduce footfall in courts. send SMSes to theparties con- solved? Also, the Chief Justice of currentlycourtsrequirephysi- mandfor it,onlythosewho Mantralaya bears adesertedlook as Chief MinisterUddhav Otherwise, too, courtsare over- cerned.Close to acrore SMSes Yes, it is true. When we start India spokeoftechnology di- cal copies to be filedwithin want alink to the proceedings Thackeray prefers to conduct mostofhis business from his of- crowdedwith more than 3.5 were sent across the country something new, some hiccups vide. We took note of that. An e- sevendaysofe-filing.This willbeprovidedaccess. This is ficial bungalowatMalabar Hill, Varsha. Visitors, who land up in crorecases pending, with most under thisplan. This servedas arebound to happen. When we service centrewas inaugurated negates the purposeofe-filing the framework which will the afternoon to meetbureaucratsinthe CMO, oftenreturn between3-5 years.Itisneces- an electronic pass to enter the startedusing technology,there in his home town in Nagpur. and burdenscourts with heaps hopefullybefinalisedbythis empty-handedasonmostdays of theweek these officers tooare sarytopushfor virtual courts, courts. were some issues. The main These centres have since been of documentswhichcan be month. It will be discussedbya busy attending official meetings at the CM's bungalow. e-filing, and we have been concernisofadequateband- setupinalmost alldistrict avoided. committee of five judges from working on this forlong, but the Some lawyer associations width. We had ameeting with courts and High Courtswhere five HighCourts.Video-confer- pandemic providedthe oppor- were apprehensive about tri- the jointsecretaryofthe all services areprovidedfreeof The Supreme Courthad issued encingwillbeusedand aug- tunity to push forthese initia- alsbeing heldvirtually. Department of Justice. There charge.Thereare some courts guidelines to allowlive- mented as required. LETTER POLITICS AMID GROWINGcomplaintsregarding lackofcommunication POLICE CHARGESHEET within the Congress, writing letters to reachout to the party high command is fast becoming anorm. Mumbai Congress's General Besides 3arrested, 33 19.69lakh SecretaryandthePresidentoftheparty'sFilmandTVUnioninthe TOTALPOSITIVECASES city,VishwabandhuRai,isthelatesttousethisrouteforhispolitics. other cab driverswith INMAHARASHTRA Rai, aclose associateofformer MP Sanjay Nirupam, has written a Active Cases 54,179 series of letters to partypresident Sonia Gandhi in thepastfew weeks,detailingreasonswhytheCongress'salliancewiththeShiv New Cases 3,558 Sena in Maharashtrawas detrimental to theparty's interest. Ola illegallyhiked rates TotalDeaths 50,061 Incidentally, Nirupam has also been vocalabout it. New Deaths 34 couldask the drivertoextend the MOHAMEDTHAVER ride to someotherplace. This Quarantined2.36 lakh GROUNDED MUMBAI,JANUARY10 could lead to ahigher actual fare Tested 1.34 crore vis-a-vis theestimated price dis- THE CONGRESS leader has groundedaparty ministerfrom INITSchargesheetfiledearlierthis playedfor theinitial destination 2,98,892 Maharashtrawho wasliterallyflying high in achopper loanedby month,theMumbaiPolicesaid33 by theapp," asenior officer said. corporate.Sourcessaythatthehigh-profileminister'sfrequentso- app-basedcabdrivers,otherthan Police, however, said acertain TOTALPOSITIVE journs were brought to thehigh command'snotice by his rivals in the three arrested for manipulat- section of this hikewas dueto CASESINMUMBAI theparty.Thehighcommandwassaidto beevenmore lividatthe ingsoftwaretohikefares,alsoma- drivers switching the older ver- New Cases 657 minister's choice of the corporate house. nipulated theapp to illegallyhike sion of the Ola app on and off TotalDeaths 11,186 faresatvariouslevels. whiledrivingbelowbridgesorfly- Whilethe chargesheetthat overs.Dueto theglitch intheapp, New Deaths 5 YOURSORMINE? runs intoover400 pages has it would showthe cab wasbelow chargedthree persons, it has also abridgeevenifitwas on topofit. POLITICALPARTISANSHIPwithintheinfluentialbuilders'commu- mentionedanother 33 cabdriv- As aresult, switching it on and off nity has risen manifold afterthe changeofregimeinthe state. ers who alsodid the same. While while crossing bridges would Accordingto sources,thelatesttugof warbetweentherulingcoali- threedriverswere arrested,police forcetheappto recalculateandin- tion and the opposition over the slashing of the premiums wasan said theywerestillinthe process creasethedistancecovered,lead- outcome of this polarisation. Asection of builders,who had en- of gatheringevidence againstthe ing to increase in the actual fare. joyedthepatronage of thepreviousDevendraFadnavis-ledregime, others. The three accused, who Ola did notrespond to ame- nowfeel marginalised. But we knowofatleasttwo construction were arrestedonNovember1and dia querysent by TheIndian majorswhohave buckedthistrendandremain"favourites"of both chargedundersectionsofcheat- Express on revelationsmade in the sides. ingandcommonintention,areal- the chargesheet. legedmastermindAshishPanchal Inthechargesheet,policesaid (37),RajeshAcharya (42)andAfzal it wasAcharya whofirstspotted SINECURES FOR SOME Shah (39). the loopholeand informedother Aspartofitsprobe,investigat- cabdrivers. He also ensured that THE UDDHAVThackeraygovernment seems to be very generous ing officer Assistant Inspector theOla apponhis phonewas not when it comes to rehabilitation of retired IAS officers. Mostofthe JayeshThakurtrackedthefaresof updatedasnewerversionsdidnot officers who have retiredinthe pastone year have been handed 36 cabs affiliated to Ola fortwo have the bug, and he would then "cushy"post-retirementsinecures.Besidesvariousregulatorycom- yearsbetweenJanuary1,2019and charge money to providetheolder missions, the MaharashtraState Road Development Corporation December 15,2020 across version of the apptoother cab is becoming amuchsought afterretirement haven. Mumbai. Police said theycalcu- drivers. lated cases in whichthere was The scam came to lightafter a substantialdifference in the esti- teamof theCrimeBranch(Unit1) FOR ASELECT FEW matedpricedisplayedwhenacab receivedatip-offabout the oper- wasbookedand theactualfare ationatMumbaiairport, mainly THEMUCHsoughtafterpostofchairmanof RealEstate Regulatory chargedatthe drop off. on trips to Panvel. Eventually, Authority falls vacant later this month.But the governmentisyet Policealsosaidtheyfoundthat whenpolicefoundthecabdrivers to issueanadvertisement,asmandated,toinviteapplicationsfrom over the twoyears, the difference tinkeringwiththeapps,thethree thoseinterestedforthepost.Toprankbureaucrats,includingChief between estimated and actual accusedwerearrestedon Minister'sPrincipalAdvisorAjoyMehtaandChiefSecretarySanjay faresofthese 36 cabswas Rs November 1. Kumar,are believedtobeinthe running forthe post. 31,44,489, whichintermsofper- In the chargesheet submitted COMPILEDBYSANDEEPASHAR centageisahikeof17.96 percent before thecourt, policehaveat- abovethe legitimatefare. Of this tached the statementsofseven around 20 per cent, that is, Rs passengers, who were cheated in HaveacommentorsuggestionforMumbaiConfidential?Writeto 6,28,897went to Ola,theyadded. asimilar manner.Police also said [email protected] "However, it does notmean that theywerestillinvestigatinginto withsubjectline:MumbaiConfidential this entireamount wasillegally whether anyOla employeewas hiked.Insome cases, acustomer involved. Mumbai loses masters in world of film &food Diwakar Karkarepainted film posters Zend MeherwanZendwas co-owner of Deewar, Sholay, Amar Akbar Anthony of Fort’s iconic Yazdani Bakery did his staff. BENITAFERNANDO BENITAFERNANDO He's gone to MUMBAI,JANUARY10 MUMBAI,JANUARY10 the big bak- eryinthe sky BOLLYWOOD'S YESTERYEAR SITTINGBEHIND the cash todayand is publicity designerswererespon- counter or instructing staffby probably sible forgiving heroes and villains Courtesy:UttaraSamant, Umesh Karkare the woodfireoven, Zend convincing alarger-than-lifeappeal. One MeherwanZend wassynony- St Peterto suchleading artist, Diwakar apexand standing out in aggres- mous with Yazdani Bakery. He Courtesy:Zyros Zend tryhis Karkare,was the name behind sive shades of pink. wasaregular at the iconic bak- 'Jurmuns'." iconic posters, banners and book- His son Umesh said his father eryinFort, even afterbeing af- Zend wasdiagnosedwith lets forfilms from the 1960s to would oftenpitchtodistributors flicted with acuteParkinson's in Parkinson's morethanadecade the 1980s,suchasSholay (1975), and producers on howtoconvey his later years. On Sunday, Zend ago. Food writer Kalyan Deewar (1975), Amar Akbar entirestorylines in one poster. dieddue to advancing age. He Karmakar,who conductsfood Anthony (1977) and JaaneBhi Do Though he worked with oil was86. walksinthe city,usedtooften Yaaro (1983).Karkare diedin paintsand watercolours mostly, Food historian Kurush Dalal begin histours at Yazdani where Mumbai on January5due to age- he wasversatile with avarietyof recalls Zend as the baker who was Zend would be afamiliarface. related complications aged 90. techniques and materials. Many notafraid to experiment and "He wasnot in the best of health Karkarebelonged to of Karkare's publicity arthas wishedtogivehis customers but he would always showup. Mumbai's Shivaji Park area, been lostinthe churn of quality products. In his younger Because of his condition, people wherehegrew up, and went on Bollywood's theatreshows.The days,Dalal's visitstothe agiaryin didn't always know howtoreact, to setuphis studio aftergraduat- family, at present, onlyowns the Fortwould end with abun maska but he would walk up to them ing from Sir JJ School of Art. His original artfor Silsila (1981).With lacedwith sugar at Yazdani, and interact with them," daughter,UttaraSamant, said he the publicity industry's chang- whereZend would be at the Karmakar said. wastrainedinbothcommercial ing requirementsand digital counter,usuallymanning the Zend's son, Zyros, recalled and fine arts,but when it came takeover,Karkare's artwas rele- phone. In atributeonsocial me- thathis father wasoriginallyin to film posterdesigns, he wasa gatedtohistory.Disappointed he dia, Dalal wrote: “He wasperhaps awhitecollarjob but leftittojoin purist, using paintsand brushes. closedhis studio in the late the firstbaker in Mumbai to go thefamilybusiness. Zend was When Amitabh Bachchan 1980s, with Chandni (1989) pos- beyond Bun, Brun, Laadi pavand also known as aboxer in his waslaunchedintohis ‘Angry siblybeinghis lastcommission. SlicedBread. He regularly sup- younger days."Afterhemarried, Young Man’ avatar,Karkareis Samant said, her father made pliedmajor canteens all over the his wifetold him that he was credited with bringing the im- portraitsofornithologistSalim city and even the Mantralaya… better offbashingbread dough," agetolifeinhis publicity mate- Alifor BombayNatural History In the lasttwo decades Zend Zyrossaid. rial. His work for Deewar is Society,Marathi authors and sloweddowndue to Parkinson's He added, "He justwantedto among his mostmemorable, leaders of the Samajwadi Party. but he still made the rounds of the give good breadand anice cup with itspyramid arrangement of "He wasaportrait master, aleg- business and his regulars looked of tea. He wanted people to yellowfaces, Bachchan'satthe end," she said. forwardtohis brief dailyvisitsas come and enjoy thebakery." WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021 WORDLY WISE Those who favour freedom and deprecate agitation want crops without ploughing

6 THE EDITORIAL PAGE the ground —FREDERICK DOUGLASS India’s new deal moment

§ FOUNDED BY § RAMNATH GOENKA Givendemand uncertainties, budget is opportune BECAUSETHE TRUTH INVOLVES US ALL moment foralarge physical and social infrastructurepush

OWNINGTHE CRISIS Sajjid ZChinoy Solution to impasse on farm laws lies primarilyinpolitical domain —morewith government than court INDIA’S ECONOMIC RECOVERYisbeing char- substitution effect as muchasthe pace of the sustain. With manufacturing utilisation rates acterisedbythree distinct forces that needto recovery.Greater scaleand formalisation un- below70per cent pre-COVID, an investment bedisentangled.First,Indiahasbrokenthelink doubtedlyaugurwell formedium-term pro- revival,inturn,willdependcruciallyonthede- HE NARENDRA MODI government, it seems, is turning to the Supreme Court between virus proliferation and mobility ear- ductivity but could increase near-termlabour manddynamics. Exports shouldbenefitfrom to extricateitselffromthe political mess arising from the farmers’ protests lierandmoresuccessfullythanmanycountries. market frictions and boostpricing power. strengthening global growth as the worldgets againstits agricultural reform laws.AtFriday’s failedtalkswith the farm Rising mobility and normalising economicac- Allthis, therefore, increases prospectsofa progressively vaccinated and the Georgia-in- unions, the government side is reported to have suggestedthat the farmer tivity,rather thansparking another wave of in- K-shaped recovery from COVID, aphenome- ducedbluewaveresultsinmoreUSfiscalstim- Tunions can go to the court, whichcan be requestedtohold dailyhearings fections, have coincidedwith COVID cases nonplayingoutglobally. Householdsatthetop ulus. But willthis be enoughtostoke aprivate falling by 80 per cent since September.India’s of the pyramid arelikelytohaveseentheir in- investment revival? Or willfirmslook through to decideonthe constitutional validity of the three laws.Onthe face of it, nothingwrong cumulative deathtoll per millionisnow less comes largely protected, and savings rates thenextfewquartersandremaincautiousgiven —courtsare the onlyplace where anylaw can be challenged.But this lobbing of the ball thanhalf the emergingmarket average,andan forcedupduringthelockdown,increasing“fuel the stillelevateduncertainty? to thecourt—withthe Union AgricultureMinister, NarendraSingh Tomar,saying that the order of magnitude belowdeveloped in the tank” to drive futureconsumption. It’s againstthisbackdrop thatthe upcom- apexcourthas the right to examine legislation enacted by Parliament —isfraught.More economies. Consequently, the progressive re- Meanwhile,householdsatthebottomarelikely ingbudget presentsIndiawithitsNew Dealmo- so with the unions claiming theyaren’t interestedinthe court’s intervention in what is a turn towardspre-COVID activity levels has oc- to have witnessedpermanent hitstojobs and ment. An unprecedented infrastructurepush “policymatter”. In astrangereversal of roles, the government is the one seeking judicial curredmuchsooner thanexpected.Activity incomes. These cleavagesare already visible. undertheNewDealin1935 createdmillionsof review whereasthe purportedlyaffected party insists on an out-of-court resolution. jumpedbackupto95per cent of pre-COVID Passengervehicle registrations (proxying up- jobsandregeneratedregionaleconomicdevel- levelsby October,andhasbeeninchingupsince. per-endconsumption)have grownabout4per opment in the US.India mustseek inspiration What the current standoffclearly reflectsisapolitical failureonthe partofthe gov- Thisisbeing complementedbythe much- cent since Octoberwhile two-wheelers have from this. Giventhe prevailing demand uncer- ernment beginning with the unseemlyhaste with whichthe three laws were passed, awaitedpick-upincentralgovernmentspend- contracted 15 per cent. tainties, thebudget representsanopportune firstvia the ordinance routeand then in Parliament, with littledebateand no proper ing,whichsurgedinNovemberandisexpected What arethe macroimplications of aK- momentfortheCentre,inconjunctionwiththe stakeholder consultation during drafting and then the badmouthing of critics as rogue el- to remain strong forthe rest of the year.These An unprecedented shapedrecovery?With the top10per cent of states, to embarkonalarge physicaland social ements. The laws,ofcourse, arewell-intended. Allowing crop purchases outside state-con- dynamics should reduce the full-year growth infrastructure push under India’s householdsresponsible for25-30per (healthandeducation)infrastructurepush.The trolledmandis, creating alegal framework forcontract farmingagreementsand remov- contraction to 6.5 per cent,lessthan the NSO’s the NewDeal in 1935 centoftotal consumption,one couldargue benefitsare self-evident. This will simultane- advance estimateof7.7per cent and muchless consumption would getaboostasthispent- ouslyboostnear-term aggregatedemand, ing stockholding and movement restrictions on produce aremuch-neededreforms for thanpreviouslyfeared. created millions of jobs up demand expresses itself. But it’s important crowdinprivate investment,createjobstosoak Indian agricultureinthe 21st century. The ultimatebeneficiaries of these reforms, which These areveryhopeful developments but, and regenerated regional nottoconflatestockswith flows,and levels up the unemployed, and improvethe econ- address the reality of the country’s transition from astructurallydeficit to surplus producer, juxtaposedwith astronger-than-expected re- economic development in with changes. Upper-income households have omy’s external competitiveness. Job creation, arethe farmers themselves. The government’s readiness to discuss the farm laws “clause- covery,isconfirmation of labourmarket scar- the US.India must seek benefitted from higher savingsfor twoquar- health and education,inturn, will be astart to by-clause” with the unions, and even to undertake amendments, could well have been ring. CMIE’s labour marketsurvey still reveals ters. What we arecurrentlywitnessing is a helpmitigateCOVID-inducedinequalities. inspiration from this. Given shownatthe time of introducing the bills.Equallyironicalisthe Supreme Court nowpro- 18 millionfeweremployed(about5percentof sugar rushfromthosesavings beingspent. The question is: Howwill this befinanced? thetotalemployed)comparedto pre-pandemic This is, however, aone-timeeffect. To the ex- With the consolidated fiscal deficit projected posingan“independent” expertpanel to break the impasse —overthe same billsthat the prevailing demand levels. The employment rate gradually im- tent that households at the bottom have ex- above 11 per cent of GDP,gradual near-term the government refusedtorefer forscrutinytoParliament’s ownselect committee. A uncertainties, the budget proved till September but has weakenedsince represents an opportune perienced apermanent loss of income in the consolidationcoupledwithacrediblemedium- court-appointedpanel sittingonjudgment on alaw passedbyParliament has itsown then, even as the economy has progressively forms of jobs and wage cuts, this will be are- term fiscal plan willbekey to anchoringthe consequences, intendedand unintended. openedup. This also shows up in the PMI sur- moment forthe Centre,in curringdragondemand, if the labourmarket bond marketand underscoring an adherence The situation at Delhi’s borders is taking amounting toll. The Centre’s strategy to tire veys whereemploymentislaggingactivity,and conjunction with the states, does notheal faster. to macro stability. Howthencan public invest- out the protesters does notseem to be working. With Republic Dayapproaching and in demand forMGNREGAjobswhichare still to embark on alarge physical Second, to theextent that COVID has trig- mentincrease meaningfullyifthe headline Parliament convening forthe Budget session,the images of protesting farmers, already 50percenthigherthanthepreviousyear.These geredaneffectiveincometransferfromthepoor deficit mustcome down? Only if the publicin- labour marketpressures increase risks of and social (health and to therich,thiswillbedemand-impedinginthe vestment push is financedbyaggressiveasset braving winter nightsout in the open, areespeciallydisquieting. Theyalso send out dis- medium-term economic scarring, and arenot education) infrastructure steadystate,becausethemarginalpropensityto sales (strategic sales, disinvestment, land and turbing signals in the midstofthe world’s biggestanti-COVID-19drive.The government incompatible with asharpernear-term re- push. Thebenefits are self- consume at the bottom is higher than that at infrastructure monetisation).Inthismanner, mustfind apractical solution—whichcan onlybepolitical.And it should do this quickly. bound because the recovery appears to be led evident. This will the top, justasthe marginal propensity to im- expenditure to GDP can actually risenextyear Hopingfor the courts to do it is notpolicy. by capital and profits, notlabour and wages. portatthe topishigher than at the bottom. —generatinganexpansionaryfiscalimpulseto Even within labour,blue-collar workers are simultaneously boost near- Third, if COVID-19reducescompetitionor the economy—whileautomatic stabilisers (a likelytohavebeendisproportionatelyimpacted term aggregate demand, increasestheinequalityof incomesandoppor- normalisation of taxrevenues next year) are vis-à-vistheir white-collar counterparts. crowd in private investment, tunities, it could impingeontrend growth in usedtoreduce the headline fiscal deficit. Athirdphenomenonislarge firmshave en- create jobs to soak up the developingeconomiesby hurtingproductivity India’sfaster-than-expectedreboundisvery TOWARDS RECONCILIATION dured thecrisisbetterand aregaining market and tighteningpolitical economyconstraints. encouraging.Butgivenlabourmarket pressures shareattheexpenseof smallerfirms.To theex- unemployed,and improve Policy will,therefore,needtolook beyond and prospectsofaK-shapedrecovery around Suspension of hostilities by Qatarand Arab Quartetcould be tent thereisamigration of activity from the in- the economy’sexternal the next fewquarters and anticipatethe state the world, the economywill needtobecare- formal/SMEfirmsto largerfirms,taxcollections of themacroeconomypostthesugarrush.The fully nurturedandstoked.Thebudget presents firststepinending heightenedconflict among Gulf kingdoms competitiveness. Jobcreation, and Sensex/Nifty earnings shouldget aboost, health and education, in turn, key, of course, is whether the private sector acrucial opportunity to makeabig down pay- even holding the economic pie constant. It’s, starts re-investing and re-hiring, and thereby ment towardsthis end. T IS NOT yetareal reconciliation,but Qatar and itsGulf Arab neighbours have therefore,importantto interpret thedatacare- will be astart to help mitigate sets theeconomyontoamorevirtuous path. agreedlastweek to suspend three years of intense hostilities. Nudged by the fullybecause some variables will reflect this COVID-induced inequalities. Barringthat,thelabour-market hysteresiscould Thewriter is Chief India EconomistatJPMorgan UnitedStates and local mediation from Kuwait, the Arab Quartet—Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, andthe United Arab Emirates —liftedtheir unsuccessful blockade IagainstQatar at the summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council. The agreement to nor- malise relationswas part of thesharedcommitment to “solidarity and stability”. Pessimists saythe agreement to normalise relationsbetween theArabQuartet and Qatar merelypa- pers over deepening mutual distrust. Optimists would hope thatisthe firststepinending THE SAVARNA GAZE adestructivephase of internecine conflict among the Gulf kingdoms. Qatar,once deferential to Saudi political guidance, has in recent years carved out an in- dependent regional path. Doha’s dalliance with Iran, Turkey,and the Muslim Brotherhood Whycan’t mainstream filmmakers imagine Dalits as people, notstereotypes? —all of whomarelockedinintenseideologicaland political conflictswiththe Arab Quartet —had steadilybuilt up regional resentment. The negative coverage of the Arab Quarteton the popular Al Jazeera TVchannel,ownedbyQatar,addedinsult to injury. Ledbyanirate UAE Rehnamol Raveendran and the impetuous Saudi crownprince, Mohammedbin Salman, the Arab Quartetactedde- cisively in 2017 to cut offdiplomatic ties with Doha and enforce ablockade. The Quartet THE POSTER OF Richa Chadha’s upcoming prejudices and stereotypical attitudes against broom norcan the valour of the Battle of also issuedalistof13conditions forending the siege. Theyincludedanend to Al Jazeera’s movie, Madam Chief Minister, stands out for marginalisedcommunities. By reducing Dalit Koregaon be underminedbyuntouchability itscrudity in aworld of politicalcorrectness. identity to abroom,the makers of Madam imposedonMahars. The portrayal of aDalit hostile propaganda, downgrading of diplomatic ties withIranand ending of militaryco- The movie apparently narratesthe storyof Chief Minister proveRajamani right. character in Pa Ranjith’s Kaala displays thein- operation with Turkey.Qatar rejected theallegations, refusedtoimplement the demands, an “untouchable” woman, who becomes the In contrast, mainstream filmmakers rep- trepidityofthe hero.Infilms suchasRanjith’s and found ways to dodgethe blockade with the supportofIranand Turkey.But as the costs chief ministerofastate. The filmmakers de- resent upper-caste protagonists bereft of any Pariyerum Perumal and Nagraj Manjule’s of the conflictsmountedandthegeopoliticallandscapeof theregion begantochange,Qatar cidedtocommunicatetheir theme of aDalit caste prejudices and stereotypes, and as fig- Sairat,bothstories of Dalit-savarna love,you and the Quartethaverecognisedthe urgency of ending the standoff. woman’s success in the posterbydepicting TheDalit imagination of ures with authority and agency.That’s nota will neverfind Dalits depicted with degrad- With the Joe Biden administration determinedtorestore relations with Iran, the Arab the protagonistholding abroom with the coincidence.Itisbecausecasteconsciousness ingsymbols. tagline “untouchable, unstoppable”. The their ownidentity, conspicuouslyshapes the imagination. Case Moreimportantly, the upper-caste imagi- Quartetsaw the importance of restoring ameasureofGulf unity.Qatar might bepleasedthat posterhas arousedthe indignation of many undoubtedly,isdifferent in point:The Brahminheroofthe movie Article nation appears to promote acultureof it has successfully stood upto pressures, but itcan’tafford apermanent conflict with itsGulf foramplifyingastereotypicalportrayal of from howthe upper castes 15. Similarly,the posterofabiopic on former gaslighting Dalit voices. It is unfortunatethat Arab neighbours. India, whichhas hugestakesinthe bilateral relations with all Gulf coun- Dalit identity. perceive them. They seek Tamil Nadu Chief MinisterJJayalalithaa, Chadha dismissedthe criticism againstthe tries and morebroadlyinthe stabilisation of aregion, wasquick to welcome the movesto- The cognitive structures of upper-caste Thalaivi, depictsthe subject of the biopic with casteistposteras“cancel culture”. Instead of wardsregional reconciliation. The Gulf hosts morethan 8million Indian migrants, who filmmakers, unfortunately, butunsurpris- their identities in the respect and authority. defending thestereotypicalportrayal of ahith- send home billions of dollars in remittances everyyear.The Gulf is also one of the biggest ingly,seem unable to think beyond abroom portrayal of gallantry, The Dalitimaginationoftheir owniden- erto marginalisedcommunity andgaslighting as afundamental symbolofDalitidentity. tity,undoubtedly,isdifferent from howthe the voices of criticism,the actor and others as- marketsfor Indian goods and is the mostimportant supplier of hydrocarbons to itsecon- virtuousnessand sacrifices The usageofthe word “untouchable”inthe of Dalit leadersand assertive uppercastesperceive them. Theyseektheir sociated with the movie mustcommit to a omy. Whilethe dangers of instability have easedfor the moment, Delhi needs to sustain posterhintsnot onlyatthe moral bank- identities in the portrayal of gallantry, vir- genuine introspection. the current intense levels of political engagement with the Arab Gulf. ruptcy of the overrepresented upper-caste symbols of resistance. Badri tuousness, and sacrifices of Dalit leaders and Thecontent of the postercan’t beinsulated folk in the showbusiness but reveals the Narayan’s2006 book, assertive symbols of resistance. Badri from criticism citing the transformative con- marketing strategy as one that sells dehu- Wo menHeroesand Dalit Narayan’s 2006 book, Women Heroes and tent of the movie. The DiscreetCharm of manising wordsfor profit. Dalit AssertioninNorthIndia, Culture, Identity Savarnas couldserveasareferencefor all those The posterhas onlyvindicated the prem- AssertioninNorth India and Politics, exploredhow Mayawati’s im- who ventureintocreative spaces, to unlearn Freeze Frame EPUnny iseofRajesh Rajamani’s TheDiscreetCharmof explored howMayawati’s ageasaDalitleader wasbuilt up by identi- their preconceivednotions. Toni Morrison’s Savarnas,asatireonupper-caste prejudices image as aDalit leader was fying her withalongline of historical Playing in theDark: Whitenessand theLiterary againstDalits. In the shortfilm,the characters built up by identifying her women figures known fortheir valour, like Imagination should bemandatoryreading for embarkonadesperatesearch foranactor Jhalkaribai, Udadevi, Mahaviridevi, filmmakers. who “lookslikeaDalit” and, thus, fits intotheir with along line of historical AvantibaiLodhi andPannadhai. imagination of a“Dalit”. Rajamani’s film calls women figures known for In anyofthe Dalit imaginations,Udadevi The writer taught political science at Delhi out the deep-rooted, oftennormalised, caste their valour and Jhalkaribaican neverbeseen with a University

JANUARY 11,1981, FORTY YEARS AGO

ANJAIAH ACTS and members of Parliament from the state. been worked out, thevisiting monarch said. THE ANDHRA CHIEF MinisterTAnjaiah has He had formal talkswith the PM and infor- asked his entirecabinettoresign to help him CHINALAUDS PM mal discussions at adinner hostedbyher. reconstitutehis ministry. He will consult the CHINAHAS WELCOMED the statement of high command before finalisinghis team. Prime MinisterIndiraGandhi that India and POLISH WORKERSSTRIKE This is in line withthe thinkinginthe high Pakistanshould stand together rather than get MILLIONS OF POLISH workers defiedthe gov- command that his team is oversizedand re- embroiledinthe big powerrivalryinthe ernment and stayed offworkdemanding a quires pruning. He has startedconsultinghis IndianOcean. “It’shardfor others to guess five-day, 40-hour week.Small shops, depart- cabinetcolleagues about the process. The whatshe meant by ‘getting embroiled’ but the ment stores and some other offices remained CM’s decision comes afteranassurance from necessitydoes existfor the subcontinental na- open in Warsawand othercities. But in other the high command that no dissident activ- tions to stand together,” notedthe Xinhua. major enterprises, including shipyardsand ity will be tolerated if some of the ministers steel-making units, the workers heeded the aredroppedinthe pruning process. Anjaiah AIRLINK WITH BHUTAN call by theindependent union Solidarity and himself is nothappywiththe size of his cab- BHUTAN AND INDIA will soon be linked by joinedthe strike. Labour MinisterJanusz inet,the constitution of whichowesalot to air,Bhutan’s king Jigme SingyeWangchuk Obodowski warnedthat workers who had the suggestions of former CM Chenna Reddy said. The outlinesofthe proposedlink have abstainedfromworkwill lose aday’s pay. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021 WHATTHE OTHERSSAY “The crisis theUSiscurrently facing cannotberesolved through violence,but 7 THE IDEAS PAGE only through peaceful, legal and democratic means.” —THEDAILYSTAR America’sbroken democracy The open

To heal itself, it will needtointrospect about howanarcissistic leader wasable to expose classroom the fragilityofits institutions and push themtothe brink The pandemic is an opportunity to reimagine schools as places forcommunity learning, where childrenofall backgrounds can study together

public schools, or hand over their precious land and managementstoprivate organisa- tions.Whyisthegovernmentgoingheadlong with this privatisation? Doesn’t it know that inAmerica,England,JapanandFinland--the Peter Ronald mostadvancedcountries —the best schools aregovernment schools?The digitaldivide deSouza betweentherich andpoorhasalsowidened. The poor do nothaveaccess to mobiles,lap- tops and internetconnectivity. ONE IS TEMPTEDtosee the bizarrerioting Arvind Gupta In suchascenario, one can tryand con- in the US Capitol by thousands of Donald ceive of neighbourhoodlearningspaces.The Trumpsupporters seeking to stall pandemic forced millions of adultstowork President-elect Joe Biden’scertification by THECRITIQUEOF school as an institutionhas fromhome.Manypeoplerealisedthatanof- Congress as aone-off event,aunique de- developedand growninthe pasthalf acen- fice is notneededtodoproductivework. In scentintomadnessbyanessentially robust tury. Education theoristEverett Reimer the process, somehaverealised the boring democracy.Suchareading is fundamen- wrote School is Dead in the 1960s. Danger natureofroutine office and factoryjobs and, tallywrong. The mobs storming the hal- School, aclassic publishedbyBrazilian edu- simultaneously, discoveredtheirownpoten- lowedprecinctsofAmerican democracy,on catorPaulo Freire’s group in the late1970s, tial. Manyhaveleftbusy, polluted cities,and January6,werenot an exceptional lapse but captured through scathing cartoons the returnedtosmall towns and villages. were,infact, asymptom of asickdemoc- harm whichschools inflict on our children. We muststrive formoreneighborhood racy.American democracyiscriticallyill. It Mostschools arecaged jails, whereanalien learning spaces as we reimagine the school. suffers from five disorders. curriculum designed by some “experts” is Large housingsocietiesalreadyhave commu- The firstmalady, and perhaps the one thrustdownachild’s gullet. nity halls. Smaller ones can easily allocatea mostdifficult to treat, is the breakdown in Today, manyschools aregargantuan dedicatedspace,whereadultscansharetheir the cultureofbipartisanshipthat wassoin- corporateenterprises with thousands of skillsandexperienceswithyoungones.Every trinsic to American politics. It kept the sys- CRSasikumar children on their rolls, and forall practical housingsocietyshouldhave an“activitiescen- temworking. Difference and consensus, in- purposes theyare run likefactories, or bet- tre”, wherechildren can makeand do things. tense competition and compromise, all “winner takesall”stake since defeat is forlos- discourse. Muchhas been written about terstill likemini-armies. The websiteofa Inthe1960s,Englandhadalot of commu- producedapolitical pragmatism thatwas at ers. In suchapolitics,institutions getenfee- elitecapture of institutions, so letmedwell private school in Lucknowboasts of nitycolleges. Here, anyone who had anyskill the heartofAmerican democracy.This has bled, democraticconventions getignored, hereonthe captureofdiscourse. Gaetano 56,000 students, forinstance. couldofferacourse.Andanyonewhowanted nowbeen abandoned. The speeches deliv- and the locus of powershifts from the office Mosca, the Italian theoristofelites, referred Butprogressive thinkershavealwaysen- to learn askill or subject could join in. No de- ered by Republican senators on the floor of to thepolitical leader.Officials, seen as to it as “political formulas”. Theseare argu- visioned“freeschools”forchildren.Thegreat greeswere required.Thecourseswere wide- the house, minutes afterthe assault on the Wilhelm Reich’s “little men”,develop an at- mentsand explanationsusedbyelites to Russiannovelist,LeoTolstoy,foundedaschool ranging,fromhaiku,Chineseart,limerickwrit- Capitol, were hostile and unyielding. Instead titude of complicity with the leader.In getthose overwhom theyrule to accept forthechildrenof poorpeasantsathishome, ing, potterytobicycle repairs! We needto of closing ranksand accepting the logic of Trump’s America, the little men have come their ideas and arguments. Political formu- Yasnaya Polyana,withoutanystrictschedule, reimagineschools–asplacesforcommunity defeat, of embracing the national interest to the centreofgovernment. las give legitimacy to eliterule. American homework or physical punishment. Maria learning.Schoolshave averynarrowvisionof whichtheir leader MitchMcConnell had ear- The thirdpolitical illness, whichthrives democracy todayisatextbook illustration MontessoriwasthefirstItalianwomanto be- ateacher—someonewithaBEddegree.How lier in the dayarticulated,alarge number of in tandem with the above two, is the debili- of howthe political formula of neo-liber- come adoctor;she went on to work out the aboutenvisioningtensofthousandsof retired Republican Congressmen chose to pander to tation of institutions. Institutions arethe life alism has been usedbycapitalistelites to “stagesofdevelopment” in children which professionals as teachers? Theywill bring the President’s narcissistic delusion of a and soul of ademocracy.Theycheckthe ex- notjustaccumulate wealth but to makethe became the basisfor hereducationalphilos- years of practical experience to learning. stolen election. Partisan interestgot mor- cesses of power, socialiseelectedrepresenta- non-elitefeel that suchaccumulation is in ophy, which tooemphasisedchildren’s free- The government canuse thepandemic phedwith the national interest. Forthem, tivesintothe do’sand don’tsofdemocratic the public interest. From the World dom and choice. Tagore’s critiqueofrote to better itsown schools. First, by improving the enemywas the Democratic party and not politics. Theyembody the rules and conven- Economic Forum to the humble corridors learningisarticulated in the classic tale The the infrastructureand makingthe schools the mobs,the electoralsystemand notthe tions that maintain thebalance between pri- of Niti Aayog, the “political formulas” of Parrot’s Training (Totaakahini). Asmall pro- morewelcoming.Cleantoilets,drinkingwa- hooligans who were undermining it. vate andpublicinterests.Trumptoreinto neo-liberalism economics rule. As Jean Paul gressive school in Japanrun by avisionary ter, library, atinkering lab, and aplayground Bipartisanship in America is dead, killedby thesechecks and balances.When his chiefs Satrewould have said,Davos speaksand principalhasbeenimmortalisedinthe best- will help. Second, by making learning fun. an ideologicalchauvinism thatsees competi- of staff, andseveral of his secretaries opposed Niti Aayogprovides the echo. Trumpisneo- sellingTottochan.Perhaps,thelongestlasting Instead of segregating children by agethey tors as theenemy within. This is amindset his views,hejustreplacedthem.When the liberalism’s loudestspokesperson. libertarianschoolintheworldisSummerhill. can have classes with mixedagegroups. The that is difficult to treat. It is built on apsychol- mainstream media, suchasCNN, TheNew The above maladies have gainedalife, and It wasfoundedin1921, ahundred years ago children can also learn at their ownpace. ogy of hatethat residesdeep in the soul of its York Times and The Washington Post,wrote becomepossible, because of the fifthmalaise in England, by ASNeill with the belief that Third, locatethe champions —the “heroes” proponents. It is incapableofcompromise about his transgressions, he mockedthem Themore appropriate term in American society —its increasing inequal- school shouldbemadetofit the child rather within the government system —and use and challenging to cure. describingthem as purveyors of “fakenews”. is to see Trump not as a ity.Itprovides the soil forTrumpian mobilisa- thanthe other wayround. them as effective resourcepeople.Without The second maladyfeeding the first, and In his drive to dominateinstitutions, Attorney tion. This increasing inequality of American Usually,governmentschoolshitheadlines anycashincentives,simplybybringinginno- perhaps dependent on it, is the rise of the GeneralWilliam Barrbecame his bulldog. populist leader but as a capitalism needed aspokesmanand acover, forall the wrong reasons —awall cavesin, a vatorsto thefore,manyteacherswillfeelmo- plebiscitaryleader.The moreappropriate The leader of the Senate, MitchMcConnell, plebiscitaryone. A to convert alie into atruth. Trumpprovided roof collapses,orchildrenfallsickafteramid- tivated.Fourth,by invitingestablishedNGOs term is to see Trumpnot as apopulistleader becamehis praetorian guardand Lindsey plebiscitaryleader speaks both. He changed the vocabularyofpolitics, daymeal. But theAAP government in Delhi to help bring in best practices from all over. but as aplebiscitary one. Aplebiscitaryleader Graham his dancing cheerleader.Mark directly to his followers over making it respectabletomock, deride, de- vowedtomakegovernment schools better During the pandemic, 1.5millionpeople speaksdirectlytohis followers over the Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefsof nounce and heap scorn on one’s political ad- thanprivate ones.Theyachievedthissuccess logged into archive.org everyday.Itisthe heads of institutions that aresupposedto Staff, who accompaniedTrumpfor aphoto- the heads of institutions that versaries. Attention had to bedistractedfrom by improving infrastructure(no stinky toi- largest repositoryofbookswith 28 million constrain him but have,asshown, little op to achurch in Washington, afterithad are supposed to constrain the real challenge of increasingequality. lets), giving dignity to teachers,constituting booksfor free downloads. We needtobuild powertodoso. Arelationshipofdevotion been forciblycleared of protesters, apolo- him but have,asshown, little Trumpmade vigilantepolitics, especially of school management committees and by in- suchafreearchive forIndian languages. The develops between the leader and followers gisedfor this compromise. the Whitesupremacistvariety,alegitimate volving many good NGOs forinnovating recent announcementthat the government that is unmediated by the institution’s tem- One has, over the lastfouryears, watched powertodoso. A aspect of American politics. It is worrisome learning methods. In 2015,therewereonly will buy bulk subscriptions of scientific jour- pering logic. The leader provides the follow- with horrorand disbeliefasthe custodians relationship of devotion thathis model of politics is nowavailablefor 17,000 classrooms. In justthree years, AAP nals so that everyone can access them is a ers with meaning, with aviewofthe world of America’s democratic institutions suc- develops between the leader other plebiscitaryleaders. With his politics of added another 8,000 classrooms; 11,000 step in the right direction. that speakstotheir anxieties and insecuri- cumbed to the narcissism of their plebisci- and followers thatis hate, in this climateofinequality, it is little moreclasses areunder construction. Once We need schools where childrenwith ties. Thisisessentially Max Weber’s thesis tary leader.Evensmall conventions, although wonder that the masterofvituperative social completedtherewill be 36,000classrooms. different backgrounds —class,caste,reli- on the charismatic personality.Trumpfitsit symbolicallysignificant, that establishedthe unmediated by the media posts brought the Capitol under siege. InIndia,schoolshave always beendeeply gions, abilities —can study together and learn to aT.Hebuilt his constituency withphrases principle of conflict of interestwerecast institution’s tempering logic. To heal itself, American democracy will need segregated.The 1966 Kothari Education to careand empathise. In DavidHorsburgh’s and slogans suchas“makeAmerica great aside by Trumpwhen he appointedfamily Theleader provides the more than justthe replacing of Trumpwith Commission’s recommendation foracom- Neel Bagh School in Kolar,Karnataka,chil- again”,“drain the swamp”,“lockher up”, members to high office and refusedtore- followers withmeaning,with Biden. It willneedtoexaminewhy anarcis- monschoolsystemwasneverimplemented. dren could learnattheirown pace. They “stopthe steal”, that created apartisan con- lease his income taxreturns as had been the sistic leader,with plebiscitarypower, wasable Today, which school achild goes to depends could study Class VTelugu, Class III English stituency both in the street andwithin the convention with previous presidents.Trump aview of the world that to expose the fragility of itsinstitutions and onhersocio-economicstatus.Thepandemic andClass VII mathallatthesametime. They elected chambers. It waswilling to walk with took asledgehammer to institutions. They speakstotheir anxieties and push them to the brink. has furthered and exacerbated this divide. learnt to work with people with different him to the endsofthe earth. Social media were unable to corralhim. He exposedthe insecurities. This is COVID-19hit parentseconomically.Many skillsandabilities.Theyalso learnt coopera- aided theprocessofpartisan constituency fragility of their checks andbalances. Biden essentially Weber’sthesis on The writer is DDKosambi Visiting Professor were unabletopay school fees. Some re- tion, group work,compassion, human dig- formation. It exaggerated the feeling of griev- will have to work hardtorepairthem. at Goa University.Hehas justpublished with movedtheir children from private schools nity and plurality of opinions. anceand promisedthatthe leaderwould ad- The fourth malaise is the elitecapture the charismatic personality. Rukmini Bhaya Nair abook titled Keywords andputthemingovernmentschools.Butthe dress the problem. Trumpwas playing fora of notjustinstitutions but of the political Trump fits it to aT. forIndia. Viewsexpressed arepersonal governmentistryinghardtowithdraw from Arvind Gupta is atoymaker and educator Areform for the future LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR US TRUMPED IDEAS Newfarmlawsare meantto usherinmodernpracticesinagriculture THISREFERSTOthe article, ‘Theattack on America’ (IE, January8).The audacity ONLINE of Donald Trump-inspired goons to be- Syed Zafar Islam siegethe US Capitolplaces an indelible ONLYINTHE EXPRESS stain on the world’s oldestdemocracy. THE LATESTROUNDoftalksbetween the gov- forms forthe benefit of his allegedcapitalist bone of India’s economy, contributes amas- erations.PMModi’s vision should be seen in True to hisname, he did trumpthe ● SMARTTESTS ernment and farmers’ representativeshas friends. But nothing can be farther from the sive 55 per cent while the shareofindustries thisbackdrop. democracy.The country which is con- MUSTGOON: once again concludedwithout an agreement. truth. PM Modi has launchedthesereforms is 26 per cent. The twotogether makeup In fact,it’s notall doomand gloom. We sidered abeacon of light forother AMARPATNAIK The good news is that the twosides have forthe benefit of the farmers and their future much of the GDP but the populationdepend- have bits of everything going in the farm sec- democracies nowmustbeitselfgroping agreedtomeetagain on January15. Let’s hope generations. The newlawsare meant to take ent on them is justabout 40 per cent. tor, largely due to market forces. Forexample, in the darktoknowwhy this has hap- ● REDEFINING AGRI the farmers from the country’s northern states notjustthe farm sector forwardbut benefit Year afteryear,the GDP contribution of big private players already operateinthe pened. The answer isnotfar to seek.The MARKETS: showflexibility in understanding whythe the entirecountry. agriculture andalliedservices is going agriculturesector.The ITC’s annualfarming country, rivenbycontradictionsand con- SHIRISH JOSHI government hasundertakentoreform the Even if the Modi government had not down. We should have arrested the decline sector turnoverisRs7.5 thousand crore. They flictsonvarious issues, did nottakeno- agriculturesector. framedthese newlaws, Iwould have de- along time ago. The UPAgovernment never have been doing contract farming of sorts tice of the shadows being castby www.indianexpress.com Time is non-partisan and it judges us ruth- manded reforms in the farm and alliedsec- did so.The Narendra Modi government has through the “E-Choupal”scheme that has Trump’sdemonic demagogy and ac- lessly. If we do notembarkonreformsinagri- tors. We need reformsbecausemuchofour done that. brought 40 lakh farmers under it. The com- tions. This assault is also amessagefor cultureand alliedsectorsnow,wewill have agricultural practices aretrappedinthe past. Consider thisaswell:Onlythe US has pany aims to hit the one croremarksoon. other countries, wherehis counterparts failedthe future generations. Theywill not The productionofcrops is lopsidedand dis- morecultivablelandthan us. But we produce Thereare privateplayers in agro-businesses aretrumpeting him as arole model. BEHOLDEN TO OPTICS forgiveuswhen theylook backattoday’s tribution is even moreskewed. We produce four times less crops than the US. China has tooand thus farit’s been ahappy relation- Tarsem Singh, Mahilpur THISREFERSTOtheeditorial,‘Discomfort stubborn but misguidedopposition to the muchmorewheat and rice than we need. But less arableland thanusand yet, as agriculture ship betweenthe twosides —cases of ex- zones’ (IE, January7). The quantifiable newfarm laws. our fruit, lentils and vegetable production is expertAshok Gulati says,itproduces three ploitation, if any, arenegligible. BUILDERS’HOUSE achievementsinthe India-US relation- The needfor reform has been felt forthe muchless than our requirement. We do not timesmorecrops than us. Afew start-ups areusing newtechnolo- ship duringthe Donald Trumpadminis- lastthree decadesand that’s whythe MS find muchuse forscience, modern machines Fortyper centofour arable land is afflicted gies suchasdrones and satelliteimages to THIS REFERS TO the article, ‘A House tration wasthe outcome of astrongbi- SwaminathanCommittee wasset up to come and satellite imagesfor data analysis and are with degradation and infertility.Itproduces analysethe quality of soiland seedsand deter- fornew India’ (IE, January8). While lateral partnership built over years. This up with solutions to address the malaise in notimaginative aboutirrigation. The sector is fewernutrientcrops and at less than itsca- mine howmuchwater aparticular crop needs the GDP is likelytocontractby7.7 per administrationhas narroweddownthe thesector. Youneedhugepolitical will and starved of capitaland bereft of start-ups. pacity.Deforestation is chipping away at cul- at whattime. cent this financial year and 1,663“ma- scope of this engagement to atransac- courage of conviction to initiatereforms in Thepaddy andwheat farmersappear to tivable land. Monsoon rains bring floods and But the developmentisunevenand not jor projects” worthRs25.47 lakh- tionalrelationshipthatisveryhighonop- agriculture, on whichnearly 60 per cent of have little or no regard forthe demand and deficient rainfall causes drought. Our water spread across the country.Itneededgovern- croreare pending foryears(as per the tics, alignedtoservedomestic political the country’spopulation is dependent.The supply cycle in the market because theyknow management system is outdated and uses a ment intervention. It neededtobegiven a latestMoSPI report), what explains interests.Contrarytothe submission twoUPA governmentshad neither anyinter- that the government will buy their produce, lotofthe underground water, causing the wa- direction. Hence the newfarm laws.Infact, the logic —and the hurry —behind made by Ambassador Justerthat US estinthe welfareoffarmers nor the political demand or no demand.This is notanideal tertable to deplete fast. we need morereforms. This should justbe splurging Rs 20,000 croreonanew CAATSA sanctionswerenever designed will to implement theSwaminathan farm practice. China beganits farm reforms in 1980. the beginning. Hopefully, the entireagricul- Parliament andother buildings unless to harm friends,theyhavedirectlyim- Committee report. Justimagine this: The farm and alliedsec- Agriculturescientists believe it takesmore tural system is remodelledtoservethe farm- it’stoappeasethe builders? pacted India’s strategicinterests. If Prime MinisterNarendraModi had so tors contributeonly17per cent to our GDP, than 30-40 yearsoratleast twogenerations to ing community. Varin Dhir, Ahmedabad Sudip Kumar Dey, Kolkata desired,hecouldhaveeasilylet things drift. while theyconstitute60per centofthe coun- enjoythe fruitsofreform. If we startnow,we He is being accusedofinitiating these re- try’s population. The services sector,the back- will bedoing agreat service to our futuregen- ThewriterisaBJP MP WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021 8 EXPRESS NETWORK Soon after ‘Dailytollneverwentbeyond25...Kerala’s UP: Rape victim bail, police nephew still missing, pick up Para achievementhasbeenlimitingdeaths’ police file charges in another KERALAHEALTH Minister KK with comorbidity.Kerala’s section of people will always In the meeting on vaccine, I House Officer of BiharPolice SHAILAJA speakstoLIZ achievement hasbeen limiting flout protocols.Wecannotex- told them that Kerala should get MANISHSAHU Station. terror case MATHEW on whythe stategov- deaths. Even now, astate with pect 100per cent compliance in it on an emergency basis. Ialso LUCKNOW,JANUARY10 ArewardofRs1lakh hasalso ernment is notworriedabout suchpopulation density,the anysociety.With widespread demandedthat keeping the been announcedfor anyinfor- the highnumber of active cases death rate is half per cent. and intense campaign, 80 per population and itsvulnerability POLICE HAVE filedachargesheet mation on the missing boy. ARUNSHARMA being reportedfromthe state. cent of the population started in mind, the stateshould get againstfivepeoplearrestedin Severalpolice teams have been JAMMU,JANUARY10 Kerala’s surge startedin wearing masksand using hand morevaccines. connection withthe allegedkid- formedand searches arebeing Kerala has the highest Septemberand the festival sanitisers. Iinformedthem the stateis napping of asix-year-old carriedout, sources said. Awrit SOONAFTER he wasgranted bail number of active cases, it is seasonofOnam andsome Otherwise, the statewould ready forvaccine distribution nephew of theUnnao gangrape petition seeking adirection to by theNIAcourtinacaseof terror reporting the maximum political activities were have been worse than and waiting. Therewas no denial victim who wasburnt to death in transfer theinvestigationtothe funding,PDP youthwing leader number of cases everyday, blamed. Other states also had Maharashtra. We have good from their side, nor wastherean 2019. CBI is pending in the High Court. Waheed-ur-RehmanPara wasde- almostone fourth of the festivals likeDiwali and health facilities, but we have assurance. Ithink we will get All five accusedare the fam- “The reportofapolygraph tainedagain forquestioning in a national tally. Whyare the Chhathetc, but no otherstate three big challenges –popula- priority. ilymembers of thosearrestedin test conducted on the accusedis separateterror-relatedcase. numbersnot comingdown? facedthiskindofasituation. THEEXPRESS tion density,the highnumber of connection withthe gangrape awaited.Wehavebeen sending TheCounterIntelligencewing Kerala has been makinga Actually, therewas no such old agepopulation, and lifestyle Has the outbreak of other and murder of the 23-year-old letters to theForensic Science of JammuandKashmirPolicede- systematic effort to control the rise in the festival season. In a INTERVIEW diseases. diseaseslikebirdflu or woman,who wasset on fire LaboratoryinLucknowtosend tainedParaimmediatelyafter his pandemic. In apandemic,there pandemic, it gets spreadtomax- mutated strains complicated whileshe wasonher wayto us the polygraph test report,” WITH release from District Jail, will be apeak,nomatter howwe imum number of people and Thestate government has the state’s efforts? courttoattend ahearinginher SHOSingh said. KKSHAILAJA Ambphalla, on Saturdayevening. trytocontrol it... And our strat- then comes down. In other requestedthe Centretogive Kerala’sterrain is fertile for case. The boy, aClass Istudent, KERALA HEALTH MINISTER “Wehad receivedamessage egy has been delaying the peak, states, cases went up and started Kerala priority in providing infectious diseases. It is our ef- Although the boyisstillmiss- went missingonOctober 2last from Counter Intelligence to avoid asudden peak which coming down, but resulted in the vaccine. What is its fective health system and the ing, sources said the policefiled year while he wasplaying out- Kashmir(CIK)to collectPara from would lead to crisis in hospitali- moredeaths. Our main strategy deaths due to infectious dis- response? state government’s effort that the chargesheetas90days of side his house with friends. In her jail as he waswantedbythem for sation andarise in the number wastoprevent thespread to eases. In fact, the number of The Centrepointsout Kerala prevent gravecalamities in the stipulated time from the dayof complainttothe police, the rape questioning in connection with of deaths. With our tracing- maximumnumber of people at deaths in Kerala in 2020 is less still has the highestnumber of state. the arrestswas ending. Unnao victim's sisterallegedthattwo lo- FIRNo.31registeredwiththemin quarantaine-break the chain once and limit the number of than that of the previous year. cases. But thereisanother issue The number of waterbodies Superintendent of Police cal residentshad seen the boy Srinagar,”aseniorjailofficialsaid. programme, we delayedthe deaths. We neverfacedacrisis That’s what the statistics till -- the reporting system. It will get in Kerala attract alot of migra- Sureshrao AKulkarni said the lasttime with the accused.After The official expressedigno- peak whichhelpedustoim- withhospitalbedsorshortageof November showed. We arewait- exposedsoon. While we were tory birds and the statebecomes chargesheet wasfiledonthe ba- the boywent missing,three po- rance about the details the FIR. proveour health system –more healthworkers... ing forthe December tally. Once told about other states whichdo prone to diseases likeavianflu. sis of circumstantial evidence lice constables, who were de- Whilethepolice'scounterintelli- beds, moreICUs, oxygen flow it is done, we will publicise the notproject the actual number of Thereisalsoanissue —asin- againstthe accused. ployedfor the security of the rape gence wing remainedsilent, etc. We gotthat time. In some Areyou satisfiedwith the data. cases, Kerala’s reporting system gledeathinKerala is reported “The accusedare lodgedin jail victim’s family, were suspended. sources said the FIR pertains to a states likeMaharashtraand resultsofyour efforts? is reallyeffective. nationallyand internationally. and we filedachargesheet under Although the accusedwho the funding of terror. Tamil Nadu, the peak came quite We have takenmaximum Arepeople following social We do notleave asinglecase Some otherstateshad so many IPC Section 364(kidnapping or have been arrestedin connection “It is an open FIR and fast and the number of deaths careand efforts. Idonot feel distancing and wearing unnoticed. The Centre is aware deaths, but it nevergot suchat- abducting in order to murder) with the rape-murder case were Waheed'snameisnotmentioned. went up... But in Kerala, our daily guilty at all. But we did notwant masks? of it also. Even in Thursday’s tention from the media… lastweek.Efforts arebeing still also questionedinconnection Severalof(PDP chief) Mehbooba deathtoll neverwent beyond 25 anydeaths to happen.However, No matter howintense our meeting, the Centredid not FULLINTERVIEWON made to trace the boy,”said with the kidnap, theydeniedany Mufti'srelativesandaideshave al- -- mostlyelderly people or those in anormalyear,wehavemany awareness campaign is, asmall blame the state... www.indianexpress.com Santosh KumarSingh, Station involvement, the police said. ready been questionedinthis case,”asourcesaid.“Thiscasewas filedafter Waheedwas arrested by theNIA,” the source added. Cabinet rejig likely on Jan 13: BSY Birdflu in 8states; culling AlokBambroo,anassociateof Para’s counsel senior advocateP NRaina, said the docket contain- ing the courtorder granting bail after Delhimeet with Shah, Nadda ops on, advisories issued to Para wasgiven to jail officials around 4pmonSaturday. However, they delayedhisrelease mobilising leadersagainstthe number of crowshavebeen the steps takenare “mainlypre- foranother twohours saying the LIZMATHEW ED Bidto veteran, he has been playing his EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE found dead in different parts of ventive”. documentswerebeingprepared, NEWDELHI,JANUARY10 boost cards carefully. Recently, when LUCKNOW,PUNE,LUDHIANA, thestate over the lastfew days. “Our basic effort is to stop the untilaninspectorandsomeother PLAIN E strength the central leadership stalled SHIMLA,JANUARY10 In Maharashtra, whichlast spread to humans at anycost,” ● policemen from CIK reachedthe THE LONG-AWAITED expan- EX his plan to grantbackward reported cases of avian he said. jailinavehicleandpickedupPara, sion of Karnataka cabinetmay castesstatustoLingayats,the THE BIRD flu outbreak has been Influenza in 2006,Animal Earlier,inalettertoall Bambroosaid. take place on January13, Chief ALTHOUGH Yediyurappa communityhebelongs to and confirmedineight states. HusbandryCommissioner said Divisional Commissionersand Bambroo said thepolicemen MinisterBSYediyurappa said has always enjoyedthe his key supportbase, the Chief The Centre’s Department of orders have been issuedfor District Magistrates,the depart- told Para theyweretakinghim to Sundaynight afterreturning to backing of Prime Ministertoldthe media that he Animal Husbandryand Dairying culling birds within1kmofthe ment directed that strict surveil- thejointinterrogationcentre(JIC) Bengaluru from Delhi. MinisterNarendraModi, would do it afterthe central put out astatement on Sunday, epicentreinParbhani andLatur. lance of migratorybirds coming forquestioning.“OnSunday, Ivis- Earlier in the day, Yediyur- Home MinisterAmit Shah his rivals in stateBJP have leadership givesagreen signal. confirming the outbreak in “A 10-km surveillance zone has near waterbodies and poultry ited theJIC here,but officialstold appa had an hour-long meeting withBJP chief JP Nadda, CM recentlyintensifiedtheir Meanwhile, asection of sevenstates--Kerala, Rajasthan, been created andweare keep- farms should be ensured. It said me that theywerestill question- with Union Home Minister BSYediyurappa and BJP demandfor areplace- party leaders aretalking about Madhya Pradesh,Himachal ing very strict watchonthe sit- poultrybirds and eggs should ing him,” Bambroo said. He said Amit Shah, BJP president JP Karnataka in-charge Arun ment at the toppost. The the possibility of aleadership Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat and uation,” he said. notbetransportedinopen ve- the police did notdisclose the Nadda and party general secre- Singh in Delhi, Sunday. PTI CM wantstostrengthen change. The BJP leadership, Uttar Pradesh. The Uttar Pradesh animal hicles and all poultry markets grounds of Para's detention after tary in-charge forthe state his position by inducting theyargue, could makesome Lateinthe evening, husbandrydepartment is put- should be closedatleastone day the bail order. Arun Singh. some leaders of his offers to Yediyurappa, includ- Maharashtra’s Animal ting in place severalprecaution- in aweek forsanitisation. Nearly one and ahalfmonths “Around six to sevenminis- Maski Assemblybypolls.” choice intohis govern- ing asuitable position forhim HusbandryCommissioner arymeasures, while urging peo- Meanwhile, the state-run afterhewas arrested by the NIA ters will be inducted.The list The state, whichcan have a ment.Amit Shah’s pres- and aUnion Ministerberth for Sachindrapratap Singh told The ple to avoid going to zoos and Guru Angad DevVeterinary and foralleged terror links, Para was will be finalisedonMonday. total of 34 ministers, has 27 ence in Sunday’s meeting one of his sons, in exchangeof Indian Express that samples birdsanctuaries and coming in Animal SciencesUniversity in onSaturdaygrantedbailagainsta We willprobablyhavethe in- now. Besides representatives is being seen as apositive him allowing achangeofguard. from the statehavetestedposi- contact with anykind of bird. Punjab on Sundayissuedanad- personal bond and suretyofRs1 ductiononJanuary13ahead of from different factions and the signalfromthe BJP lead- “Noclear plans have been tive forthe avian influenza virus. Authorities have been asked visoryfor poultryfarmers and lakh each. Special JudgeSunit Sankranti festival. We want the old guards, theChief Minister ership in favour of drawnupyet aboutaleader- Resultsofsamples from Delhi to ensurethatany unnatural chickenconsumers. Guptasaidthat“offences,particu- BJP national president to attend would have to accommodate Yediyurappa. shipchange.Therehas to be a areawaited. death of abirdisreported. The advisorysaid that larly falling underUnlawful the swearing-in,” Yediyurappa some of those who entered the plan to rehabilitate On Sunday, as many as 215 Twored jungle-fowls found though thereisnoreportofany Activities Act(UAPA), arenot said afterhis arrivalin Assemblythrough recent by- Yediyurappa before anything is migratorybirds were found dead at Kanpur Zoological Park birdflu case in Punjab, poultry prima facie made out againstthe Bengaluru. polls. The aspirantsinclude BJP party to “unseat” him. done since he is amass leader,” dead in Pong Dam Lakewildlife earlier this week tested positive farmers needtobemorevigilant applicant/accused”. “Thereare some differences MLCs AHVishwanath, R However, the central leader- aBJP legislator stated two sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh, forthe influenza. and followproper personal hy- Thejudgehighlightedvarious on the names that will be fi- Shankar and MTBNagaraj, ship, sources said, wasofthe months ago. taking the total number of mi- Kanpur Chief Veterinary giene and safetymeasures. loopholes in the NIA case, point- nalised.Wewill announce it to- whose resignation as MLAs in viewthat the78-year-old is the Recently, BJPin-charge gratorywater birds suspected to Officer RPMishra, the culling of “Proper cooking on more ing out thatneitherthe original morrow,”headded. the previous Cong-JD(S) com- best betfor theparty as thereis Singh had stated thatnolead- have diedofbirdflu to 4,235,of- birds in aone-km area of the zo- than 70°C kills influenza nor the supplementary Earlier in the day, asked bine brought thegovernment no one else in the Karnataka ership change is on the cards, ficials said. ological parkhas started. viruses. Farm-to-farm trans- chargesheethas a“reference of about the reshuffle, down and pavedthe wayfor unit to matchhis popularity. but party MLABasavarajPatil Meanwhile, forthe fourth Principal Secretary(Animal mission usuallyoccurs through the present applicant”, and he is Yediyurappa told reporters in the BJP coming to power, said Yediyurappa’s son BYVijay- Yatnal had said the central dayinarow, alarge numberof Husbandry) Bhuvnesh Kumar the movement of the live birds, referredto as“suspectedaccused Delhi, “The party leaders will sources. As manyas11out of endrahad accompaniedhim to leadership is considering a dead poultrybirds were found said the outbreak“isn’tatalarge peopleand contaminated vehi- in the said case”. give good news soon. Ihavedis- the 17 Congress and JDS rebels Delhi. While some of Yediyur- changeofguard. On Sunday, dumpedbythe side of the scale in the stateasjusttwo cles, equipment etc,” the advi- cussedthe political situation in have already been inducted in appa’srivals had labelledhim Yatnal said big changes are Chandigarh-Shimla highway in birds in Kanpur have been sorysaid. (WITHBASHAARAT the state. The party leaders the cabinet. “super CM”, the centralleader- likelyafter Sankranti but did Solan district on Saturday. A tested positive”and addedthat WITHPTI INPUTS MASOODINSRINAGAR) asked me to sendalistofparty Sources close to theChief ship has appointed him as vice- notelaborate. FULLREPORTON candidates to BelagaviLok Ministersaid therehavebeen president of stateBJP. WITH INPUTSFROM www.indianexpress.com Sabha, Basavakalyana and fresh movesbyhis rivals in the While his rivals have been ENS,BENGALURU Making TRACKING INDIA’S COVID CURVE arrangements Man shot dead Student with adrone turns saviour for free vaccine 314 CASES: ACTIVECASES:223,335 DAYSSINCE 10,450,284 DEATHS:150,999 in Meerut; kin, PANDEMIC for everyone, BEGAN MLA seek TESTS: 181,096,622 | RECOVERIES: 10,075,950 for four fishermen lost at sea says Mamata CASES DEATHS RECOVERIES TESTS JAN9 18,645 20119,299 843,307 police action sawthe dejected fishermen who me the incident might have hap- SHAJUPHILIP had returnedafter failing to trace penedaround 11 nautical miles EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, the four,” says Dewang, afourth from the shore. ThoughIflewthe KOLKATA,JANUARY10 EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE JANUARY10 semesterB-Tech studentatChrist drone towardsthe directions they MEERUTJANUARY10 University, Bengaluru,whoiscur- suggested,nothingcould bespot- CHIEF MINISTER Mamata AFTER THE Covid lockdown was rentlyattending classes online. ted. In aflash, Idecidedtotry an- Banerjee on Sundayannounced TENSIONPREVAILED at Meerut’s announcedlastyear and cam- Almost immediately, otherdirection.”he says.“Thisled her government wasmaking SardhanatownonSundaymorn- puses were shut, 19-year-old Dewang made up his mind.He to thespotting of the four miss- arrangementstoprovidefree ing as dozens of local residents Dewang Subil returnedtohis vil- wanted to pitchinand help lo- ing fishermen.” Covid-19vaccine to peoplein the STATESWITHRISINGACTIVECASES and familymembersled by the lageinKerala from Bengaluru. catethe fishermen, and he knew Local panchayatmember A state. In response, the BJP accused ACTIVECASES RISEINLASTWEEK BJP MLA,SangeetSom, refusedto Four months ago, the computer his dronecan help. Mehaboob says the villageisin- Banerjee of trying to take credit Meghalaya 16327 performthelastritesof a25-year- sciencestudentwithapassionfor “Atfirst,Ithoughtaboutflying debted to Dewang. “He has no forthe Centre’s efforts. Daman 36 -6 old man who wasshotdead by photographybought abattery- from the shore. But forbetterre- linkswiththefishingcommunity In an open letter,Banerjee said Puducherry 328 -11 twounidentifiedpersons on operated drone—hewantedto sults, Idecidedtoventureinthe norourcoast.Yet,inanhourof cri- that“Covidwarriors”orfrontline Saturday night.Therestivecrowd capturethe best images. sea,” he says. sis, the young man extendedhis workers suchaspolicepersonnel, STATESWHEREACTIVECASESAREDECLINING raisedanti-policeslogansandput Lastweek,Dewang and his Afterobtaining permission helping hand. Had it notfor him, homeguards,civil defence volun- ACTIVECASES DECLINEINLASTWEEK upablockadebyplacingthedead dronedidmuchbetter. Theysaved from the authorities, Dewang the missing fishermen would teers, and correctional home and West Bengal 8,0342,974 bodynearthebusstand,demand- the livesoffour fishermen who 19-year-oldDewangSubil hoppedontoavesselalong with have floated away,’’ he says. disastermanagement employees Rajasthan 6,730 2,065 ing immediate arrest of the cul- went missinginthe highseas, afew fishermen foranother Kappam Veettil Iqbal, 49,one would be administered the vac- Uttar Pradesh 11,422 1,894 prits. makinghimthetoastofhiscoastal search operation. of therescuedfishermen,saysaf- cine on apriority basis. Sachin Prajapati, aresident of village, Thalikulam, in Thrissur boardmanaged to makeadis- Local legislator Geetha Gopi tertheirvesselsank,theyclungon “I amhappytoinformthatour STATESREPORTINGMAXIMUMCASES Sardhana’s Khewanlocality,was district. tress call to afellowfisherman in says initiallytheywerereluctant to floating wreckageand empty government is making arrange- ONJAN9TOTAL shotdead by twobike-borne as- According to Dewang, mainland. as Dewang wasnew to sea. kerosene cans forhours. mentsfor reaching thevaccine to Kerala 5,528 806,604 sailantsaround 10 pm on around noon on January5,he Withinminutes,teamsof fish- “Wedissuadedhim from go- Iqbal wasonthe vessel with all people of the statefreeofany Maharashtra3,5811,965,556 Saturdaywhen he wasreturning heardfromhis father Subil EJ, ermen ventured intothe sea, ing into sea as he does noteven Chembanadan Kuttan, 59, charge,” the chief ministerwrote Uttar Pradesh 1,286592,896 home afterhaving dinner with a who owns ajewelleryshop, launchingtheir search operation. knowswimming. Also, chances Chembanadan Vijayan, 58 and in the letter addressedtothe friend at alocal restaurant. The about avesselwithfourfisher- The Coast Guardwas also in- of the expensive drone getting Puthanparan Subramanian 60. frontline workers. STATESREPORTINGMAXIMUMDEATHS killers firedtwo bullets at him, menfromthe villagegoing miss- formedand theysent arescue lostinthe sea were high. “For some time, we were to- Banerjee also expressedher ONJAN9TOTAL causinginstant death,the police ing in the high seas. boat. But the search teams re- However, he insisted and we al- gether,tryingto keepafloat.Later, gratitude forall suchworkers for Maharashtra5851,196 said.Asnews of thekillingspread, The fishing vessel had leftthe turnedemptyhandedhourslater. lowedhim to tryhis drone to help we got tiredandoneof us,Vijayan, theirselfless service to thepeople Uttar Pradesh 24 8,493 Sachin'sfamily membersand lo- villageinthe early hoursofthe “I heard from my fatherabout locatethe fishermen,” says Gopi. felt he would drown. Others also of the state.“The government is Kerala 22 3,327 cal residentsmarched to the day. Hours later,itwas caught in the incident around noon and Dewang says thefishermen on startedfloating away in different taking steps to ensurethat every Sardhana police stationwhere rough sea, and got damaged. sevenhours had elapsed by then the rescue vessel guidedhim ini- directions. Finally, we were spot- citizen of the statereceivesfree DataasonJanuary9,releasedbyUnionMinistryofHealthandFamilyWelfare,IndianCouncilofMedical Researchandstategovernments.Often,thenumbersreleasedeverydaycontaindatafrompreviousdays theywerejoined by the local BJP Beforethe hugewaves sank the [since thefishermen went miss- tiallyabout the possible location tedbyadrone, leadingtoour res- doses of the Covid-19 vaccine,” aswell.Assuch,trendsbasedondailynumbersareonlyindicativeandnotdefinitive legislator,SangeetSom. vessel, one of the fishermen on ing]. When Irushedtothe coast, I of themissingpersons. “Theytold cue,” says Iqbal. she added. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021 @ieExplained #ExpressExplained 9 If thereare questions of current or contemporaryrelevancethat youwould like E EXPLAINED explained, please [email protected]

EXPLAINED AGRICULTURE Gas pipeline from Kochi to Mangaluru: hurdles Farm protests, big picture crossed, and why it matters The protestbythousandsoffarmers at Delhi’sborders have brought to focusarangeofissues in agriculture THETWOBRANCHES in India.One of the country’s leading policy experts provides aprimer on some important questions. MANGALORE BENGALURU forces? TerminalpointofMainLine EXPERT Farmerscannotbeleftentirely to themercy (phaseII):542.45km of market forces.Farmers growingnon-MSP EXPLAINS crops,especiallyfruitsandvegetables,have ex- periencedhugevolatility in prices over the KARNATAKA KANNUR Siraj years. The price deficiency paymentscheme didnot succeed in MP.So, direct income sup- Hussain portistheonlyway to shieldthemfromsuffer- AREEKODE inghugelosses. Apredictable trade policycan PIPELINEROUTE: FromThe Indian Express panel MainLine(phaseII) also help in attracting private investment in of specialists, exclusiveinsight the agriculturechain whichcan actasashield Malappuram TheBengalururouteisnearing againstvolatility. Option contractsthrough completion.Itbranchesoffat FPOscanalsobringstability,butmostfarmers GAIL’sKochi- KoottanadinPalakkad,andenters angalurunaturalgas arenot educated enough to deal with future pipeline(444km) Koottanad TamilNadu,goingtoCoimbatore THE FARMERS’ agitationonDelhi’sborder is markets,sotheyneedsupportand guidance wasopenedbyPM beforereachingBengaluru. now45daysold,andthegovernmentappears from the government. lastweek to have made up itsmind that it will neither KERALA TAMIL NADU put on holdnor repeal the three laws hurried Can procurement be abolished? What will KOCHI passedbyParliament in September 2020. happen to PDS then? Government ministers have been explaining The procurement system in India serves the beneficial provisions of the laws,and so- Tractor rallyagainstfarmlawsonDelhi’s outskirts. AbhinavSaha twopurposes —purchases on MSP supports Delays since 2007 cial media is full of stories about howfarmers farmers, and subsidised distribution of pro- SHAJUPHILIP in Punjab have been “exploiting” the system cured grains under PDS supportsIndia’s eco- THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,JAN10 In 2009, the then CPM-ledgovern- of procurementofcropsatminimumsupport Arewheat and rice the onlycrops for areable to getonlyasmallamount of these nomicallyvulnerable. As per recent National ment headedbyVSAchuthanandan price (MSP). While Punjab and Haryana have whichfarmers receive MSP? subsidies. FamilyHealthSurvey(NFHS)dataonmalnour- ON TUESDAY,Prime MinisterNarendra gave single-windowclearance to the becomethefocusof thefarmers’agitation,the WhilethegovernmentdeclaresMSPfor23 Anumber of subsidies meant foragricul- ishment in India, malnutrition indicatorsfor Modi dedicated to the nation the project, whichshouldhavebeencom- currentscenarioinagricultureisnot veryhope- crops, onlywheat and paddy (rice) arepro- turealsoflowtobusinesses,e.g.,grantgivento women and children have worsenedoverthe Kochi-Mangalurunatural gaspipeline pleted in 2013.However,protests took ful in otherstatestoo. Some important issues cured in largequantities as theyare required food processing unitsand cold chain projects. years.Withthisinfocus,thePDSsystemislikely of the GailAuthority of India Limited place as local people wantedthealign- arediscussedbelow. to meet therequirementof PDS,whichisabout to stay inthecomingyears.Butthegovernment (GAIL). The keyinfrastructureproject ment along asea routerather than 65 milliontonnes. Then whyisitsaid that Indian farmer are will do well to preparea10-year roadmap of has come about afterovercoming through inhabited areas; they felt the What is the current situation of landin nettaxed? PDSto 2030sothatonlytherequiredquantities protests in Kerala, misconceptions pipelinewas atickinggas bomb. agriculture? Is it onlythe farmers of Punjab and AspertheICRIER-OECDreport,despitethe of wheat and rice areprocured. about safety, and along delay. AftertheCongress-ledgovernment Areaunderagriculture hasbeenshrinking Haryana who benefit from procurement? plethoraofschemes run to supportand sub- headedbyOommenChandycameto —itreducedfrom159.5 million hectares (mn In2019-20,Punjabprocured92.3%of itsrice sidiseIndianfarmers,becauseofregressive poli- Is there agenuine fear of higher consumer The terminal, since 2013 powerin2011, the CPM, then in oppo- ha) in 2010-11to157 mn ha in 2015-16—but production. Haryana procured 89.2%, while cies on the marketing side (both domestic and prices due to changes in the Essential The pipeline willdeliverliquefied sition,chose to stand with the protest- the number of operationalholdings has been Telangana procured 102% of itsproduction. In internationaltrade policies) and the deficit of Commodities Actand the entryoflarge natural gas(LNG) sourced from ater- ers.Whenevenlocalleadersof therul- rising (increasedfrom138.3 million to about thecaseofwheat, Punjabprocured 72%ofits basic infrastructurefor storage, transportation corporates in the food businessthrough e- minalinKochi built by PetronetLNG in ingUDF joinedthe agitation, the 146million).Thisreflectsinthefallingaverage production this year,while Haryana and MP etc.,Indianfarmerssufferednetlossesandthus commerce and modern retail? 2013 at acostofRs4,500.However, for government suspendedthe survey. landholdings’sizeof farmers,whichhascome procured62% and 66%respectively. emergedtobenettaxeddespitereceivingsub- Incaseof high-valueagriculturalcommodi- want of pipeline connectivity,itcould GAIL toosuspended all contracts. The down from 1.2hatoabout 1.08 ha. sidies. Between 2014 and ties in whichIndia is in deficit or has onlymar- notbeutiliseduntilnow. Theterminal’s governmentevenpulledupthenChief Intheabsenceof anestimateofthenum- Which other crops are 2016,Indianfarmerswere ginal surpluses (likepulses), thereisagenuine objectiveistosupply naturalgasfordo- SecretaryJijiThomson forhaving said beroffarmers in the country, the number of protected by the on averagenet taxedto fear of stocking by corporates, especially those mestic and industrial useinKerala and the pipelinewould be laidatany cost landholdings is takenasits proxy. This means government through THEEXPERT the tune of 6%. whichare in modern retail and e-commerce. SouthIndia.ItisSouthIndia’sfirstLNG- and the protestors would be arrested. thatIndiahasabout146million—orabout14.6 various measures? Thegovernmentmustmakeitcompulsorythat receiving,regasificationandre-loading During the UDF regime, only48kmof crore—farmers. About 86% of them have an Since2015-16, thegov- SIRAJ HUSSAIN, IAS (retd), What is the levelof theykeeptheir stockinWarehousing terminal withacapacity of five million the444-km pipeline could be laid. averagelandholding size less than 2hectares; ernmenthas been procur- has dealt with issues agricultural subsidies DevelopmentandRegulatoryAuthority-regis- metric tonnes per annum. The pipeline wasplanned at an es- theyare referred to as India’ssmalland mar- ing larger quantities of related to Indian in other countries? teredwarehousesonly, so that the private timated costofRs2,915 crorein2009. ginal farmers (SMF). The SMFs operateon pulsesthrough National agriculturefor mostofhis As per the same stocks areknown to the government. Phases and sections Dueto thedelays,itscostwentuptoRs about 47.35% of the total agri-area. Morethan Agricultural Cooperative career.Hewas Secretary, ICRIER-OECDreport, The project, conceivedin2007, en- 5,750 crore. half of India’sfarmersresideinthefive statesof MarketingFederation of MinistryofFood while Indian farmers What role should stategovernmentsplay visages pipelines from Kochito UP,Bihar,Maharashtra, MP,and Karnataka. India (NAFED) and Small Processing,and Secretary, were nettaxed (i.e., re- in getting farmers fair prices? Mangaluru and to Bengaluru. In the Expedited by Vijayan Farmers’ Agri-business MinistryofAgriculture, ceivednegative support), If India has to move away from procure- firstphase, a44-km line waslaid in While in opposition, the CPM had Is fragmentation of landaproblem? Consortium (SFAC)for and Chairman and farmersinthe firstworld ment-basedsupport, at present restricted to Kochi, linking the terminal with local stood with the agitators. But, afteras- Smallerlandholdingsproduce smaller maintaining abufferstock Managing Director of FCI. countries of Norway, certain cropsonly, amoreattractive income industrial users, including Bharat suming office in 2016,Chief Minister pocketsofproduce, aggregation of whichbe- of 2million tonnes. Cotton Since retiring from the Switzerland,Japan,Korea, supportschemehasto beconceived.However, Petroleum Corporation Limited.To PinarayiVijayan placedthe GAIL comesessential forevenatrolley-load to be is procuredbyCotton IAS, he has been aVisiting United States, and it has to be coupledwith muchhigher invest- take natural gastodomestic con- pipeline in his 100-days projects. As carriedtoanagriculturalproducemarket com- Corporation of India, while Senior Fellowatthe Australia received the ment,bothpublicandprivate,inagri-infrastruc- sumers, Indian OilCorporation (IOC) Vijayanhad the party under his firm mittee(APMC)mandioranearby market.Due groundnutisprocured in Indian Council for highestpositivesupport. ture. The RashtriyaKrishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) enteredintoapact with Adani Gas Ltd. control, no one in the CPM or Left to smallholdings causedbyfragmentation, some states likeGujarat. Research on International EvenfarmersinIndonesia incentivisedthe states, whichincreasedtheir The second phase of the pipeline DemocraticFront questionedhis deci- small and marginal farmers areforcedtosell Some horticultural Economic Relations. receivedmuchhigher expenditureonagriculture.TheCentre’sassis- passes through sevendistrictsofKerala sion, and local leaders steppedback their produceatfarm gate itself. This is espe- products arealso procured positive support.Ukraine tance forsuchstatesshouldbehigher. to carry naturalgas from Kochito from their protest.The Centretoo ciallysoinstatesthat have aweak networkof in asporadic manner,e.g., wasanother country like SeveralDecentralised Procurement(DCP) Bengaluru via Palakkad, with another wantedKeralato give toppriorityto the APMC mandis. apples in J&K in 2019-20 India that emergedtobe states likeOdisha and Chhattisgarhclaim that leg taking it to Mangaluru. The Kochi- project as theLNG terminal in Kochi and onioninMaharashtra almost everyyear. taxing itsfarmers. theyincur losses in procurement operations Mangaluru line (444 km) has been wasincurring hugelosses. What% of the country’s workforceis Sugarcane is notprocuredbythe govern- and these arenot fullyreimbursedbythe openedwhile the Bengaluru leg is To winoverlandowners,Vijayanin- engaged in agriculture?Dothe workers ment but itsfarmers areassuredofFair and What arethe subsidies enjoyedbythe Centre. However, precise dataonlossesin- nearing completion, officials said. creasedthe compensation amount for needtobeweanedout? How? Remunerative Price (FRP) paidbysugar mills. middle classes and the rich? Areother curredbythem is notinthe publicdomain. Already 2,750 domestic gascon- theacquiredland, and reducedthe As per recent estimates from the Labour In some states,the governmentdeclares State sectors of the economyalso subsidised? nections have been giveninKochi and widthof thelandto beacquiredwasre- Bureau, 45% of India’s workforceisemployed Advised Pricewhichishigher than the FRP. The EconomicSurvey of 2014-15devoted What should the government do over the work forsupplyofnatural gasinother duced. Afterlaying the pipeline,farm- in agriculture.According to Census 2011,55% Juteisanother crop protected by the gov- asectiontosubsidies enjoyedbythe middle next five years to makeIndian agriculture towns is going on. The pipeline sup- ers were allowedtocultivate,except of theagri-workforce comprises agri-labour- ernmenteventhough it is notdirectlypro- classes. These includehigher interestrates on morecompetitive? plies 3.8 million cubic metres of gasa deep-rootedcrops.Althoughrightwing ers,i.e.,thosewhodonotownlandandwork for cured.UnderJutePackagingMaterial(JPM)Act, savings,incometaxexemptions,railways,elec- SeveralstatesofIndiahavealready daytoindustrial and residential cus- MuslimoutfitsSocialDemocraticParty wagesonthe land of others; less than 45% are 1987,the Government has decidedthat100% tricity,LPG, gold, and aviation turbine fuel achievedproductivitylevelsseenindeveloped tomers in Kochiand is settocross 4 of India (SDPI) and WelfareParty of “farmers” who ownand cultivate land. Indian of foodgrainsand20%of sugarshallbemanda- (ATF).Higher education in government insti- countries. But thereare also states that have million cubic metres in the city itself. India (ofJamaat-e-Islami)led protests agriculturecannotsupport suchalarge popu- torilypackedindiversified jutebags. tutions is highlysubsidised. The government lowproductivity. Focusedresearch on crops Menagaluru has apotential of 2.5 mil- inmanyplaces,andtheproteststurned lation through growth in agriculturealone. alsoprovides protection to industrybyway of growninlow-productivity states candeliver lion cubic metres per day, The capac- violentinKozhikodedistrictin2017,the If horticultureand dairyare more productivity-linked incentive schemes, high better seeds, whichcan withstand the chal- ity utilisation of the LNGterminal will government ensured that work pro- Is rice the onlywater-guzzlingcrop? profitable, whyare farmers notgiving up importtariffs,and regulatorytweaks. lengeofhigher temperaturedue to climate go up to 25-30%. ceededunder policeprotection. It is said that 1kgofsugar requires about MSP crops andswitching to these? change.Drought-tolerantvarietiesof seedsare 1,500-2,000 litres while 1kgofrice requires Milkproducersandfarmersgrowingfruits Whyare farmers agitating when the also neededfor crops growninrain-fed areas. 5,000litres.Thereare variationsacross states. andvegetablesareequallyproneto fluctuation governmentsaysthe newlawswillhelp Good qualityseeds can enhance productivity Akgofsugar producedfromcane cultivated in market prices.Exceptfor dairycooperatives them? And whyare Punjabfarmers at the by 15-20%.Recentsuccessesinhigherproduc- in UP consumes 1,044litres of water, while in in Gujarat, the milk federations arefundedby forefront of the agitation? tivity vegetables and maize provethis. Maharashtraittakesdoublethat—2,086litres. state governmentsthrough various means. The farmersofPunjab, Haryana and other In 2018,aworking groupofNitiAayog, In Maharashtra, sugarcaneiscultivated on 4% states that have robust APMC mandis and an chaired by Dr Parmod Kumar,publisheda of thecultivablelandbutconsumesmorethan What arethe subsidies givento efficientsystemof procurementaremorefear- study,‘Demand supplyprojections towards 70%ofirrigationwater. Duetothehighreturns agriculture in India? ful of the three laws.Theyfear that theselaws 2033’, whichpointed out that India on sugarcane compared to other crop combi- Farmers in India areprovidedsupporton signalthebeginningof theendofopen-ended will still have surplus in wheat and rice. In nations and assured marketing, the area un- both the input and output side. On the input procurement of wheat and paddy.Theyfear coarse grains the domestic requirement will der sugarcane has been going up even in wa- side,anaverage Indianfarmerreceivessubsi- thatthe successofthese states in creating the be largely met, buttherewill be adeficit of 5- ter-stressedregions. dies on fertilisers, seeds, farm machineryand infrastructurefor procurement maynow be- 7million tonnes in pulses. Amassivedeficit of ThethreeActspassedbyParliamentdonot equipment,electricity, logistics,etc.Onthe comethe reason forwithdrawal of supportof morethan 50 milliontonnes is projected for touchthesugarsector.InPunjab,sugarisgrown output side, the MSP regime offers supportin the Centre. oilseeds.To meet thisgapinoilseeds,Indiawill onlyon1.2% of gross croppedarea. So theydo states havingrobustprocurementinfrastruc- need thebestagricultural practices of Punjab notbenefit from policies favouring sugarcane. ture. However, small and marginal farmers Can farming be leftentirelytomarket and Haryana. NationwidepoweroutageinPakistan:cause&effect,previoushistory

powerdistribution system has notkeptpace “Ithadwhatwe calla‘cascadingeffect’and atorsintheirhomes, CNN reported. paybillsorto stoptheftandwastage,thehigh did managetobring in some reform includ- RAHELPHILIPOSE with powergenerationordemand. Outages shut down the powersystem, choking about Internetconnectivity in the countrycol- priceofoilallcontributedto thegovernment's ing augmenting powergeneration capacity, NEWDELHI,JANUARY10 occur frequently, and have even triggered 10,320megawattsof electricity,”heexplained. lapsed.Connectivitywasat“62percentof or- inabilitytopay thesubsidyto privateandpub- but the distribution system has notbeen im- massive public protests in citiessuchas Urging people to remainpatient, he later dinarylevels”,accordingtoNetblocks,anNGO lic powergeneratingcompanies, whichin provedforuptakeofadditionalpower. Hence, CITIES AND towns across Pakistan, including Lahoreand Karachi. tweetedthat he waspersonallyoverseeing whichmonitorsinternetoutages.Meanwhile, turn meant these companies could notpay the demand-supply gapremains, leading to Islamabad, were plungedintodarkness for restoration efforts. “Our teams arestillwork- #Loadsheddingand #PakistanBlackOut oil and gassuppliers to keep up generation, frequent tripping, and as it happenedyester- severalhours on Saturday nightfollowing a What happenedonSaturdaynight? ing in the Guddu area to investigatethe rea- quicklystartedto trendonTwitter,withthou- leading to “intersectional debts” and disrup- day, a“cascading” failure up the chain. massivenationwideelectricityoutage.Power Shortlybeforemidnight,massive power sonsthatcausedthefault,buttheheavyfogis sandssharingimagesof theircitiesandlocal- tions,according to a2015United States Whileoutages arefrequent, especiallyin supplywas restored by Sundaymorning in outageswere simultaneouslyreportedby res- making their job difficult,” the ministersaid. ities shroudedinnear-complete darkness. InstituteofPeace report(Rashid Aziz and thesummer,nationwidefailuresarerare.The themaincities,andaninvestigationlaunched idents of allmajorurbancentresinthecoun- Some social media usersevenwondered MunawarBaseer Ahmed). The paper esti- lastonewasin2018,whenpowersupplywas to determine the cause of the outage. try, including Lahore,Islamabad, Karachi, What wasthe impact? whetherthe outagewas aprelude to amili- mated that the energycrisis wasshaving off partiallydisruptedforoverninehours.Before “The system is stablenow and electricity Rawalpindi and Multan, as well as several In themidst of the ongoing coronavirus tary takeoverorwar. about 2% from the GDPannually. that,in2015, around 80% of the countrywas supplyhasbeenrestoredinmajorcitiesof the smaller towns and cities. pandemic, manyfeared that the blackout Between 2008 and2015, therewas talk leftwithout electricity afteranalleged mili- country,”Pakistan’s Energy MinisterOmar Addressing an early morning press con- would cause major disruptions at hospitals. Howcommonare powercutsin on and offabouthow India could export tantattackonasupplyline.Anoutagesimilar Ayub told reporters on Sunday, warning that ference in Islamabad, Energy MinisterAyub However, since mosthospitals rely on back- Pakistan? powertoPakistan, but that remainedtalk as to the one on Saturdaytook place in 2013. it could take hours forelectricity to return said powersupply snappedat11:41pmdue up generators, therewerenoimmediate re- Pakistanbegan to experience frequent bilateral tensions took centrestage. Beforethat,in2006,aneight-hournationwide everywhere. to a“technicalfault"attheGuddupowerplant ports of anysuchadversities. powercutsin2009, when the Pakistan The energy crisis became ahugeelection blackout triggered rumours that then The nationwide blackout wasthe worst inSindhprovince.Theblackoutwastriggered In Karachi, peopleclaimedtohaveseen People'sPartywasinpower. Thepoliticalde- issue in 2013,and one of NawazSharif'smain President Pervez Musharrafhad been un- thecountryhasexperiencedinrecentmem- by asudden drop in the frequency of the long queuesatgas stations in the cityaspeo- termination to keep powertariffs belowthe campaign promiseswas to rectify the situa- seated in acoup at atime he wasawayona ory, but it is by no means the first. Pakistan’s powertransmission system. plequeueduptobuy petrol to powergener- costofsupply, inabilitytoget consumersto tion.Inhisabruptlyshortenedtenure asPM,he 18-daytourabroad.

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10 THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021 IDEA EXCHANGE Newsmakersinthe Newsroom KANIMOZHI, LOK SABHA MP & SECRETARY, WOMEN’S WING, DMK ‘ Our culture is different. They (BJP) can’t create fear of other religions here.Itwon’t work in TN polls

The‘DMK leader talksabout fighting polls without Karunanidhi, says DMKisatforefront of fighting BJP’s polarising tactics in TN,claims Rajinikanthwould nothave been afactor,and rules out anytension with the Congress over seat-sharing talks. The session wasmoderated by National Editor (Mumbai) Nirupama Subramanian

NIRUPAMA SUBRAMANIAN: Youhave happens on social media. And, it’s politi- The needs, the problems, the issues, alreadystarted campaigning in the cal parties likeuswho still take to the everything changes,and everyparty has to westernand southern districtsof streetsand meetpeople. Nobody is keep reinventing and adapting to changes. Tamil Nadu. This willbethe first againstlearning another language, That cannotbedenied... The DMK is a

Assemblyelection that the party will whether it is Hindi, Malayalam, German cadre-basedparty and we reachout to peo- contestwithout your father and or anything... We aresaying don’t impose ple directly. Now, of course, with modern formerDMK chief MKarunanidhi. alanguageonus. Don’t take away our technology,and we know that the BJPuses Howdifficultwill this election be for right to choose. You social media... we also the party as youtakeonthe AIADMK don’thavetomake have to adoptsocial that has the BJP’ssupport? thechoice forus, It’snot even twoyearssince ‘ media to reachout. We have already facedthe Lok Sabha WHY whether we have to Lok Sabha elections... As We have to make it election without him (M Karunanidhi), learn Hindi or partofour election under the leadership of MKStalin. He KANIMOZHI Sanskrit. If people time goes by,Opposition process... Thisisone steered theparty to an amazing victory. justwant to learn thingwe have to keep Exceptfor one seat, Theni, we wonevery- he DMK’s face in onlytwo languages, will come together and workingat. This elec- thing else. The difference in votes between Delhi, Kanimozhi has theyhavethe right to work out howtodeal with tion, investment and the winning and the losing candidates T choose… Ithink we ‘ employment arethe wasinlakhs. So, Ithinkwehavealready emerged as a still believe in social issues facing the nation mostimportant is- proven that we can win... Our founding prominent woman leader in justice. That is the sues in Tamil Nadu. leaders have made surethat the coreide- coreofthe Dravidian We have to talk to ology of the party is very firm in the minds Tamil Nadu in recent years. As ideology.Idon’tthink people about it and of the cadreand all the leaders... It is well- we have movedawayfromthat. give them the confidence that Tamil Nadu established... Our present leader has been the state gearsfor polls, the will be put backonthe growth path. in the party formanyyears, he knows how Thoothukudi MP has begun MANOJ CG: Do youthink the Congress to guide us in these elections.Wehave has failedtoprovide leadership for NIRUPAMA SUBRAMANIAN: The DMK faith in his leadership. campaigning,raising the Opposition at the nationallevel? is focusing alot on women’s rightsin Of course, thereare going to be chal- employment,women’s issues All the opposition parties have to come itscampaign. AfterJayalalithaa’s lenges. The AIADMK is going to com- together to work towardscreating a death, thereisnobig woman leader in pletely depend on moneyfor votes. The strong Opposition. We can’t expectonly Tamil Nadu politics.Doyou see BJP, we all know, nevershies away from one party to do that... Ithink it (the yourself taking thatplace? using anything to win an election. So that Opposition coming together at the na- I’vealwaystaken up women’s and hu- will be achallenge. They(the BJP) will use tional level) will happen as time passes by man rightsissues… Thereisaneedfor their usual techniques of polarisingvot- because it has notevenbeen twoyears morewomen’s participation in politics, ers, bringing in religion, whichhas never since the Lok Sabha elections. Parties are and that is whythe DMK has been insist- happenedinTamil Nadu... This is notjust also concentrating on stateelections. We ing on 33 per cent reservation for achallengeintheseelections, it is alarger have elections in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and women… Idon’t understand whythe BJP, issue that the entirecountryhas to deal in West Bengal... As time goes by,the whichmade it apart of itsmanifesto,is with. The DMK will be at the forefront of Opposition will come together more refusing to bring it in. working againstit. strongly and work out strategies on how Idosee women coming in largernum- What Ihaveseen duringcampaigning bers forour election campaignbecause is that people arequitefed up with the thereare alot of issues whichhavenot AIADMK. Theyalwaysgiveintowhat the been addressed. The self-help groups, for Centrewants, theynever stand up forour example, had created asolid base for rights. Take thefarmers’ issue. Even manywomen, especiallyinrural areas, though thereare no protests in Tamil and enhancedtheir social participation. Nadu,when youspeaktofarmers individ- But because the SHGs arenot getting loans ually, theyfeel very letdownbecause of and supportfromthe government, they the AIADMK government’s supporttothe arenot functioningasbefore. Thishas farm Bills. People aredisillusionedwith takenawayempowerment from these the AIADMK government, and theybe- women and theyare quitedisillusioned. It lieve that aDMK governmentisthe an- is amajor issue in this election. swer... Employment is ahugeissue in these elections and whenthe DMKcomes PVAIDYANATHAN IYER:InDecember backtopower we will bring in invest- 2018,Stalin had proposedRahul mentsand industrysothat thereismore Gandhi as the prime minister employment.Administration will alsobe candidatefor the 2019 Lok Sabha muchbetterunder aDMK government. elections. Since then,therehas been a lotofconfusion about the UPA LIZ MATHEW:Sofar it seems that in alliance. Do UPAmembersmeet? the Tamil Nadu elections youare The UPAinTamil Nadu is very strong going to followthe Bihar formula, and we areworking together.Wedo wherethe DMK will contesttogether meet... We shared thestage in supportof with the Congress and the Left. But the farmers protestinginDelhi. Our leader giving the Congress moreseats in hadinvited leadersfromall partiesto Bihardidn’t work very well forthe come and be partofit. As farasTamil Opposition’s alliance. Will youkeep Nadu goes, Idon’t think there’s anyconfu- that in mindduring seat-sharing sion. We work together and thereare reg- talks? ular meetings. At thenational level, in Idon’t think therewill be anyissue Delhi, leaders meetwhen thereisaneed over allocationofseats. There is agood to... When Parliamentisinsession, we understandingbetween theleadership of have regular meetingsabout howweare the Congress and the DMK. We willbe going to respond to aBill etc. able to work around it (the seats) to every- body’s satisfaction. Everybody under- Illustration: Suvajit Dey NIRUPAMA SUBRAMANIAN: Recently, stands thatitisanimportant election for MKStalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin the statealso. lem here... They(the BJP) will notbeable ARUN JANARDHANAN: But do you ARUN JANARDHANAN: Where do you to deal with the issues facing the nation. waselevatedtostarcampaigner.He to createfear of other religions... That is think the BJP has made parties place Kamal Haasan in Tamil Nadu has also become the secretary of the LIZ MATHEW:The BJP wastryingto whattheyplaywith, and that will not such as the DMK and the CPM in politics, giventhat an alliance with his AMRITH LAL: Tamil languageand youth wing of the party.Are these woosuperstarRajinikanth. Will his work in Tamil Nadu. Kerala morecareful while talking party doesn’tseem likely? cultureusedtobeaveryimportant signs of aleadership progression in decision to exit the poll fray before about religion? With Kamal Haasan or without him, aspect of the Dravadian movement the DMK? even enteringitaffect the BJP’s PVAIDYANATHAN IYER:The BJP has the DMK is winning this election. If and Dravadian assertion. Now, Idon’t think we should be discussing prospectsinthe state? found resonance among some NIRUPAMASUBRAMANIAN: Also, how Haasan wantstoworkwith the DMK or increasingly, both theDMK and the leadershipright now. We have aleader Mr Rajinikanth has givenastatement sections in Tamil Nadu. Over the next do yourespond to the charge by the the latter withhim, it is adecision that the AIADMKgenerallytend to speak more and everybody is focusing on his leader- saying thathewill notenter politics, and five years, do yousee the party BJP,and by manyothers on social leadership has to make.Wedid very well about governance.The emphasison ship. This whole election is about the DMK

whyitisnot right and fair to do it nowand emerging as an important playerin mediaplatforms, that the DMKisan in the Lok Sabha elections without any cultureand languagehas reduced… coming backtopower. Our election cam- getothers involvedand then letthem the state? atheistparty in astate wherepeople newadditions to the alliance. So, who When the Jallikattu protests happened, paign is completely focusedonour CM down...Idon’t know Theywould want arequitereligious. They arereligious comes in and goes everyone asserted candidate,MKStalin. if they(the BJP) can to become apromi- in anon-communal way, butpeople out is the party lead- thatitisanimportant find anybody on a nent party (in Tamil in Tamil Nadu arereligious... ership’s decision. partofour culture. So, NIRUPAMA SUBRAMANIAN: The CBI ‘ par withhim. Can’t denythat BJP has Nadu), and it cannot Whyshould someone be chargedfor Whyshouldwedefend ‘ nothing has changed has appealed againstthe acquittals in Also, even if he grown in the state... But, be deniedthat they being an atheist? It’s notacrime. Why HARISH being atheists?... TheDMK whenitcomes to pro- the 2G case.Will it become an issue in (Rajinikanth) had areworking towards should we defend it? Idon’t thinkthereis DAMODARAN: Do tecting our culture the election campaign? comeintopolitics, I not growth that should it. And,Icannotdeny aneedtodefend it. Iamanatheistand I youthink Tamil is not against Hindus... and language...See, We have all been acquitted.Nobody don’t think it would the fact that the BJP am very proud of it. The DMKhas athe- politicshas gone Tamil is notbeing wasconvicted.The judgehas very clearly have made adiffer- worryus... And, despite all has morecadres and ists,but our leader MKS(Stalin)has said beyond the We stand against caste, threatenedtoday. said that thereisnoevidence... Howcan ence in this election. the confusion, AIADMK leaders nowinthe that 90 per cent people in the party are Dravidian identity? untouchability... We believe Even if the Central they use this againstthe DMK? ‘ state. But Idon’tthink Hindusalso.So, it is notlikethe DMK is Periyar (E V ‘ government and the PVAIDYANATHAN will sort themselves out it has had asignifi- againstHindus.WehaveMuslims,we Ramaswamy) in social justice BJP aretrying to im- NIRUPAMA SUBRAMANIAN: IYER: As somebody cant growth that have Christians,agnosticsand atheists. statue being pose Hindiindiffer- Following Rajinikanth’sdecision to who has been a should worryus. We arenot sayingthatweare aHindu vandalisedwould ent ways,Tamil (lan- notenter politics, do youthink the partofTamil Nadu Theyare working to- party or an atheistparty.When Anna (C N have been guage) is in avery spacefor film starsinpolitics has politicsfor manyyears, howdoyou wardsit... And, despiteall the confusion Annadurai) startedthe party he said there unimaginableonce. Do youthink the comfortable space. It’s notbeingthreat- reduced? look at the attemptsatpolarisation in within the AIADMK, eventuallytheywill is one God, thatGod can be anything to politicsisnow moreconservative? enedinany way. Thereisnoneedtotalk Iwill notsay that. Who youare,what the statethatyou mentioned? How be able to sortthemselvesout. anybody.Or, youdon’thavetohaveaGod. Periyar’s statuewas vandalisedbe- about preserving thelanguageassuch. If youstand for, and what youare capable doesitimpact the state’s secular Idon’tthinkwehavetodefendourselves cause of the weak,backbone-less govern- thereisathreat to ourcultureand it has to of is what is going to decidewhat yoube- fabric? ARUN JANARDHANAN: The BJP seems forbeing atheists. ment that we have.The policeshould have be protected,it’s notjustpolitical parties... come in politics. Just becausesomebodyis Fortunately, theBJP,atthe most, tries to be working to aplan. Theyare (On being careful) They(the BJP) are takenaction buttheyare scared to do so. thepeople alsoreact...The DMK has to talk apopularstar... If you’retalking about to paint the DMK as an anti-Hindu party tryingtobecome the main opposition saying that the CPM and the DMK are But in one way, Ithink,attacking Periyar about governance and development be- somebody likeMGRamachandran, he or somethinglikethat...Theyhaven’t been party in Kerala and Tamil againstthe majority,sowehavetogivean ideologicallyand even vandalising his cause we have had zerogovernanceand wasnot justastar. He came from the able to sayanything againstthe minori- Nadu by 2026.Doyou seethat explanation. We have to saythat we are statues... it has brought in moreyouth development in the past10years. Dravidian movement and he worked for ties in Tamil Nadu. And, theyalso under- happening? And, can yousay that the notagainstthe majority. If we will fight who areinterestedinfinding out about the DMK formanyyears. He hadabase stand thateventhe Hindus in Tamil Nadu DMK will neverallywith the BJP in forthe Muslims, we willfight forthe Periyar andhis ideology.You cansee on VANDITA MISHRA:You said that and that is what made him what he was. arenot likethat (communal). Ithink,even the future? Hindustoo...The DMK does notwant to social media platformsthat nowthereis religiondoesn’tplaythe same role in So, Iwill notsay that no other film star can in Kerala, people will notaccept divisions ... The DMK is one of the mostvocal take away the right to believe from any- astrong presence of people defending the Tamil Nadu as it might in the ever makeitinpolitics... Youcan come on religious lines.Wehaveall livedto- parties againstmanyofthe things that body.But of course, we stand againstthe Dravidian ideology.Theyare notapartof northern states. But apart from from anyfieldbut youwill have to under- gether comfortably... Even caste-wise... the BJP stands for. Idon’t see the possi- caste system, againstuntouchability, the AIADMK or DMK. So, Idon’t think it religious mobilisation, the BJP putsa stand the kind of hardworkthat is Therehavebeen no issues in living with bility of an alliance with the BJP againstanybody who takesawayothers’ has become negotiable. People aredoing lotofenergy intoconstantly needed. This doesn’t happen overnight people from other religions, or atemple because we stand fortwo different rightsonthe basis of caste or religion. We it (defendingthe ideology)fromthe com- manufacturing some kind of because youare aface whicheverybody being built... It’s adifferent kind of culture things completely... Ireally believe that believe in social justice. We arenot saying fortsoftheir homes on social media and mobilisationamong people on likes or youhavebeenpopular in films. here. People don’t feel threatened. They in Tamil Nadu and Kerala politics, you everybody should become an atheist. We notonthe streets. That is the change. And, different issues. Howcan regional People mayrecognise youmorethan any- areverycomfortable. Idon’tthinkpolar- cannotdivide people on religiouslines don’t forceitonanybody.Being an athe- Covid-19also has contributed to it. parties reinvent themselvestoface body else, but your face doesn’t mean that isation on religious lines would be aprob- very easily. istalso is notwrong in our party. Mostofthe exchangeofideas now this challenge? people will acceptyou as aleader. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021 11 THE WORLD

TOPOFTHE STORMING OF THE CAPITOL: CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY INTENSIFY Pompeo liftscurbs WORLD DemsseekanswersfromJusticeDept on US-Taiwanties IDREESALI& DAVIDBRUNNSTROM onTrumproleamidimpeachmentthreat WASHINGTON,JANUARY10 SECRETARYOFState Mike Pompeo on Saturdaysaid he was TopGOP Senator says Trumpcommitted impeachable offences; Pence to attend Biden inauguration lifting restrictions on contacts Christine Aschbacher between US officials and their Taiwanese counterparts,amove THENEWYORKTIMES likelytoanger China and in- US SecretaryofState AUSTRIA JANUARY10 crease tensions between Beijing MikePompeo Ministerquits and Washington in the waning DEMOCRATSHAVEasked lead- days of President Donald ED overallegations ers of the US Justice Department Trump’s presidency. formoreinformationabout China claimsdemocraticand Lockingina

ofplagiarism PLAIN what the department is doing to separatelyruledTaiwanasits E ●toughstance AUSTRIA’S LABOUR investigateand prosecutethe at- Trumphas been blamed for ownterritory. EX MinisterChristine tack on the Capitol, including the inciting the mob that While the US, likemostcoun- Aschbacherhasresignedaf- role that President Donald stormed the Capitol tries, has no officialrelations THE REVERSALofthis long- terallegationsthat shepla- Trumpplayedinthe attack. with Taiwan, the Trumpadmin- standing policy justdays be- giarisedsomeof heruniver- Five people died in the riot, istration has ramped up backing fore theinauguration of a sity work,but deniedany including apolice officer,and offences”.Toomey alsobecame forthe island country,with arms newadministration in the US wrongdoing and said she dozens have been arrested. the second Republican senator sales and laws to help Taiwan is suretoanger the Chinese wasstepping down to pro- “Wewritetorequestanim- to call forTrumptoresign, deal with pressurefromChina. government, and is seenby tect her family. Aschbacher, mediateand urgent briefing on telling hostChuckToddon In astatement, Pompeo said analysts as an effort to lockin amember of the conserva- the steps the Federal Bureauof NBC’s“Meetthe Press”: “I think that forseveral decadesthe State Trump’s tough stance on tive AustrianPeople’sParty, Investigation is taking to inves- the best wayfor our country, Departmenthadcreatedcomplex China. It willbepolitically allegedly copiedatleastone tigateand pursue forprosecu- Chuck, is forthe President to re- internal restrictionsoninterac- tricky forBidentoundo this fifthofher doctoral disser- tion the instigation, planning, sign and go away as soon as tionswithTaiwanesecounterparts largely symbolic deepening of tationfromothersources,as and execution of the deadlyter- possible.” Lastweek, Senator CLASHES IN SANDIEGO: San Diego police clashwith protesters on Saturday. Supporters of by American diplomats,service ties with Taiwan, making it all wellaspartsof herdiploma roristattackonthe United States Lisa Murkowski, aRepublican US President Donald Trumpclashedwith counter-protesters in San Diego, California,on members and other officials. the moredifficult forthe new thesis,saidacademicStefan Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, by from Alaska, had also calledon Saturday, prompting police to declare thegathering an unlawful assemblybecause of actsof “The United States govern- governmenttoattempt to im- Weberwho specialises in President Donald Trump, his the President to resign. violence. Officers were hitwith rocks, bottles and eggs,police said, and thecrowd directed menttooktheseactionsunilater- proveUS-China relations. plagiarism.Aschbachersaid supporters, and outside groups,” Lawmakersplan to formally pepperspray at them. AP ally, in an attempttoappease the she had written her disser- Democratic leaders said in alet- introduce the proposal to im- Communistregime in Beijing,” tationandthesis“to thebest teronThursdaytoChristopher peachonMonday in the House. Pompeo said in astatement. comedthe move.“Decadesof of her knowledge andbe- Wray,director of the FBI. Democratic RepJames “TodayIam announcing that discrimination, removed. A lief”.Shesaid“thehostility... AJustice Department Clyburnsaid the voteonthe im- Rioters seen in viral posts arrested Iamlifting all of these self-im- hugeday in our bilateral rela- andthe insultsare unfortu- spokesman said Saturdaythat peachment could happen as posedrestrictions,” he added. tionship.Iwill cherish everyop- natelybeingunloadednot the department has receiveda soon as Tuesday.But, he said the Man held forthreatening NancyPelosi Amazon&Apple An official with Biden’s tran- portunity,” Hsiao Bi-khim, onlyonme, but also on my separaterequestfromCongress Democratic leadershipacknowl- sition said that once Biden was Taiwan’s de factoambassador in children, and with unbear- forinformation related to the riot edgedthat atrial in the Senate is tured prominentlyonsocial me- also cut off Parler in office he would continue to Washington, tweeted. able force”. REUTERS and is working to fulfill it. unlikelytobecompleted before RICHMCKAY dia wearing horns, afur pelt, face support “a peaceful resolution of OnSunday, state-runmediain Trump’s role in the carnage TrumpleavesofficeonJan 20. JANUARY10 paint and brandishing aspear PARLER, Asocial networkthat cross-strait issues consistent China sharplycriticisedPompeo, underpins the articles of im- Clyburnsuggestedthat Speaker adornedwiththe US flag, turned pitches itself as a“free speech” al- withthe wishesand best inter- accusing himof“seeking to mali- peachment that House Nancy Pelosi wasconsidering FEDERALAGENTS arrested two himself in to police. ternative to Twitter andFacebook ests of thepeople of Taiwan”. ciouslyinflict along-lasting scar” AFGHANISTAN Democratshavedrawn up, ac- impeaching nowbut notsending moreCapitol Hill rioters whose Agentsalso arrested Adam and has hostedmillionsof Taiwan’s government wel- on bilateral ties. REUTERS Roadsidebomb cusingthe President of inciting the article to the Senatefor trial images had gone viral, of one car- ChristianJohnson,whosephoto as President Donald Trump’s sup- an insurrection. forweeks. rying offthe House Speaker’s hesmiledandwavedwhilecarry- porters,wastakenoffApple’sApp kills3inKabul The Democrats’ bid to quickly Meanwhile,USVice lectern and another who wore ing offHouseSpeaker Nancy Storehours afterGoogle made a US,Canada, Australia, AROADSIDE bomb ex- impeachTrumphas gainedsup- President MikePence will attend horns and afur pelt. Pelosi’s lectern also went viral. similar move.Later,Amazon told plodedinAfghanistan’s port, and atop Republican said Biden’sinaugurationonJan 20, Dozens of people have been Another man, Cleveland Parler it would bootthe company capital Sunday, killingat the President’s role in the deadly an aide said on Saturday, asplit chargedfollowing the storming Meredith,wasdetainedinconnec- from itsweb-hosting service on Britain condemn Hong leastthree people in ave- riotwas worthy of rebuke. with Trump’sdecision nottogo. of the Capitol on Wednesday, tion with making threatstoPelosi Sunday. Theactionswere partofa hicle.Itwasthelatestattack Republican Senator Pat Pence had alwaysbeen likelier to with the FBI askingthe publicto afteranFBI agent read aJan 7text widercrackdownby tech compa- to take placeasgovern- Toomey, of Pennsylvania,said attend the inauguration than help identifyparticipants. messages in whichMeredith niesonTrumpand some of his Kong arrests of activists ment negotiators in Qatar Saturday he believedTrump Trump, whowas an almost cer- Jacob AnthonyChansley, also talked about “putting abulletin mostextreme supportersafter resume peace talkswith had committed “impeachable tain to skip the ceremony. known as JakeAngeli, who fea- hernogginonLiveTV”.REUTERS Wednesday’s riot. NYT the Taliban. Tariq Arian, REUTERS Hong Kong police had spokesmanfortheinterior MELBOURNE,JANUARY10 arrested morethan 50 minister, saidaspokesman Gunman kills 3, injures4 democracy activists forthe ministry’s public FOREIGN MINISTERS from the protectionforces—asecu- United States, Canada, Britain following dawn raids rity force—was one of the in Chicago shooting spree and Australia condemned last on Wednesday three killedinthe attack. week’s arrest of over 50 democ- One other personwas Theshooter, 32-year-oldJason racy activists in Hong Kong in a woundedhesaid. No one ASSOCIATEDPRESS Nightengale,then“justrandomly” joint statementonSunday, call- and Chinese central authorities immediatelyclaimedre- CHICAGO,JANUARY10 walked intoanapartment build- ing on Chinatorespect the free- to respect the legallyguaranteed sponsibility.The Islamic ing ablockaway, whereheshota dom of the people on the island. rightsand freedoms of the peo- Stategrouphasclaimedre- AMAN killedthree people and 46-year-old security guardand a Hong Kong police made the ple of Hong Kong without fear of sponsibilityformultipleat- woundedfourothersinaseriesof 77-year-old woman,Brown said. arrestsonWednesdayindawn arrest and detention.” tacksinthecapitalinrecent shootingsoverroughlyfourhours The guarddiedand the older raids, the biggestcrackdown Hong Kong’s mostpromi- months. AP that startedonChicago’s South woman washospitalisedincriti- since China imposedasecurity nent pro-democracy advocates Sideand ended with his death in cal condition, the Chicago Tribune lawin2020, whichopponents were arrested as authorities said BRITAIN ashootout with police. reported. Nightengale then went sayisaimedatquashing dissent lastyear’s unofficial voteto Investigators aretrying to de- to aconveniencestore and fired in the former British colony. choose opposition candidates in Harry,Meghan termine amotivefor the attacks, shots,killing a20-year-old man “It is clear that the National city electionswas partofaplan whichbegan Saturdayafternoon and wounding an 81-year-old Security Lawisbeing used to to “overthrow”the government. toquitsocial with the killing of a30-year-old woman.Heshotandinjureda15- eliminatedissent and opposing On Thursday, US Secretaryof media:report Vehicles’headlightsare the onlylightsseen on aroad in Rawalpindi on Sunday. AP university student who wasshot year-oldgirlafterleavingthestore. political views,” the foreign min- StateMikePompeosaid in the head while sitting in his car, Hethendrove16kmandshot isters said in the joint statement Washington maysanction those PRINCEHARRYand wife Chicago police Superintendent andinjured another woman in a issuedbyAustralia’s Foreign involved in the arrestsand will MeghanMarkle,the Duke David Brownsaid. He didn’tre- restaurant.Soonafterthat,hewas MinisterMarise Payne. send the US ambassador to the and Duchess of Sussex, Massive poweroutage leaves lease anyofthe victims’ names. killedinashootout with police. “Wecallonthe Hong Kong United Nations to visit Taiwan. have reportedly decided to quit social media as theyfocus on their roles in large parts of Pakistan in the dark the US away from front- Indonesialocates blackboxes of crashed jet line British royalty. later Sundaythatpowerhadbeen to arestoration of powerinthe According to The Sunday ZARARKHAN restored to muchofthe country. rest of thecountryinphases. boxeshad been identified. Times,the couple who had ISLAMABAD,JANUARY10 The blackout wasinitiallyre- Ayubsaidinanews conference FRANSISKANANGOY& “Hopefully, we canretrieve announcedtheir decision portedonsocial media by resi- Sundaythat the Guddu power BERNADETTECHRISTINA them soon,” said militarychief to step backfromofficial AMAJOR technical fault in dentsofmajor urban centres, in- plantinsouthern Sindh province JAKARTA,JANUARY10 Rescuersfinddebris Hadi Tjahjanto, without giving royalduties to relocate Pakistan’s powergeneration and cluding Karachi, Lahore, developedafault at 11.41pmthat of theSriwijaya Air an estimated timeframe. with their one-year-old distributionsystemcausedamas- Islamabadand Multan. The min- triggered theshutdown of other INDONESIAN AUTHORITIES on passenger jetinthe Therewerenoclues yetasto son Archie lastyear will no sive poweroutagethat plunged isterandhisspokesmanthentook powerplantsinseconds. Sundaylocated the blackboxes Java Sea Sunday. AP what causedthe crash, the first longer use platforms such thenationintodarknessovernight, to Twitter to updatethe country. Later,aspokesmanfor the of the Sriwijaya Air jetthat major aircrash in Indonesia since as Twitter andFacebook. the energy ministersaid. Ayub urgedpeople to be pa- MinistryofEnergy,said the crashedintothe sea soon after 189passengers and crew were The duo arereportedlyre- Hours afterthe lateSaturday tient. He said the cause of the Tarbela and Warsak plants, both taking offfromthe capital passengers and crew was minutes aftertake-off. killedin2018when aLionAir jecting social media as outage, Energy Minister Omar poweroutagewas being investi- in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Jakarta,ashuman bodyparts headedonadomestic flight to IndonesiaNational Transport Boeing 737Max in 2018 also partoftheir new“progres- Ayub said on Twitter that power gatedand work wasbeing done province, had come backonline and pieces of the plane were Pontianak in West Kalimantan SafetyCommittee (KNKT) chief plungedintothe Java Sea soon af- sive role” in America. PTI wasbeing restored in phases, to fire up Pakistan’s main Tarbela and powerwas being restored to retrieved. on Saturdaybeforeitdisap- Soerjanto Tjahjono saidthe loca- tertake-offfromSoekarno-Hatta starting with Islamabad. He said powerstation, whichwould lead the transmission system. AP The Boeing 737-500with 62 peared from radar screens four tionsofFlight SJ 182’s twoblack International Airport. REUTERS

FOR YEARS,SHE WORKED ANONYMOUSLY WITHIN THE AGENCY TO HELP SCIENTISTS INTENSIFY STUDIES OF ACHANGING PLANET Inside the CIA, scientist Linda Zall became aspy for planet Earth

is allowedtotalk about —and ad- The accumulatedriches included were fast becoming hotspots of then aDemocratic senator from Zallthen focused on how WILLIAMJBROAD mirersarepraisingherhighlyclas- up to sixdecades of primedataon global warming and melting ice. Tennessee and nowaleading cli- Earth’s changing environment JANUARY10 sifiedstruggle to putthe nation’s planetary shifts in snowfall and “It gave us the firstreal meas- mateactivist,wrotealetterasking would mostlikelypromptsecu- spysatellites ontoaradical new blizzards, sea ice and glaciers. urementsoftheicebudget—how the agency to examine whether rityissuesandcrises.Inlate2009, LINDAZALL playedastarringrole job: environmental sleuthing. “Noneof thiswouldhavehap- muchlossyou have from season the nation’s spyfleetmight ad- theCIAsetupaCenteronClimate in US science that ledtodecades “It wasfun,” she said of her CIA penedwithout her,” said Jeffrey K to season,” said DJames Baker, dress environmental riddles. The Change and National Security.Its of majoradvances. But she never career.“It wasreallyalot of fun.” Harris,whoworkedwithZallasdi- whodirectedtheNationalOceanic agencyputZallontothequestion. mission wastohelp US policy- described her breakthroughs on Zall’s programme,established rector of the National and Atmospheric Administration Quickly, shesawhow thenation’s makersbetterunderstandtheim- television, or had bookswritten in 1992, wasakind of wayback ReconnaissanceOffice,whichruns from 1993 to 2001 and served on archiveofsurveillance observa- pact of floods, risingsea levels, abouther,orreceivedhighscien- machine that looked to as long the nation’s fleetoforbital spies. Zall’s CIA advisory panel. tions could alsoserve to population shifts,state instabili- tific honours. One database of sci- agoas1960. In so doing, it pro- The top-secret images that In normal science, wherecol- strengthenassessmentsofEarth’s ties and heightenedcompetition entific publications lists hercon- videdanew baseline forassess- Zall succeededinrepurposing Linda Zall at her home in Clermont,Florida. NYT laborators sharecredit, Zallmight changing environment. fornatural resources. Newsre- tributions as consisting of just ing the pace and scope of plane- forenvironmental inquiries have beenlistedonpapersasaco- By October 1992, the CIA was portsannouncingtheprogramme three papers, withaconspicuous tary change. Ultimately,itled to came from satellites thatwere author or even alead author.But so confident in theability of spy again made no mention of Zall. gaprunning from 1980 to 2020. hundredsofpapers,studiesand some of Washington’s crown cence plate. lites orbit on north-southpaths notinatwilight zone wheresci- satellites to solve environmental She retired from the CIA in The reasonisthat Zall’s reports —some classifiedtop se- jewels. The spysatellites would An accident of fate letthe fleet that pass close to thepoles. encewaspartopen,partsecret.For mysteries that it establisheda 2013.Medeawasneverthesame. decadesof serviceto sciencewere cret,some public, some by the zeroinonsuchtargets as deadly assess atop environmentalcon- Spies had littleuse forsweep- decades, hers wasahidden hand. large task force. Zall wasput in The agency shut it down in 2015, doneinthe secretive warrens of National AcademyofSciences, weapons and render images that cern—theextentto whichvastex- ing Arcticand Antarctic images. Zall’s environmentalism for charge andrecruiteditsmembers, and the Trumpadministration the CIA.Now,at70, she’stelling the premier scientific advisory in some cases were said to be panses of Arctic and Antarctic ice But theydazzledenvironmental- the CIA beganin1990when for- mainly Earth scientists. She made sure therewas norevivalof herstory —atleastthe parts she group to the federalgovernment. good enough to showacar’s li- were retreating. Manyspy satel- ists because the Earth’s poles mer US Vice President Al Gore, named her group Medea. the programme. NYT WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021 MarketWatch FPISINVEST `5,156 CR IN EQUITIES NewDelhi: Foreign portfolio investors(FPIs)havepumped Rs 5,156 crore into Indian capital markets in the first six trading 12 ECONOMY sessions this year amid expectations of strong third-quarter earnings and areformist budget. PTI

INSURANCE WATCH PASSENGER VEHICLE SALES SLIDEOVER LAST FIVE YEARS ED CHARGESHEET ON `7,000-CROREFRAUD PAPERLESS POLICIES Automakersseekreliefonnew ‘Kapoor directed ‘Challenges exist, Yes Bank not to but e-insurance fuelefficiency,emissionnorms recover loans from

said Srivastava,pointing that ad- accounts seeing SANDEEPSINGH herence to newnorms lifts the Cox and Kings’ NEWDELHI,JANUARY10 Pandemicdisruption: costofacquisition. Seekingmoretime WhileIndiahasahugepoten- found that “the bonding andin- 100% growth’ EVEN AS pent-up demand lifted tialforgrowthof PVsales,experts KHUSHBOONARAYAN terdependence”between Kerkar passengervehicle(PV)salesinthe pointtoaslowdown in the pace MUMBAI,JANUARY10 and Khandelwal was“eyecatch- thirdquarterafter it got derailed fortransition of growth of first-time buyers.“If ingandinseparableinallrespect”. GEORGEMATHEW ‘MOSTPOLICIES inthefirstandsecondquartersfol- thepaceof first-timebuyerspicks THE ENFORCEMENT Directorate “InitiallyPeter Kerkar,Anil MUMBAI,JANUARY10 VIAeIAINFUTURE’ lowing the pandemic and lock- SHIFTINGTOCAFE-2and BS-VI stageIIwouldnot onlybe- up, it will lead to higher replace- (ED)hasallegedthatRanaKapoor, Khandelwal andNareshJainand down announcement in March, comemoredifficult forthe auto industryamid the pan- mentdemandandadditionalpur- formerchairmanandco-founder otherassociates were working in THEINSURANCEsectoriswit- theautoindustrycontinuesto lan- demic-leddisruption but also raise costofacquisition.Inthe chase,” said an industryinsider. of YesBankLtd, instructed bank tandem and usedtodivert the nessinga100percentgrowth ■Madhusudhan ML, guish on the growth front. current sales scenario, industry insiders sayafurther rise in As of now, while first-time officials to notrecoverloans of moneyfromthe companyfor year-on-yearinnewelectronic MD &CEO of NDML, Terming the recent growth in PV acquisition costs forconsumers couldadd to the concerns. buyersaccountfor almost50per Rs3,642crorefromCox andKings their personal use. Around 2018, insurance accounts(eIA), or said in the future, salesasafalseeuphoria,theindus- centof totalsales,24 percentisre- Ltd, even though the defaulting the group startedfacing financial dematting of insurancepoli- mostpolicies would tryhasnowrequestedthegovern- placement demand and the re- travel firm had raised Rs 4,387 difficultiesandinvestigatingagen- cies in the paperless format. be issuedonlyvia an mentto defertheimplementation maining26percentisdemandfor crorefromselling itsUKfirm ciesandregulatorybodiesstarted The number of people open- e-insurance account of fuel efficiencynorms and sec- numbers,industryinsiders say sumer, it takesupthe acquisition additional car purchase. HolidayBreak Education, in interveninginthematteroffinan- ing newstockbroking ac- ■ An e-insurance ond stageofemission norms to thatPVsaleshave suffereddespite costsignificantly. Besides,hightax “Weare stillintheinitialphase January2019, according to the cial irregularities.Once the inves- countsand buying insurance account, or eIA,isthe April2024,inabidto keepthecost adecent GDP growth rate. ratesandrisingservicetaxandin- of economic developmentand statementsgiven by twosenior tigating agencies startedinvesti- policiesonline has soared portfolio of insurance of acquisition stable. “The primaryreason forthat surancecosthasalsotakentheac- thereishugepotentialforgrowth YesBankofficials to theagency. gation,theystartedblamingeach eventhoughmostofficeswere policies of a Industrydatashows that has been the sharp riseincostof quisition costhigher forcus- but we needtoconvert potential These statements areapartof other to save themselves...,” said non-operational duetothe policyholder held in while the compoundedannual acquisitionof carsinIndia.Almost tomers,” said Srivastava. intoreality and the costofacqui- theprosecutioncomplaint(charg- the ED complaint. lockdown in the wake of an electronic form growth rate (CAGR) of PV sales 50 per cent of the car buyers in Assalessuffer, theindustryhas sitionhasto betakencareof,”said esheet)filedbyEDintheRs7,000- The ED has arrested Kerkar, Covid-19pandemic. with an insurance stood at 12.9 per centfor the five- Indiaare first-time buyersand nowmadearepresentationto the Srivastava.Hefurther said that crorebankfraudpertainingto the Khandelwal and the company’s “Iforeseeinthenearfuture repository yearperiodbetweenMarch2005 since price elasticity forcar pur- governmenttodefer the imple- companies aredoing their bit to nowbankruptCox andKings.The internal auditor Naresh Jain in wheremostofthe policies andMarch 2010,itfellsharplytoa chase is highinIndia, it is amajor mentation of CorporateAverage reduce the acquisition costbyin- EDhasallegedthatCoxandKings connectionwiththemoneylaun- wouldbeissuedonlythrough CAGR of 1.3per cent forthe five- factor forslowdown in growth,” Fuel efficiency(CAFE-2) regula- creasing localisation and becom- sold HolidayBreak Education for dering case. It has also been ar- an e-insurance account and thepolicyisnotissued’kindof year period between FY15 and saidShashankSrivastava,ED,sales tions and BS-VI stageIInorms to ingmoreefficientandproductive, £460million afterdefaulting on restedKapoorforallegedly taking we areworking with afew of uncertaintyinmindsof custo- FY20.BetweenFY10andFY15,the and marketing,MSIL. April2024. As of now, the CAFE-2 however, “anotherfactorthatwill loan repaymentstoYes Bank and kickbacksinlieuof grantingloans the largerinsurance compa- mers. While suchchallenges sales rose by 5.9 per cent. If rising costofraw materials normsthataimto make carsmore leadtocostreduction is econom- “siphoned” the saleproceeds. to severalcompanies that have nies in this direction,” said exist,we seetremendoussco- In fact, the CAGR forPVsales is afactor, insiders saythat high fuel efficient areset to come into ies of scale and that will come in Coxand Kings owes Rs 5,500 nowdefaulted on repayments. MadhusudhanML,MD&CEO, pefortheconceptandaresee- between 2000 and 2010 stood at taxrates and shiftfromBS-IVto effect in 2022 and BS-VIstage II once we see volume growth.” croretobanksand financial insti- Kapoor,whoisinjudicialcustody, NSDL Database Management ing over 100per cent growth 10.3 per cent and that between BS-VIinaquicktimehasliftedthe norms areset to come intoforce Manyinthe industry feel that tutionsanditisoneof thetopbor- has denied these allegations. Ltd(NDML),apartofNational year-on-yearintheadoption,” 2010 and 2020 has been 3.6 per acquisition cost. “In European beginningApril2023. besideslower costofacquisition, rowers of YesBank.The listed The ED probealso found that Securities DepositoryLtd the NSDL chiefsaid. cent. So, clearly the growth rate markets,thetransitionfromEuro “Becauseof pandemicleddis- alargerbaseof carbuyerswillde- travelfirmwassentto bankruptcy between 2004 and 2019,Kerkar (NSDL),thenation’slargest se- He added that Irdai has has sloweddownoverthe last 4toEuro6took 9years, but in ruption, we have requestedthe penduponsustainedhighgrowth court in October 2019,after it de- allegedly diverted Rs 426crore curities depository. mandatedtheissuance of on- decadeand moresooverthe last Indiathe shifthappenedinjusta governmenttodefer the imple- of the economyasthatwill bring faulted on payments. and Rs 71 crorefromCox and The capital market popu- line policies through IR and five years. Though carsalesare period of three years and since all mentation of both Cafe-2 norms in morepeople intothe job cycle TheEDcomplaintagainstCox Kings to itsgroup companies larised thedematerialisation currentlyallpoliciessoldthro- closelyrelatedtoGDP growth the costispassed on to thecon- and BS-VI stageII, to April 2024,” who will generatedemand. andKingsanditsarrestedpromo- V-HotelLtd and Tulip Star Hotel of stocks in the twodecades ughinsurancecompanies’on- terAjayAjitPeter Kerkar has alle- Ltd, respectively. andimmenselybenefittedthe lineportalsareissueddigitally gedthatthe topthree customers Asperthechargesheet,Kerkar entireecosystem including throughIRs.“Insurancecomp- of CoxandKings—AKTravel,Hol- has allegedly transferredatleast users to seamlesslytransact. anieshave understoodtheim- AMID COVID idayBreakTravelandWorldwide $15.34millionoutof thesalepro- “Similarly,the Irdai has taken portance and convenience of Travels —operated from the resi- ceedsof HolidayBreakEducation the initiativetowards the cre- eIA and have adoptedvarious 25-30:Numberofpeoplewho Practices that need to be denceof oneof thedirectorsof Liz to KuberInvestment Mauritius ation of an e-insurance ac- strategiestodrive adoption. ‘Cities hit worst, but keyto migratetothecitiesfromrural adopted to realise potential TradersandAgentsPvtLtd,acom- PvtLtd, aMauritius-basedfirm countwithanidea to help Thisproactive non-regulatory areaseveryminute of cities: pany ownedbyKerkar. controlledbyhim. According to users easilyaccess and man- initiative fromafew of thepro- The agency has alleged that the agency,Khandelwal and Jain post-pandemic growth’ ■ Using data to help manage agetheirmultiplepolicies,”he gressive insurancecompanies 25million:Numberof Kerkar,alongwiththefirm’schief have directlysiphonedRs275 cities and direct emergency told The Indian Express. hasyieldedimmediategainin Cities have borne thebrunt of thevirus outbreak,but will be households,i.e.35%ofallurban financialofficer Anil Khandelwal, crorefromCox and Kings to com- operations eIAistheportfolioof insur- terms of operationalefficien- keytopost-pandemic growth as they account fornearly 70% households,whichcannot indulged in circular trading by paniescontrolledbythem. Empowered and capable ancepoliciesof apolicyholder ciesandreductioninprintand of theGDP,astudy by WEF withIDFC Institutesaid affordhousingatmarketprices ■ “purchasingairticketsfromother In April 2019, The Indian heldinanelectronicformwith dispatchcost.” governance group companies of Coxand Express, in aseries of stories, re- an insurance repository(IR). Hsaid all physical policies Doubleblowforvulnerable ■ Investment in transport and Kings andselling it to another portedthataforensicauditfound This will help an eIA holder canbeconvertedto electronic populations:Vulnerable infrastructure to fuel group companyEzeegoOne Coxand Kings did related party keep trackofinsurance poli- formatandapolicyholdercan populations,including productive urban economies TravelsandToursLtd,to inflatethe transactions worthRs21,000 cies (lifeaswellasnon-life) addtheirexistingpoliciesheld low-incomemigrantworkers, ■ Rethink of outdated booksofaccounts”.“Thepurchase croreoverfouryears(2015-2019) acrossmultipleinsurersinone in physical form to an eIA.“All havesufferedthedualblowsof planning norms and of tickets from Coxand Kings by to siphon offfunds. It also found place. The Insurance Regulat- apolicyholder has to do is lostincomeandweak regulations EzeegowasaroundRs2,000crore that the travel firm had falsified oryandDevelopmentAuthor- openaneIAandsharethepol- social-protectioncoverage and sale to Coxand Kingswas records, bookedsales worth ity of India(Irdai) has allowed icy details likepolicy number duringthepandemic Source: World Economic Forum/ around Rs 400-500 crore,” said Rs 9,000 croretoover160 cus- four entities to carry out IR andinsurername.Thisiscom- IDFC Institute/PTI the Directorateinits complaint. tomers who arebogus or do not business:NSDLNationalInsu- pletely apaperlessprocessfor The ED said itsprobe has existand inflatedbank balances. rance Repository(NIR), CDSL thecustomeranddoesn’ttake InsuranceRepository, KARVI morethan afew minutes. As Insurance Repositoryand the insurance policy is issued INTERVIEWWITH CFO, TCS CAMS Insurance Repository. in electronic form the hassles FY21: Currency in circulation ‘Apple, Whilethe benefitsofhav- associated with the process- ‘Growth momentum inganonlineaccountareobvi- ing of claims forphysical poli- Hyundai ous,somefactorsare affecting cies likeavailability of docu- up 13% in first nine months the adoption of eIA in India. mentstothe nominee, lossin “Awareness about the eIA as a transit,authenticity,mutilated IntheApril-Decemberperiod TheRBIinitsannualreportfor willsustainasdeal set to agree product and itsbenefitstakes document,etc.are elimi- ENSECONOMICBUREAU of FY2020,ithadgrownbynearly 2019-20,releasedinAugust2020, thetopspotasthemajorfactor nated,”Madhusudhanadded. NEWDELHI,JANUARY10 6per cent. hadalsomentionedthatdemand affecting the adoption. Each Currently, 2.9 million cus- AccordingtoCareRatings forcurrencystartedto increasein pipelineishealthy’ EV tie-up’ stakeholderwillhave to take a tomers managetheir insur- THE CURRENCY in Circulation Chief EconomistMadanSabnavis, the wake of heighteneduncer- step towardseducating their ance policies with NIR. “The (CiC) grew by around 13 per cent thegrowthincurrencyincircula- tainty causedbythe COVID-19 TATA CONSULTANCYServices respectivecustomers on the eIA helps insurers in saving inthefirstninemonthsof thecur- tion so farinthe current fiscalhas pandemic. (TCS) has reportedastellarset of REUTERS features andbenefitsofeIA,” costs by eliminating the re- rent fiscalaspeople preferred been high as people were accu- The central bank also took a numbersfortheDecember quar- SEOUL,JANUARY10 Madhusudhansaid. quirementof printinganddis- holdingontocashasaprecaution- mulating morecash to meet any series of measures in order to ter, thestrongest growth in last The other challengethat patching thecompletepolicy arymeasureamidtheuncertainty exigency during thelockdown. meetthe enhanceddemand. nineyears.VRAMAKRISHNAN, HYUNDAI MOTOR and AppleInc usuallycomesupisthepercei- kit to the customer through causeddue to the Covid-19pan- “Wheneverthereisacrisis- During the calendar year CFO, TCS, tells SHUBHRA TAN- plan to signapartnershipdeal on vedloss of customer owners- physicalmeans either by post demic. likesituation, thereisatendency 2020,CiCgrew 22.1percent,orRs DONinaninterviewthatthere are autonomouselectriccars by hipby thedistributionecosys- or courier.Acost-benefit CiCgrew by Rs3,23,003crore, forhouseholdsto latchontocash. 5,01,405 crore, to Rs 27,70,315 indicators to suggestthe growth March and startproduction temasissuanceofapolicy analysis conducted by NIR for or 13.2 per cent, to Rs 27,70,315 That is the reason there has been croreasonJanuary 1, 2021. is sustainable.Edited excerpts: around 2024inthe UnitedStates, digitallyisseenasonelessop- one of the largest insurance croreasonJanuary1,2021from an increase in demand forcash. CiC includes banknotesand VRamakrishnan localnewspaperKoreaITNews re- portunitytointeractwiththe playersshowedareductionof Rs24,47,312 croreasonMarch 31, Whatyouseeisnothingelsebuta coins. At present,RBI issues notes Despitesalaryhikes being portedonSunday. Thereportfol- customer.“Thenistheissueof printanddispatchcostbyover 2020,accordingtorecentdatare- precautionarymotiveover- in denominations of Rs 2, Rs 5, Rs rolledout, margins were lows astatement on Fridayfrom ‘unless Isee aphysical copy, 70,” he said. leasedbythe Reserve Bank of whelming everything,” Sabnavis 10,Rs20, Rs 50,Rs100,Rs200,Rs strong... signtheir products, services and Hyundai that it wasinearly talks India (RBI). said. 500and Rs 2,000.WITHPTI Thebiggestfactordrivingmar- supplychain etc. So, it is ongoing withAppleafteranotherlocalme- gins is growth whichwas seen and as important as areasofcost dia outletsaid the companies across verticals. But moreimpor- optimisationanddrivingefficien- aimedtolaunchaself-driving BRIEFLY tantly, theabilityof peopleto work cies.Also,decisionsonbudgetsare electriccarin2027, sendingHyun- Co-operative banks must fearlessly face fromanywherealsoincreasedthe madethroughtheyear.However, dai sharesupnearly 20 per cent. fungibility.So,if youare drivingef- wherever theyfollow the calen- Hyundai Motordeclined to `6,657-crore ficiencies,theytranslateintogains. daryear as the financial year,itis comment on the reporton inflowingold competition from private ones: Gadkari Also, we continued to be disci- onlyinthe next fewmonthsthat Sunday, andreiterated Friday’s plined in other areas of discre- budgetswill be finalisedand dis- commentsthatithasreceivedre- ETFsin2020 tionaryspending. Currency also cussed,soitisaearly to comment. quests forpotential cooperation wasbenign in the quarter, which fromvariouscompaniesondevel- NewDelhi:Economicdown- EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE is important. The Indian market grew opingautonomousEVs. Apple turndueto coronaviruspan- MUMBAI,JANUARY10 sharply duringthe quarterat had no immediate comment. demic and weakness in the Will this margin growth about 18 per cent. What were An updatedversionofthe IT US dollar encouraged in- IN ORDER to bolsterthe co-oper- sustain in the coming quarters the levers forthis growth and news reportremoveddetails, in- vestorsto infuseawhopping ative sector,therewillbenoforced as well? is it sustainable? cluding productionlocation and Rs 6,657crore in gold ex- privatisation of co-operative We areseeingthegrowthmo- One has to look at the growth capacityand the timeframe for change-tradedfunds (ETFs) banks, Union Road Transport& mentumandbelieve thiswillsus- number on the backofanear 25 signing the agreement and in2020.Incomparison,anet Highwaysand MSME Minister tain sincethe deal pipeline is per cent decline in Q1 and 5per launchingthe pilot vehicles. inflowofjustRs16crore was Nitin Gadkari said at the Loksatta healthy. The potential is visibleas cent or so in Q2. So, when you The previous version said the seeninthe entire2019. PTI Urban Co-operative Banking multiple industries arefortifying have had suchatrough, the re- companiesplannedtobuild the (UCB) e-conclave,onJanuary7. Union MinisterNitin Gadkari at the LoksattaUrban and reiterating the benefitsof bound is expected to be sharp. cars at Kia Motors’ factoryin Gadkari, who wasthe chief Co-operative Banking e-conclave,Mumbai. Ganesh Shirsekar technologyadoption.Adoptionof Also,businessesinIndiaaremore Georgia,orinvestjointlyinanew Niolaunches guestatthe e-conclave,saidthat cloudtoreimagine processes project-drivenand arealways factoryintheUnitedStatesto pro- firstelectric as arepresentative of the Centre withinthecompanyanddrive ef- lumpy.Moreimportantly, some duce 100,000 vehicles around andalsoasarepresentative of the omyofthe countryand the state. to the Banking Regulation Actin TITLE PARTNER ficiencies isalsoonthe rise, so the of the transactional-basedserv- 2024. The full annual capacity of sedanmodel people, he would act as abridge Gadkarifurthersaidthatwhile September2020,bringingco-op- WorldWebSolutions margins should remain resilient. icesliketechnology-basedassess- the proposedplant would be between the co-operative banks privatisation of co-operative erative banks under the supervi- SUPPORTED BY mentsfor multiple competitive 400,000vehicles.KiaMotorsisan Shanghai: Chinese electric in Maharashtraand the Finance bankshas been discussedsince sion of theRBI. ■ SaraswatCoOpBankLtd. Has the pandemic had an examinations were nothappen- affiliateofHyundai Motor. vehicle(EV)makerNioIncis Ministry, RBI, NABARD and the 1996, neitherthe central govern- Afterthe amendment, in an- ■ UsmanabadJantaSahakariBankLtd. impact on the IT budgetsof inginthe lastfew quarters as ex- The reportalso said Hyundai taking on conventional stategovernment. He addedthat ment nor the ReserveBank of other circulartoall banks, the ■ AbhyudayaCoOpBankLtd. clients? Arethereany ams were held backdue to the and Apple plannedtorelease a gasoline premium au- co-operative banksmustcompete India (RBI) has ever forcefullyim- bankingregulatorsstatedthatitis ■ TheComo’sCoOpBankLtd. cutbacks? lockdown. That has come back. “betaversion” of the Apple cars tomakers from BMW to withprivate banksto make anim- posed it on thebanks. He added imperative thatbankscontinueto ■ ThaneBharatSahakariBankLtd. Technology is in suchaplace Other projectslikeprocessing of next year. Reuters reportedlast Audi further,launching on pression on lawmakers in Delhi. that co-operative banks must conservecapital to supportthe ■ DombivaliNagriSahakariBankLtd. thatitisnolongerjustanITsolu- passports etc, whichislinked to month that Apple wasmoving Saturdayits firstsedan Theministersaid that co-op- fearlesslyfacetheincreasingcom- economyand absorb losses. tionbutabouthelpingcompanies transactions,theactivityhascome forwardwithautonomous car model as it eyes agreater erative bankshaveenabledthe petitionfromprivate sectorbanks. With the aim of providing a find uses. Firms likeusprovide back.Theopportunitiesare really technologyandaimedtoproduce shareofthe world’s largest commonman to have the finan- In amoveaimedatprotecting platform to discuss the issue, Heads,chairmen,CEO’sof various thosetechnology-ledsolutionsfor good and seeing the uptickinthe apassenger vehicle that could in- carmarket. REUTERS cialbackingto beself-reliant.This, the interest of depositors, the Loksattaorganizedthe‘UrbanCo- UCBs from across Maharashtra business problems,reimagining businessactivity,weare quiteop- clude itsown breakthrough bat- he said, has supported the econ- Parliament passedamendments Operative Banking e-Conclave’. were partofthis e-Conclave. businessmodels,thewaytheyde- timisticongrowth. FE tery technology as early as 2024. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021 SPORT 13 Badminton fixing row: Players tanked Fightforspaceattheheart at Hong Kong, Macau and Lucknow ofCummins-Pujaracontest SHIVANI NAIK JANUARY 10

EIGHT INDONESIANS were sanctionedthis By exploring angles around offstump, pacer has testedtheIndian’s technique week formatchfixing and betting, in what is known in badminton doubles circles as “nyabon”. In apanel Integrity Unit investiga- SRIRAM VEERA Though he has pace, Cummins tion reportbythe Badminton World JANUARY 10 doesn’t blowawaythe batsman. Federationthat concludedafter eventsdat- ingasfar backas2015, thekingpin of this se- THE ENTIREbattle between PatCummins He alters their reality.Ball by ries of fixedmatches wasnamedasHendra and Cheteshwar Pujarahas narroweddown ball. He is notanoverwhelming Tandjaya (HT). to the smallestreal estate of trouble around forcebut acounterintuitive A32-year-old doublesfloater on the the offstump. Unlikemostbatsmen, Pujara lowercircuit, Hendratold investigators has near-total control over hishands. He explorer of angles, abowler who “nyabon” meant “playing amatchtofix a doesn’t chase balls (the shotinthe has made Pujarafeel notfear, particular result.” Melbourne chase wasanaberration), does- ‘Nyabon’ is inspired eitherfromthe n’t stab at them, doesn’t lethis hands wander but doubt. hornedtabbycat of the videogame ahead or away.The bat is tuckedin, held Bloodstained, lurking in wait to settle a softlytospongeout the venominamisbe- grudge, or simplymeans “sink (a game)” in having ball and is also the lastline of defence when he is slightlywider on the crease. He Sundanese languagefromwestern Java. In the interviewsconductedwith kingpinHendraTandjaya by investigators, ‘nyabon’ in case it tiltsintowards the offstump. The combines it with his release angle. He then But in the interviews conducted with worth95million rupiah were revealedacross 10 fixedmatches. Representational method has been his childhood friend, but sprinkles in some finger magic. Unlikesome Hendrabythe investigators, “nyabon” worth Cummins is nowforcing it to betray him. bowlers whose fingers slide down the seam 95 millionrupiah (INR4lakh96thousand) Though he has pace, Cummins doesn’t moreoften thannot,Cummins’s fingerprints were revealedacross 10 fixedmatches, and A32-year-old doubles floater on tigation states: “HT namedand discussed7 blowawaythe batsman. He alters their real- lead one to thewondrous worldof 4playerapproaches were turneddown, re- the lowercircuit, Hendratold other players (notthe subject of this hear- ity.Ballbyball. He is notanoverwhelming MohammadAsif. Theycut the ball in. They portedbywhistleblowers.Hendra admitted investigators “nyabon” meant ing) withwhomhehad engagedinactualor forcebut acounterintuitive explorer of an- rip it out.Significantly, theycan rip it out from to making “20 million rupiahinbetting” con- attemptedmatchfixing with him and oth- gles, abowlerwho has made Pujarafeel not awider angle of release. vincing compatriots to lose. “playing amatchtofix a ers, or that he knewhad betting accounts.” fear,but doubt. Cummins’ is alabour of crick- It’s notanillusion. The ball actuallydoes Four players neverrespondedtosum- particular result.” ‘Nyabon’ is Sometimes afix would fall through -like eting intelligence, amatter of working out come in the air from thatangle. Pujaraplays moning by the investigation panel, includ- with Aditiya Dwiantoro (AD).“HT had prom- barelyvisible flaws in Pujara, causing inter- the line. The past predictsbad news about ing 41-year-old IvandiDanang(ID), who inspired either from the horned isedhim money, but therewas notagood nal injuryrather than merebody blows. thefuture. Buthecan’t abandon his child- Hendracalled“boss” in the interviews after tabbycat of the videogame market,” the reportreads. At other times, los- It’s notaset-up. It isn’t about slippingin hood method, now. So,hepresses forward confessing to be ropedintofixing by him. Bloodstained, lurking in wait to ing needednoeffort. In his doubles matchat asurprise deviator from the norm;it’s not cautiously, peering across ever so carefully. Danang wasactive on the circuit in 2010, Vietnam, Dwiantorowas told “toplaynor- about slanting afew balls in and then taking He knows theball will tail out but can’tbe went AWOL in 2013,and resurfacedin2016, settle agrudge, or simplymeans mallybecause Hendra knewADwould lose, one away.Pujaraismade of sterner stuffthan absolutelycertain of it. That angle of release at Hong Kong and Indonesia, whereHendra “sink (a game)” in Sundanese and HT had betonhim to lose.” Prior to the that. The king of patience doesn’t getdis- means the ball can justwaftinalong with is supposedtohavepulledoff twoofhis ear- languagefromwestern Java. tournament, Dwiantorodid notknow tracted so easily. That wasthe attempt in the the line and knockthe pad or the offstump liestfixes. Hendra. “AD neededthe moneybecause his lastseries in Australia. Lessons have been if he isn’t alert. Approaches to the whistleblower(WB) father had died.” learnt. PatCummins has dismissedPujara Cummins adds one final layertothis. He at Scottish Open in November 2015,atNZin Mixed doubles playerFadilla Affni’s (FA) Pujara’s method has one ‘flaw’. The need four timesthis series —caught behind keeps it backoflength to tryand upset August2017and US in July2017, were re- line with Mitra.dotand Temanjudi, wherehe grief waspreyed upon. “She washis mixed to hold the bat inside theline,onthe off- thrice and at gullyonce. AP file Pujara’s balance. Pujarahas ashortforward buffedand reportedtothe authorities. The held accounts. Hendra(HT) himself had doubles partner in the ChineseTaipei Open stumpline. It’s the fulcrum, the soul of his press and justfreezes therewhen the ball investigation said, “They(whistleblower) slowlybeinglured.“At firstIDhad asked HT 2017 who wasinfinancialdifficulty because technique. The bat is on that line; aball out- is shortoflength. It’s notfreezing out of have known HT since 2011 through junior to fixhis ownmatches, but HT had declined herparents had died. He had manipulated a side it is allowedtofly pastthe edge due to his tilt. He then layers it withcounterintuitive shockbut an attemptatstillness to holdhis badminton.InNovember 2015,during the because he did notwanttolet down his matchbut had miscalculated thescore.He abnormal control over his hands. Theydon’t deceptions. balance.When the ball straightens or comes early rounds of theScottish Open, theyre- sponsors. ID setupanonline account to had asked her to score17inthe second set, jerk.The deviating ball can’t land akiss. in, he can tapthem away without much ceivedtextmessages from HT in whichhe transfer moneytoHT. The account allowed but his betwas for18inthe second set, and Pujaradoesn’t leave as manyballs as M Straight line, latecurve fuss.But Cummins’wider angle means the offered3000 (currency unknown) to lose HT to receive cash from an ATM. He also re- he had lostthe bet. As aresult, FA wasonly Vijaydid in his pomp. He likes to feel bat on Conventionally, bowlers come close to straightening is actually aleg cutter in many their firstmatch. The WB declinedand asked ceivedcash from ID in person whichwas paid expenses, but wanted moremoney.” ball, preferring to spongeout trouble rather the stumps when theywant to take the ball ways. HT to nevercontact them again.” usedtobet on badminton (and other sports), Agrippina Prima HarmantoPutera, son than outright rejection. He has built atech- away.It’s notonlyeasiertobend them away The betrayal starts now. The hip can and he usedtobet with ID. HT also received of former Indonesia coachSigit Pamungkas, nique around that basic urge.His game is to from there, but it also makes it curvelate threaten to open up. The hands starttoitch. Invitation to manipulate moneyintohis ownbank account,” the in- receivedasix-year ban and afine of USD playthe line and his carefully-constructed from astraight line. But Pujara’s method is Pujarapresses hardtokeep them in line. But At theUSOpeninJuly2017, Hendraoffered vestigation reveals of their conversations on 3000.Agrippina had betting accountsand technique allows himtodothat. It lets him built to handle this. The bat will be held in the finger-magic from that angle takesthe AUD3000tolose their firstmixed doubles Line app. Hendraadmitted he had betap- had asked Hendra forinformation about tapthem away,and hold his bat in line when line, and the ball can dink away,and lateat ball justabout away forthe fatalcollision match. ThereafterHendrawould inundate proximately20million rupiah (1 lakh INR) bets.Healso claimedtohaverefusedtomess the ball swings or seams away.Itletshim that. No problem. withthe edge.IfCummins had bowled this themwithmessagesrequestingthesamema- in his firstinterview. with amatchresult. push short-of-length balls to gullyorpoint. Cummins usuallycutsthe ball in when from closer to the stumps, the ball would nipulation.“Inparticular,HTinvitedtheWBto Hendra’s biggestsnarewould be the 2017 Agriprinnawas at the Cipayung National It lets him nourish his urge to playthe line, he goes close to thestumps. Mostbowlit comfortablycut away.Ifhedidn’thavethose secure ascore“under 14 14”atareducedoffer Hong Kong SuperSeries, whereheinduced Training Center and had wontwo titles with without danger.Until now. wider from the stumps and as batsmen it’s Asif-fingers, it would have been blunted by of AUD2500.” At the NewZealandOpen, partner Androw Yunantototankhis opener current WorldNo.1Marcus Gideonfrom Some have magicintheir fingers, some easier to play that angle, but whenithap- the bat on the off-stumpline.Pujarawould Hendra“invitedtheWBto manipulateamatch for10million rupiah (around INR 50,000). A 2011-3. Howeverhis career drifted. “Mymis- areintelligent;bowlers who combine cere- pens from the stumps, the inward move- still have takenhis batawayfromdanger if by winning 21-16, 21-17.” fixatMacauwould fetchYunantoclose to take is notreporting. HowdoIreport? He bral and physical magic arerare. Cummins’ ment starts lateand the angle is tough to play. notfor Cummins’pace. Thereisnotime to During the investigation, Hendrawould INR73,000.The duo would land up at Syed asked formatchfixing,Idon’t want to.Ithink game is built around making the batsmen Pujara’s game canstill handle this, thoughhe getout. Thereisnowheretogo. Pujara’s real fess up that while he setbetswith compa- Modi tournament in Lucknowand makeINR it’s justenoughtoleave it at that, it won’t be think the ball is goingtocomeinwith the will keep short-leg and the leg-side fielders estate of trouble might be reallytinybut nies, he would receive paymentsfrom 36000 eachfor athree-setloss. this big,” Agrippina told Bola Sports,adding line. LikeJasprit Bumrah, to an extent. His an- ever alert. Cummins’ arthas allowedhim to take over Danang or recoverhis outlaybybettingon- In what points to adeeper rot,the inves- he would appeal. gled release point suggests ahintofinward Cummins usuallygets the ball to go away the property. OVER THE HEDGE by Michael Fry &TLewis CROSSWORD 4324 DAYTODAY BYPETERVIDAL

ARIES (Mar 21 -Apr 20) LIBRA (Sept24-Oct 23) MayIadvise youto In your personal life, keep aclose watch you'reonthe scent on your financial of anew romantic dreams? Today's adventure. major planetarypatterns will Unexpected developments at have an amazing rangeof work have notundermined consequences over the coming your confidence or weeks, but the impact on your commitment. Farfromit. If your emotional and material security professional or worldly seems to be greatest.If ambitions have been dented,I competing foraprize, go suspectthat the real cause lies forbroke. elsewhere, perhaps in your own refusal to take thelead. TAURUS (Apr21-May 21) Today's planets push SCORPIO(Oct24-Nov22) youforward with Today's lunar increasing speed. alignmentsare CALVIN &HOBBES by Bill Watterson Your chances for about the most personal success arenow the intriguing they've best foraverylongtime indeed. been foraverylong time. The Press on with establishedplans news will be exciting, even for by allmeans, but avoid those of youwho areenjoying anything that maylead to placid times. It'sall doubly ACROSS DOWN confrontation or smacks significant if youhavebig, 1Had an aversion to death throes 2Surprise shots in amelee of dishonesty. ambitious plans on the go. (5) (8) Youchoose. 8Preserved meat makes sailor 3Sense there’s agreement GEMINI (May22-June 21) grumble (4,4) among rowing men (8) Youmay imagine SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 -Dec 22) 9Might be cold yetgood 4Hardy,no; evergreen, yes that youknowwhat All the quite tempered (5) (6) is going on, but you extraordinary 10 Distraught wanderer 5Storestohaulonboard areprobably planetary activity approached(4,4) (5) mistaken. Neverhaveyou been nowtaking place 11 It can turn intoquitealark 6Show; notacelebration (5) so likelytopickupthe wrong must be harnessedand usedto (5) 7Blazing with aloud anger end of the stick. Please take channel your noble, virtuous 12 Somereligious biblical (5) proper advice in all legal, andselfless instincts. Youhavea character (3) 12 Time to bend an ear (3) foreign and travel matters, and clear choice whether to go all 16 There’s achangeofname here 13 Aclinging female? (3) that does mean double and out forpersonal interestorto (6) 14 What the investment produces even treble checking. realise that material security is, 17 Anumber finish with an is of some concern in the grand scheme of things, MARVIN by Tom Armstrong CANCER (June 22 -July23) alternative seller(6) (8) purelytemporary. Jupiter and Venus 18 Girlmay appearconfused 15 Task fordomestic science areasbenevolent a CAPRICORN (Dec 23 -Jan 20) (3) students(8) pair of planets as you It's aday of 23 Possiblyrenew, makingmore 19 Repair or mend to getupto could wish to have significant planetary modern (5) date(6) watching over you. Generosity configurations, but 24 Confiscates one thousand 20 Very close to being drunk on your part willwin friends whether youare sterling (8) (5) and impress people, protecting directlyinvolvedindramatic 25 Some lifelong criminal (5) 21 Sometime takentoform words youinthe present and gaining events, or merelyapassive 26 They’reworn with one’s arms (5) youfirmand loyalallies forthe observer,isuptoyou.Itakethe inside (8) 22 Very quietperhaps future. In other words, viewthat the latter is more 27 Post the prize money(5) (5) selflessness and self-interest likely. In other words, you'll be arethe same thing. looking, listening and learning. SolutionsCrossword4323:Across:1Lion’sshare,6Rand,10Sadly,11Nefarious, 12Freewill,13Nadir,15Reredos,17Sleeves,19Insists,21Attache,22Incur,24 LEO (July24-Aug 23) AQUARIUS (Jan 21 -Feb 19) Abortive,27Establish,28Three,29Stye,30Shoreleave.Down:1Lass,2Order With so much Theapproaching arms,3Style,4Hankies,5Raffles,7Aloud,8Distressed,9Transept,14Artificers,16 planetaryactivity lunarpatternsare Describe,18Viceversa,20Slavish,21Another,23Cathy,25Total,26Here. taking place today, among the most you'd do very well to striking to hit your take centre stage.Watch out for signfor agood fewmonths. If flying missiles, though, and you'renot knockedslightlyoff duckifanythingcomes in your course there'll be something JUMBLED WORDS DifficultyLevel5s direction.Preparefor ashiftin wrong,for it means thatyou're Instructions emotional gear and, while notdirectlyintune with your Givenbelowarefourjumbledwords.Solvethejumblestomakeproperwordsandmovethemto TosolveaSudokupuzzle, you'reatit, getintouchwith stars. You'll be backinthe someonewho is waiting to hear saddle by the endofthe week. therespectivesquaresbelow.Selectthelettersintheshadedsquaresandjumblethemtoget everydigitfrom1to9 4348 theanswerforthegivenquip. mustappearineachofthe from you. Whobeginstoomuch____little-GermanProverb(12) PISCES (Feb 20 -Mar 20) nineverticalcolumns,in VIRGO(Aug24-Sept23) Ahelpful 349 eachoftheninehorizontal Iamsurethat you relationship RSAEO CALTIC rowsandineachofthe have been put out, between the Sun and U4 nineboxes. pushed around and Mercuryisonlyone

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GM PHLE CTIC, LA SUSHI, OSE, AR SOLUTION: WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,JANUARY11,2021 SPORT 14 BCA to write BRIEFLY to BCCI Adrenalinerushendsminiclassic Serena,Osakatojoin about Hooda’s topmeninAdelaide Rohit looked in total control in second innings, before a moment of indiscretion brought about his downfall Sydney:Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka will join Rafa Nadal and Novak ‘misconduct’ Djokovic inplayingapre-Australian SANDIPG SCORECARD Open warm-up exhibition in Adelaide JANUARY10 afterserving their quarantine in the AUSTRALIA VS INDIA DEVENDRAPANDEY South Australian city,Tennis Australia MUMBAI,JANUARY10 LESS THAN 15 minutes and three overs be- SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND (TA) said on Saturday.The “A Dayat fore stumps, Rohit Sharma lethis instinct Toss: Australia, chose to bat the Drive”event will take place at the BARODA ALL-ROUNDER Deepak Hooda has conquer his reasoning. He wheeledawaya AUS1ST INNINGS 338 city’s Memorial Drive TennisCentre been pulled up for'misconduct' and 'walking pull shotintothe deep shadows on hisleg- IND 1STINNINGS 244 on Jan.29, aweek before the delayed away from responsibility' by the CEO of the side, wherepouncedMitchell Starc, seem- AUS2ND INNS 312/6d (o/n 103/2) Grand Slam gets underwayat statecricket association on Sunday. Aday ear- ingly outofnowhere, to complete acatch, MLabuschagnecsub(Saha)bSaini 73 Melbourne Park. lier,Hooda had written to theBaroda Cricket sliding on his knees, to end the Indian (118b,9x4) Association (BCA) to informthem about his opener’s mostfluent outing outside Asia till SSmithlbwbAshwin 81(167b,8x4,1x6) unavailabilitybecause captain Krunal Pandya date. The latewicketpushedIndia to 98/2 at MWadecsub(Saha)bSaini 4(11b,1x4) 80%wantOlympics had repeatedly abusedhim in front of other stumps, afterAustralia had setthem adaunt- CGreencsub(Saha)bBumrah 84 cancelledordelayed: playersandstoppedhimfromtraining.Hooda ing 407for avictory. (132b,8x4,4x6) has stepped out of thebio-bubble since. Itwasacruelendto aknockthatpromised TPainenotout 39(52b,6x4) Japanesesurvey In an email to Hooda, BCAchief executive so muchmore. Sharma wasinutter control ■ Extras (b1,lb4,nb3) 8 officer (CEO) Shishir Hattangadi said the issue fromthemomenthestrodeout.Hisdiscretion ■ FoW:1-16(Pucovski,5.5ov),2-35(Warner, Tokyo:About80%of peopleinJapansay of Hoodawalking out of the team, though he and judgement stood out;therewereno 9.2ov),3-138(Labuschagne,46.1ov),4-148 this year’sTokyoOlympicsshould be wasvice-captain,andgoingto themediawould fringesof extravaganceorindulgence,nothing (Wade,48.6ov),5-208(Smith,67.4ov),6-312 cancelledordelayedasworriesmount betakenupwiththeBoardofControlforCricket outrageous or out of the world, nothing that (Green,86.6ov) about arecordsurge in coronavirus in India and the IPL governingcouncil. troubledhim even fleetingly. But in the mid- ■Bowling:JBumrah21-4-68-1;MohdSiraj25- casesacrossthecountry,aKyodoNews "Thereisnoteam that doesn't have differ- dle of this dreamyknock, kickedinmomen- 5-90-1,NSaini16-2-54-2,RAshwin25-1-95-2 poll showedonSunday.The survey ences but to walk away andtalk to themedia tarymisjudgement,orasplit-secondstreakof found35.3%wanttheGamesto becan- givingonlyyourside of the storyisacaseof carelessness. When instinct overpoweredac- INDIA 2ND INNS 98/2 (Target407) celled and44.8% favoured another de- seekingunwarrantedpublicityandputtingself quired wisdom without anyapparent tussle. RSharmacStarcbCummins 52 lay. Theworld’s biggestmulti-sports before the game," Hattangadi wroteinthe The pull is to Rohit Sharmawhat afore- (98b,5x4,1x6) event,postponedlastyear,isscheduled email to Hooda.The CEO also mentionedthat hand chip is to RogerFederer.Hecould play SGillcPainebHazlewood 31(64b,4x4) to be held from July23-Aug. 8inthe he had had awordwith the IPL team Hooda the stroke with his eyes blindfoldedorlegs CPujaranotout 9(29b,1x4) Japanese capital. Prime Minister plays for(Kings XI Punjab). boundinchains. PatCummins’ shortball ARahanenotout 4(14b) Yoshihide Sugadeclaredastate of "Ihave hadachatwithyourfranchiseeand pausedinthe air afterlanding on middle and ■ Extras (lb1,nb1) 2 emergencyforthegreaterTokyoregion Ihaveenough reason to decipher that we will leg as if imploring Sharma to pull it intothe ■FoW:1-71(ShubmanGill,22.1ov),2-92(Rohit on Thursday andcouldextend the makesurewewritetothe BCCI of your mis- shadows in the fine-legregion. Sharma Sharma,30.2ov) measuretootherareas as Japan strug- conduct...After the feedback from the team swayed his body atrifle, got under the ball ■Bowling:MStarc6-0-27-0,JHazlewood8-3- gles to contain asurge in infections. management(andothers)Ihavereasonto be- and swivelled. Everything about the stroke 11-1,PCummins9-1-25-1,NLyon9-3-22-0,C Suga’ssupportratehas tumbledsince lieve we will take up this matter as seriously wasprecise,exceptfor the placement. Green2-0-12-0 he took office in September. REUTERS withintheassociationaswe willwiththeBCCI Sharmagaveadisbelievingstare.Whenhe Beforegetting out for52, Rohit Sharma wasuntroubledinhis 98-ball sojourn. AP Day5: LiveonSonySportsNetwork,5am and the IPL GoverningCouncil." walkedbacktothepavilion,hewouldhave re- Hooda'scommitmenttotheteamwasalso playedthatshotseveral timesinhis head and Messi,Griezmann questionedinthe email. cursedand cussedhimself. At the untimeli- abit and de Villiers took asliding catch, run- Those were momentswhen Sharma balls in the corridor. The bounce wasvari- netfourforBarca "By walking away from aresponsibility of nessofthe stroke,atthe imprecisionofthe ningnearly 20yards.Butherehehadonly him- could have stampedhis undisputed quality able, so he ditched his stapleon-the-rise vice-captaincyandleavingtheteambecauseof shot, at the sheer consequence of the stroke, self to blame. Forthe Cummins’ delivery had on matches, stabilisedhis role in the side, and drives, and instead leant intofuller deliveries. Barcelona:Lionel Messiand Antoine adifference youhavesent out amessagethat or at the inconsequenceofthat delivery.He little zip or zing, and Starchad to makeonlya silencedthe critics. Yet, thoseknocks ended Starcwas treated to abrace of gorgeous cover Griezmann eachscored twice as youholdyourself above theteamandthatem- had time to duck, space to leave,orhecould couple of steps. It wasneither alooseball, nor up as case studiesofself-inflicteddoom. drivesinanover. The firstwas ahalf-volley BarcelonathrashedGranada4-0 away bodiesyourattitudeandcommitmentto your have glideditfiner,asheoften does, he could aloose shot. It wasjustthe wrong shot at the Thereissomething inherentlytragic about a outside off-stump, whichhejustcoaxed on Saturdaytowin athirdconsecutive team," the email stated. have rolledhis wrists over it and kept it along wrongtime.Inthatsense,Sharma’sdeparture batsman consistentlydefeating himself, through the covers. Forthe next, his front- La Ligagamefor the firsttime this sea- "As an association and being custodians of the ground. He could have doneanything but seemedpredestined. when his owninstinctsconspirehis down- foot glidedout, before his hands justbrush- son. Griezmann openedthe scoring in thisgame,wewillfollowazero-tolerancepol- flayitstraightintothe hands of the fielder.An fall. Thereisnoallure to failure. strokeditthrough extracover.Inthe next the 12th minutewhile Messi struck icy on issues," Hattangadi, aformerMumbai opportunitytoascertain his overseas creden- Instances of indiscretion Yet, Sundayatthe SydneyCricketGround over,SharmaemphaticallypulledCameron twicebeforethe break to makeitfour batsman further,wrote. tials slippedthrough his hands. Such fleeting momentsofindiscretion wasanother moment when it seemedthat Green forasix. The brutal and the graceful, in goalsinhislasttwo matchesandgo top OnSaturday, inanemailsentto BCA,Hooda It wasnot the firsttime though that his define his overseascareer.Hecould rattleout no one else but Sharma could defeat Sharma. the space of sevenballs. of the league's scoring charts with11 made aseries of allegations againstPandya. favouritestrokehas forsaken him in acrucial quiteafew suchinstances.The return catch Forhewas utterly untroubledinhis 98-ball Gill’s departuresaw Sharma embrace a goals. Frenchforward Griezmann "Atthis moment, Iamdemoralised, de- hour of his career or amatch. Memoryrolls to Nathan Lyon in Adelaide 2014.The at- sojourn. He, or his opening partner Shubman moredefensive approach. Apartfromthe scoredasecondgoalafterhalftime.The pressedandunderpressure...atleast fromlast back to themorningoftheCenturionTest three temptedslash offShane Watson in Brisbane, Gill, wasundaunted by the monstrous score flickedfour offLyonthat ushered in his half- win put Barcelona four pointsbehind couple of days,myteam captain Mr Kurnal years ago, when he wasbattingfluidlyon47, the under-edged sweep in Sydney, or the Australia had setthem to chase, striking a century, he kept risksaloof. He seemedin- leadersAtleticoMadrid.Second-placed Pandiyahas been abusing languagetomein chasing 287, and attemptedtohook Kagiso mosthideous of all,the heave offLyon, in- fine balancebetween attack and defence. clinedtobat out the dayand had he man- Real Madrid were onepoint behind frontofmyteammates and alsootherstates' RabadaandendeduplobbingacatchtoABde tendedtoplungeintothe Torrens riverout- Sharmahad lotoftimetohang backatthe aged it, India would have sparked faint hopes Atletico afterbeingheldatOsasuna to teams who have comefor participation at Villiers at fine-leg. At least, he could console side the Adelaide Oval but nestledinthe crease and defend. His footwork wasprecise, of afourth-innings heist. But that wasnot to 0-0. AFP Reliance stadium Vadodara," Hooda wrote. himself thinkingthatRabadahadhurriedhim hands of mid-wicket, in 2018. hands soft, and he did notreachout forthe be,ashis instinct conquered his reasoning.

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