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You don’t need CAA Iran makes first arrests State Bank of India Warner, Finch power to grant citizenship, over downing of cuts fixed deposit Australia to 10­wicket win says Ashok Gehlot Ukrainian airliner rates by 15 bps in first ODI against India page 13 page 14 page 16 page 19

Printed at . Chennai . Coimbatore . Bengaluru . Hyderabad . Madurai . Noida . Visakhapatnam . Thiruvananthapuram . Kochi . Vijayawada . Mangaluru . Tiruchirapalli . Kolkata . Hubballi . Mohali . Malappuram . Mumbai . Tirupati . lucknow . cuttack . patna NEARBY After Modi’s call, Trump likely SC rejects curative pleas of 2 to visit Delhi in late February Nirbhaya death row convicts No merit in their appeals to spare them the gallows: Bench President keen on trip but impeachment process could influence the dates J&K Internet links Krishnadas Rajagopal Supreme Court. Sharma was partially restored Suhasini Haidar Washington is expected to NEW DELHI the first among the four con­ NEW DELHI NEW DELHI expedite its ‘agreement’ for The curative petitions of Vi­ victs to file a curative. The Jammu and Kashmir Security and logistics teams his appointment. nay Sharma, 26, and Mukesh The Bench also rejected administration issued an order from Washington are expect­ Singh, 32, who were sen­ their pleas to stay the execu­ late on Tuesday to partially restore broadband Internet ed in Delhi this week to pre­ Trade deal tenced to death in the 2012 tion of their death sentence facilities in Kashmir Valley and pare for a possible visit by Among the agreements the Nirbhaya gang rape and and for oral hearing in open 2G mobile connectivity in five U.S. President Donald leaders hope to wrap up is a murder case, were rejected court. districts in Jammu region. The Trump, multiple sources trade deal that has been by a five­judge Supreme Besides Justice Ramana, order said there will be have confirmed to The Hin- pending since November Court Bench, led by Justice the Bench comprised Arun complete restriction on social du. 2018, when talks went into a N.V. Ramana, on Tuesday. The mother of the victim Mishra, Rohinton Nariman, media applications that may The visit, which has not standstill. In a three­page order, the flashes the victory sign R. Banumathi and Ashok facilitate “peer to peer yet been announced, would In June 2019, the U.S. can­ Bench concluded, after an outside the SC. * PTI Bhushan. communication” . bring Mr. Trump to India a celled India’s preferential ex­ in­chamber consideration NEWS Ī PAGE 12 year after he declined an in­ port ‘GSP’ status, and the go­ that began about 1.45 p.m., devised by a Constitution Mercy plea DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD vitation to be the chief guest vernment hopes Mr. Trump that there was no merit in Bench of the Supreme Court Shortly after the Supreme JNU violence: court at the Republic Day celebra­ will announce a revocation their pleas to spare them in its judgment in the Rupa Court ruling, Mukesh filed a orders seizure of phones tions, and will go ahead at Strong ties: U.S. President Donald Trump with Prime Minister of that decision during the from the gallows. Ashok Hurra case in 2002. mercy plea before the Presi­ NEW DELHI the end of February as long Narendra Modi in New York City, in this file photo.* REUTERS visit. “We have gone through A party can take only two dent, Tihar jail authorities The Delhi High Court on as dates don’t need to be India is also expected to the curative petitions and re­ limited grounds in a curative said. Tuesday directed the police changed to accommodate cording to the sources, Mr. nate, Harsh Shringla met Mr. announce further invest­ levant documents. In our petition — one, he was not Mukesh, Sharma, Akshay to summon and seize the the impeachment process in Trump is “keen” to visit ear­ Trump before returning to ments in the U.S., and a sub­ opinion, no case is made out heard by the court before Kumar Singh, 31, and Pawan phones of the members of the Senate. ly in the year, ahead of elec­ Delhi, and will begin prepa­ stantial increase in Ameri­ within the parameters indi­ the adverse judgment was Gupta, 25, are scheduled to the WhatsApp groups The sources said the deci­ tions in November, and both rations for the visit. can oil imports. In cated in the decision of this passed, and two, the judge be hanged at 7 a.m. on Janu­ “United Against Left” and sion to visit India, at Prime sides are working towards a With just weeks to go to particular, a major deal on court in Rupa Ashok Hurra was biased. ary 22 in Tihar jail. A Delhi “Friends of RSS” in Minister Narendra Modi’s in­ visit in the last week of Fe­ the proposed visit, New Del­ civil aviation is being dis­ versus Ashok Hurra. Hence, A curative plea, which fol­ court issued their death war­ connection with the January vitation, was discussed dur­ bruary. India’s Ambassador hi is understood to have inti­ cussed, officials said. the curative petitions are lows the dismissal of review rants on January 7. 5 violence on JNU campus. ing a telephone call between to Washington, who is now mated its choice of Mr. Shrin­ dismissed,” the Bench held. petition, is the last legal ave­ NEWS Ī PAGE 13 the leaders on January 7. Ac­ the Foreign Secretary­desig­ gla’s replacement and CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 12 Curative is a rare remedy nue open for convicts in the CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 12 DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Who says you cannot protest, asks judge AAP releases full list of 70 candidates for Delhi She was hearing bail plea of Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad 24 new faces in the party list while 15 sitting legislators have been denied tickets Special correspondent peated use of [Section] 144 is NEW DELHI abuse [referring to the recent Staff Reporter be complacent. Work v ed the seat to contest the Additional sessions judge Ka­ decision in a case related to New Delhi hard. People have lot of Punjab Assembly elections mini Lau, while hearing the Kashmir].” The Aam Aadmi Party on faith in AAP and u. God in 2017. bail plea of Bhim Army chief When the prosecution Tuesday released its full list bless [sic],” AAP national In 2019, after the Lok Sab­ Chandrashekhar Azad in said it had only drone images of 70 candidates for the Del­ convenor Arvind Kejriwal ha election, five AAP MLAs connection with the protests of the gathering in which Mr. hi Assembly elections due said in a tweet. were disqualified by Delhi against the Citizenship Chandrashekhar Azad Azad allegedly gave inflam­ on February 8. Assembly Speaker Ram Ni­ Amendment Act in Darya­ matory speeches, the court All seven AAP Ministers 46 MLAs retained was Goel under the anti­de­ ganj last month, observed on you read the Constitution?” said: “Do you think our Delhi got party tickets and three Of the existing 61 MLAs, 46 fection law. Tuesday that the prosecution The judge said: “You are police is so backward that of its 2019 Delhi Lok Sabha have made it to the list and AAP is also expected to was behaving as if Jama Mas­ behaving as if Jama Masjid is they have no recorded evi­ election candidates — Atishi, the party has fielded eight come out with its election jid was Pakistan. Pakistan. Even if it was Pakis­ dence? In small matters, Del­ Dilip Pandey, and Raghav women candidates, com­ manifesto later this week. When the prosecutor, re­ tan, you can go there and hi police have recorded evi­ Chadha — made it to the list. pared with six in 2015, said The last date for filing of presenting the Delhi police, protest. Pakistan was a part dence, why not in this Also, leaders who joined the Arvind Kejriwal senior AAP leader Manish nominations is January 21 read out some social media of undivided India.” incident?”. party in the last one week — Sisodia. while January 24 is the last posts of Mr. Azad to allege The police pointed out Mr. Azad’s lawyer, Meh­ Ram Singh Netaji, Vinay The other two parties — In the 2015 Assembly date for withdrawal of can­ that he had incited violence, that no prior permission had mood Pracha, said he [Mr. Mishra and Shoaib Iqbal — the Congress and the Bhara­ elections, AAP had swept 67 didature. Dr. Lau said: “Where is the been taken for the protests, Azad] had only been reading got tickets. tiya Janata Party — have not of the 70 seats in Delhi. La­ The elections results will violence? What is wrong with to which the court said: the Constitution and speak­ The party has announced yet announced their candi­ ter, the BJP won the Rajouri be out on February 11. any of these posts? Who says “What permission? SC [Su­ ing against the CAA­NRC. 24 new faces while 15 sitting dates for the elections. Garden bypoll after AAP le­ OPPORTUNITIES Ī PAGE 15 you cannot protest? Have preme Court] has said re­ (With PTI inputs) MLAs have been dropped. “Best wishes to all. Don’t gislator Jarnail Singh vacat­ SEE ALSO Ī PAGE 4 Kerala govt. challenges Hallmarking made must for gold jewellery

Special Correspondent onwards, Consumer Affairs could be charged penalty five CAA in Supreme Court New Delhi Minister Ramvilas Paswan an­ times the cost of the object or No jeweller will be allowed to nounced on Tuesday. even given imprisonment up Suit has been filed under Article 131 sell gold jewellery or artefacts If jewellery or artefacts to one year. Gold hallmarking without hallmark from the made of 14, 18 and 22 carat is a purity certification and is legal correspondent Bureau of Indian Standards gold are sold without a BIS voluntary in nature now. NEW DELHI (BIS) from January 15, 2021, hallmark, then the jeweller CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 12 Kerala became the first State to join citizens across the country to challenge in the Supreme Court the con­ stitutionality of the Citizen­ ship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, which fast­ tracks grant of citizenship on the basis of religion. The State has ap­ proached the Supreme Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Court nearly 15 days after the Assembly unanimously garding the enforcement of requested the Centre to legal rights as a State and as abrogate the law on De­ well for the enforcement of cember 31, 2019. the fundamental, statutory And it comes just three constitutional and other le­ days after the CAA came in­ gal rights of the inhabitants to effect on January 10. of the State of Kerala.” However, there have ‘Original’ jurisdiction been two conflicting judg­ The original suit has been ments from the SC by coor­ filed under Article 131 of the dinate Benches on whether Constitution. The SC has a State can file an original “original” jurisdiction in suit under Article 131 to disputes between States or challenge the constitution­ the Centre and State(s). ality of a central law. The Article allows it to di­ The first judgment re­ rectly take cognisance of ported in 2012 — State of such a dispute. Madhya Pradesh vs Union Kerala said in its suit that of India — held that States it would be compelled un­ cannot challenge a Central der Article 256 to comply law under Article 131. with the CAA, which was The second judgment — “manifestly arbitrary, un­ State of Jharkhand vs State reasonable, irrational and of Bihar — took the oppo­ violative of fundamental site view in 2015 and re­ rights”. ferred the question of law The suit, represented by to a larger Bench of the Su­ senior advocate Jaideep preme Court for final deter­ Gupta and G. Prakash, sub­ mination. mitted, “Thus, there exists The Centre may object to a dispute, involving ques­ the maintainability of the tions of law and fact, bet­ Kerala suit when it comes ween the State of Kerala up for hearing. and the Union of India, re­ CONTINUED ON Ī PAGE 12

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DELHI THE HINDU 2 CITY WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Timings Police to hold DELHI WEDNESDAY, JAN. 15 dialogue with Shaheen Bagh stir: HC asks police RISE 07:16 SET 17:46 RISE 22:46 SET 10:45 protesters THURSDAY, JAN. 16 RISE 07:15 SET 17:47 to look into traffic restrictions STAFF REPORTER RISE 23:49 SET 11:23 NEW DELHI FRIDAY, JAN. 17 The Delhi Police will hold a Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch has been closed since December 15 RISE 07:15 SET 17:48 dialogue session with resi­ RISE 00:00 SET 12:00 dents and traders to initiate Staff Reporter “Apart from the temporary the process of clearing the New Delhi road closures, traffic has also Kalindi Kunj­Shaheen Bagh The Delhi High Court on been affected as part of

Women protesters at Shaheen Bagh on Tuesday. * R.V. MOORTHY stretch in Delhi which has Tuesday directed the police Mathura Road is dug up for been blocked for a month by to take a call on traffic res­ the construction of an un­ people protesting against trictions on the Kalindi Kunj­ derpass, which is expected ‘Why has no govt. official the amended citizenship Shaheen Bagh stretch, which to ease the congestion at law, officials said on has been closed since De­ Ashram Chowk, Mathura Tuesday. cember 15 due to protests Road and the adjoining ar­ come to meet us?’ The move comes after the against the Citizenship teries by connecting Niza­ Delhi High Court directed (Amendment) Act. muddin to New Friends Co­ Protesters say they respect HC order the police to look into traffic Whenever any agitation lony,” the plea added. restrictions on the stretch. or protest is going on, the sit­ The stretch connects Delhi, Faridabad (Haryana) and Noida The plea further contend­ Staff Reporter On Monday, the area Sta­ “The police has initiated uation is fluid... it keeps on (Uttar Pradesh). * FILE PHOTO ed that children who used New Delhi tion House Officer had ap­ the process of clearing a changing with the tempera­ the blocked stretch to reach Protesters at Shaheen Bagh pealed to protesters to leave road at Shaheeen Bagh near ment of the protesters and protest and the traffic. “It all The plea said that the Ka­ their schools are now com­ on Tuesday said they res­ one side of the road open Jamia Millia Islamia. The resistance by other people, depends upon ground reali­ lindi Kunj­Shaheen Bagh pelled to leave their homes pected the High Court’s po­ but to no avail. police is following the policy the HC noted, adding: “As ty and the wisdom of the pol­ stretch was crucial as it con­ two hours early in order to sition that law and order Meraj Khan, one of the or­ of persuasion rather than police has to maintain law ice, where situation may nects Delhi, Faridabad (Ha­ reach in time. It added that must be maintained but ganisers of the protest, said force to clear the busy arte­ and order... it has all power, keep changing every 10 mi­ ryana) and Noida (Uttar Pra­ the authorities have failed to IN BRIEF asked why no government that such as move would rial road,” a government of­ jurisdiction and authority to nutes,” it said. desh). It added that take appropriate action to official had come to meet cause safety issues. ficial said. control traffic — whenever The order came on plea commuters are forced to give relief to the residents of them till now. “On multiple occasions Officials said that the pol­ protests or agitations are go­ by advocate and social acti­ take alternative routes such the locality and lakhs of Two pump employees “We are talking to lawyers outsiders have tried to cause ice will talk to the traders’ ing on — in the larger public vist Amit Sahni who con­ as the Delhi­Noida­Delhi commuters of Delhi, U.P. looted of ₹5 lakh to plan our future course of trouble. Right now we keep body, religious leaders and interest”. tended that the road closure (DND) Expressway and Ash­ and Haryana. GHAZIABAD (U.P.) action,” said Shaheen Kaus­ a check on who is coming by community elders to end A Bench of Chief Justice was causing huge inconve­ ram, which is causing mas­ On January 10, the HC had Two employees of a petrol er, a social activist who has checking ID cards, if one the blockade. D.N. Patel and Justice C. Hari nience and hardship to lakhs sive traffic jams. refused to entertain a sepa­ pump were allegedly been part of the anti­citizen­ side is opened up, who will Lakhs of coomuters have Shankar said the court can­ of commuters everyday who The plea said that the tem­ rate plea seeking directions attacked and looted of ₹5 ship law protest at the site take that responsibility?” he faced inconvenience due to not issue any direction as to have been compelled to take porary closure of the stretch for removal of demonstra­ lakh by car­borne miscreants since it began on December said. Protesters also pointed the closure of the road that how to handle the agitation different routes for the last and the Okhla underpass has tors protesting against CAA on Tuesday, an official said. 15. Ms. Kauser condemned out that the HC had not is­ links Delhi to Noida. or protest or the place of one month. been extended repeatedly. at Shaheen Bagh. The incident took place around 3.30 p.m. in Niwari. the Centre for failing to take sued any directions to have Kapil and Ram Naresh left the cognizance of the demands the demonstrators removed. fuel station to deposit the of the protesters. Shortly after the HC’s di­ money in a bank in Modinagar “There has been no re­ rection were reported by the NHRC team talks to Protesters converge at Jantar when they were attacked by presentation from the go­ media, panicked protesters two miscreants. They vernment,” she said, while called up more supporters snatched their bag containing demanding that a roll back to come to Shaheen Bagh. Jamia students the money and fired four of the Citizenship (Amend­ The situation, however, Mantar, assert their identity rounds in the air while ment) Act and the National remained peaceful with the V-C meets police chief, MHRD Secretary fleeing, owner of the fuel Register of Citizens must be sit­in entering its 30th day pump Ajay Tyagi said. PTI announced in writing. on Wednesday. Staff Reporter said a university official. The This was to challenge Prime Minister’s remark on agitators New Delhi students then narrated the A four­member team of the events of the police action. Elisha Vermani National Human Rights The team is expected to New Delhi Commission (NHRC) visited visit the university on Janu­ Hundreds of people gath­ Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) on ary 16 and 17 as well. Earlier, ered at Jantar Mantar to Tuesday and recorded state­ the university had said that protest against the Citizen­ ments of students who were all relevant evidence had ship (Amendment) Act injured or witnessed police been submitted to the NHRC (CAA), National Register of brutality inside the universi­ for its perusal. Citizens (NRC) and National ty library on December 15. Meanwhile, JMI Vice­ Population Register (NPR) Written statements of 25 Chancellor Najma Akhtar besides the “categorical out of 40 students were re­ met Police Commissioner mistreatment” of Muslim corded. The team, headed Amulya Patnaik and urged community at the hands of by a Deputy Superintendent him to lodge an FIR in con­ the police across the of Police (DSP)­rank officer, nection with the December country. will visit the university again 15 incident, said a senior The protesters said that on Wednesday to record police officer. Ms. Akhtar al­ the idea behind asserting statements of the remaining so met Ministry of Human their Muslim identity while Women protest under the banner of Jamia Coordination students as well as of univer­ Resource Development Se­ registering dissent against Committee at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday. * SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR sity employees and security cretary Amit Khare and re­ the government is to chal­ personnel. quested him to set up an in­ lenge Prime Minister Naren­ they have been ordered to Addressing the crowd, Before taking written quiry into the police action dra Modi’s remark that disperse the crowd but who Aamir Aziz (30), an alumna statements, the team inte­ that had taken place in the “those protesting can be has ordered them to mis­ of Jamia Millia Islamia, said: racted with all the students, university library. identified by their clothes”. treat us who are dressed “Pluralism is the very es­ Iqra Raza (20), a student differently.” sence of India and that is of Delhi University, alleged what we are trying to pro­ that a policeman yelled “ in Songs of resistance tect by protesting against burqa walon ko pakdo” at The protesters raised slo­ CAA and NRC.” her during an anti­CAA prot­ gans like “Ye desh humara The protesters alleged est. She said: “Policemen aap ka, nahi kisi ke baap that a stark difference could have constantly been using ka”, “Inquilab Zindabad” be seen in the way the police Islamphobic slurs while and “Aazadi”. Many of them have been ordered to treat dealing with Muslim protes­ also sang songs of resistance Muslim protesters as com­ ters, especially burqa­clad and read out poems as an pared to non­Muslims and women, and that is extreme­ ode to Muslim women who raised questions regarding ly problematic. They justify have been at the helm of an­ the “brutal crackdown” in their violence by saying that ti­CAA protests. Jamia and Aligarh. 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THE HINDU DELHI WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 CITY 3 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE IN BRIEF Police team in U.K. for extradition JNU violence: Student dies after police quiz 2 fainting in school NEW DELHI more suspects A Class 2 student of Kendriya hearing of bookie Sanjeev Chawla Vidyalaya died on Tuesday STAFF REPORTER allegedly after he fell NEW DELHI unconscious at the school Two more suspects were during lunch time. The seven- He was allegedly involved in a match­fixing racket that was busted in 2000 questioned by the Delhi pol­ year-old boy was standing in SAURABH TRIVEDI puty Commissioner of Pol­ page chargesheet in 2013. put forward the side of the ice SIT on Tuesday in con­ front of a canteen when he NEW DELHI fainted. He was taken to ice­rank officer and an In­ Hansie and Sanjeev were Delhi police. If London’s nection with the violence on Fortis Hospital where he was A team of the Delhi police spector­rank officer who is named as accused in the court rejects Sanjeev’s ap­ JNU campus on January 5. declared dead, said police. has gone to London to at­ also the investigating officer report. peal then they will imme­ A team of cyber­forensic tend a court hearing on the in the case. They left for Lon­ A police officer confirmed diately initiate procedure for experts also visited the un­ extradition case of bookie don on Tuesday night and that the hearing in London his extradition,” the officer iversity to retrieve relevant Sanjeev Chawla, said a police will be back on January 20. would be the final one and said. The Delhi police had data from its server. officer on Tuesday. In March last year, UK’s any decision on extradition filed the FIR in March 2000 Sucheta Talukdar and Pri­ Sanjeev was allegedly in­ Home Secretary had ordered of Sanjeev would be binding. after they intercepted a con­ ya Ranjan were questioned volved in a match­fixing the extradition of Sanjeev, The officer added that the versation between blacklist­ for two hours each in con­ racket that was busted by the but he moved a court against team would present a strong ed bookie Sanjeev and Han­ nection with the attack by a Delhi police in 2000, and in­ the order. case against Sanjeev to en­ sie. In the conversation, masked mob, said the pol­ volved South African cricket The Delhi Police Crime sure his extradition. Hansie was striking a deal in ice. Four persons who were captain late Hansie Cronje. Branch was investigating the “Two officers are going to return for losing matches injured in the attack were al­ The team comprises a De­ case and they had filed a 70­ attend the court hearing and against India. so examined. Th police are 3 hurt as youth open fire also trying to contact people who had made PCR calls during the violence. during Lohri celebration Minor among 4 hurt in fire Police personnel under scanner for The cyber­forensic team will visit the university again Staff Reporter They are admitted in Deen on Wednesday, said Assis­ Accused damaged cars during escape NEW DELHI Dayal Upadhyay Hospital. getting jobs with fake documents tant Director (Crime Scene Four persons, including a “A call was received at Division) Sanjeev Gupta. Ashok Kumar minor girl, suffered injuries 12.30 a.m. after which fire Forensic Science Labora­ GURUGRAM when a fire broke out at a tenders were pressed into They have been working for over 10 years; probe initiated tory director Deepa Verma Three persons sustained house in Uttam Nagar on service,” he said. It is sus­ said, “The data are volumi­ bullet injuries when five Tuesday, Delhi Fire Service pected that the fire broke Staff Reporter submitted forged documents Sources said that they had nous and work is ongoing. young men gatecrashed into (DFS) officials said. out after a leaking cooking NEW DELHI for getting the job. The inqui­ provided fake driving licence After the data is submitted to Lohri celebration at Sector DFS Director Atul Garg gas cylinder exploded, a fire A few Delhi police personnel ry into the complaint was in­ issued by the Mathura auth­ the lab, it will be seen as to 40 here late on Monday said the injured have been department official said. have been found to be em­ itiated by the Crime Branch ority in 2007. It was further what has to be retrieved and night and opened indiscrim­ identified as Arti (14), Rajin­ In another incident, a fire ployed in the force on fake which gathered the facts and found that document verifi­ what is already available.” inate fire. The accused also der (40), Pappu (42) and Ba­ broke out in a footwear ma­ documents and working for on their basis an FIR was re­ cation was done at the time A senior police official hit the cars parked outside Haryana police inspect the bu Lal (40). While Arti suf­ nufacturing factory on Law­ over 10 years. The police gistered at the Ashok Vihar of employment and a letter said that three students: in their attempt to escape. crime spot on Tuesday. fered 10% burns and Babu rence Road in west Delhi on have launched a probe into police station. was received from Mathura Akshat Awasthi, Rohit Shah One of the accused, Jai * ASHOK KUMAR Lal 25% burns, the others Tuesday morning. No inju­ the findings. During the probe, it was authority stating that the and Komal Sharma are ab­ Narayan, 28, a resident of suffered over 40% burns. ries were reported. A senior police officer said found that 8­10 other person­ documents were genuine. sconding. Akshat and Rohit, Madhya Pradesh, was ar­ had gatecrashed into a Lohri that a complaint was submit­ nel were also employed in Police suspect that the pol­ both first­year students of rested from Sector 22 on celebration organised by ted by the Establishment Un­ the same manner. They are icemen “managed” the verifi­ JNU, were featured in a sting Tuesday. A pistol, two live Ajay Vats, a Sector 40 resi­ DELHI TODAY it stating that two police offic­ working as drivers in diffe­ cation at the time and it is be­ operation conducted by a cartridges and the vehicle dent, around 11 p.m. The ers were found to have rent units of the Delhi police. ing probed. TV news channel. used in the commission of young men asked the pho­ Talk: Panel discussion on “ lation Artists – VII”, a dialogue on Is the Arab “Mythology in Translation”. Speakers: The police had identified crime were seized. The pol­ tographer to click their pic­ Spring Dawning Again?”. Panelists: Dr. Bibek Debroy, economist, scholar Komal, a student of Daulat ice claimed that Jai was pre­ tures and one of them then Prof. Gulshan Dietl, former Professor, and translator, and senior Bharat­ Ram College, as the masked viously involved in several walked to the drinks table. Centre for West Asian Studies, School natyam and Odissi exponent Dr. Sonal of International Studies, JNU; Prof. Mansingh at Gulmohar Hall, India 27­year­old run over by truck in Patparganj woman who was purported­ cases of robbery and was ar­ When Mr. Vats enquired the Bansidhar Pradhan, Professor, Centre Habitat Centre (IHC), 7 p.m. for West Asian Studies, School of In­ ly seen in the videos of vio­ rested on four occasions. young man about his identi­ Talk: ternational Studies, JNU; and Dr. John Seminar on “China’s Financial Staff Reporter tor in the Income Tax Depart­ his bike when a speeding lence shared on social media Jai purportedly told the ty, he pushed him off and Integration” by Prof. Anoop Singh, Cherian, Foreign Editor, Frontline at NEW DELHI ment on a contract basis. The truck hit him. He was rushed wearing a check­shirt, a light police that he was drunk the tried to escape. But Ajay’s Conference Room – I, India Interna­ Member, XV Finance Commission of tional Centre (IIC), 6.30 p.m. India at Seminar Room, Institute of A 27­year­old man was killed accused Veer Pal is a resident to the hospital where he was blue scarf and carrying a previous night and was driv­ brother Vinay caught him. Chinese Studies , Civil Lines, 3 p.m. Talk: after he was run over by a of Uttar Pradesh’s Etah. Man­ declared brought dead. stick.Her phone has been ing around aimlessly with At this, one of the accused “Doyens of the Instrumental Talk: Gharanas in North Indian Music” an Lecture on “People­Nature­Cul­ truck in east Delhi’s Patpar­ ish had gone to meet a friend Police said that the public switched off since Saturday his friends when they spot­ allegedly took out a pistol illustrated lecture by Shailaja Khanna, ture: Festivals of Sundarbans” by Dr. a fifth generation amateur musician Suptendu P. Biswas, architect and ganj Industrial Area on Mon­ and was returning home caught the accused and hand­ night. When police had con­ ted a tent set up for Lohri ce­ and fired two shots hitting who writes on classical music. The urban designer. The presentation will day night. The accused has when the incident happened. ed him over to the police. A tacted Akshat and Rohit, lebration and gatecrashed Mr. Vinay in his right shoul­ discuss festival of the Sundarbans to presentation will focus on the per­ been arrested, the police said. Police said that a man who case under Section 304A they said they would join the into it. However, they der. Surrounded by guests, formers following an anecdotal understand how people and nature in­ format at Lecture Room – II, Basement teract inseparably to shape culture of A senior police officer said was riding a bike with his (causing death by negligence) probe but their phones were opened fire on the guests af­ the five, in a bid to escape, the place., at Multipurpose Hall, IN­ Annexe, India International Centre that the victim, Manish, was a brother saw the incident and and 279 (rash driving) of the later switched off. All the ter they were identified as opened indiscriminate fire (IIC), 6 p.m. TACH. Lodhi Estate, 4.30 p.m. (Mail your listings for this column at resident of Krishna Nagar and informed them. The man told IPC has been lodged and three have been sent notices outsiders. hitting Pawan and Vineet on Talk: “Revisiting Classics with Trans­ [email protected]) worked as a data entry opera­ the police that Manish was on further probe is under way. to join the investigation. The accused, in an SUV, their legs. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

DELHI THE HINDU 4 CITY WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AAP campaign gets a head start with declaration of candidates Several nominees release videos appealing to voters; Cong., BJP yet to release lists

Staff Reporter render Singh (Delhi Cantt.), New Delhi Haji Ishraq Khan (Seelam­ With the Aam Aadmi Party pur), Ram Chander (Bawa­ releasing its full list of 70 na), Sukhbir Singh Dalal candidates for the Delhi As­ (Mundka), Hazari Lal Chau­ sembly elections, the party’s han (Patel Nagar). Also, Raju campaign has got a head Dhingan (Trilokpuri), Manoj start over the Congress and Kumar (Kondli), Choudhary the BJP which are yet to re­ Fateh Singh (Gokulpur) have lease their lists. been dropped. Chief Minister Arvind Kej­ “Thank you @ArvindKej­ riwal will fight the election riwal and AAP for expressing from the New Delhi Assemb­ Raghav Chadha Dilip Pandey faith in me and giving me the ly seat and Deputy Chief Mi­ opportunity to contest from nister Manish Sisodia from gesting footpaths and take Singh in Kalkaji, and Mr. Kalkaji. Am committed to Patparganj, same as 2015 measures to prevent drug Chadha has been fielded in putting AAP’s best foot for­ elections. In the last Assemb­ addiction among youth. place of Vijendra Garg in Ra­ ward and taking our govt’s ly elections, AAP had regis­ AAP’s Timarpur MLA Pan­ jinder Nagar. stellar work to the people of tered a landslide victory by kaj Pushkar, who has been Kalkaji,” Atishi said in a winning 67 of 70 seats. dropped, said he will conti­ New faces tweet. “The tickets were allotted nue to be with the party and Among the leaders who Many AAP candidates also after surveys by the party in campaign for it in the elec­ joined AAP in the past one released videos on social all constituencies,” AAP tions. “The party did not week, senior Congress lead­ media asking for votes. “For leader and Social Welfare Mi­ communicate to me earlier er Mahabal Mishra’s son Vi­ the first time election will be nister Rajendra Pal Gautam that I won't get a ticket. I nay Kumar Singh will fight fought on work done, votes said. Asked about protests have been consistent and from Dwarka, replacing sit­ will be cast on work done... I by MLAs who have not got honest and there was no ne­ ting MLA Adarsh Shastri, have full confidence that we tickets, he told The Hindu, gative feedback against me.” five­time MLA Shoaib Iqbal will once again elect Kejriwal “This happens in all parties. Three of the seven AAP will replace Asim Ahmad government, because for AAP has calculated all these candidates who contested Khan in Matia Mahal and Delhi Kejriwal is needed,” things while taking the deci­ the 2019 Lok Sabha election two­time MLA Ram Singh Mr. Chadha said in a video sion. We will win with more from Delhi — Atishi, Dilip Netaji will replace Narayan message. majority this time.” Pandey and Raghav Chadha Dutt Sharma in Badarpur. Multiple programmes Mr. Gautam said that in — have been included in the Other MLAs who did not have been schedules for his constituency, apart from list. Mr. Pandey has replaced get a ticket are party’s chief Wednesday and AAP is likely the main issues in the manif­ Mr. Pushkar in Timarpur, whip in the Assembly Jag­ to bring out its manifesto la­ esto, he will focus on decon­ Ms. Atishi replaced Avtar deep Singh (Hari Nagar), Su­ ter this week. Metro, railway staff to get postal ballot for first time Each vote for BJP will ‘AAP will lose polls over Northern Railway workers and mediapersons covering the elections can also avail of the facility be for inflation: AAP pollution’ Damini Nath 80 years and persons with These electors, “who on nominate nodal officers for PwD in seven constituencies NEW DELHI disabilities (PwD) in the 2019 account of being on duty on the same. as a pilot in the Jharkhand Sisodia points to NSO data, backs claim Special Correspondent When the Capital’s residents Jharkhand Assembly elec­ the day of poll in the current The ECI had on September polls in December. New Delhi cast their votes in the Delhi tions would be implemented general election to Legislative 2, 2019, recommended to the Staff Reporter The Aam Aadmi Party will Assembly elections on Febru­ in the national capital as well, Assembly of NCT (National Union Law and Justice Minis­ Briefing for observers New Delhi lose the upcoming Delhi As­ ary 8, several categories of as per a January 8 notification Capital Territory) of Delhi­ try to extend the postal ballot Meanwhile, the ECI held a The Aam Aadmi Party on sembly elections over is­ electors may have already by the Election Commission ...will not be able to be pre­ facility to absentee voters — briefing on Tuesday for offic­ Tuesday attacked the BJP sues of air pollution and voted through postal ballots, of India. sent in their respective poll­ electors who are unable to ers to be deployed as obser­ over retail inflation, which contaminated water, the with employees of the Delhi The ECI, on January 10, ing station”, will be allowed reach polling stations due to vers for the elections to the is at a five­and­a­half year BJP claimed on Tuesday. Metro and Northern Railways notified those employed by to vote by postal ballot, the different degrees of disability, 70­member Delhi Assembly. high, according to data re­ Former Union Minister and mediapersons covering the Delhi Metro and Northern notification said. as well as those discharging In a statement, the ECI said leased by the National Sta­ and Rajya Sabha MP Vijay polling being extended the Railway Transportation (pas­ On January 10, the ECI essential services. that over 150 officers from the tistical Office (NSO) on Goel attacked the AAP go­ postal facility for the first senger and freight) Services wrote to the Chief Electoral The Ministry had issued IAS, IPS, IRS and other Cen­ Monday. vernment for pursuing “dir­ time. in Delhi as well as mediaper­ Officer of Delhi to inform Del­ the relevant notification on tral services were called to at­ Addressing a press confe­ ty politics” over the issues. Also, in a first for Delhi, the sons who have been author­ hi Metro and Northern Rail­ October 22, 2019, after which tend the briefing for general, rence on Tuesday, senior “Every year, the AAP go­ postal ballot facility extended ised to cover polling by the way about the postal ballot fa­ postal ballots were given to police and expenditure ob­ AAP leader Manish Sisodia vernment assured the peo­ to senior citizens aged over ECI as “essential services”. cility and instruct them to those above 80 years and servers. said: “Each vote for the BJP ple of Delhi that it would will be for costlier electrici­ provide clean water and ty, water, healthcare and bring tap water to every BJP blames there is clear evidence for household, but these 5 nominations Cong. attacks govt.’s education model these in the NSO figures that claims proved to be hollow. the BJP is responsible for The AAP government is do­ filed on Day 1 AAP for deaths rising inflation across India. ing politics and is accusing Party releases ‘Post­mortem Report’, says 46% of budget unspent during winter It has now become a part of its highest in six years.” the Haryana government of Staff Reporter their politics, their gover­ He said that prices have releasing dirty water to Del­ New Delhi Special Correspondent ₹12,243.06 crore has been nance model. Each vote for been constantly rising since hi,” Mr. Goel said. Five nominations were NEW DELHI spent,” he said. Special Correspondent the BJP will be for inflation.” the BJP has come to power “The Delhi government filed in three Assembly con­ The Delhi Congress on The leaders claimed that New Delhi He said that while high with inflation increasing did not do any work to stituencies on the first day Tuesday claimed that 46% over 1,32,000 children The BJP on Tuesday held inflation under the BJP go­ from 2.1% to 7.4% in just one clean the water for five ahead of the Delhi elections of the AAP government’s have left government the Aam Aadmi Party vernment is making it diffi­ year and the prices of veget­ years and kept accusing on February 8, officials said education budget re­ schools in the past four (AAP) government respon­ cult for people to meet daily ables increasing by 60% others. Even after Delhi’s on Tuesday. mained unspent “even as years. “Illiteracy rate in sible for the deaths of 10 expenses, the AAP govern­ across the nation in just one water sample failed BIS Nominations for the Chief Minister Arvind Kejri­ Delhi has increased from homeless people every day ment’s policies are helping year. standards, the Kejriwal­led high­stakes Delhi elections wal has been claiming that 1.7% to 3.4%, which also during the last 40 days of people to run households. “The abject failure of the government did not take kicked off with poll author­ his government’s educa­ clearly proves the declining cold wave in the Capital. “Just as we prepare for BJP government in devising the issue seriously,” he ities issuing the notification tion model was the best”. standard of education in Delhi BJP chief Manoj Ti­ elections, some very worry­ economic policy and their added. for the polls on Tuesday. Releasing a ‘Post­mor­ Arvinder Singh Lovely the Capital. A total of 10,591 wari alleged that during ing figures on inflation have inability to contain inflation The MP further accused “One nomination each tem Report’ on the AAP go­ posts of Trained Graduate the last one year, 3,623 been released by NSO. They is breaking all records, es­ Mr. Kejriwal of forgetting was filed in Burari and Ma­ vernment’s education mo­ Former Education Minis­ Teachers and Post Grad­ homeless people had died are worrying not just from pecially in the last one his manifesto promise to tiala constituencies, while a del, Delhi Congress chief ter Arvinder Singh Lovely uate Teachers have not in Delhi but their bodies the perspective of econom­ year,” said Mr. Sisodia. clean the Yamuna. “The CM candidate filed three nomi­ Subhash Chopra said that said that when the Con­ been filled — which is 65% were not identified. ic slowdown or unemploy­ has not constituted a joint nations in the New Delhi instead of improving edu­ gress came to power, the of the total strength,” they “Homeless people are ment, but most importantly Files complaint panel to deal with pollution seat,” a senior official of the cation standards, the go­ budget for education was added. dying in Delhi but Kejriwal because it has become diffi­ Meanwhile, AAP has also or set up 14 treatment Delhi CEO office said. vernment helped contrac­ ₹866 crore. This was raised Mr. Lovely said there is not allowing the Pradhan cult for the common man to filed a complaint with the plants required for it... The last date for filling tors by whitewashing to ₹5,912 crore when the should be a probe into the Mantri Aawas Yojna to be meet even basic household Chief Electoral Officer (Del­ meanwhile, the air in Delhi nominations is January 21. classrooms made during Congress demitted power. failure of the education implemented...Kejriwal expenses. This is the BJP’s hi) about a “morphed” vi­ has become so toxic that air Scrutiny of nominations the Congress regime “to “In the last five years, the model, instead of being ce­ has no moral rights to con­ gift to the people in the last deo shared from the official purifiers have to be in­ will take place on January make it look like new education budget went up lebrated as AAP was doing tinue in power,” Mr. Tiwari six years with data clearly handle of Delhi Congress stalled and people are 23. ones”. to ₹26,577 crore but only in its poll campaign. alleged. showing that inflation is at “disparaging” the party. drinking RO water,” he said.

Builder told to pay ₹68.51 lakh for Report from pollution control bodies ‘Look into plea on illegal violating environmental norms sought on encroachment of waterbodies operation of dyeing units’ NGT forms joint committee comprising CPCB, UPPCB NGT tells Haryana govt., CPCB to file report Realtor carried out construction on area meant for green space Staff Reporter “It is stated that in spite Staff Reporter Varun Sheokand and oth­ Staff Reporter filed by the builder in 2009 compensation to be paid by NEW DELHI of the [directions], viola­ NEW DELHI ers alleging violation of en­ NEW DELHI showed the spot to be an the builder. Following a plea alleging tions are still continuing,” The National Green Tribu­ vironmental norms in Fari­ The National Green Tribu­ open area which was the ba­ The Tribunal was hearing encroachment of waterbo­ the Bench observed. nal (NGT) has directed the dabad by dyeing nal (NGT) has imposed an sis on which the flats were a plea moved by petitioner dies in Ghaziabad, the Na­ Directing authorities to Haryana government and industries. environmental compensa­ allotted prior to 2010,” the Anil Uppal and others who tional Green Tribunal furnish a report, the Bench the Central Pollution Con­ “Grievance in the appli­ tion of ₹68.51 lakh on a buil­ Bench observed. alleged that a housing com­ (NGT) has constituted a said, “Let the factual status trol Board (CPCB) to look cation is that dyeing indus­ der for construction in the Noting that out of a 10.98 plex in Gurugram deve­ joint committee and sought be ascertained and fur­ into a plea alleging illegal tries are being allowed to il­ green area of a Gurugram acre land meant for the pro­ loped by the Ambience De­ a factual status report with­ nished to this Tribunal by a operation of dyeing indus­ legally operate in housing complex. ject, construction took velopers and Infrastructure in one month. joint committee compris­ tries in Faridabad and fur­ Faridabad without comply­ A Bench headed by NGT place on a 3.05 acre land, Private Limited had carried A Bench headed by NGT ing CPCB and UPPCB. The nish a report on the same. ing with the environmental Chairperson Justice Adarsh the Bench said, “[space out construction on an area Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar UPPCB will be the nodal A Bench headed by NGT norms of the Haryana State Kumar Goel directed the de­ meant for] open area was meant for green space. Goel said that the joint agency for coordination Chief Justice Adarsh Kumar Pollution Control Board in veloper to deposit the converted into covered area “Open areas in the colo­ committee will comprise “While disposing the appli­ and compliance.” Goel said, “Let a joint com­ violation of order of this amount with the Central for a commercial tower, ir­ ny are shrinking. Ground­ officials from the Central cation in October 2019, the The directions came mittee comprising repre­ Tribunal, dated September Pollution Control Board reversibly taking away the water extraction was exces­ Pollution Control Board Tribunal directed that when the green panel was sentatives of CPCB, District 2016,” the Bench observed within one month. rights to ecological services sive. The builder had (CPCB) and the Uttar Pra­ apart from remedial action hearing a plea moved by Magistrate of Faridabad, while noting the allegations “Powers of regulatory of the persons to whom the undertaken construction desh State Pollution Con­ already taken, it is neces­ petitioner Om Tyagi alleg­ and Haryana State Pollu­ made by the petitioner. authorities were required to flats were allotted.” on designed open spaces, trol Board (UPPCB). sary to ensure such viola­ ing encroachment of water­ tion Control Board furnish During the hearing, the be exercised in accordance The directions came fol­ blocking fresh air and sun­ tions are not repeated and bodies in Ghaziabad dis­ a factual and action­taken Tribunal also specified that with these principles. Envi­ lowing a report furnished light. The approved zoning Violations continue continuous vigilance be trict by “illegal report in the matter within the State pollution control ronmental Impact Assess­ by the Ministry of Environ­ plans are required main­ Noting that despite pre­ maintained in the area. The constructions in the form one month.” board will be the nodal ment procedure was re­ ment, Forests and Climate taining at least 15% of the to­ vious directions of the Tri­ authorities concerned of farmhouses, parking and The directions came agency for coordination quired to be duly followed. Change (MoEF&CC) recom­ tal areas as open space,” the bunal, violations are conti­ must prepare a plan for the marriage halls by private when the green panel was and compliance of the or­ The Deed of Declaration mending environmental plea had said. nuing, the Bench said: purpose.” respondents”. hearing a plea moved by ders.

CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU DELHI WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 NORTH & EAST 5 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Punjab Assembly to take CAA will fix unresolved issues ‘Conduct survey to find of Assam Accord, says Minister out number of refugees’ a call on CAA, NRC, NPR Arunachal is a legal battle against grant­ ing of citizenship to the Matter to be raised during the two-day special session Oppn. parties lodge plaints for a Facebook live from the House exempted from Chakma­Hajong refugees. the CAA: students’ We have also taken note of SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT the regulatory burden on Special Correspondent when a provision was added his assertion that neither CHANDIGARH the newly incorporated Mi­ GUWAHATI that the names of the 1967­ union president the refugees can apply for The Punjab government on cro Small and Medium En­ Assam Health and Finance 1971 stream of foreigners SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT citizenship nor the govern­ Tuesday decided to go by terprises by enabling provi­ Minister Himanta Biswa Sar­ would be kept out of the elec­ GUWAHATI ment can process their ap­ the will of the House on the sion of self­declaration, ma said the Citizenship toral rolls for 10 years and la­ The All Arunachal Pradesh plications as Arunachal Pra­ way forward with respect to besides exemption from cer­ (Amendment) Act, 2019, has ter regularised. The fear that Students’ Union has asked desh is exempted from the the contentious Citizenship tain approvals and inspec­ been implemented to ad­ the CAA would bring in mil­ the Pema Khandu govern­ CAA,” AAPSU president Ha­ (Amendment) Act, the Na­ tions, an official statement dress the unresolved issues lions of people needed to be ment to conduct a compre­ wa Bagang said. tional Register of Citizens said. of the Assam Accord of 1985. dispelled, he said. hensive survey to ascertain and the National Population The Cabinet also decided The government had no AASU chief advisor Samuj­ the number of refugees in ‘Creating confusion’

Register. Amarinder Singh. * FILE PHOTO to place a resolution to ratify intention to go against the Himanta Biswa Sarma. jal Bhattacharyya said, “ As­ the State. But the union underlined The decision was taken the Constitutional 126th spirit of the accord, he said at * FILE PHOTO sam cannot be burdened The Citizenship (Amend­ the ‘discrepancy’ about the on Tuesday by the Council decided that the govern­ Amendment and enactment a special session of the As­ with even one illegal migrant ment) Act, 2019, made such number of refugees that the of Ministers during an infor­ ment should accept the will of the Goods and Services sembly on Monday. according to the “only four­ from 1971 to 2014. Clause 6 of a survey necessary though authorities had been provid­ mal discussion after the Ca­ of the House and go by the Act. The Constitution (126th “The Act was amended page” accord. the Accord was thought of for the government had ing. “A comprehensive sur­ binet meeting. An official same. The government will Amendment) Bill, 2019, not to dilute the spirit of the “The accord did not incor­ providing constitutional safe­ claimed that the State was vey is thus required to clear statement said the Council plan its strategy in accor­ seeks to extend the reserva­ Assam Accord but to address porate many issues that guards to the indigenous pe­ exempted from the purview the confusion,” one of its of Ministers expressed con­ dance with the recommen­ tion for the Scheduled some of its unresolved is­ evolved gradually... The cut­ ople.” of the amended law, the un­ spokespersons said. cern over implications of the dation of the House, it Castes in the State for anoth­ sues,” he said. off date of 1971 was just a pro­ The Opposition parties ion said. On January 8, Mr. Khandu CAA and the NRC, as well as added. er 10 years from January 25, Pointing out certain vision for those who came to lodged complaints with As­ Arunachal Pradesh has told the 60­member As­ the NPR and was of the view The Cabinet also gave the 2020. “gaps” left while amending Assam after 1967 and de­ sembly Speaker Hitendra three sets of refugees — the sembly that the State go­ that the matter was bound to go­ahead for bringing the It was also decided to fill the Citizenship Act in 1983, clared before foreigners’ re­ Nath Goswami for the Face­ Bangladesh­origin Buddhist vernment had challenged be raised during the two­day Punjab Right to Business as many as 3,186 posts of va­ 1997 and 2003, he said the gistration officers that they book live from the House Chakmas and Hindu Ha­ the Supreme Court’s judge­ special session of the As­ Act, 2020, in the special rious cadres in teaching and cut­off date for the detection were from Bangladesh,” he during the special session jongs who stay together and ment on September 17, 2015, sembly on January 16­17. session. non­teaching staff in and deportation of illegal mi­ said. and Mr. Goswami has or­ the Buddhist Tibetans. granting citizenship to the The statement said it was The Act is aimed at easing schools. grants was 1966 and not 1971 The accord was violated dered a probe. “We welcome Chief Mi­ Chakma­Hajongs. But the nister Pema Khandu’s state­ apex court dismissed the go­ ment in the Assembly that vernment’s review petition ‘Take action against Bajwa for revolt against CM’ Tripura BJP to get new chief the government would fight on October 26 that year.

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT out that despite repeated Party by pitching himself Congress. Syed Sajjad Ali nation papers on Saturday. CHANDIGARH pleas asking Mr. Bajwa to ex­ against his own party While the Congress was Agartala West Tripura MP Pratima Punjab Ministers on Tues­ press his opinions within leadership. run on democratic princi­ Tripura BJP will have a new Bhowmik and State vice­pre­ day demanded disciplinary the party forum, he conti­ A statement on behalf of ples, where every member president with the nomina­ sident Rajib Bhattacharjee action by the Congress lea­ nued to criticise Capt. Ama­ the Ministers, which includ­ had a say, such public dis­ tion process ending on Tues­ were also expected to con­ dership against party leader rinder and his government ed Rana Gurmeet Singh play of difference of opinion day. Manik Saha, a dental test, but they backed out. and Rajya Sabha MP Partap in media and other Sodhi, Charanjit Singh and mutinous declarations surgeon, emerged as the Party insiders said Dr. Sa­ Singh Bajwa for raising a platforms. Channi, Brahm Mohindra from a senior member were lone candidate and a con­ ha’s nomination was final­ banner of revolt against and Manpreet Singh Badal detrimental to the interest sensus aspirant for the top ised following a consensus Chief Minister Amarinder ‘Wrong message’ among others, said that of the party, said the Minis­ job. reached in consultation with Singh on public platforms. The Ministers also accused such rebellion, if not nipped ters, adding that under no A formal announcement the central leadership. Chief Ahead of the Cabinet Mr. Bajwa of playing into the in the bud, could send the circumstances could this would be made tomorrow. Minister Biplab Kumar Deb meeting here on Tuesday, hands of the Shiromani Aka­ wrong message down the kind of behaviour be tolerat­ Party sources said Dr. Sa­ has also endorsed his senior party leaders pointed li Dal and the Aam Aadmi rank and file of the Punjab ed or allowed to continue. ha, 62, submitted his nomi­ candidature. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU DELHI WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 WEST 7 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Anti­CAA kites: police enter GV campus State to propose Students say event at Gujarat Vidyapith disrupted; police say they only carried out routine patrol changes to new Press Trust of India Ahmedabad The police entered the Guja­ Motor Vehicle Act Gopinath Munde rat Vidyapith (GV) campus in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, Govt. to seek parity in offence, penalty where students had organ­ No tree felling ised an event to fly kites Ajeet Mahale bearing messages opposing Mumbai for Munde the Citizenship Amendment The State government is Act (CAA). drawing up proposals to memorial: While students claimed counter certain provisions the police disrupted the under the Centre’s amend­ AMC to CIDCO event, a senior officer said ed Motor Vehicle Act, 2019. they entered the campus as According to officials of Press Trust of India part of “routine patrolling” the State Transport Depart­ Aurangabad based on inputs that some ment, the proposals will be The Aurangabad Municipal members of rival student aimed at bringing more par­ Corporation (AMC) has outfits, NSUI and ABVP, ity between the quantum of written to the City and In­ might confront each other penalty and the nature of dustrial Development Cor­ over the anti­CAA kites. the offence, which in cer­ Anil Parab poration (CIDCO) to pre­ tain cases has been deemed pare a fresh plan for the ‘Asked for I-card’ Novel protest:Opponents of the CAA and NRC write messages on kites in Ahmedabad to mark Uttarayan on Tuesday. (right) too high. mit is 30 does not pose the late BJP leader Gopinath Some students of the univer­ Gujarat Chief Minster Vijay Rupani holds up a pro­CAA kite. * REUTERS * PTI State Transport Minister same threat as someone Munde’s memorial, ensur­ sity said a group of police Anil Parab said they are driving at 90 km per hour, ing that no trees would be personnel entered the cam­ allegedly entered the Jamia working on the proposals, one official said. required to be cut. pus on Ashram Road while Millia Islamia during anti­ci­ and will present them to Un­ Mr. Parab, however, said Earlier, Chief Minister they were preparing to cele­ tizenship law protests in De­ Kites on CAA dot Gujarat skies ion Minister for Road Tran­ they plan to be extremely Uddhav Thackeray had as­ brate Uttarayan by flying cember, JNU witnessed vio­ sport and Highways Nitin strict against those commit­ sured that no trees would kites with messages like ‘In­ lence by masked attackers Press Trust of India progressive State and we number to register their Gadkari. “We felt that in ting traffic violations know­ be cut for the proposed dia Against CAA’, ‘No NPR, on January 5. Ahmedabad will continue to progress support for the Act. some cases, the penalties ingly, such as driving under memorial to Shiv Sena No NCR’. The ideological battle like a kite soaring high in Congress leaders used for certain offences were the influence of alcohol or founder Bal Thackeray in They claimed that police ‘Law and order issue’ between the pro­ and the sky,” Mr. Rupani said. kites to criticise the too high. One needs to look driving on the wrong side of the city after a row over the personnel also demanded Deputy Commissioner of anti­Citizenship Kites with the messages government over rising at the nature of the crime the road. “We will make issue. their identity cards. “When Police P.L. Mal said the pol­ Amendment Act (CAA) for and against the law on inflation, unemployment, while penalising the per­ sure that the punishment is The CIDCO had asked confronted by us, the police ice entered the campus over camps was literally fought them were distributed in CAA and NRC. “Inflation, son,” he said. so harsh that not only will permission to fell 110 trees personnel told us they had a “law and order issue, after in the skies on Tuesday, thousands in the State. economic slowdown, The Minister said that they not commit the offence to construct the Munde the right to enter the campus receiving inputs that mem­ with kites bearing The kites distributed by unemployment, rising broadly, they are seeking to again, but it will also act as a memorial in November. without taking anyone’s per­ bers of NSUI and ABVP may messages on the members of civil society crimes against women are reduce the amount of fines deterrent to others,” he The site is located in a den­ mission,” some students said enter into confrontation as citizenship law marking among students and major contemporary or penalties for offences said. sely populated area, but in video clips shared with some students were plan­ the Uttarayan festival in common people bore issues in Gujarat. We hope that did not pose an immi­ Mr. Parab said they plan enjoys thick tree cover. Ac­ media persons. ning to fly kites with messag­ Gujarat. messages like ‘India that the kites we fly on nent threat to the person to finalise their proposals cording to local environ­ “They stopped us and es against the CAA”. The skies virtually Against CAA’, ‘No NPR, No Uttarayan will take away driving or those around within eight days and then mentalists, the wooded asked us to show identity “The police went to the turned into a NRC’, ‘Save Constitution, the pain of the people and him, or those that were mi­ meet Mr. Gadkari. patch is home to four spe­ cards. If required, I would campus as it was a law and battleground, with flyers Save India’, ‘Hindu­ will destroy these nor transgressions. “If a per­ After the amended Motor cies of snakes, 15 types of show my I­card to the varsity order issue. They came back competing to knock out Muslim Bhai Bhai, NRC­ demons,” Leader of son is riding a bike without a Vehicles Act was passed in butterflies and some 25 guard, but why to policemen after conducting a routine each other’s kites. The CAA Bye Bye’. Opposition in the helmet within the confines 2019, several States refused types of birds. when we are already inside patrolling there,” Mr. Mal kite flyers included local The BJP, too, used the Assembly Paresh Dhanani of a residential area for his to implement it. The Centre Deputy municipal com­ the campus? They didn’t tell said. leaders and supporters of occasion to spread a said. daily chores, he would not had written to all States ear­ missioner Sumit More said us who allowed them to en­ The GV administration the BJP and Congress, and message in support of the Meanwhile, police be speeding and doesn’t lier this month to imple­ he had written to the exec­ ter the campus,” an agitated could not be contacted for common people and civil new law. A BJP leader stepped up patrolling and pose the same threat as so­ ment the Act, failing which utive engineer of CIDCO on student said. comment. society members. from Rajkot said he had combing in sensitive areas meone on a main road,” he they would attract provi­ Monday, seeking a new Students of the Indian In­ Chief Minister Vijay distributed 50,000 kites in Ahmedabad. Rapid said. sions of Article 356. plan which will avoid tree Solidarity with varsities stitute of Management, Ah­ Rupani, too, flew a pro­ with the message ‘We Action Force and State Senior officials from the The new law has in­ felling. “Municipal Com­ The students had organised memdabad, had said on Ja­ CAA kite from the rooftop Support CAA’. Reserve Police Force Transport Department said creased fines for not wear­ missioner Aastik Kumar the kite­flying event to ex­ nuary 5 that policemen had of a residential society at BJP supporters and teams were also deployed in cases of speeding, a single ing a helmet from ₹100 to Pandey looked into the is­ press solidarity with their entered the campus when Khokhra in Ahmedabad. local residents also in Ahmedabad, a senior penalty for all those who ₹1,000, along with a three­ sue, after which we sent counterparts in Jamia Millia they were organising a can­ “Life should also soar like carried placards asking official said. In Vadodara, breach the threshold may month disqualification of li­ CIDCO a letter, saying the Islamia and Jawaharlal dle light march to express so­ kites and achieve new people to give a missed police conducted flag not be accurate. A person cence. For speeding or rac­ existing trees at the site Nehru University (JNU) in lidarity with the students of heights. Gujarat is a call on a dedicated phone marches in sensitive areas. driving at 40 km per hour in ing, the fine has increased must be saved,” he said. Delhi. While the police had JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia. a place where the speed li­ from ₹500 to ₹5,000.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC State to merge liquor taxes to plug leaks Saying it with colours Single point of collection will help government rake in more revenue

Sharad Vyas Mumbai The State government will Multi­member merge taxes and duties le­ ward system vied on liquor to increase re­ venue collection and plug to be reviewed leakages. Deputy Chief Mi­ nister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday special correspondent approved slew of measures Mumbai to shore up collection and The State Cabinet will boost the State’s economy, on Wednesday which is reeling under a debt reconsider the multi­ of ₹4.72 lakh crore. member ward system

One of the proposals sug­ The decision aims at boosting the State’s finances. * FILE PHOTO introduced in the local gested merging the sales tax bodies by the previous charged on liquor served by suggested by the State Excise collection to plug the leaks. government. It will also restaurants with excise duty Department to boost reve­ The State government col­ review the direct levied at the manufacturers’ nue. Overall, a decision was lects 35% VAT on the MRP of election of chiarmen in end. This would increase re­ taken to approve the merg­ country liquor, Indian Made local bodies introduced venue collection by ₹200 er,” said a senior govern­ Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and in 2017 by the earlier crore, senior officials said. ment official. beer. “The move would cer­ government to gain The decision will effec­ The government current­ tainly improve collections control of local bodies. tively abolish value added ly collects ₹17,000 crore in and at the same time make it tax (VAT) charged on liquor excise levies, which are its easy to do business related to at restaurants, and subsume third­largest source of reve­ liquor. We are expecting im­ States like Kerala and Karna­ it into excise duty without nue. About ₹9,000 crore of provements in compliance as taka have already merged the impacting the eventual MRP the collections are made by well,” said the official. taxes and successfully man­ on the bottled liquor. “The the Sales Tax Department in Excise duty is paid at the aged to reduce evasion. The proposal is among four other the form of VAT, but the Ex­ manufacturers’ end, while one­point collection of tax Collective message: Artistes express their opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act on a 10 feet by 30 feet canvas at measures, including reduc­ cise Department has been the sales tax in the form of will improve liquidity in the Samvidhan Chowk in Nagpur on Tuesday. The protest was organised by the Vaidarbhiya Kala Academy.* S. SUDARSHAN ing the number of dry days, demanding a single point of VAT is collected much later. State system, officials said. CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC CM assures to consult Sahitya Akademi Award winner says Students bunk classes to Day­old twins found near tourism stakeholders book rejected over ‘obscene’ words fix road for bus service lake in Pune ‘Industry looking at bright future’ They had to walk 10 km every day Failed to get reply to multiple RTI queries, says poet Press Trust of India Press Trust of India 60 lakh tourists annually. Press Trust of India Gram Sadak Yojana, but the Pune Panaji Aurangabad Mr. Sawant also admitted Press Trust of India kani in one of the poems. mation Commission, but work remained incomplete. Newborn twins, a boy and Goa Chief Minister Pramod that he had faced pressure Panaji The academy had sent the could not get any satisfacto­ Determined to resume a “Due to the poor road con­ a girl, were found aban­ Sawant said on Tuesday that from some quarters, includ­ Sahitya Akademi Award win­ purchase order for 90 co­ ry reply from there, the poet crucial bus service to their ditions, the State transport doned near Pashan Lake the draft tourism policy of ing from some of his col­ ner Neelba Khandekar has pies of the book to the poet said. “What hurts me is that village in Aurangabad dis­ bus from Badnapur depot here on Tuesday morning, the State would be cleared leagues in the Cabinet, to said the State­run Goa Kon­ in in January 2019, but can­ at least the Official Language trict, which was stopped stopped its service for more the police said. only after taking all stake­ either stop the Goa Miles kani Academy has refused to celled it recently. Department, which funds due to a poor road, 85 stu­ than a month,” the villager Joggers noticed the ba­ holders into confidence. app­based cab service or buy and circulate his collec­ Mr. Khandekar also filed the Goa Konkani Academy, dents of a school in Dabhadi said. bies, hardly a day­old and The tourism sector in the restrict its operation to cer­ tion of poems, claiming it applications under the Right should have questioned the bunked their classes to fix a On January 10, the stu­ wrapped in cloth, in the State, which went through a tain parts of the State. contains some “objectiona­ to Information (RTI) Act to logic behind rejecting my one­kilometre patch of the dents bunked their classes bushes near the lake after slowdown last year, has a Goa Miles, a State­run ble and obscene” words. different government bodies book,” he said. road to make it motorable. to remove stones from the hearing their cries, said an “brighter future”, he said. app­based taxi service, was The poet said the Goa to find out why those words No member of the acade­ The bus service on the one­kilometre patch and officer of the Chatushrungi “The tourism industry faced launched in 2018. It regulat­ Konkani Academy’s execu­ were deemed objectionable. my’s executive committee Dhamangaon­Rajur stretch made it motorable, facilitat­ police station. a slowdown last year, but ed the cab business, im­ tive committee approved the He said the words also ap­ was available for comment. was suspended in Decem­ ing resumption of bus ser­ A police team took them the State is looking at a proved the safety of passen­ purchase and circulation of pear in his work Gangrape This is not the first time ber due to incomplete road vice, he said. to Sassoon General Hospi­ brighter future with several gers and provided an his book, titled The Words, which won him the Sahitya that the State­run body is in work done by civic authori­ Road contractor Y.K. tal, where both were found initiatives taken to bring the affordable mode of travel, in 2018, but rejected it re­ Akademi Award last year. news for objecting to con­ ties, a village resident said Deshmukh said, “Asphalting to be in good health. industry back on track,” Mr. Mr. Sawant said, while cently. “The executive com­ “I filed four RTI applica­ tents of a book. In 2017, it on Tuesday. This had forced of this road will be complet­ “We have registered a Sawant said, while pseaking launching in­car magazine mittee has said the book tions, two each with the Goa cancelled an award an­ the students to walk 10 km ed by March. Stones are case against unidentified at a function here. ‘Travel Miles’ here. contains some objectionable Konkani Academy and the nounced for a collection of every day to attend their now removed and the road people under Section 317 “I will approve the draft The service had faced stiff and obscene words,” Mr. Official Language Depart­ poems, titled Sudirsukt by school in Dabhadi village. is made motorable.” (abandonment of child un­ tourism policy only after opposition from the tourist Khandekar said. ment,” he said. After not get­ the late Vishnu Surya Wagh The construction of the Village sarpanch Monica der twelve years, by parent taking all stakeholders into taxi lobby last year. Mr. Sa­ He said the academy’s ex­ ting any response from for alleged derogatory refe­ 18­km Dhamangaon­Rajur Salve demanded construc­ or person having care of it) confidence,” he said. want said he handled the ag­ ecutive panel has taken ob­ both, Mr. Khandekar also rences about a particular road was sanctioned in 2019 tion of a proper road for of the Indian Penal Code,” The coastal State attracts itation successfully. jection to two words in Kon­ appealed to the Goa Infor­ community. under the Chief Minister hassle­free transportation. the officer said.

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IN BRIEF ‘Respond to ‘Don’t see him with 1962 lens’ Odisha’s plea Krishna Menon’s contributions were remarkable, says Jairam Ramesh on Polavaram’

Special Correspondent reign Minister of Pakistan re­ Legal Correspondent CHENNAI peatedly insisted on a plebis­ NEW DELHI Former Defence Minister cite in Kashmir, a witty The Supreme Court on Harivarasanam award for Ilaiyaraaja V.K. Krishna Menon was of­ Menon had asked whether Tuesday gave the Andhra PATHANAMTHITTA ten “seen with the lens of Pakistan had seen a ballot Pradesh government two Renowned music composer 1962” [war with China], box recently. weeks to respond with Ilaiyaraaja has been selected while there was more to him Notwithstanding the criti­ complete details on a plea for this year’s Harivarasanam before 1946 and during the cism that he was a leftist, Mr. made by Odisha on the Rajiv Gandhi case: SC award, jointly instituted by 1950s, said senior Congress Ramesh said he was “not at construction of the Indira­ the Kerala government and leader and Rajya Sabha MP all a Communist” but sup­ sagar Polavaram multi­pur­ the Travancore Devaswom Jairam Ramesh here on ported the Communist Party pose project. unhappy at CBI report Board. Devaswom Minister Tuesday. Menon’s contribu­ Jairam Ramesh in coversation with former West Bengal of Great Britain only because Odisha has raised con­

Kadakampally Surendran will tions in the drafting of the Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi in Chennai. * K.V. SRINIVASAN it supported full freedom for cerns about the project present the award, which Constitution before 1946 and India. Mr. Ramesh said Me­ and the conduct of the on larger conspiracy comprises a purse of his actions during the 1950s from the United States of Minister Jawaharlal Nehru non was against creating Ker­ Centre in not informing the ₹1,00,000, citation and were remarkable. America and the United and the latter too believed in ala from the then Madras State on the issue of ‘stop memento, to Ilaiyaraaja at a During a public discussion Kingdom from whom it had the former’s judgment, the Presidency, arguing with work order’ being kept in Legal Correspondent Sankaranarayanan, appear­ function at the Sabarimala on ‘The Making of Indepen­ to purchase fighter aircraft, Council of Ministers did not Nehru it would become a abeyance periodically NEW DELHI ing for Rajiv Gandhi assassi­ Sannidhanam on Wednesday. dent India and V.K. Krishna he wanted the purchase to approve of Menon’s ideas, “bastion of communists”. leading to the unhindered The Supreme Court on nation convict A.G. Perariv­ Menon’ organised by The be from a country that al­ Mr. Ramesh pointed out. continuation of the project Tuesday expressed its un­ alan, submitted that the Sabarimala set to Hindu Centre for Politics and lowed eventual manufactur­ Even a few years before Madras connection work. happiness about the CBI’s CBI’s Multi Disciplinary witness ‘Makaravilakku’ Public Policy at the Music ing of aircraft in India. the war with China, Menon President of the All India The State is apprehen­ status report on the probe Monitoring Agency SABARIMALA Academy, Mr. Ramesh re­ “That was how fighter jet was for a settlement with the Home Rule League Annie Be­ sive that the construction into the larger conspiracy (MDMA), probing the larger Ayyappa devotees have called incidents from Me­ MiG­21 came to be manufac­ neighbouring country, but sant discovered the talent in of the dam by neighbour­ behind the assassination of conspiracy behind the kill­ began to camp at Sabarimala non’s life since his college tured in India,” pointed out did not enjoy support from him during his days in then ing Andhra Pradesh and former Prime Minister Rajiv ing, was yet to conclude its to worship the ‘Makarajyoti’ days until his death to cap­ Mr. Ramesh, who authored the Cabinet, the opposition Madras when he went to the the spillway would result in Gandhi at Sriperumbudur in investigation pertaining to on ‘Makaravilakku’ day on Wednesday. The ture various phases — both A Chequered Brilliance: The and the media. “But, even­ Presidency College. the submergence of con­ Tamil Nadu in 1991. the origin and make of the Sannidhanam and the personal and political. Many Lives of V.K. Krishna tually Prime Minister Atal Bi­ Even after his resignation siderable amount of its ter­ Instead of revealing the bomb. surrounding areas have been In his conversation with Menon. The Defence Re­ hari Vajpayee in 2003 put in in December 1962, it was Ma­ ritory, including protected progress made to unearth The Bench allowed Pera­ occupied by pilgrims awaiting former West Bengal Gover­ search and Development Or­ place a boundary talk me­ dras which hosted him. At a tribal areas. It fears that the truth, the report filed in rivalan’s lawyers to peruse the sighting of the ‘celestial nor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, ganisation (DRDO) came chanism with China,” Mr. Ra­ public meeting on the Mari­ proper environmental as­ the Supreme Court by the the CBI report in the cour­ star’ that appears on the Mr. Ramesh said it was Me­ about during Menon’s mesh said. na beach front, noted lyricist sessment and studies were investigating agency merely troom. The report was filed eastern horizon at non who first came up with tenure. Recalling an incident in Kannadasan lauded the qual­ not conducted on the back­ parroted its past reports ov­ in a sealed cover. The court Ponnambalamedu facing the the idea of ‘Make in India’. Though Menon enjoyed the United Nations, Mr. ities of Menon, Mr. Gandhi water extent in the Sabari er the years. “We are not finally ordered the CBI to Ayyappa temple. When India had options proximity with then Prime Gandhi said when the Fo­ recalled. and Sileru parts of Odisha. happy with the report,” a file a fresh report detailing Bench of Justices L. Nages­ the work done. The case is wara Rao and Hemant Gup­ listed on January 28. ta said. Perarivalan, who is in his The court called for the mid­forties now, has spent Will get you arrested, pilot tells passenger seeking help presence of a senior law of­ about a quarter of a century ficer, an Additional Solicitor inside jail serving life impri­ IndiGo de­rosters captain who threatened woman seeking wheelchair assistance for her mother at Bengaluru airport General, to appear, and kept sonment. He was 19 at the the case on hold to be taken time of his arrest. Perariva­ Staff Reporter ment” meted out to her and The airline staff allegedly chair people from taking my curity and IndiGo staff who @SupriyaUnniNair about the up later. lan has sought an order CHENNAI her mother late on Monday. claimed that they didn’t have mom out of the aircraft came to their rescue. pilot’s behaviour.... The air­ After half­an­hour, the from the court to stay his life An IndiGo pilot, who report­ Ms. Nair and her 75­year­old access to a wheelchair. threatening us that he will Speaking to The Hindu, line has informed @Mo­ case came up again. This sentence till the MDMA edly harassed and threa­ mother Vijayalakshmi had “When I pointed this out, the ensure we are detained and Ms. Nair said the entire expe­ CA_GoI that the pilot has time, Justice Rao expressed probe is completed. He has tened to get arrested two wo­ taken an IndiGo flight from captain Jayakrishna came spend a night in jail. Disbe­ rience was traumatic. “I felt been off­rostered...” the court’s dissatisfaction argued that the CBI has still men passengers for seeking Chennai to Bengaluru and barging out [of the cockpit] lievingly I ask him whether the need to put it out on so­ Ms. Nair said she was hap­ without mincing words. not been able to question wheelchair assistance, has sought wheelchair assistance and yells at me for pressing he is serious. ‘Shut up. Who cial media because this py that the Minister had res­ “There is no difference Nixon alias Suren, one been taken off duty, pending in advance. the assistance button and an­ do you think I am? I’ll get my shouldn’t happen to anyone ponded quickly to the between this report and the among the 21 suspects the an enquiry by aviation regu­ The ordeal began after the noying him and his crew,” CEO to make sure you spend else. No one, especially, a se­ complaint. ones filed before. Everyth­ MDMA is waiting to investi­ lator Directorate General of flight landed. she said in her post. a night in jail; we will teach nior citizen should have to A statement from IndiGo ing said is quite the same as gate, who allegedly knows Civil Aviation (DGCA), Union Recounting her expe­ Ms. Nair said the captain you some manners, he endure what my mother did. said it was aware of the com­ before... going to Bangkok about the making of the Civil Aviation Minister Har­ rience, Ms. Nair said, “Our then prevented the staff from says’,” Ms. Nair said in her She was nervous and shiver­ plaint raised by the passen­ or something... What we bomb. He contended that deep Singh Puri said on flight was late and when we bringing a wheelchair to post. ing.” ger, and the matter was “un­ want to know is what pro­ his role in the alleged crime Tuesday. landed at 9.15 p.m., I tried help her mother out of the “We reach the bus and the On seeing the post, Union der internal review”, and gress has been made [in the taken to the maximum Supriya Unni Nair, a resi­ calling the assistance bell aircraft. He allegedly threa­ captain is meanwhile ranting Minister Hardeep Singh Puri that necessary action would investigation] in the past would be that of supplying dent of Bengaluru, had post­ and when the crew did not tened them, saying that he and stops it from moving for­ tweeted: “I requested my of­ be taken. two years at least,” Justice two nine­volt batteries with­ ed a harrowing account on respond, I walked up for would get them arrested. ward,” Ms. Nair said, adding fice to contact @IndiGo6E as (With inputs from Benga- Rao observed. out the knowledge of what it social media of the “harass­ help.” “He prevents the wheel­ that it was the on­ground se­ soon as I saw the tweet by Ms luru, Mumbai and Delhi) Senior advocate Gopal was going to be used for.

Shrine in CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC Harihar now a Ritual bonfire Consensus eludes Congress Minor Basilica on Karnataka unit chief Girish Pattanashetti HUBBALLI It is a toss­up between D.K. Shivakumar and M.B. Patil The town of Harihar in Da­ vangere district of Karnata­ Special Correspondent ka is all set to witness a his­ Bengaluru torical event of sorts on The Congress high com­ Wednesday as the centu­ mand was unable to arrive at ries­old Our Lady of Health a consensus on a new Karna­ Shrine in the town, which taka Pradesh Congress Com­ has been proclaimed as Mi­ mittee (KPCC) president on nor Basilica by the Vatican, Tuesday, as former Chief Mi­ will be dedicated at 9 a.m. nister Siddaramaiah report­ in the presence of presi­ edly favoured former Minis­ dent of the Conference of ter and Lingayat leader M.B. Catholic Bishops of India Patil while the party’s Cen­ Most Rev. Filipe Neri Fer­ tral leaders backed former rao, Sri Shivamurthy Mu­ Minister and Vokkaliga lead­ D. K. Shivakumar M.B. Patil rugha Sharanaru of Chitra­ er D.K. Shivakumar. durga Brihan Mutt, Mr. Siddaramaiah held er of the Opposition (LoP), According to sources, Mr. Archbishop Most Rev. Pe­ discussions with the party’s sources said. Siddaramaiah is expected to ter Machado and 13 Bish­ interim president Sonia hold another round of talks ops. Chief Minister B.S. Ye­ Gandhi in New Delhi. During To meet Rahul on Wednesday, this time diyurappa will participate the meeting, which lasted On December 9, 2019, Di­ with former Congress na­ in the programme. between 30 and 40 minutes, nesh Gundu Rao and Mr. tional president Rahul Gand­ With the proclamation Ms. Gandhi is believed to Siddaramaiah resigned from hi. But the party is unlikely by the Vatican, the shrine have turned down Mr. Sidda­ their posts of KPCC presi­ to announce the new KPCC has become the 25th Minor ramaiah’s nominee, Mr. Pa­ dent and LoP, respectively, president in the next few Basilica in the country. The Students lighting cow dung cakes as part of Makara Sankranthi festivities organised by the Amaravati Utsav Samiti in til, for the post. However, following the party’s drub­ days as Ms. Gandhi is expect­ history of the Shrine dates Vijayawada on Tuesday. * V. RAJU she told Mr. Siddaramaiah to bing in the byelections to 15 ed to go abroad this back to the 18th century. CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC continue in his post of Lead­ Assembly seats. weekend. Bhainsa peaceful but normalcy yet to return Planning body lists CRZ violations Telangana police staged a flag march in the 1,657 breaches of law found within Kozhikode limits; house owners in grip of fear violence hit areas of town in arrest 40, conduct the morning, driving home Special Correspondent tial apartments at Maradu flag march the message that the govern­ Kozhikode municipality has triggered a ment means business when The fear of demolition of fear psychosis among the re­ S. Harpal Singh it comes to restoring peace. their houses is hanging over sidents in Kozhikode. “Many BHAINSA Meanwhile, people the residents with the De­ people did not take the CRZ The communal conflict­rid­ moved around town freely partment of Town and Coun­ rules seriously during the den town of Bhainsa in the making purchases of essen­ try Planning (DTCP) submit­ construction of buildings. As Nirmal district of Telangana tials. The area around the of­ ting the final list of Coastal of now, some buildings are remained peaceful on Tues­ fice of the local Deputy Su­ Regulation Zone (CRZ) viola­ occupied, some others unoc­ day though normalcy did perintendent of Police was tions in Kozhikode district cupied and many others are not return completely. abuzz with activity since on Tuesday. still under construction,” The local market was morning as it lies at a crucial Nearly 4,000 CRZ viola­ Ms. Isha told The Hindu. closed for a second day fol­ junction between two im­ tions, including 1,657 within Approval for construction lowing the communal clash­ On alert: Rapid Action Force personnel staging a flag march in portant sections of town in­ Kozhikode Corporation li­ A view of the Kozhikode shoreline. Nearly 4,000 CRZ of buildings should be taken es of Sunday night and Mon­ Bhainsa town on Tuesday. * S. HARPAL SINGH habited by the two commun­ mits, have been identified in violations have been identified in the district. * FILE PHOTO from the Kerala State Coastal day morning, but the supply ities that are at loggerheads. the district based on a con­ Zone Management Authority of fresh vegetables was hit rioting. “More arrests will be seemed to be tenuous, also The violence, however, solidated report from 35 lo­ State government. Such re­ purview of the CRZ. Howev­ (KSCZMA) which is the em­ only partially. made based on video foot­ given the history of violence looked to dampen the spirit cal bodies as on January 14, ports from all districts will er, seven local bodies have powered authority to deal age identification of the cul­ in this semi­urban town. The of the Sankranthi festival, 2020. be submitted to the Kerala reported no violations. The with environmental issues Tenuous peace prits,” said Nirmal Superin­ fact that people from both which is usually celebrated Regional Town Planner Coastal Zone Management details of all the illegal con­ related to the CRZ. No con­ Peace descended upon the tendent of Police C. communities continue to with gusto locally. U. Chan­ P.A. Isha submitted the re­ Authority (KCZMA), to be structions have been upload­ struction is allowed within narrow lanes and bylanes af­ Shashidhar Raju. He led a harbour mutual distrust drakanth, a seller of Sank­ port to Collector Seeram produced in the Supreme ed on the website of the Koz­ 200 metres from the coast in ter the police made their marching contingent of poli­ makes peace here fragile, ac­ ranthi muggu and colours , Sambasiva Rao, who is also Court. hikode district CRZ­III area while works are presence felt by arresting ov­ cemen into the interiors of cording to locals. lamented that losses looked the chairman of the Coastal A total of 3,916 violations administration. allowed beyond 50 metres er 40 persons accused of the old town. A three company strong imminent as his colours re­ District Committee (CDC), have been found in 35 local The recent demolition of from the coast in CRZ­II participating in arson and The peace, nevertheless, Rapid Action Force (RAF) mained unsold. following an order of the bodies that come under the the five waterfront residen­ zone.

CM A ND-NDE YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

THE HINDU DELHI WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 NATION 9 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

IN BRIEF Weather Watch CRZ rules eased for ‘Blue Flag’ beaches Rainfall, temperature & air quality in select metros yesterday States can construct infrastructure to enable international recognition, says Environment Ministry

Jacob Koshy corded by the Denmark­ NEW DELHI based Foundation for Envi­ The Environment Ministry ronment Education, with 33 Delhi HC rejects ED plea against bail to Ratul Puri has relaxed Coastal Regula­ stringent criteria under four NEW DELHI tion Zone (CRZ) rules that major heads for the beaches, The Delhi High Court on restrict construction near that is, (i) Environmental Tuesday dismissed the beaches to help States con­ Education and Information Enforcement Directorate’s struct infrastructure and en­ (ii) Bathing Water Quality (iii) (ED) plea challenging the bail able them to receive ‘Blue Environment Management granted to businessman Flag’ certification. and Conservation and (iv) Sa­ Ratul Puri, nephew of Last year, the Ministry se­ fety and Services. Madhya Pradesh Chief lected 13 beaches in India to Minister Kamal Nath, in a vie for the certificate. This is ‘Eco­tourism’ money laundering case an international recognition The ‘Blue Flag’ beach is an connected to the conferred on beaches that Sea view: Tourists at Eden beach in Chinna Veerampattinam near Puducherry. The Ministry has ‘eco­tourism model’ and AgustaWestland VVIP meet certain criteria of selected 13 beaches in India to vie for the certificate. * S.S. KUMAR marks out beaches as provid­ chopper scam. cleanliness and environmen­ ing tourists and beachgoers Temperature Data: IMD, Pollution Data: CPCB, Map: INSAT/IMD (Taken at 18.00 Hrs) tal propriety. Golden beach (Odisha), Rad­ facilities, CCTV surveillance purpose of Blue Flag Certifi­ clean and hygienic bathing Tharoor apologises for The earmarked beaches hanagar beach (Andaman & and the like. However, In­ cation in such identified water, facilities/amenities, a Forecast for Wednesday: Dense to very dense fog very likely remark on Kejriwal are — Ghoghala beach (Diu), Nicobar Islands) and Banga­ dia’s CRZ laws don’t allow beaches, the following activi­ safe and healthy environ­ at isolated pockets over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, NEW DELHI Shivrajpur beach (Gujarat), ram beach (Lakshadweep). the construction of such in­ ties and facilities shall be ment, and sustainable deve­ north Rajasthan and Bihar; dense fog at isolated pockets over Congress leader Shashi Uttar Pradesh, south Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura. Bhogave beach (Maharash­ frastructure on beaches and permitted in the Coastal Reg­ lopment of the area. Tharoor apologised on city rain max min city rain max min tra), Padubidri and Kasarkod Gazette notification islands. Via an order on Janu­ ulation Zone (CRZ), includ­ The Blue Flag Programme Twitter after he was criticised Agartala...... —....22.9....12.6 Kozhikode...... —....34.6....23.6 beaches (Karnataka), Kap­ The Blue Flag certification, ary 9, the Environment Mi­ ing Islands, subject to main­ started in France in 1985 and Ahmedabad...... —....24.9....12.8 Kurnool ...... —....32.9....18.2 for his remark that Delhi Chief Aizawl...... —....25.9...... 9.3 Lucknow...... —....21.5...... 9.3 Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeks pad beach (Kerala), Kovalam however, requires beaches nistry eased these restric­ taining a minimum distance has been implemented in Allahabad...... —....25.3....11.6 Madurai...... —....31.4....20.7 power without responsibility, beach (Tamil Nadu), Eden to create certain infrastruc­ tions for the “purposes of of 10 meters from HTL (High Europe since 1987, and in Bengaluru ...... —....29.5....16.4 Mangaluru ...... —....34.1....21.0 something which has been beach (Puducherry), Rushi­ ture — portable toilet blocks, Blue Flag certification”. Tide Line),” the gazette noti­ areas outside Europe since Bhopal ...... —...... —...... — Mumbai ...... —...... —....17.4 Bhubaneswar...... —....28.5....13.0 Mysuru ...... —....31.1....16.7 “the prerogative of eunuchs”. konda beach (Andhra Pra­ grey water treatment plants, “...Central Government fication notes. 2001, when South Africa Chandigarh ...... 10.9....17.5...... 8.6 New Delhi ...... 0.8....17.7....10.5 On Monday, he alleged that desh), Miramar beach (Goa), a solar power plant, seating hereby declares that for the The certification is ac­ joined. Chennai ...... —....29.2....21.2 Patna ...... —....17.2...... 7.6 Mr. Kejriwal is making Coimbatore ...... —....30.9....19.8 Port Blair...... —....29.6....22.5 Dehradun...... 17.2....16.3...... 9.0 Puducherry ...... —....30.0....18.2 statements deploring the Gangtok...... —....13.7...... 6.0 Pune...... —....29.3....15.8 CAA and the NRC but has not Goa...... —....32.0....21.4 Raipur ...... —....29.9....13.0 taken any tangible action. Three V-Cs attend TMC’s Guwahati ...... —....25.9....10.9 Ranchi...... —....27.6...... 8.0 Muzaffarpur shelter home Hubballi...... —....29.0....16.0 Shillong...... —....15.3...... 6.1 Hyderabad ...... —....32.0....16.6 Shimla...... 17.7....12.0...... 1.3 6 infants die in M.P. govt. Imphal ...... —....23.1...... 5.5 Srinagar...... —...... —...... — hospital within 15 hours anti-CAA demonstration Jaipur ...... —...... —....10.2 Thiruvananthapuram...... —....33.1....22.8 BHOPAL Kochi ...... —....32.0....23.4 Tiruchi...... —....31.7....19.4 case judgment on Jan. 20 Kohima ...... —....24.2...... 5.8 Vijayawada ...... —....29.4....20.4 The Madhya Pradesh Kolkata ...... —....23.0....12.1 Visakhapatnam ...... —....27.6....18.1 government on Tuesday Oppn. raises questions on their conduct (Rainfall data in mm; temperature in Celsius) ordered a high­level inquiry Special Correspondent Pollutants in the air you are breathing Yesterday into the deaths of six infants Congress Chhatra Parishad, Accused claim witness statements are not reliable Kolkata CITIES SO2 NO2 CO PM2.5 PM10 CODE within 15 hours at the which entered its fifth day Special Correspondent Ahmedabad..... 32 .23 30 ..... — .....— ....* In observation made at 6.00 government hospital in The presence of Vice­Chan­ on Tuesday. girls rescued from the shel­ Bengaluru ...... 08 .59 27 ..150 .....— ....* p.m., Moradabad, Uttar NEW DELHI cellors of State Universities Later in the day, Chief Mi­ * Pradesh Shahdol district. The infants, ter home. Chennai ...... 81 .44 50 ..185 .....— .... recorded an overall air up to two­and­a­half­months at a sit­in demonstration nister Mamata Banerjee also Judgment in the Muzaffar­ This is the third time that Delhi ...... 18 .54 51 ..366 .240 ....* quality index (AQI) score of Hyderabad ...... 03 .87 50 ..160 .142 ....* 371 indicating a dangerous old, died between 1 p.m. on against the amended citi­ visited the demonstration pur shelter home case is the pronouncement of ver­ Kolkata...... 13 123 42 ..325 .266 ....* level of pollution. In zenship law organised by site on Rani Rashmoni Ave­ * contrast, Gandhinagar, Monday and 4 a.m. on now expected on January dict has been deferred after Lucknow...... 24 .47 64 ..421 .....— .... Gujarat Tuesday, said Dr. Rajesh the students’ wing of the nue and said she was happy 20, as the accused persons it was reserved in October Mumbai ...... 06 .28 39 ....73 .117 ....* recorded a healthy AQI score Pune...... 72 .22 23 ..111 ...97 ....* of 54 Pandey, Chief Medical Health Trinamool Congress on to receive inputs from ex­ on Tuesday claimed that for mid­November last year. Visakhapatnam ..— .87 62 ..263 .230 ....* Officer. Tuesday triggered a contro­ perts on the protests against statements of the witnesses It was postponed the first Air Quality Code: * Poor * Moderate * Good (Readings indicate average AQI) versy with the Opposition CAA. were not reliable. The court time as the 20 accused could Ritesh Pandey to be 2 Sulphur Dioxide. Short-term exposure can harm the respiratory system, raising questions on their The presence of the Vice­ has sought a response from not be brought to the court SO : BSP chief in Lok Sabha making breathing difficult. It can affect visibility by reacting with other air conduct. Chancellors at the protest A view of the Muzaffarpur LUCKNOW the Central Bureau of Inves­ premises due to a lawyers’ particles to form haze and stain culturally important objects such as statues Three Vice­Chancellors – raised eyebrows as only a shelter home. * RANJEET KUMAR and monuments. Bahujan Samaj Party chief tigation (CBI) on the issue strike. It was then resche­ Subiresh Bhattacharya of day ago as they had given a 2 Nitrogen Dioxide. Aggravates respiratory illness, causes haze to form by Mayawati appointed within two days. duled as the judge was on NO : reacting with other air particles, causes acid rain, pollutes coastal waters. Ambedkar Nagar MP Ritesh North Bengal University, Di­ meeting called by Governor During the proceedings in view of the CBI’s state­ leave. Carbon monoxide. High concentration in air reduces oxygen supply to Pandey as the leader of the pak Kar of Sidho­Kanho­Bir­ Jagdeep Dhankhar a miss. on Tuesday, lawyers of the ment in the Supreme Court The case pertains to the CO: sha University and Deb Ku­ Mr. Dhankhar, who was up­ critical organs like the heart and brain. At very high levels, it can cause party in the Lok Sabha, citing main accused, Brajesh Tha­ that 35 girl inmates earlier allegation that at least 34 girl dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and even death. mar Mulhopadhyay of set with the development, kur, and the others, ques­ believed to have been mur­ inmates of a shelter home in the need to maintain “social PM2.5 & PM10: Particulate matter pollution can cause irritation of the eyes, harmony”. He replaces Cooch Behar Panchanan said educational institutions tioned the veracity of the dered had been found to be Muzaffarpur were sexually nose and throat, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath, reduced Amroha MP Kunwar Danish Barma University – were and universities were being testimony of prosecution alive. assaulted. The CBI took over lung function, irregular heartbeat, asthma attacks, heart attacks and premature Ali. Mr. Pandey belongs to the present at the agitation or­ dismantled “brick by witnesses. The murder allegations the probe in 2018, following death in people with heart or lung disease Brahmin community. ganised by the Trinamool brick”. The submission was made were made by some of the a Supreme Court directive. ‘Policy on rare diseases PM must prove his charge or another piece of paper’ apologise: IMA

Special Correspondent Nothing more than an illusion: patient groups Mumbai The Indian Medical Association Bindu Shajan Perappadan For prevention and control, (IMA) on Tuesday asked Prime NEW DELHI the Ministry has noted that it Minister Narendra Modi to deny Calling it just another piece of will work at encouraging people or prove his alleged statement paper that is far from reality, to seek pre­marital genetic that top pharmaceutical compa­ groups working in the area of counselling, identification of nies bribed doctors with women rare diseases in India have said high risk couples, and create escorts. The country’s largest that the National Policy for Rare awareness about early detection doctors body demanded that Diseases­2020, released recent­ rare diseases. “The 2017 policy the PM should apologise if he ly by the Union Health Ministry, on rare diseases had proposed a fails to do so. is nothing more than “an illu­ ₹100 crore corpus fund alloca­ “Reports have appeared in sion”. It offers no clarity on tion for the treatment of pa­ the media regarding the pur­ long­term financial assistance, tients with rare diseases, which ported statement by Hon. Prime they said. was a Centre­State partnership Minister Narendra Modi that top The government, in its policy of 60:40, with each State form­ pharmaceutical companies paper, has proposed financial ing a technical committee to bribed doctors with women es­ support of up to ₹15 lakh under evaluate patients’ applications. corts. IMA takes strong excep­ an umbrella scheme of the Rash­ That has come down to ₹15 lakh tion to the statement if it has triya Arogya Nidhi for rare dis­ support for diseases needing been really made by the Prime eases that require one­time one­time treatment. Clearly, Minister,” a media release from treatment. Beneficiaries for now, after a major lag, the policy IMA said. such financial assistance would has come with no hope in sight,” The PM reportedly spoke not be limited to Below the Po­ noted a release from the Lysoso­ about ethical marketing practic­ verty Line (BPL) families, but ex­ mal Storage Disorders Support es during a meeting with top tended to 40% of the population Society. pharmaceutical companies ear­ eligible as per the norms of the The society’s president Man­ lier this month. “IMA wants to Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yoja­ jit Singh said, “Policy 2020 is far know if the government had de­ na, for their treatment in go­ from reality and lacks genuine tails about companies involved vernment tertiary hospitals interest in providing much­ in supplying women to doctors only. needed treatment to ‘treatable’ why it chose to invite them for a Rare Diseases.” Prasanna Shirol, meeting in PMO rather than in­ ‘Alternate funding’ founder of the Organization for itiate criminal proceedings,” the It has also proposed that the Go­ Rare Diseases India (ORDI), said IMA statement said. vernment will “endeavour to that the policy is a “plain mock­ In November, a study pu­ create alternate funding me­ ery of the situation of patients”, blished by Pune­based Support chanism through setting up a and that proposed solutions for Advocacy and Training to digital platform for voluntary in­ such as the creation of a digital Health Initiatives revealed that dividual and corporate donors platform for crowd funding doctors accept incentives from to contribute to the treatment were not reliable. “The policy is pharmaceutical companies in cost of patients of rare just another document without the form of leisure trips, tablets, diseases”. much substance,” he said. gold jewellery and petrol cards. Railways to offer content on demand by 2022

Yuthika Bhargava NEW DELHI Train journeys could soon become a more entertaining with the Indian Railways plan­ ning to offer access to “high quality, buffer free” video content to passengers. The pro­ ject, to be implemented by PSU RailTel, is ex­ pected to be rolled out fully in the next two years. RailTel has selected Margo Network, a subsidiary of Zee Entertainment, as the digi­ tal entertainment service provider for pro­ viding content­on­demand (CoD) on trains and at railway stations, a statement said. CM YK EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

DELHI THE HINDU 10 EDITORIAL WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE The long wait for empowered mayors Mayors in many global cities go on to lead their country; in India it is the opposite story, with politics to be blamed vide coverage to all within a range government and partnered by ban Indians live in cities where of 1 km — are seen by public health State governments. Mayors can be in office for just researchers as a good model for a Several States are averse to di­ two­and­a­half years, ASICS Theological thicket national universal health coverage rectly­elected Mayors even for found. SC must mark limits of religious freedom, programme. In budget 2019­20, their biggest cities, in spite of the Unified governance and empo­ the highest increase was for tran­ Mayor being deprived of any sig­ werment through elected munici­ against which legality of practices can be tested G. Ananthakrishnan sport, at 38%, raising hopes of re­ nificant powers. The appointment pal systems is a distant prospect, he opening hearing before a nine­judge Supreme duced pollution partly through of the executive in­charge, the but the Central government glibly Court Bench, constituted to give an authoritative s he attempts to repeat the support for electric vehicles. Mun­ Municipal Commissioner is a good claimed at the UN Habitat Confe­ overwhelming 2015 victory icipal budgets for 2014­15 analysed example. Empowered Mayors, rence in Quito, Ecuador, in 2016, pronouncement on the nature of religious free­ T Aof the Aam Aadmi Party by Open Budgets India reflect a si­ GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO such as those in New York, Paris, that the 74th Amendment had dom under the Constitution, has revealed the concep­ (AAP) in the Delhi Assembly elec­ milar trend for urban education tion to replace direct election of London or even Shanghai, could made Indian cities self­governing tual confusion over the reference made to it. The tion, Chief Minister Arvind Kejri­ expenditure vis-à-vis Delhi. On the Mayors with an indirect system. steal the limelight through spec­ entities with adequate powers and Bench, headed by the Chief Justice of India, S.A. Bobde, wal is challenging political Go­ income side, cities collect far less The All India Anna Dravida Mun­ tacular successes, leaving Chief financial autonomy. Of course, has asked lawyers to “ re­frame” the issues, or add to liaths on just one plank: his property tax than they should due netra Kazhagam government in Ministers and legislators with little nothing could be further from the them, following submissions that the questions framed government’s performance. to undervaluation and lack of Tamil Nadu issued an ordinance direct connect with urban voters. truth, but then the statement was by a Bench of five judges were too broad. Further, th e scientific assessment. last year to amend the law, and re­ Even on a salient issue such as made by the Secretary to the Un­ The face of changes Although he is criticised for his move any possibility of prominent climate change, Mayors are much ion Ministry of Housing. At the CJI has clarified that the Court will not be deciding the The iconoclast who overran Del­ style of functioning, the AAP lead­ Opposition politicians becoming in demand. The Mayor of Paris, conference plenary, the Indian petitions seeking a review of the verdict in the Sab ari­ hi’s established political trenches er does no t have his back to the the face of any big city. The memo­ Anne Hidalgo, assumed the lea­ statement did not contain any re­ mala temple case. Instead, it would limit itself to “larger with an anti­corruption campaign wall and is pushing to extend his ry of M.K. Stalin, son of Dravida dership of the climate movement ference to Mayors. questions” such as the interplay between freedom of is pinning his hopes on the unpre­ authority, fighting the Central Go­ Munnetra Kazhagam leader M. Ka­ in iconic ways, with a move to pre­ religion and other fundamental rights; and the extent to cedented fiscal measures he has vernment’s attempts to clip his runanidhi as a high­profile Mayor scribe green roofs in the vast Hampering development which courts can probe whether a particular practice is taken to change the paradigm of wings. This is not the situation in in Chennai even after a quarter French capital capturing the pu­ Much hard work must be done, be­ essential to that religion or not. At the same time, h e education, health and urban deve­ other big metropolitan cities, century is obviously still fresh. blic imagination worldwide. Mr. fore cities can progress beyond lopment in the National Capital. In which cannot aspire to have strong Congress leader Rahul Gandhi re­ Kejriwal is alert to the global trac­ John Kenneth Galbraith’s famous has said, “We will decide questions of law on women’s office, he has pressed on even in leadership due to the prevailing freshingly promised ahead of the tion that climate change is getting, description of India as a “function­ entry into mosques/temples, genital mutilation among the face of non­cooperation from system. 2019 Lok Sabha poll that he would and addressed Mayors gathered in ing anarchy”. Government depart­ Dawoodi Bohras, entry of Parsi women who marry out­ the Central G overnment, which support directly­elected Mayors, Copenhagen via video link last ments will feel accountable for ur­ side the community into the fire temple. We will not de­ controls important departments Hardly empowered; a ‘threat’ since smart cities depend on good year, because the Central govern­ ban services and infrastructure cide the individual facts of each case.” It would be pru­ providing civic services mainly Metros have been deprived of em­ leaders. ment refused him permission to only under the watch of an empo­ dent if this approach means that the Bench would set through the Urban Development powered Mayors who can raise ef­ attend. The AAP Health Minister wered leader, who enjoys the man­ out the limits of the freedom of religion, against which and Home Ministries. ficiency, productivity and liveabili­ Weakening governance was similarly denied permission to date of the city’s residents. The AAP’s annual budget five ty. Mayors in many global cities go In some States, elections to urban go to Australia to explain the work­ A lot of time has been lost, as re­ such practices can be tested and their legality deter­ years ago raised the outlay for edu­ on to lead their country, which local bodies have not been held for ing of Mohalla Clinics. calcitrant State leaders, who often mined. However, it would be unwise if the examination cation by 106% over the previous possibly explains why they have years, defeating the lofty goal of The present system, of course, have remote rural bases of sup­ of every discriminatory practice becomes a fresh tre a­ year’s plan of ₹2,219 crore, and fo­ been reduced to obscure, ceremo­ decentralised governance. Tamil does not help directly­elected port, stymie the pace of orderly tise on Articles 25 and 26, instead of being subjected to cused on building 20,000 addi­ nial figures by national parties in Nadu is a prominent example. The Mayors. They have not been able urban development. Lack of cohe­ a simple test whether the particular practice is protect­ tional classrooms. It sent govern­ India. idea of giving more authority to to raise service delivery standards, rence in government is hindering ed by the freedom of religion, or can be curbed on the ment teacher­mentors abroad for The Economic Survey of 2017­18 the third tier of governance has regardless of long or short tenure, better productivity, and causing grounds of “public order, morality and health”. training to modernise the system. notes that a third of the population suffered serious stunting, in spite and the poor outcomes are quite losses through pollution, conges­ Shiny classrooms, new teaching now lives in urban areas which of the 74th Constitution Amend­ evident, as the Economic Survey tion and poor outcomes on infras­ A signal flaw in the reference is that it did not ema­ tools and eager students changed produce three­fifths of the GDP. ment Act of 1992 identifying 18 lo­ points out. Ironically, because po­ tructure investments. The priori­ nate from Benches before which these matters were the public view of government But India’s overflowing cities lack cal level functions to be devolved, werless Mayors have running bat­ ties are flawed, the administration pending. Normally, such issues are referred to a lar ger schools as decrepit dungeons. capacity, infrastructure and lea­ including planning for economic tles with municipal councillors, is fragmented and the capacity of Bench only if the C ourt is faced with apparently con­ Delhi’s ambitious budgets for dership. The Survey acknowledges and social development, regula­ States such as Rajasthan and Tamil city governments is low. tradictory precedents, or feels that the settled law re­ development stand apart from this, attributing it to the absence of tion of land, construction of build­ Nadu, to name just two, aban­ In the coming decade, progress quires reconsideration. A five­judge Bench, while hear­ those of other cities, and built the a single city government in charge, ings, urban planning and public doned direct elections to the post. on Sustainable Development ing the Sabarimala review petitions, had referred a set Chief Minister’s reputation more and low spending on infrastruc­ health. The average of subjects de­ The Annual Survey of India’s Ci­ Goals, the Paris Agreement on Cli­ of questions to a larger Bench. But two dissenting judg­ as a super Mayor in a city­State. ture. State governments amass the volved in all these years is nine, ty­Systems (ASICS) 2017 covering mate Change and the UN Habitat The 2015 education outlay was no large economic output from urban and does not include the major 23 cities across 20 States pu­ New Urban Agenda will come un­ es had pointed out that it was up to Benches before flash in the pan. Four years later, it agglomerations, but are averse to a municipal services which conti­ blished by Janaagraha Centre for der close international scrutiny. which such cases came up to decide whether they was 27.8%, says an analysis by PRS strong Mayoral system. nue to be run by parastatal author­ Citizenship and Democracy found India’s cities need a new deal, one should go by existing precedent, or refer the matter to Legislative Research, and conti­ Chief Ministers see a potential ities that answer to State govern­ 33% of medium and large cities that is focused on development . larger Benches for fresh consideration. That the nues to tower over the States that threat from a charismatic and em­ ments. Newer devices used to with a provision for directly­elect­ Only elected, empowered and ac­ strength of the Bench was fixed at nine may indicate average 15.8%. For health, the allo­ powered Mayor with progressive bypass local bodies and priorities ed Mayors, but none in the mega countable Mayors can deliver on that the court is leaving scope for revisiting the 1954 se­ cation of 13.8% dwarfs the 5.2% policies. Some of them have used are styled as special schemes, such cities. A tenure of five years for that. ven­judge Bench decision in the Shirur Mutt case, hold­ that others spend on average, and the excuse of poor performance of as urban renewal and smart cities, Mayors is available only in a fifth of Delhi’s Mohalla Clinics — to pro­ urban local bodies as a justifica­ directly supervised by the Central the biggest cities, and half of ur­ [email protected] ing that religious denominations had the autonomy to decide what religious practices were essential to them. A reconsideration of this “essentiality doctrine” will be useful only if it is a means to rid the court of the burden Chalk and cheese in private vs. government schools of entering the theological thicket. However, even with­ out revisiting the judgment, courts have often given ver­ The Annual Status of Education Report findings make a clear case for strengthening early childhood education centres dicts that protect individual rights, and uphold equality grade competency. But, when do patterns, observing, reasoning For instance, 14% children in an­ and dignity over regressive religious practices. these differences start to manifest and problem solving in the pre­ ganwadis could recognise letters themselves? Do children who start school stage. These cognitive and or more compared to 52.9% in grade one in private schools have a early language skills are highly cor­ private pre­schools; and 12.9% Inflation shocker learning advantage? Let us look at related with the child’s ability to children in these private pre­ the case of language. According to acquire further language skills. schools were already reading With growth sagging and prices rising, Wilima Wadhwa the grade 1 curriculum, children Therefore, children who enter words (something they are sup­ the economy is entering a difficult phase are supposed to be able to identify grade one better prepared with posed to learn in grade one ) com­

and read words and simple sen­ GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO these skills are likely to perform pared to 2.9% in anganwadis. It is he inflation devil is back and at the wrong time. ne of the big debates in ear­ tences. According to the Annual proportion of older children. better. For instance, among the not surprising, therefore, that chil­ The 7.35% rise in consumer price inflation in De­ ly childhood education is Status of Education Report (ASER) Second, it is well known that cognitive tasks administered in AS­ dren from private pre­schools per­ Tcember is a shocker even to those who were pre­ Oon children’s “school readi­ 2019, 21% children in grade one of children who go to private schools ER 2019 (seriation, pattern recog­ form better in school. pared for an elevated level of inflation in the backdrop ness” and whether early child­ government schools could read come from relatively affluent back­ nition and puzzle) only 23.8% chil­ Finally, children in anganwadis of the rise in prices of food commodities in general, and hood education provides them words compared to 46.7% in priv­ grounds. They also tend to have dren of grade one in government do worse than private pre­school the astronomical rise in the price of onions, in particu­ with the requisite skills to cope ate schools — an advantage of more educated parents. This af­ schools could do all three tasks children on cognitive as well as lar. The disturbing December print has set off fears over with the school curriculum. A vast 122%. How is this possible? Is this a fords them certain advantages compared to 43.1% in private early language tasks such as pic­ whether India is entering a period of slow growth ac­ literature exists on the importance fair comparison? Are we compar­ which are not available to children schools. ture description. For instance, of certain cognitive abilities that ing apples with apples? The answ­ who are from less advantaged fa­ Once we take into account all while 23.4% of private pre­school companied by high inflation, in other words, stagfla­ are supposed to be developed dur­ er is clearly no. milies and are more likely to at­ these factors — age distribution in children could do all three cogni­ tion. Such fears have to be weighed against a few facts. ing the years children spend in First, the age distribution in tend government schools. For in­ grade one , home factors such as tive tasks, only about half (12%) of First, the headline inflation number is driven mainly by pre­school, so that they are “rea­ grade one of government schools stance, 30% of government school affluence, mother’s education, the children in anganwadis could food inflation at 14.12% — it was 10.01% in November and dy” when they enter school in is very different from that in priv­ grade one children, in the ASER home learning environment, and do them. ­2.65% in December 2018. While onion was the prime grade one. ate schools. The Right to Educa­ 2019 sample, had mothers who some baseline abilities that chil­ India has a huge investment in villain pushing up price inflation in vegetables to a huge tion and national policy mandates had never been to school com­ dren enter grade one with, private its early childhood programme, 60.50% compared to December 2018, prices of other Home and other factors that children enter grade one at pared to only 12% of grade one schools still have a learning advan­ administered through 1.2 million In terms of what children learn in age six. However, 26.1% children in private school children. Further, tage. Where is this coming from? anganwadis under the Integrated food items such as meat and fish (up 9.57%), milk (up school, one of the big debates is grade one of government schools 27.3% of grade one children in Since we are talking about grade Child Development Services 4.22%), eggs (up 8.79%) and some pulses were also on whether children in private are four or five years old com­ private schools had private tutors one, this difference cannot be at­ Scheme. The findings of ASER the upswing. These are a largely seasonal rise in prices schools perform better than those pared to 15.7% in private schools. compared to 19.5% in government tributed to an accumulated effect 2019 make a clear case for streng­ and are driven mainly by supply­side factors and the in government schools. In the In­ At the other end of the spectrum, schools. of better teaching practices in priv­ thening these early childhood prices will reverse once the supply shortfall is ad­ dian context, the consensus seems 30.4% children in grade one of go­ Third, early childhood educa­ ate schools. education centres so that they im­ dressed. An analysis by State Bank of India’s research to be that a large proportion of the vernment schools are seven­eight tion is supposed to prepare chil­ plement appropriate “school­rea­ team shows that minus the increase in prices of onion, differences in the learning levels of years old compared to 45.4% in dren for school. Children are sup­ Pre-school learning diness” activities. A case can also children enrolled in private and private schools. Therefore, com­ posed to be exposed to activities What private pre­schools are do­ be made for streamlining the cur­ potato and ginger, headline CPI inflation would be just government schools can be attri­ paring learning levels in grade one that build their cognitive abilities ing is to start children on the riculum at the pre­school stage so 4.48%. Second, core inflation, which is the one that buted to “home factors ”. And, between government and private and early literacy and numeracy school­based curriculum in pre­ that all pre­schools focus on activ­ should be of concern, has only inched up marginally while the private school effect re­ schools becomes problematic. The skills. For instance, the National school itself. In other words, the ities that build cognitive and early from 3.5% in November to 3.7% in December. That said, mains positive, even after taking higher learning levels in grade Early Childhood Care and Educa­ private sector keeps children lon­ literacy and numeracy skills. it would be worrisome indeed if core inflation were t o into account the child’s home en­ one, in private schools, may be tion curriculum framework talks ger in pre­school and exposes These will aid further learning. shoot up or if food inflation does not cool down in the vironment, learning outcomes in partly due to the fact that grade about developing skills related to them to school­like curricula even next couple of months. Also, the effects of the increase private schools are nowhere near one in those schools has a higher sequential thinking, predicting before they have entered school. Wilima Wadhwa is Director, ASER Centre in telecom tariffs, rail tickets and in fuel prices need to LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials. be closely watched. The sharp jump in the CPI has queered the pitch for Shape of a movement economy and employment going overboard in fanning upset those who seem principle’. Taiwan has never To read more letters the Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy review i n online, scan the QR code February. The central bank stood pat on rates in the De­ We ought to have realised is only adding to the angst. the flames of discord willing to accept the been under the jurisdiction by now that an inclusive R. Narayanan, because the milking of articulation of the CAA as of the People’s Republic of model wherein illegal cember policy precisely due to fears of inflation and ethos is too deeply Navi Mumbai political capital is an exercise positive discrimination in China though Beijing regards buildings can be put to better had even revised upwards its inflation projection for ingrained in the Indian fraught with electoral risks. favour of persecuted people it as a renegade province use instead of literally being the second half of the fiscal to 4.7­5.1%. The Decemb er mind. The CAA is being ■ The writer, in her There is no denying the fact who have cultural links with which must return to its fold. bombed to dust? So much of print is way above the monetary policy committee’s seen in the perspective of eagerness to romanticise the that the anti­CAA protests the nation. China’s desire has been energy wasted. Such a loss of (MPC) mandated limit of 6% (4% plus 2%) which means the National Population anti­CAA protests as a have gained a sectarian V.N. Mukundarajan, ignored by the electorate. resources, and so much that a rate cut is pretty much off the table for now. Yet, Register­National Register massive popular uprising streak. The neutral observers Thiruvananthapuram S.S. Paul, pollution. Nadia, West Bengal with growth sagging, there is pressure on the central of Citizens, and there is not against the government, has who have been following the We certainly need to rethink much to find fault with this glossed over the unfolding anti­CAA bandwagon see the The Taiwan win laws and penalties (Inside bank to cut rates at least one more time to stimulate perception. The fact is that silent backlash against the waving of the national flag The extraordinary comeback Demolition and beyond pages, “Maradu demolition growth. It would be interesting to watch the delibera­ the common man is truly perceived excesses of the not as a spontaneous of Taiwan President’s Tsai Most certainly, the law of the decision a painful duty: SC” tions of the MPC in February. While the market may be apprehensive. This policy­ protests (Editorial page, outburst of the pluralist Ing­wen for a second term land has to be followed. But and “Dust from debris leaves prepared to accept a standstill policy for now, any troika now under way “Sparkling people, a sentiment; they consider it as might arguably humble do we realise how resources neighbours breathless”, both change in the RBI’s stance from accommodative to neu­ appears to delineate spiritless Opposition”, a belated attempt to blunt China’s ‘President­for­life’, Xi (which are continually January 14). tral may not go down well. A lot would also depend on differences where none January 14). That the pro­ the growing perception that Jinping, most especially after depleting) are being wasted? Purva Mhatre, Mumbai the fiscal arithmetic that would emerge from the budget should exist. And this is CAA support has been muted opposition to a law is a mere the serious muscle­flexing in Can we not come up with a precisely what has fuelled does not mean the silent front for spewing hatred Hong Kong. Taiwan has to be presented on February 1. Meanwhile, the govern­ corrections & clarifications: the peoples’ agitation. The majority has endorsed the against an elected reaffirmed the victory of In the front­page story titled “CAA meant to give citizenship, not ment should engage all levers to address the supply­ government is yet to streak of intolerance that government. The attempt to democratic engagement. It is side issues that are behind the rise in food inflatio n. A take it away, says PM Modi” (Jan. 13, 2020), there was an erroneous proceed beyond parsing a permeated the street depict the protests as the expected that the reference to the Prime Minister’s remarks made on the calming down of food prices will help the bank do what conciliatory sentence, protests in the initial phase. fight between a community international community is international youth day. It should have been national youth day.

the government and markets want — lower rates. much less open a dialogue. The Opposition has and the government was a ‘unlikely to continue The Readers’ Editor’s office can be contacted by Telephone: +91-44-28418297/28576300; The deterioration in the developed cold feet after dangerous narrative that adhering to the One China E-mail:[email protected]

CM A ND-NDE YK