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! "$% !&       /2;2* 0 some of the comments and people from different sections Siddharamaiah, Oomen barbs by party’s senior leaders of society and held several Chandy, Tarun Gogoi and he Congress Working gave opportunities to ruling rounds of consultations with Harish Rawat will attend the    TCommittee (CWC) on parties to embarrass the them across the country, to meeting. Priyanka Gandhi Monday is likely to take the Congress. The Congress leaders include their views in the man- Vadra and , final call on AAP-Congress will discuss pros and cons of ifesto. It has also launched an who took charge last month as alliance in the national Capital aligning with the AAP. While online portal to seek views and AICC general secretary UP and also strategise on how to the opinion within the Congress expectations of people from the east and UP west respectively, run the party’s campaigns in is divided on this issue, NCP grand old party ahead of the will also be present. Opposition-ruled States like Chief Sharad Pawar is active- polls. The top party The party also released its West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh ly involved in getting the two leaders have promised to make ninth list of 10 candidates for without annoying its prospec- parties together. the manifesto a comprehensive the Lok Sabha elections, field- tive post-poll allies. The issue has divided document that will include ing former Finance Minister P Sources said the Congress Congress unit between views of all sections. Chidambaram’s son Karti leadership will also give a final two camps — one led by for- “The contents of the man- Chidambaram from Sivaganga shape to the party’s manifesto mer Chief Minister Sheila ifesto will be discussed at the in Tamil Nadu. Karti is facing which may include among oth- Dikshit and another by former CWC to be chaired by Congress trial in corruption cases, ers populist programmes like Union Minister Ajay Maken president Rahul. Top Congress including the INX media employment guarantee and AICC Delhi incharge PC leaders, including former Prime money laundering case. schemes, loan waivers to farm- Chacko. Sources said the AAP, Minister Manmohan Singh, Former NCP leader Tariq ers, and welfare schemes for which wrested power from senior Congress leaders Sonia Anwar was nominated by the youth and women voters. Congress four years ago, is The other issue that the poll campaign in Malda. Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, AK party for the Katihar Lok Sabha                 The CWC, which is the keen to take on BJP in an party may discuss was the The party manifesto for the Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad, P seat in Bihar, which he cur- !  "          $    apex body of the grand old alliance with the Congress nature of campaign to be run Lok Sabha election is being Chidambaram, Mallikarjun rently represents. The party %&'(   )* party, will also discuss possible despite conflicting utterances by in Opposition-run States. framed by a committee head- Kharge, Ambika Soni and also fielded its former general star campaigners for the party by senior leaders of both the The need to do this was felt ed by P Chidambaram, which Anand Sharma, will be present secretary BK Hariprasad from this country. The people will in the General Elections. parties. Delhi has seven Lok after ’s vitriolic has some other members too. at the meeting,” said a AICC the Bangalore South con- teach a bitter lesson to the polit- Sources said there could be gag Sabha seats, all represented by attack on Chief Minister The Congress has already leader. stituency in Karnataka. ical parties who are raising orders to certain leaders as BJP now. Mamata Banerjee during his launched an exercise to involve Former Chief Ministers Continued on Page 4 questions about Pulwama attacks and subsequent Indian  action,” Shah said while addressing a rally in Agra. Incidentally, all the top   leaders of the BJP referred to P   Pulwama attack and Pakistan       * ./< in their addresses. Rajnath too       accused some Opposition par-    he on ties for questioning Armed       ! TSunday began its Lok Sabha forces in the wake of the IAF air  "   Pakistan’s internal issue and campaign in a big way in Uttar strike inside Pakistan after "    (be) rest assured it’s not Modi’s   * ./< Pradesh with senior party lead- Pulwama terror attack.     where minorities are ers, including party chief Amit “Some leaders are asking       subjugated, it’s Imran Khan’s amajwadi Party president Shah, holding Vijay Sankalp ral- how many people were killed in  #$% & Naya Pak where white colour SAkhilesh Yadav will contest lies across the State invoking that attack. This is questioning of our flag is equally dearer to from Azamgarh Lok Sabha nationalism in the context of as if whether air strike had    us.” seat in Uttar Pradesh, which Modi Government response to actually happened or not,” he    “I hope you’ll act with was represented by his father the Pulwama terror attack. said. Yogi even equated one of  '   same diligence when it comes Mulayam Singh Yadav. Union Home Minister the candidates in Saharanpur as "        /2;2* 0 to rights of Indian minorities,” While the 79-year-old SP Rajnath Singh addressed a rally damaad (son-in law) of Azhar ()   *#" he said. patriarch will contest from in Lucknow from where he is Masood and asked people to      + war of words erupted on Swaraj, in her response to “safe seat” Mainpuri, the party seeking re-election, while Chief defeat the candidates who talk ,   O   ASunday between External Chaudhary, said she had only on Sunday made a volte face Minister Yogi Adityanath the language of terrorists. .  "' Affairs Minister asked for a report from the and included its founder chief Akhilesh, Azam, Dimple addressed a gathering in Uttar Pradesh, a home to / &.   and Pakistan’s Information Pakistan Ajay Bisaria on the Indian High Commissioner in Mulayam Singh Yadav’s name Yadav and Jaya Bachchan Saharanpur, the constituency 22 crore people, sends maxi-      Minister Fawad Chaudhary reported abduction of the girls Islamabad about the kidnap- in its list of “star campaigners”, among others, besides Ram that will go to polls in first phase mum 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.  0/1 over reports of abduction of and their forcible conversion to ping and forced conversion of a day after leaving him out of Gopal Yadav himself. on April 11. Another Union In 2014 election party, with its    & two Hindu teenaged girls and Islam. two minor Hindu girls to Islam. it. Also, the SP announced At present, the SP patriarch Minister Mukhtar Abaas Naqvi ally Apna Dal, 73 seats were their forcible conversion to Pakistan Prime Minister “This was enough to make that senior leader Azam Khan represents Azamgarh con- addressed a meeting in Rampur. won with the BJP bagging 71      Islam on the eve of Holi in the Imran Khan has ordered a you jittery. This only shows will contest from Rampur. stituency. He had represented “In this election constituencies. This year the    Sindh province. probe into the matter. your guilty conscience,” she The list released by senior Mainpuri three times earlier in Opposition is defaming the party has set a target to win 74  !" # ! 2    In a tweet, Swaraj sought a Responding to Swaraj’s tweet, said. SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav 1996, 2004 and 2009. valour of Indian Army. This is seats. '/  report from Indian envoy in Chaudhary said, “Maam its Continued on Page 4 included the names of party Continued on Page 4 not acceptable to the people of Continued on Page 4   " *#/      /    O      " & %+,  -   .  /0        /2;2* 0 had put their number to just ed. The EIA consultant of the    $  264. This variety of bustard is project is M/s Enviro Infra  3  Central environmental found in the four States — Solutions Pvt Ltd, Ghaziabad. ,     Apanel has spiked the , , The EAC also noted that "     *.4 National Highway Authority of Rajasthan and . the land acquisition for the    40   L M   India’s proposal to construct The proposed project is a proposed alignment was     the Rs 1078.40-crore 211-km- part of Delhi- approximately 336.72 ha out of JP on Sunday announced    *# long eight-lane road (newly Expressway under Bharatmala which 41.82 ha is forest land. Bnames of low-profile can- " & declared NH 148N) connecting Pariyojana as per the guidelines Approximately 2,438 number didates for six seats for Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam dis- of the Ministry of Road, of trees are likely to be cut. which goes to %     trict to Vadodara in Gujarat. It Transport and Highways. The For want of requisite infor- polls in three phases for 11 Lok        said the road may threaten the length of the proposed align- mation, the panel deferred its Sabha seats. The party had  !!& 4      habitat of the highly endan- ment is 31 km which is locat- nod to the project and sought announced five names earlier. " #  gered Lesser Floricans in the ed within 10 km radius from cumulative impacts of the pro- BJP has picked up a sur-       adjoining Sailna Khamor the boundary of Sailana ject activities on the habitat of prise face, former mayor Sunil        Wildlife Sanctuary in Ratlam Kharmor Wildlife Sanctuary. wildlife, such as Lesser Florian, Soni, for Raipur seat while   district. Curiously, while deliberat- direct loss of habitat at inter- Santosh Pandey, a die-hard   #  In a meeting held recently, ing the proposed project at its section locations particularly supporter of former chief min- *3 7.  O the Expert Appraisal recent meeting the EAC mem- on account of damage to the ister Raman Singh, for     & Committee (EAC) of the bers found that plans pertain- existing vegetation due to con- Rajnandgaon seat. Soni has Union Environment Ministry ing to air, water, noise and soil Sanctuary, in the Environment struction activities and trans- replaced former union minis-   '( sought detailed information quality monitoring locations Impact Assessment port and degradation of habi- ter Ramesh Bais while Pandey        on the impact of the project on along the proposed alignment (EIA)/Environment tat quality due to construction in place of Abhishek Singh, son  4 *# the smallest agro-grassland were not submitted. Also, even Management Programme activities and construction of Raman Singh. " 2    bustard which are in the dan- though the proposed align- (EMP) report, details of sanc- camps, and human use of water Arun Saw, a largely 89## ger of becoming extinct from ment was located within 10 km tuary, flora and fauna and con- resources. unknown face, will contest  ::  & India. The last census in 2017 Salina Khamor Wildlife servation plan were not includ- Continued on Page 4 from Bilaspur seat while the Sahu as party candidate to Durg seat. party has decided to bet on a take on Congress heavyweight BJP had won 10 out of the small cadre Jyoti Nand Dubey and former minister 11 seats in 2014 elections and for prestigious Korba seat. Dhanendra Sahu. Vijay Baghel, it lost polls only in Durg seat. BJP has done caste arith- a close relative of Chhattisgarh Analysts say that BJP is expect- metic better for Mahasamund chief minister , ed to suffer heavy defeat in seat and announced Chunnilal will be the BJP candidate for Chhattisgarh in 2019.      /2;2* 0 force who are already stressed Block in this connection under due to continuous deployment the chairmanship of Additional n a shocking revelation about in hard areas,” the official said. Secretary (Police) in the Home Ithe health of the CRPF per- The paramilitary has cited Ministry Praveen Kumar sonnel, over nine per cent of LMC cases as a reason not to Srivastava. the total strength of the world’s enhance the retirement age At present, the retirement largest paramilitary force is from 57 to 60 years. While BSF age is 57 years from the rank of sick and placed under low has an LMC of 5.5 per cent, the Constable up to the rank of medical category (LMC). ITBP has 6 per cent sick per- Commandant. Out of a total strength of sonnel, the Intelligence official However, if an officer is    40  2,43,000 men in CRPF under said quoting from the minutes promoted to the rank of the command of Force’s chief of the meeting held at the Deputy Inspector General, he ormer Chief Minister and Director General RR Home Ministry for enhancing or she is eligible to retire at the FBJP national vice-president Bhatnagar, as many as 22, 120 the retirement age. age of 60 years. Raman Singh on Sunday personnel are placed in the low The Home Ministry is During the meeting held strongly criticised the Congress medical category, according to holding consultations with the by Srivastava, Additional Government for going for a official data. paramilitary leadership to Director General (Personnel) of loan borrowing spree since it Of the 22,120 LMC cases, enhance the retirement age CRPF Atul Karwal said that the came to power in December 85 per cent of the figure con- from 57 to 60 years following number of LMC personnel last year. to media persons at Swami polls. “There is a lot of resent- stitutes pure medical cases opposed to enhancing the Intelligence wing of the CRPF a directive from the Delhi will increase significantly if “The repeated act of loan Vivekanand airport Raipur on ment among public against implying diseases such as retirement age from 57 years to posted in the paramilitary High Court that had in an the retirement age is increased borrowing will adversely his return from New Delhi. the Congress Government and hypertension, obesity and dia- 60 years and has advocated a directorate here. order issued on January 31 this to 60 years as 2-3 per cent LMC impact the fiscal health of the Singh further alleged that it will reflect in three-phased betes. The remaining 15 per status quo in the superannua- “Putting a spanner in year to make the retirement age cases increase in proportion state government as well as its the new Congress Government parliamentary polls,’’ Singh cent are mostly accident/inci- tion of the personnel up to the enhancing the retirement age uniform for all the ranks to 60 with the increase in age of the normal working of govern- has breached trust of public as claimed. The State goes to dent related LMC cases. rank of Commandant, said a will only breed resentment years. Two rounds of meetings personnel. ment in state in near future,’’ it failed to keep up its promis- polls for 11 Lok Sabha seats on Bhatnagar is reportedly senior official of the among the various ranks of the have been held at the North Continued on Page 4 Singh cautioned while talking es made in run up to Assembly April 11, 18 and 23.   ()  ( *+, *-./    $  /2;2* 0 violation of Model Code of According to the code, the Congress, on the other hand, Conduct on social media per-            platforms will endeavour to, has taken to social media to s the countdown to the taining to the concerned States     L M   “where appropriate and keep- constantly attack the Central A2019 general elections and UTs will immediately be           ing in mind the principle of Government for lack of jobs, begin, the Election intimated to the grievance offi- '2 A2B      freedom of expression,” deploy the alleged scam in the Rafale Commission (EC) has direct- cer of the concerned social  "  '   A ' B   appropriate policies and deal, demonetisation, GST ed chief electoral officers of all media platforms. #   , 8C processes to facilitate access to implementation and farmers' States and Union Territories The States and UTs will '  ;.% "  " information on electoral mat- distress. The (UTs) to appoint nodal officer also intimate to the  ; ;  4 .  ; ;  ters. Campaigns will be organ- #ChowkidarChorHai cam- to check misuse of social media Commission’s grievance officer    #     D ised to create awareness, paign was launched by the and intimate it by March 25. of violations of MCC / instruc- including on electoral laws and Congress to attack Modi and Besides, the Commission has tions issued by the "   0 ,4  other instructions from the the Centre over Rafale deal. also appointed Dilip K Verma Commission, who will exam- 0A04,40B  #  L%   Election Commission of India During the five States Secretary, Sayyid Rechashmi ine the matter instantly. After 2   $ 28)(EM2 (EC). Assembly elections last year the Deputy Director Arun Kumar the appraisal of Director '      The platforms and the dissemination of fake infor- Palani, Deputy Director as General (Media) or at appro-     Commission have developed a mation through social media nodal officers to look into mis- priate level in the Commission,    "(89     notification mechanism by was reportedly a major influ- use of social media during it will write to the grievance 4  which the electoral body can encing factor. The political polls. Political parties use social officer to take up the action. notify them of potential viola- parties had formed thousands media platforms as well as The EC has decided that in tions under Section 126 of the of WhatsApp groups ahead of friendly websites to trumpet case any violation of model social media platforms viz to time shall also apply to the early this week presented a during the election. The code’s Representation of the People the polls. Though WhatsApp their “achievements” while dis- code of conduct or any other Facebook, YouTube Twitter content being posted on the “Voluntary Code of Ethics for purpose is to identify measures Act, and on other matters. has now limited the number of crediting their rivals by spread- Commission’s instructions or and WhatsApp. In its commu- internet including Facebook, the General Election 2019” to that the platforms can take to Prime Minister Narendra forwards by an individual user ing canards and untruths dur- court’s order related to poll niqués’ to States and UTs, the Twitter, YouTube by candi- the EC. “This code will become increase confidence in the elec- Modi launched his to five, there is still scope for its ing polls. matters is observed on social EC said that the provisions of dates and political parties. effective and will enter into toral process. It is also to safe- #MainBhiChowkidar cam- misuse. Besides social media In its communiqué’s to the media plateform, the same the Model Code of Conduct Social media platforms and force on March 20, 2019,” they guard against misuse that viti- paign on Twitter, to counter the plateforms, motivated websites States and Union Territories, shall be forwarded to the griev- and related instructions of the the Internet and Mobile said in a statement, adding that ates the “free and fair charac- Congress’ narrative of can play ample mischief and the EC also stated that cases of ance officers appointed by the Commission issued from time Association of India (IAMAI) it would remain operational ter” of the Lok Sabha polls. #ChowkidarChorHai”. The mislead the electorate. # *  + (  /2;2* 0             % #'+ head of the Lok Sabha Apolls, the Election    Commission (EC) has ordered       /2;2* 0 26 lakh indelible ink bottles worth 33 crore. The seven- !    he Centre has sanctioned phase election will begin on "  #   Tan upgraded and fresh VIP April 11 and conclude on May security cover to the two 19. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elec- ! $!    Deputy Chief Ministers of the tions, the poll panel had bought % BJP-led Government in Uttar 21.5 lakh phials, 4.5 lakh less & #   Pradesh in view of possible than this year. The semi-per- threats to them during the manent ink is applied to the     ongoing Lok Sabha polls, offi- forefinger of electors to prevent # "'   cials said. them from voting more than They said while the exist- once under rules mandated #    ing central paramilitary com- by the EC . The indelible ink  (! ' ! mandos contingent of Deputy was formulated as a deterrent CM Keshav Prasad Maurya against voting twice. The stain )## # " has been enhanced to an all- The “Y+” cover has about upgrade for the two, they said. lasts several days before start- ' !!' ! India level, another Deputy 3-4 commands who are armed The two were appointed ing to fade. CM of the State, Dinesh with sophisticated rifles like Deputy CMs of the Uttar Mysore Paints and Varnish Sharma, has been accorded a AK-47s and possess mobile Pradesh in 2017 when BJP Ltd, a Government of crore,” he said. with the Law Ministry, contains 10 cubic centimetres customers exchanging defunct similar paraphernalia, afresh. armour gadgets. came to power and Yogi Karnataka undertaking, is the The order, Doddamani National Physical Laboratory (cc). As per modern measure- currency notes to check suspi- While Maurya already had The two UP politicians are Adityanath was made the CM. only authorised manufacturer said, is higher than the last gen- and National Research ment methods, one cubic cen- cious deposits. Grappling with a “Y+” category cover of the expected to traverse the length The Central Reserve Police of indelible ink for the EC. eral elections by 4.5 lakh phials. Development Corporation, had timetre is equivalent to one unending queues and frayed CRPF during his movement in and breadth of the country dur- Force (CRPF) has a dedicated Managing Director, Mysore In this election, nearly 90 crore made an agreement with milli litre. Mysore Paints tempers in banks and to check UP, he will now have the sanc- ing the Lok Sabha polls, that VIP security wing and it guards Paints, Chandrashekhar people are eligible to case their Mysore Paints for supply of exports indelible ink to more operation of syndicates after tioned 3-4 armed commandos will see its first polling day on as many as 76 personalities in Doddamani said that the com- votes for which the EC will set indelible ink for Lok Sabha and than 30 countries across the the note ban, the government for security across the country. April 11, and hence the cover the country including BJP pres- pany has received an order for up nearly 10 lakh polling sta- Assembly elections. Since then, globe. had introduced the system of Sharma has been given the has been sanctioned, they said. ident Amit Shah. 26 lakh phials of 10cc each tions across the country. it has been supplying the ink Soon after the note ban, the marking customers exchanging same category of VIP security A report prepared by cen- The force has four battal- from the EC. “The expected In 1962, the Election for elections in India. company was asked to provide defunct currency notes with cover on an all-India basis, they tral security agencies formed ions, comprising over 4,000 turnover is approximately 33 Commission, in collaboration A bottle of indelible ink indelible ink to banks to mark indelible ink. said. the basis of this security personnel, for this task. )            4  /2;2* 0 ormer JNU students’ union Fleader Kanhaiya Kumar will  /2;2* 0 7)"7")#&6)57".) " +.M5&)<<5#)""5&+ contest from Begusarai Lok *! +)5+)6) 7+"6)6&##76.@&5#.85+.  /2;2* 0 Sabha seat in Bihar as the CPI he Central Board of  A B 7+ 7&##765)C.A #65)6#&8" nominee. Begusarai has been TIndirect Taxes and Customs 7+"65)#5:6&*") 76"C. 7+5)#657)# * 7+ he BJP on Sunday released Left stronghold for decades, but (CBIC) has asked its field offi- Ta list of its nine more Lok the RJD-led Opposition cers to step up vigilance in )!"4)#6)8"5&+*! 7) 7+57+5!")6 " Sabha election candidates, tak- alliance refused to accommo- order to check illegal move-  "6#5""*5#+#!5!7)5<6".)# 7". 7+ ing the total number of names date CPI in the mahagathb- ment of currency, liquor and :# )6 #)#+<8)" " "65!!#6 <8)" announced by it to 306. Six handan. gold in the run up to general candidates are for Chhattisgarh “Kanhaiya Kumar will be elections beginning April 11. and one each for Meghalaya, our candidate from Begusarai It has also asked the tax flights as well as commercial target sensitive areas, com- Maharashtra and Telangana. seat. CPI(ML) has pledged officers to share intelligence flights.” modities and suspicious enti- The party had earlier their support to us too,” senior and seizure information with General elections for the ties,” the CBIC said, adding that announced that none of its nine CPI leader D Raja said. other Government agencies on will be held in information should be shared sitting Lok Sabha members Candidates for two more seats real-time basis. The CBIC’s seven phases beginning April with the board on a daily basis. from Chhattisgarh will be field- are yet to be finalized by the instructions follow a multi- 11 and will continue till May It said coordinated efforts ed in the polls, a move aimed central leadership, he added. departmental meeting called by 19. Counting of votes will take on the part of different gov- at any perceived anti-incum- As part of the seat-sharing the Election Commission ear- place on May 23. ernment agencies is required bency they may have after the pact of the 'mahagathbandhan', lier in the month on sharing of It said the field formations and hence it is imperative that saffron party suffered a big the Communist Party of India intelligence with a view to and officers should be duly sen- intelligence and detection/ defeat to the Congress in the (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation checking illegal activities. sitised to step up the preventive seizure information be shared assembly polls. (CPI-ML), the biggest Left In its instructions, the vigilance mechanism to rule with other agencies on a real- Putting to rest speculation party in Bihar, got one seat CBIC said, “All out efforts out illicit movement of cur- time basis. Close coordination on whether former from the Rashtriya Janata Dal's should be made to detect and rency and commodities and has to be maintained with Chhattisgarh chief minister (RJD) share of 20. seize illicit currency, liquor, conduct effective checking and election authorities as well, it Raman Singh will be fielded In Begusarai, Kumar will /        1   1             $  2 %&'( gold, FICN (Fake Indian surveillance during the election added. from his home constituency be pitted against the BJP's     )* Currency Note), NDPS period to curb illegal activities. The EC in its multi-depart- Rajnandgaon or not, the BJP Giriraj Singh. (Narcotic Drugs and “Intelligence units under mental meeting had underlined named Santosh Pandey its can- An influential upper caste RJD will repeat Tanveer Hasan this constituency for the last Nehru University sedition con- Psychotropic Substances), and your jurisdiction may be direct- the need for greater coordina- didate from the seat. Bhumihar leader, the Union as its nominee. one year, does not cut into the troversy. other contraband items. Strict ed to gather information and tion among different It has fielded Jyoti Nand minister has been shifted from The presence of Kanhaiya Bhumihar vote bank. Both The student leader, accused vigil should be maintained on develop intelligence to effec- Government agencies to keep Dubey from Korba, Arun Saw his Nawada seat. The maha- will give nightmare to Giriraj Kanhaiya and Giriraj belong to of raising anti-India slogans on domestic as well as cross bor- tively accomplish this task. a tab on expenditure incurred from Bilaspur, Vijay Baghel gathbandhan is yet to Singh who would have to the same Bhumihar caste. the varsity campus with nine der movement of vehicles, Mobile squads and special by candidates and political from Durg and Sunil Soni announce its candidate, but ensure that firebrand student Kumar came into lime- others, has been charged with trains, and private chartered teams may be constituted to parties. from Raipur in the State. there is speculation that the leader, who has been visiting light after the 2016 Jawaharlal sedition by the Delhi Police.  /2;2* 0 According to the World 665#+78)5)%5#+  ) services, using community- drug susceptibility testing has Health Organisation, globally, #8 7" )57.85* .+ )" based approaches to find, diag- been rolled out and shorter and ndia achieved 84 per cent TB deaths among people living !578:5:78)  nose and treat the missing newer treatment regimen has Ireduction in tuberculosis with HIV have fallen by 42 per  < 7*-':#67)"76 cases can help countries reduce been expanded countrywide. (TB) deaths among people liv- cent since 2010, from 5,20,000 '00.<#5!/.'0.000+57)5 the death rates, the UN health “India is moving towards ing with HIV by 2017 — three down to 3,00,000 in 2017. 3.00.0007'0= body suggested. an injection free regimen. years ahead of the target, said “TB should be a disease of Meanwhile, Union Health Private sector engagement has a report by The Joint United the past. It has been treatable 2017, 1.6 million people died Secretary of India, Preeti Sudan been elevated as one of the Nations Programme on and preventable for decades. from TB, including around at an event here stressed on the highest priorities with strength- HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Years of neglecting the rights of three lakh people living with importance of more sensitive ened regulatory measures, col- A report released last week the world's poor to basic health HIV. and responsive doctors, para- laborative incentives and scale showed that India is among the care, food and shelter have let “People living with HIV are medics, frontline health work- up of successful Patient five low or middle-income TB take hold and allowed resis- especially at risk. There is still ers and community partners, Provider Support Agency countries — Eritrea (83 per tance to build,” Michel Sidibe, a chance for many countries to while dealing with TB patients. (PPSA) interventions which cent), Djibouti (78 per cent), Executive Director of UNAIDS, meet the target, but we have to According to the Ministry, led to a 35% increase in TB Malawi (78 per cent) and Togo said in a statement. act now it's time to end TB and India is now closest ever to cov- notification from the private (75 per cent) — that achieved TB is the top infectious AIDS,” Sidibe said. ering all TB cases with 21.5 sector. The Nikshay Poshan or exceeded the target of a 75 killer worldwide, claiming The report also showed lakh new TB patients notified Yojana has benefited 15 lakh per cent reduction in TB deaths around 4,400 lives a day. that between 2010 and 2017, in in 2018. “With the aim of uni- TB patients for nutrition sup- among people living with It also remains the leading around 40 countries the num- versal access to free diagnostics port with Rs. 240 cores dis- human immunodeficiency cause of death among people ber of TB deaths among peo- and treatment services, path bursed as DBT since April virus (HIV), by 2017, three living with HIV, causing one in ple living with HIV rose. breaking policy changes have 2018,” said the Ministry in a years ahead of the 2020 target. three AIDS-related deaths. In Integrating TB and HIV been introduced; universal statement. RAIPUR | MONDAY | MARCH 25, 2019 chhattisgarh 03 Cop attempts suicide BJP did nothing for Bastar for 20 yrs: Baij in Balodabazar STAFF REPORTER n BIJAPUR STAFF REPORTER n The incident took place ongress candidate for Bastar Lok No hard feelings, says Kedar BALODABAZAR CSabha seat said on Saturday night when the Sunday that BJP failed to usher in police constable allegedly development in vast poverty-hit Aattempted to commit suicide constable, Yagya Sahu after denied ticket by setting himself on fire in Bastar despite it kept winning the Balodabazar district, but was res- doused himself in petrol seat for past 20 years. STAFF REPORTER n of Prime Minister Narendra cued by his colleague, police said which he took out from ``People have given enough JAGDALPUR Modi. Congress on regular basis on Sunday. chance to BJP in Bastar, now it’s the ormer minister and BJP is issuing irrelevant statements his motorcycle, and set turn of Congress’’ Baij remarked in a for political gains and people The incident took place Fleader Kedar Kashyap said Saturday night when the consta- formal chat with reporters at Bijapur on Sunday that his supporters understand everything,’’. himself ablaze, which comes under Bastar parlia- ble, Yagya Sahu doused himself were slightly angry after he was BJP has fielded Baiduram "Yagya has sustained 90 per mentary constituency. in petrol which he took out from denied ticket for Bastar Lok Kashyap for Bastar seat to save his motorcycle, and set himself cent burns and his condition is On Naxal issue, Baij said that he Sabha seat but he has no hard its bastion. “Congress attack on ablaze, said JR Thakur, said to be very critical. Ramkripal had already demanded release of feelings for the party or against Baiduram is a political conspira- Balodabazar Additional is reported to be out of danger", innocent tribal booked in various any individual. cy to confuse the people Superintendent of Police. Thakur informed. jails under false cases. ``They (supporters) have through a web of lies. Congress Sahu's colleague constable The trigger behind the Jagdalpur. “Dialogue with the villagers, been pacified and urged to work is running out of issues after BJP Ramkripal Sahu who tried to put extreme step taken by Yagya is local leaders will be initiated soon for party with utmost dedica- Kashyap further stated, has put a strong candidate for out the flames, was also injured, being investigated. A case has and a solution to the Naxal issue in tion,’’ Kashyap said while talking “Congress lacks quality leader- Bastar. Party workers will ensure police said. Both the constables been registered and further probe Bastar to be found,’’ he said. to reporters at BJP office, ship who can match the stature his victory,’’ he opined. were shifted to hospital in Raipur. is underway. Five held for illegally adopting infant STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR ive persons were arrested on FSunday on charges of a case of illegal adoption of a newborn babe, police said. The infant baby’s mother along with four others was arrested while the baby has been placed in a gov- ernment-run creche, Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Prafull Thakur informed. To the question of any kind of monetary benefits involved in the case, the ASP said, ``prima-facie it looks like no money was transferred but the individuals involved in case The accused in police custody Pioneer Photo The barricades are being installed in the Raipur collectorate premises on Sunday as part of preparation for filing of nomination papers for Lok Sabha polls. had adopted the baby while violating norms and rules. We are looking into band and they already had two chil- detained Ishwari and then arrested the money party,’’. dren. Mamta and Rupa, ASP Thakur said. Three persons killed in road accident The accused have been identi- At the hospital she met Mamta Police tracked down Sanjay Dhanedra Sahu to file nomination today fied as the mother of infant Ishwari Goswami who advised Ishwari not Gandtra and his brother-in-law STAFF REPORTER n DURG Uttam Verma informed. The Chelak from Baloda Bazar, Mamta to abort the baby. She took Ishwari to Bhupesh in this connection. STAFF REPORTER n winning prospects of former hree people were killed on deceased were identified as Goswami of Tatibandh, Roopa house of a woman named Rupa Police have registered a case MAHASAMUND minister Sahu who is a powerful TSunday after a bike on Subhas Yadav Manikpuri (40), Rathore of Purani Basti, Sanjay Rathore, living in Purani Basti local- under section 75 (punishment for ongress candidate for OBC community Pyarelal Dewangan (67) and Gandatra of Khamtarai and Bhupesh ity of state capital. cruelty to child), 80 (punitive meas- leader. which they were travelling in CMahasamund Lok collided head-on with an Dhayram Sahu (50) all residents Makhija from Saraipali town of Two months later on March 9, ures for adoption without following Sabha seat Dhanendra The BJP has of Durg district. They were on Mahasamund district. 2019, she gave birth to a baby girl at prescribed procedures) and 81 (sale dumped its sitting MUV coming from opposite Sahu will file his nomina- direction under Pulgaon way to Durg city from Chingri According to the ASP, Ishwari Ambedkar Hospital Raipur. and procurement of children for any MP from village in the district and had purpose) of the Juvenile Justice tion papers on March 25 Mahasamund police station limits. The colli- who belongs to labour class had The matter came to light after an at Mahasamund collec- Chandulal Sahu sion was so intense that two reached Kolihapuri around 10 reached Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial unknown person registered com- (Care and Protection of Children) torate. and announced persons died on the spot while am when the accident hap- Hospital in Raipur while she was plaint with Women and Child Act, 2015 against the accused. Chief Minister candidature of a largely another one succumbed to pened, the SHO said while seven-month pregnant. She had Development Department in this The accused were presented at Bhupesh Baghel will attend the unknown face of Sahu commu- injuries at the hospital, Station adding that the MUV driver was decided to abort the child, as she was regard. The department then lodged the local court from where they were nomination rally to boost the nity, Chunnilal Sahu. House Officer (SHO) Pulgaon arrested the vehicle was seized. fed up of abuse hurled by her hus- an FIR after which police initially sent to jail.   ()  ( *+, *-./ *

2 R  9   <4* nephew of former Prime If the 75-plus age barrier is Gwalior: The Gwalior unit of Minister , held against one, the other Madhya Pradesh Congress has he BJP in Madhya Pradesh Chintamani Malviya from could be kept out too, a party  =;244; '';  recommended the name of Thas withheld its nominee , Gyan Singh from supporter from Indore said.  4  party general secretary for the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat Shahdol and Jyot Dhurve from Digvijay Singh’s nomina- he Telugu Desam Party   Jyotiraditya Scindia’s wife after the Congress formally Betul, whose certificate as a tion from Bhopal has caused T(TDP) will not contest Lok     Priyadarshini as the Lok Sabha fielded former Chief Minister tribal candidate was found to flutter among his supporters Sabha elections in Telangana,     candidate from the con- Digvijay Singh. The party has be forged. and detractors alike. His son party sources said on Sunday. stituency. The Congress work- deferred a decision on Gwalior The new faces are Jaivardhan tweeted a poem to With several top leaders (F*#" ers passed a resolution in this and Indore too. Durgadas Uikey from Betul (a suggest the party could subject defecting to the ruling    ' regard on Sunday. While the Bharatiya Janata choice of RSS) and Amit him to severe tests but Digvijay Telangana Rashtra Samithi A meeting of the Congress Party has cleared a list of 15 out Firozia, a first-time contestant Singh would happily face the (TRS) and remaining leaders in all 17 Lok Sabha con- district unit, called on Sunday 29 seats, the Congress is tread- from Ujjain. Former Union challenges. Former Leader of not keen to contest the polls, stituencies in Telangana. at party office to discuss the ing cautiously. Apart from minister Dalbir Singh’s daugh- Opposition Ajay Singh has the TDP’s Telangana unit is The TDP, the ruling party potential candidates, unani- Digvijay Singh, its list of nine ter Himadri Singh, who quit suggested that leaders from understood to have decided not of Andhra Pradesh, had con- mously passed a resolution also includes three women - been vetting the list at every Malegaon blasts. the Congress last week, is to Gwalior and Chambal (read to field candidates for next tested Telangana Assembly polls supporting Priyadarshini’s can- Meenakshi Natarajan from stage. The current member, The BJP’s first list of 15 contest the Shahdol seat. Jyotiraditya Scindia) should month’s elections. as part of the four-party ‘People’s didature from the seat. Gwalior Mandsaur, Kavita Singh from , is unlikely to be re- reflects a big reshuffle. The Like Bhopal, nominations be asked to contest from Monday is the last day for Alliance’ led by the Congress. Congress chief Dr Devendra Khajuraho and Pramila Singh, nominated considering the party has dropped five MPs for Indore and Gwalior have Indore. Vijayvargiya has offered filing of nominations for the The alliance secured 21 seats in Sharma and rural unit chair- a former BJP MLA, from trib- resistance from the ranks and and shifted Union Minister become contentious for both to contest against Digvijay elections scheduled on April 11. 119-member Telangana man Mohan Singh Rathore al-dominated Shahdol. possible challenge from from parties. The BJP has also been Singh. He says with his own The TDP, which contested Assembly. They included two of have jointly sent the recom- The BJP was considering Digvijay Singh. Gwalior to Morena in antici- reconsidering the nomination party members keen to defeat the recent Assembly elections TDP and one of them has mendation letter to party pres- senior RSS worker Vishnu Dutt Former Chief Minister, pation of Congress nominating of outgoing Lok Sabha Speaker him, it would be interesting to in alliance with Congress, may crossed over to the TRS. ident Rahul Gandhi. Sharma for Bhopal, but there Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who Jyotiraditya Scindia from following take on Digvijay Singh. announce support to Congress The decision came two “People of Gwalior want were protests from senior was initially considered for Gwalior, instead of Guna which murmurs of protest from the days after former MP Nama Jyotiraditya to contest, but if members like former Chief Vidisha may be asked to take he currently holds. rival faction led by Kailash Nageswara Rao quit the TDP to that could not be possible then Minister Babulal Gaur, former on Digvijay Singh. The RSS has The dropped MPs include Vijayvargiya. join the TRS, which gave him Pridarshini must be the Minister Umashankar Gupta also assessing the claim of former bureaucrat Bhagirath Her nomination will also ticket from Khammam Lok Congress candidate from the and others who sought a local Pragya Thakur, the saffron Prasad who had ditched the have a bearing on Bhopal Sabha constituency. He was one constituency,” state minister candidate to be fielded instead. Sadhvi who was recently Congress to accept the BJP where veteran leader Babulal of the last key leaders to leave Imarati Devi said. The RSS is said to have acquitted of charges in the ticket, , the Gaur has staked a claim. the TDP. IANS *#         7  4       =;244; ready, but we want you to take the call...,” she said. Her state- # .++ *+ +* efence Minister Nirmala ment comes two days after Sam   4/ 0 DSitharaman on Sunday Pitroda, chief of Indian Overseas slammed the Opposition and Congress, asked the govern- he Opposition grand  /2;2* 0 the Congress in particular for ment to come out with “more Talliance in Jharkhand on questioning the air strikes in facts” on the Balakot air strikes. Sunday announced their seat- he Congress on Sunday Pakistan after the Pulwama Prime Minister Modi, sharing formula among the Treleased its ninth list of 10 terror attack and accused them using the hashtag ‘Janta Maaf Congress, the JMM, the JVM candidates for the upcoming of politicising it. Nahi Karegi’ (people will not (Prajatantrik) and the RJD for Lok Sabha elections, including The BJP Government gave forgive) in a tweet, had attacked the 14 Lok Sabha seats Karti Chidambaram, son of freedom to the armed forces to Pitroda for reportedly saying he “The Congress will contest former Finance Minister P act and they delivered, she wanted to “know more” about in seven seats, while the Chidambaram, from Sivaganga said. Sitharaman also accused the Balakot air attack, includ- Jharkhand Mukti Morcha constituency in Tamil Nadu. the previous Congress-led UPA ing number of terrorists killed. (JMM) will contest four and Karti Chidambaram had government of not taking a Several BJP leaders, includ- Jharkhand Vikas Morcha also fought the 2014 parlia- similar deterrent action fol- ing BJP chief Amit Shah, (Prajatantrik-JVM) two. The mentary polls from Sivaganga, lowing the November 26, 2008 slammed Pitroda for his maha gathbandhan has left the stronghold of his father, but terror attacks in Mumbai and remarks. Referring to the Palamau seat to the RJD,” State lost to AIADMK’s PR claimed that the Army was Balakot air strikes,she said the )       !  /       Congress president Ajoy Kumar Senthilnathan. P Chidambaram willing to respond if the then Prime Minister hadclearly said      6  ! /    )* said at a Press conference here. had represented the con- government wanted them to do it was now up to the armed- Along with the state stituency in 2004 and 2009. something. forces to take the call on how The morale of the armed for proof by asking the govern- Congress president, JMM “If only a similar deterrent to proceed and that freedom forces is being hit at. So, when ment did you really kill terror- chief Shibu Soren, JMM’s work- action had been taken after the was given to them. the Opposition is questioning ists or did you really cross the ing president Hemant Soren (/!"%0!"/!1(  !"(0 Mumbai attack and I have “When action was taken by you are questioning them border. Pakistan can ask it..,” and JVM president Babulal enough reasons to believe the us...What is being asked how (armed forces) and then you Sitharaman said addressing an Marandi were present in the Mumbai: An 11-year-old Royal Bengal tiger at the ond such operation on the same tiger carried out armed forces did tell the many people did you actually keep telling us that don’t politi- event ‘Telangana For Modi’ press conference, Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) here has by the authorities, said the SGNP official. “Tiger Government at that time, if you kill...What is the proof. It is cise Balakot. You are the one organised by ‘Modi Army’ (sup- while there was no representa- been operated upon for removal of a growth on Yash underwent surgery in August 2018,” said want usto do something we are absolute shocking conduct. who is politicising it by asking us porters of Modi) here. tion from the RJD. its lip, an official said on Sunday. This is the sec- SGNP veterinary officer Dr Shailesh Pethe. PTI      /  /7)   ; 4R <=  Noida: Peeved over delay in Noida and Greater Noida “Buyers say there is no dif- possession of flats, a section of are part of the Gautam Buddh ference between the previous Srinagar: Three Jaish-e-   555 buyers in Noida and Greater Nagar parliamentary con- governments and the present Mohammad (JeM) terrorists Noida on Sunday started a stituency which has over 22.5 government. No leader comes were arrested by security forces unique initiative pledging to go lakh votes. Notably, over five to the support of the flat buyers on Sunday from the outskirts 6 From Page 1 for NOTA instead of any can- lakh new voters have been hence the flat buyers have decid- of the city, police said. Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Islami Jammu & Kashmir, she “For the sake of vote back didate in the Lok Sabha election. enrolled since 2014 and ed they will vote for NOTA,” “Three car-borne terrorists Party (PDP) president said it was ironical that while on the Opposition is questioning The flat buyers under a reg- a major chunk of them is flat Khan said in a statement. affiliated with proscribed terror Mehbooba Mufti said choking one hand, the Central Indian Army. India needs a istered umbrella body Noida buyers, according to the district In 2014, a total 3,836 votes outfit JeM (were) arrested by the democratic space and pun- Government claims to have Prime Minister who can give a Extension Flat Owners and administration. were polled for None of the police and security forces at ishing people collectively was a launched a rehabilitation scheme befitting reply to Pakistan and Members Association (NEFO- “The flat buyers in Greater Above in Gautam Buddh Lawaypora (on Srinagar- new policy adopted by the for terrorists who lay down terrorism. After India used air MA) have launched the ‘No Noida west have not got the those also did not help. Hence Nagar constituency, less than Baramulla road) (based) on a Centre to deal with Kashmir. arms, on the other, organisations force to destroy terror camps Home, No Vote’ drive to flats even after the assurance our association has started one per cent of the total votes credible input today,” a police The purpose behind the like Jammat and JKLF, which inside the Pak territory, the express their angst with their from the prime minister. (Uttar today the ‘No Home, No Vote’ cast that year. NOTA was intro- spokesperson said. The “repressive measures being have rejected violence as a country now realises that the elected representatives and Pradesh) Chief Minister Yogi drive from Rudra Projects in duced to empower the citizens spokesperson said ammunition, taken in Jammu & Kashmir by method of achieving any goal, Modi Government will not be state as well as central govern- Adityanath constituted three Greater Noida,” NEFOMA to indicate their disapproval for including live rounds, was seized the BJP-led Government is to are slapped with bans. a mute spectator to Pak-spon- ments, the body said. ministerial committees but president Annu Khan. all contestants. PTI from the three terrorists. PTI show the electorate how tough “ The JKLF is committed to sored terrorism ,” BJP nation- the saffron party is against resolution through political al president Shah said. Kashmiris”, Mufti claimed. means, while the Jamaat-e- He said till date there were 777 Dharmendra Yadav and Pradesh for the April-May Lok The Samajwadi Party and “Choking democratic space Islami is a religious and social only two countries in the world Akshay Yadav. Sabha polls. the BSP will hold a series of joint and punishing people collec- organisation running schools who had taken revenge of death While Dharmendra Yadav The Samajwadi Party has rallies for the Lok Sabha polls, tively is unfortunately a new and orphanages across the of their soldiers in terrorist From Page 1 will fight from Badaun, Akshay entered a pre-poll alliance with with the first being on April 7 in policy adopted by the govern- state. Such repressive measures attacks. “These were United The others whose names Yadav will contest from the Mayawati-led BSP and will Uttar Pradesh’s Deoband town. ment of India to deal with will shrink the already limited States and Israel, and India’s have been cleared by the party’s Firozabad. Dharmendra Yadav, contest 37 of 80 Lok Sabha seats There will be several joint rallies Kashmir,” the former CM said space and will only increase the name has been added to this list. central election committee the son of Ram Gopal Yadav, in UP. While the BSP will con- in the State and besides the SP at PDP youth convention here. level of alienation and frustra- Shah also attacked the Congress, include Mohammed Javed 777 will contest again from the seat test on 38 seats, the RLD, which and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Referring to a ban imposed tion among the people,” Mufti the SP and the BSP saying from Kishanganj and Uday that he has won thrice, while is also a part of the alliance, will the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) on the JKLF and the Jamaat-e- said. PTI these parties ran Governments Singh alias Pappu Singh from From Page 1 Akshay Yadav will contest from fight from three seats. The SP- will be also part of these public that were corrupt and squan- Purnia in Bihar and Haji In the 2014 polls, Mulayam Firozabad, from where he had BSP-RLD alliance had left two meetings, Samajwadi Party chief dered money for personal gain,” Farooq Mir from Baramulla in contested from two con- won the last parliamentary seats for the Congress in Amethi spokesman Rajendra he said. The rally held at the Jammu and Kashmir. stituencies, Azamgarh and elections. and Rae Bareli. Chowdhury said. The first of 44  Agra College ground was With this the party has Mainpuri, and won both. The The party has declared The general election is these joint rallies will be held attended by MP from Agra fielded a total of 227 candidates SP has so far announced the Dimple Yadav its candidate going to start on April 11 and in Saharanpur district’s     Ramshankar Katheria, whose so far and sealed an alliance in names of 20 candidates, 19 in from Kannauj. The Samajwadi will continue till May 19. Deoband town on April 7 and has been denied ticket. In his Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and one Madhya Party, the BSP and the Polling on the 80 seats in the will be addressed by Akhilesh   place SPS Baghel is the party Tamil Nadu and Jammu and Pradesh. Other prominent can- Rashtriya Lok Dal have entered State will be held in seven Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati and candidate. Kashmir. didates are Akhilesh’s cousins, into an alliance in Uttar phases. RLD president Ajit Singh. 333 " underscored that these paramili- especially in Ratlam region. From Page 1    /2;2* 0 tary forces are overburdened with %+,   “Smooth and fast-moving traffic will The two girls were alleged- work, a reason that is causing dis- cause only lower emissions thereby reduc- ly kidnapped by a group of he Aam Aadmi Party will satisfaction in the ranks. The report ing pollution levels. Accident rates are also “influential” men from their Tcontest the Lok Sabha polls submitted to the Home Ministry had -   .  /0 expected to come down substantially. home in Ghotki district in in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and also noted high levels of salary dis- Development of the proposed project road Sindh on the eve of Holi. has fielded three candidates in crepancy, difficulty due to unpaid From Page 1 will improve the local agriculture and enable Soon after the kidnapping, each of the States, senior leader From Page 1 medical claims and lack of career It also took exception that as the pro- farmers to realise better value for their prod- a video went viral in which a Sanjay Singh said on Sunday. Karwal also said that if the progression for the jawans. For the ject was largely elevated tracks and mea- ucts as well as attract more investment to cleric was purportedly shown In Uttar Pradesh, the AAP > retirement age is enhanced, it will officers, the report noted that they sures were needed to ensure injury and acci- that region, thus boost economy of the area, solemnising the Nikah (mar- has fielded Yogesh Dahiya from  ;2 4; / directly impact the recruitment face lack of identity, continuous dents to a lesser extent. The EAC has also State and nation as a whole. The vehicle riage) of the two girls. Saharanpur, Satish Chandra process for next three years and sub- posting in hard areas, lack of author- sought measures that need to be considered operating and maintenance cost is expect- In a separate video, the Sharma from Aligarh and ith the BJP and Congress sequently increase the age profile of ity and training opportunities lead- for habitat conservation and conservation ed to go down substantially. minor girls can be seen saying Shweta Sharma from Gautam Wannouncing their candi- the force with reduced component ing them to de-motivation and of Lesser Florican and mitigation measures The proposed road alignment will also that they accepted Islam of Budh Nagar for the polls, Singh dates for the Lok Sabha polls of youth in the force. burnout creating different psycho- to be addressed in detail after consultation include general amenities like bus bays, truck their own free will. said in a tweet. in Uttarakhand, electioneering As many as 180 battalions logical complications. The study with the State Chief Wildlife warden. lay byes, rest areas, service road at builtup According to media The party is likely to con- on Sunday picked up momen- (1,80,000 personnel) out of 243 bat- was instituted after alarming levels Lesser Florican is the smallest bird of locations, pedestrian and cattle underpass- reports, the Hindu communi- test the Lok Sabha polls from tum. The process of filing talions are deployed in various of attrition in the paramilitary forces the bustard family. It is one of the four bus- es, landscaping and tree plantation, traffic aid ty in the area staged protests, 25 seats in Uttar Pradesh. For nomination papers ends on roles without any peace time deploy- was reported. However, the report tard species of India, all of which are threat- post, emergency telecom system, emer- demanding action against per- rest of the seats, the process to Monday. ment. A Subedar Major rank offi- was junked and no remedial mea- ened as per International Union for gency medical aid post, streetlight at built ups petrators of the alleged crime. select candidates is in the final Both the parties placed cial in the media branch of the sures undertaken. Parliamentary Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Though etc and thus overall facilities to the road users In a Twitter post in Urdu, stage, Singh said. orders for election materials Force’s headquarters said a mecha- panels have also flagged concerns Lesser Florican has been given the highest shall improve. People will have increased Chaudhary said the Prime In Bihar, Aleemuddin that would be distributed to nism should be put in place where- over harsh working condition and degree of protection under Schedule-I of the access to better social and health infra- Minister has asked the Sindh Ansari has been fielded from candidates in a day or two. in the health check up of top rung low levels of professional satisfaction. Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, its numbers structure and other services located outside Chief Minister to look into Kishanganj, Raghunath Kumar So far, only two candidates officials should be conducted by a The representatives of the ITBP, have declined, necessitating its declaration the project area. This will in turn lead to over- reports that the girls in ques- from Sitamarhi and Satyendra of the ruling Bharatiya Janata panel of doctors independent of the SSB and BSF have backed the idea as an endangered species in the IUCN Red all improvement of the quality of life of the tion have been taken to Rahim Kumar from Bhagalpur, he Party (BJP) -- Maharani CRPF medical wing. to enhance the superannuation age list. However, pushing the project for people residing in the project zone in terms Yar Khan in Punjab. said in another tweet. Rajyalakshmi Shah (Tehri) and A study conducted by the IIM, to 60 years. The Assam Rifles and clearance, the Enviro Infra Solutions said of their economic, social and health status. India has been raising the “The Political Affairs Tirath Singh Rawat (Pauri) -- Ahmedabad on “Emotional the CISF, which have retirement age that the proposed expressway will provide Growth of local tourism and resultant boost issue of plight of minorities, Committee (PAC) of AAP has have filed their nomination Intelligence and Occupational Stress of 60 years, have sought continua- better, fast, safe and smooth connectivity to local economy is also expected due to pro- particularly the Hindu com- given its approval for three papers. in BSF and CRPF” in 2012 had tion of the practice. for the commuters of Madhya Pradesh, posed project,” it added. munity in Pakistan. names in Uttar Pradesh.   ()  ( *+, *-./  !,

/9    /2 -./--01     $     ,- $   *G Brexit plan twice, and May has until June 30. Instead, they betrayed,” Freeman tweeted.        rime Minister Theresa May raised the possibility of bring- agreed to delay Brexit until May “This can’t go on. We need a     :   /     Pfaces growing pressure from ing it back a third time if 22, on the eve of EU Parliament new PM who can reach out &    /$<  within her own party either to enough legislators appear will- elections, if the prime minister build some sort of coalition for   0"'   unprecedented terror attack  " &'  resign or to set a date for step- ing to switch their votes. can persuade Parliament to a Plan B/” there has been an outpouring (9  # ping down as a way to build Treasury chief Philip endorse the twice-rejected Under Conservative Party ew Zealand will hold a of grief and love in our coun-  ##   support for her Brexit agree- Hammond said Sunday that agreement. rules, May cannot face a formal Nnational remembrance try.           ment with the European senior party members plotting If she is unable to rally sup- leadership challenge from with- service on March 29 for the vic- “The service will be a    Union, British media reported to remove May were being port for the withdrawal agree- in her own party until tims of the Christchurch chance to once again show that /$<" & Sunday. “self-indulgent.” He said a ment, the European leaders December because she sur- mosque massacre and their New Zealanders are compas- Senior Conservative Party change of leadership would said Britain only has until vived one three months ago. families, the prime minister’s sionate, inclusive and diverse, -$  %  figures were urging May to rec- not provide a solution to the April 12 to choose between But she may be persuaded that office announced on Sunday. and that we will protect those    ognize her weakened political U.K.’s political deadlock on leaving the EU without a her position is untenable if The interfaith service will values.” #7 "    position and leave the prime Brexit. divorce deal and a radically Cabinet ministers and other take place in Christchurch two The slaughter has rocked      minister’s post. However, there “We’ve got to address the new path, such as revoking the senior party members desert weeks after an Australian white the normally laid-back country   was no indication from question of what type of Brexit revolt was far-fetched specula- decision to leave the bloc or her. supremacist shot and killed and prompted horror world- 4     Downing Street a resignation is acceptable to Parliament, tion. calling another voter referen- Her bid for fresh support 50 Muslims who had arrived wide, heightened by the gun-    &%  was near. what type of way forward The Cabinet is focused on dum on Brexit. for her withdrawal plan has so for Friday prayers at two man’s cold-blooded livestream- A"B "  Some of the party’s key Parliament can agree on so that the best way to get May’s with- Parliament may take a far failed to win backing from mosques in the city on March ing of the massacre. '     supporters of a “hard” Brexit we can avoid what would be an drawal plan passed in the series of votes this week to Northern Ireland’s Democratic 15. Since then, New  8>)) that would see Britain leave the economic catastrophe of a no- House of Commons, Lidington determine what proposals, if Unionist Party, which usually “The national remem- Zealanders have responded  AE8)) B  EU even without a withdraw- deal exit and also what would said. any, could command majority provides crucial votes for May’s brance service provides an with an outpouring of support      al deal in place planned to meet be a very big challenge to con- The U.K.’s departure from support. minority government. opportunity for Cantabrians for the country’s small Muslim   + 0& with May Sunday afternoon at fidence in our political system the EU was set to take place on Conservative Party legisla- She also faces pressure (Christchurch-area residents), community. Chequers, the prime minister’s if we didn’t exit at all,” March 29, but the absence of an tor George Freeman tweeted from groups demanding a sec- New Zealanders and people all The attack also left dozens  , country residence. Hammond said. approved divorce agreement Saturday night that the U.K. ond Brexit referendum. Huge around the world to come of people injured, some criti-    $ May thus far has been Cabinet Office Minister prompted May last week to ask needs a new leader if the Brexit crowds turned out Saturday for together as one to honour the cally. Brenton Tarrant, a 28-  #5 "      unable to generate enough David Lidington, mentioned as the leaders of the 27 remaining process is to move forward. an anti-Brexit protest march in victims of the terrorist attack,” year-old Australian, was arrest-   # support in Parliament for the a possible caretaker prime min- member nations for a post- “I’m afraid it’s all over for London. Organizers claimed Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ed within minutes of the mas-      deal her government and the ister should May be ousted, said ponement. the PM. She’s done her best. But more than 1 million people said in a statement. sacre and has been charged       EU reached late last year. Sunday that talk of a Cabinet The leaders rejected May’s across the country you can see attended. “In the week since the with murder.    &   )  P    !     67    %&',       %  0   8  4/$.<. royal defamation law. The elec- employee Pattrapong  40" who wants to deepen EU ties of Xi’s visit. tion pits a royalist junta and Waschiyapong at a Bangkok with China while also pushing On Tuesday, Macron and hais began the nail-biting allies against the election-win- polling station. Islamabad: Pakistan Prime minister has asked the Sindh hinese President Xi Jinping back against Beijing’s growing Xi will be joined by German Twait late on Sunday to see ning machine of billionaire Fears of the potential for Minister Imran Khan on chief minister to look into Cheads to the French Riviera clout. Chancellor Angela Merkel and whether the ruling junta will ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra foul play ricocheted across Sunday ordered a probe into reports that the girls in question on Sunday for the final leg of Europe’s distrust of EU Commission president return to power as a civilian and an unpredictable wave of social media in a reflection of reports of abduction, forced have been taken to Rahim Yar his European tour, as France’s Huawei, which is poised to Jean-Claude Juncker to explore government, or if pro-democ- millions of first-time voters. the lingering mistrust between conversion and underage mar- Khan in Punjab. Emmanuel Macron looks to become the dominant player in “points of convergence” ahead racy parties can triumph The kingdom remains bit- rival political camps, in a coun- riages of two teenage Hindu Chaudhry said the prime forge a united European front next-generation telecom net- of an EU-China summit in against the odds, as polls closed terly divided despite the junta’s try which last held a general girls in Sindh province and to minister has also ordered the to contend with China’s glob- works worldwide, is emblem- Brussels next month. Xi arrives in the country’s first general pledge to rescue it from a election in 2011. take immediate steps for their Sindh and Punjab governments al ambitions. atic of the increasingly rocky in France from Italy, which has election since a 2014 coup. decade-long treadmill of “Thai people come to vote recovery, Information Minister to devise a joint action plan in Xi’s trip will begin in the relationship. angered its EU partners by for- The Election Commission protests and coups. because they want change,” Fawad Chaudhry said. light of the incident, and to take Mediterranean city of Nice “We have a lot to do mally joining China’s “new Silk estimated 80 per cent of voters Politicians across the spec- said Somkid, 64, giving only The two girls, Raveena (13) concrete steps to prevent such and a stop in the nearby prin- together in terms of climate Road” initiative for a string of had turned out at schoolyards, trum fear a stalemate under one name, as she waited outside and Reena (15), were allegedly incidents from happening again. cipality of Monaco before face- action, in terms of multilater- maritime, rail and road con- temples and government election rules, written by the the headquarters of the Pheu kidnapped by a group of “influ- “The minorities in Pakistan to-face talks with Macron. alism, but we also have to nections aiming at expanding offices across the nation, their junta, which limit the chances Thai party. “If there is any vote ential” men from their home in make up the white of our flag On Monday, the two lead- defend our own interests,” Chinese trade. enthusiasm fired by years of of any single party emerging rigging there will be protests.” Ghotki district in Sindh on the and all of our flag’s colours are ers head to Paris for the official Macron said in Brussels on Macron is expected to denied democracy. with a comfortable parliamen- The day was framed by the eve of Holi. Soon after the kid- precious to us. Protection of our state visit, marking 55 years Thursday. press his call for increased Sunday’s crunch vote was tary majority. palace statement, which added napping, a video went viral in flag is our duty,” he said. since Charles de Gaulle broke He has lauded the EU’s “reciprocity” regarding market foreshadowed by a cryptic last- There are 51 million eligi- further intrigue to an election which a cleric was purportedly On Saturday, Chaudhry ranks with the West to estab- “awakening” to the challenges access to China, in particular minute warning from King ble voters and more than seven that has repeatedly threatened shown soleminising the Nikah said that the government had lish diplomatic relations with posed by China, which the bloc Beijing’s demands that foreign Maha Vajiralongkorn to sup- million first-timers aged 18-25. to tip into chaos before a sin- (marriage) of the two girls, taken notice of reports of the the Communist nation. now labels a “rival” despite companies hand over vital port “good” leaders to prevent Preliminary results were gle ballot was cast. It reiterat- triggering a nationwide outrage. forced conversion and underage A series of cooperation becoming Europe’s biggest technological know-how in “chaos”. expected within a few hours of ed comments by late king In a separate video, the marriages of the two girls. deals on nuclear power, aero- trading partner. order to invest in the country. Thailand is a constitution- the polls closing at 5.00 pm Bhumibol Adulyadej from minor girls can be seen saying Meanwhile, Minister of space and clean energy initia- “The reality is that the “If we’re going to talk about al monarchy and the palace is local time (1000 GMT). 1969 calling for people to “sup- that they accepted Islam of State for Interior Shehryar Khan tives, some involving lucrative world has changed a new Silk Road, then it must nominally above politics. But “I want to see Thailand port good people to govern the their own free will. Afridi has directed IG Police contracts, are expected to be significantly — China is not the be one that goes in both direc- the institution retains unas- become more democratic and society and control the bad In a Twitter post in Urdu on Sindh to probe and submit signed. country it once was, and we are tions,” Finance Minister Jean- sailable powers and is insulat- inequality eased from society,” people” to prevent them “cre- Sunday, Information Minister report on abduction of two But Xi’s visit poses a par- dealing with a very major part- Yves Le Drian told BFM tele- ed from criticism by a harsh said insurance company ating chaos”. Chaudhry said that the prime Hindu girls at the earliest. PTI ticular challenge for Macron, ner,” a Macron aide said ahead vision on Friday.  +5'  4  9 :4 ;   *  ;  34.4'4 were no immediate reports of  <"*< had managed to restart three of Dramatic footage of the casualties. its four engines. ordeal showed furniture and  4$ ;4; Mosul, dressed in black to 6.1-magnitude earthquake “We are still checking to escuers were working Authorities said 397 of the plants sliding round the lurch-    ' '! mourn the victims. Ahit off the coast of North see if there’s any damage,” said RSunday to airlift more than 1,373 people on board had so far ing vessel as parts of the ceiling raq’s parliament on Sunday  $ One of them, Abdullah al- Maluku province in eastern Rahmat Triyono, head of 1,300 passengers and crew off a been taken off by helicopter, came down. Dozens of passen- Isacked the governor of a   '  Jubburi, told AFP they were Indonesia Sunday, US seis- Indonesian weather agency cruise ship after it ran into with each chopper able to take gers wearing life jackets were northern province where 100  demonstrating to demand that mologists said, but no tsunami BKMG’s earthquake and tsuna- trouble in rough seas off the 15-20 people per trip. seated around waiting to get off people died in a ferry disaster “corrupt” politicians and civil warning was issued. mi division. Norwegian coast. Police said 17 people had the vessel. that sparked a wave of grief and   servants be replaced. The quake was 150 kilo- Indonesia experiences fre- The Viking Sky lost power been taken to hospital. “We’re still waiting for the anger. # '  “The governor and all cor- metres (92 miles) northwest of quent seismic and volcanic and started drifting mid-after- The vessel was making slow helicopter to get out,” says Ryan Most of those killed when rupt officials must be put on the coastal town of Ternate at activity due to its position on noon Saturday in perilous waters headway at two to three knots Flynn who was shooting one of the boat sank Thursday in the national Assembly. Parliament trial... We are fed up of being a depth of 37 kilometres, the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where two kilometres (1.2 miles) off off the dangerous, rocky coast the videos. “This is taking very Tigris River in Mosul were declared those killed in the mistreated and marginalised,” according to the US Geological tectonic plates collide. More og Romsdal, prompting and a tug would help it towards long.” The airlift was continuing, women and children headed tragedy “martyrs”, allowing said fellow protester Isra Survey. The quake was felt in Last September, a 7.5-mag- the captain to send out a distress the port of Molde, about 500 emergency services spokesman for a Mother’s Day picnic on their families to receive finan- Mohammed. Ternate but residents were nitude quake and a subse- call. kilometres northwest of Oslo, Per Fjeld said. the Kurds’ Nowruz New Year cial compensation and paving Akoub has already been unconcerned, a local said. quent tsunami in Palu on The authorities decided to officials said. “I have never seen any- holiday. the way for court proceedings. subjected to the anger of vic- “I was watching TV when Sulawesi island killed more launch a helicopter airlift in very Five helicopters were scram- thing so frightening,” said one of Prime Minister Adel Abdel Sixteen people have been tims’ relatives and their sup- the earthquake suddenly hap- than 2,200, with a thousand difficult conditions rather than bled along with coastguard and the passengers who was rescued, Mehdi wrote to parliament on arrested as part of an investi- porters over alleged corruption pened, the jolt was quite strong more declared missing. run the risk of leaving people on other rescue vessels. Two tugs Janet Jacob. “I started to pray. I Saturday calling on legislators gation into the ferry capsize, a and cronyism. but thankfully it was quick so On boxing day December board. were reportedly closing in on prayed for the safety of everyone to fire Nineveh provincial gov- security official said. When he visited the scene there was no panic,” Ternate 26, 2004, a 9.1-magnitude “We would rather have the Viking Sky. on board,” she told the NRK ernor Nawfel Akoub, citing Authorities say 63 people of the tragedy on Friday stones resident Budi Nurgianto told earthquake struck Aceh passengers on land rather than “Towing cables are being set television channel. “negligence and concrete fail- are still listed as missing. were thrown at his convoy by AFP. province, causing a tsunami on board the ship,” police chief up by the tugs,” southern “The helicopter trip was ings” meriting his dismissal. Dozens of students held a protesters demonstrating Officials are still assessing and killing more than 170,000 Tor Andre Franck said. Norway’s rescue centre said on terrifying. The winds were like His two deputies were also silent protest Sunday on the against perceived corruption the quake’s impact but there in Indonesia. By early Sunday, the crew Twitter. a tornado,” she added. fired during a vote in the campus of the university of and neglect. 26 1      >?? <=79       4,4.< covered with a piece of fabric, the Malian military and the UN    P      2030/$ of 4,351 have been analysed so for soft tissues to be so well pre- and at one point an ID card is mission. Since 2015, extrem- far, including worms, jellyfish, served, Prof Zhang said. he death toll from a mas- shown covered with blood. ism has edged all the way to cientists in China have dis- sea anemones and algae. Scientists are especially Tsacre in a central Malian In the capital of Bamako, central Mali where it has exac-   *

? 92A RQ;R    " 4  0              &)      )          :   *  *               #      $   #            %1    #    0 '  8  0'8    *           P2   Q      #   5 %(  # * 2$(3(26--6.77   :*    #        f I remember rightly, it was Thursday, #" :/   " S #   March 25, 1971, and my MA (History)     * "%!   final exam was round the corner. We in   " +=           India then had the audible, omnipresent,      %! S        omniscient and ubiquitous All India RadioIbut no electronic visuals. Hence, hear-  #         " " ing the evening radio news and reading the "       #  #  ##    morning newspaper were my childhood addictions, exam or no exam. My father —        >     an extraordinary scholar of income tax law, # 9 %!  "       / S English, Bengali and Sanskrit languages,       ?4# #    3   3  Astrology (including charting a horoscope) 12   %!       and Economics, and a celebrity senior civil servant of the federal Government of India,   #  # #  " "    S who was originally born in and hailed from             #%7   2 Toynbee Circular Road, Tikatuli, Dhaka,  "#   !       (then East Pakistan) — was not the type to disturb his son for radio news during exam      3 3  "# #  season. That day I, too, seemed to have some-   *      "   # thing else in mind for emperor and ! 0   S4  )  # #   as a possible question for my paper. Nevertheless, there suddenly came a sten-    P " %%%   #    *  %Q torian voice from our C-II 17 Wellesley Road, & *  #      0     New Delhi — 110003 ‘radio room’. “Come  " #  "     # immediately” was the two-word command. Usually serene, serious yet ever-smiling, my #      "   #   0#  %0  father suddenly lit upon hearing the All India  S     3    Radio news that the charismatic Bengali   "       leader, widely respected and revered as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had Bangabandhu, including Janab with passengers, police and 14-day war. After the 1971 war,     %  #      given a clarion call to the people of (then) East Tajudin Ahmed. Half of them Railway personnel. Home guards Sirkar became Lieutenant   P *  #      0%Q!   Pakistan, firing the first salvo at the West had escaped, God only knew were extra vigilant, navigating all General but resigned after a     *  *    " #   Pakistani Punjabi-speaking military junta how. At least two families had and sundry and the half-an-hour serious difference of opinion from Dhaka’s Ramna Maidan: “Aamago driven down in their ‘Made in ,43$2/24* road to Alipore residence of my with the then Defence Minister    "         *    "  share shaat koti zanagan re tomra dabayya Japan’ Nissan and Toyota cars, aunt took two hours like a of India. He had several years of 8   1  "8  818%"     raakhte parbaanaa (You oppressive rulers, you which were a rare commodity in "0.44"2result but was happier owing to the fast Two more meetings subse- never sought publicity and was remarkable, unforgettable side )   #      ! S   /  unfolding scenario of a possible emancipa- quently took place in two differ- 4"'0' never flashy. The Major General view of the moving procession of     #  P%Q: * #   * tion of an enlightened and inherently simple ent places in Delhi, which I could ;0"0*0/404/ was handpicked overnight history, resulting in the crum- Bengali-speaking people with whom we not attend owing to my prepa- (rather plucked) by Army Chief bling of the old (dis)order and the /   $             were so close in heart, mind and thought and ration for competitive exams. As 0' + $4* Sam Manekshaw and transferred birth of a new nation, not in the  %1   #     !   #  shared history, geography, culture, language things were heating up, I trav- 40'"4/; from the post of Military distant horizon but in our vicin-        )          6  and tradition. elled to spend the winter with my Secretary to a newly-created ity. Between 1947 and 1971 Soon, however, came Wednesday, August maternal aunts in Asansol and 212,*4= post in the Eastern Command came alive two nations: The first ! *%! S "        12 18, 1971, the appointed date for an ‘informal Calcutta (as it was known then). <0'= 2/2%2 Calcutta, exclusively for cooper- under bondage; the second as an         #%!     meeting’, closely coordinated by Shri Ashok My stay in Asansol lasted for five ation with the Mukti Bahini. un-caged bird with the unre-    #  %A  9  #    Ray, the then Joint Secretary of the Ministry days as war broke out on Friday, "< $ ' *00'= Consequently, whereas the stricted horizon of thought and of External Affairs, and other organisations December 3, 1971. I took a train 4/;4"/2%2 world today knows who did action as its domain.      * *#   #% of the State. Commencing at 5.30 pm and end- the next day, December 4, 1971, what in 1971, hardly anyone can (The writer is a former college ing at around midnight, it was a party; a for Calcutta. The three-hour +*4" = either remember or recall his lecturer and civil servant. Now a reunion of sorts, high on feeling and emotion, journey was an experience by invaluable contribution to/in the researcher, columnist, alumnus of love, tears of joy, passion, fraternity and feast- itself as the train moved with all liberation movement of Bengalis National Defence College of India, ing. It was a gathering of 150 people of whom lights off in the chair car. Howrah in the East and the role he advocate, Delhi High Court and at least 80 were from the land of station was pitch dark but packed played in the actual combat of the Supreme Court and author) 4@  /  1 & 20- R   SS   $      0  #   # ! 0  $     #&*         "      ,/  ,&0   /   &          &,       ,  0   #"   !    "   &    & 4     & 0 & # $     #  % < 7")# #6") 5#!#<5#87"6#) #   &       K4 .  K34# K"3 # K.               "$#    ' "( "   "   )  (#   - -  .  - / -- 6   &0-/.     "%(* !    "  # # *" #       Her appearance in a burqa to  Q   express solidarity with the belea-   #        guered Muslims sent a stern mes-  +,-.&  /#   Sir — This refers to the article,        sage that her heart beat for all, 012  $3 4*$ ( (#   “Credibility at stake” (March #    F:F irrespective of their religion and 23) by Ajoy Kumar. The Election ',41>   &'*4 +9() culture. We, in this country, can’t   S    )  #5 (  Commission (EC) move to put     3#  4 help but compare her approach to      *#  #%!  in place measures to curb fake 4#A44B        that of our rulers after the fiday- # !    " *# * *  news and misinformation on       M   een attack in Pulwama. social media platforms sounds  &'   ,      Haridasan Rajan   #  %& (    "$     very nice but implementation of 4 " A,4"B   44& Kozhikode 6$(   #   ##    #   these guidelines still remains a ', ()24   :)8  #        %7 "(  *" 0# )* task at hand. (CF      N           Further, the EC has not F:F,> &'2      F:F,! 6 )* ##   (*   *   made clarifications about specif-  44   #!             #  %3        "    ic penal provisions for those who  &'  ,4"     "3 0&* ! Sir — Most political parties have #        "    violate the rules. It is known,       &0   M##  announced their first list of candi- with elections approaching, the       & ,&/       dates for the upcoming elections. )*   # #    *     menace of fake news is at an all- ,     F:F     F:F,   The Election Commission (EC)          % time high. In fact, it poses grave     0     & has over the years been successful   $ "     /   *  challenges to the democratic &4     ,  7 : ) ) in bringing out effective and nec- matrix of a country. Certainly, F:F    &+     essary electoral reforms. However,  "       3 ( )    with the general elections as far as nomination and with-   * *# #     #  ( approaching, this issue needs drawal of candidates go, the EC still  #   !  '%    immediate attention and a per- manner. Facebook introduced a  end. However, New Zealand’s accepts submissions in paper form       # # # # *  #     manent solution, too. scheme in Germany that lets immediate response to the March only. Despite digitisation having We must learn from interna- users flag suspicious content. 15 killings was exemplary, partic- replaced many paper-based for-  % *   #  #       tional experiences. For instance, Why can’t such initiatives be Sir — This refers to the article, ularly the firm, sensitive and com- malities, it is ironical that the EC # # $#  #     #     in 2017, the German Parliament taken in India, too? “Mass murder most foul” (March passionate approach displayed by still adopts the archaic paper-trail #     %7  #  *  had voted in favour of a law that If the problem of fake news 21) by Hiranmay Karlekar. A city its Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. based system to accept nomina- included the provision to levy is not sorted out, Indian democ- named after the apostle of love, the Ardern exhibited a rare tions from election candidates.  #   # #*        fines of up to 50 million Euros racy will continue to be a king- merciful Jesus Christ, resolve in steadying the downcast Varun SD ' "(%8          from popular social media com- dom of blinds, ruled by one- Christchurch, begged for mercy nation. A visibly upset but res- Bengaluru S#    %   #  9      panies such as Facebook and eyed kings. before the ‘White supremacist olute and empathetic Ardern YouTube if they fail to remove Sameer Bhoi Christian fundamentalist-racist’ wasted no time in reaching out to     < #   % hateful posts in a time-bound Bargarh for minutes that didn’t seem to the minorities and reassure them. ))#")5:57#D8! 465!   ()  ( *+, *-./ !  8     90.-/1 4  Q+  . (0/1-. (0          P   F .   . . . %        .   .$ $    %     4 %  %      4 '     !,  L     L $          &, ,   0O   &2            /O     ;

/4700! &7. F    "#   5"  7     $ 4     #       % 1  ?( B )  # S        $   #  % *  &  S ' ) $  " 6 # @  %: " "   ##   #    " # * #        "   "      #       9   "S % :S#    ##     )* # 10#                * 4D  E   PB  #   Q * 4D    P    "%:* ndoubtedly, there are many well-known      " "   %Q dynastic bastions in our country but the @     #   Uelectoral turf of Rae Bareli and Amethi    4D  3   have remained the centre of attraction for polit-  >  1              ically conscious people and the common   %:#"     man alike. Since the State of Uttar Pradesh has  7  #S*   *   # been electing a maximum of 80 MPs to the     #  =FF"  !   +,+G% Lower House of Parliament, ie Lok Sabha, the 14D1/1   4D   ## # State is being considered of paramount impor-  8&  &         tance. So are the two above stated parliamen- tary constituencies.    "   % Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency has ( @  S       * been a stronghold of the Congress, which won       * 4D  HP& 16 out of the 19 elections here, including two *        bypolls since 1952, the first general election in #  #    %B    !    the country. The constituency came into lime- /   # %Q  #       light as Congress candidate Feroze Gandhi,    "4D    /    husband of and son-in-law of     *   % the first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal 8  #      %!  !(/   # I Nehru, emerged victorious twice in 1952   S  %R!  S$"#  and1958. In due course, he came to be known as the best parliamentarian. He passed away       " # #      on September 8, 1960, but the constituency R(  S%"     "   remained with the Congress till the 1971 gen-     % eral election and thereafter, too, with a few (  "*      breaks. % >  +JG.  *   Feroze’s wife and the then Prime Minister   % /    Indira Gandhi selected this constituency to    %  S   # become an elected member of Lok Sabha after     S     % her elevation to the highest executive post of 1  !* *   @ #   the country. She first contested in 1967 and tion for a period of six years on June 24, 1975, 6, 1956. After his death, Savita, known as intention. She lost with a margin of 3,08,878 R "S%!       3  then in 1971. By opting for this constituency, which resulted in the imposition of internal Maisahab, had been feeling lonely, hence she votes. She was never defeated again in her elec- she converted it to a prized bastion which con- emergency in the country on June 26, 1975 and shifted to a farmhouse in Mehrauli. toral ventures and has been chosen seven times       (*  "% tinues to be the same. Indira’s relatives Arun a crackdown against almost all Opposition The Congress was keen to send her to to the Lok Sabha from Pilibhit and Aonla as 7  %!*3     Nehru and Sheila Kaul won the seat, both leaders, who were put behind bars. but it is learned that she declined an Independent, Janata Dal and BJP candidate  (*  "%   ! # twice, a confidante and family friend Satish This so-called unprecedented the offer. She, however, accepted from 1989 to the 2014 parliamentary elections. ># *   1   Sharma once and daughter-in-law Sonia Constitutional misuse brought all Opposition on behalf of her late husband on April 14, 1990, Maneka continued to be a Minister in the    K   > *3  Gandhi triumphed four times in 2004, 2006 leaders on a single platform. After the from President R Venkatraman. It is yet to be Cabinet of three Prime Ministers. She formed      /      bypoll, 2009 and the 2014 general election. This Emergency by Indira Gandhi was lifted on understood how and why she agreed to con- Sanjay Vichar Manch immediately after the +=  @ #     * performance sheet, of course, suffices to sub- March 21, 1977, the general elections were a test an election from Rae Bareli as she had ear- accidental death of her husband Sanjay  "   "/  stantiate the constituency as a proven dynas- contest between the Congress, led by Indira lier declined an offer for Rajya Sabha member- Gandhi, which secured victories in Andhra   % !    $      tic bastion. Gandhi and the newly-formed amalgamation ship. But Savita Ambedkar was defeated by Pradesh. #      *%3   It is known to most politically conscious of all parties, Janata Party, headed by Morarji Arun Nehru with a margin of 2,57,553 votes. Another surprising candidate, Raj Mohan people that socialist leader Raj Narain locked Desai and inspired by Loknayak Jai Prakash As for the Amethi parliamentary con- Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and C 7  "   *  horns with Indira Gandhi in Rae Bareli con- Narayan. The results brought a new regime at stituency, close to Rai Bareli, it came into exis- Rajagoplalchari and son of Devidas Gandhi, +G       5 +L--%  stituency in 1971 and 1977 but the real sur- the Centre. The Janata Party secured an tence in 1967 and remained a stronghold of the was fielded by the then Prime Minister VP    #   prising candidate was Gwalior’s Rajmata absolute majority to unseat the Indira-led Congress as the party emerged victorious in Singh as Janata Dal candidate against Rajiv !   +,+G%4   9  O   Vijayraje Scindia, who challenged Indira Congress, embarrassing her as it got the min- 13 parliamentary elections out of 15, includ- Gandhi in this constituency in 1989. Raj S *% Gandhi from this constituency in the 1980 gen- imum ever seats in the Lok Sabha. ing two bypolls since 1967. It is still known as Mohan Gandhi is an intellectual, well-educat- !  *%'    #  eral election. As the Janata Party nominee, she Raj Narain defeated her with a margin of a pocketborough of the party nurtured by the ed and a well-known scholar. It is beyond any-      ?4/ was defeated by a margin of 1,73,654 votes. 55,202 votes and he became the Union Health Gandhis. It has been represented by Sanjay body’s imagination why a person like him was  +,JG      *  %3       This was the only loss faced by the Rajmata Minister though the Government could not last Gandhi once, Rajiv Gandhi four times, Sonia made a scapegoat. He lost with a margin of 2,    #      * whereas she won all elections of Lok Sabha and long due to factionalism and differences. The Gandhi once, Satish Sharma, a family friend 02,132 votes. After 15 years, he was once again   9# *    #  Assembly in her State of Madhya Pradesh as 1977 general election results highlighted the of Rajiv Gandhi, twice and Rahul Gandhi offered a ticket by the Aam Aadmi Party to # #       #%( ! "  a Jana Sangh and earlier a Congress candidate. division of the regional narrative, the Janata thrice whereas Janata Dal nominee Ravinder contest from the East Delhi parliamentary con- People in Rae Bareli believed that the Rajmata Party dominant in the north, the Congress Pratap Singh wrested this seat in 1977 and stituency in 2014 against BJP nominee Maheish  4D    >!  *    was prompted to contest against Indira Gandhi winning seats in the south. Of course, the Sanjay Singh, coming from royal family and Girri. He lost with a margin of 1,90,463 votes.  %" %     to take revenge of the ill-treatment meted out chunky votepie in the north led to the forma- a BJP nominee, won from this seat in 1998 Nobody was sure whether he was a surpris- #  #   # #    to her in jail during Emergency. tion of the first non-Congress Government at though he is at present with the Congress. ing or willing candidate. The only consolation   #% Raj Narain was fielded as the candidate of the Centre. Hence, this constituency is also a dynastic bas- for Raj Mohan Gandhi in politics has been that #  R   S39    the then grand alliance of Jana Sangh, Lok Dal, Another surprising candidate, fielded by tion. he served as a Rajya Sabha member during  3    R S3 %7 Congress Organisation and Samyukat Socialist the Lok Dal in 1984 in this constituency, was In this constituency, two surprising can- 1990-1992 when VP Singh ruled the country.   : S  3  Party to engage Indira Gandhi in her comfort the widow of Bhimrao Ambedkar, his second didates contested against Congress nominees Despite party affiliations, Rajmohan Gandhi,    %4 3       zone and create a difficult situation for her. Raj wife Savita, a Saraswat Brahmin. She had com- in the 1984 and 1989 Lok Sabha elections. who had been long associated with the    3   ! S   Narain lost with a margin of 1,12,810 votes in pleted her MBBS in 1937 and married Indira Gandhi’s daughter-in-law, Maneka Hindustan Times, would have contributed in "   "  "  %1  1971 and challenged her election in the Ambedkar on April 15, 1948. Both Ambedkar Gandhi, contested as an Independent candi- the interest of the nation had he been given Allahabad High Court, accusing her of mis- and Savita converted to Buddhism at date against the oldest son of Indira Gandhi, another chance to enter the Rajya Sabha. In the @  $4D  %3% use of official machinery. Justice Jagmohanlal on April 14, 1956. The couple lived in Delhi Rajiv Gandhi in 1984. During election cam- end, men and women of stature were compro-    S       H8 Sinha unseated Indira Gandhi and barred her at Alipur Road. She used to take care of the paign, she was targetted for being a Sikh and mised for just a poster value. )   & " from holding any post and contest any elec- ailing Ambedkar, who expired on December a number of slogans were coined with vicious (The writer is a senior journalist)             9/.017    !    !"

grand alliance of regional parties — but Pandey, who is the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh mentary committee has not been deft. 2018 from 3.52 per cent in 2017. The the rural masses? It is trying hard but in the gradual rise of the Congress and president’s kin, joined the Congress in The Government is careful to not fall World Bank reported it in the latest its worker base is weak as is its reach. its two leaders, Priyanka Gandhi and Varanasi. Second, a few days ago, into the trap. The CAG pointed out to report. Overall, labour force participa- It is sending messages and holding on Rahul Gandhi, who are the new soft Manish Khanduri, son of senior BJP huge off-budget financing of about 4 tion dropped in 2017. Such figures are to people’s issues and sometimes play- faces of politics. The duo is trying to leader Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, too, lakh crore in 2016-17. It said it could always discomforting for any ing up emotive ones. The cow is holy touch the core voter base with old link- joined the party. Amrita said, “I decid- pose a fiscal risk in the long term in case Government, particularly when elec- for the BJP and is not so unholy for the ages of region, caste and communities. ed to join the Congress as the future the entity that raises the funds fails to tions are around the corner. The Congress, Samajwadi Party or the They are nudging the voters to belongs to it.” She accused the BJP meet debt servicing. The jobs data row Government is now coming out with Bahujan Samaj Party when it comes to %<'2,4 Q4 rethink and have a look at financial, job Governments at the Centre and in Uttar has led to top statisticians quitting their figures of Mudra loans. However, the Uttar Pradesh. Cow vigilantism and a +<2+<$<<; $( 3( .. and other such statistics. They are Pradesh of doing precious little for the job. As official figures of NSSO, con- banks believe loans are adding to check on smuggling to Bangladesh have marching towards a gradual rise of farmers, youth and other deprived sec- sidered reliable, were not available, the non-performing assets (NPAs) and are added to the woes of farmers in this '3 8)(9     t’s not an easy election for the vot- votes for their party across the coun- tions of the society. Amrita is the nar- not-so-firm figures of a private organ- reluctant to proffer it. State and elsewhere. The Opposition is,    ers, irrespective of who the parties try. The Congress now has a rative of the Congress. Other isation, CMIE, got credence. The Is there a discontent? Apparently, therefore, silently taking out a cam-   Igive or deny tickets to even as vot- Government or is part of the Opposition parties, being the fiefdom CMIE said that around 31 million it is not being noticed. The BJP’s paign to counter gau-mata politics.    & ers toy between emotions and realities. Government in five States — Punjab, of families, are less into studying sta- unemployed Indians are seeking jobs, charisma is covering it up but this hype Castes that used to collect and dispose They are wondering whether they Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan tistics. But the Congress is gradually the highest since October 2016. can be deceptive as voters remain silent. of the carcasses are refraining from 'O %  should vote for emotions or keep in and Chhattisgarh — with 21 per cent harping on it. So far, the onslaught is Then there are also figures of a This does not mean people are not doing it, thus widening social tensions.   mind the problems faced by them. The of the population, up from two States soft but one that is difficult to ignore. decline in male (earlier it was female) aware of the problems. The cash dole It is also carrying out an emotional     choice is not easy to make. On the one with seven per cent population in 2017. Job data stands skewed and even the labour force participation. Data from — once a strict no-no for the BJP — campaign against the BJP, which had K    hand, India’s economic data is puzzling, Meanwhile, the BJP has been Government’s debt and supposedly the NSSO’s Periodic Labour Force of 6,000 a year to the farmers is a promised to protect the cow. Further,    on the other, preferences of the elec- watching every step of the Congress. unstated figures in the Budget are being Survey 2017-18 shows employed males mixed bag. Farmers from western rice-growing areas are facing another torate are not static. Issues are there at They feel that the grand old party has played up. An emotionally-choked at 28.6 crore in 2017-18, against 30.4 Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra want problem. As the rupee appreciates  &*# hand but the Opposition is unable to only to gain in major States like Uttar campaign trail, post-Pulwama, created crore in 2011-12. This indicates that that the sugar mills must not sit over and the Government takes credit for it,  #4 C) articulate them and the ruling combine Pradesh, an old Congress bastion, by the BJP is apparently covering fewer males were employed in 2017-18. their dues of about 25,000 crore. The the move has cost us rice exports. Rising    is carrying out a vociferous campaign. where it still has sympathisers. There these issues. This saw a decline even in rural areas. Government should pay it. This they prices are affecting the volume of   , True, there is a dynamic person in is also an apprehension that Priyanka’s Figures, however, are telling and In India, the unemployment rate consider is reneging on the promise of Indian trade in Africa. All of this points   P Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who “Ganga yatra” may impact the voters’ much of it have come from draft reports measures the number of people active- doubling their income. No one, how- to an all-out impending battle, the defies all Opposition logic, but there is minds as she embraces outliers. of parliamentary committees, NSSO ly looking for a job as a percentage of ever, denies that the cash dole is a relief churning of which will help reshape the   also an emerging leadership, not so The Congress has had two major and CAG. On issues of defence, too, the the labour force. Unemployment rate post-demonetisation. future.    & much in the mahagathbandhan — a symbolic gains recently. First, Amrita handling of the situation in the parlia- in India increased to 6.10 per cent in So is the Congress connecting with (The writer is a senior journalist)          ()  ( *+, *-./ : ?>?9 >>G662  $  , ,40 party grand alliance, but a 56 Minister or a Prime Minister. card of governance in the state the Congress-NCP alliance was inch chest that we have with us”. BJP and Shiv Sena are ideo- for four and a half years. You false one”. idiculing the Opposition Singling out NCP chief logically aligned parties. We are )"75)<5#*65!78 will get to see that we have Slamming the Opposition R“Mahaghatbandhan” for Sharad Pawar and the Congress proud that we are Hindutvadi )# < 7")#5# accomplished during the last parties for demanding proof of being a 56-party grand alliance, for criticism, Fadnavis said, parties. Our Hindutva is not a four and a half years more than casualties in the IAF’s air strikes Maharashtra chief minister “The Opposition is not getting narrow ideology. Our Hindutva #! 7")#4 7+ what you could do during year on terror camps in Pakistan, Devendra Fadnavis said on candidates to field in the Lok transcends all barriers region, 7  # 15-year rule”. Fadnavis said: “The Opposition Sunday that “it is not a 56-party Sabha polls. They are changing language etc. Ours is an alliance +5586  87+ Hitting out at the Congress parties have no concern for our grand alliance but a 56-inch the candidates every day. Their that takes along all people who : #)"4% #:#5&+) ) and NCP for spreading “mis- defence forces. They have con- chest that is needed to govern captain (Sharad Pawar) has love this country,” the Chief  # 7+&) +: #)"4 information” during the 2014 cern for Pakistan.... Our IAF the country”. withdrawn from Madha con- Minister said. &# 7+&) "75) Lok Sabha and Assembly poll diminished the terror camps in Launching a joint cam- stituency. Here is the captain Maintaining that the BJP- 7 ##5+5584&# campaign that the leaders Pakistan. Unlike in the past, it paign of the BJP-Shiv Sena who wanted to open the Sena alliance was “nationalist” 7+&) )# 7"67+"  fromVidharbha would mete is our political leadership at the alliance along with Sena pres- innings but has become a 12th at heart, Fadnavis alluded to the * ###"#857. 78& 8 out a step-motherly treatment Centre that gave a go-ahead to ident Uddhav Thackeray at a man and a non-playing captain. presence of RPI (A) in the saf- )64&#"" 7  76 to western Maharashtra, our defence forces to carry out large public rally at Kolhapur in As a result, the people have fron alliance-led “Maha Yuti” Fadnavis said, “The Modi air attack on the terror camps western Maharashtra, Fadnavis made up their mind to support and said: “Ours is a combina- ) )) B" 578 :5: Government has taken more in Pakistan”. said, “They (the Opposition) the BJP-Sena alliance in tion of Shiv Shakti and Bhim 55)"65&7)# decisions favouring sugar-rich Coming down heavily on say that they are an alliance of Maharashtra and ensure the Shakti. We have taken a plunge      western Maharashtra than the NCP President Sharad Pawar 56 parties. I would like to return of the Narendra Modi- into electoral battle with previous UPA Government. In for wanting to remain in power, know from them how of the 56 led NDA at the Centre”. nationalistic fervour”. the process, we the leaders Thackeray said:”In neighbour- parties are registered entities. “Ours is not an alliance Fadnavis, who listed out from Vidarbha have disproved ing Pakistan, cricketer Imran Are they just parties picked up formed merely grab power but the achievements of the said, “You (Congress-NCP that we harm the interests of Khan became the Prime from the streets?...I would like an alliance that is formed on Narendra Modi government alliance) bring your report of western Maharashtra. Minister but here PM-aspi- !     !  = :        to tell them what is needed to the basis of ideology. It is not and the saffron alliance gov- your government for 15 years Development statistics prove rant became the ICC chief.He )     1    )* govern the country is not 56 for becoming either a Chief ernment led by him in the state, and we will show our report that campaign carried out by just wants to cling to power”. R A@ QR  .4;44A4/; 44;2" B O  P%   % P $ $ .<*.4'4 & << #7 8 #/! the tele media Banerjee had 3!   also filed a police complaint ndhra Pradesh Chief Minister N  "   rinamool Congress MP stating how his wife was AChandrababu Naidu on Sunday termed YSR     # TAbhishek Banerjee on harassed by the customs Congress Party chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy a $%    O Sunday hit strongly back atthe authorities at the airport while “ganja plant”, as the war of words during cam-  # N# O BJP Government for maligning she was returning from paigning by major contenders for next month’s AB    his name by falsely implicating Bangkok. Assembly elections intensified.    #  hiswife in an alleged gold smug- Had his wife been carrying Campaigning in Jaganmohan Reddy’s home  &   gling case at Netaji Subhas unaccounted gold and had the district of Kadapa, the Telugu Desam Party % # International Airport in Kolkata. State police interfered in the (TDP) President said the Kadapa district which  N# O “There is a false and fabri- matter then “why the CISF gave birth to great personalities like Annamayya,  # cated charge being brought under whose jurisdiction the Veera Brahmendra Swamy and Yogi Vemana        against my wife” implicating area falls was not called to act,” was like a Tulsi garden.  &2   her in a gold smuggling case he wife, let them show even 2 he said. “In this Tulsi garden, a ganja plant (cannabis)       %       said. “I must clarify that this is gram that costs Rs 7,000 in the Attacking the Centre for has also grown. He is Jaganmohan Reddy,” said    # 3    out and out false. Those who market I will leave politics.” making issues personal he said Naidu, while addressing an election rally at L# MAB  #    fail to take me on politically are Banerjee said his wife had “those who are calling them- Budvel.    &* 3O  trying to implicate my family gone to Bangkok from where selves as chowkidars are them- Naidu, who had earlier described Jagan, as ,        members, which is a mean way she originally belonged “for selves harassing the common the leader is popularly known, as the “brand   ,"& of doing politics,” Banerjee medical treatment.” He said, people,” adding it was beneath ambassador of crimes”, alleged that the YSRCP said who is also the nephew of “subsequently I will present all his and his family’s dignity to President was the only leader in the country who      O H   PI Bengal Chief Minister Mamata the related documents before make personal attacks on fellow had 31 criminal cases against him.  !:&# '#     Banerjee said asking “is this the authorities and the court politicians. Terming Jagan as the only problem of the 3 , # 4 /N"  L ! being done because I stating how my wife had gone “It is not our way of doing state, the TDP chief urged people to ensure that M L    M   am the only person to have to Bangkok to address a med- politics or else we could easily YSRCP was wiped out in the polls.  L M     &4   filed a suit against BJP presi- ical condition.” have asked how the son of Amit Naidu alleged that Jagan was threatening L%"#"M /N    O dent Amit Shah?” Questioning why the Shah could convert his violence. “People should be alert because those L,A    B M Wondering as to why the authorities who had allegedly resources worth Rs 50,000 to Rs who killed their own uncle can do anything,” said       FIR in the stated case was intercepted Banerjee’s wife with 50 crore in a year’s time.” the TDP leader, referring to the recent murder     M/0M& filed about a week after the 2 kgs of gold failed to confis- Among various persons of Jagan’s uncle YS Vivekananda Reddy. incident allegedly took place he cate the precious article inside the Banerjees have served libel The Chief Minister said the murder case had    % $ P 300 challenged the “customs the airport premises he dis- notice to CPI(M) central com- more twists than a detective novel and alleged 78 &#&'3       authorities to produce a single missed charges that the State mittee member Sujan that Jagan was trying to use Vivekananda         CCTV footage to prove their police had intervened in the Chakrabarty who said he will Reddy’s murder for political mileage.    :)) *#"  charges. If they can prove it I affair to secure his wife’s release. not withdraw his tweet and      !   )=   / Elections to the 175-member Andhra  O . #   "=   &0 will quit politics. Let alone 2 kg Apart from serving libel dared Banerjee to file a libel suit    /          $  Assembly and all 25 Lok Sabha constituencies . #3 LM  !. # of gold being smuggled by my notices to certain sections of against him.”   %&'(1     )* are scheduled on April 11. L    M, !. #  . #           8)88         )) //    !3;A"B   &    4 A2  %%&'+              00  ?     

$   Christian community and this strong contender. ing an existential crisis because  2//40 has caused heart burning But when the names of part of the predatory policies and Patna: The RJD and the Bihar Congress spokesman among some sections. candidates were announced the projects promoted by the sitting Congress, partners in the oppo- Harkhu Jha told PTI. hough the Congress had Interestingly, the Bishop name of Peter or for that mat- MP Pon Radhakrishnan, who sition Grand Alliance, Sunday Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav Tsuccessfully negotiated with Council of Tamil Nadu had ter any Christian candidate were is also the minister for shipping announced the names of can- and Shailesh Kumar alias Bulo the DMK and walked away issued a communique during absent. Peter himself was upset and surface transport. didates for five Lok Sabha seats Mandal, both sitting MPs of the with nine Lok Sabha seats from the 2016 Assembly election but chose not to aggravate the The Church leaders were going to the second phase of RJD, have been fielded by the where the party would field its asking the laity not to vote for situation and decided to bid his upset over the move by the polls in Bihar on April 18. RJD from Banka and Bhagalpur candidates for the upcoming the BJP or the alliance in which time till the elections are over. “It minister to push through an The Congress has named respectively, Bihar unit RJD elections, the non-inclusion of the Hindutwa party was a con- is true that the minorities have international container termi- its candidate for Kishanganj, president Ram Chandra Purvey minority communities in the list stituent. Kanyakumari district been alienated because of the nal at Kulachel, which the Katihar and Purnea seats while told reporters here. has upset the spiritual and com- has a Christian population of non-inclusion of any candidates bishops believe would lead to the RJD has named two sitting The last date for filing munity leadership in the State. 47 per cent , according to the from the sections. We will take large scale displacement of MPs of the party as candidates nominations for the second Four bishops from the dis- 2011 Census of India. up the issue after the election,” fishermen, who all belong to for Banka and Bhagalpur Lok phase of polling is March 26. trict of Kanyakumari had writ- It was widely believed that Peter told reporters at Chennai. the Christian community. Sabha constituencies. Tariq Anwar, who won the ten to the Congress High the Congress may field A source in the Catholic The Congress High Releasing ts ninth list of Katihar seat as NCP candidate Command urging it to field Christian candidates at church tod this newspaper that Command on Sunday com- candidates for the Lok Sabha in 2014, had joined the "-      "  ! -       one or two candidates belong- Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli. the bishops from the district of pleted the list of party candi- elections, the Congress Congress in September last   >    )* ing to the Christian community Peter Alphonse, an articulate Kanyakumari had written a let- dates who would contest rom announced the candidature of year, while former BJP MP in the April 18 election. But the speaker who represented the ter to Mukul wasnikm the AICC the State by announcing the Dr Mohammad Javed from from Purnea, Uday list released by the party High Congress in channel discus- General Secretary in charge of name of Karti Chidambaram as Kishanganj, Tariq Anwar from Singh, alias Pappu Singh, had     P$$$ Command does not have even sions is a familiar face in the Tamil Nadu that the Christian its nominee from Sivaganga Katihar and Uday Singh alias joined the party on March 20 78 &#&"    .      a single person for the State and that had made him a community in the State were fac- parliamentary seat. Pappu Singh from Purnea, in Patna, PTI   !   "    &'      "   ()        "     2& ! P !P        !           &  )4N          . *#"  " ;     * ./< “So, the people are left with chief Chandrasekhar wanting to once we carried out an air        &'.        a choice of only one candidate contest against Modi, he said: strike against terror outfits in "     4 (>& sserting that Narendra — Modiji. The post of Prime “BJP never looks at who will Pakistan. Demanding evidence        AModi remains the first Minister is very big. And I can contest against Modiji and what of the results of the surgical choice for the post of Prime say that Modiji does not need will be its effect on the elections.” strike and the air strike is  ,  /  ,"  Minister, Uttar Pradesh Deputy the chair but it is the chair that “We know the people of respect or disrespect,” he asked.            Chief Minister Keshav Prasad needs Modiji,” Maurya said. Varanasi will support Modiji Responding to a question *#" &4    LS%. M Maurya said that Modi does Commenting on the SP- and this time we will get a much about situation in UP after the '  ,         not need the chair, but it is the BSP-RLD alliance in the state, bigger mandate,” he said adding Pulwama terror strike that left 40          &L, 0 '  ! chair that needs him. the BJP leader said that fear is that the caste or religion card CRPF troopers dead, he said: S%. &0 *#"    In an interview to IANS, its basis. “This alliance has will no longer work. “The condition in the state            &= Maurya also said that the alliance failed in the State. They have Commenting on the oppo- always remained in favour of   O   M between the Akhilesh Yadav-led done an alliance and announced sition parties accusing the BJP Modi even before Pulwama hap- & Samajwadi Party, Mayawati-led their candidates but the graph of politicising the armed forces pened. There is also no effect of Bahujan Samaj Party and the Ajit of the BJP is rising. and posters being brought out by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra or Rahul Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal “People have understood the party leaders with images of or Akhilesh or Mayawati.” The will fail in the state as the peo- their plans and have formed an Wing Commander Abhinandan BJP had won 71 out of 80 seats ple are with Modi and the BJP- alliance with Narendra Modi... Varthaman, he said: “For the in the state in 2014 Lok Sabha led NDA will win more than 73 we are hopeful of getting more respect of soldier and the secu- polls, while its ally, the Apna Dal seats that it won in 2014. than 73 seats,” Maurya said. rity forces, the entire country is won 2. The Congress won two “In the 2019 elections, peo- The BJP leader said the united. And those who will and the SP five. ple of the country have two party was also confident of insult the Army will not be The seven phased Lok options in front of them. One is winning the Amethi parlia- accepted by the people.” Sabha elections are scheduled Modiji and another is (Congress mentary constituency repre- “After the Modi govern- from April 11 to May 19. President) Rahul Gandhi or a sented by Rahul Gandhi. ment came to power, surgical Counting of votes will take dozen other leaders. Asked about Bhim Army strikes happened twice and place on May 23.   ()  ( *+, *-./ ;

F  %

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 $  , ,40 Chavan, who was inciden-  !   tally is one of the two Congress fter the audio tape contro- 4    candidates (out of 26 candi- Aversy involving  4  dates) elected to Lok Sabha in Maharashtra Congress presi-    2014 polls from Maharashtra dent Ashok Chavan, the All   *#" in the face of a fierce Modi India Congress Committee    wave, has been wanting that his (AICC) on Sunday replaced  O wife Ameeta to contest from his Vinayak Bangade with Suresh    home constituency of Nanded alias Balu Dhanorkar, a former    in Marathwada region. Ameeta Shiv Sena MLA, as its official       Chavan had won the Bhokhar candidate from Chandrapur ; # O    seat in Nanded district in the Lok Sabha constituency in east- 2014 Assembly polls. /       ?/ @               !     !     ;      >    ern Maharashtra. 4  "    However, the Congress —  -      1          - ; /   -  ;/ /  /     A day after an audio tape        in its list released on Saturday $        ;     $      1   )* in which Chavan is heard ,            night — named Chavan as its telling a party activist from      # L/ candidate from Nanded — a Chandrapur that he was not   &0  M  nomination that came as a getting his due within the party " surprise to the former CM. planned resign from his post as 0     Barring four terms, QR the State Congress chief, the   %#   Nanded has been under the AICC apparently took cogni-     *#"   control of the Congress since 9 sance of the former Chief      O   1952. While late SB Chavan G6 Minister’s grievance and represented the constituency   420**= replaced Bangade with twice (1980 and 1984), Ashok   $ 4 4'0 senior BJP leader said the Dhanorkar as the party candi- had on Saturday dismissed to resign”. Chavan himself was elected to opposition party was not only ailways Minister Piyush date from Chandrapur. speculation about his impend- A former Chief Minister of Lok Sabha once in a -elec- JP national general secre- questioning the success of the RGoyal exuded confidence Dhanorkar, who had been ing resignation as the Maharashtra, Chavan was tion in 1987, following the Btary Ram Madhav Sunday BJP-led government, but also on Sunday that the Bharatiya elected as a Shiv Sena MLA Maharashtra Pradesh Congress questioned about the audio resignation of his father. said the Congress might win an making “derogatory remarks” Janata Party would win the from Bhadrawati-Warora Committee president, after an tape in circulation at a news Late SB Chavan’s son-in- election in Pakistan if it con- about the Army. Amethi Lok Sabha seat, which Assembly constituency, audio tape in which he is heard conference called to announce law and Ashokrao’s brother-in- tests from there as the opposi- When asked about the alle- is represented by Congress resigned from the Sena and telling a party worker that “No the formalisation of the seat- law Bhaskarao Khatgaonkar tion party is “banking on lies” gation of former Karnataka chief Rahul Gandhi. joined the Congress recently in one is listening to me. I am sharing arrangement among has represented the con- and the neighbouring country. chief minister BS Yeddyurappa “In the past five years, the hope that he would be a planning to resign” had gone the “Mahaghatbandhan” con- stituency thrice (1998, 1999 Addressing a press confer- allegedly paying a bribe of Rs notable work has been done in given a ticket to contest the Lok viral in the State. stituents in the State. and 2009). In 2014 LS polls, ence here, Madhav also claimed the BJP leader said. 1,800 crore to top BJP leaders, every sector. The BJP will win Sabha polls. He had been lob- In the mobile conversation, Playing down the import of Chavan romped home com- that the statements of the “The Congress does not Madhav said, “It is bogus more seats as compared to the bying for the Congress ticket. the caller had voiced resent- the leaked audio tape, Chavan fortably. Congress leaders are retweeted have any issue to really take on news...the Congress has no previous election. The BJP will Bhadrawati-Warora ment over the nomination of had said that a private conver- In a related development, more by the people of Pakistan our Government, our leader issue today to confront us and also win Amethi — the Assembly constituency is one Vinayak Bangade as a Congress sation had no relevance in the Congress on Sunday named than their counterparts in India. and our party. It is banking on it is only banking on lies.” traditional seat of the of the Assembly segments of candidate for the Chandrapur politics. He had clarified that he four Lok Sabha candidates for “Their comments are more lies and Pakistan,” the Bharatiya “And when was it distrib- Congress,” Goyal said at the the Chandrapur Lok Sabha Lok Sabha seat and said that the had no plans to quit as the eastern Maharashtra — retweeted and publicised by the Janata Party (BJP) leader said. uted? In 2011. Was Congress party’s “vijay sankalp constituency. party cadres were opposed to MPCC chief. Hidayat Patel (Akola),Kishor people of the neighbouring Pointing out that the party sleeping then when they sabha” here. However, Bhangade’s nom- Bangade’s candidature. Chavan, however, admitted Uttamrao Gajbhiye (Ramtek- country than our own. The Congress is fighting a “clueless were in government? The slip The Union Minister ination as a Congress candidate Chavan had suggested to that there were certain issues SC), Suresh Dhanorkar (in Congress might win an election battle”, Madhav said, “Nobody was accessed from the house of attacked Gandhi over reports from Chandrapur came as a the caller that he should speak relating to the nomination of a place of Vinayak Banagade in Pakistan if it contests from in the country is understand- a Congress leader,” he added. that the Congress leader nasty surprise to Dhanorkar’s to Mukul Wasik, who was “call- candidate for Chandrapur. from Chandrapur), Subhash there. This is the condition of ing what it wants to say and in “On the contrary, some might also contest from supporters. ing the shots” in the selection “But, it is our internal matter Wankhede (Hingoli). our main Opposition party,” which direction it wants to take good cartoons are being made Wayanad in Kerala. Bhangade’s nomination of candidates for the state. “But and I would not like to discuss the country. The people are also on the Congress. All these “He (Rahul) is running had sparked protests within the Mukul Wasnik is no one in it publicly,” he said. not understanding if the negative campaigns of the away from UP. Far from UP, he local party workers and there front of you,” the caller had said. Meanwhile, the Congress Congress is fighting for India Congress are useful for making is going to Kerala and was a vociferous clamour for At one stage, Chavan was has re-nominated Chavan as its or Pakistan.” good memes and cartoons in will contest the elections from his replacement with heard saying, “I have also candidate from his home Lok Alleging that the Congress social media. Other than that, there. Smriti Irani Dhanorkar. informed the party. Nobody is Sabha constituency of Nanded leaders are “doubting” the cre- there is no impact on the pub- will register a massive win An embarrassed Chavan listening to me. I am planning in Marathwada. dentials of the Indian Army, the lic,” he added. from Amethi,” Goyal said.    P  O  P  QR      ) 

Thiruvananthapuram: be working in the immediate Patna: Actor-turned-politician most respected friend, philoso- Though Uttar Pradesh is her prospect. But in long term I Shatrughan Sinha, the sitting pher, guide, father figure and ulti- ‘karm-bhoomi’ for now, think her influence in the party BJP MP from Patna Sahib who mate leader of the party, Shri LK Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s influ- is bound to grow and her pop- has been denied a ticket by the Advani from the political ence in the Congress is “bound ularity among the people has party this time, has accused arena/election,” Sinha tweeted. to grow” in the long term, party already been established,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi Advani has served as Union leader Shashi Tharoor said Tharoor told PTI in an exclu- of treating party patriarch LK Home Minister and Deputy here. Priyanka, 47, was sive interview. Advani in a “painful” and Prime Minister. He was also the appointed AICC general sec- Priyanka recently launched “shameful” manner. national president of the BJP retary of Eastern Uttar Pradesh the party’s polls campaign in In a series of tweets on more than once. He is often on January 23 this year, mark- eastern UP with her three-day Saturday, Sinha claimed that credited with helping the party ing her formal entry into pol- ‘Ganga yatra’ on boat, where she the BJP’s decision to not give create a national footprint with- itics. The party is hoping that of people of her grandmother,” reached out to voters residing ticket to Advani, the sitting MP in a decade of its formation the move will boost its Tharoor said when asked about along the banks of the holy river. from Gandhinagar, and to field through active participation in prospects in the politically cru- Priyanka Gandhi’s formal On the poll alliances of the party president Amit Shah the Ayodhya movement. cial state which sends 80 MPs plunge into politics. Congress in various states, from the seat “has not gone In another tweet, Sinha to Lok Sabha. “That’s on the very upbeat Tharoor said it varies from down well” with many people. deplored “the replacement of “She (Priyanka) is a very side. Perhaps more modestly State-to-State. “Each state has “Sirji... It is worrisome, Mr Advani by none other than impressive lady, who speaks one should say, she is at the got a different logic. We have painful and according to some the man who is also the presi- well, speaks with confidence, moment general secretary for possible alliance with some even shameful... That which dent of the party and whose idiomatic and fluent Hindi. one-half of Uttar Pradesh. And parties in some states and are your people have done was the image or personality is no She is very comfortable in that’s going to be her karma- fighting against them in anoth- 0!      $$    - ;   $ most expected and awaited... match nor even a patch on public gaze and reminds a lot bhoomi. “That’s where she will er state,” he said. PTI   )* Orchestrating the departure of a him”. PTI =D CC Rameswaram: Eleven fisher- Department Assistant Director the leader of Pattali Makkal Indian fishermen by Lanka) do men from Tamil Nadu have Yuvaraj said. Katchi (PMK) S Ramadoss, not recur and to retrieve the Thiruvananthapuram: At least been arrested by the Sri Lankan Two boats belonging to the who has forged an alliance Katchatheevu islet, the NDA two persons have died of sus- F Navy for allegedly fishing near fishermen were seized, he said. with the AIADMK-BJP com- will take steps to form a sepa- pected sunburn in Kerala in the Neduntheevu in the island Sri Lankan Navy personnel have bine to contest the April 18 Lok rate ministry for the welfare of last two days even as the weath-     34,,  martyrdom on 24 Mar 19”. The nation’s waters, an official said allegedly damaged over 50 fish- Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu, said the fishermen community,” ermen have warned that the martyred jawan hailed from here on Sunday. ing nets and seized GPS equip- the NDA (National Democratic Ramadoss said in a statement. maximum temperature was n a strong ‘retaliatory’ strike Nagaur district of Rajasthan The fishermen, hailing ment from them, Yuvaraj added. Alliance) government would He urged the central gov- likely to be two to three degrees IIndian army is learnt to have and is survived by his parents. from Rameswaram, have been The incident forced fishermen create a separate ministry for ernment to raise the matter above normal in 11 districts in inflicted heavy causalities and Lt Col Anand said, taken to Karainagar island, in more than 500 boats to return the welfare of fishermen. with Sri Lanka for ensuring the the next two days. ‘flattened’ several bunkers and “Unprovoked firing by Pakistan located around 20 km from without fishing, the official said. “In order to ensure that release of the arrested fisher- According to the Indian ‘strategic structures’ of Pakistan Army started in the evening of Jaffna, Tamil Nadu Fisheries Reacting to the incident, such incidents (action on men. PTI Meterological Depratment, army along the line of control March 23, 2019, in which heavy maximum temperature was in Poonch and Akhnoor sec- calibre weapons and rockets very likely to be above normal tors in the last 24 hours. were also fired”. Q by 2 to 3 degrees celsius in 11 Following these punitive Earlier, Rifleman Yash Paul districts, including strikes tensions escalated fur- of Mantalai area of Chenani R Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, ther in the region. attained martyrdom on March Pathnamthitta, Alapuzha, In the heavy exchange of 21 in Sunderbani sector of Ernakulam, Palakkad and fire, an Indian Army jawan also Rajouri. Rifleman Karamjeet Kannur, till March 26. received critical injuries late sat- Singh of Moga had attained   4/430 A 42-year-old man from urday evening and later he Hospital for immediate medical martyrdom on March 18 in nearby Parassala died Sunday, succumbed in the nearest field treatment but later attained Sunderbani sector of Rajouri. ice-President Venkaiah while a 60-year-old man was hospital in Poonch on sunday. VNaidu on Sunday said a found in kannur with sun In the last one week three focused approach in areas such burns. Though there were sun- Indian soldiers have attained !  ;  P    - ;   as minerals and energy from burns on their bodies, only a martyrdom in Sunderbani and oceans can help India become post-mortem would reveal the Poonch sectors.   340  third largest economy in next actual cause of death, health Ground reports claimed 10-15 years. department sources said. Pakistan army used heavy cal- he body of grenadier Hari Bhakar, who was killed in a cease- Addressing scientists at the An RSP worker in Kollam, ibre of weapons and fired rock- Tfire violation along the LoC in Jammu & Kashmir by Pakistani CSIR-National Institute of who was campaigning for sitting ets to target Indian positions. In troops, reached here on Sunday and will be Oceanography near here, he MP NK Premachandran, suf- response, the Indian Army too taken to his native village in Nagaur by road. said that at the same time, fur- fered burns and a three year-old inflicted heavy damage and Bhakar was part of the 4 Grenadiers Regiment. The soldier was ther degradation of marine child playing in front of her casualties to Pakistan army. injured in the cross-border firing around 4 am on Sunday and was ecosystems should be house also suffered burns in Defence PRO in Jammu, immediately taken to the nearest field hospital, where he succumbed prevented. Kasaragod. With mercury lev- Lt-Col Devender Anand said, to injuries, officials said. His last rites will be performed on Monday. “I strongly feel that els soaring in kerala, the labour “Grenadier Hari Bhakar Pakistani forces opened fire on the Shahpur and Kerni areas focused approach in some of department has issued an order, received grave injuries during in Jammu & Kashmir’s Poonch district around 5.30 pm on the areas such as minerals and making it mandatory to give Cease Fire Violation on 23 Saturday and it continued intermittently through the night, offi- energy from oceans can make breaks to workers till April 30 to Mar 19 in Poonch Sector. He cials said. India a global leader and serve avoid sunstroke. PTI was evacuated to nearest Field 6   O   P >    )* our national goals,” Naidu said.   ()  ( *+, *-./ " ) 4 :*  BC%'' ! H   4  R   /2;2* 0 Government to broaden this late books of accounts or finan- power to all cases where the cial statements of a listed com- ith an aim to thwart regulator suspects a violation of pany to directly or indirectly Wfinancial frauds, regula- any securities law. manipulate the share price, or tor Sebi has sought powers to Sebi has also proposed that to hide the diversion, siphon off conduct inspection of books any disgorgement order for the funds or assets or earnings of accounts of listed compa- recovery of illegal gains should of a listed firm or a proposed- nies for contravention of any be applicable to all joint actors, to-be-listed company. securities law and also to take without making it conditional Sebi is of the view that it direct action against the on the gains or averted losses should be empowered to take fraudsters. of the violators. direct action against perpetra- Besides, Sebi has proposed In another amendment to tors of financial frauds as such a heavy penalty for altering, the Sebi Act, the regulator has acts that have adverse impact destroying, mutilating, con- sought to replace the term on not only the shareholders of cealing or falsifying records and ‘material or non-public infor- the company but also impacts documents or other tangible mation’ with ‘unpublished price the confidence of investors in objects with an intent to sensitive information’ to bring the securities markets. obstruct, impede or influence in greater consistency of legal The primary responsibili- a legal investigation. phrases used for insider trad- ty of monitoring or supervision At present, Sebi is empow- ing laws. of books of accounts of com- ered to conduct such inspec- Also, the penalty for insid- panies is with the Ministry of tions in case of violations relat- er trading violations is cur- Corporate Affairs under the ing to insider trading and rently imposed on those deal- Companies Act. However, Sebi   2/$4*  port department, including the fraudulent or unfair trade prac- ing in securities “on the basis” has suggested that it should also chief secretary, and the issue tices. of material or non-public infor- be given powers to take direct he Karnataka Government was sorted out.” However, the regulator has mation, which the regulator has action in case of fraud com- Ton Sunday revoked the sus- To a question when the ser- now asked the government suggested changing to “while in mitted by manipulating books pension on mobile applica- vices would resume, the min- that its power to undertake possession”. of accounts or of financial tion-based taxi aggregator Ola ister said the suspension has inspection of books at listed Regarding the additional statements at listed compa- Cabs after it agreed to pay a fine been revoked and the cab oper- companies should be for con- penalty, Sebi is of the view that nies. for the operation of bike taxis ator can resume service from   /2;2* 0 pumped in a net sum of analyst manager research at travention of any securities there is a need to create an Such acts typically are ‘illegally’. March 25. 27,424.18 crore in equities, Morningstar Investment laws without limiting it to vio- obligation on an individual not aimed at manipulating the The cabs would resume Asked why action was not oreign investors have while the debt market saw a Adviser India. lations relating to one or two to alter, destroy, mutilate, con- share price, hiding fund diver- service from Monday. taken against the other bike taxi Fpoured in a net amount of net infusion of 10,787.02 “In January, the US Fed regulations, a senior official ceal or falsify the records to sions, misutilising the public The State Government had services, which are similar to 38,211 crore in the domestic crore during March 1-22 — announced a pause in rate said. hamper investigation and there- issue proceeds or siphoning off on March 22 suspended the Ola Bike, Kharge said, Probably capital markets in March so taking the total to 38,211.20 hike, followed by China and The Sebi Act empowers the fore all such acts should be treat- the proceeds, assets or earnings licence of Ola Cabs for the next nobody had brought it to the far, mainly on account of crore. European Central Bank pro- regulator to conduct inspection ed as ‘fraudulent’ and actionable of a listed company. six months with immediate notice of the Government.” improved global liquidity. As per Harsh Jain, chief viding stimulus for their econ- of any book, register or other under the securities laws. The proposed amendment effect saying that it was running Earlier, Kharge had tweet- In February, foreign port- operating officer of Groww, omy. This bolstered the risk- documents and records of any Such acts would lead to a has been made as per a rec- bike taxis without permission. ed, “Ola Cabs will run their folio investors (FPIs) had put the cooling of US-China trade on sentiments resulting in listed company if it has rea- minimum penalty of Rs 5 lakh, ommendation of the Fair The suspension was lifted business as usual from tomor- in a net amount of 11,182 war and no hike in interest foreign flows taking a U-turn sonable grounds to believe that which may extend to Rs 10 Market Conduct Committee, after the executives of Ola row. However there is an urgent crore in the capital markets — rates by the US Fed has made and to make their way back the company has been crore or three times the amount constituted by the regulator. Cabs had a detailed discussion need for policies to catch up both debt and equity. India attractive to FPIs. Other into emerging markets like indulging in insider trading or of profit made from such an Officials said the final deci- with State Chief secretary T M with new technologies and Analysts attributed the factors like stable crude oil India,” Srivastava said. fraudulent and unfair trade act, whichever is higher. sion on the proposed changes Vijay Bhaskar and other senior also industries too should work increase in infusion to a shift prices have also helped. Improvement in the coun- practices relating to securities In another proposed would be taken only after tak- officials. closer with the Government to in stance on monetary policy After a shaky start this try’s macro outlook as well as markets. amendment, Sebi has said no ing into account the views of Speaking to PTI, minister help evolve policies for inno- outlook by various central year, FPIs have made a “con- expectations of formation of a In its new proposal, the person should employ or assist the Finance Ministry and also for social welfare Priyank vations.” banks globally. fident comeback” into the stable government post elec- Securities and Exchange Board in employing any device, of the Corporate Affairs Kharge said, Ola Cabs officials Ola Cabs refused to com- According to depository Indian equity markets, noted tions has improved India’s of India (Sebi) has asked the scheme or artifice to manipu- Ministry in a few cases. met the officials of state trans- ment on the matter. data, foreign investors Himanshu Srivastava, senior prospects, he added. ,74   "    :#      # :GTU(&8G+  2"'4*,24    /2 he US will host a delega-    ;2* 0 Ttion from China led by Vice Premier Liu He early he value next month, following a trip by  /2;2* 0 Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Tof merg- US officials to China in an Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh er and effort to improve trade rela- s much as 3 lakh crore of and Punjab. acquisition tions, the White House said on Ainvestment in a dozen According to PRAAPTI deals in Saturday. power plants of the private sec- portal, Uttar Pradesh takes February White House press secre- tor is at risk of turning into 544 days to clear its dues slumped 34 tary Sarah Sanders said NPA as States buying power while Maharashtra takes 580 per cent to President Donald Trump is have not been making payment days. $1.24 billion sending US Trade for months, official data and More than 80 per cent of compared to Representative Robert sources said. the outstanding is accounted the year-ago Lighthizer and Treasury According to data available for by India’s most industri- period, Secretary Steven Mnuchin to on the PRAAPTI portal of the alised states such as according to Beijing starting next week, Ministry of Power, 12 power Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu a report. said the shortening of the joined by deputy US Trade generating companies belong- who are biggest consumers of Leading consultancy run-up period to the nation- Representative Jeffrey Gerrish ing to firms such as GMR and electricity. The top-10 states Grant Thornton’s report al elections will only deepen and other senior Trump Adani Group and public sector take an average of 562 days for showed that number of M&A the wait and watch approach administration officials. generators like NTPC have payments. transactions last month rose in the deal environment in the Vice Premier Liu He and about 41,730 crore outstand- Sources said the delay in marginally to 44 last month short term and much is other Chinese officials meet ing from state distribution payment is posing severe work- whereas the same was at 40 in expected post the results of with officials in Washington companies (discoms) as of ing capital issues at the private February 2018. the general elections. starting April 3, Sanders said. December 2018. power plants. In February last year, the Regarding last month, he The trade dispute began Dues as on date run into an Delay in realisation of total value of M&A transac- noted that M&A transactions last year after the US made estimated 60,000 crore, half of receivables from the state dis- tions had touched $1.9 billion. were dominated by cross-bor- several complaints, includ- on about $110 billion of US Trump said Thursday at ment. it being towards independent tribution companies “While February 2019 der transactions as against a ing that China was stealing items. the White House that, “Talks The Trump administra- power producers in power sec- (DISCOMs) weakens the abil- recorded same number of mix of cross-border and US trade secrets and was China’s commerce min- with China are going very tion, they say, wants to have the tor. ity of project developers to ser- deals valued and estimated merger transactions in the forcing companies to give istry had previously said well.” option to impose tariffs on The Bharatiya Janata Party- vice debt in a timely manner atover $100 million as wit- same period a year ago. them technology to access Lighthizer and Mnuchin would Administration officials Chinese goods if China does- ruled Uttar Pradesh has the and leads to exhaustion of nessed in February 2018, the “The month of February its market. be in China on Thursday and say they speak with their n’t abide by the terms of the most outstanding dues of working capital in some cases, high valued deals totalled to recorded the highest volumes Trump imposed tariffs on Friday for the eighth round of Chinese counterparts on a pact. 6,497 crore, followed by they said adding delayed pay- only $0.9 billion compared to in seven months, demon- $250 billion of Chinese trade negotiations. nearly daily basis. The US also wants China Maharashtra at 6,179 crore. ments risk projects being $1.5 billion in February 2018,” strating the strong urge to imports, about half what the The scheduled talks sug- Business lobbyists say that to promise not to retaliate Other states not paying power termed non-performing assets it said. expand outside local territo- United States buys from that gest the two sides believe they a key sticking point is what type against those tariffs. generating companies on time (NPAs) under the Reserve Pankaj Chopda, Director, ry surpassing global head- country. can make at least some of enforcement mechanism Still, business groups say include Tamil Nadu, Bank of India’s (RBI) new clas- Grant Thornton India LLP, winds,” he added. China retaliated with tariffs progress. will be included in the agree- the talks are making progress. Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra sification rules. ;     # ;' # "$  !        2        Q' #0  "/*,'/* ;       /2;2* 0 “Technology will contin- ance/reassurance, local food   ue to drive our initiatives on tour to add the comfort of ravel services firm and empower our customers home-cooked food, and   /2;2* 0 connections.  . 4*4* ,  TThomas Cook India is both external and internal...,” brochures in local languages,” Now around 250 crore is betting big on enhanced dis- Menon added. Menon said. he Department of left, which will be cleared in alaysia may retaliate tribution with special focus Highlighting the impor- From a foreign exchange TTelecommunications has next 15-20 days. There were Magainst an EU plan to on tier-II and III cities and tance of small towns and business perspective, while asked State Governments not to some disconnections that took curb palm oil use by purchas- product innovation to drive cities as turning points in the retail segment will be sig- disconnect electricity connec- place but all of them have ing new fighter jets from China growth, a top company offi- growth, he said: “Regional nificant for future growth, tions of State-owned BSNL been restored now.” instead of European arms com- cial said. India’s tier-II and III cities and the company will continue to and MTNL on account of MTNL Chairman and panies, its leader said on The company currently towns are emerging as strong focus on the increasing card pending dues as they are pro- Managing Director P K Purwar Sunday. offers services like foreign power-drivers in our growth penetration as Indian con- viding strategic services for said, “MTNL has no pending The Southeast Asian coun- exchange, corporate travel, story across our travel and sumers move towards digital the upcoming elections, electricity dues. All payments try is the world’s second largest leisure travel, insurance, visa foreign exchange businesses money, he said. sources said. are up to date till February-end.” palm oil producer after neigh- and passport services and e- and will continue to form a “We also envisage benefits BSNL has already cleared Both BSNL and MTNL bouring Indonesia, and recent- business. key focus area to catalyse accruing from the progressive 90 per cent of its power dues were unable to pay salaries to ly threatened to challenge the The firm’s strategy under-leveraged potential.” turnaround of our interna- and is expected to clear the rest their employees for the month bloc’s plan to phase out its use includes a two-pronged ini- Besides setting up com- tional inbound businesses in the next 15-20 days. of February. in biofuels at the World Trade tiative of enhanced distribu- pany-owned branches, foray (DMS- Destination “A letter from the The Government released Organisation. tion for increased penetration into such opportune markets Management Specialist com- Department of Telecom has pending dues of 171 crore to Both Malaysia and ers — in effect abandoning of which are among Malaysia’s into viable source markets will also include the franchise panies), domestic and e-busi- been sent to state chief secre- cash-strapped MTNL for pay- Indonesia have been at log- plans to purchase France’s top trading partners. coupled with product inno- route that enables quick turn- ness,” Menon said. taries requesting them to avoid ing February salaries while gerheads with EU lawmakers Rafale jet or the Eurofighter Mahathir’s remarks come vation to target high potential around in establishing our When asked if the com- disruption in MTNL and BSNL BSNL has cleared salary dues of over the crop’s cultivation, Typhoon. ahead of a five-day interna- emerging segments like presence and catering to local pany was looking for more electricity connections because around 850 crore from its which has caused rampant “If they keep on taking tional defence exhibition start- regional tours, ladies first, demand, he added. acquisitions going forward, it is providing strategic support internal accruals. deforestation and destruction action against us, we will think ing Monday on the resort theme park holidays and mil- “Our unique regional Menon said: “Yes, we have to state machineries for man- In the hyper-competitive of wildlife. of buying airplanes from China island of Langkawi, where rep- lennials, Thomas Cook India tours launched to leverage the had at least one acquisition a aging elections,” an official told telecom environment, both the In his strongest statement or any other country,” he was resentatives of global weapons Chairman and MD high potential regional and year over the last few years. PTI. public sector firms have yet on the proposed curbs, quoted as saying by the official manufacturers have gathered. Madhavan Menon told PTI. tier-II and III markets are see- And while there is no acqui- When contacted, BSNL approached the Government Malaysian Prime Minister Bernama news agency. Any EU palm oil curbs The enhanced distribu- ing strong demand due to sition currently on the table, Chairman and Managing for financial support and to Mahathir Mohamad said his But the premier said he was could seriously hurt farmers tion is with special focus on inclusions of a local ‘son-of- we are open to exploring Director Anupam Shrivastava resolve legacy issues, but the country could look elsewhere not “declaring war” on the EU who represent an important tier-II and tier-III cities, he the-soil’ Thomas Cook Tour opportunities as and when said, “We have cleared 90 per Centre is yet to take any final to upgrade its ageing air force as his country needed goods voter base in both Malaysia and said. Manager to create guid- they may arise.” cent of the dues for electricity call. fleet of Russian Mig-29 fight- from the bloc, many members Indonesia.   ()  ( *+, *-./ '  ))

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ishabh Pant blazed away Rto an unbeaten 27-ball 78 and powered Delhi Capitals to a mammoth 213 P for six against Mumbai Indians in their Indian Premier League opener here 6 *    Sunday. Pant raced to his half century in 18 balls, hitting   '(  ,(  seven towering sixes and as many fours at the Wankhede 11-  Stadium, which looked too small for the Delhi dazzler.   + Just 21, Pant smashed the world's best fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, for a few       sixes as well. Pant, playing his natur- al game, mercilessly pun-   .<*.4'4 ished the Mumbai bowlers after South African Colin ndre Russell smashed an Ingram (47 off 32 balls 7x4, explosive 49 to spoil David 1x6) and Shikhar Dhawan AWarner's scintillating IPL (43 off 36 balls; 4x4; 1x6) comeback as Kolkata Knight Riders pulled the visitors out of the pulled off a dramatic six- win rubble and laid the founda- over Sunrisers Hyderabad, here tion of a big total with their Sunday. 83-run stand for the third Needing 53 runs from last three wicket. overs, the powerful Jamaican changed The young wicketkeep- the course of the match with his big- er was brutal on Hardik hitting against Siddharth Kaul, Pandya, whom he ham- creaming off 19 runs from the 18th mered for two sixes and a over. four in the 16th over to start He retained the strike by taking the destruction and then a smart single and continued his spared none. He struck two assault on Bhuvneshwar Kumar, imum strike as the duo raced to 100- sixes and a four off debutant who too bled 21 runs in the penulti- mark in 10.5 overs in their massive Rasikh Salam in the 19th mate over as KKR sealed the 182-run 118-run opening partnership. over. chase with two balls to spare. Having opted to bowl, the other- Pant was also brutal on Russell hammered four sixes and wise disciplined KKR attack looked death overs specialist an equal number of boundaries in clueless against the rampaging Bumrah. Rahul Tewatia run sequence that read 6-6-1-4-1-4- Warner who was let off twice while complimented the stumper 6-4-0-6-1. Youngster Shubman Gill on scores of 21 and 68 by Robin with 9 . (18 not out) completed the formali- Uthappa and skipper Dinesh Karthik Earlier, the duo of ties with two sixes off Shakib-Al- respectively. Dhawan and Ingram rallied Hasan. Karthik's captaincy was over- the Delhi innings after they Promoted to open with Chris defensive and lost the review to lost two quick — Lynn, Nitish Rana made full use of Warner early in the second over, Prithvi Shaw (7) and skipper the opportunity and kept them in the while SRH made full use of the DRS Shreyas Iyer (16) — inside hunt with a 47-ball 68. by overturning a decision against the first four overs - and also But he departed shortly after a Bairstow. took the Mumbai attack to 12-minute interruption caused by There was no looking back for cleansers. 3.M  #"# 0*  tower lights failure. Warner who batted as if he was never Ingram upped the ante The momentum slowly shifted in out of action and pierced the gaps at in the eighth over slashing   , ,40 Indians. favour of SRH but Russell in a met- ease with successive boundaries Hardik for a four and then Salam, who hails from ter of minutes changed the complex- against Piyush Chawla and Sunil a six. oung right-arm medium Kulgaam district, was picked up ion of the match. Narine to unsettle the otherwise dis- But Ben Cutting gave Ypacer Rasikh Salam became by Mumbai Indians for his base Earlier, Warner made a stupen- ciplined KKR spinners. Mumbai the much-needed only the second player from price of Rs 20 lakh. dous comeback with a scintillating 85, Warner brought his fifty with a breakthrough as he removed Jammu and Kashmir to play in Parvez Rasool, an off-break helping his side reach a challenging  ""2** 4,,22;+< "012"4/;4/2V 4*/ ,2<+ six against Andre Russell and then Ingram, who was caught by the Indian Premier League. bowler, was the first one from 181/3. went on to smack India frontline Hardik in the 13 over. Salam, 17, turned up for the northern state, to play in the Putting behind the embarrassing < /;402"0/ /"2V 2/2' 4'24;9!9!(!G!(!G!9!G!)! spinner Kuldeep Yadav for his second Dhawan also threw his wick- Mumbai Indians in their lung- cash-rich tournament. Rasool ball tampering scandal, that kept him 9!(&=< /$"'2" ,4/$0**A(>/<'< 'B<,*2'2; six. et away as Delhi slumped opener against Delhi Capitals at represented two IPL teams - out last year, the Aussie smashed Such was the Warner assault that from 112 for two to 131 for the Wankhede Stadium here Warriors India and three sixes and nine boundaries in his ' 2+<,4*0'02"0' '<"012"<++" 4.0!4*! 4"4/ four of the regular KKR bowlers four. Sunday and also opened the Sunrisers Hyderabad. 53-ball knock. including the frontline spin duo of But then it was the Pant bowling for the hosts. Another player from Jammu India World Cup probable Vijay lowing Warner's exit in the 16th over. Virat Kohli (38) as the Aussie also has Sunil Narine (0/29 in three overs) and show and he left no chance Rasikh, who got his cap and Kashmir, Manzoor Dar was Shankar also made a fine return to Warner's 37th IPL fifty also made three centuries. Kuldeep (0/18 in 2 overs) did not to impress selectors ahead of from former India pacer Zaheer picked up by IPL franchise the Orange Army with a quick-fire him the first cricketer in IPL to have Jonny Bairstow complemented even bowl their full quota of four the crucial World Cup selec- Khan, is the youngest player to Kings XI Punjab last year, but unbeaten 24-ball 40 (2x4, 2x6) fol- most 50-plus scores (40) ahead of Warner well by giving him the max- overs. tion. make the debut for Mumbai did not feature in any game. '1 /          <0  ; 

 340     2//40

ustralian batsman Steve he slowness of the Chepauk ASmith will embark on a Ttrack might be attracting a lot of redemption journey when criticism but veteran off-spinner Rajasthan Royals open their Harbhajan Singh said while the campaign against Kings XI wicket was difficult to bat, it was not Punjab in the 12th edition of unplayable. the Indian Premier League Rival captains Mahendra Singh (IPL), here Monday. Dhoni and Virat Kohli expressed Smith was handed a one- their disappointment over the wick-  P  year ban along with his then et after the opening match of the deputy David Warner exactly a Indian Premier League turned out     <  year ago for their roles in the to be damp squib on Saturday ball-tampering scandal in night. South Africa. After Royal Challengers   340  Smith was last seen in Bangalore got bundled out for 70 in action in a couple of 17.1 overs. Chennai Super Kings here and the wicket was a good one. teve Smith would still be a bit rusty and Kings Bangladesh Premier League achieved the target in 17.4 overs, We would have preferred to play on SXI Punjab would try to exploit it to their (BPL) matches late last year winning by seven wickets. a wicket that wouldn't spin as much advantage, says skipper Ravichandran Ashwin, before an elbow injury ruled "See, it was a difficult pitch to as this did. Hopefully it would be who also reckons that it won't be easy comeback him out of the tournament. The bat on but it wasn't like it was better hereafter." journey for the Australian. ban was limited to state and unplayable. We're so used to watch- Harbhajan, who did not have a The spotlight will be on Smith when international fixtures only and ing matches on good wickets where great season in the 2018 edition of Rajasthan Royals' clash with Punjab on Monday. not domestic or club cricket. no one complains when people the IPL, said it was nice to be on the "We all know he is a quality player and must The IPL will be the actual score 170-180. But if it spins or winning side and contributing to the have worked and prepared hard during the break start of his long road to seams a little, everyone has a prob- team's cause. but comebacks are not easy. He must have put redemption and Smith would lem, saying why is this happening?," "It is nice to be on the winning a lot of efforts for a comeback mentally. I am sure be looking to make the most of Kulkarni, Jofra Archer, Ish Harbhajan said at the post match side and contributing, especially  P   Live on Star Sports 1& 2 HEAD he would look to perform and on the other hand it ahead of the World Cup, TO Sodhi and few others give vari- press conference. taking the wickets of Virat (Kohli), we would look to take advantage of his rusti- starting May 30 in England.     HEAD ety and options to Royals for "No one has a problem with why AB (de Villiers) and Moeen ness," said Ashwin. Smith, though, is yet to . 10 (C   different conditions so many runs are being made. So (Ali)...Top-order batters. This is Ashwin himself is struggling to make a recover fully from his elbow 3 = Ravichandran Ashwin-led people actually forget that the the kind of performance that is comeback to the Indian side and is likely to miss injury and may take a little time Punjab side would rely heavi- bowler also has a job in cricket. expected from me, being the senior . 10  vs =G  the World Cup bus with Kuldeep Yadav, to get into the groove.     *- ly on their openers Chris Gayle Batsmen should struggle once in a bowler in the side. Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja doing a With Smith in their ranks, # 0  ,Q)), H  ! and KL Rahul to provide them while so that they understand that "Though people might think nice job with the white ball. the Royals have one of the best a fiery start and if swashbuck- it should be a battle of bat and ball. that I am old but the experience is Asked if he feels, he is still in reckoning for teams this season led by    ling West Indian opener hap- "In some places, yes, they played something I have gained over the a spot in India's World Cup squad, he was a tad Ajinkya Rahane and they 4#  bowling departments, pens to be in his ele- some rash shots as well. It was not years, which no one can take away irritated. would be eager to capitalise on   !   while the Kings  A ments, the Kings XI that this was a 70 runs wicket. You'll from me. I am glad to contribute to "I can't answer the question. Selectors have the home advantage tomorrow.   &'  would be expect- !  B $ may be able to draw get at least 120 if you apply yourself," the win," said the CSK tweaker. to answer that. But as far I am concerned I have British all-rounder Ben      ing their all-    ! ! the first blood. Harbhajan, who won the man-of- Meanwhile, RCB assistant coach played two World Cups. If I deserve and I am Stokes and Jos Buttler are assets 8G(F  :G&C8>) rounder Sam   !   Skipper the-match award for his spell of Vikram Solanki said the pitch was selected I would love to play," he said. to the team but they will not be   >9   Curran to be on '   ! Ashwin would be three for 20, said. far from ideal for . Punjab coach Mike Hesson said big-hitting available after April 25 as per 8)((& the top of his   .  ! desperate to prove The 38-year-old admitted that "I don't think we played well West Indian that Gayle is huge player for his England and Wales Cricket game on Monday. that he can still he and his team were surprised at enough and CSK were by far the team. Board (ECB) diktat because of  4  Their bowling '     make a difference in the amount of turn they got from better side. We were surprised by "The way he batted in the last series against the World Cup, and Rajasthan ()# G(&)) too have reasonable   this format. With the pitch. spin and lack of pace and it spun far quality bowlers and took on the spinners shows would be keen to win enough (G   . 10 depth with speedster Mohammed Shami, "It was a wicket where it was more than we thought. It was prob- that he still is a formidable force. He is an asset matches by then.        Jaidev Unadkat eying a slot in Andrew Tye and Mujeeb Ur holding a bit. We honestly didn't ably not an ideal pitch as it was not on the field and in the dressing room where he Stokes will once again be  & Indian team for the World Rahman, Punjab's bowling expect it to turn so much as it did an even contest. You need an oppor- helps youngsters groom," said Hesson. the key in both batting and Cup. Varun Aaron, Dhawal looks pretty strong. today. We played a practice match tunity to score as well," he said.