DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, , JAIPUR, , LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA

JOURNALISM OF COURAGE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020, KOLKATA, LATE CITY, 14 PAGES SINCE 1932 `5.00/EX-KOLKATA `6.00(`12INNORTH EAST STATES&ANDAMAN)WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

WORLD Amid divestment plans,PSUslag in marketrally, FPIs 34 KILLED IN SUICIDE BOMBINGS IN show little interest AFGHANISTAN, ARMY BASE ATARGET PAGE 10 SUNNYVERMA& SANDEEPSINGH NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 UP law sees AMID THE relentlessrally in the stockmarket, institutional in- Aworryfor vestors seem to have largely first case: Kin voted down government- theMinistry ownedcompanies. Their stock of 20-yr-old prices continue to languish, un- STOCKPRICES OF gov- Farmer leaders hold apress conference at Singhu Border on Sunday. GajendraYadav WHEREAPOSSIBLEBREAKTHROUGHMAYLIE,EXPLAINED,PAGE9 likethose of leading private sec- ernment-ownedcom- move against torcompanies. paniesand bankscon- The PSUs have shown signif- tinue to lag behind Muslim friend CREATE AWARENESS: PM ON MANN KI BAAT icantlag in performance despite private peers, andhave the broad recovery in the mar- been trading sharply be- kets since April 2020. lowtheir peak value of MANISHSAHU While the BSE Sensexhas recent years. Lowvalua- LUCKNOW,NOVEMBER29 Newlawshelpfarmers,sayPM,Shah; risenby50per cent between tions areanissue forthe March 31 and November 24,the government because it ADAY afterthe newanti-con- BSE PSU indexhas risen by only has aheavy disinvest- version lawcame intoforce in 18.7 per cent. In fact, the BSE mid ment agenda linedup. Uttar Pradesh, the police on cap and small capindices have The Finance Ministryis Sunday registeredits firstcase keyMinistersmeetonwayforward jumpedby60per cent and 75.6 said to be looking at under it. Owaisi Ahmed, 24,was per cent respectively in the same ways to improvethe booked by the Deorania police period. marketvalue of govern- in Bareilly forallegedly pressur- Reforms openeddoor to newpossibilities, With the governmentlook- ment companies. ing aHindu woman to convert, BUSINESSASUSUAL Farmers refuse to move, ing to raise funds through divest- and threateningher parents says Modi; Home Secy tells farmers to go ment of stakeinsome of these when theyobjected. to designated protest sitefor early talks BY UNNY say will intensify protest PSUs,the issue of lowvaluation value afterthe pandemic im- The family of the20-year-old has come up fordiscussion in the pacted marketsinMarch 2020, woman lodged the complaint. AgricultureMinisterNarendra Border —through whichthe Finance Ministry. Sources said HDFC Bank and KotakMahindra The police said theyhad not EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Singh Tomar metatBJP presi- AMILBHATNAGAR highway to Haryana, the government has been look- Bankhavehad freshrecord been able to find Ahmedyet. NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 dentJPNadda’s residence. &JIGNASASINHA Chandigarh, and onward to ing at ways to improvevaluations highs in recent days and several Preliminary investigation has In his Mann Ki Baat address, NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 Himachal Pradesh and Punjab in line with the book value and otherprivate sector bankshave indicated thetwo were in arela- AS FARMERS from Punjab and Modi said demands of farmers, passes —tochalk out their profitability of thecompanies. done well. tionship, and had elopedlast Haryana, seeking repeal of the promisedatone time or an- REJECTINGTHE Centre’s invita- course of action. In the evening, State-ownedbanks, which Even the Nifty CPSEindexis year,beforetheywerefound and newfarm laws,continuedto other by everypolitical party, tion forconditional talks, farm- theyannouncedatapress con- were expected to benefit in down almost46per cent from broughtback. WhileAhmedhad protestatthe gatesofDelhi, Prime had been metthrough these ers camping at the Delhi- ference that theywould block- terms of market value aftera itspeak of 2,795 recordedin been arrested then too, the MinisterNarendraModi and laws.Heasked theyouth, “es- Haryana border reiterated their ade five pointsofentryintoDelhi spateofamalgamations and 2018.Whilestate-ownedfirms woman had denied thecharges Home MinisterAmit Shah backed peciallythose studying agricul- demands on Sunday, and said —Sonipat, Rohtak,Jaipur, capital infusion, have seen a have lagged behind their private of kidnappinglodged against the laws Sunday, saying they ture” to go to villages, and cre- theywould notvacatethe arte- Ghaziabad-Hapur,and Mathura steady decline in value. The Nifty peers in terms of performancein him by herfather.The woman were forthe benefit of farmers. ateawareness among farmers rial GT Karnal highway. —inthe coming days. PSU Bank index, forinstance, is the pastaswell, the differential wasmarriedoff by the familyto Lateatnight, Shah, Defence about the newlaws. Farmers’ groupsheld discus- The farmers have been down 64 per cent from itspeak between their marketperform- someone elseinApril this year. MinisterRajnathSingh and CONTINUEDONPAGE2 sions at Delhi's northernSinghu CONTINUEDONPAGE2 of 4,327in2017. ance has been widening in re- IG, BareillyRange, Rajesh While manyprivate banks cent years. CONTINUEDONPAGE2 also sawasharp decline in share CONTINUEDONPAGE2 PSUs LAG IN PERFORMANCE Will go with people’s decision:Suvendu Mar31 Nov27 Change BSEPSU 4,498.12 5294.9 17.7 BSESensex 29,468.49 44149 49.8 on his home turf after quitting TMC govt BSEMidcap 10,569.93 16914.6 60.0 BSESmallcap 9,608.9216875.2 75.6 Adhikari invokedBhimrao can give you,” Adhikari said at ATRIMITRA Ambedkar and Maulana Abul the programme, whichwas or- MAHISHADAL(PURBA Kalam Azad and said that he will ganisedbyTamralipto MEDINIPUR),NOVEMBER29 uphold the Constitution and JanakalyanSamiti. serveBengalis and as On Friday, aftermonths of Atmanirbhar push in IN HIS firstpublicmeeting after their “sevak”. distancing himself from the quitting the Trinamool Congress “Bhimrao Ambedkar and party,Adhikariresignedfrom bullet train: Industry government in , Maulana Azad, among others, the MamataBanerjee-led on Sundayre- framedour Constitution.Our Cabinetwherehewas Transport, The 90-ftecobridgeonKaladhungi-Nainital highway. Express frainedfrommaking anypoliti- country's democratic system is Irrigation and Waterways told to build substitute calannouncement and instead by the people, forthe people and Minister. said that “people will have the of the people. Therefore, the peo- His resignationwas accepted lastword” on his political career. ple will have the lastword. With by Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar. for made-in-China tech Uttarakhand’s unique Addressing an event in mem- theirsupportand the responsi- Suvendu Adhikari at He,however, did notquitthe oryoflatefreedom fighter Ranjit bility theyhavebestowedonme, Mahishadal event partyorresign as an MLA. bridge to help reptiles Kumar BayalatMahishadalin Iwill serveBengalis and Bengal on Sunday. Partha Paul Therewas speculation that AVISHEKGDASTIDAR Purba Medinipur district, as their sevak. This is apromise I CONTINUEDONPAGE2 NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 cross busy jungle road AS THE corporationbuilding the country’sfirstbullettrain project lizards, snakes including CoBRA officer was to come home for EXPERT pushesfor Indian firms shoulder- LALMANIVERMA pythons,rodent squirrels, and EXPLAINS ing three-fourth of the work, DEHRADUN,NOVEMBER29 monkeys,and the crushedre- celebrationofbirthday, alateDiwali Indian industry has been urged mains of reptiles arefrequently Dr KSrinath to come up withanalternativeto Reddy THE UTTARAKHAND Forest found on the highway. the high-techmachinesneeded Department has built afirst-of- The 5-foot-wide, 40-foot- While the 33-year-old diedof FromTheIndianExpresspanel to construct viaducts (elevated Work is on at the Sabarmati its-kind ecobridgeacross abusy high bridgecan take theweight GARGIVERMA injuries sustainedinthe IED ofspecialists,exclusiveinsight structures) at the desired pace, hub of the bullettrain. File highway in Ramnagar forest di- of three adult humans, andforest &SRINATHRAO blast,seven CoBRApersonnel whichare currentlymade onlyin vision of Nainital district so that officialssaidtheyhoped it would RAIPUR,MUMBAI, were injured and arenow out of China.Trade with Chinahas been reptiles trying to cross over are be usedbyevenleopards. NOVEMBER29 danger.The attackhappenedjust ROADTOMASS affected by the border tension in launching mechanism com- notcrushedundertraffic. The bridge, whichwill be put 6kmfromthe Burkapal base VACCINATION eastern Ladakh. monlyusedinIndia—while one- The 90-foot-long structureof in sight of four camera traps, will FAMILY, FRIENDS and colleagues campofCoBRA. The megacarrier and and-a-half girders areplacedina bamboo, jute, and grasses was be studiedasamodel by the described Assistant Comman- The CRPF said Bhalerao had EXPLAINED PAGE 9 launcher machines, also known week with this, the Chinese ma- built across the two-lane Forest Department, Ramnagar dant Nitin PBhalerao, killedina fought on forseven hoursde- as Transporter, Gantryand Full chines enable twogirders aday. Kaladhungi-Nainital highway by Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) MaoistattackinSukma, spitelosing alot of blood. THE EDITORIAL PAGE Spam Launcher machines, are Eachmachine costs around local contractors over aperiodof ChandraShekharJoshi said. Chhattisgarh, on Saturdaynight Nitin PBhalerao,33, diedin The Assistant Commandant’s ubiquitous in China’s large-scale Rs 70-80 crore. The bullettrain 10 days at acostofRs2lakh. The bridgehas been strung at as someone who strove to be the aMaoistattackinSukma cremation on Sundayevening at connectivity projects. Typically, a project will needupto30such The highway is themain apointwherethe road arcs in a best at whatever he did, and who Nashik drew friendsand locals, Q2DATA:ONWARDS vehicle carrying afull girder trav- machines, Achal Khare, routetoNainital, and is usedby wide ‘U’, and vehicles going ledfromthe front. Tenyears ago, apartfromfamilymembers. ANDUPWARDS els on an already launchedgirder Managing Director of the alarge number of vehicles espe- downhill oftentravelathigh he ranked firstinbasic training warfaretraining afterbeing in- Bhalerao is survivedbyhis BY SOUMYA KANTI GHOSH to place thenext girder under this National High SpeedRail ciallyinthe touristseason. The speed. It is expected that by as aCRPF Sub-Inspector,and re- ducted intothe force’s elite mother Bharti, wifeRashmi, PAGE 6 technology.The speedisalmost Corporation (NHSRL), said. jungle is home to monitor CONTINUEDONPAGE2 peated thedistinction in jungle CoBRA unit. CONTINUEDONPAGE2 seventimes that of the girder CONTINUEDONPAGE2

PAGE 1 ANCHOR Serving free hot meals, 10 emerge as Arunachal town’s ‘saviours’

at agovernment school, empty of rice, dal and boiledvegetables TORAAGARWALA due to thelockdown, located on gave waytostews of porkand GUWAHATI,NOVEMBER29 the edge of her hometown, bamboo shoot, chickencooked Bhalukpong. The desksand with traditionalherbs and, on “THEY WERE working forus, so benches were stowedaway, somedays,evenfeasts of thedel- whynot work forthem?” Neeshi largeutensils brought in, and a icacy mithun.The langar is still Jebisamam remembers thinking stovecrackledtolife. The 10 — running, nowmannedbythe dis- in April, aweek afterthe nation- homemakers, nurses, teachers — trict administration. wide lockdown wasannounced. put on theirmasks, rolled up “Wenever chargedfor our But even at the outset,therewere their sleeves, and got to work. meals,” says MarySidisow, the murmurs: “Isn’t it risky? What if And justlikethat, faraway 39-year-old staffnurse at the youget the virus?” Arunachal from the virus epicentres, Community Health Centre Pradesh might have had onlyone Jebisaman and the othershad (CHC) who firstsuggestedthe case of the coronavirus backthen, joinedthe ranksofthe countless women best epitomisingthe On dayone, Jebisaman recalls, idea of acommunity kitchen. but panic had beguntoset in. corona warriorsacross the coun- stories of strength that had theyproducedameal for70, but “Our objective wassimple —to ‘SOON,AVACCINE The 25-year-old English trywhom TheIndian Express is helpedthe city put the killings only35showedup. But then feed thefrontline worker,beita MADEININDIA’ teacher wasdeterminedthough, celebrating as partofthe an- Homemakers, nurses, teachers cametogether,ran the behind. Ashowrecountingtheir slowly, as word gotaround of the doctor,anurse, apoliceman or PAGE 8 and one brightmorning, she niversaryofthe 26/11terrorat- kitchen forfrontline workers forthree months. Express stories wastelecastonStarPlus Bhalukpong Women’s Langar,the even adailywagelabourer. held ameeting with 10 women tacksonMumbai —the men and on Sundaynight. numbersdoubled,thesimplefare CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 2 THE SECOND PAGE THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,NOVEMBER30,2020

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WEB labourersinbrickkilns,ricemills. and sipper to an under- Indian Express EXCLUSIVE ★★★★★■4.6 trial sparkedcontroversy FASHION EXPERTEXPLAINS NEWEPISODEEVERYDAY KEEPING UP WITH APPLE’S NEW In today's episode we'relooking at the PANDEMIC FASHION M1 CHIP controversy over providing astraw and Staying committed to Apple M1 chip could be sipper to Father Stan Swamy, who is SCANTHISQRCODETO the wardrobe while at the startofsomething presentlyinjail DOWNLOADTHEAPP home big FROMPAGEONE Suvendu whichwerepromisedatsome AcademyinMount Abu, he was of the construction forthe proj- time or another by everypoliti- adjudged thebestoutdoor ect through Indian firms. he mayjointhe BJP with some cal party,havebeen fulfilled. trainee. He followedthat up Typically, in projectsofsucha stateBJP leaders openly claim- Afteralot of discussion, Farmerssayswill intensify protest with three-month training at scale,around Rs 80,000-90,000 ing that Adhikari and some Parliament gave agricultural re- the CoBRASchool of Jungle croreworth of contracts, mostly moreTMC ministers would join forms legal recognition. These camping outside Delhi since area of over 20 hectares. It is and protestedsome 50 metres Tikri Kalan is in the Outer Delhi Warfareand Tactics in Belgaum. in civil construction and even their party.However, Adhikari reforms have notonlyremoved Friday. On Saturday, Union around 20 km from theSinghu from the police barricade. “We district, and the border is close Once again, he wasadjudged track-laying, would go to Indian kept everyone guessing. Even on manyrestrictionsfor farmers, Home MinisterAmitShahhad Border. do nothaveany intentions of to Mundkaand Peeragarhi. The the all-round best trainee. companies. The bullettrain Sundaywhere all the eyes were but have giventhem newrights invitedfarm unions fortalkson The farmersare demanding moving further.Wecamefrom highway to Bahadurgarh and CRPF spokesperson and project, without normal infla- on his firstpublic meeting,here- and opportunities,” he said. December 3onthe condition the repeal of three “pro-corpo- the other side and were al- JhajjarinHaryana passes Deputy Inspector General tion factored in from 2015,ises- fusedtospell out his next polit- Shah, meanwhile, said he thattheymovethe protest rate”farmlawsenacted by the lowedin, since police thought through Tikri. Moses Dhinakaran said timated at Rs 1.08 lakh crore. ical move. had neversaid that the farmer from the highway to the Sant Centre, and have vowednot to we were headedtowards the “Wedon’t have an estimate Bhalerao wasskilledinplan- TheNHSRCLhas told Indian Though Sunday's event was protests were political. NirankariSamagam Ground in back down. “Wehaverations to Nirankari Ground. Butthe of thenumberofpeople be- ningand executingoperations contractorstoensurethat their apolitical in nature, hundredsof “Everyone has that right (to Burari. lastusmonths, until our de- protestwill continuehere,” said hind the barricades(on the againstMaoists. staff, from rail-welding techni- Adhikari's supporters had gath- protest) in ademocracy.But I “Wehaverejected the invi- mandsare met. Our tractors are SukhdevSingh of Amritsar,one Haryana side).Alot of farmers Bhalerao's instructorduring cianstoengineers, motorcar ered wearing T-shirts that had want to saythat allthe three tation from the Centre. Oneof likemini lodgings,” Surjeet of thefarmers campednear the and others from Punjab have basic training, Assistant operators and supervisors,get 'AmraDadar Anugami' (Weare farm laws arefor the benefit of their conditions wasthat we Singhsaid. Alipur police post. joinedthe protestnow.Wetold Commandant VijayChaudhary, trainedand certifiedbyare- brother's followers) written on the farmers. And afteralong must go to the Burari Park first. He alsosaid the farmers Therewerenomorethan them that theycould go to said he stood out forhis "tacti- puted Japanese agency.The them.His supporters, manyof time,the farmerisgoing to come We will nevergotoBurari Park. would notallowany person af- 200farmers at the sprawling Burari’s Nirankari Ground but calacumen and physicalfit- training sessions can lastfrom them women, said theywill outofaconstricted system… I We have come to knowthat it is filiatedwithapolitical party on Nirankari Ground in Burarion theywanttostayhere. There ness",and that out of the vari- afew days to 125days,and the supportwhateverdecision is have nevercalled theprotest by moreanopen jail than apark,” their platform. “Wedemand Sunday evening.The Delhigov- aremorethan 300-400trucks ous wings of the CRPF,hehad costhas to be borne by the con- takenbyDada (Adhikari). farmers as political.Iamnot say- SurjeetSingh, president of thatthe rate of MSP (minimum ernment had put up tentsand and tractors on the road,” asen- optedfor CoBRA. tractors. While concluding his speech, ing that noweither,” he told re- Bhartiya Kisan Union supportprice) should be fixed, mobile washrooms forthem, ior policeofficer at the Singhu An undated videopostedon The project is facing delays Adhikarichanted'Jai Hind' slo- porters in Hyderabad. (Krantikari), Punjab, said. and thatfarmers should notbe and organisedlangars at sev- Border said. Twitter had ajunior officer as land acquisition is progress- gan, and not'Bharat MataKiJai', Union Home SecretaryAjay “Farmers from Uttarakhand finedfor burningfarm stubble. eral places –but the farmers Nishan Singh, afarmer from praising Bhalerao and saying he ing at asnail’space in whichhehad usedduring his Bhalla,writing to farmer unions who reachedDelhi todaywere We also demandthatthe pro- were camping on their tractor Punjab, said, “Mostofthe farm- wishedevery forcewould get Maharashtraand thereare Nandigram rallyearlier this staging the protest, assured told by Delhi Police that they posedelectricity Ordinance trolleys. ers hereare from our state. We an officer likehim. pendingissues with the month. them that all their issues would would be takentoJantar should be kept in abeyance,” “Some of us had to come to arecalling our familymembers Japanese. However, the portion While his close aides are be addressedindiscussionswith Mantar, buttheywereinstead SurjeetSinghsaid. NirankariGround earlier,but and friendstojoin us. We won’t Bullet train in Gujarat has pickeduppace speculating that he will join the ahigh-levelcommittee of Union held at theBurariPark. The Delhi Chief MinisterArvind that does notmean we have leave Delhi unlesstheyrepeal “If we aretobuild 237kmin withthree contractsawarded BJP in presence of theparty'stop Ministers at Vigyan Bhavanon protestatthe Singhu Border Kejriwal tweetedonSunday cavedin. The protesthereisthe the three farmer laws.Over50 four years, thereisnootherway fordesign and construction. leadership in the firstweek of December 3. will continue,” SurjeetSingh that“The Centremusttalk to sameasthatonthe border,and peoplefromthe All Kisan excepttouse this technique. While the Railwaysinsists the December,Adhikariiskeeping He said this discussion can said. farmers immediatelywithout we will stay here until we are Sangharsh Coordination But these carrier-and-launcher project is still on time forthe his cards close to his chest. take place earlier if all unions Delhi Police spokesperson anypreconditions.” allowedtoprotestatthe Committee will join us tomor- machines aremanufactured in December 2023 deadline, On Saturday,hedid notat- gather the protesting farmersat Dr Eish Singhal deniedthe alle- Duringthe day, several Ramlila ground, or our de- row, andwewill then decide China. So thisisone of thechal- sources said theyare staring at tend ameeting calledbythe the designated ground in Burari gation. “Beforetheirprotest,we leadersoffarmers' groups gave mands aremet,” DiljeetSingh our next step.” lengeswhichwehaveposedto acompletion dateofDecember Trinamool Congress in Kolkata. on the outskirts of Delhi. had appealed to the farmersto speechesfromatoptractors on from Mohalisaid. On Sunday morning, farm- the industry, including L&T 2028. TMC MP SaugataRoy who, “Some unions have de- notprotest in Delhi, and stated the Haryana side of the Singhu On Friday,police had re- ersbeat drums and raised slo- (whichisbuilding 325 km of a along with fellowMPSudip mandedthe discussions to be that protests at Jantar Mantar BorderasDelhiPolicere- sorted to lathi chargesand tear gans as police madeannounce- high-speedviaductinGujarat) Arunachal town Bandopadhyay, has been tasked held earlier than December 3. were notallowed. We had re- mainedstationedbehind bar- gasagainstthe protesters at mentsabout social distancing and the academicians, that why Afreemeal foranyone who was by the party topbrass to hold The moment youshifttothe jected all their requests,” he riersmounted withbarbed Singhu Border.OnSunday, and Covid guidelines. With the can’twedevelop them rather hungry.” parleys with Adhikari over his ground in Burari,the very next said. wire. Morefarmers were likely morefarmers from Punjaband border sealed, trafficfrom than importing them from Sidisowhad got thefirst grievances, expressedhope that dayahigh-levelcommittee of The Burari Park,commonly to join the protestoverthe next Haryana joinedthe protesters Haryana wasdiverted to China?” Khare told ameeting of inkling of howthe coronavirus therewill be talksbetween the Union Ministers is ready to meet known as the Nirankari twodays,the leaders said. at NorthwestDelhi's Tikri Jharoda and Rajokri. Police at the industrybody. TheIndian could turn lifeupside down in twosides. the representatives of farmer Samagam Ground, belongs to Agroup of 80-100 farmers Border.Delhi Police have the pickets recordedthe details industry doesn't have anyex- their small town, located in "Doors arestill open fortalks unions at Vigyan Bhavan,” he the Delhi Development managedto cross intoDelhi us- parkedtrucksblocking the road of commuters before letting perience of building high- West Kameng district. Health with Suvendu. Thereshould be said in his letter. Authority and is spread overan ing narrowlanes on Sunday, on the Delhi side of theborder. them enter Delhi. speedrail systems. workers likethem had been discussions with him. Iam Bhallasaid because of the Procuring these machines ropedinfor newduties, includ- hopeful of dialogue between protestcall givenby30farmers wascommon earlier.“Iguess ing screening people at check- Suvendu andthe partyleader- unions, alarge number of farm- -- of Mohammad Aslam of knowthat Ahmedand the sawthe FPI holding fall from 7.64 transfer of management control. people herenever needed to posts. ship," Roysaid when asked ersfromPunjab, Haryana and Baran in Rajasthan, CEO of alocal woman had leftthe villageto- per cent to 6.07per cent in the applytheir minds to make As the entrypoint to West about retainingthe massleader other parts of the countryhave farm produce organisation who gether in October lastyear and same period. CoBRAofficer them because theywereavail- Kameng, Tawang and East in the party. gathered near Delhi’s borders, has created aWhatsApp group were tracedfourdays later to Even in the case of SBI and daughter Vedangi (10), andtwo able cheap in China. Nowwe Kameng districtsbordering "Suvendu's mother is ill, so disrupting trafficontwo key of farmers on prevailing mandi Madhya Pradesh. Additional PowerGrid Corporation of India brothers. Bharti raisedthe chil- aretelling people to tryand de- Assam, Bhalukpongseescon- the talksmay have to wait tillshe highwaysbetween Punjab and rates, and VirendraYadavof Superintendent of Police, Ltd (PGCIL), whichare the two dren on her ownafter losing her sign them, let’s be self reliant. stant movement of security gets well," said Roy, who also en- Delhi since November 27. Kaithalwho has done business Bareilly(Rural), Sansar Singh mostvaluable state-owned husband when they were very It’s notlikeIndian engineers forces. joys acordial relationship with “According to availableinfor- of Rs 2crore in twoyears by sell- said Ahmedwas arrested at the companies by market capitali- young. cannotmakeit,” Khare told The Sidisow says sherealised Adhikari's father and Kanthi MP mation, due to severe cold, farm- ing farm stubble to agro-energy time but the woman had denied sation, the FPIs have reduced Bhalerao's birthdaywas on Indian Express,adding that thatworking long hours at the Sisir Kumar Adhikari. ers arefacing alot of problems. plants and paper mills by using the prosecution chargesincourt. their holdings significantly. December 21,and he wasplan- giventhe current "situation" check-posts as well as the hos- Tworoundsofdialogues be- In the wake of theCovid pan- strawbaler machines. "I have yettocheck the status of While in the case of SBI, theyre- ning to returnhome around that and thegovernment's empha- pital, manyofthem endedup tween Adhikari and Royhad re- demic, thereisathreat of infec- “I requestthe youth, and es- that case," Sansar Singh said. ducedtheir holding from 10.98 time. The familyhad hopedto sis on Aatmanirbhar Bharat, it skipping lunch. “Our town is so mainedinconclusive. tion due to such large gather- peciallythe lakhs of students In April, the woman was per cent in December 2019 to celebrateadelayedDiwali apart wasunlikelyanyone would get small that we were used to go- Chief Ministerand TMC chief ings,” he said in the letter,urging studying agriculture, that they married, and movedtoPilibhit. 7.75 per cent in September 2020, from his birthdaywith him. these machines from China. “I ing home forabite.” Mostofthe MamataBanerjee will starthis farmers to move to Burari. should go to nearby villages and "The familyhas said that since theybrought it down from 27.28 Sister-in-lawVrushali Bhalerao think people will trytodevelop 10 who volunteered forthe district tour from December 7, The Prime Minister, in his bring awarenessamong farmers coming to know of the marriage, per cent to 25.97 per cent in the said the 33-year-old would these machines here, and that communitykitchen, which with arally in Purba Medinipur MannKiBaat address, spokeof about the recentlypassedfarm Ahmedhad been harassing case of PGCIL in the same period. come home everyyear for is good. Howelse will we be- would startoperations by 8am, considered to be astrongholdof the “newrights” that the new reforms. By doing this, youwill them.Hewas pressuring them Datafrom Diwali. "Thisyear he delayedit come self-reliant?” were from herextendedfamily. the Adhikari family. laws had granted farmers. be partners in the big change to call backthe woman and al- primeinfobase.com also show because he wanted others in his Khareacknowledgedthat “Bhalukpong’s community- Meanwhile, TMC MP and He cited theexampleofa that is happening in the coun- lowthe twoofthem to getmar- that the percentageholding of battaliontogohome forthe fes- the machines are"no joke". basedorganisations had col- Chief Minister's nephew farmer in Dhule district of try,”hesaid. riedafter she converts. He last government (as promoter) in tival,"she said. "... We arevery “Theyare vehicles capableof lected some moneyfromdona- AbhishekBanerjeeinanoblique Maharashtrawhose“full knowl- visited thewoman's familyon companies listedonNSE hit an proud of his sacrifice." carrying loads of 1000 tonnes- tions,wepooledintoo,” says attackonAdhikari said theTMC edge of the laws has come to his UP law Saturdayand theyapproached all-time lowof5.05 per cent as Afriend in Bhalerao's home- plus.Currently, girdersare car- Sidisow. “I would finish work at workers “won't tolerate” any aid”. Pandeyconfirmedthat acase the police," the SHO said. The on September 30, 2020, down town Nashik said, "He always riedbyroad in littlesegments." the CHCearly (having taken leader who would betray the “JitendraBhoiji had done had been lodged againstAhmed newUPlaw providesfor ajail from 6.17 percent as on June 30, wanted to be at the forefront. I Noting that even Japan, which permission forthe same), head mother (party). farmingofmaize, and had de- under theUttar Pradesh Vidhi term up to 10 years, with all al- 2020. Over an 11-year period, wish he had stoppedsome- is helping India withthe bullet home, put on comfortable Addressing party workers at cidedtosell it at the right price to Viruddh Dharm Samparivartan leged offences cognizable and the holding has been steadily where." train project, had notdesigned clothes and head to the kitchen SatgachiainSouth 24 Parganas traders. The price forthe crop Pratishedh Adhyadesh, 2020, non-bailable. The ordinance says declining from 22.46 per cent on The injured in Saturday's at- suchmachines, Kharesaid around 11 am." district, Abhisheksaid, "TMC wasdecidedatRs3.32 lakh. whichwas notifiedonSaturday. no person shall attempt to con- June 30, 2009. tack allbelong to the 206CoBRA China came up with them over party is likeyour mother.Can Jitendra Bhoi alsogot Rs 25,000 The government has said the or- vert another by misrepresenta- PranavHaldea, Managing Battalion, including second-in- itsconstruction of 25,000km of Reptile youbetrayyour mother who has in advance. It wasdecidedthat dinance is meant to check tion, force, allurement, any Director of Prime Database, said command rank officer Dinesh high-speedrail. helpedyou grow as aleader? the rest of the moneywould be "forced" and "fraudulent" reli- fraudulent means or by mar- the decline in the government’s Kumar Singh. Bhalerao had been Similarly,the NHSRCL has ‘ecobridge’ Can youforgive peoplewho will giventohim in 15 days.But the gious conversions. riage. If aperson convertsback holding is due to factors includ- postedwith the battalion in asked theAhmedabad Textile reducing the needfor sudden betray the trustofhis mother for circumstances turnedout later According to the police, the to thereligion theymostre- ing “Government’s divestment Chhattisgarhnot toolong back. Research Institute to work on braking in front of acrossing his personal gains? We cannot that he did notget the money. woman's father,afarmer, said centlybelonged to,that is notto programme, notenough new BastarIGPSundarrajsaid the developing upholsterysimilar animal, the road will become toleratepeopleiftheybetray Buy the crop from the farmer, Ahmedand she became friends be consideredasconversion un- listings and alsolacklustre per- incident occurredinChintagufa to thefire-retardant one used safer forhumanbeings too. their mother.Inthe days to don’t payfor monthsonend. while in school together,and he der the ordinance. Anyag- formance of manyCPSEs relative area. "An anti-Maoistoperation in Japan's high-speed “This is adense forest,and come, people will ensure Perhaps people were following waspressuring her to convert grievedpersoncan lodgeacom- to theirprivate peers”. wasbeing carriedout by the Shinkansen system. “Theysay elephants, leopards, deer,and MamataBanerjee makes ahat- the practice followedfor many and getmarriedtohim. Ahmed, plaint, and theburden of proof Datashowthat the value of CoBRA,STF and DRG(District that even if youpour petrol on blue bulls move in this area. trick of wins andreachNabanna years. In the same way, forfour who studiedtill Class12, does lies on the accusedorthe person government holdings in compa- ReserveGuard) troops from the upholstery andset it on fire, Drivers can see them from (state secretariat)." months, Jitendraji’s payment did odd jobs in neighbouring who has converted. niespromotedbyithas declined Chintalnar,Burkapal and it will notpropagate. We can- some distance and slow down Without takingAdhikari's nothappen. In this situation, to Rampur district and regularly from Rs 11.67lakh croreasof Chintagufabasecamps on notbedependent on Japan for- or stop, but theyrarelydosofor name, Abhishek said, "How his aid came the newfarm laws.” visitsBareilly. PSUs December 2019 to 7.62 lakh Saturday. At around 8.30 pm, an ever forthis,”Kharesaid. snakes, lizards, monitors, or manyofyou (party workers and “Inthis law, it has been de- Apartfromthe ordinance, Market experts saythisdifferen- croreasofSeptember 2020. IED blastoccurrednear the Besides,atthe behestofthe squirrels,” aForestofficial said. leaders) have droppedoff from cidedthat in three days,the thepolice have lodged an FIR tial in performance has been one While the value had fallen Arbaraj Mettahills," he said. NHSRCL, severalIITsare mak- To attract reptiles and other parachutes and took the lift(el- farmer mustbegiven full pay- againstAhmedunder IPC of the reasonsfor weak interest sharplyto6.95lakh crorein The site is hardly8kmfrom ing simulation softwarefor small animals,creepers will be evator) to come here? TMC ment. And if the payment does Sections 504(intentional insult of foreign portfolio investments March 2020following the huge Minpa where17DRG person- electricalsystems etcwhichare grownoverthe bridge, which means grassroots.Itmeans nothappen, then the farmer can withintent to provokebreachof in state-ownedcompanies. fall in markets in March,the re- nellosttheir livesinaMaoistat- currentlythe sole domainof willbelayered with grass and party of the soil. No one can registeracomplaint.The lawhas peace)and 506 WhileFPIs have pumpedin covery of PSU stocks have been tack in March,the police said. foreign consultantsengaged in leaves, officialssaid. climb up herewiththe help of another very big thing. In this (criminal intimidation), said anet of over Rs 1.56 lakh crore relatively very slow. The Chintagufa Police Station is railway andother suchprojects. “Weare experimenting. We parachutes and lift. If anyone law, thereisaprovision that the Station House Officer,Deorania intoIndian equities since April 1, Lowvaluations areanissue 9kmaway. Engineering institutes and the want to createsuitable condi- does it then he is certain to fall." area’s SDM has to address the Police Station, Daya Shankar. The 2020, state-ownedcompanies forthe government as it has Eight of the seriouslyin- industry have alsobeenasked tions forreptilesand other such Adhikari had recentlysaid complaint of the farmer within a officer said theyhad raided have notbeen itsbeneficiary. linedupaheavy disinvestment juredwereevacuatedinaheli- to studyballastlesstrack,to animals so that theycan useit. that he neithertook aliftnor was month. Nowwhen our farmer Ahmed's house but notfound Datasourcedfromprimein- agenda. The Finance Ministry coptertoRaipuraround mid- replicatethe Shinkansen tech- We want to create amicro-en- parachuted to his present posi- brother got thestrength from him. fobase.com showthatnostate- has setatargetofRs2.1 lakh night. However, Bhalerao could nology. vironment forthem on the tion in the TMC. this law, then his problem was The woman's elderbrother ownedcompanyfiguredinthe croreofreceipts through disin- notbesaved.Having joinedthe The NHSRCL plans to hire bridge,” DFOJoshi said. WITHPTIINPUTS resolved. He complained,and in told The Indian Express, listoftop 10 companies that re- vestments, including the initial CRPFin2010, Bhalerao had management professionalsand Reptiles and other small an- afew days,his dueswerepaid. "Wheneverwesaidanything, ceivedhighestFPI investment in public offerofLIC and stakesale servedinGujarat, Jammu& send them on secondment to JR imals areanimportant partof PM, Shah In otherwords, full knowledge Ahmed abusedusand threat- the quarterendedSeptember in IDBI Bank.Aspartofprivati- Kashmirand Delhi earlier.In East, whichrunsthe the forest food chain and “New dimensions,” he said, of the laws became Jitendraji’s enedtoeliminate the entire 2020. sation plans, the government 2018,heappearedfor the Shinkansen,sothat theylearn ecosystem, Joshisaid. He said were being addedtofarming strength. Whatever the field, far family." Shareholding dataavailable has cleared plans forcomplete LimitedDepartmental howthe system is managed boards were being put up to and alliedindustries. “The agri- away from everykind of rumour Ahmed's familyruns ashop at BSE showthat in the case of sale of itsequity in Air India, Competitive Exam andcleared and comebackand replicate createawareness of the needto culturereforms in the lastfew and misconception, correct in- in Bareilly. Daya Shankar said his ONGC, the FPI holding declined BPCL, Shipping Corporationof it to be promotedtothe rank of that “culture”inIndia. protect reptiles. Forest staff days have openeddoors to new formation is abig aid forevery parentsand sisterhad leftthe from 8.65 per cent in December India Ltd, while approvingma- Assistant Commandant. During In the latestunderstanding would patrol the area to ensure possibilities. Foryears, the de- person,”Modi said. villageafter thecasewas lodged. 2019 to 7.69 in September 2020, joritystake saleinContainer abasic training course at the reachedwith the Japanese side, tourists do nottry to use the mands of farmers, demands He cited twoother examples The police have come to while Indian Oil Corporation Corporation of India along with CRPF'sInternal Security Indiaistocarry out around 75% bridge forselfies,headded.

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,NOVEMBER30,2020 3 WEST BENGAL AbhishekdaresBJPleaderstotakehis nameinsteadof‘resortingtobhaipo’

Royjoinedthe BJP in 2017,hehad On November 21, and saying that Kailash party wasnot honestand did not EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE accusedmeofowning acom- VijayvargiyaataBJP event had Vijayvargiyaisanoutsider here. work forpeople. “PostCyclone KOLKATA,NOVEMBER29 panynamedBiswaBangla. Itook said, “Noself-respecting person is agoonand mafia. Amphan,Ihad receivedcom- TMCMP him to High Courtand defeated can remain in TMC nowbecause Amit Shah is also an outsider.BJP plaintsagainstsome of my party TRINAMOOL CONGRESS (TMC) Abhishek him there." itsreins have nowgone intothe leader SunilDeodhar is an out- workers. It is true that all arenot MP Abhishek Banerjee on Banerjee “Now,whenever(BJP lead- hands of ‘bhaipo’... Iwanttoask sider.Kailash Vijayvargiya's son, honest. Out of 100, one or two Sundaylaunchedascathing ers) Dilip Ghosh, , MamataBanerjeewhether she Akash Vijayvargiya, is agoon. If persons engageinwrongful ac- attack againstBJP leaders for Rahul Sinha, Kailash has losther self-confidence and youhavethe guts, then file a tivities, whichmaligns theim- "bhaipo" (nephew) jibeand Modi had comehereand said Vijayvargiya, Amit Shah and mortgaged the party to the PK case againstmefor saying this," ageofthe party.But Iwill nottol- dared them to take his bhatija ka batti gul hone wala NarendraModi target me by tak- (Prashant Kishore) company.” he said. eratethese kinds of activities in name publicly. hain (nephewisall settolose the ing my name, Ihavetaken legal Sharpening his attack, Reacting to his remark, my constituency (Diamond Addressing party workers at election). Now, allthe BJP lead- action againstthem. As aresult, AbhishekonSundaycalled Ghosh said, “What is his prob- Harbour). Ihavetoldmywork- Satgachia in South 24 Parganas ers have onlyone thing to say, theycannotdirectlytakemy Union Home MinisterAmit Shah lem if Dilip Ghosh is agoon? If ers to bring it to my notice if any district, Banerjee,who is the whichis'bhaipo' (nephew). But name and arenow resorting to and BJP national generalsecre- neededthen Iwill act as agoon. wrongdoings have takenplace. I nephewofChief Minister theydon't have thegutstotake 'bhaipo' remark... If theyhavethe tary Kailash Vijayvargiyaasout- We will showhim what BJP is ca- will ensurethat strong actionis MamataBanerjee, said, “During my name. Wheneveranyone gutsthen theymustattackme siders.Healso calledstate BJP pable of in December.” takenagainstsuchpeople be- Campusestostayshut, lastyear LokSabhaelection cam- targeted me,Ihavetaken legal by taking my name,” said president Dilip Ghosh a"goon". The TMC MP,however, ad- cause we cannotcompromise paign, Prime MinisterNarendra action againstthem.After Mukul Abhishek. “Today, Iamtaking names mitted that everyone in the with development," he said. onlineclasses to go on Governor may soon ask EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE STATECOUNT Back in Darjeeling, GJM leader says KOLKATA,NOVEMBER29 TOTAL CASES TMC to prove majority STATEEDUCATION Minister 480813 Partha Chatterjee on Sundaysaid INCREASE DEATHS BJP fooled people of Hills for 15 yrs classes in colleges and universi- in Assembly: BJP MP ties in Bengal would continue 3367 8376 Darjeeling Hills afternearly three to the MamataBanerjee-led online in December. 448032RECOVERED EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE years in hiding. TMC forthe 2021Bengal elec- Afteravirtual meeting with KOLKATA,NOVEMBER29 Giri and Gurung,who had tions and vowedtogivea“befit- vice-chancellors of stateuniver- 5834755 SAMPLES EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE been absconding since2017af- ting replytothe BJP forletting sities, Chatterjeesaid campuses TESTED TILL NOV 30 KOLKATA,NOVEMBER29 AFTER RETURNINGtoDarjeeling tertheywerechargedunder the the people of the Hills down.” “cannotbeopenedfor hillsafter three-and-a-half years, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) “In the 2024Lok Sabha polls, studentsdue to the Covid-19 ministeradded. BJP MP SaumitraKhanon Gorkha Janmukti Morcha(GJM) Act, in connection with a we will extend our supportto pandemicunder the present Lastmonth, the stategovern- Sundayclaimedthat West general secretary Roshan Giri grenade attackatKalimpong whoever willsupportour de- circumstances.” ment said it wasmulling to Bengal Governor Jagdeep said thatthe BJP onlyfooledthe PoliceStationand explosion in mand foraseparatestate.People “Both undergraduateand restarton-campus activities in Dhankhar maysoon call on people of the Hills in the past15 Gorkha JanmuktiMorcha Darjeeling’s ChowkBazaararea arenot withBinayTamang and postgraduateclasses will con- state-run highereducational in- Chief MinisterMamata Bengal Governor years. general secretary in 2017 when Gurung had or- Anit Thapafaction of the party. tinue to be held online. The stitutes from December 1, de- Banerjee asking her to proveher JagdeepDhankhar (left); Addressing party workers in Roshan Giri File chestrated a104-dayshutdown Theyare with Bimal Gurung. You higher education department is pendingonthe Covid-19pan- party's majority in the West BJP leader Saumitra Khan Kurseong, Giri assertedthat this in the Darjeeling hills demand- will be able to see the hugesup- of the view, that classes cannot demic situation. Bengal Assembly. Theremark time, the GJM would support ing separatestatehood. portwhen Gurung comes to the take place on the campuses un- Meanwhile, West Bengalre- from Khan came days after TMC to electMamataBanerjee MamataBanerjee as CM forthe Aseparatestate of Hills,” said Giri. der the present circumstances,” ported3,367new Covid-19cases heavyweight TMCleader treated this wayand the over- as the Chief Ministerfor the third thirdtime,” said Giri.He said GJM Gorkhaland has been along- West Bengal BJP president said the minister. and 54 deaths in the past Suvendu Adhikari resigned whelming majority of MLAs are straight time. president Bimal Gurung would standing demandofGorkhas liv- Dilip Ghosh said the “turncoat” He addedhat higher educa- 24 hours. from his ministerial posts and withthe Chief Minister. “The BJP fooledthe people of land in Siliguri on December 6 ing in the Darjeelinghills. (Gurung) had “betrayed thepeo- tional institutions can also ex- The number of discharged TMC MLAMihir Goswami The TMC has the support of 218 the Hills for15years. Theydid and will address apublic meet. In his firstpublic appearance ple of Darjeeling”. “Bimal tend theadmission process by persons number again gone joinedthe saffron camp. legislators in the Assembly,” notkeepthe promises made to Beforethe meeting on in three years, Gurung in October Gurung has betrayed thepeople another15days at both under- down and today3445persons “Theway TMCMLAsare said Roy. the people. We arenot with Sunday, arallywas takenout announcedbreaking of ties with in the Hills and the Binoy graduateand postgraduatelev- cured from Covid-19. leavingthe party,the Governor The ruling TMC in Bengal them anymore. We will support from Kurseong TouristLodge. the NDA, saying the BJP-led Tamang faction has no accept- els. “The curriculum forbothUG The number of active cases mayall of asudden ask the had been trying itsbesttokeep the TMC nowand the peopleof The rallywas also attended by Central government did notful- ability.The BJP has all along and PG levels will be curtailedin further decreasedand became Chief Ministertoprove major- itsflocktogether,asseveral key the Hills will supportthe TMC in GJM youth wing leader Dipen filits promise of Gorkhaland.He stood by the people there,” consultation with the respective 24,405. The total death toll in ity.Thereisapossibility as sev- leaders, including party heavy- 2021Assemblypolls to elect Malay, who returnedtothe also extendedhis party's support he said. university authorities,” the the stateisnow 8,376. eral ministers in the Mamata weight Suvendu Adhikari,have, Banerjee Cabinet areready to of late,openlyaired their griev- switchovertothe BJP,” claimed ancesagainstthe dispensation. 79 Kolkata cops shifted in rejig Khan, who wasspeaking to me- BJP statepresidentDilip diapersons on the sidelines of a Ghoshalleged that leadersof Kolkata: In amajor reshuffle, the Kolkata Police transferredatleast programme in Jalpaiguri. the ruling party arenow being 79 officers, it said in anotification. Officer-in-Charge of Reacting to Khan's remarks, forced to leave theparty. Police Station, an area in the vicinityofChief MinisterMamata veteranTMC MP SaugataRoy “December appears crucial Banerjee's residence, Santanu SinhaBiswas, wastransferredto said “BJP leaders likehim forTMC as the party is facing ex- the Special Branchofthe force. Debasish Dutta, Officer-in-Charge (Khan)knownothing about the tinction, with leadersabandon- of EntallyPolice Station, who became popular as the 'singing cop' Constitution and itsprovisions.” ing the ship. The TMC leader- duringthe initialdays of lockdown, wasmade thenew OC of “Howcan Khan knowthat ship lacks the courage to expel Burtolla PoliceStation in the NorthDivision. Among the other the Governor willmakesuchan anyone. It has notbeen able to changes, Additional OC Parnasree PoliceStation wasmoved to unconstitutional move?An expel SuvenduAdhikari," BallygungePolice Station, the notification said. elected governmentcannot be Ghoshsaid. WITHPTI INPUTS PTI

Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh Artificial potato crisis in Bengal: BJP slams TMC govt

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA KOLKATA, NOVEMBER29

HITTING OUT at theTMC gov- ernment in West Bengal, BJP statepresident Dilip Ghosh on Sundayalleged that an “artifi- cialpotatocrisis”" hasbeen cre- ated in the state by those patro- nisedbythe ruling party. Expressing concern over the “suddenspurtinthe price of the kitchen staple, nowavail- able at Rs 40 per kg,ifnot more,” Ghosh said this has hurt common man and pinched their pocketshard. “Why is the price of potato so high? The crisis has been created artificiallybythose pa- tronisedbythe ruling party.It has been created by those who take cut moneyforeverything,” Ghosh told mediapersons. The BJP leader also said that asection of TMC members are unhappywith the waythe leadership has been function- ing, and claimed thatthe “re- volting” cadres areraising slo- gans suchas‘PK Hatao TMC Bnachao’ to protest againstthe ruling party's decision to hire election strategistPrashant Kishoresservices before 2021 Assemblypolls.

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,NOVEMBER30,2020 4 EXPRESS NETWORK BRIEFLY In Haryana villages, meetings on to SIIjunksvaccinetrial send morefarmers towards Delhi volunteer’sclaims: SUKHBIRSIWACH HOODASLAMS CHANDIGARH,NOVEMBER29 KHATTARREMARK Babanrao Lonikar ADAY afterChief Minister Chandigarh: Congress leader ‘Willseekdamages’ Manohar Lal Khattar claimed BhupinderSinghHooda MAHARASHTRA thatHaryana farmershavenot SundayslammedHaryana Formerminister takenpartinthe stir againstthe CM Manohar Lal Khattar for three agricultural laws,the farm- his remarks that thestate's ARUNJANARDHANAN PM to interact with 3vaccine teams ‘threatens ers organised panchayatmeet- farmers have notparticipated CHENNAI,NOVEMBER29 ings in manyvillagesacross the in the stir againstthe newagri NewDelhi: Prime Minister conferencing, with three teams policeman’ statetofinalise plans to join their laws.Hewarnedthatiffarm- DAYS AFTER aChennai man, who NarendraModi will interact that areinvolvedindeveloping Punjab counterparts.Some of ers' problemsare notre- volunteered to take part in the with three teams involvedin aCovid-19vaccine.The teams Mumbai: Senior state BJP the state’s farmers movedtothe solved, a“bigger movement” clinical trialsofvaccine candidate developing Covid-19vaccine he will interact with arefrom leader and former minis- Delhiborders on Sundayitself. would be launched. Hooda Covidshield, sentalegal noticeto via video conferencing on Gennova Biopharma, terBabanrao Lonikar has “Fromour village Samain of said the state’s farmershave Serum InstituteofIndia (SII) al- Monday. “Tomorrow, on 30th Biological Eand Dr.Reddy's,” landedinaspotafter an Fatehabad district, farmers Farmers protestatKundli border with Delhi in Haryana’s been agitatingagainstthe leging that the vaccine triggered November 2020, PM @naren- the Prime Minister's Office audio clipsurfaced on so- movedtoDelhi in around 20 Sonepat district on Sunday. PTI laws foralong time. ENS “severe adverse reaction” in him dramodi willinteract, via video (PMO) said in atweet. ENS cial media in whichheis tractor-trolleys today,”said Sube and soughtcompensation of Rs purportedly heardthreat- Singh Samain, akhap leader. 5crore,the Pune-basedfirm on ening apoliceman. According to Samain, similar villages of Charkhi Dadri district Sundaysaid the allegations were with the volunteer’s medical of them and therewerenoside- “Policesaana vidhasabhet panchayatmeetings were held on December 1inwhichpro- Khattarputs out call data, “malicious” and thathis medical condition, thereisabsolutelyno effectsreportedsofar... We will ultatangu (Willhang the in other neighbouring villages gramme will be chalkedout to condition wasnot linked to the correlation with the vaccine trial probeonthis particular case re- police upside down in the toolikeDanoda (Jind) and move to Delhiintractor-trolleys,” Amarinder terms it fraud vaccine trial. and the medical condition of the portednow,” he said. Vidhan Sabha),” Lonikar Fatehabad’s Bithmada, said Jagbir Ghasola,afarmer The companysaid it willseek volunteer.The volunteer is According to the legal notice, is allegedly heardtelling Bhimawala and Gajuwala. leader from Charkhi Dadri. Central farm reform laws."Now, damagesinexcessof Rs100crore. falselylaying the blame forhis the participant had “no adverse an assistant police in- Ahead of the “Delhi Chalo” According to Ghasola, akhap EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE when the recordhas been Chennai-basedadvocates N medicalproblemsonthe Covid reaction forthe first10days after spector from Partur,his call forNovember 26 and 27,the panchayatmeeting toohas been CHANDIGARH,NOVEMBER29 shown as to howmanytimes I GRPrasad and RRajaram sent vaccine trial.” the vaccination”. But on October constituency.Lonikar was Haryana Police had arrested sev- plannedinCharkhi Dadri district triedtospeak to him, he the legal notice to SII—whichis The SII said the claim is mali- 11,hewokeupwithsevere the watersupplyand san- eral farmer leaders from differ- on November 30. AFEW hours afterHaryana (Amarinder)has no answer," he collaborating with AstraZeneca cious “because the volunteer was headacheandwentbacktosleep. itation ministerinthe last entparts of thestate.Despite All India KisanSabha(AIKS) Chief MinisterManohar Lal had said earlier in the day. and OxfordUniversity to develop specificallyinformedbythe med- “Ourclient’swifesays there wasa government. Lonikar’s re- that, the farmers from Haryana, statesecretaryDayanant Poonia Khattar made his office’s call “If at all someone from his of- the vaccine—onbehalf of the ical team that the complications total behaviouralchangeinher marks aresaid to have especiallyfromthe districtsof said the farmersfromBhiwani details public to provethat he fice calledmyresidence, why participant on November 21. he sufferedwereindependent of husband–hewasnotaware of his made afterapoliceraid at Ambala, Kurukshetra, district will move to Delhi in calledhis Punjab counterpart were thecalls made to an atten- The notice said, “Our client the vaccine trial he underwent”. surroundings, he showedirrita- atrader’s house. ENS Yamunanagar and Fatehabad tractor-trolleys on December 1. CaptAmarinderSingh to dis- dant? Whywereofficial chan- states thatitisverydisappoint- “In spiteofspecificallybeing tiontowardslightandsound,and had reachedDelhi borders on According to Poonia, the farmers cuss the farmer protests,the nels notusedtoget in touchwith ing and shocking to note thataf- made awareofthe same,hestill wasresisting anyefforttomake November 25, 26 and 27.Firstof areholdingmeetings in the vil- latter trasheditas“complete me?” asked Amarinder. terhis discharge from the hospi- chose to go public and malign the him getupfrombed,” it said. all, aconsiderable number of the lages of neighbouring Hisar dis- fraud”. “Top officials of the Punjab tal, therehas been no follow-up.... reputation of the company. It is The noticesaidtheparticipant TAMIL NADU farmers from Haryana, ledby trict too. Keeping in viewthe In astatement, Amarinder on government, at principalsecre- Even afteramonthofthe severe evident that the intention behind wasdischargedonOctober 26, Goldworth stateBKU president Gurnam “Delhi Chalo” call of farmers, Sundaysaid, “Flaunting apageof tary andDGP levels among oth- adverse reaction to thevaccine, the spreading of suchmalicious with discharge summarystating Singh Chaduni, had movedto Poonia toowas arrested on his ownoffice registercannot ers, have been in touchwith each neither have theregulator (Drugs information is an oblique pecu- that he had suffered“Acute Rs1.5crseized Delhi from Ambala by breaking November 26 and wasreleaseda condone ML Khattar’s lies, and if other on the farmers’ issuefor Controller General of India/ Data niarymotive. TheSerumInstitute Encephalopathy”. Thenoticeal- police barricades on National daylater. he reallywanted to connect, he the pastseveral days.Yet none of and SafetyMonitoring of Indiawill seekdamages in ex- legedinthe 16 days that he was Chennai: Three kgsofgold Highway-44 on November 25. The farmers in Haryana are couldeasilyhaveusedofficial these officials conveyed Committee), the sponsors(ICMR cess of 100crore forthe same and in hospital, “almostall possible worthRs1.57crore was Nowsomeof Haryanafarmer alsoplanningto offertacticalhelp channelsorcalleduponthe mo- Khattar’s desiretotalktomeat and SerumInstituteofIndia)or willdefend such malicious medicaltests and investigations seizedatthe airportin leaders have been releasedfrom to thefarmers at Delhiborders in bile phone.” anypoint in time,” Amarinder the collaborators of the sponsors claims,” the SII said. were done on him to connecthis three incidents,acustoms jails. Afterrelease, theyhavein- case theyface anyforce. Khattar has said that he had said, adding that his Haryana (AstraZeneca andOxford The principal investigator of neurologicalsetbacktoany of his officialsaidSunday. Three tensifiedtheir effortstomobilise Further,the farmers of triedtotalktohis Punjab coun- counterpart’s attempt to “seize University) got in touchwith him thetrialsitetoldTheIndianExpress, earlier healthcondition”. But all people have been held. In thefarmersagainstthethreecon- Rohtak districthavestarted col- terpartonmanyoccasions over ahigh moral ground” on the to find out about the severe ad- “I can confirm that we reported testsreturnednegative. thefirstincident,Customs troversial farm laws.“We have lecting ration to supplytothe telephone on the 'Delhi Chalo' farmers’ Delhi Chalo march was verse effect aftervaccinationand thecaseto concernedauthorities; Apartfromthe SII, the notice officials seizedgold sheets plannedtohold ameeting of 19 protesters at borders. march by farmers'protestingthe “pathetic”. investigatethe severe reaction inthiscase,itistheethicscommit- wassenttoAstraZeneca and concealedinLCD moni- the test vaccine has had on him.” teeandtheDGCI.Alltheprotocols OxfordVaccineGroupwithcopies tors in baggageofthree On Sunday,the SII said in a have been followed.” to WHO.Itdemandedthevaccine passengers who came Khalistan, Pak statement:“The allegations in Tamil Nadu HealthMinister trial, whichiscurrentlybeing from Dubai on Saturday No space for talks: Oppn slams the notice aremalicious and mis- CVijayabaskarsaidthe govern- tested on about 1,600volunteers night. PTI slogans raised conceived. While the Serum ment will probethe issue. “We in India, be halted immediately. InstituteofIndia is sympathetic have been closely monitoring all WITHENS,NEWDELHI CHHATTISGARH at farm protest: PM remarks on new farm laws Twopolicemen BJP gen secy conference. Amid pandemic, diebysuicide EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE The Left, Bahujan SamajParty TRACKING INDIA’S COVID CURVE Dehradun: Dushyant Kumar NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party fewer taking Raipur: Twopolicemen al- Gautam, BJP national general (SP) tooslammed thePrime CASES: RECOVERED:88,02,267 legedly diedbysuicide in secretaryand the party’s in- HOURS AFTER Prime Minister Minister's remarks.“ThePrime 272 preventive HIV different districtsof charge forPunjab and NarendraModidefendedthefarm Ministerhas justifiedthe laws. DAYSSINCE 93,92,919 DEATHS:1,36,696 PANDEMIC Chhattisgarh’s insur- Uttarakhand, on Sundaysaid laws passedbyhis government, Then he should meetthe repre- BEGAN TESTS: 13,95,03,803 | DOUBLING RATE: 156.44** medicine:survey gency-hit Bastar division, that pro-Khalistan and pro- the Opposition Sunday hit out at Randeep Surjewala; sentativesofthe farmers andar- officials said Sunday. Pakistanslogans arebeing the BJP-ledCentral government Akhilesh Yadav gue with them.The leadersofthis ANURADHA Constable Dinesh Verma raisedduring the farmers’ agi- saying the Prime Minister’s re- agitation arenot ignorant peo- MASCARENHAS of the ChhattisgarhArmed tation and suchelementswill marks leave little room fortalks ple… and wherewas the Prime PUNE,NOVEMBER29 Forceallegedlyshothim- be arrested.The RajyaSabha withtheagitatingfarmersandsaid try… the prime ministerhimself, Ministerwhen the Bills were self with his service rifle. MP claimedthat the govern- thathisstanceshows thatthegov- comes out in supportofthe passed.Whyhedidn’tspeakorin- AROUND 80% of HIV carework- In the other incident, po- ment is ready to talk to the ernment is “drunk withpower” . laws…thenhowwilltalkshappen tervene in Parliament. He should ers have reportedadecline in liceconstableVinodPorte protesting farmers but theyare “Prime MinisterModi has in and whatwill be theoutcomeof have communicatedto thepeople KEYSTATES TOTAL SURGEIN 7-DAYAVG DOUBLING preventive prescriptionsfor per- (32)allegedlyshothimself being misguidedbythe his MannkiBaat address sup- such talks…” Congress' commu- throughParliament.MannKiBaat TOWATCH CASES 24HOURS GROWTH* TIME** sons at risk of contracting the with an SLR rifle. PTI Congressand other Opposition portedthethreeanti-farmerblack nications departmenthead cannotreplace Parliament,” CPI virus, with Covid-19playing a parties.ENS laws.When the head of the coun- Randeep Surjewala said at apress generalsecretaryDRajasaid. ■ Maharashtra 18,14,515 5,965 0.32% 225.40 significant partinthe fall, asur- ■ Kerala 5,93,957 6,249 0.91% 79.07 vey has found. The study,that sought to assess barriers to HIV ■ Delhi 5,61,742 4,998 1.02% 70.39 care access during the pandemic, SALUTE THE SOLDIER ■ West Bengal 4,77,446 3,459 0.76% 94.62 found thatmorethan 1in3per- ■ Haryana 2,30,713 1,967 1.01% 71.19 sons amongthe at-risk popula- 5043352 LNK NUN BAHADUR RANA, SM AND tion reportedthat theyhad ei- 5045078 RFN SHER BAHADUR GT, SM *Compounded Daily Growth Rate overlast 7days**Calculated over7-day growth ther decreasedorstoppedtaking 29 NOV CASEFATALITYRATIO POSITIVITYRATE DAILYIN,DAILYOUT HIV preventive medicine. On this day 5043352 Lnk Nun Bahadur Rana, SM The “Impact of COVID-19on 7DAYSEARLIER: 7DAYSEARLIER: DETECTED TODAY and 5045078 Rfn Sher Bahadur GT,SMof5/1 Gorkha access and delivery of HIV care Rifles made the supreme sacrifice during 'OP RAKSHAK' 1.46 6.90 41,810 in Asia Pacific” survey wascon- Jammu &Kashmir in Nov 1997 in atrue act of valour.The NOW: NOW: RECOVERED TODAY: ducted online,fromOctober to brave soldiers will always be remembered for their 1.46 6.73 42,298 mid-November 2020, in 10 enthusiasm. To these brave heart we pledge that we shall Deathsasaratio of Positives against Becoming sick vs countries/territories in the Asia- always be guided by their immortal spirit and make their positive cases (in %); number tested recovering; more Pacific region by Kantar Health. names proud. indicator of progress (in %); indicatorof recoveries for 14 days Atotal of 1,265 respondents, in averting deaths the spreadofdisease may signal the peak CO AND ALL RANKS, 5/1 GORKHA RIFLES comprising people living with DataasonNovember28,releasedbyUnionMinistryofHealth,ICMRandstates.Oftendailynumbers includedatafrompreviousdays.Assuch,trendsbasedondailynumbersareindicative,notdefinitive HIV, at-risk persons and HIV care prescribers, participated. Will eradicate nawab-nizam culture from Hyderabad: Shah savedfromflooding in future. SREENIVASJANYALA Give us one chance. We will HYDERABAD,NOVEMBER29 Expressing hope that eradicatethe nawab-nizam cul- the city will elect aBJP tureand convert Hyderabadinto UNION HOME MinisterAmit mayor, Shah appealed amodern city. We want to take Shah on Sundayclaimedthat the Hyderabad from dynasty rule to- ruling TRS in Telangana and to the citizens to give wardsdemocracy.Wewantto AIMIM have entered intoasecret the party one chance makeitaprogressive city. Give pact. BJP one chance,” Shah added. “Wedon’t have aproblem if Targeting Chief MinisterK TRS has atie-up with AIMIM. But “Hyderabad can become a ChandrashekarRao over hishan- whyhide it? Whydoesn’t the global IT hub butthe TRS and dling of the floods, the Union TRS have thegutstoacceptthat AIMIM who rule GHMC failedto Home Ministersaid, “Wherewas theyhaveanunderstanding develop proper infrastructure. KCRwhen half the city was with AIMIM?” he asked. Recently, thecity gotfloodedand flooded? The localities opposite “Aap donoaapas mein se- 7lakh families were affected. the CM’s residence were also af- cretly ilu ilu karte ho lekinbahar During the lastsix years, the TRS fected but he wasmissing in ac- nahi bolteho(Youare interact- and AIMIM failedtolay even a tion,neither didhe call ameeting ing secretly but notmakingit single newstormwaterdrain or of GHMC officialsor corporators.” public),” Shah told reporters dur- desilt the existing ones,” he said. He also participated in a ing his visit to Hyderabad ahead “The AIMIM encourages en- roadshowatWarasiguda in of the elections to Greater croachment everywhere, includ- Secunderabad and offered Hyderabad Municipal ing on waterbodies, whichblock prayers at Bhagyalakshmi Devi Corporation (GHMC). the flowofwater causing the Temple in Old City. Expressing hope that the city flooding. If BJP comes to power Campaigning forthe GHMC will elect aBJP mayor, Shah ap- in GHMC, we will demolish all elections endedSundayand pealedtothe citizenstogivethe the illegal structures blocking polling forthe 150seatswill be party one chance. rain watersothat the city is held on December 1.

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,NOVEMBER30,2020 EXPRESS NETWORK 5

MIG-29K CRASH RAJKOT HOSPITAL FIRE Navy findssome aircraft debris; search Chairman,4 on for secondpilot othersbooked and aircraft,” adefence release PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA said. “Some debris of the aircraft, MUMBAI/PANAJI,NOV29 including landing gear,turbo charger, fueltankengineandwing fornegligence THE INDIAN Navy has recovered enginecowling have been lo- some debris of the MiG-29K air- cated,” it said. craftthatwentmissingthreedays TheMarinePoliceandCoastal agointhe Arabian Seaoff the Goa Police areonthe lookout and EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE coast, aspokesperson said on nearbyfishing villages have been RAJKOT,NOVEMBER29 Sunday, addingthesearch contin- sensitised, the release added. uedwith ships and aircraftfor The Russian-origin jethad TWODAYSafter afireinthe inten- missing pilotCommander takenoff from aircraftcarrier INS sive careunit (ICU) of Uday Nishant Singh. Vikramaditya,and went down at Shivanand Covid HospitalinRajkot In addition to nine warships around5PMonThursday, officials leftfivepatientsdead, the police and 14 aircraftengaged in the had said, adding that one pilots of have booked thechairman of the search efforts, Indian Navy’s Fast theaircrafthadbeenrescued.The private companythat runs the fa- InterceptorCraftarealsodeployed MiG-29Kisanall-weathercarrier- cility,his sonandthree doctorsfor Five people were killedin to search waters along thecoast, basedmultirolefighteraircraftde- causing deaths due to negligence the fire at Uday Shivanand adefence release said. velopedbyRussian aerospace by notadhering to firessafety hospital in Rajkot. PTI file “IndianNavy’ssearch andres- companyMikoyan (MiG).The norms. cue effort to locatethe second pi- Indian Navy hadprocured afleet CRPF OFFICER KILLED IN SUKMA CREMATED Manoharsinh Jadeja, the lotoftheMiG-29Ktraineraircraft of 45 MiG-29Ks from Russiaover Deputy Commissioner of Police Due to theblockade, the emer- whichwas ditchedoff Goa on adecade back at acostofaround Familymembers and security personnelpay tributetoCRPF officerNitinPBhalerao in Nashik on Sunday. Bhaleraowas killed in (zone-II) of Rajkot city,said an of- gency exit couldn’t be usedafter November 26 continues with ex- $2 billion to operatefromINS aMaoistattackinSukma district of ChhattisgarhonSaturdaynight.Seven CoBRA personnel were injured in the attack. Express fence underIPC Sections 304A the fire brokeout in the ICU.There tensive deploymentofnavalships Vikramaditya. (causing deaths by negligence) wasnoadequateventilation sys- and 114(commonintent)wasreg- teminthe unit and, in fact, one of isteredatMalaviyanagar police the five patientsdieddue to as- 12 leopards shifted station againstGokul Life Care phyxiation…The 57-bedhospital Live wire kills elephant, cuts short brothers’ Private Limited(GLCPL)chairman has onlyone entryand exit and to private rescue Dr Prakash Modha, son Vishal that, too, is onlyone-metrewide Modha, and Dr Tejas Karamta, Dr againstthe NationalBuildingCode centre in Gujarat Tejas Motivarasand Dr requirement of atwo-metrewide journeyacross 4states; search on for another Digvijaysinh Jadeja, all involvedin gate forICU.Prima facie it was theoperationsof Uday Shivanand found that thestaffwas nottrained EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Covid Hospital. in firefighting,” Jadeja said at a in whichaforest guardwas in- 30 km from the electrocution RAJKOT,NOVEMBER29 The chairman of GLCPL, apri- press conference on Sunday. VIVEKDESHPANDE jured in June lastyear. spot. Our men areonhis trail.” vate firm,runsachain of hospitals The DCP addedthe hospital NAGPUR,NOVEMBER29 Later, the elephantsagain en- Elephant whisperer Anand INAfirst-of-its-kindprojectinthe under the brand name Gokul and didn’thaveany emergency evac- teredMadhya Pradeshand spent Shinde said, “Male elephantsdo state, theGujarat forest depart- alsomanagesthe UdayShivanand uationplannordid ithave anauto- BROTHERSRAMandBalramcov- severalmonths in thejungles of getseparated by choice from the menthastransferred12leopards, Covid Hospital near Ananda matic sprinkler system. “In all, we ered at least2,000 km, probably SeoniandBalaghat,alsospending herdanytime afterattaining 12 captured from the wild afterthe BungalowChowk in Mavdi area of have found negligence on 10 aftergettingseparatedfromtheir sometimeinKawardhadistrictof years of agetoprevent in-breed- animalscameinconflictwithhu- Rajkot.His son, Vishal, wasin- countsand arequestioning all the herdinOdisha sometime in the Chhattisgarh. ing. Male elephantshavedevel- mans, to aprivate rescue and re- volvedinobtaining approval for five accused,” Jadeja added. beginningof 2019.Afterspending “This August, theycame to opedatendencytomovetogether habilitationcentreinJamnagarfor theCovidhospital from the Rajkot The DCP said threemembers time in forestsspread across four Kanha TigerReserve’s corearea to ensureeachother’ssafetyfrom theirmaintenanceandupkeepas Municipal Corporation. of Dr Modha’sfamilyare directors states, the elephantsreachedthe and stayedfor about 10-15days poachers. Theyhaveagenetic partofapublic private partner- “Themain negligence, which in GLCPL. BargidamareainJabalpurdistrict duringwhichtheyattackedfour memoryandknowrouteswalked ship(PPP)projectbetween the is also mentionedinthe FIR, wasa FULLREPORTON of Madhya Pradesh twodays ago. of ourdomesticated elephants,” by their forefathers.So, thesetwo stategovernmentand Reliance blockedemergency exit in the ICU. www.indianexpress.com On Friday, one of them was said Kanha Field Director SK elephants’ journeyisabsolutely Industries Limited(RIL). electrocuted when he came in Singh. “Theyleftthe core andset- normal.Theonlythingto watchis Stateforestdepartment offi- contactwithalivewire.Theother The brothers separated from theirherdin2019. Express tledinthe territorial forest fora to notcross thepath of the other cialssaid12 leopardsfromSakkar DELHI STATECANCER INSTITUTES hasnowproceededalonetowards fewmonths,” he added. elephant should he walk backto Baug Zoological Park,Junagadh, Centres parexcellence in the service of humanity Mandladistrict,theauthoritieson “Theythenheadedfor the place where his brother died. were transferredtoGreens (A group of autonomous institutions under the his tail. trict from neighbouring Odisha,” Khan, who leads agroup that Jabalpur in November.OnFriday, He could then getextremelyvio- Zoological Rescue and Govt. of NCT of Delhi) EAST :DILSHAD GARDEN, DELHI 110095 Jabalpur Chief Conservator of said Mansoor Khan, an elephant raises awarenessinChhattisgarh tragedystruckthem and one of lent...” Rehabilitation Kingdom,located EPABX: +91-11-22135200, 22135700 FAX: +91-11-22110505 Forest RDMahlasaid,“Oneof the activistfromBilaspur,who has districtsabouthowtoremainsafe them diedofelectrocution.” Balram’s death also under- near RIL’s oil refinery complexin WEST :C-2/B, JANAK PURI, NEW DELHI 110058 twodiedofelectrocutiondueto a trackedthe twoelephants’ jour- from elephants. Singh said the elephants scores the growing incidence of Jamnagardistrict, acoupleof days EPABX: +91-11-25501111,25541111 FAX: +91-11-25549999 live wireput up by villagersin ney. “FromMahasamund, they “They headedfor Kawardha movedclose to severalvillages wildlifedeaths by electrocution. ago.Twenty-threemore leopards, Website:www.dsci.nic.in E-mail:[email protected] NIN ID: DSCI (East) -1112313380 & DSCI (West) -1115545855 farms near Bargi dam forkilling wentto Kankerandlaterto Bastar district followedbyRajnandgaon and causedahuman deathin Nitin Desai, central India Director theysaid,willbetransferredtothe wildboars.Theotherelephanthas that recordedits firstelephant aroundApril. Later, they went to Seoni. Asked whatwould be the of WildlifeProtection Societyof private facility in future. RECRUITMENT NOTICE Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI) is achain of Autonomous, dedicated Cancer care movedtowards Mandlaand a sighting ever.” SeonifollowedbyBalaghatdistrict next step afterRam is captured, India, said, “Poaching of herbi- ShyamalTikadar,thePrincipal Institutions under the Government of NCT of Delhi established under the Societies team is trailing him foracapture While officials couldn’t con- inMadhya Pradesh.Forabouttwo Mahlasaid, “That willbedecided voresforbushmeatby electrocu- Chief ConservatorofForests Registration Act of 1860. operation.” firmif thedeadelephantwasRam days,theyhad also entered later.” PenchTiger Reserve, tionisgrowingalarmingly allover (PCCF)andChief WildlifeWarden To achieve the aims and to expand itsservices further for the patients, the Institute invites Applications for below mentioned postsfrom the willing persons who feel capable to accept “Itstartedsomewherearound or Balram, Khan said, “Fromthe Gadchiroli district,” Khan said. Madhya Pradesh, Field Director thecountryandaccidentalkilling of Gujarat,said,“...Theprivate res- challenges in various fields; February2019, when the two photograph, it appears to be the In Maharashtra’sGadchiroli VikramSingh Parihar said, “On of unintendedtargetslikebigcats cue and rehabilitation centrewill 1. Executive Engineer (Electrical)-Advt No 04/2020 brothers,Ram aged 20 years and younger Balram.” district,the twostayednear avil- Sunday, the other elephant was andelephantsisacollateraldam- maintaintheseleopardsbuttheir 2. Assistant Engineer (AC)-Advt No 04/2020 3. Consultant (AD)-Advt No 05/2020 Balram, around 18 years, entered Thebrothersdidnotstopany- lage in Korchi tehsil,wherearush located near Kutela village in agethat’s muchbigger loss than ownershipwill continue to be 4. Consultant (Head Clerk/HE-I/Stenographer)-Advt No 06/2020 Chhattisgarh’sMahasamunddis- wherebeyond afew days,said of onlookers ledtoacommotion Jabalpur divisionalforest, about the intended animals’ deaths...” vested in the government.” 5. Consultant (Pathology)-Advt No 07/2020 Recruitment Advertisement vide No 02/2020 for the postsofExecutive Engineer (Electrical), Assistant Engineer (AC) published in the Institute's website and in the leading Newspaper dated 31/05/2020 has been cancelled due to administrative reasons. Any Candidate who has applied earlier can make new application in response to the fresh recruitment notice subject PM to markDev Deepawaliin BJP wants to create own ecosystem, to the fulfillment of eligibility condition for such candidates, no new registration amount shall be required to be paid by them. All such candidates who have earlier applied and are not fulfilling the eligibility conditions, as declared in fresh Recruitment Notice, they may seek a refund of the registration amount, submitted by them earlier. institutions compromised: Mehbooba Interested candidates may visit Hospital website i.e., www.dsci.nic.in or Delhi Govt. website Varanasi, review Kashi project i.e., www.health.delhigovt.nic.in for further details. Sd/- DIP/Shabdarth/0444/20-21 Dr BL Sherwal, Director BASHAARATMASOOD EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE SRINAGAR,NOVEMBER29 LUCKNOW,NOVEMBER29 PDP PRESIDENT and former PRIME MINISTER NarendraModi Jammu and Kashmir CM willattend the DevDeepawali in Mehbooba Mufti on Sundaysaid his constituency Varanasi on the BJP wantstocreateanecosys- Monday, and light the firstdiya– temwherethereis“no space for earthenlamp–atRajghat.accord- real democracy” and the coun- ingtostateofficials.Arrangements try’s institutionsare at the “fore- have been made formorethan 15 front of implementing” the rul- lakhdiyas,upfrom10 lakhlastyear, ing party’s agenda. whichwill be lit across 80 ghats. Addressing the media, she This is the firsttimethe Prime asked what soldiers aredoingin MinisterwillbeattendingtheDev the Valleyifrevocation of special Deepawali,whichiscelebratedon status had resolvedthe Kashmir the 15th dayafter Deepawali. issue. “The BJP wantstocreatean According to officials, he willbe ecosystem wherethereisno PDP chief: China grabbed our land and we aretalkingto accompaniedbyUPGovernor Security personnel reviewarrangementsatthe venue ahead space forreal democracy.They them...whydon’t youtalktoPak Shuaib Masoodi AnandibenPatel and CM Yogi of the PM’s visit, in Varanasi on Sunday. PTI want to createtheirown ecosys- Adityanath,who has personally temwheretheywant to install supervisedthe arrangements. theirpuppets andtheirB-teams,” has grabbed our land and we are here, nine out of 10 times they During his six-hour visit, the Varanasi to get back she said.“Wheretheycan’tdo talkingto them...Hereonthebor- onlytalk about article 370. When PrimeMinisterwillwatchashow anythingthemselves, theydoit der,people aredyingfromboth Italk about it, theyget rattled.” basedonthe lifeofGautam through courts... It is unfortunate sides. Whydon’t youtalk to “TheKashmirproblemisthere Buddha and another showbased stolen goddess statue: PM that all our institutions, which Pakistan. Is it about beinga as long as we have nine lakhsol- on amythological theme. He is shouldhave safeguardeddemoc- Muslim country becauseevery- diers here,” she said. alsoexpectedto reviewthe Kashi Lucknow: PrimeMinisterNarendra centlybrought backfrom racy,whichshould have safe- thing is communal now. Asardar The PDP chief said participa- VishwanathDhamCorridorproj- Modi announced in hisMann ki Canada. Modi said Goddess guardedthe rightsofthe people, is Khalistani, aMuslim Pakistani tion of people in DDC polls does- ect. He will also perform puja at BaatprogrammeonSundaythata Annapurna has averyspecial re- even though theyswear by the and aKashmiri aterrorist.” n’tmeantheKashmirissueisover. Kashipuradhpati temple andwill statue of Goddess Annapurna, lation with Kashiand bringing Constitution, areatthe forefront Mufti said she had received Accusing the administration take aboatride along the ghatsof whichwasstolenfromatemplein backthe statue is ahappyocca- of implementingtheBJP’sagenda messages,warninghernottotalk of “murdering democracy”, she the Ganga. He will also address a Varanasi in 1913,will be returned sion. He addedthat severalof in totality... our institutions have aboutArticle370 or theKashmir said candidates of the Gupkar al- publicmeeting in Khajuri and in- to theholycity soon. suchinvaluable items have been compromised,” she added. issue. “Theywant to ban my liance were confinedtotheir augurateasix-lane road from The statue,whichwas smug- brought backfromforeign coun- She asked if Indiacan talk to party,”Mufti said. “I want to tell homeswhileothershadfreedom Rajatlab to Handia. gled outofthe country, wasre- tries in recent years. ENS China, whynot Pakistan. “China them whentheir ministers come to campaign.

KERALALOCAL POLLS Young womeninthe fray look to make adifference

rootsgovernance.“Inelections,we says,“Forthe pastfiveyears, I agenda,” she says.“Thereare alot women empowerment mission SHAJUPHILIP usuallysee people who have have been giving tuition to of technologicalinterventionswe Kudumbashree and ASHAwork- THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, madepoliticstheirmeansof liveli- children in coastalvillages. This have to bringto ruralgovernance.” ers,who so farformedthe bulk of NOVEMBER29 hood. We want achange and has helpedevoke my interest “I have not, however, aban- the women candidates in civic youngsters should lead our local in politics andsocialwork.” donedthe dream to becomea elections. Afterreservationof THE UPCOMINGelections to the bodies,’’ she says. Alocal office-bearer of SFI, schoolteacher,”Balan says, seatsfor women wasincreased three-tierlocal self-government The23-year-old M.Techstu- the student wing of CPI(M), adding thather collegedays to 50 per cent, the parties had bodiesinKerala will see several dent,who has no political Ashwini'sexperience in poli- were free of politics although to scout forwillingcandidates. youngsters–particularly women background, says the decision tics so farwas largely limited her family has BJP background. This time, however, in several studentsand professionals with to contest elections washer to campus. In Nanmanda pan- Forthe political parties, the localbodies,women arecon- littlepoliticalbackground–being own. KAAshwini, theCPI(M) chayat in Kozhikode district, willingness shown by women testingeveningeneral seats, fieldedbymainstream parties. UDF candidateAysha Hussain candidateinAryad panchayat, the BJP has fieldedAswini studentsand young profes- whichhavebeen dominated The candidates saytheyare in it in Changanassery. Express Alappuzha, says social work Balan, a23-year-old who has sionals to participate in grass- by men.According to Dr Joy fordevelopment andtochange has been her steppingstone to completedher B.Ed.“This are rootsgovernancehas helped Elamon, Director-General, the waypeoplelook at politics. politics. The daughter of adaily changing timesand Ibelievethe them reduce dependence on the Kerala Institute of Local UDF candidateinAysha Hussain says she wants wage labourer, whoisdoing youth have alarge role to playin pool of women members in the Administration,the involve- Changanasserymunicipality youngsters to have asay in grass- her masters in social work, the evolving development state’s povertyeradication and ment of youth is agood sign.

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,NOVEMBER30,2020 WORDLY WISE Economic growth is not only 6 THE EDITORIAL PAGE unncessary, butruinous. —ALEKSANDR SOLZHENITSYN Onwardsand upwards

§ FOUNDED BY § RAMNATH GOENKA With better than expected second-quarternumbers, BECAUSETHE TRUTH INVOLVES US ALL economy could spring apositive surprise

GLIMMER & TUNNEL Soumya Kanti Ghosh Economyoutpacedexpectations in second quarter. But sustainability of rebound in activities remains aconcern THEGDPDATA releasedonNovember27 takes gone manystructuralchanges, datarevisions OECD on inequality shows that between 1985 us back50yearswhen economistand Nobel in GDP anddiscrepancies have movedinthe and 2013 (the latestavailabledata),the Gini LaureatePaulSamuelson,onbeing askedon a same direction (upwardrevisionsinboth), coefficient rose significantlyfor most high- FTER AN UNPRECEDENTEDdecline of 23.9 per cent in the firstquarter television panel about his changingviews on specifically in 2016-17and 2017-18. In 2018- income countries with the US and UK being of the current financialyear,the Indianeconomy faredbetterthanmost inflation,observed,“wellwheneventschange, 19,evenasGDP wasrevisedupwards, dis- amongstthe mostunequal. The datafor India, expected,with the pace of contraction easingto7.5 per cent in the sec- Ichangemymind. What do youdo?” India’s crepancies were reviseddownwards indicat- though quitedated andsporadic, indicates ond quarter. The performance, better than what economistsatthe RBI GDPdata,orforthatmattertheGDPnumbers ing the process of reconciliation is getting that inequalityhas increasedbut notsignifi- A releasedglobally, leadto asimilarpredicament. better.But this jobwillbecomedifficult in cantly worsened. It is of utmostimportance had predicted,reflectsinpart, asteady improvement in activity levels Untilnow, GDPdataforthethirdquarterofthe 2020-21asevenCSO believesthatthe data that we continue to reduce inequality with the easing of lockdown restrictions during this period, and the ramping up of pro- calendar year 2020 has been releasedfor 49 will undergochanges. through incomesupportortransfers. duction to satiatethe pent-up and festival season-leddemand. In the weeksthereafter, countries, 44of whom have contracted in the Whatarethepossiblereasonsforthesurge It is interesting to see howthe incremen- the continuing sequential improvement in leading economic indicators has ledtoopti- rangeof0-10per cent. The narrative has in manufacturinggross value added(GVA)? talcapital-outputratio (ICOR) will playout in mism that the economyislikelytorebound stronger than expected in the second half of changed forthe better since the firstquarter We believe one possibleexplanation couldbe 2020-21. TheICORisthe amountofcapital re- the year.However, one mustadvise caution, as the durability of the sharper-than-ex- (financial year) when India’s GDP growth de- the stellar corporateGVA numbers in the sec- quired to produce one unit of output. The pected rebound remains amatter of concern. clinedby23.9 per cent, and the fall forthe full ond quarteronthe backofamassivepurge in higher the ICOR, the less efficient the use of In part, the continuing healthyperformance of the farm sector helpedease the extent year wasexpected to be double digits. costs (a recent RBI study also confirms that), capital. Delays in the completion of projects, Sowhat doesthe datashow?Themostre- particularly on employees. The downside to lackofcomplementaryinvestmentsinrelated of contraction of the economy.Excludingagriculture, value addedbyrestofthe economy markablepartisthenominalGDPlossnarrow- suchcost-cutting could be significant labour sectors and the non-availabilityofcritical in- contracted by 8.3 per cent in the second quarter. Themanufacturingsector grew by 0.6 ing down to Rs 1.98 lakh croreinthe second market disruptions,increasing inequality and putscan all leadtoariseinICOR. The ICOR in per cent in the secondquarter, aftercontracting by astaggering39.3 per cent in the previ- quarterofthe financial year from astaggering thusamaterial impact on consumption.The India has increasedfrom3.8 in 2016-17to4.9 ous one. Whilevolume indicators likethe indexofindustrial production continuedto con- Rs 11.1 lakh croreinthe firstquarter(the cu- goodthingisthatCOVID-19hasbroughtabout in 2018-19and is expected to further deterio- tract during this period, even though the extent of contraction had easedgreatly, presum- mulative lossatRs13.1 lakhcroreisequivalent rapid changes in manyindustries in terms of rate to 6.9 in 2019-20. ably,value added by the sector has risenonthe backofaggressive expenditure pruningas to 6.4percentof 2019-20GDP).Manufacturing innovations that will surely outlive the pan- Itwouldbeunfairif we don’ttalkaboutthe (andconstruction)hasminimiseditslossesby demic. Forexample,the pandemichas accel- huge role that the RBI had playedinthis con- indicated by corporate results. Similarly,the construction sector witnessedasignificant 91 percent from the firstquarter. Theservices erated thepaceoftechnology adoption in the text of arresting the growth slowdown. With uptickwith the contractioninactivities easing to 8.6 per centinthe second quarter, down sector has reducedits losses by 43 percent, banking system in India,with branchfootfalls governmentconsumptionexpendituredeclin- from 50.3 per cent in the firstquarter. This despiteconstruction activities being muted whilethelossesincurredbythetradesub-seg- droppingsharply. Onenotableexampleof such ingsharplyby18per cent in thesecond quar- duringthe monsoon season.Onthe servicesside,whileasimilar improvement wasob- ment have fallen by astaggering 80 per cent. technologyadoption is the credit guarantee ter, it nowseems that monetary policy has servedinthe trade, hotels, transportand communicationsector, surprisingly, the pace of However, thelossesof thefinancial,realestate Thedisruptions in the schemeforMSMEsthathasbeenaresounding playedtheperfectfoilevenasfiscalpolicycon- contractionactuallyworsenedin financial, real estate andprofessionalservices sector dur- and professional services andthe public ad- labour market,however, success, with almost allparts of the country tinues to remain tight-fisted. The RBI has ministrationsegmentshavejumpedby50per benefitting from the scheme.Dataconsump- donnedmanyhatsand fulfilled manyexpec- ing this period. While private consumption faredbetter, as householdspendingperked cent. The recovery has been ledbymanufac- could be arisk forfuture tion in ruralIndiaonthe networkofcommon tationsduringthecrisis.Beginningwithacom- up with restrictions on economicactivities and movementsgraduallylifted, government turing and also by the largest componentof consumption and inequality. service centres, and special purpose vehicles prehensive solutionfor providing aliquidity spending rather than being counter-cyclical, continued to be pro-cyclical, falling in the the servicessector —trade, hotels, transport There have been more (physical facilities fordelivering government backstoptoconvincing marketsthat liquidity second quarteraswell,despitethe announcement of massiverelief packages.Investment and communication. The other good news is aggressive cuts in employee of Indiae-services to rural and remote loca- problemswillnottranslateintosolvencyprob- activity also improved during this period,presumably on account of work beginningon that the agriculturesector has already added tions)alsojumpedbynearly 100percentdur- lems and issues of financial stability,togiving costs in the case of small projectsthathad been stalleddue to thelockdownrestrictions, as didthe changeinstocks, 0.4 per centtoGDP in both the quarters. ing the lockdown. The thrust on digital finan- explicit forwardguidance of ratesfor an ex- indicatinghigher inventoryaccumulation. If thistrendoflossminimisationcontinues companies with aturnover cialliteracycannowhelpinrapidlyonboarding tendedperiod to assuaging battered market (at this rate,possible gains in nominal GDP in the digitally-unbankedrural population. sentiments whenuncertainty washighand The stronger than expected uptickineconomic indicators in October,while raise op- of up to Rs 500 crore. This is the thirdand fourth quarterare adistinct pos- Thedisruptionsinthelabourmarket,how- adoptingoutof boxunconventionalpolicies— timism over thestate of the economy, mustbetreated with caution as datafor some of sibility)India’s2020-21nominalGDPwillsur- also substantiated by the ever,could be arisk forfutureconsumption itsproactive approachhas been alearning ex- theseindicators forNovember signals some moderation in activities,justifying concerns prisinglynot be lowerthan 2018-19levels as results of NCAER’s Business and inequality. Therehavebeen moreaggres- perience forall of us over the sustainability of thisupswing.Further,the possibility of the imposition of lo- wasearlier expected.This would mean India Expectations Survey that sive cutsinemployeecostsinthecaseofsmall So,whatnext?We nowexpecttheGDPde- calisedrestrictions on activitiesdue to rising COVID-19cases adverselyimpacting eco- has weathered theCOVID storm in terms of a shows that firms were more companies with aturnoverofuptoRs500 cline forthe full year to be in single digits, and nomic activities going forwardalso cannotberuledout loss of output in 2020-21thatcould be more crore. This is alsosubstantiated by the results possiblyevenlowerthantheRBIandmarkets’ than salvagedin2021-22,though this is con- likely to terminate the of NCAER’sBusinessExpectationsSurvey that forecasts.The thirdand fourth quarternum- tingent on India getting backtobusiness employment of temporary shows thatfirmsweremorelikelytotermi- bers arelikelytospringapositivesurprise, through continuedsector-specific reforms. workers, compared to that natethe employment of temporaryworkers, thoughconditional on theabsenceofanother Oneworrying data point is the large dis- of permanent workers, compared to thatofpermanentworkers, ow- waveofinfections. VACCINATOR CHALLENGE crepancies in the second quarternumbers ing to the skillpremium of the latter. whichamount to 1.7per cent of GDP.Over owing to the skill premium This raises clear concerns regarding The writer is groupchief economic advisor, Professionals needtobetrainedtodeliver Covid-19vaccine. the lastfew years, as the economyhas under- of the latter. inequality.Globally, dataprovidedbythe StateBankofIndia. Viewsare personal Government mustcoordinatewith private sector

HE SEARCH FORashield againstthe coronavirus has reachedacritical phase in severalparts of the world, including India. Though we do nothaveafirm date on avaccine formass use, aconsensus seems to be emerging that a Tpreventive willrollout of laboratories monthsbeforeitwas anticipated JUSTICE ON TRIAL when the pandemic brokeout. The Serum InstituteofIndia, one of the lab- oratories at theforefront of vaccine developmentinthe country, has reportedlysaid that it willapplyfor permission foremergency use of the preventive in afortnight. Many is- Existing bail regime, loaded againstpoor and underprivileged, needs urgent reform sues, however, remaintoberesolvedinwhat mayshape up to be oneofthe biggestlogis- tical challenges in public health. It is heartening, therefore, that the Centre and states have Nitika Khaitan embarkedonthis task in the right earnest. Lastweek,during ameeting with Prime Minister NarendraModi, chief ministers of severalstatesoutlinedtheir plans forvaccine deployment. THESPEEDWITHwhichArnabGoswamiwas underscores howremand is extended suretycondition, or does notknowanyonelo- Conversations have begun on ways to bolsterthe country’s cold-chain infrastructure. A recentlygrantedbailhasthrownintosharpre- mechanically. callywillingto standassuretyforher, shemust cadreofvaccinatorswill nowhavetobemobilisedtoadministerthe firstdoses. lief the multitudes forwhom such quickac- Oncearresteesare entangledinthesystem, remaininjail.Asreportedto thehigh-powered The government reportedlyplans to vaccinateabout one crorehealthcareprofession- cessto justicewillneverexist.Accordingto the their release depends on theiraccesstolegal committeesetuptodecongestprisonsinDelhi als in the firstphase, and 30 crorepeople by September 2021.Expertsreckonthatthe latestfiguresfrom2019, an extraordinary69 aid, woefullyinadequate in Indiaand deter- duringthelockdownearlierthisyear,hundreds Universal Immunisation Programme’sworkforce willnot be adequatefor the purpose. per cent of inmates in prison areundertrials – minedentirely by privilege, whichalso deter- of prisonerswere injailonlybecausethey could Already thereare complaintsthat divertinghealth workersforthe anti-COVID-19efforts has personswhohave notyet beendeclaredguilty minestheirabilityto appealupwards,if alower notmeettheirsuretyconditions.TheHCpassed of anycrime.Deprivingpersonsoftheirliberty court denies them bail, andtheir abilitytode- aone-time order doing away withthe surety disruptedroutine inoculation programmes. Doctors, nurses and lab technicians from pri- withoutaconviction is meant to serveanar- mand rights, such as the righttobereleasedif conditionsinlightof thepandemic,thoughthe vate healthcarefacilities will have to beropedintomeetthe current challenge. The National rowpurpose:Ensurethattheydonot abscond theyare incustodyforacertainperiodwithout problem will remain long afterthe pandemic. ExpertGroup on Vaccination Administration forCOVID-19has sought the views of indus- or tamper withthe evidence or influence wit- being chargesheeted. It is little surprise that One-time orders characterise thecourt’s trybodies suchasthe FICCI and CII as well as hospital associations on the matter.This is a nesses. Under the existing bail regime, how- Muslims,Dalitsand Adivasis areincarcerated response to manyofthese issues. In decisions step in the right direction. But muchmoreneeds to be done, especiallybecause govern- ever,thereislegitimateconcern that people Statutes suchasthose at ratesdisproportionatetotheir population. on the drug-related offenceslaw in 1994 and ment and private agencies will have to work in tandem in diverse realms —monitoring arebeingincarcerated unnecessarilyand lan- penalising drug and terror Somelaws make bailevenharder.Statutes anti-terrorlaw in 1996, the courtrecognised guishing in jails forfar longer thanjustified. suchasthose penalisingdrug and terror of- that whereaspeedy trialisnot possible,bail beneficiarydatabases,human resources training, bracing up cold-chain logisticsand en- offences impose special The problem begins with arrest.For deca- fencesimpose special restrictions on bail, restrictions equal unduly long confinement suring smooth supplies of syringes and medical glass vials. Coordination mechanisms be- des, government reportsand courtdecisions restrictions on bail, which whicheffectivelycondemn arrestees to bru- and infringeonArticle 21 rights. In both cases, tween government officials at different levels and private sector experts will have to be in- have notedtheprevalenceof unlawfulandun- effectively condemn tallylong custody pending trials. Provisions thecourtpassedone-timeordersdirectingcer- stitutedto ensurethat the targetedinoculations aredeliveredinthe shortest possibletime. necessaryarrests.RecentSupremeCourtdecis- arrestees to brutally long underordinarylaw that mandaterelease of tain undertrials to be released, while clarify- The firstlot of the vaccines is notlikelytobe100per cent effective —the Oxford-Astra- ionsandchangesincriminallawhavesoughtto periods of custody pending undertrials if theyhavespent halfofthe max- ing that the orders would notaffect future introduce safeguards—for instance, requiring imumpossiblesentenceincustodydonotap- cases. In another 1996 decision,the Delhi HC Zenecavaccine developedbythe Serum Institutehas so farreported 70 per cent efficacy. trials, whichspanyears. The Anycase, vaccines have side effects. Atransparent mechanismtoreportadversereactions thepoliceto refrainfromarrestincertaincases plytoprisonersunder special laws.The grav- appointedcourtcommissionersto investigate if theaccusedappearsbefore thepolicewhen- gravityofdrugs andterror- ity of drugs and terror-related crimes is used the backgroundofprisonersunable to afford —and deal with misinformation and fear mongering—willbecritical to the inoculation ever she is asked. But the difficulty of co- related crimes is used to to justifysuchdraconian restrictions. But let- suretyandpassedone-timedirectionsrelaxing drive.Thereisnotime to loseinmobilising and training aworkforce forthe purpose. mplainingagainstpoliceofficialsandweakint- justify suchrestrictions. But ting the seriousness of the allegationbecome theirbailconditions. ernal incentivestodiscipline officers means aprimaryconsideration in bail means that Theseordersevidencewidespread recog- thereislittleaccountabilityforarbitraryarrests. letting the seriousnessof prosecutingagencies can simplytrump up nition of fundamental issues with bail, yetre- Freeze Frame EPUnny After24hours,thepolicemustproducethe the allegation become a chargestoensureyearsofpunishment. frain from systemicchange. In the absenceof arrested in courtfor magistrates to decide primaryconsideration in Finally, one major impediment remains large-scalereform,however, we willcontinue whether remand to further custody is warra- bail means that prosecuting even once acourt has granted bail. Landmark with aregime that in itsdailyrealitybothhor- nted.Acatena of judgmentsemphasises that judicialdecisionshavelong deprecatedthe rifies and numbs. magistrates cannotmerelyacceptthe say-so agencies cansimply trump practice of courts demanding excessive surety of thepolice.Butanequallyvastjurisprudence up charges. orlocalsureties.If anarresteecannotaffordher The writer is alawyerbasedinDelhi

NOVEMBER 30, 1980, FORTY YEARS AGO

ASSAM PROTEST India resumedworkafter 28 days of strike. be ready to face the consequences. The CPM ANINE-HOUR FAST by leaders of the Assam LifeinGauhati remained crippled, with the is alleged to have attackedthe offices of the movementendedonNovember 29 with CRPpatrollingstreets andpanic-stricken Congress in Kerala. PCC president AK strong speeches by theirleaders condemn- people trying to avoidthem.Manyimpor- Anthony,who briefed newsmen, said that ing the governmentfor lettingloose areign tant markets also remainedclosed. The All- the CPM is yettofullyunderstand the basics of terror againststudents. Earlier over 1,000 Assam Minority Students Union has ex- of the concept of aleftdemocratic front. Cotton CollegeStudents, manyofthem pressedconcernoverthe protests. women, held protests,demanding that the INDIRA AND STARS principal extend protection to boarders. The CONGRESSVSCPM PRIME MINISTER INDIRA Gandhihas said studentsalso demandedthe withdrawal of THE RULINGCONGRESS in Kerala has made thatshe has no faith in astrologers. The PM cases againsttheir 10 counterparts,who are it known itsdissatisfactiontothe CPM over said that an impression has been created in in jail and 66others who have been released the communistparty’s conceptofthe Left the Indian and foreign press that she con- on bonds. Theysaid that CRP jawans had Democratic Front,its approach to itsfront sulted astrologers before taking momentous takenawaymoney, wristwatches and other partners and itshandling of the lawand or- decisions. “I have neverbeen to astrologers, belongingsfor whichtheyshould be paid der situation in the state. It has warnedthe though people come to me. The onlystars I compensation. Theydenied keepinglethal CPM that if it wantstotry the Bengal formula believe in arethoseofIndia’s bright past, arms in hostel. Meanwhile, officials of Oil or even the politics of 1967 in Kerala, it should bright present and bright future,” she said.

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,NOVEMBER30,2020 WHATTHE OTHERSSAY “There is no doubt among Nepalis, and especially the families of the victims, that the insurgency wasanextraordinarysituation; and that the normative ideas of the criminal justice system do not apply as they are in insurgency-era 7 THE IDEAS PAGE cases. ” —THE KATHMANDU POST NewscriptinPakistan America’s common

Allegations of corruption,electoralmalpracticesare nothing newinopposition protests. ground But criticism of the militaryinpolitical rallies is unprecedented TheUSpossessesaremarkable senseof independence and community at locallevel,even when dividedatthe nationallevel

tion seemedtoequateTrump’slosswith a return of times when apresident did not continuallylie and bully. Theycelebratedthe return to decency theirvotes had produced. But at least47per cent mournedthe result. FarzanaShaikh Manyamong them felt that “America” had lost, and “a hostile world” had won. That Trumpwas endorsedby nearly half FORACOUNTRY as famously unpredictable of theAmerican electorateshowed, among as Pakistan, the regularityofits dispiriting Rajmohan Gandhi other things, the success of adrive to inject pattern of politics can be hardtoexplain. victimhood in the country’s Whites, who Periodicwaves of popular protest, each rid- form around 61 per cent of the population. ing on the backofever-higher expectations THATAMERICAISnot acentralisedstate Latinos (termed“Hispanics” until recently) of democraticchange,soon recede to expose wasprovedbythe election. The declara- makeuparound 19 per cent, Blacks around an entrenchedpattern of power, whichhas tion of Biden’s victory—the “call”, to use 13 per cent, and Asians (possiblythe fastest remainedbroadlyconstant formorethan the Americanphrase —did notcomefrom growing segment) around 6per cent. sevendecades. aWashington official or from anyelection That America equals WhiteAmerica is Thereislittle to suggest that the latest commission(no suchbody exists in the what manyAmericans, and manynon- round of opposition protests againstPrime US).Itcame from “decision desks” of TV Americans too, have tendedto think.Others MinisterImran Khan will be anydifferent. networks. have equated diversity with America; they The familiar ring is hardtomiss. Midway Firmlyseparatedfromthe channels’pop- think of the country’s steadilyaltering racial through itsterm of office, an elected govern- ular and usually partisananchors, these “de- mix. MuchbeforeTrump, American “nation- ment faces demandstostepdownfromdis- cision desks”haveremained independent alists”ofadozen hues (ranging from the Ku affected parties, who accuse it of corruption over the decades. This has been true also of Klux Klan to naïvebelievers) had told their or electoral malpractice.The memory of Fox, whose principal anchors areopenlypro- Whitecompatriots that theworld wasex- Khan’s container drivenpolitics, whichledto Trump. When, muchahead of rivalchannels, ploiting the US. the ousting of former prime minister Nawaz the Fox“decision desk”named Biden the Trumpsaw and seizedhis moment after Sharifin2017, is still fresh. projectedwinner in toss-up Arizona, Trump globalisationenabledAsian economieswith This time aloose alliance under the ban- wasfurious, as were Republicans across the talented but cheaper workforces to capture ner of the PakistanDemocratic Movement country, but Foxcontinuedto“call”Arizona agrowing percentageofworld trade. Inside (PDM),led by the PakistanPeople’sParty forBiden. the US, IT or “Tech” wasoutpacing manufac- (PPP), the PakistanMuslim League-Nawaz America’selections areorganisedby each turing.Hundredsofthousands hadlostjobs. (PML-N) and theJamiat-ul Ulama i- Islam- county (the equivalent of an Indian district), Renewable energy wasdisplacing coal. Fazlur Rahman (JUI-F), is again seeking the notbythe federal government or,directly, by “You’rebeing cheated,” Trumptold White resignation of the governmentbeforethe end astate.Ineachcounty,volunteering citizens American masses leftbehind by globalisa- of itsterm in 2023. also play acrucial part. In this and other crit- tion and “Tech”. Mostlivedin smalltowns in Oppositionparties have accusedKhanof ical areas,the country’s courseis setbysmall the country’s vast hinterland spaces,far from complicityinriggingthe 2018 elections to independent groups and local communities, thecoasts and the great cities. With Trumpat favour his “selection” as prime minister—ac- notbyaleviathan. This is America’s strength. the helm, the forgottenAmerican, the hard- cusationsthat have been amplifiedbyclaims Afternews networks “call” an election, working, flag-waving, family-defending of widespread irregularities in recent polls counties certify their tallies, and then astate WhiteMan, would take his countryback! heldinGilgit-Baltistan, where Khan’s does. Once astate certifies, itsElectoral The messageevokedwild enthusiasm. PakistanTehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) partyisset to Collegedelegation is constituted.Due this Iwas asked,during aconversation about form the government. CRSasikumar year on December 14,physical voting by EC Trump’s adoring audiences, “Do theythink Asinthepast,thecurrentprotestshave met delegatesintheir state(or federal territory) hecares forthem?”Don’ttheyrecognise his withthefamiliardrumbeatof amilitary-secu- willconfirm the president-elect, but Joe plain falsehoods? My answer was, “They rityestablishment,whichhas warnedoppo- heads the government, twosenior PML-N Thefirstindicationsappearedon November 6 Biden will notassume apresident’s powers think he cares forwhat theycarefor.” sition leadersagainstacting as agents of “for- leaders aresaidtohavebrokenrankswith when, in the course of an interviewwith the until his oath-taking on January20. Theylovethe flag, theylovethe White eign interests”looking to exploit chinksin Sharif over his “narrative”againstthe army, BBC, the co-chairman of the PPP,Bilawal In theory, Electoral College memberscan America that is sailing away,theylove Pakistan’s armour.And as before,these insin- whichtheyclaimisacall to “mutiny”. Bhutto, confessedthat he had been “shocked” be bought, kidnapped, or preventedfrom America’sdominancein the world, theylove uations of treason have been rejected by op- Well-worn tactics to usereligiousparties by Sharif’s decision to single out individual voting, though laws existinmany(notall) their traditional jobs.Theyloveitwhen position parties insisting on their right to close to the military-securityestablishment membersofthe militaryestablishment as cul- states to makethis hard. However, very few Trumpimplies that the flag, the gun, and the protestagainstanillegitimategovernmentand have also resurfaced. The radical Barelvi pritsfor bringing Imran Khan to power. “We instances of delegatesdefying their state’s cross arethree different wordsfor the same aprime ministertheydescribeasa“puppet”. group, the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan(TLP), don’t talk likethis in rallies,” he declared. verdict have been recorded. thing. Theyloveitwhen Trumpsignals that Other triedand tested methods from the whichshottopolitical stardomin2017after Sharif’s daughter,Maryam, de factohead of In reality,therefore,what createschange, masksare forsissies. Forgetting that they past arealsoinplay. Acrackdown on dissent, working with the security establishment to Sharif’s decision to take the the PML-N,was quicktorespond saying joy, and griefinAmerica is the news net- themselveshad once gainedfromachang- the harassment of opposition activists, the oustformer prime minister Sharif,has made bull by its hornshas also Bilawalhad offeredhis personal opinion. works’ “call”, whichthis year wasmade on ing America, theyresent fresh changes. And orchestration of divisions in opposition ranks, afresh appearance. These differences reflect eachparty’s dif- November 7. The rest is always asequence when Trumpsaid, “Nomoreendless wars in and the use of religious parties to diffuse at- In aseries of rallies in early November, opened up cracks in the fering stakes in the existing dispensation. of formalities,thoughthereisscopeforlegal distant places!”he touchedanold isolation- tention or fuel the fire,are all in evidence. whichserved to distractattentionfromop- Opposition, whichcould While the PPP retains control of the provin- challenges,and,Trump being Trump, for iststrainin theAmerican psyche, asentiment In October,the bodyresponsible forissu- position demands, the TLP blockedmain spell alossofmomentum. cial government in Sindh, the PML-N is still some suspense. Losing or dropping manyof strengthenedbycontinuing PTSD in soldiers ing media licences (the PakistanElectronic routes to thecapital, Islamabad, and calledfor Thefirst indications confinedtopolitical wilderness. This mayex- his challenges,hehas earned disgrace by who hadservedin Afghanistanand Iraq.And Media RegulatoryAuthority or Pemra), Pakistantosever relations with France over plain MaryamSharif’srecent offeroftalks threatening county or state-levelofficers, when Trumpclaimedthat he wasfor stim- barredtelevision channels from broadcast- allegedIslamophobia. appeared on November 6 withthe military in whichshe setasacondi- who in the US have political affiliations. ulus moneyreaching unemployed ing the speeches of “proclaimedoffenders”. Notwithstanding these familiar patterns, when, in the course of an tion forKhan’s dismissal but refrainedfrom “Not agoodday forthose who’ve lost,” Americans and those on the vergeofevic- The Opposition dismisseditasaploytosti- the latestopposition protests do break some interview with the BBC, the demandingthe resignation of either Bajwa acknowledgedVan Jones, CNN’s African- tion, he showedapopulism whichisthevery fle publicity forSharif,who is currentlyin newground. The mostsignificant departure co-chairman of the PPP, or Faiz Hameed. American commentator on November 7. A oppositeofthe fiscal conservatismthat London formedical treatment, and vowedto from previous movementshas been to call But the military’s options also seem to be stirredJones also said that withthe an- Republicans usedtostand for. defy the ban. out senior members of the militaryhierarchy BilawalBhutto, confessed constrainedatthe moment. While it maybe nouncement of Trump’s defeatmanylike At the local level, as the election process In oneofthe mostegregious cases of ha- forexceeding their constitutional remit and that he had been ‘shocked’ by inclinedtonegotiatewith opposition parties, him wouldoncemore“breathefreely”. Every proved,Americapossesses aremarkable rassment, securityofficials also forced interfering in politics. Sharif’s decision to single Khan’sunwillingnessto do so has provedawk- viewerconnected the remark to the dying sense of independence and also of commu- Karachi’s police chieftosign an arrest war- The tone wasset by Sharif who, in adra- out individual membersof ward and, arguably, somethingofanirritant. George Floyd’s “I can’t breathe” gasp earlier nity,evenwhen the US is deeplyand sharply rant forSharif’s son-in-law, Safdar Awan,who maticvideoaddress from London to amass Yetthe militaryisclearly notready to impose in the year.Now,addedJones on November dividedatthe national level. wasseizedinhis hotelroom at night afterat- rallyinGujranwala whichkickedoff the the militaryestablishment as itswill or to alienateKhan forfear he mayalso 7, he can tell his young son, “See! Being good tending an opposition rallyinthe city in movement on October 17,namedGeneral culprits forbringing Imran “gorogue” likeits erstwhile protégé, Sharif. matters”. The writer teaches at University of Illinois at October.The arrest triggeredoutrage prompt- Bajwaand the current head of the ISI, General Khan to power. ‘Wedon’t Khan, however, is farfrominvulnerable. Morethan 51 per cent of the US popula- Urbana-Champaign ing the armychief, GeneralJavedBajwa, to or- Faiz Hameed, as conspiring to ousthim from Nourishedbythe militaryand increasingly der an inquiry. However, details of theaction office. The unprecedentedintervention has talk likethis in rallies,’he exposedasineptatgovernance, his political takenagainstthe offending officials remain leftthe militaryscrambling to salvage itsrep- declared. Sharif’s daughter, fortunescan be expectedtolastonlyaslong firmlyunderwraps. utation as aneutral arbiter above party Maryam, de facto head of the as it takestocobble together amoredepend- LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR Sincethenreportshaveemergedofde- politics. PML-N, wasquickto able“King’s Party”. fections in opposition parties orchestratedby But Sharif’s decision to take the bull by its the security forces. In Balochistan, wherethe horns has also openedupcracksinthe oppo- respond saying Bilawalhad The writer is an AssociateFellowatChatham pro-militaryBalochistanAwami Party(BAP) sition,whichcouldspell aloss of momentum. offered his personal opinion. House London DIEGO’SPARADOX THIS REFERSTOthe editorial,‘Ball IDEAS losesfoot’ (IE, November 27). Diego Maradona,the legendaryArgentine ONLINE footballer,was astrangeblend of the divineand the profane —his skills ONLYINTHE EXPRESS Who’s afraid of Vivekananda? with afootball were magical,but his indifference to hisown wellbeing, his ● HOWRAHULCANPROVE abuse of his squat, strong body, was OBAMAWRONG: baffling.Going purely by his football KANCHAILAIAHSHEPHERD JNU needs his spirit,teachingstohelp it scale newheights skills, worldfootball is the poorer in his passing. ● NEPANDTHEAUTONOMY RashmiDas SSPaul, Nadia QUESTION: SUNILGUPTA POLARISED POLL SWAMI VIVEKANANDAWILL give JNU its istswamps, theyhavesurvivedonpastre- student forceand relentlesslycause dam- of this committee. www.indianexpress.com nationalistspine. In his lectureon“Six gurgitations of stale theories. Manyofthem agetothe universitysystem. Prime MinisterNarendraModi, while THIS REFERSTOthe editorial, 'Battle Lessons on Raja Yoga,” he said:“Take careof have routinelyshirkedtheir teaching re- This behaviour wasevident in therun unveilingthe Vivekanandastatue narrated foraCity'(IE, November 27). The high- the spine, everythinghappens along the sponsibilities during the pandemic. Their up to the conduct of the JNU Entrance Exam an episode from Swamiji’s life. During his voltagecampaign being undertaken spine.” Vivekanandawas aspiritualgener- indolent excuses citing capacityconstraints (JNUEE) 2020-21.While manyfaculty mem- travels to theWest, Vivekanandawas often by the BJP in Hyderabad has definitely liance duringCovid has ledtonew in- alissimo. In hislifetime, hisvisage and work would makethe communications industry bers of different Schools andCentres went to ridiculed forhis saffron robes. On one such put highstakesonamunicipal poll. equality,says CJI’ (IE, November 27). evoked aweand reverence from university of India squirm. These facultymembers the office of National Testing Agency (it con- occasion, an Englishman chidedhim and But that is nothing newfor the BJP. The statement, in the natureofverdict, bigwigs, industrycaptains, topoperaartists have saidthat they teachbig classesand are ductsall important educational entrance said, “whydon’t youdress up as agentle- Similarly,ithad usedheavy weights comingfromChief Justice of Indiaon and an array of intellectuals. To an enslaved notable to accommodatethe number of testslikeJEE-Mains, NEET,UGC-NET), to set man?”. With his characteristic mirth, in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, with anyissue is expected to be basedon nation facing an imperial worldorder,he students. Truth be told, the university has the questions papers forJNUEE, some deans Swamiji responded, “in your culture,tailor even the PM Modi holdingrallies in substantive evidence. Technology is a gave us ourmanliness. conducted over adozenwebinarstoteach and chairpersons played saboteurs andre- makethagentleman,inourscharacter these cities. But the GHMC polls are meretool, much depends on forwho's It is thereforefitting that aVivekananda faculty members howtouse the lateston- fusedtocooperate. The Academic Council makes oneagentleman”. different —awin forthe BJP,orevena benefit it is made to use.For instance, statue in JNU has been installedatthe en- line toolssothatany number of students in itslatestmeeting, 155(B), took “serious Therelevance of thismessageshould be runners-up position will upstage the despitethe lawagainst manualscav- tranceofthe administrative block. As can be taught—notonlyfor JNUfaculty,the note”and referred thistothe Executive high priority forJNU. Congress, and give the party alaunch- enging,sanitation workers’ deaths Swamiji had instructed,this statue will in- universityhas trained 5,000teachers across Council of JNU,(thehighestdecision-mak- Some self-styled intellectualsofthe left- ing pad in Telangana,where it has during sewage work even after70 spireto“tell the truth boldly, whether it the countryinthe use of online learning and ingbody of the university) forsuitable ac- over variety areharriedbythe Vivekananda been alow key player.The polarising years of Independence is ablotfor hurts or not. Neverpander to weakness. If evaluation methods. tion. statue, more so by “tatteredorangecloth” of voters, and voicing the communal largest democracy of the world. Just the truthistoo much forintelligentpeople The participationofthe left-leaningfac- The290th Executive Council (EC) meet- with whichitwas coveredprior to his un- agendaofBangladeshis and Rohingya, nowthe governmentistalkingabout and it sweeps them away,let them go;the ulty in suchwebinars has been extremely ing held on November 25, has classifiedthis veiling. Even when showeredwith global will be counter-productive.BJP needs mechanising the work.Therefore,pro- sooner thebetter.” poor.Manyare unaware thatsuchwebinars as agrave misconduct of servicerules.The praiseand alegionofrenowned followers, to show restraint. nouncing inequality being“de-novo”, Manyinthe JNU faculty could benefit areheld, despitethe universityposting EC hasconstituted afact-findingcommit- the monk lovedhis tattered orangecloth. RajivBoolchand Jain, Zirakpur and blaming the COVID-19and the from Vivekananda’s lectures on karma yoga. thesedetails regularly.The culture of non- teetoidentify the recalcitrant faculty mem- He taught us kingly values. Thesewill per- technologyfor it's genesis, obfuscate Theyare in direneedofit. Performance cul- performance in these leftswampsisanother bers so that suitable penalties maybemeted meateJNU nowand makeitgrand. BEYOND TECH the intractable problems plaguing the ture, tenacious hardwork, selflessness,hon- contagionthatthe university hastograpple outtothem. Thefact-findingcommittee is entire justicesystemfor decades. esty,the emotional experiencethatisIndia with.Thesefaculty members hawk around headedbyRajneesh Shukla, the Visitor’s The writer is member,ExecutiveCouncil, THIS REFERS TO the article, ‘Techre- LRMurmu, Delhi —theyare bereft of suchrealisations. Having in the name of the student community but nominee to theEC; deans of twoschools Jawaharlal Nehru Universityand editor, converted their centres and schoolsintoleft- in reality,theyare the mostmalevolent anti- who willbenamedshortly, will also be part TelecomLive&InfraLive

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8 Interview: Union Health Minister Iassure people that in afew months,wewill have ‘ avaccine,developedand researched in India

In conversation with superstarAmitabh Bachchan and The Indian Express Executive DirectorAnantGoenka, at a26/11special event showcasing ‘ corona warriors who epitomise the stories of strength that markMumbai —whichwas telecastonStarPlus on Sundaynight —GuestofHonour Dr Harsh Vardhan talksaboutPrime MinisterModi’s effortsand the role of India’s immunisation programme in fighting Covid. Excerpts:

Union ministerHarsh Vardhan, Amitabh Bachchan in the courseofthe virtual interactionduringthe show

AMITABH BACHCHAN: Thereisperhaps healthworkers,inthegovernmentandpri- minutestdetails, holding two-three-hour- thatwewerepro-active, preemptiveand testing... the Prime Ministernot justraised no better person to talk about our fight vate sector,then frontline workersinthe long meetings...Weshouldbegrateful that gradedinour response even before the their morale but also had the foresightof againstCovid than you, as both the field whether it is the police, paramilitary we have suchavisionaryleader inspiring WHO had declared thecoronavirus an making the 1899 Indian Epidemics Actso Health Ministerand asenior doctor. or Army,corporationemployees or sanita- and guiding us. emergencyofinternationalconcern. stringent that anyone misbehaving with a What amazes me is thatinthe midstof tion workers, followedbythose above the As forwhether this is the firstwaveor corona warrior knewtheywould have to this massive crisis, deshkekone-kone ageof65, then those between 50 and 65, ANANT GOENKA: Somedoubtshave the second wave,weare studying research face strict punishment. Ibelieve that this mein sewa bhaav ki kai mashaalen and then those younger who have comor- been raisedabout India’s lowCovid across the world, our Science Ministry, my commitmentshownby ourCovid warriors, prajwalit dikheen (wesaw this sense of bidities suchasdiabetes, heartconditions. fatality rate.Ifthe rate is correct, what HealthMinistry, allourscientistsarework- their dedication about helping others, the service across the country). Do you Indiahasshownthatitcanachieve such do youthink is the main reason? ingonthis. satisfaction theyfeel when apatient gets want to tell us somethingaboutthis? afeat, having rid the countryofpolio in We have been absolutelytransparent better and goes home... it is due to them Youhaveasked averygoodquestion.I 2014.Atlakhs of centres in the country, the aboutour data... sharing it with the coun- AMITABH BACHCHAN: What would be that India’s fatality rate,at1.46, is among want to remind youthateven25-26years poliovaccineisstoredatminus 20 degrees try, the world... hardlyanyone elsehas your advice forthe countrytill a the lowest in the world. The doctors have ago, when thecampaigntorid India of po- Centigrade and then twodrops adminis- been as transparent. We have been 100 vaccine is available? playedabig role in this,and the constant liowasstartedandIjoinedtheprogramme teredtochildren...We have theworld’smost per cent honestand givenevidenceofour Isaidthisrightatthebeginning,perhaps inspiration providedbyPradhan Mantriji is in Delhi, Ican’t tell youthe scale in which robustUniversal Immunisation Program- numbers.The testing strategy that we put during the lockdown, whenthere wasno our real taakat (strength)... As forusdoc- ordinarypeople and NGOs participated. me,including 12 vaccinations. So, we have in place from the start, the tracking, con- inkling of avaccineinthe near future,that tors, the satisfaction we derive from how ThatconvincedmethatBharatkeDNAmein the experience, and thereare detailedpre- tact tracing, early diagnosis, earlytreat- thebest vaccine,themostpowerfulandpo- countrymen have respected us,Ican’t de- ek paropkar ka aur sewa ka bhaavhai (there parationsonregardinghowtocoverthetar- ment, provision of facilities... the journey tent vaccine, available to us is ‘socialvac- scribeitinwords. is asense of service and generosity in the getedgroups in 2021. The states areon that startedwith one laboratoryhas now cine’. Idescribed ‘social vaccine’ as using a DNAofIndia),aninherent goodness, aba- board, and we have converted our eVIN or crossedthe 2,100mark. We aretesting 10- mask fullycoveringthe nose and mouth, AMITABHBACHCHAN: The whole sichumanity.WhenCovidstruck,onecould Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network 15 lakh people, 97 per cent of the country notremovingitwhiletalking,eatinginpri- countryisgrateful to itsdoctors and have saidthatfightingitwasthejobof NGOs intoaCOVIN platform. This platform will has atesting facility within 3km. We or- vate so as to notremove it in frontofother health workers, the Covid warriors. Is orthegovernment...Irememberthevideo- have the list of all the potential beneficiar- ganiseddedicated Covid hospitals, health- people,maintainingadistanceof twoyards, the governmentplanning to do conference meeting NITI Aayogorganised ies, the schedule of when theywill getthe carefacilities, care centres, to ensure 20 washinghands with soap, and coughing, something forthem? And howcan we formewith thousands of such organisa- vaccine, and wheretheywould have to go, lakh bedsacross the country,with oxygen sneezing intoour elbows.Wetold every- as the public contribute? tionsworkingontheground...However, be- informationregardingwhichwouldbesent support, or in ICUs. Thereare around onenot to wait forthe actual vaccine but The government is doing all it can, and yond them, who Iconsider heroes in this on SMS. The platform willalsohold infor- 13,000quarantine centres. Nowthe same have faith in this‘social vaccine’. willcontinue to do so. Ithink even people Covid warare ordinarypeople. mation regarding who gave thevaccine, countrywheretherewas ashortage of Iheld the firstmeeting on Covidin have contributed to the best of their abil- Iwill sharejustafew examples, of peo- where, and when. People who arevacci- PPEs, dailynews about N95 masksorven- January. Eleven months later, Ican say ity.IamconstantlyremindedofModiji’s plewholeftfoodoutsidedoorsof theirnei- natedwillgetcertificatesonthesameplat- tilators, whichwould importexpensive with confidence, afterhavingmade a innovativecall of Janata Curfew on March ghbours afflicted withCovid during the form,andwillalsobesentremindersforthe testing kits, is producing all theseinlarge round of all the hospitals, Covid wardsin 22, howpeople observedit voluntarilyand lockdown; others second dose. quantities. Todayweproduce more than Delhi, metsomany then, at 5pm, turned who turnedupin We will track 10 lakh testing kitsdaily... We arenow in people, maybesome- out to honour the co-

hugenumbers to help wherethe vaccine is aposition to offerthese to other coun- times without ade- rona warriors,the

out stray dogs,cows, When anyone needs help, stored,atwhat tem- tries... Bharat has achievedthis due to its quatedistancing,that We have been working 3 doctors, nurses,para- birds, who could no manymore rise on their perature,andprovide ability, itscapacity...It’s our DNA,ourcon- ‘social vaccine’ has months to ensure that the medics, in their own longerdependonleft- training to our vacci- fidence, the PrimeMinisteralso talksof protected me,ithas way... Irememberthe

overs. Iheardabout owntohelp... We sawthe nators, as well as or- Aatmanirbhar Bharat. protectedcountless vaccine reaches all the video of averyold

one Uber driverwho ganisations suchas Thestrategywe followedfromthestart people... Iwantto woman, alabourer, refusedtotakeapas- same in the case of NGOs whichwould is thereason we have this lowfatality rate. urge people thatthe corners... figuring out how beating bricks with a senger in Delhi who migrant labourers. That be ropedin. We have Eventherecoveryrate,ifIamnotmistaken, message that we are manymore vaccine carriers thin stickasher way wasn’t wearing a ‘ already startedtalks is 94 per cent. Of 90 lakh people infected, giving, please follow ‘ of saluting them. The ‘ mask,saying he coul- period of hardship too ‘ with NGOs... So Ias- 85-86lakh have been treated,around four it closelyand truth- and health workerswould Prime Ministerhas dn’t put society at risk surepeople that very lakhareactive cases,manyalsoontheroad fully. Avoidcrowded ledfromthe front in forthe sakeofhis job passed,and there wasno soon,inthe next few to recovery.Ibelievethis has brought us to places, or going un- we need,refrigerated vans, encouragingCovid or afew hundred ru- setbackinfighting Covid. months,wewillhave asituation wherepeople aretaking Covid necessarilytomar- syringes, training...Wehave warriors, honouring pees... Thereare thou- asafe, effective vac- lightly,saying what’s the big deal, we will kets and social gath- them, telling people sandsofsuchexamp- Hats offtothe common cine, developedand getbetter... especially in Delhi. So, while erings. It is perhaps foreseen all situations, even to do the same... As a les... This shows that researched in the mostofthe countryisseeing adecline in the mostimportant government, we when anyone needs man of this country, hats country. cases, at some places cases shootupat thingone can do in adverse reaction... PM is have launchedso help, manymorerise times.Still,Indiahasperformedexception- the fight against manyschemes for on their owntohelp... offtoevery Indian AMITABH allyagainstCovid,leavingsomeof themost Covid...Irequestyou himself monitoring this Covidwarriors.They We sawthe same in BACHCHAN:Has developedcountries in the worldbehind. too, to spread the have been provided the case of migrant therebeenworkon messagevia your insuranceofRs50 labourers, jitni takleef suchascale before ANANT GOENKA: The second waveof Kaun BanegaCrore- lakh in case of an un- mein ye the, kitne saarelog unkisahaaytake in the country? And aretherestill the Spanish Flu (1918-19) had proved pati programme. fortunatedeath... Therehavebeenatleast liyekhade ho gaye (the hardships theyfaced, problems that youforesee in the morefatal? Is that acause forworry? 400-500suchmartyrs whose deaths will so manypeople stood with them). And that vaccinationefforts? Ihaveread aboutthe Spanish Flu, but ANANT GOENKA: At atime suchasthis, always pain us,and theinsurance claimsof period of hardship toopassed,and there AsIsaidearlier,itisnot thefirsttimethat the fact is ouractions from the starthave when doctors suchasyourself are manyhavebeensettled. Recentlywe wasnosetbackinfighting Covid. Iwant to India is workinginthe field of research and been keeping the worstinmind.Wesaw putting your livesatrisk,how does one startedascheme to setaside five MBBS say‘Hatsoff to the commonman...andhats developmentof avaccine.We have seenre- our firstCovid case on January30; it wasin keep one’s morale up? seatsfor wardsofCovid warriors in med- offtoevery Indian... Isalutethem’. search on rotavirus, typhoid,Japanese en- January(firstweek) that China had in- We areverylucky that to keep our icalcolleges. cephalitis,malaria...Normallysuchresearch formed theWHO about this newvirus morale up, inspireusconsistently, we have What canpeople do....?Ithink what AMITABH BACHCHAN: The question takesyears, howeverour scientists have causing pneumonia-likesymptoms. suchabig and ideal leader as Prime theycan do best is give Covid warriorsthe foremostineveryone’s minds is regar- achievedamiracle giventhe Covidemer- Within 24-48hours,wehad ourfirst MinisterNarendraModi. Since the firstday, respect theydeserve, to thebestoftheir ding avaccine. When do youthink a gency,not justinIndiabutacrosstheworld, meetings on Covid in the Health Ministry, he has been therefor us, notjustfor us but ability in theirown spheres, whether it is vaccinewouldbeavailable, including ensuring avaccine within ayear...Wehave by 17th,detailedadvisories had gone out forthe entirecountry, withhis variousmes- government or non-government. forthe general public? been working forthe pastthree months across thecountry,surveillance had sages, meetings at severallevels, the plan- Schemes can be startedfor Covid warriors, The capacity and capability of India in nowonensuring that the vaccine reaches startedatall entrypoints, airports, ports, ning... Initiallydoctors had to face such fortheir wards, particularly their moth- production of vaccinesiswell-known. We all thecorners of our large country, there- borders. We also startedcommunity sur- stigma,insultswhentheywenthome,doc- ers andfamilies. So manymothers have provide 60 per cent of the vaccines needed mote villages,Adivasiareas,mountains,jun- veillance.The pointIamtryingtomakeis tors were attackedwhen theywent for losttheir children in these 10 months to by developingcountries, and about one- gles...figuringouthowmanymorevaccine the Covid fight. The Covid warriors are fourth the world’s requirement. Roughly, carriersandhealthworkerswouldwe need, tired,but theynever sayit. And in this morethan100candidatesforCovidvaccine thenumberof extrarefrigeratorsandrefri- countryof135 crore, Idon’t knowasin- areunder various stages of development geratedvans required,the amount of sy- gle case of amother, abrother,asister round the world, and 30 of them in India. ringesneeded,thetrainingthatwouldhave telling aCovid warrior that it’s enough, Of these30,fiveare invariousstagesof clin- to be organised... In fact,our COVIN plat- don’t report at aCovid ward anymore... ical trial, twoinanadvancedstage,two in form’stechnologycanhelpothercountries And when Italk of Covid warriors, it is not the preclinical trialstage... As per the inter- tooinworkingouttheirlogistics.Itforesees justhealth workers, it is all frontline work- nal reports availablewith us,the talksthat allsituationsthatmightarise,evenadverse ers, including journalists, who areonthe areon, Iamfullyhopeful of avaccine being reactions.Ouradvisorygroupof experts has ground, creating awareness... some of availableinthebeginningof 2021, asafevac- secretariesof alldepartments,officersfrom them have died. Throughout history,the cinewithgoodefficacy.Regardingitsavail- the Indian AcademyofPaediatrics,AIIMS contributionofthese Covid warriors will abilityto thepublic,thereisnodenyingthat doctors,state governments.Theexperience continue to inspire. The whole country is we can’t inoculate135 crorepeople all at we have due to our polio eradication and awareoftheircontribution. once.However, asperourplanning,by June- Universal Immunisation Programmewill July, almost30crore peoplewillgetthevac- helpus.We areluckythatthePrimeMinis- (TVnewspartnerABPNewswill cine, among whom we will prioritise first, terishimself monitoringthis,goingintothe telecastthespecialshowtodayat10.30pm)

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,NOVEMBER30,2020 @ieExplained #ExpressExplained 9 If thereare questions of current or contemporaryrelevancethat youwould like E EXPLAINED explained, please [email protected] Farmers’big concern —and what govtcouldnegotiate

Muchofthe opposition is to justone of the three forits chipsisdifferentfromthetablealooused jute. TheCentre, in other words, canverypass The reason forthis is simple: Muchofgov- in kitchens. Farmers don’t sell sugarcane and anylaw thatremoves all impedimentstoboth ernment procurement at minimum support newlaws. It is theFPTCAct andits provisions milk in mandis either.The produce sugarmills inter-and intra-state trade in farm produce, prices (MSP) —ofpaddy,wheat and increas- and dairyplantssource from them is practi- whilealsooverridingtheexistingstate APMC ingly pulses, cotton, groundnut and mustard thatare seenasweakeningthe APMC mandis callycontract farming. An Actthat formalises Acts.The FPTCAct does preciselythat. —happens in APMC mandis.Inascenario contract cultivation through a“national However, some experts make adistinction wheremoreand moretradingmoves outof Giventhat stocklimitsapplyonlyto framework”andexplicitlyprohibitsany spon- between agricultural “marketing” and “trade”. the APMCs, these regulatedmarket yardswill HARISHDAMODARAN traders —the amendment exemptsproces- sor firm from acquiring the land of farmers – Agriculture perse would dealwitheverything lose revenues. “Theymay notformallyshut, NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 sors, exporters and other “value chain partic- whether through purchase, lease or mortgage thatafarmerdoes—rightfromfieldprepara- but itwould becomelikeBSNL versusJio.And ipants”aslong as theydon’t keep quantities –should actuallybewelcomed. tion and cultivation to alsosale of his/her own if the government stops buying, we willbeleft EVENAS the farmerprotests againstthethree beyond their installedcapacity/demand re- produce. The act of primarysale at amandi by with onlythe big corporates to sell to,” said a newagriculture-relatedlawshavegathered quirements—itshouldn’t concern farmers at The contentious one the farmerisasmuch“agriculture”asproduc- Panipat (Haryana)-basedfarmer. momentum, one thingseems obvious: Much all. Farmers, if anything, would gain from re- Thatleavestheonly law–the FPTC Act, for tion in the field. “Trade” begins onlyafter the of the oppositionreally is justtoone of the movalofstocking restrictions on the trade, as short–whichisabone of contention. It per- produce has been “marketed” by the farmer. What could be negotiated three laws.Eveninthatone —the Farmers’ it potentiallytranslates intounlimitedbuying mitssale and purchase of farm produce out- Going by this interpretation, the Centreis If the protestingfarmer unionleaders were Produce Tradeand Commerce (Promotion and demand fortheir produce. side the premises of APMC mandis.Such within itsrightstoframe laws that promote to sit down at the negotiating table, the gov- and Facilitation) Act—thereare onlysome The Farmers (Empowerment and Farmers at Singhu village during their trades (including on electronic platforms) barrier-free trade of farm produce (inter-as ernmentcan possiblyget them to agree to contentious provisions, which, Protection)Agreement on Price march to Delhi on Sunday. PTI shall attract no market fee, cess or levy “un- well as intra-state)and do notallowstock- drop thedemand on repealing allthe three although key,can still leave Assurance and Farm Services der anyState APMC Actorany other Statelaw”. holding or exportrestrictions.But thesecan laws.Their problem is essentiallyaboutthe doors open fornegotiation. Acthas to do with providinga At issue hereisthe very right of the Centre beonly afterthe farmer hassold. Regulation of FPTCAct and itsprovisions that theysee as regulatoryframework forcon- PepsiCoforits Lay’sand UncleChippswafers) to enact legislation on agricultural market- firstsale of agricultural produce is a“market- weakeningthe APMC mandis.Thereisalso The other twolaws tract cultivation. This specifically or dedicated forexports (gherkins). The ing.Article246 of the Constitution places ing” responsibility of the states, notthe Centre. disquietonthe disputeresolutionmechanism Consider firstthe twolaws concerns agreementsentered processors/exporters in these cases typically “agriculture” in entry14and “markets and Farmers, fortheir part, would want no re- fortransactions outside the mandis.The Act that ought nottobeserious IN FACT intobyfarmers with agri-busi- notonlyundertake assured buybackatpre- fairs” in entry28ofthe StateList. But entry42 strictions onthemovement,stocking and ex- proposes these to be referred to offices of the cause forfarmer angst. nessfirms(processors, large re- agreedprices, but also provide farmers of the Union Listempowersthe Centretoreg- port of their produce. Maharashtra’sonion sub-divisional magistrateand district collec- The Essential Commodities tailers or exporters) ahead of seeds/planting materialand extension sup- ulate“inter-State tradeand commerce”. growers have vehementlyopposedthe tor. “Theyaren’tindependentcourts andcan- (Amendment) Actisabout doing away with anyplanting/rearing season forsupplying pro- porttoensurethat onlyproduce of desired While trade and commerce “withinthe Centre’s resorttoban on exports and imposi- notdeliverusjustice, leave aloneguarantee the Centre’s powers to impose stockholding duce of predeterminedquality at minimum standardisgrown. State” is under entry 26 of the StateList, it is tion of stocklimitswheneverretail prices have timelypayment,” alleged the same farmer. limitsonfoodstuffs,exceptunder “extraordi- guaranteed prices. The point to note is that contract cultiva- subject to theprovisions of entry33ofthe tendedtogoup. But these restrictions relateto These maybejustfears, but theyaren’t naryconditions”. Thesecouldbewar, famine, Again, there is little rationale forobjecting tion is voluntaryinnature and largely forcrops Concurrent List–underwhichthe Centrecan “trade”. When it comes to “marketing” —es- small.Fromthe government’s standpoint, the other naturalcalamities of gravenatureand to anActthat merelyenablescontract farming. notamenable to trading in regular APMC makelawsthat wouldprevail over those en- peciallydismantling of the monopolyof elephant in the room would be if thefarmers annual retail price rise exceeding 100% in hor- Suchexclusive agreementsbetween compa- (agriculturalproducemarket committee) acted by the states. APMCs —farmers,especiallyinPunjab and insistonanadditional demand: Making MSP ticultural produce (basicallyonions and po- niesand farmers arealready operationalin mandis.Thereishardlyany domestic market Entry 33 of the Concurrent Listcovers Haryana, aren’t very convincedaboutthe alegal right. That would be impossible to tato)and 50% fornon-perishables (cereals, crops of particular processing grades (the po- forgherkins, justasthe high drymatter and trade and commercein“foodstuffs,including “freedom of choice to sell to anyone and any- meet, even if the three farm laws were to be pulses and edible oils). tatoes used by beveragesand snacks giant lowsugar content potato that PepsiCo needs edible oilseeds and oils”, fodder,cottonand where” argument. put on hold.

EXPLAINED THE PANDEMIC Theroadtomass vaccination

Once aCovid-19vaccine becomes available in India, howdoesthe governmentgoaboutimmunising the population? Whichgroups should getthe vaccine first, and who shouldget it free? In an interviewtoPRABHARAGHAVAN, India’sleading public health expertweighs in.

duction volumesexpandingforthe initialvac- CORONAVIRUS DASHBOARD cines through outsourcedmanufacture. The EXPERT domestic demand forvaccines will also grow as vaccine confidence builds up, if the initial EXPLAINS global and countryexperience demonstrates INDIA ACTIVE CASES 453,956 safety. At this time, vulnerability will become Prof KSrinathReddy an important criterionfor prioritisation, but the general public toocan be coveredalong- 500,000 From The Indian Express panel of specialists, exclusive insight side, agegroup by agegroup. The health sys- temtoo would be moving at full strength to deliverthe vaccine, with the existing health 453,956 Whyisitimportant to getvaccinated workforcesupplemented by trainedauxil- 443,794 againstCovid-19? iaries. However, listing andsequencing the Covid-19isahighlyinfectious virus persons in the general population willbea 450,000 whichcauses variedclinical manifestations challenging exercise. withawide rangeofseverity.Ithas notbeen Furtheron,we willtransit to asteadystate easy to predict who can be safe from it. Even when asizeable proportionofthe population young persons have been known to have be- has been immunisedand the task of immu- LAST 10 DAYS come severely ill or die, though notasoften nising the rest becomesapartofthe health Nov19Nov 28 as the elderly.Because of this unpredictable system’s routine immunisation programme. 400,000 nature,everyone should feel vulnerable and Serum InstituteofIndia, wherethe vaccineCovishieldisbeing developed. Photo The capacity forasurge response will needto seek protection. tweetedbythe Prime Ministerduring arecent visit. Twitter viaPTI bekept as aplannedreserveevenatthis stage, Note:The Nov28figureinthis graphisbased on the government updateonNov 29 Anatural infection can provide differing but both supplyside and demand side pres- levels of immunity,basedonthe variable viral sures would have eased. load different persons areexposedto. We do Howprepared is India to carry out amass higher,co-morbidity levels aremore, risk ag- INDIA TOTAL CASES WORLDTOTALCASES notknowhow longsuchimmunity lasts in vaccinationcampaign? gravating factors likeair pollution aresevere What do we still notknowabout the way 9,392,919 62,448,117 eachperson. Avaccine administers astan- This depends on the vaccine(s) available. I and health services arestronger. The experi- the government is preparing to vaccinate dardiseddose that elicitsagood immune re- am assuming we will be able to choose from ence gatheredtherewill behelpful as the im- the population? Source:MinistryofHealth&Family Source:JohnsHopkinsUniversity, sponse,whichislikelytolastlongerthananat- aset of safeand effectivevaccineswhichdo munisation programme movestowards small Iambasing my response on the informa- Welfare,updatedat11pmonNov29 updatedat11pmonNov29 ural infection of variable viral exposure and nothavestringent cold chain requirementsof towns and ruralareas. However, if thereare tion availablein thepublicdomain.It is possi- clinicalseverity.For thatreason, getting im- severe sub-zero temperatures forstorage and hotspots of rapidlyincreasing cases in anypart ble thatdetailedplans have been made which munisedisagoodidea. Further,other coun- transport.Some of the successfulvaccineswill of the country, urgent immunisation of sus- the government has notyet made public. tries maynot allowannon-immunisedper- probablyneedtobestoredatonly2°–8°C or ceptiblepersonsthereshouldbeundertaken. We do notyet know whichvaccine we will son to travel thereifthe virus is still actively even stay well at room temperatures. If we can begin with. We also do notknowwhat assur- Coronavirus mutations circulating. Employers maynot permit non- access those, our supplychain logistics will Who should getthe vaccine forfree? ancesaretherefor gettingthe stocksfromthe immunisedworkers entrytoaworksite. notpose problems in the initial stages when Ibelieve allpersons should receive the manufacturers early on. Have anyadvance clearly demarcatedgroups willbeimmunised. vaccine free. Protecting people from this rap- purchase commitmentsbeen made? If mul- do notincrease its Whichgroups shouldget it first? By the time our supplychainexpands to cover idlyspreading infectious diseaseisthe prime tiple vaccines become available, what will be The twomain criteria forselection of the the general population, example of whatecono- the guiding criteriaforchoice?If multiplevac- initial groups to beofferedthe vaccine arees- we would have gainedex- mists call a“public good”. cines areprocured,how will theybedistrib- transmissibility:analysis sentialityand vulnerability.These criteria perience and would be If aperson does not utedacross states? Apartfromthe announce- overlap in some groups. Forexample, health- abletohandlethe higher THEEXPERT getvaccinated becauseit ment that health workers, other essential ANEW analysis of coronavirus global dataset. Of those, the re- careproviderswho test,trace,treat or counsel numbersthat come later, PROFESSOR KSRINATH is unaffordable and gets service providersand personswith co-mor- genomesfromover15,000 Covid-19 searchers honedinon31mutations persons infected with Covid-19are both es- with greater efficiency. REDDY is president of the infected,other suscepti- bidities will beprioritised, the plan forthe roll- patientsfrom75countries has found whichhaveoccurredatleast10times sentialserviceprovidersand alsoveryvulner- The main challenge public-privateinitiative blepersons can be in- out in thegeneral populationhas notbeen re- that none of the newmutations ap- independently during the course of able to becoming infected.Theywill be the willbethe actual admin- Public Health Foundation fected by this person vealed.Theprocurementwill becoordinated pears to be transmittedatahigher the pandemic. toppriority everywhere. Otheressential serv- istration of the vaccine, as of India. Specialising in even as theyawait their by the central government. Howwill the de- rate.The study,whichispublishedto- The researchers modelledthe icesincludesanitation, security,transportand an intramuscular injec- cardiology and turn. Whether it is the mand of eachstate be accommodated,atdif- dayasapre-print and has notyet been virus’s evolutionarytree, and those involved in the production of essential tion in twodoses set3-4 epidemiology,hehas held governmentoremploy- ferent phases? At anystage,can states directly peer-reviewed, builds on another re- analysed whether aparticular muta- goods and supplies. weeksapart. Those who positions in several ers paying forit, access to purchase from the manufacturers? If so, will cent, peer-reviewedstudy published tion wasbecoming increasingly com- Applying the vulnerability criterion, eld- areatpresentauthorised institutions, including as the vaccine should not the Centreprovide qualityandcostguidelines in the journal Infection, Genetics and mon withinagiven branchofthe evo- erly persons and people with known comor- to administer suchinjec- former Head of the carryacosttoany individ- to maximallyensureuniformity? Evolution.The previous study charac- lutionarytree. bidities that enhance the risk of severe illness tions aredoctors, nurses Department of Cardiology ual. Since theprivate sec- Do some sections of the population have to terised patterns of diversity emerging The researchers found no evi- or death areahigh priority.The coexisting and auxiliarynursemid- at AIIMSand currentlyas torhealthcareproviders pay? If so, what would the price be?Thereis in the genome of SARS-CoV-2. dencethat anyofthe common muta- health disorders whichincrease suchrisk in- wives. Due to our past Adjunct Professor of toowill getinvolvedinde- no informationonthe proposedrole of pri- “Weemployeda tions areincreasing the clude high blood pressure, heartdisease, dia- neglect, their numbers Epidemiology at Harvard. livering the vaccine at vate healthcareproviders,pharmacies and noveltechnique to deter- virus’s transmissibility. betes,obesity,chroniclungdisease,malnutri- areinadequateinmany Winner of severalawards some stagetosupple- employers in the organisedsector in the vac- mine whether viruses Instead,theyfoundsome tion or anycondition in whichimmunity has parts.Those who are including the Padma ment governmentagen- cination programme. Howwill theysupport with the newmutation common mutationsare been reducedbydisease or drugs. The prob- available will also bebusy Bhushan, he is the author cies, financial mecha- the government programme? areactuallytransmitted neutral, but mostare lem in identifying this group is that several providing other health of Make Health in India: nismsneedtobeworked at ahigher rate,and mildlydetrimental to the persons who have theseconditions maybe services, including careof Reaching ABillion Plus. out to ensurethat individ- Howlong, realistically, willittakefor life found thatnone of the virus. unaware of them, becausethe weak health Covid-19-infected per- uals arenot subjected to to getbacktonormal? candidatemutations ap- PAPER The mutations servicesinurban slums, small towns or vil- sons. Even if we use the out-of-pocket expenses. Itdependshow the virusbehavesoverthe pear to be benefiting the analysed includedone in lages have notscreenedortestedthem. In such general election personnelfor assembling, next year,how early an immunisation pro- virus,” lead author CLIP the virus spikeprotein cases, it is best to applythe agecriterion as a identifying and regulating the flowofpeople Howmanyphases of vaccination maybe grammecanbeginandhowextensively it can Professor Francois calledD614G,whichhas probability predictor and move steadilydown to be vaccinated,who will actuallygivethe required? coverthe countryinthe months to follow. Will Balloux (University NEWRESEARCH been widelyreportedas decade by decade from the 60+ agegroup to injection and monitor side effects? Will med- Howeverother people maywish to the virus becomeless or moreinfectious? We CollegeLondon Genetics being acommon muta- the 20+ agegroup. ical, dentaland nursingstudentsbepressed number the waves of the pandemic or do notknow. Will avaccine pass all regulatory Institute) said in astatement. tion whichmay makethe virus more Young persons constituteaninteresting intoservice, aftershorttraining? Can we also phases of the immunisation, Isee theim- checksto arrive soon? It appears possible but Coronaviruses can develop muta- transmissible. The researchers said challenge. Theyare essential forcurrent eco- train othergroups of vaccinators, through munisationdrive passing through keytran- we still needtosee the final trial data. tionsinthree different ways:bymis- the newevidence suggests this mu- nomic activity or needtopursue education, training administeredtoyoung science grad- sitions as it evolves. Untilmuchofnextyear,wewill need to take from copying errors duringviral tation is, in fact, notassociated with whichisaninvestmentforfuture economicre- uates? Willexisting regulatoryrestraints be Initially, the supplytoour health system diligentlyobservepublic healthadvisorieson replication;through interactionswith increasedtransmission. vivaland growth. Theyare highlyexposed to relaxedtopermitthese newgroups of vacci- will be limited as the production of anyvac- masks, physical distancing, hand washing and other viruses infecting the same cell; The researchers found mostofthe the virus becauseoftheir higher mobility and nators? These arequestions central and state cinewillbeinundatedby global demand.That avoidingsuper spreader events. The advent or as aresult of the immune response commonmutations appear to have socialising.While theyare at alow risk of se- programme managers mustconsider. is also the time when we will be applying the of summer maygiveussome respitebut not of the host. Mostmutations areneu- been inducedbythe human immune vere infection,theycaninfectothers,especially essentiality criterionand beginningthe learn- full release. tral, while othersare advantageous or system, rather than being the result the elderly membersofthe family.Are theyan What should be the geographic strategy ing curveofour vaccine delivery system.The So,if 2020hasbeenthe yearof despairand detrimental to thevirus. of the virusadapting to itsnovel hu- early priorityforimmunisationoralaterprior- foraprogrammeofthisscale? numbers vaccinated will be relatively small depression,2021hasto betheyearof discipline The research team from multiple man host. ity? Opinions aredivided. It depends also on Idonot thinkgoing statebystate would and the efforteasy as the persons to beimmu- anddeterminationtosubduetheviruswithall institutions has so faridentified6,822 theamountof vaccineavailable.If limitedquan- be right,for both public health and political nisedare already listed. thetools we aregathering or makingnow. mutations in SARS-CoV-2acrossthe Source: University CollegeLondon titiesareavailableinitially, theolderagegroups reasons. Thereare essential workers and vul- That will move later to aphase wherethe will take priority and the demographic bulge nerable peopleeverywhere. Itis better to start vaccine supplywillbelarger, bothduetomore EDITEDEXCERPTS of young persons will needtowait. withthe cities wherethe crowddensityis vaccines getting regulatoryapprovals and pro- Longer version: www.indianexpress.com

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,NOVEMBER30,2020 10 THE WORLD

TOPOFTHE WORLD 2bombblasts inAfghanistan kill34:officials General WeiFenghe Car bombshit Ghazni, Zabul provinces HongKong Chief Executive Carrie Lam China’s defence RAHMATULLAHNEKZAD Therewereno minister visits &TAMEEMAKHGAR immediateclaims of HONGKONG GHAZNI,NOVEMBER29 CarrieLamsays Nepal, seeks to responsibility forthe AT LEAST34people were killed attacks,whichtook can’topenbank resume military on Sundayintwo separate sui- place as the Afghan govt cide bombings in Afghanistan accountafter cooperation thattargetedamilitary baseand and the Taliban hold USsanctions aprovincial chief, officials said. peace talksinQatar Therewerenoimmediate HONGKONGleaderCarrie SHIRISHBPRADHAN claims of responsibility forthe Lamsays shehasto pileup KATHMANDU,NOVEMBER29 attacks,whichtook place as the armybase aftersecurity cash at home as she has US SCHOOLS FACE MANY CHALLENGES AS THEY REOPEN Afghan governmentrepresenta- forces openedfireonthe car.It been unable to open a CHINA’S DEFENCE Minister tivesand the Taliban hold face- wasnot immediatelyclearwhy bankaccountintheglobal GeneralWei Fenghe on Sunday Studentswearingmasksand face shields take their seatsatclassrooms remodelled to adheretosocial distancing on the first to-face talksinQatar forthe first therewas adiscrepancy. financial centresince the metNepal PrimeMinister dayofin-person kindergarten in Baltimore.Likeother school districtsacross the country, BaltimoreCity PublicSchools are time to end thecountry’s Interior Ministryspokesman US sanctionedher shortly KPSharma Oli and exchanged slowlytrying to getstudents backinthe classroom. It hasnot been easy,but neither has remote learning. Educators looking decades-longwar. Tariq Arian said asuicide bomb- afterBeijingimposedana- views on mattersofmutual in- to getbackinfront of students have had to navigateconflicting guidance from politicians and public health officials. Some IneasternGhazniprovince,31 ingtook place,though he didnot tional security lawonthe terest andheld talkswith Nepal teachers’ unionshaverefusedtoreturn to buildingsuntil the virus abates, ostracizing colleagueswho darebreak with them. soldierswere killedand24 others provide further details. city.“Sittinginfrontof you Armychief General Purna On the other hand, the country’s mostvulnerable children have sustainedsevereacademic and social harm from the woundedwhen the attacker In southern Afghanistan, an- is achiefexecutive of the ChandraThapa on ways to re- remote-learning experiment.Parents,navigatingtheirown economicand work struggles, areincreasingly desperate. NYT droveamilitaryhumveefullof ex- other suicide car bomber tar- Hong Kong SAR(Special sume military cooperation and plosivesontoanarmycommando getedthe convoy of aprovincial Administrative Region) training, whichhas been affected basebeforedetonating the car councilchief in Zabul province, who has no banking serv- by theCovid-19pandemic. bomb, according to an official in killing at leastthree people and icesmadeavailableto her,” Gen Weiheld bilateral talks Singaporean Afghanistan’s National Security wounding 21 others, including Lamtoldanews channelin with the Nepal Armychief at the Daily coronavirus deaths keep Council,whospokeanonymously children, according to provincial thecity.“I’musingcashfor ArmyheadquartersinKathmandu gives birth to because he wasnot permitted to spokesman Gul Islam Sial. all the things,” she said. “I duringhisday-long“workingvisit” speak directly to the media. The council chief, Attajan have pilesof cashathome, to Nepal, said astatement issued rising amid changing US crisis baby with Covid Ghazni’s provincial health Haqbayat, survivedSunday’s at- the governmentispaying by theNepalArmy.“Thetwoheld department chief, Zahir Shah tack with minor injuries, al- me cash formysalarybe- acordial discussion on various is- antibodies: report Nikmal, also confirmedthe though one of his bodyguards cause Idon’t have abank sues of bilateral interest,” it said. Afar smaller percentage of people who catch Covidare deathtoll from the attack. wasamong those killed, said account.” REUTERS “Bilateral discussions were Afghanistan’s Defence provincial police spokesman then held at the delegation-level dying, butrecordrise in caseskeeps daily deathtoll high REUTERS Ministryreleasedastatement Hikmatullah Kochai. mainlyonissuespertainingto re- SINGAPORE,NOVEMBER29 claiming 10 soldiers were killed Therehas been asharprise in sumption of training and student pastweek alone. were reportednationwide —the and nine wounded. The ministry violencethis year and asurge of BRITAIN exchangeprogrammeandfollow CAMPBELLROBERTSON, At the peak of the spring highesttoll sinceMay —only ASINGAPOREAN woman, who alsoofferedadifferent account of attacks by the Talibanagainst Brexittalksin upondefenceassistancethathave GIULIAMCDONNELL wave, about 31,000 newcases three counties reportedatoll of wasinfected with the novel what happenedthan the official Afghanistan’sbeleaguered secu- been impacted due to theCovid- NIETODELRIO,JOSEPH were announcedeachday, more than 20. coronavirus in March when she at the National SecurityCouncil, rity forces since the startofpeace ‘reasonable 19 pandemic,”thestatementsaid. GOLDSTEIN&MITCHSMITH though that wasavastunder- Forty-four states have set waspregnant, has givenbirth to saying thevehicle explodednear talksinSeptember. AP The Chinese defence minis- NOVEMBER29 count because testing capacity weeklycase records, and 25 ababywith antibodies against position’:Raab ter, who wasleading a21-mem- wasextremelylimited.OnApril states have setweeklydeath the virus, offering anew clue as BREXIT TRADE negotia- berdelegation, viewedboththe AFAR smaller proportion of peo- 15,the United States reacheda records in November,asthe na- to whetherthe infectioncan be tions with the European proposals “positivelyand af- ple who catchthe coronavirus grim nadir:2,752 people were tion’s death toll has surpassed transferredfrommother to child. Union areinareasonable firmedthatthe bilateral cooper- aredying from it than were in reportedtohavediedfrom 264,000and officialsworry that The babywas born this position, with some ation should resume as soon as the spring,expertssay.Yet the Covid-19, morethan on anyday Thanksgiving gatherings may monthwithout Covid-19but progress on competition possible, including exchangeof sheer breadth of the current out- before or since. cause infections to spread still with the virus antibodies, the issues but significant dif- high levelvisits,” it said. break meansthatthe cost in lives Still, the toll of the virus was morewidelyinthe coming days. Straits Timesnewspaper reported ferences outstandingon He also pledgedto provide ad- lostevery dayisstill climbing. an abstraction formany The countryreachedapeak on Sunday, citing the mother. fishing, British foreign ditional assistance to the Nepal Morethan 170,000 Americans because deaths were seven-dayaverage of 176,000re- TheWorldHealthOrganisation ministerDominic Raab Armyinfighting the Covid-19 Americans arenow testing pos- concentrated in ahandful of portedcases on Wednesday, and says it is notyet known whether a said on Sunday. “Idothink pandemic, the statement said. itivefor the virus on an average states likeNew York,New Jersey thereisreason to fear the worst pregnant woman withCovid-19 we’reinareasonablepo- The statement expressed day, straining hospitals across and Louisiana. is still coming. Dailycase counts can pass the virus to her foetus or sition, there’s adeal to be confidence “the visitwillhelp in muchofthe country, including Nowthe deaths arescattered around NewYorkCity have be- babyduringpregnancyordelivery. done,” Raab told Sky further strengthening and ex- in manystatesthat had seemed widelyacross the entirenation, gun ticking up again, withanav- To date,theactive virushasnot News. Asked aboutafinal panding the cordial military-to- to avoid the worstofthe pan- and thereishardlyacommunity erageof6,600 eachday in the been found in samples of fluid Afghan soldiers arrive at the siteofthe suicide bombing in deadline fortalks, he said militaryrelationsbetween the demic. Morethan 1.1million that has notbeen affected.On metroarea, afivefoldincrease around the baby in the womb or Ghazni province on Sunday. AP negotiationswere into the twocountries”. PTI people tested positive in the Wednesday, when 2,300deaths from the startofOctober. NYT in breast milk. “lastweek or so” but said the EU had previously movedthe goalposts on a final deadline. REUTERS Ethiopiaclaims victoryin Dave Prowse, the actor who

AUSTRALIA Severefiredanger Tigray conflict after assault played Darth Vader, dies at 85 astemperatures dubbed by James EarlJones. smashrecords SIMONMARKS Fightinglikely to continue JILLLAWLESS Prowse donnedDarth Ametal object wasfoundin PARTSOFAustralia,includ- ADDISABABA,NOVEMBER29 LONDON,NOVEMBER29 Vader’sblackarmourand hel- the remote Utah desertlast ing Sydney, sweltered metfor Star Wars (1977), The week by stateworkers through the hottest ETHIOPIA CLAIMED victoryinits EVEN IF the Ethiopian LiberationFront has DAVE PROWSE, the British EmpireStrikes Back (1980) and Novembernightonrecord conflict with the restiveregion government’s forces said the group has no weightlifter-turned-actor who Return of theJedi (1983). withtemperatureslikely of Tigray on Saturday, afteraday- have takencontrol of intention of surrender- wasthe body, though notthe He expressedsome regret That mysterious to stayhigh on Sunday, longseriesofartillerystrikes the Tigrayan regional ing. Theyhavealarge voice, of arch-villain Darth Vader that, thankstoVader’s mask,“I prompting authorities to againstthe regional capital, acity capital, fighting in this armedmilitia, whichis in the original Star Wars trilogy, can walk around with complete monolith in the issue atotal fire ban. of half amillion people. warislikelytocontinuefor a likelytoengagethe Ethiopian has died. He was85. anonymity.” Sydneysurpassed40de- With communicationsshut lotlonger,expertshave militaryinguerrillawarfare Prowse diedSaturdayafter a “Allactorscrave recognition Utah desert? It’s greesCelsius on Saturday off, therewas no waytoconfirm warned. The Tigray People’s that could go on foralong time. shortillness, his agent Thomas Prowse signs autographsin and I’dliketohavesome likeLuke while swathesofwestern the government’s claim. Bowington said Sunday. Los Angelesin2007. Reuters Skywalker and Han Solo,” he told gone, officials say NewSouthWales, South The shelling of the city, Born in Bristol, southwest The Associated Pressin1980. Australia and northern Mekelle, came twodays after control” of the central govern- sistance while federal policeap- England, in 1935,Prowsewas a “Fortune tends to followfame.” Victoriabaked through Ethiopia’s prime minister, Abiy ment and that federal forces in prehendthe TPLF clique.” three-time British weightlifting Clockwork Orange andasked the Prowse also worked as a BRYANPIETSCH evenhighertemperatures Ahmed,had ordered thestart of the city are“searching all sus- Earlier on Saturday, thelead- champion and represented 6-foot-6-inchactor to audition trainer forother actors, helping NOVEMBER29 nearing 45 degrees. The what he calledthe thirdand final pected areasthe juntamight be ershipofthe TPLF,whose England in weightlifting at the forthe villainous Vader or the Christopher Reeveprepareto countryhas seenunusu- phaseofanoperationaimedatre- hiding”,referring to theTPLF. decadeslong political and eco- 1962 Commonwealth Games Wookie Chewbacca in Star Wars. be the Man of Steel in hit 1978 AS MYSTERIOUSLYasitarrived, allyprolongedandintense movingthenorthernstate’sruling “I am pleasedtoshare that we nomicclouthaswanedconsider- before breaking into movies Prowse later told the BBC he film Superman. ametal monoliththat wasdis- bushfiresthat lastseason Tigray People’s Liberation Front, have completedand ceasedthe ablysinceAbiytookofficein2018, with roles that emphasisedhis chose Darth Vader because “you Prowse wasalso known to a coveredthis month by Utah burnednearly 12 million untilrecentlythedominantpower militaryoperations in the Tigray vowednot to surrenderandcalled commanding size,including alwaysremember the bad guys.” generation of British children as public safetyworkers is now hectares,killed33people in the national government. region,” Abiy posted to Twitter onlocalcitizenstoresist thearmy. Frankenstein’s monsterinapair Physically, Prowse wasper- the Green Cross Code Man, asu- gone, officials said Saturday. and an estimated 1billion On Saturdayevening, Saturday night. “Our focus now ManyMekelle residentsfled of Hammer Studios horrorfilms. fect forthe part. His lilting English perheroinaseriesofroad safety The three-sidedmetal struc- animals. REUTERS Ethiopia’s statebroadcasterre- will be on rebuilding the region to rural areas, fearing theycould Director George Lucas saw West Countryaccent wasconsid- advertisements during the1970s turewas removedFriday portedMekelle wasnow “under andproviding humanitarian as- be caught in the crossfire. NYT Prowse in asmall partinA eredless ideal,and his lines were and 1980s. AP evening “byanunknown party” from the public land it wasfound on, the federal BureauofLand Management’sUtahoffice said in astatement. THE ELEPHANT HAD LANGUISHED ALONE FOR YEARS IN APAKISTANI ZOO The bureausaid it had notre- movedthe monolith, whichit considers private property. ‘World’sloneliest elephant’ Kaavan starts trip to Cambodia The Utah Department of Public Safetysaid Mondaythat it had found the object while sur- bolted,his departurecould have phant’s life. “In the sanctuary in Saheli in 2012,has captured whenheleftthe zoo Sunday. veying forbighorn sheep. KATHYGANNON been delayedfor months while Cambodia...waiting forhim is worldwide attention. Kaavan’s wounds areemo- “IT’S GONE!” the Department ISLAMABAD,NOVEMBER29 the rescue team sought to restore three ladies, three Asian female Cher’s animal welfaregroup tional as well as physical. He of PublicSafetysaid,reactingto the calm and trustbeforetrying elephants,” he said. “Now Kaavan Free the Wild has worked with would spend his days throwing news in an Instagrampost. KAAVAN, DUBBED the“world’s again, explainedMartin Bauer, a mighthaveanewpartner,and Four Paws andthe American hisheadfromsideto side,astereo- “Almostasquickly asitappearedit loneliestelephant” afterlanguish- spokesman forFour Paws shareanew life with apartner.” syndicatedcolumnistand phil- typical sign of boredom and mis- hasnowdisappeared,”thedepart- ing alone foryears in aPakistani International.The global animal Khalil described howon anthropist, Eric Margolis, to re- eryinanelephant,Bauersaid,and mentsaid,adding,“Icanonlyspec- zoo, wasreadiedSundayfor his welfaregroup hasled thecharge Sundayheslowlyand gentlyca- locateKaavan—amission that’s something the Four Paws team ulate”thatalienstookitback,using flight to asanctuaryin Cambodia to save Kaavansince2016. joledKaavantowalk backwards cost about$400,000.She’s also has been working to treat. the emoji forextraterrestrials. and the much-neededcompany Iconic American singer and intoasteel crate, as nearly a making adocumentaryfilm The loss of his mateSaheli in It wasamystery howthe of other elephants. actress Cher also arrivedin dozenmen carefullyguided him about the process. 2012 tookatollonKaavan’smen- monolithhadbeeninstalledinthe The mammoth task of get- Islamabad lastweek, the culmi- insideusing chains around his Kaavanwas diagnosedearlier talhealth.Elephantsare socialan- firstplace. Officials said that the ting him intoanelephant-sized nationof her longstandingefforts Dr Amir Khalil,aveterinarian who has been treating tree-trunk sizedlegs. this year as being dangerously imals thatthrive on the company structurewas mostlikelyawork metalbox fortransporttook sev- to raiseawareness about rescu- Kaavan’s manywoundsand ailmentsoverthe pastthree Kaavanisset to leave aboard overweight, owing to his unsuit- of other elephants, Bauer ex- of artand that itsinstallation on eral hours, and wasperhaps the ing Kaavanfromthe zoo. months,feeds theelephant afterhewas loadedintoacrate aRussian cargo plane forthe able dietofaround 250 kilo- plained. ForKaavan, the last eight public land wasillegal. It wasun- mostcrucial step in rescuing him Conditionsthereweresobad that to transporthim to asanctuaryinCambodia.Reuters 25,000-acresanctuaryearly grammes of sugar cane eachday. yearshavebeen akin to livingin clearwho hadput it there—and from the direconditionshe’s acourtinthe Pakistani capital or- Mondaymorning. With Khalil’s help, Kaavan quarantine —something the when —but the artworld quickly livedinfor 35 years. dered the zoo closedinAugust. The plight of the male Asian lost450 kg over the pastthree worldhascometo understandall speculateditwasthework of John Had Kaavanbeen spooked Dr Amir Khalil, aveterinarian treating Kaavan’s manywounds months, said he washopeful elephant, who’s been alone months, and wasdowntoaslim- toowell amid the coronavirus McCracken,asculptorfondof sci- and refusedtoenter thecageor with Four Paws who’s been and ailments over thepastthree about the next chapterofthe ele- since the deathofhis partner mer,moreagile over 4,000 kg pandemic, he said. AP ence fiction. He diedin2011. NYT

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,NOVEMBER30,2020 MarketWatch FPISREMAIN NETBUYERSINNOV NewDelhi: Foreign portfolio investors(FPI) remained net buyers forthe second straight month in November by pumping in a whopping Rs 62,951 crore in domestic markets. As perdepositories 11 ECONOMY PTI data, FPIs invested anet Rs 60,358crore into equities.

INDUSTRYWARYOFEMPOWERINGWATCHDOGTOAPPOINTDIRECTORGENERAL INTERVIEW: CHAIRMAN,NATIONAL HIGHWAYSAUTHORITYOFINDIA ‘Will award projects worth CompetitionBill:Optionsforfastercase `2 lakh crore by FY21, Covid disposal,CCItonameprobearmchief has made us more aggressive’ HIT HARDbythe pandemic and pace of constructionand “Weare hopefulthat we will notthe case with the DG of CCI. competitive conduct to reachan thelockdown,thehighwayscon- completion of projects? KARUNJITSINGH be able to placethe Bill before CONCERNSON “It seems thatevennow the agreementwiththeCCIto dispose struction sector is backinbusi- Thatway we areslightly NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 Parliamentinthewintersession,” investigationsbytheDGareinflu- of acaseaftertheDGsubmitsare- ness, racing to achieve itstargets shorterthan lastyear becausefor saidagovernmentofficial.Theof- ‘AUTONOMY’ encedbythe prima facie view portindicating competition law as the government identifiesin- twomonths, the work had to be THE CENTRALgovernmentisset ficial addedthat the amendment takenbythe CCI” said the expert, violations.Thecompanywouldbe frastructureworks likebuilding stoppedbeforeitpickedupgrad- to introduce the Competition to transfer thepower to appoint ■ Industrybodies and adding that an investigative arm required to cease anti-competi- roads,asoneof theareasforpost- ually. The lockdown wasinApril Amendment Bill before the DG would be retainedinthe experts had opposed likethe DG should be separate tive conductandmayberequired Covidrecovery of the economy. and May. These twomonths are ParliamentduringtheWinterses- finalBill,notingthattheinvestiga- the proposal to give the fromanadjudicatoryarmsuchas to payafine decidedbythe CCI. TheNationalHighways Authority equivalentto gettingfourmonths’ sion,accordingto governmentof- tive armof competitionregulators authority to appoint theCompetition Commission. Under the commitment of India (NHAI), at the forefront of worthofworkdone. The con- ficials. Keychanges in the Bill in- in other jurisdictions wasalso theDirectorGeneral of The Internet andMobile mechanism,parties accusedof thatexercise,courtedcontroversy structionspeedisthe highest in clude vesting the powerofthe overseen by theregulator. the investigative armof Association of India (IAMAI) had anti-competitive conductmay recentlywhen Road Transport these monthsbecause monsoon appointmentof theheadof thein- Experts notedthat their pri- the Competition alsosaidincommentsonthedraft seekto settleacasebefore theDG and Highways MinisterNitin comesrightafterthatsothework vestigative arm of the Competit- maryconcern wasthe mainte- Commission of India to Bill that “the suggestedpowerfor of the CCI beginsinvestigation by Gadkaritookadigatitpubliclyfor Sukhbir Singh Sandhu is usuallyexpedited before that. ion Commission of India(CCI) nanceof thefunctionalautonomy the watchdog itself, the Competition Commissionof committingtoceaseanti-compet- taking 12 years to construct its Andinwinteralsowedonot con- withtheregulatoritself,aswellas of the DG. “As the powerofap- noting that sucha India to appoint the Director itive conductandpayingafinede- ownoffice building. NHAI structasfast. But we arerecover- anew “settlement”and“commit- pointment is currentlywiththe move maycompromise Generalunder the proposedBill cidedbythe CCI. Chairman SUKHBIR SINGH shelter,liketheywereincamps, ing very fast and hopefullybythe ment” mechanisms to allow for centralgovernment,thisgivesthe the autonomyofthe risksundermining the setrules Themove isexpectedto speed SANDHU tells AVISHEK G but complying with the guide- end of March 31,wewill be able quickerdisposalofcases. DG functional autonomy.Ihope Director General ensuringfairandindependentin- up the disposal of cases. Notably, DASTIDAR that Covid has made lines.Sotheystartedwork imme- to complete our target. The head of the investigative that by giving the powerofap- vestigation under the casesresolvedunderthesemech- theorganisationmoreaggressive diatelyafter the lockdown was armof theCCI,theDirector-Gene- pointmenttothe CCI the func- Competition Act, 2002”. anisms will notbeopen to ap- in pushing targets and that NHAI lifted. In some cases, yes, the And the Delhi-Mumbai ral(DG),iscurrentlyappointedby tionalautonomypresently en- comparison of the CCI with other Another keyamendment in peals.The CCI may, however, re- isintheprocessof identifyingand labour had gone back.But they Expresswaybeing your the Centre.Industrybodies and joyedbythe DG office is not jurisdictions wasnot appropriate the proposed Bill is the inclusion voke ordersofsettlement or weeding out non-performers also startedcoming backinafew flagship project, is thereany expertshadopposedtheproposal diluted,“said MM Sharma, head as while the investigative arms of of the settlement and commit- commitment if it concludes that whodelayworks.Editedexcerpts: weeks’ time. impact on that? to give this authority to thecom- of competitionlaw practice at jurisdictionssuchastheEuropean mentmechanismforquickerdis- parties have notmade adequate And manycontractors sent Notmuch. Maybeamonth or petition watchdog, noting that Vaish Associates. Union do operateunder the reg- posal of cases. The settlement disclosuresatthe time of the Where do youfind yourself in theirvehiclesto Bihar,Bengaland twointermsoftimeline. It is the suchamovemay compromise An expert, who requestedto ulator,theyhavebeen seen to be mechanism would allowafirm agreementorif thereare material the post-Covid world Odisha to getreturnedlabour biggesteverprojectandthespeed the independence of the DG. remain anonymous, said that the “fiercelyindependent”whichis whichmay have engaged in anti- changes to thefactsofthe case. considering the government back.Becausecontractorsrealised of construction is notsomething has emphasised highway that the costtheywereincurring seen in India. Our neighbouring construction as one of the with the machineryremaining country(China)isknownforcon- Govt invites means to economic recovery? idleatsiteswasmuchhigherthan structing roads with that good a Higher inflows by tech cos make $8.30BILLION: $7.12BILLION: Our awardofcontractsisal- the costofgettinglabourers back speed. Rs 86,000croreworth of a proposals for FOREIGNINFLOWSRECEIVED FDIATTRACTEDFROMTHE most60per cent higher com- through owntransportarrange- project completing in three years US biggestFDI source in H1FY21 FROMSINGAPOREINTHE UNITEDSTATESDURING pared to lastyear in thesame pe- ments. So we were backatwork is abig deal. designing, FIRSTHALFOF2020-21 APRIL-SEPTEMBER2020 riod. It is the highestever. When almostimmediately. these worksstart on theground Howare youexecuting it The US has replaced Mauritius as thesecond biggest source of therewill be alot of employment Did youalso have to give alot differentlyfromother manufacturing foreign direct investment (FDI) during thefirsthalf of FY21, Riseinforeign FDIreceivedfromthe generation, economic activity.It of concessions to contractors? projects? datafromthe Commerce and Industry Ministry showed 15%inflowsintoIndia remainingsevennationsinthe will help the economytocome Yes. We have startedthe sys- We have dividedthe project of GPS chips duringthefirsthalfofcurrent top10: outof thebadpatch.Bythisfinan- temofreleasing payments into44packages. Mostofthem fiscal,reaching$30billion;in ■ $2.1billion:CaymanIslands cialyearwe willawardworthRs2 monthly. Earlier it usedtobe stand awarded. So instead of PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA August,thecountryhad ■ $1.5billion:TheNetherlands lakhcrore,whichisthe highest stage-payments, wherein the re- monitoring from one side, we are NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 attracted$17.5billionworthof ■ $1.35billion:United ever.Partlyitwas our target but lease of moneywas linked to monitoring44differentpackages foreigninvestments Kingdom because of Covid, Iwould say, we completion of acertain stageof simultaneously.Thathasresulted THE GOVERNMENT has invited ■ $1.13billion:France had to become more aggressive. the contract. That wasonlyfive ingoodspeed.Alsothereisaded- proposalsfordesign,manufactur- $2billion:FDIfromMauritius, ■ $653billion:Japan timesinayear.Now ithasbecome icated landacquisition team and ing,supplyandmaintenanceof 10 whichslippedtofourthposition, ■ $2020million:Germany What kind of issues did you monthlyand that has increased around 90 per cent of the land re- lakh integrated NavIC(Indian infirsthalfofthisfinancialyear ■ $48million:Cyprus face during and afterthe liquidity of the contractors to a quired is withus. Beingaflagship Regional Navigation Satellite lockdown at your greatextent.Theyare veryhappy. programme everything is being System) and GPS receivers. US,Mauritiustradepositions: Whyisitimportant:According construction sites? monitoredveryclosely. Imonitor “MeitY (Ministryof AsperdatafromtheDPIIT toexperts,increasingFDIfrom Frankly, we were down only Did youtaketheir feedback? it sometimes weeklyand some- Electronicsand IT) seekspropos- (DepartmentforPromotionof theUnitedStatesreflectsthe forthe firstthree weeksoflock- Oh yes. We spoketocontrac- times fortnightly. Anyissuecrops als from biddertodesign, manu- IndustryandInternalTrade), furtherstrengtheningof downsinceMarch.Wehavebeen tors. Thereweresome80sugges- up withstates, we speaktochief facture, supplyand maintain Mauritiuswasthesecond economictiesbetweenthetwo workingcontinuouslysincethen. tions. We immediatelyagreedto secretaries and other officials. Integrated NavIC andGPS chips biggestFDIsourceduringApril- countries.TheUSwasalso The contractors took some time. 60 of them and issuedorders on Thereisrecord-settingprogressin and ensuredeployment of September2019,whiletheUS India’stoptradingpartnerin In certain areas therewas not the same day. this. So,byDecember2023itwill Integrated NavICand GPS re- wasthefourthbiggestinvestor 2019-20 muchofaproblem.Insomeareas be complete. ceivers,” the requestfor proposal duringthatperiod Source: DPIIT/PTI labour had notgone back;where Awarding of contracts is one Full interviewon document said. thecontractorgave themfoodand thing, but whatabout your www.indianexpress.com BRIEFLY Six shut schemes get `11,576 cr BUDGET FY22:CENTRECONSIDERING SEVERALPROPOSALS CIIurges Plan to boost fund infusion for infra projects industrynotto so far: Franklin Templeton andappropriatestepswillsoonbe BANIKINKARPATTANAYAK announced,” an official source lowerguard 2020 standsatRs7,226 crorefor derly manner,”the fundhouse NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 said. Some of the remedies will ENSECONOMICBUREAU the four cash positive schemes, said in alettertounitholders. likelyfeature in theFY22Budget. NewDelhi:IndustrybodyCII MUMBAI,NOVEMBER29 subject to fundrunningex- This includedthe option of THEGOVERNMENTisweighinga TheBudget isalsolikelytoun- has urgedits member com- penses. seeking unitholder consent ac- raft of proposals, including relax- veiladevelopmentfinancialinsti- panies in north India to not THE SIX schemes thatFranklin Individually, Franklin India cordingtothe judgmentofthe ingrulesto enableinsurancefirms tution(DFI)withthespecificman- lowerguardagainstCovid- Templetonhad shut since April LowDuration Fund, Franklin High Court, it added. and pension funds to putinlong- datetofinance large rural 19 and ensurethatthe pre- this year have receivedtotal cash IndiaUltraShort Bond Fund, “However, afterdetailed de- termcapitalininfrastructureproj- The Budget mayalso unveil adevelopment financial institution infrastructure projectsthat re- scribed normsofwearing flowsofRs11,576crore till Franklin India Dynamic Accrual liberations, we determinedthat ects,asitseekstospurjobcreation to finance large rural infrastructureprojects. Express file quirelong-termfinanceandcould masks,maintainingphysical November 27 from maturities, Fund and Franklin IndiaCredit it will be necessarytoseek judi- and bring the Covid-hit economy serveasantidote to generalinvest- distanceof atleast6feetand pre-payments and coupon pay- Risk Fund have 48 per cent, 46 cialinterventionfromthe backontrack fast. ment famine during economic avoidinglarge gatheringsare ments, outofwhich Rs 2,836 per cent, 33 percent and 14 per Supreme Court to ensureanap- Extantregulatorynormseffec- These instruments, such as “Theseanomaliesbetween downturns. It willworkunder an followed. The pandemic crorewas receivedinNovember. centoftheir respective AUMin propriateimplementation of the tively bar these investors, that government andpublic-sector therealityandregulatoryrequire- innovative framework,wherepri- continues to pose hardship AccordingtoFranklin cash, respectively. lawinthe best interestof bringinpatientcapital,fromfund- bonds,oftenfetch measlyreturns. mentsare beingaddressed.While vate corporatefunds and global forthe entirecountry, the Templeton, over thelatestfort- “Postthe judgement of the unitholders,” it said. It remains ingprivate-sectorspecialpurpose Similarly,variousinstitutionalin- we certainlyneedmorelong- patientcapitalwillfindviabilityin chamber said on Sunday. night (November 14-27), these High Court of Karnataka,wecon- the earnestdesireand endeavour vehicles(SPVs),whilemostinfra- vestorsface restrictionsinfund- termcapital,thegovernmentalso India’s rural projects. Also,there schemes receivedRs1,895 crore, sideredall possible options over of theTrusteetoensureequitable structurefirms areset up as SPVs. inginfrastructureprojectsthatare wantstoensureany such step will be practicalsolutionstothe mostofwhich(Rs 1,664 crore) the lastfew weekstostart return- distributionofscheme assets to Theselong-terminvestorsarealso notrated AA or above,eventho- doesn’t pose riskstothe broader issueofasset-liabilitymismatches Canimprove wasaspre-payments.The cash ing moneytounitholders in the unitholders at the earliestpossi- required to invest primarilyin ugh mostofthese projectsrarely financialsystem. Consultations facedbybanksastheylend to DHFLoffer: available as of November 27, shortest possible time in an or- bletime, Templetonsaid. highlysafeinstruments. have ratingsofBBB or above. with regulatorsand othersare on long-gestation projects. FE Adanigroup ITUevaluates NewDelhi: Gautam Adani’s Verification of New guidelines for cab aggregators: roads-to-mininggroup, in an email written to the ad- three new ministratorofDHFL, has in- certain deemed GST What they mean for driversand riders dicated that it can improve 5G-related on itsRs33,000 crore an amount notless minimum of three forthe current year shall be the takeover offerfor the col- registrations sought PRANAVMUKUL than Rs 5lakh with months and maxi- basefare chargeableto customers technologies lapsedhousing lender and NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 base year 2020-21 mum of 24 months availing aggregator service. In has sought forfeitureofde- and increasedby5 from the dateon stateswhereacitytaxifare hasnot posits of bidders seekingto PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA The CBIC said data THE MINISTRY of Road Transport per cent eachyear. whichsuchdatawas been determined,anamount of PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA vitiateauctionbyquestion- NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 suggests thatfrom and Highwayshas issuedthe Additionally, aterm generated.This data Rs25/30willbethebasefare.The NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 ing maximum recovery of MotorVehicleAggregatorGuide- insurance of Rs 10 willalso have to be baseminimumfare chargeableto publicmoney. THECBIChasaskedfieldofficesto August21toNovember lines, meant to regulate the hith- lakh mustbegiven to madeavailabletothe customerswillbeforaminimum THREENEWtechnologies,includ- carry outphysicalverification of 16,deemedregistrations erto unregulated cabaggregator eachdriver. Theaggregatorwill stategovernment,asper due of 3kmtocompensate fordead ing '5Gi',submitted by the premises of businesses which segment,mainlycontrolledby also needtoconduct refresher processoflaw butthenormsstip- mileageand distance travelled Telecommunications Standards ViolationofFDI have been granted deemed GST were granted in many twoplayers —the US-basedUber trainingprogrammeforthedriver ulatethat anydatarelated to cus- andfuelutilisedforpickingupthe Development Society India (TS- norms:CAIT registration between August21 cases where andBengaluru-basedOlaCabs.In eachyear.Acompulsory5-day tomers shall notbedisclosed customers.Aggregatorshave been DSI)havecompleted"successful andNovember16 to ascertainthat Aadhaar authentication theguidelines,theCentrehaslaid trainingof driverswillincludetop- without their writtenconsent. allowedtocharge afare50per evaluation"andconformwithrig- writestoPM theyhavegenuinebusinessorin- downvariousprocedurespertain- icssuchasefficientuseof theapp, centlowerthan base fare andim- orous performance requirement, tend to carry out so. has notbeen optedfor ing to conditions forgrant of li- provisions of the MotorVehicles What changes forcustomers? poseamaximumsurge pricingof according to astatement by the NewDelhi: Traders’ body The Central BoardofIndirect or hasfailed cence to an aggregator, compli- Act,1988,on-roadsafetyandfirst- Theaggregatorshave beenal- 1.5timesthe base fare. InternationalTelecommunication CAIT on Sundaywroteto TaxesandCustoms(CBIC)hasalso ance with regard to vehicles, responder training, terms and lowedtoprovidepoolingfacilities Additionally, the norms say Union(ITU). Prime MinisterNarendra asked taxmen nottogrant GST regulationoffares, etc. conditionsof thecontractwithag- to customers, whosedetails and thatthedriverofavehicleshallre- During the multi-yeardevel- Modi seeking “strong ac- registration on deemedbasis in has notbeen optedfor or has gregator,gendersensitisation,etc. KYCinformation is available. ceive atleast80percentof thefare opmentand evaluationprocess tion” againste-commerce caseswheretheapplicanthasnot failed. “These registrations Whyhavethese guidelines Further,for women passengers applicable on eachride, thereby by the ITU Radiocommunication firms foralleged violation optedforAadhaarauthentication granted on deemedbasis require been issued? What changes foraggregators seeking to avail ride-pooling, the cappingthecommissioncharged Sector,these technologieswere of FDI policy by them.It or the authentication has failed. verificationsto ascertainthatthey As part of the MotorVehicles in terms of the app? aggregators will needtoprovide by the aggregators at 20 per cent. deemedto besufficientlydetailed also sought setting up of an Current provisionunderGoods have genuine business or intends (Amendment)Act,2019,thegov- The aggregator will needto theoptionto poolonlywithother Currently, the commission rates to enable global compatibility of empoweredregulatoryau- and Services Taxlaw allows for to carryout so,” the CBICsaid ernmentprovidedthatanaggre- makeitsappaccessibleinEnglish women passengers. In cases of rangebetween25-35percentand operationandequipment,includ- thority to regulateand deemedregistrationupon com- while issuing standardoperating gatorwill need to be issued ali- and Hindi as primarylanguages non-transport vehicles beingag- differsfromcityto city. Oncancel- ing roaming,itsaid. monitor the e-commerce pletionof 21 days of applicationif proceduretocarry outphysical cenceto operate by therespective forriders, along with one official gregated forride-pooling, alimit lation of rides without valid rea- The International business in India. The the proper officer has notissued verification of persons granted stategovernment and thatthe languageofthe relevant state, of fourride-sharingintra-citytrips son, by either adriverorarider, a Telecommunication Union (ITU) Confederation of All India anynoticewithinthesaid21 days. deemedregistration. stateswillfollowtheguidelinesis- whereofficiallanguageisnot on acalendarday and tworide- penalty of 10 per cent of total fare is theUnited Nations specialised Traders (CAIT) also claimed The CBIC, in itsinstructionto During physical verification, suedbythe Centre. Hindi. Additionally, the app will sharing inter-city trips per week notexceedingRs100shallbeput. body forinformation and com- that various government fieldoffices,saidthatdatasuggests the officer,among other things, have to beaccessibleinalanguage foreachvehicle with the driver Thepenaltyimposedonriderwill munication technologies or ICTs. authorities have failed to thatduring the period from would verify that if the applicant What changes fordrivers? understandable to thedriver. has been stipulated. bedividedbetweenthedriverand The latestmove holdssignifi- protect “the sanctity of the August21, 2020 to November 16, intendstocarry out manufactur- Theaggregatorhasbeenasked In termsofdatagenerated on the aggregator in the proportion cance as one of thetechnologies policy and lawofthe gov- 2020 deemedregistrations have ingactivity,thecapitalgoods,ifre- to ensurethat everydriverispro- the app, aggregators will have to What changes in terms of fare? of the decidedcommission rate. evaluated,underlinesIndia'scon- ernment.” PTI been granted in manycases quiredforthesaidmanufacturing videdwith ahealth insurance in- storesuchdataonaserverinIndia The guidelines stipulatethat Full reporton tribution on 5G radio interface whereAadhaar authentication activity,havebeen installed. tegrated withthe aggregator for and it will needtobestoredfor a the city taxi fare indexed by WPI www.indianexpress.com specification.

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,NOVEMBER30,2020 PHILLIPSHITS FASTEST T20 CENTURY FOR NZ Glenn Phillips smashed the fastest Twenty20 internationalhundred forNew Zealand to help the hosts to a72-run win against We st Indies on Sundayand an unassailable2-0 leadinthe three- matchseries.The middle-order batsman hit eight sixes and 10 foursinhis 108off 51 ballsasthe hosts, who wonthe opening T20 by five wickets, posted amassive 238 forthree in their 20 overs 12 SPORT afterput in to batfirst at Mount Maunganui.WestIndies kept losingwickets at regular intervalsin their chase and could onlyreach166/9. REUTERS Why NZ has threatened to Phenomdoesanencore send Pak team back home

SteveSmith’s second successive 62-ball century sealsODI serieswith agametoplay TUSHARBHADURI SCORECARD NOVEMBER29 SANDIPG NOVEMBER29 AUSTRALIA VS INDIA PAKISTAN’S TOUR of New Zealand -com- SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND prising three Twenty20 Internationals and ITISthatmanagain,SteveSmith.Hecrunchedhis Toss: Australia, chose to bat twoTests -plunged intouncertainty after secondhundredoftheseries,thethirdsuccessive AUSTRALIA as manyasseven membersofthe touring againstIndia,toorchestratewhatwas,intheend, DWarnerrunout(Iyer) 83(77b,7x4,3x6) party tested positive forcoronavirus within aroutine 51-run victorythat sealedthe series AFinchcKohlibShami 60(69b,6x4,1x6) days of entering New Zealand. The host with amatch left. Aslowhead-turner he might SSmithcShamibPandya 104(64b,14x4,2x6) country, which nowhas virtuallynocases havebeeninwhite-ballcricket,butSmith’ssurely MLabuschagnecAgarwalbBumrah 70(61b, of local transmission, has alleged several makingupforlosttimewithscintillatingconsis- 5x4) cases of breaching the quarantineprotocol, tency.Thetwinhundredsseemedidentical.The GMaxwellnotout 63(29b,4x4,4x6) going as farastosay that thetouristscould stroke-making on Sunday,though, wasanotch MHenriquesnotout 2(1b) be sent home if theydidn’t adherestrictly ortwomoreoutrageous.Samplesomeof these. ■ Extras(lb2,nb1,w4) 7 to the regulations. Inthe39thover,withSmithnudgingintothe ■Total(50overs) 389/4 70s, Mohammed Shamiflingsinanear-perfect ■ FoW: 1-142(AaronFinch,22.5ov),2-156 What happened? Sevenmembers of Pakistan’s squad yorker.Fast, flat,in-swinging,onmiddle stump (DavidWarner,25.3ov),3-292(StevenSmith, The touring party underwent four rounds tested positive forcoronaviruswithin and landing at theedgeofthe crease.Smithjust 41.2ov),4-372(MarnusLabuschagne,48.5ov) of testingbeforeleavingPakistan, and only days of entering NewZealand. AP backsaway,andwithoutnotsomuchasdigging ■ Bowling:MShami 9-0-73-1;JBumrah10-1- thoseindividuals who tested negative were the ball out of the blockhome, bludgeons it 79-1;NSaini7-0-70-0;YChahal9-0-71-1;R allowedtoboardthe flight. through the covers. Forasecond, the world Jadeja10-0-60-0;MAgarwal1-0-10-0;H However, six of the 53 squad members - nent former player to expressoutrageand around Smith seemedtostop, wondering how Pandya4-0-24-1 Sarfaraz Ahmed, Rohail Nazir,Naseem Shah, arguedonhis YouTubechannel that New to respondto thestroke.Thefieldersfroze,skip- Thiswas SteveSmith’s fifthODI centuryagainstIndia. Reuters Mohammad Abbas, Abid Ali and Danish Aziz Zealand should be indebted to Pakistanfor per ViratKohlilooked overstrung. Even Smith’s INDIA (TARGET:390) -testedpositive on their arrivalinNew undertaking the tour during the pandemic eyes got wider, forhewould nothaveexpected MAgarwalcCareybCummins 28(26b,4x4) Zealand on November 24.Assistant coach so that the hosts could earn broadcast suchdivine timing. YuzvendraChahal -one of the snazziest SDhawancStarcbHazlewood 30(23b,5x4) Shahid Aslamalso returnedapositive test money. “It’snot aclub team. It’s the national Thestrokewas just the preface to morein- Warner injured bowlers in the IPL, has struggledtoadapttothe VKohlicHenriquesbHazlewood 89(87b,7x4, result. Onemorepersondid so in routine Day team of Pakistan–the greatestcountry on credible shot-making that wastofollow. Next conditions. Spinnerswho arerelativelyslower 2x6) 3testing at amanaged isolation facility in this planet,” the former speedstersaid. over,Smith ranJasprit Bumrah ragged,not an Sydney: Australia's swashbuckling opener intheairanddon’tturntheballmuchare prone SIyercSmithbHenriques 38(36b,5x4) Christchurch. “Behave yourself, and stop givingthese everydayoccurrence. Smith usuallystands DavidWarner'sparticipationintheremain- tostrugglinginAustralianconditions.Hehardly KL RahulcHazlewoodbZampa 76(66b,4x4, types of statements. Be careful (about) what deeperthanmostbatsmen,buthewentfurther der of the limited overs series againstIndia purchasedfizz offthe surface, and his low-tra- 5x6) Howdid thehosts react? yousay next time. I’mdeeplyhurt, frustrated deeper this time,and converted astandard wasthrownintodoubt afterhesuffereda jectoryreleasedoesnothelphimincoaxingover- HPandyacSmithbCummins 28(31b,1x4,1x6) The NewZealand authorities have taken and angry,”Akhtar addedsaying thatPCB yorker(tomostotherbatsmen)toafullballthat groin injuryduring the second ODI hereon spin either. So if the team’s thirdand fourth RJadejacMaxwellbCummins 24(11b,1x4, a“very dim viewofit”, according to Dr should have nottaken the Kiwi statements burnedthebrightgreengrassoftheSCGbehind Sunday. Warner hobbledoff the field after bowlers arestruggling, the burden on the first 2x6) AshleyBloomfield, thecountry’s director- lying down. “Theyshould have called back the squareregion. hestruggledtogetupfollowingadiveinthe andsecondonlyincreases.Strangely, thereseems NSaininotout 10(10b,1x4) general of health.Theysaid thatthe Pakistan theteam themselvesand decidednot to play It wasamomentfromwhich even Bumrah fourth over of the Indian innings. Acar to be confusion in harnessing the best out of MShamic&bMaxwell 1(4b) visitors indulgedinmixing in hallways,shar- againstNew Zealand forfiveyears.” couldnotbounceback.Immediately, thebowler waited outside the SCG to take the senior them. Confounding wasthe tactic to dispense JBumrahlbwbZampa 0(2b) ing food, and notwearing masksatall times stationedanother man in the region, before playerintoanearbyhospitalforundergoing Bumrahwithjustatwo-overspell upfront. It’s YChahalnotout 4(6b) –aclear breachofthe isolation protocols. What is likelytohappennow? pullinghislengthbackandgettinghislinewider. scans. Consideringthe wayWarner gri- probablythe only time the Kookaburraswings ■ Extras (nb2,w8) 10 The squad’s training privileges were also re- The six players and assistant coachwho Maybe,Smithwouldsliceacatchintothehands macedinpain afterfalling while diving to around. It’s notaT20 game wherein your gun ■ Total(50overs) 338/9 voked, pending an assessment by health of- tested positiveonarrival will join the squad or target adifferent arc. Smith took it as achal- stoptheball,itappearshecouldnotonlymiss bowler needs to be preservedfor thedeath. ■FoW:1-58(ShikharDhawan,7.4ov),2-60 ficials.The hostgovernment aftercompleting their 14-dayquar- lenge—and slappedone betweenthe newly- the final ODI but also the following three- (MayankAgarwal,8.3ov),3-153(ShreyasIyer,23.1 gave thema“finalwarning” that antine in Auckland. stationedbackwardpointandthewicketkeeper. matchT20 series. PTI Defensive mindset ov),4-225(ViratKohli,34.5ov),5-288(KLRahul, anymorebreaches will result in The rest of thesquad willun- Burmahlostit—thenextballwasthejuiciestfull It’snotlikeBumrahwasscattergun.Hehad 43.4ov),6-321(RavindraJadeja,46.1ov),7-321 the tour getting cancelled. dergotwo moretests,onthe sixth ballthatSmith somehowcontrivedtomiss be- concededjustseven in twoovers,whenSaini (HardikPandya,46.2ov),8-326(Mohammed and 12th days of theirisolation be- fore he consoledhimself with aflick through unlesshedecidestostophimself?Hedid even- steamedin. His firstball wasstruckfor asix. Shami,47.3ov),9-328(JaspritBumrah,48.3ov) Howdid thePCB react? fore theycan leave quarantine. backwardsquareleg. Even the ever-smiling tually, but notbeforedrilling ahole in India’s Alreadynervousafterthefirstouting,wherein ■Bowling:MStarc9-0-82-0;JHazlewood9-0- PCB CEO Wasim Khan, while According to ESPNCricinfo,those Bumrahstruggled to forceasmile. comebackhopes and leaving adeeper dentin hehadconceded83runs,theyoungsterwilted 59-2;PCummins10-0-67-3;AZampa10-0-62- empathisingwiththe players who test negative throughout can Soonafter reaching hishundred, Smith un- the mind of theirbowlers. away.Andby thetimeBumrahreturnedinthe 2;MHenriques7-0-34-1;GMaxwell5-0-34-1 who had to stay in abio-secure go to the balconies of their rooms furledthemostridiculousofstrokes—hethrew If India hopedtheycould gloss overthe ninth over,Australia had racedawayto50for ■ Result:Australiawonby51 runs. bubble during the tour to England earlier this and visit anearby park. Whether or when himselfatthe line of awideHardik Pandya ball, cracksof theirbowlingfurniture,theywereut- no loss with Saini accounting for21ofthem. year as well, said ‘this is amatter of the na- theyare allowedtotrain in isolation, how- notquite dissimilar to the diving catchhetook terly mistaken.Smithonlymagnified their Thedecision reeked of adefensive mindset — ing Smith the best conditionstobat.Thereisno tion’s respect and credibility.’“Observethese ever,issubjecttothe decisionofthe local to dismiss Shreyas Iyer later in the day, before weaknesses.Worryingly, it’snot themuch-sto- and it backfired. doubtthatinthisdivinetouch, Smith mightnot 14 days and then you’ll have the freedom to health authorities. Thethree T20Isare on scooping it over fine-leg. He wasoff-balance riedshortage of the sixth-bowler thathurts The strategic faux pasonlyplayedintothe bespendingsleeplessnightsworryingaboutthe go to restaurantsand roam about freely.They December 18,20and 22, before the Test se- when he completedthe stroke and landeda them the most, but deeper problems. It’s not hands of David Warner and AaronFinch, who newball, but it remainsthe best chancetoget have told me in clear termsthat if we commit ries starting December26. goodcoupleofmetresoutsidethe22-yardstrip. merelyaproblem with personnel, but with addedamatch-shaping centurypartnership him early.EspeciallyagainstBumrah, whose one morebreach, they’ll send us home,” Call it the flying scoop. strategy and methods too. forthe second consecutive instance. Bowling trickeryandpacecouldposeasignificantthreat ESPNCricinfo quoted Khan as saying ina Is this the firstinstanceofatouring team Therewereother typical traits too—the The visitors conveyedthe impression that teams seldom recoverfromscoresof142/0 or to anybatsmen. Whatsappmessagetothe Pakistanplayers. breaching protocols? seeminglyrisk-free flicks through the leg side, theywereover-relying on Bumrah andShami. 156/0 even if they possess adestructive arse- On Sunday, Bumrah wasreducedtoguest No.The West Indies team is also in New the firm-footed drives, the merciless punishing Butondayswhentheirbestgetcaned,whodoes nalof batsmenthemselves.Eventhoughmost appearances. He wasusedinsix spells of 2, 1, What has been the reaction in Pakistan? Zealand currentlyand they, too, were ofbadballs,andtheconstantimpressionthatthe Kohliturnto?NotNavdeepSaini,whosomehow Indianbatsmenhave lookedinglorioustouch, 1, 2, 1and 3overs.Resultantly, he seemed Some in Pakistanhavetaken the devel- barredfromtraining during their isolation pitch is five yardslonger whenheisonstrike. haslosthissharpnessandsnappiness.Hestrug- chasing370-plus is difficult. bereft of rhythm and precision, reducing the opmentsasanaffront to their country, alleg- periodafter theywerefoundtohave In the middle of the carnage, Kohli, the gledforthelengththathasearnedhimrecogni- In the magnificence of Smith, the openers’ much-hypedSmith-Bumrah duelintoashow ing that NewZealand has mistreated their shared food and socialisedinthe hallways bowlers,thestrategypanelandtherest,alllooked tion—backoflength.Eitherhewastoofullortoo contributions areoften ignored.But the sturdy of one-upmanshipwith Smith caning him for players and disrespected thenation. of their hotel. The team lostfour days of utterly blanked.How couldanyonestopSmith, short. And oftenwayward. foundationtheylay goes alongway in furnish- 35 runs off17balls. ShoaibAkhtar has been the mostpromi- training. [ ISL WRAP:ROUND 2 ] Allears still when Tysonfights

Robinson had assured theday before with the Lobera gets sweet revenge GAURAVBHATT tweet: "Gonna shockthe world." NOVEMBER29 "I see no lies," repliedCurry seconds after Robinson's knockout. Robinson's brutal defeat as Mumbai-Goa clash puts MIKE TYSON'S comebackbout wasanexhibi- alsoraisedfurthersafetyconcerns.The35-year- tion alright. Exhibition of thefact that the box- old had challenged Paulearlier this year and inggreatisn'touttomakeamockeryof thesport, went intothe fight with three months of train- Kolkata derby in the shade or himself. Notyet,atleast. ing. Professional debutantsusuallybegin with With105years,131profights,91 knockouts four-round bouts. But Robinson's career began andmultipleworldtitlesbetweenthem,Tyson with asix-rounder,and he wasout of it in the Lobera’s teams likecontrol over midfield andRoy Jones Jr took the ring on Saturdaywith firstitself butwas allowedtocontinue by the SHASHANKNAIR but as of now, figuring out howtoworkinthe onlyone thing to prove: buying the 'fight' on refereebecause of the intrigue. NEWDELHI,NOVEMBER29 final thirdofthe pitch is what should be pay-per-view(PPV)wouldn'tbeawasteof time "Natedon'tneedtobeintherewithnohead- Mumbai’sprimaryconcern.Beforetheredcard, and money. And the pair delivered. gear.Youcan'tplayboxing(sic),"explainedtwo- BEFORETHE startofRound 2ofthe Indian Mumbai hadn’t had asingle shotontargetfor The California commission had already de- timeOlympicchampionClaressaShields.British Super League, the firstKolkataderbyofthe ISL almost150 football-playing minutes. Theyfi- claredthattherewillbeno'official'winner.And cruiserweightIsaacChamberlainadded:"These waseasilythematchmostfanslookedforward nallyended their second game of the ISL with thethreecelebrityjudgesWorldBoxingCouncil YouTubecelebsaremakingboxingajoke.That's to themost.Butatechnicalgameof footballbe- threeshotsontargetagainstateamwithaman (WBC) had invited tooconsciouslyspread the aserious knockout because the refgavehim tweentwoSpanishcoachesatMumbaiCityFC downandhadto rely onAdamLeFondre’slast- pointstosecureadraw. Bothboxersthuswalked everychance to continue forthe fans. This is a and FC Goa, afew days before the tie between gasp penalty forall three points. Forcedto play away withthe newly-minted WBCFrontline farce."PaulmeanwhilecalledoutMMAmegas- the Kolkatagiants, showcasedthe quality of morethanhalf the matchwith 10 men, Goa belts, and satisfiedcustomersand colleagues. tarConorMcGregorforhisnextfight,becauseof footballthattherestof theleagueshouldaspire completedthegamewithover300passes,and GeorgeForemansaiditwasthe"bestexhibition course, he did. to. the same number of shots on andoff target as Ihaveeverseen",DavidHaye calledit"compet- SergioLobera,MumbaiCityFC’snewcoach, theiropponentsandhad17 interceptionsover- itive"while Richie Woodhall said the duo "did- ‘Boxing owesYouTubers’ once an integral partofthe FC Goa set-up,was all forthe team. n't disgrace themselvesinany shape or form". Tyson—whoadmitted“Ididn’tknow(Jake) up againstJuanFerrando, afirst-time coachin Mumbai’s firepower, with Le Fondreand Whilethedirectivewastonotgotoohard,Tyson, existeduntil my sons wanted to fight him one theISLhailingfromthesame BartholomewOgbeche, who inhissignatureblackshortshorts,attackedfrom day,”andwasinattendancetowatchPaul'selder neckofthe woods as Lobera came on as asubstituteinthe the opening bell. Swaying and ploughing for- brother Logan makeasimilar debut in 2018, himself. Lobera, who was 71stminute,shouldhavemade ward,digging intothe body,double, triple-jab- backedupthe YouTubeboxers. “Listen, my ego unceremoniouslysackedby this result look alot morecon- bing and trying to land thatfabled right hook- says so manythings, but my reality is theyhelp Goadespitealeague-leading vincing. But Goa, with a2-2 right uppercut combination. All with the boxingsomuch,”Tysontoldreportersafterthe entryintothe 2019-20 play- draw againstBengaluru and footwork and head movement to boot. Jones MikeTyson throwsapunchinthe thirdround. AP fight. offs,had apoint to prove nowanarrowone-goal loss to toorolledbacktheyearswiththelateralmove- “Boxing owes these guys, theyowe these againsthis formerclub. Mumbai,have shownthatthey ment, jumping side to side and connecting YouTubeboxers some kind of respect. They Gettingthree pointsmust arejustascompetitive even flashyno-look jabs to the face. matter.Everythinghurts,"theformerfour-divi- of the twofifty-somethingmain eventers. And shouldgivethemsomebeltsbecausetheseguys have felt good forLobera. though anumber of their core Age, however, soonkickedin, as the 54 and sion champion explainedafter the contest. "I while the signatureact wasathrowbacktothe makeboxing alive.Boxing waspretty mucha Both teams were organ- players have left. 51-year-oldsdrew heavybreathsandclinched. likehim, but the dude is so strong." pre-YouTubeage—whentheonlybufferingwas dyingsport.UFCwaskickingourbutts,andnow isedtoplayfromtheback but Still, Tyson,the bigger and older of the two, Overattheannouncers'desk,hiphopartist MichaelBuffer'spompousringintroductions— we gotthese YouTubeboxers boxing with 25 it wasGoa who enjoyed Kolkataderby showedmorepower and better conditioning. SnoopDoggwasalittleeagerwithhisopening- theco-maineventwasasignofthetimes,pitting million views. Boxing’s going back.Thanksto moreofthe ball and only SergioLobera,MumbaiCityFC’s It’stoughto justifythelogic Joneswasexhaustedmidwaythroughtheeight minutezinger:"This sh*t liketwo of my uncles YouTuber JakePaulagainstformer NBAplayer the YouTubeboxers.” gave up on that after newcoachwasonceanintegral behind the Kolkataderbybe- two-minute-round contest. Tyson looked like fighting at abarbecue." Nate Robinson.Tohis credit, Paul, 23, knocked Tyson,meanwhile,clearlywantsmore."We RedeemTlang got red- partoftheFCGoaset-up. ing conducted this early into he could go twomore. While his opponent the three-time Slam Dunk champion out cold. gottadothisagain,"hesaidandstaredintensely cardedinthe40thminuteof the season. With both clubs in would shuffletothe corner at the end of the Crossoverappeal That's twopro wins in ayear forPaul, but is he at Jones, who repliedwith "I'llspeak with my thematch.Asthematchpro- the ISL forthe firsttime and rounds,panting,Tysonstoodandstaredmenac- Youonlyhad to look at the rest of thecom- anygood? Tough to saywhen his opponents family."ButTysonknows therisks—whenJones gressed,afewthings be- therebeingnocrowdsallowed ingly. "Youcanseeitcoming.Youcanseehisstuff mentatorstodiscernwhomtheeventwasplay- havebeensobad.Robinsonkeptrushinginwith wasaskedif hewasafraidof gettinghurtbefore, cameclear.Goa’scaptainEduBedia,before the as of now, the matchshould ideallyhavebeen coming,right?"inquiredJones'cornermanafter ing to.Along with Dogg, leading the packwas no plans and wassent to thecanvasthrice, the Tysoninterrupted: "Ididn'tfight in 20 years,he startofthe season, had said that some teams built up as amarquee event alittle later in the thefirstround."Somewhat,"theboxerexhaled. veterancombat sports announcer Mauro lastone afirm two-minutefaceplant which onlystoppedfightingforthreeyears...why'dno- hadbettertactics than them in previous sea- season when both teams were notfeeling the The meeting wasonthe bucket listofJones, Ranallo, who gainedmainstream cred during endedthefightandpromptedribbingfromthe bodycareaboutmy ass?!"—andtotemperthe sonsandendedupwinningtitles–astatement effectsoflifeinabio-securebubble. whosechallengewas ignoredbyTyson who his tenurewith the WWE. UFC's undefeated NBAcommunity."That wasnorepresentation expectations: "This is better than fighting for thatalmostfeltlikeapartingshotatLobera.But TherustshowedwithBaganonceagainnot walkedawayfromthesportaftertheupsetloss middleweightchampion Israel Adesanya was of theNBAFamilylol(sic),"tweetedNickYoung, championships. We'rehumanitarians now." the movement that Goa showedinthe final abletofindconsistencyintheirpassingbutpos- to Kevin McBridein2005. debutingasacommentator while boxingleg- whileThadYounginvokedAli-Frazierinhiscall: Withnoveltyandnostalgiafactorgone,interest thirdofthe pitch, and even when theydidn’t sessing aperfect get-out-of-jail cardlikeno "Iunderstandwhytheysaysomethingsare end 'Sugar' RayLeonardlent some credibility. "Damn Nate ... "Down goes Frazier!" might be lowerwhen Tyson makes another have the ball, wasthe difference against other in RoyKrishna –who scored hissecond bucketlistbecausewhen(Tyson)hitsyou,if it's Theeventwascriticisedbypuristsasananti- ThebiggestburncamefromformerGolden walk to thering. But this outingprovedthat he Mumbai. goal in twogames. his head, his punches, his bodyshots,itdon't sporting spectacle, who questionedthe safety StateWarriors teammateSteph Curry,whom will be back, and people will watch.

R.N.I. No.WBENG/2005/20789 VOL. XVI No.214 Printed by V.Srinivasan and Published by V.Srinivasan on behalf of The Indian Express (P) Ltd and Printed at Saraswati Print FactoryPvt.Ltd, 789, Chowbhaga(West), Kolkata-700105and PublishedatThe Indian Express (P)Ltd JL No.29 &30, N.H.-6, Mouza- Prasastha &Ankurhati,P.O. -Salap, P.S.-Domjur,Howrah-711 409.Ph: (033)66043800 Fax: (033) 66043825 &66043847. Chairman of the Board:Viveck Goenka, Chief Editor :Raj Kamal Jha, Editor:Unni Rajen Shanker,Editor (Kolkata): Rakesh Sinha* (*Responsiblefor selection of news under the PRB Act)Copyright :The Indian Express (P) Limited.All rights reserved.Reproduction in anymanner,electronic or otherwise,in whole or in part,withoutprior written permission is prohibited.The Indian Express(R)

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ADVERTORIAL Guru Nanak Jayanti Guru Nanak ’sTeachings in Today’sContext Widely recognizedasone of the greatest spiritual leaders and social reformersofall times, Guru Nanak Dev’s teachings continue to have avery inspiring influence on our society even after nearlyfive centuries

URU NANAK Dev Ji Jayanti, also known as Gurpurab and Guru Nanak's Prakash Utsav,cele- G brates the birthofthe first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak. This is one of the most sacred and religious festivals in Sikhism. Guru Nanak is revered as one of the greatest religious innovators of all time and the founder of the Sikh religion. He wasaspiritual thinker and expressed his thoughts and ideas in poetry that forms the basis of Sikh scripture.His reli- gious ideas draw on bothHindu andIs- lamicthought,but are far more than just asynthesis. Born at Rai-Bhoi-di Talwandi over 500 years agointhe present district of Shekhupura (Pakistan), now Nanakana Sahib,Guru Nanak Dev Ji wasinquisitive, GURU NANAK EMPHASISED THE NEEDFOR brilliant and philosophical since avery COMMUNAL HARMONY AND SUSTAINED early age.Asachild, he demonstrated great ability as apoet and philosopher. DIALOGUE AMONG RELIGIONS AND RELIGIOUS Fond of spiritual people,Guru Nanak COMMUNITIES. sought answers to purpose of life and constantly questionedthe meaningofrit- uals.Heemphasized on alife of simplicity Guru Nanak,“the completecreation is GURU NANAK DEV JI —water,air and Mother Earth. TheJapji and righteousness. from one God and thereforenoone could Sahib ends with areference that talks support for the humans.Hesaid that nate next day at around 2a.m. in the At the time of Guru Nanak’sbirth,In- claim to be superior or inferior.” On the TAUGHT ABOUT about the need to protect environment. Guru Nanak Dev Ji taught us the impor- morning. Gurpurab is celebrated by the dia wasriddled with problems of caste status of women, Guru Nanak clarified EQUALITY, Thechallengeistolive in harmony with tance of living by true values and also Sikh community all overthe world andis system and futile rituals. that “How canshe be nature. gave an economic system based on hon- one of the most important festivals in the Guru Nanak came as asav- calledinferior whenKings BROTHERHOOD AND Third, the Guru emphasised the need esty and self-confidence.Prime Minister Sikh calendar.The celebrations are iourofthe corroding society are born of her”. Themes- UNITY IN THE SOCIETY for communal harmony and sustained di- said Guru Nanak Dev Ji taught about colourful especially in Punjab,Delhi, anddeclared 'GOD is One’ – sage of Guru Nanak, as alogue among religions and religious equality, brotherhood and unityinthe so- Haryana, and Chandigarh and various that there is only one God, contained in various com- ANDFOUGHT FOR communities.“He travelled the world to ciety and that he fought for removing other places across the globe. thoughthere are many ways positions,“urged people to REMOVING VARIOUS promote the culture of dialogue among various social evils. to reach Him. Guru Nanak lead ahouseholder’s life, variousreligiousgroups,whether it was PM Modi had also Dev never preached deep ab- work hardand then donate SOCIAL EVILS. the yogis of the Himalayas or the maul- said that from Guru As we celebratethe birth struse philosophy and, in- to charity.This message is vis of Mecca.”His message is that “all re- Nanak Dev Ji to Guru anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak stead, expressed his teachings associ- encapsulated in Naam Japo,Kirat Karo, ligionshave merit and it is necessary to Gobind Ji, several Dev Ji, Itakethe opportunity to ated withpractical and religiouslife in a and Vand ChakkoorMeditate,Earn janmain rajjan”.“Today in our own coun- learn from eachother to ensureharmo- SpiritualGurus have pay tributetothe greatest very lucid manner. Honestly,and Sharewith others.” try atrocities against women and chil- nious living.” This message of Guru dedicated their lives teacher of all times who had On socialissues, Guru Nanak em- dren are on the increase.Itis, therefore, Nanak is as relevant today as it was for unity and security spreadthe message of hum phasized on “equality among human be- Today,many of Guru Nanak’steach- necessary to takeGuru Nanak’smessage when he lived. of India. anity,peace,happinessand ings,irrespective of caste,colour,creed, ings are still relevant in ourlife,amongst to allnooks and corners of the country to During his last year’svisit to Dera On the day of goodness throughouthis life.On gender or race.” According to Guru which three of them holdprominent im- emphasise the need for paying adequate Baba Nanak, PM Modi described Guru the Gurpurab,the this auspicious occasion of Guru Nanak, serving needy and hungry is an portance.First is his emphasis on gender attention to the well-being of our women Nanak Dev Ji as an inspiration not only celebrations com- Nanak Jayanti, may Nanak be the guiding star through the important duty of the society. Hence,the equality.Guru Nanak wanted men and and children.” to India but also to the entire world. He mence early in the course of your life and shower his blessingsonyou. first langar or freekitchenwas started by women to be treated equally and his Second, Guru Nanak laidgreat em- said Guru Nanak Dev Ji is not only a morning at about 4 Taranjit Singh, Managing Director, JIS Group Guru Nanak Dev Ji around 1489. For messagewas “so kyun manda aakhiye jit phasis on the protection of environment Guru, but aphilosopher and apillar of to 5a.m. and culmi-

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