Delhi thursday, january 12, 2017 www.thehindu.in ● Regd. DL(ND)-11/6110/2006-07-08 ● RNI No. TNENG/2012/49940 ● ISSN 0971 - 751X ● Vol. 7 ● No. 10 ● CITY EDITION ● 24 Pages ● Rs. 8.00 Printed at Chennai, Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Madurai, Noida, Visakhapatnam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Vijayawada, Mangaluru, Tiruchirapalli, Kolkata, Hubballi, Mohali, Allahabad, Malappuram and Mumbai After signs of truce, Sushma threatens Chinese projects in Gujarat takes first innings Mulayam Singh blames action against Amazon Hambantota displaced lead over Mumbai in Ramgopal for SP woes for selling Tricolour mats people, says Rajapaksa Ranji Trophy final Page 12 Page 12 Page 14 Page 18 • • BRIEFLY Demonetisation has ruined SC junks plea against SC dismisses plea for probe IT waiver for parties NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court the economy, says Rahul on Wednesday said political parties require donations from “BJP’s aim is to rule followers to project their ideas into ‘payofs’ to Modi, others by instilling fear and represent the people. A Bench dismissed a petition to in people” withdraw “100 per cent tax “Court can’t rely exemption” granted to political SMITA GUPTA parties. The petition challenged on diary entries some provisions of the Income and computer NEW DELHI: “Daro Mat” (do not Tax Act and the Representation fear) was a combative Rahul of the People Act. sheets” Gandhi’s rallying cry to the Congress rank and file on ½ NEWS | PAGE 12 KRISHNADAS RAJAGOPAL Wednesday, ahead of the As- Sharif opens renovation sembly elections in five key NEW DELHI: Holding that courts States, even as he lit into work at Hindu temple should be constantly on Prime Minister Narendra KARACHI: Pakistani Prime guard about ordering invest- Modi, accusing him of des- Minister Nawaz Sharif on igation against high constitu- troying the economy Wednesday visited the 5,000- tional functionaries lest through demonetisation Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi at a Congress meeting year-old Katas Raj Hindu Temple there be an abuse of law and while frightening and intim- in New Delhi on Wednesday. — PHOTO: R. V. MOORTHY in Chakwal district of Punjab to personal liberty, the Su- idating not just the people — inaugurate the renovation work. preme Court on Wednesday Minister of Gujarat. 1990s, which accused high- tional leaders and senior but also the media. — fear terrorism, Maoism, Manmohan Singh cautioned Mr. Sharif said his government dismissed a plea for an apex Agreeing with the profile national leaders like bureaucrats by merely bank- “This is a fight between demonetisation. In two- the people that the worst was was pursuing a policy to court-monitored Special In- Centre’s argument that L.K. Advani of receiving ing on “some diary entries two philosophies. This fight three months, they have yet to come in the wake of establish Pakistan’s identity as a vestigation Team (SIT) “nobody is safe” if an invest- bribes. and random loose computer is thousands of years old,” he spread this fear.” demonetisation, which he minority-friendly country. probe into alleged massive igation is ordered on the sheets.” “The anomaly wit- said, adding, “The Con- Addressing a packed Talk- termed a “disaster.” He dis- ½ NEWS | PAGE 12 payofs made by Birla and basis of uncorroborated ma- ‘Inherently improbable’ nessed in the Jain hawala gress’s philosophy says, do atora Stadium here, he said missed as “hollow” Mr. Sahara companies to influ- terial, a Bench of Justices The Bench held it was “in- case should not take place,” not fear. The other philo- the Congress would unseat Modi’s claim that things had Mercury drops to 2.8°C ential politicians, including Arun Mishra and Amitava herently improbable” to or- Justice Mishra observed. sophy says instil fear and the BJP in the general elec- started looking up. in parts of Capital Prime Minister Narendra Roy invoked the infamous der the registration of an FIR scare them…Look at the BJP: tion of 2019. Modi while he was Chief Jain hawala scandal of the against Mr. Modi, other na- ½ CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 its aim is to scare the people Former Prime Minister ½ CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 NEW DELHI: With the minimum temperature dipping to 4 degrees Celsius, Delhi Two killed in experienced the season’s Ready for action Obama pushes values coldest day on Wednesday. However, the mercury dipped attack on to 2.3 degrees at Lodhi Road in in farewell speech south Delhi and 2.8 degrees at Trinamool oice Akshardham in east Delhi. According to the Safdarjung SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT meteorological department, it was the coldest day in five KOLKATA: Unidentified per- years, the minimum sons opened fire on the Trin- temperature being three amool Congress (TMC) of- degrees below normal. fice in Kharagpur munici- ½ CITY | PAGE 2 pality on Wednesday, killing Srinu Naidu, husband of a Air pollution national local TMC councillor. problem, says report A. Sriniwas Rao Naidu alias Srinu Naidu, who was NEW DELHI: Delhi’s toxic air may U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday bade goodbye to declared dead at a city hos- be the one that makes the news Americans in an emotional speech in Chicago. — PHOTO: REUTERS pital, had several criminal every few months, but pollution cases pending against him, levels across the country are VARGHESE K. GEORGE and sometimes bloody… But including half-a-dozen alarming. According to an the long sweep of America murder charges. One of his analysis of 2015 data for 168 WASHINGTON: “Let’s be vigilant, has been defined by forward associates Dharama Rao was cities by Greenpeace India, 154 but not afraid,” President motion.” also killed in the firing, while cities were found to have an Barack Obama told fellow He identified four areas to three persons were injured. average particulate matter level Americans in an emotional watch out for the preserva- A little after 2.30 pm a higher than the national farewell speech in Chicago, tion of democracy — ensur- group of men came in front standard. reflecting on the state of ing economic opportunity of TMC’s party oice in a vehicle. They started firing ½ STATE | PAGE 5 democracy in the country, 10 for everyone, guarding NSG commandos prep an armoured vehicle, used for anti-hijacking operations, during the Republic Day Parade days before handing over the against prejudices, keeping indiscriminately, an eye wit- METROPLUS rehearsal on the Rajpath in New Delhi on Wednesday. — PHOTO: R. V. MOORTHY baton to Donald Trump. faith in reason and maintain- ness said. 4 Pages Striking an optimistic note ing “some common baseline “Naidu was later seen ly- for the U.S., still reeling from of facts” and not taking ing on ground inside the of- a divisive election campaign, democracy for granted. fice premises,” the eye wit- the 44th President — the ness said. Not leaving Delhi for Punjab, says Kejriwal first African-American in ½ Naidu was allegedly in- ‘DON’T TAKE DEMOCRACY volved in smuggling of scrap the country’s 240-year-old PAGE 14 democracy — said: “The FOR GRANTED’ | iron and was “feared and VIKAS VASUDEVA My first priority would be to government, he said that not work of democracy has al- ½ FAREWELL WITH A liked” in equal measure, loc- eradicate drugs and cut the even a single accused had ways been hard, contentious MESSAGE | EDITORIAL als claimed. CHANDIGARH: Putting an end to supply of narcotics within a been arrested so far. speculation that he would be month. We will cancel all Mr. Kejriwal said the AAP the party’s chief ministerial fake cases filed under the government would also candidate in Punjab, Aam NDPC Act by the ruling gov- waive farmers’ loans. Aadmi Party (AAP) national ernment against innocent “The SAD-BJP govern- convener and Delhi Chief youth who opposed drug ment cheated people in the Minister Arvind Kejriwal on mafia,” Mr. Kejriwal said. name of welfare schemes and Wednesday, said: “AAP’s embezzled funds meant for Chief Minister in Punjab will De-addiction task force the poor,” he alleged, adding be from Punjab.” The Delhi CM said the that the AAP would enhance Mr. Kejriwal said he would AAP government would set the pension for the old, han- not be the Chief Minister of up a special task force of dicapped and widows from Punjab as being propagated senior doctors for de-addic- the existing ₨500 to ₨2,500 by the Shiromani Akali Dal tion and create 25 lakh jobs to per month. (SAD) and the Congress. “I CLEARING THE AIR: AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal during an election bring the afected youth back He said eradicating corrup- am elected by the people of rally in support of party candidate Palwinder Kaur at to the mainstream. tion would be another prior- Delhi for five years to serve Badshahpur in Patiala on Wednesday. — PHOTO: PTI “We will give exemplary ity. them.” punishment to culprits in- “Badal family looted Pun- “Whosoever be the Chief pur and Patran in Patiala. people of Punjab should vote volved in incidents of sacri- jab for ten years and made un- Minister, I guarantee that all The assertion comes a day for the AAP thinking that it is lege of holy Guru Granth accounted-for wealth. We my promises will be ful- after Delhi Deputy Chief for Mr. Kejriwal. Sahib so that nobody repeats will force them to cough up filled,” he said, addressing Minister Manish Sisodia’s “The AAP has prepared a it,” he said. the money,” the AAP chief series of rallies in Badshah- statement in Mohali that the 150-point charter for Punjab. Criticising the SAD-BJP said. Delhi CM may face criminal charges: Jung STAFF REPORTER IB” for suspected spying. registered. substance in the charge He said some appoint- “Jain made an incorrect sheets then there is NEW DELHI: Terming Delhi ments by Mr.