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

JOURNALISM OF COURAGE MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2020, MUMBAI, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES SINCE 1932 `5.00, WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

Fewer women move abroad, many citefamily as factor in career: High up ladder, gender still matters Moregirltoppersfrommetrosthansmall towns whereodds forboys better; THE EDITORIAL PAGE gapnarrowing but still sharpinScience/Tech GROWTH:BENEATH THERECOVERY Protesting farmers clangutensils duringPrime MinisterNarendraModi’s Mann ki Baat in BY PRANJUL BHANDARI Ghazipur, at the Delhi-UttarPradesh border,onSunday. Prem Nath Pandey PAGE 12 GOVT RESPONDS TO PROTESTERS BUSINESSASUSUAL BY UNNY Tomarwelcomesreturn totalks;noonecantake Though Iwas stressed by expectations from At IIT-Bombay, we all got equal treatment family, societytoget married earlier than Idid, regardless of gender. But boys participated in my parents were ambitious for me. Since Ihad their class more… girls sometimesthought their answers landoffarmers:Rajnath support,Icould focus on higher studies” might not be correct and refrained from participating” JERENEMATHEWS, PAEDIATRIC DERMATOLOGIST AT BELIEVERS CHURCH SHALAKA KULKARNI, PURSUING MBA FROM YALE SCHOOL OF Hope farmers will appreciate Punjab lawyer MEDICAL COLLEGE HOSPITAL, KERALA, CLASS 12 CBSE TOPPER IN 2006 MANAGEMENT, CLASS 10 ICSE TOPPER IN 2012 In UP, college situation,reality of law: Govt kills himself, STUDYINGOR University,but she acknowl- Asked aboutthe farm unions’ studentsbooked RITIKACHOPRA edgesa“gender lens” is impor- HARIKISHANSHARMA proposal of holding the next criticises PM NEWDELHI,DECEMBER27 WORKINGABROAD tant to understand suchtrends. NEWDELHI,DECEMBER27 round of talksonDecember 29, for sedition, “Gender ofteninfluences de- Tomar said, “Vaartahogi (Talks for ‘blacklaws’ VARTIKABHANDARI,40,ISC1998 cision-makingrelated to the ed- DESCRIBINGTHE farm unions’ will take place).” principal cites BoardtopperfromAllahabad, is a ucation of children in afamily. decision to return to thenegoti- “Theyhavewritten aletter; it seniorstaffsoftwareengineerwith With the declineofacademic ation table as “good step”, Union is agoodstep. We were already RAAKHIJAGGA azadislogans GoogleinSan Francisco.Chaitra standardsinpublic universities AgricultureMinisterNarendra ready fortalks;wewillresolve &AMILBHATNAGAR Chandrasekhar,38,ICSE1998top- and an increase in disposable in- Singh Tomar on Sundayex- the issue through negotiations,” LUDHIANA,NEWDELHI, per from aBangaloreschool, is 63% 40% come, manymoreprivileged pressedhope that asolution he said. DECEMBER27 ASADREHMAN partner at consulting firm Oliver TRACKING MEN WOMEN families aresending their chil- would be found to thestalemate TheSamyukt Kisan Morcha, LUCKNOW,DECEMBER27 Wyman in NewYork. Jerene dren abroad forhigher studies. It over the newfarm laws through an umbrella body of 40 farm or- AN ADVOCATE from Jalalabad in Mathews,31, 2006 Class 12 CBSE INDIA’STOPPERS CITYOFSCHOOLING is usuallythe boyinthe family discussions. ganisations, on Saturdaywrote Punjab's Fazilka district, who SIX PERSONS, including students topperfromKendriyaVidyalaya in WOMEN (OUT OF 35) who has an edge in such deci- Defence MinisterRajnath to theUnion Ministryof had been protesting with farm- of government-runKSSaket Kottayam, is apaediatric derma- sions. Suchtrends will, however, Singh reaffirmedthat the Centre Agricultureand Farmers ers affiliated to the Bharatiya TOMORROW TIER163%(22) Degree CollegeinAyodhya dis- tologistinThiruvalla, Kerala. needtoberesearched rigorously, has no intention of scrapping the Welfare, announcing the re- KisanUnion (BKU) Ugrahan at trict, have been booked forsedi- These women maynot have RANKS GIVE HEAD START TIER2&337%(13) as contexts vary considerably.” minimum supportprice (MSP) sumption of talks. It also pro- Delhi's Tikri border,diedbysui- tion afterthe collegeprincipal shattered the glass ceiling at BUT MAY BE DECEPTIVE MEN(OUT OF 51)* Swati Prusty,27, who topped regime, and thatno“ma ka lal posedafour-point agenda for cide on Sundaymorning. lodged acomplaint accusing their workplace yetbut, surely, INDICATORS, SAY TIER2&363%(32) the Class 12 CBSE exam in 2010, (no one)” can take away land the talksthatincludemodalities Amarjit Singh Raiconsumed them of raising "anti-national theyare well on their waythere, TOPPERS says shewasnevertookeenonset- from the farmers. to be adoptedfor the repeal of the farm pesticide sulphos TIER133%(17) slogans calling (for) azadi". perched highupthe ladder.And tling abroad. Hence studyingata “Main ummeed kartahoon ki the three central farm Acts; about 200metresfromthe stage As per Principal NDPandey, yet, as afour-month investiga- *2ofthem with CISCE-affiliated schools in Dubai foreign university didn'tcarry kisan paristhiti aur kanoon ki mechanisms to make the remu- at the protestsitethat farmers "indecent and anti-national slo- tion by TheIndian Express of 86 fewergirltoppers going abroad currentlystudy or live overseas much appeal. “Since IknewI sachchai ko samajhenge, vaarta nerative MSP recommendedby have namedGadriGulab Kaur gans like Le ke rahengeazadi" national school Boardtoppers — than theirmale counterparts; butamong them,there is asig- wouldwork inIndia,itdidn’tmake hogi, aur uska samadhaan niklega the National Farmers' Nagar. Beforecollapsing, he gave were raisedonthe collegeprem- 51 men and 35 women —from from promising careersput on nificant gendergap.Just40% (14 senseto takealoanto studyabroad (I hope that the farmerswill ap- Commission into alegallyguar- twoprinted letters —one of ises on December 16. 1996 to 2015 shows, their gen- hold to those tailored to suit fam- out of 35)ofwomen toppers are andthencomebacktoworkforfi- preciate the situationand the re- anteedentitlement forall farm- whichwas addressedtoPrime With the Ramjanmabhoomi der does matter. ilyobligations. studying/working abroad but for nancial payoff reasons, among ality of the law; talkswilltake ers and all agricultural com- MinisterNarendraModi —to sitenearby, he told The Indian Maybenot as muchasitdoes Fewerwomen have men, that ratio is 63%. others,"she said,adding that she place, and asolution will be modities; amendmentstobe other protesters. Express,heneededtolook out for among the “average”intheir co- These numbers aresmall and turneddownascholarship with found),” Tomar told TheIndian made and notifiedinthe Earlier this month,a "suchanti-national activities" hort, but itsburden is in- movedoverseas than should notleadtosweeping gen- National University of Singapore Express. CONTINUEDONPAGE2 CONTINUEDONPAGE2 and couldn't allowslogans "that escapable: from their lowrepre- their men counterparts eralisations, says Poonam Batra, to pursue engineering in India. areraisedatJawaharlal Nehru sentation in science and tech to Morethan half the toppers Professor of Education at Delhi CONTINUEDONPAGE2 University". The studentssay theywere onlyprotesting againstthe non- conduct of union elections at the Street vendor scheme The go-to actorfor new stories, AfterKhadse, Raut’s wife college,and their slogans were directed at the principal and the ahit, govt plans next gets ED notice;Sena, NCP chief proctor. Pankaj TripathiateAdda today Startedin1991, KSSaket Collegehas around 10,000 phase: digital payments platforms, he had prominent say Centre targeting Opp students. EKTAAMALIK roles in Mirzapur2andthe re- An FIR waslodged against NEWDELHI,DECEMBER27 centlyreleased CriminalJustice the six, Sumit Tewari, Shesh AVISHEKGDASTIDAR ED Applicants Season2. VISHWASWAGHMODE Narayan Pandey, Imran Hashmi, NEWDELHI,DECEMBER27 cross WHILE forcing people indoors, Pankaj ANational School of Drama MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 CONTINUEDONPAGE2 PLAIN E the Covid-19pandemic has Tripathi graduate, Tripathispent many ● 50%mark STARTINGNEW Year,overamil- EX whetted India’s already vora- years waiting patientlyfor his ADAY afteranotice to senior lion street vendorsacrossIndia cious appetitefor stories. Among time in the limelight, starting out NCPleader Eknath Khadse, the will acceptand makepayments THE MAIN Bhi Digital those at the forefront of this withblink-and-you-miss roles Enforcement Directorate(ED) on MISSION ADMISSION digitally, havingcome on board drive has been prompted phase in entertainment, playing in films like Run (2004)and Sundayissuedsummons to the forthe 'Main Bhi Digital (metoo by thesuccess of the outlargely on online streaming Omkara (2005), before attracting wifeofShivSena MP Sanjay Eknath Khadse; Sanjay Raut digital)' drive designedbythe loan scheme forvendors, services, is PankajTripathi, cred- attention with his performance Raut, Varsha, asking her to ap- Centre forthem. with the number of ap- ited with delivering some of as Sultan Querishi in Gangs of pear before it on December 29. The drive hasbeen prompted plicants, 30 lakh, already 2020’s mosttalkedabout per- Wasseypur Part 1&2.Filmslike Varshawas summonedas Raut told The Indian Express:“I by the success of the Prime crossing the half-way formances. On Monday evening, Fukrey (2013)and Masaan (2013) part of the investigationintothe have been hearing that the ED has MinisterStreetVendor's Atma- markofthe total num- the 44-year-old will be guestat helpedcement his talent, while Punjab and Maharashtra sent anotice to us, butIamyet to Nirbhar Nidhi (PMSVANidhi) berofstreetvendors. Express eAdda, whichfeatures hit Netflixshow Sacred Games Cooperative (PMC) Bank scam see acopyofit... Theyshould scheme,launchedinthe wake of Morethan 16.65 lakh ap- interactions with peopleatthe and acclaimedmovies suchas case. The ED is investigatingal- showusonpaperwhattheyhave the Covid-19lockdown, to pro- plications have been centreofchange. Medium,Extraction and Shakeela Newton (2017), Nil Battey leged financial transactions be- found in their investigation.” He vide vendors microcredit. As sanctioned by partner Tripathi’s releases this year (severalofthem directlyre- Sannata (2016)and Stree (2018) tween Varsha and Pravin Raut, said he wouldclarify his standon partofthe newdrive,between banks. include films like Ludo, Gunjan leasedonOTT platforms). On followed. Now, as stories who is under arrest in the case. theissue in detail on Monday. CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Saxena: TheKargil Girl, Angrezi content made forstreaming CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Dismissing the allegations, CONTINUEDONPAGE2

PAGE 1 ANCHOR In epic MCGcentury,Rahanestands up,lifts Adelaide gloom

mindedness, clarityofstroke- hundredsinAdelaide (2014), or man.Inhisinitialdays,hehadthe 200th ball he facedonSunday. At SANDIPG making and the stomachfor a Cheteshwar Pujara’s 106in reputation of being acrisis man, no point in the game did he sur- NEWDELHI,DECEMBER27 fight that stood out. Melbourne(2018), or Sourav before he slippedintoaperiod of render the willtofight. This could turn out to be not Ganguly’s144inBrisbane(2003). confusion.Since the 2018 tour of His composureinadversity ADAY afterhemarshalledhis onlythe definingknockof Or if India could orchestratea SouthAfrica,hehasbeenalargely andtheshepherdingof thelower- troops admirablyonthe field, Rahane’s career,but alsoone of turnaround in the series,inspire peripheral figureinTestmatches orderwere akinto VVSLaxman’s. AjinkyaRahane struckapriceless the finest an Indian batsman has the same aweasRahul Dravid’s abroad. Barring acenturyagainst Likethe Hyderabadivirtuoso, centuryinadversity to putIndia composedabroad.Notperhapsin 233(Adelaide, 2003), considered West Indies, he had been mostly therewas an airofequanimity in acommanding position in the volume yet, but definitelyinim- the finestbyanIndian batsman unremarkable. In his lasttour of about him. Whether he was second Test at the Melbourne pact.Itcouldpotentially shapethe on Australian soil. Australia, he managed only217 beaten or had scoredaboundary, Cricket Ground. match, the series,and extend the It wasinvaluable on several runs at ameagreaverage of 31. his expression remainedthe The unbeaten 104came as a life-span of agenerationthat counts. This wasIndia’sfirstin- Therewas atime when India same.His ability to lifthis batting timelybalmafterthepaininflicted wouldhave beendismantledhad nings afterthe capitulation in feared losing him, when he when thrustwith the captaincy by thehumiliationinAdelaidelast Indiareproducedanencoreofthe Adelaide. Even though India had teetered on theverge of being wasreminiscent of SteveWaugh. week.With alead of 82 runs and Adelaide capitulation. scoredtwiceasmanyrunsasthey chopped.Thefearsnowseemun- Coming intothe match, he five wicketsinhand at the end of With the matchonthe brink, had in the second inningsin warranted.Rahane is reborn. had been farfromfluent, but he Day2,India could nowdream of theseriesonedge,agenerationon Adelaide when he walked outto Mostunexpectedly,hedid fought his wayout of trouble. He levelling the series. thefence,hisowncareerplateau- batatthefallof ShubmanGill,they notmakeIndia crave, or even wasnot always easy on the eye, And the man behind the ing, pitted againstahigh-class were 61/2, farfromaposition of miss, Kohli. It wasaday India did- and he scrappedthrough the dif- dream is Rahane. bowling crew,Rahane stood up. authority.TheAustralianbowlers n’t needKohli.For theyhad ficult phases of the game. In the On Saturday, he made all the Themorevariablesyouweave were breathingfire, and they Rahane. His batsmanship is dif- end,heliftedthe post-Adelaide right calls as captain. His daring in, the morelustrehis hundred could have swallowedthe rest of ferent from Kohli’s, but the spunk gloom and passedafew mile- and calmnessstood out. On gains. So much so that theeffort AjinkyaRahane celebrates afterhis centuryasRavindraJadeja looksonduring the India- the batting firm in their fury. he exudedwas similar to Kohli’s. stones, too. He became onlythe Sunday,heplayedthe right shots meritsbeingspoken of in the Australia Test matchinMelbourne on Sunday. Reuters Indianeededsomeoneto fight He wasprepared to fight, and second batsman to scoretwo as acaptain. It washis bloody- same breathasVirat Kohli’stwin fire with ice. Rahane wasthat fight he did, from the firsttothe hundredsatthe MCG. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 2 THE SECOND PAGE THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020

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Tomar wasfromthe Bar Association, usedtotargetanyone who goes Jalalabad to the SDM, Jalalabad, againstthe BJP.Khadse wasinthe welcomes return over extendingsupporttothe BJPfor40years before movingto peaceful protestbyfarmers. Fewer women move overseas, more cite family the NCPinOctober. to talks;noone The other wastitledasalet- Lastmonth, the ED hadsenta tertothe Prime Minister, and was notice to Sena legislator and can take land of signed“Amarjit Singh Advocate as factor:high up the ladder, genderstill matters spokesperson Pratap Sarnaikand Bar Association Jalalabad his familymembers, after farmers: Rajnath (Fazilka)” and dated searches at their residences and Commission forthe Air Quality “18/12/2020”, in green ink. “I wishedtostayclose to my ligations),” she said. offices in connection with a Management in National Capital “He got this letter from parentssothat Icould travel (to SubjectsinClasses11,12* WHERETHEYWORK No wonder thenthat most moneylaundering case. Region and Adjoining Areas Jalalabad, he neverwent any- Bhubaneswar) to meet them of the women toppers,over "If anypolitical leader speaks Ordinance,2020to excludefarm- whereelse to type anyletteraf- regularly.Thereisasense of se- ■ Science ■ Commerce Women* Men** 60%, arefromTier 1cities while againstthe BJP,the party ensures ers from itspenal provisions;and terDecember 16.Hewas anotary curity about staying in your formen, the trend is justthe that the ED starts aninvestigation Finance 27% (6) 16% (6) changes to be made in the draft public and apopular lawyer of owncountry, with your own 96% Men 4% opposite. Over 60% arefrom againsthim. Instead of letting it Electricity Amendment Bill, 2020 Jalalabad,”saidAmritpal Singh,a people that youdon’tfind else- IT/tech: 18% (4) 39% (15) Tier 2&3cities. work in theinterestofthe nation, to protect the interests of farm- Jalalabad resident who is also at where,” she said. Shalini Prasad,41, attended the ED is being misusedbythe Medicine: 14% (3) 8% (3) ers. the Tikri border. Prusty,who holds a LoretoConvent School in BJP to target other leaders," Patil Speaking on the occasion of “He metussmilinglyon Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Consulting 18% (4) 8% (3) Asansol up to Class 10 and did said, addingthat the summons 71% Women 29% the JairamThakur governmentin Sundaymorning,” Amritpal said. and Electronics Engineering Business/entreprenuer 9% (2) 11% (4) her high school at De Nobili didn't scarethem. Himachal Pradeshcompleting “Wehad no idea that he would from BITS-Pilani and an MBA School, Mugma, Dhanbad. On Saturday, while asking three years, RajnathSingh said: take this extreme step, even from IIM Bangalore, is now *Out of 22 employedOthers in research,corporateand legal She is oneofthe 13 women parties to join hands to “takeon “Ek badaa dushprachaar yehbhi though he had been deeplydis- Strategy Consultant at L&T *Notopper from arts/humanities **Out of 38 employedOthers in academics, industry and civilservice toppers from Tier 2and 3cities. the BJP and itsdictatorialtenden- kiyagayakikisanon ki zameen turbed about the newlaws.” InfotechinMumbai. Prasad,who toppedthe Class cies”, Raut had also accusedthe contract farming ke madhyamse The letter,addressedto Modi, Familycommitments 12 ISC exam in 1997,isnow Centreoftargeting the chheen li jayegi. Main punah kehna wasaprinted note in English students enrolled, 50.7 per cent on their comparatively smaller Vice President (Finance) at Opposition via central agencies - chahungakikoi bhi ma ka lal whichsaid that people expected stronger factor were men and 49.3 per cent presence abroad. “In India, a British Petroleum in London. -acharge he has been very vocal kisanon se unki zameen nahin a“better futureinyou as Prime While thereislittlediffer- women. Also,their presenceat foreign degree, particularly in She creditstwo men for on, including in the probeinto chheen sakta (Thereismajor Minister”. enceinthe academicgoals of the Master’s levelwas thehigh- maths and science,isvalued helping her dreams take wings. Sushant Singh Rajput's death. propaganda that the land of Accusing the PM of “arro- these achievers at the post- estever—in2017-18, forevery over others as universities "Growing up, Iwas sureI "ShivSenaleadershave alsobeen farmers would be takenaway gance”and workingfor special graduate level—roughly the 100men who enrolledfor MSc, abroad have acutting-edge wanted to study at SRCC in givenEDnotices. Allthosewhom through contract farming. I “capitalist (Ambani and Adani) same proportion of men (45%) therewere171 women. Five curriculuminthese fields, Delhi. My father had justone the Central government can't would liketosay again that no interests”, it said: “The common and women (43%) toppers hav- years earlier,therewere138 whicheventuallytranslateinto condition—that Ishould score fight politicallyare being pres- onecantakeawaythe landofthe people likefarmers andlabours ing either finishedorstill pur- women in BSc programmes for well-paying jobs overseas. high enoughinmyBoardexam sured through central agencies farmers).” arefeeling defraudedbyyour suing aMaster’s degree —there every100 men. ParentsinIndia willprobably to secureahostel. Muchlater, likethe ED," he said on Saturday. In reference to the three agricultureblackBills...the is agap at thehigherresearch While, as AISHE suggests, be keener to take asizeable when Iwas feeling stagnated at The Sena'schief spokesper- Opposition's criticism of The public is on tracks and roads not level. Onlyafifth of women the gender gapinSTEM loan to fund adegreeinengi- my jobinBangalore,itwas my son, Raut is believedtobeone of Farmers (Empowerment and forvotes but forthe livelihood of toppershaveoptedfor aPhD as (Science, Technology, neering or science as opposed father-in-lawwho pointed out thearchitectsoftheMaharashtra Protection) Agreement on Price their families and compared to athirdofmen. Engineering, Mathematics)has to,say,psychology.Women, that Enrst&Young wasrecruit- VikasAghadi coalition, including AssuranceandFarm ServicesAct, generations...Kindlydon’t snatch Sohini Chaprala, 30, the been narrowing of late, the SPRIHABISWAS traditionally, have been less in- ing in London and that Ishould theShivSena, NCPand Congress, Singh said: “Whatever agree- bread andbutter (Roti) of farm- 2008 Class 12 CBSE topper,is chasm is still waytoo large and ChiefProductOfficeratScribetech, terested in these sectors, and apply,"she said. whichwrested powerfromthe ment will be with the farmers ers, laboursandcommonpeople Research Manager at is reflected at the apex, too, de- headsdevelopmentofamedical this possiblyexplainswhy you Yet, there aremanyothers BJP in the stateafter the last willbeabout their produce, not forafew capitalists and don’t Innovations forPoverty Action, spitemostofthe national top- speechrecognitionsoftware found fewerwomen toppers who struggledwith social ex- Assemblyelections. their land.” compel them to eatSulphos. anon-profit foundedby pers being from the Science studying and working abroad,” pectations. Khadse is being probed on TOPPED: Class 10,ICSE, 2011 On MSP,hesaid:“Amiscon- Sociallyyou have betrayed the American economistDean stream. she said. “Allthrough my post-grad- chargesthat as revenue minister ception is being deliberatelycre- public and politicallyyou have Karlan, in Dhaka. Sevenof10maletoppers Social and cultural uation, my familypressured in theDevendraFadnavis govern- atedin someparts of the country betrayed your associateparties AfteranMSc (Integrated) have studiedengineeringas me to getmarried. This had an ment, he had purchasedland be- that our government wantsto likeSAD...I offermysacrifice in Economics from IIT-Kanpur, their undergraduatedegree. challenges impact on me as people would longing to theMIDC end the MSP.Ithas neverbeen supportofthis worldwide agita- Chaprala wasconsidering a Among women toppers,that Despitetheir impressive oftendiscuss this and even (MaharashtraIndustrial the intentionof thisgovernment tion forshaking your deafand PhD or another Master’s de- number wasonlyathird, with achievements, manyofthe tauntme. Iwas quiteupset, but Development Cooperation) in to abolish the MSP,norwillitever dumb conscience...BhartiyaKisan gree in public policy/adminis- another quartergoing for womentoppersadmittedto Ihaven’t givenintothe pres- Pimpri-Chinchwad at gross un- be.” Mazdoor Ektazindabaad.” tration but, she says,lifehad BCom or management. facing obstacles in the form of sureand will not,” said another dervaluation. Singh appealedtofarmers to Amarjit's daughter Suman other plans. ShalakaKulkarni, 24,was socio-cultural barriers and achiever, whotoppednation- Abuilder had allegedthatthe observethe impact of the new Bala, 24,ateacher in agovern- “I got marriedand all prior- among adozen-odd girls in her familyobligations —evenifthis allywith 99%. Her parents, for land, purchasedinthe name of laws for“one-twoyears”. ment school in Jalalabad, said, “I ities were re-configured — class of about 130during her wasn’talwaysinthe form of now, have givenintoher deci- Khadse's wifeand son-in-law, for The lastround of talksbe- can’t believe Papacould take such now, thereare constraintson days at IIT-Bombay, whereshe anyovert familypressure. sion to study further. Rs 3.75 crorewas actuallyworth tween the governmentandfarm astep. He spoketoall of us on mobility and alonger commit- studiedElectrical Engineering Some of them saytheyrecon- Being aminority in amale- around Rs 30 crore. The ED notice unions washeld on December 8, Saturdaynight, and told us he ment (such as PhD or an aca- in 2012.“In the classroom, we figured their careers to fulfill dominated workspace can wasreportedlyissuedunder the when Home MinisterAmit Shah would come backsoon.” demic career) and that natu- all receivedequal treatment re- traditional roles. end up impeding achieve- Prevention of Money had metwith 13 representatives Amritpal said Amarjit had rallyregresses career.I’m not gardless of gender.However, I ANIKAAGRAWAL Of the 45 male toppers who ment, says Spriha Biswas, 26, Laundering Act. of farm unions. Aday afterthis been inquiring about buses or bitterabout the social norms or did observe that boys partici- PursuingMSinMarineBiology respondedtothis newspaper’s the ICSEnational topperof Khadse has said he will ap- meeting,the Centre had sent a trains to go backhome. “It is my changed circumstances, pated in class muchmorethan fromTexasA&MUniversity questionnaire, none spokeof 2011 who went on to study pearbeforethe ED and cooperate written proposal of concessions shocking thathewas roaming butthings would definitely girls, theygaveanswers more TOPPED: Class 10,ICSE, 2013 being affected by anticipated or Metallurgical Engineering in the probe. He has all along to the protesting unions, which with atypedsuicide note in his have been different,career- often. Likeme, alot of girls actual needtobalance academ- from IIT-Bombay. maintainedthat the land in ques- theyhad rejectedin an email sent pocket,and even had sulphos wise, if Iwerenot awoman,” sometimes thought theiran- ics/career and family. Though she says shehas- tion belonged to aprivate party on December 16. tablets with him.Weare even says Chaprala, who has been swers might notbecorrect and men toppers, close to two- In contrast, among the 35 n’t facedany gender discrim- andhis familyhad purchasedit moreshockedthat his letter has a managing her baby, career and refrainedfromparticipating,” fifths areinSTEM jobs. women toppers —manyof ination yet, there’s afootnote following the due process of law. signaturedated December 18, long-distance marriage —her said Kulkarni, who toppedthe The difference in choice of them spokeoffacing hurdles on to her statement. “…But obvi- On Saturday, he said that the alle- Punjab lawyer and he committed suicide on husband runs his business out ICSE Boardin2012with 98.8% subjectscomes intoplayatthe conditionofanonymity—isone ously, being awoman youare gation had earlier been investi- kills himself, December 27,” he told The Indian of Hyderabad. and is nowpursuing an MBA school level. Agreater propor- in her twenties, who tailoredher alwaysinaminority,whether gatedbythe Pune Anti- Express. Women under- from Yale School of tion of the male toppers (96%) work lifearound her family. it is collegeoratthe work- Corruption Bureauand the ShingaraSingh Maan, vice- Management. chose ScienceinClasses11and “Once Igot married, Ididn’t place. Whichmeans that you Nashik Anti-Corruption Bureau, criticises PM for president of BKU Ugrahan, said: represented in STEM This under-representation 12 as opposedto71% for want to take up ajob whereI don't always have apeer and neither had found anysub- ‘black laws’ “It is ashocking incident,weal- The gender gapinunder- in STEM undergraduatepro- women. couldn’t control my working group to discuss and share stance in it. "This will be thefifth ways tell our workers'Khudkushi graduatescience education has grammes mirrors the broader While10women toppers hours. (I)restricted travel and your ideas as freelyasyour probeinthe matter." 65-year-old Karnal-basedreli- nahin, sangram' (Choose strug- been progressively closing over trend of women being starkly had studiedCommerce, only regulated my working hours... male counterparts do...All of WITHENS,PUNE gious leader diedofagunshot gleoversuicide). No oneshould the lastfew years. missing in STEM jobs,which twomale toppers out of 51 had so automatically, the jobs I these factors become very im- woundnearSinghu, leavingbe- adoptthispath. The government According to the 2018 edi- areamong thehigher paying chosen that stream. could applyfor got limited,” the portant when youwant to ad- hind apurportedsuicide note should wake up even nowand tion of the All India Surveyon jobsintoday’s economy. Ameeta Wattal, Principal, topper said. Asked whyshe felt vance in aprofession,” said The go-to actor thatsaid he waspained by the see the writing on the wall. If they Higher Education (AISHE),for Lessthanone-fifth of the Springdales School, Pusa Road, the need to do so, she said,“My Biswas, who worksasChief farmers' plight. Subsequently, a areagovernment of the masses, the firsttime, therewereas women toppers currently says the fact that fewerwomen familylifeneededit... my hus- Product Officer at ScribeTech, for new stories, 70-year-old farmer from Tarn theymusttakebackthe laws.” manywomenasmen in BSc working areemployedinthe toppers chose STEM subjects band worksfrom11amto6 amedical transcription com- Taranallegedly attempted to kill programmes —of48.19 lakh STEM sector;among employed probablyexplains the finding pm and had limited travel (ob- panyinMumbai. Pankaj Tripathi himself by consuming pesticide tablets. Street vendor at eAdda today “At8.48am, Igot acall from equippedwith the software ficial socio-economic survey of structing public servants. student union president in 2018, sions. Howcan elections be getmoreintimate, and reachau- him (Amarjit). scheme ahit, neededfor the transactions, and vendors, to bring them under Inspector,Ayodhya Police Station, said: "The protesting students held?" diences in the solitude of their He said he had training providedtothemon safe schemes suchasthe Pradhan Ashutosh Mishrasaid theywere were only saying that theywant Linking the mattertothe Ram rooms, Tripathi has emergedas consumed govtplans next and securepayments. Mantri JeevanJyoti Bima Yojana, investigating the matter. azadi from the principal and chief temple, Pandeyadded."This is the toppickfor filmmakers see- sulphos. I phase: digital “Available datashowthat Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima "Everythingwillbecomeclear proctor.Now,the principal has suchasensitive place in Ayodhya, ing actors to play salt-of-the- reachedhim by only20percentofthe beneficiar- Yojana, Jan-Dhan Yojana, during the probe. We will be usedthat andis saying theywere barely500 metres from the earth characters. 8.55 am. He payments ies aredigitallyenabled. Even Building and Other Construction scanningCCTVfootage,videos.If raising anti-national slogans." Janmabhoomi. We need to look At the Express eAdda,Tripathi handedustwo amongthose who accept pay- Workers Act, Pradhan Mantri an offence is made out, action will Yadavquestionedthe admin- out foranti-national activities." will be in conversation with typedletters be- January4and 22, over 10 lakh mentsdigitally, notall use digital Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana, be takenaccordingly." istration's logic forthe cancella- He refusedtoclarify who National Features Editor Devyani Amarjit fore falling un- street vendors acrossthe country paymentstopurchase material,” Pradhan Mantri Matri Vandana The complaint by the princi- tion of the student union polls. among the six he filedanFIR Onial andTheIndianExpressfilm Singh Rai conscious,” said whohaveavailedoftheRs 10,000 aseniorofficialsaid. Yojana, and others. pal says,"The admission process "Lastyear,the elections could againstwerestudentsofthe col- critic ShubhraGupta. RamKumar loan will be trainedinusing dig- LaunchedbyPrime Minister andclasseshave beenongoing at notbeheld due to the Ram lege. "I can't tellyouwho arecur- The Express Adda, that has Munshi, who ital payments. NarendraModiforstreetvendors the collegesince December7. Mandir issue and no one raised rent students,but some of the six movedonline during the pan- had been camping with Amarjit As per official data, 12 lakh as theywereamong the hardest In UP, college During this, some outsiders, anti- their voice as it wasasensitive arestudents,whilesomearefor- demic, has earlier featuredactors at Tikri border sinceDecember street vendors have already hit by the lockdown, the socialelementsand so-called matter. Thisyear,the studentsare merstudentsand some areout- Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh 16. availedofthe loan while the to- PMSVANidhi scheme of the students booked leaders startedaprotest demand- protesting because the elections siders," Pandeysaid. Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Munshi said Amarjit was talnumber of applicantshas MinistryofHousing and Urban ing student elections. On have been cancelledwhile Anuskha Sharma and Kangana takentothe Bahadurgarh civil crossed30lakh--orhalf the esti- Affairsentitlesthem to Rs 10,000 for sedition, December 16,thesestudentsen- polling is happening across the Ranaut, apartfromUnion minis- hospital and then to PGIMS matednumber of street vendors. interest-free loan as working cap- principal cites teredthe collegeand lockedthe country. When classes can be After Khadse, ters Nitin Gadkari, SJaishankar, Rohtak,wherehewas declared Over 16.65 lakhapplicationshave ital to restarttheir businesses. main gate andmisbehavedwith held, then whycan't elections be Raut’s wife gets Nirmala Sitharaman, Ramesh dead. Members of Amarjit's fam- already been sanctionedbypart- Government datashowthat azadislogans, teachers, collegeadministration held forthe student union?" Pokhriyal, and experts in their ilysaid he was63years old. ner banks. around 46 per cent of the street and students. Theyinterrupted Speaking to The Indian ED notice; Sena, fields likeAIIMS Director Dr “Wehavereceivedinforma- Officials underlinedthat the vendorswhohave appliedforthe Ram temple classes... Theywereraising inde- Express, Principal Pandeysaid, Randeep Guleria, Chief Economic tionregardingthe death of an ad- uniqueaspectofthe newdrive loansofarare fruitandvegetable cent and anti-national slogans "Studentshad raisedanti-na- NCP say Centre Advisor Krishnamurthy vocate at Naya Gaon Chowknear wasthat the vendors would be sellers, while some 21 per cent Satwik Pandey, Mohit Yadavand likelekar rahengeazadi. Due to tional slogans that areraisedat Subramanian, NobelLaureates Tikri. Ateam has been sent to look able to notjustreceivepayments sell fast food. Over 41 per cent are Manoj Mishra, on December 18. the incident, thereisanger and Jawaharlal Nehru University, targeting Opp AbhijitBanerjeeand EstherDuflo, intothe matter,” Ashok Kumar, digitallybut also payformaterial women. Theywerebookedunder IPC fear among the studentsofthe Delhi... that theywill fight for cancer specialistand prize-win- DSP (Badli), said. they procurefromsellers using Encouraged by the response Sections124-A(sedition), 147(ri- college." azadi. What kind of azadi do they Speaking to reporters in ning author Dr Siddhartha One of the twoletters that unique QR codes. The mobile to PMSVANidhi, the government oting) and 506(criminal intimi- AbhaasKrishnaYadav, who is want? Theywantedelections, we Sangli, MaharashtraNCP chief Mukherjee, and sportspersons Amarjitgavetoother protesters phones of the vendors will be has also launchedits first-everof- dation),apartfromchargesofob- doing M.Com and waselected arestill in the process of admis- Jayant Patilsaidthe ED wasbeing likeCheteshwar Pujara. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 3 THE CITY UKpassengerstoundergo Man tied to iron pole, beaten to death; six arrested rested on Sunday. raisedanalarm, theycaught tle distance and collapsed. He EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE The police identifiedthe de- The six accused him, tiedhis hands and legs to an wasnoticedbytwo friends who MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 ceasedasSaijad Khan and the ac- mistook Saijad iron rodusingaropeand beat took him to his house. RT-PCRtestson7thday cusedasRishikesh Pasi, Hayat him withastick," said an officer, Khan wasthen rushedto A30-YEAR-OLD man wastiedto Ali, Alimuddin Sheikh, Motibur Khan forathief and adding thatthe men thought Bhabha hospital, wherehewas an iron pole and allegedly beaten Alam, Maskar Alam Ferozuddin beat him up Khan wasatthe parktosteal declared broughtdead before to death by six persons in and Pintukumar Saha. The inci- from them. admission. ofinstitutionalquarantine Santacruzafter theymistook denttookplacenearMuktanand Afterawhile, the six untied The Santacruz police has reg- him forathief around 4.30 am Park in Santacruz. the park, happenedtoreachthe him and lethim go.Khan, how- isteredacase of murder and ar- on Friday. The accusedwerear- “Saijad Khan, who stays near spot... when one of the accused ever,managed to onlywalkalit- rested thesix men. 19.19lakh TOTALPOSITIVECASES INMAHARASHTRA Active Cases 59,214 New Cases 3,314 TotalDeaths 49,255 New Deaths66 Quarantined4.57lakh Testing underway at ahealth postonSunday. Amit Chakravarty Tested 1.25 crore 2,90,914 theywouldbedischarged from EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE institutional quarantine and TOTALPOSITIVE MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 asked to observemandatory CASESINMUMBAI home quarantine forseven days, New Cases 578 THE BMC on Sundayrevised the guidelinesissuedby TotalDeaths 11,076 Covid-19 quarantine guidelines Municipal Commissioner Iqbal forall passengers coming from Singh Chahal said. Ahome quar- New Deaths8 the United Kingdom(UK), South antine stampwillbeput on the Africa, MiddleEast andEuropean hands of the passengers and un- Countries. dertakingwill betakenthat they from Europe and the Middle East Now, allpassengers will have will remain in homequarantine. had arrivedatMumbai interna- to undergoRT-PCR testsonthe If thetestresult is positive, the tional airport. seventh dayoftheir institutional passenger will beshiftedtoades- According to the details pro- quarantine at their owncost. ignated Covid-19hospital like videdbythe BMC, of the 868 Earlier,BMC guidelines suggested SevenHills hospital forUKresi- passengerswho arrivedinthese that the passengers would have dentsand GT hospital fortravel- flights, 477are quarantinedin to undergo RT-PCRtestsbetween ers from other countries. “A total the city and 385 were allowedto the fifthand seventh dayoftheir of 14 days of quarantine is to be go to other states. Six passengers quarantine at their owncost. ensured,” theguidelines stated. were exempted from 14-days If the test report is negative, On December 26, 11 flights mandatoryquarantine. CBI should say Fire at Charkop if Sushant death was murder temple, three men or suicide, says Deshmukh asleep inside die

Mumbai: Home MinisterAnil Deshmukh on Sunday urgedthe EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE As per initial CBIto revealif actorSushantSingh MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 investigation by the fire Rajput diedbysuicide or was murdered.HesaidtheCBIshould THREE PERSONS diedafter ama- brigade, the blaze could revealthefindingsof itsinvestiga- jor fire brokeout at atemple in have been triggered tion in the caseatthe earliest. Charkop, Kandivali West,on “It has been morethanfive Sunday. by ashort circuit months since theinvestigation The threemen were asleep beganbut the CBI has notre- inside Saibaba temple in Bunder vealedifSushant Singh Rajput Pakhadi when the fire startedat LocalBJP corporator Pratibha wasmurdered or diedbysuicide. 4.14 am. The deceasedhavebeen Girkar said, “The deceasedwere Irequest CBI to reveal the find- identifiedasSubhash Khode local residentswho usedtolook ings of the investigation at the (25), Yuvraj Pawar(25) and aftercleanlinessofthe temple earliest,”Deshmukhsaid at a Manu Gupta (26). All were resi- premises. It is averyunfortunate press conference in Nagpur. dentsofBunder Pakhadi slum. incident.” According to local res- The actor wasfounddead in According to Mumbai Fire idents, the men usedtosleep in- his Mumbai residence on June Brigade officials, while Khode side the temple daily. 14.The Mumbai Police, which and Pawarwerecharredtodeath This is the second major said the actordiedbysuicide, on the spot, Gupta received95 blaze this monthwherepeople wascarrying out the initialin- per cent burns and wasadmit- have died. vestigationinthe case. In August, tedtoShatabdi Hospital. From On December 6, afirehad the Supreme Courtordered aCBI there, he wastransferredtoSion broken brokeout following a probeintothe case. hospital,where he diedaround cylinder blastinafour-storey Deshmukh said he wasbeing 1.30 pm. building at Parel. So far, nine peo- questionedbypeople on what According to the initial inves- ple have diedinthe incident. the outcome of the CBI investi- tigation by the fire brigade, the On October 22, afirehad gation has been so far. "The peo- fire,whichwas doused around startedatCity CentreMall, ple of Maharashtraand the 4.40 am, could have been trig- Nagpada. The fire brigadetook countryare eagerly awaiting the geredbyashort circuit.“Since 56 hours to douse the blaze. CBI's report...People ask me the deceasedwereasleep, they While nobody wasinjured in the about the status of the case," did notget to knowabout the incident, massive property dam- Deshmukh said. ENS blaze,” said afireofficial. agewas reported. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 4 MAHARASHTRA

RIFT WIDENS IN MVA If Centre doesn’t realise people CongresssaysalliancewithSena are suffering, it won’t take long for states to break conditional,limitedtoMaharashtra into pieces: Raut MUMBAI CONFIDENTIAL

leader Sonia Gandhi since 2004. apartofthe UPA, he added. plainedtothe All India Congress the Adivasis in Maharashtraisa EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE SANDEEPASHAR Incidentally, theNCP has dis- “SharadPawarhimselfhasdenied Committee’s (Maharashtra) in very importantcommitment MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 tanceditself from the contro- thespeculationthathewillbethe charge HKPatil that the party made in the CMP in the MVA”. versy,with Pawarhimself saying next chairperson of the UPA.UPA wasn’t being givenits due in the Moreover, afew Congressmin- SHIV SENAMPSanjayRauton INANindicationof risingtensions thathewasn’t interestedinthe alliestrusttheleadershipof Sonia alliance, the latter had asked isters have expressed concerns Sundaysaid thatitwill nottakea withintheUddhavThackeray-led chairperson’s post. Gandhi.So,thereisnoneedtodis- stateparty leaders and ministers over being discriminated against long time forthe Indian states to Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the According to sources, the cussthe issue," said Chavan. nottotakethings lying down by the allies over budget distribu- breakintopiecesliketheerstwhile CongressonSunday madeitclear Congressleadershipismiffedwith Former Maharashtraminis- even from the allies. tion.NCPheadsthefinanceportfo- SovietUnion if the Union govern- thatitsengagementwiththeShiv Sena’s repeated unsolicited opin- terNaseem Khan has also Later,during the weekly lio in the government. ment does notrealisethat people Sena wasconditional andlimited ions about itsfunctioning. Sena’s frownedatthe ShivSena, while CabinetmeetingonDecember DespiteThackeray’s asser- aresuffering in the political battle to Maharashtra. Formerchief RajyaSabha MP and Saamana ed- reiterating thatthe party’s al- 23, the Congress stalledthe tion that the alliance should con- betweentheCentreandthestates. ministerand statePWD Minister itor SanjayRaut, had Saturday, liance in Maharashtrawas acon- Sena-ledurban development test allupcoming local body Raut, in his weeklycolumn Ashok Chavansaid,“Our alliance takenapublicdigatCongress’lea- ditional one. department's proposalfor low- polls, including the BMC polls, RokhthokinSaamana–the Shiv ONWAIT LIST inMaharashtraisbasedonacom- dership.Contendingthat a“weak Justasthe MVAarchitects ering construction premiums by together,Congress’Mumbaiunit Sena mouthpiece –said that it is mon minimum programme (C- Opposition” wasbad fordemoc- keep positioning that the one- 50 per cent forayear to boost is insisting that the party should shockingto seehowcentralagen- FOUR MONTHS afterhis abrupttransfer from the Nagpur mu- MP)andlimitedto Maharashtra.” racy,Rauthadcalledforexpansion year-old alliance wasgaining real estate activity,objecting to fight the elections solo. Congress cies arebeing usedtobring down nicipal commissioner’s post, bureaucrat Tukaram Mundhe is His remarks come in the of the Congress-ledUPA bloc. ground, sources saidthat Cong- notbeing consulted. leader and Mumbai (City) theMamataBanerjeegovernment still awaiting anew post.Sourcessay thatamajority of ministers wake of Shiv Sena’s battingfor OffendedbyRaut’s remarks, ress is also upset at being treated Sonia Gandhi, too, had writ- Guardian MinisterAslam Shaikh in West Bengal. BJP leader Kailash arenot keen on having the 2005-batchofficer postedintheir NCPparty president Sharad Chavansaid, “It is notproper for likeadistant thirdwheel,and has tentothe chief ministeron has been writing officialletters Vijayvargiyahas disclosedthat respectivedepartments even as Mundhe is said to be eyeing Pawar’s appointment to theUPA ShivSenatocomment on UPA’s nowdecidedtoassertitself. December 14,reminding him against“cartelisation” and “offi- Prime MinisterNarendraModi BMC's additional municipal commissioner’s postfor awhile. chairperson’s post, whichhas leadership.” Earlier this month, aftersev- that “policies and programmes cio-contractor” nexus in Sena- playedakey role in toppling the With his frequentrun-ins with elected representatives, it needs been occupiedbyCongress TheShivSenaisyettobecome eral Congress legislators com- forthe welfareofthe Dalitsand controlledBMC. KamalNath government in to be seen if the CMO accedes to his preference. Mundhe is also MadhyaPradesh, he added. due forpromotion to the secretary-rank by December end. “TheUniongovernmentcame to the rescueof(actor) Kangana Ranaut and (RepublicTVeditor- in-chief) Arnab Goswami. Mum- bai’s‘Metro’hasbeenblockeddue HOME SICK to political ego. If the Union gov- STATEBJPpresidentChandrakantPatil’sremarksabout“returning ernment does notrealise that the to Kolhapur” have setpolitical tongues wagging. At afunction in peoplearesufferinginthispolitical Pune on December 25, Patil, who hails from Kolhapur but was fight, then it will nottakealong electedasanMLAfromPune’sKothrud,madeitclearthathehasno time forthe Indian states to break plans to settledowninPune. “Tell my opponentsI’llreturn to intopieceslikeRussia. We have to Kolhapur,”hesaid.Whetherhisremarkswere meantforhisoppo- lookat2020 as ayear that created nents in BJP or other parties is notclear yet. Afew days ago, Leader aquestion markonthe capacity of Opposition in the stateAssembly, Devendra Fadnavis, had vis- and the credibilityofthe Union ited formerparty MLAfromKothrud, Medha Kulkarni, whohas government.Therelationshipbe- been sulkingsince she wasdeniedatickettoaccommodatePatil. tween the Centreand the statesis deteriorating,” said Raut. The Sena leader further said INTHE LINE OF FIRE that 2020 is transferring the bur- den of inflation,unemployment, AMINISTER,whoisknownfromhisstrongarmtacticsanddefiant economic crisis, despairand frus- styleofpolitics, has reportedlyinvited ChiefMinisterUddhav trationonto thecomingyear.“The Thackeray’swrath.Sourcescloseto Thackeray saidthatcertainpri- governmentdoesnot have money vate institutions had approachedthe CMO,complaining thatthe but it has moneytowin elections ministerwas forcing them to accede to his demands. Thackeray is and topple governments. The said to have cautionedthe ministerabout his behaviour. country is moving towardsmore debt. Iwonderhow the Prime EYES ON TARGET Ministermanages to getdecent TURF WAR sleepinthenightinthissituation,” Amural paintedbystudentsaspartofthe Swachh Bharat AbhiyaninBelapur,NaviMumbai. NarendraVaskar he added. THE ABRUPT transfer of 1993-batchIAS officer Lokesh Chandra OnChina’sincursioninLadakh from the postofprincipal secretary(WaterResources) within early thisyear,Rautsaid,“Wewere four months of taking charge is being attributed to Chandra be- notable to push backChinese sol- ing at odds withdepartment ministerand NCP’s Maharashtra NO BAIL FORMAN BOOKEDFOR diers but nationalism wasusedto president Jayant Patil over aproposal. VijayKumar Gautam (1987 RAPE OF 11-YEAR-OLD GIRL HC: Holding hand of minortoexpress divert the attention of the people batch), who has nowsucceededChandratothe post, is retiring from the issue. Acampaign was in afew months, while Chandraisstill on compulsorywaiting. Bail for accused will send love, inadvertentphysicaltouch without run to boycottChinese goods and Chinese investment. Rather than stoppingChineseinvestments,we ALL IN THE FAMILY wrong signal, victim his great sexual intent not assaultunder POCSO shouldhave pushedbackChinese soldiers from Ladakh. It would UPCOMINGPOLLSto 51 grampanchayatsinJalgaon’sMuktainagar granddaughter’s age, says HC threatenedfor nearly eight have been great aservice in the maysee Eknath Khadse squareupagainsthis daughter-in-law OMKARGOKHALE However, the courtsaid months, the complaint said, the name of nationalism.” Raksha. While Khadse, an ex-BJP ministerwho has switchedover made his firstattempt of sexually MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 that other offences minorapproachedthepoliceand to NCP, hasbeentaskedwithensuringthattheNCPwinsmaximum OMKARGOKHALE assaulting the minor -- his next lodged the complaint. seatsinthesegrampanchayats,BJPhasmadeRaksha–thepartyMP MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 door neighbour -- on May23. He GRANTEDANTICIPATORYbailto a againstthe applicant, Afterhearingsubmissionsand New Indian from Raver–the in charge of itselection campaign. did the same the next dayaswell. 27-year-oldman from Baramati including stalking as perusingmaterial on record, the OBSERVINGTHATa72-year-old On May25afternoon, again find- in Pune district, who wasbooked benchled by Justice Dangreob- Muraingrass man, booked forthe rape of a11- ing the girlalone at home, he en- forholding the hand of a17-year- per Section 354D served,“Primafacie,lookingatthe POSTRETIREMENT PERK year-oldgirland other offences teredherhouse.Butthegirlstarted oldand"expressinglove"towards of the IPC, were allegations levelledinthe FIR, the species found in under the Protection of Children screaming and calledout to her her,the BombayHigh Courtre- bailable...Allowing pre- applicant expressedhis feeling of PLANSAREafoottobringallongoingandproposedMetro railroutes from Sexual Offences(POCSO) aunt, resulting in the man fleeing centlyheldthatmerelyholdingor love towardsthe complainantby Western Ghats inMumbaiunderoneumbrellastate-runcorporation.Aseniorbu- Act, is practicallyofthe ageofthe to his house, Diggikar added. touching hand to express love to- arrest bail plea...the holdingherhandononeoccasion. reaucrat is said to be eyeing the post of the chairman of the pro- minor's great grandfather,and if The benchobserved,“We wardsaminor withoutsexual in- benchsaid, “Subject to This by itself cannotbesaid to be posednew corporation, posthis retirement at the end of February, the chargesagainsthim are have gone through the statement tent does notamount to offence the stipulation that the fallingwithinthesweepof Section EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE 2021. In2018,theDevendra Fadnavisgovernmenthadre-employed proved,itwillamountto “heinous of the victim, whichisquite ex- of sexual assault under the 7(of the POCSO Act), since prima PUNE,DECEMBER27 RadheshyamMopalwarasMSRDC’svice-presidentandmanaging crime”, the Aurangabad benchof plicit and being agirlofatender Protectionof ChildrenfromSexual applicant will in no facie the ingredientsofSection 7 director on contract basis on the very dayheretired from service. the Bombay HighCourthas re- ageofonly11years, she has nar- Offences (POCSO) Act. manner pressurisethe arenot made outinthe wake of RESEARCHERS FROM the Pune- Mopalwar’s contract has since been renewedfromtime to time. centlydismissedhis bail plea. ratedall eventsindetail when Asingle-judge benchofJustice complainant...” allegationsinthecomplaintorat- basedAgharkarResearchInstitute, Adivision benchofJustice R she wasinterrogatedbythe po- BharatiHDangreonDecember22 tempting to contact her by use of in collaboration with their coun- COMPILEDBYSANDEEPASHAR VGhugeand Justice BU lice. If theoffence is proved,it passedanorder on thepre-arrest electronic communication…any terpartsfromUniversity of Goa, Debadwar December 16 passed would amount to aheinous bail plea by the27-year-oldman, physical touchinadvertentlyor have discoveredaspeciesof Indian HaveacommentorsuggestionforMumbaiConfidential?Writeto an order on criminal appeal filed crime. The appellant is anearly whowasbookedby BaramatiCity pressedhis love"towards her. without anysexual intent could Muraingrass along the Western [email protected] by aresident of Chalisgaon in 70 years old man and the victim, Policeearlierthisyearforpunish- When she ignored him,heheld notbebrought withinthe sweep Ghats. Besides being of economic withsubjectline:MumbaiConfidential Jalgaon, seekinghis release and going by the social pattern of vil- able offences undersections354 her right hand and expressedhis of the said section.” significanceasitiscommonlyused challenging the trial courtorder lages, is practicallyofthe ageof (criminal forcecommitted on a feelings, the complaint said. The However, thecourtsaid that as fodder,this species, named that denied him bail. his great granddaughter.” woman to outrageher modesty) complaint said the minor was other offences againstthe appli- Ischaemum janarthanamii, has Additional Public Prosecutor Dismissing the bail plea, the and 506(criminal intimidation) scaredandleftthe spot. Later,she cant, including stalking as per foughtharshconditionsto survive Thackeray’s PA appointed PVDiggikar told the courtthat courtnoted, “Takingintoac- of the Indian Penal Code and waswarnedagainstreportingthe Section 354D of the Indian Penal in this ecologically-sensitivere- the FIR waslodged by Jalgaon count thefactorsrecordedand Section7(sexualassaultof minor) incident to anyone, she said. Code,werebailable. gion, researchers say. police on May26, following in viewofthe fact that the trial of the POCSOAct,among others. The manthen allegedly for- Allowing pre-arrest bail plea The newspecies, belonging to Mumbai T20 League whichthe girl's statement was in the matter would commence, According to the complaint warded messages from different of the applicant, the benchsaid, GenusIschaemumwasidentified recordedasper the Criminal setting the appellant at liberty filedbythe minor,she wasastu- SIM numbers to her mobile “Subjectto thestipulationthatthe afterundertakingthorough mor- governing council chairman ProcedureCode. would send awrong signal, in as dent and the accused washer phone.Themanallegedly toldher applicant will inno manner pres- phological studiesof samplescol- As perthecomplaint,thegirl's muchas, the victim is likelytobe neighbour.Onedaywhileshewas thathehad opened an Instagram surise the complainant, he is en- lectedfromlateritesurfacesinthe MCAfor10 years.“TheT20League parents, who arefarmlabourers, terrorisedifthe appellantwas to goingto hertuitionclasses,theac- account to "malign her image" in titled forbeingreleasedonbail in outskirtsofGoa’s Bhagwan DEVENDRAPANDEY isoneof MCA'sbiggestbrandsand were notathome when the man roam around free.” cusedrestrainedher and"ex- her friend circle. Afterbeing anticipationofhis arrest.” Mahavir National Park. MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 we willensuremaximumplayers getachance to playinitand ben- MILIND NARVEKAR, the personal efitfromthetournament.Wewill assistantto Chief MinisterUddhav alsoinvolve collegesand schools Saibaba’slawyer accuses jailstaff of denying him winter clothes Thackeray,was elected as the acrossMumbaito generatemaxi- chairman of the Mumbai T20 mum viewershipfor thetourna- proaches them to handoverthe differently-abledand wheelchair- Sorde has listedthree books, scan and sensor when necessary, intohis misery. Ihope sense will League'sGoverning Council at mentundertheableleadershipof VIVEKDESHPANDE listeditems to be deliveredto boundwith multipleprogressive “a treatise on the Constitution of before theygoout. In anycase prevail overyou on thiscount and MumbaiCricket Association's Milind Narvekar,” he said. NAGPUR,DECEMBER27 Saibaba. diseases. India by Gautam Bhatia, an theyposednosecurity threat.” youwill allowhim to use the (MCA)generalbodymeetingheld Meanwhile, the MCAhas re- Allegingthatseveralessentials “Despitehaving provided Englishtranslationof Tamil best- Sorde further accusedthe jail equipment.” attheWankhedeStadiumSunday. vokedthe suspension of former LAWYER of Delhi University (DU) hehadtakenforhisclientwere re- everything along with the cata- seller titled as AMMA, which as authorities of “notreturning”the Jail Superintendent Anup The MCAalso elected Suraj India off-spinner Ramesh Powar professor GNSaibaba, lodged in turnedbythe jail authorities, logue, on your command, your even name suggests is about a items “nottick-marked” by the Kumretold TheIndian Express, Samat as the second Governing and he willbeconsidered forfu- the Central Prison herefor the Sordesaid,“Youhave evenrefused staffrefusedtoacceptmaterials woman who toiledhardinher life jail authorities forhanding over “The accusations raisedby CouncilmemberforitsT20league. turecoaching assignments. The pastthree years afterconviction to acceptwoollen cap/monkey whichare neither security threat to raise her children and anovel to his client. “Of all, Iammore Saibaba’slawyer arenot true. We Narvekar,who has servedas MCAhad suspended Powarafew by aGadchiroli court,has accused cap, napkin, handkerchief, towel, nor pose anydanger of contact- by Mirza Wahid about adoctor concernedabout the wristweight provide himeverythingasper jail ShivSena's party secretary, has yearsago afterheleftMumbai the jail authorities of denying him and whiteT-shirt, while youac- ing or transmitting Covid-19,” who composes his thoughtsto cuff/medical hand weight of 1kg manual. As regardswoollen cap, beenamemberof thelocalcricket mid-season duringhis stint as co- basic winter provisions like ceptedunderwear and loin cloth Sorde said, adding, “on demand- writeinlettertohis daughter, whichheneeds as partofhis he already has winterwear.The body formorethan adecade. ach. It had passedaresolution not woollen cap along with afew only. Giventhe bonechillingcold ing reasons forthe same, your of- wherein he aims to “Tell Her physiotherapymandate. Youare question of physiotherapymate- “It's an honour forme. Iwill to consider coaches who have left other things including wrist that whole of Nagpur is facing, I ficials chose nottogiveany writ- Everything”. awarethat he has progressive de- rial doesn’t arise since we arepro- take the guidance of Sharad coaching assignmentsmid-way. weight cuffmeant forregular failto understandhowelsedoyou tenreasons but offeredtotick He further said, “you forno generation of the nerves because viding him all that doctors have Pawarjiandwork forthebenefitof Powarhad appliedfor the physiotherapy. expect my clienttosavehimself markthe item on copyofmylist, conceivablereasons evenrefused of whichhewas advisedregular prescribed.The bookssought to MCAaswellasour cricketers. We Mumbai Ranji Trophy coachjob In aletterwritten to Jail from the cold.” therebyindicating whichofthe to acceptblank whiteseal-packed assistedphysiotherapyinorder to beprovidedtohim hadbeen sent willstrive to makethe league lastmonth but his candidature Superintendent AnupKumre, “I myself on instructionsof my items will be takenand later on 200pages, notepad, edition of ensurethat he will notlose con- forapproval to the Naxal Cellof muchbiggerandbetter,”Narvekar wasnot considered.“Aresolution lawyer AkashSorde has also ac- client and on humanitarian con- giventomyclient. The items that India Todaymagazine. My client trol over his onlyfunctional arm. the statepolice.Onlyafter their told The IndianExpress. waspassedbyapexcouncilrevok- cusedthe jail authorities of “rude- sideration came with the articles your officers have rejected form being ascholar and notedintel- While youhavegot medical ex- approval, they can be allowed. Samat, who runs adistrict ing Powar's suspension,” MCA ness, disregardand complete in- so as to hand it over to your staff essential medical necessities, sta- lectual, would have usedthe perts to put him on self-exercise Saibaba is notanordinaryinmate. sports complexatBandra-Kurla honorarysecretarySanjayNaik sensitivity” in denying basic afterthorough securitychecksto tionaryfor writing andmaterial same fortaking notesorwriting as againstassistedexercise, deny- So, we have to followcertain Complex, has been involved with said duringthe meeting. courtesiestohim when he ap- Prof Saibaba, who youknowis requiredforintellectualpursuits.” letters which youmeticulously ing this instrument will onlyadd guidelines.” WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 MAHARASHTRA 5

WATERLOGGING IN MUMBAI BMC to remodel old drains, widen existing ones

Hindmataand Parelsaw long well as divert drains in case of Chowpatty.Officials had also LAXMANSINGH hours of waterlogging. emergency. found missing drain links. MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 While BMC officials had “The work will be completed Similarly,inMumbai Central, blamed extremelyheavy rainfall in the next one or twoyears. BMC drains were damaged due THE BMC is settotakeupremod- forthese unusual occurrences, at Island city has the oldestdrain to theMetro 3corridor construc- elling of old drains and widening some locations, morethan acen- networks.Inmanycases, the tion work.While BMC has of the existing ones in viewofthe turyold drains were found to be drain capacity has further re- claimed that rainwaterreceding unusual flooding witnessedby one of the contributing factors ducedeitherdue to collapseor capacity of the drains is 50 mm Mumbai this monsoon. It will behind the waterlogging. cavity has been formed. per hour,inthe island city,itis also look intocollapseddrains On August5and September Widening and reconstruction of less as the drains areold. and divert storm waterdrain 23, Mumbai had recordedthe thesedrains will help abatewa- Further,the civicbody will lines in caseofemergency. highestrainfallof331.2 mm and terlogging,” said the official. remove trees whose rootsare This year,the city had wit- 267.62 mm rainfall, respectively, These workswill costthe civic damaging or blocking drains. nessedunusual flooding in many in 24 hours. body around Rs 50 crore. Officials said that in some cases, parts, especiallyinsouth and Asenior official from BMC's According to BMC data, the is- tree rootshavegone belowthe central Mumbai. Areas like stormwater drain department landcity has adrain networkof drains and suchtrees needtobe Girgaon Chowpatty,Marine said that the contractorthatwill over 550 km. removedwith permission from Drive,Churchgate,Walkeshwar, be appointed will remodel old On August5and 6, BMC offi- the Tree Authority.Also, BMC Breach Candy and Chinchpokali drains, convert old arch and cials had found that an old drain will laynew RCC(reinforcedce- had witnessedunusual water- dhapa drains intonew pipe near Walkeshwar had collapsed ment concrete) pipes drains in logging. Also, areas likeGrant drains, reconstruct collapsed –one of the reasons leading to Parel, Matungaand Worlito Road, Mumbai Central, nullah walls and old drains as the uncommon floodingin minimise waterlogging. Diamond broker duped of Man from Pune rides to Rs 1.16 crore by woman he Kanyakumari to mark befriended on Instagram his 10,000th day on earth

him that the parcel has been “When Iwas moreconfident, SAGARRAJPUT seizedatthe airportand to getit, RUCHIKAGOSWAMY Irode up to Bengaluru, had lunch MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 the broker will have to paypar- PUNE,DECEMBER27 with twoofmyfriendswho also cel chargesand taxes. Between happentoberiders.Theysug- A42-YEAR-OLD diamond broker October 19 andNovember 10,the ALTHOUGH THE year has been a gested changing the bikeand from Girgaon wasallegedly man endedupsending Rs 60.49 bummer due to the pandemic, takingaBenelli TRK502 bike. I dupedofRs1.16crore by a lakh to multiple bank accounts. Pradnyesh Molak (27), creative rode 630 kilometres in justseven woman he befriendedon He then receivedacall from a director at Ziva Studiosrecently hours to Bengaluru,”said Molak. Instagram. man, who also posedasacus- markedhis 10,000th dayofhis The next day, on Christmas According to his statement to toms official calledJohnson lifebytravelling 1,600kilome- Eve, Molak said he leftfor the police, on October 10,the Williams. Maintaining that it has tres to see the sunsetand sunrise Kanyakumari at 9amfrom broker -- who is marriedand has been forbidden by RBItosend at Kanyakumari. Bengaluru and reachedhis spe- an office at Bharat Diamond large sums of moneytoany ac- “A couple of months back, cialdestination in eight hours, Bourse in BKC--receiveda count, Williams asked the bro- when Iwas on the Internet, I covering adistance of 700kilo- friend's requestonInstagram kertocometoDelhi to collect the came acrosssomething known metres. from awoman namedAlex dollars. On November 12,the as your 10,000th dayonEarth. I “I felt so proud to cover1,600 Zendra. The broker acceptedthe broker metJohnson in Delhi. explored that Iwas near to kilometres in justafewhours requestand startedchatting Johnson asked him to payRs17.5 10,000days of my life. Isaw it in when Iwas at the tip of the coun- with Zendra,who claimedtobe lakh to convert the dollars into October and calculated that on try, Kanyakumari. Iexperienced employedasacaptain in aship Indiancurrency.The broker then December 24th, Iwould turn 27 the sunsetfor an hour-and-a- in London. endeduptransferring another years, four months and 15 days, half, whichwill remain in my “Westarted chatting on Rs 55.50 lakh in his account. whichadds up to 10,000 days.I memoryfor years to come. The WhatsApp. Afterafew days, Aftersensing something had also read asmall article by next morning, on my 10001th Zendratold me that she loved amiss, the complainant in- famous writer Dr AHSalunkhe day, Iwitnessedaspectacular me and wanted to marry me.On formedhis wifeand approached entitled,‘I Should Have Gone To sunrise from the same town. October 17,she sent me avideo the VPRoad police station. A Kanyakumari At The AgeOf19 Kanyakumari is theonlyplace in whichshe showedbranded cheating case wasregisteredon Instead Of 59’. This wasatrigger wherewecan witness sunset shoes, gold chains, watches and Fridayunder the Indian Penal forme, as Iamalready 27 and and sunrise on the west andeast US dollars that she said she is code and the Information have notbeen to Kanyakumari,” coastrespectively,and it is the sending forme,” the broker told Technology Act, 2000. said Molak. onlyplace wherethree salt wa- the police. Asenior police officer said On 23rd, he took an terbodies meet; Arabian Sea, While he waited forthe par- theyare trying to trace the cul- impromptudecision and left Indian Ocean and the Bayof cel, the broker receivedacall pritsthrough their call data Pune on aRoyal Enfield 350 Bengal. Formethis is amile- from anotherwoman, who records and the bank accounts Classic. He reachedKolhapur stone, as Ibiked all the wayand posed as acustoms official in whichmoneywas transferred (267kms)within three-and-a- perhaps will be on thebikefor a namedMayaChattri. Shetold by thebroker. half hours. couple of days more,” he said.

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Delay in admissions worry parents andstudents In online learning, an educator becomes more of an instructor. Digital learning has completely upended our chalk-talkmodel of education

URRENTLY,there is no sector/industrythat has- old-fashioned pen-and-pencil methods. In online learn- source Development (MHRD) has recommended that firstyear classes willnot commence till second or third very little time in the next year to complete the entire n’t bore the brunt of the pandemic.Theeduca- ing assessment tests, students can be trackedfor their “the durationfor online classes for pre-primary stu- week of January so in all probability,wewillbeinapo- year’sportion. Ction sector is one of those sectors that has suf- progressthroughdigitally designed quizzesonlearned dents should not be for more than 30 minutes.For sition to finishthe first semesteronly byApril or May.” Moreover,“TheAll India Council for Technical Edu- fered the maximumand hasgone through many of concepts, withanswers ranging from shortanswer to classes 1to8,the HRD Ministry has recommended two This situation leaves little to no time for colleges and cation (AICTE) is yet to clarify its stand on the status those pandemic-induced improvisations to remain sta- true/falseand multiple choice.Another exciting,quick, online sessionsofupto45minutes each while for universities as well as students for first year sessions. of curriculumfor first year batches of professional ble and functional in today’sunpredictable world. short answer assessment tool is cloze activities,com- classes 9to12,four sessions of 30-45 minutes duration To makeupfor the lost time,manyinstitutes arecon- courses under its wing.” Theproblem is that there is When the pandemic hit, it wasthe time of the start of prisingaseries of statements about important lesson have been recommended.” sidering “compressingthe curriculum”. This means no clarity yet as to how to move ahead and in what di- board examinations in the country,with students ready points,replacing keytopic terminology with blank Right now,admissions to educational institutions is a that regulatory authorities have to consider remodelling rection.Once there is clarity,college and university ad- andprepared to sit for those.Itwas alsothe time for col- spaces. huge concern for parents as well as students.Theoner- the current curriculum based on the academic time in ministrationsare willingtogothe extramiletoensure lege and university examinationstostart. 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As per an education the first year batch.Knowing that 2020 has already eye-opener for the education sector and with admis- aminations postponed until it wasdeemedfit to con- children exposed to the prolonged usage of devices. sector expert,“There are two semesters to cover for the come to its end,many educational experts believe that sions of 2020 moving into 2021, it remains to be seen duct those,with alot many rules,regulations and Recognising this problem, the Ministry of Human Re- first year and going by the latest admissions schedule, such changeswillbecomethe norm,leaving themwith what the future holds for students. checks in place. With no option left and continuity of learning being necessary,schools,colleges and universities shifted to online teaching methodology,with many of them using the online platforms for the very first time.Our age-old teaching methodology structure,includingoffline teaching and assessment tests,was the first to be di- rectly and severelyaffectedbythe pandemic. 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Overnight,educationalinstitutions acrossthe coun- Eligibility criteria for admission: As per State CET Cell, Maharashtra. try shifted their entire modus operandi of delivering Note: All the eligible Candidates aspiringfor admission for Institutional Quota and educationonline to ensurecontinuity of learning. In Vacant Seats after CAP,itismandatory to get registered, documents verified and online learning, the role of an educator becomes more confirmed at E-Scrutiny Centre. of an instructor.Digital learninghas completely up- Admissionwill be on the basis of Inter-Se-Merit of eligible candidates who have ended our chalk-talk model of educationand thus,in applied to the Institute. this changed scenario,itisimperative for instructors Forfurther Details and Schedule of Admission Process, please visit Institute Website to embrace and adopt new ways of doing things. and Notice Board in person at the Institute. 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OVER THE HEDGE by Michael Fry &TLewis CROSSWORD 4313 DAYTODAY BYPETERVIDAL

ARIES (Mar 21 -Apr 20) LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) One of your major Keep yourself to skills is your ability yourself if that is to understand the what youwant. You broader picture, mayhavetoput on a but todayyou should swing to performance in public, but what the oppositeextreme and is truly important is what's examine everysingle detail, happeninginyoursub- otherwiseyou'reliableto conscious. The decisions you overlook something vital. take nowwill shape your affairs Perhaps apartner can show over the next four weeks. youthe wayforward. SCORPIO (Oct. 24 -Nov.22) TAURUS (Apr.21-May 21) Powerful social Makesureyou have planets suggestthat an enjoyable day. nowisthe time for The Moon's team-workand co- position suggests operation. Don't trytogoit CALVIN &HOBBES by Bill Watterson that what oriental sages have alone for, if youdo, you'll run been saying forcenturiesis the risk of shooting yourself in true: even routine and the foot.Makethe mostof humdrumactivitiescan be children's enthusiasm, and do satisfying if accomplished what youcan to shape their with the right attitude.Goon, energies positively. ACROSS DOWN tryit. 1 Grass bed (5) 2Subtle implication, but a SAGITTARIUS(Nov.23 -Dec 22) 8Setting offtobecome aboxing patentlyobvious one (8) GEMINI (May22-June 21) It's time to be champion (8) 3It’s coming up in pursuit to Domestic and ambitious, and not 9Floral platedesign (5) beat one (8) family to be ashamed 10 Unsleeping watchonaworker 4Good time of the year to responsibilities are about it! It's no (8) procurethe release of a likelytobemost over-statement to saythat 11 Makeadeclaration in bad taste prisoner (6) pressingtoday. Even if you're even apparentlytrivial (5) 5Running away of resources put at work,the best wayto developmentsoverthe coming 12 As an example taking nothing debtor in amuddle (5) completeall your days and weekscould change foroneself (3) 6The firsttointroduce the responsibilities will be to your career direction for 16 Southern union about to reach golden handshake(5) generateafamily good, so there's no room at all agreement (6) 7Stone foragarden entrance, atmosphere. If everyone forcomplacency. 17 Unties knots,yet drawsthem perhaps (5) knows their place, they'lldo together (6) 12 Complete part of agameof the best job. CAPRICORN (Dec. 23 -Jan. 20) 18 MarkorDorothy (3) bowls(3) If youstill feel 23 People mayact on it 13 Notconscious one is in error? MARVIN by Tom Armstrong CANCER (June 22 -July23) confused, hurtor (5) (3) Good angryit's because 24 British capitalist 14 Statecarriage? (8) communication recent traumas are (8) 15 Agrees on twopoints, then seems to be awfully still being stirredupbyother 25 New -toocean travel? another colour (3-5) important, and people. However, over the next (5) 19 Asingularly unwell American you'll have to realise that if you fewweeksyou will gradually 26 Hurry to prepareeggs playwright (6) don't attend to all practical understand that what has (8) 20 Joyisacomposer (5) complexities yourself, others happenedhas been forthe 27 Union notice that maybe 21 Cross anytwo letters inside (5) arelikelytostepin-and getit best.It's justthat it might not objected to 22 Brief stop formanyinatrance all wrong. Take the have been what you (5) (5) responsibility forputting your were expecting. ownplans intoaction. SolutionsCrossword4312:Across:1Fieldfares,6Blur,10 Erato, 11 Meditated,12 AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb.19) Nihilism, 13Epoch,15Ratline,17 Chimera,19 Despoil,21Corslet,22Ruing,24 LEO (July24-Aug. 23) Youmay tryto Sterling,27Unanimous,28Noise,29Ewer,30Stationery. Down:1Fled,2 Current discussions distance yourself Emaciates, 3Dhobi,4Armoire,5Endemic,7Lotto,8Rudehealth,9StHelier,14 over finances are from anycolleagues Traderoute,16 Irongrip,18 Eglantine,20Lastout,21Cresset,23Irate,25 Lingo, likelytobelinked to who makeyou feel 26Defy. past emotional upset or angry, and dramas, in whichcase it may concentrate on important be difficult to see the way thingslikeboosting your forward. Don't act free and income, and setting yourself easywithother people's cash, up forfutureprosperity.It's JUMBLEDWORDS DifficultyLevel5s by the way, because they're time to lookafter number one Instructions bound to notice sooner -and,whenyou'vetaken care Givenbelowarefourjumbledwords.Solvethejumblestomakeproperwordsandmovethemto TosolveaSudokupuzzle, or later. of yourself, youcan think

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For The tender Specification canbedownloaded from TANGEDCOWebsite, Nine), only.NECC 9356217008. advertisers or otherwise acting 2020-21, Date: for OCSL Plant /Items by Reverse 28-01-2021 DetailsCall 7045601444, on an advertisementinany 28-12-2020 Engineering. www.tangedco.gov.in, www.tenders.tn.gov.in,atfreeofcost.Tender will be 22834107. 22703881. Pickup Fort. 0070717329-1 manner whatsoever. Forfurther clarification:ForSl.No.2to4maycontactbye-mail [email protected]/FaxNo.08395-274644 opened through the NICPortal https:tntenders.gov.in/nicgep/app 0070723204-1 and For Sl.No. 1 maycontact by e-mail to [email protected] /Fax No. 08395-274605 and For Sl.No.05 0070721521-1 DIPR/4966/Tender/2020 CHIEF ENGINEER/MECHANICAL/COAL maycontact [email protected] or 08395-232568. DetailedNITandtenderdocumentscanbeviewedand/or downloaded from NMDC's website https://www.nmdc.co.in/nmdctender/default.aspx or Central Public EDUCATIONAL EDUCATIONAL Procurement Portal https://www.eprocure.gov.in. Further,for anycorrigendum, amendments, clarification etcmaypleasefollowtheabovewebsite. For and on behalf of NMDC Limited General Manager (Production) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 GOVT &POLITICS 7 LAST ‘MANN KI BAAT’ PROGRAMME OF THE YEAR On eve of Cong Makelistofforeignproducts, foundationday, swapthemforIndianones:PM Rahul flies abroad Modi invokes Sikh gurus, calls for quality boost in Indian manufacturing EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Gujari,attainedmartyrdom.Abo- friends have to come forward. NEWDELHI,DECEMBER28 Rahul EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Prime ut aweekago,itwas themartyr- Startups toohavetocome forth.” Gandhi NEWDELHI,DECEMBER27 Minister dom dayofShri Guru Tegh Baha- The PM alsospokeabout saf- ONTHEeveofthefoundationday Narendra durjitoo...OnceagainIbow to the fronfarmersof theValleyandsaid of the Congress, former party IN HIS lastMann Ki Baat address Modi martyrdom of Shri Guru Tegh theexportofhighqualityKashmiri presidentRahulGandhionSund- tack on the government over the of 2020onSunday, PrimeMinister Bahadur ji, MataGujari,Guru saffronwillfurtherstrengthenthe ay leftfor abroad on ashortper- farm laws issue. It asked Prime NarendraModicalledforaquality GobindSinghjiandthefoursahib- idea of AtmanirbharBharat. sonal visit. The party said he will MinisterNarendra Modi and his boostinIndianmanufacturingand shall use productsmade withthe zade.Several suchsacrifices have “Saffronhasbeenassociatedwith beaway forafew days,indicating Cabinetcolleaguesto sleeponthe aboycott of foreign goods “shack- hardworkand sweat of the peo- preserved thepresent fabric of Kashmir forcenturies. Kashmiri that he will mostprobablyring in floorto empathisewiththefarm- ling” the country, even as he ple of India,” he said. India,keepingitintact,”Modisaid. saffron is mainly growninplaces theNewYearinaforeignlocation. ersprotesting in the cold. BiharCMNitish Kumar withnewlyelected JD(U)president broughtupsacrificesmadeby Sikh And amid the stalematebe- ThePMlastweekvisitedgurd- likePulwama, Budgam and The Congress during the day Addressing the media at the RCPSingh at thenational executive meetinPatna, Sunday. PTI gurus in the backdrop of the farm tween farmers from Punjab and wara Rakab Ganj Sahib to pay Kishtwar.InMay this year,the sent out amessage, saying there AICCheadquarters,CongressMPs lawprotests. Haryana andthe Centreoverthe homage to Guru Tegh Bahadur. Kashmiri Saffron wasgiven the willbeaflaghoistingceremonyat from PunjabRavneetSingh Bittu PrimeMinisterModiurgedthe farm laws,Modi mentionedthe Referring to aletterwrittenby Geographical Indication TagorGI the 24,Akbar Road party head- and Jasbir Singh Gill who have people to makealistofforeign supreme sacrifices made by Guru one Venkat Murli Prasad from tag.Throughthis,we wantto make quarters at 9.30 am to markthe been staging asit-in at Jantar Nitish gives JD(U) productsthatcouldbesubstituted GobindSinghandGuruTeghBah- Visakhapatnamwhichstressedon Kashmiri Saffron aglobally popu- 136th foundation day. Mantar in solidarity withthe on- withIndianonesanddrive outthe adur to protectIndia’s “millennia improving quality of Indian prod- larbrand. Nowits exportswill get The party did notdivulgede- goingagitation slammedthe former from their life. Continuing oldculture, civilisation andtradi- ucts,Modisaid:“Thisistheoppor- aboost. Farmers growingsaffron tails of his travel itinerary. Cong- Prime Ministerfor nottakingthe charge to RCP Singh, his Atmanirbhar Bharat pitch, he tion”from“thecruelmisdemean- tune moment to work with the will be especially benefited by resscommunicationdepartment initiative to resolve thematter. saiditwastimeIndiancompanies ors of tyrantsand tormentors”. ethos of ‘zeroeffect, zerodefect’. I this,” Modi said. head RandeepSurjewala told PTI “It has neverhappenedsince beganmaking world-class prod- “On this day, the sons of Guru urge manufacturersand industry Invoking the BhagavadGita, he has leftfor abroad on ashort 1952 that Parliament’s Winter says he wantsto ucts. “I have saidthisearlier too... I GobindSingh,sahibzadeZorawar leaders of the country... people of the PM asked countrymen to al- personalvisitandwillbeaway for Session has nothappened. And onceagain urge countrymen...do Singh and FatehSingh were im- the country have takenafirm ways remain curious and con- afew days. this is acrucial time. The farmers preparealist. Whatever items we muredalive.The tyrantswanted step...movingaboldstepforward... stantlylearn. He said the Gita Rahul hadtravelledabroad in had been sitting at the borders of focus on governance use throughoutthe day... analyse the sahibzade to renounce their vocal forlocal is reverberating in startedwith aquestion. He gave Septembertoo,accompanyinghis Delhi for32days.The Prime Min- them... thinkofthings manufac- faith;abandontheteachingsof the eachand everyhousehold... in theexampleofa92-year-oldman mother and Congress president isterinhis Mann ki Baat radio ad- turedabroadthathave permeated great Guru tradition. But they suchascenario,itistimeto ensure from Tamil Nadu whohad learnt SoniaGandhiforherannualmed- dressspokeabouteverything,but

SANTOSHSINGH ED intoour livesunknowingly,ina showedamazingcourageandde- that our productsmeetglobal computersinoldageandwasnow icalcheck-upwhentheMonsoon did notmentionthe farmers, PATNA,DECEMBER27 Whatthis way, shacklingusdown.Letusfind termination even at that tender standards.Whateverisglobalbest; writing abook. sessionofParliament wason. labourers,” Bittu said. doesto

PLAIN outtheirsubstitutesmadeinIndia age... It wasonthis daythatGuru we should makeitinIndiaand FULLREPORTON While he left forabroad on a FULLREPORTON E RLSPplans ●

BIHAR CHIEF MinisterNitish EX and decide that henceforth we Gobind Singh ji’s mother, Mata proveit.Forthat,ourentrepreneur www.indianexpress.com shortvisit,hispartysteppedupat- www.indianexpress.com Kumar on Sunday handedover the reins of JD(U)tohis close aide RCPSINGH’S elevation and RajyaSabha MP Ram as JD(U) president Chandra Prasad Singh. Singh had might delayoreven been holding the postofthe avertRLSPchief party’s national general secre- Upendra Kushwaha’s tary (organisation). return to JD (U). Kumar,who had been hold- Kushwaha, who had ing the position of the party’s na- been reportedlyeyeing tional president, said he wanted the number twoposi- to focus on governance. “It is not tion in JD(U) in event of easy to hold twopositions,” the his party merging with Chief Ministersaid at the na- JD(U), maywell have to tional executive meeting of rethink his strategy.An JD(U). He said he had “not alliance with the JD(U) wanted to become CM” and had looks amoreprobable acceptedthe postonlyat“the option forKushwaha as BJP’s insistence”. joining JD (U) would Singh’s elevation comes at a mean that Kushwaha time when the JD(U) has been would have to report to relegated to the position of the RCPSingh in organisa- junior partner to the BJP follow- tionalmatters. ing the Assemblypolls in Bihar. The development also comes soon aftersix out of the JD(U)’s sevenMLAsinArunachal leaders afterNitish. With Lalan Pradesh switchedovertothe BJP. Singhinterestedmoreinnational The JD (U) has termedthe devel- politicsandnotmuchactive inthe opment “unfortunateand un- organisation,RCPSinghemerged friendly”. as the clear choice.Singh has not Singh, aformer IAS officer wonany election yet. from Nalanda—alsoNitishKum- JD(U) national spokesperson ar’s home district—comes from KCTyagi told reporters, “Weare thesameOBCKurmicommunity hurtatthe Arunachal Pradesh as the Chief Minister. In selecting episode but it would have no im- Singh as his successor,Nitish has pact on Bihar.But what hap- reachedout to hiscoresupport penedinArunachal Pradesh is base of Koeri-Kurmi, known as againstcoalition dharma.” He Luv-Kush in the political lexicon addedthat the JD(U) would of Bihar.Hehas also cleared any work towardsstrengthening and unambiguityontheofficialnum- expanding itself underthe new bertwo in the party.What goes leader. against Singh is thelackofelec- Newly-elected JD (U) presi- toralimportance. Singh, along dent Singh said, “I profusely withLok Sabha MP RajivRanjan thankNitish Kumar forreposing Singh aliasLalanSingh, arecon- faithinme. It is ahighly emo- sideredthe seniormostparty tional moment forme.” Leadership change needed in state unit, UDF: Kerala Cong leaders to AICC team

failedtogiveaclear explanation SHAJUPHILIP onitstie-upwithWelfarePartyof THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India,”asource said. DECEMBER27 With the CPM claiming that theCongressisbeingledbyIndian SEVERAL CONGRESS leaders in UnionMuslimLeague,partylead- Kerala have demandedanover- ers said theyshould send out a haul of leadership in the state strong message that UDF allies party unit and the UDF during cannothijackthe Congress.“The theirinteractionwithanAICCdel- impressionthatCongressisledby egation looking intothe poor aminority-dominatedpartywou- showbythe Congress in the re- ld lead to further erosion of votes cent localbody polls. from majoritysegmentand non- Thedelegationwasledby AICC Muslim minorities.The party re- general secretaryin-charge of quires astrongleadership which Kerala TariqAnwar.OnSunday, it can assertitself before theallies,’’ heardthe views of Congress lead- another Congress leader said. ers.Leadersof Congressallieswo- Severalparty leaders de- uld meetthe AICC team Monday. mandedthat newfacesshould Congresssources said many be fieldedinthe Assemblyelec- leaders pointedout thatachange tions due to next year.“By pick- of guardwasrequiredintheparty ing a21-year-old as next Mayor and UDF.“Nobody namedstate of Thiruvananthapuram, CPM Congress president Mullappally has sent apowerful message RamachandranorUDF convener that it is giving morespace for MMHassan. We have conveyed youth, even though it is mereto- ourconcernthatthepartycannot kenism. In Congress, leaders facetheAssembly electionsunder aged above 70 and those who the present leadership. At the have retired from Delhi aftersev- sametime,we areaware thattime eral terms of Parliamentarypol- is running out foramajor over- itics areraring to contestthe haul,’’ said aCongress leader who Assemblypolls. We have de- spokeatthe meeting. mandedchances foryoung lead- Partysources said leaders ers,’’ said another leader. blamedUDFconvenerHassanfor Seniorpartyleaderandformer enteringintoanelectoral under- CM Oommen Chandy told the standing with Jamaat-e-Islami’s media that the time is notapt for WelfarePartyof India,which,they achange in leadership for said, ledtothe drifting away of Congress and UDF.“It is up to the secular votes and majority com- highcommandto decidewhether munity votes. “During the local sitting MPsshould contest the body polls, the UDF machinery statepolls,” he said. THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 8 EXPRESS NETWORK

BRIEFLY AfterBJYMrallysparksclashinUjjain MP House session postponedafter 60 locality,4residentsfaceNSAcharge officials test positive

Districtadmin carries out demolition drive in Muslim-majorityneighbourhood aday afterclash turedatefor the sessionwillbe Rajinikanth EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE decidedafter ameeting.” been registered. houses, as well as aclinic." "Not asingle person who was have been registeredfromboth BHOPAL,DECEMBER27 However, Leader of IRAMSIDDIQUE Tomar said this sparked Aday afterthe rally, the dis- partofthe rallyhas been ar- sidesand people arebeing iden- Opposition Kamal Nath, who Rajinikanth BHOPAL,DECEMBER27 stone-pelting that ledtoastam- trict administration carried out rested by the policedespiteus tifiedbasedonvideo evidence. THE THREE-DAYAssemblyses- waspresent in the meeting said, pede-likesituation. "Around 11 ademolition drive to clear "ille- submitting severalpieces of "Begum Bagh area is commu- sion scheduledtostartMonday “The government should not discharged TWODAYSafter abikerally by people were injured with one galencroachments" in the area. video evidence highlighting nallysensitive and those booked waspostponedafter 60 officials hold the session if it's notpossi- fromhospital the BJP youth wing triggered a person sustaining grievous in- One house wasdemolishedand them pelting stones and damag- under the NSAhad criminal and staffers, including five MLAs, ble but aspecial committee clashinaMuslim-majoritylocal- juries,” he said, adding that mul- another wasdamaged. Another ing vehicles." records. The policeinvestigation tested positive forCovid-19, of- should be formedtohold discus- Hyderabad, Chennai: ity in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain, tiple vehicles were damaged. resident, social worker Those againstwhom the NSA is objective and FIR has been ficials said Sunday.The recently- sions. This shouldbeanewprac- ActorRajinikanth, who the policeinvoked the National Begum Bagh residentsallege Mohammad Ayub, claimed: has been invokedare Ayaz recordedfrombothsides. In the approved FreedomofReligion tice put in place to ensureour sufferedfromhigh blood SecurityAct againstfour of its that the rallywas takenthrough “Basedonthe video of stone Mohammad, WasimAslam, firstFIR, sevenpeople have been Bill, 2020,was to be put up for voices arenot suppressed.” pressure, wasonSunday residentsand chargedthree the area on multiple occasions pelting, the officials had cometo Shadab Akram and Altu Aslam. booked,the secondFIR is against discussion on the firstday of the The Congress had organised dischargedfromahospital morewithriotingand attempt during the day, andthat rather demolish the house wherea Three others were booked on unidentifiedpersons, while in session. aprotest on Monday to oppose in Hyderabad afterthree to murder. than simplysloganeering, the woman wasseenpelting stones. chargesofattempt to murder the thirdFIR,aperson from the The decisiontoput offthe the three farm laws,with Nath days of treatment,author- The clashes took place Friday BJYM workers were abusing Theyrealisedthat it belonged to (IPC Section 307),rioting (Section rallyhas been identified." session wastaken afterameet- and other party MLAs expected ities said. Later,hetook a when around 60 bikers and 300 them. Ujjain Seher-e-Kaazi aHindu family, so theyinstead 147), voluntarilycausing hurt Abhilash Pandey, statepresi- ing of political leaders across to reachthe Vidhan Sabha on flightto Chennai.Theactor workers of the BharatiyaJanata Khaliqur Rehman said: "They demolishedthe one standing ad- (Section 323) andgivingfalse dent of BJYM, said: "This is the partylinesonSunday evening. tractors. However, the govern- washospitalisedonDece- Yuva Morcha(BJYM) were pass- were notslogans but abuses jacent to it.” statement (Section 423). These seventh incidentwherethe Home MinisterNarottam ment has barredthe movement mber 25 with severe hyp- ing through the city's Begum shouted while the rallywas The district collector did not three include twowomen—one workers carrying out rallyhave Mishra, who also holds charge of of heavy vehicles in afive-kilo- ertension and exhaustion. Bagh neighbourhood, raising crossingBegum Bagh. This agi- respond to multiple calls and of them has been arrested and been attacked.The workerswere the parliamentaryaffairsdepart- meterradiusofthe House. In addition to medication slogans, said Town Inspector tatedpeople as aresult of which messages seeking comment. another is absconding. attackedwith stones, pipes, ment, told reporters afterthe Soonaftertheannouncement, and diet, Rajinikanth has Arvind Singh Tomar of Mahakal stones were pelted from both Rehman said both the district According to Ujjain cookers and hotwater and any meeting: “It wasaunanimous Congress leader Arun Yadavsaid been advisedcomplete policestation, wherethree cross- sides. It also ledtodamageofve- administration and the police Superintendent of Police action from their side waspurely decission takeninthe presence the statehad postponedthe ses- bed rest forone week to FIRs related to the case have hicles of manyresidents,their had onlyacted againstresidents. SatyendraKumarShukla, FIRs in self-defence". of the Leader of Opposition. Afu- sion out of afear of farmers. help avoid stress in view of his post-kidneytrans- plant status, labile hyper- tension and age. Canlive life on own TRACKING INDIA’S COVID CURVE The actor early this mon- th announcedhewould CASES: ACTIVECASES:278,690 launchhis political party terms: HC reunites 300 in January ahead of the DAYSSINCE 10,187,850 DEATHS:147,622 PANDEMIC 2021Tamil Nadu BEGAN TESTS: 168,102,657 | RECOVERIES: 9,761,538 Assemblyelections. PTI inter-faith couple CASES DEATHS RECOVERIES TESTS DEC26 18,732 27921,430 943,368 parentsthe next day. According NEW DELHI EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE to the court, this wasdone DelhiCMurges LUCKNOW,DECEMBER27 “without anyapplication of mindand againsther wish”. Centretotalk THE ALLAHABAD High Courthas “The act of CJM, Etah, and observed that a21-year-old that of the CWC, Etah, reflects toprotesters Hinduwoman,who is married lackofappreciation of legal pro- NewDelhi:OnSunday to aMuslim man, “has achoice visions,” said the court. evening, metres from the to live her lifeonher ownterms”. It observedthatthe woman STATESWITHRISINGACTIVECASES farmers’ protestatSinghu She has nowreunited with her wasanadult as her dateofbirth ACTIVECASES RISEINLASTWEEK border,Chief Minister husband. wasOctober 4, 1999 and the CJM Kerala 63,820 3,369 Arvind Kejriwal and In an order passedon courtdid notappreciatethe fact Bihar 5,086 119 DeputyCMManishSisodia December 18,abenchofJustices that when aschool certificate Sikkim 611116 attendedthekirtan-darbar PankajNaqvi and VivekAgarwal had been produced, then any Home MinisterAmitShah in Imphal on Sunday. Express commemoratingthemar- observed that since the woman, otherevidencebecomes “sec- STATESWHEREACTIVECASESAREDECLINING tyrdom of Guru Gobind Shikha, has attainedthe ageof ondaryinnatureand should not ACTIVECASES DECLINEINLASTWEEK Singh’s mother MataGujri majority and has expressedthat be reliedon”. West Bengal 14,108 4,352 jiandhischaarsahibzaadas she wantstolivewith her hus- The woman’s husband had Manipur’s insurgency days over, Delhi 6,911 3,447 (four sons) at the Guru Teg band,Salman alias Karan, “she is been booked forkidnapping on Chhattisgarh14,028 3,012 Bahadur Memorial. They free to move as per her own September 27.The courthas also addressedagathering of choicewithout anyrestriction or quashedthe FIR againsthim. STATESREPORTINGMAXIMUMCASES over 200and spokeabout hinderance being created by It passedthe order afterinter- now on development path: Shah ONDEC26 TOTAL the farmers’ protest that thirdparty”. acting with thewoman,who Kerala 3,527735,612 has been on foramonth. The courtwas hearing a submitted that “she is amajor, BJP government,”hesaid. road worthRs475.68 crore. Maharashtra2,854 1,916,236 Kejriwalsaid:“Withfolded habeas corpus petition filedby her dateofbirth is 04.10.1999, she JIMMYLEIVON The BJP government has the Local media reports indi- West Bengal 1,253 546,008 hands, Iappeal to the Shikha, who washandedoverby has attainedthe ageofmajority IMPHAL,DECEMBER27 changed the face of Manipurin cated that apartfromthe inau- Centre...Theseareourpeo- the Etah CJM to Child Welfare andhas enteredintoawedlock”. justthree years, Shah asserted. gurationand foundation laying, STATESREPORTINGMAXIMUMDEATHS ple... Listentothem, with- Committee (CWC) on December The courthas directed police UNION HOME MinisterAmit Bringingupthe implementation another the purposes of Shah’s ONDEC26 TOTAL draw the laws,and end 7. Thecommittee had then to providesecurity to the couple Shah on Sundaysaid that of the InnerLine Permit, Shah visittoManipur wastofinalise Maharashtra6050,321 their struggle. Aurkitni handedoverher custody to her tilltheyreachtheir residence. Manipur,astate once riddled said it wasthe biggest gift to the Indo-Nagapeace talks. West Bengal 33 9,569 shahaadatlena chahteho with abad lawand order situa- peopleofManipur.Hesaid the Afterthe meeting, he inter- Delhi 23 10,437 aap? ”ENS tiondue to insurgency, bandhs ILP promise wasfulfilledbecause acted withrepresentativesofdif- and blockades, is moving ahead Prime MinisterNarendraModi ferent civil bodies including the DataasonDecember26,releasedbyUnionMinistryofHealthandFamilyWelfare,IndianCouncilofMedical In UP, writing caste on vehicles, Researchandstategovernments.Oftenthenumbersreleasedeverydaycontaindatafrompreviousdays RAJASTHAN on thepath of development af- wanted to address concerns of Nagas, Kukis, and Meitei in a aswell.Assuch,trendsbasedondailynumbersareonlyindicativeandnotdefinitive number plates to invite penalty terthe BJP came intopower. thosewho thought non-imple- marathon meeting held at Hotel Bodyofmissing He wasaddressing arally at mentation of ILP would beunfair. ClassicGrande in Imphal. 11-year-old Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh gov- According to officials, routine Imphal’s Hapta Kangjeibung During his visit, he also laid AUnitedNagaCouncil repre- ernment will take action against challans could be issuedtovio- grounds on the lastleg of his the foundation stone forseven sentative said that adelegation Sikh gurus’historytobein foundinAlwar those who mention their caste lators as per the existing rules as three-dayvisit to thenortheast. major projectsand launched metShah and submitted a on vehicles and number plates. there is no rule that allowseizure “Manipur usedtobeknown statewide e-office at Hapta memorandum with demands Jaipur:The body of an 11- Afteracomplaint, the UP of suchvehicles. forinsurgency,law and order sit- Kangjeibung. He also inaugu- including recognition of the UP school syllabus: Yogi year-old boywas found TransportCommissioner has is- Boasting one’s social status uation,bandhs, andblockades. ratedtwo major projects— Naga “National Flag” and on Sunday, aday afterhe suedadirective to all regional of- by putting up the names of their Buttoday, mostofthe militant Thoubal Multipurpose Project, “Constitution” and early “inclu- went missing in Rajast- fices to “takenecessaryaction caste and sub-caste on vehicles organisations have joined the constructed at estimated costof sive”and honourable solution MAULSHREESETH han’s Alwar district, po- againstsuchvehicles as per the has becomecommon practice in mainstream. Those left, would Rs 1998.99 crore, and Bishnupur- basedonuniquehistory of the LUCKNOW,DECEMBER27 lice said. The body of already existing rules”. Uttar Pradesh. ENS also do so following effortsofthe Tupul-Thoubal-KasomKhullen Nagas. Nirmal Bairwa wasfound UTTAR PRADESH Chief Minister with itsnose and ears Yogi Adityanath organised amputated,theyadded. Chhattisgarh villagers oppose 2BSF camps set up on ‘sacredland’ “Gurbani kirtan” and “langar” at Acomplaint of abduction his official residence on Sunday wasfiledatMalakheda lages, 127kmfromhere, on the member submitted their resig- the bank of Medhki river, where General of Police SundarrajP, on the occasion of “Sahibzada police station on Saturday PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA strategicallyimportant Partapur- nationsonSaturdayvia twolet- people from 35 villages perform however, said the twocamps are Diwas”, whichmarks themar- and the body of themiss- RAIPUR,DECEMBER27 Koyalibedaroute to provide se- ters to the Pakhanjoresub divi- rituals forour deities everyyear, among the 16 recentlyset up in tyrdomoffour “sahibzadas” of In LucknowSunday. Express ing boywas found in a curity to road work underway sional magistrate,” he said. he said. Bastar, and these have rattledthe Sikh guru Guru Gobind Singh field on Sunday, Alwar SP MORE THAN 50 representatives there, an official said. “Weare notagainstthe BSF “This area is under the Fifth Maoists who areforcing people and MataGujri.Healso an- Tejaswini Gautam said. of panchayatbodies in Hundredsofpeoplefrom camps.Weare opposed to the Schedule of the Constitution and to oppose the presenceofsecu- nouncedthat the history of Sikh tan”. AlongwithSikhrepresenta- She said the post-mor- Chhattisgarh's Maoist-hit over 100villages have been stag- acquisitionoflandwhere we permission from the local gram rity forces. He said all local senti- gurus will be includedinschool tives, theyalsohad “langar” food. temwill be conducted on Kanker district have tendered ing aprotest in Pakhanjorein have been performing rituals for sabha is mandatoryfor under- mentsare givenproper respect curriculum in the stateand TheCMremindedthegather- Monday, addingthat evi- their resignation protesting the Kanker since December 23, de- severalyears now. Theyeven takingworks.The administra- when suchcampsites arechosen. “Sahibzada Diwas” celebrated in ing howthe “sahibzadas” setex- dence is beingcollected. setting up of twoBorderSecurity mandingthat the BSF campsbe choppedoff atreethat we wor- tion should have consulted us Kanker Collector Chandan schools everyyear. amples of “protecting the Hindu Prima facie, it seems to be Forcecamps at sites whichare shifted, sarpanch Lachhuram ship, and this is disrespect to our before selecting the location of Kumar said theissue would bere- Wearing saffron turbans, the religion”. He addedthat the last acase of murder owing to reportedlyrevered by local resi- Gavde of Siksod told PTI. “Atleast gods and goddesses,”healleged. the camps,” said Sohan Hichami, solvedsoon and claimedthat chief minister, deputyCMsKeshav “sahibzada” had “put up afight aproperty dispute, the dents. 46 sarpanches,seven Janpad The camps have been setup aJanpad panchayatmember “prima facie,it seems the villagers Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Shar- againstthe orderofthen Mughal police said. PTI The camps have been setup panchayat members, one deputy at Karkaghat (near Katgaon) and from the area. have been staging protestunder ma, Cabinetministers and other Emperor Aurangzeb and refused near Katgaonand Kamtedavil- sarpanchand one zila panchayat Tumirghat (near Kamteda) on BastarRangeInspector pressurefromviolent forces”. officials participated in the “kir- to convert to Islam”. TELANGANA Ex-minister namedwomen ‘Truly passionate about dance, things weren’t surface level with him’ panelchief dance conventions and concerts still farawayfromthe soul and forabit and come back. We An interviewKothari did, about dance. Things weren’t sur- SUANSHUKHURANA as well as aarangetrams of young nuances of the artforms. So he couldn’t stop laughing about it whichisstill remembered,is face levelwith him. He would al- Hyderabad:TheTelangana NEWDELHI,DECEMBER27 dancers and small intimate decidedtolearn them. He later,” says Narayan, who adds that of Russian balletstarand the ways take notes,” says government on Sunday home concerts with as muchen- trainedinBharatanatyamunder that his writinghad enough then artistic director of the pres- Subrahmanyam. appointed former minis- ANYONE WHO'S had anything thusiasminanattempt to un- legendarygurus TKuppaiah gravitas and knowledge which tigious Paris OperaBalletinParis While he wrote reports and terVSunitaLakshma to do with anyform of Indian derstand and documentIndian Pillai and his son wasnot justtheoretical. “He -- Rudolf Nureyev. It waspub- columns in various newspapers Reddy as chairpersonto dance knows SunilKothari. From dance,passedawayonSunday Kalyanasundaram Pillai, fol- made the effort to learn even the lishedinIndia Todayin1985. In and magazines, Kothari later the statewomen’s com- ayoung student learningthe due to acardiac arrest.Hewas 87. lowedbytraining in Kathak un- rudimentaries of Kathak, fact Kothari even dancedfor held the UdayShankarChair in mission. Six others have ropes of Bharatanatyam in He had tested positive for der Jaipur gharana legend Pt Bharatanatyam, Manipuri, Nureyev, showing him the RabindraBharati University,and been appointed as mem- Tanjoretoadancing diva from Covid lastmonthand had recov- Badri Prasad. Odissi… so that whatever he movesfromIndian classical taught in the Dance Department bers of the Commission, Delhi or Chennai or the musi- ered from it lastweek. Kothari It wasinthe early 60s that wroteorspokeabout, he could dance (inpicture). of NewYorkUniversity as a accordingtoaGovern- cians, writers, make-up artistes wasadmitted to Fortis Hospital Kathak exponent Shovana do that with conviction.” Chennai-based FulbrightProfessor.Hewas a ment Order.The commis- and lighting technicians, who in the Capital lastevening. Narayan, who wasthen learning “He wasthereateachand Bharatanatyam exponent Padma member of the International sion has been headless have come andgone over the Born in Mumbai, Kothari from Lucknowgharana Kathak everyperformance. He alsohad Subrahmanyamrecountsher first Dance Council of Unesco and a since Tripurana Venkata years, everyone has been well- qualifiedasaChartered exponent Pt Birju Maharaj, met his favourites and in the latter meeting with Kothari in Mumbai. recipient of the Emeritus Ratnam demitted office acquainted withKothari and his Accountant before turning his SUNIL Kothari, who wasvisiting partofhis lifehewas frank Kothari wasthen staying with Fellowship of the Department of about twoyearsago. pocket camerathat wouldpop focus to studyIndian dance.He KOTHARI Maharaj.Kothari wanted to pho- enough to admit that he had his Zhaveri sisters -- the famed Culture, Government of India. He Reddy,whoservedasmin- out everynow and then, his gre- did his Phd from MS University, 1933-2020 tograph Maharaj andNarayan. failings by picking some over the Manipuridancersand wasintro- wasawarded the SangeetNatak isterduring the Congress garious personality and im- Vadodarawith research in “He wanted to photograph a other,” adds Narayan, who says ducedtoher by theeldestofthe Akademi Awardin1995and the regime in undivided And- mense passion forthe causeof Kuravanji and Kuchipudi and young Birju Maharajand then the documentation that he did four -- NainaZhaveri. “Itwas1963 Padma Shri in 2001.Hewas also hraPradesh,joinedtherul- dance. wasawarded aDLit by Rabindra of NorthGujarat. By all the re- me. Both of us had the problem through his writing and over 20 and thereweren’t writers like an elected fellowofSangeet ing TRS lastyear. PTI Dance historian, author,and Bharati forhis research in dance search,hemanaged to under- of colic pain. So Iwould pose and booksondance will be ex- him who knewthe artform well. NatakAkademi forhis contribu- critic, who would be spotted at sculptures of medievaltemples stand dance but felt thathewas then both of us would go away tremelyuseful forgenerations. Ifound him to betrulypassionate tion to Indian dance. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 EXPRESS NETWORK 9 SailormissinginUSwaters Gujarat ATS arrests Dawood, Abu Salem aide Mohammad Fazal Pathan, ana- rantsagainstDawood Ibrahim, EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE tive of Ajmer in Rajasthan, at a Abu Salem,and Kutti.According AHMEDABAD,DECEMBER17 checkpostonMehsanahighway to police, Kutti and AbuSalem with avehiclecarrying four kilo- had allegedly sent Pathan, the sinceDec3,kinawaitword THE GUJARATAnti-Terrorism grams RDXand otherweapons. latter’s associate, to receive the Squad (ATS) Saturdayarrested The consignment, police said, explosives’ consignment from both FleetManagement and the contract from his newcom- an associateofgangsters had been shipped from Pakistan Barmer. JIGNASASINHA Elegant Marine Services. pany, FleetManagement. He was Dawood Ibrahim and AbuSalem, via Rajasthan’sBarmer,aborder According to the 1996 war- MIRZAPUR,DECEMBER27 “Wedon’t know what hap- supposedtocomebackin Abdul Majid Kutti alias district,and wasbeingtaken to rant, Kutti is wanted under IPC penedbut we can’t acceptthat February. Whydidn’t theyhave Mohammad Kamal (58), from Kutti wasarrestedin Gujarat andMumbai foranal- sections 120B (criminal conspir- “ITHINK Igot on thewrong ship. I he is dead. He sounded nervous safetymeasuresfor someone Jamshedpur in Jharkhand foral- Jamshedpur. Express leged terrorist attackonJanuary acy), 121(waging warorattempt will have to stay heretill May... I on his lastcall. He wanted to who’s rigging aladder? It’s not legedly smuggling explosives 26, 1997,atthe behestof to wage waragainstthe govern- don’t knowwhat to do...” comehome... Iguess. We spoke safeand anyone can fall over- and automatic weapons from Dawood Ibrahim and AbuSalem. ment of India), 122(collecting On December 2, a27-year- to hisseniors and found that board,” said his motherSavitri. Pakistantocarry out bomb blasts living at Barinagar in Besides Pathan, twomoreac- arms with the intent to wage old merchant navy sailor, therewerethree other seamen In the December 3letter, in Gujarat and Maharashtra on Jamshedpur since May2019af- cused—Anwar Qureshi alias waragainstthe government of ArvindTiwari, spoketohis sis- whenhewas rigging the ladder. Elegant Marine Services had also Republic Dayin1997. terhereturnedtoIndia from Pappu Akhtar and Shakil India),and 123(concealing with terSulekha, 25, from his ship off Howcan theynot find the body? said: “...the United States Coast On Sunday, he wasbrought Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia al- Ibrahim Qureshi —werealso ar- intent to facilitate design to wage the coast of Texas, US. That was Ihavesent messages to his sen- Guardiscarrying out asearch to to Ahmedabadfor questioning, legedly on afakeIndian passport. rested in the caselater.The then waragainstIndia), besides sec- the lasttime his familyheard iorstolookfor my brother on is- locatethe missing AB [able-bod- police said. On December 23, 1996, po- chief judicial magistrateof tions of the Arms Actand from him. lands near Texas,” said Sulekha, ied]”. Kutti,ATS officialssaid, was lice had arrested one Mehsana had also issued war- ExplosivesAct. Aday later,according to alet- who livesinMirzapur,Uttar The familysaid theyhave terreceivedbyhis family, Tiwari Pradesh with her husband. soughthelp from the Ministryof was“reportedoverboardwhilst Tiwari is the breadwinner of External Affairs. rigging the Pilot ladder”. He was the family, whichisalso basedin On September 13,another lastspotted on theship, MT 27-year-old Arvind Tiwari Mirzapur.His father,Rajendra, merchant navy sailor—who, too, Sagami, at 7:06 hrs local time, waslastspotted on the MT worked as adriver. He retiredaf- worked forFleetManagement when the vessel wasapproach- Sagami when it was terTiwari joinedthe merchant Ltd and washired by Elegant ing Port Arthur in Texas, said the approaching Port Arthur navy in 2012.Tiwarihas three Marine Services—went missing letter sent by hiring firm Elegant in Texas. Express sisters who aremarriedand live from aship offthe Mauritius Marine Services Pvt. Ltd. His near Mirzapur. coast. body has still notbeen found. The familysaid theysuspect In 20-year-old Dhananjay Now, hisfamilyisraising sus- Hong Kong-basedFleet that something went wrong be- Arora's case, the search was picions on the manner of his Management Ltd as an ‘able- cause hiscontract wasextended calledoff afterfour days.Anin- death and questioningthe lack bodiedseaman’ afterbeinghired till May, whichhewasn't aware vestigation is being conducted of headway in tracing the body. by Elegant Marine Services in of when he boardedthe ship. He by the Hong Kong government Theyhavehad no word on his August. lefthome in August2020 and in coordination with MRCC fate forweeksnow. Aresponse to queries by The wastoreturn in February2021. Mauritius and DG Shipping. His Tiwari had been working for Indian Express is awaited from "Weremember him getting body has still notbeen found. POWER DISRUPTED TO MOBILE TOWERS AIADMK message Punjab farmerunions to ally BJP: Fall in sayfocus on boycott line or reworkyour of telecom firm, 2021 poll options blame ‘miscreants’ BJPisyet to bile towers. Our focus is onlyon PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA endorse RAAKHIJAGGA boycotting atelecom company. CHENNAI,DECEMBER27 Palaniswami LUDHIANA,DECEMBER27 If anyone is doing it,theymust as joint CM be people who aredoingiton IN ITS firstelection rallyhere, the nominee SOME FARMER groups in their ownastheyare very angry rulingAIADMKonSundaybluntly Punjab continuedtodisrupt againstcorporates. BKU told allyBJP that it cannotmakea powersupplytoRelianceJio Ugrahan has nothing to do with dent in Tamil Nadu and ruledout anceinmanysectors,Munusamy mobile towers Sunday, despite it.” accommodatingthesaffronparty said. All suchforces eying politi- Chief MinisterAmarinder Dr Dharampal, president of in the government if it wonthe calgainsshouldrealisethatTamil Singh’s appeals againstthe Krantikari Kisan Union and co- Assemblyelections,duenextyear, Nadu will notendorse them as same. ordinator of All India Kisan and retainedpower. Dravidianideologyisthebedrock Sources said powertomore Sangrash Coordination The BJP has to endorse Chief of the state’s social and cultural than 150mobile towers had Committee (AIKSCC), said, “We MinisterKPalaniswami's candi- milieu, he said. Tamil Nadu’sso- been snappedinthe past24 appealedtoeveryone in Punjab, dature forthe toppostfor next cio-political landscape wasnur- hours. Till date,powersupplyto Haryana villages... our focus is year’sAssembly pollsandagreeto tured by the Dravidian move- over 1,338suchmobile towers onlyonboycotting and nothing itsotherterms—suchasnon-par- ment, whichwas built on the has been cut off. else.” ticipation in government —and if ethos of Tamil culture, language The latesthappenedin JagmohanSingh, working not, should rethink of its2021 and valourand hence the state Talwandi Sabo area of Bathinda. committee member,AIKSCC, electoraloptions,theAIADMKin- wasentirelydifferent from the Even in Fazilka,the same thing said, “TheSamyukt Kisan dicatedattherally. Pointing to the rest of the country,hesaid. wasdoneinmanyborder vil- Morchaand 32 farmerunions death of AIADMK’s topleader Thedistinctive featureandun- lages. have issuedappeals to farmers JJayalalithaa and DMK’s dercurrentof theDravidianmove- Iinfrastructuretoo wasdam- twice to avoid suchactions. Our MKarunanidhiwho opposed ment has effectively blocked the aged in someareas. In Moosa protests have remainedpeace- her, seniorleader and AIADMK entryofnational parties intothe villageofMansa, one pole con- ful till nowand letthem run in a deputycoordinatorKP statefor over half acentury, he nected to the towerwas thrown peaceful mannerahead as Munusamysaid in the absence said, adding it wasonlyoffshoots away while acable boxwas also well...I apprehend some miscre- of suchleaders, “many” parties of the movement –the AIADMK found burnt. antsaswell who maybedoing were nowtrying to makeapolit- and DMK–thathavebeen ruling Sources said some villagers this as our unions have categor- ical entryintoTamil Nadu. Some TamilNadusince 1967. manhandledemployees of a icallytoldtheir members to fo- national parties, “opportunists, Munusamymade the re- companywhen theywent to re- cus on boycotting Jio connec- betrayers and acrowd”,were marks in the presence of pair the cables. tions." blaming the Dravidian outfits, al- Palaniswami,Deputy Chief ShingaaraSingh Maan, vice- Amarinderhad issued an ap- leging that theyruinedTamil MinisterOPanneerselvamand president of BKU (Ugrahan) told peal on Friday asking farmers Nadu with their50-plus years of other senior leaders. The Indian Express:“We never nottodisruptstate's telecom rule in the state, he said. In his speech,Munusamy, a gave such acall, rather we were services as internet network Howcan accusationsofinef- senior leader considered close to the firstorganisation to tell our wasimportant formany ficiency be hurledagainstthe Panneerselvam, who is also the members that theyshould not who areworking from home, to AIADMK government when the party coordinator,was clear that resorttosnapping powersup- hospitals and foronlineeduca- Centrehadgivensomanyawards BJP cannotsucceedindepend- plyorany other damagetomo- tion. to thestate forits stellar perform- entlyinTamil Nadu. FEMA case: UP govt to withdraw 2011 case against ED summons Amarinder’s land acquisition protesters: MLA (Noida) district, astate legislator ment ordered thewithdrawal of son again, to EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE said on Sunday. the case lastweekbut the prose- LUCKNOW,DECEMBER27 The Mayawati government cuting officer has yettomove an appear today had lodged the case against application on the matter.BJP THE UTTAR Pradesh government unidentified people at Dankaur MLADhirendraSingh, who rep- has decidedtowithdraw acase policestation in Gautam Budh resentsthe district’s Jewarseat in ANJUAGNIHOTRICHABA lodgedduringananti-landacqui- Nagarfor allegedly kidnapping the Assembly, claimedthatthe JALANDHAR,DECEMBER27 sitionprotest organisedin2011 twogovernment officials, and as- government decided to with- by theresidentsofBhattaParsaul saulting and abusing apoliceman. draw the case following his THE ENFORCEMENT Directorate villageinGautamBudh Nagar The Yogi Adityanath govern- efforts. (ED)has again summoned PunjabChief MinisterAmarinder Singh’s son Raninder Singh to ap- pear before it on Mondayincon- nection withalleged violation of the ForeignExchange Management Act(FEMA). On November 19,the ED had questionedhim forsix hours. Raninder had told the media on his lastappearance that he will cooperate with the agency. Sources said he had submit- teddocumentspertaining to their queries about his property, bank accountsand income tax details during his lastappear- ance. Nowhehas been asked to bring some moredocuments. The ED had initiated an in- vestigationagainstRaninderun- der FEMA following acomplaint by theI-T department about the trustsownedbyhim in British Virgin Islands. The I-Tdepartment officials had placedonrecordthat Amarinder and Raninder had carriedout some undisclosedfi- nancial transactionsthrough a bank account in HSBC,Geneva, and HSBC Financial Services Limited.

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10 THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 IDEA EXCHANGE Newsmakersinthe Newsroom SUNIL ARORA, CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER OF INDIA ‘ Will have special observers for Bengal... for law and order,‘ expenses. If needed, we can act swiftly, ruthlessly The CEC talksabout Bihar elections serving as templatefor coming polls, wishes lawwould be brought againstdefections, calls for“sound legislative framework”for handling social media influence on elections, and reiterates supportfor simultaneous polls. The sessionwas moderated by Senior Assistant Editor Ritika Chopra

RITIKA CHOPRA: What gave the betweenquasi-judicial proceedingsand formsbroke some clause… The organisa- ElectionCommission the confidence other proceedings. tions all got togetherand voluntarilysub- to holdthe Bihar pollsinthe middle mitted acode of ethics whichtheywould of apandemic? SHUBHAJIT ROY: We have reported observeduring the elections, and they

Successive commissions have been that the EC held ameeting with the have been observing it. We areconcerned, holding elections under very difficult cir- MinistryofExternal Affairs to permit but we areveryclear that we would prob- cumstances, at different pointsintime. NRIs to casttheirvotes from overseas ablywantasystem, likeinGermany or the The pandemic wasunprecedented.AsI through postal UK…Theyhavea said in the press conference while an- ballots.What are very sound legisla- nouncing the elections, forusitwas aleap some of the We do not have anylegal ‘ tive frameworkto of faith and notaleap in the dark. We had WHY challenges of doing deal with the sub- done alot of homework. Our team held a it? Also, fornow, authority(to assist in ject. We would also series of virtual meetings with various SUNIL ARORA Gulf countries are notbeaverse to hav- stakeholders and delegations of political notpartofthe vaccine drive). But given ing asound legisla- parties... Yes, manypeople were sceptical, ince taking charge,Sunil proposedpilot... our experience,ifsomeone tive frameworkin but that happens everytime. When the Arorahas supervised ... Wheneverwe India because the firstgeneral election in India took place, go abroad, the only reaches out foranational complications in Sthe2019 general (the firstChief Election Commissioner of question that the ECI ‘ India arefar too cause,wewill take acall India) Sukumar Sen wroteinhis book,the elections and the Bihar polls, faces is that when I many. peoplewerenot justsceptical, theywere live in Seattle, why alsocynical. Manysaid publiclythatthis is the country’sfirst election in a should Itravelto KRISHN KAUSHIK: the lastgeneral election in India... The idea Jalandhar or In 2018,exceptfor wasnot to delaythe (Bihar) elections. We pandemic. TheRajasthan- Hoshiarpur or Andhratocastmyvote. the BJP,all major parties had asked for did our homework andtook the plunge... cadre officer also served as Even when Iwent to Washington,when alimit on party expenditureduring The firststepwetookwas to reduce the present foreign secretarywas the am- elections. Howbig of aconcernisthe the number of voters per polling booth — secretarytoGoI in two bassador there, this wasthe onlyquestion influence of big moneyonelections? from 1,500to1,000perbooth. Thatalone ministries before joining EC discussed. So, afteragreat deal of delib- Also, what areyour views on electoral meant an enhancement of 33,000booths, eration within the Commission and with bonds? whichinturn meant that so manymore my colleagues, we thought we will move We have already givenour views on people had to be deployedfor security and aproposal to the Ministrythat this can be electoral bondsinthe SupremeCourt and other jobs. Imustcongratulatepublicly we stand by that. The Commission as a our officers in Bihar,the Chief Electoral body has told the Supreme Courtthat it Officer there... In some cases, the officers (electoral bonds)... should be less opaque and district magistrates themselvesgot and moretransparent. Covid-19, and afterrecovery they were On the issue of expenditure, we had backonelection duty... Imustalso con- some specific requirementsfor the pan- gratulatethe voters of Bihar,especiallythe demic. So, we enhancedthe limitsbe- women, who turneduptovoteinadisci- cause of the pandemic. We have ap- plinedmanner... pointed acommittee under Harish Kumar Forthe election, we had to procure11 (former IRS officer and DG-Investigation) lakh, 500mlbottlesofsanitisers...This to look intovariousaspects of electoral wasdone by the government of Bihar and funding. That committee has already met the CEO. About sevencrore gloves were twice. The Commission also had one in- procured and arrangementsfor their safe teraction with the committee and we had disposal had to be done. Apartfromthese, giventhem aterm of reference... I'm sure face shields, masksetc were procured. when their reportcomes, we will ensure that the recommendationsare imple- RITIKA CHOPRA: Arethereany lessons mented. from Bihar that youwould liketo implementinpolls in other states? HARIKISHANSHARMA: Do youthink We will be holdingelectionsinWest it is possible to hold simultaneous Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry,Assam, elections in post-Covid times? Kerala...Everymajor exercisehas someles- The Article 83 (2) of the Constitution sons. Giventhe scale of preparations that provides that the House of the people un- the Commissionhas been doing in the past, less sooner dissolvedshall continue for we will beable to holdthese elections suc- five years from the dateappointedfor the cessfully. We arealsogetting some Bihar firstmeeting. And, no longer an expres- officers to holdvirtual meetings with their sion of aset period of five years shall op- counterparts (in election-bound states), so erateasadissolution of the House. Similar that therecan bean exchangeofideas. We provisions aretherefor stateAssemblies. have alreadyinformallyreachedout to the This kind of disjointedness between the health department of Bihar and the state’s lifeofthe people’s House and state CEOto have informaldiscussionswiththeir Assemblies startedhappening sometime counterparts in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu in early 1970sdue to various reasons. And to see howthe learning of day-to-dayop- nowithas become anorm. Forexample, erations in Bihar can be utilisedinthese we have justfinished Bihar elections. And states. LokSabha electionsinnormalcoursewill In West Bengal, we will have to have happen in 2024. So, the system has to 28,000morepolling booths. The major les- Illustration: Suvajit Dey align the lifeofLok Sabha with the lifeof son would be to ensurethat these polling stateAssemblies. Forthat, across the boothsarelocatedasnearas possible to the tion has notbeen challenged?Inthe run-up notfair.Eventually, the courtdid notaccept about 8-10people. When this controversy donethrough amendmentofrules;we boardamendmentswouldberequired in main polling station, so thatuse of re- to the Lok Sabha elections, we metrepre- the petition, and the person waschanged. wasgoing on, an ex-UPSC chairman met neednot bring aBill forit. the provisions of Articles 83,85, 172and sources is optimised, and the deployment sentativesof political parties 123times. We We have also startedappointing spe- me in some other context, and said that it Nowcoming to the report(on Gulf 56 of the Constitution. Nowthat is the job of security and staffcan be better. metthe delegationsfrom theBJP20 times, cial observers, over and above thenormal is very strangebecause hundreds of cases countries notbeing partofproposedpi- of the legislature. What the Prime Congress delegations 28 times... Requests observers, especiallyonthe lawand order come to the UPSC fordisciplinarypro- lotfor now), Idon’t knowfromwhereyou Ministersaid (about simultaneous polls) RITIKA CHOPRA: During the Bihar from political parties aremostimportant. and expenditureside. In Bihar,weput two ceedings againstgovernment officials, got theinformation... My limited pointis is averydesirable goal… The Law elections, some political parties also Therehavebeenchallenges, there has been special observers forexpenditure... This seekingtheir view. Now, one or twomem- that nowthat we have sent the proposal, Commission has alsosupportedit. Big raisedquestions over the delay in the criticism, and therewill be criticism in the time also we will bewell-prepared,sothat bers sayno, the punishment imposedby we will have to wait and watchand find amendmentscan take place onlyonthe counting process. Did youanticipate coming elections also, and we respond to it whenrequiredwe comedown on these el- Xministry shouldbeenhanced,some say out, and, if needbe, participateinany dis- floor of Parliament. thatatall? The EC also held several as best as possible.Ican assurethatthe ementsswiftlyand ruthlessly. it should be dropped, and the rest sayit cussion whichtakes place... But yes, now briefings… Commission shall keep trying to ensure should be kept as it is.The normal proce- that our IT systems have improved so RITIKA CHOPRA: Giventhe EC’s When we go forelections, we arepre- free, fair,robust, ethical, and now, safeelec- LEENAMISRA: Beforethe RajyaSabha durethen, to thebestofmyknowledge, much, thankstoour dedicated teams of experience in conductinglarge-scale paredforthe worsttoo... Briefing the press tions. Still, if someone goes to court,wewill elections in 2017 and 2019,wesaw a is thatthereisameeting convenedbythe officers, forusinthe Commission it would exercises, has the government morethan once (oncounting dayfor Bihar respond to it. Our recordofconvincing the lotofMLAsquitting their parties, and chairman and aconsensus is built,and be an aspirational role whichwewould reachedout to the Commission for

elections) wasnot areaction to anysitua- Supreme Courtand high courts is good. within six months theygot re-elected when the letter goes out, it onlymentions liketosee fulfilledassoon as possible. anykind of assistance in vaccinating tion.Ithad been thought out before.Our on another party’sticket.Can the EC the decision. It doesn’t mention who said the population againstCovid-19? officers thought that SANTANU putastoptothis? what. (Former elec- LIZ MATHEW:Are It is adevastating pandemicfor theen- the press would be CHOWDHURY: The Supreme Court has laid down very tion commissioner youconsidering tireworld. And India is no exception. So better informedwith West Bengal has a clear norms on defection. But when it Ashok Lavasa had ob- the Bengal the pandemic requires exceptional and ‘ regular briefings. The(Ashok Lavasa)row history of political comes to quitting aparty and re-joining jected to the clean Poll officersare often ‘ Opposition’s extraordinaryresponses… Currently, we Theysynchronised wasanon-starter... I violence during another party,thereisnolegal or consti- chit giventoPrime harassed fortheir honest demand of more do nothaveany legal authority (toassistin their effortswith polls.What is the EC tutional mechanism to stop it. It is more MinisterNarendra deployment of theadministration of the vaccine). To con- CEO,Bihar. Ithinkthe remained silent,itdoesn’t doing to preventit forparties to take acall on suchmatters. Modi and former BJP conductduring elections... Central Police duct elections, we areempoweredunder lastpress conference in the coming Once theyhavetaken acall, the EC will be president Amit Shah Forces (CPF) in the Article 324. But having said that,given the wasaround mid- mean adesire to conceal... elections? happytoassistthem,ifsuchassistance is on chargesofviolat- while biased officerscome statefor the experience and expertise we have,if night. The reaction Idon’t think(objections) So far, one major sought. ing the Model Code back... Govt must ensure elections? The someone reaches out to us foranational from the press was ‘ delegation has come (Barring MLAs from contesting imme- of Conduct during ‘ stategovernment cause, we will take acall. also positive about needed to be shared to us. Theyhad two- diatelyonanother party’s ticket) is only the 2019 Lok Sabha officersare not penalised seems opposed to being kept in the loop three demands. They possible if thereare widespread electoral election campaign). the move... RITIKA CHOPRA: Youhavespent a through the day. The wanted(early deploy- reforms, and if we areable to forgeacon- ...Throughout the It’s achallenging considerable timeinthe Commission same will nowbe ment of) security sensus with political parties. Again, it is controversy,Ire- election. It’s ahypo- now. Arethereany reforms that you doneinWestBengaltoo. The Biharbrief- forces and the (early enforcement of) notfor us to move suchathing. But yes, as mainedsilent...Itdoesn’t mean weakness thetical assumption that the government thinkare required in theEC? ingson countingdayhavevirtuallybecome Model Code of Conduct, (because theybe- acitizenIthink this (defection)should be or adesire to conceal something... In such will oppose it (deployment of forces). ... Manytimes, we have seen that our atemplatefor other states. lieved)the local forces arecompromised, avoidedand parties musttakethe lead. less time, in aday or two, aviewhas to be Therehavebeenaseries of meetings with officers, especiallythe Chief Electoral and that thelocal staffisalso compromised. taken, it is an administrative thing, it is not the MHA about howmuchforce is re- Officers, become vulnerable because of RITIKA CHOPRA: The RJD had Now, these areour instruments, we can’t PVAIDYANATHAN IYER:Anissue aquasi-judicial matter.Idon’t think it quired.This is always the casefor every their honestand independent conduct questioned the results. Theysaid alot doubt all the instruments. Therecan be an whichcame up duringyour tenure should have been put on the websiteand election. We will cross the bridgewhen during an election. Immediatelyafter of postalballotswererejected andthat odd blacksheep hereorthere in many wasthe objections within the Idon’t think it needs to be shared. we cometoit. We have notheardfromthe elections,suchofficers arevictimisedor theywill challengethe resultsinafew states, in some morethan others. We Commission to certain decisions stategovernment yet. harassed. Therehavebeeninstances in seatsincourt. Do yousee this as a would notliketochangeany officerforthe takenbythe EC. The Commission PVAIDYANATHAN IYER:But recording whichthe Commission has authorisedme challengegoingforward? sake of it. However, during the Lok Sabha decided to notmakethese public. But, of dissent, likeinthis case of Mr KRISHN KAUSHIK: Howmuchofa to take up the matter with the chief min- Whether itis theRJD or anyother party, elections, we changed one chief secretary, when thereisnoconsensus, in the Lavasa, doesitnot strengthen the EC concern forthe EC is the influenceof isterconcerned. At thesametime, many theyhaveall theright to criticise the one additionalDG,five policecommission- largerinterestoftransparency, eventually? socialmedia on elections? officers who we had to change(during an Commission, themodalities,thelocaloffi- ers, and DG (Intelligence) of one state. In doesn’t it makesense forthe EC to put My colleague has already joinedthe In the run-up to the Lok Sabhaelec- election) because of their biasedorpar- cials. But ourCEO triedhis levelbestand the case of DG (Intelligence), the matter out in public domain what each ADB (Asian Development Bank). Iwould tion, the Commissionasked officers to tial conduct getrewardedwhenthe same succeeded in explaining... Thereisavery waschallengedin the high court. It wassaid member says on issues? notliketocommentonindividual issues. deal with social media issues. So, they party returns to power... We would liketo well laid out procedureinthe Constitution that since the DG (Intelligence) is notDGP, This controversy wasanon-starter... I He wanted to saywhat he wanted to say, spoketoall the platforms and their apex go to the government and saythat at least whichstatesthatyou can challengeany and doesn’t supervise the elections on a would liketogiveyou one example, be- he said it. Igaveonlyone statement on the organisationassociations. Therewerea forone year afterastate or Central elec- election in highcourt... andif andwhen any day-to-daybasis, the Commission has no cause Idon’twant to getintoindividual record. Isaid that yes, commissioners are series of talks. Then, the Commission also tion is over,no(election) officer should be election is challenged,wetry and respond right to makethe change. We were able to issues. The UPSC (Union Public Service notexpected to be clones or templates of held one or twomeetings. We told them penalisedunder different alibis, onlybe- and present our ownside to the courts. convince the courtthat we have inputsto Commission)isamulti-member com- eachother and theyare not. But having very clearlythat we would take averyad- cause he or she wasveryobjective and im- All Ican sayisthat, lately,whichelec- show thatthe conductofthe person was mission. We have three people,theyhave said that, we have to makeadistinction verseview, especiallyifany of theplat- plemented thelaw of the land faithfully. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 @ieExplained #ExpressExplained 11 If thereare questions of current or contemporaryrelevancethat youwould like E EXPLAINED explained, please [email protected]

CORONAVIRUS DASHBOARD EXPLAINED THE CORONAVIRUS INDIA ACTIVE CASES 278,690 Beware the UK mutant 350,000 313,831 Fast-spreadingUK-type variantsofSARS-CoV-2 could also develop independentlyinIndia. Ignorance cannotbebliss. One basic element of disease surveillance is adequatecoverageand density to 278,690 300,000 catcheventsbeforetheyspread widely.Muchmoregenome sequencingiscritical.

Indiacarries this mutation. These viruses aremainlyfrom LAST 10 DAYS EXPERT Maharashtra, with some from West Bengal Dec 16 Dec 26 as well. It would take just onemoremuta- 250,000 EXPLAINS tion forustoget wherethe UK is today. And thatshould alsoworry us in India. Note:The Dec 26 figureinthisgraph is based on thegovernment updateonDec 27 Dr Shahid Jameel Quickreaction is key To catchthe emergence of newviral vari- INDIA TOTAL CASES WORLD TOTAL CASES From The Indian Express panel antsbeforetheyspread widelyinthe popu- 10,187,850 80,467,041 of specialists, exclusive insight lation, the WorldHealthOrganization (WHO) recommends determining the virus Source:MinistryofHealth&Family Source:JohnsHopkinsUniversity, genomic sequencefromatleastone out of Welfare,updatedat11pmonDec27 updatedat11pmonDec27 every300 confirmedcases (or 0.33%). The THE YEAR 2020 will be remembered forthe UK has sequenced 135,572 or 6.2%viral vari- emergence of anew virus —the SARS coro- antsfromits 2.19 million cases, while South navirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) and the Covid-19 Africa and the US have reported genome se- pandemic it caused.With afew moredays quences from 0.3% of confirmedcases. How to measure aerosols to go,2020isprojected to closeout with However, India has so farsequencedonly about 84 millionconfirmedCovid-19cases 4,976or0.05%virusesfromits over 10 mil- and over 1.8million deaths. lion cases. At this rate,wewill remain oblivi- with aparticle counter, Despitethis gloom, this has also been a ous to the emergence of newvariants tillitis year of hope, with the development, testing already toolate. One basic elementofdisease and approval of vaccines at remarkable surveillance is adequatecoverageand den- after accounting for dust speed. Forthe firsttime ever,apandemic of sity to catch eventsbeforetheyspread widely. human disease would be controlledbyvac- THE NOVEL coronavirus spreads pri- cron is amillionth partofametre) —a cines in real time. Conducive Indian conditions marilyvia aerosols, or tinydroplets lotofthe dustissofine that aerosols in NobelLaureateJoshua Lederberg, one of Another reason to worryisthat the condi- generated by acough or asneeze that that rangecannotreally be measured. modern biology’s mostinfluential thinkers, tions hypothesisedtogiverise to theUKvari- maybecarrying the virus. The con- Morethan 98%ofthe dust,infact, is once said,“The single biggestthreat to ant arepresent in India as well. centration of aerosols in public spaces, containedinthe firsttwo channels man’s continueddominanceonthe planet Immunodeficientorimmunosuppressedpa- therefore, can give ameasureofinfec- (smallestparticles) of size 0.3 and 0.5 is the virus.”Two recentdevelopmentsre- tients, whobecome chronically infectedwith tion risk,but making that measure- microns. The study did notconsider mind us whyvirusescan be suchformida- SARS-CoV-2, remain positive forviral RNAfor ment usuallyrequires specialists and particlesinthese channelsfor the ble adversaries. Passengers from the UK fill in formsatChhtrapati ShivajiInternational Airportin 2-4 months instead of the usual 2-3 weeks. specialisedequipment. aerosol assessment. “But there’s area- With the discovery of 58 peopletesting Mumbai lastweek.India has stoppedall flightsfromthe UK, but theconditions These patientsare oftentreated withconva- Now, scientists have demonstrated sonable sizedrangewhereyou cande- positive forthe newcoronavirus in believedtohavegiven rise to the virusvariantthereare present in Indiatoo. AP lescentplasma (sometimes morethanonce) asimpler alternative:use acommer- tect the aerosols,” Bonn said. Antarctica, the pandemic has reachedevery andusuallyalso with the drug remdesivir. ciallyavailable particle counter.The Forvalidation,the researchers continent. And amutant virus has emerged Virus genome sequencing from such pa- study is publishedinPhysicsofFluids, compared their measurementswith in the United Kingdom, whichthreatens to strains, viruses of this lineagehaveaccumu- While these variantsappear nottobe tientshas revealedunusuallylarge numbers ajournal from the American Institute those from specialised laboratory shut down the worldyet again —aworld just lated 23 mutations across 5genes.Ofthese, morelethal, withmoreinfected people there of nucleotide changes. Intra-patient virus ge- of Physics. techniques. Aerosol con- beginning to recoverfromlockdowns and thereare 17 non-synonymous and six syn- would be higher numbers (notpercentages) netic diversity is also known to increase fol- Many particle coun- centration is oftenmeas- movement restrictions. onymous mutations;the former also change of severe infections and deaths. This should lowing plasma therapy. Poor nutritional sta- ters areavailable in the ured usingatechnique an amino acidatthatsiteinthe protein. be cause forworry. tus is aknown cause forweak immune market. Whilethis study calledlaser diffraction, in The mutation of viruses Importantly, of the 17 non-synonymous mu- systems and physicians in India have reported usedadevice marketed whichalaser beam pass- The genetic material or genome of SARS- tations, eight areinthe spikeprotein —the …And reason notto chronic infectioninasubsetofpatients. as Fluke985,the re- ing through asample CoV-2 is aribonucleic acid (RNA) made up of protein that allows thevirus to attachtoand Even though thereare multiple muta- searchers said similar re- lightsupdifferent-sized over30,000units(callednucleotides).Among enter cells. tions in the spikeprotein,mostexperts be- Severalunknowns remain sultswereobtainedwith PAPER particlesdifferently. the families of RNAviruses, the coronaviruses The N501Y mutation in one of the key lieve that vaccines currentlyindevelopment Plasma therapyand remdesivir have also other particle counters. Resultsfromthis highly have thelargest genome. MostotherRNA contact residues in the receptorbinding do- would also work on the variant viruses. been usedwidelytotreat Covid-19patients The reading youget CLIP specialised technique viruses have on averageabout 10,000 nu- main (RBD) of the spike VineetMenachery, an as- in India. Further,plasma has been adminis- from suchhandheld par- and the method usedin cleotides.When genomes replicate—any ge- protein increasesits affin- sistant professor of mi- teredinIndia without firsttestingfor the lev- ticle counters, however, NEWRESEARCH the study,the re- nomes, whetherDNAorRNA,fromthesmall- ity forthe ACE2 receptor. crobiology and immunol- elsofneutralising antibodies. All these create will includebackground searchers found, estviruses to humans —there arerandom The P681Hmutation in THEEXPERT ogy at the University of opportunities forUK-type variantstoemerge dustbesidesthe aerosols. matchedupperfectly. errors(ormutations).Whilehigherorganisms the cleavage site between TexasMedical Branchin in India as well. But we have notsequenced Dr SHAHID JAMEEL is one Howcan youdistinguish these dust Bonn notedthat the resultsare not have themachinerytocorrect these errors, the S1 and S2 domains of Galveston, US, has pro- enough to knowifthat has happened. of India’s best-known particles from aerosols that arise from unique to the device theyused, and virusesand especially theRNA ones, don’t. the spikeprotein pro- videdthe firstevidence Even at lowcoverage, the sequences from virologists.Currentlythe peoplebreathing, speaking, sneezing, can be extendedtoother particle Mostmutations aredeleterious, and motesentryintosuscep- forthis. Indiaare skewed forurban locations, espe- Director of theTrivedi and coughing? The researchers over- counters as well. “I bought acheap one those viruses arenever seen. Onlythe mu- tible cells, andincreases His laboratorycom- ciallythe metros wheresequencinglabora- School of Biosciences at came this with asimple subtraction. (50$) that Ikeep on my desk; the air tations that offersome selective advantage transmission in animal pared theefficacy of toriesare located.This needs broadercover- Ashoka University,he “Wecan measurethe amount of quality indexturns redifthereare too result in the evolutionofnew viral variants. models of infection. serum samples from re- agetoincludeall parts of the country. The previouslyworkedfor dustparticleswhen thereare no manyaerosols or small dustparticles. Evolution also requires selection pressure. The N501Y changeis coveredCovid-19 patients Indian Council of Medical Research can fa- Delhi-basedInternational aerosols and then take the difference In both casesyou want to open awin- Foravirus, this could be itsability to infect also associated with in- to neutralise viruses with cilitatethis process by providing access to Centrefor Genetic with when people do generate dow,”Bonn told TheIndianExpress. better and multiplytohighernumbers or creasedinfectivityand orwithouttheN501Ymu- samples from Covid-19patientstoresearch Engineering and aerosols by speaking or coughing. It’s “Anyone can do it.” evade hostimmunity.The lowprobabilityof virulence in animal mod- tation. Theyfound no dif- laboratories that have the capacityfor ge- Biotechnology,and then justasimple subtracting of the back- The findings suggestthat well- these eventsiscompensatedby the high rates els. Both thesemutations ference. Though only nomicsequencing and dataanalysis. Real- served as ChiefExecutive ground,” Daniel Bonn, one of the au- ventilated areascan have aerosol con- of virus multiplication. Forexample, each were earlier observed in- shared on Twitter on time surveillance will provide datathatis of the Wellcome thors of the study,said by email. Dr centrations morethan 100times coronavirus-infected cellproduces about dependently, but have December 23 and still not both dense and granularfor setting policy Trust/DBT Alliance which Bonn is aphysicistatthe University of lowerthan poorly ventilated areas, 1,000 newvirus particles in under 12 hours. come together in theUK partofapublication,these basedonevidence. funds health research. Amsterdam. suchaspublicelevators or restrooms. variant viruses. The result resultsare encouraging While the device used comes with Ventilation, therefore, plays alarge The mutant in the UK is avirus that spreads and reassuring. Going forwardwith ‘SMS’ six different size channels —0.3,0.5, role in indoor spaces. Adistinct phylogenetic clusterorlineage faster than before. Flightsoff,not mutation When vaccines aredeployedmore 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 microns (1mi- KABIRFIRAQUE (namedB.1.1.7) of SARS-CoV-2 wasrecently widely, therewould be further selection discoveredinthe UK. The twoearliestviruses The cause forworry… India has stoppedall flightsfromthe UK pressuresonthe virus to change. Vaccine-es- of thislineagewerecollectedonSeptember20 Thereiswidespread concern that these and increasedsurveillance at airports to stop cape mutantsare well known forother and 21 from Kentand Greater Londonrespec- mutations mayprevent currentlyusedtests the importofthe highlytransmissible vari- viruses and will emerge forSARS-CoV2 as tively.ByDecember15,this lineagecontained from detecting the virus, makeitmorelethal, ants. While seemingly areasonable strategy, well. Only proper genetic surveillancewill 1,623 viruses —555 from Kent, 519from or allowittoevade vaccines under develop- suchvariantscould easilydevelop within the catchany vaccine failurewell in time. GreaterLondon,545inotherregionsof theUK ment. Thereisnoevidence so farfor anyof countrytoo. Afterall, India has over 10 mil- As we step into2021, themessagetopol- including Scotland and Wales, and four from these.After all,these variantswerefound in lion confirmedinfections and it is estimated icymakersand thepublic is clear.Those Australia, Denmark, Italy, and Netherlands. people who were identifiedtobepositive that 150to200 million people arealready who oversee public healthmustcontinu- In another tendays —onDecember 25 — withcurrentlyavailable RT-PCR tests. infected. ouslyseekfresh evidence to make policies the numbers of thesevariant viruses has However, even though thereisnoevi- Afastspreader variant called501.V2 at the populationlevel.Atthe individual morethan doubledto3,575; mostlyfromthe dence formoreseveredisease, thereisclear emergedindependentlyinSouth Africa and level, eachone of us mustworktowards re- UK, but nowalso from France, Ireland, Israel, evidence that this variant is moreconta- shares the N501Y mutation with the UK vari- ducingvirus transmission —lesstransmis- Hong Kong and Singapore. gious. Thoseinfected produce morevirus in ants. Though the spikeN501Y varianthas not sionmeans less opportunity forthe virus to their nose and throat, and that leads to more yetbeen found in India, viruses withthe change. And SMS is the onlytool available to What the mutation does virus shedding and moreperson-to-person P681Hmutationstarted emerginginJulyand us at this time —social distancing, masks Comparedtothe original SARS-CoV-2 transmission. presently14% of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in and sanitisation. Governor’sroleincallinganAssemblysession:whatthelaw,courtssay

once everysix months. or in his owndiscretion,” the verdict said. Governor.Itisonlywheresuchadvice, if APURVAVISHWANATH Althoughitisthe Governor’s prerogative Kerala The courtread the powertosummon acted upon,would lead to an infringement NEWDELHI,DECEMBER27 to summon the House,according to Article Governor Arif the House as a“function” of the Governor of aconstitutional provision, or wherethe 163, the Governor is required to act on the Mohammed and nota“power” he enjoys. Council of Ministers has ceasedtoenjoy the IN YET another tug-of-war between Kerala “aid and advice” of the Cabinet. So when the Khan (left) has “If the functions of the Governorwere confidence of the Assembly, that the ques- Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and Chief Governor summons the House under Article tuneddowna to be read as his power, and an untram- tion arises whether the Governor mayact Minister PinrayiVijayan,the Governor has 174, this is notofhis or her ownwillbut on requestfrom melledone at that (in viewofArticle 163of in the exercise of his discretion”. turneddownarequesttosummon aspecial theaid and advice of the Cabinet. Pinarayi the Constitution, as contended), then the sitting of the Assemblytodebate the new Vijayan’s Governor has the powertoliterally sum- What happens if the Kerala government three centralfarmlaws. Thestate govern- Can the Governorrefusethe aid and government to mon the Assemblytomeet‘at suchtime insists on holding the special session? ment’s Cabinethad written to theGovernor advice of the Cabinet? call aspecial and place as he thinks fit’ that is in anycity Since the Governor’s powers arelimited lastweek and, afterthe denial, is mulling ap- Thereare afew instances wherethe Assembly and at anyplace other than the Legislative with regard to summoningthe House, there proaching him again with the same request. Governor cansummon the House despite session. Assemblybuilding and at anyodd time.This can be no legal groundtodenyarequest for The episoderaises questions on the role of a the refusal of the Chief Ministerwho heads Express Archive is nothing but arbitraryand surely, an arbi- summoning the session. Governor Arif Governor and the contours of the powers he the Cabinet. When the Chief Ministerap- traryexercise of powerisnot what our Mohammad has in the pastcriticisedthe or she has under the Constitution. pearstohavelostthe majorityand the leg- Constitution makers either contemplated Kerala Assembly’s resolution againstthe islative members of the House propose a Courthas settledthe position that the period when the Chief Ministerand his in the hands of the Governor or imagined Centre’s CitizenshipAmendment Actof Who cansummon asession of the no-confidence motion againstthe Chief Governor cannotrefuse the requestofa council of ministers enjoythe confidence itswielding by anyconstitutional author- 2019.Inthe political slugfest, the Governor’s Assembly? Minister, then the Governor can decide on Cabinetthatenjoys majorityintheHouseun- of the majority of the House, the power ity,” the courtsaid. refusal can also be challengedincourt. “The Governor shall from time to time his or her ownonsummoning the House. less it is patentlyunconstitutional. The latest vested with the Governor under Article 174 Even the Sarkaria Commission of 1983, The politicalnatureofthe office of the summon the House or eachHouse of the But the actions of the Governor,when in the line of rulings is the landmark2016 to summon, prorogue and dissolve the whichreviewedthe arrangementsbetween Governor,especially in Opposition-ruled Legislatureofthe Statetomeetatsuchtime using his discretionary powers can be chal- Constitution Benchruling in whichthe house(s) mustbeexercisedinconsonance the Centreand the states, had said that“so states, has been underlinedinseveral in- and place as he thinksfit…” says Article 174 lenged in court. SupremeCourtlookedintotheconstitutional with the aid and advice of the chief minis- long as the Council of Ministers enjoys the stances by courts.The constitutional checks of the Constitution. The provision also puts crisisinArunachalPradeshaftertheGovernor terand his council of ministers. In the above confidence of the Assembly, itsadvice in and balances and landmarkcourtrulings on the Governor the responsibility of en- Howhavethe courtsruled? had imposedPresident’s Rule in the state. situation, he is precluded[from taking] an these matters, unless patentlyunconstitu- account forthis and limitthe discretionary suring thatthe House is summonedatleast Anumber of rulings by the Supreme “In ordinarycircumstances during the individual call on the issue at his ownwill, tionalmustbedeemedasbindingonthe powers of the Governor. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 WORDLY WISE Thelesson of historyisthatyou do not geta sustained economic recoveryaslong as the 12 THE EDITORIAL PAGE financial system is in crisis. —BEN BERNANKE Beneath the recovery

§ FOUNDED BY § RAMNATH GOENKA As growth recovers, inflationaryconcerns BECAUSETHE TRUTH INVOLVES US ALL couldbegin to dominate

GROWTHPOSITIVE Pranjul Bhandari Higher government spending,vaccine could provide afillip to

the economy. Recovery to pre-COVID levels will take time AS THE WORLD grapples with the COVID- leftout, and the overalloutlaywas small. equality couldhaveother side effects. It 19 pandemic, India has stood out in three Forinstance, demand forthe rural employ- could stokeinflation. India has had trouble HE INDIAN ECONOMY appears to have weathered theCOVID storm better distinct ways.One, over the pastfew ment guarantee programme continues to in the pastwith rising pricesofservices. than what mosthad expected.The contraction in economic activities in the weeks, India seems to have broken the link outstrip supply. Once this trend takeshold, as it did in 2011, secondquarterhas been shallowerthanexpectations, and as leading eco- between rising levels of mobility and And then thereisthe rise in inequality it remains elevatedfor aprolonged period. nomic indicators suggest, the momentumthereafter doesappear to have COVID-19 cases.Fears that the celebrations between large and small firms, whichis And trying to boostsupplytakes time. duringthe Diwali festival would lead to a likelytobefelt by individual employees. The Think health and education services, forex- Tremainedhealthy, even past the festiveseason. Whilethe pace of recovery surge in virus cases haven't playedout. In corporateresults in the quarterending ample. in different parts of thecountryhas notbeenthe same,astudy by economists at the Reserve fact, the number of newcases has fallen September were telling —large listedfirms Forthree reasons,itispossible that BankofIndia(RBI)notes thateventhe western region, whichhad laggedbehindothers in while the fatality rate continues to drop. sawabigger rise in profits(50 per cent, servicesinflation rises quicklyin2021. One, the recoverycurve,has exhibitedpositive momentum September onwards. In fact, mobil- Two, India has rolledout one of the small- year-on-year). Acombinationofcost-cut- as avaccine comes intoplay, therecould be ity levels have returnedtoalmost pre-COVID levels in all cities by early December,sig- estfiscal supportpackages globally, with ting, lowinterestrates, access to buoyant arelease of pent-up demand forhigh- nalling areturntonormalcy.Asthe RBI study notes, “Indian economyispulling out of central government spending flat so farthis capital marketsand increasedspending in touchservices. Two, as large firmsand their COVID-19’s deep abyss”, and is moving “towards aplaceinthe sunlight”. While growth is year.Three, inflation is nowabig problem, the formal economyprobably helped. employees do relatively well, theyare likely with consumer prices above the 6per cent The smaller listedfirms did notdoas to demand moreservices, stoking prices. expectedtobemarginallypositiveinthe thirdquarter, the study notesthatifthe current tolerance levelfor the pasteight months. well (7 per cent, year-on-year). And the un- Consumption patterns showthat the rich momentum in activities persists,the bounce backinthe fourth quartermay actuallybe The fact that Indianscan move around listedinformal firms, typicallywith small in India tend to consume moreservices stronger than whatbaseline scenarios indicate. morefreelywithout ajumpinCOVID-19 cash buffers,are likelytohavefaced acute than the poor.And rising inequality could, On the demandside, while there appears to have been some moderationafter the satia- cases is amajor positive that is already pay- economicstress. therefore, stokeinflation. Three, manyserv- tionof pentupandfestivedemand,householddemandcontinuesto expand.Electricitycon- ing off. The lastquartersaw an improvement In fact, it can be arguedthat large firms ice providers didnot do aregular annual sumption is up, as is petrol consumption.GST collections remain above the Rs 1lakh crore in growth as consumerswereeager to spend, benefited,inpart, at the cost of smaller,in- price resetin2020, so theymay raise prices especiallyonfestival-related items, bolstered formal firms. This could have happenedin to coverthe twoyearsonce demand picks mark, andbothinter-state andintra-state movement of goodscontinues to showanuptick by higher-than-usual financial savings. twoways. One, spending movedfrom up. If inflationdoes become persistent and asreflectedinthee-way billdata.Non-oilimportshave returnedtopre-COVIDlevels,andRBI’s With the vaccine coming, the economy small firmstolarge ones as theyweremore leadstotighter monetary policy,thatcould survey of consumersindicates that sentimenthas improved,asemployment conditions couldget afurther shotinthe arm. The efficient through the lockdown period. weigh on growth over time. have beguntolookup. On the supply side, manufacturingactivity has pickedup, as has the combination of mass vaccinations, herd Indeed,inflation control Two, small firms areespeciallyvulnerable Puttingall of this together,itseems India servicessector,thoughhighcontact-intensiveservicescontinueto remainbelowpre-COVID immunity (for instanceinparts of Mumbai) could be the main task facing to delays or defaultsonpaymentstheyare will come full circle in 2021. Forawhile it was levels.Financingconditionsforfirmsremainconducive ascorporatebondspreadshave fallen and rising recovery ratesaugurs well for policymakersin2021. The owed,manytimes from the largerfirms. worriedmoreabout weak growth than high growth. We expect the resulting exuber- Mostworryingly,small firms aremore inflation.But as growth recovers, inflation- to pre-COVID levels. And as per the RBI’s industrial outlook survey,firms were hopeful that RBI mayhavetotakesteps ance to be ledbythe release of pent-up de- labour intensive than large firms. The in- aryconcerns could reappear. thereboundinactivitieswouldgainmomentum.Though,asaCRISILreportnotes,thesmaller mand forhigh-touchservices, in the same to gradually drain the excess formal sector employs around 85 per cent Indeed, inflation control could be the companies, with lowbargainingpowerand cashreserves, remain in the red. waythat pent-up demand forphysical liquidityinthe banking of the labour force. If smallfirms do poorly, main task facing policymakers in 2021.The TheRBIexpectsthe“above-the-line”fiscalstimulusto boostgrowthby closeto 2percent goods precededthe recovery in 2020. sector,provide afloor for it impactsalarge number of people. Data RBI mayhavetotakesteps to gradually thisyear.ThoughcentralgovernmentspendinghastillOctoberbeenalmostatthesamelevel At firstglance, it mayseem that India got short-term rates, whichhave shows that small firms have cut staffcosts drain the excess liquidity in the banking offlightlyand is backonthe path to recov- by muchmorethan large firms (-20 per sector,provide afloor forshort-term rates, as last year,presumablyexpenditure will pickupasrevenuevisibilityimproves. This would fallen belowthe reverse repo impartanexpansionary impulse to the economyinthe monthsahead.Alongside, the roll- ery. But adeeper look suggests that the low cent year-on-year versus 0per cent year- whichhavefallen belowthe reverse repo leveloffiscal spending could leave behind rate,and finally narrowthe on-year). And limited fiscalsupporthere rate,and finallynarrowthe policy rate cor- out of the vaccine is also likelytostrengthenhousehold demand, especiallyfor high-contact other problems, suchasrising inequality. policy rate corridor by could stokeinequality. ridor by raising the reverse repo rate.A services.However, sincethestructuralchallengesthatpre-datetheCOVIDpandemiccontinue Afterall, muchofthe fiscal support All this could impact demandovertime. quickerexitfromloose monetary policy to persist, afull recovery to pre-COVID levels remains distant. packages around the worldhavebeen di- raising the reverse repo rate. We arealready seeingsome early changes could become another area whereIndia rected towardssafeguarding the vulnera- Aquickerexit from loose likesales of moreexpensive passenger vehi- differs from the world. ble—poorer households and small busi- monetarypolicy could cles doing better than motorbikesales. nesses.Although it is true that in India become another area where Indeed, rising inequality is ascarthat the The writer is chief India economist, therewas afocus on theseareas, therewere pandemic is likelytoleave behind. HSBC Securities and Capital NEW BRITAIN some misses, suchasthe urban poorbeing India differsfrom the world. But this is notwhereitends. Rising in- Markets (India) Pvt Ltd

Brexit dealwillleadtorearrangement of UK’s foreign economic policyand international relations,offers India an opportunity

HE CHRISTMAS DAYagreement on newterms of trade between Britain and itslargest economicpartner,theEuropeanUnion,is unlikelytopleaseevery- oneinPrimeMinisterBorisJohnson’sConservative Party, butamajorityisex- THE LAST STRAW pectedto backhim.WiththeLabourPartyalreadysupportingthenewframe- T work asawelcomealternative to a“no-deal”hardBrexitfromtheEU,thedeal is expectedto beratifiedbythe British parliament this week.The European governmentstoo Systemic neglect ensures that prisonsact as warehouses forthe marginalised areset to approvethe deal that comes intoforce on January 1. To be sure, there will be multi- ple glitches in implementing the complexagreement, whichguarantees tariff-free trade on mostgoods betweentwo of the world’s largest economic entities. It also lays the basis forfu- Maja Daruwala and VijayRaghavan turecooperation on lawenforcement,security,dataflows among other important areas. While Europe regretsthe separationand looksforward to anew beginning with Britain, TWORECENT incidentsofStanSwamy and whose death in Tihar Prison due to lackof Despiteefforts at clearing cases, an Gautam Navlakha showupthe stateofour medical careled to thehigh courtawarding acuteshortage of judges andcourtinfra- JohnsonclaimsamajorpoliticalvictoryinregainingBritishsovereigntyto makeitsownlaws prisonstoday. Both areundertrial prisoners compensation; or if apublic-spiritedindi- structureensures an accelerating accumu- andfreedomto engagetheworldonitsownterms.Johnson’ssuccessshouldbringto anend in the Bhima-Koregaon case. Both had to vidual likeSheela Barse files aPIL; or because lation of cases in courts.Between 2019 and the prolongedpolitical divisions in Britain on the nature of itsrelationship with Europe after move thecourtsfor the simplestofnecessi- of ajudgewho, as in the recent case of “Re 2020, the numbers creptupfrom3.5 crore the SecondWorld War. Theschism in the Conservative party wasevendeeper.All the seven ties. One, to getasippercup and astraw be- Inhuman Conditions in 1382 Prisons”, sees toward 4crore,anover10per centrise. Conservative prime ministers who precededJohnson —Theresa May, David Cameron, John cause he is an 80-year-old man with the needfor systemicchange.Notorious According to theIndia Justice report2019, Major,MargaretThatcher,EdwardHeathandHaroldMacmillan—saw theirpoliticalcareers Parkinson’s and the other to wrestapair of criminals, too, likeCharles Sobhrajand Sunil it takesanaverage of three years forthe destroyed by the European question.Britain had voted withathin margin to leave theEUin glassestoreplace abrokenpair.Itled to the Batra, who had the gumption to take mat- case to traverse the high court andsix years BombayHigh Courtintomaking an obser- ters to the Supreme Court, have played their in the subordinatecourts. areferendum duringthe summer of 2016;but fewhad betonLondon’s ability to negotiate vation that workshops should be conducted Thelaw emphasises that as partinprison reforms over the years. It doesn’t have to be this way. Thereare anamicableseparation.Ashecelebratedthedeal,Johnsoninsistedthattheagreementbrings forthe prison stafftosensitise them. far as undertrial prisoners But standardsetting doesn’t mean com- pathwaystoaccountability and to reform. “a newstability and anew certainty” to arelationshipthathas long been fractious and diffi- Whydid these matters have to go to the pliance. Our prisonsare full of people in com- But since both supervisor and policy maker cult. “Althoughwehaveleftthe EU,” Johnson said, Britain “willremain culturally, emotion- courts?Itis, perhaps,anindication of the fact are concerned,they enjoyall promisedstates. Around 70 per cent areun- knowthe on-ground constraintsand the ally, historically, strategicallyand geologically attachedtoEurope”. that thereislittle space forground-levelstaff other rights, save those dertrials and morethan75per centcome biases within the culture, muchisexcused The break from Europewill lead to asignificant rearrangementofBritain’s foreign eco- to makeoperational decisions. Officials do restricted by virtue of their from marginalisedsections. Theyknowlit- or pushedunder thecarpet. Reform at- notwant to getintotrouble, especially in tle aboutthe law. Even if theyare aware, they tempts likethe constitution of Undertrial nomic policy and international relations. London is actively negotiating multiple bilateral being incarcerated. Ye t, cases of political prisoners arrested under have little recourse to anycomplaintsmech- ReviewCommittees mandated by the freetradeagreementswithmajoreconomicpartners,tryingto reinforcethetraditionalstrate- national security laws. violations are an everyday anism and mustfall backonanunevenlegal Supreme Courtworkpatchily. In mostpris- gic partnerships with the US and Japan and leverage historic connections with Canada, The lawonprovision of basic facilities routine. They get highlighted aid system. If at all aprisoner can reachthe ons, the BoardofVisitors meant to func- Australia, NewZealandand other Commonwealth nations. Johnson’s visit to India,asthe to prisoners is clear —itlies squarelywith when there is amishap with judge, they areeither toobusyintheir rou- tion as an oversight mechanismare not guestatthe Republic Daynextmonth, offers an opportunityfor Delhitotakeacloselookat custodial authorities. The NelsonMandela ahigh-profile person, likea tine work or tooenmeshed in the local cul- even constituted. London’spostBrexitplansandmakeabigpushforthetransformationofabilateralrelation- Rules 2015 issuedbythe UN and the Model turetoact. Financial, infrastructural, and hu- The policy rhetoricwants prisons to be Prison Manual 2016 by the BureauofPolice Rajan Pillai whose death in man resource shortfalls that rangefrom20 places of reform andrehabilitation. Their shipthat has long performedway belowits natural potential. Research and Development, Ministryof Tihar Prison due to lack of to 40 per cent also playtheir partinadding to neglect by the executive andoversight bod- Home Affairs, have elaborateprovisions re- medical care led to the High staffstress and inmatemisery. ies ensurestheyact as warehouses forthe garding the care, treatment and rehabilita- Court awarding The Supreme Courtissued orders to state poor and the marginalised. But the constitu- tion of prisoners. AplethoraofSupreme governmentstotakesteps to prevent the tional ordering of this countryrequires that Freeze Frame EPUnny Courtand high courtjudgmentsreiterate compensation; or if apublic- spread of the coronavirus in prisons through pandemic or no pandemic, justice must not that prisoners arehuman beings with ba- spirited individual like asuo moto PIL filedinMarch 2020, leading wait. Prolongation of these so-calledcriminal sic rights. In essence, the lawemphasises SheelaBarse files aPIL; or to more than 68,000 prisoners being re- cases is unconscionable, as is forcing vulner- that as farasunder trial prisoners arecon- leasedonbailorparole so far. But apre-pan- able peopleintoremaininginhotspots of in- cerned, theyenjoyall other rights, save because of ajudge who, as in demic comparison between 2017 and 2019 creasedinfection and fatalrisk. those restricted by virtue of their being in- the recent case of ‘Re shows thatovercrowding increasedfrom carcerated. Inhuman Conditions in 1382 116to119 per cent. Overcrowding in indi- Daruwala is senior adviser,Commonwealth Yet, violations areaneverydayroutine. Prisons’, sees the need for vidual prisons stands muchhigher;some Human Rights Initiative, and Raghavanis Theyget highlighted when thereisamishap prisons aremorethan three times crowded professor,Centrefor Criminology and Justice, with ahigh-profile person,likeaRajan Pillai systemic change. than their official capacity. School of Social Work,TISS

DECEMBER 28, 1980, FORTY YEARS AGO

ASSAM AGITATION TALKSHOPES DIM and AAGSP have initially rejected the THE POLICE FIRED in Nowgong to disperse a CHANCESFOR EARLYresumptionoftalkson Centre’s offer, Home Ministrysources hope crowdofagitatorswho hadgatheredto picket the complexissue of foreign nationals are thatbettersense wouldprevail. government offices as partofthe mass satya- considered dim in viewofthe rigid stand graha on the foreigners’ issue. Abus conduc- takenbythe Assam agitation leaders. The BJP ON POVERTY torofthe Assam StateTransportCorporation, Home Ministrydoes notseem to be in a THE BASIC THRUSTofthe economic policy whowas injured in thefiring, wasadmitted mood to take anynew initiative to break the draftoftheBJPisto liftthosebelowthepoverty to hospital. Nowgong, with Sadiyaand deadlock or to sendaformal invitationtothe line, the number of whichismountingwith Golaghat were earlier scenes of police lathi AASU and AAGSPtocomeherefor discus- completion of everyfive-year plan.According chargesand teargassing in whichmanypeo- sions. Official sources pointedout thatthe to the framersofthe draft, the main objective plewere injured,accordingto reports received Home MinisterZailSingh hadclearly con- wastolaunchawar againstpoverty.Briefing here. Todaywas the tenth dayofa13-day veyedhis invitation to the leaders to discuss newsmen, Kanwarlal Gupta,convener of the state-wide satyagraha the AASU andAAGSP the problem with him without anyprecon- committeesetuptopreparethedraft,saidthe have organisedtoprotest againstthe central dition being put by either side. This should economicdraftenvisagesablendof Gandhian government’s alleged indifference to solving be takenasaformal invitation andthere was socialism, Loknayak's antyodayaand Deen the 15-month-old foreigners’ problem. no needtosend another. Though the AASU DayalUpadhaya’s “integralhumanism.” WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 WHATTHE OTHERSSAY “From resolving disputes over property or other civilmatters, to punishing hardcore militants and criminals, the countryneeds aproactive justice system that deliversdecisions withinareasonable time frame,and as per international 13 THE IDEAS PAGE standards.” —DAWN An Americandebt An election,

The narrative of slaveryasUS’s original sinelidesits history as asettler colony. The appointment of a a vindication Native AmericanasInterior Secretaryisanimportant step in acceptingits past Wide participation in J&K DDC polls indicates that people of the UT areturning to democratic decentralisation in the hope forbettergovernance

months.Theamendment had facilitatedthe UTadministrationtoconducttheseelections through universal adult franchise. Haseeb Drabu, formerJ&K Minister, Sanjib Baruah raisedobjections to thispractice calling it as againstthe federal spirit of the Indian Constitution ('Junior MLA, senior panch', IE, December 24). Although it is heartening to TO SAYTHATNative American politician see the Kashmiri leader’s insistence on ad- DebraAnne Haaland’s appointment as herencetothe Indian Constitution in letter, Secretaryofthe Interior of the US would be Ram Madhav his allusion to the DDCs as “District historic is an understatement. If confirmed Assemblies” is an exaggeration. India’s fed- by the Senate, Haaland will take office in eralpolityisbasedonatwo-tierelectionsys- early 2021asthe firstNativeAmerican head THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION of the tem—stateassembliesandParliament—not of the sprawling government department District Development Council (DDC) elec- athree-tier one. Elections to the localbodies that manages the US government’s relations tions in Jammu and Kashmir is indicative of areconductedby thestateelectioncommis- withindigenouscommunities andoversees the NarendraModi government’s resolve to sions independentlyunder statelaws. the country’s national parks and millionsof return powertothe people on the one hand In J&K,the needforgreaterdecentralisa- acres of public lands, mostofwhichwere and the resolve of the people of the UT to turn tion wasemphasisedbySheikh Abdullah’s once controlledbyNative Americans. to democratic decentralisation to achieve NationalConference during the agitation In urging Biden to choose Haaland for better governance and development on the years againstthe Maharaja. It had accepted the position, prominent environmental other.The elections sawenthusiastic partic- apolitical manifesto in 1944 called‘Naya and climateactivistBill McKibben said, “It ipationofboththe people andpolitical par- Kashmir’. Article 45 of the manifesto called would be aremarkable plottwistinthe ties.Exceptinthe terror hotbedsofPulwama for“people’s panchayats” at the district, block American storyfor an indigenous person and Shopian, the voter turnout ranged from andvillagelevel to represent thestatepower. to run interior —agesturecan’t repair 25 per cent to 51 per cent in the other eight Afterthe Indira-Sheikh Accordin1975, the muchofthe damagethat’s been done, but districtsinthe Valley. Thepanchayatraj laws manifesto wasredraftedin 1976.Itpromised it can serveasaconstant reminder of the aremade by states basedonthe 64th to provideregionalautonomyand further debt still to be repaid.” Amendment to the Constitution that intro- decentralisepolitical powerthrough “appro- The Department of Interior includes the ducedthe PanchayatRaj Act. priate institutional arrangementsatthe dis- BureauofIndian Affairs.Establishedin1824, Various interpretations can be givento trict, blockand villagelevels”. the Bureauwas housedoriginallyinthe the electionoutcome.Some will be debat- Balraj Puri, the eminentpolitical com- Department of Warbeforeitwas movedto able claims, whilesome factswill remain mentator fromJ&K,who wasinvolvedinthe the newlycreated Departmentofthe conspicuous. Therecould besome welcome drafting of the manifesto,reasoned elo- Interiorin1849. It waslocated in the signs and some warningsignals.Itisneces- quentlyabout the needfor greater devolu- DepartmentofWar since thesubjugation of CRSasikumar sarytolook at all these dispassionately.The tion of powers through decentralisation indigenous communities and their forced very fact thatsuchabig election wascom- highlighting the diversity in thestate.“A relocationwas official policy. wasaviolation of our sovereignty.Our citi- American rightsand environmental causes. pletedpeacefullywithenthusiastic partici- Muslim majority statewithinaHindu ma- “As federal policy has changed from no- zenshipwas in our ownnations ...We “The sad fact is that we have aPresident,” pation from both sides should silence many jority country, aHindu majority region tions of subjugating and assimilating wished to remain treaty Indiansand reserve she said earlier this year,“who is intent on criticsabout the lackofpolitical freedomin within aMuslim majority state, Muslimma- AmericanIndians,” says the bureau’s official our ancient rights. Therewas no great rush selling offour public landstohis friends for J&K. The BJP’s rise as apan J&K party and the jority districts within Hindu majority region, website, so has itsmission. “Itsrole nowis among my people to go out and voteinthe fracking and drilling.” Oil and gasdevelop- single-largest party, securingmorevotes Hindu majority blocks within Muslim ma- as apartner withtribes to help them achieve whiteman’s elections.” ment in federal public landsprovides liveli- than thecombinedvotesofthe Gupkar jority districtsand Muslim majority villages their goals forself-determination”. Notall Native Americans took this view. hood to manyAmericans and amajor group, is avindication of itsgrowing accept- within Hindu majority blocks”—this was It mayseem remarkable to readers in But manystill remain ambivalent about cit- source of revenue foranumber of states. ability across the UT. howPuri described the profile of J& K. India that the term “Indian”,alegacy of izenship. “Democracy is Indigenous” is the Haaland’s position on oil and gasdrilling The People’s Alliance forGupkar Subsequently, the process of devolution Christopher Columbus’s 528-year-old mis- slogan usedbyanadvocacy organization on public lands is likelytocomeunder Declaration (PAGD), popularly known as of powers happened in the stateunder the take,isstill alegal categoryinthe US. working to registerindigenous voters in the scrutinyduring her confirmation hearings the Gupkar group, hasbeenable to win ma- 1989 Act. District Development Boards were Fortunately, terms suchasNative or Native lastelectionseeking to appeal to thepride and if she is confirmed, during her tenure jority seatsinthe Valleyand some in the Pir constituted to oversee the development American, indigenous communities, Native that manyfeel about historical institutions as Interior Secretary. Panjal and ChenabValleyregions of Jammu. plans of the respective districts. However, Nation or FirstNations People nowenjoy such as the Iroquois Confederacyand itscon- During the racial reckoning that has been However, despitethe coming together of these bodies were filledwith unelectedlead- wide acceptance as synonyms. sensus-based mechanisms of governance. taking place in the US over the pastyear, the mainstream Valleyparties likethe NC, ers, or ex officio members likethe MLAs and In the colonial period in NorthAmerica, Born to aNative Americanmother and BlackLives Matter activists have drawnat- PDP and PC, the voters didn’t give them MPs.Bureaucratshavedominatedtheexec- the British entered intotreaties with Native aNorwegian-Americanfather,Haalandis tention to the mistreatment of all “commu- overwhelmingsupportinthe Valley’s 140 utiveauthority in these bodies. American nations as theydid with foreign an enrolledcitizen of the Pueblo of Laguna. nities of colour”. But the protests have also seats. In 31 places, votersoptedfor inde- J&K’s tragedyhas been that it became a countries. The practice continuedtill after Pueblo —the Spanishwordfor village—is During the racial reckoning dramatisedthe uniqueness of the challenges pendentswhile in another 30 places,they prisoner of afew political families and afew the founding of the United States in 1776. the commonlyusedterm forindigenous that has been taking place in facing Native Americans.Unlikeall other ex- voted forthe non-PAGDcandidates. Hence, dozenlegislators. Grass rootsleadershipwas However, their legaland political status communities in NewMexico reflecting the clusions in American society,atthe coreof it is over-exuberance on the part of the neverallowedtorise. As aresult, people re- sufferedademotion; theybecame “domes- state’s Spanish colonial heritage. Haaland the US over the past year, America’sproblems with indigenous com- Gupkarleaders to declarethat it wasavic- mainedlargely powerlessandat themercyof tic dependent nations”, to useChief Justice oftendescribes herself as a35thgeneration BlackLives Matter activists munities lies the question of land —alot of tory fortheir agenda. Gupkar’s biggestfail- afew leaders. Empowering the villagepan- John Marshall’s early 19th centuryre-for- NewMexican. have drawnattention to the whichfalls within the mandateofthe urewas in Srinagar,whereitmanaged to chayatswas startedbythe UT administration mulation. In the treaties theysigned, Haaland firstcame to national attention DepartmentofInterior. It has become com- winjustthree seats. Srinagar has tradition- acouple of years agoencouraging the rise of Native Americans cededmillions of acres in 2018 when she waselected to the House mistreatment of all monplace to talk of slavery as America’s allybeen the bastion of the Abdullahs,but anew-generation leadership at thegrass of land to the US, but the treaties did not of Representatives. She wasone of the two ‘communities of colour’. But original sin. But this narrative elides the the voters this time rejected them. roots. The welcome changeaffected nowto absorb them intothe American body Native American women elected to the the protests have also storyofthe US as asettler colony—native TheBJPwillfinallycontrolsix DDCswhile empowerthe DDCs with elected represen- politic. Native Americans were restricted Congress forthe firsttime in US history. dramatised the uniqueness Americanswereforcibly removedbefore the Gupkargroup willhaveachanceinafew tativesisgoing to further that processand to their reservations. Yet, theycould gov- Nowshe will be the first-everindigenous whitesettlers could use slave labour to cul- more. The rest will depend on independents help address developmental needs in abig ern themselves. Even groups that did not person to hold aCabinet-levelposition. of the challenges facing tivate those lands. and smaller parties. The Gupkar leaders were way. Realising this opportunity,people too sign treaties could claim to possess inher- At theDemocratic NationalConvention Native Americans. Unlikeall Biden has promisedaCabinetthat hopingfor alandslide victoryinthe Valley. participatedin theelectionsenthusiastically ent sovereignty. lastAugust,Haaland spokepowerfully other exclusions in American “lookslikeAmerica”. Perhaps aNative Butthepeoplepreferredcredible candidates defying terroristthreatsand intimidations. Native Americans didn’t all cheer when againstPresident Trump’s anti-immigrant society, at the core of American Secretary of theInteriorwill to work forlocal development than high- The BJPhas clearly emergedasthe key the US Congress in 1924 declared that those policiesand rhetoric. “If anyone can say‘go bring America astepcloser to recognising profile party apparatchiksworking onlyon playerinthe UT along with the Gupkar born in the countrywill be American citi- back’”, she said, “it’s Native Americans. My America’sproblems with itssettler colonial pastand present. If that emotional agendas likethe restoration of group. However, the party and the govern- zens. Clinton Rickard, the chief of the Pueblo ancestors, despitebeing targeted at indigenous communities lies happens, Haaland’s appointment will Article 370. All political parties mustaccept ment needtotakeacautious note of the Tuscarorapeople (who nowliveinthe US everyjuncture—despitefacing famine and the question of land —alot provehistoric above andbeyond itsin- this messagewith humility. deepening divisionswithin the UT along the stateofNew York and Canada’s Ontario drought —still inhabit this countrytoday. of which falls within the tendedshort-term political goal. These elections were madepossible Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley. province), said: “By itsprovisions all Indians But indigenous people aren’taskinganyone through anamendmentto thePanchayatRaj were automaticallymade United States cit- to go backtowheretheycame from.” mandate of the Department Baruah is professor of political studies at Act1989ofthe erstwhile J&K Constitution, The writer is member,boardofgovernors, izens whether theywanted to be or not. This She has been achampion of Native of Interior BardCollege, NewYork whichprecededthe national act by six India Foundation Journal of aplague year LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR TAGORE’S INDIA THIS REFERS TO the article, ‘PM Modi at IDEAS In 2020, we learnt joyofthrift, beauty of austerity,and the needfor human touch Visva-Bharati: Tagore’s vision is essence of Atmanirbhar Bharat mission’(IE, ONLINE December 25). In his speech, the Prime Shashi Deshpande Ministertried hardtofind supportfrom ONLYINTHE EXPRESS Tagore forthepoliciesof hisgovernment. THE STORYOFthe Bombayplague of 1896 is had been named, would by somemiracle ig- nowatthe peak of human achievement, company, that we needhuman touch. The reality,however, is thatthe twoare ● RESTORINGTHE afascinating one, combining in itself all the noreus. It didn’t.The virus and COVID-19 would find one? Watching people frantically trying to get diametricallyopposed. In the second COMPETITIONCOMMISSION’S horrorofanepidemic, personal courage, sci- came to India. In itsabsence, three measures were our home from wherever theywere, we re- stanza of 'Jana-Gana-Mana,' Tagore finds MANDATE:SANJAYPANDEY entific achievement, resistance to theauto- It wasthe lockdown that reallybrought onlyhope:Wearamask,keepadistance learnt the importance of home. We sawfor India as amagnanimous and open- ANDVEDMISHRA cratic measures of aruling foreign power, na- home the horrorofthe situation. Suddenly from others, wash your hands. Easy and sim- thefirst time the invisible strata of ourcities, heartedhosttoHindus, Buddhists,Sikhs, tionalism and an assassination. Afterthat all the things that our livesconsistedofwere ple enoughitwould seem. Nevertheless, when migrant workers made arush for Jains, Parsis, Muslims and Christians. In ● BUILDING CONSENSUS: terrible outbreak,epidemics, exceptfor the sweptaway, as if atidalwavehad swallowed post-lockdown, people went about without home, some walking hundredsofmiles, 'BharatTeertha’, his India is aconfluence RAM KAUNDINYA Spanish Flu, became adistant memoryin them. Isolated in our homes, notseeing ahu- masks. Iwondered:Don’ttheycareabout some dying before theyreachedhome. We of avarietyof cultures.Tagore believedin India.Asmedicalsciencesteadilyadvanced, man face fordays, life, about survival? The discoveredhow muchthe women who the goodnessofuniversal humanity,not www.indianexpress.com it moweddownanumber of diseases, both struggling with chores ANEXPRESS IDEASERIES Buddha told his disci- helped us at home lightenedour tasks, al- divided by anarrowdefinition of nation- big andsmall, whichhad troubledthe hu- —this wasanightmare ple Ananda: That lowedustodoother things. alism.In‘GhareBaire’—hiscritiqueof the man race. The next great mysterywas AIDS, we had neverenvis- whichyou love the Above all, we could have,hopefully, “Swadeshi movement”inthe guise of a whichSiddhartha Mukherjee speaksofin aged.Fear lappedatthe mostwill be taken learnt the lesson: All things areconnected. novel—hemakesastrongcaseforafford- HOUSE NEEDED his The Emperor of AllMaladies as an “epi- edgesofour lives. Of the away from you. What is Forthe firsttime, maybe, the whole world abilityovernationalisticpride.Inthepres- THIS REFERS TO thearticle, 'The law- demiological catastrophe”.Another catas- lossofeverything we it that we love most? has united in suffering, in fear of the virus ent context, this could be interpreted as makers mustwork’ (IE, December 25). trophe waswaiting forusinthe 21st century. had takenfor granted. Children? Parents? and grief at the deaths. But the demand for supportfor globalisation. The periodic assembling of members News came early this year of astrangeill- And worstofall, COVID Lovers? Yes, we love vaccines tells us howlittle has changed.Rich Ranjan Das, Mumbai in alegislative chamberisnot mere ness in China whichthreatenedtobeworse thoughtsofdeath with- SHADOW, them, but above allwe nations arebuyingmorethan theyneed. constitutional convection; these bod- than AIDS.AIDS neededsome kind of con- out anydignity. love life,wewantto Scientists areabove pettiness, but politicians VACCINE BECKONS ies aremeant to channel public senti- tact. This newdisease movedfromone hu- When the lock- NEWYEAR survive.Survivalisaba- arenot.The cloak of liberalism and human- ments, their aspirations, and appre- man to another without anycontact;a down waslifted, people sic animal instinct. ism has fallen, there’s onlyselfishness left. THIS REFERS TO the editorial, ‘Dear hensions. In avibrant liberal cough, asneeze, even justtalking could crawledout with ex- LIGHT Why, then, do people The virusremains agreat leveller;itdoes- Santa’ (IE, December 25). The year 2020 democracy,every shade of opinion is transmitthe virus.Inthose early days,we haustedbodies and ravaged behave as if it didn’t matter? n’t careabout race, colour,nation,gender. All wasfull of gloom due to COVID. But we expected to be givenarespectfulplace sawpictures of ghostcities in China,with minds. Even themostsanguine knewthat Goingtoweddings,totemples, to the beach, humans arefair game. Will we remember mustappreciatethe Serum Instituteof in public discourse, and legislative emptyroads and an eerie silence. We be- the ordeal wasnot over,that tragedywas still attending parties and political rallies —did these things in the future? Notverylikely, India formanufacturing vaccine for bodiesare the perfect platform for came witnesses to theswiftnessofits mad lurking in our midst. Fortherewerenodrugs thesemattermorethanlife? because we have been giventhe giftofam- COVID-19inarecordperiod. The daythe this. Discussions stirredbylegislators rush round the globe, the ruthlessness which that could tame the virus. Doctors were re- We have learnt afew things from this ter- nesia. Burdenedasweare with the knowl- firstvaccine is administerediscertainly on issues of public importance give a made it inescapable;this wastrulyaformi- ducedtoworking likethe vaidsofold, trying ribletime. We have learnt howmuchwecan edge of our ownmortality,would we have going to be partofhistory books. sense of hope to the masses. dable enemy.Yet so strangelydoes the hu- anything, everything. The onlyhope wasa do without, howlittle we reallyneed. We survivedifnot forforgetfulness? Vandana, Chandigarh Sudip Kumar Dey Kolkata man mind reject the idea of our ownvulner- vaccine. So manyvaccines hadbeen devel- have learnt the joyofthrift, the beauty of aus- ability, we still hopedthe coronavirus,asit opedthrough the years, surelyscientists, terity.Wehavelearnt that we needhuman The writer is anovelist WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 14 THE WORLD

TOPOFTHE WORLD SHOT IN THE ARM FOR EUROPE Chinesedelegation Rarerespite,with manystruggling with their worstoutbreakssincethe start of the pandemic arrivesinNepal amidpoliticalcrisis Lawenforcement agencies at the scene

ED Beijing’s of the shooting. AP YUBARAJGHIMIRE rolein KATHMANDU,DECEMBER27 Kathmandu’s UNITED STATES PLAIN E ● AHIGH-LEVEL Chinese delega- EX affairs Shootingat tion ledbyavice ministerofthe ChineseCommunistPartyarrived CHINA'S POLITICAL pro- bowlingalley in Kathmandu on Sundayto“take file in Nepal has been on leaves3dead stock” of Nepal's political situa- the rise in the recent tion afterthe dissolution of years with billions of dol- Rockford: Agunman Parliament and subsequent split Vice MinisterofInternational lars of investmentsunder openedfireinsidean in the ruling Nepal Communist DepartmentGuo Yezhou is Beijing's multi-billion- Illinois bowling alley, AUSTRIA: Ahealth careworkerreactsafter Party, accordingto amediareport. leading the delegation dollarBelt and Road killing three people and FRANCE: Mauricette, 78, is applaudedafter receiving the firstdose of the receiving the vaccine at the Hospital Favoriten Days afterthe dissolution of Initiative(BRI), including injuring three others in vaccineatthe Rene-Murethospital on the outskirts of Paris. Reuters in Vienna. Reuters Nepal's Parliament and subse- the buildingofthe Trans- whatauthoritiesbelieve quent split in the ruling Nepal hand on Nepal -- is believedto HimalayanMulti- wasarandom attack. A CommunistParty (NCP), ahigh- have arrivedwith the mission to Dimensional 37-year-old male suspect levelChinese delegation, ledby unitethe twowarringfactions of Connectivity Network. wasincustody afterthe Guo Yezhou, Vice Ministerofthe the NCP. Speculations arerife Guo Yezhou's visit at- shooting at Don Carter International Department of the thattheywould persuade both taches all the moresig- Lanes Saturdaynight, CommunistParty of China, ar- factions to unite, or makesome nificance as he is be- Rockford police said in a rivedinKathmandu on Sunday. coalition arrangement. lievedtohaveplayeda social media post. Twoof The delegation -- all covered The delegation is settostay key role to bring the NCP- those who were shotwere in PPE -- arrivedbyanAir China in Kathmandu forthree days -- UnifiedMarxistLeninist, teenagers, police Chief flight and headedstraight to the despitecurrent Chinesepolicy of ledbyOli, and the NCP Dan O'Sheasaid duringa Chinese Embassy in avoiding long stays in Nepal due (Maoists)led by news conference. Mayor Bhatbhateni. to the Covid-19situation in the Prachanda together to TomMcNamarareleased Guo wasset to meet Himalayancountry. form the unifiedNCP. astatement saying he was President Bidhya Devi Bhandari Asenior NCPleader partof “angered andsaddened” and Prime MinisterKPOli sepa- the Prachanda-Nepal campsaid about the shooting. AP rately.The Prime Minister's China is nottoo happywith Oli The high-levelvisitcomes in Office said ameeting has been as he refusedtoheedtotheir ear- wake of Chinese Ambassador scheduledfor Monday. Thedel- lier suggestion to quit one post- HouYanqi'sfailure to unify the egation will also meetthe lead- -either that of Prime Ministeror warring factions of the NCP, CHINA ers of the anti-Oli camp, includ- of party chairman -- if that whichhad virtuallyvowed to Atleast7killed FINLAND: Nurse Andrea Nummi receivesthe vaccine at the ITALY: Nurse ElenaBetti afterreceivingthe vaccine at the ing former Prime Ministers would preventasplit. tread the Xi Jinping path in Helsinki UniversityHospital in Helsinki. Reuters Careggi hospital in Florence. Reuters MadhavKumarNepal and Ahigh-placedsourceinthe Nepal. inknifeattackin Pushpa Kamal Dahal Oli campsaid Chinese delegation Meanwhile, police arrested 'Prachanda'. appears to be in contact with aboutadozenprotestors who Kaiyuancity Though both China and some "unofficial interlocutors", waved placards, objecting to Beijing: At leastseven Nepal aretight-lippedabout the asking them to stop the bicker- "encroachment of Nepali terri- people were killedand 450 million people, 27 nations: visit, Guo -- considered an old ing of the twofactions. tory"byChina. another sevenwerein- jured in aknifeattackin northeastern China, state Post-Brexit UK media reportedon Sunday. Theattackinthe EU’s vaccine campaign takes off can do finance city of Kaiyuan in Liaoning province was Despite national lockdowns, In Germany,anursing home talaspartofthe waveofimmu- services in a carriedout outside a THENEWYORKTIMES restrictions on movement, shut- jumpedthe gun on Sunday’s nizations. The rollout comes as sauna and bathhouse. BERLIN,DECEMBER27 tering of restaurantsand cancel- plannedrollout of thevaccina- Europe’s largest nation is con- different way, The suspect, identifiedby lations of Christmas gatherings, tion campaign across the frontingits deadliestperiod the media by hissurname FROM NURSINGhomes in the virushas stalked Europe into EuropeanUnion,inoculating a since the startofthe pandemic. says Sunak Yang, wasarrestedwhile France to hospitals in Poland, the darkwinter months. The 101-year old woman and dozens Morethan 350,000people in the motive forthe attack older Europeans and the work- spread of amorecontagious of other residentsand staffmem- the 27 nationsthat makeupthe REUTERS remains unknown. ers who carefor them rolledup variant of the virus in Britain has bers on Saturday, hours afterthe European Union have diedfrom LONDON,DECEMBER27 Chinese lawrestricts the their sleevesonSundaytore- raisedsuchalarm the muchthat dosesarrived.People were also Covid-19since the bloc’s firstfa- sale and possession of ceive coronavirus vaccine shots continental Europe rushed to vaccinated on Saturdayin tality wasrecorded in France on BREXIT OFFERS Britain achance firearms, and mass at- in acampaign to inoculatemore close itsborders to travelers Hungaryand Slovakia. February15. Member states to do things differentlyinfinan- tacksare generallycar- than 450 millionpeople across coming from the country. Early Sunday, dozens of mini- made ashowofsolidarity by cialservices, finance minister Rohingyarefugees boardaship as theyare ferriedto riedout with knivesor the European Union. “Today, we startturning the vans carrying coolers filledwith waiting forthe bloc’sregulatory RishiSunak said on Sunday, but Bhashan Char from Chittagong on December 4. Reuters homemade explosives. The inoculations offereda page on adifficult year,” Ursula dryice to keep the doses of the boardtoapprovethe vaccine be- it will co-operatewith the Perpetrators of similar at- rare respiteasthe continent vonder Leyen, the European Pfizer-BioNTechvaccine from fore beginningcoordinated na- European Union on an approach tacksinthe pasthave struggles with one of itsmost Commissionpresident tweeted. rising above minus 70 degrees tional campaigns. But howthose to the sector despitelittle detail been described as men- precarious momentssince the “The #COVID19vaccine has been Celsius fannedout to nursing will playout in individual coun- on the topic in itstrade deal. Bangla settomove tallyill or bearing grudges pandemic began. deliveredtoall EU countries.” homes across the German capi- tries is likelytobedisparate. From January 1, British-based againstsociety. AP financial services groupslose au- tomatic access to theEU’s single second batch of CAMEROON China lowers market,and both sides have said Buscrashleaves Sindh govt to notrelease accused newmarketaccessmustbenego- age of criminal tiated outside the trade agree- Rohingya to island 37dead;18more mentinspecificequivalencedeals. in Daniel Pearl murder case liabilityto12 “Now that we’veleftthe Chittagong firstand then to seriouslyinjured European Union, we can do REUTERS Bhasan Char,depending on the Yaounde: Morethan 37 benchwhichishearing the ap- Beijing: Chinahas loweredthe thingsabit differently(in finan- DHAKA,DECEMBER27 hightide,” an official said. The of- people aredead and 18 PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA pealbythe Sindh government ageofcriminal responsibility for cial services),” Sunak said. ficials declinedtobenamed as othersseriouslyinjuredaf- ISLAMABAD,DECEMBER27 and the familyofthe slain jour- some serious crimes from 14 to Britainand the EU clincheda BANGLADESH IS settomovea the issue had notbeen made terabus crash in nalistagainstthe acquittal of 12,asitlookstocombat juvenile trade deal on Thursday, but second batchofRohingya public. Cameroon's western vil- PAKISTAN'S SINDH province Daniel Pearl Sheikh by theSindh High Court crime committed by children. Prime MinisterBoris Johnson refugees from neighbouring MohammedShamsud lageofNemale, officials government has decidednot to in April,onSeptember 28 noted Under an amendedlaw,chil- has admitted it is an accord Myanmartothe remote island of Douza, the deputyBangladesh said. A70-seater bus was release British-born al-Qaeda that till the next dateofhearing, dren aged 12 to 14 will be held whichdoes nothaveasmuchas Bhasan Char in the BayofBengal government official in charge of on itsway to thecapital, leader AhmedOmar Saeed their detention "null andvoid". the accusedshall notbereleased. criminallyliable for“intentional he would have liked about the fi- this month, officials said on refugees, said the relocation was Yaounde,fromthewestern Sheikh and his three aides, ac- The courtobserved that the four Asenior government official homicideorintentional injury nancial services sector and regu- Sunday, despitecalls by rights voluntary. “Theywill notbesent town of Foumban when it cused of kidnapping and mur- men's detention was“illegal”. said the apexcourtorder has not that leads to death or causes oth- latoryequivalence. groupsnot to carry out further againsttheir will.” crashedintoatruckwhile dering US journalist Daniel Pearl, The court, however, hadclar- been specificallyrecalled. “The ers severe disabilities by ex- The twosides will aim to relocations. Bangladesh says it is transfer- trying to avoidacrowdof in viewofaSupreme Courtor- ifiedthat the accusedshould not SHCinitsDecember 24 orderalso tremelycruel means”. The agree amemorandum of under- Around 1,000 Rohingya ring onlypeople who arewilling peopleontheroadaround der,according to amedia report. be releasedifthereisaSupreme clarifiedthat accusedshould not amendment, passedonSaturday standing on regulatorycooper- refugees, members of aMuslim to go and the move will ease 2amSunday,saidAbsalom In asurprise move,atwo- Courtrestraining orderregard- be releasedifthereisaSupreme by theStandingCommitteeof the ation in financial services by minority who have fled chronic overcrowding in camps Monono Woloa, asenior judge benchofthe Sindh High ing their detention. Courtrestraining order regarding NationalPeople's Congress,will March 2021, and Sunak said that Myanmar,will be movedtothe that arehome to more than 1 government official in the CourtonThursdaydirected se- Citing itssources,the Express their detention,” he added. take effect on March 1. suchlanguage shouldprovide island in the next fewdays after million Rohingya. area. Thedeath toll will curity agencies nottokeep Tribune newspaper said the On Friday, theUSexpressed Currently, the ageofcriminal reassurance. “This deal also pro- Bangladeshrelocated more than But refugees and humanitar- likelyrise as rescue work- Sheikhand other accused under provincialgovernment will not "deep concern" over the order to liabilityinChina is 16,with those vides reassurance because 1,600early this month, twooffi- ian workers saysome Rohingya ersdigthroughthewreck- “anysortofdetention” and de- release these men in viewofthe release Sheikhand his aides and between14 and16 heldcriminally there’s astable regulatoryco-op- cials with the direct knowledge have been coercedintogoing to age, he said. AP clared all notifications of the Supreme Court's September 28 said it will continuetomonitor responsible forserious crimes erative framework mentioned in of the matter said. the island, whichemergedfrom Sindh government related to order.Athree-judgeapexcourt anydevelopmentsinthe case. suchasrape and robbery. AP the deal,” he said. “Theywill be movedto the sea 20 years ago. In Afghanistan’s village of widows, the opium trade has taken adeadly toll

twochoices, said Mohammad opium cultivation, processing and later hanged in Iran afterhe brush that families buy or collect Forthe widows’villageand DAVIDZUCCHINO& Ali Faqiryar, thedistrict gover- and trafficking that oftenleaves wasconvictedofsmuggling to burn. Some widows,likeMs. othersettlementsinHerat NAJIMRAHIM nor: “Theycan smuggle drugs or Afghanistan’s mostvulnerable to opium,she said.Three years ago, Bibi,light asingle bulb at night Province, the warisnever far MIRALI,AFGHANISTAN, join the Taliban.” bear the direconsequences of she said, twomoresons —Abdul withpower generated during away.The Taliban regularly at- DECEMBER27 Thosewho agree to smuggle the illicittrade. Ghafoor,15, and Abdel Zarif, 14 — the daybytinysolar panels. tack government outposts opium, heroin and metham- Mr.Faqiryarsaid he has tried were shotdead by Iranian border Conditions were so severe this nearby. Everyday,police patrols ON THE barren high plains of phetamines intoIrancan earn and failedtoget government guards as theytried to transport fall that manywomen fledthe vil- clear the highway to Herat city of western Afghanistan, along a $300ormoreper trip, afortune moneyfor programs to help peo- opium from Afghanistan. lagefor the homes of relativesor roadside bombs planted by mil- roadway south of Herat city,isa forsuchapoor village. But they ple raise livestockand grow Ms. Bibi said Iran neverre- fordisplaced-person campsrun itants at night, Mr.Faqiryarsaid. collection of sturdy earthen huts riskarrest, prosecution and exe- wheat, rice and beans in the arid, turnedher sons’ bodies, acom- by aid organizations. Until re- Recently, he said, asmall bor- known as Qala-e-Biwaha, or “vil- cution in Iran’s Islamiccourts — unforgiving landscape. plaint shared by other women in cently, the villagewas home to 80 der outpostwas shut down by lageofwidows.” or being shotand killedby “Weget no help from the the village. “I don’t knowifthey widows and their families, said the government afteritwas at- Mostofthe village’s men Iranian border guards. centralgovernment —theydon’t were buriedinIranortheir bod- MohammadZaman Shakib, the tacked and damaged —not by have disappeared —killedwhile As of 2018,Afghanistanwas careabout thepeople, even if ies were justthrowninthe district council’sdevelopment di- the Taliban, but by drug traffick- trying to smuggle opium across the world’s largest producer of they’restarving,” he said. desert,” she said. rector.Today, thereare just30. ers alignedwith the militantsto the desolatefrontier intoneigh- opium,and poppyisthe coun- The widows surviveonfood As of 2018,Afghanistan wasthe world’s largest producer of These days,the villageis The paucity of men in the vil- clear the wayfor trafficking. boring Iran. The widowshave try’s mostlucrative cash crop. bought with their earnings from opium and poppyisits mostlucrative cash crop. Reuters file whipped by frigidwinds that lagehas notliberated the So the widows endure, most been lefttofend forthemselves The profitsfuel the Taliban’s fi- the wool-processingtrade, and drownout the bleatingofsheep women from the harshconfines of them earningapittance in the and their children, some of nancial networks. on donations from relativesand in rough pens next to thewid- of Afghanistan’s patriarchal cul- wool-processing trade, which whom have also died while Afghanofficialsseem power- international aid groups.Some cial capital, 45 miles north. spokeoutside her dwelling,fash- ows’ huts, whichseemtoriseup ture. The area around Qala-e- leavestheirhands calloused and transporting drugs over the bor- less to stop the lucrativetrade; children attendamadrasa, or “For alongtime, lifewas very ioned from driedpackedearth, from the dun-colored soil to Biwaha is home to severalwhite- discolored.Astheystruggle to der from Herat Province’s manyhavegrown wealthy Islamic school, run by amullah good and my three sons earned as agrandchild clung to her mimic the shapeand textureof beardedmen, who interrupted raise their children, manyfear rugged Adraskan district. through their complicity in facil- at atinymosque in anearbyset- alot of moneycarrying opium,” robes. “Then theywereall killed.” the surrounding hills. Thereisno some of thewidows andtalked their sons will followtheir dead The area is so destitutethat itatingthe trafficking. What re- tlement. The nearestpopulation said NekBibi, awidowwho said Her oldestson, Ghulam Rasul, electricity or running water, and over others as theyspoke about fathers intothe drug trafficking men seeking work herehave sultsisanenduring cycle of center is Herat city, theprovin- shewas about50years old. She 20, wasarrestedseveral yearsago no heat exceptfromthe dry theirhardships. business. NYT WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 MarketWatch FPISPUMP IN OVER `60K CR IN DEC NewDelhi: Foreign portfolio investors(FPIs)havepumped in anet Rs 60,094crore into domestic markets in December so far,with a 15 ECONOMY net Rs 56,643 crore invested into equities and Rs 3,451 crore into debt instruments between December 1-24. PTI

RECAPITALISATIONOFPUNJAB &SIND BANK INTERVIEW WITH MD &CEO,AXISMUTUAL FUND Zerocouponbonds:Innovativegovt ‘We believeequities remain the best asset class for tooltofundPSBs,keepdeficitincheck long-term wealthcreation’

will be paid on thematurity as ment’s move to injectequity in AXISMUTUALFundmanagingdi- cal consolidation or downward SUNNYVERMA& ‘USING`100TOCREATEIMPACTOF`200’ per the government notification banks, twotop finance industry rector and CEO CHANDRESH growth or inflation shock, rate SANDEEPSINGH ... Thereisnocoupon, it is zero executives, who wishednot to KUMARNIGAM spoke to cutslook unlikely. NEWDELHI,DECEMBER27 ■ Though these zero ■ Onlyspecifiedbankscan coupon, it is issuedatpar and be named, said that this move GEORGE MATHEWonthe stock For2021, we believe investors coupon bonds issuedbythe invest in these bonds, which will be paid at the end of the buystimes but doesn’t solve the markets, foreign inflows and in- willbebest suitedtogoupthedu- THE GOVERNMENT has usedfi- government will earn no arenot tradable, not specifiedperiod,” Krishan said. problem permanently. vestor strategy.Editedexcerpts: ration curvewhichwould serve nancial innovation to recapi- interestfor thesubscriber, transferable and limited Asenior Finance Ministryof- “It is agreat innovation by investor needs of ahigher riskre- talise Punjab &Sind Bank by is- market participantsterm it onlytoaspecificbank,said ficialexplainedthat while ac- the government whereitisus- Whyare stockmarketshitting ward.Weanticipatethe RBI will suing the lender Rs 5,500-crore both a‘financial illusion’ Punjab &Sind Bank MD & counting of these bonds is at par, ing Rs 100tocreateanimpact of newpeaksatatime when the maintain ratesatcurrent levels worthofnon-interestbearing and ‘great innovation’ by CEO SKrishnan, adding that effectively it’s the netpresent Rs 200inthe economy. It is issu- GDP is in contraction mode? Is overthecourseof thenextyearat bonds valuedatpar.The funds the government whereitis the bonds —worth `5,500 value of the instrument which ing azerocoupon bondaggre- the rallyfor real? minimum,postwhichwebelieve raisedthrough issuanceofthese using `100to createan crore—havebeen issued matters. “These areinstruments gating to Rs 5,500crore at par to Stockmarkets areforward agradualrisingrate environment instruments, whichare avaria- impact of `200inthe afterproper due diligence whichare avariation of the re- Punjab &Sind Bank that will ma- looking. Theyworkonanticipa- willensueonthe backofarecov- tion of the recapitalisation bonds economy and areissuedatpar cap bonds but effectively meet tureintranches between 2030 tionof thecurrentandfutureeco- Chandresh Kumar Nigam eryinthe economy. issuedearlier to public sector the same purpose,and these are to 2035. The market valueofthis nomic outlook.The Covidimpact banks, arebeingdeployedto issuedinconformity with the bonds would be around Rs 2,750 onthe economywas predictedin What’s your assessment on capitalisethe state-run bank. neededequity capi- able. It is limited only RBI guidelines,” the official said. crore. Punjab &Sind Bank,byin- March andhencethemarketscor- aroundwhyinvestingregularly is the Covid-hit economy? Though these will earn no in- taltothe banks. But to aspecific bank, The Finance Ministrynotified vesting in these bonds from rected.Aswestand today, the re- important. Timing the market Howwillbethe next three or terest for the subscriber,market theyalsocaution this and it is foraspeci- these bonds in the government held-to-maturity category, coverythemehasplayedoutwell rarely worksand hence investing four quarters? participantsterm it both a‘finan- maynot be aperma- fied period ... it is gazetteonDecember 11. won’t have to book mark-to- as marketssaw renewedinterest is acontinuous process which The economywas already cial illusion’and ‘great innova- nent solution forthe held at the held-to- marketloss and will value the fordomestic equities from all when followeddiligently hasre- seeing signs of stagnation and tion’ by the governmentwhere banking sector’s maturity (HTM) cat- Howdotheydifferfromzero bonds at cost, i.e. Rs 5,500crore. marketparticipants, including warded investors over the long companies were reelingfrom it is using Rs 100tocreateanim- problems. egoryofthe bank as coupon bonds issuedby The government will infuse Rs FPIs and portfolioinvestors. term regardless of when theyen- flaggingdemand.TheCovidlock- pact of Rs 200inthe economy. per the RBI guide- private firms? 5,500crore intoequity capital of Earningshave backedinvestorex- teredthe market.SIP flows have downmadethingsworseasfacto- Punjab &SindBank MD and Whatkind of bonds arethese? lines. Since it is held to maturity, Zerocoupon bonds by pri- Punjab &SindBank,” one of the pectations and we believe mar- been atestament to this under- riesand businesses were shut. CEO SKrishnan said these are Unlikethe previous tranches it is accounted at thefacevalue vate companies arenormallyis- financialsector executivessaid. kets arepoisedtoremainpositive standing. Forthe better halfof However, businesseshave opened special types of zerocoupon of recapitalisation bonds which (and) no mark-to-market will be suedatdiscount, but since these By doing so, the capital ade- sansCovid.Whilewe believe vac- threeyearsnow, we have seenun- up in astaggered manner and a bonds issuedbythe government carriedinterestand were sold to there. So these arespecial kind specialbonds arenot tradable quacy of Punjab &Sind Bank cines areonanvil andgovern- wavering SIP flows. strongfestivedemandhasbeena afterproper due diligence and different banks,these“non-in- of bonds issuedbythe govern- these can be issuedatpar. goes up by Rs 5,500crore (in- mentsare chalkingoutlarge scale One mustremember that much-neededrelief especiallyfor these areissuedatpar. terest bearing, non-transferable ment afterproper (due dili- “Thereisadifference be- stead of Rs 2,750 crore). inoculation drives, the risk of a markets have been volatile dur- small and medium businesses. Since these bonds arenot special GOI securities” have a gence),” Krishan said. tweenzerocoupon bonds issued “While this is afinancial illu- second wave in Indiapersists. ingthisphase.Investorswhostick We areveryoptimistic of the re- tradable, the lender has kept maturity of 10-15yearsand is- Though zerocoupon, these by other corporates and these. sion, finallythe government has with their investment commit- covery currentlyplaying out and them in the HTM bucket, notre- suedspecificallytoPunjab & bonds aredifferent from tradi- Youare absolutelyright, nor- realisedthat it is better to do Whyare foreign investors mentshavereapedtherewardsof the next 3or4quarters. With quiring it to book anymark-to- Sind Bank. tional zerocoupon bonds on one mallyzerocoupon bonds areis- what Western countries aredo- pumping money(over staying patient. We believeequi- high-frequency dataimproving, marketgains or losses from “These recapitalisation account —astheyare being iss- suedatadiscount, whichare ingrather than what their acad- Rs 1,60,000crorein2020) into tiesremainthebest assetclassfor we maintain our viewthat the these bonds. bonds arespecial typesofbonds uedatpar,thereisnointerest; in tradable also.Here, thereisno emicians arerecommending us. Indian markets? long-term wealth creation and economywill reachthe pre-pan- Financial marketparticipants issuedbythe Central govern- previous cases, since theywere question of trading and these are One mustremember that finan- Indiahas been astandout should form some partofevery demic levelofoutput by end- said the government seems to ment specificallytoaparticular issuedatdiscount, theytechni- special typesofbonds, whichthe cial illusion buysyou time to put economyinthe global context. investor’s portfolio. 2020.We remainconstructive on have found an innovative wayto institution. Onlythose banks, callywereinterestbearing. government issues specifically your house in order.Itdoesn’t Especiallyinthe emerging mar- thegrowth trend and expect the capitalise banks, whichdoes not whosoeverisspecified, can in- “Now these aremade zero to aspecifiedperson and it’s is- solve the problem permanently ketworld, strong political stabil- MF equity schemes saw recoveryto gainstrengthfromQ2 affect the fiscal deficit while at vest in them, nobody else. It is coupon and besidesthat thereis suedatpar,” Krishan said. but givesyou more time to solve ityandarobust recoverycyclehas outflows of over Rs 12,000 of FY21 onwards.Accommodative the same time provides much nottradable, it is nottransfer- no difference, the said amount While praising the govern- it,” the executive added. beenabeaconforinternationalin- croreinNovember.Why? monetarypolicystanceislikelyto vestors. In the post-Covid world, We mustappreciatethatdo- supportthe recovery andstruc- wherethe worldisawash with mestic retail investors as well as turalreformsto liftmedium-term BRIEFLY central bank liquidity,India has large investors have been dili- growth prospects. 442infraprojectsshowcost `21,21,383.82CR `25,55,957.52CR been getting adisproportionate gentlyinvesting large sums into FY20:Over TOTALORIGINALCOSTOF ANTICIPATEDCOSTOF share. As an opportunity,India equity marketsoverthe lastfew With Covid casesyet to overruns of `4.34 lakhcrore IMPLEMENTATIONOFTHE IMPLEMENTATIONOFALL continues to remain an attractive years. The netnegative numbers subside,when do yousee 4.15croreITRs 1,671PROJECTS PROJECTS destination forglobal growth in- arenot unwarranted giventhe investment and capex vestorssincetheyare increasingly currentmarketconditions.Itisnot going up? filedtillDec26 As manyas442 infrastructureprojects have been hit by comfortablewiththestructureof uncommonfor equity investors Covid has been agreat oppor- costoverruns of over`4.34 lakh crore, according to the Total projects Reasons for time overruns, the economy, policy and regula- to bookprofitsespeciallyafterthe tunity formanycompanies to re- NewDelhi: Over 4.15 crore MoSPI report forNovember 1,671worth `150 crore as reported by implementing toryframework.Thegovernment roaring rallywehaveseeninthe toolandrefocusontheirbusiness. taxpayershave filedincome and above monitored by the agencies: overthelastfiveyearshasactively lastninemonths.Iwouldnotread Lowerfunding costs andarecov- taxreturns (ITR) forassess- Ministry of Statistics and ■ Delaysinland acquisition, workedto makeIndiamorebusi- toomuchintothis fact. SIP flows eringeconomiccycleaugurswell ment year 2020-21(FY20) Number of projects that reported time Programme Implementation forest clearance and supply of nessfriendlyand this is nowpay- continuetoremain robust. forgrowthprospectsofwellman- till December 26, the Inc- 536escalation, of which (MoSPI) equipment ing dividends. Short-term profit booking aged businesses with innovative ome TaxDepartment said. ■ Fund constraints mustnot be construedasanega- and well-articulated business Thisincludesover2.34crore 120 134 162 120 Projects whose ■ Geological surprises Is the market,whichisata tive asthisispartandparcelof in- models. Currently, lowinterest taxpayers filing ITR-1,over delayed by delayed by delayed by delayed by 942neither year of ■ Geo-mining conditions recordhigh, safefor retail vestor psychology. rateshavealso dramaticallyim- 89.89 lakh filing ITR-4,over one to 12 13 to 24 25 to 60 61 months commissioning nor tentative ■ Slow progress in civil works investors? proved profitability and project 49.72lakh ITR-3 and over months months months and above gestation period has been ■ Shortage of labour From agrim March to aeu- What’syour assessment on IRRs(internalrate of return),thus 30.36 lakhfiling ITR-2. reported ■ Inadequate mobilisation by phoricNovember,equitymarkets the debt market?Have benefiting long-term investors contractor have been on arollercoasterride interestrates bottomed out? and promoters. `4,34,573.70 crore: ■ ROU/ROW (right of —areminder that equities area Domestic bondyields have Extensionto Overall cost overruns, i.e. use/right of way) problems volatile yetrewardingassetclass. followedtheoperative rate down- Whichare the sectors yetto validityofvehicle 20.49% of original cost Retail investors have increasingly wardsasthe RBIand the govern- come out of problems? When 44.15 months: Average time participated in equity markets ment have emphasisedofbring- do youexpectrecovery? documents `11,93,997.81 crore: overrun of all infrastructure through the mutual fund route ing rateslower through policy Highfrequency indicators al- Expenditureincurred on projectsexamined by the and through direct stockinvest- actionandaccommodative mon- ready point to arecovery across NewDelhi:TheUnionTrans- all projects till November Ministry, on account of ingasvariousinvestorawareness etarypolicyinanattempt to spur mostsectors. As India worksto- portMinistryonSunday ex- 2020, 46.71% of delays in execution and programmes by market partici- growth.Whilethemoneymarket wardsbecoming the next manu- tendedthevalidityof motor anticipated cost other constraints pantshavebornefruit over the curveandthe3/5-yearspacehave facturing and services hubofthe vehicledocumentslikedriv- years.Thevalueof theSensexand broadlyfollowedsuit,longer world,globalopportunitiesforde- inglicence(DL),registration the Nifty is justanumber.We datedpapersespeciallycorporate mand buoyedbygovernmentin- certificate(RC)and permits Why is it important: As per the MoSPI report, in addition to Under-reporting: Agencies are not reporting have seen this time and time bondshaveremainedsomewhat centivesare likelytoushera tillMarch 31,2021, inviewof the factors that regularly delay work on infra projects, revised cost estimates and commissioning Source: again. As India grows, financial anchored.The recent RBI com- multi-year growth phase. the ongoing pandemic. ‘state-wiselockdown due to Covid-19’was cited as a schedules for many projects,which suggests that MoSPI/PTI marketswillrisecommensurately mentaryisaclear indication that Therecoveryisalreadyunder- reason for delay in their implementation time and cost overrun figuresare under-reported to reflectthis growth. theRBIintendsto keepratesrange wayand we expectarecovery in Budget:CII We have manycampaigns bound. Unless we see ahugefis- the next fewquarters. suggestionson importtariffs Paying 1% GST in cash: ‘No impact on small businesses’ PNB puts threestressed NewDelhi:IndustrybodyCII their GSTliability in cash. generatefakeITC or areusedto The rule is notapplicable in accountsupfor sale hassuggestedagradedroad ENSECONOMICBUREAU ‘ONLYAPPLICABLE This newrule applies onlyto be alayer in multi-layerfake cases wherethe registeredper- map towardscompetitive NEWDELHI,DECEMBER27 TO45KTAXPAYERS’ about 45,000 taxpayers of the credit flowpay no taxincash. son deposited morethan Rs 1 importtariffsoverthree GSTtaxpayerbase of 1.2crore “This provision is avery lakh as income taxineachofthe ENSECONOMICBUREAU The accounts are years,withlowestornilslab THE NEW rule requiring busi- and genuine dealers and busi- smart rule againstfraudsters and last twoyearsand also wherein NEWDELHI,DECEMBER27 ■ The newrule Mangalam Oil betweenzeroto2.5percent nesses to payatleast1per cent nesses would notbeimpacted, would notaffect anygenuine registeredpersonhas receiveda requiring businesses forraw materials, highestof of their GSTliability in cash will sources said, adding that it has business entities or ‘Ease of refund of morethanRs1lakhin PUNJAB NATIONAL Bank (PNB) Industries, withmonthly turnover 5to7.5 per cent forfinished notimpact small businessesand been brought to checkuse of Doing Business’ in anymanner,” the preceding financial year on has put up forsale three stressed of over `50 lakhtopay Alliance Fibres Ltd and goodsand 2.5 to 5per cent dealers as onlyentities with an- fake invoices to claimcredit for an official said, adding that all accountofexportorinvertedtax accounts, with totaloutstanding at least1%oftheir forintermediates, as partof nual turnoverofRs6crore and taxpaid on non-existent or small businesses, including structure. dues of nearly Rs 34.50crore. Birsa Instituteof goods and services tax itspre-Budget recommen- above arerequired to followthis highlyinflated input cost. MSMEs (micro, small and The rule is also notapplica- The accountsare Mangalam Technology (Trust) liability in cash applies dations to the government. rule, sources in the Finance The newrule restrictsthe use medium enterprises) and com- ble to government departments, Oil Industries with outstanding onlytoabout45,000 Ministrysaid. of input taxcredit (ITC) fordis- position dealers, have been ex- public sector undertakings and duesofRs10.77crore,Alliance taxpayers of theGST Afterunearthing rampant charging GSTliability to 99 per cludedfromthe rule. local authorities. Fibres Ltd (Rs 18.31crore)and “Weintend to place three taxpayerbaseof1.2 CCItorelease use of fake invoices to evade cent, effective January1,2021. It The rule is applicable to reg- The CBIC has booked about Birsa InstituteofTechnology accountsfor sale to ARCs/ NBFCs/ crore, sources said telecomsector goods and servicestax (GST), the would applyonlytorisky or sus- isteredpersons whose value of 12,000cases of ITCfraud and ar- (Trust) (Rs 5.41crore). other banks/ FIs etc, on the terms CentralBoardofIndirect Taxes picious dealers who use alot of taxablesupply, other than ex- rested 365 persons in suchcases The process is being under- and conditions stipulated in the studyshortly and Customs (CBIC) had last fake credit and makenocash tax empt supplyand export, in a so far. More than 165fraudsters takenbythe state-ownedbank’s bank’s policy,inline withthe week amendedrules to makeit monthlyturnoverofoverRs50 payment, theysaid. month exceeds Rs 50 lakh, or Rs have been arrested in last StressedAssets Targeted regulatoryguidelines,” aPNB NewDelhi:TheCompetition mandatory forbusinesseswith lakh to payatleast1per cent of Dummycompanies which 6crore annually,sources said. six weeks. Resolution Action Division. auction notice said. CommissionofIndia (CCI) will shortlyrelease itsstudy on the telecom sector and one of thekey trends that Chinese regulators urgeAnt Grouptoset ‘rectification’ planswiftly has emergedisthe vertical integration betweentelcos and regulateits credit rating month abruptlysuspendedAnt’s The newdemands from the omy’s course in 2021, vowedthis and digital solution REUTERS business to protect personal in- planned$37 billion initialpublic PBOC, China Banking and monthtostrengthen antimo- providers,includingOTTs BEIJING,DECEMBER27 formation, People’s Bank of offering, whichhad been on Insurance Regulatory nopolyefforts and rein in “disor- ande-commerceplatforms. China (PBOC) ViceGovernor Pan tracktobethe world’s largest, Commission, China Securities derly capital expansion.” CHINA’S FINANCIAL regulators Gongsheng said aday after justtwo days before itsshares RegulatoryCommission and Pansaid Ant muststepupits urgedfintechcompanyAnt meeting with representativesof were due to begin trading in StateAdministration of Foreign risk management and maintain ‘Crudesteel GrouponSundaytooutlinea thefintechgroup. Shanghai and Hong Kong. Exchangealso include that Ant the continuityofits services and outputrises concreteplan as soon as possi- Ant said in astatement it On Thursday, authorities be moretransparent about its normal operations of itsbusi- ble to meet regulatorydemands would establish a“rectification” said theyhad launchedanan- third-party paymenttransac- ness. 3.5%inNov’ and fullyunderstand the seri- working party and fully imple- titrustinvestigation intoparent tions and notconduct unfair During the meeting, regula- ousnessofthe “rectification” ment regulatoryrequirements. Alibaba Group and would sum- competition, and thatits setup tors pointed out Ant’s issues in- NewDelhi:Indiaregistereda work it needs to perform. The state-backed Economic mon Ant, the latestblowfor bil- of financialholding companies cluding itspoor corporate gov- growth of 3.5 percentin The central bank,banking, Daily said in acommentary that lionaireJackMa’s e-commerce complywith the lawtoensure ernance,defiance of regulatory crude steel productionat securities and foreign exchange Ant should servethe people’s and fintechempire. the capital adequacy,Pan said. demands, illegal regulatoryar- 9.245 milliontonne(MT)in regulators urgedAnt to rectify il- needs and economic develop- Ma, the founder of both China’s annual Central bitrary, the use of itsmarketad- November,according to legal financial activities,includ- ment, taking effective corporate Ant said it would establish a‘rectification’ working party Alibaba and Ant Group, is one of Economic Work Conference,a vantagetosqueeze out competi- WorldSteelAssociation. PTI ing in itscredit,insurance and social responsibility. and fullyimplementregulatoryrequirements. Reuters file China’s richestand mostpromi- gathering of topleaders and pol- tors, and harming consumers’ wealth management businesses, Chinese regulators last nententrepreneurs. icymakers to chartthe econ- legal interests,hesaid. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,MONDAY,DECEMBER28,2020 MESSI GIVEN EXTENDED BREAK Lionel Messimissed Barcelona’sreturn to training on Mondayafter being granted permis- sion by theclub to stay in Argentina,and he will also be absent from Tuesday’sLaLigamatch at home to Eibar.Barcasaid on Twitter that Messi, who is in the last year of hiscontractand is 16 SPORT free to negotiate amove to rival clubs forfree in 2021,would return to training after the Eibar game,meaning he will be back fortheir visittoHuescaonJanuary. 3. REUTERS

BRIEFLY Williamson’ston Stand-in stands tall boostsNZonDay2 Mount Maunganui: Kane India captain Rahane’s memorable hundred, leading from the front, puts visitors in charge as Aussie hopes flounder Williamson's tireless questfor runs continuedSundayashebatted New SCORECARD Zealand intoacommanding position SANDIPG on the second dayofthe second DECEMBER27 AUSTRALIA VS INDIA cricket Test againstPakistan. MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND Williamson made 129, his 23rdtest ABRAVE and brilliant hundred from Ajinkya Toss: Australia, chose to bat hundred,and shared centurypartner- Rahane has fuelledIndia’s comebackambi- ships with Ross Taylor and Henry tionsinthisseries.His12thTest century, which AUSFIRSTINNINGS 195 (91.3ov) Nicholls as NewZealandmade 431 underlinedonce again his character and ap- INDIA 277/5 (O/N36/1) batting firstafter losing the toss. At petitefor ascrap, wasthe soul and spine of MAgarwallbwStarc 0(6b) stumps Pakistanwas 30-1 after20 India’ssecond-daytotal of 277/5. The lead al- SGill c†PainebCummins 45(65b,8x4) overs with Abid Ali 19 notout and ready ahandful at 82 runs, with Ravindra CPujarac†PainebCummins 17(70b,1x4) nightwatchman Mohammad Abbas Jadejaofferingmanfulsupport,Indiaare firmly ARahane notout 104(200b,12x4) 0. Shan Masood wasout for10justbe- in control of proceedings. HVihari cSmithbLyon 21(66b,2x4) fore stumps,caughtdownthe leg side TheIndiancaptain’sinningswasbrave not RPant c†PainebStarc 29(40b,3x4) by wicketkeeperB.J. Watling from the becausehewas ever in anyphysical danger or RJadeja notout 40(104b,1x4) bowling of Kyle Jamieson. AP he coppedblows,but becauseofthe concep- ■ Extras (b12,lb6,nb2,w1) 21 BRIEF SCORES: Pakistan 30 for1 tion of his knock. It wasbrilliant notbecause ■ FoW:1-0(Agarwal,0.6ov),2-61(Gill,21.6ov), (Abid 19*, Abbas 0*, Jamieson1-5) he executed aflurry of gorgeous strokes, but 3-64(Pujara,23.4ov),4-116(Vihari,44.4ov), trail NewZealand431 (Williamson becauseheexecutedhisplansperfectly, soaked 5-173(Pant,59.1ov) 129,Watling 73, Taylor 70, Nicholls 56, inexorable pressureand navigated through ■ Bowling:MStarc18.3-3-61-2,PCummins Afridi 4-109, Yasir 3-113)by401 runs treacherous cliffstosteer India to aposition of 22-7-71-2,JHazlewood21-6-44-0,NLyon strength.WeaveinthecontextoftheAdelaide 18-2-52-1,CGreen12-1-31-0 humiliation, ViratKohli’s departure, DAY3, LIVE ON SONY SAfricafightback MohammedShami’sinjuryandthecrisisIndia SPORTS NETWORK, 5AM againstSriLanka were riding in the firstsession, and the glitter of his 104unbeaten runs onlyattains more Pretoria: Opener Dean Elgar fell five gloss.Rahane found India at 64/3, with Pat Barringacouple of indiscriminatestrokes runsshort of acenturyasSouthAfrica Cummins and Co. in inspiredmood. The —ahasty swipe plonked out of SteveSmith’s climbed to 317for four at the closeof seamer had producedapearler to induce a handsatslip when he wason73—Rahane’s playonday twoofthe firstTestagainst faintnickofCheteshwarPujara’sfeebledefen- powersof concentrationwere astonishing.He injury-hit Sri Lanka at Centurion Park sive prod,after he had temptedShubmanGill wastotallyabsorbed in his batting,aself-con- on Sunday.Elgar lookedset forhis 13th intoanimpetuousdrive.Thebackgroundwas tainedunitwho appeared unaware of the test tonuntil he offeredSri Lanka intimidating. Therewas an overpowering worldaround him.Bowlers triedtobreak his Australia batsman SteveSmith congratulates AjinkyaRahaneatend of day’s playatthe MCG on Sunday. AP seamerDasun Shanakaasharp gloom.Theskieswere darkandimminentdis- rhythm, shuffled theirlengths, trajectoryand caught-and-bowled chance that was asterlurked.Rahanewalkedoutwithhischar- angles,but he remained steadfastand unhin- superblytaken.Faf du Plessis(55 not acteristicallynervous bodylanguage, likethat dered.Rahane, the worldknows,iscapableof out) and Temba Bavuma (41not out) of ahigh-school rookie. shuffling hisroles. But seldom hasthe process will resume on the thirdmorning after The body languageisoften afacade. seemedsosmooth. Not putting the best foot forward adding 97 runs, hoping to push South Beneath his shaky exterior is acascade of self- Besides the sparkling clarity of his mind, Africa pastthe visitors’firstinnings assurance and courage. He is asoldier in the stood out the dexterity of his hands andflu- scoreof396 aftertwo free-scoring guiseofapriest. ency of his feet.It’s the hands that mirrorhis Hazlewood. In Adelaide, he rarely metthe days that have produced713 runs at a Forthe next 10 oversorso, Rahane was mindset.Whenheisuncertain,hishandstend SRIRAM VEERA ball ahead of the front pad. Here, the front rollicking rate of 4.24 runs per over. monkish in hisabstinence from temptation. to be hardand he goes stabbing at the ball. MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 foot did move out alittle bit morethan it That would suggestabatting paradise, The full balls away from the stumps were left When he’s confident, his hands arepliant and did in the firstTest. The movement wasfirst but the wicket has givenassistance to alone,those on the body were metwith the hewaitsfortheballto reachhim.Itaffordshim BARRINGVIRATKohli, none of the Indians spotted in the19thball he faced, off the bowlers, with both sides perhaps full, straightblade. The shortballs at the body time to play hisstrokes. who made their Test debutsafter 2010 have Hazlewood, when the front leg came out guilty of erringinline and length and were dousedwithsofthands.Thosethatcould AdaboffStarc best illustratedhisgifts.The adecent forwardstride as partoftheir marginally. Twice in arow,and an alert nottaking advantageofthe pace and be avoidedwereleftalone. He strippedthe ball wasslanted across him at ahardlength defensive oeuvre. At some point, the Indians Hazlewood banged thenexttwo balls short unevenbounce. REUTERS contest intoabattle of bat and ball, notaduel withafairbitof bounce.ButRahanegotontop have mysteriouslyshedthat movement. to trypushing him back. BRIEF SCORES: SouthAfrica 317for 4 betweentwoindividuals.Thefoundationlaid, of the bounce, and opened theface of the bat It’sasiftheydidn’tgrowupwatchingRahul Rahane didn’t abandon that short for- (Elgar 95, Markram 68, du Plessis 55*) the fundamentals set, he blossomed, exhibit- withoutanyexaggeratedwrist movementand Dravid, who would stretchforward inex- ward press, though, as it allowedhim to get trailSri Lanka 396 (Chandimal85, de ingthe fullrangeofhis batsmanship and the steereditbetweenslipandgully. Evenwhenhe orably, or Sachin Tendulkar,who would hisupper bodytolean forward, and lethis Silva 79,Sipamla 4-76)by79runs. variegated roles he couldperform. drove, he seldom threw his hands at the ball makeaprecise forwardmovement. hands come through ahead of the front pad, Captivating washow various situations or lunged forwardbut justextendedhis for- Some likeRohit Sharma or Rishabh the crucial reason forhis success this time. drew variedresponses fromhim.First, hewas ward push abit further. Thefollow-through Pant, and to an extent AjinkyaRahane, have Cityeaseto2-0win thestabiliser,intentonjustbluntingCummins wasnon-existent.Heisanyway notoneforthe it in them to move forwardtoattack, but Ghosts of the past overNewcastle and Mitchell Starc. Safetywas thebesttactic. cameras —evenhis centurycelebration was theydon’t do it often. On his day, whichis Pujarawas outtoafamiliar dismissal, Rahane defanged them with resolutedefen- muted.Forgetbeing over-jubilant, he didn’t yettocome this series, Cheteshwar Pujara seen notjustinAdelaide but in the pastas Manchester: ManchesterCitysecureda sive strokes, playing them lateand notcom- even smile. His feet nevermoveexcessively, does defend or attackoff the front foot but well. When the ball lands shortoflength routine2-0winoverNewcastlethanks mitting prematurelyintostrokes, as he is but everystride wasfirm anddecisive. he isn’t partofthis post-2010 generation, around theoff-stumpand straightens, he to goals from IlkayGundogan and sometimesprone to. Under his guidanceblossomedRishabh anyway.Collectively this lot, have all tends to openup. He takesashortstepfor- Ferran Torres to climb to fifthplace in Pant and Jadeja, with whom he shared stands startedtopitchtheir tent at their original ward andtries to hold his balancethere. It’s the Premier League. Gundogan tucked Smooth transition of 57 and104(unconquered)respectively.Pant stance, and rarely ever budgetoo much. adifficult task as in this process, his hips home acutbackfromRaheem Sterling Intohis 30s,heembracedthe counter- wasgiven the liberty to attack, and so he did, Formostofthis decade, ‘holding shape’ open up. The good thing is that invariably to scoreinconsecutive homegames in punching role. He waslikeabantamweight quicklywhittling down the lead. Though he has been the buzzwordonthe white-ball he manages to hold his bat inside the line the league and put City ahead in the boxerpitted againstaheavyweight skull- eventually perished attemptingawildslash, circuit.Players aretold to have wide stances or spongeitwith softhands so that edges 14thminute.Torres,awinger,wasplay- thrasher.Heweavedand spunawayfromthe hiscameowassignificantinthecontextofthe since it will help them maintain balance as Stuckatcrease, Mayank Agarwal's bat don’t carry.But then someone likePat ing as the lone striker in the absence of blows,andwhentheadversaryblinked,landed game. Jadeja wasmorewaryand controlled. theytry to hit mostballs out of the park. has barelymanagedtopeep aheadof Cummins comes along who has specialised Gabriel Jesus, who has contracted the meatyblows on his jaw. HisassurancemeantthatRahaneneedn’tpur- When youare lining up forthe balland the front pad. AP in notcutting the ball away,but holding its coronavirus, and scoredforthe second Past his half-century, which he completed sue undue risk as he is sometimesneededin swinging through the line, ‘holding shape’ line to induce anickthat carries. time in the league this seasontomake by flickingStarcoff hislegs,theskipperturned the companyoflower-order batsmen. And becomes vital. Pujara’s shortstepisn’t the problem, it's it 2-0. He showedastriker's instinct to intoagrisly accumulator, smuggling singles whenthenewballwinkedin,run-scoringop- It’s aprinciple borrowedfromgolf. hands and adjust. what he does afterthat. UnlikeKane hold backasFederico Fernandez andrunningthehardruns.But10 overseither portunities ringedin. Batters teeing offisasign of cricket’s golfi- Theycan lettheir hands wander beyond Williamson,who lookstoget forwardwith blockedacross from the right and the sideofthe second newball,hechose to be the As the dayworeon, it wasnot easy to dis- sation. In this single-mindedpursuit of their tinyfootsteps to tackle the little devi- asmall press –muchlikePujara–but then ball arrivedatthe feet of Torres,who aggressor.Astheseamerssoughtafullerlength cernwhetheritwasthepitch ortheAustralian ‘holding shape’ while having a‘wider ations of the ball. that step is justthe startofWilliamson's strokedinafinish from eight meters in forreverse swing with the old ball and then bodylanguagewhichhadbecomeflatter.Arms stance’, the finer nuances of classical bats- Even Rahane, in this character-defining negotiations. Notthe end. the55th.BernardoSilva struckthepost the conventional variety with the new, the were folded, hands thrustinpockets and manship –‘weight transfer’ and ‘forward knock,didn’t exactlystart takingbig steps, “Fromthat forwardpress, depending on as City threatenedmoregoals in the trickle of runsturned intoastream. shoulderssagged.Droppedcatchesandedges stride’ -havebeen largely forgotten. until very lateinhis knock. But whathedid the length, Kane either pushes backorgets pouringrainatEtihadStadium,despite Rahane allowedhimself the luxury of that eluded tore their morale apart. Butinthe Over relianceon‘hands’ toohas re- differentlyfromAdelaidewas with his forwardfurther,” Williamson’s long-time againstrugglingto show thefree-flow- leaning intopleasant drivesand flickedaway dressingroom,theycouldconsolethemselves sulted in Indian batsmen getting leaden- hands; he letthem move ahead of his pads coachDavid Johnstonsays.“He doesn’t al- ingfootballof previousyearsunderPep to leg on the rare occasions the diligent thattheywerenot undoneby theirownlackof footed. RaisedinIndian conditions, on and startedtomeetthe ball in front of his lowthe bowler to dictate lengths by being Guardiola. AP Australia bowlers strayedfromtheir line effort,but outshone by the bravadoand bril- mostlyslowtracks, they feel theycan get body.Hewould also occasionally stand crease-bound.” Pujarausedtodothat, of down the corridor. lianceofRahane. out of trouble as theyhavetime to use their outside his crease, especiallytoJosh course, but isn’t doing so now. THELOST 2020 YEAR Away from the bio-bubbles put in placebythose with deep pockets, sport had its lockdowntales of angst, uncertainty andapprehension. THE INDIAN EXPRESStalkstothose who missed out on their break-out year or had to delaytheir retirement. Age doesn’t get you down, responsibilities do: Ajay Thakur Police duty,family commitments and falling fitness add to 34-year-old's woes in kabaddi's wiped out season

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19pan- Sports have startedtoresume across the to stay fit. It’s notjustbecause of the age SHAHIDJUDGE demic, the 34-year-old Nalagarhnative has world. Therehavebeen afew Grand Slams in though. MUMBAI,DECEMBER27 beenbasedinBilaspur,HimachalPradesh,pa- tennis, the NBAison, the IndianPremier “Jabmain18 katha,familykikoizimmedari trolling the streetsand strivingtofight the League(IPL) washeldsuccessfully, andthe merepenahi thi. Abhi sab zimmedari mujh pe AT THISstageinhiscareer,AjayThakuriswell coronavirus. And kabaddi has oftenbeen the Indian cricket team is currentlyontourin hai (When Iwas 18,Ididn’t have anyfamily usedtofans rushingtohim withrequests for lastthing on his mind. Australia.But as kabaddi is acontact sport, it responsibilitiesonme.Noweverythingisone autographsand selfies. The hero of the 2016 “This (the seasongettingwipedout due hasn’t been able to restart. me).It’sdifficult to getawayfromthat. Age kabaddiWorldCupfinalhasmentionedmany to thepandemic) wasamassivelossfor us “The risk of (PKL) becoming asuper- doesn’t getyou down, responsibilities do.” timeshow he revels in the adulation. players, especiallyfor the older players like spreader wasmuchhigherthan, saycricket,” Thakur hasn’t playedortrainedinthe Those fans recognise him even today. me who maybehavelessthan five years left says Sandip Tarkas, CEO of 2019 champions sportsinceFebruary. Hisdailyschedule,how- Despitethe mask (a clear indicationofthe to play,”hesays.“The biggest thingwas that Bengal Warriors. “Even if one playerhas this ever,doesinclude asession of physical train- roughtimeswe live in)andhispoliceuniform, we couldn’tplaykabaddiatall.Butnowthere virus, chancesare all his teammates will pick ing to keep the body fit, but notenough to get theyrush to him. That’s when the Deputy is always afear that ‘yaar, mujhe bhi coron- it up and so will the opposition. Of course, him to the levelheneeds to be the dominant Superintendentof PoliceinHimachalPradesh avirus tohnahi hua (Am Ialso infected with DOUBLE ROLE: Kabaddi star AjayThakur is aDSP with theHimachal Pradesh this year we couldn’t have the Olympics or playerhehas been over the years. Right now, findshimself takingacautionarystepbackto thecoronavirus)?” Police. The pandemic snatchedhis focus away from the sportthis year. the T20 WorldCup in cricket. Those events, his responsibilitiesinthe policetakegreater keep safedistance. Asocialdistance. On the kabaddi mat, Thakur’s task as a however, have been postponed.PKL has precedenceoverthe sportthat has seen him The lasttime he trainedfor akabaddi raideristosneak throughdefences andget cleanlylostayear.” Because of it, there is a achieve everything thereisonoffer –except match, or forthe sportingeneral, wasbackin homesafely. Since March though,his role in were peoplepassingby atanytimeoftheday. eighth seasonofthe PKL, Thakur has spent chance that some of the moresenior players winning aPKL title. And 2020 has made it all February, when he competedinthe state the policehas been to stop people from leav- People would be trying to sneak out in the mostofhis time in his police job. And the ex- in theleaguehave lostasignificantamountof the moredifficult forhim. championship wherehepocketed the Best ing their homes unnecessarily. middle of the night, so it actually became a haustion he sufferedduring the hotsummer time before theycall it quits. Thakurfinds “Body fitrakhne waala fitness kar raha All-Rounder Award. Since then, his uniform “Themostdifficult bit wastoget migrant 24-hour job forus.” monthsonthestreetsofBilaspurissomething himself in that position. hoonmain. Lekin playerbannewaali fitness haschangedfromtheusualsportskithedons workers who were heading backtotheir Inayearthatwouldhave seenthe34-year- he’s yettoget over. “WhenIwon the Arjuna Awardlastyear, nahi kar paya (I’m keepingthe body fit, but whenraidingontheProKabaddiLeague(PKL) homes to enter quarantine. I’d be up early in old former India captain, Arjuna Awardee, “Itwasaverydifficultperiodformeinthe Iwas confident I’d playatleastanother three notenough to play),” he says.“This year has mat to theHimachal Pradesh Police Service themorningandreturnhomeonlyafter11 at Asian Games gold (2014)and bronze (2018) force, and I’m still physically recovering from years,”hesays.“Istillwantto playatleastthree been acomplete waste. Bahut zyada kathin attire. night, sometimes twointhe morning. There medallistand PadmaShri compete in the it,” he says. years, but it’s going to bemuch moredifficult raha hai (It’sbeen very tough).”

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