!    #          RNI Regn. No. CHHENG/2012/42718, Postal Reg. No. - RYP DN/34/2013-2015 "#$%"&'()* $%&' ()*)*+ * ,-. ! :  7180/4*94)91811 04**06)8 47/9>0)07)9*/96 70181B496 8918406/ /48// 847*/8 :994)/O/491 )14 )#(&?4:@$%A4 708/74 870/7C>67   015""2 &'; <  0    !   +++,'-.'+/  ! "# $%!"# !#&' ()% **(                 4067018 Earlier in the day, several videos of alleged movement of wo days before the count- EVMs from one unauthorised     Ting of votes for the Lok storage house to another went Sabha polls, the Opposition viral on social media. Videos    revived the charges of EVM showed some EVMs were tampering and moved the reportedly stored at shops, oth-   )4*/ Election Commission (EC) to ers were seen stacked in the press for their demand for tal- boot of private vehicles. uspected NSCN terrorists lying VVPATs with the elec- Terming it as frivolous and Son Tuesday gunned down tronic voting machine figures. unfounded, the EC rejected sitting MLA and NPP They also said the counting be allegations of discrepancies in Assembly poll candidate first concluded in the centres the handling of EVMs and Tirong Aboh and ten others, where doubts have emerged. VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper including his son and security The EC has rejected the Trail Machines) in some dis- personnel, in Tirap district of charges. tricts of Uttar Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh, a top Leaders of as many as 22 maintained that all machines police officer said. Aboh (41), Opposition parties, including are safe and secure. who represented the Khonsa those from Congress, TMC, SP, “After the close of polls, all West constituency, was seeking BSP, TDP, RJD and Left, met polled EVMs and VVPATs are a re-election from the seat. the EC and demanded verifi- brought under security cover to Initial reports suggested cation of VVPAT slips of ran- the designated strongrooms, that seven people were killed in domly-selected polling stations which is sealed with double the attack, but Director General before the counting of the locks, in the presence of the of Police SBK Singh put the hunt down the perpetrators. blamed the ruling Bharatiya votes polled in the just-con- candidates and in the presence death toll at 11 later in the day. My heartfelt condolences. May Janata Party for the “prevailing cluded Lok Sabha elections. of Observers of the EC. Aboh was on his way to his the departed souls rest in lawlessness and chaos” in the They also demanded that if any The entire process of stor- constituency from Assam, peace,” he said. State. “If elected representatives discrepancy is found during              !"       #    age and sealing of the stron- along with family members, Condemning the attack, of the state are not safe under VVPAT verification, 100 per P &'( !P !  P ) "   '           *  groom is covered under three police personnel and a NPP president and Meghalaya the present dispensations at the cent counting of the paper        *+     ,        ) "   videography. Continuous poll agent, when the suspected Chief Minister Conrad K Centre and the state, how can slips of VVPATs of all polling CCTV coverage is done till NSCN rebels opened fire at Sangma sought the interven- common people feel secure,” stations of that particular for some other party, specially “Even if the EC disagrees rules? It will be only a change in completion of counting. Each their vehicles near 12 Mile tion of the Prime Minister’s the party said in a statement. Assembly segment should be the BJP. These things we have with us, then they should con- guideline or procedure. It is a strongroom is guarded with area in the district at around Office and Union Home Demanding a high-level done and compared with the told the EC. We, in the last sider that 75 per cent of the elec- no-brainer. The EC has not round-the-clock security by 11.30 am, Singh told PTI. Minister Rajnath Singh. judicial inquiry into the inci- electronic voting machine three-four years have been torate represented by these 22 decided for six weeks and now Central Armed Police Forces One security officer, who “The NPP is extremely dent, it also said, “Chief (EVM) results. complaining about the EVMs parties is before you how does they are saying they will decide (CAPF). Further, the candi- sustained injuries in the inci- shocked and saddened by the Minister Pema Khandu and his “We told the EC that the in Lok Sabha, and it matter if they change the tomorrow,” Singhvi said. dates or their designated agents dent, has been admitted to news of the death of its MLA BJP Government are solely VVPAT machines should be even in States,” Congress leader remain present at the stron- hospital in Dibrugarh, Assam, Shri Tirong Aboh (Arunachal responsible for lawlessness and counted first and if there is any Ghulam Nabi Azad said after groom for 24X7 vigil at all the DGP said, adding that the Pradesh) and his family. We all chaos in the State.” discrepancy, then all of them in meeting EC officials. times,” the EC said in a state- MLA and ten others were condemn the brutal attack and Aboh was elected from the that segment should be count- Azad’s party colleague ment. killed on the spot. Expressing urge @rajnathsingh and Khonsa West seat in 2014 on a ed. During elections, there Abhishek Singhvi said despite “On the counting day, the his shock over the incident, @PMOIndia to take action Peoples’ Party of Arunachal were many EVMs which mal- requests to the EC since months, strongrooms are opened in the Chief Minister Pema Khandu against those responsible for (PPA) ticket. functioned and in many cases, the poll body has now said it will presence of the said the perpetrators will be such attack,” Sangma tweeted. Assembly polls were held when votes for one political meet on Wednesday to discuss candidates/agents and hunted down. Meanwhile, the Arunachal concurrently with Lok Sabha party were cast, it showed votes the issue. Observer under videography. “Action will be initiated to Pradesh Congress Committee elections in Arunachal Pradesh.  !!   // manipulation.” He also questioned the hhattisgarh chief minister role of Election Commission of Cand Pradesh Congress India and said it was under Committee (PCC) Chief influence of the Union gov- Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday ernment. said that as all political parties Baghel, however, rejected except NDA constituents have the exit poll results and expressed their apprehension claimed that the United over counting Progressive through Alliance Electronic Voting (UPA) was Machines fearing going to get manipulation, an more than electoral reform 300 seats in must be initiated. the general Baghel was elections. talking to media Replying persons here at to a query, party’s state he further headquarters termed the Rajiv Bhawan ‘Maun-Vrat’ after observing of Sadhvi anti-terrorism Pragya day to mark the Singh death anniver- Thakur, the    12 seconds. The Mi-17 heli- sary of late prime BJP candi- copter had no means of know- minister Rajiv Gandhi. date from Bhopal, a political ing it was under attack. Taking about EVM rig- drama, and said her views on     While the air battle was on, ging, he said “each and every Mahatma Gandhi had come to air defence was in full state of political party in the country, fore following her statement     alert with surface-to-air missile except those in the NDA, has that Nathuram Godse was a units ready to engage any raised their fear of possible ‘patriot’.                              4067018 intruding Pakistani aircraft. It was at this time that air  enior officers of IAF may defence radars at Srinagar air- Sface action for the heli- port picked up a low-flying air- copter crash near Srinagar on craft on their screens. The  P           February 27 after it was shot by senior officer manning the     own ground air defence lead- post of Terminal Weapons        ing to the death of six IAF per- Director (TWD) at the time      About 5,000 Metro pas- ment and passengers about “Two maintenance teams of The 48.8 km-long Yellow        sonnel on board and a civilian was likely the Chief Operations sengers were evacuated to the the technical glitches. DMRC technicians consisting Line has 37 stations and has an     on ground. A Court of Inquiry Officer of the airbase.   0   nearest station through the Responding to the of 16 officials were rushed to average daily ridership of about      is on to fix responsibility for This officer may have given train tracks, said a DMRC offi- Minister, a DMRC official said, rectify the problem.” seven to eight lakh.         deaths caused by friendly fire the final order to fire after the ,   cial.         and the Commanding Officer helicopter, designated a slow To evacuate stranded com-        ! of the Srinagar airbase has flying target, could not be   1 2 muters, DMRC frequented !       been sacked. identified through a critical sys- train services between   "   Though the IAF on tem called the Identification,        Samaypur Badli and Qutab  #$%&'( Tuesday refrained from giving Friend or Foe (IFF) transpon- Minar at every 3 minutes, and details of the incident or the der, sources said. 3#    between Sultanpur and HUDA    findings of the probe, sources IFF systems onboard an City Centre at every 8 minutes.       said the air defence fired an aircraft listen for an “interro- DMRC also deployed 29 feed-  )   Israeli-made SPYDER surface- gation signal” from the ground     4067018 er buses to cover the missing * )  to-air missile on February 27 and then respond with a Metro link between Qutub    !    *+ from the Srinagar airbase after unique signal which identifies 4-hour long technical snag Minar and Sultanpur via     it mistook the MI-17 heli- it as a “friendly”. The system is Ain Delhi Metro’s Yellow Chhattrapur till the Metro train    !    copter to be hostile. If found specifically designed to ensure Line between Qutub Minar services were restored, said .%%    ( guilty, the officers may be that friendly-fire incidents are and Sultanpur section left thou- DMRC sources. booked for culpable homicide avoided during the heat of sands of commuters trapped in Soon after they were evac-     not amounting to murder battle. It is unclear if the IAF train coaches or stranded on uated, harrowed Metro pas-    under the IAF Act 1950 and be helicopter’s IFF was function- the Delhi-Gurugram road on sengers took to Twitter to vent  /+   jailed. ing at the time. Tuesday. As harrowed Metro out their ire at Delhi Metro. 0     This lapse could have taken There was a likelihood of passengers swarmed to the “We were locked in a metro 1 N   O  place as the entire IAF was alert not adhering to a series of addi- road for an alternative mode of coach with no AC... We were )     that day as in the morning an tional steps which have to be transport, it had a spiral effect, evacuated after 30 minutes,”     0   aerial battle had taken place in followed in the moments prior ensuing in traffic snarls on the tweeted Ish Chandra, and       Rajouri sector when the to the launch of the SPYDER Delhi-Gurugram road. shared a picture of commuters   !  ! ( Pakistani jets had tried to tar- surface-to-air missile. The role “The passengers from two walking on tracks towards get Indian military installations of the IAF’s Air Traffic Control trains, one in the section another Metro station.    in retaliation to IAF air strikes (ATC) at Srinagar airbase is between Qutab Minar and Questioning delay in repair       in Balakot day earlier. being looked into. Chhattarpur and the other in and evacuation, Delhi       Sources said the entire It is unclear whether the the section between Transport Minister Kailash 4   )  shoot-down sequence from the Terminal Weapons Director Chhattarpur and Sultanpur Gahlot shot a show-cause )     !  moment the missile was enquired and was told by the (at Chattarpur and Sultanpur), notice to DMRC. He also asked  /+ *    launched to the moment of ATC that no friendly aircraft had to be deboarded,” said why DMRC didn’t immediate- $5   ( impact lasted approximately were flying in the area. DMRC in its report. ly inform the transport depart-        ./      0         !"      2  *" 73: /  P   $ " allegation by some people,           ' EVMs were in proper security " "  and protocol,” the EC said.   4067018    Another video is from said to have stuck to his Ghazipur where SP-BSP ground, pressing for his (    alliance candidate Afzal Ansari he Election Commission on demand to include dissenting "&  is seen staging protest alleging TTuesday rejected with a views in the orders.    that the administration was try- majority 2:1 vote election com- Earlier, in a press statement )&+& + ing to change EVMs. In the missioner Ashok Lavasa’s issued on May 18, CEC Arora video, Ansari and his support- demand that dissent notes should said, “The three members of the $ ers were seen having a heated be recorded in its orders on EC are not expected to be tem- ,& exchange with a police officer. model code violations. The EC plate or clones of each other. The officer is urging them to said the dissent notes and minor- There have been so many times   4067018 clear the area, but the leader ity views would remain part of decided that proceedings of the in the past when there has been and his supporters refuse to records as it is the case now. commission’s meetings would a vast diversion of views as it couple of days before the budge, claiming there was an Lavasa has recused himself be drawn, including the views can and should be”. Acounting of votes, several attempt to take out a vehicle from MCC violation cases, of all the commission mem- Earlier, in a letter on May videos of Electronic Voting loaded with EVMs. saying his dissent was not bers. “Thereafter, formal 4, Lavasa wrote: “The main Machines’ (EVMs) alleged On allegations of EVM being made part of the orders. instructions to this effect would objective of the MCC is to movement from one unautho- rigging in Uttar Pradesh’s He had dissented in at least six be issued in consonance with ensure free and fair elections by rised storage house to another Ghazipur, the EC said, “There of the 11 decisions that the EC extant laws/rules, etc,” the EC providing a level playing field besides tampering went viral was issue regarding “Having took on complaints against said in a statement. to all political parties and can- on social media prompting the watch on polled EVM strong Prime Minister Narendra Modi The EC had maintained didates and also to maintain a Election Commission (EC) to room by the candidates “which and BJP president Amit Shah that since the poll code violation certain degree of decorum in issue a statement clarifying   "            7;:</&,          was resolved by conveying the for alleged poll code viola- cases are not quasi judicial in the political discourse during that all machines are safe and ECI instructions (sic).” tions. The two were given a nature, they are not signed by the electioneering.” secure. polled EVMs and VVPATs are under videography. Before the Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh at the In Domariyaganj too, some clean chit in all the decisions. chief election commissioner Lavasa did not attend any Terming it as frivolous and brought under security cover to counting of EVMs commences, instance of BJP. As the videos candidates had alleged that The ‘full commission’ of the (CEC) and fellow commission- MCC meeting after May 4. In unfounded, the EC on Tuesday the designated strong rooms, the counting agents are shown went viral, workers of various EVMs were not kept safely in panel, comprising Chief ers, and thus, the dissent cannot the letter, he enforced the rejected allegations of discrep- which is sealed with double the address tags, seals and ser- parties have started protests strongrooms. The EC, howev- Election Commissioner Sunil be made part of the order. importance of the MCC, say- ancies in the handling of EVMs locks, in the presence of the ial number of the EVMs to sat- outside the strongrooms in er, rejected these claims too and Arora and two other members “Status quo will be main- ing it “draws its strength and and VVPAT (Voter Verified candidates and in the presence isfy themselves to the genuine- these areas. said, “EVMs were in proper -Lavasa and Sushil Chandra- tained. Dissent will not be sanctity from the strict, prompt Paper Trail Machines) in some of Observers of the EC. The ness and authenticity of the A video clip of EVMs being security and protocol. Agitation deliberated on the contentious made public but would form and non-discriminatory districts of Uttar Pradesh, say- entire process of storage and machines used in the actual off-loaded and put in a room was unnecessary. They were issue, after which the part of EC records,” explained enforcement therein.” ing that each strong room is sealing of the strongroom is polls,” the EC said. “The visu- inside the counting centre convinced by DM and SP. The Commission said that dissent an official. As per the law governing guarded with round-the-clock covered under videography. als seen viral on media do not complex in Chandauli was matter is resolved.” notes and minority views would In a strongly-worded letter the functioning of the EC, security by Central Armed Continuous CCTV coverage is pertain to any EVMs used dur- doing the rounds on social The poll panel said that in remain part of records but to Arora on May 4, Lavasa is efforts should have an una- Police Forces (CAPF) and fur- done till completion of count- ing the polls, “ it added. media. Referring to the inci- Jhansi too there is no issue with would not be part of its order. learnt to have said that he is nimity, but in the case of a dis- ther, the candidates or their ing”, the EC said in a statement. The EC’s response came dent in Chandauli, the EC said the storage and handling of “In the meeting of the being forced to stay away from sent, a majority (2:1) view pre- designated agents remain pre- “On the counting day, the after political parties alleged in its report that some people EVMs as all machines are Election Commission held the meetings of the full com- vails. The poll panel’s rules sent at the strong room for strongrooms are opened in the that EVMs were being changed have made frivolous allega- stored in proper security and today regarding the issue of mission since minority deci- express preference for a unan- 24X7 vigil at all times. presence of the in strongrooms in Ghazipur, tion and EVMs were kept safe- protocol in the presence of MCC (Model Code of sions are not being recorded. In imous view, but also allow a “After the close of polls, all candidates/agents and Observer Chandauli, Domariyaganj and ly in strongrooms. “Frivolous political parties’ candidates. Conduct), it was interalia Tuesday’s meeting, Lavasa is majority decision. +,-**./+Q121+$(  + +

  4067018 cent in 2019 LS poll, north- cent respectively. Goa record- cent, according to the EC’s eastern states of Tripura (83.20 ed 74.94 percent, Gujarat 64.11 Voter Turnout app. he voter turnout for the percent), Nagaland (83.09 per- percent, Haryana 70.30 per- The cumulative turnout Tjust-concluded Lok Sabha cent) and Manipur (82.69 per- cent, Jharkhand 66.83 percent, figure of the first six phases poll was the highest ever, ever cent) were not too far behind. Karnataka 68.63 percent and stood at 67.34 per cent, which since the first elections in The overall high turnout in Delhi 60.63 percent.+ is 1.21 per cent more than the 1951, at a tentative 67.11 per- West Bengal at 81.91 percent In 2019, the voter turnout corresponding constituencies cent, a jump of 1.16 per cent was still short of the 2014 fig- saw a decreasing trend from in 2014. across 542 constituencies, bar- ure of 82.22 percent. the first to the seventh phase, The lowest being in first ring Vellore where polls were The highest increase in which took place on Sunday. election held in 1951 with rescinded. the turnout between 2014 and According to data provided by 45.67% voter participation. But, the Election 2019 was in Madhya Pradesh the EC, in phase one, the Thereafter turnouts were Commission (EC) figures are (71.2 percent from 61.61 per- turnout was 69.61 per cent. It 47.74% in 1957, 55.42% in still provisional and are subject cent , a jump of 9.59 percent), went down marginally to 69.44 1962, 61.33% in 1967 , 55.29% to change depending on the followed by Himachal Pradesh per cent in phase two and fur- in 1971, 60.49% in 1977, turnout in Vellore. The poll (71.52 percent from 64.45 per- ther down to 68.40 per cent in 56.92% in 1980, 64.01% in panel is yet to announce a cent). The biggest dip in terms the third phase. In the fourth 1984-85, 61.95% in 1989 fresh date for elections in of turnout was in Jammu and phase, the turnout saw a dip of (when National Front won Vellore. The EC had cancelled Kashmir, with 29.39 percent nearly three per cent and under V P Singh), 55.88% in the polls there on the grounds polling which is 20.33 percent stood at 65.50 per cent. In the 1991-92 (during which of excessive use of money lower than 49.72 percent fifth phase, the turnout was Congress president Rajiv power. recorded in 2014. 64.16 per cent, but went up Gandhi was assassinated), The overall turnout in 2014 Two Hindi heartland marginally to 64.40 per cent in 57.94% in 1996, 61.97% in was 65.95 per cent. recorded Bihar and UP record- the sixth and penultimate 1998, 59.99% in 1999, 57.98% 4/3)5,     ,  #    ,     &" 3  6     P      Lakshadweep recorded the ed less than 60 percent turnouts phase. In the seventh and the in 2004, 58.19% in 2009 and  & # +       ) #          ) "#   78        O+  highest turnout at 84.96 per- - 58.08 percent and 59.6 per- last phase, it was 65.16 per 66.44% in 2014. (P          + 1 &%%?     P  !  !221+    4067018 the CPI(M) candidate from CC)  0C $' Diamond Harbour in the just-    " ongoing investigations have transactions apart from super- he CPI (M) has written to concluded Lok Sabha polls, New Delhi: The Supreme ed by the CJI on May 7 had been published in the media. vising investigation of all its Tthe Election Commission Fuad Halim. BJP has also peti- Court Tuesday dismissed a dismissed a review plea filed by  " $ These information relating to zonal offices in the country. (EC) alleging “large-scale irreg- tioned the poll panel demand- PIL seeking 100 per cent 21 opposition leaders, led by %& impending action may jeopar- Cases relating to fugitive liquor ularities” in the May 19 polling ing re-polling in the entire matching of Voter Verifiable Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister dise the interests of ongoing baron Vijay Mallya. held in the Diamond Harbour Diamond Harbour parliamen- Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) N Chandrababu Naidu, seeking   investigations,” the latest order Diamantaires Nirav Modi and Lok Sabha constituency of tary constituency. slips with Electronic Voting that random matching of    said. Mehul Choksi and those West Bengal, where Chief “It is clear that the state unit Machines (EVMs) during the VVPAT slips with EVMs be Henceforth, it said, “any involved in the IPL scam. Minister Mamata Banerjee’s of the BJP has entered into an counting of votes on May 23 for increased to 50 per cent. officer other than the autho- The fresh order has been nephew Abhishek Banerjee is understanding with the TMC Lok Sabha polls. The opposition leaders had rised officer if found interact- issued after it was found that contesting. for the latter’s support for its A larger bench headed by said that the present system of   4067018 ing with the media, the same the line of investigation to be In his letter, CPM general candidates in certain other Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi 2 per cent of random matching should be brought to the taken by the agency was secretary Sitaram Yechury constituencies like Mathurapur, has already dealt with the mat- of VVPAT slips with EVMs was he Enforcement knowledge of the principal “leaked” to the press by certain alleged that the scale of irreg- Jadavpur etc., in return for the ter and passed an order, said a inadequate and did not inspire TDirectorate on Tuesday special director or undersigned officials and hence, it was ularities were such that the EC BJP’s support to the TMC can- vacation bench comprising jus- confidence among the elec- issued an order to gag its offi- (Director) immediately.” The required to check such should invoke Article 324 of didate for Diamond Harbour tices Arun Mishra and M R torates. cials from interacting with order stated “any deviation instances, sources claimed. the Constitution. Article 324 PC, who happens to be the Shah and refused to entertain Prior to this, the top court journalists and said non-adher- will amount to dereliction of The ED is a central probe deals with vesting of superin- nephew of the Chief Minister the plea filed by a Chennai- had on April 8 directed the ence to the new directive would duty and liable for punitive agency that probes offences -- tendence, direction and control of West Bengal. based organisation ‘Tech 4 All’. Election Commission to invite “punitive action”. action.” Prevention of Money of elections in an Election “I am besieging you to “The CJI had dealt with increase random matching of ED Director Sanjay Kumar It added that an earlier cir- Laundering Act (PMLA) and Commission. look into the large-scale, brazen this matter. Why are you tak- VVPAT slips with EVMs from Mishra issued a one-page cular issued in this regard in Foreign Exchange “The ECI must ensure irregularities which are clear- ing chance before a two-judge the bench said. one to five polling booths per memorandum asking all its November, 2018 “has not been Management Act (FEMA)-- ‘free-and-fair’ elections by ly detailed in Dr Fuad Halim’s vacation bench. We will not list The apex court not only assembly segment in Lok Sabha officers to keep away from followed in right spirit.” to check high-value economic ordering re-polling in the entire letter, cancel the poll of May 19 any such case for urgent hear- denied urgent hearing of the polls, saying it would provide “unwarranted interaction with The headquarters of the crimes and black money constituency,” Yechury said, and order a re-polling in the ing,” it said. matter but took the PIL on greater satisfaction not just to the media”. agency handles some of the involving money laundering while listing out the alleged constituency,” Yechury wrote in “We cannot override the “board” and dismissed it. political parties but also to the “It has been observed that most high-profile cases of and forex violations. irregularities underlined by his letter to the EC. CJI’s order... This is nonsense,” A three-judge bench head- entire electorate. PTI certain information relating to money laundering and hawala  /0        6, ,    -.  1 2            4067018 year the Swiss officials had con- police, there has been no move- tacted the Indian Embassy ment in the case. Sometimes aught in the procedural there regarding its possession they say that concerned offi-   4067018 Uttarakhand and Delhi-NCR. Cwrangling between the with a private person who cials have been transferred The Home Secretary said the Centre and the Rajasthan offered to donate after it sometimes they make excuses nion Home Secretary Rajiv Centre would provide all possible Government, a precious antiq- became known that it was that papers were being collect- UGauba on Tuesday directed assistance under the NDRF and the New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday Bengal, to approach the Calcutta High uity- a 10th-century-old stone stolen and clandestinely smug- ed,” rued the official. States to step up their preparedness SDRF besides mobilisation of central refused to entertain a plea challenging the Court. sculpture, Varah, which was gled out of the country. The Gargach temple from by advance planning and deployment forces to the states and the UTs in appointment of two retired bureaucrats as Barrackpore was one of the seven con- stolen from an Indian temple “They (the Swiss where the idol which has of human, physical and financial connection with preparedness dur- observers in West Bengal for the Lok stituencies in West Bengal where polling two decades ago, is still stuck in Government officials) asked images of lord Vishnu engraved resources ahead of the monsoon sea- ing the South-West Monsoon. Sabha polls, saying the voting is already was held in the fifth phase of the general Switzerland which had agreed us to produce the documents all over is an ASI protected son. Gauba said during the recent cyclone over. elections. to return it last year itself. so that procedure for formal monument. In Rajasthan, 162 Addressing the annual confer- ‘Fani’, loss of human lives was min- While Vivek Dubey was appointed as During the hearing on Tuesday, the The treasured stone sculp- retrieval of the antiquity can be monuments are centrally pro- ence of Relief Commissioners and imal due to accurate and early weath- a central police observer for West Bengal counsel appearing for the Election ture-- depicting Varah as a the- initiated,” said the official. tected under the ASI. Secretaries here, the Home Secretary er forecasting by the India and Jharkhand, Ajay Nayak was appoint- Commission (EC) said that polling for the riomorphic boar was stolen He explained that since However, Varah is not the also reviewed the preparedness for Meteorological Department (IMD) ed a special observer for West Bengal. Lok Sabha elections was already over. from the ruins of the Gargach the sculpture was stolen from only antiquity that has been the South-West Monsoon expected and timely mobilisation of resources The petition had alleged that they had The counsel for Mandi said that temple in Atru town, a little- the temple in Rajasthan, the stolen from the country. to arrive by June 6 and disbursement besides better coordination between been appointed in contravention of the law although the polling was over, results of known site in Baran district, ASI on behalf of the Ministry As per the ASI, at least 31 of central assistance. the Centre, state governments and so as to ensure “certain favours” are grant- the general elections have not been close to the Rajasthan-Madhya has been asking the State ancient items have been brought The Centre released over Rs other relevant agencies. ed at the time of election. declared yet. Pradesh border way back in (Rajasthan) police to furnish back from countries like 17,000 crore as assistance to states Speaking on the occasion, A vacation bench comprising Justices “The election process is still going on. 1987. Atru site alone has nine the documents such as FIR and America, Australia, Canada, affected by natural calamities like Director General, IMD, K J Ramesh Arun Mishra and M R Shah said: “Since Results are yet to come,” the lawyer said. temples, including Gargach, relevant papers to expedite its Germany and Singapore among floods, cyclone and drought last said India has set a new benchmark the election is over, we are not inclined to To this, the bench said, “You go to the Ganesh, Shitalamata and retrieval. An FIR with the dis- others between 2014 and 2017. year, Gauba said adding the central in disaster risk reduction as demon- entertain this petition under Article 32,” high court. We are permitting you to go Nagdev Jain temple, all under trict police was registered on India is a signatory to the 1970 government has sanctioned addi- strated during cyclone Fani. The the bench said. to the high court”. the Archeological Survey of July 31, 1987 regarding the theft UN Convention on Means of tional battalions of the National IMD is in the process of building the The bench however granted liberty to The petitioner’s counsel then said that India (ASI). of the heritage item. Prohibiting and Preventing the Disaster Response Force (NDRF) most advanced early warning weath- petitioner Ramu Mandi, who contested judicial work in the high court there was An official from the Union “But despite several illicit Trafficking in cultural which are being raised in Jammu and er system in coordination with var- the polls as an independent candidate affected due to the lawyers’ strike in Culture Ministry said that last reminders to the Rajasthan property. Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, ious stakeholders, he said. from Barrackpore constituency of West Kolkata. PTI RAIPUR | WEDNESDAY | MAY 22, 2019 chhattisgarh 03 Use rivulets to recharge Rajiv Gandhi’s death anniversary observed STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR groundwater level: Baghel n the occasion of 28th Odeath anniversary of for- STAFF REPORTER n Baghel said it is a good ini- mer Prime Minister Rajiv RAIPUR tiative to take scientific Gandhi on Tuesday, which is approach towards a problem. observed as ‘Anti-Terrorism hhattisgarh Chief But discussion should also Day’, the officials and CMinister Bhupesh be held with people living employees across the state Baghel held an extensive near project areas so as to get took pledge for non-violence meeting on Tuesday at his their experience, knowledge and tolerance to fight against official residence with differ- and suggestions. all kinds of terrorism. ent departmental officials on Meeting discussed Rajiv Gandhi was assassi- how to utilise water available ‘Ridge to Valley’ (Mountain nated in a suicide bombing at in rivulets of the state to to Valley) concept where the Tamil Nadu’s Sriperumbudur recharge groundwater. primary sources of water can on this day in 1991. administered the pledge to promote ‘peace, social har- The officials of forest, officials and employees. mony and understanding’ be conserved. Discussion At the secretariat, water resources, public Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Similarly at district level among fellow citizens. was also held on how to save health engineering, agricul- to acute water shortages. Forest, water resources and state’s Kajal river in Nagar Raipur, Additional at Raipur, Gariaband, Sukma, There is a need to create ture and other departments Chhattisgarh can play a lead public health engineering Gariaband, Navagaon of the water structures, rivers Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain Bastar, Surguja and other dis- awareness on the issues of made audio-video presenta- role in the country by devel- departments have to make Dhamda block in Dhamtari, and rivulets from silting. administered ‘Anti-Terrorism tricts, the officials and violence and terror faced by tions on the topic, giving oping a model project and coordinated efforts for it,” Tegna Nala project of Detailed discussion was also Day Pledge’ to the officials employees were administered common people and to keep details of model projects. modules on water conserva- said Baghel. Dharsiwa in Raipur district held on counter structure, and employees. the pledge. the young generation away “With rest of the country tion and preservation for Scientific presentation and Gajra Nala of Patan check dam, stop dam, dyke At Raj Bhawan secretari- They took pledge to fight from its adverse effects or Chhattisgarh is facing drop which scientific approach were made on existing water block. wall, percolation tank and at, secretary to Governor and oppose all forms of ter- being misled to the path of in ground water level leading and efforts are required. conservation projects in the Appreciating the efforts, their inclusive uses. Surendra Kumar Jaiswal rorism and violence and to violence. ‘NMDC Global’ formed eying Need for departmental enquiry for Foot-march awakens people’s inner at international market maintaining discipline highlighted STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR Workshop held at Power Company Headquarter, Dangania conscience on Indravati revival: Saini he state-owned National STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR In his inaugural speech, General 100-km long foot march TMineral Development Manager Human Resources H.K. Pandey started at Bhejapadar Corporation (NMDC) hairman Power Companies stated that discharging of duties lawfully Limited has created a separate CShailendra Shukla said a departmen- is desirable and was advantageous for the village on May 8 ended at department “NMDC Global,” tal probe on any employee or official organization. Due to ignorance of service Chitrakot on Tuesday to increase its global foot- should not be perceived as a matter of rules and conduct workers and officials print. insult, rather it should be viewed as an make mistakes. STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR The NMDC, which is opportunity to clear one’s name from the Main orator and expert on the subject charges. e have succeeded in maintaining its leadership Executive Director and Retd IPS Anand waking up the inner position in Indian iron ore Shukla was addressing a workshop Tiwari threw light on necessity of con- “W on departmental Inquiry held at Head conscience of the people of industry, currently also has its ducting departmental enquiry, relevant Bastar for revival of its life-line, Talking to The Pioneer banks. We found that the river Quarters of Power Company situated in presence in Australia, rules, provision in the constitution of the river Indravati. It was our Saini claimed that their is in a pitiable condition,” Saini Mozambique, Tanzania and Dangania on Tuesday. India, natural justice of law, framing of success that people from all ‘Indrawati Bachao’ movement further added. other countries. Shukla said that departmental charges, providing opportunities to the sections of the society and also had also drawn attention of the The perennial river is now It is also looking to enquiry was an important act and proce- charge sheeted person, providing neces- women and children in a large government and it had taken having water in it only for four “diversify into strategic and dure. The object of the probe was to sary documents to delinquent officer, role number got associated with our initiatives in this regard. months that is during rainy critical raw materials and also deliver justice to the accused employees of enquiry officers, witnesses, ex-party movement”, opined “Our movement was purely season, he said expressing his the other emerging opportu- thrust on the above areas, it and officers. Departmental enquiry is departmental enquiry as well as appeal Padmashree Dharampal Saini. a non political, though political apprehension about the future nities in key minerals which has created the separate part and parcel of any good organization, for revision and punishment. Also pres- Saini led the foot march of leaders of the region cutting of the water body. have potential to deliver the department so as to pursue he said. ent on the occasion were H.K.Pandey, social activists and residents of across party lines came forward It is high time now to long term benefits to the those international opportu- Speaking on this occasion, Director Harsh Gautam, A.K.Shrivastav, Sunil Bastar region for revival of and stood beside us in support revive the river otherwise it will company and the country,” nities for acquisition of min- (Human Resources) Ajay Dubey opined Mehta along with other senior officials of River Indrawati under the ban- of our march”, he said. turn into Jora nullah as the said a NMDC press commu- eral assets and strategic tie that in order to keep discipline in the the power company. The workshop was ner of Indravati Bachao Samiti. “The motive of our march water from it is reversing in the niqué. ups on emerging technolo- organization departmental enquiry was a anchored by Additional General Manager The march ended here on was to gauge the situation of nullah and getting its way to To give a structured gies, the communiqué added. must. (Public Relation) Vijay Mishra. Tuesday. the river by marching along its neighbouring Odisha. BJP seeks security cover for Bemetara ready for counting, heavy Nine Naxals surrender, workers during counting security deployed two held in Bastar division STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR BEMETARA: All the preparations for the counting to be done for the general elec- STAFF REPORTER n In Dantewada, a team of earing physical attacks, tions are almost completed in Bemetara. RAIPUR district police and CRPF FChhattisgarh BJP has sought securi- District Collector and District while carrying out an anti- ty cover for its party workers at count- Electoral Officer Mahadev Kawre along ine Naxals surrendered Naxal operation in ing venues on May 23-- the day count- with Central Observer Manoj Kumar on Nbefore police in Bastar Katekalyan police station ing of votes cast in the just concluded Tuesday inspected the counting centre at division while two others limits nabbed two Naxals in elections for the state’s 11 Lok Sabha the district headquarters situated at were nabbed during an oper- a hilly terrain between seats will take place. Krishi Upaj Mandi premises. ation, police said here on Borpadar and Chikpal vil- BJP State coordinator, Election Kawre later informed that counting Tuesday. lages. Legal Department, Naresh Chandra of votes polled in 853 polling booths of Of the Nine, seven sur- They were identified as Gupta gave a representation to Chief three of the assembly segments of the dis- rendered in Bijapur while Kawasi Masa (26) a Janmilita Electoral Officer’s office on Tuesday tricts would be held in Bemetara. two gave up arms in Sukma. commander and Kudmi seeking protection for the party The official duo also inspected the Two Naxals were arrested involved in the killing of a commander carrying a Hadma (25), DKAMS presi- workers. security arrangements made at the strong from Dantewada district. policeman Mahesh Uras in reward of Rs 1 lakh also sur- dent, both residents of The letter is addressed to Chief room. A company of Border Security According to Bijapur 2012 at Keshkutul. Sonu was rendered. Marjum Bheemapara under Election Commissioner, New Delhi, Force (BSF) has been deployed there for police, three out of the seven also wanted in connection Raju Ram Vacham, vice Tongpal police station limits. Chief Electoral Officer Chhattisgarh round the clock security. surrendered in the district with the murder of Mirtur president DKAMS As per police they were and all District Electoral Officers. Superintendent of Police Prashant carried a cash reward of Rs Sarpanch Oyami and murder (Dandkarayna Adivasi Kisan involved in the attack on a It alleges that the officials of Thakur apprised the officials about the one lakh each on their of an assistant constable at Majdoor Sangh), Laysu police party near Munga vil- electoral offices are working under the centres, appropriate security measures security arrangements made at the count- arrests. Bhansi. Vachma, Mangal Diva (18), lage in November 2017, pressure of , should be ensured through Central ing centre. Cops without uniform are also They were identified as Neelkanth Ranjeet, alias and Chinna Majji (19) all wherein a CRPF man was seri- due to which no action has been initiat- Forces (CRPF and others), the party deployed nearby the counting centre to Lakshman Vanjami alias Suresh (26), who was also a three CNM members were ously injured. Similarly, they ed on complaints lodged by the BJP. urged. maintain peace in the region, he Sonu (29). He was LGS LGS member and carried a also among those surren- were also a part of a Naxal The BJP also urged that “impartial The party’s letter further stated that informed. (Local Guerrilla Squad) reward of Rs 1 lakh on his dered. team that had attacked a police counting observers” be appointed at all in case any party worker is harmed, the Senior administrative and police offi- member, active in head gave up arms. Likewise, They were provided with party in April 2016 at Marjum the counting centres so to ensure free in-charge officer will be held responsi- cials deployed in election duty were pres- Bhairamgarh area. Gudsa Vacham (29) a CNM immediate rehabilitation village. The attack had claimed and fair counting. At all the counting ble for it. ent during the visit of the officials. He was allegedly (Chetna Natya Mandali) benefit of Rs 10,000 each. life of a police jawan. Waste mgmt initiatives in state reviewed Kaushik rejects charges Parents of late Chetan receives RAIPUR: Leader of Opposition and senior STAFF REPORTER n BJP leader Dharamlal Kaushik on Tuesday had RAIPUR categorically denied the charges of a woman ‘Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak’ accusing him of making indecent proposal. olid Waste Management STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR But, he lost his life during the effort. Kaushik said he never knew the woman. SRules Implementation Collector had a long interaction Committee Chairman Notable, the same woman had earlier filed arents of Chetan Kumar Nishad, with the parents and Chetan’s brother Justice (retired) Dhirendra an FIR against another BJP leader Prakash Pwho was posthumously awarded Basant Kumar Nishad during the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak, Mishra directed that those Bajaj for sexually harassing and criminally award ceremony. received the award citation, medal and plastic products (PVC) intimidating her. Bajaj is under judicial Basant informed that Chetan was a a cheque of Rs 2 lakh on their son’s which are not included remand. Scout Cadette and was always used to inadequate solid waste Bilaspur and Charoda by activities. behalf. prohibited list, must display Meanwhile, the woman told media persons be in the forefront to help people. The producers’ ‘logo’ and name. management in Railway signing MoU with local Justice Mishra directed Chetan lost his life while saving a parents stated that they have two He also called for stern residential colonies, even urban bodies for solid col- to install GPS in all collec- in a press conference on Tuesday that the inci- 10-year-old boy two years ago and for action against the manufac- after the Urban Solid Waste lection and disposal. He tion vehicles. Raipur dent in which she was harassed by Kaushik the bravery he was selected for the daughters also. Collector assured help turers, sellers and even Management Rules 2016 said, “I would soon person- Corporation officials happened three days after Holi festival in 2017. award conferred during the Republic to the family. users of banned harmful came into effect. He direct- ally inspect the action assured to provide mobile “Dharamlal Kaushik had applied colours Day function. Two persons from Chhattisgarh plastic products. ed Chhattisgarh taken by the Railways.” App and GPS system. on my cheeks despite my objections and he Baloda Bazar-Bhatapara collector Master Chetan Kumar Nishad He was chairing the Environment Conservation The Railways authority During review of also made gestures suggesting to hug me,” the Kartiykeya Goel handed over the (Posthumous) and Kishor Rai (Posthumous) were to be conferred committee constituted Board (CECB) to constitute was asked to appoint a health department, CECB woman told reporters. award Chetan Kumar’s parents Shiv Kumar Nishad and Dhan Bai as they Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak for under National Green a probe team to inspect the nodal officer to coordinate. member secretary R. P. When asked why was she silent over the Tribunal (NGT) at railway colonies and sub- Committee reviewed Tiwari informed that could not receive it from the President year 2018 by President of India. It was incident for two years, the woman said that she Paryawas Bhawan, Atal mit a report before the works of the Raipur smaller clinics of state are on the Republic Day. announced during Republic Day. Nagar on Monday. committee. Municipal Corporation’s being brought under was under pressure not to disclose the matter. On August 2017, 16-year-old Jeevan Raksha Padak series of award Justice Mishra regis- He directed the collection and storage cen- purview of the Nursing On the other hand, president of BJP Chetan, a resident of Kodwa, are given to a person for meritorious tered his ire over the Railways management to tre, its scientific disposal of Home Act for bio-medical women’s wing Pooja Vidhani termed the alle- Bhatapara, saved Tekram from drown- act of human nature in saving life of a Railway Management for take initiative at Raipur, wastes and other related waste management. gations politically motivated and baseless. ing in Koni anicut on Sheonath river. person.     !"  -

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  847*/8 assembly constituency at Secondary School, (Boys), Virsa Vihar, Ist Floor, Government ITI, Hoshiarpur; Zira Road; SKB, Dev !   EVMs and it is hoped that we SMDRSD College Pathankot Amritsar. Kapurthala; and Counting and Rayat & Bahra Group of Centenary, Senior Secondary     will get these shortly,” he said. unjab Chief Electoral and Sukhjinder Group of For Khadoor Sahib, the Hall-1, Dev Raj Groups Institute, Hoshiarpur. For Public School; SKB Dev Senior   All these personnel would POfficer Dr S Karuna Raju Institutes, Gurdaspur. counting of votes will be held Technical Campus, Zira Road, Anandpur Sahib, counting Secondary School PenchaWali, Amid allegations by oppo- be deployed for safety of EVMs on Tuesday said that all CEO said that counting of at Khalsa College for Ferozepur. would be held at Doaba Fazilka; MR College Fazilka, sition regarding tampering of in these sensitive districts, Virk arrangements have been made votes for Amritsar parliamen- Engineering and Technology, The counting of votes for Polytechnic College Chokkran and Guru Nanak College, Tibbi Electronic Voting Machines in added. for the counting of votes in the tary constituency would be Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar; Jalandhar would be held at two (Rahon), Government College, Sahib, Road, Sri Muktsar Sahib. strong rooms, Haryana Police The ADGP said that secu- state on May 23, Thursday. held at Mai Bhago Government International College of locations as per assembly con- Rupnagar, and Government For Bathinda, counting has deployed six additional rity has already been tightened “Counting of votes will be Polytechnic College (Girls) Nursing, NH-54, Village Piddi, stituency — Office of the Polytechnic College would be held at various loca- companies of Central para- at the strong rooms housing the held at 21 different locations in Majitha Road, Amritsar; Tarn Taran; Lecture Hall, Director Land Record, Khunimarjra, Kharar. tions of Institute of Hotel military forces to ensure tight EVMs to ensure peaceful the state for 13 Parliamentary Khalsa Law College, Ram Adjoining Auditorium, Mai Kapurthala Road, Jalandhar; Raju said that counting of Management, Bathinda; vari- security of EVMs stored in counting of votes in the state. Constituencies, and it will Tirath road; Khalsa College Bhago College of Nursing, NH- and Sports School Hostel, votes for Ludhiana would be ous locations of PESCO strong rooms in seven dis- All the Commissioners of begin on May 23 at 8 am,” he Amritsar, Government 54, Village Piddi; Multipurpose Adjoining Office of the held at various locations of Vocational Training Institute, tricts of Haryana. Police and district said. Industrial Training Institute, Hall, Adjoining Auditorium, Director Land Record, Punjab Agricultural University Bathinda; and at various loca- The districts included Superintendents of Police have Raju said that counting of Ranjit Avenue; Khalsa College Mai Bhago College of Nursing, Kapurthala Road, Jalandhar. Campus. For Fatehgarh Sahib, tions of Government Nehru Rohtak, Sonipat, Jhajjar, been instructed to ensure votes for Gurdaspur parlia- for Women, Khalsa College for NH-54, Village Piddi; Virsha CEO said that counting of counting centres were set up at Memorial College, Mansa. Bhiwani, Sirsa, Hisar and round-the-clock vigil at the mentary constituency would be Pharmacy, Amritsar; and vihar, Conference Hall, votes for Hoshiarpur would be Sri Guru Granth Sahib World He said that counting for Fatehabad. strong rooms across the state. held at various locations as per Khalsa College Senior (Ground Floor), Kapurthala; held at two locations — University; GNE, Polytechnic Sangrur would be held at var- Haryana Additional Apart from this, they have College Ludhiana; Guru Nanak ious locations of Desh Bhagat Director General of Police also been asked the ensure Dev Engineering College, Polytechnic College, Dhuri, (Law and Order) Navdeep maintenance of law and order Ludhiana; Guru Nanak Dev while the counting for Patiala Singh Virk on Tuesday said that in their respective areas in +!09  !     Polytechnic College, Gill Road; would be held at Govt ITI, Near as per intelligence and other view of the procession carried and Guru Nanak Dev PRTC Workshop, Patiala; Govt inputs, these seven districts out by the winning candidates =       rying EVMs. “It is ascertained after sent at site were taken to Dispatch Centre Polytechnic College. Polytechnic College for Girls are found to be sensitive. on the counting day, he said. investigations that this man was one at Guru Nanak College Sukhchainana CEO said that for Faridkot, Patiala; various locations of He said that 12 companies A three-layered security  &     Balwinder Kumar of Phagwara BDPO Sahib and they were shown that on those the counting would be held at Punjabi University, Patiala; of Indian Reserve Battalion cover has already been put in office who had been appointed in-charge machines it was clearly mentioned that ITI Moga, Pandit Chetan Dev Government Polytechnic (IRB), coming back from elec- place at the counting centres after of Sector-4 by Returning Officer those were reserve machines and had not College of Education Faridkot; College for Girls SST Nagar tion duties on May 22 are also elections to 10 Lok Sabha seats   847*/8 Hoshiarpur and he had nine polling sta- been used at all,” said the CEO. and Government Brijindra Rajpura Road Patiala; Thapar being deployed in these districts. over in the state, Virk further tions under him,” said Raju. Raju said that a similar case had been College, Faridkot. University Patiala; and at var- “We have also requested added. The voting to 10 Lok ssuing a statement about the Phagwara He said that Balwinder Kumar had reported in Jalandhar too in which it had He said that counting for ious locations of Gymnasium Ministry of Home Affairs to Sabha seats in Haryana was Iviral video case, Punjab Chief Electoral been provided two complete been allegedly said that some people with Ferozepur would be held at var- Hall Pollo Ground, Part-I and provide 20 companies of held on May 12 and the count- Officer S Karuna Raju on Tuesday clarified sets of EVMs in a GPS-fitted car to laptops had entered the counting centre. “In ious locations of Dev Raj Part-II, Patiala. Central Armed Police Forces to ing will be held on May 23. that nothing wrong or out of rules had hap- exchange the machines in case of any dis- this case too, it has been found that those Groups Technical Campus, ensure full-proof security of pened. crepancy during voting at any of these nine persons were the members of counting staff He said that it was being reported that booths. A videographer Manish Kumar was and had come to take part in training,” said a man on voting day was moving near also present in the car carrying EVMs. Raju while urging the people to not spread Senior Secondary School Bhanoke car- “To allay all apprehensions of those pre- false information on social media. * 6     "      + !   847*/8 Before that, Sidhu’s wife     acknowledged,” he said.      and former MLA Dr Navjot After four Cabinet “Sidhu must realize and   acing bouncers from team Kaur Sidhu had blamed Capt Ministers and other senior acknowledge that he is in the FCongress in Punjab for his Amarinder and state party leaders opening front against Congress now and must imbibe   847*/8        “rebellious” attitude, the crick- affairs’ in-charge Asha Kumari Sidhu, Cabinet Minister Tript its culture of discipline”, he        eter-turned-politician Navjot for playing a negative role in Rajinder Singh Bajwa and for- observed, adding, if he had any n a bid to encourage the D%%%%    Singh Sidhu on Tuesday virtu- declining her nomination from mer Minister Lal Singh on such issues, he could have Ifarmers to cultivate alterna- :      ally hurled the ball in the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat. Tuesday too lashed out at the raised these at different party tive crops and reduce wheat !       pavilion of the party’s top lead- Rubbishing her allegations former cricketer. forums or he could have taken and paddy crop rotation in    /&$%% ership by seeking an audience as “non-sense”, Capt Bajwa, in a strongly word- these up with the party high Haryana, the State /$%%% with his “captain” Rahul Amarinder had pointed out ed statement, asked Sidhu as a command. Government has decided to :      /$%%% Gandhi. that he had no role in the deci- minister to quit if he cannot Lal Singh further pointed launch a pilot project from   !      Even as the party high sion-making for the work with the Chief Minister as that Sidhu was wrong in join- May 27 in seven blocks.    /$%%   command has not yet sought a Chandigarh ticket, while “he has refused to acknowledge ing his wife in blaming the Under the project, the gov-          report from the state unit over adding that Dr Navjot was the leadership of the Chief Chief Minister for denial of ernment will offer free seeds, ! /&5%%  the ongoing war of words asked to contest from Bathinda Minister”. party ticket to her from financial assistance among       between the Chief Minister or Amritsar, but she refused. “Since he does not know Chandigarh as the Chandigarh other things to farmers to pro- Capt Amarinder Singh and Coming to his wife’s defence, who the captain of the ship is, Congress has an entirely dif- mote crop diversification in )       his Cabinet colleague Sidhu, Sidhu maintained that she he should be removed from the ferent party structure inde- Haryana. Initially, an amount    /#..   the former cricketer has decid- “would never lie”. Cabinet,” he said. pendent of Punjab or any other of Rs 25 crore has been ear- !! ! *   ed to reach out to the leader- Taking the prevailing cold Only a day before, the state state and “there is no interfer- marked for the scheme.   : ship on his own and is sched- war between the two senior Forest Minister Sadhu Singh ence from the Punjab   + “Haryana Agriculture and uled to meet Rahul Gandhi on Congress leaders to another Dharamsot had asked Sidhu to Congress”. Farmers’ Welfare Department would be done on first time in the country, he      !  ! Tuesday night at his residence level on the polling day, Capt quit the state Cabinet, while the Meanwhile, former Union has decided to start a pilot pro- Department’s portal,” said said.       in the national capital. Amarinder minced no words senior-most Minister Brahm Minister and the party candi- ject in seven blocks of the state Haryana Chief Minister Under this scheme, the 8 :   It has been learnt that to say that the “ambitious” Mohindra had already made date from Sri Anandpur Sahib namely Assandh, Pundri, Manohar Lal while addressing identified farmers will be pro- 7        Sidhu has been seeking Rahul Sidhu might want to replace clear his intentions of writing Manish Tewari also advised Narwana, Thanesar, Ambala- a press conference here. vided seed free of cost, which     Gandhi’s appointment from him as the Chief Minister. At to the party high command. Sidhu that it would be better for 1, Radaur and Ganaur to divert After taking permission costs around Rs 1200 to Rs the past two days, and it was the same time, he had main- Another senior leader, him “if he first understands the the inclination of farmers from from the Election 2000. Apart from seed, a finan- main aim is to reduce sowing only in the evening that the tained that it was on the high Punjab Congress Election culture of the Congress”. paddy to maize and pulses or Commission, we have decided cial assistance for Rs 2000 per of paddy on 50,000 hectares meeting was fixed for Tuesday command to act against the Managing Committee chair- oilseeds. For this, the registra- to launch this scheme which acre will be provided in two area, the Chief Minister said in night. Sidhu, while making it clear man Lal Singh too criticised     P tion of interested farmers would be implemented for the phases, that is, Rs 200 at the reply to a query. Amidst growing chorus of that the Congress has zero-tol- Sidhu for his “ill-timed and ill-   time of registration on the The Department has for- initiating a strong action erance policy against indisci- advised” statement, saying that Backing Sidhu in the ongo- portal and balance Rs. 1800 mulated the scheme keeping in against Sidhu by his own party pline. he “should not have aired his ing controversy, the Punjab after verification of the sown mind the interest of farmers colleagues and senior party “His ill-timed comments views in public on the eve of the Ekta Party president Sukhpal area. and water conservation. By leaders, the Congress’ state against me and the Punjab elections as these created Singh Khaira declared his The Maize crop insurance diversifying area of non-bas- leadership has, however, decid- Congress leadership have dam- unnecessarily misunderstand- party’s open support to the for- premium of Rs 766 per hectare mati paddy into maize under ed to wait till May 23 — the day aged the party...If he is a real ings and may have adversely mer cricketer. will also be borne by the this scheme, a total saving of results of recently-held Lok Congressmen, he should have affected the party’s prospects at “There is no need to bend. Government under Pradhan water is expected to be 0.71 Sabha elections will be chosen a better time to air his a crucial time. The PDA (Punjab Democratic Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, the crore cm (1cm = 1 lakh litres declared. grievances instead of just ahead In what is being seen an an Alliance) will support you,” Chief Minister said. of water), he added. At the same time, the of voting in Punjab. Perhaps he apparent attempt to shift blame said Khaira, whose party is a He said that maize produce Manohar Lal said that nine opposition parties in the state, is ambitious and wants to be on Sidhu in case the party per- part of the of the farmers will also be pro- districts in the state are mov- including chief minister,” Capt formed poorly in the elections, — PDA — a conglomeration of cured by government agencies ing towards the status of dark (AAP), Punjab Ekta Party Amarinder had said on Sunday. Lal Singh said that Sidhu’s six political outfits. such as Hafed, Food, and zone in terms of depletion of (PEP), and Lok Insaaf Party A senior Congress leader “uncalled for outburst” at a Beside PEP, PDA compris- Supply Department at groundwater level. (LIP), have come out in Sidhu’s maintained that a report would wrong time has the potential of es of the Minimum Support Price. support and backing his claims be sought after the state presi- sabotaging the party’s ‘Mission (BSP), the Lok Insaaf Party Likewise, during Kharif sea- , several studies have con- of a “friendly match”. dent, and the Congress 13’. (LIP), the Nawan Punjab Party son, the diversification of firmed that persistent and Notably, Sidhu, while Legislative Party (CLP) leader “If the party misses the led by suspended AAP MP Dr Paddy by Pulses (Arhar) will repeated mono-cropping leads addressing an election rally in regarding Sidhu’s “indiscipline mark, it will be entirely for the Dharamvira Gandhi, the be done in 2500 hectares area. to soil degradation and subse- Bathinda on May 17, talked act” by the state party affairs’ statements made by Sidhu. If and The seed of pulses will also be quent loss in its retention about a “friendly match” with- in-charge Asha Kumari which Sidhu has any issues with Capt the Revolutionary Marxist provided free of cost to the capacity. Excessive irrigation out naming anyone, while ask- would then be sent to the high Amarinder, he should have Party of India (RMPI). farmer and incentive will also has also resulted in steady ing the electorate to “punish” command for action. But that raised these with the party high Khaira said that Sidhu provided on the same pattern. deterioration of ground water the “players” who have 75:25 would be done only after May command, instead of going was right in saying about the The scheme will be level and soil fertility in the share. 23 results. public about these,” he said. “friendly match” between the launched in seven districts of state. The rice and wheat It is believed that Sidhu, in Despite addressing 100 ral- He pointed that Sidhu was Congress and Akali Dal. Haryana namely monopoly has also reduced the his speech, hinted at the lies and press conferences in the Congress for just 27 His fellow PDA member Yamunanagar, Ambala, Karnal, leguminous pulses from the rumoured pact between Capt across the country as the months and he had been and LIP president Simarjit Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind and state agriculture scene. Amarinder and SAD presi- Congress’ ‘star campaigner’ accorded all the privileges, Singh Bains said that Sidhu is Sonipat where majorly paddy Manohar Lal said that dent Sukhbir Badal to ensure during 2019 general elections, honour and respect. “He was an honest leader, and his and wheat are grown. maize is the ultimate solution victory of their wives from Sidhu gave a miss to his home instantly offered the party tick- statements are right. “Sidhu’s Paddy is produced on to replace paddy in Haryana Patiala and Bathinda. However, state. He addressed the party’s et and then made a Minster. statement shows that the 195357 hectares area in seven and has various strengths such Sidhu has denied having said first rally at Bathinda only Besides, he was assigned the Captain government and the blocks which have been cov- as many fold water saving, anything that suggested a col- after Priyanka Gandhi asked task of campaigning for the Badals are the same, and this ered under the scheme of increase wheat yield, suitable lusion between the Congress him to. party across the country. All would not only harm the which non basmati paddy is for conservation and less and the SAD, while blaming these things come with a sense Cingress party, but also the produced in 45 per cent, that chemical input in maize farm- the media for “putting words in   of responsibility which Sidhu entire people of Punjab,” he is, 87900 hectares area and the ing. my mouth”. should have honoured and said. O#     &  P

“Thousands of people were in a letter sent to the Chief antees should be kept from them Citing an example of how '!    killed in the cyclones that hit the Secretary. for five years. 400 people living on a small Odisha coast on 1971 and 1999. Das said while MLAs have They suggested that agencies island surrounded by mangrove #  Hundreds of people were also been demanding for adoption of would take of each plant for five forests could be save, Das urged killed in the Cyclone Titili that a policy for plantations along the years only when bank guarantees the Chief Secretary to adopt a hit the coast in 2018. Earlier to coast for years, the Government are kept special policy to undertake   8406/ the Titli, Cyclones Hudhud and is yet to respond to their pro- from them. coastal belt plantation on a pri- Phailin also caused huge devas- posal. “Mangrove forest bears ority basis to protect lives and he Odisha Krushak tations. Cyclones are causing He mentioned that MLAs importance as the roots of the property of people and lives of TMahasanga (OKM) has pro- hugedevastations only due to loss had submitted seven memo- trees bind each other grow to a wild animals. posed to the State Government of reserve and mangrove forests randums to the Government big height. During cyclones, Regarding the proposed to grow over the years due to between January 1, 2001 and such trees only bent down and Coastal Highway, Das said the mangrove forests of a half-km construction of ports, urbanisa- 2012. According to the never break, and thus protect liv- highway should be constructed width along the coasts in order tion, hotels and large apart- proposal, private agencies need ing being on on a height above 18 feet so that to protect living beings and ments on coasts,” remarked to be entrusted with the work of the land from the wrath of the it can break seawater from enter- properties from the wrath of OKM president and former underrating coastal belt planta- cyclones,” pointed ing landmass during high tides cyclones. MLA Bibhudhendra Pratap Das tion work for which bank guar- out Das. caused by cyclones.     !"   5

).  &    4 R./  6 03.004/)  8         !O  0  P     2R )   ! >B/) London: The British Britain was due to leave the 5#& $#05" )4   Government on Tuesday debat- EU on March 29, but the bloc 1 ! )  ndonesia’s Joko Widodo has ed tweaking its proposed extended the deadline until !  )  L+     684*)94 Ibeen re-elected as president European Union divorce terms October 31 amid the political  ! M +Q2R of the world’s third-biggest in a last-ditch attempt to get impasse. Talks on securing a          s questions mount over democracy, the elections com- Parliament’s backing for Prime compromise between May’s       APresident Donald Trump’s mission said early on Tuesday, Minister Theresa May’s deal Conservatives and the opposi-   ( tough talk on Iran, top nation- 3 beating rival Prabowo with the bloc. tion Labour Party broke down al security officials are heading ! 684*)94 terious sabotage incidents of oil Subianto, a retired general who The Cabinet met to work last week. May says she will try   P  to Capitol Hill to brief tankers off the United Arab has vowed to challenge any vic- out details of what May has again in early June by asking    6 Congress. But skeptical S Secretary of State Mike Emirates or drone strikes on a tory for the incumbent leader. “This ruling was called a “bold offer” to win sup- lawmakers to vote on a with- $5%77$   O Democrats have asked for a UPompeo said on Tuesday it crude pipeline in Saudi Arabia. The commission was announced on May 21... and port for her Brexit agreement. drawal agreement bill imple-        second opinion. was “quite possible” Iran was “But given all the regional expected to announce the offi- will be effectively immediate- But divided Ministers looked menting the departure terms.       The competing closed- responsible for sabotage of Gulf conflicts that we have seen cial results of the April 17 poll ly,” the commission’s chair Arief unlikely to support the kind of The bill is likely to include  !  !  O door sessions Tuesday, unusu- oil interests as he prepared to over the past decade and the on Wednesday in the Southeast Budiman said in a live sweeping alterations that could promises on issues such as !!  *   al and potentially polarising, brief lawmakers on rising ten- shape of these attacks, it seems Asian nation of 260 million. streamed announcement that change lawmakers’ minds on a workers’ rights and environ-        come after weeks of escalating sions. Pompeo cautioned that like it’s quite possible that Iran But amid fears about unrest was broadcast on major media. divorce deal that has been mental protections that are       tensions in the Persian Gulf the United States has not made was behind these,” Pompeo and street demonstrations in Widodo, 57, had been rejected three times by priorities for the left-of-center   ( that have raised alarms over a “a definitive conclusion” that can told conservative radio host response to the final count, the widely predicted to win accord- Parliament. Labour Party. AP possible military confronta- be presented publicly over mys- Hugh Hewitt. final tally was released early ing to unofficial results. tion with Iran. Lawmakers are with little advance notice. His challenger Subianto, warning the Trump adminis- White House’s sudden policy force,” but also said he’s willing Widodo and his vice-pres- 67, has vowed to challenge tration it cannot take the coun- shifts in the Middle East. to negotiate. idential running mate Ma’ruf any victory for Widodo, alleg- try into war without approval Trump, veering between “We’ll see what happens,” Amin won the election by a ing widespread voter fraud, from Congress, and the back- bombast and conciliation in his Trump told reporters as he left 55.5 per cent to 44.5 per cent and warned that it could spark to-back briefings show the quest to contain Iran, threat- the White House for a cam- margin over Subianto and street protests across the world’s wariness among Democrats, ened Monday to meet provo- paign rally. He said Iran has Sandiaga Uno, the elections biggest Muslim majority and some Republicans, over the cations by Iran with “great been “very hostile.” commission said. nation.

2 9   0   ,2      4R    2   2 /   2  ! 01*/70G0/H Riyadh: Saudi-owned media  684*)94 erbian lawmakers amended accused Yemeni rebels Tuesday Son Tuesday the penal code of targeting Islam’s holiest city ouse Democrats are facing to introduce a life sentence Mecca after Riyadh and its Hyet another attempt by without parole, despite con- allies said they had intercept- President Donald Trump to cerns voiced by the Council of ed two missiles over the king- stonewall their investigations, Europe. Until now, the maxi- dom. this time with former White mum sentence in Serbia, which The exiled Yemeni gov- House counsel Donald seeks to join the European ernment, which is based in McGahn defying a subpoena Union, was 40 years in prison. Saudi Arabia, echoed the claim for his testimony on orders According to the new law, but the Huthi rebels denied any from the White House. those sentenced to life impris- such attack. A lawyer for McGahn said onment will be able to ask a tri- Coalition spokesman he would follow the president’s bunal to review their sentence Colonel Turki al-Maliki said directive and skip Tuesday’s once they have spent 27 years two missiles were shot down House Judiciary hearing, leav- behind bars. But those con- between Jeddah and Taiz dis- ing the Democrats without yet victed of rape followed by tricts of Mecca province on another witness — and a grow- murder, or serious crimes Monday but did not elaborate ing debate within the party against children or pregnant on the suspected target or who about how to respond. women, will not have that fired them. AFP option.     !"   6      ! ( I   K)7     ( I  I (( $)4()*     +. 0 +43      / S   6   L  !         O!                                )            !  !        ! )+          "         &                   )                     "              S  "   "           "    S     )    "  0   4    '04 ("    ( 66 !0                  "    he Afghanistan peace process               5       has undergone nuanced changes           &  6&    )    and several U-turns under the                 "  "   Trump dispensation. These are worth reflecting upon.        "  04  &       7      T It is no longer Afghan-owned, led       &     6&     &   and driven, but steered by an American          S             Afghan Pashtun, Zalmay Khalilzad, who was appointed as Special Envoy in  "  &                    September 2018. Before that, it was   77           $  P       "Q Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Alice                     &  Wells, who ran the show and held at least three structured meetings with the Taliban        /     O     "  S 1  at Doha and Islamabad, starting February  04     &     9  &  :   2018. She had ruled that the US could hold                  ;  "  direct talks with the Taliban only after it had first engaged with the Kabul                  & Government. That priority was over- ;       4  +   '4+(    turned by the Khalilzad-led peace process,   9  &        "  04      which has completed six rounds, the fifth being the longest, lasting for all of 15 days.         !     /     6&  The central issues of the framework   "     <=   4+  "        accord: a) time-frame for withdrawal of US           <<> ) "  04  =?@ forces; b) no use of Afghan soil for terror- ist attacks on the US and its allies; c) dia-  "   " 4+ "     -      &  =="    logue with elected Government in Kabul;  04                 and d) ceasefire. The Taliban wants foreign                     forces to withdraw in six months and not           "   4+        in one-and-a-half years as the US wants; dialogue with the Kabul Government; &   04    and ceasefire only after the withdrawal of tionship between Pakistan and strategic assets in Afghanistan ANSF would be capable of its only foreign airbase in Ayni  : "  04             foreign forces. According to the Taliban, the Taliban. Mohammad Umer for which President Obama resisting the Taliban indepen- in Tajikistan even as Chinese &  A  )         #      only two issues — the first two — consti- Daudzai, Afghanistan and former President Karzai dently after December 2014 troops are patrolling Wakhan tute the framework accord. President Ashraf Ghani’s spe- signed the bilateral security when International Security corridor on Tajikistan’s south-  &       / "          In his latest State of the Union cial envoy and head of the High agreement (BSA) in 2014, Assistance Force combat role east border, 30 km from  + 5  "            "   ==@ Address, US President Donald Trump said, Peace Council, was in New which provides US troops ended but would require US air Pakistan-occupied Kashmir   <?  "     /   &  ==B !      “great nations do not fight endless wars.” Delhi last week for consulta- access to military bases like support and assistance in casu- (PoK) to prevent Uighurs from Last December, he did a U-turn on tions. He said: “The Taliban Bagram and Kandahar until alty evacuation. When Konduz returning to Xinjiang.             &      Afghanistan. Having been reluctantly per- team, which is led by Mullah 2024 and beyond. The agree- became the first provincial India secured operational                      9 suaded by his Generals to stay the course, Baradari, is facilitated by ment also states that the key capital to fall to the Taliban in clearance from Russia to use *      :    "  C &       :6)   0/ in a policy speech in August 2017, he lashed Pakistan.” Rawalpindi will be American ally will not abandon 2014, all hell broke loose in Ayni in 2002. It has not out at Pakistan, saying all it has given the the main benefactor from any Afghanistan militarily and Pentagon, sparking fear of a deployed combat aircraft but /   '0 (     /   ' ( ! 04  /  US are lies and deceit after receiving $31 peace deal and after the US’ financially for years after 2014, strategic collapse. utilises it for airlifting relief and      =?D   ! 0   :   C     billion and praised India for its construc- withdrawal, the vacuum will be the then deadline for most for- China, Russia and the US construction material to Ayni         "       $  "    tive role in Afghanistan. The then Defence filled up by “Iron Brothers” eign forces to withdraw. The this month issued a joint state- and on to Farkhor from where Secretary, James Mattis, issued a “last China and Pakistan. The treaty agreement was initialled ment saying that “an inclusive it is trucked to Afghanistan. It    A    "  :6)        ! " chance” ultimatum to Pakistan to act absence of threat from by NSA Rangin Dadfar Spanta Afghan-led peace process will has invested $100 million for               :       against the Taliban sanctuaries which did Afghanistan would secure the and US Ambassador Ryan ensure an orderly and respon- renovating Ayni and extending        0  0"       )& A  not work despite intensified drone strikes China-Pakistan Economic Crocker. Why is the BSA under sible withdrawal.” That is not the runway to 3,200 m and in Pakistan. Soon, Trump did multiple U- Corridor (CPEC), currently wraps? And why has the the direction the Khalizad built three hangars for MiG 29    E/          +  -  turns: Embraced Pakistan, criticised India under terrorist attacks from the Taliban not raised the issue of peace process is headed bombers. Around 100 Indian   A   9 *             &  for doing five minutes of work like build- Pakistani Taliban in foreign bases unless that is part towards. Air Force personnel are  "            S       ing libraries in Afghanistan and replacing Afghanistan and the of an unlikely secret agreement India has refused to engage deployed there for mainte- Wells with Khalilzad an as interlocutor to Balochistan Liberation Army. between the two? with the Taliban because it will nance of the airfield. Still, India       )          "      work out an exit deal with the Taliban. Daudzai told his Indian inter- If the mercurial Trump not negotiate with Kabul. New cannot use Ayni as an opera-      0S        )&  F    Pakistan is now a key facilitator and locutors that he did not think were to suddenly order troops’ Delhi may be a key strategic US tional air base because of the :   &            :  de facto guarantor for the Taliban’s atten- the Khalilzad peace process pullout, it could prove cata- partner but in Afghanistan, Russia-China-Pakistan axis. It                 &    dance at the peace talks. In 2016, former could be completed before the strophic. James Dobbins, a for- Pakistan holds the cards. India’s is one of New Delhi’s foreign US President Barack Obama ordered a presidential elections in mer US Envoy to Afghanistan, hesitation to start a back chan- policy failures, which would                    0   drone strike against Taliban leader Emir September 2019. He should not fears it could lead to a civil war nel with the Taliban is unwise otherwise have acted as a  :    *   :         :6)  0 Mullah Akhtar Mansour for playing tru- be surprised if the US post- — back to 1996. Gen Kenneth at a time when the organisation strategic fulcrum between !                  "      ant on peace talks. Till 18 months ago, pones elections a third time McKenzie of CentCom has is known to be praising its Afghanistan and PoK. Modi 2.0 Islamabad used to say it has no control, and appoints an interim said Afghan national security development works and eco- should work on Ayni. /       04 S             only some influence on the Taliban, despite Government as suggested by forces will dissolve without nomic assistance in (The writer is a retired     ;  " "     &  all its leaders residing in Karachi and Pakistan with the Taliban on US support. In 2014, a report Afghanistan. Gen Bipin Rawat Major General of the Indian Quetta. It says it has applied unprecedent- board. published by Special Inspector has said he favours engagement Army and founder member of ed pressure on the Taliban to open talks Surprisingly, nowhere General for Afghanistan with the Taliban. India has not the Defence Planning Staff, cur- with Kabul. Now, Kabul has asked in the discourse is there any Reconstruction (SIGAR) had succeeded in creating strategic rently the revamped Integrated %      Washington to reveal the nature of the rela- mention of US retention of its made the assessment that pressure points like activating Defence Staff) 5* 6+  .  / 40               !       !  0   !   G   H                  @ !    () !     G  " (       (        !  H ! L               0C    !   N @N@N L   !     (             ! 0   ( @G  @  H(   !   (      (             !07877"&5# 9#07 5"50 05?7""$&7          "   K!+ K  B K1 N  K *    "                   # "                      0 0  3  0 . 00 !    40.3         "                                  $         %           &  '          (" "    Sir — This refers to the editori-           *   Sir — This refers to the editorial, al, “Vote for leadership” (May 21).   +         L “Vote for leadership” (May 21).        )      &       Whether it’s about television rat- 0            $'( In a way, National Conference   "        *        ing points (TRP) or the love for      !     leader Omar Abdullah closed the             !  "     Prime Minister Narendra Modi is     + '%%    47( lid by saying that all exit polls can- +  S                   another matter for debate, but it 9             not be wrong. The 2014 exit polls was shocking that the news chan-     !       (  were quite close to the actual              !         nels started declaring the exit poll            L result. If we go by the same anal-                +     &    results within seconds of the last       !(     L ogy, Modi is back, albeit with a "                -      votes polled (6.30pm). The six  !   '%%    L lesser majority, thus forcing him main pollsters showed that for the !       47    to change and mellow down for        "            second time, Modi’s National ! $$.56   !             greater acceptance. However, if the     !    &            -  Democratic Alliance (NDA) will $$ 'OO%(       !     actual result throws up a variation )                      rule, winning anywhere between  !       !(          of 25 to 30 per cent, the whole 287 and 336 seats.       (7 L  L 9           thing will become topsy-turvy.                     What’s even funny is that the     L   (0    (8 $'     L Then, it will be like opening a                  final tally each survey predicted !     !     !     !         ( Pandora’s box or releasing a can -                 was varied but were uniformly            (  $7&$"$5$<$5 of worms. Opposition parties will well above the 272 seats needed            be quick to make their calcula-                     & to form a Government. As if to tions and either the mahagath-          &          "   provide some relief to the bandhan or the federal front will                    .    Opposition, two surveys showed polls had given 68 more seats to one State, it excelled in another. economy of the period that we are succeed. But there are many ifs the NDA falling short — by the NDA than it got. But after the Hence, there is nothing wrong passing through now. and buts. Predicting an election in  !  "        & +        between five and 30 seats. results, we had the Congress-led with Naidu devaluing exit polls. Nationalism cannot be reduced to the world’s largest democracy is   "     "     &          Surprisingly, Vice President M United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee gross majoritarianism. Likewise, really difficult as several factors         " / & !             Venkaiah Naidu mocked the pre- ruling India for the next 10 years. Faridabad politics does have its genesis in like caste, religion, region, money      "   "             dictions, saying “exit polls do not It has also been observed that confrontation but the reverse power and voting percentage mean exact polls. We have to when forecasters made mistakes in     would be the very antithesis of matter.   0       S             understand this. Since 1999, most a few States but got the bigger pic- socio-political evolution. The “us D Nagarjuna  1                    of the exit polls have gone wrong”. ture right, the error in one State versus them” needs to yield to the Hyderabad I agree with the Vice President was cancelled out by the error in Sir — It’s good that this impatient notion of “we and the problem.”             &  P      Q   and want to mention here that exit another; if the NDA or the UPA nation gets a few days to ponder R Narayanan ,  & >      +         polls after the 2004 Lok Sabha did not rise to the expectations in over the ethos, evolution and the Navi Mumbai ##7"#0=057>?8$1908     !"   7     2430./ !  2 1+  "#./03 "# !!                1 + 1    !  E          !1  A  6  !  B1 !           1 8   !      L      L                  !             "8 %.0    "  &         7             # "    RQR0++* $                                 *+++          &            &                          "   "          &                                )                 R &  S"                                &        &                  H   !     &                     )                    9"#% 4    !        &    &        7   )           & oon, the din of a bitterly fought, fractious elec-              7 tion, where the discourse veered around                   Ssome of the most irrelevant issues, will recede  "  & C     !           and the focus of the new Government will revert         7 !    7  to policy interventions and formulating the forth-                 coming Budget. Economic policies of an elected Government have the single largest bearing upon                    the destiny of its polity. An increase in per-capita          ;           disposable income is one of the most vital indica-                " tors of successful governance and one that invari-  "       ably favours the incumbent. Undoubtedly, the pre- $                 dominant electoral issue, which was relegated to     "           )   the background, hinged on declining rural and   "  & &         )   urban income, decreased savings and slowing con- & &      "              sumption. Conversely, closer to voting, poll           !         dynamics showed that by March 2019, “net future          &        )  expectations about the economy clocked a positive 48.6 per cent” as people were more optimistic about                '  the larger economic course of the country in the  ( O             likely event of Modi’s second coming. ' &     ( 0 &          With the median age of India’s population being        $           30 years, this aspirational demograph has gone past           =< &  "     the roti-kapda-makaan basics of the last century         & to mobiles, internet and entrepreneurship. As for- ly 30,000 billion yuan ($4.44 trillion) in 2017. a compelling model to pursue as a ‘Global Best And in less developed regions, people are buying !        H       ward planning yields results only after gestation The prototype has thrown surprising results Practice’ prototype for India. The report demon- a wider variety of consumer goods online, offset-   )              periods of a three to five year lag, policy-makers for India to emulate: Though e-commerce is always strated how digital technology has the potential to ting the disadvantages of their local markets. This                 will have to find ways to leapfrog job creation once more developed in urban areas, surprisingly harness inclusive growth, unlike previous revolu- has enabled 10 million SMEs and start-ups in   "               the new regime is in place by June. India’s consump- online retail sales in rural areas grew faster than the tions, especially when policies and public-private remotest of villages to start businesses from home tion story has been losing momentum in major sec- national average. From 2014 to 2017, online retail sector work in synergy. Experience in other devel- and work on flexi-timings, shrinking urban-rural     7   +          tors like FMCG, cars and two-wheelers and ser- sales in rural China increased from RMB 180 bil- oped countries has made for a compelling case to income disparities.              "       vices activity — slipping to multi-quarter lows as lion to 1.24 trillion, a compound annual growth rate adapt and integrate digitally enabled ecosystems as As China leads the world in mobile payments            &       " income stagnates — which is reflected in declin- of 91 per cent, compared to 35 per cent national- an engine for transformational growth in provid- and online money transfers with 1.25 billion inter-                  ing rural demand. The next Government will be ly. So, replicating this model in India, we can just ing jobs and enhancing livelihoods to the rural pop- net users, digital footprints, Artificial Intelligence  7   )                confronted with the challenging task of lifting imagine how this surge can alter the rural job-scape, ulation at their doorstep, without the need to (AI) and algorithms are helping in risk-assessment            !       investment sentiments by remonetising the econ- which is in need of policy interventions. The expe- migrate to bigger cities. in real time. “So now, Chinese startups have access               !    omy as consumption fuels jobs and income from rience in Taobao villages has sparked strong inter- Achieving inclusive growth is a vital pillar to to credit without collateral via the innovative ‘310’               &   job-earnings fuels consumption in turn. est among policy-makers to tap the potential of e- achieve Sustainable Development Goals of the credit model: 3 minutes to apply for a loan, 1 sec-          E         Policy-makers have a key role to play in fos- commerce as a tool for poverty alleviation, finan- United Nations. To achieve this, digitisation has ond to get it approved, with 0 manual interference,”     "    7      tering an enabling environment that supports inno- cial empowerment for stay-at-home employment been proven to have had a multiplier impact on signifying speed, precision and efficiency. E         &         vation for both agri-entrepreneurship and micro- and rural vitalisation. The breakthrough was seen inclusive growth in China as its e-commerce mar- Digital platforms have evolved into an insti- entrepreneurship. Consider this: The combined most in the ratio increase of women-to-men entre- ket has become the largest in the world within a tutional form where they act as the nodal insti-        &"           market cap of the three largest IT companies of the preneurs in e-commerce being at near parity, com- span of just 10 years, moving millions out of pover- tutions to create an enabling environment for           "         US — Apple, Microsoft and Amazon — equals pared to a ratio of 1:3 in traditional businesses. ty. To further this model, it needs collective collab- SMEs with support in marketing, product man-      A  "     "       India’s GDP and importantly, just the Chinese e- The Alibaba Group initiative of the Rural oration with best research minds globally to work agement, online operations, customer service,     & )              commerce major Alibaba’s m-cap equals 20 per cent Taobao Programme, in collaboration with the together and evolve paradigms that will optimise cash management, logistics, business advisory    &  /  # "           of our GDP. These growth models necessitate that Government, supported rural clusters with real- the power of digitisation in order to bridge and data analysis, covering essentially every       &   policy-makers fire on all cylinders with newer par- time access to a wide range of goods and services, income and opportunity inequalities. aspect of running a business. The Tao Factory )   &            "   adigms to kick-start innovation and growth in the replacing the expensive brick and mortar shop-floor The data coming out of the Chinese model platform on Alibaba connects 40,000 factories          "     IT enabled sectors as also focus on the nascent dig- business model. This helped farmers earn more for offers great insights into how India can integrate from more than 30 industries with Taobao sell-         &  )       &  ital platforms as job-creators. their produce as they could directly sell their pro- open e-commerce platforms with mobile payments ers to form an integrated supply chain market.               The focus of this article is specifically on rural duce to urban consumers in online platforms. The and digitally based financial services “in order to This calls for well-tested pilot-modules if the e-commerce as a propeller for job-creation. This programme required job-stepping multiple initia- support SMEs access larger potential markets than Chinese experience has to be successfully     !          will need public private-partnerships with the likes tives to streamline cross-country linkages in infra- the gravity model for trade in the physical world.” Indianised. Once disadvantaged groups can par-              0     of Amazon, Walmart, Reliance Retail and other e- structure by laying the ground work for service net- Why this model is best adaptable in India is because ticipate in the modern digital economy, positive                   commerce platforms on a national scale. The works in counties and villages; providing training the platform-centered ecosystem has low entry bar- results could follow in a sustainable way.           "    "     " nascent e-tail market in India is projected to grow in e-commerce and promoting entrepreneurship; riers for capital requirements and also because edu- I personally anticipate unprecedented rapid     "   &    !"   &  at 30 per cent annually, targeting $73 billion by 2022. and developing rural financial services through the cation and digital skill requirements are minimal, structural and growth oriented reforms to gather   &         "     0   Herein lies the biggest untapped job-creation poten- Ant Financial subsidiary of Alibaba. which is a perfect fit to India’s rural demograph- pace under Modi 2.0 because ‘Team Modi’ will be             -  tial, a prerequisite for which is deepening electron- The Rural Taobao Programme has now ics, where people with low literacy levels can be gain- on performance overdrive in his follow-on term.        "        )  ic payments through smartphones in order to expanded from 212 villages in 12 counties in 2014 fully employed. Modi has the pulse of the nation right, knowing    !              reduce cash payments and encourage digital to more than 30,000 villages in 1,000 counties in China, too, was earlier a high-cash economy too well that emerging India strives to enter the mid-      "            & mode of transactions for online commerce. 2018, spreading from the coast to inland. It focussed until the mobile payment revolution happened. dle-income category, with a per capita income of China embarked on creating rural jobs a decade on improving rural e-commerce supply chains, pro- Before the advent of digitisation, in the pre-digi- $2,000, wherein the aspirational classes seek                   ago by implementing the ‘Taobao’ model for moting connectivity between agriculture and tal commerce era, only proximity to a well-devel- empowerment through an honourable livelihood #   &            expanding employment avenues, alleviating pover- commerce and enhancing e-commerce training. oped commercial area afforded residents access to instead of welfarist handouts by the State.                    ty and vitalising the rural economy by harnessing The scheme grew rapidly and by 2018, had sup- an array of physical marketplaces and consumer (Multiple references have been made from the                      multiplying effects of digital technology in rural ported 1,016 demonstration counties, covering 737 products. Now through Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall Digital Technology and Inclusive Growth Report                   areas. Consequently, e-commerce grew rapidly in poverty-stricken counties (89 per cent of the total), e-platforms, the average shopping distance on these of the Louhan Report 2019. The writer is an author,  &   &   China as trade volumes increased from less than including 137 counties with extreme poverty (41 platforms is close to 1,000 kilometres, compared columnist and chairperson for the National           1,000 billion yuan ($120.8 billion) in 2004 to near- per cent of the total). The experience in China offers with a few kilometers in traditional retail markets. Committee for Financial Inclusion at Niti Aayog) 78                          2.34)/                                 

unity efforts gained momentum this many aspirants. In 2004, the UPA won Sharad Pawar is the seniormost leader, past week and is continuing to gather the race. who has good relations with all play- strength even after the exit polls. Naidu wants to cobble together a ers and had been nursing prime min- Can the anti-BJP front become a coalition of regional parties and take isterial ambition for decades. How do reality? Most major Opposition parties help of the Congress to form a you reconcile these interests for a sin- are coming together as they don’t want Government at the Centre. Though the gle position, which is not vacant yet? )80/0/0 to be caught napping if the BJP fails to Congress may be the single largest It is not going to be easy for the get a majority. UPA chairperson Sonia Opposition party, Naidu expects it to non-BJP parties to stake claim. They 496440/ Gandhi has convened a meeting of 21 play second fiddle and reserve the have to cross many hurdles, including )  !! 6$:#" !/%3 Opposition parties on May 23, the day Prime Minister’s post for a regional choosing their prime ministerial face,    !  when the results will be announced. leader. There are too many aspirants for a Common Minimum Programme ost exit polls have predicted a Sonia Gandhi, who took a back seat the post among the regional satraps. and dealing with inherent contradic-   clear majority for the ruling ever since she handed over the baton The Congress is the only party other tions in such a coalition among other   6   MBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to her son Rahul Gandhi last March, than the BJP that is likely to cross the things. Past record shows that there  !!   but this hasn’t stopped the Opposition has come to the forefront again because rout in his State, Naidu has been busy BJP out’ move which is binding the 100 mark and it would surely demand have been five non-Congress, non-BJP      from going ahead with its plans of the Congress feels that senior looking for a national role. He has been Opposition. But for all these, the the top post for Rahul Gandhi. Pre-poll Governments so far and none of them  !     forming a non-BJP coalition to stake Opposition leaders like former Prime visiting Rahul Gandhi, Mamata results have to show a hung Parliament allies like Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam lasted a full term. Four of them had the claim to power. Opposition leaders, Minister HD Deve Gowda, Nationalist Banerjee, chief with the BJP getting less than 200 seats. chief MK Stalin, Deve Gowda and support of the Congress while the BJP         including West Bengal Chief Minister Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Akhilesh Yadav, Sharad Yadav, Sharad Only then can the Opposition get a Rashtriya leader Tejashwi supported the fifth one.   (     Mamata Banerjee, have pooh-poohed Mamata Banerjee, Loktantrik Janata Pawar, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo chance. Prasad Yadav have supported Rahul After May 23, if the NDA forms the  !  the exit poll predictions, claiming they Dal (LJD) chief Sharad Yadav and oth- Mayawati and others, holding intensive Let us once assume that there is a Gandhi’s claim. Mamata Banerjee, too, Government, the Opposition should    (  !  were all wrong. Congress leaders in pri- ers will have no hesitation to work talks with them about staking claim possibility of a situation as created in is a front-runner for the post. Mayawati play a constructive role as a collective   A6   ! vate have rubbished them pointing out under her. During the campaign, Sonia with the President in case the BJP did 1996 or 2004. In 1996, the Congress has not hidden her ambitions of entity if they don’t achieve their dream. that the pollsters had gone wrong in Gandhi had herself reminded people not get the majority. Insiders say that supported the United Front becoming the Prime Minister since They must remember that by staying   (6    2004. It is this hope that is keeping the about the 2004 surprise victory of the they want to try the Karnataka model Government. The constituents chose many years. Telangana Chief Minister divided, they helped Prime Minister    !   unity move going forward. UPA in spite of the “India shining cam- where the Congress prevented the BJP Deve Gowda as Prime Minister though K Chandrashekhar Rao believes that Modi get a second term. Had they been      Opposition parties are preparing paign” of the BJP. from forming the Government by he was the fourth choice after VP Singh, with his 16 seats, he can become the united before the elections, they might       for a 1996 (United Front) or 2004 The main anchor for the unity supporting a junior party Janata Dal Jyoti Basu and GK Moopanar. Even at kingmaker. Odisha Chief Minister have defeated the BJP.  ( (UPA) post-poll scenario, expecting a move is Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister (Secular) though the BJP had emerged that time, it was not easy for the rag- Naveen Patnaik, too, is demanding the (The writer is a senior political com- hung Parliament. The Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu. Fearing a total the single largest party. It is this ‘keep tag coalition to decide as there were price of a special status for his State. mentator and syndicated columnist)        !"  8 -  8    6 

joined the BJP just before the lence with the supporters of workers are being targeted.” + Lok Sabha elections after he BJP and TMC continued to Ghosh said, “never in the was refused nomination for the fight overnight defying pro- history of Bengal such things parliamentary seat. He is con- hibitory orders. have been noticed,” he said testing on a Lotus ticket against Things took turn for worse reminding “in 2009 Parivartan 9. the TMC’s outgoing MP when BJP workers blockaded had ensued with the Left get-    B91B) Dinesh Trivedi. road and suburban trains for ting lesser seats than TMC in Vijabargiya, also the party’s three hours on Tuesday morn- Lok Sabha elections. But there mid ongoing post poll vio- observer for Bengal tweeted, ing demanding arrest of the was no violence then. It was a Alence in different parts of the Mamata Banerjee had alleged TMC goons who had smooth transition of power. Bengal, including Bhatpara- ordered the arrest of Singh who reportedly been on the ram- The ongoing violence is only a Kakinara industrial belt of could even be bumped of in an page for the past several days. prelude to what we are likely to North 24 Parganas in the encounter warning the Chief Train passengers narrowly see after the poll results are out.” northern fringes of Kolkata Minister would be held respon- escaped injury as crude bombs He warned “if the TMC goons where the TMC and BJP work- sible if anything happened to were hurled and stones were resort to violence the BJP will ers continued to fight with his party candidate. pelted at the static trains, give a befitting reply.” crude bombs and guns for the Violence continued to take sources said, adding police and Meanwhile, the Election third day on Tuesday senior its toll throughout Bengal while the Central forces had been Commission on Tuesday saffron leader Kailash a youth was shot dead near deployed and were conducting ordered re-polling at one booth Vijayvargiya alleged that Chief Kharagpur IIT and another route-marches through out in North Kolkata where BJP’s Minister Mamata Banerjee three persons getting grievously Bhatpara region known other- Rahul Sinha, TMC’s Sudip could get his party’s injured in a shootout at Sitai wise for its notoriety. Bandopadhyay and CPI(M)’s Barrackpore Lok Sabha candi- village in Coochbehar of North A group of BJP leaders led Koninika Ghosh were engaged date Arjun Singh eliminated in Bengal. In both the cases the by State party president Dilip in a multi-cornered fight. an encounter. BJP claimed the victims as Ghosh on Tuesday met State The election would take Arjun Singh a four-time their supporters accusing the segment under Barrackpore Governor KN Tripathi “draw- place at booth number 200 on TMC MLA and strongman TMC for the violence. parliamentary constituency ing his attention towards the Wednesday a day ahead of the from Bhatpara-Naihati region But the Bhatpara Assembly remained the epicenter of vio- ongoing violence where the BJP counting of votes. 6 2      : 2 #: ;    )4 These could be through manip- ulation of the EVMs or any 0 he Opposition Mahagath- other measures at the counting Tbandhan in Bihar on centres. The leaders of the    Tuesday alleged that attempts NDA are hereby warned not to B14I/764 were being made to manipulate indulge in such a misadventure. Lok Sabha poll results in favour There is tremendous public hough they have held their of the ruling NDA and warned anger and blood may spill on Tspirits high in an atmos- blood may spill on the streets the streets, for which we shall phere of continuing blood- on account of tremendous pub- not be held responsible, shed the election staff of lic anger. Kushwaha told reporters. Burdwan district find them- At a joint Press conference The exit polls appear to selves snowed under by the fear here, which was addressed by NDA winning 30 or more seats have been a step in this direc- of ‘spirits’. RLSP chief and former Union in Bihar out of 40 was mis- tion. We have all toured the Cut to MBC Institute of minister Upendra Kushwaha, leading and aimed at causing state during elections and can Engineering in East Burdwan. RJD State president demoralisation among our say, without any hesitation, The late evenings are quite Ramchandra Purve, State cadres, with a mala fide intent. that we are set to win most of uncanny for staff designated for Congress president Madan Earlier, we used to hear the seats in the State. Such has counting duty. The employees Mohan Jha and other leaders of about booth loot. This time, it been the public response in fear to trade beyond the main the Grand Alliance, they is suspected that attempts may favour of the gates of the dominating struc- alleged exit polls prediction of be made to loot the results. Mahagathbandhan, he said. ture. The reason, “It is eerie beyond that iron gates. You feel the presence of some weird heard it myself I have seen peo- things upstairs,” one of the ple scurrying past this place in     O    P staff say. the evenings. Normally we do Biswajit Bagdi a local says, not venture this side.” “I was going towards the wash- However Chandranath  *+  &         room when I felt someone was Chakrabarty a history teacher following me. It simply seemed call it a gossip spread by the so to me. I turned around to local goons “who find this      teers to remain outside the counting centres and find none. It was just 8 place suitable for their anti- provide his party the password of the CCTV in the evening.” social activities during the pping the ante on the “safety” and “securi- cameras installed which they party volunteers Another person refusing to evening.” There could be a bit Uty” of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) could monitor along with the security person- be identified said, “Often in the of psychological aspect too in kept at various strong-rooms of six Lok Sabha nel round-the-clock. nights we hear mild jingles of the whole story of fear as seats in the metropolis, Mumbai Congress chief Deora, who forwarded a copy of his letter ghungroo as though someone “some people get so over- Murli Deora on Tuesday apprehended that there to CEO to the Mumbai Police Commissioner, is dancing to the tunes of tabla whelmed by the stories that was a “possibility of tampering” with EVMs urged the police chief to take necessary steps for and harmonium. We hear the they would listen to some ahead of the counting scheduled for May 23. ensuring safety and security of EVMs in the larg- sound of musical instruments sounds of music or find some “I have received shocking feedback about the er interest of democracy. very distinctly accompanied people trailing them.” feedback about the tampering with EVM Meanwhile, Congress’ Mumbai North-West by faint wails of women though Anurag Srivastav the machines… Our Congress workers who are con- candidate Sanjay Nirupam visited the counting none of us have gathered the District Magistrate says he did stantly looking after these (counting) centres from centre in Goregaon east and personally moni- courage to go inside there.” not listen to such stories let outside have informed us of some suspicious tored the safety and security status there. “The Haripada Manna a local alone the sounds himself. The movements of few persons and few vehicles next two nights before the counting day are crit- said “this was a place associat- phantoms are often apprehen- around these centres,” Deora said in a letter writ- ical… All party workers and the people must ed with the zamindars of the sive of the IAS cadre, some of ten to Maharashtra’s Chief Electoral Officer. keep vigil to find out whether the BJP activists yore. The kings had built their his staff say lightly while the Deora, who himself is the Congress can- are indulging in any mischief,” Nirupam said. elephant house somewhere DM gives a bureaucratic assures didate from Mumbai south constituency, urged Demanding to know whether the ECI all here and there was a dance saying, “I have everything the CEO to increase vigilance and security at all votes would be recounted in case of a mismatch house too. It is said that the under CCTV surveillance. My the counting centres to ensure that EVMs were between the voting figures in the EVMs and the zamindars brought women work is to ensure security to the not tampered with in any manner so that the VVPATs, Nirupam said,”In such an eventuali- from other places and enjoyed poll staff and everyone else and exact results were reflected on counting day for ty, all the VVPATs must be counted and the ECI them here. Though I have not I am doing so.” free and fair outcome. must issue written orders to all Returning He exhorted the CEO to permit its volun- Officers, or it will create suspicions.”     !"  9

;    +0<==

     the Pakistani boat and suc- gence input from the ceeded in apprehending the Directorate of Revenue fter an interception and a intruding boat within the lim- Intelligence (DRI) and other 2 2  Ahot pursuit that followed, its of Indian waters. agencies that a Pakistani fishing the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) “During the hot pursuit, boat was to deliver narcotics off on Tuesday apprehended a crew of the Pakistani boat Gujarat and that it was to be ;+Q0R3+ Pakistani fishing vessel off the threw bags containing the sus- received by an Indian boat. Gujarat coast, took into custody picious material in the water. The ICG swiftly respond- its six crew members from the However, the ICG personnel ed to the intelligence inputs, by QR600 boat and seized 200 kg heroin boarded the Pakistani boat, diverting ships on deployment worth Rs 600 crore in the took its six-member crew into and rushing it towards the   04*1/ Baig for his outbursts. It said international market. custody and managed to Pakistani fishing boat in the Baig’s remarks were being con- Acting on a tip off that a retrieve the narcotics consign- Arabian Sea off Gujarat’s n a no-holds barred attack, sidered seriously as an “anti Pakistani fishing boat was set ment from water,” Additional Jakhau coast in Ktch region, Isenior Karnataka Congress party activity”, and asked him as to deliver a narcotics consign- Director General K Natarajan, bordering Pakistan. The Coast leader Roshan Baig on Tuesday to why disciplinary action ment off the Jakhau coast in Coast Guard Commander Guard deployed Aranjay, a fast accused the State party chief of should not be taken against him. Gujarat, an ICG ship inter- (Western Seaboard), said. patrol vessel, two interceptor being a “flop show” and scoffed Seeking Baig’s explanation cepted Pakistani fishing boat ‘Al Having tested of a sample boats and an aircraft for inter- at AICC general secretary KC in a week, the notice signed by Madina’ in the wee hours of from the seized consignment cepting the Pakistani boats. Venugopal as a “buffon”, prompt- KPCC general secretary VY Tuesday. using a drug detection kit, the international market “which will ICG had received inputs from Official sources said that ing the party to issue a show- Ghorpade said, “On failing to The intercepted Pakistani authorities prima facie found it further verified by appropriate the National Technical the ICG intercepted and appre- cause notice for his outburst. reply further disciplinary action boat indulged in “evasive was Heroin. agencies”. “The ICG personnel Research Organisation hended the Pakistani fishing Baig, a senior MLA, also will be taken against you.” manoeuvres” to avert getting The ICG personnel in all are interrogating the appre- (NTRO) about a Pakistani ship boat nearly 200 nautical miles slammed former chief minister The notice has taken strong apprehended. However, the seized 195 packets weighing hended crew members of the trying to enter Indian waters along the International Siddarmaiah for “dividing” the exception toBaig’s comments ICG ship — braving rough approximately 200 kg of Heroin Pakistani boat,” Natarajan said. Later on the night of May Maritime Boundary Line off Hindu society by attempting to against Venugopal, Rao and weather conditions — chased which is worth Rs 600 crore in Earlier on May 19, the 20, Natarajan received intelli- the Gujarat coast. give separate religion tag to Siddaramaiah. “By making Lingayat community and statements to the media and “abusing” the Vokkaliga com- causing discomfort to the party munity during his tenure in the and expressing your displeasure /Q top post. publicly through the media, The attack by Baig who was Assembly polls (a year ago). I you have conducted yourself by miffed over being denied tick- feel sorry for such going against the party’s prin- 5R073 et to contest Lok Sabha polls general secretary coming to our ciples. Your conduct has dent- came after the exit polls pre- State...,” he said. ed party’s prestige,” it said. dicted a rout for the Congress- “KC Venugopal is a buf- Baig said the “drastic deci- +: JD(S) alliance in Karnataka foon, I feel sorry for him, I feel sions” led to the downfall of the and NDA’s return to power at sorry for my leader Sri Rahul party in the Assembly election   8077 had taken away her cell phone,” the Centre. Baig also appealed Gandhi ji,” Baig told reporters and now the same was reflect- says Falguni Patel, Coordinator to the Muslims to “compromise here. He added, “Buffoons like ed in the Lok Sabha exit poll nline game PUBG at Abhayam. with the situation” (about BJP- Venugopal and arrogant atti- results too. O(PlayerUnknown Battle- “When we told her that she led NDA being in power) and tude of Siddaramaiah and the “Nobody should divide the ground) has taken the world by won’t be allowed to use her not to remain like “cattle” and flop show president Dinesh religion. A chief minister should storm and has spawned myri- phone or to go out from obser- be reduced to a vote bank. Gundu Rao...The result is this behave like a statesman. What ad situations and new highs in vation home since it is sup- “Venugopal (in-charge of (Lok Sabha exit polls forecast).” it means if he (Siddaramaiah) addiction. posed to be for the protection party affairs in the State) should A red-faced Karnataka thinks he will win the election Now take the recent case of of women, she dropped the have resigned when the Pradesh Congress Committee by dividing the religion? Isn’t it this Ahmedabad woman, all of idea. Then she sought help to Congress got 79 seats in issued a “showcause” notice to madness?,” he said. ,     ?((,* @        , B     !&      19 and married with a year-old reach her friend, who she baby, who wants divorce from revealed much later during the her husband, not because of counselling session, was her !0787=099D$"9$& any domestic feud or discord, PUBG gaming partner whom * ,  !     D07#88&$#5#70&29#05 but because of her immense she came into contact while 0D%08#79""#8$"$" indulgence in PUBG. playing the game,” Falguni 5E5?0D$&$$7$7&D07 The case came to light Patel told IANS.

45    D00=700D9#05=709"" when she called the 181 Her husband did not like Abhayam women helpline her obsession with the game seeking help to get divorce. and refused to let her play,     using all kinds of methods Strangely, Hareendranath , was to interfere in what was hap- However, she did not men- which caused tension between 8044 which include threats, physical the booth agent of the pening inside the booth. The tion this in the first place. She them and she decided to leave assaults and impersonation Opposition candidate and police is not authorised to wanted to be lodged at a her husband and went to her ven as the Opposition lead- with the connivance of the protested against the woman enter the booth without autho- women’s observation home, parents. Eers complained to the presiding officers,” Senkumar being allowed to vote because she risation by the presiding offi- away from her family and her Even they didn’t like her Election Commission of India has written in Ente Police was not his wife. But the presid- cer. The presiding officer as parents, so that she could play addiction and took away her about the “frauds” which could Jeevitham (My Life in Police) , ing officer as well as the agents well as the polling officer at leisure with her gaming mobile phone. be committed by the BJP on his memoirs which was released of of the CPI(M) candidate threatened the ASPs that if they partner. Patel said the counsellors the Electronic Voting Machines on Sunday. Interestingly, 18 shouted him down and warned complained to the authorities “The girl called 181 and explained to her not to take (EVMs) and the Voter booths in Kerala’s Kannur and him that they would chop his about casting of bogus votes, told us that she wants to be at such crucial decisions in a Verifiable Paper Audit Trail Kasargod districts had re-poll hand if he utter a word. Even as they would not be allowed to a women’s observation home as rush, just for the sake of a game (VVPAT) machines, a former on Sunday as per the directives Hareendranath watched with live peacefully in the State,” it is not working out with her as her marriage of two years, as chief of the Kerala Police has of the EC following reports of shock , the lady who claimed that Senkumar quotes the officers as husband nor she wanted to go well as the life of her child, was come out with startling disclo- widespread impersonation and she was his wife, cast the vote and telling him. to her parents’ home as they at stake. sures about how the CPI(M) casting of fake votes. went out of the polling booth, “ The former police chief subvert poll process in Kerala As a young superintendent reminiscences Senkumar. has called for the immediate by casting fake and bogus votes of police in Thalassery , “Two young assistant introduction of biometric sys- with the connivance of friend- Senkumar had to stand helplessly superintendents of police who tem as well as linking of ly presiding officers. outside the booth as many per- were on polling duty saw a Aadhaar Card for foolproof TP Senkumar, who retired sons (women and men) cast fake woman casting votes 33 times election process. The CPI(M) as chief of Kerala Police in June and bogus votes with the con- in a booth in Kannur district. cadre in the State identify those 2017, says in his service story nivance of the presiding officers. When one of the ASPs asked people whose names figure in that there is blatant violation of “I saw a woman entering the the presiding officer how a per- the voters list but who are not all democratic norms by the polling booth and casting her son was casting 33 votes in a present at the time of election CPI(M) cadre in the State. vote with the claim that she was single booth, the latter told him and cast their votes through “Elections are manipulated the wife of Hareendranath. to mind his own work and not party workers.     !"   :

)  0   >+07QR     "    take on the Maruti-Suzuki members of the media. 6;5 <& Brezza, Mahindra XUV300, HMIL has already seen Ford EcoSport and Tata Nexon over 50,000 enquiries and <=-> !,R?.#:* ::;: <& will come with three engine over 15,000 confirmed book- options, two petrol and one ings for the Venue orders for   4067018 diesel. This includes a all- which began earlier this   4)074)94 revised downward in all major to 6.3 per cent in 2019 and 6.2 new one-litre turbocharged month, two-thirds of the developed economies. The per cent in 2020. yundai Motor India petrol engine which also fea- demand has been for petrol ndia’s economy is projected to growth outlook for many devel- In China, recent mone- HLimited (HMIL), India’s tures a seven-speed dual- variants and there is also Igrow at 7.1 per cent in fiscal oping economies has also weak- tary and fiscal stimulus mea- second-largest carmaker today clutch gearbox as an automat- strong demand for the auto- year 2020 on the back of strong ened, it said, adding that despite sures are expected to bolster jumped into the compact ic option. A 1.2-litre petrol matic according to HMIL offi- domestic consumption and downward revisions, growth domestic demand, partially Sports Utility Vehicle seg- with a five-speed manual cials. And Hyundai confirmed investment but the GDP growth in India remains “strong” amid offsetting the adverse impact of ment with the ‘Venue’, their transmission and 1.4 litre that they will continue to pro- is a downward revision from the robust domestic demand. trade tariffs on overall growth. latest global product. India is diesel with a six-speed manu- duce and sell diesel vehicles /  /   CD)     #     7; 7;:< 7.4 per cent estimated in “The global growth out- Nevertheless, these measures the launch market for this new al transmission will also be after the introduction of              7; :4* in March last year, a move that posed by Beijing. told media here that any trade      sparked fears of a global trade “They want Biden so that deal should be balanced and B hina on Tuesday dismissed war. In response, China China can continue to make mutually beneficial. Cas unscientific and unpro- imposed tit-for-tat tariffs on $500 billion dollars a year and “It is necessary to distin- :EJ 6 "     + fessional US President Donald billions of dollars worth of more ripping off the United guish between reciprocity and Trump’s charge that Beijing has American imports. States,” he said. which side gains advantage. In &   4067018 ripped off America with unfair Trump once again accused “Past leaders let China freely trade relations, they are not the business practices for decades. China of ripping off United plunder the US economy and same thing. It is unrealistic to harat Heavy Electricals        7;   I  I   H    4067018 The US and China are States at a rally in Montoursville, take the crown jewels of ask for absolute equal openness BLimited (BHEL) has suc-   *       :F 7;:

"Any team can upset anyone. That is one thing we have in mind. Focus will be on to play the best crick- et that we can. You have to play to the best of your potential in every game because it is not a group stage situa- tion." "Playing everyone once is great for all the teams in my view. It is going to be a different challenge and every team will have to adapt quickly to," added Kohli.  @     Talking about his side's first four games, Kohli said, "That sets the tone nicely for us. Everyone will have to be  @   A  at their best and maintain intensity from the first match onwards. You  ■  "It will be very challenging. If don't have any room for complacen- you look at 2015 and 2019 now, the cy and that is why it is the World Cup ahendra Singh Dhoni will gap has become closer between the and the most important tournament. Mhave a massive role in India's teams. You see what Afghanistan, "We expect that kind of pressure bid to regain the World Cup, Bangladesh were in 2015 and what from the first second we step on the coach Ravi Shastri said on Tuesday, they are now, so it is a strong com- field. We are not going to let ourselves harping on the veteran's ability to petition. West Indies, on paper, is think that 'first week onwards we will influence the game's little as strong as any other team," he get into it'. You have to arrive on the moments. said. day match ready with hundred per- "Massive as it has always been," The pitches in England have cent match intensity and start build- Shastri told reporters when asked become flatter over the years with ing from there. This is the challenge." what he thinks would be Dhoni's the recent ODI series, involving the    &+ !   ) ,   &         P     ?    *   D;  The recent series between role in the ICC's upcoming show- hosts and Pakistan, witnessing Pakistan and England saw 300-plus piece. scores over 350 runs almost regu-  ■  scores being the norm but Kohli said "He is right there, his commu- larly. things could change in the quadren- nication has been fantastic. As a The former skipper said India igh quality rivals competing in 6     nial tournament. keeper, he has shown over the years will have to be flexible since over- a Round Robin format has "As I said the pitches are going to that no one is better than him in cast conditions can change things Hmade the upcoming World be very good. It is summer and the this format, not just in taking at the Old Blighty. Cup the "most challenging" for India conditions are going to be nice. We catches, inflicting those run-outs "I think our mantra will be to skipper Virat Kohli, who says main-  1  ++;<+ expect high scoring games but a bilat- or stumping, these are little be flexible according to the condi- taining intensity from the first ball will eral series can't be compared to a moments in the game which can tions because this is one country be key to his side's fortunes in the Word Cup, it is very different. change it on the head and there in the world where the pitches may  ■  showpiece event, starting May 30. %     World Cup pre-departure press "So we might also see 260-270 was no one better than him," he be flat but if there is overcast con- Kohli, who has competed in two conference here. kind of games and teams defending said. dition then you have to be up for World Cups before, said they do not ot overtly worried about ' & % <%& Apart from the two wrist it because of the pressure factor. We Dhoni, who will be playing in it," he said. have much breathing space because NKuldep Yadav's lack of form 3    spinners, the pace trio of Jasprit expect all kinds of scenarios in the his fourth World Cup, amassed 416 "In no other country, overcast they have four tough games upfront during the IPL, skipper Virat  &=4   Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and World Cup." runs at an average of 83.2 in the last conditions matter so much but in and in a way it should help them. Kohli on Tuesday said the   >4? "  ' Bhuvneshwar Kumar makes it More than the conditions, his IPL and led Chennai Super Kings England they do, London might For the first time since the 1992 Chinaman bowler and Yuzvendra  ' % & '  probably India's best ever attack team will have to come out on top in to the final, and Shastri said he was not make that difference but if you edition, all teams will play each other Chahal are "pillars" of India's going into a World Cup. high-pressure situations, said the impressed with his footwork dur- go up north and it does get over- once to decide the semifinalists. bowling attack, going into the    "& "< Kohli also did not seem wor- skipper. ing the league. cast then you will see things hap- After opening their campaign South World Cup. ' & -@ @ ; ried about all-rounder Kedar "It is always good to go to any "It is great to see the way he pen, so we have to be ready for that Africa on June 5, India will take on Kuldeep was dropped from Jadhav, who too missed the latter place in advance. It does (help) get- was moving in the IPL especially and prepare to be flexible." Australia (June 9), New Zealand the Kolkata Knight Riders team that it happened in the IPL rather half of IPL after hurting his shoul- ting rid of the nerves you might have when he was batting, the footwork, Talking about the bowling (June 13) and Pakistan (June 16). during last month's Indian than during the World Cup," der. as a side going into the World Cup. the power with which he was hit- attack, the coach said: "This is an "Personally, it will probably be the Premier League (IPL) because of Kohli said, firmly backing the "Kedar also, we understand White ball cricket in England, play- ting the shots, he will be a big play- experienced unit. They have been most challenging World Cup I have poor form but Kohli felt it was a spinner. the kind of pitches they got play- ing an ICC event, the conditions are er in this World Cup," Shastri said together for the last 4-5 years, they been part of because of the format and good reality check for the 24-year- "So he had time to reflect and ing at home. We are not worried not that difficult compared to Tests. at the team's pre-departure press have bowled as a unit together, they also the strength of all the teams. If old. correct things and come into about him. He was looking in Handling the most pressure is the conference. accomplished what they set out to you look at Afghanistan from 2015 to "In hindsight, if you look at it, World Cup even stronger. We good space. Yes he did not get most important thing in World Cup Shastri said it would be the do in Tests and the endeavour will now, they are a completely different someone like Kuldeep who has know the kind of skill set he pos- runs but Twenty20 is such a for- and not necessarily the conditions." most challenging World Cup con- be the same here as well, to com- side," said Kohli at the pre-departure had so much success, it is impor- sesses alongside (Yuzvendra) mat in which you don't get runs Kohli said his highly-rated bowl- sidering the quality of the opposi- plement each other and keep the press conference in Mumbai on tant to see a period where things Chahal. They are two pillars of our and it can go on like that for a few ing line-up is ready for the challenge. tion teams and the change in for- pressure right through the 50 Tuesday. don't go your way. We are glad bowling line up," Kohli said at the games." mat. overs." 6    Q&  ) A 2R

 ■ 4067018 in the team. He understands the days.   0" game so well and has experience "In such scenario, India rain" of his cricket team, of leading India in two WC will benefit as they have one of BMahendra Singh Dhoni will wins. His experience will be vital the strongest batting line ups. ! 194794 be India's trump card at the for captain and coach and he English wickets are now bats- World Cup because of his vast can be their trump card," Abbas men's paradise," he said. ofra Archer's late bid for an World Cup place experience, reckons former said. When asked about Pakistan Jwas rewarded when the Sussex fast bowler was Pakistan skipper Zaheer Abbas. "Also, it is the first WC team which has seen some last named in hosts England's 15-man squad for the India grabbed the Twenty20 under Virat Kohli's captaincy moment changes in the final tournament announced on Tuesday. World Cup under Dhoni's lead- and he would be eager to prove squad, Abbas said that this is the Barbados-born Archer only became qual- ership in 2007 apart from win- his mettle as a captain," he felt. "best possible combination". ified for England in March and has played just ning the ODI World Cup in Abbas also said the pitches "They should now forget three one-day internationals. 2011. The team also won the in England will suit strong the loss against England and He edged out left-arm quick David Willey, Asia Cup twice (2010 and 2016) Indian batting line-up where focus on World Cup. They a veteran of 46 ODIs, after both pacemen fea- under Dhoni and the 400 or 450 runs in an innings must improve their fielding ," tured during England's 4-0 series win at home Champions Trophy in 2013. could be a possibility. said the veteran. to Pakistan which concluded Sunday. His lightening skills behind "We have seen that in the Pakistan could not win a There was no place also in a squad, again al drug use. the stumps are still intact but his recently-concluded Pakisan- single WC match against India captained by Eoin Morgan, for back-up spinner Even though Willey offered a different angle image of world' best finisher England series, that over 300 so far. Can the team break this and batsman Joe Denly, with slow left-armer of attack as the only left-arm quick in contention, took a hit, recently. runs were scored and chased. jinx this time? Liam Dawson recalled as cover for Adil Rashid, Archer's ability to bowl at 90 mph — and his However, Abbas said at a Now in World Cup, 450 runs "Record is with India but who is nursing a shoulder problem. variety of slower balls — has seen him get the big event like World Cup, could be a possibility as there is Pakistan can beat any team on Both Denly and Willey were named in nod. Dhoni's experience will count a no grass on the wickets and their day . It will depend on England's provisional squad, as was opener Alex England squad: Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, lot. bowlers will get little help from who handles the pressure well. Hales. Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), "India has a genius called the conditions," said the stylish It will be the match of the tour- James Vince came in after England decid- Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the batsman who was called Asian nament for sure, no matter ed against selecting Hales following the Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James team. He is the brain of cricket Bradman during his playing who wins." Nottinghamshire batsman's ban for recreation- Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood. N         ;   # $%    '   !■ 194794 ofra Archer marked his call-  ) $  %     1  Jup to England's World Cup squad on Tuesday by setting his sights on taking the prized  ■ B/8 become a mentally and physi-  ■ 194794 wicket of India captain Virat cally stronger bowler now after Kohli. akistan fast bowler Wahab playing a lot of domestic crick- dam Zampa believes his attacking leg-spin The 24-year-old, whose PRiaz on Tuesday attributed et and I hope that my team can Aand Nathan Lyon's precise off-spin can play father is English, has already his inclusion in the World Cup benefit from my experience in a huge role as Australia look to defend their title faced many of the world's lead- squad, despite not being a part the mega-event," he said. at the ICC World Cup. ing cricketers while playing for of the ODI squad in the last While Amir was with the Zampa and Lyon shared 12 wickets between the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. couple of years, to his experi- team in England, though he did them in the five-match ODI series win over And the Sussex quick had ence of playing Test cricket in not play, Wahab was not even Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. no problems in naming some of bigger advantage over some of England. named in the provisional squad "I think it was a few months ago where we the best batsmen in the game as the other guys in our team," he Wahab, 33, said it is a of 23 players for the tourna- actually spoke to each other and said, 'I reckon his World Cup targets. said. dream come true to get a chance ment. we can play a huge role coming up in the World "I'd quite like to get Virat "We play (these guys) twice to play his third successive Wahab said he was looking Cup together so let's do everything we can to make Kohli out because I wasn't able a (season) in the IPL, so you World Cup. forward to the World Cup as the sure we're both there'," Zampa told reporters. to in the IPL," Archer told Sky know their weaknesses, you "It is a responsibility now pitches were expected to be dry "We play two different roles. (Lyon) is so accu- Sports. "Chris Gayle as well," know their strengths, you know because I have been recalled in England and that would help rate, a beautiful off-spinner, bowls to his field real- — spin bowling, field settings or how the ball's added Archer, mentioning the if they can't run between the because of my experience. I have Muhammad Amir won unex- him reverse swing the ball. ly well and bowls really tight. That means I can going to come out. Just anything," he said. big-hitting West Indies batsman. wickets... it gets you an extra bit not played too many ODIs in pected call to the national team He felt Pakistan were white- attack from the other end." "I think it's going to play a huge role for us And for all his lack of of inside information." England but playing in Test for the World Cup after washed in the recent ODI series Zampa, who has played in English conditions sometime throughout the World Cup. I don't England experience, Archer He added: "To be honest, I matches there has helped me a Pakistan's poor performance against England because of following a spell at Essex last summer, said com- know if it will be every game but I definitely see believes the time he has spent in think international cricket is lot and I know the conditions in the one-day series against poor fielding. munication is the key to their success. us playing a huge role together." the IPL has been good prepara- probably the same intensity as and pitches well now," Wahab England recently. "Fielders need to support "We've communicated really well over the last Zampa reckons taking wickets in the middle tion for the pressure of a World the IPL. I think the only thing told the reporters in Lahore. "I am confident that I can their bowlers especially on few months. We speak a lot in the nets, we speak over will be key and said skipper Aaron Finch has Cup. that changes is the amount of Wahab and another experi- live up to the expectations and pitches where conditions favour a lot in the field, just about whatever - anything backed them to go for wickets. "I think I probably have a overs.” enced left-arm pacer do the job given to me. I have the batsmen."     !"  : %#  !!    &      E:&          &    '

 ■ *68)

ix-time world champion Mary Kom made a successful return to 51kg category by over- Swhelming her opponent Mala Rai of Nepal to reach the semifinals and be assured of a medal as Indians continued to dominate the India Open boxing tournament here on Tuesday. Walking into the ring to the loud cheers of a packed crowd at the Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium here, the London Olympic Bronze medallist wasted little time in her 5-0 win. Such was the aura of the 'Magnificent' Mary that even her opponent showed no regret in the loss as she was seen sporting a broad smile hug- ging the Indian boxing idol in excitement. "It's also a learning experience for me. The )    Nepal opponent was experienced and quite strong. It's glad to be back in India. We all are trying our best to make the country proud," Mary Kom, who made her competitive debut at ?8B home in 51kg, said. The celebrated Manipuri boxer had opted out of the Asian Championships last month in  ■ 4444* order to prepare for the World Championships. Mary will be up against fellow Indian and ameer Verma suffered a shocking straight-game loss in men's Asian Championships Bronze medallist Nikhat Ssingles on Tuesday as India were stunned 2-3 by a young Malaysia Zareen in a blockbuster semi-final as the duo in a group 1D match to jeopardise their hopes of reaching the knock- confirmed two medals for India. out stage of the Sudirman Cup mixed team championship here. Strandja Cup Gold medallist Nikhat was Mixed doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini equally impressive with a flurry of punches Ponnappa produced a brilliant performance to outdo Malaysia's against compatriot Anamika in her 5-0 victo- Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie 16-21, 21-17, 24-22 in an ry. hour and 10-minute opening match to give India a 1-0 lead. Up against her 'idol', Nikhat will be look- But India's decision to field ing to avenge her South Asian Games defeat to world No 13 Sameer instead of Mary Kom in the semifinals. Kidambi Srikanth in men's "I was nervous nervous last time but this singles backfired as the former time I'm well prepared and hope to give my best," couldn't get going against Lee Nikhat said. Zii Jia, losing 13-21, 15-21 in 48 Strandja Cup Silver medallist Manju Rani minutes to allow Malaysia level kept attacking her opponent, Cleo Claveras the the 21-year-old Indian slowly made a eration, Narwal from Rindhana in Sonepat experienced Dinesh Dagar, who won a Silver the scores 1-1. Tesara of Philippines right from the start to earn comeback with his clever footwork to win 4-1 joined the camp only last year and caught every- medal at the last edition of this tournament, was Olympic and world championship Silver medallist P V Sindhu a win by RSC (Referee Stop Contest) in Round in a split decision. one by surprise. far from convincing but overcame Filipino then steamrolled Goh Jin Wei 21-12, 21-8 in 35 minutes to bring 1 to move to the 48kg semi-finals. "It was a close fight. He was dangerous with In 2018, Narwal had settled for a Bronze at Marjon Angcon Pianar 3-2 in a split decision. India back on track but doubles pair of Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Monika was equally dominant in her quar- his left hook and landed powerful punches. the Asian Games Invitational Test Tournament "He can be better than he did today," Nieva Reddy lost narrowly 20-22, 19-21 to Aaron Chia and Teo Ee Yi. ter-final bout against Thailand's Apaporn Pawan outworked him with his clever footwork in Jakarta in February. He then went on to said of Dagar who had defeated 2012 Olympic With India and Malaysia level at 2-2, Ashwini once again took Intongsee which she won 5-0. which was the key," India's chief performance change the colour of the medal to silver at the Bronze medalist Evaldas Petrauskas of Lithuania the court — two hours after her mixed doubles match — along- Kalavani was declared winner by RSC in director Santiago Nieva said. Belgrade International Boxing tournament in en route to winning Silver at the GeeBee with N Sikki Reddy but the women's doubles pair couldn't get across Round 2 over Bhutan's Tandin Lhamo while "He (Narwal) really applied the pressure and August. Tournament in Finland in March. the world No 13 pair of Chow Mei Kuan and Lee Meng Yean, los- Nitu did not enjoy the same fortunes and was the Argentine could not sustain in the end. He "We could not compete at the Junior Youth World Championship Bronze medal- ing 11-21, 19-21. blanked 0-5 by former world champion Josie scored very well from the outside. It was a fair Nationals for four years due to the suspension ist Ankit Khatana (60kg) began the day for the Eighth seeded India's hopes will now rest on their next match Gabuco of Philippines. decision," Nieva said of the bout, adding that the and made a direct entry to seniors last year," Indian's in the men's section with a win over when they take on the mighty China on Wednesday. Earlier, Haryana youngster Pawan Narwal Haryana lad needs some more international Narwal said. Ryan Boy Empoc Moreno of Philippines. China boosts of All England champion Chen Yufei and world outsmarted Youth Olympics Gold medallist exposure. Talking about the camp in Patiala, he said: Ankit will take on Prakash Limbu Ijam of No 2 Shi Yuqi besides three formidable doubles pairs — all figur- Brian Arregui Agustin in the 69kg category as Narwal will next face Clair Marven of "I've got some good partners in the camp and Nepal in the quarterfinals. ing the world's top 10 and it will take a miraculous effort from India all the five boxers in the men's section advanced Mauritius for a place in the semifinals. Santiago Sir is working really hard for me. There Ashish (64kg) and Manjit Panghal (75kg) to overcome the 10-time champions. to the quarterfinals. Having lost out four years of competitions has been a huge improvement in me." also made the quarterfinals in their respective India had reached the quarterfinals in the 2011 and 2017 edi- The Argentine dominated the first round but at junior level due to suspension of boxing fed- In the bottom half of the draw in the 69kg, sections. tions of the Sudirman Cup. 8+ + 11 ( 8 2  

! $2   !■ 194794 The former world num- ber one told Tuesday Times ndy Murray is confi- there was "very little chance" !■ 194794 Adent he can return to he would play singles during competitive tennis and has the grass-court season. rsenal's Armenian midfielder hinted at a doubles spot at "Potentially doubles, but AHenrikh Mkhitaryan will miss Wimbledon, inspired by I'm not trying to get ready for the Europa League final against American doubles great Bob singles just now," he said. Chelsea in Baku amid fears over his Bryan's return from hip "The thing I said before safety. surgery. was that, if I wasn't feeling Mkhitaryan's well-being was a The two-time good, there was more chance concern for Arsenal due to the tense Wimbledon champion, 32, in that I would play and then political dispute between Armenia January announced plans to stop after Wimbledon. and final hosts Azerbaijan. retire after this year's "Whereas if it's feeling The Premier League club have Wimbledon due to injury, good, it makes a bit more decided against Mkhitaryan travel- expressing doubt as to sense to give it time to make *   ling with the rest of Unai Emery's whether he would even make ruled out an appearance in career-threatening hip prob- sure that it's as good as pos- squad for next Wednesday's game. it to the All England Club. the singles draw, nearly four lem, but he could return by sible before I try to play sin- "We are very disappointed to The Scot has all but months after surgery on a playing in the men's doubles. gles on it." announce that Henrikh Mkhitaryan    will not be travelling with the squad for our UEFA Europa League final against Chelsea," an Arsenal state- 6   K   =37:   !■ 194794 past decade. ment announced on Tuesday. "Maybe you would get more "We have thoroughly explored all livier Giroud is relishing the time at Arsenal. They would be the options for Micki to be part of the  ■ 4067018 The team will then play yet anoth- Chetna, Ajmina Kujur and Baljeet Oprospect of beating his old more patient," he added. squad but after discussing this with er match against the Irish national Kaur will command the mid-field for Arsenal team-mates when he "At Chelsea you have to be Micki and his family we have collec- ockey India on Tuesday named an team on June 6 following which, the India, while the forward-line will lines up for Chelsea in the ready quickly because in terms tively agreed he will not be in our H18-member Indian junior Indian junior team will travel to feature Mumtaz Khan, Beauty Europa League final in Baku on of trophies it has been the best travelling party." women's team for the Cantor Belarus to play five matches with the Dungdung, Sharmila Devi, Reet and May 29. club in England for the last 10 Azerbaijan's ambassador to the Fitzgerald U-21 International 4- host nation's senior, junior and devel- Lalrindiki. The 32-year-old French years. UK, Tahir Taghizadeh, had insisted Nations tournament in Dublin, fol- opment teams starting June 9. Speaking about the team selection, World Cup winner's move "You don't have time at Mkhitaryan would be free from any lot to miss it. I will be cheering my lowed by matches in Baranovichi, The Indian team will be captained coach Baljeet Singh said, "We have a across London 18 months ago Chelsea and when you are young threat of violence, but it was report- teammates on! Let's bring it home." Belarus. by Suman Devi Thoudam and her good few weeks of matches coming up has failed to deliver the regular it is quite difficult to find your ed the star didn't believe he would be UEFA, European football's gov- The Indian team will first travel to deputy will be Gagandeep Kaur. in Ireland and Belarus against some of first team football he hoped after place. "I don't want to kill the safe on the pitch. erning body, insisted they had done Ireland where they will play a match Bichu Devi Kharibam and the stronger teams in the world. falling behind compatriot dreams of these young Chelsea "Having considered all the cur- all they could to ensure Mkhitaryan's each against the Irish national team Khushboo have been selected as the "We have selected our team keep- Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre- players. rent options, we had to take the tough safety in Baku. and Canada junior women's team on Goalkeepers who will guard the goal- ing in mind the challenges we are Emerick Aubameyang in the "They are very talented, but decision for me not to travel with the Mkhitaryan had featured in 11 May 28 and 29 respectively. That will posts, while Defenders Ishika going to face there, and I am sure both pecking order at Arsenal. it makes sense because Chelsea squad to the UEL Final against games during the Europa League be followed by the Cantor Fitzgerald Chaudhary, Priyanka, Mahima the tours will help our players in gain- However, he has played a invest more in every transfer Chelsea," Mkhitaryan tweeted. campaign and his absence will be a U-21 tournament featuring India, Choudhary, Simran Singh will join ing further experience of playing huge part in the Blues run to the window and they buy more top "It's the kind of game that does- big blow as Arsenal look for the vic- Ireland, Canada and Scotland which Suman Devi Thoudam and quality teams at a high intensity. I am Europa League final and is the players in the world who are n't come along very often for us play- tory they need to qualify for next sea- is scheduled to be held from May 31 Gagandeep Kaur in the backline. looking forward to seeing our team joint top scorer in this season's more experienced." ers and I must admit, it hurts me a son's Champions League. to June 4. Midfielders Preeti, Mariana Kujur, excel in foreign conditions." competition with 10 goals. Giroud has scored 17 goals "I always like playing against in 62 appearances for Chelsea my old teams," Giroud, won since joining in January 2018, three FA Cups in five-and-a-half but has largely been used as an years at Arsenal, told the Daily understudy to Gonzalo Higuain Mail. since Alvaro Morata's loan move ?@ "It's going to be tough, and to Atletico Madrid. it could be painful if it's not Chelsea director Marina !■ )08/4 produced an improved dis- sey featuring the number six he coach in Qatar, where there is going the right way, but you have Granovskaia added: "We are play to register only their sec- has worn in his career. less pressure, to test myself and to put the feelings and memo- very pleased that Olivier will be avi Hernandez's dazzling ond win in six matches. But Al Sadd's second defeat get some experience," Xavi ries aside. a Chelsea player for another sea- Xcareer came to a low-key Just 11,000 spectators were in a row, following their 4-1 told Spain's Efe agency in "I enjoyed the years I spent son. "Since joining us 18 months end when his Qatari side Al present in the 100,000-capac- thrashing by domestic rivals Al Tehran just hours before facing there. It has been a big part of my ago, he has at times had to be Sadd were beaten 2-0 by ity stadium, mostly wearing the Duhail in last week's Amir Persepolis. career, my first club in England patient and wait for opportuni- Iranian giants Persepolis in red of Persepolis, who won the Cup final in Doha, meant "I think football has bid and it will always be special, but ties, but has still been able to their last group match of the Iranian league title days before Xavi's illustrious career ended farewell to one of the best now I feel my blood is blue. The make a positive contribution to AFC Champions League on this match. in a low-key fashion. players in the world ... it was same as the national team, blue the team. Monday. Several home fans bran- Xavi, who became the first beautiful to work with a play- suits me well." "Whether it is his unselfish The 39-year-old midfield dished banners reading "Adios player in history to play 150 er with Xavi's calibre," Al Sadd's Giroud on Tuesday signed link-up play or his 10 Europa genius, who helped Spain win Xavi" to show their apprecia- UEFA Champions League current head coach Jesualdo a one-year contract extension League goals this season, he has the World Cup in 2010 and tion of the player who with matches, has indicated that he Ferreira said after the match. with the Blues, believes there is been a crucial member of the won four UEFA Champions Andres Iniesta formed the will stay in Qatar to begin a Ferreira has predicted Xavi a more cut-throat culture at his squad and we hope he will be League titles and eight La Liga backbone of one of Barcelona's coaching career, probably "will be a great manager". new club compared to the able to pick up a second Chelsea titles with Barcelona, was greatest ever sides. remaining in a highly-paid Fellow Al Sadd midfielder Gunners and part of the reason winner's medal in Baku later this cheered by fans at the Azadi Xavi was also honoured by role with Al Sadd, rather than Gabi also paid tribute to his why Chelsea have outstripped month to accompany last sea- Stadium in Tehran where the Persepolis management return to Spain. captain and fellow Spaniard, Arsenal for silverware over the son's FA Cup win." already-eliminated Persepolis who presented him with a jer- "The idea is to start as a calling him a "role model".