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THE LARGEST CIRCULATED ENGLISH DAILY IN SOUTH INDIA HYDERABAD I TUESDAY I 9 MARCH 2021 deccanchronicle.com, facebook.com/deccannews, twitter.com/deccanchronicle Vol. 84 No. 67 Established 1938 | 20 PAGES | `6.00

WEATHER OPPN DEMANDS Max: 35.6OC Min: 20.5OC TRS banks on 2L grad India to begin 75th ROLLBACK OF RH: 56% Rainfall: Nil members for MLC polls FUEL PRICE HIKE Forecast: Partly cloudy DC CORRESPONDENT sky. Maximum/ L. VENKAT fered setbacks in a major- also devised a plan to I-Day fete on Friday NEW DELHI, MARCH 8 Minimum temp. 37/21ºC RAM REDDY | DC ity of the MLC polls over take these voters to HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 the past six years though booths and ensure they The second part of the it has swept all other voted for TRS. Budget Session of Parlia- ASTROGUIDE The TRS is heavily bank- elections. In the 2015 MLC polls, PM asks people to rekindle freedom spirit ment started on a stormy ing on two lakh graduate Following the direc- the number of graduate New Delhi, March 8: note on Monday with Sarvari; Uttarayana voters enrolled by party tions of the party top voters for Hyderabad- Prime Minister Narendra fiery scenes being seen Tithi: Magha Shuddha leaders themselves in brass, the ministers, Ranga Reddy-Mahbub- Modi on Monday said when in the Rajya Sabha. The Chaturdasi till 3.57 pm KCR wants state to each of the two con- MLAs, MLCs and all nagar seat was 2.96 lakh, India commemorates its 75 Opposition parties, led Star: Pushyami till 10 pm stituencies to win the other public representa- which has now risen to years of Independence, the by the Congress, deman- Varjyam: 7.17 am to 8.46 am upcoming Legislative tives till the level of gram over 5.31 lakh. For the country will take “bold ded a discussion on the Durmuhurtam: 6.49 am to Council polls. sarpanches undertook a Warangal-Khammam- steps” to achieve targets celebrate in big way rising fuel prices. 8.20 am TRS president and huge enrolment drive Nalgonda seat, the num- that seemed impossible at Addressing the Rajya Rahukalam: 9 am to 10.30 am Chief Minister K. Chand- among graduate voters in ber of voters increased some point, and empha- DC CORRESPONDENT tioned for the celebrations. Sabha, Leader of the HIJRI CALENDAR rashekar Rao and work- all six districts going to from 2.80 lakh in 2015 to sised that celebrations HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 Rao said that the inaugur- Opposition Mallikarjun Rajab 24,1441 AH ing president K.T. Rama the polls. 5.05 lakh. should be based on public al event will be held in Kharge, said: “Petrol and PRAYERS Rao are stressing on Graduate voters and This implies that there participation. Chief Minister K. Chandra- March 12 at Public Gardens diesel prices are nearly Fajar: 5.29 am these two lakh voters in their family members is an increase of over two Speaking at the first meet- shekar Rao on Monday in Hyderabad and Police `100 per litre and `80 per all the ‘poll strategy were identified from the lakh voters in each of the ing of the 259-member high- instructed officials to cele- Ground in Warangal. litre respectively. LPG Zohar: 12.37 pm meetings’ they held with 60-lakh strong primary two seats. Finance minis- level national committee brate ‘Azadi Ki Amrut The Chief Minister would prices have also gone up Asar: 4.44 pm incharge ministers, party members of the TRS and ter T. Harish Rao said if headed by him to commem- Mahotstav’ in a big way all be the chief guest for the — and `21 lakh crores Maghrib: 6.30 pm MPs, MLAs and MLCs in they were enrolled. Due the party could get two orate 75 years of India’s over the state to mark the Hyder-abad event, and have been collected by Isha: 7.37 pm the past three weeks. to this, the number of lakh members to vote, independence, Modi also 75th year of the country’s Governor Dr Tamilisai Sou- putting excise duty/cess, SUNSET TODAY 6.24 PM This time, the ruling graduate voters has dou- the party will win. said that the celebrations independence. ndarajan for the Warangal and because of that peo- SUNRISE TOMORROW 6.28 AM party took special care at bled as compared to the must reflect the spirit of the After participating in a programme. The CM said ple in the entire country ■ MOONRISE TODAY 2.34 AM the stage of voter enrol- 2015 MLC polls. Page 2: Two lakh grads country’s freedom move- video conference held by the National Flag would be are suffering.” ment itself, as it had suf- The TRS leadership has are kin of TRS members ment and showcase its Prime Minister Narendra hoisted followed by a police The Upper House had MOONSET TODAY 1.52 PM achievements to the world Modi on the event which march past. to be adjourned twice since 1947. starts on March 12 and ends before being adjourned The Prime Minister will on August 15 the CM said ■ Page 2: Events to highlight for the day as the Oppos- COUNTER POINT launch the celebrations — `25 crore had been sanc- TS’ role in freedom fight ition persisted with its coined as ‘Azadi Ka Amrut demand for a discussion TS policy fuels boom in Mahotsav’ — on March 12, on the rising fuel prices. the day Mahatma Gandhi ideas at 75, achievements at which the spirit of the free- Earlier on Monday, the launched the Dandi March 75, actions at 75 and resolve dom struggle can be experi- Trinamul Congress from Gujarat’s Sabarmati at 75”, he said at the virtual enced. “In this, there is also sought the adjournment sale of electric vehicles Ashram in 1930. meeting. a tribute to martyrs of the of the session in view of The “celebrations can be He said that this festival country and the resolve to the Assembly elections DC CORRESPONDENT vehicles between 2020 tery-operated, 5,000 divided into in five sub- of 75 years of independence make India of their that are only a few weeks HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 and 2030. Under the poli- hybrid diesel-electric, heads- freedom struggle, should be a festival in dreams,” Modi said. — PTI away. cy, there will be 100 per and 2,000 hybrid petrol- The state government’s cent exemption on road electric vehicles. 605 of newly-launched electric tax and registration fee the vehicles have been vehicle (EV) policy seems for the first two lakh elec- sold and registered in to be yielding results. tric two-wheelers pur- February alone. Data obtained from the chased and registered Prior to unveiling of the Road Transport Author- within the state. EV own- policy, there were only 25 ity(RTA) shows there has ers have already availed battery-operated vehicles been an increase in sale incentives worth `39 in GHMC limits until and registration of EVs lakh under the policy. 2017. The number has within the GHMC limits. RTA data shows there now increased to 5,000. INSIDE The state government are nearly 12,000 electric Though vehicle sales in ■ launched the TS Electric vehicles in GHMC limits 2020 got affected due to CITY.. PG3 Vehicle and Energy at present. Majority of Coronavirus pandemic, School dropout rate Storage Policy in October these are two-wheelers. 1,360 electric vehicles declines in TS 2020 to promote electric Of them, 5,000 are bat- were still sold. AMIT SHAH SEEKS INFO ON BHAINSA CLASH DC CORRESPONDENT HYDERABAD, MARCH 8

Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday inquired about the com- munal clashes and vio- lence in Bhainsa town of Nirmal district on Sunday night. He direct- ed his deputy, union min- ister of state for home G. Kishan Reddy to submit a report on the incident. Several people have been injured and few vehicles set ablaze after members of two groups clashed in Bhainsa. While tension has gripped the town, police have taken 50 people into custody. The situation in the town was said to be normal.

■ Page 2: Argument led to clash between two groups TS STUDENT TOPS WOMEN STREAM IN JEE MAINS HARLEEN MINOCHA I DC HYDERABAD, MARCH 8

Komma Sharanya from Telangana state topped the women’s segment of the JEE Mains, the results were announced by the National Testing Agency on Monday. She scored 99.9990421. Another student from Telangana state with the same score, Challa Vish- wanath, became the state topper. Anumula Venk- ata Jaya Chaitanya from Andhra Pradesh topped the examination from the economically weaker sec- tion (EWS) category.

■ Full report on Page 2 CITY DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 9 MARCH 2021 pg 2 Creative best EVENTS TO HIGHLIGHT ROLE OF STATE IN FREEDOM FIGHT From Page 1

Rao said Azadi Ka Amruth Mahotstav should be held in a big way like a festival amidst peace and har- mony. Tributes will be paid for the freedom fighters and martyrs. Like at Sanjeevaiah Park, the National Flag would be unfurled at 75 important locations in the state. The Chief Minister also wanted essay writ- ing competitions, debates, elocutions, drawing competitions, poets gatherings and other such programmes should be conducted all Women constables participate in rangoli competition to mark the International Women’s Day at City Armed over the state on the Reserve headquarters in Hyderabad on Monday. — P. SURENDRA occasion. The Chief Minister said these programmes would be held following the Covid guidelines. After the video confer- ence with the PM, the Chief Minister held a ACB sleuths on their high-level review meet- ing and instructed the officials on how to go about organising the fes- tivities. Rao said that the Telangana region toes after lockdown had played a unique role in the freedom move- ment and the state has a 10 tainted officials held red-handed taking bribe this year major partnership now in the country's DURGA PRASAD general manager of State officials include Goda successfully netted the progress. SUNKU I DC Warehousing Corpo- Srinivasulu,, mandal pan- tainted officials and sent Cultural adviser K.V. HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 ration, respectively. They chayat office, them to jail. “During Ramanachary will be were caught red-handed Maheshwaram, J Geeta, Covid-19 proliferation in chairman of the celebra- In the last two months while accepting a bribe of panchayat secretary, June, ACB officials con- tions committee. Anti-Corruption Bureau `75,000 for releasing Mansanpally gram pan- ducted raids and nabbed Seretaries of the general (ACB), which traps cor- retirement benefits of a chayat, B. Narasimha corrupt officials. In one administration depart- rupt government officials, former manager of ware- Yadav, deputy sarpanch, such incident during a ment, finance, cultural booked at least 10 cases in house. Mansanpally and Kandi raid at Banjara Hills affairs, municipal the state, which is a signif- Another big catch was B. Ramesh, husband of the police station, some came administration, pan- icant change, considering Bhaskar Rao, sub-inspec- sarpanch. close to contracting the chayat raj and educa- that most of last year saw tor at SR Nagar police sta- In the most recent catch virus. The sleuths nabbed tion, the director, munic- closure of offices because tion, who was trapped ACB officials nabbed SI, A. Ravinder, a day after ipal administration and of Covid-19 lockdown. The while accepting `25,000 to sarpanch Chellapuram around 10 police person- the panchayat raj com- agency received only a few let go a criminal case. Vinod Goud, Manneguda nel working at that partic- missioner will be the complaints. Added to that, Assistant director, private gram panchayat of ular police station, includ- members. ACB personnel were also schools permission section Vikarabad district. ing Ravinder, tested posi- entrusted Covid 19 duties. B. Srinivas was nabbed at According to the officials tive. However, none of the ● THE CHIEF Minister However, this year, with the office of the director of the accused demanded ACB officials tested posi- also wanted essay writ- the restoration of near- school education when he and accepted `13 lakh for tive. ing competitions, normalcy and offices hav- was collecting a bribe of allowing the construction Recalling the lockdown debates, elocutions, ing opened fully, ACB `40,000 for processing of shops in the village period, “We were also drawing competitions, sleuths are hopeful of nab- school files that sought get- although all the permis- deployed at Gandhi bing more tainted officials ting upgraded to higher sions were in place. Hospital for Covid-19 poets gatherings and for which they have classes. Speaking to Deccan duties as frontline war- other such programmes devised a new plan of In a special operation on Chronicle, an ACB official riors. Now all government should be conducted all action. January 29, ACB sleuths said, “During the lock- offices have started func- over the state on the Some of the big fish net- caught four persons for down period as most gov- tioning. We have already occasion. He said these ted by ACB officials demanding `7.5 lakh from ernment offices were been receiving complaints programmes would be include V. Bhaskar Chary, a realtor to allow him to go closed, we received few from victims and are held following the Covid and M. Sudhakar Reddy, ahead with his venture complaints. However, we working accordingly,” guidelines. the managing director and without any hurdles. The have acted on them and added the ACB official. Hawkers at Sultan Argument led to clash Bazaar Metro stn between two groups From Page 1 turbing and unfortunate. I ernment will stand by you have asked the DGP to to maintain law and order upset over rent According to preliminary deploy additional forces. I effectively,” KTR under- reports, 12 people, includ- have also discussed the lined. KANIZA GARARI I DC high a rate. “During last ing a policeman, and three issue with Adilabad MP Home minister Mohd. HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 year, there was very little media personnel were Soyam Bapu Rao,” the Mahmood Ali said that of business and this year injured in the clashes. Union minister of state the injured are being Some 210 hawkers given too was not good. People Stones were pelted from explained. treated. Sufficient forces space below the viaduct at are not coming out of both sides allegedly fol- IT minister K.T. Rama have been deployed in Sultan Bazaar Metro Rail their homes unlike in the lowing an argument Rao said said the govern- Bhainsa to ensure peace. are upset over the “high” past,” said hawker between two motorcycle ment will not tolerate law- “I spoke to DGP, SP and rent of `4,500 charged by Mohammed Salim. riders, leading to a road lessness in Bhainsa. In a collector yesterday night. the Hyderabad Metro Rail Many of these hawkers rage. tweet, he said, “Peace & Situation in Bhainsa is Ltd per month. sell clothes and they have “Amit Shah called me harmony is fundamental completely under con- A two-month security been there for more than over the phone to inquire to the progress of trol,” Ali maintained. deposit of `9,000 was also 30 years. Earlier, 160 of about the violence that civilised society. Have Nirmal SP Vishnu charged from them. The them were to be accom- broke out in Bhainsa. He requested Home Minister Warrier said cases have agreement between the modated; but many more has asked me file a report @mahmoodalitrs Garu & been registered against Sultan Bazaar hawkers claimed they were hawk- on the matter,” Kishan @TelanganaDGP Garu to those taken into custody and HMRL was signed in ers there, and 210 hawk- Reddy said, condemning take stern action to bring following the clashes. A November 2020. Payment ers have thus been accom- the clashes. He said that the perpetrators of vio- probe has been initiated. was made but most of modated. The hawkers he has spoken to DGP M. lence in Bhainsa to jus- Prohibitory orders under them now say they cannot say they were planning to Mahendar Reddy and tice. (sic)” section 144 have been afford to pay as much. send a representation to asked him to arrest the “My appeal to people of imposed in Bhainsa. S. Kandlekar, member of HMRL to reduce the rent. culprits behind Bhainsa Bhainsa is not to fall prey “CCTV footage of the area the joint action committee S. Naval, a hawker, said, clashes. to rumours and hate-mon- is being examined and of Sultan Bazaar Hawkers “Due to the current situa- “The violence and attack gering spearheaded by further probe is on,” Association says, “I have tion, we are not able to on media personnel is dis- divisive forces. The gov- Warrier stated. not signed the agreement. meet and take matters Others paid the initial forward. Those who can- amount. A government not afford to pay the high policy followed for hawk- rent are deeply upset.” ers is to take low rent To add to their worries, from them as this is a the allotment clause 6 students score perfect means of livelihood for states that the rent will be them. HMRL is demand- increased by 5 per cent ing payment based on the every year. HMRL offi- agreement. Those who cials say all the hawkers 100 in JEE Main exam cannot afford to pay are had filled the allotment complaining.” forms but many of them DC CORRESPONDENT ● THIS YEAR, a total of appeared in Most of the hawkers say were not paying the rent HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 BArch/BPlanning paper. `4,500 per month is too on time. 6,61,776 candidates had Candidates who have Komma Sharanya from registered for the JEE appeared in the JEE Telangana state topped Mains, out of which 95 Mains 2021 February ses- the women’s setment of per cent of the candi- sion examination can the JEE Mains, the results dates had appeared in check their results online 2 lakh grads are kin were announced by the the BE/BTech papers and at jeemain.nta.nic.in. National Testing Agency 81.2 per cent appeared in The National Testing on Monday. She scored BArch/BPlanning paper. Agency will conduct the 99.9990421. JEE main 2021 for the Another student from March session from of TRS members Telangana state with the March 15 to 18 at various same score, Challa Kataria and Ranjim centres. The admit card From Page 1 primary members of the Vishwanath, became the Prabal Das from Delhi , would be released soon. TRS and their family state topper. Guramrit Singh from Candidates can download Party election in charge members besides the Anumula Venkata Jaya Chandigarh, Siddhant the hall ticket online at for Ranga Reddy and party’s public representa- Chaitanya from Andhra Mukherjee from nta.ac.in, finance minister T. tives. Over 30,000 women Pradesh topped the exami- Maharashtra, and Ananth jeemain.nta.nic.in after Harish Rao said, “If we graduate voters were nation from the economi- Krishna Sidambi from its release. are able to bring these among those enrolled by cally weaker section Gujarat. The agency had conduct- two lakh new voters to TRS in each of the two (EWS) category. This year, a total of ed the JEE Main examina- booths and ensure they seats. No student from the 6,61,776 candidates had tion from February 23 to voted for TRS, our victory TRS leaders and cadre Telugu states scored the registered for the JEE 26. More than six lakh in both the seats will be at booth level are meeting perfect 100 this year: Six Mains, out of which 95 per candidates had registered assured.” these voters to ensure students who scored the cent of the candidates had for it. NTA had on March 7 These two lakh voters they voted for the TRS perfect 100 were Saket Jha appeared in the BE/BTech released the final answer are those from the 60 lakh nominees. from Rajasthan, Pravar papers and 81.2 per cent key. CITY DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 9 MARCH 2021 pg 3

IN BRIEF No takers `75K DEBITED ‘WRONGLY’ FROM EX-IFS OFFICER’S A/C DC CORRESPONDENT sum of `75,000 was suspi- “We were informed by the Man held for firing HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 ciously debited from his bank that the transaction bank account. was reversed. We will be at wife, kids The Jubilee Hills police Following investigations, questioning the staff to Hyderabad: A woman and booked a cheating case after police sources said the ascertain the same and her children escaped nar- a retired IFS official, Shiva transaction was due to a either alter or close the case rowly after her husband, a Shankar Prasad, com- clerical error by the accordingly,” police sources realtor, open fire with his plained on Monday that a bank. revealed. licensed rifle following a heated argument at their house in Bilalnagar, Kalapather, on Monday evening. The Kalapather police arrested the man, Syed Habeeb Hashmi, 52, for attempt to murder. “At around 5 pm on Monday, the couple had an argument, following which Hashmi opened fire three rounds of fire with his .22 rifle on his wief and chilren. No one was injured and the bullets hit the wall,” said Kalapather inspector K. Sudarshan. Police reached the house on receiving information and arrested Hashmi. The GHMC Model Market constructed three years ago at Pattigadda in Begumpet still remains vacant as no One gets life term one is ready to take the shops due to the high rents. — S. SURENDER REDDY for raping minor Hyderabad: A 32-year-old man was convicted to under- go life imprisonment for rape and slapped a fine of `50,000 on Monday. The Fewer kids dropping Kacheguda police had arrested him for raping a 13- year-old girl in 2012. Police said Srinu raped the girl went to watch television out of schools in TS in his room. Following a complaint from her family, a case was booked by the Centre’s data backs state’s claims; experts unconvinced Kacheguda police and Srinu was placed under arrest. A HARLEEN MINOCHA ● AS PER the data, the amounted to 22.5 per not wish to be identified, charge sheet was filed by | DC Telangana state dropout cent, upper primary at said that the data then inspector Rajkumar, HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 rate stood at 13.5 per 5.6 per cent and primary released by the Union who later retired as assistant school dropouts at 7.6 government, and avail- commissioner of police. The The school dropout rates cent in 2018-19 for sec- per cent. able on UDISE portal, is sentence was passed by XI in the state have signifi- ondary school, 2.9 per Earlier, report in only until the 2018-19 additional metropolitan ses- cantly improved over the cent for upper primary Deccan Chronicle on academic year. “If the sions, B. Srinivas Rao in the past two years, from and 1.9 per cent for pri- February 24 on enrol- government is so confi- Nampally court on Monday. 2016-17 to 2018-19, as per mary school, in compar- ment in state high dent about a positive pic- the data available with ison to 2017-18 and schools for 2020-21 had ture in the education sec- the Unified District 2016-17. quoted data from the TS tor of the country, they State reports 111 Information System for education department should release the latest Education (UDISE), and ● THE DROPOUT rate which had also indicated numbers in the public new Covid cases released by the Union in 2017-18 for secondary a positive trend. domain too,” they said. Hyderabad: Telangana’s tally education ministry on school stood at 17.1 per However, experts had The Union education of Covid-19 cases breached Monday. cent, upper primary at raised doubts over the ministry released state- the three-lakh mark on As per the data, the 2.6 per cent, and pri- same, citing lack of wise data in response to Sunday. The state health Telangana state dropout mary at 3.5 per cent. physical data due to pan- questions raised by MPs department said 111 fresh rate stood at 13.5 per cent demic. Prataprao Patil Coronavirus cases were in 2018-19 for secondary More stakeholders, Chikhlikar and recorded till 8 pm on school, 2.9 per cent for school stood at 17.1 per including government Anumula Revanth Reddy Sunday, pushing the cumula- upper primary and 1.9 cent, upper primary at teachers, have now in the Lok Sabha on tive tally of positive cases to per cent for primary 2.6 per cent, and primary argued that this data Monday, regarding 3,00,011. The state recorded school, in comparison to at 3.5 per cent, whereas does not reflect the real school dropout rates dur- a fresh fatality due to Covid- 2017-18 and 2016-17. in the 2016-17 academic picture in current times. ing the last two years, 19, taking the toll to 1,642, The dropout rate in year, secondary school A government teacher particularly in the department said on 2017-18 for secondary dropouts in the state in Hyderabad, who did Maharashtra. Monday. The GHMC area reg- istered 27 fresh cases, fol- lowed by Ranga Reddy dis- trict with 10. The other dis- WOMAN SUFFERS tricts reported in singular digits, according to the Cab catches health bulletin. The total SEVERE BURNS number of recoveries stands at 2,96,562 after 189 people IN ACID ATTACK beat from the infection, con- fire, 2 rescued stituting a recovery rate of DC CORRESPONDENT 98.85 per cent. HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 DC CORRESPONDENT stopped the vehicle and HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 was helped out of the On International flaming vehicle. Women’s Day, a tribal A car caught fire under Traffic flow on the TS PLANTED MOST woman sustained severe the Telugu Talli statue busy road was affected burns following an acid under the flyover on for a few minutes fol- SAPLINGS IN attack by unidentified Monday afternoon. lowing the incident but persons at Alladurg Traffic police and was soon cleared. 2019-20: CENTRE mandal of Medak dis- locals pulled out the Curious motorists and trict early on Monday man who was driving pedestrians stopped on DC CORRESPONDENT morning. She was shift- the vehicle, a taxi cab, the road to photograph HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 ed to the Osmania as well as a passenger. the stricken vehicle. General Hospital in a No casualties were The driver and a per- Telangana state has planted critical condition. reported. son travelling in the the most saplings in 2019-20, The victim lives with According to the fire car immediately got the Centre said on Monday. her two daughters in officials of down and reached a The state had planted 38.17 Antaiahpalle of Tekmal Secunderabad, who safe distance with the crore saplings under the mandal. The attack took rushed to the spot on help of other com- Twenty Point Programme. place in Gadipeddapur receiving an alert, muters, said a traffic Babul Supriyo, Union minis- village of Alladurg man- smoke started coming police official, who ter of state for environment dal. out of the vehicle while called the fire brigade. and forests, revealed this in a After the attack, she it was proceeding from Officials suspect a written reply to Congress reportedly ran on the Tank Bund towards short circuit might member G.C. Chandrashekhar village road asking for Saifabad. The driver have caused the fire. in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. help before collapsing It said that under the pro- near the statues of Dr gramme, 150.23 crore saplings Ambedkar and were planted nation-wide. Mahatma Gandhi. When The target for 2021-22 from she fell down, locals cov- June is to plant 20 crore ered her and called the saplings, an a state forest police, who first shifted department official told her to the Sangareddy Deccan Chronicle. “From 2015 , district hospital and the state has targeted planta- then to the city. tion of 230 crore saplings. We “She sustained severe have planted 210 crores burns on her face and saplings in six phases,” he hands,” police said, said. adding that the incident occurred at about 4 am. The local police have MP WEARS MASK registered a case and are INNOVATED BY investigating. ● AFTER THE attack, EX-MP KONDA the victim reportedly DC CORRESPONDENT ran on the village road HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 asking for help before Fire brigade personnel douse the fire which collapsing near the stat- struck the car under the Telugu Talli flyover on Dr Narendra Jadhav, Rajya ues of Dr Ambedkar and Monday. Sabha member and former Mahatma Gandhi. Planning Commission mem- ber, on Monday attended Parliament wearing a High- Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter mask, innovated ED gets custody of duo by Chevella former MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy. DC CORRESPONDENT tered by the AP police Vikas Gupta and Vinit The mask restricts most par- HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 against one Vaddi Goenka, which were ticulate matter in the atmos- Mahesh and others, deposited by him into phere from entering the nose. The Enforcement Direc- after a complaint from the bank accounts of his It is based on positive pressure torate was granted cus- the income-tax depart- firms and transferred to and is turbine-powered, ensur- tody of two persons, ment. the bank accounts of his ing 99.97 per cent filtration Deepak Agarwal and “The ED’s investiga- shell companies,” the efficiency of 0.3 micron parti- Ayush Goyal, in a `1,500 tion revealed that ED said. cles, as against the N95 mask, crore money laundering Mahesh, in collusion Mahesh prepared fake which is 95 per cent efficient. scam. with others, had incor- invoices as if they had The HEPA eMask is 166 times They were booked for porated various shell been raised by overseas safer than the N95. sending close to `1,500 firms and opened bank companies, in the name Vishweshwar Reddy said, crore abroad under the accounts in the names of of his Indian companies “My sole objective behind guise of import of fake these firms/companies. and had arranged fake innovating this respirator was customised software, He received funds from certificates with the the protection of doctors and officials said. The inves- different persons, later help of chartered healthcare workers.” tigation was taken up identified as Pramod accountants, the ED following an FIR regis- Agarwal, Ayush Goyal, said. CITY DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 9 MARCH 2021 pg 4

SHORT TAKES MLC polls campaign BANDI: BJP WIN IS A FOREGONE Owaisi flays Yogi for MAN TRIES TO DONATE 60K, CONCLUSION ‘secularism held DC CORRESPONDENT CHEATED ONLINE KOTHAGUDEM, MARCH 8 DC CORRESPONDENT Bharatiya Janata Party India back’ remark HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 state president Bandi Sanjay said that the peo- DC CORRESPONDENT ● THE MIM chief said the A man lost about `60,000 when ple of Telangana have HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 Sangh Parivar speaks of secu- he went to make a donation for come to the conclusion larism with a forked tongue. charity, and ended up giving that Chief Minister K. AIMIM president Asaduddin “It was never ready to recog- the money to a fraudulent com- Chandrashekar Rao is Owaisi has hit back at Uttar pany. Police said he had working to increase his Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi nise the diversity of India. On wanted to make a donation to wealth but not for the wel- Adityanath for the latter’s odd days, they say India is the actor Sonu Sood, who is fare of the poor. statement on secularism that secular because the majority known of late for charitable Sanjay was here on it prevented India from gain- of Indians are secular. On activities. Monday for the election ing world recognition. even days, they say that sec- He searched for the actor’s campaign of party candi- Addressing the media here ularism has prevented our contact address on Google and date G. Premender Reddy. on Monday, Owaisi termed traditions from winning glob- came upon ‘Sonusood Corpor- He said that TRS minis- Yogi’s comment on secular- al recognition.” ation’ and duly contacted ters and MLAs, worried ism “vahiyat” (obnoxious) them. He got a response from a over the defeat in gradu- and said this was an insult to gions, it even respects those a purported executive ate constituency elec- the Constitution, our found- who do not follow any reli- who diverted the money while tions, are making false ing fathers and all those gion. We say the majority of pretending to help a poor statements against BJP. members of the Constituent the people here are secular, person. The TRS government Assembly.” that's why India is secular.” The donor paid `60,000 as should come clear on the Owaisi asked the CM: The MIM chief said the donation, registration fee and unemployment allowance “Petrol, diesel and LPG Sangh Parivar speaks of sec- GST. When he finally realised that has been promised. prices have gone up, jobs are ularism with a forked that he had been cheated, he “Our activists will not not provided and women are tongue. “It was never ready approached the Cyberabad BJP state president Bandi Sanjay asks graduate voters to ensure the victory of BJP candidate Premender go back just because false upset. Is it all because the to recognise the diversity of cybercrime police. Reddy in the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda seat, at Kothagudem on Monday. — DC cases were being filed country practised secular- India. On odd days, they say against them. There is no ism?” He asked whether free- India is secular because the place for TRS in dom of thought guaranteed majority of Indians are secu- 500 PASSPORTS Kothagudem,” he said. in the preamble of the lar. On even days, they say He said that ruling par- Constitution did not reflect that secularism has prevent- UNDER SCANNER ty nominee Rajeswar Red- secularism. “I ask whether ed our traditions from win- dy was given a party tick- Articles 14, 19, 22, 25, 26, 29 ning global recognition.” IN BODHAN BJP gets Swamy Goud to et just because he carries and 30 do not reflect secular Owaisi said the Sangh files between the govern- ideas and values?” Parivar hailed the NARENDER PULLOOR | DC ment and the CM. He said “You are doing bhoomi puja Constitution where it suited NIZAMABAD, MARCH 8 that all voters are aware in the name of secularism. them to gain power. “When of the TRS candidate’s You being a Prime Minister they got power, their real In a shocking revelation, the campaign for MLC polls ‘pairavis’. or Chief Minister perform face emerged. Now the chief authenticity of more than 500 TRS should be held bhoomi puja, are you doing minister of UP says that sec- passports issued in Bodhan responsible for the mur- this for upkeep of secular- ularism is itself a threat to has become a cause for suspi- der of the advocate-cou- ism? Does the government progress and claims that cion. Employees leader starts canvassing in Nalgonda district ple, he said. He bemoaned have any religion? India has India is not getting its right- After a fake passports racket IREDDY SRINIVAS went on to become chair- ter fitment for employees on employees’ issues. that the state government no religion, it never will. ful place in the world was busted in Bodhan, all REDDY I DC man of the State for the first time. The However, it is not was using the CM’s pic- India believes in all reli- because of secularism.” those issued since 2016 are HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 Legislative Council. He BJP hopes to cash in on known how successful tures on Central schemes. being re-verified. Eight special had been keeping away this section through Swamy Goud will be in There is every chance teams have been pressed into The state leadership of from politics for quite Swamy Goud, who also his endeavour, as major that Rao will go to jail for OBITUARY service to verify the details of the BJP has managed to some time after being continues to have back- employee unions of Tela- his corruption, he said. all passport holders. convince Swamy Goud, a sidelined by the TRS. ing of some leaders of ngana are with the TRS. “There is no difference Two Bangladesh nationals Telangana Non-Gazetted That is why BJP the NGOs. Meanwhile, many min- between the despotic were arrested at Rajiv Gandhi Officers (TNGO) thought of roping him Swamy Goud has start- isters of the state cabi- administration of Nizam International Airport (RGIA) Association veteran, in. The TNGO leader is ed his campaign on net are campaigning for and KCR. Unemployed in Hyderabad last month for into campaigning for the believed to still have behalf of the BJP from ruling TRS candidates, youth and government possessing fake passports from saffron party in the quite some influence Nalgonda and has including Harish Rao, employees are furious Bodhan. They were sent for re- forthcoming elections among employees in the entered Warangal. He Srinivas Goud and with the state govern- verification. Special Branch from the two graduate state who are sizeable in has been interacting Gangula Kamalakar. ment,” he said. police head constables Mallesh constituencies in the terms of their votes in with employees, stu- They have been focusing Sanjay said that BJP is and Anil, who worked in state. Swamy Goud has graduate constituencies. dents and retired on employee unions in a extending its support to Bodhan from 2016 to 2021 been TNGO president for While being part of employees unions. The bit to win their support. Podu farmers and the allegedly supported the several years, played a Telangana movement BJP is banking on disaf- That is also the reason government should solve PHILOMENA VOWLES W/o Late Albert Vowles accused in an official capacity. key role in separate and subsequently TRS, fection within govern- why BJP decided to rope their problems. None can DOB: 20-06-1933 DOD: 08-03-2021 As a result, more than 500 Telangana movement, Swamy Goud had been ment employees with in Swamy Goud, along stop Premender Reddy’s Funeral Mass at 10 am on 09th March passports were issued in became an MLC and successful in getting bet- ruling TRS for its U turn with other key leaders. win, he said. 2021 at St. Anthony’s Church Mudfort, Secunderabad. Burial Mount Carmel Bodhan, Kotagiri, Varni, Church Cemetery, Bowenpally Renjal, Yedapally, Rudrur, Inserted by: FAMILY MEMBERS Mosra and Chandur mandals. Ph: 8897101337 Primarily, police officers (S/2021/D01318) noticed that around 72 fake Centre’s done good work for women: BJP BIRTHDAY REMEMBRANCE passports were issued in Bodhan. Shockingly, all of DC CORRESPONDENT them were issued on three HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 addresses in the town. There is no way to link with the address The Central government and fake passport holders. has done immense good Reportedly, with the support work for women, of Special Branch policemen declared former MP and and postal department employ- senior BJP leader ees, the Bangladeshis got Vijayashanti. She was Indian passports by submit- participating in the ting fake details. Of 72 fake International Women's passports, around 25 persons Day celebrations at the Late RAMANA KUMARI have left to their foreign desti- state BJP office in Nam- DOB: 09-03-1949 DOD: 03-11-2019 nations, including Dubai. pally on Monday. She also We gratefully remember your love and concern for all of us and the sacrifice you Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, felicitated some frontline made. a police officer, on the condi- warriors against the Inserted by: P.R. Dayaker, Daughters, tion of anonymity, said that Covid-19 pandemic on the Sons-in-law, Grand Children passports are issued regularly occasion. Ph: 9052345396 by the Ministry of External Addressing the gather- (S/2021/D01313) Affairs. Special Branch consta- ing, Vijayashanti con- bles feed details of the pass- tended that women of the port applicants in their tabs state will be strength- and higher officials release it ened further if the BJP immediately, he said. comes to power in Earlier, the higher-ups thor- Telangana state. She oughly checked all applica- accused the TRS govern- tions manually. Now with the ment of failing to fulfil digital mode, the negligence in its promises made to different levels stands women during the agita- Former MP and BJP Mahila Morcha leader Vijayashanti felicitates sanitation workers on the occasion of exposed, he opined. tion for a separate state- International Women Day at the BJP state office, in Nampally, Hyderabad, on Monday. — S. SURENDER REDDY Expecting bribes from fake hood. passport applicants, SB offi- There was an interest- cials might have cleared appli- ing conversation between cations, he said. Appropriate the former actress and action should be initiated municipal employees against all those involved in when the latter asked her TRS: Why has BJP not passed Bill on the scam, he opined. to remove her mask, so that they could see her ● MORE THAN 500 passports face. They wanted to were issued in Bodhan, compare her with how 33% quota for women in Parliament? Kotagiri, Varni, Renjal, they had seen her in Yedapally, Rudrur, Mosra and movies. DC CORRESPONDENT the earlier governments criticised the UPA for not be scared while facing so- Chandur mandals. Primarily, As per their wish, HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 led by Congress or TD in doing the same. She ciety. Otherwise, they police officers noticed that Vijayashanti removed the state or BJP at the Ce- charged that BJP is only will not be reach higher her mask and asked them The TRS women’s wing ntre. Lalitha thanked Ch- good at spreading levels, she pointed out. around 72 fake passports were whether she was the celebrated the Internat- ief Minister K. Chandra- stories about women’s She wanted women to su- issued in Bodhan. All of them same person they had ional Women’s Day at the shekar Rao for giving welfare. pport other women for were issued on three addresses seen on the silver screen. party headquarters Tela- priority to women in all Addressing the gather- overall development of in the town. There is no way to The employees ngana Bhavan here on sectors of the govern- ing, GHMC mayor women. link with the address and fake responded saying they Monday. ment. Gadwal Vijayalakshmi Former MP Gundu passport holders. got strength by seeing the Speaking on the occa- The MLC asked why the pointed out that TRS has Sudha Rani, ZP chairper- actress in movies. sion, MLC Akula Lalitha BJP-led Union govern- gone on to son Tula Uma, GHMC But presently, said with advent of the ment had not passed the provide reservations for women corporators and Vijayashanti looked like TRS government, partici- 33 per cent reservation women in agricultural other women leaders their mother or sister, pation of women in poli- bill for women in markets. attended the function at they added. tics has increased, unlike Parliament when it had She asked women not to the TRS Bhavan.

QUICK | ACTION Cong. leader filed plaint with EC alleging poll code violation Remove PM pic on vax certificate: Marri DC CORRESPONDENT responding to a represen- cies are scheduled for was vice-chairman of the The health ministry has HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 tation by a political party March 14. Besides, there National Disaster apparently failed to apply in West Bengal, the ECI is an Assembly byelec- Management Authority its mind about model Senior Congress leader has directed the Union tion due in the state, for (NDMA) between 2010 code of conduct (MCC) Marri Shashidhar Reddy health ministry to dis- which the schedule is to and 2014, he had to take and did not think it nec- on Monday filed a com- continue the practice be announced shortly. the EC’s permission for essary to seek EC plaint with the Election immediately in view of Taking all these into an advertisement about approval. He said that the Commission seeking the Assembly elections in consideration, the the release of National poll panel should seek an removal of the photo- five states. Reddy regret- Election Commission Guidelines on Managem- explanation from the graph of Prime Minister ted that the certificates should direct the Union ent of Disasters with a ministry and ask them to Narendra Modi from the were being issued in ministry to stop this picture of the then Prime fix the responsibility and Covid-19 vaccination cer- Telangana state with practice without any fur- Minister and NDMA ensure that the lapse is tificates. Modi’s photograph ther delay. Chairman Dr Manmohan recorded in their per- In his letter, Shashidhar though MLC elections for The Congress leader Singh, which,incidental- formance appraisal Reddy pointed out that two graduate constituen- recalled that when he ly, was denied. report. CITY DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 9 MARCH 2021 pg 5

IN BRIEF RTC CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL Javadekar lauds Animals too women forest staff WOMEN’S DAY Hyderabad: Union forests DC CORRESPONDENT minister Prakash Javadekar HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 virus prone: on Monday lauded women forest officers on the occa- All depots of Telangana sion of International State Road Transport Women’s Day. He also Corporation (TSRTC) in lanched a book, ‘Green the twin cities celebrated Scientists Queens of India — Nations International Women’s Pride’, profiling women offi- Day on Sunday. cers of the Indian Forest Corporation managing Service. There are 284 director Sunil Sharma Say they carry same ACE2 women IFS officers, three of felicitated women who whom head the forest excelled in their work, at receptors of Sars-Cov-2 departments in Telangana, a function held at Jubilee Rajasthan and Himachal Bus Stand. Various BALU PULIPAKA | DC Pradesh as Principal Chief events, including sports HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 Conservator of Forests competitions and cultur- SARS-CoV-2 (PCCF). Javadekar said he al programmes, were The sheer variety of ani- wanted to see a ratio of 33 organised to mark the mals — some that jostle VIRUS CAN per cent of women forest AIG Hospital chairman Dr Nageshwer Reddy and his wife Carol Ann Reddy share a lighter moment with guests d a y. for space with people, and staff. PCCF R. Sobha told the Captain Ajmeera Bobby, Anju Poddar and Rekha Lahoti and others during the Internal Women’s Day celebrations at The TSRTC has a work- the others that live in MULTIPLY IN minister that the figure had the hospital on Monday. — DEEPAK DESHPANDE force of about 47,000, of Indian forests — that are reached 30 per cent in whom 5,057 are women. susceptible to catching Telangana. Their contribution in Covid-19, is giving some ANIMALS: STUDY helping the corporation scientists a serious cause DC CORRESPONDENT run its wheels smoothly for worry, especially in a HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 HC TO TS: FOLLOW Nageshwar Reddy highlights is no less. As many as country like India where 4,502 of the women staff officials privately admit Testing on animals for NCTE RULES FOR are conductors, whose to inadequate testing of efficacy of Covid-19 vac- recruitment started in people for the disease, cine hides the true possi- FILLING PET POSTS 1996. and underreporting of ble potential of the SARS- gender parity at AIG Hospitals Since then, there has Covid-19 cases. CoV-2’s ability to make VUJJINI been no looking back for Monkeys, leopards, com- the leap from humans to VAMSHIDHARA | DC DC CORRESPONDENT women in RTC. Though mon buffalos, cows, goats, various animals, and the HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 they faced challenges ini- dogs, cats, Nilgiri Tahr, impact of such a jump, it tially, they have over- clouded leopard, and even is feared. The Telangana High Court on On the occasion of come them by their dedi- donkeys and horses, all No further proof is Monday directed the state gov- International Women’s cation and will power. have something in com- needed than the testing of ernment to follow the National Day, AIG Hospital, Gachib- U. Laxminarsamma has mon with humans when Covid-19 vaccine candi- Council for Technical Educ- owli, organised a special completed 20 years with it comes to Covid-19. They dates on animals after ation (NCTE) guidelines for evening for its women the corporation. She carry the same ACE2 infecting them with the filling up 616 posts of physical employees — administra- joined as a conductor, but receptors, the biding cites virus. This actually education teachers lying tion, nurses and doctors. has now moved on to the in cells to which the demonstrates that the vacant in Telangana state resi- Speaking on the occa- administrative side. She SARS-CoV-2 attaches to as virus not only can infect dential educational institutes, sion, Dr D. Nageshwar said, “During my initial it multiplies and results the animals but also sur- including those of the tribal Reddy, Chairman and days, it was a tough task. in varying degrees of vive and grow in them, welfare and minorities welfare Managing Director, AIG Women were hesitant in infection. according to a senior sci- departments. Hospitals, said, “We have joining as conductors. Sero surveys conducted entist. A division bench of Chief always been encouraging Even their families tried in the country have con- Among animals that Justice Hima Kohli and anti-gender discrimina- to restrain them. Now, a sistently shown that the were tested for vaccine Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy tion. Statistically looking, lot of women are coming number of people who efficacy in India, after found fault with the state gov- we have 200 plus consult- forward in working on developed antibodies to they were injected with ernment’s stand vis-a-vis fill- ants of which 30 per cent par with men in RTC.” SARS-CoV-2, which caus- Covid-19 causing virus ing up these posts without seg- are women, from 874 nurs- Laxminarsamma said es Covid-19, are much were rats, mice, rabbits, regation of PETs for Classes 5 ing staff of which 90 per working with the RTC higher than the cases that and rhesus macaques, the to 8 and Classes 9 and 10, cent women and 52 per has given her a lot of have been discovered. commonly found mon- whereas NCTE provisions cent are women from 1,072 courage and helped her It was just last week that keys. clearly segregated them and other staff members. So gain problem-solving scientists from Centre for Research in several eligibility criteria was set sep- we can safely say that the skills. Cellular and Molecular parts of the world has arately. place is predominantly Kolisetty Vedavani, Biology (CCMB), the demonstrated that SARS- Earlier, the single bench run by women.” who is working as con- National Institute of CoV-2 virus can find its judge also had pointed out the Shreesha Merla, techni- ductor at the Nutrition (NIN), and vac- way into dogs, cats, and fault with the government. In cal member of National On the occasion of International Women’s day, Shaheen Women’s Resources and Mehidipatnam depot, cine maker Bharat wild animals such as September 2019 , the single Company Law Appellate Welfare Association organises a cycle rally from Charminar on Monday. said: “Each day is a chal- Biotech, announced that gorillas, big cats such as bench judge had directed the Tribunal (NCLAT), and — P. SURENDRA lenge. Some passengers 54 per cent of people in pumas, and snow leop- government to publish the list Captain Ajmeera Bobby, do not showing their Hyderabad have devel- ards, and apes such as of the selected candidates in the first woman from the commercial pilot, were concluded with the screen- successful women staff passes when we ask for oped Covid-19 antibodies. gorillas in zoos. Europe eight weeks on the basis of the Banjara tribe to become a present. The event ing of a documentary on members. them. That is when we Incidentally, in has already witnessed cut-off marks prescribed by take charge and set the Telangana state alone, the outbreaks in mink farms the Institutions in filling up matter right,” Vedavani total Covid-19 cases, in Denmark where it was the PET posts for Classes 5-8 stated. according to the state found that these infected with diploma holders (non- GOV RECEIVES health department as on animals passed the virus graduates) and Class 9-10 with Sunday, stood at 3,00,011. back to people. those who passed B.P.Ed Hyderabad has a popula- The Paris-based World (Graduates). EXCELLENCE QR CODE PLAINT tion of more than 10 lakh Organization for Animal Challenging the single judge people and if the recently Health, with 182 member order, the government filed an AWARD-2021 announced sero survey countries, has been keep- appeal, by way of defending its SYSTEM FOR results are anything to go ing an eye on how decision to not segregate the DC CORRESPONDENT by, then at least 5,40,000 Coronavirus is behaving posts. But, when the division HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 WOMEN IN TS people in the city alone with both domesticated bench questioned the govern- were exposed to, or con- and wild animals. India, ment stand, the state govern- Governor Dr Tamilisai Hyderabad, March 8: tracted the virus. And incidentally, is a member ment changed its contention Soundararajan was on The women’s safety wing there is no data on how of the World and agreed to segregate the Monday conferred with the of the police on Monday many more could have Organization for Animal posts for recruitment. State Top-20 Global Women of launched a ‘QR code com- been exposed by the Health. told to follow NCTE guidelines Excellence-2021 award plaint system’ wherein undiscovered Covid-19 for filling 616 PET posts through virtual mode from harassment against carriers either in the city, ● AMONG ANIMALS Illinois in the United States women could be com- or in the rest of the state. of America. plained just by scanning Among the animals on that were tested for 12-YEAR-OLD She accepted the award a QR code. The informa- which candidate vaccine efficacy in from the Puducherry Raj tion would be routed to vaccine efficacy was test- India, after they were SUFFERS BURNS Nivas and stated that she appropriate SHE Team ed at the National injected with Covid-19 was humbled and office for further process- Institute of Virology causing virus were rats, IN FOREST FIRE immensely honoured by ing as per departmental (NIV) in Pune last year, mice, rabbits, and rhe- the recognition. guidelines. were monkeys (rhesus T.S.S. SIDDHARTH | DC In her acceptance speech, Gandhi Hospital nurses Bennet and Florence were felicitated at the City Civil Court A link through SMS, macaques). According to sus macaques, the com- HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 the Governor stated that Legal Services Authority in the presence of Chief Judge Sumalatha, Vijayalaxmi, WhatsApp or e-mail studies published by sci- monly found monkeys. the award would double redired district judge, and first woman chief judge of the City Civil Court, in would be sent to the citi- entists from Bharat The nearly fatal-fire in the her responsibility to inten- Hyderabad on Monday. zens, who availed servic- Biotech, Indian Council Amrabad forest reserve, which sify her work towards the es of SHE Teams. for Medical Research ● A STUDY published in saw 11 tribals suffering burns, gender equality and wo- Women harassed at pub- (ICMR), and NIV, the tests the Proceedings of the started when some Chenchu men empowerment. “I ded- lic places, offices, during showed that Rhesus National Academy of tribals tried to set fire to icate this honour to mil- travel, online/social me- Macaques can be infected Sciences of the United shrubs to clear the ground to lions of women who toil dia, phone and domestic by Covid-19 causing States of America (PNAS) collect ‘Nannarigaddalu’ day in and day out and help Hyd Civil Court conducts can have access through virus, after which the vac- according to officials. their family, society, and the system through QR cines were tested on them as far back as in August The fire occurred in a valley the countries," she said. codes installed at various for efficacy in battling the last year, reported that where grass had grown to a Dr Soundararajan public locations like ma- disease. These monkeys, 410 unique vertebrate height of about four feet. thanked the Multi Ethnic gender awareness event lls, metros, railway stati- caught in the wild in species were identified as “Eleven people had gone to Advisory Task Force, head- ons, bus stations and edu- Maharashtra, were cho- having ACE2 receptors. the forest to pick Nanna- ed by US Congressman DC CORRESPONDENT remarkable services and 19 crises. cational institutes, a sen for the tests for the ● rigaddelu, which is a tuber. Danny K. Davis, for HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 sacrifices. The Legal Services press release said. The simple reason that they MORE THAN half of the They set fire to clear the bestowing her with the Chief Judge Sumalata Authority also honoured QR code complaint sys- have among the highest animals that have Covid- shrubs to and trees. Since there honour. The award jury, City Civil Court Legal felicitated Mamata, the the mother and wife of tem is a simple, easy to levels of ACE2 receptors 19 susceptible ACE2 rains aplenty last year, the comprising members of Services Authority organ- first aviation pilot from the Colonel Santosh Babu, who use, secure complaint and among animals. receptors jostle for space grass in the spot had grown to the Multi Ethnic Advisory ised an awareness pro- Telugu states; apart from died at Galwan Valley feedback mechanism. A study published in the with humans — whether a height of four feet. Usually, Task Force and the Multi gramme on Gender Supriya and Avani, first resisting Chinese soldiers The system was laun- Proceedings of the they are cattle, cows, the grass only grows a foot or Ethnic Coalition, mentio- Equality and Rights of Metro loco pilots; in 2020. ched by Director General National Academy of dogs, cats, pigs, donkeys, two,” said the Krishna Goud, ned that Dr Soundararajan Women on occasion of the Sunita, GHMC frontline Telangana High Court of Police M. Mahendar Sciences of the horses, or even monkeys. the district forest officer at was selected for the award International Women’s worker; and Gandhi Employees Service Associ- Reddy, marking Internati- United States of America Achampet. in recognition of her “out- Day on Monday. Hospital’s nurses Bennet ation also celebrated the onal Women’s Day, it said. (PNAS) as far back as in The group was standing in standing contribution to On the day, the authority and Florence, apart from International Women’s It helps in getting a August last year, reported health of people, whose two concentric circles when society, and for being an honoured women achiev- doctors Sangeeta Shah and Day by honouring the high-level perception of that 410 unique verte- lives are closely bound to the fire occurred. ardent advocate of wo- ers and pioneers in various Umadevi Malladi for being court’s women employees how safe citizens, partic- brate species were identi- these animals,” a senior “We learned that the group men’s rights, gender parity, fields, including frontline the frontline healthcare as well as Justice ularly women, feel about fied as having ACE2 scientist told Deccan was inebriated. Since they and women’s equality.” Covid warriors, for their workers during the Covid- Gandikota Sridevi. their locality. — PTI receptors. They include Chronicle. were in a valley, escaping from 252 mammals, 72 birds, 65 Making matters worse the site was difficult due to the fishes, 17 reptiles and 4 is the way medical climb on the hillside in their amphibians. The study wastes, particularly used condition,” the officer said. INFLATION | ERA LPG selling at twice the cost since 2014, data analysis shows found that rhesus face masks, are discarded The incident took place two- macaques, among other in public places and in three kilometres from their animals, were found to garbage heaps, the latter hamlet. have at least 23/25 which are visited regular- The injured were brought to ACE2 residues identical ly by stray dogs, and in the Osmania General Hospital Excise duty on fuel doubled in 2 years to human ACE2 and other some localities, pigs. for treatment. Mirza Kareem constraints at SARS-CoV- “Even more worrisome Baig, a member of the Forest ATHER MOIN | DC crore in 2017-18, `2.37 lakh months in 2020-21 is about month, the minister said. 2021). The average retail 2 S-binding hot spots. is the interactions and Wildlife Protection Society WITH AGENCY INPUTS crores in 2016-17. `1 lakh crore more than Giving the oil’s import price of petrol over the More than half of the between people and mon- (FAWPS), who was at the hospi- HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 The data was provided the tax collected in April cost, the minister said last five years was `72.34 a animals that have Covid- keys, with both species tal, said: “All of the injured per- by the minister in the Lok 2019-20. India paid $47.56 per bar- litre, which is the highest 19 susceptible ACE2 equally vulnerable to the sons are Chenchus, one person Union oil minister Sabha in a written reply to Pradhan said that the rel in 2016-17, $56.43 in ever average for petrol. receptors jostle for space virus. We do not know is in a serious condition with Dharmendra Pradhan on unstarred questions of retail selling price of 2017-18, $69.88 in 2018-19, The minister said the with humans — whether what is happening on this close to 40 per cent burns. The Monday said the Centre members of parliament domestic gas was `410.5 $60.47 in 2019-20 and $42.78 Centre currently levies they are cattle, cows, front. And this is a cause youngest is a 12-year-old boy, has collected `3.01 lakh Balubhau, Nama Nages- per 14.2-kg cylinder on in 2020-21 (till February 28, `32.90 per litre excise duty dogs, cats, pigs, donkeys, for worry. who has 25 per cent burns.” crore as excise duty on wara Rao, Asaduddin March 1, 2014. This month, 2021). This averages to on petrol and `31.80 a litre horses, or even monkeys. “If the virus spreads This fire took place in petroleum products such Owaisi and others. the same cylinder costs $55.42/barrel a year — one on diesel. In 2018, the gov- “The real fear is what if to wild populations of Nagarkurnool district which as petrol, diesel, jet fuel, The information provid- `819, which is double the of the lowest in recent ernment levied the excise undiscovered Covid-19 monkeys, then there is no on Monday had recorded 98 for- LPG among others in the ed by the government price it was available for times. duty of `17.98 a litre of carriers who interact way of saying what might est fire alerts. The district has last nine months. reveals that the govern- in 2014. The average yearly price petrol and `13.83 on a litre with these animals be in store later. We need received 852 fire alerts, Compared to this, the ment has been collecting Similarly, kerosene sold of petrol in New Delhi, the of diesel. If it is worked pass on the virus to them? a robust system to moni- of which 428 fell inside the government had collected an average of `33,000 to the poor through the minister said, was `64.61 out, the government has And what if the virus at tor what is happening forest area. The total forest `1.97 lakh crore in excise crore a month as excise public distribution system in 2016-17, `69.20 in 2017- nearly doubled the tax on some stage jumps back among all these animals area that has been burnt down duty on petroleum prod- duty in the current finan- (PDS) has risen from 18, `75.37 in 2018-19, `72.69 petrol and more than dou- from these animals to and people who interact is 1,280.05 hectares or 3,163 ucts in 2019-20, `2.35 lakh cial year. The amount col- `14.96 per litre in in 2019-20 and `79.82 in bled the tax on diesel in humans? We have no with them, the scientist acres. crore in 2018-19, `2.41 lakh lected in the last nine March 2014 to `35.35 this 2020-21 (till February 28, the last two years. system to monitor the warned. EDIT DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 9 MARCH 2021 pg 6

9 MARCH 2021

Regional power strong Subhani in TN, alliances ready he regional satraps of the South were always powerful enough politicians to make this region of India mostly stay off rule by mainstream national parties and not just in the couple of decades Tof the new millennium. As a bastion of Dravidian rule since 1967, Tamil Nadu has been even more of an outlier in national politics. The regional versus the national is at play once again as alliance talks on seat- sharing meandered in compulsory coalition politics in which the Dravidian majors seek out the national parties to be partners or vice versa, but without ever conceding a share in power in Tamil Nadu by way of a coalition government. Both the Congress, an older player in Tamil Nadu’s politics, and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party may have been miffed but still had no recourse but to accept a lesser number of seats in their respective alliances. The battle lines are drawn for the Tamil Nadu leg of the polls, which is due on April 6, with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-Congress alliance pitted against the twice triumphant All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)-led front of 2011 and 2016, but which has a new ally now in the BJP. There were never any great ideological barri- ers against joining either alliance as most parties in the Tamil Nadu mix LETTERS have been allies on either side in the past. The presence of the BJP in an alliance for the Assembly polls triggers the secular versus majoritarian Stop meddle & muddle: WOMEN POWER religious politics debate whereas the two Dravidian fronts used to be sep- arated in the past only by theism versus atheism theme of religious poli- There are some vital, com- tics. The narrowness of the 2016 verdict suggests that the contests may be mon expressions of even tighter this time. women who shared their Friends have remained friends like the Pattal Makkal Katchi (PMK)with the AIAMDK since 2011 and “frenemies” have stayed back for now after Rework regional policy perceptions. They are: abandoning fleeting thoughts of switching alliances. Fringe players like self-confidence, desire to Kamal Haasan, whose fledgling party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) fared of “the demographic South Block is not due to achieve and excel, inde- reasonably well in a few urban pockets in the Lok Sabha polls of 2019, may aggression” by Bangla- the limited number of make things a bit interesting at the hustings, even though the electorate deshi “ghusbaitis” has cre- options. There is no l’em- pendence and self-respect can be expected to continue to vest power in one of the two major Mohan ated a certain unhelpful barrass des richesses, but a (Let’s hear it for the Dravidian parties. The big difference this time around is that Tamil Nadu Guruswamy mentality in both coun- poverty of clarity. women, HC, March 8). Let has moved on from the days of its larger-than life leaders like M. tries. What after all must a The most significant all the women think and Karunanidhi, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and Jayalalithaa, and the nation think when its larg- development of this centu- Assembly polls for 234 seats without them is a first since the mid-1950s, er neighbour thinks of it as ry so far has been the rise work together, harness when M. Karunanidhi of the DMK made his poll debut. an unending source of of China as an economic their capabilities and take The anti-incumbency factor after two terms will be weighing heavily on human vermin? powerhouse, with its mili- our nation to greater the ruling party-led combine while his father's longtime lieutenant M.K. To add to our woes, we tary not lagging far Stalin will be hoping the trends favour his vaulting to the gaddi for the still seem to be wearing behind. Former Chinese heights. first time. Association with the BJP did not work for the AIADMK in the uch as we Curzon of Kedlestone, who those Curzonian blinkers foreign minister Yang G.V.N. Murthy 2019 Lok Sabha polls, which was a 37-1 washout, which means the pressure would like to was Viceroy of India (1898- that have bequeathed us Jeichi, responding to criti- Hyderabad may be even more on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami exalt our 1905) and later Britain’s the Great Game mentality cism about China’s and his deputy O. Panneerselvam, who have kept the state government first Prime foreign secretary (1919-24), with its focus on highways, assertiveness, just said: going for four long years. And, however hard Kamal Haasan may have Minister is still regarded by many of railway lines and sea lanes “China is a big country NO COBRAS PLEASE tried to stress on ridding the state of the corrupt Dravidian parties, insti- JawaharlalM Nehru as the our foreign policy elite as and ports as military and other countries are It is very depressing to see political tutionalised graft has never appeared to have been an issue with the fran- founder of modern India’s the man who outlined threats. South Block still small countries, and that’s parties concentrating on elections chisees somewhat accustomed to accepting cash-for-votes besides freebies foreign policy, like all India’s grand strategic doesn’t seem to have just a fact.” Indeed it is, and busy indulging in accusations from their rulers. other major countries our vision and its focus on fix- realised that modern mili- and at this point in time in order to grab power. It would be policy too derives its basis ing borders. It is argued by tary means and technology even India is much too better if they concentrate on bat- from one man, France’s these people that while the have made the theories of small to be able to compete tling unemployment, poverty, ill- Cardinal Richelieu, who political context might Mahan and Mackinder with it in its spree of health, lack of education and many enshrined national inter- have changed, geography largely irrelevant. It is this chequebook diplomacy. other issues. The country is going Heed Pope’s call for peace est as the only guiding has not. Physical geogra- kind of infantilism that Most of India’s regional through a difficult situation and principle to conduct affairs phy may not have makes us see every Chi- neighbours are poor coun- we don’t need cobras or scorpions he pictures that the world got to see through the lenses of Pope with other nations. The changed, but political geog- nese investment in the tries and if their adversity at this moment. Francis' entourage on his recent visit to Iraq reflect the destruction French have an elegant raphy has changed very cash-starved region as a forces them not to look at Zakaria Sultan Tthe region has witnessed in the last two decades and the urgent need phrase for it. Raison d’état. much. Afghanistan is no threat to India’s hegemo- Chinese gift horses in the Hyderabad to rebuild it by ushering in peace. The Pope’s call for an end to violence Richelieu rejected the longer the glacis on which ny, when even our worst teeth, then we must under- was meant for all those who were responsible for it, which started with the notion that policy should the war for India will be fears about Hambantota or stand it. In other circum- United States invasion of Iraq in 2003. Each player who held sway in the be based on values and sen- fought. Neither are Tibet Gwadar make them juicy stances, we too might have MASKS MISSING region, the Islamic State included, bathed itself in inglorious acts in the timental considerations. and Xinjiang buffers any and easy targets. done so too? Debt doesn’t Since March 2020, I did not go out land which created and nurtured one of the most ancient of human civili- He believed, as we all still longer against northern While excoriating for- kill. I recall the dictum of my residence due to Covid-19, sations. As St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, “no one was right- do, that the State has per- threats. The threats are at eign secretary Earl Russell enunciated by Walter but I did go to the hospital to get eous, not even one”, in this deadly game. manent interests, the sin- our doorsteps now. in the House of Lords on Wriston, the legendary vaccinated. I was shocked to see The import of the visit, the first one by the head of the Roman Catholic gular pursuit of which In the immediate period February 4, 1864, Edward Citibank chairman who people without masks. The govern- Church, is that it was not meant for photo ops alone. Pope Francis met requires much intellectual after 1947, India’s foreign Stanley, the Earl of Derby, told my class at the ment should take some serious leaders of every community that has been hit. He visited Qaraqosh, a and moral flexibility. He policy was still conducted said: “The foreign policy of Fletcher School of Law action in this regard. Christian town, and Mosul, a Sunni heartland, both overrun by the believed that the only chal- by the Western educated the Earl may be summed and Diplomacy over 40 Rajinder Bakshi Islamic State, and Erbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdish region. He met lenge facing a policymaker elite who had imbibed up in two short homely but years ago: “Countries Secunderabad Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, one of the most senior leaders in Shia is to decide what the their lessons in Cambridge expressive words — med- don’t go under, they just Islam, in the holy city of Najaf. He had an emotional meeting with the national interest was and and Oxford and believed dle and muddle.” But we roll over”. father of Alan Kurdi, the boy whose body was washed up on a Turkish what it required? It was they were legatees of the are now no longer pre- But our inherited Curzo- beach six years ago, epitomising the sufferings of Syrians who tried to this singular pursuit that white man’s burden, pared to behave like Lord nian vision and now a little 50 YEARS AGO IN escape the savagery of war. He also visited Ur, the land of Prophet had Catholic France inter- including the defence of Curzon either. The tension bit of the American-indu- Abraham, the patriarch of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths. vening in the Thirty Years India. India’s immediate between that Curzonian ced notion of containment Winding up the visit, the Pope, who commands no military divisions, War (1618-48) on the neighbours, for their own tendency to meddle and are pushing India into a made an urgent appeal to humanity: we must reaffirm our conviction that Protestant side to block the reasons, still largely see the passive spirit of confrontationist posture fraternity is more durable than fratricide, that hope is more powerful than increasing power of the India’s conduct towards Jawaharlal Nehru to mud- with China. India will do Peaceful civil hatred, that peace more powerful than war. Now, he who has ears, let him Pope. At Richelieu’s them as the continuation dle still persists. We see well to remind itself that of hear. prompting, the philoso- of the British legacy. It did- this manifested in New the four countries that are disobedience pher Jean de Silhon defi- n’t help very much when Delhi's policy responses to a part of the “Quadrilate- in East Pak ned the concept of reason the Oxbridge elite were fol- the current situations in ral’, only India has a long of state as “a mean bet- lowed by the St. Stephen’s Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangla- and contentious land bor- NEW DELHI, MARCH. 8 DECCAN CHRONICLE ween what conscience per- elite who were also cast desh or the Maldives — der with China. The other Sheikh Mujibur Rehman’s writ mits and affairs require”. about the same last “laat with more muddle than three players are hooked KAUSHIK MITTER K. SUDHAKAR rather than President Yahya Editor Printer & Publisher How we see our national sahib” mould. meddle. The muddle in up to China’s growth eng- Khan’s seems to run in East interest depends on how Consequently, our diplo- ine and are also the most Pakistan today as a non-violent DECCAN CHRONICLE offices are located at: we see ourselves. Therein mats have tended to be responsible for its rise — civil disobedience movement got lies the rub. The rump overbearing with the Our diplomats have America with its trade under way to force the military Hyderabad: 36, Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad - 500 003, Ph: 040-27803930-4; Fax : 040-27805256 Republic of India sees itself smaller non-hostile neigh- profligacy, and Japan with rulers to lift the Martial Law and Vijayawada: No.C-3 & 4 Patamata, Industrial Estate, Auto Nagar, Vijayawada (A.P.), Ph: 0866- as the successor to the bours, often treating them tended to be over- its massive investments hand over power to the elected 2555284/2555287; Telefax: 0866-2555234 like errant schoolboys. bearing with the and transfer of technology. Visakhapatnam: Survey No.1/3A Beach Road, Near Kailasagiri Ropeway, Sector-9 MVP Colony, British Raj, which left representatives. Visakhapatnam - 530 017 (A.P), Ph: 0891-2552333/2552334; Fax: 0891-2755285 these shores in 1947. For This is the constant lament smaller non-hostile They have created today’s While Radio Pakistan in its Rajahmundry: Vemagiri, Dhawaleswaram Rd, Rajahmundry, Ph: 0883-2417618/2417208; Telefax: 0883- the two centuries that heard in the neighbour- neighbours, often China. India must be wary national bulletins backed out 2417208 Britain was the paramount hood, whether it is in treating them like about becoming their cat’s news from the east wing except Anantapur: Thapovan colony, Bangalore By-Pass Road, Anantapur - 515004, Ph: 08554-276903; Fax: power in India, India’s Colombo or Kathmandu. paw. for a long official report giving 08554-276904 national interests were Increasingly, such voices errant schoolboys. casualty figures of last week’s dis- Karimnagar: Survey No.1341, Vavilalapally Colony, Jagityala Road, Karimnagar - 505 001, Ph: 0878- synonymous with those of are being heard in This is the con- The writer, a policy turbances, Dacca Radio played a 2228908; Telefax: 0878-2220433 Britain. The paramount Thimphu as well. With stant lament heard analyst studying economic recorded version of the Awami Nellore: Survey No.527/2, Burranpur Village, Venkatachalam (M), Chemmudugunta Panchayat, Nellore, power’s paramount inter- Bangladesh, too, we have and security issues, held League leader’s speech of yester- Ph: 0861-2348581/82; Telefax: 0861-2348580 in the neighbour- est, as far as India was con- rapidly descended from senior positions in govern- Chennai: SP-3 Developed Plot, Industrial Estate, Guindy, Chennai - 600 032, Ph: 044-22254747/ 48/50/51; hood, whether it is day which described the east Advt Fax: 22254765/22254766/42305325 cerned, was to keep the being the liberator to the ment and industry. wing’s struggle as “a fight for lib- Coimbatore: 77, Vivekananda Road, Ramnagar, Coimbatore - 641 009, Ph : 0422 2231255 goose that laid the golden neighbourhood bully. The in Colombo or He also specialises in the eration”. Gram: CHRONICLE Postal registration no: No. H/SD-348/2006-08 egg healthy and well. Lord dominant Indian discourse Kathmandu. Chinese economy.

n 2020, the Narendra Modi gov- believe that the issue was one related same on two but and fell on forty-one. “image correction” but improving hardly accurate. ernment decided to improve In- to image rather than reality. A report The decline was so broad and so pro- performance through governance. The real problem is political rights dia’s standing on various indices the next month said the government nounced that organisations captured After the publicity strategy had fall- are only 40 per cent of the Freedom Ithat showed a deterioration in was “working to improve India’s similar results through different me- en through for whatever reason, the House score. The other 60 per cent is governance. These indices that were ranking on 29 global indices, and it thodologies. India since 2014 has done government then decided at the end civil liberties. Here we perform poor- upsetting New Delhi spanned from wants the message to reach everyone poorly on six indices that tracked of 2020 that if it asked ministries to ly (33/60). On the issues of freedom of those produced by non-profits work- loud and clear”. The way it would do civil liberties and pluralism, five that “ensure swift and updated data” it expression, religion, academic free- ing in specialised areas, multilateral this was “a massive publicity cam- tracked health and literacy, two tra- would help on the indices. This was dom, freedom of assembly, freedom Aakar Patel bodies like the United Nations, insti- paign” that would “shape India’s per- cking religious freedom and minori- based on the assumption that the gov- for NGOs to work (the report names tutions traditionally seen as being on ception” through advertising and ties, two tracking Internet denial, six ernment’s work was excellent; it was the attack on my former organisation the Right, like the World Economic “micro-sites of ministries” and it tracking national power of various ty- merely data lag that caused it to Amnesty India specifically), rule of Forum and The Economist, and also would also “publicise the problems, pes, four tracking the rule of law and plummet. This was also of course law, independence of judiciary, due the government's own data. parameters and data sources of global corruption, four tracking sustainabil- wrong, and the indices that have process by the police and so on, our The government was clearly con- indices”. ity and environment, four tracking come out after that showed continued rating is poor. Can we disagree with cerned about its drop. We know this Would this address the problem at gender issues and their safety, four decline. this? We cannot. The answer is not to as it put out a press release on July 10 hand? It would not. The issue was not tracking economic freedoms of Indi- The latest report has come last week deny, as the government has done with the headline: “Niti Aayog organ- one of perception or bias, but one of ans and four tracking urban spaces. from Freedom House, which says that through a one-page response. This ises a virtual workshop to monitor fact. The world was not conspiring to The record leaves little room for de- India is not free but “partly free”. will not work because another report India’s image performance of 29 select Global show us in a bad light. The solution bate or dispute. The scale and rapidi- This is not opinion; it is based on a set is coming soon: the reputable Indices”. At this workshop it was lay in acknowledging that India had ty of decline in governance is mani- of indicators. India says it is democ- Varieties of Democracy report from decided that the government would been declining in several areas since fest. It may appear strange that the ratic. Freedom House agrees. It gives the University of Gothenburg. Last in free fall, but prepare a “single, informative dash- 2014 and working on trying to Modi government should have India 34/40 on political rights. Full year’s report had said: “India has con- board for all the 29 Global Indices” improve them. Spending money on a thought reversing this performance marks for free and fair elections, tinued on a path of steep decline, to which would allow for “monitoring of media campaign would not change required “a massive publicity cam- Election Commission impartiality, the extent it has almost lost its status the parameters as per official data as the numbers. India’s discrediting the paign” which would “shape India’s freedom to start political parties, as a democracy.” govt in denial well as the data source used by the data of all these agencies and institu- perception” through advertising and opportunities for the Opposition to Our precipitous decline is being publishing agencies”. tions was unlikely to reverse the more websites, but it is how the gov- increase their power. Not full marks noticed and recorded abroad with This monitoring exercise was “not views of those who had looked at and ernment thought. A more credible on whether voting is hampered by alarm. It is strange that within India on real causes just to improve rankings but to understood the facts. response might have been to say that violence and affected communal ten- we are carrying on as if it is business improve systems and drive reforms Under Prime Minister Modi, India’s the decline was not the Modi govern- sion. All this we already know. The as usual. to attract investments and to shape ranking rose on three indicators ment’s doing entirely; to deny it alto- fact is that we do very well on politi- India's perception globally”. (including the World Bank’s Doing gether was to run away from the cal rights, and in fact the government The writer is a columnist and a The government appeared to Business index), it remained the problem. The solution was not gets 3/4 on transparency, which is senior journalist NATION DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 9 MARCH 2021 pg 7

IN BRIEF JOLT TO DIDI: MODI LIKELY TO ADDRESS MP PASSES DENIED TICKETS, ANTI-CONVERSION 5 TRINAMUL 5 RALLIES IN LEGISLATION MLAs JOIN BJP KERALA RAJIB CHOWDHURI | DC DC CORRESPONDENT RABINDRA NATH KOLKATA, MARCH 8 THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, CHOUDHURY | DC MAR. 8 BHOPAL, MAR 8 Dealing another blow to their party supremo and The BJP has decided to The controversial Freedom of West Bengal chief min- field party national vice Religion Bill 2021, providing 10 ister Mamata Banerjee president A P years imprisonment for reli- on the eve of the Abdullakutty from gious conversion of a girl Assembly elections, five Malappuram Lok Sabha through marriage or by any sitting Trinamul constituency for the other fraudulent means was Congress MLAs on bypoll to be held along on Monday passed in the Monday joined the BJP with the assembly elec- Madhya Pradesh assembly. after they were denied tions. The decision was The bill, popularly known as tickets by her this time. conveyed in a statement ‘Love Jihad’ law, was passed by Another Trinamul issued by BJP’s central voice vote amid opposition by leader, Sarala Murmu, election committee in Congress which described it as who had got a ticket to a Delhi. “an attack on personal free- seat she did not want to The decision to field dom and violation of contest from, walked Abdullakutty has been Constitution”. into the saffron party taken in view of the State home minister after she was replaced. peculiarity of the Narottam Mishra however jus- The five sitting MLAs Muslim dominated tified the bill saying that who defected to the BJP Malappuram constituen- instances of some people mar- are four-time legislator cy. This is rying girls of other religions of Satgachhia in South Abdullakutty’s first by concealing their real identi- 24 Parganas and a close election after joining the ties for conversion have of late aide of Ms Banerjee, BJP. Earlier, he was MP come to the fore, forcing the Sonali Guha, Sital twice from the CPM and government to legislate the Sardar of Sankrail, Jatu later MLA from the law to check such illegal prac- Lahiri of Shibpur in Congress for one term. tices. Howrah, Rabindranath The BJP has projected “I am not against ‘love’, but Bhattacharya of Singur Abdullakutty as the against ‘jihad’ (religious in Hooghly and Dipendu party’s Muslim face by war)”, he observed. Biswas of Basirhat elevating him to the post Mr Mishra took a dig at Dakshin in North 24 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee participates in a rally with her party women candidates, who are contesting from different con- of national vice presi- Congress for opposing the bill, Parganas. stituencies for the upcoming state Assembly polls, to mark International Women’s Day in Kolkata on Monday. - PTI dent. The Muslim saying that the Opposition They made the switch League and the CPM party always pursued politics to the saffron party in have not decided the of appeasement to cultivate presence of its state candidates for the vote banks. chief and Midnapore Malappuram constituen- Participating in the debate, MP Dilip Ghosh and cy as yet. BJP MLA Rameswar Sharma national vice-president Kerala CM starts campaign The Malappuram Lok said the bill was necessary to Mukul Roy, to whom Sabha bypoll was war- check the disturbing trend wit- many of them made a ranted by sitting MP and nessed in tribal regions of the beeline after finding Muslim League leader P state in which Christian and their names not in the K Kunhalikutty’s resig- Muslim men were found mar- TMC list. with direct attack on Shah nation. Kunhalikutty rying tribal girls to usurp var- The five MLAs took the who returned to Kerala ious privileges provided to adi- drastic step after Ms politics, would be con- vasis by the government. Banerjee, while testing the forthcoming announcing the TMC During a rally, the home minister had termed Kerala as ‘most corrupt’ Assembly polls. candidates’ list, had Meanwhile, Prime SPECULATIONS regretted having GILVESTER ASSARY | DC gold smuggling case, About mysterious mur- Dharmadom. ing of Youth Congress, Minister Narendra Modi dropped so many sitting THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, appointment of key der as alleged by Shah, Mr The chief minister was Rahul Gandhi is believed is slated to address five RIFE AS U’KHAND MLAs but assured that MARCH 8 accused in government Vijayan said that let the elected from Dharmadom to have reiterated that the public meetings as part she would set up a department, her trips to home minister clearly constituency in 2016 with representation for youth of the campaign in CM TO MEET PM Vidhan Parishad to Chief Minister Pinarayi Gulf along with senior state the facts instead of a huge margin of 36,905 and women in the list of Kerala. Amit Shah will accommodate the old Vijayan on Monday hit out official, corruption and creating a smokescreen. votes. Though the candidates should not be addressing seven DC CORRESPONDENT guard like Ms Guha as at union home minister mysterious death of a per- “If he reveals the name of Congress and BJP are yet come down. meetings. Rajnath NEW DELHI, MARCH 8 Legislative Council Amit Shah saying that he son allegedly involved in the person, I am sure to announce their candi- Youth Congress state Singh, J P Nadda, members. had insulted the people of gold smuggling. Kerala police will probe dates, political observers president Shafi Parambil Nirmala Sitharaman, Amid growing speculations The ruling TMC the state by terming Mr Vijayan put counter the matter,” he said. say Mr Vijayan might MLA who attended the Yogi Adityanath are the over a leadership change in received another jolt Kerala as “most corrupt questions to Amit Shah. The chief minister said retain the seat comfort- national executive meet- other star campaigners BJP ruled Uttrakhand, chief during day after it state”. Why have the central Mr Shah personified ably considering the sup- ing apprised Mr Gandhi who would be soliciting minister Trivendra Rawat replaced Ms Murmu, Mr Vijayan while agencies not been able to “communal politics.” port his party enjoys in about the less number of votes for the party in reached New Delhi to meet the who wanted to contest addressing an election crack the gold smuggling He said Kerala does not the constituency. youth and new faces in the Kerala in the coming party top brass. Mr Rawat met from Old Malda, citing meeting in his constituen- case even after eight believe in the communal Meanwhile, the state existing list. days. BJP president JP Nadda late her “ill health”, with cy Dharmadom in Kannur months? How did politics that he espoused. leadership of CPM decid- Sources said based on evening. Pradeep Baskey at district said that several Thiruvananthapuram “Our culture is not his cul- ed to exclude Law the feedback, Rahul is Earlier during the day, Mr Habibpur in Malda in agencies had adjudged international airport, ture. We are following the Minister A K Balan’s wife understood to have spoken BJP NOT TO Nadda had met Union home the morning. Disgusted, Kerala as the least corrupt which is under Centre’s footsteps of our great Dr P K Jameela from the to the PCC leadership ask- minister Amit Shah in Ms Murmu joined the state. The home minister complete control, become social reformers Sree list of probable candidates ing them to ensure good Parliament. BJP general secre- BJP. Besides, the BJP is trying to mislead the a gold smuggling hub Narayana Guru, for Tharoor constituency. representation for youth ANNOUNCE CM tary organisation BL Santhosh also took control of the people by creating smoke- under the NDA regime? Chattambi Swami, Her name was taken off and women. The Congress also attended the meeting, giv- Malda Zilla Parishad by screen. You created Isn’t the main person who Mahatma Ayyankali, Ayya following opposition with- high command has also FACE IN ASSAM ing rise to speculations that it inducting its 14 mem- “achche din” by facilitat- conspired gold smuggling Guru who spoke about in the party. asked the PCC to prune was related to the Uttrakhand bers to its fold from the ing 16,000 per cent a Sangh Parivar man? communal harmony and Meanwhile, with the the list of probables before Guwahati, Mar 8: The issue. Mr Rawat is likely to Trinamul Congress. increase in wealth," he He also took a dig at Mr universal brotherhood,” Congress high command submitting to the screen- BJP will not announce meet PM Narendra Modi and Leading a rally of said while referring to the Shah saying that he had he said. directing that 60 per cent ing committee. As of now the chief ministerial Mr Shah on Tuesday. The CM women TMC candidates, allegations related to not been in jail on the Mr Vijayan criticised the of the party candidates for two to five names figure in candidate before the also met BJP Rajya Sabha MP including several Shah’s son. charges of murder, fake Congress for failing to the forthcoming assembly the list for each con- Assam polls and a deci- Anil Baluni before his meeting Bengali film and TV At the public meeting encounter, snooping, kid- utter a word against Shah polls should be youth, stituency. Kerala PCC sion in this regard will with Mr Nadda. actors in Kolkata on held in napping. “Amit Shah and his party. women and new faces, the president Mr Mullapally be taken by its A section within the BJP Women’s Day, Mamata Thiruvananthapuram on should remember that he Earlier, Mr Vijayan who state leadership will have Rama-chandran is likely Parliamentary Board at state unit is of the view that dared Prime Minister Sunday, Amit Shah had faced such serious arrived in Kannur was to make changes in the to contest the polls from the time of forming the going to polls, scheduled next Narendra Modi to “com- put certain questions to charges. “People of Kerala given a warm reception by existing list of probable Kannur district. Earlier next government, the year, with Mr Rawat as the CM pete with her on the the chief minister about know who Pinarayi LDF workers at the inter- candidates. he had decided to keep off saffron party state unit can dent the poll prospects. road like a street fight- the involvement of his for- Vijayan is. They have seen national airport. He was Sources said that at the the electoral fray and con- president Ranjeet This section of BJP leaders, er”. mer principal secretary in our work,” he said. taken in a procession to national executive meet- centrate on campaign. Kumar Dass said on including some ministers and Monday. MLAs are miffed with the CM Incumbent chief min- over various issues, including ister Sarbananda administrative. However, Sonowal and influential those supporting Mr Rawat minister and convenor claim that the other faction is Hiren’s death Remarks on rape case last week of the North East giving the opposition ammuni- Democratic Front tion. (NEDA) Himanta Biswa The opposition - Congress Sarma have also said the and AAP - lapped up the fac- case now to be completely misreported, says SC ultimate decision on tionalism brewing in the rul- selecting a person for ing BJP camp and claimed that the chief minister chair many dissenting BJP MLAs PARMOD KUMAR | DC given highest respect to out of context.” Lawyer marry the victim making in the new government are in touch with them. probed by NIA NEW DELHI, MARCH 8 womanhood. We asked Biju for the petitioner girl it clear that court was not will be that of the ‘are you going to marry’. seeking termination of compelling him or offer- party’s Parliamentary SHAHAB ANSARI | DC over the case, there is Chief Justice Sharad A. We did’'t order (to) marry,” pregnancy described the ing an option. board. SUSPENSION OF MUMBAI, MARCH 8 something fishy about it. Bobde on Monday said his the CJI said. alleged misreporting as However, entire thing got This is in contrary to We are also investigating remark to a rape accused The clarification from “tarnishing of the image closed after accused peti- the position in 2016, 10 AKALI MLAs The probe into the death another matter, that of that “will you marry her” the top court came in the of the highest court”. tioner seeking anticipato- when BJP had projected of Mansukh Hiren, the the suicide of MP Mohan was taken out of context course of the hearing of a The question had arisen ry bail said that he had the then union minister REVOKED owner of the explosives Delkar. The opposition and “misreported”. petition by a 14-year old in the context of an under- offered to marry the vic- Sarbananda Sonowal as laden vehicle that was has no guts to speak about Expressing dissatisfac- girl from Haryana seeking standing between the vic- tim girl but she refused its chief ministerial face Chandigarh, Mar 8: Punjab found outside industrial- it as they know who calls tion with the “misreport- court’s nod for the termi- tim girl’s mother with the and now he is married to before the elections were Assembly Speaker Rana K P ist Mukesh Ambani’s res- the shots in union territo- ing” of the proceedings, nation of her 26 week old mother of the accused, another woman. held. Singh on Monday revoked the idence, has been trans- ries,” he said. Chief Justice heading a pregnancy. Agreeing with who is now 23, that he Rejecting his plea for “When there is no gov- suspension of 10 Shiromani ferred from Maharashtra A Scorpio car carrying bench also comprising the bench that it was a would marry her (victim) anticipatory bail, the top ernment, then the CM Akali Dal legislators. In the Anti Terrorism Squad 20 gelatin sticks was Justice A.S.Bopanna and case of misreporting, after she becomes an court in the last hearing name is projected. When ongoing budget session, the (ATS) to the National seized near Ambani’s res- Justice V. Rama subra- Solicitor General Tushar adult. granted him four weeks of we are in government, speaker said the legislators Investigation Agency idence ‘Antilia’ in South manian said that “We have Mehta said “You asked a In a hearing on March 1, protection from arrest, then we do not project can participate in the discus- (NIA). Mumbai on February 25. the highest respect for question in a different the CJI had asked the peti- giving him liberty to seek any name for the CM sion on the budget, which was Reacting to this Police had said it had womanhood”. “We have context. You were quoted tioner accused if he would bail from the trial court. post,” Dass said. - PTI presented on Monday. Maharashtra Chief been stolen from Airoli- The 10 Akali legislators were Minister Uddhav Mulund Bridge on suspended on Friday for dis- Thackeray has stated that February 18. rupting Chief Minister transfer of Mansukh’s Later, the police identi- Amarinder Singh’s speech on murder case from ATS to fied 46-year-old Hiren, an MAJOR | CONCERN India sees over 18,000 new cases for third consecutive day the governor's address twice. NIA suggests something automobile accessories The Amarinder Singh-led was fishy. The investiga- dealer, as owner of the government presented its last tion into Hiren's death said vehicle. He however, budget with a total size of was transferred to the was found dead in a creek `1,68,015 crore for 2021-22, NIA on Monday and the in district Thane in Covid cases surge, recovery rate drops making bulk of its provisions NIA was in the process of neighbouring Mumbai. for agriculture, urban develop- re-registering the case He had gone missing DC CORRESPONDENT 96.91 per cent, the data ● ACCORDING TO THE ery rate stands at 96.91%, hours, according to the lat- ment, water resources, health into his death. around 5 hours before his NEW DELHI, MARCH 8 stated. while fatality rate remains est bulletin issued by the and other sectors. Speaking to the dead body was found. A total of 18,599 new ICMR, 22,19,68,271 sam- unchanged at 1.41%. Delhi health department. Dedicating the state budget reporters in Mumbai on Making a statement in New cases of coronavirus infections were registered ples have been tested up The Indian states and India's Covid-19 tally had to the farmers who are protest- Monday, Mr Thackeray the state Assembly, Home infection in India were in a day, while the death to March 7 with 5,37,764 UTs with the worst case crossed the 20-lakh mark ing against the Centre’s said that governments Minister Anil Deshmukh recorded above 18,000 for toll increased to 1,57,853 samples being tested on fatality rate at present are on August 7, 30 lakh on three farm laws, Finance min- come and go, but the offi- said that an appropriate the third consecutive day with 97 daily new fatali- Sunday. Punjab (3.15%), August 23, 40 lakh on ister Manpreet Singh Badal cial administrative probe was being conduct- taking the total tally of ties, the data updated at 8 Maharashtra (2.36%), and September 5 and 50 lakh decided against levying any machinery remains the ed. He stated that the Covid-19 cases to am showed. On January Gujarat (2.19%). The rate on September 16. It went fresh taxes in the state which same and one needs to Maharashtra police are 1,12,29,398, according to 29, 18,855 new infections across India saw a net in as many as 15 is higher past 60 lakh on September will go to the Assembly polls trust it. Mr Thackeray capable of solving the the Union Health Ministry were recorded in a span of increase of 4,224 on than the national average. 28, 70 lakh on October 11, early next year. also said that the state case and the ATS has data updated on Monday. 24 hours. Monday, compared with Delhi recorded as many crossed 80 lakh on October Announcing the next phase had handed over the case begun its probe into the The active cases also reg- The number of people 4,219 on Sunday. States as 239 fresh coronavirus 29, 90 lakh on November 20 of the Congress-led govern- of the vehicle laden with matter. istered an increase for the who have recuperated that have seen the biggest cases on Monday. With and surpassed the one- ment’s flagship programme explosives and the myste- Leader of opposition in sixth consecutive day and from the disease surged daily net increase in active this, the tally of cases in crore mark on December ‘crop loan waiver scheme’, rious death of Hiren to the Assembly Devendra the active caseload to1,08,82,798 which trans- cases are Maharashtra the national capital has 19. Badal announced an allocation the ATS. According to Fadnavis said that the increased to 1,88,747 which lates to a national recov- (5,090), Punjab (333), reached over 6.41 lakh, According to the ICMR, of `1,712 crore in which Rs him, the NIA taking over state government should now comprises 1.68 per ery rate of 96.91 per cent, Karnataka (268), Haryana while the death toll 22,19,68,271 samples have 1,186 crore of 1.13 lakh farm- the case shows something be ashamed of itself for cent of the total infec- while the case fatality rate (133), and Gujarat (115). mounted to 10,924. Three been tested up to March 7 ers and `526 crore of landless was fishy. “If the Centre failing to provide protec- tions. The recovery rate stands at 1.41 per cent. With 14,278 new daily fatalities have been with 5,37,764 samples farm workers will be waived. is planning on taking tion to Hiren. has dropped further to The count of active cases recoveries, India’s recov- recorded in the last 24 being tested on Sunday. CINEMA WORLD DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | pg 8 TUESDAY | 9 MARCH 2021 Myanmar security men gun down 2 protesters Mandalay (Myanmar), showed protesters in the with a cloth. March 8: Security street backing away Security forces also forces shot dead two from tear gas, respo- clamped down on anti- people in northern nding with rocks, then coup protesters else- Myanmar on Monday, fleeing after a fusillade where Monday, firing local media reported, as of what seemed to be tear gas to break up a cr- the military gove- automatic gunfire. owd of around 1,000 rnment continued its at- Demonstrators hur- people who were demon- tempt to stamp out oppo- riedly carried away a strating in the capital, sition to its February 1 number of casualties, Naypyitaw. The protest- coup. The Irrawaddy ne- including one apparent ers deployed fire extin- wspaper said the vic- fatality, a person who guishers to create a tims were shot in the had clearly sustained a smoke screen as they head during anti-coup severe head wound. A fled from authorities. protests in Myitkyina in second body was seen a Meanwhile, thousands Kachin State. Graphic little later, on a stretch- of protesters marching video on social media er, his head covered in Mandalay. — AP

Marise Payne AUSTRALIA ENDS DEFENCE TIES WITH MYANMAR Canberra, March 8: Australia has suspended its defence cooperation with Myanmar and is redirecting humanitari- an aid because of the military takeover of the government and ongo- ing detention of an Australian citizen. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Monday that Australian diplo- mats only had access to economic policy adviser Sean Turnell twice since he was detained in early February. She described the acce- ss as “very limited consular support.” “We continue to absolutely call for the release of Professor Sean Turnell,” Payne told Australian Broadcasting Corp. Australia announced late Sunday it had sus- pended a defence train- ing programme with Myanmar worth about 1.5 million Australian dollars ($1.2 million) over five years. The pro- gramme had been restricted to non-combat areas such as English- language training. Australian humanitari- an aid will be directed away from Myanmar government and govern- ment-related entities. Instead it will focus on the immediate humani- tarian needs of the most vulnerable and poor in Myanmar including the Rohingyas and other ethnic minorities, Payne said. Australia had pre- viously imposed sanc- tions including an arms embargo and sanctions targeting several indi- viduals. These sanctions would continue to be reviewed, Payne said. Turnell was detained within weeks of arriv- ing in Myanmar's biggest city, Yangon, from Australia to take up a job as adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi's gov- ernment. Australia has also called for the release of Suu Kyi, President Win Myint and others who have been arbitrarily detained since the Feb. 1 military coup. — AP ALGERIAN HELD OVER 2015 PARIS ATTACKS

Milan, March 8: Italian police on Monday arrest- ed a 36-year-old Algerian in the southern city of Bari on suspicion of supporting coordinated attacks in Paris that killed 130 people in November 2015. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of participating in a terror organisation, and is believed to have belonged to the Islamic State group, national police said in a state- ment. The suspect was not identified by name. He is believed to have supplied falsified docu- ments to the terrorists who launched coordinat- ed attacks against the Bataclan nightclub, five cafes in central Paris and the Stade de France in the Paris suburb of St. Denis. — AP C WORLD DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | pg 9 TUESDAY | 9 MARCH 2021 I UIGHURS PROTEST CHINA CAMPS U.S., S. KOREA Istanbul, March 8: Muslim Uighur women in Turkey staged an International Women's Day AGREE ON NEW march along the Bosphorus demanding the clo- N sure of incarceration camps in China. — AFP COST-SHARING TROOP DEAL Seoul, March 8: South Korea and the United St- E ates have reached agree- ment on Seoul's contri- bution to the costs of the US troop presence on the peninsula, Seoul said Monday, as the two allies M kicked off annual joint military exercises. The issue had bedevill- ed the two allies' securi- ty alliance under former president Donald Tru- A mp, who had a transacti- onal approach to foreign policy and repeatedly ac- cused the South of freel- oading. Washington stations 28,500 troops in the coun- try to defend it from the nuclear-armed North, which invaded in 1950. They are a key part of US forces' deployment in Asia, but negotiations over funding had been gridlocked by the former US administration's de- mands that the South pay billions of dollars more towards their costs. The Trump adminis- tration initially insisted on $5 billion a year — a more than fivefold incr- ease. Under the previous deal, which expired at the end of 2019, Seoul paid Washington about $920 million annually. Seoul's foreign minist- ry said the two sides had reached an agreement “in principle” without specifying the agreed amount. “The governm- ent will resolve a gap that has lasted for more than a year through a swift signing of an agre- ement,” it said in a state- ment. The new deal must still be approved by the South Korean legis- lature. US President Joe Biden has vowed to rev- ive frayed US alliances under his predecessor to counter the challenges posed by Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. The two sides “will now pursue the final steps needed to conclude the Special Measures Agreement for signature and entry into force that will strengthen our Alliance and our shared defence,” it added. — AP CHINA PLAN TO INSTAL PATRIOTS NOT PURGE OF OPPN: LAM Hong Kong, March 8: Hong Kong's leader on Monday praised China's plan to ensure only “pa- triots” remain in politics, denying the move was a purge of the opposition. Chief Executive Carrie Lam ruled out any need to consult the public on the changes, as they were decreed by Beijing. Le- gislation to vet all elec- tion candidates in Hong Kong is currently being discussed by China's rub- ber-stamp parliament and is expected to be adopted on Thursday. China has said only those deemed “patriotic” will be allowed to stand. Critics say the radical overhaul of the city's al- ready limited democrat- ic system will demolish what remains of the pro- democracy opposition and ensure only loyalis- ts remain, an argument that Lam rejected on Mo- nday. “The improvemen- ts to the electoral system are not designed to favo- ur someone, it is design- ed to ensure that whoev- er is administering Hong Kong is patriotic,” Lam, a pro-Beijing appo- intee, told reporters after returning from the gathering in Beijing. “The decision is timely, necessary, lawful and constitutional, and the central authorities' lead- ership and decision-ma- king power are out of question.” Authoritari- an China promised Hong Kong would keep a degr- ee of autonomy and cert- ain freedoms when it reverted from British colonial rule in 1997. The city has a partially elected legislature and China also promised to one day grant residents universal suffrage. Criti- cs had for years compla- ined freedoms were bei- ng steadily eroded. Beij- ing then ramped up the dismantling of the fina- ncial hub's democratic pillars. — AP WORLD DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 9 MARCH 2021 pg 10

SHORT TAKES VAX SHOTS FOR PALESTINIANS Jerusalem, March 8: After delays, Israel 9-YEAR-OLD BOY Meghan alleges royal racism started vaccinating Palestinians who work inside the country and its West Bank settle- SHOT, KILLED ments on Monday, more than two months Ex-actress tells chat show host Oprah Winfrey she had contemplated suicide after launching an immunisation blitz of its NEAR ST. LOUIS Los Angeles/London, ● THE 39-YEAR-OLD own population. March 8: Meghan — AP St. Louis, March 8: Police in Markle struggled as a former American St. Louis are investigating a new member of actress, who is preg- shooting that killed a 9-year- Britain's royal family nant with her second old boy. The shooting happe- after her marriage to child, revealed that ned around 10 p.m. Sunday in Prince Harry to such a a residential area south of degree that she even the couple are downtown. The boy later died contemplated suicide, expecting a baby girl at a hospital, officials said. the Duchess of Sussex and shared how the Police did not release any revealed in an explosive other details, including the tell-all interview with palace decided that identity of the child or who American chat show their first-born, may have shot the child. host Oprah Winfrey. Archie, could not be The two-hour special, a prince and would aired on the CBS net- PHILIPPINE COPS work in the US on therefore have no Sunday and set to be security. KILL 9 IN RAIDS aired on ITV in the UK on Monday night, saw ON REBELS Prince Harry joining stunned Winfrey. his wife half-way Meghan replied: “That Manila, March 8: Philippine through as the couple was relayed to me from police backed by military also spoke about con- Harry, those were co- forces killed nine people over cerns of racism within nversations the family the weekend in a series of the royal ranks after had with him, and I raids against suspected com- being asked about their think it was really hard munist insurgents, with auth- son Archie's expected to be able to see those as orities saying the suspects op- skin colour when compartmentalised ened fire first. Others, howev- mixed-race Meghan conversations. They er, said those killed were una- was pregnant with were saying they didn't rmed activists. Police said Mo- their first child. want him to be a prince nday that all of those killed I just didn't want to be or a princess and that were associated with “commu- alive anymore, Meghan he wasn't going to nist terrorist groups” and had said, adding that when receive security.” shot at officers while they she went to the institu- The Duke and were serving search warrants. tion for help she was Duchess of Sussex's The suspects died while bei- told it would not be children do not auto- Britain’s Prince Harry (L) and his wife Meghan (C), Duchess of Sussex, in a conversation with US televi- ng brought to hospitals, police forthcoming as it woul- matically become prin- sion host Oprah Winfrey. — AFP said. Police served at least 24 dn't be good for the ces or princesses search warrants, mostly for il- institution. The 39-year- because of a rule that sixth in line to the body. It's really sad that working members of because of deals they legal firearms and explosives, old former American has been in place since British throne, also it's got to this point. But the royal family. Harry have signed with in a number of locations. actress, who is preg- 1917, unless the Queen spoke of his hurt at his I've got to do something said the couple were Netflix and Spotify si- nant with her second steps in. father Prince Charles for my own mental only able to afford their nce moving to child, revealed that the Both Meghan and not taking his calls health, my wife's and new life in California California, Harry THREE DEAD IN couple are expecting a Harry refused to after the couple decided for Archie's as well, because of his mother replied: First of all this baby girl and shared divulge who exactly to step back as frontline because I could see wh- Diana Princess of Wal- was never the intenti- KENTUCKY how the palace decided made remarks about royals last year. ere this was headed, he es. My family literally on. We're certainly not that their first-born, their son's skin tone, [I had] three conversa- said, in reference to the cut me off financially. complaining. Life is OVERDOSES Archie, could not be a with Meghan admitting tions with my grand- couple's decision to I've got what my mum great. We've got a beau- prince and would there- that if she revealed who mother [Queen relocate. left me. Without that, tiful house, beautiful Hazard (Kentucky), March fore have no security. was involved in such Elizabeth II] and two They have since we never would have family. The dogs are 8: Police in a southeastern She alluded to “con- talks it would be very conversations with my moved to California been able to do this I really happy. Kentucky community are cerns and conversa- damaging to them. father [Charles], before after formally stepping think she saw it com- From my perspective working with a federal drug tions about how dark That conversation I'm he stopped taking my down from royal duties ing, he said. all I needed was enough enforcement agency to identi- his skin might be when never going to share,” calls, he said. It was, in March 2020, and it Asked by Winfrey how money to be able to pay fy the source of suspected ove- he's born”. asserted Harry. The 36- like, I needed to do this was announced last they would respond to for security, to keep my rdoses that resulted in three Who is having that year-old Duke of for my family. This is month that they would accusations that they family safe, he said. deaths and sickened several ot- conversation?” asked a Sussex, who is still not a surprise to any- not be returning as were money-grabbing — PTI her people, including two offi- cers. The Hazard Police Department said on Facebook that officers responding to a report of suspected overdoses Woman took child to in an apartment found three 20 dead, 600 wounded bodies Thursday. A fourth per- son suspected of overdosing IS area, gets 3 yrs’ jail was taken to a hospital while eight more overdoses have Stockholm, March 8: A “where there was war and since been reported in the city, in E. Guinea blasts southern Swedish court an environment charac- the statement said. Police on Monday sentenced a terised by the violent ide- urged residents to use caution Ouagadougou (Burkina huge plume of smoke rising ties, but feared people were woman to three years in ology of the Islamic State if they see any substance that Faso), March 8: A series of above the explosion site as still missing under the rub- prison for taking her 2- group.” The court, which is not easily recognizable. explosions at a military bar- crowds fled, with many peo- ble. The blasts were a shock year-old son to Syria in did not identify the racks in Equatorial Guinea ple crying out “we don't for the oil rich Central Afr- 2014, to an area that was woman's nationality, killed at least 20 people and know what happened, but it ican nation. Foreign Mini- then controlled by the rejected her claims that FIVE BALOCH wounded more than 600 oth- is all destroyed.” Images on ster Simeón Oyono Esono Islamic State (IS) group. she had only intended to ers on Sunday, authorities local media seen by The Angue met with foreign The woman, who lived go to Syria for a few days ULTRAS KILLED said. President Teodoro Associated Press show people ambassadors and asked for in the southern town of to see how it was there Obiang Nguema said the screaming and crying run- aid. “It is important for us to Landskrona, has alleged- and then return home. IN PAKISTAN explosion at 4 pm local time ning through the streets ask our brother countries for ly told the child's father She also told the court was due to the “negligent amid debris and smoke. their assistance in this lam- that she and the boy were that she had become inte- Karachi, March 8: Pakistan's handling of dynamite” in the Roofs of houses were ripped entable situation since we only going on a holiday to rested in religion after the security forces on Monday military barracks located in off and wounded people were have a health emergency Turkey. However, once in death of a close relative. killed five militants of the out- the neighbourhood of Mond- being carried into a hospital. (due to Covid-19) and the Turkey, the two crossed “She intended to move to lawed Balochistan Liberation ong Nkuantoma in Bata. Equatorial Guinea, an tragedy in Bata,” he said. into Syria and IS-run ter- Syria with her son and Army in the country's restive “The impact of the explo- African country of 1.3 mil- A doctor calling into TVGE, ritory. The Lund District settle there permanently, Balochistan province. sion caused damage in lion people located south of who went by his first name, Court said the woman, and took her son away The militants of the sepa- almost all the houses and Cameroon, was a colony of Florentino, said the situation who was not named, took from his father in an arbi- ratist outfit were killed follow- buildings in Bata," the pre- Spain until it gained its inde- was a “moment of crisis” the child to an area trary manner.” — AP ing an intelligence-based oper- sident said in a statement, pendence in 1968. and that the hospitals were ation in Splinji area of which was in Spanish. Bata has roughly 175,000 overcrowded. He said a Mastung district, a senior offi- The defence ministry relea- inhabitants. Earlier, the sports center set up for cial of the Counter Terrorism sed a statement late Sunday Health Ministry had tweeted Covid-19 patients would be Department in Quetta said. saying that a fire at a wea- that 17 were killed and the used to receive minor cases. They were planning a big ter- pons depot in the barracks president's statement men- Radio station, Radio Macuto, ror attack in Quetta. Explosi- caused the explosion of high- tioned 15 dead. said on Twitter that people ves, detonators and arms were calibre ammunition. It said The Health Ministry made were being evacuated within recovered from their hideout. the provisional toll was 20 a call for blood donors and four kilometers of the city The five militants were dead and 600 injured, adding volunteer health workers to because the fumes might be involved in carrying out that the cause of the explosi- go to the Regional Hospital harmful. attacks on labourers and secu- ons will be fully investigated. de Bata, one of three hospi- Following the blast, the rity forces. “When we raided The country's president said tals treating the wounded. Spanish Embassy in their hideout, they opened fire the fire may have been due The ministry said its health Equatorial Guinea recom- on the police officials instead residents burning the fields workers were treating the mended on Twitter that of surrendering,” he said. surrounding the barracks. injured at the site of the “Spanish nationals stay in State television showed a tragedy and in medical facili- their homes." — AP Women of 15 nations feted by Jill Biden for courage Washington, March 8: First ● SOME WERE called to serv- fear they faced, there is a future lady Jill Biden says nearly two ice, and some couldn't escape worth fighting for,” Biden says. dozen women the State it, Jill Biden says. They are Touching on the past year, the Department is honouring for first lady says the pandemic their courage made an inten- fighting for their own lives and shows how the things that con- tional decision to persist and de- for their children. They want to nect us, our love for family and mand justice despite their fear. right the wrongs of our past, to friends, our hope that we will be The 21 women being recognised build a brighter future for together soon transcend lan- Monday with the department's everyone. They aren't immune guage and distance. She says International Women of to fear. that diplomacy, at its best, is a Courage Award include seven recognition of this connection from Afghanistan who are rece- and that the United States, iving posthumous honours. The one is. Biden says that in the under President Joe Biden's first lady says that the women's course of ordinary lives, each of leadership, will support women stories make it easy to think of the women made an extraordi- around the world. them as mythical heroes or nary choice. We will make the choice to angels among us but that they're You see, courage isn't really lead, to be bold and to lift up the also humans who want to enjoy found, Biden says. “It doesn't women and girls everywhere life's simple pleasures. conjure away our doubts. It's an who light our way, Biden says in Some of these women have intentional decision made. her prepared remarks. For 15 spent their lives fighting for The ceremony is being held years, we have honoured women their cause. Others are just virtually and not at the State around the world who have starting out on a journey they Department because of the made the extraordinary choice didn't ask for, Biden says in Coronavirus pandemic. to fight for something bigger remarks prepared for the cere- The 14 living awardees are than themselves. mony, which were obtained by from Belarus, Cameroon, China, Today, we recommit to being The Associated Press. Colombia, Democratic Republic worthy of that courage, to Some were called to service, of the Congo, Guatemala, Iran, understanding that our lives are and some couldn't escape it, Myanmar, Nepal, Somalia, tied together in immeasurable Biden says. They are fighting for Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey and and powerful ways and to choos- their own lives and for their Venezuela. ing, every day, to honor that con- children. They want to right the “These women made an nection, she says. We will stand wrongs of our past, to build a extraordinary choice, to persist, with you as we build a brighter brighter future for everyone. to demand justice, to believe future for us all. They aren't immune to fear. No that, despite the obstacles and — AP HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 9 MARCH 2021 pg 11

 Groundwater extraction causing them to sink ANUPAM quick RASAYAN Larger firms Coastal cities inundating PRICES IPO IN recover better BITES `553-555 BAND RAVI RANJAN PRASAD MUMBAI, MARCH 8 than smaller ones % four times faster: Study INDICATORS Surat-based specialty SANGEETHA G Sensex 50,441.07 0.07 JONATHAN TIRONE known but the new chemical maker CHENNAI, MARCH 8 Nifty 50 14,956.20 0.12 MARCH 8 research suggests policy Anupam Rasayan' Rs makers can regulate devel- 760-crore initial public Larger companies have S&P 500* 3,870.96 0.76 The economic impacts of opment and groundwater offering opens on demonstrated better Dollar (`) 73.25 -0.30 rising sea levels will be felt extraction to slow down March 12. recovery in terms of Pound Sterling (`) 100.94 -0.02 four times faster by people and mitigate the impact of The price band for the sales and profitability living in some of the higher oceans. public issue has been compared to their small- Euro (`) 86.96 0.17 world's biggest coastal "Human-induced subsi- fixed at Rs 553 to Rs 555 er counterparts, finds an Gold (10gm)* (`) 44,114▼122 0.27 cities, which are sinking dence in and surrounding per equity share of Rs analysis by CMIE. beneath their own weight coastal cities can be rapid- 10 face value. “India’s smart econom- Brent crude ($/bbl)* 68.27 -1.57 into manmade cavities cre- ly reduced with appropri- "The issue aggregat- ic recovery is described IN 10-Yr bond yield 6.223 0.00 ated below the surface. ate policy for groundwater ing up to Rs 760 crore is as one in which large US 10-Yr T-bill yield* 1.592 0.038 The scientific assessment utilisation and drainage," a fresh issuance of companies did well for companies have recov- published on Monday in the researchers wrote. equity shares...The themselves even as the ered in terms of sales * As of 8:30 PM IST Nature Climate Change is "Such policy would offer company proposes to smaller ones languished. growth while smaller the second in a month to "Due to its coincidence risen at about 2.5 millime- substantial and rapid bene- utilise the net proceeds MSMEs have suffered as companies still see show that coastal econo- with major population cen- tres a year globally over fits to reduce growth of towards repayment of they are unable to sur- shrinking sales. mies are more vulnerable tres, subsidence has global the last two decades, coastal flood exposure due debt and for general vive the sudden and pro- The largest companies Govt nets over than previously thought to social and economic impli- coastal residents repre- to relative sea-level rise." corporate purposes," longed lockdown and the by size saw their sales the danger of rising sea cations," reads the peer- senting some 58 per cent of For cities like Jakarta, the company said dur- consequent shrinking of shrink by 1.5 per cent in levels. The extraction of reviewed research written the world's population have the window to mitigate ing a virtual press con- overall business. Large the December quarter. If `53,300 cr from groundwater and other by scientists from China, experienced average rela- sinking ground levels and ference. companies are not only petroleum refining and resources from beneath France, Germany and the tive sea-level increases of rising seas is already clos- The company has two better placed to ride out aviation industries are Vivad Se Vishwas cities, including Jakarta, UK. "These results indicate 7.8 to 9.9 millimetres annu- ing. Indonesia is relocating distinct verticals of life the storm but also gain by removed, the largest com- New Orleans and Shan- that the impacts and adap- ally, according to the its capital to higher ground science related special- cannibalising markets of panies showed positive The Centre has realised Rs ghai, is causing them to tation needs are much research, which used satel- on the island of Borneo, a ty chemicals compris- the withering smaller growth. Sixty-two per 53,346 crore through direct tax slowly sink, a phenomena higher than reported glob- lite data to gauge changes move that will cost billions ing products related to companies,” says Mahesh cent of such companies dispute resolution scheme called subsidence, result- al sea-level rise measure- in land elevation. of dollars by the time it agrochemicals, person- Vyas, CEO of CMIE. reported growth in net Vivad Se Vishwas till February ing in greater risks from ments suggest." The risks of groundwater begins later this decade. al care and pharmaceu- The private think-tank sales. Large companies 22. To a query in the Lok Sabha flooding and storm surges. While sea-levels have extraction have long been ~ —Bloomberg ticals; and other spe- studied the quarterly too registered a growth of on whether the government has cialty chemicals, com- financial statements of 6.6 per cent. been able to achieve the objec- prising specialty pig- 3,220 listed non-finance All the other companies tive of settling income tax cases ment and dyes, and companies to understand in the mid- and small seg- after launching the Vivad se polymer additives. growth in net sales, ment recorded a fall in Vishwas scheme, minister of Anupam Rasayan has wages and profitability. sales and the extent of state for finance Anurag Singh IMF suggests carbon tax for India developed long-term Listed companies have the fall in sales was Thakur said, "Yes". He said over relationships with vari- been recording a fall in inversely proportional to 1.28 lakh declarations have been SANGEETHA G its emissions intensity tar- To achieve larger emis- cy-change” baseline sce- ous multinational corpo- net sales in year-on-year the company size. filed under the scheme. CHENNAI, MARCH 8 get by 2030, the country’s sion reductions, India may nario by 2030. rations, which has comparisons well before Similarly, the wage bill current emissions target is need to focus on phasing Unlike subsidisation for helped the company the lockdown pounded of all the companies Levying a carbon-tax will not as strong compared to out its reliance on coal- renewable energy, which expand its product offer- them. Then, in the first increased by 3.5 per cent help India accelerate the some other countries. fired power plants. For carries a fiscal cost, a sub- ings and geographic quarter of the lockdown in the December quarter. shift away from thermal India’s mitigation policy is this, levying a direct tax on stantial carbon tax could reach across Europe, net sales were down by a The largest companies Tata Motors gets power generation in order of central interest to the fossil-fuel production, in provide a large fiscal boon Japan and United States, massive 39 per cent, fol- saw a higher 4.7 per cent to become a global leader global community as sig- proportion to carbon con- to India. A $50 per tonne the company said. lowed by 10 per cent in increase in the wage bill shareholders nod in achieving emission nificant economic and pop- tent and carbon emissions carbon tax would generate As of December 31, the September quarter while large companies reduction targets while ulation growth is likely to would accelerate the shift 1.5 to 2 per cent of GDP in 2020, the company oper- and a little less than one saw a 1.2 per cent boosting revenues to account for a larger share away from thermal power additional fiscal revenues ates through six multi- per cent in the December increase. All other com- for PV hiving off reduce the country's fiscal of global emission in the generation while also pro- by 2030. If this boost to rev- purpose manufacturing quarter. panies saw a fall in their deficit, finds the Inter- next 10 to 20 years. India viding a fiscal dividend. A enues were used to cut the facilities based in The lockdown affected wage bill. The fall in the national Monetary Fund. has an opportunity to $50 per tonne carbon tax country’s deficit, it would Gujarat, with four facil- companies of all sizes wage bill increases as the While India is expected to become a world leader by would reduce carbon diox- play a large role in counter- ities located at Sachin, severely. But, the recov- size of the companies achieve both its 40 per cent taking bolder steps toward ide emissions by about 35 acting the deterioration in Surat. ery was selective. Larger becomes smaller. non-fossil fuel target and mitigation, says the IMF. per cent below a “no-poli- India’s fiscal position. DEBT INDEX FUND Blackstone calls off Mphasis stake sale WITH SIX-YEAR India poised to weather global BAIJU KALESH person added. Inc. and Singapore state Tata Motors said its sharehold- MARCH 8 Blackstone bought a 60.5 investment fund GIC Pte. ers have approved hiving off its MATURITY LAUNCHED pr cent stake in Mumbai- Shares in Mphasis passenger vehicles business Blackstone Group Inc. has listed Mphasis from reached an all-time high at into a separate entity. On RAVI RANJAN PRASAD bond rout with record reserves shelved a planned sale of Hewlett Packard Rs 1,788 each on February March 5, the shareholders MUMBAI, MARCH 8 its majority stake in Enterprise Co in 2016 at Rs 23. While the stock has voted to consider and approve SUBHADIP SIRCAR & ■ India current acct forecast ■ Brazil current acct forecast Indian IT outsourcing 430 ($5.87) per share. The receded from the peak, it's KARTIK GOYAL the transfer of the passenger Edelweiss Asset Manage- ■ ■ services provider Mphasis private equity firm also still trading at around Rs vehicles business unit to TML ment Company announ- MARCH 8 Rare S. Africa current acct forecast Turkey current acct forecast Ltd over valuations, made an open offer to 1,600, almost four times Business Analytics Services Ltd ced the launch of 1.00 according to a person acquire additional shares above Blackstone's offer as a going concern on a slump Edelweiss Nifty PSU Bond India's record foreign- surplus familiar with the matter. from other shareholders. price five years ago. sale basis for a lump sum con- Plus SDL Index Fund- exchange reserves and a 0.00 Percent of GDP The private equity firm As of end of 2020, A media report on sideration. The firm had said 2026, a unique index fund rare current-account sur- rejected the two bidders in Blackstone owned about Monday said that negotia- that its PV business has been investing in state develop- plus look set to cushion -1.00 the final round as their 56 per cent in the tech tions between Blackstone valued at Rs 9,417 crore. ment loans (SDLs) and the nation's currency and -2.00 offers didn't meet its firm. and Carlyle have hit an PSU bonds. Passively man- bonds from a global surge expectations, said the per- The asset manager start- impasse over valuations. aged, this index fund, with in interest rates. -3.00 son, who asked not to be ed identifying buyers for Representatives for a defined maturity date, While the central bank identified as the informa- its majority stake in Blackstone and Carlyle will invest in AAA-rated does have its hands full -4.00 tion is private. Mphasis a few months ago. declined to comment, PSU bonds and SDLs. managing the govern- 2020 Mar Jun Sept Dec 2021 Blackstone has informed It had held talks with while a representative for BEML shares "This is a first ever, open- ment's large debt Source: Bloomberg the interested parties that prospective investors, GIC couldn't immediately ended, target maturity issuance, strategists see it has halted the sale, the including Carlyle Group comment. — Bloomberg surge over 20% index fund. Proportion of the country in a much sumer prices rising at less highest in emerging Asia investments of AAA PSU stronger financial posi- than half that level, and after China, and well over bid response bonds and SDLs will be tion now than it was dur- well below the 6.6 per cent above those of the coun- equally divided with a ing previous bouts of tur- average of last year. try's erstwhile "Fragile BOSCH TO OPEN Shares of BEML Ltd soared as weightage of 50 per cent moil in world markets. Meanwhile, benchmark Five" peers. The prospect high as over 20 per cent to each,” the fund said. They cite the rupee, which 10-year bond yields have of strong economic AUTOMOTIVE CHIP lock into the upper circuit limit Exposure to any single has eked out a gain this largely been capped since growth has been under- and touch 52-week-high values company’s bonds or loans year, defying the slump last year by the central pinned by an early start to on exchanges amid reports would be capped at 15 per seen in most emerging- bank and the nation's India's coronavirus inocu- FACTORY IN that multiple firms are looking cent of the corpus. market currencies, and stocks continue to see for- lation campaign, aided by to buy the government's 26 Subsequently, there will relative stability of India's eign inflows. domestically produced GERMANY MID-YR per cent stake in the firm. On be a quarterly rebalancing bonds. "India's markets are like- vaccines. the BSE, the scrip surged 20 and review of the index With reserves closing in ly to be relatively immune India's central bank has Frankfurt, March 8: per cent to its 52-week high constituents, Edelweiss on $600 billion and a cur- to higher US yields in the added $127 billion to its German technology value of Rs 1,406.25, also its AMC said. rent-account surplus fore- weeks ahead," said Mitul foreign-exchange kitty group Bosch said on upper circuit limit. On the NSE, The Edelweiss Nifty PSU cast to exceed 1 per cent of Kotecha, chief EM Asia since the beginning of Monday it would open an the shares jumped 20 per cent Bond Plus SDL Index gross domestic product, and Europe strategist at January last year, the automotive chip factory to Rs 1,416. Fund – 2026 NFO will be talk of India as one of five TD Securities Ltd in biggest increase among in Dresden in June to open for subscription fragile emerging markets Singapore. "India has major Asian economies. build on its leadership in between March 10 and has mostly faded away. been a key beneficiary of At the current rate of sensor chips that will March 16. When the description was equity inflows into Asia accumulation, India is on boost the electric car The fund with a mini- coined during the taper and we do not see outflows course to pass Russia and industry. mum investment amount tantrum in 2013, inflation persisting." take fourth place in global The one billion euro TVS Motor rides of Rs 5,000 will have a in India was running at According to analysts, rankings for reserves, ($1.2 billion) plant will defined maturity date of around 10 per cent. Indian stocks have attract- behind China, Japan and produce sensor chips to April 30, 2026. Data due on March 12 is ed about $6 billion of for- Switzerland. be installed in electric in Apache RTR The fund will aim to hold projected to show con- eign inflows this year, the —Bloomberg and hybrid electric vehi- the bonds till maturity. cles. 200 4V at `1.28 L Bosch began testing the fully automated produc- TVS Motor introduced Apache tion of prototype chips, a RTR 200 4V (single-channel DEPRIVED | GENDER Legal limits on economic opportunities persist step towards starting full- ABS) motorcycle with innova- scale production at the tive “segment-first features” M&S EXPANDS ONLINE BIZ end of the year, it said. priced at Rs 1.28 lakh at Delhi The plant will not pro- showroom. Introduced at a duce all of the sort of premium of Rs 1,000 over the TO OVER 100 MARKETS Women still fired for pregnancy in 28 nations semiconductor chips now outgoing model, the 2021 vari- London, March 8: throughout the Covid-19 in short supply, causing ant boasts of a host of seg- British retailer Marks & pandemic. KATHLEEN HAYS & Fund, Reinhart said the to the World Bank. disruptions to the global ment-first features like three Spencer has launched 46 "We're focused on tur- MICHAEL HEATH economic fallout from While laws have car industry, but so-called ride modes, adjustable front websites in new markets, bocharging our online MARCH 8 Covid-19 had been "very improved in some coun- ASICs (application-specif- suspension, adjustable brake expanding its online business both in the UK regressive," hitting the tries, women in many ic integrated circuit) and clutch levers, and race- reach to over 100 coun- and internationally, and There are still almost 30 most vulnerable hardest, nations still face legal lim- microchips, remedying tuned slipper clutch. tries, it said on Monday. as part of this we see a countries where women included women and girls. its on economic opportuni- parts of the bottlenecks The group said the real opportunity in can be fired from their "We are seeing big set- ties, including restrictions and only from the end of expansion into countries extending the number of jobs simply for getting backs on schooling, girls on travel without a male 2021 onwards. Printed & Published by from Argentina and countries where we run pregnant, World Bank are taken out that will not guardian, the lender said. The factory, partly K. Sudhakar on behalf of Deccan Brazil to South Korea and an online channel fur- chief economist Carmen return," said Reinhart, Pazarbasioglu of the financed by the Free State Chronicle Holdings Limited, Printed at Pakistan was part of its ther," said Paul Friston, Reinhart said in a discus- speaking on Internat-ional Carmen Reinhart IMF said it's very impor- of Saxony and federal Deccan Chronicle Press at Deccan strategy to accelerate its M&S's international sion on how the pandemic Women's Day. She cited a The pandemic has con- tant to have "a women's government in Berlin, Chronicle Holdings Ltd. #563/9/D&9/E, online business. director. is making it even harder report late last year that tributed to an increase in lens in policies." will employ 700 people. Behind Andhra Bank Pet Basheerbagh, When M&S published The websites will offer for women to escape pover- found extreme poverty violence against women "That's what we are Plans for the plant were Kompally, Ranga Reddy Dist. Editor: first-half results in M&S's clothing and home t y. was expected to rise for and is reinforcing gender pushing in our surveil- announced in 2017. T.Venkatram Reddy, RNI Reg No.APENG/2008/24282. © All rights November it reported a 75 products. Speaking in a television the first time in more than inequality in many coun- lance, in our lending, in The local and federal reserved. Reproduction in whole or in per cent increase in inter- M&S, which also sells conversation with Ceyla two decades with a dispro- tries, with women on aver- our analytical work and in governments want to part without written permission of The national e-commerce food, has been hit hard by Pazarbasioglu, director of portionately high share of age having roughly three- our capacity develop- make Dresden a centre for Editor, Financial Chronicle ® is sales, underlining the the pandemic. strategy and policy at the women among the new quarters of the legal ment," she said. semiconductor research prohibited. shift in online spend — Reuters International Monetary poor. rights of men, according — Bloomberg and manufacturing. — Reuters GAMES pg 12 DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | 9 MARCH 2021

SHORT TAKES Bajrang takes Djokovic on top gold, No.1 rank for record weeks Rome: Olympic-bound Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia pulled Surpasses Federer’s World No. 1 mark off a two-pointer in the last 30 CATCH 20-20! seconds of the gold medal bout Paris, March 8: Novak ● The Serb set a to defend his title at the Matteo Team management in dilemma to choose players for series Djokovic set a new land- new landmark of Pellicone Ranking Series event, mark of 311 weeks as world a result that propelled him back Ahmedabad, March 8: number one on Monday, 311 weeks as world to world number one rank. The Indian team manage- one week longer than number one on Up against Mongolia’s Tulga ment faces a problem of Roger Federer whose tally Monday, one week Tumur Ochir, Bajrang was trail- plenty going into the five of a record 20 Grand Slam longer than Federer. ing 0-2 till the final moments of T20 Internationals against titles is now firmly in the the 65kg final but managed to England, an assignment Serb’s sights. level the scores, 30 seconds which marks the begin- “Big day today”, tennis many achievements in ten- from the final whistle. ning of the side’s build-up superstar wrote on Twitter. nis are nothing short of Since the last scoring point to this year’s T20 World Djokovic, 33, won his 18th extraordinary. Among came from the Indian, he was Cup at home. major at the Australian them this record may stand declared the winner on criteria There are 19 players Open in February. With as his single most impres- on Sunday night. available for selection and Federer turning 40 in sive. Reaching No.1 is Bajrang’s leg defence seemed with two in contention for August, the Serb has time something many players to be a particularly improved each slot, the XI for the on his side. He is also a dream of and very few ever aspect of his game in the one- five games, starting here year younger than Rafael accomplish, and to have year break, forced by the coro- on Friday, will be an indi- Nadal who also has 20 held the top spot for longer navirus pandemic. cation to how head coach majors. “It really excites than anyone is testament Bajrang was placed second in Ravi Shastri, captain me to walk the path of leg- to the levels of sustained the rankings before the event Virat Kohli and bowling ends and giants of this excellence that Novak has and is now on top of the table coach Bharat Arun are sport. To know that I redefined in our sport.” in the 65kg category with 14 looking at the next six to earned my place among Federer, who returns to points. — PTI seven months for the them by following my action in Doha this week shortest format. childhood dream is a beau- after more than a year out Will they look for a set- tiful confirmation that of action to recover from Mumbai pip Goa tled combination to first when you do things out of two knee operations, clinch the series and then love and passion, every- slipped out of the top five for historic final experiment or will they Shikhar Dhawan thing is possible,” Djokovic on Monday to sixth. field absolute rookies in said in a statement Djokovic made his top 100 Goa: Two hundred and ten min- the squad looking at the released by the ATP. debut in July 2005, just utes of football over two legs, bigger picture? He has spent 88 weeks at weeks after Nadal had won yet there was no winners to For a team that’s so number one, across two dif- his first Roland Garros. head into the final between closely followed, the result ferent stints. He was top 50 in June Mumbai City FC and FC Goa! does matter and that’s Djokovic reclaimed the 2006, top 20 for the first Such was the battle, that it why one can expect a set- top ranking from Nadal in time in October 2006 and came down to ISL’s first-ever tled first eleven for the February 2020 and finished top 10 by March 2007. sudden death in a penalty- first three games since all as year-end number one for He first became world shootout to decide the first matches are at the same the sixth time, tying the number one at the age of 24 finalists of Season 7. And it venue on similar kind of record set by Pete on July 4, 2011, the day turned out to be Mumbai City tracks. Sampras. after winning Wimbledon who had the last laugh as they The roaring comeback of ATP Chairman Andrea for the first time, beating edged FC Goa on penalties 6-5. Rishabh Pant will lead to Gaudenzi said: “Novak’s Nadal in the final. — AFP One of the highlights of the a lot of interesting devel- thriller was when both coaches opments at the top of the decided to substitute their goal- order. keepers with the contest head- Pant’s inclusion means ing into the penalty shootout. that K.L. Rahul, who till a K.L. Rahul Deepak Chahar Shreyas Iyer Bhuvneshwar Kumar Red Devils shatter Goa brought on Naveen Kumar few months back was the while Mumbai raised some eye- first choice keeper-opener, IPL opener? Will he be Iyer and Suryakumar department, Bhuvne- Axar Patel are the three brows when they decided to is unlikely to don the big slotted in the middle- Yadav are also jostling for shwar Kumar, once upon a spinners expected to fea- field Phurba Lachenpa in place gloves. order as Dhawan’s game is a place. time India’s best white ture in the playing XI on City’s winning run of skipper and one of the best Shikhar Dhawan and not suited to batting lower If one closely follows the ball exponent, is coming the sluggish Motera goalkeepers of the season Rohit Sharma were a set- down? pattern of picking the back after a long lay-off tracks. London, March 8: Amrinder Singh. But, as it tled white ball opening These are two pertinent playing XI, Surya, a senti- and will be engaged in a In all, there are too many Manchester United shat- THE RESULTS turned out to be, the Sikkimese pair till recently but questions and in the mental favourite, will two-way fight with good players and very lit- tered Manchester City’s gloveman survived the battle of Rahul’s emergence as a answer, will be a follow-up have to wait for his turn Deepak Chahar and tle space to fit all of them record winning streak Manchester City 0 nerves, helping Mumbai City potent white ball special- question. as Shreyas has done noth- Shardul Thakur. with three sure-shot picks with an impressive 2-0 vic- Manchester United 2 book a place in the final for the ist has spiced up the com- With skipper Kohli him- ing wrong. For Bhuvneshwar, his — Mohammed Shami, tory against the Premier (Fernandes 2-pen, Shaw first time. petition. Dhawan recently self coming in at No 3 and But when it comes to a experience and being a Ravindra Jadeja and League leaders, while 50) had a score of 150 odd in two game-changers like three-way battle between better bowler at the death Jasprit Bumrah already Liverpool hit a new low as the Vijay Hazare Trophy Pant and all-rounder Rahul, Shreyas and Surya, compared to Chahar holds resting or recuperating relegation-threatened Liverpool 0 Sharath, Sathiyan for Delhi and when it Hardik Pandya expected the Karnataka man beats him in good stead but he from injury. Fulham won at Anfield on Fulham 1 comes to Rohit, there’s to play the big shots at Nos the two Mumbai boys hol- hasn’t played a lot of Once they comeback, it Sunday. (Lemina 45) and Batra in Rd 2 nothing to be discussed. 5 and 6, where does it ide- low with his repertoire of cricket save a few will be a bigger selection Pep Guardiola’s side were So where does the team ally leave Rahul? strokes and ability to shift Mushtaq Ali games. headache for the manage- on an English top-flight Tottenham 4 Doha: Ace Indian paddlers management fit in Rahul, The only place he can be gears. Yuzvendra Chahal, ment but one that they record run of 21 successive (Bale 25, 49, Kane 52, 77) Achanta Sharath Kamal, who has been a successful slotted is No 4 but Shreyas Similarly, in the pace Washington Sundar and won’t mind. — PTI wins in all competitions Crystal Palace 1 Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and heading into the (Benteke 45+1) Manika Batra started their cam- Manchester derby. paign at the WTT Star But United ruined City’s West Brom 0 Contender Doha on a winning PADIKKAL POWERS KARNATAKA 28-game unbeaten run in Newcastle 0 note by progressing into the Shivlal blames HCA for all competitions thanks to second round of their respec- an early penalty from tive singles categories, here on Bruno Fernandes and Liverpool have now lost six Monday. PAST KERALA, INTO SEMIFINALS Luke Shaw’s second-half consecutive home league Sharath struggled in the initial no IPL matches in Hyd New Delhi, March 8: while Padikkal hammered strike at the Etihad games after third-bottom stages as he lost the first game Young opener Devdutt 10 boundaries and two Stadium. Fulham’s well-deserved 1-0 against Brian Afanador before DC CORRESPONDENT dialogue with the BCCI, Shivlal went on to list Padikkal sent a strong mes- maximums. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s win. the world no. 32 recovered well HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 made a request, put the appointments that sage to the national selec- team, unbeaten in their That dismal run is all the PANCHAL’S TON TAKES to seal the match 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, across our points effec- are pending in the HCA tors before England ODIs last 22 away league games, more remarkable as GUJARAT TO SEMIS 11-1 against the Puerto Rican in Former Test cricketer tively and prevailed ever since the new body as he slammed his fourth moved above Leicester into Jurgen Klopp’s men had the first round. and secretary of the upon the administra- took over in September consecutive List ‘A’ ton as Skipper Priyank Panchal’s second place, but they are gone nearly four years World no. 37 Sathiyan was also Hyderabad Cricket tors,” Shivlal, who has 2019. “After much delay Karnataka beat Kerala by stroke-filled 134 and an still 11 points behind City without a league defeat at trailing 0-2 in his opening Association N. Shivlal been acting president of they have now called for 80 runs in a quarterfinal equally impressive show with 10 games left. home in 68 games between match before making a remark- Yadav has hit out at the the BCCI and under- an Annual General game of the Vijay Hazare from the bowlers set up Likely to be replaced by April 2017 and January able comeback to pull off a current establishment stands the working of Meeting, which is a Trophy here on Monday. Gujarat’s massive 117-run City as champions, this year. — AFP sensational 9-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4, for Hyderabad being the national board, said. farce. The new constitu- Karnataka rode on skip- win over Andhra in anoth- 11-4 victory against France’s ignored as a venue for “We were comfortably tion calls for a CEO, per Ravikumar Samarth’s er quarterfinal. Emmanuael Lebesson. the upcoming IPL. placed with regard to that’s not been taken up; knock of 192 off 158 balls Gujarat rode on Commonwealth Games gold The BCCI on Sunday facilities but infighting there’s no CFO either. and a stroke-filled 101 by Panchal’s 134 to post a 299 Women’s Day Out medallist Batra notched up a announced the venues in the HCA has cost us — The selection commit- 20-year-old left-handed for 7 and then bundled out comfortable 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 win and fixtures for India’s members of the Apex tees too have to be consti- Padikkal (off 119 balls) to the opposition for 182, to against Chinese Taipei’s Hsein- premier domestic tour- Council are simply not tuted at the AGM, not post an imposing 338/3 and make it to the semi-final. Tzu Cheng in the first round. nament and has left out on the same page,” he done so far,” the former then bundled out the oppo- India Test star and Andhra Hyderabad, which has a continued. spinner went on. sition for 258. captain Hanuma Vihari team in the glitzy league “What do we lack in “When they are mak- Kerala’s decision to put was out for a five-ball duck. Hyderabad? Our ground ing such a mockery of Team LeBron and has been the IPL Karnataka into bat at the BRIEF SCORES champion twice. has been adjudged the the Lodha reforms, how Air Force ground back- “It’s a shame for best by BCCI on four can they expect the BCCI fired badly, as Samarth and ■ Gujarat 299/7 (Priyank dominate All-Star Hyderabad. I am deeply occasions, the city has to deal favourably with Padikkal toyed with their Panchal 134; Rahul Shah 36; M Atlanta: Damian Lillard nailed a hurt,” Shivlal, who has an international airport, them?” he reasoned. attack with a massive 249- Harishankar Reddy 3/60, A game-ending three pointer helmed the HCA for there are so many hotels “Why did they take up run partnership for the Lalith Mohan 2/55) bt Andhra from just inside half court as many years in the past, and resorts that can easi- the assignment when first wicket. 182 (Ricky Bhui 67, Arzan LeBron James improved to 4-0 said. ly deal with Covid they didn’t have time for Samarth, a 28-year-old Nagwaswalla 4/28; Piyush as an NBA All-Star Game cap- He laid the blame restrictions, and we have the Association? They right-hander, hammered 22 Chawla 3/33). ■ Karnataka 338/3 (Ravikumar tain with a 170-150 win over squarely on president very less number of should all resign and call boundaries and three sixes Samarth 192, Devdutt Padikkal Team Durant on Sunday. Mohammad Azhar- Covid cases too. We just for fresh elections. The in his 158-ball knock. 101; Basil N.P. 3/57) bt Kerala Giannis Antetokounmpo cap- uddin. “There’s no com- threw all this away,” the infighting is killing He completed his century 258 (Vathsal Govind 92; M tured the Kobe Bryant MVP mitment from him. He former national selector cricket in Hyderabad,” in 112 balls and was aggres- Azharuddeen 52; Ronit More Award going a perfect 16-of-16 should have initiated a rued. Shivlal surmised. sive right from the start, 5/36, Shreyas Gopal 2/64). from the field for a game high 35 points in Atlanta. James improved to 4-0 in All- Star games he has served as a FAB ALLEN LEADS team captain. He finished with Players of the Sri Vidyalaya (Begumpet) team are all four points in just 13 minutes of WINDIES TO T20 Koushik, Suffian steal the show smiles as they pose with the winner’s trophy alongside playing time. — AFP chief guest G. Kiran Reddy (fifth from right), former national volleyball player and SPRM, TSRTC after defeat- SERIES TRIUMPH ing St Francis 15-10, 15-3 in the final of the One-day Live on TV St. John’s (Antigua and Somsubra, Karthik, Vamshi, Ashish, Ranjith, Vinay, Rohan also shine Volleyball Tournament for girls held at St Francis College Barbuda), March 8: All- DC CORRESPONDENT Meanwhile, PPMCC’s overs (Mohd Salman Khan 40 in Begumpet on Monday on the occasion of International CRICKET rounder Fabian Allen HYDERABAD, MARCH 8 Somsubra (105), Karthik n.o). ■ PPMCC 349/9 in 50 overs Women’s Day. Vijay Hazare Trophy: Quarterfinal clobbered three sixes off (100) of Lucky XI and (Shravan 91, Somsubra 105, Afroz from 9 am on Star Sports 1, HD the penultimate over to Koushik Reddy and Shaik Mahesh CC’s Vamshi 3/39) bt Southern Stars CC 103 lead West Indies to a Suffian emerged the best Krishna (100 not out) also in 28.5 overs (Afroz 33, FOOTBALL nervy three-wicket win performers in the put up good shows with Jaychandra 4/25). ■ Indian Super League: Second against Sri Lanka in the Hyderabad Cricket the bat. Safilguda CC 216 in 43.1 overs Semifinal, 2nd leg — Mohun Bagan (Vamshi 51, V. Vineeth 64, final Twenty20 Association’s one-day Brief scores: Ruthvik 32, Ashish 5/38, Kalyan vs North East United from 7.20 pm International on Sunday. league matches. TWO-DAY LEAGUE 3/25) bt Lucky XI 190 in 42 overs on Star Sports 2, HD Chasing a modest target In a two-day league ■ HPS B 350/8 in 90 overs bt (Karthik 100, Ruthvik Champions League: Round of 16, of just 132, the two-time match, Rohan of Young Young Citizens 142/9 in 43.3 3/30, Ranjith 5/32). overs (Rohan Kumar 82 n.o, Kapil ■ Second Leg — Juventus vs Porto world champions strug- Citizens played a fine All Saints CC 208 in 47.4 overs Vivek 4/51, Ramana C 3/47). (Irshad Hussain 33, Vinay 5/34) from 1.30 am (Wednesday) on gled in the run chase as knock of 82 but could only Points: HPS B 5, Young Citizens 0. Sony Ten 2; Dortmund vs Sevilla lost to Mahesh CC 210/1 in 25 their star trio of Chris see his side stumbling to a ■ Time CC 123 in 47.3 overs overs (Vamshi Krishna 100 n.o, P. from 1.30 am (Wednesday) on Gayle, skipper Kieron paltry 142 which earned (Gagan 36, J. Rahul 3/24) lost to Vinay Reddy 64 n.o) Sony Ten 1, HD Pollard and Dwayne the Hyderabad Public Koushik Reddy Rushiraj CC 124/2 in 43.3 overs ■ Marredpally Blues 272/6 in Bravo all flopped. Allen’s School, Begumpet, a com- (Sunil 65, Nikshith 48). Points: 45overs (S. Raju 59, Yesudas 67, three sixes came off spin- prehensive 208-run victo- while Boys Town’s Shaik Rushiraj CC 5, Time CC 0. E. Srikanth 36, Syed Khaja Regd. No. HQ/SD/509/2021-23 ner Akila Dananjaya as ry. (7/6) sent shockwaves in ONE-DAY LEAGUE Moinuddin 46, Bala 3/59) lost to ■ Amberpet CC 272/7 in 40.1 overs Printed and Published by the Gaganmahal camp as Southend Raymonds 411 in Members of the Bewin Football Club, Secunderabad, pose the 25-year-old Jamaican In one-day matches, 46.3 overs (Koushik Reddy 212 — (Jitender 62, Srikanth kesari 79, K. Sudhakar on behalf of Deccan smashed a desperately Southend Raymonds’ his side won the match by K. Harsha Vardhan 4/29, Yesudas with teh trophy and chief guest Shabbir Ali, Dhyan Chand Chronicle Holdings Limited. Printed 130b, 20x4, 13x6, Nomaan needed 21 off just six balls Koushik clobbered a stel- 10 wickets. Ahmed 70, Junaid 31, Omer 31, 3/54). awardee and former captain and coach of the Indian foot- at Deccan Chronicle Press situated ■ at Plot No. 9 Alwal Village, Vallabh for win. — AFP lar 212 off 130 balls, which In other matches, Mohd Sameer3/69, Ashar 3/74) Sutton CC 127 in 24.1 overs ball team, after winning the Campeones Royal League bt Ameerpet CC 133 in 25 overs (Ashish 34, Monith 3/23) lost to Nagar Taluk, Medchal Malkajgiri Brief scores: Sri Lanka 131/4 was loaded with 13 sixes Safilguda CC’s Ranjith women’s football tournament that was contested by eight Dist. Telangana and Published at 36, and 20 boundaries, and (5/32), Mahesh CC’s Vinay (Afraaz 46, khaleel 3/31, Omer CK Blues 128/7 in 31.5 overs (Chandimal 54 n.o., Bandara 44 4/42) (Sandeep 38 n.o, Prudhvi 3/14). teams over three days at Flipside Adventure Park near S.D. Road, Secunderabad-3. n.o., Allen 1/13) lost to West steered his side to a mas- (5/34) and Lucky XI’s RNI Registration No. 3081/1957. ■ Gaganmahal CC 51 in 17 overs ■ St Marys CC 142 in 34.2 overs Hyderabad. Bewin FC beat Women’s Football Foundation Editor: Kaushik Mitter Indies 134/7 (Simmons 26, sive 278-run victory Ashish (5/38) were the (Shaik Suffian 7/6) lost to Boys (Junaid 3/20) lost to Redhills CC 3-2 in the final. Allen 21 n.o.,Sandakan 3-29). against Ameerpet CC pick of the bowlers. Town CC 56 for no loss in 3.3 144/7 in 32 overs (Maran 40 n.o)