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

JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021, KOLKATA, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES SINCE 1932 `5.00/EX-KOLKATA `6.00 (`12 IN NORTH EAST STATES &ANDAMAN) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THE EDITORIAL PAGE NO DATE SET FOR NEXT MEETING FOODMATHS: IMBALANCESIN CEREALECONOMY Talksbreakdown,Centretellsfarmers BY JEAN DRÈZE PAGE 8 wehavemadebestoffer,reconsider Bihar warns Some forces don’t MSP to APMCs: Rajib Banerjee with West Bengal Governor Jagdeep of action for Dhankhar in KolkataonFriday. Twitter @jdhankhar1 want to see this SC panel puts online posts resolved: Tomar up questions to WEST BENGAL against govt; draw farmers HARIKISHANSHARMA &RAAKHIJAGGA Another minister Opp calls it NEWDELHI,LUDHIANA,JAN22 HARIKISHANSHARMA NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 draconian TALKSBETWEEN the Centreand quits: BJP invites him, farmer unions demanding the ■ Areyou awareabout the im- repeal of the newagriculture plications of legalising MSP? TMC says better off SANTOSHSINGH laws brokedownFridayafter ■Do youthink theremay be risk PATNA,JANUARY22 weeksofnegotiation. The gov- of acquiring land by the corpo- ernment made it clear to the rate sector or the contractor? Rajib Banerjee had long been IN Amovethat has been de- farmers that itsproposal to sus- Farmers’ representativesafter the meeting in NewDelhi on Friday. Amit Mehra ■ Thereare apprehensions that EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE skipping meetings of the scribed as “draconian and un- pend the laws for18months was the provisions in the Actwill col- KOLKATA,JANUARY22 MamataBanerjee cabinet, and warranted”bythe Opposition, the “best” it could offer, and lapse APMC markets. Do youfeel had expressedunhappiness Bihar Police have issuedacircu- farmers could return to the talks so? If yes, howwill it be respon- WESTBENGALForestMinister over the functioning of the party. lar warning that those making table afterarethink. sible forthe collapse of APMC Rajib Banerjee resignedon In his resignation sent to the “objectionable and indecent” The hardening of the Centre’s Opp parties target ‘rigid’ Govt, markets? Friday, dealing another blowto Chief Ministerand copiedto commentsonline againstthe position wasevident when, at These aresome of the ques- the Trinamool Congress fighting Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, stategovernment,Ministers, the very startofthe meeting, tions in afeedbackform pre- to stanchasteady stream of de- Banerjee wrote: “I regret to in- MLAs, MPs and officials can be Union AgricultureMinister plan to turn up heat in Parliament pared by the Supreme Court- sertions to the BJP ahead of form youthat Iherebytender booked under the IT Actand the NarendraSingh Tomar objected appointed committee seeking Assemblyelections. my resignation from my office Indian Penal Code. to the SamyuktaKisan Morcha’s Budget session of Parliament NCPchief Sharad Pawarslated to "suggestions" of farmers and TransportMinisterSuvendu CONTINUEDONPAGE2 “Wehavebeen, of late, get- announcement Thursday MANOJCG starting next week. participateinaprotest in other stakeholdersonthe three Adhikari and MinisterofState ting information about the use evening that the farmer unions NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 Sources told The Indian Mumbai on January25. contentious farm laws and the forSports Laxmi RatanShukla of objectionableand indecent had rejected the Centre’s offerto Express that Congress president “Parliament will reconvene demand forlegal guarantee for had earlier resignedtheir posts MORE REPORTS languagebeing usedagainstthe suspend the laws. WITH TALKSbetween the Sonia Gandhi is likelytoconvene in aweek’s time. It is the Budget minimum supportprice (MSP). in the government and party. PAGE 3 government, Ministers, MPs, ItislearnedthatTomartoldthe Centreand farm unions break- ameeting of Opposition leaders session, of course. But thereare The feedbackform, available MLAs and government officials unions that since the talkswere ing down, Opposition parties ahead of the session to discuss so manypressing issues of pub- on the committee’s webpage, through social media/ Internet. scheduledFriday, theyshouldhave Fridayslammedthe strategy,and that theyare al- lic concern that needtobede- contains 20 multiple-choice This is againstprovisions of the communicated their decision to Government foradopting a ready in touchwith eachother. bated and discussedfully. questions dividedinto5sections. Faced pressure but lawand comes under the do- the government instead of an- “rigid” stand and signalledthat The Opposition parties have Whether the Government will While Sections A, B, and Cdeal main of cyber crime... Forthis act, nouncing it to the media first. theywill raise the issue forcefully also decidedtohold street agita- agree howeverremains to be with the three farm laws,Section it is apttotakeaction against CONTINUEDONPAGE2 and “vociferously” during the tions over the farm laws,with CONTINUEDONPAGE2 CONTINUEDONPAGE2 went by scientists suchoffenders," states the circu- lar issuedbyBihar Police's Economic Offences Unit (EOU). The circular,whichisdated on vaccines: PM January21and signedby EXPRESS NETWORK Additional DGP (EOU and Cyber Crime) NHKhan, has been sent bid to dispel doubts to principal secretaries and sec- retaries of all stategovernment departments. It states that the Suggests vaccination competitions by EOU is the nodal agency forcyber crime, and that all principal sec- hospitals to move to 2nd phase quickly retaries and secretaries should bring “suchmatters” to itsnotice CONG LEADERS so that “action can be initiated”. MAULSHREESETH CLASH OVER PARTY BUSINESSASUSUAL Reacting sharplytothe circu- POLLS, CWC SAYS LUCKNOW,JANUARY22 lar,RJD leader and Leader of BY UNNY Opposition Tejashwi Prasad CHIEF BY JUNE CRITICISINGPOLITICS over coro- Yadavtweetedthat “in the birth- PAGE 10 navirus vaccines and trying to al- place of the Republic”, Bihar Chief layfears regarding the same, MinisterNitish Kumar “has been Prime MinisterNarendraModi ripping apartdemocratic values”. WEST BENGAL said Fridaythat he had been un- Yadavsaid the Opposition der alot of "pressure" but leftthe will notallowthe JD(U)-BJP gov- call on when to introduce the ernment to “takeawaydemo- vaccines to scientists. cratic rightsofthe people”. In atelevisedinteraction with JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj beneficiaries and vaccinators of Kumar said the government's the Covid vaccines in his con- move is in accordance with the stituency Varanasi, he also urged lawand will “applytoeveryone”. ELECTION PANEL people to believe health workers “Thereisnothing offensive about and doctors, and suggestedthat it,” he said. BANS BIKE RALLIES hospitals initiate"competitions tions raisedregarding emer- ADGP Khan latersaid police BEFORE THE PARADE AFTER POLL CODE in vaccination" so that the coun- gency use clearance to the in- will nottakeany suo motu action. IS ENFORCED trycould move quicklytothe sec- digenouslydevelopedCovaxin “Wewill take action onlyif Artists taking partinthe Republic Daytableaux undergo Covid-19test, in NewDelhi on Friday. Praveen Khanna PAGE 3 ond phase of the drive. despitesome missing data CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Without referring to ques- CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Rajasthan bats for retd IAS officer, now Green laws passed at CWC ASKS FOR JPC PROBE advisor to cricket body led by CM son instance of foreign ‘All Ministers with us’: Arnab’s chats Files plea to withdraw corruption powers: NHAI in HC make BJP do some social distancing case againsthim and twoothers Withdrawal E ring to aUNconference. mandeda"time-bound investi- ● symptom government has movedanap- EXPLAINED EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE The submission wasmade by LIZMATHEW&MANOJCG His WhatsApp gation” into“the breachofna- DEEPMUKHERJEE plication at the trial stageto BENGALURU,JANUARY22 aDeputy General Manager of NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 chatswith tional security,violations of the JAIPUR,JANUARY22 withdraw the case againstthem IN ITS 2016 chargesheet, NHAI in objections to awrit pe- ex-BARCCEO Official SecretsAct and the role at aspecial courtset up forhear- the stateACB had accused THE NATIONAL Highways tition filedbythe NGO, United THE BJP and the Centrehave submitted to of the personsinvolved." FOUR YEARS afterchargesheets ing cases under the Prevention the three bureaucratsof Authority of India (NHAI) has Conservation Movement, avoidedreacting to the court Congress president Sonia were filedagainstthree bureau- of Corruption Act. criminal conspiracy foral- landedintrouble in the againsta2013notification of the WhatsApp chatsbetween Gandhi criticisedwhat she called crats, including an IAS officer — Twochargesheets againstthe lotting land belonging to a Karnataka High Courtfor claim- Union Environment Ministrydo- Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami the “deafening” silence of the who is nowretired and is an ad- three officials —GSSandhu, IAS housing society to apri- ing in asubmission that the ing away with environment im- and former CEO of the Broadcast flags Goswami’s claims of prox- Government, adding that "those visor to the Rajasthan Cricket (nowretired), Nishkam Diwakar vate construction com- Environment Protection Act, pact assessment reports for Audience Research Council imity with the government, that who give certificates of patriot- Association ledbyVaibhav (nowretired,Rajasthan pany. The statehas now 1986 was“passedbyParliament widening national highways of (BARC) Partho Dasgupta submit- distancing will be tested once ism and nationalism to others Gehlot, son of Chief Minister Administrative Service) and movedaspecial courtto notonlyfor protection of envi- over 100kmbymorethan 40 tedtothe courtbythe Mumbai Parliament begins. nowstand totallyexposed." Ashok Gehlot—for corruption in Onkar Mal Saini (serving RAS withdraw the case. ronment but also at the instance metres. Police in the TRP case. But as the The Congress Working “Whyshould we enter an alleged land scam, the state CONTINUEDONPAGE2 of foreign powers” while refer- CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Congress calls foraJPC probeand Committee (CWC) Fridayde- CONTINUEDONPAGE2

PAGE1 ANCHOR Mystery of the missing ‘Spark’ as Thackeray gets statue in Mumbai

cal leader in Mumbai, comes up Sparkreplica and maintains the pushing sculpting beyond busts and convincedher to become a BENITAFERNANDO on the island on Saturday, it has trafficisland as per an arrange- of royaltyanddignitaries.Shewas sculptor. But her workswereas &LAXMANSINGH suddenlycome to notice that ment with the BMC, did not among the fewwomen sculptors inspired by American and MUMBAI,JANUARY22 'Spark' has gone missing again — comment on itscurrent location. at atime when the Indian art European modernism as Hindu and mayhavebeen missing for The Sparkreplica had been worldwas dominated by men temple sculptures. SOMETIME IN the early 1990s, months now. installedthrough acitizen's ini- and painters. Born in 1923 to the Sparkwas originallycom- an imposing sculptureatHajiAli The BMC is undertaking a tiative,including members such Adenwalla familythat setupthe missionedbyBEST(Bombay Circle waslosttoaroad expan- makeoverofthe Colaba trafficis- as Dr Pheroza Godrej, former di- firm Cowasjee Dinshaw&Bros, Electric Supply&Transport), and sion project. Over two-storeytall, land. Asked about the missing rector of the NGMA,and Zarir she marriedintothe familyofSir Pochkhanawala made it welding shapedlikeapeacock, the sculp- replica, Assistant Municipal Cama, ex-CEO of HSBC India. SorabjiPochkhanawala,oneof the scrap metaltogether —the turecalledSparkhad been built Commissioner,Award(Colaba, Godrej made the replica basedon founders of the Central Bank of heavy,industrial quality of the by pioneering artistPilloo Fort), Chanda Jadhavsaid, "We Pochkhanawala’s scale model, India. work setoff by itslight, bird-like Pochkhanawala. Years later,in arenot awareofthe whereabouts whichshe owns. The replica was While she startedout work- features. Godrej says 2002, aminiatureversion of the of the sculpture. Icheckedwith one-thirdthe height of the orig- ing with an advertising firm, a Pochkhanawala probablygaveit work wasplacedonatraffic is- our staffwhether it wasshifted inal sculptureatHajiAli. Europe tour in 1950 introduced that name due to BEST's connec- land outside the National Gallery to some other place or removed, Pochkhanawala, who diedin her to original worksof tion with electricity. of Modern Art(NGMA) in but no suchthing has takenplace 1986andwhoselegacyisnowal- A2013photograph of the sculptureinColaba, Mumbai. Photo Courtesy:Pheroza Godrej;the statue Constantin Brâncusi, Henry Pochkhanawala chose Haji Colaba. As aBal Thackeray from our side." mostforgotten, made notable of Bal Thackeray whichistobeunveiledatthe site. Ganesh Shirsekar Moore, BarbaraHepworth and Ali Circle as the location as she statue, the firstofthe latepoliti- HSBC, whichfundedthe contributionto modernIndianart, Alexander Calder,among others, CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 2 THE SECOND PAGE THEINDIANEXPRESS,SATURDAY,JANUARY23,2021

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Bengal minister July2019, Sandhu and Diwakar anagencyandinstrumentalityof The CWC, meanwhile, ex- hadmadearepresentationto the the state. The said inference ap- pressedgrave concernatthe“rev- as cabinetministerbeing in government afterthe Congress Best offer: Centre tells farmers to reconsider pears to have been drawnonthe elations exposing the sordid con- charge of Forest Department on returnedtopower. The UDH de- basis of decisions takenatthe versationsthathave undoubtedly today, i.e., on 22 January, 2021.” partment setupacommittee Tomar and his colleagues with long breaksfor lunchand forthe next meeting, but told bereached(Jab andolan ki pavi- UnitedNationsConferenceof the compromisednational security”. It had been a“great honour whichrecommendedthe with- Piyush Goyaland Som Prakash, tea, Tomar said: “Wetold them us that theywill always come tratanasht ho jaati hai, tabkoi Human Environment held at “It is clear that among those in- and privilegetoservethe people drawal of the case. it is learned, leftthe meeting that our proposal to put on hold to aplace wherewecall ameet- nirnaynahi hota hai)”. StockholminJune1972,inwhich volvedare persons in the highest of West Bengal”, Banerjee said, Sandhu did notrespond to room aftertelling the farmer the implementation of laws for ing foradiscussion. Nowour Askedabout the options be- India participated and agreedto echelonsof governmentandthere adding,“Iheartilyconveymygrat- calls and messages. representativestoreconsider one or one-and-a-half years is focus is on the tractor parade fore the government if farmer take stepsforprotectionof theen- has been abreachofsecrecy con- itudeforgettingthisopportunity.” Incidentally,ShantiDhariwal, the Centre’s offer. Tomar re- the best proposal. Youshould and it will be held peacefully. unions do notreconsider the vironment.” cerningvitalandsensitive military Banerjee, the two-term TMC UDHMinisterinGehlot’sCabinet, turnedlater and told the unions reconsider.That proposal is in Next, thereisthe Budget ses- offerand intensify their protest, The division benchnoted: operations,”itsaidinaresolution. MLAfromDomjurinHowrahdis- wasalso calledfor questioning in theycould discuss among the interestoffarmers and the sion in Parliament… These Tomar said: “Whatever best “Moreover, the said authority trict, later went to RajBhavanto thesamecaseby theACBin2015. themselvesand letthe govern- country. We told them that we laws came from Parliament options we had, those have seems to be proceeding on the PM on vaccines personallyhandoverhisresigna- When asked if acommittee un- ment knowSaturday. areconcludingthe talkstoday and their repeal can also come been giventothe farmer footingthatmostoftheorganiza- regarding trials, Modi said at the tion letter to the Governor. der his ministryrecommending Responding to areporter’s and if youarriveatany decision, from the same Parliament. Our unions.” tions whichfile petitions in this 30-minutevideo-conference, Afterwards, an emotional aclean to the three bureaucrats queryonwhat would happen if tell us tomorrow. We can meet protestwill continue.” Jagjit SinghDallewal, presi- courtand the apexcourtinenvi- “Merepebada pressureaatatha, Banerjeetoldreporters:“Ihadde- amounted to conflict of interest, the farmers don’t return with a at anyplace to announce that The SamyuktaKisan dent of BKU (Sidhupur), said: ronment matters forprotecting vaccinekyonnahinaatihai,vaccine cidedtoleave the statecabinet he said therewas no case of con- decision, Tomar said: “I am not decision.” Morcha, in astatement re- “Wediscussedthe govern- the environment aresupported kab lagaoge? Rajneeti mein idhar twoand ahalf years ago, when I flict of interest. an astrologer.What will happen He said thereare some leasedbyKrantikari Kisan ment's proposal Thursday. We by foreign powers.” ki bhi baat hoti hai, udhar ki bhi wasremovedasirrigationminis- “The inquirywas conducted tomorrow, Idon’t know.” forces whichdonot want the Union leader Darshan Pal, said: arenot divided… We came Thecourtisscheduledtotake baathotihai.Mainekhibaatkarta ter. Ihad expected the minimum by the UDH committee as well as With the Centrehardening issue resolved. “Farmers, espe- “The deadlockagain arose in herefor repeal and will notgo up the matter on February2. tha, ki vaigyanik jo kahengewahi courtesy from Chief Minister acommitteeof thehomedepart- itsposition and no newdateset ciallyfromPunjab and veryfew the meeting with the central backwithout getting this de- karenge,yehhumpoliticallogonka MamataBanerjeeasaco-worker mentanditwasfoundthereisno forthe next round of talks, the farmers from one or twostates, government today. The govern- mand fulfilled.” Arnab’s chats kaamnahinhai(Therewasalot of that she would inform me about case. The three bureaucratswere spotlight nowisonthe run-up announcedprotestsagainstthe ment came with the proposal “Weare awarethat the picture?” said aUnion pressureonme,asto whythevac- her decision before making the framedbythe then BJP govern- to January26when farmers in- agri-reform laws.Therehas to suspend these laws for18 Parliament’s Budget session is Minister. “Neither the govern- cineisnotcoming,whenitwould announcement. Icame to know mentunderpoliticalvendettabe- tend to hold atractor parade on been aconstant attempt to months, while the farmers de- to start… the Parliament ses- ment nor the party has anything be administered. In politics, peo- fromthemediawhenIwashold- causetheyrefusedtoacceptsifar- Delhi’s Outer Ring Road. Police spread misconceptions among mandedthe repeal of the laws.” sion and the biggestfarmer to do with what chatsGoswami ple sayall kinds of things, but I ingapartymeeting.Ihadthende- ish (recommendations) made by have already deniedpermis- farmers and the public, and On the tractor parade plan, it movement in the countrywill has with someone. As of now, wouldsayonlyonething,thatwe cidedtoleave the cabinetand re- BJP leaders. My name wasnever sion forthe tractor parade taking advantageofthese mis- said police officers had given continue side by side. We hope thereisnowrongdoing, nothing would do what the scientists say, main aparty worker.Later, intheFIRoranywhereinthecase. withincity limitsinviewof conceptions, some people, who them aroadmap and leaders of Opposition parties will play to provethatanypartyleaderhas it is notsomething foruspoliti- MamataBanerjee pacifiedme The ACBhad justcalledme, but it heightenedsecurity arrange- areinthe habit of opposing the unions would replyafter a their role this session,” he said. something to do with it,” said a cians to decide).” andgave menewresponsibilities said therewas nothing against mentsfor Republic Day. everygood work,are using meeting Saturday. Darshan Palsaid: “Anything Union Minister. He added, “When the go- and roles as aminister.” me. Therewerenodemands for The breakdown of talksalso farmers fortheir political inter- Tomar said the government on the government's stand will On the Congress allegation ahead from the scientists came, He had takenuphis griev- bribes, and the government did sets the stagefor astormy est. This has ledtothe current adoptedasensitive approach bediscussedafter the Republic thatthechatsshowGoswamihad we had to decide from whereto ances about the party with notincuranyloss.Thereisnocase Budget session of Parliament situation,” he said. towardsfarmers and thought Daytractor parade.” prior knowledge of “sensitive” start,andwe decidedtodoitfrom Mamataand other leaders over againstthe bureaucrats. On the wherethe Opposition will try ButaSingh Burjgill, presi- of their interest. He said “a Leaders of mostunions said militaryoperations—areference health workers who handle pa- the lasttwo and ahalf years, contrary, the government has to corner the government and dent of BKU (Dakaunda), said: sense to take adecision in the their focus nowisonthe trac- to Balakot —BJP leaders said the tientsconstantly." Banerjee said. “Over the lasttwo benefitted Rs 54 lakh,” Dhariwal the ruling party over the farmer “The government told us to ac- interestoffarmers waslacking torparade plannedfor January chatsdidn’t reveal anything that The PM had launchedthe in- months, Ihaveaired those griev- told The Indian Express. protests. cepttheir proposal, and that (among unions) ... When the 26, and that morepeople were wasn’t public knowledge at that oculation drive in the countryon ances in public. But in lastfew When contacted,Vibhuti Emerging from the meeting, theyare notgoing to repeal the sanctity of amovement is de- headedtothe borders of Delhi time. Indeed, severalleaders in January16, with three crore months statementsmade by my Bhushan Sharma, Additional whichlastedbarely30minutes laws.Theydid notgiveany date stroyed,then no decision can from Punjab. the party and the Government, healthandfrontlineworkersto be co-workers have hurtmealot.I AdvocateGeneral,toldTheIndian from the Prime Ministerdown, administeredthe vaccines in the wasdeeplypained... Idon't be- Express that it waswithin the had warnedofdecisive action to initial phase. However, the au- lieve in making personal attacks. powerofthegovernmentto with- Opp parties target ‘rigid’ Govt, plan to turn up heat in Parliament avengethe Pulwama attack. thorities have been struggling But personal attacks againstme draw casesatanystage of thetrial. Yet, at leastsix BJP leaders The with hesitancy among the in- made me take this decision (to “In criminal cases, the stateisthe seen... The agitation of farmers Sitaram Yechurysaid the stale- eachother,” Raja said. decisive battle to save their IndianExpressspokewith,includ- tendedbeneficiaries, including quit).” party,” he said. continues and the Government mateiscontinuing because of O'Brien asked the farms and fields, their livesand ing aUnion Minister, admitted doubtsoverCovaxin. The other Banerjee, who did nottake Inthewithdrawalapplication, hasshown shocking insensitiv- the Government's “obduracy”. Government to “bring an ordi- livelihood, and their present thatthecontroversyhasputthem vaccinebeingadministeredisthe questions from reporters, later thestategovernmenthaspointed ity and arrogance going Trinamool Congress’s Derek nance and scrap the bills”. and their futureagainstadia- in aspot. one developedbyOxford- told his close circle that he would outthatnoneof thethreebureau- through the charade of consul- O'Brien said the onlyoption be- The CWC, too, chalked out bolicalonslaught by the Modi Negative referencesto leaders AstraZeneca and manufactured announce his next step in due cratswerenamedinthe original tations,” Gandhi told ameeting fore the Government is to re- an agitational plan. “Wehave Government determinedto likelateArun Jaitley, Prakash by the Serum InstituteofIndia. course.“If onlyMamataBanerjee complaint, preliminaryenquiry, of the Congress Working peal the laws. decidedtohold block-level sacrifice their interests at the al- Javadekar and former minister The PM regrettedthat he had calledmeonce over the or the FIR. Further,itsaid no spe- Committee (CWC). “Gazettedlaws can’t bekept demonstrations followedby tarofahandful of cronyindus- Rajyavardhan Rathore; Goswa- could notpersonallybewith phone,allissueswouldhave been cial person has been wrongly “Wewillvociferouslyraise suspended. Theyare enforce- district-levelagitations and trialistfriends.” mi’sremarkthat“allministersare those involvedinthe drive in resolved,” Banerjee is learnt to benefitedorharmed.Thegovern- theissue in supportofthe food able unless repealed. The assur- conventions before February Pointing out that farmers' with us,” and his offertomediate Varanasi, noting that around have told aides. ment also nowsaid the land in givers of our country. Since the ance to keep them on hold is, 28. Finally, at the statelevel, organisations have said 147 with the political leadership, in- 20,000hadbeenvaccinatedinthe TMCMPProf SougataRay said question wasnot government daythe ordinance wasprom- hence, hollow. Farmers have therewill be massive conven- farmers have losttheir livesso cludingthePMO,aren’twhatany- district alone in the firstphase. Banerjee's resignation wasex- land and itsstatus quohad not ulgated,wehavebeen consis- seen through this subterfuge. tions before February28to far, it said “the Prime Minister one in the party or government pected.“Good riddance. He was been changed.Italso notedthat tentlyopposing the anti-tiller Repeal these laws,” said showsolidarity with the farm- and an arrogant BJP wantstohavetorespond on. Thackeray notdischarging his duties as a theACBhadfiledthechargesheet legislation. Our stand is very Yechury. ers," said KCVenugopal, the Government refuse to feel their Moreso, aftertheir toplead- livedinthe neighbourhood. ministerand party leader.We againstSandhu, apublic servant, clear.Itwill be pursuedinside CPI general secretaryRaja party's general secretaryin agonyand anguish or listento ers came out to strongly defend However, Sparkwas shunted triedtochangehis mind and to withouttakingprosecutionsanc- and outside Parliament,” said the Government is “being charge of organisation. their cryfor justice” and dis- Goswamiwhenhewaspickedup around even during her lifetime, makehimunderstand.Buthede- tionasrequiredundersection197 Congress leader in Lok Sabha rigid”. He said the farm laws will "The Parliament session is miss “the angstofmillions of from his home in asuicide abet- sidelinedtoasmallertrafficisland cidedotherwise.Itisgoodthathe CrPC. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhurytold jeopardise India’s food security, coming...joining hands with farmers by branding them as ment case by the Mumbai police nextto theroundabout.Theblack hasresigned,elsewe wouldhave The Indian Express. and agriculturewill be handed other like-mindedparties, the 'anti-nationals' and worse”. in November. sculpturealso got acoat of red. takenaction againsthim.” Bihar warns Senior Leftleader DRaja over to business houses. “The Congress will stand against It said that the three laws, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Eventually,the circle vanished, TMCsecretarygeneralPartha thereisacomplaint againstany- said he had spoken over the Government should have these anti-farmer legislations “bulldozed” in Parliament by Javadekar,SJaishankar,Piyush and so did Spark. Chatterjeesaid:“Thiswillhave no one. Under existing legal provi- phone with Rahul Gandhi on agreedtorethink.When the and put pressureonthe “muzzling the voice” of the Goyaland Smriti Irani and BJP “I remember it lying on the impact on the TMC. The party is sions, anyone making objection- the issue and both agreedthat whole farming community is Government to repeal these Opposition, will affect everycit- president JPNadda had calledit sideof thepavement,whereCafé likeanocean. Therewill be no ef- able remarks can be booked Opposition leaders should agitating, political parties can- three acts,” Venugopal said. izen as pricing of all food prod- an attackonthe free press. Noorani is today. The metalhad fectif youdrawtwo orthreedrops under IPC sections 409, 420 and meettochalk out ajoint strat- notremain onlookers and mute In aresolution, the CWC ucts would beat the mercy of a “That supportwas extended corrodedand the topangles had from it. If one or twoleavesfall 467, andunderITActprovisions,” egy.CPM general secretary spectators...weare talking to said the farmers are“fighting a handfulofpeople. becausetheMaharashtragovern- broken. Iwas quitefond of it for from abanyantree, newleaves he said. ment and the police were going three reasons —itwas anice startgrowing.Peoplelikehimare Government sources told The afterGoswami,” said asenior BJP piece, it wasPilloo’s and Iusedto being ropedinbythe BJP to bad- Indian Express that the trigger for MSP to APMCs SectionBhasfive questionsre- NHAI in HC appropriatesteps forthe protec- leader.“This isn’t the same thing. see it everyday,” Godrej said. mouth us... One daythey the circular can be tracedto“ob- Dcontains questions on the MSP. garding the Farmers (Empower- In itssubmission, the NHAI tionandimprovementof human Thereisalleged wrongdoing and The citizen's initiative chose (Banerjee and others who have jectionablecomments”postedon The lastsection, E, seeksthe re- mentandProtection)Agreement also alleged that manyNGOs file environment.” people have been arrested.” the NGMA to place the replica as left) will realise that theymade some digital platforms againsta spondents' suggestions. on Price Assurance and Farm petitionsforupholdingthenorms The NHAI further states: At leasttwo leaders said the Pochkhanawalahadplayedakey the wrong decision.” District Magistrateand aprinci- Thefirstoftheeightquestions ServicesAct,2020,including,“Are of the Act“at the instance of for- “Hence, the Acthas been passed WhatsApp chatswerelikethe role in the foundation of the West Bengal BJP president pal secretaryinconnection with in Section Aasksifthe youaware about the Actdealing eign powers”. by Parliamentnotonlyforprotec- “Radiamoment”fortheBJPrefer- galleryand also organisedthe DilipGhoshappealedtoBanerjee theinvestigationinthemurderin farmers/stakeholders areaware withcontract farming?... Do you Taking strong objection to tion of the environment but also ring to telephone chatsbetween BombayArtsFestivalfor many to join the party. Patna this month of Indigoexec- of theFarmers’ProduceTradeand knowthe Actis(a) contract for these claims filedduring ahear- at the instance of foreign powers. former corporatelobbyistNiira years.However, Sparkhadalways utive Rupesh Singh. Commerce(PromotionandFacili- produce and notfor land?... Do ingonJanuary11, abenchheaded And manyNGOs arefiling Writ Radiaandpoliticiansandjournal- been tough to locateamidstthe Rajasthan The Bihar move comes two tation) Act, 2020 —tobeanswer- youthink that theremay be risk by Chief Justiceof theHighCourt, Petitionsattheinstanceof foreign ists in 2009, whichwas usedby shrubberyonthe trafficisland, officer) —werefiledin2015and months afterthe Kerala govern- ed in a‘Yes’ or ‘No’. In the next of acquiringlandby thecorporate AbhayShreeniwasOka,described powers. Foreign entities suchas theBJPinitscampaignagainstthe and nownobody,including resi- 2016 when the BJP wasinpower ment said it will “notgoahead question, farmers areasked sectororthecontractor?...Doyou them as “shocking”. Amnesty International and Congress-ledUPA intherunupto dentsandshopownersinthearea, in the state. withimplementing”acontrover- wheretheyselltheirproduce—a agreewiththedisputeresolution TheNHAIhassinceattempted Peoples Union forCivil liberties 2014 Lok Sabha elections. remember when theysaw it last. The chargesheet, filedonJuly sial amendment to the Kerala farm gate, haat (market), APMC throughSDMundertheAct?...Do to retractfromthefilingsthrough through itsIndian counterparts “The content maynot be as It was'ArtWalksMumbai', 8, 2016 by the Anti Corruption Police Acttomandateajail term mandi,collection centre, acollec- youhaveany suggestions to fur- aseniorlawyerintheformof for- have filedWrit Petitions directly damaging as Radia tapes, about whichruns arttours and educa- Bureau, said Sandhu, who was forany “offensive”social media tion organisedbyacompanyora therimprovetheprovisionsinthe meradvocategeneralUdayHolla. under Article 32 of the specific claims of proximity to tion programmes in the city,that Principal Secretaryinthe Urban postfollowingahailstormof crit- farmer producer organisation. Act?” But the High CourtonJanuary19 Constitution of India, by passing politicians and corporates. But it is firstnoticedthedisappearanceof Development and Housing icism from across the political Section Agoes on to ask if the SectionCcontainsthreeques- insistedthattheNHAIrespondon High Courts,infurtherance of embarrassing when someone the replica. During the lockdown (UDH) Department in 2010-11, spectrum, including the ruling respondentsfeel the Actgives tions about the Essential howthe submissions were filed. vested interests.” flauntsorbragsaboutconnections lastyear,theyhad covereditas Diwakar,then Deputy Secretary, CPM and itsLDF alliance. them morechoice to sell their Commodities(Amendment)Act, “Wecannotcasuallyallow The submission alleges that withMinisters,”saidapartyleader. partofavirtual arttour. UDH, and Saini, then Deputy Lastmonth, hearing aplea produce beyond APMC markets, 2020,onwhetherthefarmersare withdrawal of suchastatement manyorganisations in India, Thereisalso,anotherBJPleader “Foracitywithsolittleengag- Commissioner,Jaipur Develop- filedbya38-year-old woman andif thiswould"benefitfarmers awareofits provisions and how of objections in whichabold whichfunctionasenvironmental said, uncertainty over what’s next ing public art, it’s devastating to ment Authority,werepartofa whowasbookedby Maharashtra in realizing better pricesfor their these affect them, and the stand has been takenbythe said actionandhumanrights,“areac- —ifthereare other chatsthat will lose Pilloo’s Sparkyet again. This “criminal conspiracy” in allotting Policeforallegedly makingoffen- produce". changes theywould like. AuthorityonoaththatthesaidAct tively involvedinattackingdevel- be revealedbythe Mumbai Police piece wasakey visual element of land belonging to ahousing soci- sive remarks on social media In talkswith the farmers, the The MSP issue is dealt with in of 1986hasbeenenactednotonly opmentprojects,andchallenging who this week were successful in ourarttourintracingherjourney etytoaprivate company. againstChief MinisterUddhav government had proposed Section D, in four questions — forthe protection of the environ- govt. policies ¬ifications and getting the courttoreject from asculptorworking with Sandhu and Saini were Thackeray and his son Aadityain changes to the laws to bring par- “What arethe three main pro- ment, but also at the instance of doing anti national activities''. Dasgupta’s bail. scrapmetaltotheorganiserof the chargedunder sections 409, 420 July, the BombayHigh Courtsaid ityintransactionsinsideandout- duce yousell? Do yousell your the foreign powers,” the bench, TheHighCourtnoted:“To put “Wedon’t knowwhat will BombayArtsFestival. She was and120Bof theIPCalongwithrel- that a“public office in ademoc- side mandis,sothat these didn't produce at Minimum Support also comprising Justice Sachin it very mildly, we arereally comeoutbutasofnow, thegovern- ahead of her time in her choice of evant sections of the Prevention racy” has to face criticism. become obsolete as feared.Ina Prices? (To) Whom do yousell? Shankar Magadum, said. shockedatthewaythestatement ment and the party will maintain material,”theArtWalksfounders of Corruption Act, 1988, in the MaharashtraPolicehadregis- proposal sent to the farm unions Areyouawareabouttheimplica- According to the objections of objectionshasbeenfiledbythe that we have nothing to do with said. 2016 chargesheet. Diwakar too teredseveralFIRsagainstindivid- on December 9, the Centresaid, tions of legalizing MSP especially filedbyNHAI, the Environment said Authority whichissigned whathasbeenleakedsofar,”saida But if Sparkdiedunheralded, waschargesheetedi.The three ualswhopostedallegedly defam- “By amending the Act, it can be if the commodityisinsurplus… Protection Act, 1986 is an Act“to and verifiedbythe Deputy leader.“And that the lawwill take thatisunlikelytobethefate of the were arrested,but were subse- atorycontent on social media providedthat the stategovern- If yes, what maybethose?” providefortheprotectionandim- General Manager (Tech) of the itscourseinthe TRP case anyway.” newinhabitant. The trafficisland quentlygranted bail. againstThackeray andhisson.All ment can implement the system In the lastSection E, the re- provement of environment and second respondent (NHAI). The Goswami, incidentally, has has been givenamakeovertore- In itsJanuary19, 2021, appli- these FIRs were filedafter the of registration of private mandis. spondentscan give “anyother formattersconnectedtherewith: statement of objections is also threatenedlegalactionagainstthe ceive theThackeray statue,which cationbefore thespecialcourt,the death of actor Sushant Singh Also,thestategovernmentcanfix suggestions” in 100words. whereasthedecisionswere taken signedbytheadvocateforthesec- Congress forits “faleshoods.” will be inaugurated on Saturday, stategovernment hasrecom- Rajput in June, when police therateofcess/fee,to becollected The portalrequires the re- attheUnitedNationsConference ond respondent.” Dasgupta's advocateArjun Singh onhisbirthanniversary. It's11 feet mendedthat the case against claimed“coordinated attacks” from such mandis,uptothe rate spondentstosharedetailssuchas ontheHumanEnvironmentheld The courtsaid: “Suchscan- Thakursaidthat“motivatedinter- tall and towers atop apedestal. Sandhu and the twoothers be were launchedagainstthe CM of cess/feeapplicableto theexist- name,email,mobilenumberand at Stockholm in June, 1972,in dalous allegation has been made ests”hadleakedthechatsthathas FULLREPORTSON withdrawn. Six months ago, in and the stategovernment. ing APMC mandis." state. whichIndia participated,totake againstthe central legislatureby “nothing incriminating.” www.indianexpress.com

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM/ELECTIONS

THEINDIANEXPRESS,SATURDAY,JANUARY23,2021 2021 3 DECISION WESTBENGAL TMC expels Baishali Dalmiya, ECbansbikeralliesafterelectioncode 2other MLAs mull exit route Says TMC’s BSF remarks ‘unfortunate’, rejectsBJP claim of Rohingyainvoter list PURULIA,BIRBHUM againstthe party to malign itsim- EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Won’t allow ageshould be dealt in the same “Wehad an in-depth interac- SPsAMONG4IPS KOLKATA,JANUARY22 cut money manner,” he said. EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE tion with the political parties. We OFFICERSSHUNTED from people, The TMC has been fighting a KOLKATA,JANUARY22 had another interaction with all AFTER THE resignation of minis- says Baishali battle of attrition with mayofits Central and stateenforcement terRajib Banerjee from the state prominent leaders, including IN Araremovetocurb money agencies. We mettill about 10:30 Kolkata: Afterameeting be- CabinetonFriday, the ruling TMC Suvendu Adhikari, joining the BJP. and muscle powerinthe upcom- pm lastnight (Thursday) with tween the stateadministra- is bracing foranother waveofdis- to the party and the people. Shibpur MLALahiri said he ing Assemblyelection, the full DMs (district magistrates), police tion and the Election senters ahead of the Assembly Everyone has self-respect and any wasready to join the BJP while benchofthe Election commissioners, SPs (superin- Commission, four IPS offi- polls due in April-May. self-respecting person cannottol- UttarparaMLA Ghoshal, said to Commission (EC) has banned tendentsofpolice), IGs (inspec- cers, Birbhum and Purulia While BallyMLA Baishali erateinsult. In Howrah district, be close to Chief Ministerand bikerallies afterthe model of torgenerals of police) and re- SPs, were transferredon Dalmiyawas on Fridayexpelled we have facedalot of disrespect TMC chief MamataBanerjee, is conduct is enforced. In the last gional commissioners,” said Friday. Officials said these by the TMC for“anti-party activ- and insult from asection of lead- considering the exit routefrom Assemblypolls, bikes rallies Arora. transfers before the election ities”, twomoreMLAs—Jatu ers. Thereare some backstabbers the party. were,however, regulated. The EC metthe chief secre- process were usual. Lahiri and Prabir Ghoshal —said and silent killers who areforcing Rathin Chakraborty too Chief Election Commissioner tary,principal secretary(Home), According to officials, theywereleaving the party.TMC people to resign from statecabi- voicedhis displeasureafter Rajib’s Sunil AroraonFridaysaid, “Once DGP and senior officials on Birbhum SP ShyamSingh leader and former Howrah mayor net.” Earlierthismonth, she had resignation. “The TMC is going the election schedule is an- Friday. has been transferredtothe Rathin Chakraborty claimedthat criticised the party afteranother through aturmoil and manysin- nounced, the model code of con- Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora(right) and Arorasaid, “The ECI is com- StateTraffic Police many“sincere” leaders and work- ministerLaxmiratan Shukla re- cereleaders and party workers duct will be enforced. Afterthat, Election Commissioner Sushil Chandraatapress mitted to conducting polls in a Headquarters while Purulia ers were hamstrung by the party. signedas the ministerofstate for arenot being giventhe opportu- no motorbikerallywill be al- conference in KolkataonFriday. Shashi Ghosh free, fair,ethical and safemanner. SP SSylvamurugan has The decision to expel Dalmiya sports. nity to work,” he said. lowedfor the poll campaign.” Some political parties cited con- been namedthe new from the party wastaken by the Dalmiyasaid she wasyet to According to TMC sources, in- Aroraalso calledthe ruling cerns over the law-and-order sit- Special Superintendent of TMC’s disciplinarycommittee receive the expulsion order from fighting in party’s Howrah unit TMC's allegation as “unfortu- lice volunteers, usedfor traffic special lawand order observers uation. Theyspokeofahigh-volt- CID. Singh has been re- during ameeting, party sources the TMC. “I can saythat Ihavenot has been festering since Julylast nate” that the Border Security and crowdmanagement, would and special general observers. ageelection that can be violent placedbyMiraj Khalid and said. indulged in anyanti-party activ- year when atussle between Rajib Force(BSF) was“threatening” notbedeployedfor election duty We will makesurethat we share and certain to vitiateatmos- Sylvamurugan by Biswajit Daughter of former Indian ities. Iamnot aconspirator,but and ministerArup Roywas re- people in border areas intovot- and underlinedthe needfor ro- with youastowhen district ob- phere. Theyspokeofacommu- Mahato. cricket administrator and busi- thereisaconspiracy againstme. ported. Rajib had at the time told ing forthe BJP,and asked the bustcoordination between the servers will be available to meet nallychargedatmosphereand Beforehis latestposting, nessman Jagmohan Dalmiya, the But Iamhappythat the party has the media that some corrupt party to backits claim with facts. statepoliceand central forces. anyone with agrievance,” the provocative slogans, and desired Khalid wasthe deputy MLAjoinedthe TMC in 2016, expelledme. If my party leaders mid-levelleaders were being On BJP’s claim that “lakhs” of He said EC's expenditureob- election commissioner said. videographyofpolling stations.” commissioner (DC) of shortlyafter his death, and was indulgeincorruption then Iwill shieldedbythe district leader- Rohingyarefugees were addedto servers would take steps to pre- The bench, whichisona He said theEChad askedthe KolkataPolice (central giventhe ticket to contestthe definitelyspeak out. Iwill notal- ship. Laxmiratan Shukla, who re- electoral rolls, the CEC said the list vent misuse of moneypower. three-daystate to reviewpre- chief secretaryand home secre- zone) and Mahatowas DC Assemblyelection from the Bally lowanyone to take cut money centlyresignedfromthe state wasfinal. However, he said the “Weare clear that on the day paredness forthe Assemblypolls tary to take steps to prevent the of Asansol-Durgapur com- Assemblyconstituency in from the people. Iamagainstille- cabinet, wassubsequentlymade EC can look intospecific cases of the announcement of dates for due in April-May, has been meet- spread of misinformation on so- missionerate(west zone). Howrah district. galconstruction in my con- the district president. brought to itsnotice. Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and ing political representatives, top cial media —aconcern raisedby ENS Hours afterDomjur MLARajib stituency,” she said. ATMC leader concededthat Arorareiteratedthat Civic po- Assam elections, we will send police officers and officials. political parties. Banerjee’s resignation, Dalmiya TMC's Howrah Town district infighting wasplaguing the party, said, “Rajib da resigning from his chairman Arup Roydefendedthe and this neededtoberesolvedat postasastate ministerisabig loss party decision. “Those who speak the earliest. PM to attend Netaji birth anniversary event in Kolkata today, CM to lead rally

also visit the National Library, EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE whereaninternational confer- KOLKATA,JANUARY22 ence,titled,“Revisitingthelegacy of Netaji Subhas in the 21st cen- PRIMEMINISTERNarendraModi tury”,andanartists'campwillbe Notice will visit KolkataonSaturdayto held. Notice is hereby given to the public celebrateNetajiSubhas Chandra Meanwhile, the Mamata at large that my client Shruti Lohia, Bose’s 125th birth anniversary. Banerjee government appealed &Ors. of AD/1/1A, Rajarhat Road, Deshbandhu Nagar,Baguihati, TheCentrehasdecidedtocel- to people through televisedad- Kolkata –700 059 intend to ebrateNetaji's birth anniversary vertisementstoblowconch purchase Flat No. Donthe First as “Parakram Diwas [Dayof Anti-smog guns usedto shells at 12.15pm, the time of Floor Block No. 7, within Club Town Housing Complex measuring Valour]”. Chief MinisterMamata disperse pollutantsaround Bose’s birth. 1531 Sq.ft. super built up area lying Banerjee,meanwhile,willleada the Victoria Memorial in The ForwardBloc, which and situated at Mouza –Teghoria, rallytoobserveNetaji’s birth an- KolkataonFriday, aday Bose formedin1939, and the J.L. No. 9, Raghunathpur,Police Station –Baguihati, within the niversaryas“DeshnayakDiwas ahead of PM Narendra CPI(M)saidtheywouldcelebrate limits of Bidhan Nagar Municipal [Dayofcountry’s hero]”. Modi’s visit. Shashi Ghosh January23as“DeshPremDiwas” Corporation standing in the name of The Prime Minister’s Office (dayofpatriotism). Smt. Swati Chandra of 64, Southern Park, P.S. Lake, Kolkata –700029. (PMO)saidModiwouldofficially That if anyone has any claim of inauguratethe event at Victoria any nature in respect of the said Memorial. Flat standing in the name of Swati Chandra, he or she may intimate On the eveofhis visit, Modi to the undersigned within 15 days tweeted,“Dearsistersandbroth- from the date of notice hereof. ers of West Bengal, Iamhon- JAYSHREE SAHA Advocate, 20 A,Kali Dutta Street Flat-303,3rd ouredto beinyourmidst,thattoo Floor,Kolkata- 700005. Mobile: on the auspicious dayof 9831119081 #ParakramDivas.Duringthepro- grammes in Kolkata, we will pay tributes to the braveNetaji Subhas ChandraBose.” This is the firsttime since the BJP came to poweratthe Centre in 2014 that Modi will celebrate Netaji’s birth anniversaryin Kolkata. At the event in Victoria Memorial, an exhibition and a projection-mapping showon Netaji will be inaugurated.The exhibition and the showwill be showcasedthroughout the year. Acultural programme titled “AmraNuton Jouboneri Doot [Weare the messengers of youth]” and basedonthe theme of Netaji’s life, will also be held. Beforethe event, Modi will

PUBLIC NOTICE It is notiied to all concerned that the original Deed of Conveyance bearing no. 3519 for the year 2016 registered in the ofice of ARA-IV, Kolkata with respect to ALL THAT Flat no.4C on 4th Floor measuring 1491 sqft under P.S-Sinthee comprised in Municipal Premises no. 57/4, Barrackpore Road, Kolkata-700002 within the limits of Kolkata Municipal Corporation owned by one Sri Pratik Choudhary and Mrs. Sriparna Deb They have already lodged a General Dairy with the Oficer-in- -Charge of Sinthi Police Station Police Station vide GDE no. 934 dated 15-01-2021 regarding the loss of the said deed. Any body having custody of the said deed or having any information thereof or any claim over the said property or the said deed may kindly intimate the under named person within 07 days from the date hereof failing which no such claim shall be entertained.

Ayan Mitra,Advocate. WB/420/2009. ACUMEN Legal & Advisory.Unit no.4Q, 4Govt. Place (North) Kolkata-700001 Mobile No. 9674292623/7980380619

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(Account) Lastdatefor Receipt:15.00 hrs. on 24.02.2021 Proposal in the form of BIDS is requested from agencies,willing to bid Tender opening :15.30 hrs. on 24.02.2021 for Empenalment of Agency/Agencies for Inernal Audit of various offices Government of Gujarat EMD :Rs.1,00,000 (for Indian agencies) under Directorate of Employment &Training. TheEOI document can be Narmada Water Resources, Water Supply and :USD.1500 (for foreign agencies) downloaded from the website https://www.nprocure.com from Kalpsar Department ASANSOL MUNICIPAL CORPORATION Value of Tender :Rs. 68,99,000/- Tender Notice No.7 of 2020-2021 22nd January 2021 onwards. ASANSOL Prospecivebiddersare advised to referour website Tender FeeRs. 5000/- (Non Refundable) 1Name of work SuppIy,lnstallation,Testing and Memo No. 2300/PW/Eng/2021 dated 22-01-2021 www.tamilship.com /www.tntenders.gov.in forspeciic Commissioning of D.G. Set 320 KVA-2 Date of Pre Bid Meeting Dt. 03/02/2021 at 15.00 Hrs. CORRIGENDUM transparentdetails. 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Div.No.4, DELHI JAL BOARD: GOVT.OFNCT OF DELHI OFFICE OFTHE PUBLIC RELATIONS (W) address ''Bahumali Bhavan'', B-Block, 4th Floor, National Innovation ROOM NO. 306 VARUNALAYA PH-II, KAROL BAGH, NEW DELHI-110005 Manjushree Mill compound, Girdharnagar, Email: [email protected], Phone No- 0112355 0843 Asarwa, Ahmedabad-380004, EXPRESSIONOFINTEREST Phone No.(079-29703314) Foundation-India S. Name of Work Estimated Bid security Period of Last dt/Time Anykind of amendments will be published only on online &will be Grambharti,Amrapur,Gandhinagar-Mahudi N. Cost For each deposit For each Completion of receipt of final &binding to all. Forfurther details,contact to this office during group (Rs.) group (Rs.) Bids Road, Gandhinagar,Gujarat-382650 1 Selection of Partner NGOs to carry out Public Lump Sum Nil 36 months 16.03.2021 office hours.Detailed Tender Notice can also be seen on www.state- Participation, Advocacy and School Outreach (Declaration form up-to 15.00 tenders.com and www.nwr.nprocure.com No.INF/ABD/1320/2021 Notice Inviting Tender No. NIF/2021/ADM/001 Programme under Public Outreach Component for to be filled) Hours YAP-III, in specified Region of Delhi. TENDER No. NIF/2021/ADM/001- Sealed Further details in this regard can be seen at DJB website i.e www.delhijalboard.nic.in under “Expression tenders are invited for Supply of of Interest” link. Sd/- Government of Gujarat ISSUED BY PRO (WATER) Advt. Dy.Director (PR) Narmada Water Resources, Water Supply and Machines, Equipment's and Software's for No. J.S.V.335/2020-21 Delhi Jal Board Kalpsar Department Workshop. Last date &time of bid Tender Notice No.29 of 2020-2021 submission is 12.02.2021 at 1000 Hrs. Government of Karnataka 1Name of work Renovation &upgradation of HT,LTpower S/D Director Department of Public Works, Dharwad Division, Dharwad supply (including replacing old overhead davp 36118/11/0001/2021 Office of the Executive Engineer, conductors by newunderground cables), Department of Public Works, Dharwad Division, Dharwad transformers,LTpanel, APFC panel, external lighting (including newLED flood lights on Publication of Short term tender existing high mast poles,New LED street- Sl.No.: EEDPWD /PB-8 /Tender/2020-21/6975 Date: 22-01-2021 light fittings with newpoles at dykes1, 2, 3, 4and inside dam campus), Replacement of KW –4(Through Standard Document) Passenger elevatorfor galleryinspection The tender for the following works has been invited for the following works on behalf of the and other miscellcous electrical workslike Governor of Karnataka by the Public Works Department from aqualified contractors. Eligible contractors point wiring, fans,light fittings etc. at the can participate in the tender by confirming the date and other details as published in the e-Governance Dharoi dam and Dharoi colony, at Dharoi, Center or website. www.eproc.karnataka.gov.in Further information can be obtained from the office. Dist. Mahesana, Gujarat Estimated cost Other details of the works are as follows. (Rs.3crore) 2Date of Online 08/0212021 to 08/03/2021 up to 16.00 Total Filled Opening Opening Tenders Date of Date of ''IMPORTANT'' Tender Submission Hrs. Sl. Name of Works Estimate No. in Rs. Receiving Technical Financial Whilst care is taken prior to 3Last Date of 09/03/2021 to 16/03/2021 up to 18.00 acceptance of advertising Lakhs Date (e-Proc) Bid (e-Proc) Bid (e-Proc) Submission of Hrs. copy,itisnot possible to verify its contents. The Indian Physical Document Construction of Sports Complex at Kalghatgi 1 500.00 24-02-2021 25-02-2021 26-02-2021 Express (P) Limited cannot be 4Office Name and ExecutiveEngineer,Irri. Mech. Div.No.7, Taluk, Dharwad District (WORK_INDENT 135006) held responsible for such contents, nor for any loss or th address ''Bahumali Bhavan'', B-Block, 4 Floor, Construction of Sports Complex at Annigeri Taluk, damage incurred as aresult of Manjushree Mill compound, Girdharnagar, 2 Dharwad District (WORK_INDENT 135002) 500.00 24-02-2021 25-02-2021 26-02-2021 transactions with companies, Asarwa, Ahmedabad-380004, associations or individuals Construction of Valmiki Bhavan at Survey No. advertising in its newspapers Phone No.(079-29703375) or Publications. We therefore 80/1 (behind the new bus station) at Gulaganji recommend that readers Anykind of amendments will be published only on online &will be 3 Koppa, Ward No. 3, Dharwad District. 200.00 24-02-2021 25-02-2021 26-02-2021 make necessary inquiries final &binding to all. Forfurther details,contact to this office during (WORK_INDENT 134995) before sending any monies or office hours.Detailed Tender Notice can also be seen on entering into any agreements Sd/ -Executive Engineers, with advertisers or otherwise www.statetenders.com and www.nwr.nprocure.com Department of Public Works, acting on an advertisement in No.INF/ABD/1314/2021 DIPR/651/2020-21/DWD/DESHPANDEPUBLICITY Dharwad Division, Dharwad. any manner whatsoever.

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THEINDIANEXPRESS,SATURDAY,JANUARY23,2021 5 An initiativeby *

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*(READ. ENGAGE. DELIVER.) IS THE MARKETING SOLUTIONS TEAM OF THE INDIAN EXPRESS GROUP Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 6 EXPRESS NETWORK THEINDIANEXPRESS,SATURDAY,JANUARY23,2021 BRIEFLY Missingsince2008,Gujarat TRACKING INDIA’S COVID CURVE First batch of 1.6L

NUMBER OF cattleherderreleasedbyPak VACCINATIONS Covaxin doses using that number since. He re- (JAN 22) GOPALKATESHIYA membered that number and di- 2,28,563 RAJKOT,JANUARY22 alleditafter reaching Amritsar. arrives in Bengal He is coming home after13long Total:12,72,097 ISMAIL SAMA,acattle herder years,” Ataulla told The Indian from Nana Dinaravillagein Express over phone from Allaiya NUMBER OF ADVERSE EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE STATECOUNT Gujarat’s Kutchdistrict who Vandh area of Nana Dinara. EVENTS AFTER KOLKATA,JANUARY22 TOTAL CASES went missing in 2008 and was “He spoketome, my mother IMMUNIZATION West Bengal minister laterfound in aPakistani jail, was Kamabai and my younger WESTBENGALreceivedits first 567304 Sovandeb releasedonFridayfollowing an brother Qayum. My uncle Yunus 267 consignment of Bharat Biotech’s Chattopadhyay INCREASE DEATHS order by the Islamabad High Ismail Sama. Express and deputy sarpanchofour vil- Total:1,520 Covaxin Covid-19vaccine on (thirdfromright) CourtonJanuary14. lage, Fazalla Sama, arealready on Friday. The vaccine, whichhas 493 10097 inaugurates the State Ismail reachedthe Indian their waytoAmritsar to receive CASES: ACTIVECASES:1,88,688 been developedincollaboration 550737 RECOVERED Khadi Mela in Kolkata RedCross Society’s branchin Forabout adecade, the fam- him,” Ataulla said. 326 with the Indian Council of on Friday. Express DAYSSINCE 1,06,25,428 DEATHS:1,53,032 Amritsar afterPakistani officers ilyhad no news about him until Citing documentsheac- PANDEMIC Medical Research (ICMR), is likely 7779840 SAMPLES handedhim over to Indian au- RafiqJat, anative of anearbyvil- cessedunder the Right to BEGAN TESTS: 19,01,48,024 | RECOVERIES: 1,02,83,708 to beadministeredtothe second TESTED TILL JAN 22 thorities. lagereturnedhome afterbeing Information (RTI) Act, Jatin Desai, tier of frontline workers, includ- 18-dayKhadi CASES DEATHS RECOVERIES TESTS Nana Dinaravillageislocated releasedfromPakistanin former general secretaryofthe JAN21 ing 2.5 lakh police personnel. Sources said arecipient near Khavda, around 50 km from October,2017, and informed Indian chapterofPakistan-India 14,545 16318,002 8,00,242 An Air Asia plane brought 1.6 would notbeable to choose be- fairbegins on the Indo-Pakistanborder in them that he and Ismail were to- People’s Forum forPeace and lakh vials of the vaccine, packed tween the twoand would have Bhuj taluka of Kutchdistrict. gether in aKarachi prison. Democracy (PIPFPD), said that STATESREPORTINGMAXIMUMCASES in 23 boxes, during the day. Of to take the one made available by inKolkata Ismail went missing on Ataulla, 33,the eldestof Ismail wasawarded afive-year CASES(JAN21) TOTAL those, 1.1lakh were stored in the the government. August28, 2008, and his wife Ismail’s nine children, confirmed jail term by aPakistani courtin Kerala 6,334 8,70,530 central vaccine storagecentrein Earlier this week,Chief To promote indigenous Kamabai believesthat her hus- that his father had reached October 2011 on espionage Maharashtra2,886 20,00,878 Kolkata’s Bagbazar area while the MinisterMamataBanerjee had clothes and other prod- band losthis wayand inadver- Amritsar.“At 6pmonFriday, we charge.His prison term endedin Chhattisgarh674 9,34,252 rest of the doses were stored in a alleged that the Centregavethe ucts, the stategovern- tentlycrossedovertothe receivedaphone call on my fa- October,2016but the cattle centreinHastings. The vials have state“insufficient vaccine”. On ment on Fridaylaunched Pakistanside of the border or ther’s mobile number.Hehad herder continuedtolanguish in STATESREPORTINGMAXIMUMDEATHS been kept in deep freezers and the firstday of vaccination, many the annual StateKhadi wasabducted by Pakistani bor- lefthis phone backhome when aPakistani detention centrefor DEATHS(JAN21) TOTAL areready to be transportedto Trinamool Congress (TMC) lead- Mela at Taltala Maidan der guards. he went missing and Ihad been more than four years. Maharashtra5351,848 other districts. ers, including MLAs, were seen here. The fair is being or- Kerala 21 3,593 In the firstphase of vaccina- taking the vaccine. In response to ganisedbythe West Punjab 15 5,535 tion, the AstraZeneca-Oxford the BJP’s harsh criticism, health Bengal Khadi and Village Viva Group vaccine Covishield, manufac- officials and TMC leaders de- Industries Board, partof DataasonJanuary21,releasedbyUnionMinistryofHealthandFamilyWelfare,IndianCouncilofMedical tured by the Serum Instituteof fendedthe move,saying the rul- the StateMicro, Small & Researchandstategovernments.Oftenthenumbersreleasedeverydaycontaindatafrompreviousdays offices searched aswell.Assuch,trendsbasedondailynumbersareonlyindicativeandnotdefinitive India in Pune, wasonlyadminis- ing party leaders who received Medium Enterprises and teredtohealthcareworkers. jabs were members of patient Textiles Department, and Mumbai: The ED Fridaysearched According to the manufacturer welfarecommittees of different will conclude on the offices of Viva Group run by and the drug regulator,Covaxin hospitals. February8.Itisbeing or- thefamilyofVasaiMLAandleader 4held in Greater Noida over is safeand provides arobustim- Meanwhile, West Bengal on ganisedtoprovide mar- of BahujanVikasAghadi,Hitendra mune response. Officials said Fridayreported493 newcoro- keting supporttoall Thakur,and twoconsultantsto Covaxin is administeredintwo navirus cases and eight fatali- Khadi institutions and the group in connection with its medical student abduction doses spread between four to 12 ties linked to the virus. With boostsales of Khadi prod- probeintothe alleged Rs 6,200 weeks. It can besafelystoredbe- the discharge of 493Covid-19 ucts. Shopperscan use crorefraud perpetrated by said, “While four people have tween twodegrees Celsius and patientsinthe last24hours, the debit and credit cards to Housing Develop-ment EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE been arrested,one person is ab- eight degrees Celsius, similar to number of active cases makepurchase. ENS InfrastructureLimited (HDIL) at LUCKNOW,JANUARY22 sconding.” anydomestic refrigerator. droppedto6,470. Punjab and MaharashtraCo-op- Aresident of Bahraichdistrict, erative (PMC) Bank. IN Ajoint operation, Uttar Gaurav Haldar is afirst-year stu- Scribekilled, ENS Pradesh Police’s Special Task dent of Bachelor of Ayurvedic Row over FIR after toilet vandalism anotherhurt Force(STF) and Gonda police on Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) at Fridayarrestedfour people, in- acollegeinGonda and stayed in Lucknow: Arow has eruptedbe- namedpeople in their complaint inaccident INTEGRATED HQ OF MOD (ARMY) cluding an Ayurvedic doctor,in hostel. tween transportofficials in basedoninformation provided Greater Noida and rescueda19- Those arrested have been Saharanpur district and the by local people who witnessed Kolkata: One journalist QUARTERMASTER GENERAL’S BRANCH year-old medical student who identifiedasDrAbhishek Singh, BajrangDal,withthegroupaccus- the incident. The miscreantsal- waskilledand another DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF SUPPLIES AND TRANSPORT wasabducted lastweek. his cousin Rohit Singh, Nitesh ingSaharanpurRoadways officials legedly raisedobjections as the wasseriouslyinjured in Additional Superintendent of Kashyapand Mohit Singh –all in of falselyframingsixof itsworkers toiletwas located close to atem- aroad accident in south REGISTRATION AS APPROVED ASC CONTRACTORS Police, STF, RajKumar Mishra their twenties. inacaseof publictoiletvandalism ple, and claimedreligious senti- Kolkata’s AnwarShah 1. Applications are invited from interested firms for registration with Directorate General atthelocalbusdepotWednesday. mentsofHindus had been hurt. Road in the early hours of Supplies and Transport as Registered ASC Contractors for annual contractsfor The transportdepartment’s The Saharanpur police have Friday, said the police. supply of Meat Dressed/Chicken (Broiler) Dressed in Chilled/Frozenstate for approx officials on Fridayclaimedthey arrested aperson. ENS Soham Mallickwas 259 stations to the Indian Army. killedand 2. The firms applying for registration are required to be registered under serial number Mayukhranjan Ghosh 3and 4inschedule 1ofFSSAI Act 2006, containing list of food business falling under STATEINDUSTRIES PROMOTION CORPORATION OF TAMILNADU wasseriouslyinjured 19-A, RUKMANI LAKSHMIPATHY ROAD, EGMORE, CHENNAI -600 008. the purview of Central Licensing Authority.Interested firms should have their own when their bikeskidded Dated: 22 .01.2021 integrated slaughtering and processing facilities to handle only Goat/Sheep and and hit atreenear Lords TENDERCANCELLATION NOTICE Broiler where there are no chances of any mix up with the slaughter and process of Moreinthe Lake other large animals for production of Beef/Pork etc. Tender Notice issued vide the Reference No.4/F/F&R/T. Gardens area at around No.9,10,11/2020-21 dated 7.01.2021 which was published in daily 4.15 AM, theysaid. Both 3. Tenders are invited between Oct to Dec at HQ Commands for contractsfor the period newspaper on 10.01.2021 for the auction sale of mortgaged assets of Soham and from 01 Apr to 31 Mar. M/s. Vijay Crates&Containers Pvt. Ltd., R.S.No.138/3A &138/3B, Mayukhranjan work for 4. Interested parties may submit application on the printed letter head of firm to Director Chittoor Road, Valakkanampudi Village, R.K. Pettai Taluk, Thiruvallur the news desk of an up- General Supplies and Transport (DGST) alongwith FSSAI certificate. Any additional District that was taken possession by SIPCOT U/s.29 of State Financial Corporations Act 1951, alone is hereby cancelled due to coming vernacular news information may be obtained from the undersigned. administrative reasons. channel. “Soham wasde- Sd/- DIPR/483 /TENDER/2021 GENERAL MANAGER (F) Colonel (Contracts) clared brought dead while Mayukhranjan is Directorate General of Supplies and Transport Government of Gujarat RFPNo. GCSC/MF/2020-21/152 Quartermaster General's Branch undergoing treatment at Gujarat Council of Science City the ICCU of the SSKM Integrated Headquarters of MoD (Army) Narmada Water Resources, Water Supply and Kalpasar Department Science City Road, Ahmedabad-380060 Hospital. He has slipped New Delhi- 110011 Phone: 91-79 29703122 Tender Notice No. 38 of 2020-21, Corrigendum No. 1 intoacoma and his con- Telephone No: 011-23018353 Mail: [email protected] TheTender Notice No.38of2020-21, published by this office,the work at Sr.No. dition is quitecritical,” davp 10602/11/0039/2021 E-mail ID [email protected] Web: www.scity.gujarat.gov.in 4shall now be as under. said asenior doctor at 4(a) Providing and installing of SKADAbased Gate operation, ARMC &monitoring 1) GCSC invites Request forProposal (RFP) for the hospital. PTI Government of India control system including O&M at Ukai Dam. Estimated Cost Rs.6,85,42,660/- Renovation and Up-gradation of Existing Musical 4(b) Providing and installing instrumentation and other related works including Fountain at Science City,Ahmedabad. O&M at Ukai Dam. Estimated Cost Rs.6,03,86,833=00 and work at Sr.No. 6shall Ministry of Health &Family Welfare now be as under. 2) GCSC invites Request forProposal (RFP) for 6. Renovation work of VIP rest house at Ukai Dam site and construction of new Renovation and Up-gradation of IMAX Theatre at NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH TRAINING &RESEARCH control room at Ukai Dam. Estimated Cost Rs.41663912.45. Science City,Ahmedabad. 332 SVP Road, Khetwadi, Girgaon, Mumbai-400004 Other details of tender notice No.38of2020-21b shall be remained same. Details of the above mentioned RFP can be downloaded Any kind of amendments will be published only on online &will be final &bind- from www.dst.gujarat.gov.in/www.scity.gujarat.gov.in, ADMISSION NOTICE (2021-22) ing to all. Forfurther details contact to this office during office hours.Detailed Tender Notice can also be seen on www.statetenders.com and www.gujcost.gujarat.gov.in and www.nprocure.com. www.nwr.npocure.com Interested Parties mayread and download RFP docu- NATIONAL InstituteofPublic Health Training &Research, Mumbai, aCentral No.Mahiti/Surat/1278/2021 Training InstituteofMinistry of Health &Family Welfare, Govt. of Indiainvites ments. applications in the prescribed format for the following courses for the Executive Director 23/01/2021 academic year 2021-22. No.INF/ABD/1335/2021 A. Regular Courses : Regular Courses Age (Years) No. of Duration Seats 1. Master in Public Health Minimum age 21 years 10 Two (MPH) Years 2. Post Graduate Diploma in Minimum age 21 years 30 One Hospital Management Year (PGDHM) 3. Diploma in Health Up to 40 years. 30 One Promotion Education (Age relaxation as per GOI Year (DHPE) rules) 4. Post Graduate Diploma in Up to 40 years. 30 One CommunityHealth Care (Age relaxation as per GOI Year (PGDCHC) rules)

B. Skill Based Training Programmes : (As per the guidelines issued by the, Ministry of Health &Family Welfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi) Skill Based Training Age (Years) No. of Duration Programme Seats 1. Sanitary Health 18-30 30 One Year SAINIK SCHOOL KAPURTHALA (PUNJAB) Inspector CBSE AFFILIATION NO 1680001 2. Diabetes Educator Above 30 On campus-3 Months Phone No -01822-230184 Recruitment Notice -Female Candidates only 22 Years Online/Off campus -6Months 1. The Recruitment of the following posts on contractual basis forone year forfemale candidates as per details given below: - 3. Home Health Aide 18-30 30 4Months Particulars 01 xMatron 01 xNursing Sister 02 xGeneral 4. General Duty 18-30 30 6Months Employees (Ayah) Reservation OBC Unreserved 01 -STand Assistant 01 -Unreserved 5. First Responder 18 Years 30 4Days Last date for 16 Feb2021 submission of and above application form The last date for submission of completed application along with application Consolidated Pay Rs 20,000/- Rs 20,000/- Rs 15,500/- Essential Essential. Should have passed Matriculation or equiv- (i) Nursing Diploma/ (i) Matriculation or fees Rs. 200/- (Rs. TwoHundred only) paid Online or by DD/Bankers cheque qualification alent examination and should be able to converse fluent- Degree (ii) 5years experi- equivalent drawn in favour of "Director,National InstituteofPublic Health Training & ly in English. Desirable.(i) BA/B Sc /BCom degree (ii) ence or ex-service of (ii) Will be required Attainments in sports /Art /Music (iii) Mature ladies with- Medical Assistant trade to undergo aphysi- Research" payable at Mumbai by Registered/speed post only is 31st March out encumbrances and with experience of handling chil- with at least 5years serv- cal and askill test. SSKP-413 dren with affection will be preferred. (iv) Individual able to ice after Training. (iii) 2021. SC/ST candidates are exempted from the application fees. Selection of speak fluently in English will be given preference. Individual able to speak candidates will be by CommonEntrance Test (CET) for regular courses. The fluently in English will be given preference. detail notification for the admission to various courses conducted by NIPHTR, Age 18 -50years of age Mumbai are available at www.fwtrc.gov.in. Fees along with General/OBC- Rs.500/-, SC/ST-Rs 250/- application form Sd/- 2. Fordetailed advertisement and application form,please Visit school website: www.sskapurthala.com. DIRECTOR/efveosçekeâ 3. The school administration reservesthe right to cancel all or anyofthe vacancies due to non-availability of suit- N.I.P.H.T.R. MUMBAI/Sve.DeeÙe.heer.SÛe.šer.Deej., cegbyeF&-4. able candidates or administrative/policy reasons. SSKP-413 Principal

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WORDLY WISE Democracyisnot aspectator sport.

8 THE EDITORIAL PAGE —BERNIE SANDERS Food Maths

§ FOUNDED BY § RAMNATH GOENKA Imbalances in India’s cereal economy BECAUSETHE TRUTH INVOLVES US ALL needmorethan ashort-term fix

MOUNT 50K Jean Drèze

Markets touchrecordhighs on backofgreater confidence over THE PARADOXOF“hunger amidstplenty” has with normal levels. Afterreachingapeakof looming imbalance between production and haunted India foralongtime and shows no nearly 100million tonnes in July2020 (more consumption. Cereal production has been economy. Optimismneeds to be tempered with caution signof going away.Onthe contrary, it reached than twice the buffer-stocknorms), cereal wellabove 250 million tonnesforfiveyearsin NTHURSDAY,THE BSE Sensexbreachedthe historic 50,000 markfor anew plane in 2020.Onthe one hand, the eco- stocks stoppedgrowing. But with the recent arow,and is likelytocross280 milliontonnes nomic recession precipitatedbythe COVID- discontinuation of PMGKAY, they areall set this year.According to the second India thefirsttime. While the markets have since then been pulleddownby 19 crisis and national lockdown exposedhuge to grow again in 2021. Human Development Survey,average cereal profit booking, the near 90 per cent rise in the Sensexfromthe depths numbers of people to food insecurity.Many In the short-term, thereisnosimple way consumption wasalittle below12kgper per- observedinMarch last year has been nothingshortofspectacular. household surveys point to reducedfood in- of closing the gapbetween procurement son per month 2011-12. Using this bench- OMoreover, this surge has notbeenconcentrated in afew select stocks,but take in both quantitative and qualitative terms. and distribution other than expanding dis- mark, aggregatecereal consumption is likely is morebroad-basedwith the BSE mid and small cap indices also witnessing asimilar Thelatestsurvey,Hunger Watch,suggests that tribution. With farmers demanding higher to be around 200million tonnes today, in a surge.Foreign investors have also flockedindroves—between April 1and January21, food insecurity continuedwell afterthe lock- MSPs and being quiteassertive about it, pro- normal year.Sustainedpoverty reduction down. The government is trying to createan curement is unlikelytodecline soon (except would perhaps raise it alittle beyond that, but foreignportfolio investors invested anet of Rs 2.41lakh croreinIndian equities, the high- impression that the crisis is largely over,but in years of bad harvest). Exports would re- notmuch. Cereals have other uses than hu- esteverinasingleyear.Retail participation toohas seen aspectacular pickup—around forinformal-sector workers, hardship is likely quiremassive subsidies, since MSPs tend to man consumption, but it is notclear howwell 10 millionnew demat accountswereopenedin2020. All this suggests thatdespitethe to continue foralong time. be higher than worldprices —almost50per the surplus can be used. economygoing through arguablythe severest recession in decades, marketparticipants On the other hand, excess cereal stocks cent higher in the case of wheat today. So This imbalance reflects the excessive fo- areoptimistic about futureprospects. (mainlyrice and wheat) have reachedun- would theuse of excess stocks as cattle feed. cus of subsidisedprocurement on rice and Thereare severalpossible explanationsfor thesurge in the markets.First, thereisfar precedented levels and areall settogrowfur- Large subsidiesfor exports or cattle feed (not wheat. Perhaps the all-outpromotion of rice greater optimism over the stateofthe economythan before with leadingeconomic in- ther in 2021. Bloated stocks reflect agrow- to speak of ethanol) would be hardtojus- and wheat servedapurpose at one time, ing imbalancebetween procurement and tify.Open-market saleswould defeat the when India facedapossible danger of cereal dicators suggesting that astrong recovery is underway. Addtothat expectations of a distribution. According to the official purpose of MSPs. shortage.Today,itmakes little sense. smooth rollout of the Covidvaccine andasaconsequence, demand firming up, especially Foodgrains Bulletin, cereal procurement was This imbalance reflects the The case forexpanding distribution arises Diversificationofagriculture,especially to- forhigh-contact services, thereisreason to be optimistic. This viewwas echoedbyecon- around 70 million tonnes in 2017-18, 80 mil- excessive focus of subsidised notonlyfromthe lackofsensiblealternatives wardsnutritiouscropssuchasmillets,pulses, omists at theRBI in their latestmonthlyoutlook on the stateofthe economy, who noted lion tonnes in 2018-19, and close to 90 mil- procurement on rice and but also fromtheneedtoconsolidatethe food oilseeds and vegetables, is important notonly that “the recovery is getting stronger in itstractionand soon the winter of our discon- lion tonnes in 2019-20.This year,itmay cross security netinthis crisis situation. Ad hoc forbetternutrition but alsotopromote equity wheat. Perhaps the all-out tent will be made glorious summer,”adding that “barring the visitation of another wave, 100milliontonnes. Meanwhile, cereal dis- measures, oftenprone to confusionand cor- and sustainability. This requires morebal- tribution under the public distributionsys- ruption,shouldgiveway to sustainedentitle- ancedsubsidies —for instance, higher MSPs the worstisbehind us”. Second, thereare heightenedexpectations from the upcoming promotion of rice and wheat tem(PDS) and other welfareschemes has served apurpose at one time, ments. Thereare manypossibilities in this re- forpulses, combinedwith more active pro- Union Budget.Considering that the government has been rather conservative in itsap- stagnated at around 60 million tonnes. gard —expandingthe Antyodaya programme, curement and the inclusion of pulses in the proachthis year,thereare expectations that the finance minister, in addition to announc- Procurement and distribution do notmatch when India faced apossible updating the population figures usedtocal- PDS. The feasibility of including pulses in the ing steps to aid the economic recovery,will loosen the fiscal taps,providing the much- because theyare drivenbyindependent danger of cereal shortage. culateNFSAcoverage, raising monthlycereal PDS wasamply demonstrated in 2020 under neededfillip to theeconomy. Andthird,favourable liquidity conditions, both domestically forces —procurement by minimumsupport Today, it makes little sense. rations above the modest norm of 5kgper the PMGKAY—this could work wonders for and globally, areplaying asignificant role in pushing up stockprices. prices (MSPs), distribution by thenorms of Diversification of person,anduniversalisingthePDS inrural ar- farmers, poor people, and the environment. theNational Food Security Act(NFSA). eas and urbanslums, among others. Justto Diversificationalso calls forother forms of However, thereisreason to be cautious. Even though marketsare forward-looking, val- WhentheNFSAwas beingdrafted10years agriculture,especially amplify the lastoption, universalisingthe PDS public support (such as marketing arrange- uations appear to be stretched. The marketiscurrentlytrading at aprice to earnings ra- ago, cereal procurement wasaround 60 mil- towards nutritious crops in rural areas at NFSArates (5 kg perperson ments,credit facilities, scientific advice, effec- tio of 34 that is farinexcess of itslong term average. While earnings will getupgraded, lion tonnes. The Planning Commission and fi- suchasmillets, pulses, permonth) would requireanextraallocation tive insurance), especiallyfor small farmers this expansion in the earnings multiplewill at some point adjusttothe reality that the nance ministryarguedthat it would notand oilseeds and vegetables, is of about 15-20 million tonnes per year — and deprivedregions. economystill hasaconsiderable distance to travel to recovertopre-COVID levels. Even should notgrowfurther,and insistedon60 barelyhalf of the current gapbetween annual Soonerorlater,the double imbalance in important not only forbetter accounting forthe faster recovery,the economyislikelytorecoverto2019-20levels, only million tonnes as an upper bound forthe ce- procurement and distribution. India’s cereal economy(betweenprocure- by around the end of 2021-22. real requirementsofthe NFSA.Tenyearslater, nutritionbut also to Another approachwould be to simply ment and distribution as well as betweenpro- procurement has actuallygrown by more promote equityand raise state-wise NFSAallocations by afixed duction and consumption) will needmore than 50 per cent. sustainability. This requires percentage(say20per cent), and letthe states than ashort-term fix. Meanwhile, the needof The imbalance between procurement decide howtouse theadditionalquotas the hour is to expand distribution under the and distribution wastemporarilyhidden in more balanced subsidies — withinthePDS framework.Duringthe lastfew PDS. Failing that, the countryisheading to- SLAUGHTERING SENSE 2020 because additional PDS rations of 5kg forinstance,higher MSPs months,manystateshavetriedto expand the wardsanother round of wasteful stockaccu- per person per month were provided to forpulses, combined with coverage of the PDSasarelief measure, but it mulationeven aspoor people struggle to feed NFSAcardholdersfromApril to November is hardfor them —especiallythepoorerstates their families. Delhi civic body wantsrestaurants to displayhow their meat is under the Pradhan Mantri Garib KalyanAnna more active procurement —todoitwithout central assistance. slaughtered.Itisabad policy with suspectmotives Yojana (PMGKAY). This ledtothe release of and the inclusion of pulses Aside from amajor gapbetween cereal The author is Visiting Professor at the an extra30million tonnes or so, compared in the PDS. procurement and distribution, thereisalso a Department of Economics, Ranchi University POLICY CANbecriticised on manycounts —for being superfluous and wasteful, impractical, callous or even forbeing the instrument of alarger, divisive agenda. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation(SDMC) order Amaking it mandatoryfor restaurantsand eateries to displaywhether they serve“halal” or “jhatka” meat andpoultryhas the rare distinction of checking all these boxes. The food andbeverageindustryinthe capital is still reeling from THE WHATSAPP FIX the financialimpact of the pandemic, and another unnecessaryrule will onlyadd to its burden. According to meattraders,itisprice and quality thatdetermine thekind of meat purchased by restaurants, notthe method of slaughter.Besides,asmultiple restaurateurs Adataprotection lawwould have made its privacy updateillegal told this newspaper,customers rarely inquire —orcare—about howthe meat theycon- sume is slaughtered.SDMC officials have also pointedout that enforcing the policy is nearly impossible,sincethereisnoway to distinguish betweenhalal and jhatka in cooked meat. SubimalBhattacharjee Giventhe opposition to and futility of the policy,the onlyexplanation forits promulga- tion lies in the political ends it means to serve.Alarge chunk —about 80 per cent, by some IN NOVEMBER 2014,WhatsApp adoptedthe duringthe 2016 US elections and Brexit is passedbynow,WhatsApp’smove would have estimates—ofthe meatconsumedinDelhi is “halal” because amajorityofbutchers be- Signal protocol forend-to-end encryption af- proof. In 2018,therewerereports of Facebook been illegal. Provisionsin the bill requiredthat terits acquisition by Facebook in Februaryin entering intodata-sharing deals with other everydataintermediaryhas to take explicit long to the Muslim community.Itisalso avital sector because of the employment it gener- the same year.Since then, it has growntobe tech firms likeApple, Amazon and Spotify. permission from the user whose datawould ates. Moreover, in acountrystruggling with amalnutritionproblem, animalproteins arean the most popularappfor IP messaging and te- WhatsApprespondedtowidespreadcon- beharvested. Even the method of dataclassi- essentialpartofthe nutrition matrix. The rationalefor theorder,according to BJP SDMC lephonywith almosttwo billion users world- cern by,first, trying to clarify that theupdate fication intosensitive personal dataand crit- leader NarendraChawla, is that it will “benefit the Khatik community”, whichuses the wide, of which400 million areinIndia, the did notchangeanything as farasthe private ical datahas been definedand their process- “jhatka” method. The motive,then, seems to be to communalise food and to pit people in- largest in anycountry.WhatsApp’s unique chatsbetween individuals and groups were ing possibilities mentionedinthe bill. volvedinthe animal trade against eachother.Bybranding food served according to the re- blend of text, audio and voice messaging and concernedand thatthe data wouldbeshared Clearly,the government has to makethe callingplatform with the end-to-end encryp- In the most recent note,the onlyfor businessinteractions.Itthen issued PDPB intolaw sooner than later so that such ligion of those who provide it, the BJP-controlledSDMC is trying to communalise food. tion has allowedthe companytomaintain its large mediaads and finallyproposedtodefer restrictive practicescan neverbeintroduced All this is being done by amunicipal administration that is unable to meeteventhe government referred to the pole position,despitehiccups likethe Pegasus principle of purpose the implementation by aboutthree months in the firstplace.After all, WhatsAppdid make basicobligations to itsemployees. On Thursday, the Delhi High Court, while ordering the malwareepisode. to May15, 2021. But these steps didn’t stop the an exception forits users in the European stategovernment and municipalcorporation to paythe backlog of salaries and pensions It is,therefore,surprising that aplatform limitation provisions in the exodusof manyusersto alternateonlinemes- Union. At the same time, forthe Competition to itsemployees, said that it was“disgusted” by “absolutelynoconcern youhaveshown that hasmade avirtue out of protecting user Personal DataProtection Bill saging services likeSignal and Telegram. Commissionof India,thisis aclassiccaseof an foryour employees”. Perhaps, rather than focusing on what notices restaurantsneedto privacy is trying to forceits updated terms of (PDPB) that wasintroduced The Indian government has also sent a organisation using itsnear monopolistic service (ToS) and privacy policy on users. The strong note,seeking the company’s response powerinthe markettopush throughsome- carry as apolitical ploy, theSDMC should focus on the needs of the city and itsstaff. in Parliament in December policy seeksconsent from users to allowthe to 14 queriesrelatedto theirpractices in India thing that is notinthe consumer interest. platform to sharetheir datawith Facebook 2019 and is currently being and asking the platformtowithdraw those The fact remains that tech giants need and itscompanies, whichmeans that discussed by ajoint select proposedchanges. This note has sent aclear morelegal and regulatorywatch, giventhe WhatsAppwouldsharetransaction data, mo- committee. It will be messagetoWhatsApp to notsubject Indian digital proliferation in the country. As Digital bile device information, IP addresses and other users to greater information security risksand India expands and brings in moreusers from THE SANDERS STYLE metadataonhow users interact with busi- pertinent to mention that vulnerabilities with the consolidation of data the current base of 70 crore, and moretaketo nesses on WhatsApp. Suchsharing would be had the bill been passed by from WhatsApp and Facebook.In2019, dur- social media forcommunications and busi- It’s onlyapt that Bernie Sanders breaksthe internetasJoe done with the user being notifiedbeforethe now, WhatsApp’smove ing the revelations of the Pegasus hacking the ness, theymustbeensuredasafer digital Biden takesoveras46th president of US startof achat if the businessuses Facebookto would have been illegal. IT ministerhad takenasimilar stand, forcing space, giventhat mostwouldn’t be awareof storeand analysedataand the user would WhatsAppto committoafew deliverables. In the reachofthe databeinggenerated.For now, ERNIE SANDERS IS everywhere, even if he is notinthe WhiteHouse. The have the option of blocking the business. Provisions in the bill themostrecent note,the governmentreferred WhatsApp hastorollbackthe TOSand pri- seasonedDemocrat launchedamillion memes by turningupatUS However, even thiswould defytheprinci- required that everydata to the principle of purpose limitation provi- vacy policyandthinkof methodsto allow opt- President Joe Biden’s inauguration in an ensemble that has been variously ple of purpose limitation that has been the intermediaryhas to take sions in the Personal DataProtection Bill in and opt-out choices so that forced consent described as “grumpy chic”and “goingtothe postoffice” look.Amid the yardstickofaddressing privacy concerns at a explicit permission from (PDPB) that wasintroducedinParliament in is nevermade the order of the day. B global level. It is afactthat Facebook does not December 2019 andiscurrentlybeingdis- striking visuals of Vice-President Kamala Harris’s purple powersuit, Lady have astellar recordofdataprotection of its the user whose datawould cussedbyajoint select committee. It will be The writer is amember of theeditorial board Gaga’s operatic gown and Michelle Obama’s strikingly confident head-to-toe plum attire, users, as the CambridgeAnalytica datascam be harvested. pertinent to mention that had the bill been of thecyber journal of Chatham House in walked Sanders in an unfussy dun-coloured coatpulleduptohis ears,carrying amanila envelope and wearing thickmittens made of up-cycledsweaters —apictureofmatter- of-fact, we-have-got-work-to-do ordinariness. It might be relief at the end of the tenure of apopulistpost-factpresident, who pushed the famedAmerican democracy to the edge of acoup, at the return of the humdrum af- JANUARY 23, 1981, FORTY YEARS AGO terthe disruptive reign of Doland Trump, but the US interwebz went tipsy with amuse- ment. The photograph of amasked Sanders, seated in achairatthe inauguration, unim- BOND CONTROVERSY ing to his colleagues, “soldapup to the than an hour,demanding an immediate pressedbythe pomp all around, has been graftedontomillions of images, from Edward The Planning Commission wasnot con- Prime Minister”. Whether due to secrecy meeting of the BACduringthe firstsession Hopper paintings to Lordofthe Rings scenesand NewYorkstreetcorners. It’s apt, of sulted on the bonds meant to mop up black concerns, or some other reasons, therewere of the assembly. course, that American voters have notforgotten Sandersinthis moment of transition. moneytothe tune of Rs 25,000croreinthe very little discussions even withinthe gov- country. One of the members of the com- ernment before the ordinanceonbonds PM’S MESSAGE The Vermont Senator eventuallybowedout of the race to become the Democratic con- mission feels that notenough homework were issued. ADMITTINGTHATTHE country waspass- tender forthe presidential race, because his agenda wasseen, in the final analysis, as too wasdone before deciding on the bonds as a ing through agrave economic crisisdue to radical and left-wing forthe compromises neededtooil thewheels of democracy. measuretoclean up blackmoney. In the AKALIS SCORE APOINT therise in prices of essential commodities Nevertheless, his critique of American politics and corporatecaptureofcapitalism, his earlier schemes —for example, the1976 Opposition parties forced the Punjab gov- and inflationarytrends, Prime Minister advocacy of affordable healthcare, increasing the minimum wage,among other things has voluntarydisclosures —the Planning ernment to abandon the approved pro- Indira Gandhi calledonthe peopletounit- pushedthe Democratic agenda towardsacourse correction, towardsconnecting with a Commission wasinvolved. This time they gramme forthe StateAssemblyand made it edly fight the test whichthe nation was working-class that remainssuspicious of the elitecaptureofdemocratic institutions. came to knowabout the bondsfromnews- agreetoare-convene the business advisory passing through. She said that the youth de- papers.Inquires made by theFinance committee forafresh look at the businessto served moreopportunities in nation build- Sanders wassurprisedbyhis breaking the internet. “In Vermont we dress warm... and Ministryreveal that even those officials be transacted during the Budget Session. ingand askedthem to comeout of the grip we’renot so concernedabout good fashion,” he said. Forpoliticians across the worldreel- who deal with the subject were nottaken The government decision came aftermem- of anarchistforces who posedathreat by ing from the rise of autocratic populism, though, Sandersisareminder that good old- intoconfidence. The proposal seems to be bers of the Akali Dal (Talwandi) sat in a constantlydisrupting the country’s law fashionedprogressive politics will nevergoout of fashion. the brainchild of one official, who, accord- protest dharnainside the Housefor more andorder.

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,SATURDAY,JANUARY23,2021 WHATTHE OTHERSSAY “China canbeapartner with the US in fighting COVID-19, resolving climate problemsand promoting growth. Compared withconfrontational policies, the China-US cooperation is obviously more conducive to realising Wa shington's 9 THE IDEAS PAGE new ambitions.” —GLOBALTIMES,CHINA Home, alone The listening deficit The fundamentalreform India —and Afalse hierarchy of genderand castepracticeshas devalueddomestic theworld —needs is the process of and carework. The pandemic has onlysharpened this inequality listening to other perspectives

omists have been verycriticalin recentyears of the Supreme Court’s “interference” in the economy, withits decisions in taxmatters, etc. It does nothavethe necessaryexpertise foreconomic policies, theysay.Caught in the impasse of agriculturereforms, the govern- ment nowseemsinclinedtolet theSupreme Courtdecide what shouldbedone. Is this not an admission that the government and the AmritaDutta economists who advise it do nothavethe ex- ArunMaira pertise requiredfordemocraticgovernance? The expansion of the idea of human THE KITCHEN IS Aplace of nourishment and rightsisthe mother forceofdemocracy. skill —but also of the exhausted, unvoicedrage “THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS cannotbeal- Democracy is deepenedbythe realisation of Indian women. That anger simmers in the lowedtobesubverted through unlawful that those who rule always have morepower just-releasedMalayalamfilm,TheGreat Indian protests,” Prime NarendraMinisterModi than those theyrule over.The nobility over Kitchen.But before it boils over,the camera tweeted, commenting onthestormingof the peasants; whitepeople over coloured peo- lingers on the hands of women at work:Slicing US Capitol by DonaldTrump’ssupporters. ple; upper castesoverlower castes;employ- carrots, peeling tapioca, washing cups, scrub- Meanwhile, thousands of farmers are ersoverworkers;menover women. Thead- bing dishes,grinding coconut intoachutney campedinbitterlycold weather around vance of ill-regulatedcapital across the world on astone slab, sweeping, mopping, washing. India’s capital. Theyare peacefullyprotest- in recent years, to promote theease of doing Breakfastfollows lunchfollows dinner. The ing amendments to farm laws thegovern- businessratherthan easeofliving, hasgiven menreadthe newspaper orstretchintoayoga- menthas rammedthrough without adis- those with morewealth greaterpower to asana, call out fortea (with milk forhim, and cussion in the country’s elected Parliament. frame rules than citizens who have no without forsomeone else). Theyask forthe Theythreaten to carryout apeaceful tractor wealth. Democracy mustcorrect this. toothbrush to be handedoverand knowhot march in Delhi on the nation’s Republic Day The fault-linesin democracy are: Ill-reg- dosaswill find the plate, unasked.Scene after if their demands arenot concededbythen. ulated capitalistmarkets arecorroding scene looksatthe never-quite-finished These protests in theworld’stwo largest democracy;experts aremisinformedabout women’slabour at home —aswellastheeasy, democracies raise questions about the health realities; global elites, who areconnected in polite entitlementwith whichmenreceive the CRSasikumar of the global democratic enterprise. aglobal community transcendingnational fruitsofthat work,not even ahaldi stain on the problem of toofew womeninthe workforce labour that subsidises the economic activities What is a“lawful” protest? Who deter- borders, aredisconnected from common assumption that this is howitshould be. because a) “theydonot have to leave home of society,the proposal leavesthe fundamen- mines whether the purpose of the protestis people. Theythink “global” and believe that This unsettling look at domestic drudgery and face molestation or badnaami” and b) be- talhierarchyofthe patriarchal home unchal- lawful? And whichmethods of protestare thinking “nationaland local” is going back- —bothinJeo Baby’s TheGreat Indian Kitchen cause it can makeitfeasible forthem to do lenged —that awoman’s place is in the home lawful?Ifsuchquestions should bediscussed wardswhereas people within countries and the Bengali film Tasher Ghawr,about a “both office and familychores”. The Supreme —and absolvesitofchange. Asalaryalso pre- within ademocratically-electedParliament everywhere, especiallythose leftbehind in housewifetrappedwithher abusive husband CourtChief Justice finds it possible to suggest supposes aworker’s ability to bargain for (orCongress), and if elected institutions do the global race, want their governmentsto in lockdown—israreincontemporarypopu- that women farmersfromPunjab give up their higher wages, and exit her workplace. Can notfunction, should the peoplenot protest? look inwardstotheir needs first. lar culture. Indeed, to manyofus, food is daily spaceindemocratic protests andreturnhome, thesenegotiations take place in thehome, They must protest, albeit non-violently, in a The EdelmanTrustBarometer, anannual pleasureand aestheticism, alink to cultures rather than bargain fortheir economic rights. whichplacesmen’sneeds and pleasures at the manner that will maketheir protestheard global survey of citizens’ trustininstitutions and histories that makeus. But likethe salt that It is the same daddy complexthatleadstoanti- centre of itsworkflow? Moreimportantly, how as theIndian farmersare, andthe protestors reported, in 2020, that:“Agrowing sense of disappears intoasambhar or adal done right, conversion laws meant to “rescue”Hindu can women determine afairprice, when the in Shaheen Bagh were. inequity is undermining trustinall institu- the arduouslabour of women in the kitchen women in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh labour that sustains homes is so consistently Expertsadvising thegovernment arepre- tions —government, business, the media, and home (and their lack of choice in opting from the exercise of their ownwill —and re- devalued? These areimportant questions, pared fordiscussions with the farmers pro- even NGOs.” Government, the media, and out of it) is an essential —and ignored—ingre- turn them to their families, their homes. giventhatthe economic shockofthe pan- videdthe discussionsare“evidence-based”, NGOs aresupposedtoservethe people. Even dient of Indian lives. Hereare the facts: The Forabrief while lastyear,the middle-class demicisboundtopushmorewomen outof theysay.Whichraisesmorequestions. What businesses realise theymustbetrustedby NSSO time-use survey 2019 of nearly 4.5 lakh lockdown home —bybecoming asimultane- the workforce—and intounpaid domestic is evidence requiredfor?Whatisacceptable the people fortheir license to operate. They Indians reveals that women spend nearly five ous space forsalariedworkand unpaid house- service. According to Centre forMonitoring as evidence?The experts have theirown sci- shouldnot have to turn to the government hours everyday on unpaid domestic work, work —made it impossible to ignorethe toil IndianEconomy (CMIE) data, whilemen re- entificmodelsaboutwhatisimportant.The to convincecitizensthat bigcorporationsare compared to 98 minutes by men. Less than 6 that sustained ahouse. In the absence of do- coveredmostoftheir lostjobs by November farmers have their experience of what mat- good forthe people.Becausethen thepeople percent of Indianmen areinvolvedincook- mestic help, schools and childcare, women 2020, women didn’t—49per centof joblosses ters. Experts want moreharddata. Whereas willbelieve thatthe governmentandcorpo- ing, compared to 75 per cent women. were stretchedthin —but men, too, did more Thehome is where the were of women. farmers’ mistrustofthe government’s inten- rations areincahoots to servecorporatein- The home is wherethe majority of Indian at home. Astudy by economist Ashwani majorityofIndian women Afalse hierarchyofgender andcaste prac- tions is basedontheir experience,including terests, and theywill lose faith in their own women perform work that sustains house- Deshpande found that the gender gapindo- perform work that sustains ticeshas,indeed, devaluedthe essentialwork the wayinwhichthe reforms arebeing government. holds and enables men (and privileged mesticworkshrunkduringthe lockdown, but that sustains us —whether cleaningorcook- rammedonthem. That’s nothow democ- Trustisdecreasing because no one is lis- women) to take up productive paid jobs in the widenedagain by August,when manymen households and enables men ingorthe careofinfantsand elderly.Itallows racy is supposedtowork, theyprotest. tening to others. The government is notlis- economy. Even forthose women who take up returnedtoemployment. (and privileged women) to caste-privilegedwomen and nearly allmen Liberals everywhereare feeling threat- tening to thepeople, neither areexperts. work outside the home,domestic responsibil- Around April, Ihad steppedintofull-time take up productive paid jobs to pass on this work to those from “lower enedbythe riseofautocratic leaders. Elected Experts in their specialisedsilos arenot even ities shape their choice of work and profes- kitchen work forthe firsttime in my life, ears castes” and the impoverished—for low leaders maysay theyworkfor the people and listening to experts in other silos. Social me- sional progress. The drag on Indian women’s ringing with the mocking prophecy of aunts in the economy. Even for wages. This fundamental inequality robs listentothem. However, the expertswhoad- dia is forcing people furtherintogatedcom- labour forceparticipation (one of the lowest (“In the end, no woman escapes the pressure those women who take up women of self-worth, but also stuntsmen visethem plugpeople as numbers intotheir munitiesof “peoplelikeus”who areunable, in the world) is notonlyafunction of lowed- cooker”). All my lifeIhad determined thatI work outside the home, into pre-fabricated social roles. It radiates out scientific models, even looking down on and unwilling, to listen to “peoplenot like ucation and social status, but also, to asignifi- would notturn intomymother, an immensely domestic responsibilities of the home intothe public sphere. It shapes them as uneducated masses. When leaders us”. Democratic governance is breaking cant extent, of culture—the basket of values capable woman whose talentand energy workplaces that reward24x7male workers rely tooheavilyonexpertadvisers forsolu- down because no one is willingtolistento that, by tyingwomen’s identity tightlytothe ought nottohavebeen circumscribed by the shape their choice of work who can afford to ignorethe demands of the tions, trustinelected leaders breaksdown. peopletheydon’t understandor agree with. supervision of children andhome, nudges dazzling meals she cooked,and the exacting, and professional progress. home; easesout women who shoulder pre- Trumproseuponaglobal waveofcitizens’ The fundamental reform India needs them out of the workforce. “Whydoyou want punishing standardsofdomestic work by ThedragonIndian women’s ciselythat burden or confines them in sup- mistrustinthe waydemocratic institutions (andtheworldtoo) is a“no tech”one.Itis the to take upajob,whenthe work youdoathome whichshe ranher life. But, here,Iwas. Working labour force participation portive,secondaryroles. It leads to abysmal arefunctioning. Trumpmay have fallen, but process of listening to people who do not is more importantthanthatof ministers?” says with my mother in the kitchen, Ilearnt with wagespaid to domestic workers. Carework the waveofilliberalismhas notpassed.Ithas seem to think likewedo. By listening to other the father-in-lawtothe newly-weddaughter- my hands what Iknewintheory—that this is (one of the lowest in the performedbywomen, largelyfromthe lower risen due to the failure, so far, of twoprojects perspectives, we will comprehend the sys- in-lawinThe Great Indian Kitchen.Like work thatdemandsskill,creativity and organ- world) is not only afunction castes, remains devaluedeveninthe middle to meet citizens’ expectations of improve- temofwhichweare all small parts;and Schrodinger’s cat, the domestic work per- isation; that likeall physical labour,itrewires of loweducation and social of apandemic, as is evidentinthe struggle of mentsinthe human condition—the project economists willimprove their science too. formedbywives anddaughters is both price- andrestores therhythmof thebody;thatital- status, but also, to a ASHA workers. Even professions suchas of electoral democracy,and the project of sci- Moreover,bylistening better to eachother less, and of little value. lows the sharing of pleasures that makes us teaching, that tend to employmorewomen, entific rationality. we can trusteachother,and then we can No matterthe stridesin educationand so- human. Why, then, do men notfeeltheneedto significant extent,ofculture remain low-paying. The Indian government is being urgedby work together,democratically, to makethe cial practices, in thepolitical and cultural dis- acquirethis lifestill? —the basket of values that, Dismantlingthese hierarchies –and ex- economists and industrialists to implement worldbetterfor everyone. course about women, marriageand home are Could asalaryfor houseworkpaid by the by tying women’s identity panding theimaginationof women as citizens economic reforms firmly. The people who still seen, unquestioningly,asthe rightful and state, asMakkal Needhi Maiam(MNM)leader tightlytothe supervision of independent of the home —might makethe arethe intendedbeneficiaries arenot con- Maira, aformer member,Planning natural contextfor women’slives. So muchso Kamal Haasan has promisedTamil Nadu familyanourishing place, notonlyfor men. vinced,asthe farmers’are saying.Evenex- Commission, is theauthor of Listening for that economist SwaminathanAiyar can pre- women voters, be away to value this work? children and home,nudges perts disagree amongstthemselveswhether Well-Being: Conversations scribe work-from-home(WFH) as afix to the While arefreshing acknowledgement of the them out of the workforce. [email protected] the reforms arethe right ones. Indian econ- withPeople NotLikeUs Rollback is not the answer LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR HASTE, WASTE IDEAS Farmlaws areonlyway to pushagricultureoutof low-incometrap THIS REFERS TO the editorial, 'Laws on pause' (IE, January22). The failureofthe ONLINE government to implement the well-in- Atanu Purkayastha tendedand pro-farmer but hastily-en- ONLYINTHE EXPRESS actedfarmlawsshould make it realise INDIAN AGRICULTUREGREW at about 1per enhancedtostoptheir migration to thenon- actlywhat is required in theagricultural sec- an opportunityfor themiddleman to dictate thatlaws enactedwithoutthe participa- ● MAKINGHEALTHFUNDS centper annum in the50years before agriculturesector. tor. Thethree farm laws reforming the agri- prices and pocket alion’s shareofprofits. tion of the stakeholders arecounterpro- WORK:SANDHYA Independence. It has grownatabout2.6 per Worldover, it is the farmerwho decides culturesectorare much-needed. Creation of storehouses etc. makesitpos- ductive. Itsreluctance to put in practice VENKATESWARANAND cent per annuminthe post-Independence era themarket price of his produce, but in India, Processingisthe mantra to generate sible inter alia to storeperishable agri-pro- the labour codes and Citizenship NACHIKETMOR to become the world’s second-largest food it is decidedbyintermediaries. During har- higher income from agri-produce and calls duce and makethem availableduring the off- Amendment Actand the willingness to producer.This transformationhas been pos- vest,agricultural production centres see aglut forprivate investment.However, privatein- season whenprices arehigh and maintain defer the farm laws should teachitthat ● BEATING CHINA’S FAIT sible through increasing theareaundercul- of produce at throwaway prices whereas vestment entails profit-making and forthis year-roundsupplyofagri-rawmaterials for adelayedbut doable decision is better ACCOMPLI TRAP: tivation andadoption of modern production shortagesand high prices rule the roostat to happen, the investor needstohaveasayin processing factories. Keeping theserequire- than agoodbut undoable decision. AMEYA PRATAP SINGH technologies. Though agricultureisIndia’s consumption centres. About16per cent of the saleofthe agriculture produce.Thisispos- mentsinmind, the Essential Commodities YGChouksey, Pune main occupation, itscontribution to GDP hov- fruits and vegetables and 10 per centof sible when the investor has alegal agreement (Amendment) Act, 2020 waspassed to regu- www.indianexpress.com ers around 17 per cent because farm produc- oilseeds, pulses and cereals perish before or “contract” with the farmer-producer guar- late the supply of certainfoodstuffs onlyun- A CONTRADICTION tivity has almoststagnated. Feeding the reaching theconsumer’stable,while the anteeingsale of produce at pre-determined der extraordinarycircumstances. To prevent world’s second-mostpopulatedcountry re- Global Hunger Index (GHI) of International quality,quantity and price.This is what the the blackmarketers from taking the advan- THIS REFERS TO the report, 'PM to dis- mains aprime responsibility and the govern- Food Policy Research Instituteranked India Farmers (Empowerment andProtection) tage of this well-intendedlaw,arider could tributeover1lakh land papers to indige- curedmorethan70 millionvotes despite ment has to find ways to retain farmers’ in- 100th out of 118countries in 2018.The 15th Agreement On Price Assurance and Farm have been addedsetting limits on thestorage nous people in poll-bound Assam'(IE, being on the losing side and the kind of terest in agriculture. Finance Commission observed that power Services Act, 2020 provides for. The Actenvis- of directly-consumableproducts. January22). CM Sarbananda Sonowal's violence we have seen in Washington re- Compared to the worldaverage of 11 per subsidies imperil our already-stretched ages the investor to provide farm servicesin The three Farm Acts intendedtobreak the announcement that landless indigenous cently, theball would bein President Joe cent, around 51 per centofIndia’sareaisal- groundwater resources.India’s electricitycon- the form of technology infusion forachieving logjam in the agriculture sector.How they people will be allotted land means that Biden's courttobridgethis ever-deep- ready undercultivation, with rainfeddrylands sumptioninagriculture is fargreater than any the desiredproduction,protection againstac- hamper farmers’ interesthas notbeen ex- the government has recognisedthe ex- eningdivide.Heseems to have started constituting 65 per cent of thenet sown area. comparablecountryand withdrawal of quisition of farmer’s land and disputeredres- plainedbyany of the agitatingfarmers’ or- istence of indigenous people in Assam. on apositive note by passing aslewof Thereisnofurther scope to increasethe area groundwater is morethan China’s and the sal mechanism. The apprehension thatthis ganisations or their political sympathisers. Thisisat oddswiththeCentre's negation executive orderson hisfirstday in office. under cultivation and agriculture research fa- US’s put together. Actwould leadtothe exploitation of farmers The argument that theselawswould resultin in the UN Declaration that withinthe Bal Govind, Noida tigue has strangled crop productivity. Over the years, influencedbygovernment is unfounded. loss of staterevenue is absurd as the statecan- country, theIndian stateprovides no According to the lastagricultural census, of interventions like MSP,seed, fertilisersubsi- Notreceivingthe rightprice is the main notearnrevenue by keepingfarmers in per- suchrecognition to anycommunities, NAME GAME 14.57crore agriculturalholdingsinthe coun- dies, our agricultureproduction system has reasonfor farmers’dissatisfaction. The petualpoverty. exceptasScheduledTribes. try, 12.56crore (86.21per cent)are small and been primarilyrice-wheat centric. These in- Farmers’ Produce Trade andCommerce If the farm laws aretoberepealed, it LRMurmu, Delhi THISREFERSTOtheeditorial, 'Slayingthe marginal holdings(less than 2hectares)rep- terventions were once essential forfoodse- (Promotion andFacilitation) Act, 2020 now would sound adeathknell forthe effortsto dragon' (IE, January22). Changing the resenting 47 percent of the total operated curity. Once achieved,theyshould have been givesliberty to thefarmer-producers to sell improvethe agriculturesector,for no politi- GOOD START name of afruit justbecause it hintsat(in- agricultural area.With an averageofatleast tweakedtoenforce reforms to bring agricul- their producetoany trader or through mod- cal party in government would ever darecarry correct) Chinese origins is illogical. If four membersper family, agricultureisthe tureintune with market demands, incentivise ern electronic platforms to anyplace at aprice outagricultural reforms again, muchlikehow THIS REFERS TO the editorial, 'Biden's India wantstobecome agreat Asian sourceoflivelihood forthishalfabillion peo- crop diversification, and createinfrastructure decidedbyhim. The Actalso defines who is thefamilyplanningprogramme has been for- burden' (IE, January22). The US may country, name-changing is notthe way ple, generating an approximatemonthlyin- to modernise agriculture.The economic the trader of agricultural commodities, sets gotteninthe country. neverhavebeen as severely dividedasit to go about it. comeofRs6,000—Rs50per personper day. boomofthe last25yearsisdue to the open- thetime limitfor paymentsand includes a is today. With Donald Trumphaving se- Barad Krishnapalsinh, Ahmedabad It is thissegment of the farming community ing up of theeconomythat beganunder disputeredressal system. This Actliberates The writer is former agriculturesecretary, whoseincome from agricultureneeds to be Prime MinisterPVNarasimhaRao.This is ex- the sector from the APMC Act, whichprovided governmentofWestBengal

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,SATURDAY,JANUARY23,2021 10 EXPRESS NETWORK Congleadersclashoverparty DELHI CONFIDENTIAL polls,CWCsayschiefbyJune

MANOJCG NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 Thelimbo OVER FOUR months afterthe E continues Chief MinisterUddhavThackeray with Cyrus Poonawalla ● EXPLAINED Congress setinmotion the and Adar Poonawalla in Pune on Friday. Ashish Kale process of holding election for IT'S been morethan six appointment of anew president, months since 23 leaders of the Congress Working the Congress wroteanun- Committee (CWC) Fridayunan- precedented letter to Fire loss Rs 1,000 cr; imouslyput offthe exercise till Sonia Gandhi seeking June in viewofthe forthcoming sweeping changes in the Assemblyelections, but notbe- party.Asitputsoff elec- BCG, rota vaccines TIMELY INTERVENTION fore the virtual meeting sawa tions to party president by heated exchangebetween vet- another six months, the AFTER COMINGacross avideo of aCISF man saving the lifeofa eran leaders Rajasthan Chief Congress leaders V.K.Venugopal and Randeep Singh limbo in the Congress capacity hit: Serum passenger who had sufferedheartattackataDelhi Metrosta- MinisterAshok Gehlotand Surjewala in NewDelhi, Friday. Anil Sharma clearly continues. tion, Home MinisterAmit Shah maynot have publiclylauded Ambika Soni on one side and Serum Instituteispart) also an- the personnel, but has expressedhis desiretomeethim. Shah Anand Sharma on the other. EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE nouncedfinancial aid fortheir calledthe intervention of the CISF man an example of the “un- Sharmaisoneof the23senior eral secretaryin-charge of organ- person of the Central Election over four decades, signalling he PUNE,JANUARY22 families,” he said. wavering commitment towardsserving the motherland and leaders who had written an un- isation KCVenugopal told re- Authority in August. wasasmuchaCongressman as Poonawalla said the fire had humanity” by Central ArmedPolice Forces. The incident took precedented letter to Sonia portersthatthepartywaswilling Sources said that soon after Gehlot. Sharma said therecan be VACCINE-MAKER Serum impacted plans to augment fu- place three days agowhen apassenger at the Dabri Mor Metro GandhiinJulydemandingsweep- to hold elections to the CWC-- Azad and Chidambaram sug- different perceptions and views, InstituteofIndia has said it suf- turecapacities of BCG and ro- Station collapsedafter suffering heartattack. The CISF man ing changes in the party,includ- whichwerelastheld when Sonia gested at the meeting that elec- but therewas away to have adis- feredlosses worthatleast tavirus vaccines. “It is abrand rushedtohim and gave him CardiopulmonaryResuscitation ing elections to the CWC. Gandhi took over as Congress tions be held to the CEC as well, cussion. Rahul said he under- Rs 1,000croreinThursday’s fire, newfacility and installation of or CPR. The timelyintervention savedthe passenger's life. SourcessaidRahulGandhiin- presidentin1998.Healsosaidthe Soni questionedthe insistence stood the viewpointsofboth although the production or sup- equipment washappening there tervenedtosay harsh words CWChad decidedthat the party on holding elections and pointed Gehlotand Sharma. plies of the Covid-19vaccine re- and perhaps that (ongoing should nothavebeen usedbyei- will have a“new, elected”presi- out that elections were notheld Sources said manyleaders, in- mainedunaffected. works) is what causedthis inci- therside,andaddedthattheissue dent by June “at anycost.” in the BJP as well. She said the cluding Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury “The fire incident will notaf- dent. What we have lostisthe fu- SHOWOFLOYALTY of farmers’ agitation wasmore However, Venugopal added, needofthe hour wastotakeon and AKAntony, demandedthat fect Covishield supplies, but it tureproduction,” he said. important and the leadership is- “As per our constitution, (a) little theBJP.Gehlotjoinedher,and in party elections berescheduledin has damaged the rotavirus and MaharashtraChief Minister RAJASTHAN CHIEF MinisterAshok Gehlot’s outburstagainst suewouldbesettledwhentheor- clarityisneededoverwhetherthe afull-blown attackonthose viewofAssemblypolls. BCG vaccine manufacturing and UddhavThackerary visited the the letter-writing leaders in the Congress at the CWCmeeting ganisational elections take place. Congress president election and seeking elections, asked Addressing the press confer- storagefacilities. It is abig finan- Serum Institutecampus on on Fridaydid notcome as asurprise to manyinthe party.Some The CWCmet to approvethe Working Committee can be to- whether theydidn't have faith in ence along with Venugopal, cial loss forus, morethan Fridayand reviewedthe damage leaders felt it wasclassic Congress politics and acleverploy schedule and modalities of or- gether,orthat afterthe Congress Sonia's leadership. “Whyare Congress communication de- Rs 1,000 crore,” Serum Institute causedbythe fire.The onlyrelief by the veterantotry to kill severalbirds with one stone. ganisational elections. Sources president election, Working elections being brought up every partment in-charge Randeep CEO Adar Poonawalla said at a wasthat manufacturing or stor- Gehlot’s name is oftentaken wheneverthereistalk of anon- said Ghulam Nabi Azad, one of Committee election has to be nowand then?" he asked. Surjewala deniedtherewas any press conference on Friday. ageofCovishield wasunaffected, Gandhi forthe postofCongress president. He wasalso per- the23 signatories to the letter, held...Definitely, accordingto that, At one point, he is learnt to “uttejana (excitement)" or “By God’s grace, and prayers he said. sonallyclose to manyofthe 23 leaders –who wrotetoSonia said that elections be held both election will be held. We arenot have questionedthe locus standi "vaad-vivaad (disagreement)" at by all of us, the fire incident took “Covid-19isstill wreaking Gandhi seeking sweeping changes in the party –including forthe CWCand the Central saying that the CWCelection will of those seeking elections. the CWCmeeting, and said the place in another building and havocaround the globe. Serum Anand Sharma and Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Therewas aper- Election Committee, akey body notbethere... As per the practice, One leader said Gehlotused talk of sparring between leaders Covishieldproductionand stock is aray of hope. When news of ception he wasacceptable to the 23 leaders. His aggression whichfinalises the party’s can- firstthe Congress president elec- veryharshwords,seenasdirected was“mererumours”. wasnot affected at all,” he said. the fire came, everyone washor- on Friday, some feel, wastoclearly distance himself from the didatesfor various elections, as tion is held and thereafterthe atAzad.“Hesaid,'Kaunpehchante The Congress also raised Five workers engaged in elec- rified. Five persons diedbut letter-writers and showcase his loyalty to the Gandhis. Besides, providedbythe party constitu- CWCelection. That is the usual hain aapko(Who recognises questions on the vaccination trical and air-conditioning jobs thankfullythe manufacturing Gehlotstill faces athreat from Sachin Pilotinhis home state. tion. The remarks leftboth practice.We needclarityonthat." you)? What is your identity,your drive,arguing that “thereiscom- were killedinthe fire that en- and storageofthe Covid vaccine So it wasperhaps also amessagetothe Gandhis that his loy- Gehlotand Soni agitated. Interestingly,inher opening place? Nobody recognises you'." plete lackofclarity” about its gulfed the three upper floors of a wasnot affected.People arewor- alty towardsthem is unflinching. Significantly, senior leader P address, Sonia said the schedule Sources said Sharma hit back, availability.Itsaid no timeline newly-constructed six-storey riedabout the Covid vaccine. I Chidambaram backedAzad, as and modalities fororganisa- telling Gehlot, “Nobody has given has been laid out forthe pro- building on the Serum campus in want to assureeveryone that did Mukul Wasnik,who even ex- tional elections had to getthe youthe right to bedisrespectful." gramme beyond the first3crore Pune'sManjhariareaonThursday. Covid vaccine manufacturing BACKTOQUESTIONS plainedthe provisions in the CWC’s approval. Afterthis, dis- He also pointed out that Gehlot people. The party demanded “Wewerehoping that there hasn’t been affected,” the Chief Congress constitution regarding cussions beganonthe schedule and he both owe "everything" to that the vaccine be administered wasnoloss of life. When we got Ministersaid. DURINGTHE monsoon session, whichwas held amid the pan- holding of elections to the CEC. sent by Madhusudan Mistry, the party,and had known each forfreetounder-privileged and an initial reportthat therehas Thackeray said the cause of demic with toomanyrestrictions, the question hour was Afterthe meeting, AICC gen- who had been appointed chair- other and been in the party for marginalisedsections. been no loss of life, we were re- thefirewas being ascertained. scrapped, drawing strong criticism from the opposition. So in lievedand hence Isent out a “A detailedinquiryistaking the Budget session, it has been reinstated, extending the du- tweet,” Poonawalla said. place, and it would be improper ration of the dailysession to five hours. The MPs appear to be Ex-CJI Gogoi “But later,after clearing of to jumptoconclusions. Once the keen, as severalofthem have startedsending in their ques- PM invokes Test win to highlight smoke, the dead bodies were inquiryisover, we will knowifit tions forthe government to answer.Sofar,the Lok Sabha MPs discovered.Wedid nothavea wasanaccident, or whether have sent 8,340 questions –bothstarred (tobeanswered in gets ‘Z+’ VIP complete listofthe third-party therewas foul play,”hesaid. the floor of the House) as well as unstarred (for written an- young India taking on challenges workers and did notknowhow StateTourism Minister swers) –tothe Lok Sabha Secretariat. The Secretariat picks a security cover manywereworking at the site. AadityaThackeray,Labour and balloteverydayfor starredquestions. So far, the ballots have Once Igot to knowabout the Excise MinisterDilip Walse Patil, been pickedfor dates up to February11. ABHISHEKSAHA tragic deaths of the workers, Pune MP Girish Bapat, Pune EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE GUWAHATI,JANUARY22 then Isent out another message Collector Rajesh Deshmukh, and NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 to condole the deaths. My father Police Commissioner Amitabh VACCINE GESTURE PRIME MINISTER Narendra (Cyrus Poonawalla, chairman of Gupta accompaniedthe Chief THE CENTRE has accordedZplus Modi Fridaysaid today’s young the Poonawalla Group of which Minister. AS INDIA sent Covid-19vaccines to Brazil on Fridayafter abit security to former Chief Justice India has anew wayoftaking on of delay, Brazil President Jair Bolsonarothanked India with an Ranjan Gogoi. challenges and usedthe exam- imageofHanuman with the Sanjivani, flying from India to Nominated to RajyaSabha by ple of the recent victoryofthe Brazil. He had made the same reference in April lastyear when the government months after Test cricket team in Australia to Ailing father of youth he had asked forHydroxychloroquine. his retirement in November highlight his point. 2019,Gogoi will be protected by Virtuallyaddressing the 18th around adozen convocation of Tezpur University not informed yet: Kin CRPF comman- in Assam, Modi said: “The cricket Kushwaha mayalign with dos at all times. team facedmanychallenges. The Jerenga Pothar (field) in Sivasagar district wherePM Asimilar contin- Theysufferedacrushing defeat NarendraModi will give out land documentsonSaturday. PTI ANURADHA gent will guard but recoveredand wonthe next MASCARENHAS& JD(U), get education berth his residence. match. Theyshoweddetermina- CHANDANHAYGUNDE Sources said tion despiteinjuries.” The PM said the victoryhad the other adifficult one towards PUNE,JANUARY22 Former CJI the decision to He added: “Therewereinex- lessons beyond the field. victory—one mustgofor the SANTOSHSINGH Ranjan accordhim se- periencedplayers, but their “First, we should have confi- win,” Modi said. SANJAY PASHTE has been at a PATNA,JANUARY22 RLSP chief Gogoi curity coverun- morale washigh and they dence in our ability;second, a Chief MinisterSarbananda hospital forthe pastfew days for Upendra der the highest grabbed the opportunity to cre- positive mindsetbegetspositive Sonowalsaid that the Northeast hypertension and diabetes-re- RASHTRIYALOK SamtaParty Kushwaha categoryafter atehistory.Theydefeated abet- results. The thirdand mostim- wasseeing “rapid progress due lated issues. So his familyhas not chief and former Union minister the Prime Minister’s wastaken terteam with their talent and portant lesson is that if one has to the PM’s unparalleledpoliti- told him about the death of his Arelative of one of the UpendraKushwaha is said to be afterathreat assessment by in- temperament.” twooptions—oneofsafeexit and cal will”. 21-year-old son Pratik in the fire victims on Friday. in talkstoalign his party with the From the BJP,SyedShanawaz telligence agencies. Gogoi at the Serum InstituteofIndia fa- PavanKhengre JD(U) and become the education Hussain is afront-runner fora headedthe five-judgebench cility Thursday. Five labourers ministerinthe Nitish Kumar-led ministerial berth. Other con- that deliveredthe Ayodhya ver- diedinthe fire,including Pratik, NDAgovernment in Bihar. tenders from the party included dict in 2019. New parties flag ‘unfulfilled’ promises who wasinvolvedinthe work of and also working foraprivate in- AJD(U) source said: “There Nitish Mishra, Samrat Sources said Gogoi already inverter installation. verter firm. His colleague, won’t be amergerofRLSPwith Choudhary, Nitin Navin, Rana had Z-plus security by local po- “The BJP had said in itsvision “This government is notse- “Wehaven’t informedSanjay MahendraIngle (30), also diedin JD(U). Since Kushwaha has been Randhir Singh and Gyanendra lice in Assam and during visitsto ABHISHEKSAHA document that theywould de- rious about NRC(National that his son is no more,” said Gan- the fire.Pratik and Ingle went to taking up education issues, he Singh Gyanu. Delhi. “The security had been GUWAHATI,JANUARY22 portillegal foreigners from RegisterofCitizens)... It has not esh Ghanekar,Pratik’s maternal the Manjri facility forinverter-re- could become education minis- Meanwhile, Chainpur MLA providedinanticipation of threat Assam... Now, as the PM visits realisedthat it wastheir respon- uncle. The lastrites were per- lated work Thursday. ter,”the source said, adding that Jama Khan, the lone BSP legisla- to him following the Ayodhya ADAY ahead of Prime Minister Assam, we want to urge him to sibility to deliveranerror-free, formedbySanjay’s elder brother. “Employees of the firm where the RLSP leader would be nom- torinBihar,joinedthe JD(U) on verdict. Security had been pro- NarendraModi’s visit to poll- publish the names and details of foreigner-free registerofcitizens The familylives in asmall ho- Pratik worked oftenvisited the inated to the Upper House in Friday. Khan could be made a videdtootherfour judges as bound Assam, newly-formedre- those foreigners who have left to the people of Assam,” he said. use in Pune’s Deccan area. Afam- teastall run by his parents. This is Bihar soon. ministerand be giventhe charge well, albeit lowincategory,”a gional outfitsAssam Jatiya Assam 'with bag and baggage' Bhasco De Saikia, chief con- ilymember said it waspainful to howhegot to knowabout the The Bihar Cabinetislikelyto of the minoritywelfaredepart- Home Ministryofficial said. Parishad and Raijor Dal Friday since he came to power,”AJP venor of Raijor Dal, said that ac- identify the body.“It wascharred. firm. He joinedasatrainee over a be expandednextweek,with ment.Independent MLAChakai Sources said the difference questionedthe BJP government's chief LurinjyotiGogoi told re- cording to itsestimate, only5of We had to identify Pratik from his year ago,” Ghanekar said. Pratik the JD(U) and BJP reportedly Sumit Singh is also likelytobe- this time is that Gogoi will be “unfulfilledpromises”, particu- porters in Guwahati, referring to the 476 promises made by BJP in clothes and other belongings.” earnedabout Rs 12,000 per agreeing to a50:50 seat-sharing come aministerfromthe JD (U) coveredbyaspecialisedVIP larly on the hot-button illegal im- an old statement made by Prime 2016 have been fulfilledand 46 Pratik waspursuing a month and fundedhis educa- formula. quota. forceunder the Centre’s control. migration issue in the state. MinisterModi. have been completedpartially. diploma in telecommunication tional expenses, he added. Kerala House passes resolution against CAG report: ODISHA-CENTRE ROW OVER RICE PROCUREMENT CAP Factually wrong on KIIFB’s off-budget borrowings Paddy procurement sparks political war of words Ascuffle brokeout at the Tomar said, “Due to the token ests of “middle-men”. waspasseddespitestrong objec- were unwarranted,factually ings were made without under- AISHWARYAMOHANTY protestsiteamong BJP workers system, manyfarmers arestill Meanwhile, farmers, whose SHAJUPHILIP tions raisedbythe Opposition, wrong, and hastilyincorporated standing and analysing the basic BHUBANESWAR,JANUARY22 and the police following which, waiting fortheir turn. Theyare produce is yettobesold, have THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, whichsaid the government was in suchamanner to hurtthe de- financial structureofthe KIIFB. 50 workers of the saffron party forced to sell their produce be- startedanight vigil at yardsto JANUARY22 trying to destroy aConstitutional velopmental interestofthe state. As references againstKIIFB in THE ISSUE of paddy procurement were detainedand releasedlater, lowthe MSP of Rs 1,868, as the guardagainsttheft. body.The resolution said the “This assemblysees that the ref- the statefinancial audit report- in Odisha snowballedintoapo- officials said. procurement is stalledatvarious Ashok Pradhan, afarmer IN AN unprecedented develop- Assemblyrejected CAG’s refer- erences againstKIIFB were made 2019 endanger the largerdevel- litical slugfestwith the opposition StateBJP leaders allegethat government-run yards.” leader in western Odisha, said ment, the Kerala Assemblyon ence about KIIFB in itsreport. without hearing the stategov- opmental interestofthe state, BJP holding asit-in protestonthe the BJD government has misled “... Food supplies minister the centralizedtokens of most Fridaypassedaresolution against The CAGreportonstate fi- ernment and in violation of the the assemblywanted to take up intervening night of Thursday farmers with itscentralisedto- RanendraPratapSwain had farmers have expired.“Unlike aComptroller and Auditor nances audit for2019was tabled audit regulations issuedbyCAG itsanxiety with the CAG, it said. and FridayinSambalpur and ac- kensystem, with manyfarmers promisedthat criminal cases other years, this year luckily General (CAG)report, which in the assemblyonJanuary19. It itself. The emergence of men- Congress’s VDSatheeshan, cusing the ruling BJD of ignoring unable to sell their produce. The will be filedifpaddy is procured therewas no pestinfestation or termedthe off-budget borrow- made adverse remarks against tions whichwerenot in the draft among the Opposition members farmers’ welfareand hampering BJD however, assured that the belowthe MSP at anyplace. But natural calamity,whichiswhy ings through Kerala Infrastructure the off-budget borrowings, in- but included in the final reportis who spokeagainstthe resolu- procurement. crop of “genuine” farmers would no cases arebeing filedany- the harvestwas good. However, Investment Fund Board(KIIFB) as cluding the masala bond, of the denial of natural justice.’’ tion, wanted the government to The issue comes amid the be procured. where,” BJP MP from Bargarh, therehavebeen alot of issues unconstitutional and said that it KIIFB, which is the government The resolution said the CAG withdraw it. “The government is stategovernment's tussle with The BJD had threatenedastir Suresh Pujari, alleged. pertaining to procurement, forc- encroachedupon the powers of entity formobilising funds forin- findings that KIIFB’s borrowings trying to destroy aConstitutional the Centreoverthe latter's deci- if the Centredid notretract the BJD spokesperson ing farmers to sell belowMSP in the Union government. frastructureprojects. areoff-budget and notpartofthe body and the resolution should sion to cap parboiledrice pro- move to cap procurement. ShreemayeeMishrahit out at open yards,” Pradhan said. The resolution, movedby The resolution said the ad- contingent liability of the gov- be withdrawntouphold the tra- curement from the stateat50 RajyaSabha MP and BJP in- the allegations saying the state FULLREPORTON Chief MinisterPinarayiVijayan, verse references againstKIIFB ernment were wrong. Suchfind- dition of the Assembly,’’ he said. per cent. charge of Odisha, Bijaypal Singh BJP wasrepresenting the inter- www.indianexpress.com Kolkata THEINDIANEXPRESS,SATURDAY,JANUARY23,2021 11 EXPRESS NETWORK

BRIEFLY Amarinder promises jobtokin of CBIbooksCambridge farmers who died during agitation Analytica,GSRLfor PunjabCabinetpasses resolution: ‘genuinedemands mustbeaccepted’

EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE CHANDIGARH,JANUARY22 illegaldataharvesting RJD chief LaluPrasad. PUNJAB CHIEF MinisterCapt Amarinder Singh Fridayan- criminal conspiracy withM/s from Koganand Cambridge JHARKHAND nouncedjobsforamemberof the DEEPTIMANTIWARY Cambridge Analytica(UK)Limited Analytica during2016-2017de- familyofeachfarmer from the NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 during 2014 and righttouse the claringthatallsuchdataobtained Lalu’shealth statewho diedduringthe ongo- illegally harvesteddatasetswas by them through “thisisyourdigi- ingagitationagainstthe Centre's TWOYEARS afteritwas handed giventoM/sCambridgeAnalytica tallife”wasaccountedforandde- stable,say newfarmlaws. The announce- over the probeintoallegedillegal (UK)Limitedforcommercialpur- stroyed. RIMSdoctors mentcame soon afterthe state harvesting of dataofIndian poses,” the CBI FIR has said. “This fact confirms that M/s Cabinetpassed aresolution Facebook usersbyCambrige AccordingtoCBI, it wasfound Global ScienceResearch Limited, Ranchi:Aday afterRJD “stressingthatallthegenuinede- Analytica, the CBI has registered thatDrAleksandrKogan,founder UK illegallyharvested datasets supremo Lalu Prasad mandsofthefarmersmustbeac- anFIRagainsttheUK-basedcom- and director of GSRL, had created and providedthe same to M/s complainedabout ill cepted”. pany. Thecentralinvestigating an application called“thisisyour- Cambridge Analytica(UK)Limited health, doctors at the Asserting that it will take all agency hasalleged that thecom- digitallife”. According to the forcommercialpurposes,”theCBI RajendraInstituteof measuresto protectthestate’sand pany, in conspiracywith Global Facebook’s platform policy, this said. It, however, said it could not Medical Sciences (RIMS) itsfarmers’interests,the Cabinet, FarmersataprotestinPanchkula on Friday. Jaipal Singh ScienceResearch Limited (GSRL), applicationwasauthorisedto col- authenticatethe veracity of the Ranchi said that he has in avirtual meeting chaired by illegally harvesteddataof335 lect specific dataofusers foraca- claimsofGSRLand Cambridge improved marginallyand Amarinder,made it clear that Facebookusersandtheir5.62lakh demicandresearch purposes.The Analyticathattheyhaddestroyed is currentlystable. “nothing shortofrepealofthe ing farmers and recognisedtheir YouthcaughtatSinghu border contactsacross India through an application,however, illegallycol- the said datasets. Doctors said that he has Centre’s blackfarm laws,which pain and anguish, the state application and usedthe datafor lected additionalunauthorised During the preliminaryen- tested negative forCovid- areanti-farmer,anti-nation and Cabinetsaid Centreshould not claims plot to kill farmer leaders commercial purposes. dataoftheusersaswellasof their quiry, although the335 users of 19.RIMS Director anti-food security,would resolve makeitamatterof prestige asthe The CBI has listedboth friends’ networkonFacebook. theapplicationwere contactedby Kameshwar Yadavsaid: the present crisis”. matter,ifunresolved, could lead Chandigarh: Aman caught by ple, including himand twogirls Cambridge AnalyticaandGSRLas “Thisdatawascollectedwith- the probeofficer,onlysix of them “Thereisasmall patchof “The Central government is to devastating repercussions. farmersatthe Singhu border —one of whom, he wascharged accusedinitsFIRregisteredunder outtheknowledge andconsentof respondedand couldbe pneumonic consolidation out of touchwith the ground re- Later, in aformalresolution, outside Delhi has claimed that with harassing —had been sent various sections of the IT Actand the App users. Thisdataincludes examined. due to bacteria notvirus. alities,”anofficialstatementquot- theCabinetreiterateditscommit- he wastrainedtoinciteviolence to inciteviolence duringthe ag- also accusedthemofcriminal demographic information, pages “Theyunanimouslystated From the distribution of ingAmarindersaid.Itsaidthatthe mentto theresolutionspassedby duringthe planned farmer agi- itation farmers have plannedfor conspiracy underIPC. liked on FB,contentsofprivate that theyweremisledbythe App patches, one can sayitis Council of Ministerdeclared un- the AssemblyonAugust28and tation on January26and that January26. Basedonacomplaintfromthe messages etc. FB conveyedthat andwere unaware of thefactthat favoring bacteria not equivocallythat“repeal of the October 20 lastyear,“stressing that therewas alleged plot to He also claimedtheywere MinistryofElectronics and 335 users in India had installed their personal and friends' data virus.Itisconsistent with farmlaws wastheonlyway outof that all the genuine demands of shootfour farmer leaders. asked to open fire during theag- Information Technology (MeitY), thisApp.Theyhaveestimatedthat washarvested. Theyalsostated the reports.Heisonan- the current imbroglio”. The the farmers mustbeaccepted”. According to the man, he was itation to lead policemen to the CBI hadregisteredaprelimi- dataofapproximately5.62 lakh thattheywouldnothaveusedthe tibiotic and showing mar- Cabinetdemandedthat “the Later,Amarinder,during a caught by farmers in connection think the farmers areusing naryenquiryagainstCambridge additionaluserswhowere partof App if theyknewitwoulddoso,” ginal improvement.” ENS Centremakeminimum support FacebookLive session,saidthatin with chargesofharassing a firearms. Afarmer leader said: Analytica in July2018. Following the friends' networkofthese335 the CBI said. price(MSP)astatutoryrightof the additiontotheRs5lakhcompen- woman at the protestsite. The “Theyouth has identifiedphotos completionof thepreliminaryin- users has also been unauthoris- Thecase wasreferredtothe farmers”, as per the statement. sation being giventothe families farmerleaders producedhim of four farmer leaders who were vestigation,theagencyregistered edly harvestedbythe App,” CBI CBI afteraseries of media reports Pointing out that even the of deceasedfarmers, his govern- before the media latenightbe- to be targeted in some manner. the FIR on January 19. has alleged in the FIR. suggestedCambridgeAnalytica ANDHRA PRADESH SupremeCourthas acknowl- ment will also give job to amem- fore handing him overtothe po- The operation wastobeexe- “EnquiryhasfoundthatGlobal AccordingtotheCBI,Facebook and GSRLhad illegallyharvested 22peoplefall edgedtheconcernsof theprotest- beroftheir family. lice. The youth claimedten peo- cuted afterJanuary23.” ENS ScienceResearch entered into a had collectedwritten certificates Facebook users datainIndia. illinEluru,six Colaba residents discharged J&K approves new opposestatue of Amaravati: At least22peo- Bal Thackeray ple fell ill in Eluru city and land allotment policy anearby mandal head- ahead of unveiling quarters in West Godavari on Friday. This comes for entrepreneurs morethan amonth after severalhundredpeoplein EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Eluru fell ill with symp- MUMBAI,JANUARY22 toms of nausea. “Six of EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE The newpolicy will also these patientshavebeen JAMMU,JANUARY22 coverallotment for A11-FTTALL statue of Bal dischargedaftertreatment Thackeray,the centerpiece of while15 were admittedto THE JAMMU and Kashmir ad- healthinstitutions and ShivSena’s birth anniversarycel- the DistrictHospital in ministration on Fridayapproved educational institutes, ebrations of itsfounder on Eluru.Anotherpersonwas the adoption of anew policyfor according to an official Saturday, has found itself in a getting treated in the local allotment of land to industrial controversy with residents of hospital in Poolla mandal entrepreneurs, proposing zon- statement Colaba opposing the structure headquarters,”aseniorof- ing of industrial areas at block that has been installedonabusy ficial said. PTI and municipalitylevelsafter tak- roundabout. ing intoaccount existing levelof AllotmentCommittee and The statue, the firstof MADHYAPRADESH industrial development in the Divisional LevelLandAllotment Thackeray in the city,iscoming area, itslocation and levelofur- Committee to decide andallot AIR POWER up at the busy roundabout be- 4heldfor banisation among others. industrial land to the applicant tween Chhatrapati Shivaji drugging, The Land Allotment Policy within 45 days in casesofproj- Fighter planes flyinformationduring abilateral air exercise between Indian and FrenchAir Forces in Jodhpur on Friday. PTI Maharaj VastuSangrahalaya and 2021-30, whichwas approvedat ectsworth Rs 200crore,Rs50- National GalleryofModern Art rapingteen the Administrative Council 200crore and up to Rs 50 crore, on MGRoad. meeting chaired by Lt Governor respectively. The Sena had proposedthe Indore:Four peoplehave Manoj Sinha, willalso coverland Under the policy,land will be Pakistanis jailed in Lanka pushing statue ayear ago. been arrested foral- allotment forhealth institu- allotted to the investors on lease Citizen groups from Colaba legedly sexuallyexploit- tions/medi-cities and educa- foraninitial period of 40 years, have opposed the statue being ing a15-year-old girl and tional institutions/edu-cities, an extendable to 99 years. installedattraffic island citinga supplying drugs, police in official statement said. The allotted land willbeli- drugs into India through sea: NCB 2013 SupremeCourtorder that IndoreinMadhya Pradesh Pointing out that it aims at able to be cancelledincase of hadsaid that stategovernments said on Friday. Twomen, evolving ahighlystructured in- failureofthe investor to take ef- IndianearTuticorinport.Asearch thorities closedinonthem. It is prising Afghanistan, Iran and shouldnot allow anystatues on identifiedasAman Verma dustrial land band forpromot- fective steps withinthe stipu- EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE of the vessel ledtorecovery of also believedthat thereisan Pakistan,hastwoimportanttran- public roads and pavements. and Akash alias Gazni, ing equitable industrial growth lated time of twoyears, failure NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 95.875kgofHeroinand18.325kg InterpolRedCornerNoticeissued sitpointsfor processedheroin in “The proposal of installing lured her withdrugs and in the Union Territory, the state- of the industrial unit to come of Methamphetamine.Five pistols by SriLankangovernmentagainst theislandnationsof SriLankaand statues has been in the public alcohol six months ago ment said the newpolicy at- into production within three AN INTERNATIONAL drug racket andmagazineswere foundinpos- Nawas,” an NCBstatement said. Maldives.Theheroinfromthisre- domain forovertwo years. That and had been raping her tempts to address various land- years, violation of provisions un- operated by Pakistani drug traf- session of the crew and seized. The NCBsaid intelligence gion is usuallyloadedinfishing time nobody objected.The BMC ever since aftershe got ad- related issues impeding der the lease deed, and non-co- fickers jailedinSri Lanka is in- Thesix-membercrew,allof them shared by the agency with Sri vessels setting sail from the ports has secured allrequired permis- dicted, said ASP Rajesh industrial development in operationofanenterprise fora creasingly pushing narcotics into Sri Lankan nationals,werear- Lankan authorities ledtoseizure of Iran and Pakistanfor mid-sea sions.. Thereare manyother stat- Raghuwanshi. “Theyhave Jammu and Kashmir by laying period of five years. Indiathrough the sea routeusing rested andare currentlyinjail. of 100kgof Heroin there. transfer intosimilar vesselsofSri ues in the premises...notraffic is- been arrested along with down aframework to regulate The policy alsoprovides Lankan and Maldivian couriers,a Less than twomonths later, “With increased vigil that our Lanka and Maldives. sues have come up. Icannot aman and woman who zoning of industrial areas, proj- renting out of 60 per cent of the recentinvestigationbyNarcotics NCBonJanuary20arrestedtwo borderguardingforceskeepinthe “However, themid sea trans- understand the intention behind supplieddrugstothe duo. ect appraisal and evaluation, built-up area of abusiness en- Control Bureau (NCB) has found. moreSri Lankan nationals, iden- north western borders of India, fershappeninterritorialwatersof the complainant,”said Mayor Theyhavebeencharged and the subsequent terprise forsetting up an ancil- The drug network, NCB tifiedasMMM Nawasand the traditionalrouteofAfghani- India or very near to itsterritorial Kishori Pednekar. underPOCSO Actand IPC process flow. laryindustrial enterprise sources said, is spreadacross MohamedAfnasfromChennaifor Pakistani heroin is becoming waters. Thereisabig networkof The Sena has invited leaders provisions. The girlisina The policy provides forcon- through atripartiteagreement. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Sri allegedlybeingpartofthe racket. tougher to breach. This has also foreignentitiescontrollingthislu- from across the politicalspec- de-addiction centre,” the stitution of Divisional Level It aims at achieving inclusive Lanka, Maldives, Australia and “Both Nawasand Afnas hold ledtothe increaseduse of sea crative trade. Very reliable intelli- trum forthe unveiling of the officialadded. PTI Project Appraisal and Evaluation growth through sustainable in- India. important positions in the multi- routebyheroin traffickers to gence developedbyNCB and statue on Saturday. Committees to scrutiniseappli- dustrialisation and employment OnNovember26,inajointop- national heroin syndicate. They smuggle the narcotic intoIndia,” Indianagenciesovertheperiodin- UTTAR PRADESH cations receivedfor allotmentof generation, and includes provi- eration withthe Indian Coast were controlling mid seapickup an NCBofficial said. dicates that Pakistani drug traf- industrial land within 30 days; sions forevolving afairand Guard, NCBhad detainedSri and delivery of narcotic drugs According to NCB, the largest fickers lodged in SriLankanpris- Govt:Rare 15-year-oldgirl, ApexLevel Land Allotment transparent mechanism forland Lankan fishing vessel ‘Shenaya fromPakistaniandIranianvessels. opium cultivation region of the ons fordrugoffences control this nephewkilled, Committee, HighLevel Land allotment forindustrial use. Duwa’ in the territorial waters of Both had fledSri Lanka when au- world, the GoldenCrescent com- trade...”anNCB statement said. disease policy rapesuspected will be finalised Chitrakoot:A15-year-old The voice of jagran that hit ahigh note in mainstream by March end girlwas hackedtodeath with an axeallegedly af- NewDelhi: Afterarap from the terbeing rapedand her later,crooning forcomposer duo cial. “Thereisnoone who can ter10th grade and worked at a to his popularity in the Armycir- Delhi High Court, the Centrehas four-year-old nephew SUANSHUKHURANA Laxmikant Pyarelal. compete with him in singing de- drycleaner’s shop forafewdays. cuit thatthe invite forthe said thatapolicy forrarediseases killedinavillageinUttar NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 The song ‘Beshak mandir votional ‘maatakibhent’. The Since therewas no radio or Mumbai concertlandedwith draftedlastyear wasdelayedby Pradesh, police said on masjid todo’, picturised on genreremains synonymous with gramophone at home, Chanchal, him.After Bobby,hesang ‘Main the Covid-19pandemic and will Friday. A30-year-old IT WASaBaisakhi concertinApril Dimple Kapadia and Rishi him. Ilookedup to him if Iwas to who would cravemusic, would benaam ho gaya’for RDBurman likelybefinalisedbyMarch 31. man from the girl's village 1973 in Mumbai whereNarendra Kapoor in the blockbusterhit recordone. We also performed go to anearbyshop and sit there in Benaam (1974), followedby The HighCourt had told the has been arrested in con- Chanchal, then ayoungsinger Bobby (1973), notonlytugged at together in manydevotional forhours listening to ‘Tune mujhe bulaaya’—aduet Centrelastweek to provide a nection withthe crime from Namak Mandi in Amritsar, the heartstrings of those who gatherings. His popularity was Mohammad Rafi andManna Dey with his idol MohammadRafiin specific timeline forthe finalisa- whichtook placeon sang afamed17th-centurykaafi watchedthe twoloversinmis- something else,”she told The songs. He would memorise the Aasha (1980).Therewerealso tion and notificationofthe pol- Thursday, they said. An (Sufipoem) — Ni main kamli haan ery, it alsowon Chanchal a Indian Express. songsand present them at the songs in Gujarati, Bengali and icy.The ministry, in itsreply officer of the concerned —byBabaBulleshah. He had FilmfareAward forBestSinger. NARENDRA Chanchal wasborn in next available opportunity. Marathi besides Punjabi. dated January20, told the court police station said the girl come across the poem in anews- This happeneddespitetherebe- CHANCHAL Amritsar as Narinder Kharbanda Appreciationfollowedsoon But Chanchal’s careerand that the 2020 draftpolicywas wasattackedwhen she paper that the neighbourhood ing no dearth of captivating 1940-2021 and wasone among eight broth- from friends and his father’s success were much beyond films. earlier placedinpublic domain wasreturning home after halvaihad used to wrap songs in Bobby. ers and sisters. Since music was friends, who startedgiving hima He movedtoDelhi and became forfeedback, but itsfinalisation giving food to her father his food. But what madeChanchal, a taboo at home, he would sing little moneytosing forthem. one of the mostfamousand ex- wasdelayedbythe Covid-19 in the field. Meanwhile, What Chanchal did notknow jagran and wedding singer from singer who brought the sound of film songs and bhajans as achild Soon Chanchal wasmade partof pensive jaagran singers in the pandemic. an official spokesperson during the performance wasthat Amritsar,ahousehold name was jagrans intothe mainstream, among his friends and women in alocal musicgroup, and he country, travelling the worldto “In the meantime.... DGHS in Lucknowsaid Chief filmmaker RajKapoor sat in the asong from the film Avtaar a diedinDelhi’s Apollo Hospitalon the neighbourhood.Hewould startedperforming in local wed- sing at jagrans. constituted an Expert MinisterYogi Adityanath audience, enrapturedbyhis decade later.‘Chalobulawaaaya Friday. He was80. then return home–invariablyto dings and jagrans to make aliv- In his later years, Chanchal Committee to examinethe com- has takennote of the in- shrill, high-pitchedvoiceand hai’–atypical ‘maata ki bhent’– According to Chanchal’s col- angryparents. ing. His group became famous in alsofoundedmanynon-profit ments/suggestions. TheExpert cident and announceda crisp diction. Afteraquickback- remains one of the mostpopular league and playbacksinger Aschool teachergavehim the the city and waschosen by the organisations, including Ekta Committee submitted itsrecom- financial assistance of stagemeeting and atight em- devotionalpieces to come out of Anuradha Paudwal, it wasthe in- nameChanchal, whichwent on I&B Ministrytoentertain Army Missionand NarendraChanchal mendations, whichare under Rs 5lakh. PTI brace,Chanchal found himself in the film industry. tensity of his voice and the emo- to sticktohim through life. jawans at the India-Pakistanand Institute forNon Formal examination to finalisethe draft arecordingstudiothree days Chanchal,the devotional tionalquality thatmade him spe- He droppedout of schoolaf- India-China borders. It wasdue Education. policy,” reads the reply. ENS Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,SATURDAY,JANUARY23,2021 @ieExplained #ExpressExplained 12 If thereare questions of current or contemporaryrelevancethat youwould like E EXPLAINED explained, please [email protected]

SIMPLY PUT QUESTION &ANSWER When Parliament passed The cost of guaranteed MSP Bills but govt did not give effect to thoselaws Apartfromrepeal of farm laws,farmers aredemanding guaranteedminimum supportprices, which have no legalbacking.Alook at what the implicationswould be if thegovtdid provide the guarantee cycling activities in India. CHAKSHUROY NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 Giving effect to alaw HARISHDAMODARAN Thereare alsoinstances when the govern- NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 IN THE ongoingstalematebetween protest- ment does notbring alaw intoforce formany ingfarmersand the Centre, the government years. Twoexamples arethe National FARMER UNIONS protesting on Delhi’s bor- has repeated itsoffer of keeping the three EnvironmentTribunal ActandtheDelhi Rent ders areraising twofundamentaldemands. contentious farm laws on hold forone to one- Control Act, whichParliamentpassed during The firstisfor repealing the three agricultural and-a-halfyears, while the farmershavere- Prime MinisterPVNarasimha Rao's tenure. reform laws enacted by the Centre. The sec- jected the offerand insistedthat the laws be The government neverbrought these laws ond is to provide legal guarantee forthe min- repealed. Over the years, Parliament has re- intoforce, whichwerepassedin1995and imum supportprices (MSPs)that the Centre pealed severallaws—and therehavealso cleared by the President. The National Green declares forvarious crops everyyear. been precedentsofthe government not Tribunal Actfinallyrepealedthe environmen- Currently, thereisnostatutorybacking for bringing alaw intoforce forseveral years af- taltribunal lawin2010. And aBilltorepeal the these prices or anylaw mandating their im- terithas been passed. Delhi Rent Control Actintroducedin2013is plementation. What arethe implications if still pending in RajyaSabha. the government were to acceptthe farmer Bringing/removing alaw Thereare also multiple instances wherea unions’ demand? Parliament has the powertomakealaw lawspecifies when it will come intoeffect.The andto remove it from thestatutebooks(a law 2013 land acquisition lawput an outer limit Howcan MSP be made legallybinding? can bestruckdownbythe judiciaryifitisun- of three months forthe Centretobring it into Thereare twowaysitcan be done. constitutional). But the passing of aBill does forceafter thePresidentapprovedit.ABillcan The firstistoforce privatebuyerstopay notmean that it will start working from the also specify the exact dateonwhichitwill it. In this case, no crop can be purchasedbe- next day. Thereare threemoresteps foritto come intoeffect.Bills replacing ordinances lowthe MSP,whichwould also act as the becomeafunctioninglaw. Thefirststepisthe sometimes do that. In suchcases, the Bill sets floor pricefor bidding in mandi auctions. President giving his or her assent to the Bill. the dateonwhichthe Presidentsignedthe or- There’s already aprecedent:Insugarcane, Then the lawcomes intoeffect from apartic- dinance (since Parliament wasnot in session) mills arerequired by lawtopay growers the ulardate.And finally, the government frames astheday the lawwillcomeintoforce. Forex- Centre’s “fairand remunerativeprice” –Uttar therules andregulationstomakethelawop- ample, thelawbanning e-cigarettescame into Pradesh and Haryana fixevenhigher “state erational on the ground. The completion of effect from September 18,2019(Ordinance advisedprices” –within 14 days of supply. In these steps determines whenthe law date) afterParliamentpassed the Bill no other crop is the compulsion to paythe becomes functional. to replace the Ordinance on government-announcedMSP thrustonthe Paddy crop in Patiala district. The totalvalue of India’s paddyproduction worksout to Rs 3.2 lakh crore, going by MSP. Express Archive Thefirststepisthe simplest. December 2, 2019.Similarly,the private trade/industry. Article 111 of theConstitution three farm Bills replacing their The second routeis, of course, the govern- specifies that the President can ordinances came intoforce on ment itself buying theentirecropthat farm- soyabean and sunflower. Takinganaverage of MSP procurement. either sign offonthe Bill or June 5, 2020. ers offeratthe MSP.In2019-20, government 75%would yield anumber of just over Rs 8 MSPVALUEOFPRODUCTION All in all, theadditional fiscal outgo, from withhold his consent. The agencies—FoodCorporationof India,National lakh crore. This is the MSP value of production the government undertaking the maximum Presidentrarelywithholds their IN FACT Rules ®ulations AgriculturalCooperative MarketingFederation that is the marketable surplus —whichfarm- required procurement forguaranteeingMSP assent to aBill. The last time it ABill passedbyParliament of India and Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) ersactuallysell. CROP VALUE to farmers, maynot be more thanRs1-1.5 happenedwas in 2006 when President APJ is theoutlineof alaw.For thelaw to startwork- –procured77.34milliontonnes(mt)of paddy Paddy 3,20,821.57 lakh croreper year. Abdul Kalam refusedtosign aBill protecting ing on the ground, individuals needtobere- and 38.99 mt of wheat, worthroughlyRs So, is this the money that the government MPs from disqualification forholding an of- cruited or giventhe power, to administerit. Wheat 2,07,110.75 140,834 croreand Rs 75,060 croreattheir re- would have to spend in order to ensure That isn’t much, right? ficeof profit. ABill is sent to Parliament forre- The implementing ministryalso needs to fi- spective MSPs. Further,theypurchased105.23 farmers getMSP? Sugarcane 97,817.50 The government undertaking to buy at consideration if the President withholds his nalise forms to gather information and pro- lakhbales of cotton (MSP value of Rs 28,202 Notreally.Tostart with, onemustex- Cotton 95,117.65 MSP is definitelybetterthan forcing private or her assent on it. And if Parliament sends it vide benefitsorservices. Theseday-to-dayop- croreintermsof rawun-ginnedkapas),2.1mt clude sugarcane from the calculations. The Chana 55,331.25 players. If the recordofsugar mills –their in- backtothe President, he or he has no choice erational details arecalledrules and of chana or chickpea (Rs 10,238 crore), 0.7 mt onus forpaying cane MSP,asearlier pointed ability to payfarmers on timedespitestatu- but to approve it. regulations.And Parliamentgivesthe govern- eachofarharorpigeon-pea(Rs4,176crore)and out, lies on sugarmills and notthe govern- Groundnut 51,388.64 tory provisions of the Sugarcane (Control) MostBills receive thePresident's approval ment the responsibilityofmaking them. groundnut(Rs3,614 crore),0.8mtofrapeseed- ment. Secondly, thegovernment is already Maize 50,406.40 Order,1966issuedunder the Essential in afew days.President RamNathKovind Theseregulations arecritical forthe function- mustard (Rs3,540 crore) and 0.1mtofmoong procuring manycrops –especiallypaddy, Soyabean 41,607.65 Commodities Act–isany guide,notrader or signedthe three farm Billsintolaw within a ing of law. or greengram(Rs 987crore). wheat, cotton and also pulses and oilseeds. processer will purchase crops at prices be- week of their passing in September 2020. In If the governmentdoesnotmakerules and Mustard 40,338.30 The combinedMSP value of the procured yond what the market supply-demanddy- 1986, President Zail Singh made use of aloop- regulations,alaw or partsofitwill notget im- But howmuchoffarmers’ producecan quantities of these would have exceededRs Arhar22,214.00 namics permit. Their going out of business holeintheConstitution.ABill criticisedfor vi- plemented.The Benami Transactions Actof the governmentbuy at MSP? 2.7 lakh crorein2019-20. Bajra20,560.00 would ultimatelyhurtfarmers most. olating the privacy of personal correspon- 1988 is an exampleofacomplete lawremain- The MSP is nowapplicable on 23 farm Thirdly, government agencies don’t have However, even assured government dence wassent to him forapproval seven ing unimplementedin the absenceof regula- Moong 17,343.00 commodities:7cereals (paddy,wheat,maize, to buy everysingle grain that comes to the MSP-basedprocurement is fraught with months before theend of his term. The tions. Thelaw gave the government powerto bajra, jowar, ragi and barley), 5pulses (chana, market.Mopping up even aquarterorthird Jowar12,061.50 problems. The coverage of MSPs todaydoes Constitution does notspecify atime limit for confiscatebenami properties. For25years, arhar, moong, urad and masur), 7oilseeds of the market arrivals is usuallyenoughto Urad 11,628.00 notextend to fruits, vegetables and livestock the President to approveaBill. So President suchproperties were immune from seizure (groundnut, soyabean, rapeseed-mustard, liftprices. Take cotton, whereCCI hassofar Copra7,140.75 productsthat together have a45% sharein Singhdecidednot to take anyaction on the in the absence of framing relevant govern- sesamum, sunflower, nigerseedand saf- procured 87.85 lakh bales out of the current the gross value of output of India’s agricul- Bill until the end of his term. ment rules. The lawwas finallyrepealedin flower) and 4commercial crops (sugarcane, year’s (October 2020-September 2021) pro- Jute 6,691.93 ture, forestry and fishing sector.The value of Thenextstepis decidingthe date on which 2016 and replacedwith anew one. cotton, copraand rawjute). jected crop of 358.50lakhbales. The state- Masur 5,664.00 milk and milk products alone is morethan the lawcomes intoeffect.Inmanycases, Parliamenthas recommendedthat the The chartshows that theMSP value of the ownedcorporation’s intervention has led Ragi 5,481.00 that of all cereals and pulses combined. Parliament delegates to the government the governmentmakeruleswithin six monthsof total production of the 23 crops worked out to openmarket prices crossing the MSP for Extending MSP to all farm produce and powertodetermine this date. The Bill states passing alaw.But parliamentarycommittees Sesamum 4,863.75 to around Rs 10.78 lakh crorein2019-20. Not kapas in mostmandis,therebynot neces- guaranteeing it through lawishugelychal- that the law“shall come intoforce on such have observed that this recommendation is all this produce, however, is marketed. sitating further official purchases. Barley2,577.25 lenging, fiscallyand otherwise. It also ex- dateasthe Central Government may, by noti- “being followedinbreachbyvarious min- Farmers retain partofitfor self-consumption, Fourth, the crop bought on government Sunflower1,226.05 plains whyeconomists increasingly arein ficationinthe OfficialGazette, appoint and istries”.The governmentnot onlyhas the seedfor the next season’s sowing and also for account also gets sold. Whilesuchsales in Nigerseed249.48 favour of guaranteeing minimum “incomes” different dates maybeappointed fordiffer- powertomakerules but can also suppress feeding their animals. The marketedsurplus wheat and paddy –whichare distributed rather than “prices” to farmers. One wayto ent provisions of this Act”. Forexample, rulesmade by it earlier.Inthe case of farm ratio fordifferent crops is estimated to range at super-subsidised ratesunderthe Safflower156.45 achieve that is via direct cash transfers either Parliament passedthe Recycling of Ships Act laws,the government has made some rules from below50% forragi and 65-70% for bajra National Food Security Act–entail heavy TOTAL Value 10,77,796.88 on aflat per-acre(as in the Telangana gov- in December 2019.InOctober 2020, the gov- in October 2020. (pearl-millet) and jowar (sorghum) to 75% for losses, those arefar less in theremaining ernment’sRythu Bandhu scheme)orper- ernment brought Section 3ofthe lawinto (Prices in Rs crore; for 2019-20) wheat, 80% forpaddy,85% forsugarcane, 90% MSP crops. The revenuesrealised from sales farm household (the Centre’s Pradhan force. This section empowers the government The author is Head of Outreach, formostpulses, and 95%-plus forcotton, jute, would partlyoffsetthe expenditures from Mantri KisanSamman Nidhi) basis. to designateanofficer to supervise all ship re- PRS LegislativeResearch CORONAVIRUS DASHBOARD AtPM venuetoday,recallinganAssamicon INDIAACTIVE CASES 188,688

protectedarchaeological site, itsvicinity in- 250,000 TORAAGARWALA cludes anumber of protected sites, includ- GUWAHATI,JANUARY22 ing the Na Pukhuri tank to itseastand the 214,507 Pohu Garh, anatural zoo built during the 188,688 PRIME MINISTER NarendraModi is sched- Ahom era, to itswest. Closebyisthe large uledto visit AssamonSaturday, January23 Joysagar tank,built by Ahom king —his firstinthe run-up to the Assembly Swargadeo RudraSingha in 1697,and the 200,000 elections likelyinApril. Thevenuefor Vishnu Dol temple. Modi’s programme —wherehewill launch According to Jiten BorpatraGohain,are- an Assam government initiative to distrib- tiredprofessorofhistoryin Namrup College, uteoverone lakhland pattas (documents) the Jerenga Pothar wasinitiallycalled LAST 10 DAYS to indigenous communities of thestate — JerengaHaabi or Jerengaforest. “In Jan 12 Jan 21 is thehistoric JerengaPothar in Upper Orunodoi,the firstAssamesejournal,there 150,000 Assam’s Sivasagar district. would bereferences to wild buffalos killing Formerly known as Rangpur,Sivasagar people in JerengaPothar,” he said. Note: The Jan 21 figureinthisgraph is based on theHealthMinistry updateonJan 22 wasthe seat of the powerful Ahom dynasty, He said it wasonlyin1707 when who ruledAssam forsix centuries (1228- Jerenga Pothar in Sivasagar,venue of Modi's rally. Historical and cultural icon Rangpur (erstwhile Svasagar) wasestab- 1826). It is part of Upper Assam, whichsaw Joymoti wastortured to deathonthisground. PTI lished as the capital of the Ahom kingdom, SARS-CoV-2 triggers antibodies strong opposition to the Citizenship and manymonumentscameupinthe Amendment Act(CAA) lastyear. vicinity (Rang Ghar,Talatal Ghar,Kareng Prince Godapani,Joymoti’s husband, was storywas passed down from generation to Ghar), that the area developed. from past coronavirus attacks What is the historical significance of next in line, but he escapedtothe Naga Hills generation by word of mouth.” Sivasagar-basedSonaram Barua, are- JerengaPothar? before LoraRajaand his men could capture Dr Gogoisaidthatthe turnofthe 20th tired principal of Sibsagar Girls’ College, THE RESULTS of anew design futurevaccines or JerengaPothar,anopen field in Sivasagar him. “It wasthen that LoraRajasought out centurysaw anumberofpublications said JerengaPothar is situated in alow-ly- studysuggestthattheim- monoclonal antibody town, is popularly connected to the valour Godapani’swifeJoymoti,hopingshe would recordthe episode,beginningwithone in ing area, and remains floodedduring the mune systems of people therapiescapable of pro- of 17th century Ahom princess Joymoti. tell him about his whereabouts,” said Dr Jonaki magazinebyRatneshwarMahanta. monsoon even today. "JerengaPothar is an infected with Covid-19 tectingagainstmutations While the courageofAhom kings is well- Gogoi, “However, despite being torturedfor In 1935,cultural iconJyoti Prasad Agarwala open field, flanked by villages on all sides. mayrelyonantibodies thatmay occur in the documented,Joymoti’s story—little- days,tiedtoathornyplant, in an open field, made the firstAssamese featurefilm, On rare occasions it is usedfor important created during infections PAPER Covid-19 virus. knownuntil the latter part of the 19th cen- Joymoti refusedtodivulgeany information.” Joymati,basedonLakshminathBezbaroa’s events,” he said. In 2017,the field wasused fromearliercoronaviruses The researchers used tury—is todaycelebratedand invokedasa She died,sacrificing herlifefor her husband, drama JoymotiKonwari (1915). “That is forthe centenarycelebrations of the apex (other than SARS-CoV-2) atool called PepSeq to symbolofinspiration. who ultimatelybecame the king, ushering in when the public became awareofher sac- and influential literarybody,the Asam to help fight the disease. CLIP finelymap antibody re- “From1671to1681, the Ahomkingdom an eraofstability and peace in Assam. rifice and strength,” said Dr Gogoi. Sahitya Sabha. The study sought to sponses to all human-in- wasundergoing aperiod of tumult under The place Joymoti wastorturedtodeath Cultural historian Ankur Tamuli Phukan Preparations areinfull swing forPM understand howcoron- NEWRESEARCH fecting coronaviruses. ‘ministerial superiority’, meaning theno- wasJerengaPothar. said this pavedthe wayfor Joymoti to be- Modi’s land patta distribution event on avirusesignitethehuman PepSeqisanoveltechnol- bles and prime ministers were moreimpor- come anationalisticon. “Joymoti’s storysig- Saturday,whichisinline with the BJP’s 2016 immunesystemandconductadeeper ogy being developedatTranslational tant than the king, who were oftenpup- Howdid Joymoti become anationalist nifiednot justthe strength and loyalty of poll plank to protect the Jaati, Maati and dive on theinner workings of the anti- Genomics Research Institute and pets,” said Dr Jahnabi Gogoi, aDibrugarh icon? the Assamese woman, but her resistance Bheti (community,landand hearth). bodyresponse.Thepublishedfindings NorthernArizonaUniversity . University professor who specialisesinthe According to historians, the Jerenga and couragerepresented the relationship According to Tamuli Phukan, the choice of appear in Cell Reports Medicine. Besides SARS-CoV-2, researchers medievalhistory of Assam. Potharepisode is notofficiallyrecordedin between familial/domestic lifeand national venue is interesting because Upper Assam This knowledge could help re- examinedtheantibodyresponsesfrom It wasatthis time that Sulikhpaa— also any buranji,orAhom-erachronicle. “These life,”hesaid. is wherethe strongestopposition to theBJP- searchersdesignnewdiagnostics,eval- twootherpotentiallydeadlycoron- known as‘LoraRaja’or the boyprince —and were mostlywritten by men, or on the ledgovernment’s CAAcame from. “Not just uatethe healing powers of convales- aviruses:MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-1. his prime minister Laluksala Borphukan king’s orders,” said Dr Gogoi,“So it is possi- What is the significance of Jerenga JerengaPothar,but Sivasagar is historically centplasma,developnewtherapeutic Source: Northern Arizona were tracking down, and killing, possible ble that this episode wasn’t consideredim- Pothar today? important, and representsthe Assamese treatmentsand —importantly—help University heirs,to ensureaclear passagetothethrone. portant enough to record. However, the While the JerengaPotharitself is nota ‘nation’,” he said.

Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

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Internationalmarket data till 1900IST SECTOR WATCH BASE, MIDDLE, UPPER AND APOSSIBLE TOP LAYER PRODUCTION-LINKEDINCENTIVE SCHEME ONLINE NEWS RBIproposes4-tierstructure Self-reliance push: In Google and FB’s 3cos to manufacture Australiantussle, fortighterregulationofNBFCs priority bulk drugs The RBI paper said regulatory Thereisnoparallelforthislayerat ENSECONOMICBUREAU THECOMPANIES issues of concern ENSECONOMICBUREAU framework anchored on propor- present, as this will beanew layer NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 MUMBAI,JANUARY22 tionality can be introduced. forregulation. The regulatory ■Aurobindo BASELAYER:If theframework framework forNBFCsfallinginthis THE GOVERNMENT on Friday Pharmaceuticals THE RESERVEBank of India (RBI) isvisualisedasapyramid,thebot- layerwill bebank-like, albeit with gave thegreen lighttothree drug for India as well hasproposedatighterregulatory tomofthe pyramid, where least suitableand appropriatemodifi- makers,includingonepublicsec- ■ Karnataka Antibiotics framework fornon-banking fi- regulatoryintervention is war- cations, it said. torfirm,to setupcapacitiesunder and Pharmaceuticals Ltd nancial companies (NBFCs) by ranted,can consistofNBFCs,cur- TOPLAYER: It is possible that the production-linked incentive PRANAVMUKUL Tech giant Google has creatingafour-tierstructurewith rentlyclassified as non-systemi- consideredsupervisoryjudgment (PLI) scheme to promote selfre- ■ KinvanPvt Ltd NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 threatenedtoremove aprogressive increaseinintensity cally importantNBFCs(NBFC-ND), mightpushsomeNBFCsfromout lianceincritical drugingredients of regulation. NBFCP2Plendingplatforms,NBF- of the upper layerofthe systemi- in the country. Thefirms — MARKINGANescalationof itssearch engine In itsdiscussion paper on re- CAA, NOFHC and Type INBFCs. callysignificant NBFCs forhigher Aurobindo Pharmaceuticals, terials(KSMs),drugintermediates the slugfest between the from Australia visedregulatoryframework for MIDDLE LAYER: As one regulation/supervision. These Karnataka Antibiotics and (DIs)andactivepharmaceuticalin- Australian government and NBFCs, the RBI has said the regu- The RBI has proposed movesup, the next layercan con- NBFCs willoccupy the topofthe Pharmaceuticals Ltd (KAPL) and gredients (APIs). The announce- global tech platforms overthe latoryandsupervisoryframework classification of NPAs of sistofNBFCscurrentlyclassifiedas upperlayerasadistinctset.Ideally, KinvanPvt Ltd —will be the first mentcameacoupleof monthsaf- sharing of royaltieswith eachofthe digital platforms, of NBFCsshould be basedona base layerNBFCs from systemicallyimportant NBFCs this toplayer of the pyramid will to make select bulk drugs under terCovid-19cases in China had news publishers, Google has and that the newrules pro- four-layeredstructure:BaseLayer, 180to90days overdue. File (NBFC-ND-SI), deposit taking remain emptyunless supervisors the recentlyapproved scheme. surged, causing the neighbouring threatened to remove its posedbythe Australianau- Middle Layer, Upper Layerand a NBFCs(NBFC-D), housing finance take aviewonspecific NBFCs. In India is presently“fully” de- countrytoshutdownseveralbulk search enginefromthe coun- thorities would expose them possible TopLayer.Ithas alsopro- companies,IFCs,IDFs, SPDs and otherwords,if certainNBFCslying pendent on importsfor these drug manufacturing plantsinits try, and Facebook has said it to “unmanageablelevels of fi- posed classificationofnon-per- leastforfouryearsfromitslastap- coreinvestment companies. The intheupperlayerare seento pose products—penicillin G, 7- Hubeiprovince.Thisledtothegov- couldblockAustralianusers nancial and operational risk.” formingassets(NPAs)of baselayer pearance in the category,even regulatoryregimeforthislayerwill extreme risksasper supervisory aminocephalosporanic acid (7- ernment announcing arestriction from posting or sharing news The fundamental differ- NBFCs from 180days to 90 days whereitdoes notmeetthe para- be stricter compared to the base judgement, theycan be put to ACA), erythromycin thiocyanate on exports of various keydrug in- linksifproposednorms on ence in the approachtaken by overdue.NBFCsinlowerlayerwill metric criteria in the subsequent layer. Adverseregulatoryarbitrage higherandbespokeregulatory/su- (TIOC)andclavulanicacid—which gredients. Over the lastthree royalty paymentsare rolled the French and Spanish au- be knownasNBFC-Base Layer year.“Hence,if anidentifiedNBFC- vis-à-vis bankscan be addressed pervisoryrequirements, it said. is whytheywereconsidered for decades, India has slowlygrown out. Representativesofboth thorities on the issue is that (NBFC-BL). NBFCs in middle layer UL does notmeetthe criteria for forNBFCsfallinginthislayerinor- In viewofthe recent stress in approvals on priority. moredependent on imports from tech majorswereappearing they’vespecificallylinkedpay- will be known as NBFC-Middle classification forfour consecutive der to reduce systemic risk spill- the sector,ithas become impera- Thefirmshave committedto a Chinaforsuchingredients,leading at aSenate hearing in mentstocopyright, without Layer(NBFC-ML). An NBFC in the years, it will move out of the en- overs,whererequired,theRBIsaid. tive to re-examine the suitability total investment of around to firms with indigenous capacity CanberraonFriday. puttingaforcing device into Upper Layerwill be known as hancedregulatoryframework,” it UPPER LAYER: Going further, of this regulatoryapproach, espe- Rs 3,761 crorefor setting up these to makethese rawmaterials to The showdown is being the agreements. Australia’s NBFC-UpperLayer(NBFC-UL)and said.The NBFC sector has seen thenextlayercanconsistofNBFCs ciallywhenfailure of anextremely plants, according to the Ministry shutshop,industryexecutivesear- closely watchedby code is almost en- willinvite anew regulatorysuper- tremendous growth in recent whichare identified as systemi- large NBFC can precipitatesys- of ChemicalsandFertilizers,which lier told The Indian Express.Itrelies regulatorsanddigital tirelyfocussedon structure.ThereisalsoaTopLayer, years. In last five years alone,size callysignificantamong. This layer temicrisks,theRBIpapersaid.The expectscommercialproductionto onChinaforabout70 percentofits platforms across ge- bargainingpowerof ideallysupposedtobeempty. of balancesheetofNBFCs(includ- willbepopulatedby NBFCswhich regulatoryframework forNBFCs commencefromApril1, 2023.The bulk drug imports,asper govern-

ographies. AINED news outlets vis-a- Once an NBFC is identifiedas ingHFCs)has morethan doubled have largepotentialofsystemic needs to be reoriented to keep government would bedisbursing ment figures. PolicymakersinIndia vis the tech majors, NBFC-UL, it will be subject to en- from Rs 20.72lakhcrore (2015)to spill-overofrisksandhave theabil- pacewithchangingrealitiesinthe upto Rs3,600crore inPLIoverthe With rising tension between

EXPL E● have so farfocussed and has some coer- hancedregulatoryrequirementat Rs 49.22 lakh crore(2020). ity to impact financial stability. financial sector,itsaid. agreedsix-year period of the India and China lastyear and on the dominanceof cive featuresaswell. scheme.Aurobindo,throughsub- Prime MinisterNarendraModi’s intermediaries such Australian regula- sidiary Lyfius Pharma, will be set- callforIndiato bemoreself-reliant asGoogleandFacebook,which tors had initiallyproposed a ting up greenfield capacities to invarioussectors,theDepartment arepositionedinaway that voluntarycodeofconduct,but ‘Soaring fuel prices crowdout makepenicillinGaswellas7-ACA of Pharmaceuticals(DoP)lastyear serviceproviderscannotreach have sincesteppeduppressure 65% (usedtomakecephalosporin an- launchedthePLIschemewithato- customers exceptthrough citingthe“unequalbargaining other spends on credit cards’ Non-discretionary tibiotics and intermediates). The taloutlayofRs6,940 crore. It these platforms. position”between news me- spendsoncreditcards Hyderabadfirmwillalsobebuild- sought applications from Indian The issues beingthrashed dia outlets and tech platforms Massiverise in retail fuel prices crowded out other ing capacities to make TIOC drug makers to setupgreenfield ofthetotalspends, outinAustraliaandelsewhere that couldprevent the code discretionary spends on credit cards in December, whilediscretionary through subsidiaryQule Pharma. capacityin36bulk drugs by couldhavebroader implica- from getting implementedon according areport by SBI Research spendinghasfallen KAPLwillalsobemanufactur- November 30, 2020. tions forthe regulation of the avoluntarybasis. belowthetrendrate ing 7-ACA, whileKinvanwill be Atotalof 215applicationswere SPEND ON oilhascrowdedoutin driventhischangeisthemassive makingclavulanicacid,according receivedandwere to beprocessed digitaleconomyinIndiainthe In astatement earlier this of35percent longer term. Asubstantial dis- week,Googlesaiditsnew plat- Decemberspendingonother spikeininflationbetweenApriland to the ministry. anddecideduponby February28, cussionontheimpactof inter- form NewsShowcase, which essentialitemssuchashealth, November,whichonaveragestood “Setting of these plantswill 2021, according to the Ministry. mediary platforms on the ismadeupof storypanelsthat groceryandutilityserviceswhich at120bpslowerthanNSOinflation URGENT REDUCTIONin continuetogetdistorted makethe country self-reliant to a Whilethefirstfourbulkdrugsthat health of news media outlets give participating publishers wasthetrendinearliermonths numbersat6.3percent.Thishas oilpricesthroughtax andcrowdoutdiscretionary large extent in respect of these the government has givenap- is yettocommence in any the abilitytopackagethe sto- happenedasspendsonoilhave rationalisationneededotherwise, expenses,”accordingto bulk drugs,” said the ministryina provals forcome under the firstof meaningful wayhere. ries that appear within SINGLE BIGGEST factorthathas crowdedoutotheressentialitems “non-discretionaryspendswill thereport release about the development. fourtarget segmentsofkey ingre- AccordingtoaFICCI-EYre- Google’s news products,now The government in March dients, applicationsunder the portonIndia’s media and en- hasonboardover450publica- Spending habits of consumers significantly changed during the pandemic and that too within essential/non-discretionary and Source: SBI 2020 had announcedits intent to other three segmentsare pro- tertainment sector for2020, tionsacrossadozencountries. non-essential/discretionaryitems. The share of discretionary spending had crashedto15per cent of total cards spending in April Research/PTI launchaPLIschemeforcriticalbulk posedtobetaken up forapproval thereare 300million users of These include Le Monde, Le drugs,includingkey starting ma- in the next 45 days. online news sites, portals and Figaro,andLibérationinFrance; aggregators in the country— El Cronista and La Gaceta in GOVTAMENDSCSRRULES making up approximately46 Argentina; TAG24 and FB’s policies difficult to per cent of Internetusers and SachsischeZeitunginGermany; RIL Q3 profit rises 12.55%, 77 per cent of smartphone and Jornal do Commercio,a Cos can users in India at the end of newspaperfromPernambuco understand: Signal COO 2019.With282millionunique in Brazil.InDecember,the visitors,Indiaistheworld’ssec- company announceditwould Covid eats into revenue undertake ond largest online news con- “soon startoffering people ac- Signal has seen aspikeinnew suming nation afterChina. cess to paywalledcontent in JIONETPROFIT wasRs3,489 crore, registering ANUJBHATIA usersfromIndiafollowingtheup- Paying fornews feed by it- partnershipwithselectnews ENSECONOMICBUREAU growth of 15.5 per cent. Jio’s total multi-year NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 roaroverWhatsApp’snewprivacy self appears to be less of an is- publishers”.Thecompanyhad MUMBAI,JANUARY22 customer base as of December policy.Ithas been among the top sue forthe tech giants,given saiditwouldpayparticipating 15.5% 2020 was410.8 million, showing projects “PEOPLE AREcoming to realise downloadedapp in India mostof that Google entered anew partnerstoprovidelimitedac- DESPITETHEdisturbancescaused anet addition of 5.2 millioncus- thatFacebookdoesnotbuildprod- January. In an emailinteraction, agreement to paynews publi- cess to paywalledcontent for by theCovid pandemic,Reliance tomers. ARPU(averagerevenue uctsforthem,butratherFacebook Harder says the uniqueaspect of cationsinFrancejusthoursbe- News Showcase users. Industries, India’s largest firm by ■ForJio Platforms, RIL’s per user) during the quarterofRs buildsproductsfortheirdata,”said Signalisthatitdoesnotknowany- fore threatening to remove its InIndia,digitaladvertising marketcapitalisation,onFridayre- digitalarm, revenue including 151per subscriber per month as ENSECONOMICBUREAU ArunaHarder,chief operatingoffi- thingaboutanyone.“Wecollectno search functionsinAustralia. spends in 2019 grew 24 per porteda12.55percentriseincon- access revenues forthe againstRs145 per subscriber. NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 cer of Signal Messenger,adding data,havenoads ever,and arenot The showdown in Australia centyear-on-yearto Rs27,900 solidated netprofitatRs13,101 quarterwas Rs 22,858 crore, The companysaid Reliance from theuser’s point of viewthe drivenbyprofit.” seemscenteredrather,onhow crore, according to EY esti- crorefor thequarterended higher by 5.3 per cent. The net Retail’srevenueforthequarterwas THE GOVERNMENT Friday social network’s policies arevery Fullreport on muchcontrolthesecompanies mates,andareexpectedto fur- December 2020 (Q3), as against profit forthe quarterwas Rs Rs 37,845 crore, lowerby7.9 per amendedvariousrulespertaining difficult to understand. www.indianexpress.com would gettoretain on their thergrow to Rs51,340croreby Rs11,640croreinthesameperiod 3,489 crore, registering a cent. However, thenet profit for to thecorporatesocialresponsibil- payout process–operational 2022. Globally, Facebook and ayear ago. growth of 15.5 per cent. the quarterrosetoRs1,830 crore, ity (CSR)regime,includingallow- aspectssuchasdeciding the Google togethercommand Onaquarter-on-quarterbasis, agrowth of 88.1 per cent. ingcorporatesto undertakemulti- quantum of payments for 61 percentof themarketshare thenetprofitrose37 percentfrom RILChairmanandMDMukesh year projectsand making news feedsources,andhaving indigitaladspends,according Rs 9,567crore in the September causing significant disturbance D. Ambani said: “Atatime when registrationcompulsoryforagen- to revealchangesintheiralgo- to EdelweissResearch;Google quarter. Thenet profit before ex- andslowdownof economicactiv- the economyispoisedfor aconfi- cies implementing CSR activities rithms. Heftyfinesproposed leads with a37per cent ceptionalitemfor the December ity.Thegroup’soperationsandrev- dent recovery,weatReliance are on behalf of companies. by Canberra arebeing seen market share. quarterwasRs15,015 crore,higher enue duringthe periodwereim- humbledthat we have been able Besides, companies have been as an addeddisincentive. In aseparatenote, by 41.6 per cent, RIL said. pacted due to Covid-19,” the to contribute with our impressive allowedtoset the excess amount Theargumentmadebythe Edelweisssaidthatitexpected Consolidated revenue from companysaid. performance in the thirdquarter spentunder CSR up to threesuc- companiesintheSenatehear- digitalspendsto befurtherac- operationsdeclined 21.1 per cent ForJio Platforms, RIL’s digital of FY21.Wehavedeliveredstrong ceedingfinancialyears.Non-com- ingsisthatthemediaindustry celerated ledbyasubstantial to Rs 123,997crore as against arm,revenueincludingaccessrev- operational resultswith arobust pliance with CSR provisions has isalreadybenefitingfromtraf- jumpinonlineactivityfurther Rs157,165crore intheyear-agope- enues forthe quarterwas revivalinO2Candretailsegments, been decriminalisedbyshifting ficbeing routed to them by accentuated by Covid-19. riod.“Theoutbreakof coronavirus Rs 22,858 crore, higher by 5.3 per and asteady growth in our digital suchoffencestopenaltyregime,as Office of RUDSICO, External Aided pandemic globallyand in India is cent. The netprofitfor the quarter services business.” per the CorporateAffairs Ministry. Project (RUIDP) Rajasthan Urban Drinking Water Sewerage and Infrastructure Corporation Ltd. (RUDSICO) Address:- AVSBuilding, Jawahar Circle, JLN Marg, Jaipur -302017 Ph.- 141 2721966, Fax No.: 141 2721919 BRIEFLY E-mail:- [email protected] Website:- www.ruidp.raiasthan.gov.in Globalcues, selling pressure CIN :U74999 RJ2004SGC019961 No. F3 (301)(74)/RUIDP/PMU/Ph-IV/Third party inspection/12051 Date: 13.01.2021 IL&FSaddresses Invitation for Proposals (IFP) for Third Party `32K-croredebt Inspection Services under RUIDP pull Sensexdown by 746 pts 1. India has applied for financing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) toward NewDelhi: IL&FS boardsaid the cost of Rajasthan Secondary Towns Development Sector Project (RSTDSP - RUIDP Phase IV). The Project will invest in the rehabilitation and expansion of it addressedRs32,000 crore search,ReligareBroking, said sec- water supply,sewerage, drainage, heritage and other works component as of the group’s overalldebt. ENSECONOMICBUREAU FALLSFOR2NDDAY toralindices tradedintandem identified by Government in about 42 secondary towns of the State. The boardretainedits target MUMBAI,JANUARY22 with thebenchmarkwherein 2. Local Self Government (LSGD), GoR through RUIDP,the executing agency,now propose to engage agencies for Third Party Inspection Services (TPIS) for Pre of addressing adebt of over banking and metalended as the 49,594.95 dispatch inspections at Manufacturer’s works for Rajasthan Secondary Towns Rs 56,000crorebyFY22. AFTER HITTINGthe 50,000-level toplosers.Sellingpressurewasvis- Development Sector Project (RSTDSP,RUIDP Phase-IV) and Rajasthan Urban Sector Development Program (RUSDP-RUIDP Phase-III). on Thursday, stockmarketson 48,878.54 ible on the broader front, too, as Fridaycameundersellingpressure theyendedinthe rangeof1-1.2 Lot No. Broad Material Eligible firms Estimated Cost Powerdemand Description Accredited in field of (In Lacs) amid weak global marketsand per cent. Meanwhile,the rupee inspection persistentworriesoverCovidpan- clawed back lostground towards atall-timehigh Lot -02 RCC Pipes and specials IAF 16 Rs. 125 demicandeconomicrecovery.The thefag-endof thesessionandset- 3. Inspecting Agency will be selected using Least Cost Selection basis from among NewDelhi: Powerdemand benchmarkSensex fell746points, Sensex(intra-day) tled withamarginal 2paise gain the eligible and qualified bidders. Technical and Financial Proposal for the above touchedanall-time high of or 1.50 per cent, to 48,878.54 and at 72.97againstthe US dollar on assignment from the reputed firms/ organizations accredited by National 187.3GWonFriday,Power the Nifty50 plummeted218 Friday, supportedbyeasing crude Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) in particular field of 9:15AM 3:30PM Inspection are invited. MinisterRKSingh said. points,or1.50percent,to 14,371.90 oil prices. 4. The Request for Proposal (RFP) document including Terms of Reference (TOR), on across-the-boardselling. In midday trading on Wall Technical and Financial Proposal forms for submitting the technical and financial Thebenchmarkequityindices 2009. Among the sectors, bank, Street,the DowJones Industrial proposals are availableathttp://eproc.rajasthan.gov.in and can be Petrolcrosses downloaded. The evaluation and qualification criteria and procedure of evaluation endedlower forthe second PSUbank,metalsandrealtyfellthe Averagefell 117.4points, or 0.38 of proposals and award of Contract are included in RFP document. `92inMumbai straightday,correcting further af- mostwhile auto indexgained. percent,to 31,058.61, theS&P500 5. Proposals will be submitted at http://eproc.rajasthan.gov.in.Pre-bid meeting termakingarecord high on Adding to investor worries, lost6.81points,or0.18 percent,to will be held at 15-00 hours on 29.01.2021. Proposals will be received upto 15:00 hours on 16.02.2021. NewDelhi: Petrolprice in Thursday. Thiswasthebiggestsin- datashowedthe flash eurozone 3,846.26 and the Nasdaq 6. Any addendum, clarification to the bidder’s queries and corrigendum etc will be Delhi touchedRs85.45 and gle-day drop forthe benchmarks purchasingmanagersindexdrop- Compositedropped14.89 points, published at e-proc web site http://eproc.rajasthan.gov.in.Incase there is a Rs 92.04inMumbai. Diesel in amonth.Friday’s correction ping in Januarytoatwo-month or 0.11 per cent, to 13,516.03.The holiday on the day of opening of bid, activities assigned on that date shall be carried out on the next working day. climbed to Rs 75.63 in Delhi markedthe end of an 11-week lowof47.5,comingcloseto theex- risk-offmoodfollowedaperiodof Sd/- UID 2021 RFP 0006 (Kumar Pal Gautam) andRs82.40inMumbai.PTI gainingstreakfor the frontline in- pected 47.6 —from49.1in relief afterthe transition of power DIPR/C/523/2021 Project Director dices,whichwasthelongestsince December. Ajit Mishra, VP-re- in the United States. Kolkata WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,SATURDAY,JANUARY23,2021 MEANWHILE CHAPPELLE TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID ComedianDaveChappelletested positive forCovid-19 just before his comedy showscheduledfor Thursday, forcing his upcomingappearances to be 14 THE WORLD cancelled,aspokeswoman said. He has not developed anysymptoms.

TOPOFTHE UK PM: New virus WORLD Housetosendimpeachmentarticleto variant may carry SenateMonday,triggeringTrumptrial higher risk of death Turns down Republican leader McConnell’srequest to delaytrial until February SENATECONFIRMSLLOYD MICHAELHOLDEN& AUSTINASDEFENCESECY ALISTAIRSMOUT NICHOLASFANDOS ED Trialmay LONDON,JANUARY22 The National Rifle JANUARY22 notstart Association’s office in PLAIN E Lloyd BRITISH PRIME MinisterBoris ● rightaway NewYork. Reuters THE US House of Representatives EX Austin Johnson said on Fridaythe new will send itsarticle of impeach- English variant of Covid-19may ment charging former President THE SENATEisbound to begin be associated with ahigher level USA Donald Trumpwith “incitement atrial soon afterthe House Washington: The US Senateon of mortality although he said ev- Judgedismisses of insurrection” to theSenateon sends over impeachment arti- Fridayconfirmed PresidentJoe idence showedthatbothvac- Boris Johnson said all Monday, triggering the startofa cle. But thereisreportedly Biden’s nominee, retiredArmy cines being usedinthe country evidence showedthat NRAbidtoend trial unlikeany in American his- some willingness from General LloydAustin, to serve areeffectiveagainstit. vaccines remainedeffective tory,Senator ChuckSchumer of Democratic Senators to give as SecretaryofDefence —the “We’vebeeninformed today againstold and newvariants NewYorkcase New York said on Friday. the GOP some time to prepare. firstBlackAmericaninthe role. that in addition to spreading ANEW York statejudge on Schumer,the majority leader, So, even though the GOP may The votewas an overwhelming morequickly, it alsonow ap- Thursdayrejectedthe saidthedecisionhadbeenrelayed notget the whole of one 93-2 in the100-member cham- pears that thereissome evi- people had been giventheir first NationalRifleAssociation’s by Speaker Nancy Pelosi but he month that theyasked for, ber, farmorethan the simple dence that the newvariant —the dose of avaccine, with 409,855 bid to dismiss or move a declinedtoelaborate further on Speaker Nancy Pelosiwill sendtothe Senatethe impeachment Senators could come to adeal majority needed. Lawmakers variant that wasfirstdiscovered receiving it in the past24hours, lawsuit by NewYork howthetrialwouldrun.Oncethe articlethat waspassedinthe House where 10 Republicans to procedurally delaythe start from both parties said they in London and the southeast(of arecordhigh so far. AttorneyGeneral Letitia articlearrives,Senaterulessaythe joined allDemocrats in voting to impeach Trump. AP of oral argumentsinthe trial. were pleasedthat Austin would England) —may be associated England and Scotland an- James seeking to dissolve chamber mustalmost immedi- be installedtolead the withahigher degree of mortal- nouncednew restrictions on thegunrightsgroup.Justice atelybetransformedintoacourt Pentagon justtwo days after ity,” he told anews briefing. January4to stem asurge in the JoelCohenruledsixdays af- of impeachment and sit in judg- furtherparameters forthe trial Cabinetnominees before the arequestMcConnell made on Biden wassworn in as President The warning about the disease fuelledbythe highly terthe NRA filedfor ment until averdict is reached. in hopes of settling on bipartisan trial starts eachday. Thursday to delaythe trial to pro- on Wednesday. REUTERS higherrisk of death from the transmissible newvariantofthe Chapter11bankruptcyto Schumer and Senator Mitch rules. Democratsare intent on Pelosi’s decision to move on videTrump’snewlyappointedle- newvariant, whichwas identi- coronavirus, whichhas ledto protectitself fromlawsuits, McConnell of Kentucky,his trying to setupadual track Monday, alittleless than two galteam time to prepare.Hehad fied in England latelastyear, recordnumbersofdailydeaths and said it would reincor- Republican counterpart, have wherebythe Senatecould still weeksafter theHouse’s biparti- askedthattheheartof thetrialnot FAUCIIN‘LIBERATING’ came as afresh blowafter the and infections this month. porateinthe moregun- been negotiating fordays over confirm President Joe Biden’s san impeachment vote, rebuffed beginuntil mid-February. NYT RETURNTOWHITE countryhad earlier been buoyed The latestestimates from the friendlyTexas after150 by news the number of new health ministrysuggest that the years in NewYork. James HOUSEBRIEFINGROOM Covid-19infections wasesti- number of newinfectionswas had suedthe NRA,Chief Washington: Most of the times mated to be shrinking by as shrinking by betweenone and Executive WayneLaPierre White House: Harris as V-P cements US-India ties Dr AnthonyFauci made an ap- muchasfour percent aday. four per cent aday.Lastweek, it and others lastAugust. She pearance in the WhiteHouse Johnson said, however, that wasthought cases were grow- accusedthegroupof violat- tisan successful relationship be- briefing room in 2020 —before all the current evidence showed ing by muchasfiveper cent, and ingstatelawsfornonprofits LALITKJHA US Vice tween leaders in India and the eventuallybeing banishedfrom both vaccines remainedeffective the turnaround gave hope that by divertingmillionsof dol- WASHINGTON,JANUARY22 President United States. It looksforwardto publicviewfor hisgrim assess- againstold and newvariants. the spread of the virus wasbe- lars to fund luxurious trips Kamala Harris acontinuation of that,” Psaki said mentsofthe pandemic —hehad Datapublishedearlier on ingcurbed,although the min- forofficialsand othersus- THE HISTORIC inaugurationof andhusband responding to aquestion on President Donald Trumpglow- Fridayshowedthat 5.38 million istryurged caution. pect expenses. REUTERS Kamala Harris as America's vice Doug Emhoff at India-US relationshipunder the ering over his shoulder.On president has further cemented aPresidential newBiden administration. Thursday, Fauci,the US’ foremost the importance of the relation- Inaugural The historic inauguration of infectious diseasespecialist,was ship between the United States Prayer Service Indian-originHarris,shesaid,fur- back, this time with no one IRAQ and India, according to atop on Thursday. AP ther cementsthis relationship. telling him what to say. And he ISclaims WhiteHouse official. “Obviously,he(Biden)se- made no effort to hide howhe Born to aJamaican father lected and yesterday, she (Harris) felt about it. “The idea that you responsibilityfor and an Indian mother,56-year- sworn in just before Joe Biden, SecretaryJen Psakisaid President wassworn in as the firstIndian- can getuphereand talk about old Harris made history on 78, took the oath of office to be- Biden respectsthe long biparti- American to serveaspresident what youknow—whatthe evi- Baghdadblasts Wednesdaywhen she was comethe 46th President of the san successful relationship be- or vicepresident. Certainly, ahis- dence, what the science is —and THE ISLAMIC State sworn in as the firstfemale, first United States. tweenthe twocountries. toric moment forall of us in this knowthat’s it, letthe science claimedresponsibilityfor Blackand firstAsian-American Addressing reporters at her “President Biden, of course, countrybut afurther cementing speak,” Fauci said,pausing fora araresuicide attackthat US vice-president. The former dailynews conferenceon has visitedIndia manytimes, re- of the importance of ourrela- second. “It is somewhat of alib- rocked central Baghdad, senator from California was Thursday, WhiteHouse Press spectsand values the long bipar- tionship,” Psaki said. PTI erating feeling.” NYT killing 32 people and wounding dozens. The bombing targeted “apos- Moscow welcomes US bid tate Shias,” the group said Peopleline up foraCovid test in Beijing on Friday. Reuters in astatementon an IS-af- filiated websitelate to extend nuclear treaty Thursday. The US-led coalition recentlyceased Thursdaythat Biden has pro- More travel curbs combat activities andis VLADIMIRISACHENKOV posedtoRussia afive-year ex- graduallydrawing down MOSCOW,JANUARY22 tension of the NewSTART treaty. itstroop presence in Iraq, “Wecan onlywelcomepoliti- around theworld sparking fears of an IS THE KREMLIN on Fridaywel- calwill to extend the document,” resurgence. The group has comedUSPresident Joe Biden’s Peskov said in aconference call take coordinated action in re- rarely been able to pene- proposaltoextend thelastre- withreporters.“Butallwilldepend THENEWYORKTIMES sponse to the variants, whichsci- tratethe capital since be- maining nuclear arms control on the details of the proposal.” JANUARY22 entists believe originated in ing dislodged by Iraqi treaty between the twocoun- The treaty,signedin2010by Britain and in SouthAfricaand forces and the US-led tries, whichisset to expireinless President BarackObama and AYEAR intothe worstglobal appear to be significantlymore coalition in 2017. AP than twoweeks. Russian President Dmitry healthcrisisinacentury, andmuch contagious than others. Russian President Vladimir Medvedev,limitseachcountry of the worldfeels frozeninplace. In Britain, whichcompleted SYRIA Putin’sspokesman, Dmitry to no morethan 1,550 deployed Countries that had loosened itsexit from the bloconJan 1, Peskov,said that Russia stands nuclearwarheads and 700de- up their frontiers afterimposing flightsfromLatin America and Childrenamong forextending the pact and is ployed missilesand bombers, restrictions earlier in the pan- Portugal were bannedoverfears fourkilledin waiting to see the details of the and envisages sweeping on-site demic arenow tightening them of avariant firstdiscoveredin US proposal. inspections to verify compliance. again, worriedabout new, more Brazil. FlightsfromSouthAfrica, strikesbyIsrael The WhiteHouse said It expires on February5.AP At aprotest againstthe dissolution of Parliament,inKathmandu on Friday. Reuters contagious variantsofthe coro- whereanother highlyconta- ISRAELIWARPLANESfired navirus. Some aretightening gious variant wasdiscoveredlast severalmissilestoward travel restrictions or imposing month, arealso banned. central Syria early Friday, EU lawmakers want tech newrules on travelers. And in China, wherethe virus 3Nepal ex-PMs joinprotest In the United States, spiraledout of control during the killingafamilyoffour—in- cluding twochildren — President Joe Biden signedase- ChineseLunar NewYear in 2020, andwoundingfourothers, giants’ CEOs at Feb hearing ries of executive ordersaimed at officials arediscouraging travel against Parliament dissolution thwarting the pandemic, in- over the holiday,whichbegins statemedia reported. State-news agency SANA rivals and to do moretotackle cluding arequirement that trav- Feb12. The newyear is usually quotedanunnamedmili- FOOYUNCHEE online fake news and harmful about twoyearsbeforehis gov- “Wewill all continue our ellers coming from abroad quar- the occasion forthe largest annual tary official as saying the BRUSSELS,JANUARY22 content or face hefty fines. GOPALSHARMA ernment’s tenureends. protests to pressureOli to realise antine afterarrivinginthe US, human migration in the world. attacktook place shortly “The purpose of the planned KATHMANDU,JANUARY22 Oli, 68,has said internal his mistake andcorrect it,” for- though it is notclear howthat Beijing is restricting the before dawn when Israeli EU LAWMAKERS have invited hearing is to have an exchange squabbling and alackofcooper- mer PM MadhavKumar Nepal will be enforced. number of passengers allowed warplanes flew over the chief executivesofAmazon, withthechiefexecutive officersof THREE FORMER Nepali prime ationfrommembers of his party told the rallyinKathmandu. European Union leaders on public transit and has ex- neighbouring Lebanon. Apple, Facebook and Alphabet to thefourgloballyleadingplatform ministers joinedthousands of had paralysed decision-making, Former PMsPrime Minister agreedtolimit nonessential tendedthe quarantine period Israel has launchedhun- aFebruary1hearing in Brussels companies to learn about their demonstratorsonFridaytoprotest forcing his December 2020 Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ travel within the bloc and from fortravellers returning from dredsofstrikes against as theytry to crackdownonthe current business models and fu- againstPrimeMinisterKPSharma move to seek an early vote. and Jhal Nath Khanal, were also nonmember countries in abid to overseas.Schools have been Iran-linkedmilitarytargets powers of US tech giants. tureconceptsastheyface the Oli’s abruptmovetodissolve par- On Friday, theprotesters de- at the rally. All three former slowthe spread of twovariants closed, and the authorities said in Syriaoverthe years. But The European Parliament challengesof alteringmarket con- liamentand call snap elections. mandedthat he withdrawhis prime ministers arefromOli’s that arealready present in mul- on Wednesdaythat people re- it rarely acknowledges will in the coming months pro- ditions,” said an invitation sent to Judges in the Supreme Court “unconstitutional” move that party but oppose the dissolution. tiple countries in the region. turningtorural areasfor the hol- suchoperations. AP vide input intoproposals by the thefirms.Peoplefamiliarwiththe arehearing argumentsonmore has plunged theyoungrepublic Policesaid around 25,000 Leaders from the bloc’s 27 idaymusttestnegative forthe European Commission to force companies doubted theywould than adozen petitions challeng- already battlingthe pandemic people had gatheredtoprotest nations, meeting via teleconfer- virusand quarantine at home the companiestoplayfairly with acceptthe invitation. REUTERS ing Oli’s plan to seek elections intopolitical turmoil. near Oli’s office Friday. REUTERS ence lateThursday, agreed to for14days.

BITCOIN PROCESSING CENTRES ARE BEING SEEN AS ABURDEN ON THE COUNTRY’S POWER GRID Iran, pressured by blackoutsand pollution, cracks down on Bitcoin

ernment launchedawide-rang- drew in 2018 from Tehran’snu- around four centsper kilowatt- to theblockchain collect fees in country’ssouthandpermittedim- NASSERKARIMI ing crackdown on Bitcoin pro- clear accordwith worldpowers hourinIran,comparedto anaver- bitcoins, akey advantageamid portsofcomputers formining. &ISABELDEBRE cessing centres,which require andre-imposedsanctionsonIran, ageof13centsintheUnitedStates. the country’s currency collapse. Amir Nazemi, deputy minis- TEHRAN,JANUARY22 immenseamountsofelectricity cryptocurrencyhassurgedinpop- Iran is among the top10 Iran’s rial, whichhad been trad- teroftelecommunications and to powertheir specialisedcom- ularity in the Islamic Republic. countries with the mostBitcoin ing at 32,000 to the dollar at the information, declared lastweek IRAN’S CAPITAL and major cities puters and to keep them cool — ForIran, anonymous online miningcapacity in the world— time of the 2015 nuclear deal, that cryptocurrency “can be plunged intodarkness in recent aburden on Iran’s powergrid. transactions made in cryptocur- 450 megawattsaday.The US has tumbledtoaround 240,000 helpful” as Iran struggles to cope weeksasrolling outages leftmil- Authorities shuttered 1,600 rencies allowindividuals and networkhas adailycapacity of to the dollarthese days. with sanctions on itsoil sector. lionswithoutelectricityforhours. centres acrossthe country, in- companies to bypass banking morethan 1,100megawatts. Iran’s government has sent Ontheotherhand,thegovern- Trafficlightsdied. Offices went cluding, forthe firsttime, those sanctions that have crippledthe On Tehran’s outskirts and mixedmessagesaboutBitcoin.On mentworriesaboutlimitinghow dark. Online classes stopped. legallyauthorised to operate.As economy. Bitcoin offers an alter- across Iran’s south and north- one hand, it wantstocapitalise on muchmoneyissent abroad and With toxic smog blanketing the latestinaseries of conflict- native to cash printed by sover- west,windowless warehouses the soaring popularity of digital controlling moneylaundering, Tehran skies and the country ing government moves, the eign governmentsand central An unlit street during ablackout in Tehran on Wednesday. AP hum withheavy industrial ma- currency and sees value in legit- drug sales andcriminal groups. buckling under the pandemic and clampdown stirredconfusion in banks—and in the case of Iran chineryand rows of computers imisingtransactionsthatflyunder Iran is nowgoing afterunau- other mounting crises, social me- the crypto industry—and suspi- and other countriesunder sanc- that crunchhighlycomplexal- Washington’sradar.Itauthorised thorisedBitcoin farmswith fre- dia has been rifewith speculation. cion that Bitcoin had become a tions like Venezuela, amoresta- work muchmorethan others be- Iran’s generouslysubsidised gorithms to verifytransactions. 24 Bitcoinprocessingcentresthat quentpoliceraids.Thosewhogain Soon, fingers pointed at an un- useful scapegoat forthe nation’s ble placetoparkmoneythanthe causewecan’taccessany kindof electricity has put the countryon The transactions,calledblocks, consume an estimated300 authorisationtoprocess cryp- likelyculprit:Bitcoin. deeper-rootedproblems. local currency. global paymentnetworks,” said thecrypto-miningmap,giventhe arethen addedtoapublic megawattsofenergy aday,at- tocurrencyaresubjecttoelectric- Within days,asfrustration Since former US President “Iranians understand the ZiyaSadr,aTehran-basedBitcoin operation’s enormouselectricity record, known as the blockchain. tractedtech-savvyChineseentre- itytariffs,whichminerscomplain spread among residents, the gov- DonaldTrumpunilaterallywith- value of suchaborderless net- expert. “Bitcoin shineshere.” consumption. Electricity goes for “Miners” adding anew block preneurstotax-freezones in the discourageinvestment. AP

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ZIDANE TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 15 Spanish club Real Madrid’scoach and former footballer Zinedine SPORT Zidane has tested positive forCovid-19,the La Ligaclub revealed on Friday. TheFrenchman will nowenter aperiod of self-isolation. Olympic-size dilemma

As organisers press ahead with the Olympics, anticipation makes wayfor anxiety on ground

MIHIRVASAVDA NEWDELHI,JANUARY22

AROUND THIS time lastyear,aJapanese city roughly400 km from Tokyowas preparing to roll out the redcarpetfor apartofIndia’s Olympics-bound contingent. AYoutubevideo grab of Ravi Ashwin and R. Sridhar’s chat. Yogaworkshopswere beingheldacrossthe Qualifyingachallenge townandfoodrecipesplayedoutonlocalchan- nels as the residentsofKurobetriedtounder- forathletes ASHWIN’S CHANNEL standIndianculturebeforetheywouldhostthe archeryteam in the build-up to the Games. With the International Olympic Ayear on, the cultural sensitisation drive Committee (IOC) and the Japanese Message Shardul didn’t has been put on the backburner.Instead, the government putting their foot down people in Kurobe arefamiliarising themselves and insisting that the rescheduled with pandemic protocols. “I went therelast Games will open on July23, the ques- week forayogaworkshop. People thereare tion is howwill theylook. deliver, Shastri said anxious about what’s going to happen,” says Amidstall the uncertainty over the Randeep Rakwal, aprofessor at the University Olympics, what is known forsuresofar of Tsukuba who is also the liaison between is that the Games will be fardifferent 36 is abadge of honour KurobecityofficialsandIndia’ssportsministry. from anyofthe previous editions. The opening ceremonywill be scaled Organisers determined,peopleworried Japan and the IOC stood firm on their commitment to hostthe Olympics this year. Reuters down, athleteswill be advisedtocome for36, ViratKohli messaged me asking 'what On Friday, after TheTimes reportedthat as lateand leave as early as possible, EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE areyou doing? It was12:30 am. Head coach, Japan waslooking to cancel the Olympics be- their movement will be restricted in- NEWDELHI,JANUARY22 Arunsir,Vikramsir,allof usweresittingtogether. cause of the pandemic, the country’s govern- double the number of people land up in Tokyo leading up to the Olympics. side the Games Village, and onlyhalf of Kohli said 'I will also come'. Ravi Shastri made a ment said in astatement that ‘Prime Minister foramonth. Job losses aresevere, povertyhas The Olympics arethe end product of arig- the 11,000-odd athleteswill be apart OFF-SPINNER Ravichandran Ashwin spoketo point in that chat. ‘'This 36, wear it likeabadge. (Yoshihide)Sugahasexpressedhisdetermina- increasedand come out in the open,” he tells orous qualifying system, whichhas gone hay- of the opening ceremony. Japanese India'sfieldingcoachRSridharinatwo-partchat This36,iswhatwillmakethisteamgreat'[mim- tion to hold the Games.’ thispaper.TheissuesextendbeyondtheGames wirebecause of the pandemic. So far, onlyfour media has reportedtherewill be close showcalled‘KangarooBhoomi’onhisYouTube icsShastri’sboisteroustone!]We wereabitcon- Aday earlier,International Olympic themselves. As per Kyodo News, athletesand sports –cycling, equestrian, hockeyand soft- to 10,000doctors and nurses on siteat channel, covering the firstthree Testsin fusedatthat time (laughs). Ajinkyajoinedthe Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bachtoo supportstafffromroughly180countriesareto ball –havecompletedtheir qualifying events. different venues. The twounanswered Adelaide,MelbourneandSydney. Thefrankyet next morning. When ateam is out for36, usu- had said the Games would go ahead as sched- be hostedbyapproximately500 municipali- Forthe remaining 29, the timelines have been questions, though, pertain to the quali- light-hearteddiscussion wasfull of nuggets. allyateam strengthens itsbatting. But Shastri, uled, from July23toAugust9. ties across Japan under the TokyoOlympics’ extendedandprocessesmodified.Butthepre- fication process, whichinsome sports Excerpts Viratand Ajinkyadecidedtostrengthen the “Wehave,atthismoment,noreasonwhat- host-towninitiative. vailing travel restrictions and protocols mean runs until June, and the prospect of bowling. ViratKohli wasreplacedbyRavindra soevertobelieve that the Olympic Games in Oneof thehosttownsisKurobeandRakwal it is still notclear if qualifying forall sports will having fans. Roughly4,700athletesare Adelaide, 1stTest Jadeja. It wasamasterstroke. Tokyowill notopen on the 23rdofJuly. This is says thereare underlying concerns in the city, be completedintime. still to makethe cut forthe Games and SHASTRIONFLOORAFTER Ashwin: What wasthe thought process whythereisnoPlanB,”BachtoldKyodoNews. avirtual Covid-free zone, about hosting ath- And forthose who have qualified, like the process might getcomplexdue to DROPPEDCATCH behindcancelingpractice(dayafter36allout)? But on the ground, the anticipation forthe letesfromacountrywithmorethan10 million Aikman’s Asian Games champions, thereare the pandemic-forcedrestrictions. Ravichandran Ashwin: We dropped Sridhar: It wasArun sir's idea. He felt if the world’s biggestsporting event has made way cases. The town officials arescrambling to put fewopportunities to playmatches. Japan has Regarding fans, the organisers are some715catchesinthatgame,yourthoughtsas boys practiced, it will be out of frustration and foranxiety.“Ifeel people aremoreworried in place aplan to createasecureenvironment imposedrestrictions on teams entering the reportedtobeworking on scenarios of fielding coach?! theywill tend to overthink and over-analyze now,”Japan’s hockeycoachSiegfriedAikman fortheIndianarchers,whichhasto besubmit- countryandgettingclearancesto playoverseas having full capacity crowds, 50 percent RSridhar:IthoughtIwouldlosemy jobaf- whichisnot good fortheir minds. We had that tells The Indian Express from the team’s train- tedtothe Games organisers next month. has become tougher afterthe emergence of capacity and emptystadiums. Adeci- terthat game [smiles]. Beforethat, in the one- dinner that night and had afew games (dumb ing base in Kakamigahara. “In the area where “Theyare wondering howmanyPCR tests newvirus strains. sion is also pending on whether to al- dayerswe haddroppedsome363catches!They charadesandkaraoke)andgottheboystogether. we train, thereisnoCovid. But the increasing to conduct on players, what should be their “Weare allowedtopractise and thereare lowfans from outside Japan during the were 111 for7(Australia's firstinnings at cases in Tokyoare aconcern formany.” modeof transport,howtomonitorthem,who tournamentsbeing playedwithin Japan. But it Olympics. One wayoranother,itisex- Adelaide). We droppedthree catches. Iwas Melbourne, 2nd Test Rakwal,aDelhi-bornJapaneseresident,adds will be the people to take careofthem… They is almostayear since we lastplayedaninter- pected that the fate of the Tokyo wonderinghowwillIshowmyfacetothehead ‘ASSHHH,GETTHEBALLINTHEFIRST that public opinion about the Olympics “was donotknowwhatto dobecausetheyhavenot national match,” Aikman says. Olympics will be known by March. coach(RaviShastri).Buttheheadcoachwasnot 10OVERS’ notsogoodevenbefore thepandemic.”Now, it experiencedthis; theyare in remote areas eveninhischair!.Ilookeddownandhewaslit- Ashwin:In MelbourneTimPainewinsthe hasworsened.Inapollearlierthismonth,more whichare almostCovid-free,” Rakwal says. Political call erallylyingonthefloor'Arreyaar'heshoutedin toss... Shastri came intothe dressing room and than 80 per cent of Tokyoresidentssaid they Public interaction wasthe mostimportant as- The futureofthe TokyoGames, according pressing ahead with the Games, with the only utter disappointment (when Paine was boomed, ASSHHHH', 'get the ball in the first10 wantedtheGamestobeeitherpostponed(44.8 pect of the host-towninitiative.Indian archers to RaySaitofromthefacultyof cultureandsport pointof contentionbeingwhetherto allowfans dropped). It wasone of the best scenes of the overs'. Ithought to myself 'in Melbourne he per cent) or cancelled(35.3 per cent). were to visitpeopleattheirhomes,sharemeals policy at the Toin University in Yokohama, will from abroad. Test matchfor me. wantsmetobowlinthefirst10overs'.(Ashwin and meetchildren during their stay.“That be- also be influencedbythe general elections Asahi Shimbun reportedonFridaythat the imitating Shastri) 'It might be damp, it might Safetyand monetary issues comes very difficult now,”hesays. scheduledlaterthisyear.Thecancellationcosts, organisingcommitteehascomeupwiththree SLAPONCHEEK,HANDONBACK spin,IhavetoldJinks(Rahane)'.Bumrahbowled Thereasonsforthisarevarious,accordingto SaitotoldTheTicketpodcast,wouldsway pub- options regarding spectator numbers at the ANDSUGARPILLS agoodspell.Jinksthengave metheballandthe Rakwal,butprimarilybecauseof thehealthand Ready to play? lic opinion as well. venues:nolimit,50percentcapacity,ornofans Ashwin: As coaches howdoyou getthe firstball Ibowled, it spun alot and bouncedas financial stress causedbythe pandemic. Aikman,theDutchcoachofJapan’shockey With Tokyo’s reputation on the line and at all. The final decision in this regard will be team to bounce back? well. Iwas likewow. “Peoplewonderhowthingswillbemanagedif team, pointstothe other issue –preparation moneyatstake forthe IOC, the organisers are takenbyMarch-end, it said. Sridhar:Firstofallwhenemotionsarerun- Sridhar:My firstthought when Isaw you ning high we don't react. Youmakebad deci- bowl andtheballspinningwas'howisRishabh sions when emotions arerunning high. If we Pant going to keep againstyou on this wicket?' Chennai Tests wanttotellaplayersomethingwe runitbyeach [smiles]. Mathews rolls back years, steadies Lanka other to see if we arecommunicating properly. Thereisafiltrationprocessamongthefourof us Sydney, 3rdTest behind closed doors bouncer that hit the batsman on the head.His (bowling coachBharat Arun, batting coach ‘SHABASH’SAID249TIMES KOLKATA: CLOSED-DOORS TESTS, three ASSOCIATEDPRESS perseverance paid offwhen he trapped VikramRathore,Shastri).Eachplayerresponds Sridhar:WhenyouandVihariwerebatting rounds of Covid testing in the lead-up to the COLOMBO,JANUARY22 Chandimal leg before wicket.The batsman, differently. Forone youput ahand on the back, we usedthe word Shabhash 249times! firstgame, team hotelblockedfor outsiders who made 52 forhis 20th half-century, un- one yougiveaslap on the cheek [smiles as (smiles).. As aball wasbowled, Shastri would –India’s home international season is setto AN UNBEATEN hundred by Angelo Mathews successfullyreviewedthe decision. Ashwin places his hand on his cheek]. Alot of lean towardsthe edge of the chair and go commence in afortnight. Afteragap of nearly helpedSri Lanka to 229-4 at stumps Friday "It washardworkbowling out there," times youhavetogivesugar pills also (sugar- 'Shabash Ash!’ Pant had put them on the back- ayear-and-a-half –the lasthome Test was on the firstday of the second test against Wood said. "This pith wastougher than the coated firing). foot,Puji (Pujara) had playedanoutstanding playedinNovember 2019 –India would be England. Mathews came in to bat at 7-2 after lastone. We knewitwas going to be harder. knock. Ravi Shastri got annoyedwith Vihari’s hosting ahome Test series, and the Tamil James Anderson had dismissedbothKusal Theyplayedwell and it didn't spin as much ‘AAHS’AND‘OOHS’...TOLDPANT injury. 'Howcan he tear his hamstring by run- Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA)secretaryRS Perera (6) and Oshada Fernando (0) in the as it did in the firsttest. We intend to make DOESN'TSOUNDGOOD. ning justasingle? Why? How? (smiles). Ramasaamyconfirmedthat the firsttwo Tests morning session. The former Sri Lanka cap- early inroads tomorrowmorning." Ashwin: Team wasout for36inAdelaide of the four-matchseries againstEngland, to tain wasthen tested by aprobing spell of fast Mathews,who missedSri Lanka's recent and wastrolled. THEMESSAGESHARDULNEVER be playedinChennai, would be held behind bowling by MarkWood, who had him in tour of South Africa with ahamstring injury, Sridhar: This is from my point of view. CONVEYED closeddoors. trouble with acouple of shortdeliveries. reachedhis 11th test hundred and the third Overnight we were 9for 1. (Rishabh) Pant Sridhar: Ravi Shastri calls Shardul and tells “Wehavebeen instructed (bythe Wood wasconstantlybowling to Mathews againstEngland with asingle offJackLeach wantedto practice wicket-keeping. The match him (togiveamessagetoAshwin and Vihari) BCCI) that crowds would notbeallowed. on middle and leg-stumpwith aleg-gullyin Angelo Mathews brought up his fifth to point region. It washis firsttesthundred in wastostart at 2:30 pm so we said 'bye'to that Ashwin should take careofthis end (Lyon) Noteventhe press would be allowed. place expecting the batsman to flickone. Test centuryonhome soil and the first Galle, avenue wherehehad made his test Mayank Agarwaland went to the nets.In10 and Vihari should bat from the other end (pac- That’s the situation now,”Ramasaamy Mathews did nottakethe bait but a againstEngland. Reuters debut 12 years ago. minutes we could hear sounds like'aahs' and ers).'AshwinisthebestbatsmanagainstNathan told The IndianExpress. bouncer struckhis gloveand landedwhere England took the newball soon afterit 'oohs'.Thenwe startedhearingsoundsforevery Lyon in this entireteam', Shastri said. 'Vihari is TheBCCI,however, isnotincreasingthehost- therewas no fielder before crossing the wasavailable but weren't able to makethe ball. So Itold Rishabh, 'this doesn't sound good managing Starcand Cummins very well... ask ingfeeforthestagingassociation,whichremains boundaryrope. That brought up Mathews' thirdwicket before Anderson struckinthe breakthrough as Niroshan Dickwella and letusgoand see'. He said 'yes let's go'. We were them to continue'. Rs2.5crorepergameandwithoutfanstheTNCA half-century. second ball afterlunchasThirimanne nicked Mathews were involvedinanunfinished36 likewhathappened.AshwinandVihariarebat- Ashwin: We areoblivious to it... Thakur would miss out on gate receipts –nearly Rs 1 "Welostthe openers early unfortunately one to the wicketkeeper. run stand forthe fifthwicket. ting. It has been just20minutes right?! comes running in and he is panting. Itell him croreoverfivedays by arough estimate. and we justhad to see through afew overs Stand-in captain Dinesh Chandimal then The Sri Lankan wicketkeeper has been justtellmewhatthemessageis.Shardulaftera “Both teams arestaying at the Leela and getthe ball slightlyolder and look for joinedMathews and the duo produceda117- promotedtosixth in this series and is under DAY-OFFAFTER36ALLOUT. while says:'theytold me manythings in the Palace. The entirehotel has been blocked. runs," Mathews said. "Scoring runs was run stand forthe fourth wicket. fire afterastring of rash strokesbrought Ashwin: Adelaide Alapparaigal (Adelaide dressing room, Iamnot going to sayany of it. Upon arrival, theywill undergo Covid tests tough although the wicket wasflat. England Wood waspersisting with some high about his dismissal in recent tests. Shenanigans)isover.MissionMelbournebegan Youguysare already doing agreat job. So con- followedbytwo morerounds of testing were on the moneynot giving away too quality fast bowling on aflat wicket where Anderson finishedwith 3-24. Tenofhis in Adelaide only. ViratKohli wasleaving likein tinue. 'I told him, Is this the message? Whydid (beforethe match). This is applicable to manyloose balls." therewas hardlyany assistance forthe seam 19 overs were maidens. these collegefarewells. We were like'even you youcome all this wayfor this?! (smiles). After everybody,including some of the ground Lahiru Thirimanne gave solid supportto bowlers. BRIEF SCORES: SriLanka 229for 4 areleaving? Please don't go.[laughs]. the match, he tells me what the messagewas staff,” the TNCA secretarysaid. ENS Mathews.Sri Lanka added69runs forthe He had Chandimal in trouble with a (Mathews 107*, Dickwella 19*) vs England. Sridhar: On the daywewerebowledout (laughs). Satwik the enforcer helps doubles stars earn their stripes

Ashwini beat their quarterfinal opponents that wreckedher composure. But she brings ing itssting at halfway stages of both sets,as 14 at one point but Icontinuouslygaveher SHIVANI NAIK WorldNo.7 Malaysian opponentsPeng Soon the mostprecious commodity to this part- the Malaysians defendedwell. points. Therewererallies, butthose lifts were MUMBAI, JANUARY 22 Chan--Liu Ying Goh 18-21, 24-22, 22-20 nership -her honesty.So, she letSatwik take Shetty would help hold on steering the going out. Iwas playing comfortablyearlier shirking offacouple of matchpoints. over."Satwik held his nerves. Mine were all game towardsvariation smashes, cutting on but theykeptgoingout. Iwas nervous and SATWIKSAIRAJ RANKIREDDYisthrilledto This is the CWGchampion mixeddoubles over the place. He took charge.Hedealt with the pace and drops. But Satwik would soon made simple errors." be on the badminton courtwith his strat- pairing's firstSuper 1000 semifinal, India's situations muchbetter. Iwas alittle tooex- fetchuprightnexttohim on the forecourt egy:attack, attack. He doesn't actuallygo best result on the circuit in XD in adozen cited,alittle tooeager,soendedupmaking a and push them backtofinish in straight sets. Sameer ‘Warrior’ ballistic, trying to mangle everyshuttle that years. Jwala Gutta-VDijuhad made the feweasy mistakes. When needed, he was "Firsttime I'm playing both men's dou- Anders Antonsen whose focus wasinand floatsinhis orbit. He can sting even stand- Super Series finals in 2009. calm," she told BWF. bles and mixed doubles semis. Very excited. out throughout his matchwith Sameer ing, likesomeone catching abutterfly. But Moreexpectedly,Satwik combinedwith Satwik's attackisthe sortthat can make It'll bereallychallenging. Illbeready.Wehave Verma, had atough time quelling the oppo- the burly enforcer knows the thunderous Chirag Shetty to beat backMalaysian Ong match-pointsseem inflammablebecause op- to keep calm," he would say. nent and his slingy defense. "Sameer is awar- trickthat bulges up his sleeve -his ability YewSin -Teo Ee Yi 21-18, 24-22 in 37 min- Satwik combinedwith Chirag Shetty ponentsrealise he will roar and revuphis at- The man is 20, fitand raring to slaytwo rior.Tough match," he would say, as the Indian to kill arallywith one swing of the axe, the utes, wheretheylooked scratchy,but did to beat Ong YewSin -Teo Ee Yi 21-18, tack from half ametre away.Satwik usedthe events. It'll be pointless to wrap the Hulk in wrung out Antonsen's depleting reserves and moment he pleases. what all topinternational pairs do -win on a 24-22. Badminton Photo bulky smash to put them under pressurein cotton wool and ask him to ration his rage for pushedhim to the veryend in the mostexcit- On Saturday, along with his partners bad day. thesecond, andthe confidence carriedhim justone event. ing matchofthe day. Defending everyshot Ashwini Ponappa and Chirag Shetty,Satwik All talk of Satwik needing to focus on one through to the end. and transitioning manyretrievesintowinners, providedIndian badminton the solid rocket event looking ahead at the Olympics, might The reason wasSatwik standing right Liu Ying Goh is formidable but recuperat- Sindhu ready forfinals Sameer would leave Antonsen gasping. boosterseparation -for the firsttime two run intoamassive wall: Satwik's choice. thereatthe net-with aracquetfor aringmas- ing from backpain. She would parry attacks PV Sindhu made plenty of unforceder- At one point the WorldNo.4 Dane would doublespairingswillbeinsemifinals of a "Wedidn't see our opponents. Doesn't ter's whip. "On courtwejustwant to play100 from Satwik and wasengaged in some top rors losing 21-13, 21-9, to Intanon Ratchanok, tell his coachquiteastoundedthat Sameer Super 1000.Singles players PV Sindhu and matter if we lose or win," he would sayafter percent. If we lose also, doesn't matter.One notchreparteeshots with Ashwini, but the with her lifts going all over the place to exit waspicking the tough shots,but wasatad Sameer Verma exitedbefore the business end knocking offthe Malaysians who held their year we areresting. So we want to playmore Indians managed to unsettle their focus. Thailand Super 1000on Friday. But the week- vulnerable when going forthe easy kills. The kickedin, losing their quarters. three match-points, likematchsticks flam- matches, moretournaments. That's my strat- Satwik wasonlywarming up forthe end's best usedtopreparefor the big one next Indian's precision wasn't the best.But he dis- It's takenawhile, but Indian doubles pair- ing tooclose to the finger:with great trepi- egy," he would say. men's doubles pairing of Malaysians. The week -- WorldTour Finals. "Didn't play100 sectedeveryAntonsen attackfor 80 odd min- ings have finallytaken centrestage.Satwik- dation. Ashwini had worked up nervous energy Indians would trail atad with their attacklos- pc. Made alot of unforcederrors. It was13- utes before going down 13-21, 21-19, 20-22.

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